--------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 233 NFB BLIND NEWS Ref: EFN00001Date: 11/18/97 From: DAVID ANDREWS Time: 05:59pm \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: Dr. Jernigan's Hospitalization A few days ago, there was a message posted here concerning Dr. Jernigan's hospitalization. Among other things, the message gave a phone number for the hospital that Dr. Jernigan is in. Unfortunately, the volume of calls has been more then is convenient for Dr. Jernigan to receive. While he very much appreciates your good wishes and concerns, he has asked that you not call. You might send cards in care of the National Center. David Andrews, Moderator --- Maximus/2 2.02 * Origin: NFB NET St. Paul, MN (612) 696-1975 (1:282/1045) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 233 NFB BLIND NEWS Ref: EFP00000Date: 11/18/97 From: MONIQUE BEAUDOIN Time: 09:01pm \/To: MARINA.EASTHAM@MAIL.TRINCOLL.EDU (Read 0 times) Subj: Re: Hello!! Hi Noe Villeda, You are lucky to work as rehab counselling major in Florida. Here, in Canada, even if blind persons have the required qualifications, it's very hard to practice in that profession. Our organizations dont encourage employment in that profession and they don't hire blind people. It's just to bad because we know, we would be able to do the job. We know what we talking about. I studied in Industrial Relations (human resources). When I finish my degre, I planned to work as counselor to help people with disabilities to find job and educate employers about our abilities. I never got a job in that field but I don't regret what I learnt. As a Canadian, I went in Florida in winter 1996. I had an opportunity. For me, it was another world to spend 6 days over there when in Canada, it's cold. Hoping to talk to you again. Monique Beaudoin ... Mary had a little RAM -- only about a MEG or so. --- Blue Wave v2.12 [NR] * Origin: Vision Information Systems (1:163/266) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 233 NFB BLIND NEWS Ref: EFP00001Date: 11/19/97 From: HARVEY HEAGY Time: 04:30pm \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: Re: Dr. Jernigan's Hospitalization From: Harvey Heagy Subject: Re: Dr. Jernigan's Hospitalization I'm surprised that he would accept phone calls from anyone other than a few close relatives for exactly that reason. If he does it for one person he has to do it for all and he can't recover if people are barraging him with calls no matter how well meaning the intentions. Harvey Net-Tamer V 1.10 - Registered --- * Origin: NFBnet <--> Internet Email Gateway (1:282/1045) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 233 NFB BLIND NEWS Ref: EFP00002Date: 11/20/97 From: BRL STAFF Time: 11:27am \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: Announcement From: BRL Staff Subject: Announcement The Microsoft Guide to Windows 95 Keyboard Commands is now available in Grade 2 braille. It's contained in a single volume Price of a single copy is $25; discounts are available for multiple orders. Call BRL, Inc. at 800-407-5839 or email brlinc@mindspring.com BRL, Inc. is a nonprofit Corporation. All major credit cards accepted and so are purchase orders. --- * Origin: NFBnet <--> Internet Email Gateway (1:282/1045) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 233 NFB BLIND NEWS Ref: EFR00000Date: 11/21/97 From: JULIE DAWSON Time: 04:37am \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: None From: Julie Dawson Subject: None Found a place to hang our hats. Dear Listers, We found a place to rent in Toms river. Thanks for all the congratulations on my job and for all those who offered helpful tips on where to look for rentals. we're moving the 30th of November. JD "Out of many''''one people." We give of ourselves to share with each other. we receive from each other to empower ourselves. Blessed be the Almighty who blesses His people. Julie, AKA Magnolia in New York. --- * Origin: NFBnet <--> Internet Email Gateway (1:282/1045) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 233 NFB BLIND NEWS Ref: EFU00000Date: 11/24/97 From: BRL STAFF Time: 05:02am \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: Announcement From: BRL Staff Subject: Announcement The Microsoft Guide to Windows 95 Keyboard Commands is now available in Grade 2 braille. It's contained in a single volume Price of a single copy is $25; discounts are available for multiple orders. Call BRL, Inc. at 800-407-5839 or email brlinc@mindspring.com BRL, Inc. is a nonprofit Corporation. All major credit cards accepted and so are purchase orders. --- * Origin: NFBnet <--> Internet Email Gateway (1:282/1045) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 233 NFB BLIND NEWS Ref: EFU00001Date: 11/25/97 From: "LLOYD G. RASMUSSEN" Time: 07:54am \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: Fwd: Assistant Sec Heumann on Need for a07:54:4611/25/97 From: "Lloyd G. Rasmussen" Subject: Fwd: Assistant Sec Heumann on Need for adaptive Tech This looks like good ammunition as we go to the legislature concerning state-funded technology. ----- Forwarded message begins here ----- From: Prof Norm Coombs To: EASI@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 