Using Digital Media With
Students Who Have Print
Disabilities
Presented by
Marty R. McKenzie, Access Technology Coordinator
Clay E. Jeffcoat, Access Technology Specialist
SC School for the Deaf and the Blind
David W. Bundy
Telecommunications/Assistive Technology Specialist
SC Commission for the Blind
Audio Formats
DAISY - Digital Accessible Information
System
MP3 – Compressed Audio
WAV – Uncompressed Audio
CDA - Standard Audio CD Format
Benefits of Digital Media
Moving away from multi-sided cassettes
Portability
File storage options
Storage capacity
Digital Media security
Advantages of the DAISY File
Format
Ability to detect phrases in spoken word
content
Offers ability to alter speed of the audio
Ability to move directly to a specific page
in a text
Navigate text by character, word,
sentence, paragraph, etc.
DAISY format allows flexible searches
depending on file structure
Other Formats Supported
NOTE: Different DAISY devices may support
various file formats
Microsoft Word
Rich Text Format Audio
Compressed (MP3)
Uncompressed Audio (WAV)
HTML Format
Raw Text (.TXT)
Other Proprietary formats (Audible.com)
Educational Implications
Portability allows ease of use both in and out of
the classroom
Vast amounts of electronic material available
Public domain novels and other readings readily
available
Electronic materials available from many
publishers upon request
Ability to easily create electronic materials for
use
Available DAISY
Devices
http://www.rfbd.org
Hardware Players
APH Book Port
Read DAISY Digital Talking
Books
Read contracted braille in
Braille Ready Files
Play MP3s in stereo
Send web pages directly
to Book Port from Internet
Explorer (R)
Navigate among files or
within a book
Hardware Players
APH Book port Continued
Navigate by letter, word, sentence, paragraph,
page, or section items (for audio files, Book Port
navigates by finding pauses in narration)
Control pitch, speed, and volume of speech
Hear the file name, size, current position (as a
percentage), page number, and the last modified
date
Add text to the search memory, then find every
occurrence of that text in the file
Hardware Players
Victor Reader Vibe
Numeric keypad with clockface orientation
Button navigation by page,
chapter or section
Bookmarking feature allows for
100 bookmarks each for up to
14 books
Audio voicing of key functions
and number entry
Voice speed-up/slow-down
Fast forward/rewind
DAISY 2.02/DAISY 2.0
playback
Commercial CD and MP3
playback
Hardware Players
Victor Reader Classic +
Button navigation by page,
chapter or section
Key describer function
CD slot drive
Voice speed-up/slow down
Large, tactile buttons
Bookmarking capability: up to
2,000 bookmarks
Plays commercial and MP3
CDs
Compatible with RFB&D's
headsets and adapters
Daisy 2.02/Daisy 2.0 playback
supported
Hardware Players
Victor Reader Wave
Numeric keypad with telephone
face orientation
Button navigation by page,
chapter or section (enhanced
performance over the Vibe)
Expanded Bookmark capacity
over the Vibe. The Wave can
store over 1500 bookmarks
distributed over as many books
as you like.
Audio voicing of key functions
and number entry
Hardware Players
Victor Reader Wave Continued
Voice speed-up/slow-down
DAISY 2.02/DAISY 2.0 playback
Commercial CD and MP3 playback Auto
shut-off SLEEP function
Save playback position of DAISY, MP3
and audio CD's
4-line LCD display (with text feedback for
commands and display of book title and
current section heading).
