Talking books

JAMAICAOBSERVER.COM story

"JAMAICAN libraries and agencies catering to the visually impaired are working together on a project that will, in the next three years, give blind and visually impaired persons digital access to print material from libraries in Jamaica and possibly the region.

"They are developing a 'Caribbean Digital Collection For the Blind and Print-Disabled' or 'Talking Books'. These are print material that is converted to speech then stored on compact discs, based on an international standard called the Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY).

"Phase one of the Talking Books project ends on June 30, a pilot to produce 25 titles being done at the University of the West Indies' (UWI) Radio Education Unit and the National Library of Jamaica, and funded through a $3 million grant from UNESCO and the Canadian Local Initiative Fund."