[Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor, March 2015
Brian Buhrow
buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org
Sun Mar 1 20:22:52 PST 2015
BRAILLE MONITOR
Vol. 58, No. 3 March 2015
Gary Wunder, Editor
Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive
(see reverse side) by the
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
Mark Riccobono, President
telephone: (410) 659-9314
email address: nfb at nfb.org
website address: http://www.nfb.org
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office or may be emailed to gwunder at nfb.org.
Monitor subscriptions cost the Federation about forty dollars per year.
Members are invited, and nonmembers are requested, to cover the
subscription cost. Donations should be made payable to National Federation
of the Blind and sent to:
National Federation of the Blind
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, Maryland 21230-4998
THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND KNOWS THAT BLINDNESS IS NOT THE
CHARACTERISTIC THAT DEFINES YOU OR YOUR FUTURE. EVERY DAY WE RAISE THE
EXPECTATIONS OF BLIND PEOPLE, BECAUSE LOW EXPECTATIONS CREATE OBSTACLES
BETWEEN BLIND PEOPLE AND OUR DREAMS. YOU CAN LIVE THE LIFE YOU WANT;
BLINDNESS IS NOT WHAT HOLDS YOU BACK. THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND-IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR
OURSELVES.
ISSN 0006-8829
© 2015 by the National Federation of the Blind
Each issue is recorded on a thumb drive (also called a memory stick
or USB flash drive). You can read this audio edition using a computer or a
National Library Service digital player. The NLS machine has two slots-the
familiar book-cartridge slot just above the retractable carrying handle and
a second slot located on the right side near the headphone jack. This
smaller slot is used to play thumb drives. Remove the protective rubber pad
covering this slot and insert the thumb drive. It will insert only in one
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when you insert it again, reading should resume at the point you stopped.
You can transfer the recording of each issue from the thumb drive to
your computer or preserve it on the thumb drive. However, because thumb
drives can be used hundreds of times, we would appreciate their return in
order to stretch our funding. Please use the return label enclosed with the
drive when you return the device.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Palm-lined drive leading to front entrance to Rosen Centre
Hotel]
Orlando Site of 2015 NFB Convention
The 2015 convention of the National Federation of the Blind will take
place in Orlando, Florida, July 5-10, at the Rosen Centre Hotel at 9840
International Drive, Orlando, Florida 32819. Make your room reservation as
soon as possible with the Rosen Centre staff only. Call (800) 204-7234.
The 2015 room rates are singles, doubles, and twins, $82; and triples
and quads, $89. In addition to the room rates there will be a tax, which at
present is 13.5 percent. No charge will be made for children under
seventeen in the room with parents as long as no extra bed is requested.
The hotel is accepting reservations now. A $95-per-room deposit is required
to make a reservation. Fifty percent of the deposit will be refunded if
notice is given to the hotel of a reservation cancellation before June 1,
2015. The other 50 percent is not refundable.
Rooms will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Reservations may be made before June 1, 2015, assuming that rooms are still
available. After that time the hotel will not hold our room block for the
convention. In other words, you should get your reservation in soon.
Guest-room amenities include cable television; in-room safe;
coffeemaker; hairdryer; and, for a fee, high-speed Internet access. Guests
can also enjoy a swimming pool, fitness center, and on-site spa. The Rosen
Centre Hotel offers fine dining at Executive Chef Michael Rumplik's award-
winning Everglades Restaurant. In addition, there is an array of dining
options from sushi to tapas to a 24-hour deli. The hotel has first-rate
amenities and shuttle service to the Orlando airport.
The schedule for the 2015 convention is:
Sunday, July 5 Seminar Day
Monday, July 6 Registration Day
Tuesday, July 7 Board Meeting and Division Day
Wednesday, July 8 Opening Session
Thursday, July 9 Business Session
Friday, July 10 Banquet Day and Adjournment
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
National Convention Preregistration Form
Please register online at <www.nfb.org/registration> or use this mail-in
form. Print legibly, provide all requested information, and mail form and
payment to:
National Federation of the Blind
Attn: Convention Registration
200 East Wells Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
Please register only one person per registration form; however, one check
or money order may cover multiple registrations. Check or money order
(sorry, no credit cards) must be enclosed with registration(s).
Registrant Name _____________________________________________________
Address ____________________________________________________________
City ____________________________ State _____________ Zip ___________
Phone ___________________ Email ____________________________________
___ I will pick up my registration packet at convention.
or
___ The following person will pick up my registration packet:
Pickup Name ______________________________________
Number of preregistrations x $25 = ____________
Number of pre-purchased banquet tickets x $55 = ____________
Total = ____________
PLEASE NOTE:
1. Preconvention registration and banquet sales are final (no refunds).
2. All preregistration mail-in forms must be postmarked by May 31.
Vol. 58, No. 3 March
2015
Contents
Illustration: Relationships Old and New on the Hill
To Learn, to Read, and to Work: TEACH, Treaty, Time, and the 2015
Washington Seminar
by Gary Wunder
Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans: Priorities for the 114th Congress,
First Session
Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act (HR188)
Technology, Education, and Accessibility in College and Higher Education
Act
The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons
Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled ("Marrakesh
Treaty")
Daring to Be All We Can Be
by Paul Gabias
A Troubled State of Accessible Voting
by Lou Ann Blake
Ethel Ulysses Parker, Jr.
by Peggy Chong
Access Technology: Spreading the Word and the Knowledge
by Anne Taylor
Recipes
Monitor Miniatures
Relationships Old and New on the Hill
[PHOTO CAPTION: Members of the Colorado affiliate talk with Senator Cory
Gardner]
[PHOTO CAPTION: Scott LaBarre and members of the Colorado delegation talk
with Representative Mike Coffman]
[PHOTO CAPTION: Mark Riccobono, Congressman Pete Aguilar, and Marc Maurer
chat during the Congressional Reception]
Anil Lewis, one of our most thoughtful and energetic leaders, has made the
observation on many occasions that "it is all about relationships." One of
the reasons Congressman Gregg Harper agreed to consider supporting the Fair
Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act, now the Transition to Integrated
and Meaningful Employment Act, was that his friend Sam Gleese, the
president of the National Federation of the Blind of Mississippi, asked him
to do it. As year after year we come to the capital and use the time
between visits in DC to talk with our members of Congress in the districts
where we live, we build these relationships; we build trust; we create a
climate that promotes and results in positive change. This is what we did
on Capitol Hill, and this is what we do every day as we continue to educate
the public about what it really means to be blind. Whether in lunchrooms,
libraries, or the halls of Congress, we continue to tell people that our
biggest problem in dealing with the world is not our lack of eyesight but
the reaction to it that gets in our way. It is through relationships that
the statements become more than just words and allow us to show that with
love, hope, and determination, we and our friends and supporters transform
dreams into reality.
To Learn, to Read, and to Work:
TEACH, Treaty, Time, and the 2015 Washington Seminar
by Gary Wunder
The slogan of the United States Postal Service and its commitment to
deliver the mail are strikingly similar to the commitment of the blind to
appear annually before the Congress of the United States of America to
discuss the hopes, dreams, and rock-solid commitment of blind people to
their full and complete participation on terms of equality with the
sighted. So, when winter came to the East, dumping several feet of snow on
New York, Boston, and other major cities, many wondered whether we would
still travel by the hundreds to visit with the newly elected Congress. But
come we did, visit we did, and educate we did. Certainly the weather
stopped some from coming, and a few had to leave early, but, once one was
in DC, the weather was more a topic of discussion than a deterrent to doing
the business we came to do. The weather was chilly, but we were spared the
snow and ice that paralyzed much of the East. Inches of snow and bitterly
cold temperatures, like many other events in our lives, seemed as though
they might make our participation difficult or impossible, but the reality
was something quite different. It was more a nuisance than a handicap, and
it had no bearing on our ability to do what was demanded.
Events started on Saturday evening as the legislative coordinators
from each state gathered at the Jernigan Institute to discuss our issues,
strategies for best communicating them, and roleplaying to prepare for the
questions we would likely encounter. After a day and a half of training,
the coordinators came to the Holiday Inn Capitol, where these students
became the teachers: briefing those of us who were just arriving or who had
been in other seminars on Sunday and Monday.
The National Organization of Parents of Blind Children hosted the
Bolotin Award-winning Parent Leadership Program at the 2015 Washington
Seminar. New and returning parent leaders heard from many Federation
leaders, including President Riccobono, Pam Allen, Gary Wunder, Parnell
Diggs, Gabe Cazares, Jim Antonacci, Anil Lewis, and Natalie Shaheen. NOPBC
President Carlton Anne Cook Walker, NOPBC Second Vice President Kim
Cunningham, and NOPBC Director of Programs (and former NOPBC President)
Carol Castellano led the seminar, and former NOPBC President (and current
Louisiana POBC President) Laura Bostick also shared Federation philosophy
and leadership principles with the parent leaders. In this two-day seminar
the group focused on topics such as the philosophy and policy of the
Federation, the nuts and bolts of forming a group, the value of planning an
activity of the month, ways to plan a seminar for first timers, and the art
and science of leadership.
At the National Association of Blind Students annual winter seminar,
students from around the nation gathered to be inspired; to be informed;
and, perhaps most of all, to prepare to take our message of equal
opportunity for the blind to Capitol Hill. As President Sean Whalen
reports, "Leaders from our various state divisions shared their successes
during the past year, and NABS committees updated everybody on the work
currently underway. President Riccobono called upon us to take the
enthusiasm home and work in our chapters and affiliates to advance the
agenda of the Federation, and Scott LaBarre armed students with the facts
about our legislative agenda so that we were ready to make our case to our
elected representatives. We were pleased to have so many students in
attendance at the Washington Seminar and hope that even more students will
make the trip to DC to push for legislative change in the years ahead."
[PHOTO CAPTION: Mark Riccobono opens the Great Gathering-In]
At 5:00 PM on Monday evening, January 26, 2015, a new but familiar
voice rang out to open the Great Gathering-In meeting. President Riccobono
said, "We come despite the blizzard of 2015. The blind have come to Capitol
Hill. We have come to speak for ourselves, and in our seventy-fifth year we
come with diamonds on the tips of our canes. We have come to assert our
right to equal pay; we have come to assert our right for an equal
opportunity in education; we have come to assert our right for equality in
accessing the world's knowledge and for the right to read. We bring with us
our experience, our knowledge about blindness, and our firm conviction that
blindness is not the characteristic that defines us. We want those in the
halls of power to know that not only do we demand our rights but we intend
to fulfill our responsibilities as first-class citizens to make this the
greatest country on earth." When the President asked the crowd whether it
was up to the challenge of taking our message to the policymakers of
America, the response was enthusiastic and unequivocal: we were, and we
did!
President Riccobono announced that Diane McGeorge, the longtime
coordinator of logistics for the Washington Seminar, was not with us but
was recovering from a severe sinus infection that resulted in doctor's
orders that she not fly. The crowd sent out a cheer for Diane that found
its way to Denver through many phone calls from those sending their wishes
for her speedy recovery and ensuring she knew everything she would've
wanted to know, were she present. Always one for managing in great detail,
Diane asked if the hotel had peanut butter pie, and yours truly inquired
and then consumed a piece in her honor.
Before addressing the issues that would be taken to Capitol Hill, the
President suggested we review some recent victories:
Last year the Maryland Board of Elections offered an online-ballot-
marking tool and said they would make it available in the election. After
working with constituents to make sure that this tool was accessible, the
board decided that it would not take a vote to certify the ballot. The
National Federation of the Blind demanded to know why, but the board
declined to give a reason. Since we consider the right to vote
independently to be a fundamental right of citizenship, we took the state
of Maryland to court. The state told the judge that blind people have
access to the polls and that the state had already made 98 percent of the
polling places in Maryland accessible. They argued that blind people who
wanted to vote using a secret ballot should go to the polls and that
nothing in the law required that all options a voter might use should be
accessible. Since any person in Maryland has the right to vote using an
absentee ballot, we argued that this right should be extended to the blind,
the court agreed, and the blind were able independently to cast an absentee
ballot in the 2014 election.
A new subscription service called Scribd now makes available more
than 40 million titles through its online web interface. It also allows
subscribers to publish their own works. Scribd is not accessible to the
blind, so, standing in solidarity with a blind parent from Vermont, we have
sued Scribd, for we are determined to see that the blind of America receive
an equal education and access to the reading materials offered to those who
can see.
The higher education community often tells us that it has
accessibility under control, but despite its assurances we find we must
challenge educational inequality on many campuses throughout the country.
Although we have negotiated successful agreements with Penn State, the
University of Montana, Florida State University, and others, many other
colleges and universities continue to discriminate against blind students
by not providing accessible technology. Our latest settlement is with
Maricopa Community College in Arizona. As a result of this agreement
Maricopa Community College will procure electronic and information
technology that is accessible to blind students. This will include making
changes to its website, the school's library website, the learning
management system used by the school, and the personal response systems
used in classrooms. This agreement even goes so far as to require that the
automated teller machines be accessible.
Recently the Federation has concluded an agreement with the United
States Department of Education which will make its student loan services
accessible to all students, including the blind. This agreement binds not
only the department but all loan servicers with which they do business.
Some people work hard to get out of their student loans, but our effort is
to see that blind people have the ability to get a good education, to
borrow the money required to do it, and to pay back that money.
President Riccobono spoke briefly about Pedro Martinez, a blind
parent who resides in the state of New York and who was trying to gain
custody of his child after she was placed in foster care in California due
to her mother's inability to care for her. A California court asked
officials in the New York child protection agency to do an evaluation of
Mr. Martinez to determine whether he would be able to care for his child.
The New York agency praised him for his independence, his personality, and
his blindness skills; but they recommended to the court that custody not be
granted because Pedro Martinez was not only blind but poor. When we asked
our lawyers to look into this report, they concluded that it was shockingly
discriminatory. Accordingly, we intervened, and, with the energy and
imagination of the National Federation of the Blind behind him, Pedro
Martinez got training in the parenting classes that would help him become a
better parent, the New York agency did a second assessment, and a
California court has now awarded him custody. As President Riccobono said,
"Both we and Pedro know that things aren't going to be easy, but he and his
daughter already have a pretty big family to help them out." That family,
of course, refers to his family and to the National Federation of the
Blind.
President Riccobono concluded his discussion of legal cases by
reviewing our recent settlement with Cardtronics, the largest deployer of
non-bank ATMs in the world. Our settlement requires that the full fleet of
Cardtronics ATMs be accessible by March 31 of 2017. The settlement also
includes a significant financial contribution by Cardtronics to the
National Federation of the Blind, 1.25 million dollars. Beyond ATM
accessibility and the financial settlement to the Federation, Cardtronics
has agreed to establish a Center of Excellence, and this they have done.
Ron Gardner is serving as an expert on accessibility and as our
representative in dealing with the company. "We started with litigation
with Cardtronics, but I think that, going forward, we are going to find
some extremely fine partners who push the ATM industry in accessibility
farther than we've ever seen," said President Riccobono. Randy Rice, a vice
president at Cardtronics and the head of the Center of Excellence, was
present and was acknowledged through applause for his commitment to
accessibility. President Riccobono remarked, "Although we don't always
start on the same side of the table, it's great when we can link arms, join
our expertise, and change the world. That's what we're here to do with
Congress."