Hardware Players
Telex Professor CD/Cassette Player
Rechargeable battery
with smart charging
system for 8-10 hours of
CD playing time
AC Adapter
Key describer function
Button navigation by
page, chapter or section
Book marking capability:
32 bookmarks per book
Printed and audio
instructions
Hardware Players
Telex Professor CD/Cassette Player
Continued
Voice speed-up/slow-down
Fast forward/rewind
DAISY 2.02 playback
Standard and Four-Track talking book playback
Accessible AM/FM radio with direct station tuning and 64
radio presets
LCD Display
Sound Graphic Equalizer
Saves playback position of DAISY and MP3 CD’s
1 year manufacturers warranty
Replacement period 30 days from shipment
Firmware version 02.00.23
Hardware Players
Telex Scholar Portable Player
Six line LCD display
Navigation by page, chapter
or section
Bookmarking feature allows
for up to 32 bookmarks each
for 32 books
Voice speed up/slow down
Fast forward/backward
Hardware Players
Telex Scholar Portable Player
Continued
Tactile buttons - major navigation functions have
large tactile rubber buttons
Skip protection for smooth, uninterrupted
reading
Hold switch to prevent accidental play during
transport
I/O port for future upgrades and product
offerings
Daisy 2.02/2.0 playback
Commercial CD and MP3 playback
Hardware Players
PlexTalk PTR2 Player/Recorder
Rechargeable battery
included for up to 5 hours
of continuous playback
AC Adapter
USB Connection
Up to 90 hours of DAISY
2.02 Recording (on
700MB CD-R/RW)
Key describer function
CD Slot Drive
CF Card Slot
Hardware Players
PlexTalk PTR2 Player/Recorder
Continued
Button navigation by page, chapter or section
Bookmarking capability: up to 10,000 bookmarks
Printed and audio instructions
Voice speed-up/slow-down
Fast forward/rewind
DAISY 2.02 playback
CD Playback information (elapsed, remaining and total time of CD)
System information (date, time and battery level)
Carrying Case
Auto shut-off SLEEP functionality
Save playback position of DAISY and MP3 CD’s
External Microphone capability
1 year manufacturers warranty
Replacement period 30 days from shipment
Software Players
EaseReader
Windows
95/98/2000/NT/ME/XP
compatible
Pentium II 400 MHz or
higher processor
Internet Explorer 5.5
64 MB RAM
60 MB hard disk space
for installation
Sound Card: Microsoft
Windows compatible
sound cards
Need multi channel
sound card if using other
software systems that
require a sound card,
such as screen readers
Compatible with JAWS:
Version 4.02 or higher
CD Drive: 6X or faster
Software Players
Victor ReaderSoft
Programmed to play
RFB&D's AudioPlus
books
Navigation by page,
chapter or section
Key describer function
Compatible with screen
readers
Daisy 2.02/Daisy 2.0
playback supported
Saves user preferences
Getting Started guide and
reference menu
Voice speed-up/slow
down
Bookmarking capability:
unlimited bookmarks
Drop down menus or
keyboard shortcuts
Built-in text to speech
(synthesized voicing of
screen text for those not
using a screen reader)
Replacement period 30
days from shipment
Version 1.5
Software Players
eClipse Reader Software
Programmed to play RFB&D's
AudioPlus books
Navigation by page, chapter or
section
Compatible with screen
readers
Daisy 2.02 playback supported
Password-protected multi-user
management system
Electronic User Manual,
Hotkey List and Quick
Orientation Guide
Voice speed-up/slow down
Drop down menus, colorcoded graphic toolbars or
keyboard shortcuts
Built-in text to speech (for
bookmarks and text notes)
Text Document Reader, perfect
for test taking with additional
navigation, find/search, ability
to export text notes and much
more
NeoSpeech TTS
Replacement period 30 days
from shipment
Version 2.0
Sources for books
Bookshare.org: books,
Web-Braille: Free books
magazines, newspapers and
Spanish for an annual fee;
DAISY text and braille format
for download;
www.bookshare.org
and magazines; requires NLS
membership; Braille format for
download;
www.loc.gov/nls/braille
Recording for the Blind
and Dyslexic (RFBD):
books and other materials for
an annual fee; requires the
purchase of a “key” for the
Book Wizard Reader; source
for college level books; CD in
DAISY audio format via US
mail; www.rfbd.org
Audible.com: books and
magazines for sale, requires
BP activation; Digital Audio
format for download;
www.audible.com
Classic and Public Domain books
The CD that comes with the Book Port: 1700 books in
text format
Project Gutenberg: free public domain books; text
format for download; www.gutenberg.net
Gutenberg Australia: free books; text format for
download; www.gutenberg.net.au/plusfifty.html
