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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Hello everyone:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Please see below. This is critically important if we are to have fully accessible testing for blind students. If you can help or know of someone who can, please contact Mr. Irzyk, whose contact information is
included below. Thanks.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Chris<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">From:</span></b><span style="color:black"> Edward Bell <<a href="mailto:ebell@pdrib.com">ebell@pdrib.com</a>><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, May 20, 2015 12:37:57 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:ebell@latech.edu">ebell@latech.edu</a><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Jeff Heathman; <a href="mailto:joshua.irzyk@maryland.gov">joshua.irzyk@maryland.gov</a>;
<a href="mailto:joshuai@mdschblind.org">joshuai@mdschblind.org</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Requesting your help in finding blind teenagers</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Dear NFB Friend: <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As you should be aware, the NFB is in a settlement agreement with PARCC to make sure that the online high-stakes tests are accessible to blind kids. I have been working on one of the subgroups over the last year to help make sure this is
done quickly and effectively. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The folks at Pearson, (who are the ones actually developing the test platform) are working to do field-tests, or CogLabs, to try out how the online testing works with real blind kids. They are working to conduct some of these trials over
the next couple of weeks in Baltimore, and are running into difficulty finding participants for the research. I know that with school being over, and everyone sick of standardized testing, the last thing anyone wants to do is more testing, however, if we want
to ensure that this online testing is accessible and useful for blind kids then we need to help to make sure that we get youth to participate in this testing effort.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When: They are scheduling testing between May 30 and June 3 at the Maryland School for the blind.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Who: We need blind/VI kids in 6th to 11th grade who have working familiarity with JAWS.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">How Long: I believe the testing takes about 1.5 hours in total.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Assistance: Pearson is willing to help parents with transportation assistance, and is scheduling on the weekend, evenings, and any time that is convenient.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Contact: Please help reach out to parents in your area with this request for assistance. You will want to have them contact:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">Joshua Irzyk, Ed.D <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">Maryland State Department of Education<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">(O) </span><a href="tel:410-767-0812" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">410-767-0812</span></a><span style="font-size:9.5pt"><br>
</span><a href="mailto:joshua.irzyk@maryland.gov" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">joshua.irzyk@maryland.gov</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Or<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="tel:410-444-5000%20x%201410" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">410-444-5000 x 1410</span></a><span style="font-size:9.5pt"><br>
</span><a href="mailto:joshuai@mdschblind.org" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">joshuai@mdschblind.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Please let me know if you have any questions, and I sincerely thank you for your help.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Edward C. Bell, Ph.D., CRC, NOMC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Director, Professional Development and Research<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Institute on Blindness<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Louisiana Tech University<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">210 Woodard Hall <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">PO Box 3158<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Ruston LA 71272<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Office: 318.257.4554 Fax: 318.257.2259 (Fax) Skype: edwardbell2010<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><a href="mailto:ebell@latech.edu"><span style="color:blue">ebell@latech.edu</span></a>
<a href="http://www.pdrib.com">www.pdrib.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">**************************************************************<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">"I am somehow less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops."
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">-- Stephen Jay Gould<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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