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<h1><b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br><br>
CONTACT:</b></h1>John G. Paré Jr.<br><br>
Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy <br><br>
National Federation of the Blind<br><br>
(410) 659-9314, extension 2218<br><br>
(410) 917-1965 (Cell)<br><br>
<a href="mailto:jpare@nfb.org">jpare@nfb.org</a><br><br>
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National Federation of the Blind and Scribd Agree to Collaborate to Make
Reading Subscription Service Accessible to the Blind<br><br>
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<b>Baltimore, Maryland (November 19, 2015):</b> The National Federation
of the Blind and Scribd, Inc. have agreed to work together to provide
access and make content available in Scribd’s subscription reading
service and website accessible to the blind by the end of 2017. Available
on desktop and mobile devices, Scribd’s service provides users access to
ebooks, audiobooks and other published content for a flat monthly fee. As
part of an agreement between the two organizations, Scribd will
rearchitect its website to make most subscription content compatible with
screen access software for the blind. Screen access software converts
text-based content into Braille or spoken words. Scribd will also
facilitate access to other types of documents in its collection when
requested by blind users.<br><br>
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Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind,
said: “Lack of access to the printed word has traditionally been one of
the most significant barriers faced by the blind, but electronic books
and documents, when they are designed to be accessible to us, can provide
access to more information than we have ever had in all of human history,
leading to better education and employment outcomes, and helping us to
live the lives we want. We are thrilled that blind readers will soon have
access to Scribd’s vast digital library, and we commend Scribd for
agreeing to work with us to make this happen. My wife Melissa, my
daughters Oriana and Elizabeth, and I are blind, and we, along with my
son Austin, eagerly look forward to delving into this new treasure trove
of literature and information as a family.”<br><br>
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Trip Adler, CEO of Scribd said: “We are committed to building the library
of the future and making it accessible to all. Our collaboration with the
National Federation of the Blind is an important step in making this a
reality, and we look forward to ensuring our technology is usable for the
blind community.”<br><br>
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The agreement resolves litigation filed last year by the National
Federation of the Blind and Heidi Viens, a blind mother from Colchester,
Vermont. There is no admission of liability or wrongdoing by any party to
the agreement. The plaintiffs were represented by Laurence Paradis, Haben
Girma, and Rebecca Rodgers of the firm Disability Rights Advocates;
Daniel F. Goldstein and Gregory P. Care of the Baltimore firm Brown,
Goldstein and Levy, LLP; and Emily J. Joselson and Michele B. Patton of
the Middlebury, Vermont firm Langrock, Sperry & Wool, LLP.<br><br>
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<b>About the National Federation of the Blind <br><br>
</b>The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.<br><br>
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