@ellen_mic

Academic studying speculative fiction, digital publishing, and accessible book formats. Editor by trade, academic at heart. she/they. ocd.

 Canada
Joined August 2010
  • Tweets5.1K
  • Following628
  • Followers609
178Media
Hey, publishers! Alt text for your book covers should be a regular part of your metadata process. And no, "Book cover for Title by Author" is not sufficient. Describe the image & text. Be concise, but descriptive. The cover tells readers about the book. The alt text should, too.
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“Digitizing Braille Materials with OCR and TEI". Ellen Forget (@ellen_mic) shows us how processes for using DH tools to work with braille have unique complications, and how they have trained an OCR model to read scans of embossed braille pages by using shadows.
Digitizing Braille Materials with OCR and TEI: Improving access to and encouraging research of accessible books

ALT Digitizing Braille Materials with OCR and TEI: Improving access to and encouraging research of accessible books

Screen shot of a page of embossed braille.

ALT Screen shot of a page of embossed braille.

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Is anyone attending the @SSSReading conference in Copenhagen looking to share accommodations to cut down costs? I'm a PhD student from Canada who will be attending and I'm looking for a roommate for the conference! #SSSR2024
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Is anyone organizing a remote panel or want to help me organize one for the Society for Textual Scholarship conference? The theme is "pressure" and I'd be presenting about the material pressure of embossing braille texts. #AcademicTwitter @textualstudies textualsociety.org/2024-conf…
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Ellen Forget retweeted
Steve Saylor@stevesaylor8 Dec 2023
I agree. I am also severely disappointed in the accessibility category being pushed to the pre-show. No disabled representation. It’s one of the only categories showcasing innovation in the industry and we are being pushed from the main stage to the side stage to soon no stage.
Parris
@vicious6968 Dec 2023
My thoughts on The Game Awards As a reveal event it excelled, excited for the future of games As an awards show it disappointed, major categories like best Indie or best RPG were afterthoughts and the winners who did make it on stage were rushed in their acceptance speeches but game reveals or special appearances were given more than enough time I love this event because it brings us together as an industry but this year stands out for its lack of celebrating the people who make the games we love or acknowledging the people affected by mass layoffs
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1) If we don’t talk about our chronic illnesses we must be fine. But if we DO talk about them, we’re being “negative” or “dramatic”. It sucks. Many of us just want to raise awareness & be understood/accepted as we are. No awkwardness or unsolicited advice—just radical acceptance
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If you ask a stranger about their disability and they respond with "I don't feel like discussing my medical history," that is not an invitation to ask follow-up questions. Also... just don't ask strangers about their disability.
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Do any of my accessibility friends here have a good resource on writing alt text for sheet music? A friend of mine is faced with this task and would like a guide to help. #Accessibility #A11y #AltText
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Ellen Forget retweeted
The CJDS@TheCJDS9 Nov 2023
Have you seen our Publications in Critical Disability Studies by Non-Tenured Academics list yet? Check it out at the following link: docs.google.com/document/d/1… Want to add your work? Follow the instructions in the doc's introduction.

Publications by Untenured Academics, 2015–2025

Publications in Critical Disability Studies by Non-Tenured Academics Introduction Hello! I am glad you have found this compilation of publications in critical disability studies by non-tenured...

docs.google.com
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I am looking for interview participants for my doctoral research about how disabled readers access books. Participants need to be 18+, live in Canada, and have a print disability. This research has been approved by University of Toronto's ethics committee.
A poster calling for research participants for a study analyzing how disabled readers access books. The text reads: Looking for participants who are 18+ years old, live in Canada, and have a print disability to participate in an interview via Zoom or email. This research is being conducted for a doctoral dissertation at University of Toronto. Contact Ellen Forget at ellen.michelle@mail.utoronto.ca if you are interested in participating. A print disability is any visual, physical, or cognitive disability that makes it difficult or impossible to read a print book. Proof of disability is not required. Participants will be compensated for their time.

ALT A poster calling for research participants for a study analyzing how disabled readers access books. The text reads: Looking for participants who are 18+ years old, live in Canada, and have a print disability to participate in an interview via Zoom or email. This research is being conducted for a doctoral dissertation at University of Toronto. Contact Ellen Forget at [email protected] if you are interested in participating. A print disability is any visual, physical, or cognitive disability that makes it difficult or impossible to read a print book. Proof of disability is not required. Participants will be compensated for their time.

