Document Accessibility Services FAQs
Document Accessibility Services FAQs
In the table below, you will find the Document Accessibility Services frequently asked questions. If you do not see your question answered, please feel free to reach out by phone at (404) 894-7756 or by email at cidi-support@design.gatech.edu.
| Frequently Asked Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Q: When will I receive my textbook file? | A: If we have the book already completed in our repository, you can receive your file within a day or two of placing your order. If we need to produce the book, it can take up to 24 days for your file to be completed. This applies to all orders except for our quoted projects, which take longer to produce. |
| Q: Which file formats are preferred by students? | A: Most students prefer PDF files because they are formatted to look exactly like the physical book. Students with visual disabilities may prefer a Microsoft Word DOC, EPUB, or HTML file depending on their preferred software, because these file formats include alt text descriptions for images. |
| Q: Why does the file not look like the original? | A: Unlike a PDF, which retains the format of the original book, many of our accessible files are formatted in a single column. Our Microsoft Word Doc, EPUB, and HTML files are all formatted in a long single linear column. All of the content is present and in the correct reading order, but it does not resemble the original layout of the book. |
| Q: Which types of files have alt text descriptions for images? | A: Microsoft Word Doc, EPUB, and HTML files all include alt text description for images. All of our quoted projects also include image description. Because some students prefer more comprehensive descriptions than the standard brief alt text, we offer long description alt text for Microsoft Word Docs as a quoted project. |
| Q: Which is the fastest type of file to produce for my student? | A: An accessible PDF is the fastest file format for our E-Text team to produce. We can also fulfill orders for books we’ve already produced within the same day, regardless of file format. If you notice some orders getting produced instantly, that is because we have them ready to send out in our repository of almost 50,000 titles. |
| Q: What is delaying my order? | A: There are a great deal of factors that go into producing accessible media, and some possible delays include not being able to identify the precise book from the ISBN provided, having difficulty reaching the campus bookstore to purchase a copy, or normal shipping delays through Amazon or UPS. Once we obtain the book, we sometimes can experience delays due to poor print resolution or font quality making the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) process and quality control checks time consuming. |
| Q: What is an EPUB and what are its core accessibility features? | A: These files feature reflowable content, resizable images and tables, and adjustable font sizes and colors, offering a highly customizable experience for students. EPUBs can be read with multiple readers and software packages, such as iBooks for OS/iOS, Microsoft Edge, Readium, and Thorium, and many new devices come with an EPUB reader built in. |
| Q: What if I need a course packet or supplement made accessible? | A: Course Packets, Readings, Supplemental Materials, or any other Special Orders may be remediated into accessible formats. However, materials with poor resolution, illegible text, or difficult to read fonts may yield significant spelling errors or text that needs to be scanned as an image. If scans are of poor quality, we will contact the customer to either cancel the order or communicate what cannot be made accessible. |
| Q: How do I check the status of my order? | A: Students with accounts in the Service Portal can log in and click Orders to view the status. Students who do not have Service Portal accounts should contact their Disability Service Provider who will be able to provide updates. Please note that our standard time for order completion can take up to 24 days for all except our quoted projects. If it has been longer than 24 days since you placed your order, and the status still does not say Completed, please contact our Customer Support team by phone at (404) 894-7756 or by email at cidi-support@design.gatech.edu. |
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