DAISY textbooks launched in city

International development organisation “Sightsavers” in collaboration with State Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan on Thursday launched the first-ever DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System)  textbooks for the visually-impaired and print-disabled students of Odisha here.

The books are now available from standard 3rd to standard 10th covering all textbooks published by SCERT and Board of Secondary Education, Odisha. The text books were launched by State Project Director, OPEPA Bhupendra Singh Poonia.

This new accessible book format will help Odisha students navigate line by line and regulate the speaking speed without distortion. The book will replace the old MP3 and XML audio books which are difficult for the students in their navigation and overall regulation levels. The books will benefit nearly 50,000 print disabled students in Odisha.

NGO Sightsavers working for the blind and low vision students in more than 35 countries of the world has developed the books.

Programme manager from Sightsavers Akbar Mehfuz Alam informed that the organization has piloted the initiative with 200 students spread over Khordha, Koraput, Dhenkanal and Cuttack districts as part of its National Inclusive Education Programme.