# Disabled Student Services

## Enabling Disability Student Services <a href="#disabledstudentservices-enablingdisabilitystudentservices" id="disabledstudentservices-enablingdisabilitystudentservices"></a>

Engage functionality is available for users who are using screen readers and keyboard accessibility devices by using the Alongside Solution.

eTextbooks are laid out like printed textbooks, which is convenient for sighted users but problematic for screen reading software and other assistive technology. Traditional printed book layout does not include a clear reading order for the information that appears on a page, nor does it include descriptions of the graphical elements.

Because of this long-standing problem, DSS organizations have found ways to republish course content into linear versions of the texts (such as in a Microsoft Word document) for their students who use assistive technology. The Engage Alongside solution calls for Engage to be used "alongside" the republished document that you are creating anyway. Students can use the assistive technology in the republished document while accessing instructor notes, creating and sharing their own notes, and asking questions within the Engage application.

The Alongside solution works best when the republished document version of the text is prepared according to these [best practices for republishing course content.](/products/content/unizin-engage/institution-support/disabled-student-services-alt-format/best-practices-for-republishing-course-content.md)


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