[Nfbmo] Blind Missourian
Gene Coulter
escoulter at centurytel.net
Thu Aug 1 04:34:16 UTC 2013
Gary Please distribute to leaders and anywhere else you please. Needs to be
posted on website as well.
The Blind Missourian
July 2013
National Federation of the Blind
Of Missouri
“Striving to achieve Equality, Opportunity, and Security for the Blind”
Table of Contents
2013 Presidential Report By Gary Wunder 1
Rita Lynch By Carol Coulter
9
Resolutions By Dacia Luck
11
Note on NFB Newsline By Gene Coulter
15
Amazon Kindle: Is It Coming to a School Near You?
By Mehgan Sidhu and Valerie Yingling
16
Presidential Report
By President Gary Wunder
Presented to the
Convention of the
National Federation of the Blind of Missouri
April 13, 2013
Several weeks ago I was on a panel to discuss how we would acknowledge and
celebrate the upcoming seventy-fifth anniversary of the National Federation
of the Blind. Questions to be decided were what we should highlight from our
last seventy-five years, what big event we should create to draw the
attention of the public, what meaningful gift we should give those attending
this special commemorative convention, and perhaps, most importantly, what
goals and programs we should commit ourselves to undertake so that our
celebration will clearly be as much about the future as it is the past. One
of our participants offered the concern that the blind of the future may
lack the commitment to do the work that will make the next seventy-five
years of progress possible. He fears that the young of today lack the hunger
and drive of past generations who determined to change conditions for the
blind as they found them. He wonders if the blind of today have it so easy
that they cannot understand the work we do or appreciate that it has a place
in their lives.
His opinion was heard politely and with respect. It was also granted as
genuine, and we appreciated his willingness to express his feelings
honestly. But an argument was made on the other side suggesting that the
problem isn't that young people aren't doing what we once did because they
have it too good, but that the problems they face are different enough that
they are harder to see for what they are. When people of my generation were
told "There is no place for you in this school," or "This high school may
have many courses you can take, but my chemistry class isn't one of them,"
we knew the pain one feels in being kept out and turned that pain into
resolve.
But today few of us are told we must stay out: we are let in, given a chair,
given handheld clickers we are to use to register our attendance in class
and to take examinations. We are given ebooks for our texts and websites
which will let us read Lincoln's Gettysburg address, see a reenactment, and
hear his words spoken as they might have sounded on that cold and memorable
day. We are given a piece of software that will let us talk with our fellow
students between classes, figure out what they are making of the class
lectures, and share with them our own perspectives. The professor can
observe these conversations and get to know us in ways that a fifty-minute
class session could never allow.
But being invited in the door, offered an empty seat, handed an electronic
clicker, given an eBook, and provided with a program that will let us get
our class syllabus and participate in class discussion doesn't mean much if
the pocket-size device can't talk, the website can't be navigated, and our
screen-reading software can't begin to make sense of the buttons required to
read and share opinions with fellow students. The closing of a door in one's
face requires little reflection to determine who is being kept out and who
is barring the door, but this new equipment presents the trappings of
acceptance, offers the hope for an equal shot, and when that equal shot
turns out to be anything but equal--to present nothing at all resembling a
level playing field--figuring out who is to blame is harder. Was it the
developer of the clicking device who bears the blame, the teacher who
deployed it, the university who allowed him to do it, the access office who
wasn't aggressive enough in seeing to the needs of its disabled students, or
was it me, the student, who simply wasn't resourceful enough to figure out a
way to make it in the new and exciting world of the 21st century? That
doubt, the thought that we might be complicit in our own failure, may well
be enough to make many simply give up. Without the experience of having the
door slammed in their face, no explicit verbal rebuff to their knock at the
door requesting to come in, is it any wonder that some of us cannot see that
there is a battle to be fought; that this injustice is being inflicted on
hundreds of us as the dream of growing up to be a normal, capable, and
contributing member of society is being stolen in the guise of open access
to the world. Never having had to convince his junior high there was a place
for him in their school, never having had to figure out where to get a book
or to devise a strategy for functioning in a class until it came, never
having had to talk fast and convincingly to argue rehab should send her to
college, our young student of today may lack the experiences that come from
small victories to carry and support her in her larger battle. Because
sometimes you and I in this room let blind people pass by without telling
them about this organization, too many young people don't know about the
power that comes in having numbers of capable and committed blind people
behind them-sometimes offering moral support, sometimes offering expertise,
sometimes paying for legal advice, and sometimes going to the halls of
Congress to demand the change that will make their lives better.
