[nabs-l] Convention in Orlando for 5 Years

Chris Nusbaum dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
Wed Jul 13 01:30:49 UTC 2011


Humberto,

I thought 2012 would be in Dallas, as I heard from Dr.  Maurer at 
this year's convention.  Unless you mean 2018's would be in 
Orlando, making it six years.

 Chris

"A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp Abilities motto)

The I C.A.N.  Foundation helps visually impaired youth in 
Maryland have the ability to confidently say "I can!" How? Click 
on this link to learn more and to contribute: 
www.icanfoundation.info or like us on Facebook at I C.A.N.  
Foundation.



 Sent from my BrailleNote

 ----- Original Message -----
From: Anmol Bhatia <anmolpbhatia at yahoo.com
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Mon, 11 Jul 2011 12:36:31 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Convention in Orlando for 5 Years

The convention will actually be in Orlando for the next six 
years.



--- On Mon, 7/11/11, Rachael Vacanti <revacanti at gmail.com> wrote:

 From: Rachael Vacanti <revacanti at gmail.com
 Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Convention in Orlando for 5 Years
 To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
 Date: Monday, July 11, 2011, 2:28 PM
 I agree with Chris and Sherri. 
 I haven't seen the old schedule, but that's
 beside the point.  I flew down Saturday and didn't
 leave until the next
 Saturday.  You think I'd have time for fun
 right?  Wrong.  I didn't get out
 of the hotel once.  I meant to go places, like the
 beach, Citywalk and Bubba
 Gump Shrimp, but I couldn't get there.  Why? 
 Because there were too many
 things to do at convention.  Convention was awesome
 and I had a great time,
 but I really wanted to go out and explore Florida a bit
 more.  I looked at
 the agenda and technically, the first 3 days weren't
 "required".  General
 sessions didn't start until Wendsday.

 One thing I think might also help convention, is if they
 announce the state
 cacus.  I missed mine cause I had only heard about it
 once and I don't think
 he even told me where it was.  The states should get
 them sorted out before
 convention and email their state this is when and where it
 is.  I know that
 not everything can be perfect at a thing like this, but
 they did a very good
 job.  For my first time, it was pretty good.

 Rachael

 On Mon, Jul 11, 2011 at 11:00 AM, <nabs-l-request at nfbnet.org
 wrote:

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 Today's Topics:

   1.  [Blindtlk] Convention in Orlando
 for 5 years (Chris Nusbaum)
   2.  Re: question about brail to word
 program? (Chris Nusbaum)
   3.  Re: [acb-l] polling place access
 issues to this day in mi
      (Josh Gregory)
   4.  Re: question about NLS WebBraille
 (Katie Wang)
   5.  accessible blog and journal sites
 (bookwormahb at earthlink.net)
   6.  Re: accessible blog and journal
 sites (Joshua Lester)
   7.  Re: accessible blog and journal
 sites (bookwormahb at earthlink.net)
   8.  Thanks for the Help at National
 Convention (Elizabeth)
   9.  Re: accessible blog and journal
 sites (Joshua Lester)
  10.  aim problem (Amy Sabo)
  11.  Re: aim problem (Humberto Avila)
  12.  iPal for sale (David Andrews)



 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----

 Message: 1
 Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2011 13:00:41 -0400
 From: Chris Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
 To: NABS list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>,
 NFBMD list <nfbmd at nfbnet.org>,
 NFB
        history list <nfb-history at nfbnet.org
 Subject: [nabs-l] [Blindtlk] Convention in Orlando for
 5 years
 Message-ID: <4e19dac7.874de50a.44bf.ffffb86a at mx.google.com
 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1;
 format=flowed



  ---- Original Message ------
 From: "Sherri" <flmom2006 at gmail.com
 Subject: [Blindtlk] Convention in Orlando for 5 years
 Date sent: Sat, 9 Jul 2011 19:59:44 -0400

 It was announced at the convention that conventions
 from 2013
 through 2017
 will be held in Orlando.  I wish we could extend
 the length of
 the convention
 back to how it was and NFB would
 organize tours for Wednesday afternoon.  That
 way, people could
 get excited
 about Orlando and have time to go places.  I
 liked the old
 schedule much
 better.  If we are going to keep people here for
 five years in a
 row, we need
 to give them ample opportunity to take advantage of
 all there is
 to do in
 Orlando.  Besides, I like the banquet the night
 before the last
 day of
 convention.


 Sherri Brun
 "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making
 other
 plans." John
 Lennon

 Check out http://www.raceforindependence.org/goto/Sherri.Brun

 E-mail: flmom2006 at gmail.com
  NFBF Newsline? chair
 www.nfbnewsline.org
 Vice-president NFB Greater Orlando Chapter
 http://nfbfgoc.org
 Secretary FDCP INC
 www.fdcp.org
 Chair Orange County Disability Advisory Committee

 _______________________________________________
 blindtlk mailing list
 blindtlk at nfbnet.org
 http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
 To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your
 account info
 for blindtlk:
 
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/dotkid.
 nusbaum%40gmail.com




 ------------------------------

 Message: 2
 Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2011 13:07:57 -0400
 From: Chris Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
 To: National Association of Blind Students mailing
        list<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
 Subject: Re: [nabs-l] question about brail to word
 program?
 Message-ID: <4e19dc7c.4f76e50a.0805.ffffb9de at mx.google.com
 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1;
 format=flowed

 You could also join the BrailleNote list, where users
 of the
 BrailleNote can talk about tips and tricks regarding
 the BN and
 ask questions when they're having technical
 problems.  Here's the
 link:
 www.list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote. 
 In
 the mean time, if you'd like, I can post your question
 to the BN
 list and forward you any responses off list. 
 Hope this helps!

  Chris

 "A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp
 Abilities motto)

 The I C.A.N.  Foundation helps visually impaired
 youth in
 Maryland have the ability to confidently say "I can!"
 How? Click
 on this link to learn more and to contribute:
 www.icanfoundation.info or like us on Facebook at I
 C.A.N.
 Foundation.



  Sent from my BrailleNote

  ----- Original Message -----
 From: "Humberto Avila" <avila.bert.humberto2 at gmail.com
 To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing
 list'"
 <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
 Date sent: Sat, 9 Jul 2011 22:54:22 -0700
 Subject: Re: [nabs-l] question about brail to word
 program?

 Are you trying to convert the Braille Note native
 format
 documents into word
 documents.  If you want to do so, you will have
 to use your
 Braille note to
 do it because there is no program that will translate
 and convert
 Keyword
 Braille format (kwb) documents into Microsoft word
 (.doc)
 documents, unless
 you want to convert you .kwb files into .BRF files,
 and then use
 a program
 in your PC to convert .BRF files into .doc files--you
 will need
 Duxbury
 Braille translator (which costs about $900 for the
 license if you
 don't
 already have it--you can although try it for free but
 some
 functions will be
 disabled)
 I hope this was helpful to you.  Feel free to
 send another
 message off list
 if you can and I will give you more instructions--this
 is good
 practice for
 me because I will be a teacher of the blind teaching
 assistive
 technology.
 Cheers,  Humberto

 -----Original Message-----
 From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org
 [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org]
 On Behalf
 Of Andi
 Sent: Saturday, July 09, 2011 5:27 PM
 To: National Association of Blind Students mailing
 list
 Subject: [nabs-l] question about brail to word
 program?

