Accessible Print – Student Center


Accessible Print refers to materials that have been made accessible for persons with disabilities. The Student Access Center (SAC) provides this service to qualified students by converting textbooks and other course materials to an accessible format.  

The KU Libraries offer a number of Accessible Workstations to students who use Accessible Print materials and assistive technology. For more information, please visit KU Libraries' Services for People with Disabilities. 

Student Responsibilities 

  • Enroll as early as possible in classes 

  • Request accommodations in Access Online as soon as you are enrolled 

  • Get your required materials list from your faculty as soon as possible  

  • Contact accessprint@ku.edu if you are having trouble getting your materials list from your faculty 

  • Submit requests in Access Online for all required alternative print materials as soon as possible, but preferably a minimum of 6 weeks in advance of the start of the semester to ensure timely delivery

  • Due to the unique nature of Braille materials, Braille requests must be submitted with substantial (3-6 months) notice. Please contact accessprint@ku.edu if you are a Braille user and suspect you may need Braille materials in your course of study 

  • Students have 15 business days (three weeks) from receipt of their materials to review and report any errors to accessprint@ku.edu for review and potential correction 

  • Note: recommended and/or optional materials can be requested but will only be converted if and when all required materials for all students are completed for the entire semester 

Student Access Center Staff Responsibilities 

  • Authorize alternative print as an accommodation 

  • Communicate with the student and faculty as needed  

  • Request proof of purchase on textbooks according to copyright requirements 

  • Notify the student of format limitations before materials can be delivered 

  • Convert and deliver required course materials based on student requests on a first-come, first-served basis 

Faculty Responsibilities 

  • Use accessibility resources to ensure accessibility of all course materials 

  • Ensure new material selections are accessible (this includes materials that are already digital, as many e-books or online textbooks are not accessible) 

  • Send textbook selections to the KU bookstore as early as possible and before the deadline communicated by the University 

  • Respond to student and SAC staff requests for textbook and required reading material lists as quickly as possible 

  • Provide copies of the syllabus and reading schedule to SAC staff as early as possible 

  • Contact SAC staff regarding accessibility questions 

  • Due to the unique nature of Braille materials, Braille requests must be submitted with substantial (3-6 months) notice. Please contact accessprint@ku.edu if you are a Braille user and suspect you may need Braille materials in your course of study. 

Accessible Print Requests can be made within your Access Online student profile.  

  1. Log in to your account. 

  1. Read and complete your annual agreement forms. 

  1. Submit your accommodations requests for your classes. Be sure to check alternative print AND e-text. 

  1. Once approved, navigate to "Alternative Formats." This tab will be on the left when you are logged in to your account. 

  1. Select the class from the drop-down menu, then enter your request information. Don't forget to hit submit! 

  1. You can track the status of each request and will be notified when an order is complete. We will also provide instructions for accessing your completed materials when they are finished. 

  2. When you have received your materials, you have 15 business days (three weeks) to review and report any errors or problems to accessprint@ku.edu for review and potential correction. 

If you have any questions or encounter any problems during this process, please contact us at accessprint@ku.edu 

Q: Why is there a 6-week turnaround for materials? 

  • Publishers may not respond to our requests for several weeks, delaying delivery of your materials. 

  • Some materials may be in a format that will not transfer, requiring extra time for us to get another version, re-scan the existing version, or work with the instructor to replace the item. 

  • If your instructor is aware of this far in advance, they are more likely to ensure accessibility as they select material, rather than needing to alter material after the fact.  

  • We try to accommodate all requests, even if they are later than this. We just cannot guarantee timely delivery. 

Q: Why do I need to contact my faculty about my course materials? 

  • You will know what classes you are taking before we do. 

  • You will know what classes you want alternative formats for. 

  • This is part of self-advocacy. We are here to support and facilitate as needed. 

Q: I won’t know what classes I’m taking or who my instructors are early enough to make requests on time. What should I do? 

  • Enroll and make requests as soon as you are able, even if it’s later than the posted deadline.  

  • Let us know what’s going on, so we can plan space in our queue for your materials. 

Q: My instructors aren’t responding to my email for materials or tell me they won’t know what materials we need until the semester starts. What should I do? 

  • Email us at accessprint@ku.edu. You can also copy accessprint@ku.edu on your first email to your faculty. If they don’t respond, we can help with following up and answering questions. 

Q: I already requested accommodations for the semester. Why do I also need to request items for each class? 

  • Many students find open source or accessible materials elsewhere.  

  • Some students do not want or need all the materials for all classes.  

  • We cannot keep track of individual classes and preferences for everyone unless we have requests in the system. 

Q: Why do I need to provide receipts? 

  • This is required by law to prevent copyright infringement. Publishers require proof of purchase before providing an accessible copy of a text.

Q: Why don’t you provide recommended and optional materials?

  • We must ensure that all students with print accommodations have timely access to their required course materials. Once this is finished, we can start on recommended and/or optional materials if time permits.

 Q: What if my materials are free or open source? 

  • Put in a request and include a link to where you got the open-source material. 

Q: What if my instructor said they’d make sure things are accessible, but now that I’m in the class, nothing is accessible for me? 

  • Contact your Access Specialist immediately. 

  • Talk to your instructor. 

  • Email us at accessprint@ku.edu.  

  • We can help!