Under the Copyright Act, a person has a print disability if they are:

• a person without sight
• a person whose sight is severely impaired
• a person unable to hold or manipulate books or to focus or move their eyes; or
• a person with a perceptual disability.

The Copyright Act does not provide a definition of an intellectual disability.   If you are unsure if someone has an intellectual disability, you should seek advice from a medical or health professional.  It could be argued that some people with psychiatric disabilities may be included here if they have problems with particular print formats.

Please note that this copying must be solely for the purpose of assisting people with these disabilities and the material cannot be sold for a profit.

To help people with an intellectual disability, you can reproduce or communicate any material in an accessible format.  This includes making translations and picture versions of literary and dramatic works.

Please note that you can only do this reproduction or communication so long as the work is not commercially available in the required format.  Make sure you always attribute the creator's work on any copy.

• details of the work reproduced or communicated (for example: author, title, publication details)
• date on which the reproduction or communication was made.

"This is a reproduction made on [day on which the reproduction was made] by Victoria University in reliance on section 135ZQ of the Copyright Act 1968, solely for the use by a person with a print disability."

With material for intellectually disabled people, please include at the beginning of the recording, the following statement:

"This is a reproduction made on [day on which the reproduction was made] by Victoria University in reliance on section 135ZT of the Copyright Act 1968, solely for the use by a person with an intellectual disability."

• the master is used solely for the purpose of making copies for institutions assisting people with a print disability

     and

• details of both the work and when the copy was made are emailed to the Copyright Officer.

Please mark the master with:

• the following statement:

  "This is a reproduction made on [day on which the reproduction was made] by Victoria University in reliance on section 135ZQ of the Copyright Act 1968, solely for the use by a person with a print disability."

Please note that an electronic master copy must also contain the VB Warning notice. The master copy can be kept indefinitely.

The Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) provides a searchable catalogue of master copies held by other Educational institutions throughout Australia.  Searching this catalogue may save you the effort and expense of making your own master or copy.  For information on how to access this database, please contact the VU's Copyright Officer.

• look at the detailed guidelines on our Copyright website
• book into a Copyright training session
• contact VU's Copyright Officer on 9919 4480 or antony.ley@vu.edu.au

• Copyright and Disability Guide

Disclaimer:  This information is provided for guidance only.  For legal advice regarding Copyright law, please contact the Legal Services Department at VU.