Office of Disability Services
For those with a physical or cognitive disability who are eligible, it is recommended that textbooks be requested on digitally recorded CDs by contacting Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D), National Headquarters, 20 Roszel Road, Princeton, NJ 08540, (800) 221-4792. RFB&D is a national non-profit service organization that provides educational and professional books in accessible media to people with print disabilities. RFB&D has an extensive 37,000 title lending library of books on CD and a recording service for new titles. 

Application for membership is available online at http://www.rfbd.org. Application can then be faxed directly to RFB&D at (609) 987-8116. RFB&D individual membership involves a $65 one-time registration fee and a $35 annual membership fee. The fee may be paid by check, money order, MasterCard, VISA, Discover, or American Express. Please make checks or money orders payable to “RFB&D.” You may also contact RFB&D Customer Service Department at 800-221-4792 for membership assistance.

Penn State Altoona currently holds an institutional membership which allows us to order a limited amount of books per year for students as well.

Visit RFB&D’s Website at http://www.rfbd.org to find the catalog containing a regularly updated listing of the 37,000 plus titles in RFB&D’s recorded library. You can search the catalog for: Author, Title, Publisher or Publication Date.

RFB&D digitally recorded CD books require a specially adapted CD player or software. Models and distributors of CD players are available upon request from RFB&D. 

Talking book equipment can be obtained for free from the State Library of Ohio, Talking Book Program, 65 South Front Street, Columbus, OH 432215-4163. Applications are available by calling (614) 644-66895.

Other possible sources:

• Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20542, 202/707-5100
• American Printing House for the Blind, (502) 895-2405

Electronic Textbooks

Disability Services at Penn State Altoona provides electronic textbooks to students with disabilities following the stated policies and procedures for requesting academic adjustments. The use of electronic formats for course materials is to provide an academic adjustment ensuring students have equal access to educational materials.

Student Responsibilities in Obtaining Electronic Formats of Textbooks:

In order to receive a textbook or course material in an electronic format, the student must:

• Officially register with Disability Services and have a documented disability that requires electronic texts as a reasonable academic adjustment supported by the documentation.

• Enroll in courses at Penn State Altoona for the semester that the electronic text or course material is requested.

• Meet with their Disability Specialist and have approval for electronic text or course material as an academic adjustment.

• Review the Chafee Amendment.

• Sign the Student Acknowledgement Form.

• Purchase a copy of any textbook or course pack for which electronic format is requested.  Provide the text and the sales receipt to Disability Services. (this is a copyright requirement)

• Complete and submit the Electronic Text Request Form by the Deadline Date.

Additional informational may be obtained by contacting Disability Services at (814) 949-5540.