<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_1484101462387_2520"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_9526">Hello East Valley,</span></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_9525"><span><br></span></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_6315"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_9524">This was sent out from the NFB Members list. Please let me know if you are not receiving emails from this list and would like to.<br></span></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_6316"><span><br></span></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_4679" dir="ltr">From Chris Danielsen<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_9506">
Director of Public Relations<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_9507">
National Federation of the Blind<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_9508">
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_9509">
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_9510">
<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_9511">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_4668"><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_4669" align="center">National Federation of the Blind Applauds Issuance of
"508 Refresh" Regulations<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_4670">
</div>
<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_4671">
Baltimore, Maryland (January 9, 2017): </b>The National Federation of the
Blind, the nation's leading advocate for blind Americans to gain equal
access to information and technology, today applauded the publication of
new technical standards to bring information and communication technology
(ICT) into compliance with section 508 of the Rehabilitation act of
1973, which requires government agencies and contractors to make their
electronic information and technology accessible to the blind and others
with disabilities.<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_4672">
<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_4673">
Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind,
said: "Information and communication Technology has changed a great
deal since the last Section 508 regulations were issued, and has become
an even more integral part of everyday life. Yet blind people,
particularly blind federal employees, continue to struggle with access
barriers when interacting with electronic and information technology used
or procured by federal agencies. For these reasons, we are extremely
pleased that the new Section 508 standards have finally been published.
Government agencies and contractors should now understand how to make
information and services accessible to the blind, allowing federal
employees to perform their job functions effectively and other blind
Americans to exercise our rights and responsibilities as
citizens."<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_4674">
</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_4675" align="center"><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_4676"> <br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_4677">
</b></div>
In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to require
Federal agencies to make their ICT accessible to people with
disabilities. Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in
information technology, open new opportunities for people with
disabilities, and encourage development of technologies that will help
achieve these goals. The law applies to all Federal agencies when they
develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information
technology. <br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_4678"><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_2525">______________________________________________________________________ <br></div><div class="signature" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_12667"><div><br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_12677">Sincerely,
</div><br>Megan Homrighausen
<br><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1484101462387_18994">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>