[nfb-talk] Responce to NFB 2010 Resolutions:
ckrugman at sbcglobal.net
ckrugman at sbcglobal.net
Sat Dec 4 08:08:01 UTC 2010
Who or what was the responder to this resolution. There appears to be a
credibility problem here.
Chuck
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kenneth Chrane" <kenneth.chrane at verizon.net>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: <officeofthepresident at nfb.org>
Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2010 6:40 AM
Subject: [nfb-talk] Responce to NFB 2010 Resolutions:
> Hi This is Ken Chrane.
> This is a Responce to our 2010 NFB Resolutions from an ambassitor of The
> Republic of Illinois.
> Ken Chrane
> In the document below, you are dealing with a dead defacto corporation.
> Defacto WILL be a thing of the past very soon. We are dejure, we have
> reinhabited our states/Republics original organic Constitution and are the
> law of the land now. We are recognized by over 94 nations, and the
> Corporation is over. The time will come when the issues below are
> addressed. With all due respect, securing our freedom is first, and done
> by re-inhabiting dejure grand juries throughout every county in these
> United States to handle such issues below. This is the bottom up. The
> people determining the outcome of their respective citites, counties, and
> state government.
>
> Have YOU helped establish a dejure grand jury in the county that you
> reside? That is where all this begins. Taking care of people in YOUR
> area. You can write all the whereas es as you choose, but you need to
> narrow this down to reality. Most of the groups you mentioned below will
> be history. Dept of motor vehicles...gone, dept of education - a bloated
> indoctrination controlling mechanism to dumb down our children -- gone,
> individuals mentioned below--in prison likely. The resolution below is
> an example of more over-loaded and bloated bureaucratic nonsense.
> Government intervention into the lives of every individual to secure a
> small minorities demands is a foolish endeavor. Why would you want the
> government to come in to monitor every aspect of every handicapped persons
> life? Demanding more oversight, thus hindering procurement of contracts,
> hindering companies by demanding they bow and serve needs of one group?
> This is another example of the typical entitlement mentality and bullying
> that has destroyed the fabric of our nation, and forcing companies out of
> the country. And with that statement you need to understand that we do
> care about all Americans, including the blind, however, enough is enough.
> But demanding more over-bloated bureaucracy will only continue the
> frustration of groups such as yours. And I have experience working with
> EEOC and the Americans with Disabilities Acts, and I know just how
> worthless they are and why real handicapped are not protected. Everything
> defacto has failed and it is time to take it to the people.
>
> As I said, I do respect efforts to protect the blind as well as others
> who are "truly" handicapped, but it is NOT going to get done in the manner
> below.
> Instead of disseminating defacto terminology, get educated. Become a
> part of the re-inhabited government in YOUR area, and YOU can help
> determine how YOUR county handles such issues. And be advised, you will
> NOT determine how ANYTHING in any other state/republic handles such issues
> within their respective dejure Republics. Each state is its own nation,
> and the Federal dictating to states ends. You worry about YOUR state, and
> I will worry about mine. All will be good, but initiating another
> resolution full of demands with lots of defacto terminology as below, is
> over. Common law rules the land. Study common law then rewrite the
> document below according to common law and organic Constitutional
> guidelines and the county settlement document within your County. That
> is where you must start. Once you have rewritten the document below, by
> all means send it to me and I will forward it to the correct person to
> bring it forth for discussion to county juries in IL. Remember, it must
> be within common law guidelines.
>
> Contact me if you reside in Illinois. Otherwise you should work within
> your own state.
> Go to the national site where you may have found my address and download
> the onboarding package and go from there.
> If you are in IL you are welcome to contact me back to find out how to
> become a dejure juror and address the issue of the blind in IL.
> Since you have the zeal to help the blind, becoming a dejure grand juror
> will be the the best way.
> Dejure is the remedy for all lawful issues and protecting all of our
> peoples.
>
> Warm Regards,
> Illinois Ambassador
>
> On 11/23/2010 9:42 PM, Kenneth Chrane wrote:
> Resolution 2010-01
>
> Regarding the Creation of a New Educational Model for Blind Students
>
> WHEREAS, literacy rates among blind children remain unacceptably low as
> demonstrated by statistics showing that only 10 percent of today's blind
> students under age twenty-two are being taught to read Braille, resulting
> in an unacceptably low (45 percent) high-school graduation rate for blind
> students; and
>
> WHEREAS, approximately 70 percent of blind people nationwide are not
> employed, but of those blind people who are employed, 85 percent or more
> use Braille in the workplace, demonstrating a clear relationship among
> literacy, confidence, and success; and
>
> WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind has been the leader in
> encouraging legislative reform, but, despite the improvement that gives
> Braille a stated priority in the delivery of educational services to a
> blind child, school administrators and the lawyers who represent them
> continue to find ways to avoid their responsibility to provide appropriate
> Braille literacy educational services, and the results of that legal
> process more often than not yield ineffective and inadequate remedies; and
>
> WHEREAS, even in those infrequent cases in which a parent or advocate is
> successful in obtaining improved services for a blind child, the due
> process hearing does not improve educational services generally because
> the remedies, however beneficial, are limited to that child; and
>
> WHEREAS, too many parents of blind children remain frustrated with the
> ineffective remedies provided under the Individuals with Disabilities
> Education Act (IDEA) because, even if they file for a due process hearing,
> the due process hearing officer, following judicial precedent, finds that
> a blind child is receiving a free and appropriate public education (FAPE),
> even when "minimal educational benefit" results from the educational
> services to the blind child; and
>
> WHEREAS, even with the presumption that Braille will be included in a
> child's individualized education program (IEP) as required in current
> federal and most state laws, if a child is taught Braille, it often occurs
> after the child has no remaining vision or at best insufficient vision to
> read print, resulting in the child's learning to read in the upper grades
> or later when the opportunity to establish real literacy skills is
> diminished or altogether past; and
>
> WHEREAS, assessments performed by well-meaning but ill-informed
> professionals demonstrate that a child has enough vision to read print but
> do not take into consideration a diagnosis that inevitably portends the
> inability to read print, and reports from around the country indicate that
> blind children are still not getting their books on time despite the clear
> requirement in federal and state law that books be provided on time; and
>
> WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind convened a meeting of
> parents of blind children, lawyers, educators and teachers of blind
> children, elected leaders of the blind, and other blindness professionals
> for the purpose of discussing innovative and effective ways to improve the
> delivery of educational services, including the teaching of Braille; and
>
> WHEREAS, the Braille Readers are Leaders initiative, established by the
> National Federation of the Blind in July 2008, has a primary goal of
> ensuring that the number of blind students able to read Braille will
> double by 2015; and
>
> WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind is the leading force in the
> field of blindness, possesses the collective experience of thousands of
> blind people (an accumulated body of knowledge about blindness education).
