Dolphin News

Dolphin Guide version 6 release

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:27:22 GMT

We are pleased to announce the release of Dolphin Guide v6. Designed to help users retain independence, Dolphin Guide presents simple menus accessed with single key presses to make using a computer much easier.

Mary McMahon of Dolphin Computer Access North said: "For many people computers seem daunting and they just don't know where to start. For a person with reduced sight, they can be even more intimidating. Our software helps them to start to use a computer quickly and easily. We launched Dolphin Guide many years ago and it has become a firm favourite with users who just want to use computers without asking for help. With version 6 we have made it even easier to use, giving people with low vision access to computers, while delivering peace of mind every step of the way."

Dolphin Guide v6 allows the user to:

Send & Receive email
Browse the Internet
Write Letters & Documents
Listen to Podcasts & Internet Radio
Play CDs and MP3s
Scan and Read printed materials
Play Games

Mary said: "What Guide v6 does is return independence to people despite their failing sight. Computers are part of everyday life now and for people losing their sight, the thought that they might have to give up using them is a major concern. Our software means that they do not need to do that. Guide v6 has been designed with simple, easy computing at its foundation. It is so simple that even people with little or no computer skills can start using a computer."

Gil Smith, who runs Low Vision Supplies of Billingham, Teesside, is one of the expert practitioners who recommend Dolphin Guide software on a daily basis for clients with conditions including macular degeneration.

He said: "Dolphin Guide enables my clients to do the things they did on the computer before they started to lose their sight, like writing documents, reading emails and accessing websites. The web is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family near and far, and the Dolphin Guide software allows users to do just that."

For more information please contact the Dolphin Guide sales team or read what's new in version 6 on the Dolphin Guide product pages where you can also download a free trial.

Dolphin Guide users awarded the eDigital Competence Certificate

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:50:49 GMT

Last week Modern-Eyes (a Dolphin Accredited Trainer) awarded 33 eDCC (eDigital Competence Certificate) to their learners. Modern-Eyes had been told previously that you couldn't complete word processing accreditation courses with Dolphin Guide.

However, this misconception was firmly disproved as 3 Dolphin Guide users, who were all completely new to the system, gained exactly the same word processing & email accreditations as their colleagues who were using Microsoft Word with SuperNova. Two of the Dolphin Guide users even had to learn how to type before beginning the course.

Modern-Eyes believe they have achieved such a good success rate because they tailor their work to each individual learner, so everyone learns at their own pace.

Learn more about Dolphin Guide.

Find your local Dolphin Accredited Trainer

Dolphin announce the appointment of Dave Salisbury as UK and Ireland Account Manager

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:45:14 GMT

Dolphin Computer Access today announced the appointment of Dave Salisbury as Account Manager for the UK and Ireland. Best known to many people as 'Dolphin Dave', Dave returns to Dolphin's Worcester offices following his previous employment at Dolphin's sales office for more than 9 years.

As a close friend of many organisations and individuals in the visual impairment industry, Dave's appointment to this pivotal customer facing role signals Steve Bennett's ambition to reignite the close working relationships between Dolphin and its software users throughout the UK and Ireland.

Steve said "We are thrilled to have Dave back at Dolphin"

Dave's extensive product knowledge and great sense of humour, enable him to work with our customers to identify the optimum speech, magnification or Braille solution which will further their independence."

Dave began his Dolphin career in 1998 following a spell at the Foundation for the Communication for the Disabled, now known as Abilitynet. Working on the road for more than nine years, Dave worked closely with specialist charities, large corporate employers and supporting people who are blind or partially sighted in their local area.

In 2007, Dave moved to work for Dolphin's sister company Software Express, now known as Dolphin Computer Access North and the home of Dolphin Guide.

Commenting on his reappointment, Dave said;

"My roots are at Dolphin, and it feels right to be returning to a company that I know puts the needs of customers first. I am really looking forward to working with the loyal Dolphin software users, in addition to meeting some new faces."

To contact Dave Salisbury email dave.salisbury@dolphinuk.co.uk, call 01905 754 577 ext 234 or mobile 07968 562 511.

Over 100 electronic textbooks available for print-impaired learners in September 2010

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:50:35 GMT

Summary

A Department for Education (DfE) project has created electronic versions of over 100 commonly used textbooks which will be available from late September to every learner with a print impairment (including dyslexia and visual impairment). Schools and local authorities should check the list of books that can be ordered through RNIB before producing textbooks themselves for the 2010/11 school year.

The textbook files are provided in Word 2003 format at the request of schools in the project. They have been deliberately designed to be appropriate and flexible for students with a print impairment. They can be read as they are by the learner using a computer to change the settings (for example the background colour and font size), with access technology, or can be converted by staff or learners into large print, braille or audio.

