[nabs-l] Kindel DX

Wed Jun 3 02:27:21 UTC 2009

Jim and all,

Just as a general rule, politeness is always key. If your questions  
sound accusatory, you will lose the respect of your readers or  
listeners. Treat every e-mail you send to this list as if a potential  
employer were reading it. If there are spelling or grammatical errors,  
or if the tone is unkind, the chances are greater you won't get hired.  
If you're unsure of spellings, the spellcheck in Microsoft Word is a  
great resource. I'm using it as I write to you now. Words such as  
relevant, Braille, apologize, and accessible seem to be commonly  
misspelled on this list, and there is no reason for it.

I must apologize, as i know I seem to be preachy. It's just that  
people are judgmental as it is, and more so when disabilities are  
added to the mix. If we expect to be treated equally and as  
professionals then we need to act that way. Questions that challenge  
the status quo are great but presentation is everything. Resumes or  
cover letters with spelling errors will be thrown out without a second  
glance. It would be a shame to lose a potential job just because of  
something as foolish as one typo.

Again I do feel bad about coming off as a jerk, and I know that it's  
hard to convey emotion through writing in e-mails, but I would ask you  
to take my concerns to heart. I am a happy person generally, but  
become frustrated easily when the blind/visually impaired community  
short-changes itself unnecessarily.

Thank you for your time guys. Thank you for allowing me to feel  
comfortable enough around you (virtually) that i can write what I've  
thought for years with the knowledge that I'm not alone in my thinking.

Sarah

Quoting Ashley  Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>:

> Jim,
> While your question is okay, perhaps this is best off list since its
> directed to her.  Also I don't believe Caroll wrote the press release
> herself.  She is likely not specific because they don't know how they
> will resolve it yet.  No I doubt its a lawsuit because there's no legal
> ground to sue.  But my hunch is they need numbers of students to
> pressure Amazon and publishers for accessibility.
>
> Also, watch your spelling.  Spelling errors make it hard to hear and
> read with screen readers.
>
> Ashley
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Reed" <jim275_2 at yahoo.com>
> To: <carol_castellano at verizon.net>; "NABS mail list" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 4:19 PM
> Subject: [nabs-l] Kindel DX
>
>
> Carol,
>
> How do you intend to resolve this issue? Why are you not being more
> specific as to how you intend to resolve this issue?
>
> You said, "we are attempting to resolve this issue and need to know of
> any blind students who will be affected." Why do I get the feeling that
> what you really ment to say was "We want to file a discrimuination
> lawsuit, but in order to do so, we need an affected student so that way
> we can have legal standing to sue."
>
> If I am correct, and I applogize if I am not, I feel you should be
> perfectly clear as to your intentions. If I am correct, and you are not
> being completely open about your intentions, then that is a form of
> deception, and posting such an advertizement looking for students is
> approaching, if not already passed an ethical boundary. If I am
> correct, then students have the right to know what they are getting
> into before they choose to contact you.
>
> So I ask again, how exactly do you intend to resolve this issue?
>
> Thanks,
> Jim Reed
> President, Montana Association of Blind Students
>
> Dear Fellow Federationists:
>>
>> The National Federation of the Blind would like to know if you are
>> currently studying at any of the following institutions, if you
>> will be studying at these institutions as of the fall of 2009, or
>> if you know an individual who is or will be. The institutions are
>> Princeton University, Reed College, Case Western Reserve
>> University, Arizona State University, Pace University, and
>> University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. These six
>> colleges and universities are planning to engage in a pilot project
>> using Amazon's new Kindle DX electronic reading device to
>> distribute electronic textbooks. This device is not accessible to
>> the blind, nor is it likely to be accessible by the fall of
>> 2009. The Kindle DX features many advanced reading functions that
>> will be of help to students; however, if blind students do not have
>> access to this technology, they will be at a further competitive
>> disadvantage relative to their sighted peers. For this reason, we
>> are attempting to resolve this issue and need to know of any blind
>> students who will be affected.
>>
>> In a similar matter, <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
>> "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Northwest Missouri
>> State University plans to roll out a different, but also
>> inaccessible, electronic textbook system for all of its students in
>> the fall of 2009. We would appreciate any information about any
>> blind students studying at this institution.
>>
>> If you are an affected student or know of one, please contact Chris
>> Danielsen at the National Federation of the Blind headquarters in
>> Baltimore. You can call Chris at (410) 659-9314, extension 2330, or
>> e-mail him at <mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org.
>>
>> Thank you for your assistance in this matter.
>>
>>
>> Carol Castellano, President
>> National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
>> 973-377-0976
>> carol_castellano at verizon.net
>> www.nfb.org/nopbc
>>
>
> Carol Castellano, President
> National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
> 973-377-0976
> carol_castellano at verizon.net
> www.nfb.org/nopbc
>
>
> "From compromise and things half done,
> Keep me with stern and stubborn pride,
> And when at last the fight is won,
> ... Keep me still unsatisfied." --Louis Untermeyer
>
>
>
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