City education officials have shelved a $30 million deal to give students electronic books after advocates complained it would exclude the visually impaired.
Online retail giant Amazon had been poised to land the groundbreaking, three-year contract to create a new e-book marketplace for the Big Apple’s 1,800 public schools.
But Department of Education officials said Tuesday they were delaying the plan after advocates complained that readers with visual impairments could have trouble accessing its design.
The agency, said spokeswoman Devora Kaye, will devise a new plan for e-books in the fall that will better meet the needs of all city students.
“We are working closely with Amazon and community partners to ensure that all school communities — including those serving visually impaired students — will be able to take part,” Kaye said.
Education Department officials issued their decision to postpone the initiative just 24 hours before the Panel for Educational Policy was set to vote on it.
The agency’s move to delay the program came after the Baltimore-based National Federation of the Blind sent two letters of protest to city schools boss Carmen Fariña.
The federation’s Aug. 7 and 13 letters warned Fariña that visually handicapped students would have trouble using Amazon’s devices to navigate e-books and access graphics.
The group had planned a protest to coincide with a Panel for Educational Policy meeting, but organizers canceled the protest after the city postponed the vote.
“We are now hopeful . . . that we can resolve the issue through an amicable and productive dialogue with school officials,” said Federation President Mark Riccobono.
Education Department officials said the city contracts selection committee chose Amazon to create the agency’s first centralized e-book system after reviewing 14 bids.
Under the terms of the now-obsolete deal, Amazon would have provided popular textbooks along with other publications for use by students and school staffers on devices including smartphones, tablets and computers.
A spokesperson for Amazon, also known for its Prime instant video service, said the company looks forward to working with the city to serve students’ educational needs.
