Comments on: What Breaking Electronic Locks Means to the Blind http://www.geeknewscentral.com/2010/07/29/what-breaking-electronic-locks-means-to-the-blind/ Geek News Central is the technical site for Geeks. We Spin tech for the common man. With a Family of Tech Shows and Content. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:38:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: George Kerscher http://www.geeknewscentral.com/2010/07/29/what-breaking-electronic-locks-means-to-the-blind/comment-page-1/#comment-20685 George Kerscher Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:28:12 +0000 http://www.geeknewscentral.com/?p=13421#comment-20685 A few points: First the EPUB is inherently accessible. Currently Humanware's Stream, the Dolphin EaseReader, and the GH reader render EPUB content that persons with print disabilities can use effectively. True, there are many EPUB readers that use DRM and those reading systems are not accessible. These companies now know that if they want their systems used in education in the USA, they had better figure out how to make their interfaces accessible. We have seen the announcement by Amazon that the Kindle will be available in August and be accessible to the blind. The iPad uses EPUB and VoiceOver presents the books. Blio, not launched yet promises to be accessible. Google Book project is using EPUB and a couple of million titles are accessible, although these are out of copyright titles. The publishers are delivring EPUB into their outlet channels. Richly formatted textbooks using EPUB is one of the goals of the EPUB revision currently underway. We all should be applying pressure on the reading system developers to make their reading interfaces self voicing or work correctly with Assistive Technology. A few points:

First the EPUB is inherently accessible. Currently Humanware’s Stream, the Dolphin EaseReader, and the GH reader render EPUB content that persons with print disabilities can use effectively.

True, there are many EPUB readers that use DRM and those reading systems are not accessible. These companies now know that if they want their systems used in education in the USA, they had better figure out how to make their interfaces accessible. We have seen the announcement by Amazon that the Kindle will be available in August and be accessible to the blind. The iPad uses EPUB and VoiceOver presents the books. Blio, not launched yet promises to be accessible.

Google Book project is using EPUB and a couple of million titles are accessible, although these are out of copyright titles.

The publishers are delivring EPUB into their outlet channels. Richly formatted textbooks using EPUB is one of the goals of the EPUB revision currently underway.

We all should be applying pressure on the reading system developers to make their reading interfaces self voicing or work correctly with Assistive Technology.

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