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Press Release
THE LAVELLE FUND PROMOTES ACCESS TO MATH, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION
Talking Library Grant enhances collection of accessible textbooks
for students who are blind or visually impaired
Contact: Mark Zustovich
609-520-7993 (office)
609-610-4508 (cell)
September 17, 2004 (New York, NY) —The Lavelle Fund
for the Blind has awarded a $320,000, two-year grant to Recording
for the Blind & Dyslexic® (RFB&D®.) The grant
is being used to create 300 digitally recorded math, science and
technology textbooks. These accessible books on CD will be added
to RFB&D's master collection of talking textbooks in accessible
formats for students with disabilities that make reading difficult
or impossible.
The Lavelle collection of talking books at RFB&D will, for
the first time, provide blind and visually impaired students with
convenient digital access to such widely used scientific and technical
books as Organic Chemistry, Physical Geology and
JAVA.
"Access to math, science and technology textbooks in CD-ROM
format will help students who are visually impaired succeed in
subject areas where repeated analysis of detail is particularly
essential," said Andrew Fisher, the Lavelle Fund's executive
director. "We are delighted to be supporting RFB&D's
state-of-the-art work in expanding such access."
The Lavelle Fund is a charitable foundation that supports programs
promoting the spiritual, moral, intellectual, and physical development
of blind and low-vision people of all ages, together with programs
that help people avoid vision loss. RFB&D, a national a nonprofit
organization, serves 127,000 students of all ages with a one-of-a-kind
library of 100,000 recorded textbooks and other educational materials
in every subject area and grade level. All of RFB&D's accessible
titles are recorded by volunteers working in 28 RFB&D recording
studios nationwide.
Lavelle's sponsorship furthers ongoing efforts at RFB&D to
meet the present and future needs of people who are blind or visually
impaired and who depend on RFB&D's unique library to study,
learn, and pursue professional goals. RFB&D's technological
conversion from analog tape to a digital format has formed an
increasingly crucial component of improving the accessibility
of recorded educational materials. The transition enables RFB&D
to deliver its service faster, more efficiently and with higher
quality.
RFB&D's digitally recorded textbooks on CD-ROM provide greater
access to information than any other technology to date. With
the ability to search for text by page, chapter or subject heading,
students can navigate through complicated texts, mathematic equations,
and bar charts, which are particularly important in math, science
and technology. One single CD-ROM holds 45 hours of text, the
equivalent of ten cassettes.
"We are excited about helping students who are blind or
visually impaired meet their potential through our partnership
with the Lavelle Fund for the Blind," said Richard O. Scribner,
RFB&D's president and CEO who adds that the grant helps further
eliminate obstacles posed by the printed page for high school,
college and graduate students pursuing math, science and technology
studies. "The Lavelle collection of talking books will be
instrumental to the continued success of many students. We believe
we will increase significantly their level of confidence and individual
success in the academic world."
EDITORS NOTE: High-resolution photos of RFB&D members are
available by calling Mark Zustovich at 609-520-7993.
additional
media inquiries:
RFB&D News Desk 1-800-803-7201, press
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