[nfb-talk] Fw: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
Mike Freeman
k7uij at panix.com
Wed Jan 26 05:08:30 UTC 2011
Quit spouting nonsense, Ken. NFB lists aren't the place for it IMO.
Mike
-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Kenneth Chrane
Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 8:10 PM
To: NFB Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Fw: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
Hi Ray, I just wanted to get the point of view of some of the people in the
newly restored Constitutional Republic.
Ken Chrane
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ray Foret Jr" <rforetjr at att.net>
To: <blinddog3 at charter.net>; "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 8:40 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Fw: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
> Sort of makes me wonder why this so-called ambasador was written to in the
> first place. "Do not spam this address again"? I wonder why you bothered
> in the first place, knowing that was how they felt about our cause.
> Sincerely,
> The Constantly Barefooted Ray!!!
>
> Now A Very Proud and very happy Mac user!!!
>
> Skype Name:
> barefootedray
>
> On Jan 25, 2011, at 7:13 PM, Steven Johnson wrote:
>
>> Kenneth, what are they an ambassador of? I am guessing another blind
>> organization that also has an agenda, but probably not one that works
>> toward
>> systemic change.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Steve
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Kenneth Chrane
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 11:01 AM
>> To: NFB Talk Mailing List
>> Subject: [nfb-talk] Fw: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
>>
>> This ambassador sure hates the NFB.
>> Ken Chrane
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Carol
>> To: kenneth.chrane at verizon.net
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 11:55 AM
>> Subject: Fw: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Illinois Ambassador
>> To: Carol
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 9:33 AM
>> Subject: Re: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
>>
>>
>> Do not spam this address again. We do not and will not work with
>> anything
>> that is defacto related
>> I used to work with EEOC and the American Disabilities Act is filled with
>> Constitutional violations.
>> If you think it is ok to hinder the growth of one group to cater to
>> another,
>> you are mis-guided.
>> All you people want is more legislation to enslave the masses with your
>> agendas, whether honorable or not.
>> There are other ways to help the blind and it sure isn't through more
>> legislation and taxation or tax credits.
>> YOU do more harm thank good.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 1/24/2011 9:13 PM, Carol wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
>>
>> Priorities for the 112th Congress, FIRST Session
>>
>>
>>
>> The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is the oldest and largest
>> organization of blind people in the United States. As the Voice of the
>> Nation's Blind, we represent the collective views of blind people
>> throughout
>> society. All of our leaders and the vast majority of our members are
>> blind,
>> but anyone can participate in our movement. There are an estimated 1.3
>> million blind people in the United States, and every year approximately
>> 75,000 Americans become blind. The social and economic consequences of
>> blindness affect not only blind people, but also our families, our
>> friends,
>> and our coworkers.
>>
>>
>> Three legislative initiatives demand the immediate attention of the
>> 112th
>> Congress in its first session.
>>
>>
>> Initiative 1
>>
>> We urge Congress to work with blind Americans to create a Technology
>> Bill
>> of Rights for the Blind which mandates that consumer electronics, home
>> appliances, kiosks, and electronic office technology and software provide
>> user interfaces that are accessible through nonvisual means.
>>
>> This legislation should:
>>
>> a.. Mandate that all consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks,
>> and
>> electronic office technology and software be designed so that blind
>> people
>> are able to access the same functions as sighted people by nonvisual
>> means
>> and with substantially equivalent ease of use.
>> b.. Create a commission within the Department of Commerce to establish
>> standards for nonvisual accessibility of electronic devices intended for
>> use
>> in the home or office. Such a commission should represent all
>> stakeholders,
>> including:
>> - organizations of the blind;
>>
>> - manufacturers of consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks,
>> and electronic office technology and software, or associations
>> representing
>> such manufacturers; and
>>
>> - experts on universal design, electronic engineering, and related
>> fields.
>>
>>
>>
>> . Establish within the Department of Justice the authority to
>> enforce the regulations promulgated by the commission established by this
>> legislation.
