Archived News

Welcome Back!

We hope you has a restful and joyous holiday season! This is a quick note from the ARC-BC team with some reminders for the New Year, including production requests for Black History Month and the new academic term.  

Black History Month 2023

With February 2023 coming up soon, please submit any requests for production that you have for Black History-focused content. Over the last three years the ARC-BC team has added a range of content to support equitable access to Black History-focused content for students with perceptual disabilities, with titles including Malaika's Winter Carnival by Nadia Horn and The Kids Book of Black Canadian History by Rosemary Sadlier.

Looking Ahead - Please Submit Production Requests for the New Term

We continue to add new titles to the repository and new file formats. Planning ahead is key in alternate format production and so if you know about particular titles(s) that your student(s) will require for the start of the new term, please see below:

Search the ARC-BC Repository

Start by searching the ARC-BC online repository of learning materials in digital alternate format. After nearly 13 years of producing digital alternate formats on behalf of students with perceptual disabilities, the ARC-BC online repository has many titles aligning with the BC curriculum available for download.

What if…..

the title I am looking for is not in the repository?

If the title is not available in the repository, or is not available in the format required by the student, please submit a Request a Title or New Format Form. The ARC-BC team will be in touch to confirm your request.

Once the completed files are posted on the ARC-BC repository, we will notify you by email that files are available to download.

the title I am looking for is in the repository but has a [progress] tag in parentheses?

If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] or [Under Consideration] or [Partial] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have it added to the high priority production list.

Additional Notes

If your request is for a larger textbook, please include a timeline for when each chapter will be needed by the student. We will produce these chapters ahead of the schedule so that files are available in time. Including a timeline with a textbook request assists our team in prioritizing production to ensure that we can provide timely service to as many students as needed throughout the year.

Retiring or moving on?

If you are not returning to your role in January 2023, please inform your ARC-BC District Contact. This will help us to ensure that your account is safely archived.

If you have questions or feedback regarding ARC-BC, please email us arc@prcvi.org

Thank you for all your work to ensure equitable access to learning opportunities for students with perceptual disabilities.

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

May 19 is Global Accessibility Awareness Day! #GAAD
GAAD Logo

Global Accessibility Awareness Day is a day to celebrate and recognize the work of all those striving to ensure meaningful, equitable, and appealing access to digital content for all users, including those with disabilities. There are many incredible virtual events happening today and throughout the week - check out the GAAD website for an events calendar and to get connected.

The ARC-BC team's commitment to digital accessibility extends beyond digital alternate format materials for students with perceptual disabilities. We also offer a number of virtual training opportunities for educational teams interested in creating and curating accessible learning content. Our Training page has more information on these sessions and how you can request one for your team!

Upcoming Events in School Communities - Check ARC-BC for related titles

• May is Asian Heritage Month
• May is Speech and Hearing Month
• June is National Indigenous History Month

ARC-BC Program Notes

Retiring or Moving On?

If you are retiring at the end of June, please inform your ARC-BC District Contact. This will help us to ensure that your account is safely archived.

Looking Ahead - Please Submit Material Requests for September 2022!

We continue to add new titles to the repository and new file formats. Planning ahead is key in alternate format production and so if you know about particular titles(s) that your student(s) require for September 2022, please see below:

Search the ARC-BC Repository

Start by searching the ARC-BC online repository of learning materials in digital alternate format. After nearly 13 years of producing digital alternate formats on behalf of students with perceptual disabilities, the ARC-BC online repository has many titles aligning with the BC curriculum available for download.

What if…..

• the title I am looking for is not in the repository?
  If the title is not available in the repository, or is not available in the format required by the student, please submit a Request a Title or New Format Form. The ARC-BC team will be in touch to confirm your request. Once the completed files are posted on the ARC-BC repository, we will notify you by email that files are available to download.
• the school is not able to donate a print copy for alternate format production?
  The ARC-BC team always attempts to purchase a copy of the book for all student orders. If the book is older or difficult to find, we may still ask the school or school district to donate a copy.
• the title I am looking for is in the repository but has a [progress] tag in parentheses?
  If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] or [Under Consideration] or [Partial] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have it added to the high priority production list.

Note regarding textbook requests:

If your request is for a textbook, please include a timeline and the chapter order for when each will be needed by the student. We will produce these chapters ahead of the schedule so that files are available in time. Including a timeline with a textbook request assists our team in prioritizing production to ensure that we can provide timely service to as many students as needed throughout the year.

If you have questions or feedback regarding ARC-BC, please email us arc@prcvi.org
Thank you for all your work to ensure equitable access to learning opportunities for students with perceptual disabilities. Best wishes for a relaxing summer!

- The ARC-BC Provincial Team

December 3 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

On International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2021, the ARC-BC team celebrates students, colleagues, and friends and the work that they are doing to make learning communities more inclusive & responsive to how they learn best. Visit the #IDPD site for more information on this day. Here in British Columbia, for more information on the latest developments around the Accessible BC Act please see today's announcement of the naming of the Provincial Advisory Committee to develop the Standards within the Act.

Looking Ahead - Black History Month 2022

With February 2022 coming up soon, please submit any requests for production that you have for Black History-focused content. Over the last two years the ARC-BC team has added a range of content to support equitable access to Black History-focused content for students with perceptual disabilities, with titles including Viola Desmond Won't Be Budged by Jody Warner and Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison. 

Looking Ahead - Please Submit Production Requests for the New Term

We continue to add new titles to the repository and new file formats. Planning ahead is key in alternate format production and so if you know about particular titles(s) that your student(s) will require for the start of the new term, please see below:

Search the ARC-BC Repository

Start by searching the ARC-BC online repository of learning materials in digital alternate format. After nearly 12 years of producing digital alternate formats on behalf of students with perceptual disabilities, the ARC-BC online repository has many titles aligning with the BC curriculum available for download.

What if…..

the title I am looking for is not in the repository?

If the title is not available in the repository, or is not available in the format required by the student, please submit a Request a Title or New Format Form. The ARC-BC team will be in touch to confirm your request.

Once the completed files are posted on the ARC-BC repository, we will notify you by email that files are available to download.

the title I am looking for is in the repository but has a [progress] tag in parentheses?

If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] or [Under Consideration] or [Partial] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have it added to the high priority production list.

Additional Notes

If your request is for a textbook, please include a timeline for when each chapter will be needed by the student. We will produce these chapters ahead of the schedule so that files are available in time. Including a timeline with a textbook request assists our team in prioritizing production to ensure that we can provide timely service to as many students as needed throughout the year.

Retiring or moving on?

If you are not returning to your role in January 2022, please inform your ARC-BC District Contact. This will help us to ensure that your account is safely archived.

If you have questions or feedback regarding ARC-BC, please email us arc@prcvi.org

Thank you for all your work to ensure equitable access to learning opportunities for students with perceptual disabilities.

Best wishes for a relaxing and restful holiday season!

- The ARC-BC Provincial Team

ARC-BC News – September 2021 

Happy New Year! We hope you had a restful summer break. This is a quick note to tell you about an important update that we have made to the ARC-BC collection.

September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Over the summer, the ARC-BC team added over 40 titles from Indigenous authors and Reconciliation-focused content to our digital alternate format collection.. Please consider checking the ARC-BC repository when planning activities to align with the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to ensure that students with perceptual disabilities have equitable access.

As always, if a new title is needed or an existing title is needed in another format, please refer users to our Request a Title page. If a title is needed and appears as [In Production] in the repository, please submit a request as this will help to move the title to the top of the production queue.

New Online Portal and Workshops for 2021-2022

Just before the end of the last school year the ARC-BC team launched the Universal Design for Learning Materials portal on our site. This is a framework for applying Universal Design to the creation and/or collection of digital learning materials for accessibility. On this page you will find how-to guides for creating accessible content using tools such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat as well as resource lists.

For more learning about digital accessibility, check out our workshops page. Here you will find several virtual options for training that can be personalized to the software and devices used by students and educators in your school/district!

Best wishes for the school year ahead. Please do not hesitate to be in touch us with any questions or for more information – arc@prcvi.org

Thank you for your commitment to digital inclusion and equitable access to learning materials.

- The ARC-BC Team.

ARC-BC News – February 2021

As we carry on in 2021, we would users to draw your attention to some thematic collections in ARC-BC as well as the launch of the 2020-2021 ARC-BC User Survey.

Black History Month

As educators refocus and renew shared commitments to enacting anti-racism in school communities, our team wanted to draw your attention to the many titles devoted to Black History, including the histories of Black Canadians. To ensure access to this important content for students with perceptual disabilities, please check the ARC-BC repository for alternate format versions of Black History-focused titles.

Anti-Bullying – Pink Shirt Day on February 24, 2021

The ARC-BC online repository also contains several titles related to anti-bullying. Be sure to check for titles that you are sharing with students to support literacy activities around Pink Shirt Day on February 24.

ARC-BC User Survey for 2020-2021

We have redesigned the ARC-BC User Survey for the 2020-2021 academic year. Your feedback is essential - this survey is our team’s best source of information from users on how we can make improvements to ARC-BC to ensure that the service remains responsive to the needs of educators serving students with perceptual disabilities.

Feedback obtained from the survey has directed all our development efforts over the last few years, and has resulted in:

• A responsive web interface for easier use on a variety of different display/devices.
• More accurate search results via an upgraded search engine.
• The ability for users to add all files of the same format to the cart with one click.
• The option to download all files simultaneously when checking out.

The survey is now live on the ARC-BC site. Users will be directed to the survey once they log in after this date. New users will not be prompted to take the survey until they have downloaded files on behalf of learners.

Thank you in advance for your input and for your support!

ARC-BC News - September 2020

We hope you had an enjoyable and safe summer and that this exceptional first week of school is off to a good start. In addition to our regular updates at the start of the school year, we've been working hard over the last several months on new features to ARC-BC service delivery - making it easier to find the titles/formats your students need and expanded recommendations for how to use these files:

• Improved search interface and search algorithm
• Updates to Recommended App Profiles
• More Titles Than Ever Available in EPUB Format - driven by your requests!

Improvements to Search Interface and Algorithm

Significant upgrades to the search interface and algorithm are now live on the ARC-BC site. Users can now enjoy more responsive quick searching that prioritizes matching results in titles, keywords, and author names. Users can also use the new interface to easily apply multiple filters to narrow search results. 

Updates to Recommended App Profiles

In 2019-2020, the ARC-BC team introduced our Recommended App Profiles. These profiles feature apps that have been tested extensively by our team to ensure that each works well with ARC-BC materials. Each profile has been upgraded with an instructional video that highlight app features that are relevant to educators using these apps with students. 

Increased Production of EPUB Format

Of the digital alternate formats produced by ARC-BC, EPUB has perhaps the best potential to maximize both accessibility and the overall quality of the user experience for students. In 2019-2020, user downloads of titles in EPUB format increased by 112% over the previous year. Further, the ARC-BC team produced 46 new titles in EPUB format - up significantly from the 9 titles produced in the previous year. We're working to continually build our production capacity - currently producing novels and primary/intermediate level non-fiction titles in EPUB. 

ARC-BC News - June 2020

Looking Ahead - Please Submit Material Requests for September 2020!

We continue to add new titles to the repository and new file formats. Planning ahead is key in alternate format production and so if you know about particular titles(s) that your student(s) require for September 2020, please see below:

Search the ARC-BC Repository

Start by searching the ARC-BC online repository of learning materials in digital alternate format. After nearly 11 years of producing digital alternate formats on behalf of students with perceptual disabilities, the repository has many titles aligning with the BC curriculum available for download.

What if….. 

the title I am looking for is not in the repository?

If the title is not available in the repository, or is not available in the format required by the student, please submit a Request a Title or New Format Form. The ARC-BC team will be in touch to confirm your request.

Once the completed files are posted on the ARC-BC repository, we will notify you by email that files are available to download.

the school is not able to donate a print copy for alternate format production?

The ARC-BC team always attempts to purchase a copy of the book for all student orders. If the book is older or difficult to find, we may still ask the school or school district to donate a copy.

the title I am looking for is in the repository but has a [progress] tag in parentheses?

If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] or [Under Consideration] or [Partial] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have it added to the high priority production list.

Additional Notes

• If your request is for a textbook, please include a timeline for when each chapter will be needed by the student. We will produce these chapters ahead of the schedule so that files are available in time. Including a timeline with a textbook request assists our team in prioritizing production to ensure that we can provide timely service to as many students as needed throughout the year.
• Retiring or moving on? If you are retiring at the end of June, please inform your ARC-BC District Contact. This will help us to ensure that your account is safely archived.

If you have questions/suggestions regarding ARC-BC, please email us arc@prcvi.org

Thank you for all your work to ensure equitable access to learning opportunities for students with perceptual disabilities. Wishing you a wonderful summer!

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

ARC-BC News - April 2020

Dear ARC-BC users.

We hope that this message finds you healthy and in good spirits. As plans for remote learning continue to take shape in school communities across British Columbia, we wanted to take the opportunity to let you know that:

• The ARC-BC team is still producing digital alternate format materials by request on behalf of students with perceptual disabilities and;
• Digital alternate format materials can be downloaded from ARC-BC online repository on behalf of these learners.

Important Reminder re: Appropriate Use

The Copyright Act of Canada limits access to ARC-BC materials to students with perceptual disabilities. Even in these unprecedented times it is a breach of copyright law to share ARC-BC materials with students without perceptual disabilities.

Open Access to Educational Learning Materials

Some publishers and content creators have made their copyright-protected online content available by extending free access to students, families, and educators. The team at ARC-BC has created a list of these content providers to support efforts to ensure continuity of learning for all students in British Columbia.

ARC-BC Refreshers and Weekly Webinars

If you have not been back to ARC-BC in a while to see some of our new features and functionality, please feel free to review the training materials on our site at any time or sign up for a weekly live session of “ARC-BC Fundamentals” – our 30-minute introduction to the basics of ARC-BC.

Please see the form linked on the ARC-BC workshops page to sign up. We will offer these sessions every Friday at 10 AM PST through the rest of April and May 2020.

National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS)

A reminder from our friends at NNELS - Students with perceptual disabilities can also access titles in digital alternate formats using their accounts with public library systems across BC that are registered with NNELS. Visit the link above to learn more about NNELS’ services during this unprecedented time.

