All formats are transcribed based on the source file of the book. The source file is usually produced by scanning and pre-editing the book.

Once the source file is available, staff transcribe it into braille (using Duxbury Braille translation software) or MS Word for large print. This is very time-consuming work, as every sentence and paragraph needs to be properly formatted, with tactile diagrams (for braille) or scanned images (for large print) included. Once a first version has been embossed (“Braille-printed”) or printed out in large print, our braille or large print proofreaders check the text for errors.

A final, corrected version is then printed or embossed again, punched, bound and the final volume labelled in braille or print. Digital files are produced using the same source file. They are edited according to the final use of the file, i.e. whether it will be read by speech software, looked at with magnification software or used for a braille output device. Finished transcribed files are then uploaded to OnLine Bookshelf for secure and limited downloads by the students.

This depends very much on the book itself. Small primary school books with few illustrations are “easier” and quicker to transcribe than those with a lot of visual content or those at secondary school level. As a rule of thumb each illustration (graphic, photo etc.) slows the transcription down. The layout of each page also contributes to the time it takes to scan and transcribe. Depending on the book, any time between 2 weeks and one and a half years can apply.

Please contact us if you require further information.

We provide transcription services to children with a registered visual impairment in mainstream or special education, at both primary and secondary school level. To become a client of Reading Services, a Client Registration Form needs to be filled in. In this form, the parent(s) of a child with a visual impairment (if under 18 years of age) are asked to provide us with a contact address and information on the school/year their child is in. We also ask for a sheet to be filled in indicating the eye condition and the resulting required format (i.e. braille, large print, text or DAISY files), Usually, the Visiting Teacher of our client would fill in this information. The final section requires the parent(s) to sign a declaration that any material provided by us is for the sole use of the child with a visual impairment.

Orders usually come in through the Visiting Teacher in cooperation with the school and classroom teacher. Please make sure to fill in all the information on the book title, author, publisher and most importantly the ISBN – if this is complete, no time is wasted with double-checking! Please also ensure that you give a contact address and the full required format of the transcription e.g. UEB grade 2 or “Large Print Arial 24” (and not just “Braille” or “Large Print”).

Finished books are sent in the regular post. Most will bear the “articles for the blind” sticker. The books are usually sent to the main contact address specified for each student. In a lot of cases this is the school address, but please double-check whether you, as a client, have provided us with the correct address – especially if there was a change in school.
All digital files are uploaded to the OnLine Bookshelf.

Braille is a tactile reading system used by many people with vision loss or no vision. It is named after its inventor, Louis Braille (1809-1852), a Frenchman who developed the system after a childhood accident had left him blind. Each braille sign fills in specified dots on a 6-dot braille cell. The six dots are arranged as on the face of a dice. Depending on which dots are raised, the sign carries a different meaning.

The dots are read with the fingers in a technique learned by braille readers by tracing lines and reading signs and words. The skill of reading braille is best developed from an early age onwards, starting with tracing exercises and the development of pre-braille skills. Currently, the skill of accessing information by reading braille is not rewarded in the Irish education system. It is an additional skill which requires effort and time and it is important that educators are aware of that throughout the whole educational system.

For more detailed information please contact us: readingservices@childvision.ie

Large Print means the provision of texts in a print size that is bigger than the average size (which is usually point 10–12) and a font type that is very clear.

Our standard large print type and font is Arial 24. We also transcribe into point sizes ranging from 18 to 36 and into other fonts, as required by the client.

Tactile diagrams are diagrams or picture outlines with raised lines that can be touched and felt.In textbooks, a lot of crucial information is conveyed in a visual way, by sketches, diagrams etc. Tactile diagrams are one of several possible ways of conveying this kind of information. We would, for example, include many tactile diagrams in mathematics books. Tactile diagrams are either embossed, similar to braille, or can be hand-drawn, photocopied onto special paper and then raised by exposure to heat.

3-D objects are three-dimensional shapes which are printed on a 3D printer. For this to happen an object needs to be designed by using computer software. We also print braille on the objects to encourage independent learning. The objects are made up by plastic filament, which the printer builds up layer by layer until the full object is printed.

If you have any ideas what would be good to print in 3-D or any questions, please contact us at readingserives@childvision.ie

By text-only files we mean computer files (e.g. Word documents or WordPad files) that contain only the pure text of a textbook. Diagrams, photos, sketches etc. are not included. The text is the scanned text from a textbook, edited after scanning for spelling mistakes from the scanning process. The text is then also edited for use with speech software, magnification software or electronic braille output devices.

Digital books are computer files, not unlike text-only files in that respect, which allow the user to navigate the book easily. The user can decide how the book works best for them by adjusting font size, background colour font and background colour so it is a very versatile format.

Reading Services
Grace Park Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9, Ireland.
Phone 01 837 3635
Email: readingservices@childvision.ie