DAISY Playback Devices and Software Options: DAISY Playback Devices and Software Options: Unprecedented Access to Literacy through Unprecedented Access to Literacy through

Assistive and Access TechnologyAssistive and Access Technology

Joshua Irzyk, M.Ed.Joshua Irzyk, M.Ed.Teacher of the Visually Teacher of the Visually ImpairedImpairedThe Maryland School for the The Maryland School for the BlindBlind

Mike TindellMike TindellEastern Blindness Product Eastern Blindness Product SpecialistSpecialistHumanwareHumanware

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

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SYSYstem

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 (

www.rfbd.org)– CD– Downloadable files

• Bookshare (www.bookshare.org)– Downloadable files– Files are created by users– Scanned and edited– NIMAS files are available to

institutions/schools

Where Do I Get Books

• www.readhowyouwant.com–DAISY files

–BRF files

• Project Guttenberg (www.guttenberg.org)

• Web Braille (NLS)

Where Do I Get Books

• Audible (www.audible.com)–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

www.humanware.com

– 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

QuestionsQuestions