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<blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><b><font size=4 face=Helvetica><span
style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Helvetica;font-weight:bold'>FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE<br>
</span></font></b><br>
<b><font size=5 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;
font-weight:bold'> <br>
</span></font></b><br>
<b><font face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica;font-weight:bold'>CONTACT:<br>
</span></font></b><br>
<font face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'>Chris Danielsen<br>
</span></font><br>
<font face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'>Director of Public
Relations<br>
</span></font><br>
<font face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'>National Federation of
the Blind<br>
</span></font><br>
<font face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'>(410) 659-9314,
extension 2330<br>
</span></font><br>
<font face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'>(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<br>
</span></font><br>
<font face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'><a
href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a><br>
</span></font><br>
<font size=5 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Helvetica'> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<h1 align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=6
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:24.0pt'>National Federation of
the Blind Urges Swift Action <br>
on Recommendations for Accessible Higher Education Materials<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h1>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:center'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><b><font size=5 face=Helvetica><span
style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;font-weight:bold'> <br>
</span></font></b><br>
<b><font face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica;font-weight:bold'>Baltimore,
Maryland (December 13, 2011):</span></font></b><font face=Helvetica><span
style='font-family:Helvetica'> The <a href="http://www.nfb.org/">National
Federation of the Blind</a> (NFB) commented today on the recently released
final <a href="http://www2.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/aim/publications.html">report</a>
of the Advisory Commission on Accessible Instructional Materials in
Postsecondary Education for Students with Disabilities. The commission was
created by Congress following extensive advocacy by the NFB as part of the
Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008. The report sets forth specific
recommendations to facilitate the production and distribution of accessible
instructional materialsincluding printed and digital books, journals, course
packs, articles, tests, videos, instructor-created materials, and Web pages, as
well as any hardware, firmware, software, or other means of accessing such
materialsto students who are blind or have other disabilities. The
report focuses on making mainstream educational products accessible to the
maximum extent possible, allowing students with and without disabilities to
access the same materials at the same time and at the same price.<br>
</span></font><br>
<font face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'> <br>
</span></font><br>
<font face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'>Dr. Marc Maurer, President
of the National Federation of the Blind, said: “The blind and other
students with disabilities have an equal right to participate in higher
education. Access to textbooks and other instructional materials has
historically presented the greatest barrier to a truly equal education for
blind students. The transition from print to digital materials presents
great challenges; but, if managed properly, it will mean that blind students
and other students with disabilities will, for the first time, have equal
access to educational content on the same terms as their non-disabled
peers. This report presents recommendations that, if properly
implemented, will help to ensure that this potential is realized.”<br>
</span></font><br>
<font face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'> <br>
</span></font><br>
<font face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'><?xml:namespace
prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
/>Mark Riccobono, executive director of the National Federation of the Blind
Jernigan Institute and a member of the commission, said: “Ultimately the
success of this report will depend on whether Congress acts to implement its
recommendations, but the recommendations themselves are strong and will make a
real difference to postsecondary students with disabilities if
implemented. As the report notes, while there is some activity in the
mainstream market to include accessibility in electronic textbooks and other
products, it will take a combination of market incentives and government
regulations in order to ensure that the blind and other students with
disabilities are placed on equal footing with their peers. If the report’s
recommendations are not acted upon, however, students with disabilities will be
put at a greater disadvantage than ever before in terms of access to
educational materials. We therefore urge Congress to act swiftly on the
commission’s recommendations.”<br>
</span></font><br>
<font size=5 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Helvetica'> <br>
</span></font><br>
<font size=5 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Helvetica'> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=3
face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;font-weight:
bold'>###</span></font></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><br>
</span></font><font size=5 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:18.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'> <br>
</span></font><br>
<font size=5 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Helvetica'> <br>
</span></font><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>About the National Federation of the Blind<br>
</span></b><br>
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
United States. 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
United States for the blind led by the blind. <br>
<br>
<font size=5 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Helvetica'> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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