[Txabs] Fwd: [NFBT] FW: AIM Resolution Based on Final AIM report to Secretary of Education

[Gabe Cazares]

TABSters,
It is crucial that we take some time out to read over the following
information. The recommendations made by the US Accessible
Instructional Materials Commission for post secondary education could,
if implemented by Congress, revolutionize the way you and I have
access to materials at the post-secondary level. It is quite the
extensive document, but I do plan on spending some time trying to
understand the recommendations and their effects. If you have any
questions please let me know, and I'll try to answer them to the best
of my ability. Plus, if I can't answer it, there's always someone in
our movement that can.
Hope you are having a wonderful winter break.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year!!!

...Gabe

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Thomas Stivers <thomas.stivers at gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2011 18:29:42 -0600
Subject: [NFBT] FW: AIM Resolution Based on Final AIM report to
Secretary of Education
To: members at nfbtx.org





From: Mike Vandervoort [mailto:vandervoort at sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 7:41 AM
To: members-bounces at nfbtx.org
Subject: NFB-Texas AIM Resolution Based on Final AIM report to Secretary of
Education



As announced and communicated, the final recommendations from the US
Accessible Instructional Materials Commission for post secondary education
was made available on December 6, 2011 and is a public and final document
and recommendations to the US Secretary of Education.  For those interested
in the details, you can download the MS Word document using the following
link:



http://www2.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/aim/meeting/aim-report.doc



I have not gone through the 172 pages yet, but will.



We must act in Texas to improve upon what we already have, regardless of
what happens at the federal level.  Our NFB-Texas resolution's Texas State
Legislative effort will be based on modifying the current law to reflect at
least the spirit and direction of the US AIM  Commission's recommendations.
I hope other states will also do the same as the power to change comes
through united effort.



If you do not already know, never before have blind college students been
presented with both easy access to some documents and books while there is
no access to other essential books and class room materials.  And now,
educational courseware and computer systems are often inaccessible but
essential to the educational process, in class and out.  The "Blind Tax" is
still very much there and time lags for accessible formats make some courses
impossible or otherwise pose serious barriers.  Mark Riccobono, executive
director of the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute and a
member of the commission, said, " If the report's recommendations are not
acted upon . students with disabilities will be put at a greater
disadvantage than ever before in terms of access to educational materials."



With accessibility issues growing, rather than declining overall, the
success of the AIM recommendations is important to the future of America's
blind since having an equal college educational opportunity is essential to
individual economic freedom, just as it is for everyone else. I do want to
count on your support in the future as we drive the recommendations on
towards implementable and actionable items under Texas law.

-Mike Vandervoort


National Federation of the Blind Urges Swift Action
on Recommendations for Accessible Higher Education Materials



Baltimore, Maryland (December 13, 2011): The National Federation of the
Blind <http://www.nfb.org/>  (NFB) commented today on the recently released
final report <http://www2.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/aim/publications.html>
of the Advisory Commission on Accessible Instructional Materials in
Postsecondary Education for Students with Disabilities.  The commission was
created by Congress following extensive advocacy by the NFB as part of the
Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008.  The report sets forth specific
recommendations to facilitate the production and distribution of accessible
instructional materials-including printed and digital books, journals,
course packs, articles, tests, videos, instructor-created materials, and Web
pages, as well as any hardware, firmware, software, or other means of
accessing such materials-to students who are blind or have other
disabilities.  The report focuses on making mainstream educational products
accessible to the maximum extent possible, allowing students with and
without disabilities to access the same materials at the same time and at
the same price.

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
"The blind and other students with disabilities have an equal right to
participate in higher education. Access to textbooks and other instructional
materials has historically presented the greatest barrier to a truly equal
education for blind students.  The transition from print to digital
materials presents great challenges; but, if managed properly, it will mean
that blind students and other students with disabilities will, for the first
time, have equal access to educational content on the same terms as their
non-disabled peers.  This report presents recommendations that, if properly
implemented, will help to ensure that this potential is realized."

Mark Riccobono, executive director of the National Federation of the Blind
Jernigan Institute and a member of the commission, said: "Ultimately the
success of this report will depend on whether Congress acts to implement its
recommendations, but the recommendations themselves are strong and will make
a real difference to postsecondary students with disabilities if
implemented.  As the report notes, while there is some activity in the
mainstream market to include accessibility in electronic textbooks and other
products, it will take a combination of market incentives and government
regulations in order to ensure that the blind and other students with
disabilities are placed on equal footing with their peers.  If the report's
recommendations are not acted upon, however, students with disabilities will
be put at a greater disadvantage than ever before in terms of access to
educational materials.  We therefore urge Congress to act swiftly on the
commission's recommendations."




-- 
Gabriel M. Cazares,
1st Vice President
Texas Association of Blind Students - TABS
(A Division of the National Federation of the Blind of Texas)
www.nfbtx.org/tabs
Phone: 713-581-0619