Distributed Proofreaders: free public domain books;
text format for download; www.pgdp.net/c/default.php
THE ONLINE BOOKS PAGE: free books; text and other
format for download;
www.digital.library.upenn.edu/books
Legends: free story books; text and htm format for
download; www.legends.dm.net
Other Sources
Black Mask: books for free and for sale; text
and htm format for download;
www.blackmask.com
B&R Samizdat Express: books for sale on CD;
text format via US mail; www.samizdat.com/
Baen Books: free and subscription books; htm
and text format for download; www.baen.com/
The Blind Bookworm: free books and links to
sources; text format for download;
www.panix.com/~kestrell/
References and Newsletters
Project Bartleby: collection of free books and reference
materials; htm format; www.bartleby.com
Encyclopedia Britannica: limited free use or
subscription; htm format; www.eb.com/
Jupitermedia: free and subscription newsletters; text
and htm format via e-mail; e-newsletters.internet.com
Freedom Scientific: Free Bible; braille format for
download;
ftp://ftp4.freedomscientific.com/Blazie/books/bible/
University of Virginia E-text Archives: books and
articles; text and htm format for download;
www.etext.lib.virginia.edu/
Etext.org archives: electronic text; text and htm format
for download; www.etext.org/index.shtm l
Other Audio Sources
Teaching Company: university courses for sale
on CD; mp3 format via US mail;
www.teach12.com/teach12.asp?ai=16281
Tiflolibros: books in Spanish; mp3 format for
download; www.tiflolibros.com.ar
Fictionwise: books for sale; mp3 format;
www.fictionwise.com
Audio Books for Free: free books; mp3 format
for download; www.audiobooksforfree.com
Freedom Scientific: Free JAWS tutorials; mp3
format for download; www.freedomscientific.com
Comprehensive Databases
Louis Database: books and materials
from 170 agencies in the US; text and
braille format for download;
www.aph.org/louis.htm
The Revealweb library catalogue: books
and other materials; electronic format;
www.revealweb.org.uk
Newspapers
Bookshare: New York Times and USA Today; braille
and DAISY format for download;
www.bookshare.org
NewsStand, Inc: hundreds of newspapers for free
and subscription; htm format via e-mail;
www.newsstand.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=main
NewsVoyager: free search for local newspaper
web sites from all over the world; htm format;
www.newspaperlinks.com/voyager.cfm
Digital Libraries
The Norton Public Library:
www.nortonlibrary.org
The Canadian Digital Library:
www.cnib.ca/library
The International Electronic Book
Library: www.braille.org/braille_books
National Library for the Blind UK:
www.nlb-online.org.
International Public Library: www.ipl.org/
Radios and Shows
Old Time Radio Shows: radio shows; mp3format for
download; www.related-pages.com/oldtimeradio
Turtle Services Limited: popular recordings from 1900
to 1930; mp3 format for download;
www.turtleserviceslimited.org/jukebox.htm
The Museum of Modern Art, New York: audio
commentary, programs and guides in different
languages; mp3 format for download;
www.moma.org/visit_moma/audio.html
ACB Radio: informative and entertaining material; mp3
format for download; ftp.acbradio.org
RadioLovers: old-time radio shows; mp3 format for
download; www.radiolovers.com
Podcatchers that work well with
screen readers
iPodder:
www.ipodder.sourceforge.net/index.php
Primetime Podcast Receiver:
www.primetimepodcast.com/blog/default.a
spx
Podcast directories to get started
Podcastalley.com: ww.podcastalley.com
Podcast Bunker:
www.podcastbunker.com
iPodder.org: www.ipodder.org
The World of Audio:
www.worldofaudio.net
List of blind podcasters:
www.whitestick.co.uk/podcasts.html
Larry Skutchan’s podcasts
Blind Cool Tech: www.blindcooltech.com
Address to subscribe:
http://www.aph.org/tech/bct.xml.
Some podcasts in this site include:

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Getting Started Listening To Podcasts
Using ipodder
Introducing Book Port
Exploring Features in Book Port 2.0
Book Port Firmware 2.1 Released
Content in formats not directly
supported
BBC4 Audio Interviews A-Z: excerpts from the BBC's
extensive archives of interviews with major cultural
figures, from 1937 to the present; Real Media Audio
format for download;
www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/audiointerviews/index.shtml
Wired For Books: free books and interviews; Real
Media Audio format for download;
www.wiredforbooks.org
Book Locker: books for sale; pdf format for download;
www.booklocker.com
Jiggerbug: book rental service on CD or download;
wma format for download; www.jiggerbug.com
THE END