<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div><div style="direction: inherit;">Hello. </div><div style="direction: inherit;">It is important that we call Joe Courtney this afternoon and urge him to be lead co-sponsor on AIMHEA. Please read this carefully, as well as my last post. Contact me or Gabe Cazares if you have any questions. </div><div style="direction: inherit;">Let's go! </div><div style="direction: inherit;"><br></div><br>Jim McCollum<div>Legislative Co-ordinator</div><div>National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut</div><div><a href="mailto:j.mccollum64@comcast.net">j.mccollum64@comcast.net</a></div><div>860-581-0430</div><div>Sent from my iPhone</div></div><div><div style="direction: inherit;"><br></div>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><b>From:</b> "Edward Shaham" <<a href="mailto:personal.edward@gmail.com">personal.edward@gmail.com</a>><br><b>Date:</b> September 15, 2016 at 3:05:05 PM EDT<br><b>To:</b> <<a href="mailto:j.mccollum64@comcast.net">j.mccollum64@comcast.net</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> <b>FW: AIM HE Act</b><br><br></div></blockquote><div><span></span></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Give joe Courtney a call to discuss the bill with him.<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">Edward<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> Cazares, Gabe [<a href="mailto:GCazares@nfb.org">mailto:GCazares@nfb.org</a>] <br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, September 15, 2016 1:36 PM<br><b>To:</b> State President, Connecticut<br><b>Subject:</b> AIM HE Act<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Hi Edward,<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Thanks for reaching out to Mr. Courtney on this, and thank you for all that you do to help build our organization. I’ve attached the AIM HE factsheet to this message, but below is a brief summary of the legislation’s top objectives. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">...Gabe<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">1) Authorizes a purpose-based commission to develop accessibility guidelines for electronic instructional materials and related information technology so that those materials are accessible to students with print disabilities. Additionally, the commission will develop an annotated list of national and international accessibility standards so that schools and developers can identify what makes a product usable by the blind.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">2) Provides an incentive for schools to follow the guidelines by offering a safe harbor from litigation. Any school that only uses technology that conforms to the guidelines will be in compliance with current disability laws. For those instances where accessible technology is simply not yet available, instances that will continue to diminish in frequency as accessible instructional materials become more mainstream, there is a limited safe harbor protection for institutions that otherwise adhere to existing disability law as well as certain additional requirements as described in the AIM HE Act.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">3) Restates that schools are still obligated to meet the equal access mandate under current law. Guidelines are one voluntary path to compliance with the law, but schools are permitted to pursue other paths to compliance (although those paths do not come with the legal protections of a safe harbor or limited safe harbor). This offers flexibility and leaves room for innovation without compromising print disabled students’ right to equal access.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Gabe Cazares<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Government Affairs Specialist<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Baltimore, MD 21230<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">E: <a href="mailto:gcazares@nfb.org"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none">gcazares@nfb.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">O: (410) 659-9314 Ext. 2206<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">C: (281) 965-9583<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">T: @gmcazares<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://nfb.org/make-gift"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none">Make a gift</span></a> to the National Federation of the Blind and help ensure all blind Americans live the lives they want.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div></div></blockquote></body></html>