23:03:47 -0500 Subject: Assistant Sec Heumann on Need for adaptive Tech EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information) is pleased to see this recent publication statement by Judy Heumann, Assistant Secretary of Education. Norman coombs Check the EASI web: www.rit.edu/~easi October 10, 1997 Dear Colleagues: I am writing about the importance of having electronic and information technology that is accessible to everyone in schools, including individuals with disabilities. As you know, President Clinton has made education a top priority for his Administration. One of the President's education initiatives is to bring the power of the information age into all of our schools by connecting every school to the Internet by the year 2000 and by ensuring that every student is technologically literate. Technology enriches education. Children with access to computers and trained teachers can learn faster and learn better. For students with disabilities, technology such as word processing and speech recognition can give them the tools they need to participate fully in challenging academic courses. As the use of technology in all aspects of life has become more prevalent, technology skills have also become a basic requirement, just like reading, writing and math, that every student must master to succeed and be productive. Therefore, it is essential that the technology used in our schools leaves no one behind. Schools are making large investments in technology as part of their administrative and information systems. In purchasing technology, it is important to incorporate considerations about accessibility for students and employees with disabilities into the decision-making process. It is more cost efficient to consider issues about accessible technology up front, rather than incur the expense of retrofitting or adapting a system or device to make it accessible later. To assist you as you make decisions about technology purchases, we have enclosed a technical assistance packet that we hope will be helpful. The packet includes information about the technical aspects of access, legal obligations concerning technology and individuals with disabilities, and a list of resources for further information and assistance. I hope this information will be useful to you. Yours sincerely, Richard W. Riley Enclosure OVERVIEW Computer technology allows all learners to expand their ability to gather, manipulate, understand, and use information. In particular, many of the more than five million students with disabilities educated by the Nation s public schools have experienced the benefits of technology through the use of a wide variety of adaptive devices and software tools that assist their effective participation in the classroom. For example, students who are unable to manipulate a keyboard can use computers that respond to voice commands; persons who have low vision or are blind can use personal computers with large print monitors or speech synthesizers to read print text; and children who cannot speak can use devices that provide electronic voices for them. Technology developed within the last several decades has allowed many students with disabilities to overcome what previously would have been significant limitations to educational achievement. Schools should remain cognizant of their responsibility to provide equal educational opportunity for individuals with disabilities when procuring technology systems for the use of students and staff, particularly multimedia, graphics and graphical interface (such as Windows) applications. Obviously, every computer or piece of technology equipment need not be equipped for use by persons who have disabilities. But overall, technology devices and systems of technology used by students, teachers, or other school employees should be capable of being used, or adapted for use, by individuals with disabilities. It is quite possible to unintentionally construct new barriers when acquiring educational technology systems if schools do not consider accessibility features. In many cases, decisions now being made about the selection of systems configurations, and computer hardware and software will provide the technological infrastructure to be used in schools for years to come. If every school adds consideration of accessibility to its decision-making process when acquiring technology, it will greatly increase the ability of students, teachers, and other individuals with disabilities to participate equally in the information age with their nondisabled peers. Because public school districts and other educational institutions are prohibited from excluding individuals from programs and activities on the basis of disability, consideration of accessibility in acquiring technology not only makes good fiscal sense, but also helps schools to meet their legal obligations under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Currently, all States receive Federal funds under the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act, which requires the States to purchase and use electronic and information technology that is accessible to individuals with disabilities. Schools also can use Federal funds for