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“E-text is becoming the accepted term for the provision of materials as electronic files – whether on disk or online.” (Jolley, 2002)
So – who would want electronic files?
This format has been a vital medium for people with a vision impairment for quite some time (McCann, 1996). Many blind students read documents on their computers, using a screen reader. The computer converts the text into speech. Some students arrive at TAFE with the skills already in using this technology. Others might have to gain these skills, while at the same time doing their other studies.
Many people with low vision also prefer electronic documents, and use screen magnification programs on their computer to enlarge the text.
& For information on screen readers and screen magnification programs, go to the section on Supporting Students with a Vision Impairment.
Some people with dyslexia might also request documents as electronic files. There are specialised programs to assist people with dyslexia to read documents on a computer.
People who have difficulty physically handling papers and books can also benefit from reading via a computer.
Advantages of e-text include: w The student can later reproduce in a different format if their needs change (eg. Their vision deteriorates) w Most learning materials are produced using computers and can be modified to suit screen readers. w The files can be sent quickly via email, and can be the basis for producing large print, Braille, or to be read on-screen
Disadvantages of e-text include: w The materials are not portable unless student has notebook computer or similar device w Some graphics are difficult to fit on the screen w Features such as tables and graphics can be difficult to read using a screen reader.
The following is from a Human Rights and Equal Opportunity (2002) paper, “Storm or Sea Change”:
It is true that developments in computerised production methods have made some aspects of the production processes more efficient than was the case, say, 10 years ago. But offsetting this has been a trend towards a greater level of complexity in the nature of materials required, and the formats of those materials. In general, curricular materials are presented to print-using students in more visually appealing ways, for example, through greater use of cartoons, boxed inserts, pictures, diagrams, and the like, even in subjects such as Philosophy and Psychology that might traditionally have been regarded as text-based. Translating these highly visual and complex layouts into formats that are meaningful and useful to readers with disabilities is a time-consuming process that requires considerable expertise if it is done well.
File format
Ask the student what format they are familiar with – do they use MS Word or Word Perfect, or do they want plain text files.
Layout of documents
& Many of the tips for layout of documents that are described in the section, How do I set out my documents to make them easy and attractive to read, will help you to set out e-text files.
This is a brief summary of the major features of accessible layout: w Make sure that headings are clear w Use leading (line spacing) of at least 25% greater than the text size. This means that you would format your paragraphs with line spacing of at least 15 point for a font size of 12 point. w Insert a blank line between paragraphs w Do not indent paragraphs w Ensure that good contrast is used w Choose a clear font (a sans serif font such as Arial or Verdana is ideal) w Use a minimum of 12 point font w Avoid shading! w Use left justification (and ragged right edge)
Tables
Tables are a good way of laying out complex information for many people. Screen readers, however, can struggle to read the text in an intelligible way, depending on the version of the screen reading software, and the skill of the person. Newer versions of screen reading software do include provision for reading tables, however, many people will still be using older versions.
It can also be difficult to read text in tables if you are using a magnification program, as you only see a small portion of the table on the screen, and you can lose track of what the columns and rows represent.
Some people who use screen readers can read worksheets in spreadsheet programs such as MS Excel. An option could be to take out tables, especially complex ones that are difficult to put into straight text, and create worksheets for these tables. You could provide a hyperlink in the Word document to the Excel file.
A useful resource on Creating E-text is available from the High Tech Center Training Unit at http://www.htctu.fhda.edu/trainings/manuals/alt/Creating_E-Text.pdf
This manual outlines how to format e-text to make it easy to read. It is free to download or read online.
Are PDF files accessible?
PDF (Portable Document Format) is a very popular way of providing information on the Web, as document formatting can be preserved and information can be secured. The security and formatting features, however, present obstacles for some people with a disability. |
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