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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Wait for it… wait for it… wait for it…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>What we all, particularly students, have been waiting for for months!!!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Finally, I have an announcement to make! No longer will the National Federation of the Blind be pushing the introduction and support of the Technology, Education, and Accessibility in College and Higher Education (TEACH) Act any longer.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Instead, a </span><b>TEACH Act compromise has been reached!</b><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>W</span>e’ve spent the last eight months engaging in a long and exhausting negotiation process with the higher education lobby to reach a consensus regarding the TEACH Act. Particular Members of Congress are highly interested in having the schools endorse our effort to get guidelines, and blind students can’t afford to wait, so in order to advance this effort we sought a compromise. <span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:1.0in'><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>W</span>e have successfully done that, without undermining our goals or weakening the quality of the bill! <span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:1.0in'><span style='color:#1F497D'>Now, instead of TEACH Act, we are calling this new bill the <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Stimulating the Market to Make Accessibility a Reality Today Act,” or “SMART Act” for short. You’ll see that it accomplishes the same goals as our original bill.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:1.0in'> <span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>The s</span>imilaritie<span style='color:#1F497D'>s between the TEACH Act and now SMART Act are:</span>:<span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>-<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>It still authorizes the creation of voluntary accessibility guidelines for electronic instructional material and related technologies used in higher education;<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>-<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>It still incentivizes schools to adopt those guidelines and use accessible technology through a safe harbor mechanism;<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>-<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>It still calls for harmonization with pre-existing, nationally and internationally recognized accessibility standards.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Some c</span>hanges<span style='color:#1F497D'> are</span>: <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>-<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>The title; TEACH Act is now the SMART Act<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>-<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Who creates the guidelines; The Access Board has been replaced with an independent, purpose-based Commission that will be compromised of representatives from the three major stakeholder groups, most of which will have been appointed by Congress;<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>-<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>What is in the guidelines; In addition to creating new guidelines where none exist for uniquely pedagogical material, the Commission will also compile a list of relevant, pre-existing standards and then annotate that list with suggestions for its application to general IT in the higher education context. This list is a resource to expand the scope of this effort outside of the classroom. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>-<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>The safe harbor mechanism has become bifurcated; In the TEACH Act and now in the SMART Act, schools will be rewarded with an absolute safe harbor from litigation for only using material that is conformant with the guidelines. In the SMART Act, there is an additional incentivize for schools to implement the guidelines into their policies and practices, and then consult those guidelines during decision making processes. Those schools can be rewarded with a limited safe harbor (from damages only) regardless of their ultimate decision so long as they take the steps listed above and document certain delineated information.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>So basically, having the support from these stakeholders is exceptional! Regardless, what’s most important is pushing Congress. I will keep you all up to date with any new information that comes my way, but everyone deserves a big glass of wine tonight!!!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Love,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Kate<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>