E-Text - Accessing Higher Ground
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Transcript E-Text - Accessing Higher Ground
Alternate Media Workflow
Strategies for PDF
Why PDF?
Portable document format (PDF)
Reads the same on any computer
Looks like the book
Contains all the text
Smaller than TIFFs
Easy for publishers
Types of PDF Documents
Text-based
– Text can be selected
Graphical
– Picture of text (i.e., a graphic)
– Text cannot be selected
Use text-select tool to tell the difference
PDFs and Publishers
Fairly easy for publishers
– Usually even small publishers can create a
PDF
Most accurate format
Will be complete
– But watch out for teacher’s editions
Look for format choice on request forms
Requesting through ATPC
Use the ATPC request form
– www.atpc.net
In notes field at bottom, request PDF
If additional processing is required,
send syllabus!
Please note: atpcnet.net is old URL;
new URL is atpc.net
Security Issues
PDF files can be locked in various ways
Some files can be read but no text
extracted
Some files cannot be read
Sometimes OmniPage and/or
FineReader can OCR locked files
Sometimes nothing can open the files
Different Acrobats
Adobe Reader
– Free
– Useful for students who need minimal
accessibility features
– http://www.adobe.com/products/reader/
Adobe Acrobat Professional
– www.uscollegebuy.com $55
– Useful for alt media specialists
– Extract text, create accessible PDFs, enabled
Adobe Reader features
Access with Acrobat Reader
Reads aloud
– But does not highlight or track
Enlarges text
– Nice reflow feature
Changes text/background colors
Text highlighting, sticky notes, and
comments
Access text-based PDFs
Adobe Reader Reality Check
As good as Kurzweil?
– NO
As good as PDF Aloud?
– NO
Appropriate as only assistive technology?
– NO
Nice as a free, widely available option?
– YES
Process with Acrobat Pro
Cropping
Enlargement for printing
Tiling
Combining
Some text extraction
Works with text-based PDF
Processing Graphical PDFs
Must use OCR program
Use virtual printer with Kurzweil
– Creates KESI files
– Will not work with locked files
Use OmniPage or FineReader
– Sometimes work with locked files
– OP handles tighter security than FineReader does
– Nothing works on “armadillo wrappers”
OCR Programs
Treat the same as a TIFF
Load image file
Zone
Create templates
PDF Strengths
Good format for large print
– Cropping
– Fit to page on large pages
– Print sections on large pages (tiling)
Adobe Reader has some nice features for
free
– Change colors
– Reflow
– Voicing
Easy for most publishers to create
PDF Weaknesses
Not always fully accessible
– Screen readers do not always like them
– Reading order can be problematic
May be graphics
May have too much security
Summary
Source files vs. end-user files
– Source files = for you to create alt media
from
– End-user files = alt media formats
PDF
– Consider PDFs as source files (files to
process) that sometimes double as enduser files (for certain students with limited
access issues)