From buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org Fri Jan 29 08:12:58 2016 From: buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org (Brian Buhrow) Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2016 08:12:58 -0800 Subject: [Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor, February 2016 Message-ID: <201601291612.u0TGCwYJ029932@lothlorien.nfbcal.org> BRAILLE MONITOR Vol. 59, No. 2 February 2016 Gary Wunder, Editor Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, with the audio version being available in both Spanish and English (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 NFBnet.org: http://www.nfbnet.org NFB-NEWSLINE? information: (866) 504-7300 Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind Follow us on Twitter: @NFB_Voice Watch and share our videos: YouTube.com/NationsBlind Letters to the President, address changes, subscription requests, and orders for NFB literature should be sent to the national office. Articles for the Monitor and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national 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 ? 2016 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 position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and try again. (Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the thumb drive, the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges, 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 envelope enclosed with the drive when you return the device. [PHOTO CAPTION: Palm-lined drive leading to front entrance to Rosen Shingle Creek Resort] Orlando Site of 2016 NFB Convention The 2016 convention of the National Federation of the Blind will take place in Orlando, Florida, June 30 to July 5, at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, 9939 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32819-9357. Make your room reservation as soon as possible with the Shingle Creek staff only. Call (866) 996-6338. The 2016 room rates are singles and doubles, $83; and for 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 May 27, 2016. The other 50 percent is not refundable. Rooms will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations may be made before May 27, 2016, 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. All Rosen Shingle Creek guestrooms feature amenities that include plush Creek Sleeper beds, 40" flat screen TVs, complimentary high-speed internet capabilities, in-room safes, coffee makers, mini-fridges, and hair dryers. Guests can also enjoy a swimming pool, fitness center, and on-site spa. The Rosen Shingle Creek Resort has a number of dining options, including two award-winning restaurants, and twenty-four-hour-a-day room service. The schedule for the 2016 convention is: Thursday, June 30 Seminar Day Friday, July 1 Registration Day Saturday, July 2 Board Meeting and Division Day Sunday, July 3 Opening Session Monday, July 4 Business Session Tuesday, July 5 Banquet Day and Adjournment Vol. 59, No. 2 February 2016 Contents Illustration: NFB BELL Academy December Seminar Highlights A Dustup in Oklahoma and Its Importance to Blind Oklahomans by Gary Wunder Brad Smith's Address at the 2015 Accessibility Summit A Modern-Day Pioneer in Our Midst: An Attempt to Say Thank You to a Civil Rights Leader for the Blind by Gary Wunder The Blind in the World: From Paternalism to Self-Determination by Fredric K. Schroeder NAC: What Price Accreditation by Kenneth Jernigan Introducing Braille: Begin With a Positive Experience by Doris Willoughby Blindness: The Pattern of Freedom by Kenneth Jernigan How the First Self-Advocacy Organization of the Blind Met the Challenge of Social Security, 1940-1950 by Anna Kresmer Making Diversity Work by Elaine Warn The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund by Allen Harris Recipes Monitor Miniatures [PHOTO CAPTION: Cane walk in the lunchroom: Corrb O'Connor (KY) leads James Bevels (NC) on a Cane Walk under learning shades in the lunchroom of the National Center for the Blind in Baltimore, MD. [PHOTO CAPTION: Participants cutting out materials during a hands-on activity: (Left to right) Mary Jo Partyka (NJ) cuts out a face that has raised lines on its perimeter for accessibility while Rebecca Sherman (ID) reads the lesson plan for this activity from the NFB BELL Academy curriculum. Alison Steven (ID) and Debbie Wunder (MO) tactually review their cut-out faces. [PHOTO CAPTION: Participants making a beach ball make sound by adding spaghetti noodles and rice: (Left to right) Wendy Bybee (UT) adds spaghetti noodles to a beach ball so that it will make sounds when NFB BELL Academy participants use it in a lesson. Beside her, Katie Chevalier (UT) does the same with rice as the noise-making material. NFB BELL Academy December Seminar Highlights Each year, state coordinators and teachers from around the nation gather to discuss upcoming Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) programs that will be conducted in their states. Teaching Braille to young students in a two-week program can be challenging, and especially when the students range in age from four to twelve years old. Since there is no requirement that students come, at least part of the success of the program must be in making what is done not only educational but fun. At this year's BELL Academy, where the job was to train the trainers, fifty-seven participants from thirty-one states and the District of Columbia joined in the learning. Lodging and meals were provided for all, and travel costs for one person from each state was provided. Twenty-eight hours of training helped to fill a busy three-day seminar. But it isn't just about the scheduled training. BELL Academy gives BELL coordinators and teachers from across the country a chance to mingle, sharing experiences, tips, tricks, and support as they prepare for the 2016 BELL sessions. A single session was devoted to letting veteran BELL teachers and coordinators share their experiences, while other sessions covered topics like training for Facebook novices, specific strategies for using social media to advertise BELL, grant writing, insurance and liability, and many other topics. Attendees got a chance to practice actual lessons and hands-on activities from the curriculum including Braille Twister, UEB or Not To BE, Cane Walks, Stick Out Your Braille Tongue, Splash Words, Drawing With Your Perkins Brailler, Slides and Mountains, Frogs Do Jump High, Spreading 101 and All About Spreads, Pouring Practice, Beach Ball Braille (Letters, Contractions, Nemeth, and Words), and making homemade scented play dough. If the teachers got to have that much fun, just imagine how interesting, amazing, and exciting the summer of 2016 will be for those states lucky enough to have a BELL Program. [PHOTO CAPTION: Director Joe Cordova] [PHOTO CAPTION: Division Administrator Douglas Boone] A Dustup in Oklahoma and Its Importance to Blind Oklahomans by Gary Wunder In the June 2013 issue of the Braille Monitor, the lead article was "The Rehabilitation System in Oklahoma: Progress, Setbacks, and the Hope for Greater Opportunities." It revealed that two leading rehabilitation officials were fired or resigned three days apart, and the article discussed the reasons for their severance. More importantly, it discussed the progress that had been made in providing rehabilitation services to the blind of Oklahoma and expressed the hope that it would not be derailed by the inappropriate behavior of its previous rehabilitation officials. The fear that elected officials in Oklahoma would retreat from the task of improving their rehabilitation system by promoting low-profile bureaucrats and ordering them to keep rehabilitation services below the radar was unfounded. Oklahoma moved boldly to hire Joe Cordova as the executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (ODRS) in December of 2013. His work in the field is well known to members of the National Federation of the Blind and professionals in the field of rehabilitation, having distinguished himself throughout the country as an innovative and hard-working leader in getting services leading to employment. He has been the assistant commissioner for services for the blind in New Mexico, headed the Division for the Blind in the Rehabilitation Services Administration, became a regional commissioner in that agency, and then moved to Hawaii to head their general rehabilitation agency. "We want people to have good jobs at good wages, and we want to avoid providing the kind of minimalist service that leads to them coming back to the department again and again because they don't make enough money or the employment doesn't represent something they really want to do." Cordova is emphatic in his conviction that the bar for his agency is not met or exceeded by helping clients secure entry-level employment and then walking away with the agency feeling satisfied that it has a case closure. The agency should feel that it has been successful only when it has helped one of its consumers to find employment where they make a good, sustainable living wage. Cordova believes that achieving this goal can often require several years of hard work to produce these results, but he notes with pride that the wages of disabled customers in Oklahoma went up by 5 percent this year. This is happening in a state that is currently suffering significant financial difficulty as a result of lower oil prices and the need to dramatically cut government expenditures. Many of the changes brought by Cordova have been warmly welcomed, and as we detail those that deal specifically with rehabilitation for the blind later in this article, it is easy to see why blind residents of Oklahoma are embracing the changes. One change, however, that has generated some controversy is the replacement of the superintendent of the Oklahoma School for the Blind, a department which falls under Cordova's jurisdiction. Cordova says that the decision to dismiss Dr. James Adams was difficult and that he made it after it became clear that he and Adams did not share the same vision for student success. Cordova says that Adams did a good job in coordinating the day-to-day activities of the school, but his expectations of students and the careers that might be theirs were not consistent with Cordova's. "We need a long-term vision for people at the school. Our data for a six-year period clearly demonstrated that graduates of the school performed below blind students who attended public school. I believe that the expectation for students should be that they will get an education beyond their post-secondary experience." But Cordova said this was not what Dr. Adams envisioned. Cordova says that Adams believed that the superintendent should not be encouraging students to go to college and that their demonstrated failure to thrive in this environment was an indication that they could not. Cordova believes that the more appropriate view for the school and the rehabilitation agency to take is that the failure of the students is more likely the result of deficiencies in training that the school should identify and address. He believes that the school needs to assess how it's doing in providing academics, independent living skills, and extracurricular activities and to use these assessments to improve the ability of the school's students to face the challenges they must meet to succeed in the world today. "If we aren't producing successful students, either something in the curriculum needs to be changed or maybe we need to give them some remedial courses, tutoring, and other support services that will help them get to that place." The charge has been made that changes at the school for the blind have occurred in an attempt to eliminate the residential school. Cordova says this couldn't be further from the truth. "As a former blind student who has attended a school for the blind from age five until graduation in my home state of New Mexico, I believe I can speak from personal experience as to the many benefits of attending a specialized residential school for the blind, benefits which are not always readily available in regular public schools. I attribute much of my success over the years directly to the programs and services offered in a special residential school for the blind, and I want future blind students to have the same opportunity to benefit from those types of programs and services here at the Oklahoma School for the Blind." Cordova removed Adams in June of 2015, having made the decision earlier but not wanting to disrupt the school year. He was replaced by Christine Boone, the wife of Douglas Boone, who is the director of Visual Services. This sparked charges of nepotism, but, in fact, these have no legal legs. Neither of the Boones supervises the other, both reporting directly to Cordova. Cordova says, "I have worked with Christine for more than thirty years, and I trust her to implement the policies that I believe will lead to better outcomes for students. I appointed her to serve as the interim director while we do a nationwide search. Finding a qualified superintendent is a difficult task, and I cannot think of one blind person who currently serves in that capacity in the United States." As this article is being finalized, interviews are currently being conducted to find a full-time superintendent. On the subject of rehabilitation services for blind people, there are many positive accomplishments to report. Cordova hired Doug Boone in January of 2014 to head the blindness agency, a unit that is strangely named Visual Services. Boone says that when he was looking for a house and told people where he would be working, they wanted to know how many different kinds of glasses the agency provided and what a person had to do to get services. He says they never once assumed that the agency was set up to serve blind people, and both he and Cordova are proposing a name change for the blindness unit. There seems to be good support for changing the name to Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and the name change is expected to be finalized at the end of 2016. Boone said that when he came to Visual Services, the definition of blindness being used by the agency often resulted in ambiguity in who would be served and the services the agency could provide to them. The agency has now updated its definition of blindness so that it is less confusing and unambiguously complies with federal regulations. It clarifies that the agency serves the legally blind, the visually impaired, those who have a progressive condition which is certain to lead to blindness, and those who are functionally blind-people who are photophobic and cannot see during the day although at certain times and under certain lighting conditions may have 20/20 vision. He says the agency has also addressed training for its counselors in the area of low vision. "Sometimes there is this perception that our state services for the blind discourages the use of vision. If one's vision is dependable and makes one competitive, that is good, and we try to make the most of it. But, if it works now, but it won't work at 2:00 o'clock in the afternoon, that's a problem." One of Boone's concerns has long been that people who are newly blinded have their first meeting with the agency and after two hours are left with a mountain of paperwork that they have no idea how to process. "For many of these people print is no longer an option, but we were leaving them all of this paperwork and actually contributing to their sense of defeat about what it means to be blind. Signing up for services to address blindness is an emotional time, and, when I was a counselor, I often felt frustrated at that first meeting, knowing that a client could only retain about 20 percent of what I told him. We have created a much better system, and it is one that is long overdue." The agency has developed an information cartridge that is readable using a National Library Service (NLS) book player. The cartridge includes a document detailing the rights and responsibilities of applicants, information about how to contact the Office of Disability Concerns (known in many states as the Client Assistance Program), a pamphlet on library services and how to use them, information pamphlets about and from both consumer organizations, and a list of out-of-state training centers with whom the state agency contracts. The cartridge also includes information about the Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council, and this is critical because agency consumers need to know how to contact those who are responsible for overseeing the program that gives them service. "By the time we leave their house, we have delivered them an NLS machine, and they are signed up for library services and shown how to use the machine. Not only do we leave them with critical information, but by signing them up for library services, we once again open to them the wide world of information and the stories and adventures that literature can bring." Boone believes that there must be stronger relationships built between the staff of his agency and the consumers they serve. To this end his division is encouraging staff members to attend state conventions of the National Federation of the Blind and the Oklahoma Council of the Blind. "We can't serve people well if we don't know them." So that staff are aware of the broader issues faced by blind people, they are invited to attend national conventions of the two major organizations in the country. The agency will pay their expense to attend the convention of the American Council of the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind. "If you attend the convention of the National Federation of the Blind one year, you are obligated to attend the convention of the American Council of the Blind the next. Likewise, if your first convention that the agency pays for is the American Council of the Blind, you are obligated to go to the convention of the National Federation of the Blind the next year. We will pay for our staff to attend two conventions, and if they choose to continue going to one or both, we will grant them leave time to do so. Our division's impartiality has to be above reproach." Under Boone's leadership the agency has placed increased emphasis on immersion training in blindness. This can only be received at a residential rehabilitation center, and no such center for the blind exists in Oklahoma. The division therefore maintains contracts with six agencies around the country from which its consumers can choose. Boone feels that residential training is so important that he has created a contest funded from his pocket to encourage the division's staff to send clients for training. If a staff member gets three students to attend intensive rehabilitation training, Boone will give that staff member a hundred-dollar bill. "I have put my money into this because I think people need to know that this is where my heart is and that I am committed to quality training. Money is a great motivator. I think the effectiveness of the contest can be seen in the figures. In 2014 we sent twelve people for center training. In 2015 there have been twenty-six people participating in intensive training." With the passage of the most recent amendments to the vocational rehabilitation act, known as the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act, tremendous emphasis is being placed on providing transition services for people ages sixteen to twenty-one. For the first time the division sponsored the Transition Independence Program. This two-week course gave blind students an experience in which they lived in a dormitory, learned to travel from the dormitory to the cafeteria, learned to do some light cooking, received additional training in orientation and mobility services, went on community trips, received daily instruction in Braille and assistive technology, and got some technology they could take home as their own. The program purchased an iPod Touch, and with the assistance of the National Federation of the Blind of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Council of the Blind, iTunes cards were provided so that each student could purchase a copy of the KNFB Reader and thereby have access to the printed page. The program concluded with a cookout, giving many of the students their first opportunity to grill their own hamburger and hot dogs. "Several of our students had never worked around a fire, and one was deathly afraid of it. This meant that we had to do lots of preparation with a cold grill so students could see the layout of everything in a cool, touchable environment. It was so exciting to see a seventeen-year-old in the program lighting her first match and starting our fire. I have never seen anyone as excited as she was, and this is what we are all about." Visual Services has recently advertised a transition facilitator position. The person hired will help young people ages fourteen to sixteen to acquire the skills of blindness and will work with their parents to make sure that other soft skills are acquired. The person filling this position will also work with students from ages sixteen to twenty-one, the focus being on transitioning from high school to college or some other program oriented to training one for employment. Since parents are key, the agency is developing a video that shows successful blind people working and participating in their communities. The agency will also set up periodic meetings across the state so that parents can meet blind people and have their questions addressed. The agency has added an assistive technology coordinator to improve services to clients and to do outreach to potential employers. The coordinator doesn't do placement but does try to plow new ground in getting employers to see that the jobs they have to offer are ones that can be done by blind people. "Our hope is that when they have job openings, they will think about blind people to fill them. What we are trying to create is a no- pressure environment where an employer has a license to ask questions in an honest way." Expanding assistive technology services to make sure that the agency is providing quality instruction and follow-up is important to Boone. The agency is adding a toll-free number its customers can use when having problems with technology, be it hardware or software. Division staff can either talk them through their problem or can connect to their computer to provide direct assistance. "Training will continue to be in-person, but the phone can be used to refresh what you already know but have kind of forgotten," says Boone. The division has always had an assistive technology lab, but nothing has existed for people in the eastern part of the state. The agency now has a building in Tulsa and is waiting for furniture. The building will house a technology lab, but, more importantly, it will allow all of the staff in Oklahoma City to function under one roof, increasing the coordination of services that the division provides. In addition to the training provided by agency staff, the division has contracted with Langston University to teach keyboarding, JAWS for Windows, and mainstream applications. "Our intent in working with the university is to increase the computer literacy of our clients and to get people job-ready," says Boone. As an added benefit, the university can work with staff members to enhance their training on the technology that is so important in the workplace. There is a lot of it out there, and it is no small task to stay current. In addition to the consolidation taking place in Tulsa, the agency is working on bringing staff together in Oklahoma City. Library services will be moving from a mall into a state-owned building. All services provided by staff in the Oklahoma City area will also be under one roof. This building will house an access technology lab, a kitchen for training, a washer and dryer, and administrative offices. "Our goal is to get people in Oklahoma City to see the library as a central place to go to get services," says Boone. Given the downturn in Oklahoma's economy as a result of low oil prices, one significant benefit is that this move will eliminate some rental fees and will also bring federal dollars to the library because vocational rehabilitation programs have to pay rent somewhere. Changes in the business enterprise program are ones Boone sees as particularly exciting. The agency is upgrading requirements to enter the program and offering those who think they are interested in food service the opportunity to have extended visits at business enterprise facilities. "This business is not for the faint of heart," said Boone. "There is a lot of standing, a lot of dealing with growly customers, but the business opportunities represent a significant shot at advancing, and we strongly support the program." People who decide they want to go into food service will attend a training center and, while learning or refreshing one's skills of blindness, the business enterprise program trainee will be taking a training course offered by the Hadley School for the Blind to learn about food preparation, running a small business, and other job functions required to be a successful business person. "Our expectation is that when they get back to Oklahoma, they will be very close to bidding for and getting a facility." With all of the emphasis on employment that is required by the Rehabilitation Act, some have speculated that it is the intent of the agency to do away with homemaker services. Boone says this couldn't be further from the truth and that, when asked to provide comments on the latest revisions resulting in the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act, he wrote unequivocally supporting the retention of the homemaker status. What he does object to is the practice previously followed in Oklahoma of automatically placing people fifty-five and over into homemaker status, noting that the consumer should always be asked what he or she would like to do, regardless of their age. He notes that a woman who was seventy-nine years old resumed her work as a tax preparer after she received services from the agency. Boone believes this is how it should work and that informed choice doesn't mean that only young people have the right to exercise control over their lives. Overall Boone is happy about the progress made so far. He says that standards and indicators are up, wages are up for people who have received training and are being placed, and good things are being done as the agency works diligently to better serve its consumers. While the controversy surrounding the Oklahoma School for the Blind is regrettable, it should not overshadow the significant work being done to help the blind of the state. Neither should it obscure the commitment of elected officials in Oklahoma to take the high road, offering to the blind of Oklahoma a chance for the education and training that leads to gainful employment and a major step toward the full integration of the blind and the sighted. While the innovators in Oklahoma should be given due credit for their forward-thinking attitudes and programs, I unashamedly express my hope that other agencies will follow suit and that what seems spectacular today will become commonplace throughout the nation. Of course, the chances that this transformation will occur are directly proportional to how much we in the National Federation of the Blind press for it, and I hope that the pages of this magazine can chronicle such changes until they no longer are newsworthy but are so commonplace that they are simply expected. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Brad Smith] Brad Smith's Address at the 2015 Accessibility Summit From the Editor: From November 17 to 19, 2015, representatives from the National Federation of the Blind participated in an accessibility Summit sponsored by Microsoft. Present were representatives from the World Blind Union, the American Council of the Blind, and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. The keynote address was delivered by the president of Microsoft, Brad Smith. The remarks he made were moving, especially coming from someone of his rank in one of the major technology companies in the world. Not all that he said can be related here because the technical groups in which we participate often require the signing of nondisclosure agreements, but what we can print does represent a significant commitment by Microsoft. Here is a brief introduction written by Microsoft's public relations department, followed by a reconstruction of President Smith's remarks: On November 17, Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith kicked off the 2015 Accessibility Summit. In his remarks he provided an overview of the company's approach to accessibility, outlined steps Microsoft is taking to improve the accessibility of products and services, and closed with an assurance that this is and will continue to be a top priority for Microsoft. In December, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella followed up on these remarks, citing accessibility as a "top of mind" issue in his year-end memo distributed to all Microsoft employees. Below are key excerpts from Brad's remarks at the Accessibility Summit: I want to provide an overview of how Microsoft is thinking about accessibility to you today. We are at an interesting moment in time in our company, where the height of our ambition to make our products accessible is exceeded only by our humility about the work yet to be done to accomplish this. We have high ambition because the world demands that of us, and we are listening to what you and other organizations have told us about where we need to improve. But this ambition is also rooted in our mission as a company. In his twenty months as CEO, Satya Nadella has developed our new mission statement, which is "To empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more." This mission statement speaks to who works at Microsoft and why they work here. That mission statement speaks to what we are about as a company-enabling people, through technology, to lead richer lives. We are there to reach every person in every country, which helps us think beyond the US. It also speaks to what technology can do for people of all abilities. We know that there are many people with many kinds of disabilities. Nearly every one of us deals with disability in our daily lives, whether it is our own or a friend, family member, colleague, or a neighbor with a disability. This helps us appreciate the importance of accessibility in a concrete way. We also understand that people are defined by what they can do, and people with disabilities are capable of doing all kinds of things. Technology can empower people, which is why it is imperative that Microsoft does a great job of creating technology that empowers all people with disabilities. That is our ambition. But it must be coupled with humility. We did a great job at accessibility in the early stages of Microsoft, and we want to be great again-but we are not there yet. We need to stay humble to understand the opportunity and seize it. There are a few core areas that we are focused on to address accessibility. The first is engineering capability. We are moving quickly to enhance our engineering capabilities as a company and in the accessibility space, and our senior leadership team has ensured that our teams have the appropriate resources to meet our ambitions. It's important that our words are backed up by this investment-words are cheap, but technology is expensive and difficult to produce, but we are. Part of this shift is helped by having an engineer as CEO; leadership really flows from that office across the company. Second, we are working to provide greater clarity around our goals through product roadmaps. These roadmaps articulate our goals, which allow our engineers to go forth and build them into products. Third, we are also focused on accountability. Even with engineering capability and goals, if we lack discipline, then we are likely to miss meeting these goals. That requires us to find a way to measure success and progress, one that is robust but also not too complicated. The cross-company accessibility team has created a good measurement system so we can better monitor and grade ourselves on our progress. We will be taking stock of our products throughout the development process, including a review prior to release with accessibility in mind. Fourth, we are taking steps to evolve our culture, both in our engineering approach through inclusive design and also in our hiring practices. This "one Microsoft" approach is breaking down silos and embedding accessibility in every department of the company. Finally, we need partners who will keep us honest and humble and also help us learn. We hope along the way to earn your trust and respect, and we will do this by backing up our good intentions with actions. Right now we are trying to catch up to meet the basic needs of people with disabilities in the marketplace. But we have the opportunity to dream bigger dreams. We are thinking broadly and creatively about how technology can create new opportunities to empower people and enrich their lives. The very best ideas have probably not yet been found-but, working together, I believe we can move this innovation agenda forward. From the Editor: The commitments made in the foregoing remarks are significant, and they expand on remarks made by Microsoft's chief executive officer Satya Nadella in December of 2015: As I think about living our mission, top of mind for me heading into 2016 is how we must make Microsoft products accessible to the more than 1 billion people globally of all abilities. This is a shared goal. Universal design is central to how we realize our mission and will make all our products better. Along with our Senior Leadership Team, I will continue to devote my time and passion to this priority. Specifically, we will do three things: First, be transparent in sharing our goals and plans to ensure our products are accessible. Second, be accountable, which means engineering leads will prioritize universal design in the development of all products and services going forward. Third, continue to make this part of our work on building a more inclusive culture, including efforts to expand our existing accessibility hiring and awareness training initiatives and programs. From the Editor: As a result of our meeting in January of last year with Satya Nadella, our work with Microsoft has taken place on several levels. One of the benefits of contact at the highest levels of Microsoft is that we can go beyond specific technical problems with their products and join with them in bringing about systemic change in our nation. Microsoft's intention to partner with the National Federation of the Blind in going outside its company to press for significant technological change is evidenced in the following letter which is signed by Mark Riccobono, president of the National Federation of the Blind, and Brad Smith, president and chief legal officer of Microsoft: SENT VIA EMAIL January 14, 2016 President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Obama: Over five years ago, an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) for Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regarding website accessibility was issued by the United States Department of Justice. The ANPRM reflected your administration's recognition that the internet is an essential part of American life; among other things, a quality education and a desirable employment outcome are virtually impossible to achieve without accessing it. The issue of equal access to websites is therefore of critical importance to blind individuals as represented by the National Federation of the Blind, to technology companies like Microsoft, and other online businesses. Yet the release date of the NPRM for revising the Title III regulations of the ADA, originally scheduled for January of 2012, has been extended no less than five times. Most recently, it was postponed until 2018, eight years after this regulation process started. The need for a regulation providing accessibility guidance for public accommodations doing business on the internet is even more urgent today than it was five years ago. In 2014, Cisco Systems released the results of a study of white collar workers from around the world, which found that 57 percent of the Americans surveyed between the ages of eighteen and fifty look at their smartphone before anything else every morning, and 39 percent had never made it through a full day of using their smartphone without accessing a website. Regulations from the Department of Justice (DOJ) are needed to provide companies with clear and meaningful guidelines so they can serve their clients and customers with disabilities. Thus, as you said on July 26, 2010, these rules are "the most important updates to the ADA since its original enactment." We agree, and urge you to release the NPRM for Title III of the ADA without further delay. Sincerely, Mark A. Riccobono, President National Federation of the Blind Brad Smith, President Microsoft ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Jim Omvig] A Modern-Day Pioneer in Our Midst: An Attempt to Say Thank You to a Civil Rights Leader for the Blind by Gary Wunder One of my jobs as the state president in Missouri has been to deliver eulogies for Federationists whose long service and love of the organization deserve a tribute. I have written them for two past affiliate presidents, several other leaders of prominence, and many friends. The honor in being asked to deliver a eulogy is that you may be saying the most important words that have been or will ever be said about someone's life. The sadness is that it isn't being said to the person we are honoring. At best one must take on faith that the remarks will be heard, felt, sensed, or known by the one being honored, and at worse the comments come too late to matter to that person. What a pleasure it is when sometimes we are able to say thank you to a gem while he or she is still around to appreciate it, correct us when we don't quite get it right, and tell us just a bit more that we don't quite know as we write the remarks to share their lives with those who may not have known them as well as their family and friends. So it is that I have drawn an ace from the deck and have the honor of putting down some part of Jim Omvig's life story: an inspiration, a tribute to what can happen when one works hard, meets the right people, is encouraged, and takes advantage of the opportunities offered. Jim was raised in Slater, Iowa, and for a time attended the public school there. Though he tried hard, much of his effort focused on using vision he simply didn't have. Eventually he went to the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School in Vinton. While competing academically and athletically was made easier by the lack of emphasis on vision, the school brought with it other difficulties. Foremost among these was the attitude held by the school about its blind charges. Those with the most sight were the most blessed: those called upon for giving the school tours, for pitching the tents during scouting events, and for looking after "the totals" (those without any usable vision). The school believed the blind could be educated, but the fields in which they could participate were quite limited, and, given this philosophy, the school provided vocational technical training in the few jobs they believed their graduates could do. The staff members were good, honest people, but they saw their calling to be to teach the blind some academic skills, help them compete with other blind people athletically, and acquaint them early on with the limitations of blindness. These would not have been the words they used, but certainly the attitude they conveyed to Jim and his fellow students. After high school Jim lived at home almost eight years. Most of his days were not so much living as existing, always waiting for that piece of medical news that would change his life. His mother so wanted him to see that she went to eye doctors, offering one of her eyes if only they could give it to Jim so that he might have vision. Since no operation, regardless of the sacrifice, could give him the vision he would need to be a productive citizen, he and his family lived from day to day, with Jim doing what little he could to help with family chores. Occasionally he got work in a local creamery, where his strength could be used in moving butter and loading trucks with products bound for the city. This was not the kind of work that could provide a real income, but any extra money was helpful, and so too was any reason to get up in the morning. This was not the life he wanted, but it was the life he had been given, and people from Iowa knew there was only so much time that could be given over to grief about what one had lost and wanted back. Jim lived what he now regards as an isolated life. Though tall and good looking, he decided early on that it would be irresponsible to get involved with women. In his mind a man's role was to be the provider, the leader in his home. He believed that being blind precluded this, so there was no reason to offer his heart or to ask for the heart of another. When he was twenty-five, Jim was contacted by the Iowa Commission for the Blind and invited to go to Des Moines to tour the agency. His sister Jan was then a student and encouraged him to come. He figured he already knew much of what there was to know about what blind people could do and become from his time at the school in Vinton, but he agreed to visit if for no other reason than for the brief change in daily routine the visit would afford. Mr. Omvig remembers his first interview with agency Director Kenneth Jernigan and the questions that set him on a path he never thought possible. The first question was whether or not he was blind, and Mr. Omvig gave what he regarded as a cutesy but accurate answer. "I am hard of seeing," he said, at which point Mr. Jernigan asked "How many fingers am I holding up?" and then told Jim unequivocally that he was blind. Jim remembers that this answer cut deeply and stung bitterly. Mr. Jernigan asked Jim his age. When Jim said he was twenty-five, Mr. Jernigan said, "My, my, twenty-five. So a man your age can expect to live for another fifty years. Jim, what are you going to do for the next fifty years?" As he considered his answer, he remembers feeling sick at heart. Fifty years was more a sentence than a promise. Jim's reply was that he didn't know, but what he feared was that he did and that those years would be spent doing just what he had done since high school graduation. But the very asking of the question hinted that there were possibilities beyond returning to Slater and living out his life as the dependent son and brother. Kenneth Jernigan suggested that Jim come to the Orientation and Adjustment Center for training and told him that a man with some motivation and brains could be a productive citizen. Jim wasn't sure he believed it, but he could clearly see that the man offering the opportunity did. What was the risk? Unrealized hopes would hurt, but so would returning to Slater, where nothing was happening or likely to happen for a blind man named Omvig. Although Jim agreed during his visit to come to the center for training, he still had one hope-that he might regain his vision. Friends told him about a doctor in South Dakota doing miraculous work, so he took all of his money, got a friend to drive him, and once again got the sad news that vision was not in his future. Jim spent nine months at the center: learning Braille, cane travel, typing, wood working, and engaging in challenge activities he had previously thought to be well beyond what blind people could do. Nearing the end of his training, Jim was asked what he would like to do with his future-what he might like to do for a living. Full of enthusiasm for what he was experiencing, he replied that he would like to run a training center and do what Mr. Jernigan was doing to help the blind. Mr. Jernigan responded with a question: "Mr. Omvig, do you want to go into work with the blind and run a center because you think you would truly love it and be good at it or because you really believe you can't succeed at anything else and that getting into work with the blind will be easy?" When Jim said that he didn't know if he could answer the question honestly, Mr. Jernigan suggested that he consider another career. What Jim had considered foolish and impossible only a year before was reshaping his life. Those crazy people from the commission were offering him the chance to go to college and promised financial support that his family could never hope to provide. Beyond the financial support, they convinced Jim that they believed in him, let him observe a few blind people who were successfully pursuing careers and raising families, and suggested to him that he could do the same. What he came to understand later was that he was being given the opportunity to be a modern-day pioneer, to assume a special place as part of a social experiment to determine if the philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind was simply a fine-sounding theory or whether it would prove to be true and could change lives in the way its proponents proclaimed. Jim finished his training at the commission, went to college, and was the first blind person to attend and graduate from the Loyola University of Chicago's School of Law. He recalls that 144 students entered the school, and of those only thirty-six were granted law degrees. Having this degree meant that the man who once had nothing to do and plenty of time to do it in would find himself busy for the rest of his life, taking his place as a senior warrior in the civil rights struggle of the blind and eventually appearing before the justices of the United States Supreme Court to be granted the right to practice law before that august body. But, after graduating in 1966 with good grades and a degree from a prestigious law school, Jim had to arrange and participate in 150 interviews before he landed a job. Even this took some political intervention from his friend and mentor, Kenneth Jernigan. Mr. Omvig moved to Washington, DC, and became the first blind employee of the National Labor Relations Board. Although he was admired and well-liked by his fellow employees, several did try to convince him that his long hours and prodigious output raised the bar for them and let it be known that they were none too happy about this. Jim told them that they were free to work as much or as little as they liked, but he was there to do more than earn an income and provide for himself: he was there to convince the world that blind people could do high-quality work and do it as well as their sighted coworkers. His fellows saw the logic in this, and it added to their respect for him. But the secretary who had been assigned to him said, "Mr. Omvig, you are a damned workaholic, and you're not going to make one out of me." Given the friction, Mr. Omvig asked for a different secretary and got one, and his former employee was transferred. While rewarding, his job in DC primarily involved doing administrative research and paperwork. But Jim wanted real courtroom experience and requested a transfer. It was granted, and he moved to New York to continue his work with the agency. He found the work more rewarding, but it posed some challenges he had not faced in DC. He had relied primarily on volunteer readers in his first appointment, but when, as a field attorney, he began serving as a hearing officer, there were times when he was presented with written material and required to decide whether or not it should be admitted into the record. In these cases it is traditional for the hearing to be recessed while the hearing officer studies the material. It was not practical for Jim to send the material out for recording or to expect a volunteer to sit with him throughout his workday. The solution he arrived at was ideal: he asked that the stenographer, who was already being paid, act as his reader during the recess, and in this way he had access to printed documents without incurring additional cost or inconvenience to himself or his employer. As he settled into his job, Jim began to be asked by President Jernigan to visit state affiliates as a national representative. He appreciated being asked, thrived on being able to serve, and gladly took up the task. What he found surprised him. At some level he knew that Iowa represented something tremendously different in rehabilitation than could be found in the rest of the country, but knowing this wasn't quite the same as seeing firsthand the denials that blind people were facing when they sought to become self-sufficient and to exercise some control over their education and careers. Jim recalls meeting a woman from New Hampshire who had always wanted to be a teacher. Having gone blind in her teens, she approached the rehabilitation agency there and was told by her counselor that her goal was unrealistic and that certainly he would not approve the college education that teaching would require. Having read in the Braille Monitor about Judy Young, a blind teacher in Iowa, the woman in New Hampshire took her case to the agency director. He agreed with the counselor, telling her that a college education was unrealistic and that any thought of landing a teaching job was foolish. When she told him about the article she had read in the magazine of the National Federation of the Blind, he said that he knew about that Jernigan guy, a crazy man who was setting blind people up to fail. He, the agency director, would have none of it, and he suggested that she continue at the workshop, where she was making twenty-four dollars a week. In this case, like so many, Jim knew that the answer was not for everyone to move to Iowa, but to build and strengthen the Federation in each state and then to bring about the changes that the National Federation of the Blind and the Iowa Commission for the Blind were proving possible. Encounters such as these pushed Jim in the direction of trying to answer the question Mr. Jernigan had posed to him on his graduation from the orientation center. Eventually Jim gained enough self-confidence to say to Mr. Jernigan that he really did want to learn to direct a training center, that he had convinced himself and others that he could cut it alongside his sighted colleagues, and that his turning to the blindness field for employment was not to hide but actively to contribute to what had so changed his life and the way he would spend the most productive years of it. Jim wanted to be a part of encouraging blind people to dream and to see those dreams become reality. Mr. Jernigan agreed, and Jim moved back to Iowa, first to work as a rehabilitation counselor and later to head the orientation center. While in training to become a counselor, Jim accompanied coworkers to learn the ropes. Knowing that his primary job was to observe, Jim nevertheless wanted to become involved in the sessions so clients would come to know him. One day he asked a client how long he had been blind. The newly blinded client was angered and put off. On the drive to their next appointment, Jim learned from his coworker that coming to understand that one is blind is often a gradual process and that asking how long the client had been having trouble with his vision would have been more appropriate. Coming to understand and admitting that one is blind is crucial to acceptance and getting on with one's life, but for some people the subject should be approached with gentleness and understanding. Jim took the advice as sound and has tried to be mindful that the journey to accepting one's blindness and a new understanding of what it means to be blind sometimes takes a firm, direct approach and that sometimes it takes time, patience, and gentleness. Although Jim's return to Iowa put the right man in the right place, the transition was not without difficulty. He had decided that he could be a provider and that risking to become involved with another was not precluded by being a blind man. He married Jan, a fellow Iowan, and together they brought Jamie Omvig into the world in 1966. But their marriage ended in 1972, and the door that closed led to the opening of one that would lead James Omvig and Sharon Lewis to find that they were soul mates. Meeting for a casual drink one evening in the fall of 1973, they found that their talking kept them for hours. Sharon describes their courtship and marriage this way: "It may not have been the love story of the century, but I'm sure it was the love story of the decade." On January 31, 1974, Jim and Sharon Omvig were united in marriage, and since then they have been inseparable in their faith, love, and work. From the time they became two hearts beating as one, any mention of Jim could, if not for the cumbersomeness of the construction, be Jim and Sharon or Sharon and Jim. The man who once believed that he could never share his heart not only has enjoyed a wonderful marriage but has composed two songs in honor of his soulmate. One of them, titled, "She's My Wife," says: Have you seen her? She's the loveliness of spring. Have you seen her? She's the song that I sing. With her tender lips and her glowing eyes, Her smile is a wondrous thing. And her arms can make a man a king. You should know her. She's an angel from above. With a heart that's filled with love. Oh, you should know her; she is my life. She's my lady, she's my lover, she's my wife. Before leaving the National Labor Relations Board, Jim learned from a colleague that a decision of the NLRB made in 1960 declared that blind people did not enjoy the same rights as other workers when it came to organizing and being represented by a union. He highlighted this unfair segregation of the blind in a speech delivered at the NFB convention in 1969. Appearing with him were prominent members of the AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations) who agreed, after some tough questioning from President Jernigan, to help the blind change laws forbidding blind people from organizing. Work started that year to build a Sheltered Shop Division in the NFB and to find blind people who wanted to be represented by a union. Mr. Omvig warned that gaining the right to organize and be represented would take a long time. A request to organize had to be made and rejected, and an appeal would have to be made to the members of the National Labor Relations Board. It took more than half a decade, but in 1976 the NLRB reversed itself and said that blind people, like other workers, did indeed have the right to be represented by a union if they chose. This delightful news came the day before Jim was to attend the national convention in Los Angeles, so he hurriedly constructed and delivered a speech at the convention. The Federation knew from long years of experience that blind people were the victims of discrimination in the sale of insurance. Deciding to test the waters for themselves, Jim and Sharon went to the ticket counter prior to their trip to the Los Angeles convention, purchased insurance for Sharon in the amount of $350,000, and then tried to purchase insurance for Jim. To his surprise, Jim learned that he could purchase insurance, but the maximum amount he could buy was $20,000. The ticket agent could offer no reason for the rule, and arguments that Jim did not want to fly the plane but only ride on it were wasted. Rules were rules. On his return from Los Angeles Jim contacted the insurance commissioner for the state of Iowa, Herbert Anderson, and convinced him to accept a charge of unfair discrimination against the blind using the Iowa Unfair Trade Practices Act. The commissioner conducted a survey of all insurance companies doing business in Iowa, and the findings were so disturbing that he caused regulations to be created prohibiting discrimination against the blind by any company licensed to do business in the state. Mr. Anderson then took his findings to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and that organization passed a resolution condemning such discrimination. Just as it did with the Model White Cane Law, the national body of the Federation drafted a model insurance regulation and encouraged its enactment by state insurance regulators. Jim was extremely helpful in providing guidance to state affiliates and even testified before state insurance commissions in support of the prohibition. As Fredric Schroeder observes: "Today, we do not think much about the ability to purchase life insurance, and that is due in large part to Mr. Omvig. In the 70s and 80s, many blind people were denied life insurance on the assumption that blind people were more likely to die as a result of accidents. Mr. Omvig understood that assumptions about blind people were at the heart of lost opportunities: lack of access to a good education, lack of access to employment, lack of access to renting hotel rooms, and lack of access to buses and trains. In short, Mr. Omvig knew that discrimination was the major barrier facing blind people, and discrimination in all its forms had to be opposed." After nine wonderful years working at the Iowa Commission for the Blind, Jim accepted a Federation assignment and moved to Baltimore to work for the Social Security Administration. At the time about 150 blind people were working for the agency, but they were limited to answering telephones and fielding questions from the public. James Gashel, the head of the National Federation of the Blind's Washington office, was instrumental in convincing officials of the agency that the way to greater employment opportunities for the blind and avoiding a lawsuit from the Federation lay in hiring someone who could look at the procedures of the agency and figure out how to open other employment opportunities. It seemed to President Jernigan and Mr. Gashel that Jim would be the perfect fit, being a lawyer and having previous experience in the federal government. Jim was hired, and in 1981 the glass ceiling preventing blind people from accepting other positions within the agency was shattered. Nearly three years of work resulted in the following policy statement being read by the newly appointed director of the Social Security Administration: "Today, I wish to announce a clarification of the policy which affects employment and promotional opportunity for otherwise qualified partially and totally blind SSA employees. I have determined that there are no significant factors which make it impossible for blind persons to perform the full range of the GS 10 claims representative (CR) position. Therefore, it is SSA policy that otherwise qualified partially or totally blind individuals may be promoted to the journeyman GS 10 CR position within the standard CR position description . . . . I am committed not only to providing equal employment opportunity for blind persons, but also for all qualified handicapped individuals." This breakthrough was significant not only for the Social Security Administration but for other agencies in the federal government that had good, quality jobs blind people were capable of performing. In the late 1970s the National Federation of the Blind found that regulations which had been passed to assist the blind and otherwise physically disabled in air travel were being used to limit them. Many Federationists were arrested for insisting on their right to use and keep with them the canes that provided independent mobility. Some of us were asked to sit on blankets, the logic being that some handicapped people had accidents and soiled airline seats. Mr. Omvig was one of those who were arrested, and he and many others testified at hearings sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration. As a result of those hearings blind people can now travel with their guide dogs and canes; there is no limit as to the number of blind passengers who can fly on an aircraft; there is no requirement that we sit on blankets or other items used in dealing with incontinence. We are prevented from sitting in exit rows, but the frustration we encounter with airlines today is far less than it was, and this is due in no small part to the work of Mr. Omvig's talent in writing, speaking, and developing important relationships with the policymakers of that era. After five years working for the Social Security Administration, Mr. Omvig once again returned to the pursuit of his dream to direct an orientation and training center. This took him to the state of Alaska in the fall of 1984. When he arrived, he found himself in charge of an agency that was housed in a World War II Quonset hut. Bleakness and despair were in evidence in the blind people seeking services. In January of 1985 Mr. Omvig went to the governor and the legislature, and the funds to run the agency were doubled. A new five-unit apartment building was purchased and remodeled to become a residential training center for blind adults. It contained sleeping rooms for twelve residents, one staff apartment, and administrative offices. Putting the building into service as a training center required asking the city of Anchorage to rezone the property, which they did. In the spring of 1986 governor Bill Sheffield dedicated the Alaska Center for Blind Adults. Though the willingness of state officials to purchase and remodel the center was commendable, they did not provide funds to furnish the building. To Mr. Omvig and other leaders of the NFB in Alaska fell the task of going to Lions Clubs with the request that they help in furnishing the center. Through the work of individual clubs and the statewide body, the center was furnished and began serving students. In 1987 Jim found himself troubled with bad health, and by the end of that year his doctor told him that he had no choice but to stop working. It would take several years for Jim to be diagnosed with a rare condition known as porphyria. Jim and Sharon moved to Arizona, and both became active in the affiliate, assisting significantly and advancing its legislative agenda for providing better services to blind people. He continued writing about the value of separate agencies for the blind and what proper training in those agencies could do, and, as he began to exert better control over his health, he was asked to visit many states to evaluate their programs and make recommendations for improvement. Although one of the goals of the Federation is to see that quality rehabilitation is available to all blind people regardless of where they live, the reality is that not all rehabilitation centers are equal, and not all of them are guided by the positive philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind. In 1992 amendments to the Rehabilitation Act were passed and signed into law. One of those amendments introduced the concept of informed choice into the act, providing in federal law the opportunity for recipients of rehabilitation services to decide where they would go to receive service. In theory this would mean that a person living in Montana could go to a rehabilitation center in Louisiana, or that a person living in Maryland could go to Colorado or Minnesota. Practically speaking, however, rights guaranteed in federal law have been slow to be implemented in the states, and they have strongly favored either rehabilitation centers that they fund or centers with which they have done business in the past. Implementing informed choice in practice has often meant finding people who want to go to a center outside their state, helping them to appeal the denial of the rehabilitation counselor, and getting and winning a fair hearing. Mr. Omvig has used his skills as a lawyer and an advocate in helping to draft these appeals and has traveled extensively to participate in these hearings. In all of the assignments he has been given as a Federation member, none was more difficult than the one that brought him to work to advance the rights of blind people working in sheltered workshops. President Maurer and other colleagues in the National Federation of the Blind believed we needed someone to work from the inside to make changes in the system that employed thousands of blind people at wages that were far below their productive capacity. Mr. Omvig was persuaded to apply for and was appointed by President George W. Bush to the President's Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled. He was initially appointed in 2003 and was reappointed in 2007. During his tenure Mr. Omvig served on a number of important subcommittees and task forces and was elected as vice chairman of the committee. When accepting his newest Federation assignment, Jim knew that there was little the National Federation of the Blind and what would come to be called the AbilityOne Commission had in common. Certainly each group had little respect for the other. What the organizations knew about one another they didn't like. The committee viewed the NFB as a group of malcontents and rabble-rousers who knew nothing about running businesses that employed the blind. The NFB believed the committee to be composed of self-serving agency directors who cared less about uplifting the blind people they were to serve than they did about increasing their own prestige and income. In the opinion of the Federation, these were people who may have come to do good but who stayed to do well. Their salaries and their place in the community came on the backs of hard-working blind people, who got little from their effort in money, benefits, or their productive work. When Mr. Omvig began his work with the committee, he followed a strategy that had evolved from a question Dr. Jernigan had once asked him and his fellow students: "What is the purpose of a speech?" The answer was "To get people to love you. If you can't get them to love you, they won't pay much attention to what you have to say." This became Jim's compass. He would not go to make war-soldiers on each side knew full well how that could be done. Instead, he would go as an ambassador, a man in search of friends, a human face that would go the first few steps in dispelling the myths about Federationists as unreasonable, militant, and foolish dreamers who believed in a future the blind could never have because they weren't capable enough to earn or retain it. Jim would build relationships based on common traits and would show that this commonality could be used as a foundation to build trust. On that trust he and his new-found friends could begin to make change that might one day revolutionize the sheltered workshop system where thousands of blind people worked and sometimes lived. But the Omvig strategy was not obvious to some of his Federation colleagues and disappointed more than a few of his friends. He had gone to the committee to represent the Federation, so where were his protests? Why wasn't he using his seat to make changes so long overdue? Because Jim was a part of the Federation family, some who loved and cared about him and who cared deeply about rights for shop workers came to him with their concerns. Although he appreciated the chance to clarify his strategy, to explain his understanding that most fundamental changes take time, and to show the incremental changes his participation was having, the idea that he might not be trusted hurt, and carrying out this work proved to be one of the hardest assignments he ever undertook. He gave nine years of his life to traveling, negotiating, and trying to change how those in the system felt about blind people. Even with his sadness at having his motives-or at least his strategy- questioned, Mr. Omvig is proud of the change in workshops he has witnessed over the past forty years and is proud to count among his friends people who once thought that he and his fellow Federation members were meatheads- people who were dead from the neck up. He is proud of the expanded employment opportunities that have resulted from his service on the committee, and he is proud to have played some small part in National Industries for the Blind paying at least the minimum wage in all of its sheltered shops having AbilityOne contracts and requiring that any agency doing business with it do likewise. In its most recent move, National Industries for the Blind has decided that no person affiliated with a workshop that holds a section 14(C) certificate can hold a position on its Board of Directors. Jim has been active in a number of other efforts to help in the education and rehabilitation of the blind. He has served on the board of directors of the Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana. This is the first institute of its kind to implement the philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind in teacher-training programs. In addition to needing better teacher training, Jim and other Federation colleagues realized that the certifying authority for providing training to the blind often used vision as a requirement for certification. And so was born the National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB), whose purpose was to develop standards that did not discriminate against the blind and which also emphasized competence in teaching the skills that were most likely to lead to an education, a job, and a life equal to those enjoyed by sighted Americans. He also served proudly on this board and has also been instrumental in helping to develop the policies and standards of the body. Increasingly over the last two decades Mr. Omvig has turned his attention from writing articles to writing books. Freedom for the Blind: The Secret is Empowerment has won widespread praise in the field of rehabilitation, and many students credit this book with encouraging them to go into the field. The Blindness Revolution: Jernigan in His Own Words has also figured prominently in documenting the challenges and triumphs of what many have called "the miracle of Iowa," but Mr. Omvig concludes that there was no miracle there, only the application of good, solid attitudes and the willingness to believe in blind people. One of the things Mr. Omvig is most proud about is that his service extends well beyond organizations of and for the blind. He became the founding president of the Des Moines East Town Lions Club and was elected as president of the congregation of the Grant Park Christian Church in Des Moines. He was vice president of the Catonsville, Maryland, Lions Club and was a deacon (which came with the job of serving communion) and a member of the board of trustees of the Christian Temple in the Disciples of Christ Church in Baltimore. He has also served as the president of the International Air Crossroads Lions Club in Anchorage, Alaska. Of all the honors and awards Mr. Omvig has received, none has touched him more deeply than the Jacobus tenBroek award in 1986. He received this award for helping gain the right of blind shop workers to unionize, for leading the effort to eliminate insurance discrimination against the blind, for helping to end discrimination against blind air travelers, and for his writings on how to provide quality training to vocational rehabilitation clients. No single article can do justice to the life's work of Jim Omvig. Thankfully there are others who have committed his story to paper and places where he gives first-hand accounts of what it has been like to be one of the pioneers in the civil rights movement for the blind. I can think of no better way to conclude this article than with comments made by two of Mr. Omvig's finest friends and admirers. Not surprisingly both have given a significant amount of their energy to the field of rehabilitation, taking the improvement of it as one of their Federation responsibilities and assignments. About her friends, the Omvigs, Joanne Wilson says: "Jim and Sharon worked with a tireless passion to give back to the movement what they got from the NFB. They worked on systemic problems that would make the lives of the blind better, but they also spent hours and hours talking with individuals, both blind and sighted, over dinners in their home, at conventions, on a plane, in a discussion group, and anywhere they were- sharing the truth about blindness. They have truly dedicated their lives to giving back what they learned about blindness so others could have more enriched lives. Thanks for asking me to be a small part in giving them this tribute." And Fred Schroeder says: "When I think of Mr. Omvig, I think of kindness; I think of a man with tremendous ability and one blessed with the power of persuasion. Mr. Omvig knows how to lead, knows how to inspire others to do more than they believe they are capable of doing, and knows what it means to share the disappointment of exclusion and heartache that come from society's low expectations. He is not a man to live according to the assumptions of others; he is not content to build a life just for himself and his family; he is a man who gives all that he has on behalf of blind people. He is a role model, a mentor, a leader, and, most of all, a friend." ---------- Seize the Future The National Federation of the Blind has special giving opportunities that will benefit the giver as well as the NFB. Of course the largest benefit to the donor is the satisfaction of knowing that the gift is leaving a legacy of opportunity. However, gifts may be structured to provide more: . Helping the NFB fulfill its mission . Realizing income tax savings through a charitable deduction . Making capital gain tax savings on contributions of appreciated assets . Eliminating or lowering the federal estate tax in certain situations . Reducing estate settlement costs NFB programs are dynamic: . Making the study of science and math a real possibility for blind children . Providing hope and training for seniors losing vision . Promoting state and local programs to help blind people become first- class citizens . Educating the public about blind people's true potential . Advancing technology helpful to the blind . Creating a state-of-the-art library on blindness . Training and inspiring professionals working with the blind . Providing critical information to parents of blind children . Mentoring blind job seekers Your gift makes you a partner in the NFB dream. For further information or assistance, contact the NFB. ---------- The Blind in the World: From Paternalism to Self-Determination by Fredric K. Schroeder From the Editor: In 2016 the General Assembly of the World Blind Union will meet in the United States of America. This meeting will be hosted by the National Federation of the Blind and will take place in late August. So that Federationists and other readers of the Braille Monitor know about and understand the reason for this meeting, we intend to run several articles about the World Blind Union, starting here with its history as featured in chapter seven of the book entitled Building the Lives We Want, an e-book detailing the first seventy-five years of the National Federation of the Blind. Here is what Dr. Schroeder wrote: "Could not blind persons from Asia and Africa speak for the blind of their countries? . . . Four-fifths of [the estimated blind population] lived in rural areas, but that need not preclude their leaders from attending a world conference to discuss, compare, and counsel. But did they have leaders, I wondered. That was the pivotal question, and as yet it was one I could not answer." - Isabelle Grant, 1959[?] The history of the blind throughout the world is bleak. It has been characterized by low expectations, paternalism, poverty, and isolation. It is also the story of human resilience and the unquenchable drive for freedom. It is the story of marginalized people rejecting the role defined for them by society and demonstrating their ability, drive, and determination to live and work as others. When blind people appear in ancient literature, they are usually described as beggars, helpless beings who seek alms from passersby. During the Middle Ages in Western Europe, the church began to provide for the blind by establishing homes, called hospitals, where the blind and other indigent people could live. