DAISY Digital Talking Book

"DAISY" redirects here. For other uses, see Daisy.

DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) is a standard for digital talking books. DAISY books are typically used by people have "print disabilities," including blindness, impaired vision, dyslexia. The DAISY format allows users to hear and navigate written material presented in an audible format.

In a DAISY book, content is presented with enabled navigation within a sequential and hierarchical structure consisting of (marked-up) text synchronized with audio.^[1]

DAISY 2 was a standard based on XHTML and SMIL^[2]. DAISY 3 is also based on XML and is standardized as ANSI/NISO Z39.86-2005.^[3]

DAISY assists people who, for different reasons, have problems using regular printed media. DAISY books have the benefits of regular audiobooks, but they are superior because DAISY 2.02 provides up to six embedded "navigation levels" for content (i.e. other objects such as images, graphics, MathML etcetera) and for displaying synchronized text to speech. DAISY Multimedia can be a talking book, computerised text or a synchronised presentation of text and audio.^[4]

As a result, DAISY books allow the blind listener to navigate an encyclopedia; this is impossible using conventional audio recordings because they lack search and navigation features and they require linear listening^[5]. While reading a DAISY book, a reader can go to the next or previous page, chapter or sentence.

The DAISY Consortium has been selected by the National Information Standards Organization (NISO) as the official maintenance agency for the DAISY/NISO Standard, officially, the ANSI/NISO Z39.86, Specifications for the Digital Talking Book, known as DAISY 3.^[6]

The DAISY Consortium was founded in 1996 and consists of a growing membership of organizations around the world committed to developing equitable access to information for people who have a print disability.^[7]

Specification

A DTB is a collection of electronic files arranged to present information to the target population via alternative media, namely, human or synthetic speech, refreshable Braille, or visual display, e.g., large print. The files comprising the Daisy formats are:

• Package File: Drawn from the Open eBook Publication Structure 1.2. It is a XML1.0 file with a set of metadata describing the DTB, a list of files that make up the DTB (the manifest) and a spine that defines the default reading order of the document. Standard: OEBF * Publication Structure 1.2 (the file extension is “.opf”).
• Textual content file: this document contains the text of the document as an XML1.0 according to a specific DTD (dtbook.dtd).
• Audio Files: human or synthetic speech recordings.
• Image files: for visual displays
• Synchronization files: To synchronize the different media files of a DTB during playback, this standard specifies the use of the SMIL2.0.
• Navigation control file: use the NCX (Navigation Control File for XML applications) to view the document’s hierarchical structure, allowing user to move through the book’s larger division or progressively smaller steps (footnotes, for example).
• Bookmark/Highlight file: support to user-set highlights to which text and audio notes can be applied.
• Resource file:
• Distribution Information File: describes how to map each SMIL file to a specific media unit.

Distribution and playback

DAISY books can be heard on standalone DAISY players,^[8] computers using DAISY playback software,^[9] mobile phones, and MP3 players (with limited navigation). DAISY books can be distributed on a CD/DVD, memory card or through the Internet.^[10]

A computerized text DAISY book can be read using refreshable Braille display or screen-reading software, printed as Braille book on paper, converted to a talking book using synthesised voice or a human narration, and also printed on paper as large print book. In addition, it can be read as large print text on computer screen.^[11][12]

Software players

Software-based players include, in alphabetical order:

• AMIS - Adaptive Multimedia Information System: an open-source self-voicing player for Windows that works with several screen readers; available in English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Japanese and a few other languages; developed by the DAISY Consortium ^{[13] [14]}
• Android Daisy ePub Reader: an opensource project for the Android platform. Currently supports DAISY 2.02 books, translated into several European languages. ^[15]
• AnyDaisy Firefox Extension, by Benetech ^[16]
• ButtercupReader: a web-based application for DAISY 3 books; requires Microsoft Silverlight ^[17][18]
• CUCAT Olearia, an open-source DAISY reader for Mac OS X ^[19][20]
• DAISY Book Reader, open-source player for the GNOME desktop (GTK) ^[21]
• Daisy Delight: open-source player for DAISY 2.02, for Mac OS X and Unix-based systems ^[22]
• DAISYPlayer: free player for Microsoft Windows; only available in Spanish ^[23]
• Daisy Player, an OSS/GPL CLI Linux/Ubuntu Daisy Talking Book reader application ^[24]
• DaisyWorm: player for DAISY 2.02, 2002 and 2005, for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad; iOS 4 or higher)^[25]
• Dolphin EasyReader and EasyReader Express, commercial e-book reader with support for DAISY, unprotected ePub and other formats, for Microsoft Windows ^[26]
• Dorina DAISY Reader (DDReader): a Firefox add-on for DAISY 3.0, available in English, Spanish and Portuguese ^[27][28]
• emerson-reader, an open-source and cross-platform Epub and DAISY player ^[29]
• FSReaderDAISY Player Software for PAC Mate and Desktop; supports DAISY 2 and DAISY 3 ^[30]
• GoDaisy: online DAISY player, in Swedish ^[31]
• Mobile DAISY Player, a commercial player for Symbian phones ^[32]
• MAX the DAISY Player, a free player for Microsoft Windows products. ^[33]
• ReadHear (commercial; for Mac OS and Microsoft Windows) ^[34]
• Read:OutLoud 6 (commercial; for Mac OS and Microsoft Windows) ^[35]
• Read:OutLoud Bookshare Edition (free for Bookshare members; for Mac OS and Microsoft Windows) ^[36]
• Darwin Reader for Android reads DAISY 2.02 and 3.0 text and audio books^[37]

