[nfbwatlk] Fw: Reading Rights Coalition Urges Authors to Allow Everyone Access to E-books

[Mike Freeman]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Freeh, Jessica" <JFreeh at nfb.org>
To: "Freeh, Jessica" <JFreeh at nfb.org>
Sent: Monday, March 30, 2009 6:10 AM
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 255,000 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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