1. i-access®
How Vision Australia is Improving Access
to Information
Karl Hughes & Andrew Furlong

2. Think Globally,
Act Locally!
Biggest barrier is the lack of accessible information
available
 i-access®
embraces innovation, information & independence
Global partnerships and local abilities have enabled
solutions for Vision Australia to act locally in removing
barriers to accessing information

3. Context - Who is
Vision Australia?
“Vision Australia is a partnership between people who are
blind, have low vision and are sighted…”
Largest provider of blindness, low vision and print
disability services in Australia
38,000+ clients of all VA services
18,000+ library clients across Australia

4. Challenges – the
External Environment
Our clients say the biggest barrier is the lack of accessible
information
< 5% of the world’s published material & < 20% of the
world’s websites are accessible
300,00 blind and low vision Australians
Over 3 million people in Australia have a print disability
Continued population growth and ageing
Mass media changes – information gap widening

5. Characteristics – an
i- access®
Overview
Innovation, Information & Independence
 Content Creation Processes – DAISY titles created or
acquired & automated format conversion
 Content Storage & Management – a high capacity
central repository
 Content Search, Selection & Delivery – choice of
material, choice of delivery channel
 Digital Reading Devices – software or hardware, training
& support
 A free service, including a DAISY reading device
 Global and local partnerships and solutions to access
digital information (e.g. Plextor, Dedicon, RNIB)

6.  The service has grown over 4 years
• 150+ Daily newspapers & magazines online
• 15,000 DAISY audio titles plus DAISY text, eBraille & Braille
 Choice of Plextor desktop or Humanware handheld DAISY player
 i-access® Burn on Demand: Automated CD production
• 28,000+ Burn on Demand CDs per month
 i-access® Online: online access to content
• 4,000+ downloads per month
• Newspapers, magazines, books, podcasts, music braille
 i-access Production Manager is an automated production ‘engine’ –
text in, DAISY out
Characteristics – an
i- access®
Overview

7. Client Benefits
i-access®
from the client perspective:
1. The Library provides me with the latest relevant titles and information
2. I can access news and current affairs when I need it
3. Self-served content reduces waiting and increases choice
4. A wide range of DAISY content is available; its navigation features
mean an experience similar to a sighted reader
5. I can choose how, when and where I receive content:
 Online (from anywhere in the world)
 On CD (streamlined delivery using custom mailer)
 In Braille (an important literacy option)

8. Plextor PTX
Online DAISY player
CD and online capable
No PC required
Wireless of cable network
DAISY online protocol (coming soon)
 User Searches library catalogue
 Library assisted book selection
 Streaming or Download
 Store books in “My Library”
 Integrated DRM
 Ongoing development

9. Humanware Victor
Reader Stream
Portable Handheld DAISY player
Very easy to use
DAISY, MP3 player
Voice recorder
15 hours battery life
Connected via USB to PC
SD card
Headphones

10. Concept:
i- access®
Flowchart
DAISY LibraryFTP Server
Narrator OCR
Electronic file
from Publishers
and Clients
i-access®
Web Services and Distribution Server
DAISY
Converter
Vision Australia Production Manager
Synthetic Voice
(If requested)
DAISY 2.02
&
DAISY 3
Automated
BOD
Pack and send
Email File to
Client
Telephone Web Radio
DAISY CD
Internet
DAISY
Text and Audio
Kiosk
60TB

12. i-access®
Web Interface

13. The Future:
Ongoing Development
i-access®
DAISY access
 Software and phone player options
i-access®
Online
 All library content to be available online – linked to catalogue
 Adoption of DAISY Online Protocol
i-access®
Production Manager
 Online lodgment and conversion of personal and other materials by
clients
 Extend automated conversion, producing synthetic voice and Braille,
ePub and DAISY 4 (when available)
i-access®
Burn on Demand
 Multi-title CDs, automated packing and dispatch

14. Thank You
Q & A