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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The below research participant solicitation is being provided for informational purposes only. The National Federation of the Blind has no involvement in this research, but we
believe that it may contribute to our research mission.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2228;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2228;background:white">Are you an individual between 21 and 64 years old who was born blind? Are you interested
in sharing your life story as part of a research study on disability identity? Please consider this unique opportunity to let your voice be heard! </span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2228;background:white"> </span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2228">As part of this study, you will be invited to share your life story during an in-depth interview with the
researcher. The researcher is also someone with a disability and has designed the interview to be accessible, flexible, relaxed, and enjoyable! Your insights and perspectives are needed to help researchers better understand how people with disabilities experience
blindness and come to integrate disability into their understanding of who they are. </span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2228">Interviews are expected to be 1.5-2 hours long. The researcher is committed to accommodating the needs and
preferences of participants. Participants can choose to participate in the interview either by phone or Zoom. Participants may also choose whether they would like to complete the interview in a single session or multiple sessions. </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2228">There is no compensation for participation in this research study.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2228">Please contact Lisa Gagliano at 847-221-8611 or
</span></b><a href="mailto:lgagliano1@niu.edu"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">lgagliano1@niu.edu</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2228"> if you are interested
in learning more. </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2228;background:white"> </span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2228;background:white">This study is a dissertation research project that is being conducted and completed by Lisa
Gagliano who is a doctoral candidate at Northern Illinois University in the Health Sciences program. </span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2228;background:white"> </span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1D2228;background:white">This project has been reviewed and approved by the NIU Human Subjects Committee; Protocol # HS21-0229. Questions concerning your rights
as a participant in this research may be addressed to the Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships, Lowden Hall 301, NIU, DeKalb, IL 60115. </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lou Ann Blake, J.D.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Director of Research Programs, Blindness Initiatives<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(410) 659-9314, extension 2221 | <a href="mailto:lblake@nfb.org">
lblake@nfb.org</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://nfb.org/"><span style="text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="210" height="76" style="width:2.1875in;height:.7916in" id="_x0000_i1028" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/nfblogo.png" alt="National Federation of the Blind"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind">
<span style="text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="24" height="24" style="width:.25in;height:.25in" id="_x0000_i1027" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/facebook.png" alt="Facebook"></span></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice"><span style="text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="24" height="24" style="width:.25in;height:.25in" id="_x0000_i1026" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/twitter.png" alt="Twitter"></span></a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind"><span style="text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="24" height="24" style="width:.25in;height:.25in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/youtube.png" alt="Youtube"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.
<o:p></o:p></p>
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