<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)">
<style>
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
h1
{mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:24.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue>
<div class=Section1>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=4 face=Arial><span style='font-size:14.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>CONTACT:<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Chris Danielsen<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Director of Public Relations<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>cdanielsen@nfb.org<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<h1 align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:
3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'><b><font size=4 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial'>National Federation of the Blind
Condemns<br>
Lack of Access to New Kindle Fire<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>Baltimore, Maryland (September 29, 2011):</span></font></b><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'> The National Federation of the
Blind commented today on the release of Amazon’s new Kindle Fire, which
cannot be used by people who are blind.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the
Blind, said: “Blind Americans have repeatedly asked Amazon to include
accessibility for the blind in its Kindle product line. The feasibility
of including accessibility in similar products has been demonstrated. The
Department of Education and the Department of Justice have made it clear that
Kindle devices cannot be purchased by educational institutions, libraries, and
other entities covered by this country’s disability laws unless the
devices are fully accessible. Despite all this, Amazon has released a
brand new Kindle device, the Kindle Fire, which cannot be used by people who
are blind. Enough! We condemn this latest action by Amazon and
reiterate that we will not tolerate technological discrimination. The
National Federation of the Blind seeks nothing less than equal access to all
technology for blind people. It is one of the most critical civil rights
issues facing blind Americans in the twenty-first century, and we will do
everything in our power to see that this right is secured.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=3
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>###<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=3
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><font
size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><font
size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><font
size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
bold'>About the National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of
the Blind is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind
people in the <u1:place u2:st="on"><u1:country-region u2:st="on">United States</u1:country-region></u1:place>.
The NFB improves blind people’s lives through advocacy, education,
research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and
self-confidence. It is the leading force in the blindness field today and
the voice of the nation's blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the
National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and
training center in the <u1:place u2:st="on"><u1:country-region u2:st="on">United
States</u1:country-region></u1:place> for the blind led by the blind. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=3
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><br>
<br>
__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature
database 3230 (20080701) __________<br>
<br>
The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.eset.com">http://www.eset.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<BR><BR>__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 3230 (20080701) __________<BR><BR>The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.<BR><BR><A HREF="http://www.eset.com">http://www.eset.com</A><BR> </body>
</html>