F. Audio Format

Possible Purposes Include:

Access to printed publications for people who are blind or have low vision.

Internet posting.

Access when reading print is not possible (ie: when driving) or is cumbersome (ie: when touring exhibits).

Enhanced comprehension for people with learning disabilities or low literacy skills.

The audio format typically uses a professional narrator to read text heard on cassette tape. Users navigate through sections of the tape using index tones.

The standard format is 2-track audio providing audio on each side of a cassette tape that can be played on any commercially available cassette tape player. (A number of organizations distribute 4-track audio to increase the amount of programming that can be put on a single cassette but this format requires special playback machines).

Audio can enhance comprehension for people with learning disabilities, people with low literacy skills and for new Canadians unfamiliar with Canada's official languages.

For people who are blind or have low vision, audio information removes the challenge of interpreting computer files that contain graphics, have multiple columns and other complicated design components that are unfriendly to screen reading devices.

Previous | Table of Contents | Next