Revised School Code, blind pupil's Braille literacy law, textbook publishers and electronic file versions

Section 1704 of the Revised School Code, the blind pupil's Braille literacy law, directs the department to work with textbook publishers to obtain electronic file format versions or Braille versions of textbooks, or both (MCL 380.1704(4)).

The department may also, on behalf of local and intermediate school districts, request and arrange for converting an electronic file format version of a textbook to a Braille version, and must process and make these requests in a timely manner (MCL 380.1704(4)).

On request, a publisher of a textbook adopted for instructional use by a school district must furnish the department with an electronic version of the textbook if it is for a literary subject, or for a nonliterary subject if the technology is available to convert the textbook directly to a format compatible with Braille translation software (MCL 380.1704(5)).

A publisher may not charge a price for the electronic version that exceeds the price it charges for the print or electronic media version of the textbook (MCL 380.1704(5)). Textbook includes a text published in electronic media that is used for instructional purposes (MCL 380.1704(8)(d)). Section 1704 was added by 2000 Act 129, which took immediate effect on May 30, 2000.