Multimedia-e-book accessibility chatcast now online

The eBookWorm chatcast with e-book accessibility expert Geoff Freed of WGBH/NCAM's Beyond the Text Project is now online--click here for the large WMA file.

Making e-books accessible: Topic of Thursday chatcast

From Tom Peters:

Want to learn more about accessible electronic books?
 
This Thursday afternoon beginning at 4:00 Eastern Daylight Time, 3:00 Central, 2:00 Mountain, and 1:00 Pacific there will be a one-hour online interview with Geoff Freed.
 
He is the Project Manager of the Beyond the Text Project at the CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM). NCAM is studying ways to make multimedia (images, audio and video) used in e-books accessible to people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, blind or visually impaired.
 
 Background on Geoff Freed:

He is a leading expert on accessible Web-based multimedia and has developed methods and techniques which exploit industry standards and formats, such as QuickTime, RealNetworks and Microsoft streaming media. Mr. Freed is a member of the W3C's Timed Text working group, the WAI's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and Education and Outreach working groups, and participated in the W3C's development of SMIL 2.0. He has a B.A. in English from the University of Nebraska.

To access the interview:

1. Go to the following URL:

http://www.tcconference.com/lib?auditorium&nopass_field=1

2. You will be taken to an entry screen containing very little information. Move your cursor into the box to the right of the word "name" and input your name.

3. After you input your name, simply press the Enter key on your keyboard. You will proceed into the online meeting room.

This interview is sponsored by the Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center and is part of OPAL (Online Programming for All Libraries), a collaborative effort of libraries of all types to increase and improve access to online programming for all library users.

Isaac Singer book featured in chatcast Wednesday

Honoring the centennial of the birth of Isaac Bashevis Singer, the Meeting of the Minds chatcast will feature The Collected Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer. The time will be 7-9 p.m. Central Daylight Time Wednesday, July 21, and anyone may particpate even though the event is especially for the blind and others with print challenges. You can ask questions via audio or typing. Click here for details.
 
Sponsored by the Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center, Meeting of the Minds is moderated by librarian Tom Peters of TAP Information Services.

A second life

Cynthia Groopman, interviewed by David F. in the audio post just below, wrote up a poignant biography that we're reproducing here. - David Rothman 
 
February 28, 1988, will always be the beginning of my second life.

Sixteen years ago I received a prescription cough medication. Although pleasant tasting, it would change my life and my vision forever.
 
I awoke at midnight from a fitful sleep with a pounding headache and  red eyes that felt like they were going to pop out of my head.  Everything  seemed hazy.

My dad and brother accompanied me to the local eye and ear hospital.  In  the taxi, tears began to stream down my face. What was happening to me? I thought.
 
I was 39 years old, active, vibrant and enjoyed life. I was an elementary school English teacher.
 
An intern and nurse awaited me in the emergency room. The intern looked into  my eyes and measured the pressure, which was 55 in each eye. When I showed  him the cough medicine bottle, he said that I was one in five who experiences an adverse reaction.
 
Immediately the doctor and nurse went to work to lower the pressure with injections, liquids, pills and drops. I was in the emergency room all night and into the wee hours of the morning. I had laser surgery, and the pressure was lowered.
 
The sight in both eyes, however, was gone. 
 
I found myself in a dark and isolated world. I thought to myself: What purpose do I have now?

In the taxi going home, I listed in my mind some goals to reach by the year 2002. I was just imagining things and thought that this would allay my fears.

In the beginning it was like a bad dream. Going to the doctor. Using drops and jst sitting around and moping. I felt I had to retire from my job. The medical board asked me  stupid questions.
 
I then underwent intensive rehabilitation and was taught new skills, including cane travel.
 
I began taking adult education courses from the Hadley School for the Blind. Later, I would become Student of the Year.
 
In 1991, I became a social work, educational and recreational volunteer professional at the local seniors centre where I began to utilize my skills as a teacher. I taught ESL, condeucted groups and spoke to the homebound and counselled people. I was named Volunteer of the Year and blessed by the Monsenior.
 
I was adjusting to life because I had a purpose.

I was photographed for Time Magazine, using the Reading Edge machine and inspired others.
 
Time passed, and I realized that the goals I had verbally listed on that February night were becoming realities.
 
I began to write poetry and was one of the best poets for three years. I was awarded a Citation of Honour for volunteer service, the Hero of Winter and Exceptional and Role Model Person.
 
My fondest dream came true when, in August 2001, I had a Bat Mitzvah at age 53.

Today, I mentor children and talk to groups about blindness.

My letters appear in our local papers, and I am interested and involved in social actions with senior citizens.
 
