[nfbmi-talk] nfb applauds senate intro teach act
joe harcz Comcast
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Fri Feb 28 19:01:53 UTC 2014
National Federation of the Blind Applauds Senate Introduction of TEACH Act
Senators Warren, Hatch Introduce Technology, Education and Accessibility in College and Higher Education Act
By
National Federation of the Blind
Published: Friday, Feb. 28, 2014 - 6:02 am
BALTIMORE and WASHINGTON, Feb. 28, 2014 --
BALTIMORE and WASHINGTON , Feb. 28, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --
The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) ,
the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans, applauds Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) for yesterday introducing
the Technology, Education and Accessibility in College and Higher Education (TEACH) Act (S. 2060). The TEACH Act, which is the result of collaboration
between the NFB and the Association of American Publishers, and which has been endorsed by eleven other organizations of and for people with disabilities,
will create accessibility guidelines for electronic instructional materials and related information technologies used by institutions of higher education.
The introduction of the bill was announced during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing focusing on college access and success
for students with disabilities.
A companion bill, H.R. 3505,
was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives
by Congressman Tom Petri (R-WI) on November 15, 2013. The bills have the same text, making it easier for Congress to pass this simple solution to an outrageous
problem.
Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "Every day, blind college students face frustration and despair in the pursuit
of their education because of inaccessible technology. E-readers, Web content, mobile applications, and learning management systems are integral to the
twenty-first-century college experience, and students with disabilities are being needlessly left behind. No student can be expected to succeed in college
if he or she is denied access to critical course material. Schools and manufacturers must embrace readily available accessibility solutions so that all
students can benefit from educational technology, and the guidelines established by the TEACH Act will make it clear how manufacturers and institutions
of higher education can best serve students with disabilities. These guidelines are long overdue, and we applaud Senators Warren and Hatch for introducing
this critical bill."
Senator Warren said in
a statement: "
It's critically important that university services and course materials remain accessible to students with disabilities as technology advances and changes
the way we communicate and learn. I'm pleased to join Senator Hatch to introduce the TEACH Act, which would help promote the use of educational technologies
that meet the needs of all students."
Senator Hatch said: "Technological advances have increased educational opportunities for everyone but especially for students with disabilities. However,
in order to benefit from these new technologies students need to be able to access them. The TEACH Act promotes the development of guidelines to assist
educational institutions in selecting and offering course materials and services that students of all abilities can benefit from, and as someone who helped
write the Americans with Disabilities Act, I'm proud to support it."
About the National Federation of the Blind
The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is the oldest, largest, and most influential nationwide membership organization of blind people in the United
States. Founded in 1940, the NFB advocates for the civil rights and equality of blind Americans, and develops innovative education, technology, and training
programs to provide the blind and those who are losing vision with the tools they need to become independent and successful.
Source:
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/28/6197068/national-federation-of-the-blind.html
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