 I am sure this is a silly question but I have to
 ask.  I use to
 use my brail

 note quite a bit but now I use my laptop more, I was
 wondering if
 there is a

 program to change the files from the brail document to
 a word
 document?
 Please keep in mind I am not very tech savvy so the
 simpaler to
 use the
 better, but I still want it to do a good job. 
 thank you so much
 for your
 help.

 -----Original Message-----
 From: David Andrews
 Sent: Saturday, July 09, 2011 1:47 PM
 To: promotion-technology at nfbnet.org
 Subject: [nabs-l] GW Micro Announces Readit Wand:
 First Portable
 Camera
 Reading System to Support Touchscreen

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 GW Micro Announces Readit Wand: First Portable Camera
 Reading
 System
 to Support Touchscreen
 for People with Low Vision
 Fort Wayne, Indiana (July 8, 2011) - GW Micro,
 Inc.  (
 www.gwmicro.com)
 and VisionAid International Ltd (
 www.visionaid-international.com)
 are proud to announce the Readit Wand!  The
 Readit Wand is a
 portable
 camera that
 connects to a computer to instantly magnify and read
 documents
 for
 the visually impaired.
 Easily read mail, bills, bank statements, books, and
 more with
 ease
 using the Readit
 Wand.  Everything read with the Readit Wand will
 be read in a
 clear,
 human-sounding
 voice.  The ability to read all of these items
 makes Readit Wand
 the
 perfect tool
 for the classroom, at home, or at work.
 The camera weighs just 1.1 pounds and easily connects
 via USB.
 The
 5-megapixel camera
 is highly accurate and extremely fast, allowing for
 recognition
 in as
 little as two
 seconds.  The stylish and compact Readit Wand
 allows for
 automatic
 multi-language
 switching when other languages are installed. 
 The portability
 and
 multiple language
 support make it the ideal tool for students who are
 learning a
 foreign language.
 Readit Wand comes with exceptionally powerful software
 that
 allows
 you to save, load,
 import, and export documents, including PDFs. 
 Importing PDF
 files
 into the Readit
 software enables users to read PDF files that
 originally are
 inaccessible because
 they are displayed as graphics.  Readit Wand also
 allows you to
 save
 documents as
 a Word document, txt file, rtf, or even save your
 document as an
 MP3
 file to listen
 to it on your favorite MP3 player.
 The Readit Wand software contains an easy to use, easy
 access
 toolbar
 designed specifically
 for low vision users.  The toolbar provides the
 ability to adjust
 the
 size of the
 clear, colorful icons, which give instant access to
 all the basic
 controls enabling
 low vision users to capture their document, change the
 view to
 their
 preference and
 more at the click of a button.
 Low vision consumers will greatly benefit from the 3
 different
 types
 of highlights,
 as well as six different ways to display text,
 allowing low
 vision
 users to customize
 the software to their personal preference.
 When connected to a touchscreen monitor, the Readit
 Wand is the
 first
 portable camera
 to enable touchscreen support, allowing low vision
 users the
 ability
 to interact
 with the software by simply using their fingers! 
 This means no
 more
 tracking the
 cursor, which provides direct interaction between the
 user and
 the
 Readit software,
 creating the best possible user experience.
 GW Micro is the exclusive master distributor for the
 Readit Wand
 in
 the U.S., developed
 and manufactured by VisionAid International, located
 in the
 UK.  Readit Wand will
 be available soon from GW Micro and GW Micro dealers.
 For more information on the Readit Wand, visit
 www.gwmicro.com,
 email
 sales at gwmicro.com
 , or call GW Micro at (260) 489-3671.
 GW Micro, Inc.  (
 www.gwmicro.com)
 has been a trusted pioneer in the adaptive technology
 industry
 since 1990,
 and
 continues to lead with innovative, customer driven
 solutions.
 VisionAid International, Ltd (
 www.visionaid-international.com),
 established in 2002, is dedicated to producing fast,
 effective
 and
 simple to use
 devices for people who are partially sighted and blind
 that make
 reading a pleasure
 once again.


 _______________________________________________
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 nabs-l at nfbnet.org
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 To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your
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 for
 nabs-l:
 
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/adrianne.
 dempsey%40g
 mail.com


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 nabs-l mailing list
 nabs-l at nfbnet.org
 http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
 To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your
 account info
 for
 nabs-l:
 
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/avila.ber
 t.humberto2
 %40gmail.com


 _______________________________________________
 nabs-l mailing list
 nabs-l at nfbnet.org
 http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
 To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your
 account info
 for nabs-l:
 
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/dotkid.nu
 sbaum%40gmail.com



 ------------------------------

 Message: 3
 Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2011 14:20:18 -0400
 From: Josh Gregory <joshkart12 at gmail.com
 To: National Association of Blind Students mailing
        list<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
 Subject: Re: [nabs-l] [acb-l] polling place access
 issues to this day
        in mi
 Message-ID: <4e19ed7d.907fe50a.6655.ffffc150 at mx.google.com
 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1;
 format=flowed

 Hi,
 OK, my thoughts.  They are, at the moment, each
 other's
 competetors/enemies/whatever.  So, at the moment
 anyway, I doubt
 it.
 Best,
 Josh

 sent from my Apex
 Email: joshkart12 at gmail.com

  ----- Original Message -----
 From: Chris Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
 To: National Association of Blind Students mailing
 list<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
 Date sent: Sun, 10 Jul 2011 11:30:00 -0400
 Subject: Re: [nabs-l] [acb-l] polling place access
 issues to this
 day in mi

 I forwarded this because since the NFB is working to
 ensure
 accessible voting and was the driving force behind the
 Help
 America Vote Act (HAVA.) So, we might be able to work
 jointly
 with ACB on this.  What does
 everyone think?
  Chris

 "A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp
 Abilities motto)

 The I C.A.N.  Foundation helps visually impaired
 youth in
 Maryland have the ability to confidently say "I can!"
 How? Click
 on this link to learn more and to contribute:
 www.icanfoundation.info or like us on Facebook at I
 C.A.N.
 Foundation.



  Sent from my BrailleNote

  ----- Original Message -----
 From: Joshua Lester <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu
 To: National Association of Blind Students mailing
 list
 <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
 Date sent: Fri, 8 Jul 2011 20:25:02 -0500
 Subject: Re: [nabs-l] [acb-l] polling place access
 issues to this
 day in mi

 Chris, why are you forwarding stuff from the ACB?
 Blessings, Joshua

 On 7/8/11, Chris Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
 wrote:
  Thoughts on this?

