SensusAccess – Alternative Media Made Easy
Sensus Access Notices & Flex Workshops Recordings
- PopeTech and SensusAccess (Recording, 47 minutes) – 1/12/2024 workshop by Aaron Holmes and Nadia Khan
- New ‘S’ symbol showing up in Canvas
SensusAccess offers two ways for MiraCosta faculty, classified professionals, and students to convert all kinds of documents and files into alternative and more accessible formats:
- A website in the portal (MiraCosta login required) that allows you to upload files including Word or PPT documents, scanned images, PDFs, or web pages and generate accessible alternative types of files and media, including PDF, audio, e-books, Braille, and large print. This helps meet accessibility standards and enhance inclusion by supporting preferences and needs of diverse users.
- A Canvas integration that automatically enables conversion of files uploaded into Canvas into alternate file and media types.
Key Features
- Automated conversion of files into a range of alternative media and file formats
- Remediation of inaccessible documents such as image only PDFs into accessible formats
Sensus Access in Teaching and Learning
For faculty, Sensus Access offers an important pathway to one element of Universal Design for Learning – enabling students to access course materials in the format that works best for them. Some examples of how students are likely to benefit from Sensus Access:
- Conversion of Canvas pages or documents shared in Canvas into MP3 files for listening rather than reading
- Conversion of course materials into formats that can be viewed offline, if the student does not always have reliable Internet access
- Conversion of course materials into eBook format for students who prefer use of an eBook reader (such as a Kindle)
Faculty may choose to proactively use Sensus Access to generate alternative formats of course materials. Faculty may also, or alternatively, wish to remind students about the availability of Sensus Access to them, empowering them to make their own decisions about how and when to use this tool. For example, when faculty create an introductory screencast guiding students through the Canvas navigation and organization of a course, simply adding a few moments to point out the Sensus Access function on a Canvas page, and describing what it can do, can be a quick way to raise student awareness and agency!
For more information on SensusAccess and its use check out the SensusAccess website and one-page Canvas LTI description.
