[Cabs-talk] CABS Membership Meeting

[Bruce Sexton]

Hello CABS Members:

You are cordially invited to attend our membership meeting which will be held Sunday November 23, 2008 promptly at 5:00 pm PST.  This membership meeting will be the last Sunday of every month at 5:00 pm with the same number.  .  We will be introducing
members to our new board members, discussing member goals and objectives for the upcoming year and begin to assign tasks.  Sound boring?  Not really, because
this is your chance to get in on the action of blind students statewide.  If you are interested in legislation concerning blind students, issues of concern
at your school or systemic flaws or maybe you want facebook or MySpace more accessible, , then you won't want to miss our meeting.  If there is something
you are interested in creating or formulating that is relevant in the life of a blind or visually impaired student's life, this is your opportunity to
bring it up!  Please make an effort to come 5 minutes early so that we can start and end on time.  Immediately following our membership meeting I will be attending the
National Association of Blind Students board meeting.  So, rest assured, we will end on time.

Please take a few moments to read the resolution pasted below passed at this year's convention :"Regarding the accessibility of social networking websites
for blind users."  Come ready to discuss the matters herein described and any of your own.

The number to call is: 616-347-8400. After you call, the recording will prompt you to enter the pass code, which is 184220

Remember, if you are not there, people will be making decisions on the direction of the lives of blind students without you!  We want you to direct your
life and make being a blind student easier, both  for yourself and for students to come.

I look forward to seeing everyone there!

Sincerely,

Bruce Sexton Jr., Committee Chairperson

Membership

First Vice President,

California Association of Blind Students

Board Member

National Association of Blind Students

Regarding the accessibility of social networking websites for blind users

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind of California is a State affiliate of the nations Largest organization of blind persons which has a membership
of more than 50,000 blind individuals; and

 WHEREAS, social networking sites are no longer just a means to keep in touch with friends but are also Used for advertisements, companies connecting with
people and employers, and even political participation; and

WHEREAS, through the use of social networking websites  the National Federation of the Blind of California communicates with and informs it's membership,
builds a stronger membership base, educates the general public and advocates for the blind across the nation and around the world; and

WHEREAS, through the use of social networks professional blind workers can mentor Students and assist in reducing the 75% unemployment rate that exists
in the working aged blind population; and

WHEREAS, through the use of social networking sights the National Federation of the blind of California can promote it's core philosophy of self confidence
and self respect for all blind individuals; and

WHEREAS, with increasing opportunities and technological advances greater numbers of blind people than ever before utilize the internet; and

WHEREAS, blind citizens like the rest of the  population use social networking sites on a regular basis to participate as equals in the constantly growing
electronic society; and

WHEREAS, new enhancements to social networking sites  such as Capcha cause accessibility problems for blind and visually impaired users who must  rely on
voice screen reading software; and

WHEREAS, these website enhancements can result in inadvertent exclusion of blind persons from participation in faceBook MySpace and other internet Social
Networking   communities; and

WHEREAS, Excluding blind people from this increasingly important segment of society is a disservice to the blind community and also impedes  the ability
of others who use these sites  to connect with this large  community: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of California in convention assembled on this 16th day of October, 2008, in the city of Irvine, California,
that the National Federation of the Blind of California shall distribute this resolution to all social networking sites and attempt to create a cooperative
dialog between them and blind users; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Federation of the Blind of California shall establish a technology committee to maintain the ongoing dialogue with
FaceBook and MySpace as well as other social networking sites if needed; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the technology committee shall document and define screen reading user problems encountered when using social networking sites;
and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this committee shall propose solutions to FaceBook, MySpace, and other social networking sites; and

Be it further resolved that the technology committee shall keep the membership apprised of all developments regarding social networking sites and efforts
being made to keep them accessible to all blind users.