Thank You from the NAD
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT
We did it! Together, we had a wildly successful year with advocacy
accomplishments too numerous to list here. Our 50th Biennial NAD Conference
in Philadelphia, PA exceeded expectations and plans are underway for 2012 in
Louisville, KY. Thanks to your support, we now have stable operations at
headquarters and we’re working towards a better, brighter future for the
benefit of all!
Key 2010 accomplishments:
* NAD advocated for passage of the Twenty-First Century Communications and
Video Accessibility Act, also through Coalition of Organizations for
Accessible Technology (COAT) efforts. This new federal law will make it
possible for us participate in the Internet age through captioned television
programs on the Internet. The result of three years of advocacy by NAD and
other groups, this new law also provides for closed caption buttons on
television remote controls, hearing aid-compatible Internet telephones,
communications equipment for individuals who are deaf-blind, and more.
* NAD called for swift action by International Congress on the Education of
the Deaf (ICED) to formally reject resolutions passed at its 2nd Congress
(also known as the 1880 Milan Congress). Last summer, ICED at its 21st
Congress in Vancouver made a formal announcement to this effect, with its
New Era Accord which expressed deep regret for the detrimental effects of
the Milan resolutions, and promoted the acceptance of and respect for all
languages and forms of communication in educational programs.
* NAD pushed for U.S.A ratification of the United Nations Convention on
Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD), an important human rights treaty
which states that sign language is a human right and that education includes
full acquisition of language, academic, practical and social knowledge. NAD
will also represent U.S.A. at the XVI World Congress of the World Federation
of the Deaf (WFD) in South Africa next summer. The WFD is a global human
rights organization with 130 country affiliates.
* NAD celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) with U.S. President Obama at the White House, with national disability
advocacy organizations, and at several federal agency events held throughout
the greater Washington, DC area. NAD had a pivotal role in passage of this
landmark civil rights law, including the ADA Amendments Act that was
reauthorized last year.
* NAD vigorously defended the rights of deaf and hard of hearing
professionals and consumers in several court cases, such as: pharmacists can
now conduct work-related relay calls in Alabama (patient orders by phone),
spectators can now access information during university sporting events in
Ohio (captioned public address systems), and attorneys can now access the
Kentucky court system (interpreting services and other forms of effective
communication).
We’re proud of what we’ve been able to do and we could not have done it
without you. Your support – both as a member and as a donor – helps NAD
continue as your watchdog, keeping an ever-vigilant eye on upcoming laws,
regulations, litigation, and policy work – to preserve, protect and advance
the lives of the American deaf and hard of hearing community.
This is the time of the year when people celebrate Thanksgiving. Our hope is
that you will continue to support NAD through your tax-deductible gift at
http://www.nad.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=448&qid=1083901
so that we can keep on making the world a better place for deaf and hard of hearing people.
On behalf of the board and staff, my warmest wishes to you for the holiday
season,
Bobbie Beth Scoggins
President