More Kindle, Authors' rights, and Always Protests

RantWoman is THRILLED that a very broad coalition of disabled people are uniting about the issue of Text-to-Speech access to books on the Kindle. RantWoman is also thrilled to learn that Amazon is a t least talking on their blog about making the Kindle's navigation functions accessible to blind people.

The item below, which is the basis for RantWoman's cheering, came into email without a full citation so RantWoman is just dumping text for now:

Reading Rights Coalition Urges Authors to AllowEveryone Access to E-books
Informational Protest to be Held at Authors Guild Headquarters
New York City (March 30, 2009): The ReadingRights Coalition, which represents people whocannot read print, will protest the threatenedremoval of the text-to-speech function frome-books for the Amazon Kindle 2 outside theAuthors Guild headquarters in New York City at 31East 32nd Street on April 7, 2009, from noon to2:00 pddm. The coalition includes the blind,people with dyslexia, people with learning orprocessing issues, seniors losing vision, peoplewith spinal cord injuries, people recovering fromstrokes, and many others for whom the addition oftext-to-speech on the Kindle 2 promised for thefirst time easy, mainstream access to over 255,000 books.

When Amazon released the Kindle 2 electronic bookreader on February 9, 2009, the company announcedthat the device would be able to read e-booksaloud using text-to-speech technology. Underpressure from the Authors Guild, Amazon hasannounced that it will give authors andpublishers the ability to disable thetext-to-speech function on any or all of theire-books available for the Kindle 2.

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the NationalFederation of the Blind, said: "The blind andprint-disabled have for years utilizedtext-to-speech technology to read and accessinformation. As technology advances and morebooks move from hard-copy print to electronicformats, people with print disabilities have forthe first time in history the opportunity toenjoy access to books on an equal basis withthose who can read print. Authors and publisherswho elect to disable text-to-speech for theire-books on the Kindle 2 prevent people who are blind or have
other print disabilities from reading thesee-books. This is blatant discrimination and we will not tolerate it."

Mike Shuttic, president of the Association onHigher Education and Disability (AHEAD), said:"AHEAD envisions educational and societalenvironments that value disability and embodyequality of opportunity. This vision of AHEAD isdirectly aligned with the efforts of thiscoalition. Although much rhetoric is made aboutpotential obstacles and problems that exist, thebasic goal is clear and simple----access foreveryone. And why create something that prevents it?"

Mitch Pomerantz, president of the AmericanCouncil of the Blind, said: "Removing thetext-to-speech features closes the door on aninnovative technological solution that would makeregular print books available to tens ofthousands of individuals who are blind or visually impaired."

Andrew Imparato, President and Chief ExecutiveOfficer for the American Association of Peoplewith Disabilities (AAPAID), said: "It is outrageouswhen a technology device shuts out people withall kinds of disabilities. AAPAID works to removebarriers to accessibility and usability intechnology, and we don't expect to see peoplewith disabilities singled out by having to paymore for access. New technologies, such aselectronic books, should be available to everyone regardless of disability."

Paul Schroeder, vice president of programs andpolicy for the American Foundation for the Blind,said: "Those of us with print disabilities havelong dreamed of a world in which books and mediaare available to us at the same time as everyoneelse. The Kindle 2 offers that possibility forthe first time. We hope publishers and authorscome to see that text-to-speech is simply analternative means of access to print."

Dr. Peter Blanck, chairman and universityprofessor at Burton Blatt Institute at SyracuseUniversity, said: "As electronic books become thenorm, denying universal access will result inmore and more people with disabilities being leftout of education, employment, and the societalconversation. We will all suffer from theabsence of their participation and contributionto the debates that occupy us as a society."

George Kerscher of the Digital AccessibleInformation System (DAISY) Consortium, said: "TheDAISY Consortium envisions a world where peoplewith print disabilities have equal access toinformation and knowledge, without delay oradditional expense. Authors and publisherssurely must share this vision. Now that theissue of human rights has been explained, and theopportunity for larger sales are known, I urgethe Authors Guild to reverse their position ontext-to-speech and join us in activelyencouraging all publishers and reading technologydevelopers to open the world of reading toeverybody. Authors, join us on the picket line."

Steve Jacobs, president of IDEAL Group Inc.,said, "Not only is text-to-speech important topeople who are blind, it is critical in providingquality educations to millions of young peoplewho rely on text-to-speech to learneffectively. This includes students with autism,learning disabilities, mobility disabilities, andcognitive disabilities that impact their abilityto acquire information with their eyes only. Iremain hopeful that the talented members of theAuthors Guild come to understand the potentialnegative impact of disabling the text-to-speechfunction on their e-books and reconsider their position."

Cynthia D. Waddell, executive director of theInternational Center for Disability Resources onthe Internet (ICDRI), said: "The mission ofICDRI supports the removal of barriers inelectronic and information technology and thepromotion of equal access. ICDRI welcomes thetext-to-speech functionality being offered by theKindle 2 since it increases mainstream access tobooks for the first time in history. We questionwhy the Authors Guild demands that it be turnedit off since many more books would be sold iftext-to-speech was turned back on. Not only
does this feature benefit persons withdisabilities, but it also helps persons for whomEnglish is not their native language. In anincreasingly mobile society, flexibility inaccess to content improves the quality of life for everyone."

James Love, director of Knowledge EcologyInternational, said: "Knowing full well that noteveryone can see, the Authors Guild wants theright to be seen, but not heard. By bullyingAmazon to change the technology of Kindle 2, theAuthors Guild will either deny access to peoplewho are disabled, or make them pay more. Byattacking disabled persons in this way, theAuthors Guild is attacking everyone who wouldotherwise benefit from the contributions thiscommunity has the potential to offer."

James H. Wendorf, executive director for theNational Center for Learning Disabilities, said:"Access to the written word is the cornerstone ofeducation and democracy. New technologies mustserve individuals with disabilities, not impedethem. Our homes, schools and ultimately oureconomy rely on support for the future, notdiscriminating practices and beliefs from the past."

While the Kindle 2 is not currently accessible toblind users, Amazon recently announced on itsKindle 2 blog that it is currently at work onmaking the device's navigational features accessible to the blind.

The coalition includes: American Association ofPeople with Disabilities, American Council of theBlind, American Foundation for the Blind,Association on Higher Education and Disability,Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, BurtonBlatt Institute, Digital Accessible InformationSystem (DAISY) Consortium, Disability RightsEducation and Defense Fund (DREDF), IDEAL Group,Inc., International Center for DisabilityResources on the Internet, International DyslexiaAssociation, International DyslexiaAssociation----New York Branch, Knowledge EcologyInternational, Learning Disabilities Associationof America, National Center for LearningDisabilities, National Disability Rights Network,National Federation of the Blind, NISH, and theNational Spinal Cord Injury Association. Inaddition to the April 7 New York City protest,the coalition will participate in the Los AngelesTimes Festival of Books on April 25-26.