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

[DrV]

Thanks Pat.
I want to meet with our new regional SELPA/LEA director, & would like to
better understand this before then.
Is the message getting to those at the top? (District superintendents &
school principals?) If so how?
How effectively is this filtering down to the classroom teachers?
I wonder how many of the above have really even heard of it - if not, that
is a real problem.
Is this a "feel good" policy statement, or real policy that will be
respected - like say wheelchair accessibility which is taken more
seriously.
Eric


On 7/20/11 5:32 PM, "Pat Renfranz" <dblair2525 at msn.com> wrote:.

>Eric,
>
>I mentioned the "Dear Colleague" letter briefly at the end of my
>presentation on testing. Unfortunately there was not time to discuss its
>importance in any depth. With the development and implementation of new
>computer-based tests and computer-adaptive tests for measuring student and
>school progress, it is critical that pressure be applied from on top--as
>with this letter--and from the ground up--from parents and students--to
>ensure these tests are accessible to and appropriate for blind/visually
>impaired students.
>
>The National Education Technology Plan, "Transforming American Education:
>Learning Powered by Technology," also sets forth lofty goals for the use
>of
>new technologies in the classroom, without much paying much attention to
>accessibility.  
>
>We did miss you and your family. I hope all went well.
>
>Pat
>
>
>On 7/20/11 12:37 AM, "Eric Vasiliauskas" <icdx at earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>> 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.htm
>>l>
>> 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.htm
>>l>
>> .
>> 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.h
>>tml
>>>  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
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> blindkid mailing list
>> blindkid at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> blindkid:
>> 
>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/dblair2525%40ms
>>n.com
>> 
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>blindkid mailing list
>blindkid at nfbnet.org
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>blindkid:
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/icdx%40earthlink
>.net