[Nfb-krafters-korner] OT equipment

[Becky Frankeberger]

Public Service Announcement Highlights Program Providing Communication Tools
for People with Hearing and Vision Loss 


November 15, 2013 03:16 PM Eastern Time  

WATERTOWN, Mass.--(EON: Enhanced Online News <http://eon.businesswire.com/>
)--This holiday season, millions of Americans will learn about a successful
federal program that offers no cost communications technology to people with
combined vision and hearing loss. Television stations across the country
will soon begin airing a new animated public service announcement
highlighting the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program
<http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fcc.gov
%2Fencyclopedia%2Fnational-deaf-blind-equipment-distribution-program&esheet=
50752361&newsitemid=20131115005859&lan=en-US&anchor=National+Deaf-Blind+Equi
pment+Distribution+Program&index=1&md5=1ec492208423cfbf54ca8b4267e9f8bb> ,
which is promoted as iCanConnect
<http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icancon
nect.org&esheet=50752361&newsitemid=20131115005859&lan=en-US&anchor=iCanConn
ect&index=2&md5=ac04a65a9d20e9e26dcd6c5e83477b47> . 

"Whether it's a grandparent who has lost vision and hearing due to
age-related conditions or a young person born deaf-blind, iCanConnect is
transforming lives"

Now in its second year, this Federal Communications Commission
<http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fcc.gov
%2F&esheet=50752361&newsitemid=20131115005859&lan=en-US&anchor=Federal+Commu
nications+Commission&index=3&md5=a0714057815790bc899cfc9127087771>  (FCC)
program has already changed the lives of more than one thousand people who
were unable to use modern technology to stay connected with their community
or access information on the Internet. Approximately a million Americans
live with significant, hearing and vision loss-many of these people are not
aware they could be classified as deaf-blind. 

The television spot shows how people with combined vision and hearing loss
can use technology to access everything from school assignments to social
media to a grandchild's dance recital. 

"Whether it's a grandparent who has lost vision and hearing due to
age-related conditions or a young person born deaf-blind, iCanConnect is
transforming lives," explains Steven M. Rothstein, president of Perkins
<http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.perkins
.org%2F&esheet=50752361&newsitemid=20131115005859&lan=en-US&anchor=Perkins&i
ndex=4&md5=2a1cfeb14640875f102e20ecb60f8c89> , which is working with dozens
of partners across the country. "Especially at this time of year, when
families are giving thanks, it's important to recognize how access to
technology can mean the difference between isolation and independence,
between segregation and participation." 

iCanConnect offers hundreds of pieces of equipment such as computers
equipped with screen reading software and iPhones attached to braille
displays and simple phone amplifiers. iCanConnect trainers meet one-on-one
with each client to determine what equipment will best suit their needs and
also to offer expert instruction on how to use the devices. The assessment,
training and technology are all offered at no cost to qualified individuals
who meet income guidelines. 

The new iCanConnect Public Service Announcement was created by Fablevision
<http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fablevi
sion.com%2F&esheet=50752361&newsitemid=20131115005859&lan=en-US&anchor=Fable
vision&index=5&md5=bfa011333c4d29046eb10da1ba9be3e0>  in Boston, MA, and was
closed captioned by the Media Access Group at WGBH
<http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmain.wgbh.o
rg%2Fwgbh%2Fpages%2Fmag%2Fservices%2Fcaptioning%2F&esheet=50752361&newsitemi
d=20131115005859&lan=en-US&anchor=Media+Access+Group+at+WGBH&index=6&md5=ddd
319c63a15d81544b2688f2ee50ead>  in Los Angeles and Boston. You can view the
spot here: http://www.icanconnect.org/news/new-icanconnect-promo-videos
<http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icancon
nect.org%2Fnews%2Fnew-icanconnect-promo-videos&esheet=50752361&newsitemid=20
131115005859&lan=en-US&anchor=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icanconnect.org%2Fnews%2Fnew-
icanconnect-promo-videos&index=7&md5=2d96334986f775cb67b3382038215f51> . 

iCanConnect is available in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto
Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at www.iCanConnect.org
<http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iCanCon
nect.org&esheet=50752361&newsitemid=20131115005859&lan=en-US&anchor=www.iCan
Connect.org&index=8&md5=cb473bad57863c8089cc9740f2002773> . The website
accommodates users with low vision, people who use screen readers and
features video that is both audio-described and closed captioned.
Information about iCanConnect is also available by calling 1-800-825-4595 |
TTY 1-888-320-2656. 

Contacts 

Media Contact:
Ellis Strategies, Inc.
Matt Ellis, 617-278-6560
matt at ellisstrategies.com