[nfb-talk] Fw: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:

Mike Freeman k7uij at panix.com
Wed Jan 26 05:08:30 UTC 2011


Quit spouting nonsense, Ken.  NFB lists aren't the place for it IMO.

Mike


-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Kenneth Chrane
Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 8:10 PM
To: NFB Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Fw: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:

Hi Ray, I just wanted to get the point of view of some of the people in the 
newly restored Constitutional Republic.

Ken Chrane


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ray Foret Jr" <rforetjr at att.net>
To: <blinddog3 at charter.net>; "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 8:40 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Fw: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:


> Sort of makes me wonder why this so-called ambasador was written to in the

> first place.  "Do not spam this address again"?  I wonder why you bothered

> in the first place, knowing that was how they felt about our cause.
> Sincerely,
> The Constantly Barefooted Ray!!!
>
> Now A Very Proud and very happy Mac user!!!
>
> Skype Name:
> barefootedray
>
> On Jan 25, 2011, at 7:13 PM, Steven Johnson wrote:
>
>> Kenneth, what are they an ambassador of?  I am guessing another blind
>> organization that also has an agenda, but probably not one that works 
>> toward
>> systemic change.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Steve
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Kenneth Chrane
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 11:01 AM
>> To: NFB Talk Mailing List
>> Subject: [nfb-talk] Fw: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
>>
>> This ambassador sure hates the NFB.
>> Ken Chrane
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: Carol
>> To: kenneth.chrane at verizon.net
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 11:55 AM
>> Subject: Fw: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: Illinois Ambassador
>> To: Carol
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 9:33 AM
>> Subject: Re: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
>>
>>
>> Do not spam this address again.  We do not and will not work with 
>> anything
>> that is defacto related
>> I used to work with EEOC and the American Disabilities Act is filled with
>> Constitutional violations.
>> If you think it is ok to hinder the growth of one group to cater to 
>> another,
>> you are mis-guided.
>> All you people want is more legislation to enslave the masses with your
>> agendas, whether honorable or not.
>> There are other ways to help the blind and it sure isn't through more
>> legislation and taxation or tax credits.
>> YOU   do more harm thank good.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 1/24/2011 9:13 PM, Carol wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>  Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
>>
>>  Priorities for the 112th Congress, FIRST Session
>>
>>
>>
>>  The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is the oldest and largest
>> organization of blind people in the United States.  As the Voice of the
>> Nation's Blind, we represent the collective views of blind people 
>> throughout
>> society.  All of our leaders and the vast majority of our members are 
>> blind,
>> but anyone can participate in our movement.  There are an estimated 1.3
>> million blind people in the United States, and every year approximately
>> 75,000 Americans become blind.  The social and economic consequences of
>> blindness affect not only blind people, but also our families, our 
>> friends,
>> and our coworkers.
>>
>>
>>  Three legislative initiatives demand the immediate attention of the 
>> 112th
>> Congress in its first session.
>>
>>
>>  Initiative 1
>>
>>  We urge Congress to work with blind Americans to create a Technology 
>> Bill
>> of Rights for the Blind which mandates that consumer electronics, home
>> appliances, kiosks, and electronic office technology and software provide
>> user interfaces that are accessible through nonvisual means.
>>
>>  This legislation should:
>>
>>    a.. Mandate that all consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, 
>> and
>> electronic office technology and software be designed so that blind 
>> people
>> are able to access the same functions as sighted people by nonvisual 
>> means
>> and with substantially equivalent ease of use.
>>    b.. Create a commission within the Department of Commerce to establish
>> standards for nonvisual accessibility of electronic devices intended for 
>> use
>> in the home or office.  Such a commission should represent all 
>> stakeholders,
>> including:
>>  -       organizations of the blind;
>>
>>  -       manufacturers of consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks,
>> and electronic office technology and software, or associations 
>> representing
>> such manufacturers; and
>>
>>  -       experts on universal design, electronic engineering, and related
>> fields.
>>
>>
>>
>>  .        Establish within the Department of Justice the authority to
>> enforce the regulations promulgated by the commission established by this
>> legislation.
>>
>>    a.. Authorize the commission to reexamine and rewrite standards
>> periodically as consumer electronic technology continues to evolve.
>>
>>  Initiative 2
>>
>>  We urge Congress to work with blind Americans to establish a commission
>> within the Department of Education to set uniform national standards for 
>> the
>> education of blind students in grades K-12.  The Individuals with
>> Disabilities Education Act and other existing laws and regulations do not
>> currently provide objective standards to measure the educational progress