We then moved from highlighting some of our legal victories to an
introduction of prominent guests in the audience. President Riccobono
welcomed representatives from each affiliate; the Board of Directors of the
National Federation of the Blind; our immediate past president, Marc
Maurer, and his wife Patricia; and Mrs. Mary Ellen Jernigan. He also
introduced the associate director of the White House Office of Public
Engagement, Ms. Taryn Mackenzie Williams; the Honorable Bill Zeliff, former
member of Congress from New Hampshire; and Paul Cambon, an associate who
has worked with us on legislative affairs for a long time.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Jeannie Massay]
Jeannie Massay, the president of the National Federation of the Blind
of Oklahoma and the cochairman of the 75 Days of Action Committee, was
introduced to talk about our recently completed campaign and our commitment
to recruit 750 new members this year. Jeannie welcomed everyone to the
Washington Seminar, noting that it is sometimes called the midwinter family
reunion of the National Federation of the Blind. She reminded us that we
are all Federation-builders and that our goal of 750 new members will be
substantially achieved if each one of us attending the Great Gathering-In
recruits one new member. She welcomed Federationists who want to play a
significant role in reaching this goal to contact her through email using
the address <Jeanniemassay at gmail.com> or by phone at (405) 600-0695.
President Riccobono briefly mentioned our 2015 BELL Program, which
will be hosted by more than half of our state affiliates; our NFBEQ
(engineering quotient) program, in which we will be assisting in the design
of advanced placement courses for engineers; and an internship program at
the Jernigan Institute, which will run from June 1 to August 7. More
details about this program can be found at the Voice of the Nation's Blind
blog at <https://nfb.org/voice-nations-blind>, and applications will be
accepted until March 13, 2015.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Marion Gwizdala presents Mark Riccobono with a donation
from the National Association of Guide Dog Users]
Marion Gwizdala, the president of the National Association of Guide
Dog Users, came to thank the National Federation of the Blind for an
Imagination Fund grant that helped to establish the NAGDU Information and
Advocacy Hotline. Along with the new iPhone application that was made
available on September 17, 2014, it has helped thousands of blind people in
finding, reading, and sharing information about the laws, rights, and
responsibilities of guide dog users. In recognition of the significant
contribution made by the national body and in support of the unity that
characterizes our work, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
presented a check for $25,000 to President Riccobono for the national
treasury.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Edward Shaham presents Mark Riccobono with a donation from
the National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut]
Edward Shaham, the newly elected president of the National Federation
of the Blind of Connecticut, addressed the assembled and said how happy he
was to be at his third Washington Seminar. In keeping with the traditions
of the National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut, half of all
bequests made to the Connecticut affiliate are shared with the national
treasury, and President Shaham presented President Riccobono with a check
for $82,722. These donations, which came from generous bequests, will do a
great deal in furthering the work of the organization.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Marc Maurer]
Immediate Past President Maurer was greeted with enthusiastic
applause when he was introduced. He came to talk about the tenBroek Legacy
Fund, a program through which Federationists can make a contribution to the
work of the organization by including us in their wills. He also talked
about the latest incarnation of the KNFB Reader and asked that we think
about and submit to him suggestions for what features should appear in
subsequent releases of the product. We believe this is the best handheld
reading machine on the market, but our goal is always to make it better,
faster, and cheaper.
[PHOTO CAPTION: John Paré]
The executive director for advocacy and policy of the National
Federation of the Blind, John Paré, was next introduced to begin discussion
of the three issues we would take to Capitol Hill. He emphasized that,
while our focus for the next few days would be on these three, the fact is
that we follow and support many issues. One of particular interest is the
Space Available Program, and we have every reason to believe that it will
be passed this year. Another issue we are monitoring is legislation
recently proposed to block all transfers of funds within the Social
Security Administration. Since funds are routinely transferred, and because
the Social Security Disability Insurance Fund has only enough money to
sustain it through 2016, this is a major concern and one we will be asked
to address as the proposal moves through the Congress.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Aleeha Dudley]
Each of the three issues we took to Capitol Hill was then spiritedly
summarized and will be covered in detail in the fact sheets that follow
this article. Rose Sloan was introduced to talk about the Transition to
Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act. She emphasized that this affects
the lives of thousands of people with disabilities, and we must ensure that
they receive at least the federal minimum wage. Lauren McLarney discussed
the Technology, Education, and Accessibility in College and Higher
Education Act and asked that Aleeha Dudley offer a few words of support as
a current student. Aleeha eloquently articulated the plight of many blind
students who come to higher education with lofty goals and find them
frustrated, and in some cases obliterated, by the lack of access found in
the technology used by the higher education system. She said that we need
guidelines so that the technology that is used doesn't become yet another
voice telling us that our dreams are unrealistic and our career goals
unattainable.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Congressman Steny Hoyer]
Congressman Steny Hoyer, the Minority Whip in the United States House
of Representatives, was introduced and cleverly began his remarks by
observing that, if he was speaking at the Great Gathering-In, he certainly
must be addressing the "in crowd." He went on to say, "Over the next three
days you will be visiting nearly every House and Senate office on Capitol
Hill, sharing your personal stories, and advocating for policies that
promote equal access and equal opportunity. You will be effective, and the
reason you will be effective is that you will be able to speak as this
young student has spoken: you will be speaking about your experiences, not
something you read about or heard about or were told about, but something
that you have experienced. You will be able to convey this to members of
Congress who may not have had similar experiences. ... Our Constitution and
our system of laws espouse the principle of equal justice. We must continue
our efforts to ensure that our nation is also a beacon of equal
opportunity. That, of course, is what the Americans with Disabilities Act
is all about. ... The American dream must always be open and accessible to
all of us because, if it is not accessible to all of us, we all lose-we
lose the contribution of those challenged by disabilities but who are
willing and able to participate effectively in so many ways."
[PHOTO CAPTION: Scott LaBarre]
Scott LaBarre had the unenviable task of following Congressman Hoyer,
but he did a commendable job in explaining why we need the Marrakesh
Treaty, or what is also known as the Books Without Borders Treaty.
Ratification of this treaty will require that two-thirds of the Senate
support it, so it is important that we emphasize what ratification will
mean to us: both materials we can get that have previously been recorded by
English-speaking countries, and those we can get from countries where the
native language is not English and the materials we need for the study of
foreign languages are not available to us through resources in this
country.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Catherine Lhamon]
President Riccobono next introduced Catherine Lhamon, the assistant
secretary for civil rights in the United States Department of Education. In
her remark she said that "It is my job and the job of my 600-person staff
to ensure that the federal civil rights laws are respected in schools both
K-12 and in higher education. ... Just last month we resolved two cases
with two universities in Ohio with a very strong impact in this area. With
Youngstown State University in Ohio, which serves 13,000 students, and with
the University of Cincinnati, which serves 42,600 students, we entered into
resolution agreements ensuring that their websites will fully comply with
our federal civil rights laws, requires that they develop and publish a
notice of nondiscrimination, that they implement a plan to ensure web
accessibility and to train staff in webpage development and content
development, and that they ensure access to computer labs, especially
regarding the provision of assistive technology that is available for all
of their students. ... I'm very delighted to be working arm in arm in
partnership with the National Federation of the Blind to make sure that we
secure the rights for all of our students, including those who are blind."
[PHOTO CAPTION: Jim Gashel]
Jim Gashel told the attendees at the Great Gathering-In that we must
take advantage of the opportunity to reward agencies and organizations who
are doing outstanding work on behalf of the blind. The Dr. Jacob Bolotin
Award Committee is now soliciting applications and will do so until March
31. This award provides the National Federation of the Blind an
opportunity, not only to recognize and highlight the most innovative
thinkers and programs in the country, but to contribute to the financial
support of their work.
President Riccobono reminded us to register for the 2015 convention
and said that it would be hosted by the seven original affiliates that came
together in 1940 to form the National Federation of the Blind. Ever Lee
Hairston cochairs the committee coordinating the work of these founding
affiliates, and she said that at the convention there would be a door prize
worthy of our seventy-fifth celebration. It will be $7,575, so this is yet
another incentive to attend the most dynamic meeting of the blind that will
occur in 2015.
Jim Antonacci, the president of the National Federation of the Blind
of Pennsylvania, announced that the affiliate would be holding its annual
convention in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, at the same hotel where the NFB
was founded. The hotel will be the Genetti Best Western, and reservations
can be made by calling (570) 823-6152. Anyone wishing to go should make
reservations immediately. The hotel has only seventy-two rooms.
With the business of the Great Gathering-In meeting concluded,
members went off to find dinner, coordinate appointments, and discuss the
finer points of the proposals they would take to Capitol Hill. On Tuesday
morning the hotel lobby was filled with Federationists proudly displaying
the beautiful white tote bags we would use to carry the packets that would
be given to each member of Congress. Taxis were in high demand, but many
decided to start their day with a brisk walk to the Capitol. The pace was
hectic as we made our rounds, meeting with senators, representatives, and
their top aides.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Congressman Pete Aguilar]
On Tuesday afternoon a reception was held at the Rayburn House
Office Building to commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the
National Federation of the Blind. The master of ceremonies for the event
was Immediate Past President Marc Maurer, and the first speaker called on
to make a presentation was the newly elected representative from the thirty-
first District of California, Congressman Pete Aguilar. The Congressman was
particularly honored to be asked to speak at our event because his
grandfather went blind as a result of retinitis pigmentosa, and under the
Randolph-Sheppard Program he managed the cafeteria at the San Bernardino
courthouse. Representative Aguilar's job was to work in that facility, and
in the early 70s one of his primary responsibilities was to empty the
ashtrays. He said that in this job he learned about the value of hard work,
a good attitude, and the cultivation of trust between human beings. When
his grandfather was active in business, the talking scale had not yet been
invented, but his customers would honestly and consistently tell him what
they had purchased, how much it weighed, and the denomination of the bills
they were giving him. Because of his experience, Representative Aguilar
understands the importance of rehabilitation, education, and advocacy. He
supports our work and believes that, not only can blind people be good
workers, but, with the proper opportunity and training, we can become job
creators, and this he pledges to help us become.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Congressman Gregg Harper]
Our champion in the House of Representatives to see that blind people
are paid at least the federal minimum wage is Congressman Gregg Harper of
Mississippi. Congressman Harper has refiled the bill that will phase out
Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, and that new bill is HR 188.
"You know, this is something we've been working on together, and we're not
going to stop until Section 14(c) is repealed. Meaningful work deserves
fair pay, and to say that someone can be paid less than the minimum wage is
pretty insulting. We believe we can do better. Now some organizations take
advantage of the special wage-I understand why they're doing that-but there
are some groups that, if they would join with us, could create a lot of
goodwill. We have work to do, we're not going to stop, and together we will
make great gains to make life better."
President Riccobono addressed the celebratory gathering with these
remarks:
Thank you, Dr. Maurer, members of the Board of Directors of the
National Federation of the Blind, honorable members of the United
States House of Representatives and the United States Senate,
Congressional staff, friends from government and nonprofit agencies,
and my fellow Federationists.
E pluribus unum has been a motto for our nation since the time
of the Revolutionary War. The traditional meaning of this phrase for
America was: that out of many states (or colonies) emerges a single
nation. Today the motto is often used to provide a broader, more
individualized meaning: that out of many diverse people-of different
races, religions, languages, and backgrounds-a single nation is
solidified. This phrase could also be used to characterize the
National Federation of the Blind. We are a unified, powerful force
that is made up of many diverse people striving for those sharing the
characteristic of blindness to be recognized as first-class citizens
in our great nation.
It is fitting that we have come to celebrate our seventy-fifth
year here in the halls of Congress. A number of federal programs
established by the United States during the 1930s accelerated the
urgency to have a national organization that could unify the work of
many state-based organizations of the blind and bring a collective
voice to Washington, DC.
Since 1940 we have sought partnership with the members of
Congress. Just as blindness is not the characteristic that defines us
or our future, we have never let the politics in the halls of power
define those who share our common interest in improving the status of
the blind. It has sometimes been difficult to find leaders with the
courage to take on the difficult issues, it has sometimes been tricky
to articulate the complexities of policy changes, and sometimes our
issues have gotten caught in the middle of technical issues or
political battles having nothing to do with the blind.
Yet more often than not, we have found courageous friends in the
Congress, like Congressman Harper, who recognize our expertise on
blindness and the legacy we have built over the past seventy-five
years. We, the blind of this nation, have been successful in advancing
a meaningful policy agenda because we bring the largest disability-run
event to Capitol Hill every year in the form of our Washington
Seminar; because we follow-up when we are back in our hometowns; and
because many of the members of Congress have stood with us through the
years.
As we celebrate the seventy-fifth year of our organization, we
should also celebrate the friends we have had in Congress and the
partnerships we can look forward to nurturing in the decades to come.
Recently we have been cheering our work on by saying, "Let's go build
the Federation." Inasmuch as our work helps to make the United States
a better place for the blind and other citizens, let us say together
today: Let's go build the USA.
With those remarks and the applause that followed, the crowd began to
chant "USA, USA, USA."
[PHOTO CAPTION: Representative John Sarbanes]
President Riccobono was followed to the microphone by Representative
John Sarbanes, who represents the third district in Maryland, where the
Jernigan Institute is located. Though the Congressman was being pressed to
get back to the House floor for a vote, he said, "It means a tremendous
amount when you come to the Hill, when you walk the halls of Congress, when
you go into members' offices and you make the case for the contribution
that you and others can deliver to our communities and to our country. I
like that mantra `build the USA.' That's what you are doing every single
day with your commitment; and I know that, when the National Federation of
the Blind is at the forefront of an issue or concern, it is something I
need to be educated on and something I need to spread the word to my
colleagues about. Thank you for being here today, thank you for the great
work you do, and thank you for the contributions that you make every single
day in our communities all across the United States."
These were the formal remarks at the reception, but they only begin
to capture the excitement we felt about the work that had been done over
the last seven decades and the work that still remains for us to do.
Wednesday and Thursday were filled with more appointments on the Hill, but,
as each of us packed up and left the Holiday Inn Capitol, we did so with a
heightened sense of our shared history, a greater understanding of the
challenges we face today, and a stronger sense of optimism about the future
we intend to make for blind people in this country. The blizzard of 2015
will be but a brief note in meteorological history, but the work of the
National Federation of the Blind and its visit to Congress will be much
more. It will change the present, enhance the future, and make better the
lives of blind people everywhere.
----------
Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans
Priorities for the 114th Congress, FIRST Session
The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is the oldest and largest
nationwide organization of blind people. We represent the collective views
of the 1.3 million blind people throughout the US. All of our leaders and
the vast majority of our members are blind, but anyone can participate in
our movement.
The NFB's three legislative initiatives for 2015 are:
. The Transitioning to Meaningful and Integrated Employment Act (HR 188)
Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act allows employers to pay
workers with disabilities less than the minimum wage because of the false
assumption that they are less productive than nondisabled workers. This
antiquated provision breeds low expectations and discourages disabled
Americans from reaching their full potential. HR 188 responsibly phases
out the use of the 14(c) Special Wage Certificates, ending the era of
segregated, subminimum wage work.
. The Technology, Education, and Accessibility in College and Higher
Education Act
Electronic instructional materials have replaced traditional methods of
learning in postsecondary education, but the overwhelming majority of
ebooks, courseware, web content, and other technology is inaccessible to
students with print disabilities. The law requires equal access in the
classroom but fails to provide direction to schools for how that applies
to technology. The TEACH Act creates voluntary accessibility guidelines
for educational technology to improve blind students' access to course
material, stimulate the market, and reduce litigation for schools.
. The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons
Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled
Despite the ability to convert print books into accessible formats like
Braille, large print, audio, and digital copies, over 300 million blind
and otherwise print-disabled people are excluded from accessing 95
percent of published works. The Marrakesh Treaty calls for contracting
parties to add exemptions and limitations to domestic copyright laws to
permit reproduction, distribution, and cross-border exchange of
accessible works. Blind Americans, rights holders, educators, and other
stakeholders will benefit from this treaty, and Congress should ratify it
promptly.
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back. These priorities will remove barriers
that stand between blind people and our dreams, which often include
meaningful employment, equality in the classroom, and access to published
works. We urge Congress to remove these barriers by supporting our
legislative initiatives.
----------
Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act (HR 188)
Current labor laws unjustly prohibit workers with disabilities from
reaching their full vocational and socioeconomic potential.
