Reading Disabilities

WIPO SCCR: ONCE Statement in support of the WBU Treaty

Submitted by Judit Rius on 16. December 2009 - 4:30

La Organización Nacional de Ciegos de España (ONCE) agradece la oportunidad que nos ha brindado de tomar la palabra en esta importante sesion del SCCR para pedir el apoyo a la propuesta de tratado de la Union Mundial de Ciegos, organización de la que la ONCE es miembro.

La ONCE da servicio exclusivo a sus afiliados, que han de ser personas ciegas y deficientes visuales con nacionalidad española. Actualmente la ONCE tiene 70000 afiliados, y su número crece en 4000 cada año.

WIPO SCCR: European Commission statement on exceptions and limitations

Submitted by Judit Rius on 16. December 2009 - 4:24

Information for the SCCR at WIPO 14-18 December, 2009.

Mr Chairman,

I would like to take this opportunity, in the framework of our discussions on exceptions and limitations, to inform you about what the European Commission has been doing over the past year and a half and is preparing for the future.

Writers Open Letter in Support of WIPO treaty for People who are Blind or have other Disabilities

Submitted by Judit Rius on 9. December 2009 - 10:16

We are distributing this letter (in English and Spanish, with Tiflolibros Argentina) to writers, journalists and authors who support the World Blind Union WIPO treaty proposal to improve access to books in formats accessible to people who are blind, visually impaired or have other disabilities. If you are a writer and you are interested in signing it, contact writers.for.tvi@keionline.org

Tiflolibros Letter to Kareem Dale regarding WIPO treaty for disabilities

Submitted by Judit Rius on 23. November 2009 - 19:08

On November 23, 2009, Pablo Lecuona from Tiflolibros Argentina sent a letter to Kareem A. Dale, the Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy, asking the Obama Administration to support the WIPO Copyright treaty for the blind, visually impaired and people with reading disabilities. Mr. Lecuona has also submitted this letter to the U.S. Copyright Office, and the USPTO as a reply in the request for comments on the WIPO Treaty proposal. Among other things, the Tifloibros letter says:

"Who on earth would oppose a treaty to facilitate access to information and knowledge to people with reading disabilities?"

Submitted by Manon Ress on 19. November 2009 - 10:04

I am often asked "who on earth would oppose a treaty to facilitate access to information and knowledge to people with reading disabilities?" Please read my selected quotes from the comments posted today on the Copyright office page here. But I would also like to highlight some really positive and supporting comments about the treaty. There are more of them than the negative ones but do they have the same weight?

Comments on inadequacy of voluntary measures to ensure equal access to copyrighted works for persons with reading disabilities

Submitted by Malini Aisola on 7. October 2009 - 14:20

In discussions about a possible WIPO Treaty for persons who are blind or have other reading disabilities, there have been suggestions by some that voluntary licensing by rights holders presents a sufficient solution to the problem. I studied several publications since 1985 to take a closer look at this viewpoint and find out what were the common perceptions.