>>
>> a.. Authorize the commission to reexamine and rewrite standards
>> periodically as consumer electronic technology continues to evolve.
>>
>> Initiative 2
>>
>> We urge Congress to work with blind Americans to establish a commission
>> within the Department of Education to set uniform national standards for
>> the
>> education of blind students in grades K-12. The Individuals with
>> Disabilities Education Act and other existing laws and regulations do not
>> currently provide objective standards to measure the educational progress
>> of
>> blind students.
>>
>> This legislation should:
>>
>> . Create a commission within the Department of Education,
>> comprised
>> to ensure representation of all stakeholders, to set educational
>> standards
>> for blind children, and to promulgate regulations.
>>
>>
>> Initiative 3
>>
>> We urge Congress to increase business opportunities for disabled
>> Americans
>> by enacting the Americans with Disabilities Business Opportunity Act.
>>
>> This legislation should:
>>
>> . Authorize tax credits to for-profit businesses that purchase
>> goods or services from businesses owned by individuals with disabilities
>> (including from businesses operated under the federal Randolph-Sheppard
>> program),
>>
>> . Amend Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act to include people
>> with disabilities as presumptively socially disadvantaged,
>>
>> . Change federal procurement law to provide that businesses owned
>> by individuals with disabilities (including businesses operated under the
>> federal Randolph-Sheppard program) are included on the list of preferred
>> small businesses to which subcontracts must be awarded, and
>>
>> . Create training and technical assistance programs to prepare
>> individuals with disabilities to operate businesses capable of securing
>> federal and private contracts.
>>
>>
>> For more information about these priorities, please consult the attached
>> fact sheets.
>>
>>
>> Blind Americans need your help to achieve our goals of economic
>> security,
>> increased opportunity, and full integration into American society on a
>> basis
>> of equality. Enactment of these legislative proposals will represent
>> important steps toward reaching these goals. We need the help and
>> support
>> of each member of Congress. Our success benefits not only us, but the
>> whole
>> of America as well. In this time of national economic insecurity, these
>> measures will contribute to increasing the tax base and encouraging the
>> purchase of consumer goods.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> A TECHNOLOGY BILL OF RIGHTS FOR THE BLIND
>>
>>
>>
>> Purpose:
>>
>> To mandate that consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and
>> electronic office technology provide user interfaces and software that
>> are
>> accessible through nonvisual means.
>>
>>
>> Background:
>>
>> In recent years rapid advances in microchip and digital technology have
>> led to increasingly complex user interfaces for everyday products such as
>> consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and electronic office
>> technology. Many new devices in these categories require interaction
>> with
>> visual displays, on-screen menus, touch screens, software, and other user
>> interfaces that are inaccessible to people who are blind or have low
>> vision.
>> Settings on the stove, dishwasher, or home entertainment system are no
>> longer controlled by knobs, switches, and buttons that can be easily
>> discerned and readily identified. Inaccessibility of these devices is a
>> major barrier to a blind person's independence and productivity. If a
>> blind
>> person cannot operate the interfaces of basic office equipment or
>> software
>> such as copiers, fax machines, and basic word processing programs, that
>> person's opportunity to join the workforce or maintain an existing job is
>> in
>> great jeopardy.
>>
>> Many popular, cost-effective mechanisms are available for manufacturers
>> to
>> create interfaces usable through nonvisual means. For example,
>> text-to-speech technology is inexpensive and more prevalent than it has
>> ever
>> been-it is used in everything from automated telephone systems to the
>> weather forecasting service broadcast by the National Oceanic and
>> Atmospheric Administration. Apple has incorporated VoiceOver (a
>> text-to-speech function) into the touch-screen iPhone, making it the only
>> fully accessible wireless handset on the market. The key is to build in
>> nonvisual access at the design stage. Despite these available
>> accessibility
>> solutions, the majority of manufacturers have continued to design
>> interfaces
>> that do not include nonvisual means of use. This trend of
>> inaccessibility
>> will continue to grow as technology becomes more advanced and
>> accessibility
>> solutions are ignored.
