[access-uk] Re: Talking books - The way ahead

  • From: "Neil Jarvis" <neiljarvis@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2011 23:23:01 +1300

DAISY is not a system for navigating CDs; its a system for navigating digital content, be that distributed on a CD, SD card, USB stick, online download or any other digital format.


There are to my knowledge two DAISY apps for the iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch: DAISY Worm and InDAISY.

----- Original Message ----- From: "Ankers, Dave (UK)" <Dave.Ankers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 10:55 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Talking books - The way ahead


Brian,

Why would you need a daisy player App for an Ipod?

You cannot play a CD on it.

Daisy is a navigation system for CD's

Cheers

Dave

hi
There is a lot of truth in what you say, but, there are some people, who for various reasons, would be unable to use a touch screen, as in the ipad or ipod pod etc. a lot of elderly people, especially those newly blind find modern technology a challenge at the best of times. so yes, i think you raise some good points to be discussed. There needs to be an option. I would love to be able to play my talking books on my new little ipod touch instead of the clunky players which are provided. there are some people who need large definite controls. why are the rnib and others not looking at this option. they seem to be reinventing the wheel. is there a daisy player app for the ipod?
Brian

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Ankers, Dave (UK)" <Dave.Ankers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 8:49 AM
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [access-uk] Talking books  -  The way ahead

With regard to talking books:

The RNIB provide all the books and a player for £70 a year.  If you
are lucky, your council pays for this.

I do believe there is a better solution.  We require information to be
available in an accessible format.

The best place to find information is on the web, and that includes
talking books.

The usefulness of a daisy player is very limited, and they are
expensive, as is all equipment designed for disability groups.

If we can make use of a standard, off the shelf, piece of equipment,
then the cost saving is massive.

Therefore, I believe the Apple I pad to be the intelligent choice.

You can listen to talking books, listen to music through I tunes or
free from Utube and listen to podcasts.

You can surf the internet, email, take notes and so much more.  Plus
it cost less than some daisy players and is fully accessible.

If the RNIB were to bulk buy I pads, and supply instead of daisy
players, the cost of the talking book service would reduce, and the
availability of information increase and empower it's users.

It's time for change, and I fully recommend it to the house.

Cheers

Dave

Thank you for a few words of common sense on this topic at last!
People who whinge about not getting their library subscription paid
for them and thus not being able to read, really haven't a clue. Yes,
sighted people don't have to pay as much to belong to a library, but
then sighted people don't get their books delivered to their doors, do they?


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Barbara Wilson
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----- Original Message -----
From: Ibrahim Gucukoglu <mailto:ibrahim_gucukoglu@xxxxxxxx>
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 7:56 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Charity for blind hits out at Bromley council
(From News Shopper)

Hi.

I totally agree here.  I cant see what all the fuss is about.  Never
at any time in my life as far as I can remember have I ever had
talking books paid for by my local council or charity, be it public or
private.  Talking books as supplied by the RNIB is only £69 per year,
a significant subsidy when you consider they loan you a player and
potentially dozens of books per year.  If you want to read, you should
be prepared to pay for it as reading is not a human right and even if
it were, the council in most boroughs provide their own library
services with books on cd, cassette and even playaway as is the case
in Peterborough where I live.  The fact that some blind people are
either too lazy or just plane ignorant of these services is no excuse
not to ask them, for all they have to do is get off their asses or
pick up the phone and ask.  In an age where most young blind people
and even a large majority of the middle aged and elderly have access
to technology of some sort or oth er or know people who have access to
said technology, the information about service provision in your local
borough is readily available online and details of how to access these
services is often posted in libraries and town halls.  For heaven
sake, wake up everyone, smell the roses and start putting your hand in
your pocket and paying for things you want or that you feel you need.
Joe public doesn't get free books, so why the heck should we.

All the best, Ibrahim.

----- Original Message -----
From: David <mailto:n.weston42@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 7:36 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Charity for blind hits out at Bromley council
(From News Shopper)

Hi,

I would like to say that for that the last forty years or more I have
had to pay for my equipment and also for my talking books. So far as I
can see their is no change for me, or is Hertfordshire unique?

David Weston.
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Gordon Keen
Sent: 11 January 2011 09:38
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Charity for blind hits out at Bromley council
(From News Shopper)




Here we go then, the big society - my arse!


Site Logo<http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/resources/images/1000734/>


Charity for blind hits out at Bromley council


1:18pm Monday 10th January 2011

By David Mills

A CHARITY which represents the blind and visually impaired has hit out
at Bromley Council <http://www.bromley.gov.uk/Default.bromley>  for
temporarily suspending equipment provision.

Services which include the talking books, as well as equipment such as
walking canes and liquid level indicators, are all under review by the
council.

Kent Association for the Blind (KAB), which has a sight centre in
Blyth Road, Bromley, will be pressuring the council to continue
providing funding.

Dick Groves, aged 65, of South View, Bromley, said: "Visual impairment
is the most feared of all sensory impairments. Provision in Bromley is
extremely patchy."

Mr Groves, who is blind, said: "This is a classic example of the way
in which action has been taken without consultation and without
information being given to one of the weakest sections of society and
least able to respond."

Kent Association for the Blind's Bromley
branch<http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/resources/images/1536532/>

A KAB spokesman said: "We are currently in contact with our service
users to explain the service has been temporarily suspended by the
London borough of Bromley.

"We are sharing other providers of these services such as the Calibre
audio library, a completely free service, to ensure users are not
going to go without talking books.

"We at KAB are going to be making representations to the council to
press the case that it would be more cost effective to continue to
fund provision because we believe withdrawing that service represents
a real risk to people's safety and their ability to get out and about.

"The costs that could be generated by injury would far outweigh the
cost to the council of providing equipment."

A council spokesman said: "We have a strong commitment to providing
talking books in our libraries with no plans to cut the service and we
will continue to make special concessions to waive charges to people
with a registered visual impairment.

"We have however moved from cassettes to CDs and downloadable material
over the years but we still keep a large collection of older cassettes
in our Home Library Service, which supports customers who are
physically unable to get into a branch.

"There are also free national talking book service and as well as our
library service we will be assisting people to access the talking
books from the national Calibre service together with the equipment
provided by the British Wireless for the Blind Fund.

"To make sure we make the best use of our resource we wanted to avoid
duplication and whilst we no longer fund the KAB talking books
service, KAB is pointing people to our library and to these free services.

"In terms of equipment supplied by the KAB on our behalf such as
portable lamps, talking clocks and mobility aids, again we want to
make sure we use resources as efficiently as possible and have
suspended this KAB while we carry out a review.

"However we do continue to fund KAB to provide assessment and
rehabilitation services for people with visual impairments."

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