[nfb-db] Fwd: Your Support for Assistive Technology

[Randall Pope]

Thank you, David for allow this posting to go through.

 

Randy Pope who is deaf-blind

 

 

  _____  

From: nfb-db-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-db-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of David Andrews
Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 5:37 AM
To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nfb-db] Fwd: Your Support for Assistive Technology

 





Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:17:18 -0800
From: Haben Girma <habnkid at aol.com>
To: David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>
Subject: Your Support for Assistive Technology

David, would you forward this to the lists please? 

On June 30, 2010, the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and
the Internet made an important and commendable move to advance the 21st
Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (H.R. 3101) a step ahead.
The bill is aimed at making Internet, telephone and other types of
communication accessible to people with disabilities. We are grateful to the
House for this on behalf of Americans who struggle everyday to participate
in American society because of their disabilities. But we are extremely
disappointed that the voices of America's un-served and small population of
persons with deaf-blindness were ignored by the House when Section 105B of
H.R. 3101 was removed.
If Congress wants to ensure equal access to 21st century communications for
all Americans, then Section 105(B) should be restored because without
funding for technology development, training, and distribution, Americans
who are deaf-blind will simply have to be left behind and further isolated.
Equal access to communications technology cannot happen without access to
special equipment for people who are deaf-blind. But the technology they use
is extremely expensive, and because they cannot afford it the assistive
technology industry decided to ignore them, while the rest of Americans
benefit from better and more advanced communication technologies they can
afford that enable them to participate in the workplace and nearly all other
aspects of American life. Many of the same technologies may also benefit
visually impaired and blind Americans, in particular older Americans and
blinded veterans who served our nation -- it is a great way to reward our
visually impaired and blind service members. That is why we need Section
105(B) restored -- we want to include, not exclude, deaf-blind Americans in
H.R. 3101 so that the quality of life for all Americans improves and
deaf-blind people live independent and productive lives and contribute to
American society. But all Americans, including members of Congress, will
benefit from better communication with their friends, colleagues, and fellow
Americans who are deaf-blind.

Please follow this link to sign an online petition that will send letters to
your congressional representatives.
http://www.petition2congress.com/2/3378/lend-your-voice-to-support-americas-
forgotten-community/ 

Thank you!

DeafBlind Young Adults in Action
American Association of the DeafBlind


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                          David Andrews:  dandrews at visi.com
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