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

[Philip S]

Evelyn,
Thanks for forwarding this.  I'll also write to the Secretary of Education.
Philip



On 5/27/11, EVELYN  E. VALDEZ <tweetybaby19 at comcast.net> wrote:
> 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
>
>
>
>
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