technology purchases from a number of interrelated programs, including the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund, and Titles I and VI of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. These programs and others are described on the Department s web site (http://www.ed.gov). In addition, the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which provides for reduced rates in services to educational providers and libraries, will significantly lower the costs for telecommunication services, internal networking, and access to the Internet for all schools and libraries. Schools can help ensure cost-effective access to technology by thinking about the extent to which computer hardware and software and any information technology systems, considered for purchase, allow universal access by all users or are adaptable for use by individuals with disabilities. Persons responsible for making decisions regarding educational technology purchases should be made aware of access issues and existing resources to guide the decision-making process. Because large-scale technology purchases may typically be undertaken with consultant or contractor support, or with assistance from expert staff working with management information or other technology systems, schools may want to incorporate access issues into standard procurement requirements and make accessibility part of the discussion with staff, consultants, or contractors. We hope that the questions and answers, checklist, and the references included in this technical assistance packet will help you in your decision-making process. Copies of this packet may be obtained in an alternate format (e.g., Braille, audiotape, large print or computer diskette) by individuals with disabilities upon request to: Assistant Secretary Judy Heumann Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Department of Education Mary E. Switzer Building 330 C Street, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20202 Phone: Voice/TDD: (202) 205-5465 It will also be available on the Department s web site at: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/whatsnew/techpack.html ------ Forwarded message ends here ------ -- Lloyd Rasmussen Senior Staff Engineer, Engineering Section National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Library of Congress 202-707-0535 (work) lras@loc.gov www.loc.gov/nls/ (home) lras@sprynet.com --- * Origin: NFBnet <--> Internet Email Gateway (1:282/1045) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 233 NFB BLIND NEWS Ref: EFW00000Date: 11/26/97 From: LINWOOD GALLAGHER Time: 05:53am \/To: ALL LISTERS (Read 0 times) Subj: happy holidays I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who were patient and helped me over the past year! I do hope that you and yours will have a happy holiday season. --- Maximus 3.01 * Origin: Library COM -* Reno, NV USA *- (702) 785-4191 (1:213/742) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 233 NFB BLIND NEWS Ref: EG100000Date: 11/30/97 From: PETE DONAHUE Time: 01:53pm \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: Medical Insurrance perchases of adaptive13:53:3611/30/97 From: Pete Donahue Subject: Medical Insurrance perchases of adaptive technology Hello Greg and listers, last night I read your article in the November issue of the Braille monitor concerning the perchase of closed circuit tvs by medical insurrance providers such as medicare and medicade. Now I am wondering if using the definitions, and criteria you gave in that article if there would be grounds for having these same providers pay for other types of adaptive technology; speech synthesizers, screen reading software, Braille Displays etc. I'll be interested in hearing your answer on this question; either up here, or in a follow-up article in the Braille Monitor. Take care and happy hollidays. Peter Donahue --- * Origin: NFBnet <--> Internet Email Gateway (1:282/1045) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 233 NFB BLIND NEWS Ref: EG100001Date: 11/30/97 From: "RENEE M. ZELICKSON HTTP://FLY.HIWA Time: 02:20pm \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: Re: Medical Insurrance perchases of adap14:20:3311/30/97 From: "Renee M. Zelickson http://fly.hiwaay.net/~reneez" Subject: Re: Medical Insurrance perchases of adaptive technology I would be interested in this myself; seems the lot of us have missed out on a lot. Ren At 01:53 PM 11/30/97 -0600, you wrote: > > > > >Hello Greg and listers, > >last night I read your article in the November issue of the Braille >monitor concerning the perchase of closed circuit tvs by medical >insurrance providers such as medicare and medicade. Now I am wondering >if using the definitions, and criteria you gave in that article if there >would be grounds for having these same providers pay for other types of >adaptive technology; speech synthesizers, screen reading software, Braille >Displays etc. I'll be interested in hearing your answer on this question; >either up here, or in a follow-up article in the Braille Monitor. Take >care and happy hollidays. > >Peter Donahue > > > > > > Rene M. Zelickson reneez@hiwaay.net --- * Origin: NFBnet <--> Internet Email Gateway (1:282/1045)