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Federation family,<br>
<br>
Less than a week after a fun and successful Washington Seminar, I already
have good news to report. The National Association of Blind
Students has initiated a petition on Change.org in support of the TEACH
Act, something I’m sure many of you have already heard about and signed,
and it already has over 49,000 signatures! According to our contact
at Change.org, it is one of the biggest legislative petitions on the
site. So please help us reach 50,000 by circulating this
URL:
<a href="https://www.change.org/petitions/pass-teach-act-equal-access-to-educational-materials-for-students-with-disabilities">
https://www.change.org/petitions/pass-teach-act-equal-access-to-educational-materials-for-students-with-disabilities</a>
, urging your family, friends and associates to sign the petition, or you
can forward Jamie Principado’s letter (found below), which will also
direct people to the site. How many times have we talked about the
problem of inaccessible instructional materials, or any problem facing
blind people, and heard someone say “I wish there was something I could
do!”? Well this is something tangible and effective that they can do, and
it takes little to no time. When anyone signs this petition, it
sends a letter to the House of Representatives urging them to support the
bill – which means every signature makes a big difference. So don’t
be afraid to send this to contacts outside of the Federation! I
hope to send an update again soon with more good news as the number of
signatures goes up, so stay tuned! <br>
<br>
Jamie’s letter for circulation:<br>
<br>
As a blind high schooler, I couldn't just apply to my top colleges -- I
had<br>
to make sure that classes were going to be made accessible for me, and I
was<br>
excited to attend Florida State University because they had a great
program<br>
for training teachers of the blind.<br>
<br>
But when I started classes at FSU, I quickly found out that the
school<br>
didn't have the accessible tools I needed to learn and complete all my
work.<br>
My online classes weren't compatible with my screen reader and I
couldn't<br>
access materials in any of my math or biology classes. I struggled for
three<br>
years, and eventually decided to change schools.<br>
<br>
I sued FSU for failing to meet state and federal disability laws, but
I<br>
don't want other blind students like me to experience what I had to
go<br>
through. I started a petition on Change.org asking Congress to pass
the<br>
TEACH Act to make sure that all students with disabilities have equal
access<br>
to learning. Click here to sign my petition.<br>
<br>
<a href="https://www.change.org/petitions/pass-teach-act-equal-access-to-educational-materials-for-students-with-disabilities?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=47365&alert_id=RkCCbPkptw_FLqojRRJbb">
https://www.change.org/petitions/pass-teach-act-equal-access-to-educational-materials-for-students-with-disabilities?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=47365&alert_id=RkCCbPkptw_FLqojRRJbb</a>
<br>
<br>
When I approached the administration at FSU about the inaccessible<br>
materials, they suggested I try an “easier” major instead of trying to
help<br>
me and other students with disabilities. I felt like the school was<br>
punishing me instead of trying to help me learn.<br>
<br>
That's why I believe in the TEACH Act. While federal laws require
colleges<br>
to only deploy accessible materials, they were written before
technology<br>
became part of the classroom, so schools like FSU have no direction for
how<br>
the laws apply to students like me. The TEACH Act creates
much-needed<br>
guidelines illustrating how schools can provide instructional
technology<br>
that is usable for students with disabilities.<br>
<br>
I believe that public support of the TEACH Act through my petition will
show<br>
members of Congress that constituents around the country believe there is
an<br>
urgent need for this. But they won't do it without you.<br>
<br>
Sign my petition demanding that Congress pass the TEACH Act,
creating<br>
guidelines for schools to protect equal access in the classroom for
blind<br>
students.<br>
<br>
<a href="https://www.change.org/petitions/pass-teach-act-equal-access-to-educational-materials-for-students-with-disabilities?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=47365&alert_id=RkCCbPkptw_FLqojRRJbb">
https://www.change.org/petitions/pass-teach-act-equal-access-to-educational-materials-for-students-with-disabilities?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=47365&alert_id=RkCCbPkptw_FLqojRRJbb</a>
<br>
<br>
Thank you for your support.<br>
<br>
Jamie Principado<br>
<br>
<b>Lauren McLarney<br>
</b>Government Affairs Specialist<br>
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND<br>
200 East Wells St.<br>
Baltimore, MD 21230<br>
(410) 659 9314 ext. 2207<br>
<a href="mailto:lmclarney@nfb.org">lmclarney@nfb.org</a><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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