Written in 1938, Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act allows the
Secretary of Labor to grant to employers Special Wage Certificates, which
permit them to pay workers with disabilities subminimum wages. The original
intent was to incentivize for-profit businesses to hire people with
disabilities, but the provision has failed to achieve this outcome. Today,
less than 5 percent of all certificate holders are for-profit businesses,
and a complex network of 2,500 plus nonprofit, "charitable" businesses
capitalize on this loophole.[i]
Section 14(c) is based on the false assumption that disabled workers are
less productive than nondisabled workers. In reality, the subminimum wage
business model is what is unproductive, not workers with disabilities.
Successful employment models, such as supported or customized employment,
prove that with the proper training and support, people with disabilities
can be productive, valuable employees.[ii] Some former 14(c) entities have
already transitioned and found that they are more efficient than they used
to be.[iii] Research shows that the subminimum wage model costs more but
actually produces less and that people with disabilities have to unlearn
the skills they adopted in subminimum wage jobs.[iv]
14(c)-certificate-holding entities encourage Americans with disabilities to
rely on government benefits rather than achieve self-sufficiency. Over four
hundred thousand Americans with disabilities are being paid subminimum
wages-some mere pennies per hour.[v] Instead of paying taxes, almost all
employees who are paid subminimum wages must rely on government assistance
such as Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid. Currently, 95 percent of
people with disabilities who are paid subminimum wages never obtain the
competitive integrated employment they strive for.[vi]
Subminimum wage employment undermines taxpayer investment in job training.
Taxpayers invest billions in vocational rehabilitation, money that should
be dedicated to helping people with disabilities discover their full
potential using reasonable accommodations. This investment is undercut when
people with disabilities are stuck doing mundane, repetitive tasks that do
not improve their skillsets. Many 14(c) entities (SourceAmerica) are
already receiving preferential federal contracts and public and charitable
donations-they should not be allowed to pay people with disabilities
subminimum wages.
The Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act:
Discontinues the issuance of new Special Wage Certificates. The Secretary
of Labor will no longer issue Special Wage Certificates to new applicants.
Phases out the use of Special Wage Certificates over a three-year period.
Using the following schedule, entities will be able to transition to the
proven model of competitive integrated employment:
. Private for-profit entities will have one year to transition;
. Public or governmental entities will have two years to transition; and
. Nonprofit entities will have three years to transition. (These
entities make up 95 percent of the Special Wage Certificate holders.)i
Repeals Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Three years after
the law is enacted, the practice of paying disabled workers subminimum
wages will be officially abolished. This will result in the elimination of
segregated, subminimum wage workshops and in the development of integrated
and meaningful employment opportunities that encourage people with
disabilities to reach their full vocational and socioeconomic potential.
REMOVE BARRIERS TO REAL TRAINING AND MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT.
Cosponsor Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act (HR
188)
For more information contact:
Rose Sloan, Government Affairs Specialist, National Federation of the Blind
Phone: (410) 659-9314, Extension 2441, Email: rsloan at nfb.org
To cosponsor, contact:
Scot Malvaney, Policy Director, Congressman Gregg Harper (R-MS)
Phone: (202)-225-5031, Email: scot.malvaney at mail.house.gov
For more information visit: www.nfb.org/fair-wages
-----------------------
[i]United States Department of Labor. "Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRPs) List" Last modified November 1,
2013. http://www.dol.gov/whd/specialemployment/CRPlist.htm.
[ii] United States Department of Labor. "Customized Employment Works
Everywhere." Last modified October, 2009.
https://www.hdi.uky.edu/setp/materials/vignette_v3_blue_508_FINAL.pdf.
[iii] Melwood. "Cari DeSantis: Fair Pay for Workers with Disabilities."
Last modified November 28, 2014.
http://www.melwood.org/articles/articles/view/127.
[iv] Cimera, Robert E.; Wehman, Paul; West, Michael; & Burgess, Sloane. "Do
Sheltered Workshops Enhance Employment Outcomes for Adults with Autism
Spectrum Disorder?" Autism. 16 (2012): 87.
[v] Government Accountability Office. "Centers Offer Employment and Support
Services to Workers With Disabilities, But Labor Should Improve Oversight"
Report to Congressional Requesters. 01-886 (2001): 18.
[vi] Government Accountability Office. "Centers Offer Employment and
Support Services to Workers With Disabilities, But Labor Should Improve
Oversight" Report to Congressional Requesters. 01-886 (2001): 4.
----------
Technology, Education, and Accessibility in College and Higher Education
Act
Until colleges and universities have accessibility guidelines for
technology, blind college students will be denied access to critical course
material.
Technology has fundamentally changed the education system. The scope of
instructional materials used at institutions of higher education has
expanded. Curricular content comes in digital books, PDFs, webpages, etc.,
and most of this content is delivered through digital databases, learning
management systems, and applications. The print world is inherently
inaccessible to students with disabilities, but technology offers the
opportunity to expand the circle of participation. And studies have found
that, of the six million plus students with print disabilities in the
system, the number who go on to pursue postsecondary education is
growing.[vii]
Blind students are facing insurmountable barriers to education. Instead of
fulfilling the promise of equal access, technology has created more
problems than the print world ever did. Data show that students with
disabilities face a variety of challenges, including matriculation failure,
solely because colleges and universities are sticking with the ad-hoc
accommodations model instead of embracing accessibility.[viii] Schools
deploy inaccessible technology and then modify/retrofit another version for
blind students, usually weeks into class, creating a "separate-but-equal"
landscape with nearly impenetrable barriers. With only a 20 percent
employment rate,[ix] blind students should not be denied access by the very
thing that could have ensured full participation.
Institutions of higher education need help to identify accessible material
and comply with nondiscrimination laws. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act and Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act require
schools to provide equal access, and in 2010, the US Departments of Justice
and Education clarified that the use of inaccessible technology is
prohibited under these laws.[x] In the five years since, over a dozen
institutions have faced legal action for using inaccessible technology[xi],
and complaints are on the rise. Most litigation ends with a commitment from
the school to embrace accessibility, but that commitment does little in a
vast, uncoordinated higher education market[xii] that mostly forgets about
blind students.
Accessibility solutions are available, but guidelines are sorely needed to
guide the market. Equal access requirements have no criteria for
accessibility that schools can use when selecting technology. Innovations
in text-to-speech, refreshable Braille, and other accessibility features
are widely available, but developers and manufacturers will incorporate
only solutions that are demanded by the market. Accessibility guidelines
are needed so that schools can streamline demand, stimulate the market, and
better identify accessible material. If schools seeking to avoid litigation
embrace this voluntary path to compliance, blind students will truly attain
equal access.
Technology, Education, and Accessibility in College and Higher Education
Act:
Develops accessibility guidelines for instructional materials used in
postsecondary education. A purpose-based Commission is tasked with
developing accessibility criteria for instructional materials and the
delivery systems/technologies used to access those materials so that
schools and developers can identify what makes a product usable by the
blind.
Provides incentive for institutions of higher education to follow the
guidelines. Institutions of higher education that use only technology that
conforms with the guidelines will be deemed in compliance with the
provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Titles II and III
of the Americans with Disabilities Act that pertain to schools' use of
technology.
Offers flexibility for schools while reiterating that pre-existing
obligations still apply. Colleges and universities are permitted to use
material that does not conform to the guidelines as long as equal access
laws are still honored. Compliance with the guidelines is only one path to
compliance; schools can pursue a different path, but will forfeit the safe
harbor legal protection.
REMOVE BARRIERS TO EQUALITY IN THE CLASSROOM.
Cosponsor the TEACH Act
For more information contact:
Lauren McLarney, Manager of Government Affairs, National Federation of the
Blind
Phone: (410) 659-9314, Ext. 2207. Email: lmclarney at nfb.org
To cosponsor in the Senate, contact:
Katie Neal, Legislative Assistant, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Phone: (202) 224-5251. Email: katie_neal at hatch.senate.gov, or
Louis Katz, Legislative Correspondent, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Phone: (202) 224-4543. Email: louis_katz at warren.senate.gov
For more information visit: www.nfb.org/teach
----------
The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons
Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled ("Marrakesh
Treaty")[xiii]
An international copyright treaty will give blind Americans access to
millions of published works and improve the distribution of books across
the globe.
300 million blind and print-disabled people around the world, including
Americans, are denied access to published works.[xiv] Despite the ability
to convert print books into accessible formats like Braille, audio, and
digital copies, over 95 percent of published works are unavailable to
people with print disabilities.[xv] Literacy and equal participation in
society are critical elements of a fulfilling and independent life, but
until uniformity is built into the international copyright system, blind
Americans will be excluded from accessing works. A blind student seeking to
learn Spanish will likely struggle to find an accessible format;[xvi] a
work printed in English may have already been converted into an accessible
format overseas, but because copies are not exchanged across borders,
domestic publishers might need to make a duplicate copy or just might deny
access altogether by failing to reproduce the work.
A coordinated legal approach to modifying the international copyright
system is needed. Unlike the United States, where copyright code includes
the Chafee Amendment and other exceptions,[xvii] two-thirds of the world's
nations do not have domestic copyright laws that permit making copies for
the blind, limiting the number of works available in an accessible format.
Moreover, many countries consider distribution of accessible copies an
infringement as well, and even amongst nations that permit distribution,
limitations vary. Instead of exchanging books across borders, works are
needlessly duplicated, and circulation is significantly limited.
The Marrakesh Treaty was adopted by the World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO) to achieve this goal. On June 27, 2013, a diplomatic
conference convened by WIPO in Morocco adopted the Marrakesh Treaty with
outspoken support from the US delegation. The treaty, signed by the US on
October 2, 2013, currently has eighty-one signatories and has been ratified
by five countries.[xviii] Because the treaty calls for contracting parties
to adopt copyright exemptions similar to those found in US law, the
administration is developing a ratification package that should call for
only a sleek, narrow set of modifications.
The Marrakesh Treaty has broad stakeholder support. Blind people should
have full and equal access to all works that enrich lives, further
education, and share critical information, and the treaty balances this
priority with the interests of rights holders. WIPO's adoption of the
Marrakesh Treaty was supported by American-based companies,[xix] the
international publishing community,[xx] legal experts,[xxi] and blindness
advocates.[xxii] The treaty will have tangible benefits for all involved.
The Marrakesh Treaty calls for contracting parties to provide in their
national copyright laws for a limitation or exception that allows for the:
Reproduction of works, by an authorized entity, for the purposes of
converting them into accessible format copies exclusively for beneficiary
persons.
Distribution of accessible format copies exclusively to beneficiary
persons.
Export of accessible format copies, for the purposes of making them
available to a beneficiary person in another country.
Import of accessible format copies, for the purposes of making them
available domestically.
REMOVE BARRIERS TO ACCESS OF PUBLISHED WORKS.
Support Ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty
For more information contact:
Lauren McLarney, Manager of Government Affairs, National Federation of the
Blind
Phone: (410) 659-9314, Extension 2207 Email: lmclarney at nfb.org
To support ratification, please contact:
Les Munson, Majority Staff Director, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
Phone: (202) 224-6797, Email: lester_munson at foreign.senate.gov
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Paul Gabias]
Daring to Be All We Can Be
by Paul Gabias
From the Editor: Paul Gabias was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1952.
He attended his first NFB national convention in 1973. He graduated with a
BA in psychology from Concordia University in Montreal in 1975. In 1988 he
received his PhD in experimental psychology from New York University with a
specialty in perception. He has held numerous leadership positions in the
Federation. He was elected president of the National Association of Guide
Dog Users and served in that position from 1992 to 1998. He also served as
the editor of its publication, Harness Up, from 1996 to 1998. For the last
ten years Dr. Gabias has traveled with a white cane.
Here is what he has to say about autonomy, independence, and the need
to get to know competent blind people and the techniques they use in their
daily lives, and, equally important, what he has to say about the belief in
the public to understand our message and to act on it:
As I write this article, I am sitting outside in a very comfortable
garden swing in my back yard. It is a warm, sunny September day. There
isn't a cloud in the sky. Choruses of birds sing overhead. In the distance
I hear the voices of children playing, the sound of lawn sprinklers, and a
faint sound of a propeller plane in the sky. Our guide dogs are frolicking
in their own separate enclosure. There is the occasional barking of
neighborhood dogs. In short, life is quite good this morning.
I have a wonderful arrangement with my reader. She sits in her home
at the keyboard, wearing a special binaural headset so that her hands are
completely free to type. I dictate to her over a cordless telephone. At the
moment life couldn't be better, except for the dogs next door that bark too
much.
As I think of things to discuss for this issue of The Canadian
Monitor, I feel somewhat at a loss. How does one communicate to others that
it can feel perfectly normal to be blind; that blindness is simply a
characteristic; that life need not be significantly changed by blindness;
that, when you are blind, life can be easy and pleasant; that blindness
need not make life a tortuous path filled with constant struggle; that in
life, despite blindness, there is still beauty and poetry and zest and
vivaciousness and splendor and human dignity? How do I communicate all of
this without seeming miraculous and extraordinary? How can I communicate a
simple truth which seems to be so difficult for most people to fathom? In
an attempt to do this, I offer you recollections of my childhood. Perhaps
you can relate to some of the experiences there enough to give you some
vicarious knowledge of the basic truth that, all other things being equal,
blind people have the same potential for success and mastery of the
environment as sighted people. In the end it is all a question of desire
and opportunity.
My mind turns back to when I was a child of about four or five. It's
hard for me to remember exactly what that felt like, so some of this musing
may be reconstructive. However, I believe that many of these recollections
will be fairly accurate.
From what I know of child psychology, play is an important part of
growing up. Children play at being adults to prepare themselves for the
roles they will need to take on in later years. When children play, they
model themselves after their parents, teachers, older siblings, and other
significant adults in their lives. This roleplaying starts early, probably
by the age of three. As a young child I had no significant blind adult role
models in my life. At the school for the blind there were some blind
teachers, but I did not think of them as role models, probably because they
didn't think of themselves in that way either. As far as I can recollect, I
don't remember anything about blindness or being blind until the age of
five. It was simply not discussed. As far as I was concerned, I was like
any other child.
In the area of child development a psychologist named Eric Erickson
is famous for a proposed series of eight stages of psycho-social
development. The first stage is the sense of trust. This means that
children are born with the capacity to become trusting if the parents and
caretakers act in a way that is trustworthy. Children become trusting when
their needs for shelter, food, love, attention, and security are met.
According to Erickson, the development of trust is the foundation for all
the other stages. The degree to which the environment fosters a sense of
trust in the child directly affects the development of the next psycho-
social stage, which is the stage of autonomy. Autonomy means taking charge
of one's own life, in other words, the drive for independence. Erickson
suggests that, if the child has developed a complete sense of trust in his
environment, the need to become autonomous will develop in proportion to
the degree of trust which was fostered in the first year.
If a child does not trust in the environment, she will be afraid to
follow the blueprint of autonomy which is her birthright. I use the word
"blueprint" deliberately. A strong pursuit of autonomy is supposed to
develop in children if they have achieved a sense of trust. This is
supposed to happen in all children, whether they are sighted or blind. From
the beginning of life you have probably developed a very strong sense of
trust if you can say to yourself without equivocation the following
statement: "From as far back as I can remember, I know that my parents
always loved me and were always there to fulfill my every need." From as
far back as I can remember, my parents were like that, particularly my
mother. My mother's mother thought that my mother used to cater too much to
her children. In an attempt to protect her daughter, she used to say to us:
"You are going to drive your mother to her grave." She was not exactly what
you'd call a doting grandmother.
I must have developed a strong sense of trust because, from the
earliest that I can remember, I always had a very strong sense of autonomy,
much as my own children have. Because my sense of trust was so strong, my
sense of autonomy could develop, unfettered by blindness and unfettered by
people's negative attitudes toward blindness. My mother was told, early on
and in no uncertain terms, when her help was not necessary. It is the same
for us with our own children, who are sighted. As they grow, we parents
come to understand, if we're smart enough, when we are needed and when we
are not.