Other relevant software includes:

• Daisy Uppsala Archive Project, server-side system for managing DAISY (Digital Talking Books) files ^[38]
• Online Daisy Delivery Technology, open-source software to deliver DAISY books online ^[39]

Hardware players

There are also a wide range of hardware products available that can play DAISY content, usually in a portable form factor. Some of these devices are dedicated to playback of books, while others focus on other functionality, such as PDA or mobile Internet access, and offer DAISY playback as either a feature of the unit or as a software add-on.

A short (incomplete) list of products that have built-in support for DAISY playback includes:

• Victor Reader Stream, a hand-held portable DAISY player for the blind, visually handicapped and print impaired, produced by HumanWare^[40]
• Victor Reader Wave, also by HumanWare, is a portable CD player that can play DAISY content from CD media^[41]
• BookSense, a similar, smaller unit produced by GW Micro; the advanced XT model features built-in flash memory and Bluetooth headset support for playback, as well as an FM radio^[42]
• The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) in the United States has developed a proprietary DAISY player designed for use by its print-disabled patrons. The player will replace the aging cassette-based distribution system.^[43]

Access to materials by the disabled

Since DAISY is often used by people with disabilities, many of the existing organizations which produce accessible versions of copyrighted content are moving to the DAISY standard, and slowly moving away from more traditional methods of distribution such as cassette tape.

In the United States, Learning Ally (Formally "Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic" or RFB&D)^[44] Bookshare^[45] and the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS)^[46], among others, are offering content to blind and visually impaired individuals. Learning Ally also allows access by those with dyslexia or other disabilities which impair the person's ability to read print. The NLS uses a library methodology, on the basis that the books are loaned (as they traditionally have been, on physical cassette), hence they are able to offer content free of charge, just as any public library can. Learning Ally and Bookshare both are subscription-based services.^[47][48]

Content from both the NLS and the Learning Ally organizations utilizes the DAISY Protected Digital Book (PDTB) encryption standard^[49]. The basic structure of the DAISY definition files remains the same, however, the audio itself, and in some cases certain information tags in the DAISY SMIL files, are encrypted and must be decrypted in order to be read/played back. This is done to comply with law 17 U.S.C. § 121 requiring copyrighted material to be distributed in a specialized format to prevent unauthorized individuals, such as those who do not have a qualifying disability, from accessing the materials. The organization which offers the content provides a decryption key to the user, which can be installed into a DAISY player to allow decryption. As the encryption schemes are not part of the core DAISY standard, only players which specifically implement the necessary algorithms and key management will be able to access these titles. Bookshare does not use such encryption; the data as downloaded from the server is encrypted using only the user's password, which is used to decrypt the data to an open format, and thus content from Bookshare generally is readable on any compliant DAISY player.

Production

Add-ins or extensions to create DAISY files from office software are also available:

• Microsoft and Sonata Software created a Save as DAISY add-in for Microsoft Word to convert Office Open XML text documents to DAISY XML.^[50]
• Odt2DAISY is an extension for OpenOffice.org that exports OpenDocument Text to DAISY XML or to Full DAISY (both XML and audio).^[51][52]

Other tools for DAISY production include:

• the DAISY Pipeline, a cross-platform^[53] "open source framework for document- and DTB-related pipelined transformations", developed by the DAISY Consortium ^[54],
• the DAISY Pipeline GUI ^[54],
• PipeOnline, a web interface for the DAISY Pipeline ^[55],
• Daisy Producer, an integrated production management system for Digital Talking Books based on the DAISY Pipeline and liblouis^[56][57]
• Z39.86 DTB Validator, "Zedval": "a Java-based conformance validator for ANSI/NISO Z39.86 Digital Talking Books" ^[58]
• Dolphin Publisher^[59] and Dolphin EasyProducer^[60] (commercial products)
• Obi, a free and open-source authoring tool by the DAISY Consortium ^[61]
• Tobi, a free and open-source authoring tool by the DAISY Consortium ^[62]
• Book Wizard Producer ^[63] by the American Printing House for the Blind.
• MAX the DAISY Maker powered by Drager and Lienert. Produces DAISY documents from Word Documents, PDF, HTML, CHM (Help files), TEXT and hash encoded TEXT. Will synchronize text to human narration. Multi-language. Will use SAPI5 voices. Available in North American through U-R-Able (www.u-r-able.com) ^[64].

