Books without boundaries

Currently, fewer than five percent of the books needed by people with print disabilities are available in digital text or in Braille text formats. One online library , Bookshare, has a mission to raise the level of access of reading materials for those who have print disabilities so that they too can have a wide and broad spectrum of texts from which to choose.

Through volunteers, publishers and partnerships, Bookshare is increasing its library as quickly as they can to provide more titles and texts available in more accessible formats.

In order to use Bookshare, users must register online, to verify they have a print disability. With varying degrees of membership, users are sure to find a level that suits his or her needs. After registration is complete, members can download books, textbooks and newspapers in a condensed and encrypted style.

After the text is downloaded, the user is able to use a piece of assistive technology to have the material read to them. Material is even available for the computer or Braille access devices.

Speaking of assistive technology to assist in the reading of downloaded material, here are a few pieces of equipment that can use Bookshare, and other accessible text sites, to read downloaded material.

PlexTalk Pocket: This nifty little device is about the size of the average cell phone, making it convenient and portable. Not only will it play books and read downloaded text, but it can also record lectures, speeches and conversations. There are many versions available for the PlexTalk, including one that will play audio file CDs and Music CDs on the go.

BookSense 2.0 Digital Audio Book Player: This device is a bit smaller than the PlexTalk, but that doesn’t mean it can’t do just as much. With access to the National Library Service digital talking books collection, this digital player can store books, music and other digital content.

Kindle Touch and Kindle 3G: With so many e-readers available, it can be difficult to narrow down all the options; however, these two versions of the Kindle are great for those who rely on text-to-speech in order to read. Both versions offer a voice over option that will read books aloud.

Check out the following websites for more information on downloadable books:

www.ThoughtAudio.com

www.librivox.org

www.gutenberg.org