nfbwis.org » Blind Students http://nfbwis.org NFB of Wisconsin Wed, 16 May 2012 01:53:56 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 NFB Files Complaints Against Nine Law Schools http://nfbwis.org/2010/05/nfb-files-complaints-against-nine-law-schools/ http://nfbwis.org/2010/05/nfb-files-complaints-against-nine-law-schools/#comments Sun, 09 May 2010 23:29:34 +0000 NFB Wis http://nfbwis.org/?p=139 The NFB announced today that it has filed complaints with the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, requesting investigations of nine prominent law schools for violating the civil rights of blind and other print-disabled law school applicants.  The NFB filed the complaints because the law schools require applicants who wish to have the convenience of applying online to use a centralized Internet-based application process provided by the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) through its Web site (www.lsac.org) that is inaccessible to blind law school applicants.  While sighted law school applicants can use the LSAC system to submit multiple law school applications at once, blind students must seek sighted assistance to use the LSAC system.  Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires these law schools to offer equal access to their programs and services.  The nine law schools named in the complaints are The University of Chicago Law School, Yeshiva University’s Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law, Washington and Lee University School of Law, University of Miami School of Law, William Mitchell College of Law, Gonzaga University School of Law, and Northeastern University School of Law.  The complaints ask the Justice Department to require these law schools to suspend use of the LSAC application system until it is accessible to blind and other print-disabled students and to require each law school to provide the same application process in a format available to all students. The NFB already has a lawsuit pending against the LSAC for violating California law by maintaining an inaccessible Web site.  For more information on this important matter, please read the official press release.

]]> http://nfbwis.org/2010/05/nfb-files-complaints-against-nine-law-schools/feed/ 0 2010 Junior Science Academy http://nfbwis.org/2010/01/2010-junior-science-academy/ http://nfbwis.org/2010/01/2010-junior-science-academy/#comments Wed, 06 Jan 2010 01:48:00 +0000 NFB Wis http://nfbwis.org/?p=39 Gear Up for Greatness!

National Federation of the Blind

2010 Junior Science Academy

Baltimore, Maryland, at the NFB Jernigan Institute

A STEM Program for Blind Children Ages 8-12

In 2008, the National Center for Blind Youth in Science (NCBYS), a program of the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, offered its first Science Academy program for elementary students. Once again, we are making this program possible for children in grades three through six. The NCBYS developed its Junior Science Academy (JSA) in 2004 in order to spark and enhance blind students’ interest in scientific study, an academic area that many falsely believe is too difficult for the blind. This year, with hands-on experiences, tactile materials, and innovative nonvisual teaching methods, the JSA will open its doors again to young explorers with two sessions of the program. Applicants can apply for one of the following dates:

Session 1: July 28-August 1, 2010

Session 2: August 4-August 8, 2010

The Junior Science Academy is a four-day session that will expose blind children to the excitement of science in real-life applications. The students will learn about how much fun science can be through hands-on instruction, field trips, and interactive activities. Attending parents will participate in a corresponding seminar with workshops designed to focus on meeting the needs of their blind children.

Program Costs

There is a $150.00 registration fee for accepted pairs of students and parents/chaperones. All other expenses, including travel, room, board, and program materials will be covered by the NFB Jernigan Institute for all participants, including accepted mentors.

Mentors Needed

We are also looking for mentors to work in one or both sessions of the program. mentors help facilitate student activities while parents are engaged in parent programming. Mentors can apply online at the site below. Please visit this page to learn more about this opportunity and to apply to be a mentor this summer.

How to Apply

Whether you are an interested family, or someone who is interested in serving as a mentor, please visit http://www.blindscience.org/ to learn more about this exciting event, or to apply. You may also contact the NFB Jernigan Institute at (410) 659-9314, ext. 2407.

Come join us!

