Allow Everyone Access to E-books
When Amazon released the Kindle 2 electronic book reader on February 9, 2009, the company announced that the device would 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.
The Reading Rights Coalition, which represents people who cannot read print, protested 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 organizations that represent 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 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.
The Reading Rights Coalition, which represents people who cannot read print, protested 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 organizations that represent 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.
We the undersigned insist that the Authors Guild and Amazon not disable the text-to-speech capability for the Kindle 2.
There are 15 million Americans who are blind, dyslexic, and have spinal cord injuries or other disabilities that impede their ability to read visually. The 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 disallow text-to-speech for their e-books on the Kindle 2 prevent the print-disabled from enjoying these e-books.
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 diverse participation and contribution to the debates that occupy us as a society.
Furthermore, we oppose the Authors Guild demands that this capability should be turned off because many more books would be sold if text-to-speech remained available. 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, flexible access to content improves the quality of life for everyone.
There can be no doubt that 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.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this important matter.
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There is no reason whatever to restrict access to text-to-speech content, which has immense potential benefits for persons with visual and reading impairments. Why do we continue to erect barriers to the availability of content? And while we're at it, Amazon should open up their content to library patrons, another meaningless barrier.
Our daughter is 18, preparing to go to college and is, among many wonderful other qualities, dyslexic. Text to speech technology has enabled her to access not only more literature and textbooks, but understand them at a depth not available for her only in print. Suppressing the application of text to speech technology hampers access to information for her and the more than 10 percent of the US population that is dyslexic.
I had worked in an industry that served the computer needs of people with visual impairments. Any device that can read aloud will help make their lives easier when it comes to obtaining information from a book whether it is for pleasure, business or school.
I am a reading teacher specializing in those with disablities and a parent of an adult dyslexic who can not find books of interest on the Kurweil software. I also feel that reading along with hearing the text benefits challenged readers.
I have processing problems when I try to read. So sadly--- I don't try to read because it is just too difficult for me. I am sad about not being able to read as easily as people without reading disabilities. I have done research and most of the great technology with TTS (text to speech) is prohibitively expensive and a pain in the butt if you have to scan books before reading. The books I want to read are not on the lists of books from Bookshare or Reading for the Blind and Dyslexic. The books I want to read are "how to" books: How to train horses, How to make glazes and fire pottery etc... I have found that I read/comprehend the best when I hear the words while I see the text at the same time. The technology IS available---it is so close to me--I can almost touch it! Talk about painful. Please allow people like me to have the choice to read.
Text-to-speech is an invaluable tool for my fiance, a traumatic brain injury survivor who desparately wants to read. He has left side hemiparesis and vision impairment due to his accident. He cannot read for very long because he fatiques which causes vision problems. The opportunity to be able to have a devise read to him when he is unable to do so would be priceless. Please allow for it.
Why is text-to-speech technology important to you?
As someone who dealt with problems with ADHD in childhood and is now a physician. I am saddened and angered by the recent move of the authors guild. The kindle has a potential to be a wonderful tool for those with learning disabilities and this move to cripple its functionality penalizes both the learning and visually impaired.
My grandmother has macular degeneration and has almost completely lost her vision now. Every book, magazine, newspaper, etc should be available with the Read-To-Me feature so she can still "read".
Anyone who wants to read books should be able to. Those who can't read shouldn't be punished for that.
Having worked with both dyslexics and blind students I am appalled that anyone would want to restrict access to these students who must use text-to-speech to access the information contained within the text.
Many dyslexic people read best by listening and looking at text at the same time. Reading for The Blind and Dyslexic technology only provides auditory books. The fact that this multi-sensory method of reading could be available on the Kindle and is being denied to those who purchased the devise for that purpose, is deplorable. There must be a way to allow people to purchase this multi-sensory technology.
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4:09 pm PST, Dec 23,
Edward Goss, South Carolina
I am a classic dyslexic. I have the 6th grade reading level. I have been listening to books all my life. In collage I got Kurtzwell 3000 to get through and that is where I started to read wile I listened. It started to improve my reading skills and I loved it. This is why the Kindle 2 Text-2-Speech was very important to me. I which there was something that some one could do. I would be willing to pay more if need be... |
Books = information. Everyone has his unique learning style. Why limit it to "reading?" Text-to-speech capability will help those that need to process information by hearing. eg. visually impaired individuals and some w/ LD and/or ADHD. Numerous research show increase of reading speed and comprehension in LD/ADHD students when using text-to-speech.
To Whom It May Concern: Please consider what this kind of move means to the visually disabled and others with print disabilities. I believe it is wrong-headed to curb the access to people who have print disabilities at the very time when Amazon is moving to make the Amazon Kindle *more* accessible to this audience. It's certainly better for your professional careers to be seen as accommodating to visually disabled consumers, rather than as trying to limit their access to your works. I sincerely hope the guild will rethink its position on this issue. Thanks for your time. Brian Hartman
I am the special education coordinator for my school system and we are very interested in using the text-to-speech function for our students with print disabilities.
