Improving Literacy with Audio-eBooks

Nicola Cavalli
Nicola CavalliDirettore at Ledizioni
Improving Literacy 
with 
Audio-eBooks 
Alberto Pettarin, CEO 
alberto@readbeyond.it
Summary 
I Introducing ReadBeyond 
I Improving Literacy with Audio-eBooks 
I What is an Audio-eBook? 
I Our Proposal 
I ReadBeyond Sync 
I ReadBeyond Menestrello 
I Free/Commercial Audio-eBooks
Introducing ReadBeyond 
I Research lab developing innovative software for digital publishing 
I Limited-liability startup (“Srl startup innovativa”) 
I Founded in July 2013 @ Padova, Italy, by 
I Alberto Pettarin, PhD, 30 (CEO, R&D) 
I Paolo Bertasi, PhD, 35 (CTO, IT Operations) 
I Simplicissimus Book Farm Srl (Legal, Marketing, Operations, PR) 
I http://www.readbeyond.it/
Our Mission 
We love great stories 
We research and create tools allowing 
people to share their digital stories
Improving Literacy 
with 
Audio-eBooks
What is an Audio-eBook? 
The phrase currently narrated is highlighted 
An Audio-eBook is a digital file
What is an Audio-eBook? 
The phrase currently narrated is highlighted 
An Audio-eBook is a digital file 
I containing the text of the book 
) user can read
What is an Audio-eBook? 
The phrase currently narrated is highlighted 
An Audio-eBook is a digital file 
I containing the text of the book 
) user can read 
I and its narration recorded by a 
professional reader 
) user can listen
What is an Audio-eBook? 
The phrase currently narrated is highlighted 
An Audio-eBook is a digital file 
I containing the text of the book 
) user can read 
I and its narration recorded by a 
professional reader 
) user can listen 
I where audio and text are synchronized 
) user can read+listen, stimulating 
the visual and aural channels 
simultaneously
What is an Audio-eBook? 
Click to watch an Audio-eBook in action! 
http://www.readbeyond.it/audioebooks.html 
Video in italiano: http://www.readbeyond.it/it/audioebook.html
Practical Advantages of Audio-eBooks 
Synchronized audio/text allow 
I highlighting the text fragment being narrated 
I restarting audio from a precise point of the text (tap-to-play) 
I switching modality (Read, Listen, Read+Listen) seamlessly
Practical Advantages of Audio-eBooks 
Synchronized audio/text allow 
I highlighting the text fragment being narrated 
I restarting audio from a precise point of the text (tap-to-play) 
I switching modality (Read, Listen, Read+Listen) seamlessly 
Audio-eBooks combine the best of reflow eBooks and audiobooks 
I adjustable typography (font face, size, line spacing, . . . ) 
I adapt to any screen size (PC, tablet, smartphone, . . . ) 
I easy navigation of text (Table of Contents) and audio (Playlist) 
I audio controls, including adjustable playback speed
Improving Literacy with Audio-eBooks 
Simultaneously reading+listening conveys several benefits 
I immersive: professional narrators create an unrivaled experience of 
immersion in the story 
I cognitive: information retention is better and lasting longer than just 
reading or just listening 
I assistive: it mitigates reading disabilities (e.g., dyslexia, learning 
disorders)
Improving Literacy with Audio-eBooks 
Simultaneously reading+listening conveys several benefits 
I immersive: professional narrators create an unrivaled experience of 
immersion in the story 
I cognitive: information retention is better and lasting longer than just 
reading or just listening 
I assistive: it mitigates reading disabilities (e.g., dyslexia, learning 
disorders) 
In short, several scientific studies on reading+listening show that 
Audio-eBooks are extremely effective at improving literacy 
 Bibliography
Our Proposal 
Building an ecosystem 
for creating, selling, enjoying Audio-eBooks 
including non-English markets 
based on open formats (e.g. EPUB 3)
Our Proposal 
To achieve this goal, we need
Our Proposal 
To achieve this goal, we need 
I authoring tools/automation () RB Sync)
Our Proposal 
To achieve this goal, we need 
I authoring tools/automation () RB Sync) 
I distribution platforms
Our Proposal 
To achieve this goal, we need 
I authoring tools/automation () RB Sync) 
I distribution platforms 
I readers/apps () RB Menestrello)
ReadBeyond Sync 
Problem 
Synchronizing audio and text (with 100% accuracy) requires a human 
operator, listening to the audio and using a special program to create the 
synchronization information
ReadBeyond Sync 
Problem 
Synchronizing audio and text (with 100% accuracy) requires a human 
operator, listening to the audio and using a special program to create the 
synchronization information 
Because of the human-in-the-loop, this process is 
I prone to fatigue errors 
I slow and with unpredictable latency 
I expensive 
I not scalable
ReadBeyond Sync 
Solution 
We developed Sync, a computational package which reads a pair of 
audio/text files, and outputs the synchronization information
ReadBeyond Sync 
Solution 
We developed Sync, a computational package which reads a pair of 
audio/text files, and outputs the synchronization information 
Being fully automated, Sync is 
I reliable 
I fast and predictable 
I cost-effective 
I massively scalable
ReadBeyond Sync 
Solution 
We developed Sync, a computational package which reads a pair of 
audio/text files, and outputs the synchronization information 
Being fully automated, Sync is 
I reliable 
I fast and predictable 
I cost-effective 
I massively scalable 
Thanks to Sync, ReadBeyond is the first company able to massively 
produce reflowable EPUB3 Audio-eBooks, in 31 languages!