> and has an unwavering will to improve educational opportunities for all
> blind students: Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization pursue innovative and nontraditional models for
> teaching literacy and other blindness skills, including the investigation
> and establishment of a charter school for blind children and any other
> model at the discretion of the president and that the resources of this
> organization be used to establish models that will demonstrate the success
> achieved by high expectations and the philosophy of the National
> Federation of the Blind; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge teachers of blind
> students, state special education agencies, organizations of and for the
> blind, and others responsible for the education of blind children to take
> all other steps necessary to join the National Federation of the Blind in
> ensuring that the number of blind students who are able to read and write
> Braille competently doubles by 2015.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-02
>
> Regarding the Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010
>
> WHEREAS, on January 28, 2009, Congressmen Edolphus Towns of New York and
> Cliff Stearns of Florida introduced the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act
> of 2009 (H.R. 734); and
>
> WHEREAS, this legislation directs the secretary of transportation to
> issue a motor vehicle safety standard to address the dangers posed to
> blind and other pedestrians by silent hybrid and electric vehicles; and
>
> WHEREAS, on April 21, 2009, Senators John Kerry of Massachusetts and
> Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania introduced companion legislation in the
> United States Senate (S. 841); and
>
> WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind has worked actively to gain
> cosponsor support for this important legislation to preserve the right to
> independent travel for blind pedestrians; and
>
> WHEREAS, in September 2009 the National Highway Traffic Safety
> Administration (NHTSA) released a report stating that hybrid and electric
> vehicles are twice as likely to be involved in pedestrian accidents as
> traditional internal-combustion-engine vehicles when operating at low
> speed; and
>
> WHEREAS, the United States Congress has recently introduced the Motor
> Vehicle Safety Act of 2010 (H.R. 5381 in the House of Representatives and
> S. 3302 in the Senate) to address safety concerns related to unintended
> rapid acceleration and sticky pedals in some automobiles; and
>
> WHEREAS, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce unanimously agreed to
> Congressman Stearns's amendment to include provisions of the Pedestrian
> Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 at the committee markup of the Motor
> Vehicle Safety Act of 2010 on May 26, 2010; and
>
> WHEREAS, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
> also included a similar amendment offered by Senator Kerry during its
> markup of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010 on June 9, 2010; and
>
> WHEREAS, the number of hybrid and electric vehicles on America's roadways
> continues to increase; and
>
> WHEREAS, passage of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010 will mandate
> that regulations be promulgated by the Department of Transportation to
> provide that electric and hybrid vehicles sold in the United States must
> be equipped with an alert sound, which is recognizable as a motor vehicle,
> in order to allow blind pedestrians to maintain the right to safe and
> independent travel: Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization urge Congress to pass the Motor Vehicle Safety Act
> of 2010 to ensure that regulations will be issued to protect the right to
> safe and independent travel for blind pedestrians; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization commend Congressmen Towns
> and Stearns and Senators Kerry and Specter for their leadership on this
> issue as demonstrated by their work to ensure that provisions of the
> Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 were included in the Motor
> Vehicle Safety Act of 2010; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization commend the Alliance of
> Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of International Automobile
> Manufacturers for working with the National Federation of the Blind and
> for supporting the inclusion of provisions of the Pedestrian Safety
> Enhancement Act of 2009 in the Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-03
>
> Regarding Inaccessibility of Google Products and Services
>
> WHEREAS, Google is the leading Internet search engine, used by both blind
> and sighted people in the United States and throughout the world; and
>
> WHEREAS, in addition to its powerful search engine, Google, Inc., offers
> an ever-increasing number of digital and electronic products and services,
> including but not limited to Gmail, Google Maps, Google Calendar, Google
> Books, Google TV, Google Wave, and the Android operating system for smart
> phones; and
>
> WHEREAS, while Google's basic search function is accessible to and usable
> by the blind and Google has promised accessibility to some of its other
> products and services (especially Google Books, pending the approval of
> the legal settlement related to that product), many of its other services
> are either inaccessible or not fully accessible; and
>
> WHEREAS, while Google provides a screen-access solution called Talkback
> for phones using the Android operating system, the company provides no
> customer support for users of Talkback except YouTube videos posted by one
> of its employees, and Talkback does not provide access to all the
> functions available in Android; and
>
> WHEREAS, blind people find using Google Calendar difficult because among
> other things clickable regions of the screen are not always identified by
> screen-access software as clickable due to improper application coding;
> and
>
> WHEREAS, when Google Maps data are embedded on third-party Websites,
> Google directs blind users seeking full access to those data to use an
> alternative, inferior accessibility interface through which they have
> difficulty accessing critical features of Google Maps such as turn-by-turn
> driving directions; and
>
> WHEREAS, Google continues to roll out and announce the future
> availability of new services, but blind people too often find to their
> dismay that these services are not accessible; and
>
> WHEREAS, apparently Google does not plan to make new services such as
> Google Wave and Google TV accessible; and
>
> WHEREAS, Google's corporate motto is "Don't be evil," but the company is
> certainly failing to do good consistently for its blind users: Now,
> therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization demand that Google make a serious, identifiable
> commitment to accessibility in all of its products and services and avoid
> the future release of products and services that are inaccessible to its
> blind users.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-04
>
> Regarding Access to Mass Transit Information and Services
>
> WHEREAS, public transportation can be a critical tool in helping blind
> people participate fully in the economic, political, and social life of
> their communities; and
>
> WHEREAS, mass transit systems increasingly use technology to provide
> information and services to customers; and
>
> WHEREAS, schedules, routing information, and reservations are examples of
> information and services available to customers on the Websites of mass
> transit systems; and
>
> WHEREAS, customers are increasingly required to use electronic fare
> cards, but the machines that read them can often not be used independently
> by the blind; and
>
> WHEREAS, mass transit systems are beginning to provide specific,
> up-to-the-minute location information about buses to customers at bus
> stops; and
>
> WHEREAS, when designing Websites, fare cards, and other information
> technology and services, too many mass transit systems either totally
> overlook or provide minimal nonvisual access to their technology, ignoring
> the access requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section
> 504 of the Rehabilitation Act: Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization insist that the U.S. Department of Transportation
> take all necessary steps to ensure compliance with access laws by mass
> transit systems; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge the Federal Transit
> Administration and the American Public Transportation Association to work
> with the National Federation of the Blind to develop best practices that
> result in enhanced nonvisual access to mass transit system information
> technology and services.
