[Home-on-the-range] FW: [Nfbnet-members-list] URGENT: WE NEED LETTERS TO MAKE E-READERS ACCESSIBLE BY LABOR DAY

[David Andrews]

The attachments were embedded in an unusual way, and have been resent.

Dave

At 11:56 AM 8/30/2013, you wrote:
>Yeah, Susie, but what kind of file attachment is 
>that. I can't open it, and the computers 
>question it. Also, I don't recognize the name. I 
>am a little confused by it, so maybe you know more about it than I do.
>
>Cindy
>
>On Aug 30, 2013, at 11:51 AM, "Stanzel, Susan - 
>FSA, Kansas City, MO" 
><<mailto:Susan.Stanzel at kcc.usda.gov>Susan.Stanzel at kcc.usda.gov> wrote:
>
>>Hi Listers,
>>
>>
>>We need to take action.
>>
>>
>>Susie
>>
>>
>>From: Nfbnet-members-list 
>>[mailto:nfbnet-members-list-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Yingling, Valerie
>>Sent: Friday, August 30, 2013 11:18 AM
>>To: <mailto:nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org>nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org
>>Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] URGENT: WE NEED 
>>LETTERS TO MAKE E-READERS ACCESSIBLE BY LABOR DAY
>>
>>
>>
>>This letter was originally sent to the 
>>legislative directors but we are circulating it 
>>to the entire membership for maximum outreach:
>>
>>We need your help!  The Coalition of E-Reader 
>>Manufacturers has submitted a Petition for 
>>Waiver to the FCC asking that e-readers be 
>>exempt from the Twenty First Century 
>>Communications and Video Accessibility Act 
>>(CVAA) accessibility requirements.  I have 
>>attached the Petition.  NFB has written 
>>comments opposing the request, and we are 
>>asking other groups to sign on.  I have also 
>>attached those comments.  But the FCC needs to 
>>hear from our members – blind people who want 
>>access to e-readers – and the more people they 
>>hear from, the better.  We are asking all 
>>Legislative Directors to find people in their 
>>respective affiliates to edit the attached 
>>skeleton letter and return it to us.  The 
>>letter is already formatted and has an outline, 
>>but it is up to each person to make it personal 
>>and select which talking points they want to 
>>use.  Finished letters should be sent to 
>>Valerie Yingling at 
>><mailto:vyingling at nfb.org>vyingling at nfb.org by 
>>8pm on Monday, September 2.  Valerie will 
>>proofread each document to make sure there are 
>>no typos and the customized points are still on 
>>message, and then we will submit the letters 
>>all at once when they are due on September 
>>3rd.  We are short on time but I trust that 
>>this issue is pressing to our membership and we 
>>will get a good amount of letters.
>>
>>For some background:  The CVAA requires that 
>>all mobile devices with advanced communications 
>>services (ACS) be accessible to blind people, 
>>but the law allows manufacturers to request a 
>>waiver for equipment that is not intended for 
>>ACS.  The Coalition (comprised of Amazon, Sony 
>>and Kobo) claims that the primary purpose of 
>>e-readers is reading, and that the ACS found in 
>>e-readers is so incidental and ancillary that 
>>it is not an intended purpose of the 
>>device.  We know this is not true – e-readers 
>>are outfitted with built-in web browsers and 
>>designed for social media.  The Coalition also 
>>claims that to make e-readers accessible would 
>>require a fundamental overhaul that would 
>>render e-readers obsolete, harm the public 
>>interest, and not provide substantial benefit 
>>to blind people.  We know that this offensive 
>>claim is also not true.  It is critical that 
>>the FCC hear from all of us – it is the only 
>>thing that can defeat the petition.  Regulation 
>>is legislation’s sister, so I know we can count 
>>on all of you to get a good amount of feedback 
>>to the FCC.  If you have any questions, don't 
>>hesitate to email me or Valerie.   Looking 
>>forward to seeing everyone’s letters.
>>
>>Cheers,
>>Lauren
>>
>>Lauren McLarney
>>Government Affairs Specialist
>>NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
>>200 East Wells St.
>>Baltimore, MD 21230
>>(410) 659 9314 ext. 2207
>><mailto:lmclarney at nfb.org>lmclarney at nfb.org
>>
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