>> of
>> blind students.
>>
>>  This legislation should:
>>
>>  .        Create a commission within the Department of Education, 
>> comprised
>> to ensure representation of all stakeholders, to set educational 
>> standards
>> for blind children, and to promulgate regulations.
>>
>>
>>  Initiative 3
>>
>>  We urge Congress to increase business opportunities for disabled 
>> Americans
>> by enacting the Americans with Disabilities Business Opportunity Act.
>>
>>  This legislation should:
>>
>>  .        Authorize tax credits to for-profit businesses that purchase
>> goods or services from businesses owned by individuals with disabilities
>> (including from businesses operated under the federal Randolph-Sheppard
>> program),
>>
>>  .        Amend Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act to include people
>> with disabilities as presumptively socially disadvantaged,
>>
>>  .        Change federal procurement law to provide that businesses owned
>> by individuals with disabilities (including businesses operated under the
>> federal Randolph-Sheppard program) are included on the list of preferred
>> small businesses to which subcontracts must be awarded, and
>>
>>  .        Create training and technical assistance programs to prepare
>> individuals with disabilities to operate businesses capable of securing
>> federal and private contracts.
>>
>>
>>  For more information about these priorities, please consult the attached
>> fact sheets.
>>
>>
>>  Blind Americans need your help to achieve our goals of economic 
>> security,
>> increased opportunity, and full integration into American society on a 
>> basis
>> of equality.  Enactment of these legislative proposals will represent
>> important steps toward reaching these goals.  We need the help and 
>> support
>> of each member of Congress.  Our success benefits not only us, but the 
>> whole
>> of America as well.  In this time of national economic insecurity, these
>> measures will contribute to increasing the tax base and encouraging the
>> purchase of consumer goods.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>  A TECHNOLOGY BILL OF RIGHTS FOR THE BLIND
>>
>>
>>
>>  Purpose:
>>
>>  To mandate that consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and
>> electronic office technology provide user interfaces and software that 
>> are
>> accessible through nonvisual means.
>>
>>
>>  Background:
>>
>>  In recent years rapid advances in microchip and digital technology have
>> led to increasingly complex user interfaces for everyday products such as
>> consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and electronic office
>> technology.  Many new devices in these categories require interaction 
>> with
>> visual displays, on-screen menus, touch screens, software, and other user
>> interfaces that are inaccessible to people who are blind or have low 
>> vision.
>> Settings on the stove, dishwasher, or home entertainment system are no
>> longer controlled by knobs, switches, and buttons that can be easily
>> discerned and readily identified.  Inaccessibility of these devices is a
>> major barrier to a blind person's independence and productivity.  If a 
>> blind
>> person cannot operate the interfaces of basic office equipment or 
>> software
>> such as copiers, fax machines, and basic word processing programs, that
>> person's opportunity to join the workforce or maintain an existing job is

