I recently learned of an interesting clearinghouse for audio and video learning resources.
LearnOutLoud.com
Claims to have more than 10,000 educational audio books, podcasts, mp3 downloads, as well as videos at its disposal. They boast to have the internet’s largest collection of these items. Of this vast collection, they have more than 500 audio and video titles which are free. It does have a searchable database that appears to have strong potential.
The site also hawks an e-magazine and a “Free resource of the day” email.
This all sounds good and promising, but I have not personally delved any deeper into their offerings beyond the home page. I find the web site to be very cluttered and several of the links in dire need of alt tags. It is not very screen reader friendly and that’s both sad and ironic. It would be to the advantage of the site’s owners if they would realize that their project could be of great service to the population of students with disabilities, but to serve this population, they will need to address the accessibility of the overall site.
Showing posts with label Audio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Audio. Show all posts
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Olympus introduces three accessible recorders
As anybody who has done so would know, purchasing an accessible digital player/recorder in the past has required one to buy either a specially modified, otherwise commercially available product or a specialty product made specifically for the glind. In Both cases, the recorders have been expensive, often costing several times more than what an off the shelf model would cost. Now, that experience is changing.
Olympus is introducing
three accessible digital recorders.
The electronics company is launching its DS-30, DS-40, and DS-50 models, which the company claims are “optimized for downloading, listening to, and creating podcasts.” Olympus is pitching these units as the “all-in-one audio device,” noting that the high sound quality makes them ideal for listening to audio books and music.
What sets this line of recorders apart from any competition is that they are accessible to blind consumers off the shelf.
According to the Olympus press release linked above:
“The three new devices offer a voice confirmation function that can be turned on or off. When turned on, the function enables the devices to speak, helping users to navigate the folders and various set-up options. The pleasant automated voice guides users through the onscreen menus for setting date, time and other menu selecting modes. It also confirms by stating the folder name as the user moves from one folder to another. This enables visually challenged users to easily move through the device's menus, folders and set-up options. An instruction manual will also be available to users as an audio file. Much like any audio book, this option enables users to listen to the instruction manual for quick and easy use.”
The recorders connect with users computers via a USB cable and, via the included software, podcasts are automatically downloaded to the unit when it is connected to the pc. Additionally, the digital recorders are designed to work with
Audible.com,
A commercial site for audio books and spoken word content many blind consumers are already familiar with.
The primary difference between the three units are the storage capacities. The DS-30 holds 256 Mb, the DS-40 512 Mb, and the DS-50 holds 1 Gb.
All of the recorders play files in either the MP3 or WMA format.
Another useful feature of the units is the ability to slow down and speed up the playback of the recordings. The recordings can be slowed down to 50% speed or sped up by 50%, assisting users to either grab specifics or to breeze through recorded lectures.
I was impressed with the devices’ claimed reported battery life. Olympus states that users can get up to 32 hours of use from 2 AAA batteries. (An AC power adaptor is also included with the unit.)
These units are supposed to be available this month. Accessories included are a USB cable, a stereo microphone, stereo headphones, two AAA batteries, and software. The DS 50 also comes with a remote control and a carrying case.
MSRP for these units: DS-30, $149; DS-40, $199; DS-50, 249.
Olympus is leading the way by making products that are accessible out of the box.
Olympus is introducing
three accessible digital recorders.
The electronics company is launching its DS-30, DS-40, and DS-50 models, which the company claims are “optimized for downloading, listening to, and creating podcasts.” Olympus is pitching these units as the “all-in-one audio device,” noting that the high sound quality makes them ideal for listening to audio books and music.
What sets this line of recorders apart from any competition is that they are accessible to blind consumers off the shelf.
According to the Olympus press release linked above:
“The three new devices offer a voice confirmation function that can be turned on or off. When turned on, the function enables the devices to speak, helping users to navigate the folders and various set-up options. The pleasant automated voice guides users through the onscreen menus for setting date, time and other menu selecting modes. It also confirms by stating the folder name as the user moves from one folder to another. This enables visually challenged users to easily move through the device's menus, folders and set-up options. An instruction manual will also be available to users as an audio file. Much like any audio book, this option enables users to listen to the instruction manual for quick and easy use.”
The recorders connect with users computers via a USB cable and, via the included software, podcasts are automatically downloaded to the unit when it is connected to the pc. Additionally, the digital recorders are designed to work with
Audible.com,
A commercial site for audio books and spoken word content many blind consumers are already familiar with.
The primary difference between the three units are the storage capacities. The DS-30 holds 256 Mb, the DS-40 512 Mb, and the DS-50 holds 1 Gb.
All of the recorders play files in either the MP3 or WMA format.
Another useful feature of the units is the ability to slow down and speed up the playback of the recordings. The recordings can be slowed down to 50% speed or sped up by 50%, assisting users to either grab specifics or to breeze through recorded lectures.
I was impressed with the devices’ claimed reported battery life. Olympus states that users can get up to 32 hours of use from 2 AAA batteries. (An AC power adaptor is also included with the unit.)
These units are supposed to be available this month. Accessories included are a USB cable, a stereo microphone, stereo headphones, two AAA batteries, and software. The DS 50 also comes with a remote control and a carrying case.
MSRP for these units: DS-30, $149; DS-40, $199; DS-50, 249.
Olympus is leading the way by making products that are accessible out of the box.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Disability Nation, by and for people with disabilities
I’d like to share another resource for discussion and commentary on current issues in the world of disabilities.
Disability Nation
is an audio magazine by and for people with disabilities.
