Key points
- The number of people who struggle to access the printed word is increasing exponentially
- Calibre Audio Library worked with I-Publishing Consultants to transform the way the blind, partially-sighted and those with reading difficulties access their audio library
- Providing entirely audio prompts allows visually-impaired users the independence to manage their own library
- Calibre and i-Publishing Consultants won the 2017 Stationers' Company Innovation Excellence Award for Social Development
Introduction
Nearly 2,000,000 people in the UK suffer from sight loss (either partial or complete) and of these over 25,000 are young people. It is estimated that by 2050 this number will increase to nearly 4,000,000 or nearly 5% of the total population. This huge rise will primarily be the result of an aging population but will also be caused by the predicted increase in the incidence of diabetes which often leads to sight problems. If the estimated 1 in 10 in the UK who suffer from dyslexia is then factored into these calculations you have an enormous group of people for whom access to traditional forms of reading is severely (if not completely) restricted.
Those of us who are not (yet) ‘print-challenged’ in these ways tend to take our sight - and the ability to read what we want, when and where we want - for granted. Imagine a world in which this is not the case and where using mobile devices (be that phone or tablet) is almost impossible because you cannot see the keyboard any better than the printed page. Device apps do not explicitly support accessibility and usually depend on each device’s built-in capabilities to provide voice and audio prompts. For these to function correctly in practice, applications needed to be written to ensure that the controls used provide the right information (to prompt the provision of appropriate voice and audio cues) at the right time. Filling this gap inspired the national charity Calibre Audio Library (https://www.calibre.org.uk/) to partner with i-Publishing Consultants (http://www.i-publishingconsultants.com) on a solution.
Initial research with specific accessibility focus and input showed that applications generally fail to do this successfully and this failure extends to ebook readers, despite the fact that the consumer base for ebooks is more likely to benefit from or require effective accessibility support. The approach taken was to focus – as a fundamental point of principle – on potential use of an app without relying on screen visibility, and to design something that would provide all its own audio and vocal cues directly, without using the limited capabilities provided by the built-in accessibility options within different devices' operating systems. Our goal was to demonstrate that access to the written word can be successfully extended to audiences to whom it has previously been restricted, if thought and investment (both of time and money) is applied to the technological development. The process and outcomes described here provide a working example of this.
The project in context
The RNIB introduced its Talking Books service in 1935 (still one of its flagship services) and titles have been available via the Overdrive app (http://app.overdrive.com/) (as well as on DAISY CD and USB) for several years. However with a listener who is blind and cannot access the internet independently, they will need help from someone else to obtain a specific book of choice rather than a ‘push’ choice by category. While the DAISY Consortium (a global group of organizations concerned with accessibility, http://www.daisy.org/home) has a stated vision to provide equal access to information and knowledge regardless of disability, and aims to develop global solutions for accessible publishing and reading, all of the tools it promotes (http://www.daisy.org/tools/1463#t221) rely on the limited in-built accessibility functions provided within any given device. The CAL Download project was created with the objective of achieving a degree of accessibility not previously available, enabling the extensive community of people of all ages who are blind, partially-sighted or who struggle with the printed word to enjoy books when and where they like, breaking down barriers and putting control and independence firmly in their own hands.
Calibre Audio Library (CAL) was established in 1974 to meet needs that were not being fulfilled by the existing service providers. It provides unabridged, copyright-compliant audio books for the blind, partially-sighted and those with reading difficulties. Only 4% of published books in the UK are available in accessible formats and Calibre’s vision is to end reading exclusion for print-disabled people. Calibre has nearly 10,000 titles in its library, many of which are read by professional actors giving their time freely in support of the work the charity does – it records and publishes over 300 new audio books annually that are not available for purchase or loan and are exclusive to Calibre members. It also buys in at least another 300 titles annually from commercial audio publishers (and then edits them to make them fit the required format) so at least 600 titles a year are added to the list.
