Re: [IAEP] I am so excited I can hardly stand it - how about a Daisy Reader too?
Marilyn, The only free source of material in Daisy format that I know of is the Internet Archive. For example, one of the books I donated: http://www.archive.org/details/BigAviationBookForBoys Looking at the Daisy file it seems to have no advantage over a plain text file. I understand that there *are* advantages. For instance, if you are blind you can get Daisy format books from IA for books not in the public domain. However, from a technical standpoint you could take the XML file inside the Daisy file, strip out the XML tags, and load it into Read Etexts and you'd have most of what a real Daisy reader would give you, at least as far as IA books are concerned. (IA books are created by doing OCR on photographed book pages. The OCR is high quality but far from perfect). To make a Daisy reader desirable you'd need a free source of high quality Daisy files which could not give you a plain text version of the same content. Its possible I'm missing something here. I'm not a Daisy expert. James Simmons On Mon, May 30, 2011 at 7:14 PM, wrote: > On Mon, May 30, 2011 2:38 pm, Gonzalo Odiard wrote: >> On Mon, May 30, 2011 at 2:36 PM, wrote: >> >>> Hi! >>> >>> Oh my goodness . . . you can read EPUBs? That is great!! Even the book >>> reader people say they can't speak EPUB - I am thinking about KNO and >>> the >>> reader that Barnes and Noble is pushing. They say they can't do it. >>> >> Well, the support of epub files in Read activity was done more than a year >> ago, I think by Sayamindu Dasgupta. > > Good to know. I must go test it. > >>> Can you also include a Daisy Reader or something that works with the >>> RFB&D >>> (Recording For the Blind & Dyslexic) books? > > We have been discussing that for years, and some work in that direction > was done using the text-to-speech engine in Speak, and following the model > of Same Language Subtitling of Bollywood films with coloring of the text > as it is spoken or sung. (The most effective literacy campaign in India > ever.) If you can drum up some volunteer developers or financial support > for the project we can probably complete it for English and Spanish, and > then offer it to other language communities for adaptation to their speech > and writing systems. > > Accessibility is one of the critical targets for the Replacing Textbooks > project that I manage, to get rid of print and go to digital Open > Education Resources. > >>> Now they call themselves >>> Learning Ally (http://learningally.org). There is something open source >>> that works with Firefox for Windows called DDReader. I am not techy >>> enough >>> to know if it is adaptable. The Learning Ally files are audio. >>> Formerly >>> they have been encrypted mp3s or wmas, but now they are in a push to >>> make >>> everything more accessible. They have a huge collection and most >>> current textbooks. >>> >> >> I think the DDReader works only in Windows. > > Correct. > >> About the books in learningally.org, are these books free? > > Some can be downloaded by registered users at no charge, but thy are not > generally under free licenses. > > Important Copyright Notice > The contents of all Learning Ally books are protected under copyright law. > Learning Ally regulates the distribution of materials within a qualified > member population of individuals who have a learning disability, visual > impairment or other physical disability, and who have provided documented > evidence of a print disability > >>> I am also a big fan of Librivox. Last semester I was at an elementary >>> school and had what I called an audio book server. I just used the >>> Gutenberg html versions with embedded audio of Librivox recordings. >>> Using >>> the web browser, the child clicked on the book and it started reading >>> when the text and pictures came up. Kids liked it. >> >> Probably is a good online solution. I don't know how do this offline, >> because the recorded books a huge. > > This is one of the intended uses of School Servers. > >>> Can there be some sort of Sugar on a Stick version for dyslexic kids? I >>> would definitely promote it and distribute it in Texas. > > We would probably not do a separate version, but would include > accessibility in the base system. > >> Probably is a good project, but need people with knowledge about dyslexic >> and time to create and maintain it. > > Nicholas Negroponte is dyslexic. We could talk to him about it. > >>> Thanks to all of you who are contributing. It's great! >>> >> >> Thanks! I am only putting together the different pieces :) >> We know there are a lot of work to do. but I think we can create a >> solution in par or better than the commercialy offered. >> >> Gonzalo >> >> >>> Marilyn > > [Irrelevant messages snipped.] > -- > Edward Mokurai > (默雷/धर्ममेघशब्दगर्ज/دھرممیگھشبدگر > ج) Cherlin > Silent Thunder is my name, and Children are my nation. > The Cosmos is my dwelling place, the Truth my destination. > http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Replacing_Text
Re: [IAEP] I am so excited I can hardly stand it - how about a Daisy Reader too?