My parents were very good at protecting me from the unwanted concerns
of other people. I remember they taught our relatives and family friends to
behave toward me the way they would have around a sighted child. I was
allowed to explore people's houses and the grounds around their houses to
my heart's content, provided I was careful with their possessions.
I remember my mother telling me that I was impossible to go shopping
with. She told me that, by the age of three, I was no longer content to sit
in the shopping cart while she wheeled me around the store. Being a normal
three-year-old, I wanted to walk around the store and explore. My need to
run was not diminished in the least by blindness. If I thought the coast
was clear, I ran.
I remember that, on the way to our grocery store, we had to walk
through a lane. I thought the lane had a wall on each side of it. But on
one side the lane was bordered by a dug-in driveway that sloped down toward
the garage door. There was a verge, maybe a foot high, between the lane and
the driveway, which was parallel to the lane. As you walked along the lane,
the driveway paralleling it got deeper and deeper. This meant that,
although the verge was a foot high, the drop-off to the driveway became
deeper as you moved along the lane. I did not know that a veritable
precipice developed on the right side of the lane as you walked along, just
beyond the verge. One day during the summer, just after my fifth birthday,
I got the brilliant idea that it would be fun to run down the lane. I did
not tell my mother what I was planning to do for fear that she would say
no. As soon as my mother and I got to the beginning of the lane, I yanked
my hand away from hers and tore down the lane, but I didn't make it to the
other end. I fell into the driveway and bruised my collarbone. I didn't
know what had hit me, except that something had gone very wrong. I had a
deep fear of hospitals, and I was much more frightened by the trip to the
hospital and the emergency room than by the actual fall. If I remember
correctly, I had to wear my arm in a sling for a while. I don't remember
which arm it was, but I do remember telling myself that I had to be more
careful in the future.
It was also during my sixth year that I broke my arm. I was
fascinated with heights. We lived in a two-story home, and I remember
liking to throw things out the second-story windows. My father's alarm
clock was a favorite projectile. I suppose I loved to hear objects fall
because it gave me a way of assessing how high the second floor actually
was.
It is surprising that I retained this fascination with heights,
because I am told that as a crawling toddler I actually fell out of a
window. There was a window on the landing between the first and second
floors of our home. It was about a foot above the landing. For reasons that
I don't understand, that window was open with no screen. The window faced
the backyard. They told me that I must have climbed up the stairs and
crawled out of the window. I fell onto the cement patio six feet below. My
mother said that, responding to a little cry in the backyard, she found me
there on the cement. My sister, who is older than I am, tells me that she
couldn't look. She thought I was dead. Apparently I was fine, just a little
shaken.
Continuing with my undiminished fascination with heights, I remember
that on one fine Sunday morning my brother and I decided we were going to
play heaven. My brother was two, and I was five. The idea was that we were
to climb on the highest piece of furniture we could find. Since I was
older, I would get the higher one. In my parents' bedroom upstairs, there
was a ladies' dresser and a men's six-drawer chiffonier. My "heaven" was to
be the chiffonier. It was so high that I needed a stool to help me climb to
the top. My parents were cooking Sunday dinner downstairs. It was around
noon. My idea of heaven was to jump up and down on top of the chiffonier as
high as I could. I had no idea that I would move as I jumped. I thought
that, as long as I jumped up and down in the same place, I would be safe on
top of the chiffonier, in heaven. Suddenly my parents heard a crash on the
second floor. Heaven had come to an end, and hell was about to begin, not
only for me, but for my brother. Of course, I had to endure an itchy cast
on my left arm for forty days and forty nights. But my brother had to
endure being hit with it.
You might think that my fascination with heights would have
diminished some. Of course I learned to be more careful, but I was not
cured. At age six I attended first grade at the French school for the blind
in Montreal, L'Institut Nazareth. In the schoolyard they had a set of
monkey bars. In French they called it a trapeze. I had heard of the "Daring
Young Man on the Flying Trapeze." As I walked through the schoolyard, I
discovered a post, and I heard a whole bunch of older boys on top of the
post. I was fascinated. How could people be on top of a little tiny post?
It was hard for me to get the appropriate explanation because I didn't
understand French yet. All I knew was that the boys were high up above the
post, and I wanted to be there too. I tried climbing the post, but I wasn't
strong enough. By and by, I discovered that the posts-there were in fact
two of them-were posts you could use to slide down from the highest part of
the monkey bars. If you were strong enough to climb on top of the monkey
bars, you could crawl along the bars and go up a ramp to the top level, and
there you could be, sitting right above the posts. There was a good deal of
space between the top rung of the ladder on the monkey bars and the actual
set of horizontal bars along the top. At six I was too short to climb onto
the top bars. I couldn't wait until I was tall enough to climb to the top.
What a day that was when I succeeded! I was the king of the monkey bars and
king of the sky.
For a long time the monkey bars provided me with a great deal of
enjoyment. I learned to hang upside-down, and I developed the strength to
move along the structure from bar to bar, hanging by my hands. Not
satisfied with that, I learned to stand up on the main longitudinal bars.
Having mastered that, I imagined what fun it would be to be able to walk
along the longitudinal bars from one end of the structure to the other. I
could not do that very far along on the monkey bars at the school because
there was a ramp that led to the elevated part of the structure. The angle
of the ramp was too great, and I had no intention of falling.
But the monkey bars in the playground near my house were level.
Routinely I gave the park keepers apoplexy by standing up and walking along
the bars. They screamed for me to get down, and, the more they screamed,
the more I enjoyed it. Maybe it was my way of getting back at all the
sighted people who were afraid that I would have trouble going up and down
a simple flight of stairs.
As a child I enjoyed climbing trees. I would climb as high as the
branches within reach permitted. On St. Helen's Island near Montreal, there
was an artificial tree especially designed for children to climb. I climbed
all the way to the top. Climbing up was always much more fun than getting
down. On the way down you had to search for good places to put your feet.
If you can't see where those places are, you have to hang on to the branch
above you and search with your feet until you find a secure spot. You need
to have strong arms so that you can take the time to search properly.
As you might imagine from this history, I was fascinated not only
with heights but also with speed. I loved roller coasters and Ferris wheels
that turned you upside-down. The faster we could go in the car, the better
it was. I remember on the way to the boarding school for the blind on
Sunday nights, my father would allow me to press the gas pedal of the car
while he did the driving. I was not more than six or seven, but he must
have had an incredible trust in me. I knew all about the perils of
crashing, and I knew that my father would tell me when to stop pressing on
the pedal. This must have been a way to make the drive to the school more
pleasant for me. I hated going back to that school and being away from my
parents for the whole week. It was difficult for my parents too. They gave
me chips and chocolate bars to ease the pain until I got too fat.
My father and I had developed a wonderful trust in each other. When I
was five or six, we went to the ocean on Virginia Beach. He used to take me
into the ocean with him, into deep water, way over our heads. My father
would warn me of big waves coming toward us. He would say, "Here comes a
lulu!" The waves would push us around and suck us under. I would hold my
breath and wonder if we would ever come up. I trusted my father. I knew he
would not let go of me, and I knew that eventually we would come up. Of
course we always did, and I felt perfectly safe with him.
Despite all of these experiences, things could have been so much
better for me if my parents had known about the National Federation of the
Blind. For all my feelings of autonomy, even though I learned to travel
alone from my house to my parents' friends in the neighborhood and some
stores nearby, I walked quite slowly compared to sighted children my age.
Any time I was out with my parents, I held the arm or hand of one of them.
Sometimes I walked with my sister, and sometimes I walked with my younger
brother. I should have been walking on my own whenever I could. But my
parents did not know enough to introduce me to the long white cane. Had I
used a long white cane from early childhood, I might have avoided falling
into the driveway along the lane. I would have had a chance to explore my
environment to a greater extent than I had, and I probably would have known
that there was a huge drop-off beside the lane. I could have run in perfect
security.
Parents and blind children today are more fortunate. The National
Federation of the Blind has pioneered the concept of cane travel for very
young children. Canes are available for toddlers. They can be purchased
from the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, 200 East
Wells Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230. The Federation also has a number
of excellent books and articles which deal with teaching cane travel to
young children.
Blindness is no more than a characteristic. The white cane must not
be regarded as a symbol indicating the need for help. It must be regarded
as a tool for opportunity. Learning to use the long white cane is much more
than learning how to handle a long stick. In the public mind there is a
very strong stigma of helplessness associated with the white cane. In
Canada, white cane week is associated with raising money to help the blind.
The white cane has been used as a symbol for raising money for the helpless
blind, instead of being promoted as a badge of independence for the
industrious blind. When I was growing up, parents with a sense of decency
and respect for their blind child would not permit their child to be
connected with the fundraising and pity racket associated with the white
cane in Canada. Being a part of the same social fabric as the rest of the
people in my society, I too learned that the white cane was for pitiful
blind people who tapped their way through life, needing help at every
corner or every turn. Money had to be raised for them because they couldn't
work or live independently without the help of the agency for the blind or
their close relatives. The agency for the blind could help to ameliorate
the condition of blindness, to diminish the challenges of blindness, to
help the blind live more independent lives. But, when all was said and
done, blind people would always require looking after to some degree, even
in the best of circumstances.
I do not mean to imply that money does not need to be raised to
improve the well-being of blind people in our society. We need for people
to be generous toward the blind, but not for the purposes espoused by many
of the agencies. We need money to provide training and opportunity for
people so that they can truly come to believe that blindness is no more
than a characteristic. The white cane must not be regarded as a symbol
requesting help. It must be regarded as a tool for opportunity. It must be
regarded as the foundation for independence. It is not to be used to raise
money from the wellsprings of pity but from the wellsprings of pride and
achievement.
The kind of training for blind people which instills pride,
achievement, industriousness, self-reliance, and a competitive edge does
not exist in Canada at this time. Something must be done about that, and we
intend to do it. A 90 percent unemployment rate for educated blind people
between the ages of eighteen and fifty-five is simply unacceptable. Society
would not tolerate it if they knew better. Through public education we will
make sure that society knows better so that people of goodwill will no
longer tolerate the intolerable. Capable people are living empty lives of
desperation with no hope, just because they are blind. For them there is no
training and no opportunity.
We will no longer permit this to continue. The travesty has gone on
long enough, and we know that our Canadian social conscience will rise to
the occasion and help where help is needed. We need money-lots of it-to
teach the sighted public what they are only too glad to know when they
truly come to understand. We need money to teach society that the blind are
normal people like the rest of sighted society. We come in all shapes and
sizes, with varying degrees of intelligence and aptitudes and moral
development, with varying degrees of physical capacities. What we are
saying in the National Federation of the Blind and the Canadian Federation
of the Blind is that, with training, opportunity, and motivation, blindness
need not be an additional significant negative factor toward the pursuit of
happiness, fulfillment, and productivity. You can make it all come true by
working with the Canadian Federation of the Blind. I welcome your support
and thank you for it.
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[PHOTO CAPTION: Lou Ann Blake]
The Troubled State of Accessible Voting
by Lou Ann Blake
From the Editor: Bringing a truly secret ballot to the blind has
generated tremendous excitement for those who value voting but have felt
reluctant to disclose their voting preferences to poll workers or whomever
they bring with them to the polls. The Help America Vote Act provided
federal funding for the purchase of machines, and all of us who have used
them have opinions about the strengths and weaknesses of whatever machines
have been purchased.
In the February 2014 issue we ran an article about the discontent of
people in New Mexico with their secretary of state's failure to involve
them in the selection process and with the machines purchased. In an
attempt to explain how new machines are certified and the reasons for the
delay blind people see in the incorporation of state-of-the-art text-to-
speech and nonvisual navigation, Lou Ann Blake, HAVA project manager and
Law Symposium coordinator at the Jernigan Institute, has written this
article. Lou Ann is both thorough and interesting-a dream writer for any
editor. Here is what she has to say about the difficulty in implementing
HAVA:
The passage of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) in 2002, which
requires at least one accessible voting system in each polling place for
all federal elections, has enabled many voters with disabilities to vote
privately and independently as never before. However, surveys of blind
voters conducted by the National Federation of the Blind show that the
percentage of blind voters who were able to cast a private and independent
ballot on an accessible voting system declined from 86 percent in 2008 to
75 percent in 2012, and 83 percent in 2014. What has happened in the last
six years so dramatically to thwart the promise of HAVA? The answer to this
simple question is actually fairly complex, because there are many factors
and forces at work that affect the ability of blind and other disabled
voters to vote with the same privacy and independence as nondisabled
voters.
Background
In addition to requiring accessible voting systems for all federal
elections, HAVA also created the US Election Assistance Commission (EAC).
HAVA mandates the EAC to develop voting system standards and to establish
the first federal voting system certification program. To fulfill its HAVA
mandate, the EAC created the Technical Guidelines Development Committee
(TGDC) to work with the National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST) to develop voting system standards.
The standards developed by the TGDC and NIST consist of
specifications and requirements for testing a voting system to determine if
it provides all of the basic functionality, accessibility, and security
necessary to be used in an election. In 2002 the EAC adopted the Voting
System Standards, which were replaced in December 2005 by the Voluntary
Voting System Guidelines (VVSG). Under HAVA, states may elect to adopt
these standards in part, in full, or not at all. Currently thirty-nine
states have included the 2005 VVSG as part of their voting system
certification process.
Accessibility guidelines in the 2005 VVSG address the design of
voting systems for use by voters with a broad range of disabilities. For
voters who are blind or low vision, the guidelines address features such as
the audio-tactile interface (ATI), font size, color, and contrast. For
example, the 2005 VVSG requires that the audio system allow the voter to
control the rate of speech throughout the voting session, that the range of
speeds supported shall be 75 to 200 percent of the normal rate, and that
the pitch of the voice not be affected by adjusting the speed. The VVSG
also addresses the quality of the audio presentation of verbal information
with requirements such as proper enunciation, normal intonation, and the
requirement that candidates' names be pronounced as the candidates intend.
In addition to developing the accessibility guidelines that are
included in the 2005 VVSG, the EAC also created the nation's first voting
system certification program. As mandated by HAVA, the EAC accredits
laboratories to test voting systems for compliance with the 2005 VVSG.
Those systems that are found to be in compliance are certified by the EAC.
When any changes are made to a certified voting system's software or
firmware, or a hardware change is made that will change or has a reasonable
potential to influence the system's operation or compliance with the VVSG,
it must be resubmitted for certification of the modification. The EAC's
full accreditation and certification program became effective in January
2007. Currently two laboratories are accredited to perform voting system
certification testing.
Trouble at the EAC
HAVA authorized the EAC to administer $3.9 billion in grants to the
states, so they could replace outdated lever voting machines by January 1,
2006, with either direct-recording electronic (DRE) touchscreen voting
machines or an optical-scan system that included an accessible ballot-
marking device. These first generation accessible voting systems included
the Diebold AccuVote, Election Systems & Software (ES&S) AutoMark, and the
Sequoia Edge.
Once the EAC had provided grants to the states to replace lever
voting machines, adopted the 2005 VVSG, and completed the implementation of
the voting-system-certification program, a number of Republican members of
Congress no longer considered the EAC to be necessary. This resulted in an
inability of the Senate to confirm EAC commissioner nominees and in
attempts by members of the House to pass legislation abolishing the EAC. In
addition the EAC's staff has been cut almost in half and its budget reduced
by over $6 million since 2009. The budget cuts, the lack of a quorum of
commissioners since 2010, and vacancies in all four seats since 2011 have
meant that certification standards have not been updated since 2005, and
states have not received grants to improve the administration of elections
and purchase new machines. Fortunately this situation may be about to
change as three new EAC commissioners were confirmed by the Senate during
the waning moments of the 113th Congress.
