[NABS-L] NABS Notes - October 2018

Melissa Carney carne23m at mtholyoke.edu
Mon Nov 5 06:07:11 UTC 2018


Hey NABSters,

 

I hope you all are enjoying the beautiful weather, discounted Halloween
candy, apple picking, and all of the activities that autumn has to offer.
Thanksgiving break is on the horizon; you're almost there! Midterm season
has officially passed, and it is now time to look ahead to the end of the
semester and course selections for the spring. Take a few seconds just to
breathe, decompress, and be proud of all you have accomplished. Feel free to
read about what NABS has been up to during the month of October. Please find
the link to our online version of the NABS notes below, followed by the
notes themselves. A copy of the NABS notes is also attached to this email
for your convenience. We continuously strive to update and improve the
format and content of our monthly bulletin, so your suggestions and
recommendations are much appreciated. What resources would you like us to
share? Are there specific topics that you would like us to cover? What
general feedback do you have? Don't hesitate to let us know. 

 

Happy fall!

 

http://nabslink.org/content/nabs-notes-october-2018

 


NABS Notes: October 2018  


 

In this issue, you will find:  

*         President's Note  

*         Washington Seminar Funding Application is Live!  

*         New Resource - NABS Phone Number  

*         Follow NABS on Instagram  

*         K-12 and Higher Ed Technology Survey  

*         2019 AAPD Summer Internship Program  

*         President Trump Signs Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act  

*         Math Usability Study  

*         Paid Accessibility Testing  

*         NABS Committee Updates  

*         NABS Facebook Group  


 


President's Note  


As the weather decreases and flu season approaches all too quickly, the fall
Convention time is coming and going with so many memories to cherish. The
NABS Board traveled across the country welcoming new students into our
family. During conventions, we focus on embracing new and young talent,
while praising and appreciating our current members. As we reflect on
leadership and commitment, I can't stress the importance of self care
enough. Whether that means taking a step back from priorities to focus on
yourself, or taking a night off to read a book, make you the priority for
once. All too often, we focus on others and neglect our needs. I encourage
you to find you time amidst our busy lives. Mental health is essential to
creating a happy and fruitful future, so, as Nike says, just do it!  

 


Washington Seminar Funding Application is Live!  


NABS, with the support of President Riccobono, is launching the third annual
Washington Seminar Funding Program! We need the student voice louder than
ever at the 2019 Washington Seminar! If classes are a concern, talk to your
professors beforehand. Tell them you will share your experience with the
class in the form of writing or as a presentation. I encourage you to do
whatever it takes to participate in this incredible opportunity. Your
leadership skills will stretch more than anything during these days spent in
DC! To apply for financial assistance, visit:  

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScy9KzkQGSNvmSBSSPdCobgPxtitBaR3NIa
x2zXhOWpv28OPA/viewform  

Applications close on Sunday, November 25! Don't wait until then to apply!  

 


New Resource - NABS Phone Number  


Our leadership wants to provide an outlet for students to voice concerns,
seek advice, and learn about resources you may otherwise not be familiar
with. With that, we launched our very own NABS phone number, where a NABS
leader is on call to speak with blind students across the country. Please
call 410-417-8360.  

 


Follow NABS on Instagram  


NABS has an Insta account now, so follow us @NABSLink!  

 


K-12 and Higher Ed Technology Survey  


The NFB is gathering information regarding the accessibility of educational
technology used in our nation's schools, kindergarten through graduate
level. If you are a student, parent, teacher, or administrator who uses
screen access software or other accommodations to participate non-visually
in educational programs or services, or if you are the parent, teacher, or
administrator of someone who does, please complete this survey once a
semester: https://nfb.org/edtechsurvey.  

 


2019 AAPD Summer Internship Program  


Deadline to Apply: November 5, 2018 by 5pm Eastern Time  

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is a convener,
connector, and catalyst for change, increasing the political and economic
power of people with disabilities.  

 

Since 2002, the AAPD Summer Internship Program has developed the next
generation of leaders with disabilities and offered host employers access to
a talented, diverse workforce. Each summer, AAPD places college students,
graduate students, law students, and recent graduates with all types of
disabilities in summer internships with Congressional offices, federal
agencies, non-profits, and for-profit organizations in the Washington, DC
area. Each intern is matched with a mentor who will assist them with their
career goals. AAPD provides the interns with a living stipend,
transportation to and from Washington, DC, and fully-accessible housing.  

 

At the beginning of the summer, interns participate in a 1-week orientation
session to learn about AAPD and the disability rights movement, meet the
other interns, and participate in a variety of engaging workshops and
events. As part of the AAPD network, interns also receive opportunities to
attend events on Capitol Hill, conferences, community events, briefings, and
more.  

 

Any undergraduate student, law student, graduate student, or recent graduate
from a US college or university who self-identifies as an individual with
any type of disability is invited to apply.  