For me this is the more compelling argument: not that young people are
different, that they are apathetic, that they are self-satisfied, that they
are content to live just within the security of the safety net. Instead it
is we who are blessed with fuller lives who must do a better job of sending
the message of hope and helping—so that all who hear it may come to
understand that it is them to whom we are talking, them for whom we strive
and work, and they who must eventually come up to the line, take the
controls, and be in charge of helping themselves and others. This
overarching commitment is what we have been about this year in the National
Federation of the Blind of Missouri.
Last year we talked at our 50th convention about the attack on medical care
being waged against those receiving the Missouri Blind Pension. When we
initially drafted our legislative priorities, this was not a concern-it had
not been proposed. When we arrived at the Capitol for our annual visit, the
proposed cut had just been unveiled, and the members of the general assembly
who knew about it were up in arms. How could anyone want to take from the
blind, and how in the name of goodness and common decency could they want to
take healthcare? "This will go nowhere," we were assured, but as the days
and weeks went by, not only was the proposal not roundly defeated; it began
to develop some momentum. Soon those speaking against it grew quiet and
those speaking for it began to be heard. We rallied with the Governor, held
a press conference, wrote and distributed press releases, and worked closely
with the Missouri Council of the Blind to coordinate our opposition. The
House wrote our medical care out of the law; the Senate, which had claimed
to be the more deliberative and responsible body, proposed alternatives but
in the end agreed with the House. What saved us was that the budget cut and
its implementing rules could not be packaged into the general assembly's
legislative appropriations. We were saved by a technical requirement that
those seeking to drive a wedge between blind people and medical care didn't
fully comprehend. An appropriation and its implementing legislation must be
contained in separate bills.
Even though revenues for the state are up, again this year proposals to
break the link between receipt of the Blind Pension and state medical care
is being debated. Legislation this year would not sever the tie but would
seek to means test it. Now the issue is less clear-in which government
programs should means testing play a role? Is medical care for blind pension
recipients one of these programs? Should our argument be to leave alone that
which has been in existence for 45 years because it isn't broken; to argue
that the reasons we were given medical care are just as valid today as they
were in 1967; to argue that those who have come to rely on it, often by
passing up other insurance when they were younger that is no longer
affordable at their age and with their preexisting conditions, should be
grandfathered? Or, taking a very different tack, should we concern ourselves
with what a reasonable means test should be and leave our soldiers, our
ammunition, and our ability to be effective advocates free to concentrate on
other issues that confront us? This is one of the issues the governmental
affairs committee, the board of directors, and each and every one of you as
a part of this convention must help decide.
For many years the rehabilitation services that have been provided to blind
Missourians have been funded by federal money purchased by the state. For
every dollar the state is willing to put into programs to make the blind
employable, nearly four dollars has been granted back to the state for the
same purpose. The state money that has been used has come from surplus funds
collected to support Missouri's blind pension. Declining property values,
foreclosures, and perhaps other events of which we aren't aware have
lessened the surplus in the fund, so this year the Department of Social
Services has decided to seek funding for Rehabilitation Services for the
Blind from general revenue-we will have to compete with every other state
service that needs appropriations from the general fund. In our visit to
Jefferson City no member of the legislature seemed surprised that the
pension fund might not have a surplus, that we would be asking for money
from general revenue, or doubted the money should, could, and would be
appropriated. Then newspapers around the state began talking about the
elimination of a state agency to help the blind and wondered in their
editorials whether this was a deliberate slap at the Department of Social
Services or a monumental oversight on the part of the House Budget
Committee. The agency being eliminated was Rehabilitation Services for the
Blind. Immediately, two members of our governmental affairs committee went
to the Capitol. Shelia Wright and Gene Fleeman were told that the 2.5
million dollars appropriated for services to the blind had looked to the
committee like an administrative cost and that the committee was all for
cutting unnecessary spending on administration. This was, they explained, a
mistake on their part; no one wanted to eliminate the programs so necessary
to the blind, and the money would immediately be placed back into the state
appropriation. They were as good as their word, and RSB now appears in the
House Appropriation. But we are reminded once again how important it is that
we stay on top of the processes that make essential services available, that
we follow the press coverage about state and federal appropriations even
when at times they seem boring and repetitious, and that we remain ready to
mobilize for action when things that threaten our independence are at stake.
Again this year an attack is being waged on that part of Missouri law which
addresses discrimination in the workplace. Last year the House and Senate
passed and sent to the governor legislation to restrict the
nondiscrimination statutes that have long been a part of Missouri law. The
governor vetoed the legislation, and the two bodies lacked the votes to
overturn it. This year similar bills are proceeding through and easily
passing both chambers for the third year in a row, but now Missouri's
general assembly is clearly controlled by the Republicans, who traditionally
have supported this legislation. The party now maintains a veto-proof
majority. The question is whether this issue will unite enough of them to
nullify the Governor's red pen.