See also

• Accessible publishing
• Audiobook
• Design for All (in ICT)
• DTBook

References

1. ^ George Kerscher: "DAISY is", December 2003. Accessed 2009-11-23.
2. ^ DAISY Consortium: DAISY 2.02 Specification - Recommendation, February 28 2001. Accessed 2009-11-23.
3. ^ ANSI/NISO Z39.86-2005 Specifications for the Digital Talking Book. Accessed 2009-11-23.
4. ^ DAISY/NISO Standard. Accessed 2009-11-23.
5. ^ Ask-it: A5.5.3: Examples of best practices of design for all. Accessed 2009-11-23.
6. ^ DAISY Consortium: DAISY/NISO Standard. Accessed 2009-11-23.
7. ^ DAISY Consortium: About The DAISY Consortium. Accessed 2009-11-23.
8. ^ DAISY: Hardware Playback Tools
9. ^ DAISY: Software Playback Tools
10. ^ DAISY: Technology Overview
11. ^ DAISY Consortium: "WHAT IS DAISY?". Accessed 2009-11-23.
12. ^ George Kerscher: "Braille Production the DAISY Way", IFLA/SLB Pre-conference Seminar in Penang 1999. Accessed 23 November 2009.
13. ^ DAISY Consortium: AMIS: DAISY 2.02 & DAISY 3 Playback Software
14. ^ DAISY Consortium: Translations of AMIS
15. ^ Android Daisy ePub Reader
16. ^ AnyDaisy Firefox Extension
17. ^ ButtercupReader - The Online Digital Talking Book Reader
18. ^ ButtercupReader at Codeplex.
19. ^ Download Olearia
20. ^ Olearia - Full Featured DAISY Talking Book Player For OS X at Google Code.
21. ^ Daisy Book Reader or DAISY Book Reader
22. ^ Daisy Delight
23. ^ DAISYPlayer
24. ^ Daisy Player
25. ^ DaisyWorm for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store
26. ^ Dolphin: EasyReader - Accessible eBook reader
27. ^ Dorina DAISY Reader
28. ^ Add-ons for Firefox: DDReader
29. ^ emerson-reader
30. ^ Freedom Scientific, Inc.: FSReaderDAISY Player Software for PAC Mate and Desktop
31. ^ GoDaisy Online Daisy Player
32. ^ Code Factory: Mobile DAISY Player.
33. ^ [1].
34. ^ gh, LLC: ReadHear PC, ReadHear Mac.
35. ^ Don Johnston Incorporated: 6.
36. ^ Don Johnston Incorporated: Read:OutLoud Bookshare Edition
37. ^ Darwin Reader
38. ^ Daisy Uppsala Archive Project
39. ^ Online Daisy Delivery Technology
40. ^ HumanWare Ltd. Victor Reader Stream Product Page
41. ^ HumanWare Ltd. Victor Reader Wave Product Page
42. ^ GW Micro: Booksense
43. ^ National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS): NLS/BPH Digital Talking Book Player and Cartridge.
44. ^ for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D)
45. ^ Bookshare - Accessible Books for Individuals with Print Disabilities
46. ^ National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS)
47. ^ Learning Ally Membership
48. ^ Bookshare membership
49. ^ NLS/BPH Secification 1205
50. ^ "Easily Translate Open XML to DAISY XML Standards". openxmlcommunity.org. http://www.openxmlcommunity.org/daisy/. Retrieved 2008-05-15. ^{[dead link]}
51. ^ Odt2DAISY (SourceForge project).
52. ^ Vincent Spiewak, Christophe Strobbe & Jan Engelen: "Odt2DAISY: Authoring Full DAISY 3.0 Books using OpenOffice.org." Paper presented at the DAISY 2009 Conference, Leipzig, Germany, 23–25 September 2009.
53. ^ DAISY Pipeline FAQ
54. ^ ^{a b} DAISY Pipeline.
55. ^ PipeOnline
56. ^ Daisy Producer
57. ^ DAISY Consortium: Tools & Services: DAISY Producer. Accessed 2010-06-07.
58. ^ ZedVal - ANSI/NISO Z39.86 DTB Validator
59. ^ Dolphin: Dolphin Publisher. Accessed 2010-06-07.
60. ^ Dolphin: EasyProducer. Accessed 2010-06-07.
61. ^ DAISY Consortium: Obi: DAISY/NISO Audio Authoring Tool. Accessed 2011-02-22.
62. ^ DAISY Consortium: http://www.daisy.org/tobi Tobi: i: a software tool to author DAISY multimedia]. Accessed 2011-02-22.
63. ^ Book Wizard Producer http://tech.aph.org/bwp_info.htm
64. ^ Available in North America from www.u-r-able.com http://u-r-able.com/products/#maxdaisymaker

External links

• Google Map with DAISY Consortium Members, Friends and Focal Points
• DAISY Consortium
• DAISY YouTube Channel
• The DAISY Planet Newsletter
• DaisyNow.Net - The first online DAISY delivery web application
• Open XML to DAISY XML Translator
• OpenDocument to DAISY XML Translator
• The Open University Digital Audio Project is managed by Disabled Student Services (DSS) at The Open University in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
• Daisy 3: A Standard for Accessible Multimedia Books