On Mon, May 30, 2011 2:38 pm, Gonzalo Odiard wrote: > On Mon, May 30, 2011 at 2:36 PM, wrote: > >> Hi! >> >> Oh my goodness . . . you can read EPUBs? That is great!! Even the book >> reader people say they can't speak EPUB - I am thinking about KNO and >> the >> reader that Barnes and Noble is pushing. They say they can't do it. >> > Well, the support of epub files in Read activity was done more than a year > ago, I think by Sayamindu Dasgupta. Good to know. I must go test it. >> Can you also include a Daisy Reader or something that works with the >> RFB&D >> (Recording For the Blind & Dyslexic) books? We have been discussing that for years, and some work in that direction was done using the text-to-speech engine in Speak, and following the model of Same Language Subtitling of Bollywood films with coloring of the text as it is spoken or sung. (The most effective literacy campaign in India ever.) If you can drum up some volunteer developers or financial support for the project we can probably complete it for English and Spanish, and then offer it to other language communities for adaptation to their speech and writing systems. Accessibility is one of the critical targets for the Replacing Textbooks project that I manage, to get rid of print and go to digital Open Education Resources. >> Now they call themselves >> Learning Ally (http://learningally.org). There is something open source >> that works with Firefox for Windows called DDReader. I am not techy >> enough >> to know if it is adaptable. The Learning Ally files are audio. >> Formerly >> they have been encrypted mp3s or wmas, but now they are in a push to >> make >> everything more accessible. They have a huge collection and most >> current textbooks. >> > > I think the DDReader works only in Windows. Correct. > About the books in learningally.org, are these books free? Some can be downloaded by registered users at no charge, but thy are not generally under free licenses. Important Copyright Notice The contents of all Learning Ally books are protected under copyright law. Learning Ally regulates the distribution of materials within a qualified member population of individuals who have a learning disability, visual impairment or other physical disability, and who have provided documented evidence of a print disability >> I am also a big fan of Librivox. Last semester I was at an elementary >> school and had what I called an audio book server. I just used the >> Gutenberg html versions with embedded audio of Librivox recordings. >> Using >> the web browser, the child clicked on the book and it started reading >> when the text and pictures came up. Kids liked it. > > Probably is a good online solution. I don't know how do this offline, > because the recorded books a huge. This is one of the intended uses of School Servers. >> Can there be some sort of Sugar on a Stick version for dyslexic kids? I >> would definitely promote it and distribute it in Texas. We would probably not do a separate version, but would include accessibility in the base system. > Probably is a good project, but need people with knowledge about dyslexic > and time to create and maintain it. Nicholas Negroponte is dyslexic. We could talk to him about it. >> Thanks to all of you who are contributing. It's great! >> > > Thanks! I am only putting together the different pieces :) > We know there are a lot of work to do. but I think we can create a > solution in par or better than the commercialy offered. > > Gonzalo > > >> Marilyn [Irrelevant messages snipped.] -- Edward Mokurai (默雷/धर्ममेघशब्दगर्ज/دھرممیگھشبدگر ج) Cherlin Silent Thunder is my name, and Children are my nation. The Cosmos is my dwelling place, the Truth my destination. http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Replacing_Textbooks ___ IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep
Re: [IAEP] I am so excited I can hardly stand it - how about a Daisy Reader too?