>
> ------------
>
> RESOLUTION 2010-05
>
> Regarding Equal and Independent Participation in the Census for the Blind
>
> WHEREAS, all Americans are required to provide census data under Title
> 13, United States Code, Sections 143 and 191; and
>
> WHEREAS, data collected through the census are used for legislative
> redistricting as well as the allocation of over $400 billion in government
> funding to public projects such as schools, road and infrastructure
> construction, hospital and healthcare services, rehabilitation programs,
> and disaster preparedness projects, all of which affect the blind just as
> they do all other Americans; and
>
> WHEREAS, the United States Census Bureau originally permitted 2010 Census
> participation only through the completion of a paper form that was mailed
> to American households, and the Census Bureau had not developed a strategy
> for obtaining such data by alternate means; and
>
> WHEREAS, after learning that the original strategy for collecting census
> data barred meaningful and independent participation by the nation's
> blind, the Census Bureau promptly recalibrated its strategy to permit
> blind individuals to complete the 2010 census form by calling a toll-free
> phone number or by requesting a census worker to conduct an in-person
> visit; and
>
> WHEREAS, the Census Bureau administers the American Community Survey to a
> portion of American households annually by employing the same
> data-collection strategies as the decennial census; and
>
> WHEREAS, these alternatives still preclude the blind from independently
> providing census data: Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization strongly urge the United States Bureau of the
> Census to develop and implement mechanisms for blind Americans to submit
> decennial census data independently and participate in annual Community
> Surveys no later than April 2011; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization insist upon being involved
> in the development of such mechanisms or policies to ensure that the blind
> can comply with federal law and participate meaningfully and independently
> in the census.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-06
>
> Regarding the Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind
>
> WHEREAS, rapid advances in digital technology have led to the increased
> use of touch screens and interactive visual interfaces, replacing
> traditional controls such as knobs, switches, and buttons on consumer
> electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and office equipment and technology;
> and
>
> WHEREAS, this major shift in technology has rendered most consumer
> electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and office equipment and technology
> inaccessible through nonvisual means, widening the digital divide between
> blind consumers and their sighted peers and threatening the employment,
> independence, and productivity of blind people; and
>
> WHEREAS, methods (such as text-to-speech and sound cues) exist for
> manufacturers to make their products accessible; and
>
> WHEREAS, accessibility is relatively easy and inexpensive to implement
> when it is incorporated into the design of a product from the outset; and
>
> WHEREAS, Apple, Inc., has demonstrated the feasibility of incorporating
> access for blind consumers by incorporating text-to-speech technology in
> its entire line of touch-screen consumer electronic products, allowing
> blind consumers to use these products without the addition of third-party
> applications; and
>
> WHEREAS, the ability to access and use all functions of consumer
> electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and office equipment and technology
> independently is essential to a blind person's independence, productivity,
> and employment; and
>
> WHEREAS, on January 27, 2010, Congresswoman Janice Schakowsky of Illinois
> introduced the Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind (H.R. 4533) to
> address the growing trend of inaccessible consumer electronics, home
> appliances, kiosks, and office equipment and technology; and
>
> WHEREAS, this legislation would establish an office within the Department
> of Commerce to conduct a study on how consumer products can be made
> accessible to the blind, and then establish minimum nonvisual access
> standards for consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and office
> equipment and technology: Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization urge the United States Congress to pass the
> Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization commend Congresswoman
> Schakowsky for her introduction and championship of this initiative.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-07
>
> Regarding the Failure of the United States Postal Service
>
> to Comply with the Randolph-Sheppard Act
>
> WHEREAS, the Randolph-Sheppard Act applies to all federal agencies,
> including the United States Postal Service; and
>
> WHEREAS, the Postal Service has at best been inconsistent historically in
> honoring the Randolph-Sheppard priority, resulting in lost opportunities
> for blind entrepreneurs; and
>
> WHEREAS, the Postal Service entered into a nationwide contract with a
> private entity to provide cafeteria and vending services that are covered
> by the Randolph-Sheppard priority without seeking the input of state
> licensing agencies (SLAs), the Rehabilitation Services Administration, or
> Randolph-Sheppard entrepreneurs; and
>
> WHEREAS, the Postal Service has failed to ensure that this private
> contractor is following the procedures negotiated with the
> Randolph-Sheppard community to ensure that any food service opportunity is
> declined in writing by an SLA prior to turning it over to its contractor;
> and
>
> WHEREAS, the Postal Service has refused to provide SLAs with complete
> lists of food service opportunities in each state to facilitate the
> independent determination of whether Postmasters and the national
> contractor are following the law; and
>
> WHEREAS, under this nationwide contract both the Postal Service and the
> private contractor have a financial incentive not to comply with the
> Randolph-Sheppard Act; and
>
> WHEREAS, the contractor has not consistently complied with the
> Randolph-Sheppard Act, resulting in the further denial of opportunities to
> blind entrepreneurs and imposing an additional obstacle to obtaining the
> Postal Service's full compliance with the Randolph-Sheppard Act: Now,
> therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization condemn and deplore the continued failure of the
> United States Postal Service to comply with the Randolph-Sheppard Act and
> demand that the Postal Service cancel its nationwide cafeteria and vending
> contract so that these opportunities can be provided to blind
> entrepreneurs in accordance with the law.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-08
>
> Regarding Reading Rights for 2010
>
> WHEREAS, the ability to read is critical to living a well-informed
> personal and professional life; and
>
> WHEREAS, blindness and some other disabilities pose challenges to
> accessing all available written information fully and efficiently; and
>
> WHEREAS, text-to-speech technology has helped to remove these access
> barriers for the approximately thirty million blind and otherwise
> print-disabled people living in the United States; and
>
> WHEREAS, this heretofore untapped community of eager consumers promises
> to benefit publishers and authors; and
>
> WHEREAS, while a few eReading applications and devices take advantage of
> text-to-speech technology to deliver the content of commercially available
> eBooks to the blind and others with print disabilities and other providers
> of eReading solutions are promising to provide access, many such devices
> and applications, such as the Sony Reader and Barnes and Noble Nook, are
> still inaccessible to the blind and print-disabled, and some publishers
> are still resistant to allowing this population to access eBooks; and
>
> WHEREAS, at least two major publishers, Random House and Simon and
> Schuster, are still preventing text-to-speech access to all of their
> titles available for the Amazon Kindle eReader; and
>
> WHEREAS, despite repeated promises of access by Amazon, the Kindle
> eReader device and the Kindle applications for personal computers and
> other devices are still inaccessible to blind users, denying them access
> to even those eBooks that are available with text-to-speech; and
>
> WHEREAS, the solutions employed by some publishers to provide access such
> as making their books available through third-party services like
> Bookshare.org, are ultimately inadequate because they do not serve all
> Americans with print disabilities and rely on the discredited logic of
> separate-but-equal access for the blind and print-disabled; and
>
> WHEREAS, any attempt by authors or publishers to restrict text-to-speech
> access to eBooks that are not available as audiobooks violates the spirit
> of a joint statement agreed to by the Reading Rights Coalition (of which
> the National Federation of the Blind is a founding member), the Authors
> Guild, and the Association of American Publishers, which states in part:
>
> The Reading Rights Coalition, the Authors Guild, and the Association of
> American Publishers believe that the contents of books should be as
> accessible to individuals with print disabilities as they are to everyone
> else. To that end these groups agree to work together and through the
> communities they represent to ensure that, when the marketplace offers
> alternative formats to print books such as audio and electronic books,
> print-disabled consumers can access the contents of these alternative
> formats to the same extent as all other consumers; and
>
> WHEREAS, civil rights laws and policies in the United States oppose and
> protect against acts that thwart equal access and equitable treatment of
> the blind and other people with print disabilities: Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization reaffirm its call for accessible eBooks and urge
> all government procurement agencies, schools, institutions of higher
> education, and libraries to exercise diligence in complying with
> technology-procurement requirements and state and federal disability
> nondiscrimination laws and to insist that mobile eBook readers and eBooks
> have accessible text-to-speech; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge all eBook reader
> developers and content providers to allow equal access by the blind and
> others with print disabilities to the interfaces of their eReaders and to
> the content of eBooks; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization commend those providers of
> eBooks and eBook readers that have incorporated accessibility for the
> blind and others with print disabilities in their products and services.
