[dfaresource] Daisy planet
- From: "Dipendra manocha" <dipendra.manocha@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <dfaresource@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:17:44 +0530
The DAISY Planet: DAISY Consortium Newsletter, August 2007
The DAISY Planet
The Monthly Newsletter of the Digital Accessible Information SYstem
Consortium September 2007
Development: Photo of DAISY Working Group
Research: Photo of XML Document
Communication: Photo of Conference
DAISY Home Page
Index
A1
HOT off the Press!
Conference in Paris, France on January 28, 2008:
"Accessible e-books: an opportunity for the disabled"
Feature Articles:
List of 3 items
? Harry Potter and the Global Library (Part 1)
? Techshare/DAISY Conference
? Libraries for the Blind Section, IFLA Preconference
list end
Sections:
List of 5 items
? DAISY Marketplace
? Your Stories
? Dear DAISY
? From the Editor
? Letters to the Editor
list end
DAISY Marketplace
B1
The following links are to recently updated DAISY product entries on the
DAISY Web site. Marketplace entries also appear on our home page.
List of 4 items
? Victor Reader Stream by HumanWare
? EasyConverter by Dolphin
? gh Player 2.1 by gh LLC
? Book Wizard Producer Version 1.3.1.0 by APH
list end
Your Stories
C1
Greg Kearney Greg Kearney: DAISY for an Adult Dyslexic Reader
"
Dyslexics and blind readers are kissing cousins in terms of their needs for
processing information. Slightly different but we can learn from each
other."
Dear DAISY
D1
Dear DAISY,
My nan (grandmother) has purchased the device called a DAISY Victor Classic.
She uses it to listen to CDs and has had much enjoyment from doing so.
However,
I have tried to create a CD for her to listen to and it will not play. All
it says is "Unsupported format." I have made the CD as an Audio CD with
about
20 MP3 files on it. They will play on my MP3 player. Could you help, by
explaining what sort of format the files on the CD need to be in order for
them
to play. I assumed that it would play MP3s?
Many Thanks,
Jonathan (UK)
Dear Jonathan,
Many DAISY players, including the one you have bought play both CD audio
files and MP3 files, however, saving MP3 files as CD audio format is not the
best
approach for this situation. Try saving the MP3 files selecting "data
format" rather than CD audio format, then try the CD in your DAISY player.
Best Regards,
- DAISY Tech Staff
Harry Potter and the Global Library
(Part 1 of 2)
Part I: An Exceptional Commitment
On July 20, children and adults around the globe eagerly crowded into their
local bookstores waiting to purchase a copy of the last book in the Harry
Potter
series. In addition to their love of the Potter books, all of these people
have another thing in common: they are able to read the printed word.
At the very same time, there was another group of people around the world
patiently awaiting a copy of that same book, but they would have to wait
somewhat
longer. They were waiting for an accessible version. How many organizations
around the world have produced "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" and
earlier
"Potters" in DAISY format so that people with a print disability could read
them?
One such organization is CNIB, and one very special person who volunteers in
the CNIB Library Recording Studio has narrated all but one of the Potter
books
in DAISY format. Ann Saunders who has been a Studio volunteer for 16 years
has become the "Voice of Potter" to CNIB patrons. For the DAISY Potter
books,
Ann increased her standard three shifts to a full 40 hour week. She narrated
the first in the series in 1997 in under a week, and was presented with a
wizard gift box filled with "magic" treats such as "every flavour beans" and
a wand. Ann's commitment is exceptional, but it reflects the dedication and
commitment of the many thousands of people around the world involved in
making print publications accessible for those who can not read print.
In a recent interview, Ann provided some insight into her commitment and why
she thinks DAISY is changing the way people around the world read.
List of 10 items
? Q: How do you think DAISY books have changed the way folks who use
accessible books read and access information?
? A: It is infinitely more accessible. The players are sleek and easier to
use, and there are more options for navigating from chapter to chapter or
page
to page. It surprised me that CNIB's version was on one CD. My grandkids
bought a commercial CD set of the A: It is infinitely more accessible. The
players
are sleek and easier to use, and there are more options for navigating from
chapter to chapter or page to page. It surprised me that CNIB's version was
on one CD. My grandkids brought a commercial CD set of the "Deathly Hallows"
? Q: What do you get most out of the volunteer work you do for CNIB?
