What is Books for All?
Books for All is a comprehensive programme of support to pupils with print disabilities, their teachers and support staff. Knowing how to find, use and make accessible books and information is not only an effective and efficient way of supporting pupils, but it helps authorities to fulfill their duties under the Equality Act 2010 to provide information in an accessible format. Teachers and pupils all over Scotland are tremendously enthusiastic about Books for All.
Many "print-disabled" pupils can benefit from learning resources in alternative formats. For example:
- Students who have a physical difficulty with holding books or turning pages can access materials in a digital format on the computer or device.
- Students with visual impairment, specific learning difficulties, dyslexia, or reading difficulties can read material if it is printed in a larger or different font, or on coloured paper, or displayed on computer. Pupils with reading difficulties can also have the text read out by the computer or by listening to audio books.
- Students with learning difficulties may benefit from simplified language, books printed in a simpler font or layout, or from books with symbols, or from audio books.
- Students with hearing impairment may need simplified language, audio books or multimedia resources with signed video.
So where can you get books in accessible formats for learners with print disabilities?
- Our Books for All website has digital textbooks for learners with print disabilities. There are digitised versions of printed books, Large Print versions in different font sizes, and TeeJay and Heinemann Maths books with answer boxes for students to type answers on screen.
- RNIB Bookshare is a free database managed by RNIB. As of May 2020 it has over 500,000 files in a variety of formats including PDF, Word and eBook files. Most of the UK academic publishers are providing PDFs of their textbooks to Bookshare.
- The Seeing Ear is a charity with a free online library, mainly of novels and reading books in text and Word format.
For more information on finding, using and making books in alternative formats, visit the Books for All website.
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