ReadBeyond Sync 
http://www.readbeyond.it/sync/
ReadBeyond Menestrello 
EPUB3 is the de facto standard open format for eBooks, and it 
supports Media Overlays, i.e. the audio/text synchronization
ReadBeyond Menestrello 
EPUB3 is the de facto standard open format for eBooks, and it 
supports Media Overlays, i.e. the audio/text synchronization 
Menestrello is our free app designed for EPUB3 Audio-eBooks 
http://www.readbeyond.it/menestrello/
Free Audio-eBooks by ReadBeyond 
ReadBeyond has contributed 130+ Audio-eBooks 
I 111 English Short Stories 
http://www.readbeyond.it/shortstories.html 
I 20+ other titles, in 10 languages, including Dante’s Divine Comedy 
read by Prof. Pertile (Harvard University) 
http://www.readbeyond.it/ebooks.html
Free Audio-eBooks by ReadBeyond 
ReadBeyond has contributed 130+ Audio-eBooks 
I 111 English Short Stories 
http://www.readbeyond.it/shortstories.html 
I 20+ other titles, in 10 languages, including Dante’s Divine Comedy 
read by Prof. Pertile (Harvard University) 
http://www.readbeyond.it/ebooks.html 
Our favourite bits 
I free, anonymous download from our Web site 
I no DRM 
I Creative Commons BY-NC-SA license
Commercial Audio-eBooks are Already Among Us! 
60+ EPUB3 Audio-eBooks, produced in collaboration with the Italian 
audiobook publisher il Narratore Audiolibri, are already on sale 
http://www.ilnarratore.com/
ReadBeyond @ LibrInnovando 2014 
We would like to hear from you! 
I publishers, digipub pros 
I self-publishers 
I voice over pros 
I librarians 
I teachers 
I students 
I readers 
I . . .
Thank You! 
http://www.readbeyond.it/ 
info@readbeyond.it 
This document is available online at http://www.readbeyond.it/docs/li14.pdf 
©2014 ReadBeyond S.r.l., Padova, Italy. All rights reserved.
Improving Literacy with Audio-eBooks
Bibliography on Reading+Listening 
I Benavides-Varela et al., Newborn’s brain activity signals the origin of word memories, 2012 
I Boyle et al., Effects of Audio Text on the Acquisition of Secondary-Level Content by Students with Mild Disabilities, 2003 
I Dilani et al., The Effects of Audiobooks on the Psychosocial Adjustment of Pre-adolescents and Adolescents with Dyslexia, 2008 
I Falghera, Lettura+Ascolto. Come migliorare l’apprendimento linguistico, emotivo ed empatico con gli audiolibri, 2013 
I Lionetti et al., A comparison of the effects of two rates of listening while reading on oral reading fluency and reading 
comprehension, 2004 
I Longo, Cognizione ed emozione: processi di interpretazione del testo letterario dalle neuroscienze cognitive all’educazione 
emotiva, 2011 
I Lopez, iPods can help teach, 2005 
I Mecacci, Identikit del cervello, 1984 
I Rose, Dalton, Plato Revisited: Learning Through Listening in the Digital World, 2007 
I Schmithorst et al., Cognitive modules utilized for narrative comprehension in children: a functional magnetic resonance imaging 
study, 2006 
I Schmithorst et al., Development of effective connectivity for narrative comprehension in children, 2007 
I Skinner et al., Effects of Different Listening-While-Reading Rates on Comprehension in Secondary Students with Reading 
Deficits, 1998 
I Wolf, Dyslexia, Fluency, and the Brain, 2001 
I Wolf, Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain, 2007 
I Woodall, Simultaneous Listening and Reading in ESL: Helping Second Language Learners Read (and Enjoy Reading) More 
Efficiently, 2008 
 Back
1 of 34

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Improving Literacy with Audio-eBooks

  • 1. Improving Literacy with Audio-eBooks Alberto Pettarin, CEO alberto@readbeyond.it
  • 2. Summary I Introducing ReadBeyond I Improving Literacy with Audio-eBooks I What is an Audio-eBook? I Our Proposal I ReadBeyond Sync I ReadBeyond Menestrello I Free/Commercial Audio-eBooks
  • 3. Introducing ReadBeyond I Research lab developing innovative software for digital publishing I Limited-liability startup (“Srl startup innovativa”) I Founded in July 2013 @ Padova, Italy, by I Alberto Pettarin, PhD, 30 (CEO, R&D) I Paolo Bertasi, PhD, 35 (CTO, IT Operations) I Simplicissimus Book Farm Srl (Legal, Marketing, Operations, PR) I http://www.readbeyond.it/
  • 4. Our Mission We love great stories We research and create tools allowing people to share their digital stories
  • 5. Improving Literacy with Audio-eBooks
  • 6. What is an Audio-eBook? The phrase currently narrated is highlighted An Audio-eBook is a digital file