One of Calibre’s guiding principles has always been to supply books in a format that can be played on affordable, easy-to-use equipment (for example listening to audio books on portable devices such as a purpose-built and reasonably priced memory stick player, so that books can be taken into the garden, on holiday or on long journeys). Whilst, in response to many older members’ preferences, it only very recently discontinued its original cassette-based service, Calibre has, over the years, evolved its service offering to reflect developments in technology and the way this is used by the population at large – and this is one of the factors that prompted the development of the app this case study describes, ‘CAL Download’.
Audio books, delivered via CD or memory stick, have been available to people who struggle to read print for some time. These rely on a physical item being sent to and from organizations like Calibre and often require help from someone other than the person who wants the book. While downloading audio books is prevalent in the sighted community (up 12% higher in 2016 than 2014, Publishers Association, 2017) it was simply not an option available to the people who make up Calibre’s membership. We live in a world in which access to instant information and entertainment is a given – and Calibre set itself the mission of extending that to its members as well. But before it could embark on this it knew that it needed to define the project as clearly as possible: all too often projects fail because not sufficient attention has been paid to this crucial initial phase.
Making the vision a reality
Calibre recognized the need to create a substantial and effective requirements document so in 2015 they engaged i-Publishing Consultants who have the specific skillset and experience in this area. The approach that was taken included, but was not limited to:
- consulting with key industry experts and influencers in areas of relevance, including publishing standards and formats, accessibility, copyright, licensing and information security,
- engagement with existing Calibre members via a questionnaire format,
- benefits analysis workshops with Calibre senior management with agreed outcomes,
- engagement with a potential model library supplier for people with print disabilities outside the UK.
At the end of this year-long process i-Publishing Consultants presented an interim report outlining their findings, defining definitions of success and suggesting a roadmap by which the desired outcomes could be achieved, together with details of the next steps to be taken. While most of the research and interviews took place within the context of the UK the experiences of the CNIB (Canadian National Institute of the Blind) and of Dedicon (a Dutch non-profit organisation providing access to information for people with visual and other print impairments) were also drawn upon, ensuring that lessons already learned by organisations similar to Calibre were not lost. Working in this structured way provided a framework within which what Calibre was trying to achieve could be broken down into clearly defined and cost-estimated, manageable phases.
Having assessed and accepted the interim report Calibre commissioned i-Publishing Consultants to deliver a far more detailed project brief, the purpose of which was to define the requirements for the quote to develop and launch the Calibre download service – CAL Download. This proposal was based on specified core objectives to:
- build on, extend and radically improve on the design, practice and user experience associated with other existing options and previously available applications
- address the specific issues faced by people with sight problems, both existing Calibre members and others who might well be attracted to join as a result of the availability of a suitably user-friendly and robust download service
- operate independently of the limited capabilities currently offered by different device operating systems
- interface with Calibre's library management system with the capacity to interface with any foreseeable adaptation of this system
- be capable of being developed and implemented to a timescale and at a cost appropriate to Calibre's needs, aspirations and resources.
Any organization needs to consider the benefits it expects to gain from investment but for a charity such as Calibre being clear about these was paramount. Among those defined were to:
- enhance the Calibre library offer with an advanced download service
- attract new and younger members to join Calibre
- reduce operating costs as existing members’ opt to use the download service
- enable Calibre to offer a cost-effective alternative service to non-visually impaired members who are not eligible for Articles for the Blind (a free postage concession offered by Royal Mail for certain items), thereby extending the service the charity could offer.
With regard to the final point, not all of Calibre's members are visually-impaired; some suffer from other disabilities (such as dyslexia) which restrict their ability to read. This group of people are not eligible for free postage and so incur an additional cost when accessing Calibre's library on CD or USB stick. This can act as a deterrent and so being able to deliver spoken books via download would remove this potential barrier.
