Posted on 08/28/2010 10:13:39 PM PDT by John Semmens
University efforts to test Amazon’s electronic readers—Kindles—as substitutes for standard textbooks has run into trouble with the Obama Administration. The idea behind using Kindles is to save money by supplanting bulky paper-based books with lighter and smaller electronic devices. For example, one small hand-held Kindle could hold all the books needed for a four-year degree.
Despite the seemingly obvious benefits, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is threatening legal action against any school that might be tempted to try the devices. Thomas Perez, head of the Civil Rights Division, warns that the devices violate the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“Even though uses of the devices are voluntary and no one unable to use the device would be made any worse off than they were under the old system, allowing some to save money and avoid the inconvenience of lugging around heavy texts cannot be permitted,” Perez declared. “Progress that isn’t uniform across all demographics is discriminatory. Until all can take the same step into the future, no one must be allowed to inch ahead.”
Perez characterized the need to prevent Kindles “one of the easy calls. We’re still struggling with other inequalities that plague our educational system. Many students are held back by deficiencies in energy or intelligence. Their need and desire for a degree is just as real as their more gifted peers, but their abilities may not be up to it. We’ve got to level this playing field.”
One idea gaining some traction is a “handicapping” system along the lines used in golf, bowling and horse racing. “If we can figure out how much of an extra burden to put on those with more ability it would give everyone a fair chance of winning a college degree,” Perez said. “It would be a way of equalizing the pursuit of happiness promised in the Declaration of Independence.”
read more...
http://azconserv1.wordpress.com/2010/08/28/fed-may-introduce-negative-interest-rates/
Obama hates common sense.
WHAT!!!!!???
I am seriously speechless.
One idea gaining some traction is a “handicapping” system along the lines used in golf, bowling and horse racing. “If we can figure out how much of an extra burden to put on those with more ability it would give everyone a fair chance of winning a college degree,” Perez said. “It would be a way of equalizing the pursuit of happiness promised in the Declaration of Independence.”
WHAT!!!!!???
I am seriously speechless.
It so unfair that Obama’s administration has behaved in such a freakish manner that now, when I read satire, I tend to think it’s real. I mean, Obama IS satire so freakish satire articles seem like that came from ‘The One’ himself. Sometimes.......
Hysterical!
One of my objection to Kindles and the like is that the schools
will charge 80% , if not 100% of textbook prices for
temporary e-books, i.e. ones that expire, (”vanish”) after
the end of the year.
I have many others. Odd as it may seem to many, I think
the disability people might have a legitimate complaint
here.
Any required material should be mandated to be in hardcopy
form in the school library (reserve status will usually
suffice).
There’s quite a few situations where electronic books can’t
be used, and that deprives the student of that time.
Access to e.g. library catalogs is another problem. Although
the majority of catalogs (my surmise) exist in a legacy
form allowing usable access, the libraries keep changing
the interface, often making text access impossible, one
example being the NYPL catalog currently.
Your link in the post wasn’t clickable. This one is:
http://azconserv1.wordpress.com/2010/08/28/fed-may-introduce-negative-interest-rates/
This has got to be a joke!
One cannot whack a spider with a Kindle, whereas a Statistics textbook despatches a spider or even a scorpion tidily.
ROTFMAO! You got me this time! I was four paragraphs in before I even thought to check! Th line between satire and reality has become razor thin, and you manage to dance on it! Great one!
It is only partly a joke.
The Obama Admin has moved to prohibit Kindles as a substiture for textbooks.
Welcome to Zimbabwe USA !
A Statistics textbook also makes a good pillow in the library - a Kindle is too flat.
Just wait until they have to clean all the Hi-Liter off the screen...
This justice dept is totally out of control. One of the other benefits of the repubs getting control of the house or senate will be to hold some hearings. I am beginning to feel like I am living in a communist state.
The more you want to do, the worse it is. I got that feeling when the edict came down that ordinary folks (with or without specialized degrees) couldn't recover vertebrate fossil material on Federal Land without a permit.
Anther thing blind people cannot operate, and thus is illegal under the ADA: Bazookas.
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