Digital talking books are much like an audio book in that written books, documents and reports can be verbally recorded onto a device to allow access for people with print reading difficulties.
Workplace solutions and adjustments
Reading written documents, reports and other literature is an important part of many work roles. However, for some people reading standard print can be difficult due to:
- literacy difficulties
- vision impairments
- learning disabilities such as dyslexia
- cognitive impairment
- early dementia
- difficulty holding the document or manipulating the pages due to physical impairment.
Providing audio versions of documents within the workplace can allow people to hear the document via the spoken word and therefore allow access to information relevant to their workplace.
Digital Talking Books services can be accessed via local libraries and/or via the internet. The services are able to transcribe a wide variety of documents such as phone contact lists, instruction books, newsletters, textbooks, information brochures or contracts.
DAISY books are a type of Digital Talking Book. DAISY stands for Digital Accessible Information Systems and can be played back on a playback device or using computer software. They provide an accessible, versatile and user friendly way for readers to browse the contents of each page just as sighted people would with a standard book and also allow the reader to apply multiple bookmarks throughout the book. Some mobile phones and MP3 players have applications that can be downloaded to enable DAISY books to be read on these devices.
Another option to assist with hearing workplace documents rather than reading them is through the use of computer based adaptive technology which reads text on the screen:
References
Association for the Blind of WA – Guide Dogs WA 2010, About DaisyWorm, Association for the Blind of WA – Guide Dogs WA, Victoria Park, viewed 13 May 2011, http://www.guidedogswa.org/daisyworm/.
Royal Society for the Blind 2009, Print Alternatives Service, Royal Society for the Blind, viewed 13 May 2011, http://www.rsb.org.au/Our_Services/Community_Services/Print_Alternatives_Services.aspx.
Vision Australia 2010, DAISY FAQs, Vision Australia, Enfield, viewed 13 May 2011, http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/info.aspx?page=594.
Vision Australia 2010, Reasons for Alternative Formats, Vision Australia, Enfield, viewed 13 May 2011, http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/info.aspx?page=681.