[il-talk] Fw: [Chapter-presidents] National Federation of the Blind Comme...

[AZNOR99 at aol.com]

Yes, they announced this at my chapter meeting yesterday, and folks were  
really excited about how Illinois is an innovator.
 
 
 
In a message dated 11/22/2009 2:17:59 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
rgardner4 at gmail.com writes:

FYI

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Freeh,Jessica (by way  of David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>) 
To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org  
Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2009 4:37 PM
Subject: [Chapter-presidents]  National Federation of the Blind Commends 
University of Illinois for  Commitment to Accessible E-book Technology



FOR IMMEDIATE  RELEASE



CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of  Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410)  659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281  (Cell)

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."




###






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:  www.nfb.org.





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