International Journal of Information Studies & Libraries

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Enabling and Empowering the Print-Disabled and Visually Impaired: Role of Law, Treaty, Guidelines, and Technology


Affiliations
1 Assistant Librarian, Central Library, Chandigarh University, Punjab., India
2 Professor, Department of Library and Information Science, Panjab University, Chandigarh., India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Article 19 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 (General Assembly resolution 217 A) as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations, reads “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) has taken the initiative, IFLA/FAIFE (Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression), to defend and promote the basic human rights defined in Article 19 of the UN’s UDHR. While such movements and initiatives are focused towards the citizens of the world, WIPO’s Marrakesh VIP Treaty (MVT) and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) cater to the requirements and rights of the persons with vision aberrations and other such bodily deficiencies, which deprives them from accessing information and knowledge, building a steeper and deeper knowledge divide. The present paper examines the relevant articles as mentioned in the MVT, encompassing the ‘Accessible Format Copies’ (AFC) for the visually disadvantaged. The paper also investigates the provision in the Indian Copyright Act. Various tools as technological interventions have also been discussed, including the Web browser screen readers. A brief discussion on the current status and its implications of WCAG have been also given for greater understanding in context with the theme of the paper.

Keywords

Marrakesh VIP Treaty (MVT); Indian Copyright Law; Screen Reader; Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG); Accessible Format Copy (AFC); Alternate Format Material (AFM); Accessible Books Consortium (ABC); Book Famine
User
Subscription Login to verify subscription
Notifications
Font Size

  • AbilityNet. (2019, February). An introduction to screen readers. Retrieved December 23, 2021, from https://abilitynet.org.uk/factsheets/ introduction-screen-readers

  • Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (n.d.). Retrieved December 28, 2021, from https://www.humanrights.com/course/lesson/articles- 19-25/read-article-19.html

  • Coates, J., Felsmann, C., & Hackett, T. (2018, March). Getting started, implementing the Marrakesh treaty for persons with print disabilities a practical guide for librarians. Retrieved from https://www.ifla.org/ files/assets/hq/topics/exceptions-limitations/getting_ started_faq_marrakesh_treaty_a_practical_ guide_for_librarians_2018_en.pdf

  • DAISY Forum of India. (n.d.). About us. Retrieved December 28, 2021, from https://daisyindia.org/ home/about-us/

  • Diver, L., & Schafer, B. (2017, August 31). Exceptions for disability. Retrieved December 20, 2021, from https://www.copyrightuser.org/understand/ exceptions/disability/ EIFL. (2015, October). The Marrakesh treaty: An

  • EIFL guide for libraries. Retrieved from https://www. eifl.net/system/files/resources/201710/marrakesh_ lowres_1.pdf

  • Everyday Sight. (2019, July 15). 10 best screen readers for blind people (5 of these are FREE!). Retrieved December 23, 2021, from https://www.everydaysight. com/best-screen-readers-for-blind/

  • Home|Sugamya Pustakalaya. (n.d.). Retrieved December 28, 2021, from https://library.daisyindia.org/NALP/ welcomeLink.action

  • IFLA. (2019, August). Marrakesh treaty implementation. Retrieved December 20, 2021, from https://www. ifla.org/files/assets/hq/topics/exceptions-limitations/ documents/marrakesh_update_october_2019.pdf

  • IFLA. (2019, January 21). The Treaty of Marrakesh. Retrieved December 22, 2021, from https://www. ifla.org/node/10916

  • Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. (n.d.). India: Copyright exception for accessible formats. Retrieved December 21, 2021, from https://zeroproject.org/policy/india/

  • Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India. (2012, June 8). The copyright amendment act, 2012 No. 27 of 2012. Retrieved from http://copyright.gov.in/ Documents/CRACT_AMNDMNT_2012.pdf

  • National Mission on Libraries, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. (2014, January 15). Screen reader access. Retrieved December 24, 2021, from http://www.nmlindia.nic.in/screenreaderaccess

  • Nayak, S. (2013, September 12). Historic Marrakesh treaty: For visually impaired/print disabled persons – Intellectual property – India. Retrieved from http:// www.mondaq.com/india/x/262396/Copyright/Histo ric+Marrakesh+Treaty+For+Visually+Impaired

