DAISY Playback Devices and Software Options: Unprecedented Access to Literacy through Assistive and Access Technology Joshua Irzyk, M.Ed. Teacher of the Visually Impaired The Maryland School for the Blind Mike Tindell Eastern Blindness Product Specialist Humanware

Agenda What is DAISY What types of files can I use Where do I get books Software options

Agenda Victor Stream Reader Braille Note Uses in the classroom Student Successes Questions

What is DAISY D D igital A A ccessible I I nformation SY SY stem

What is DAISY Standard for accessible and navigable multimedia documents Intended for use by anyone with a Print Disability –Blind or visually impaired –Learning Disability –Physical Disabilities that prevent holding a book

What is DAISY Often referred to as a Digital Talking Book Utilizes marked-up and indexed text Navigable by page, chapter and headings More like a “Book” than any other current or past audio formats

What is DAISY Audio –Synthesized voice –Live recording Text –Could include a text component that can be read along with audio –File will require underlying text to be read –Will require a device that displays text in print or braille

Where Do I Get Books Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic ( –CD –Downloadable files Bookshare ( –Downloadable files –Files are created by users –Scanned and edited –NIMAS files are available to institutions/schools

Where Do I Get Books –DAISY files –BRF files Project Guttenberg ( Web Braille (NLS)

Where Do I Get Books Audible ( –Commercially available books –Not DAISY –Meant for leisure reading iTunes

Software Options Reading digital talking books on a desktop or laptop Couple visual reading with audio output Many free or inexpensive options

Pros and Cons Free or inexpensive Many options exist Utilizes many file types Can be used on PC or Mac (for the most part) Visual and audio for multimodal learning May need multiple applications to read books from different sources May not be portable Requires prior computer instruction and skill level

Victor Reader Soft

AMIS

Victor Stream Features Key layout Navigation Bookmarking and “Go To Page” Bookshelves Uses SD cards for memory Records voice memos

Other File Types txt brf mp3 audible niso html acc ogg

Content Types Books Music Podcasts Computer made materials –Worksheets –Homework –Etc…

Loading Files to Victor Stream Windows Explorer –Copy and paste files and folders HumanWare Companion –Free application from –Finds content on the computer and copies it to the Stream

Braille Note Features Braille with audio Navigation Bookmarking and “Go To Page” Using external memory to store books

Classrooms and Beyond Immediate access to books Most books available for download from a variety of sources Navigation is like having a “real book” –Units –Chapters –Pages –Headings

Classrooms and Beyond Reading along with the class Portable Wide variety of files –Books –Newspapers –Music –Teacher made materials Worksheets Homework tests

Classrooms and Beyond Classroom benefits –Student independence –Moving at same rate, or faster, than peers –Organization All in one unit No CD’s to change Small Long battery life

Student Success Currently being used by 6 high school students on diploma track and a few more who are not Being introduced to 3 elementary age students Have all books on one small device

Student Success Using in almost all classes –Especially language arts and foreign language –Text books from RFB&D take about 1 or 2 weeks to receive CDs available for download –may take 30 to 60 minutes or more (depends on computer and internet speed) –can be transferred to Stream, burnt to a CD or accessed on a computer –Most novels from Bookshare – available immediately

Student Success Foreign Language –Reading braille materials coupled with listening to live read books –Reading and listening comprehension –Working with classmates with less dependence on a teacher or aide –All students currently using Stream for a foreign language class are receiving an A

Student Success Mathematics –Student’s grades have risen dramatically this year –Using along with tactile graphics in a braille book –No longer has to depend on live readers or very slow reading speed

Questions