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The National Federation of the Blind 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.
Louisiana Tech University will use a 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar in the coin toss at its football game on November 6. The popular Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, a NCAA division I football team, will play the Boise State Broncos. For more information, please read the official press release.
Today is White Cane Safety day, the annual celebration begun in 1964 to recognize the independence of blind Americans as represented by the white cane. As required by the joint Congressional resolution establishing White Cane Safety Day that was passed as a result of advocacy by the National Federation of the Blind, President Barack Obama has issued a proclamation in recognition of this important celebration. This year, because of our efforts to promote Braille literacy, President Obama’s proclamation highlights the importance of Braille to blind Americans. The proclamation reads in part:
As we encourage the development of new assistive technologies, we must also improve access to existing tools. The Braille code has opened a doorway to literacy for countless individuals, but far too many blind children in our country are not learning to read it. By improving Braille literacy, we will secure a brighter future for these young Americans.
You can read the entire proclamation here. Happy White Cane Safety Day!
Previously Published Voice of the Nation's Blind Articles