The Library presents SensusAccess—convert documents into useful written and audio formats

SensusAccess is a file conversion tool offered by the Library that transforms written documents into audio formats. It has benefits for the visually impaired but has uses for anyone who needs quick access to information in multiple formats—and it’s available to all members of the UVA community!

With SensusAccess:

  • You can convert lengthy Word documents into mobile-friendly ebooks and  MP3 files. Listen while driving, walking, or working at home.
  • You can convert inaccessible image files into editable text, Word documents into tagged PDFs, or PowerPoint presentations into RTF documents and web pages.
  • You can study a language by converting text into European languages, American English, Latin American Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Mandarin, Cantonese, Taiwanese, Korean, Japanese and more.

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 (e.g. proper use of headers and formatting).

Documents less suited for conversion are those that contain scanned images of STEM content, complex mathematical equations, and graphs. However, good results are possible even in multilingual documents and those with complicated elements. Consult the E-learning Course at no charge—modules 1–6 will help most users, while modules 7–9 offer advanced help for creating documents with a greater level of accessibility.

Go to the SensusAccess form, choose a file type or paste in the text you want to convert, upload it, and the resulting file will be sent to an email address you provide in the form.

IMPORTANT: this service is NOT sufficiently secure for the transmission of highly sensitive information, as defined by UVA’s Information Policy.

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