[nfbmi-talk] I Can Connect

[joe harcz Comcast]

Thank you Marcus. I had a difficult time accessing this very notice with my 
old assistive technology.

Best,

Joe
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marcus Simmons via nfbmi-talk" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
To: <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2014 10:33 AM
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] I Can Connect


> PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission News Media Information: 
> 202-418-0500 445 12 th Street, S.W. Internet: http://www.fcc.gov 
> Washington, D.C. 20554 TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 14-1445 Released: October 3, 
> 2014 COMMISSION ANNOUNCES ENTITY SELECTED FOR CERTIFICATION TO PARTICIPATE 
> IN THE NATIONAL DEAF-BLIND EQUIPMENT DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM FOR MICHIGAN 
> Washington, D.C. – The Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (Bureau or 
> CGB) of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) has selected 
> the Perkins School for the Blind (Perkins) for certification to 
> participate in the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program 
> (NDBEDP) for the state of Michigan, effective October 3, 2014. The NDBEDP 
> is a program mandated by Section 105 of the Twenty-First Century 
> Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) that provides funding of 
> up to $10 million annually for the distribution of communications 
> equipment to low-income individuals who are deaf- blind. 1 On April 4, 
> 2011, the Commission adopted the NDBEDP Pilot Program Order, establishing 
> the framework for a pilot program to fulfill this CVAA mandate. 2 In that 
> Order, the Commission determined that it would certify one entity per 
> state as eligible to receive support for the local distribution of 
> equipment to low-income individuals who are deaf-blind. 3 Each certified 
> entity has primary oversight and responsibility for compliance with 
> program requirements for its state, but certified entities may fulfill 
> their responsibilities either directly or through collaboration, 
> partnership, or contract with other individuals or entities in-state or 
> out-of-state, including other NDBEDP certified programs. 4 Participation 
> in the NDBEDP also entails the provision of related services, including 
> local outreach, individual assessments and training, as well as equipment 
> installation and maintenance, that may be needed to effectively provide a 
> person who is deaf-blind with the equipment that he or she needs to access 
> the communications services covered by the CVAA. 5 1 Pub. L. 111-260, 124 
> Stat. 2751 (2010); see also Pub. L. 111-265, 124 Stat. 2795 (2010) (making 
> technical corrections to the CVAA). Section 105 of the CVAA adds Section 
> 719 to the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and is codified at 47 
> U.S.C. § 620. The CVAA authorizes the Commission to allocate these funds 
> from the interstate telecommunications relay service fund (TRS Fund). 2 
> See Implementation of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video 
> Accessibility Act of 2010, Section 105, Relay Services for Deaf-Blind 
> Individuals, CG Docket No. 10-210, Report and Order, 26 FCC Rcd 5640 
> (2011) (NDBEDP Pilot Program Order). 3 Id., 26 FCC Rcd at 5646, ¶ 12. 4 
> Id., 26 FCC Rcd at 5647, ¶ 13. 5 Id., 26 FCC Rcd at 5667-5676, ¶¶ 63-79. 
> The NDBEDP pilot program will cover the reasonable costs of such related 
> services. See 47 C.F.R. § 64.610(f)(2). 2The Commission launched the 
> NDBEDP on July 1, 2012. 6 On July 2, 2012, the Commission announced that 
> it had selected one entity for each of the 50 states, the District of 
> Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands to participate in the 
> NDBEDP. 7 The Commission selected the Michigan Bureau of Services for 
> Blind Persons (BSBP) as the certified program for the state of Michigan. 8 
> In September, the Michigan BSBP informed the Commission that it would not 
> continue participating in the NDBEDP and that it would relinquish its 
> certification as of October 1, 2014. 9 On September 17, 2014, the Bureau 
> invited applications for certification to participate in the NDBEDP for 
> the state of Michigan. 10 In response, the Bureau received one application 
> from Perkins. 11 In accordance with the NDBEDP Pilot Program Order, the 
> Bureau reviewed Perkins’s application for its ability to meet the 
> following qualifications, either directly or in coordination with other 
> programs or entities: ? expertise in the field of deaf-blindness, 
> including familiarity with the culture and etiquette of people who are 
> deaf-blind, to ensure that equipment distribution and the provision of 
> related services occurs in a manner that is relevant and useful to 
> consumers who are deaf-blind; ? ability to communicate effectively with 
> people who are deaf-blind (for training and other purposes), by among 
> other things, using sign language, providing materials in Braille, 
> ensuring that information made available online is accessible, and using 
> other assistive technologies and methods to achieve effective 
> communication; ? staffing and facilities sufficient to administer the 
> program, including the ability to distribute equipment and provide related 
> services to eligible individuals throughout the state, including those in 
> remote areas; ? experience with the distribution of specialized customer 
> premises equipment, especially to people who are deaf-blind; ? experience 
> in training users on how to use the equipment and how to set up the 
> equipment for its effective use; and 6 Commission Announces Launch of the 
> National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program, CG Docket No. 10- 210, 
