Oh I highly doubt that apple were allowed to preface the funding with any exclusions.
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Randy Stegall Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 7:20 PM To: General discussions on all topics relating to the use of Mac OS X by the blind Subject: Re: ITunes and the blind a legal story? I wonder if Apple said that they could not spend the money on windows screen readers? Randy On Oct 1, 2008, at 3:53 PM, Cameron Strife wrote: > And on top of that, I don't know about every state, but many states > are > locked into contracts with pc manufactururs and are barred from > buying apple > computers for clients. > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Chris Blouch > Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 4:38 PM > To: General discussions on all topics relating to the use of Mac OS > X by the > blind > Subject: Re: ITunes and the blind a legal story? > > > Interesting that this AP story makes no mention of the $250,000 Apple > will 'contribute' to the Mass. Commission for the Blind, which > basically > subsidizes or gives away Jaws and other AT. Had to hunt for articles > which mention this and it's usually just a footnote, like in this > example: > > http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2008/09/26/apple-promises-more-acc > essibility-in-itunes-in-2008-2009 > > CB > > David Poehlman wrote: >> >> Apple makes iTunes more accessible for the blind >> By JAY LINDSAY, Associated Press Writer 23 minutes ago >> >> Most teens listen to their music on digital players, but Cory Cadlik, >> who is blind, had to ask for help when he wanted to buy songs for his >> iPod from the online music store iTunes. >> >> To Cadlik, a self-described tech "geek," that was too frustrating to >> tolerate. >> >> "For me to be as tech savvy as I am, and not be able to do something >> ... I hated it," said Cadlik, 17, of Medway, Mass. "I had one iPod. I >> got rid of it." >> >> On Friday, Cadlik was making plans to get his iPod back after >> Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley reached agreement with >> Apple Inc. to program iTunes to make it accessible to anyone with >> software that blind people use to read the Internet. >> >> Tony Olivero of the National Federation of the Blind demonstrated the >> technology at a press conference at the Perkins School for the Blind >> in Watertown. Olivero navigated through iTunes, guided by a voice >> that >> called out whatever he slid the mouse pointer over, including file >> commands and the movie, music and TV titles iTunes sells. >> >> Cadlik planned to test out the new iTunes this weekend by sampling >> some hard rock from bands like Breaking Benjamin and Chevelle. >> >> "You had no access before," Cadlik said. "When then this came out ... >> I said, 'Wow, this is great, this is awesome.'" >> >> Under the agreement, Apple must make iTunes accessible to all systems >> by next June. >> >> Providing equal access to online stores is required in the same way >> supermarket aisles must be a certain width to accommodate people with >> disabilities. But major gaps remain in the online retail world for >> blind consumers. >> >> Coakley said a lot of industries are working to make the Internet >> more >> accessible because they know it's good business to give more people a >> way to buy your product. Coakley said she hopes the move by Apple >> inspires more copycats. >> >> "Apple is the leader, they've become the industry standard," she >> said. >> "Other companies that compete will have to or want to do this." >> >> Spokespeople for Apple did not return e-mails or calls for comment. >> >> The new iTunes can be read on a Macintosh, though people with PCs >> must >> buy "screen access software" to make it work. It's pricey, retailing >> for around $1,000. John Olivera of the Massachusetts Commission for >> the Blind said discounts are available around the U.S., and the >> commission has purchased a substantial amount of the software and is >> supplying it free in his state. >> >> As fun as movies and music are, Olivera said the state approached >> Apple primarily because of the increasing popularity of iTunes U, >> which provides lectures and other educational content from colleges >> and universities. Schools were posting class material there, and that >> created problems for blind students. >> >> Apple worked with Coakley voluntarily, but at least one other case >> over online accessibility for the blind wound up in court. >> >> In August, retailer Target Corp. agreed to pay $6 million in damages >> to plaintiffs in California who were unable to use its Web site as >> part of a class action settlement with the National Federation of the >> Blind. >> >> Target and the NFB agreed to a three-year relationship during which >> the advocacy group will keep testing the site to make sure it is >> accessible to the blind who use technologies such as screen-reading >> software. The NFB said it would certify the site through its own >> certification program once the improvements are completed. >> >> >> >> >