Please do not hesitate to contact our team at arc@prcvi.org with any questions or for more information. 

Best wishes,

The ARC-BC Provincial Team  

ARC-BC News - January 2020

Welcome back! The ARC-BC team would like to wish all of our users, their students, and families a happy and healthy year ahead. As we move into 2020 we would like to announce a number of new upgrades and improvements to the ARC-BC user experience!

In this issue:

• Wondering which apps to use with ARC-BC materials? New media added to ARC-BC app profiles.
• Is ARC-BC For My Student?
• Upcoming ARC-BC Workshops and Training Opportunities

Wondering which apps to use with ARC-BC materials?

In September the ARC-BC team created profiles of recommended apps for using digital alternate format materials. These profiles cover a wide range of features and functionality and are organized by platform (e.g., Windows, iOS) and by file type (i.e., EPUB, PDF). Throughout Fall 2019 our team has added instructional videos to these profiles that highlight the many app features that teachers and students may find useful. These videos are being posted regularly and so if an app profile of interest does not yet have a video, check back soon! 

Is ARC-BC For My Student?

There is an updated section on the main page of our website that has details on appropriate use qualify for learning materials from ARC-BC. Check it out - you may find that we serve a wider range of learners than you think! 

Upcoming ARC-BC Workshops and Training Opportunities

We're on the road early in 2020, delivering workshops and presentations across the province - from Burnaby to Fort St. John! If your team is interested in learning more about ARC-BC, digital accessibility, and inclusive, please check out our Workshop page and do not hesitate to be in touch. Workshops can be delivered in-person or remotely.

All the best in 2020!

- The ARC-BC Provincial Team. 

ARC-BC News - Fall 2019

Dear ARC-BC Users,

We hope this message finds you all well after a relaxing and fun summer! We are delighted to report that there are a number of new ARC-BC features and services launched and ready for the start of the 2019-2020 academic year! 

• ARC-BC has a fresh new look that works better on small screens
• New Resource for Users – Reading App Profiles
• New Training Opportunities
• Updated New Title/Format Request Form and Procedure
• Adding multiple files to the cart with one click. 

Housekeeping for the new year:

• User Profile & Student Information Update

ARC-BC’s New Look

ARC-BC has a fresh new look! As a result of the redesign process presented in May, ARC-BC is now easier to use on small screens such as phones and tablets. This ensures that users won’t have to ‘pinch and zoom’ around the page just to be able to read text or click a button!

New Resource for Users – Reading App Profiles

In response to requests from users, the ARC-BC team has created a series of profiles of recommended reading apps for use with ARC-BC files. ARC-BC users often have questions regarding the best technology-format combination for their students and these app profiles are intended to help users inform that decision. These reading apps have been tested by our team and are recommended by file format (e.g., EPUB, Kurzweil, DOCX) and organized based on the operating system used by the student (e.g., Windows, macOS, iOS, Android). These profiles are currently written in text-only – instructional videos will be added to the profiles throughout Fall 2019, so check back!

New Training Options – Workshops on ARC Fundamentals, Inclusive Design, and Web Accessibility

In addition to the online, self-paced training option introduced last year, ARC-BC has three workshops that users can request. More workshops will come online throughout the year. Starting in September, three workshops are available on demand – we’re happy to come to you if there is a district professional development day or community of practice who would be interested in the topics listed on our Workshops page.

Updated New Title/Format Request Form and Procedure

The Request a New Title/Format page is updated. The user’s name and email address are automatically populated in the form. We have also added some new mandatory fields to ensure that we collect enough information at the outset to facilitate a quick start to the production process.

Please help us spread the word – Schools are no longer required to donate a print copy of the requested title. We only require a copy to be donated for production if a new copy is not commercially available. Titles for collection building (i.e., not tied to a specific student request) will still need to be donated.

Adding multiple files to the cart with one click

Many titles in the repository are made up of several files (typically by chapter). We have simplified the process of downloading these titles by adding a button that allows users to add all files of the same format to the cart with one click.

User Profile & Student Information Update

Again this school year, you will be asked to update your profile. The ARC-BC Content Management Strategy requires updated student information to ensure compliance with relevant copyright legislation. Failure to provide ARC-BC with an updated profile and student information will result in the loss of user privileges. At any time this caseload information may be requested by the Ministry of Education; therefore, accuracy is of vital importance. Users will be prompted to update this information when they first log into ARC-BC this year. 

Please feel free to be in touch with any questions or for more information - arc@prcvi.org.

Best wishes for 2019-2020! Stay tuned for more new upgrades to ARC-BC we’ve made in response to your feedback. Thank you for everything you do to promote digital accessibility and inclusive design for learners.

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

ARC-BC News – June 2019

Requesting new titles or alternate formats for September 2019?

Reminder: ARC-BC’s Alternate Format Production Policy has changed.

When requesting a new title be added to the ARC-BC repository on behalf of a student with a perceptual, disability, schools or school districts will no longer be asked to donate a copy of the book if that title is currently in print. The ARC-BC team will attempt to purchase a copy of the book. If the book is older or difficult to find, we may still ask the school or school district to donate a copy.

ARC-BC will, on request, produce digital alternate format files for reading series or titles that correspond to literacy kits and resources. For these new title requests that are not in fulfilment of a specific student requirement, the ARC-BC team will continue to ask the school or school district to donate copies for production in digital alternate format(s).

Once the title is posted on the ARC-BC repository, we will notify the requesting user by email that files are available to download.

Thinking of retiring or moving on?

If you are retiring at the end of June, please inform your ARC-BC District Contact. Your District Contact's email information can be found on the Contact page.

ARC-BC Year-End Survey 2018-2019

Thank you to all ARC-BC users who completed the 2018-2019 Year-End User Survey. The winners of the ARC-BC prize kits will be notified, and prizes shipped to winners shortly. Your feedback is incredibly valuable as the ARC-BC team examines program effectiveness and works improve service delivery to our provincial community. Please do not hesitate to direct comments or questions at any time to arc@prcvi.org.

Feedback

If you have questions/suggestions regarding ARC-BC, please complete our feedback form.

Thank you for your continued support of ARC-BC. Wishing you a wonderful summer!

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

ARC-BC News - March-April 2019

Welcome to the March/April issue of the ARC-BC News. In this issue, we look at upcoming professional learning opportunities in inclusive design as well as some new features on ARC-BC!

In this issue:

 
• Early Bird rate for Designing for Inclusion - May 10-11, 2019 in Richmond, BCextended to Friday, April 12!
 
• Upcoming Webinar on Getting Started with EPUB - April 25, 2019
 
• **New Feature** Confirmation Email for New Title/Format Requests
 
• Please Submit Material Requests for September 2019 ASAP!

Designing for Inclusion 2019 - Early Bird Extended to Friday, April 12

Special registration rate of $150 available until Friday for the first-ever ARC-BC Conference! Designing for Inclusion - May 10-11, 2019 in Richmond, BC.

Register now for Designing for Inclusion: Creating Accessible Educational Materials for All Learners, presented by PRCVI, ARC-BC, and the BC Vision Teachers' Association. This two-day conference will feature a hands-on workshop by Dr. Luis Pérez from the   National Center on Accessible Educational Materials at CAST. Dr. Pérez will be presenting   on the principles of Universal Design and how these can be used by content creators to ensure that digital educational materials are accessible to all learners. While   the focus of Dr. Pérez's presentation will be on educational materials in the K-12 sector, this is important content for anyone seeking to create and share accessible   digital information with learners, clients, and users with diverse access requirements.

Getting Started with EPUB

On Thursday, April 25, Dr. Luis Pérez (our presenter for Designing for Inclusion) will join the DAISY Consortium in sharing a rationale for providing digital   accessible content in EPUB format to students. Using free or low-cost tools, Dr. Pérez and colleagues will outline how content creators can produce digital learning   materials in EPUB that are accessible to all learners!   Register today for this free webinar!   The webinar will be live on Thursday, April 25, 2019 from 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PDT, 12:00 - 1:00 PM MDT.

Confirmation Email for New Title/Format Requests

Some users may have already noticed that when submitting requests for new titles or new formats on ARC-BC that an email is automatically generated that confirms the   request. We have added this feature in response to user feedback asking for a record of new titles that had been requested from ARC-BC. Just as a reminder, after   submitting a request for a new title or for an existing title in a different alternate format the ARC-BC team will follow up with the user.

Please Submit Material Requests for September 2019 ASAP!

We continue to add new titles to the repository and new file formats. It is always important to plan ahead, so if you know about particular titles(s) that your   student(s) require for September 2019 please follow these steps:

 
• Search the ARC-BC repository for the title in the format you require.
 
• If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] or [Under Consideration] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have it added to the high priority production list.
 
• If the title is available in the repository, but NOT in the format you require, or is not currently available in any formats, then submit a Request a Title or New Format Form.  
 
• ARC-BC will attempt to purchase an original print copy of the material. If we are not able to obtain the material in a timely manner, we will notify the user that we will need the school/district to donate the original material in order to initiate the scanning and production process. The book must be relatively new with crisp, clean pages and no markings, folds or tears. Your donated book will be catalogued, have the spine cut off and sent through a high-speed scanner to capture the images necessary to produce the requested alternate format(s). The book(s) will not be returned to you and they can be shipped to:
  
  ARC-BC
  Attn: Susan Hannigan
  106-1750 West 75th Avenue
  Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2

Once the title is posted on the ARC-BC repository, we will notify you by email that files are available to download.

ARC-BC News - January-February 2019

Register now for the first-ever ARC-BC Conference!

Designing for Inclusion - May 10-11, 2019 in Richmond, BC.

Registration is now open for Designing for Inclusion: Creating Accessible Educational Materials for All Learners, presented by PRCVI, ARC-BC, and the BC Vision Teachers' Association. This two-day conference will feature a hands-on workshop by Dr. Luis Pérez from the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials at CAST. Dr. Pérez will be presenting on the principles of Universal Design and how these can be used by content creators to ensure that digital educational materials are accessible to all learners. While the focus of Dr. Pérez's presentation will be on educational materials in the K-12 sector, this is important content for anyone seeking to create and share accessible digital information with learners, clients, and users with diverse access requirements. Be sure to take advantage of the Early Bird rate of $150!

We're off to a busy start in 2019 with our ARC-BC team collaborating with educational teams across the province around access to learning materials and inclusive design. In this issue of the ARC-BC news, we outline some of this work as well as provide the answer to one of ARC-BC users' most frequently asked questions.

• Students with Specific Learning Disabilities and ARC-BC - Where do they fit?
• Upcoming Webinar - AEM in the IEP: Where Do Accessible Materials and Technologies Fit?
• Creating accessible Microsoft Word documents - videos now online!

Students with Learning Disabilities - Where do they fit?

Our team has received several questions related to the eligibility of students with learning disabilities to receive digital alternate format materials from ARC-BC. Section 32 of the Copyright Act permits the creation and use of these materials by students with print (or perceptual) disabilities. This includes students with learning disabilities requiring the use of digital alternate format materials to support comprehension.

The ARC-BC Community Agreement requires that school districts and independent schools maintain documentation for students with perceptual disabilities that is consistent with the district or school's policy to qualify students as having a learning disability. If a student's need for learning materials in digital alternate format is documented and meets the district or school's identification requirement for learning disability - they are eligible for digital alternate format materials from ARC-BC. Please contact your ARC-BC District Contact with questions regarding student eligibility.

Upcoming Webinar - AEM in the IEP: Where Do Accessible Materials and Technologies Fit?

The National Center on Accessible Educational Materials at CAST is hosting a one-hour webinar on integrating accessible educational materials (including digital alternate format materials like those available through ARC-BC) into individualized programming planning. The webinar is on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 and runs from 11:00 - 12:00 PM PDT/12:00 - 1:00 PM MDT. Registration is required in advance at the AEM Center website.

Creating accessible Microsoft Word documents - videos now online!

Our team has been working on a series of instructional videos around the creation of accessible educational materials. The latest installment in this series is on creating accessible Microsoft Word documents. There are two YouTube playlists: One for users who are creating these materials using a mouse; and one for users creating educational materials using only the keyboard. Videos on creating accessible PowerPoint files are already posted. Coming soon - creating accessible documents using Google Docs!

ARC-BC News - November/December 2018

With the holidays just around the corner, the ARC-BC team would like to wish all of our users, their students, and families the very best of the season and a happy and healthy year ahead. As we wrap up 2018 we would like to announce a number of new upgrades and improvements to the ARC-BC user experience! We've outlined these developments in the sections that follow and along with an important announcement.

In this issue:

• **Save the Date - Provincial Conference on Creating Accessible Educational Materials**
• New "Download All" Feature
• EPUB3 Format Materials - Looking to the Future of Digital Accessible Learning Materials

SAVE THE DATE - MAY 10-11, 2019

The 2019 PRCVI and BC Vision Teachers' Association conference will be on May 10-11, 2019 at the Sheraton Airport Hotel in Richmond, BC.

The title of our conference is Designing for Inclusion: Creating Accessible Educational Materials for All Learners. Dr Luis Pérez from the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials at CAST will be presenting on the principles of inclusive design and how these can be used by content creators to ensure that digital educational materials are accessible to all learners. While the focus of Dr Pérez's presentation will be on educational materials in the K-12 sector, this is important content for anyone seeking to create and share accessible digital information with learners, clients, and users with diverse access requirements.

Resources to promote the design and implementation of accessible educational materials for all learners has been a major area of focus for our ARC-BC team in our tenth anniversary year. We've been presenting to educators across our province and are regularly updating our web resource devoted to the Universal Design of Learning Materials. Check back often - more instructional videos are coming soon.

Please see the PRCVI website for a more detailed announcement. Registration to follow immediately after the upcoming winter break.

New "Download All" Feature

Some users may have already discovered a recent upgrade to how users download files from ARC-BC. Previously, users had to click individual hyperlinks to download each file in the cart. The user interface now presents an option for the user to download all files in the cart at once in one convenient .ZIP archive. When the files are unzipped, each title appears in an individual folder with entire book or chapter files contained therein.

The ability to "Download All" was requested by users through the ARC-BC Year-End User Survey. Please continue to let us know what features and functionality you would like to see added to the ARC-BC user experience. Please note: This feature works best when downloading materials on PC or laptop platforms. If downloading materials directly onto a mobile device, users still have the option to download via individual hyperlinks in the cart.