Last year we chartered the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri Dog
Guide Division. Julie McGinnity was elected its president. She and her board
held a seminar in the fall, and it was one of the best I've ever attended.
Discussions were cordial, but they were also spirited and lively. Those
attending got to meet men and women who use a dog as their primary mobility
tool, heard why they made the choice to get their special animals, and were
told what advantages traveling with a dog has over traveling with a cane.
They also heard from people who thought differently about the way they
wanted to meet their travel needs, why they chose not to get a dog as a
guide, and why they opted instead to get a cane. A free give-and-take
occurred in which everyone agreed that any travel aid has its advantages and
disadvantages, that these should be carefully weighed, and that anything
that makes a blind person more likely to travel and interact with the rest
of the world is beneficial and is encouraged without reservation by the
National Federation of the Blind. Please join me in thanking our new
division for its seminar, for its ongoing work to strengthen and build, and
for its unswerving effort to see that blind people are as mobile as we can
be.
At our 50th convention we also chartered a new division for our parents of
blind children. It, too, held a seminar this year, the focus of which was
how to see that your child gets the most from his or her education through
the Individualized Education Plan. Our division president is a lawyer whose
practice focuses on these very issues. Chantel Alberhasky, together with
Andrayah Shermer, a Children's Vision Specialist based in Springfield, ran a
well-attended seminar, made some spectacular presentations, and gave
participants a chance to ask the kinds of questions that can make all the
difference in the education their children will receive. Please join me in
congratulating the Missouri Association of Parents of Blind Children on this
most commendable outreach and education program.
At the banquet we chartered our newly-formed student division. Shirley
Grauel told us she would bring it into being. She had allies to help her,
and she was as good as her word. Bethany Bennington was elected as the
division's president, and this year the group is much in evidence. They have
had a year of conference calls to build and organize. Their big challenge
now is to take their message to campuses that haven't heard it and begin to
sow seeds in newly fertile ground. Thank you students for your faith, your
determination, and for what you will bring to us in the coming years.
As if all of these new groups weren't enough, we also reactivated the
Diabetes Action Network. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in our
country. Without the positive message we bring about how to deal with it, it
not only robs people of their sight but also steals their independence and
their belief they can continue to live on their own. The Diabetes Action
Network not only changes lives but saves them. Congratulations to Debbie
Wunder and Ruby Polk for again establishing this group. Please keep doing
all that you can to share the message that there is life after diabetes and
life after blindness.
In August the affiliate was proud to help the Jefferson City chapter with a
membership seminar. Five people we had never seen before attended, and three
of them chose to join and become actively involved. Some who came wanted to
know where they could get services; some simply wanted a reason to believe
service could make a difference in their lives. Thank you Rita Lynch for
organizing this event, even as you dealt with your own painful loss of a
soul mate and spouse and the family readjustment that might have immobilized
so many of us.
Late in 2012 we sent four people to Seattle, Washington to tell Amazon there
should be no Kindles in our classrooms until those units can serve the needs
of blind people. When it comes to reading, we are not willing to be
sidelined or treated as spectators. Apple products can talk and can work
with refreshable Braille devices; Google products can also talk. The Nook
from Barnes and Noble is making great strides in making its units
accessible. It's unfortunate but completely legal if Amazon doesn't want to
make the Kindle talk, but it can't do so and still expect acceptance by the
public schools, where our blind children are educated and encouraged to take
their place as normal, capable, and productive citizens. Gary Horchem,
Debbie Wunder, Dan Flasar, and I made the trip to be with almost 100 other
Federationists to send that message to Seattle's press, to newspapers around
the country, and to National Public Radio, which featured it on its
newscast. Our message to and about Amazon continues as we work to persuade
those in parent teacher associations not to Kindle, school boards not to
Kindle, and our state educators not to Kindle, but to develop standards
consistent with the law as interpreted in the messages of the United States
Department of Education and the Attorney General: that there shall be no
technology in our schools that leaves out the blind.
Our affiliate held its first Mission Believe in the summer of 2008. We had
eight families and many wonderful stories. We held it again in 2010. The
number of families was disappointing, but the two who participated were
encouraged and uplifted. In August of last year we held our third Mission
Believe. This time we had five families, twelve participants, and eight
staff members. You have heard from some of them already. I mention the
program here because these weekends give me just a glimmer of what
affiliates with rehabilitation centers must experience when they see the
kind of transformative power that the interaction between blind adults,
parents, and children can have in making the future a much brighter place.
