[nfbmi-talk] Fwd: You can help make appliances accessible to the blind

Fri Mar 21 17:52:43 UTC 2014

Hello to all.

I have received this petition just this morning from a blind gentleman
in California who happens to be one of my LinkedIn contacts.  Because
this is a very important issue to all blind consumers irrespective of
affiliation, I thought to send this to a couple of lists and to
several others whom I know in both NFB and ACB.  I'm definitely
signing this one immediately.

Kind regards,

-Kane

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Todd Lively <drawtheline1980 at gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 20:43:28 -0500
Subject: You can help make appliances accessible to the blind
To: John Strother <jdstrother at gmail.com>, Jon Davis
<honorgod38 at yahoo.com>, Jose Alvarez <joseis at uic.edu>, Josh Ullrich
<jullrich at oafirm.com>, Josh Young <joshyoung325 at gmail.com>, Juan Ortiz
<Juan.Ortiz at illinois.gov>, Judith West <judith.west at illinois.gov>,
Julie Lyons <jmb0199 at aol.com>, Kane Brolin <kbrolin65 at gmail.com>,
"Kane Brolin (work)" <Kane.K.Brolin at ampf.com>, Kanesia Hawthorne
<gemininene at yahoo.com>, Karen Kieca <karenk at csi-chicago.net>, Karine
Roettgers <kroettgers at blindserviceassociation.org>, Ken Metz
<kenmetz1946 at gmail.com>, Kensen Lam <klam at parkcommunitychurch.org>,
Kevin Howells <khowells at parkcommunitychurch.org>, Kim Klepec
<kimklepec at gmail.com>, "Leighton Reid Jr."
<leightonreid at bellsouth.net>, Leighton V Reid <fishin at cvalley.net>,
Les Alderson <ald57son at aol.com>, Lindsey Rice
<lrice at parkcommunitychurch.org>, Loretta Reinitz Brown
<jarjar2smom at yahoo.com>, Lucas Bauer <lbauer1281 at yahoo.com>, Marco
David <marco_a_david at yahoo.com>, "Margarine G. Beaman"
<Oleo50 at hotmail.com>, Mark D Johnson <cityteam at aol.com>, Mark Eldredge
<eldredge at mchsi.com>, Mark W Johnson <adfocus at gmail.com>, Mary
Abramson <mmba27 at att.net>, "Mary Abramson (work)"
<mary.abramson at chicagolighthouse.org>, Maureen Roach
<maroach at ilstu.edu>, Max Lee <ntstudies at gmail.com>, Michael King
<michaelk54 at yahoo.com>, Mike & Sheri Zigmond
<michaelzigmond at gmail.com>, Mike Fratto <fratto.michael at gmail.com>,
Mike James <mjmikejames at yahoo.com>, Mike Paisley
<mpaisley at wowway.com>, Mike Rosenau <rosenaumichael at yahoo.com>, Mike
Velasquez <mavelasquezjr at gmail.com>, Mike Wilkinson
<m.wilkinson58 at yahoo.com>, Mohan Krishna <mohankrishna at yahoo.com>,
Morry LaTour <latourm at insightbb.com>, Nick Powell
<nick at powelldorf.net>, Noah Siemon <nsiemon06 at yahoo.com>, Paul Center
<paul at rods4fishing.com>, Paul Parr <pparr529 at gmail.com>, Paul Wilson
<tm.paul.wilson at austin.rr.com>, Rex Ransom <rexransom at hotmail.com>,
Rhonda Young <rlyoung325 at gmail.com>, Richard Bley
<richard at iwanries.com>, Rick Gazlay <gazlayrick2 at gmail.com>, RL
Bartlett <rlb19 at hal-pc.org>, Robert Soltys <rsolty1 at gmail.com>, Robin
Johnson <Erin.johnson at mcleancountyil.gov>, Robin Stockard
<robinstockard at gmail.com>, roger johnson <rogerjohnson3115 at gmail.com>,
Roger Pryor <roger at heartcc.org>, Rolland Hobbie
<rolland.hobbie at gmail.com>, Roy Lyons <royjlyons at gmail.com>, Ryan
Breen <rjbreen at yahoo.com>, Sally Walsh <swalsh at richland.edu>, Scott
Clifton <sclifton at parkcommunitychurch.org>, Scott Kemp
<sakemp at comcast.net>, Shane Smith <ssconst69 at hotmail.com>, Shawn
Woodson <shawnwoodson at gmail.com>, Shelly Punke
<shellypunke at gmail.com>, Stephen Michael Kerr <stephen at majic.com>,
Stephen Parkinson <Quietman7 at comcast.net>, Steven Stahl
<stevenalanstahl at hotmail.com>, stevenalanstahl at yahoo.com, Sukyung Lee
<sukyungbbc at yahoo.com>, Terry Bodin <t.bodin at sbcglobal.net>, Terry
Marx <marxbrother3 at gmail.com>, Tim Berndt <tdberndt at frontier.com>, Tim
Weniger <tweniger63 at gmail.com>, Todd Lyons <todd at lyons-family.net>,
Tom Dechert <tomdechert at gmail.com>, Tom Hushka <hushkatom at yahoo.com>,
Tom Pettit <momentom13 at hotmail.com>, Tom Rice
<pastorrice53 at yahoo.com>, Tom William <senixo at yahoo.com>, William
Meier <bmeier at parkcommunitychurch.org>

