FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: David Andrews, Program Director National Information Access Center Telephone: (410) 659-9314 NATIONAL INFORMATION ACCESS CENTER OPENS Baltimore--The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), a 50,000-member nationwide consumer organization, has announced the opening of the National Information Access Center. The Center is home for the Information Access Project for Blind Individuals, a U.S. Department of Justice-funded technical assistance grant, designed to assist businesses as well as units of state and local government implement the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Specifically, the Information Access Project will help ADA-covered entities to initiate and adopt procedures and methods for providing printed information in nonvisually accessible forms. NFB President Marc Maurer said, "There are over 5 million businesses open to the public in this country and most of them are producing printed materials on a regular basis. It is often inconvenient or impossible for us as blind persons to avail ourselves of these materials. However, the ADA requires that all public accommodations and units of state and local government provide the disabled, including blind persons, with access to this printed information. Through this project we can assist businesses, units of state and local government, and all entities covered by the ADA find cost-effective methods for meeting the information access requirements of the Act." Services provided by places of public accommodation, and by public entities (units of state and local government) must comply with the nondiscrimination requirements of the ADA which went into effect on January 26, 1992. David Andrews, Program Director of the National Information Access Center said, "The ADA does not require a specific method, such as Braille or cassette tape, for a covered entity to use to give blind people access to its information. Any number of ways are possible, including Braille, enlarged print, cassette tape, human readers, computer disks or dial-up phone services. The National Information Access Center has been established to educate blind persons, businesses, and units of state and local government about the ADA and its provisions for information access. We work with individuals and covered entities to help them decide on what is the best way to provide blind persons with access to printed information without unreasonable technical or financial burden." The National Information Access Center is located at the National Center for the Blind in Baltimore, Maryland, the headquarters for the NFB. The National Center for the Blind also houses the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind, a comprehensive demonstration and evaluation center for computer-related technology used by the blind. The Information Access Project is able to draw upon the staff and resources of the Braille and Technology Center as it makes recommendations to individuals, businesses, and organizations around the country about appropriate access methods and technology. In addition, the Information Access Project has a volunteer corps of over 50 local Information Access Coordinators (at least one per state). These local coordinators distribute project materials on a local basis, work with covered entities to educate them and help them devise plans to meet the information access needs of blind persons in their local areas. The coordinators will also spearhead projects in their local areas such as assisting banks to provide their customers with accessible automated teller machines or with bank statements in accessible media. The National Information Access Center staff is available for consultation through the mail, via NFB's electronic bulletin board service or by telephone. They can be reached as follows: Information Access Project for Blind Individuals National Federation of the Blind 1800 Johnson Street Baltimore, MD 21230 Telephone: (410) 659-9314 Fax: (410) 685-5653 BBS: (410) 752-5011. The Center is open Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. eastern time. The National Federation of the Blind is the oldest and largest organization of the blind in this country with over 50,000 members. There are state affiliates and local chapters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Founded in 1940, the NFB is dedicated to the complete integration of the blind into the economic, political and social community. The Information Access Project is funded by a $99,930 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.