---
title: "Alternate Content Formats"
canonical: "https://helpcentre.macewan.ca/space/ETS/2317484035/Alternate%20Content%20Formats"
format: markdown
---
**AUDIENCE: ****FACULTY**** | ****STAFF**
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**What are Alternate Content Formats? **
Students and instructors can choose to download course files, books, and page resources in their preferred format from various alternate content formats. (*Brickfield Education Lab Resource: *[https://accessibilitytookit-vt11.eu.helpdocsite.com/file-conversions](https://accessibilitytookit-vt11.eu.helpdocsite.com/file-conversions)
Your learners can convert a page, book, file, and folder resources into accessible formats that work best for them, such as
- MP3 files
- E-books
- Digital Braille books
- Structured audiobooks in DAISY and e-books with media overlay
- Braille
Once you have logged into your mêskanâs course, you will notice a new icon at the right of the **page**, **book**, **file,** and **folder** resource.
> ℹ️ **Note: This feature is integrated into the LMS and cannot be disabled.**
# File Conversions Report
This is a course-wide administration reporting view of the file conversion processes within your courses.
This allows you to view the following reports:
- Single conversion requests and their status.
- Individual file resources and their number of requests.
- Individual user roles (teacher, student, etc.) and their number of requests.
Locate the “**File Conversion**” under the course menu and “**Reports**” to access your course's file conversion report.
You can see the details of the alternate content formats, such as **Conversion**, **Alternate Formats**, **Downloads**, **Users**, and **Conversion Errors**. Also, you will be able to download each report.
The Alternate format reports provide information on conversion requests, the number of conversion requests per file, conversion downloads, and the number of conversion requests per user role:
- **Conversions**: Single conversion requests and their status.
- **Alternate Formats**: Individual files and their number of requests.
- **Downloads**: Individual files and their number of downloads.
- **Users**: Individual user roles (teacher, student, etc) and their number of requests.
- **Conversion Errors**: Errors generated by the failure of conversion requests.
These reports will help you to have more information about the preferences of your learners.
Each report has its own set of filter options. Each report table allows the viewer to sort the data in several different columns and also has the option to have its complete set of information downloaded into a number of different formats. The Conversions reports table data can be downloaded in the following formats:
- Comma-separated values (.csv)
- Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)
- HTML table
- Javascript Object Notation (.json)
- OpenDocument (.ods)
- Portable Document Format (.pdf)
***Important Notes***:
1. This feature **will not be displayed** for **spreadsheet file, or in Text and media area, URL resources, **and** activities such as lesson, assignment, quiz, or forum**.
2. Structured audiobooks in DAISY and e-books with media overlay can convert accessible documents into structured audiobooks in the DAISY format. Source documents must be submitted as **Word documents **only and comply with the formal accessibility requirements. Refer to the Microsoft support document “[Make Word Documents Accessible](https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/make-your-word-documents-accessible-to-people-with-disabilities-d9bf3683-87ac-47ea-b91a-78dcacb3c66d) ” resource for more information.
3. If you update the existing page, book, file, and folder resources, this feature will reset the previous conversion, and your learners will need to request a new conversion.
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The following section is student resources on how to use the alternate content formats. They are available for students to access in the MacEwan Help Centre student resources.
# How students use the file conversion tool
1. Log into [mêskanâs](https://meskanas.macewan.ca/) and enter your course
2. Locate the required file in your course
3. Select the file conversion icon
Choose your new file format by selecting the Conversion Type drop-down menu.
Select format and font settings and any other settings that apply.
Click the **REQUEST** button when done.
- If your file has already been converted to your requested format, the file will download immediately.
- If this is the first time it was requested, the request for conversion is queued, and you will be told the content retrieval is in progress. You will be notified via email when the file is available.
***Note:*** Depending on the size of the file resource, it may take several minutes or longer to generate the file.
# What alternate formats are there?
**Text formats**
The File Convertor can change the format of file PDF, Word documents, PowerPoint type resources into alternate text-based formats such as Word – doc, or docx, RTF (Rich Text Format), Tagged PDF, HTML, Plain text and others depending on the source file.
Depending on the document type of the source document, a number of conversion options are available for automated document remediation.
### **MP3 Audio Files**
Audio files in MP3 are great for people who want to read while on the move. MP3 files can also be used as an accommodation for people with blindness, low vision, or dyslexia. Furthermore, MP3 files can be used by mainstream users such as flexible learners and foreign-language learners to support learning.
MP3 is a format that is well-known to users and most users will have some kind of device that is capable of playing back MP audio files, e.g., their smartphone.
*Note*: The document language will be used for the audio, not for translation.
### E-books
E-books are reflow-able and allow users to change everything about their visual appearance. E-books can be scaled up without breaking the margins, fonts can be substituted, the background and foreground colour combination can be changed, as can the contrast, lines spacing, and scrolling direction to match the individual needs and preferences of the user.
The File Convertor can convert documents into a number of different formats: EPUB is a standardized format supported by most E-book readers. Mobi Pocket is an e-book format supported by Amazon. EPUB3 is the latest version of EPUB and supports sophisticated content such as mathematical equations.
***Note*****:** There are different “Base Font Sizes” such as “Large,” “Xlarge,” and “Huge” that can be selected.
### DAISY Structured Audio Books
DAISY books are structured audio books. Using a DAISY reader, the text is highlighted as the user reads. In addition, the user can navigate the document using the heading structure, pages and page numbers. Users can also insert bookmarks and change the visual appearance of the book.
The File Convertor can convert accessible documents into structured audio books in the DAISY format. Source documents must be submitted as **Word documents **only and must comply with the formal accessibility requirements.
###
Braille
The File Convertor can transcribe documents into Braille according to a number of (national) Braille systems and contraction levels. Furthermore, SensusAccess can format and paginate Braille, and deliver the resulting files as either portable Braille or Braille encoded for a particular Braille device or Braille character set.
Transcribed documents can subsequently be embossed on a Braille embosser, displayed on a Braille display connected to a computer or smartphone, or loaded onto a Braille notetaker.
**Note**: Other settings that can be applied include Output Format, Contraction, Page Numbering, and Duplex.
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