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The Newsletter of COTIS
The Confederation of Transcribed Information Services
To promote the provision of information in alternative formats to print
Editor - Linda Pearce, Email:
ontrack@cotis.org.uk .
Project Office, 67 High Street, Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 ODP. Tel: 01829-733351
(Answerphone)
Reg Charity No: 299024 © Issue 36 - October 2000
Within this jam packed issue you will find information about the variety of ways in which music notation is being made accessible for visually impaired people, how Lancaster University has developed services for students with disabilities, an update on copyright and more. Let others know about the services you offer and the projects you are involved with. Copy Deadlines are now available. We look forward to hearing from you. Very importantly, our AGM is fast approaching and there are implicationsžabout decisions taken at last year's AGM be. Please read Implications of Low Attendance at AGM and come to the AGM.
by Marilyn Oldershaw, RNIB Copyright Officer
The most significant news to date is that a Common Position (agreement) has been reached between Member States of the European Union (EU), in respect of the EU Copyright Directive. Included in its many clauses is a reference to exceptions to the proposed new Act, which would allow material to be produced by and for visually impaired people, without seeking permission.
States will have a mandate to introduce laws which will allow this - but of course, they have the option to ignore it if they wish.
The Common Position will go before the European Parliament for a second reading, probably in October. The text is a good improvement over previous versions and demonstrates how consistent lobbying has paid off. However, there are still problems with the text: we are still arguing over the possible use of technical blocks by publishers, for example, and rights holder organisations are continuing to lobby governments over various clauses, including the one referring to exceptions.
Even if the European Parliament delivers the goods, as it were, we have to continue to lobby the UK Government to make exceptions for visually impaired people (VIPs). The present Government has always been sympathetic and seems genuinely committed to `universal access', but they also have to take into account the views of rights holders. A government consultation document is planned for publication in October, and interested parties from both sides are invited to contribute. We shall also continue to meet with government officials and Ministers.
In the meantime, we are also continuing our talks with rights holders because even if the UK Government decides to legislate for exceptions, the very earliest date it could become law would be sometime in 2002. Our discussions will hopefully bear some fruit before the end of this year, when VIP Guidelines and Publishers Guidelines will be published by the Publishers Licensing Society.
Both sets of guidelines should remove some of the obstacles faced by VIPs and agencies, which should be of some help until we have achieved our goal of a legislative solution.
by Rosemary Turner, Disabilities Service Manager, Lancaster University
The Committee for Handicapped Students: it sounds like something out of the ark, but little more than 20 years ago when this language was still the norm, a group of committed staff at Lancaster got together for the first time to work out how visually-impaired and other disabled students could best be supported. They weren't the only ones. A few other universities were doing similar things.
In the first 10 years, the number of students was tiny and we got to know individuals well. It was so unusual to find disabled students in Higher Education that they were regarded as super-heroes if they succeeded, and pitied if they couldn't quite make it. The chief providers of taped materials were students' mums (though volunteers in the Students' Union helped too). Evidence of more radical attitudes amongst students was met with puzzlement. For example, a Fine Arts student who was a wheelchair user attempted to mount an exhibition which explained disablist attitudes by role-reversal. He wanted to reduce the height of the entrance doorway to four feet to make walking visitors stoop uncomfortably to enter. The Safety Officer intervened and vetoed this idea! Students were so pleased to have arrived in higher education that they (mainly) worked extremely hard and confronted issues with a robust, self-help attitude that often involved long extra hours of study and physical fatigue.
Steady progress was made, though, in improving access. The first tactile map of the campus was painstakingly put together. Alternative routes were gradually developed around the 1960's campus (which was compact and, for its time, well supplied with lifts) but suffered the architectural fads of the time, such as steps for decorative effect. There were helpful, practical discussions about details too, such as the types of doormats which were best to wheel over.
