<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div>This forwarded message is something of particular interest to our students.</div><div>Cathy<br><br>Sent from my iPhone</div><div><br>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><b>From:</b> "JMassay" <<a href="mailto:jmassay1@cox.net">jmassay1@cox.net</a>><br><b>Date:</b> November 5, 2013, 10:29:44 PM EST<br><b>To:</b> "'State Affiliate Leadership List'" <<a href="mailto:state-affiliate-leadership-list@nfbnet.org">state-affiliate-leadership-list@nfbnet.org</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> <b>[State-affiliate-leadership-list] FW: [Nabs-presidents] FW: Important Message Regarding Google Apps and Accessibility</b><br><b>Reply-To:</b> State Affiliate Leadership List <<a href="mailto:state-affiliate-leadership-list@nfbnet.org">state-affiliate-leadership-list@nfbnet.org</a>><br><br></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div><span>Hello all-</span><br><span>I thought we should probably spread this far and wide. I know many students</span><br><span>and many non-traditional students who are not a part of NABS who can benefit</span><br><span>from the message and call to action. </span><br><span>Jeannie </span><br><span></span><br><span>-----Original Message-----</span><br><span>From: Nabs-presidents [<a href="mailto:nabs-presidents-bounces@nfbnet.org">mailto:nabs-presidents-bounces@nfbnet.org</a>] On Behalf</span><br><span>Of Sean Whalen</span><br><span>Sent: Tuesday, November 05, 2013 7:31 PM</span><br><span>To: <a href="mailto:nabs-l@nfbnet.org">nabs-l@nfbnet.org</a>; <a href="mailto:nabs-presidents@nfbnet.org">nabs-presidents@nfbnet.org</a></span><br><span>Subject: [Nabs-presidents] FW: Important Message Regarding Google Apps and</span><br><span>Accessibility</span><br><span></span><br><span>Friends and fellow students:</span><br><span></span><br><span>We have a wonderful opportunity to use our status as students to help</span><br><span>further the work of the NFB. Dr. Maurer called me yesterday afternoon and</span><br><span>advised me that we are in continued conversations with Google regarding the</span><br><span>accessibility of Google Apps, which are frequently used by schools and</span><br><span>universities. Unfortunately, Google Apps has many features that are</span><br><span>inaccessible. We need to change this, and this effort is building momentum.</span><br><span>The Provost of the University of Michigan has recently circulated the two</span><br><span>below communications to faculty and students at U of M. As you can read</span><br><span>after this message, Michigan will not be requiring, and is in fact</span><br><span>discouraging, the use of Google Apps for coursework, class projects, or</span><br><span>communication between students until Google Apps are accessible and fully</span><br><span>useable by disabled students, including the blind. This is a strong message,</span><br><span>but we need to increase the pressure on Google. They need to hear this</span><br><span>message from other colleges and universities, and they need to hear it now.</span><br><span>Does your school use Google Apps or are they considering it? Show your</span><br><span>administration the principled and courageous stand that the University of</span><br><span>Michigan has taken, and urge them to do the same. Educate your school's</span><br><span>administration as to how Google Apps leaves blind students out, detracts</span><br><span>from our full participation in the classroom, and degrades our educational</span><br><span>experience. I personally have run across inaccessible Google products here</span><br><span>at HKS, and will certainly be sharing the below message with my Dean. I urge</span><br><span>each of you to do the same. This is one of those instances where we as</span><br><span>students can step up to really make a difference for all blind students and</span><br><span>shape the future. Please take a few minutes to communicate the importance of</span><br><span>accessibility of all aspects of education and show your school that it is</span><br><span>possible to take a stand. Technology can either open doors for the blind, or</span><br><span>seal them shut. I know which I prefer. So, please, take a moment and help</span><br><span>show Google that accessibility matters by getting your school to communicate</span><br><span>their commitment to accessibility.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Please call or write if you have any questions. And, please share this with</span><br><span>anybody committed to equal access in education for the blind.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Many thanks,</span><br><span></span><br><span>Sean Whalen</span><br><span>President, National Association of Blind Students</span><br><span>(608) 332-4147</span><br><span>---------</span><br><span>Dear Colleagues,</span><br><span></span><br><span>As you know, the University of Michigan has transitioned to Google Apps for</span><br><span>Education for email, calendar, and collaboration tools. The university has</span><br><span>been in regular contact with Google over the past year about the</span><br><span>accessibility of their products, and we have conducted numerous tests to</span><br><span>measure their progress. While Google has demonstrated definite improvements,</span><br><span>much work remains to make the experience acceptable and equitable for</span><br><span>individuals who have disabilities. Because Google Docs and Drive, Chat,</span><br><span>Sites, and other collaborative technologies in the Google suite do not work</span><br><span>well with standard assistive technologies, you should not require students</span><br><span>to use them in coursework. In other words, you should not assign work where</span><br><span>the only option to complete the work involves use of these tools, and even</span><br><span>if their use is optional, you should be extremely sensitive and avoid</span><br><span>situations in which students who have disabilities may be disadvantaged if</span><br><span>the Google suite is the preferred alternative.</span><br><span></span><br><span>I am also writing to our students to ask them to be cautious in their</span><br><span>informal use of this suite of applications, avoiding them whenever their use</span><br><span>may disadvantage students who have disabilities.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Google email and calendar are accessible with standard assistive</span><br><span>technologies when used with the client interface for Outlook or MacMail.