? A: I love to read. I recorded a book on cassette for a friend who was
losing her sight and found it tremendously satisfying. That was the start of
my
volunteer commitment, of making books accessible. If I'm narrating a kid's
book, I feel like I'm reading to my grandsons; if I'm narrating an adult
book,
it's like I'm reading to a friend. When a book is finally published after
multiple edits and reviews, it is in itself a remarkable achievement. It is
a
huge responsibility creating an accessible version of published works and a
lot of fun as well. I want to make the reader feel involved in the book, to
feel the emotion - sadness, happiness.
? Q: What do you think open, international sharing of DAISY books around the
world would mean to the people who read these books?
? A: I can't believe it would be anything but hugely beneficial.
? Q: What do you think about the fact that the Harry Potter series has been
produced by many different organizations around the world?
? A: This book was very unusual in terms of hype and release date. All
organizations must have been under pressure to get their DAISY production of
these
out as quickly as possible. It would be wonderful if these organizations
could get access to the book prior to the print release. If international
exchange
of DAISY books would mean avoiding duplication of effort, which would mean
more DAISY books could be produced, it has to be wonderful.
? Q: Is there a message you would like to send to the readers of "The DAISY
Planet" about DAISY books, about international sharing of DAISY books, about
international copyright law?
? A: Yes. We have the technology to be a global village. This is a
tremendous opportunity for spoken word to get out world wide. There should
not be any
barriers to this. In the best of all possible worlds there will be access to
everything that is published.
list end
Ann SaundersAnn had tears in her eyes when she stepped out of the recording
booth after several emotional "retakes" to get through the final few
sentences
of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". "This book" said Ann, "was hugely
emotional because all of the readers knew the series was coming to an end.
J. K. Rowling did a superb job, one of the best. She caught the imagination
of millions of children and adults all over the world."
The DAISY Consortium would like to thank Ann for giving this interview, and
thank both Ann and CNIB for providing a
short audio clip
from Ann's narration of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". A superb
job Ann!
See the
CNIB news release
about "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" and Ann Saunders.
Did your organization produce "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" in
DAISY format? Please let us know using the
Contact Us
form ("Newsletter" category) on the DAISY Web site.
Be sure to read Part II of "Harry Potter and the Global Library" in next
month's "DAISY Planet".
Techshare/DAISY Conference
This joint conference will be held October 4 and 5 in London, England. We
hope to see many of you there from all parts of the globe. The number of
paper
submissions was exceptionally large and the selection committee had a
difficult challenge. The program, although not yet finalized, is available
on the
Techshare Web site.
Corrections and required changes have been identified and will be made as
soon as possible. The Techshare/DAISY Conference highlights the role of
technology
in the lives of people with disabilities. A significant number of the
presentations will deal directly or indirectly with DAISY, with DAISY tools,
and
the DAISY Standard. Participants will have a wonderful opportunity to meet
and talk with many other "DAISY-focused" folks. See you there!
Libraries for the Blind Section, IFLA Preconference
Hiroshi Kawamura, Chairman of the DAISY Consortium and Urakawa Project
Manager, and Margaret McGrory, Vice President of CNIB and DAISY Board
Member, attended
the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
(IFLA), Libraries for the Blind Section meeting held prior to the World
Library and
Information Congress: 73rd IFLA General Conference and Council "Libraries
for the future: Progress, Development and Partnerships". The Preconference
was
held in Grahamstown, South Africa, August 14 and 15, 2007. The 73rd IFLA
Conference was held August 19-23 in Durban, South Africa.
Margaret has provided a short summary of each of the sessions held at the
IFLA Libraries for the Blind Section Preconference. The session titles and
presenters
are listed here. Details are provided in the
IFLA PreConference Summary Report.
List of 15 items
? International Research on Funding and Governance of Libraries for the
Blind, Margaret McGrory, CNIB Library
? The Current Situation in Southern Africa, Dr. William Rowland, President
of the WBU and Chair Blindlib Board
? User Perspectives, Judge Zak Yacoob, Judge of the Constitutional Court of
South Africa
? Copyright ? Are people with sensory disabilities getting a fair deal?,
Denise Rosemary Nicholson, Copyright Service Librarian, University of
Witwatersrand,
South Africa
? Integrated library service for the blind in public libraries ? Digital
minilibs, Wendy Ling and Melton Kivitts, Blindlib, South Africa
? Cataloguing DAISY, Marcus Westlind, Cataloguer, Swedish Library of Talking
Books and Braille (TPB)
? DAISY Consortium, Hiroshi Kawamura, Chairman of the DAISY Consortium, DC
Board Member
? Assistive Technology and DAISY Developments in Africa ? towards making the
world accessible to blind and partially sighted people, Chris Friend, Chair
of WBU Copyright and Right to Read Working Group
? DAISY for All and the Urakawa Project, Hiroshi Kawamura, Project Manager,
DAISY for All and the Urakawa Project, Japan
? Production of Accessible Reading Materials, Jesper Klein, Swedish Library
of Talking Books and Braille, (TPB) Sweden
? The Danish Net Library ("E17"), Bente Dahl Rathje, Danish National Library
for the Blind (DBB). Information provided at the
Danish Virtual Library site.