]]> http://nfbwis.org/2010/01/2010-junior-science-academy/feed/ 0 Universities Will Not Deploy Kindle DX http://nfbwis.org/2009/11/universities-will-not-deploy-kindle-dx/ http://nfbwis.org/2009/11/universities-will-not-deploy-kindle-dx/#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:29:00 +0000 NFB Wis http://nfbwis.org/?p=38 The NFB today applauded the decision of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Syracuse University to not deploy Amazon’s Kindle DX as a means of distributing electronic textbooks to their students. The Kindle DX features text-to-speech technology that can read textbooks aloud. However, the menus of the device are not accessible to the blind. Both universities have experimented with the Kindle DX to learn whether e-book technology is useful to their students, but will not adopt the device for general use unless and until it is made accessible to blind students. For more on this, please read the official press release or the Associated Press article that was published on the topic this morning.

]]> http://nfbwis.org/2009/11/universities-will-not-deploy-kindle-dx/feed/ 0 30 Scholarships Now Available http://nfbwis.org/2009/11/30-scholarships-now-available/ http://nfbwis.org/2009/11/30-scholarships-now-available/#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:24:00 +0000 NFB Wis http://nfbwis.org/?p=36 Each year at its national convention in July, the National Federation of the Blind gives thirty scholarships to recognize achievement by America’s blind scholars. The NFB is now accepting applications (print or online) for its 2010 Scholarship Program. The scholarships range in value from $3,000 to $12,000. For eligibility and full application information, please visit www.nfb.org/scholarships. Completed applications are due by March 31, 2010.

]]> http://nfbwis.org/2009/11/30-scholarships-now-available/feed/ 0 November 1, 2009: Braille Readers are Leaders Contest http://nfbwis.org/2009/10/november-1-2009-braille-readers-are-leaders-contest/ http://nfbwis.org/2009/10/november-1-2009-braille-readers-are-leaders-contest/#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 03:23:00 +0000 NFB Wis http://nfbwis.org/?p=34 This contest encourages children (grades K-12) around the country to be proud of their ability to read Braille and continually work to improve their skills. As in previous years, contestants will read as many Braille pages as they can in two months (November 1, 2009, through January 4, 2010). This year adults with various levels of experience reading Braille get to join in the fun! Registration begins October 1, 2009. For detailed information please visit www.nfb.org/bral.

]]> http://nfbwis.org/2009/10/november-1-2009-braille-readers-are-leaders-contest/feed/ 0 Register for Braille Reading Pals! http://nfbwis.org/2009/03/register-for-braille-reading-pals/ http://nfbwis.org/2009/03/register-for-braille-reading-pals/#comments Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:30:00 +0000 NFB Wis http://nfbwis.org/?p=16 Braille Reading Pals is an early literacy program that gently encourages and rewards parents for reading daily with their blind or low vision children ages infant-7 (or older if the children have developmental delays) who are not yet reading. Sponsored by the NFB Jernigan Institute, this free two-month spring program begins May 1 and concludes June 30. For more information about the program, visit the Braille Reading Pals home page. Registration ends on April 27, 2009, so sign up online today!

]]> http://nfbwis.org/2009/03/register-for-braille-reading-pals/feed/ 0 Check out NFB ShareBraille! http://nfbwis.org/2009/02/check-out-nfb-sharebraille/ http://nfbwis.org/2009/02/check-out-nfb-sharebraille/#comments Tue, 03 Feb 2009 04:17:00 +0000 NFB Wis http://nfbwis.org/?p=10 The National Federation of the Blind, as part of its Braille Readers are Leaders Literacy Campaign, has committed to an unprecedented effort to increase literacy among the blind. One of the campaign goals is to make Braille resources more available through online sharing of materials, enhanced production methods, and improved distribution. NFB ShareBraille is designed to help in meeting this goal by encouraging blind people to trade Braille books and build their personal library. Frequently, Braille materials in good condition are discarded because a new home for the materials cannot be found. NFB ShareBraille now offers a way for a community to close that gap and keep Braille reading materials circulating. Build your Braille library and help others do the same—share Braille and build literacy.

NFB ShareBraille is a free service provided by the National Federation of the Blind to promote the use and vitality of Braille. To trade your Braille books or to request books from other NFB ShareBraille users, simply create a free account and start exploring the available titles.

www.nfbsharebraille.org

Happy Reading!

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