Accessible Outputs: E-Text (CommonLook Edu)

Accessible E-Text in CommonLook Edu

Using CommonLook Edu, organizations can remediate documents and export them as E-text files.

What and Why? Understanding E-Text

E-text (electronic text) is a digital document format that presents content as clean, reflowable text, enabling individuals to access documents through screen readers, text-to-speech software, and other assistive technologies.

E-text is a widely used accessible format in educational and professional contexts. Unlike fixed-layout formats such as PDF, E-text prioritizes clean, linear content flow that can be resized, reformatted, and read aloud without loss of meaning or structure.

E-text output is a popular choice when creating audio files, as the format includes structural directives, such as "Begin Document," "Page One," and "Begin List," that provide additional context and navigational cues when converted to audio. This makes E-text particularly well-suited for audio production workflows where structure and clarity of narration matter.

E-text is also a practical option when the goal is to extract clean, usable text from other formats, rather than copying from a visually complex or inaccessible source. Exporting as E-text produces a structured, ready-to-use text file that can be repurposed across a variety of workflows.

E-text output is often preferred when a text-focused, lightweight, flexible format is needed over a visually preserved one.

Input File Types for E-Text Output

To create an E-text output using CommonLook Edu, the input file can be a PDF, Word document, NIMAS, or ePub. Other file types must first be converted to one of those before being processed if the intended output is E-text. 

Steps to Create E-Text

While specific workflows may vary depending on document complexity, the general process for creating E-Text in CommonLook Edu includes:

1. Upload the input document
   • Upload the source file (PDF, Word, NIMAS, or ePub) into CommonLook Edu.
2. Provide Additional Details
   • For documents containing math, ensure the toggle is active.
3. Choose Accessible Format
   • Select "E-text (.txt)."
4. Navigate through the Simplified Editor
   • Simplified Editor: A streamlined, AI-assisted workflow that allows a remediator to verify or adjust page elements and reading order. If you want CommonLook to automatically generate math or chemistry descriptions, this is your only option. File size is limited to 200mb or 150 pages. This is the recommended pathway for newer remediators. 
5. Validate and Export
   1. Confirm that required accessibility issues have been resolved.
   2. Export the final E-text file.

Math and Chemistry Content in E-Text Output

Math

When uploading a document in CommonLook Edu, you will be prompted to toggle an option indicating that your file contains math content. When Clarifying Page Elements within the Simplified Editor, you can add new or verify existing Equation containers, either independently or within another container, where necessary. Once created, the Equation container will be given an "Equation description," which will be used as Alternate text for the Equation tag. Users can edit these descriptions as they see fit. 

For more detailed information on working with math equations in CommonLook Edu, please explore our Knowledge Base article titled "Working with Math Equations (CL Edu)."

Chemistry

When uploading a document in CommonLook Edu, you will be prompted to toggle an option indicating that your file contains math content. When Clarifying Page Elements within the Simplified Editor, you can add new containers, automatically generating formula descriptions and equations.

For more information on working with chemistry content in CommonLook Edu, please explore our Knowledge Base article titled "Working with Chemistry (CL Edu)."