[Blindtlk] Fwd: Oracle Software Cannot Be Used By Blind TexasEmployees

Tue Feb 6 03:48:45 CST 2007

IF memory serves, did we not see this very same scenario play out in 
Arkansas?  What was the outcome of that episode?

Sincerely yours,
The Constantly Barefooted,
Ray
Home phone and fax:
(985)853-0139
E-mail:
rforetjr at bellsouth.net
Skype Name:
barefootedray
Blog:
www.raysworld.blogs.com
Podcast .rss Feed:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/worldofray

God bless President George W. Bush!
God bless our troops!
and God bless America
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
To: <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>; <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>; <nfb-announce at nfbnet.org>; 
<nfbcs at nfbnet.org>; <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>; <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>; 
<rehab at nfbnet.org>; <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>; <nfb-science at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, February 05, 2007 12:14 PM
Subject: [Blindtlk] Fwd: Oracle Software Cannot Be Used By Blind 
TexasEmployees

>
> >>> "Pare, John" <JPare at NFB.ORG> 2/5/2007 8:48 AM >>>
>Oracle Software Cannot Be Used By Blind Texas Employees
>
>National Federation of the Blind Files Suit for Equal Access
>
>
>
>
>Austin, Texas (February 5, 2007): The National
>Federation of the Blind and three blind Texas
>employees filed suit today to enforce a
>provision of Texas law requiring all information
>technology purchased by the state to be
>accessible to blind employees.  The suit was
>brought because the blind cannot use software
>manufactured by Oracle Systems and used by state employees.
>
>
>
>The newly acquired software replaced another
>software package that had, in large part, been accessible to blind users.
>
>
>
>Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National
>Federation of the Blind, said: "Access to
>information technology is critical to success on
>the job for everyone in the twenty-first
>century, and this is no less true for the blind
>than it is for the sighted.  The National
>Federation of the Blind is committed to
>improving access to all information
>technologies, and we will take all steps
>necessary to do so, including litigation."
>
>
>
>Tommy Craig, President of the National
>Federation of the Blind of Texas, said: "The
>state legislature of Texas recognized the need
>for equal access for the blind by passing a law
>requiring it, and it is unconscionable that a
>state agency is violating that law.  The
>National Federation of the Blind of Texas will
>not rest until all of the employees of the state
>of Texas have equal access to all the
>information they need to function effectively."
>
>
>
>The suit, which names as defendants the
>directors of the Health and Human Services
>Commission and the Texas Workforce Commission
>(the agencies for which the blind employees
>work) and the state's acting chief technology
>officer, arises from the state's continuing
>renewal of contracts to purchase Oracle's human
>resources software and other products, despite
>the fact that the software cannot be used by
>blind Texas employees.  The plaintiffs have
>asked a Texas court to require the software to
>be made accessible to the blind and to require
>that the state discontinue its purchases of inaccessible software.
>
>
>
>Blind people access computer software by means
>of screen access programs, which convert what is
>on the screen into synthesized speech or allow
>it to be displayed in Braille.  The Oracle
>software, which is used by state employees for
>various human resources tasks, does not provide
>equal access to blind persons using screen
>access technology.  For example, blind employees
>cannot access their pay and leave records, and
>those in supervisory positions cannot create or review performance 
>evaluations.
>
>
>
>Edwin Kunz, one of the blind plaintiffs who
>directs a rehabilitation center for the blind
>within the Health and Human Services
>Commission's Department of Assistive and
>Rehabilitative Services, said: "I am unable to
>review and enter information such as my hours
>worked and leave taken unless a sighted person
>helps me to do so.  Even worse, I can't access
>critical information about the employees that I
>supervise without the assistance of a sighted
>person.  Because I must have sighted assistance
>for all of these personnel functions, both my
>privacy and the privacy of my employees are
>routinely violated.  I've complained about the
>problems with the software, but nothing has been
>done to fix them.  I hope this lawsuit will spur
>Oracle to move quickly to correct this problem;
>otherwise the state will have to purchase human
>resources software from someone else."
>
>
>
>The plaintiffs are represented by the Baltimore,
>Maryland firm of Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP
>and Scanlan, Buckle & Young of Austin, Texas.
>
>
>
>John G. Paré Jr.
>Director of Public Relations
>NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
>1800 Johnson Street
>Baltimore, Maryland  21230
>Telephone:  (410) 659-9314, ext. 2371
>Cell phone:  (410) 913-3912
>Fax:  (410) 685-5653
>Email:  jpare at nfb.org
>
>

David Andrews and white cane Harry.

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