Amazon, Kobo and Sony request e-readers be exempt from accessibility laws

[speakingtohe]

The manufactures could opt out of the web browser and have a strictly store based app.
Not trying to marginalise the visually impaired.

In fact on pondering this thread I am wondering why there is not an audio player that allows visually impaired people to borrow audio books from overdrive and purchase audio books from online stores. Does such a device exist?

according to National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) The Library of Congress

A network of regional and subregional libraries provides a free library service to persons who are unable to use standard printed material because of visual or physical disabilities. Library patrons can expect to borrow audio or braille books such as they might find in print at a local public library. Books and magazines in audio form (talking books) and braille are delivered to eligible readers by postage-free mail and are returned in the same manner. Specially designed phonographs and cassette players are also loaned free to persons who borrow talking books from their library.

This does not sound ACS compliant to me.

Would the visually impaired not be better served by libraries supplying mp3 players that the books could be at least delivered wirelessly to? Phonographs and cassette players, the mid boggles.

Imagine a visually impaired person being able to call in a request and the book is sent to their player. Of course this could happen with the kindle as we speak. Or the Sony T1. A few software changes. But if I was visually impaired I might possibly resent having to get an ebook reader, with 90% of the features useless to me just to play an audio book.


Helen

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by tompe

On my iPad what in that is there because of this law? I have not found any voice navigation...

Since rulemaking is incomplete, the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 is not yet effective.

Behind this is a battle of Washington lobbyists who are trying to demonstrate their worth to their funders. I'm not even sure the lobbyists are on the right sides here, from the standpoint of the self-interests of their funders.

Looking at how this effects Sony, Kobo, and Amazon, I think their interests might be best served by keeping cheap knock-off brands out of the US market. Special disability requirements for hardware sold in the US would help them in this quest.

Looking at it from the standpoint of the disability community, a lot of their constituents don't have much money. And a lot more of the legally blind read large print than are completely blind. So creating a situation in which cheap knock-off eReaders can be sold at the Family Dollar store (or maybe, one day, at an actual dollar store!) would be very much in their interest.

[Anabana]

Perhaps I'm overly cynical, but if they are granted the exemption, I can envision their ereaders becoming more and more like tablets but without ACS compliance as long as they still are marketed as ereaders...

[meeera]

I don't think you're being overly cynical. People will bend over backwards to avoid making their products/services inaccessible. Just look at the coalition of American supposedly Christian CHURCHES, of all people, who constantly fight to be magically exempt from ADA laws.

[BadBilly]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Because businesses aren't allowed to say "I don't need to provide accessibility features; someone else is already doing that." Stores aren't allowed to say "my store doesn't have wheelchair access, but it's okay; those customers can shop next door." Not even if "next door" is owned by the same company.

This is nothing like that. Demanding that all devices be accessible is like demanding that every door of a business be accessible and every seat in the building be accessible. Kobo, Amazon, and Sony all make software that can run on PCs and tablets, allowing users to use those devices to access their bookstores and books. Now, you might make a case that those bookstores should have some requirement to work with accessibility software, such as screen readers and that the DRM doesn't get in the way of using the books, but there is access to the content.

[BadBilly]

Originally Posted by wawasteele

I agree.

I am disabled. I use a power wheelchair. I used to love hiking trails in the mountains. Now, I am limited to the very limited amount of wheelchair accessible trails. Would I like all trails to be accessible? Of course! Is it a reasonable request? Of course not.

In public bathrooms, there is always at least one handicap stall. Should all the stalls be handicap accessible? No. That would hurt all the non-handicapped people, because the handicap stalls take up a lot more room, so there would be less total stalls.

Being handicapped limits people. Can society help us adapt? Yes, and they should. But should everything thing made be accessible? For every possible disability? No. It's just not possible or reasonable to expect.

So, as long as there are viable options for all readers, I don't see why every reading device has to be made for blind people, just like every trail or bathroom stall isn't accessible. I also don't see why in schools or libraries, that every reading device has to be accessible, as long as there are some for those that need them.

Thank you for this. It's really the crux of the issue. All reasonable measures to provide access should be taken. Yes, that does include regulation and requiring businesses to spend money they wouldn't otherwise have spent. Not every single person can have every single thing in every single way.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by BadBilly

Thank you for this. It's really the crux of the issue. All reasonable measures to provide access should be taken. Yes, that does include regulation and requiring businesses to spend money they wouldn't otherwise have spent. Not every single person can have every single thing in every single way.

Ah but the thread seems to be that all 3 of the big ebook makers want to not have to be accessible which is another thing entirely. There is a difference between some entrances to an auditorium being wheel chair accessible for example and no entrances being so.