After our dinner on Saturday evening students and staff went to the marina
for some water play, some cooling off, and some relaxation. As I was
navigating around a large floating trampoline in search of the ladder, a
young lad grabbed hold of my arm and asked if he could come along. I smiled
and said yes as we continued our way around this wobbly beast in search of a
way to climb it. One of the sighted folks asked my little friend if he
needed help. I wondered if he'd dump me for the younger person or hold on
because he was talking to the affiliate president. He did neither. Instead,
he said no thank you to the offer of help and confidently said, "I'm okay.
I'm with Debbie Wunder's husband, so he can help me find the ladder." I
think I was treated to a dose of what Debbie gets every day by being the
president's wife. It was fun to help in this event without having any
specific responsibilities, fun to be a worker rather than the boss, but it
did make me wonder just how much more I could be referred to as Debbie
Wunder's husband without protesting that I too have a name.
At the beginning of this year we traveled to Washington DC to participate in
the annual Washington Seminar. You have seen our three legislative
initiatives in the Braille Monitor, in the Blind Missourian, and have heard
Fred discuss them. Let me only say here how much fun it was to watch as our
group presented them to Congressmen, Senators, and Aides. Bethany Bennington
knew the most about student issues, Dan Flasar felt most comfortable with
technology and the TEACH proposal, Shelia Wright particularly enjoyed
discussing the bill to get blind veterans their right to fly, and Debbie
Wunder preferred filling in and reinforcing issues as our cleanup and
summarize it person. But all of them could and did take on the lead argument
for proposals outside their immediate comfort zone, with Bethany arguing for
no longer exploiting the blind through the payment of subminimum wages,
Shelia championing technology and TEACH, and Debbie taking the lead on
securing the rights of blind veterans. All of us told our stories, but all
of us were also able to tell the stories of others, a key ingredient in
working collectively, in realizing that our immediate needs aren't the only
ones to be met, and in acknowledging that our stories aren't always the most
compelling or appropriate, even if they are the ones we know and feel the
most comfortable telling. It was uplifting to be a part of such a wonderful
team; please join me in thanking all of them.
You will hear more about it tomorrow, but this year we have started an at
large chapter, one we hope will help us conquer the age-old problem of
getting to blind people in areas where transportation is difficult or
impossible or where the concentration of blind people we know is too small
to form a local group. I want to thank Jerry Wilson for pushing us to do
this, Chris Tisdal for keeping it before us until it got done, and Debbie
Wunder for spearheading it and taking it on as part of her membership and
public outreach activities.
This year we have had much for which to be grateful. When asked to come and
help, many of you have responded. When asked to raise funds, many have gone
to the public, to their friends and family, and sometimes to their own
pockets to help us carry on our programs. As commendable and heart-warming
as this is, we simply must figure out how to get more of our people who
belong only in name to belong in spirit, and to bring those who know little
or nothing about us into the fold. This challenge is not unique to us here
in 2013. It was a primary challenge in 1940 and has always ranked near the
top of Federation priorities, no matter the year. The fact that it is an
ever-present need can't mean that we take it for granted or put it in last
place.
You have honored me for many years by allowing me to lead this organization,
but all of us have to be looking for a new leader. Start thinking about who
among you can not only do my job but can do it better, do it with more
energy and enthusiasm, and do it while better unifying and invigorating our
affiliate. Help me figure out my replacement while there is still a strong
and healthy person to replace; help me figure out how to transition out of
this job so that I can help someone new transition into it. Think about
creative ways to draw people into our Federation and creative ways to make
sure that once they have come, they start to feel and become involved. Help
us dream up new programs; help us figure out how we will fund them; and come
join those of us who are active in the arena as we strive to create a future
of possibility that is even fuller for the blind of tomorrow than it is for
those of us so richly blessed today.
Rita Lynch
By Carol Coulter
Rita was born and raised in the small town of Freeburg, Missouri. She was
born at home because in those days the doctor came to the home, but on this
occasion he was late and her dad had to deliver her. Rita said her dad told
her it only cost him $5.00 for her birth because that was all that the
doctor charged him for coming out.
Rita was the third of eight children. She had one older sister and brother
and three younger sisters and two younger brothers. Her parents were farmers
who tried to make a living for the family on a 386 acre farm. It was mostly
woods but enough farm land to keep them busy.
Rita was born with a congenital eye defect called Annaredia, which she
inherited from her mother. Although with this condition, one has a good deal
of useable vision it makes one more susceptible to other eye conditions such
as Glaucoma. Rita developed Glaucoma sometime in her early teens and by the
time she was seen by an eye doctor it had taken a good deal of her sight.
