[Nfbsatx] Fwd: [Chapter-presidents] National Federation of the Blind and Blackboard to Demonstrate New Accessibility Features at CSUN

[Jose Martinez]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Freeh, Jessica" <JFreeh at nfb.org>
Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2010 21:27:42 -0700
Subject: [Chapter-presidents] National Federation of the Blind and
Blackboard to Demonstrate New Accessibility Features at CSUN
To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

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



National Federation of the Blind and Blackboard to
Demonstrate New Accessibility Features at CSUN



Blackboard Learn Platform Brings Accessibility Enhancements for the Blind



San Diego, California (March 25, 2010): The
National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the
nation’s leading advocate for equal education for
blind students, and Blackboard Inc., will present
and demonstrate the new accessibility features of
the Blackboard Learn™ platform at the California
State University, Northridge, (CSUN) 25th annual
International Technology & Persons with
Disabilities conference, held in San Diego, CA,
March 22–27.  The presentation of Blackboard’s
improved and more accessible experience will be
held on March 25 at 4:20 p.m. Pacific Time.



Blackboard Learn, an online learning platform, is
used by thousands of institutions to provide
online education, course materials, discussion
boards, assignment submissions, electronic
grading, and numerous other components intended
to enhance the learning experience or to provide
distance education.  Previously, blind students
encountered a number of accessibility barriers
when using the Blackboard platform with nonvisual
screen access technology.  Blackboard Learn,
Release 9,  showed great improvement over prior
releases, and during the past year, Blackboard
has invested further in a range of enhancements
to Blackboard Learn that represent significant
improvements to the usability of Blackboard for blind users.



Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National
Federation of the Blind, said: “We are pleased to
help Blackboard present the accessibility
features of the Blackboard Learn platform to the
influential audience at CSUN.  These features
will ensure that blind students are not

at a disadvantage in classes utilizing Blackboard
and can access course materials online just as
their sighted peers do.  We commend Blackboard
for their hard work in this area.”



The accessibility improvements to Blackboard
Learn include faster navigation and improved form
interaction, allowing blind users to submit
assignments, participate in discussion forums,
send and receive e-mail, take tests and quizzes,
and participate in polls.  Blind instructors can
also submit content with the improved accessible forms.



For more information about the National
Federation of the Blind, please visit <http://www.nfb.org/>www.nfb.org.



###






About the National Federation of the Blind

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.


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