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, local governments in Europe and the United States took over the task of creating institutions to educate, care for, and employ the blind. Work was poorly paid and rudimentary, and it was completely controlled by private or public agencies (see Chapter One). Early in the twentieth century, blind people in the United States began to form local and statewide organizations to fight for better working conditions and opportunities. Seven state organizations formed the nucleus of the National Federation of the Blind in 1940 (see Chapters Two and Three). The service agencies for the blind did not welcome the emergence of representative organizations of blind people. They regarded blind people to be as helpless as two-year-old children, incapable of taking charge of their lives and exploring the extent of their abilities. They viewed the Federation as little more than a forum for the ungrateful and maladjusted. The NFB threatened the institutions established to govern blind people's lives. The World Council on Welfare of the Blind In 1949, representatives from blindness agencies throughout the world gathered in Rome to establish the World Council on the Welfare of the Blind (WCWB). As its founding president the nascent organization elected Colonel Edwin Albert Baker. At that time, Colonel Baker was one of the world's best- known blind leaders, heading the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB). During its early years the WCWB was dominated by powerful service agencies for the blind: the CNIB, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), and the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) of the United Kingdom. Agencies for the blind had total control over the organization. The few existing organizations of blind people were viewed with suspicion and hostility. Nevertheless, the WCWB claimed to represent not only the governmental and private agencies, but also blind people themselves. Despite the agency domination, the NFB felt somewhat hopeful about the WCWB. The fledgling WCWB was headed by a blind person, Colonel Baker. Perhaps, under his leadership, the new organization might work to improve the condition of the blind of the world. In a letter dated July 17, 1952, NFB President Jacobus tenBroek advised the leadership of the WCWB that on July 15, 1952, at its national convention in Nashville, Tennessee, the Federation's membership had voted to join the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind.[?] It did not take long before the Federation realized that the WCWB would not open the way to a progressive future for the blind. It would simply further paternalism and agency control. From today's perspective, words such as subjection, domination, and control in regard to agencies for the blind may seem exaggerated. The quotes below convey the thinking of those times in all of its chilling reality. In the mid-1950s a well-known and respected educator of the blind wrote, "With many persons there was an expectation in the establishment of the early schools that the blind in general would thereby be rendered capable of earning their own support, a view that even at the present is shared in some quarters. It would have been much better if such a hope had never been entertained or, if it had existed, in a greatly modified form."[?] At about the same time, the director of a prominent rehabilitation agency wrote, "After he is once trained and placed, the average disabled person can fend for himself. In the case of the blind, it has been found necessary to set up a special state service agency which will supply them not only rehabilitation training but other services for the rest of their lives. The agencies keep in constant contact with them as long as they live. So the blind are unique among the handicapped in that, no matter how well-adjusted, trained, and placed, they require lifelong supervision by the agencies."[?] The agencies did not view their role as one of supporting the move of the blind toward full and equal participation; the idea of protecting and guiding the blind was unquestioned and universal. It was assumed that the blind needed care, and even more important, needed direction, supervision, and control. They had no hope of integration and certainly no hope of equality. In the United States, the struggle for self-expression was contentious and bitter, and its success was by no means assured. (See "Telling Our Story through Legislation in Washington.") Yet many joined the struggle, and it was clear that the movement needed to spread across the world. If the blind of the world were to achieve true independence, the effort must be led by blind people themselves. Never a truly representative organization, the WCWB sought to suppress the voice of the blind on the international stage. In 1962 the WCWB president used a sleight-of-hand parliamentary maneuver to strip the National Federation of the Blind of its seat on the Executive Committee. Then Federation President Perry Sundquist advised the WCWB that its ongoing attempts to suppress the blind were awakening a growing worldwide sentiment that a new and truly representative international organization of the blind was needed. The will of blind people to achieve full integration could not be extinguished. There was no money to build representative organizations of the blind throughout the world, and there were few individuals to help; but the need was great, and the spirit of the blind was unquenchable. In 1959, Dr. Isabelle Grant, a talented blind teacher from California, launched a one-woman crusade to expand education and training for blind people internationally. On a one-year sabbatical from her teaching position, she visited twenty-three countries to study the education and rehabilitation of blind children. She understood the importance of representative organizations of the blind and worked tirelessly to spread the Federation message of self-determination and hope. Dr. Grant's views on the education of blind children were nothing short of revolutionary. At that time, nearly all blind children in the United States were educated in special schools for the blind. In the United States and throughout the world, Dr. Grant was an early proponent of integrated education. If blind children were educated alongside their sighted peers, she believed that they could learn to compete in an integrated world. Dr. Grant's views on education fit well with her interest in expanding opportunities for the blind worldwide. Poor countries had no money to build special schools for the blind. Integration (later to be known as mainstreaming and eventually as full inclusion) offered a cost- effective way of educating the blind. The resources were meager and the obstacles overwhelming, but Dr. Grant did what she could to make a difference. Her example illustrates the power of blind people working together to change their own condition. [PHOTO CAPTION: A group of blind Nigerians stands beside a bus. On the side of the bus is the name Nigerian Association of the Blind.] An International Voice The impact of the WCWB was insignificant. From its inception, it had lacked the will and the structure to represent the interests of blind people. At the 1964 convention of the National Federation of the Blind in Phoenix, Arizona, the problem was discussed in detail. As President Sundquist had predicted, the WCWB's efforts to suppress the voice of the blind only made the blind more determined to govern their own lives. Later that summer, in New York, the International Federation of the Blind (IFB) was born. Dr. tenBroek became its first president, and Dr. Kenneth Jernigan drafted its constitution. The IFB had a promising beginning. Organizations of the blind began to emerge throughout the world, and a convention was planned for 1969 in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka. But in 1968 Dr. tenBroek died. He had been the driving force behind the IFB. After his death the IFB languished, along with many of the hopes and dreams of blind people throughout the world. By the early 1980s it seemed clear that the IFB would fade away unless it joined with the WCWB. Once again there would be one international organization to speak for blind people and for the agencies that served them. In 1984 a joint meeting of the IFB and WCWB was held to merge the two organizations, leading to the creation of the World Blind Union (WBU). The founding general assembly of the WBU met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in October 1984. Since then, general assemblies have been held once every four years: Madrid, 1988; Cairo, 1992; Toronto, 1996; Melbourne, 2000; Cape Town, 2004; Geneva, 2008; and Bangkok, 2012. The next worldwide general assembly will take place in 2016 in Orlando, Florida, USA. [PHOTO CAPTION: During the General Assembly meeting of the World Blind Union in Cairo in 1992, several NFB leaders and staff go for a camel ride in the desert. Left to right can be seen Kenneth Jernigan, Mary Ellen Jernigan, Patricia Miller, Donald Capps, and Betty Capps. Behind Mrs. Capps, Marc Maurer shares a camel with Pat Maurer.] The WBU is organized into seven regions: North America/Caribbean, Africa, Asia, East Asia/Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. Each region has a president and executive committee to coordinate the work of its member organizations. To ensure the representative nature of the WBU, the president, both vice presidents, and the secretary general must all be blind people. The only exception among the executive offices is the position of treasurer, which on occasion has been filled by a sighted person. From the outset, the NFB was an influential force in the WBU. The Federation's long-term leader, Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, understood that, if the WBU was to succeed and make a real difference in the lives of the blind, organizations of the blind must lead the way. Dr. Jernigan became a powerful political and philosophical force within the WBU. By 1987, he had become president of the North America/Caribbean Region, a position he held until the fall of 1997 when ill health forced him to resign. During his tenure, Dr. Jernigan advanced the foundational principle that the blind must be the ones to lead the blind. Others can and do help, but it is up to the blind themselves to determine their own future. Dr. Jernigan understood that self-determination was not simply a good idea, but a foundational and enduring truth. The spirit and experience of the NFB has been critical to the WBU. The NFB's positive and progressive influence continued, even after Dr. Jernigan no longer held a leadership position. [PHOTO CAPTION: Marc Maurer and Mary Ellen Jernigan visit the Great Wall of China during a WBU meeting in Beijing.] Dr. Marc Maurer, who succeeded Kenneth Jernigan as president of the NFB, recognized the need for the Federation to remain active in the affairs of the blind of the world. In his 2004 Presidential Report, Dr. Maurer said, The National Federation of the Blind is an active participant in the World Blind Union. For ten years Dr. Jernigan served as president of the North America/Caribbean Region, and I have also held that office. The World Blind Union brings together agencies for the blind and organizations of the blind. Because within the entities that make up the organization there are strikingly different approaches to the subject of blindness, this amalgamation of groups sometimes creates frustration. However, we learn much about programming for the blind from throughout the world, and we have an opportunity for interaction with leaders of the blind in other countries.[?] The NFB stands as a beacon of hope for the blind of the world, and the Federation is a living testament to the power of collective action. At the opening session of the WBU's 2008 Quadrennial General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, NFB President Marc Maurer gave the keynote address, entitled "Breaking the Mold: The Power of the Unpredictable." He said, in part, The beginning of the possession of power is the assertion that it belongs to us. I want us to have power. Furthermore, in my own country I face challenges that cannot be solved within the borders of my own nation. I need the cooperation and the power of others around the world to bring equality to the blind of the United States, and I believe that those of us in the United States can help bring equality to the blind of the world.[?] Today the WBU is widely recognized as an effective international advocacy organization. It represents 285 million blind and partially sighted people in 190 member nations. The WBU has consultancy status as a nongovernmental organization (NGO) with the United Nations. The WBU is the international voice of the blind, speaking to national governments and a wide range of United Nations agencies. It works to address the human and civil rights of the blind. It brings organizations of blind people together with service organizations to work on issues affecting the quality of life for blind people. In its relatively brief history, it already has made a difference. The WBU at Work In 2008 the international Free Matter for the Blind mailing privilege came up for review by the Universal Postal Union (UPU), an agency of the United Nations. The WBU launched an effort not only to preserve the Free Matter privilege, but to broaden its scope. Since Free Mailing was established in the 1950s, the exemption applied only to "literature for the blind," covering little more than Braille books. The WBU pushed to expand the international mailing privilege to include items such as talking watches, digital audio equipment, and other devices for the blind. At the October 2012 UPU Congress in Qatar, the WBU succeeded in pushing through changes that would modernize the international mailing privilege for the blind. Accordingly, the UPU amended the international convention that governs the exchange of international mail. Article 7 defines the "Exemption from postal charges" for the blind. The amended article reads in part, "3.1 Any item for the blind sent to or by an organization for the blind or sent to or by a blind person shall be exempt from all postal charges."[?] In addition, the WBU has worked to secure the rights of blind people and others with disabilities. The WBU was actively engaged in crafting language for inclusion in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the first human rights charter of the twenty-first century. At the time the treaty language was being negotiated, there was a strong move to keep all references in the treaty general to persons with disabilities and to refrain from identifying any particular disability group or services that applied to a specific disability type. Many delegates objected to any mention of blindness, Braille, or any service specific to blind people. The WBU pushed hard on these issues and was successful in getting language included that recognized Braille by name. Article 2 (Definitions) of the Convention reads, For the purposes of the present Convention: 'Communication' includes languages, display of text, Braille, tactile communication, large print, accessible multimedia, as well as written, audio, plain- language, human-reader and augmentative and alternative modes, means and formats of communication, including accessible information and communication technology. Through the efforts of the WBU, Braille is also referenced in Article 9, Accessibility; Article 21, Freedom of Expression and Opinion, and Access to Information; and in Article 24, Education. The mere mention of Braille may not in and of itself appear to be significant. Indeed it may be viewed as simply symbolic or hortatory, with no real meaning or impact. Nevertheless, Article 24 on Education is an example of the true impact of the work of the WBU. Initially, the delegates insisted on integration as an absolute principle in the Convention. Yet for many blind children, schools for the blind remain the best, and in some cases, the only option for attaining an education. Through the efforts of the WBU and of deaf and deaf-blind advocates, the language of the Convention was modified. Language was removed that would have established an absolute requirement that all children with disabilities be educated in integrated settings. In its place, the language of the treaty now says that no child should, by virtue of disability, be excluded from integration. That compromise left the door open for specialized training. Specifically, Article 24, Section 3c, states: Ensuring that the education of persons, and in particular children, who are blind, deaf or deafblind, is delivered in the most appropriate languages and modes and means of communication for the individual, and in environments which maximize academic and social development.[?] On Thursday, June 27, 2013, a diplomatic conference of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) adopted the Marrakech Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled. The Marrakech Treaty includes two major provisions. First, it calls on nations to produce more books for the blind; and second, it authorizes nations to share accessible books across national borders. For many years United States law has allowed books to be produced in Braille and other accessible formats without first having to obtain the permission of the copyright holder. This authority, known as the Chafee Amendment, has been the law since the late 1990s, and it has worked very well. As of 2015, fifty-seven nations around the world have copyright laws similar to the US Chafee Amendment. The Marrakech Treaty will expand this authority. As each WIPO member nation ratifies the book treaty for the blind, it agrees to change its national copyright law to permit books to be produced in accessible formats without having to seek the prior permission of the copyright holder. This will greatly increase the production of accessible works around the world. But that is only the first step in ending what many have called the "book famine." For the first time, the Marrakech Treaty allows WIPO member states to share copies of accessible works across national borders. At present, the WBU, together with the NFB, is working to address the danger electric and hybrid electric vehicles pose to all pedestrians, and in particular to blind people traveling the streets and byways of the world. The WBU is working with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) to develop international standards to require electric and hybrid electric vehicles to emit a minimum alert sound. The international effort will build on the work undertaken in the United States. In 2010, the NFB led an effort to persuade the United States Congress to adopt legislation mandating a minimum sound standard for hybrid, electric, and other quiet vehicles. The US law, known as the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act, is the first, and so far, the only national legislation mandating a safe level of sound to be made by these very quiet cars. Looking to the Future The WBU's many successes highlight the critical importance of an international organization to address the chronic and emerging barriers to social and economic participation faced by blind people throughout the world. The WBU works on increasing access to literacy, education, and employment, all well-known, pervasive, and persistent barriers to full participation. It is also addressing new challenges brought about by advancing technology. Most important, the WBU is a vehicle for collective action. The continued success of the WBU will depend on the degree to which it values and retains its representative nature. The service agencies must never seek to overshadow the rights and aspirations of the blind themselves. This is not to disparage the agencies for the blind; it is not to ascribe dire motives, hubris, and ill will. Rather, it is a recognition that the progress of the blind is a direct outgrowth of the will and determination of extraordinary blind people, people who faced discrimination and the damage of low expectations but managed to forge new frontiers, beyond the established norms of the day. The WBU is a forum, an organization, a means of advancing the integration of the blind. It helps to continue the movement of the blind toward full equality. Progress will come, quickly or slowly, but it will come because the will and spirit of blind people cannot be forever suppressed by the misunderstanding of others. The challenge of the WBU is our individual and collective challenge. If we give of ourselves and encourage and support one another, we will replace the heartache of nonparticipation with hope and the realization of our dreams. The history of the blind is bleak, but our future is bright. We can work together to shape the future for ourselves. Whenever one of us succeeds, whenever one of us refuses to accept a life of diminished opportunity, our collective future is forever changed. Together we can and will hasten society's recognition of our ability to live and work as others. For Further Information "Withdrawal from International Federation of the Blind." (1984) Braille Monitor, November. Internet Archive (2010) Jernigan, Kenneth. (1988) "North American/Caribbean Regional Report," Braille Monitor, November. tenBroek, Jacobus. (1964) "The Parliament of Man: The Federation of the World." Banquet Speech, National Federation of the Blind National Convention, Phoenix, AZ. Audio, MP3 format. ---------- NAC: WHAT PRICE ACCREDITATION A Report to National Federation of the Blind Members on COMSTAC and NAC by Kenneth Jernigan, President National Federation of the Blind From the Editor: In the early 1960s the National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped was formed, its major purpose being to thwart the legitimate concerns of consumers by waving the banner of accreditation in defense of agencies providing poor service to the blind. The battles between NAC and the Federation are legendary, but to many new Federationists, the reason for NAC's creation and why we fought its attempts to thwart the will of the organized blind are the stuff of myth and history, lacking any reality or the need for action today. The assumption has been that NAC is dead, and the threat is gone. Would that it were so, but it is not. The state agency for the blind in Florida requires that any agency for the blind there be accredited by NAC in order to use state money to provide services to blind Floridians. The consortium that binds together small service providers for the blind in the state of Pennsylvania also strongly encourages NAC accreditation. NAC is actively encouraging guide dog training schools to affiliate with it, and one prominent school has unfortunately lent its name and quality services to an accrediting body which is widely frowned upon by involved and informed blind people. It seems time that we reeducate ourselves about NAC and prepare once again to demand that any accreditation be meaningful and that it involve the voice of the organized blind. Following is a speech delivered by Dr. Kenneth Jernigan in 1971 when he was the president of the National Federation of the Blind and a member of the NAC board. This speech has appeared in the pages of the Braille Monitor at least one other time, that being in 1991, and here is the way Dr. Jernigan introduced it when he was serving as the editor of this publication. Kenneth Jernigan's Headnote: I delivered this address at the 1971 convention of the National Federation of the Blind in Houston. NAC's president and executive director had come to discuss what NAC was doing and why. My remarks were meant to set the tone for the debate. In the context of NAC's current maneuvering I think this 1971 analysis is still pertinent. Here it is: When the Commission on Standards and Accreditation on Services for the Blind (COMSTAC) and its successor organization, the National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Impaired (NAC), came into being during the 1960s, the leaders of the organized blind movement sounded the alarm. It was pointed out that the American Association of Workers for the Blind had unsuccessfully tried, during the 1950s, to gain control of the field of work for the blind by instituting what it called a "seal of good practices." Of the several hundred agencies and organizations in this country doing work with the blind only twenty or thirty ever applied for and received this "seal." Several of those which did were not regarded by the blind as either very effective or very progressive. As the decade of the '60s approached, the proponents of rigid agency control apparently decided to change tactics. The American Foundation for the Blind and certain other leading agency officials adopted the idea of establishing a so-called "independent" accrediting system for all groups doing work with the blind. Although individual blind persons who were agency officials were involved in the establishment and development of COMSTAC, the blind as a group were not consulted-that is, the representative organizations of the blind were not given a voice, except occasionally as a matter of tokenism. Thus, the consumers of the services were not heard in any meaningful way, and they had no part in developing or promulgating the standards to govern the agencies established to give them assistance. Profiting by the earlier failure of the AAWB [American Association of Workers for the Blind] "seal of good practices" experiment, the authors of COMSTAC built more carefully. The American Foundation for the Blind appointed an "independent" commission-the Commission on Standards and Accreditation for Services for the Blind (COMSTAC). The full-time staff consultant for COMSTAC was a staff member of the AFB, on loan to the group, purely as a means of demonstrating the Foundation's concern with the improvement of services for the blind. To add respectability, people of prestige outside of the field of work with the blind were placed on the commission-public officials, business executives, the dean of the Temple Law School, etc. These were people of good will and integrity, but they were not knowledgeable concerning the problems of blindness. Obviously they took their tone and orientation from the Foundation appointees on COMSTAC. All of these appointees, it must be borne in mind, were high-ranking officials doing work with the blind. Not one of them represented the blind themselves. Not one of them came from a membership organization of blind persons. As its work developed, COMSTAC divided into subcommittees, involving hundreds of people throughout the country, since the subcommittees further subdivided into smaller groups. Again, the pattern was followed. The subcommittees, or the subcommittees of the subcommittees, had, in every instance, at least one of the COMSTAC agency officials as a member, plus people of prestige and ordinary rank and file agency workers or board members. In fact, at the sub-subcommittee level a few members of the organized blind movement were even added. The American Foundation for the Blind and COMSTAC were later to proclaim with pride that they had sought and achieved a broad consensus throughout the field of work with the blind. However, the method of arriving at that consensus was, to say the least, novel. At Denver in the summer of 1965, for instance, the AAWB convention was largely taken up with a discussion of the COMSTAC standards-to gather opinions and achieve consensus, it was said. Only the discussion leaders had copies of the standards (there had been a delay in mimeographing), and any touchy point which was raised was answered either by the statement that it was covered somewhere else in the COMSTAC standards or that another group was discussing that matter and it was not properly the concern of the group in which it had been raised. Home teachers from throughout the country were present and were considering the standards affecting their specialty. The overwhelming majority apparently disagreed with a particular item in the COMSTAC document and suggested that a vote be taken to determine the sentiments of the group. They were informed by the discussion leader that a vote certainly would not be taken but that their views would be reported to COMSTAC, which had the sole responsibility for deciding such matters. Throughout the summer and fall of 1965 promises were repeatedly made that copies of the proposed COMSTAC standards would be made available. They were forthcoming, hundreds of pages of them-three days prior to the final conference in New York City, which brought together hundreds of agency representatives for the announced purpose of arriving at a final consensus. Dr. Jacobus tenBroek and I attended that conference. Again, the democracy and fair play with which it was conducted were novel. One had to indicate in writing ahead of time which particular group discussion he would like to attend. There was no assurance that his choice would be honored. He might be assigned to another group. He could not move from group to group at all. If he had not received a special invitation, he could not attend the meetings. COMSTAC appointees were stationed at the door to check credentials, and I personally witnessed the turning away of one agency director who had been critical of COMSTAC. It is no wonder that the blind people of the country felt apprehensive. What type of standards were likely to emerge from a commission so appointed and so conducted? Not only the blind but also many of the agencies expressed concern. Many felt that the AFB and federal rehabilitation officials (unwittingly aided by people of prestige in the broader community) would impose a system of rigid controls-which would stifle initiative, foster domination, and take the emphasis off of real service and place it on bureaucracy, red tape, and professional jargon. It was further felt that what purported to begin as a voluntary system would (once firmly established) become mandatory. The AFB and other proponents of COMSTAC and its successor organization, NAC, vigorously denied these assertions. COMSTAC and NAC were to be truly independent. Their very watchword was to be objectivity. They were to be the means of improving services to blind people throughout the country and the vehicle for progressive thought and constructive change. Readers of the Braille Monitor will remember that from 1965 through 1968 a detailed analysis was made of the COMSTAC and NAC reports and activities. The fact that the Federation has not called attention in recent months to COMSTAC and NAC should not lead the blind to believe that the threat has passed or the situation improved. Quite the contrary is the case. The question of NAC's independence, for example, is no longer a matter for serious debate. The Scriptures tell us that "where a man's treasure is, there will his heart be also." In an official NAC document entitled "Budget Comparison-1968 and 1969," dated April 15, 1968, the following items appear. "Total approved budget calendar year 1968, $154,034; total projected calendar year 1969, $154,000. Estimated income 1968: grant from American Foundation for the Blind $70,000; grant from Department of Health, Education, and Welfare $75,000. Estimated income 1969: grant from American Foundation for the Blind $70,000; grant from Department of Health, Education, and Welfare $70,000." Today (in 1971) the overwhelming majority of NAC's funds still come from HEW and the American Foundation for the Blind. Many of the NAC meetings are held at the AFB building in New York, and the executive director of NAC is a former Foundation staff member, the same one who was on "loan" to COMSTAC. When the first annual NAC awards were given, in 1970, it may be of significance that two recipients were named: Mr. Jansen Noyes, President of the Board of Directors of the American Foundation for the Blind; and Miss Mary Switzer, the long-time head of rehabilitation in the federal Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Even more to the point may be Miss Switzer's comments upon that occasion as reported in the NAC minutes of April 24, 1970: "She predicted that difficult times might lie ahead if agencies accept the idea of standards but do nothing about them. The expending or withholding of public money can provide the incentive that is needed." Thus spoke Miss Switzer, confirming what Federation leaders had predicted and COMSTAC spokesmen had denied a decade ago. The full meaning of Miss Switzer's statement was spelled out by Alexander Handel, Executive Director of NAC, as reported in the NAC minutes of April 25, 1970: "Mr. Handel reported a new and important step in encouraging accreditation. The Council of State Administrators has passed a resolution that by July 1, 1974, state rehabilitation agencies will require that agencies from which they purchase services be accredited." The use of the word "encouraging" in this context is almost reminiscent of George Orwell's double-think and new- speak of 1984-only thirteen years away, at that. Perhaps sooner. The "encouraging" of agencies to seek accreditation from NAC will probably be called by some by the ugly name of blackmail. The pressure for conformity and the concentration of power could well be the most serious threat to good programs for the blind in the decade ahead. Federationists who attended the 1966 Louisville convention will remember that a report on COMSTAC and NAC was given at that time. I had been officially asked to serve on the NAC board. The offer was, of course, tokenism of the most blatant sort; and the question was whether to accept, leaving the Federation open to the charge of approving NAC actions, or to reject, exposing us to the charge of non-cooperation and leaving us with no means of observing and getting information. Federationists will remember that it was decided that I should accept the invitation. Thus, I have been a member of the NAC board since its inception. In the spring of 1970 I was elected to another three-year term. There are more than thirty NAC board members, of whom I am one. While expressing my minority views, I have tried to be personally congenial and friendly with the NAC board members. Nevertheless, tokenism remains tokenism. The other members of the board not only seemed unconcerned with but unaware of the non-representative character of NAC. It is as if General Motors, Chrysler, Ford, and American Motors should set up a council and put six or seven officials from each of their companies on its board and then ask the UAW to contribute a single representative. What would the unions do in such a situation? What would racial minorities do if their representative organizations were offered such tokenism in the establishment and promulgation of standards affecting their lives? I think we know what they would do. They would take both political and court action, and they would instigate mass demonstrations. Perhaps the blind should take a leaf from the same book. We cannot and should not exhibit endless patience. We cannot and should not forever tolerate the intolerable. I continue to sit on the NAC board, but I often wonder why. It does not discuss the real problems which face the blind today or the methods of solving those problems. In fact, NAC itself may well be more a part of the problem than the solution. I repeat that tokenism by any other name is still tokenism. In May of 1969, for instance, I received a document from NAC entitled "Statement of Understanding Among National Accreditation Council, National Industries for the Blind and the General Council of Workshops for the Blind." This document was sent to all NAC board members with the request that they vote to approve or disapprove it. It contained six points, of which one and five are particularly pertinent. They are as follows: "1. By June 30, 1970, all NIB affiliated shops shall have either: a. applied to NAC for accreditation and submitted a self-study guide (or) b. applied to the General Council for a Certificate of Affiliation with NIB and submitted a self-study guide. 5. Certificates of Affiliation with NIB entitle shops to membership in the General Council and to access through NIB to: a. Government business allocated by NIB, b. Commercial business allocated by NIB, c. Consulting services of NIB, d. Any and all other benefits of NIB affiliation." In other words if a workshop for the blind wishes any contracts from the federal government, it had better get into line and "volunteer" for accreditation by NAC. No pressure, of course, merely a system of "voluntary accreditation!" As you might expect, I voted no on the NIB agreement. Along with my ballot, I sent the following comments: "I do not approve this statement because I do not believe government contracts and other benefits to workshops should be conditioned upon their accreditation by NAC. Rather, receipt of government contracts and other benefits should depend upon the quality of performance of the workshop in question. Does the shop pay at least a minimum wage? Do its workers have the rights associated with collective bargaining? What sort of image of blindness does it present to the public? "Prior to NAC (in the days of COMSTAC) many of us said that NAC would become a vehicle for blackmail-dressed out nicely, of course, in professional jargon. It would appear that the prophecy is beginning to come true, earlier assurances to the contrary notwithstanding." As I say, I voted no. What do you suppose the final tally of the ballots indicated? Twenty-seven yes votes and one no vote. How different the results might have been if there had been equal representation of the blind themselves and the agencies! Yes, tokenism is still tokenism. In order that my position cannot be twisted or misinterpreted I would like to say that the quarrel is not with the concept of accreditation itself. Rather, we object to what is being done in the name of accreditation. Proper accreditation by a properly accredited group is a constructive thing. What NAC is doing is something else altogether. There is, of course, not time here to go into the details of all of the standards originally developed by COMSTAC and now being fostered by NAC, but a brief sample is sufficient to make the point. Federationists will remember that the Braille Monitor for February, 1966, carried an analysis of the COMSTAC standards on physical facilities. That analysis said in part: "The standards [on physical facilities] are perhaps notable chiefly in that they are so vague and minimal as to be equally applicable to office buildings, nursing homes, or universities by the simple substitution of the names of these other facilities...." Perhaps a brief run-down of the standards themselves would serve as the best and most complete illustration (headings theirs). 1. Overall Suitability-The total facility is constructed to best serve the needs of the particular agency. It will adequately serve everyone concerned. It will meet the requirements of its governing body, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and the city building code. The physical facilities will be helpful to the program. 2. Location-The facility is located where it can easily be reached by staff, clients, and others who need to use it. The facility should be close to shopping and other community interests. The location is reasonably safe, with hazards minimized. 3. Grounds-The grounds will be large enough to allow for future expansion. They will be pleasant ("free of undue nuisances and hazards,"), with parking areas and roadways. Signs will be posted to help people locate the proper areas. 4. Activity Area-The layout of the facility will be efficient. The facility will be designed for the planned activities, will be large enough and well organized (reception rooms next to entries, work areas together, etc.). Sufficient maintenance will be provided for. 5. Privacy-People will have as much privacy as individual cases call for. Confidentiality will be maintained. 6. Health and Safety-The health and safety codes of the community will be met. Sufficient heat and light will be provided. Sanitary conditions will be as good as possible. Suitable entries will be provided for wheelchairs, etc. Safety features will be related to the level of competence of the occupants, the activities undertaken, and the equipment used. Adequate first aid facilities are provided. 7. Fire and Disaster Protection-All buildings will be so designed and equipped as to minimize the danger of fire. The buildings will be inspected by local authorities and/or independent authorities and records of inspection kept. Smoking areas are clearly specified. Proper protection shall be provided the occupants of the facility to minimize danger should fire or disaster occur. Suitable fire extinguishers will be provided. Fire alarms will be installed as to be heard throughout the facility. Fire drills will be held irregularly. Special provisions will be made for fire warnings to deaf-blind. 8. Maintenance-"The condition of the physical facility gives evidence of planful and effective maintenance and housekeeping." 9. Remodeling-When remodeling is undertaken, it should be to best suit the needs of the program. The preceding is an inclusive summary! One can imagine the breadth of interpretation that can result from application of these standards. One can also imagine the range of individual whim and axe-grinding, not to say blackmail and favoritism, that can enter into the proposed accreditation of agencies for the blind based on such vague and capricious requirements. The danger to be anticipated is the possibility of varying application of standards to friends and foes when "accrediting" agencies.... One is tempted to dismiss this entire report of "Standards for Physical Facilities" with the single word, "Blah!" But more intensive study indicates otherwise. Tucked away among the platitudes and the generalities are the age-old misconceptions and stereotypes. What, for instance, is meant by the requirement that a facility for the blind be located near to shopping and other community interests, and that it be in a location reasonably safe, with hazards minimized? The exact words of the committee are, "Where undue hazards cannot be avoided, proper measures are instituted to assure the safety of all persons coming to the agency. (For example, where an agency is on a street with heavy traffic, a light or crosswalk or other means is available for safe crossing by blind persons.)" If this standard is simply meant to express the general pious platitude that everybody ought to be as safe as possible, then what a farcical and pathetic waste of time and money to assemble a committee to spell out what everybody already knows. On the other hand, if the standard means to imply that the blind are not able to live and compete among the ordinary hazards of the regular workaday world and that they need more shelter and care than others, the implications are not only false but they are insidiously vicious. Of a similar character is the committee's statement that the grounds must "provide pleasant and appropriate surroundings, and be free of undue nuisances and hazards." Surely we do not need a special commission on standards and accreditation to tell us that people should live in pleasant surroundings that are free of undue hazards, if this is all that is meant. If, however, the committee is saying that the blind require surroundings that are more "pleasant and free from hazards" than the surroundings required by other people, one cannot help but be unhappily reminded of the 19th century concept that the blind should be entertained and provided with recreation, that they should be helped in every way possible to "live with their misfortune." If this type of analysis seems blunt, one can only reply that this is no time for nice words and mousy phrases. The people who were formerly the Commission on Standards, and are now the National Accreditation, hold themselves out to the public at large as the qualified experts, the people who have the right to make standards and grant or refuse accreditation to all and sundry. These are not children indulging in the innocent games of childhood. They are adults, playing with the lives of hundreds of people. Federationists should review the Braille Monitor from 1965 through 1968 to study the COMSTAC reports in light of present developments. I have not tried here to analyze the content of those reports. Mostly it is bad, and the standards and rules established by COMSTAC and NAC harmful. Let anyone who doubts this assertion read the COMSTAC reports and the Monitor analyses. They speak for themselves. One final matter requires comment. At a recent meeting of the National Accreditation Council I was telling a new member of the board (a prominent businessman totally uninformed about the problems faced by the blind) that I thought most of the actions of NAC were irrelevant. He seemed surprised and said something to this effect: "If you think what we are doing here is not relevant, what is relevant?" To which I said, "Last fall a blind man in Minneapolis (a person who had worked for several years as a computer programmer at Honeywell and was laid off because of the recession) applied to take a civil service examination for computer programmer with the city of Minneapolis. His application was rejected, on the grounds of blindness. The National Federation of the Blind helped him with advice and legal counsel. As a result, he took the examination, and he now has a job with the city of Minneapolis as a computer programmer. "How many of the people who are on the NAC board," I asked, "are even aware that such an incident occurred? How many of them think it is important?" "Or," I went on, "consider another incident. A few weeks ago in Ohio a blind high school senior (duly elected by her class) was denied the right to attend the American Legion Girls' State. The story was carried nationwide by United Press, and the matter is still pending. Do you see any of these people here today concerned or excited about this case? Do you see them trying to do anything about it?" "Well," my companion replied, "your organization seems to be working on matters like this. Maybe NAC is doing good in other areas." "The difficulty," I told him, "is that the actions of NAC are helping to create the kind of problem situations I have been describing to you." "How?" he asked me. "NAC," I said, "accredits workshops, for instance. What kind of standards does it use in determining whether a shop should be approved and presented to the public as a worthy and progressive institution? NAC is concerned about whether the workshop has a good accounting system. It is concerned about good pay and good working conditions for the professional staff (almost all of them sighted). It is concerned with the physical facilities and (perhaps) whether there is a psychologist or psychiatrist available to minister to the blind workers. But what about minimum wages for those same blind workers, or the right of collective bargaining, or grievance committees? On such items NAC is silent. It will accredit a sheltered shop which pays less than fifty cents an hour to its blind workers. By so doing, it puts its stamp of approval on such practices. It helps perpetuate the system that has kept the blind in bondage and made them second-class citizens through the centuries. It helps to slam the door on the computer programmer in Minneapolis and the high school student in Ohio. Worst of all, perhaps, it reinforces and helps to continue the myth that blindness means inferiority, that the blind are unable to compete on terms of equality in regular industry or the professions, that the blind should be grateful for what they have and stay in their places. The workshop example is only that, an example. The same theme is everywhere present in NAC's action and standards-and, for that matter, in its very makeup." As we talked, my businessman companion seemed shocked that there were sheltered shops paying less than the minimum wage to blind workers. Yet, he is on the NAC board, lending his name to the accreditation. I pointed out to him a variety of other ways in which the work of NAC is helping to promote misconceptions about blindness and add to our problems. I can only hope that the seeds I planted will bear fruit. To round out the picture we are considering today, one further item might be mentioned. The April 25, 1968 minutes of NAC report as follows: "Over thirty agencies and schools have indicated, in writing, an interest in applying for accreditation. Official applications have been received from six agencies. Some of these have already paid the application fee. The American Council of the Blind is the first membership association to apply for membership in the National Accreditation Council." In a letter dated July 11, 1968, from Alexander Handel, Executive Director of the National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped, to members of the NAC Board of Directors an article is discussed which appears in the July, 1968, issue of the Braille Forum (the official publication of the American Council of the Blind). The article says in part: "It should be emphasized, however, that from the first, ACB officers and members actively consulted with the various committees developing the standards, and ACB was the only national organization of the blind which both participated in and financially supported the National Conference on Standards which led to the formation of the National Accreditation Council." I give you this quotation without comment. It speaks for itself. So do the actions of NAC. I presume all of you have read the exchange of correspondence concerning the appearance of NAC representatives at this meeting today. The contempt and condescension inherent in NAC's bland assumption that it was proper to reject our invitation to appear at this convention because a debate might occur are clear for all to see. Likewise, the agreement just concluded between NAC and the American Foundation for the Blind whereby the Foundation will work with agencies and help prepare them for accreditation is equally revealing. In any case the one central point which must be repeatedly hammered home is the total irrelevance of NAC as it is now constituted and as it is now performing. What we need today and in the years ahead is not more detailed standards but a real belief in the competence and innate normality of blind people, a willingness on the part of agency officials to help blind people secure meaningful training and competitive employment, a recognition that the blind are able to participate fully in the mainstream of American life. We need acceptance and equality, not shelter and care. When seen in this light, NAC must be viewed as one of our most serious problems in the decade ahead. The blind of the nation should thoroughly inform themselves about its activities and should insist upon a voice in determining the character of programs affecting their lives. We should insist that state and federal governments not delegate their powers of setting standards for state agencies to a private group, which is not responsive to the needs or views of the consumers of the services. It is true that many of the agencies doing work with the blind need to be reformed and improved, but NAC is not the entity to do it. We the organized blind intend (in the best tradition of American democracy) to have something to say about the scope and direction of the reform and the improvement. We are not children, nor are we psychological cripples. We are free citizens, fully capable of participating in the determination of our own destiny, and we have every right and intention of having something to say about what is done with our lives. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Doris Willoughby] [PHOTO CAPTION: Margery Herrington] [PHOTO CAPTION: A full Braille cell] Introducing Braille-Begin with a Positive Experience by Doris Willoughby From the Editor: Doris Willoughby has provided a number of articles for the Braille Monitor about the education of both sighted people and blind people. This topic has also caused her to write several books that are fixtures in many classrooms in which teachers of blind children toil daily. In the article below, she and her sister describe examples of positive introductions to Braille and to blindness: Ever since I met my husband Curtis, who is blind, and ever since I started teaching blind children, I have observed that when people are shown the Braille alphabet, they tend to react by saying, "Wow! That looks hard!" I wished for a way to illustrate that Braille is no harder to learn than print. While the whole Braille alphabet may seem daunting, it can be learned in a measured and organized way. Now, when I speak to a group about blindness, I like to give out cards that display just a few symbols that are very different from each other. Each card only has one symbol on it. Good examples are the letter "a" (one single dot), the letter "g" (four dots together in a square), and the letter "l" (three dots aligned vertically). I make sure that participants rely on their sense of touch when they examine the dots. My sister, Margery Herrington, who is a volunteer Braille transcriber, has provided a positive introduction to Braille to many people through the college anatomy classes she taught. Here is her description: In the seventeen years I was on the biology faculty at Adams State University in Alamosa, Colorado, I taught over 2,000 anatomy students to read the Braille letters "a," "g," and "x" by touch as part of one of the laboratories for the course. I got many positive comments such as "This is really cool," and "This is easy; I thought it would be a lot harder." At the beginning of the period I gave a short introduction to Braille and wrote the patterns for "a," "g," and "x" on the blackboard. The dark dots indicate raised dots. I gave students three-by-five-inch cards with two rows of Braille letters that I had made using a slate. The upper row had four a's, followed by four g's, and four x's, with a space after each letter. The lower row had a total of ten letters (a's, g's, and x's) in random order with spaces between the letters. Each Braille letter had the corresponding print letter written below it. Students used the top row of letters and their fingers to learn how the letter patterns felt. They then used touch but not sight to read the second row, while their laboratory partners checked their accuracy. After recording the number of right answers (usually ten out of ten), the students read the second row again, using their elbows instead of their fingers (remember that this was an anatomy class) in order to compare the sensitivity of different regions of the body. Students recorded the number of correct answers for the elbow (usually zero, one, or two) and then wrote down some possible reasons why the fingers were easier to use than the elbow. Typical answers were that the elbow had rougher skin, fewer nerve endings, and a larger surface area. Before students could turn in their laboratory reports with results from all the activities done that day, I had them take an exit test using a card with four Braille letters on it (for example, agxg, gaax, or xgax) with spaces between the letters. Students enjoyed showing that they could read quickly and accurately, and most of them got the required grade of 100 percent on the first try. A few students missed a letter and needed to try again on a different version of the test, but I never had a student who had a difficult time passing. After a student had read the four letters, I made a comment such as "One hundred percent! You're an efficient Braille reader." A number of students also did the optional Braille activity during the laboratory, writing their names in Braille on cards using a slate and stylus with minimal guidance. So there you have my sister, teaching anatomy, and finding yet another use for Braille. Unfortunately, in contrast to the above examples, people often "simulate blindness" through an exercise that actually is much more harmful than helpful. A person is given a challenging task such as eating an entire meal in complete darkness or navigating a complicated path while blindfolded without adequate instruction or meaningful practice. This actually tends to mislead people about blindness and to make attitudes worse instead of better. Arielle Silverman discusses this problem in detail in her article in the Journal on Blindness Innovation and Research.* Exercises that incorporate mastery of blindness skills can be helpful in showing the way alternative techniques provide effective ways to do things that are usually done visually. If you have wished you could help give sighted students a positive introduction to Braille, you might want to do an activity similar to the ones that my sister and I have used. *Silverman, Arielle. The perils of playing blind: problems with blindness simulation and a better way to teach about blindness. Journal on Blindness Innovation and Research, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2015. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Kenneth Jernigan at the 1985 national convention] Blindness: The Pattern of Freedom by Kenneth Jernigan From the Editor: Last month the Braille Monitor ran an article by Prof. JW Smith in which he discussed the importance of the banquet speech delivered annually to the national convention of the Federation. In that article he interviewed Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, Dr. Marc Maurer, and the longtime editor of the Braille Monitor and a former president of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, Barbara Pierce. When each participant was asked to identify their favorite banquet speech, the one given in 1985 was mentioned. It seems appropriate here to reprint that speech, and to enjoy what three people who have closely followed the literature generated by this organization believed to be one of its major works. Here is what Dr. Jernigan said to the 1985 convention banquet: When the playful dawn came down to the sea, I ruffled its hair with gladness. I saw the waves and flexed my soul in freedom. Humanity comes through the optic nerve, And justice lives in the eye. Not creed or law or politics But curvature and the nature of light. The blind man yearns in a land apart, Slave though richest king. Not for him the full broad sweep of mind and spirit Dark the channel, nerve and tissue; Long eternal through the night. Day comes down to touch the ocean, And I stand up to look and live. Books of science unromantic-freedom's passport to the soul. [ 1. ] When I first read that poem, I thought how literate, how polished, how skillfully written-how absolutely gross and totally false. Poetry is the art of saying so much in so few words that prose will not work as a means of expression. It does for language what the computer does for science and what the aerial photograph does for a landscape. On nothing more than a sheet of paper you can do any calculation which the most up-to- date computer can do, but if the problem is complex, you will do it more slowly-so much so that you will never live to finish it. You will not understand the patterns and relationships-or, for that matter, even know they exist. They will be buried in minutiae and lost in delay. Likewise, you can walk the earth and map a continent, but you can never see its patterns and perspectives. There is too much detail, and it will take too long to put together. Poetry (properly used) cuts through verbiage and speaks to the soul. Like the computer and the aerial photograph, it condenses time and reveals patterns. But we must not be bamboozled. There is no magic in sophisticated tools. They are only as good as our understanding. Ancient astronomy predicted quite accurately the course of the stars and the date of eclipses, but it was based on the mistaken notion that the earth is flat and the center of the universe. In the absence of understanding a computer would not have brought enlightenment. It would only have reinforced the misconceptions. Aerial photographs are equally subject to misinterpretation. They give us data but not the wisdom to comprehend it. Poetry is the same. It does not live in a vacuum but is built on a frame of accepted values and assumed truths. Therefore, when the poet tells us that humanity comes through the optic nerve and justice lives in the eye- when he speaks of freedom as a product of sight-he is not proclaiming new discoveries but repeating old superstitions: our common heritage-man's ancient fear of the dark, the equation of sight with light and light with good. He is doing what the perceptive poet always does. He is resolving contradictions and distilling (whether true or false) the essence of cultural consensus. He is going to the core of our inner being and making us face what we truly believe. But, of course, an increasing number of us do not believe it. In fact, it is not a question of belief. As we go about our business from hour to hour and minute to minute, we know from personal experience that it is false. Blindness does not mean dehumanization. In our homes and our offices, in factories and laboratories, on farms and in universities, in places of recreation and forums of civic accomplishment we live the refutation of it every day. While it is true that 70 percent of us do not have jobs and that all of us are routinely treated like children and wards, it is equally true that 30 percent of us do have jobs and that all of us are coming to realize that the problem is not blindness but mistaken attitudes. If even one of us can be a scientist (and many of us are), that does not prove that if an individual is blind he or she can be a scientist, but it does prove that blindness will not prevent a person from being a scientist. In short, it proves that blindness is not the barrier. Sight is enjoyable; it is useful; it is convenient. But that is all that it is-enjoyable, useful, and convenient. Except in imagination and mythology it is not more than that. It does not have mysterious psychological implications; and it is not the single key to happiness, the road to knowledge, or the window to the soul. Like the other senses, it is a channel of communication, a source of pleasure, and a tool nothing less, nothing more. It is alternative, not exclusive. It is certainly not the essential component of human freedom. The urge to liberty and the need to be free are commodities of the spirit, not the senses. They divide civilization from savagery and human beings from animals. Liberty has been the focal point of more study and comment than perhaps any other idea which has ever troubled, motivated, and inspired mankind. It is the stuff of dreams, not optic nerves and eyeballs. The effort is always to understand and, by so doing, make life better and more in tune with ultimate reality-a combination of bread and the prayer book, food for the body and food for the soul. Liberty and freedom. Two words, one concept. Always noble, always imposing-ever the dream, ever the mover of nations. And while we cannot capture freedom in a rigid cage, we can describe it, seek it, and recognize its transcendent power. Harold Laski said: "We acquiesce in the loss of freedom every time we are silent in the face of injustice." Daniel Webster said: "God grants liberty only to those who love it, and are always ready to guard and defend it." Benjamin Franklin said: "They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Samuel Adams said: "If you love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace." John Dewey said: "Liberty is not just an idea, an abstract principle. It is power, effective power to do specific things. There is no such thing as liberty in general; liberty, so to speak, at large." Cicero said: "Freedom is participation in power." Herbert J. Muller said: "Freedom is the condition of being able to choose and to carry out purpose." Herbert Spencer said: "No one can be perfectly free until all are free. No one can be perfectly moral until all are moral." The nineteenth-century German writer Max Stirner said: "Freedom cannot be granted. It must be taken." Walter Lippmann said: "Men cannot be made free by laws unless they are in fact free because no man can buy and no man can coerce them. That is why the Englishman's belief that his home is his castle and that the king cannot enter it, like the American's conviction that he must be able to look any man in the eye and tell him to go to hell, are the very essence of the free man's way of life." So the tapestry of freedom is constantly being woven, and we are part of the fabric; but there is something beyond. There always is. Each minority has its separate pattern, its road to freedom, its task to be done. And for the blind that task is monumental. It is nothing less than the total redirection of society's effort and perception-for we are not patients, and (contrary to popular belief) our problem is not lack of eyesight or inability to perform. What we need most is not, as the professionals would have it, medical help or psychological counseling but admission to the main channels of daily life and citizenship, not custody and care but understanding and acceptance. Above all, what we need is not more government programs or private charitable efforts. Instead, we want jobs, opportunity, and full participation in society. Give us that, and we will do the rest for ourselves. Give us jobs, equal treatment, and a solid economic base; and we will do without the counseling, the sheltered workshops, and the social programs. We will not need them. We have the same medical, vocational, social, and recreational needs as others; but our blindness does not create those needs, and it does not magnify or enlarge them. It does not make them special or different. We are neither more nor less than normal people who cannot see, and that is how we intend to be treated. We want no strife or confrontation, but we have learned the power of collective action, and we will do what we have to do to achieve first-class status. We are simply no longer willing to be second-class citizens. When the National Federation of the Blind came into being in 1940, the means were limited and the numbers few, but the goal was clear. Today (almost fifty years later-when we have tens of thousands of members and are the strongest presence in the affairs of the blind) the purpose is unchanged. It is exactly what it was in 1940. It can be told in a sentence. We want freedom-jobs, homes, the chance to succeed or fail on our own merit, access to places of public accommodation, interdependence with our neighbors, and full participation in society. The words are easy, but the fact has been long delayed. From the dawn of history blind men and women have worked and hoped and waited, but only in recent years (only with the coming of the National Federation of the Blind) has our dream approached reality. And now the waiting is over. Yes, we have waited-oh, God, how we have waited!