The Role of Technology in Addressing the Book Famine

Stephen KingPresident, DAISY ConsortiumDirector, International AffairsRoyal National Institute of Blind People, UK

November 2012

Technology Ends the Book Famine

• About the book (& news) famine

• Technology has improved the reading experience

• The next revolution in reading

• How technology we control is helping end the book famine

WBU Right to Read

"We want the right to read the same book,

at the same time, price and place,

as everyone else"

A Book Famine

Less than 5% of books are

available in accessible formats

The Reality of Accessible Publication Availability

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Who are the DAISY Consortium?

• Consortium of "for" and "of" print disability organisations + business & governments

• Committed to end the book famine for print disabled• 93 Not for Profit organisations serving people with print

disabilities + Friends• Blind, dyslexic & other print disability

• Worldwide Membership • 50+ Countries US, Latin Am, EU, Africa, India, Asia

• All continents (Bar Antarctica) (We do have Iceland!)

What do we do?Vision• People have equal access to information and knowledge regardless of

disability; a right confirmed by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Mission• Work to create the best way to read and publish, for everybody, in

the 21st Century• Foster a global partnership between civil society, publishing and

technology industries, standards bodies and governments that builds a more effective solution, for everyone

People with disabilities say they want:

• To easily find publications I can read• Far better availability of Braille & talking books• More publications with accessibility built in • A great reading experience with eyes, ears or

fingers• Affordable & easy to use reading technologies

DAISY ConsortiumWhat we've achieved

• A better way to read 1996-2006– Audio & E-text reading with navigation

• Talking book services in 50+ countries• Realised never going to end book famine 5%

• A better way to publish 2006-12– Engagement with early E-book industry

• On the brink of worldwide inclusive publishing• Now development of EPUB 3 via IDPF

• EPUB 3 brings DAISY for all! • Inclusive publishing for the world

What is an e-book?• An e-book is an electronic book which you read digitally on your computer, laptop screen or on

devices called e-book readers.

The global trade and standards association for electronic publishing.The IDPF develops and maintains the EPUB® standard format for reflowable digital books and other digital publications that are interoperable between disparate reading devices and applications. The IDPF also provides a forum that fosters enhanced communication between all stakeholders in the emerging global digital publishing industry.

International Digital Publishers ForumTrade and standards organisation for the digital publishing industry

Hundreds of members worldwide

President: George KerscherTech Director: Markus Gylling

The Good News!

EPUB developed from ground up for accessEPUB 3 is being adopted by publishers worldwide

The Official Guides to publishing with EPUB 3

Play EPUB 3 Books with the iBooks App

Publishers in countries worldwide supporting EPUB 3EPUB 3 supported in Chinese, Arabic, Hebrew etc.

The opportunity: The e-book revolution

"People with print disabilities in UK are increasingly able to enjoy the same book, at the same price and place, as everyone else...”

Stephen KingRNIB UK May 2011, Helsinki

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Good News!E-book revolution: Ending the book

famineToday– 7% of all books available in UK accessible by eyes, ears & fingers, 2011. (Up

from 5% in 2004)– 76% of top 1000 books sold in 2011 are e-books, readable by eyes, ears &

fingers. (Up from 54% 2010)

Still many barriers– user skills & knowledge; – cost of technology & DRM– not a great reading experience– cost of Braille displays

Availability of accessible publications: 2011 Update, Report to RNIB, Helen Greenwood, Sonya White and Claire Creaser, October 2011 www.rnib.org.uk/professionals/solutionsforbusiness/publishing/Pages/publishing_industry.aspx

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E-books already improving access

• For some people– Partially sighted– People with knowledge & skills

• Current e-books limited– Flat print representation

• EPUB 3 transforms possibilities– Navigation, audio & text synchronised, video etc

• EPUB 3 is designed for accessibility

Built-in accessibility: Standarde-Book read by eyes ears or fingers

Different versionCustomised for accessibility

• Picture descriptions, complex layout• Simplified for learning disability• Economically derived from standard e-book

Transforming BrailleUsing technology

• Braille readers at risk of missing out– High cost of Braille displays– Inefficient path from print to Braille

• DAISY Consortium Transforming Braille project– Low cost Braille display for e-reading– Efficient production from publisher E-pub files– Lead by Braille users, supported by DC members

• Developing countries vital to project success

Our goal: confident readersReading what they want, when they want with eyes,

ears or fingers

In Summary…

Digital technology developed by blind people has: • Improved talking books and screen readers• Improved speech synthesis and access to general

computer based systems• Enabled the creation of E-books - the next revolution• Will transform Braille• Enable us to share resources worldwide• Technology will end the book and news famine

endured by people with print disabilities, worldwide

The Role of Technology in Addressing the Book Famine

Thank you!

Stephen KingPresident, DAISY Consortium: President@daisy.orgwww.daisy.orgDirector, International AffairsRoyal National Institute of Blind People: www.rnib.org.uk