 

Apply today:  

https://www.aapd.com/summer-internship-program/  

 


President Trump Signs Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act  


President Trump signed the Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act on October
10, 2018. The act makes modest changes to copyright law that will bring the
United States into compliance with the terms of the Marrakesh Treaty. The
United States House of Representatives passed the Marrakesh Treaty
Implementation Act (S. 2559) at the end of September and the Senate gave its
advice and consent to ratification of the treaty and passed the implementing
legislation on June 28.  

Upon passage by the House of Representatives Mark Riccobono said, "For
almost a decade now, the National Federation of the Blind, our partners, and
other advocates have worked to bring the Marrakesh Treaty into being and
into force. We are closer than ever to the day when blind Americans will
have greater access to the world's knowledge, in many of its original
languages, than we have ever had in human history."  

We now urge the State Department to deposit the instrument of ratification
with the World Intellectual Property Organization as soon as practicable.  

To learn more about the Marrakesh Treaty, please check out the following
blog post from Scott LaBar: https://nfb.org/blog/article/3737  

 


Math Usability Study  


McGraw-Hill Education has been working on accessibility for a math software
program called ALEKS and would like to gather feedback from college students
or recent college graduates regarding the usability of the program.
Specifically, McGraw-Hill is looking at the usability of its online graphing
tools.  

If you qualify for the study, here's what to expect.  

Time Commitment: 1 hour  

Date Options: November 12 through November 16, 2018  

Offered Hours: 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern Time  

Incentive: $100 Amazon gift card. The gift card will be emailed to you after
you complete the feedback session.  

If you are interested, please contact Stacie Dubnow at (410) 659-9314, Ext.
2442 or sdubnow at nfb.org <mailto:sdubnow at nfb.org%3cmailto:sdubnow at nfb.org>
<mailto:sdubnow at nfb.org and she will forward your contact information to
McGraw-Hill Education.  

 


Paid Accessibility Testing  


AnswerLab, a user experience research (UX) firm, is looking for blind and
visually impaired people to do paid in-person accessibility testing for
products like the Google suite, as well as popular websites. We are looking
for testers across the entire spectrum of visual impairment, ranging from
people who use only built-in Zoom on the computer, to those who are totally
blind.  

If you live in New York state (especially NYC), New Jersey, Connecticut,
Rhode Island, or Massachusetts and want to be considered for paid
accessibility testing, please fill out this quick survey at
https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4589757/Sign-Up-for-Answer-Lab-User-Testing-R
egistry and you will be contacted about specific studies later this year. We
will keep your contact information confidential. Once you sign up for the
database, you will be free to accept or decline invitations to participate
in future studies depending on your preferences.  

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Arielle at disabilitywisdom.com
<mailto:Arielle at disabilitywisdom.com> .  

 


NABS Committee Updates  


Get involved!  


*         Legislative Advocacy Committee  

When: third Sunday of the month | 8pm eastern  

Chair: Justin Salisbury (president at alumni.ecu.edu)  

We are launching our Student Advocate Program, as well as planning for
Washington Seminar festivities. We need your voice with us in DC, so reach
out and learn more!  

 

*         Fundraising Committee  

When: Second and fourth Sunday of the month | 8pm eastern  

Chair: Kathryn Webster (nabs.president at gmail.com
<mailto:nabs.president at gmail.com> )  

Get ready for Giving Tuesday! Share our Text-to-Give phone number far and
wide: anyone can text blindstudents to 855-202-2100 to donate! Help us help
you!  

 

*         Outreach Committee  

When: first Monday of the month | 9pm eastern  

Chair: Janae Burgmeier (Janae.burgmeier at gmail.com
<mailto:Janae.burgmeier at gmail.com> )  

Web Master: Dustin Cather (cather.dustin at gmail.com
<mailto:cather.dustin at gmail.com> )  

The outreach committee has been working to strengthen our pre-existing
projects and adding a few new ones as well. The outreach committee prepares
social media posts, blog entries, and NABS notes content. We will also be
releasing a podcast called NABS Now. October's theme was meet the blind
month. We heard from several speakers regarding how to get local communities
involved in Meet the Blind month activities, as well as what living the
lives they want means to them. To offer suggestions or get involved, please
contact the outreach chair, Janae Burgmeier.  

 


NABS Facebook Group  


Join our Facebook group by visiting:  

 <https://m.facebook.com/groups/173482726798026>
https://m.facebook.com/groups/173482726798026  

 

The National Association of blind Students  

A proud division of the National Federation of the Blind  

Nfbstudents.org  

(410) 417-8360  

 

 

Melissa Carney

Secretary | National Association of Blind Students

   A proud division of the National Federation of the Blind

(860) 391-9319

Carne23m at mtholyoke.edu

| 

www.nabslink.org <http://www.nabslink.org> 

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