From abeasley at jb11.net Mon Jun 7 01:38:06 2010 From: abeasley at jb11.net (Andrea Beasley) Date: Sun, 06 Jun 2010 20:38:06 -0500 Subject: [Sd-talk] Convention Help Message-ID: Hello fellow Federationists, My name is Andrea Beasley, I am on the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children. We are putting on several workshops for our kids in NFB Camp and NOPBC kids. We are needing help. The dates, times, and the activities are as follows: Volunteers for writers workshop Sat., July 3- 10:45-11:45 am, Volunteers for astronomy Tues., July 6- 7–8 pm, and Volunteers for crafts Tues., July 6- 8–10 pm. Please email me at abeasley at jb11.net or call me at 608-314-6384 and let me know if you want to or can help us in these activities. Thank you so much, Andrea Beasley -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From JHartle at nfb.org Fri Jun 11 03:53:46 2010 From: JHartle at nfb.org (Hartle, Jesse) Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2010 22:53:46 -0500 Subject: [Sd-talk] Legislative Alert-Update on the Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010 Message-ID: Fellow Federationists: I am writing to report that all of our hard work on the issue of silent cars continues to pay off. Language that will protect the blind and others from the danger posed by silent hybrid and electric vehicles has been favorably reported to the United States Senate by the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation as part of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010 (S. 3302). This legislation, which is a comprehensive bill to address numerous vehicle safety issues raised by the recent Toyota recalls, now includes language agreed to by the National Federation of the Blind and others. This language, if enacted into law, will require the Department of Transportation to issue regulations requiring a minimum sound standard for hybrid and electric automobiles. This victory is a product of our hard work and the cooperation of the automobile industry, but we will need to remain vigilant to make sure that this language becomes law. The House and Senate must still pass their respective versions of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010, and then any differences between the bills will have to be reconciled in a conference committee. We will keep you apprised of developments and let you know when action needs to be taken to secure a final victory that will protect the blind and others from the dangers posed by silent vehicle technology. Thank you again for all you do. Jesse M. Hartle Government Programs Specialist NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND Telephone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2233 E-mail: jhartle at nfb.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Legislative Alert 06-10-2010.doc Type: application/msword Size: 26112 bytes Desc: not available URL: From dandrews at visi.com Fri Jun 11 23:39:25 2010 From: dandrews at visi.com (David Andrews) Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:39:25 -0500 Subject: [Sd-talk] =?iso-8859-1?q?2010_NFB_National_Convention_Agenda_Avai?= =?iso-8859-1?q?lable_on_NFB-NEWSLINE=AE?= Message-ID: 2010 NFB National Convention Agenda Available on NFB-NEWSLINE® Perk your ears convention-goers, as we've got some great news for you! We are pleased to announce that once again the entire agenda of the National Federation of the Blind’s national convention will be available on NFB-NEWSLINE®, helping you to make the most of this grand gathering. With the availability of the agenda, you can quickly and easily determine what options are available at a particular time and find when and where a desired meeting will occur. We believe that this will make it easy to plan your convention schedule­made even easier with the new access methods available through NFB-NEWSLINE® Online. You can access the agenda in numerous ways­by download to your digital talking-book player with NFB-NEWSLINE® In Your Pocket, by reading it on Web News on Demand, and, of course, by picking up any touch-tone telephone. With NFB-NEWSLINE® In Your Pocket, you can have the full agenda on one small device, providing increased portability and effortless access. You can easily scan through each day to learn what meetings and events are of interest and determine your schedule for the day. In order to download the agenda to your digital talking-book player, you'll need to add the agenda to your favorites. This can be done online via our favorites management tool under the link for “Manage Your In Your Pocket Favorite Publications.” Naturally, you'll need to download the NFB-NEWSLINE® In Your Pocket software, available at www.nfbnewslineonline.org, onto your computer before you can place this content on your device. After you've logged in, select the link for NFB-NEWSLINE® In Your Pocket, which takes you to an informational page with software download links. Web News on Demand allows you to easily search for a particular meeting or event when viewing the full agenda on one screen, or you can view each day individually. You can also have the contents of the full agenda or a particular day or event e-mailed to yourself, and you are now able to download a zip file of the agenda to your portable note-taking device (such as the BrailleNote). To access Web News on Demand and the special features it offers, visit www.nfbnewslineonline.org and select “Web News on Demand” after logging in. The easiest way to find the agenda is to select the link “Publications Organized Alphabetically” and search for the title “NFB 2010 Convention Agenda.” To access the agenda on the phone you'll want to enter the main menu (option number five) and select “National Meetings of Interest to the Print-Disabled” (option number four) from the “Newspapers in a Different State” menu. With the recent availability of our on-demand