[nfbwatlk] FW: [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Alert - Urgent Action Needed Regarding Braille Instruction for Blind Students

[Prows, Bennett (HHS/OCR)]

Congratulations to our own Senator Murray for this fantastic letter.  Let's help her and the other senators with the fight for our literacy and for the teaching and use of Braille.

/s/

Bennett Prows
From: nfbnet-members-list-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbnet-members-list-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kuhnke, Kristian
Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2012 6:09 PM
To: nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Alert - Urgent Action Needed Regarding Braille Instruction for Blind Students


Fellow Federationists:

I am writing to inform you of a Dear Colleague letter that was circulated yesterday by Senators Murray, Boozman, and Harkin related to the instruction of Braille for blind students.

We have been working with Senator Murray on this issue, and are excited that the letter was released for other Senators to sign onto in support.  As you know many blind students are not receiving Braille instruction today, despite the language contained in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which states that Braille will be the primary reading media for blind students.  Senator Murray will hold her letter open through Friday, April 27, for other senators to sign onto, and then she will send the letter to the Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

Attached is a copy of the Dear Colleague letter that was circulated.  We are asking you to contact your senators and urge them to join with Senators Murray and Boozman in support of instruction of Braille for blind students.  Also attached is a state-by-state list of contacts for this issue.  Please note that Republican offices should contact Ian Prince in Senator Boozman's office, while Democrats should be directed to Jake Cornett in Senator Murray's office.  We are pleased that Chairman Harkin of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and Senator Mikulski of Maryland have already joined as cosigners of the Dear Colleague letter.

Please contact me with any questions you may have.  Thank you all in advance for your work on this important issue for blind students.

Jesse

Jesse Hartle
National Federation of the Blind
Government Programs Specialist
Phone: 410-659-9314, Ext. 2233
Email: jhartle at nfb.org<mailto:jhartle at nfb.org>


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