            Hello friends, today I signed an online petition to make
manufacturers of appliances aware of the need to make them accessible to
those who are blind/visually impaired. I have placed the link where you can
sign and let manufactures know how important it is to make appliances
accessible below. Below you will also find a paragraph detailing the reason
why this crusade is so important. When you fill this petition out, there
will be a box to type the reason for this issue being so important. Here is
the reason:

Appliance manufacturers have been reluctant to build inexpensive voice/touch
technology into their products, thereby making them inaccessible to the
blind.  There are approximately seven million blind or low-vision people
living in the United States today, and that number is growing every day, due
to causes ranging from birth defects, diabetes, to combat injuries, etc.  We
clean, do laundry, iron, sew, and travel independently. We are foodservice
managers, attorneys, scientists and more.  And yet, when it comes to
operating our touch panel home appliances we are practically helpless.
Why?, because appliance manufacturers refuse to incorporate inexpensive
technology that already exists such as those used in smartphones and iPads
that make their flat panel appliances accessible to the blind.

By including audio cues, speech output, or tactile buttons, manufacturers
will reduce the likelihood that a blind or sighted person will inadvertently
touch a spot on a panel and turn on a burner without knowing it, potentially
causing a fire or serious personal injury. Without accessible technology
being offered to consumers, people who were once able to cook and clean
independently could well find themselves unable to live alone in their own
homes.

But it doesn't have to be this way! If manufacturers incorporate inexpensive
audio and/or tactile technology into their products, they will make a huge
difference in the safety of the blind and others as well as the ability of
the blind to continue to lead their lives independently, while
simultaneously gaining thousands, if not millions, of newly satisfied
customers. This is good for blind people who will remain independent; good
for manufacturers who will sell products that the blind can use and that are
safer for all who buy them; and good for society, which will not be asked to
help normally competent human beings live in assisted living or nursing
facilities simply because new appliances do not have displays they can read.

Please go to:

<http://www.change.org/petitions/association-of-home-appliance-manufacturers
-incorporate-voice-technology-audio-queues-and-or-tactile-buttons-into-your-
flat-panel-appliances-to-make-them-accessible-to-the-blind-and-those-with-lo
w-vision?utm_source=guides&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition_created>
http://www.change.org/petitions/association-of-home-appliance-manufacturers-
incorporate-voice-technology-audio-queues-and-or-tactile-buttons-into-your-f
lat-panel-appliances-to-make-them-accessible-to-the-blind-and-those-with-low
-vision

Thank you very much.