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<DIV>I shared the news with our Technology Dean and he responded:</DIV>
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<DIV>>>"Penn State has agreed to continue implementing a strategy to make all electronic and >>information technology systems used on its campuses fully accessible to BLIND students, >>faculty, and staff. "<BR> <BR>>>Just them? I would have assumed that the Office for Civil Rights would require Penn >>State to make their electronic and information technology systems "universally >>accessible."<BR> <BR>>>Hmm..what am I missing?</DIV>
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<DIV>Just when you think you have trained on all the questions...</DIV>
<DIV>Laurie</DIV>
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<DIV><BR><BR>>>> "Ron Stewart" <ron@ahead.org> 10/11/2011 12:51 PM >>><BR>Unfortunately while progress this settlement reflects once again a partial<BR>agreement to benefit one class of individuals with disabilities, and most<BR>likely at the expense of other classes.<BR><BR>Ron Stewart<BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: athen-list-bounces@mailman1.u.washington.edu<BR>[mailto:athen-list-bounces@mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Laurie<BR>Vasquez<BR>Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2011 10:59 AM<BR>To: athen-list@u.washington.edu<BR>Subject: [Athen] NFB and Penn State resolve U.S. Dept. of Justice civil<BR>rights complaint<BR><BR>FYI<BR><BR>The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and Pennsylvania State<BR>University announced today the resolution of the NFB's civil rights<BR>complaint lodged with the U.S. Department of Justice against the university<BR>for its alleged failure to provide an appropriately accessible technology<BR>environment for students who are visually impaired.<BR><BR>As stated in the NFB press release on the agreement, it commits the<BR>university to continued implementation of "a strategy to make all electronic<BR>and information technology systems used on its campuses fully accessible to<BR>blind students, faculty, and staff. The information technology systems<BR>covered include course management systems, Web sites, classroom technology,<BR>library resources, banking services, and more." Of particular note, Penn<BR>State's spokerperson references the university's plans to work with the<BR>companies that provide it with technology goods and services "to see if<BR>their products and procedures can be adjusted to meet the needs of our<BR>students."<BR><BR>Key components of the agreement include Penn State*s commitment to:<BR><BR> * Conduct a full accessibility audit of its complete technology<BR>environment in relation to the visually impaired by February 15, 2012<BR> * Establish an Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) Policy<BR>Statement to guide the development of its accessibility strategy, with<BR>procedures to fully implement the policy *across all disciplines* developed<BR>by May 30, 2012<BR> * Implement institution-wide *training, instruction, and<BR>support* on the EIT Accessibility Policy and procedures by August 15, 2012<BR> * **develop and institute procedures that require the University to<BR>purchase or recommend only EITs that will provide the same programs,<BR>benefits, and services that they do to individuals without disabilities,<BR>except that when it is technically unfeasible to do so,** by October 15,<BR>2102 <BR><BR>The full text of the Penn State - NFB agreement is provided below.<BR><BR><BR><A href="http://www.educause.edu/blog/jcummings/NFBandPennStateresolveUSDeptof/238851">http://www.educause.edu/blog/jcummings/NFBandPennStateresolveUSDeptof/238851</A><BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>athen-list mailing list<BR>athen-list@mailman1.u.washington.edu<BR><A href="http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen">http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen</A>-list<BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>athen-list mailing list<BR>athen-list@mailman1.u.washington.edu<BR><A href="http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen">http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen</A>-list<BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>