Using Microsoft Word Templates and Macros to Produce Braille, Large Print, and Electronic Text

Description

As part of the BEST Grant’s goals to support the production of quality accessible materials for students who are blind and visually impaired, BEST is offering a training focused on creating braille and large print materials. This online 4-session training will provide comprehensive training on a collection of templates and macros for Microsoft Word for producing braille and large print for paper or electronic devices such as iPads or computers. The templates and macros are limited to Windows versions of Microsoft Word (versions 2013, or 2016, 2019, and 365). Participants will receive the templates and macros for use at home or school or for commercial large print production.

Dates/Times

March 19th, 21st, 26th, 28th, 2024. 12:30pm - 3:30pm online via Zoom. 

Instructor

Jerry Whittaker, AT&AEM Center Technical Assistance Consultant

Audience

TVIs, Transcribers, General Educators, Intervention Specialists, Paraprofessionals, and Related Service Providers

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Create quality large print in a variety of sizes to meet the reading needs of students
  • Create quality braille documents to meet the reading needs of students

Logistics of the Training

This workshop will be presented online using Zoom, a platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars.

A laptop computer with a second external monitor will be shipped to you, at the address of your choice, for use in the training sessions. The computer will contain all of the needed software and example files needed for the training. Paper handouts for the training sessions will also be included with the computer.

In order to use the computer, access to the internet through Wi-Fi or through an Ethernet cable is required. The internet connection should have at least a 1 MBPS (megabit per second) or greater download capability.

After the training is completed, please pack the laptop, monitor and cords back in the case. An email will be sent to you with information on a UPS pickup date.

Participant Preparation for the Workshop

  • If available, participants should bring a tablet device. An (iPad (except mini size) with iBooks (free from the Apple App Store) and Adobe Reader. Android tablet (with 9.7-inch diagonal screen size or larger) with Adobe Reader will also work. Other PDF readers which allow student to enter text on a PDF file can also be used.
  • Participants who have access to a cloud storage account such as iCloud, Dropbox, Box, or One Drive etc. should bring password information to access the account on the computer lab machines.

Agenda

  • Large Print: it's much more than large letters
  • Installing the templates and macros into Microsoft Word
  • Customizing the Word ribbon tags
  • Introduction to the customized Quick Access Toolbar and Large Print and braille tab ribbons
  • Selecting and attaching a large print or braille template to a document
  • Using the styles pane to format large print text
  • Formatting boxed material; image captions and descriptions, and transcriber notes
  • Automating formatting of exercise materials
  • Making images accessible
  • Alternatives for displaying math
  • Making external hyperlinks useable for both paper and electronic text
  • Converting tables to fit the printed page
  • Applying a smaller font to a table - when and why to use them
  • Physical page numbers - how and when to use them
  • Automatically creating a hyperlinked table of contents - advantages and implications for users
  • Creating an unlinked table of contents - methods and implications for users
  • Extracting text and images from DAISY/NIMAS files
  • Putting it into practice - participants produce an 18 to 20 page document for both printing and for electronic reading
  • Exporting a PDF file for printing or for loading on electronic readers

Contact Hours

Twelve (12) contact hours will be offered for completion of all 4 sessions

Registration

  • This training is limited to the first 15 participants to register. Classes fill-up fast, so don’t delay signing up!
  • Deadline for registration: March 5th, 2024

Register online via OCALI Pass

For more information contact Augusta Fisher at augusta_fisher@ocali.org