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Funding and governance of library and information services for visually impaired people: international case studies
Part2:Country studies
Australia
What is driving change?
Technology
The general view is that there is a mainstreaming process occurring in the provision of library and information services as the Internet and DAISY take over from the old audio tapes. Some public libraries are beginning to look at technology for the delivery of accessible information services.
However, the identification of gaps between policy and practice indicates that there can be dangers in the idea that technology is solving all the problems, if it is incorrectly assumed that all online material is readily accessible; cost, lack of training and bad practice can all prevent accessibility, and much material is not available online.
Policy framework
The government’s Print Disability and Postal Concessions to the Blind Report 2003, referred to above, looked at the way alternative format materials were funded, produced and distributed. It contained five recommendations.
According to Vision Australia, the recommendations would make a considerable impact were they to be carried out.
The five recommendations were:
- Department of Family and Community Services commission research into the application of contemporary technology to the production of alternative format material
- Department of Family and Community Services further review the funding model for services funded under the Print Disability Services Program
- Department of Family and Community Services and Australia Post jointly review the arrangements for administering the Postal Concessions for the Blind Program
- Department of Family and Community Services works with Australia Post to ensure Australia Post staff are aware of the Postal Concessions for the Blind Program.
- Department of Family and Community Services reviews items considered eligible for postage under the Postal Concessions for the Blind Program.
The first two were pursued in a report by Jenny Pearson entitled Research into the Application of Contemporary Technology to the Production of Alternative Format Material.
This report made a number of recommendations, including the following:
Recommendation 1
Producers of audio format materials should transition to digital production of masters as a first priority. Conversion of selected analogue masters should occur as a second priority.
Recommendation 2
Production of analogue audio copies (e.g. audio cassettes) should be continued during the period of transition from analogue to digital production in order that consumers are not disadvantaged.
Recommendation 3
The DAISY (ANSI/NISO Z39.86) standard should be adopted as the formatting standard to be used by Australian producers of digital audio books.
Recommendation 4
There should be a choice of formats and delivery methods for consumers, including physical formats such as hard copy Braille and Large Print (although it is not suggested that every provider produce both physical and electronic formats).
Recommendation 5
Current work by the Attorney Generals Department towards revision of the Australian Copyright Act (1968) should be accelerated with the underpinning principle being the appropriate removal of barriers to access by people with a disability, consistent with the Disability Discrimination Act (1992).
In its response to the Pearson report [http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/info.aspx?page=988], Vision Australia supports a number of the recommendations but points out that there are large costs involved in converting to digital delivery and as it will save money from the postal concession, the government should consider the issues together. The Pearson report was not asked to consider the postal concession issues. It is also concerned that it is impossible to know whether the proposed funding model will deliver the same level of subsidy as the current model, which is itself insufficient to cover the costs of producing alternative format materials.