[Nfbf-l] Fw: [Nfbnet-members-list] NFB Seeking Letters Protesting Kindles inK-12 Schools

[Dan Hicks]

I totally agree. Amazon designed (or directed the design) of the Kindle
family from the ground up. Accessibility was obviously not a priority, and
it would have been so easy to incorporate it into the basic design. We need
to get on this and not let up. 

Dan

 
"It's a shallow life that doesn't give a person a few scars."

                                                     -Garrison Keillor
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbf-l [mailto:nfbf-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sherri
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 6:51 AM
To: NFB of Florida parents; nfbf-l at nfbnet.org; fcb-l at acb.org;
Samme.Ripley at ocfl.net
Subject: [Nfbf-l] Fw: [Nfbnet-members-list] NFB Seeking Letters Protesting
Kindles inK-12 Schools

I believe that this is an issue both organizations can get involved in. 
Please see below and write a letter. Thank you.

Sherri
----- Original Message -----
From: Freeh,Jessica (by way of David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>)
To: nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 4:54 PM
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] NFB Seeking Letters Protesting Kindles inK-12
Schools



Dear Friends:

Amazon.com is undertaking a massive effort to deploy its Kindle e-readers
and Kindle books to K-12 schools across the United States.  In some cases
Kindle devices have been donated directly to schools, including schools that
serve children who are blind or have other disabilities.  Amazon has also
built a system called Whispercast that allows teachers and school
administrators to distribute Kindle content to devices other than Kindles. 
The problem with all of these plans is that neither the Kindle devices nor
the book files used in conjunction with them are accessible to students who
are blind or who have other print disabilities.  Since school districts have
an obligation under federal law to purchase or deploy only accessible
technology and content, Amazon must either make Kindle books accessible or
cease and desist from its efforts to have them used in the classroom.

We are asking each of you, and/or your blind children, to write a letter to
Amazon's founder and chief executive officer, Mr. Jeff Bezos, explaining the
harmful impact that the use of this inaccessible technology in the classroom
will have on blind students.  You may write your letter in print or Braille;
if convenient, submit it in both formats.  Also, if you can, submit a video
of you or your child reading the letter that we can post on our Web site,
Facebook page, and/or YouTube channel.  You may send videos to
jfreeh at nfb.org.  Children who appear in or submit videos must also have
their parents sign a media release giving the National Federation of the
Blind permission to use the video.  A copy of our standard media release is
attached.  It can be mailed back to us at the address below, or faxed to
410-685-5653, attention Jessica Freeh.

We plan to deliver the hard copy letters directly to Jeff Bezos at an
informational protest, so please send the letters to us at National
Federation of the Blind, 200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place, Baltimore,
MD 21230, Attention Chris Danielsen, Director of Public Relations.  To be
included in our delivery to Mr. Bezos, we must receive your letter no later
than December 1, 2012.

If you have any questions about this effort, please don't hesitate to
contact me.  You can call me at 410-659-9314, extension 2330, or e-mail me
at cdanielsen at nfb.org.  Thank you for your assistance in this critically
important matter.

Sincerely:

Chris Danielsen, Director of Public Relations NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE
BLIND






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