On Mon, May 30, 2011 at 2:36 PM, wrote: > Hi! > > Oh my goodness . . . you can read EPUBs? That is great!! Even the book > reader people say they can't speak EPUB - I am thinking about KNO and the > reader that Barnes and Noble is pushing. They say they can't do it. > Well, the support of epub files in Read activity was done more than a year ago, I think by Sayamindu Dasgupta. > Can you also include a Daisy Reader or something that works with the RFB&D > (Recording For the Blind & Dyslexic) books? Now they call themselves > Learning Ally (http://learningally.org). There is something open source > that works with Firefox for Windows called DDReader. I am not techy enough > to know if it is adaptable. The Learning Ally files are audio. Formerly > they have been encrypted mp3s or wmas, but now they are in a push to make > everything more accessible. They have a huge collection and most current > textbooks. > I think the DDReader works only in Windows. About the books in lerningally.org, are these books free? > I am also a big fan of Librivox. Last semester I was at an elementary > school and had what I called an audio book server. I just used the > Gutenberg html versions with embedded audio of Librivox recordings. Using > the web browser, the child clicked on the book and it started reading when > the text and pictures came up. Kids liked it. > Probably is a good online solution. I don't know how do this offline, because the recorded books a huge. > Can there be some sort of Sugar on a Stick version for dyslexic kids? I > would definitely promote it and distribute it in Texas. > Probably is a good project, but need people with knowledge about dyslexic and time to create and maintain it. > Thanks to all of you who are contributing. It's great! > Thanks! I am only putting together the different pieces :) We know there are a lot of work to do. but I think we can create a solution in par or better than the commercialy offered. Gonzalo > Marilyn > > > > > > On Mon, 30 May 2011 12:00:05 -0400, iaep-request@lists.sugarlabs.orgwrote: > > Send IAEP mailing list submissions to > iaep@lists.sugarlabs.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > iaep-requ...@lists.sugarlabs.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > iaep-ow...@lists.sugarlabs.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of IAEP digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > >1. Re: Texas Senate Bills 866 & 867 regarding dyslexia passed > over the weekend (James Simmons) >2. Re: Pathagar library (Tony Anderson) >3. ASUS Eee PC X101 @ $199: A worthy non-XO platform for Sugar? > (Christoph Derndorfer) > > > -- > > Message: 1 > Date: Mon, 30 May 2011 08:21:14 -0500 > From: James Simmons > To: Gonzalo Odiard > Cc: Sridhar Dhanapalan , iaep > > Subject: Re: [IAEP] Texas Senate Bills 866 & 867 regarding dyslexia > passed over the weekend > Message-ID: > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Actually, Read Etexts already has a built-in downloader for Gutenberg > Etexts. Just open it from the Activity ring (instead of resuming an > existing text) and you'll see the Gutenberg-specific downloader. > > It is much easier to implement text highlighting on a plain text file > than it is on a PDF, EPUB, DJVu, etc. Speech is easy. It's knowing > how to do the highlighting that's difficult. > > Now that PG is distributing EPUBs maybe support for plain text files > is less important, other than TTS with highlighting. I was scratching > my own itch when I originally wrote it. I wanted to read free e-books > on my XO and the only thing Read supported was PDFs. If I had known > about Feedbooks, which converts the plain text files from PG to PDFs I > probably would not have written it. (In fact, if the Kindle had been > cheaper when it first came out I might not have participated in OLPC > at all). > > PG text download is done using a built in book catalog that is created > from a text catalog of books that PG updates now and then. OPDS > support for downloading plain text files would be a lot better, but > there was no such thing when I wrote it. > > I'm pleased that Gonzalo is working on improving Read. I'm working on > a book on using e-books with Sugar and it looks like I'll need to > check out his latest work before I can finish it. If he can make Read > Etexts totally unnecessary it will live on as sample code in "Make > Your Own Sugar Activities!" at least. > > Read Etexts also has multiple bookmarks, annotations, and text > highlighting, and if the paragraphs aren't too long it will remove the > line endings from PG texts so they can be re-wrapped to fit the screen > and font size. It will even convert Baen
[IAEP] I am so excited I can hardly stand it - how about a Daisy Reader too?
