Alternative Formats

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A public entity shall take appropriate steps to ensure that communications with applicants, participants, and members of the public with disabilities are as effective as communications with others. Appropriate auxiliary aids and services need to be provided where necessary to afford an individual with a disability an equal opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, a service, program, or activity conducted by a public entity.

The type of auxiliary aid and service is determined by giving primary consideration to the requests of the individual with a disability. "Auxiliary aids" include such services or devices as qualified interpreters, assistive listening headsets, real time, open, closed captioning, teletypewriters (TTY) or Telecommunications Relay services (TRS), videotext displays, readers, taped texts, Braille materials, and large print materials.

Although compliance may result in additional cost, a public entity may not place a surcharge to particular individuals or groups with disabilities to cover the expense. A surcharge may arise as a result of any component of a public entity’s programs, services, and activities.

The inclusion of products or services on alternate formats should not be viewed as an endorsement by the State of California. Resources have been compiled for informational purposes only, and the State of California makes no guarantees regarding the accessibility or quality of the cited references. The State of California accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of the external websites or external documents linked to on this website. If you encounter any broken links in this resource guide, please alert us by sending e-mail to: DASinfo@dor.ca.gov.

Braille Resources

• American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
  1839 Frankfort Avenue
  Mailing Address:
  Post Office Box 6085
  Louisville, Kentucky 40206-0085
  Voice: 502-895-2405
  Toll-Free: 800-223-1839
  Fax: 502-899-2274

• Braille Institute
  741 N. Vermont Avenue
  Los Angeles, California 90029
  Voice: 323-663-1111
  Fax: 323-663-0867

• Braille Transcribers Directory on the Special Education Exchange Website
  MSMT Braille Center
  651 Yolanda Ave.
  Santa Rosa, California 95404
  Voice: 707-579-1115

• National Braille Press
  88 Saint Stephen Street
  Boston, MA 02115
  Toll-Free: 888-965-8965
  Fax: 617-437-0456

• Society for the Blind in Sacramento
  1238 S Street
  Sacramento, California 95814
  Voice: 916-452-8271

Large Print

• Braille Institute
  Los Angeles Center: Voice: 323-663-1111
  Rancho Mirage Center: Voice: 760-321-1111
  Santa Barbara Center: Voice: 805-682-6222
  Orange County Center: Voice: 714-821-5000
  San Diego Center: Voice: 858-452-1111

Audio Resources

• Learning Ally (formerly Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic)

Other Alternative Media Resources

• American Thermoform Corporation
  1758 Brackett Street
  LaVerne, California 91750
  Toll-Free: 800-331-3676
  Fax: 909-593-8001

  American Thermoform Corporation is a major California-based supplier of Braille paper and related supplies. Braille paper is available in various widths and in weight suitable for both draft and final documents.