EPUB3 Format Materials - Looking to the Future of Digital Accessible Learning Materials

The ARC-BC team has started to produce learning materials in EPUB format. EPUB is the standard format for digital publishing and offers a number of advantages for students with perceptual disabilities using digital alternate format materials to access learning content. There are a number of programs that can be used to read materials in EPUB format, including Apple Books, Voice Dream Reader, and Microsoft Edge. To find the titles currently available in EPUB format in ARC-BC, select ".epub" from the File Format menu on the Search page. At the moment, the ARC-BC team is only able to produce EPUB format files for novels and elementary -level non-fiction. If your student would benefit from EPUB format, please submit a new title/format request. As we work to refine and extend our EPUB workflow to include middle- and secondary-level textbooks, we will post updates in the ARC-BC News.

Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season!

- The ARC-BC Provincial Team.

September 2018 - Welcome Back!

The start of the school year is always an exciting time for teachers, students and district personnel. We at ARC-BC are excited to launch our tenth year of providing digital alternate formats for BC students with perceptual disabilities.

Welcome to NEW District Contacts

We would like to thank all the District Contacts for the great work they do in training, promoting and supporting ARC-BC. Every year some move on or retire and we welcome new colleagues in to this role. The ARC-BC District contact information can be found on the ARC-BC website Contact page.

User Profile & Student Information Update

Again this school year, you will be asked to update your profile. The ARC-BC Content Management Strategy requires updated student information to ensure compliance with relevant copyright legislation. Failure to provide ARC-BC with an updated profile and student information will result in the loss of user privileges. At any time this caseload information may be requested by the Ministry of Education; therefore, accuracy is of vital importance.

Once you have logged into ARC-BC, click on "My Account" at the top, then click on "Edit Profile" on the left. Make sure your school and work phone on the "User Profile" page are up to date. Then click on the "Next" tab for "Training and Use of Materials" and re-check the Agreement on Appropriate Use box. Then click on the "Next" tab for "Students" and if you are supporting the same students as last year you will need to indicate this by following these steps:

1. Please read through your previous student list and verify the first and last name and the student PEN have all been correctly entered
2. If this student will again be utilizing ARC-BC resources check their box under the Current Caseload "CC" column (those students that you are no longer supporting can't be deleted - they will remain on the bottom of your list unchecked for archival purposes)

Even if you have no new students to add, after checking each current student's box under the "CC" column, you MUST click the UPDATE button at the bottom of your profile or your revisions will be lost.

Adding New Students

To start entering NEW student(s) information, make sure you have their PENs available and you need to follow these steps:

1. Go to the bottom of the list where there is a blank line and the CC box is already checked - fill in the fields: Last Name, First Name and their 9 digit PEN
2. Click on the blue check mark on the right to add another line
3. Once all students have been entered, you must click on the "Student use Agreement" box below the list to confirm that you have reviewed and updated your caseload

Finally, to save all students or edits on your profile, you MUST click the UPDATE button at the bottom of the page or your revisions will be lost.

ARC-BC Training

ARC-BC training options have been updated to include self-paced online training videos followed by a short online quiz. Please check out these new videos if you would like a refresher on ARC-BC basics. Please refer any interested colleagues who are registering with ARC-BC. All new users are required to complete one of the training options before downloading digital alternate format files on behalf of students. Live remote training sessions and in-district workshops can still be requested.

Please feel free to be in touch with any questions or for more information.

Best wishes for 2018-2019 - ARC-BC's Tenth Anniversary Year! Stay tuned for an email highlighting some of the exciting new upgrades to ARC-BC we've made in response to your feedback and in time for this anniversary year.

- The ARC-BC Provincial Team

ARC-BC June 2018 News

Thinking of retiring or moving on?

If you are retiring at the end of June, please inform your ARC-BC District Contact in the coming weeks. Your District Contact's email information can be found on the Contact page

New titles needed for your students?

ARC-BC now has three title notation categories in our repository:

[UNDER CONSIDERATION]: will produce upon request

[IN PRODUCTION]: currently in the production queue

[PARTIAL]: not all chapters have been requested or produced

We continue to add new titles and new file formats to the repository. It is always important to plan ahead, so if you know about particular titles(s) that your student(s) require for September 2018 please follow these steps:

• Search for the title in the ARC-BC repository
• If you cannot find the title or the format required, OR you find it but the notation indicates that it is [UNDER CONSIDERATION], [IN PRODUCTION] or [PARTIAL], please submit a Request a Title or New Format Form to have it added to the high priority production list
• We will notify you if we do not have a print copy and you will then need to donate one in order to initiate the production process. The book can be shipped to:

ARC-BC
Attn: Susan Hannigan
106-1750 West 75th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2

Once the title is posted on the ARC-BC repository, we will notify you by email that files are available to download.

New Online Training Resources

We have updated our training page and uploaded new training video for our ARC-BC users. These videos cover topics such as registration, search, and downloading files in ARC-BC. If you haven’t used ARC-BC in a while feel free to explore these online resources to get back up to speed! New users will now have the option of working through these self-paced training videos and then completing a short ARC-BC Knowledge Quiz to demonstrate their understanding of the Copyright Act and the appropriate use of ARC-BC resources. The individual quiz result will be forwarded to the user’s ARC-BC District Contact to complete the registration process.

Live online training and in-district workshops are still available as training options for new users. For more information, please go to our training page: https://www.arc-bc.org/help/default.aspx.

ARC-BC Year-End Survey 2017-2018

Thank you to all ARC-BC users who completed the 2017-2018 Year-End User Survey. The winners of the ARC-BC prize kits will be notified by June 8, 2018. Your feedback is incredibly valuable as the ARC-BC team examines program effectiveness and works improve service delivery to our provincial community. Please do not hesitate to direct comments or questions at any time to arc@prcvi.org.

Creating Accessible Learning Resources

Check out the Inclusive Learning Design Handbook from the Inclusive Design Research Centre at OCAD University. The handbook contains some great information on creating accessible digital learning resources for all learners across K-12 and areas of the curriculum. Content authors and designers can create for adaptability and flexibility to ensure that inclusive practice extends also to learning materials used in the classroom.

Feedback?

If you have questions/suggestions regarding ARC-BC, please complete our feedback form.

Thank you for your continued support of ARC-BC. Wishing you a wonderful summer!

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

ARC-BC November-December 2017 News

ARC-BC and SOGI123

Beginning in summer 2017, ARC-BC started producing digital alternate formats of recommended learning materials in the SOGI 123 curriculum resources. If your student with a perceptual disability is working on learning around sexual orientation and gender identity in schools and the recommended learning material is not found on ARC-BC, please make sure you are logged onto ARC-BC and then request a new title.

Introduction to Web Accessibility and W3C Standards

Do you need a general introduction on web accessibility to share with parents, colleagues, or district IT staff? Check out this video produced by W3C in recognition of the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The accessibility of online learning materials is a shared responsibility in inclusive settings and this video provides an overview of some basic steps to ensure that all students can access online content.

Other Items:

We are very pleased to welcome a number of new district contacts joining ARC-BC. If you are retiring, going on leave or moving from your school district or independent school before the end of the school year, please inform your ARC-BC District Contact and their email information can be found on the  Contact page.

If you are new to ARC-BC or have not accessed it recently and would like a refresher, please note there are numerous online training sessions offered! For online training dates you can go to the  Training  tab and click on the View Calendar link and then send us an email to reserve your spot.

It is never too late to think long term, so if you know about particular titles(s) that your student(s) require for the January-June 2018 session please follow these steps:

• Log into ARC-BC and search the repository for the title in the format you require
• If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have the format your student needs added to the high priority production list
• If the title is available in the repository, but NOT in the format you require, or is not currently available in any formats, then submit a Request a Title or New Format Form
• We will notify you if we do not have a copy and you will then need to donate the book in order to initiate the scanning and production process
• The book(s) can be shipped to:
  ARC-BC
  Attn: Susan Hannigan
  106-1750 West 75th Avenue
  Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2
• We will notify you by email when files are available to download from the repository

Thank you for your continued support of access to learning for students with perceptual disabilities in British Columbia. Have a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year!

-The ARC-BC Provincial Team.

September 2017 - Welcome Back!

The start of the school year is always an exciting time for teachers, students and district personnel. We at ARC-BC are excited to launch our ninth year of providing digital alternate formats for BC students with perceptual disabilities.

Welcome to NEW District Contacts

We would like to thank all the District Contacts for the great work they do in training, promoting and supporting ARC-BC. Every year some move on or retire and we welcome new colleagues in to this role. The ARC-BC District contact information can be found on the ARC-BC website Contact page.

Student Information Update

Again this school year, you will be asked to update your profile. The ARC-BC Content Management Strategy requires updated student information to ensure compliance with relevant copyright policies and legislation. Failure to provide ARC-BC with an updated profile and student information will result in the loss of user privileges. At any time this caseload information may be requested by the Ministry of Education; therefore, accuracy is of vital importance.

If you are supporting the same students as last year you will need to indicate this by following these steps:

1. Please read through your previous student list and verify the first and last name and the student PEN have been correctly entered
2. If this student will again be utilizing ARC-BC resources please click on the "Edit" box on the far right next to the PEN number
3. Check their box under the Current Caseload column (those students that you are no longer supporting can't be deleted - they will remain on the bottom of your list unchecked for archival purposes)
4. Click on the "Save" box on the far right to save each student before moving on to the next student or "Cancel" if you have no changes

Even if you have no new students to add, after checking each current student's box under the "current caseload" column, you MUST click the UPDATE button at the top or bottom of your profile.

Adding New Students

To start entering NEW student(s) information you need to follow these steps:

1. Click on the + Add student box in the top left hand corner
2. The Current Caseload check box will now automatically be checked off for all new students, so fill in the fields: Last Name, First Name and their 9 digit PEN
3. Save each new student by clicking on the "Save" box on the far right side or, to remove: click on the "Cancel" box
4. To add another student repeat steps 1 to 3
5. Once all students have been entered, you must click on the box below the list to confirm that you have reviewed and updated your caseload
6. You must also click on the Agreement on Appropriate Use of ARC-BC Materials box at the bottom

Finally, to save all students or edits on your profile, you MUST click the UPDATE button at the top of the page or your revisions will be lost.

ARC-BC Training

Please note there are numerous online training sessions offered to new and returning ARC-BC users! New users are required to complete a training session before downloading digital alternate format files for students. Check out the Training tab and click on the View Calendar link to see upcoming training sessions.

Feel free contact us at arc@prcvi.org should you experience any difficulties.

Best wishes for the 2017-2018 school year!
The ARC-BC Provincial Team

June 2017 - ARC-BC Year-End

Thank you to the users who completed the ARC-BC survey. Your feedback is extremely important to us. The survey results provide us with data on program effectiveness to report to the BC Ministry of Education. Survey results are also very important to the ARC-BC provincial team, as we strive to continually improve the service we provide to you and your students. Congratulations to the three winners of the ARC-BC Annual survey prize draw - Julia C., Tracey E., and Tisha W. We will be in touch with each of our winners individually.

Thinking of retiring or moving on? If you are retiring at the end of June, please inform your ARC-BC District Contact in the coming weeks. Your District Contact's email information can be found on the Contact page.

Book Request

We continue to add new books to the repository and new file formats. It is always important to plan ahead, so if you know about particular titles(s) that your student(s) require for September 2017 please follow these steps:

• Search the ARC-BC repository for the title in the format you require.
• If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have it added to the high priority production list.
• If the title is available in the repository, but NOT in the format you require, or is not currently available in any formats, then submit a Request a Title or New Format Form. (Please note that high school science and math texts are only produced in .kes level 1 format due to time and production software constraints)
• We will notify you if we do not have a copy and you will then need to donate the book in order to initiate the scanning and production process. The book must be relatively new with crisp, clean pages and no markings, folds or tears. Your donated book will be catalogued, have the spine cut off and sent through a high speed scanner to capture the images necessary to produce the requested alternate format(s). The book(s) will not be returned to you and they can be shipped to:
  
  ARC-BC
  Attn: Susan Hannigan
  106-1750 West 75th Avenue
  Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2

• Once the title is posted on the ARC-BC repository, we will notify you by email that files are available to download.

Feedback: If you have questions/suggestions regarding ARC-BC, please complete our feedback form .

Library2go: Do you know about Library2go?

BC students can also use their public library cards to borrow ebooks online. Go to Library2go for more information.

Thank you for your continued support of ARC-BC. Wishing you a wonderful summer!

Best regards,
The ARC-BC Provincial Team

April 2017 - What's New on ARC-BC

ARC-BC Updates

The ARC-BC production team has converted all old .txt formatted files into .docx. The next step will be to convert all .rtf into .docx format. If your student requires .docx files but the ARC-BC repository has that material only in .rtf format, please log into ARC-BC and submit a request. If there is a need for materials in .rtf or .txt format, please contact us at arc@prcvi.org.

EquatIO - Making Math Digital

EquatIO is a new Google Chrome extension that enables students to produce math content with ease - right in the browser. Students can input their math equations on Google Doc and Google Forms by typing, handwriting (on a touch screen), or using voice dictation. For more information on EquatIO and to download the trial version, check out the TextHelp website. Following the 30-day free trial, many of the basic features of the extension will still be available.

Book Request

We continue to add new books to the repository and new file formats. It is always important to plan ahead, so if you know about particular titles(s) that your student(s) require for September 2017 please follow these steps:

• Search the ARC-BC repository for the title in the format you require.
• If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have it added to the high priority production list.
• If the title is available in the repository, but NOT in the format you require, or is not currently available in any formats, then submit a Request a Title or New Format Form. (Please note that high school science and math texts are only produced in .kes level 1 format due to time and production software constraints)
• We will notify you if we do not have a copy and you will then need to donate the book in order to initiate the scanning and production process. The book must be relatively new with crisp, clean pages and no markings, folds or tears. Your donated book will be catalogued, have the spine cut off and sent through a high speed scanner to capture the images necessary to produce the requested alternate format(s). The book(s) will not be returned to you and they can be shipped to:
  
  ARC-BC
  Attn: Susan Hannigan
  106-1750 West 75th Avenue
  Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2

• Once the title is posted on the ARC-BC repository, we will notify you by email that files are available to download.

