**************************************
Penny Gray                                     *
Adaptive Technology Specialist    *
Disability Services                           *
Bucks Co. Community College       *
Newtown, PA 18940                        *
[log in to unmask]                           *
215-968-8104                                *
**************************************
"Until he extends his circle of
compassion to include all living things,
man will not himself find peace."
Albert Schweitzer

Paul and everyone else who has responded,

This student does not have a screenreader at home.  He is low vision and I
would certainly recommend that he use some adaptive software like ZoomText
extra level 2.  He requested the book on tape so that's what we were trying
to provide.  I have requested the book in alternative format from the
publisher but have yet to hear back.  As far as scanning and editing this,
or any book, we don't have the Resources.  We do not have a good scanner,
currently running Kurzweil 3000 version 4, and 1 student worker.  This is a
700 page book along with a lab book.  This is why I was looking for reader
resources, which I haven't found.

Penny


-----Original Message-----
From: * EASI: Equal Access to Software & Information
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Paul Chapin
Sent: Thursday, November 07, 2002 1:21 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: need textbook to tape reader


Are you sure you want to do that?  Our experience indicates that scanning a
book in and using OCR to convert it to a file that can be read online using
a screen reader takes about the same amount of time and, after set up, about
the same cost.  The result is much more useful if the user has access to a
system with a screen reader.  In addition, we found that finding qualified
readers was a major problem since student employees hated the reading job,
but loved the scanning work.

See http://www.amherst.edu/~pdchapin/accessibility/nercomp_paper.html for a
presentation on work done here on providing course material in electronic
format.

------
Paul Chapin
Curricular Computing Specialist
Amherst College
413 542-2144


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Penny Gray [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Wednesday, November 06, 2002 2:40 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: need textbook to tape reader
>
>
> Can anyone guide me as to where to turn to have a textbook (computer
> hardware) read to tape?  RFB&D does not have the book yet.
> It just came
> out in June 2002.  We often rely on volunteers but I believe we need
> this professionally read.
>
> Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.
>
> Penny
>
>
> ******************************************
> Penny Gray
> Adaptive Technology Specialist
> Bucks County community college
> Newtown, Pennsylvania 18940
> 215-968-8104
> [log in to unmask]
> http://www.bucks.edu/services/disability/
> ******************************************
>