>
> ------------
>
> RESOLUTION 2010-09
>
> Regarding a Statute of Limitations on Allegations of Overpayment by the
>
> Social Security Administration
>
> WHEREAS, many blind people who receive Social Security Disability
> Insurance find that, after receiving benefits for years, they are notified
> by letter that a review of their records indicates that they have been
> substantially overpaid; and
>
> WHEREAS, it is not uncommon for the Social Security Administration to
> make a determination of overpayment more than twenty years after the fact,
> requiring that the recipient of benefits produce data showing they were
> indeed entitled to the benefits they received in order to appeal the
> determination; and
>
> WHEREAS, the record-keeping requirements that this practice imposes on
> beneficiaries exceed even those of the Internal Revenue Service and often
> present an impossible challenge to the individual recipient, who often has
> limited space for filing records; and
>
> WHEREAS, this practice also places an undue demand on former employers to
> supply records, a demand that they are often unable to meet: Now,
> therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization urge the United States Congress to enact a statute
> of limitations, not to exceed seven years, in which the Social Security
> Administration can attempt to retrieve alleged overpayments; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge the Congress to
> require the Social Security Administration to share with the beneficiary
> such evidence as it has in arriving at its determination that an
> overpayment has been made.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-10
>
> Regarding the National Education Technology Plan for 2010
>
> WHEREAS, on March 5, 2010, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of
> Educational Technology released a draft National Educational Technology
> Plan (NETP) for 2010 entitled "Transforming American Education: Learning
> Powered by Technology"; and
>
> WHEREAS, although the NETP embraces principles of universal design, it
> addresses the specific issue of accessibility to the blind and others with
> disabilities in only a few paragraphs of its more than one hundred pages;
> and
>
> WHEREAS, at present blind students are consigned to separate and unequal
> access to educational materials due to inaccessible technology or the
> failure to convert materials into an accessible format in a timely manner;
> and
>
> WHEREAS, with twenty-first century technology, there is no reason why all
> educational materials cannot be made immediately accessible to blind
> students; and
>
> WHEREAS, mainstream access for the print disabled occurs when it is
> demanded by educational institutions or by state or federal authorities,
> as evidenced by (1) the latest version of Blackboard's becoming
> substantially more accessible after California State University refused to
> allow Blackboard to bid on a contract while its course management software
> was inaccessible; (2) iTunes U's becoming fully accessible after the NFB
> and the Massachusetts Attorney General threatened Apple's collegiate
> partners with lawsuits; and (3) Amazon's announcing it would produce an
> accessible Kindle after the Department of Justice secured consent decrees
> from five colleges using the device in pilot projects to terminate those
> projects; and
>
> WHEREAS, the United States Department of Education has an unprecedented
> opportunity to provide the leadership necessary to ensure that emerging
> educational technologies include equal access for the blind and others
> with disabilities in their design and that manufacturers view equal access
> as the expected standard: Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization express our serious concern that the NETP fails to
> recognize the need for the United States Department of Education to
> provide concentrated leadership, in both policy and practice, in order to
> ensure that blind students and other students with disabilities can take
> full advantage of the opportunities offered by emerging educational
> technologies in America's classrooms; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization strongly urge the
> Department of Education to recognize that accessibility of educational
> technology to the blind and other students with disabilities must play a
> more prominent role within and throughout the NETP; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon the United States
> Department of Education to conduct research in collaboration with the
> National Federation of the Blind and other blindness and print-disability
> organizations to create standards for the development of accessible
> educational technologies and then to issue regulations requiring
> manufacturers of educational technology to adhere to such standards when
> producing new technologies, once such standards are published, ensuring
> that the nonvisual experience with technology is as rich as the visual
> experience and that there is equal ease of access to all functions of the
> technology, whether it is being used visually or nonvisually.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-11
>
> Regarding National Industries for the Blind and the Definition of
> "Employment Outcome" in the Vocational Rehabilitation Program
>
> WHEREAS, blind people are capable of working with the sighted, playing
> with the sighted, and living with the sighted on terms of complete
> equality; and
>
> WHEREAS, the blind seek the day when we no longer need to assert our
> civil rights to be given equal opportunities and to be treated on terms of
> equality with our sighted peers, but that day will only come if our lives
> are fully integrated with those of the sighted; and
>
> WHEREAS, in enacting the Rehabilitation Act, Congress found that the
> blind have the right to enjoy full inclusion and integration in the
> economic, political, social, cultural, and educational mainstream of
> American society; and
>
> WHEREAS, following congressional intent, in January 2001 the U.S.
