E-mail List Archives
Thread: What Alt Format works for you?
Number of posts in this thread: 7 (In chronological order)
From: McDonald, Jeni
Date: Tue, Nov 12 2024 2:54PM
Subject: What Alt Format works for you?
No previous message | Next message →
There was a question erarlier about alternative formats from financial instiutions, and I just wanted to dig a little deeper on that. Any response from people consuming these items would be helpful for us driving our stakeholder decisions.
Right now, the company I work for offers Braille, Audio, Data, Large Print. I’m focused on Audio and Data at the moment - do you know people who take advantage of these formats, and if so, what medium do you expect/want? I think CDs are being created for Audio requests, and I’m not sure that’s the method that will be most user friendly these days.
Any insights you can offer would be great. Imagine this for a billing statement, or a letter about your mortgage.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The information contained in this message is confidential proprietary property of Nelnet, Inc. and its affiliated companies (Nelnet) and is intended for the recipient only. Any reproduction, forwarding, or copying without the express permission of Nelnet is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by replying to this e-mail.
From: charis533
Date: Wed, Nov 13 2024 3:39AM
Subject: Re: What Alt Format works for you?
← Previous message | Next message →
Hello:
I usually go to the website or app to read my bills using a screen reader. For me it is the fastest way to get the information.
I used to request bills in Braille when available, however, they usually came a couple weeks after the print bill and the print bill was still considered the bill. There was no leniency if you used the Braille. You are still expected to get the bill paid on time based on the information on the print bill.
I appreciate the company having choices. What is accessible to one person may not be accessible to another person.
Charis Austin
From: McDonald, Jeni
Date: Thu, Nov 14 2024 7:13AM
Subject: Re: What Alt Format works for you?
← Previous message | Next message →
Thanks, Charis—that makes a lot of sense. I can see how alternative format delivery might result in delays.
For people who aren't as comfortable with digital tools, like my mother, who’s recently legally blind and still adapting to screen readers and zoom, I wonder if there’s a way to make this more seamless.
If you had someone in your life in a similar situation, what would you advise? And if alternative formats could be delivered faster, what would your preference be—audio on a CD, an emailed file, or a USB?
On 11/13/24, 4:39 AM, " = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = " < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
Hello:
I usually go to the website or app to read my bills using a screen reader. For me it is the fastest way to get the information.
I used to request bills in Braille when available, however, they usually came a couple weeks after the print bill and the print bill was still considered the bill. There was no leniency if you used the Braille. You are still expected to get the bill paid on time based on the information on the print bill.
I appreciate the company having choices. What is accessible to one person may not be accessible to another person.
Charis Austin
From: Karen McCall
Date: Thu, Nov 14 2024 7:25AM
Subject: Re: What Alt Format works for you?
← Previous message | Next message →
There are two perspectives on this question.
The first thing I suggest if the person was an avid reader is to join Audible. There is "instant success" at being able to read again even though you are listening to a book. While Audible doesn't focus on educational books, for seniors who love to read, it is a good bridging tool. Often books are on sale, so there is a cost to joining Audible.
So is Project Guttenberg which is free although their content is HTML based or was the last time I used the site. A tool like the HumanWare Victor Reader Stream can read the Project Guttenberg books, It is only one such tool and happens to be the one I've used for several years. The buttons make it easy to use.
The Audible books can go on a mobile phone or the Victor reader Stream.
These tools sometimes give people who have just experienced vision loss time to adjust while still being able to read and do something positive.
Personally, I prefer Word format for academic and educational publications simply because JAWS lets me move around the content faster, has more support for things like footnotes, endnotes, comments and track changes. I now convert all PDFs into Word so that I can access the content quickly. The Victor Reader Stream supports Word format so if I only want to read content, it can travel with me. I do have Word apps on my iOS device but I can use the Stream without being connected to the Internet.
Delays in getting alternate format are still significant intentional barriers to content. We know how to make digital content accessible but for some reason we still face systemic barriers.
Cheers, Karen
From: Dean.Vasile
Date: Thu, Nov 14 2024 7:44AM
Subject: Re: What Alt Format works for you?
← Previous message | Next message →
I would like to add one more perspective to this dialogue.
Other than Audible they can always register with the library of Congress at loc.bard.gov
And they can do that with their local commission for the Blind
This is if they are in the United States.
For other countries, there are definitely Options like Audible or Book share and a couple of others
Dean Vasile
IAAP, CPACC
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
617-799-1162
> On Nov 14, 2024, at 9:26 AM, Karen McCall < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>
> There are two perspectives on this question.
