Microsoft and the Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) Consortium have announced a joint standards-based development project that will make it possible for computer users who are blind or print disabled to make better use of assistive technology in their daily lives.

The project will enable translation of millions of Open XML documents into DAISY XML, which is the lingua franca for digital talking books.

Yes, in recent times, individuals with print disabilities have been accessing information using assistive technologies, including screen readers, large print, refreshable Braille, and text-to-speech synthesizers. But their problem is they cannot visually navigate complex page layouts.

DAISY publications have a structure, which makes it possible for these individuals to navigate quickly by heading or page number, and by using indexes and references -- all with correctly ordered, synchronized audio and text.

DAISY material can be played on dedicated devices or PCs by installing special software. DAISY specifications are usually shaped from feedback gotten from talking to book users, etc.

Dipendra Manocha, director (IT & Services) of the National Association for Blind (NAB), welcomed the initiative, saying that with the largest blind population in the world, India needs initiatives like these to redress the problems faced by the visually challenged.

George Kerscher, secretary general of the DAISY Consortium, said that in this information age, access to information is a fundamental human right, which is why leading organizations of and for the blind throughout the world are committed to the advancement of the DAISY standard.

Sanjay Manchanda, director (Business Division) of Microsoft India, said that the Open XML to DAISY XML translator for Microsoft Office Word will begin translation of Open XML-based content into an enriched multimedia format accessible to users around the world, regardless of the degree of their visual impairments.

The free downloadable plug-in will be released early next year.