[blindkid] Interesting info from Bookshare

[Carol Castellano]

Hi Everyone,
Below is an exchange of emails with Mario 
Oliveros from Bookshare which addresses many of our concerns.
Carol

>Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:45:23 -0800
>From: "Mario Oliveros" <marioo at Benetech.org>
>Subject: RE: question
>
>Dear Ms. Castellano,
>
>Thanks for your patience; I needed to get a 
>status on some of our development progress.   Please see responses below:
>
>•       Bookshare books are downloadable in both 
>DAISY and BRF (Braille Ready Format).  Our books 
>are compatible with screen readers like JAWS and 
>notetakers, or will be as soon as partners 
>complete upgrades to accommodate our new book 
>format.   Bookshare has also added variable cell 
>line length as a setting in user preferences so 
>that our books can accommodate different 
>displays and Braille outputs.  I'd be happy to 
>schedule a call with our support team discuss 
>this topic with you to explain further.
>
>•       Files are being proofread thoroughly and 
>Bookshare has made book quality a core 
>value.  Before new books are introduced to the 
>library, the books is reviewed and validated by 
>Bookshare staff and volunteers.  In addition, 
>Bookshare is going back, reviewing, and 
>validating older books in the library as 
>well.  And when books are found to have any 
>required edits, Bookshare strongly encourages 
>members to report them so that our team can edit 
>them.  We have added a report book quality link 
>to our site on the page for each book so we can 
>get immediate feedback and fix the book.
>
>•       Regarding Math and Science books, we 
>will have an interesting announcement later this 
>spring or early summer about DAISY support for 
>math.  Regarding images, we are in the final 
>testing stages of adding images to NIMAC books. 
>When rolled out, there will be 2 DAISY files 
>letting Members choose whether or not they want 
>the images.  The image file will be much larger 
>than the text as one would expect. We are also 
>incorporating image descriptions.   Also 
>regarding math and science books, we can handle 
>whatever we get from the NIMAC. If the publisher 
>includes images, we'll add them.
>
>By the way, another important announcement is 
>that states can now name Bookshare as an 
>Authorized User of the NIMAC. This will help us 
>get books to students much more quickly.
>
>I hope this answers some of your questions, 
>please do not hesitate to contact me directly for any follow-up questions.
>
>Best,
>
>Mario Oliveros
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Carol Castellano 
>[<mailto:carol_castellano at verizon.net>mailto:carol_castellano at verizon.net]
>Sent: Tue 2/17/2009 8:20 PM
>To: Mario Oliveros
>Subject: RE: question
>
>Thanks, Mario.  I'm looking forward to your response.
>Carol
>
>At 04:34 PM 2/17/2009, you wrote:
> >Ms. Castellano,
> >
> >Thank you very much for your inquiry.  Betsy Burgess, our Director
> >of Marketing whom you met sometime last year, sends her regards.
> >
> >I have most of the information you are requesting, but need to get
> >an update from our management team on the inclusion of science
> >images.  I just wanted to send you a notice that I received your
> >email and will get back to you by tomorrow afternoon.  Thanks again
> >for your email and let me know if you have other questions in the meantime.
> >
> >Best,
> >
> >Mario Oliveros
> >Partner Program Manager
> >Benetech/Bookshare
> >tel: (650) 644-3413
> >fax: (650) 475-1066
> >marioo at benetech.org
> ><<http://www.benetech.org>http://www.benetech.org>www.bookshare.org
> >www.benetech.org
> >
> >Technology Serving Humanity
> >
> >
> >From: Carol Castellano 
> [<mailto:carol_castellano at verizon.net>mailto:carol_castellano at verizon.net]
> >Sent: Monday, February 16, 2009 10:12 AM
> >To: Mario Oliveros
> >Subject: question
> >
> >Hello Mario,
> >
> >I am writing as President of Parents of Blind Children-NJ, 1st VP of
> >the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children and as
> >Outreach & Recruitment Coordinator in the Teacher of the Blind/VI
> >program at The College of New Jersey.
> >
> >A couple of questions keep coming up from many quarters regarding
> >the Bookshare grant to produce books for students with a very short
> >turn-around time.  Many have been asking the following:
> >    * What is the file format that the student would receive?  Would
> > the file be directly downloadable for use with a notetaker with
> > braille display?  Would it be usable on a computer with JAWS?
> >    * Will the files be proofread?  Will the 
> proofing be cursory or thorough?
> >    * Are math and science books included?  If so, what is being
> > done about figures and diagrams?
> >Thanks very much,
> >
> >Carol Castellano