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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=4 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:13.5pt;
font-family:Helvetica;font-weight:bold'>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<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=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica;font-weight:bold'>CONTACT:<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>Chris Danielsen<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>Director of Public Relations<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org"><font face=Helvetica><span
style='font-family:Helvetica'>cdanielsen@nfb.org</span></font></a><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>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>Jeffery Seay<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>University Communications<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'><ns0:place w:insAuthor="Unknown"
w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z"><ns0:PlaceName w:insAuthor="Unknown"
w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Florida</st1:PlaceName></ns0:PlaceName></st1:place> <ns0:PlaceType
w:insAuthor="Unknown" w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></ns0:PlaceType>
<ns0:PlaceType w:insAuthor="Unknown" w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z"
w:endInsAuthor="Unknown" w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z"><st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType></ns0:PlaceType></ns0:place><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>(850) 644-0277<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>jseay@admin.fsu.edu<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'><ns0:place w:insAuthor="Unknown"
w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z"><ns0:PlaceName w:insAuthor="Unknown"
w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z">Florida</ns0:PlaceName> <ns0:PlaceType
w:insAuthor="Unknown" w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z">State</ns0:PlaceType> <ns0:PlaceType
w:insAuthor="Unknown" w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z">University</ns0:PlaceType></ns0:place>
Resolves Litigation with Students<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h1>
<h2 align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:
3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'><em><b><i><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>National Federation of the Blind
Praises Comprehensive Settlement Agreement</span></font></i></b></em><em><i><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></font></i></em></h2>
<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=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica;font-weight:bold'>Tallahassee, Florida (March 6, 2012):</span></font></b><font
face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'> Florida State University
and two students who are blind—Christopher Shane Toth and Jamie Ann
Principato—have resolved a <a
href="http://stage.nfb.org/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=819">lawsuit brought by
the two students</a> with the assistance of the <a href="http://www.nfb.org/">National
Federation of the Blind</a> last summer. <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>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>The students claimed that they experienced
discrimination in violation of state and federal disability laws, including
failure to reasonably accommodate their disability and lack of accessible
technology. As a result, they claimed, they were unable to complete
courses related to their academic majors. <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>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>Without admitting liability or wrongdoing, the
university has agreed to pay each of the students $75,000 in settlement of
their claims and to continue its efforts to make courses accessible to all
students. Specifically, the university will examine technology-based
instructional materials currently in use for accessibility compliance, and
ensure accessibility in future software and hardware procurements. <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>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>“We are extremely pleased with this settlement
agreement, which will benefit all current and future blind students at <ns0:place
w:insAuthor="Unknown" w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z"><ns0:PlaceName w:insAuthor="Unknown"
w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z">Florida</ns0:PlaceName> <ns0:PlaceType
w:insAuthor="Unknown" w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z">State</ns0:PlaceType></ns0:place>,”
said Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind.
“We commend the university for showing leadership and commitment to
treating students with disabilities equally and hope that other institutions of
higher learning will follow the example set by <ns0:place w:insAuthor="Unknown"
w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z"><ns0:PlaceName w:insAuthor="Unknown"
w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z">Florida</ns0:PlaceName> <ns0:PlaceType
w:insAuthor="Unknown" w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z">State</ns0:PlaceType></ns0:place>.”<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>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>“I am greatly relieved and pleased that this
litigation has been resolved and look forward to continuing my academic career
at <ns0:place w:insAuthor="Unknown" w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z"
w:endInsAuthor="Unknown" w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z"><ns0:PlaceName
w:insAuthor="Unknown" w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z">Florida</ns0:PlaceName> <ns0:PlaceType
w:insAuthor="Unknown" w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z">State</ns0:PlaceType></ns0:place> on an
equal basis with my sighted peers,” Principato said.<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>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>“We are committed to the success of all of our
students, including those with disabilities,” said Garnett S. Stokes,
provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at <ns0:place
w:insAuthor="Unknown" w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z"><ns0:PlaceName w:insAuthor="Unknown"
w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z">Florida</ns0:PlaceName> <ns0:PlaceType
w:insAuthor="Unknown" w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z">State</ns0:PlaceType></ns0:place>.
“We will continue our efforts to make our institution a welcoming and
rewarding environment for students with disabilities.”<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>
<p><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The
plaintiffs are represented in this matter by Daniel F. Goldstein, <ns0:PersonName
w:insAuthor="Unknown" w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z">Sharon Krevor-Weisbaum</ns0:PersonName>,
and Brooke E. Lierman of the <ns0:City w:insAuthor="Unknown"
w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z">Baltimore</ns0:City> firm Brown,
Goldstein, and Levy; and Matthew Dietz of the <ns0:City w:insAuthor="Unknown"
w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z"><ns0:place w:insAuthor="Unknown"
w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z">Miami</ns0:place></ns0:City> firm Law
Offices of Matthew W. Dietz, P.L. <br>
<br>
<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><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><font
size=3 face=Arial><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;
font-weight:bold'>About the National Federation of the Blind </span></font></b><font
face=Arial><span lang=EN style='font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face=Arial><span lang=EN 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 <ns0:country-region
w:insAuthor="Unknown" w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z"><ns0:place w:insAuthor="Unknown"
w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z">United States</ns0:place></ns0:country-region>.
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 <ns0:country-region w:insAuthor="Unknown"
w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z"><ns0:place w:insAuthor="Unknown"
w:insDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z" w:endInsAuthor="Unknown"
w:endInsDate="2012-03-06T11:16:00Z">United States</ns0:place></ns0:country-region>
for the blind led by the blind.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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