SensusAccess document converter

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What is SensusAccess?

SensusAccess is a file conversion tool that turns written documents into MP3 files or DAISY audiobooks for the visually impaired, and into mobile-friendly ebooks in the Mobi, EPUB and EPUB3 formats. It can also render image-only PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, and JMP statistical graphics into less challenging formats. And for the deaf-blind, it can transform text into digital Braille for embossed printing or for reading directly on a Braille display. SensusAccess is an on-demand, self-service tool, funded by the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost and is now available to all members of the UVA community.

SensusAccess supports a wide variety of languages, converting text written in the main European languages, smaller European languages, in American English, Latin American Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Mandarin, Cantonese, Taiwanese, Korean, Japanese and more. Some target formats even support multilingual contents.

  • More information regarding the use of this tool can be found at the SensusAccess website.
  • More information on document remediation and conversion of complex documents is available on the UVA Digital Accessibility webpage.
  • It’s important to understand that the quality of the results depends upon the quality and formatting of the original document. Conversion results are best for documents that are primarily text and comply with accessibility standards (i.e. proper use of headers and formatting). However, good results are also possible in multilingual documents and those with complicated elements.
  • Documents less suited for conversion are those with non-textual content (i.e. scanned images of STEM content, complex mathematical equations, graphs). Support and instruction are available through the Resources section on the SensusAccess website.
  • A very good E-learning Course is available at no charge. It’s divided into 9 modules. Modules 1–6 will help most users, while modules 7–9 provide advanced help for those creating documents with a greater level of accessibility.

Use the form below to convert text, URLs, and files into formats such as MP3 audio, DAISY full text and audio, braille, and e-book. The resulting file will be sent to an email address you provide in the form.

Important: Please note that this service is NOT sufficiently secure for the transmission of highly sensitive information, as defined by UVA's Information Policy.

This tool is intended primarily to ensure accessibility of electronic documents for users with qualifying disabilities. Use for other purposes must be consistent with user rights and responsibilities under copyright law, including fair use.