> Public Notice, 27 FCC Rcd 7403 (CGB 2012). 7 Commission Announces Entities 
> Certified to Participate in the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution 
> Program, CG Docket No. 10-210, Public Notice, 27 FCC Rcd 7397 (CGB 2012). 
> 8 Id. At the time it applied for certification, and as reflected in the 
> Public Notice announcing the entities selected for certification, the 
> Michigan Bureau of Services for Blind Persons was known as the Michigan 
> Commission for the Blind. Id. 9 Letter from Mike Pemble, Acting Director, 
> Bureau of Services for Blind Persons, to Jacqueline Ellington, Attorney 
> Advisor, Disability Rights Office, Consumer and Governmental Affairs 
> Bureau, FCC (Sept. 9, 2014). 10 See FCC Invites Applications for 
> Certification to Participate in the National Deaf-Blind Equipment 
> Distribution Program in the State of Michigan, Public Notice, DA 14-1348 
> (CGB rel. Sept. 17, 2014). 11 See Letter from Betsy L. McGinnity, 
> Director, Training & Educational Resources Program, Perkins School for the 
> Blind, submitting application for NDBEDP certification to NDBEDP 
> Administrator, Disability Rights Office, Consumer and Governmental Affairs 
> Bureau (Sept. 26, 2014) (Perkins Application). 3? familiarity with the 
> telecommunications, Internet access, and advanced communications services 
> that will be used with the distributed equipment. 12 The Bureau has 
> determined that Perkins meets the Commission’s qualifications for 
> certification to operate the NDBEDP program in Michigan. Perkins has been 
> operating NDBEDP programs in 12 other states since July 1, 2012, 13 in 
> Nevada since July 1, 2013, 14 in Mississippi since January 1, 2014, 15 in 
> Vermont since July 1, 2014, 16 and in Indiana and Minnesota since July 16, 
> 2014. 17 In this and other aspects of its programs, Perkins has 
> demonstrated extensive experience in providing accessible services in a 
> manner that shows cultural awareness of the deaf-blind community and 
> considerable expertise in communications technology used by individuals 
> who are deaf-blind. 18 As the NDBEDP certified program for Michigan, 
> Perkins will work in partnership with local agencies to meet the needs of 
> the deaf- blind population throughout Michigan. 19 In addition, the 
> Perkins application included letters of support from two organizations 
> that provide related services to individuals with disabilities and their 
> families in Michigan. 20 These organizations will work collaboratively 
> with Perkins to fulfill the NDBEDP requirements. 21 Accordingly, the 
> Bureau has selected Perkins for certification to participate in the NDBEDP 
> for the state of Michigan. Certification for Perkins will continue for the 
> duration of the NDBEDP pilot program, 22 subject to Perkins’s compliance 
> with the Commission’s program requirements. 23 12 See 47 C.F.R. § 
> 64.610(b)(3). 13 Id. 14 Commission Announces Entity Selected for 
> Certification to Participate in the National Deaf-Blind Equipment 
> Distribution Program for Nevada, CG Docket No. 10-210, Public Notice, 28 
> FCC Rcd 10223 (CGB 2013). 15 Commission Announces Entity Selected for 
> Certification to Participate in the National Deaf-Blind Equipment 
> Distribution Program for Mississippi, CG Docket No. 10-210, Public Notice, 
> 28 FCC Rcd 16950 (CGB 2013). 16 Commission Announces Entities Selected for 
> Certification to Participate in the National Deaf-Blind Equipment 
> Distribution Program for Vermont and Nebraska, CG Docket No. 10-210, 
> Public Notice, 29 FCC Rcd 5883 (CGB 2014). 17 Commission Announces 
> Entities Selected for Certification to Participate in the National 
> Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program for Indiana and Minnesota, CG 
> Docket No. 10-210, Public Notice, 29 FCC Rcd 8365 (CGB 2014). 18 See 
> Perkins Application at 8. 19 See Perkins Application at 2-3. 20 See Letter 
> from Mike Pemble, Acting Director, Bureau of Services for Blind Persons, 
> to Federal Communications Commission, Consumer and Governmental Affairs 
> Bureau (Sept. 19, 2014); Joe Sibley, President, Michigan Council of the 
> Blind and Visually Impaired, to NDBEDP Administrator, Disability Rights 
> Office, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (Sept. 20, 2014). 21 Id. 
> 22 The termination date for the NDBEDP pilot program is June 30, 2015. See 
> Implementation of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video 
> Accessibility Act of 2010, Section 105, Relay Services for Deaf-Blind 
> Individuals, Order, 29 FCC Rcd 1234 (CGB 2014) (NDBEDP Third Year Order). 
> 23 NDBEDP Pilot Program Order, 26 FCC Rcd at 5647, ¶ 14. See generally, 47 
> C.F.R. §§ 64.610(a)-(k). 4ACCESSIBLE FORMATS: To request materials in 
> accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, 
> electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504 at fcc.gov or call 
> the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 
> 202-418-0432 (TTY). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jackie Ellington, 
> Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, 202-418-1153, e-mail 
> Jackie.Ellington at fcc.gov; or Rosaline Crawford, Consumer and Governmental 
> Affairs Bureau, 202-418-2075, e-mail Rosaline.Crawford at fcc.gov. -FCC-
> Cordially,
> Marcus Simmons C.E.O.
> ASE Certified Technician
> Simmons BOSS CREATIONS
> 28179 Brentwood
> Southfield,MI 48076-3069
> Voice-Mail: (866) 811-7018
> (248) 552-8928
> http://www.simmonsbosscreations.com
> ceo at simmonsbosscreations.com
> _______________________________________________
> nfbmi-talk mailing list
> nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nfbmi-talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmi-talk_nfbnet.org/joeharcz%40comcast.net
>