NFB NewsLine

Upon the passage of HB-669 in the 2005 session of the Georgia General Assembly, the PSC was made responsible for establishing, implementing, administering, and promoting a state-wide Audible Universal Information Access Service (AUIAS) for blind and print disabled citizens of Georgia, operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. “pursuant to O.C.G.A. §46-5-30, the General Assembly has found and declared that it is in the public interest to take advantage of innovative technological uses of basic telecommunications services to allow for universal access to information by blind and otherwise print disabled citizens of this state.” The National federation of the Blind’s proposal of the NFB NEWSLINE ®, to be used as Georgia’s Audible Universal Information Access Service (AUIAS), has prevailed as the most advantageous to the State in a competitive Request for Proposals. Beginning June 1, 2006, the NFB NEWSLINE ® will officially serve as the AUIAS for the state of Georgia.

Through digitized speech, NFB-NEWSLINE® provides daily access to public information, three national magazines, and over 200 newspapers free of charge, using a conventional touch tone telephone to access high-speed computers and telecommunications technology developed by the National Federation of the Blind. “For blind people in Georgia, especially seniors who can no longer read newsprint, this means more than being able to enjoy reading the Atlanta Journal Constitution with their cup of morning coffee,” Anil Lewis, president of the NFB of Georgia said. “It means staying connected to the social and political life of greater Atlanta, and the world.” Three other Georgia papers, the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer the Macon Telegraph, and the Savannah Morning News are also NFB-NEWSLINE® participating newspapers.

Participating papers, including the nationally distributed Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Roll Call, provide digital text of articles directly to the NFB-NEWSLINE® headquarters using the Internet or modem-to-modem transfer. Text is then converted automatically into synthesized speech and made immediately available to subscribers, allowing them to access all newspapers participating in the NFB-NEWSLINE® program by simply dialing the telephone.

Through the competitive bid process, the National Federation of the Blind has secured funding that provides for the management, outreach, and training required to allow toll-free access to this service by any eligible individual. The total number of Georgia citizens that could benefit from this service exceeds 20,000 individuals, as demonstrated by the number of current subscribers to the Georgia Library for Accessible Services (GLASS). The estimated number of blind citizens in the state of Georgia exceed 170,000 people. We hope to register more people as we improve the system and expand on the information available.

Many blind and print disabled Georgia citizens have already come to rely on the NewsLine ® service as our means of accessing local, national, and international information that makes it possible for us to participate as active informed members of our communities. We currently have four Georgia newspapers on the system, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Columbus Ledger inquirer, the Macon Telegraph, and the Savannah Morning News. We are actively working to add more local papers. In addition, we are adding other pertinent information formerly inaccessible to blind and print disabled citizens to the NewsLine service. This includes public service brochures, voter registration information, and other information that would promote our full participation in society.

Lifetime learning, including detailed awareness of current events, is part of what makes a good citizen, a successful employee or employer, and a valuable participant in community life. Without ready access to information, none of us can reach his or her full potential. Many seniors have lost enough vision that reading the daily newspaper is no longer possible. They will enjoy being able once again to participate actively in community affairs. Blind children are now able to research their own civics assignments and do their homework independently. Blind professionals can now converse on relevant topics, no longer being under informed about information critical to their professions or left out at social functions when the latest editorial is discussed. Beyond this, a wealth of other information primarily found in newspapers, and other inaccessible media, is now also available to all blind and print disable citizens on an equal footing, making it possible for us to actively participate as productive contributing members of our communities.

The National Federation of the Blind of Georgia is a 501(C3) non-profit volunteer organization of blind people dedicated to the objective of achieving equality, opportunity, and security for blind and visually impaired individuals. Thank you for taking the time to review this information. For a demonstration of this innovative technology please call 404-212-2021.

For more information about the National Federation of the Blind of Georgia, or to make a contribution, contact:

National Federation of the Blind of Georgia, Inc.

P. O. Box 56859

Atlanta, Georgia 30343

(404) 212-2021 (Voice)

(404) 212-2022 (Fax)

federation@nfbga.org (E-mail)

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