-but never again! No more! In this generation our time has finally come-for we are determined at long last to live the truth of what we are, and not what others think we are or try to make us become or believe. As Cicero said: "Freedom is participation in power." And as Max Stirner said: "Freedom cannot be granted. It must be taken." There are four essential elements in the pattern of our freedom. Each has a different part to play, and each is necessary. They blend to form a tapestry, which can never be finished without the composite. The first and most important of these elements is internal. It is what we believe and become within ourselves. The second is public education. The third is the law. The fourth is confrontation. Other people tend to treat and value us as we treat and value ourselves. In matters of the spirit, before a thing can become reality, we must believe it; and before we can believe it, we must say we believe it. We say we are as good as the sighted, able to compete with them on terms of equality. We say that we deserve all of the privileges and responsibilities of citizenship and that we are capable of exercising them. We say that it is respectable to be blind. When the time comes that a majority of us know for a certainty within ourselves that these things are true (know it so surely that we act and live it every day and do not even need to think about it or question it), our battle will largely be won. Dr. Walter Stromer is a blind professor. He lives in a small town in Iowa and teaches at the local college. He is thought of by his colleagues and students as successful, quite successful-and he doubtless shares that opinion. But do his associates think of him as successful measured by others on the campus, or only by the standard of what they think a blind person can do and can be expected to do? Which standard does Dr. Stromer use? For that matter, does he even know that there are different standards? Does he perhaps enjoy being thought of as remarkable, unusual, inspiring, and brave-failing to realize that he has made a bad bargain and that the eye is not freedom's passport to the soul? A number of years ago Dr. Stromer appeared on a panel to discuss the meaning of blindness, and as a result he published a paper entitled "One Day in the Life of Me." Speaking of his early morning radio listening, he says: "Fortunately the station I listen to most is near the end of the dial. Finding stations in the middle of the dial can be a problem unless you know exactly what program to listen for." Progressing to the time of departure for work, he says: "Just before I leave for class I remember I forgot to have my wife record the grades for the speeches made yesterday. I could do it in Braille, but it would be most tedious and time-consuming." In further reference to Braille he says: "Looking for one sheet of paper in a stack is not bad when you can see; it's maddeningly slow when you have to run your fingers over the first dots of every sheet to figure out what it is." As he leaves the house, he says: "But finally I'm off to school, after pausing in the door for a minute to try to remember if I've got everything. Others do that, too, but they can see things lying on the chair or table, to remind them to take along; with me it has to be a more conscious mental effort. Which explains of course why I'm so alert, because I have to use my brain more, which is what keeps it sharp, or wears it to a frazzle." His thoughts as he goes from home to campus are in the same vein: "Walking to school is fairly relaxing," he says. "At least once a week I try to remember to be grateful for not having to fight the noise and congestion of the city." What a melodramatic piece of self-pity! Many people prefer small towns to cities, but I wonder how many of them are able to work blindness and pathos into it. After all, the city has advantages, too-and you could probably get blindness into that as well if you put your mind to it. And how does Dr. Stromer feel about his teaching? He says: "In a few minutes I'm in class. After twenty-two years I'm fairly comfortable." After all of this tension and heavy introspection, it is only natural that Dr. Stromer feels tense and a little weary. A counteractant might be in order. "Home to lunch now," he says. "Just a good eight-minute walk, downhill all the way. A small glass of wine, a short nap, maybe only five minutes, and then lunch and I'm ready for the afternoon.... I stretch out for a nap before supper. I wonder if all blind people need those naps as much as I do. I think I'm fairly relaxed, but I'm sure an average day takes more nervous energy out of me than it does out of somebody with good vision, because so many things that sighted people can do without thinking, I have to do with a good bit of conscious effort." Stromer is not a phony. He believes it-and his associates believe it. But it is false to the core. It is what I call "The Stromer Syndrome." His neighbors think (within the limits, of course, of common sense and what they believe a blind person can do) that he is wonderful. They make of him a conversation piece. They tell him, each other, and anybody else who will listen that he is witty, accomplished, and inspiring. He uses the same words we use-independence, understanding, realistic approach to blindness, full participation in society, and all of the rest-but he does not mean what we mean. In his daily life and thinking he exemplifies almost every misconception about the inferiority and helplessness of the blind that I have ever heard: Blind people have difficulty tuning in radio stations. Braille is tedious and ineffective. It cannot be scanned. Blind people have more trouble than others remembering what to take to work. This makes their minds alert. They meet their problems with humor. They are grateful to live in a small town to avoid the congestion of cities. After twenty-two years they are fairly comfortable teaching. They have more tensions than others and, therefore, require more naps, and a little wine. Dr. Stromer undoubtedly feels that his attitudes and behavior are a plus in the struggle of the blind for advancement, but every day his influence is negative. Society (knowing nothing about blindness) has made him what he is and taught him its values. Now, he returns the compliment. He reinforces the misconceptions and teaches society. If his situation were unique (if the "Stromer Syndrome" were personal to the man), it would hardly be worth our attention. We would simply turn our heads in pity and embarrassment and let it go at that. But it is not personal. It is endemic and generic. It has dogged the heels of every minority that has ever walked the road to freedom. How many blacks in the early part of this century tried to straighten their hair and look white? How many laughed, shuffled their feet, and played Amos and Andy to fit the mold of the times? Even more to the point, how many secretly thought the role they were given was just and proper? All of them some of the time, and some of them all of the time. The incentive to believe was overwhelming. Every day they were rewarded for conforming and punished for objecting. Believing, they lived the myth and helped it come true-and both they and society were diminished accordingly. As Herbert Spencer said: "No one can be perfectly free until all are free. No one can be perfectly moral until all are moral." Only when a majority of the blacks came to realize that no imagined advantage, no immediate gain, and no avoidance of punishment could take the place of the privileges and, for that matter, the pains and responsibilities of first- class status did they begin to experience fulfillment-and, then, the world changed. As it was with the blacks, so it is with the blind. We are part of the general culture, and the pressure to believe and conform is constantly with us. It all comes together in a single sentence in a letter I recently received from a man in Ohio. After telling me that he was losing his sight, he said: "I believe I would rather be dead than blind." Consider the capacity for enjoyment and productive work and the level of daily activity of the average member of the National Federation of the Blind, and ask yourself whether you believe this man's opinion results from dire predicament or cultural conditioning. Sometimes, of course, the blind person's acceptance of the stereotype is not just conditioning but an attempt (whether conscious or otherwise) to use it for advantage. Phillip Mangold is a blind man who lives in California. In 1980 he wrote a booklet called: The Pleasure of Eating for Those Who Are Visually Impaired. We do not have to go beyond the title to find the problem. There is pleasure in eating, and those who are blind eat; but to imply that there is a connection is a distortion and a disservice. It plays upon the notion that the blind are mysteriously different from the sighted and that we require expert help (presumably from Mr. Mangold) to do the simplest task. His appeal to the public's fears and misconceptions may sell his booklet and promote his employment, but (whether he knows it or not) the price is too high and the bargain bad. When we consider public education (the second of the four essential components in our pattern of freedom), we are reminded again that none of the four stands alone. They overlap and interweave to form a composite. What the blind believe about themselves, they teach to the public; and what the public believes conditions the blind. Not only individuals but also organizations may have negative impact and mistaken attitudes. The American Council of the Blind is a prime example. Its state affiliate, the Missouri Council of the Blind, plans to hold its 1985 convention in St. Joseph. Carolyn Anderson, Secretary-Treasurer of the local chapter of the Missouri Council of the Blind, talked to the St. Joseph News-Press about the matter last fall. In an article appearing October 28, 1984, she says: "We have a commitment from Boy Scouts who are working on merit badges to serve as volunteer guides when needed by a delegate. Free transportation from both bus stations to the hotel has been arranged. And, since there is no day or night for the blind, the hotel is even providing for food service in case someone decides it's breakfast time at two in the morning." If we did not know the philosophy of the American Council of the Blind, we might be astonished. As it is, we accept this statement as standard procedure-simply another obstacle to overcome on our road to freedom. In an article captioned "Blind But Not Dumb" which appeared in the St. Joseph News-Press of November 20, 1984, Beryl Gordon (our local NFB president) tried to mitigate the damage. He said: "Often I am asked, 'Why can't organizations of and for the blind get together? They are all working toward the same thing, aren't they?' "This is a very hard question to answer in one short sentence, and until you see something in the newspaper such as I have recently read you don't even try. "A member of the Missouri Council of the Blind was quoted as saying that since there is no day or night for the blind, the hotel where they will be holding their 1985 convention will be providing food service in case one of them would decide it was breakfast time at 2:00 a.m. "Can you just imagine what life would be like for the blind if all of us believed something this ignorant? Can you imagine what potential employers might think when reading something this degrading about blind persons' intelligence? "It's no wonder we can't find jobs. It is no wonder public facilities do not want us to come in. It is no wonder others have the attitude that we need to be taken care of." In case you think Ms. Anderson was misquoted by the reporter, listen to her answer in the News-Press of November 29, 1984. She says: "As usual, the National Federation of the Blind misinterprets and twists things for their own purposes. We believe the NFB confronts everything with rudeness, abruptness and single-mindedness. Such negative reactions make it more difficult for those of us trying to work in a positive way. We try to deal with local businesses, officials and the public without considering them to be our enemies. Focusing our efforts on the good and the positive and remembering with gratitude the help we get from the sighted in our community, we have improved our outlook. We try to keep a sense of humor and look at life's inconveniences with some amount of laughter. Perhaps the NFB should try this and not be critical of other people and their efforts." Whatever else may be said, Carolyn Anderson and Beryl Gordon are not working for the same thing. In one sense, of course, she is right: We could laugh at ourselves, be grateful for whatever we get, and accept the stereotype-but the price is too high. Such conduct translates into exclusion from employment, custodial treatment, and second-class status; and it also blights the spirit and shrivels the soul-for whatever we live and believe, that we surely become. And we are not just dealing with generalities. It is not simply a matter of being nice or saving feelings. To the extent that we fail to find a way to educate the public, lack the courage to provide that education even in the face of hostility, or are unable to understand our true potential, we and all other blind people suffer. I recently received a letter from the sighted mother of an adopted blind child expressing appreciation for our literature and encouragement: "My daughter Shelly," she said, "is now eleven years old. She is fully integrated in a local school and has learned to read and write Braille. "Six years ago, when we adopted her, she was a 'potential unknown,' high-risk adoption case. We took her out of a small institution, where she had lived all of her life. She had spent most of her time confined to a large hospital sized crib, with no stimulation and little human contact. She was in diapers and ate only pureed baby food, which had to be fed to her. In the past six years this same child has become bilingual, is in her third year of piano lessons, skates, swims, rides a double bike, reads and writes, and is no longer a 'potential unknown' but rather a child of great potential." So writes this sighted mother, and her words give us perspective. It is not pleasant to disagree with others and take public stands, but sometimes the alternative is worse. We do not regard our neighbors as enemies, but this does not mean that we are willing to submit to diapers and pureed baby food. It does not mean that we are willing to accept slavery-even if the slavery is gently offered, kindly meant, and well intentioned. As John Dewey said: "Liberty is not just an idea, an abstract principle. It is power, effective power to do specific things." And as Benjamin Franklin said: "They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." We want no strife or confrontation, but we are not willing to give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety. We have learned the power of collective action, and we will do what we have to do. We are simply no longer willing to be second-class citizens. The need for public education is everywhere apparent. The fact is typified by an article appearing in the Omaha World-Herald of December 5, 1984. Headlined "Donations Pay for Glasses for Needy During the Year," the article says: "Detecting and solving vision problems are important in the proper development of children, said Dr. Matilda Mclntire, director of community pediatrics at Creighton University. That is why the cooperative effort of the World-Herald Good Fellows and Creighton is valuable to the community, she said. 'We feel very strongly that a child cannot learn if he cannot see.'" To which we reply, thousands of us grew up as blind children and have achieved a moderate degree of literacy and success. If Dr. Mclntire is right, I wonder how we did it. Early this year I received a letter from one P. F. Membrey, who described himself as the director of CAPEX, a product consulting and export firm from London, England. He said, concerning a new Braillewriter which he wished to sell: "Following its recent introduction to the United Kingdom market, CAPEX have been appointed sole distribution agents for this unique product. Accordingly, we are now able to supply the Braillewriter to those institutions or individuals who work with or have care of blind or partially sighted people." Mr. Membrey, Carolyn Anderson, and Dr. Stromer would probably say we are nitpicking, but people usually say what they mean even if they do not mean to say what they say. The orientation which (whether inadvertently or not) leads to talk of selling a product to "institutions or individuals who have care of blind or partially sighted people" is destructive and damaging. We must observe it, reject it, and attack it-not only for public enlightenment but for our own self-respect. As Harold Laski said: "We acquiesce in the loss of freedom every time we are silent in the face of injustice." We want no strife or confrontation, but we are simply no longer willing to be second-class citizens. The need for public education about blindness is repeatedly demonstrated. Emotional newspaper articles appear telling about sighted people who blindfold themselves to know what it is like to be blind; the National Geographic talks about an inchworm "groping along slowly, reminiscent of a blind man with a cane," [2.] and in a descriptive brochure Ewing Mays (the founder of Mays Mission for the Handicapped) says: "Every day there are handicapped people here training handicapped people ... one amputee working with another amputee, one deaf person training another deaf person, and even a blind person guiding another blind person." The operative word, of course, is "even." Why "even?" In that one word is summed up the prejudice of centuries-a way of life and a system we are determined to change. And we are changing the system. We are heightening our own self- awareness and conducting extensive campaigns of public education-but this is not enough. We must deal with the legal system and the law. Again, let us consider the blacks. Before they could begin to achieve equality, they had to build an image within themselves. That was the first and most important thing. Then, they had to educate the public, for they could not exist in a vacuum or live what the culture would not accept. But they also had to do something else. As long as the law made it impossible for them to buy or rent certain property, required them to attend segregated schools, made them ride in the back of the bus, and even said they must use separate water fountains and bathrooms, all of the self-belief and public education in the world would not be sufficient. They had to change the laws and the interpretation of the laws, and they did change them. Our situation is parallel. We must fight in the courts and fight in the Congress. Judges order children to be taken from blind parents on the ground that the blind cannot raise them; airline officials tell us we cannot occupy exit row seating and that we must sit on blankets for fear we cannot control our bladders; insurance companies deny us coverage; amusement parks refuse to let us ride; health clubs decline to let us in; and employers routinely discriminate. Unless we can move toward equal treatment under the law, self-belief and public education will not be sufficient and cannot be sustained. And, of course, we are making headway. Through court action we have repeatedly restored children to their blind parents. We have persuaded Congress and the state legislatures to expand opportunities and remove discrimination-and we currently have at least a dozen lawsuits under way. Let anyone who believes we can live with the law as it is presently written consider the following section of the Tennessee Code: "Section 22-1- 102. Incompetent persons.-Persons convicted of certain infamous offenses specially designated in this code, persons of unsound mind, persons not in the full possession of their senses of hearing and seeing, and habitual drunkards are incompetent to act as jurors." That section of the Code is the law in Tennessee at this very moment. John Robb, a blind Tennessean, served on a jury in Nashville last year, but he did it on sufferance and at the whim of the judge. The Tennessee jury law is not only degrading-it is false in its premises. Today we are striking down such laws in state after state, and an increasing number of us are proving their absurdity by serving on juries. I did it myself last year. As we make progress in reforming the law and getting new interpretations by the courts, we strengthen our self-belief and educate the public. Self-belief, public education, and the law-these three elements intertwine and overlap. But something else is required-the fourth element, confrontation. What minority has ever gone from second-class status to first-class citizenship without it? What minority could? As we come to feel that we deserve equality, we increasingly resist coercion. But it goes beyond that. Unless we are willing to be absolutely docile and totally self-effacing, confrontation is inevitable. In this connection our experience with the airlines is instructive. They deal with us in an arbitrary, capricious, and custodial manner. If we are willing to be humiliated publicly and handled like children, airline personnel will generally treat us fairly well. Otherwise, we are likely to be subjected to anything from a tongue lashing to a trip off the plane with the police. A few months ago a blind woman in the state of Washington was plopped down on a blanket in an airplane seat, told by airline personnel that she must sit there, and loudly and publicly informed by the flight attendant that, as the attendant put it, it was not because she might "wet" her "pants" but so that in case of emergency she could be quickly lifted onto the evacuation slide. Explaining that she was quite mobile and unwilling to endure such treatment, the blind woman vocally refused to sit on the blanket and pushed it onto the floor. Later she brought a legal action against the airline and was given monetary damages and an apology. But if she had meekly followed orders, the lawsuit would never have been filed. She would have been humiliated and "put down," and her self-esteem and the public image would have suffered accordingly. But in objecting she created hostility and might have been arrested. If we intend to stand up for our rights at all, we can simply not avoid a certain amount of confrontation. Mike Uribes is one of our members in Fresno, California. Not long ago his chapter president had occasion to write the following letter to a Fresno business establishment: "On December 19, Mr. Michael Uribes, a blind Fresno resident, while shopping in your mall, was approached by one of your security employees, Mr. Tim Levinson. Mr. Levinson asked Mr. Uribes if he needed any assistance. Mr. Uribes responded that he did not. However, Mr. Levinson proceeded to follow Mr. Uribes through the mall and a couple of times even put his hand on Mr. Uribes' arm. Again, Mr. Uribes stated that he really did not need any assistance and thanked Mr. Levinson for his offer. Mr. Levinson walked away indignantly saying, 'Those damned blind people! They sure are arrogant.' "If Mr. Uribes had been a sighted person, this incident would not have happened. "Mr. Uribes has lived in Fresno all of his life and has been shopping without aid in your mall for at least twelve years. He travels independently. "Mr. Uribes is a member of the National Federation of the Blind of Fresno, which is affiliated with a state and national organization of the same name. Blind persons have the same rights and responsibilities as the sighted and wish to be treated as first-class citizens." In writing that letter our Fresno president undoubtedly created hostility, but what was she to do? For that matter, what was Mike Uribes to do? He could have avoided confrontation by meekly doing as he was told and allowing himself to be led around the store at Mr. Levinson's whim. By taking Mr. Uribes' arm when he was asked not to do so, Mr. Levinson committed a battery and violated the law; but public sentiment being what it is, he was probably never in danger of being prosecuted. However, what if Mr. Uribes had responded in kind? What if he had showed as much bad temper as Mr. Levinson did? Can we always be sure that the blind person will be cool, polite, level-headed, long-suffering, and patient-even if the sighted person is not? In fact, is that what we want? As Walter Lippman said: "Men cannot be made free by laws unless they are in fact free because no man can buy and no man can coerce them. That is why the Englishman's belief that his home is his castle and that the king cannot enter it, like the American 's conviction that he must be able to look any man in the eye and tell him to go to hell, are the very essence of the free man's way of life." Is that sort of thing all right (in fact, praiseworthy) for the sighted but not all right for the blind? And what does Lippman mean when he says that no man can coerce you if you are truly free? Does he mean that it is all right for the sighted to resist coercion-even if it means looking somebody in the eye and telling him to go to hell-even if it means using necessary force-but that it is not all right for the blind? Is Lippman's pronouncement meant only for everybody else-or does it include us, too? Can blind people hope to be free Americans? We gave our answer to that question almost fifty years ago. We formed the National Federation of the Blind-and it is still here, stronger and more active today than ever before in its history. It is not only the "Stromer Syndrome" which is arrayed against us. It is also the "be grateful and do as I tell you, or I'll call you militant" syndrome. Let those who oppose our march to freedom call us what they please and say what they like. We will not grovel; we will not pretend that right is wrong; and we will not turn back from the course we have set. No, we do not want strife and confrontation-and yes, we prefer peace and reason. But we know the power of collective action, and we will do what we have to do. We are simply no longer willing to be second-class citizens. Self-belief, public education, the law, and confrontation-these are the elements in the pattern of our freedom, and each is necessary. They overlap and interweave, and if any one of them is omitted, all of the rest become meaningless and impossible. Because of the work of the National Federation of the Blind, we who are blind have it better today than ever before in our history, and the hostility we face is not a cause for dejection but an omen of victory; for until a minority is close to its goal, confrontation is neither achievable nor useful. Earlier it is impossible, and later it is unnecessary. The beginning strands of the pattern of freedom are always woven by slaves, and we have known slavery. Some of us still endure it, and none of us has totally escaped it. A few of us are so immersed in it that we even say we like it and do not know another way exists. But the National Federation of the Blind is abroad in the land, and the blind are learning new ways. We hear the statements of freedom, and they call to our souls and quicken our dreams: "If," said Samuel Adams, "you love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace." "They that give up essential liberty," said Benjamin Franklin, "to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." "Freedom," said Max Stirner, "cannot be granted. It must be taken." We hear, and we understand. We know what we must do, and we have counted the cost. We fight not only for ourselves but also for those who went before us, for Dr. tenBroek and the other founders of our movement-and for those who come after, the blind of the next generation, the children and the children to be. And we will not fail. The stakes are too high and the alternative too terrible. Tomorrow is bright with promise. We go to meet it with gladness: And we take with us all that we have- our hopes and our dreams, our will to work and our knowledge of deprivation, our faith and our purpose, and our heritage of slavery. And this also we take-our trust in ourselves, our love for each other, and our belief in the ultimate goodness of people. My brothers and my sisters, the future is ours! Come, join me-and we will march together to freedom! Notes 1. This poem was copied from a wall in New York City in 1985. 2. National Geographic, August, 1983, page 222. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Anna Kresmer] How the First Self-Advocacy Organization of the Blind Met the Challenge of Social Security, 1940-1950 by Anna Kresmer From the Editor: There are many blessings for which we in the National Federation of the Blind are thankful, and one of them is the caliber of the staff who come to work with us and who decide to become a part of us. Anna Kresmer is just such a person, working to share with all of us the treasures that are to be found in the Jacobus tenBroek Memorial Library. In this article she discusses one of the reasons we formed the National Federation of the Blind and our first effort to confront head-on a new federal bureaucracy that threatened to erode our hard-won gains for a secure income and the opportunity to go beyond government assistance. Here's what she says: For seventy-five years, the National Federation of the Blind has strived to achieve first-class citizenship for all blind Americans through collective action and self-advocacy. Over the years, the Federation's focus and energy have shifted to address the most pressing problems of the day, from the right to organize in the 1950s, to the fight against NAC in the 1970s, to the ongoing mission to make the internet and technology accessible. Some long-standing challenges have proven to be stubborn and the battles rage on, such as the mission to end subminimum wage, while other challenges have been met and relegated (at least for the time being) to the annals of history. Each of these issues, and the many others not mentioned here, have confirmed the continuing need for an organization like the NFB, but one issue in particular is directly responsible for the formation of the Federation in 1940. In the first few decades of the twentieth century, aid to the blind was primarily treated as a local or state-level concern. Organizations formed to meet that concern were mainly charities ran by sighted people, sheltered workshops, social clubs, schools for the blind, and the occasional state-run pension plan. The populations they served were generally limited by geography and could, therefore, reasonably be addressed by organizations of the blind of similar size and scope, like the Pennsylvania Federation of the Blind or the Central Committee of the Blind of Illinois. But all that changed in 1935 with the passing of the first Social Security Act (SSA). Its aim was to protect segments of the population at risk of poverty including the unemployed, senior citizens, needy families with children, and the blind. It is unsurprising that blind people were included in this landmark legislation, since they were seen by society as generally uneducable, unemployable, and in need of custodians. This view is clear even in the words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who remarked on the third anniversary of the SSA's passing in 1938 that now, "...forty thousand blind people are assured of peace and security among familiar voices."[?] The Social Security Act of 1935 was the first federal legislation to address the poverty faced by most blind people. Before the SSA, aid to the blind was spotty, unregulated, and varied wildly from state to state. Some states did not even have a pension program, while others set their rates so low that blind pensioners could not afford to feed themselves. The SSA sought to impose standards in welfare and to share the burden of supporting the "needy blind" by supplementing state funds with federal contributions. On the surface it sounded like a wonderful idea to the politicians who voted for it and to the sighted agencies that lobbied for it, and the bill was enacted on August 14, 1935. However, not everybody was so thrilled. From the start blind Americans found problems with Title X, the portion of the law which handled aid to the blind, and with the way that it was administered. The problems mainly stemmed from the concentrated decision-making power placed in the hands of the appointed Social Security Board, who set aid rates low and eligibility criteria high. States were required to adopt these standards if they wanted to receive the federal contributions, which meant that some state programs actually improved. However, in other states where larger organizations of the blind had already worked hard to get better benefits, the Federal regulations threatened to roll back their hard-won gains. Perhaps the biggest objection, though, was that the original bill was passed largely without input from the people it was meant to help. Representatives from seven different organizations for the blind came to testify before the House Ways and Means and the Senate Finance Committees, including the American Association of Workers for the Blind, the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness, and several state commissions and agencies for the blind.[?] The only actual blind person to testify before Congress concerning the proposed bill was Robert Irwin, representing the American Foundation for the Blind and advocating for a smaller pension program than was eventually passed into law. So why were these custodial national and state organizations of sighted workers for the blind the only voices heard in Washington in 1935? The answer is simple: There was no national organization of the blind which could address Congress on behalf of all blind Americans. The National Federation of the Blind was founded in 1940 by Dr. Jacobus tenBroek and blind representatives from seven state associations of the blind. It was the first national organization created by blind people and led by all blind officers with a primarily blind membership. Their goal was to promote the economic and social welfare of the blind by securing access to three basic rights: security, equality, and opportunity. However, looking at the speech given by Dr. tenBroek at the founding meeting, there can be little doubt that the NFB's founding focused on the first of these rights-security-and that their first mission was to lobby the federal government on Social Security. In his speech at the founding meeting, Dr. tenBroek called to the blind of the nation, saying: There are many goals upon which we can unite: the ultimate establishment of a national pension which will eliminate the diversities of treatment of the blind among the states and insure an adequate support to all; the correction of the vices that have crept into the administration of the Social Security Act by seeking its amendment in Congress... governmental recognition of the fact that the blind are not to be classified as paupers and that they have needs peculiar to and arising out of their blindness... adequate methods for restraining the influence and defining the place of the social worker in the administration of aid laws... legislative and administrative encouragement of the blind who are striving to render themselves self- supporting... [and] governmental recognition of our inalienable right to receive public assistance and still retain our economic, social, and political independence... In 1997, Dr. Kenneth Jernigan succinctly explained why the Federation's initial focus rested squarely on security, specifically on the need for government aid, saying that, "When the National Federation of the Blind came into being almost six decades ago, our problem was simple. It was to find enough food to keep body and soul together-not for all of us, of course, but for many. If you are hungry, it is hard to think about anything else. And the blind were hungry."[?] To satisfy this hunger, the NFB immediately began its campaign to turn Social Security into a program that truly benefited all blind people. As early as 1941, they began sending representatives to urge Congress to amend the act. They submitted memoranda and testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee and repeatedly called on their growing membership to write to Congress in support of their legislative proposals. Also during this time, the NFB attempted (not always successfully) to create legislative proposals in collaboration with other blindness-related organizations and lobbied the labor unions to support their cause. Initially, all this hard work seemed to result in not much of anything. Aside from a pair of federal $5-a-month-increases to aid benefits passed in 1946 and 1948, the SSA saw little change regarding aid for the blind throughout the 1940s.[?] All this changed on August 28, 1950, when President Truman signed the Social Security Amendments of 1950 into law. This was the first major overhaul to SSA that affected blind people receiving aid. The changes seem basic today, but they clarified much of the vague language in the wording of the act. Beyond the usual increase in aid rates, the act now stipulated that aid applications had to be processed by state agencies within a reasonable amount of time, fair hearings had to be provided when claims were denied or not acted upon quickly, and aid had to be furnished promptly to all eligible individuals.[?] Undeniably though, the greatest change for blind people realized by the 1950 amendments was that state aid programs were now required to exempt up to $50 a month in earned income when calculating aid payments. According to an NFB legislative bulletin, dated May 6, 1950 (when the provision was initially passed by the Senate): These changes represent a forward step of the utmost importance. They firmly establish the principle of exempt earnings as a mandatory requirement on all of the States. They thus completely reverse the policy of the Federal Security Agency by which blind recipients of relief suffer a deduction of one dollar in their public assistance for every dollar earned by them. By accepting the principles of exempt earnings and making it a mandatory requirement on the States, the Senate Committee is reorienting the whole system of public assistance away from pauperism and permanent dependence and towards rehabilitation and opportunity.[?] The 1950 amendments are arguably the first, although by no means the last, major victory in the NFB's campaign to amend Social Security. Over the years, the Social Security Act would be amended many more times and other laws affecting the livelihood of the blind would be proposed, passed, and amended. But as the urgent threat of poverty receded and more blind people joined the employment rolls, the Federation began to shift its focus to the other two rights that it had championed since its inception: equality and opportunity. [1] Grant, Isabelle. Crooked Paths Made Straight. [2] tenBroek, Jacobus to Alfred Allen. (1952) Letter, July 17. Jacobus tenBroek Personal Pape Grant, Isabelle. Crooked Paths Made Straight. [3] tenBroek, Jacobus to Alfred Allen. (1952) Letter, July 17. Jacobus tenBroek Personal Papers, Jacobus tenBroek Library, National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, Baltimore, MD. [4] tenBroek, Jacobus. (1956) "Within the Grace of God." Speech, National Federation of the Blind National Convention, San Francisco, CA, July 1. [5] Ibid. [6] Maurer, Marc. (2004) "Presidential Report 2004." National Federation of the Blind National Convention, Atlanta, GA, July 2. [7] Maurer, Marc. (2008) "Breaking the Mold: The Power of the Unpredictable." Braille Monitor, November. [8] World Blind Union. (2012) "Universal Postal Union Rules Updates Regarding Free Post for the Blind." News release, October. [9] United Nations. (2006) Article 24, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. [i] Franklin D. Roosevelt, "A Social Security Program Must Include All Those Who Need Its Protection" (radio address on the third anniversary of the Social Security Act, August 15, 1938), https://www.ssa.gov/history/fdrstmts.html#radio. [ii] "Reports & Studies: Senate Hearings on 1935 Bill," https://www.ssa.gov/history/reports/35senate.html. [iii] Kenneth Jernigan, "The Day After Civil Rights" (banquet speech, National Federation of the Blind 1997 National Convention, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 4, 1997), https://nfb.org/Images/nfb/Publications/convent/banque97.htm. [iv] "Achievements of the National Federation of the Blind," June 20, 1950, Jacobus tenBroek Personal Papers, Jacobus tenBroek Library. [v] Wilbur J. Cohen & Robert J. Myers, "Social Security Act Amendments of 1950: A Summary and Legislative History," The Social Security Bulletin (October 1950), https://www.ssa.gov/history/1950amend.html. [vi] "Legislative bulletin: H.R. 6000-Senate Finance Committee," May 6, 1950, Jacobus tenBroek Personal Papers, Jacobus tenBroek Library. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Three members of Elaine's Girl Scout troop at a meeting. >From left to right: Missy Wunder, Grace Warn, and Dacia Luck (now Cole).] Making Diversity Work by Elaine Warn From the Editor: In these pages we feature a number of articles written by blind people giving their perspectives on the world, what it is like to be misunderstood, the difficulties in getting an education, and the barrier that one must overcome fully to be a part of his or her community. Rarely do we get the perspective of someone who can tell us their experience when first meeting a blind person and who can demonstrate that the same common sense approach works in getting information about blindness as it does when trying to learn something about any group different from our own. Elaine Warn is the mother of Grace Warn, a woman who assists me in getting a draft of each month's publication to our proofers. She was the Girl Scout leader who needed information about teaching blind people when a young Dacia Cole, now the recording secretary for the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri, wanted to be a part of her Girl Scout troop. Here is what Elaine says: Once upon a time I worked with girls in a youth organization. At our largest, there were twenty-nine in the troop. To say that we were a diverse group is an understatement. Over time our membership included girls from different ethnicities and religions, a variety of family settings, a wide spectrum of economic situations, and a number of different countries. Several girls spoke very limited English. There were girls who had asthma, two who had seizures, one with a severe skin condition, one with Down syndrome, and one who was blind. What I learned early on was that I was not alone and that there was a wealth of information out there to help me when I had questions. First and foremost, sit down with yourself, and get an idea what questions/concerns you have. The internet can help with this process, but be aware of the limitations and that not all websites are created equal. While searching for information on religions, I found that I could learn much about the history of a religion and much in general about a faith, however, none of it told me exactly what the specific family in my troop believed/practiced. In fact, when I met with the father of a girl from Saudi Arabia, I came with a large stack of information-books and pamphlets with post-its marking things that needed clarification. It took some time, but when we were done, I had a clear idea of what his sect practiced. I found that the school was also a wealth of helpful information as long as I asked questions that weren't specific to my girl. Example: I could ask for suggestions for working with a blind student for activities. I couldn't ask how the school did activities with Dacia. I was given contact information for someone who worked for the state of Missouri who gave me some wonderful suggestions that made things easier. Obviously, you need to talk with the parents; sometimes that can mean having two separate conversations if the parents are divorced and not speaking to each other. Parents should have a lot of the answers and suggestions. For Dacia I needed to know about mobility. She used a cane, however, I was clueless as to whether we should offer an arm, elbow, hand- which arm-and whether it is better to assist from the right or left. Alternatively, is it better not to touch and just talk a lot. The troop did crafts and camping. I needed to know her skill level using scissors, knives, etc. All of the girls packed their clothes in large zippy bags with one day's outfit in each bag. It made getting dressed quick and kept their clothes dry should it rain. For my blind girl this was perfect; her parents just needed to affix a Braille label so she could find the right bag. All of the activities and adventures we did were possible with the right planning and information, and she wasn't even the most dangerous one with a flaming marshmallow when it came to making s'mores. It all comes down to knowledge and taking a moment to think. You have to sit down and figure out what you don't know or when what you do know will need altering to work for everyone. From there, it's a question of deciding what questions you need to ask, who you need to ask, and finding answers. With those answers you can make adjustments to activities so they will be accessible and enjoyable to everyone. Whether the adjustment is tracing the lines on a paper with a crayon so that Dacia can feel them to cut the craft out herself, changing the menu of a troop campout because it's over Lent and one girl can't eat meat, or buying all-beef hotdogs so that your Muslim girl can enjoy them too; or knowing exactly which parent is picking up from the meeting this week according to the custody agreement. The answer may not be immediately apparent, but with a little thought and open communication between everyone involved, you can make it happen. ---------- The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund by Allen Harris From the Editor: Allen Harris is the chairman of the Kenneth Jernigan Fund Committee and was one of the people who came up with the idea of honoring our former president and longtime leader by establishing a program to promote attendance at the national convention, where so much inspiration and learning occur. Here is Allen's announcement about the 2016 Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Program: Have you always wanted to attend an NFB annual convention but have not done so because of the lack of funds? The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund invites you to make an application for a scholarship grant. Perhaps this July you too can be in the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando, Florida, enjoying the many pleasures and learning opportunities at the largest and most important yearly convention of blind people in the world. The three biggest ticket items you need to cover when attending an NFB national convention are the roundtrip transportation, the hotel room for a week, and the food (which tends to be higher priced than at home). We attempt to award additional funds to families, but, whether a family or an individual is granted a scholarship, this fund can only help; it won't pay all the costs. Last year most of the sixty grants were in the range of $400 to $500 per individual. We recommend that you find an NFB member as your personal convention mentor, someone who has been to many national conventions and is able to share money-saving tips with you and tips on navigating the extensive agenda in the big hotel. Your mentor will help you get the most out of the amazing experience that is convention week. Who is eligible? Active NFB members, blind or sighted, who have not yet attended an NFB national convention because of lack of funding are eligible to apply. How do I apply for funding assistance? 1. You write a letter giving your contact information, and your local NFB information, your specific amount requested, and then explain why this is a good investment for the NFB. The points to cover are listed below. 2. You contact your state president in person or by phone to request his or her help in obtaining funding. Be sure to tell the president when to expect your request letter by email, and mention the deadline. 3. You (or a friend) send your letter by email to your state president. He or she must add a president's recommendation and then email both letters directly to the Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Committee. Your president must forward the two letters no later than April 15, 2016. Your letter to Chairperson Allen Harris must cover these points: .Your full name, and all your telephone numbers and label them-cell phone, home, office, other person (if any). .Your mailing address and, if you have one, your email address. .Your state affiliate and state president; your chapter and chapter president, if you attend a chapter. .Your personal convention mentor, and provide that person's phone number. .Your specific request: Explain how much money you need from this fund to make this trip possible for you. We suggest you consult with other members to make a rough budget for yourself. The body of your letter should answer these questions: How do you currently participate in the Federation? Why do you want to attend a national convention? What would you receive; what can you share or give? You can include in your letter to the committee any special circumstances you hope they will take into consideration. When will I be notified that I am a winner? If you are chosen to receive this scholarship, you will receive a letter with convention details that should answer most of your questions. The committee makes every effort to notify scholarship winners by May 15, but you must do several things before that to be prepared to attend if you are chosen: 1. Make your own hotel reservation. If something prevents you from attending, you can cancel the reservation. (Yes, you may arrange for roommates of your own to reduce the cost.) 2. Register online for the entire convention, including the banquet, by May 31. 3. Find someone in your chapter or affiliate who has been to many conventions and can answer your questions as a friend and advisor. 4. If you do not hear from the committee by May 15, then you did not win a grant this year. How will I receive my convention scholarship? At convention you will be given a debit card or credit card loaded with the amount of your award. The times and locations to pick up your card will be listed in the letter we send you. The committee is not able to provide funds before the convention, so work with your chapter and state affiliate to assist you by obtaining an agreement to advance funds if you win a scholarship and to pay your treasury back after you receive your debit or credit card. What if I have more questions? For additional information email the chairman, Allen Harris, at or call his Baltimore, Maryland, office at (410) 659-9314, extension 2415. Above all, please use this opportunity to attend your first convention on the national level and join several thousand active Federationists in the most important meeting of the blind in the world. We hope to see you in Orlando. ---------- Recipes Over the course of the past year, because of various projects relating to the seventy-fifth anniversary of the National Federation of the Blind, we at the Monitor found ourselves looking back in the archives at old issues for various reasons. As we looked for other articles, we noticed that there were quite a number of delicious-looking recipes hiding in the past. So, instead of waiting for someone to write in and request that we reprint a specific recipe, we decided to showcase a few of the recipes that we felt deserved another look. Spinach Dip by John Halverson This recipe first appeared in the October 1998 Monitor with this introduction: Dr. John Halverson is the president of the Public Employees Division and a longtime leader in the NFB. He is the Regional Manager, Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Region VII, located in Kansas City, Missouri. Ingredients: 1 pound mild Mexican Velveeta cheese with jalape?o peppers 1 large jar picante sauce, medium 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach 1 4-ounce can green chilies Method: In a large bowl microwave spinach and break into small pieces with a fork. Add picante sauce and chilies (including liquid) and microwave for two minutes more. Cube the cheese, add to mixture, and return to microwave for four minutes or until cheese is completely melted. Mix thoroughly and serve with blue corn chips. To increase the heat, substitute hotter picante sauce or hotter cheese. ---------- Island Fruits with Cottage Cheese Honey Lime Dip by Nani Fife This recipe first appeared in the March 2001 Monitor and was offered by the NFB of Hawaii president, Nani Fife. Ingredients: 1 platter of fresh fruit (sliced melon, strawberries, pineapple, etc.) 4 cups low-fat cottage cheese 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice 1/4 cup honey 1 cup orange juice 1/2 cup blackberries 1/2 cup blueberries 1/2 cup raspberries Method: Beginning with the cottage cheese, combine all dip ingredients in a blender until smooth. This fruit platter is an ideal dessert for a party buffet. ---------- Spaghetti Pizza( by Debraghetti Pizza? by Debra Smith This recipe first appeared in the June 1993 Monitor and was submitted by Debra, an active member of the Black Hawk Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa. Ingredients: 15 ounces uncooked spaghetti noodles? 2 eggs? 1/2 cup skim milk? 10 1/2 ounces mozzarella cheese? 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder? 4 ounces ground beef? 2 15-ounce containers Weight Watchers spaghetti sauce Method: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook spaghetti according to label directions and drain. Beat eggs. Add milk and four ounces of cheese. Add spaghetti. Spread on jelly roll or pizza pan covered with cooking spray. Form an edge. Bake fifteen minutes. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350 degrees. Spread sauce on crust. Sprinkle surface with garlic powder. Top with ground meat and remaining cheese. Bake thirty minutes. Serves ten. ---------- No-Fuss Chicken? by Betty Capps This recipe first appeared in the April 1996 Monitor. Betty Capps was the first lady of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina at the time, and the recipe ran with this introduction: This recipe could hardly be simpler to prepare. The chicken gets a wonderful tangy taste, and no one will know you used convenient ingredients like a bottle of salad dressing and onion soup mix unless you tell them.? Ingredients: 1 16-ounce bottle Russian or Catalina salad dressing 2/3 cup apricot preserves 2 envelopes dry onion soup mix 16 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves? Method: In a bowl combine dressing, preserves, and soup mix. Place chicken in two ungreased eleven-by-seven-by-two-inch baking pans, top with dressing mixture. Cover and bake for twenty minutes at 350 degrees. Baste, and bake uncovered twenty minutes longer or until chicken juices run clear. Yields sixteen servings.? ---------- Wild Rice Casserole by Corinne Whitesell This recipe first appeared in the February 1992 Monitor. Corinne Whitesell was the treasurer of the National Federation of the Blind of Alaska at the time, and she had this to say about the casserole: This recipe is a favorite in the North and goes well with wild game. For the folks in the lower forty-eight, chicken or turkey can substitute for wild game. Ingredients:? 1 cup wild rice? 1 stick butter ? 1/2 cup slivered almonds? 1 pound fresh mushrooms? 1 bunch green onions? 3 cups chicken broth Method: Chop the green onions and mushrooms and saut? together. Combine with the rest of the ingredients and bake for 1-1/2 hours at 350 degrees in an oven-proof casserole dish. Fluff rice with a fork before serving. ---------- Run For the Roses Pie by Mary Heaven This recipe first appeared in the April/May 1985 Monitor, and included this introduction to the recipe and the person who submitted it: Mary Heaven is one of the leaders of the NFB of Kentucky. Since we are holding the national convention in Louisville this summer, her recipe seems particularly appropriate. She writes: "Dear Monitor readers: Here is a recipe to start you thinking about your trip to the Derby City for our national convention this year. The recipe has many variations in name and content and is often served at festivities during derby week." Ingredients: 1 cup chocolate chips 3 eggs slightly beaten 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup butter or margarine (melted) 1/2 cup flour 1 cup walnuts coarsely broken 1 tablespoon vanilla 9" unbaked pie shell Method: Mix flour and sugar; add eggs and butter; fold in nuts, chocolate chips, and vanilla; pour into shell and bake at 350 degrees for thirty minutes. Best served warm with whipped cream. ---------- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie? by Betty Bowman This recipe appeared in the May 1990 Monitor in a collection of strawberry-themed recipes. Betty had this to say about her recipe: While we were collecting these recipes, I promised several people that a strawberry rhubarb pie would be included. Someone even promised to send me a favorite recipe for one, but, of course, I have forgotten who that kind soul was, and no recipe appeared. I do not make this pie because my husband does not care for rhubarb, but I love it. This is my mother's version, and I can attest to its excellence. As a child I considered that the risk of encountering snakes was well worth the anxiety when strawberry rhubarb pie was the reward. Ingredients: ? pastry for a 9-inch double crust pie? 2 cups of washed, hulled, and sliced strawberries? 2 cups of sliced rhubarb stalks? 1-1/3 cups sugar? 6 tablespoons flour? 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel? 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 1-1/3 tablespoons butter or margarine Method: In a large bowl combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, and orange peel. Stir well to spread the flour through the sugar. Add the fruit and stir to coat rhubarb and strawberries with the dry ingredients. Line a 9- inch pie plate with rolled pastry and fill with the fruit. Dot the top with butter or margarine. Then roll the top crust and slash the center several times so that the steam can escape. Carefully lay the crust across the top of the pie and seal the edges. Bake for forty to fifty minutes at 425 degrees. ---------- Monitor Miniatures News from the Federation Family Writers' Division 2016 Writing Contest: The 2016 writing contest has gotten under way. Sponsored by the Writers' Division of the National Federation of the Blind, it is a contest for writers of all ages of youth and adults, with the youth contest being done to promote literacy in Braille. There are two new things to be aware of for this year: one, members of the Writers' Division will have discounted entry fees; and two, there is a new category in the youth contest. This new category is called Federation History. Entries can be written in any form or genre, but must pertain to the history of the National Federation of the Blind. The best of this category will have the chance to present their piece at the National Convention in Orlando this July to the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children. In the youth contest, there are still the traditional categories of poetry and fiction, all of which are broken down by grade level. In the adult contest, there are four categories: poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and stories for youth. Be sure to read through the guidelines for all specifics. These can be found at . And remember, the contest closes on April 1st so that the results can be announced at the July business meeting in Orlando. If you have any further questions, contact Eve Sanchez, president of the Writers' Division at . Now go put on your thinking caps and limber up your fingers to start writing the words you want. We cannot wait to read them all. Circle City Chapter Celebrates Twelfth Annual Angel Child Gifting and Service Award Banquet: On December 5, 2015, The Circle City Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Indiana celebrated its twelfth annual Angel Child Gifting and Service Award Banquet. This program assists qualified families coping with blindness to overcome some of the holiday obstacles and also honors members in the community with twenty-five years or more of service while raising the expectations of blind citizens. This year's honorees were Mr. William (Bill) Powell, director of assistive technology of Bosma Enterprises; Mrs. Brenda Jinks, orientation and mobility instructor; and Miss Nancy Ford Winters, social worker/Social Security advocate. Each recipient has thirty-five years of service and continues to strive in their specified careers. This year's keynote speaker was Mr. James Michaels, vice president of programs, Bosma Enterprises, and his speech was "Keys To Success and Happiness." Free Braille Books Available: Great news! Every blind or visually-impaired child (ages zero to twenty-one) in the US and Canada may now get three free books from Seedlings Braille Books for Children! Seedlings has expanded its Book Angel Program for 2016. The program was originally called "Anna's Book Angel Project" in memory of our Director's nineteen-year-old daughter who was killed by a drunk driver in 2001. Each year, every blind child registered received one free book in Anna's name, but thanks to Seedlings' generous donors, that number is now three! Just register your child or student by going to . For more information about the program, or about Seedlings Braille Books for Children in general, check out our website at , or follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@SeedlingsBrlBks). KNFB Reader App Wins Golden Apple: Since its launch in 2012, the AppleVis Golden Apple Awards have afforded blind and low vision users an opportunity to recognize and acknowledge the hard work and dedication which developers have put into making great and accessible iOS and OS X applications during the given year. To be shortlisted for this year's Golden Apple Awards, apps must: . Be fully accessible to blind and low vision users. . Have been launched or significantly updated during 2015. . Be from a developer with a demonstrated and long-term commitment to full accessibility. . Demonstrate excellence in design, functionality, and operation. Candidates for Developer of the Year must: . Have a long-standing, exemplary commitment to making their apps fully accessible to blind and low vision users. . Be receptive and responsive to the needs of blind and low vision users in a timely manner. . Have delivered significant new features or updates to their app(s) during 2015, particularly updates which directly benefit blind and low vision users. The 2015 AppleVis Golden Apples consist of awards in five categories: . Best iOS App . Best iOS Game . Best Assistive iOS App . Best Mac App . Developer of the Year For the Best iOS App of 2015, the AppleVis community chose Workflow: Powerful Automation Made Simple . Perhaps not surprising as Workflow has already won an Apple Design Award this year for its VoiceOver support and been rated an App Store Best of 2015. 1Password - Password Manager and Secure Wallet took second place, and Overcast: Podcast Player came third. In the closest ever vote in the history of these Awards, Dice World - Dice with Friends! took the Golden Apple for Best iOS Game of 2015. A Blind Legend followed as a very close second, and Blindfold Bowling was just a handful of votes further back in third place. In a landslide vote, the AppleVis community voted KNFBReader Best Assistive iOS App of 2015. BlindSquare took second place, and Be My Eyes - helping blind see placed third. Audio Hijack was voted as the best Mac app of 2015 by a wide margin. 1Password - Password Manager and Secure Wallet came in second, and LaunchBar placed third. Kid Friendly Software (Creator of the 'Blindfold' series of iOS audio games; ) was voted as the Developer of the Year, with MIPsoft (Creator of BlindSquare; ) and DeskConnect, Inc. (Creator of Workflow - Powerful Automation Made Simple; ) rounding out the top three. Robert Vick Wins Another Award: Lifetime-member of the NFB of New Mexico Robert Vick won the US Food's Food Fanatic Hero Award for the menu in his restaurant, Vick's Vittles Country Kitchen, but also for his generosity and employment of disabled people. Earlier this year, Robert also won the New Mexico Restaurant Association's Restauranteur of the Year award, during the organization's Hospitality Industry Awards September 14, 2015. The NFB of New Mexico's Albuquerque Chapter meets each month at Vick's Vittles Country Kitchen for our local chapter meeting. Many of those nights, Robert is on hand greeting his guests as well as chapter members to his place of business. The chapter has been meeting at Vick's free of charge for the past several years. The year 2015 has been full of ups and downs for Robert. We in the Albuquerque Chapter thank Robert for his generosity and congratulate him on his latest honor. 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. Three New Courses on Unified English Braille: The Hadley School for the Blind's UEB Braille classes have been the most popular of any of our course offerings since our inception ninety-five years ago. We are pleased to announce two new Braille courses: UEB Braille Literacy 3: Uncontracted Braille available February 29, 2016: Increase your ability to read and write Braille by learning uncontracted Braille in which every word is written out letter for letter (often called grade one Braille). The course covers the Braille alphabet, numbers, punctuation, and some special signs. Directions for using the Braillewriter as well as the slate and stylus are included. Prerequisite: "Braille Literacy 1: Tactile Readiness" and "Braille Literacy 2: Learning the Braille Alphabet," or the ability to read all letters of the Braille alphabet by touch. Course ID: EBR-923, Media: DTB [digital talking book] with UEB workbook; Lessons: nine. This tuition-free course is designed for Hadley students who are blind only-not for sighted family members in our Family program or for sighted blindness professionals in our HSPS program. UEB Contracted Braille available March 31, 2016: The Braille code used for most written material is contracted Braille. Being able to read and write in contracted Unified English Braille (UEB) will enable you to assist your family member or client who is blind. After attaining this goal, you may decide to advance your Braille skills by enrolling in a professional transcriber course or other advanced Braille and Braille teaching courses. Prerequisite: Completion of Hadley's "Introduction to Braille" within six months prior to enrollment in "Contracted Braille" and with a grade of B or higher OR adequate competency as determined by Hadley's "Uncontracted Braille Assessment." Course ID: CBR-213, CBR-223, Media: OL [online] or P [print]; Lessons: twenty-five This course is designed for sighted students in either our Family or HSPS (blindness professionals) programs. An Uncontracted Braille Assessment is also available on March 31, 2016. Here is some information about it: Have you learned uncontracted Braille in another setting, or has it been over six months since you completed Hadley's "Introduction to Braille" or "Introduction to Braille, UEB Edition" course? Enrollment in "Contracted Braille, UEB Edition" requires a certain level of proficiency with uncontracted Braille. This short assessment measures your ability to read and emboss letters, numbers, and a variety of punctuation marks in uncontracted Braille. The results determine which Braille course is appropriate for you. Assessment: UBA-010, Media: LP [large print] or OL [online]; Lessons: 1 This assessment is designed for sighted students in either our Family or our HSPS (blindness professionals) programs. Prospective and current students should call Toll Free: 800-323-4238 to ensure course availability-enrollment dates are subject to change. Norwegian Cruise Lines Demonstrates Continued Commitment to Accessibility: Norwegian Cruise Lines recently christened a new ship, Escape. The christening was a special two-day event, open only to those agents and press personally invited to attend. Because of all the work Cheryl and Nelson Echevarria have done with Norwegian Cruise Lines, they were part of the select crowd at this event. It wasn't all champagne and Pitbull concerts, though. Cheryl got the chance to speak to Cathy Vazquez, access manager of Norwegian Cruise Lines and Mr. Andrew Garnett, president and CEO of Special Needs Group. There were three specific topics that Cheryl addressed with Ms. Vazquez and Mr. Garnett: the Norwegian Cruise Lines app, the KNFB reader, and the introduction of Braille onboard Norwegian Cruise Lines ships. The Norwegian Cruise Lines iConcierge app is free to download on Apple or Google Play Store, but unless you are booked on the cruise line, you do not have access to it at all. The app is to help you make dining reservations, spa reservations, and find out about activities going on across the ship. Some of it worked, and some did not. Ms. Vazquez took notes on the problem areas of the app to pass on to the appropriate people. The KNFB Reader app for Android had just come out the week before, and Cheryl took the opportunity to demonstrate how the app could be used to read a print menu. Both Ms. Vazquez and Mr. Garnett were impressed and interested in how the app would make cruising easy and accessible for their customers. The final bit of business they discussed was about Braille. Currently Norwegian Cruise Lines is offering Braille menus produced through Special Needs Group. The company also handles guide dog relief boxes, wheelchair and scooter rental, and many other services and products. But Ms. Vazquez told Cheryl that Norwegian Cruise Lines is testing and learning to use Braille embossers so that, when they have a customer who reads Braille, all of their printed materials can be offered in Braille for the customer's convenience. The ultimate goal is to have the Braille materials ready and waiting for the customer in their cabin upon arrival. New State Resource Handbooks Available: I have created ten screen reader-friendly Resource Handbooks containing resources pertaining to the blind and visually impaired, for use by consumers and professionals. This handbook is for the residents of those states and includes the many organizations for the blind and visually impaired covering areas such as employment, housing, transportation, and more. Currently available are handbooks for Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, New York, Ohio, and Texas. The handbook includes contact information on the local, regional, and national level. For more information on pricing and formats please contact Insightful Publications by email at , by phone at (808) 747- 1006, or visit our website at . UEB Course Offering for People Who Want to Read Braille Visually: Want to read Braille visually? This introductory course provides the tools for those interested in learning to read and write Braille, so they can communicate with family members who use Braille. It presents the fundamentals of the Braille code, including the letters of the alphabet, numbers, and punctuation. The goal is to enable you to read and write uncontracted Unified English Braille (UEB). The course includes nine lessons and is available in print and online. A slate and stylus is mailed to the student. Interactive programs that simulate the Braillewriter and the slate and stylus are included in the online course only. These programs are for practice purposes and cannot be used to produce Braille. For more information contact Sheryl Bass, Hadley School for the Blind by writing to or by calling (847) 784-2751. ---------- 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. From buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org Tue Mar 1 12:01:48 2016 From: buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org (Brian Buhrow) Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2016 12:01:48 -0800 Subject: [Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor, March 2016 Message-ID: <201603012001.u21K1mum012874@lothlorien.nfbcal.org> BRAILLE MONITOR Vol. 59, No. 3 March 2016 Gary Wunder, Editor Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, with the audio version being available in both Spanish and English (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 NFBnet.org: http://www.nfbnet.org NFB-NEWSLINE? information: (866) 504-7300 Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind Follow us on Twitter: @NFB_Voice Watch and share our videos: YouTube.com/NationsBlind Letters to the President, address changes, subscription requests, and orders for NFB literature should be sent to the national office. Articles for the Monitor and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national 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 ? 2016 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 position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and try again. (Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the thumb drive, the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges, 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 envelope enclosed with the drive when you return the device. [PHOTO CAPTION: Palm-lined drive leading to front entrance to Rosen Shingle Creek Resort] Orlando Site of 2016 NFB Convention The 2016 convention of the National Federation of the Blind will take place in Orlando, Florida, June 30 to July 5, at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, 9939 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32819-9357. Make your room reservation as soon as possible with the Shingle Creek staff only. Call (866) 996-6338. The 2016 room rates are singles and doubles, $83; and for 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 May 27, 2016. The other 50 percent is not refundable. Rooms will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations may be made before May 27, 2016, 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. All Rosen Shingle Creek guestrooms feature amenities that include plush Creek Sleeper beds, 40" flat screen TVs, complimentary high-speed internet capabilities, in-room safes, coffee makers, mini-fridges, and hair dryers. Guests can also enjoy a swimming pool, fitness center, and on-site spa. The Rosen Shingle Creek Resort has a number of dining options, including two award-winning restaurants, and twenty-four-hour-a-day room service. The schedule for the 2016 convention is: Thursday, June 30 Seminar Day Friday, July 1 Registration Day Saturday, July 2 Board Meeting and Division Day Sunday, July 3 Opening Session Monday, July 4 Business Session Tuesday, July 5 Banquet Day and Adjournment 2016 NFB National Convention Preregistration Form Please register online at www.nfb.org/preregistration or complete all requested information on this form. Print and mail form to the address below. Registrant Name: Address: City: State: ________________________________________________ Zip: _________________ Phone: Email: I will pick up my registration packet at convention. The following person will pick up my registration packet: Pickup Name: Please register only one person per registration form. One check or money order may cover multiple registrations. Check or money order (sorry, no credit cards) must be enclosed with registration form(s). Number of preregistrations x $25 = _________ Banquet tickets x $60 = __________ Total ___ All convention preregistration and banquet sales are final (no refunds). Mail to: National Federation of the Blind Attn: Convention Preregistration 200 E. Wells Street at Jernigan Place Baltimore, MD 21230 Registrations must be postmarked by May 31, 2016. Vol. 59, No. 3 March 2016 Contents Illustration: New Accessible ATM Installed at Jernigan Institute The 2016 Washington Seminar in Review by Deja Powell Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans for the 114th Congress, Second Session Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act (H.R. 188) (S. 2001) Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education (AIM HE) Act Equal Access to Air Travel for Service-Disabled Veterans (H.R. 2264) The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled ("Marrakesh Treaty") Moving the Challenge Indoors by Anil Lewis Dissecting the Value of Diversity by Justin Salisbury The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund by Allen Harris Court Renders Major Decision on the Practice of Paying Subminimum Wages to Disabled Workers Recipes Monitor Miniatures [PHOTO CAPTION: (Left to right) Mark Riccobono stands with Marc Maurer and Randy Rice of Cardtronics as Dr. Maurer prepares to cut the ribbon on the new Cardtronics accessible ATM.] [PHOTO CAPTION: Mark Riccobono receives his cash as he makes the first withdrawal from the new ATM.] New Accessible ATM Installed at Jernigan Institute Since the introduction of the automated teller machine (ATM), the blind of the nation have been fighting for access to the cash and other services these devices provide. At first we were told there was no product for the banks to buy, and they blamed the manufacturers. We were then told by the manufacturers that there was no demand and that we must go to the banks. Next, we were told that the cost of modifying the hundreds of thousands of machines would be prohibitive and that requiring every ATM to be accessible was an unreasonable demand. When our lawsuits and negotiations got the industry and the government to take notice, we then had to suffer the jokes about those crazy people who wanted to put Braille on drive-up ATMs. Slowly, however, we began to reach settlements with banks, and while many ATMs are owned by major banking institutions, many are privately owned. Such is the case with Cardtronics, a company which owns and operates more than 53,000 ATMs across the country. As reported in the August-September 2015 issue of the Braille Monitor, the National Federation of the Blind reached an amicable settlement with Cardtronics, and one of the promises made by the company was the installation of an ATM at our national headquarters in Baltimore. That machine was installed, and on January 22, 2016, it was officially unveiled and is now available to everyone who works at or visits the Jernigan Institute. [PHOTO CAPTION: Deja Powell] The 2016 Washington Seminar in Review by Deja Powell From the Editor: Normally it falls to the editor to write about our mid-year convention of the National Federation of the Blind, AKA the Washington Seminar. This year I had a volunteer, and I really appreciate her work and her most valuable contribution. Deja is a winner of a scholarship in 2002 and a tenBroek winner in 2014. Here is what she writes about our work to let lawmakers hear from the blind: Utah is known for its snow; the mountains surrounding Salt Lake City are usually covered in the powdery white stuff by January. At this time people begin flocking to the state for some of the best skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing in the world. As the snow begins to pile atop the Utahan Mountains, I know it's time to gear up for the National Federation of the Blind's annual Washington Seminar. The NFB Washington Seminar is where a few hundred of the most ambitious and feisty blind people in the country gather on Capitol Hill to make things happen. [PHOTO CAPTION: The piles of snow from the plows are almost as tall as the cars parked in front of the Jernigan Institute in Baltimore, graphic proof of the travel difficulties faced by this year's attendees at the Washington Seminar.] This year, however, would be like no other in the organization's history: days before the annual meeting, the news started shifting its attention to Jonas (not Kevin, Joe or Nick, the Jonas Brothers), but winter storm Jonas, which was headed directly for the Washington DC/Baltimore area. Meteorologists were predicting one of the largest snowstorms in the history of our nation's capital was going to hit the week of the NFB Washington Seminar. Many of us hoped that the news was wrong-that Jonas wasn't going to be all he was cracked up to be. As the time came to pack and fly, most of us realized Jonas was not all talk. The storm dumped not inches, but feet of snow on the Washington DC/Baltimore area, and quickly. Flights across the country were delayed, then cancelled, then delayed and cancelled again. Airports were shut down on Friday and Saturday, and all city transportation suspended. Many of our fellow Federationists were finding it difficult if not impossible to make their way to DC. The word impossible, however, doesn't really resonate with Federationists, so many fought to get there and do the work that had to be done. [PHOTO CAPTION: Federationists didn't let a few feet of snow daunt them, as the crowd at the Great Gathering-In shows.] With major airports shutting down, activities that would normally have taken place on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday were significantly altered. One event was a seminar to train state affiliate legislative coordinators. Here is how Parnell Diggs, our director of government affairs, described the event and the on-the-fly changes made to make it work: Prior to Washington Seminar, a legislative workshop is held for representatives from each state affiliate to learn more about the legislative agenda of the National Federation of the Blind. This year, the workshop was scheduled for January 23, 24, and 25. Due to the impending storm, President Riccobono suggested inviting workshop participants to arrive early in order to beat the blizzard. This strategy proved effective, as more than twenty of our directors made it to the Jernigan Institute before travel became treacherous. For those who did arrive early, the workshop was filled with energy and enthusiasm. President Riccobono welcomed participants at a special meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Since the group arrived twenty-four hours early, members decided to begin the workshop on Saturday morning rather than waiting until the originally scheduled start time of 6:00 p.m. Joining us on that Saturday morning were not only our fearless travelers, but legislative directors forced to remain at home until they could fly into DC. They joined us thanks to the hastily-arranged conference call put together by our team. For those present the blizzard conditions did nothing to curtail the service and consumption of meals, cookies, and coffee during the weekend. Nothing could match the energy of the logistics team, which masterfully managed the logistics with precision, grace, and unflagging goodwill. We lost electric power during the afternoon session on Saturday, but Federationists continued working as if nothing was out of the ordinary. The Harbor Room fireplace had been stocked in case heat was needed, but thankfully the power was restored before dinner. On Monday morning the chartered bus arrived to transport Federationists to Washington, DC, but it could not get closer than a quarter of a mile to the Jernigan Institute. Thus, Federationists walked through the snow to reach the bus. Four adults and one child from Hawaii received the admiration of the entire assembly, since their "winter clothes" were not designed for walking through piles of shoveled snow that were four feet high in some places. As we so often remind our friends and even our opponents, we are a Federation family. Attitudes remained positive throughout the weekend, and while two dozen Federationists were literally snowed-in at the Jernigan Institute, the 2016 legislative priorities were thoroughly discussed, and everyone had a blast. After the government announced they would be closed on Monday, with several appointments cancelled for the remainder of the week, discouragement could have set in, but it didn't. Some members of the Federation, myself included, took advantage of the rare opportunity to go sledding down Capitol Hill. After climbing through mini-mountains of snow on street corners and finally getting to the Capitol, I found an awesome teenage girl who let me borrow her plastic sled to take a quick trip down the Hill. With a big grin on my face, I began climbing the very icy and slick Hill. I barely avoided falling a few times in the process, but I finally made it to the top. I asked a nice guy up there to line me up so I would not run over any children on my way down. Once aligned, he gave me a pretty big push, and I was on my way. Halfway down I spun-out, came to a stop, and pushed myself the rest of the way down. It was a great, empowering moment for me-a reminder that I can live the life I want, even if it requires borrowing a sled or two along the way. But now it was time to get to work. Prior to the Great Gathering-In meeting, the student division took care of business. Despite the weather, nothing could stop the National Association of Blind Students (NABS) from getting together and having a good time. Nearly fifty students made it to DC for the NABS annual Washington Seminar meeting, twenty-five of whom were sponsored by the NFB and would not have been able to attend without the organization's financial support. The annual student meeting included information on the new Self-Advocacy in High Education Toolkit Version 1.0, which serves as a support to blind college students in an effort to prevent or mitigate accessibility barriers on campus. You can find more information about the toolkit at . The meeting also included a speech from President Mark Riccobono, who encouraged students to step up and take on more leadership roles. Student Division President Sean Whalen also spoke to those in attendance about happenings at the national level and the KNFB Reader App. The student meeting included several breakout sessions covering a variety of topics including employment, internships, self-advocacy, vocational rehabilitation services, and more. On Tuesday evening the student division hosted the NABS Caf?, an annual social event for students and supporters, which included an auction, raffle, and live entertainment. Despite the weather, the attendance matched that of previous Washington Seminar student meetings. For the first time in history, the annual Great Gathering-In meeting was held on Tuesday morning, with a smaller but powerful group of Federationists ready to learn, act, and change the laws of the land. President Mark Riccobono welcomed everyone and thanked all for making such an enormous effort to attend. He specifically welcomed two-year-old Eliana from Hawaii, who is blind and attending her first-ever Washington Seminar. He suggested, "If anybody asks you why you bothered to trudge through the snow to get here, you tell them about Eliana; it's her future we're working for." In his welcome speech, President Riccobono talked about a variety of legal cases affecting the lives of blind parents, children, and adults, addressing employment barriers blind people face, such as not receiving equal wages, inaccessible technology for the blind, lack of internet regulations, lack of accessibility in transportation (including Uber), and the need for accessibility in voting rights. He ended by saying, "We do all this work and more because it is personal to us, and we are here because it matters in our own lives and in the lives of others." He continued, "We are here because for seventy-five years we have set the standard, and we continue to raise expectations for blind people across the country. We are here because we seek to live the lives we want!" Jernigan Institute Executive Director Anil Lewis also spoke to the crowd about the various programs going on at the Jernigan Institute, including STEM2U, NFB EQ , NFB Bell Academy , and other academic-focused programs. Anil declared, "It's not our inability to see that defines our future; it's the poor education systems that don't challenge us, that don't set high expectations for us to meet...Blind people have the intellect, knowledge, ability, talent, interest, desire, and passion to be involved in STEM subjects." Fred Schroeder followed by announcing that the United States will be hosting the World Blind Union this summer in Orlando, Florida, and encouraged Federationists to attend. President Riccobono also announced that this year's NFB National Convention will be held in Orlando, Florida, Thursday, June 30 through Tuesday, July 5, at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort and that pre-registration will open on March 1. Immediate past president Dr. Marc Maurer addressed the Great Gathering-In by discussing important legal issues facing the blind and how the National Federation of the Blind is working on these, including subminimum wage issues, Amazon accessibility, and parental rights. Executive Director of Advocacy and Policy, John Par?, welcomed all who fought the storm to make it to Washington and announced the use of a new App for NFB Washington Seminar, "NFB in DC," designed to set up and track appointments. Next, Parnell Diggs, director of government affairs, addressed the crowd regarding logistics of the week and welcomed all to DC. He encouraged attendees to check with individual senators and representatives to be sure appointments were still on as scheduled. [PHOTO/CAPTION: Parnell Diggs] [PHOTO/CAPTION: Rose Sloan] [PHOTO/CAPTION: Gabe Cazares] Parnell then introduced his legislative team: Rose Sloan and Gabe Cazares. Rose started things off by talking about the first of four issues: equal work for equal pay, or the Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment (TIME) Act (H.R. 188; S. 2001). Rose declared, "The blind and all people with disabilities deserve an honest wage. We are going to educate and advocate; the NFB will get the TIME Act passed." She continued, "For far too long the blind have been paid less than the minimum wage, and it is time to end this. Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act must be repealed." Rose also discussed the second issue, Equal Access to Air Travel for Service-Disabled Veterans (H.R. 2264). The Space Available Program allows members of the active military, some family members, Red Cross employees, and retired armed services members to travel on military aircraft if space is available. However, members of the military who were classified as 100 percent service disabled before September 23, 1996, do not qualify for this program because they are not considered "retired." Rose declared that both the TIME Act and the Space Available proposal are in need of co-sponsors. Gabe Cazares, the newest member of the government affairs team, discussed the two remaining issues. First is the Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education (AIM HE) Act, which will generate guidelines for higher education institutions when implementing new technology to ensure it is accessible to blind and print-disabled students. Gabe notes that far too often schools deploy inaccessible technology, then modify another version for blind students, and tragically this usually occurs weeks or even months into class. This has the effect of creating a "separate-but-equal" landscape with nearly impenetrable barriers. Gabe went on to say, "Blind students will not be relegated to second-class citizenship in employment or the classroom. All technology needs to be accessible to all students." Gabe also talked about the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled. The Marrakesh Treaty is an international copyright treaty that will give blind Americans access to millions of published works and improve the distribution of books across the globe. Unlike the United States, where copyright code includes the Chafee Amendment and other exceptions, 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. Gabe concluded by encouraging all of us to get moving to push through all four of our important issues. John Par? went through all of the information in the legislative packets this year, including fact sheets and letters of support. President Riccobono announced the congressional reception would be cancelled due to the weather. He also encouraged everyone to attend the NABS Caf? that evening to support the student division of the National Federation of the Blind. He then introduced the director of public relations, Chris Danielson, who discussed an Op-Ed written by President Riccobono that was released that day on the Congress Blog . The article includes information on signing the NFB's We the People Petition , which needs 100,000 signatures by mid-February. Chris encouraged everyone to share the Op-Ed piece and the Washington Seminar experience on social media under the hashtag #NFBWS16. He ended his remarks by saying: "Washington knows we're here, now let us let the world know." President Riccobono concluded the meeting with a few last minute announcements, encouraging participants to share their experiences on social media, noting the demonstration of a new Braille display being debuted at the seminar, and telling us that Anil Lewis had eaten all the peanut butter pie that was available. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday the nation's blind took over Capitol Hill. In fact, we were pretty much the only ones brave enough to go to the Congress that week. Many affiliates met with Congress and House staffers, and a few got to meet face-to-face with their representatives and senators. Despite the weather, lots of progress was made on some of the big issues, and Federationist fought hard to share the concerns our elected officials can address that truly effect the blind. As a dancer I have grown to love the quotation by Vivian Greene, "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain." It was a lot more than rain in Washington, DC, for this Washington Seminar, but record-breaking snow accumulation covering our nation's capital couldn't stop members of the National Federation of the Blind from dancing. Many of my family and friends asked me why I was going to Washington, DC, when the weather was so bad and Congress wouldn't even be in session; some went so far as to say I was being ridiculous for going. My response: "What we're going to Washington for will outlast the storm. The issues we are fighting for will be there long after the snow melts. The blind of our country have been told far too many times that we can't, that we won't, that we shouldn't, but we are not ready to back down...no matter the barriers. Snowzilla can't stop us!" And, you know, it didn't. ---------- Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans Priorities for the 114th Congress, Second Session . The Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act (H.R. 188, S. 2001) Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act allows employers to pay workers with disabilities subminimum 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 vocational potential. H.R. 188 and S.2001 will responsibly phase out the use of Section 14(c) Special Wage Certificates, ending the era of segregated, subminimum wage work. . The Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education (AIM HE) Act Electronic instructional materials have replaced traditional methods of learning in postsecondary education, but the overwhelming majority of ebooks, courseware, web content, and other technologies are inaccessible to students with print disabilities. The law requires equal access in the classroom but fails to provide direction to schools for the way it applies to technology. AIM HE creates voluntary accessibility guidelines for educational technology to improve blind students' access to course material, stimulate the market, and reduce litigation for schools. . Equal Access to Air Travel for Service-Disabled Veterans (H.R. 2264) The Space Available Program allows active-duty military, Red Cross employees, and retired members of the armed services to travel on military aircraft if space is available. H.R. 2264 reverses the exclusion of 100 percent service-disabled veterans who were discharged before September 23, 1996, and entitles them to the program's privileges even though they were never classified as "retired." . 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, millions of blind and otherwise print-disabled Americans are excluded from accessing 95 percent of published works. The Marrakesh Treaty calls for contracting parties to provide in their national copyright laws for a limitation or exception that allows for the reproduction, distribution, and cross-border exchange of accessible works. ---------- Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act (H.R. 188) (S. 2001) Current labor laws unjustly prohibit workers with disabilities from reaching their full vocational and socioeconomic potential. Antiquated public policy encourages workers with disabilities to rely on government assistance such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid. Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, passed in 1938, authorizes the Secretary of Labor to issue Special Wage Certificates to certain entities, permitting them to pay workers with disabilities subminimum wages. Ninety-five percent of 14(c)-certificate-holding entities are nonprofit "sheltered workshops" (segregated work environments)1 that pay over 300,000 workers with disabilities as little as pennies per hour, leading many of those workers to seek government assistance. Current training and employment strategies assist those with even the most significant disabilities to obtain integrated and meaningful employment. Workers in sheltered workshops often perform mundane tasks that do not use their existing skills, interests, and talents. However, innovative strategies such as customized and supported employment, when paired with appropriate rehabilitative services, training, tools, and expectations allow employees with disabilities to be as productive as their nondisabled coworkers.2 A growing number of former 14(c)-certificate-holding entities have transitioned their business models into effective disability training programs. No entities in Vermont or New Hampshire use 14(c) certificates. Seminars such as the Vermont Conversion Institute highlight entities that have successfully phased out reliance on Section 14(c) certificates. This transition not only benefits employees with disabilities but the overall productivity of the organizations that employ them.3 Research shows that sheltered workshops cost more to society than alternatives. Moreover, consumers who were not exposed to the low expectations of sheltered, subminimum-wage environments earn more money than peers who were in those environments.4 Policy and public and private sentiment are moving into a new era of proven competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities. In August 2012 the National Council on Disability unanimously recommended that the Department of Labor immediately stop issuing new Special Wage Certificates and that the "Section 14(c) program be phased out."5 In September 2015 a committee tasked by Congress to increase competitive integrated employment opportunities for workers with disabilities recommended the phase-out of Section 14(c).6 In addition, over eighty disability organizations support the repeal of Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act.7 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 three years. Three years after the enactment of this Act, no 14(c)-certificate-holding entity will pay workers with disabilities subminimum wages, allowing them to transition to the proven model of competitive, integrated employment for all of their employees with disabilities. Repeals Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Three years after the law is enacted, the practice of paying workers with disabilities subminimum wages will be officially abolished. This will result in the development of integrated and meaningful employment opportunities that encourage people with disabilities to reach their full vocational and socioeconomic potential. To cosponsor H.R. 188 in the House of Representatives, contact: Scot Malvaney, policy director, Office of Congressman Gregg Harper (R- MS) Phone: (202) 225-5031, Email: To cosponsor S.2001 in the Senate, contact: Dan Auger, Legislative Assistant, Office of Senator Kelly Ayotte (R- NH) Phone: (202) 224-3324, Email: For more information, contact: Rose Sloan, Government Affairs Specialist, National Federation of the Blind Phone: (410) 659-9314, Extension 2441, Email: For more information visit: __________________________________________________ 1United States Department of Labor. "Wage and Hour Division (WHD) Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRPs) List." Last modified October 1, 2015. http://www.dol.gov/whd/specialemployment/CRPlist.htm. 2United 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. 3Szlyk, Janet. "Letter of Support Issued by the Chicago Lighthouse." Last modified September 30, 2011. . 4Cimera, Robert E.; Wehman, Paul; West, Michael; & Burgess, Sloane. "Do Sheltered Workshops Enhance Employment Outcomes for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder?" Autism. 16 (2012): 87. 5National Council on Disability. "National Council on Disability Report of Subminimum Wages and Supported Employment." Last modified August 23, 2012. . 6Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities. "Interim Report." Last modified September 15, 2015. . 7National Federation of the Blind. "The following groups support the repeal of Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act." Last modified February 12, 2015. . ---------- Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education (AIM HE) Act Until colleges and universities drive the demand for accessible instructional materials, blind college students will be denied access to critical course content. 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. 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. 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. Schools deploy inaccessible technology and then modify another version for blind students, usually weeks or even months into class, creating a "separate-but-equal" landscape with nearly impenetrable barriers. With only a 20 percent employment rate, blind students should not be denied access by the innovations 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. In the five years since, over a dozen institutions have faced legal action for using inaccessible technology, 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 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 path to compliance, blind students will truly attain equal access. Accessible Instructional Materials in 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. Additionally, the commission is tasked with developing an annotated list of existing national and international standards 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. Conformity with the AIM HE 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. Sponsor the Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act. For more information contact: Gabe Cazares, government affairs specialist, National Federation of the Blind Phone: (410) 659-9314, Extension 2206, Email: For more information visit: ---------- Equal Access to Air Travel for Service-Disabled Veterans (H.R. 2264) The Space Available Program unjustly denies 100 percent service-disabled veterans the opportunity to participate. One hundred percent service-disabled veterans are not entitled to air travel privileges to which other members of the military have access. The Space Available Program allows members of the active military, some family members, Red Cross employees, and retired armed services members to travel on military aircraft if space is available. However, members of the military who were classified as 100 percent service disabled before September 23, 1996, do not qualify for this program because they are not considered "retired." This exclusion denies 100 percent service-disabled veterans discharged before September 23, 1996, a privilege to which they would be entitled had they not been disabled during service. Those service members who were disabled during active duty and were medically discharged prior to September 23, 1996, did not have the chance to stay on active duty, to be classified as "medically retired," or to fulfill the twenty years requirement to become qualified for this program. These men and women have earned the right to space-available travel just as others have because they sacrificed so much for our country. Military aircraft are already equipped to accommodate passengers with disabilities. Retired military personnel, their family members, and Red Cross workers with disabilities are already permitted to use the Space Available Program, and according to the AMC Space-Available Handbook & FAQ's, "Every effort shall be made to transport passengers with disabilities who are otherwise eligible to travel." Therefore, permitting 100 percent service-disabled veterans the opportunity to ride on military aircraft if space is available will not cause any new burden to the program. The National Defense Authorization Act provides the platform to achieve the goal of this bill. In a letter dated November 3, 2015, Bob Dole, a decorated World War II veteran and longtime Senate majority leader, urged Senator John McCain, Chairman of the US Senate Committee on Armed Services, to incorporate this bill into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Indeed, the House of Representatives' version of NDAA for fiscal years 2014 and 2015 included the language of H.R. 2264. Equal Access to Air Travel for Service-Disabled Veterans would: Provide travel privileges to all 100 percent service-disabled veterans. This bill amends Title 10 of the United States Code to permit veterans who have a service-connected, permanent disability rated as total to travel on military aircraft in the same manner and to the same extent as retired members of the Armed Forces. HONOR OUR SERVICE-DISABLED VETERANS: PERMIT THEM TO USE THE SPACE AVAILABLE PROGRAM Cosponsor H.R. 2264. To cosponsor H.R. 2264 in the House of Representatives, contact: Joe Millado, senior policy advisor, Office of Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R- FL) Phone: (202) 225-5755, Email: For more information, contact: Rose Sloan, government affairs specialist, National Federation of the Blind Phone: (410) 659-9314, Extension 2441, Email: "Brave soldiers made the same sacrifices as their fellow veterans, and their disabilities are a direct result of combat or its aftermath. I believe they should be able to participate in the Space Available program." - Bob Dole Letter to Senator McCain, November 3, 2015 ---------- The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled ("Marrakesh Treaty") An international copyright treaty will give blind Americans access to millions of published works and improve the distribution of books across the globe. Millions of Americans are being denied access to published works. 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. 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; a work printed in English may have already been converted into an accessible format overseas, but because copies are not exchanged across borders, domestic entities might need to make a duplicate copy or just might deny access altogether by failing to reproduce the work. An uncoordinated legal approach prevents the cross-border exchange of accessible books. Unlike the United States, where copyright code includes the Chafee Amendment and other exceptions, 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 to achieve this goal. On June 27, 2013, a diplomatic conference convened by the World Intellectual Property Organization, (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-two signatories and has been ratified by fourteen countries. 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; the treaty balances this priority with the interests of rights holders. WIPO's adoption of the Marrakesh Treaty was supported by American-based companies, the international publishing community, legal experts, and blindness advocates. 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. . Import of accessible format copies, for the purposes of making them available domestically. . Export of accessible format copies, for the purposes of making them available to a beneficiary person in another country. Remove Barriers to Access of Published Works. Support ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty. For more information, contact: Gabe Cazares, government affairs specialist, National Federation of the Blind Phone: (410) 659-9314, Extension 2206, Email: ---------- >From the Editor: President Obama reacted to our request and has forwarded the Marrakesh Treaty language to the United States Senate for ratification. [PHOTO CAPTION: Anil Lewis] Moving the Challenge Indoors by Anil Lewis From the Editor: One of the most liberating experiences of my life occurred after I received a long white cane, received enough instruction to use it, and was given a pass to travel off the campus of the Missouri School for the Blind by myself. For the first time in my life, outside travel did not mean shuffling my shoe along the edge of the sidewalk, holding my arm across my body to protect myself against poles and signs, and fearing with every step that I would find a drop-off or, God forbid, an open manhole. It took some time for me to realize that the cane was not only an outdoor tool but was both effective and necessary when traveling in many indoor environments. As wonderful as a cane and a dog can be, much information still exists that we have a hard time getting as blind people. What store are we passing in a mall? Where is the closest restroom? Where is a bench I can use while my wife spends hours going through the dress shop? If I am in a crowded banquet hall and leave my chair to run an errand, how do I find that chair without disrupting the festivities by asking a bunch of questions? There is much to be explored in all of this indoor technology that looms on the horizon, and it is no surprise that the Jernigan Institute is playing a leading role in helping to publicize what is available, ensuring that developers have a clear vision of what blind people need in this area, and coordinating efforts to see that the resulting technology is something that blind people really want and need. Here is what the executive director of our Jernigan Institute says about ongoing efforts to encourage the development of indoor travel technology: Marc Maurer, the immediate past president of the National Federation of the Blind had the audacity to believe in the dream of a blind person independently driving an automobile and established the NFB Blind Driver Challenge. This groundbreaking initiative of our NFB Jernigan Institute challenged universities, technology developers, and other interested innovators to build interface technologies that empower blind people to drive a car safely and independently. The power of partnering the nonvisual expertise of the National Federation of the Blind with the engineering talent of Dr. Dennis Hong and his graduate students at Virginia Tech, while taking advantage of the innovative navigation capability possessed by the engineers at TORC Robotics, culminated in a demonstration of the capacity of the blind with our current president, Mark Riccobono, becoming the first blind driver on the Daytona International Speedway in January of 2011. We continue to engage mainstream automobile manufacturers with the goal of ensuring nonvisual access to the vehicle control interfaces that would allow blind people to operate them as they introduce more autonomous functionality. Because we first dared to dream of a car that the blind can drive, we are moving ever closer to transforming our dream of driving into reality. Soon, the blind will be able to drive ourselves, our family members, and our friends to work, to school, or to the local mall. Now we are moving the challenge of developing innovative nonvisual wayfinding technology indoors. Our National Federation of the Blind Indoor Navigation Challenge initiative actively explores partnerships that foster the development of technology that can be used by the blind to access information about the indoor environments in which we travel. Members of the National Federation of the Blind know that blind people effectively use tools and strategies like long white canes, guide dogs, mental mapping, echolocation, and problem-solving skills to acquire and to make use of environmental information to travel safely and independently outdoors and indoors. In fact, the students at our National Federation of the Blind adult rehabilitation training centers learn to effectively use nonvisual travel skills to move independently and confidently throughout most environments without independent access to the information available to the sighted. Yet, technology affords us an opportunity to enhance our travel experience. Sighted individuals have access to an overwhelming amount of information that assists them as they find their way from place to place outdoors and indoors through the use of maps, kiosks, and signage, which although helpful, are inaccessible to blind people. The information related to storefronts, travel gates, retail sales, and personal safety, readily available to the sighted, remain inaccessible to the blind. Technology has already proven helpful in providing additional environmental information that helps the sighted and the blind alike to move from location to location, as demonstrated by the ever-growing accuracy of talking GPS navigation systems. Many blind people benefit from an assortment of apps and devices that use these to provide environmental information, which assists them to navigate more independently and efficiently throughout their neighborhoods, across the country, and around the world. The audible instructions, "Move to the far right lane. In 800 feet, turn right onto St. Paul Street," "Pothole ahead," and "Left lane closed," almost makes it seem possible for a blind person to drive today. Unfortunately, GPS technology has proven to be ineffective for use within enclosed environments because these block the satellite signals and thereby makes this technology ineffective indoors. Our National Federation of the Blind Indoor Navigation Challenge is a research partnership initiative to foster the development of devices or systems that the blind can use to obtain more useful information about the indoor environments in which we travel, such as schools, airports, hospitals, and shopping malls. These devices are not a substitute for the acquisition of good travel skills. They are meant to be a complement, an additional tool that enhances the travel experience of an independent traveler by providing access to environmental information currently unavailable nonvisually. Through our initiative, we foster a true partnership between blind people and nonvisual wayfinding technology experts to spur the development of accessible navigation tools that are designed using universal access principles. We have engaged the expertise of Mr. Mike May to administer our National Federation of the Blind Indoor Navigation Challenge. Mr. May, as president and founder of Sendero Group, has had extensive experience with outdoor navigation since 1994, and he possesses a broad depth of knowledge about a variety of accessible orientation and navigation systems. We have engaged over thirty NFB Indoor Navigation Challenge partners, representing universities and private businesses, and many have already committed to partnering with us toward the development of indoor navigation devices or systems that will eventually have commercial applications. They are attempting to address the problem in a variety of creative ways that take advantage of beacon technologies, remote vision, image recognition, crowd sourcing, and existing infrastructure. We seek to leverage the expertise and life experience of blind people throughout the research, development, and testing of accessible indoor navigation systems. By working to provide information, resources, and opportunities to all of our NFB Indoor Navigation Challenge participants, we hope to create an incubator for indoor navigation research and best practices, where natural partnerships and mutually beneficial collaborations will be identified and developed. To that end, on November 30 through December 1, 2015, we hosted a summit with the following five Indoor Navigation Challenge partners: . Boni, Loud Steps . Indoo.rs, LowViz Guide . Radius Networks . UMass Amherst, PERCEPT . Wina These companies are using innovative approaches to provide nonvisual access to environmental information in creative ways that take advantage of Near Field Communications (NFC), beacon, and wide-band technologies. During our summit, we set up beacon technology throughout the fourth floor of our Jernigan Institute, and two of our participants provided real-time demonstrations of their nonvisual wayfinding technology. Generally the devices were accurate to within ten feet of their reported location. One of the companies reports to be using ultra-wideband technology, which is accurate to one foot, but more expensive. The accuracy of the other solutions is anticipated to continue to improve as the technologies are refined. During the summit, each participant gave a presentation and answered questions about their specific technologies from members of our Access Technology staff. Although there were similarities in implementation, each technology had a unique approach to providing nonvisual access. Some used audio output; others used audio and vibra-tactile output. The amount of navigation information made available to the user also varied between technologies. Some of the solutions offered walking instructions, others provided information about points of interests throughout the indoor environment, while some provided both. Our evaluation team assessed each solution from the perspective of potential users while taking into consideration a variety of travel skills and technological proficiencies. We leave it to our partners to decide whether or not they share the advice we provided, or to use it to establish a competitive edge. The most valuable recommendation we offered was for the developer to provide the ability for the user to customize the amount of information provided by the system so that it could best meet the needs of the individual user. Some of our partners have already begun installing their wayfinding solutions in various public spaces, retail establishments, conferences, and both commercial and public transportation venues. With the aggressive mainstream implementation of varying navigation apps and devices throughout a host of venues, our NFB Indoor Navigation Challenge has already begun facilitating collaboration among our partners, promoting the development of a more seamless solution. Boni offered to let Indoo.rs use their NFB beacons. PERCEPT offered to let others take advantage of their software to generate audio walking instructions. Sendero may use an SDK [software development kit] from Loud Steps in the Seeing Eye GPS app. Radius considered working with Boni to provide a nonvisual wayfinding solution for the 2016 Consumer Electronic Show (CES). Unfortunately this did not come together in time for this year's conference, but perhaps, as a result of this collaboration, the 2017 CES will have accessible indoor navigation technology available. We will continue to encourage communication with and among our existing NFB Indoor Navigation Challenge partners and work to recruit additional challenge participants. Mr. May, with his years of experience in nonvisual wayfinding technology, has been a tremendous asset in our NFB Indoor Navigation Challenge initiative. His technological expertise has proven to be essential to our progress. We will be bringing greater awareness to our project by giving a presentation on the NFB Indoor Navigation Challenge at the 2016 CSUN conference in March. There are many technical challenges that remain for our partners to address, and direct communication between our experts and their project engineers will result in the mutually beneficial outcome of effective, nonvisually accessible wayfinding technologies. As an organization comprised of individuals who would directly benefit from the tools developed through this effort, the National Federation of the Blind remains committed to ensuring the aggressive marketing, mainstream implementation, ongoing innovation, and potential commercialization of these technologies. The annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind, with over 2,500 blind people in attendance, is clearly the ideal venue for testing and demonstrating the leading indoor navigation systems. Stay tuned for announcements of our national convention plans. The National Federation of the Blind Indoor Navigation Challenge is a research initiative of the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the premier research and training institute developed and directed by blind people, that applies the collective knowledge and life experience of the blind toward the development of innovative solutions to the barriers faced by blind people. Interested individuals and potential research partners should contact us at . [Pullout Quote: National Federation of the Blind Indoor Navigation Challenge ] ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Justin Salisbury] Dissecting the Value of Diversity by Justin Salisbury From the Editor: Originally from Connecticut, Justin Salisbury has traveled around the eastern half of our country in his pursuit of education. He has participated in many initiatives for equality and social inclusion, both inside and outside the National Federation of the Blind. He writes here about some of the concepts he has encountered in this work and explores the spaces where minority classifications intersect. Here is what he has to say: I was talking with a longtime friend from our Puerto Rico affiliate about our career futures. He wants to be a teacher of the blind, and I told him that we would love to have him in Connecticut. When he asked why, I told him it was because he was from the island. For those who don't know, the state of Connecticut has a very large Puerto Rican population, especially in the eastern half of the state. I stopped myself immediately and thought about what I had said. The demands of our schedules pulled us away from each other before we could carry the conversation further, and I wished instantly that they had not. I had made a mistake by telling him that we would want him because he was Puerto Rican. His value comes from much more than his ethnic background, and I had wrongly communicated to him that it was his primary credential to contribute. It has become fashionable to try to make organizations as diverse as possible. I think it is wonderful for organizations to have this goal, but I think careful reflection on the reasoning for the diversity push is important. In the organized blind movement we are making strides to become more diverse and have more diverse populations represented in our membership and leadership. I have discussed diversity themes with many great minds, some of whom are Federationists, and I am writing to share what I have learned. I often hear people in many organizations, including ones that have nothing to do with blindness, emphasize the desire to have leadership and membership from multicultural backgrounds. This includes race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and the like. There is value to this goal, but there are potential pitfalls in the description and implementation thereof. I am a blind person, and I am also Canadian First Nations, which we often call "Native American" here in the United States. I don't have every kind of minority status, but I do have two that are relatively uncommon. A lot of people ask me to show up at things to represent one community or the other. Whether or not people realize it, this communicates to me that my value is generated by simply being blind or simply being First Nations. It comes from something that I am rather than something that I do. It comes from something I did not earn instead of something that I earned. The process of maintaining this value is simple: stay alive. The capacity to decrease this value is nullified; no level of laziness can take it away. Is increasing my value possible? It must be, but so much focus on that unearned value tends to lead people to take harbor within it. Society does it to us, and we often do it to each other. Just as we don't mean it or maybe don't realize it, we can give the benefit of the doubt to the rest of society that their intentions were not malicious. Dr. tenBroek taught us that we must ensure that our road to Hell is not paved with other people's good intentions. Here, if we are not careful, we can pave a similar road for some of our members, thus affecting all of our members. When I was in my doctoral program at the University of Wisconsin- Madison, I planned to focus publicly on only two things: academics and the National Federation of the Blind. That lasted until I was spotted by other Native American students, and I was recruited into Wunk Sheek, the broad Native American organization on campus. At our meetings we would often hear that some event or club reached out to us, asking us to come represent the Native American community. Our value at those events and activities was inherent to our race and not to ways that we could present or actively contribute. It was important for us to extend our coordinated support only when it helped us grow. As the National Federation of the Blind's Executive Director Mark Riccobono, who is now our President, taught me at a leadership event in Wisconsin, it is important to focus specifically on doing the things that build our railroad. I was proud to be able to contribute that wisdom to Wunk Sheek because of what a Federation leader had taught me. If Wunk Sheek were to go out for everything, our purpose would become that of condiments for everyone else's burgers, and we would not be taught to be contributors beyond providing our diversity itself. What some organizations used to call "underserved populations," increasingly more organizations today call "underrepresented populations." I like this shift in our society and am not surprised that we see this valuable transition in rhetoric led by universities. I attended the University of Wisconsin on a fellowship for underrepresented ethnic minority students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; this program has been used as a model for many others. It was always communicated to us that we were expected to step up and be leaders in our fields, and many of us did. I personally am much more likely to join an organization that tells me that I have something to contribute than one that tells me that I need to be served by their greatness. "Underserved" identifies the population as one primarily to be served rather than represented. In Jim Omvig's book, Freedom for the Blind, we learn that one of the most important characteristics of achieving first-class status is giving back. It follows that, if a population is viewed primarily as a recipient of the services of another, that population does not have first- class status. If we are systematically viewing subgroups of our movement as second-class within our movement, we are marginalizing that population much the way that the blind are marginalized in the general public. If this is the case, we are not capitalizing on the full potential of those populations to contribute to our movement. It may be easy to misunderstand me here; I am not saying that democratically-elected leaders from privileged social strata cannot adequately represent members from traditionally marginalized social strata. The National Federation of the Blind represents all blind people; this is true. It is also true that diverse backgrounds and sets of experiences in the leadership of our movement equip those leaders who intend to use them to connect and work with individuals with similarly diverse backgrounds and sets of experiences. I expect that many of us would agree that the true cross section of society that blindness affects is not yet perfectly represented in our membership. We all know what it is to be the token blind person. We know when someone is inviting us to participate in something solely to draw the appearance that the program or activity in question is inclusive to blind people or people with disabilities. We know that our value in those situations is largely perceived to derive from the fact that we are embellishing the status of those who are really participating with the credit of charitably including someone with our disability. When the reporters want to take our picture with the elected official or keynote speaker after waiting for all the other members of the public to go through the line, we know why they do it. They want to report to the world that our disability is there as a part of their program. They are seldom truly pursuing us for our credentials or our capacity. If we are not careful, and if we do not stay close to the National Federation of the Blind for recalibration, in the words of Jennifer Dunnam, we can come to believe that our value in that situation is not defined by who we are but by the fact that we are blind. The public does it to us, and it is done with good intentions. We cannot allow our road to Hell to be paved with these good intentions, so we must not pave that road for anyone. If we pave the road to reduced productivity for blind people who also represent traditionally underprivileged social strata, we are teaching them to sit back and to allow their value to be generated by their characteristics. If we systematically reduce the productivity of those individuals, we, the nation's blind, cannot access the true value that they have. It follows then that we are reducing our own productivity by reducing it for others who contribute to ours. Just as we ask others to do for us, we should do for others. We must find ways to break down barriers to the full participation in our movement to all blind people and insist that nobody be a token. The potential is too great to squander. We are working to ensure that social strata do not inhibit a blind person from participating to his or her fullest potential in our movement, but we also don't want the strata to become branded as the reason for that person to participate, distracting us all from his or her true potential. When great leaders arise in our movement, it is their contributions that make them great, not the diversity cards in their hands, even if they have a killer hand. Sometimes someone from an underrepresented population can have the ability to connect with populations who are not being effectively reached. In my case I'm sure there are some blind Native Americans whom I may be able to reach in ways that non-native members may not be able to reach because of my background. There are other components of my identity that could also function the same way. Maybe it is in connecting with people who come from towns so small that the only danger outdoors at night comes from bears and coyotes. Maybe it is with people who grew up in poorer communities right next to wealthier ones. Maybe it is in working with students who are the first person in their family to ever pursue higher education. These factors are also sources of diversity and can create opportunities to reach more people. In our movement there is a value to being able to connect with people who might not otherwise feel connected. Maybe more visibly contributing Latino members can help us reach more Latinos in the general public, a goal that we have since they are the largest minority group in our country. Sometimes, there are benefits that come from being an active part of the National Federation of the Blind that really have nothing to do with blindness. We are a family and a community of people who work hard and care about each other. The more we interact with people from all types of backgrounds, the more we can demystify those groups and become comfortable with them. For some of us the Federation may be the only place where we interact with someone of a particular religion or country of origin. I know that this is sometimes the case for me. Even better, maybe the Federation is the only or primary place that we can have positive interactions with someone from a particular background. Maybe it is the most positive type of interaction. I run into much hostility from African-Americans on a daily basis, but the very positive relationships that I have with people like Anil Lewis, Roland Allen, and Ever Lee Hairston help me keep my sanity and faith in that group. This helps me be able to work with a population that spans far beyond the blind community, and it strengthens me as a person. We need blind people to be as strong, capable, and confident as possible in order for us to achieve first-class status. We are blind people, and we are simply people too. Our Federation family has a unique ability to serve these types of roles in our lives because of how emotionally powerful our work is. Learning to believe in ourselves and working together to raise the expectations of blind people, transforming dreams into reality, is not something that we do with no emotional benefits. The Federation strengthens us even more than we strengthen it, but it can do so only if we keep feeding the fire. When people ask us to show up and be blind for them, they are teaching us that our value comes from being blind and showing up. Let us be careful not to tell any potential contributor to our movement that his or her potential value is so limited. Together, we can find out what we can truly achieve. We can push the limits and capitalize on the talents and enthusiasm of everyone who wants to contribute. ---------- 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! ---------- The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund by Allen Harris From the Editor: Allen Harris is the chairman of the Kenneth Jernigan Fund Committee and was one of the people who came up with the idea of honoring our former president and longtime leader by establishing a program to promote attendance at the national convention, where so much inspiration and learning occur. Here is Allen's announcement about the 2016 Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Program: Have you always wanted to attend an NFB annual convention but have not done so because of the lack of funds? The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund invites you to make an application for a scholarship grant. Perhaps this July you too can be in the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando, Florida, enjoying the many pleasures and learning opportunities at the largest and most important yearly convention of blind people in the world. The three biggest ticket items you need to cover when attending an NFB national convention are the roundtrip transportation, the hotel room for a week, and the food (which tends to be higher priced than at home). We attempt to award additional funds to families, but, whether a family or an individual is granted a scholarship, this fund can only help; it won't pay all the costs. Last year most of the sixty grants were in the range of $400 to $500 per individual. We recommend that you find an NFB member as your personal convention mentor, someone who has been to many national conventions and is able to share money-saving tips with you and tips on navigating the extensive agenda in the big hotel. Your mentor will help you get the most out of the amazing experience that is convention week. Who is eligible? Active NFB members, blind or sighted, who have not yet attended an NFB national convention because of lack of funding are eligible to apply. How do I apply for funding assistance? 1. You write a letter giving your contact information, and your local NFB information, your specific amount requested, and then explain why this is a good investment for the NFB. The points to cover are listed below. 2. You contact your state president in person or by phone to request his or her help in obtaining funding. Be sure to tell the president when to expect your request letter by email, and mention the deadline. 3. You (or a friend) send your letter by email to your state president. He or she must add a president's recommendation and then email both letters directly to the Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Committee. Your president must forward the two letters no later than April 15, 2016. Your letter to Chairperson Allen Harris must cover these points: .Your full name, and all your telephone numbers and label them-cell phone, home, office, other person (if any). .Your mailing address and, if you have one, your email address. .Your state affiliate and state president; your chapter and chapter president, if you attend a chapter. .Your personal convention mentor, and provide that person's phone number. .Your specific request: Explain how much money you need from this fund to make this trip possible for you. We suggest you consult with other members to make a rough budget for yourself. The body of your letter should answer these questions: How do you currently participate in the Federation? Why do you want to attend a national convention? What would you receive; what can you share or give? You can include in your letter to the committee any special circumstances you hope they will take into consideration. When will I be notified that I am a winner? If you are chosen to receive this scholarship, you will receive a letter with convention details that should answer most of your questions. The committee makes every effort to notify scholarship winners by May 15, but you must do several things before that to be prepared to attend if you are chosen: 1. Make your own hotel reservation. If something prevents you from attending, you can cancel the reservation. (Yes, you may arrange for roommates of your own to reduce the cost.) 2. Register online for the entire convention, including the banquet, by May 31. 3. Find someone in your chapter or affiliate who has been to many conventions and can answer your questions as a friend and advisor. 4. If you do not hear from the committee by May 15, then you did not win a grant this year. How will I receive my convention scholarship? At convention you will be given a debit card or credit card loaded with the amount of your award. The times and locations to pick up your card will be listed in the letter we send you. The committee is not able to provide funds before the convention, so work with your chapter and state affiliate to assist you by obtaining an agreement to advance funds if you win a scholarship and to pay your treasury back after you receive your debit or credit card. What if I have more questions? For additional information email the chairman, Allen Harris, at or call his Baltimore, Maryland, office at (410) 659-9314, extension 2415. Above all, please use this opportunity to attend your first convention on the national level and join several thousand active Federationists in the most important meeting of the blind in the world. We hope to see you in Orlando. ---------- Court Renders Major Decision on the Practice of Paying Subminimum Wages to Disabled Workers From the Editor: Anyone who reads the Braille Monitor knows that we have been engaged in an effort to get the Congress of the United States to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act by phasing out section 14(c), a law passed in 1938 which allows the payment of less than the minimum wage to disabled workers. The executive branch took action in 2015 to see that blind workers employed by federal contractors receive at least $10.10 an hour. Now the third branch of government, the judiciary, has weighed in, and we reprint here a significant decision arguing against the use of section 14(c) and the procedures used by facilities that seek to take advantage of its provisions at the expense of disabled workers. Throughout this opinion the reader will find long-standing arguments made by the National Federation of the Blind to be ones the judge arrives at through observation, considerable thought, and the application of common sense. For readability we have left out the footnotes, but anyone wishing a full copy of the document can receive it in .pdf by writing to . Here is what the National Federation of the Blind's director of legal policy, Marc Maurer, has to say about the decision: "We have received the attached decision from the administrative law judge in the Seneca Re-Ad case. Three petitioners in a sheltered workshop were being paid less than the minimum wage. The legal standard to permit this is that the individuals be disabled for the work to be performed. The judge determined that these petitioners are not so disabled, which leads to the conclusion that the Fair Labor Standards Act was violated. I would call this a substantial march of progress. The judge declared that there has to be a connection between the disability and the diminution of performance of a job task before subminimum wages are permitted. It is not enough to allege disability. The workshop has the burden of demonstrating that subminimum wages are justified, and this decision makes demonstrating the connection much more difficult." Here is the decision: Issue Date: 02 February 2016 Case No.: 2016-FLS-3 In the Matter of: Petition for Review of Special Minimum Wage Rate Pursuant to Section 14(c)(5)(A) of the Fair Labor Standards Act by: RALPH MAGERS, Petitioner, and PAMELA STEWARD, Petitioner, and MARK FELTON, Petitioner, v. SENECA RE-AD INDUSTRIES, INC., Respondent. DECISION AND ORDER I. INTRODUCTION This case arises under Section 214(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act ("Act"), 29 U.S.C. ?214(c).1 Ralph ("Joe") Magers, Pamela Steward, and Mark Felton ("Petitioners") are employees of Seneca Re-Ad Industries ("Respondent"), which is located in Fostoria, Ohio. Each of the Petitioners has been diagnosed with one or more developmental disabilities,2 and each receives services from the Seneca County (Ohio) Board of Developmental Disabilities ("DD").3 Employment at Respondent's Fostoria manufacturing facility is one of the services provided by DD.4 DD provides services to approximately 230 persons in Seneca County.5 Approximately 37 people are receiving DD services in the form of community (competitive) employment. Approximately 120 persons work in DD's "sheltered workshops" (now generally referred to as "community rehabilitation programs"). Respondent is a not-for-profit corporation which has a contract with DD to provide employment opportunities to DD's clients.6 At all relevant times, Respondent has held a Certificate issued by the United States Department of Labor (a "Section 214(c) Certificate") which has authorized Respondent to pay less than the minimum wage7 to Petitioners for nearly all of the work they perform. In this action, Petitioners seek a review of the special minimum wages paid to them. Over the past 75 years, implementation and enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act has defined the most fundamental relationships between American employers and their employees. The 40-hour workweek, overtime pay, and the near elimination of child labor have been woven into the fabric of the modern workplace. Applicability of the Act to specific workplace conditions continues to cause disagreement, and litigation under the Act (and its state counterparts) remains a staple of federal and state court dockets. Our collective notions of disability, and in particular our notions of how a disability might affect the ability of an individual to participate in employment, have also changed dramatically over the past few decades. Statutes such as the Americans with Disabilities Act have fundamentally altered the ways in which employees with disabilities are able to find and sustain competitive employment. The instant case does not involve competitive employment. Nor, based upon my review of the evidence at the hearing, does it really involve what were once called "sheltered workshops." The Petitioners live independently in the community. They have held competitive employment in the past. Each of them brings valuable employment skills to the Respondent's modern manufacturing facility every day. When working for Respondent, the Petitioners participate in the production of products having commercial value. Like American workers in competitive employment, Petitioners view themselves partially through a lens of their labor. How and where they work, and what they do in the workplace, and how they are compensated, gives the Petitioners a significant portion of their identity. The workplace relationship between Petitioners and Respondent is complicated and is fundamentally different from competitive employment. A few of the differences are: (1) Petitioners have voluntarily chosen to participate in a Seneca County program for those with developmental disabilities instead of pursuing competitive employment in the community. By accepting disability services from Respondent, Petitioners have agreed to accept the special minimum wages-far below minimum wage-which are authorized by Section 214 of the Act and by the Section 214(c) Certificate held by Respondent; (2) The manner in which the Petitioners' compensation is calculated is neither easily comprehended nor transparent. In the hearing of this case, the calculation of the so-called "commensurate wages" paid to Petitioners was explained by an expert; (3) The Petitioner's "personnel files" contain medical, social and psychological information which would not be available to employers in the realm of competitive employment; (4) Some of the jobs performed at Respondent's manufacturing facility are designed to maximize employment opportunities for those with developmental disabilities, rather than to maximize the output of goods in a workday. This choice by Respondent maximizes the number of persons to whom disability services might be provided by Seneca County. This choice by Respondent does not maximize the amount of money any employee will see in her paycheck. As Rodney Biggert, Division Manager of DD, explained: Q. Okay. So let me circle back to that question of why not pay minimum wage. And you said that, I believe, that you couldn't pay minimum wage because you wanted to increase opportunities for workers with disabilities, is that correct? A. Correct. Q. Can you explain what the connection is between-why subminimum wage is necessary for you to create opportunity? A. In the case of the Fostoria division, if our costs were to increase to that extent- JUDGE BELL: To what extent? THE WITNESS: To the extent where we are paying every individual at least minimum wage, it would be hard to retain that contract [with Roppe Industries] without some large change in the way they do business, which I mean-which by that, I mean automating a large portion of what we do and eliminating at least half of the workforce.8 In Respondent's Fostoria workplace, Petitioner's wages are suppressed by: (1) Section 214(c) of the Act, which authorizes special minimum wages to be paid to those with disabilities; and (2) Petitioners' disabilities, and how those disabilities might actually affect their ability to perform in the workplace, but also how those disabilities are perceived by the Petitioners and by others; and (3) Respondent's choice that the number of employment opportunities which may be offered to the disabled in this specific workplace will be given priority over the amount of compensation paid to any individual disabled employee; and (4) the manner in which higher- paying jobs are assigned to Petitioners; and (5) the manner in which the Petitioner's commensurate wages are calculated; and (6) the health of the labor market in Seneca County. For the reasons explained below, I find that the special minimum wages actually paid to the Petitioners are not justifiable given the nature and extent of the Petitioner's respective disabilities. Respondent has failed to demonstrate that the Petitioners are "impaired by a physical or mental disability . . . for the work to be performed"9 by each Petitioner at the Respondent's Fostoria, Ohio, manufacturing facility. By failing to pay minimum wage to each of the Petitioners, Respondent has violated ?206 of the Act. For the reasons explained below, I also find the special minimum wages actually paid to the Petitioners have not been appropriately calculated. Respondent has failed to meet its burden to justify "the propriety of [the] wage" paid to the Petitioners.10 By failing to pay minimum wage to each of the Petitioners, Respondent has violated ?206 of the Act. Each of these findings independently requires that I find in favor of each Petitioner, and that I fashion an appropriate remedy for each of them. For the reasons which follow, I will order that each of the Petitioners be paid at least the Ohio minimum wage going forward, and I will award back pay and liquidated damages to each of them. I will also award attorney fees and reasonable litigation costs to Petitioners if such a remedy is available. II. PROCEDURAL HISTORY On November 17, 2015, Petitioners submitted a "Petition for Review of Wages" to the Wage and Hour Division of the United States Department of Labor. On November 25, 2015, the Wage and Hour Division referred the matter to the Office of Administrative Law Judges. The case was assigned to me on December 16, 2015. On that date, I conducted a telephone conference with counsel, and thereafter issued an Order: (1) setting the date and location of the formal hearing; (2) establishing a discovery schedule, and (3) requiring Respondent to immediately produce to Petitioners the information described in 29 C.F.R. ?525.16.11 Pursuant to the Act12 and Department of Labor regulations,13 I was required to schedule and conduct a hearing on an expedited basis. The formal hearing was held in a public courtroom at the Seneca County Court of Common Pleas in Tiffin, Ohio, on January 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, 2016. On the morning of January 6, I was able (along with counsel) to visit the manufacturing facility in Fostoria, Ohio, where each of the Petitioners is now employed. While there, I was able to observe production activities at Respondent's facility. Petitioners' Exhibits 1 through 18 and Respondent's Exhibits 1 through 24 and A1 through D1 were admitted without objection during the hearing. On January 18, 2016, the parties filed post-hearing briefs. I have reviewed a transcript of the hearing in the preparation of this Decision and Order.14 III. THE PETITIONERS Petitioners work at Respondent's manufacturing facility for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons are easily understood-such as the difficulty finding transportation in a largely rural county. Some of the reasons involve the types of available jobs for unskilled laborers. Some reasons are connected to the Petitioners' disabilities. Petitioners' expert, Dr. Fredric Schroeder, testified about the relationship of these factors: JUDGE BELL: What, if anything, do you understand to be the nature of the labor market here in Tiffin or Seneca County, generally? THE WITNESS: Oh, I know that this is a college town; I know that that stimulates certain kinds of industry, business. But also I'm assuming, and I'm not intricately familiar with this community, but I'm assuming, being fairly rural, there's probably some agriculture. I have not done a labor market survey of this area. JUDGE BELL: Do you know whether there are other simple assembly positions that are available to those in the community who may wish to have those jobs and who may be able to get transportation to those jobs or is there a shortage of those kinds of jobs? If you know. THE WITNESS: I haven't done a labor market survey. I know there's some light industry in the area. So I don't know. But really, the individuals, based on the conversations that I've had with them, I probably would not be exploring the same type of work within an integrated setting. I'd be looking, I think, for different types of employment options for them. JUDGE BELL: Such as? THE WITNESS: Well, again, it's an exploratory process. You start with the individual's interests, but you have to factor in all sorts of- like transportation. But also there's a huge social dynamic around disability and that social dynamic means, for some individuals, they can go into an integrated setting and function very well without any particular supports where other individuals, just to put it bluntly, they've been told for a lifetime that they're inferior, that they can't work at a competitive level, that they're slow, they're inaccurate, and they may need a good bit of support. So it's not-what you're trying to do in rehabilitation is maximize employment, see how far you can take the individual in finding a job that's a good fit for them, makes-that they enjoy, that they're good at, that they're comfortable with. So all of the skills parts just kind of help inform you and then you look at the community, you look at the available jobs, you meet with employers, you look at the employment setting, the receptivity of the coworkers, there's just so many tangible and intangibles. But I would describe the process as an exploration, and with each individual it will vary a great deal in how much support they may need.15 Ralph ("Joe") Magers applied for DD services on November 3, 2009. According to the materials in his file,16 Mr. Magers is legally blind. Mr. Magers" OEDI17 score sheet finds substantial functional limitations in the following areas: mobility, self-care, self-direction, capacity for independent living and economic self-sufficiency.18 He attended the Ohio School for the Blind, where it was determined that his "measured mental ability . . . is within the superior range."19 The Ohio School for the Blind noted that "Joe is a very hard, conscientious worker."20 Mr. Magers has worked for Respondent for approximately six years.21 Although legally blind, he has sufficient sight to be able to get around in familiar areas.22 He has some difficulty differentiating between items of similar color, and he needs larger print in order to be able to read.23 He lives by himself.24 He does not drive. He pays his bills, shops for his groceries, and does his laundry.25 He has held some competitive employment in the past, most notably a three-year period of employment with Ticketmaster. He also worked in a call center. In these jobs, Mr. Magers earned more than minimum wage.26 As a result of his visual impairment, Mr. Magers has transportation issues. He describes his travel methods: Q. Okay. And do you drive? A. No. Q. How do you get around Tiffin? A. I mostly walk. I will take SCAT transportation from time to time, and maybe if I had a little more money, I'd take a cab now and then. Q. And what is SCAT transportation? A. That's more or less our version of-Seneca County's version of Paratransit. It probably operates under a bit different rules since there are no fixed routes. Q. Okay. And does it operate during certain hours? A. Yes. Weekdays, it operates from quite early in the morning until- I think they want to be over and done by 6:00. So most generally they want-they try to make it more like it's 5:00. But if you're doing a special thing, you can-you'll have services a little past 5:00.27 Pamela Steward applied for DD services on May 11, 2009.28 She has worked at Respondent's Fostoria manufacturing facility for nearly six years. She is blind in her right eye, but has fairly good vision in her left eye.29 She does not drive. She lives alone and is responsible for running her household.30 She has also been diagnosed with an intellectual disability.31 She has held some competitive employment in the past, but was out of the labor market immediately after graduating from high school and for many years thereafter while raising a family.32 Her OEDI form finds that she has substantial functional limitations in the areas of self-care, self-direction, capacity for independent living, learning and economic self- sufficiency.33 A hand-written document in her file states: Pam can accomplish most daily living skills. She does not need assistance, however, with money/budgeting, laundry, medication, and transportation. Social skills: Pam appears friendly. She has been in a long- term marriage and