<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> NFBNet-Members-List [mailto:nfbnet-members-list-bounces@nfbnet.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Blake, Lou Ann via NFBNet-Members-List<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, October 04, 2017 7:10 PM<br><b>To:</b> nfbnet-members-list@nfbnet.org<br><b>Subject:</b> [Nfbnet-members-list] Research participant solicitation post<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'> <br>Dear List Members:<br> <br>The below research participant solicitation is being provided for informational purposes only. The National Federation of the Blind has no involvement in this research, but we believe that it may contribute to our research mission.<br> <br>Research Participant Solicitation:<br>Are you a company executive experienced in hiring and employing individuals who are blind? Are you a VR professional experienced in offering job skills training to individuals who are blind? Are you an expert user of smartphone apps designed for individuals who are blind? If your response to any of these questions is ‘YES’, we invite you to a study on enhancing the employability of individuals who are blind.<br> <br>In this study, a blind person is someone who relies predominantly on non-visual senses to perceive and understand his/her environment. Smartphones along with their built-in cameras, screen-reader software, and non-visual apps (e.g. KNFB Reader, Seeing AI, TapTapSee, etc.) comprise a mobile assistive technology (MAT) bundle for blind users. MAT is hailed as an ‘eye for the blind’ since it affords sensing and understanding the environment non-visually like never before.<br> <br>The researchers conducting this study are Dr. Don Heath of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and Dr. Rakesh Babu of the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. They are interested in understanding how MAT might enhance the workplace capabilities, functional independence and employability of blind people. Specifically, they are investigating how employers might recognize the workplace potential of MAT-enabled blind workers for jobs within their firm. They need help from domain experts like you in this investigation.<br> <br>The study will employ three panels of domain experts – employers, VR professionals and expert blind smartphone users. It will proceed in three phases. In the first phase, each panel will be presented a catalogue of smartphone apps designed for blind users, and requested to describe the categories of capabilities these afford to blind users at the workplace. In the second phase, the panel will rank order the list of categories based on their relative significance to blind workers. In the third phase, the panel will vote to establish consensus on a final rank order for the list. The results of this study will be shared with participants after the study is over. Any publication or presentation resulting from this study will acknowledge the contribution of participants should they agree to be identified. Otherwise, their participation will remain anonymous. In any case, the contribution of participants is extremely valuable for this research. It will help the development of an evidence-based MAT-enabled job skills certification protocol for individuals who are blind.<br> <br>The entire study will span across 14 weeks. As a part of this study, each participant will complete 7 activities. Each activity is expected to take 35 minutes on an average. Each participant will work on an activity independently, at a time of his/her convenience during a 1 - 2 week window. None of the activities requires any travel, conference calls, or direct interaction with other participants. Participation will take place entirely via email communication between the participant and the research team.<br> <br>We do not anticipate any risk to participants in this study. All information collected will be used for the research, and will be kept confidential. Furthermore, participation is strictly voluntary and a participant may withdraw at any time without penalty. For additional information regarding this study, please send your queries to <a href="mailto:heathd@uwosh.edu">heathd@uwosh.edu</a> with the subject line “IRB 972730”. For any concern regarding treatment as a research participant, please contact the Chair, Institutional Review Board for Protection of Human Participants c/o Office of Grants and Faculty Development UW Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI 54901 (920) 424-3215. Although the chairperson may ask your name, all complaints are kept confidential.<br> <br>You may express your interest to participate by responding to a brief questionnaire about your background. The link to that questionnaire is included below. Completing that survey would mean you have read the above description of the study, and that you understand your participation is strictly voluntary. Please remember to provide the email you wish to be used during the study. The questionnaire may be accessed by activating the following link:<br><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/delphistudypanelists/">https://sites.google.com/site/delphistudypanelists/</a> <br> <br>Thank you for your consideration. Once we receive your response to the questionnaire, we will get in touch with you for further guidance. <br> <br>Thanks and regards,<br>Rakesh Babu (Ph.D.)<br>UWM School of Information Studies<br>Northwest Quad-Bldg. B, Rm 3488<br>2025 E Newport Ave,<br>Milwaukee, WI 53211<br>Tel: 414-229-4707<br>Fax: 414-229-6699<br>Email: <a href="mailto:babu@uwm.edu">babu@uwm.edu</a><br> <br> <br> <br>Lou Ann Blake, J.D.<br>Deputy Executive Director, Jernigan Institute<br>200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230<br>(410) 659-9314, extension 2221| <a href="mailto:lblake@nfb.org">lblake@nfb.org</a> <br> <br> <br><a href="https://nfb.org/"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=212 height=75 id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20171004200825.01fb33a8@visi.com.4" alt="National Federation of the Blind"></span></a><br> <br> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=24 height=24 id="_x0000_i1026" src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20171004200825.01fb33a8@visi.com.5" alt=Facebook></span></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=24 height=24 id="_x0000_i1027" src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20171004200825.01fb33a8@visi.com.6" alt=Twitter></span></a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=24 height=24 id="_x0000_i1028" src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20171004200825.01fb33a8@visi.com.7" alt=Youtube></span></a><br> <br>The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want. <br> <br> <br><br><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>