[nabs-l] Obtaining electronic text

Tue Feb 8 20:55:48 UTC 2011

I don't have a notetaker, so I use the audiobooks. I don't have any
classes where the graphics are a problem. I'd like to have the
Bookshare files for my Geography textbook, Business communications
textbook, and my Sociology textbook. Even in books like Sociology,
these readers from RFBD, stutter, and mumble. There was a young lady
reading my Freshman English 1 book. She was one of many narrators on
that recording. She was the best one of all of them. Too bad they
don't give their volunteer readers credit. They should give the names
of those narrators. The ones that do a great job should be rewarded!
They need to pick individuals that can project well, and can enunciate
their words. I've had enough of the mumbo-jumbo that passes for
audiobooks. That's just my two cents worth. Blessings, Joshua

On 2/8/11, Kirt Manwaring <kirt.crazydude at gmail.com> wrote:
> Joshua,
>   Respectfully, from my experience audio textbooks have been a good
> deal more consistent than bookshare textbooks.  Especially ones with
> lots of graphics/captions that aren't really necessary for the text,
> but get in the way like crazuy when they get scanned in to bookshare
> files.  One of my textbooks is from bookshare, and, thankfully, this
> one hasn't had that problem.
>   All the best,
> Kirt
>
> On 2/7/11, Joshua Lester <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu> wrote:
>> I mentioned Bookshare in my last post. I wouldn't mind the Jaws
>> reading my textbooks, I just want consistancy, something the
>> audiobooks don't provide. Blessings, Joshua
>>
>> On 2/7/11, Kirt Manwaring <kirt.crazydude at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Joshua,
>>>   I agree that braill is the foundation and cornerstone for literacy
>>> among blind people...and, sadly, braille needs are not being met in
>>> our schools in a lot of places.  Braille is great, it's escential
>>> even...but "braille or nothing at all" seems a bit much to me.
>>> Consider a couple things:
>>> 1.  Paper braille is cumbersome, roomy, and inconvenient.  Especially
>>> for large books.
>>> 2.  Refreshable braille is great, but it doesn't solve everything.
>>> For one, it's expensive.  Also, from my experience, computer
>>> translated braille does not handle things like math or graphics very
>>> well at all.
>>> 3.  It's really nice and convenient to have jaws speed read through
>>> large books.  At least for me, reading documents with jaws is faster
>>> than reading them in braille.  I'm a slow braille reader...I sit
>>> somewhere around 120-130 words a minute, and jaws can read things to
>>> me at a consistently faster pace.
>>>   That's not to say I don't use braille.  One of my textbooks, a logic
>>> book with all sorts of graphics and symbols, is in paper braille.  I
>>> still do some of my reading in braille because it's real reading, not
>>> just listening.  And braille taught me how to be a better speller.  I
>>> use braille some now but, perhaps more importantly, it gave me a huge
>>> boost in my education.  So I say braille is necessary, it absolutely
>>> should be taught...but it's not always the most efficient or practical
>>> way to do what needs to be done.  Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't.
>>>  But I'm sure glad I learned it, and I hope to improve my braille
>>> skills still.
>>>   All the best,
>>> Kirt
>>>
>>>
>>> On 2/7/11, Joshua Lester <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu> wrote:
>>>> I know the RFBND readers are volunteers. I appreciate all that they
>>>> do, but the last 5 or 6 recordings of textbooks haven't been their
>>>> best. They used to be better. The best book they recorded was my
>>>> Freshman English 1 book. I still believe that Braille is the answer.
>>>> I'm probably the only conservative NFB member on this list. I joined
>>>> the NFB last year, but I'm old school when it comes to Braille, and I
>>>> always will be. It's Braille or nothing at all! It bothers me that
>>>> most blind people that have just lost their sight in the past 8 to 15
>>>> years don't know Braille. That's in Arkansas. They won't take classes
>>>> at the Arkansas School for the Blind, or Lions World Services for the
>>>> Blind, they'd rather have computers read everything to them. I like
>>>> Jaws, and all of these computer programs, but Braille literacy should
>>>> come first. Maybe, I should join NAPUB, as well. Blessings, Joshua
>>>>
>>>> On 2/7/11, David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com> wrote:
>>>>> Joshua, when you compare RFB&D and NLS readers you are comparing
>>>>> apples and oranges.  NLS readers, almost exclusively are paid
>>>>> professionals, actors, radio and TV people, etc.  RFB&D readers are
>>>>> volunteers, who by and large don't do badly.
>>>>>
>>>>> Dave
>>>>>
>>>>> At 02:26 PM 2/6/2011, you wrote:
>>>>>>I don't know who posted about the RFBD books. I found it funny that
>>>>>>the narrators keep tripping up on words. Even in my history and
>>>>>>Geography books, they have so many "ums," and "urs," that it's
>>>>>>laughable. They need better readers. The Library of Congress narrators
>>>>>>weren't that bad. Blessings, Joshua
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
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