article-request feature, you can now request that details of a certain meeting or event be sent to your e-mail account; you can in this way set up your own agenda tailored to your interests and obligations. To use this feature, when listening to an article press #9 (pound nine) and the desired article will be sent to your e-mail inbox automatically, assuming your e-mail address is provided in your account. If you’d like to experience the flexibility and ease of use that is offered by NFB-NEWSLINE® Online, please visit www.nfbnewslineonline.org. If you've forgotten your codes, please call us toll free at (866) 504-7300. If you aren't signed up for NFB-NEWSLINE®, visit www.nfbnewsline.org to download an application or fill in the online application. David Andrews: dandrews at visi.com Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dandrews920 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dandrews at visi.com Thu Jun 17 07:50:32 2010 From: dandrews at visi.com (David Andrews) Date: Thu, 17 Jun 2010 02:50:32 -0500 Subject: [Sd-talk] FW: Hey, have you heard the latest ? Message-ID: >From: "Andrews, David B B (DEED)" >To: David Andrews >Date: Wed, 16 Jun 2010 10:46:31 -0500 >Subject: FW: Hey, have you heard the latest ? >Thread-Topic: Hey, have you heard the latest ? >Thread-Index: Acr7f37cCYpyxLKkT6mamOwWh+4fiwR6mWmAAABKwfA= > > > >From: Wilson, Joanne [mailto:JWilson at nfb.org] >Subject: Hey, have you heard the latest ? > >Extra! Extra! Read all about it! > >The NFB Department of Affiliate Action will host the 2010 Back to >Basics seminar, and you don't want to miss it! > >What: The Back to Basics seminar is designed to serve as a training >session to help give chapter leaders countless tools for success. >The session will offer detailed and practical techniques that can be >used to build membership, to raise funds, to start meaningful >projects, to run fun meetings, and to make your life just a little easier! > >When: Monday, July 5, 2010 > >Time: 6:00-10:00 pm, the topic will change at the top of every hour, >so feel free to attend some or all of the seminar. > >Who: This training session is open to all NFB members. Special >recognition will be given to chapter presidents. President perks >include distinguished seating, extra opportunities to win door >prizes, and a wonderful gift from Dr. Maurer! Not a chapter >president? No worries, all attendees will leave with a chapter >development kit, will get to participate in our door prize drawings, >and will get to try out lots of hands-on activities! > >Need additional info? Give me a call at (410) 659-9314, ext. 2335, >or send an email to jwilson at nfb.org. > >Convention is right around the corner, looking forward to seeing you there! > >Best, > >Joanne Wilson >Executive Director of Affiliate Action >National Federation of the Blind >200 East Wells Street > at Jernigan Place >Baltimore, MD 21230 >410.659.9314 x 2335 >(F) 410.659.6893 >jwilson at nfb.org >"Voice of the Nation's Blind" > David Andrews: dandrews at visi.com Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dandrews920 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mhartle at nfb.org Thu Jun 17 07:59:46 2010 From: mhartle at nfb.org (Hartle, Mary Jo) Date: Thu, 17 Jun 2010 02:59:46 -0500 Subject: [Sd-talk] 2010 NFB Youth Track at National Convention Message-ID: Attention All Youth Ages 11-18! Get ready for the 2010 NFB Youth Track at National Convention. As in years past, the NFB Jernigan Institute is sponsoring a number of activities for teens during the week of the National Convention. This year we've added activities for those youth ages 11-14 (Please check agenda to view which activities are for each age.). Please come register for the Youth Tracks on Saturday, July 3 from 7:30-8:45 a.m. in the Stemmons Auditorium, Atrium Lobby. A complete Youth Track agenda is attached to this message. This information is also available in the main convention agenda online at www.nfb.org. You can also obtain a hardcopy at registration. Important Announcement about the "Throw-Back Party On Tuesday, July 6 we are hosting the biggest party at convention for teens ages 14-18. The evening will be filled with retro music, contests, games, trivia, and dancing. Don't forget to pack your digs from your favorite decade to wear to the party that night. Cash prizes will be given to those individuals with the "Best Dressed" representation of their favorite decade. Pick a decade and come show us your great look. Here are a few sites that may help give you some inspiration: 1950: http://www.gamesbunny.co.uk/fancy_dress/1950_fancy_dress.htm 1960: http://hubpages.com/hub/1960s-Costumes 1970: http://hubpages.com/hub/70s-Costumes 1980: http://www.liketotally80s.com/80s-party-idea.html 1990: http://www.ehow.com/way_5245496_90s-dress-up-party-ideas.html We hope to see you there! Sincerely, Mary Jo T. Hartle Mary Jo Thorpe-Hartle, MEd, NOMC Director of Education Jernigan Institute NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND 200 East Wells Street Baltimore, MD 21230 Phone: (410)659-9314 ext. 2407 Email: mhartle at nfb.org Fax: (410) 659-5129 Visit www.nfb.org Mary Jo T. Hartle Mary Jo Thorpe-Hartle, MEd, NOMC Director of Education Jernigan Institute NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND 200 East Wells Street Baltimore, MD 21230 Phone: (410)659-9314 ext. 2407 Email: mhartle at nfb.org Fax: (410) 659-5129 Visit www.nfb.