Whereas many blind persons receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are trapped by the earnings limit requirement of the Social Security Law and thus prevented from engaging in substantial gainful employment; and
WHEREAS legislation to eliminate the earnings limit has been introduced in the Congress of the United States; and
Whereas this change in the Social Security Law would be a very important opportunity for the blind of Montana and the nation; Now, Therefore
be it resolved by the Montana Association for the Blind in convention assembled on this fourth day of June, 2000, in the city of Great Falls, Montana, that this organization calls upon the Montana Congressmen to sponsor and vote for the passage of legislation to eliminate the earnings limit for the blind.
Whereas Braille literacy among blind children continues to be far less than literacy among sighted children; and
Whereas the social and economic consequences of illiteracy are devastating; and
Whereas the Congress of the United States has in the 1997 re-authorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), mandated Braille instruction for all blind children unless specifically excluded in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP); and
Whereas no Braille competency standards exist in Montana for paraprofessionals or teachers who instruct blind children in reading and writing Braille; and
Whereas the Montana Association for the Blind is willing and able to provide assistance with the development and establishment of programs to improve Braille competency in the schools;
Now, Therefore Be It Resolved by the Montana Association for the Blind assembled in convention on the fourth day of June 2000 in the city of Great Falls, Montana, that this organization calls upon the Montana State Board of Education, the Office of Public Instruction, and local school districts, to provide assistance to teachers and paraprofessionals who work with blind and visually impaired students to improve their competency in Braille and its instruction.
Whereas reading, writing and arithmetic are essential functions of literacy; and
Whereas braille is a superior and unequaled medium for assuring literacy for blind children; and
Whereas print, large print, tape cassettes and voice synthesized computer text while proper supplements are poor educational substitutes for Braille for most blind children; and
Whereas steps have been taken in federal and state legislation to incorporate Braille literacy for children in the 1997 amendments to
the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act and the Braille literacy laws of over 30 states; and
Whereas the Montana Association for the Blind has the duty and ability to affect positively the literacy of blind children in Montana;
Now, Therefore Be It Resolved by the Montana Association for the Blind assembled in convention on the fourth of June, 2000, in the city of Great Falls, Montana, that this organization shall commit its full attention and resources toward the passage of a state Braille Literacy law.
Whereas communication by electronic means is becoming a widespread method for conducting business with government agencies and
obtaining essential public services; andWhereas employment opportunities are also becoming dependent upon the ability to acquire and manipulate data presented by electronic means and stored in electronic files; and
Whereas the benefits of information technology (including the use of public-kiosk systems and other methods to access information presented in electronic form) are readily apparent for employees and members of the general public who can see, but for blind people the same benefits are being denied because of lack of accessible equipment and features and lack of planning to obtain such features at the time of procurement of said information technology; and
Whereas Newsline and Jobline are examples of information services for the blind which employ accessible technologies; and
Whereas adoption of model legislation for information technology access prepared by the National Federation of the Blind, with which the Montana Association for the Blind is affiliated, is essential to remove the barriers resulting from the lack of specific non-visual access standards for use as procurement specifications;
Now, Therefore be it resolved by the Montana Association for the Blind assembled in convention on this fourth day of June, 2000, in the city of Great Falls, Montana, that this organization insist upon a policy of equal access to information technology in those instances when such technology is purchased and deployed for public or employee use; and
Be It Further Resolved that this organization vigorously promote the passage of laws and appropriation of funds to meet specific requirements for non-visual use so that the growing reliance upon information technology throughout Montana becomes a means of access rather than a source of discrimination against the blind.