Some of the most recent topics include The Ashley Treatment, discussing the parents who had surgical interventions taken to assist them in caring for their severely disabled 9-year old daughter, the suit against the Federal Reserve to make paper money accessible to the blind, and an informative piece about the Adaptive Sports Association.
One of the podcast magazine’s features worth noting is the availability of transcripts for the aired episodes. I’ve only seen this offered at one other site,
The Disability 411 podcast.
If you’re interested in expanding your toolbox of resources with the addition of one that provides the insight from those with disabilities, check out Disability Nation.
Disability Nation
is an audio magazine by and for people with disabilities.
Some of the most recent topics include The Ashley Treatment, discussing the parents who had surgical interventions taken to assist them in caring for their severely disabled 9-year old daughter, the suit against the Federal Reserve to make paper money accessible to the blind, and an informative piece about the Adaptive Sports Association.
One of the podcast magazine’s features worth noting is the availability of transcripts for the aired episodes. I’ve only seen this offered at one other site,
The Disability 411 podcast.
If you’re interested in expanding your toolbox of resources with the addition of one that provides the insight from those with disabilities, check out Disability Nation.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Open Culture-- another source for alternative texts
Happy New Year!
As a gift for the new year, I want to share a resource for finding free-to-download audio versions of some classics required by many lit classes.
The
Open Culture: Audiobook Podcast Collection
is a blog edited by Dan Colman, the Associate Dean of Continuing Studies Program at Stanford University.
The mission statement of Open Culture reads as follows:
• To explore the best of contemporary intellectual life.
• To connect users with free, high-quality online media -- podcasts, videos, online courses, etc. -- that makes learning dynamic, convenient and fun.
• To keep users apprised of new cultural developments and resources worth their limited time.
The site offers links to other sites where users may download the audio versions of many undergrad-required literary classics including Robinson Crusoe, Plato’s The Republic, Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, as well as many others. Additionally, the site also has a good foundation of university podcast resources. While it is a fairly new site, this blog offers a lot of future potential for becoming an additional tool in the tool box of DSS coordinators needing alternative versions of texts.
The site is one where a student can go and download their own alternative text, store it on their computer or audio player, and read it when they are ready.
Granted, the audio version of these classics are just as easily obtained by ordering from some of the conventional sources at your DSS office’s disposal. However, isn’t the goal to empower the students by showing them the resource and to teach them to manage these as their own? It is in this light that I offer the freshly launched blog Open Culture.
So, take a few minutes and click the above link. Peruse the Open Culture web site. Look over the different resources and bookmark the site to come back to later. The site also offers an email update to keep up on the latest information the editor posts.
(Thanks to
The Ranger Station
For this useful resource.)
I hope 2007 brings many good wishes your way. Here’s to an accessible new year!
As a gift for the new year, I want to share a resource for finding free-to-download audio versions of some classics required by many lit classes.
The
Open Culture: Audiobook Podcast Collection
is a blog edited by Dan Colman, the Associate Dean of Continuing Studies Program at Stanford University.
The mission statement of Open Culture reads as follows:
• To explore the best of contemporary intellectual life.
• To connect users with free, high-quality online media -- podcasts, videos, online courses, etc. -- that makes learning dynamic, convenient and fun.
• To keep users apprised of new cultural developments and resources worth their limited time.
The site offers links to other sites where users may download the audio versions of many undergrad-required literary classics including Robinson Crusoe, Plato’s The Republic, Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, as well as many others. Additionally, the site also has a good foundation of university podcast resources. While it is a fairly new site, this blog offers a lot of future potential for becoming an additional tool in the tool box of DSS coordinators needing alternative versions of texts.
The site is one where a student can go and download their own alternative text, store it on their computer or audio player, and read it when they are ready.
Granted, the audio version of these classics are just as easily obtained by ordering from some of the conventional sources at your DSS office’s disposal. However, isn’t the goal to empower the students by showing them the resource and to teach them to manage these as their own? It is in this light that I offer the freshly launched blog Open Culture.
So, take a few minutes and click the above link. Peruse the Open Culture web site. Look over the different resources and bookmark the site to come back to later. The site also offers an email update to keep up on the latest information the editor posts.
(Thanks to
The Ranger Station
For this useful resource.)
I hope 2007 brings many good wishes your way. Here’s to an accessible new year!
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Disability 411 blog
Beth Case, of the North Harris Montgomery County College District, is arguably one of the most respected and recognized names among DSS coordinators in Texas. She is a tireless and innovative advocate for students with disabilities. She initiated the
Disability 411 podcast
At a time when most people’s understanding of what a podcast was had something to do with the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
In her latest outreach effort of information and resource sharing, Beth continues to expand networking efforts with the launch of the
Disability 411 blog.
The site informs,
“This is the blog that accompanies the Disability411 podcast, which can be found at http://disability411.jinkle.com. These are not show notes, but additional information and thoughts to enhance the podcast.”
In the field of DSS, a world where knowing your resources is so important, Accessability proudly welcomes Beth’s continuously expanding horizons. We welcome the valuable insight and wealth of experience the Disability 411 blog will certainly offer in the future.
Disability 411 podcast
At a time when most people’s understanding of what a podcast was had something to do with the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
In her latest outreach effort of information and resource sharing, Beth continues to expand networking efforts with the launch of the
Disability 411 blog.
The site informs,
“This is the blog that accompanies the Disability411 podcast, which can be found at http://disability411.jinkle.com. These are not show notes, but additional information and thoughts to enhance the podcast.”
In the field of DSS, a world where knowing your resources is so important, Accessability proudly welcomes Beth’s continuously expanding horizons. We welcome the valuable insight and wealth of experience the Disability 411 blog will certainly offer in the future.
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