Microsoft has partnered with the Daisy Consortium to unveil the consortium's South African branch geared to make open source learning materials accessible to people living with disabilities.
The Digital Accessible Information System (Daisy) is an international organisation that develops solutions for people with sensory, cognitive and physical disabilities.
Microsoft teamed up with Daisy to develop digital solutions and collaboratively develop a software tool for converting Open XML files such as .DOCX files by Word into Daisy XML audio files.
Microsoft and Daisy's software solution is free of charge and can be downloaded via sourceforge.net or Microsoft's Web site.
Mteto Nyati, Microsoft SA MD, says Daisy and Microsoft envision a world where people living with disabilities have equal access to information and knowledge, without having to deal with additional expense.
“SA has approximately 88 000 students living with disabilities within 400 schools. There are 288 000 disabled people that are not studying and don't have access to information. Through this technology, Microsoft would like to develop their skills and give them access to information and contribute skills so that they can be part of our community.”
Microsoft and the Daisy Consortium held a HIV/Aids training workshop during which they invited organisations to use the tool.
Hiroshi Kawamura, president of the Daisy Consortium Worldwide, says: “The software is easy to navigate and has assisted audio, and lets the user zoom into the text for those with low vision. The speed of the audio can be adjusted and it has 11 different languages. By the end of next year, we are going to be making use of motion pictures in our presentations.”
Shakila Maharaj, Daisy SA founding member, says almost all of the disability associations in SA participated in its skills training programme earlier this year. “Subsequent to that, we had an audit being done to format 2 000 books into the Daisy digital format, which will be available to schools and centres around the country.
“The technology supports traditional presentation of images and text, but it goes beyond the synchronised human narration, powerful navigation, and the potential for adding video and animation that enables people with diverse disabilities to access information,” notes Maharaj.
“Daisy helps bridge the digital divide in developing regions of the world and ensures access to information to people with print disabilities.”
Dr Moses Simelane, director for Inclusive Education at the Department of Education, points out that the biggest challenge for the department is funding. However, the department is looking to extend the technology to schools. “The government has started funding the programme for the next three years. We also have a tender in place that's waiting for approval to supply special schools with assistive devices.”
Next year, Daisy SA will host an open nomination for interested parties to participate on the board or to become members of Daisy.
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