Press Release

ELECTION DAY VOTERS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS AND LEARNING DISABILITIES GET A HELPING HAND FROM RFB&D

November 2, 2004 (Princeton, NJ) — Voters who cannot read standard print effectively because of dyslexia, visual impairment or other physical disability went to the polls in parts of California and Colorado on Election Day with information they received from sample ballots recorded by Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic® (RFB&D).

Fifty RFB&D volunteers devoted more than 250 hours recording sample ballots from Santa Barbara County, CA, and distributing the four-track cassette tapes to county elections offices and the Braille Institute in time for the presidential election on November 2. Voters in Boulder County, Colorado also benefited from ballots recorded by volunteers at RFB&D's Rocky Mountain Unit.

"We do this every election, but this is the largest [ballot] we've ever had to do," said Tim Owens, executive director of the Santa Barbara Unit of RFB&D. "The tapes are a wonderful opportunity for people with print disabilities to be plugged into the democratic process, and we hope many more learn about and take advantage of the service."

"This is the first time we have created audio ballots, but it proved to be an easy task with our existing equipment," said Bob Janowski, production director for RFB&D's Rocky Mountain Unit. "There's also immense pride in adding civic accomplishment to our traditional educational mission."

Voters who have visual impairments, dyslexia or other physical disabilities are currently able to vote with the help of a designated friend, relative or poll worker. However, the Help America Vote Act, passed by Congress two years ago, requires that all polling places be equipped with fully accessible voting machines by 2006. Upgrades include headphone-equipped machines that produce an audio recording of the ballot and allow users to follow voice prompts. Selected polling places have already been outfitted with the touch-screen machines.

RFB&D, a nonprofit organization based in Princeton, NJ, serves more than 137,000 members of all ages with a one-of-a-kind library of 100,000 recorded textbooks and other educational materials on CD and four-track cassette. Students with print disabilities that make reading challenging or impossible rely on RFB&D's unique accommodation to access the printed page and to achieve educational success.

All of RFB&D's accessible titles are recorded by volunteers working in 28 RFB&D recording studios nationwide, including Santa Barbara, CA, and Denver, CO.

additional media inquiries:
RFB&D News Desk 1-800-803-7201, press 6
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