Mainstreaming Accessible Content through DAISY

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Mainstreaming Accessible Content through DAISY

• SPD-Microsoft Collaboration

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DAISY project in Singapore

• Background
• The Ministry of Education appointed SPD to
  convert printed textbooks into digital text for
  visually impaired students in a destinated
  mainstream Secondary School
• Students use the Braille Note takers to read
  the text formatted textbooks by means of Braille
  display or using the audio function of the device
• Textbooks with mathematical or scientific symbols
  were converted manually into Braille embossed
  textbooks

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DAISY project in Singapore

• DAISY Pilot Project
• In Singapore, most people with print disability
  are unfamiliar with DAISY
• Microsoft and SPD generated a literature textbook
  for students in this mainstream Secondary School
  during the pilot
• Student tested the DAISY book using Assistive
  Devices loaned from SPD (Victor Stream)
• Feedback were collected from the students to
  improve future conversions

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DAISY Book Demo

• Demonstration of DAISY book playback using Victor
  Reader and AMIS software

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DAISY PLAYBACK
Portable players Computer-based players Others
Commercial Victor Stream Victor Reader Milestone 312 DAISY Player Kurzweil Products Victor Reader Soft gh PLAYER 2.2 Mobile DAISY Player
Open Source/Freeware Open Source AMIS Dorina DAISY Reader TPB Reader TAB Player for Thai and English
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Student feedback
Average student age 14
Feedback Agree Do not agree Neutral
Have you heard of Daisy formatted digital books? 3 0 0
Daisy formatted books makes reading easier 1 1 1
The overall navigational features (i.e. the ability to navigate at different levels, chapters, page, etc) of the DAISY book were useful 1 1 1
I found the book-marking feature of the DAISY book useful 1 1 1
If I have more Daisy formatted books, I would read more 2 0 1
The sound quality was adequate and clear 1 1 1
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Student Feedback
Feedback Comments
How the DAISY formatted ook compares with the other digital formats that you have used? Unlike mp3 or wma audiobooks, daisy books allow for two modes of playback text to speech the synchronized audio However, unlike mp3 wma audiobooks, daisy books are rarely available Voice sound very robotic
Do you know that the National Library has digital formatted books for loan? NLBs overdrive.com service, those books are drm-protected which makes it troublesome to access as it is difficult to copy it to a player for example, the victor stream for playback. Latest books (best sellers) are not available quickly. The National librarys website for downloading these books are not so user-friendly
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Future Plans

• Short term
• To convert more textbooks for the next school
  year (2010) for the students
• Target all 30 visually impaired students in the
  pilot Secondary School
• Give student another alternative format of
  accessing reading materials besides the Braille
  Notetakers
• Expanding the project to include people with
  learning disabilities e.g. dyslexia and ASD
• Convert textbooks with scientific symbols and
  diagrams into DAISY DTB

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Future Plans

• Long Term
• Introduce DAISY as an alternative DTB format to
  benefit more users via public forums and PE
  activities
• Find more partners, including publishers to
  collaborate on conversion of more print
  publications into DAISY DTB
• Participate as a member of DAISY consortium to
  garner stronger network globally and build
  knowledge and competency within Singapore

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Challenges

• Change of users mindset to accept DAISY
• Limited availability of DAISY readers
• Cost of owning a DAISY reader
• Limited availability of DAISY format reading
  material e.g. newspaper, magazine, bestsellers
• Understanding users preference and perspective
  on navigation of digital books
• Lack of publication rights to convert from print
  to DAISY

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The End

• SPD Microsoft Mainstreaming DAISY content to
  the masses