>>
>>
>> Need for Legislation:
>>
>> No enforceable mandates currently exist for manufacturers of consumer
>> electronics, home appliances, kiosks, or electronic office technology to
>> make their products accessible to blind consumers. There are also no
>> accessibility standards to provide guidance to manufacturers on how to
>> avoid
>> creating barriers to access for the blind.
>>
>> Congress should enact a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind that:
>>
>> a.. Establishes that manufacturers must create accessible user
>> interfaces for their products,
>> b.. Provides a means for enforcement, and
>> c.. Establishes standards that will provide meaningful benchmarks that
>> manufacturers can use to make their products accessible.
>> The legislation should not mandate a single, one-size-fits-all solution
>> for all consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, or electronic
>> office
>> technology. Rather it should mandate regulations setting meaningful
>> accessibility standards that allow manufacturers to select from a menu of
>> potential solutions or create new ones. This will not only give
>> manufacturers the freedom and flexibility they desire, but will also
>> encourage innovations that make consumer technology more usable for
>> everyone.
>>
>>
>> Proposed Legislation:
>>
>> Congress should enact a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind that:
>>
>> a.. Mandates that all consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks,
>> and
>> electronic office technology be designed so that blind people are able to
>> access the same functions as sighted people by nonvisual means and with
>> substantially equivalent ease of use.
>> b.. Creates a commission within the Department of Commerce to
>> establish
>> standards for nonvisual accessibility of electronic devices intended for
>> use
>> in the home or office. Such a commission should represent all
>> stakeholders,
>> including:
>> - organizations of the blind;
>>
>> - manufacturers of consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks,
>> and electronic office technology and software, or associations
>> representing
>> such manufacturers; and
>>
>> - experts on universal design, electronic engineering, and related
>> fields.
>>
>> a.. Establishes within the Department of Justice the authority to
>> enforce the regulations promulgated by the commission established by this
>> legislation.
>> b.. Authorizes the commission to reexamine and rewrite standards
>> periodically as consumer electronic technology continues to evolve.
>>
>> Requested Action:
>>
>> Please support blind Americans by sponsoring the Technology Bill of
>> Rights
>> for the Blind to ensure that blind people can fully participate in all
>> aspects of society. Increased access leads to increased independence,
>> increased employment, and increased tax revenue.
>>
>>
>>
>> Contact Information:
>>
>> Lauren McLarney
>>
>> Government Programs Specialist
>>
>> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
>>
>> Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2207
>>
>> E-mail: lmclarney at nfb.org
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ENSURING EQUAL EDUCATION FOR BLIND CHILDREN:
>>
>> SETTING STANDARDS THAT PROMOTE EXCELLENCE
>>
>>
>> Purpose:
>>
>> To establish a commission within the Department of Education to set
>> uniform national standards for the education of blind students in grades
>> K-12.
>>
>>
>> Background:
>>
>> Blind students have been integrated into America's public schools since
>> the 1960s, but educators have never made an attempt to quantify or
>> measure
>> the quality of their education consistently and effectively. Although
>> school districts are required by law to provide a "free, appropriate
>> public
>> education" to all students with disabilities, current regulations and
>> practices only establish what services and accommodations blind students
>> will receive individually and do not measure or attempt to measure the
>> effectiveness of these services and accommodations. All too often this
>> means that blind students are burdened with low expectations and inferior
>> educational services.
>>
>> To the extent that a blind child's performance is poor, too many
>> educators
>> incorrectly believe that this occurs because of the child's incapacity
>> due
>> to blindness rather than because of the inadequacy of the services and
>> accommodations provided. The real problem, however, is what former
>> President George W. Bush called "the soft bigotry of low expectations."
