[nabs-l] Fwd: Important Message Regarding Google Apps and Accessibility

Wed Nov 6 13:49:15 UTC 2013

Thank you for posting these messages to all of the state student division 
email lists. I greatly appreciate you taking the time to make sure this 
information is passed on as widely as possible within the membership of this 
organization.

Elizabeth
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Darian Smith" <dsmithnfb at gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 06, 2013 7:17 AM
To: "North Carolina Association of blind students" <ncabs at nfbnet.org>; 
"Arizona Association of blind students" <Arizona-students at nfbnet.org>; 
"Kentucky Association of blind students" <nfbkabs at nfbnet.org>; "Virginia 
Association of blind students" <vabs at nfbnet.org>; "Maryland Association of 
blind students" <mdabs at nfbnet.org>; "Ohio Association of blind students" 
<Oabs at nfbnet.org>; "West Virginia Association of blind students" 
<Nfbwvabs at nfbnet.org>; "New York Association of blind students" 
<Nyabs at nfbnet.org>; "New Hampshire Association of blind students" 
<new-hampshire-students at nfbnet.org>; "New Jersey Association of blind 
students" <njabs-talk at nfbnet.org>; "Illinois Association of blind students" 
<iabs-talk at nfbnet.org>; "Colorado Association of Blind Students" 
<cabs at nfbnet.org>; "Texas Association of blind students" <txabs at nfbnet.org>; 
"New Mexico Association of Blind Students" <nmabs at nfbnet.org>; "Georgia 
Association of blind students" <Gabs at nfbnet.org>; "Louisiana Association of 
blind students" <la-students at nfbnet.org>; <fabs at nfbnet.org>; "Massachusetts 
Association of blind students" <massabs at nfbnet.org>; "Tennessee Association 
of blind students" <tabs at nfbnet.org>; "Minnesota Association of blind 
students" <mn-abs at nfbnet.org>; "National Association of Blind Students 
mailing list" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>; "List for NABS State Presidents" 
<nabs-presidents at nfbnet.org>; "cabs-talk blind students" 
<cabs-talk at nfbnet.org>; "Michigan Association of blind students" 
<mi-abs at nfbnet.org>; "Wisconsin Association of blind students" 
<wabs at nfbwis.org>; "Nebraska Association of blind students" 
<nebraska-students at nfbnet.org>; "Missouri Association of Blind Students" 
<mabs at nfbnet.org>; "Alabama Association of blind students" 
<aabs-forum at nfbnet.org>; "Utah Association of blind students" 
<uabs at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [nabs-l] Fwd: Important Message Regarding Google Apps 
andAccessibility