  Chris

  "A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp
 Abilities
 motto)

  The I C.A.N.  Foundation helps visually
 impaired youth in
  Maryland have the ability to confidently say "I
 can!" How? Click
  on this link to learn more and to contribute:
  www.icanfoundation.info or like us on Facebook
 at I C.A.N.
  Foundation.



  Sent from my BrailleNote

  ---- Original Message ------
  From: "joe harcz Comcast" <joeharcz at comcast.net
  Subject: [acb-l] polling place access issues to
 this day in mi
  Date sent: Thu, 7 Jul 2011 10:05:31 -0400

  A Call to Action ?

  Unfinished Business to Ensure Michigan Voters
 with Disabilities
  Have Access to the Polls in 2012

  A Public Report on
  Polling Place

  Accessibility in Michigan

  Public Report by

  Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service, Inc.

  2011

  Acknowledgements

  Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service (MPAS)
 is Michigan?
  designated agency to advocate and protect the
 legal rights of
  persons with disabilities, mandated
  by federal and state law.  MPAS receives
 funding from the
  Administration on Developmental Disabilities,
 the center for
  Mental Health Services ?Substance
  Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,
 the
  Rehabilitation Services Administration, the
 Social Security
  Administration, the State of Michigan
  and from private donations.

  Funding for this report has been made possible
 through the U.S.
  Department of Health and Human Services,
 Administration for
  Children and Families, and the
  Administration on Developmental
 Disabilities.  The contents are
  the sole responsibility of the author and do not
 necessarily
  represent the official views
  of the U.S.  Department of Health and Human
 Services.

  2011 by Michigan Protection and Advocacy
 Service, Inc.  This
  publication may be reproduced in part or in its
 entirety for
  noncommercial purposes as long
  as appropriate credit is given.

  Table of Contents

  Executive


 
Summary..........................................................
 
 ...................................................5

  Midterm


 
Report...........................................................
 
 .........................................................6

  Michigan? Polling Place Accessibility


 
Project..........................................................
  .........7

  Communicating Accessibility Problems with
 Election
 
 Officials......................................10

  Next


 
Steps............................................................
 
 ..............................................................11

  In


 
Summary..........................................................
 
 ..............................................................11

  Accessibility Rate Per


 
County...........................................................
  ................................13

  Executive Summary

  In Michigan, voters with disabilities face
 obstacles at voting
  locations often because their polling place
 lacks physical
  accessibility.  The Help America
  Vote Act (HAVA) acknowledged the unique
 obstacles faced by
 voters
  with disabilities and authorized funding for the
 federally
  mandated Protection and Advocacy
  Voting Access programs (PAVA) to help remove
 barriers.
  Unfortunately, this vital mandate has been
 targeted for
  elimination in the President? proposed
  2012 budget.

  HAVA charged Michigan Protection and Advocacy
 Service, (MPAS),
  and other Protection & Advocacy agencies
 with helping to ensure
  the full participation of
  individuals with disabilities in the electoral
 process,
 including
  registering to vote, casting a ballot, and
 accessing polling
  places.

  The PAVA program at MPAS is designed to ensure
 that every
  eligible Michigan resident receives equal access
 to their
 polling
  location and has the opportunity
  to cast an independent secret ballot.  MPAS
 staff members are on
  the ground providing advice, technical
 assistance, and training
  to election officials about
  voting accessibility across the spectrum of
 disabilities.  The
  agency also provides outreach and training to
 voters with
  disabilities, poll workers, and
  service providers.  MPAS and the Secretary
 of State of Michigan
  partnered over the past six years working toward
 this goal,
 which
  has been effective in
  increasing physical access to polling locations
 throughout
  Michigan.

  Voting is a fundamental right protected by the
 United States
  Constitution, upheld by the Supreme Court and
 subject to intense
  public scrutiny each election
  cycle.  Provisions within these protections
 prohibit
  discrimination against people with disabilities
 in the electoral
  process.  Exercising their Constitutional
  right, however, has continued to be a challenge
 for individuals
  with disabilities despite changes made to
 federal and state laws
  intended to ensure full
  participation.

  Key Summary

  ?     Disability advocates
 have visited 95% (3,457) and
  reviewed the exterior of polling locations in
 Michigan.

  ?     Upon initial review,
 Michigan Protection and Advocacy
  Service found that only 75% of 3,457 Michigan
 polling places
 were
  compliant under the Americans
  with Disabilities Act.

  ?     After working with
 state and local officials, it is
  anticipated that Michigan? accessibility rate
 will be increased
  to 90% in 2012.

  ?     Of the locations that
 were inaccessible, 60% had one
  barrier, 30% had two types of barriers, and 6%
 had three or more
  types of barriers.

  ?     Only six of the 84
 counties in Michigan were 100%
  physically accessible upon initial visit.

  ?     MPAS continues to
 receive complaints regarding the
  AutoMARK, Michigan? accessible ballot marking
 device.

  Michigan has made great strides toward
 accessibility at the
  polls.  This report will highlight the
 steps taken to ensure
 that
  all polling locations throughout
  Michigan are accessible to voters with
 disabilities.  In
  addition, the report will offer recommendations
 for Michigan to
  achieve and maintain an accessibility
  rate of 100%.

  2010 Mid Term Report

  Acknowledging widespread irregularity throughout
 the country,
  Congress passed the Help America Vote Act (HAVA)
 in 2002.  HAVA
  included sweeping legislation
  intended to modernize the electoral system for
 all voters,
  including those with disabilities.  The
 Help America Vote Act
  reinforced the application of
  Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act
 and Section 504
  of the Rehabilitation Act.  Furthermore, in
 2004, Michigan
  lawmakers amended Michigan election
  law (Public Act 92 of 2004) to require the
 removal of physical
  barriers at polling locations. 
 Irrespective of both federal and
  state law, 25% of Michigan's
  voting locations continued to be inaccessible
 for the November
  2010 general election.  To achieve an
 all-encompassing voting
  standard for the fifty states,
  HAVA included two key components for the
 disability community:

  ?     All polling places
 must have at least one voting system
  which allows all citizens to cast a ballot
 privately and
  independently, whether or not one
  has a disability.

  ?     States must ensure
 accessibility at all public polling
  places in a manner compliant with the Americans
 with
 Disabilities
  Act (ADA).

  Accessible Voting System

  In 2004, the disability community and the
 Michigan Secretary of
  State? Bureau of Elections (BOE) carefully
 assessing which
  accessible device would best
  fit the needs of Michigan voters, and in 2006
 selected the
  AutoMARK.  The AutoMARK is an accessible
 ballot marking device
  that can be used by all voters
  with or without disabilities.

