Alternative Formats

This page contains information about the specific types of alternative formats that can be downloaded, and it provides a link to a separate page on this site with information about using that format.

Blackboard is continually working on this tool and is planning to provide additional alternative formats, such as a special dyslexia-friendly font that can make reading text easier for some people.

If you have any questions, please contact us at 803-777-1800 or through the Service Portal at http://sc.edu/ITHelp.

Overview

To access the alternative versions, click on the button beside the file. It is a capital A with a down arrow.

Different type of files have different Alternative Formats that can be downloaded.

Documents and presentations are typical. The alternative format choices are

• • Audio (mp3)

  • Electronic Braille

  • ePub

  • HTML

  • Tagged PDF

PDF files have the option to download an OCR'ed PDF file. (See below for more information about Optical Character Recognition)

Image files do not have Alternative Formats.

Files contained in password protected areas (such as publisher content linked from your class site) or files that are coded with copyright restrictions do not have Alternative Formats created.

Additional Information:

• Ally for Students in Blackboard Learn (YouTube 0:48) [Blackboard] www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5AZM5uqtSo

  • Ally for LMS Help for Students [Blackboard Help] help.blackboard.com/Ally/Ally_for_LMS/Student

  • Alternative Formats [Blackboard Help] help.blackboard.com/Ally/Ally_for_LMS/Student/Alternative_Formats

Audio

Audio files are downloaded in MP3 format, which can be played back on almost all computers or mobile devices.

More information about this format can be found on the Audio page

Electronic Braille

Braille files download as a BRF (Braille Ready Format) file that can be read by refreshable Braille devices and Braille printers or embossers.

More information about this format can be found on the Braille page

ePub

ePub files are readable by most e-reader devices as well as many brands of phones, tablets and other hand-held devices. You can also download free ePub apps to use on your computer or in your browser. Files used on Kindle brand e-readers must first be converted.

More information about this format can be found on the ePub page

HTML

An HTML file opens in a web browser. It tells the browser the structure, layout, and content of the web page.

More information about this format can be found on the HTML page

Tagged PDF

A Tagged PDF file is available for documents and presentations that are uploaded to Blackboard. A Tagged PDF file helps provide structure to the content, such as identifying the headings, indicating when a paragraph starts and stops, notifies the user if there is a list or table, etc. This is especially important for people using a screen reader so they can navigate through the material.

More information about this format can be found on the Tagged PDF page

OCR'ed PDF

An OCR PDF file is only available for PDF materials in Blackboard that were originally created as an image. This is typical of materials that were scanned or saved a few years ago when the conversion process was simply to create a picture of the document. OCR (Optical Character Recognition) attempts to interpret text from the image and convert it into text that can be searched and edited - and that can be read by a screen reader.

More information about this format can be found on the OCR PDF page

Other Formats

Library Reference

The instructor can provide library reference information about a published document that you can see in Alternative Format. You will only see this option if the library reference information was provided for the document within Blackboard.

This is different than the eReserve system offered at the University of South Carolina, where you are linked directly to an electronic version of the document. The Library Reference feature in Blackboard just gives you the citation information to help you find the article in a local library.

More information about this format can be found on the Library Resources page on this site.

Translated Version (currently unavailable)

This feature is currently not available in the UofSC Blackboard system.

see https://sites.google.com/site/blackboardalternativeformats/alternative-formats