1990 proved to be a turning point; fund-raising for the first Kurzweil machine had met its target (at that time the biggest part of £10,000) and in partnership with the then Spastics Society the University agreed to fund the new post of Disabled Students' Adviser. Over the next few years rapid developments occurred and the number of students increased quickly too. External funding for equipment and support (such as reading to tape) improved dramatically through the Disabled Students' Allowance system, and Lancaster also developed an internal support fund from a proportion of the profits of a small company, MARDIS, which manufactured specialist speech communication equipment. We enlarged our bank of central equipment: the brailler, the colour closed circuit television (CCTV) (mainly used by geographers), computer equipment and tape recorders for loan to students. Systems were put in place to make sure that there was fair treatment for disabled students in the application process and for exams. Through initiatives organised by the Higher Education Funding Council in England, we were able to develop specialist advice for disabled students on both IT and careers issues. Most importantly for long term improvement, we started systematic awareness raising across the whole university community through staff development events and guidance notes for staff teaching students with a range of disabilities. Innovations took place in many varied parts of the institution too; academic departments negotiated the issues around having blind students doing research degrees and managing teams of library catalogue scanners and readers; the Students' Union appointed its own Disabilities Officer; and the Department of Continuing Education, with its remit in local communities, worked systematically at making its courses more accessible. This period culminated in 1994 when the University was awarded one of the first Queen's Anniversary prizes for Further and Higher Education for its disability provision.
Since then the environment in which we work has changed rapidly. Many universities have been developing their services, so we have many more colleagues to share ideas with and wrestle together with similar problems. Legislation and higher education quality assurance arrangements have made sure we are much more vigorous in including thinking about accessibiltiy in all our planning and procedures. These include the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 with its provision on employment and services, the Higher Education Quality Assurance Agency's Code of Practice on Students with Disabilities, and the proposed new Disability Rights in Education legislation. Technological developments have improved the convenience and speed of many study tools used by students.
Most recently we have been aware of new groups of students which we ought to be supporting better. For example, since 1997 we've been working on improving the ways we ensure that students with mental health difficulties can complete their courses. This involves unglamorous work on developing policy statements and lots of low-key publicity and training for staff to counteract the deeply embedded fears and stereotypes we scarcely know are dictating our thoughts and actions. Most hearteningly, students no longer feel they need to be endlessly grateful and are quite rightly negotiating - and demanding - equality of access to all aspects of student life. We know there is a long way to go to achieve true inclusion, but when we look back over the past 20 years with ex-students and colleagues from many other institutions, we recognise how far we have come.
by Ruth Frampton, RNIB Transcription Centre Southwest
Since the early 1900's, Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) has provided music for its customers. During the last eighty years, however, technological advancements have enabled that provision more closely to meet changing needs.
In April 1999, RNIB Transcription Centre South West acquired, with the help of local fundraisers, the equipment and software to pilot a project in the South West region offering music transcription to visually impaired musicians. Music is sent or brought to the Centre by clients for whom individual packages are tailored according to their very specific requirements. All types of music are transcribed: popular songs, keyboard and piano scores, choral works, exam pieces, wind ensembles, violin sonatas, barber-shop harmonies and so on.
Braille
People who are preparing for examinations, studying at college or university, those who teach and others who perform need access to braille music, given that they read literary braille. Braille music, like other specialist braille codes, is an adaptation of signs used for text having different meanings within the particular code, built upon the six-dot cell used for all braille codes.
Some people are still unaware that music can be produced in braille; they imagine that the score is a tactile version of stave notation. Indeed experiments were conducted along these lines, but the major difficulty arises when trying to decipher the difference between the stave and notes.
Braille transcription to both single line and bar over bar layouts is available. The Centre is using the latest technology available from Dancing Dots Inc to produce braille electronically with the Lime and Goodfeel packages.
Talking Scores
People who lose their sight at different stages of life, and for whom braille is not appropriate also need access to musical notation. Some may well be professional musicians while others might be taking music up after a gap of many years, or considering learning for the first time. For such situations the notion of a `Talking Score' might be an option.
What is a `Talking Score'? A Talking Score describes the music, bar by bar, on to audio cassette or CD, alternating with the sound track of the music. This medium is particularly suited to those with little or no sight who cannot realistically use large print music and who do not know music braille or whose sense of touch may make reading braille difficult.
Although we are only just pioneering this medium, it has given a life-line for some users to remain in teaching, and I quote: "... I thought my career was entirely finished, and that without my teaching, which has been life-long, I was finished too in every way, and couldn't contemplate life without eyes. Now it has given me a new lease of life and I'm looking to other things to try ..."
Large print music
Again,musicians with partial sight, of whom there are many within the United Kingdom, need access to music notation. With developments in music technology, the ability to reproduce stave notation in enlarged sizes is more possible today than has been the case before.
Not forgetting issues of copyright, the method of enlarging print or music could be achieved using a photocopier, although this often creates more problems than it solves. The enlargement may have notes the right size, but the remainder of the music may not be in proportion; indeed there may be unnecessary gaps which would make reading it very difficult for some eye conditions.
