I, too, have received an e-mail containing the same text from an officer of their organization that lives in the Pacific Division, I find this quote as a probable clue to solving this issue. "I have found scattered references to the Nxtbook Liberty platform offering a version of published magazines compatible with screen reading technology for the blind, but have found no way to access this version from the Nxtbook interface for QST." It seems to me that Nxtbook should be able to immediately confirm or deny that this is the case. If it is, we need them to implement it for us. If not, we need to convince them to provide the service for us, and all sightless folks who can make use of it. I'm not sure this is the appropriate time to be thinking of raising the fees for our blind members. Bob Vallio, W6RGG On Wed, Jul 10, 2013 at 6:55 AM, Kramer, Harold, WJ1B <wj1b@arrl.org> wrote:
Cliff,
We have researched and discussed this issue in the past on a few occasions and we were unable to come up with an easy solution at that time particularly since we require digital rights management. Magdalena Owczarska and I will research the issue and report back on what we find out from Nxtbook.
Digital publication technology continues to evolve, so new technology may now be available.
73, Harold
Harold Kramer, WJ1B ARRL Chief Operating Officer 860 594 0220
-----Original Message----- From: Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 9:34 AM To: 'Cliff Ahrens'; Kramer, Harold, WJ1B Cc: arrl-odv Subject: RE: [arrl-odv:21846] FW: Digital Access to QST By Blind Hams
Cliff, this issue also came up at the ARRL Forum at the Rocky Mountain Division Convention last month.
It occurs to me that once we get this issue resolved there no longer will be a rationale for the special blind membership rate of $8.00 per year that is specified in Bylaw 7(a). That rate is based in large part on our not being able to deliver QST in a form that is fully useful to blind members. That currently remains the case, but will not be once they can use the digital edition.
Dave K1ZZ
-----Original Message----- From: arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org [mailto:arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org] On Behalf Of Cliff Ahrens Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 9:17 AM To: Kramer, Harold, WJ1B Cc: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:21846] FW: Digital Access to QST By Blind Hams
Harold, here's a request from an ARRL member from the Midwest Division, writing as President of the National Federation of the Blind Ham Radio Division, requesting ARRL explore and implement the Nxtbook solution for digital QST that will provide a fully accessible experience to blind hams. I would appreciate it if staff could study and advise the board concerning the feasibility and cost of offering this service to blind hams. Since this is an issue that impacts blind hams nationwide, I'm copying ODV. Thanks.
Cliff K0CA
-----Original Message----- From: Tony Olivero [mailto:anthony@olivero.us] Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 12:13 AM To: k0ca@arrl.org Subject: Digital Access to QST By Blind Hams
Director Ahrens,
I am writing to you this evening as an ARRL member, a member of your division (through the Nebraska section), and as the president of the National Federation of the Blind Ham Radio Division. As you are aware, the League last year launched an online version of QST available on the web and iOS devices. I, and other blind hams, were excited about the potential a digital version of QST could offer us. Currently we have to wait for a recorded version to be produced by the National Library Service for the Blind or a digest version to be recorded by the Courage-Kinny HandiHam organization. Both of these options offer disadvantages placing blind hams on an unequal footing with our sighted League member colleagues and other QST readership.
Until June, 2013, the recorded version of QST often took up to a month from release to be recorded resulting in some information being out of date. Additionally, due to postal regulation, advertising is omitted from the magazine. This is a result of the method which the recorded magazines are shipped, and the illegality of providing advertising when using the Free Matter for the Blind service. However, I, and many of my colleagues, are interested in keeping up with the latest trends, and knowing what manufacturers are putting on the market.
I'm sure you can see reasons we had high hopes that a digital edition of QST would provide both the full content and timely delivery of the magazine to blind readers. Unfortunately, this was not to be the case.
The Nxtbook digital publishing platform the League uses to publish QST on the web by default includes a Flash based interface that does not expose the text to programs used by the blind to read the contents of the computer screen. certain controls are exposed, but they can take us to different pages of the publication, we just can't read any of the articles. After doing some research, I have found scattered references to the Nxtbook Liberty platform offering a version of published magazines compatible with screen reading technology for the blind, but have found no way to access this version from the Nxtbook interface for QST.
I understand the board is having a meeting in the near future where you will set policy and direction for the League and actions for the League staff. I would like to ask that you, and your fellow directors, direct the staff responsible for the online version of QST to explore and implement the Nxtbook solution that will provide a fully accessible experience to blind hams. For background, I did contact HQ staff in reference to this issue last year, but was directed to the aformentioned organizations and told accessibility would be considered at a later date.
I am happy to assist the League in any way I can in this endeavour. Please feel free to contact me through the below information. I appreciate your time and attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Tony Olivero, AD9O President, National Federation of the Blind Ham Radio Division 765-977-1683 anthony@olivero.us
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