STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1531

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   S.C.R. No. 30

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 30 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY ON CONVERTING HARD COVER TEXT BOOKS TO E-BOOKS FOR USE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to request the Department of Education to:

     (1)  Conduct a feasibility study on converting hard cover
          text books to e-books for use in public schools,
          including considerations of cost and computer
          accessibility; and

     (2)  Report its findings and recommendations, including cost
          estimates, to the 2010 Legislature.

     The Department of Education and a concerned citizen supported this measure.  The Disability and Communications Access Board supported this measure with amendments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by adding provisions to address the needs of blind and visually impaired individuals, including:

     (1)  Stating that converting textbooks to an e-book format
          would make textbooks accessible to students who are
          blind or visually impaired without the necessity of
          converting the print format to braille;

     (2)  Including in the study a review of accessibility
          features for students who are blind or visually
          impaired; and

     (3)  Including in the study consideration for feedback from
          individuals who are blind or visually impaired regarding
          the use of e-books and screenreader technologies to
          ensure accessibility for all students.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 30, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 30, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

ROY TAKUMI, Chair