[Nfbnet-members-list] Fwd: Leading Guide Dog Users' Advocacy Organization Releases New Version of Mobile App

David B Andrews dandrews at visi.com
Thu Sep 14 02:32:24 UTC 2017


Please circulate the following message as widely as appropriate.

FOR IMMEDIATE USE

FROM: National Association of Guide Dog Users, National Federation of 
the Blind

RELEASE DATE: September 13, 2017

TO: All Media

CONTACT: Marion Gwizdala, President

President at nagdu.org <mailto:President at nagdu.org>

                      (813) 626-2789

Leading Guide Dog Users’ Membership & Advocacy Organization Releases New 
Mobile App

                 When the National Association of Guide Dog Users 
(NAGDU), a strong & proud division of the National Federation of the 
Blind (NFB), launched the NAGDU Guide & Service Animal Advocacy & 
Information mobile app in September 2014, it was hailed as an innovative 
ambitious project. This mobile app was the first to compile all the 
relevant state and federal service animal laws in the United States, 
along with associated guidance articles to help service animal users and 
businesses alike understand their rights and responsibilities. Over the 
past three years, this mobile app has been downloaded by nearly 5,000 
iOS users and has been helpful in resolving numerous access issues 
across the country!

Now, with the advent of iOS 11 and with the input from hundreds of 
users, the National Association of Guide Dog Users is excited to 
announce the release of version 2.0 of the NAGDU Guide & Service Dog 
advocacy & Information mobile app for iOS and, by the end of September, 
its Android version. Here is what you will find in version 2.0:

·Updated information on each state statute

·The laws for each of the Canadian provinces

·The ability to download the app from the Canadian app store

·The complete regulations concerning service animals from the U.S. 
Department of Justice

·Specific guidance for industries of concern to service dog users

·Frequently Asked Questions to help these industries understand their 
rights & responsibilities

·A direct email button to get more specific guidance & offer suggestions

·A direct telephone connection to speak with a trained advocate

·A more dynamic app with frequent updates

·An Android version by September 30

“Those of us who use service dogs experience discrimination more 
frequently than most are aware,” says Marion Gwizdala, a guide dog user 
who serves as the NAGDU president. “We believe this new app will help 
guide & other service dog users better advocate for themselves, while 
providing accurate information to the general public and places of 
public accommodation so that instances of discrimination are resolved 
quickly and amicably!”

This incredible app is provided absolutely free as a public service by 
the National Association of Guide Dog Users and was created with the 
generous support of Aaron Cannon, a blind Software Accessibility 
Engineer and member of NAGDU. We also extend a special word of thanks to 
Michigan State University’s Animal Legal & Historical Center for the use 
of their legal research and information on state and provincial laws.  
Before this announcement was even released, the app had been downloaded 
more than 1400 times! To download your free copy of this awesome mobile 
app, simply go to the App Store and type “NAGDU” in the search field; 
it’s that easy! Once you download the app, please browse through the 
information and send us your feedback. You can do this directly from the 
app by using the “send an email” feature. We look forward to hearing 
from you and working with you to raze the expectations of the blind in 
the United States so we can live the lives we want!

For more information about the National Association of Guide Dog Users 
or the National Federation of the blind, please visit the following 
websites:

National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU)

http://nagdu.org

National Federation of the Blind (NFB)

http://nfb.org

*About NAGDU*

                    The National Association of Guide dog Users is the 
nation’s leading membership and advocacy organization for blind people 
who use guide dogs.  NAGDU is a strong and proud division of the 
National Federation of the Blind. NAGDU conducts public awareness 
campaigns on issues of guide dog use, provides advocacy support for 
guide dog handlers who face discrimination, supports sound policy and 
effective legislation to protect the rights of guide dog users, offers 
educational programs to school and civic organizations, and functions as 
an integral part of the National Federation of the Blind. For more 
information about the National Association of Guide Dog Users and to 
support our work, you can visit our website at <HTTP://WWW.NAGDU.ORG 
<http://www.nagdu.org/>>, send an email message to <Info at NAGDU.ORG 
<mailto:Info at NAGDU.ORG>>, or call (813) 626-2789.

*About the National Federation of the Blind***

**

*        The National Federation of the Blind is the oldest and largest 
organization of the blind in the United States. The NFB knows that 
blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. 
Every day we raise the expectations of blind people because low 
expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You 
can live the life you want! Blindness is not what holds you back. *

*        The Federation provides scholarships to blind students; support 
for those who are blind or losing their eyesight; advocacy for the blind 
facing discrimination; and educational programs for the general public 
on topics of blindness. The NFB is not an organization that speaks on 
behalf of the blind; we are the blind speaking for ourselves.*

For more information about the National Federation of the Blind or to 
support our work, please visit <http://nfb.org> or call (410) 659-9314.

Marion Gwizdala, President

National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc. (NAGDU)

National Federation of the Blind

(813) 626-2789

President at NAGDU.ORG <mailto:President at NAGDU.ORG>

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the 
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise 
expectations because low expectations create barriers between blind  
people and our dreams. You can live the life you want! Blindness is not 
what holds you back.

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