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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Good evening Federation Family, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Please see the below message from </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Janae Burgmeier from the Iowa Association of Blind Students (IABS) Please consider helping our students gather </span>Aim High<span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> letters for us to take with us to Washington Seminar. The team for the 2018 Washington Seminar is Katy Olsen, Janae Burgmeier, and Jerad Nylin. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> </span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:#1F497D'>Jerad S. Nylin<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:#1F497D'>President: National Federation of the Blind of Iowa<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Original message </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Greetings Fellow Federationists,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>The Iowa Association of Blind Students would like to request Aim High letters from our fellow federationists, peer and mentors alike. (If you are unfamiliar with this piece of legislation please scroll down). Those of you who are familiar with AIM HEA might be thinking “I am not a student, how can I write a letter for AIM HEA?” The reality is that anyone can write a letter. All of us know someone who has encountered barriers to post-secondary education because of innaccessability. Whether you are a teacher, recent graduate, parent, future college student or a mentor, every federationist can testify to this issue whether or not they are a student currently. We would like as many letters as possible for Washington Seminar. Every single letter means our voice can be heard louder so please take a few minutes of your time to write a few paragraphs about the issue and why it affects you. If there are blind people who cannot attend college because of inaccessibility, the consequences of that are far reaching. This is a continuous project so we can collect letters all year round; however <b><u>if possible please get your letters in by January 2<span style='color:#1F497D'>1</span></u></b></span><b><u><sup><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>th<span style='color:#1F497D'> by midnight </span></span></sup></u></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>so that we can bring them to Washington with us.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Please e mail letters to Beth Rouse the Iowa Students Legislative Committee Chair <a href="mailto:rousee2@central.edu">rousee2@central.edu</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>It would also be helpful if you could copy <span style='color:#1F497D'>affiliate president Jerad Nylin</span> <span style='color:#1F497D'><a href="mailto:jerad.nfbi@gmail.com">jerad.nfbi@gmail.com</a> </span>on the e mail as well. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>I have attached my sample letter as well as a <span style='color:#1F497D'>few other letters and </span>template for your convenience. Below is <span style='color:#1F497D'>the </span>description about the piece of legislation<span style='color:#1F497D'>, and a link where you can find more information </span>if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to any of us and we will be happy to speak with you. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'> <span style='color:#1F497D'>Link: </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="https://nfb.org/aimhighfactsheet">https://nfb.org/aimhighfactsheet</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div style='margin-top:7.5pt;margin-bottom:7.5pt'><h1><a name="AIM_HIGH"></a><span style='font-size:19.0pt'>Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act (S. 2138/H.R. 1772)<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:18.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:#333333'>Until a market-driven solution for accessible instructional materials is achieved, blind college students will be denied access to critical course content.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2><span style='font-size:16.5pt'>Technology has fundamentally changed the education system.<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:18.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:#333333'>The scope of instructional materials used at institutions of higher education has expanded. Curricular content comes in digital books, PDFs, webpages, etc., and most of this content is delivered through digital databases, learning management systems, and applications. The print world is inherently inaccessible to students with disabilities, but technology offers the opportunity to expand the circle of participation. Studies have found that, of the 6.6 million students with disabilities in grades K-12, the number who go on to pursue postsecondary education is growing.<a href="https://nfb.org/aimhighfactsheet#One"><sup>[1]</sup></a><a name=E1 id=E1></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><h2><span style='font-size:16.5pt'>Blind students are facing insurmountable barriers to education.<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:18.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:#333333'>Instead of fulfilling the promise of equal access, technology has created more problems than the print world ever did. Data show that students with disabilities face a variety of challenges, including matriculation and college completion failure, <a href="https://nfb.org/aimhighfactsheet#Two"><sup>[2]</sup></a><a name=E2 id=E2></a> solely because, in the absence of clear accessibility guidelines, colleges and universities are sticking with the ad-hoc accommodations model.