>
> The first thing I suggest if the person was an avid reader is to join Audible. There is "instant success" at being able to read again even though you are listening to a book. While Audible doesn't focus on educational books, for seniors who love to read, it is a good bridging tool. Often books are on sale, so there is a cost to joining Audible.
>
> So is Project Guttenberg which is free although their content is HTML based or was the last time I used the site. A tool like the HumanWare Victor Reader Stream can read the Project Guttenberg books, It is only one such tool and happens to be the one I've used for several years. The buttons make it easy to use.
>
> The Audible books can go on a mobile phone or the Victor reader Stream.
>
> These tools sometimes give people who have just experienced vision loss time to adjust while still being able to read and do something positive.
>
> Personally, I prefer Word format for academic and educational publications simply because JAWS lets me move around the content faster, has more support for things like footnotes, endnotes, comments and track changes. I now convert all PDFs into Word so that I can access the content quickly. The Victor Reader Stream supports Word format so if I only want to read content, it can travel with me. I do have Word apps on my iOS device but I can use the Stream without being connected to the Internet.
>
> Delays in getting alternate format are still significant intentional barriers to content. We know how to make digital content accessible but for some reason we still face systemic barriers.
>
> Cheers, Karen
>
From: David Farough
Date: Thu, Nov 14 2024 9:04AM
Subject: Re: What Alt Format works for you?
← Previous message | Next message →
There is no one size fits all option for this question.
As Karen points out, Microsoft Word documents are best for accessibility if HTML format is not an option.
PDF documents can be made accessible but it is difficult and they may not be accessible for mobile device users.
As has been said earlier, Don't worry about the format for numbers. Often the synthesizer in use or the screen reader will have settings that can be adjusted for this.
For example Jaws has the following options for number processing.
Use this list to determine how numbers are read. Select Controlled by Synthesizer to have the current synthesizer determine how numbers are read. This is the default setting. Select Single Digits to read numbers as a series of single numbers. For example, "123" is read as one two three. Select Pairs to read numbers as a series of paired numbers. For example, "1050" is read as "ten fifty." If the number has an odd number of digits, JAWS reads the first digit as a single digit and pairs the rest. For example, "123" is read as "one twenty three." Select Full Numbers to always reads numbers as complete numbers. For example, "123" is read as "one hundred twenty three."
From: Sandy Feldman
Date: Thu, Nov 14 2024 10:44AM
Subject: Re: What Alt Format works for you?
← Previous message | No next message
In Canada the public libraries carry audio books, available free through
the Libby app.
Sandy
https://sandyfeldman.com
https://www.a11yready.com
On 2024-11-14 9:44 a.m., = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = wrote:
> I would like to add one more perspective to this dialogue.
> Other than Audible they can always register with the library of Congress at loc.bard.gov
> And they can do that with their local commission for the Blind
> This is if they are in the United States.
> For other countries, there are definitely Options like Audible or Book share and a couple of others
> Dean Vasile
> IAAP, CPACC
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> 617-799-1162
>
>> On Nov 14, 2024, at 9:26 AM, Karen McCall< = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>>
>> There are two perspectives on this question.
>>
>> The first thing I suggest if the person was an avid reader is to join Audible. There is "instant success" at being able to read again even though you are listening to a book. While Audible doesn't focus on educational books, for seniors who love to read, it is a good bridging tool. Often books are on sale, so there is a cost to joining Audible.
>>
>> So is Project Guttenberg which is free although their content is HTML based or was the last time I used the site. A tool like the HumanWare Victor Reader Stream can read the Project Guttenberg books, It is only one such tool and happens to be the one I've used for several years. The buttons make it easy to use.
>>
>> The Audible books can go on a mobile phone or the Victor reader Stream.
>>
>> These tools sometimes give people who have just experienced vision loss time to adjust while still being able to read and do something positive.
>>
>> Personally, I prefer Word format for academic and educational publications simply because JAWS lets me move around the content faster, has more support for things like footnotes, endnotes, comments and track changes. I now convert all PDFs into Word so that I can access the content quickly. The Victor Reader Stream supports Word format so if I only want to read content, it can travel with me. I do have Word apps on my iOS device but I can use the Stream without being connected to the Internet.
>>
>> Delays in getting alternate format are still significant intentional barriers to content. We know how to make digital content accessible but for some reason we still face systemic barriers.
>>
>> Cheers, Karen
>>