Most blind students use a combination of methods including readers, tape recorded books, braille books, and taped lectures. If the student uses readers, the student usually makes the necessary hiring and scheduling arrangements. Textbooks and Course Packs Choose books and course packs early, and make this information readily available to campus bookstores and copy centers so that the blind student has time to make the necessary arrangements. To have a text recorded on cassette or brailled takes two to six months. Provide visually-impaired students with materials in alternative formats at the same time the materials are given to the rest of the class.
Some alternate formats do take considerable time to produce.
Therefore, visually-impaired students should notify the instructor or employer that alternate formats are needed and give the ODS enough time to coordinate this service so the alternate formats can be adequately produced. If notice is not given in a timely manner, the alternate formats may not be readily available for the visually-impaired individual.