<div><br></div><font size="6"><div>More good news from the National Federation of the Blind. Read below.</div><div>Cathy<br></div></font><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Freeh, Jessica</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:JFreeh@nfb.org">JFreeh@nfb.org</a>></span><br>Date: Wed, Oct 8, 2014 at 9:50 AM<br>Subject: National Federation of the Blind Reaches Agreement with U.S. Department of Education<br>To: "State President, New Mexico" <<a href="mailto:avigil74@gmail.com">avigil74@gmail.com</a>>, "State President, Puerto Rico" <<a href="mailto:arguza@attglobal.net">arguza@attglobal.net</a>>, "State President, Nebraska" <<a href="mailto:amy.buresh74@gmail.com">amy.buresh74@gmail.com</a>>, "State President, Massachusetts" <<a href="mailto:aruell@nfbma.org">aruell@nfbma.org</a>>, "State President, Connecticut" <<a href="mailto:erival@comcast.net">erival@comcast.net</a>>, "State President, Arizona" <<a href="mailto:krezguy@cox.net">krezguy@cox.net</a>>, "State President, New York" <<a href="mailto:office@nfbny.org">office@nfbny.org</a>>, "State President, Oregon" <<a href="mailto:president@nfb-oregon.org">president@nfb-oregon.org</a>>, "State President, New Hampshire" <<a href="mailto:cemcnabb21@yahoo.com">cemcnabb21@yahoo.com</a>>, "State President, Kentucky" <<a href="mailto:cathyj1949@gmail.com">cathyj1949@gmail.com</a>>, Charlene Smyth <<a href="mailto:cs.nfbwv@verizon.net">cs.nfbwv@verizon.net</a>>, "State President, Florida" <<a href="mailto:danjhicks@yahoo.com">danjhicks@yahoo.com</a>>, "State President, Delaware" <<a href="mailto:president88@nfbdelaware.org">president88@nfbdelaware.org</a>>, "State President, Vermont" <<a href="mailto:deannaljones@comcast.net">deannaljones@comcast.net</a>>, Duane Iverson <<a href="mailto:diverson@midco.net">diverson@midco.net</a>>, "State President, Idaho" <<a href="mailto:elsiedickerson@ymail.com">elsiedickerson@ymail.com</a>>, "State President, Ohio" <<a href="mailto:peduffy63@gmail.com">peduffy63@gmail.com</a>>, "State President, Utah" <<a href="mailto:baconev@yahoo.com">baconev@yahoo.com</a>>, "Schroeder, Fred" <<a href="mailto:fschroeder@sks.com">fschroeder@sks.com</a>>, "State President, Georgia" <<a href="mailto:gscott@nfbga.org">gscott@nfbga.org</a>>, "State President, Missouri" <<a href="mailto:gwunder@earthlink.net">gwunder@earthlink.net</a>>, "State President, Rhode Island" <<a href="mailto:silvara@cox.net">silvara@cox.net</a>>, "State President, Montana" <<a href="mailto:jkaldrich@samobile.net">jkaldrich@samobile.net</a>>, "State President, Pennsylvania" <<a href="mailto:president@nfbp.org">president@nfbp.org</a>>, "State President, Tennessee" <<a href="mailto:nfb.tennessee@gmail.com">nfb.tennessee@gmail.com</a>>, "State President, Oklahoma" <<a href="mailto:Jeannie.massay@nfbok.org">Jeannie.massay@nfbok.org</a>>, "State President, Minnesota" <<a href="mailto:jennifer.dunnam1829@gmail.com">jennifer.dunnam1829@gmail.com</a>>, "State President, Alaska" <<a href="mailto:jnhburton@gci.net">jnhburton@gci.net</a>>, Joe Ruffalo <<a href="mailto:nfbnj@yahoo.com">nfbnj@yahoo.com</a>>, "State President, Wisconsin" <<a href="mailto:johnfritz66@gmail.com">johnfritz66@gmail.com</a>>, "State President, Alabama" <<a href="mailto:joy.harris@dwx.com">joy.harris@dwx.com</a>>, "State President, South Dakota" <<a href="mailto:gatorbumps@rushmore.com">gatorbumps@rushmore.com</a>>, "State President, Texas" <<a href="mailto:Kimberly.aguillard@gmail.com">Kimberly.aguillard@gmail.com</a>>, "State President, Michigan" <<a href="mailto:president.nfb.mi@gmail.com">president.nfb.mi@gmail.com</a>>, "State President, Maine" <<a href="mailto:leonproctorjr@yahoo.com">leonproctorjr@yahoo.com</a>>, "State President, California" <<a href="mailto:mwillows@sbcglobal.net">mwillows@sbcglobal.net</a>>, "State President, Maryland" <<a href="mailto:melissa@riccobono.us">melissa@riccobono.us</a>>, "State President, Iowa" <<a href="mailto:michael.nfbi@gmail.com">michael.nfbi@gmail.com</a>>, "State President, Washington" <<a href="mailto:k7uij@panix.com">k7uij@panix.com</a>>, "State President, Hawaii" <<a href="mailto:nanifife@aol.com">nanifife@aol.com</a>>, Pam Allen <<a href="mailto:pallen@lcb-ruston.com">pallen@lcb-ruston.com</a>>, "State President, South Carolina" <<a href="mailto:parnell@sccoast.net">parnell@sccoast.net</a>>, "State President, Illinois" <<a href="mailto:pattischang@gmail.com">pattischang@gmail.com</a>>, "State President, Nevada" <<a href="mailto:realhappygirl1@gmail.com">realhappygirl1@gmail.com</a>>, "Brown, Ron" <<a href="mailto:RB15@iquest.net">RB15@iquest.net</a>>, "State President, Wyoming" <<a href="mailto:rreed@wyoassist.com">rreed@wyoassist.com</a>>, "State President, Mississippi" <<a href="mailto:sgleese@city.jackson.ms.us">sgleese@city.jackson.ms.us</a>>, "State