Thinking of retiring or moving on? If you are retiring at the end of June, please inform your ARC-BC District Contact in the coming weeks. Your District Contact's email information can be found on the Contact page.

Library2go: Do you know about Library2go?

BC students can also use their public library cards to borrow ebooks online. Go to Library2go for more information.

Thank you for your continued support of ARC-BC.

Best regards,
The ARC-BC Provincial Team

ARC-BC February 2017 News Update

This month's ARC-BC featured resource is the DIAGRAM center's Image Description portal.

Image description is one of the most efficient ways to convey information to a reader who has difficulty accessing or processing information that is displayed visually. The DIAGRAM center has guidelines for effective image description as well as templates for describing information displayed in common formats (e.g., pie charts, bar graphs). Finally, there are numerous examples of accessible images featured on the site.

Forgot your username or password?

We have some questions from our users about how to recover ARC-BC username and password. If you forget about your username, please contact Ellen Hsieh arc@prcvi.org.

How to recover your password with your ARC-BC username? Go to the log-in button on the ARC-BC home page and then click on the "forgot password" link.

Then you will receive an email containing your password.

It takes about 5 minutes for the email to generate.

Thank you,
The ARC-BC Provincial Team

ARC-BC News November-December News

.DOC to .DOCX

Beginning in January, all ARC-BC eText requests will be uploaded in .DOCX format. It has been several years since .DOCX became the standard for word processing and eText files in Microsoft Word. Existing .DOC files on ARC-BC will be converted to .DOCX in the coming months.

ARC-BC Materials and the New BC Curriculum

The ARC-BC team presented at the #IT4K12 Conference in Richmond this November 17-18. The presentation focused on how ARC-BC materials can be used to support the development of core competencies in BC's new curriculum for students with perceptual disabilities, and how some of the tools and resources used by the ARC team can support the inclusive design of learning materials in schools. Below are some of the resources that were shared in that presentation:

• Born Accessible. This is an initiative by Benetech, the company that operates Bookshare - the largest library of accessible books in the world. The Born Accessible page features several resources on creating accessible books and learning materials, accessible images, and accessible math.
• g(Math). A free Google Docs add-on that creates accessible mathematical formulas, equations, graphs, and statistical displays. Students can input mathematical content and have their work read back to them using a stand-alone text-to-speech program or Read&Write for Chrome. Here is a quick intro video from TextHelp on creating math expressions in g(Math).

We are very pleased to welcome a number of new district contacts joining ARC-BC.

If you are retiring, going on leave or moving from your school district or independent school before the end of the school year, please inform your ARC-BC District Contact and their email information can be found on the Contact page.

If you are new to ARC-BC or have not accessed it recently and would like a refresher, please note there are numerous online training sessions offered! For online training dates you can go to the Training tab and click on the View Calendar link and then send us an email to reserve your spot.

It is never too late to think long term, so if you know about particular titles(s) that your student(s) require for the January-June 2017 session please follow these steps:

• Log into ARC-BC and search the repository for the title in the format you require
• If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have the format your student needs added to the high priority production list
• If the title is available in the repository, but NOT in the format you require, or is not currently available in any formats, then submit a Request a Title or New Format Form
• We will notify you if we do not have a copy and you will then need to donate the book in order to initiate the scanning and production process
• The book(s) can be shipped to:
  ARC-BC
  Attn: Susan Hannigan
  106-1750 West 75th Avenue
  Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2
• We will notify you by email when files are available to download from the repository

Thank you & have a joyful and warm winter!

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

ARC-BC October 2016 News Update

The Marrakesh Treaty and Canada

Working to End the "Book Famine" for Individuals with Print Disabilities.

On September 30, 2016 the Marrakesh Treaty came into force. Marrakesh is a major international treaty sponsored by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) that requires ratifying countries to adopt legislation that permits the reproduction, distribution, and making available of materials in accessible formats through limitations and exceptions to the rights of copyright holders. The Marrakesh Treaty establishes international standards for these exceptions within national copyright laws. The Treaty is very exciting news for individuals with print disabilities from across the globe - the Treaty provides specifically for the exchange of these accessible formats across international borders.

For more information on the Marrakesh Treaty, visit the WIPO website, or check out the Government of Canada's amendments to the Canadian Copyright Act.

What's New in ARC-BC?

New "Other Source" Options

At the bottom of the search results page, you may have noticed that there is a new listing of alternate sources from outside of the ARC-BC community. Highlighted below are three sources that are newly listed. These are popular sources for materials in digital and alternate formats, available to different user groups:

• BC Libraries Cooperative - Library2Go - public library materials available online in digital format to library patrons.
• Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) - national non-profit organization providing access to a variety of materials in alternate format for individuals with print disabilities. In BC, check CELA's list of member libraries for availability of services.
• National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS) - repository of digital alternate format accessed by individuals with print disabilities through many BC public library systems. Check NNELS's list of participating libraries for availability of services.

Frequently Asked Question of the Month

We have received many requests regarding how to check off existing and add new eligible students in their profiles. First, log into ARC-BC, go to "My Account" at the top, then go to "Edit Profile".

If you are supporting the same students as last year you will need to follow steps 1-4 and if you need to add new students then follow steps 5-10:

1. Please read through your previous student list and verify the first and last name and the 9 digit student PEN have been correctly entered
2. If this student will again be utilizing ARC-BC resources please click on the "Edit" icon on the far right next to the PEN number
3. Check their check box under the Current Caseload column (those students that you are no longer supporting can't be deleted - they will remain on the bottom of your list unchecked for archival purposes)
4. Remember to hit the "Save" box on the far right to save each student before moving on to the next student
5. Click on the + Add student box in the top left hand corner
6. The Current Caseload check box will now automatically be checked off for all new students, so fill in the fields: Last Name, First Name and PEN (the 9 digit Ministry number, not the school ID number)
7. Save each new student by clicking on the "Save" box on the far right side or to remove click on the "Cancel"
8. To add another student repeat steps 5 to 7
9. Once all students have been entered, you must click on the "Student Use Agreement" box below the list to confirm that you have reviewed and updated your caseload for this school year
10. To save all students or edits on your profile, you must click the Update button at the top or bottom of the page or your revisions will be lost

Please contact us at arc@prcvi.org should you experience any difficulties or if you have any questions.

Thank you & have a hearty October!

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

September, 2016 - Welcome Back!

The start of the school year is always an exciting time for teachers, students and district personnel. We at ARC-BC are just as excited as our ninth year of providing digital alternate formats for BC students with perceptual disabilities has begun.

Welcome to NEW District Contacts

We would like to thank all the District Contacts for the great work they do, training, promoting and supporting ARC-BC. Every year some move on or retire and we welcome new individuals to the role. The ARC-BC District contact information can be found on the ARC-BC website Contact page.

Student Information Update

Again this school year, you will be asked to update your profile. Failure to provide ARC-BC with an updated profile and student information will result in the loss of user privileges. At any time this caseload information may be requested by the Ministry of Education; therefore, accuracy is of vital importance.

If you are supporting the same students as last year you will need to indicate this by following these steps:

1. Please read through your previous student list and verify the first and last name and the student PEN have been correctly entered
2. If this student will again be utilizing ARC-BC resources please click on the "Edit" box on the far right next to the PEN number
3. Check their box under the Current Caseload column (those students that you are no longer supporting can't be deleted - they will remain on the bottom of your list unchecked for archival purposes)
4. Click on the "Save" box on the far right to save each student before moving on to the next student or "Cancel" if you have no changes

If you have no new students to add, then after you check their box under the "current caseload" column, you MUST click the UPDATE button at the top or bottom of your profile.

Adding New Students

To start entering NEW student(s) information you need to follow these steps:

1. Click on the + Add student box in the top left hand corner
2. The Current Caseload check box will now automatically be checked off for all new students, so fill in the fields: Last Name, First Name and their 9 digit PEN
3. Save each new student by clicking on the "Save" box on the far right side or, to remove: click on the "Cancel" box
4. To add another student repeat steps 1 to 3
5. Once all students have been entered, you must click on the box below the list to confirm that you have reviewed and updated your caseload
6. You must also click on the Agreement on Appropriate Use of ARC-BC Materials box at the bottom

Finally, to save all students or edits on your profile, you MUST click the UPDATE button at the top of the page or your revisions will be lost.

ARC-BC Training

Please note there are numerous online training sessions offered to new and returning ARC-BC users! New users to ARC-BC must participate in training. You can go to the Training tab and click on the View Calendar link.

Feel free contact us at arc@prcvi.org should you experience any difficulties.

May we also take this opportunity to wish you a successful school year and hope that you continue to enjoy the benefits of the ARC-BC digital file repository!

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

June 2016

Thank you to the users who completed the ARC-BC survey. Your feedback is extremely important to us. The survey results provide us with data required by the Ministry of Education and the feedback is also very important to the ARC-BC provincial team, as we strive to continually improve the service we provide to you and your students. Congratulations to 25 winners of the ARC-BC Annual survey prize draw.

A couple reminders to all ARC-BC users:

If you are retiring or leaving your school district at the end of June, please inform your ARC District Contact. Your District Contact's email information can be found on the ARC Contact page.

We continue to add new books to the repository and new file formats. It is always important to plan ahead, so if you know about particular titles(s) that your student(s) require for September 2016 please follow these steps:

• Search the ARC-BC repository for the title in the format you require
• If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have it added to the high priority production list
• If the title is available in the repository, but NOT in the format you require, or is not currently available in any formats, then submit a Request a Title or New Format Form. (Please note that high school science and math texts are only produced in kes level 1 format due to time and production software constraints)
• We will notify you if we do not have a copy and you will then need to donate the book in order to initiate the scanning and production process. The book must be relatively new with crisp, clean pages and no markings, folds or tears. Your donated book will be catalogued, have the spine cut off and sent through a high speed scanner to capture the images necessary to produce the requested alternate format(s). The book(s) will not be returned to you and they can be shipped to:
  
  ARC-BC
  Attn: Susan Hannigan
  106-1750 West 75th Avenue
  Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2
  
  
• Once the title is posted on the ARC-BC repository, we will notify you by email that files are available to download

Thank you for taking the time to support ARC-BC. Wishing you a wonderful summer!

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

April 2016 - What's New on ARC-BC and ARC-BC User Survey

ARC-BC Outreach Presentations in Dawson Creek and Smithers: We are very pleased to have presented on ARC-BC to teachers and administrators in Dawson Creek and Smithers this year. It is always an informative day not only for new ARC-BC users to learn about ARC-BC but also for the ARC-BC team to receive valuable feedback directly from our ARC-BC users. ARC-BC provides weekly online informational training sessions . Please check our training page for more information. Also, if your district team is interested in having an ARC-BC training session on a Professional Development day, please contact our ARC-BC team leader, Ellen Hsieh.

Survey: In order to improve the alternate format collection and our service delivery to students and their educational teams , ARC-BC is collecting feedback and information from all registered users. Data from the year-end survey is essential to demonstrate program effectiveness and to ensure continued funding from the Ministry of Education. We recognize it is a very busy time of year, but ask that you complete the short online survey that will provide us with valuable information. Please log into ARC-BC in order to be directed to the 3-5 minute survey. Full access to our resources will once again be available upon your completion of the survey.

The survey will be open from April 25 to May 27, 2016.

By completing the survey and by providing his or her contact information, the user is entered into a draw for an ARC-BC gift box, for up to 25 ARC-BC eligible users. If you would like a chance to win, be sure to include your name & contact information in the comments section at the end of the survey.

Thinking of retiring or moving on? If you are retiring at the end of June, please inform your ARC-BC District Contact in the coming weeks. Your District Contact's email information can be found on the Contact page.

Library2go: Do you know about Library2go?

BC students can also use their public library cards to borrow ebooks online. Go to Library2go for more information.

Thank you for your continued support of ARC-BC.

Best regards,
The ARC-BC Provincial Team

December 2015 - Hello from the ARC-BC Team!

We are very pleased to welcome a number of new district contacts joining the ARC-BC. Their contact information can be found on the ARC Contact page. If you are retiring, going on leave or moving from your school district or independent school before the end of the school year, please inform your ARC District Contact.

New Instruction Document Added in Module 8

The ARC-BC team has developed a new document teaching users how to convert a word document into different formats, such as .rtf, .txt, and .doc/docx. The instruction document can be found in the module 8 section on the ARC-BC Training page.

New ARC-BC Project: Adding .Kes files in the Entire Book section

ARC-BC has started adding more Kurzweil files in the Entire Book section. For some titles ARC-BC users can now find the entire book .Kes file at the bottom of the search results. This will save users from downloading each individual chapter. Note that it is a new and ongoing project, so more titles will be added in the future.

Reading Power - Orca Books

More than 100 titles of Orca books are now on ARC-BC. These books are written by Canadian authors, and these high interest and low reading level books are good for struggling readers.

**Chrome Book Users & Google Read and Write**

ARC-BC team has conducted an intensive testing over the summer on a fairly new software, Google Read and Write. Overall, it is a great and useful tool for students with perceptual disabilities; however, ARC-BC users must understand that NOT ALL ARC-BC files can be opened on this program, and some of the editing of the file, including correct pronunciation and reading order may not work properly. When sharing the ARC-BC files via Google Doc, ARC-BC users are only allowed to share with their current registered ARC-BC students. At the end of the school year, they must log in to their Google Doc account and delete the ARC-BC files that are no longer used by their current registered ARC-BC students. ARC-BC team will assist all ARC-BC users if you have any questions.

Requesting a New Title on ARC-BC

It is never too late to think long term, so if you know about particular titles(s) that your student(s) require for the January-June 2016 session please follow these steps:

• Log into ARC-BC and search the repository for the title in the format you require
• If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have the format your student needs added to the high priority production list
• If the title is available in the repository, but NOT in the format you require, or is not currently available in any formats, then submit a Request a Title or New Format Form
• We will notify you if we do not have a copy and you will then need to donate the book in order to initiate the scanning and production process
• The book(s) can be shipped to:
  
  ARC-BC
  Attn: Susan Hannigan
  106-1750 West 75th Avenue
  Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2
• We will notify you by email when files are available to download from the repository

If you have any questions or comments on ways we can possibly improve the website, feel free to send us a feedback note.

