[Blindtlk] National Federation of the Blind Commends University of Illinois for Commitment to Accessible E-book Technology

[Freeh, Jessica]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org




National Federation of the Blind Commends University of Illinois
  for Commitment to Accessible E-book Technology



Champaign, Illinois (November 19, 2009): The National Federation of 
the Blind, the oldest and largest organization of blind Americans and 
a leading advocate for accessible e-book technology, today applauded 
the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for publicly 
announcing its commitment to purchasing e-book technology that can be 
used by the blind and others with print disabilities.  The 
announcement comes on the heels of news that the University of 
Wisconsin-Madison and Syracuse University will not broadly deploy 
Amazon's Kindle DX e-book reading device, which Amazon is marketing 
as a replacement for traditional print textbooks, until the device is 
fully accessible to blind students.  The Kindle DX features 
text-to-speech technology that can read textbooks aloud.  The menus 
of the device are not accessible to the blind, however, making it 
impossible for a blind user to purchase books from Amazon's Kindle 
store, select a book to read, activate the text-to-speech feature, 
and use the advanced reading functions available on the Kindle DX.



In a statement issued yesterday, the University of Illinois said in 
part: "Quite apart from our legal obligations, we at Illinois believe 
that our technology choices should be shaped by our institutional 
values and aspirations.  We will not embrace technologies that 
undercut our commitment to accessibility.  We will instead apply our 
ingenuity to technologies that enable everyone to participate more 
fully in society.



"Like our colleagues at Wisconsin and Syracuse, we recognize the 
groundbreaking potential that read-aloud features have for making 
textbooks accessible to students with disabilities.  Sadly, that 
potential can't be realized until vendors of e-book readers, like the 
Kindle, add accessible read-aloud menus and basic navigation to their 
products."


Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, 
said: "As publishers and e-book reading device manufacturers 
increasingly tout the e-book as a replacement for the printed 
textbook, it is critical that no artificial barriers be placed in the 
way of access to this exciting new technology by blind 
students.  E-books are inherently accessible, and it is relatively 
easy to make e-book reading devices accessible as well.  The National 
Federation of the Blind therefore commends the University of Illinois 
and other universities for taking the position that e-book technology 
must be accessible to all students, including the blind."



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About the National Federation of the Blind

With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind 
is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind 
people in the United States.  The NFB improves blind people's lives 
through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs 
encouraging independence and self-confidence.  It is the leading 
force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's 
blind.  In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the 
Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in 
the United States for the blind led by the blind.  Please visit our 
Web site: <http://www.nfb.org/>www.nfb.org.