[NFBC-SFV] FW: [Nfbnet-members-list] The Blind Will Soon Be Able to Bank with BECU Through Mobile and Online Banking

[Juanita Herrera]

For anyone living in Seattle or anyone who knows anyone living in Seattle,
this is great news.

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBNet-Members-List <nfbnet-members-list-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf
Of Anderson, Karen via NFBNet-Members-List
Sent: Wednesday, June 6, 2018 5:42 PM
To: nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] The Blind Will Soon Be Able to Bank with BECU
Through Mobile and Online Banking


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Release Date:
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Category:
National
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
cdanielsen at nfb.org

The Blind Will Soon Be Able to Bank with BECU Through Mobile and Online
Banking National Federation of the Blind and Boeing Employees' Credit Union
Reach Accessibility Agreement

SEATTLE (June 6, 2018): The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), its
Washington affiliate, and three blind individuals have reached an agreement
with the Boeing Employees' Credit Union (BECU). As a part of this agreement,
BECU will work in collaboration with NFB and its members to make its website
and mobile banking app fully accessible to blind customers.

The work to achieve full accessibility of the website is expected to be
completed by March 31, 2019. Improvements to the mobile app will begin this
summer and will be completed by May 31, 2019. BECU has also committed to
long term policies and procedures (such as an employee training program) to
ensure that accessibility is maintained, and pay an undisclosed settlement
amount without any associated admission of liability.

Blind people access websites and mobile apps with what is known as screen
reader software, which speaks text aloud or outputs it to a refreshable
Braille display and will be used for BECU's website and mobile app. However,
websites and mobile applications that are not coded according to the Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.0, or other accessibility
guidelines, do not interact well with screen reader technology, making it
difficult or impossible for blind users to access some or all of a website
or app's information or functions.

"Blind people must budget, keep track of our accounts, pay our bills, make
deposits, and transfer funds just like everyone else," said Mark Riccobono,
President of the National Federation of the Blind. "Since these functions
are now increasingly and sometimes exclusively performed via web or mobile
applications, the blind must have full and equal access to these modern
financial tools. We commend Boeing Employees' Credit Union for agreeing in
good faith to aggressive steps that will ensure access to its website and
mobile applications now and into the future. We particularly appreciate that
BECU has agreed to the testing of these services by blind people throughout
the process, and we look forward to working with this institution to achieve
the goal of equal access. We urge other banks across the country to meet the
same standard of access for their customers and invite them to work closely
with us in doing so."

###

About the National Federation of the Blind

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore, is
the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans. Founded
in 1940, the NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the
fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The NFB defends the rights of
blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families
with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more. We
believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to
transform them into reality. Learn more about our many programs and
initiatives at www.nfb.org.
C2018 All Rights Reserved - Copyright 2018 National Federation of the Blind
https://nfb.org/blind-will-soon-be-able-bank-becu-through-mobile-and-online-
banking


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