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Presentation on Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D)

by Kathie Korpolinski

Agenda

RFB&D's History
Current membership and services
Transition to RFB&D's Audio Plus Digital Talking books
RFB&D's Audio Plus book types
Product placement roll-out
Questions and Answers

RFB&D - An Overview

50 years old / non-profit organization
Educational text for veterans from World War II
The first media - wax cylinders to records to four - track cassette tapes

Current Memberships and Services

Individual memberships
Annual Institution memberships (AIM)
Tape players and accessories
Custom Projects
Incorporation of Dyslexic to RFB&D
- Number of students served
- Number of books circulated
32 recording studios nationally
5000 volunteer readers

Transition to Digital Audio

E-Text books - computerized books for the blind
1998 Department of Commerce Grant (TOP)
Began testing RFB&D's books in September 1999
Expanded test sites in February 2001 (Pre-Release)
Research projects
Two Gallup studies / Focus groups / John Hopkins Univ.
& Baltimore schools

Types of Books

RFB&D's Audio Plus
Converted books
New Digital Masters
RFB&D's Audio Plus Text
RFB&D's D-Text

Product Placement Roll-out

Rollout Timetable
Formal Announcement in July 2002

Issues:

Infrastructure change
Human and financial resources
Playback devices - hardware and software
Production tools
Digital Rights Management (DRM)

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