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. Archived on the World Wide Web at http://listserv.icors.org/archives/vicug-l.html Signoff: [log in to unmask] Subscribe: [log in to unmask] VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List. Archived on the World Wide Web at http://listserv.icors.org/archives/vicug-l.html Signoff: [log in to unmask] Subscribe: [log in to unmask]