Stephen King's (President of the DAISY Consortium) presentation at the 2012 IFLA World Information Congress in Helsinki, Finland (August 13, 2012).

1. The E-Book revolution
A partnership approach to
Solving the Book
Famine
Stephen King
President, DAISY Consortium
Royal National Institute
of Blind People, UK

2. WBU Right to Read
"We want the right to read
the same book,
at the same time, price and place,
as everyone else"

3. The reality of
Accessible publication availability
A Book Famine
Less than 5% of books are
available
in any accessible format
3

4. People with disabilities say they want:
• To easily find publications I can read
• Far better availability of Braille & talking books
• More publications with accessibility built in
• A great reading experience with eyes, ears or
fingers.
• Affordable & easy to use reading technologies

5. What do authors and publishers want?
We want: Give us:
• To reach a wider audience, • Open standards and
regardless of disability. technology.
• To create publications that • Inclusive ways to write
benefit everyone. and publish.
• To comply with inclusion • Routes to market
legislation (especially • A better reading
employers and in education) experience for all.
• Avoid costly burdens
Reduce the barriers to the creation and
production of affordable, accessible, publications
5

6. What do Governments want?
• Access to information and education as required
by the UN convention on the rights of people
with disabilities (UNCRPWD)
• Inclusive Laws & partnerships that deliver:
– Inclusive Society
– Inclusive Education
• Effective use of our funds
6

7. Everybody
wants
Inclusive
Publishing.
7

8. So how do we
deliver
Inclusive
Publishing?
8

9. The opportunity:
The e-book revolution
"People with print disabilities in UK
are increasingly able to enjoy the
same book, at the same price and
place, as everyone else...”
Stephen King
RNIB UK May 2011
Helsinki
9

10. E-book revolution: We can make
progress
Today
– 7% of all books available in UK accessible by eyes, ears &
fingers, 2011. (Up from 5% in 2004)
– 76% of top 1000 books sold in 2011 are e-books, readable
by eyes, ears & fingers. (Up from 54% 2010)
Still many barriers
– user skills & knowledge;
– cost of technology & DRM
– not a great reading experience
Availability of accessible publications: 2011 Update, Report to RNIB, Helen Greenwood, Sonya White and Claire Creaser,
October 2011 www.rnib.org.uk/professionals/solutionsforbusiness/publishing/Pages/publishing_industry.aspx
10

11. Still much to do… Many publishing
and reading problems still to
solve

12. E-book revolution provides the
opportunity
• Publishing industry is under massive change.
• Disruptive technology, not yet matured
• This is THE opportunity to re-engineer the
publishing industry, as an inclusive industry
But how?
12

13. How do we grasp this opportunity?
• We must Build in inclusiveness (Not retro-fit)
• Built-in inclusive publishing will cost far less,
overall, to everybody.
• NOW IS THE TIME
Achieved by working together - Across the
whole industry, in a
• Global PARTNERSHIP!
13

14. A Global partnership
Solving the book famine

15. A partnership programme
working together
to solve the book famine
• World Blind Union members
• Authors’ organisations
• WIPO
• Publishers’ associations
• Rights holder agencies
• Standards organisations
• Technology companies
..And of course, the DAISY Consortium 15

16. The DAISY Consortium
Our Vision
• People have equal access to information and
knowledge, regardless of disabilities
Our Mission
• Working to create the best way to read and publish,
for everybody, in the 21st century
By delivering global partnerships ... that build a more
effective solution for everyone.
Committed to a common mission & vision.
Coordinating resources to deliver global change 16

17. How do we make
publishing Inclusive?
To help us we need
some common language
17

18. Definitions: Built-in accessibility
A mainstream publication,
usable directly by people reading
with their eyes, ears or fingers,
with no need for modification.
For example, currently:
•works with screen readers,
•has great navigation,
•pictorial material adequately described.
18

