Oregon Public Broadcasting

The U.S. Department of Justice announced an agreement Wednesday with Reed College affecting how the school can use electronic books, or e-readers. Rob Manning has more.

Federal justice officials say that Reed’s use of the Kindle E-book ran afoul of the American with Disabilities Act because the devices don’t work for blind students.

Reed College worked with Amazon.com to run a Kindle pilot program. A few dozen students participated. None of them were blind.

DOJ spokesman, Alejandro Miyar says the agreement ends Reed’s pilot program.

Alejandro Miyar: “Reed will not purchase, recommend, or promote Kindle, or any other dedicated E-book reader unless those devices are fully accessible to students who are blind or have low vision.”

Reed officials say they ended the pilot program last month. But they say a new pilot could still work under the terms of the agreement even without improved technology – so long as blind students are properly accommodated.

The federal settlements with Reed and three other colleges follow complaints from two organizations that advocate on behalf of blind people.