Development of the app
The proposal from i-Publishing Consultants was accepted and so in 2016 work began on building the new app. Whilst the developmental and technical work was carried out by the consultancy members of the Calibre executive team and selected ‘service user’ members were involved at every stage, both in terms of testing but also ensuring that what was being built would fit naturally with the charity’s existing systems and processes. Project progress was also reported on and discussed at trustee meetings.
It was decided that the personal bookshelf concept would be used. This means that the library is available in its entirety from a cloud-based repository and the user finds and selects the books they wish to download from the application on their device. There is no need to use a full browser on a computer to access this capability making it far more manageable for Calibre’s membership. Books are easily downloaded, removing the need for users to explicitly think about and manage what is happening.
It is common for people to use their phone for some activities and tablets for others and to switch between the two – Calibre’s membership behaves no differently. This was the driving force behind having the personal bookshelf in the cloud, with a shadow copy on the device. This means that the same list of books is available from whichever device the member chooses to use. If they remove a book from one device, it will be gone from the other; if they download a book on one device, it will appear on their ‘My Books’ list on any other devices and will be automatically downloaded when connected to Wi-Fi (see Fig. 1).
Figure 1 Personal bookshelf concept for Calibre users
As part of the development process scenarios for how the app might be used (see Fig. 2) were developed so that the principles and approaches being applied to the build could be fully tested.
Figure 2 Example use cases
Architecturally the system is loosely coupled (minimal dependency between components) and secure (see Fig. 3). The linkage between the cloud-based download service and the LMS (library management system) is via a web service interface, so library management processes and reports are unaffected. Members are all managed through the LMS including user authentication. Membership preferences, device management and activity tracking are handled by the download service. Media is stored in the cloud, and the download from there is managed by a secure process so that only authorised members can download the titles they have on their bookshelf. Any other requests are refused. The assurance that books are secure is a vital element of Calibre’s agreements with publishers, without whose cooperation the charity would struggle to operate. Inevitably some administration of the site is required and this is provided by a secured web-based interface.
Figure 3 Architectural outline
The download service and the associated apps were tested by a panel of users during all stages of development, with the team including Calibre volunteers with varying degrees of sight loss, and members who have no sight at all. The test team also included people with different degrees of experience in using mobile devices.
The app was finally completed and launched in August 2017.
The Marrakesh Treaty
Calibre takes its relationships with, and responsibilities to, the publishing industry extremely seriously and is committed to the principles of the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled (http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/marrakesh/summary_marrakesh.html). This Treaty is the latest addition to the body of international copyright treaties administered by WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) and in September 2017, it was agreed by the EU that the regulation will apply to all member states from 12th October 2018. It requires signatories to introduce a standard set of limitations and exceptions to copyright rules in order to permit reproduction, distribution and the making available of published works in formats designed to be accessible to visually impaired, and otherwise print-disabled people (VIPs). It has a clear humanitarian and social development dimension, with the goal of creating a set of mandatory limitations and exceptions for the benefit of VIPs.
The goal of the Treaty is to work towards the end of the book famine faced by VIPs. Currently only some 1-7% of the world’s published books ever make it into accessible form (World Blind Union, 2013) partly due to access barriers in copyright law, which the Treaty helps to address. The Treaty, and the exceptions that it makes to copyright rules, will enable Calibre and other non-profit organizations in ratifying countries to provide access to accessible material for people with disabilities -- so that, in turn, these VIPs can make the most of education, employment, and full social inclusion.
Achievements and future extensions
The delivery of CAL Download transforms access to Calibre’s library of spoken books. Making access to audio books available as a download service through this app, with spoken audio prompts, puts control firmly in the hands of the member, giving them instant access, control and the valued independence that they have not previously had. Furthermore, while the application does not require any sight (because of the use of intuitive application-specific gesturing), it has been designed to also support those with macular degeneration (with limited and decreasing levels of sight), and other conditions where people have limited sight, providing the largest possible visual clues depending on the size of the device being used.
