[blindlaw] Fw: Reading Rights Coalition Urges Authors to Allow Everyone Access to E-books

Tue Mar 31 12:35:19 UTC 2009

Re: Bookshare, we are being given nearly free access to copyrighted
books. The $50/year goes to paying Bookshare's overhead. As such,
Bookshare is required by law to varify our disabilities. However,
Bookshare does not share with the publisher our disability
information.

I think the best analogy to this situation would be the Authors Guild
taking a cut of Jaws proffit because it enables us to read books with
audio. Bookshare is just a source for getting books.

On 3/30/09, E.J. Zufelt <everett at zufelt.ca> wrote:
> Good evening,
>
> One part of the argument was that: "The Guilds position is immoral
> since it is infringes on human rights and dignity because it exploits,
> for profit, a vulnerable minority
>>
>>> of the population.  Requiring the disabled to 'register' - like
>>> some kind
>>> of inferior animal - in order to use new, free, and innovative text-
>>> to-speech technology...".
>
> Understandably Bookshare.org is not for profit, however, the strongest
> words in the above citation are related to having to "...register' -
> like some kind of inferior animal...".  If the registration
> requirement for one service is acceptable how can the registration
> requirement for a similar, but recognizably different, service been
> seen as treating people like "inferior animals"?
>
> I agree that a method needs to be found to accommodate the needs of
> all involved and to respect all current laws and the right of access
> to information for the text-impaired population.  However, the
> "inferior animals" argument does not seem to have much foundation in
> the facts.  Perhaps the best solution is to require digital media
> distributors to leave their publications unlocked for all readers, to
> ensure the most open access to information for the text-impaired,
> "inferior animals" does not seem to add any weight to the legal
> argument on either side of this issue.
>
> Thanks,
> Everett
>
>
> On 30-Mar-09, at 9:11 PM, Rod Alcidonis wrote:
>
>> I can't tell you how much I hate it when a legal issue is seriously
>> being
>> debated on this list and someone comes along with a statement that
>> is at
>> best, uninformed. The current issue is not even close to a bookshare
>> situation.  I am afraid that this listserv  might soon loses its
>> character
>> as a legal forum for blind legal professionals. Sad.
>>
>> Rod Alcidonis
>>  Juris Doctor Candidate, 2009.
>> Roger Williams University School of Law
>> 10 Metacom Ave., Box: 9003
>> Bristol, RI 02809
>> Home: (401) 824-8685
>> Cell: (718) 704-4651
>>  E-mail: roddj12 at hotmail.com
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-
>> bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of E.J. Zufelt
>> Sent: Monday, March 30, 2009 6:15 PM
>> To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Fw: Reading Rights Coalition Urges Authors
>> to Allow
>> Everyone Access to E-books
>>
>> Is it immoral for Bookshare to require registration aswell?
>>
>> Everett
>>
>>
>> On 30-Mar-09, at 2:21 PM, Michael Fry wrote:
>>
>>> It is awesome that so many organizations are coalescing around such
>>> a noble
>>> and worthy cause.
>>>
>>> The Guilds position is immoral since it is infringes on human rights
>>> and dignity because it exploits, for profit, a vulnerable minority
>>> of the
>>> population.  Requiring the disabled to 'register' - like some kind
>>> of inferior animal - in order to use new, free, and
>>> innovative text-to-speech technology places an unnecessary obstacle
>>> in path
>>> of people with disablities.  This obstacle is desgined solely to
>>> exploit
>>> money from people without the time or inclination or, who are too
>>> embarrassed to register, as a text disabled individuals.  They are
>>> attempting to bully extra profits out of people with disabilities.
>>> The
>>> Guild, comprised of enlightened and educated individuals, should be
>>> ashamed
>>> since there is no explanation other than immoral greed for their
>>> position.
>>>
>>>
>>> On Mon, Mar 30, 2009 at 9:16 AM, Scott C. LaBarre
>>> <slabarre at labarrelaw.com>wrote:
>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: Freeh, Jessica
>>>> To: Alpidio Rolon ; Amy Buresh ; Anil Lewis ; Art Schreiber ; Beth
>>>> Rival ;
>>>> Bob Kresmer ; Carl Jacobsen ; Cathy Jackson ; Charlene Smyth ;
>>>> Christine G.
>>>> Hall ; Daniel Burke ; David Ticchi ; Don Galloway ; Donna Wood ;
>>>> Elsie Lamp
>>>> ; Frank Lee ; Franklin Shiner ; Fred Schroeder ; Fred Wurtzel ;
>>>> Gary Ray ;
>>>> Gary Wunder ; J.W. Smith ; James Antonacci ; James Broadnax ;
>>>> Jennelle
>>>> Bichler ; Jennifer Dunnam ; Jerree Harris ; Joe Ruffalo ; John
>>>> Batron ; John
>>>> Fritz ; Joyce Scanlan ; Kathy Davis ; Ken Rollman ; Kevan Worley ;
>>>> Marie
>>>> Johnson ; Mary Willows ; Melissa Riccobono ; Michael Barber ;
>>>> Michael
>>>> Freeman ; Nani Fife ; Pam Allen ; Parnell Diggs ; Patti Chang ;
>>>> Richard
>>>> Bennett ; Richard Gaffney ; Ron Brown ; Ron Gardner ; Sam Gleese ;
>>>> Scott
>>>> LaBarre ; Selena Sundling-Crawford ; Steven Priddle ; Terri Rupp ;
>>>> Tommy
>>>> Craig
>>>> Sent: Monday, March 30, 2009 7:09 AM
>>>> Subject: Reading Rights Coalition Urges Authors to Allow Everyone
>>>> Access to
>>>> E-books
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> 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 at nfb.org
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> 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.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ###
>>>>
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>>>>
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