Subject: Alternative publication formats
From: Peter Gillman (100604.2155@CompuServe.COM)
Date: ti 18 helmi 1997 - 23:59:20 EET
I am engaged on a study of how UK copyright law may discriminate against
visually impaired people (VIPs). I understand that the CLA has recently included
a category of photo-enlarged large print which is of assistance to some. For
others though the situation appears to be that in order to prepare a braille
copy from text which has been scanned, digitised, captured through OCR, re-keyed
or downloaded, those processes themselves constitute copies and are
infringements. The copies are mainly transient copies, although the text may be
stored on disk.
This means that to make such a copy requires specific permission from the rights
holder, which is not the case when making a single copy for a sighted person.
The UK Disability Discrimination Act should now prevent this form of
discrimination, however its enactment did not include any provision to amend the
relevant sections of the UK Copyright Designs and Patents Act, so the two pieces
of legislation appear to conflict.
There may be an analogous situation with audio materials for hearing-impaired
people, but I do not know of it.
I would appreciate the opinions of anyone who has explored this area.
Peter Gillman
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