>> The
>> low expectations of educators for blind children become self-fulfilling
>> prophecies when blind students receive inadequate Braille instruction;
>> are
>> not provided textbooks and other educational materials in specialized
>> formats on time; or are not given adequate instruction in the skills of
>> blindness including the use of access technology. Materials supporting
>> the
>> Common Core State Standards recently developed by the National Governors
>> Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State
>> School
>> Officers state that students with disabilities "must be challenged to
>> excel
>> within the general curriculum and be prepared for success in their
>> post-school lives, including college and/or careers" and must receive
>> appropriate accommodations to achieve academic excellence. In order for
>> this goal to become a reality, however, uniform national standards are
>> needed to ensure that blind students have the skills they need to perform
>> at
>> age- and grade-appropriate levels throughout their educations. Such
>> standards will finally put an end to the vicious circle of low
>> expectations
>> and inadequate services that has condemned far too many blind children to
>> lives of frustration, illiteracy, and ultimately poverty.
>>
>>
>> Existing Law:
>>
>> The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides that
>> every
>> student with a disability must have an Individualized Education Program
>> (IEP), agreed upon by a team that includes the student's parents,
>> teachers,
>> and school administrators. While the IEP sets out what services and
>> accommodations a student will receive and sets goals for the individual
>> student's progress, the effectiveness of the IEP itself is not measured
>> against objective benchmarks in order to determine whether the blindness
>> skills being taught and services being provided are allowing the student
>> to
>> perform to the same standards as other students of the same age, grade
>> level, or level of intellectual functioning. Procedures exist for a
>> child's
>> parents to object if they believe that the IEP is not being followed or
>> needs to be changed, but the process is onerous and puts the burden of
>> proof
>> on the parents to show that the child is not receiving an adequate
>> education, rather than on school administrators to show that the IEP is
>> producing good results. Uniform standards outlining the services and
>> accommodations that must be made available to all blind children, as well
>> as
>> the specific blindness skills the students need to acquire in order to
>> succeed, would solve this problem by establishing benchmarks against
>> which
>> each child's performance would be measured, providing a clear and
>> unbiased
>> assessment of whether the child is being educated effectively.
>>
>>
>> Need for Legislation:
>>
>> The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and other existing laws
>> and regulations do not currently provide objective standards to measure
>> the
>> effectiveness of the education of blind students against accepted
>> standards
>> like the Common Core State Standards. Such standards must be set by a
>> regulatory body that consists of and receives input from all
>> stakeholders,
>> including educators, blind Americans, and parents of blind children.
>> Congress should enact legislation that creates a commission within the
>> Department of Education, to ensure representation of all stakeholders in
>> order to set educational standards for blind children and to promulgate
>> regulations providing for the enforcement of the standards throughout the
>> United States. Only through the establishment of objective standards by
>> such an independent body will blind children in America finally be freed
>> from the chains of inadequate instruction, lackluster educational
>> support,
>> and low expectations.
>>
>>
>> Requested Action:
>>
>> Please support blind Americans by sponsoring legislation to establish a
>> commission within the Department of Education to set standards for the
>> education of all blind children in America.
>>
>>
>>
>> Contact Information:
>>
>> Jesse Hartle
>>
>> Government Programs Specialist
>>
>> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
>>
>> Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2233
>>
>> E-mail: jhartle at nfb.org
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY ACT
>>
>>
>>
>> Purpose:
>>
>> To unleash the entrepreneurial capacity of Americans with disabilities
>> in
>> order to reduce the staggering unemployment rate among these individuals
>> and
>> welcome them into the mainstream of American business.
>>
>>
>> Background:
>>
>> According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than two-thirds of
>> Americans with disabilities are unemployed or vastly under-employed.
