­Brenda McBride, Product Manager, HumanWare

April 8, 2010

1. For people who are unfamiliar with HumanWare, please describe your role in the publishing industry.

HumanWare has created accessible hardware players such as the Victor Reader Stream and ClassMate Reader. These players are designed to help and assist individuals that are blind, have low vision or learning disabilities, access materials that allow for navigation within a document. These particular hardware players also allow the user the ability to interact with text by placing voice notes, highlighting or text notes. In addition to the built-in study features, these units play multiple formats. This provides users with access to audio and text to speech reading of text files. The ClassMate also allows the reader to read and hear the text in a synchronized manner. Individuals have different comprehension skills. That is why the ability to vary the playback speed is an additional feature that has been implemented.

2. What types of readers use the DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) format?  

DAISY is a particular format that allows individuals to navigate through documents. We have both hardware and software players that will read DAISY files. The Victor Reader Stream and ClassMate Reader are two of the portable units. There are both hardware and software players which will play the Daisy format. To find out more about these particular devices, please go to http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/products/blindness/dtb_players or to obtain additional information about the ClassMate Reader please go to http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/products/learning_disabilities/_details/id_107/classmate__reader.html

3. What is the My Dream Classroom, and who does it benefit? What are the roles of the individual companies that are represented in the Dream Classroom?  

The mydreamclassroom.com website was designed to help individuals understand the differences between players. It also showcases what content collections exist and which can be played on software and hardware units. The My Dream Classroom website shows a visual representation of the different units and libraries and how they interact with each other. This allows the user to come to a single location to find out more information about content providers and the different devices that will help individuals that are blind, or have low vision or learning disabilities. Please view the attached video to learn more about how you can use the Dream Classroom to assist you in your exploration of the various assistive technologies for classroom and home use.

4. Does HumanWare have plans to expand the My Dream Classroom? Or do you have upcoming projects that educators and readers should look forward to?

Mydreamclassroom.com is a great resource for individuals to visit and find information about conferences and presentations (webinars) which can be helpful and useful as you navigate the waters of assistive technologies. This was designed to help you support your students within the school system and allow you to understand the opportunities and technology that could be available to students. There are services available for students who have print disabilities to help them have access to the necessary resources (textbooks) from two non-profit groups which you will also find within the site. Also on the site, you can create a wish list of products you would like to learn more about. This can be used if you need to create documentation for purchasing or grant applications.

5. What do you think the publishing industry in general could do to include more readers?

I look forward to a day when individuals are able to have access to material in an accessible format directly from the publisher. Firstly in a DAISY format and then additionally in other formats to be used by the end user according with their needs and learning style. 

6. Personally, what are some of your favorite books, and why? What format do you prefer to read in?

I love to read books in audio format. I am constantly looking at various formats and options that will best suit my needs and allow me to have access to the material I wish to assimilate. When I'm able to have a multisensory approach that combines both seeing and hearing information, my level of comprehension increases dramatically. Some of the books I am currently enjoying include: Eat Pray Love, Proust and the Squid, and The Power of One. I thoroughly enjoyed the book The Power of One as it explores the story of an individual's tenacity and sheer willpower to overcome odds. Proust and the Squid is a book about the reading brain which helped me understand how the brain changes once it learns how to read and the struggles that individuals with learning disabilities have. Being dyslexic, having some understanding about how the brain works helps me understand myself. The book Eat, Pray, Love explores three different countries and a woman’s journey. This story taps into my adventurous side and my desire to learn more about the world.