Voice of the Nation's Blind Blog

Note from the editor: Accessibility in higher education is a critical issue, and Pearson has worked hard to address it - so make sure Elaine gets your feedback!

Dear Friends:

The Kindle Paperwhite arrived here today, and my review will be very, very brief. Unsurprisingly enough, it’s completely inaccessible. Other than having adjustable fonts in the books (not the menus), the device has nothing to offer a low vision or blind reader.

I admit that we didn’t have high hopes for the Nook HD+ Slate accessibility features, but we were determined to give it our best shot. The device turned on without a peep as I searched through the Barnes & Noble site in search of any indications of accessibility features.

So we decided it was time to try something new in the world of the Access Technology Blog.  That’s why, when we got our newest shiny in the mail we decided to do an official Unboxing Video.  The video really hits the highlights of our first impressions of the device, and gives you a glimpse at both the technology, and the people behind the blog, so we hope that you

The National Federation of the Blind, as well as every other disability advocacy group in America, has always believed that our problems are not related to our disabilities, but to society’s misconceptions and attitudes about them. The issue is really low expectations.

Fellow Federationists:

In 2010, when I took a 3 hour flight from Detroit to Denver, I was told that wi-fi was available for a small fee during our flight. How cool would that be?

The International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind has long been the quiet mainstay of the Access Technology team, the mighty giant quietly chattering away behind my office.

Recently, Dr. Maurer and Anne Taylor were interviewed about some of the e-text pilots going on in higher education, and the NFB’s reaction to the accessibility barriers in them. The article is up at Campus Technology and is a fascinating read, looking at both sides of the story.