[nfbmi-talk] Telecommunications Equipment for Deaf-Blind Persons

joe harcz Comcast joeharcz at comcast.net
Sat Oct 26 02:17:44 UTC 2013


This is great stuff and note that Deaf-Blind individuals to be qualified are 
only required to be at 400 percent of the national poverty level which is a 
high hurdle for most to reach indeed.

But wait a minute here there are some disconnects as far as I can see. Now 
recently to Mr. Simmons/ well founded questions at NFB MI convention Mr. Ed 
(Don't blame me) Rodgers diverted blame rather than answerring basic 
questions about this issue.

Now to be fair I don't know faccts about all of this because the supposed 
parties don't release facts either as a matter of course or upon request in 
any format....Let alone an accessible format....Oh and I can't wait to read 
Rodgers' excessive FFOIA doges, illegal in and of themselves to Michigan's 
performance in these regards.

Now certainly their might be well ssome issues with Perkins or the FCC 
itself.

Regardless it is clear this program is not being appropriately documented by 
anyone here in Michigan and the BSBP Director is acting in his usual "rope a 
dope" fashion without anserring any direct questions in sim[ple terms most 
"directly".

Not to digress but there is a syndrome that talks about these abuses by 
technocrats which is indeed, sadly a pathological condition.

It is known in the Diagnostic and Statical Manual (DSMV) as an acutely 
psycotic condition often known commonly as "truth adverse syndrome".

It is characterizized by mostly white, male professionalls, but not always 
same, who are impotent in general social relationships but secure some sort 
of power in the governmental sector or in corporate structures and cannot 
discern the difference; nor can they offer any empathy for anyone eand most 
especially those they are paid for to secure programs, benefits, and 
services.

...Oh I go on and on...

The long and short of it is that these very hacks are indeedsociopathic in 
many instances, pysopathic in some, and most pathetic in others.

I think Rodgers hits at least two out of three on this "Richter Scale"

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
To: <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, October 25, 2013 9:16 PM
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Telecommunications Equipment for Deaf-Blind Persons
 so to speak of hacktoid behavior.

Oh well at least he isn't gasing us or ushering us all in to ovens.

Some solice in that and the fact he and his pals aren't burning crosses in 
our front yards.

Yet, why oh why do I have a nagging feeling that he and his ilk are pecking 
at our collective livers like some sort of vengeful birds of 
prey/vulltures....

Oh it is because this isn't trully fugurative ... These blokes are picking 
at us after all.

Oh well one need not be paranoid to know that folks are plotting against us.

