National Deaf-Blind Equipment distribution

January is National Braille Literacy Month. In a spirit of digital inclsuion with attention to Access, relevant  content, and literacy, the skills to use....


Equipment program for people with vision and hearing loss

Happy New Year from AADB!!!
We are passing this on to be sure you are aware of this new program....
New Federal Program Provides Communications Technology to  People with Vision and Hearing Loss

The National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP)
provides a wide array of assistive technology to people with combined
vision and hearing loss. This new program from the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) is the result of the 21st Century
Communications and Video Accessibility Act - a law championed by
Arkansas Senator Mark Pryor and Massachusetts Congressman Edward
Markey.

Any person who is considered deaf-blind as defined by the Helen Keller
National Center Act can receive free communications equipment if their
income is less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level. Find
details at
<https://owa.perkins.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=9025fe3667d24ce3b9b92f7d2dbc8e7b&U
RL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.fcc.gov%2fNDBEDP> www.fcc.gov/NDBEDP.
 The FCC has chosen Perkins and Helen Keller National Center for
Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults (HKNC) to head up the national program
effort and work with partners in every state plus the District of
Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. To spread the word
about the program, Perkins andHKNC have created a campaign called,
iCanConnect.

 "The mission of the Helen Keller National Center is to enable each
person who is deaf-blind to live and work in his or her community of
choice. This critical technology access program accelerates those
efforts," said HKNC Executive Director Joe McNulty Perkins President Steven Rothstein believes accessibility is critical
to civil rights and equality for people with disabilities. "NDBEDP and
iCanConnect are not simply about individuals who have vision and
hearing loss getting easier access to the telephone, computer or
email. It's about their right to be contributing, involved members of
society. And without equal access to today's communication technology,
that's simply not possible."

NDBEDP provides a wide range of specialized and "off-the-shelf"
hardware, software and applications. Products include braille
displays, computer screen readers and even iPhones and iPads with
built-in accessibility features. The program also provides one-on-one
training to help people use the equipment to its fullest.

 "Having this technology - this ability to participate and interact
with others, and remember your value and place in the world - is so
significant," said Jerry Berrier, an access technology consultant who
is blind. He is working with Perkins to help manage the NDBEDP
database and train consumers.

"We estimate that there are 1.5 million people in the U.S. who are
deaf-blind. We believe about a million or more are eligible for this
program. We'll be changing lives," said Betsy McGinnity, director of
Perkins Training and Educational Resources Program.

To learn more, go to  <http://www.icanconnect.org/>
www.iCanConnect.org or call 1-800-825-4595.
~Lynn
Lynn Jansen, Vice President
American Association of the Deaf-Blind (AADB)
Email: LynnAADB@gmail.com Web <mailto:AADB-Info@Web> : www.aadb.org
<http://www.aadb.org/>
If you would like to support AADB, please go to www.aadb.org and send
a donation of any amount there. Your support is much appreciated as it
will improve quality of life for all deaf-blind Americans.