Elizabethtown College’s Center for Student Success, partnered with the College’s Disabilities Services, has added SensusAccess to its list of accessibility resources for current students. SensusAccess provides students, faculty, alumni and staff with alternative media solutions.
SensusAccess allows campus community members to automatically convert documents into a range of other media sources including audio books, e-books and digital Braille. SensusAccess can also be used for inclusion technology purposes, which includes the conversion of documents like image-only PDF files, JPG pictures and Microsoft PowerPoint presentations.
Currently, the software offers four different categories of services: Braille services, audio services, e-book services and accessibility services. The Braille Services transcribe documents in both contracted and uncontracted Braille for the national Braille systems in over 16 different languages. Similarly, the audio services convert various texts into plain MP3 files as well as DAISY Talking Books in over 20 different languages. The e-book and accessibility services additionally convert inaccessible documents, files and images into more accessible formats such as tagged PDF, DOC and Amazon Kindle formats.
The process of converting a file using the SensusAccess software is a four-step process. Users of the interface must first upload the documents they wish to convert. Then, the user selects the output format (MP3 audio, Braille, e-book or accessibility conversion) that they wish the document to be converted into. The last two steps ask for specific options based on the output format of the file and an email address to send the converted file to.
Before the addition of SensusAccess, the College offered testing accommodations and the option to record class lectures to those who needed the services, in addition individual requests for closed captioned movies and converted text book files. With the addition of the SensusAccess software, more than just current students will have access to these conversion services and inclusion technologies.
“The Center for Student Success is committed to promoting the growth and well-being of Elizabethtown College students,” the Center for Student Success’ mission statement says. Senior engineering major Abby Kopytko agrees.
“Software like SensusAccess is useful because it opens doors for students who can’t learn the conventional way,” Kopytko said. “Students no longer have to struggle in classes where they can’t access the information as easily, so they can still perform the best to their capabilities.”
For more information on the College’s Center for Student Success and Disability Services, please visit https://www.etown.edu/offices/student-success/. For more information on the SensusAccess software or to start converting a file, please visit https://www.sensusaccess.com/.
