[Nfbc-info] Fw: Legislative Alert - Urgent Action Needed Regarding Braille Instruction for Blind Students

[Mary Willows]

Hello All:
The following is ergent.  We have been trying to make progress in the effort 
to get braille instructions for our children.  Here is our opportunity to 
help further the cause.  Please read and take immediate action.
The following message comes from Jesse Hartle, LegistlationCoordinator. 
jhartle at nfb.org
>

> Fellow Federationists:
>
> I am writing to inform you of a Dear Colleague letter that was circulated 
> yesterday by Senators Murray, Boozman, and Harkin related to the 
> instruction of Braille for blind students.
>
> We have been working with Senator Murray on this issue, and are excited 
> that the letter was released for other Senators to sign onto in support. 
> As you know many blind students are not receiving Braille instruction 
> today, despite the language contained in the Individuals with Disabilities 
> Education Act (IDEA), which states that Braille will be the primary 
> reading media for blind students.  Senator Murray will hold her letter 
> open through Friday, April 27, for other senators to sign onto, and then 
> she will send the letter to the Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
>
> Attached is a copy of the Dear Colleague letter that was circulated.  We 
> are asking you to contact your senators and urge them to join with 
> Senators Murray and Boozman in support of instruction of Braille for blind 
> students.  Also attached is a state-by-state list of contacts for this 
> issue.  Please note that Republican offices should contact Ian Prince in 
> Senator Boozman's office, while Democrats should be directed to Jake 
> Cornett in Senator Murray's office.  We are pleased that Chairman Harkin 
> of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and 
> Senator Mikulski of Maryland have already joined as cosigners of the Dear 
> Colleague letter.
>
> Please contact me with any questions you may have.  Thank you all in 
> advance for your work on this important issue for blind students.
>
> Jesse
>
> Jesse Hartle
> National Federation of the Blind
> Government Programs Specialist
> Phone: 410-659-9314, Ext. 2233
> Email: jhartle at nfb.org
>
>
>


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


> _______________________________________________
> NFBAffiliatePresidents mailing list
> NFBAffiliatePresidents at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbaffiliatepresidents_nfbnet.org
> 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Dear Colleague - Cosign Bipartisan Braille Literacy Letter to Duncan.doc
Type: application/msword
Size: 27648 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbc-info_nfbnet.org/attachments/20120419/8661bacc/attachment.doc>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Senate Education Contacts.doc
Type: application/msword
Size: 408576 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbc-info_nfbnet.org/attachments/20120419/8661bacc/attachment-0001.doc>