"Save as DAISY XML" Word plug-in gives blind users new hope (via Mowser)

"Save as DAISY XML" Word plug-in gives blind users new hope

By Emil Protalinski | Published: May 08, 2008 - 01:20PM CT

[image] Last November, Microsoft announced it will be collaborating with the Digital Accessible Information SYstem (DAISY) Consortium to create a free, downloadable plug-in for Microsoft Word. The plug-in is supposed to translate Open XML-based documents into DAISY XML in order to assist blind or print-disabled computer users to read and publish navigatable multimedia content.

Given how many authors use Microsoft Word to type up their work, the plug-in should significantly increase the amount of print content available in DAISY XML. Chris Capossela, senior vice president of the Information Worker Product Management Group at Microsoft, explained the importance of the breakthrough by saying:

This new 'Save as DAISY XML' functionality for Microsoft Word has the potential to break down barriers for millions of visually impaired individuals around the world and enhance the experience for virtually anyone who loves to read. We are proud of our collaboration with the DAISY Consortium and Sonata Software to deliver valuable benefits for people with a visual impairment. This tool will make it easier for anyone — from a child writing to his or her grandparent, to a government agency providing vital information to its citizens — to create accessible content.

Microsoft has now released the plug-in, which adds a "Save as DAISY XML" option to Microsoft Office Word 2007, Word 2003 and Word XP. Since the project is open source, the Open XML to DAISY XML Translator source code is also available for download on SourceForge.net.