Rita attended grade school in Freeburg at Holy Catholic Family School and
was taught by the Sisters of Notre Dame. For high school the students in
Freeburg were bused ten miles to Fatima High School in Westphalia, Missouri.
Rita told me about a time when she missed the bus. She had to pick up
homework after school for her sick brother and one of the teachers kept
talking to her and caused her to miss the bus. She was mad and upset and
ended up walking to a nearby gas station to call home. She had to wait there
while her mother went out into the fields to get her father so he could
drive the ten miles to come pick her up. She said her dad wasn’t mad though.
After high school graduation in May of 1968, Rita went to work at St. Mary’s
Hospital. On September 29th, 1969, Rita met John for the first time. This
happened to be his first day of work at St Mary’s. They were both 19 years
old. John enlisted in the US Army and left on January 1st 1970. They waited
to get married until he got back from Vietnam. They started their wonderful
life together on February 5, 1972. The couple moved to Colorado because John
was stationed at Fort Carson.
They moved back to Missouri in late 1976 because jobs were hard to come by.
John had an opportunity to work for the Department of Corrections and did so
for a few years. They settled in the country near Westphalia and lived there
for about five years. By then they had two of their three children, and
Larry was born in 1979. Shortly after that John wanted to pursue his dream
of truck driving. They moved to Jefferson City in June of 1981 so Rita could
have access to some public transportation.
Once all the children were in school full time, Rita decided she was ready
to go back to work. By then her vision had deteriorated to the point of only
having light perception. With just a high school education, Rita soon
realized that she would have to be more competitive. In 1986, with the help
of Rehabilitation Services for the Blind and much encouragement from her
friends in the NFB, she took some classes in Office Technology at Nichols
Career Center. Rita was hired as a receptionist/secretary in 1987 and worked
for Metropolitan Publishing for five years. In 1992 she realized this
company would be selling out to another company out of state so she began
the job search again. In early 1983 Rita began part-time employment with RSB
doing clerical work and started college at Lincoln University as a part-time
student. “It took a while, but I got the degree which enabled me to apply
for the position of Rehabilitation Teacher,” Rita said.
Rita’s interests revolve mostly around two things. The first is her family.
John and Rita were blessed with three children: Theresa Marie, John Wayne,
and Larry Thomas. Thanks to Theresa and her husband Mike, they also have
three grandchildren: Derrek, Jenna, and Brookelynn. Her second interest is,
of course, the National Federation of the Blind. “It has made a tremendous
difference in my life and I want to give back by letting others know about
this important organization,” Rita said.
Rita lost John on November 28, 2011 as a result of service related ALS at
the early age of sixty-one. “I miss him a great deal, but life goes on,” she
said. “I am thankful for my faith, my family, and my friends, especially in
the Federation. I am also thankful for my job that I enjoy as a
Rehabilitation Teacher with Rehabilitation Services for the Blind. It gives
me an opportunity to meet and help so many really interesting people. My
goal is to make each day the very best that I can make it,” said Rita.
I had the pleasure of sitting with Rita when she attended her first banquet
at our state convention. She was quiet and shy, but now look at her out
there spreading the word about the NFB and our philosophy. Rita has served
on the NFB state affiliate board, the Jefferson City Chapter board, and was
the Governmental Affairs Committee Chair for many years. I would like to say
thank you for being such a vital member and friend to all of us in the NFB.
The National Federation of the Blind and Rehabilitation Services for the
Blind are lucky to have such a dedicated member and employee.
Resolutions
By Dacia Luck
There were four resolutions and a constitutional amendment brought to the
convention on April 13, 2013. This article will give a brief overview of
them. The constitutional amendment will change the number of votes needed
to expel a member from 2/3 to 3/5. The amendment was approved.
The first resolution, Resolution 2013-01 is regarding Rehabilitation
Services for the Blind (RSB) and their need to consider both the positive
and negative aspects of both counselor reports from rehabilitation centers
and reports being given by their clients. The resolution was approved.
The second resolution, Resolution 2013-02 urges the Columbia Daily Tribune
to consult with the National Federation of the Blind to see that its
complete articles are available once again on NFB-NEWSLINE. Currently, only
the first paragraph of the articles from the Tribune is available on
Newsline. The resolution was approved.
The third resolution, Resolution 2013-03 urges the Family Support Division,
and the Department of Social Services to begin sending out letters and forms
that their clients are required to complete in alternative formats. The
resolution is also requesting that the name of the form change so that each
form clearly states what the client is submitting it for. The resolution
was approved. The fourth and final resolution, Resolution 2013-04 is
regarding the city of Springfield and the fact that Access Express is not
readily available and accessible for people with disabilities. The
resolution was approved.
