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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Please forgive cross-posts<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Dear Friend of Learning
Ally:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>We need help getting in
touch with blind or visually impaired students in a college setting to share
their academic experiences as part of a research study. Would you be willing to
help us by reaching out to some of your contacts who might be interested in
participating in a paid research study and sending them the message below? By
better understanding these experiences, we will be able to create something to
serve these students better. Your help will let us reach this goal. We would
like to recruit all of our student participants by early August so that we may
begin learning from them from just before the start of the semester (August 28
- September 5th, depending on the school). We'd greatly appreciate your
assistance in passing on the word and contacts this week and next. Please feel
free to copy and paste the email below to students you think may be interested.
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>To: All higher ed students<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Subject: Seeking blind or
visually impaired college students to help understand the higher ed experience
as part of a research project<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>A respected
educationally-focused non-profit is excited to launch a study to better
understand the academic experiences of blind and visually impaired college
students. Through this semester-long study, we will learn how blind and
visually impaired students prepare for the semester, collaborate with their
peers, use media and resources, make progress and overcome challenges.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Who is a great fit for the
study?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>We are looking for a variety
of students: College Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors and Graduate level students
at both 2- and 4-year public and private institutions. We are looking for
students from across all the majors as well as those taking developmental
courses. We are interested in students who already use audiobooks as well as
those using other media and resources (Braille, online courses, other campus
services). Because the study has a small sample size (12), we would like get to
know the more typical or average student - someone whose experiences would be
similar to their BVI peers.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>What does the study involve?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>The study has been designed
to allow students to share their experiences with us at their own pace and in
their own words. Over the course of the semester, students will be asked to leave
voice-mail messages to reflect on their successes and challenges. At two points
in the semester, researchers will meet with the student to further discuss and
observe their academic experiences. Student participation will be compensated
at several points in the semester and students will be able to withdraw from
the study at any time and for any reason. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Who is speaking to the
students?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Conifer Research, an
ethnographic research company that helps create new services to improve
people's everyday lives (<a href="http://www.coniferresearch.com/">http://www.coniferresearch.com/</a>),
has been commissioned to lead this study.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Interested student
participants should contact Ksenia Pachikov via the information below to apply.
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Ksenia Pachikov<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>phone: 646.321.3003<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>email:
Ksenia@ConiferResearch.com<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>By better understanding the
college experiences of blind and visually impaired students, we will be able to
create something to serves these students better. Your help at the start of
this journey will let us reach this goal. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Stephanie Turner-Scott<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Customer Support Manager<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>______________________<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Learning Ally<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Formerly Recording for the
Blind & Dyslexic 20 Roszel Road | Princeton, NJ 08540 Office (609)
243-7088 Fax (609) 987-8116 sTurner@LearningAlly.org <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Visit our Training &
Support Center at <a href="www.LearningAlly.org/Help">www.LearningAlly.org/Help</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>Are you 1 in 5? Tell us your
story! Visit: <a href="www.explore1in5.org">www.explore1in5.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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