1. Alternative Format Access to Printed Material
Shifting the Responsibility to Producers
Anthony Tibbs, B. Comm. (Hon.)
LLB/BCL Candidate (McGill University)
National Treasurer, Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians
Vice-President, Guide Dog Users of Canada /
(514)

2. Introduction: Who am I? A student An advocate
Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians
Guide Dog Users of Canada
Centre for Students with Disabilities (University of Ottawa)
A self-employed individual
A user of multiple formats

3. The “Right” To Information
“Access to information is a fundamental right of Canadians.” Really?
Section 32 of the Copyright Act
Exemptions are not limitless
Does not allow large print copies
Does not allow for commercialization of transcription and reproduction services
Publishers precluding formats (Braille)
Stringent requirements (“re-permission”)

4. Adapting Print Material
Scanning & OCR technology
Positive impacts
Challenges (errors, time, target format)
NPO production decisions
<5% of publicly available material
Tends to exclude technical materials
Exception: O’Reily Books & Bookshare.org
“Special Formats” (DAISY, etc.)

5. The Role of Publishers
Ideally, alternative format publication becomes part of production process
Minimizes unit cost
Not unlike cable television levies
Less ideally, publishers commit to provision of “cleanest possible” e-files files to alt. format producers
Either they do it, or we do, so ...

6. Do publishers care?
Target market for any given book tends to be limited
Population of PWD requiring alternative format materials even smaller
Mainstream sources can help
Audible.com, standard audiobooks
Limited academic and professional use

7. Strategy
Copyright exemptions & NPO production not succeeding (3-5% available)
Target large, institutional purchasers
Professors & educational purchasers
Production vs. Facilitating production
Libraries

8. Strategy (continued)
Channel alternative format production funding into producer incentives
Tie governmental grant funding for authors/publishers to accessibility requirements
Development of new funding assistance initiatives
e.g. Book Industry Development Program (BIDP) through Dept. Of Canadian Heritage
K Industry

9. Conclusion
Minimal availability of alternative format material (academic, technical, literary)
Technological improvements and mainstream audio not complete solution
Strategies
Institutional purchasers demand accessibility
Funding initiatives and incentives
In short: Universal design!