  • 7. What is an Audio-eBook? The phrase currently narrated is highlighted An Audio-eBook is a digital file I containing the text of the book ) user can read
  • 8. What is an Audio-eBook? The phrase currently narrated is highlighted An Audio-eBook is a digital file I containing the text of the book ) user can read I and its narration recorded by a professional reader ) user can listen
  • 9. What is an Audio-eBook? The phrase currently narrated is highlighted An Audio-eBook is a digital file I containing the text of the book ) user can read I and its narration recorded by a professional reader ) user can listen I where audio and text are synchronized ) user can read+listen, stimulating the visual and aural channels simultaneously
  • 10. What is an Audio-eBook? Click to watch an Audio-eBook in action! http://www.readbeyond.it/audioebooks.html Video in italiano: http://www.readbeyond.it/it/audioebook.html
  • 11. Practical Advantages of Audio-eBooks Synchronized audio/text allow I highlighting the text fragment being narrated I restarting audio from a precise point of the text (tap-to-play) I switching modality (Read, Listen, Read+Listen) seamlessly
  • 12. Practical Advantages of Audio-eBooks Synchronized audio/text allow I highlighting the text fragment being narrated I restarting audio from a precise point of the text (tap-to-play) I switching modality (Read, Listen, Read+Listen) seamlessly Audio-eBooks combine the best of reflow eBooks and audiobooks I adjustable typography (font face, size, line spacing, . . . ) I adapt to any screen size (PC, tablet, smartphone, . . . ) I easy navigation of text (Table of Contents) and audio (Playlist) I audio controls, including adjustable playback speed
  • 13. Improving Literacy with Audio-eBooks Simultaneously reading+listening conveys several benefits I immersive: professional narrators create an unrivaled experience of immersion in the story I cognitive: information retention is better and lasting longer than just reading or just listening I assistive: it mitigates reading disabilities (e.g., dyslexia, learning disorders)
  • 14. Improving Literacy with Audio-eBooks Simultaneously reading+listening conveys several benefits I immersive: professional narrators create an unrivaled experience of immersion in the story I cognitive: information retention is better and lasting longer than just reading or just listening I assistive: it mitigates reading disabilities (e.g., dyslexia, learning disorders) In short, several scientific studies on reading+listening show that Audio-eBooks are extremely effective at improving literacy Bibliography
  • 15. Our Proposal Building an ecosystem for creating, selling, enjoying Audio-eBooks including non-English markets based on open formats (e.g. EPUB 3)
  • 16. Our Proposal To achieve this goal, we need
  • 17. Our Proposal To achieve this goal, we need I authoring tools/automation () RB Sync)
  • 18. Our Proposal To achieve this goal, we need I authoring tools/automation () RB Sync) I distribution platforms
  • 19. Our Proposal To achieve this goal, we need I authoring tools/automation () RB Sync) I distribution platforms I readers/apps () RB Menestrello)
  • 20. ReadBeyond Sync Problem Synchronizing audio and text (with 100% accuracy) requires a human operator, listening to the audio and using a special program to create the synchronization information
  • 21. ReadBeyond Sync Problem Synchronizing audio and text (with 100% accuracy) requires a human operator, listening to the audio and using a special program to create the synchronization information Because of the human-in-the-loop, this process is I prone to fatigue errors I slow and with unpredictable latency I expensive I not scalable
  • 22. ReadBeyond Sync Solution We developed Sync, a computational package which reads a pair of audio/text files, and outputs the synchronization information
  • 23. ReadBeyond Sync Solution We developed Sync, a computational package which reads a pair of audio/text files, and outputs the synchronization information Being fully automated, Sync is I reliable I fast and predictable I cost-effective I massively scalable
  • 24. ReadBeyond Sync Solution We developed Sync, a computational package which reads a pair of audio/text files, and outputs the synchronization information Being fully automated, Sync is I reliable I fast and predictable I cost-effective I massively scalable Thanks to Sync, ReadBeyond is the first company able to massively produce reflowable EPUB3 Audio-eBooks, in 31 languages!
