Services for people with a print disability
People can be described as having a 'print disability' for many different reasons including:
- not being able to read standard print because of blindness or vision impairment.
- having a physical disability which prevents them from holding or turning the pages of a book or printed item eg. multiple sclerosis, a stroke or severe arthritis
- having a learning or concentration issue that makes it difficult to follow text eg. dyslexia
These conditions can result in significant additional handicaps to a print handicap. Because they vary so greatly, it is only possible to make general suggestions for services that you can adjust, depending on your clients needs.
Print disability awareness kit [new window] - An initiative of the State Library of Victoria and the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind available online.
Print disability copyright guidelines [new window] explains the Copyright Act 1968 provision which allows copyright product to be format shifted (alternative formats) for people with a print disability.
Increasing Accessibility Library Initiative
Recently the Australian Government, through the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA), provided $1 million for the purchase of playback devices for public libraries around the country in an initiative called: Increasing Accessibility Library Initiative.
The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) has been selected to deliver the Library Initiative which aims to improve access for people with a print disability to print material in a digital format through public libraries around the country.
The State Library of Queensland was successful in their application to be part of this initiative, on behalf of Country Lending Service and smaller independent libraries throughout Queensland. The State Library has partnered with Vision Australia for the delivery of this service, using the portable Plextor Daisy Reader device.
For more information on the initiative or the devices themselves, please have a look at the links below.
- The ALIA Library Initiative page [new window]
- Expression of Interest submitted by the State Library on behalf of CLS and smaller public libraries [new window
62 kb] 
Training resources
Plextor Getting Started Guide
Plextor Advanced Guide
Vision Australia information and training guides
- Vision Australia Library Services [new window]
- Plextalk Daisy Reader brochure [new window 1.2 mb]
- Plextalk Daisy Reader getting started guide [new window 52 kb]
- Plextalk Daisy Reader advanced user guide [new window 80 kb]
- Plextalk Daisy Reader quick use guide and diagram [new window 727 kb]
- Vision Australia YouTube Daisy Reader video overview [new window]
Last updated: 4th November 2011
Creatively engaging people with information, knowledge and community
