Daisy Consortium

✨Key Features

• ▸History and Mission — Founded in 1996 to transition from analog to digital talking books; evolved the proprietary DAISY standard into open, accessible technologies that influenced EPUB 3 accessibility features.
• ▸Standards Development — Maintains and advances formats like DAISY Digital Talking Book, EPUB accessibility specifications, eBraille (modern digital braille), and protocols for online delivery.
• ▸Free Tools and Software — Provides open-source tools including Ace by DAISY (EPUB accessibility checker), WordToEPUB (convert Word docs to accessible EPUB), Obi/Tobi (audiobook production), Pipeline (content conversion with AI TTS integration), and SMART (manual accessibility reporting).
• ▸Inclusive Publishing Initiatives — Runs resources like InclusivePublishing.org for news/advice, training courses, webinars, and projects supporting the European Accessibility Act, Marrakesh Treaty, and higher education accessibility.
• ▸AI Exploration — Actively surveys and discusses AI applications in accessible publishing (e.g., math/image conversion, TTS voices, potential for tactile graphics); integrates AI speech in tools like Pipeline.
• ▸Global Impact and Membership — Over 150 member organizations worldwide; collaborates with W3C, publishers, tech companies, and initiatives like Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) for awards and capacity building in developing countries.
• ▸Resources and Events — Offers self-study training, consultancy, reading system evaluations (epubtest.org), newsletters, and hosts events/webinars on accessibility topics.
• ▸Focus on Equity — Advocates for publications usable by everyone from the start, reducing the need for separate specialized formats.