<html><head></head><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:HelveticaNeue-Light, Helvetica Neue Light, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font-size:16px"><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2633" dir="ltr">Dear East Valley,</div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_7985"><br></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_7996">The following message was asked to be shared by current East Valley Chapter member Bryan Duarte as well as our former chapter member Arielle Silverman. <br>For all of you interested in research, as well as giving feedback on technology, you will love this opportunity.</div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_14497">_________________________________________________________________<br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_7993"><br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_7992">Hi all,</div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2634"><span style="mso-tab-count:1" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2635"> <br></span></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_4678"><span style="mso-tab-count:1" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2635"> </span>My name
is Arielle Silverman, and I am seeking your help with a research project. The
main purpose of this project is to develop a database of blind individuals who
are interested in providing feedback on new assistive technologies. This
project is sponsored by Arizona State University’s Center for Cognitive
Ubiquitous Computing (CUBC) which designs haptic technologies to assist people
who are blind and visually impaired. We need to hear from the blind community
about the most appropriate applications of this technology. By signing up to
join the database, you will be able to comment on the real assistive technology
needs of the blind community, evaluate th<a name="_GoBack" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2636" href=""></a>eir ideas for
new haptic technologies, and participate in user studies. We are especially
looking for people who live near Tempe, Arizona, who can help with user testing
and focus groups as these technologies evolve.</div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2637">Adults who are 18 years or older and who are blind or
visually impaired are eligible to participate. The study involves a 10-minute
survey asking about your demographics and assistive technology use. This will
help us send you invitations to future studies for which you qualify.</div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2638">You will have the chance to enter into a raffle drawing
where three individuals will each win a $100 gift card if you decide to
complete the survey.</div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2639">This study has been approved by the Institutional Review
Board at Arizona State University.</div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2640">To begin the study, click here:</div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2641">https://goo.gl/forms/tNYsz4wPhlHGNSZQ2</div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2642"> </div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2643">If you have any questions or concerns about the study, feel
free to contact me at</div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2644"><a href="mailto:arielle@disabilitywisdom.com" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2645">arielle@disabilitywisdom.com</a></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2646">Or the principal investigator, Troy McDaniel, at</div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2647"><a href="mailto:Troy.mcdaniel@asu.edu" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2648">Troy.mcdaniel@asu.edu</a></div>
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2649">Thank you for your help with this research.</span><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2565"> </div><div class="signature" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2566"><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_6246">______________________________________________________________________</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_17747"><br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_14532">Sincerely,
</div><br>Megan Homrighausen
<br><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1483856920079_2567">East Valley Chapter President<br>National Federation Of The Blind Of Arizona</b>
<br>480-510-6196<br><div id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3130"><br></div><span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3132" style=""><span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3133" style="">National Federation Of The Blind Principles<br><br>1.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3134" style="font:7.0pt;"> I</span></span></span>t
is respectable to be blind. It’s okay to be blind. Being blind is
something that we need not feel troubled or embarrassed about, concerned about
or emotionally exhausted over. It’s okay to be blind.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3136" style=""><span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3137" style=""><br>2.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3138" style="font:7.0pt;"> T</span></span></span>he real problem of blindness is not the absence of vision but is
the social misconceptions and stereotypes that exist about blindness. It is not the physical absence of eye sight but it is what society has come to
believe about our blindness. We reject the misconceptions that society has and
we accept that the physical absence of our sight is not the big problem.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3140" style=""><span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3141" style=""><br>3.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3142" style="font:7.0pt;"> </span></span></span>With proper training and opportunity the average blind person can
do the average job in the average place of work.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3156" style=""><span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3157" style=""><br>4.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3158" style="font:7.0pt;"> </span></span></span>Blindness
is simply one of many human characteristics, like being tall or being short,
being big or small, being bright or average. Blindness is simply one of many<br>characteristics.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3175" style=""><span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3176" style=""><br>5.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3177" style="font:7.0pt;"> </span></span></span>Blindness
can be reduced to the level of an inconvenience or physical nuisance. <span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3188" style=""><span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3189" style=""><br>6.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3190" style="font:7.0pt;"> </span></span></span>We
believe in the effectiveness of alternative non visual techniques.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3213" style=""><span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3214" style=""><br>7.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3215" style="font:7.0pt;"> </span></span></span>If
we want equal rights we need to accept equal responsibility.</div></div></body></html>