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It appears a bot has lifted my email address from the alt text. If you are interested in participating, please use a subject heading in the email and confirm you meet the eligibility requirements in the body of the email so I know you're real!
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It appears a bot has lifted my email address from the alt text. If you are interested in participating, please use a subject heading in the email address and confirm you meet the eligibility requirements in the body of the email so I know you're real!
Ellen Forget@ellen_mic8 Nov 2023
I am looking for interview participants for my doctoral research about how disabled readers access books. Participants need to be 18+, live in Canada, and have a print disability. This research has been approved by University of Toronto's ethics committee.
A poster calling for research participants for a study analyzing how disabled readers access books. The text reads: Looking for participants who are 18+ years old, live in Canada, and have a print disability to participate in an interview via Zoom or email. This research is being conducted for a doctoral dissertation at University of Toronto. Contact Ellen Forget at ellen.michelle@mail.utoronto.ca if you are interested in participating. A print disability is any visual, physical, or cognitive disability that makes it difficult or impossible to read a print book. Proof of disability is not required. Participants will be compensated for their time.

ALT A poster calling for research participants for a study analyzing how disabled readers access books. The text reads: Looking for participants who are 18+ years old, live in Canada, and have a print disability to participate in an interview via Zoom or email. This research is being conducted for a doctoral dissertation at University of Toronto. Contact Ellen Forget at [email protected] if you are interested in participating. A print disability is any visual, physical, or cognitive disability that makes it difficult or impossible to read a print book. Proof of disability is not required. Participants will be compensated for their time.

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One more week to submit to this project! Please feel free to DM or email me with any questions you have.
bsc-sbc@bsc_sbc20 Oct 2023
Reminder: Call for Submissions: A Special Issue of Papers of the Bibliographical Society of Canada. The new submission date is November 10, 2023. #bookhistory #canada #printculture
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Are you a newbie author? Looking to polish up your manuscript ahead of submission? Come work with me! I'm running my own mentorship program, hoping to fall in love with your story and help you make it shine like a supernova. Details: jacksonfordauthor.com/workwi… #Mentorship
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Ellen Forget retweeted
SHARP News@SHARPorgNews25 Oct 2023
Ellen is still looking for bookish images! Please sent them if you have them - you'll be helping SHARP become an even more welcoming place for everyone.
SHARP News@SHARPorgNews14 Oct 2023
The amazing @ellen_mic is putting together an alt text guide for book historians! Ellen is seeking submissions of bookish images for this guide. Can you contribute, helping to make @SHARPorg more inclusive and accessible? Details here: sharpweb.org/sharpnews/2023/…
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Ellen Forget retweeted
Ellen Forget@ellen_mic16 Oct 2023
Bookish folks! Please send me bookish pictures so I can make an alt text guide for book historians. See the link in the quoted post for more details. DM or email me if you have questions! #BookHistory #SHARP #AcademicTwitter
SHARP News@SHARPorgNews14 Oct 2023
The amazing @ellen_mic is putting together an alt text guide for book historians! Ellen is seeking submissions of bookish images for this guide. Can you contribute, helping to make @SHARPorg more inclusive and accessible? Details here: sharpweb.org/sharpnews/2023/…
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Bookish folks! Please send me bookish pictures so I can make an alt text guide for book historians. See the link in the quoted post for more details. DM or email me if you have questions! #BookHistory #SHARP #AcademicTwitter
SHARP News@SHARPorgNews14 Oct 2023
The amazing @ellen_mic is putting together an alt text guide for book historians! Ellen is seeking submissions of bookish images for this guide. Can you contribute, helping to make @SHARPorg more inclusive and accessible? Details here: sharpweb.org/sharpnews/2023/…
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Ellen Forget retweeted
SHARP News@SHARPorgNews14 Oct 2023
The amazing @ellen_mic is putting together an alt text guide for book historians! Ellen is seeking submissions of bookish images for this guide. Can you contribute, helping to make @SHARPorg more inclusive and accessible? Details here: sharpweb.org/sharpnews/2023/…
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If someone is walking by you with a cane, do not loudly and sarcastically comment on how slow they are walking. Trust me, I'm fully aware of my speed. I'm also fully aware of my pain and how you just ruined a nice chilly fall weather walk to get a coffee by being rude.
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