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SB 638

Electronic Access to Written Materials

(Wirch/Seidel)  This bill permits a UW System institution or Wisconsin technical college to request a publisher provide instructional material in electronic format and request permission to convert or to arrange for the conversion of that material into an accessible format for a student with a disability. 

Within 15 working days after receipt of the request the publisher must provide the instructional material to the institution of higher education at no additional cost.

The bill permits an institution of higher education to use instructional material in electronic format provided under the bill solely to convert that material into an alternative format for use by a student with a disability or to otherwise assist such a student.  An institution that converts instructional material into an alternative format may share that material with any other institution of higher education serving a student with a disability.

Support:  The University of Wisconsin System supports providing instructional materials in electronic and alternative formats and facilitating timely access to those materials by students with a disability.

The lack of accessible materials can pose a significant barrier to postsecondary students with print-related disabilities (i.e., those students that can’t access text through the traditional formats).  Accessible materials for students with disabilities may include Braille, large print, or audio materials.  The UW System, through each institution’s Disabilities Services Office, is responsible for ensuring that these students have effective access to accessible materials.

Accessible materials must be provided in a timely manner to be effective.  In many instances, there is a lengthy delay before the publisher provides the materials and there is little guarantee that materials will be in a format suitable for conversion into an alternative format.  Usually, by the time the publisher responds and the material is converted, much of the semester has passed.

Under this bill, publishers are required to provide instructional materials in electronic format within 15 business days.  This requirement will enable Disability Services Offices to provide accessible materials more promptly and ensure that postsecondary students with print-related disabilities do not fall behind in their studies.

Additionally, this bill permits UW institutions to share converted materials with other higher education institutions.  This will eliminate the current requirement that each institution obtain the publisher’s authorization before providing alternative instructional materials to students with disabilities.