[Fopbc] National Federation of the Blind and Louisiana Tech Launch National Reading Media Assessment

[Lenora Marten]

-----Original Message-----
From: David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>
To: nfbnet-members-list <nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thu, Nov 15, 2012 11:30 pm
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] National Federation of the Blind and Louisiana Tech Launch National Reading Media Assessment





FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
CONTACT:
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations 
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
cdanielsen at nfb.org
 

National Federation of the Blind and LouisianaTech Launch
National Reading Media Assessment

 

Assessment to Determine Best Reading Medium forBlind Students

 
Baltimore, Maryland (November 15, 2012):The National Federation of theBlind, the oldest and largest organization of blind people in theUnited States and the leading advocate for Braille literacy, todayannounced that its National ReadingMedia Assessment (NRMA) is now available.  Developed and testedover a three-year period in collaboration with the ProfessionalDevelopment and Research Institute on Blindness at Louisiana TechUniversity, the NRMA is the first nationally validated assessment of itskind for youth with low vision.  The assessment was developed todetermine the most appropriate reading medium for students who are blindor have low vision, to ensure that the reading medium is appropriatelyidentified both for current and future need, and to ensure that studentsuccess is not hampered by incorrect identification of literacyneeds.  
 
Dr. Marc Maurer, President of theNationalFederation of the Blind, said: �Many young students today with visualimpairments are not classified as blind and as such do not receivetraining in the proper reading medium.  For instance, far too manystudents with low vision are mistakenly taught to read large printinstead of Braille and end up functionally illiterate.  The NRMAaims to change this harmful trend and ensure that every student with avisual impairment receives training in the proper reading medium and isset on the path to future success.� 
 
Dr. Edward Bell, principal investigator of the research, said: �Theprimary findings from our assessment showed 14 percent more youth asneeding Braille than prior assessments, and 36 percent more youth asneeding Braille than who are actually getting it. Clearly this newapproach is sorely needed in order to improve the education of blindchildren.�
 
To learn more or participate in the National Reading Media Assessment,please visit www.nfbnrma.org. 
 
The National Federation of the Blind needs your support to ensure thatblind children get an equal education, to connect blind veterans with thetraining and services they need, and to help seniors who are losingvision continue to live independent and fulfilling lives. To make adonation, please go to www.nfb.org.
 

 
###


 

About the National Federation of the Blind
The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is the oldest, largest,and most influential nationwide membership organization of blind peoplein the United States.  Founded in 1940, the NFB advocates for thecivil rights and equality of blind Americans, and develops innovativeeducation, technology, and training programs to provide the blind andthose who are losing vision with the tools they need to becomeindependent and successful.  We need your support.  To make adonation, please go to www.nfb.org.
 
 

 
_______________________________________________
Nfbnet-members-list mailing list
Nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org

 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/fopbc_nfbnet.org/attachments/20121116/03baaf89/attachment.html>