> Department of Education's Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)
> issued regulations that redefined the term "employment outcome" as an
> outcome in which an individual with a disability enters full or part-time
> competitive employment in an integrated setting; and
>
> WHEREAS, before redefining what constitutes an employment outcome
> recognizable in the vocational rehabilitation program, many state
> vocational rehabilitation agencies limited their blind clients'
> opportunities to sheltered, nonintegrated settings, relegating them to
> working in positions that pay less than their sighted counterparts receive
> in the competitive labor market, to poor opportunity for career
> advancement, and to work settings with little opportunity to work
> alongside their sighted peers; and
>
> WHEREAS, National Industries for the Blind (NIB) has recently requested
> that RSA issue guidelines stating that an employment outcome recognizable
> by the vocational rehabilitation program include placement of individuals
> who are blind and are working in NIB's AbilityOne network of agencies; and
>
> WHEREAS, NIB's primary purpose for requesting a change in the definition
> of "employment outcome" is to give state vocational rehabilitation
> agencies the ability to count placement in NIB programs as successful
> employment outcomes for purposes of meeting RSA's mandatory standards and
> indicators; and
>
> WHEREAS, although at present NIB's policy is that the blind should be
> paid at least the minimum wage, several NIB workshops do not adhere to
> this policy, and NIB officials maintain that they cannot require the
> workshops to do so; and
>
> WHEREAS, blind people must be allowed to determine for themselves whether
> an NIB program is their desired employment outcome and not be subjected to
> a vocational rehabilitation system incentivized to achieve easy
> placements: Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization condemn and deplore National Industries for the
> Blind's campaign to change the definition of an "employment outcome"; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization strongly urge the Secretary
> of the U.S. Department of Education and the Commissioner of the
> Rehabilitation Services Administration to retain the current definition of
> "employment outcome," which will continue to place the emphasis of
> rehabilitation on employment in integrated settings rather than on easy
> closure of cases or the support of National Industries for the Blind.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-12
>
> Regarding Developer Guidelines and Application Programming Interfaces
> (APIs) from Vendors of Screen-Access Software
>
> WHEREAS, the ability of blind computer users to use fully the functions
> available in word processors, email clients, database programs, Web
> browsers, and other Windows-based applications requires screen-access
> software to have the information it needs to provide meaningful
> information in speech, refreshable Braille, or magnification; and
>
> WHEREAS, despite a tremendous amount of information published by
> Microsoft about developing accessible applications, the accessibility
> guidelines and recommendations promulgated by the Worldwide Web Consortium
> through its Web Access Initiative, and the standards and guidelines
> implementing Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, not enough information
> is available for the well-intentioned Windows application developer who
> poses the question to the screen-access software developer, "What can I do
> to make my application accessible to the blind users of your program?";
> and
>
> WHEREAS, by contrast, developers of applications designed to run on Apple
> platforms such as the Macintosh and the iPhone are provided a rich set of
> guidelines and application programming interfaces designed to maximize
> accessibility to end users of Apple products who rely on access
> technology; and
>
> WHEREAS, experience has shown that, from the perspective of the blind
> computer user of Windows software, the most accessible application is the
> one that can pass meaningful information directly to the screen-access
> program--either through a well-documented application programming
> interface or by painting the screen in a way that is calculated to
> generate meaningful output from the screen-access technology: Now,
> therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization call upon the manufacturers of Windows-based
> screen-access technology for the blind to do one or both of the following
> to enable application developers to maximize the accessibility of their
> software to the blind: (1) develop a well-documented application
> programming interface (API) through which application software can
> exchange meaningful information with screen-access technology; and (2)
> publish clear and definitive guidelines for application developers that
> will enable them to make their applications truly accessible to the blind
> end user.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-13
>
> Regarding Insurance Coverage of Accessible Equipment for Diabetics
>
> WHEREAS, standard medical treatment for diabetics calls for the patient
> to monitor blood glucose levels so that he or she can make adjustments in
> the amount of insulin needed; and
>
> WHEREAS, certain health insurance plans dictate what brand of diabetic
> equipment a member must use to comply with the treatment regimen, claiming
> that this strategy controls costs for both the insurer and the insured;
> and
>
> WHEREAS, most insurance companies contract strictly with one
> manufacturer, who typically provides only inaccessible blood glucose
> meters and inaccessible insulin injection devices, presenting a serious
> obstacle to complying with the testing regimen for tens of thousands of
> blind people with diabetes; and
>
> WHEREAS, the failure to place accessible blood glucose meters and
> accessible insulin injection devices on the insurers' formulary lists not
> only is a barrier to independence for blind diabetics, but also adversely
> affects their quality of life because of the added difficulties they must
> confront in attempting to manage and control their diabetes; and
>
> WHEREAS, the only way blind diabetics can acquire an accessible blood
> glucose meter or accessible insulin injection device is through a long and
> complicated process of submitting extensive medical documentation, and
> approval is not guaranteed; and
>
> WHEREAS, blind people have the same right to health care as their sighted
> peers; and
>
> WHEREAS, insurance companies must no longer be allowed to discriminate
> against blind people because of their need for specialized equipment; and
>
> WHEREAS, the denial of accessible equipment by insurance companies
> undermines the emphasis on preventive care set forth in the 2010 federal
> healthcare reform legislation: Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization strongly urge the secretary of health and human
> services to eliminate discrimination against the blind by requiring that
> Medicare, Medicaid, and all other medical insurance programs under the
> secretary's jurisdiction cover accessible equipment for diabetics; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization strongly urge state
> legislatures and regulators to eliminate discrimination against the blind
> by requiring private medical insurance companies to cover accessible
> equipment for diabetics.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-14
>
> Regarding Access by the Blind to Virtual Laboratory Experiences in the
> Sciences
>
> WHEREAS, science classes have presented access barriers to the blind for
> decades; and
>
> WHEREAS, these barriers have been created by a lack of accessible
> equipment and materials and by misconceptions held by science faculty and
> teachers of the blind about the capabilities of the blind in these
> curricula; and
>
> WHEREAS, these misconceptions have contributed to a significantly lower
> percentage of blind students pursuing careers in science, technology,
> engineering, and mathematics (STEM); and
>
> WHEREAS, increasingly school districts across the United States have
> replaced hands-on science learning with online virtual laboratory
> experiences; and
>
> WHEREAS, many of these virtual laboratory experiences are not accessible
> using the access technology employed by blind students, thereby denying
> them the experience of scientific exploration and discovery; and
>
> WHEREAS, this lack of educational experience and opportunity will further
> decrease the number of blind students seeking to enter STEM professions;
> and
>
> WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind is creating greater
> understanding among teachers by offering challenging STEM-related programs
> that serve as a demonstration of the techniques that can be used to
> integrate the blind into STEM courses: Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization urge the United States Department of Education to
> mandate that all hands-on and virtual laboratory learning experiences be
> accessible to blind students so that they can have the same educational
> opportunities as their sighted classmates; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization promote legislation as part
> of the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
> (IDEA) to provide parents and blind students with legal recourse
> provisions in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) to require that a
> school provide a hands-on science learning experience if an accessible
> virtual one cannot be offered; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge technology companies
> to work with the National Federation of the Blind to eliminate the
> accessibility barriers to virtual laboratory learning experiences, making
