[nfbcs] National Federation of the Blind Files Complaint with United States Department of Education

[John G. Heim]

I'd better not pass up an opportunity to give the NFB some ups.

It really steams my wheaties when the government, especially the federal 
government, has inaccessible web pages. I can kind of accept it when the 
private sector does it, if you know what I mean. If they don't want my 
business, fine. But it is just unacceptable for governments to do that.
Go get 'em, NFB.


----- 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: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 12:00 AM
Subject: [nfbcs] National Federation of the Blind Files Complaint with 
United States Department of Education


>
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
>
>
> CONTACT:
>
> Chris Danielsen
>
> Director of Public Relations
>
> National Federation of the Blind
>
> (410) 659-9314, extension 2330
>
> (410) 262-1281 (cell)
>
> cdanielsen at nfb.org
>
>
> National Federation of the Blind Files Complaint with
> United States Department of Education
>
>
>
>
> Inaccessible Web Site U.S.A. Learns Discriminates Against the Blind
>
>
>
> Baltimore, Maryland (October 27, 2009): The National Federation of the 
> Blind (NFB), the nation's oldest and largest organization of blind people 
> and the leading advocate for equal access by the blind to information 
> technology, and Carlos Mora, a blind resident of Baltimore, Maryland, 
> filed an administrative complaint today with the United States Department 
> of Education.  The complaint asserts that one of the United States 
> Department of Education's Web sites, U.S.A Learns, violates Section 508 of 
> the Rehabilitation Act because it is inaccessible to blind people who use 
> text-to-speech screen access technology or Braille displays to access 
> information on the Internet.  Because of the inaccessibility of the U.S.A 
> Learns Web site, blind people cannot access or navigate through the 
> content of the English vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation lessons 
> that are offered through the site.
>
>
>
> Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: 
> "In an age where the Internet is a part of everyday life, blind people 
> must have equal access to the information and resources provided on the 
> World Wide Web.  In particular, the United States government has a legal 
> and moral obligation to ensure that the information it provides on the 
> Internet is equally accessible to all in America, including the blind.  It 
> is especially ironic that the Department of Education, which is 
> commissioned to provide educational opportunities for all, would deny 
> blind people access to a Web site that provides instructive tools for 
> those who speak English as a second language.  This is unacceptable and we 
> demand equal access for all blind people."
>
> Carlos Mora, a blind individual from Baltimore, Maryland, said: "I work 
> full time and have been accepted to a master's degree program at Johns 
> Hopkins University, and English is my second language.  I attempted to use 
> the U.S.A. Learns Web site to prepare for my everyday life and my future 
> studies by practicing English vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation, but 
> the Web site was not accessible to me.  It is frustrating to be denied 
> access to any Web site, but it is especially so when I am being denied 
> access to a Web site with educational tools that would help me to become a 
> more active and productive member of American society."
>
>
>
> This is the third complaint filed by the National Federation of the Blind 
> on behalf of blind people in America regarding the inaccessibility of a 
> federal government Web site.  The NFB plans to file complaints about other 
> inaccessible federal government Web sites as the organization continues to 
> receive multiple reports from blind people of barriers they have faced 
> while trying to access government information, programs, and services on 
> the Internet.
>
>
>
> Complainants are represented by attorneys Daniel F. Goldstein and Allison 
> L. Harper of Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP, 120 E. Baltimore Street, Suite 
> 1700, Baltimore, Maryland  21202, (410) 962-1030, fax: (410) 385-0869, 
> <mailto:dfg at browngold.com>dfg at browngold.com, 
> <mailto:ah at browngold.com>ah at browngold.com, 
> <http://www.browngold.com/>www.browngold.com.
>
>
>
>
>
> ###
>
>
>
> 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.
>
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