'India needs more reading tech for visually challenged'

Indian libraries currently undergoing book digitisation programme must include a text reading technology for the visually-challenged people, an expert said today.
"Such introduction of technology will help increase the number of books available for reading for blinds, and people with low-vision and print disability," said Dipendra Manocha, Delhi-based representative of Daisy Consortium.
Daisy consortium is a global organisation for creating best ways to read and publish.
"It is the logical way of increasing the number of books for people with disability to read print material," said Manocha, who is visually-challenged but is Daisy Consortium's coordinator for developing countries and lead-training and technical support representative."

"Otherwise, India would need to convert between 1,000 and 2,000 books a year to serve the visually-challenged people, which would cost Rs 8,000-10,000 and it would not be enough to meet the requirements," he said.
Manocha was speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions' World Library and Information Congress here.
Presently, India has about 100 libraries with book reading and accessibility services for the blind people, people with low-vision and people with print reading disability, according to Manocha.
"Going forward, our target is to have 2,00,000 blind people or people with poor eyesight and disability to read books as library members over the next two years," he said.