>> in
>> great jeopardy.
>>
>>  Many popular, cost-effective mechanisms are available for manufacturers 
>> to
>> create interfaces usable through nonvisual means.  For example,
>> text-to-speech technology is inexpensive and more prevalent than it has 
>> ever
>> been-it is used in everything from automated telephone systems to the
>> weather forecasting service broadcast by the National Oceanic and
>> Atmospheric Administration.  Apple has incorporated VoiceOver (a
>> text-to-speech function) into the touch-screen iPhone, making it the only
>> fully accessible wireless handset on the market.  The key is to build in
>> nonvisual access at the design stage.  Despite these available 
>> accessibility
>> solutions, the majority of manufacturers have continued to design 
>> interfaces
>> that do not include nonvisual means of use.  This trend of 
>> inaccessibility
>> will continue to grow as technology becomes more advanced and 
>> accessibility
>> solutions are ignored.
>>
>>
>>  Need for Legislation:
>>
>>  No enforceable mandates currently exist for manufacturers of consumer
>> electronics, home appliances, kiosks, or electronic office technology to
>> make their products accessible to blind consumers.  There are also no
>> accessibility standards to provide guidance to manufacturers on how to 
>> avoid
>> creating barriers to access for the blind.
>>
>>  Congress should enact a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind that:
>>
>>    a.. Establishes that manufacturers must create accessible user
>> interfaces for their products,
>>    b.. Provides a means for enforcement, and
>>    c.. Establishes standards that will provide meaningful benchmarks that
>> manufacturers can use to make their products accessible.
>>  The legislation should not mandate a single, one-size-fits-all solution
>> for all consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, or electronic 
>> office
>> technology.  Rather it should mandate regulations setting meaningful
>> accessibility standards that allow manufacturers to select from a menu of
>> potential solutions or create new ones.  This will not only give
>> manufacturers the freedom and flexibility they desire, but will also
>> encourage innovations that make consumer technology more usable for
>> everyone.
>>
>>
>>  Proposed Legislation:
>>
>>  Congress should enact a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind that:
>>
>>    a.. Mandates that all consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, 
>> and
>> electronic office technology be designed so that blind people are able to
>> access the same functions as sighted people by nonvisual means and with
>> substantially equivalent ease of use.
>>    b.. Creates a commission within the Department of Commerce to 
>> establish
>> standards for nonvisual accessibility of electronic devices intended for 
>> use
>> in the home or office.  Such a commission should represent all 
>> stakeholders,
>> including:
>>  -       organizations of the blind;
>>
>>  -       manufacturers of consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks,
>> and electronic office technology and software, or associations 
>> representing
>> such manufacturers; and
>>
>>  -       experts on universal design, electronic engineering, and related
>> fields.
>>
>>    a.. Establishes within the Department of Justice the authority to
>> enforce the regulations promulgated by the commission established by this
>> legislation.
>>    b.. Authorizes the commission to reexamine and rewrite standards
>> periodically as consumer electronic technology continues to evolve.
>>
>>  Requested Action:
>>
>>  Please support blind Americans by sponsoring the Technology Bill of 
>> Rights
>> for the Blind to ensure that blind people can fully participate in all
>> aspects of society.  Increased access leads to increased independence,
>> increased employment, and increased tax revenue.
>>
>>
>>
>>  Contact Information:
>>
>>  Lauren McLarney
>>
>>  Government Programs Specialist
>>
>>  NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
>>
>>  Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2207
>>
>>  E-mail: lmclarney at nfb.org
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>  ENSURING EQUAL EDUCATION FOR BLIND CHILDREN:
>>
>>  SETTING STANDARDS THAT PROMOTE EXCELLENCE
>>
>>
>>  Purpose:
>>
>>  To establish a commission within the Department of Education to set
>> uniform national standards for the education of blind students in grades
>> K-12.
>>
>>
>>  Background:
>>
>>  Blind students have been integrated into America's public schools since
>> the 1960s, but educators have never made an attempt to quantify or 
>> measure
>> the quality of their education consistently and effectively.  Although
>> school districts are required by law to provide a "free, appropriate 
>> public
>> education" to all students with disabilities, current regulations and
>> practices only establish what services and accommodations blind students
>> will receive individually and do not measure or attempt to measure the
>> effectiveness of these services and accommodations.  All too often this
>> means that blind students are burdened with low expectations and inferior
>> educational services.
>>
>>  To the extent that a blind child's performance is poor, too many 
>> educators
>> incorrectly believe that this occurs because of the child's incapacity 
>> due
>> to blindness rather than because of the inadequacy of the services and
>> accommodations provided.  The real problem, however, is what former
>> President George W. Bush called "the soft bigotry of low expectations." 
>> The
>> low expectations of educators for blind children become self-fulfilling
>> prophecies when blind students receive inadequate Braille instruction; 
>> are
>> not provided textbooks and other educational materials in specialized
>> formats on time; or are not given adequate instruction in the skills of
>> blindness including the use of access technology.  Materials supporting 
>> the
>> Common Core State Standards recently developed by the National Governors
>> Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State 
>> School
>> Officers state that students with disabilities "must be challenged to 
>> excel
>> within the general curriculum and be prepared for success in their
>> post-school lives, including college and/or careers" and must receive
>> appropriate accommodations to achieve academic excellence.  In order for
>> this goal to become a reality, however, uniform national standards are
>> needed to ensure that blind students have the skills they need to perform

