It is my understanding that items mailed as "Free Matter for the Blind" are
shipped at the convenience of the post office and do not receive priority
shipping.

Ron M. (K8HSY
 
At 05:42 AM 9/12/2012 -0400, Scott Howell wrote:
>And Ron as I understand (and perhaps incorrectly) such items sent via =
>free matter do not get the same priority as other pieces of mail.
>
>On Sep 11, 2012, at 11:39 AM, Ronald E. Milliman =
><[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> A keyer is absolutely not eligible to be mailed as "Free Matter for =
>the
>> Blind."  It is not made specifically for a blind person and does not =
>fit
>> within either the letter or spirit of the postal regulations. =
>Knowingly
>> misusing the "Free Matter for the Blind," privilege is both unethical =
>and
>> illegal. =20
>>=20
>> As the President of the South Central Kentucky Council of the Blind, I =
>have
>> studied the postal regulations quite closely and even conferred with =
>the
>> postal authorities to be sure I understood the regulations before we =
>used
>> the "Free Matter for the Blind" stamped on our mailings and shipments =
>going
>> to our members, mailing materials to doctors' offices, etc.  Believe =
>it or
>> not, the postal inspectors will and do inspect some mailings and =
>shipments
>> to be sure they are not in violation of the postal regulations.  No, =
>they
>> do not inspect everything that is sent as "Free Matter for the Blind," =
>but
>> they will check anything that looks even a little suspicious. =20
>>=20
>> To use the "Free Matter for the Blind" mailing privilege, your item =
>must be
>> specifically for a legally blind person or persons and includes =
>Braille and
>> large print matter and devices designed for the specific use of blind
>> people.  A Victor Reader Stream can be sent as "Free Matter for the =
>Blind,"
>> but an Olympus DS-50, which has speech built into it, cannot be sent =
>as
>> "Free Matter for the Blind" because the Olympus DS-50 was not designed
>> specifically for the blind; though, it can certainly be used by the =
>blind.
>> In like manner, all of the Apple products, e.g. iPhone Apple TV, etc.
>> cannot be shipped as "Free Matter for the Blind," even though they all =
>have
>> Voiceover built into them and can be used by a blind person. =20
>>=20
>> Ron M.
>>=20
>>=20
>> Dr. Ronald E. Milliman, retired Professor Western Kentucky University
>>=20
>> Chair, American Council of the Blind Public Relations Committee
>> Monthly Monetary Support Program (MMS) Committee
>
Dr. Ronald E. Milliman, retired Professor Western Kentucky University

Chair, American Council of the Blind Public Relations Committee
Monthly Monetary Support Program (MMS) Committee