<a name="_Ref408753912" id="_Ref408753912"></a><a href="https://nfb.org/aimhighfactsheet#Three"><sup>[3]</sup></a><a name=E3 id=E3></a> Currently, schools deploy inaccessible technology and then modify another version for blind students, usually weeks or even months into class, creating a “separate-but-equal” landscape with nearly impenetrable barriers. With only a 17.9 percent employment rate, compared to 65.3 percent among people without disabilities, <a href="https://nfb.org/aimhighfactsheet#Four"><sup>[4]</sup></a><a name=E4 id=E4></a> students with disabilities should not be denied access by the innovations that can ensure full participation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2><span style='font-size:16.5pt'>Institutions of higher education need help to identify accessible material and comply with nondiscrimination laws.<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:18.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:#333333'>Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act require schools to provide equal access, and in 2010, the US Departments of Justice and Education clarified that the use of inaccessible technology is prohibited under these laws.<a href="https://nfb.org/aimhighfactsheet#Five"><sup>[5]</sup></a><a name=E5 id=E5></a> The 2011 Aim Commission recommended to <a name="_ednref6">Congress </a><a href="https://nfb.org/aimhighfactsheet#_edn6" title=""><sup>[6]</sup></a> that accessibility guidelines be developed for postsecondary instructional materials. In the seven years since, <a href="https://nfb.org/aimhighfactsheet#Six"><sup>[7]</sup></a> over a dozen institutions have faced legal action for using inaccessible technology<a name=E6></a>, <a href="https://nfb.org/aimhighfactsheet#Six"><sup>[8]</sup></a> and complaints are on the rise. Most litigation ends with a commitment from the school to embrace accessibility, but that commitment does little in a vast, uncoordinated higher education market.<a name=E7 id=E7></a><a href="https://nfb.org/aimhighfactsheet#Seven"><sup>[9]</sup></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><h2><span style='font-size:16.5pt'>Accessibility solutions are available, but guidelines are sorely needed to stimulate the market.<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:18.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:#333333'>The Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act will bring together people with disabilities and the higher education, publishing, tech developing, and manufacturing communities to develop a stakeholder driven solution to the issue of inaccessible instructional materials. With input from all relevant stakeholder communities<a name=E8></a>, <a href="https://nfb.org/aimhighfactsheet#Eight"><sup>[10] </sup></a>mainstream accessible instructional materials can be achieved, benefitting both institutions of higher education and the students with disabilities they aim to serve.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h1><span style='font-size:19.0pt'>Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act:<o:p></o:p></span></h1><h2><span style='font-size:16.5pt'>Develops accessibility guidelines for instructional materials used in postsecondary education.<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:18.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:#333333'>A purpose-based commission is tasked with developing accessibility criteria for instructional materials and the delivery systems/technologies used to access those materials. Additionally, the commission is tasked with developing an annotated list of existing national and international standards so that schools and developers can identify what makes a product usable by the blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2><span style='font-size:16.5pt'>Provides a digital accessibility roadmap for institutions of higher education.<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:18.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:#333333'>The guidelines developed by the commission will contain specific technical and functional criteria that will clearly illustrate how to make educational technologies usable by the blind and other students with print disabilities. Such criteria will prove to be beneficial to procurement officers, informational technology staff, chief technology officers, and other key personnel at institutions of higher education.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2><span style='font-size:16.5pt'>Offers flexibility for schools while reiterating that pre-existing obligations still apply.<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:18.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:#333333'>Colleges and universities are permitted to use material that does not conform to the guidelines as long as equal access laws are still honored. Conformity with the Aim High guidelines is only one path to compliance; schools can pursue a different path but in doing so will forfeit the combined expertise of the relevant stakeholder communities involved in the development of the Aim High guidelines.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:18.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:#333333'>REMOVE BARRIERS TO EQUALITY IN THE CLASSROOM.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id=DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cellpadding=0 style='border:none;border-top:solid #D3D4DE 1.0pt'><tr><td width=55 style='width:41.25pt;border:none;padding:9.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient" target="_blank"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=46 height=29 id="_x0000_i1025" src="https://ipmcdn.avast.com/images/icons/icon-envelope-tick-green-avg-v1.png"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=470 style='width:352.5pt;border:none;padding:9.0pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:13.5pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#41424E'>Virus-free. <a href="http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient" target="_blank"><span style='color:#4453EA'>www.avg.com</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></body></html>