[blindlaw] question concerning Technology Accessibility Act

James Pepper b75205 at gmail.com
Fri Jul 2 18:35:45 UTC 2010


The big problem here is that the idea of an accessible ebook is right now a
myth because a lot of people promised that their new software would deliver
accessibility in ebooks but in reality it is not here yet.  To make an ebook
today involves reformatting books into many different types of e-books and
that is expensive.  Oh sure they can set books to be text only but to make a
true ebook with the text and images cooresponding on the page is actually a
matter of sending the book to India where very cheap labor can slog through
the book and set it properly to each type of e-book format.

And lets face it, the publishers are not going to lay out a book for and
ebook unless they can sell it.  So we get books later than everyone else.
When someone goes through the trouble of turning it into an e-book.  Oh sure
the big players can afford to make these things, well not so much
anymore with the economy, but the hayday of accessible ebooks was last
year.  Right now everyone is on hold until this gets sorted out.

And since we are talking about a dozen or so e-book formats, the publishers
are all trying to figure out which ones are being used by which audience.
And since this is all not standardized, the market has not shaken out yet,
legislation is at a standstill.

Adobe is pushing epub but most publishers would rather make books they can
sell on devices other than adobe's ebook reader.  That format seems to be
the big thing in accessibility and it is already dying the way of the beta
max for publishers.  Decent product but people are fed up with having to
jump through the hoops.

We are not there yet.  Despite all the promises.

James Pepper




On Fri, Jul 2, 2010 at 12:30 PM, Justin Young <jty727 at gmail.com> wrote:

> I believe it is included in it.  If passed all features like the
> mentioned by you Katie is covered, but I have no idea if it is
> anywhere nearing passage and when a similar piece of legislation will
> be introduced in the Senate.  Once passed in Senate it shall go to
> President Obama's desk where we all are confident it will be passed.
>
> On 7/2/10, Mike Freeman <k7uij at panix.com> wrote:
> > Just my opinion: I think that it could be argued before the proposed
> > commission to set accessibility standards that such screens were covered.
> > However, I could see the argument going either way.
> >
> > Mike
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Katy Carroll" <kc2992a at student.american.edu>
> > To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> > <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> > Cc: "NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
> > Sent: Friday, July 02, 2010 8:30 AM
> > Subject: [blindlaw] question concerning Technology Accessibility Act
> >
> >
> >> Hi all,
> >>
> >> Would the technologies affected in the Technology Bill of Rights for the
> >> Blind (H.R. 4533) include the touchscreens for media entertainment that
> >> are
> >> common on many planes used for long-distance and international flights?
> >>
> >> Best,
> >>
> >> --
> >> Kathryn CARROLL
> >> BlueLaw International LLP
> >> 703-647-7508
> >> Cell: 631-521-3018
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >>
> >
> >
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