I am writing from The Arc of Alachua County, in Gainesville, Florida, USA. We are applying for a grant from the U.S. Dept of Education to try to build a computer learning center for our clients. The Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) is entitled “Disability Rehabilitation Research Projects, Inclusive Cloud and Web Computing”. The purpose of the grant is “to develop methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technology that maximizes full inclusion and integration into society, employment, independent living, etc… and to especially include those with the most severe disabilities.”

My dream is to build a computer learning lab here at our facility and I see tremendous potential with Edubuntu. We have about 250 adult clients with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. They usually start coming to our facility after they complete high school at age 22. Some clients work here, but many others still need to learn more before they can work.

The Arc of Alachua County is a Not-for-Profit agency (www.arcalachua.org). We are affiliated with The Arc of Florida (www.arcflorida.org) and The Arc of the United States (www.thearc.org). If I could prove that the use of this free software was helping our clients to learn, then I would show that this could be made available to the other 700 Arc's in the United States.

The grant proposal I am writing is due July 5th, so I do not have a great deal of time unfortunately. With this grant, I intend to prove that computer learning centers are necessary for Arc's and for adults with I/DD. 

I have some technical questions and I would also like to find out if anyone at Ubuntu would write us a letter supporting our effort to add edubuntu into our proposed computer learning center. So I am hoping I can speak live with someone if possible. 

I can be reached at:
[Personal information deleted as per policy]

Thank you!