has contact with her family on a regular basis. Pam has an adult daughter. Physical: Pam has a diagnosis of depression. No limitations per her physical. Vocational: very limited past employment at a tomato farm. She could not keep up with production demands.34 Ms. Steward has chosen to work at the Fostoria manufacturing facility mostly because of availability of transportation, but also because she feels more comfortable there than she would in competitive employment: The only reason I do choose to work there is because of transportation. I'm able to get along with the people better there. They don't act like they're better than me. I mean, the employees that do work there, we're all in competition and we pretty well get along.35 Mark Felton has worked for Respondent for approximately four years.36 He has been diagnosed with Asperger's disorder. He has held a small amount of competitive employment in the past.37 He graduated from high school in 2011.38 He has held an Ohio driver's license since 2014, although he does not have a car. He lives at home with his parents.39 IV. THE RESPONDENT The Seneca County Board of Mental Retardation (predecessor of DD) was established in 1967.40 At some point thereafter, Respondent and Roppe Industries entered into a partnership and established a workshop in Fostoria, Ohio.41 Roppe Industries is a Fostoria-based company which manufactures rubber flooring and other products.42 In 1989, Respondent's Fostoria workshop was moved into a factory purchased by Roppe Industries.43 The Fostoria facility performs many jobs under a contract with Roppe Industries.44 A representative of Roppe Industries holds a seat on the Board of Respondent.45 Respondent's Fostoria facility is in operation between 8:30 am and 3:15 pm on weekdays. All employees are required to spend approximately one hour of the workday in an unpaid educational or social "activity." There is a 30-minute lunch period, and two 15-minute breaks during the workday. It is thus difficult for an employee at Fostoria to perform more than about 5 hours per day of paid work. V. THE WORK PERFORMED BY PETITIONERS In order to determine whether the payment of a "special minimum wage" is justified, a number of criteria are considered: (1) The nature and extent of the disabilities of the individuals employed as these disabilities relate to the individuals' productivity; (2) The prevailing wages of experienced employees not disabled for the job who are employed in the vicinity in industry engaged in work comparable to that performed at the special minimum wage rate; (3) The productivity of the workers with disabilities compared to the norm established for nondisabled workers through the use of a verifiable work measurement method (see ?525.12(h)) or the productivity of experienced nondisabled workers employed in the vicinity on comparable work; and (4) The wage rates to be paid to the workers with disabilities for work comparable to that performed by experienced nondisabled workers.46 At Respondent's Fostoria facility, a significant amount of the work performed is finishing and packaging product from Roppe Industries. By way of example, at Respondent's Fostoria manufacturing facility, pieces of rubber flooring manufactured by Roppe Industries are cut to appropriate size, the pieces have a hole drilled in them, and the pieces are sent through a printing process where each piece has identifying information printed onto it. Each of these cutting, drilling and printing jobs is paid on a piece-rate basis, and the Respondents each have experience performing these various jobs. When performing jobs paid on a piece-rate basis, each of the Petitioners occasionally has been able to earn more than minimum wage. For example, Mark Felton was able to earn more than $14.00 per hour on September 4, 2015, on a press machine that punches out rubber grommets from a blank (the "Click 5 machine").47 On October 16, 2015, Joe Magers was able to earn nearly $9.00 per hour on a piece-rate job called "Affix Screw and Remove."48 Pamela Steward was able to earn $11.84 per hour on a drill press on October 2, 2015.49 The Ohio minimum wage during this period was $8.10. Mr. Biggert described the opportunities for community employment: Q. Mr. Biggert, you do have folks that do have community employment; is that correct? A. Yes. Q. And some of them are community employment at the same time that they're working at Seneca Re-ad; is that correct? A. Yes. Q. The folks who are working community employment, they're getting paid above minimum wage when they're in the community; is that right? A. Correct. Q. And they're getting paid below minimum wage in your workshop; is that right? A. Correct.50 The most significant job at Respondent's Fostoria manufacturing facility which is paid on an hourly basis is known as "the line" or "the assembly line" or "the Creform line."51 Photographs of the Creform line are in the record.52 The end product of the Creform line is a bundle containing many different colored samples (each approximately 4 inches long by 2.5 inches wide) of Roppe Industries' rubber flooring held together by a small metal chain. A photograph showing this completed bundle of samples is in the record.53 A consumer wishing to purchase Roppe Industries products can presumably take this bundle to a home or office in order to select the appropriate color to purchase. Anywhere between thirty and forty employees sit or stand at stations along the Creform line. In blue and red bins in front of each work station are pieces of the Roppe Industries product which, before being delivered to the line, have been cut to size, had the printed legend applied, and has had a hole drilled in them. A photograph of the bins containing the Roppe Industries product is in the record.54 A wooden jig, approximately 24 inches tall and 6 inches wide, has a metal post sticking straight up from its base. A long metal chain is placed over the tip of the post so that the chain hangs parallel to the post. A photograph of several jigs with the chains in place is in the record.55 The jig is slid on a table containing embedded rollers from person to person down the assembly line from each worker's left to right. The employee at each station will typically remove one sample from each of the two bins in front of the employee (each bin contains a different color product), and will then place the hole in the product over the post, thereby threading the chain through the hole that has been drilled in each piece. The jig is then slid along the table to the next person on the line, who repeats the process with different color samples. At the end of the line, the chain is closed and the ring of samples is inspected and then sent off for shipment. During the period August 14, 2015, to December 15, 2015, approximately 51 percent of Mark Felton's working hours at the Fostoria manufacturing facility were on the Creform line.56 He was paid $4.11 per hour for his Creform line work.57 During the same period, Joe Magers spent about 62 percent of his work time on the Creform line.58 Mr. Magers was initially paid $3.00, and then $3.15 per hour, for his work on the Creform line.59 Pamela Steward spent about 52 percent of her work time during this period on the Creform line, for which she was paid $3.22 per hour.60 When absences, "activity" time, holidays, and other unpaid time is deducted, during the period August 14, 2015, to December 31, 2015, Mark Felton was paid for working a total of 328.25 hours at Respondent's Fostoria facility (approximately 16.5 paid hours per week).61 His gross compensation during that period was $2,573.63 (about $129 gross per week), and that amount includes an unexplained "Misc-Adj" payment of $571 paid just before this matter went to hearing.62 During the same period, Joe Magers had a total of 257 hours for which he was paid wages (about 13 paid hours per week).63 His gross compensation during the period was $1,534.32, or about $77 gross per week, which also includes an unexplained "Misc-Adj" payment of 435.54. During the same period, Pamela Steward was paid for working 278.25 hours (about 14 paid hours per week). Her gross compensation during the period was $2,624.41 (about $131 gross per week), including a "Misc-Adj" payment of $685.55. Ms. Steward testified about the unexplained "Misc-Adj" payment: Q. Okay. And do you know how much your average paycheck is? A. Here recently, I can't even figure this one out, why it would be that high or anything like that there. But here recently, just before Christmas I received a check of $763.13. Q. And you can't figure out why it's that - A. No, I do not have no idea, no, why it's that high and why it would be that high. Q. And before that, how much were you getting paid, that paycheck - A. Well, I was probably getting maybe like $100, $200 maybe. Q. Every two weeks? A. When I was placed on the good jobs, when I was on those jobs like the saw and that. Q. And you're paid every two weeks, is that correct? A. Yeah. I mean, I made a call to Michelle Guest (ph.) this morning, stating how high my check was and why it was that high and she said, well-she goes, we think you got a letter in with the check. But I don't recall seeing a letter in with that check- Q. Okay. A. -stating why it would be that high. I mean, I don't have a problem with it, that's fine. I mean, if you want to pay that kind of money, go ahead and pay me that kind of money. I mean, I just can't figure out why it would be so darn high.64 VI. THE CALCULATION OF COMMENSURATE HOURLY WAGES Department of Labor regulations describe the methods by which the special minimum wages paid to the Petitioners and their co-workers are to be calculated. A method for calculating work paid as piece-work,65 and a method for calculating hourly wages66 are prescribed by the Department of Labor. The Section 14(c) Certificate issued to Respondent by the Department of Labor authorizes Respondent to pay special minimum wages to those working in the facility. For the work performed on the Creform line (paid on an hourly basis),67 the calculation of the hourly wage to be paid requires Respondent to gather the following information: 1. Respondent conducts an annual survey of employers in Seneca County, Ohio, to determine the amount of hourly wages being paid to experienced workers in competitive positions thought to be comparable to those occupied by Petitioners (this is known as the "prevailing rate").68 2. From time to time,69 Respondent determines how many jigs can be processed in one hour by a non-disabled worker familiar with the Creform line.70 This number becomes known as the "production standard" or "standard of production." The persons participating in this timed test are typically supervisors with familiarity with the operation of the Creform line.71 The most recent results of these timed tests are Respondent Exhibits C-1 and C- 2. Over the past few years, the production standard for the Creform line has been established at these levels: Dates and Production Standard (Jigs per Hour) 2010 to 2013: 816 2013 to 2016: 1,114 2016 (current): 1,607 3. Approximately once every six months, Respondent individually determines how many jigs of product can be processed in one hour by each employee working on the Creform line.72 A supervisor will time the employee and count the number of jigs processed during that time.73 Once the information described above is gathered, a calculation is made: the number of jigs per hour completed by the tested employee (Step 3) is divided by production standard (established by the number of pieces completed in one hour by the tested supervisor at Step 2). That product is then multiplied by the prevailing rate (the hourly wage paid to experienced workers in the county) as determined by Step 1. This calculation yields the "commensurate hourly wage" to be paid to the employee for his or her work on the Creform line.74 By way of example: If the prevailing rate for light manufacturing in Seneca County is $9.00 per hour (step 1), and if the standard setter can complete 1,000 jigs on the Creform line in an hour (step 2), and if a disabled employee on the Creform line can complete 750 jigs per hour (step 3), then the commensurate wage to be paid to the worker is $6.75 per hour (750 divided by 1,000 = 0.75. $9.00 multiplied by 0.75 = $6.75). This commensurate wage remains in effect until the next time the employee's performance is tested, or until the information in steps 1 or 2 changes. The measurement of the hourly rate of production achieved on the Creform line, either by supervisors when acting as "standard setters," or by the Petitioners during their twice-yearly production assessments, plays a critical role in determining the hourly wage paid to each of the Petitioners for their work on the line. Exhibits D-1 through D-6 are the "Hourly Job Sampling" forms completed for each Petitioner during the relevant period. While all of these forms indicate the Petitioner was tested on the line for precisely "1.000000 hour" or for "100% of an hour," and while each form reports a precise number of jigs produced during that 1-hour test period, the testimony at the hearing was that these tests actually only lasted a few minutes, and the performance results recorded on the Hourly Job Sampling forms were extrapolated from a very short period of actual examination to a 1-hour time period. By way of example, Exhibit D-1 is a June 17, 2013, Hourly Job Sampling report for Mark Felton. This form reports on its face that Mr. Felton produced 251 jigs on the Creform line in 1.000000 hour. Mr. Felton testified about his testing: Q. So Mark, when-did Terry do most of the time studies? A. Yes. Q. And did he tell you he was doing the time study when he did it? A. I think so. Q. So you were on the Creform line. And do you recall how long the time study lasted or how it was measured, how he did it? A. It was probably less than a minute, I'm pretty sure. Q. Do you know if he was measuring it by time or number of jigs? A. Pretty much pace the jigs, how fast you run the jigs.75 Mr. Magers testified as follows: Q. Okay. Now, during the time that you've been at the workshop, has your productivity ever been tested or timed? A. Only on the line. Q. Okay. And when they test you, do you guys have a name for what that's called? A. Well, they do call it a time study. Q. Okay. So do you know about how often they normally do time studies? A. Usually about every six months. Q. Okay. And is it your testimony that they've only done time studies for you on the line? A. Yes, I know of no other situations. And I guess there's even been times when they'd study me on the line unbeknownst to me. Q. Okay. And how do they normally do like, you know, their time studies? Who does it and what do they tell you? A. It would be done by Terry Stocker. They set you up with about eight jigs and I don't know, they kind of, you know, prod you in there and they don't really encourage much of any kind of real productivity. And, you know, in that time you're kind of hoping that you don't cause a chain to fall off the jig so you're not worried about taking time putting that back on. Q. So how long does it take you to do about eight jigs? A. Probably less than a minute. Q. So they're not-are they then timing you for like a certain amount of time or just doing it by however many jigs they set up for you? A. Just however many jigs they set up.76 Ms. Steward testified about her testing on the Creform line: Q. Okay. Now when they normally test you on the Creform line, how does that-what happens when they're testing you? A. Terry or Rodney generally come over and tell me, hey, Pam, I'm going to test you today. Are you fine with that? And I'll tell them, yes, I am fine with that. So he'll test me and I'm generally pretty fast at my work. Q. How long does the test last, generally? A. I don't even think it lasts more than a minute. It don't seem like it, anyways. Q. Does he give you a certain number of jigs to work or how does that- A. Yeah, probably about eight, maybe.77 There is no accurate recording of the actual, observed, production of the Petitioners anywhere in the record until after this proceeding had been commenced and Mr. Knuckles was hired by Respondent as a consultant. These tests have a direct and substantial impact on the calculation of the hourly wage to be paid to the Petitioners. There are accurate recordings of the actual, observed, production of the standard setters. Exhibit C-1 presents the results of a timed test performed by supervisors on September 30, 2013. The face of this document shows that 3 separate tests were performed that day: the first test lasted 52 seconds, during which 17 jigs were completed by the standard setter. The second test lasted 47 seconds, during which 15 jigs were completed. The third test lasted 59 seconds, during which 20 jigs were completed by a supervisor. Arithmetic calculations are then shown on the exhibit, showing how three tests lasting less than one minute were extrapolated to determine a 1-hour production standard. Exhibit C-2 is a record of tests performed by standard setters on December 16, 2015. Each of the 2 tests performed on December 16, 2015, lasted about 10 minutes. Again, arithmetic calculations were made to extrapolate the results of this 10-minute test to a 1-hour production standard. Of particular note when comparing Exhibits C-1 and C-2 is the dramatic difference in performance by the standard setters. On September 30, 2013 (Exhibit C-1), supervisor Laurie Fretz produced 20 jigs in 59 seconds during the third test reported on that Exhibit. On December 16, 2015 (Exhibit C-2), Ms. Fretz produced 26 jigs per minute during the second reported test. Ms. Fretz was thus measured to be producing about 360 more jigs per hour in 2015 than she had produced in 2013. Nothing on the Creform line had changed during this time, nor had the method of production changed. These tests have a direct and substantial impact on calculation of the hourly wage paid to the Petitioners. Ms. Fretz testified: JUDGE BELL: Can you-does the difference between 1,114 jigs per hour and 1,607 jigs per hour seem to you like a big difference? THE WITNESS: Not really, being more familiar on the line-I worked at a steady pace, like I was always taught to do. JUDGE BELL: Okay. THE WITNESS: And the pace that I could work at all day. JUDGE BELL: Do you have an understanding of what the effect is on the rate of pay for the Petitioners when the standard of production moves from 1,114 jigs per hour to 1,607 jigs per hour? THE WITNESS: Yes, the standard is raised. JUDGE BELL: And what happens to their pay? THE WITNESS: It depends on how they do on the line. JUDGE BELL: Assuming that their pay [rate] remains constant, what's the effect of the production standard going up? THE WITNESS: It would decrease. JUDGE BELL: So as the production standard goes up, assuming the Petitioners' performance remains level, their hourly pay goes down; correct? THE WITNESS: Yes.78 VII. THE WITNESSES AT THE HEARING Each of the Petitioners testified at the hearing. I find the testimony of the Petitioners to be substantially supported by the documentary evidence in the record. They were credible, and I accept nearly all of their testimony. Both parties called Rodney Biggert in their respective cases-in- chief. I believe Mr. Biggert is dedicated to the mission of Respondent. There were areas of Mr. Biggert's testimony that I believe to be lower probative value - such as his observations of the Petitioners as they work on the Creform line79-and which I do not fully accept. Laurie Fretz and Terry Stocker were called by Respondent. Both are supervisors employed by Respondent. Their testimony was consistent with the record, and both were entirely credible. The record should reflect my thanks to Ms. Fretz for guiding counsel and the Court on our tour of the Fostoria manufacturing facility. This was most helpful. Three experts appeared at the hearing. Petitioners called Dr. Fredric K. Schroeder in their case-in-chief. Dr. Schroeder has his Ph.D. in Education Administration and Supervision from the University of New Mexico, and since 2014, has been the executive director of the National Rehabilitation Association. He is also a Research Professor at San Diego State University. From 1994 to 2001, Dr. Schroeder served as Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Schroeder's complete Curriculum Vitae is in the record as Petitioner's Exhibit 1. Dr. Schroeder's Expert Report (Petitioner's Exhibit 2) concludes that none of the Petitioners "meet the definition of 'worker with a disability' as required by Section 14(c) of the FLSA to be paid under a special wage certificate."80 I am concerned that the Petitioners and Dr. Schroeder seem to have markedly different recollections of the length and quality of Dr. Schroeder's interviews of them. Dr. Schroeder described an elaborate interview and information gathering process undertaken in preparation of his expert report: Q. And the interview itself, when and where did that happen? A. It took place in-here in Tiffin. It was over a Friday and Saturday. I'm thinking it was the first weekend of June 2015. So it was about a day-and-a-half-long process. Q. Would the weekend of the 12th and the 13th of June be the appropriate one? A. Yes, that sounds correct. Q. And how much time did you spend with these individuals? A. I would say the interview with each individual took in the neighborhood of 90 minutes, give or take 10 or 15 minutes, but about 90 minutes. It was a little longer than I would normally do in an initial vocational evaluation, but you don't want to go into so much detail that you end up kind of exhausting the individual with whom you're speaking. So I would estimate 90 minutes each and then there was some time when I had a general conversation with them as a group.81 Each of the Petitioners has a markedly different recollection of the amount of time they spent with Dr. Schroeder. Ms. Steward's testimony is representative of that offered by the Petitioners on this subject: Q. Okay. How many times did you talk to [Dr. Schroeder], do you know? A. Maybe a couple times. Q. Did you meet him in person or on the phone? A. In person, I believe. Q. Okay, a couple times in person? A. Yeah. Q. That was in June? A. Yes. Q. Was that the only time you've ever met Dr. Schroeder? A. I don't recall. Maybe. Yeah. Q. Have you talked to him since June? A. I don't recall that, either. Q. Okay. And how long did you talk to him? A. Probably not too long. Q. Okay. Can you give me a time frame, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, an hour? A. Maybe about 10 minutes. Q. Maybe 10 minutes, okay. Did he ask you questions? A. Yes, but I don't recall what those questions were. Q. Okay. Now, you met alone with him for 10 minutes or you only talked to him for 10 minutes in total? A. I think we were all there. Q. Okay. Did you ever meet with him alone? A. Not that I remember. Q. Okay. And I think you said you can't recall anything you talked about. A. No, I'm sorry. No. Q. You didn't tell him about any of your prior jobs? A. I don't recall that, either.82 On this subject, I credit the Petitioners' collective recollections over that of Dr. Schroeder, and I do find Dr. Schroeder's credibility diminished. As a consequence of my doubts whether Dr. Schroeder really gathered sufficient information to support his opinions about whether the Petitioners are impaired for the work they perform at Fostoria, I discount much of his testimony pursuant to Evidence Rule 702(b). Dr. Schroeder also offered testimony about the impact of disability of the actual performance of work. He also testified about the perceptions of disability, and how those perceptions color our views about the work performed by the disabled. I find these assessments to be largely unaffected by any question I may have as to the quality of his interviews of Petitioners, and I do not discount Dr. Schroeder's opinions in these areas. Petitioners also called Dr. Robert Cimera. Dr. Cimera has his Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of Illinois, with an emphasis on school-to-work transition. He is a professor at Kent State University, and has published extensively in the areas of the economics of vocational programs and the employment of persons with disabilities. Dr. Cimera did a thorough analysis of the Petitioners' employment and pay records, and raised a number of serious questions about the accuracy and consistency of the calculations made by Respondent which affected the pay received by Petitioners. Dr. Cimera was candid and credible. His testimony was somewhat affected by the fact that additional documents were produced after he had published his expert report, and these additional documents may have affected some of his conclusions.83 I find Dr. Cimera to be qualified as an expert on the payment of wages to the Petitioners. However, much of Dr. Cimera's "scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge" was of little help to me in understanding the evidence or determining a fact in issue.84 Respondent called Mark Knuckles as an expert. Mr. Knuckles was formerly employed by the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor, where he was a specialist in compliance issues involving Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Since 1986, Mr. Knuckles has operated Mark Knuckles Associates in Hickory, North Carolina. Mark Knuckles Associates provides advice and assistance on compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act, with a particular emphasis on Section 14(c) Certificates. By virtue of his deep experience in the subject area, I find Mr. Knuckles to be qualified as an expert generally on compliance with Section 14(c). After Petitioners filed this matter, Mr. Knuckles was retained by Respondent to review Respondent's compliance with Section 14(c). Mr. Knuckles also performed standard setter testing and testing of the Petitioners on the Creform line. While I find Mr. Knuckles to be knowledgeable about Section 14(c) in general, I have difficulty considering him as an expert when he testified about the Creform line production studies performed at Fostoria. I largely discount Mr. Knuckles' opinions about the Creform production tests for the following three reasons: (1) The production studies themselves involve (a) starting a stopwatch, and (b) counting how many jigs pass a given point in a given amount of time, and (c) performing a few simple calculations to determine how many jigs per hour are being produced by the person being tested. I do not believe this aspect of Mr. Knuckles' testimony should be considered as "expert" under Evidence Rule 702(a) as I do not believe it involves "scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge"; (2) The wide variances in the results of the Creform line production tests causes me to believe that either the testing is not based upon "reliable principles and methods" in violation of Evidence Rule 702(c), or Mr. Knuckles has not "reliably applied the principles and methods to the facts of the case" in violation of Evidence Rule 702(d). I simply cannot reconcile how Ms. Fretz participated in standard setter tests which produced 1,114 jigs/hour in a 2013 test which Respondent considered to be reliable,85 and was then inexplicably86 able to produce 1,607 jigs/hour in an 2015 test also considered to be reliable87; and (3) there is no data accurately describing how many of the performance tests administered to the Petitioners were actually done. Any testimony about these tests cannot possibly be "based upon sufficient facts or data," and is thus not admissible under Evidence Rule 702(b). VIII. RESPONDENT IS SUBJECT TO THE ACT In its post-hearing brief, Respondent raises-for the first time-the argument that "[p]etitioners failed to allege or prove that Respondent is engaged in interstate commerce." I note the coyness with which this argument is posited: Respondent (which would be subject to sanctions under Rule 18.35(b) of the Rules of Practice of the Office of Administrative Law Judges for the knowing assertion of an untrue fact) never says that it is not subject to the Act. It only claims that Petitioners "failed to allege or prove" that Respondent is engaged in interstate commerce. As noted earlier, I had the opportunity to visit the Fostoria manufacturing facility where the Petitioners are employed. While there, I saw product coming into the plant, the kind of work being performed with that product, and the volume of finished product being produced. The Respondents spent much of their time producing product related to the sale of rubber flooring and moldings. These are construction materials. Given the testimony of the Petitioners and the witnesses who supervise the work at the Fostoria manufacturing facility, and given my own observations of the type and volume of work occurring in Fostoria,88 and given my observations about the lack of new construction in either Tiffin (where the hearing was held) or Fostoria (where the Petitioners work), it strains credulity that all the construction materials being shipped day after day from the Fostoria work site are remaining in this state. If Respondent truly believes that it is not engaged in interstate commerce, and thus not subject to the Act, and if Respondent truly believes that I had no jurisdiction whatsoever to schedule or conduct a week-long hearing costing the parties tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars, then I certainly would have expected Respondent to have mentioned such a claim during our initial case management conference or at the weeklong hearing. Had the issue been raised during that prehearing conference,89 I would have requested full briefing of the matter before the hearing ever commenced. Had I decided to proceed with the hearing, Respondent would then have had a full opportunity to adduce all of the evidence needed for me to make an informed decision on this matter. Instead, I have only the shadow of an argument raised for the first time after the record has been closed. I hold Respondent entirely at fault for depriving me of the opportunity to review a fully developed factual record that would either support or refute the claim (never actually made90) that Respondent is not subject to the Act. There is no "pleading" requirement in this case.91 The regulations governing petitions seeking review of special minimum wages states explicitly: "[n]o particular form of petition is required, except that a petition must be signed by the individual, or the parent or guardian of the individual, and should contain the name and address of the employee and the name and address of the employee's employer."92 It is thus abundantly clear that Petitioners were not required to "plead" any jurisdictional prerequisites when submitting their petition. The evidence at the hearing was that Respondent repeatedly applied for Section 14(c) Certificates so that Respondent might pay commensurate wages to the Petitioners and their co-workers, and to thereby comply with the Act. Each of the applications signed by Mr. Biggert contains a "Representation and Written Assurance" that Respondent's "operations are and will continue to be in compliance with the FLSA."93 The Section 14(c) Certificates issued by the Department of Labor require Respondent to pay special wages only in compliance with the Act.94 Soon after the petition in this matter was filed, Respondent retained the consulting services of Mr. Knuckles-who was valued for his expertise in maintaining compliance with the Act. Mr. Knuckles' expert report states that he was retained "to provide a professional opinion regarding the Respondent's compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act."95 At the very outset of his analysis, Knuckles assumes: The workers of the Respondent are engaged in interstate commerce and subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act, FLSA, each week, in that they manufacture, process, package, or otherwise handle goods moving in interstate commerce or their work is closely related and directly essential to the movement of those goods and products in interstate commerce.96 In the very first sentence of his expert report, Mr. Knuckles states that he was retained by counsel for Respondent, and it thus seems exceedingly improbable that Mr. Knuckles' observations as to the applicability of the Act were not flyspecked by counsel prior to being included in an expert report. I am constrained to conclude that the discussion of the Act in Mr. Knuckles' expert report fairly states the real position of Respondent. Respondent rested its case without presenting any facts by which I could determine whether Respondent is subject to the Act. In light of the pleading requirements in 29 C.F.R. ? 525.22(a), and the "informality" requirements of ?522.22(c), I conclude that Respondent had the burden to go forward with any such evidence. Based upon the state of the record, I conclude that the Act applies to Respondent. IX. PETITIONERS ARE NOT IMPAIRED FOR THE WORK BEING PERFORMED The regulations implementing Section 214(c) of the Act provide: An individual whose earning or productive capacity is not impaired for the work being performed cannot be employed under a certificate issued pursuant to this part and must be paid at least the applicable minimum wage.97 I construe the regulation in the following manner: in order to be eligible to be paid a special minimum wage, an individual must have a (1) diagnosed impairment (2) having signs or symptoms (3) which, when supported by a fair assessment of objective evidence, can be said to consistently suppress the wage earning capacity of the individual (4) when the individual is performing a specific job involving a specific set of tasks. By way of example: an individual with a diagnosed impairment causing diminished strength in the hands might be disabled for work involving the assembly of parts by hand, but would likely not be disabled for operating a machine which is operated only by the use of foot controls. I construe the regulation to require proof of a clear nexus between the diagnosed impairment and the impact of that impairment on the actual work tasks being performed in order to justify the payment of a special minimum wage. Respondent offers two types of evidence in support of its belief that Petitioners are "impaired for the work being performed" on the Creform line: (1) observations of the Petitioners' work habits when they are working on the Creform line, and (2) the number of jigs produced by Petitioners per hour when they have been tested as part of setting their individual hourly pay rate. As to the first category of evidence-observations of the Petitioners at work-several witnesses offered their views. One such observation of Petitioners was made by the Respondent's witness, Mark Knuckles: During my observation of the work at Respondent and that performed by the Petitioners, I observed several factors with the Petitioners that would account for below standard productivity, such as going off task when work was waiting for them, watching other workers and staff instead of working, getting up and leaving the work station during production, not following the prescribed work method, and attempting to work too fast and making mistakes.98 Later, Mr. Knuckles summarizes his opinion: [T]he below standard productivity of the Petitioners can only be attributed to the off-task behaviors, lack of focus, not following the prescribed work method, trying to go too fast, and leaving the work station, all common behaviors I observed.99 Mr. Biggert also testified as to his observations of the Petitioners' work habits. As to Ms. Steward: [S]he has a hard time keeping pace. Sometimes it is learning a new task and the training of a new task that we get in can be difficult. In some instances there's a bit of retraining that needs to be done. Her ability to follow directions can sometimes be hindered. We've had instances where she's tried to place two or three pieces into a punch or a drill at a time to try to speed up her own pace. But the machine will only take, you know, won't take three at a time as far as impairing the quality of the product, you know, and needs the reminder from staff to stay on task and do those tasks the way they're prescribed. Q. And based on your experience you think that that's a product of her disability? A. Yes, I do.100 Mr. Biggert testified about Mr. Felton's work: Q. Okay. Have you observed Mr. Felton at work? A. Yes, I have. Q. How often have you been able to observe him at work? A. Quite often. I mean, I'm over there at least one to two days a week. Q. Have you noticed anything that you would consider a manifestation of his limitations or diagnosis at work? A. Yes. Q. Like what? A. Sometimes a hard time following directions; sometimes obsessive components, which are commonly associated with Asperger's, where he may obsess on a peer or have an issue with another peer. You see his focus drift from his work to maybe an issue that he had last night or an issue he's having with someone specifically. Q. And how does that impact his productivity? A. Sometimes he'll walk away from his work station and completely- not just from his station but literally walk to the other side of the facility to check up and see on what somebody is doing or try to see what somebody is up to, and it may be focused on a conversation he had last night or any number of other factors. Q. Have you seen whether the staff attempt to redirect him in those instances? A. The staff do try to redirect him, yes. Q. Is this something that happens regularly or infrequently or what? A. It happens with some regularity. Q. Okay. Do you-based on what you know from being an SSA and Adult Services Director, do you make any connection between those behaviors and his diagnosis and limitations? A. Yes.101 Mr. Biggert testified about Mr. Magers' work habits: I am able and other staff are able to observe some troubles that Joe will have from time to time in being able to discern between types of material, if he gets them reversed, or whether material is in a space or ready to be placed or has already been placed. He has a hard time discerning that a mistake has occurred and needs staff direction to help him with that. Q. Do you rank that to his disability of optic atrophy or vision impairment? A. Yes. JUDGE BELL: Can you describe for me what you mean when you say "difficult for him to tell whether a mistake has occurred"? THE WITNESS: In the case of maybe placing two of the samples onto a chain in the wrong order, he won't necessarily be able to tell that the pieces are in the wrong order, or in some cases I've witnessed him get confused as to whether he might have a couple of jigs in front of him and become confused as to whether he's put pieces on them yet or not and can't discern whether the job or that job task has been completed without assistance from staff. JUDGE BELL: Okay, thank you. BY MR. KESSLER: Q. Have you noticed-and I'm sorry, I was only half listening during your answer. Did you talk about whether he has difficulty telling colors apart? A. He can also have some difficulty with colors. Q. And if, for example, the chain gets knocked off the post, does that create any problems for him? A. It can create some problems for him. He can have some issues with getting it back on the post, or in the case that the post or the jig comes to him with the chain already off the post, he can sometimes have an issue noticing that it's off the post to begin with or have an issue with correcting it, and would need staff to assist him with that.102 Laurie Fretz is the Division Manager at the Fostoria facility. She has contact with Petitioners on each day when they are working, and is in a good position to observe their work behavior. She testified about Mr. Magers' work: Q. And for Mr. Magers, have you observed a vision impairment impact his productivity? A. Yes. Q. And have you seen him have problems on Creform line? A. Yes, at times. He has to feel for the pieces, the holes, and then put them on the jig. There was a time when we just did the last time study where he put some pieces on-I'm not sure why he took them off, but when he took them off, the chain came off, and he dropped a piece and he asked staff for assistance to put it back on, and he asked from time to time. Q. And do you know what he asks for from time to time? A. If he needs help with something. Sometimes he might ask if, you know, if he may have taken a color out and put it in the wrong tub or something like that.103 Ms. Fretz testified about Mr. Felton: Q. Okay. And for Mr. Felton, have you observed whether his disabilities impaired his productivity? A. Yes. Q. And how would you describe his ability to stay on task? A. Sometimes it's not good. Sometimes he has a hard time paying attention. He'll walk away from his work station. One of the last ones that I observed was during a-the time study that we did. He picked the jig up and walked to the other end of the line where Pam was and said something to her, and then walked over and put it on the table, which was holding everybody else up on the line because he had walked away. Q. Does he often walk away from his work station? A. It depends on the day. If he's upset, he walks away a lot, goes to the restroom a lot. Q. You answered part-what does he do when he walks away? A. Usually he can-it's usually-well, it depends. He might go, you know, talk to somebody or-which they're allowed to talk, but usually he'll like go to like the other end to talk to somebody or-I don't know. I don't know, it's hard to explain. When you're on the line, if he's on one end and he leaves to go make conversation with somebody, then that holds up the line. It stops the line. The people beside him can't push jigs down and then nobody can have work that's on the other side. Q. And the times that you have seen him walk away, I mean, does he walk away to go to the bathroom? A. Yes. Q. There's nothing wrong with that? A. No. Q. Does he walk away to get a drink of water? A. Yes. Usually if they go to the restroom or want a drink of water or whatever, they'll tell staff, then staff will cover for them. Q. And that's normal? A. Yes. Q. And that's not an issue, that's not what you're addressing when he walks away from the line? A. No. Q. Okay. How would you describe his ability to follow directions? A. Sometimes he has a hard time accepting direction from staff. Q. And what happens-what does he do? A. Sometimes he can become upset, belligerent, disrespectful to staff, and he's hard to calm down at times. Q. Have you observed that on any particular job or any-that's two questions. Have you observed that on any particular job that he's working on? A. It could be on any job actually. It depends. He could be upset, not because of the job, maybe because of a peer or, you know, a staff asked him to return to his work station if he's over making conversation with somebody. Q. I think you said he gets upset. A. Yes. Q. And when was the last time he got upset? A. It was the week before Christmas break. Another peer came to me and said that he didn't want to work on the line where Mark was because Mark had left a message on his cell phone and was saying some inappropriate things and using vulgar language about his girlfriend, and he let me listen to it and it was Mark's voice, and I said okay, so I let him work in Building 1. And in the meantime, Anita had-which is Mark's boss-had came to me and said that Mark had went off task and he was in the restroom crying and after their break, which was 10:30, Mark and Pam came to me and asked me to help resolve the situation, which I already knew what was going on, so I asked the peer if he wanted to talk to them, and he said yes. And Mark apologized and they made up, and he lost about two hours of work over the whole situation.104 Ms. Fretz testified about Ms. Steward: Q. Okay. For Ms. Steward, have you observed whether her disabilities impair her productivity? A. Yes. Q. Have you seen her have problems with manual pad print? A. Yes, there's been some times-she's been trained on the job. Sometimes she'll get going too fast and pass bad pieces, not having in the insta-guide. Then when it stamps, it's crooked. Just not checking the pieces and then they have to be scrapped. Q. Have you had issues with her on any other jobs? A. She's not near the standard on some of the other jobs, although the saw, she does very well on. She's one of the best ones that we have to cut the tread. Q. And do you try to put her on the saw for that reason? A. Yes, but we don't have-we don't-I have to follow what the customers want and I don't always have the tread to saw. Q. You may not have the job available every day? A. Correct. Q. And that wouldn't be limited to Ms. Steward? A. No. Q. Nobody else would do the job that day? A. No. If there's no material, there's nothing to do. Q. Has Ms. Steward ever refused to do a job? A. Yes. Q. And what was that? A. Actually the sawing job, I asked her to do it-it was either the week before our break or the week before that-and it actually kind of shocked me that she said no, but I usually don't ask why, I just ask somebody else to do it. Q. Is that typical for her? A. Not usually, no. That's why I was kind of shocked that she refused to do it.105 On balance, I find the foregoing observations to be of little to no help when I am deciding whether Petitioners are disabled for the work performed at Fostoria. By the time Mr. Knuckles first observed Petitioners at work, this proceeding was underway, and Mr. Knuckles had been enlisted as a witness for Respondent. That business relationship could not help but color Mr. Knuckles' observations of the Petitioners. Additionally, Mr. Knuckles had only a very limited amount of time in which to observe Petitioners at work. From the testimony he offered at the hearing, he was performing all sorts of tests and measurements during his brief time in Fostoria, and his opportunity to gather anything more than anecdotal information about the job performance of the Petitioners is questionable. Nor does Mr. Knuckles have medical, psychological or other specialized training which would permit him to draw meaningful conclusions about how Mr. Magers' visual impairment actually affects his workplace performance, or how Ms. Steward's intellectual disability actually limits her when she is performing work, or how Mr. Felton's disability allows him to possess a driver's license, but does not permit him to place pieces of flooring on a metal spindle as quickly as someone else. It is not clear whether Mr. Knuckles was able to see Petitioners working anywhere other than the Creform line. Mr. Knuckles' testimony about Petitioners' work performance is not persuasive. I discount almost entirely Mr. Biggert's observations of Petitioners at work. Mr. Biggert testified that he was only in the Fostoria manufacturing facility one or two times per week.106 Presumably he was not there to watch the Petitioners perform their jobs. Approximately 80 people work in Fostoria. I do not believe Mr. Biggert was ever in a position before the initiation of this proceeding to make the kind of detailed observations of Petitioners over a long enough period of time that his testimony describes the consistently applicable work characteristics of the Petitioners. As is the case with Mr. Knuckles, I greatly discount any observations of Petitioners after the initiation of this case. I find that the objectivity of observation demanded when applying ?214(c) is compromised once high-stakes litigation is underway. Mr. Biggert's testimony about the Petitioners in not persuasive. Ms. Fretz' observations are generally anecdotal, and do not present a longitudinal explanation of how the Petitioners' acknowledged disabilities have affected their work performance over the lengthy time she has watched the Petitioners at work. She admits that her snapshot observations of Ms. Steward, in part, are "not typical" of Ms. Steward's actual job performance.107 Her observations of Mr. Felton's holiday meltdown 108 do not inform me of how Mr. Felton's disabilities consistently affect his job performance. For his part, Mr. Felton flatly denies the observations that he "lacks focus" while working on the line: Q. Okay. Do you remember with any of the time studies that was done whether you got up and walked away from the line while you were being tested? A. No. Q. You don't recall or you didn't? A. I didn't. Q. Do you recall if you ever lost focus on what you were doing? A. No.109 It is not necessary for me to resolve the specific dispute between Mr. Felton's view of his workplace behavior and that of his supervisors. After observing all of the witnesses as they testified, and after evaluating their credibility, I am not persuaded that the observations of the Petitioners made by Mr. Knuckles, Mr. Biggert and Ms. Fretz establishes that they are disabled for the work performed by them at Fostoria. Instead, it seemed as though a scripted narrative was being played out. I had the opportunity to visit the Fostoria facility while production on the Creform line was ongoing. I also had the chance to view many of the jobs in Fostoria which are paid on a piece-rate basis. The jobs being performed by Petitioners are simple and straightforward. The jobs have been designed so they might be performed by persons with all different types of disabilities. Watching actual production take place on the Creform line did not help me to understand in the least why Petitioners' respective impairments might slow them. The same can be said for the piece-rate work I was able to observe. There is nothing about the work itself which would inherently favor production rates by a non-disabled person over the production rate of an individual with one or more disabilities. Lastly, I had the unique opportunity to observe each of the Petitioners while each was on the witness stand and to thereby make a credibility determination. Equally important, I was able to carefully observe Petitioners as they sat in the courtroom during more than 30 hours of testimony. I was able to evaluate the Petitioners as they entered and left the courtroom, as they interacted among themselves and with the other people in the courtroom. In the compact downtown of Tiffin, Ohio, I even occasionally saw the Petitioners as they arrived at the courthouse or went to lunch, or as they waited for rides at the end of the day. Mr. Magers' visual impairment did not interfere with his ability to be a full participant in the courtroom activities. Mr. Felton did not have any emotional outburst such as that described by Ms. Fretz. Ms. Steward seemed to have no difficulty seeing what was happening in the courtroom or understanding the sometimes complex testimony. Respondent next argues that I should consider the Petitioner's individual hourly production rates when determining whether they are "impaired for the work being performed" on the Creform line.110 At the outset of this analysis, I note my significant reservations about the quality of the production data maintained by Respondent. These reservations are discussed in detail in Section X of this Decision and Order. I have carefully reviewed the hourly production on the Creform line of each Petitioner.111 It is undeniably true that the Petitioners have never produced on the Creform line at the production standard which was in effect at the time the testing took place.112 However, I have no medical, psychological or other evidence in the record which explains (in a cause- and-effect manner) why this is so. On the record now before me, it would be pure speculation to conclude that the Petitioners don't meet the production standards solely or primarily because of their respective disabilities. It is just as likely they don't meet the production standards because they are bored with a highly repetitive task they have performed on a hundred prior occasions, or because they lack a substantial economic impetus to perform at a higher level,113 or because they self-identify as individuals whose performance should be lower than their non-disabled supervisors. I find there to be no proof in the record that Petitioners are intrinsically incapable of performing at the level of their non-disabled supervisors because of Petitioner's visual impairments, intellectual disability or Asperger's disorder. No such causal relationship has been persuasively demonstrated. When Mark Knuckles measured the Creform line production rates of Mark Felton and Joe Magers in December 2015, he obtained the following results: Mr. Felton was able to produce at the rate of 1,029 jigs per hour in test number 2.114 Mr. Magers was able to produce at the rate of 978 jigs per hour in one test, and 816 jigs per hour in a second test.115 These measured production rates are above (and in some cases well above) the rate of production established by the non-disabled standard setter in 2010, and above the standard units per hour measure that was in place for all Creform line workers between 2010 and 2013.116 Nothing about the Creform line process changed between 2010 and 2015. The fact that the Petitioners were able to meet-and exceed-what had been the production standard set by a non- disabled supervisor contradicts the inference that Petitioners work performance numbers establishes that they are disabled for the work performed. The same is true for piece-rate work. When performing jobs paid on a piece-rate basis, each of the Petitioners occasionally has been able to earn more than minimum wage. I believe this fact directly refutes the conclusion that the Petitioners are disabled for the work they perform in Fostoria. As noted above, Mark Felton was able to earn more than $14.00 per hour on the Click 5 machine.117 Joe Magers was able to earn nearly $9.00 per hour on a piece-rate job called "Affix Screw and Remove."118 Pamela Steward was able to earn $11.84 per hour on a drill press.119 Based upon my observation of these jobs during the visit to the Fostoria facility, these other jobs seem comparable to the Creform line in terms of skill level. The fact that Petitioners have been able to exceed minimum wage in piece-work jobs of similar complexity to the Creform line effectively rebuts the notion that Petitioners are disabled for the work performed by them. After making my own observations of the production processes in the Fostoria manufacturing facility, and after making my own observations about the practical impact of the Petitioners' disabilities on their public lives, I conclude that while each of the Petitioners unquestionably has one or more disabilities, those disabilities should not, and do not, impair any of the Petitioners from performing any of the jobs in Petitioner's Fostoria facility. I conclude that Respondent has not had in the past, and does not now have, the legal ability to employ any of the Petitioners under a Section 14(c) Certificate, and that each of the Petitioners has been, and is now, entitled to earn at least minimum wage when working in the Fostoria manufacturing facility. For these reasons, I find Respondent has not paid Petitioners the minimum wage to which Petitioners have been entitled, and that Respondent has thus violated ?206 of the Act. X. RESPONDENT HAS FAILED TO PROVE THE PROPRIETY OF THE WAGES PAID The Regulations implementing Section 214(c) of the Act provide: In determining whether any special minimum wage rate is justified, the ALJ [administrative law judge] shall consider, to the extent evidence is available, the productivity of the employee or employees identified in the petition and the conditions under which such productivity was measured, and the productivity of other employees performing work of essentially the same type and quality for other employers in the same vicinity and the conditions under which such productivity was measured. In these proceedings, the burden of proof on all matters related to the propriety of a wage at issue shall rest with the employer.120 I conclude Respondent has failed to demonstrate by a preponderance of the evidence that the wages actually paid to Petitioners during the relevant period have been properly calculated. The following are examples of the significant shortcomings of the Respondent's calculations: (1) Over the past four years, the hourly production standard set by non- disabled supervisors acting as "standard setters" on the Creform line has increased from 816 to 1,607 jigs per hour. No explanation for this 100 percent increase in performance was offered at the hearing. No changes to the method of production on the Creform line occurred during the time when this increase occurred. Mr. Knuckles testified that the rate of production of non-disabled workers should remain relatively constant over time: Q. So all three, Pam, Mark and Joe, who have very different disabilities, all consistently performed higher at piece rate jobs than on the hourly jobs, is that right? A. That's correct. Q. Different disabilities? A. Correct. It's not unusual; very common. Q. Yeah. Among people with disabilities there's huge variations in ability, how they're going to do all of these different types of jobs, right? Is there, in your experience, variation in the abilities of folks without disabilities to perform these types of jobs? A. To perform these types of jobs? Q. Yes. A. I wouldn't think that they-without disabilities there would be-I haven't done any studies of people doing these types of jobs. These are different jobs than you would find out in industry, typically. But would we find differences? There would be some differences, yes, but generally not as much.121 The variability in the performance results of the same non-disabled person (Laurie Fretz) performing the same test over a 2-year span is quite large. The establishment of this production standard was of critical importance to the calculation of the Petitioner's weekly wages. The unexplained 100 percent variance in the production rate of the standard setters convinces me that the numbers have not been properly derived from any defined professional methodology, and are, in fact, arbitrary. (2) Respondent presented no evidence about how the 816 jigs per hour standard was set in 2011. The hourly rate of the Petitioners was dependent upon that standard until October 2013. Without evidence which allows me to evaluate the methodology used to set the 816 jigs per hour standard, and in light of my serious concerns about how all other standards have been set and documented, I do not presume the 2011 test was properly done and/or properly documented. I cannot find Respondent has met its burden to prove the propriety of the wages paid prior to the 2013 performance standard test. (3) The establishment of the performance standard in 2013 was based upon a flawed methodology. As described in detail above, the 2013 performance standard122 was extrapolated from the results of testing which lasted less than one minute. The individual who performed this test acknowledged at the hearing that these intervals were too short to generate a valid study: Q. Okay. So when you made the decision-and I assume it was your decision, tell me if it wasn't-to run the first test here for 52 seconds, did you believe that was an appropriately long period in order to be able to make a fair assessment of the standard setter's performance? THE WITNESS: In looking back, no. JUDGE BELL: Okay. So I assume you would say the same thing for 47 seconds? THE WITNESS: Correct. JUDGE BELL: And the same thing for 59 seconds? THE WITNESS: Yes.123 This flawed production standard played a pivotal role in calculating the amount of money paid to the Petitioners from October 2013 to January 2016. In light of the admission that these test results are flawed, the "propriety" of the wages paid to the Petitioners based upon that testing has not been established. (4) As noted above, when comparing Exhibits C-1 and C-2, there is a dramatic difference in performance by the standard setters. On September 30, 2013 (Exhibit C-1), supervisor Laurie Fretz produced 20 jigs in 59 seconds during the third test reported on that Exhibit. On December 16, 2015 (Exhibit C-2), Ms. Fretz produced an average of 26 jigs per minute during the second reported test. Ms. Fretz was thus measured to be producing about 360 more jigs per hour in 2015 than she had produced in 2013. Nothing on the Creform line had changed during this time, nor had the method of production changed. These tests have a direct and substantial impact on calculation of the hourly wage to be paid to the Petitioners. The unexplained variance in the production rate of Ms. Fretz when acting as a standard setter convinces me that the production numbers have not been properly derived from any defined professional methodology, and are, in fact, largely arbitrary. (5) Respondent has a tolerance for wide variance in performance test results that I do not share, and which I do not believe generates information that should be admissible as evidence. Mr. Knuckles was asked about his tolerance for variability: JUDGE BELL: I'm sorry, did you run two different samples? THE WITNESS: Yes. JUDGE BELL: So the first sample he produced 717 units per hour and the second 1,028 units per hour? THE WITNESS: Yes. JUDGE BELL: And are those thought by you to be consistent? THE WITNESS: Consistent, yeah. Yes, they're good. Yes, these are good samples. JUDGE BELL: But they are 20-some percent- THE WITNESS: Yes. Well, while I was observing Mark, there's other factors in there. Mark would get up and move around, lose focus on the work. So that could explain the difference here.124 Respondent seeks to admit the results of these performance tests through Mr. Knuckles to support Mr. Knuckles' opinion that the Petitioners are disabled for the work performed in the Fostoria manufacturing facility. Under the standard set forth in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, I am constrained to take notice of the error rate when evaluating the admissibility of expert opinion: Additionally, in the case of a particular scientific technique, the court ordinarily should consider the known or potential rate of error, and the existence and maintenance of standards controlling the technique's operation.125 Here, I believe the variances between the performance tests prevents them from being offered by Mr. Knuckles as evidence the Petitioners are disabled for the work performed by them. (6) The documentation of the Petitioner's performance tests on the Creform line contains inaccuracies. The majority of these forms incorrectly state the Petitioners were timed for a full one hour, when it is now clear that was not the case. Respondent cannot sustain its burden to prove the propriety of the wages paid without clear, accurate, contemporaneous records of what was done during these crucial performance tests.126 (7) The fact that the Petitioners have occasionally been able to perform at minimum-wage levels when performing piece-rate work leads me to believe that the job testing on the Creform line systematically suppresses the volume of production of which each Petitioner is capable. No explanation has been offered as to why Petitioners allegedly perform so much better on some piece-rate work than they do on the Creform line. In the absence of an explanation, and for all the reasons stated above, Respondent has failed to demonstrate the "propriety" of the wages paid to Petitioners. For the reasons stated above, Respondent has failed to sustain its burden to prove the propriety of the wages paid to the Petitioners. Where, as here, the Respondent has failed to prove the propriety of the wages paid, the consequent failure of Respondent to pay minimum wage to the Petitioners constitutes a violation of ?206 of the Act.127 XI. DAMAGES Under 29 U.S.C. ?216(b), employers who fail to pay minimum wage to their employees are liable to the affected employees for the amount of their unpaid minimum wages plus "an additional equal amount as liquidated damages."128 I have been supplied with approximately three years of detailed wage information for each Petitioner, and I have been asked to award each Petitioner the difference between minimum wage and what the Petitioner was actually paid by Respondent for that period.129 Petitioners have not asked me to award them liquidated damages, interest or attorney fees. A. The Statute of Limitations in ?255 of the Act does not Apply Petitioners and Respondent are in agreement that ?255 of the Act establishes a two-year statute of limitations for back pay claims absent willful violations of the Act, and they agree that statute of limitations is applicable to this case.130 I disagree with the parties, and I find that the statute of limitations contained in 29 U.S.C. ?255 is not applicable to this proceeding. The statute states: Any action commenced on or after May 14, 1947, to enforce any cause of action for unpaid minimum wages, unpaid overtime compensation, or liquidated damages, under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 . . . may be commenced within two years after the cause of action accrued, and every such action shall be forever barred unless commenced within two years after the cause of action accrued, except that a cause of action arising out of a willful violation may be commenced within three years after the cause of action accrued; I find the matter before me is not an "action commenced . . . to enforce any cause of action for unpaid minimum wages, unpaid overtime compensation, or liquidated damages" under the Act. I find instead that this is a petition directed to the Secretary of Labor seeking to "obtain a review of such special minimum wage rate"131 being paid to the Petitioners. "Petitions" brought pursuant to ?214(c)(5)(A) are clearly distinguishable from an "action commenced . . . to enforce any cause of action for unpaid minimum ages" in at least the following respects: (1) the ?214(c)(5)(A) proceedings are conducted by Administrative Law Judges, not by the Article III judges who preside over the "actions" to which ?255 applies; (2) the parties to the "actions" referenced in ?255 seek to obtain conclusive judgments, while the object of "petitions" under ?214(c)(5)(A) is to obtain the "final agency action" referenced in ?214(c)(5)(E) and (F). I conclude that Section 255 refers and is applicable to lawsuits brought in an Article III court, and I further conclude that the statute of limitations contained in ?214(c)(5)(E) does not apply to this administrative proceeding before the Secretary of Labor and his delegees. I further find that application of the statute of limitations in ?255 of the Act to the facts of this case would create an irreconcilable conflict with the regulations governing my calculation of damages: If the ALJ finds that the special minimum wage being paid or which has been paid is not justified, the order shall specify the lawful rate and the period of employment to which the rate is applicable. In the absence of evidence sufficient to support the conclusion that the proper wage should be less than the minimum wage, the ALJ shall order that the minimum wage be paid.132 The plain reading of 29 C.F.R. ?525.22(e) instructs me to determine the "period of employment" over which unpaid minimum wages are to be paid to the Petitioners. There is no reference in 29 C.F.R. ?525.22(e) to the statute of limitations contained in ?255 or the Act, or to any other temporal limitation on the calculation and award of back pay. I am thus constrained to calculate the "period of employment" without regard to the ?255 statute of limitations. I further decline to import the statute of limitations contained in ?255 of the Act because of significant problems which would arise if one attempted to apply the "willfulness" standard to matters brought under ?214(c)(5)(A). The problems which would inevitably arise when attempting to apply the statute of limitations of ?255 of the Act to petition actions commenced under ?214 of the Act lead me to conclude that the authors of the Act did not intend the ?255 statute of limitations to apply to ?214 petition matters. In McLaughlin v. Richland Shoe Co.,133 the word "willful" was given the following meaning: In 1965, the Secretary proposed a number of amendments to expand the coverage of the FLSA, including a proposal to replace the 2-year statute of limitations with a 3-year statute. The proposal was not adopted, but in 1966, for reasons that are not explained in the legislative history, Congress enacted the 3-year exception for willful violations. The fact that Congress did not simply extend the limitations period to three years, but instead adopted a two-tiered statute of limitations, makes it obvious that Congress intended to draw a significant distinction between ordinary violations and willful violations. In common usage the word "willful" is considered synonymous with such words as "voluntary," "deliberate," and "intentional." See Roget's International Thesaurus ? 622.7, p. 479; ? 