Resolution 2013-1
Regarding training center reports
WHEREAS, when a client of Rehabilitation Services for the Blind
attends a training center, reports are submitted to the agency by both the
client and the training center; and
WHEREAS, some clients are given the clear impression that the RSB
staff gives full weight to the negatives in the training center report,
while ignoring the positive aspects and giving no consideration to the
report completed by the client: Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri
in convention assembled this 13th day of April, 2013, in the city of
Jefferson City, Missouri, that we urge RSB to review all parts of both
reports thoroughly and assure clients that RSB recognize the positive as
well as the negative in the reports.
Resolution 2013-2
Regarding trouble with the National Federation of the Blind NEWSLINE service
for the Columbia Daily Tribune.
WHEREAS, the NFB-NEWSLINE service has provided access through
touchtone telephone service to the blind and print disabled for nearly
twenty years; and
WHEREAS, the Columbia Daily Tribune has participated by supplying
their newspaper’s content for many years making it possible for blind and
print disabled people in Mid-Missouri to be well informed; and
WHEREAS, this Winter the Tribune changed its format, resulting in
only the introduction to articles being available to NFB-NEWSLINE users,
causing a major deprivation of news and information to these readers: Now,
therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri
in convention assembled this 13th day of April, 2013, in the city of
Jefferson City, Missouri, that we urge the Editor and technical personnel at
the Columbia Daily Tribune to consult with the staff of NFB-NEWSLINE to find
a solution to these difficulties so that the Tribune can join the other 300
publications in providing vital information as quickly as possible to its
NEWSLINE readers.
Resolution 2013-3
Regarding Accessibility of Family Support Division materials and Annual
Review Notice
WHEREAS, the State of Missouri Family Support Division oversees
both the Blind Pension and the Supplemental Aid to the Blind programs
including determining both initial and continued eligibility; and
WHEREAS, it is the consumer’s responsibility to respond timely to
correspondence, including review forms, requests for information, and
notices of case action; and
WHEREAS, the notices are only produced in nine to twelve point
type and not available electronically, in braille, or large print; and
WHEREAS, regulations require that annual reviews be completed by
recipients of these benefits and the FA-402 forms that the FAMIS computer
system sends out are titled “Missouri HealthNet Eligibility Review”; the
title causing great confusion among consumers who are not sure of what the
purpose of the form is and has resulted in benefits being stopped for some
consumers who did not realize that this form is the review form for the
blind programs on which they rely; and
WHEREAS, these notices and review forms are time sensitive and
must be responded to in less than a week from the time the consumer actually
receives them, and processing time by the agency is now more lengthy due to
staffing reductions: Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri
in convention assembled this 13th day of April, 2013, in the city of
Jefferson City, Missouri, that The National Federation of the Blind of
Missouri call on the Department of Social Services and the Family Support
Division to take steps to make correspondence accessible to visually
impaired and blind persons immediately, and that, until such steps can be
taken to make forms and notices accessible, and that Eligibility Specialists
and others issuing correspondence to consumers notify such consumers by
telephone or electronic mail that a notice has been sent and the nature of
the notice; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call on the Department of Social
Services and the Family Support Division to change the title of the annual
review form and make other necessary changes on the review to make it clear
what program the form is for and its purpose; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call on the Americans with
Disabilities Compliance officers within the Department of Social Services
and the Office of Administration to make sure that consumers have full
access to these notices and are therefore being provided with an equal
opportunity to due process within agency programs.
Resolution 2013-4
Regarding Access Express in Springfield, Missouri
WHEREAS, people with disabilities who qualify to ride Access
Express in the city of Springfield, Missouri as of January 2013 can get only
a one way ride to a location, but not a return trip on Access Express, even
if scheduling a ride as far out as the maximum seven day deadline; and
WHEREAS, people with disabilities who qualify to ride Access
Express have a hard time scheduling rides Monday through Friday from 1:00 pm
to 4:00 pm due to pick-ups from the sheltered workshop and Alternative
Opportunities office; and
WHEREAS, people with disabilities who qualify to ride Access
Express are routinely given a return trip sixty to ninety minutes after the
time requested; and
WHEREAS, people with disabilities who qualify to ride Access
Express when calling on nights and weekends to cancel a ride or ask where
their ride is do not get a return phone call and apparently the driver is
often not contacted by the supervisor; and
WHEREAS, people with disabilities who qualify to ride Access
Express no longer have an assigned individual to call to voice complaints or
problems to and in any other way to correspond with, and are not called back
by a supervisor when they leave messages: Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri
in convention assembled this 13th day of April, 2013, in the city of
Jefferson City, Missouri, that the National Federation of the Blind urge the
Springfield Chapter of the NFB and the NFB of Missouri to consult on and
mediate conversations and meetings between people with disabilities, City
Utilities, and City Council on making Access Express more available,
effective, responsive and efficient to people with disabilities.
Note on NFB-NEWSLINE
By Eugene Coulter
If you are not using NFB-NEWSLINE, you do not know what you are missing. The
service includes hundreds of newspapers, dozens of magazines, information of
interest to the blind, local detailed weather forecasts, television
listings, and much more. The service is accessible from your Email, IPhone,
and your touchtone telephone.
In Missouri the service is provided by the National Federation of the Blind
and sponsored by Wolfner Memorial Library for the Blind. To sign up for
NFB-NEWSLINE contact Wolfner at 1-800-392-2614.
Once one is signed up, the service is easy to access through the toll free
number at 1-888-882-1629. However, it is strongly recommended that users
call local access numbers whenever possible to reduce cost so the program
may flourish. In Kansas City and St. Louis there are local numbers to call
at no cost to the caller. They are:
Saint Louis: 314-558-1243
Kansas City, Missouri: 816-278-1241
Kansas City, Kansas 913-904-0220
In addition, if a person lives outside of the two big cities and you either
have flat rate long distance on your home phone or a cellular phone with
enough usable minutes, you can call any of the three numbers listed above
and help to control costs that way. If we all do our part, we can assure
that the service will be around for years to come.
Amazon Kindle:
Is It Coming to a School Near You?
by Mehgan Sidhu and Valerie Yingling
Editor’s note: The following article is reprinted from Future Reflections
Special issue on Advocacy, volume 32 number 2.
>From the Editor: As many Future Reflections readers are aware, the National
Federation of the Blind works to ensure that blind students have equal
access to educational materials used in the classroom. The deluge of new
electronic platforms for presenting information to students has brought us
an array of challenges. In this article, NFB legal counsel Mehgan Sidhu and
paralegal Valerie Yingling explain how families can help make sure that
books using Amazon's Whispercast program are made accessible to blind
students and others with print disabilities.
Is your child's school planning to implement Whispercast? If so, the NFB
wants to hear from you.
Amazon is increasingly marketing its inaccessible Kindle ebooks and
Whispercast program to the public schools. As schools adopt Amazon's
products and services, they create educational disadvantages for students
who are blind or print-disabled, impeding their ability to engage in the
assigned curriculum. This practice is discriminatory and illegal, and it
poses significant harm to the education of blind children.
What Is Whispercast?
In October 2012, Amazon announced the release of Whispercast, a free online
program designed to streamline the process of purchasing and distributing
Kindle content in schools and workplaces. Whispercast allows teachers to
distribute Kindle content wirelessly to students' ereading devices while
monitoring and managing their device settings, including Internet access and
website filters. The content can be distributed en masse to an entire
classroom or grade level, or it can be distributed individually for
differentiated instruction.
The use of Whispercast is not limited to Kindle devices. Amazon advertises
the program as highly compatible with Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs.
Free Kindle apps are available for personal computers, Apple and Android
smartphones and tablets, and other devices. As schools prepare for the
2013-2014 school year by assessing student needs and available funding
levels, school administrators may understandably believe that implementing
Whispercast through a BYOD program is a solution for budget shortfalls.
Amazon is aggressively marketing its products to schools. The company is
promoting the millions of books and other materials it offers as ways for
students to access the Core Curriculum and to become enthusiastic about
reading. Amazon advertises the Kindle's interactive dictionary and
encyclopedia, as well as its highlighting, note-taking, and bookmarking
features, as ways for students to engage with their texts to bolster
comprehension. We anticipate that in response to Amazon's marketing and the
increasing pressure schools face to shift to digital materials for their
cost savings and other benefits, we may see many schools adopting Kindle
ebooks and Whispercast in the upcoming school year.
Are Kindle Ebooks Accessible?
Emerging technology can be a wonderful thing, but only when it is
accessible. Unfortunately, Amazon's Kindle e-books are inaccessible in
critical respects to individuals who are blind. The best access Amazon
offers, using a Kindle Keyboard (also called Kindle 3G) or using the Kindle
for PC with Accessibility Plugin to read Kindle ebooks, leaves blind
students woefully behind their sighted classmates. When reading Kindle
ebooks on these platforms, for example, blind students cannot navigate
through text character by character or word by word. The lack of these
features greatly interferes with students' ability to learn and generalize
phonetic awareness, grammar, and sentence structure. Students who are blind
cannot access Kindle's touted interactive features, including the built-in
dictionary, encyclopedia, and the highlighting and note-taking features.