>
>
>
>
> I have been asked to distribute the following.
>
>>Dear David,
>>
>>I have been charged with the outreach program for :I Can Connect" in 5 
>>states, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA,
>>OKLAHOMA, WASHINGTON and WISCONSIN
>>
>>
>>
>>Changing what it means to be blind,
>>Marcus Simmons, President,
>>Wayne County chapter NFBMI
>>28179 Brentwood
>>Southfield, MI 48076-3069
>><mailto:president at map-n.org>president at map-n.org
>>(248) 552-8928
>
>
>
>
>
> NDBEDP.pdf
> Consumer Guide
> 9
> National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program
> Background
> The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 
> 2010 (CVAA) authorizes the
> Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide funding for local 
> programs to distribute
> equipment to low-income individuals who are "deaf-blind" (see definition 
> below.) The FCC may use up
> to $10 million annually from the interstate Telecommunications Relay 
> Service fund for this purpose.
> Pilot Program
> In 2011, the FCC established the National Deaf-Blind Equipment 
> Distribution Program (NDBEDP) as a
> pilot program. The pilot program has been in effect since July 1, 2012, 
> and the FCC may extend the
> program another year. The pilot program provides valuable information that 
> the FCC will use to help
> develop and implement an effective and efficient permanent deaf-blind 
> equipment distribution program.
> How does the pilot program operate?
> The FCC selected and certified one entity in each of the 50 states, plus 
> the District of Columbia, Puerto
> Rico, and the Virgin Islands, to receive FCC support to distribute 
> equipment to low-income individuals
> who are deaf-blind. The FCC allocated a minimum of $50,000 to each of the 
> 53 certified programs,
> plus additional funding based on the size of each state's population. As a 
> result, states with large
> populations were allocated larger amounts of funding than states with 
> small populations.
> The FCC also set aside $500,000 each year for the Perkins School for the 
> Blind to coordinate outreach
> to promote this new equipment distribution program nationwide.
> Who is eligible to receive equipment?
> Under the CVAA, only low-income individuals who are deaf-blind are 
> eligible to receive equipment.
> Applicants must provide verification of their status as low-income and 
> deaf-blind.
> The CVAA requires that the term "deaf-blind" has the same meaning given in 
> the Helen Keller National
> Center Act. In general, the individual must have a certain vision loss and 
> a hearing loss that,
> combined, cause extreme difficulty in attaining independence in daily life 
> activities, achieving
> psychosocial adjustment, or obtaining a vocation (working).
> The FCC defines "low income" to mean not more than 400% of the Federal 
> Poverty Guidelines, as
> indicated in the following chart:
>
> table with 4 columns and 11 rows
> 2013 Federal Poverty Guidelines
> Number of persons in family/household
> 400% for everywhere, except Alaska and Hawaii
> 400% for Alaska
> 400% for Hawaii
> 1
> $45,960
> $57,400
> $52,920
> 2
> 62,040
> 77,520
> 71,400
> 3
> 78,120
> 97,640
> 89,880
> 4
> 94,200
> 117,760
> 108,360
> 5
> 110,280
> 137,880
> 126,840
> 6
> 126,360
> 158,000
> 145,320
> 7
> 142,440
> 178,120
> 163,800
> 8
> 158,520
> 198,240
> 182,280
> For each additional person, add
> $16,080
> $20,120
> $18,480
> table end
>
> Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
> (aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/13poverty.cfm)
> What kind of equipment can be distributed?
> The equipment distributed must be designed to make telecommunications 
> (such as wireline and
> wireless telephone communication), advanced communications (such as 
> Internet-based voice
> communication, e-mail, instant messaging and interoperable video 
> conferencing services), and access
> to the Internet (including information services) accessible. The equipment 
> distributed may be
> hardware, software or applications, separate or in combination, mainstream 
> or specialized. The
> equipment must meet the needs of the deaf-blind individual to achieve 
> access. Certified programs may
> also provide equipment warranties, maintenance, and repairs for such 
> equipment depending on
> available funding.
> Besides distributing equipment, what will the NDBEDP certified programs 
> do?
> Certified programs will inform their communities about this new program to 
> distribute equipment to low-
> income residents in their states who are deaf-blind. They will verify that 
> applicants are eligible to
> receive equipment. They will assess each applicant's communications 
> equipment needs to select
> appropriate equipment to meet those needs. They may also help install and 
> provide training for the
> equipment distributed.
> How do I find the certified program that serves my state?
> Information about how to find the NDBEDP certified program in your state 
> is available during the on the
> FCC website at
> www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/national-deaf-blind-equipment-distribution-program,
> by calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC 
> (1-888-835-5322) TTY, or by
> sending an email to
> dro at fcc.gov.
> How can I help the NDBEDP be successful?
> list of 4 items
> Tell people about the program.
> Tell the FCC how the NDBEDP helped you or someone you know.
> Tell the FCC how the program can be improved.
> Tell the FCC about new types of technologies that should be included for 
> distribution.
> list end
> You may also file an informal complaint with the FCC if you think someone 
> has violated the NDBEDP
> rules. Informal complaints may be filed by calling 1-888-CALL-FCC 
> (1-888-225-5322) voice or
> 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY; faxing 1-866-418-0232, or by writing 
> to:
> Federal Communications Commission
> Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau
> Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
> 445 12th Street, S.W.
> Washington, DC 20554
> For More Information
> For inf
> ormation about other communications issues, visit the FCC's Consumer
> website at
> www.fcc.gov/consumer-governmental-affairs-bureau,
> or contact the FCC's Consumer Center by
> calling 1-888-CALL-FCC voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC TTY; faxing 1-866-418-0232; 
> or writing to the
> address listed above.
> ###
> For this or any other consumer publication in an accessible format 
> (electronic ASCII text, Braille, large print
> or audio), please write or call us at the address or phone number below, 
> or send an email to
> FCC504 at fcc.gov.
> This document is for consumer education purposes only and is not intended 
> to affect any proceedings or
> cases involving this subject matter or related issues.
> Last Reviewed 5/2/13
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