[nfbmi-talk] Fw: National Federation of the Blind and Blind StudentFile Suit Against Maricopa Community College District

Wed May 23 00:48:15 UTC 2012

Elizabeth,

Some releases are sent to all lists; some are not. I had not seen 
this one until sent to this list.

Evelyn

At 08:30 PM 5/22/2012, you wrote:
>I believe these press releases are already being sent out to 
>everyone who wishes to receive them. Therefore, I do not believe 
>there is a need to cross post all of them.
>
>Although, it is nice to know the NFB is willing to help some college 
>students fight this kind of discrimination, but not all of them. It 
>just does not seem fair to me that some receive help while others 
>are left to fend for themselves and have their college career ruined 
>as a result.
>
>Elizabeth
>
>--------------------------------------------------
>From: "Mary Ann Robinson" <brightsmile1953 at comcast.net>
>Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 7:10 PM
>To: "NFB of Michigan List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
>Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Fw: National Federation of the Blind and Blind 
>StudentFile Suit Against Maricopa Community College District
>
>>
>>
>>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 and Blind Student File Suit
>>Against Maricopa Community College District
>>Complaint Alleges Mesa Community College Student Experienced Discrimination
>>
>>
>>Phoenix, Arizona (May 22, 2012): The National Federation of the 
>>Blind, the nation's leading advocate for the equal education of 
>>blind students, and Sebastian Ibanez, a blind student who recently 
>>graduated from Mesa Community College, have filed suit (Case No.: 
>>CV 12-907-PHX-NVW) against the college and the Maricopa Community 
>>College District, alleging discrimination against Mr. Ibanez and 
>>other blind students.  The complaint alleges that Mr. Ibanez, as a 
>>blind student, could not register for his classes, complete online 
>>courses and assignments, access student services, or actively 
>>participate in his classes because of inaccessible technology 
>>purchased or deployed by the Maricopa Community College District 
>>and Mesa Community College.  Among other things, college and 
>>third-party Web sites and software applications used for coursework 
>>and student services do not work with text-to-speech screen reading 
>>software, and "clickers" that are used to respond to questions in 
>>class cannot be operated independently by blind students.  Most 
>>egregious of all, Mr. Ibanez was deliberately excluded from a class 
>>solely on the basis of his blindness.  He attended the class but 
>>was told by the instructor that she did not feel comfortable 
>>teaching a blind student, and was subsequently electronically 
>>"dropped" from the class without his knowledge or consent.
>>
>>
>>
>>Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, 
>>said: "Despite clear mandates for the equal education of students 
>>with disabilities contained in the Americans with Disabilities Act 
>>and the Rehabilitation Act, we continue to find that higher 
>>education institutions are not accommodating their blind students 
>>as required by federal law.  As in too many other cases, this 
>>instance involves the needless and unlawful purchase and deployment 
>>of inaccessible technology.  Worse yet, the case demonstrates again 
>>the deliberate disregard by some college faculty and staff for the 
>>rights of blind students.  The National Federation of the Blind is 
>>once again forced to devote considerable time and resources to 
>>rectifying this discrimination.  We will continue to do so until 
>>the day when battles like this one are no longer necessary.  We 
>>cannot and will not tolerate unlawful discrimination against blind 
>>students, and we insist that they receive an education equal to 
>>that received by their sighted peers."
>>
>>
>>
>>The plaintiffs are represented in this matter by Joseph B. Espo of 
>>the Baltimore firm Brown, Goldstein, & Levy, LLP, and J.J. Rico of 
>>the Arizona Center for Disability Law.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>###
>>
>>
>>
>>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.
>>
>>
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>>
>>No virus found in this message.
>>Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
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>
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