ATC teams with www.bookshare.org

IU is partnering up with Bookshare.org to allow students with reading and vision disabilities access to more than 15,000 textbooks whose texts have been digitized. \nThe Adaptive Technology Center is in the process of submitting its collection of about 2,000 computerized textbooks to the Web site, said Margaret Londergan, director of the ATC.\n"In return, those students who qualify will receive full access to Bookshare.org's database of around 15,000 texts," Londergan said. "It is great for students with blindness, low vision, dyslexia or other impairments that would hinder then from reading text from a book."\nIU students can qualify for access by submitting a certification of their disability to the Web site. Because of the University's partnership with Bookshare.org, a fee of $50 per year, plus a $25 sign-up fee for the first year, is waived. \nIU is one of the country's leading alternative text production facilities, according to a news release submitted by the University Information Technology Services.\n"We've spent several years developing a book-scanning operation that can effectively meet the alternative text needs of our students with disabilities," Londergan said.\nBookshare.org is a project created by Benetech Initiative, a not-for-profit organization that develops technology projects relating to social issues such as disability, promotion of literacy and human rights. It is a collaboration of individuals and organizations that specialize in text scanning for the benefit of the blind. So far, the site features not only textbooks, but bestsellers and informational books as well. \n"(Our) online library of accessible materials has always had great promise for use by students," said Alison Lingane, senior product manager of Bookshare.org, "We expect this partnership with Indiana University will help further with that promise."\nOther Benetech projects include the Landmine Detector projects, to aid in the removal of hidden landmines, and ReadingCam, a piece of hardware that can magnify books or other text for the vision-impaired. But the text is protected against unauthorized use by digital rights management plans, such as file encryption, watermarks and a security watchdog program instituted by the American Publisher's Association.\nBookshare.org and the ATC are protected against copyright infringement under HR 3754, popularly known as "the Chaffee Amendment." This protects the copying of audio, text or video from copyright infringement when done as a service for the disabled. \nThe ATC, which is a division of UITS, was created in 1999, and uses technology for alternative methods of learning for disabled students. They employ methods such as Braille, MP3 audio format, electronic text and audio transcriptions. The ATC also has laptop and software loan programs.\nLondergan said although the partnership has benefited IU students already, the program is still new, and she has not yet received feedback about its functionality.\n"Students are still exploring www.bookshare.org's features, and seeing what they have to offer. With time we'll hear what students think," Londergan said.\nTo inquire about eligibility for access to www.bookshare.org, contact the Adaptive Technology Center at 856-4112 or visit Bookshare.org at www.bookshare.org.\n-- Contact staff writer Andrew Welfle at awelfle@indiana.edu.