Microsoft, DAISY consortium tie up

Microsoft Corp. and the Digital Accessible Information SYstem (DAISY) Consortium have announced a joint standards-based development project that will make it possible for computer users who are blind or print disabled to make better use of assistive technology in their daily lives.

A reference model for other Open XML solution providers, this open technical collaboration project on SourceForge.net will yield a free, downloadable plug-in for Microsoft Office Word that can translate Open XML-based documents into DAISY XML, the foundation of the globally accepted DAISY standard for reading and publishing navigable multimedia content.

In recent decades, individuals with print disabilities have increasingly accessed information using a wide variety of assistive technologies such as screen readers, large print, refreshable Braille and text-to-speech synthesizers.

However, because these individuals cannot visually navigate complex page layouts, they often struggle to keep up with the demands of today’s information-rich society.

The structure within DAISY publications makes it possible to navigate quickly by heading or page number and to use indexes and references, all with correctly ordered, synchronized audio and text.

In addition to clear benefits for the print-disabled community, the Open XML to DAISY XML translator also offers the potential for further innovation in the information-intensive markets of publishing, training and education.

“As CEO of the internationally recognized voice of blind and low-vision people around the world and as a reader of DAISY books, I believe this project represents a breakthrough for me both personally and professionally,” said Penny Hartin, CEO of the World Blind Union.

“The ability to make highly functional, accessible content available on desktops everywhere in the world is critical, and this Open XML to DAISY XML translator for Microsoft Office Word is a remarkable move toward that goal,” Hartin said.

“In our information age, access to information is a fundamental human right,” said George Kerscher, secretary-general of the DAISY Consortium. “This is why leading organizations of and for the blind throughout the world are committed to the advancement of the DAISY Standard.”

“The ability to create DAISY content from millions of Open XML-based documents using this translator for Microsoft Office Word will offer substantial and immediate benefits to publishers, governments, corporations, educators and, most important, to everyone who loves to read,” Kerscher added.

“The Open XML to DAISY XML translator for Microsoft Office Word will begin the translation of Open XML-based content into an enriched multimedia format accessible to users around the world, regardless of the degree of their visual impairments,” said Abet de la Cruz, platform strategy manager of Microsoft Philippines.

“This accessible technology is something that our local and worldwide customers have asked for, and we are pleased to be able to work collaboratively with the DAISY Consortium to realize this goal,” De la Cruz said.

Open XML adoption continues to expand across the software industry for use on various platforms that include Linux, Windows, Mac OS and the Palm OS.

Solution providers interested in creating their own Open XML to DAISY XML translators may find the project on SourceForge at http://sourceforge.net/projects/openxml-daisy. The resulting “Save As DAISY” plug-in will be available as a free download for Microsoft Office Word (Word XP, Word 2003 and Word 2007) customers in early 2008.