>> at
>> age- and grade-appropriate levels throughout their educations.  Such
>> standards will finally put an end to the vicious circle of low 
>> expectations
>> and inadequate services that has condemned far too many blind children to
>> lives of frustration, illiteracy, and ultimately poverty.
>>
>>
>>  Existing Law:
>>
>>  The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides that 
>> every
>> student with a disability must have an Individualized Education Program
>> (IEP), agreed upon by a team that includes the student's parents, 
>> teachers,
>> and school administrators.  While the IEP sets out what services and
>> accommodations a student will receive and sets goals for the individual
>> student's progress, the effectiveness of the IEP itself is not measured
>> against objective benchmarks in order to determine whether the blindness
>> skills being taught and services being provided are allowing the student 
>> to
>> perform to the same standards as other students of the same age, grade
>> level, or level of intellectual functioning.  Procedures exist for a 
>> child's
>> parents to object if they believe that the IEP is not being followed or
>> needs to be changed, but the process is onerous and puts the burden of 
>> proof
>> on the parents to show that the child is not receiving an adequate
>> education, rather than on school administrators to show that the IEP is
>> producing good results.  Uniform standards outlining the services and
>> accommodations that must be made available to all blind children, as well

>> as
>> the specific blindness skills the students need to acquire in order to
>> succeed, would solve this problem by establishing benchmarks against 
>> which
>> each child's performance would be measured, providing a clear and 
>> unbiased
>> assessment of whether the child is being educated effectively.
>>
>>
>>  Need for Legislation:
>>
>>  The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and other existing laws
>> and regulations do not currently provide objective standards to measure 
>> the
>> effectiveness of the education of blind students against accepted 
>> standards
>> like the Common Core State Standards.  Such standards must be set by a
>> regulatory body that consists of and receives input from all 
>> stakeholders,
>> including educators, blind Americans, and parents of blind children.
>> Congress should enact legislation that creates a commission within the
>> Department of Education, to ensure representation of all stakeholders in
>> order to set educational standards for blind children and to promulgate
>> regulations providing for the enforcement of the standards throughout the
>> United States.  Only through the establishment of objective standards by
>> such an independent body will blind children in America finally be freed
>> from the chains of inadequate instruction, lackluster educational 
>> support,
>> and low expectations.
>>
>>
>>  Requested Action:
>>
>>  Please support blind Americans by sponsoring legislation to establish a
>> commission within the Department of Education to set standards for the
>> education of all blind children in America.
>>
>>
>>
>>  Contact Information:
>>
>>  Jesse Hartle
>>
>>  Government Programs Specialist
>>
>>  NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
>>
>>  Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2233
>>
>>  E-mail: jhartle at nfb.org
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>  AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY ACT
>>
>>
>>
>>  Purpose:
>>
>>  To unleash the entrepreneurial capacity of Americans with disabilities 
>> in
>> order to reduce the staggering unemployment rate among these individuals 
>> and
>> welcome them into the mainstream of American business.
>>
>>
>>  Background:
>>
>>  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than two-thirds of
>> Americans with disabilities are unemployed or vastly under-employed. 
>> Strong
>> and innovative initiatives are necessary to remedy this problem and put
>> Americans with disabilities to work.  To a substantial degree America's
>> economic success is tied to the freedom to engage in entrepreneurial
>> activity and create one's own wealth.  It has long been the policy of the
>> United States to promote the economic well-being of traditionally
>> disadvantaged groups by creating a variety of business incentive programs
>> that allow these groups to participate in the mainstream of the nation's
>> economy.  These programs have not, however, been extended to Americans 
>> with
>> disabilities.  The Americans with Disabilities Business Opportunity Act
>> (ADBOA) would greatly expand the ability of Americans with disabilities 
>> to
>> secure entrepreneurial opportunities by:
>>
>>  .        Authorizing tax credits to for-profit businesses that purchase
>> goods or services from businesses owned by individuals with disabilities
>> (including from businesses operated under the federal Randolph-Sheppard
>> program);
>>
>>  .        Amending Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act to include 
>> people
>> with disabilities as presumptively socially disadvantaged;
>>
>>  .        Changing federal procurement law to provide that businesses 
>> owned
>> by individuals with disabilities (including businesses operated under the
>> federal Randolph-Sheppard program) are included on the list of preferred
>> small businesses to which subcontracts must be awarded; and
>>
>>  .        Creating training and technical assistance programs to prepare
>> individuals with disabilities to operate businesses capable of securing
>> federal and private contracts.
>>
>>
>>  Need for Legislation:
>>
>>  Each of the four components of the ADBOA would enhance the ability of
>> businesses operated by Americans with disabilities to be fully integrated
>> into the mainstream of the American economy.  Together these components
>> would reduce the unemployment rate among Americans with disabilities and
>> make them fully productive members of society.
>>
>>  1.    Tax Credits:  One effective method of encouraging and enticing
>> business entities to subcontract with, or purchase goods and services 
>> from,
>> businesses owned or operated by Americans with disabilities is to offer 
>> such
>> entities tax credits.  These tax credits would allow traditional 
>> businesses
>> to realize substantial tax savings and also promote the goal of 
>> integrating
>> businesses owned by people with disabilities into the economic 
>> mainstream.
>>
>>  2.    Amendment of Section 8(a):  Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act
>> is a powerful program allowing businesses owned by racial, cultural, and
>> ethnic minorities or women to secure federal contracts.  Anyone seeking
>> Section 8(a) certification must prove that he/she is socially and
>> economically disadvantaged.  Individuals who are from a racial, cultural,