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by crich70

Ah but the thread seems to be that all 3 of the big ebook makers want to not have to be accessible which is another thing entirely.

Did anyone notice that B&N is not part of this coalition? The petition was filed before news on B&N changing course trickled out.

(apologies if this was mentioned already)

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by tompe

Ah, I had never explored these options. I just thought that since a blind person would not find these things to enable them they did not exist. Mistaken assumption.

I has been a while, but I'm pretty sure that when you set an iPad up for the first time, it speaks to you and tells you how to enable accessibility settings. The entire setup process should be useable by blind owners without sighted assistance.
Details are here: http://www.apple.com/uk/accessibility/ipad/vision.html
Whatever your feelings one way or the other about Apple, they do go a lot further than most companies in this area.

[taming]

I may be off base here, but when I read the PDF, it seemed to me that the legislation was written to allow for exemptions if they meet certain criteria and that the companies are asking for that exemption by making the case that ereaders fall within that category. There will, no doubt, be a ruling based on the legislation, and then the companies can make the choice to either comply, appeal the decision, or stop selling the product in the US.

[Angst]

Originally Posted by Alexander Turcic

Did anyone notice that B&N is not part of this coalition? The petition was filed before news on B&N changing course trickled out.

(apologies if this was mentioned already)

We had rumors of B&N capabilities as early as last year. Perhaps the big three don't want to play catchup?

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by Angst

We had rumors of B&N capabilities as early as last year. Perhaps the big three don't want to play catchup?

Hmm, not sure. These accessibility features only applied to the HD line, not the SimpleTouch (E Ink based). But if you follow the coalition's line of thinking), only the SimpleTouch would qualify as an e-reader device and should be exempt from the accessibility requirements, whereas the Nook HDs are essentially tablet devices (like the Kindle Fire series).

[Sil_liS]

Is nobody concerned about the fact that this petition defines e-readers as devices that lack certain features:

Features common to tablets that e-readers consistently lack include:
•Color screens;
•Screens with fast refresh rates sufficient for interaction and video;
•Cameras;
•High-capacity storage sufficient for multimedia files; and
•Higher-powered CPU processors and GPU processors for accelerated graphics.
Additionally, e-readers typically do not possess microphones or quality speakers.

So there will be no motivation to improve e-readers. Color e-ink, better processor, more memory, speakers? No, it might not be considered an e-reader anymore.

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

Is nobody concerned about the fact that this petition defines e-readers as devices that lack certain features:


So there will be no motivation to improve e-readers. Color e-ink, better processor, more memory, speakers? No, it might not be considered an e-reader anymore.

Not me I am afraid. I do nothing but read books on my ereader.

I may or may not want the things you list, and they are good things, I expect that the tablet developers will take care of that area of development if ereaders don't.

Ereaders have size, weight and battery life going for them, plus easier on the eyes.

Tablets have much more versatility usage and software wise, and are far more available and competitive. The technology for faster processors, more memory, and better speakers is already there and ongoing development will not rest on the shoulders of ereader manufacturers even in the slightest. And if color eink never reaches perfection I am sure that it will be improved until something better is developed.

To digress, putting speakers in an ereader is good for the person who wants music while they read, maybe. But what incentive would it be for a totally blind person to buy an ereader or even borrow one from the library. Why pay for a device designed to be read when you can get a smaller, easier to operate player for about 1/4 of the price.

Perhaps libraries should not be allowed to lend paper books without providing someone to read them aloud with the loan.

The obvious answer is to develop and stock devices that overcome each handicap, not a one size fits all if you can afford the thousand bucks or so solution.

Helen

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Not me I am afraid. I do nothing but read books on my ereader.

I may or may not want the things you list, and they are good things, I expect that the tablet developers will take care of that area of development if ereaders don't.

Ereaders have size, weight and battery life going for them, plus easier on the eyes.

Tablets have much more versatility usage and software wise, and are far more available and competitive. The technology for faster processors, more memory, and better speakers is already there and ongoing development will not rest on the shoulders of ereader manufacturers even in the slightest. And if color eink never reaches perfection I am sure that it will be improved until something better is developed.

To digress, putting speakers in an ereader is good for the person who wants music while they read, maybe. But what incentive would it be for a totally blind person to buy an ereader or even borrow one from the library. Why pay for a device designed to be read when you can get a smaller, easier to operate player for about 1/4 of the price.

Perhaps libraries should not be allowed to lend paper books without providing someone to read them aloud with the loan.

The obvious answer is to develop and stock devices that overcome each handicap, not a one size fits all if you can afford the thousand bucks or so solution.

Helen

Excellent post! and totally agree!

The obvious answer is to develop and stock devices that overcome each handicap, not a one size fits all if you can afford the thousand bucks or so solution.

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