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Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic®
National Headquarters
20 Roszel Road
Princeton, NJ 08540
866-RFBD-585 (866-732-3585)

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Volunteer and RFB&D's AudioPlusT

Below are some answers to questions from volunteers about RFB&D's AudioPlusT and volunteering. To read more general information about volunteering at RFB&D, go to our volunteer opportunities page.

Will I be able to be a volunteer for RFB&D? Do I have to know about computers?

The Volunteer Recording Workstation (VRW) is designed with the volunteer in mind. We received a tremendous amount of volunteer and studio input into the design of the user interface as part of our pilot program. Volunteers do not have to be savvy PC users to operate the equipment. The system was designed to follow many reading conventions used in our analog recording, while taking advantage of the new technology to make some tasks easier. For example, editing audio is much easier with RFB&D's AudioPlusT than with analog. Instead of a keyboard and mouse, a controller has been developed to work with the VRW for conducting most of the recording functions -- stop, play, record, forward, reverse -- similar to controls on most recording equipment. Other than some simple on-screen point-and-click operations with the mouse and some keying in of user information during login, most of the VRW operation is conducted via this control.

How are volunteers trained?

Unit staff, most likely a studio director or volunteer coordinator, will provide volunteers with an orientation and training on the equipment. Also, volunteers who have mastered the equipment may also provide training.

Why does RFB&D need to convert from analog to RFB&D's AudioPlusT?

Industry trends are shifting away from the current analog technology. Through the evolution of the PC and Internet, as well as new trends in the music industry, new technology is now available that will provide enormous advances in the way we provide and the way our members access information. In addition, technology continues to change faster than ever. We can no longer assume our products will stay constant for more than 20 years, as they did with cassette tapes. To survive as an organization and continue to meet the needs of our members, we have to be aware of changing technology and be ready to change with it. One last point in our need to switchover to digital audio production is based on industry trends away from analog recording. The equipment and analog media we use is becoming obsolete.

How will RFB&D's AudioPlusT benefit students?

RFB&D's AudioPlusT offers many benefits to our members, most notably:
  1. Instant access: The audio does not have to be navigated in a linear fashion as with analog recordings. RFB&D's AudioPlusT enables us to start the audio at any given point. For example, a student will be able to go directly to a page or move from chapter to chapter at the press of a button-there is no need to fast-forward through beep tones as we do on tape. Instant access also means that we can update the books faster and more easily when new editions of the titles are released.
  2. Better audio quality: Digital audio produces recordings with significantly less noise than analog ("tape hiss"). Also, unlike analog recordings, digital copies sound exactly the same as the original recording every time!
  3. Convenience: RFB&D's AudioPlusT textbooks can be stored on CDs, which can each hold more than 40 hours of recorded material. That means that a book traditionally recorded on ten cassettes will now fit onto one CD! A student using five lengthy textbooks will now only have to carry around five CD's rather than fifty cassette tapes!

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic® • RFB&D® •
National Headquarters • 20 Roszel Road • Princeton, NJ 08540