  Although every polling location is equipped with
 the AutoMARK,
  each municipality is responsible for making sure
 it is set up
 and
  operating properly.  Unfortunately,
  MPAS continues to receive complaints about the
 AutoMARK.  Voter
  complaints have included the following: 
 the AutoMARK was boxed
  up on Election Day, unplugged,
  jammed up, turned off, or set up so other voters
 could see the
  ?ecret?ballot.  Complaints concerning
 jammed ballots have been
  greatly reduced since the
  last round of updates were completed. 
 Because the AutoMARK is
  used only on Election Day, MPAS relies on voter
 feedback to
  correct these kinds of problems.
  MPAS continues to monitor and respond to
 complaints as they
  arise.

  Accessible Polling Places

  Under HAVA, the federal government allocated
 money to assist
 with
  the purchase of accessible equipment like the
 AutoMARK, but also
  to help municipalities
  make their polling places physically
 accessible.  Congress
  recognized that in order for people to use the
 accessible voting
  machines, the building must
  also be accessible so voters can access the
 polling location and
  voting equipment.  It is the local election
 officials?
  responsibility to make sure all
  polling locations are accessible on Election
 Day.  To help cover
  the expense for removing barriers at polling
 locations, the
  Michigan BOE administers a
  grant program called Access for All, under the
 U.S.  Department
  of Health and Human Services with funding
 allocated through
 HAVA,
  to help the state comply
  with HAVA.  In most circumstances, the
 Access for All grants
  cover all costs associated with accessibility
 upgrades for
  polling locations.

  When Michigan? State Plan to implement
 provisions under HAVA
 was
  initiated in 2004, municipal clerks were
 required to complete an
  accessibility checklist
  to determine whether or not their locations were
 accessible.
  This was one of the state? first attempts to
 gather information
  on Michigan? polling place
  accessibility.  During this time, MPAS and
 other organizations
  were working closely with individual election
 officials on
  polling location reviews and
  were also training the municipal clerks on the
 accessibility
  requirements.  MPAS also spent a
 considerable amount of time
  assisting clerks with assessing
  the accessibility of their polling locations and
 helping them
  apply for Access for All grant money.  MPAS
 found that the
  accessibility data provided by
  clerks was not, in certain instances, wholly
 reliable.

  MPAS brought this to the Bureau of Election?
 (BOE) attention
 and
  shared independent accessibility reviews with
 them.  The BOE has
  since increased efforts
  to ensure the accuracy of reporting by improving
 communication
  and requiring additional documentation from the
 clerks.

  In 2008, MPAS started to assess municipal
 polling locations
  randomly, without notifying the election
 official in advance.
  After compiling this data on
  polling locations statewide, the systemic issue
 of
  inaccessibility became a heightened
 concern.  Once these
 concerns
  were communicated to the Bureau of
  Elections, they backed a new initiative in 2010
 dramatically
  increasing their involvement in the advancement
 of polling place
  accessibility.

  This same year, the federal government began
 reviewing how the
  states were spending HAVA funds.  This
 fueled speculation that
  the federal government would
  eliminate the monies available under HAVA, since
 some states had
  not spent their money, rather placing it in an
 account and
  allowing the funds to gain
  interest.  Concerned that Congress would
 pull the allocated
 funds
  completely, which would prevent municipalities
 from accessing
  money to make polling places
  accessible, MPAS, along with the Michigan Bureau
 of Elections,
  embarked on a project to ensure 100%
 accessibility at all
  Michigan polling places.

  Michigan? Polling Place Accessibility Project

  In 2010, Michigan started building the framework
 of a statewide
  plan to reach 100% polling place
 accessibility.  MPAS and the
  Bureau of Elections strengthened
  their partnership in order to achieve this
 goal.  Within this
  plan, MPAS would review the exterior of all
 locations throughout
  the state.  Michigan has
  approximately 3,600 polling places in
 total.  MPAS had already
  gathered information on 530 polling places prior
 to 2010,
  therefore, did not revisit those
  locations (some were initially accessible and
 others MPAS worked
  closely with clerks to improve
 accessibility.  MPAS is still
  working with clerks to bring
  the remaining 57 of the 530 polling locations
 into compliance).
  MPAS was able to visit the remaining 2,927
 polling locations in
  2010.

  Overall, MPAS conducted on-site reviews of at
 least 95% of the
  polling places in Michigan.

  The on-site reviews conducted in 2010, exposed
 nearly 25% of the
  polling places that remained physically
 inaccessible as required
  by the Americans with
  Disabilities Accessibility Guidelines.

  Of the 3,457 polling locations noted above,
 2,927 were assessed
  between May-August 2010.  Using the ADAAG
 as a benchmark to
  determine physical accessibility,
  over 800 polling locations within the 2,927
 locations visited,
  had physical barriers failing to comply with the
 ADAAG ?
 barriers
  that create potential
  difficulties to voters with disabilities on
 Election Day.

  Barriers can prevent people with disabilities
 from fully
  participating in all aspects of society because
 of their
  disability.  This might include
 architectural
  barriers, physical barriers, communication
 barriers, attitudinal
  barriers, cultural barriers, etc. 
 Throughout this project,
 MPAS?
  reviews focused primarily
  on physical and external barriers, which are
 defined as
 something
  material that blocks passage.  Physical
 barriers addressed in
  this report include objects
  in the environment such as inaccessible doors or
 doorways,
  inaccessible elevators or lack thereof,
 inaccessible door
  hardware, inaccessible parking, etc.

  Among the 2,927 polling locations visited in
 2010, 28% did not
  meet accessibility standards.  Based on
 discussions with the BOE
  in 2008, when MPAS completed
  the unannounced visits, clerks were not only
 notified with a
  letter from MPAS concerning accessibility, but
 they were also
  notified by the Bureau of Elections.
  MPAS and the BOE required prompt reply about the
 municipalities
  plans to meet ADA requirements.  The
 letters contained a
  photograph of the problem area(s),
  along with the appropriate ADAAG citation. 
 Within a five month
  period, letters were sent to over 440
 municipalities concerning
  approximately 800 polling
  locations.

  As shown below, 28% of the polling places
 visited in 2010 had
  some type of physical barrier present at the
 time of review.

  The following chart highlights the most common
 number of
 physical
  barriers discovered at each location.

  A majority of the locations reviewed had only
 one physical
  barrier present.  While the largest and
 most frequent problem
 was
  related to parking, the types
  of barriers at each location varied as shown in
 the following
  chart.

  Text Box: Parking Signs: locations that had
 accessible parking
  but no signs posted  Parking: 
 locations that had no parking
  designated or noncompliant access
  aisles  Pathway:  barriers that
 existed between access aisles
 and
  entryway  Entrance:  problems such as
 door width, door
  thresholds, door hardware, vestibules,
  etc.  Ramps/Curbs: problems with curb cuts,
 ramps, handrails,
  thresholds greater than 1 inch, etc.

