[nfbwatlk] FW: Protest regarding inaccessible Amazon Kindle Contentin Schools

Mon Nov 19 02:09:01 UTC 2012

Why does this email only have driving directions from the airport to hotel
area?  There is light rail  from the airport to downtown  Seattle.  From
downtown Seattle is the south lake street car trolley and busses go to near
the hotel and Amazon building location in south lake union area.
From
Jacob Struiksma 

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbwatlk [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mike
Freeman
Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2012 4:40 PM
To: nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org; NFB of Oregon mailing list
Subject: [nfbwatlk] FW: Protest regarding inaccessible Amazon Kindle
Contentin Schools

From: State-affiliate-leadership-list
[mailto:state-affiliate-leadership-list-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Pare, John
Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2012 7:18 PM
To: state-affiliate-leadership-list at nfbnet.org
Subject: [State-affiliate-leadership-list] Protest regarding inaccessible
Amazon Kindle Content in Schools

Dear Fellow Federationists:

This e-mail provides logistical details for our Amazon protest scheduled for
Wednesday, December 12.  Subsequent e-mails will provide additional
messaging details.  

Background

Amazon.com is undertaking a massive effort to incorporate inaccessible
Kindle books into K-12 schools across the United States.  They have built a
system called Whispercast that allows teachers and school administrators to
distribute Kindle content to devices other than Kindles.  The problem with
all of these plans is that the Kindle books are not accessible to students
who are blind.  Since school districts have an obligation under federal law
to purchase or deploy only accessible technology and content, Amazon must
either make Kindle books accessible or cease and desist from its efforts to
have them used in the classroom. 

We will provide signs, flyers, and chants for the protest.  We will also be
delivering letters from blind students, parents, and friends to Mr. Bezos,
the founder and CEO of Amazon, as part of the protest.  You are urged to
send these letters to Chris Danielsen before December 1 at the Jernigan
Institute.  You are also urged to send us a YouTube video of the student
reading the letter.

Date: Wednesday, December 12

Time:  11:00 AM to 1:00 PM Pacific Time

Protest Location (Amazon Headquarters): 426 Terry Avenue North Seattle, WA
98109

Pre-meeting:  For those of you who can make it, we will have a final
briefing the day of the protest at the hotel listed below at 8:30 AM.  

Protest day schedule:

8:30-9:30AM Pre-briefing at the hotel

10:30AM Line up and depart hotel

11:00AM Protest begins

Dress:  Professional attire is preferred but be sure to wear comfortable
shoes and clothes appropriate for marching outdoors for two hours. 

Hotel:  We are currently in negotiations for special room rates at the
Holiday Inn Seattle, but have yet to officially make an agreement. We will
send out more information about when to book your rooms early next week.  

Airport/Transportation:  Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) is the closest
airport to the hotel. 

Taxi Charge (one way) from SEA: $ 45.00 USD

Time by Taxi: 20 minutes

Take I-5 Northbound to exit 167 (Mercer St). At the end of the exit you will
turn left onto Fairview Ave. Follow Fairview Ave to Denny Way and turn right
on Denny Way. Follow Denny Way to Dexter Ave. and turn right on Dexter Ave.
N. It's on the left.

I look forward to seeing you in Seattle.  

John G. Paré, Jr. 

Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy 

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

200 East Wells Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21230

Telephone: (410) 659-9314, ext. 2218

Cell phone: (410) 917-1965

Fax: (410) 685-5653

Email: jpare at nfb.org 

The National Federation of the Blind needs your support to ensure blind
children get an equal education; to connect blind veterans with the training
and services they need; and to help seniors who are losing vision continue
to live independent and fulfilling lives. To make a donation, please go to
www.nfb.org.