H-941                _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1752

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Representatives Anderson, Jacobsen, Van Luven, Miller, Wineberry and Todd

Read first time 2/3/89 and referred to Committees on Higher Education/Appropriations.

AN ACT Relating to communications access by blind students in higher education; adding new sections to chapter 74.18 RCW; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 74.18 RCW to read as follows:

          The legislature finds that blind students pursuing higher education in Washington have difficulty in obtaining access to materials they must read for school.  Because the number of blind students attending a particular institution fluctuates considerably from year to year, schools find it difficult to provide sufficient accommodation services to assure full academic participation for blind students.

          Some communication services for blind students have been provided by the department of services for the blind and by the Washington library for the blind and physically handicapped.  To assure that blind students have access to individualized services for their access needs, it is the intention of the legislature to create a coordinated service delivery system to respond to those needs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 74.18 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) The director shall establish a centralized system of support services to facilitate access to information and materials for blind students in institutions of higher education.  The system shall include both the delivery of special media and adaptive equipment services.

          (2) The director shall establish a centralized system of support services to deal with institutions' requests for assistance with communications access needs.  The support services may include individual assessment of student need, selection and provision of equipment, technical assistance with repair issues or provision of maintenance, training for students and school personnel, and follow-up.

          (3) The director shall establish a pool of equipment necessary for blind students to access information, to be distributed as needed among the institutions of higher education.  The pool may contain computer hardware, specialized software, adapted peripherals, or any other equipment which will allow alternative ways to input, process, or receive information.

          (4) The director shall contract with the Washington library for the blind and physically handicapped to produce special media for blind students, including taped and brailled materials, either transcribed or electronically transmitted.  The library shall agree to provide assistance to institutions of higher education to enable the institutions to transcribe materials for blind students.

          (5) The contract shall also provide for the library to collect and maintain an inventory of special media for blind students, whether taped, transcribed or transmitted electronically in braille, or in large type.  The materials shall be disseminated to blind students enrolled in institutions of higher education in this state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 74.18 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) The director shall appoint an advisory committee to advise the director on matters regarding communications access for blind students.  The committee shall be composed of ten persons, and shall include representatives from higher education, blind students, blind constituency groups, or other persons who the director believes will be of assistance to the committee.

          (2) Committee members may be appointed for a term of two years.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     The sum of eight hundred nine thousand five hundred fifty dollars or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1991, from the general fund to the department of services for the blind for the purposes of establishing the centralized service system.