[nfb-db] CSUN Re: Telecommunications Equipment for Deaf-Blind Persons

[Marsha Drenth]

Scott, 
When will you hear if you are presenting at CSUn? and if you do present, who will you present with from the NFB? 
Very curious I know...

Marsha drenth  
Sent with my IPhone 

On Oct 27, 2013, at 6:32 PM, Scott Davert <scottdavert at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Randy.
> It would seem there is not a lot of outreach going on from what I can
> tell. I have not done outreach for NFB or ACB, but have gone to a few
> places to promote it. I, of course, took an interpreter along, because
> I have the signing vocabulary of a 6 month old. I know that HKNC plans
> to send someone to the national AFB conference in Feb, and I submitted
> a proposal to CSUN to discuss deaf-blindness and some of the
> technology used. If accepted, I will be presenting this with a member
> of the NFB. It will, of course, make mention of the ICC program.
> 
> All the best,
> Scott
> 
> On 10/27/13, Marsha Drenth <marsha.drenth at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Randy,
>> Ok, just so the point is clear, anyone from the NFB who is promoting the ICC
>> program, is Deafblind. Of course there are other organizations promoting the
>> ICC program. And yes some DB persons are not signing DB folks. Of course
>> this by no means that they aren't DB.
>> 
>> 
>> Marsha drenth
>> Sent with my IPhone
>> 
>> On Oct 26, 2013, at 10:06 PM, "Randy Pope" <randy.pope at aadb.org> wrote:
>> 
>>> Marsha,
>>> 
>>> Sorry for overlooking the last part of your message.  I have received a
>>> few report that the people who are actually doing the promotion and
>>> education are not DeafBlind.  But here is the problem in determining if
>>> these report are true.  These people could be Deafblind but cannot sign.
>>> In the recent DSA conference, the person sitting in the ICC booth, was
>>> assuming hearing blind who did not know  how to sign.
>>> 
>>> There were a few other situation similar to this situation.  See where I’m
>>> coming from?
>>> 
>>> Randy
>>> 
>>> From: nfb-db [mailto:nfb-db-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Marsha
>>> Drenth
>>> Sent: Saturday, October 26, 2013 8:30 PM
>>> To: NFB Deaf-Blind Division Mailing List
>>> Subject: Re: [nfb-db] Telecommunications Equipment for Deaf-Blind Persons
>>> 
>>> Mr. Pope,
>>> I am not a part of the NFB DB board, but the NFB DB division has implement
>>> an outreach program to educate state affiliates on Deafblindness,
>>> resources, and the Icanconnect program. I do believe that all of those
>>> persons who are reaching out to the different states are db themselves. Is
>>> this what you mean?
>>> 
>>> Marsha drenth
>>> Sent with my IPhone
>>> 
>>> On Oct 26, 2013, at 8:21 PM, "Randy Pope" <randy.pope at aadb.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Question:  Are there any DeafBlind people assisting in the NDBEDP outreach
>>> program?
>>> 
>>> Randy
>>> 
>>> From: nfb-db [mailto:nfb-db-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of David
>>> Andrews
>>> Sent: Friday, October 25, 2013 9:16 PM
>>> To: nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org
>>> Subject: [nfb-db] Telecommunications Equipment for Deaf-Blind Persons
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I have been asked to distribute the following.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Dear David,
>>> 
>>> I have been charged with the outreach program for :I Can Connect" in 5
>>> states, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA,
>>> OKLAHOMA, WASHINGTON and WISCONSIN
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Changing what it means to be blind,
>>> Marcus Simmons, President,
>>> Wayne County chapter NFBMI
>>> 28179 Brentwood
>>> Southfield, MI 48076-3069
>>> president at map-n.org
>>> (248) 552-8928
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> NDBEDP.pdf
>>> Consumer Guide
>>> 9
>>> National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program
>>> Background
>>> The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of
>>> 2010 (CVAA) authorizes the
>>> Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide funding for local
>>> programs to distribute
>>> equipment to low-income individuals who are “deaf-blind” (see definition
>>> below.) The FCC may use up
>>> to $10 million annually from the interstate Telecommunications Relay
>>> Service fund for this purpose.
>>> Pilot Program
>>> In 2011, the FCC established the National Deaf-Blind Equipment
>>> Distribution Program (NDBEDP) as a
>>> pilot program. The pilot program has been in effect since July 1, 2012,
>>> and the FCC may extend the
>>> program another year. The pilot program provides valuable information that
>>> the FCC will use to help
>>> develop and implement an effective and efficient permanent deaf-blind
>>> equipment distribution program.
>>> How does the pilot program operate?
>>> The FCC selected and certified one entity in each of the 50 states, plus
>>> the District of Columbia, Puerto
>>> Rico, and the Virgin Islands, to receive FCC support to distribute
>>> equipment to low-income individuals
>>> who are deaf-blind. The FCC allocated a minimum of $50,000 to each of the
>>> 53 certified programs,
>>> plus additional funding based on the size of each state's population. As a
