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US DOJ Says Kindle In Classroom Hurts Blind Students
angry tapir writes "Three US universities will stop promoting the use of Amazon.com's Kindle DX e-book reader in classrooms after complaints that the device doesn't give blind students equal access to information. Settlements with Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Pace University in New York City and Reed College in Portland, Oregon, were announced Wednesday by the US Department of Justice. The National Federation of the Blind and the American Council of the Blind had complained that use of the Kindle devices discriminates against students with vision problems."
And from TFA...
"he Kindle DX has the capability to convert text to synthesized speech, but the device does not include text-to-speech functionality for its menu and navigational controls, the DOJ said in a press release. "
As it stands right now, the Kindle doesn't have text-to-speech in the menu. Theoretically, if you can use the menu, you can use the Kindle (2 or DX, at least) to read to you using text-to-speech.
The thing is, Amazon has announced previously that they're working on enabling text-to-speech in the menu, so that particular issue will be moot (although I don't know what the timeline is). The bigger problem is that publishers can disable the text-to-speech in their e-books on the Kindle, which would render an accessible menu fairly pointless. (The same groups mentioned in the article also have been trying to pressure those publishers who have disabled it (e.g., Random House) to re-enable text-to-speech in their Kindle e-books.)
Chances are, it isn't that they got in trouble but are simply covering their rears against some idiot student expecting the professor to know that one of his 2,000 students is disabled and wants to sue because the professor doesn't have psycic powers.
Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
Actually, that's half-right. Kindle e-books can have text-to-speech capabilities, but many publishers (e.g., Random House, Penguin) disable it. What Amazon can do (and is working on) is to use text-to-speech in the Kindle's menu, so that the visually impaired (i.e., blind or legally blind) can navigate the menus to get to the e-books, which can then be read through text-to-speech (assuming it's not disabled).
Sure it can. Maybe The National Federation of the Blind and the American Council of the Blind should get off their asses and sponsor it.
Caveat Utilitor
I know no one reads the articles, as that would get in the way of the knee-jerking we all love to do. But the article makes it quite clear: the kindle includes a text-to-speech application, but no way for visually impaired folks to navigate. Therefore, the Kindle is not the right choice of e-book reader for institutions such as colleges and universities to promote. It is the Kindle that is unusable by the blind, not the e-books themselves.
- None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
It can convert words to audio itself. Not necessarily
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
The problem isn't e-books or readers per-se. The Kindle even includes a text to speech application. But the Kindle lacks a way for visually impaired readers to navigate, and so, it is absolutely useless as it is. All that needs to be done is to tie the user interface into the text to speech application. That's it. Until that very, very simple problem is solved, colleges and universities are correct not to promote the use of this device. A good bit of publicity early on will ensure that all e-book readers in the future have this simple feature.
- None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
The Kindle was a lot better for visually impaired users until the Author's Guild did their dirty work to prevent the text-to-audio feature.
Yes, Amazon should make it easier to navigate but maybe positive pressure rather than lawsuits to prevent the feature would help speed that along.
You didn't read the FA. The complaint is that the navigation menus etc are not included in the text-to-speech converter.
Infuriate left and right
Couple of things, I used a monocular (basically a small telescope), a tape recorder (for later transcription at my own pace), carbon paper and a classmate with good handwriting or I would just get the notes from either the instructor or have an aide work with the instructor to prepare notes for me.
With the support I had getting through school became much easier and enjoyable.
crazy dynamite monkey
In fact, such devices exist: the BrailleNote is a portable computer with a Braille 'screen'. Among other things (wireless internet, bluetooth, voice memos, word processing) it e-book reading as a feature. (I have never used one myself - I am sighted, and can barely struggle along in Braille - but a blind friend of mine has one.)