Thank you for taking the time to use and support ARC-BC and we wish you a pleasant winter holiday break!

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

September, 2015 - Welcome Back!

The start of the school year is always an exciting time for teachers, students and district personnel. We at ARC-BC are just as excited as our eighth year of providing digital alternate formats for BC students with perceptual disabilities has begun.

Welcome to NEW District Contacts

We would like to thank all the District Contacts for the great work they do, training, promoting and supporting ARC-BC. Every year some move on or retire and we welcome new individuals to the role.

• SD 10 Keith Greenhalf
• SD 63 Doug Agar
• SD 71 Jane Rondow
• SD 74 Nicky Minnabarriet
• SD 81 Lynne MacNeil
• SD 82 Karen Scales

Their contact information can be found on the ARC-BC website Contact page.

Student Information Update

Again this school year, you will be asked to update your profile. Failure to provide ARC-BC with an updated profile and student information will result in the loss of user privileges. At any time this caseload information may be requested by the Ministry of Education; therefore, accuracy is of vital importance.

If you are supporting the same students as last year you will need to indicate this by following these steps:

1. Please read through your previous student list and verify the first and last name and the student PEN have been correctly entered
2. If this student will again be utilizing ARC-BC resources please click on the "Edit" box on the far right next to the PEN number
3. Check their box under the Current Caseload column (those students that you are no longer supporting can't be deleted - they will remain on the bottom of your list unchecked for archival purposes)
4. Click on the "Save" box on the far right to save each student before moving on to the next student or "Cancel" if you have no changes

If you have no new students to add, then after you check their box under the "current caseload" column, you MUST click the UPDATE button at the top or bottom of your profile.

Adding New Students

To start entering NEW student(s) information you need to follow these steps:

1. Click on the + Add student box in the top left hand corner
2. The Current Caseload check box will now automatically be checked off for all new students, so fill in the fields: Last Name, First Name and their 9 digit PEN
3. Save each new student by clicking on the "Save" box on the far right side or, to remove: click on the "Cancel" box
4. To add another student repeat steps 1 to 3
5. Once all students have been entered, you must click on the box below the list to confirm that you have reviewed and updated your caseload
6. You must also click on the Agreement on Appropriate Use of ARC-BC Materials box at the bottom

Finally, to save all students or edits on your profile, you MUST click the UPDATE button at the top of the page or your revisions will be lost.

ARC-BC Training

Please note there are numerous online training sessions offered to new and returning ARC-BC users! New users to ARC-BC must participate in training. You can go to the Training tab and click on the View Calendar link.

Feel free contact us at arc@prcvi.org should you experience any difficulties.

May we also take this opportunity to wish you a successful school year and hope that you continue to enjoy the benefits of the ARC-BC digital file repository!

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

June 2015 News

Thank you to the users who completed the ARC-BC survey. Your feedback is extremely important to us. The survey results provide us with data required by the Ministry of Education and the feedback is also very useful for the ARC-BC provincial team, as we strive to continually improve the service we provide to you and your students.

Congratulations to the winners of the ARC-BC Annual survey prize draw:

• Leanne Miller - SD74
• Angela Cumming - SD83
• Jessica Creasy - SD63
• Steve Balaniuk - SD36
• Linda Murdoch - SD38
• Val Bancroft - SD39
• Karla Boucher - Independent School

A couple of reminders to all ARC-BC users:

If you are retiring or leaving your school district at the end of June, please inform your ARC-BC District Contact. Your District Contact's email information can be found on the ARC-BC Contact page.

We continue to add new books to the repository and new file formats. It is always important to plan ahead, so if you know about particular titles(s) that your student(s) require for September 2014 please follow these steps:

• Log into ARC-BC and search the repository for the title in the format you require
• If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have the format your student needs added to the high priority production list
• If the title is available in the repository, but NOT in the format you require, or is not currently available in any formats, then submit a Request a Title or New Format Form
• We will notify you if we do not have a copy and you will then need to donate the book in order to initiate the scanning and production process
• The book(s) can be shipped to:
  ARC-BC
  Attn: Susan Hannigan
  106-1750 West 75th Avenue
  Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2
• We will notify you by email when files are available to download from the repository

Thank you for taking the time to support ARC-BC. Wishing you a wonderful summer!

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

April 2015 - What's New on ARC-BC and ARC-BC User Survey

Reading Power Project: We are very pleased to have worked with SET-BC on this Project. Reading Power provides students with the tools to become more thoughtful and meaningful readers as well as how to become "meta-cognitive" or aware of their thinking while they read. Developing a "common language of thinking" across grades is a key aspect to this approach, while teachers learn the importance of using this language in all aspects of their teaching. There are 96 new reading power titles now on ARC-BC. Users can type "Reading Power" under quick search to find the new titles.

Clicker: We are thrilled to add a new file format, Clicker Books (.clkb) with some new files on ARC-BC. Students can use the files and create their own stories on an iPad (the user would have to purchase the App from iTunes).

Training: We also updated our document on Using ARC Pictello Files in our training module (see ARC-BC Alternate Devices and ARC-BC Files).

Survey: In order to improve the alternate format collection and our service to users ARC-BC is collecting feedback and information from all registered users. We recognize it is a very busy time of year, but ask that you complete the short on-line survey that will provide us with valuable information. Please log into ARC-BC in order to be directed to the 3 minute survey. Full access to our resources will once again be available upon your completion of the survey.

The survey will officially start from April 24 to May 22, 2015.

Upon completion of the survey, we will be giving away three iPod shuffles and USB memory sticks. If you would like a chance to win, be sure to include your name & contact information in the comments section at the end of the survey for your chance to win.

Thinking of retiring or moving on: If you are retiring at the end of June, please inform your ARC-BC District Contact in the coming weeks. Your District Contact's email information can be found on the Contact page.

Library2go: Do you know about Library2go?

BC students can also use their public library cards to borrow ebooks online. Go to Library2go for more information.

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

December 2014 - Hello from the ARC-BC Team!

We are very pleased to welcome a number of new district contacts joining the ARC-BC.

If you are retiring, going on leave or moving from your school district or independent school before the end of the school year, please inform your ARC District Contact. Your District Contact's email information can be found on the ARC Contact page.

If you are new to ARC-BC or have not accessed it recently and would like a refresher, please note there are numerous online training sessions offered! For online training dates you can go to the Training tab and click on the View Calendar link and then send us an email to reserve your spot.

It is never too late to think long term, so if you know about particular titles(s) that your student(s) require for the January-June 2015 session please follow these steps:

• Log into ARC-BC and search the repository for the title in the format you require
• If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have the format your student needs added to the high priority production list
• If the title is available in the repository, but NOT in the format you require, or is not currently available in any formats, then submit a Request a Title or New Format Form
• We will notify you if we do not have a copy and you will then need to donate the book in order to initiate the scanning and production process
• The book(s) can be shipped to:
  ARC-BC
  Attn: Susan Hannigan
  106-1750 West 75th Avenue
  Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2
• We will notify you by email when files are available to download from the repository

If you have any questions or comments on ways we can possibly improve the website, feel free to send us a feedback note.

Thank you for taking the time to use and support ARC-BC and we wish you a pleasant winter holiday break!

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

September, 2014 - Welcome Back!

The start of the school year is always an exciting time for teachers, students and district personnel. We at ARC-BC are just as excited as our seventh year of providing digital alternate formats for BC students with perceptual disabilities has begun.

Due to the strike in June, many of you might not have been able to send in your book requests for this new school year. Now, it is the time to do them starting this week. Therefore, we anticipate that there will be a lot of requests coming in the next few weeks. Please follow these steps in order to allow us to assist you and your student(s) in a timely manner:

• Log into ARC-BC and search the repository for the title in the format you require
• If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have the format your student needs added to the high priority production list
• If the title is available in the repository, but NOT in the format you require, or is not currently available in any formats, then submit a Request a Title or New Format Form
• We will notify you if we do not have a copy and you will then need to donate the book in order to initiate the scanning and production process
• The book(s) can be shipped to:
  ARC-BC
  Attn: Susan Hannigan
  106-1750 West 75th Avenue
  Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2
• We will notify you by email when files are available to download from the repository

Please note there are numerous online training sessions offered to new and returning ARC-BC users! New users to ARC-BC must participate in training. Please go to the Training tab and click on the View Calendar link.

Again this school year, you will be asked to update your profile in September and also February. Failure to provide ARC-BC with an updated profile and student information will result in the loss of user privileges. At any time this caseload information may be requested by the Ministry of Education; therefore, accuracy is of vital importance.

If you are supporting the same students as last year you will need to indicate this by following these steps:

1. Please read through your previous student list and verify the first and last name and the student PEN have been correctly entered
2. If this student will again be utilizing ARC-BC resources please click on the "Edit" box on the far right next to the PEN number
3. Check their box under the Current Caseload column (those students that you are no longer supporting can't be deleted - they will remain on the bottom of your list unchecked for archival purposes)
4. Click on the "Save" box on the far right to save each student before moving on to the next student or "Cancel" if you have no changes

If you have no new students to add, then click the UPDATE button at the top or bottom of your profile or these changes will be lost.

To start entering NEW student(s) information you need to follow these steps:

1. Click on the + Add student box in the top left hand corner
2. The Current Caseload check box will now automatically be checked off for all new students, so fill in the fields: Last Name, First Name and their 9 digit PEN
3. Save each new student by clicking on the "Save" box on the far right side or, to remove: click on the "Cancel" box
4. To add another student repeat steps 5 to 7
5. Once all students have been entered, you must click on the box below the list to confirm that you have reviewed and updated your caseload
6. You must also click on the Agreement on Appropriate Use of ARC-BC Materials box at the bottom

Finally, to save all students or edits on your profile, you must click the Update button at the top of the page or your revisions will be lost.

Please contact us at arc@prcvi.org should you experience any difficulties.

May we also take this opportunity to wish you a successful school year and hope that you continue to enjoy the benefits of the ARC-BC digital file repository!

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

June 2014 News

Thank you to the users who completed the ARC-BC survey. Your feedback is extremely important to us. The survey results provide us with data required by the Ministry of Education and the feedback is also very useful for the ARC-BC provincial team, as we strive to continually improve the service we provide to you and your students.

Congratulations to the winners of the ARC-BC Annual survey prize draw:

• Winnie Lee - SD44
• Laura Bednarz - SD36
• Chris Sihota - SD35
• Cynthia Ngo - SD68
• Lori Davies - SD39
• Reina Anema - Independent School

A couple of reminders to all ARC-BC users:

If you are retiring or leaving your school district at the end of June, please inform your ARC-BC District Contact. Your District Contact's email information can be found on the ARC-BC Contact page.

We continue to add new books to the repository and new file formats. It is always important to plan ahead, so if you know about particular titles(s) that your student(s) require for September 2014 please follow these steps:

• Log into ARC-BC and search the repository for the title in the format you require
• If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have the format your student needs added to the high priority production list
• If the title is available in the repository, but NOT in the format you require, or is not currently available in any formats, then submit a Request a Title or New Format Form
• We will notify you if we do not have a copy and you will then need to donate the book in order to initiate the scanning and production process
• The book(s) can be shipped to:
  ARC-BC
  Attn: Susan Hannigan
  106-1750 West 75th Avenue
  Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2
• We will notify you by email when files are available to download from the repository

Thank you for taking the time to support ARC-BC. Wishing you a wonderful summer!

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

April 2014 - ARC-BC User Survey

In order to improve the alternate format collection and our service to users ARC-BC is collecting feedback and information from all registered users. We recognize it is a very busy time of year, but ask that you complete the short on-line survey that will provide us with valuable information. Please log into ARC-BC in order to be directed to the 3 minute survey. Full access to our resources will once again be available upon your completion of the survey.

The survey will officially start from April 28 to May 31, 2014.

Upon completion of the survey, we will be giving away three iPod shuffles and USB memory sticks. If you would like a chance to win, be sure to include your name & contact information in the comments section at the end of the survey for your chance to win.

If you are retiring at the end of June, please inform your ARC-BC District Contact in the coming weeks. Your District Contact's email information can be found on the Contact page.

December 2013 - Hello from the ARC-BC Team!

We are very pleased to announce that ARC-BC has a new Team Leader, Ellen Hsieh. Ellen will be conducting the ARC-BC online trainings and support for Users and District Contacts.

At ARC-BC we appreciate feedback from Users - we are working hard to make more file formats available as students use a variety of devices to access ARC-BC files. We are adding more PDF files to ARC-BC. Check out some of the new tutorials on the Training page, module 8, on opening and viewing ARC-BC files on an iPad.

If you are retiring, going on leave or moving from your school district or independent school before the end of the school year, please inform your ARC District Contact. Your District Contact's email information can be found on the ARC Contact page.

If you are new to ARC-BC or have not accessed it recently and would like a refresher, please note there are numerous online training sessions offered! For online training dates you can go to the Training tab and click on the View Calendar link and then send us an email to reserve your spot.

It is never too late to think long term, so if you know about particular titles(s) that your student(s) require for the January-June 2014 session please follow these steps:

• Search the ARC-BC repository for the title in the format you require
• If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have it added to the high priority production list
• If the title is available in the repository, but NOT in the format you require, or is not currently available in any formats, then submit a Request a Title or New Format Form. (Please note that high school science and math texts are only produced in pdf or kes level 1 format due to time and production software constraints)
• We will notify you if we do not have a copy and you will then need to donate the book in order to initiate the production process. The book must be relatively new with crisp, clean pages and no markings, folds or tears. Your donated book will be catalogued, have the spine cut off and sent through a high speed scanner to capture the images necessary to produce the requested alternate format(s). The book(s) will not be returned to you and they can be shipped to:
  
  ARC-BC
  Attn: Susan Hannigan
  106-1750 West 75th Avenue
  Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2
  
  
• Once the title is posted on the ARC-BC repository, we will notify you by email that files are available to download.

If you have any questions or comments on ways we can possibly improve the website, feel free to send us a feedback note.

Thank you for taking the time to use and support ARC-BC and we wish you a pleasant winter holiday break!

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

August 2013 - Welcome Back

The start of the school year is always an exciting time for teachers, students and district personnel. We at ARC-BC are just as excited as our sixth year of providing alternate formats for BC students with perceptual disabilities has begun.

