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

Wed May 23 01:03:36 UTC 2012

I believe there is an email list dedicated for all of the press releases if 
you wish to subscribe to it.

Elizabeth

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Evelyn Weckerly" <weckerly at i2k.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 8:48 PM
To: "NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Fw: National Federation of the Blind and Blind 
StudentFile Suit Against Maricopa Community College District

> 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.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>No virus found in this message.
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>>
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