The vacuum that has been created by the absence of EAC commissioners
for four years has had a negative affect on accessible voting in the United
States. Because of the lack of federal grants, many of the first-generation
accessible voting machines purchased with HAVA grants prior to 2006 were
still in use during the November 2014 election, even though these machines
have reached the end of their useful life. The end result is that since
2008 an increasing number of blind and visually impaired voters have not
been able to vote privately and independently because there was no working
accessible voting machine in their polling place.
In addition the lack of updated certification standards has caused a
great deal of uncertainty among the developers and producers of voting
systems and the states and counties that purchase them. While the state of
the art in voting technology has changed since 2005, the certification
standards have not. For example, voting system vendors such as ES&S,
Everyone Counts, Dominion Voting Systems, and Scytl have developed online
ballot delivery systems, but there are no design or testing standards to
certify these systems. The result of this lack of standards is that recent
testing for the city of Toronto, Canada, of online ballot delivery systems
developed by Dominion, Everyone Counts, and Scytl found that these systems
did not meet the WCAG 2.0 Level AA standards and were not accessible.
Challenges at the State and County Level
Many states and counties have put off purchasing new voting machines
because they do not have the money to purchase them and/or because of the
limited number of voting systems that have been certified under the 2005
VVSG. With the slow economic recovery that is continuing in the United
States and the lack of federal funding from the EAC, many states have
delayed purchasing new voting systems. In 2010 Maryland put off purchasing
a new voting system until 2015 because of inadequate funding and a lack of
accessible voting machines that were certified under the 2005 VVSG. In
Florida the legislature has delayed until 2020 the replacement of the first
generation DRE voting machines, which are now used only by voters with
disabilities while all other voters use an optical scan system.
The lack of an adequate selection of 2005 VVSG certified-accessible
voting machines has also made it difficult for states to replace their
first-generation systems. The first system to be certified under the 2005
VVSG was the Microvote EMS in 2009, followed by the Unisyn OpenElect in
2010. Both Microvote and Unisyn are minor players in the arena of voting
systems vendors, and they do not market their systems on a national scale.
It was not until 2012 that a VVSG-certified machine was available
nationally, when Dominion Voting Systems' ImageCast Evolution (ICE)
received its certification. A fourth accessible voting machine, the
ExpressVote developed by ES&S, the largest vendor of election systems in
the United States, received 2005 VVSG certification in 2014. In addition,
two other major players, Hart InterCivic and Everyone Counts, currently
have accessible voting systems in the certification testing process.
Why has there been such a delay in getting new accessible voting
systems certified under the 2005 VVSG? A significant contributing factor to
this delay has been the trend of states moving away from the use of DREs to
a system that produces a voter-verifiable paper record. In 2003, shortly
after many states had begun implementing voting systems based on a DRE
voting machine, computer security experts at Johns Hopkins University
performed a security analysis of DRE voting systems that revealed security
vulnerabilities. This analysis was followed by others that also raised
security concerns, and nervous state legislators started following the lead
of the Nevada legislature, which passed a law in 2004 requiring a voting
system that produced a voter-verifiable paper record.
At the time that HAVA was passed in 2002, eliminating the use of
mechanical lever voting machines, the future of voting was all electronic.
However, that future was changed by virtually all of the states requiring a
voter-verifiable paper record in response to the security concerns
surrounding DREs. At about the same time that the states were passing laws
requiring a voter-verifiable paper record, the EAC was in the process of
adopting the 2005 VVSG. The result of this perfect storm was that voting
system vendors had to develop new systems that would be tested and
certified for functionality, accessibility, and security under new
guidelines.
Another contributing factor to the dearth of 2005 VVSG-certified
voting machines is the duration and rigidity of the certification process.
Certification testing of the ES&S ExpressVote System took seventeen months,
and the Hart InterCivic Verity has been in certification testing since
December 2012. In addition to the initial certification testing, a voting
system must be resubmitted for certification testing following any
modification to the software or firmware and following a modification to
the hardware that will alter or has the potential to alter the system's
reliability, functionality, and operation. Since the initial certification
of the ES&S system, it has been resubmitted twice for testing of
modifications. The first modification testing took four months and the
second seven months. While the EAC certification testing program helps to
ensure that voting systems are secure and accessible, it also contributes
to the high cost of these systems and delays the introduction of new
systems. Perhaps what is more critical is that it delays improvements to
existing systems.
Finally, poll worker training on the operation of accessible voting
machines continues to be a problem in all states. According to surveys of
blind voters conducted by the National Federation of the Blind, following
the 2008, 2012, and 2014 federal elections, untrained poll workers are the
primary reason why blind voters are not able to cast a private and
independent ballot on an accessible voting machine. Of the blind voters
surveyed in 2014, 29 percent said that poll workers had problems setting up
or operating the accessible voting machine as compared to 33 percent in
2012 and 19 percent in 2008. With many states converting from a DRE voting
system, where everyone uses the same machine, to an optical scan system,
where only voters with disabilities use a machine to mark their ballot
while the majority of voters hand mark their ballot, it is even less likely
in future elections that poll workers will know how to operate the
accessible voting system.
What's a Blind Voter to Do?
The commitment to guarantee an electronic secret ballot for blind
people in America currently confronts many challenges. The replacement of
worn out first-generation accessible voting machines with new 2005 VVSG-
certified machines has been slow. Consequently, the number of blind voters
who were able to cast a private and independent ballot on an accessible
voting machine has declined from 86 percent in 2008 to 75 percent in 2012
to 83 percent in 2014 due to machines that do not work or the absence of an
accessible machine. The ongoing problem of untrained poll workers continues
to make it difficult for blind voters to take advantage of existing
machines when they are available.
In states that have implemented new 2005 VVSG-certified systems, the
process has not always been smooth. New Mexico and Iowa, for example,
selected new voting machines without first consulting with members of the
disability community. In addition, voters, poll workers, and election
administrators must always negotiate a learning curve whenever a new voting
system is put into use. While blind voters are able to vote privately and
independently on the four systems currently certified under the 2005 VVSG,
none of these systems are perfect, and the incorporation of improvements is
slowed down by the certification testing requirements and process.
With all of these challenges, what can blind and visually impaired
voters do to ensure that we are able to vote privately and independently
just as the nondisabled do? The most important thing a blind voter can do
is file a HAVA complaint with her local and state elections officials if
she is unable to cast a private and independent ballot at her polling place
during a federal election. Filing a HAVA complaint is the most effective
way blind voters can be sure that problems are brought to the attention of
elections officials and the US Department of Justice, which has authority
to enforce HAVA. Because there is no private right of action under HAVA, it
is imperative that blind voters who are not able to vote privately and
independently at their polling place during a federal election file a HAVA
complaint so that the Justice Department has a true picture of the problems
that voters with disabilities are experiencing.
By working directly with local and state elections officials, members
of the National Federation of the Blind can develop a relationship to
achieve more accessible elections through improved communications. There
are many ways this can be accomplished: invite election officials to a
chapter meeting or your affiliate convention, attend board of elections
meetings, testify before legislative committees and boards of election on
issues that affect voters with disabilities, and participate on your local
or state disabled voter advisory committee. If your local or state board of
elections or secretary of state's office does not have an advisory
committee of voters with disabilities, work with these officials to
establish one.
At the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, we are
using our HAVA grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services to
work with voting rights advocates, elections officials, and election
technology developers to improve the accessibility of the election process.
Recently NFB staff worked closely with Maryland State Board of Elections
(MDSBE) programmers to ensure that the state's online ballot delivery
system is accessible, and we advised MDSBE's selection team on
accessibility during the selection of a new voting system that will be used
statewide starting in 2016. We have also assembled a working group of
developers and users of online ballot-delivery systems to develop
guidelines to ensure that these systems will be accessible. In addition,
every two years we bring election technology researchers and developers to
our National Center for Nonvisual Election Technology to introduce them to
topics such as the incorporation of personal access technology into voting
systems and accessible apps. These are just a few examples of the many
services we provide under our HAVA grant to improve the accessibility of
the election process for blind voters.
As blind voters we have faced and continue to face many challenges to
the exercise of our fundamental right to vote privately and independently
since the Help America Vote Act became law in 2002. We cannot let tight
budgets, rigid bureaucratic processes, and lax enforcement erode this long-
delayed right which belongs to us as citizens of this country. We did not
do that work simply to watch our newly won right slip away. With firm and
persistent advocacy, the members of the National Federation of the Blind
will continue to ensure that voters with disabilities exercise their right
to full and equal participation in our democracy.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Ethel Ulysses Parker, Jr.]
Ethel Ulysses Parker, Jr.
by Peggy Chong
Ethel Ulysses Parker, Jr., E. U. to his friends, was a strong-voiced,
determined, and kind human being, whom many people in the Federation had
the privilege to know during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. He will long be
remembered in the Federation for his strong, no-nonsense presence and the
opportunities he helped to create. We know him as the founder of the
preauthorized check plan, and his legacy lives on in the national
scholarships awarded each year to blind students in his name and in the
name of his wife Gene.
Yet, with all we know, very few of us really knew who he was outside
the Federation. He spoke passionately on many subjects that were important
to blind people during the time he was most active, and he was always in
the forefront of promoting up-and-coming people he saw as having talent and
energy that they could give to this cause we share.
I was fortunate to have had a chance to meet and talk with E. U. when
I was younger. He graciously took the time to meet with me and other
younger Federationists to get to know us. It was easy to feel comfortable
with E. U. right off the bat; we felt like he was an interested
grandfather, willing to listen to us despite our youth. He had a nice laugh
and a gentle speaking voice in a small conversational group, but in a
formal meeting, on the convention floor, or in legislative hearings, he had
a strong, powerful, and persuasive voice and presence that left no doubt
that he was a competent authority on the topic at hand. One of the first
things E. U. told me about himself was what his initial stood for and how
to say his name. Ethel was easy to pronounce, but Ulysses was to be
pronounced with the emphasis on the first syllable, and he made a point of
saying that this was not to be pronounced the way that the former general
and president of the United States pronounced his name.
I thought that researching this larger-than-life man would be an easy
task. Everyone in my circle of friends knew him. But it turns out we did
not really know him but knew only that we liked knowing him. He left a thin
paper trail, and there was little on the internet from which I could draw.
Ethel Ulysses Parker, Jr. was born on March 18, 1922, in Bay Springs,
Mississippi, to Ethel Ulysses and Lula Mae Parker. He was the middle of
three surviving children born to the couple. Mr. Parker, Sr. and his wife
ran a grocery store in Bay Springs and were the owners and operators of an
icehouse business. They did well in their small community.
By the age of seven Ethel Jr. began to lose his eyesight. By the age
of nine he was totally blind. Mr. and Mrs. Parker decided to send their son
to the school for the blind in Jackson, Mississippi. Each Sunday his mother
would drive her son more than sixty miles to Jackson, and every Friday she
would drive him back to their home to spend the weekend with the family.
This was during the depression of the 30s when family incomes were tight,
and such a drive represented a significant cost in gas, not to mention wear
and tear on the car. It was hard for Lula Mae to send her son away to
school, but she knew this was important for him if he was to succeed in
life.
At the school for the blind E. U. did well as a student and was
active in his school's Boy Scout troop. After graduation he attended Ole
Miss, the University of Mississippi in Oxford. It is doubtful that any
financial assistance for E. U. was granted by his state agency for the
blind, but he pursued a higher education anyway. One must assume that a
significant amount of financial support was given by his parents. His older
sister Doris also attended college and graduated from Ole Miss, showing the
commitment to education held by the family.
Again his mother would pick him up on many weekends and bring him
back to school on Sunday evenings. He left Ole Miss in his senior year
without finishing. This was late in the Second World War, many men were off
fighting in the military, and women had joined the workforce. E. U. found
it harder to recruit readers at the school, and this made it difficult for
him to keep up with his classwork. When he left school, he still needed a
career to support himself, so he decided to go to San Antonio, Texas, where
he attended chiropractic school.
On completing this part of his education, he was encouraged by his
parents to come back to Bay Springs and open his chiropractic business,
even though there was an established chiropractor already in this small
town. His brother-in-law and best friend, Joe, was off fighting in the
military during World War II, leaving an empty house in Bay Springs. E. U.
moved into the vacant house and set up his practice. Business was good, so
he hired a secretary, Miss Imogene Price (known to many of us as Gene) a
girl five years his junior. It was her job to take care of the growing
paperwork and to manage other office duties while he was seeing patients.
He must have found more than just her work satisfactory, because he married
Miss Price on November 30, 1945, just after her eighteenth birthday. The
couple had three daughters: Dixie, Teresa, and Genie.
After eight years as a chiropractor, E. U. wanted to change careers
and became a State Farm insurance agent in Bay Springs. Soon after, the
family moved their business to Laurel, Mississippi, a town on a major
highway, which benefited business significantly. With E. U.'s personality
and perseverance, he became one of the first seven State Farm agents in the
state of Mississippi and was soon regarded as one of their top agents. Like
all new businessmen, he needed to establish himself. This meant going door-
to-door to sell insurance. Again Gene helped out with the paperwork, acting
as his office manager and reader. Keep in mind she was doing this at the
same time she was raising their children.
E. U. often hired high school students to work for him as drivers
when he made his calls. It is a credit to his investment in young people
and his judgment in hiring that two of the young men who drove for him
stayed on after high school to become part of his staff. One retired from
the business after working there for twenty-five years. A State Farm agent
is an independent contractor with his own office. Over the years E. U.
hired additional staff to work in his business. As his business grew, he
spent less and less time going door-to-door and relied more on traffic
coming to his office.
As an ambitious agent E. U. did everything he could to promote
himself, even if it cost him a bit of money. One promotional item he had
tailored for his firm was a tin box to hold valuable documents such as
one's State Farm policy. He gave one to each of his customers and was
generous enough to give them to most people in the community. Such a box
was useful, not only for retaining personal possessions, but as a way of
keeping his name in front of the families who were or could potentially be
his customers. As was the custom in those days, he also had ashtrays made
for his State Farm business customers, along with pens, calendars, and
other traditional giveaways, which he changed each year.
Each morning advertisements for E. U.'s insurance agency would air on
the local radio station about 7 AM, and, when his youngest daughter would
get up for school, one of the first things she would hear on the radio was
her father's commercials. She remembers this fondly and says that it shows
just how much her father did everything he could to promote his business.
But in the Parker family it was not all work and no play for this
energetic agent. Family was important to him and Gene. When their daughter
Dixie was still small, the Parkers would go out to the lake nearby to
picnic and swim. Gene was not a swimmer, so E. U. would take their young
daughter and lead her into the lake. As Dixie grew older and the other
children came along, he continued to swim with the girls. Even with the
assumption on the part of the public that the children of blind parents are
the real caretakers-one that is frequently communicated to their offspring--
she notes with pride that, when E. U. came along, she never felt that she
was the one leading or watching out for her blind father or her siblings.
Along with a good sense of direction and confidence in himself, he was
definitely "daddy in charge."
One of the many responsibilities E. U. took on as a State Farm agent
was to host an annual picnic for agents in Mississippi. They would come to
Laurel and stay at local hotels, and the Parkers would host a big cookout
at their home. This was usually followed by a swim party at one of the
establishments they had taken over for the Fourth of July weekend. Later in
life, when the doctor told E. U. that he needed to get more exercise, it
was his love of swimming that found him putting a swimming pool in his
backyard.
Becoming active in the community was also important to the couple.
Knowing the movers and shakers in the community was important if E. U. was
to bring in new business. Since he considered scouting to be a formative
part of his childhood, he became active in the Boy Scouts, even though his
three children were girls. He believed in the program and actively worked
to help it raise money. He also made himself available whenever asked to do
volunteer work for the organization and was honored with the Silver Beaver
award for his participation and exceptional character. E. U. was also an
active member of the Rotary Club of Laurel, Mississippi, serving for a time
as its president.
