[blindkid] New Technologies & Web-Based Education - How New Guidelines Impact Our Kids

[DrV]

Dear All,
Sorry we missed you at convention this year. My younger needed an
out-of-state eye surgery so that we weren¹t able to make it.
I was wondering if the  topic of the Department of Education's New
Accessible Technology Guidelines was covered.  If so I would love to hear
your impressions. 
For those that may have missed it, there was a posting on the NFB website in
late May (www.nfb.org/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=804
<http://www.nfb.org/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=804> ).
It is my understanding that the US 
Department of Education issued a Dear
Colleague letter 
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-20100629.html>
on June 29, 2010 informing all college and university presidents that their
institutions must be sure that emerging technologies that they plan to
deploy to students are accessible to the blind and other students with
disabilities. Guidelines in the form of Frequently Asked Questions
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-ebook-faq-201105.html> ,
were issued to supplement the department¹s Dear Colleague letter
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-20100629.html>
.
The NFB Immediate Release Bulletin (www.nfb.org/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=804
<http://www.nfb.org/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=804> ) states that the US
Department of Education issued a second Dear Colleague
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-201105-ese.html
>  letter issued on May 26, 2011 stating that the same legal obligations
apply to elementary and secondary schools.
Over the last few years we have come across a number of websites, including
mandatory or optional textbook publisher¹s supplemental websites & teacher¹s
individual webpages/calendars/assignments, at both the elementary & middle
school levels that are not independently accessible by the student. Our
eldest is transitioning to high school & they will be piloting iPads in some
of the classes.
Can someone explain what this means at the practical level for our
kids/students in simple clear language?
It would seem that each teacher¹s webpage, the assignments they post, &
websites they suggest or require should have to be  accessible.
It would seem that the calendar ­ assignment ­ grade posting programs that
schools/districts use, such as Edline,  Grade Book Wizard, and others should
be fully accessible.
It would seem that the textbook publisher websites that have quizzes, study
guides, and videos should need to be fully accessible.
How are you & your school districts & your VI programs addressing this?
How are district superintendents, school principals, & classroom teachers
being inform of requirements?
I look forward to your insights, experiences, thoughts, & comments.
Sincerely,
Eric