Many of the books also include descriptions of images including pictures, graphs and diagrams to help visually impaired learners.

These files were created by a year long pilot project funded by the DfE, led by the Dolphin Inclusive Consortium. The project delivered electronic versions of the textbooks needed by around 40 print-impaired learners aged 11-14 in nine schools. One legacy from this project is to make these files available to all print-impaired learners in the UK.

Which textbook titles will be available?

For a full list of all the textbooks available please visit www.rnib.org.uk/textbooks

Each CD will include a selection of converter and playback tools to help you and your learner use the electronic version.

How much will they cost?

Each textbook title will cost �2.99 (this price is to cover RNIB's distribution costs only) and includes postage.

When can I get them?

We expect all of these files to be ready by late September. However many of them will be available before then. If you urgently need a title before then please contact us and we will try to help.

How do I get hold of them?

From September teachers or support staff will need to complete a Purchase Order and Declaration which will be available to download shortly from www.rnib.org.uk/textbooks or you can contact RNIB on 0303 123 9999. The Declaration will ask for your details, confirmation that the learner has a print impairment and that a print copy of the book requested is already owned. Once we receive both the completed Purchase Order and Declaration we will send you the electronic version of the textbook(s) on a CD together with converter/reading tools.

Further info

For further information on the terms of using these electronic textbooks please visit www.rnib.org.uk/textbooks

For more information on the DfE Accessible Resources Pilot Project please see www.mytextbook.org

What's next?

The pilot project will come to an end in December and will not create any more electronic textbooks. Those involved in the project are very excited about what it has achieved and will be working on recommendations for the future provision of textbooks for print-impaired learners in discussion with the Department for Education.

The pilot project will be evaluated to inform future recommendations. We will get in touch with some schools in the autumn to find out how the files worked for you and your print -impaired learners.

Dolphin's Kate Christodoulou liberates her loft for Cancer Research UK

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:20:55 GMT

Dolphin's very own Kate Christodoulou is urging everyone to look through their loft for "goodies" to donate to their local Cancer Research UK shop.

Kate's clear out of her own attic turned up clothes, pictures, DVDs and ornaments which have now been donated to the Worcester Cancer Research UK shop.

"Shops like this one help fund the pioneering work of Cancer Research UK scientists, so it is vital they have a constant new supply of stock to sell."

Kate has spent the last year battling breast cancer, and has under taken both chemotherapy & radiotherapy treatment before finishing her treatment in May.

Dolphin is delighted to have Kate back at work with us, in a part time role, & the Dolphin team were eager to sponsor Kate when she took part in Cancer Research UK's "Race for Life" in June. In total Kate managed to raise a huge �725 in sponsorship.

Dolphin would like to thank the Worcester News for allowing us to reproduce their photo & aspects of their story.

Learn more about how to donate goods to Cancer Research UK and locate your nearest store from the Cancer Research UK website.

Alternative Media Access Center (AMAC) and Dolphin partner at AHEAD 2010

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 09:58:41 GMT

Universities, colleges and government agencies supporting individuals with print related disabilities and vision impairments can now ensure equal and timely access to accessible print materials thanks to a partnership between the Alternative Media Access Center (AMAC) and Dolphin Computer Access.

Announced during the 33rd Annual Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) 2010 conference in Denver, Colorado, the partnership marks the beginning of a strategic relationship designed to empower organizations to deliver the full range of alternative formats to individuals with learning disabilities, low vision and blindness; including large print, Braille, DAISY and MP3.

An initiative of the Board of Regents University System of Georgia, AMAC's mission is to improve system wide services for students with print-related disabilities. Housed at the University of Georgia in Athens, AMAC supports and trains post-secondary institutions and government agencies to produce and deliver alternative text accommodations.

Providing cutting edge software tools for the creation and dissemination of alternative formats, Dolphin Computer Access is best known for its DAISY creation expertise delivered in their internationally adopted solutions; Dolphin Publisher to create human narrated DAISY or convert to Braille, large print, MP3 and DAISY formats using EasyConverter.

Access to high quality and timely alternative formats is at the heart of a student's educational success, as Christopher M. Lee, Director of AMAC explains.

"Access to high quality and timely alternative formats is critical for every print impaired student. Without this access many students are simply unable to read, an essential element of any program."

Vice President for Dolphin Computer Access, Charlie Hamilton explains how this partnership demonstrates Dolphin's commitment to supporting those responsible for creating the alternative text accommodations.

