Using Alternative Formats

As a student, you can access the information you need, the way you need it.

How do you prefer to engage with digital learning content? Do you read it on your phone or tablet, use a screen reader, like to annotate and highlight, or listen to an audio version?

Canvas Pages

For any Canvas page, students have the ability to utilize Immersive Reader at the top right side of the page. This enables you to change the font size, listen to the page content using the text-to-speech feature (play button at the bottom of the page) with the text highlighted as it reads. You can also reduce the amount of text you see by customizing the appearance. Immersive reader also gives you the ability to translate a Canvas page into over 50 different languages.

Files Uploaded to Canvas

For any file uploaded to Canvas, students have the ability to automatically generate "Alternative formats" from your original course files.

Alternative format indicator button

Types of Alternative Formats and Why Students Might Use

Select a tab below to learn more about each specific format available.

Audio
ePub
HTML
PDF
Translated Version
BeeLine Reader

Audio

The audio alternative reads aloud the text in the original file. This also includes alternative descriptions for images, if they are provided.
The audio format is saved as an MP3. MP3s are compressed, high-quality sound files that can be played on any computer or mobile device.
Audio formats fail, if the original document contains more than 100,000 characters. This is equivalent to approximately 33 pages.

Why use audio?

Not only does audio benefit individuals with visual impairments, research has also proven that audio can increase learning (Boyle et al., 2003). Maybe these sound like you. If so, audio is a good option. You prefer to listen than read. You’re an auditory learner. You want to read and listen to the content at the same time. You have a lot of material to study and find your eyes get tired. You study on your commute and want to take your study materials with you. You don’t want to, or can’t, carry print materials for any length of time. You have a visual impairment. You want to adjust the speed of the audio. Most players allow you to adjust playback speed. For example, Windows Media player, VIC, Audacity, and iTunes.

ePub

The ePub alternative creates a digital publishing file that can be viewed on our mobile devices. ePub files are reflowable. This means that the content displayed automatically adapts to the device it is viewed on. Here are a few suggested apps for ePubs.

Apple: iBooks, Voice Dream, NaturalReader, and Thorium Reader
Android: Lithium and Voice Aloud Reader
Windows: Calibre, Icecream Ebook Reader, NaturalReader, and Thorium Reader
Linux: Thorium Reader

Why use ePub?

ePub is powerful. With it, readers can take notes, highlight content, adjust text and background, and in some cases use text-to-speech. Maybe these sound like you. If so, ePub is a good option.

You want to adjust font size and background color.
You want to highlight content, take notes, and bookmark important pages.
You want to be able to copy, paste, and search text.
You want to use text-to-speech and adjust the speed of the speech.
You prefer to read.
You study on your commute and want to take your study materials with you.

Semantic HTML

What is Semantic HTML? Tags and elements—such as blockquote, paragraph, and headings—are added to add meaning to a page. It aids screen reader users with good content structure.

Semantic HTML is viewed in a browser and adapts to the device you are viewing it on.

Semantic HTML is available offline on your mobile device, if you don't close your browser.

Why use Semantic HTML?

Semantic HTML is ideal when the content has complex layouts.

Maybe these sound like you. If so, Semantic HTML is a good option.

You want to adjust font size and background color.
You want to highlight content, take notes, and bookmark important pages.
You want to be able to copy, paste, and search text.
You want to use text-to-speech and adjust the speed of the speech.
You prefer to read.
You use a screen reader.

OCR PDF

OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition. The OCR PDF alternatives are created when the original file is PDF of an image. OCR technology analyzes the document and converts the image into searchable text.

The conversion is only as good as the quality of the original file. If the file is difficult to analyze, there may be mistakes.

Why use OCR PDF?

Maybe these sound like you. If so, OCR PDF is a good option.

You want to be able to copy, paste, and search text.
You want to use text-to-speech and adjust the speed of the speech.
You prefer to read.
You study on your commute and want to take your study materials with you.
You use a screen reader.

Tagged PDF

A Tagged PDF alternative uses tags and elements—such as blockquote, paragraph, and headings—to add meaning to a page. It aids screen reader users with good content structure.

Why use Tagged PDF?

Maybe these sound like you. If so, Tagged PDF is a good option.

You want to be able to copy, paste, and search text.
You want to use text-to-speech and adjust the speed of the speech.
You prefer to read.
You study on your commute and want to take your study materials with you.
You use a screen reader.

Translated Version Alternative Format

This alternative format provides a machine-translated version of the instructor’s original into a total of 50 different languages and supports PDF, Word, Powerpoint and HTML documents.

Accuracy varies and depends on the type of language being used in the document. For example, if there is a lot of technical language, complex sentence structure, and local colloquialisms.

Why use the Translated Version alternative format?

The Translated Version alternative format is great for students enrolled in a course that is not in their primary language. The Translated Version is an ideal resource to compare with the original document when they are stuck or having trouble comprehending.

In what languages is the Translated Version alternative format available?

The Translated Version is currently available in the following languages:

Afrikaans
Arabic
Bosnian - Cyrillic
Bosnian - Latin
Bulgarian
Catalan
Chinese - Simplified
Chinese - Traditional
Croatian
Czech
Danish
Dutch
English
Estonian
Finnish
French
German
Greek, Modern
Haitian
Hebrew
Hindi
Hungarian
Indonesian
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Latvian
Lithuanian
Malay
Maltese
Norwegian Bokmål
Persian (Farsi)
Polish
Portuguese
Romanian
Russian
Serbian - Cyrillic
Serbian - Latin
Slovak
Slovenian
Spanish
Swahili
Swedish
Thai
Turkish
Ukrainian
Urdu
Vietnamese
Welsh

Instructors can turn off the alternative formats if students should not have access to translations. This might be specific for a foreign language class for example. *Note, if the alternative formats are turn off, all of the available alternative formats for that specific document will be locked.

BeeLine Reader

BeeLine Reader makes reading on screen easier and faster. Instead of using plain black text, BeeLine Reader displays text using a subtle color gradient that helps pull your eye through your readings. This new display format has been honored by the United Nations and is used by readers in 120 countries around the world.

More on the BeeLine Reader website

Why use BeeLine Reader?

BeeLine Reader's color gradient technique not only increases reading speed but also enhances focus. BeeLine Reader is popular among undergraduate and graduate students with heavy reading loads. This includes programs like law, medicine, and the humanities. BeeLine Reader's approach also benefits students with dyslexia, ADHD, low vision, and anybody who may have difficulty with visual tracking or focus.

Maybe these sound like you. If so, BeeLine Reader is a good option.

You read a lot on screen and wish you could read more easily and quickly.
You study on your commute and find reading in this environment difficult.
You prefer to read.
You have a lot of material to study and find your eyes get tired.
You study late at night, when your eyes are tired.
You want to be able to read your course material faster.
You experience dyslexia, ADHD, or low vision.
You have difficulty with visual tracking or focus.

*Students can choose and download alternative formats to best fit their learning needs and preferences. All alternative formats are machine generated formats so may take a few minutes to download.