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

David Andrews dandrews at visi.com
Sat Aug 31 03:23:17 UTC 2013


Do you have his number -- I should call him.

Dave

At 10:13 PM 8/30/2013, you wrote:
>Yeah, I know. I got the bright idea to write to 
>Lauren about it for starters, and she said I 
>wasn't the only complainer. LOL. And then I got the resend.
>
>Would you miss me though if I didn't complain?
>
>Chuck has moved to a new facility. The one he 
>and Mary were in is closing in a few years, and 
>they decided to get out while the place was 
>still quality. I think that place where they 
>were is trying to get them all out so they can close before 2017.
>
>Oh, yeah, and he got an iPhone, and he is so 
>very excited that he is learning to use it.
>
>Cindy Lou
>
>On Aug 30, 2013, at 10:07 PM, David Andrews 
><<mailto:dandrews at visi.com>dandrews at visi.com> wrote:
>
>>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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