Ideally the large print should be produced with the particular user in mind, and at the Centre, large print transcription is available, custom-made to the individual's requirements. The Sibelius package, state-of-the-art software for music notation, is used to format each piece individually, incorporating any special formatting, such as heavy print stave lines, as required. Samples are available but clients are welcome to visit the Centre to discuss their particular needs.
The music can be produced loose-leaf to fit plastic pockets or can be wiro bound between covers, in A3 or A4 sizes, portrait or landscape, whichever is more convenient.
Development
The project is still at an early stage, but we have successfully recruited a group of ten volunteers to work on Sibelius and Lime. We are producing substantial quantities of large print music and a smaller amount of braille. This reflects local demand. Talking Scores are slower to develop. They require more musical knowledge to produce and are more time-consuming, but undoubtedly will be the way forward for the future as the only format immediately accessible to those with no sight. We anticipate that production will become easier with the advent of digital recording.
This is an exciting venture offering a lifeline to musicians in the area: "You have no idea how helpful and useful it is for me to have the music thus magnified".
Subscriptions are now due for the new year 1 September 2000 to 31 August 2001. Again there has been no change in rates, we are holding them level at only £12 for group membership and £6 for individuals.
Your continued support, knowledge and expertise really IS needed. Please join us again this year and help us to help you!
Send your cheque to COTIS, Project Office, 67 High Street, Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 0DP
Would you like to join us on the committee! We have a space waiting for you, and we would be delighted to see you. Help us to maintain as wide a representation of members as possible. We need your thoughts, ideas and expertise to help COTIS move forward.
We hold meetings about every six to eight weeks. Because members are spread around the UK (and even on the other side of the world) most meetings are via telephone conferences which usually last about 11/2 hours, with two or three `face to face' meetings a year including the AGM. Travel costs of committee members attending committee meetings and telephone conference costs are borne by COTIS.
If you would like to know more, please contact any current Committee member or leave a message on the COTIS answerphone 01829-7333351) and one of us will ring you back. My number is 01733-375051 [Ed]. Waiting in anticipation ...
At last year's AGM we were,unwittingly, not quorate, so the decisions taken to change the constitution cannot stand. We need to vote on the motions again, ie the one allowing the change of name from Confederation of Tape Information Services to Confederation of Transcribed Information Services and the change to clause 14. Full details were in October 1999's issue. If you would like another copy please contact the COTIS office.
To enable us to take decisions to keep COTIS moving ahead the committee urges as many members as possible to attend the AGM, The AGM is in London, so if you live in the London area particularly, can you spare the couple of hours needed? Please contact the COTIS office 01829-733351 to let us know.
Saturday 18 November 2000
Large Committee Room RNIB
224 Great Portland Street, London W1N 6AA
Agenda
| 11.00 am | Welcome tea/coffee |
| 11.30 | President's opening remarks |
| 11.40 | Apologies |
| 12.10 | Chairman's report |
| 12.30 | Treasurer's report |
| 12.40 | Motion |
| 12.50 | Nominations: |
| 1.00 | Any other business |
| 1.30 | Close |
(NB Minutes of last year's AGM were in the January 2000 issue of
On Track. The motions were in the October 1999 issue.
Please let us know if you need another copy.)
Nominations
Please contact COTIS if you wish to nominate someone for election to the Committee by Friday 3 November 2000, giving:
• Your name
• Name of person nominated
• Name of organisation represented if applicable
• Name of proposer
• Name of seconder
• Confirm that the nominee named earlier has given his or her agreement to be nominated, and whether this agreement is verbal or written
• Ask the nominee to send in a few biographical details about his or her background.
Contact the COTIS Secretary, Project Office, 67 High Street,
Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 0DP. Telephone: 01829 733351
Email: Sheila Jones
Attendance:
To give us an idea of numbers, please let us know by Monday 13 November 2000
only if you will be attending the AGM.
If you can't make the decision in advance, please `turn up' on the day.
Give:
• Your name
• Organisation, if applicable
Contact the COTIS Secretary, Project Office, 67 High Street,
Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 0DP. Telephone: 01829-733351
Email: Sheila Jones
Dear Colleague
Thank you very much for taking the time to respond to the first draft of the COTIS/UKABP checklist. We had a very good response from both producers and users. As a result of your comments we have changed the layout so that each medium has its own checklist, there is no longer a generic section at the beginning (although all media have the same headings). Several new sections have been added; labelling, packaging and timeliness.
