Student Support

Requesting Alternate Media

 

Steps for Students Who Want Large Print or Electronic Versions of Their Textbooks (e-texts)

  1. Meet with a DSPS Counselor or LD Specialist as soon as you know which courses you will be taking. If you are eligible for this service, he/she will fill out and sign a green Authorization for Alternate Media form.

  2. Read and follow instructions on the back of the Authorization for Alternate Media form and print the list of your assigned textbooks. Read, sign and date the Receiving Alternate Media contract attached to the Authorization for Alternate Media form.

    Flip over the Receiving Alternate Media contract and fill out the Owner Verification form. Fill out your full name on the first line as proof of purchase. (if you are renting any textbooks please make a note of this next to the title of the book)
    List the titles of your textbook(s), sign and date each one.

  3. You must enroll in the course for which you are requesting alternate formats.
    Notify an HTTC faculty member or the Alternate Media Specialist immediately if you drop the course, or add a course.

  4. Turn in your completed form to Elena Throckmorton or Aaron French in the High Tech Center, who will set up a meeting with you to review the software you might use. If textbooks have not been assigned and it is less than one month before classes begin, turn in your form anyway and inform us of texts needed as soon as they are known.

  5. It can take several weeks to receive electronic texts from the publisher. Depending on the quality of the file from the publisher and the format you request, it can take even longer to prepare the file for you. We will make every effort to complete the request in a timely manner.

  6. If you have not received your e-text, and classes have started, please immediately contact Aaron French 310-434-8934. the Alternate Media Specialist.
    1. If the e-text has arrived but needs a lot of preparation, we will request that you provide a copy of your syllabus and/or textbook to help us prepare the files; we will try to give you individual chapters as you need them.
    2. If you need the material before we receive the files from the publisher, or if the files are unavailable from the publisher, you will need to provide us with your textbook so we can scan it. We will cut off the binding of the book (which will be rebound with a spiral binding later) in order to create the electronic text for you. We will need a syllabus and may only be able to give you a chapter at a time. SMC will not be held responsible for any damages that may occur to the material as a result of converting the material to an alternative format

  7. A High Tech Center faculty member will call you when your e-text is ready.

  8. Bring a USB drive with you to retrieve your alternate media.

  9. Alternate media is provided to you in a file format requested. The material in the files we provide is copyrighted. You may not share, distribute or reproduce it in any other format other than for your use. Any further reproduction or distribution is an infringement of Copyright Law Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 121.

  10. Let the High Tech Center faculty or the Alternate Media Specialist know immediately if you have any problems with the files you receive or the technology you use to access the files.

  11. You must return the alternate media and any related equipment to DSPS at the end of the semester. You may request to keep an e-text as long as you own a copy of the original material. If you sell your original textbook, you must return the alternate media to DSPS.

College Publications

Upon request, Santa Monica College can provide alternate-format versions of the college catalog, announcements about cultural or recreational events sponsored by the college or other information produced by the college. To request college publications in an alternate format send an e-mail to our Alternate Media Specialist.