Level 2 - Systems

Producing E-Text

When a publication is being developed, ensure that the original authors provide a full text explanation of all relevant pictures, charts and any visual component.

Similarly, if the product is in a multi-media format, ensure that all video and audio has an accompanying text transcript. This way, the information can be easily converted to any other multiple format.

Checklist Steps to follow

1. Use Plain Language

A survey by the Decima polling firm discovered that 75% of Canadians find information from government programs too difficult to understand. Keep your text as clear and as easy to read as possible, and explain all technical terms and acronyms, for comprehension by all audiences and to make adaptation to other formats easier.

Suggested Links:

National Adult Literacy Database Plain Language Checklist
National Literacy Secretariat (HRDC)
Plain Language Association International (includes examples)

2. Use a text-based table of contents to organize

The E-Text file organizes all text with table of content sections and not page numbers. This is because formats developed from the template will not have the same page numbering. Large print documents, for example, will have more pages than a conventional print product. Keep the listing of content as simple as possible.

3. Organize all visuals and multi-media components

It's a good idea to keep track of all your visuals and non-text items by identifying them both by type and number. Examples: Chart 5; Photo 21; Pie Graph 1; Audio Clip 6. Incidentally, the indexing of all non-text items can make it easier and faster to locate them for future updating or replacement.

4. Identify text explanations

Be sure to connect the non-text item with its description and then indicate when the description has ended. (See the graphic example at the top of this page).

5. Charts, graphs, tables and maps

In explaining complicated visuals, first identify the format, such as "chart," then provide the title and purpose followed by the meaning of the data.

6. Use explanatory captions

If you have a caption for a photo or some other visual, the full text explanation and caption can be one in the same. Simply make your caption more descriptive than might otherwise be the case, providing complete meaning.

7. Make reference if the explanation is in the text

If you have already provided a thorough explanation of a visual inside the body text of your publication, it is not necessary to repeat that explanation. Instead, make a reference to the visual within the text. For example:

"There has been a 10 per cent rise in weather disasters since 1985 (Chart 15)."

8. Save in two formats

It is recommended that the master e-text file be saved first in a standard word processing program (such as Microsoft Word or Corel WordPerfect) using the specifications for large print. This version of the file will include bolding, different font sizes and other attributes within the large print guidelines and therefore facilitate easy transfer to standard, large print or Web publishing with minimal need to reformat the text.

However, if the file is used as a multiple format and sent to people by e-mail or diskette, they may not have compatible software to read the file. It is therefore recommended to also save the file in MS-DOS Text. This version can be read and imported by almost any text or design software program. It is important to point out that MS-DOS Text will remove all formatting (bolding, underlining, etc.) and use the same default font (usually courier 10 points).

Use and distribute either the word processed large print version or the MS-DOS Text version as appropriate. By storing both file formats, you can maximize the use of the e-text.

9. Storing your Publication's Content

The e-text file can be stored along with all visuals and other non-text items on a diskette or other storage system and marked "(Name of publication) Master".

10. Using the E-Text File

The publication's e-text file and accompanying non-text files can be used by suppliers to create the publication in other formats as in the following examples.

Standard and Large Print Publications: A designer would use the e-text minus the identified text explanations.

Accessible Web Sites: A Webmaster would copy and paste from the e-text file to Web pages. The text explanation for each visual would be used as alt tags. These are Web page codes that accommodate text descriptions for visuals. They can be converted to large print, audio or braille and provide access for people with visual disabilities. (Use your keyboard to move to the top of this page or move your mouse over the graphic on this page and you will see the alt code text appear on screen).

Audio: A professional narrator would read the e-text file.

Braille: A braille supplier would convert the e-text to braille.

Computer Diskettes: The e-text can be stored on diskette for distribution.

Next Module: New and Existing Publications

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