I'd like to have books accessible to me as a blind person to have the opportunity of having the same books available to me as the non-print-disabled public.
I have a self-publishing house, DanniStories, and 54 of them are on Kindle. Anyone who needs a DRM free copy of any of my books may send a request to my email, dannis@dannistories.com, and if they promise to put a public review someplace on the Internet and email me with the location, I will gladly send them a copy of the story or book they want. This is not limited to one. I want to make my books and stories available to anyone with a handicap. Catalog available by request. Please tell me what format you want. I am a one-person operation and am disabled, so I will do this on a first-come first-serve basis. Happy Holidays!
Everyone should have access to e-books.
I do not have a print disability. I am a librarian. Everyone deserves equal access to e-books!
As a librarian I support increasing access to materials for everyone, regardless of their ability to read print. I urge my fellow librarians, along with everyone else who cares about reading, to do the same.
AMNZ CEO Jeff Bezoes engineered the Amazon Online Reader in the lab more than ten years ago, when the First Generation Kindle was released in 2007, and was endorsed by Oprah Winfrey a year later. Soon came the Second Generation Amazon handheld online device, the Kindle 2. The Kindle Dx has the 9.7' e paper screen illustration displayed in 16 shades of e ink. The Kindle Reader has a font size adjustment system built in, so that someone was has a problem seeing can enlarge their reading experience. The Text to Speech Technology of the Kindle Reader is helpful to Adults and Children, College Students to the Retires of America. The disabled people may profit the most from Amazons Text to Speech Technology, but we all profit the luxury of being read to sometimes.
My little brother is really struggling with his dyslexia and this technology would be prime for him progressing and succeeding in his scholastic studies. It would be wrong to take this away from the people that need it.
My son is dyslexic and needs the text-to-speech function. We were so excited to learn about it, and we were ready to buy a Kindle DX so he could become more independent! He needs it for textbooks and PDF's, as well as e-books. Dealing with a disabilty already creates a large financial burden for families. Now the AG wants to increase that burden for those who obviously need help. It seems mean-spirited and misdirected.
For the very reasons stated in the above ...also to author's who opt out of this feature, it is a true reflection of the "just business" attitude that is the very root of all that is wrong with the world...shame on you. And i won't be purchasing your books.
I Thomas N Trindle have been legally blind from birth. When I first learned about the kindle 2, and it's text to speech function, I can not tell you how excited I was. At last I had equal access to most books. People with disabilities rarely have equal access! I explored the Kindle Store in awe of the choices. Then the news came that publishers were in fear of loosing profits. This news hit hard. Once again the playing field was not level. I urge you at the Authors Guild to reconsider the mistake you have made. Have faith in what books are about, and that is the furthering of knowledge and growth. In the pursuit of profits authors and publishers will unwittingly loose their souls. Enable all people to have access to books and you will not find a decline in profits but unlimited growth Thank You Thomas N Trindle
Audio is an important safety feature for when reading while also doing something else requiring good attention, like daily commuting to work.
Text-to-speech technology is important for equality of all readers - people who have a disability should not be additionally disabled by removing the text-to-speech function.
My son has lost his left eye due to an injury. He is unable to actually read books, etc. He is a 49 year old man, but has asked me for help when he has to actually "read" mail, etc. I hope this program will help others that can not read due to an injury or accident.
I have a family member who needs help to read.
Everyone has the God-given right to read - and as a people, the whole world should be trying to give those who need alternative methods the ability do so - without prohibitive costs or unreasonable disclosure of their personal situation.
It will help family members to be able to read.l
I am a reference Librarian in Summit, NJ. I am also a member of Rockaway Township Lions Club. Literacy is the keystone of a democratic society and a basic civil right, as I see it. Therefore, individuals with print disabilities must have access to text-to-speech function on Kindle 2.
As chairman of the Southern Indiana Brain Injury Taskforce I am concerned with bringing injured people back into the mainstream.
The ability to get text-to-speech is very important to me because I have family members who cannot read due to blindness or near-blindness. My parents are also finding it difficult to read due to ey problems. Text-to speech would make books more available to them.
In support of my legally blind brother-in-law and for the millions of others for which this technology could open a world of experience for. Doesn't the author's guild realize the potential market?
You need to allow this! So many folks who have reading disabilities are desperate for new and interesting material they can AFFORD. Like my brother-in-law (legally blind) and my friend (dyslexic). If the appeal to your compassion doesn't work, put it this way - Don't be like the RIAA and lose out to "pirates" who can (and do) run books through the text-to-speech and then put it out on the web. Folks who would gladly PAY for the privilege of listening to your member's books are being forced into "piracy" because that is the only way they can get the material.