> them more accessible to the blind of this nation.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-15
>
> Regarding Discrimination by Airlines Against Blind Passengers
>
> WHEREAS, in an age in which the Internet increasingly dominates the way
> business is conducted, air carriers usually make their lowest fares and
> deepest discounts available only to those customers who book travel
> through airline Websites; and
>
> WHEREAS, while booking air travel online can be convenient, blind
> passengers cannot always take advantage of this service because of
> accessibility barriers on airline Websites; and
>
> WHEREAS, in recognition of this fact the Department of Transportation
> issued regulations requiring that, if a passenger with a disability cannot
> use an airline Website to book travel because it is inaccessible and
> instead calls the airline's customer service number, the airline must
> offer the passenger the same air fares and discounts available on the
> Website over the telephone and must waive any fee for the use of the
> telephone service; and
>
> WHEREAS, a recent study conducted by Dr. Jonathan Lazar, director of the
> Universal Usability Laboratory (UUL) at Towson University in Maryland, and
> some of his students found that Websites operated by four out of the ten
> U.S. airlines that were studied--Alaska Airlines, JetBlue Airlines, United
> Airlines, and US Airways--contain accessibility barriers that prevent
> blind users from booking travel on these Websites; and
>
> WHEREAS, this study, which will be published in Government Information
> Quarterly, further found that, when the call centers of these four
> airlines were contacted by study participants who identified themselves as
> blind people needing to book travel by telephone because they could not
> access the airline's Website, the airlines did not always follow the
> Department of Transportation regulations requiring them to offer the same
> air fares to blind customers who call their customer service lines and to
> waive the fee for using their call center instead of their Website, even
> when specifically informed by the caller of these regulations; and
>
> WHEREAS, the most egregious violators of these regulations were United
> Airlines and US Airways, which failed to follow one or both of these
> regulatory requirements in at least a third and as many as 46 percent of
> the calls placed to them; and
>
> WHEREAS, the results of this study are a textbook example of why
> government agencies and businesses must not rely on a philosophy of
> separate-but-equal access for blind customers, since in reality separate
> is never equal; and
>
> WHEREAS, the only way to ensure truly equal access by the blind and to
> prevent discrimination is to require air carriers to maintain accessible
> Websites that allow blind customers to perform all of the functions that
> sighted customers can perform, particularly the booking of air travel:
> Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization urge the secretary of transportation to issue
> regulations requiring all air carriers to maintain accessible Websites
> that allow blind customers to perform all of the functions available to
> sighted customers, including the booking of air travel; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that the four
> airlines whose Websites were identified as having accessibility barriers
> take immediate steps to remove those barriers and allow blind customers
> full and equal access to their Websites and specifically to the ability to
> book air travel online.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-16
>
> Regarding the Randolph-Sheppard Act and the
>
> Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled
>
> WHEREAS, the Randolph-Sheppard Act applies to all federal contracts and
> permits for cafeteria and food services on federal property; and
>
> WHEREAS, the Randolph-Sheppard Act takes priority over the
> Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act in contracts for cafeteria and food services; and
>
> WHEREAS, notwithstanding the Randolph-Sheppard Act's priority, the
> Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled
> routinely seeks to add cafeteria and food services to its procurement list
> without notice to the Rehabilitation Services Administration or the
> affected state licensing agencies; and
>
> WHEREAS, the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely
> Disabled also routinely seeks to add mess-attendant or
> dining-facilities-attendant services to the procurement list without
> notice to the Rehabilitation Services Administration or the affected state
> licensing agencies and without providing information from which it can be
> determined whether the services fall under the Randolph-Sheppard Act; and
>
> WHEREAS, the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely
> Disabled has refused to respond to requests for information about services
> proposed for addition to the procurement list: Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization condemn and deplore the actions of the Committee
> for Purchase >From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled in continuing
> to place on the procurement list services that fall under the
> Randolph-Sheppard Act; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization condemn and deplore the
> refusal of the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or
> Severely Disabled to follow appropriate, transparent, and accountable
> practices to determine which contracts should be placed on the procurement
> list; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge the Committee for
> Purchase >From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled and other federal
> agencies to provide full details about the services proposed for addition
> to the procurement list so that all interested stakeholders can be assured
> that the addition complies with all applicable laws; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon the House
> Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Senate Committee on
> Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions to take such actions as will
> require the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely
> Disabled to comply with the law.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-17
>
> Regarding Online Testing
>
> WHEREAS, many school districts throughout the country are now using
> online test preparation sites, such as Study Island by CTB/McGraw-Hill, to
> aid their students in readying themselves for the assessments used in
> their states to determine progress in meeting the goals of the No Child
> Left Behind Act and other end-of-course requirements; and
>
> WHEREAS, Study Island and other preparation and testing sites have failed
> to incorporate adequate accessibility features to allow blind or visually
> impaired students to access all of the needed information to prepare for
> and take pretests; and
>
> WHEREAS, this inaccessibility is evidenced in designs that convey
> essential information to the student by using color, strike-throughs,
> unlabeled graphics, and split frames, all of which create barriers for the
> blind student; and
>
> WHEREAS, these barriers result in blind test takers' being evaluated more
> on the accessibility of the computer programs used to administer the
> pretests than on the content the test is intended to measure; and
>
> WHEREAS, cooperation with organizations of and for the blind can result
> in software solutions that ensure equality of opportunity to blind
> students preparing for these all-important tests: Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization call upon the United States Department of Education
> to ensure that any test preparation company receiving a contract to
> produce statewide or national tests or study materials build accessibility
> features into its software and make its Websites accessible to the blind;
> and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that until such time as electronically
> administered tests and study materials are as usable by the blind as they
> are by the sighted, this organization insist that all materials be made
> available in hard-copy Braille, large print, and such other alternative
> formats as may be necessary to ensure that preparation for and
> administration of tests are equally accessible to blind people.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-18
>
> Regarding the Blind Persons Return to Work Act of 2010
>
> WHEREAS, on January 28, 2010, Senators Christopher Dodd of Connecticut
> and John McCain of Arizona introduced the Blind Persons Return to Work Act
> of 2010 (S. 2962), the Senate companion to the Blind Persons Return to
> Work Act of 2009 (H.R. 886), introduced in the House last year by
> Congressman John Lewis of Georgia; and
>
> WHEREAS, this legislation would encourage blind people to reach their
> full employment potential by reforming the Social Security Disability
> Insurance (SSDI) program so that blind beneficiaries will lose only one
> dollar of benefits for every three dollars earned over the monthly limit,
> instead of losing all benefits when they exceed this limit; and
>
> WHEREAS, this legislation will also relieve administrative burdens for
> both the Social Security Administration and blind beneficiaries by
> changing the monthly earnings test to an annual test and by setting a
> fixed deduction for impairment-related work expenses; and
>
> WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind has worked tirelessly for
> well over ten years to remove the disincentive to work in the SSDI program
> so that blind beneficiaries can transition from SSDI to the workforce
> without being penalized for doing so; and
>
> WHEREAS, in 1999 Congress recognized this problem and passed Ticket to
> Work legislation that was supposed to establish a demonstration project to
