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?
In its Section 29, the Slovak Copyright Act 618/2003 of 4 December 2003 provides that:
"(1) No consent of the author is required to make a copy of a released work, to its public distribu-tion by other forms of assignment of title as by sale, to its public distribution by lending or to communica-tion to the public, if such use is carried out exclusively for the needs of disabled persons within the scope substantiated by their health condition and the purpose is not to acquire direct or indirect property benefit."
"(3) Using the work pursuant to par. 1 does not result in an obligation to pay remuneration to the author."
2. Do these exceptions allow for making copy of a book without the publisher's permission?
Yes.
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?)
The Act does not specify who is allowed and who is not allowed to scan books. Thus an individual with visual impairment may scan books for his/her personal use.
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?)
Internal regulations of official institutions producing books in accessible formats such as the Slovak Library for the Blind or the Support Centre for Visually Impaired Students do not allow for sharing books. Books must be borrowed from those institutions directly by eligible borrowers. However, it is not explicitly defined whether an individual with visual impairment is allowed to share with friends books he/she scanned.
5. Are there special copyright provisions regarding accessible text books and other educational material?
No, except those mentioned above.