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Software to Help the Visually Challenged

Techtree News Staff, May 08, 2008 2005 hrs IST

The new software will make it easier for anyone to create documents and content accessible by blind and print-disabled individuals.

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Microsoft, in partnership with industry- and advocacy- group leaders worldwide, have launched a new software called "Save as DAISY XML" that will make it easier for anyone to create documents and content accessible by blind and print-disabled individuals.

The new "Save as DAISY XML" add-in, designed for Microsoft Office Word 2007, Word 2003, and Word XP, will allow users save Open XML-based text files as DAISY XML, the foundation of the globally-accepted lingua franca for digital talking books.

The add-in is created through an open-source project with Microsoft and the Digital Accessible Information SYstem (DAISY) Consortium. It can be downloaded by Microsoft Office Word users for free here.

Also released today is the newest version of the DAISY Pipeline, a free downloadable transformation suite that supports seamless conversion of DAISY XML into DAISY Digital Talking Book (DTB) format. Together, these technologies provide a comprehensive solution for converting text documents into accessible formats for people with print disabilities.

An Indian member of the DAISY consortium, the National Association for the Blind (NAB), has welcomed the initiative. Dipendra Manocha, director (IT and Services) of NAB and president of DAISY Forum of India, said, "With the largest blind population in the world, India needs initiatives like these to redress the problems faced by the visually challenged. Access to the 'Save as DAISY XML' add-in for Microsoft Office Word is an important step forward for people with print disabilities around the world as it supports access to information contained within billions of Microsoft Office Word documents, helping them to lead more independent and productive lives."

This new tool also presents the opportunity for organizations such as insurance agencies, health-care providers, and independent software vendors to consider ways in which technology may be employed to meet the needs of those not yet served by text-only or audio-only formats.

USER COMMENTS

Dear Sir, I am Srinivasan.A.S. having a visually impaired son, Sanjeev S.Krishna, who has just secured admission into B.E. - Information Science - in 2008 with UVCE, Bangalore, having secured 72% in his PUC, He is partially blind and possesses some useful vision with problems of congenital Photophobia with Hypermetropia - with the glasses reading ' + 7 ' on both eyes. He possesses a BLIND CERTIFICATE issued by Minto Hospital, Bangalore. He reads his lessons at a close range of his both eyes and uses a scribe for his examinations.(7th, 10th, PUC and CET ) Having taken up BE , I feel that my son would have to cover all of his acedemic papers within the stipulated time soasto enable him to take up his semester exams once in 6 months during the next 4 acedemic years. With the available vision, I feel that it would be difficult for him to cover the portions in time. I hear that softwares are available to help visually impaired by converting all the texts of subjects into CDs which can later be heard by the visullay impaired through a head phone by using the software which coverts text into audio lessons. I would be thankful to you if you can throw light on the following: * Do you offer any software for the reading from the CDs using a PC at home * What is the cost involved? * If you are not offering the above service, can you suggest the persons / bodies who take up such jobs for the visually impaired ? * Any other suggestion that you can offer to the visully impaired to pursue higher levels of studies in any field using the modern and ever improving technology. Kindly reply. With regards, srinivasan.a.s. Mobile: 98807 42935 Res: 080-23369963 Address: Old No: 30 / 78, New No: 159, 11th cross, Diagonally opp: Sri Vidya Mandir High School - Main building,. Malleswaram, Bangalore 560 003 PS: The following computer hardware is available with us at home: * PC - Windows XP Professional * EPSON - dotmatrix printer - 80 cols. * HP scanner

by Srinivasan A.S., Bangalore, India, on Jun 07, 2008 06:17 PM, Report abuse Reply

The product is a great leap forward for those of us with retena Degeneration. But it is limited to Microsoft Office documents. What is neede actually is advanced software enhancemenr for Internet Explorer for use on the Internet. when will the "daisey' consortium bring its software capabilities to the internet?

by desktoparchitec, Tacoma, on May 09, 2008 05:21 AM, Report abuse Reply