[Nfbv-announce] FW: Reading Rights Coalition Urges Authors to Allow Everyone Access to E-books

[Fredric Schroeder]

  _____  

From: Freeh, Jessica [mailto:JFreeh at nfb.org] 
Sent: Monday, March 30, 2009 9:10 AM
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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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