[NFBOK-Talk] National Federation of the Blind and Amazon Join Forces to Improve Accessible Reading Experiences for Blind and Low-Vision Students

[Jeannie Massay]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

cdanielsen at nfb.org <mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org> 


 




National Federation of the Blind and Amazon Join Forces to Improve
Accessible Reading Experiences for Blind and Low-Vision Students


Baltimore, Maryland (March 2, 2016): The National Federation of the Blind
(NFB) and Amazon announced today that they will be working together to
increase selection, enhance accessibility, and improve reading experiences
for blind students, including those who have low vision or who are
deaf-blind. Amazon and the National Federation of the Blind will collaborate
on improvements to Amazon's education content, platforms, and applications,
and will meet on an ongoing basis to review progress and exchange ideas and
feedback. Initial results of this collaboration are expected this year and
beyond.

 

"We are seeing educational institutions embrace digital learning for its
ease of access to a large selection of learning resources for students,"
said Rohit Agarwal, General Manager, Amazon K-12 Education. "This shift
provides a great opportunity to improve accessibility for blind students. By
collaborating with the National Federation of the Blind, we hope to advance
accessibility for all content, platforms and applications that Amazon
develops to better serve K-12 and higher education students."

 

"The National Federation of the Blind is dedicated to using our expertise in
the development and implementation of built-in accessibility in technology
to ensure that the blind have equal access to the information and tools we
need to live the lives we want," said Mark A. Riccobono, President of the
National Federation of the Blind. "The NFB and Amazon have sought a
productive collaboration to improve accessibility, and we now look forward
to working together closely to improve the technologies that will make
digital reading experiences better for all customers. The commitment that
Amazon has made in this agreement brings us ever closer to the day when
blind students of all ages will have the same digital reading experience and
access to content as others, and demonstrates that access for the blind goes
hand in hand with continued innovation in technology."

 

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About the National Federation of the Blind 

 

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.

 

 

 

 

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