19. Though accessible to who?

20. Definitions: Customised for
accessibility
A separate version
of a mainstream publication,
modified to be read by disabled persons
using their eyes, ears or fingers to read.
This may include:
• Re-design for Braille, adding additional description, speech
narration.
• Often, distributed separately via a special library.
20

21. Definitions: Inclusive Publishing
The total process, from author to reader.
Designed to embrace all.
There is a version for everyone whatever their
skills reading with their eyes, ears or fingers.
•Embraces the customising process (when needed) to deliver
same time, price & place
•Better for people with disabilities and without
•Efficient and affordable for all
21

22. Inclusive publishing
A new model for 21st Century
• Publishers are re-designing workflows to
produce print and e-books together
• Publishing for e-books is also good for making
– Customised books
• Braille with picture descriptions
• Audio books with picture descriptions navigation
• Help publishers re-design workflow
– To make e-books usable by print disabled
– To link efficiently to customised publishing

23. How Publishing works, today
How we
How we publish
read
Mainstream
Mainstream
Publishing Publishing People
Publication Mainstream
standards Technology Distribution
without
and laws (Authors &
Industry disabilities
Publishers)
Customised
Re-
Enhanced Enhanced
Publishing publication Re- People with
Publishing (Enhanced
standards Technology distribution disabilities
and laws Publishers)
23

24. The consequences
Disabled people get
• A fraction of the mainstream
• Delivered late
Inefficient for everybody
• Additional costs
• Duplication of effort
Frustration all round!
24

26. What would inclusive publishing look like?
How we publish How we read
Mainstream
Publishing Publishing
standards
and laws
Technology
Industry
Publication
(Authors &
Mainstream
Distribution People
Publishers) (With or without
Disabilities)
• ONE version of a book, that anyone can read, the way they want...and it
is a better read for all.
• Dramatically increasing the number and timeliness of publications,
usable by people with disabilities. 26

27. A publication which looks like….
An EPUB 3 publication, with
– Great navigation
– Integrated human narration
– Pictorial material described
• Conforms to accessibility guidelines
• Not unintentionally restricted by DRM
• Supports various reading strategies and
technologies used by disabled people
• Available as customised version when needed

28. We need a strategic approach
1. Deliver more mainstream publications with built-in
accessibility: Reducing the need for customised
publications
2. Improve efficiency of customised accessible re-publication
& distribution, and integrate it into mainstream workflow
3. Improve publishing and reading technology to increase
built in accessibility, efficiency of customisation & deliver
better reading experience for all.
4. Modernise copyright, legal & business frameworks to make
system efficient
5. Support disabled people to gain the skills, confidence and
technologies they need to get the best experience possible.
How do we get there?

29. More publications with built=in accessibility:
Reducing the need for custom re-publication
How we publish How we read
x
Re-publication:
People
• Customised
publications should
with be unnecessary…
Inclusive disabilities
Mainstream Mainstream • …but will be
Publication distribution
around for the
(Authors & People foreseeable future
Publishers) without
disabilities
• So, integrate them
into the process
29 29

30. Improve the efficiency of customised
publication & distribution.
How we publish How we read Customising re-publisher:
• Better re-publishing tools
Efficient • More efficient process
People
Re-publication
with
and disabilities • Reduce global duplication
Inclusive distribution of effort
Mainstream
• Remove barriers to an
Publication Mainstream efficient global market
People
distribution • Help customers find the
without
of Accessible publications they want
Publications disabilities
Helps Special Libraries, and the creators and distributors of enhanced publications 30

31. Anticipate customisation when originally
published.
How we publish How we read Original publisher:
• Anticipates it will be
Anticipate Efficient customised
People
customisation Re-publication – Starting with author
with contract & tools
and disabilities
– Decision made early
Inclusive distribution • Integrate customised
Mainstream publishing into original
Publication workflow
Mainstream
People – Deliver well structured file
distribution early (e-pub)
without
of Accessible
Publications disabilities
Helps Special Libraries, and the creators and distributors of enhanced
31
publications

