[nfbmi-talk] Fw: National Federation of the Blind Commends Senator Murray for Braille Literacy Letter

Wed May 2 23:27:30 UTC 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

cdanielsen at nfb.org

National Federation of the Blind Commends 
Senator Murray for Braille Literacy Letter

Letter to Secretary of Education Urges Department to 
Ensure Access to Braille Instruction for Blind Students

Baltimore, Maryland (May 2, 2012): The National Federation of the Blind, the nation's leading advocate for Braille literacy, today commended Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) who led a bipartisan group of twenty-six senators in sending a letter to Arne Duncan, the U.S. Secretary of Education, regarding improving access to Braille instruction for blind students.  The letter calls upon the Department of Education to work with stakeholders to develop new regulations for the individualized education program (IEP) of blind students and provide guidance to school districts to clarify the requirement contained in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that Braille be presumed appropriate for blind students unless there is specific evidence that Braille is not appropriate.

The letter stated in part: "Students with blindness or a visual impairment who are inappropriately denied or delayed Braille instruction find themselves struggling in middle and high school, falling further behind their sighted peers.  As this achievement gap persists, the student's ability to compete with sighted peers for post-secondary opportunities and employment is significantly compromised.  This literacy gap is both unnecessary and preventable."  

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "We applaud Senator Murray and her fellow senators for taking a stand for the equal education of blind students.  Braille is the only reading and writing method for blind people and there is overwhelming evidence that Braille readers go on to lead more productive lives -and yet currently only 10 percent of blind students are learning Braille.  This cannot stand.  We urge the Secretary of Education to heed this letter and begin work with the National Federation of the Blind and other stakeholders to develop new regulations that will reverse this downward trend in Braille literacy."

"This is not just a problem for the blind community, this is a problem for our country as a whole," said Senator Patty Murray in a statement from her office.  "If we allow this to continue, it won't just be one community that falls behind, we will all fall behind together.  Making sure that we offer all our kids, regardless of disability, a world-class education is not only a moral obligation, it is an economic imperative for the U.S. to succeed."

Senator John Boozman (R-AR), one of twenty-six senators who signed Murray's letter, said: "As an optometrist, I recognize the importance of providing our blind and visually impaired students with the resources they need to learn how to read.  Evaluation of students with disabilities is essential to providing an individualized education program that leads to literacy and readies these students for college and a career."

###

About the National Federation of the Blind 

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 United States. 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 United States for the blind led by the blind.

No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2411/4973 - Release Date: 05/02/12