i-access® How Vision Australia is Improving Access

to Information

Karl Hughes & Andrew Furlong

Think Globally,Act Locally!

Biggest barrier is the lack of accessible information available

i-access® embraces innovation, information & independenceGlobal partnerships and local abilities have enabled

solutions for Vision Australia to act locally in removing barriers to accessing information

Context - Who is Vision Australia?

“Vision Australia is a partnership between people who are blind, have low vision and are sighted…”

Largest provider of blindness, low vision and print disability services in Australia

38,000+ clients of all VA services18,000+ library clients across Australia

Challenges – the External Environment

Our clients say the biggest barrier is the lack of accessible information

< 5% of the world’s published material & < 20% of the world’s websites are accessible

300,00 blind and low vision Australians

Over 3 million people in Australia have a print disability

Continued population growth and ageing

Mass media changes – information gap widening

Characteristics – an i- access® Overview

Innovation, Information & Independence Content Creation Processes – DAISY titles created or acquired

& automated format conversion Content Storage & Management – a high capacity central

repository Content Search, Selection & Delivery – choice of material,

choice of delivery channel Digital Reading Devices – software or hardware, training &

support A free service, including a DAISY reading device Global and local partnerships and solutions to access digital

information (e.g. Plextor, Dedicon, RNIB)

The service has grown over 4 years

• 150+ Daily newspapers & magazines online

• 15,000 DAISY audio titles plus DAISY text, eBraille & Braille Choice of Plextor desktop or Humanware handheld DAISY player i-access® Burn on Demand: Automated CD production

• 28,000+ Burn on Demand CDs per month i-access® Online: online access to content

• 4,000+ downloads per month

• Newspapers, magazines, books, podcasts, music braille i-access Production Manager is an automated production ‘engine’ –

text in, DAISY out

Characteristics – an i- access® Overview

Client Benefitsi-access® from the client perspective:

1. The Library provides me with the latest relevant titles and information

2. I can access news and current affairs when I need it

3. Self-served content reduces waiting and increases choice

4. A wide range of DAISY content is available; its navigation features mean an experience similar to a sighted reader

5. I can choose how, when and where I receive content:

Online (from anywhere in the world)

On CD (streamlined delivery using custom mailer)

In Braille (an important literacy option)

Plextor PTXOnline DAISY player

CD and online capableNo PC requiredWireless of cable networkDAISY online protocol (coming soon)

User Searches library catalogue Library assisted book selection Streaming or Download Store books in “My Library” Integrated DRM Ongoing development

Humanware Victor Reader StreamPortable Handheld DAISY player

Very easy to use

DAISY, MP3 player

Voice recorder

15 hours battery life

Connected via USB to PC

SD card

Headphones

Concept: i- access® Flowchart

DAISY LibraryFTP Server

Narrator OCR Electronic file

from Publishers and Clients

i-access® Web Services and Distribution Server

DAISYConverter

Vision Australia Production Manager

Synthetic Voice(If requested)

DAISY 2.02&

DAISY 3

Automated

BODPack and send

Email File toClient

Telephone Web Radio

DAISY CD

Internet

DAISYText and Audio

Kiosk

60TB

i-access® Web Interface

The Future:Ongoing Development

i-access® DAISY access Software and phone player options

i-access® Online All library content to be available online – linked to catalogue Adoption of DAISY Online Protocol

i-access® Production Manager Online lodgment and conversion of personal and other materials by

clients Extend automated conversion, producing synthetic voice and Braille,

ePub and DAISY 4 (when available)

i-access® Burn on Demand Multi-title CDs, automated packing and dispatch

Thank You

Q & A