Hi! Oh my goodness . . . you can read EPUBs? That is great!! Even the book reader people say they can't speak EPUB - I am thinking about KNO and the reader that Barnes and Noble is pushing. They say they can't do it. Can you also include a Daisy Reader or something that works with the RFB&D (Recording For the Blind & Dyslexic) books? Now they call themselves Learning Ally (http://learningally.org). There is something open source that works with Firefox for Windows called DDReader. I am not techy enough to know if it is adaptable. The Learning Ally files are audio. Formerly they have been encrypted mp3s or wmas, but now they are in a push to make everything more accessible. They have a huge collection and most current textbooks. I am also a big fan of Librivox. Last semester I was at an elementary school and had what I called an audio book server. I just used the Gutenberg html versions with embedded audio of Librivox recordings. Using the web browser, the child clicked on the book and it started reading when the text and pictures came up. Kids liked it. Can there be some sort of Sugar on a Stick version for dyslexic kids? I would definitely promote it and distribute it in Texas. Thanks to all of you who are contributing. It's great! Marilyn On Mon, 30 May 2011 12:00:05 -0400, iaep-requ...@lists.sugarlabs.org wrote: > Send IAEP mailing list submissions to > iaep@lists.sugarlabs.org [8] > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep [9] > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > iaep-requ...@lists.sugarlabs.org [10] > > You can reach the person managing the list at > iaep-ow...@lists.sugarlabs.org [11] > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of IAEP digest..." > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: Texas Senate Bills 866 & 867 regarding dyslexia passed > over the weekend (James Simmons) > 2. Re: Pathagar library (Tony Anderson) > 3. ASUS Eee PC X101 @ $199: A worthy non-XO platform for Sugar? > (Christoph Derndorfer) > > -- > > Message: 1 > Date: Mon, 30 May 2011 08:21:14 -0500 > From: James Simmons > To: Gonzalo Odiard > Cc: Sridhar Dhanapalan , iaep > > Subject: Re: [IAEP] Texas Senate Bills 866 & 867 regarding dyslexia > passed over the weekend > Message-ID: > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Actually, Read Etexts already has a built-in downloader for Gutenberg > Etexts. Just open it from the Activity ring (instead of resuming an > existing text) and you'll see the Gutenberg-specific downloader. > > It is much easier to implement text highlighting on a plain text file > than it is on a PDF, EPUB, DJVu, etc. Speech is easy. It's knowing > how to do the highlighting that's difficult. > > Now that PG is distributing EPUBs maybe support for plain text files > is less important, other than TTS with highlighting. I was scratching > my own itch when I originally wrote it. I wanted to read free e-books > on my XO and the only thing Read supported was PDFs. If I had known > about Feedbooks, which converts the plain text files from PG to PDFs I > probably would not have written it. (In fact, if the Kindle had been > cheaper when it first came out I might not have participated in OLPC > at all). > > PG text download is done using a built in book catalog that is created > from a text catalog of books that PG updates now and then. OPDS > support for downloading plain text files would be a lot better, but > there was no such thing when I wrote it. > > I'm pleased that Gonzalo is working on improving Read. I'm working on > a book on using e-books with Sugar and it looks like I'll need to > check out his latest work before I can finish it. If he can make Read > Etexts totally unnecessary it will live on as sample code in "Make > Your Own Sugar Activities!" at least. > > Read Etexts also has multiple bookmarks, annotations, and text > highlighting, and if the paragraphs aren't too long it will remove the > line endings from PG texts so they can be re-wrapped to fit the screen > and font size. It will even convert Baen Free Library RTFs to plain > text files, another dubious feature now that Baen has EPUBs. > > James Simmons > > On Mon, May 30, 2011 at 7:24 AM, Gonzalo Odiard wrote: > >> Well, you are describing our solution :) On Mon, May 30, 2011 at 3:15 AM, Sridhar Dhanapalan wrote: >> >>> On further thought, it seems to me that there should be two activities. The first is a reader. At minimum it should read plain text, PDF and EPUB files. The Read activity fulfils this requirement. An additional feature would be text-to-speech, with word highlighting (as Read ETexts has). In this way, you can run TTS on any source file. >> Read can open PDF, EPUB, DejaVu and text files. Can do text to speech with word highlighting of text files, and only text to speech of EPUB files right
