[Blindtlk] National Federation of the Blind Commends Department of Education for New Accessible Technology Guidelines

[Freeh, Jessica]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org




National Federation of the Blind Commends
Department of Education for New Accessible Technology Guidelines




Urges Schools to Deploy Technology That Blind Students Can Use



Baltimore, Maryland (May 26, 2011): The National Federation of the 
Blind urged all elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools to 
follow guidelines issued today by the Department of Education's 
Office of Civil Rights and to deploy new or emerging technologies 
only if they are accessible to blind students.  The guidelines, in 
the form of 
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-ebook-faq-201105.html>Frequently 
Asked Questions, were issued to supplement the department's 
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-20100629.html>Dear 
Colleague letter of June 29, 2010.  That letter informed 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.  A 
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-201105-ese.html>second 
Dear Colleague letter issued today made clear that the same legal 
obligations apply to elementary and secondary schools.



Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, 
said: "The National Federation of the Blind is pleased that the 
Department of Education has issued this guidance to the entire 
education community.  If blind students are to succeed in the 
twenty-first century, they must have access to the same technologies 
as their sighted peers.  These comprehensive answers to commonly 
asked questions about the legal obligation to purchase and deploy 
accessible technology should be immensely helpful to school 
administrators.  We urge educators to review them carefully and apply 
them whenever they are considering the purchase or deployment of new 
educational technologies.  We will continue our efforts to hold 
accountable those institutions that ignore their legal obligations to 
their blind students."





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About the National Federation of the Blind

With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind 
is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind 
people in the United States.  The NFB improves blind people's lives 
through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs 
encouraging independence and self-confidence.  It is the leading 
force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's 
blind.  In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the 
Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in 
the United States for the blind led by the blind.