In the late 1960s this outgoing man ran for the Mississippi State
Senate. He spoke at many clubs and rallies while campaigning. Dixie, his
oldest daughter, drove him to many of these and says that she learned a
great deal about her dad by listening to him speak. On their many trips to
Jackson, the state capital, E. U. would direct his daughter and other
drivers around the city, since he knew it much better than they did. E. U.
did not win a seat in the Mississippi State Senate, but he did a great deal
to raise the visibility of blind people in the state and to redefine for
many of them what blind people could aspire to do.
In the early 1970s E. U. learned about the National Federation of the
Blind and attended the annual national convention held in Houston, Texas,
in 1971. At that convention he was so impressed with the spirit and
activism of the organization that he decided he wanted to bring the
Federation to Mississippi. As usual E. U. jumped in with both feet and
became one of its most active leaders and members. He helped organize the
new affiliate, trying to get names out of the state agency for the blind in
order to offer them the opportunity to join fellow Mississippians in
improving conditions there but to no avail. At that time the agency was
closely allied with the American Council of the Blind, and at times agency
officials were cold and hostile to the creation of a Federation affiliate
in that state. In the early 70s employment opportunities for the blind were
quite limited. There was a sheltered workshop, Mississippi Industries for
the Blind, and, while it paid better wages than some shops around the
country, not much opportunity existed for advancement. The state ran a
vending program for the blind, but most of its facilities were limited to
the selling of snacks and soda. It was E. U.'s dream that bringing the
National Federation of the Blind to Mississippi would serve to increase the
opportunities blind people would have for other jobs and thereby increase
their chances of making a good living.
With or without the support of the rehabilitation agency, he and
other blind friends went about making their lists-friends telling friends,
churches referring fellow church members, local clubs talking about the
blind they had helped. Leaders from other states arrived just after the new
year in 1972. They, along with others from Mississippi, began calling on
people across the state. All told, a team of members from eleven states
arrived in Jackson to work those lists and build new ones. On January 15,
1972, a meeting was held at the Downtowner Motor Inn in Jackson to organize
the affiliate. President Kenneth Jernigan and board member Don Capps were
on hand to meet, greet, and get to know the more than seventy
Mississippians who came to learn about the National Federation of the
Blind.
During the week of the organizing two of the team members were
refused accommodations at the Ole Miss Hotel in Oxford. The refusal to
accommodate them was based on the fact that they would have no sighted
person to accompany them, that the hotel had steps to get to and from
sleeping rooms, and that the hotel had no restaurant on-site and would not
be responsible for their safety when they traveled the streets of Jackson
to find nearby restaurants. Tackling this issue was the first goal on the
new organization's agenda, and that day they voted to take to the
Mississippi legislature the Model White Cane Law that would allow blind
people the same rights to public places and accommodations enjoyed by those
with sight.
At that first meeting E. U. was elected as the first vice president
and continued to serve on the state board in many capacities over the next
quarter century. For a time he was the Mississippi affiliate's president,
and for many years he was elected to serve as the official delegate to the
national convention of the National Federation of the Blind.
It didn't take long for E. U. to be recognized as a national leader.
Soon he was serving on the board of directors of the Jacobus tenBroek
Memorial Fund and was invited to attend the National Federation of the
Blind's board of directors meeting held over the Thanksgiving holiday. Gene
came along with him, and all who partook of the Thanksgiving meal realized
she was a great cook and remembered with fondness her corn casserole and
the seasoned oyster crackers she brought to share.
Through the years many Federationists had the pleasure of staying at
the home of Gene and E. U. Gene was every bit as committed to the efforts
of the National Federation of the Blind as her husband, and it is
encouraging to see this kind of commitment in a person who is sighted.
In the fall of 1974 E. U. approached the Federation with a fundraising
opportunity that he thought could raise a lot of money for the
organization. The State Farm insurance company had begun collecting
payments for insurance premiums through fund transfers that assured that
payments would be on time and trouble free. E. U. believed that we could do
this organizationally, and all of us are familiar with the PAC plan. Though
its name has changed and the options for doing those funds transfers have
increased, the concept is the same, and it continues to bring hundreds of
thousands of dollars to the organization each year.
This successful businessman and community activist made significant
contributions to the organization through his work on the Resolutions
Committee, and, when the Federation decided to establish a low interest
loan program for adaptive technology, E. U. was one of the first three
committee members to serve. As a businessman he observed that banks and
credit unions were reluctant to make loans for specialized equipment
because the collateral that equipment would represent would be harder for
them to sell than cars, boats, houses, and more traditional items. One of
the benefits of this program was not just that it made money available but
that it also offered expertise about the kind of technology that would be
most useful for the client who was applying for the loan. Although some of
the new technology was foreign to E. U., he was certainly comfortable using
the technology of his day, and his family remembers how he made it a habit
to tape-record family discussions with his girls or catch them singing at
unexpected moments. These recordings were his way of remembering, the role
that pictures play in the lives of so many who can see.
E. U.'s involvement in organizations extended well beyond the
National Federation of the Blind. He served on the Mississippi public
welfare board, and he and Gene were one of thirteen family members who
founded the Franklin United Methodist Church in the 1950s. At first the
congregation met in a tent, but E. U. and Gene helped to raise money for a
building and eventually a second building that was used as a youth center.
For years E. U. served as a trustee of the church.
E. U. loved history. The Civil War was his passion, and he read
extensively on the subject and had many cassettes filled with Civil War
music.
With advancing age he developed significant back trouble. Even after
surgery his pain was so severe that he could not climb steps. At times he
used a wheelchair to navigate large buildings and packed convention halls.
But his physical problems didn't retard his intellectual curiosity and his
determination to remain involved in the things that were so much a part of
his life's work. He continued to hire a reader who would come to his home
each day to read the Wall Street Journal, weekly and monthly print
magazines, and of course the daily mail. Sadly, E. U. did not live long
enough to benefit from the NFB-NEWSLINE service that the PAC plan money he
helped to bring to the organization played such a significant part in
financing.
E. U. died on April 7, 1996, in Laurel, Mississippi. His wife lived
until December 30, 2012. Evidencing her strong commitment to the
advancement of blind people, for many years after her husband's death Gene
remained an active member, attending national conventions until 2008. Gene
and E. U. are buried in Bay Springs, but they continue to live in the
hearts of those who love them, in the statutes of the state of Mississippi,
and in the history of the blind and our movement toward first-class
citizenship.
----------
Consider a Charitable Gift
Making a charitable gift can be one of the most satisfying
experiences in life. Each year millions of people contribute their time,
talent, and treasure to charitable organizations. When you plan for a gift
to the National Federation of the Blind, you are not just making a
donation; you are leaving a legacy that insures a future for blind people
throughout the country. Special giving programs are available through the
National Federation of the Blind (NFB).
Points to Consider When Making a Gift to the National Federation of the
Blind
. Will my gift serve to advance the mission of the NFB?
. Am I giving the most appropriate asset?
. Have I selected the best way to make my gift?
. Have I considered the tax consequences of my gift?
. Have I sought counsel from a competent advisor?
. Have I talked to the NFB planned giving officer about my gift?
Benefits of Making a Gift to the NFB
. Helping the NFB fulfill its mission
. Receiving income tax savings through a charitable deduction
. Making capital gain tax savings on contribution of some appreciated
gifts
. Providing retained payments for the life of a donor or other
beneficiaries
. Eliminating federal estate tax in certain situations
. Reducing estate settlement cost
Your Gift Will Help Us
. Make the study of science and math a real possibility for blind
children
. Provide hope and training for seniors losing vision
. Promote state and chapter programs and provide information that will
educate blind people
. Advance technology helpful to the blind
. Create a state-of-the-art library on blindness
. Train and inspire professionals working with the blind
. Provide critical information to parents of blind children
. Mentor blind people trying to find jobs
Your gift makes you a part of the NFB dream!
----------
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Anne Taylor]
Access Technology: Spreading the Word and the Knowledge
by Anne Taylor
From the Editor: Anne Taylor is the director of Access Technology,
supervises the work of the International Braille and Technology Center, and
is in charge of the Access Technology Team. In this article she tries to
give us an overview of all that she and her team do to help make existing
technology usable and to work with developers so that soon-to-be products
are released with accessibility as part of their design. Here is what she
has to say:
Many members of the NFB and others interested in learning more about
blindness come through the doors of the International Braille and
Technology Center for the Blind (IBTC) every year to see what is available
and what is new in technology for the blind. Much of the work that is done
by the Access Technology Team, however, is not as visible to those outside
the team as the equipment and the facilities of the International Braille
and Technology Center.
As the director of Access Technology at the Jernigan Institute, I want
to share the big-picture view of what my team and I work on. Many of you
have heard Kenneth Jernigan's 1992 speech on the importance of training and
public awareness: "The real problem of blindness is not the loss of
eyesight. The real problem is the misunderstanding and lack of information
which exist. If a blind person has proper training and opportunity,
blindness can be reduced to the level of a physical nuisance." His
statement continues to represent the attitude and set the direction in the
work my team and I do every day, as will clearly be evident from an
overview of some of our recent activities.
Perhaps the most visible program of the Access Technology Team, second
only to conducting tours and instruction at the IBTC, is the Technology
Resource List. This resource, available at <https://nfb.org/technology-
resource-list>, describes just about every piece of blindness technology
available in the United States, and the team just finished a major overhaul
of this most useful document at the end of 2014. It is a unique compendium
of information on blindness technology and is unmatched in its scope and
thoroughness. It is a great place to start for anyone wanting to
familiarize him or herself with access technology; but it is equally useful
in hunting up the latest and best in a given area, such as Braille displays
or optical character recognition products. Our access technology blog
<https://nfb.org/at-blog> and the access technology tips
<https://nfb.org/attips-blog> are two other valuable resources for anyone
who wants to learn more about new access technology products. Both of these
resources also provide much needed information for those who are interested
in nonvisual access technology.
In addition to creating and posting general information, the Access
Technology Team continues to respond to questions on nonvisual access
technology using email and the telephone. You can reach us by phone by
dialing (410) 659-9314 and then choosing option 5 for the technology answer
line, or you can email us at <access at nfb.org>.
In the area of access to the web, one very public aspect of what is so
often the result of a lot of behind-the-scenes work is the Web
Accessibility Training Day. This event, which the National Federation of
the Blind Jernigan Institute co-hosted with the Maryland Technology
Assistance Program for the third time last September, is an opportunity for
us to bring together some of the experts with whom my team and I have come
in contact and have worked collaboratively with over many years and on so
many projects. Attendees come from local and state governments as well as
the federal government. They also come from higher education, business, and
a number of other fields. We shared (and will continue to share at future
events) advice from industry experts and our own knowledge of web
accessibility in a series of general sessions in the morning, and technical
and policy tracks in the afternoon. Topics for this latest iteration
included enterprise implementation of accessibility, education
implementation of accessibility, PDF accessibility in an enterprise
setting, captioning and audio description, HTML5, government
implementations of accessibility, and the Section 508 refresh. More
information, session recordings, and materials are available to anyone
looking to find out more about any or all of these at <https://nfb.org/web-
accessibility-day>.
On October 15 through 17, 2014, the team hosted the second run of its
wildly popular Train the Trainer seminar. For this three-day event we
brought together a group of forty access technology professionals from
different backgrounds and from all parts of the country to try out a
plethora of devices and software. The focus was on new developments and new
technology. It was especially exciting to have a team from Google, as well
as Chris Gallello from Microsoft, to discuss and demonstrate their
company's work in accessibility. Laura Palmero, Roger Benz, and Lia
Carrarri from Google brought Chromebooks and Android Nexus phones for all
participants to experiment with, and gathered much feedback from attendees.
They also showed participants the tremendous potential of Google products.
Chris from Microsoft demonstrated Office Online with JAWS and provided a
very honest assessment of its assets and shortcomings.
Google and Microsoft were not the only guest stars to grace the
podium. Our own Jennifer Dunnam and our friend and longtime technology
expert Earle Harrison from Triumph Technology led sessions on the Duxbury
Braille Translator and the Mac, respectively. Henry (Hoby) Wedler, a PhD
student in chemistry at UC Davis, was as good an instructor and role model
as we could ask for. In his talk about accessibility in math and science,
he related his experiences as he has taken on the challenges presented by a
rigorous program in science, related his difficulties, and shared the
solutions that have helped him overcome these problems and flourish in his
chosen field of study.
The Access Technology Team did its part by covering a number of
topics, including notetakers, tactile graphics, Windows 8, and low-vision
tools. The attendees were as engaged as any group who has ever crossed our
threshold, and it was a pleasure to spend these days with them. Because we
do limit the size of the group to keep it hands-on, and because not
everyone can travel across the country to attend a training of this kind,
we do post the material presenters share at <https://nfb.org/training-the-
trainers>.
A less well-known part of the work of the Access Technology Team is
public awareness. In February I had the honor of co-presenting with three
distinguished individuals: Towson University professor and former fellow of
the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University, Jonathan
Lazar; senior counselor to the assistant attorney general for the Civil
Rights Division, Eve Hill; and disability rights lawyer Dan Goldstein from
the firm of Brown, Goldstein, & Levy. Our broadly defined topic was
"Frontiers in US Law: Equal Access to Info Tech for People with
Disabilities," and we presented at Towson University. Specifically, we
addressed captioning and legal ownership, accessible instructional
materials in higher education, technology access for people with cognitive
impairments, ebook access for people with print disabilities, access to
courtroom documents and technology, and accessibility and open government.
Even with the Department of Justice affirmation that the Americans with
Disabilities Act applies to the web, many areas still exist in which the
lack of access to information technology affects blind people, and much
work remains to be done by lawmakers, technology experts, and other
stakeholders.
Recently standardized testing is an issue that has gained some
traction in the press and with the public. My team and I are working
collaboratively with test platform developers to ensure the accessibility
of these tests. If the test platform developers adhere to our
recommendations, then I am certain that the platforms will be accessible to
the blind. We will not stop until every blind child is correctly evaluated
based on what he knows about the subject matter and not on how accessible a
given piece of technology is for his or her disability.
Somewhere in between public speaking and training, you might find the
Access Technology Team's many endeavors at CSUN, or, to name it in full,
the Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities
Conference. The acronym by which the conference, the largest of its kind,
is usually known stems from the host, the California State University at
Northridge, which has long been one of the leaders in the field of access
technology. The topics we cover vary from year to year, but here is what we
will be talking about this March:
Personally, I will be taking on two sessions. The first is "Race to
Accessibility," where I will share the stage with Pearson and a
representative from the Maryland Department of Education to address the
accessibility of high-stakes assessment. In the second session, "The Human
Cost of Digital Barriers," I am co-presenting with web accessibility
professionals from Deque and Knowbility as well as from Pearson in an open
discussion about access to high-stakes, computer-based assessments for
students with disabilities and the real-life consequences for students when
the materials are not accessible.
The rest of the team, a stellar group dedicated to our mission, will
have their hands full with a presentation by Amy Mason on "Access
Technologies for Blind and Low Vision Seniors," one which discusses a
survey of tools and services available to blind and low-vision seniors for
reading, identifying objects, and staying organized. This will be followed
by Karl Belanger's demonstration of iWork accessibility in Mac OSX. This
session will review whether the Mac and VoiceOver, paired with the iWork
suite, is a viable productivity tool for a blind professional or student.
The team's final session for the conference will be Clara Van Gerven's talk
on the state of wearables for blind users. Wearable technology is one of
the fastest growing areas in today's electronic landscape. It has the
potential to provide unprecedented access to the world for blind people,
but the question is how close wearables are to fulfilling that promise.
