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<DIV dir=ltr class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Freeh, Jessica
[mailto:JFreeh@nfb.org]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, December 13, 2011 4:20
PM<BR><B>To:</B> Alpidio Rolon; Amy Buresh; Art Schreiber; Beth Rival; Bill
Packee; Bob Kresmer; Carl Jacobsen; Cassandra McNabb; Cathy Jackson; Charlene
Smyth; Christine G. Hall; Dan Hicks; Daniel Burke; Donna Wood; Duane Iverson;
Elsie Dickerson; Frank Lee; Franklin Shiner; Fred Schroeder; Garrick Scott; Gary
Ray; Gary Wunder; Grace Pires; J.W. Smith; James Antonacci; Jeannie Massay;
Jennifer Dunnam; Joe Ruffalo; John Batron; John Fritz; Joy Harris; Joyce
Scanlan; Ken Rollman; Kim Williams; Kimberly Flores; Larry Posont; Lynn
Majewski; Mary Willows; Melissa Riccobono; Michael Barber; Michael Freeman; Mika
Pyyhkala; Nani Fife; Pam Allen; Parnell Diggs; Patti Chang; Patty Estes; Rena
Smith; Ron Brown; Gardner, Ron; Sam Gleese; Scott LaBarre; Shawn Callaway; Terry
Sheeler<BR><B>Subject:</B> National Federation of the Blind Urges Swift Action
on Recommendations for Accessible Higher Education
Materials<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT face=Helvetica><FONT
size=4>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></DIV>
<DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p><FONT size=5
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
face=Helvetica>CONTACT:<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>Chris
Danielsen<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>Director of Public
Relations<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>National Federation of the
Blind<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>(410) 659-9314, extension
2330<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>(410) 262-1281
(Cell)<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><A
href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org"><FONT
face=Helvetica>cdanielsen@nfb.org</FONT></A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=5
face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></P>
<H1 style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 12pt 0in 3pt" align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><FONT face=Arial>National Federation of the Blind Urges
Swift Action <BR>on Recommendations for Accessible Higher Education
Materials<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H1>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Helvetica><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Baltimore,
Maryland (December 1<SPAN class=636153820-13122011>3</SPAN>,
2011):</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> The <A
href="http://www.nfb.org/">National Federation of the Blind</A> (NFB) commented
today on the recently released final <A
href="http://www2.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/aim/publications.html">report</A> of
the Advisory Commission on Accessible Instructional Materials in Postsecondary
Education for Students with Disabilities. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The commission was created by Congress
following extensive advocacy by the NFB as part of the Higher Education
Opportunity Act of 2008. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The report
sets forth specific recommendations to facilitate the production and
distribution of accessible instructional materials—including printed and digital
books, journals, course packs, articles, tests, videos, instructor-created
materials, and Web pages, as well as any hardware, firmware, software, or other
means of accessing such materials—to students who are blind or have other
disabilities. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The report focuses on
making mainstream educational products accessible to the maximum extent
possible, allowing students with and without disabilities to access the same
materials at the same time and at the same price.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p><FONT face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the
National Federation of the Blind, said: “The blind and other students with
disabilities have an equal right to participate in higher education. Access to
textbooks and other instructional materials has historically presented the
greatest barrier to a truly equal education for blind students. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The transition from print to digital
materials presents great challenges; but, if managed properly, it will mean that
blind students and other students with disabilities will, for the first time,
have equal access to educational content on the same terms as their non-disabled
peers.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This report presents
recommendations that, if properly implemented, will help to ensure that this
potential is realized.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p><FONT face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT
face=Helvetica><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Mark
Riccobono</SPAN></st1:PersonName><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">, executive
director of the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute and a member
of the commission, said: “Ultimately the success of this report will depend on
whether Congress acts to implement its recommendations, but the recommendations
themselves are strong and will make a real difference to postsecondary students
with disabilities if implemented. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>As the report notes, while there is some
activity in the mainstream market to include accessibility in electronic
textbooks and other products, it will take a combination of market incentives
and government regulations in order to ensure that the blind and other students
with disabilities are placed on equal footing with their peers.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If the report’s recommendations are not
acted upon, however, students with disabilities will be put at a greater
disadvantage than ever before in terms of access to educational materials.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We therefore urge Congress to act
swiftly on the commission’s recommendations.”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></P>
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face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
face=Helvetica>###<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
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face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></P>
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face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 7.5pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>About
the National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 7.5pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>With
more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest
and most influential membership organization of blind people in the
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United
States</st1:place></st1:country-region>. The NFB improves blind people’s lives
through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging
independence and self-confidence. It is the leading force in the blindness field
today and the voice of the nation's blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the
National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and
training center in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United
States</st1:place></st1:country-region> for the blind led by the blind. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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