Microsoft recently launched a new software that will make it easier for anyone to create documents and content that will be accessible for blind and print-disabled individuals.
The 'Save as DAISY XML' add-in for Microsoft Office Word helps bridge the divide for those with print disabilities, and enables blind and visually impaired users to save text files created within the most widely used word-processing program into the world's most broadly adopted accessible, enriched format.
Global availability of the "Save as DAISY" feature (via a free, downloadable add-in) means that people with print disabilities around the world, including those in developing countries, can better access the information contained within billions of documents, helping them to lead more independent and productive lives. The add-in can be downloaded by Microsoft Office Word users for free at http://www.openxmlcommunity.org/daisy.
A group of international visitors from the Digital Accessible Information Systems Consortium (DAISY) was in South Africa training a range of differently-abled people to use the new add-in.
Hiroshi Kawamura, president of the DAISY Consortium, says the "Save as DAISY XML" add-in, designed for Microsoft Office Word 2007, Word 2003 and Word XP, will allow users to save Open XML-based text files into DAISY XML, the foundation of the globally accepted DAISY standard for reading and publishing navigable multimedia content.
Kawamura led a group of seven DAISY members who are running a workshop on assistive technologies for various differently-abled organisations at an Isando hotel.
Organisations such as the World Health Organisation and the World Blind Union estimate that more than 160 million people throughout the world are either blind or have a significant impairment to their vision. This number does not even begin to address the additional hundreds of millions of people with physical, developmental, or learning disabilities who can benefit from the rich applications of DAISY.
"Microsoft's initiative to put 'Save as DAISY XML' in Microsoft Word is the first step to bring fully accessible content to people who are blind or print disabled throughout the world. We know that 70% of all information is created with Microsoft Word; this new plug-in provides an unprecedented leap forward in the worldwide effort to make information available to all," said Kawamura.
Historically, individuals with these disabilities have accessed information using assistive technologies such as screen magnifiers, large print, refreshable Braille, text-to-speech technology and other tools to attempt to manipulate document formats.
However, because these people cannot visually navigate complex page layouts, they often struggle to keep up with the demands of today's information-rich society.
"As an advocate of technologies that help blind and low-vision individuals, and as Chair of an organisation managing a digital library based on DAISY XML formats, I can attest that this 'Save as DAISY XML' plug-in for Microsoft Office Word is a landmark development," said Dominique Burger of BrailleNet Association. "The ability to generate DAISY XML content from within an application used by millions of people around the world is welcome news for all who have been pushing for such a broad-reaching solution."
Also available is the next version of the DAISY Pipeline - a free download that enables users to seamlessly convert their DAISY XML files into the DAISY talking book format. Download the DAISY Pipeline at http://www.TBD.com.
"This new 'Save as DAISY XML' functionality for Microsoft Word has the potential to break down barriers for millions of visually impaired individuals and enhance the experience for virtually anyone who loves to read," said Paulo Ferreira, platform strategy manager at Microsoft. "This tool will make it easier for anyone - from a child writing to his or her grandparent, to a government agency providing vital information to its citizens - to create accessible content."
This new tool also presents the opportunity for organisations and independent software vendors to consider ways in which the technology may be employed to meet the needs of those not yet served by text-only or audio-only formats. Corporations such as insurance agencies, healthcare providers and companies that publish training manuals require a method to deliver fully accessible documents to their customers and employees with different needs. For these organisations, the 'Save as DAISY XML' function is the breakthrough they have been waiting for.
The "Save as DAISY XML" add-in was created through an open source project with Microsoft, Sonata Software Ltd and the Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) Consortium and can be downloaded by Microsoft Office Word users for free at http://www.openxmlcommunity.org/daisy.
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