[Ohio-talk] The National Federation of the Blind Applauds Introduction of AIM HE Act: Law Will Promote Equal Access to Higher Education for People With Disabilities

[Cheryl Fields]

Hooray! go nfb...


On 9/23/16, Jordy Stringer via Ohio-Talk <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Tremendous step forward.
>
>
> Sent from the iPhone of Jordy D. Stringer.
> Inform, encourage, empower!
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
>> From: "Cazares, Gabe via NABS-L" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Date: September 23, 2016 at 12:41:05 PM EDT
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: "Cazares, Gabe" <GCazares at nfb.org>
>> Subject: [nabs-l] FW: The National Federation of the Blind Applauds
>> Introduction of AIM HE Act: Law Will Promote Equal Access to Higher
>> Education for People With Disabilities
>> Reply-To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>
>>
>> From: Danielsen, Chris
>> Sent: Friday, September 23, 2016 12:40 PM
>> To: NCB Staff; Andrews, Dave; State Presidents
>> Subject: The National Federation of the Blind Applauds Introduction of AIM
>> HE Act: Law Will Promote Equal Access to Higher Education for People With
>> Disabilities
>>
>> 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<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>
>>
>> The National Federation of the Blind Applauds Introduction of AIM HE Act:
>> Law Will Promote Equal Access to Higher Education for People With
>> Disabilities
>>
>> Washington, DC (September 23, 2016): Today, the National Federation of the
>> Blind commends Congressman Phil Roe (R-TN) and Congressman Joe Courtney
>> (D-CT) for introducing the Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher
>> Education (AIM HE) Act (H.R. 6122). This act will promote instructional
>> technology and content that are accessible to the blind and other students
>> with print disabilities.
>>
>> Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind,
>> said: "The National Federation of the Blind has worked for years toward
>> the introduction of this much-needed legislation, which will give
>> postsecondary institutions guidance to help them meet their legal
>> obligations to students with disabilities, and also bring more accessible
>> instructional materials to the higher education market. Blind students are
>> adversely impacted daily by educational technologies that artificially
>> limit students because they were designed without accessibility in mind.
>> As a past member of the Commission on Accessible Instructional Materials,
>> whose work identified this crucial need, and a father of three, including
>> two daughters who are blind, I am pleased to see this goal come to
>> fruition. We applaud Congressman Roe and Congressman Courtney for their
>> introduction of this legislation and urge their colleagues to join them in
>> supporting its swift passage."
>>
>> Congressman Roe said: "No student pursuing their education should be put
>> at a disadvantage because they have a disability, and this bill simply
>> encourages higher education institutions to provide equal access to all
>> instructional materials. With more and more of a student's coursework
>> requiring digital resources, it makes sense to encourage colleges and
>> universities to make accessible material available to support all their
>> students, including those who have a disability. I thank Rep. Courtney for
>> partnering with me on this important issue and I look forward to moving
>> this bill through the legislative process. I also thank all the
>> stakeholders who have worked so hard to develop a commonsense solution
>> that can be supported on a bipartisan basis."
>>
>> Congressman Courtney said:  "As colleges and universities become more
>> high-tech, it is only fitting that they find ways to improve learning
>> opportunities for persons with disabilities. This is why I was pleased to
>> introduce this bipartisan legislation to help make educational materials
>> more accessible to the disabilities community. I want to thank Rep. Roe
>> for taking up this cause with me because there is nothing more important
>> than making sure all Americans, including those with disabilities, have
>> the opportunity to receive a great education."
>>
>> The AIM HE Act will authorize a purpose-based commission comprised of
>> persons with disabilities, developers, and manufacturers, as well as
>> representatives from institutions of higher education. This commission
>> will develop voluntary accessibility guidelines for instructional
>> materials used in postsecondary educational programs. Additionally, the
>> commission will be tasked with developing an annotated list of existing
>> national and international information technology standards as an
>> additional resource for institutions of higher education and companies
>> that service the higher education market.
>>
>> Institutions of higher education that only use technology that conforms
>> with the guidelines will be deemed in compliance with the provisions of
>> Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Titles II and III of the
>> Americans with Disabilities Act that pertain to the use of electronic
>> instructional materials, giving them a safe harbor protection from
>> litigation. Colleges and universities will be permitted to use material
>> that does not conform with the guidelines as long as equal access laws are
>> still honored. Conformity with the AIM HE guidelines is only one path to
>> compliance; schools can pursue a different path, but will forfeit the safe
>> harbor legal protection.
>>
>> The AIM HE Act is a collaborative legislative initiative of the National
>> Federation of the Blind, the American Council on Education, the
>> Association of American Publishers, Educause(r), and the Software and
>> Information Industry Association.
>>
>> ###
>>
>> About the National Federation of the Blind
>>
>> The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
>> characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
>> expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
>> between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
>> blindness is not what holds you back.
>>
>> Disclaimer
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