Thereby they are hindered in their ability to comprehend texts and
assignments. When using Kindle ebooks, blind students cannot navigate the
table of contents, locate specific text, or bookmark passages, increasing
the possibility that they will not be able to complete in-class assignments
or follow a teacher's lectures. In addition, Kindle ebooks are not
compatible with refreshable Braille displays. All of these features, in
contrast, are available on Blio and iBooks, and are fully accessible to
blind students.
When schools implement inaccessible technology such as Whispercast, their
actions constitute discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act
of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section
504). Public entities such as schools cannot deny individuals with
disabilities the benefits of services and programs granted to those without
disabilities. Furthermore, schools that receive federal funds cannot deliver
to individuals with disabilities any benefits or services that are inferior
to those provided to students without disabilities. The U.S. Departments of
Justice and Education have made clear that when schools adopt inaccessible
ebook technology they are violating federal law. They have mandated that
schools refrain from implementing emerging technology that is not accessible
to students who are blind or print disabled.
What Is the NFB Doing to Address This Problem, and What Can You Do to Help?
For years the NFB has been a strong advocate for fully and equally
accessible ebooks, including Amazon's Kindle ebooks and devices. In December
2012 the NFB sponsored a letter-writing campaign, requesting that parents
and children write to Amazon's founder and CEO, Jeffrey Bezos, describing
the impact that inaccessible Kindle content has had on their educational
experience. The NFB's campaign culminated in a protest at Amazon
headquarters in Seattle, Washington. Federationists delivered the letters to
Amazon staff members and publicly protested Amazon's insufficient response
to the requests of blind students and blind consumers for accessibility.
Advocacy efforts continued in March 2013, when NFB President Marc Maurer
wrote to the Departments of Education in all fifty states, Puerto Rico, and
the District of Columbia to advise them that the implementation of
Whispercast in their schools puts blind students at a significant
disadvantage and constitutes discrimination under the ADA and Section 504.
Dr. Maurer also wrote to the National PTA in response to its announcement of
Amazon as sole sponsor of the National PTA's Family Reading Experience
program. His letter explained that by partnering with Amazon to distribute
Kindle devices and ebooks to low-income and at-risk schools, the National
PTA not only assists schools in violating federal law, but also excludes
blind students from fully participating in and benefiting from the Common
Core state standards it stalwartly promotes.
Our work, however, is not over. Amazon continues to market Whispercast and
Kindle ebooks to schools. Currently the NFB is tracking school systems that
have chosen to implement or are considering the implementation of
Whispercast or of Kindle ebooks. As parents and educators of blind children,
your assistance and advocacy will be invaluable to ensure that blind
children have equal access to ebooks at school.
If you would like to take action, here are some suggestions:
a.. Find out whether your school is implementing or considering the
implementation of Whispercast or of Kindle ebooks.
b.. Educate your school district's administrators, teachers, and
Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) about the importance of ebook
accessibility. Be prepared to explain why accessibility is critical, why it
is important to ensure during the procurement phase that technology is
accessible, and that accessible technology is required under the law.
Provide your school and school district with the chart, Dear Colleague
Letters, letter to the National PTA, and letter to your state's Department
of Education, all linked to the website listed below.
c.. If you learn that your school or school district uses or is planning
to use Whispercast or Kindle content, either through Kindle devices or a
BYOD program, please contact Valerie Yingling, paralegal at the NFB, at
vyingling at nfb.org or (410) 659-9314, Ext. 2440.
For more information about the inaccessibility of Kindle ebooks and
Whispercast, please visit <https://nfb.org/Kindle-books>.
PLEDGE OF THE
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
I pledge to participate actively in the effort of the National Federation of
the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind: to
support the policies and programs of the Federation and to abide by its
Constitution.
Board of Directors
National Federation of the Blind of Missouri
Officers:
Gary Wunder, President Julie McGinnity,
Recording Secretary
Shelia Wright, First Vice President Dacia Luck, Corresponding
Secretary
Ruby Polk, Second Vice President Carol Coulter, Treasurer
Board Members:
Eugene Coulter Gene Fleeman
Gary Horchem Dan Flasar
Chris Tisdal Bob Williams
Chapter Presidents
Dacia Luck, Columbia Helen Parker, South
Central
Rita Lynch, Jefferson City Gary Horchem,
Springfield
Ruby Polk, Kansas City Bryan Schulz, St.
Louis
Chris Tisdal, Lewis and Clark
Blind Missourian Editor Carol Coulter
Proof Readers Helen Stevens
Shelia Wright
Gary Wunder
FREE MATTER FOR THE
BLIND AND PHYSICALLY
HANDICAPPED
NFB of Missouri
1504 Furlong Dr.
Columbia, MO 65202
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