Alternative formats, a tool for full inclusion

The Apostle Paul wrote that God arranged the members of the body, each one of them, as God chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? (1 Cor. 12:18-19) We all have varying talents and abilities and can contribute to the Church in many ways. The body as a whole can empower its members to serve. Full inclusion is more than hospitality, though that is important. It means giving members both the abilities to serve and be served.

Providing materials in alternative formats to people who are blind or who have low vision is a way to do this. Information is power, the power to understand and contribute to the life of the congregation, the community, and the world.

What are alternative formats? They are other ways of reading than regular print. They include large print, audio, Braille or computer access.

What form of access is preferred? That depends on the person. Needs vary by person and by situation.

Large Print

Many people who have low vision use large print. It can be used in just about any application of church life — from worship to newsletters to study materials. The size and style can vary widely.  If enlargement is all that is needed, a copier can be used to magnify pages. If more is needed, this can be done on a computer.

Here are some things to remember about large print:

1. The size of letters can vary from 14 points to 26 points.
2. Greater contrast may be needed for ease of reading. A boldface font can be used, as well as different color schemes.
3. A simple font may be helpful — that is, one without extra ornamentation. Some people prefer Arial or the APH Font to Times New Roman. To obtain the APH Font, go to the American Printing House for the Blind Web site.

Recording

Recording is a very popular way of conveying information to those who are blind. Many people who lose vision do so later in life. If they know Braille at all, they may not be able to read it quickly. Recording works well for newsletters, announcements and studies. It is not as applicable to worship because one cannot use a recording to keep up with hymn lyrics during worship, though it can be used to learn words to anthems and hymns.

Recording may be done on a cassette recorder or a CD, depending on what equipment is available to the individual and the church. Here are some things to keep in mind:

1. People who record should speak clearly with vocal variety.
2. Background noise should be kept to a minimum.
3. Be about a foot away from the microphone. Experiment with volume, so that the recording is loud enough but not distorted.
4. When narrating church publications, read page numbers if they may be needed in study.

Braille

A relatively small number of people with blindness and low vision use Braille, but to those of us who use it, it is vital. People read with varying speeds, but some can read at 200 words per minute. It is applicable for all aspects of church life. Here are some things to keep in mind:

1. If a church obtains a Braille printer, someone will need to be trained to use it and the Braille translation software that must also be purchased.
2. If a transcriber is used, find out his or her needs. Generally, word processing formats work better than publishing formats.
3. Does the transcriber have access to the hymns, or do these need to be transcribed into the bulletin?
4. Include the announcements in the bulletin, not just the worship material. This will convey an attitude of welcoming and inclusiveness.
5. Talk to those who use Braille about needs other than worship.

Computer formats

Several screen readers and magnification programs are now available for computers. This is a great way to convey information. This can be done through email, Web sites and on a storage medium, such as a floppy disk, a CD-ROM, or a compact flash card. Some people will access documents with a portable Braille notetaker, rather than, or in addition to, a computer. Here are some things to keep in mind about computer documents:

1. Make sure all Web sites are fully accessible. As the consultant on blindness and low vision for the denomination, I am available to assist you with this at no charge.
2. Word processing formats, HTML and text generally work well. Adobe PDF files can be problematic. For information on producing them correctly, go to Adobe’s Web site.
3. Scanning and the use of optical character recognition software can be an excellent method of reproducing material that is not available from another source. However, it is necessary to clean up the material produced. This will avoid recognition errors.

Full inclusion is a state of mind, but for it to succeed, it must be backed up by actions. Providing alternative formats for worship and other activities will allow full communication and give people who are blind or have low vision an opportunity to fully participate in your congregation.

— by the Rev. Rick Roderick, Consultant for Blindness and Low Vision, PC(USA). E-mail Rick.