E-Readers Must Be Accessible to All Students

In an effort to save money and reach out to their student body through new technology, several universities and colleges have been using devices commonly referred to as “e-readers”  E-readers are handheld devices like Amazon’s Kindle, Apple’s iPAD ™ or Sony’s Reader Digital Book.  Some universities and colleges have required students to use these, even though they are not accessible to all users.

In a joint letter, the US Department of Education and US Justice Department expressed their concern over this required use and cautioned universities and colleges to ensure they comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, both of which apply to these schools – along with K-12 public schools.  One serious problem the Departments identify in their letter is that these devices lack “an accessible text to speech function.” The letter clearly states that “requiring the use of an emerging technology in a classroom environment when the technology is inaccessible to an entire population of individuals with disabilities – individuals with visual disabilities – is discrimination.”
CEC applauds this guidance and the strong position both the Department of Justice and the Department of Education have taken on this issue. As this letter states, “emerging technologies are an educational resource that enhances learning for everyone, and perhaps especially for students with disabilities.” Technology holds great promise for increasing engagement of all students, but must not exclude certain populations due to access.