Digital Audio Project
The Digital Audio Project, a programme to investigate, create and distribute digital talking books (DTBs) of OU study materials, has now come to an end. As a result, Disabled Student Services can now offer a range of subjects in DAISY DTB format.
DAISY DTBs are greatly superior to traditional audio books which are linear and provide little or no ability to navigate around them. As DAISY DTBs work by linking audio, all levels of text and images, readers are able to navigate by page number, chapter or section. Users can navigate through a DTB on-screen, by listening or both.
We have converted our audio cassette material and pre-existing OU digital recordings into DAISY DTBs and also have ongoing DAISY DTB conversion projects undertaken by external suppliers. As a result, we are now in a position to offer students a range of DAISY DTB recordings for study in 2010 and beyond. This is in addition to our other alternative format provisions. (Please note: at the present time, only students who have told the University that they have a disability or additional requirement are eligible for audio recordings of their study material, primarily due to copyright restrictions).
Due to a variety of conversion methods used by the OU, we have a number of different types of DAISY DTBs available. Below are samples of 5 different types of DAISY DTBs to download which will be on offer for the foreseeable future. To help, we've added some explanations of the different types.
To listen to and view all the samples below you will need suitable software for reading DAISY DTBs. If you do not already have this you can download free software from one of the DAISY Software Playback Tool providers listed on the DAISY Consortium website http://www.daisy.org/tools/580/Software. The DTB samples are provided zipped for easy downloading - when you click to download them you will need to unzip them and save the files on your computer. To view and hear the DAISY DTB select the file titled ncc to play through the DAISY playing software.
Medicine and society in Europe 1500-1930 Level 2 A218 Book 1
This has been created by converting an audio cassette recording into a DAISY DTB. We have preserved the original human voice audio and have provided the user with a navigation system comprised of headings and page numbers.
Download the A218 Book 1 DAISY DTB sample (9.7MB).
Film and television history Level 3 AA310 Book 1
This has been created by converting a pre-existing digital recording into a DAISY DTB. We have preserved the original human voice audio recording and have provided the user with full on-screen text together with a navigation system comprised of headings and page numbers.
Please note: as with our older digital recordings, there are no images contained within these DAISY DTBs, but image and figure descriptions are provided.
Download the AA310 Book 1 DAISY DTB sample (5.5MB).
Managing organisations and people Level 3 B628 Part 1
This has been created by importing an XML based document into a conversion tool to create a DAISY DTB. As a result, we are able to offer a synthetic voice audio, full on-screen text and a navigation system comprised of headings and page numbers. In addition, these DAISY DTBs include images, figures and image and figure descriptions.
Download the B628 Part 1 DAISY DTB sample (3.1MB).
Investigating the psychological world Postgraduate D821 Contact Article
This has been created by an external supplier converting PDF material into a DAISY DTB. We are able to offer a synthetic voice audio, full on-screen text and a navigation system comprised of headings and page numbers. In addition, these DAISY DTBs include images and figures. However, due to conversion limitations it does not include image and figure descriptions.
Download the D821 Contact Article DAISY DTB sample (3.1MB).
Exploring science Level 1 S104 Chapter 2
This has been created in our Audio Recording Centre by producing a navigation structure comprised of headings and pages and having our volunteers read the content of a textbook into the DAISY DTB. As a result, the DAISY DTB does not contain full on-screen text or images.
To download the S104 Chapter 2 DAISY DTB sample (2.8MB).
Please note, if you are eligible and request to receive audio recordings of your OU study materials, you will be provided with a free copy of AMIS software. You can check accessible study materials for more information on the alternative formats that we currently provide. If you require more information, please contact your regional or national centre.
If you would like to learn more about the project, please visit our project website at: http://www.open.ac.uk/digitalaudioproject