  Communicating Accessibility Problems with
 Election Officials

  After completing the on-site reviews, MPAS
 notified municipal
  clerks of locations where barriers were
 discovered.  Within a
  four-month period, over 440
  letters were sent to election officials. 
 By the end of 2010,
 88%
  of those clerks responded back to MPAS with a
 plan of
 correction.
  In addition, MPAS
  provided technical assistance to the election
 officials on how
 to
  improve access to their polling location in
 order to come into
  compliance.   Based on
  the responses received from clerks, 43% informed
 us they were
  would make the changes required; 31% corrected
 the barriers at
  the polling locations; 9%
  were going to apply for Access for All grant;
 and the remaining
  responses varied from clerk using temporary
 equipment.

  When a clerk informed MAPS that the work was
 completed, MPAS
  required documentation from each clerk proving
 or stating that
  the work had been completed,
  including photographs and/or copies of purchase
 orders.  A
  majority of the clerks responded either with a
 plan of
 correction
  for spring 2011 or with a
  statement that the work was completed. 
 MPAS is still waiting
 for
  some clerks to confirm that the work was done
 sufficiently.
 Once
  the removal of barriers
  at these locations has been verified, MPAS
 expects Michigan?
  polling place accessibility rate to rise to
 nearly 90 % ?--
  one of the highest in the nation.
  There remains, however, substantial work to be
 completed in the
  city of Detroit in order to reach this
 goal.  The remaining 12%
  of clerks, who did not respond
  to MPAS or the Bureau of Election with a plan of
 correction,
 will
  become a 2011 priority in order to attain 100%
 accessibility.

  NEXT STEPS

  While the focus of this report has been on
 reaching the 90%
  accessibility rate, there would still be
 approximately 10% of
  polling locations in Michigan
  that are not accessible to all voters. 
 Some clerks disagree
 with
  the findings and MPAS is working with those
 clerks.

  In 2011, MPAS will be re-visiting a number of
 polling locations
  that are still recorded as being inaccessible,
 breaking them
 into
  three categories: failure
  to communicate; work promised but documentation
 still needed;
 and
  locations requiring review by MPAS.

  MPAS will focus attention on election officials
 who have failed
  to respond to MPAS communication attempts. 
 This may involve
  revisiting the location (some
  clerks correct the problem even when they fail
 to respond),
  attending city council/township meetings, filing
 official HAVA
  complaints, and/or pursuing
  legal action under different funding
 sources.  MPAS?goal has
  always been to educate clerks and assist them
 with improving
  access first by proposing solutions
  to removing barriers.

  In 2011, MPAS will also direct its attention to
 monitoring the
  correction plans that election officials have
 submitted to
 ensure
  that barriers are removed.
  MPAS will review the remaining 150 polling
 locations that have
  not been visited yet.

  In Summary

  Throughout the 2010 project, the partnership
 between MPAS and
 the
  Michigan Bureau of Elections (BOE) was
 crucial.  The state
  reinforced the necessity of
  accessible elections.  They followed up
 with each municipality
  whose polling place was noted as being
 inaccessible in order to
  determine the jurisdiction's
  planned course of action.  In addition, the
 BOE coordinated and
  extended Michigan's polling place improvement
 grant well into
 the
  fall to assist municipalities
  in removing barriers to voting at no cost.

  Local election officials can either upgrade
 their polling places
  (with or without grant funds), or relocate the
 polling place to
  an accessible site.  The
  Bureau of Elections reports that due to the 2010
 project, they
  have seen a large increase in the number of
 municipalities
  applying for grant money.  In
  an effort to assist with the project, the BOE
 extended the
  typical grant cycle by two months, giving clerks
 additional
  opportunity to respond to MPAS?
  letter and correct the problem(s) by using grant
 funds.  The
  Michigan Bureau of Elections received 74 grant
 applications, the
  largest amount ever received
  in one grant cycle.  Of those 74 grant
 applications, 66
  applicants received letters from MPAS seeking a
 plan of
  correction - 89% of those who applied.
  A large number of municipalities have pledged to
 apply when the
  next grant period opens in early 2011.

  If the HAVA/PAVA program survives the President?
 proposed
 budget
  cuts, MPAS looks forward to continuing the
 partnership with the
  Secretary of State, ensuring
  all elections are accessible to all
 voters.  Additionally, MPAS
  encourages clerks to reach out to local
 disability groups for
  future trainings.  Listed
  below are additional recommendations moving
 forward.

  Summary/Recommendations:

  ?     Local clerks must be
 required to notify the Bureau of
  Elections prior to relocating polling places.

  ?     Accessibility checks
 should be completed when clerks
  change polling locations, to verify
 accessibility.  Reports
 (with
  photographs) should be submitted
  to the Bureau of Elections.

  ?     New polling locations
 must be required to adhere to the
  Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility
 Guidelines.

  ?     The advisory committee
 in charge of amending the State
  Plan (under HAVA) should re-convene and identify
 ways to hold
  clerks accountable and implement
  model oversight programs.

  ?     Access for All grant
 money should be available
 throughout
  the year, so accessibility problems can be
 addressed anytime
 they
  arise.

  ?     The Bureau of
 Elections and local clerks should continue
  working with disability advocacy organizations
 to complete
  year-round polling place accessibility
  audits and training to clerks.

