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AFB Continues Partnership with Verizon Communications to Launch New Career--Braille Transcriber

New online college curriculum is next phase of campaign combating the national shortage of braille transcribers and the lack of brailled textbooks for students who are blind or have vision loss

Dallas (July 18, 2005)—The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) today announced that Verizon Communications is continuing its partnership with AFB to develop and promote the new career of Braille Textbook Transcriber, and improve literacy for America's blind and low-vision schoolchildren.

The $200,000 grant from Verizon Reads will assist AFB in the continued development and launch of the online community college-level courses designed to train transcribers to produce textbooks and instructional materials in braille. AFB is working on this effort in collaboration with Northwest Vista College in San Antonio, Texas, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and 35 of the leading national organizations and associations in education, literacy and service to the blind and visually impaired U.S. population. Northwest Vista College is the first campus in the nation to offer its students the opportunity to achieve the credentials and certification for this new career. The classes will be available by the end of 2006.

"The online curriculum is a critical step toward meeting the needs of blind and low-vision schoolchildren across America, who currently wait months to receive textbooks and instructional materials in braille," said Carl R. Augusto, president and CEO of the American Foundation for the Blind. "We are deeply appreciative of Verizon's commitment to continuing this partnership, and its long-standing dedication to championing literacy in America."

It is estimated that the U.S. needs 380 full-time transcribers now, will need 735 additional transcribers in five years, and 1,020 additional transcribers in 10 years. Because of this national shortage, blind and visually impaired schoolchildren go weeks, and sometimes months, without textbooks that their sighted peers have for their core and elective classes.

Since 2002, AFB's partnership with Verizon has propelled the lack of timely and appropriate textbooks and instructional materials for schoolchildren with vision loss into the forefront of education and policy discussion. Current transcribers are dedicated but unpaid volunteers who cannot meet the current demand for brailled textbooks and learning materials. This national effort has forced policymakers to look at what access truly means for students with visual impairments.

"This partnership has been and continues to be about giving all children—sighted or not—the opportunity to achieve their dreams," said Andrew Brown, executive director of public affairs for Verizon. "Verizon is pleased to be part of this exciting new career, which will provide the foundation for an equal education for students with visual impairments."

Verizon, through its national literacy program Verizon Reads, works with literacy organizations to create programs that promote the need for a more literate America, with a cadre of noted celebrities serving pro-bono as Literacy Champions for these programs. Erik Weihenmayer has served as pro-bono spokesperson for the past three years, and will continue to promote the new career of Braille Textbook Transcriber, and improving literacy for blind schoolchildren across America.

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About AFB
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)—the organization to which Helen Keller devoted her life—is a national nonprofit that works to expand the possibilities for people with vision loss. AFB promotes wide-ranging, systemic change by addressing the most critical issues facing the growing blind and low-vision population—including braille literacy. In addition to its New York City headquarters, AFB maintains offices in Dallas, San Francisco, Atlanta, Washington, DC, and Huntington, WV.

About Verizon Reads
Verizon Reads is a national campaign to increase community awareness and to generate additional funding and support of literacy programs for adults, children and families. In 2004, Verizon Reads awarded 900 grants totaling more than $18 million to such programs as Reach Out and Read, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and LULAC National Education Service Centers. In addition, through a company incentive program, Verizon Volunteers, employees are encouraged to volunteer for literacy efforts in their communities.

About Verizon Communications
With more than $71 billion in annual revenues, Verizon Communications Inc. is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon has a diverse work force of 212,000 in four business units: Domestic Telecom provides customers based in 28 states with wireline and other telecommunications services, including broadband. Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 45.5 million voice and data customers across the United States. Information Services operates directory publishing businesses and provides electronic commerce services. International includes wireline and wireless operations and investments, primarily in the Americas and Europe. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

Media Contact:
Carrie Fernandez
American Foundation for the Blind
212-502-7674
cfernandez@afb.net



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