[nfbwatlk] National Federation of the Blind and Blind Business Owner File Complaint with Small Business Administration

[Kristina Lawrence]

Noel had brought this to the attention (the inaccessibility of the SBA
tutorial) to my attention. I tried to use the tutorial as well as
Marty. I thought we had forwarded the information on to the attorney.
I dropped the ball in getting back to the attorney when no word was
heard from my reply. I am glad that this is getting more attention and
I will redouble my efforts to contact the attorney and see if
information is still being sought.

Others who are in business for themselves are encouraged to check out
the website and see just how far they can get. The more voices
upraised, the more chance we may be heard!

Kris

On Thu, Jul 23, 2009 at 1:42 AM, Freeh, Jessica<JFreeh at nfb.org> wrote:
>
>
> 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
>
>
>
> National Federation of the Blind and Blind Business Owner
> File Complaint with Small Business Administration
>
>
>
>
>
> SBA's Inaccessible Web Site Discriminates Against the Blind
>
>
>
> Baltimore, Maryland (July 22, 2009): The National Federation of the Blind,
> the nation's oldest and largest organization of blind people and the leading
> advocate for equal access by the blind to information technology, and Virgil
> Stinnett, a blind business owner from Honolulu, Hawaii, filed an
> administrative complaint today with the Small Business Administration (SBA).
>  The complaint asserts that the SBA's Web site violates Section 508 of the
> Rehabilitation Act because it is inaccessible to blind people who use
> text-to-speech screen access technology or Braille displays to access
> information on the Internet.  Because of the inaccessibility of the SBA Web
> site, blind people cannot fill out forms on the site or take online courses
> offered by the SBA.  Mr. Stinnett was unable to apply for certification
> under Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act because of the inaccessibility
> of the Web site.  Section 8(a) certification would provide Mr. Stinnett's
> business with access to federal and private procurement markets.
>
>
>
> Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
> "Blind Americans have the same dreams, the same goals, and the same
> entrepreneurial spirit as all other Americans.  If we are to have equal
> access to the tools and techniques needed to be effective business owners
> and to compete on terms of equality with our sighted peers, we must have
> equal access to the resources offered on the SBA Web site and other
> government sites.  The National Federation of the Blind demands equality for
> blind business owners and will tolerate nothing less."
>
>
>
> Virgil Stinnett, owner of Good News HI, a business providing military dining
> services, said: "As a blind entrepreneur, access to the SBA Web site is
> critical in order for me to use its programs and services and expand my
> business.  The fact that I could not access the Web site has cost me time
> and resources that I would not have needed to expend if I had been able to
> use the site like everyone else.  I hope the action we are taking today will
> prompt the SBA to take immediate steps so that all Americans, blind and
> sighted, have equal access to the programs, training, and resources that it
> provides."
>
>
>
> Complainants are represented by attorneys Daniel F. Goldstein and Allison L.
> Harper of Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP, <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
> "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />120 E. Baltimore Street,
> Suite 1700, Baltimore, MD 21202, (410) 962-1030, fax: (410) 385-0869,
> <mailto:dfg at browngold.com>dfg at browngold.com,
> <mailto:ah at browngold.com>ah at browngold.com,
> <http://www.browngold.com/>www.browngold.com.
>
>
>
>
>
> ###
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