[gui-talk] Ray Kurzweil Teams with Baker & Taylor on NeweReader Software

[James Pepper]

Steve:

The fact remains that the majority of publishers, around 90% of them put
their content into a PDF format to send to professional printers and it is
from that compilation that they make their "accessible versions."  Once the
PDF file is made, usually after they make the index, the content is reviewed
and it is sent to the printer.

Existing software does not provide 100% accessibility, there are always
problems and they take a lot of time to edit these documents.   And your
publishers are not going to be happy delaying a book release to lay out the
accessibility after the fact, especially when they know that they will not
make a dime on the book because of the free accessibility laws and they know
that accessibility is right now a no win situation.  You are damned if you
do, and damned if you don't.  But if they could use the same document they
use to print the file, make it accessible using my process, then they can
sell the document themselves and control the copyrights.

My procedure can be integrated in many different programs resulting in
accessible content created as it is made.  I chose Office as an illustration
because if we can get Microsoft on board with this it will affect the whole
world. For instance my process would add about 2 billion more potential
customers to Adobe.  It is not just for the blind it is for all those who
can use their products worldwide.  I think that would be a great incentive
to stand up and take notice of the new format.

Also the current crop of ebooks are not necessarily accessible even though
they claim accessibility.  Accessible to JAWS does not help the people who
do not own JAWS.  But making it accessible to any text to speech engine
would make accessibility universal even if they use different formats. The
functionality is the key, not who makes the software.  Anyone could download
a free text to speech engine and solve their problems.

The Social Security Administration has been ordered to become accessible to
the blind.  I can achieve this with my system right now, it will take time
to make the documents because the list is extensive! But it can be done.  I
can do this very rapidly and accurately and in many langauges. The level of
accessibility will be the entire document accessible using free screen
readers so that Social Security will be for all of the people not just those
who are fortunate to own a professional grade screen reader.

James Pepper