[Arizona-students] Fw: Google Settlement with Authors, Publishers Will Have Positive Results for the Blind

[Allison (NFB of Arizona)]

Hi all,

Thought some may find this bit of news interesting.

Allison
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
>> CONTACT:
>> Chris Danielsen
>>
>> Public Relations Specialist
>>
>> National Federation of the Blind
>>
>> (410) 659-9314, extension 2330
>> cdanielsen at nfb.org
>
>> Google Settlement with Authors, Publishers
>> Will Have Positive Results for the Blind
>
> Terms of Proposed Settlement Agreement
>> Will Revolutionize Blind People's Access to Books
>>
>> Baltimore, Maryland (October 31, 2008): The National Federation of the 
>> Blind, the nation's leading advocate for access to information by the 
>> blind, announced today that the recent settlement between Google and 
>> authors and publishers over the Google Books project, if approved by the 
>> courts, will have a profound and positive impact on the ability of blind 
>> people to access the printed word.  The terms of the settlement that was 
>> reached on October 28, among Google, the Authors Guild, and the 
>> Association of American Publishers, on behalf of a broad class of authors 
>> and publishers, allow Google to provide the material it offers users "in 
>> a manner that accommodates users with print disabilities so that such 
>> users have a substantially similar user experience as users without print 
>> disabilities."  A user with a print disability under the agreement is one 
>> who is "unable to read or use standard printed material due to blindness, 
>> visual disability, physical limitations, organic dysfunction, or 
>> dyslexia."  Blind people, like other members of the public, will be able 
>> to search the texts of books in the Google Books database online; 
>> purchase some books in an accessible format; or access accessible books 
>> at libraries and other entities that have an institutional subscription 
>> to the Google Books database.  Once the court approves the settlement, 
>> Google will work to launch these services as quickly as possible.
>>
>>
>>
>> Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: 
>> "Access to the printed word has historically been one of the greatest 
>> challenges faced by the blind.  The agreement between Google and authors 
>> and publishers will revolutionize access to books for blind Americans.
>>
>>
>>
>> Blind people will be able to search for books through the Google Books 
>> interface and purchase, borrow, or read at a public library any of the 
>> books that are available to the general public in a format that is 
>> compatible with text enlargement software, text-to-speech screen access 
>> software, and refreshable Braille devices.  With 7 million books already 
>> available in the Google Books collection and many more to come, this 
>> agreement means that blind people will have more access to print books 
>> than we have ever had in human history.  The blind, just like the 
>> sighted, will have a world of education, information, and entertainment 
>> literally at our fingertips.  The National Federation of the Blind 
>> commends the parties to this agreement for their commitment to full and 
>> equal access to information by the blind."
>>
>>
>>
>> "Among the most monumental aspects of the settlement agreement," said 
>> Jack Bernard, assistant general counsel at the University of Michigan, 
>> "are the terms that enable Google and libraries to make works accessible 
>> to people who have print disabilities.  This unprecedented opportunity to 
>> access the printed word will make it possible for blind people to engage 
>> independently with our rich written culture.  Moreover, it is refreshing 
>> to find accessibility for people with disabilities explicitly included 
>> upfront, rather than begrudgingly added as an afterthought."
>>
>>
>>
>>  "One of the great promises of the settlement agreement is improving 
>> access to books for the blind and for those with print disabilities," 
>> said Dan Clancy, engineering director for Google Book Search.  "Google is 
>> committed to extending all of the services available under the agreement 
>> to the blind and print disability community, making it easier to access 
>> these books through screen enlargement, reader, and Braille display 
>> technologies."
>>
>