>> or
>> ethnic minority or women are presumed to be socially disadvantaged. It is
>> currently possible for individuals with disabilities to secure 8(a)
>> certification, but such individuals must prove that they are socially
>> disadvantaged.  It is onerous to establish such a disadvantage under 
>> current
>> laws and regulations.  Placing people with disabilities on the 
>> presumptive
>> list of those who are socially disadvantaged would create a much easier 
>> path
>> to 8(a) certification for such individuals and therefore to the 
>> opportunity
>> to secure federal contracts.
>>
>>  3.    Changes to Federal Procurement Practices:  Under current law
>> business entities attempting to secure large federal contracts must
>> guarantee that they will subcontract a portion of the work to small
>> businesses that are owned by traditionally disadvantaged populations.
>> Businesses owned by individuals with disabilities are currently not on 
>> the
>> list of disadvantaged populations.  ADBOA will permit for-profit business
>> entities attempting to secure large federal contracts to meet procurement
>> requirements by subcontracting with businesses owned by individuals with
>> disabilities.
>>
>>  4.    Establishment of Technical Assistance and Training Programs:
>> Through the award of federal grants, ADBOA would establish technical
>> assistance and training programs allowing business owners with 
>> disabilities
>> to acquire the technical expertise to secure federal contracts and 
>> otherwise
>> maximize entrepreneurial opportunities.  The purpose for these federal
>> grants will be to increase substantially the number of individuals with
>> disabilities capable of operating successful businesses.  The emphasis in
>> federal disability policy in the past has not been on providing people 
>> with
>> disabilities the tools and training necessary to support themselves. 
>> Rather
>> many governmental programs for the disabled have been based on a welfare
>> model.  ADBOA would emphasize economic independence for individuals with
>> disabilities by training them to run their own businesses.  ADBOA grants
>> would also allow entities to create tools to assist individuals with
>> disabilities in running a successful business.
>>
>>
>>  Requested Action:
>>
>>  Please support blind Americans by sponsoring the Americans with
>> Disabilities Business Opportunity Act, legislation to increase business
>> opportunities for disabled Americans.
>>
>>
>>
>>  Contact Information:
>>
>>  Jesse Hartle
>>
>>  Government Programs Specialist
>>
>>  NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
>>
>>  Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2233
>>
>>  E-mail: jhartle at nfb.org
>>
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>>
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>
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