Copyright
Does your national copyright legislation contain exceptions and other special provisions for people with visual impairment?
Do these exceptions allow for making copy of a book without the publisher's permission?
Do these exceptions allow for scanning books (in particular is an individual with visual impairment allowed to scan a book for him/herself, or does a special organization have to do it?)
Do these exceptions allow for sharing books produced on accessible formats? (in particular is an individual with visual impairment allowed to share with friends books he/she scanned?)
Are there special copyright provisions regarding accessible text books and other educational material?
1. Does your national copyright legislation contain exceptions and other special provisions for people with visual impairment?
Section 12 -Making copies for private use- of Norwegian Act No. 2 of 12 May 1961 relating to Copyright in Literary, Scientific and Artistic Works, Etc, as amended up until 17 June 2005, provides the following:
"Provided this is not done for purposes of gain, single copies of a work that has been issued may be made for private use. Such copies may not be used for other purposes. The authors shall receive fair compensation through annual grants via the State Budget.
[…].
The provision in the first paragraph shall not confer a right to engage outside assistance to a reproduction regarding
a) musical works,
b) cinematographic works,
c) sculpture, pictorial weavings and articles of artistic handicraft and applied art, or
d) the artistic reproduction of other works of art.
Disabled persons can without hinder under this provision let the production of musical or cinematographic works be carried out with the aid of outside assistants that do not participate for the purpose of gain, when this is necessary due to the disablement."
Section 17 -Making copies for use by the disabled- provides the following:
"From a published literary or scientific work or musical work copies intended for the use of the blind and persons whose sight is impaired and others who due to the disability cannot attain the work in a usual manner may be made in a form other than a sound fixation. Published literary or scientific works may be reproduced on film, with or without sound, intended for the use of persons whose hearing or speech is impaired. The provision does not apply to commercial use.
The provisions of the first paragraph shall not confer a right to reproduce copies which others have made with a particular view to the uses specified therein."
Section 17a -Compulsory license for the production and use of fixations for the disabled- provides the following:
"The King may decide that certain specified organizations and libraries shall, on stipulated terms, for the purpose of free use by the disabled, have the right to make copies of published literary or scientific works by making a fixation on a device that can reproduce them. In connection with the text of such works, issued works of art and issued photographic works may be reproduced on the fixation. The author is entitled to remuneration to be paid by the State. The provision does not apply to commercial use."
Section 17b -Extended collective licence for the production and use of fixations for the disabled- provides the following:
"The King may issue regulations regarding the right to make a fixation of a published film or picture, with or without sound, and of a transmitted broadcasting programme not essentially consisting of musical works. Such regulations shall only apply to such use as is specified in section 17a, and only be applicable when the person making the fixation fulfils the conditions for an extended collective licence pursuant to section 36, first paragraph."
2. Do these exceptions allow for making copy of a book without the publisher's permission?
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3. Do these exceptions allow for scanning books (in particular is an individual with visual impairment allowed to scan a book for him/herself, or does a special organization have to do it?)
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4. Do these exceptions allow for sharing books produced on accessible formats? (in particular is an individual with visual impairment allowed to share with friends books he/she scanned?)
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5. Are there special copyright provisions regarding accessible text books and other educational material?
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