[Nfbf-l] Fw: [Nfbnet-members-list] NFB Seeking Letters Protesting Kindles inK-12 Schools

[Sherri]

I believe that this is an issue both organizations can get involved in. 
Please see below and write a letter. Thank you.

Sherri
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Freeh,Jessica (by way of David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>)
To: nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 4:54 PM
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] NFB Seeking Letters Protesting Kindles inK-12 
Schools



Dear Friends:

Amazon.com is undertaking a massive effort to deploy its Kindle e-readers 
and Kindle books to K-12 schools across the United States.  In some cases 
Kindle devices have been donated directly to schools, including schools that 
serve children who are blind or have other disabilities.  Amazon has also 
built a system called Whispercast that allows teachers and school 
administrators to distribute Kindle content to devices other than Kindles. 
The problem with all of these plans is that neither the Kindle devices nor 
the book files used in conjunction with them are accessible to students who 
are blind or who have other print disabilities.  Since school districts have 
an obligation under federal law to purchase or deploy only accessible 
technology and content, Amazon must either make Kindle books accessible or 
cease and desist from its efforts to have them used in the classroom.

We are asking each of you, and/or your blind children, to write a letter to 
Amazon's founder and chief executive officer, Mr. Jeff Bezos, explaining the 
harmful impact that the use of this inaccessible technology in the classroom 
will have on blind students.  You may write your letter in print or Braille; 
if convenient, submit it in both formats.  Also, if you can, submit a video 
of you or your child reading the letter that we can post on our Web site, 
Facebook page, and/or YouTube channel.  You may send videos to 
jfreeh at nfb.org.  Children who appear in or submit videos must also have 
their parents sign a media release giving the National Federation of the 
Blind permission to use the video.  A copy of our standard media release is 
attached.  It can be mailed back to us at the address below, or faxed to 
410-685-5653, attention Jessica Freeh.

We plan to deliver the hard copy letters directly to Jeff Bezos at an 
informational protest, so please send the letters to us at National 
Federation of the Blind, 200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place, Baltimore, 
MD 21230, Attention Chris Danielsen, Director of Public Relations.  To be 
included in our delivery to Mr. Bezos, we must receive your letter no later 
than December 1, 2012.

If you have any questions about this effort, please don't hesitate to 
contact me.  You can call me at 410-659-9314, extension 2330, or e-mail me 
at cdanielsen at nfb.org.  Thank you for your assistance in this critically 
important matter.

Sincerely:

Chris Danielsen, Director of Public Relations
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND






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