Sensus Access

SensusAccess is a self-service tool which can convert PDFs and many other documents into more accessible formats, including more screen-reader compliant PDFs and ePUBs. All members of the Wellesley College community can use SensusAccess. For example, 

  • A faculty member may use SensusAccess as a first step for creating more accessible PDFs for their course readings. 

  • A student may use SensusAccess to convert course materials, such as PDFs, to ePUBs which can be read by a variety of eBook software, many of which have text to speech functions built in. 

While SensusAccess is a reasonable first step for making documents more accessible, PDFs converted by SensusAccess will still need text labels for the images or graphics in the document, and the text should be proofread in case the automated conversion process makes mistakes.

Converting Your Documents

Before you begin: 

To decrease the risk of errors in the text, make sure your original materials are clean copies. They should have no written annotations or markings, and the text should not be crooked.

To Convert:

  1. Go to Wellesley’s SensusAccess page. 

  2. Once there, select the file(s) you would like to upload by clicking on “Choose files” 

  3. After you see the files appear to the right of the Choose Files button, click on the “Upload” button. 

  4. Select the output format you’d like. The output formats available will change depending on what type of document you uploaded. 

    • If you are creating a more accessible PDF, choose “Accessibility Conversion” 

  5. Choose options for your desired format

  6. If you are creating a more accessible PDF, choose “PDF-tagged pdf (text over image)” 

  7. Enter your wellesley email address. (SensusAccess will email you the converted document as either a link or an attachment.) 

  8. Click the Submit button.

Conversion can take 10-20 minutes depending on the original file’s size and quality. When SensusAccess is done converting your documents, it will send an email to the address you entered above. The email will contain either a link to your converted document or an attachment with your converted document. Download the email attachment or follow the email link to access the document for download. E-mail links are only active for 7 days, so download your converted file. 

If you uploaded multiple files, you will receive an individual email for each file you’ve chosen to convert. 

 

Guidelines & Policies

Who can use SensusAccess?

SensusAccess is available to current Wellesley students, faculty, staff and alumni. 

Privacy and Personal information

  • SensusAccess should only be used for non-commercial, instructional, and education use. 

  • We do not recommend using SensusAccess for files that include private or confidential information. 

  • SensusAccess deletes your original documents from their servers immediately after they are processed. 

  • SensusAccess stores information about your documents (types, sizes) for internal statistical, administrative, debugging and support purposes only. Your email address is also stored for internal statistical, administrative, debugging, and support purposes only. Links between submitted documents and email addresses are deleted once the documents have been processed. If you’d like to request your email be removed from SensusAccess systems, you can write to contact@robobraille.org. 

If you have more detailed questions please see SensusAccess’s FAQ or contact Wellesley’s Instructional Technology Line (x4848).