> test the viability of a two-for-one earnings-to-benefit reduction program;
> and
>
> WHEREAS, despite over ten years' having elapsed, the demonstration
> project has yet to begin because of changes in leadership and
> disagreements among actuaries; and
>
> WHEREAS, with a 70 percent rate of unemployment and underemployment for
> the blind, we cannot wait for the stalled demonstration project to begin;
> and
>
> WHEREAS, the United States Senate is working on a jobs bill to address
> the high unemployment rate across America, which affects people with
> disabilities even more than the rest of the population: Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization urge the United States Senate to include provisions
> of the Blind Persons Return to Work Act of 2010 in the Senate jobs bill to
> ensure that blind people can successfully enter the workforce and reach
> their full employment potential; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this organization urge Congress to pass this
> jobs bill, thus passing the Blind Persons Return to Work Act; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this organization commend Congressman Lewis
> and Senators Dodd and McCain for their longtime championing of the Blind
> Persons Return to Work Act and loyalty to our cause.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-19
>
> Regarding NLS Restrictions on Foreign-Produced Materials
>
> WHEREAS, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
> Handicapped of the Library of Congress (NLS) has a long history of
> providing reading materials in Braille and recorded formats to its
> patrons; and
>
> WHEREAS, NLS is able to produce only approximately 2,000 books per year,
> a mere fraction of the number of books published in the U.S. each year;
> and
>
> WHEREAS, in recognition of the dearth of books available to its patrons,
> NLS has in the past offered materials recorded by libraries and producers
> outside the United States through interlibrary loan; and
>
> WHEREAS, although NLS still permits patrons to borrow Braille materials
> from producers outside the U.S., in 2008 following the conversion to
> digital audio format and the development of the Braille and Audio Reading
> Download program, NLS discontinued interlibrary loan of digital audio
> materials from foreign producers; and
>
> WHEREAS, one of the principal reasons for this discontinuation is the
> incompatibility of file formats with the NLS system, which requires
> features not available to international producers; and
>
> WHEREAS, the expectation of greater access to materials created by the
> digitization of books is now being curtailed because of the new NLS policy
> on digital audio books from foreign producers: Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the City of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization urge NLS immediately to work with foreign producers
> of digital audio materials to fulfill the real promise of access made
> possible by today's advanced digital technology.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-20
>
> Regarding Refreshable Braille Notetaker Devices
>
> WHEREAS, the advent of refreshable Braille technology has made Braille
> more portable; more flexible; and, best of all, more widely available than
> ever before; and
>
> WHEREAS, refreshable-Braille technology is becoming increasingly
> necessary in educating blind children because a rapidly increasing portion
> of the reading material is available only in an on-screen format; and
>
> WHEREAS, the failure to provide blind students with a Braille interface
> reduces their opportunity to acquire literacy skills because they are
> forced to listen to the material using computer speech output; and
>
> WHEREAS, personal data assistants with refreshable Braille displays (more
> commonly known as electronic notetakers) include the ability for the user
> to handle word processing, email, and Web browsing, providing potential
> for seamless communication between those who use Braille and those who use
> print; and
>
> WHEREAS, despite the advertised claims that these devices are compatible
> with mainstream word processors, the reality is that none of them allows a
> Braille user the security of knowing they can author, read, or collaborate
> with sighted peers who use current versions of today's popular
> applications, even though the Braille devices cost three to four times as
> much as the hardware and software used by the general public; and
>
> WHEREAS, while all of these Braille notetakers advertise access to the
> Internet and feature some version of a browser, most do not allow
> communication with even the most basic Java scripts used to gain access at
> airports and hotels, and they are not compatible with Aria and other
> technologies currently being deployed by businesses, Internet providers,
> and even social-networking sites; and
>
> WHEREAS, many of today's mainstream computers, phones, and PDAs can be
> accessed in Braille by connecting them to a type of refreshable Braille
> display that is not itself a notetaker, giving the user access to the
> power and integration of the mainstream device but sacrificing some of the
> convenience of an all-in-one device (as are the notetakers): Now,
> therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization urge the designers and manufacturers of notetakers
> with refreshable Braille displays to give top priority in their future
> development to providing better integration with mainstream devices,
> applications, and data; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization strongly encourage school
> districts and others involved in the purchase of educational access
> technology to acquire refreshable Braille technology for blind students
> and to consider the need for integration with mainstream devices,
> applications, and data when choosing which devices to purchase.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-21
>
> Regarding Manufacture of Accessible Medical Devices
>
> WHEREAS, diabetics must measure the level of glucose in their blood
> accurately and draw the correct amount of insulin in order to control
> their diabetes and to reduce the risk of diabetic complications; and
>
> WHEREAS, tens of thousands of diabetics need nonvisual access to
> equipment such as blood glucose meters and insulin-injection and infusion
> devices because diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among adults of
> working age in the United States with thousands losing their vision each
> year; and
>
> WHEREAS, the need for nonvisual access is even greater because many blind
> and visually impaired senior citizens become diabetic and many diabetic
> senior citizens lose vision either temporarily or permanently from causes
> other than diabetes; and
>
> WHEREAS, nonvisual access means that a blind person can use all features,
> functions, and navigation aspects of a given device, and merely providing
> speech output does not constitute true accessibility; and
>
> WHEREAS, some manufacturers of diabetic equipment incorporate true
> nonvisual access features in their devices, but more companies must be
> encouraged to follow this practice; and
>
> WHEREAS, to meet the goal of emphasizing wellness programs in the 2010
> healthcare reform legislation, the federal government should encourage
> manufacturers to ensure true nonvisual access to their devices; and
>
> WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is currently
> promulgating regulations for health information technology programs, but
> the scope of the regulations should be broadened to include medical
> devices as well: Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization strongly urge the secretary of the U.S. Department
> of Health and Human Services to incorporate true nonvisual access
> requirements for the manufacture of diabetic devices in its health
> information technology regulations; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization insist that the secretary
> of health and human services create incentives that will lead to greater
> accessibility of current and future diabetic equipment.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-22
>
> Regarding Inaccessible Basic Cell Phones and Smartphones
>
> WHEREAS, more and more manufacturers are introducing basic cell phones
> and smartphones with an ever increasing number of capabilities such as
> call management, contact management, text messaging, Internet browsing,
> and e-mail; and
>
> WHEREAS, some of these phones even have the capability to function as
> social networking content aggregators for Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and
> Windows Live; and
>
> WHEREAS, despite the requirements of Section 255 of the
> Telecommunications Act and best industry practices, as demonstrated by
> Apple, for making cell phones accessible to the blind out of the box, too
> many manufacturers release cell phones without any way for blind users to
> access many of their features; and
>
> WHEREAS, many companies advertise their commitment to accessibility but
> ignore our needs, despite the fact that blind consumers are now, and have
> been for many years, purchasers of basic cell phones and smartphones: Now,
> therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization condemn and deplore the release of these
> inaccessible basic cell phones and smartphones by manufacturers in
> flagrant disregard of both their legal obligations and their obligation to
> provide equal access to their products for all consumers, including the
> blind; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that manufacturers
> follow the lead of Apple and immediately take steps to provide equal
> access for the blind to all current and future basic cell phones and
> smartphones.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-23
>
> Regarding Sirius XM Radio, Inc.
