Student files lawsuit against ASU's use of 'Kindle'

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TEMPE, AZ -- A student at Arizona State University is suing the school over a new electronic textbook reader.

Junior Darrell Shandrow calls ASU's new pilot program to use the Amazon Kindle e-book reader in some classes this fall discrimination.

"I believe it's important for blind and visually impaired people to have the same opportunity to participate the sighted already enjoy," said Shandrow.

Even though he can't see, Shandrow doesn't shy away from technology.

Thanks to a screen reading program, Shandrow uses a labtop computer that talks to him and tells him what's on the screen.

That kind of accessibility, Shandrow says, helps him to attend ASU, where he's a junior in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

When ASU announced plans to begin using the Amazon Kindle as a textbook reader, Shandrow immediately had concerns.

"It's saying we're giving sighted students a new avenue for reading but we're not granting the same facility to blind and visually impaired students," said Shandrow.

Shandrow claims the Kindle lacks text-to-speech technology and therefore makes it accessible only to sighted students.

So Shandrow filed a lawsuit against ASU hoping to stop the use of the Kindle.

"We want the pilot program, we just want it to be accessible," said Shandrow.

An ASU spokesperson released the following statement to ABC15:

"Arizona State University is committed to equal access for all students. Disability Resource Centers are located on all ASU campuses. The Centers enable students to establish eligibility and obtain services and accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. These efforts are focused on providing the necessary tools so that all students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to be successful in their academic pursuits."

"I feel the need for equal accessibility, that is to have an accessible Kindle reading device and accessible books, is a civil right," said Shandrow.

Amazon claims to be working on adding navigation accessible to the blind for the Kindle.

Shandrow says until that happens, the Kindle e-book reader should be shelved.

In the interest of full disclosure, reporter Tim Vetscher is an adjunct professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.