"The team at AMAC is built around many years of practical experience in the creation and delivery of alternative format information. Working together, Dolphin and AMAC aim to strengthen and share their expertise with professionals tasked with creating Braille, large print, DAISY and MP3s in universities, colleges and government departments. Product support for Dolphin’s software tools will form one element of this practical assistance. Advice on sourcing content, creating sustainable workflows, timely delivery and product training will also be readily available."

The new partnership demonstrates both organizations commitment to strengthen the provision of alternative format materials to individuals with vision impairments and learning disabilities. The partnership's first joint resources are due to be available in October 2010.

Editor Notes:

Alternative Media Access Center (AMAC)

The Alternative Media Access Center(AMAC) is an initiative of the Board of Regents University System of Georgia with a mission to improve system wide services for students with print-related disabilities. Housed at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, AMAC has expanded its services nationwide to include all types of post-secondary institutions and other government agencies. As a membership organization committed to removing social and academic barriers to individuals with physical, sensory, and print-related learning disabilities, AMAC strives toward ensuring that all individuals with print disabilities have equal and timely access to print materials at an affordable cost.

http://www.amac.uga.edu/index.php

Dolphin Computer Access

Dolphin Computer Access is one of the largest companies in the computer access industry, with over 60 employees in offices in the USA, UK and Sweden and dealers in over 30 countries worldwide. The company offers a complete range of software solutions, including screen readers, screen magnifiers, DAISY talking book players and alternative format creation tools. Recent innovations include EasyConverter, a single piece of software that enables even a total beginner to create Braille, large print, DAISY talking books and MP3s. More information about Dolphin is available at: www.YourDolphin.com.

Press Contacts:

Hazel Shaw - Group Marketing Manager
hazel.shaw@dolphinuk.co.uk
www.YourDolphin.com
+44 1905 754 577 ext 218
+44 7989 444 541

Dolphin Computer Access Inc.
231 Clarksville Road,
Suite 3,
Princeton Junction,
NJ 08550
USA

Colin Shales Champagne SuperNova at Sight Village 2010

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 12:16:40 GMT

Colin Shales first memory of Dolphin Computer Access is a dim and distant Sight Village exhibition in 1998; back in the days when Sight Village was held in the Queen Alexander College buildings and you needed to be an intrepid explorer to find your way around unaided.

However, Colin's first Sight Village was a little different to other peoples:

"Sight Village was the start of big things for me. My sight loss had only just been diagnosed and I was on my first fact finding missions. I am devil for a nice gadget and Sight Village definitely delivered.

"That first year I entered Dolphin's 'Champagne SuperNova' competition, and won! A bottle of bubbles and a copy of SuperNova version 1.01 were mine. I even featured in the Splash newsletter, for those that remember that far back."

12 years on and Colin is still a SuperNova user and will again visit Sight Village. However this year will be another first for Colin, as he is attending as a member of the Dolphin team. Fresh from the Royal National College in Hereford, Colin now works in the marketing department of Dolphin and concentrates on making Dolphin products easy to use.

In celebration of Colin winning the Champagne SuperNova competition at Sight Village 1998, Dolphin is pleased to be running the same 'Champagne SuperNova' competition in 2010!

Simply enter the free prize draw on the Dolphin stand and you too could win a bottle of Champagne and a free copy of SuperNova.

Sight Village is open to all members of the public between 10 am and 4 pm on the 13th, 14th and 15th July in the New Bingley Hall, Birmingham.

Download the Sight Village brochure in the DAISY format (download file size is 40MB)

What seminars are Dolphin running during Sight Village?

Kevin Martin wins a copy of EasyTutor at the East Midlands Efair

Tue, 6 Jul 2010 17:23:02 GMT

During the recent East Midlands Efair (organised by the JISC Regional Support Centre for the East Midlands) Dolphin ran a competition for one lucky visitor to win a copy of EasyTutor on the Dolphin Pen.

Congratulations to Kevin Martin, pictured chatting with Rachel Bagust of Dolphin, who won EasyTutor on the Dolphin Pen.

The JISC Regional Support Centre for the East Midlands is one of 13 RSCs covering the UK. There job is to support the development of e-learning and Information Learning Technology in FE, Sixth Form and Specialist Colleges, Adult and Community Learning, Work Based Learning, Offender Learning and aspects of Higher Education in supported learning providers across the East Midlands.

Learn more about EasyTutor.

Learn more about the JISC Regional Support Centre for the East Midlands

Dolphin has a strange visitor to its head office

Fri, 2 Jul 2010 12:13:22 GMT

It's not often Dolphin has a strange unexpected visitor to its head office, but today marks the exception as Dolphin seems to have been adopted by a run away Peacock.

