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Posted by damienmatzinger@yahoo.com on November 24, 2006, 4:13 pm
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Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic was founded by Anne T. Macdonald in
1948. At the time, she was a member of the New York Public Library's
Women's Auxiliary. That year, she received letters from soldiers who
had lost their sight in combat during World War Two.
These soldiers wanted to move forward with their lives. They were
guaranteed, by the GI Bill of Rights, a college education to all war
veterans and veterans who would follow them. The inaccessibility to
college textbooks became an obstacle for these blinded veterans who
wanted to resume their lives. This was when Ms. Macdonald began to take
action.
Very few veterans knew how to read braille. Live readers difficult to
find. Ms. Macdonald reminded the Auxiliary that, "Education is a
right, not a privilege." Recording for the Blind was born, as it was
known then.
The attic of the New York Public Library was turned into a recording
studio; this is where recording of textbooks were produced for the
servicemen. They used six-inch vinyl SoundScribner discs for recording.
These discs played only twelve minutes of material on each side and
this was considered state-of-the-art technology at that time.
By 1951, demand for recorded textbooks were at their peak. Recording
for the Blind was incorporated as the nation's only nonprofit
organization to produce audio textbooks. In 1952, Ms. Macdonald
ventured across the country and established seven more recording
studios. In addition to corporate headquarters in Princeton, New
Jersey, there are approximately twenty-nine recording studios across
the United States.
Recording for the Blind began to serve a cornucopia of individuals with
learning difficulties and in 1995 the company changed its name to
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic. The title was changed to
accommodate individuals with any type of print disability, individuals
not being able to read standard print effectively
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D) now serves approximately one
hundred forty one thousand six hundred sixty individuals worldwide. In
year 2005, two hundred fifty eight nine hundred eighteen titles were
distributed. By then seventy percent of RFB&D members are recognized
with learning difficulties; this includes kindergarten through graduate
school students, and even working professionals. Four track cassettes
were used. In September 2002, cassettes were gradually produced less
often and AudioPlus digitally recorded audiobooks on compact disc were
introduced. By then all members would soon have access to digitally
recorded versions of the cassettes to more than one hundred nine one
hundred six titles in the CV Starr Learning Through Listening Library.
In order to play RFB&D's audiobooks, members need to use specially
adapted CD players or software or four-track cassette players.
By year 2005, RFB&D had seven thousand one hundred volunteers,
producing more than five thousand one hundred thirty four titles to the
library. RFB&D has Education Outreach volunteers and staff who go
directly to schools to teach students and teachers how they can benefit
and get the most from RFB&D's audiobooks.
In November 2006, RFB&D and HumanWare began working together to serve
Americans who are blind or who have visual impairments or learning
disabilities. The Victor Reader will now paste the RFB&D logo on the
players for members to will play audiobooks from the AudioPlus digital
book collection. AudioPlus books enhance listening quality and gives
the listener a clear sound. Also, the HumanWare Victor Reader DAISY CD
players, the listener has the ability to navigate the disc much like a
printed book. The Victor Reader is navigable by each individual chapter
and individual section, tables of contents, and even enter electronic
bookmarks.
Today, Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic records books that students
need for their school and college courses, especially when other
audiobook industries have not already produced the book that a student
needs or needs a book that is friendly for the blind. Anyone who has a
documented physical disability, learning disability, or visual
impairment that keeps them from reading printed text effectively is
eligible for membership. If members live outside the United States they
may only borrow cassette-format audiobooks. Some students send in their
syllabi so their respective recording studio may know when their
audiobooks are required to be in their possession. (Sometimes we get
books with an early due date that we have to cram in narrating sessions
to meet deadlines.) In addition, if a book is not in our catalog (also
available online at http://www.rfbd.org) then a member may request a
title. Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic's busiest times are from
mid-August to mid-October and January and June.
There are two options for membership. Option 1 is Student Individual
Membership. With this option, the school makes the payments. These
schools recognize the student's disability and approve RFB&D services
as an approved accommodation.
Option 2 is Personal Individual Membership. These members directly pay
to RFB&D their membership fees. Option 2 members may not want to share
that they have a disability to their school, they may want to borrow an
audiobook not part of their school's curriculum, their school may not
recognize their disability or they may not be an enrolled student.
In order to be eligible for membership, they need a certified
professional, specializing in the area of learning disabilities or a
physician, to prove the applicant is in need of specialized audiobooks.
A physician, opthamologist, or optometrist in the case of blindness and
visual impairment can certify the applicant. A neurologist, learning
disability specialist, or a psychologist with a background in learning
disabilities, in the case of perceptual disabilities, might be most
qualified in certifying the applicant. Principals, vice-principals,
guidance counselors, general education teachers, and librarians are not
qualified to certify that the applicant is in need of specialized
audiobooks.
Individuals who receive services from The national Library Service for
the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) as well as their cooperating
network libraries, are accepted, provided that a librarian's
signature is given, to receive membership. Individuals in Canada or
England who are registered members of the Canadian National Institute
for the Blind (CNIB) or the Royal National Institute for the Blind
(RNIB) are required to send verification. RFB&D AudioPlus books on CD
are not distributed outside of America to non American citizens, except
for American citizens temporarily residing abroad.
When RFB&D produces a book, a specific recording studio is assigned to
read that book based on local and national needs and research. Each
studio picks books in various subjects in a book queue and an available
volunteer with expertise in that book's subject is usually chosen to
read. The reader narrates the book and describes any necessary charts,
graphs, pictures, or mathematical equations. RFB&D constantly tries to
have narrators who are proficient in mathematics, science, finance,
K-12 literature, accounting, computer science, and other technical
areas.
Then a volunteer in the studio will mark two copies of the book. A
"pencil path" is created by bookmarkers through the whole book to
be recorded. These volunteers make notes, guiding readers through the
sequence of charts, illustrations, and footnotes.
Some of the even trained readers need help. Directors act as the
listener or audience. They help the reader with spotting errors or the
computer's recording software work as needed. Directors are the most
important people in working with the recording equipment. Some readers
self-direct themselves, thus require careful attention to their own
errors.
After the book is recorded, volunteers or staff at the studio do some
finishing touches on the recording and then email the file to
headquarters Production Department. This is where audiobooks are burned
to a compact disc. The disc is then prepared for shipping. Finally, a
member gets their audiobook. Eventually, each audiobook is returned to
headquarters. Because of copyright laws, RFB&D destroys the CD copy and
duplicates the original for the next shipment.
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic is a great organization to volunteer
for. Whether you speak a foreign language or are a professional in your
area of work, you can help RFB&D by reading textbooks that are in your
professional area of work.
Visit http://www.rfbd.org for more information on membership and
volunteering.
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