[nfbmi-talk] help needed for special testing

[Michael Powell]

Hello to all NFB members and others on this list serve.  I am writing to you
as president of the NFB of Michigan to ask for your help, support, and
participation in what I think is a worthwhile project.  The NFB is looking
for testers from various zip codes throughout our state and nation wide to
test the accessibility features of ATM's as part of our settlement agreement
with Cardtronics.  Testers will need to be able to read Braille instructions
and confirm that voice guidance software and other accessibility features
have been added to specific assigned Cardtronics ATM's.  Testers should be
relatively comfortable using an ATM and then filling out an on line survey
on a particular machine.  The testing will begin September 1, and run
through October 15.  I am asking for eleven volunteers who can act as
testers for Michigan who will commit to following through with this project.
I intend to be one of these volunteers as well.  I will send our names along
with our addresses, zip codes, email addresses, and phone numbers to Valerie
Yingling who will be the main point of contact for us at our national
office.  We will then be contacted by Valerie who will assign us our ATM
locations.  We will be responsible for conducting each test and filling out
the online form with the results.  I am told that Cartronics has committed
to immediately send a representative to locations where problems are
identified so the matter can be corrected and the machine retested.  

So before I start picking people myself to help me with this project I would
like to extend you the opportunity to sign up for this activity.  I am
opening this up to members, friends, and others you may know either on other
list serves or just people you can email that we can invite who are
comfortable with Braille or audio speech output devices in general so we can
conduct these tests for the NFB and Cartronics.  I would think that even if
your Braille skills are limited but you are able to use an ATM with speech
output you shouldn't necessarily rule yourself out.  There should be a way
we can get you help verifying the Braille information that appears on the
machine.  Please send me an email with your contact information which should
include your Name, Address, State, city, Zip code, and email address I will
then forward it on to Valerie who will become our contact for the rest of
the testing process.  I need to have this information submitted to Valerie
by Tuesday, August 15.  I am sure that some of us can make ourselves
available to test more than one machine to cover more zip codes but the goal
right now is to get eleven Michigan testers to test eleven machines.

I think this will be a good way to show that we can act as a partner once a
company agrees or offers to make its equipment accessible.  If we are going
to hold their feet to the fire and make them comply with the ADA we also
have to demonstrate that we can be a valuable resource in making them
compliant in a way that will best meet the needs of blind people.

So again I appeal to you and anyone you might know for your help with this.
Feel free to circulate this email to others you may know and if they have
any questions you can refer them to me.

My contact information will appear at the end of this message.  I am told
that there is a financial reward to affiliates who are successful with this
project.              If we are successful I believe I can find a way to
show our appreciation to anyone who helped us who may not be a member but
would share our interest in this project.

Thank you for giving this your consideration and send me your responses so I
can get the information in by August 15.

Yours always in the NFB

Michael Powell

President

National Federation of the Blind of Michigan

(586)754-1325

Mpowell7583 at yahoo.com

president at nfbmi.org