Some of you may be aware we have had some staffing changes at ARC-BC since June - Lynn Kent has now moved on from ARC-BC and we wish her all the best. Lynn has done a great job as the ARC-BC team leader. If you are interested in working in this role and you are a BC teacher of the visually impaired, please get in touch with the Manager of ARC-BC.

The ARC-BC production team has been hard at work this summer, working on a number of projects. We are pleased to be able to offer an increasing number (15 and growing fast) of adapted PDF files which open well using the Solo suite and also on iPads. We received 40 requests for new titles which are now available on ARC-BC. We are also making the PRCVI collection of tactile images available for download on ARC-BC; so far we have over 50 up on the repository. In order to open these files you will need Corel Draw version X5 or higher. They are intended to be used by school district transcribers as a supplement to digital files and can be saved, modified and raised into a two dimensional tactile using a PIAF, Swell form or Tactile Image Enhancer machine.

Please note there are numerous online training sessions offered to new and returning ARC-BC users! New users to ARC-BC must participate in training. Please go to the Training tab and click on the View Calendar link.

As usual you will be asked to update your profile in September and also February. Failure to provide ARC-BC with an updated profile and student information will result in the loss of user privileges. At any time this caseload information may be requested by the Ministry, therefore accuracy is of vital importance.

Please note that security is of the utmost concern to the ARC-BC provincial team. As you know, we are very committed to protecting the student, teacher and staff information at all times and all the data is stored on a secure server.

When you next log into ARC, you will be re-directed to your user profile page. You will be asked to verify current work location & work phone number, email address, district role and the students you are supporting. Please remember to include the students' 9 digit Personal Education Number (PEN). If you are supporting the same students as last year you will need to indicate this by following these steps:

1. Please read through your previous student list and verify the first and last name and the student PEN have been correctly entered
2. If this student will again be utilizing ARC-BC resources please click on the "Edit" box on the far right next to the PEN number
3. Check their box under the Current Caseload column (those students that you are no longer supporting can't be deleted - they will remain on the bottom of your list unchecked for archival purposes)
4. Click on the "Save" box on the far right to save each student before moving on to the next student or "Cancel" if you have no changes

To start entering NEW student(s) information you need to follow these steps:

1. Click on the + Add student box in the top left hand corner
2. The Current Caseload check box will now automatically be checked off for all new students, so fill in the fields: Last Name, First Name and their 9 digit PEN
3. Save each new student by clicking on the "Save" box on the far right side or, to remove: click on the "Cancel" box
4. To add another student repeat steps 5 to 7
5. Once all students have been entered, you must click on the box below the list to confirm that you have reviewed and updated your caseload
6. You must also click on the Agreement on Appropriate Use of ARC-BC Materials box at the bottom

Finally, to save all students or edits on your profile, you must click the Update button at the top of the page or your revisions will be lost.

Please contact us at arc@prcvi.org should you experience any difficulties.

We have a Request Title form so if you can't find a title or format needed on ARC-BC, please complete this form and one of our staff will let you know if you will need to donate a book.

May we also take this opportunity to wish you a successful school year and hope that you continue to enjoy the benefits of the ARC-BC digital file repository!

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

June 2013 - Hello from the ARC-BC Team!

A big thank you to the users who completed the ARC-BC survey. Your feedback is extremely important to us. The survey results provide us with data required by the Ministry of Education and the feedback is also very important to the ARC-BC provincial team, as we strive to continually improve the service we provide to you and your students. Congratulations to the winners of the ARC-BC Annual survey prize draw:

Karen West SD71
Monica Hoffort SD83
Bonnie Short SD62
Natalie Speccogna SD36
Donna Schiller SD74
Don Smith SD40

We are also very pleased to say that Version 3.0 software updates have now been completed. We appreciate your patience and support throughout this process and as always, we welcome your feedback on ways we can possibly improve the website.

If you are retiring or leaving your school district at the end of June, please inform your ARC District Contact. Your District Contact's email information can be found on the ARC Contact page.

We continue to add new books to the repository and new file formats such as Clicker 6 files and soon Board Maker files. It is never too late to think long term, so if you know about particular titles(s) that your student(s) require for September please follow these steps:

• Search the ARC-BC repository for the title in the format you require
• If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have it added to the high priority production list
• If the title is available in the repository, but NOT in the format you require, or is not currently available in any formats, then submit a Request a Title or New Format Form. (Please note that high school science and math texts are only produced in kes level 1 format due to time and production software constraints)
• We will notify you if we do not have a copy and you will then need to donate the book in order to initiate the production process. The book must be relatively new with crisp, clean pages and no markings, folds or tears. Your donated book will be catalogued, have the spine cut off and sent through a high speed scanner to capture the images necessary to produce the requested alternate format(s). The book(s) will not be returned to you and they can be shipped to:
  
  ARC-BC
  Attn: Susan Hannigan
  106-1750 West 75th Avenue
  Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2
  
  
• Once the title is posted on the ARC-BC repository, we will notify you by email that files are available to download

Thank you for taking the time to support ARC-BC. Wishing you a pleasant summer!

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

April 2013 - ARC-BC User Survey

1. In order to improve the alternate format collection and to fulfill our copyright maintenance responsibilities, ARC-BC is collecting access information from all registered users at this time. We recognize it is a very busy time of year, but ask that you complete the short on line survey that will provide us with valuable information. Please log into ARC-BC in order to be directed to the 3 minute survey. Full access to our resources will once again be available upon your completion of the survey.
2. The survey will run from April 25 to May 31, 2013.
3. Upon completion of the survey, we will be giving away three Ipod Shuffles and 8GB USB Drives! If you would like a chance to win, be sure to include your name & contact information in the comments section at the end of the survey for your chance to win.
4. If you are retiring at the end of June, please inform your ARC-BC District Contact in the coming weeks. Your District Contact's email information can be found on the Contact page.

Have a wonderful spring!

March 2013

It has been a year of change and growth at ARC-BC and we can see the finish line with our Version 3.0 software upgrades. We believe these upgrades have made ARC-BC more streamlined and user friendly. To let us know if you agree, we will be asking all users to help us fill out our annual survey soon. The feedback you provide us with is extremely valuable as we are committed to providing a secure, easily searchable repository of curricular materials.

We continue to add new books to the repository and new file formats such as Clicker 6 files and soon Boardmaker files. It is never too late to think long term. If you know about a particular book that you require in the coming weeks or even for September please follow these steps:

• Search the ARC-BC repository for the title in the format you require
• If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have it added to the high priority production list
• If the title is available in the repository, but NOT in the format you require, or is not currently available then submit a Request a Title or New Format Form. (Please note that high school science and math texts are only produced in kes level 1 format due to time and production software constraints)
• We will notify you if we do not have a copy of the book. You will then need to donate the book in order to initiate the production process. The book must be relatively new with crisp, clean pages and no markings, folds or tears. Your donated book will be catalogued, have the spine cut off and sent through a high speed scanner to capture the images necessary to produce the alternate format(s). The book(s) will not be returned to you and they can be sent to:
  
  ARC-BC
  Attn: Susan Hannigan
  106-1750 West 75th Avenue
  Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2
  
  
• Once the title is posted on the ARC-BC repository, we will notify you by email that files are available to download

August 30, 2012 - Welcome Back!

The start of the school year is always an exciting time for teachers, students and district personnel. We at ARC-BC are just as excited as our fifth year of providing alternate formats for BC students with perceptual disabilities has begun.

The ARC-BC production staff has been hard at work this summer. After receiving over 100 new title requests, 75 have been completed for a total of 1000 individual files uploaded to the repository so far!

Please note there are numerous online training sessions offered to new and returning ARC-BC users! New users to ARC-BC must participate in training. Please go to the Training tab and click on the View Calendar link.

The roll-out of ARC-BC Version 3.0 is in the final stages of completion. We appreciate everyone's patience during this project. Last year ARC-BC began requiring student information to provide the Ministry of Education with a current list of the student(s) you support with ARC-BC resources. This information is very valuable to the ARC-BC team. Again this school year, you will be asked to update your profile in September and also February. Failure to provide ARC-BC with an updated profile and student information will result in the loss of user privileges. At any time this caseload information may be requested by the Ministry, therefore accuracy is of vital importance.

Please note that security is of the utmost concern to the ARC-BC provincial team. As you know, we are very committed to protecting the student, teacher and staff information at all times and all the data is stored on a secure server.

When you next log into ARC, you will be re-directed to your user profile page. You will be asked to verify current work location, email address, district role and the students you are supporting. The next significant change will be how students are registered. Instead of entering just the names of the students, we are asking you to register students by their last, then first name and their Personal Education Number (PEN).

If you are supporting the same students as last year you will need to indicate this by following these steps:

1. Please read through your previous student list and verify the first and last name and the student PEN have been correctly entered.
2. If this student will again be utilizing ARC-BC resources please click on the pencil icon on the far right next to the PEN number.
3. Check their box under the Current Caseload column (those students that you are no longer supporting can't be deleted - they will remain on the bottom of your list unchecked for archival purposes).
4. Hit the check mark on the far right to save each student before moving on to the next student.

To start entering NEW student(s) information you need to follow these steps:

5. Click on the + Add student box in the top left hand corner
6. The Current Caseload check box will now automatically be checked off for all new students, so fill in the fields: Last Name, First Name and PEN.
7. Save each new student by clicking on the "Insert" check mark box on the far right side or to remove click on the "Cancel" or X box.
8. To add another student repeat steps 5 to 7.
9. Once all students have been entered, you must click on the box below the list to confirm that you have reviewed and updated your caseload.
10. Finally, to save all students or edits on your profile, you must click the Update button at the top of the page or your revisions will be lost.

Please contact us at <%= SubSonic.Sugar.Web.CreateSpamFreeEmailLink("arc@prcvi.org") %> should you experience any difficulties with this new addition.

We have a new Request Title form so if you can't find a title on ARC-BC, please complete this form and one of our staff will let you know if you will need to donate a book.

May we also take this opportunity to wish you a successful school year and hope that you continue to enjoy the benefits of the ARC-BC digital file repository!

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

June 25, 2012 - Hello Everyone!

A big thank you to the users who completed the ARC-BC survey, your feedback is extremely important to us. The survey results provide us with data required by the Ministry of Education. The information is also very important to the ARC-BC provincial team in order to help us to continually improve the service we provide to you and your students.

We are also very pleased to say that Version 3.0 updates are nearly complete. We appreciate your patience and support throughout the year. As always, we welcome your feedback.

If you haven't done so already, please submit any new book requests for the 2012/13 school year as soon as possible. Please follow the steps below:

• Search the ARC-BC repository for the title in the format you require
• If the title is available but NOT in the format you require send an email request to arc@prcvi.org with the book title, ISBN, and format. (Please note that high school science and math texts are only produced in kes level 1 format due to time and production software constraints)
• If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have it added to the high priority production list.
• If the title is not currently available in the repository send an email request to arc@prcvi.org with the book title, ISBN, and format. If ARC-BC has an available print copy we will initiate the production process.
• We will notify you if we do not have a copy of the book. You will need to donate the book in order to initiate the production process. The book must be relatively new with crisp, clean pages and no markings, folds or tears. Your donated book will be catalogued, have the spine cut off and sent through a high speed scanner to capture the images necessary to produce the alternate format(s). The book will not be returned to you.
  • Send the book(s) to:
    ARC-BC
    Attn: Susan Hannigan
    106-1750 West 75th Avenue
    Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2
• Once the book is posted on the ARC-BC repository and ready for download, we will notify you by email that files are available to download.

Finally, if you are retiring or leaving your school district at the end of June, please inform your ARC District Contact. Your District Contact's email information can be found on the ARC Contact page http://www.arc-bc.org/help/contact.aspx

Thank you for taking the time to support ARC-BC.

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

April 27, 2012 - Hello from the ARC-BC Team!

It is hard to believe it is May already! We have three news items to share with you.

1. In order to improve the alternate format collection and to fulfill our copyright maintenance responsibilities, ARC-BC is collecting access information from all registered users at this time. We recognize it is a very busy time of year, but ask that you complete the short on line survey that will provide us with valuable information. Please log into ARC-BC in order to be directed to the 3 minute survey. Full access to our resources will once again be available upon your completion of the survey. The survey will run from May 3rd until June 1st 2012. We really appreciate your feedback.
2. New Requests for the 2012/13 School Year: We encourage you to verify the titles your students will require from ARC-BC as soon as possible. Follow the steps below:
   • Search the ARC-BC repository for the title in the format you require
   • If the title is available but NOT in the format you require send an email request to arc@prcvi.org with the book title, ISBN, and format. (Please note that high school science and math texts are only produced in kes level 1 format due to time and production software constraints)
   • If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact arc@prcvi.org to have it added to the high priority production list.
   • If the title is not currently available in the repository send an email request to arc@prcvi.org with the book title, ISBN, and format. If ARC-BC has an available print copy we will initiate the production process.
   • We will notify you if we do not have a copy of the book. You will need to donate the book in order to initiate the production process. The book must be relatively new with crisp, clean pages and no markings, folds or tears. Your donated book will be catalogued, have the spine cut off and sent through a high speed scanner to capture the images necessary to produce the alternate format(s). The book will not be returned to you.
     • Send the book(s) to: ARC-BC
       Attn: Susan Hannigan
       106-1750 West 75th Avenue
       Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2
   • Once the book is posted on the ARC-BC repository and ready for download, we will notify you by email that files are available to download.
3. Finally, if you are retiring at the end of June, please inform your ARC District Contact in the coming weeks. Your District Contact's email information can be found on the ARC Contact page http://www.arc-bc.org/help/contact.aspx

Have a wonderful spring!

March 20, 2012 - What's new at ARC-BC

Users love the new updated version of the ARC-BC website; we really appreciate the positive feedback we have received. We hope that you have had the chance to explore the new look and features, if not spend some time looking through our new tabs and discovering where things are - the calendar for all your online training sessions is now prominently displayed under the training tab where you will also find all the support materials and training modules. We are continuously enhancing our collection and adding new titles, and remember if you cannot find what you are looking for send in a suggestion through the feedback feature found at the bottom of each page.