</span><br><span>Students, faculty, or staff may call 4-HELP for assistance in setting up the</span><br><span>client interface or they may visit the Knox Center Adaptive Technology</span><br><span>Computing Site on the first floor of the Shapiro Library. Generally, if you</span><br><span>need assistance in making your courses or technology accessible to students</span><br><span>who have disabilities, don't hesitate to work with the Knox Center or the</span><br><span>Services for Students with Disabilities.</span><br><span></span><br><span>We will continue to work with Google to address the accessibility issues in</span><br><span>their software systems, and we expect that changes will be made so that they</span><br><span>meet the needs of all our students.</span><br><span></span><br><span>The university is committed to equal opportunity and equal access, and we</span><br><span>are continually working harder to find ways to make the tools we use,</span><br><span>facilities we access, and methods we apply accessible to our entire</span><br><span>community. Please visit the sites below to learn more about how to support</span><br><span>our community members with disabilities:</span><br><span></span><br><span>--Services for Students with Disabilities handbook for faculty</span><br><span>(<a href="http://ssd.umich.edu/files/ssd/SSD_Faculty_Handbook.pdf">http://ssd.umich.edu/files/ssd/SSD_Faculty_Handbook.pdf</a>)</span><br><span>--Knox Center Adaptive Technology Computing Site</span><br><span>(<a href="http://www.itcs.umich.edu/atcs/computing-site.php">http://www.itcs.umich.edu/atcs/computing-site.php</a>)</span><br><span>--M+Google site</span><br><span>(<a href="https://sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/going-google/accessibility">https://sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/going-google/accessibility</a>)</span><br><span></span><br><span>Thank you for your attention to this important matter.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Sincerely,</span><br><span></span><br><span>Martha E. Pollack</span><br><span>Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Dear Students,</span><br><span></span><br><span>As you know, the University of Michigan has transitioned to Google Apps for</span><br><span>Education for email, calendar, and collaboration tools. The university has</span><br><span>been in regular contact with Google over the past year about the</span><br><span>accessibility of their products, and we have conducted numerous tests to</span><br><span>measure their progress. While Google has demonstrated definite improvements,</span><br><span>much work remains to make the experience acceptable and equitable for</span><br><span>individuals who have disabilities. Because Google Docs and Drive, Chat,</span><br><span>Sites, and other collaborative technologies in the Google suite do not work</span><br><span>well with standard assistive technologies, we have instructed the faculty</span><br><span>not to require students to use them in coursework, and to be sensitive and</span><br><span>avoid situations in which students who have disabilities may be</span><br><span>disadvantaged if the Google suite is the preferred alternative.</span><br><span></span><br><span>I am also writing to ask you to be cautious in your informal use of this</span><br><span>suite of applications, avoiding them whenever their use may disadvantage</span><br><span>students who have disabilities.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Google email and calendar are accessible with standard assistive</span><br><span>technologies when used with the client interface for Outlook or MacMail.</span><br><span>Students, faculty, or staff may call 4-HELP for assistance in setting up the</span><br><span>client interface or they may visit the Knox Center Adaptive Technology</span><br><span>Computing Site on the first floor of the Shapiro Library. Generally, if you</span><br><span>need assistance in making your courses or technology accessible to students</span><br><span>who have disabilities, don't hesitate to work with the Knox Center or the</span><br><span>Services for Students with Disabilities.</span><br><span></span><br><span>We will continue to work with Google to address the accessibility issues in</span><br><span>their software systems, and we expect that changes will be made so that they</span><br><span>meet the needs of all our students.</span><br><span></span><br><span>The university is committed to equal opportunity and equal access, and we</span><br><span>are continually working harder to find ways to make the tools we use,</span><br><span>facilities we access, and methods we apply accessible to our entire</span><br><span>community. Please visit the sites below to learn more about how to support</span><br><span>our community members with disabilities:</span><br><span></span><br><span>--Services for Students with Disabilities handbook for faculty</span><br><span>(<a href="http://ssd.umich.edu/files/ssd/SSD_Faculty_Handbook.pdf">http://ssd.umich.edu/files/ssd/SSD_Faculty_Handbook.pdf</a>)</span><br><span>--Knox Center Adaptive Technology Computing Site</span><br><span>(<a href="http://www.itcs.umich.edu/atcs/computing-site.php">http://www.itcs.umich.edu/atcs/computing-site.php</a>)</span><br><span>--M+Google site</span><br><span>(<a href="https://sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/going-google/accessibility">https://sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/going-google/accessibility</a>)</span><br><span></span><br><span>Thank you for your attention to this important matter.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Sincerely,</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Martha E. Pollack</span><br><span>Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>_______________________________________________</span><br><span>Nabs-presidents mailing list</span><br><span><a href="mailto:Nabs-presidents@nfbnet.org">Nabs-presidents@nfbnet.org</a></span><br><span><a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-presidents_nfbnet.org">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-presidents_nfbnet.org</a></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>_______________________________________________</span><br><span>State-affiliate-leadership-list mailing list</span><br><span><a href="mailto:State-affiliate-leadership-list@nfbnet.org">State-affiliate-leadership-list@nfbnet.org</a></span><br><span><a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/state-affiliate-leadership-list_nfbnet.org">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/state-affiliate-leadership-list_nfbnet.org</a></span><br><span>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for State-affiliate-leadership-list:</span><br><span><a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/state-affiliate-leadership-list_nfbnet.org/cathyj1949%40gmail.com">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/state-affiliate-leadership-list_nfbnet.org/cathyj1949%40gmail.com</a></span><br></div></blockquote></body></html>