? Keeping Connected: How could future developments in audio library services
increase reading uptake among print-disabled people, Melanie Brebner, Royal
New Zealand Foundation of the Blind
? A national digital distribution system, Jesper Klein, Swedish Library of
Talking Books and Braille (TPB)
? Country Reports presented from South Africa, Kenya, Zambia and Sierra
Leone
? Ulverscroft Foundation, presentation by Helen Brazier RNIB
list end
From the Editor
E1
We hope you read and enjoyed the August issue of "The DAISY Planet". This
month's issue includes, for the first time, "Your Story" and the "DAISY
Marketplace".
Our top feature article "Harry Potter and the Global Library" (the first in
a two part series) includes a short audio clip from the book. We'd like to
thank both Ann Saunders and Greg Kearney ("Your Story") for their input and
for the time they spent talking with us.
Help us to keep "The DAISY Planet" interesting - use the
Contact Us
form to send comments, articles, or suggestions for future issues of the
best newsletter on "The DAISY Planet".
In 1996, six organizations joined forces to create the DAISY Consortium. How
many organizations, companies, and individuals make up the membership of the
DAISY Consortium today?
14
48
More than 100
Submit
Catch the answer in next month's issue of "The DAISY Planet".
August 2007 Quiz Results:
The August Quiz Question was: "How many DAISY players are in use around the
world?"
The answer is "more than 100,000". In fact, the DAISY 2.02 Specification is
the most broadly adopted access technology ever created. It is twice as
popular
as screen readers. There are approximately 100,000 screen readers and over
200,000 DAISY reading systems (players) in the world today.
Your answers were:
List of 4 items
? 9% - 5,000
? 9% - 50,000
? 32% - 100,000
? 50% - more than 100,000
list end
Kudos to those who had the correct response.
Letters to the Editor
E2
"The new DAISY Planet is a wonderful tool for the presentation of DAISY
techniques and strategies. I am happy to read that T.V. Raman is working for
Google
and I look forward to future DAISY Planet editions." - from the UK.
"Hey ? just looked at The DAISY PLANET ? it's great!" - from Canada.
"Thank you ever so much." - from Denmark.
"Just a quick note - excellent, enjoyable, easy to read, thank you... I was
quite amazed by the quiz in the middle, complete with radio buttons for the
answer and a submit button. I have never seen that in a newsletter before."
- from New Zealand.
"Thank you for the August 2007 DAISY Planet newsletter. It is interesting
to hear of DAISY news. I should like to comment, if I may, on the newsletter
itself as I feel the format is currently less than optimal... The problem is
that for most of the newsletter, the text does not fill the whole width of
the screen in my browser... I use a screen reader to read and this makes
reading the newsletter very choppy, impairing the enjoyability of reading
your
document... I was using standard Internet Explorer 6... I hope this is
helpful and look forward to further newsletters in the future." - from the
UK.
Editor's Response: "The DAISY Planet" was tested for accessibility prior to
distribution. We also inquired with another experienced screen reader after
we received your comments, and this was her response: "I had no idea at all
that it was in a column layout. Jaws version 8.0.2173U had no problem at
all."
The layout is designed to resemble a printed newspaper, which is in silly
little columns, just like "The DAISY Planet"!
Thanks to everyone who took a few minutes to comment on our first issue.
The Letters to the Editor column can not exist without your letters! Please
send us your thoughts on important or controversial issues, exciting
implementation
stories, or DAISY related issues you would like to tell the DAISY world
about. Send your letters to the editor using our
Contact Us
Form.
How You Can Help
H2
1. Circulate "The DAISY Planet" within your organization or company; share
it with others.
2. Join the DAISY Open Source Community.
3. Nominate someone for a Story in "The DAISY Planet".
4.
Donate NOW!
Make a charitable donation to support equality and access to information.
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DAISY Consortium
2007 All Rights Reserved:
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