>
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
>> From: "Sean Whalen" <smwhalenpsp at gmail.com>
>> Subject: FW: Important Message Regarding Google Apps and Accessibility
>> Date: November 5, 2013 at 5:31:07 PM PST
>> To: <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>, <nabs-presidents at nfbnet.org>
>>
>> Friends and fellow students:
>>
>> We have a wonderful opportunity to use our status as students to help
>> further the work of the NFB. Dr. Maurer called me yesterday afternoon and
>> advised me that we are in continued conversations with Google regarding 
>> the
>> accessibility of Google Apps, which are frequently used by schools and
>> universities. Unfortunately, Google Apps has many features that are
>> inaccessible. We need to change this, and this effort is building 
>> momentum.
>> The Provost of the University of Michigan has recently circulated the two
>> below communications to faculty and students at U of M. As you can read
>> after this message, Michigan will not be requiring, and is in fact
>> discouraging, the use of Google Apps for coursework, class projects, or
>> communication between students until Google Apps are accessible and fully
>> useable by disabled students, including the blind. This is a strong 
>> message,
>> but we need to increase the pressure on Google. They need to hear this
>> message from other colleges and universities, and they need to hear it 
>> now.
>> Does your school use Google Apps or are they considering it? Show your
>> administration the principled and courageous stand that the University of
>> Michigan has taken, and urge them to do the same. Educate your school's
>> administration as to how Google Apps leaves blind students out, detracts
>> from our full participation in the classroom, and degrades our 
>> educational
>> experience. I personally have run across inaccessible Google products 
>> here
>> at HKS, and will certainly be sharing the below message with my Dean. I 
>> urge
>> each of you to do the same. This is one of those instances where we as
>> students can step up to really make a difference for all blind students 
>> and
>> shape the future. Please take a few minutes to communicate the importance 
>> of
>> accessibility of all aspects of education and show your school that it is
>> possible to take a stand. Technology can either open doors for the blind, 
>> or
>> seal them shut. I know which I prefer. So, please, take a moment and help
>> show Google that accessibility matters by getting your school to 
>> communicate
>> their commitment to accessibility.
>>
>> Please call or write if you have any questions. And, please share this 
>> with
>> anybody committed to equal access in education for the blind.
>>
>> Many thanks,
>>
>> Sean Whalen
>> President, National Association of Blind Students
>> (608) 332-4147
>> ---------
>> Dear Colleagues,
>>
>> As you know, the University of Michigan has transitioned to Google Apps 
>> for
>> Education for email, calendar, and collaboration tools. The university 
>> has
>> been in regular contact with Google over the past year about the
>> accessibility of their products, and we have conducted numerous tests to
>> measure their progress. While Google has demonstrated definite 
>> improvements,
>> much work remains to make the experience acceptable and equitable for
>> individuals who have disabilities. Because Google Docs and Drive, Chat,
>> Sites, and other collaborative technologies in the Google suite do not 
>> work
>> well with standard assistive technologies, you should not require 
>> students
>> to use them in coursework. In other words, you should not assign work 
>> where
>> the only option to complete the work involves use of these tools, and 
>> even
>> if their use is optional, you should be extremely sensitive and avoid
>> situations in which students who have disabilities may be disadvantaged 
>> if
>> the Google suite is the preferred alternative.
>>
>> I am also writing to our students to ask them to be cautious in their
>> informal use of this suite of applications, avoiding them whenever their 
>> use
>> may disadvantage students who have disabilities.
>>
>> Google email and calendar are accessible with standard assistive
>> technologies when used with the client interface for Outlook or MacMail.
>> Students, faculty, or staff may call 4-HELP for assistance in setting up 
>> the
>> client interface or they may visit the Knox Center Adaptive Technology
>> Computing Site on the first floor of the Shapiro Library. Generally, if 
>> you
>> need assistance in making your courses or technology accessible to 
>> students
>> who have disabilities, don't hesitate to work with the Knox Center or the
>> Services for Students with Disabilities.
>>
>> We will continue to work with Google to address the accessibility issues 
>> in
>> their software systems, and we expect that changes will be made so that 
>> they
>> meet the needs of all our students.
>>
>> The university is committed to equal opportunity and equal access, and we
>> are continually working harder to find ways to make the tools we use,
>> facilities we access, and methods we apply accessible to our entire
>> community. Please visit the sites below to learn more about how to 
>> support
>> our community members with disabilities:
>>
>> --Services for Students with Disabilities handbook for faculty
>> (http://ssd.umich.edu/files/ssd/SSD_Faculty_Handbook.pdf)
>> --Knox Center Adaptive Technology Computing Site
>> (http://www.itcs.umich.edu/atcs/computing-site.php)
>> --M+Google site
>> (https://sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/going-google/accessibility)
>>
>> Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Martha E. Pollack
>> Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Dear Students,
>>
>> As you know, the University of Michigan has transitioned to Google Apps 
>> for
>> Education for email, calendar, and collaboration tools. The university 
>> has
>> been in regular contact with Google over the past year about the
>> accessibility of their products, and we have conducted numerous tests to
>> measure their progress. While Google has demonstrated definite 
>> improvements,
>> much work remains to make the experience acceptable and equitable for
>> individuals who have disabilities. Because Google Docs and Drive, Chat,
>> Sites, and other collaborative technologies in the Google suite do not 
>> work
>> well with standard assistive technologies, we have instructed the faculty
>> not to require students to use them in coursework, and to be sensitive 
>> and
>> avoid situations in which students who have disabilities may be
>> disadvantaged if the Google suite is the preferred alternative.
>>
>> I am also writing to ask you to be cautious in your informal use of this
>> suite of applications, avoiding them whenever their use may disadvantage
>> students who have disabilities.
>>
>> Google email and calendar are accessible with standard assistive
>> technologies when used with the client interface for Outlook or MacMail.
>> Students, faculty, or staff may call 4-HELP for assistance in setting up 
>> the
>> client interface or they may visit the Knox Center Adaptive Technology
>> Computing Site on the first floor of the Shapiro Library.  Generally, if 
>> you
>> need assistance in making your courses or technology accessible to 
>> students
>> who have disabilities, don't hesitate to work with the Knox Center or the
>> Services for Students with Disabilities.
>>
>> We will continue to work with Google to address the accessibility issues 
>> in
>> their software systems, and we expect that changes will be made so that 
>> they
>> meet the needs of all our students.
>>
>> The university is committed to equal opportunity and equal access, and we
>> are continually working harder to find ways to make the tools we use,
>> facilities we access, and methods we apply accessible to our entire
>> community.  Please visit the sites below to learn more about how to 
>> support
>> our community members with disabilities:
>>
>> --Services for Students with Disabilities handbook for faculty
>> (http://ssd.umich.edu/files/ssd/SSD_Faculty_Handbook.pdf)
>> --Knox Center Adaptive Technology Computing Site
>> (http://www.itcs.umich.edu/atcs/computing-site.php)
>> --M+Google site
>> (https://sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/going-google/accessibility)
>>
>> Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>>
>> Martha E. Pollack
>> Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nabs-l:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/lizmohnke%40hotmail.com
> 