3 universities agree to stop using Kindle

Washington —  Three universities testing Amazon’s Kindle in the classroom have agreed to shelve the electronic book readers until they are fully functional for blind students, under a deal struck Wednesday with the Justice Department.

The legal settlements were made with Pace University in New York, Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, and Reed College in Portland, Ore.

Two organizations representing the blind had sued after universities announced a pilot program to use the Kindle in classrooms.

Officials say the version of the Kindle being used in the pilot program has a text-to-speech function, but the device’s menu does not, so it is impossible for blind students to navigate.

The agreement takes effect as soon as the spring semester ends -- giving the schools time to finish the pilot project with the Kindles but preventing them from continuing or expanding their use until the blind and visually impaired can use them as easily as students who can see.

The agreement covers other similar electronic book readers, including those made by Sony Corp. and bookseller Barnes & Noble Inc.

The announcement of the settlement comes two days after a similar deal was struck with Arizona State University.

Barrett writes for the Associated Press