Blindness and Visual Impairment
RNIB Right to Read campaign
Information is Power
RNIB News
RNIB Right to Read campaign
The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) launched Right to Read in 2002 for more books in Braille, audio and large print to be provided for the visually impaired. As part of the campaign, it released two reports highlighting the discrimination suffered by people with sight problems in buying and borrowing books. Blind or partially sighted people are denied access to 95% of books because they are not available in alternative formats.
In 2006 Right to Read called on the Government to act urgently to set up a nationally coordinated system for providing schoolbooks for blind and partially sighted children.
A Closed Book: public library services for blind and partially sighted people and the Right to Read campaign report are available from RNIB.
For more information on the Right to Read Campaign visit www.rnib.org.uk
Information is Power
In 2007 the RNIB launched a series of leaflets called 'Information is Power'. The leaflets look at a number of key areas that show how society can empower blind and partially sighted people and each leaflet identifies five priorities for action. They cover the high street, public libraries, health services, local government, schools and television.
Inaccessible information is a major barrier facing blind and partially sighted people, massively restricting life chances and quality of life. All too often, relatively small adjustments can mean the difference between inclusion and exclusion. One of the most common adjustments is to provide information in accessible formats - large print, audio, Braille and on accessible websites - that people with sight loss can use.
For more information visit www.rnib.org.uk
RNIB News
Accessible textbooks trial launches!
In September 2009 a two year accessible textbook pilot was launched by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. The pilot involves trials of the provision of electronic versions of textbooks to school pupils who have visual or print impairment. Forty pupils, mostly in key stage three are being given laptops and the software required to convert and read the files that are provided to them into the accessible format(s) of their choice. Nine schools in Oldham, North Tyneside and Durham are participating in the pilot.
'Specialist Producer' trials for people who already specialise in producing alternative formats will run alongside pupil trials. These will involve the provision of technology and textbooks in structured and tagged MS Word files to see the impact the pilot has on their productivity and effectiveness.
Focus on Books - Large Print books available on the high street
From Josephine Cox to Bernard Cornwell and Jeremy Clarkson, over fifty leading titles are now available on most local high streets. Each book, published under the Focus logo, is printed in 16-point as a large-format paperback.
Barbara Taylor Bradford is one of the many authors who have welcomed the initiative: "Everybody, regardless of age or 20-20 vision, should have the same access to a wide variety of literature."
To see the full list and to find out more, visit www.focusonbooks.co.uk or ask your bookseller for further information.
Visit RNIB www.rnib.org.uk