  Accessibility Rate by County

  Table with 9 columns and 85 rows

  County

  Polling Locations

  Visited

  Accessible

  Barriers Discovered

  Percent Visited

  % Accessible of those Visited

  Now Complete

  % Now Accessible

  Alcona

  12

  12

  8

  4

  100%

  67%

  3

  92%

  Alger

  10

  10

  5

  5

  100%

  50%

  5

  100%

  Allegan

  37

  37

  35

  2

  100%

  95%

  1

  97%

  Alpena

  15

  15

  8

  7

  100%

  53%

  1

  60%

  Antrim

  15

  15

  9

  6

  100%

  60%

  2

  73%

  Arenac

  14

  14

  10

  4

  100%

  71%

  3

  93%

  Baraga

  8

  6

  1

  5

  75%

  17%

  1

  33%

  Barry

  23

  23

  18

  5

  100%

  78%

  1

  83%

  Bay

  49

  48

  36

  12

  98%

  75%

  1

  77%

  Benzie

  13

  13

  6

  7

  100%

  46%

  4

  77%

  Berrien

  57

  57

  43

  14

  100%

  75%

  8

  89%

  Branch

  18

  17

  9

  8

  94%

  53%

  6

  88%

  Calhoun

  46

  43

  34

  9

  93%

  79%

  3

  86%

  Cass

  19

  19

  12

  7

  100%

  63%

  6

  95%

  Charlevoix

  18

  16

  10

  6

  89%

  63%

  1

  69%

  Cheboygan

  20

  20

  14

  6

  100%

  70%

  5

  95%

  Chippewa

  19

  18

  13

  5

  95%

  72%

  4

  94%

  Clare

  19

  16

  13

  3

  84%

  81%

  2

  94%

  Clinton

  28

  26

  24

  2

  93%

  92%

  1

  96%

  Crawford

  7

  7

  6

  1

  100%

  86%

  0

  86%

  Delta

  21

  20

  11

  9

  95%

  55%

  1

  60%

  Dickinson

  15

  15

  6

  9

  100%

  40%

  5

  73%

  Eaton

  36

  36

  28

  8

  100%

  78%

  2

  83%

  Emmet

  19

  19

  12

  7

  100%

  63%

  5

  89%

  Genesee

  119

  109

  84

  25

  92%

  77%

  2

  79%

  Gladwin

  17

  17

  11

  6

  100%

  65%

  1

  71%

  Gogebic

  10

  10

  7

  3

  100%

  70%

  2

  90%

  Grand Traverse

  28

  27

  27

  0

  96%

  100%

  0

  100%

  Gratiot

  23

  23

  16

  7

  100%

  70%

  2

  78%

  Hillsdale

  21

  21

  12

  9

  100%

  57%

  3

  71%

  Houghton

  31

  22

  9

  13

  71%

  41%

  5

  64%

  Huron

  30

  29

  18

  11

  97%

  62%

  5

  79%

  Ingham

  95

  81

  78

  3

  85%

  96%

  0

  96%

  Ionia

  22

  22

  17

  5

  100%

  77%

  1

  82%

  Iosco

  15

  15

  14

  1

  100%

  93%

  1

  100%

  Iron

  12

  12

  6

  6

  100%

  50%

  2

  67%

  Isabella

  25

  25

  19

  6

  100%

  76%

  1

  80%

  Jackson

  47

  45

  34

  11

  96%

  76%

  2

  80%

  Kalamazoo

  97

  97

  79

  18

  100%

  81%

  7

  89%

  Kalkaska

  12

  12

  8

  4

  100%

  67%

  1

  75%

  Kent

  209

  207

  174

  33

  99%

  84%

  11

  89%

  Keweenaw

  5

  4

  4

  0

  80%

  100%

  0

  100%

  Lake

  15

  15

  8

  7

  100%

  53%

  2

  67%

  Lapeer

  24

  24

  20

  4

  100%

  83%

  2

  92%

  Leelanau

  13

  13

  8

  5

  100%

  62%

  1

  69%

  Lenawee

  30

  30

  23

  7

  100%

  77%

  4

  90%

  Livingston

  48

  45

  35

  10

  94%

  78%

  0

  78%

  Luce

  4

  4

  3

  1

  100%

  75%

  0

  75%

  Mackinac

  13

  10

  5

  5

  77%

  50%

  1

  60%

  Macomb

  235

  233

  188

  45

  99%

  81%

  17

  88%

  Manistee

  15

  15

  11

  4

  100%

  73%

  3

  93%

  Marquette

  29

  29

  16

  13

  100%

  55%

  1

  59%

  Mason

  23

  23

  15

  8

  100%

  65%

  3

  78%

  Mecosta

  22

  22

  18

  4

  100%

  82%

  1

  86%

  Menominee

  16

  14

  8

  6

  88%

  57%

  0

  57%

  Midland

  38

  29

  22

  7

  76%

  76%

  4

  90%

  Missaukee

  17

  17

  14

  3

  100%

  82%

  3

  100%

  Monroe

  42

  36

  27

  9

  86%

  75%

  5

  89%

  Montcalm

  26

  25

  21

  4

  96%

  84%

  2

  92%

  Montmorency

  9

  9

  7

  2

  100%

  78%

  1

  89%

  Muskegon

  72

  71

  68

  3

  99%

  96%

  2

  99%

  Newaygo

  28

  28

  22

  6

  100%

  79%

  3

  89%

  Oakland

  410

  380

  292

  88

  93%

  77%

  46

  89%

  Oceana

  18

  18

  12

  6

  100%

  67%

  0

  67%

  Ogemaw

  16

  16

  10

  6

  100%

  63%

  5

  94%

  Ontonagon

  14

  10

  3

  7

  71%

  30%

  0

  30%

  Osceola

  18

  18

  14

  4

  100%

  78%

  2

  89%

  Oscoda

  6

  6

  4

  2

  100%

  67%

  1

  83%

  Otsego

  10

  10

  7

  3

  100%

  70%

  2

  90%

  Ottawa

  88

  88

  79

  9

  100%

  90%

  5

  95%

  Presque Isle

  16

  16

  10

  6

  100%

  63%

  3

  81%

  Roscommon

  11

  11

  11

  0

  100%

  100%

  0

  100%

  Saginaw

  75

  75

  61

  14

  100%

  81%

  8

  92%

  Sanilac

  30

  30

  26

  4

  100%

  87%

  3

  97%

  Schoolcraft

  10

  10

  6

  4

  100%

  60%

  2

  80%

  Shiawassee

  27

  27

  17

  10

  100%

  63%

  3

  74%

  St.  Clair

  52

  48

  44

  4

  92%

  92%

  3

  98%

  St.  Joseph

  17

  17

  12

  5

  100%

  71%

  2

  82%

  Tuscola

  25

  24

  16

  8

  96%

  67%

  2

  75%

  Van Buren

  23

  22

  19

  3

  96%

  86%

  1

  91%

  Washtenaw

  106

  100

  70

  30

  94%

  70%

  0

  70%

  Wayne

  568

  519

  325

  194

  91%

  63%

  28

  68%

  Wexford

  20

  20

  14

  6

  100%

  70%

  1

  75%

  Total

  3635

  3457

  2579

  878

  95.10%

  74.60%

  289

  83%

  table end




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 ------------------------------

 Message: 4
 Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2011 15:01:14 -0400
 From: Katie Wang <bunnykatie6 at gmail.com
 To: National Association of Blind Students mailing
 list
        <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
 Subject: Re: [nabs-l] question about NLS WebBraille
 Message-ID:
       
 
<CA+6VNgMyPtC8awLRoQhU091dof4rjGOiFVS4bBx+gsDuOzYY5w at mail.gmail.c
om

 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

  Chris, there is no Download button on Web
 Braille.  Instead, when you
 are taken to the book itself, just press Space with s
 on your Braille
 Note and you will be prompted for where you would like
 to save the
 file and what you would like to name it.  NLS saves
 each braille volume
 of a book in a separate file, so you will have to do
 this multiple
 times if you are dealing with a book that is in more
 than one volume.
 I have been a Web Braille user for many years and find
 it a great
 resource, although I have come to rely on Bookshare
 more in the past
 few years for pleasure reading since it has a much
 larger, more
 current collection.
  Lea, I don't think you are doing anything wrong
 on your end-- It
 might be a NLS database issue.  I would suggest
 contacting your state
 NLS library again and see if they can get you
 some  sort of technical
 support contact info.  Someone from the central program
 that
 administers the Web Braille service might need to look
 into your
 situation.
  Hope this helps!
   Katie


 On 7/10/11, Lea williams <leanicole1988 at gmail.com
 wrote:
 I tried to sing up with this sight and when I log
 in it says my user
 name and password is wrong.  I have called and
 gotten it changed three
 times and it still says it.  wonder what I am
 doing wrong.

