I totally agree that at times the human reader just can't be beat!
Sharon

----- Original Message -----
From: rdawson <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2002 1:19 PM
Subject: Scanned vs Books on Tape


> Books on tape.
>
> I am of two minds on this one. I have been using books on tape for over 20
> years and at that time it was the greatest thing in my personal and
academic
> life. Over the years I have shifted to scanning my own books and having
screen
> readers read material on the web.
>
> But there is still something missing. The human contact on the other end.
For
> some reason I can stay better focused for longer periods of time with a
person
> that a computer voice. Yes you get good and bad readers but for me there
is
> something that I like about that also. I remember having a reader try to
> describe a picture in a biology book and it was pretty funny.
>
> I will still use scan and read software for an majority of things and now
that
> I can convert scanned material into Mp3 files I will be doing all my
academic
> text to CD. And my journals will always be scanned as needed.
>
> But for my lite reading. I bless the books on tape everytime I want to
here a
> new science fiction book or classic reading. A computer voice no matter
how
> you reset the voice setting of your computer will never capture the grace
and
> the emphasis of a person reading a book. At least that is for me.
>
> Just my .02
>
> David
>
> Robert David Dawson, Ph.D.
> Coordinator of ICATER
> Iowa Center for Assistive Technology and Educational Resources (ICATER)
> N168 Lindquist Center
> College of Education
> University of Iowa
> Iowa City, Iowa 52242
>
> Phone: 319-335-5280
> Fax: 319-335-5386
> [log in to unmask]
>