32. Partnership with the Publishing Tools Creators
How we publish How we read
Standards: Publishing Publication: Distribution: Reading:
Open & Technology Tools for A global Inclusive
Reliable inclusive market Accessible
Industry creation Technology
The Publishing Technology Industry need to:
• Provide authors & publishers with tools create inclusive publications.
• That works with inclusive and specialist reading technology, for a great
reading experience
The Publishing Technology Industry want:
• A global market for inclusive and assistive publishing technology.
• Open, reliable, Technical standards
• Expertise on inclusive publishing
• Feedback from users.
We are helping them achieve this 32

33. …and Reading Technology Industries
How we publish How we read
Standards: Reading Publication: Distribution: Reading:
Open & Technology Tools for A global Inclusive
Reliable inclusive market Accessible
Industry creation Technology
The Reading Technology Industry:
• Understand disabled peoples’ needs
• Provide easy to use, inclusive and specialist reading technology.
The Reading Technology Industry want:
• A global market for inclusive and assistive reading technology.
• Open, reliable, standards.
• To be able to build interfaces (eg Braille keyboards)
• Expertise on inclusive reading.
• Feedback from users.
But, it is not just about the technology... 33

34. Standards are the key enabler, that the whole
industry needs
How we publish How we read
Publication: Distribution: Reading:
Publishing
Tools for A global Inclusive
Standards Technology inclusive market Accessible
Industry creation Technology
The DAISY Consortium is committed to :
• Working with Standards organisations (eg W3C, ONIX, IDPF, ISO, etc.)
• Developing equitable inclusive global standards.
• Coordinating accessibility standards & laws to simplify inclusive publishing for
all.
• Providing technical expertise and resources.
• Supporting global adoption.
Supporting the development of inclusive standards for the global publishing and
distribution industries:
Influencing the standards bodies
to make an efficient global marketplace 34

35. Working with law makers and copyright bodies
How we publish How we read
Publishing Publication: Distribution: Reading:
Laws and Technology Tools for A global Inclusive
Copyright Industry inclusive market Accessible
creation Technology
Industry needs Common laws: Not different laws in different places.
Need a global legal framework – Something we can all work to
The DAISY Consortium is committed to working with partners for:
• An inclusive equitable copyright regime that works for all stakeholders
• The reform of global copyright to achieve an efficient global market for
expensive customised publications
• Removing barriers to equitable and efficient access with fair reward for authors
Coordinating accessibility standards & laws to simplify inclusive publishing for all.
Influencing the law makers and copyright bodies
to make an efficient global marketplace 35

36. Support disabled people to gain the skills,
confidence and technologies they need
• Collective action to lower cost of key custom reading
technologies
• Encourage & support inclusive design of mainstream
reading tools
• Supporting training and self help networks
• Promoting the new ways of finding, buying,
borrowing and reading

37. Our goal is confident readers

38. Strategic approach to inclusion
1. Deliver more mainstream publications with built -in
accessibility: Reducing the need for custom publications
2. Improve efficiency of customised accessible re-publication
& distribution, and integrate it into mainstream workflow
3. Improve publishing and reading technology to increase
built in accessibility, efficiency of customisation & deliver
better reading experience for all
4. Modernise copyright, legal & business frameworks to make
system efficient
5. Support disabled people to gain the skills, confidence and
technologies they need to get the best experience possible.
How do we get there?

39. Conclusion
• Inclusive publishing is possible
• Now is the time
x
An end to the frustration
x
• It benefits all
• We have to grasp this opportunity
• We have to work together to deliver it
An end to
the book famine
39

40. Partnership
solving the book famine
• World Blind Union members
• Authors’ organisations
• WIPO
• Publishers’ associations
• Rights holder agencies
• Standards organisations
• Technology companies
...And of course, the DAISY Consortium 40

41. Together we can
Solve the book famine

42. Solving the Book
Famine
A global partnership
Thank you!
Stephen King
President DAISY Consortium: President@daisy.org
Royal National Institute of Blind People: www.rnib.org.uk