Presentation

A Simple Viewer and Editor of
Sound-Embedded PDF for
Elementary School
Students with Print Disabilities
Yoshiaki TANI
Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ibaraki University, Japan
Takuya TAKAIRA
Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ibaraki University, Japan
Akio FUJIYOSHI
Faculty of Engineering, Ibaraki University, Japan
Introduction
A lot of electronic documents are published in PDF.
PDF is the most widely used format for fixed-layout
documents, such as textbooks, magazines, and picture
books.
It is difficult for people with print disabilities to use a PDF
file without audio support such as screen reader.
Difficulty of Reading Japanese Sentences
Documents in Japanese language are difficult for a screen
reader to read out correctly because of multiple readings of
kanji characters and the weakness of word dividers of
Japanese writings.
Example
羅生門が、朱雀大路にある以上は、この男のほかにも、雨やみをする
市女笠や揉烏帽子が、もう二三人はありそうなものである。それが、
この男のほかには誰もいない。
らせいもんが、すざくおおじにあるいじょうは、このおとこのほかに
も、あめやみをするしおんなかさやじゅうえぼうしが、もうにじゅう
さんにんはありそうなものである。それが、このおとこのほかにはだ
れもいない。
Difficulty of Reading Japanese Sentences
This problem is a very important matter for textbooks for
elementary school students.
For textbooks for students with print disabilities, the use of
“Sound-embedded PDF” was proposed.
Sound-Embedded PDF
The sound-embedded PDF
is PDF with embedded audio
files corresponding to the text.
When we tap a displayed
text using Acrobat Reader,
corresponding embedded
sound is played and the text
is highlighted.
Sample of Sound-Embedded PDF
Evaluation of Sound-Embedded PDF
Subjects are three dyslexic elementary school students.
We asked about (1) readability of displayed characters,
(2) usability of turning pages, (3) usability of selecting
sentences, and (4) impression of highlight function.
The sound-embedded PDF earn favorable reviews from
the dyslexic elementary school students.
Highlight function can not be omitted.
Difficulty of Making Sound-Embedded PDF Files
However, the production of sound-embedded PDF
textbooks is difficult for most teachers and students
because complex tasks with expensive application software
such as Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Acrobat Pro and JUST
PDF are necessary.
Difficulty of Making Sound-Embedded PDF Files
Adobe Illustrator is used for making layer objects for
highlight function.
Adobe Acrobat Pro is used for setting actions for
highlighting.
JUST PDF is used for embedding sound files as renditions.
Simple Viewer and Editor of Sound-Embedded PDF
Simple Viewer and Editor of Sound-Embedded PDF
We present a simple viewer
and editor of soundembedded PDF that are
suitable for elementary
school students with print
disabilities.
 The viewer and editor can
be used without expensive
application software.
PD F
Onpari(音貼) = sound pasting
Simple Viewer and Editor of Sound-Embedded PDF
Since the application is
developed on Java, it runs on
multi-platforms: Windows,
Mac OS X and Linux.
PD F
Simple Viewer and Editor of Sound-Embedded PDF
The simple viewer and editor supports the following
functions:
• Turning Pages
• Magnification
• Recording Voice
• Reproducing Sound
• Changing Icon
• Highlight function
Simple Viewer and Editor of Sound-Embedded PDF
Turning Pages
• Pages can be changes with a swipe motion or typing a key.
Simple Viewer and Editor of Sound-Embedded PDF
Magnification
• The screen can be magnified up with a pinch-in motion.
Simple Viewer and Editor of Sound-Embedded PDF
Recoding Voice
• By touching the same place on
the screen for a while, the
function of recording voice is
invoked. When voice is recorded,
an icon appears on the screen.
Simple Viewer and Editor of Sound-Embedded PDF
Reproducing Sound
• By touching an icon of recorded
voice, the sound is reproduced.
Simple Viewer and Editor of Sound-Embedded PDF
Changing icon
• An icon of recorded voice can
be changed by touching the icon
for a while
Simple Viewer and Editor of Sound-Embedded PDF
Highlight function
• If the Information of location of
sentences to highlight is stored,
highlight function can be used.
• When text is tapped,
corresponding embedded sound
is played and the text is
highlighted.
To store the information of location
of sentences, we use an application
software called “Multimodal
Publication Producer.”
Multimodal Publication Producer
Multimodal publication
producer is a software
developed by our laboratory.
The software outputs
production master data of the
three kinds of textbooks with
audio support.
The software can be
downloaded from the web
site of our laboratory.
DEMO
Downloads
The viewer and editor can be downloaded from the web
site of our laboratory.
•Onpari PDF
URL : http://apricot.cis.ibaraki.ac.jp/onpariPDF
•Multimodal Publication Producer
URL : http://apricot.cis.ibaraki.ac.jp/MultimodalPublicationProducer/
Conclusion
A simple viewer and editor of sound-embedded PDF was
developed for elementary school students with print
disabilities.
Complicated tasks and expensive application software are
not necessary any more to create sound-embedded PDF.
Future Work
We plan to develop an iOS version and an android
version.
We want to evaluate the simple viewer and editor by
asking dyslexic elementary school students to use it.

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