 On 7/9/11, Chris Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
 wrote:
 Hi all,

 I have a question for all you NLS Web Braille
 users! I recently
 registered for WebBraille, and am looking
 forward to all it has
 to offer.  But I do have this question:
 when I click on a link
 for a book, where can I find a link, button,
 or something where I
 can download the BRF file(s) onto my
 BrailleNote? I tried to
 download Walking Alone and Marching Together
 last night, and when
 I clicked on the link, it put me into the
 actual book to read
 online, but I wanted to download the book to
 read it in my
 BrailleNote's book reader at a later
 date.  How can I do this?
 Thanks!

 Chris

 "A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!"
 (Camp Abilities motto)

 The I C.A.N.  Foundation helps visually
 impaired youth in
 Maryland have the ability to confidently say
 "I can!" How? Click
 on this link to learn more and to
 contribute:
 www.icanfoundation.info or like us on
 Facebook at I C.A.N.
 Foundation.

 Sent from my BrailleNote


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 get your account info for
 nabs-l:

 
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/leanicole
1988%40gmail.com



 --
 Lea Williams

 Phone;
 704-732-4470
 Skipe;
 Lea.williams738
 Facebook
 http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100001775297080

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 nabs-l:

 
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 ------------------------------

 Message: 5
 Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2011 20:46:14 -0400
 From: <bookwormahb at earthlink.net
 To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing
 list"
        <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
 Subject: [nabs-l] accessible blog and journal sites
 Message-ID:
 <B4037C3F7D6A496095F21D0D96442BCF at OwnerPC
 Content-Type: text/plain;   
    charset="utf-8"

 Hi all,

 I?m interested in starting a blog or maybe more than
 one blog.
 So what accessible sites are there?  Do bloggers
 generally write first
 person stories, or about things they see that are more
 objective?
 Any of you have a blog?  How often do you update
 it?  Is it possible to
 upload photos to it to go along with your story? Or
 maybe you need sighted
 help to post photos?
 What about audio? What format do audio clips need to
 be in?
 Can you have more than one blog on the same site? Can
 you write as much as you want or is there a word
 limit?
 I enjoy writing and I?d like to share with friends and
 family.  I figured
 blogging would be a neat way to write stories about
 myself, life and my
 opinions on things like books, technology, and
 religion.

 What site can you write like a journal about
 yourself?


 Thanks.
 Ashley

 ------------------------------

 Message: 6
 Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2011 19:50:08 -0500
 From: Joshua Lester <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu
 To: National Association of Blind Students mailing
 list
        <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
 Subject: Re: [nabs-l] accessible blog and journal
 sites
 Message-ID:
        
<CAO83KOvcw3DpL1u2R9+g_RvWhXLH2gmZrbgwOouBK5VD3jm5RQ at mail.gmail.c
om

 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252

 Ashley:
 Why not start an accessible forum, online, for blind
 people?
 I've found an accessible one.
 V Bulletin, is quite accessible, with an audio
 captcha, (if they still have
 it.)
 To see 2 forums, from V Bulletin, here are some
 examples.
 www.apostolicfriendsforum.com, and
 www.goodnewscafe.net.
 Blessings, Joshua

 On 7/10/11, bookwormahb at earthlink.net
 <bookwormahb at earthlink.net
 wrote:
 Hi all,

 I?m interested in starting a blog or maybe more
 than one blog.
 So what accessible sites are there?  Do
 bloggers generally write first
 person stories, or about things they see that are
 more objective?
 Any of you have a blog?  How often do you
 update it?  Is it possible to
 upload photos to it to go along with your story?
 Or maybe you need
 sighted
 help to post photos?
 What about audio? What format do audio clips need
 to be in?
 Can you have more than one blog on the same site?
 Can
 you write as much as you want or is there a word
 limit?
 I enjoy writing and I?d like to share with
 friends and family.  I figured
 blogging would be a neat way to write stories
 about myself, life and my
 opinions on things like books, technology, and
 religion.

 What site can you write like a journal about
 yourself?


 Thanks.
 Ashley
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 ------------------------------

 Message: 7
 Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2011 21:42:30 -0400
 From: <bookwormahb at earthlink.net
 To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing
 list"
        <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
 Subject: Re: [nabs-l] accessible blog and journal
 sites
 Message-ID:
 <AF7D2C5148FE4AC39D1C45AA2B6941EB at OwnerPC
 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed;
 charset="Windows-1252";
        reply-type=original

 Joshua,
 What is a forum like? Isn't that for a group of people
 to discuss something
 common?
 Is that how a forum differs from a blog?
 This would be a good idea if  I had several
 people interested in a forum.
 I'll see about it.  I have a beep ball team and that
 was one of the things I
 wanted to blog about.  But yes if more people want to
 post online, I'd like
 the idea of a forum.  A blog would be more for my
 writings, if I do it.

 I'll check those links out and I'm glad to know they
 are accessible.

 Ashley

 -----Original Message-----
 From: Joshua Lester
 Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2011 8:50 PM
 To: National Association of Blind Students mailing
 list
 Subject: Re: [nabs-l] accessible blog and journal
 sites

 Ashley:
 Why not start an accessible forum, online, for blind
 people?
 I've found an accessible one.
 V Bulletin, is quite accessible, with an audio
 captcha, (if they still have
 it.)
 To see 2 forums, from V Bulletin, here are some
 examples.
 www.apostolicfriendsforum.com, and
 www.goodnewscafe.net.
 Blessings, Joshua

 On 7/10/11, bookwormahb at earthlink.net
 <bookwormahb at earthlink.net
 wrote:
 Hi all,

 I?m interested in starting a blog or maybe more
 than one blog.
 So what accessible sites are there?  Do
 bloggers generally write first
 person stories, or about things they see that are
 more objective?
 Any of you have a blog?  How often do you
 update it?  Is it possible to
 upload photos to it to go along with your story?
 Or maybe you need
 sighted
 help to post photos?
 What about audio? What format do audio clips need
 to be in?
 Can you have more than one blog on the same site?
 Can
 you write as much as you want or is there a word
 limit?
 I enjoy writing and I?d like to share with
 friends and family.  I figured
 blogging would be a neat way to write stories
 about myself, life and my
 opinions on things like books, technology, and
 religion.

 What site can you write like a journal about
 yourself?


