Right to Read ALIS Annual Conference 2007

1. Right to ReadALIS Annual Conference 2007 Ceri Jackson Policy and Communications Manager RNIB Cymru

2. RNIB Cymru • Over 40 staff in Wales • Membership organisation • Education Services • Employment Services • Bilingual Transcription Services • Community Services

3. Prevalence of sight loss in Wales • 100,000 people with sight loss • 21,000 registered • 10,000 blind • 10,857 partially sighted

4. Young people with sight loss • 1,278 between 0 and 19 (2004) • 2005/6 • 1,440 HE students (first year) • 11,544 FE students (16% aged between 16 and 18)

5. Preferred reading formats • 59% audio • 57% large print • 16% computer • 5% braille

6. Right to Read Campaign • 96 % of all books, magazines and other publications are not available in large print, audio or braille • 3 million people denied the right to read • lack of commitment from Government • more co-operation needed from all stakeholders

7. Right to Read research and campaign reports • Where’s My Book 2002 • Written Off 2004 • Overdue 2003 • A Closed Book 2002 • DED Library Survey

8. Right to Read campaign • RNIB & Right to Read Alliance campaigning for 4 years to increase number of books in accessible formats • May 2007 Special Briefing on Textbook Access Developments • Children's Lobby of Parliament

9. Equal access - accessible format books published at the same time as standard print • Jacqueline Wilson's 'Starring Tracy Beaker' • David Blunkett's 'The Blunkett Tapes’ • 'Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince' by JK Rowling • Micheal Palin recorded and released his latest book “Himalaya” as an RNIB Talking Book a month before the printed version

10. Right to Read activities Scotland Access for All project http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/06/05081600/1 Proposed Pilot for a Centralised Textbook Service funded by DCSF Meeting with Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA)

11. Publishers Association Steering Group on Accessibility • focus on textbooks for further and higher education - streamlining the process of obtaining alternative format • Techdis producing good practice guide • TechDis developing a central database where publishers can provide key information on their alternative format services.

12. RNIB Cymru priorities • Campaigning for new legislation in Wales • Hosting Access to Information Roadshow 6th March • Publish Mystery Shopping Report • Awareness raising with all stakeholders

13. RNIB Cymru priorities • Build on partnerships to increase provision • Develop bilingual pilot to demonstrate timely provision achievable • Major expansion of RNIB Cymru’s bilingual transcription services

14. Access to curriculum materials • Work with partners to find solutions for access to curriculum materials including access to electronic texts • Meeting with key stakeholders November • Obtaining off shelf text books, survey shows • 100 % experienced difficulties ‘frequently or ‘quite often’ obtatining large print text books • 85% Braille experienced difficulty obtaining braille text books

15. Next steps • Campaign for legislation • Campaign for funding for transcription • Work in partnership to develop national transcription resources • Accessible Information Roadshow 6th March 2008

16. Next steps • Electronic Textbook Evaluation • Focus 2008: Year of reading • Please sign the Right to Read Declaration

17. 8th year of Combined Studies degree, preferred format braille has support worker for research needs hard copies in advance as have to be photocopied, scanned and brailled “I have to get the print copy from the library to get it copied” What the students say...

18. 3rd year psychology student preferred print format, arial point size 20 uses CCTV Wants access to more books and journals online so that they can be adapted “I wish I was a dyslexic student” What the students say….

19. Thank you for listening • Ceri Jackson • 029 2044 9556 • Ceri.jackson@rnib.org.uk • www.rnib.org.uk