653.9, p. 501 (4th ed.1977). The word "willful" is widely used in the law, and, although it has not by any means been given a perfectly consistent interpretation, it is generally understood to refer to conduct that is not merely negligent. The standard of willfulness that was adopted in Thurston-that the employer either knew or showed reckless disregard for the matter of whether its conduct was prohibited by the statute-is surely a fair reading of the plain language of the Act.134 There is no question here that Respondent willfully did not pay minimum wage to the Petitioners. Instead, Respondent sought and obtained from the Department of Labor a series of Section 14(c) Certificates prior to paying Petitioners less than minimum wage for their labor. I find the notion of "willfulness" set forth ?255 of the Act (and as defined in McLaughlin v. Richland Shoe) overlooks the explicit authorization in the Act for an employer to willfully pay employees less than minimum wage under certain circumstances. Importation of a willfulness standard to ?214(c)(5)(A) proceedings is highly problematic, and it does not seem to me that Congress intended to apply the willfulness standard of ?255 to petitions brought under ?214(c)(5)(A). A willfulness standard is inconsistent with the special relationship between Petitioners and Respondent. Petitioners are not involved in competitive employment. While they are "employees" in the sense that they exchange their labor for compensation, they are simultaneously "clients" of the Seneca County Board of Developmental Disabilities when at work. While the immediate objective of the Petitioners may be to maximize their wages, the objectives of Respondent are not limited to the labor-for-compensation exchange. The overarching responsibility of Respondent is to provide rehabilitation services to each Petitioner. In the discharge of its overarching responsibility to provide services, Respondent willfully makes many workplace choices which dramatically suppress the ability of the Petitioners to earn wages. An example of such a choice-and of the tension between being an "employee" and a "client"-was discussed during Dr. Schroeder's testimony: JUDGE BELL: Each of the Petitioners testified yesterday that some portion of their workday, and I'm just going to say approximately an hour of each workday, is spent in nonproductive work, a social activity of some kind, an educational activity of some kind. Did you discuss that or are you aware of the fact that that's part of their daily schedule? THE WITNESS: Yes. And that's-yes, JUDGE BELL: And is that a hallmark of sheltered work? THE WITNESS: It's not uncommon. It's-in other words, it's not something that's necessarily designed in, that a shop must make allowance or would be expected to make allowance for social or recreational activities, but it's very common. And I mentioned earlier the idea of no sense of urgency. I think that's part of that whole mosaic in sheltered facilities. JUDGE BELL: I don't want to put words in your mouth. Can you extrapolate what you just said for me, please? THE WITNESS: Oh, all right. I'll do my best. In other words, in an ordinary work environment you don't have social activities as part of the workday. And where I'm going with this is one of the concerns about facilities is the mindset that the individuals who work there are not employees but clients, that they're recipients of services. And that's-that creates a very different set of expectations and a very different work environment. If you listen to self-advocates who have worked in segregated facilities, they talk about being treated like children, having their decisions managed. And I'm not-I don't-I'm not making any assertion about this particular facility and I'm not trying to disparage it, but I'm saying that the work environment is very often one of low expectations and not intentionally, not deliberately, but when you hear about extended break times, social activities, going on walks, these are not things that you would ordinarily have in the competitive work environment and it-so it sets a different climate, a different tone to the workday.135 Respondent makes rehabilitation decisions which may have an adverse impact on the wages earned by Petitioners and their co-workers. These decisions by Respondent are clearly willful (as defined by the Court in McLaughlin). Application of the statute of limitations from ?255 of the Act to such decisions by the employer does not seem to be what Congress intended in drafting the Act. Finally, I reject application of the willfulness standard of ?255 because I find it would impermissibly shift an important aspect of proving the "propriety of the wage" from the Respondent to the Petitioners in violation of 29 C.F.R. ?525.22(d). In any case where a disabled employee brings her concerns about the propriety of wages paid to the Secretary, the regulations make it clear that "the burden of proof on all matters relating to the propriety of a wage at issue shall rest with the employer."136 If the employee is asserting (as Petitioners do here) that wages going back more than two years were not properly paid, then requiring such employees to prove willfulness in order to evade the ?255 statute of limitations would shift to the employee a burden of proof related to "the propriety of a wage at issue" in order to recover wages not properly paid beyond the second year. Requiring the employee to assume this burden of proof would not only violate the plain language of the regulation, but would add an additional burden to a disabled employee seeking only to vindicate his right to be paid a minimum wage. Many of those being paid special minimum wages under a Section 14(c) Certificate would be expected to have difficulty understanding how the wages paid to them for their labor have been calculated,137 and I conclude that it would be inconsistent with 29 C.F.R. ?522(d) to require a petitioner to have the burden to prove willfulness simply in order to obtain a full recovery of the wages to which they are entitled. I believe the burden always remains on the employer to show the propriety of the wages paid in all years. For all of the reasons above, I conclude that the statute of limitations in ?255 of the Act does not apply to this case. Therefore, I will provide Petitioners with an award of underpaid wages for the period December 28, 2012, to December 25, 2015, without requiring them to demonstrate willfulness. B. The Award of Back Pay to Petitioners is Appropriate The controlling regulation states: If the ALJ finds that the special minimum wage being paid or which has been paid is not justified, the order shall specify the lawful rate and the period of employment to which the rate is applicable. In the absence of evidence sufficient to support the conclusion that the proper wage should be less than the minimum wage, the ALJ shall order that the minimum wage be paid.138 The plain language of the regulation requires me to make three findings in order to calculate the damages to be awarded to each of the Petitioners: (1) determine the amount of the hourly wage to be paid; and (2) determine the period of time over which the hourly wage determined in step (1) is to be paid; and (3) determine the applicable minimum wage for all periods in question. Consistent with the plain language of the regulation, I find each Petitioner should have been paid the then-applicable minimum wage for each hour of work performed at Respondent's Fostoria manufacturing facility during the period December 28, 2012, to December 25, 2015. I have chosen to award damages during this period because: (1) that is the only period for which I have detailed wage information for each of the Petitioners, and (2) I find Respondent failed to appropriately calculate the commensurate wage paid to each Petitioner during that entire period. I have determined that the minimum wage is to be paid during this period because I do not have sufficient credible evidence by which I can accurately calculate the proper wage to be paid. In order to make such a calculation, I would, at a minimum, need credible evidence establishing the rates of production for the Petitioners and the non-disabled standard setters. For the reasons discussed in detail above, I do not believe I can rely on the information in the record to establish an appropriate commensurate wage for each of the Petitioners. The regulation instructs that under such circumstances I am to determine that the minimum wage applies. I find that the Ohio minimum wage for the period December 28 to December 31, 2012, was $7.70 per hour. The Ohio minimum wage throughout 2013 was $7.85 per hour. The Ohio minimum wage throughout 2014 was $7.95 per hour. The Ohio minimum wage throughout 2015 was $8.10 per hour. I find that the Petitioners are entitled to the minimum wage for every hour of covered employment. The minimum wage rate will therefore be applied to the three years of wage data supplied by the Petitioners to calculate their entitlement to remedial back pay. The following table outlines the Petitioners' hourly damages by year:139 |PETITIONER |YEAR |TOTAL HOURS |COMMENSURATE |MINIMUM |TOTAL BACK | | | |WORKED |WAGE PAID |WAGE |PAY OWED140| |RALPH "JOE" |2012 |4.5 |$2.02 |$7.70 |$25.56 | |MAGERS | | | | | | | |2013 |290 |$2.52 |$7.85 |$1,545.72 | | |2014 |406.04 |$4.77 |$7.95 |$2,110.45 | | | | |$2.77 | | | | | | |$2.79 | | | | |2015 |564 |$2.94 |$8.10 |$2,881.61 | | | | |$3.00 | | | | | | |$3.15 | | | |TOTAL | | | | |$6,537.78 | |PAMELA STEWARD |2012 |2.5 |$2.00 |$7.70 |$14.25 | | |2013 |478 |$2.00 |$7.85 |$2,773.76 | | | | |$2.05 | | | | |2014 |303.5 |$3.20 |$7.95 |$1,438.22 | | | | |$3.22 | | | | |2015 |268.75 |$3.22 |$8.10 |$1,311.50 | |TOTAL | | | | |$5,537.73 | |MARK FELTON |2013 |173.75 |$2.49 |$7.85 |$921.01 | | | | |$2.55 | | | | |2014 |397.25 |$3.89 |$7.95 |$1,603.32 | | | | |$3.93 | | | | |2015 |421.5 |$3.93 |$8.10 |$1,682.84 | | | | |$4.11 | | | |TOTAL | | | | |$4,207.17 | I find the Respondent owes Petitioner Magers $6,537.78 in hourly back wages. Additionally, Exhibit A to Petitioners' Post-Hearing Brief establishes that Petitioner Magers was paid less than minimum wages for 633.75 hours of piece work in 2013, resulting in an underpayment of $1,445.29; 210.25 hours of piece work in 2014, resulting in an underpayment of $655.94; and 54.25 hours of piece work in 2015, resulting in an underpayment of $150.14. I find these piece work numbers to have been correctly calculated, and I adopt them as part of my Decision. Accordingly, in sum, Petitioner Magers is entitled to a total of $8,789.15 in back pay. I find Respondent owes Petitioner Steward $5,537.73 in hourly back wages. Additionally, Exhibit B to Petitioners' Post-Hearing Brief establishes that Petitioner Steward was paid less than minimum wage for 11.5 hours of piece work in 2012, resulting in an underpayment of $30.10; 567.25 hours of piece work in 2013, resulting in an underpayment of $1,661.39; 457 hours of piece work in 2014, resulting in an underpayment of $1,445.56; and 251.75 hours of piece work in 2015, resulting in an underpayment of $412.46. I find these piece work numbers to have been correctly calculated, and I adopt them as part of my Decision. Accordingly, in sum, Petitioner Steward is entitled to a total of $9,087.24 in back pay. I find Respondent owes Petitioner Felton $4,207.17 in hourly back wages. Additionally, Exhibit C to Petitioners' Post-Hearing Brief establishes that Petitioner Felton was paid less than minimum wage for 9.5 hours of piece work in 2012, resulting in an underpayment of $16.98; 810.5 hours of piece work in 2013, resulting in an underpayment of $3,022.04; 279 hours of piece work in 2014, resulting in an underpayment of $1,302.11; and 156.75 hours of piece work in 2015, resulting in an underpayment of $613.01. I find these piece work numbers to have been correctly calculated, and I adopt them as part of my Decision. Accordingly, in sum, Petitioner Felton is entitled to a total of $9,161.31 in back pay. C. An Award of Liquidated Damages to Petitioners is Appropriate Employers who violate the minimum wage provisions of the Act are liable for not only the unpaid back wages, but also "an additional equal amount as liquidated damages."141 These damages are considered compensatory, not punitive.142 Double damages are the norm, single damages are the exception.143 Petitioners do not request an award of liquidated damages.144 Respondent argues that the Petitioners "would not be entitled to liquidated damages or attorney fees" because "this proceeding is brought pursuant to 29 U.S.C. ?214(c), and 29 C.F.R. Part 525, not sections [29 U.S.C. 20]6 or [20]7."145 I disagree with Respondent. I find that liquidated damages under ?216 are available for violations of ?214 of the Act.146 An award of liquidated damages is not automatic.147 An Employer may avoid liability for liquidated damages by establishing it acted subjectively and objectively in good faith in its violation of the Act.148 In such cases, the Employer's burden is to establish that it had "an honest intention to ascertain and follow the dictates of the Act" and that it had "reasonable grounds for believing that [its] conduct complied with the Act."149 In analyzing Respondent's conduct, I note that while the commensurate wages paid to Petitioners were authorized by a series of ?214(c) Certificates, that fact alone is not dispositive. Each Certificate states clearly: "The enclosed certificate does not constitute a statement of compliance by the Department of Labor nor does it convey a good faith defense to the employer should violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act . . . occur."150 To the contrary, I find Respondent's repeated requests to the Department of Labor for permission to pay Petitioners far less than minimum wage imposes on Respondent a particularly high duty (approaching a fiduciary duty) to make certain every aspect of the Petitioners' wages have been accurately and fairly calculated. I reach my conclusion about the existence of this high duty from the following undisputed facts: (1) The regulations151 require the employer possessing a Section 14(c) Certificate to make a series of "written assurances" regarding how the employer will evaluate the compensation paid to employees; (2) Petitioners have disabilities, including intellectual disability. The ability of Petitioners to understand the calculation of the "commensurate wages" being paid to them is very limited, and Petitioners doubtless rely on Respondent to perform the wage calculations accurately; (3) There is an extremely high potential for disabled workers to be exploited in sheltered workshops. This potential becomes more concrete where, as here, Petitioners are engaged in the manufacture of goods being sold by a large corporation such as Roppe Industries.152 Roppe could hire its own employees to replace the labor of Petitioners. If it chose to do so, it would pay those non-disabled workers at least minimum wage. Petitioners have been paid one-half or one-third of minimum wage for their work on the Creform line. A representative of Roppe occupies a seat on the Board of Directors of Respondent. Roppe Industries is the landlord of Respondent. I find the potential for Petitioners' exploitation to be high, and thus a high duty of care should be imposed on Respondent to properly calculate their commensurate wages. One form of potential workplace exploitation comes from the assignment of work in the Fostoria manufacturing facility. Mr. Biggert testified: Q. Okay. Do you have a sense or knowledge about how wages break down for workers there on the line versus the- A. It varies depending on the job; it varies depending on the worker. There are some jobs that some workers really hit out of the park, and there are other jobs where workers tend to struggle a little bit more. Q. So if you had a job where somebody's really hitting it out of the park, as you say, say they're producing at a rate of $14 an hour or $18 an hour as compared to the measure of productivity of the standard setter, would you want to place that person on that job more often? A. Yes. Q. Is there any reason you wouldn't place that person on the job more often? A. No. I mean, job availability sometimes is a bit of an issue. I mean, we don't always need every job running at the same time. Obviously, the assembly task at the end is the largest task we have. Q. Um-hum. A. But the only reason I can think that we wouldn't put somebody who was performing well on a specific job would be job availability and perhaps multiple people doing well on a job and wanting to make sure that we're spreading that opportunity around as much as possible. Q. So some folks might be doing very well on jobs and those same folks might be doing very poorly on other jobs, is that correct? A. That is possible, yes. Q. Is there any consistency in some jobs, just everybody seems to be getting particularly low wages or everybody seems to be getting higher wages? A. Not that I know of. Q. Are you familiar with the productivity and wages that Mr. Magers, Ms. Steward, and Mr. Felton have received? A. Yes, to some degree. Q. Okay. And they're-would you agree that all three of them at times, for instance, on the auto pad print machine are earning well above minimum wage, is that correct? A. Yes. Q. Is that unusual or is that consistent with other folks that also operate that machine? A. I don't know the answer to that question. While I do know the productivity of the three Petitioners, part of that has been in prep for what we've been doing right now. I'm sure we have many people who do well on that machine, and I'm sure we have others who probably do not. Q. Do you have anybody who's been sort of reviewing the productivity of-I mean, it sounds like you've got a lot of managers. Let me back up. Is there anybody who is trying to select appropriate people for appropriate tasks? A. I think the staff do that on a day-to-day basis. You know, if Laurie [Fretz] knows somebody's good at a particular task and that's a task we need to get a lot of done that day, that person will go on that task.153 I do not see any corroboration in the Petitioner's pay records that they are frequently assigned jobs where they "knock it out of the park" in terms of making minimum wage or more. Although an employer may possess a Section 14(c) Certificate, I nonetheless conclude that, to the extent such work is available, the employer is required to allocate work in such a manner that as many employees may earn minimum wage as frequently as possible. It does not appear to me that such an allocation of higher-paying work has been made to the Petitioners here, and I find the failure of Respondent to make work assignments so as to maximize wages subjects Respondent to liquidated damages. Respondent argues in its Post-Hearing Brief that its administration of "timely wage surveys and hourly job samplings" evinces an effort to comply with the mandates of the Act.154 However, as noted above, the artificiality of those evaluations undermines their probative value as evidence of attempted compliance. Similarly, I reject Respondent's argument that its provision of "a discretionary increase on top of the commensurate wage . . . provide[s] extra compensation to workers with disabilities . . . to which they are not otherwise entitled" as evidence of good faith dealing with Petitioners. The record supports that the Petitioners were not impaired for the work performed, a fact which would have been discovered by the Respondent had it engaged in an honest and meaningful evaluation of their production. Therefore, its provision of a "discretionary increase," which still amounts to less than the minimum wage, does not establish an honest attempt to ascertain and follow the dictates of the Act. Notably, although not categorized as such by the Petitioners, the Respondent's discretionary payments could be equivocally interpreted as an attempt to disincentivize administrative review of the special minimum wage.155 Respondent was required by the regulations to review the special minimum wages being paid to Petitioners "at a minimum of once every six months."156 Where, as here, there is such extraordinary variance in the production rates of the standard setters, I conclude Respondent should not have continued to rely on the same standard setter production data year after year. I believe Respondent violated 29 C.F.R. ?525.9(b)(1) in that Respondent did not conduct an appropriate review of all of the data that goes into the formula by which Petitioners' wages are established. On the facts of this case-where the standard setter production data is so inconsistent-Respondent's failure to review that data at least at 6-month intervals subjects Respondent to liquidated damages. I have set forth earlier in this decision the various ways in which Petitioners wages were not appropriately calculated. I have set forth numerous examples of the documentation of how Petitioners' wages were calculated is inaccurate or missing. These acts and omissions violate the heightened duty of care I have found applicable, and the repeated nature of these acts and omissions subjects Respondent to liquidated damages. Petitioners' wage data reveals other unexplained variances in the wages paid by the Respondent. For example, Petitioner Felton was employed as a "Production Helper" for a total of six hours during the pay period ending March 7, 2014.157 It was agreed by Respondent and Petitioners that Production Helpers earn minimum wage as a matter of course. However, Mr. Felton earned minimum wage for only four of the six hours he worked as a Production Helper during the period. Without explanation, the Respondent paid Mr. Felton $0.03 per hour for a fifth hour of the same work and $0.25 per hour for a sixth hour of the same work.158 Similarly, Mr. Magers was paid $15.48 per hour for 1.75 hours of work on the Creform line during the September 6, 2013, pay period, and $2.52 per hour for 23.75 hours of work on the Creform line during the September 20, 2013, pay period.159 These unexplained events lead me to conclude that good faith has not been demonstrated by Respondent. I also conclude Respondent has attempted to interfere with the fair adjudication of this matter by making large, unexplained, payments to each of the Petitioners on the very eve of this matter going to hearing. The "MISC ADJ" payments made by Respondent to Petitioners in late December 2015 of between $435 and $685 represent a substantial portion of the income made by Petitioners during the 2015 calendar year. Questions about these payments were raised in the very first hours of a 5-day hearing, yet Respondent never offered any explanation for these payments. If one does not carefully study the line-items on Petitioners' wage documents, these "MISC ADJ" payments paint a much more benign picture of how Petitioners have been compensated. In the absence of any explanation, I conclude these payments were made immediately before the hearing to paint a misleadingly rosy picture of Petitioners' 2015 wages. Respondent has failed to establish that it had reasonable grounds for believing that its conduct complied with the Act. I find that Respondent is liable for liquidated damages in an amount equal to the amount of unpaid wages due to the Petitioners. Accordingly, Respondent owes each petitioner an additional amount equal to the total back pay outlined above. D. An Award of Interest is Not Appropriate Federal Circuit Courts of Appeal are in disagreement about whether prevailing plaintiffs in actions under the Act are entitled to pre-judgment and post-judgment interest. The Second, Third, Ninth, and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeal have held that while not mandatory, if pre- judgment interest is not awarded, a court must explain why the usual equities in favor of such interest are not applicable.160 The majority of Federal Circuits, however, have held that if a petitioner is awarded liquidated damages under ?216(b), then pre-judgment interest is unavailable. In Herman v. Harmelech,161 the court held that because liquidated damages were awarded, it was unnecessary to address the Secretary's request for pre-judgment interest. Citing to Uphoff v. Elegant Bath, Ltd.162 the court held that recovery of liquidated damages and pre- judgment interest would amount to double recovery.163 The weight of authority supportive of this proposition relies on U.S. Supreme Court precedent from 1945. In Brooklyn Sav. Bank v. O'Neil,164 the Court established: Interest is not recoverable in judgments obtained under ?16(b). As we indicated in our decision in Overnight Motor Co. v. Missel, [316 U.S. 572 (1942)], ?16(b) authorizes the recovery of liquidated damages as compensation for delay in payment of sums due under the Act. Since Congress has seen fit to fix the sums recoverable for delay, it is inconsistent with Congressional intent to grant recovery of interest on such sums in view of the fact that interest is customarily allowed as compensation for delay in payment. To allow an employee to recover the basic statutory wage and liquidated damages, with interest, would have the effect of giving an employee double compensation for damages arising from delay in the payment of basic minimum wages. Allowance of interest on minimum wages and liquidated damages recoverable under ?16(b) tends to produce the undesirable result of allowing interest on interest. Congress by enumerating the sums recoverable in an action under ?16(b) meant to preclude recovery of interest on minimum wages and liquidated damages.165 I find that an award of pre-judgment interest on the back pay owed the Petitioners would constitute double recovery since liquidated damages have been awarded. However, case law suggests that the Petitioners may also be entitled to post-judgment interest.166 Under 28 U.S.C. ?1961, post-judgment interest may be compounded on civil monetary damages received in district court, and in other express circumstances. However, ?1961(c)(4) specifically disclaims that "[t]his section shall not be construed to affect the interest on any judgment of any court not specified in this section." Still, that statute has been interpreted, albeit infrequently, to allow post-judgment interest on monetary damages awarded in an administrative adjudication. See PGB International LLC Co. v. Bayche Companies, Inc.167 I find that the imposition of post-judgment interest is not warranted in this matter. As outlined below, in making its curative back pay and liquidated damages payments to Petitioners, the Respondent will be required to consider the extent to which lump sum payment might affect Petitioners' eligibility to receive certain benefits and services crucial to the quality of their lives. To the extent possible, Respondent is being directed to work cooperatively with Petitioners to spread the payment of damages over a sufficient number of months to ensure Petitioners retain eligibility to necessary support programs. Because Respondent is being ordered to potentially delay payment of the total sum due to Petitioners, subjecting that sum to post-judgment interest would disincentivize meaningful compliance with that directive. Accordingly, I find that the unique equities of this case do not support an award of post-judgment interest. E. An Award of Attorneys' Fees and Costs May be Appropriate The Act authorizes the reviewing court to award the petitioner "a reasonable attorney's fee" and "costs of the action."168 On January 21, 2016, the parties submitted a Stipulated Withdrawal of the Petitioners' Motion for Sanctions, which states that each party has agreed to pay its own costs and attorney's fees. If that Stipulation was intended only as a waiver of attorney fees related to the Motion for Sanctions itself, then counsel for Petitioners may submit an application for attorney fees and costs within 14 days of the issuance of this Decision and Order. Respondent shall have 10 days to oppose any request for the award of attorney fees. XII. ORDER 1. Effective immediately, Petitioners Ralph ("Joe") Magers, Pamela Steward, and Mark Felton shall each be paid minimum wage for each hour worked at Respondent's Fostoria manufacturing facility; 2. Respondent shall pay Petitioner Ralph ("Joe") Magers the sum of $17,578.30 ($8,789.15 in unpaid wages and $8,789.15 in liquidated damages); 3. Respondent shall pay Petitioner Pamela Steward the sum of $18,174.48 ($9,087.24 in unpaid wages and $9,087.24 in liquidated damages); 4. Respondent shall pay Petitioner Mark Felton the sum of $18,322.62 ($9,161.31 in unpaid wages and $9,161.31 in liquidated damages); and 5. Upon receipt of this Decision and Order, and before making any payments of back wages and liquidated damages to the Petitioners, Respondent shall contact counsel for Petitioners. Counsel shall discuss whether the payment of the back wages and liquidated damages over a period of time will allow the Petitioners to retain eligibility for benefits Petitioners currently receive. Respondent shall pay the back wages and liquidated damages over time if counsel for Petitioners so requests. Otherwise those sums shall be payable within 30 days after the issuance of this Decision and Order; 6. As outlined above, Petitioners may seek the award of attorney fees and costs. SO ORDERED. Steven D. Bell Administrative Law Judge ---------- Recipes Last month we took a trip to the past to revisit some of the delicious recipes that have been hiding in the Monitor archives. In fact, we found so many delicious recipes that we're going to keep the retro recipes rocking. BROCCOLI SALAD by Donna Biro This recipe first appeared in the April 1994 Monitor. Here's how Donna was introduced at the time: Donna Biro and her daughter Laura first found the Federation at the 1992 NFB of Michigan convention. Since that time all of the Biro family have been active members of the affiliate. Laura was a 1993 winner of both national and state NFB scholarships. Ingredients: 1 bunch broccoli, chopped 1 medium purple onion, chopped 5 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled 1/2 cup sunflower seeds 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese Dressing: 3/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons dark vinegar Method: Toss all non-dressing ingredients. Mix dressing ingredients well and combine with broccoli mixture. ---------- CHICKEN CHOW MEIN by Deb Nefler This recipe first appeared in the April 2004 Monitor. Deb Nefler was secretary of the Falls Chapter of the NFB of South Dakota at the time. Ingredients: Vegetable cooking spray 1 1/2 cups chopped onion 1 cup sliced celery 1/2 cup chopped green pepper 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped 2-to-3 cups frozen Chinese vegetables 1 14-ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon chicken-flavored bouillon granules 1 tablespoon cornstarch 3 cups water Method: Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat till hot. Add onion, celery, and green pepper and cook, stirring constantly, three minutes or till vegetables are tender-crisp. Stir in chicken, Chinese vegetables, mushrooms, and cumin and cook over medium heat for one minute. Dissolve bouillon granules and cornstarch in cold water. Add to mixture in pan and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly till thickened and bubbly. Note: Chicken Chow Mein may be served over Chow Mein noodles or hot cooked rice. Serves seven with one-cup servings. ---------- MACARONI PIE by David J. DeNotaris This recipe first appeared in the Monitor in February 1995 with this introduction: David DeNotaris is currently Job Opportunities for the Blind coordinator for New Jersey. He is also a world champion power lifter. Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds ricotta cheese? Black pepper to taste? Garlic to taste? 7 eggs? Salt to taste? 1 pound mozzarella? Italian cheese, grated to taste? 1/2 pound thin spaghetti (broken in half) Method: Cook spaghetti according to package directions and drain in colander. In a large bowl beat eggs and then add ricotta and Italian cheese. Add salt, pepper, and garlic to taste. Cut mozzarella into small pieces and add to mixture. Stir in spaghetti and pour into greased baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees from fifty minutes to one hour, or until top is lightly browned and firm to the touch. ---------- PALATSCHINKE by Fred Wurtzel This recipe first appeared in the May 2002 Monitor with this introduction: Fred Wurtzel is president of the NFB of Michigan. He reports that this is a simple family recipe. Ingredients: 1 cup flour 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla Method: You can vary this to accommodate the number to be served. Mix ingredients together and then fry. These are like thin crepes. For a treat we cook them in butter. Some like to roll them with cinnamon and sugar inside. Others like cottage cheese and jam-whatever suits your fancy. ---------- O'HENRY BARS? by Linda Mentink This recipe originally appeared in the October 1997 Monitor. At the time Linda lived in Wisconsin and served as the president of the NFB Music Division. She is a singer with several albums to her credit. Ingredients: 1 cup melted butter or margarine? 1 cup granulated sugar? 1 cup brown sugar? 4 cups oatmeal Method: Mix all ingredients well and press into a lightly-greased cookie sheet with sides. (Mine measures about 10 by 14 inches.) Bake at 350 degrees for ten to twelve minutes. Cool to room temperature. Pour over this a topping made of one cup crunchy peanut butter and one cup chocolate chips melted and stirred together well. Spread topping and chill bars. Cut before serving. ---------- IOWA APPLESAUCE CAKE? by Terry E. Branstad This recipe first appeared in the June 1993 Monitor. Terry Branstad was the governor of Iowa at the time. Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, margarine, or shortening? 3/4 cup sugar? 3/4 cup packed brown sugar? 1 egg? 2 cups all-purpose flour? 2 teaspoons baking powder? 1 teaspoon baking soda? 1 teaspoon ground cloves? 1-1/2 cups applesauce? 1 cup raisins? 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts Method: In a large mixing bowl beat the butter for thirty seconds. Add the sugars and egg, and beat until combined. Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Add flour mixture alternately with applesauce to butter mixture. Stir in raisins and nuts. Pour batter into a greased 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan; spread evenly. Bake in a 350-degree oven for thirty to thirty-five minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack; serves twelve. Cream Cheese Frosting: Ingredients: 2 3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened? 1/2 cup butter, softened? 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted Method: Beat together cream cheese and butter. Then beat in 2-1/2 to 2- 3/4 cups sifted powdered sugar to make a spreadable frosting. A butter frosting could be substituted for the cream cheese one. For a decorative finish, set a doily lightly on the frosted cake and sprinkle lightly with a mixture of cinnamon and nutmeg. Then carefully remove the doily. ---------- Monitor Miniatures News from the Federation Family Louisiana Center for the Blind Buddy and STEP Programs 2016: 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 one session of the Buddy Program in 2016. Program dates are July 17-August 6. 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 for more details and to apply. Please also feel free to contact our director of youth services, Eric Guillory before April 8. Please email Eric at 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. 2016 Summer Training and Employment Project (STEP) Program: 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, r?sum? 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 June 30 through July 5, 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 12 and conclude August 6. Please visit 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 . "Together, we are changing what it means to be blind." Check out STEP and find out how. Braille Book Fair 2016: Calling all Braille readers, teachers, and parents! It's that time again to sort through all those boxes of Braille books and donate those gently used but no longer needed Braille books to the 2016 Braille Book Fair sponsored by the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children. Our primary goal is to get more Braille books into the hands of children, youth, and beginning adult readers-so here's what we need most: . print/Braille storybooks (aka Twin Vision?) . books in good condition . leisure reading (fiction or nonfiction) books . cookbooks and poetry Children are so hungry for their own Braille books that every year, despite generous donations of books, most of our books for young children are gone in less than an hour. So begin your search through the boxes in your basement and spare room, and get those books shipped to: 2016 Braille Book Fair, National Federation of the Blind, 200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place, Baltimore, MD 21230. Please note that you are shipping the books Free Matter for the Blind; you do not need to pay to ship Braille items. Handwrite, stamp, or affix a label to the upper right-hand corner of the box stating: FREE MATTER FOR THE BLIND. Take your package(s) to your local post office. Elected: The NFB Greater Seattle chapter held elections on Saturday, January 16, 2016. The following officers were elected: president, Arielle Silverman; first vice president, Mike Mello; second vice president, Jacob Struiksma; secretary, Tanna Dieken; treasurer, Daniel Heathman; and board members, Ellen Farber and Mary Helen Scheiber. Elected: At the January meeting of the Capital Chapter of the NFB of New Jersey, the following were elected: president, Mary Jo Partyka; vice president, Ben Constantini; secretary, David Mostello; treasurer, John Lipton; and board members, Sue Constantini and Cindy Lipton. Florida Affiliate Holding Raffle: The Florida affiliate has started the 2016 fundraising campaign, and this is something that you do not want to miss out on. The raffle for the Shingle Creek is well on its way, and the Florida affiliate welcomes your participation. The raffle is a two-night stay at Shingle Creek, plus $50 per diem, or $300 cash (which is the value of the package.) The tickets are one for $5.00 or three for $10.00. This raffle will run through March 31. The winner will be contacted by telephone the day of the drawing (March 31 at 7:30 p.m.). Also, the video recording will be posted on YouTube. Once again the Florida affiliate thanks you for supporting the work of the Federation. You can pay by sending a check or money order to the NFB of Florida c/o Jorge Hernandez, 201 NW 56th Ct., Miami, FL 33126. You may also pay by PayPal by clicking on the link . If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Jorge Hernandez, fundraising chair, at or by phone at (305) 877-2311. Looking for Alumni of Residential Schools for the Blind: My name is Ken Lawrence, and a couple of years ago I got inspired by an attempt to start a division of the NFB. My enthusiasm was renewed by the Seventy-Five Days of Action, but as I tried to find old friends who attended various schools for the blind and other residential schools, I kept hitting the same issue: the loss of the accomplishments achieved in the schools for the blind by students my age. These accomplishments range from athletics to performances in plays and recitals to participation in programs like vending stands. When the residential schools for the blind became institutions for multiple handicaps, some of the facilities were repurposed. For example, I attended the Oakhill School for the Blind in Hartford from 1974 to 1979. Six months after I left Oakhill, the auditorium where I played Mayor Shinn in The Music Man was turned into a playroom for younger kids. The swimming pool where we won Eastern Athletic Association of the Blind Championships is also gone. The acorn shop which I helped launch is gone also. Even finding alumni of my era is very difficult. I'm asking readers of the Braille Monitor for help. I'd like alumni of residential schools for the blind to write down their memories of their days at school, of the awards they won, the competitions, the activities they participated in, and the wonderful memories they made there. I would like to see these memories preserved as the schools themselves change and evolve into much different institutions than the ones we attended and remember. Send your written memories to the Monitor at . 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. Download Accessible Tax Information: Get ready for the tax season! Hundreds of the latest accessible federal tax forms and publications are available for download from the IRS Accessibility Web page at . You can choose from large-print, text, accessible PDFs, e- Braille, or HTML formats that are compatible with screen readers and refreshable Braille displays. The IRS also provides American Sign Language videos with the latest tax information at . IRS Tax Return Preparation Help is Available: Tax assistance is available to people with a physical disability or are age sixty or older 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 using the available locator tools at or 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 . Information about NASA Internships Available: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) initiatives have been a focus of the Federation in the last few years, and we have enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with NASA. Their interest in seeking and growing qualified blind employees is unquestionable. If you would like to subscribe to an announcement-only list about NASA internships for persons with disabilities, please send an email to with 'subscribe' in the Subject field, or by visiting the list page at . This is an internship program, not an employment program. For NASA jobs, please go to . Registration for 2016 No Barriers Summit Now Open: From June 23-26 No Barriers will host its annual signature event, the Summit, this year at Copper Mountain in Colorado. Thousands of people of all abilities from across the USA and around the world will embark on exhilarating adventures in over fifty adaptive activities in sports, adventure, arts, and education; be motivated by phenomenal speakers and celebrities; and be inspired by some of the most creative and innovative technologies, products, and services helping to transform lives. Your four-day Summit Pass includes: . All meals (except for the BBQ on Friday night) . Invitations to Opening and Closing Ceremonies presenting famous speakers and celebrities. . Access to No Barriers University showcasing genius experts. . Entry to Innovation Village, a trade show featuring the most innovative products and services-register now! . Admission to the Film Festival and Music Concert. . Fun at Copper: zip lines, bumper boats, go-karts, mini golf, fireworks spectacular, and more. For more information check out our webpage at: . Spoken Word Ministries Debuts New Christian Resource Library: Spoken Word Ministries Inc., serving blind people since 1988, announces the national launch of BrailleAudio, an internet-based Christian resource library. BrailleAudio currently contains books in a DAISY format similar to the format used by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). BrailleAudio makes books available for download by its members, or the member can choose to participate in its read-by-mail program if downloading is not an option. Any visually impaired or blind person living in the United States or a patron of NLS is invited to apply to join BrailleAudio. To apply for a free membership to BrailleAudio, visit and click on the join link. You may also apply by telephone by calling (919) 635-1000. We encourage family members, friends, and professionals to assist those who request assistance to help them apply for BrailleAudio membership. Please help only at the request of the prospective member. We thank the Lord for enabling us to launch BrailleAudio and invite you to visit , where blind people read. 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. Wanted: I want to purchase a Parrot Voice Mate. I am willing to pay premium price. Please contact Ray Hicks at (269) 429-8676. HumanWare Apex for Sale: I have a BrailleNote Apex for sale. The unit includes a Braille keyboard, a thirty-two cell Braille display, up-to-date software, an Executive Products case, the Oxford Dictionary and Thesauras, the Sendero GPS, and the AC adapter. I am asking $4,000 or best offer. I will accept PayPal or checks for payment, and I will pay for shipping. Contact Robert Stigile at (818) 381-9568 or by email at . ---------- 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. From buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org Sun Apr 3 20:33:12 2016 From: buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org (Brian Buhrow) Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2016 20:33:12 -0700 Subject: [Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor - April, 2016 Message-ID: <201604040333.u343XCOa016389@lothlorien.nfbcal.org> BRAILLE MONITOR Vol. 59, No. 4 April 2016 Gary Wunder, Editor Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, with the audio version being available in both Spanish and English (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 NFBnet.org: http://www.nfbnet.org NFB-NEWSLINE? information: (866) 504-7300 Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind Follow us on Twitter: @NFB_Voice Watch and share our videos: YouTube.com/NationsBlind Letters to the President, address changes, subscription requests, and orders for NFB literature should be sent to the national office. Articles for the Monitor and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national 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 ? 2016 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 position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and try again. (Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the thumb drive, the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges, 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 envelope enclosed with the drive when you return the device. [PHOTO CAPTION: Palm-lined drive leading to front entrance to Rosen Shingle Creek Resort] Orlando Site of 2016 NFB Convention The 2016 convention of the National Federation of the Blind will take place in Orlando, Florida, June 30 to July 5, at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, 9939 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32819-9357. Make your room reservation as soon as possible with the Shingle Creek staff only. Call (866) 996-6338. The 2016 room rates are singles and doubles, $83; and for 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 May 27, 2016. The other 50 percent is not refundable. Rooms will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations may be made before May 27, 2016, 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. All Rosen Shingle Creek guestrooms feature amenities that include plush Creek Sleeper beds, 40" flat screen TVs, complimentary high-speed internet capabilities, in-room safes, coffee makers, mini-fridges, and hair dryers. Guests can also enjoy a swimming pool, fitness center, and on-site spa. The Rosen Shingle Creek Resort has a number of dining options, including two award-winning restaurants, and twenty-four-hour-a-day room service. The schedule for the 2016 convention is: Thursday, June 30 Seminar Day Friday, July 1 Registration Day Saturday, July 2 Board Meeting and Division Day Sunday, July 3 Opening Session Monday, July 4 Business Session Tuesday, July 5 Banquet Day and Adjournment Vol. 59, No. 4 April 2016 Contents Illustration: Jernigan Institute Hosts Local Political Debates Where is the Ladies' Room, Anyway? by Deborah Kent Stein The Lobby of the Anaheim Hilton: The Third Dimension of the National Convention by Mary Ellen Jernigan On Careers in the Blindness Field and the Freedom to Choose by Geerat J. Vermeij When Assertiveness and Confidence Made All the Difference by Ever Lee Hairston An Introduction to Diabetes and Insulin Pumps by Mike Freeman Accessibility of Insulin Pumps in 2015 by Veronica Elsea Business and Being Blind: One Man's Winning Combination by Gary Wunder How Life Influences the Daughter of a Federationist and What She Tells the World about It by Ann Sywensky A Matter of Justice: Our Fight to Obtain Braille Instruction by Holly Miller Driving a Nail by Dan J. Hicks Long-Term Training by Danny R. Robinson A Thank You for What You Are Giving to Our Grandson by LaVonne Butler Amazon, Blind Federation Reach Agreement on Accessibility by Mark Sherman The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund by Allen Harris Recipes Monitor Miniatures [PHOTO CAPTION: The candidates for District 11 council member sit on stage as the debate begins] [PHOTO CAPTION: The stage was full with twelve candidates for mayor lined up for the March 3 debate] [PHOTO CAPTION: The mayoral debate drew quite a crowd of Baltimore voters] Jernigan Institute Hosts Local Political Debates Since a part of the job of the National Federation of the Blind is to let the public know that we are invested in civic responsibility and interested in political events and the way they influence the future of our country, we have recently offered the Jernigan Institute for two major public events in Baltimore. The first was a debate held on February 11 between four candidates seeking to be the council member from District 11. The second debate to help determine the next mayor of Baltimore was held on March 3, with twelve candidates participating. Topics covered were education, employment, public safety, housing, taxes, and disability. On this latter issue all of the candidates were asked this question: one in five Baltimore city residents has a disability and face barriers to education, inaccessible technology, and an unemployment rate of over 70 percent. What will your guiding principles be when determining disability policy for the city? Although President Riccobono had opened with welcoming remarks describing the purpose of our organization, some participants were shocked to get a question on disability. As one source said, "Four had the 'deer in the headlights' look, four gave somewhat coherent answers, and four evidenced an understanding of what the Federation works to do through doing away with subminimum wages, making technology universally usable, and seeing that everyone gets a fair shake when considered for hiring and promotion." One hundred and twenty people attended the council debate, and more than 320 were present to witness the mayoral debate. The Federation was given high marks for the greeting we gave to each member of the community and for the organizing that went into these most successful events. We were assisted by the Baltimore City League of Women Voters and the six neighborhood Peninsula associations who helped in drafting questions and urging the community to attend. [PHOTO CAPTION: Deborah Kent] Where Is The Ladies' Room, Anyway? by Deborah Kent Stein From the Editor: This story was originally run in the Fall 2014 issue of Persimmon Tree, an Online Magazine of the Arts by Women over Sixty. Deborah Kent Stein is the writer of many children's books and the editor of Future Reflections, a magazine which is used as a source of information and encouragement by parents of blind children in the United States and beyond. She lives in Chicago with her husband, and together they have one adult daughter. In this article Debbie describes the thrill of becoming a published author, but soon discovers that her new-found success is not enough to shield her from the perception that being blind means she is helpless and in need of special care. Here is what she says: Some life events are so momentous that you know you will be transformed forever. That knowledge buoyed me along as I boarded a city bus to have lunch with my editor at The Dial Press. I was twenty-eight years old, and my first novel had just been accepted for publication. "Please let me know when we get to Forty-sixth Street," I told the driver. I felt tall and proud, and my voice radiated confidence. Of course the driver would let me know when we reached my stop. This was going to be a perfect day. I had stepped into the winners' circle. My earrings swung lightly as I followed my guide dog, Yulie, a four- year-old German shepherd, down the narrow aisle. I slipped into a seat, and she curled up at my feet. The bus ground forward through the city traffic. We were on our way. What would my fellow passengers say if they knew they were sharing their morning commute with a genuine author? Of course, I was the same person I had been last week, before that resounding acceptance letter arrived. But now, finally, I had achieved a version of myself that the world would recognize and respect. People would know I wasn't simply that blind woman with the beautiful dog. I was a woman who signed literary contracts and rushed off to lunches with editors. Several publishers occupied the third floor of the vast office building at 1 Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, a prestigious address right next to the United Nations. After three conflicting sets of directions from strangers, I arrived at The Dial Press suite. I introduced myself to the receptionist and told her I had an appointment for twelve noon. I was fifteen minutes early, and she invited me to wait on the vinyl-covered sofa. "First," I said, "could you tell me where the ladies' room is?" There was a stunned silence. "Oh, no! I'm afraid not!" the receptionist stammered. "It's way down the hall-you'll never be able to find-there are obstacles-" What obstacle did she think could possibly stand in my way? I asked again, a firm, no-more-nonsense request for information, but she refused to give even a hint. I considered returning to the corridor and seeking out a few more sets of directions. The minutes were fleeing, though, and I might not get back by twelve. I couldn't risk being late. "Never mind," I said. "I'll wait." Surely my editor would have no trouble explaining how to get from Point A to Point B. She was in the business of language, after all. I settled Yulie at my feet and thought about the meeting ahead. I had an idea for my next book, and I wondered when would be the ideal moment to raise the topic. Getting a first book published was wonderful, but I didn't want to stop there. Suddenly I heard the receptionist saying my editor's name. "Your twelve-o'clock appointment is here," she reported in a clipped, professional tone. Then her voice dropped to a stage whisper. "She has to go to the bathroom," she hissed, "and she's blind!" A rush of heat flooded my face. To the woman behind the desk I was not a triumphant new author. I was merely blind, with all the liabilities that blindness entailed for her. I was an irresponsible, oversized child, and at any moment I might pee on the furniture. Seconds later an inner door flew open, and my editor dashed out to avert disaster. After a quick exchange of pleasantries, she offered to show me to the ladies' room. She was abundantly gracious, and we went on to salvage our meeting, despite the awkward start. Over coffee and dessert I brought up my new book idea, and she invited me to submit a proposal. Publishing my first novel changed my life. I left my career in social work forever and became a full-time writer. But my first meeting with an editor was not the transformative event of that long-ago day. My pivotal moment came when I heard the receptionist's announcement over the office phone: "She has to go to the bathroom-and she's blind!" Blind since birth, I grew up having to prove myself to others. My family believed in me, but beyond the safe sphere of home the world was full of doubters and detractors. Teachers offered to lighten my assignments; Scout leaders discouraged me from going on field trips; at the amusement park a manager refused to let me ride the rollercoaster. "You better not try that, dear," I heard again and again. "Wait over here ... We'll do it for you ... That will be easier ... safer ..." Past success and present abilities counted for nothing. The refrain was endless: "You can't do that. It's not for you. You're blind." Achievement was the key, my parents assured me. If I studied hard and seized every opportunity, I would carve a place for myself in the world. I came to believe that, if I was enough of a success in life, someday people would see me fully. They would know that blindness did not define me, that it was just one aspect of who I was, like being female and American. The receptionist showed me that no achievement would ever free me from the humiliations of prejudice. As a student on a liberal campus in the 1960s, I answered the call to collective action many times. I marched on the Pentagon with a placard that demanded: "BRING THE BOYS BACK HOME!" I tutored underprivileged children and visited patients who languished on the state psychiatric wards. I knew I was blessed to have grown up with a loving family in a clean, comfortable suburb. Out in the Real World were millions who did not enjoy my good fortune. My generation was committed to change all that. We would shatter the bulwarks of inequality and create the world that ought to be. While I sang "We Shall Overcome" and added my voice to the chorus that called for "PEACE NOW!" I was fighting an endless series of lonely private battles. An art professor barred me from his studio sculpture course; a doctor in the campus clinic refused to sign my routine health form for a trip overseas; I was turned down for participation in a winter term project. It was because I was blind, they said. That was all the reason anyone needed. Those moments of exclusion folded into a predictable pattern. Each fresh incident evoked the memories of a lifetime, and each struggle honed my skills at fighting back. I learned to bargain, to build an argument, to go over heads. In the end, after varying degrees of stress and psychic pain, I usually prevailed. Doors opened-tentatively, grudgingly-but once I crossed the threshold I had another chance to prove myself capable. Though I won countless battles, the war dragged on. Sometimes I was forced to concede defeat. I had to take a different class or find an alternative winter term project when those in charge refused to yield. It never occurred to me that the roadblocks I dealt with were symptoms of a pervasive social injustice. Terms such as "racism" and "capitalist exploitation" were part of my vocabulary, but I knew no word for the exclusion I encountered because of my blindness. It seemed deeply personal, a shameful burden unique to my own experience. All of my friends were sighted. I had never had a blind mentor. In all my life I had never met a blind teacher, a blind shopkeeper, a blind banker, or even a blind homemaker raising children. As far as I could tell, blind people vanished into the stratosphere when they grew up. I was determined to share in all the challenges and bounty of life. I wanted to make meaningful contributions in the world. But I felt that I was embarking upon a solo journey. Whatever I chose to do, I would be a pioneer. After I graduated from college I earned a master's degree in social work. I had built a strong r?sum?, laced with volunteer work and summer internships in addition to my graduate training. Nevertheless, when I set out to find a job, the doors were bolted shut. My r?sum? won me a series of job interviews. Over the phone prospective employers were cordial and enthusiastic, but the tone turned cool the moment I walked through the door. Sometimes a position that was available that very morning miraculously had been filled at noon. Sometimes the interviewer served up advice. At the large agencies I was told to try a smaller place where the staff could give me the special attention I surely would need. At the small agencies I heard, "You should apply at one of the big places that have a lot of different programs; maybe they can fit you in somewhere." The social work director at a renowned private hospital declared, "Because of your handicap I'm not about to hire you. Why should I hire someone with a problem? I have dozens of other applicants to choose from." As the months passed, all of my classmates found work. They became self-supporting adults, respectable members of the community. I was still living at home, sending out r?sum?s, and growing more and more desperate. I began to understand that the treatment I received had nothing to do with my personal failings. It was a generic response to my blindness, not unlike the rejection African Americans historically experienced when they applied to an all-white college or sat down at a whites-only lunch counter. I was dealing with blatant discrimination. Surely there were people who could help me. I called the ACLU [American Civil Liberties Union]. The woman who answered the phone listened carefully, then passed my call to someone else. "We've never had a situation like this before," I heard, and my heart sank. I hung on as my call was handed on yet again to "someone who will know." "I'm sorry, but we can't help you," the voice of authority told me at last. "If it was discrimination because of race or religion or gender, we could take it on. But there aren't any laws about discrimination on the basis of disability. If you want help from us, you'll have to change the law first." I went back to my r?sum?s and my interviews. I was a pioneer, braving the roadless wilderness. After months of searching my persistence was rewarded at last. I found a position at a community mental health clinic in a settlement house on New York's Lower East Side. It was an ideal job for me, allowing me to work with a wide variety of clients. My colleagues were warm and welcoming, and I quickly became a full-fledged member of the team. I rented an apartment in the city and flung myself into my exciting new life. But I couldn't forget the ordeal of discrimination that I had endured. When a financial crisis threatened to close the settlement house and throw me back into the job market, I felt a clutch of dread. I had been lucky to find a place where I was accepted and valued, but I knew what the world could deliver. I had been living in New York for two years when I crossed paths with a blind acquaintance from my childhood. We had attended the same summer camp for blind children, and now she too was living in the city. Like me, she had encountered a wall of discrimination when she looked for a job after college. Now she had banded together with a group of other young blind professionals to write an amendment to the New York State Human Rights Act so that it would cover disability as well as race, religion, and gender. I remembered my call to the ACLU and pitched in to help. Here was my chance to change the law! It was thrilling to work with others who shared my perspective. Inspired by the spirit of the Sixties, we had joined forces to make a difference. Our amendment passed in the legislature and became part of the law in New York State. A few months later, the state law was superseded when the US Congress passed the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Its groundbreaking Section 504 forbade discrimination against people with disabilities in any program that received $2,500 or more per year in federal funds. What had happened was extraordinary. Hundreds of people with disabilities-blind people, deaf people, polio survivors, people with cerebral palsy-had pooled our strength and changed the world. We had won legal protections that never existed before. I stepped back in relief. I didn't want disability rights to become my life's work. With the passage of the new laws I felt free to move on. Of course, it was naive to imagine that Section 504 would vanquish discrimination. Yet I believed that change would be powerful and clear. Blind students would no longer be forbidden to take the classes they wanted, and blind job-seekers would have recourse if a prospective employer said, "Because of your handicap I'm not about to hire you." Busy with my career and my circle of friends, I didn't try to learn whether the law was having an impact. I wanted to believe in good news. Eventually I left my social work job and moved to San Miguel de Allende in Mexico to try my hand at writing. I would stay for a year, I told myself, but I stayed for five years altogether. I wrote a young-adult novel, Belonging. I sent it off to make its way in the world, and one day I received a letter saying that it had been accepted for publication. I went to The Dial Press to have lunch with my editor. The women's movement of the early Seventies coined the phrase, "The personal is political." What could be more personal than the desire to visit the ladies' room discreetly and with dignity? In that moment with the receptionist at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, my dignity was stripped away. The receptionist's assumptions about who I was and how she should treat me sprang from cultural beliefs about disability that stretch back before the dawn of history. I came to understand that every minute of every day, far worse scenes played out all over the nation and across the globe. The truth did not come to me with a blare of trumpets and a crash of cymbals. It seeped in drop by drop as the years passed; everyday life brought reminders and reinforcements I could no longer ignore. I realized that laws were a splendid beginning, but they were not enough to change people's minds and hearts. Neither could achievement free me or any other person with a disability from the clinging web of prejudice. Discrimination would persist in myriad forms unless we worked together and assailed it with inexhaustible resolve. I never wanted to make disability rights my life's work, but step by step I waded into activism. Turning away was no longer an option. There was so much to be done that it would take millions of people and more lifetimes than I could count. I became a committed member of the National Federation of the Blind, an organization that advocates for the full participation of blind people in all aspects of life. We fight for equal opportunities in education and employment, for access to technology, for the right of blind parents to raise their children, for accurate portrayals of blind people in the media. We work to educate the public about the abilities of blind people and the contributions we can make when we are given a chance. To me one of our most crucial activities is the mentoring of blind young people. We try to teach them that they can walk with confidence, that they can grow up to carry all the privileges and responsibilities of adulthood, that it's perfectly respectable to be blind. Discrimination still stalks the workplace, but opportunities have opened in fields as diverse as teaching, chemistry, and computer science. Little by little, anti-discrimination laws and public education are making inroads. And today when I visit the offices of a publisher, I don't have to ask where the ladies' room is. On the wall outside each restroom door is a Braille sign clearly marked "MEN" or "WOMEN." Discreetly and with dignity, I can choose the right door. ---------- [PHOTO SHOWCASE: Mary Ellen Jernigan] The Lobby of the Anaheim Hilton: The Third Dimension of the National Convention by Mary Ellen Jernigan From the Editor: Mary Ellen Jernigan joined the National Federation of the Blind in the decade of the 60s. She began her career in the field of blindness by working for Dr. Kenneth Jernigan at the Iowa Commission for the Blind and rose to become its assistant director. She moved to Baltimore in 1978 and has worked for the NFB since that time handling everything from the minute details of accounting and auditing to the planning for the computer infrastructure at the Jernigan Institute. She is best known to many for the miracles she performed in coordinating our national conventions, but she is most loved for the insight and commitment she reveals when she puts pen to paper and reveals her intellect, heart, and spirit in her infrequent speeches and presentations. One of the things I love about her personality is that she is strong and at the same time flexible; certain of her basic philosophic and ideological beliefs and at the same time reflective enough to examine them. We wish to thank her for all of the years of hard work, intelligence, and creativity that have made this address possible. Here are the comments she made to a seminar focusing on convention planning held over the weekend of February 19 and 20, 2016: When President Riccobono opened this conference yesterday afternoon, he said that each of our conventions has two dimensions-the logistical and the political. He told us that we must learn to manage both of those dimensions, making them work together seamlessly, to create a convention experience that amplifies the characteristics inherent in the promise and power of the Federation. Then he described that experience as it first hit him twenty years ago: "I entered the lobby of the Anaheim Hilton, carrying my rickety fold- up white cane....and just being in that space, I felt joy and hope and power and love falling all around me. Listen to that one more time: Just being in that space... Although he didn't name that experience for us yesterday, I want to name it for us tonight. It is the third dimension of the convention. I call it the Spiritual dimension. A little more elusive than the other two dimensions-the logistical and the political. But just as real. And we have been talking about it yesterday and today-or at least nibbling around its edges without quite bringing it straight out into the open. Let me go back to our president. About six months before he became our president, when he was directing the Jernigan Institute, he spearheaded a branding exercise: very expensive, time consuming, headed by outsiders, and heavy on following a canned set of procedures dictated to us by our assigned facilitators. If you are getting the impression that I was less than excited about the whole project, you would be right. Let me just say here that I have learned not to underestimate the wisdom of our President. During the first session as we started through the canned process, all of us were describing proudly the wonderful programs and activities of the Federation-especially the ones to which each of us felt some pride in our own contributions. Suddenly, our facilitator interrupted us and said with some exasperation, "No, No, No! Stop talking to me about what you DO. I want you to talk to me about who you ARE." That was when I stopped sulking about the process and began to listen. Many of you know that I have been involved in managing the logistical details for our national conventions for the last forty-five years or so. This has meant that for several months of each of those years the planning of those details has taken much of my energy and attention. So, obviously I don't think such details are unimportant. But, they are important only in the context of how and whether they contribute to who we are. The things we do-our favorite programs and our cherished projects-are not who we are. The two are not independent of each other-they are most certainly interconnected, but they are not the same. All too often, for many of us, our tendency is to focus mainly on the tasks themselves-getting whatever it is done efficiently and competently- planning the agenda, selecting the speakers, confirming that they will remember to show up, selling the banquet tickets, printing the badges, making the restaurant guides, whatever. Just as the convention should not be about its logistics, it should not be primarily about more information. Information has its place; we have many avenues of getting it out, and we are good at doing so. We invite speakers to our conventions and then suffer through program items filled with facts, figures, and statistics-how many books in which formats did the library distribute, how many closures of which kind did the rehab agency rack during the year, what field trips did the students at the school for the blind take? But ask yourself. When you go home from convention, what do you take with you? What makes you anticipate the next one? What makes you save your money and your vacation days so that you won't miss it? I doubt that it's those facts and figures. At its best the convention is about what we create when we come together. It's about something no one of us can do without the rest of us. To me this means that we should be able to take each and every part of our convention-from the seemingly insignificant act of working at an information table to inviting speakers and planning the program agenda-and relate that act to who we are. And if we can't do that, or don't like what we see when we do, then it is something we shouldn't do-or we should at least evaluate how we are doing it. How does including this specific activity in the convention transform dreams into reality? Does it reflect respect? Is it inviting? Does it encourage participation? Does it raise expectations? Does it encourage people to know that their contributions make a difference to themselves and others? Is it inspiring? Is it filled with love? Does it offer hope? Does it create something that did not exist before we did it? If you can't answer yes to at least some of these questions, then ask yourself another question: why are you planning to do it at all? At their best our conventions are alive with the vibrant energy of who we are at our deepest level. Though conventions are not the programs and activities that we undertake, they most certainly create them. Let me give you an example. I started teaching cane travel at the Iowa Commission for the Blind in 1966, and I was good at it. Joanne Wilson was one of my students, so was Patricia Maurer, and for a brief period, Marc Maurer also. I was trained by a sighted travel teacher who was there before me, and when I left, I trained another sighted person to take my place. Dr. Jernigan was director of the Commission. He had hired all three of us. He was proud of the Iowa travel program. It was part of cutting edge Federation philosophy-what could happen when rehab programs were run by people who believed in blind people. And yet he, Kenneth Jernigan, our leader and president, hired only sighted travel teachers. He took our students with their exceedingly long white canes to NFB national conventions, where they showed off their exceptional skills-to the envy of many and the irritation of others. Soon the Iowa students began showing others how to use a long white cane to travel more effectively. Our Federation training centers still offer cutting edge cane travel training, but today most of our travel teachers are blind, and it took our coming together in convention to make it happen. It came about because of relationships and factual observation. It came about because of a shift in our collective thought processes that something was not quite right in our thinking. It came about because of an openness to change. Today there are specific elements that give a unifying dimension to our conventions: renewal of commitment, the incorporation of rookies into the body of the Federation, the mentoring of scholarship winners, the reaching out to parents of blind children, the hammering out of policy- sometimes confirming, sometimes changing our direction-the giving of hope to the hopeless, the sharing of resources-financial and emotional-the love falling on all who care to receive it. Through all of this mingling and melding, something new and precious emerges-something that manages somehow to be collective, and yet very personal to each of us. When we do it right, this is true for longtime members and new recruits alike. So, I would say that the primary function of our conventions is to tend and nurture our own integrity as a life-building movement in a self- renewing way. Not in a static way that carves into stone what was done in the past or believed to be "right," but in a way that is right for the times in which we live now. When we do that, the future form of the ever-changing "what-we-do" at the tactical and strategic levels will be merely a new expression of the unchanging "who-we-are" at the inner spiritual level. Joy and hope. Power and love. Falling all around us. Or we might simply say it this way: "The lobby of the Anaheim Hilton." ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Geerat J. Vermeij bends over to reach into aquatic grasses while standing in water nearly to his knees] On Careers in the Blindness Field and the Freedom to Choose by Geerat J. Vermeij From the Editor: Dr. Vermeij is a scientist of considerable fame, and the Braille Monitor is blessed by the fact that he is a reader of the magazine and sometimes writes articles that add significantly to discussions featured in these pages. In the January 2016 issue we featured an article by Justin Salisbury entitled "Keeping Some of the Good Oranges," making the case that we cannot send all of our best people to other fields and that some need to stay in work with the blind to help others. Dr. Vermeij offers the perspective that having highly qualified people in work with the blind is a good idea, but not at the expense of doing what one's heart, head, talent, and inclination indicate he or she should do. He also argues that integration means going beyond the blindness field and demonstrating our abilities in diverse areas where people come to know us as competent colleagues, valued mentors, and trusted friends. Here is what Dr. Vermeij has to say: It was the last day of the fourth International Paleontological Congress, held in late 2014 in Mendoza, the wine capital of Argentina. Miguel Griffin, one of Argentina's foremost paleontologists, was about to introduce me as that day's plenary speaker to an audience of some 1,200 colleagues from all over the world. For years I had been studying the circumstances that permit and compel some lineages of animals and plants to evolve to gigantic sizes. I measured specimens in museums and in my own collections, read hundreds of scientific papers, and spent many hours reflecting on the results; and now it was time to bring all this work together into a coherent story, with wide-ranging implications for how we interpret the history and future of life on our planet. It was thrilling to communicate my findings and thoughts on this widely discussed topic to a receptive audience of exclusively sighted scientists. Together with the scientific paper that I subsequently published on the subject in the journal PLoS One, this event was one of many in my professional life that fulfilled my aspirations to participate and play a leading role in the global scientific enterprise. Following the congress, about a dozen of us went on a field excursion to Patagonia, led by Miguel Griffin and Alejandra Pagani. We visited fossil sites, drove over thousands of kilometers of washboard roads, ate delicious meat-heavy dinners in which the principal vegetable was wine, and ended with a visit to the spectacular Museo Paleontol?gico Egidio Feruglio in Trelew, home to the largest (and still unpublished) dinosaur ever discovered. I am one of those supremely fortunate blind people who, thanks to a wonderful family, the gift of Braille, and a first-rate education in two countries was given the opportunity to enter the profession of my choice. >From a very young age, I yearned to be a scientist. With my love of shells and of the natural world generally, I gravitated inexorably to biology and the earth sciences. Flexibly minded mentors, an incredibly smart and supportive spouse, accommodating employers, and talented students and assistants enabled me to become a competitive scholar-scientist, one who continues to live a full life of field and museum research, writing, reading, university teaching, journal editing, reviewing papers, and engaging with the blind and sighted public through lectures, presentations, media appearances, and service on commissions and as a museum trustee. Two motivations power this trajectory. First is an immense, all- encompassing curiosity about how the world works and about the principles underlying its history. I have a passion for science, the most reliable way we have of uncovering empirical truths and exploring natural phenomena. Second is the expectation and hope that what I do benefits society in a meaningful and lasting way. The work may be academic and curiosity-driven, but it bears directly on the world's current and future environmental crisis as well as on the application of evolutionary principles to understand human economic structure and behavior. To be sure, a career at a premier research university comes with a certain status, but that by itself would never be enough to sustain an active engagement with the facts and ideas of science. Why, the reader may ask, has blindness figured so little in my life's work? Do I not feel an overwhelming responsibility to dedicate my energies to teaching other blind people or to expand my efforts into advocacy for issues that matter to the blindness community? Could I not be accused of ignoring the problems faced by my fellow blind humans in favor of selfish scientific interests? Does a career like mine, in which involvement with the blindness community is well-meaning but incidental, reflect the destructive attitude that work in the blindness field is somehow unimportant or inferior? The answer to this question, according to Justin Salisbury in his article "Keeping Some of the Good Oranges" (Braille Monitor, January 2016), is yes. According to Salisbury, a second-year graduate student, blind people who insist on working and staying in fields outside the blindness field harbor unwarranted feelings of smug superiority. Let me deal with these issues in turn. The first question concerns a sense of obligation to the blindness community. The honest answer in my case is that, although I find it important to give back, this sentiment extends broadly to the academic community and the scientific enterprise in which I was raised, and is not limited or primarily focused on the blind. I can only hope that, by being the best scientist I can be, I might be seen as a respectable and desirable role model by aspiring blind scholars and by anyone else with the drive and wherewithal to enter the competitive but immensely satisfying world of science. This role is ideal for one who, like me, is not enough of a people person to become deeply involved in worthy political causes or with extensive outreach. For better or worse, my talents and interests lie elsewhere. Reflection persuades me that fulfillment in one's work and in one's life as a whole comes by acting on unvarnished self-knowledge, a combination of responsibility, and of knowing who we are, what we are good at, and what our passions are. Integrity, it seems to me, derives from being honest about ourselves, being open to others, and being true to our ideals. As to the second question, the choice of one career over another does not mean that the other is less important or less worthwhile. Having been the recipient of some superb teaching, I am fully convinced of the crucial place of education in shaping people and of the central role that talented blind people can play in it. Likewise I value and admire an effective, levelheaded political leader, a benevolent and flexible administrator, a competent plumber, and a farmer who sells the finest locally grown California oranges at the Davis farmer's market. This does not mean, however, that I should be the one to do what these people do, nor does it imply that those pursuits carry less prestige. Regardless of what we do for a living, we develop a legitimate sense of self-worth and honor and meaning when we carry out our responsibilities well. Status and respect flow from our accomplishments, not from either good intentions or from job descriptions. We must in any case avoid conflating the importance of our work with the passions that motivate it and the talents and skills that enable it. One of the most enduring goals of the National Federation of the Blind is to ensure that blind people have the same range of opportunities as their sighted peers. Some of us will choose to work in the blindness field, where great talent and passion are most certainly needed; whereas others, like me, will find other ways to contribute to fields and causes where talented blind people can also make a difference. As blind people living at a time of unprecedented opportunity, we should celebrate the freedom that comes with greater choice. Knowing what the options are and how our interests and abilities mesh with them is a key ingredient in fashioning a productive and rewarding career. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Ever Lee Hairston] When Assertiveness and Confidence Made All the Difference by Ever Lee Hairston From the Editor: Ever Lee Hairston is a member of the national board of directors, the first vice president of the National Federation of the Blind of California, and the author of a newly released book entitled Blind Ambition: One Woman's Journey to Greatness Despite Her Blindness. Here is her story about what should have been a quick trip through the airport that was turned into a test of will and a race against time: I arrived at the LAX Airport at approximately 11:15 p.m. and was scheduled to depart on the 12:40 a.m. flight to Charlotte, North Carolina. I booked this flight only a few hours prior to arriving at the airport in view of the fact that my mother's vital signs indicated that she was in critical condition, and I was making every attempt to get to the Alston Brook Nursing Home in Lexington, North Carolina. Upon arriving at terminal seven at the airport, one of the American Airlines agents approached me and stated, "Due to the mass construction at the airport, all flights are departing from terminal four." I asked her what the fastest way to get to terminal four was. She stated that a bus for disabled persons would come soon, and I should sit and wait. After sitting for fifteen minutes, which seemed like hours, I told her that I would walk to terminal four. "But you are blind, and you can't," she said. I found the exit door by using my long white cane, and I started walking toward terminal four carrying a heavy handbag and a backpack. At the bus stop I got on, and the driver drove past terminal four without alerting me. Therefore, when I got off the bus, I had to walk back in the opposite direction, still with my heavy bags and time that was passing by and lessening the chances I would make my flight. When I got inside terminal four, I yelled for help. It seemed as if no one was around. Finally, an airline agent approached me and asked if she could help. I asked for directions to security. She told me to have a seat, and she would get someone to help me. Feeling desperate, I explained why it was so important for me to get on the 12:40 a.m. flight. I then asked her to direct me to the quickest way to security. "The steps are here, but you are blind." I ran up the steps and was prepared to go through the security process when she held onto my back, which set off the metal detector. I asked her not to touch me, and she said she was afraid that I might fall. I was really losing my patience at this point. "You watched me run up the steps, and now you think it is necessary to keep me from falling on a flat surface?" After going through the metal detector, I asked the officer to direct me to my gate. Then I heard my name being called over the paging system. By this point I was very nervous and desperate, so I began to run as fast as I could. Finally I got a break; an agent at the gate saw me and yelled, "Stop, I see you, and I will not close the door." I sat on the plane realizing that, if I had not used my skills, I would have missed my flight. I thought about how often, in the kindest tones and probably with the best of motives, we are asked to sit and wait for someone to help us. I thought of former President Maurer's statement at the March for Independence where John Lewis appeared. Dr. Maurer said that we are tired of being told to sit down and wait, that we spend too many hours waiting, and that we intend to take control of our own lives. It isn't always easy to disobey an order, especially one that is in all likelihood made with the best of intentions, but sometimes it is necessary to be assertive, confrontive, and to do what needs to be done. Very often we feel the need to be unassailably kind and courteous, thinking of ourselves as ambassadors of goodwill and the educators of sighted people. But there are times when one has to prioritize, and for me the priority was getting to my mother's bedside. This phenomenal trip had an extraordinary ending because I arrived at the Alston Brook Nursing Home shortly before my mother expired. What a difference it made knowing that I was independent enough to travel on my own. What a difference it made knowing that I could refuse help when it wasn't needed and direct those to give me the help I really did need. To the people who encountered me in the airport that day, patiently waiting and meekly obeying their requests might have made me a more pleasant passenger in their eyes, but my more important mission was to say goodbye to my mother. I thank God for the tough-minded independence I have learned throughout my life and which has been supported by my brothers and sisters in the National Federation of the Blind. ---------- 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: Mike Freeman] An Introduction to Diabetes and Insulin Pumps by Mike Freeman From the Editor: One pledge we have made is to use the pages of the Braille Monitor to keep people up-to-date on one of the most significant health issues affecting the blind-diabetes. Mike Freeman is the president of the Diabetes Action Network, and he does a stellar job of scanning the literature and bringing information to the division and this magazine. Sometimes what he offers are articles synthesizing what he has learned. At other times he recommends that something he has read be reprinted. This time he has done both because of the complexity of the subject being discussed and his attempt to explain alternative ways to treat diabetes, the role of technology, and the barriers to blind people wishing to use it. Here is what he says: Diabetes mellitus (the full medical term for the disease we usually call diabetes) is a metabolic disease characterized by an insufficiency in the production of the hormone insulin or the inability of the cells of the body to efficiently use this hormone. Insulin is normally produced by the pancreas, a small gland located behind the stomach. When we eat, our digestive system breaks down the food into its components-protein, fat, carbohydrate, and trace minerals. The water-soluble carbohydrate is in turn broken down into its components, principally the simple sugar known as glucose. The cells of the body then take in this glucose to meet their energy needs. The protein and fat are also broken down and sometimes also are converted into glucose for energy. The glucose that isn't needed for current energy is stored in the liver as what is known as glycogen; the liver may be ordered later to release this glycogen if the body detects that the level of glucose in the blood is getting too low. The water- insoluble carbohydrate is called fiber, and the body gets rid of it as waste. All of the cells of the body need insulin in order to process glucose with the exception of brain cells that can use glucose directly. Thus, if there is no insulin being produced by the pancreas (Type 1 Diabetes) or there is less insulin being produced than is needed or the cells of the body don't respond to insulin very well (both conditions are called Type 2 Diabetes), the cells can't get enough energy, and the level of glucose in the blood rises to dangerous levels. Over time, high levels of glucose in the blood often lead to damage to other systems in the body, resulting in such complications of diabetes such as heart disease, arterial disease, diabetic retinopathy (damage to the nerves in the eyes), and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (damage to nerves of the hands, feet, and possibly nerves controlling other functions such as digestion). Thus, diabetic complications are serious and are to be avoided if possible. The way to do this is to control the level of glucose in the blood, keeping it as close to the normal level for people who do not have diabetes as possible while avoiding the side effect of blood glucose getting too low. For people with Type 1 diabetes, this means supplying insulin artificially to replace that no longer being produced by the pancreas. This may also be the treatment of choice for people with Type 2 diabetes. Some people with Type 2 diabetes are able to control the disease through diet and exercise alone (exercise makes muscle cells take up blood glucose for energy). In addition, there are a number of drugs available that do things like getting the pancreas to produce more insulin, lessening the amount of carbohydrate being absorbed into the body, lengthening the amount of time it takes carbohydrates to be absorbed so that the level of blood glucose in the blood rises more slowly than might be expected, and, finally, making the cells use insulin more efficiently (we call this last phenomenon "lowering of insulin resistance"). All these medications can be administered by mouth except for insulin; the digestive system would destroy the insulin, so it must be injected under the skin. People with diabetes can inject themselves directly by shots or by using insulin pumps. In either case, these people with diabetes must balance the amount of carbohydrate they eat with the amount of insulin they inject to process this carbohydrate. From the foregoing it should be clear that diabetes is not one of those diseases about which the doctor says: "Take these pills and come back in two weeks to see if you're well again." Diabetes involves a fair amount of effort from the person with the disease; blood glucose levels need to be checked from once a day to as often as ten or twelve times a day, depending upon the person; meals must be planned so that the amount of nutrients they contain are known or the amount of these nutrients must be guessed at and medications must often be taken in order to deal with these nutrients. Between finger sticks, giving oneself shots, and learning all the terminology to begin to understand and manage the disease is a challenge to say the least. There are two blood glucose meters fully accessible to the blind: the Prodigy Voice? and the Solus V2? (only the last ten readings from memory can be reviewed using the meter alone with speech, although all the readings are available on the visual display). Insulin stored in "insulin pens" is easily controlled since pens click for each half-unit or full unit of insulin one desires to inject (100 units equals one cubic centimeter or one milliliter). There is also a device known as the Prodigy Count-a-Dose, which allows insulin dose amounts to be selected accurately using insulin vials and syringes. Now we come to insulin pumps, discussed in the article that follows. These are microprocessor-controlled machines which inject insulin under the skin using cannula and tubing or, in one instance, a small reservoir taped to the skin with a small tube sticking into the skin. The insulin dose administered by the pump is controlled by the program running in the machine's microprocessor or by the person wearing the pump. Insulin pumps are all the rage among diabetic endocrinologists today because they have the potential to give better control over the amount of insulin in the body, thus potentially allowing the pump-user to more closely approximate the way the pancreas would normally secrete insulin into the body during the day and night. Insulin pumps can also be beneficial for those squeamish about injecting themselves using needles (although needles are disposable, much smaller, sharper, and thus, less painful than in the past). The kicker is that the insulin pump requires the person to know more about diabetes and pay more attention to control than might be the case were a pump not used. Depending upon the person, injections might be preferable since the person is not attached constantly to a machine. It's very much a case of "different strokes for different folks." The article below also discusses "continuous glucose monitoring systems" (CGMS's). These are blood glucose meters that, rather than assaying a sample of blood directly, report the amount of glucose in the blood inferred from a censor placed under the skin and transmitted to the meter wirelessly. The censor is replaced every few days. The meter usually records the glucose reading every five minutes, displaying these readings as a graph or by time and date and setting off an alarm if the readings it sees are below or above thresholds set by the meter user. Finger-sticks are not gone completely, though. The meter and censor's readings must be calibrated using the results of blood glucose readings taken using a conventional blood glucose meter at given intervals, perhaps once every day or two. Ideally, the CGMS and pump should talk to each other, allowing the pump to infer how much insulin it should give or not give depending upon the CGMS reading it sees. This would, in effect, amount to an artificial pancreas. There are some such systems in clinical trials, but none have been tested and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and therefore are not available for purchase. So people with diabetes who use pumps still must control blood glucose levels themselves. Certain terms used in the article that follows may be unfamiliar: . Basal rate: the pancreas normally secretes a small amount of insulin continuously to control blood glucose levels between meals and at night. The Basal rate is the rate of continuous insulin secretion the pump user programs into the pump. . Bolus: the insulin dose the user injects or tells the pump to inject to cover the carbohydrate eaten with a meal . On-board Insulin: the amount of insulin still in the body as a result of a previous bolus If this article and the one that follows leaves the reader with questions, please contact Mike Freeman, president of the Diabetes Action Network, by writing to him at . ---------- [PHOTO/CAPTION: Veronica Elsea] Accessibility of Insulin Pumps in 2015 by Veronica Elsea From the Editor: What does it mean to say that a particular piece of equipment is accessible, and does what that equipment is used for change the standard? The reader will notice in this article how resourceful Veronica must be in counting beeps and in pressing a button in the hope that she will be placed on the desired screen. It is one thing to say that an oven is accessible if a person can adjust its temperature in five-degree increments by counting beeps. If the oven starts at 325, setting the temperature to 450 is certainly doable. If one is off by a single press, either through difficulty in counting or a button press that doesn't register or beep, the chances are that the food will still be edible. But if miscounting beeps or not getting a confirmatory tone changes how much medication one gives, the consequences may be very different. Veronica Elsea is a music business owner living in Santa Cruz, California. She has produced several albums to date including "Diabetes Melodious," using her music to help others live with the day-to-day challenges of diabetes. Blind since infancy, she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in her thirties. After three years of less-than-ideal control using regular and NPH insulins, she began using an insulin pump in 1991 and continues to rely on the pump's benefits today. Since being diagnosed she has taken advantage of living close to many of the companies that manufacture diabetes management equipment, sitting down with engineers and educating them on how their equipment could be made accessible to those who are blind and visually impaired. In the early nineties she worked intensively to help persuade medical professionals that people who are blind can successfully manage insulin pumps without constant assistance from a sighted person. Over the past twenty-five years, she has offered support and encouragement to others who are blind who wish to know more about using an insulin pump through the Diabetes Action Network and personal contacts. Today she continues to find contacts among diabetes equipment manufacturers, medical professionals, politicians, and people living with diabetes in order to educate, engineer, and advocate for improvements in equipment which would allow those who are blind and visually impaired to make use of modern equipment in gaining or maintaining optimum diabetes control. Here is what she has to say: I have been attached to an insulin pump since September of 1991. My first pump was the H-Tron V100 from Disetronic. For the past ten years I have been using the Deltec Cozmo from Smiths Medical. Neither of these pumps are currently available. Disetronic has been purchased by Roche, and Smiths Medical is no longer in the diabetes business. Since my current pump is long out of warranty, I am quite concerned about what I'll do when it stops working. On Saturday, March 7, 2015, I attended the day-long seminar organized by Taking Control of Your Diabetes. In lieu of attending some of the workshops, I spent most of my time in the exhibit hall visiting with all of the insulin pump manufacturers who chose to attend. I was able to spend some quality time with all of the pumps, gaining hands-on experience with each. I tried out the Medtronic MiniMed 530G, The Animas Vibe, Animas Ping, Asante Snap pump, Insulet Corporation's OmniPod, Tandem Diabetes t:slim, and the Roche Accu-Chek Spirit. In the early nineties pumps were designed with convenience and easy access through clothing in mind. Hence, they had large, easy-to-find buttons, simply designed functions, beeps to guide the user through all processes, and only a few different functions available. With today's smart pumps, the devices take on more of the work such as figuring out carb counts, more alarms, connecting with meters and continuous glucose monitors, offering more programming options for the users. This increase in functionality has led to an increased reliance on complex menuing or "wizards" which bring up varying screens depending on the user's responses to questions. Since users are now expected to be looking at the pump screen or that of a connected meter, the easily found buttons are disappearing, and the manufacturers no longer see any need for keypad beeps, so those have all been removed. These changes pose a considerable challenge for those of us who are blind or visually impaired because we have lost significant access to information and functions provided by the pump. As a totally blind pump user, I will begin my review by explaining what I can and cannot do with the Cozmo 1800, which I am still using. Things I can do very easily on the Cozmo pump: . Change batteries . Fill and change cartridge . Change and prime tubing . Change and monitor cannulas (Cleo 90) . Verify that button presses succeeded because of keypad beeps . Keep track of where I am in the menus . Get myself out of the menus . Use "touch" bolus, programmed in grams of carbs . Enter BG (blood glucose) reading manually in correction bolus screen . Deliver correction bolus . Set up and deliver meal bolus on bolus screen . Set up and deliver combination bolus . Set up and deliver extended bolus . Set up and use temporary basal rates . Change time and date settings . Silence alarms . Stop pump Things I can do very carefully or with a bit of verification by a sighted person: . Change basal rates . Restart pump after it has been stopped . Change or add new insulin/carb ratios Things requiring initial assistance that helped: . Customize menus, removing items I could not use . Some initial pump setup was faster with assistance Things I can do easily on the computer with CoZmanager software: . Send complete pump settings to a new pump . Verify anything changed in the pump itself . Access and change all pump settings and configuration: time/date, insulin sensitivity and duration, target BG, alarms, and more. . Change or add basal patterns . Set up temporary basal profiles For me one of the most important benefits of using an insulin pump is taking advantage of the "insulin on board" feature, especially when correcting for high blood glucose readings. Here's a description of how I do this on the Cozmo: I've programmed a target BG level into my pump at 100. Let's say I do a finger stick, and my reading is 180. In the Cozmo I'd do the following: hit the next button once to wake up the pump and hit it again to get into the menus. Hit down-arrow once for the correction bolus screen and press next to select it. The screen shows 100, and I must hit the up-arrow until I reach 180. So I'm listening for the keypad beeps as I count to 80. Then I hit next to continue. At this point the screen displays either how much insulin I need or how much is being subtracted if I still have insulin remaining in my system from a previous bolus. I can't read this display, but if I hit the up-arrow and hear no beep, it means that the pump doesn't think I need any more insulin. I hit "next" again, and here I can override the pump if I choose by hitting the up-arrow till I've added the amount I want. I then hit next again to finish. This feature would not be available to me at all without the keypad beeps as feedback during the process. On the Cozmo being able to separate the correction bolus from the meal bolus means less opportunity to forget which screen I'm on. No pump currently on the market comes with software which allows the user to program the pump from the computer using a screen reader. Asante Snap Pump Review: . Easy cartridge loading: This pump uses pre-filled cartridges that just snap into the pump; this eliminates any worry about air bubbles. . No priming necessary . Battery is part of the cartridge which is replaced . It uses proprietary cannulas which required a bit of trickery to figure out the orientation before inserting. . Button pushes involve pressing a button on one end of the pump and confirming by pressing a button on another end, so often requiring two hands . An easy bolus can be set up, but it is way down in the menus; doing this means that we'd give up other features. . Items that one might want to ask a sighted person to review, such as amount left in cartridge or insulin on board, are way down in menus. . No keypad beeps . Button pushes are fairly steady but mistakes could happen without feedback; these mistakes happen because pressing a button too hard can cause the pump to scroll, and sometimes button presses just don't take. Some studies were begun to develop speech output for this pump. Unfortunately Asante has gone out of business as of May 15, 2015, and this pump is no longer available. Customers are being referred to Animas. Medtronic MiniMed 530G Review: This pump comes with an integrated continuous glucose monitor and connects through Bluetooth to the Bayer Contour meter. During my demo it was difficult to get the representative to discuss any method of doing anything that didn't involve making use of the remote features. . Batteries easy to change . Cartridge easy to change . Priming easy . All cannulas proprietary and I found them more challenging to insert . Home screen button for getting out of menus . No easy bolus button on side or edge of pump . Easy bolus wizard still requires a lot of button pushes and pump taken out of hiding place . No keypad beeps . No way to enter correction bolus without going through wizard which includes meal bolus; this means extra steps to answer yes or no; just more opportunity to lose one's place . Easy to have someone read insulin remaining in cartridge; insulin on board is better than it used to be but still buried a bit . Can run temporary basal but tricky to change regular basal rates . Could not figure out how to enter BG reading manually . Could not figure out how to set up combo or extended bolus . Stopping the pump was reasonably easy, although this is connected with the CGM based on programmed readings . Different sounds for low and high CGM alarms but no way to read CGM output or interpret other alarms from predictive alerts . Pump cannot be used with the Dexcom Share app because it is a different model of CGM . Computer software only designed to send information from pump to healthcare team Unfortunately the rep was so intent on telling me what was wrong with all of the other pumps that it was difficult to get some questions answered. The rep could not seem to grasp that simply using the accompanying meter and sending a blood glucose reading to the pump was not acceptable because we still need to know what our readings are. Animas Vibe and Ping Review: The Animas Vibe includes the Dexcom G4 continuous glucose monitor while the Ping includes a meter which serves as a remote. The meter is not accessible although those who can work with a high-contrast device may find the Animas to be a satisfactory choice. . Batteries easy to change . Cartridges easy to change . Priming easy . Cannulas and tubing: uses any luer lock sets . No keypad beeps except when using "audio bolus" button . Easy-to-feel bolus button on the end of the pump; can deliver in units of insulin, not in grams of carbs . Most actions require more confirmation steps than they do on many other pumps . Would be able to enter BG manually if one could verify by keypad beeps; as it is, pressing button a bit too hard can cause scrolling which would lead to errors . Had trouble figuring out combo and extended boluses . Did not get to try to enter basal patterns. . Custom sounds can be used for some alarms, but not critical ones like low battery or cartridge. . Pressing up- or down-arrow several times will eventually arrive at the top or bottom of a menu because menu does not wrap. . Information could be quickly read by a sighted person if desired. . Pump includes CalorieKing database, but it's not accessible. . The Vibe has a button on top which when pressed shows the output from the Dexcom; handy if there's someone else around to read it; cannot use Vibe with Dexcom SHARE. Insulet OmniPod Review: This pump has no tubing. Insulin is stored in the "pod," and communication occurs with a remote. Because insulin is stored in the pod, not in the main pump, this pump is not currently covered by Medicare. The remote contains a FreeStyle meter which is not accessible. Both the pods and the remote have gotten smaller since this pump first came on the market. . Pods very easy to insert . Filling pod takes a bit of creativity if you don't fill completely. For instance, if you don't use 200 units of insulin in three days . ID screen can be daunting: To turn on pump, press "on" then one must press "yes." However, this is either the left or right soft button, and there's no way for user to know which it is for any given session. . Also requires many button presses to confirm actions. "Yes" and "no" are not always consistently assigned to predictable soft buttons. . Home button always takes user out of menus. . No quick or easy bolus option; must go through wizard. . No keypad beeps . Can enter BG reading manually but no feedback from keypad beeps; buttons don't tend to scroll so easily. . More identical-sounding alarms such as out of range of pod, malfunctioning pod, etc. . Must go very deep into menus if asking sighted person to read information. . OmniPod plans to incorporate a Dexcom CGM in the future. . Unfortunately, beginning with its next model, the OmniPod will be another touchscreen pump. Tandem T:slim Review: This is a touchscreen pump. Unfortunately the icons on the screen do not land in the same area for each page so a usable template could not be created to aid in locating items. . Battery charges by connecting to USB for fifteen minutes a day. . Cartridge very different from other pumps but fillable. . Priming takes longer but is doable. . Cannulas: can use standard luer lock sets; bought patents from Smiths Medical. . Very nice low-pitched confirmation and keypad beeps. . Easy quick bolus button on edge of pump; bolus in units of insulin . Screen bright with good contrast . Turning on pump depends on tricky timing and pressing a sequence of buttons. . Almost all features show varying screens after user answers question. . Could not independently perform any actions on pump. . Plans to incorporate Dexcom CGM in future model Roche Accu-Chek Spirit Review: The pump can be controlled on the unit itself or via a remote. . Battery changing: easy . Cartridge very standard . Priming easy . Cannulas: uses standard luer lock sets . Unit has keypad beeps and audio feedback for completion of actions . Only most basic functions can be performed from pump. . Can set temporary basals easily . Can change regular basal rates with some difficulty . All smart features require remote. . Remote has no keypad beeps. . Remote relies on "wizards" to guide user through questions; almost impossible to memorize functions or patterns . Inaccessible meter is included but does not directly communicate with pump Dexcom G4 Review: The unit itself is not accessible when setting alarm ranges. High and low alarms do sound different, but alarms such as problems with transmitter or receiver do not stand out. BG readings appear on the display every five minutes along with a graph which shows how rapidly the user's BG level is rising or falling. On the unit itself, I could silence an alarm even though I couldn't identify the cause of some of them. Calibration required concentration but was possible. Dexcom SHARE no longer requires the user to purchase a separate receiver. The SHARE app for iDevices and Android allows the Dexcom display to be seen on the device containing the app. Screenreaders may read the most recent number, but there is no representation of the graphs. The Apple Watch is simply considered another external device and does not behave any differently from an iPhone or iPad. I found the CGM felt like a lot of work for someone who does not have hypoglycemia unawareness. In conclusion, I have no idea which pump I'd purchase if my Cozmo reached the end of its life today. I hope that as long as some pumps and other medical devices still rely on buttons for their operation, companies can be convinced to return keypad beeps as an option for all users. I certainly hope that the current fascination with touchscreen devices does not preclude those who are blind from obtaining the same standard of care afforded to those who are sighted. But for now, a serious gap remains. ---------- [PHOTO/CAPTION: Gabe Vega in his office.] Business and Being Blind: One Man's Winning Combination by Gary Wunder As we navigate the job market of the second decade of the twenty- first century, it is clear that small businesses are coming to play an ever- increasing role in the workforce of our country and that many of us who once would have worked for someone else will have to create our own businesses to thrive in this economy. A number of people have speculated about this change, opining that it is a good thing for blind people because they believe we will encounter less discrimination in working for ourselves than in trying to work for someone else. Still others say that the same kind of discrimination that keeps us from being hired in private- and public-sector jobs still exists when we go to look for bank loans, try to network to create business associates and a customer base, and strive to work with technology which is either inaccessible or at the least inefficient. This article focuses on the former view, and the business we will highlight is Commtech LLC and its founder and owner-operator, Gabe Vega. Gabe created his company in 2008. But before we talk about his business, let's focus first on the man. Gabe was born in 1985, and from the first he was considered precocious. He graduated from high school at sixteen, went to a community college to study computer and information science, and at eighteen he became certified by the A+ program run by CompTIA, the Computing, Technology, and Industry Association. This means he can build, repair, install, and troubleshoot hardware. He is also certified in computer networking, meaning he can implement, design, and repair network computers in a corporate environment. Though he finished with honors, getting a job was difficult. "I found that the attitude was that disabled people were less valuable than others. No matter what I said, no matter what I could show on paper, no matter what I could demonstrate, I never felt as though I was being treated as a first- class citizen." Beyond the issue of poor attitudes, Gabe realized he was living in a part of California rich with computer talent. At nineteen he decided to move to Phoenix and soon found a job working for the state of Arizona. He was a technical support specialist, a job in which he provided both remote and in-person repair. "It was a very rewarding job for one so young. I had a decent salary, got the opportunity to travel throughout the state, and was able to work with both state and federal computer systems." He loved the technical challenges, loved exercising the analytical skills required to diagnose problems, and enjoyed the feeling that came with making the systems perform as expected. Of no small benefit were the learning and confidence that came from each success he could claim as his own. But not all was rosy when it came to feelings about his job. He was feeling stressed and eventually realized that it was not the technical demands of the job but the interaction with fellow employees that was the source of his discomfort. "I found that I have no patience with office politics. I can follow directions as well as the next person, but I can't go in multiple directions at the same time. I would get one directive one day, a different one the next, and six different demands on the day following. I kept asking myself why I was putting myself through this. I concluded that I was too good at what I did to let stress get the better of me and that there must be a way to do what I enjoyed and was good at without suffering the slings and arrows of those who were intent on power games and turf battles." To his surprise and relief, Gabe found that as a vendor/contractor he could do the same work that he was doing as an employee of the state. "There was no going to the office, no office politics, just doing the work I loved and thrived on completing." Being an independent contractor meant that it was in Gabe's best interests for him to get the simplest form of business incorporation, and he became incorporated as DBA (doing business as). With his own small business, he did the same technical work he was doing before and avoided the turf wars and office politics that had for some time been the major source of his stress. Starting in 2005, things went well. Income was up tenfold, stress was down to an acceptable level, and Gabe felt as though he had found the ideal job. But with the downturn in 2008, many of the state and federal customers that had relied on him for service found their budgets cut. "When the bottom fell out in 2008, I found myself scrambling. It was quite a shock. All of a sudden those four-figure monthly checks began to fall, and I knew I had to do something in addition to contracting with the state and federal governments." Eventually Gabe decided he had to change his business model. While he would continue to market his services to large customers, he knew he must include other groups who could benefit from his expertise and could pay for it. A change in corporate status was required for him to operate the kind of business that was taking shape in his head, and incorporating took considerable time and money that he was hard pressed to find. So too did finding office space, finding people, and putting in the telephones and servers required to conduct a nationwide business. In changing its focus to meet more needs from the private sector, the new business found that some of its contractors stayed and others left. The same was true with staff- some easily made the change, while others decided to go elsewhere. The new business focused less on big state, federal, and corporate customers and more on business-to-business services, as well as direct service to consumers. For businesses, Commtech USA, which has become his brand name, provides website development, accessibility consulting, user experience evaluations, and accessibility checking to ensure Section 508 compliance. Commtech USA also provides computer network installation and troubleshooting services for businesses both large and small. Despite his success, Gabe confesses blindness is still an issue in his mind, a fear he must work to overcome. "Sometimes my fear is still blindness. When I have a meeting with five important people (business owners, executives, and high-ranking board members), my fear wants to take control, and I start asking myself, 'Will they take me seriously, and will I be convincing?' But when that meeting comes the next day and I hit it out of the ballpark, the gratification I feel from that is wonderful." A big part of Commtech USA's business has evolved to serve consumers. One service is selling and exchanging cellular phones, a process many of us would consider visual given that most of the phones on the market today do not talk or have any nonvisual interfaces. Gabe has learned the menus for the phones he sells, and, by repeating the keystrokes necessary to navigate menus and choices, he is able to configure the phones, change SIM cards, and update settings required by the carrier his customer chooses. "Mostly phones are pretty similar. All of them have a menu key, a settings menu, a tools menu, and a call log. I rely on my memory, and, on the rare occasions when that fails me, I can always rely on Google if I know how to ask it the right question. If in doubt, as a last resort I can ask the customer in front of me to confirm that I am where I think I am by having him or her read me the screen." Gabe uses a screen reader to set up accounts, accept payments, and help customers choose plans that best meet their needs. "I don't depend on sighted people, but I do have them on call for the times when they are needed. I try to use only tools that are accessible or at least as accessible as they can be. This is my business, and, though sight is sometimes indispensable, it is important that I do as much of this work as I can. "You wouldn't believe how gratifying it is to interact with the sighted public on a day-to-day basis in the consumer market and to know that they could not care less that you are blind. I tell them I am blind if we meet in person, and most generally they say, 'Okay, can you do what I need done?' I tell them yes, and they watch as I help them pay their bill or set up their phone. They may see me feel around my desk or hear my computer talk, but what is important to them is that they are the customer, and I can do what they are paying me to do. Blindness is off the table. To them the important fact is that money changes hands, and they leave with what they came to get or to do." Whether blind people want to learn about assistive technology or learn to use office products, Commtech USA has a plan to fit their needs. For $60 a month a consumer can get training and technical support by telephone, and, for those times when there is no substitute for vision, the plan includes three sessions in which a person with sight connects to a customer's machine, sees what is being displayed, and uses the mouse and keyboard to perform the inaccessible functions required. "I'm an NFB member, and I'm on a number of our listservs to talk about jobs, rehabilitation, education, and how to train the trainers. I see the questions being asked: 'Will they hire me? Will they accept me? What kinds of things can I do if I'm blind?' I think we have to get out of this state of mind. The things I have accomplished as a blind man have exceeded my wildest dreams because, after all the questions, all the anxiety, and all the self-doubt, I just went out there and did it, keeping in mind that I am Gabe Vega, I am a technician, and, as long as I can do a job that satisfies my customers, my blindness isn't going to hold me back." ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Ann Sywensky with her husband Will, daughter Katie, and son Ryan] How Life Influences the Daughter of a Federationist and What She Tells the World about It by Ann Sywensky From the Editor: Ann Sywensky is the mother of two children and the daughter of Tom Bickford, a well-known Federationist whose convention presentation during our seventy-fifth year celebration was featured in the August/September 2015 issue of the Braille Monitor. She credits her father with teaching her to think as a feminist and as an advocate. Ann is a non- traditional student pursuing a master's degree in education at Cedar Crest College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. This paper, written for her class "Special Education Process, Transition and the Exceptional Child," demonstrates what she has learned through her contact with the National Federation of the Blind and through the example of one of its staunchest members. Here is what she says: For homework this week I was asked to research and find a landmark special education court case that has informed the public on how to deliver special education services. Here is my submission: The court case I chose is J.M. and H.M. v. Oceanport Board of Education. This case took place in New Jersey in 2011 with a decision handed down in 2012. Hank is a child with a disability which renders him legally blind, even though he has some sight. In 2008, as Hank entered second grade, his mother and father noticed that he struggled with reading. The longer he read, the more his eyes bothered him. In addition his fluency and comprehension decreased the longer he read. The parents approached the school district and asked them to provide Braille instruction for Hank. Hank was evaluated by the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (NJCBVI), the agency contracted by the school district to assist with visually-impaired students. The NJCBVI did not recommend Braille instruction because they said Hank was better off in the "sighted world." The school asked the parents why they wanted to "do that to him," as though teaching him Braille was harmful, or negative. Hank's parents continued to request Braille instruction over the course of the next three school years. They had Hank evaluated by other experts and presented that data, but the school district still refused. Finally Hank's parents got assistance from the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). The NFB helped the family file a due process hearing in 2011. The hearing lasted nine days in court, but the days were staggered across seven months. Finally, in 2012 the court declared that the school district must provide Braille instruction for Hank. They found that the evidence brought by the family was more research- and data-based than that of the school district. I am disheartened that it took such a long battle for this family to ensure functional literacy for their son. Having a small amount of sight does not always mean that the use of that sight is the best way to do things. With good instruction Hank should be able to read better and faster with Braille than with print. Educators must take a family's requests seriously and must look at good data and recommendations to ensure proper placement and services for blind students. Cane travel instruction and Braille materials are two very important tools that can be used by people even if they have some sight. Through the efforts of the NFB, IDEA (The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) was amended in 1997 to state that schools must provide Braille instruction and the use of Braille to blind children. Thank you NFB for help with my homework! ---------- A Matter of Justice: Our Fight to Obtain Braille Instruction by Holly Miller From the Editor: This article appeared in Future Reflections Summer 2012 issue, and describes with more detail the battles between the Miller family and the school and the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. This was how the article was introduced the first time: When news of the judge's ruling in the Hank Miller case leaped over the internet, Federationists applauded across the country. Holly Miller's story is one of conviction and perseverance. Because his family refused to have low expectations, Hank Miller will get the chance to live up to his full potential. You can read the Miller case online or download the judge's 69- page ruling. However, URLs are subject to frequent changes, and often you must pay a fee to download a case from a website. To download a free copy of this case, enter the case name (J.M. and H.M. v. Oceanport Board of Education) in a Google search box or similar program, then from among the answers, tap on the link from . Holly Miller is a member of the board of the Parents of Blind Children of New Jersey as well as a member of the NOPBC board. In addition to Hank and a seventeen-year-old son, Red, she has a greyhound named Louie who is blind from birth. On August 18, 2008, I sent an email to the special services director of our school district, suggesting that our son, Hank, might need Braille. Hank was getting ready to enter second grade. I'll admit that at that point my husband and I weren't 100 percent convinced Braille was the answer for him, but we saw signs that Hank was having trouble reading print, and we felt he should be evaluated. Hank had enough vision to see large print, but eye fatigue limited the length of time he was able to read. It was a physical effort for him to see words on the printed page. The longer he had to read, the less he understood what he read. Two months after I sent our original email, we were granted a meeting, at which the state-employed teacher of the visually impaired (TVI) gasped, "I'd hate to do that to him!" By that she meant Braille, of course. Undaunted, we pressed for a learning media assessment. The assessment was done, but the results were not presented to us until February. Even though the reading stamina portion of the evaluation was left blank, we were told that Braille was not appropriate for our son. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) presumes Braille to be the primary reading method for legally blind students. Yet, although Hank is legally blind, we were forced to prove that Braille was appropriate for him. Over the following months, we sent countless emails and letters and attended one meeting after another. We prepared for each meeting carefully, bringing articles and advocates. We secured an attorney. We switched attorneys. Evaluations were done by both sides. The school personnel and the professionals at the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (NJCBVI) were immovable. Nothing we did, said, or presented swayed their firmly made-up minds. They told us that Hank was a sighted reader, that he was better off as part of the sighted world. They insisted that Hank's wonderful approach to learning would be thwarted if we forced him to learn Braille. "Why would you want to make him more blind?" they demanded. They seemed to believe we were trying to do something to him instead of for him. We jokingly called it Munchhausen by Braille-a reference to Munchhausen by proxy, the phenomenon by which parents deliberately cause their children to become ill. As the months-then years-went by, we emphasized repeatedly that our concern was Hank's inability to handle sustained reading tasks. We were assured that sustained reading wasn't a problem, even though the district never tested it. During this time, Hank was kept in the resource room for reading, five days a week, ninety minutes a day. He spent 25 percent of his school day in the resource room. When we asked why, we were given a multitude of reasons, but we were skeptical about all of them. The fact that Hank's eyes couldn't keep up with the regular classroom workload was never on the list. The testing done by the school district showed that Hank had no reading disability on a cognitive level. However, when we asked the district to evaluate his sustained reading, the evaluation never took place. Our own experts did sustained reading evaluations, and we shared the results with the NJCBVI. These tests all showed that Hank did very well on short reading tasks, but when he read for longer periods of time (ten to twenty minutes), his speed, accuracy, comprehension, and retention fell significantly. These results clearly illustrated that Hank's vision was the problem, not his mind. Despite our findings, the school district and the NJCBVI still declared that Braille was inappropriate for Hank. It became apparent that nothing we could do would change their thinking. The only way Hank would ever get Braille instruction would be through a court order. By this time our story had caught the attention of Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). With the might of the NFB behind us, we filed for due process in June 2011. Our legal team consisted of Jayne Wesler from Sussan & Greenwald in New Jersey and Sharon Krevor-Weisbaum and Jessie Weber from Brown, Goldstein & Levy in Baltimore. The hearing lasted nine days, but those nine days were spread over seven months. The wheels of justice turn slowly, but turn they did. On May 3, 2012, we received the decision from the administrative law judge. Hank would receive Braille instruction! The judge found our evidence to be more research- and data-based than that presented by the NJCBVI and that it was supported by evaluations geared toward Hank's specific disability. She found that both the district and the NJCBVI had a bias against Braille. "The comment that H.M. has to stay in a sighted world shows a bias against Braille because it infers that Braille is a lesser medium than the technology that she recommends," the judge said in her ruling. "H.M. is a legally blind student who has functional vision. He can live in the sighted world, learning and using Braille as an alternative reading tool, along with assistive technology. It is more logical that doing so will enhance his learning rather than thwart it." The ruling ordered that Hank receive Braille instruction ninety minutes per day, five days a week. This is very important, because studies show that frequent and intense Braille instruction is critical for a student to master the code. Hank will also receive three years of compensatory education. This will take the form of summer instruction, including attendance at the Buddy Program at the Louisiana Center for the Blind. On July 10, 2012, nearly four years after we made our initial request for Braille, Hank had his first official Braille lesson. We cannot wait to see how his reading takes off from here. He is such a smart, inquisitive boy, and it was terrible to watch him avoid reading because it hurt his eyes. We cannot begin to express how deeply thankful we are to everyone involved in Hank's case. Even though we knew we were right, we did not have the resources to prove it on our own. Without the NFB behind us, Hank never would have gotten Braille instruction. It is our greatest hope that other families can use our case as an example with their schools, avoiding the need to bring legal action. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Dan Hicks] Driving a Nail by Dan J. Hicks From the Editor: Dan Hicks is the immediate past president of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida, and he and his wife Gloria have long been strong and articulate Federationists. Here are remarks he made at the 2016 convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida: It has been said that if you give a person a hammer, every job will look like it needs a nail. It has also been said that ideas are like genes: they travel from mind to mind, propagating in something like the way genes travel from generation to generation. Genes that help to make an organism stronger and able to survive to pass the genes on will be more common, maybe even prevalent. Ideas which prove beneficial to one mind will be passed to other minds. Hopefully, good ideas will drive out bad ideas. It doesn't always happen this way, but when it does, it can benefit everyone, and real progress can be made. Thus does cultural evolution take place. More than thirty years ago, biologist Richard Dawkins used the word "meme" to refer to an idea which spread from mind to mind in this fashion. When I was about nine or ten, my father gave my younger brother Dallis and me each tool kits, complete with kid-size tools, for Christmas. He wanted us to learn to use and take care of tools, and I think he wanted to make sure we would keep our hands off his own adult-size tools. In the metal boxes were screwdrivers, a tape measure, a level, a saw, and a hammer. The saws were the weakest of the bunch, being small even by our standards. Neither were they very sharp, fit only for cutting small pieces of the softest woods. But all of the other tools were quite serviceable. Mostly we used the hammers. It was made quite clear that we were not to use them on each other. And, although these hammers were smaller than their full-sized counterparts, they were far from light, capable of doing real work-and smashing fingers and thumbs. So, before we were allowed to use the hammers for the first time, my dad gave us a lesson on how he used one to drive a nail into a piece of wood. We scrounged the field in back of our house for scraps of wood, debating on just what we might build out of the mismatched pieces we found. The only thing that I can recall completing was a strange kind of box-which we used to hold other scraps of wood. My dad had always been legally blind, and his vision worsened as he became an adult. Although Dallis has perfect vision, I have always been legally blind. My dad possessed a great technique to avoid hitting one's fingers while driving a nail. This is the technique he showed us: position the nail where you want it to go. Tap it gently several times with the hammer to get it started. When you feel the nail is in far enough to stand on its own for a moment, take your hand away and give it a good whack with the hammer-just one. Feel the nail with your fingers to make sure it is going in straight, and give it another tap. This will reorient the head of the hammer with the head of the nail. Take your fingers away and give the nail another good whack! Repeat these last couple of steps until the nail is just about in. You can finish with a few hard whacks once you are sure the nail will end up exactly as you intended, but for most of the nail pounding, your motions will be an alternating tap whack, tap whack, tap whack! I have always done it this way. It works well if you have no vision, low vision, or very good vision. I have shown this method to sighted friends and found them instantly adopting it as their default method of driving a nail. One guy told me his buddy looked at him strangely once when he was using it, and he explained that he has never hit his thumb with the hammer since he started using the hammer that way. His friend was convinced and immediately adopted the technique. So the meme has spread. Still, I know there are other methods of driving a nail, and they must work for those who use them. Whatever works is best for each tool user. My wife and I recently moved from a residential area where, on just about every block, houses had been torn down, and new, larger, more expensive homes were being built in their place. It gets hot here in Florida. Builders often start work quite early in the day. On many mornings as I walked to the bus stop, I would pass by construction sites where workers would be hammering. I would listen to them. Often I heard the crack of nail guns or the steady bang-bang-bang of nails being pounded in with steady, equal strokes. But, on more than a couple of occasions, I would hear what sounded like tap whack, tap whack, tap whack. I wonder-did the person hammering in such a way pick up that meme from someone who picked it up from someone, who picked it up from someone ... who picked it up from my dad, or was it from someone who taught the technique to my dad? Did that particular carpenter happen to come up with the technique on his own? It's not a particularly radical idea. I could see it being invented many times over by people who don't like the feel of hard steel impacting their fingers and thumbs. Or could it just be the sound of two workers who happen to have their pounding oddly synchronized, one of them hitting the nail much harder than the other? I prefer the other possibilities. My dad is now totally blind and doing more woodworking than ever before, usually by himself. When I have visited my parents, I have been astounded and impressed by the quality of the workmanship in some of the pieces he has completed. He says he can't imagine hammering a nail any other way than that which he showed my brother and me more than forty years ago. I can't imagine doing it any other way either. ---------- Long-Term Training by Danny R. Robinson From the Editor: Danny Robinson lives in Oklahoma and has recently taken advantage of the push to get blind people in Oklahoma to embrace intensive training in the skills of blindness. What makes this article so compelling is his honesty. Before training he thought he understood blindness, reconciling himself to limitations he thought reasonable for a person without sight. To his credit, when offered a different perspective, he did not get defensive, did not tell those trying to help him that he had been blind long enough that he already knew everything significant there was to know about it. No, he listened to what they said and was brave enough and sufficiently excited to see if what he was being told could change his life. He risked to touch a dream, gave the time it required, and now has quite a story to tell. Here it is: I would like to start this by thanking Mr. Doug Boone for allowing me the opportunity to make the choice to go to the Louisiana Center for the Blind in Ruston, Louisiana (LCB). I was certainly apprehensive about making the decision to leave my wife, children, and the many duties on the farm. I was also concerned about leaving a newly acquired position in the agency. While I knew the day-to-day operations would continue without me, I wondered if any of the ideas I had about change would truly be effective. It wasn't until later that I would realize that I had just begun to think about a term that Mr. Boone introduced me to called "possibility thinking." The Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services supports participants in programs called long-term training; I would argue that the name or phrase should be "skills for the long term." The skills and abilities that I worked on during my thirty-day experience there could not have been gained and were not mastered in the previous sixteen years of my acquired blindness. One of the reasons for this was because the skill of independent travel by way of structured discovery was not offered in my area. Honestly I was too busy focusing on work, family, and other distractions to have learned it anyway. To me this is the beauty of being able to go away to learn without having to worry about outside factors; that is certainly not to say I was able to turn off my concern for what was happening while I was gone: it just was not right in front of me to stumble over. Another of those skills that I was able to really work on in a short period of time was the acquisition of Braille skills. While I know I did not come out as a proficient reader of Braille, I can certainly now read a basic book or letter. The experience that I had personally-and please understand that I am not saying this is true for everyone-showed me that the majority of the barriers that I faced both personally and professionally were placed upon me by none other than myself! I began to see that these barriers existed due to my lack of skills to operate independently and to use what already existed physically. What do I mean by this: I would not travel independently using all the transportation available to me: bus, train, plane, and other ways. I would not use these without having either my wife or a driver to take me. When someone asked if I had a pocket knife, I used to joke that my wife would not let me play with sharp objects. Honestly it was my fear of cutting myself that caused me not to have one. It is truly these small things that determine our level of independence, and without gaining the skills that I did during my time there, I would still be locked in the warp of thinking I was independent, not knowing there could be more. I can honestly say that it was not until my second week of training that I began to see what the term "possibility thinking" was all about. I began to understand that travel, Braille, and independent living skills were based in problem solving and thinking ahead about what could happen if I learned to use the techniques being imparted to me by the staff. I personally was too afraid and frustrated at times to figure this out in the first week. By the third week I was traveling most places under sleep shades by myself without the staff having to look over my shoulder. I was so proud of my accomplishment in this area that I made a special effort to travel to and from the stores by myself. I can say that the feeling of empowerment is almost unexplainable to anyone who has not faced all of the fears of blindness internally and those fears placed upon us by others. Most people want to keep a blind person safe, so they tend to remove all of the responsibilities that might involve something considered dangerous or a task that they would not consider blind-friendly. The tasks I did in my life prior to training were those that society believes a blind person could do. I would add that I have been amazed through the years by how many professionals I have worked with who always ask "What can a blind person do?" I would have to step back and laugh because I thought I was actually being an example. Today I have the privilege of saying that I am as independent as I want to be, not limited by the lack of skills and the limited perception of my abilities, but by the choices I make to learn as I go. I choose when I want to go somewhere, not allowing the lack of skills to hold me back. I thought my life was over when I gave up the keys to my car; now I realize that you can take my keys, but you cannot take my skills away. Please let my experience and my life speak to you about what it is to wake up to the idea of "possibility thinking" and go to bed knowing that you are doing everything you can to make it your reality. I would like to leave everyone with a short poem I wrote years ago for a class in my undergraduate program, not knowing then what it would mean to me now: Lonesome, like blind, is a mere state of mind, You are lonesome if you choose to be, You are blind if you choose not to see, If you open your mind, you could never be blind And lonesome you will never be. I can confidently say that I will never be lonesome because I belong to an awesome family at the Louisiana Center for the Blind and the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services because I chose to open my mind. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Julie Deden] A Thank You for What You Are Giving to Our Grandson by LaVonne Butler From the Editor: The work we do at NFB training centers is, to say the least, transformative. Here is a letter from a grateful grandparent that speaks to what contact with positive blind people can do in the life of a young person trying to find his way. Julie Deden is the executive director of the Colorado Center for the Blind, and it is to her that this thanks is directed: March 1, 2016 Julie Deden Colorado Center for the Blind Dear Julie: John and I came to Littleton this past weekend to visit Alex. We were so very pleased. There is an expression about watching your prayers be answered, and we felt like we were doing that in the time we had with him! He is happy, confident, and more content then we have ever seen him. His friend Shelby came to lunch with us Saturday, and it was so delightful listening to them talk of their time there at the center. I do not even know where to start sharing it with you. I guess first was the way they discussed how familiar they were with the area. They talked about their favorite places to eat. We would say, "How do you get there?" The answer was the bus or the light rail. They used their canes so comfortably. There was no reaching for someone to offer support and direction! I could not believe it when they were talking about being at the bus stop at 7:00 AM to catch the bus to go to class. When we walked into the apartment Alex shares with Alex Garcia, we were thrilled with how spotless it was. Alex was invited to dinner the night we were there and invited to a friend's place for a card game. He seems quite social and confident. They discussed their classes. They talked enthusiastically about skiing. Shelby had a fantastic video someone had taken of her skiing, and it was put to music. Alex says he loved skiing. He discussed his math tutor and how surprised he had been to find out he really liked math. She has volunteered to be available to him when he goes to school by Skyping. During one conversation we were having with Alex, he mentioned that actually he found that he was quite charismatic. He is, and it is nice he is developing in a way to be aware of it. I want to compliment you Julie on how comfortable he feels with your open door policy. A couple of times he mentioned that if he needs to, he can walk in and see Julie. He feels secure that he is welcome to come in and speak to you about any issue he is dealing with. But, most importantly, he knows that you care sincerely! I feel I am not adequately putting into words the sincere feelings of appreciation and happiness for all you have done to help not just Alex but all of these individuals who have come to your center for training. One memory I will always carry with me is the happy, excited faces of Alex and Shelby as they shared with us the adventures they were having at the center. They were alive, they were living their life, and they felt confident this was just the first step toward the independent, fulfilled future that is waiting for them. Julie, please accept my sincere and deepest appreciation for what you and the center are doing! Blessings, LaVonne L. Butler ---------- Amazon, Blind Federation Reach Agreement on Accessibility by Mark Sherman From the Editor: This article first appeared in Special Education Today on March 8, 2016. It is gratefully reproduced with the permission of the publisher. For several years, the National Federation of the Blind has been on Amazon's case for e-books and e-book distribution systems that are not fully accessible. In 2013, for example, it wrote to state education departments, saying, "The inaccessibility of Kindle e-books will grossly inhibit blind and print-disabled students from attaining the goals set forth in the Common Core State Standards. Moreover, school districts in your state that introduce Kindle e-books into the curriculum will, as explained below, be violating federal law." Likewise, NFB protested last year when the New York City Education Department was considering entering into a contract with Amazon. "Amazon's lack of regard for accessibility when creating Kindle e- book content would leave blind students and teachers far behind their sighted peers if NYC DOE chooses to proceed with the proposed contract with Amazon," it said in a letter dated Aug. 13. On March 2, however, NFB announced an agreement under which it would help the company avoid such problems going forward. "Amazon and the National Federation of the Blind will collaborate on improvements to Amazon's education content, platforms, and applications, and will meet on an ongoing basis to review progress and exchange ideas and feedback," it said. "Initial results of this collaboration are expected this year and beyond." Amazon welcomes the agreement, according to spokeswoman Stephany Rochon. "We are seeing more educational institutions embrace digital learning, and this shift provides a great opportunity to improve accessibility for blind students," she said in an email. "We look forward to collaborating with the National Federation of the Blind to work together on Amazon's education content, platforms, and applications for the blind." Rochon did not discuss the contract with New York City except to say, "We look forward to working closely with NYC DOE to serve the educational needs of all their students." ---------- The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund by Allen Harris From the Editor: Allen Harris is the chairman of the Kenneth Jernigan Fund Committee and was one of the people who came up with the idea of honoring our former president and longtime leader by establishing a program to promote attendance at the national convention, where so much inspiration and learning occur. Here is Allen's announcement about the 2016 Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Program: Have you always wanted to attend an NFB annual convention but have not done so because of the lack of funds? The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund invites you to make an application for a scholarship grant. Perhaps this July you too can be in the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Florida, enjoying the many pleasures and learning opportunities at the largest and most important yearly convention of blind people in the world. The three biggest ticket items you need to cover when attending an NFB national convention are the roundtrip transportation, the hotel room for a week, and the food (which tends to be higher priced than at home). We attempt to award additional funds to families, but, whether a family or an individual is granted a scholarship, this fund can only help; it won't pay all the costs. Last year most of the sixty grants were in the range of $400 to $500 per individual. We recommend that you find an NFB member as your personal convention mentor, someone who has been to many national conventions and is able to share money-saving tips with you and tips on navigating the extensive agenda in the big hotel. Your mentor will help you get the most out of the amazing experience that is convention week. Who is eligible? Active NFB members, blind or sighted, who have not yet attended an NFB national convention because of lack of funding are eligible to apply. How do I apply for funding assistance? 1. You write a letter giving your contact information, and your local NFB information, your specific amount requested, and then explain why this is a good investment for the NFB. The points to cover are listed below. 2. You contact your state president in person or by phone to request his or her help in obtaining funding. Be sure to tell the president when to expect your request letter by email, and mention the deadline. 