AFB AND VERIZON "A CALL TO ACTION" FACT SHEET

The National Campaign for Literacy, Textbooks, Transcribers and Technology

A Call to Action

There is a critical shortage of braille transcribers throughout the United States. As a result of this shortage, blind and visually impaired schoolchildren do not always receive their textbooks on time and sometimes, not at all... denying them the same opportunities for quality education as those enjoyed by sighted children.

For decades, America's blind and low-vision schoolchildren have depended on a dedicated group of mostly volunteer braille transcribers. As the numbers of these children have grown over time, this pool of transcribers cannot meet the ever-expanding demand for braille textbooks and learning materials. These volunteers are not always paid for their invaluable work, and the U.S. Department of Labor does not recognize their job as a formal profession. Unless this changes, the children will continue to suffer.

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and Verizon are working with key stakeholders throughout the United States to make this change. In October 2002, they launched the National Campaign for Literacy, Textbooks, Transcribers and Technology. Serving pro-bono as campaign spokesperson is the legendary Erik Weihenmayer, the only blind athlete to conquer the seven summits, the highest peaks on each of the world's continents.

The National Campaign is a public awareness and advocacy program that promotes the new career of Braille Textbook Transcriber at the federal and state levels, and raises general awareness for the needs of blind and visually impaired schoolchildren for timely access to textbooks. A trained and credentialed braille textbook transcriber will practice his or her career via technology receiving electronic publishers' files to the desktop, transcribing those files electronically and returning the transcribed materials to the state-authorized entity for textbook distribution. The career can be practiced anywhere a computer and Internet access are available. A new, community college-level program has been developed to train transcribers to produce textbooks and instructional materials in braille.

Through the National Campaign, AFB and Verizon are advocating for:

• Federal recognition of the profession of a braille textbook transcriber. Ask Congress to support the profession of a braille textbook transcriber and to co-sponsor and support the Instructional Materials Accessibility Act (IMAA 2003). The IMAA 2003 has been introduced in the 108th Congress. For more information on the IMAA, go to www.afb.org/textbooks.asp.
• Adoption of the braille textbook transcriber curriculum throughout the country's community college systems. Northwest Vista College is the first higher-education institution to offer a curriculum and series of courses. For more information, go to www.accd.edu/nvc/areas/braille.
• People to consider becoming a braille textbook transcriber. To learn more about this growing and rewarding career, contact Northwest Vista College in San Antonio, Texas, at http://www.accd.edu/nvc/areas/braille/ or visit www.afb.org/education.asp.
• Increased public awareness. Most people don't know that blind and visually impaired schoolchildren go months without the same textbooks as their sighted peers. Spread the word. For print-ready copies of the Call to Action Packet, which explains how you can make a difference, go to www.afb.org/verizon.asp. For a copy of the advocacy video, contact Mary Ann Siller, Director of AFB's National Education Program and the National Campaign, at siller@afb.net.
• Financial support of the National Campaign. To make a donation, go to www.afb.org/credit_card.asp.
• Increased public awareness. Most people don't know that blind and visually impaired schoolchildren go months without the same textbooks as their sighted peers. Let others know that they can help too.

Please, help ensure that blind and visually impaired schoolchildren receive the education that they deserve.