Make reading easy for visually impaired

Dubai - Book lovers and enthusiasts are reiterating UNESCO's call to make books more accessible to all segments of the population

As the world celebrates World Book and Copyright Day, the UAE's book lovers are calling for more to be done to help make published works more accessible to the visually impaired.
The date of World Book Day - April 23 - was chosen by UNESCO to mark the occasion because this date, in 1616, marked the death of Don Quixote author Miguel de Cervantes, colonial Spanish chronicler Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Shakespeare, and is the birth or death date of several other famous authors, such as French novelist Maurice Druon, Russian-American writer Vladimir Nobokov and Catalan journalist Josep Pla.
This year, book day is focused on the blind and the visually impaired, who have difficulty accessing books and other printed materials.
"It is said that how a society treats its most vulnerable is a measure of its humanity," UNESCO Secretary General Irina Bokova said in a statement. "When we apply this measure to the availability of books to those with visual impairments and those with learning or physical disabilities, we are confronted with what can only be described as a 'book famine'."
According to the World Blind Union, about one in every 200 people on earth - about 39 million people - cannot see, with another 246 million have severely reduced vision. These 'persons with a print disability' can only access about 10 percent of the written information and literary works that sighted people have available to them.
"Poorly designed or inaccessible books also limit reading and comprehension of those who have learning disabilities," Bokova noted. "According to the International Dyslexia Association, three to five percent of the school population requires special accommodations and support."
The UAE's book lovers speak
Locally, many book lovers and enthusiasts are reiterating UNESCO's call to make books more accessible to all segments of the population.
Farah Nada, a book lover with an MA in English Literature, noted that "some books are published in Braille but that's not always feasible for publishers and not all people who are visually impaired have learnt Braille.
"Audiobooks, however, are becoming increasingly popular, even for people who are not visually impaired. I think it adds an auditory element to the experience for them too," she said. "My suggestion therefore would be for published in good audio-books, a variety read by different voices to appeal to wider audiences."
Alternatively, Nada suggested that more be done to motivate, encourage and support visually-impaired reader's attempts to learn Braille, and for more books to be made into Braille versions.
"I assume some publishers do this," she said. "But I don't imagine it's as accessible as it should be."
Similarly, Noora Masri, an artist and designer, noted that "books can be accessible to the visually impaired through different ways."
"One would be through audio books in which digital books are convenient to this segment where speech in the form of recorded spoken words is involved and the other would be specific books that are in print made especially for the visually impaired where they can read through touch," she said. "There are technologies now that help makes it easier for the visually impaired to find books accessible."
Nishi Chatterjee, the creator of the Reading Caterpillar Children's Book Club, noted that schools, hospitals and even cafes could do more to make books accessible to those with special needs, or visual impairments. "School libraries should have a small section of books (in Braille) from different genres, fiction, non-fiction, even comic books," she said. "There are also many cafes where we can read (Braille) books."
"Even in hospitals, one need just keep the books, and call a storyteller, perhaps once a month," she added. "That volunteer can read the stories and they (visually impaired or special needs patients) can understand and feel the importance of the story."
reporters@khaleejtimes.com
 
What is World Book and Copyright Day?
World Book and Copyright Day - which is celebrated on April 23 every year - has been held since 1995. The date was chosen because April 23, 1616, was the date that Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors, such as Maurice Druon, Haldor K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo.
The day is designed as a world-wide tribute to books and authors, and to encourage everyone -particularly young people - to discover the joys of reading and gain greater respect for those who have "furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity."
Additionally, every year UNESCO selects on city in the world to serve as World Book Capital for a one-year period. This year, the Guinean capital of Conakry was chosen.
 
VOX POP
"Reading is a source of knowledge that gives you entry into different worlds. It allows the imagination to fly, which as a creative artist is a source of joy for me. The thrill. The travelling in time and space. The imagination. Everything." - Noora Masri, artist and designer
"Reading is a comfort, a challenge and an escape. It is a comfort in knowing others think similarly to me, a challenge exposing myself to those that think differently and finding a way to reconcile the two opposing ideas, and an escape because so often we are caught up in what the world dictates for us." - Farah Nada, book lover
"Books slow down your pace and are a means of self-actualisation. The juices are flowing and you understand your world." - Nishi Chatterjee, creator of Reading Caterpillar Children's Book Club
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