From webmaster at nfb.org Thu May 28 20:30:18 2020 From: webmaster at nfb.org (National Federation of the Blind) Date: Thu, 28 May 2020 20:30:18 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [LPOBC] Time-sensitive Information: Blind Pennsylvanians Win Victory on Absentee Voting Message-ID: <20200528203018.EE770610A844@lx-web-pri.nfb.org> [1] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BLIND PENNSYLVANIANS WIN VICTORY ON ABSENTEE VOTING _STATE ORDERED TO IMPLEMENT SYSTEM ALLOWING THE BLIND TO CAST ABSENTEE AND MAIL-IN BALLOTS PRIVATELY AND INDEPENDENTLY_ HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA (MAY 28, 2020): A federal district judge has ordered the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to provide an accessible write-in ballot (AWIB) to blind Pennsylvania voters for the June 2 primary election. The ruling is a victory for Joseph Drenth, a blind Chalfont resident, who fears going to his local polling place because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Drenth's immune system is slightly compromised, and his wife and mother-in-law, with whom he lives, both have asthma and complicating factors. The Honorable Jennifer P. Wilson, district judge for the Federal District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, issued a temporary restraining order after a Wednesday hearing in the lawsuit that Mr. Drenth and the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania (NFB-PA) filed last week. The court's order requires the state to provide blind voters with a list of the candidates on the ballot for their voting district along with an accessible electronic form on which they can type in their choices for each office. Blind Pennsylvania voters who wish to use the AWIB must request the accessible form by no later than 8PM on Friday, May 29. Eligible voters must have applied for an absentee or mail-in ballot by the May 26, 2020 deadline, and not yet have submitted a paper ballot. The AWIB must be submitted along with a declaration and a valid identification number. Voters must return their AWIB materials by first-class mail or hand-delivery to the County Board of Elector's office in the voter's jurisdiction by no later than 8:00 p.m. on June 2, 2020. More details are available in this press release [2] from the Pennsylvania Department of state. The lawsuit, which will continue in order to resolve the question of accessible absentee and mail-in ballot solutions for elections later this year, alleges violations of Title II of the Americans with disabilities act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation act of 1973. The plaintiffs were represented by Disability Rights Pennsylvania [3] and Brown Goldstein Levy LLP [4]. "Although this temporary solution is not ideal, we commend Judge Wilson for ruling expeditiously, for making it clear that commonwealth officials must respect the rights of blind voters, and for recognizing that the status quo was unacceptable," said Lynn Heitz, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania. "In light of this ruling and the judge's clear direction at the hearing, we hope that the commonwealth will work quickly with us to identify and implement a fully ADA-compliant voting solution for future elections." ### ABOUT THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore, is the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans. Founded in 1940, the NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The NFB defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them into reality. Learn more about our many programs and initiatives at www.nfb.org [5]. 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 [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] National Federation of the Blind | 200 E Wells Street | Baltimore, MD 21230 | 410-659-9314 Unsubscribe [11] | Opt Out [12] | Sign Up for Our E-newsletter [13] .. 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URL: From webmaster at nfb.org Fri May 29 21:15:18 2020 From: webmaster at nfb.org (National Federation of the Blind) Date: Fri, 29 May 2020 21:15:18 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [LPOBC] Blind Students and Advocates Resolve Dispute with College Board over AP Exams Message-ID: <20200529211518.8FFB66174C37@lx-web-pri.nfb.org> [1] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BLIND STUDENTS AND ADVOCATES RESOLVE DISPUTE WITH COLLEGE BOARD OVER AP EXAMS _STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE BRAILLE EXAMS, TACTILE GRAPHICS_ BALTIMORE, MARYLAND (MAY 29, 2020): Kaleigh Brendle, a blind advanced-placement (AP) high school student from New Jersey, and the National Federation of the Blind [2] (NFB), the nation's leading advocate for the equal education of the blind, have resolved their dispute with the College Board [3] over its administration of the advanced placement examinations to blind and deaf-blind students during the coronavirus pandemic. Ms. Brendle and the NFB filed complaints with the United States Department of Education and Department of Justice on behalf of themselves and four other named students, as well as the class of all other blind and deafblind students. The complaints alleged that the students' rights were violated when the College Board instituted a digital-only format for the exams because of the pandemic and did not provide hard-copy Braille tests and/or hard-copy tactile graphics to students who had requested and been granted those accommodations. The complaints have been withdrawn in light of today's resolution. Without admitting wrongdoing, the College Board has agreed [4] to allow certain students to re-take AP exams using hard-copy tactile graphics (including charts, coordinate planes, diagrams, maps, etc.) and to administer hard-copy Braille tests to students who were already approved for Braille and who request to take or re-take their exams with hard-copy Braille. Students will be able to take the Braille tests by September 15, 2020. For students who re-take exams with hard-copy tactile graphics or hard-copy Braille, any prior answers or test scores will be disregarded. The College Board will also provide a letter to affected high school seniors explaining the delay in testing and scoring so that these seniors can provide that information to institutions of higher education. In a separate letter not related to the complaints, the College Board has also agreed to consult with the National Federation of the Blind on procedures for administering the SAT and SAT subject tests to blind and deafblind students. "My fellow blind and deafblind AP scholars and I never sought confrontation, compensation, or publicity. We desired only to receive fair treatment and to be provided with the materials we require in order to succeed," said Kaleigh Brendle. "We raised our voices on behalf of those who could not, with the hope that every student who needed Braille would receive it. We are grateful to the College Board for listening to and understanding our concerns and working with us to institute change. Now, we can resume preparing for these influential exams and shaping our futures as empowered advocates of equality and opportunity." "It has been a privilege to work alongside these courageous students who raised their voices about the unfair treatment they received during an already stressful time," said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. "This swift and equitable agreement exemplifies the power of collective action. We look forward to further cooperation and collaboration between the College Board and the organized blind movement to improve opportunities for all blind and deafblind scholars." Ms. Brendle and the National Federation of the Blind were represented by Sharon Krevor-Weisbaum [5] and Kevin Docherty [6] of Brown Goldstein Levy LLP [5]. ### ABOUT THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore, is the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans. Founded in 1940, the NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The NFB defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them into reality. Learn more about our many programs and initiatives at www.nfb.org [7]. 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 [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] National Federation of the Blind | 200 E Wells Street | Baltimore, MD 21230 | 410-659-9314 Unsubscribe [13] | Opt Out [14] | Sign Up for Our E-newsletter [15] .. 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