Alternative Textbooks

Guidelines for using Alternative Textbooks

DSS Responsibilities:

• educate faculty on the importance of accessible content.
• provide students with an alternative textbooks.
• educate students on the adaptive technology options available at K-State.
• provide access in a timely manner.

Student Responsibilities:

• qualify for alternative textbooks with necessary documentation to support need.
• fill out an Request for Letters of Accommodation Form.
• provide DSS with a list of books they will need prior to the start of each semester. You can find book information at the Varney's website.
• purchase each textbook before being provided an accessible copy by DSS.
• install a screen reader onto their computer to access the accessible text.

Screen Readers

There are many screen readers that read the text provided by DSS. We recommend that the screen reader you use be compatable with PDF files, text files (.doc, .rtf, or .txt) and text from web pages. The following is a list of screen readers that are compatable with Microsoft Windows with a link to download a free copy.

• Natural Readers (DSS recommended) - a simple and yet diverse tool for use with many types of content.
• ReadPlease - a basic tool that is easy to use by cutting and pasting text.
• Speakonia - a very basic tool which can be used by highlighting text and reading with key commands.

If you use an Apple computer, you do not need to install a screen reader. A screen reader is built into the operating system and recent updates to the operating system have greatly improved the voices. Here are some directions for setting Mac Text to Speech feature up!