I invite those who are coming to the CSUN conference to attend our
sessions. Having members of the Federation participate actively in the
audience is something that I always treasure. Whenever we are together in
public, we show that the National Federation of the Blind represents a
strong and united group who is determined to keep blindness or common
misconceptions about it from stopping us. Your technology team always draws
inspiration from your example, your participation, and your support of our
presentations.
Another joint effort that I want to mention is a survey. We have been
working closely with the Therapeutic Research Foundation (TRF) to create a
survey on health, mobility, and navigation. TRF is inviting blind and low-
vision participants to take the survey to help them create the next
generation of navigational tools. The data gathered will be used
specifically to do research and development, so please consider taking the
time to complete the questionnaire and help them build a device that will
serve your needs. With well over three hundred responses in already, the
survey promises to be a formidable source of guidance for the team. The
link to the survey is <https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XNZKWL8>.
Finally, I want to conclude by emphasizing that it is through ongoing
collaboration that we are able to draw the speakers and trainers that we do
for our events and are able to work toward and bring about the delivery of
more accessible hardware, software, and services. The effort we put into
these collaborations is often hidden from the public due to the
requirements of confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements, but it shows
clearly in the results. President Riccobono and I had a meeting not long
ago with Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft. He brought in many members of
his management team, and the conversation that ensued promises many changes
and improvements. My experience has given me ample evidence that, in making
accessibility happen, there is no substitute for support and understanding
at the top, and meetings like this one are vital to what we do. Such
meetings come about based on the Federation's, the Jernigan Institute's,
and the team's reputation as experts, advocates, and partnership-builders.
Such meetings also happen because the National Federation of the Blind is
known for its persistence, its dedication to equality of opportunity, and
its constant search for partners who share our goal of full access.
----------
Recipes
This month's recipes are offered by members of the NFB of South
Dakota.
Mike's Mexican Eggs
by Mike Klimisch
Mike Klimisch is the secretary of the NFB of South Dakota and also
the president of the Falls Chapter of the NFB in Sioux Falls. He describes
his cooking style like this, "When I cook, I tend to make my own
concoctions and not follow recipes. Here are some recipes that I like. My
wife tends not to want to eat many of the things I cook since I like to
create some very strange combinations."
Ingredients:
6 eggs
1/2 pound ground meat
1 cup salsa
2-inch thick slice Velveeta cheese
Method: In a frying pan brown the ground meat and drain. In another
pan, scramble the eggs. Once both eggs and ground meat are cooked, combine
and add the salsa. Cut the Velveeta into small pieces so it will melt
quickly. Stir all ingredients together and heat through. When cheese is
melted, you will have an excellent breakfast for two.
----------
Macaroni Salad
by Mike Klimisch
Ingredients:
1 can sweet peas
4 cups macaroni
2 cans tuna
Cheese (either Velveeta or shredded cheddar) to taste
1/4 cup chopped onions
Salad dressing
Mayonnaise
Method: Place the noodles in a pot of boiling water and cook. When
macaroni is fully cooked, strain macaroni, running cold water over it so
the macaroni does not stick together. Strain the liquid from the cans of
tuna and peas. Toss tuna and peas with cooled macaroni. Cut Velveeta cheese
into small cubes or use shredded cheese. Mix in chopped onions for flavor.
Next add equal portions of your favorite salad dressing and mayonnaise to
taste.
----------
Homemade Mints
by Mike Klimisch
These mints are very easy to make, and there are many variations in
the recipe. I've chosen one that uses sweetened condensed milk and one that
uses cream cheese.
Sweetened Condensed Milk Version
Ingredients:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 stick butter
Powdered sugar
Peppermint extract
Method: Mix all three ingredients in equal portions, e.g., 1/3 cup
butter, 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk, and 1/3 cup powdered sugar. Add
in liquid extract to desired strength of flavor. Once mixed, roll mint in
sugar and roll into round patties or place in mold of whatever shape you
prefer.
Cream Cheese Version
Ingredients:
Cream cheese
Powdered sugar
Peppermint extract
Method: Mix cream cheese and sugar in equal parts with mint extract
to desired strength of flavor. Break into small pieces and roll the pieces
in powdered sugar or place in mold to make decorative mints.
----------
Monitor Miniatures
News from the Federation Family
The Braille Monitor Moves to UEB:
Given the adoption of the Unified English Braille code by the Braille
Authority of North America, the Braille Monitor will begin using the
Unified English Braille Code in the January 2016 issue of this magazine.
Although we were the first to contact the American Printing House for the
Blind about embossing our magazine using the new code, they assure us that
they are preparing for the change and will be ready in plenty of time to
meet our January 2016 deadline.
For those concerned about the changes that the UEB will bring, keep
in mind that our 2014 National Convention Agenda was produced using this
code, and most Braille readers had no trouble adjusting to the elimination
of some familiar contractions and the addition of some new symbols. The
Braille Monitor published a notice in the December issue about the
availability of the McDuffy Reader: A Braille Primer for Adults by Sharon
L. Monthei. In June of 2014 The Braille Authority of North America produced
a document entitled UEB Reader, which describes the changes that one will
see in current literary Braille and the Unified English Braille code. A
course in UEB is also being offered by the Hadley School for the Blind.
Our hope is that all of our readers who read this magazine in Braille
have ample time to get ready for the minimal changes you will see and that
this new code will improve our ability to communicate technical material
and to do so more quickly than we have been able to do in the past.
A New Service from the NFB Employment Committee:
The National Federation of the Blind Employment Committee has started
a Twitter account to provide yet another avenue to connect job seekers with
opportunities. Job announcements posted on our email list are manually
converted into tweets, which are concise, 140-character-maximum summaries
of the job postings with contact information and/or links to full postings
when available. We encourage individuals and organizations to tweet at us
with job postings so that we can retweet them, which spreads the word to
all of our followers. If you have a job posting or employment-related
resource, please tweet it <@NFB_Jobs>; we'd love to retweet it because we
know you can communicate your own ideas better than we can. We also tweet
employment resources, such as useful articles, webinars, or job fairs. Be
sure to follow <@NFB_Jobs> on Twitter!
We need additional hands-on help to make this great service carry on
indefinitely. If you have questions about this service or would like to
volunteer to help keep the tweets flowing, contact us at
<ddavis at blindinc.org>.
Living the Life We Want Through Exercise and Healthy Living:
On Saturday, May 9, the NFB of Colorado Sports and Recreation Division
and WE Fit Wellness will be breaking down barriers to exercise with a full
day, high energy, and interactive seminar. The seminar will be held at the
Colorado Center for the Blind at 2233 W. Shepperd Ave., Littleton, CO
80120. Whether you want to know more about exercise, competitive sports, or
active things to do for fun, this is the seminar for you! From low impact
to full throttle we have recreation and exercise solutions that are
accessible, affordable, and achievable. Come ready to play. Activities
include: goalball, dance, yoga, guided walk/run, full body any time
workout, self-defense, tandem cycling, at-home exercise tools, beep ball,
and a parents track.
You can try it all. Each participant will also receive a
complimentary, tasty, and healthy breakfast, lunch, and snacks as well as a
take-home tool kit which includes healthy recipes, ready-made workouts,
tips and tricks for staying healthy, and a guide to healthy options on the
go: best fast food choices. No matter your age or ability level, you will
leave with the confidence and practical tools that promote healthy living.
Registration is $15 in advance or $20 at the door. In Colorado and
across the nation, you can live the life you want through recreation,
better choice in diet, and exercise. If you are from out of state or even
outside the Denver Metro Area, we have made hotel arrangements with the
Hampton Inn Highlands Ranch, which also provides free shuttle service to
and from the conference and within a five-mile radius of the hotel. To
register, reserve a room, or for more information, please contact Cheryl
Gross at <cheryl at wefitwellness.com> or call (866) 543-6808, extension 10.
Senior Division Sponsors Conference Calls in 2015:
The National Federation of the Blind Senior Division proudly sponsors
the following conference calls on the topics listed below. Each conference
call will be moderated by an active member of the NFB:
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Cane Travel-Can I truly be an efficient cane user as a senior if I've never
learned before? Moderators: Jeff Altman, Nebraska; Maurice Peret, BISM,
Maryland
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Braille: Can I learn Braille as a senior?
Moderator: Shelley Coppel, South Carolina, secretary of the NFB Senior
Division
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Organizing Paperwork-keeping track of banking, labeling, sorting and filing
necessary documents
Moderator: Ruth Sager, Maryland, president, NFB Senior Division
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Hobbies-Pursuing favorite hobbies and crafts
Moderator: Marguerite Woods, Maryland
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Leisure Time-dining out, movies, museums, enjoying favorite pastime
activities
Moderator: Shelley Coppel, South Carolina
All calls will be held at the times listed: 4:00 eastern standard
time, 3:00 central time, 2:00 mountain time, and 1:00 Pacific time.
The conference call number is (712) 432-1500, and the access code is
59633#.
All calls will be recorded and put on the NFB Senior webpage, and
directions for calling in to listen to missed calls will be given a few
hours after the calls have taken place.
In order to obtain the best possible sound for these calls, it is
recommended that each caller, after dialing in, press *6, which puts you in
a "mute" mode. You will be able to hear everything during the call, but
background noise from your location will not disturb others listening in on
the conversation. When you wish to speak and enter the discussion, press *6
once again, and you will be released from the "mute" mode and able to
participate.
It is also highly recommended that each person wishing to speak state
his or her name and wait for the moderator to recognize you before
speaking. The quality of our calls is diminished when we have too many
people trying to seek the floor at one time; chaos is the result, so a
little courtesy goes a long way in participating in an information-filled
meeting. The moderators will do their very best to recognize as many
callers as possible; however, they will determine the order in which
speakers proceed. When finished with your comments, press *6 once again to
go back into "mute mode."
We are very pleased that you are interested in joining our conference
call sessions, and we welcome your participation and input. We hope that
you will then share what you learn with others, and encourage friends and
colleagues to join you in participating in these calls. By the way, you do
not have to be a senior to participate and join with us. Each call will be
about one hour in length. Come join us, and learn to live the life you
want.
Investigating the Accessibility of H&R Block Services:
The NFB is investigating the accessibility of the H&R Block tax-filing
website and online documents <http://www.hrblock.com>. If you have recently
experienced problems with this website, please send an email to
<vyingling at nfb.org> as soon as possible. Please include the following
information in the email: your name, your contact information, a brief
description of the barriers you faced, and the approximate date when you
accessed the site. Thank you for your assistance.
New Opportunities for Careers in Rehabilitation of the Blind:
Structured Discovery Cane Travel (SDCT) and Structured Discovery
Rehabilitation have been demonstrated to be among the most innovative and
effective forms of rehabilitation training for individuals who are blind or
visually impaired. Louisiana Tech University has operated its Orientation
and Mobility program on this model successfully for eighteen years, with
upwards of 90 percent successful employment and employer satisfaction
rates.
Louisiana Tech is excited to announce that, along with its O&M
program, it has expanded its training and is launching a brand new
concentration in Rehabilitation Teaching for the Blind.
Scholarships are now available for qualified individuals seeking one
of the following degree paths: Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational
Psychology with Concentration in Orientation and Mobility; Master of Arts
in Counseling and Guidance with Concentration in Rehabilitation Teaching
for the Blind; or Orientation and Mobility Graduate Certification.
Why Me?
" The field of educating and rehabilitating children and adults who
are blind is deeply rewarding and lif
Why Me?
.The field of educating and rehabilitating children and adults who are
blind is deeply rewarding and life-changing.
.The job market is wide open; currently, we receive four times the
number of employer requests than we have graduates to provide.
.Training occurs on campus in Ruston, Louisiana, and can be completed
in as little as one year.
.No prior background or experience in blindness is necessary-we'll
teach you everything you need to know.
.Scholarships are provided on a competitive basis to qualified persons
and can cover costs for attending the university.
.Scholarships also support travel to conferences, trainings, and field-
based experiences at Structured Discovery training programs.
Who Can Apply?
Individuals must already possess a bachelor's (BA) degree from an
accredited university, have a grade point average of 2.5, and obtain a
minimum of 287 (Verbal and Quantitative) on the Graduate Records
Examination (GRE). Individuals must also be willing to attend courses on
campus in Ruston, Louisiana, on a full-time basis.
What's the Catch?
. Payback through service is required. Agreement to receive
scholarship funding requires commitment for you to work in the field
of rehabilitation for two years for each year of scholarship support
you obtain.
. Scholarships cover at least tuition and fees but may cover living
and travel costs as well.
. You have to move to Ruston, work hard, study harder, and have the
heart to be an O&M or rehabilitation teacher of blind persons.
Where do I get started?
For program details, visit <www.pdrib.com>, send an email for more
information to <dreed at latech.edu>, or call Edward Bell to discuss your
application at (318) 257-4554.
Summer Job Opportunities at the Colorado Center for the Blind:
The Colorado Center for the Blind is now accepting applications from
positive blind role models to be residential counselors and instructors in
our 2015 summer programs. We offer three programs for students: Summer for
Success College Prep Program, Earn and Learn High School Program, and the
Initiation to Independence Middle School Program.
Staff must be available May 26 through August 7. Applicants must be
good role models; competent in the skills of blindness; well rounded;
flexible, excellent communicators, both oral and written; and willing to
lead by example. Applicants also must be excited to work with blind
students ages eleven through twenty. Challenge recreation is an exciting
component of the job. Staff will go rock climbing, hiking, canoeing, white
water rafting, attend martial arts classes, and much more.
All staff and students will attend the National Convention of the
National Federation of the Blind in Orlando!
To learn more about our summer programs, please click the following
link <https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-cl=84503534&v=6yBomtj12KU&x-yt-
ts=1421914688&feature=player_embedded#t=0>
If interested, please contact Brent Batron at (303) 778-1130,
extension 222 or by email at <bbatron at cocenter.org>.
Louisiana Buddy Program 2015
Come and join us for a summer of fun and learning! Since 1989 the
Louisiana Center for the Blind has offered an innovative summer program for
blind children in grades four through eight. This summer, the Buddy Program
promises to be full of learning opportunities, new friendships, and fun-
filled activities.
Many blind children have misconceptions about their blindness due to
the lack of positive blind role models and to the negative stereotypes
about blindness in society. Unlike other summer programs for blind
children, the Buddy Program is directed and staffed by competent blind
adults. Classes in cane travel are taught to instill independence and self-
confidence. The knowledge of Braille enables the blind child to compete on
terms of equality with sighted peers in the classroom and provides a solid
background in spelling and other grammatical skills. Computer literacy
classes expose a blind child to available adaptive equipment. Classes in
daily living skills promote equal participation in household duties such as
cooking, shopping, and cleaning. In addition to learning valuable
alternative techniques of blindness, children will enjoy participating in a
wide variety of exciting activities such as swimming, camping, bowling,
roller skating, and field trips.
The combination of hard work and fun activities will provide a
rewarding experience that children will cherish. Involvement in the Buddy
Program helps blind children realize that it is not blindness that holds
them back. Rather, it is the negative attitudes and misconceptions about
blindness that may prevent blind children from reaching their potential. At
the close of the program parents are required to attend a Parents' Weekend.
This weekend will allow them to interact with other parents of blind
children and to learn what their children have discovered about their
blindness and themselves. Friendship, training, fun, growth, and
interaction between blind children and positive blind role models is how
the Louisiana Center for the Blind is "changing what it means to be blind."
The Louisiana Center for the Blind will sponsor two sessions of the
Buddy Program in 2015: from June 7 through 27 and from July 19 through
August 8.
Perhaps we will have the opportunity to work with your child this
summer. We know it will be a memorable experience for both you and them.
All interested families should visit <www.louisianacenter.org> for more
details and to apply. Please also feel free to contact our director of
Youth Services, Eric Guillory, before April 13. Please email Eric at
<eguillory at louisianacenter.org> or call (800) 234-4166.
Due to limited space, we cannot guarantee that every applicant will
be granted enrollment. Please note that the fee for students not from
Louisiana is $1,000--which is all-inclusive save for transportation to and
from the program. The fee for Louisiana students is $500.