We have added a covering note. This stresses the importance of individuals' requirements taking precedence over the list. Also that the document is purely a checklist, it is not designed to explain best practice. There will be an appendix directing people to documents and publications which explain the principles involved more fully.
Regarding the range of media, it was felt that we should restrict ourselves to those used specifically by visually impaired people (ie not clear print and simplified text). Also that tactile diagrams and web material were being addressed by other organisations.
Several people noted the increased role of the third party (company or organisation) in commissioning transcription. Whilst producers and users might understand the principles and philosophy behind the checklist, the commissioner may not. COTIS is currently producing guidance notes specifically for this group.
We would be very much obliged if you could read through this second draft and let us have your thoughts and suggestions for improvement as soon as possible. Thank you once again for taking the time to help us.
Please direct your comments to :- Mandy White at the
COTIS/UKABP Office, 67, High Street, Tarporley, Cheshire CW6 ODP.
Tel: 01829-730089 (office hours; also 24 hour answerphone)
Fax: 01829-732408
Regards, Mandy White
DRAFT 2 - CHECKLISTThe checklist that follows is a series of questions relating to each of the key media (Audio, Braille, Electronic Text, Large Print, Moon). It is designed to ensure that producers are providing material in alternative formats to a quality standard acceptable to users. It does not give advice on how best to answer the questions in the affirmative. Many of the areas covered are difficult and complex. There are a number of publications (which will be given in a source list at the end of the final checklist document) which should be read in conjunction with the checklist. These will explain the complexities involved and will give you practical information on how to produce a good standard of braille, audio etc. The checklist is intended to be used as a final quality check.
The checklist should always be adhered to with the following key proviso; it may seem an obvious point but the overwhelming priority for any producer is to provide the user with what they specifically require. Communication with the user is crucial. If an individual (or group of individuals) requests something different to that which has been prescribed in the checklist, then that request should take precedence.
Identification
For all documents is the following information given within the first
minute?
Who the information is from
What the subject matter is (title, author, etc)
How long the recording is
Layout
Is the layout clear, making both reading and understanding the structure of
the document as easy as possible? Thought should be given to the correct
positioning of for example:
Footnotes
Key diagrams
Floating text, eg boxed information
Important addresses
Navigation
Is the following navigational information given within the first minute (at
least for documents of more than 500 words)?
Description of the system used to mark the start of sections.
A list of the items included, their position in the recording and how to
navigate directly to the start of each item.
Location of any detailed contents list and/or index.
Content
Is the information conveyed accurately and in such a way that helps
understanding? Thought should be given to the following:-
The correct interpretation of diagrams, tables and illustrations.
Spelling of words particularly of addresses, unusual names or technical terms.
Labelling
Is the cassette easily identifiable with the following information in clear
print and tactile form?
Which side of the cassette is side 1.
The (abbreviated) title or content of the cassette.
Packaging
Have the cassettes been packaged in such a way that they arrive with the user in good condition?
Timeliness
Have the cassettes arrived:
in good time with the user
at the same time as sighted users receiving their print copy (when the document
is part of a general distribution)
by a pre-determined deadline agreed with the user?
Other media specific points
Is the recording loud enough (between -8 and -6dB) with no unintended
background noise?
Are the words clearly understandable by someone of normal hearing (at a
distance of 3 feet, in a quiet indoor environment,
with the volume control at no more than midway setting on a portable tape
player?
Does the reader read with apparent understanding and interest, sensible
phrasing and no key mispronunciations?
Identification
For all documents, is the following information given within the first 2
pages?
Who the information is from.
What the subject matter is (title, author etc).
The number of volumes, if more than one.
Layout
Is the layout clear, making both the reading and understanding the
structure of the document as easy as possible?
Thought should be given to the correct positioning of for example:
Footnotes
Key diagrams
Floating text, eg boxed information
Important addresses
Navigation
Is the following navigational information given within the first 2 pages
(at least for documents of more than 500 words)?
Description of the system used to mark the start of sections.
A list of the items included, their position within the text and how to
navigate directly to the start of each item.
Location of any detailed contents list and/or index.
Content.
Is the information conveyed accurately and in such a way that helps
understanding? Thought should be given to the following:-
The correct interpretation of diagrams, tables and illustrations.
Page breaks to be at an appropriate place in the text.
Labelling
Is the document easily identifiable, with the subject matter (title, author etc) given in both clear print and braille?
Packaging
Has the braille been bound in such a way that it does not inhibit easy
reading of the text?
Has the braille been packaged in such a way that it arrives with the user in
good condition?
