Microsoft's inclusion of a Daisy (Digital Accessible Information Systems Consortium) as a plug-in in its office suite is a promising development, says the South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB).
According to Microsoft, the plug-in converts the company's Open XML format to Daisy XML, a text-to-voice conversion.
"Access to information is a fundamental human right," says Microsoft's platform strategy manager Paulo Ferreira. "The ability to create Daisy content from millions of Open XML-based documents using this translator for Microsoft Office Word will offer benefits to publishers, governments, corporations, educators and, most important, to everyone who loves to read."
SANCB has not yet had the opportunity to test the software package. However, SANCB national executive director Jill Wagner says the prospect of a company like Microsoft including software for the blind is an "exciting development".
"We have not yet had the opportunity to gauge its limitations, and we expect there will be limitations. There is a need for companies to start including these kinds of packages," says Wagner.
The South African Library for the Blind produces a variety of accessible audio and Braille reading materials to approximately 6 500 visually impaired adults who are members of this library service, she explains. "But there are hundreds more who might benefit from more accessible reading materials, including the visually impaired child at school and those at universities who require learning support materials in accessible formats."
The structure of Daisy XML documents enables navigation by heading or page number, and offers the ability for impaired users to access indexes and other references with synchronised audio and text. Microsoft says the Open XML to Daisy XML translator also offers the potential for further innovation in the information-intensive markets of publishing, training and education.
Growing solutions
The wider use of XML as a document standard is also contributing to the development of software for the blind, she says. "It's not just about the Daisy format, which is a powerful tool. XML has created myriad opportunities for software development in this field."
She says the XML format has allowed the conversion of text-to-Daisy, as well as making translation from text-to-Braille much easier.
The open source community is also looking into partnerships with the various organisations assisting the blind. "Safari wants to mass-produce a low-cost note-taking alternative that can be used by the blind and partially sighted. This is exciting because it also makes provision for several of the indigenous languages," states Wagner. The device is still in test phase.
Solution providers interested in creating their own Open XML to Daisy XML translators can find the project at SourceForge.
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