Hello Penny,

Paul makes some interested comments on time spent scanning versus
time spent reading aloud and recording onto a tape recorder.
He also advocates a screen reader which is very expensive - more
expensive than the scanner with OCR that you will need.

What you could consider is a text reader as an inexpensive alternative
to the screen reader.  My company, Cloudworld, has developed such a
text reader. It is called WordAloud, and combines large text display
with synthesised speech.  It should be suitable for your student.

You can download a free evaluation version of WordAloud from
our web site:   http://www.cloudworld.co.uk
The license for a personal copy of WordAloud is $44.95.

Cheers from Chiswick,

John
--
In message  <[log in to unmask]>
Penny Gray via [log in to unmask] writes:
>
>Paul and everyone else who has responded,
>
>This student does not have a screenreader at home.  He is low vision and I
>would certainly recommend that he use some adaptive software like ZoomText
>extra level 2.  He requested the book on tape so that's what we were trying
>to provide.  I have requested the book in alternative format from the
>publisher but have yet to hear back.  As far as scanning and editing this,
>or any book, we don't have the Resources.  We do not have a good scanner,
>currently running Kurzweil 3000 version 4, and 1 student worker.  This is a
>700 page book along with a lab book.  This is why I was looking for reader
>resources, which I haven't found.
>
>Penny
>Adaptive Technology Specialist    *
>Disability Services                           *
>Bucks Co. Community College       *
>Newtown, PA 18940                        *
>[log in to unmask]                           *
>215-968-8104                                *
>http://www.bucks.edu/services/disability/
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: * EASI: Equal Access to Software & Information
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Paul Chapin
>Sent: Thursday, November 07, 2002 1:21 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: need textbook to tape reader
>
>
>Are you sure you want to do that?  Our experience indicates that scanning a
>book in and using OCR to convert it to a file that can be read online using
>a screen reader takes about the same amount of time and, after set up, about
>the same cost.  The result is much more useful if the user has access to a
>system with a screen reader.  In addition, we found that finding qualified
>readers was a major problem since student employees hated the reading job,
>but loved the scanning work.
>
>See http://www.amherst.edu/~pdchapin/accessibility/nercomp_paper.html for a
>presentation on work done here on providing course material in electronic
>format.
>
>------
>Paul Chapin
>Curricular Computing Specialist
>Amherst College
>413 542-2144
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Penny Gray [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>> Sent: Wednesday, November 06, 2002 2:40 PM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: need textbook to tape reader
>>
>>
>> Can anyone guide me as to where to turn to have a textbook (computer
>> hardware) read to tape?  RFB&D does not have the book yet.
>> It just came
>> out in June 2002.  We often rely on volunteers but I believe we need
>> this professionally read.
>>
>> Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.
>>
>> Penny

--
Access the word, access the world! -- Try our WordAloud software!!

John Nissen, Cloudworld Ltd., Chiswick, London
Tel:   +44 (0) 845 458 3944 (local rate in the UK)
Fax:   +44 (0) 20 8742 8715
Web:   http://www.cloudworld.co.uk