[PADG:1406] NISO Receives ICAES Collaboration and Coordination Award

["Marilyn Geller" <marilyn.geller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bethesda, Md., USA ? (August 2, 2001) The International Coalition of Access
Engineers and Specialists (ICAES) has named the National Information
Standards Organization (NISO) one of the winners of their 2001 Collaboration
and Coordination Award.  The Collaboration and Coordination Award recognizes
national, international or industry efforts to prevent, resolve, or address
compatibility and interoperability.

The Daisy Consortium, National Information Standards Organization and Open
e-Book (OEB) Forum were honored for their work in developing file
specifications for Digital Talking Books and e-Books.  In recognizing this
work, ICAES said: ?New generation digital talking books based on the open
standards being developed by the Daisy Consortium and NISO provide
significant advances in usability and functionality for persons with print
impairments. The Open eBook specification, a base format for mainstream
electronic books, incorporates features to promote accessibility.  Members
of the Daisy and NISO efforts are working hand in hand with members of the
Open eBook Forum to build a future where the world of electronic books will
be open to all.?

Commenting on this recognition, Michael Moodie (Library of Congress), the
chair of NISO?s Standards Committee on File Specifications for the Digital
Talking Book, said: ?By establishing a single worldwide standard we can
ensure that digital talking books produced to the standard will play on
compliant devices anywhere, thereby allowing agencies to limit duplicate
productions and thus expand the pool of titles available to our readers.?

ICAES (http://www.icaes.org) is a non-profit membership organization whose
mission is to foster international cooperation and support for the design of
products that are as accessible and usable by persons with disabilities, as
economically possible, and technically feasible.

About NISO:
NISO is the only U.S. group accredited by the American National Standards
Institute to develop and promote technical standards for use in information
delivery services providing voluntary standards for libraries, publishers
and related information technology organizations.  All NISO standards are
developed by consensus under the guidance of experts and practitioners in
the field to meet the needs of both the information user and the producer.
For information about NISO?s current standardization interests and
membership possibilities, please visit the NISO website at
http://www.niso.org.

For additional information contact NISO Headquarters at (301) 654-2512.
Email: nisohq@xxxxxxxx