[Njabs-talk] Priscilla, great letter Re: Urgent Support Needed for Students with Print Disabilities

[EVELYN E. VALDEZ]

Priscilla,
Great letter.
I have forwarded to Lynn Reynolds. legislative  coordinator of the NFBNJ and to Jesse Hartle, legislation specialist at the 
National Center.
Please , to all!
distribute to all on your email lists.
 
Good morning!
Please review and distribute the following from 

Priscilla Garces.
Encourage others to do the same.
 
Best,
Joe Ruffalo 
 

Dear Mr Ruffalo,

  

I'm just forwarding you a letter  I wrote to the secretary about 

  Learning ally and the fact that he is proposing to shift the funds towards 

  other projects while discontinuing the funding for the Learning Ally program 

  which is very crucial for students from all levels of education ranging from 

  pre-school to Grad school. I took the initiative to express my concerns being 

  that my future depends on the accessibility of such reading materials crucial 

  for academic success. I figured that I should take part since I have personal 

  experience with the services offered by Learning Ally and hope that my story 

  serves as proof for the positive outcomes gained by the provision of recorded 

  materials for students with print disabilities.


If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact 

  me.


Thank you very much for your cooperation.






Priscilla Garces
Garcespr04 at gmail.com
9087212357





Begin forwarded message:


From: 

	Priscilla Garces <garcespr04 at gmail.com>

Date: 

	May 18, 

	2011 9:46:09 AM EDT

To: arne.duncan at ed.gov

Subject: 

	Urgent Support Needed 

	for Students with Print Disabilities 



Dear 

	Secretary Duncan:
 
I 

	am writing to share with you my support for the accessible educational 

	materials project and Learning Ally.
 
Learning 

	Ally has a long-established relationship with the Department of Education 

	and has had broad support in Congress, state departments of education and 

	10,000 schools from coast to coast. I urge you to continue that 

	support by holding a competition for the development, production and 

	distribution of educational materials in accessible formats to students with 

	visual impairments and other print disabilities.
As 

	a student with a visual impairment it is vital that the funding should be 

	continued because of the fact that many of us have the right to equal 

	opportunity. Equal opportunity includes the accessibility of materials in 

	alternative formats as well as the right to equal education. Since 1997, 

	Learning Ally has helped me tremendously throughout my education due to the 

	timely manner in which books are accessed as well as the ease of learning 

	through listening. Not only did Learning Ally lighten the load of my heavy 

	backpack, but the books on tape made me understand the academic material 

	since I focus better when someone else reads the material to me rather than 

	reading the texts myself. Recorded books along with my braille computer 

	makes studying more efficient since the recorded materials are  crucial 

	supplements added to the use of braille for visually impaired people. 

	Learning Ally greatly benefits other people with print disabilities because 

	reading materials become easier through listening which motivates them to 

	excel academically and keep up with the rest of the students in the 

	classroom.  Thanks to Learning Ally I have had the privilege to become 

	part of the National Academic Honor society in High School. As a college 

	student I have greatly benefited from this program being that I was able to 

	participate along with my sighted peers in terms of academic success. Every 

	night I would get out my portable Daisy player and read my textbooks 

	anywhere on campus in order to catch up with my assignments. Throughout 

	college I maintained a GPA of 3.00 because of their support and motivation 

	in knowing that anyone can accomplish great success through their hard work 

	and effort no matter their disability. Learning Ally's support will be 

	uncertain if the funds are discontinued.  By the shifting of funds, 

	many students  will fall further behind  in their education due to 

	lack of accessible materials. By students falling behind in their 

	schoolwork, their GPA and academic Success would be significantly impacted 

	because of textbooks being produced in other alternative formats in an 

	untimely manner. The quality of Digital MP3 books recorded by a computer 

	generated synthetic voice greatly affects the students who have significant 

	learning disabilities due to the lack of understanding of the reading 

	material.
 
Therefore, 

	Learning Ally is a critical partner in the success of hundreds of thousands 

	of students, and federal support of their efforts, leveraged with private 

	philanthropy, has made much of their work possible. Continue USDE's 30-year 

	commitment to students with disabilities and hold the 

competition.



Thank 

	you very much for your consideration.




Sincerely, 




Priscilla Garces
Union, NJ 07083
Garcespr04 at gmail.com