In June 2017, Calibre and i-Publishing Consultants were presented with the Stationers’ Company Innovation Excellence Award for Social Development. This award recognises new communication programmes that enhance social development and which have a focus on community projects, education and the environment. The judges said they:
.. appreciated not only the use of developing technology but also recognised its importance in terms of the social good. This was seen as an app that has the potential to change people’s lives by utilising digital technology to make Calibre’s existing audio programme products more accessible to those with sight difficulties. (Stationers' Company, 2017, p8)
In his introduction to the Awards programme Tony Mash, Chairman of The Stationers’ Company, said:
The Stationers’ Company Innovation Excellence Awards, now in their fourth year, offer a fascinating insight into the innovation trends across the Communications and Content industries… The emphasis this year has been less on individual technology breakthroughs than on excellent examples of collaborative development and cooperation between companies to combine great ideas and technologies. Such integration is not a trivial task! (Stationer's Company, 2017, p3)
There is no doubt that the CAL Download project was not a trivial task and that without collaboration and cooperation what has been achieved would simply not have been possible. The aim of i-Publishing Consultants, a diverse team of independent consultants, is to enable organisations to profit (in the broadest possible sense) from creating new products, optimising their information management and engaging effectively with their communities of interest – CAL Download epitomises these aims. More than this, it is not often in business that there is a sense that what is being done will truly make a difference to people lives, and especially a group for whom improved accessibility is vital. As Pippa Smart and Lettie Conrad said in their Editorial in the July 2017 edition (Smart and Conrad, 2017):
Gifts like sight, sound and mobility are easily taken for granted, but any deterioration in these capabilities can drastically limit our ability to learn and engage with the world around us. As purveyors of the world’s growing body of knowledge, publishers have a profound obligation to continually adapt our offering to meet the needs of all readers, able bodied and otherwise.
The work done by Calibre and i-Publishing Consultants takes this message further and provides a practical and innovative means by which accessibility can be extended.
References
Dyslexia Action Accesses July 2017- http://www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk/page/facts-and-figures-about-dyslexia-0 Accessed July 2017
There is no doubt that the CAL Download project was not a trivial task and that without collaboration and cooperation what has been achieved would simply not have been possible. The aim of i-Publishing Consultants, a diverse team of independent consultants, is to enable organisations to profit (in the broadest possible sense) from creating new products, optimising their information management and engaging effectively with their communities of interest – CAL Download epitomises these aims. More than this, it is not often in business that there is a sense that what is being done will truly make a difference to people lives, and especially a group for whom improved accessibility is vital. As Pippa Smart and Lettie Conrad said in their Editorial in the July 2017 edition (Smart and Conrad, 2017):
Gifts like sight, sound and mobility are easily taken for granted, but any deterioration in these capabilities can drastically limit our ability to learn and engage with the world around us. As purveyors of the world’s growing body of knowledge, publishers have a profound obligation to continually adapt our offering to meet the needs of all readers, able bodied and otherwise.
The work done by Calibre and i-Publishing Consultants takes this message further and provides a practical and innovative means by which accessibility can be extended.
References
Dyslexia Action - http://www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk/page/facts-and-figures-about-dyslexia-0 Accessed July 2017
Publishers Association (2017) One in ten now listening to audiobooks according to Publishers Association. News item 16 June 2017. https://www.publishers.org.uk/media-centre/news-releases/2017/one-in-ten-now-listening-to-audiobooks-according-to-publishers-association/
RNIB - http://www.rnib.org.uk/nb-online/eye-health-statistics Accessed July 2017
Stationers' Company (2017) Innovation Excellence Awards 2017, http://flickread.com/edition/html/index.php?pdf=595a5f8abc419#1
Smart, P. and Conrad, L. (2017), Diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility. Learned Publishing, 30: 183–184. doi:10.1002/leap.1106
World Blind Union (2013) The Treaty of Marrakesh explained. News item 8 July 2013. http://www.worldblinduion.org/english/news/Pages/The-Treaty-of-Marrakesh.aspx