2015 Summer Training & Employment Project (STEP) Program Striving For
Success:
Since 1985, the Louisiana Center for the Blind has been changing what
it means to be blind for adults from across America. In 1990, a program was
created to address the needs of blind high school students. The Summer
Training and Employment Project (STEP) Program is designed to introduce
blind teenagers to positive blind role models and to provide participants
with summer work experience.
The eight-week summer program will consist of two components. During
the first part of the program, competent blind counselors will instruct the
students in the alternative techniques of blindness. Classes in Braille,
cane travel, computer literacy, and daily living skills will be taught by
qualified blind instructors. In addition, seminars will be conducted in the
areas of job readiness, job interviewing skills, resumé writing and job
responsibilities. The second part of the program will continue all aspects
of training and expand to include an employment dimension. Students will
have the opportunity to work fifteen to twenty hours a week at a local
business for which they will receive the federal minimum wage. The staff
will attempt to meet the job interests of the students. Instructors from
the Louisiana Center for the Blind will be available to provide on-the-job
assistance as needed.
The combination of work experience and blindness-related skills-along
with fun-filled activities such as cookouts, swimming, and various other
outings-will foster self-confidence and independence in young blind
teenagers. During the week of July 5 through July 10, students will attend
the national convention of the National Federation of the Blind in Orlando,
Florida. This exciting conference will allow them to meet thousands of
competent blind people from across the country. The students will also have
the chance to participate in a wide variety of informative seminars. At the
close of the program, parents will be required to attend a Parents' Weekend
which will enable them to discover how much their children have learned
throughout the summer. The STEP program is designed to provide invaluable
work experience, friendships, opportunities for personal growth, and
cherished memories.
Training will begin June 14 and conclude August 8. Please visit
<www.louisianacenter.org> to learn about more program specifics and to
complete an application.
Due to limited space, we cannot guarantee that every applicant will
be granted enrollment, and applicants must have an open case with their
state's vocational rehabilitation agency or other funding entity to cover
program costs.
Questions? Please call our director of Youth Services, Eric Guillory
at 800-234-4166 or email him at <eguillory at louisianacenter.org>. "Together,
we are changing what it means to be blind." Check out STEP and find out
how.
Registration for the Minnesota Summer Buddy Program Open:
Warm greetings from BLIND, Incorporated. It is once again time to
start planning for our 2015 Buddy program! This three-week summer fun and
learning program is for children ages nine to thirteen. The dates are July
18 through August 7.
The Buddy Program offers an opportunity for blind children to make
friends and have fun in a positive and secure setting. Students will learn
and practice alternative techniques of blindness while building self-
confidence. The training in alternative techniques includes instruction in
reading and writing Braille, basic cane travel, cooking skills, and
introductions to independent living skills. Students learn to pour liquids,
carry a food tray, do laundry, follow a recipe, and much more as they build
self-confidence and problem-solving skills.
Students also participate in "talk time," where they discuss
important issues about blindness with blind peers and instructors. This
time gives the students a chance to discuss their feelings about blindness
and their frustrations in dealing with uncomfortable situations, and helps
them to problem-solve and develop a positive attitude about blindness and
their abilities as blind students.
In addition students participate in many exciting activities in the
Twin Cities area such as visits to nature parks, Wild Mountain Water Park,
and rock climbing. These activities allow students to develop their
socialization skills. Activities are well supervised, and mentoring for the
children is provided by active blind role models. Lifelong friendships
begin during this brief summer experience.
One of our goals during these recreational/educational activities is
to teach our students the alternative techniques of blindness and help them
gain the self-confidence that will allow them to return home and actively
participate in other fun activities with their sighted friends. Activities
are excellent opportunities to teach and reinforce a wide variety of
alternative techniques as they apply to real life. These learning
experiences are usually most effective when there is plenty of fun
involved!
If you have questions please call (612) 872-0100 (ext. 251), toll-
free (800) 597-9558, or email <cguggisberg at blindinc.org>. You may complete
an application by visiting our website at <www.blindinc.org>.
Registration for the BLIND, Incorporated Summer PREP Program Open:
It is once again time to start making plans for your summer. This
year the PREP, Post-secondary Readiness Empowerment Program, our eight-week
program for blind high school students, will run from June 14 to August 7,
2015.
This exciting summer program is for blind high school students and is
designed to prepare them for academic, employment, and social success. The
PREP curriculum is designed to empower blind youth with the alternative
techniques of blindness they will need in order to be successful in the
college and the career fields they choose and to give them the confidence
and belief in themselves they need in order to find and keep a job.
The core classes include Braille reading and writing; independent
cane travel; adaptive technology; career exploration; and home/dormitory
management, which includes cooking, cleaning, washing and labeling clothes,
personal care, and daily living skills. Students also participate in
regularly scheduled discussion groups designed to build confidence and
learn from blind peers and adults. This program includes a three-week paid
employment experience. Students will utilize the skills they have developed
while earning minimum wage working approximately twenty hours per week in
local businesses and agencies.
PREP students live with fellow students and adult counselors. These
counselors and instructors serve as successful and positive role models.
Students shop for groceries, prepare meals, and clean their apartments as
part of their home and personal management training.
They begin to learn how to live independently while still in a supportive
environment. They develop problem-solving skills and come to realize that
they will be able to take care of themselves and take responsibility for
their own futures.
This program is based on a positive view of blindness: that if blind
people are given proper training and opportunity, they can be successful in
education, find meaningful employment, and live full and productive lives.
Traveling to Orlando, Florida
In July, PREP students will enjoy the exciting opportunity of
accompanying BLIND, Incorporated staff and adult students as we travel to
Orlando, Florida, to attend the weeklong National Convention of the
National Federation of the Blind. During this convention, our PREP students
will join hundreds of other high school and college students from around
the country when attending the National Association of Blind Students
seminar. Students will also attend other meetings, seminars, learn about
new groundbreaking technology, and get involved in social and recreational
activities. This annual convention is packed full of fun and great learning
opportunities and experiences.
Throughout the summer the PREP students will also participate in a
variety of fun activities including going to Wild Mountain Waterpark,
camping, rock climbing, shopping at various malls, etc.
For more information or to complete an application, you can visit our
website at <www.blindinc.org> or call (612) 872-0100, extension 251, or
phone us toll free at (800) 597-9558. Alternatively, you may email us at
<cguggisberg at blindinc.org>.
Federation Leader Presses for Educational Accessibility:
The January 2015 issue of the Monitor focused strongly on
accessibility in education with articles about the TEACH Act and the
lawsuit the NFB got involved with against Florida State University. This
month brings news of a long-time Federation leader working to bring equal
accessibility in educational technology.
Alpidio Rolón filed a complaint with the United States Department of
Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) against the Puerto Rico Department
of Education (PRDOE) asserting that the PRDOE's website is not accessible
to individuals with visual impairments because the website is not fully
compatible with certain assistive technology that converts text to speech.
The OCR conducted an investigation, including having the Assistive
Technology Team conduct a review of the PRDOE's website. The team tested
the assistive technology that converts text-to-speech on the PRDOE's
website by randomly sampling three webpages. The team concluded that all
three webpages had accessibility defects that would prevent a screen reader
such as JAWS or ZoomText from accurately conveying the information
displayed on the webpages.
During the course of OCR's investigation, the PRDOE communicated its
willingness to voluntarily resolve the complaint prior to the conclusion of
OCR's investigation. Accordingly, on October 24, 2014, the PRDOE
voluntarily entered into a resolution agreement with OCR. OCR will monitor
implementation of the resolution agreement. If the PRDOE fails to implement
the terms of the resolution agreement, OCR will resume its investigation by
requesting additional information and documentation, as well as conducting
more extensive testing of the PRDOE's website. We will continue to follow
this situation and keep Monitor readers informed as events develop.
In Brief
Notices and information in this section may be of interest to Monitor
readers. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the information; we
have edited only for space and clarity.
IRS Services for People with Disabilities:
Hundreds of accessible federal tax forms and publications are
available for download from the IRS Accessibility web page at
<http://www.irs.gov/uac/IRS.gov-Accessibility>. Visit <www.IRS.gov> and
select the Forms & Pubs tab to access the Accessible Forms and Pubs link.
You can choose from large-print, text, accessible PDFs, e-Braille, or HTML
formats that are compatible when used with screen readers and refreshable
Braille displays. The IRS also provides American Sign Language videos with
the latest tax information.
IRS Tax Return Preparation Help is Available
People who are unable to complete their tax returns because of a
physical disability or are age sixty or older may get assistance through
the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or Tax Counseling for the
Elderly (TCE) programs. You can find a nearby VITA or TCE location by
calling (800) 906-9887. Publication 907, Tax Highlights for Persons with
Disabilities, explains the tax implications of certain disability benefits
and other issues and is available at
<http://www.irs.gov/publications/p907/index.html>.
Envision Seeking Blind Employees:
Envision is proud to be a leading employer of individuals who are
blind or visually impaired. At Envision we focus on ability, not
disability. All Envision employees come to work driven by a sense of
purpose in what they do, and they see their purpose in action through the
employment opportunities, programs, and services which their work with
Envision helps fuel. Each Envision employee has different roles and
responsibilities, but everyone works toward the same mission: to improve
the quality of life and provide inspiration for the blind and visually
impaired through employment, outreach, rehabilitation, education, and
research.
For more information or to apply for an open position, please visit us
at <www.envisionus.com/careers>. We look forward to hearing from you.
Braille and Talking Book Program Embraces New Braille Code:
The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
(NLS), part of the Library of Congress, next year will implement the
Unified English Braille (UEB) code on Jan. 4, 2016-the 207th birthday of
Louis Braille.
"This is the first extensive change to the English Braille code, a
major literacy tool, since the 1930s," said NLS Director Karen Keninger.
"The new code will be especially beneficial to students and other users of
technology. It resolves persistent translation errors that occur when, for
example, a student's work is translated to print for a teacher to read, or
when print material is translated to Braille." Those who use computers,
smartphones, ebooks, and texting features will find it very useful.
The code, which has been adopted by seven other English-speaking
countries, brings the Braille code into the computer age. "UEB is not much
different from the English Braille American Edition that we've been using,"
Keninger said. UEB uses the same six-dot cell pattern as the present code,
but drops some contractions, uses different spacing rules, and allows for
transliterating a wider array of symbols.
The Braille Authority of North America (BANA)-which oversees the use,
teaching, and production of Braille in the United States-adopted the code
in November 2012. It then began preparing constituents for the change to
ensure implementation in 2016.
"Since many BANA members produce Braille or transcribe Braille, the
NLS announcement will not be a surprise. They have already been preparing,"
said Judy Dixon, NLS consumer relations officer and NLS representative to
BANA.
Beginning January 4, 2016, all books added to the Braille collection
will be produced in UEB. "Current patrons should make the transition easily
as the new code builds on the old system," said Keninger. Existing Braille
books will remain in the collection and be available. The UEB books are not
expected to be available from the collection for at least six months.
Patrons will not need to change their equipment.
NLS administers the Braille and talking-book program, a free library
service available to US residents and American citizens living abroad whose
low vision, blindness, or physical disability makes reading regular
materials difficult. Through its national network of libraries, NLS mails
books and magazines in audio and Braille formats and digital audio
equipment directly to enrollees at no cost. Music instructional materials
are also available. Selected materials may be downloaded. For more
information visit <www.loc.gov/nls/> or call (888) NLS-READ (888) 657-
7323).
New York State School for the Blind Reunion:
The Alumni Association of the New York State School for the Blind
will hold its annual reunion from Thursday, June 11 to Sunday June 14,
2015, at the Clarion Hotel in Batavia.
The Clarion is conveniently located just off the New York State Thruway at
8250 Park Road, Batavia, NY 14020-1275. The phone number is (585) 344-2100.
The bus companies that serve Batavia have agreed to provide front-
door service for guests traveling from the east and west. For returning
alumni who will be traveling from out of state, many of the buses that
originate or are destined for Buffalo make stops at the Buffalo Niagara
International airport.
As always, this year's get-together will not lack in excitement with
a trivia contest, a trip to a nearby museum, and our legendary banquet.
We've recently changed the rules concerning membership in our organization,
making membership open to more people than ever before. You won't want to
miss our 2015 gathering.
Room rates are competitively priced at $87 for standard rooms and
$107 for suites. Our banquet choices of rib eye steak, salmon, and chicken
and pasta primavera are priced reasonably from $20 to $25.
The registration deadline is Friday, May 1, 2015, and in order to
enjoy the hotel room rates as quoted above, you must register with
treasurer Chet Smalley by that date. Chet can be reached by mail at 541 W.
Gore Road, Erie, PA 16509-2329; by phone at (814) 866-3949; or by email at
<chet_smalley at neo.rr.com>
For more information contact our corresponding secretary, Diane
Scalzi, at 21621 Briarcliff Street, Clair Shores, MI 48082-1299; by phone
(586) 337-5226; or by email at <dscalzi at comcast.net>.
Warriors to Summits:
Apply now for Warriors to Summits 2015 Expedition! We are thrilled to
announce that on the heels of such success with Mission: Mt. Whitney, Wells
Fargo has renewed their relationship with No Barriers USA to provide
another incredible veteran program in 2015.
This year's Warriors to Summits expedition will be to Gannett Peak,
the apex of the entire Central Rockies. At 13,804 feet, it is located in
Wyoming between Fremont and Sublette Counties along the Continental Divide.
There will be two team trainings prior to the expedition launch, and the
summit is planned for September 11th.
We highly encourage all veterans and transitioning service members
with disabilities to apply for the program. Applications will be accepted
through March 31. Not a veteran? Do your part by nominating a potential
applicant today.
Learn more about Warriors to Summits by calling (877) 627-1425 or
write to 224 Canyon Avenue, Suite 207, Fort Collins, CO 80521.
Participants Wanted for a Survey on the Employment of the Blind:
I am working on my thesis for my master's degree in management. The
topic is the dismal unemployment rate for people who are blind or visually
impaired and are of working age. This is a concern of mine both because I
am blind and because I believe blindness is a disability requiring minimal
accommodations. I have been involved in most aspects of the blindness
system, from getting rehabilitation training to getting an undergraduate
degree to doing job searches and working for sixteen years with a major air
carrier. Due to office closures, I have gone back to the job search, but,
while searching, I decided to further my education with a graduate degree
in management, specializing in leadership.
My hope is to get a clearer understanding of the problem of the
unemployment of the blind in order to come up with solutions to the
problem. I am doing this with a survey on surveymonkey.com. The link is
below; however, I am open to simply having a dialogue with people who are
blind or visually impaired who are successfully working, those who are
looking for work, those who are under-employed, or those who are retired
and have left the workforce. Since my specialization is in the leadership
area, I hope to find meaningful information in order to take a step toward
addressing a solution to the problem, no matter how small that step may be.
The survey is at <https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/EmploymentResearch>. You
may contact me by writing to Monica Venesky at <tmnevenesky at q.com> or by
calling me at (712) 276-1456.
Monitor Mart
The notices in this section have been edited for clarity, but we can
pass along only the information we were given. We are not responsible for
the accuracy of the statements made or the quality of the products for
sale.
Bookkeeping Services Available from Blind Entrepreneur:
I am the secretary of the National Federation of the Blind of New
Jersey and the owner/operator of Mackey Enterprises. My company offers its
services to assist individuals and small businesses with their data entry
and bookkeeping needs using Word, Excel, and QuickBooks. Projects will be
undertaken and completed based on a negotiated hourly rate or as a
volunteer contribution by the company if circumstances warrant. To learn
more and negotiate a rate, contact Brian Mackey at (609) 953-6988, or email
me at <bmackey88 at gmail.com>.
----------
NFB Pledge
I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National
Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for
the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to
abide by its constitution.
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