  • NV Access. (2019, July 5). About NV access. Retrieved December 24, 2021, from https://www.nvaccess.org/ about-nv-access/

  • NV Access. (2018, July 25). About NVDA. Retrieved December 24, 2021, from https://www.nvaccess.org/ about-nvda/

  • NV Access. (2019, January 14). NV access certification system. Retrieved December 24, 2021, from https:// certification.nvaccess.org/

  • Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. (2014, July 2). India becomes the first country to ratify the Marrakesh treaty. Retrieved from https://pib.gov.in/ newsite/printrelease.aspx?relid=106012

  • Rishika. (2015, January 12). Disability exceptions in copyright legislations – The centre for internet and society. Retrieved December 22, 2021, from https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/ disability-exceptions-in-copyright-legislations

  • Selvam & Selvam. (2016, March 7). Disability Exceptions in Copyright. Retrieved December 20, 2021, from https://selvams.com/blog/ disability-exceptions-copyright/

  • Sutori. (n.d.). Libraries and Marrakesh – A history of engagement. Retrieved December 22, 2021, from https://www.sutori.com/story/libraries-and-marrakesh- a-history-of-engagement--3W5Tf1QAfab4aBeHVaDezRi3

  • The Accessible Books Consortium (ABC). (n.d.). Accessible publishing. Retrieved December 21, 2021, from https://www.accessiblebooksconsortium. org/publishing/en/#epub3

  • United Nations. (2019, October 7). Universal declaration of human rights. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/ en/universal-declaration-human-rights/

  • WIPO. (2016). Main provisions and benefits of the Marrakesh treaty (2013). Retrieved from https:// Enabling and Empowering the Print-Disabled and Visually Impaired: Role of Law, Treaty, Guidelines, and Technology 55 www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/wipo_pub_marrakesh_ flyer.pdf

  • WIPO. (2018, September 17). Marrakesh treaty to facilitate access to published works for persons who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled (MVT). Retrieved from https://www.wipo.int/edocs/ mdocs/govbody/en/mvt_a_3/mvt_a_3_inf_1_rev. pdf

  • WIPO. (2013). Summary of the Marrakesh treaty to facilitate access to published works for persons who are blind, visually impaired, or otherwise print disabled (MVT). Retrieved December 20, 2021, from https://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/marrakesh/summary_ marrakesh.html

  • WIPO. (n.d.). WIPO-administered treaties: Marrakesh treaty to facilitate access to published works for persons who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled. Retrieved December 20, 2021, from https://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/text. jsp?file_id=301016

  • WIPO. (2019, June 28). WIPO General Assembly, Fifty- First (24th Ordinary) Session Geneva, September 30 to October 9, 2019. Retrieved from https://www. wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/govbody/en/wo_ga_51/wo_ ga_51_9.pdf


Abstract Views: 348

PDF Views: 0




  • Enabling and Empowering the Print-Disabled and Visually Impaired: Role of Law, Treaty, Guidelines, and Technology

Abstract Views: 348  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Subhajit Panda
Assistant Librarian, Central Library, Chandigarh University, Punjab., India
Rupak Chakravarty
Professor, Department of Library and Information Science, Panjab University, Chandigarh., India

Abstract


Article 19 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 (General Assembly resolution 217 A) as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations, reads “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) has taken the initiative, IFLA/FAIFE (Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression), to defend and promote the basic human rights defined in Article 19 of the UN’s UDHR. While such movements and initiatives are focused towards the citizens of the world, WIPO’s Marrakesh VIP Treaty (MVT) and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) cater to the requirements and rights of the persons with vision aberrations and other such bodily deficiencies, which deprives them from accessing information and knowledge, building a steeper and deeper knowledge divide. The present paper examines the relevant articles as mentioned in the MVT, encompassing the ‘Accessible Format Copies’ (AFC) for the visually disadvantaged. The paper also investigates the provision in the Indian Copyright Act. Various tools as technological interventions have also been discussed, including the Web browser screen readers. A brief discussion on the current status and its implications of WCAG have been also given for greater understanding in context with the theme of the paper.

Keywords


Marrakesh VIP Treaty (MVT); Indian Copyright Law; Screen Reader; Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG); Accessible Format Copy (AFC); Alternate Format Material (AFM); Accessible Books Consortium (ABC); Book Famine

References