Timeliness
Has the braille arrived:
in good time with the user
at the same time as sighted users receiving their print copy
(when the document is part of a general distribution)
by a pre-determined deadline agreed with the user?
Other media specific points
Is the coding correct? (Does it conform to the rules of British Braille).
Has consideration been given to whether grade 1 or grade 2 braille is more
appropriate for the customer?
Is the quality of the dots adequate? ie height (0.48mm), uniform, easily
distinguishable from surrounding material?
Is the alignment within and between cells consistent?
Is the material/paper used of an adequate weight and finish that it does not
inhibit reading?
Has consideration been given as to the preference of the user for
different sized paper and either double or single sided embossing?
Identification
For all documents is the following information given within the first 2
pages?
Who the information is from.
What the subject matter is (title, author etc).
How long the file is.
Layout
Is the layout clear, making both the reading and understanding the
structure of the document as easy as possible? Thought should be
given to the correct positioning of e.g.
Footnotes
Key diagrams
Floating text, eg boxed information
Important addresses
Navigation
For all documents is the following navigational information given
within a README file?
Description of the system used to mark the start of sections.
A list of the items included, their position in the file and how to navigate
directly to the start of each item.
Location of any detailed contents list and/or index.
Whether files have been split.
Content
Is the information conveyed accurately and in such a way that helps
understanding?
Thought should be given to the following:-
The correct interpretation of diagrams, tables and illustrations
(40 character width for tabular information)
Page breaks to be at an appropriate place in the text.
Appropriate treatment of acronyms.
Labelling
Has the disc been clearly labelled with the title and author in both print and tactile form?
Packaging
Has the disc been packaged in such a way that it arrives with the user in good condition?
Timeliness
Have the discs arrived:
in good time with the user
at the same time as sighted users receiving their print copy
(when the document is part of a general distribution)
by a pre-determined deadline agreed with the user?
Other media specific points
Is all the necessary information accessible to screen readers, ie are
the characters ASCII, or easily transferable to ASCII?
Is the disc useable, ie will it load onto the users PC and is it virus free?
Does any built in navigation system (eg document reader) conform
to standard windows appearance and behaviour?
Identification
For all documents is the following information given within the first 2
pages?
Who the information is from.
What the subject matter is (title, author etc).
Layout
Is the layout clear, making both the reading and understanding the
structure of the document as easy as possible? Thought should be
given to the clear positioning of e.g.
Footnotes
Key diagrams
Pull quotes
Important addresses
Navigation
Is the following navigational information given within the first 2
pages (at least for documents of more than 500 words)?
A list of the items included and their position in the text.
Location of any detailed contents list and/or index.
Content
Is the information conveyed accurately and in such a way that helps
understanding?
Thought should be given to the following:-
The correct interpretation of diagrams, tables and illustrations.
Page breaks to be at an appropriate place in the text
Labelling
Is the document easily identifiable, with the subject matter
(title, author etc) given in both clear print and braille?
Packaging
Has the large print been bound in such a way that it does not inhibit easy
reading of the text?
Has the large print been packaged in such a way that it arrives with the user
in good condition?
Timeliness
Has the large print arrived:
in good time with the user
at the same time as sighted users receiving their print copy
(when the document is part of a general distribution)
by a pre-determined deadline agreed with the user?
Other media specific points
Is the typeface of good weight (medium or bold) and a good contrast to the
background?
Is the paper non-glossy and sufficiently thick to prevent print-through (at
least 90gsm)?
Does the font type (typeface) have characters (especially numerals) which are
easily distinguished, eg Arial and Univers?
Have the specific needs of your users been taken into account when choosing
font size
(different users have different needs, 14 is an absolute minimum)
Identification
For all documents is the following information given within the first 2
pages?
Who the information is from.
What the subject matter is (title, author, etc).
The length of the transcription.
Layout
Is the layout clear, making both the reading and understanding the
structure of the document as easy as possible? Thought should be
given to the correct positioning of for example.
Footnotes
Key diagrams
Floating text, eg boxed information
Important addresses
Navigation
Is the following navigational information given within the first 2 pages
(at least for documents of more than 500 words)?
Description of the system used to mark the start of sections.
A list of the items included, their position in the recording and how to
navigate directly to the start of each item.
Location of any detailed contents list and/or index
Content
Is the information conveyed accurately and in such a way that helps
understanding?
