[Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Alert - Urgent Action Needed Regarding Braille Instruction for Blind Students

[Kuhnke, Kristian]

Fellow Federationists:

I am writing to inform you of a Dear Colleague letter that was 
circulated yesterday by Senators Murray, Boozman, and Harkin related 
to the instruction of Braille for blind students.

We have been working with Senator Murray on this issue, and are 
excited that the letter was released for other Senators to sign onto 
in support.  As you know many blind students are not receiving 
Braille instruction today, despite the language contained in the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which states that 
Braille will be the primary reading media for blind 
students.  Senator Murray will hold her letter open through Friday, 
April 27, for other senators to sign onto, and then she will send the 
letter to the Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

Attached is a copy of the Dear Colleague letter that was 
circulated.  We are asking you to contact your senators and urge them 
to join with Senators Murray and Boozman in support of instruction of 
Braille for blind students.  Also attached is a state-by-state list 
of contacts for this issue.  Please note that Republican offices 
should contact Ian Prince in Senator Boozman's office, while 
Democrats should be directed to Jake Cornett in Senator Murray's 
office.  We are pleased that Chairman Harkin of the Senate Committee 
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and Senator Mikulski of 
Maryland have already joined as cosigners of the Dear Colleague letter.

Please contact me with any questions you may have.  Thank you all in 
advance for your work on this important issue for blind students.

Jesse

Jesse Hartle
National Federation of the Blind
Government Programs Specialist
Phone: 410-659-9314, Ext. 2233
Email: <mailto:jhartle at nfb.org>jhartle at nfb.org


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