[Missouri-l] Fwd: [acb-l] FW: [leadership] Letter From Congress to Department of Education

[Chip Hailey]

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Eric Bridges [mailto:ebridges at acb.org]
>Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 10:10 AM
>To: leadership at acb.org
>Subject: [leadership] Letter From Congress to Department of Education
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>This week Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA) wrote the following letter to the Secretary
>of Education regarding his concern over the lack of funding for video
>description. ACB is very appreciative to Rep. Moran and his staff for taking
>an active interest in this critical issue.
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>Eric
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>May 6, 2009
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>The Honorable Arne Duncan
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>Secretary
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>Department of Education
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>400 Maryland Ave., SW
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>Washington, DC 20202
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>Dear Secretary Duncan:
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>It is my understanding that for the second year in a row, the Department of
>Education will not issue an RFA for the Television Access (descriptive
>video) grant program (CFDA 84.327C -
><http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/> Office of Special Education
>and Rehabilitative Services, Office of Special Education Programs -
>OERS/OSEP).  These grants are the only federal source of funding for
>broadcast television description of educational media.  Video description is
>an additional audio track that describes what is happening on the screen.
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>Without the funding these grants offer, tens of thousands of blind children
>will no longer have the same access to televised educational media that
>their sighted peers enjoy on a daily basis.
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>Starting in 1990, the Department has supported the development of video
>description services (DVS) and since that time has steadily funded grants to
>supply video description on a large variety of television programming. This
>funding is the primary resource that enables access for blind children to
>such valuable educational programming as Arthur, Between the Lions, and
>Curious George. In addition, blind adults gain access to programs like Nova,
>Nature, Frontline and many others. This important service enables people who
>are blind or have low vision to enjoy and understand television programming
>that is loved and watched by their friends, families, classmates and
>colleagues.
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>Unlike closed captioning, there is no federal requirement for the provision
>of video description. Consequently, this grant program is responsible for a
>large majority of funding for a service relied upon by blind children and
>adults alike (this funding is supplemented by very limited public and
>commercial television producer support.)
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>Secretary Duncan
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>Page two
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>May 6, 2009
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>Organizations such as the American Council of the Blind, American Foundation
>for the Blind, WGBH Educational Foundation, Narrative Television Network,
>VITAC, Caption Max, and National Captioning Institute are deeply concerned
>by the lack of recent funding for the DVS. During two grant cycles (FY2008
>and FY2009), no grants
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>were awarded. I encourage you to revitalize this program in FY2010 with a
>new competition. A relatively small amount of funding (about $2.5 million)
>would provide a very significant service to blind children and adults.
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>Thank you for your consideration.
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>Sincerely,
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>James P. Moran
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>JPM:mk
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>Eric Bridges
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>Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs
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>American Council of the Blind
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>2200 Wilson Blvd. Suite 650
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>Arlington, VA 22201
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>Phone: (202) 467-5081
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>Fax: (703) 465-5085
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