[nfbcs] Blind New York State Employee Unable to Perform Job Dueto Inaccessible Software

[Wm. Ritchhart]

This is a never ending battle.  In the past week and a half, I have had
one software tool rendered totally inaccessible by a new version being
loaded, and found a second that left the accessibility totally out of
key functions needed for doing my job.  

The first problem is that the people buying and/or writing the software
do not stop to think about whether there are any blind employees using
the software.  The next issue is will the employer and the company
producing the software fix it?  I am willing to bet that if this woman's
issue has resulted in a law suit, the State of New York and Emerging
Soft probably said they couldn't or wouldn't fix the software or change
to a different tool.  Either way, it constitutes the same thing and both
New York and Emerging Soft need to be held accountable for ignoring the
law. 


THANKS, WILLIAM

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of E.J. Zufelt
Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2008 4:52 PM
To: NFBnet NFBCS Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Blind New York State Employee Unable to Perform Job
Dueto Inaccessible Software

Good afternoon,

This story, which is not uncommon, makes me wonder what, if anything,
has 
been done thus far to attempt to make the application accessible.  Is it

totally unscriptable with JAWS or Window Eyes?  I imagine that if this 
situation has progressed this far that these avenues have been explored 
without success.

Without commenting on this situation in particular, as there is so much
I do 
not know, I do think that there needs to be cooperation between
technology 
and software providers, employers and employees to find the most
accessible 
solution to accessibility problems.

Everett


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Freeh,Jessica (by way of David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>)" 
<JFreeh at nfb.org>
To: <david.andrews at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2008 5:27 PM
Subject: [nfbcs] Blind New York State Employee Unable to Perform Job Due
to 
Inaccessible Software


> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
>
>
> CONTACT:
>
> Chris Danielsen
>
> Public Relations Specialist
>
> National Federation of the Blind
>
> (410) 659-9314, extension 2330
>
> (410) 262-1281 (Cell)
> <mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org
>
>
> Blind New York State Employee Unable to Perform
>  Job Due to Inaccessible Software
>
>
>
>
> National Federation of the Blind Assisting In Litigation
>  Against State Crime Victims Board
>
>
>
> New York, New York (November 13, 2008): Dawn Whitfield, a blind woman
who 
> has worked for the New York State Crime Victims Board for over twenty 
> years, filed suit today in federal court because she is no longer able
to 
> perform the functions of her job.  The State Crime Victims Board has 
> purchased and implemented software that cannot be used by a blind
person 
> and is therefore in violation of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a
federal 
> law which requires that entities receiving federal funds must have 
> information technology in place that is accessible to blind employees.

> Because of the new software, which is manufactured by a company called

> Emerging Soft, Ms. Whitfield has been unable to perform the functions
of 
> her job since May of 2008.  The National Federation of the Blind, the 
> nation's oldest and largest organization of blind people, is assisting
in 
> the litigation.
>
>
>
> Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind,
said: 
> "Like all workers in the twenty-first century, blind people must have 
> access to information technology in order to do their jobs
effectively. 
> Without access to information technology in the workplace, Ms.
Whitfield 
> does not have meaningful access to her workplace and is therefore 
> experiencing discrimination under the Rehabilitation Act.  The
National 
> Federation of the Blind will do everything we can to assist her in
seeking 
> a remedy for this deplorable situation."
>
>
>
> Carl Jacobsen, president of the National Federation of the Blind of
New 
> York, said: "The National Federation of the Blind of New York will not

> tolerate a situation in which hard-working blind state employees are 
> relegated to second-class status because the agencies they work for
refuse 
> to follow the law and purchase software that is accessible to them.
We 
> are committed to ensuring that Dawn Whitfield and all blind New
Yorkers 
> employed by this state have full and equal access to information 
> technology in the workplace."
>
>
>
> Dawn Whitfield said: "It is extremely frustrating that I cannot do my
job 
> effectively because my agency did not take my needs into consideration

> when purchasing new computer software, even though I made it clear to
my 
> supervisors that I had specific needs as a blind employee and the
agency 
> was well aware of the potential problems with this new software.  I
hope 
> that this situation can be resolved quickly so that I can go back to 
> assisting crime victims in the state of New York with their claims for

> compensation as I have for over twenty years.  I enjoy my work but
lately 
> it has become a nightmare; I look forward to being a productive
employee 
> of this agency once again."
>
>
>
> ###
>
>
>
> About the National Federation of the Blind
>
> With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is
the 
> largest and most influential membership organization of blind people
in 
> the United States.  The NFB improves blind people's lives through 
> advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging 
> independence and self-confidence.  It is the leading force in the 
> blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind.  In January

> 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan 
> Institute, the first research and training center in the United States
for 
> the blind led by the blind.  Please visit our Web site: 
> <http://www.nfb.org/>www.nfb.org.
>
>
>
>
>
>
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ca
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