President, Colorado" <<a href="mailto:slabarre@labarrelaw.com">slabarre@labarrelaw.com</a>>, "State President, North Carolina" <<a href="mailto:Weddington.sharon@gmail.com">Weddington.sharon@gmail.com</a>>, "State President, District of Columbia" <<a href="mailto:callaway.shawn@gmail.com">callaway.shawn@gmail.com</a>>, "State President, Arkansas" <<a href="mailto:tosheeler@cox.net">tosheeler@cox.net</a>>, "State President, Kansas" <<a href="mailto:topage@swbell.net">topage@swbell.net</a>><br><br><br>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<u></u><u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u></u> <u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt">CONTACT:<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt">Chris Danielsen<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt">Director of Public Relations<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt">National Federation of the Blind<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt"><a href="tel:%28410%29%20659-9314%2C%20extension%202330" target="_blank" value="+14106599314">(410) 659-9314, extension 2330</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt"><a href="tel:%28410%29%20262-1281" target="_blank" value="+14102621281">(410) 262-1281</a> (Cell)<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12pt">cdanielsen@nfb.org</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"><b>National Federation of the Blind Reaches Agreement<br>
with U.S. Department of Education<u></u><u></u></b></p>
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<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"><b><i><span style="font-size:12pt">Agreement Will Make Student Loan Information Accessible<u></u><u></u></span></i></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt">Baltimore, Maryland (October 8, 2014):</span></b><span style="font-size:12pt">
</span><a href="http://www.nfb.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12pt">The National Federation of the Blind</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt">, the nation’s leading advocate for equal access by the blind to information and technology, and three individuals
have reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education that will make student loan information accessible to blind Americans. The agreement commits the Department of Education and the student loan servicers with which it contracts to make websites,
forms, and documents related to the department’s Direct Loan program equally accessible to blind applicants and borrowers. The requirements include providing documents in alternative formats such as Braille and large print and allowing blind people to fill
out and electronically sign and submit accessible versions of student loan applications and forms.
</span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";font-size:12pt">The blind use computers, smartphones, and tablets equipped with special software that allows the contents of websites and documents to be read aloud or displayed in Braille on a connected
Braille device. When websites or documents are not properly coded, however, they cannot be accessed with the technology used by the blind.</span><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";font-size:12pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt">Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: “It goes without saying that the inability of blind people to acquire timely information about their student loans and interact with
their loan servicers can result in serious financial consequences. Timely and independent access to student loan websites, forms, and documents is therefore imperative, not a matter of mere convenience. We are delighted that the Department of Education has
agreed to work with us to achieve equal access to its student loan program.”<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt">The complainants were represented in this matter by Arlene B. Mayerson and Larisa Cummings of the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inc. and Daniel F. Goldstein and Jessica P. Weber of the Baltimore
firm Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p style="background:white"><strong><span style="color:black;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">About the National Federation of the Blind</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p style="background:white"><span style="color:black;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p style="background:white"><span style="color:black;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people,
because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.</span><span style="color:black;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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