[accesscomp] Fw: Reading Rights Coalition Urges Authors to Allow EveryoneAccess to E-books
- From: "Reginald George" <adapt@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Adaptive technology information and support." <ati@xxxxxxxxxxx>, <accesscomp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:29:35 -0500
Since this topic was brought up here a couple of weeks ago, I thought
I'd share this update. Sounding good! Nice to see ACB and NFB on the same
side again.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, ext. 2330
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
cdanielsen@xxxxxxx
Reading Rights Coalition Urges Authors to Allow Everyone Access to
E-books
Informational Protest to be Held at Authors Guild Headquarters
New York City (March 30, 2009): The Reading Rights Coalition, which
represents people who cannot read print, will protest the threatened
removal of the text-to-speech function from e-books for the Amazon Kindle 2
outside
the Authors Guild headquarters in New York City at 31 East 32nd Street
on April 7, 2009, from noon to 2:00 p.m. The coalition includes the blind,
people
with dyslexia, people with learning or processing issues, seniors losing
vision,
people with spinal cord injuries, people recovering from strokes, and
many others for whom the addition of text-to-speech on the Kindle 2
promised for the first time easy, mainstream access to over 245,000 books.
When Amazon released the Kindle 2 electronic book reader on February 9,
2009, the company announced that the device would be able to read
e-books aloud
using text-to-speech technology. Under pressure from the Authors Guild,
Amazon has announced that it will give authors and publishers the
ability to disable
the text-to-speech function on any or all of their e-books available
for the Kindle 2.
Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind,
said: “The blind and print-disabled have for years utilized
text-to-speech technology
to read and access information. As technology advances and more books
move from hard-copy print to electronic formats, people with print
disabilities have
for the first time in history the opportunity to enjoy access to books
on an equal basis with those who can read print. Authors and publishers
who elect
to disable text-to-speech for their e-books on the Kindle 2 prevent
people who are blind or have other print disabilities from reading these
e-books. This
is blatant discrimination and we will not tolerate it.”
Mike Shuttic, president of the Association on Higher Education and
Disability (AHEAD), said: “AHEAD envisions educational and societal
environments that
value disability and embody equality of opportunity. This vision of
AHEAD is directly aligned with the efforts of this coalition. Although
much rhetoric
is made about potential obstacles and problems that exist, the basic
goal is clear and simple--access for everyone. And why create something
that prevents
it?”
Mitch Pomerantz, president of the American Council of the Blind, said:
“Removing the text-to-speech features closes the door on an innovative
technological
solution that would make regular print books available to tens of
thousands of individuals who are blind or visually impaired.”
Andrew Imparato, President and Chief Executive Officer for the American
Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), said: “It is
outrageous when a technology
device shuts out people with all kinds of disabilities. AAPD works to
remove barriers to accessibility and usability in technology, and we
don’t expect
to see people with disabilities singled out by having to pay more for
access. New technologies, such as electronic books, should be available
to everyone
regardless of disability.”
Paul Schroeder, vice president of programs and policy for the American
Foundation for the Blind, said: "Those of us with print disabilities
have long dreamed
of a world in which books and media are available to us at the same
time as everyone else. The Kindle 2 offers that possibility for the
first time. We
hope publishers and authors come to see that text-to-speech is simply
an alternative means of access to print."
Dr. Peter Blanck, chairman and university professor at Burton Blatt
Institute at Syracuse University, said: “As electronic books become
the norm, denying
universal access will result in more and more people with disabilities
being left out of education, employment, and the societal conversation.
We will
all suffer from the absence of their participation and contribution to
the debates that occupy us as a society.”
George Kerscher of the Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY)
Consortium, said: "The DAISY Consortium envisions a world where people
with print disabilities
have equal access to information and knowledge, without delay or
additional expense. Authors and publishers surely must share this
vision. Now that the
issue of human rights has been explained, and the opportunity for
larger sales are known, I urge the Authors Guild to reverse their
position on text-to-speech
and join us in actively encouraging all publishers and reading
technology developers to open the world of reading to everybody.
Authors, join us on the
picket line."
Steve Jacobs, president of IDEAL Group Inc., said, “Not only is
text-to-speech important to people who are blind, it is critical in
providing quality educations
to millions of young people who rely on text-to-speech to learn
effectively. This includes students with autism, learning disabilities,
mobility disabilities,
and cognitive disabilities that impact their ability to acquire
information with their eyes only. I remain hopeful that the talented
members of the Authors
Guild come to understand the potential negative impact of disabling the
text-to-speech function on their e-books and reconsider their
position.”
Cynthia D. Waddell, executive director of the International Center for
Disability Resources on the Internet (ICDRI), said: “The mission of
ICDRI supports
the removal of barriers in electronic and information technology and
the promotion of equal access. ICDRI welcomes the text-to-speech
functionality being
offered by the Kindle 2 since it increases mainstream access to books
for the first time in history. We question why the Authors Guild demands
that it
be turned it off since many more books would be sold if text-to-speech
was turned back on. Not only does this feature benefit persons with
disabilities,
but it also helps persons for whom English is not their native
language. In an increasingly mobile society, flexibility in access to
content improves the
quality of life for everyone.”
James Love, director of Knowledge Ecology International, said:
“Knowing full well that not everyone can see, the Authors Guild
wants the right to be seen,
but not heard. By bullying Amazon to change the technology of Kindle 2,
the Authors Guild will either deny access to people who are disabled, or
make them
pay more. By attacking disabled persons in this way, the Authors Guild
is attacking everyone who would otherwise benefit from the contributions
this community
has the potential to offer.”
James H. Wendorf, executive director for the National Center for
Learning Disabilities, said: "Access to the written word is the
cornerstone of education
and democracy. New technologies must serve individuals with
disabilities, not impede them. Our homes, schools and ultimately our
economy rely on support
for the future, not discriminating practices and beliefs from the
past.” While the Kindle 2 is not currently accessible to blind users,
Amazon recently
announced on its Kindle 2 blog that it is currently at work on making
the device’s navigational features accessible to the blind. The
coalition includes:
American Association of People with Disabilities, American Council of
the Blind, American Foundation for the Blind, Association on Higher
Education and
Disability, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Burton Blatt
Institute, Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) Consortium,
Disability Rights Education
and Defense Fund (DREDF), IDEAL Group, Inc., International Center for
Disability Resources on the Internet, International Dyslexia
Association, International
Dyslexia Association--New York Branch, Knowledge Ecology International,
Learning Disabilities Association of America, National Center for
Learning Disabilities,
National Disability Rights Network, National Federation of the Blind,
NISH, and the National Spinal Cord Injury Association. In addition to
the April 7
New York City protest, the coalition will participate in the Los
Angeles Times Festival of Books on April 25-26.
Robert Lee Beach
Assistive Technology Specialist
Kansas City Kansas Community College
7250 State Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66112
Phone: (913) 288-7671
Fax: (913) 288-7678
E-mail: rbeach@xxxxxxxxx
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