We are thrilled to offer Pictello by AssistiveWare on ARC-BC! The files look great and kids love them, they can be read on an iPad (the user would have to purchase the App to view them). Currently, ARC-BC offers 62 Pictello files to download! If you require assistance in using Pictello files, please visit the tutorial under Alternate Devices and ARC-BC Files on the training tab.

Another exciting initiative that ARC-BC would like to share is that we have coupled with SET-BC on the Bella Colla Project. This project will focus on the conversion of 260 books featuring First Nations heritage and culture. As the books are uploaded into the repository they will be accessible to all school districts around the province. ARC-BC production staff will spend time producing the files in Kurzweil 3000 that offer text to speech to support student reading. ARC-BC is very pleased to be part of this project.

Remember we always welcome your comments - click on feedback at the bottom of each page

The ARC-BC Provincial Team

March 15, 2012 - Spring Break 2012

Hello,

We trust spring is going well for ARC-BC users! We have been busy scanning in new books and continue to enhance our site through our Version 3 upgrade. We appreciate your support and patience. 

As mentioned in the previous news, we are thrilled to offer Pictello by AssistiveWare on ARC-BC! The files can be read on an iPad (the user would have to purchase the App to view them).  Currently, ARC-BC offers 62 Pictello files to download!  If you require assistance in using Pictello files, please visit the tutorial under Alternate Devices and ARC-BC Files on the training tab.  

Another exciting initiative that ARC-BC would like to share is that we have coupled with SET-BC on the Bella Coola Project. This project will focus on the conversion of 260 books featuring First Nations heritage and culture. As the books are uploaded into the repository they will be accessible to all school districts around the province. ARC-BC production staff will spend time producing the files in Kurzweil 3000 that offer text to speech to support student reading.  ARC-BC is very pleased to be part of this project.

The ARC-BC Provincial Team.

January 15, 2012 - Exciting Changes at ARC-BC!

We are pleased to announce that the updates to ARC-BC are almost complete, we are still ironing out a few bugs, but we are very happy with what has been achieved in Version 3.  The ARC-BC team would like to send a big thank you to all our users for their patience during this roll out, we understand that having to get used to a slightly different look can take a while. For instance, our frequently asked questions and our new training modules are now located within the ARC-BC website. We have also moved the ARC district contacts info to a new contact page. Should you need additional support or have questions, please look to the new information and training tabs.

We are also very pleased with the overwhelming support from users providing students PEN numbers.  This information is vital for us to report back to the Ministry of Education on the number of students with perceptual disabilities who are benefiting from ARC-BC resources.

In order to serve you better we have been working with SET-BC to provide accessible books using the Pictello file format from AssistiveWare on ARC-BC, they look great and can be viewed on an iPad (the user would have to purchase the App to view them).  Look out for Pictello files in the not too distant future. If you are interested learning more, check out the tutorial under Alternate Devices and ARC-BC Files on the training tab.  

Have you sent in your book requests? If not, we encourage you to verify the titles your students will require from ARC-BC for the second semester as soon as possible. Follow the steps below:

1. Search the ARC-BC repository for the title in the format you require
2. If the title is available but NOT in the format you require (kes, rtf, mp3) send an email request to arc@set-bc.org with the book title, ISBN, and format. (Please note that high school science and math texts are only produced in kes level 1 format due to time and production software constraints)
3. If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact arc@set-bc.org to have it added to the high priority production list.
4. If the title is not currently available in the repository send an email request to arc@set-bc.org with the book title, ISBN, and format. If ARC-BC has an available print copy we will initiate the production process.
5. We will notify you if we do not have a copy of the book. You will need to donate the book in order to initiate the production process. The book must be relatively new with crisp, clean pages and no markings, folds or tears. Your donated book will be catalogued, have the spine cut off and sent through a high speed scanner to capture the images necessary to produce the alternate format(s). The book will not be returned to you.
   Send the book(s) to:
   Attn: Susan Hannigan
   ARC-BC
   106-1750 West 75th Avenue
   Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2
6. Once the book is posted on the ARC-BC repository and ready for download, we will notify you by email that files are available to download

Finally, we are thrilled to have over 4000 registered users as part of the ARC-BC community with new members joining every week. As more educators join, more students with perceptual disabilities are being supported with alternate formats across the province and we couldn’t be more delighted!

The ARC-BC Provincial Team.

September 2, 2011 - ARC-BC Start of 2011-2012 School Year Notice

Welcome back!

Please note the 2010-2011 ARC-BC annual report is available under the News and Events tab.

Thank you so much to those who completed the 2010-2011 year-end ARC-BC survey. Six names have been drawn and prizes will be sent out shortly! We have had a wonderful year and are pleased to announce a commitment of funding from the BC Ministry of Education for the 2011-2012 school year!

In keeping with our continued commitment to our 3,700 registered users we would like to inform you of some changes we are implementing on the ARC-BC website. ARC-BC works hard to meet the ever changing needs of the School Districts, the Ministry of Education and most importantly the students. That being said, we have been busy upgrading ARC-BC over the summer. We are very pleased with ARC-BC version 3.0 and we hope that the users will be as well.

It is important to note that the "Student Use" field has changed. You are now required by the Ministry of Education to provide a current list of the student(s) you support with ARC-BC resources. You will be asked to update your profile in September and February of each school year. Failure to provide ARC-BC with an updated profile and student information will result in the loss of user privileges.

The additional information is required by the Ministry and has necessitated this change. The Ministry fully endorses these changes that will enable the ARC-BC provincial team to collect accurate data on the number of students with perceptual disabilities supported by ARC-BC resources. At any time this caseload information may be requested by the Ministry, therefore accuracy is of vital importance.

Please note that security is of the utmost concern to the ARC-BC provincial team. As you know, we are very committed to protecting student, teacher and staff information at all times and all the data is stored on a secure server.

When you first log on, you will be re-directed to your user profile page. You will be asked to verify current work location, district role and the students you are supporting. The next significant change will be how students are registered. Instead of entering just the names of the students, we are asking you to register students by their last, then first name and their Personal Education Number (PEN).

To start entering student information you need to follow these 6 steps:

1. Click on the + Add student box in the top left hand corner
2. Click the Current Caseload check box, and fill in the fields: Last Name, First Name and PEN
3. Save each new student by clicking on the "Insert" check mark box on the far left side or to remove click on the "Cancel" or X box
4. To add another student repeat steps 1 to 3
5. Once all students have been entered, you must click on the box below the list to confirm that you have reviewed and updated your caseload
6. Finally, to save all students or edits on your profile, you must click the Update button at the top of the page or your revisions will be lost

Please contact us at arc@prcvi.org should you experience any difficulties with this new addition. May we also take this opportunity to wish you a successful school year and hope that you continue to enjoy the benefits of the ARC-BC digital file repository.

The ARC-BC Provincial Team.

July 22, 2011 - ARC-BC Annual Report 2010-2011

June 24, 2011 - ARC-BC News bulletin

1. We are delighted to announce that Chris Marshall is now the new manager of PRCVI and ARC-BC. Also, Lynn Kent has joined the ARC-BC team permanently as the Project Leader.
2. ARC-BC Pilot Project Funding: We are very pleased to announce that the Ministry of Education has committed to funding the ARC-BC initiative for the 2011-2012 school year. The ARC-BC team is very appreciative of this financial support. We haven't wasted a minute moving forward and are excited to inform you of new changes to be implemented over the summer. For instance, ARC-BC will allow users to more accurately search for what they need in combination with greater streamlining of the web site. The upgrade will also enhance the ability for the administration to keep up to date with our growing ARC-BC community. We will be positing more information near the end of the summer along with new training modules, so stay tuned!
3. New Requests for the 2011/12 School Year: We encourage you to verify the titles your students will require from ARC-BC as soon as possible. Follow the steps below:
   1. Search the ARC-BC repository for the title in the format you require
   2. If the title is available but NOT in the format you require (kes, rtf, mp3) send an email request to arc@set-bc.org with the book title, ISBN, and format. (Please note that high school science and math texts are only produced in kes level 1 format due to time and production software constraints)
   3. If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact arc@set-bc.org to have it added to the high priority production list.
   4. If the title is not currently available in the repository send an email request to arc@set-bc.org with the book title, ISBN, and format. If ARC-BC has an available print copy we will initiate the production process.
   5. We will notify you if we do not have a copy of the book. You will need to donate the book in order to initiate the production process. The book must be relatively new with crisp, clean pages and no markings, folds or tears. Your donated book will be catalogued, have the spine cut off and sent through a high speed scanner to capture the images necessary to produce the alternate format(s). The book will not be returned to you.
      Send the book(s) to:
      Attn: Susan Hannigan
      ARC-BC
      106-1750 West 75th Avenue
      Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2
   6. Once the book is posted on the ARC-BC repository and ready for download, we will notify you by email that files are available to download

We wish you a restful and wonderful summer!

Chris Marshall & Lynn Kent

cmarshall@prcvi.org
lkent@prcvi.org

May 31, 2011 - ARC-BC News bulletin

Greetings! It is hard to believe it is June already! We have three news items to share with you regarding current and upcoming initiatives.

1. ARC-BC Pilot Project Funding: We are very pleased to announce that the Ministry of Education has committed to funding the ARC-BC initiative for the 2011-2012 school year. The ARC-BC team is very appreciative of this financial support and we look forward to continuing to support BC students with perceptual disabilities with the digital, alternate format resources they require over the next school year.
2. ARC-BC's Year End Survey deadline is Friday June 10, 2011. If you are a user of ARC-BC and haven't done so already, please log into ARC-BC and take a few brief minutes to complete the year end survey. The survey results are essential in order to improve the ARC-BC alternate format collection and to fulfill copyright maintenance responsibilities. We look forward to receiving your feedback on how access to ARC-BC resources impacted your students' access to learning materials and their achievements this year.
3. New Requests for the 2011/12 School Year: We encourage you to verify the titles your students will require from ARC-BC as soon as possible. Follow the steps below:
   • Search the ARC-BC repository for the title in the format you require
   • If the title is available but NOT in the format you require (kes, rtf, mp3) send an email request to arc@set-bc.org with the book title, ISBN, and format. (Please note that high school science and math texts are only produced in kes level 1 format due to time and production software constraints)
   • If the required title is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact arc@set-bc.org to have it added to the high priority production list.
   • If the title is not currently available in the repository send an email request to arc@set-bc.org with the book title, ISBN, and format. If ARC-BC has an available print copy we will initiate the production process.
   • We will notify you if we do not have a copy of the book. You will need to donate the book in order to initiate the production process. The book must be relatively new with crisp, clean pages and no markings, folds or tears. Your donated book will be catalogued, have the spine cut off and sent through a high speed scanner to capture the images necessary to produce the alternate format(s). The book will not be returned to you.
     Send the book(s) to:
     Attn: Susan Hannigan
     ARC-BC
     106-1750 West 75th Avenue
     Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2
   • Once the book is posted on the ARC-BC repository and ready for download, we will notify you by email that files are available to download.

May 20, 2011 - ARC-BC's new email system!

Currently there are almost 4000 ARC-BC registered users who support students with perceptual disabilities. This has necessitated a move to a secure, automated, email system to keep ARC-BC registered users well informed with periodic updates and user information. We trust you will find this new service useful in effectively and efficiently accessing ARC-BC resources on behalf of your students who have perceptual disabilities.

While this new automated system does not accept direct replies to email, we still welcome your feedback. Please continue to write us at arc@prcvi.org

February 9, 2011 - Winter 2011 update!

The 2010/11 school year has passed the half way point and the ARC-BC staff has been working hard these past months, with very limited resources, to meet your requests for alternate formats.

A Word of Thanks: We are very grateful for the many responses we received to our request for feedback on how access to ARC-BC resources impacted individual student's learning and achievement.

Staffing: We have had some changes in the past two months! As you may know Flo Wong, who has worked hard as the ARC-BC team leader for the past year, is currently on maternity leave. (Oh, and yes, Flo and her husband Scott have recently become the very proud parents of a beautiful little girl, Olivia!) We are very pleased that Lynn Kent, a teacher of students with visual impairments previously with the Calgary Board of Education, will be taking on ARC-BC responsibilities as of February 15th. Another valued member of the ARC-BC production staff, Victoria Baker, recently joined the SET-BC staff. We are delighted that Shannon Stuart, who previously provided library support to PRCVI, has joined the ARC-BC production team.

Funding: We have continued to actively pursue options for gaining short and long term funding to enable ARC-BC to continue to meet the alternate format needs of BC students with perceptual disabilities. I am pleased that ARC-BC recently received some additional funding support from the Ministry of Education for the 2010/11 school year that will assist in meeting our most critical needs. However we continue to strongly advocate for long term sustained funding. We anticipate receiving some indications of longer term funding support in the next few weeks and will keep you informed of developments.

New Requests: We encourage you to verify the books your students will require for the 2011/12 school year as soon as possible in order to determine their availability in the ARC-BC repository. Please follow the steps below:

1. Search the ARC-BC repository for the book in the format you require
2. If the book is available but NOT in the format you require (kes,rtf, mp3) send an email request to Susan Hannigan with the book title, ISBN, and format. Susan will notify you if the book is available in the required format for purchase from the publisher. (Please note that high school science and math texts are only produced in kes format)
3. If the required book is in the ARC-BC repository but the notation indicates that it is [In Production] please contact Susan to have the book added to the high priority production list.
4. If the book is not currently available in the repository send an email request to Susan with the book title, ISBN, and format. If ARC-BC has an available print copy we will initiate the production process.
5. We will notify you if we do not have a copy of the book. You will need to donate the book in order to initiate the production process. The book must be relatively new with crisp, clean pages and no markings, folds or tears. Your donated book will be catalogued, have the spine cut off and sent through a high speed scanner to capture the images necessary to produce the alternate format(s). The book will not be returned to you.
   • Send the book to:
     Attn: Susan Hannigan
     ARC-BC
     106-1750 West 75th Avenue
     Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2
6. Once the book is posted on the ARC-BC repository and ready for download, we will notify you by email.

Training: By early March we expect to have the staffing to resume regular ARC-BC online information meetings and training activities. Scheduling will soon be posted on the calendar.

