Kindle Accessibility Concerns Continue

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) continues to raise concerns about the accessibility of Amazon's Kindle devices as well as its Kindle apps for other devices (e.g., the iPad) for persons with visual disabilities. On its Kindle Books page, NFB provides a chart comparing the accessibility of Kindle devices/apps against accessible alternatives, the iBook and Blio, along a number of key parameters, such as text highlighting and note-taking features that would be of particular interest to postsecondary students. NFB has also made available a few videos to illustrate key issues or concerns, with a demonstration of Kindle's accessibility limitations in relation to other accessible alternatives probably of greatest interest to EDUCAUSE members.

While the page emphasizes NFB's concerns about the distribution of Kindles in K-12 settings, the ongoing marketing of Kindles to the higher education market remains an issue. For example, after viewing the comparison chart and demonstration video, you may want to review the "Kindle in college" section of the Kindle Education page and consider the features and functionality discussed in light of the Kindle's possible accessibility limitations in thinking about the potential for institutional deployment.