[Nfbnet-members-list] NFB Seeking Letters Protesting Kindles in K-12 Schools

Freeh, Jessica JFreeh at nfb.org
Mon Nov 12 21:54:45 UTC 2012


Dear Friends:

Amazon.com is undertaking a massive effort to deploy its Kindle 
e-readers and Kindle books to K-12 schools across the United 
States.  In some cases Kindle devices have been donated directly to 
schools, including schools that serve children who are blind or have 
other disabilities.  Amazon has also built a system called 
Whispercast that allows teachers and school administrators to 
distribute Kindle content to devices other than Kindles.  The problem 
with all of these plans is that neither the Kindle devices nor the 
book files used in conjunction with them are accessible to students 
who are blind or who have other print disabilities.  Since school 
districts have an obligation under federal law to purchase or deploy 
only accessible technology and content, Amazon must either make 
Kindle books accessible or cease and desist from its efforts to have 
them used in the classroom.

We are asking each of you, and/or your blind children, to write a 
letter to Amazon's founder and chief executive officer, Mr. Jeff 
Bezos, explaining the harmful impact that the use of this 
inaccessible technology in the classroom will have on blind 
students.  You may write your letter in print or Braille; if 
convenient, submit it in both formats.  Also, if you can, submit a 
video of you or your child reading the letter that we can post on our 
Web site, Facebook page, and/or YouTube channel.  You may send videos 
to <mailto:jfreeh at nfb.org>jfreeh at nfb.org.  Children who appear in or 
submit videos must also have their parents sign a media release 
giving the National Federation of the Blind permission to use the 
video.  A copy of our standard media release is attached.  It can be 
mailed back to us at the address below, or faxed to 410-685-5653, 
attention Jessica Freeh.

We plan to deliver the hard copy letters directly to Jeff Bezos at an 
informational protest, so please send the letters to us at National 
Federation of the Blind, 200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place, 
Baltimore, MD 21230, Attention Chris Danielsen, Director of Public 
Relations.  To be included in our delivery to Mr. Bezos, we must 
receive your letter no later than December 1, 2012.

If you have any questions about this effort, please don't hesitate to 
contact me.  You can call me at 410-659-9314, extension 2330, or 
e-mail me at cdanielsen at nfb.org.  Thank you for your assistance in 
this critically important matter.

Sincerely:

Chris Danielsen, Director of Public Relations
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND



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