What are Alternative Formats?

Date: 06/08/17

Alternative formats & auxiliary aids and services are methods to effectively communicate with individuals. These may be helpful for people who are deaf, hard of-hearing, or have a speech, vision, or learning disability.

Covered entities and California Health and Wellness share the responsibility to provide members with alternative formats & auxiliary aids and services, upon request. Additionally, the requirement stipulates that members must be allowed to make standing requests for alternative formats. Some examples include, but are not limited to:

Accessible Documents: Typically, this refers to PDF’s or Word documents that have been converted in a format that screen-reading technology can understand.
Audio-formats: An audio recording of text (similar to an audio book).
Braille: A system of writing using raised dots on paper.
Descriptive narration: An audio recording that describes key elements of videos, or other visual media, and plays simultaneously with the media.
Large print: The conversion of a document into a format that is accessible for people with visual disabilities. In best practice, the conversion should follow guidelines set by the American Council for the Blind, as well as taking the members needs into account.
Open/Closed Captions: Written text of the spoken word and sounds heard in a video, and typically displayed at the bottom of the screen. Open captions are always on screen and cannot be turned off, while closed captions can be turned on/off.

More examples of auxiliary aids and services include, but are not limited to:

Note takers
Computer-aided Real-time Transcription services (CART)
Written materials
Assistive listening systems/devices
Text- telephones (TTY)

Things to Remember:

Everyone is different. Communicate with the requesting individual, and allow them to choose the format that they prefer.
The key to communicating effectively is to consider the nature, length, complexity, and context of the discussion and the person’s normal method(s) of communication.
Braille has two standardized versions. If you receive a request, ask if they prefer Grade 1 or Grade 2.
National Blind organizations, like the American Council of the Blind, have published guidelines for Large Print documents, used by the Blind/Low Vision community.

Resources:

American Council for the Blind – Large Print Guidelines
http://www.acb.org/large-print-guidelines

American with Disabilities Act – Effective Communication
https://www.ada.gov/effective-comm.htm

Harris Family Center for Disability and Health Policy
https://hfcdhp.org/briefs/brief6a-alt-formats/