[blindlaw] state computer system case

[Bill Reif]

Hi Patti and list,

I believe the caption of the case is: Jim W. Thatcher, National 
Federation of the Blind (NFB) v The State of Arkansas. Our final Press 
Release is below. PA sued the same software company.

Bill Reif


National Federation of the Blind of Arkansas
Agrees to Settlement of Lawsuit Over
Accessibility of Software to Blind State Employees
Little Rock, Arkansas (August 11, 2008): The National Federation of the 
Blind of
Arkansas and two blind state employees have agreed to a settlement among 
themselves,
the state of Arkansas, and software provider SAP Public Services, Inc. 
The agreement
resolves a lawsuit brought by blind state employees in 2001 because the 
blind could
not access the Arkansas Administrative Statewide Information System 
(AASIS). The
state, in turn, brought suit against SAP, which had substantially 
designed AASIS.
Under the agreement, SAP will upgrade AASIS to include accessibility 
features that
will allow blind state employees using text-to-speech screen access 
technology to
perform employment functions using AASIS. The upgrade is to be in place 
by August
1, 2009.
Chris McKenzie, president of the National Federation of the Blind of 
Arkansas, said:
“We are pleased that the state of Arkansas and SAP are taking steps to 
ensure that
blind state employees will be able to perform their jobs efficiently and 
effectively
using the same tools as all other state employees. We will continue to 
monitor the
situation until we are certain that all of the necessary functions of 
AASIS are fully
accessible to blind employees of this state.”
Dustin McDaniel, attorney general of the state of Arkansas, said: “We 
are pleased
with the settlement that was reached in this matter and are glad to put 
this lengthy
litigation behind us. It was a good resolution for the State as well as 
blind state
employees who will now have equal access to the State's computer system."


Patti Gregory-Chang wrote:
> I know that there was a big computer access case against a state, 
> maybe Arizona or Arkansas, in the past few years. Does anyone know the 
> name of the case or have a copy of the settlement if any?
>
> P.S. National Federation of the Blind of Illinois is now on twitter at 
> www.twitter.com/nfbi.
> We also have a facebook page. Just search for our full name.
>
> Patti Gregory-Chang
> President, National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
> pattichang at att.net
> www.nfbofillinois.org
>
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