 Thanks.
 Ashley
 _______________________________________________
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 nabs-l:

 
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 ------------------------------

 Message: 8
 Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2011 21:52:18 -0400
 From: Elizabeth <lizmohnke at hotmail.com
 To: <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
 Subject: [nabs-l] Thanks for the Help at National
 Convention
 Message-ID: <COL118-W1316868A320E5058F0232FBA450 at phx.gbl
 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"


 Hello All,

 I have done my best to thank everyone individually for
 the help they have
 provided me over the past week.  However, I thought I
 would also send out a
 general message to thank anyone I may have missed
 along the way.  My
 convention may not have gone the way I wanted it to
 go, but it was exactly
 what I needed for reasons I am not willing to share on
 such a public email
 list.

 Since the last time I checked the messages on this
 list was before
 convention, it is quite possible that someone may have
 already said what
 happened, or at least their version of the story.
 However, I have already
 shared my version of the story about a million times
 by now, so if you are
 curious as to what happened, you will just have to
 wait for another time.

 The bottom line is that I am going to be just fine.  I
 just wanted to show
 my appreciation to those who may have helped me along
 the way.


 Thanks,
 Elizabeth

 ------------------------------

 Message: 9
 Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2011 21:22:03 -0500
 From: Joshua Lester <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu
 To: National Association of Blind Students mailing
 list
        <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
 Subject: Re: [nabs-l] accessible blog and journal
 sites
 Message-ID:
       
 
<CAO83KOviXamrW81HF9NX+T4LZ7M9pU3mnTrmuGYO794JtGARSg at mail.gmail.c
om

 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252

 Yes.
 Are you familiar with the beap baseball?
 I just heard about it, on the DJD Invasion.
 Blessings, Joshua

 On 7/10/11, bookwormahb at earthlink.net
 <bookwormahb at earthlink.net
 wrote:
 Joshua,
 What is a forum like? Isn't that for a group of
 people to discuss
 something
 common?
 Is that how a forum differs from a blog?
 This would be a good idea if  I had several
 people interested in a forum.
 I'll see about it.  I have a beep ball team and
 that was one of the things
 I
 wanted to blog about.  But yes if more people want
 to post online, I'd
 like
 the idea of a forum.  A blog would be more for my
 writings, if I do it.

 I'll check those links out and I'm glad to know
 they are accessible.

 Ashley

 -----Original Message-----
 From: Joshua Lester
 Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2011 8:50 PM
 To: National Association of Blind Students
 mailing list
 Subject: Re: [nabs-l] accessible blog and journal
 sites

 Ashley:
 Why not start an accessible forum, online, for
 blind people?
 I've found an accessible one.
 V Bulletin, is quite accessible, with an audio
 captcha, (if they still
 have
 it.)
 To see 2 forums, from V Bulletin, here are some
 examples.
 www.apostolicfriendsforum.com, and
 www.goodnewscafe.net.
 Blessings, Joshua

 On 7/10/11, bookwormahb at earthlink.net
 <bookwormahb at earthlink.net
 wrote:
 Hi all,

 I?m interested in starting a blog or maybe
 more than one blog.
 So what accessible sites are there?  Do
 bloggers generally write first
 person stories, or about things they see that
 are more objective?
 Any of you have a blog?  How often do
 you update it?  Is it possible to
 upload photos to it to go along with your
 story? Or maybe you need
 sighted
 help to post photos?
 What about audio? What format do audio clips
 need to be in?
 Can you have more than one blog on the same
 site? Can
 you write as much as you want or is there a
 word limit?
 I enjoy writing and I?d like to share with
 friends and family.  I figured
 blogging would be a neat way to write stories
 about myself, life and my
 opinions on things like books, technology,
 and religion.

 What site can you write like a journal about
 yourself?


 Thanks.
 Ashley

 _______________________________________________
 nabs-l mailing list
 nabs-l at nfbnet.org
 http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
 To unsubscribe, change your list options or
 get your account info for
 nabs-l:

 
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62%40students.pccua.edu


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 nabs-l:

 
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 _______________________________________________
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 To unsubscribe, change your list options or get
 your account info for
 nabs-l:

 
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62%40students.pccua.edu




 ------------------------------

 Message: 10
 Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2011 04:50:20 +0000 (UTC)
 From: Amy Sabo <amylsabo at comcast.net
 To: "BLIND STUDENTS, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF" 
<NABS-L at NFBNET.ORG>,
        "OF BLIND STUDENTS,
 COLORADO ASSOCIATION" <CABS at NFBNET.ORG
 Subject: [nabs-l] aim problem
 Message-ID:
        <
 
1760385386.319978.1310359820794.JavaMail.root at sz0144a.emeryville.
ca.mail.comcast.net


 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

 hello all,

 i hope that you are all doing well.  i'm having
 problems with the latest
 version of aim.  i have tried tabbing to all of the
 features on it to change
 the settings on it but, jfw won't let me do that.  is
 there a way in where i
 can access aim with jfw? are there speciall scripts
 for jfw that i can use?

 thanks again and, i will talk to you all soon!


 hugs,
 amy

 ------------------------------

 Message: 11
 Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2011 23:35:34 -0700
 From: "Humberto Avila" <avila.bert.humberto2 at gmail.com
 To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing
 list'"
        <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
 Subject: Re: [nabs-l] aim problem
 Message-ID:
 <0FCAE1D24B6A42BD8B6BF6FDF4002DEE at HumbertoAvila
 Content-Type: text/plain;   
    charset="us-ascii"

 The last thing I heard about AOL Instant Messenger
 (AIM) was about 2 years
 ago on a podcast about JAWS and instant messaging (by
 the way, it was the
 FS
 cast).  Maybe they have updated the software and now it
 is inaccessible with
 JAWS? I don't know...but, what version of JAWS are you
 using? Which
 operating system? Which version of aim?
 Cheers,  Humberto

 -----Original Message-----
 From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org
 [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org]
 On
 Behalf
 Of Amy Sabo
 Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2011 9:50 PM
 To: BLIND STUDENTS, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF; OF BLIND
 STUDENTS, COLORADO
 ASSOCIATION
 Subject: [nabs-l] aim problem

 hello all,

 i hope that you are all doing well.  i'm having
 problems with the latest
 version of aim.  i have tried tabbing to all of the
 features on it to change
 the settings on it but, jfw won't let me do that.  is
 there a way in where i
 can access aim with jfw? are there speciall scripts
 for jfw that i can use?

 thanks again and, i will talk to you all soon!


 hugs,
 amy
 _______________________________________________
 nabs-l mailing list
 nabs-l at nfbnet.org
 http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
 To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your
 account info for
 nabs-l:

 
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/avila.ber
t.humberto2
 %40gmail.com




 ------------------------------

 Message: 12
 Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2011 07:50:05 -0500
 From: David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com
 To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org
 Subject: [nabs-l] iPal for sale
 Message-ID: <auto-000019992102 at mailfront3.g2host.com
 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii";
 format=flowed



Eye Pal for sale.  $1299
I can be contacted via email at mbrianwooten at gmail.com
Thanks,

Brian




 ------------------------------

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 nabs-l mailing list
 nabs-l at nfbnet.org
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 End of nabs-l Digest, Vol 57, Issue 13
 **************************************

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