Thought should be given to the following:-
The correct interpretation of diagrams, tables and illustrations
Page breaks to be at an appropriate place in the text
Labelling
Is the document easily identifiable with the subject matter
(title, author etc) given in both clear print and moon?
Packaging
Has the moon been bound in such a way that it does not inhibit easy reading
of the text?
Has the moon been packaged in such a way that it arrives with the user in good
condition?
Timeliness
Has the document arrived:
in good time with the user
at the same time as sighted users receiving their print copy
(when the document is part of a general distribution)
by a pre-determined deadline agreed with the user?
Other media specific points
Is the coding correct?
Has consideration been given to whether grade 1 or grade 2 moon
is more appropriate for the customer?
Is the tactile quality adequate? ie height (0.48mm), uniform, easily
distinguishable from surrounding material?
Is the material/paper used of an adequate weight and finish that it does not
inhibit reading?
Has consideration been given as to the preference of the user for different
sized paper and
either double or single sided embossing?
18 August 2000
by Linda Pearce, Editor
On Track brings to your attention details about equipment, materials and services that COTIS feels will be of interest to you. Please note that this is for your information only. COTIS is not endorsing them or making any recommendations. Equally, reviews are personal comments by the writers of the articles.
Please remember - if you would like to submit an article or send details of
any forthcoming events which may be of interest to COTIS members, the latest
dates by which material should reach the editor are:
18 September for October's issue,
6 January for January's issue and
1 May for May's issue.
© Written permission to use any On Track article or other COTIS
material to be obtained from
The COTIS Secretary, Project Office, 67 High Street, Tarporley,
Cheshire, CW6 0DP, tel: 01829-733351 (answerphone)
or from the On Track editor.
With the advent of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and a legal, rather than moral, obligation to provide information in alternative formats, COTIS, The Confederation of Transcribed Information Services, are investigating the demand for all those concerned with its production, to come together and make contact with other like minded organisations.
Acting as the link to accessible information, we would like to hear from you and whether you would benefit from a gathering of people/organisations who produce information in alternative formats, eg audio, large print, braille, etc, for people of all abilities and origins.
There is a need to ensure that what is produced has some continuity and is produced to a standard across the UK.
There is a need to ensure that resources are maximised by not re-inventing the wheel but learning from others.
There will be an opportunity to comment on an Accreditation Scheme being promoted by COTIS, that will establish a register of Accredited Providers from whom Service Providers and others can commission, with confidence, the supply of accessible information in a relevant format.
Should you be interested in attending, participating or demonstrating at
such an event, please let COTIS have the following details:-
• That you would like to attend an Accessible Information Forum during
2001
• A contact name, address and telephone number
• Any comments
Contact COTIS Project Office, 67 High Street, Tarporley,
Cheshire CW6 0DP. Tel: 01829-733351 Fax: 01829-732408
Email: Sheila Jones
From time to time we shall be publishing a list of organisations who can give specialist advice based on their research in working with user groups.
Ethnic Groups:
EMERGE, 24 Wood Lane, Harborne, Birmingham, B17 9AY.
Tel: 0121 428 5000
Providing Information:
National Information Forum, Post Point 10/11, BT Burne House,
Bell Street, London NW1 5BZ.
Tel: 020 7402 6681
Audio for People with a Learning Disability:
Intact, 22 Saughton Crescent, Edinburgh. Tel: 0131 337 6001
Computer Manuals - Tutorials on Tape:
John Wilson. Tel: 0113 257 5957. E-mail: jwjw@cwcom.net
Braille Library:
National Library for the Blind, Far Cromwell Road, Bredbury,
Stockport SK6 2SG. Tel: 0161 355 2000
Talking Newspapers:
Talking Newspaper Association of the UK (TNAUK), Heathfield,
East Sussex TN21 8DB. Tel: 01435 866102. E-mail:
info@tnauk.org.uk
Plain English especially for people with learning disabilities:
Norah Fry Research Centre. Tel: 0117 923 8137
Tactile Diagrams:
National Centre for Tactile Diagrams, University of Hertfordshire,
Hatfield, Herts AL10 9AB. Tel: 01707 286 348.
www.nctd.org.uk
Visually impaired and deafblind:
RNIB website at www.rnib.org.uk
Hearing impaired:
RNID website at www.rnid.org.uk
COTIS, Project Office, 67 High Street, Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 0DP, United Kingdom.
Telephone: +44 (0)1829 733351
Email: administrator@cotis.org.uk
COTIS President: Sir John A. Wall - Charity Number 299024
COTIS Web Site last updated 24th June 2005