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Youth Track Agenda 2010 Final.doc Type: application/msword Size: 286208 bytes Desc: not available URL: From curtischong at earthlink.net Fri Jun 18 09:29:40 2010 From: curtischong at earthlink.net (Curtis Chong) Date: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 04:29:40 -0500 Subject: [Sd-talk] Comments Urgently Needed Message-ID: Greetings and felicitations: I am writing to ask for your help to influence the U.S. Access Board as it considers proposed amendments to the ADA Accessibility Guidelines. In particular, the Access Board is proposing to deal with access to self-service machines "used for ticketing, check-in or check-out, seat selection, boarding passes, or ordering food in restaurants and cafeterias (220.2)." In addition to explicitly excluding drive-up only self-service machines, the proposed amendments will not require electronic information kiosks to be accessible. If you would like to help, please call or email the Access Board before midnight Monday, June 21, with a message saying that the ADA Accessibility guidelines need to include information kiosks as well as drive-up only self-service machines. Your message does not need to be very long. It just needs to make the point that you want the Board to include accessibility to information kiosks and drive-up only self-service machines in amendments to the ADA Accessibility Guidelines. You can call and leave a voice mail or send an email to Tim Creagan, the Access Board staff member who is taking comments on the proposed rule modifications. The number to call is 202-272-0016, and Tim Creagan's email address is creagan at access-board.gov. For any of you who care to conduct extensive research into this issue, the proposed rule changes can be found at this link: http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/refresh/draft-rule.htm Whatever you do, it needs to be done by midnight, Monday, June 21. Thank you. Yours sincerely Curtis Chong, Chairman Committee on Research and Development National Federation of the Blind From dandrews at visi.com Sat Jun 19 02:55:56 2010 From: dandrews at visi.com (David Andrews) Date: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 21:55:56 -0500 Subject: [Sd-talk] Letter to Members Concerning Section 508 Refresh and Comments Message-ID: Dear Federationists: As many of you may have already heard, the U.S. Access Board has asked the public for feedback on some proposed changes to the ADA Accessibility Guidelines, Rehabilitation Act, and Telecommunications Act. Specifically, the Access Board plans to update the standards and accessibility guidelines for electronic and information technology, as well as add kiosks to the ADA Accessibility Guidelines. We urge you to make your voices heard and e-mail, fax, or post on www.regulations.gov your comments to these changes, as they have an enormous impact on a blind person's ability to access information. With a deadline of midnight on Monday, June 21, time is running out for us to influence the board. The National Federation of the Blind has been heavily involved with the formulation of these proposed standards and guidelines, but our role is not finished. It is important that we applaud the Access Board for the changes we support so they are not compromised, and that we highlight where the changes have not gone far enough to ensure full accessibility. More specifically, we have many concerns regarding both the definition of a "kiosk" and the kiosks that are exempted in the proposal. In the current proposal, the definition of "kiosk" is limiting. A kiosk is defined as a self-service unit used only for transportation (ticketing, seat assignments, boarding passes, etc.) or for ordering food. This definition should be expanded to include other types of services not mentioned, as kiosks are increasingly replacing customer service personnel in a wide range of services, including voting, jury service payments, and health care. The current definition is silent on whether a unit used for these services would be considered a kiosk, and also does not include visual display systems that are used solely for displaying information to users. Kiosks should have a comprehensive definition that leaves room for innovative ways kiosks may be incorporated into our society and eliminates any future debate over whether a different service is covered under the law and what standards may apply. In addition, the two exemptions for kiosks in the proposal will not ensure total accessibility. First, closed systems are exempted to comply with 302. This means a closed system does not have to provide spoken output, since it would not be required to be usable with "only the attachment of a personal headset." Under this assumption, there is no requirement for these systems to be accessible. Second, drive-up kiosks are exempted. Although people with certain disabilities are not drivers, they are all passengers who may encounter a drive-up kiosk; and exempting drive-up units is discriminatory to a disabled passenger. The NFB encourages the board to ensure that all kiosks be required to be accessible. These comments and others were compiled and formally submitted by the NFB to the Access Board. Now it is time for our members to make a statement and emphasize our concerns regarding kiosks. Your comments can be short--the act of sending in feedback is more important than the length of your remarks. You could say something as simple as "I think the definition of kiosks is too limited. Please expand the definition and remove the exemptions." You could also say "I think the definition of kiosks should be expanded and all exemptions removed to ensure full accessibility." You can call Tim Creagan at (202) 272-0016, e-mail your thoughts to ictrule at access-board.gov with "2010-1" in the subject line, fax to (202) 272-0081, or post your comments on www.regulations.gov. To view the full draft, visit http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/refresh/draft-rule.htm. If you need more information, please contact Lauren McLarney at (410) 659-9314, extension 2207. Sincerely, Joanne Wilson Executive Director, Affiliate Action jwilson at nfb.org David Andrews: dandrews at visi.com Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dandrews920 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: