Accessible iTunes
Apple’s iTunes and their related service, iTunes U, will be improved to allow for their use by the blind after a settlement between Apple, the National Federation of the Blind and the Massachusetts’ Attorney General. As part of the settlement, Apple has agreed to make the services compatible with screen reader and braille software.
As part of these efforts, Apple released iTunes 8 on September 9 as the first step toward enabling improved access for blind people. Apple’s iTunes U service should be fully and equally accessible by the end of the year with iTunes and the iTunes Store following suit by June 30, 2009 for the Mac and Windows operating systems.
In addition, under the terms of the agreement, Apple will also contribute $250,000 to the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind. The money will be used to help assist in the purchase of assistive technology.
Massachusetts’ Attorney General’s press release