Somehow Peacock Computer Access just doesn't have the same ring to it, so think we will stick to Dolphin Computer Access.

On a serious note our new friend has been wandering around the Dolphin car park for the last few hours, so if anyone is missing a Peacock in the Worcester area, please give us a call.

Budget Beating, Half Price Upgrades for v5, v6 and v7 users

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:24:49 GMT

Are you a SuperNova, Hal, Lunar or LunarPlus user? Do you currently use v5, v6 or v7? Do you want access to all the latest popular applications? Do you want to upgrade to v11.50 for half price?

Yes? Then upgrade to v11.50 from v5, v6 or v7 for half price until the 31st August.

SuperNova v11.50 upgrade only �175
Hal v11.50 upgrade only �130
Lunar v11.50 upgrade only �70
LunarPlus v11.50 upgrade only �90

To upgrade to v11.50 UK users should contact the friendly Dolphin team today on 0845 130 53 53. (Please note this promotion will run until the 31st August 2010.)

What's New in SuperNova v11.50?
What's New in Hal v11.50?
What's New in Lunar v11.50?
What's New in LunarPlus v11.50?

"Using SuperNova with Microsoft Word has become a far more enjoyable experience especially with a new set of quick keys, providing document navigation & access to various elements within documents quickly, along with improved menu navigation, formatting & spelling announcements." Review of v11.50 by Graeme Allen, ICT teacher at the Royal National College of the Blind (RNC). Read Graeme Allen's full review of v11.50.

CLA introduce new Print Disability Licence

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:50:24 GMT

Great news for readers with Dyslexia across the UK. The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) has recently launched a new 'Print Disability Licence'. The new licence extends copyright exemption to include readers with Dyslexia.

The Print Disability Licence empowers licence-holding organisations and institutions to convert copyrighted material into an accessible format. These materials can then be circulated to people with vision impairments and dyslexia in the community. Alternative formats include large print, Braille and accessible eBook formats.

Licence-holders can now use computer software, such as Dolphin EasyConverter, to make all reading materials accessible to readers with a 'print disability.'

What's new in the Print Disability Licence?

The new Print Disability licence replaces the previous Visually Impaired Persons (VIP) licence. The license has been upgraded to reflect a recent widening of the definitions of print disability to include not just those people who have a visual impairment, but also those with another disability that prevents them from reading books as easily as others. The definitions now include dyslexic readers following a request by the industry's Accessibility Action Group and the Right to Read Alliance.

Anna Tylor, Chair of the Right to Read Alliance, says:
"Access to books is vital for education, employment and for the pure pleasure of reading. We appreciate the co-operation we have received from the CLA and publishers in improving access to print material for people with print impairments particularly dyslexia."

Noel Duffy, Managing Director of Dolphin Computer Access and member of the Right to Read Alliance adds:
"I am thoroughly delighted with the Copyright Licensing Agency's announcement of the Print Disability licence. Using AltFormat software tools, such as Dolphin EasyConverter, licence-holders are now fully empowered to create an equitable and accessible world. Reading materials can and should be made accessible to all!"

Making alternative formats available with EasyConverter

Print Disability Copyright Licence holders can now create their own accessible versions of copyrighted materials using Dolphin EasyConverter.

EasyConverter is the essential toolkit for creating alternative format materials. EasyConverter empowers you to quickly and easily create alternative Large Print, MP3 audio, DAISY talking book and Braille versions of learning materials and other documents.

EasyConverter is easy to learn for users who are new to creating altformats, and is equally suited to experienced professionals looking for a flexible, high quality altformat creation tool. EasyConverter is ideal for schools, colleges, universities, government and commercial organisations.

Find out more and watch video tutorials to see EasyConverter in action on the EasyConverter product pages of the Dolphin website.

Where can I get a Print Disability Copyright License from?

Print Disability licences are free and available to organisations and institutions. Application is available through the Copyright Licensing Agency website: www.cla.co.uk (external link).

Read the full CLA press release at: www.cla.co.uk (external link)

Dolphin delivers DAISY to Sight Village Birmingham

Wed, 2 Jun 2010 12:06:16 GMT

As a sponsor of Sight Village Birmingham Dolphin have created the official Sight Village Birmingham show guide in the DAISY format. You don't even need a DAISY player to listen to the synchronised audio and text as the programme includes EasyReader Express.

Start planning your visit to Sight Village Birmingham, 13th to 15th July today by downloading the DAISY edition of the Sight Village Birmingham show guide.

Download the DAISY version of the Sight Village Birmingham programme (file size is 40MB)
What seminars are Dolphin holding during Sight Village Birmingham?
Download a free trial of Dolphin software before Sight Village