>> Strong
>> and innovative initiatives are necessary to remedy this problem and put
>> Americans with disabilities to work. To a substantial degree America's
>> economic success is tied to the freedom to engage in entrepreneurial
>> activity and create one's own wealth. It has long been the policy of the
>> United States to promote the economic well-being of traditionally
>> disadvantaged groups by creating a variety of business incentive programs
>> that allow these groups to participate in the mainstream of the nation's
>> economy. These programs have not, however, been extended to Americans
>> with
>> disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Business Opportunity Act
>> (ADBOA) would greatly expand the ability of Americans with disabilities
>> to
>> secure entrepreneurial opportunities by:
>>
>> . Authorizing tax credits to for-profit businesses that purchase
>> goods or services from businesses owned by individuals with disabilities
>> (including from businesses operated under the federal Randolph-Sheppard
>> program);
>>
>> . Amending Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act to include
>> people
>> with disabilities as presumptively socially disadvantaged;
>>
>> . Changing federal procurement law to provide that businesses
>> owned
>> by individuals with disabilities (including businesses operated under the
>> federal Randolph-Sheppard program) are included on the list of preferred
>> small businesses to which subcontracts must be awarded; and
>>
>> . Creating training and technical assistance programs to prepare
>> individuals with disabilities to operate businesses capable of securing
>> federal and private contracts.
>>
>>
>> Need for Legislation:
>>
>> Each of the four components of the ADBOA would enhance the ability of
>> businesses operated by Americans with disabilities to be fully integrated
>> into the mainstream of the American economy. Together these components
>> would reduce the unemployment rate among Americans with disabilities and
>> make them fully productive members of society.
>>
>> 1. Tax Credits: One effective method of encouraging and enticing
>> business entities to subcontract with, or purchase goods and services
>> from,
>> businesses owned or operated by Americans with disabilities is to offer
>> such
>> entities tax credits. These tax credits would allow traditional
>> businesses
>> to realize substantial tax savings and also promote the goal of
>> integrating
>> businesses owned by people with disabilities into the economic
>> mainstream.
>>
>> 2. Amendment of Section 8(a): Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act
>> is a powerful program allowing businesses owned by racial, cultural, and
>> ethnic minorities or women to secure federal contracts. Anyone seeking
>> Section 8(a) certification must prove that he/she is socially and
>> economically disadvantaged. Individuals who are from a racial, cultural,
>> or
>> ethnic minority or women are presumed to be socially disadvantaged. It is
>> currently possible for individuals with disabilities to secure 8(a)
>> certification, but such individuals must prove that they are socially
>> disadvantaged. It is onerous to establish such a disadvantage under
>> current
>> laws and regulations. Placing people with disabilities on the
>> presumptive
>> list of those who are socially disadvantaged would create a much easier
>> path
>> to 8(a) certification for such individuals and therefore to the
>> opportunity
>> to secure federal contracts.
>>
>> 3. Changes to Federal Procurement Practices: Under current law
>> business entities attempting to secure large federal contracts must
>> guarantee that they will subcontract a portion of the work to small
>> businesses that are owned by traditionally disadvantaged populations.
>> Businesses owned by individuals with disabilities are currently not on
>> the
>> list of disadvantaged populations. ADBOA will permit for-profit business
>> entities attempting to secure large federal contracts to meet procurement
>> requirements by subcontracting with businesses owned by individuals with
>> disabilities.
>>
>> 4. Establishment of Technical Assistance and Training Programs:
>> Through the award of federal grants, ADBOA would establish technical
>> assistance and training programs allowing business owners with
>> disabilities
>> to acquire the technical expertise to secure federal contracts and
>> otherwise
>> maximize entrepreneurial opportunities. The purpose for these federal
>> grants will be to increase substantially the number of individuals with
>> disabilities capable of operating successful businesses. The emphasis in
>> federal disability policy in the past has not been on providing people
>> with
>> disabilities the tools and training necessary to support themselves.
>> Rather
>> many governmental programs for the disabled have been based on a welfare
>> model. ADBOA would emphasize economic independence for individuals with
>> disabilities by training them to run their own businesses. ADBOA grants
>> would also allow entities to create tools to assist individuals with
>> disabilities in running a successful business.
>>
>>
>> Requested Action:
>>
>> Please support blind Americans by sponsoring the Americans with
>> Disabilities Business Opportunity Act, legislation to increase business
>> opportunities for disabled Americans.
>>
>>
>>
>> Contact Information:
>>
>> Jesse Hartle
>>
>> Government Programs Specialist
>>
>> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
>>
>> Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2233
>>
>> E-mail: jhartle at nfb.org
>>
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