Lainey Feingold to receive AFB Access Award

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This is a short article about the 2008 Access Awards. The American Foundation for the Blind gives the awards each year. Lainey and co-counsel Linda Dardarian received one of three 2008 Access Awards. They won the award because of their work in Structured Negotiations. They have used this method to resolve complicated access issues without a lawsuit.

American Foundation for the Blind

Lainey and co-counsel Linda Dardarian are being honored on April 4 at the 2008 National Conference of the the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB). Lainey and Linda will receive one of AFB’s three 2008 Access Awards for their pioneering work in resolving complex accessible technology claims without litigation. Technology developers Serotek and Code Factory will also receive Access Awards, and Anita Aaron, Executive Director of the San Francisco LightHouse will receive the organization’s Gallagher Award.

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About Access Awards

The Access Awards, given annually by AFB, “honor individuals, corporations, and organizations that are eliminating or substantially reducing inequities faced by people who are blind or visually impaired.” Lainey and Linda are receiving the award for developing and using the Structured Negotiations process to reach national accessibility agreements with some of the largest corporations in the United States.

Lainey Feingold and Linda Dardarian are responsible for pioneering a legal advocacy method that emphasizes collaboration among the disability community, technology providers, businesses, and lawyers. Through their structured negotiations process, the city of San Francisco agreed to install pedestrian signals designed to guide blind and visually impaired pedestrians at more than 80 intersections citywide. Their negotiations work also resulted in creating more than 20 accessibility settlements with corporations, including Bank of America, Safeway, and RadioShack. — AFB conference materials

About AFB

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is a national nonprofit that expands possibilities for people with vision loss. AFB’s priorities include broadening access to technology; elevating the quality of information and tools for the professionals who serve people with vision loss; and promoting independent and healthy living for people with vision loss by providing them and their families with relevant and timely resources. AFB is also proud to house the Helen Keller Archives and honor the over forty years that Helen Keller worked tirelessly with AFB. Read more about the AFB’s 2008 annual conference.