We invite and encourage ARC-BC users to visit the ARC-BC resource centre page located in the SET-BC Learning Centre. There you will find ARC-BC Support Resources organized into 10 modules that include:

• general presentations and FAQs on ARC-BC, alternate formats and copyright
• information for school districts interested in joining ARC-BC
• tutorials and demonstrations on how to register for, search and contribute to the ARC-BC collection
• information on ARC-BC policies, alternate format production, and technical requirements
• downloadable materials suitable for workshop planning and presentations
• print-based documentation containing general information on ARC-BC

Your continued support of ARC-BC is truly appreciated. Please feel free to contact me for any additional information.

Anne Wadsworth

September, 2010 - Welcome back!

After a lovely long summer, fall has returned and ARC-BC is preparing for its third year of providing alternate formats for BC students with perceptual disabilities.

Over the summer months, the top 20 downloaded novels were upgraded them from the initial stage of production to high quality proofread files ready for download.  If you’ve downloaded novels previously, it’ll be worth revisiting these titles to see whether those books have been improved.

As was outlined in our June announcement, ARC-BC will continue to operate as best as we can in light of the current fiscal challenges. The digital books already in our online repository will continue to be available for download. Our ability to respond to new requests for alternate format materials in a timely fashion is however severely hampered. Nevertheless we will continue to do what we can to meet the most critical needs of the community during this time.

Whether you are a new or returning user, please make sure you are aware of how the Canadian Copyright Act 32(1) applies to any materials you download from the collection (view presentation). If you require training on this or on how to use ARC-BC effectively contact your ARC-BC District Contact (view district list), consider attending one of our online training sessions (view Upcoming Events calendar), or visit our ARC-BC Support Resources for tutorials and demonstrations.

If you need help accessing your ARC-BC account, please do not hesitate to reach me at arc@prcvi.org.

Regards,
Flo Wong
Accessible Resource Centre - British Columbia - Project Leader

May 31, 2010 - ARC-BC - Planning for 2010-2011

As you know, ARC-BC has over the past two years become a primary production and online distribution service for digital alternate format learning resources for BC students with perceptual disabilities. School districts throughout British Columbia have reported that access to ARC-BC resources has resulted in significant increases in student motivation, achievement and self-efficacy.

While the Ministry of Education recognizes the positive impact ARC-BC has had on meeting the diverse learning needs of our students, funding for ARC-BC's alternate format production has not been continued for the 2010-11 school year.

At this time we are uncertain of the resulting impact to ARC-BC service. The Provincial Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired (PRCVI) is committed to maintaining the ARC-BC online collection at the current level but we anticipate that we may not be able to produce any new titles in alternate format other than those required by BC students with visual impairment/blindness. While we expect that educators will still be able to access the current collection and download resources, user support and training will only be available through the existing web-based resources.

We greatly appreciate your advocacy and support of ARC-BC over the past two years and ask for your patience and continued support as we seek ways to maintain the existing collection and work to secure ongoing funding for ARC-BC.

We welcome your questions or requests for additional information.

Anne Wadsworth & Flo Wong
awadsworth@prcvi.org
fwong@prcvi.org

May 1, 2010 - Accessible Resource Center - BC now accepting book requests

Do you have books that you need in an alternate format for the Fall term of 2010 that aren't already in the ARC-BC repository? Send your requests in NOW to ensure it gets added to our production queue.

February 23, 2010 - ARC-BC Provincial Team Has a New Member

We'd like to welcome Flo Wong to the ARC-BC provincial team. Flo, a Teacher of the Visually Impaired and recent SET-BC regional consultant, has joined PRCVI and is now an ARC-BC team leader. She is really looking forward to supporting ARC-BC community members - if you have any questions about any aspect of the project, she can be reached at arc@prcvi.org.

February 23, 2010 - Contribute to Collection Project Participants

Thanks to all the teams who submitted an application to join the 2010/2011 Contribute to Collection project. We are very excited to announce the following districts who will be participating this coming year...

• SD#19 (Revelstoke), SD#23 (Central Okanagan), SD#43 (Coquitlam), SD#61 (Greater Victoria), SD#69 (Parksville-Qualicum), SD#73 (Kamloops-Thompson), SD#82 (Coast Mountains), SD#83 (North Okanagan-Shuswap)

Teams in these districts will be receiving mobile alternate format stations and two days of training in March and April. We know everyone in the ARC-BC community will benefit from their efforts in the coming year!

January 14, 2010 - Contribute to Collection Project 2010-2011

The ARC-BC collection is growing daily as our production team creates alternate formats for requested and new titles. We need your help! As the number of requests increase, we need community members to join us in producing and improving alternate formats. We are inviting teams to apply to be one of ten groups around the province who will take part in the "Contribute to Collection" project. Teams who participate in this project will receive an alternate format station with computer hardware and software, at least two days of training, and ongoing support to help team members create and improve ARC-BC materials. If you are interested in participating in this project, please see the Contribute to Collection information and application (doc) or contact us at arc@prcvi.org for more information.

January 14, 2010 - Having Trouble Logging into ARC-BC?

Your account may need updating! If you can't log into our site, please contact arc@prcvi.org for instructions. Updating is fast and easy!

September 21, 2009 - Reminder for Kurzweil 3000 v.4 Mac users!

If you are experiencing error messages when trying to open .kes files from ARC-BC it is likely because you have not patched your version to 4.02.  This patch or update will be available through the Kurzweil website eventually. If you would like to download the standalone version now, it is available by going to this online room, signing in as a Guest (no password required), and following the instructions in that room.  If you are looking for the network version, or have any questions about this, please contact us at arc@prcvi.org.

October 2009 - Last Week to Update Your User Profile!

This is an important reminder for all users who registered for ARC-BC prior to September 25th, 2009. Due to a change in the registration process, your user profile is no longer complete. Please go to the "My Account" area (link at top of the site) to edit user profile and add the necessary training, student, material use and agreement on alternate format use areas. This must be done before October 31st or we will assume you no longer require access to ARC-BC! If you have any questions about this or need any help, contact us at arc@prcvi.org.

October 2009 - Information on Technical Requirements for Alternate Formats Now Available

For those not familiar with the various file formats that are available through ARC-BC, there is a new document describing the technical requirements (software and operating systems) required to use them. It is a great resource to have on hand when searching and downloading materials and is available in Module One on the ARC-BC Support Resources page.

September 2009 - ARC-BC Will Be Down Friday, September 25th for Updating

This Friday, September 25th, ARC-BC will be taken off line for several hours while we roll out the new update. We will start the process in the morning but are not sure how long the updating process will take - if everything goes smoothly (and it so rarely does with technology!) then the repository should be up and running within a few hours. If there are problems, it may take longer. If you anticipate needing alternate formats for your students next week, you should try and download them before Friday morning to ensure you have what you need.

September 2009 - Welcome Back!

After a lovely long summer, fall has returned and ARC-BC is preparing for its second year of providing alternate formats for BC students with perceptual disabilities. Not only has our production staff added hundreds of new titles and thousands of files, we have been working hard to update the repository with improvements and new features. We are almost ready to unveil ARC-BC v.2.0 - very soon you will see an exciting change to our site!

In the meantime, whether you are a new or returning user, please make sure you are aware of how the Canadian Copyright Act 32(1) applies to any materials you download from the collection (view presentation). If you require training on this or on how to use ARC-BC effectively contact your ARC-BC District Contact (view district list), consider attending one of our online training sessions (view Upcoming Events calendar), or visit our ARC-BC Support Resources for tutorials and demonstrations.

June 2009 - Summer at ARC-BC, 2009

Summer has arrived and we would like to thank everyone for your kind words of support as we come to the end of our first year of operation. Thanks to all ARC-BC users who completed the Year End User Survey that was emailed to you recently - your feedback and suggestions will help us improve the repository over the coming year.

During the summer months, many people involved with ARC-BC take a well deserved holiday break. The repository will remain active, but any registration or title requests may take longer than usual. ARC-BC District Contacts may or may not be checking email over the summer - if you do submit a registration request during July and August, you may not be approved until school begins in September.

We hope everyone has a terrific summer vacation - look for many more titles and some new "surprises" on the ARC-BC site in the fall!

March 2009 - Kurzweil 3000 (Mac) version 4.03 Available for Download

As announced earlier, there is now a patch or update available for Kurzweil 3000 Macintosh v.4 users which will ensure you can open the .kes files available through ARC-BC. This patch or update will be available through the Kurzweil website eventually. If you would like to download the standalone version now, it is available by going to this online room: http://breeze.setbc.org/k3000macupdate, signing in as a Guest (no password required), and following the instructions in that room.  If you are looking for the network version, or have any questions about this, please contact us at arc@prcvi.org.

March 28, 2009 - ARC-BC Offline This Saturday, March 28^th

This Saturday the power will be interrupted to the entire SET-BC Provincial Centre from at least 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This is a scheduled power interruption to allow critical building maintenance and will affect all SET-BC services including ARC-BC. Hopefully, once power is returned, the site will be available, however there may be a continued period of interruption should there be problems restarting our systems. If you are attempting to access ARC-BC during the weekend, please be patient - we will have things restarted as soon as possible. This is a highly unusual event and we do not anticipate this type of interruption in the future!

March 2009 - Mac Users Rejoice! A Solution to the Kurzweil 3000 Issue is Now Available!

For those Macintosh Kurzweil 3000 v.4 users who were having difficulty opening opening our .kes files, you will be pleased to hear that the supportive team at Cambium (Kurzweil 3000) has developed an update or patch which, once installed, will allow you to open all our .kes files. Kurzweil 3000 v.4.02 will be available for download from the www.kurzweiledu.com site soon. If you would like a copy of the patch sent to you after spring break, please contact your ARC-BC District Contact or the ARC-BC Provincial Team.

February 2009 - Alert! Macintosh Users May Experience Difficulty with Kurzweil (.kes) Files

We have recently discovered a problem with our Kurzweil (.kes) files and the Macintosh version of Kurzweil 3000.  Some Macintosh users are reporting that, while they can download the files successfully, they are not able to open them using Kurzweil 3000 v.4 (Mac).  We are currently investigating a solution to the problem.  In the meantime, we would appreciate hearing from any Mac users who are either having problems or who are able to open their downloaded files successfully.  Please note: This problem does NOT occur with the Windows version of the program.  Thanks to those affected for your patience!

February 2009 - ARC-BC Welcomes the Next Ten School Districts

The roll out of ARC-BC across the province continued on March 2nd as ten new BC school districts began registering users interested in accessing alternate format materials for their students with perceptual disabilities.  SD#6 (Rocky Mountain), SD#10  (Arrow Lakes), SD#20 (Kootenay-Columbia), SD#38  (Richmond), SD#40 (New Westminster), SD#45 (West Vancouver), SD#48 (Sea to Sky Howe Sound), SD#61 (Greater Victoria), SD#64 (Gulf Islands) and SD#78 (Fraser-Cascade) have put their ARC-BC plans into action as their district contacts oversee the training and registration of various user groups.  Some districts are hosting face-to-face informational meetings and training sessions while others are using the availability of online informational sessions to educate their users on not only how to use the repository effectively but which students, according to copyright, can use the materials in the classroom.

As of the end of February, ARC-BC has over 700 users with the numbers of daily downloads increasing exponentially as each group of school districts begins accessing the collection. 

December 2008 - Ten More School Districts Joining the ARC-BC Community in Early February 2009

With the January 2009 launch of ARC-BC just three weeks away, we are delighted to announce the second group of ten school districts who have joined the ARC-BC Community. Their users will begin accessing the repository no later than early February 2009. The next group of school districts include…

SD#22 (Vernon), SD#33 (Chilliwack), SD#34 (Abbotsford), SD#37 (Delta), SD#42 (Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows), SD#44 (North Vancouver), SD#46 (Sunshine Coast), SD#57 (Prince George), SD#68 (Nanaimo – Ladysmith) and SD#73 (Kamloops – Thompson).

As we welcome this next group to the ARC-BC Community, we also wish to extend our sincere thanks to the eight original school districts who participated in the ARC-BC Pilot Project. These districts will be finishing the trial phase by December 19th. These districts have provided invaluable assistance and support in the early planning and design phase, have contributed many of their own alternate format materials, and have helped test the use of the repository over the past three months. The ARC-BC Provincial Team sends its sincere appreciation to these districts for their hard work and support throughout the past year – we couldn’t have done it without you!

October 26, 2008 - Ten BC School Districts Set to Begin Accessing ARC-BC in January 2009

Applications for joining the ARC-BC Community have been submitted since they became available at the beginning of October.  Many BC school districts are also participating in the online informational meetings in preparation for applying in the next few weeks.  We are adding the following ten school districts in January 2009...

SD#8 (Kootenay Lake), SD#19 (Revelstoke), SD#23 (Central Okanagan), SD#43 (Coquitlam), SD#47 (Powell River), SD#62 (Sooke), SD#63 (Saanich), SD#72 (Campbell River), SD#85 (Vancouver Island North) and SD#100 (Independent Schools).

We would like to welcome these districts to the ARC-BC Community!

September 2008 - ARC-BC Community Application Now Available!

BC school districts interested in accessing the alternate format materials available in ARC-BC beginning in January are now invited to submit an ARC-BC Community Application (doc). Completed submissions will be taken on a "first come, first served" basis with school districts being phased in beginning January 2009. For more information on applying to join the ARC-BC Community, please view the presentations and materials available on the ARC-BC Support Resources page.

September 8, 2008 - BC School Districts Invited to Join ARC-BC for January 2009

With the anticipated success of the ARC-BC Pilot Project by the end of December 2008, BC school districts will soon have the opportunity to join ARC-BC. Beginning September 30th, those school districts who are interested in accessing the ARC-BC collection can submit an "ARC-BC Community Application". That application will contain information about the technical requirements and support needed to effectively use ARC-BC. Information and applications will be available here after September 30th, 2008.

August 15, 2008 - Eight BC School Districts Set to Trial ARC-BC Beginning in September 2008

With ARC-BC entering its final pilot phase, eight school districts from around the province will be testing the repository beginning in September 2008. The SE Kootenay, Quesnel, Langley, Surrey, Boundary, Okanagan-Skaha, Parksville-Qualicum, and Comox Valley districts will be meeting online to finalize plans early in September with their educators expected to begin accessing the collection throughout October, November and December. Once the trial phase is complete, ARC-BC will become available to other districts across the province beginning in January 2009.