[Nfb-dc] Fwd: [Nfbnet-members-list] Technology, Education and Accessibility in College and Higher Education Act

[NFB-DC Affiliate]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "McLarney, Lauren" <LMcLarney at nfb.org>
Date: Fri, 15 Nov 2013 14:09:20 -0600
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] Technology, Education and Accessibility
in College and Higher  Education Act
To: nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org

Dear Fellow Federationists,

I am proud to say that today after ten months of
anticipation; Congressman Tom Petri introduced
the Technology, Education and Accessibility in
College and Higher Education Act (HR 3505)! The
TEACH Act creates long-overdue accessibility
guidelines for electronic instructional materials
and related information technologies used by institutions of higher education.

The law currently prohibits the use of
inaccessible technology in the classroom because
it is a form of discrimination that leaves blind
students behind, and yet the overwhelming
majority of digital instructional material is
unusable by blind students. The guidelines
created by the TEACH Act will give direction for
manufacturers of educational technology to
increase commercial availability of accessible
materials, a prescription for institutions of
higher education for how to best serve their
disabled students and meet their legal
obligations, and a promise that all students,
disabled or not, will have equal access to
high-quality education in the twenty-first century classroom.

Blind people have been waiting for at least five
years (much more, in reality) to see something
done about the needless burdens blind college
students face because of inaccessible technology.
With the introduction of the TEACH Act, we are
done waiting for the process of change to start.

The creation of the TEACH Act was the result of a
collaboration between the National Federation of
the Blind and the Association of American
Publishers. The introduction of the TEACH Act is
the result of many months of networking and
nuanced language tangling. However, the passage
of the TEACH Act will solely be the result of the
passion and power of the NFB. I have heard from
so many of you about how personal this issue is,
and I am always, always, always impressed at how
willing and excited you all are to get going. Now
we can finally stop chomping at the bit and get
started! The advocacy for this bill will start
with targeted meetings with Republicans on the
Education and Workforce Committee. The
legislative directors in the applicable states
have already begun planning pre-Washington
Seminar conference calls. I urge the rest of you
to reach out to your members of Congress today,
bringing this to their attention while it is
still a brand new bill, giving them background
for your upcoming Washington Seminar meetings,
and even urging them to co-sponsor now.  Please
be advised that this is a delicate political
climate – all co-sponsors are welcome, but we
want this bill to be as bi-partisan as possible.

The text of the bill and an updated fact sheet
are attached. If you have any questions, give me
a ring at the National Center at 410.659.9314
ext. 2207 or email me at lmclarney at nfb.org. I'm
looking forward to working with everyone to make this thing move!

Lauren

Lauren McLarney
Government Affairs Specialist
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
200 East Wells St.
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 659 9314 ext. 2207
<mailto:lmclarney at nfb.org>lmclarney at nfb.org





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