[nabs-l] {Disarmed} Fwd: I'm a blind student, and I need your help

[Mikayla Gephart]

Hi,
	You might have already seen this pitition, but I thought it was very interesting.

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

> From: magephart at comcast.net
> Date: February 16, 2014, 5:05:09 PM EST
> To: Mikayla Gephart <mikgephart at icloud.com>
> Subject: Fwd: I'm a blind student, and I need your help
> 
> Check this out
> Mom
> 
> From: JFERNRN at aol.com
> To: acwarwick374 at yahoo.com
> Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2014 3:01:03 PM
> Subject: I'm a blind student, and I need your help
> 
> I know I recently sent a plea for Alex but this one also matters, particularly since college is next year.  I've forwarded it intact.  And no, you don't have to live in the US to count.  Please help.  Thanks.  L, J
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> I'm blind and had to switch colleges because I couldn't access class materials. Sign my petition asking Congress to pass the TEACH Act so disabled students can have equal access in the classroom.
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> Sign Jamie's Petition
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> Susan -
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> As a blind high schooler, I couldn't just apply to my top colleges -- I had to make sure that classes were going to be made accessible for me, and I was excited to attend Florida State University because they had a great program for training teachers of the blind. 
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> But when I started classes at FSU, I quickly found out that the school didn't have the accessible tools I needed to learn and complete all my work. My online classes weren't compatible with my screen reader and I couldn't access materials in any of my math or biology classes. I struggled for three years, and eventually decided to change schools.
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> I sued FSU for failing to meet state and federal disability laws, but I don't want other blind students like me to experience what I had to go through. I started a petition on Change.org asking Congress to pass the TEACH Act to make sure that all students with disabilities have equal access to learning. Click here to sign my petition.
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> When I approached the administration at FSU about the inaccessible materials, they suggested I try an “easier” major instead of trying to help me and other students with disabilities. I felt like the school was punishing me instead of trying to help me learn. 
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> That's why I believe in the TEACH Act. While federal laws require colleges to only deploy accessible materials, they were written before technology became part of the classroom, so schools like FSU have no direction for how the laws apply to students like me. The TEACH Act creates much-needed guidelines illustrating how schools can provide instructional technology that is usable for students with disabilities.
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> I believe that public support of the TEACH Act through my petition will show members of Congress that constituents around the country believe there is an urgent need for this. But they won't do it without you. 
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> Sign my petition demanding that Congress pass the TEACH Act, creating guidelines for schools to protect equal access in the classroom for blind students.
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> Thank you for your support. 
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> Jamie Principado
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> Sign Jamie's Petition
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> This email was sent by Change.org to sguil4d at gmail.com. You can edit your email preferences or unsubscribe from Change.org emails.
> 
> Start a petition on Change.org
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> Mailing Address: 216 West 104th Street, Suite #130 · New York, NY 10025 · USA
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