Hi Francis
I expect the main reason is something to do with intellectual property
issues.
The archives of this list contain a number of entries about the Kindle
and the Authors Guild. I am typing what I remember because I do not
have time to go look and see what is most current. The Authors' Guild
in the US considers audio rights, whether human or text-to-speech to be
separate from print. Some authors grant rights for TTS reproduction;
some do not. I generally support authors getting the best deal they can
and authors tell me there are several reasons dealing with Amazon is
hard no matter how much they care about accessibility.
I am not very familiar with the provisions of US copyright law that
allow reproeduction through specific pathways in the name of access for
the visually impaired. but I expect that copyright framework is
different in the UK as well.
Perhaps this is a helpful place to start. I agree that this sort of
barrier is a big nuisance.
Best
Dorene Cornwell
Seattle WA
(the navel of the Amazon universe in case I ever get tempted to go
apply for a job.)
-----Original Message-----
From: Ian F. <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wed, Apr 27, 2011 1:19 pm
Subject: [VICUG-L] Kindle PC App Accessibility Plugin for UK Users
Hi All
I contacted Amazon today to ask then to give me a reason why the
accessibility plugin is not available for UK customers so I can pass
this on to disappointed disabled students here in the UK who've tried
to
use the package. I explained that several print impaired university
students had found the Kindle device to be quite helpful but were
disappointed to discover they could not access Kindle content on the PC
via text-to-speech strategies, unlike their fellow students in the US.
I
simply received an automated response from Amazon.
Does anyone here know why they have deliberately removed the
text-to-speech function from the non-US version of the Kindle PC app?
I note that the app also does not appear to work with a screenreader.
Does the US version expose itself to a screenreader to allow text to be
read e.g. via Jaws?
Best wishes
Ian Francis
VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
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