>
> WHEREAS, Sirius XM Radio, Inc., is the sole provider in the United States
> of radio programming delivered by satellite to paid subscribers using
> receivers specifically designed to receive these satellite transmissions;
> and
>
> WHEREAS, the service provided by Sirius XM offers a wide variety of audio
> programming, including most genres of music, live sporting events, news,
> talk, comedy, and both classic and contemporary radio drama; and
>
> WHEREAS, despite the fact that Sirius XM is a radio service, the units
> that subscribers must purchase in order to receive the service have visual
> displays to convey information to the listener such as the title and
> artist of the current song being played or the score of the sporting event
> to which the listener is tuned; and
>
> WHEREAS, Sirius XM also transmits some information exclusively to the
> visual display such as the latest stock quotes and the current temperature
> and weather conditions when a user is tuned to its traffic and weather
> channels; and
>
> WHEREAS, sighted users of the service can perform a number of tasks such
> as viewing the current time, date, signal reception, and battery status of
> the receiver; setting the receiver to record a scheduled program; viewing
> what is playing across the service without switching stations; organizing
> recorded music and programs; creating, organizing, and navigating a list
> of favorite channels; and much more, but these features are not available
> to blind users because they cannot read the visual display; and
>
> WHEREAS, like many other consumer electronic products, Sirius XM radio
> receivers increasingly rely on touch screens and interactive visual
> interfaces to accomplish all tasks, rather than traditional buttons,
> switches, or knobs, making it difficult for blind users to access even the
> basic features of these receivers; and
>
> WHEREAS, despite these barriers to full access to the Sirius XM satellite
> radio service, many blind Americans have purchased subscriptions to the
> service because of its wide variety of quality radio programming, and it
> is likely that many more would do so if Sirius XM were to make its radio
> receivers accessible; and
>
> WHEREAS, the technology to make these receivers accessible already exists
> and has been implemented in other personal entertainment devices such as
> Apple's iPod and iPhone product lines and the DICE ITR-100-A HD radio; and
>
> WHEREAS, accessible Sirius XM receivers that allow users to access all
> functions nonvisually would not only benefit blind consumers, but would
> also be ideal for older Americans who are losing vision, for those with
> other disabilities that prevent them from reading print, and for the many
> subscribers who use the service in their cars, since they would be able to
> control their satellite radios with less distraction from driving: Now,
> therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization urge Sirius XM Radio, Inc., to make its receivers
> fully accessible to blind subscribers.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-24
>
> Regarding the Worldwide Reading Rights Campaign and the
>
> Right to Get Accessible Texts from Throughout the World
>
> WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind has led the way in
> advancing the rights of the blind to gain access to published works on the
> national and international levels; and
>
> WHEREAS, the Federation's national efforts resulted in passage of the
> Chafee Amendment to U.S. copyright law, which permits authorized entities
> to reproduce published works in accessible formats without permission from
> the copyright holder; and
>
> WHEREAS, the vast majority of the countries of the world do not possess
> such laws or possess laws that are much weaker; and
>
> WHEREAS, generally speaking, international copyright law does not
> currently permit the sharing of accessible texts across international
> borders, with the result that blind people in the United States cannot get
> access to hundreds of thousands of works in accessible formats produced in
> other countries, and blind people throughout the rest of the world cannot
> get access to the United States collection, creating a worldwide book
> famine, in which less than one percent of all published works are
> available to the blind in accessible formats; and
>
> WHEREAS, this inability to share accessible books across borders and the
> international inconsistency in copyright law lead either to needless
> duplication in the conversion of published works into accessible formats
> or to no access at all; and
>
> WHEREAS, to address this book famine, the National Federation of the
> Blind worked with the World Blind Union (WBU) to draft a proposed treaty
> that would legalize the cross-border sharing of accessible works and also
> harmonize copyright exceptions to create an atmosphere in which even
> greater numbers of accessible works can be produced; and
>
> WHEREAS, in 2008 the WBU brought this proposed treaty before the World
> Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), an entity of the United
> Nations, through original sponsorship by Brazil, Ecuador, and Paraguay,
> and later by Mexico; and
>
> WHEREAS, from June 21 through 24, 2010, WIPO's Standing Committee on
> Copyright (SCCR) conducted its twentieth regular session (SCCR 20) in
> Geneva, where the WBU-proposed treaty and three other proposals on the
> same topic received extensive consideration; and
>
> WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind received official standing
> as an authorized non-governmental organization (NGO) and gave an
> intervention in favor of the WBU-proposed treaty and/or some other binding
> international legal instrument; and
>
> WHEREAS, the SCCR cannot make recommendations unless all nations present
> agree; and
>
> WHEREAS, after years of negotiation between governments and NGOs, it
> appeared that a proposal would go forward at SCCR 20 that would have led
> to binding international legal instruments within a definite time; and
>
> WHEREAS, at the last minute, despite the Herculean efforts of the WBU
> community, the U.S. government delegation, and the Latin American block of
> countries, the African Union countries withdrew their support for the
> negotiated proposal, stating that one of their issues (gaining copyright
> exceptions for educational, research, and archive purposes) must proceed
> at the same pace as the issue affecting the blind, even though the African
> Union's proposal addresses an entirely different subject and is not as
> well developed at this time: Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization reaffirm its support for the World Blind Union's
> proposed Treaty for the Visually Impaired; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization express its great outrage
> and disappointment that the African Union chose to hijack the proposed WBU
> treaty and related proposals, an action needlessly delaying relief from
> the worldwide book famine for blind people; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization commend the U.S. government
> delegation's efforts in Geneva to keep the process moving forward; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon the U.S.
> government to work closely with the National Federation of the Blind, the
> WBU, and other governments to find a way forward to the adoption of
> binding international norms and legal instruments that permit cross-border
> sharing of accessible works and harmonize copyright exceptions as part of
> the overall effort to secure the right of blind people to read published
> works on the same terms as the rest of the world population.
>
> ------------
>
> Resolution 2010-25
>
> Regarding Civil Rights Protection of Blind People
>
> and Their Service Animals in Public Accommodations
>
> WHEREAS, the purpose of the National Federation of the Blind is "the
> removal of the legal, social, and economic barriers faced by the blind" so
> that we will achieve "full integration into society on terms of equality";
> and
>
> WHEREAS, discrimination by places of public accommodation is one of the
> barriers faced by the blind, especially among those who choose to use a
> guide dog as their mobility tool; and
>
> WHEREAS, state laws vary in the protection from discrimination that they
> offer to their blind citizens; and
>
> WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits
> discrimination on the basis of disability in public accommodations and
> offers greater protection against discrimination than many state laws; and
>
> WHEREAS, many states have laws that contain provisions that are
> incongruent with the ADA such as requirements that service animals wear
> specific gear, provisions for muzzling, requirements for documentation,
> language concerning certifications that do not exist, and prohibitions of
> service animals in zoos, all of which are considered discriminatory under
> the ADA; and
>
> WHEREAS, although the ADA has been in existence for twenty years, many
> states have not bothered to change their laws to conform to the ADA; and
>
> WHEREAS, a large majority of states provide criminal penalties for
> discrimination on the basis of disability, allowing law enforcement to
> intervene, generally resulting in an immediate resolution of such access
> issues while providing appropriate penalties for more serious infractions;
> and
>
> WHEREAS, criminal penalties allow a more expeditious resolution of such
> access issues (benefiting the disabled community in general and society as
> a whole) by addressing discrimination at the local level, while relieving
> individuals from the burden of costly litigation and prolonged civil
> processes: Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
> that this organization call upon state legislatures to examine their
> statutes for parity with the ADA, removing provisions that are not in
> conformity with this federal law; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon the remaining
> states that do not provide criminal penalties for discrimination against
> blind guide dog users to promote and protect the equal rights of their
> blind citizens more effectively by creating criminal penalties for acts of
> discrimination; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge all states to protect
> the civil rights of the blind by vigorous enforcement of the law.
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