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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hello families, <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Today is the last day to send letters asking senators to support SB617 the Accountability Act for Successful K-12 Education. Tell the senators that blind and other students with disabilities need the same access to education that non-disabled students have. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Below is a link to a video explaining how inaccessible software harms students. Attached is the fact sheet to the bill which explains the solution to the problem. In short, the bill will require local school systems to establish a process to evaluate the accessibility of instructional technology and digital content that it is considering for purchase and requires the state Department of Education to annually publish the progress of all local school systems concerning accessibility on its website. In addition, liability is imposed upon developers who sell in access software to local school districts. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Here is the video: <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><a href="https://youtu.be/J7tQr2YeoXM">https://youtu.be/J7tQr2YeoXM</a></span> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Also, at the end of this email is an example letter that you can follow when writing yours. We need these letters by today for the committee hearing on the 24 of February. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Here is the list of who to write to. The email address is <a href="mailto:firstname.lastname@senate.state.md.us">firstname.lastname@senate.state.md.us</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Everyone should write to the chairman of the Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee: Senator Paul Pinsky.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>If you live in Anne Arundel County, write to Senator Edward Rilley and Senator Bryan Simonaire.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>If you live in Baltimore City, write to Senator Mary Washington.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>If you live in Baltimore County, write to Clarence Lan.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>If you live in Carroll County, write to Senator Katiefry Hester.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>If you live in Charles County, write to Senator Arthur Ellis.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>If you live in Cecil County, write to Senator Jason Gallion.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>If you live in Harford County, write to Senator Jason Gallion.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>If you live in Howard County, write to Senator Clarence Lan.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>If you live in Montgomery County, write to Senator Cheryl Kagan.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>If you live in PG County, write to Senator Obie Patterson.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>If you live in Worcester or Wicomico Counties, write to Senator Marybeth Carozza.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText align=center style='text-align:center'><b><u>Example letter<o:p></o:p></u></b></p><p class=MsoPlainText>The first and third paragraphs can be copied from the example. The second paragraph is for you to share your experience and your child’s experience with inaccessible educational software. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dear Senator last name: <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I urge you to vote for SB 617, the Accountability Act for Successful K-12 Education. In short, the bill will require local school systems to establish a process to evaluate the accessibility of instructional technology and digital content that it is considering for purchase and requires the state Department of Education to annually publish the progress of all local school systems concerning accessibility on its website. In addition, liability is imposed upon developers who sell in access software to local school districts. The bill is being considered by the Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee on Thursday February 24, 2022. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> I currently reside in Baltimore City and have a blind seven-year-old daughter in the first grade. Since the start of the pandemic, the school district has implemented more learning management software than ever before. Many of the programs used are not accessible, for example Amplify, I-ready, ABCya, and Clever. Because the software is inaccessible, my daughter must reread the same braille books or review the same math problems on notecards whenever students work on these programs in class. During the closure of schools at the start of the pandemic, my own blindness prevented me from helping my daughter take a reading assessment. I had to acquire a reader to help administer the assessment because of the inaccessibility of the district’s learning platform. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>It is without question the benefits of these software programs. Those benefits though, are only available to students who can see. Please support SB617, blind and other students with disabilities need the same access to education that non-disabled students have. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Respectfully: <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>James Garret Mooney <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Address line 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Address line 2<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(480) 433-8003 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>james.garret.mooney@gmail.com<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Garret <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>James G. Mooney, Esq<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>President, Maryland Organization of Parents of Blind Children <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(480) 433-8003 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>james.garret.mooney@gmail.com<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>