Making accessible copies for print disabled staff and students

As we all know, copyright exists to protect the intellectual property of content creators, and ensure that they gain the recognition and royalties they deserve for their work (find out more about copyright here). But what happens when the work isn't accessible?

Well,  there are exceptions in place for certain scenarios – including the making of copies for people with a disability that affects their ability to read and/or access content (including visual impairment, physical disabilities, and cognitive conditions such as dyslexia).

Detailed information is available about this exception can be found at: gov.uk/guidance/exceptions-to-copyright#helping-disabled-people

Additionally, there is still the option to make accessible copies (both paper and digital) under the CLA Higher Education Licence rather than using the exception. Single copies, or, if appropriate (e.g. a group of students with very similar accessibility needs), multiple copies can be made of part or the whole of any work within licenced material.

Making accessible copies under the CLA Higher Education Licence

If you choose to make accessible copies under the Licence, please note the following:

•  An accessible copy can only be made for a specific student or member of staff with a print disability

• The source publication must be covered by the Licence (you can use the Check Permissions tool on the CLA website to find out) 
• Your HEI must own or subscribe to the source publication (where appropriate, accessible copies can also be made from content accessed via a free-to-view site)
• You can copy any amount of a work, up to the entire publication
• You can use techniques designed to make content accessible by those with a print disability, including type size enlargement/reduction, alternative fonts, colour adjustment (background or font) and left/right justification 
• You’ll need to include on the copy a statement that it’s a copy of the original work made under a CLA Licence for the personal use of a print disabled person and that it may not be further copied or distributed.
• If necessary (e.g. the relevant print disabled person has difficulty using screen reader software), you can generate an audio file containing the spoken words from an accessible digital copy that you’ve made
• You don’t need to report to us any accessible copies made under the Licence.

About the Author

Margret is Education Customer Services Coordinator at CLA and she is here to provide guidance on Licence related questions and permissions queries, as well as helping our customers make the most of what the CLA Education Licences have to offer. Margret has been with CLA in various Customer Service related roles for more than six years. Before joining CLA she worked as Foreign Rights Manager in children's book publishing, graduated in Cultural Studies and English Literature and worked as a qualified bookseller in England and Germany.

This guidance is provided for guidance only. Please note that it does not substitute for the terms and conditions of the Licence, and that, in the event of a conflict between the two, the Licence prevails.

This blog was adapted from our Education Knowledgebase by Becky Owen. You can find out more about what you can do under the licence by visiting our Education KnowledgeBase.