Since 1981, my company has been responsible for marketing many scanning and
reading systems for both the Blind/Visually Impaired and for people with
reading difficulties. Therefore, as someone who has aided and abetted the
'infringement of copyright' for some considerable years, I asked the
question of the Copyright Licensing Authority (CLA) some five years ago -
'What is the position regarding products such as K1000 and K3000 whose remit
is to aid people who suffer some form of print disability?'
The answer at that time, and I'm not sure that this has changed (apart from
the current activity with regard to alternative formats for the Blind), was
that it is illegal to use any form of electronic scanning in order to store
printed material on a computer. Institutions will pay a fee to the CLA in
order to facilitate the photocopying of portions of books but this is not
extended to electronic capture.
Well, I'm still 'aiding and abetting' and I want to be first in line to be
hauled in front of the High Court for infringement of copyright. The media
would have a field day! Not that I'm advocating for authors to be starved of
their rightful income but I would suggest that most users of this sort of
technology have purchased a copy of the printed material in the first place
and merely wish to read it in an alternative way.
Mervyn Robertson
www.sightandsound.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: Clare Davies [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 25 July 2002 10:16
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Fees/Essential texts
Does the law bar dyslexic (or other disabled) students from scanning to read
texts via screen-reader/voice synthesiser without saving them to disc? I
suspect that for most of us the need to make reasonable adjustments will
take priority, but fully agree with the need for copyright laws to be
updated.
Clare Davies
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Arthur Owens
Sent: 25 July 2002 10:54
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Fees/Essential texts
My advice is that yes - just that in the law. If it was for someone with
a visual disability other things being equal you'd be OK.
And if someone can tell me chapter and verse that I'm wrong I'd be
delighted. We are just about to get a similar set of kit, and will
somehow have to make sure that ONLY people with visual disability can
use it - and I'm not sure how we do it!
Arthur Owens SubLibrarian Social Sciences Lanchester Library Coventry
University
Skeates,St.John DEAL Awards Tm wrote:
> So by purchasing a scanner and OCR for a student with dyslexia I'm aiding
> and abetting copyright theft!
>
> Hmmm - time for a policy rethink...
>
> :)
>
> St.John Skeates
> Awards Section
> Bedfordshire County Council
> Direct Line 01234 316300
>
>
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