>>> result, states with large
>>> populations were allocated larger amounts of funding than states with
>>> small populations.
>>> The FCC also set aside $500,000 each year for the Perkins School for the
>>> Blind to coordinate outreach
>>> to promote this new equipment distribution program nationwide.
>>> Who is eligible to receive equipment?
>>> Under the CVAA, only low-income individuals who are deaf-blind are
>>> eligible to receive equipment.
>>> Applicants must provide verification of their status as low-income and
>>> deaf-blind.
>>> The CVAA requires that the term "deaf-blind" has the same meaning given in
>>> the Helen Keller National
>>> Center Act. In general, the individual must have a certain vision loss and
>>> a hearing loss that,
>>> combined, cause extreme difficulty in attaining independence in daily life
>>> activities, achieving
>>> psychosocial adjustment, or obtaining a vocation (working).
>>> The FCC defines "low income" to mean not more than 400% of the Federal
>>> Poverty Guidelines, as
>>> indicated in the following chart:
>>> 
>>> table with 4 columns and 11 rows
>>> 2013 Federal Poverty Guidelines
>>> Number of persons in family/household
>>> 400% for everywhere, except Alaska and Hawaii
>>> 400% for Alaska
>>> 400% for Hawaii
>>> 1
>>> $45,960
>>> $57,400
>>> $52,920
>>> 2
>>> 62,040
>>> 77,520
>>> 71,400
>>> 3
>>> 78,120
>>> 97,640
>>> 89,880
>>> 4
>>> 94,200
>>> 117,760
>>> 108,360
>>> 5
>>> 110,280
>>> 137,880
>>> 126,840
>>> 6
>>> 126,360
>>> 158,000
>>> 145,320
>>> 7
>>> 142,440
>>> 178,120
>>> 163,800
>>> 8
>>> 158,520
>>> 198,240
>>> 182,280
>>> For each additional person, add
>>> $16,080
>>> $20,120
>>> $18,480
>>> table end
>>> 
>>> Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
>>> (aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/13poverty.cfm)
>>> What kind of equipment can be distributed?
>>> The equipment distributed must be designed to make telecommunications
>>> (such as wireline and
>>> wireless telephone communication), advanced communications (such as
>>> Internet-based voice
>>> communication, e-mail, instant messaging and interoperable video
>>> conferencing services), and access
>>> to the Internet (including information services) accessible. The equipment
>>> distributed may be
>>> hardware, software or applications, separate or in combination, mainstream
>>> or specialized. The
>>> equipment must meet the needs of the deaf-blind individual to achieve
>>> access. Certified programs may
>>> also provide equipment warranties, maintenance, and repairs for such
>>> equipment depending on
>>> available funding.
>>> Besides distributing equipment, what will the NDBEDP certified programs
>>> do?
>>> Certified programs will inform their communities about this new program to
>>> distribute equipment to low-
>>> income residents in their states who are deaf-blind. They will verify that
>>> applicants are eligible to
>>> receive equipment. They will assess each applicant's communications
>>> equipment needs to select
>>> appropriate equipment to meet those needs. They may also help install and
>>> provide training for the
>>> equipment distributed.
>>> How do I find the certified program that serves my state?
>>> Information about how to find the NDBEDP certified program in your state
>>> is available during the on the
>>> FCC website at
>>> www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/national-deaf-blind-equipment-distribution-program
>>> ,
>>> by calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC
>>> (1-888-835-5322) TTY, or by
>>> sending an email to
>>> dro at fcc.gov.
>>> How can I help the NDBEDP be successful?
>>> list of 4 items
>>> Tell people about the program.
>>> Tell the FCC how the NDBEDP helped you or someone you know.
>>> Tell the FCC how the program can be improved.
>>> Tell the FCC about new types of technologies that should be included for
>>> distribution.
>>> list end
>>> You may also file an informal complaint with the FCC if you think someone
>>> has violated the NDBEDP
>>> rules. Informal complaints may be filed by calling 1-888-CALL-FCC
>>> (1-888-225-5322) voice or
>>> 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY; faxing 1-866-418-0232, or by writing
>>> to:
>>> Federal Communications Commission
>>> Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau
>>> Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
>>> 445 12th Street, S.W.
>>> Washington, DC 20554
>>> For More Information
>>> For inf
>>> ormation about other communications issues, visit the FCC’s Consumer
>>> website at
>>> www.fcc.gov/consumer-governmental-affairs-bureau,
>>> or contact the FCC’s Consumer Center by
>>> calling 1-888-CALL-FCC voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC TTY; faxing 1-866-418-0232;
>>> or writing to the
>>> address listed above.
>>> ###
>>> For this or any other consumer publication in an accessible format
>>> (electronic ASCII text, Braille, large print
>>> or audio), please write or call us at the address or phone number below,
>>> or send an email to
>>> FCC504 at fcc.gov.
>>> This document is for consumer education purposes only and is not intended
>>> to affect any proceedings or
>>> cases involving this subject matter or related issues.
>>> Last Reviewed 5/2/13
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