The ability to use the computer was my last goal, and I had special technology lessons.
 
My life is full.
 
I have insight, the ability to grow, lead a productive life and see the light of the Lord.
 
My life is truly rich and blessed, and yes, now I know the true purpose of my life.
 
God gave me an unconquerable soul.

UK Audio Network and VIWorld links added

The UK Audio Network and VIWorld are among the first entries in the section of this blog devoted to outside links. They're in the right column--or its equivalent on screen readers--underneath our list of David Faucheux's recent posts.

David likes the Audio Networks' mix of audio, trivia, sports, and more. VIWorld, for the blind and visually impaired, is a new forum site just starting out. Give 'em a try. A link to an Audio Network audio sample appears immediately below this post.

--Writtten and posted by David Rothman

'How do I read thee? A librarian expands the ways'

Blind people and librarians working with them might check out How Do I Read Thee? A Librarian Expands the Ways--about the innovative work that the Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center is doing with audio books and e-books. It's in the July issue of AccessWorld, the magazine from the American Federation for the Blind.

--Written and posted by David Rothman

A Breath of FRESH AIR

When I am curious to know what is happening culturally, I tune in to FRESH
AIR which is an interview show affiliated with NPR that delves into the
worlds of culture, politics, and more. Book authors discuss their work with
the show's host.

Check out the audio link to hear a sample.

--Written and posted by David Faucheux

More Puzzlemaster

See the audio link to hear a mind buster clue about a foreign leader. Can
you guess the identity of the leader?

--Written and posted by David Faucheux

The UK Audio Network

Interested in audio content, trivia, sports, and more?

Check out the UK Audio Network to hear some interesting things.

--Written and posted by David Faucheux

The UK Audio Network

Interested in audio content, trivia, sports, and more?

Check out
www.yrguk.comm
to hear some interesting things. And don't forget to visit my audio link to
hear my take on this web site, The UK Audio Network.

--Written and posted by David Faucheux

The Radio Factor

If you check out my audio post, you'll hear a sample from the talk radio
show that I find interesting. I wish its host would discuss
disability/blindness-related issues.

--Written and posted by David Faucheux

About the Puzzlemaster sampler below

In a previous blog posting, I interviewed a friend who enjoys puzzles.

Check out the audio link to hear one of the puzzles consisting of 15 clues
from THE PUZZLE MASTER PRESENTS--see section 35.

--Written and posted by David Faucheux

MITBC experiment offers audio online--even reading from Robert Ludlum

Today I heard my first sample of an online audio book through a program
offered by The Mid Illinois Talking Book Library. This library is so
innovative, boldly going where no library has gone before--the Star Trek of
NLS libraries!

Follow the audio link below to hear further details, including some snippets from a Robert Ludlum book.

--Written and posted by David Faucheux

1421: The year China discovered America?

Could the Chinese have discovered the Americas years before the likes of
Columbus and other explorers of the 15th and 16th centuries? Could they
have discovered Australia centuries before Cook? And the Poles, too?

Sometimes the truth can be stranger than fiction!

Visit
www.1421.tv
to learn more and check out my audio link to learn about the interesting
book I recently read that help to generate this post.

--Written and posted by David Faucheux

Audio's back

Hoo-ray! Audioblogger is working again! I'll let David Faucheux know so he can resume his audio posts. Meanwhile you might scroll down the page to enjoy the ones you missed.

--Written and posted by David Rothman

Two Braille PDAs

Still no Audioblogger. Meanwhile the Engadget Web log reports on two PDAs for blind people. Some details:

Two PDAs for the blind in two days. VisuAide’s Maestro is actually an HP iPAQ h4150 Pocket PC that’s been tricked out with text-to-speech and a special tactile keyboard that sits on top of its touchscreen. No braille matrix like the BrailleNote PK, but it obviously has all of the features that the h4150, like built-in Bluetooth and WiFi, and you can connect a braille keyboard to it.

And an earlier post on a PDA for the blind:

There’s a new PDA for the blind from Pulse Data International. The BrailleNote PK doesn’t have an LCD screen (obviously), but they’re claiming it’s the world’s smallest PDA with a Braille display (which has a matrix of dots that can be raised or lowered depending on what information needs to be displayed), and it does feature a built-in speech synthesizer, built-in Bluetooth, 16MB of RAM, an Ethernet port, a CompactFlash expansion card slot, and run on Windows CE.

Good news. Now if only Audiblogger comes back soon. Keep checking.

--Written and posted by David H. Rothman

Audioblogger apparently having problems

If you're having problems hearig David Faucheux's files, you're not the only one. Audioblogger may be down. Sorry for the inconvenience! - David Rothman