  • 26. ReadBeyond Menestrello EPUB3 is the de facto standard open format for eBooks, and it supports Media Overlays, i.e. the audio/text synchronization
  • 27. ReadBeyond Menestrello EPUB3 is the de facto standard open format for eBooks, and it supports Media Overlays, i.e. the audio/text synchronization Menestrello is our free app designed for EPUB3 Audio-eBooks http://www.readbeyond.it/menestrello/
  • 28. Free Audio-eBooks by ReadBeyond ReadBeyond has contributed 130+ Audio-eBooks I 111 English Short Stories http://www.readbeyond.it/shortstories.html I 20+ other titles, in 10 languages, including Dante’s Divine Comedy read by Prof. Pertile (Harvard University) http://www.readbeyond.it/ebooks.html
  • 29. Free Audio-eBooks by ReadBeyond ReadBeyond has contributed 130+ Audio-eBooks I 111 English Short Stories http://www.readbeyond.it/shortstories.html I 20+ other titles, in 10 languages, including Dante’s Divine Comedy read by Prof. Pertile (Harvard University) http://www.readbeyond.it/ebooks.html Our favourite bits I free, anonymous download from our Web site I no DRM I Creative Commons BY-NC-SA license
  • 30. Commercial Audio-eBooks are Already Among Us! 60+ EPUB3 Audio-eBooks, produced in collaboration with the Italian audiobook publisher il Narratore Audiolibri, are already on sale http://www.ilnarratore.com/
  • 31. ReadBeyond @ LibrInnovando 2014 We would like to hear from you! I publishers, digipub pros I self-publishers I voice over pros I librarians I teachers I students I readers I . . .
  • 32. Thank You! http://www.readbeyond.it/ info@readbeyond.it This document is available online at http://www.readbeyond.it/docs/li14.pdf ©2014 ReadBeyond S.r.l., Padova, Italy. All rights reserved.
  • 34. Bibliography on Reading+Listening I Benavides-Varela et al., Newborn’s brain activity signals the origin of word memories, 2012 I Boyle et al., Effects of Audio Text on the Acquisition of Secondary-Level Content by Students with Mild Disabilities, 2003 I Dilani et al., The Effects of Audiobooks on the Psychosocial Adjustment of Pre-adolescents and Adolescents with Dyslexia, 2008 I Falghera, Lettura+Ascolto. Come migliorare l’apprendimento linguistico, emotivo ed empatico con gli audiolibri, 2013 I Lionetti et al., A comparison of the effects of two rates of listening while reading on oral reading fluency and reading comprehension, 2004 I Longo, Cognizione ed emozione: processi di interpretazione del testo letterario dalle neuroscienze cognitive all’educazione emotiva, 2011 I Lopez, iPods can help teach, 2005 I Mecacci, Identikit del cervello, 1984 I Rose, Dalton, Plato Revisited: Learning Through Listening in the Digital World, 2007 I Schmithorst et al., Cognitive modules utilized for narrative comprehension in children: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study, 2006 I Schmithorst et al., Development of effective connectivity for narrative comprehension in children, 2007 I Skinner et al., Effects of Different Listening-While-Reading Rates on Comprehension in Secondary Students with Reading Deficits, 1998 I Wolf, Dyslexia, Fluency, and the Brain, 2001 I Wolf, Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain, 2007 I Woodall, Simultaneous Listening and Reading in ESL: Helping Second Language Learners Read (and Enjoy Reading) More Efficiently, 2008 Back