3. You (or a friend) send your letter by email to your state president. He or she must add a president's recommendation and then email both letters directly to the Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Committee. Your president must forward the two letters no later than April 15, 2016. Your letter to Chairperson Allen Harris must cover these points: .Your full name, and all your telephone numbers and label them-cell phone, home, office, other person (if any). .Your mailing address and, if you have one, your email address. .Your state affiliate and state president; your chapter and chapter president, if you attend a chapter. .Your personal convention mentor, and provide that person's phone number. .Your specific request: Explain how much money you need from this fund to make this trip possible for you. We suggest you consult with other members to make a rough budget for yourself. The body of your letter should answer these questions: How do you currently participate in the Federation? Why do you want to attend a national convention? What would you receive; what can you share or give? You can include in your letter to the committee any special circumstances you hope they will take into consideration. When will I be notified that I am a winner? If you are chosen to receive this scholarship, you will receive a letter with convention details that should answer most of your questions. The committee makes every effort to notify scholarship winners by May 15, but you must do several things before that to be prepared to attend if you are chosen. 1. Make your own hotel reservation. If something prevents you from attending, you can cancel the reservation. (Yes, you may arrange for roommates of your own to reduce the cost.) 2. Register online for the entire convention, including the banquet, by May 31. (Note: This is not refundable if you do not attend convention. You may want to register between May 15 and May 30.) 3. Find someone in your chapter or affiliate who has been to many conventions and can answer your questions as a friend and advisor. 4. If you do not hear from the committee by May 15, then you did not win a grant this year. How will I receive my convention scholarship? At convention you will be given a debit card or credit card loaded with the amount of your award. The times and locations to pick up your card will be listed in the letter we sent you. The committee is not able to provide funds before the convention, so work with your chapter and state affiliate to assist you by obtaining an agreement to advance funds if you win a scholarship and to pay your treasury back after you receive your debit or credit card. What if I have more questions? For additional information email the chairman, Allen Harris, at or call his Baltimore, Maryland, office at (410) 659-9314, extension 2415. Above all, please use this opportunity to attend your first convention on the national level and join several thousand active Federationists in the most important meeting of the blind in the world. We hope to see you in Orlando. ---------- Recipes This month's recipe comes from the National Federation of the Blind of Alabama, proudly showcasing one of their members who has built his own business. [PHOTO CAPTION: Ivan Walker with his mother Minnie] Chef Ivan's Chicken Tetrazzini? by Ivan Walker Chef Ivan Walker is a blind chef and owns Southern Fusion Catering in Mobile, AL. He's also a personal chef, and offers private cooking classes. Chef Ivan is an active member of NFB's Mobile chapter, a graduate of The Art Institute of Atlanta, and the Louisiana Center for the Blind. Ingredients: 1 whole roasted chicken (medium diced) 1 box linguine pasta (chopped) 1 fresh green bell pepper (medium chopped) 1-1/2 cups fresh mushrooms (sliced) 2 cans cream of chicken soup 2 cans cream of mushroom soup 1 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese 3/4 cup parmesan cheese 1 cup French's Crispy Fried Onions 1/2 tbsp. roasted garlic 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning 1 tsp. salt or seasoning salt Method: First, saut? green bell pepper for two minutes on medium heat, then add mushroom and roasted garlic. Continue cooking vegetables on medium heat, and add Italian seasoning, salt, cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, and reduce heat to simmer for seven minutes, stirring occasionally. Add roughly chopped pasta to a large mixing bowl and diced chicken. Next, carefully pour the saut?ed pan mixture into the mixing bowl, being sure to mix thoroughly. Spray a nine-by-thirteen-inch casserole dish generously with pan spray. Next, spread half the mixture evenly in the casserole dish and layer half the cheese on top. Repeat until all of the pasta and cheese is used. Lastly, top the cheese with the French's onions and parmesan cheese. Bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees for twenty minutes, then enjoy! Serves four to six. ---------- Monitor Miniatures News from the Federation Family New Federation Book Available: The Power of Love, How Kenneth Jernigan Changed the World for the Blind has been published recently by iUniverse.com and is available in electronic format and in paperback from several online sellers. Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, Googlebooks.com, and several less-well-known sellers are all selling the electronic book for ten dollars or less, and paperbacks for somewhat more. This book includes twenty-nine chapters written by students and associates of Dr. Jernigan. It was edited by Ramona Walhof. For those who knew Dr. Jernigan, it will bring back fond memories. For those who did not know him, this book will offer insight into his activities and techniques that were so effective for the blind and for the Federation. Dr. Jernigan served as President of the Federation from 1968 until 1986 with only one year interruption in that service, and he enjoyed working with people in many capacities. Both Federationists and nonmembers have learned from him directly, from his writings, and from his students and associates. We urge you to read this book and tell your friends about it. Go ahead and announce it on social media! 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. Vacancy at Oklahoma School for the Blind: Job Announcement # 16-108 RE-ANNOUNCEMENT OF 16-047 Position Title/Level/Code: School Superintendent, 1825 Location: Oklahoma School for the Blind, Muskogee Number of Positions/PIN: (1) - Unclassified / 80500604 Annual Salary Range: $80,600 to $93,600 On-campus housing will be provided to the selected candidate. Beginning Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2016 Ending Date: Open until filled Essential Functions: Under administrative direction of the Director of the Department of Rehabilitation Services, the incumbent plans, directs and coordinates all program activities at the Oklahoma School for the Blind. The duties include planning, directing, and coordinating the educational, recreational, vocational, and residential programs; developing, preparing and monitoring the annual budget and supervising professional staff. Previous applicants will need to re-apply. Education and Experience Requirements: A master's degree from an accredited college or university, an Oklahoma School Superintendent Certificate (or proof of application for an Oklahoma School Superintendent Certificate) and minimum of four years of experience, of which two years must have been as a teacher and two years as a school supervisor or administrator, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. NOTE: An Oklahoma School Superintendent Provisional or Emergency Certificate must be obtained prior to employment from the Oklahoma State Department of Education for those candidates that do not possess an Oklahoma School Superintendent Certificate. Method of Application: R?sum?s or vitae and an Oklahoma School Superintendent Certificate (or proof of application for an Oklahoma School Superintendent Certificate) will be accepted and must include educational and work background listing places of employment, beginning/ending dates of employment, and description of duties performed. Please submit references along with r?sum?. Information should include a telephone number where you can be reached during office hours, your mailing address, and the announcement number and position for which you are applying. Send to: Department of Rehabilitation Services, Attn: Human Resources, 3535 NW 58th Street, Suite 500, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112. If you have any questions regarding this position or the application process, contact Calvin Small at (405) 951-3527 or Stephanie Roe at (405) 951-3454. An Equal Opportunity Employer The Hadley School for the Blind Gets a New Name: To better reflect the diversity of students it serves and how it has evolved over the years, The Hadley School for the Blind announces that it has changed its name to Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Founded in 1920, Hadley remains the largest provider of distance education for people who are blind and visually impaired worldwide. "Nearly a century after our founding, Hadley serves a broad spectrum of individuals with vision loss, including those with low vision. Although we will always support people who are blind, there is an ever-growing population of older adults experiencing age-related vision loss who may never become fully blind. As part of our evolution, we are expanding our programs and services to meet their needs," said Hadley President Chuck Young. The name change also better informs the public that Hadley's programs and services are geared to individuals ages fourteen and up. "The word 'school' implies a brick-and-mortar facility for young children, whereas the word 'institute' speaks to education, but defies space and place. The term 'institute' is broader and more appropriate for a distance education organization serving 10,000 students in more than 100 countries," said Hadley Board of Trustees Chair Dewey Crawford. The term "institute" also provides an umbrella with which to discuss the many programs and services Hadley offers and the many audiences Hadley serves: people who have long been visually impaired and those new to sight loss, families of persons of all ages with varying degrees of vision loss, and blindness service providers. In tandem with the name change, a catchy new tagline, "Educating-for life," will be used to highlight Hadley's mission to promote independent living through lifelong learning, as well as its dedication to educating students on life skills and helping them reach their full potential. "We love the double meaning in this tagline," adds Young. "It concisely says what we do and why we do it." A more contemporary logo was developed, as well, to illustrate how Hadley has changed, while remaining true to its roots. The graphic represents the Braille letter h, honoring Hadley's longstanding commitment to Braille excellence. The graphic also is reminiscent of stained glass in prairie architecture, a homage to the North Shore of Chicago, where Hadley's offices are located. "As we approach our Centennial in 2020, we want everyone to know just how far we have come," says Crawford. "It's indeed a brand new day at Hadley." To learn more, visit . See updates to Hadley's website at . International Group for Parents, Teachers, and Others Interested in the Blind: Adrijana Prokopenko writes to say: I recently created a Facebook group for teachers and parents of blind children and for university students who are studying to become teachers of the blind, as well as professors, psychologists, counselors, doctors, volunteers, or anyone else who is connected to them in some way. They should feel free to join no matter if they are blind or sighted. The group can be found by searching "Students, teachers, and parents of the visually impaired." New State Resource Handbooks Available: I have created twelve screen-reader-friendly resource handbooks containing resources pertaining to the blind and visually impaired for use by consumers and professionals. This handbook is for the residents of specific states and includes the many organizations for the blind and visually impaired covering areas such as employment, housing, transportation, and more. Currently the handbooks are for Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, New York, Texas, Oregon, Ohio, and Illinois. The handbooks include contact information on the local, regional, and national level. For more information on pricing and formats please contact Insightful Publications by email at , by phone at (808) 747-1006, or by visiting for more information on pricing, formats available, and state resource handbook order form. ---------- 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. From buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org Mon May 2 22:55:09 2016 From: buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org (Brian Buhrow) Date: Mon, 2 May 2016 22:55:09 -0700 Subject: [Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor, May 2016 Message-ID: <201605030555.u435t9oX021342@lothlorien.nfbcal.org> BRAILLE MONITOR Vol. 59, No. 5 May 2016 Gary Wunder, Editor Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, with the audio version being available in both Spanish and English (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 NFBnet.org: http://www.nfbnet.org NFB-NEWSLINE? information: (866) 504-7300 Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind Follow us on Twitter: @NFB_Voice Watch and share our videos: YouTube.com/NationsBlind Letters to the President, address changes, subscription requests, and orders for NFB literature should be sent to the national office. Articles for the Monitor and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national 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 ? 2016 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 position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and try again. (Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the thumb drive, the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges, 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 envelope enclosed with the drive when you return the device. [PHOTO CAPTION: Palm-lined drive leading to front entrance to Rosen Shingle Creek Resort] Orlando Site of 2016 NFB Convention The 2016 convention of the National Federation of the Blind will take place in Orlando, Florida, June 30 to July 5, at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, 9939 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32819-9357. Make your room reservation as soon as possible with the Shingle Creek staff only. Call (866) 996-6338. The 2016 room rates are singles and doubles, $83; and for 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 May 27, 2016. The other 50 percent is not refundable. Rooms will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations may be made before May 27, 2016, 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. All Rosen Shingle Creek guestrooms feature amenities that include plush Creek Sleeper beds, 40" flat screen TVs, complimentary high-speed internet capabilities, in-room safes, coffee makers, mini-fridges, and hair dryers. Guests can also enjoy a swimming pool, fitness center, and on-site spa. The Rosen Shingle Creek Resort has a number of dining options, including two award-winning restaurants, and twenty-four-hour-a-day room service. The schedule for the 2016 convention is: Thursday, June 30 Seminar Day Friday, July 1 Registration Day Saturday, July 2 Board Meeting and Division Day Sunday, July 3 Opening Session Monday, July 4 Business Session Tuesday, July 5 Banquet Day and Adjournment Vol. 59, No. 5 May 2016 Contents Diversity in the Disability Rights Movement: Working Together to Achieve the Right to Live in the World A Hands-On Guy Doing Hands-On Work in the Information Age by Fred Wurtzel and Gary Wunder Blinded Driver versus Blind Pedestrians by Mike May I Encouraged My Daughter to Be a Cowboy by Peggy Chong Transitions: A Conference for Parents and Teachers of Blind Children by Kim Cunningham Sharing a Room at Convention and How to Survive It with a Smile by Grace Warn If Braille Were Print by Erin Jepsen Fake Service Dogs: Problem or Propaganda? by Marion Gwizdala How to Pay for Your Hotel Stay in Orlando by Tony Cobb Recipes Monitor Miniatures [PHOTO CAPTION: President Riccobono welcomes participants to the 2016 Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium.] [PHOTO CAPTION: Dr. Maurer moderates panel one of the Building Diversity in the Disability Rights Movement plenary session with speakers Michelle Garcia, Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago, and Rabia Belt, Stanford Law School.] [PHOTO CAPTION: Jernigan Institute Executive Director Anil Lewis speaks about his experience as an African-American with a disability during the Building Diversity in the Disability Rights Movement plenary session.] [PHOTO CAPTION: Two hundred people from throughout the United States and Canada attend the 2016 Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium.] [PHOTO CAPTION: United States District Judge Myron H. Thompson keynotes the 2016 Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium.] [PHOTO CAPTION: Dr. Maurer talks about the right to real work with Ohio sheltered workshop plaintiffs Joe Magers and Mark Felton on the left, and Regina Kline, US Department of Justice, and Matthew Dietz, Disability Independence Group, on the right.] Diversity in the Disability Rights Movement: Working Together to Achieve the Right to Live in the World For the ninth year the National Federation of the Blind demonstrated its leadership role in the disability rights movement by hosting the Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium March 31 to April 1, 2016, at the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute. Two hundred disability rights lawyers, advocates, and law students from throughout the United States and Canada attended. A broad range of disability rights organizations, government agencies, and law schools were represented, including: Disability Rights Texas, National Association of the Deaf, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, US Department of Justice, Paralyzed Veterans of America, The Arc of the United States, Stanford Law School, National Black Disability Coalition, Asian and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities of California, the University of Alabama School of Law, and Syracuse University School of Law. With a theme of "Diversity in the Disability Rights Movement: Working Together to Achieve the Right to Live in the World," the focus of the 2016 tenBroek symposium was to examine the status of diversity in the disability rights movement and explore ways to increase diversity so that all may achieve Dr. tenBroek's vision of equality of opportunity. Plenary sessions were moderated by Dr. Maurer and examined building diversity in the disability rights movement, arrests and Title II of the ADA, international progress on improving accessibility, ethical issues in the representation of persons with disabilities, and the right to real work under Olmstead. Workshop topics included disability and discrimination in the LGBT community, how schools are using truancy laws to avoid their responsibilities under the IDEA, voting rights, and application of the Americans with Disabilities Act in a school-to-prison pipeline class action. As the symposium keynote speaker, United States District Judge Myron H. Thompson provided his thoughts on how the diversity of the disability rights movement could be increased. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: George Wurtzel] A Hands-On Guy Doing Hands-On Work in the Information Age by Fred Wurtzel and Gary Wunder From the Editor: Recently several people suggested that I interview George Wurtzel whenever I talked about the need to address employment opportunities for blind folks whose passion is not found in books, letters, and working at a desk. One of the people who was most enthusiastic about publicizing the off-the-beaten-path work that George Wurtzel has done is none other than his brother Fred, known for being a longtime leader in the National Federation of the Blind. Fred and I have decided to work jointly to create this article, and it is in his voice that most of it will be presented. Here is what Fred has to say, with an occasional sentence thrown in by yours truly: When I received Gary's notes on my brother, Gary wrote in his email to me, "I might not want to hire George to work for me, but I would certainly enjoy watching someone else do it, enjoying both his creativity and their failed attempts to manage him." I am totally impressed with our editor's ability to accurately portray the essence of a person in a sentence. This is why he is the editor, and this is a great way to begin this story. What do you say about a broad-shouldered, six-foot-six person with a huge bushy white beard, a full head of curly dark hair, who wears bib overalls, has an engaging smile, and an easy infectious laugh? What if that person was on the first American expedition to cross-country ski across Lapland? What do you say about a person who has been an auto mechanic, a bicycle mechanic, a commercial woodworker in three states, was a partner/baker in a bakery, owned and rode Arabian horses in endurance rides, makes props for the film industry, has had exhibits in modern art museums, and teaches blind people to do woodworking? What do you say about this person when you learn he was born with little eyesight and has been totally blind since age nineteen? What do you say if the editor of the Braille Monitor asks you to write about this person, and this person happens to be your brother? Dr. Joshua Miele of Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute says, "He is a bad-ass blind guy." I feel a need to begin by explaining why I want to tell my brother's story to the Braille Monitor. Among things I love are my brother and the National Federation of the Blind. They share a fierce need to be independent and, some people say, a reluctance to compromise, arguably to their occasional disadvantage. I do not share the misgivings, but I certainly observe the fierceness in our common need for independence. George Wurtzel has always been an adventurer, and it hasn't always been easy for him or those around him. The presence of young George was always accompanied by some kind of sound. It wasn't a radio or a record player; it was tapping, banging, chiseling, sawing, scraping, or running feet. Motion is a signature word for George. When he started riding a bicycle on the street, he could certainly hear moving vehicles and could detect most of them that were stopped, but he did have a problem with the postal worker. When we were children the postman would deliver mail using a push cart with a bag strapped to it. He and the cart didn't make much noise, and more than once my brother ran into that cart, spilling its sorted contents on the street and leaving the postman not only to reload and re-sort, but also to chase his newly freed letters as they were taken by the wind. The postman was a fine guy, but George's behavior did not go unchallenged. The postman confronted my mother, openly questioning the propriety of a blind kid riding a bike and suggesting that she bolt down the cycle so George would no longer be a public menace. Mom's reply was that locking up the bike would do no good since her son would only cut the bolts. "This is just one of the problems when you have children raised by a father who loves tools and has a child who is eager to learn to use them," George remembers her saying. Now comes the age-old debate about nature and nurture. Growing up with George, I know about his innate and irrepressible curiosity. Our parents were hands-on folks, having grown up in farm families as most people of their age did. They were skilled at things like cooking, mechanics, baking, and foraging for wild berries, mushrooms, and asparagus. One of their favorite pastimes was playing cards with family and friends. We had an active and social environment in our early years. We were expected to be outside as long as the sun was up and only return indoors for food (bathroom breaks were optional, us being boys and all and living in the countryside most of our childhood). In our earliest years we lived on three acres in Thomas Township, Michigan. Our father's excavating business occupied a lot of the three acres with dump trucks, bulldozers, backhoes, dragline cranes, and innumerable other machines and fun stuff to play on. Late afternoons were always interesting with the crews returning, doing machine maintenance like greasing the crawler tracks on the bulldozers and cranes, loading equipment onto the lowboy trailer to prepare for the next day's work-and the banter, always the banter among the crew. I learned lots of words that my teachers were not real impressed with. During the day we had the run of the area with discarded underground gasoline storage tanks that were maybe ten feet in diameter. What a challenge to climb up on them and to hear and feel the really cool, deep bass sound they make when struck with just the right object. In addition we played on piles of used tires, catch basins, old abandoned trucks, and so on. Have you ever seen a fire hydrant out of the ground? It was a paradise for two curious boys. Later on, after we moved to northern Michigan, and our father was selling the kinds of equipment that he had owned as a contractor, we lived on eighty acres with woods and fields. George and I bought a 1950 Dodge and a 1953 Chrysler New Yorker for twenty or thirty dollars each. We proceeded to take the body off the Chrysler and make a dune buggy out of it, and we amused our friends by driving the Dodge through the fields at high rates of speed. I had some vision then. So, was it our genes that made George the adventurous entrepreneur, or was it our parent's hands-off style of parenting, or was it the teachers and adults we encountered? If you are a parent and reading this, I hope you consider these questions. Forget what CNN or Crunchy Moms say; let your kids run free to go on adventures. Everyone will be better off for it. Although George appreciates academia, office jobs, and the so-called information age in which we live, they have never been his cup of tea. He is what most of us call a hands-on kind of guy, but with George the term is not figurative but exceedingly literal. "I learn by doing, by touching, by trying it myself. And, you know, I'm not alone in this. Lots of blind people are just like me-they aren't suited to a desk job, but they are ready for some good, honest, physical work." As I said, our father was a small business owner during our very young days. He owned an excavating business. Our kitchen was the office where the workers met in the morning for the day's assignments. Talk of machines, excavating, leveling, ditches, sewer lines to be installed-all were part of our morning conversation at the breakfast table. One time my father found out that one of his employees was taking the long way home so he could add extra time to his paycheck. This was an ongoing problem. When this employee came in one morning, George, only about four years old, said, "My daddy is going to fire you." I guess this prepared George for his future of managing employees in his various businesses. George's story is more than a blue collar versus white collar career discussion. If one considers George's thought process, it transcends these artificial definitions. Some people would say that George is eclectic; others would say he has simple common sense born of his view of life. He is a synthesizer. He creates new space and concepts out of thought and creativity through tools, wood, flour, spices, and agriculture, all contained in his mind and born out of a rich experiential base. What bothers some people is that George refuses to make overly-simple blanket assumptions about doctrinal issues. Chair caning, piano tuning, and door-to- door sales have been stereotypic professions for blind people. Now the pendulum has swung and many if not most counselors are guiding blind people away from jobs that have traditionally been good paying. Even the Randolph- Sheppard program, arguably one of the best employment programs for the blind, has trouble getting counselors to refer potential businessmen to it because it is one of those stereotypical blind guy jobs, even though some blind people are making six-figure incomes. Dogmatism just isn't in George's personality, unless it concerns the proper care and use of tools. George does not frown on what some dismissively call the traditional blind jobs. "If they create real American money, I like them. We should argue when people say that the traditional blind jobs are the only ones blind people can do, but we should never argue that, because we have done them in the past, we shouldn't now see them as good, honorable, and lucrative jobs." One of the highest values of the National Federation of the Blind is developing positive blind role models to demonstrate first-hand that blindness is not what holds us back. As George says, "In years past schools for the blind, at least the Michigan School for the Blind, had many blind teachers. One of these served as a positive blind role model for me. Frank Rosnoski taught many manual skills, including shoe repair and chair caning. Another role model was Jesse Manly, who taught piano tuning. Many of us made good money as students during evenings and weekends pursuing these occupations. Frank Rosnoski could carve a chain from a single piece of wood or a ball in a cage. He was an inspiration for me, showing me that a blind person could not only be skilled at woodworking, but could earn a living doing so. I had no skill or interest in piano tuning, though it paid very well." He continued, "Almost everyone would like to work for what they get. They may take public money, may believe they deserve it because some disability has befallen them, may tell themselves they are just getting back what they or someone else has paid in, but no one feels as good about taking money as they do about earning it. "I have argued and fought against sheltered workshops for their exploitation of the blind. They have long been a thorn in my side. But I am not opposed to creating environments that pay blind people a real and meaningful wage," George stated with passion evident in his voice. When around George there is usually some kind of smell. It is the fragrance of wood shavings or sawdust, the nose-twitching smell of some kind of wood finish, the industrial odors of motor oil, WD-40 or gasoline. If you are lucky enough to get in his kitchen, there will be wonderful aromas of lovingly made brothy or creamy soups, the homey and delectable smells of fresh bread baking, or the aromatic vapors of a pot of chili simmering that promises a welcoming mealtime. When George operated his countertop business, he provided lunch for his employees. This was an economic move to keep his employees close by so they returned on time to work, but it also was a way to share his hospitality, his creative cooking skills, and his concern for others. At age nineteen George started his own woodworking shop in Traverse City, Michigan. "For the first two years I worked a full-time job from eight to four at a bicycle and ski repair shop, which gave me money to support my habit-woodworking. In doing that I became a bicycle technician, fixing and repairing bicycles. This was a great job for me as a blind person-put the bicycle up on a rack, figure out what was wrong, repair it, and, sometimes at the peril of other people, I'd go riding to test my work." In this job George also learned to repair and mount ski bindings and was good enough that he was invited to Las Vegas by Salomon, the seller of running shoes, skis, and snowboarding equipment to work the national ski show in its booth. "All of the emphasis on the safety of ski binding equipment was driven by insurance companies who would get sued if an accident could be traced to mechanical problems with the skis and their bindings. In order for me to qualify, I had to take a test for certification. The test involved looking at forty ski bindings and determining which one of those forty was constructed correctly. In my group of test takers, I was the only one to find the ski bindings that had no problem. Lots of us found the thirty-nine that had problems, but I was the only one to find the pair that was put together correctly. I think the difference may be that most folks come in looking for problems, but I am an optimist and tend to assume that things are okay until I find that they aren't." But back in Traverse City, having no money to pay rent for his part- time business, George made a deal with the owner of a commercial office building to use the unrentable space in the basement for his woodworking shop. "For the right to use that space, I cleaned his bathrooms, cleaned his hallways, and shoveled his snow. Because of my job and the building's business hours, I had to do these office building jobs after five in the evening. So, after working from eight to four in the bicycle shop and five until nine or ten at the office building, I could work at making products in the shop." In about two years George bought his own building. The business was open for a little over nine years, but after buying some new machinery and adding to his original building, he was forced to close in 1982 when the economy crashed and interest rates were sky-high at 20 percent. This meant that the building industry came to a screeching halt. Losing the business took almost everything George had. "You know you are poor when you can move all of your belongings halfway across the country on a Greyhound bus." What he left behind in Traverse City was a lot of classic woodwork in a renovated historic county courthouse, beautifully made store fixtures in many of Traverse City's gift shops and retail stores, Traverse City's longest bar in a bowling alley, and beautiful furniture in people's homes that they will pass on to their children. The city is richer than it was when he came there and shared some of his passion and creativity to earn his daily bread. George moved to Hickory, North Carolina, to get a degree in furniture production management from Catawba Valley Community College. "The reason for going back to school was that my failure in Traverse City led to the recognition that I needed more skills to be a successful business person," he said. While at Catawba College he was hired for a temporary job assembling upholstered couches for a furniture sample maker. North Carolina hosts the headquarters of a number of major furniture companies. Companies have samples made of their new designs to develop manufacturing systems and to show to their customer buyers. It was a rush job and the owner needed people who could use tools and knew about upholstered furniture. "It surprised me that I actually got a job in North Carolina. The owner hired six people and let five of them go at the end of the job; he kept me. I was working with guys who were the best of the best. There were no slackers. I am very good at setting up machines and am not satisfied until they are perfect. Good enough is not good enough." After learning his trade George went to work with people who were creating a kitchen cabinet manufacturing plant. "The reason I was hired to start a European-style cabinet factory is that there is no room for error in European cabinet manufacturing. Precision is absolutely mandatory if the cabinets are to come out right. There is no tolerance for slop. They owned the building, and I was responsible for purchasing the machinery, equipment, and tools. I set up the plant, trained the employees, and started seeing production go out the door." But George does not always play well with others, so he and his partners separated after a couple of years. "One of the partners I got along with quite well, but the other partner and I had a personality conflict, and, in addition, I wanted and thought I deserved more money." Soon George started another company of his own: SellAmerica. His first engagement was with a company selling woodworking routers used for a variety of woodworking applications, including putting finished edges on tables, picture frames, and a multitude of other functions (nothing to do with computers). "The business I contracted with wanted me to do marketing, but my goal was to become an independent representative and work with several companies selling other products to different businesses." George's business morphed into something different when his mother suggested he make a pretty box for his veteran father's interment flag. The triangular box was attractive and could be displayed either open or closed. She showed it to a neighbor who knew someone in the funeral home business. He in turn showed it to the director of the funeral home, who said, "No one is doing anything like this. This is a great idea." So George built some prototypes, did some horse trading with a photographer, created a brochure, and had about a hundred of them printed up and distributed them by hand and by mail. His company began selling to local funeral homes. Within two years he had 2,200 accounts coast to coast and was making about 17 percent on every box he sold. After seeking and being awarded a contract from both the army and the air force that he could not fulfill without the capital, George began looking for an investor. In that search he found someone more interested in purchasing the company than investing in it. "I won't say how much I sold it for, but it allowed me to be a bum for a while. I believe it was Mark Twain who said that 'money doesn't bring you happiness; it just allows you to purchase the type of misery you most prefer.'" [Our sources suggests it was actually English comic Spike Millligan.] In North Carolina George had a lady friend who owned a bakery, so he spent a couple of days each week working there-baking, making soup, and building up the dessert business in local resorts. He spent a couple of days working in his shop, and spent the rest of his time buying, raising, training, and selling Arabian horses. Horses were a passion he had from early childhood. In summers during high school he worked shoveling manure for a local horse raiser in Traverse City, Michigan, in order to earn a little money and mostly to be around horses. All of these part-time jobs he did for three or four years before he decided he needed to go back to work. George moved back to Lansing, Michigan, and started a business in an abandoned storefront which he and some partners renovated. Its purpose was designing, building, and selling kitchen cabinets. The business also included a unit dedicated to countertop fabrication. "In true George Wurtzel style, as my business grew, I decided I liked working by myself more than I did with others, so we split the cabinet sales business off from the countertop business, it being the one I took." When anyone spends even a short amount of time with George, they will come to associate him with flavors. It might be some warm whole wheat or sourdough bread from the oven. He might offer a newly discovered craft beer, a particular love of his. He has a signature Key lime pie. Simple things like oatmeal and pancakes are always something special. Quality fresh ingredients skillfully and creatively prepared with George's attention to detail are hallmarks of his culinary presentations. In the early 2000's when the economy, including the building and remodeling sector, started to fall apart, George closed this business and went to work as the executive director for Opportunities Unlimited for the Blind, where he had been serving as a board member. His job was to run a camp for blind children, and this he did for about five years, something of a record for George. During this time George brought the camp program to a new level of excellence and learned that he liked teaching, and especially teaching young blind people. In 2009 the camp won the prestigious Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award for outstanding programs serving blind people. George acted on his idea to combine art and cooking by designing and having the campers build an outdoor clay oven for baking pizzas and bread. He hired Steve Handschu, a nationally known blind artist, to oversee the design and construction of a dragon-shaped oven later named Smorge. The campers were the primary designers and builders under Steve's and George's oversight. After working there George moved to Minneapolis, where he worked for BLIND Incorporated. "I told my brother in an email that if I made it a year, I'd be surprised, and I actually worked there for about two-and-a- half years. I was really proud of myself, and besides, I really needed the money. ... I'm a really creative person, and I really don't like being pinned in. I can be a difficult employee because I'm really strong in my opinions, and eventually those opinions have caused me or my employers to say that it is time for me to move on. ... I've always wanted to have complete control over my life and what I did, and I believe that everybody should have that. "My rub with much of rehab is that too often you have this thirty- year-old person telling a forty-year-old that we're going to make you a desk jockey, when that forty-year-old's skills, talents, and abilities are in his hands and not in his academic ability. Luckily for me, when I was a young person in rehab, we had two or three people known as job developers whose jobs were industry-based. They didn't have fancy degrees, but they knew how to go out to a factory, look at those jobs, show the factory how a blind person could do them, and then teach the blind person what they needed to know to get and hold a position there. Now you have rehabilitation agencies in the country that are so focused on getting people degrees that they know nothing about blue collar work. I meet too many rehab workers who are just dumbfounded at what I do, and they say, 'How do you do what you do?' And I find myself asking, 'How can you do what you do without knowing this?' "When I started at the Michigan School for the Blind, they had just quit raising chickens and teaching people how to take care of them and to do some animal husbandry. I don't know when the last time was that you priced free-range eggs, but they are $5 a dozen where I live, and it costs about three cents per egg to feed a chicken. There's really good money in that, but when I talk with people about this, they say, 'Do you really want blind people to go back to raising chickens?' And I say, 'Yes! If the blind person wants a career in agriculture and there is a likelihood there is money to be made. Nearly everyone eats eggs in some form or other every day.' "Except for those times when I didn't want to work, I've had a job since I was thirteen years old, either working for myself or working for someone else. This is because I've developed a skillset that suits me well, and I've learned how to sell my skillset to people. When you run your own business, it's like having a job interview every week because you have to go out and sell yourself, whether it's to a company or a potential customer. You get a guy who wants to build five or six confectionary stores, and you want to build all of his cabinetry for him. You have to go out and convince him that you can build the product the way he wants it, give him the quality that he wants, and do it in the timeframe that he wants. You know, he looks at you as a blind person and says, 'I don't know how the guy gets across the street, so can he do all this stuff for me?'" This is something George has faced over and over again, but if you do the job long enough in a city like Traverse City, Michigan, people start to know you, your business starts to have a reputation, and then the company becomes the symbol of what you do rather than the blind man who leaves people with the question of whether or not he can do it. "It is hardest when starting out and actually gets easier as you get bigger." When we Americans wonder what the newest trend is, we look to California. George is currently working for the San Francisco Lighthouse. In an interview for this article Executive Director Bryan Bashin had a lot to say about the approach that organization has with respect to rehabilitation of blind people. "There is a need for outside-the-classroom informal learning, informal mentoring . . . one of the great opportunities is what comes in nature. When I took the job at the lighthouse, one of the reasons I did it was because the lighthouse has owned for sixty-five years this amazing camp on 311 acres in Napa with every fun thing and bit of infrastructure you can think of. So it was my dream to bring a critical group of blindness-positive people together and build that camp. That's what George is really at the center of- -literally building that camp." As George sees it, "My current job is the best retirement work one could have expected. Bryan Bashin engaged in some rather unfair recruiting practices. He called me on a day when it was minus eighteen in Minnesota and seventy-two degrees in San Francisco. The line that clinched the offer was, 'You could be living here.' Before my interview, I had met Bryan a couple of times at NFB conventions, but he says that when he considered what he wanted done, I was the only person on his radar. He has a grape- crushing building that was built in the 1920s. It is a two-story building with about 3,600 square feet, and he wants to convert it into a place where we can teach blind people fine arts. The entire top floor has become a woodworking shop, which contains all my tools, and the main floor of the building is going to become a pottery studio, a general sculpture area, a leather-working shop, and then we'll have a small gallery space for people to display and sell their stuff if they so desire." Once the building is done, the San Francisco Society for the Blind will start teaching classes. "I can do some cursory instruction in pottery and in leather working, but we will find people whose professions are to do these things, and we will hire them as instructors. We have a stream of people going through here; some of them want to be good craftsmen for their own enjoyment, and others want to be good enough at the work to do it at a professional level and make a living as an artist or an artisan." One of the things George hopes to have is big gardens and to raise the produce to feed the people who come during the summer. "We will teach people to be gardeners because, here again, look at the price of organic food in the stores. I've never met a vegetable yet that I couldn't recognize by touch, so why aren't we doing more of this? It's crazy not to be teaching these skills. Community-based farms make big money for the people running them. People subscribe to your garden service, and you give them the vegetables they want either by having them delivered or by having them come to pick up their order. You don't even have to leave the farm, and people will just bring you money." Bashin commented about the Lighthouse, "I think as an organization that is concerned about employment of the blind, we have to look at the complete spectrum. We can't just be an organization that helps blind law students. We can't be an organization to cream-off-the-top people from the top universities. We have to provide different paths for people who want different things. So, yes, we do help blind attorneys, but we also have something we call employment emersion. There we work with individuals in a very intense multi-month process to learn all the techniques that blind people use to find jobs, secure jobs. Each job in employment emersion is one-on-one, so a person who has a desire to work, let's say in radio station advertising sales--we work with him or her to determine: how do you find these jobs? What are they called? How do you approach this? What if you have no experience? How do you disclose your disability? How do you build a network of people? This is far more than just the regular processes involved in pursuing job postings . . . There's a lot of work that goes into getting people to feel that they deserve a place at the table: the sense of teaching folks about our history and our collective mission and the legitimacy and the normality of being blind." George observes that, "Other fields cry out for blind people to explore them. While at the bicycle store, I also learned to string tennis rackets. What benefit is that? Well a man who works for one of the William's sisters makes $300,000 stringing her rackets. Now you may not make that much, but you can string a racket in twenty minutes." We asked George an uncomfortable question. "So how did you avoid falling into the trap of doing nothing and getting paid for it?" "Well, for one thing I suffer from what the Germans and the Americans call ants in your pants. I can't sit still-I just can't. The second part is that I needed to have the money to do what my adventuresome side wanted to do-bicycling, backpacking, canoeing. All of these are things that require money. In 1974 I had a custom-made tandem bicycle built just for me. At the time it cost me $1,000. That's at least a $7,000 purchase today and maybe as much as $10,000 depending on what you want. Social Security does not supply enough jingle in one's pockets for those kinds of things." [PHOTO CAPTION: George teaches a student how to use a lathe.] George did not set out to become a teacher. He said, "It wasn't until I was the director at Camp Tuhsmeheta that I realized that I had a talent and most important, a love of teaching woodworking. I work with every student as an individual. I begin with teaching measuring using a click rule and begin to form a picture of the student's skill set. My goal is to help every student get to the level they want, whether it is a simple hobby with simple tools or a full-blown shop making commercially marketable goods. This is their choice, not mine. My role is to help them to fulfill their dreams and needs." I interviewed Dr. Joshua Miele (pronounced meelee) for this article. Miele is a blind researcher at the Smith-Kettlewell Institute. The Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute is a non-profit, independent research institute affiliated with and located adjacent to the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. Dr. Miele does work with systems for blind people to gain access to complex data such as digital maps, tables, and other digital images, and uses touch and speech to simplify access to complex information so that blind people can do research, work, and learn in fields dependent on mathematical and graphical information. Dr. Miele recently participated in a workshop conducted at the newly completed woodshop at the Enchanted Hills Camp facility. George has personally done a lot of the work to renovate the old building, and he also supervised the work of volunteers and tradespeople on the project. Miele's view on careers for the blind is, "If you're not going to do it, it should be because you don't want to do it, not because you can't. I can't stand the idea of a brilliant physicist being forced to make brooms because that's his only option, but I also can't stand the idea of somebody who wants to work with her hands being forced into the knowledge market because some rehab counselor says that's her only choice." But Miele didn't just learn about woodworking at that event. He learned much more from George, and, from the moment they met, as Miele puts it, "Just as much as learning about the tools and the wood, I feel like I learned about teaching from George. When I met him and we started talking, I had this immediate sense that I was dealing with somebody who was at the top of his game." Jason "JJ" Meddaugh is a blind entrepreneur who runs a company known as atguys.com. He attended the same woodworking class as Dr. Miele. He has known George for many years, since Jason was very young and a camper at Camp Tuhsmeheta. Jason is not likely to have any inflated opinions of George, having seen him in action in many settings and circumstances. "George's expectation for me was that, with enough practice and attention to detail, I could certainly become as good as him if I put my mind to it. And he has that expectation of all the students. He doesn't dumb anything down. He'll certainly break down complex concepts in a way that beginners understand if he needs to. The way he taught things, he would help you figure out a way to do it. "Whether it's when he's teaching a woodworking class or sitting around a campfire telling stories about his travels or his life experiences, you get the feeling that nothing can get in his way. "As an entrepreneur who has started my own business, George was one of the people I looked to, realizing I don't have to do things the way other people tell me to do them. I can make up my own rules if I want, and I will live and die by my own rules. George was one of the main people who encouraged me and gave me the mindset that I could create my own business, as opposed to just going to college and taking a job offered by someone else." George is kinesthetic. George is all about textures and shapes. The way things feel in the hand or under the foot is an important factor in George's work. Many of his artistic objects have unusual shapes, and most include some highly finished surfaces. He often chooses woods that have unusual grains and grain patterns which can be felt. Other times he chooses very fine-grained woods with a satin finish. Curves are sensual and evocative in his decorative objects. Whether it is a utilitarian piece of furniture or a whimsical wine stopper, the tactile experience will always exquisitely fit the application. I remember going with my father to the hospital in June of 1954 to pick up our mom and my new brother. I remember little trinkets mom brought from the hospital. Since then, I have known my brother's propensities, his quirks, and the unique person he is. He has an artistic streak. I am sure there are books about what compels someone to do art. Art is not as concrete as most of George's other endeavors. Not all his art pieces are functional, though all his functional pieces are certainly artistic. One student of George's was an artist named Emilie Gossiaux . Emilie has a hearing loss and was struck by a truck while cycling. She lost all her eyesight in the accident. She chose to attend BLIND Inc. to learn to live as a blind person while George was teaching there. Emilee's artistic skills were well-developed before her accident. Now she needed to learn how to express herself in new ways or express herself in her former ways using alternative skills of blindness. It was up to George, along with the BLIND Inc. staff, to help Emilee figure out that she could do art as a blind person and then help her develop new techniques. Here is what Emilee said in a speech about George's teaching, "This man has given me a priceless gift and showed me a valuable lesson: That sight has nothing to do with making art. It's the vision within that matters." In an interview for this article, Emilie said, "When I went blind in 2010, I was very uncertain whether or not I could still be an artist or continue going to the art college, Cooper Union. Even though everyone I knew--my family, friends, and my doctors--were all very supportive and believed that I could still be an artist, I didn't believe in myself. So, I started to consider doing other things and dropping out of art school because I was very overwhelmed by everything and too scared to go back to school. "When I met George in Minneapolis at BLIND Inc., I was so amazed and inspired by him and the work he does. We instantly became friends because I felt like we had a lot in common, and I appreciated everything I learned from him. He really believed in me, and knowing a person like George exists in the world gave me the courage to keep going to art school and making art. He showed me the skills to make objects and sculptures with my hands again, using chisels and a mallet for woodcarving. He also challenged me to think creatively and helped me make my visions for art in my head become physical and real. For that I am eternally grateful for George and his continued support. Thanks to George, I went back to Cooper Union and graduated with a bachelor of fine arts, and now I have a studio in New York City where I make sculptures and have shows. I hope one day I can do the same for another person, what George did for me." Professionals, laypersons, and a lot of us blind folks often talk about careers that are good for blind people. From chair caning and piano tuning to psychology and social work, all perfectly wonderful professions in and of themselves, blind people have been herded into them because they are a simple fix, lots of blind people do them, and this makes work easy for teachers, guidance counselors, and for blind people who are unsure of themselves. Many people associate the roots of the NFB with Iowa. This is for good reason: Dr. Jernigan put into practice Federation philosophy there and proved that our ideas could produce superior results. Our deep roots go to California and even the Bay Area where Smith-Kettlewell and the San Francisco Lighthouse are. Dr. tenBroek and before him, a STEM person, math Professor Newel Perry, studied and developed the positive philosophy of blindness that is now one of the core principles of the National Federation of the Blind. The Bay Area seems to be a place for upstarts and sages to mix, mingle, and create change. Given the seventy-five years of our organization and the forty years preceding it, the Bay Area has certainly led a revolution in the field of rehabilitation for blind people. It hasn't stopped. With Bryan Bashin, Dr. Joshua Miele, George, and a lot of other rule breakers and entrepreneurs, the future is very bright indeed. George is living the life he wants and showing us all a path of our own. Whether high tech or primitive crafts, we can all see that it is not blindness that holds us back. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Mike May] Blinded Driver versus Blind Pedestrians by Mike May From the Editor: One of the most significant freedoms blind people have gained since the development of techniques to use the long white cane and legislation allowing the use of guide dogs in public places is the ability to travel where we want, when we want, with some assurance of safety. Good training is always essential, but environmental issues are also important, and so too is a recognition on the part of the driving public that they command machines that weigh much more than the pedestrians who share the streets. Mike May and his wife Gena are no strangers to travel. Mike is the founder and chief executive officer of Sendero Group, a company that develops and markets global positioning systems used by the blind. He also works with the National Federation of the Blind on our project to coordinate indoor navigational activities. Here is what he has to say about a recent accident involving him and his wife: On February 23, at 7:45 a.m., my wife Gena Harper and I, both blind, were clipped by a vehicle while we were walking in the crosswalk north on E Street. The Toyota Highlander was heading south on E Street. It stopped at the stop sign and then made a left turn heading east on Fourth Street. The driver turned behind us, running over my back heel and knocking Gena's Seeing Eye dog, Yulie, forward. My dog, Tank, was guiding well in front and suffered no physical injury, nor did Gen. I doubt it would have made a difference even if we could see unless we might have been able to dive out of the way at the last second. The driver pulled over as did a passer-by who saw the incident. The driver explained that the sun was in her eyes, and she never saw us as evidenced by the fact she did not put on her brakes. Gena and I were halfway across the intersection when we were struck. The first part of that intersection was shaded by a building. We were in that shaded area when she started her turn and then hit us. It would take about three seconds from the driver's stopped position to complete the ninety-degree turn. It is astounding that in that three seconds she never saw two people and two dogs in clear view. The obvious question arises, if you are totally blinded by the sun, why would you take the gamble to hurdle a 5,600 pound vehicle at ten to fifteen miles per hour through the intersection? I suffered a bruised and scraped heel. Yulie was not physically hurt but was quite scared. Everyone was shaken including the driver. Hopefully she learned a frightening lesson not to drive when blinded by the sun. Another lesson came out of this incident; don't expect 911 to know your exact location when you call from a cell phone. 911 calls from a cell phone may be routed to one of three entities when you are calling from Davis, and they cannot identify your address the way they would if you called from a landline. Thinking the operator would know I was in Davis, I said I was at Fourth and E. The CHP [California Highway Patrol] operator who got the call transferred me to the Sacramento Police Department. I gave my location again and included Davis in the address at which point I was transferred to the Davis PD and gave my address and story for a third time. It took four minutes before this round-about emergency call was finished. Good thing the situation wasn't life threatening. The 911 system was set up in the '70s based on landline communication with one carrier. Seventy percent of 911 calls today are from cell phones from multiple carriers. 911 operators do not get your GPS position, nor can they receive texts. The FCC reports that 10,000 people lose their lives each year related to poor 911 cell phone positioning. In retrospect I should have used the BlueLight emergency app instead of calling 911 directly on my phone. This would have alerted my emergency contacts by text of my location while also calling 911. In some communities like Oakland your BlueLight call is routed to local emergency services based on your exact position. Perhaps enhanced BlueLight service will come to Davis sooner than later as a lifesaving emergency app. For now I have programmed the Davis PD direct emergency number into my iPhone. Gena and I and our guide dogs missed being seriously injured by inches. There are so many pedestrians and cyclists in Davis that this incident should serve as a reminder for everyone to exercise more cautious judgement when driving, especially when the sun is in your eyes. Remember too if you are driving a hybrid or electric vehicle that they are very quiet at slow speeds, like starting up at an intersection or in a parking lot. Blind and sighted people alike have been struck by these quiet cars. The driver who hit us was not driving a quiet car, but she was at a full stop when we stepped off the curb. Our Seeing Eye dogs were doing their jobs, and we clearly had the right of way. I don't believe that being blinded by the sun or any other excuse justifies hitting pedestrians in a crosswalk. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Peggy Chong with her daughter Tina (left)] I Encouraged My Daughter to Be a Cowboy by Peggy Chong From the Editor: The following article is reprinted with gratitude from the Winter 2016 edition of Future Reflections. Here is how it was introduced by Editor Deborah Kent Stein: Peggy Chong is a longtime Federationist who has developed a deep interest in the lives of everyday blind people from the past. She says she draws renewed energy for her Federation activities by looking back at the struggles and triumphs of blind people who came before us: When my daughter was six, she told me that when she grew up she wanted to be a cowboy, a nun, and a mommy. As most moms would, I told her that was great! My daughter is sighted. The adults around her assumed that, when she reached the age to think seriously about her career options, she would realize on her own that being a cowboy, a nun, and a mommy all at once might present some problems. As it turned out, I did not have to explain why her career could not be all of the above. She is now a successful computer guru, like her dad. Something different tends to happen when a blind child announces her future occupation. If a blind girl says to her parents, "I want to be a bus driver when I grow up," Mom or Dad is likely to say, "That sounds nice, dear. But you know, you can't get a driver's license. You're blind." How is a parent to talk with a blind child about careers? What jobs have blind people chosen throughout history? In what careers can a blind person succeed today? Over the past several years, I have researched the lives of blind men and women in the United States from the 1700s through the early years of the twentieth century. I have gathered some surprising information. Newspaper Reporters and Editors "But newspaper work is all print oriented!" you might say. Francis O. Edgecomb was born in 1864 to a well-to-do family, and he obtained a college education. He and his family had great hopes for his future. In 1890 Edgecomb became a banker in Rulo, Nebraska. He rose quickly, not only in his local bank, but in the financial community in general. Then, in 1892, Francis Edgecomb was injured while he was out hunting prairie chickens. A friend shot him accidentally, and as a result he lost his sight. Not knowing any other blind people, Edgecomb assumed that he could no longer run the bank. Because he had a wife and small children to support, he determined to find another line of work. The bank owned and operated the local newspaper. Edgecomb decided that he would become a newspaper editor. At first Edgecomb performed all the tasks necessary to run the paper. Through the bank he had easy access to the news of the town. He also had a network of connections with businesses that would take out ads. He was so successful that he and his friends began to buy up other newspapers in the area. Soon Edgecomb was operating his own paper, the Geneva Signal. Francis Edgecomb did not have training in the skills of blindness. However, he had a supportive family and the drive to succeed. If one strategy did not work, he tried another. He had a thirst to learn. Though he could not read print himself, he found people who could read to him. When he could not travel to the news, he found creative ways to make the news come to him. Today his great-grandson runs the Geneva Signal and all the other papers that Edgecomb purchased. Was Francis Edgecomb an exception? Well, then there was William Cramer, who was deaf as well as blind. For seventy years he owned and operated a newspaper that is now the Wisconsin Journal. Robert Gust and his wife, who was also blind, ran one of the local newspapers in the new and growing town of Cyrus, Minnesota, for about ten years in the 1920s. Max Frost edited and ran the Santa Fe New Mexican for more than ten years, until his retirement in 1908. B. F. Ervine edited The Oregon Journal for many years and was a powerful political figure. Franklyn Bruce Smith worked for more than fifty years in the Saginaw, Michigan, area as a salesman, reporter, editor, and finally as the owner of a newspaper. Thomas Muir of Plainfield, New Jersey, became blind as a young man while working as a reporter for a New York paper. He did not think that blindness would interfere with his career. In fact, he went on to become the editor of the Plainfield Record in New Jersey. He was elected to the state house of representatives and served for twenty-six years. We do not have space to look at the lives and accomplishments of the many other blind newspapermen and women I have found. Here is a brief list: Siver Serumgard, North Dakota; Raymond Blackmer, Minnesota; Edwin Frost, Wisconsin; and Henry Belk, North Carolina. The list goes on. Electrician Not so shocking! Thomas Nicholson was the first blind electrician I ran across. Born in 1877, he lived in San Francisco. By the time he was fourteen, he and his sister were on their own. Nicholson became a messenger for the local phone company, where his sister also worked. He asked a lot of questions, wanting to learn all he could about the new invention, the telephone. At the age of seventeen he was blinded when a piece of copper wire broke off and struck him in the eye. After he healed from his injury, Nicholson received blindness training, probably at the Home for the Adult Blind in Oakland. He learned to be a piano tuner, but he went back to the phone company and asked to become an electrician. It took a bit of convincing, but the company finally hired Nicholson to build telephones. The job required considerable knowledge of wiring and other electrical work. Years later, also in California, a man named Jack Polston received wide publicity. Polston was established as an electrician when he was blinded in an explosion. He attended the blindness orientation center in Oakland, where he studied under Kenneth Jernigan and regained his confidence. After completing the program, he returned to his work as an electrician. Polston later testified before the US Congress, demonstrating that blind people can work successfully in the skilled trades. Due to the labor shortage during World War II, many blind people obtained good jobs. They proved their ability and did well. Nevertheless, most of these blind workers were laid off when the sighted veterans came home. Irwin Herschkowitz was one of the fortunate exceptions. He got his first job as a radio mechanic during the war, and he kept his job with the air force for many years. He also worked as a telephone repairman. Other blind electricians include Pat Knowles of New Jersey, Mike Mineweaser of Pennsylvania, and Joseph Remington of Michigan. I am sure there are even more that I haven't found yet. Barbers Edward Max is the best documented blind barber I have discovered. Born in New York, he moved to Michigan and established a successful barbershop. When he was thirty-seven years old, he began to lose his sight very rapidly. At first he tried to ignore his vision loss, but soon he began to explore new ways to cut his clients' hair. His skills as a barber had long been sought after by clients in Detroit. Now he modified those skills so he could keep on shaving clients and cutting hair. He trained himself to listen to the many different sounds in his shop. As the boss, he managed the till. He could accurately charge a client for the services rendered by the barbers who worked under him. I have found references to at least four other blind barbers. Medical Doctors Yes, they made house calls. We have all heard of Dr. Jacob Bolotin, who practiced medicine in Chicago from 1912 until his death in 1924. Well, there was yet another blind doctor in the Chicago area, Dr. Robert H. Babcock. Babcock became a renowned heart specialist. Born in 1851 and blinded at age thirteen, he set out to get a good education, beginning at a school for the blind in Philadelphia. He found out that several blind people had become lawyers, so for a time he studied law. However, his true love was medicine. He took the necessary courses and then, with his strong personality, he got to know the right people. He volunteered to serve in many capacities in medical associations, doing all that needed to be done. He wrote many papers and articles, and he addressed medical conferences around the United States. Babcock kept in touch with blind people around the country, including other blind doctors. He promoted opportunities for blind people and served on the board of Outlook for the Blind, a publication of the American Foundation for the Blind. His intimate knowledge of the workings of the heart made him a sought-after consultant for other doctors. Several blind people have worked in the field of chiropractic medicine. Henry Schluntz, a blind chiropractor from Iowa, hired a driver and visited all of the farms in the area. He provided home treatments to anyone who was interested, sometimes offering his services free of charge. In this way he built a loyal clientele, and eventually he became a millionaire. Traditional Fields In the past, traditional fields for blind people included piano tuning, chair caning, and weaving. Like Henry Schluntz, blind piano tuners found creative ways to recruit and keep clients. Several blind piano tuners in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, rode bicycles around town to transport their equipment, moving as fast as their sighted counterparts. Following the wagon ruts, they rode straight down the streets. This is only a short summary of the inventive, enterprising blind workers whose stories I have uncovered in my research. I hope these accounts show that the choice of a career for a blind person is wide open. What matters is the person's drive and determination to do whatever the job requires and to do it well. The individuals I have described built successful and meaningful lives for themselves and their families. Some had blindness training, and others did not. None of them had the gadgets that make our lives so much easier today. Back to the blind child who wants to be a bus driver, or an Uber driver, or an airplane pilot: why not? The self-driving Google car is now on the streets. Technology is advancing so fast that things we think are impossible today may be taken for granted next month. Still, technology doesn't have all the answers. Ingenuity is where it all begins. ---------- Leave a Legacy For more than seventy-five years the National Federation of the Blind has worked to transform the dreams of hundreds of thousands of blind people into reality, and with your support we will continue to do so for decades to come. We sincerely hope you will plan to be a part of our enduring movement by adding the National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary in your will. A gift to the National Federation of the Blind in your will is more than just a charitable, tax-deductible donation. It is a way to join in the work to help blind people live the lives they want that leaves a lasting imprint on the lives of thousands of blind children and adults. With your help, the NFB will continue to: . Give blind children the gift of literacy through Braille; . Promote the independent travel of the blind by providing free, long white canes to blind people in need; . Develop dynamic educational projects and programs that show blind youth that science and math are within their reach; . Deliver hundreds of accessible newspapers and magazines to provide blind people the essential information necessary to be actively involved in their communities; . Offer aids and appliances that help seniors losing vision maintain their independence; and . Fund scholarship programs so that blind people can achieve their dreams. Plan to Leave a Legacy Creating a will gives you the final say in what happens to your possessions and is the only way to be sure that your remaining assets are distributed according to your passions and beliefs. Many people fear creating a will or believe it's not necessary until they are much older. Others think that it's expensive and confusing. However, it is one of the most important things you will do, and with new online legal programs it is easier and cheaper than ever before. If you do decide to create or revise your will, consider the National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary. Visit or call (410) 659-9314, extension 2371, for more information. Together with love, hope, determination, and your support, we will continue to transform dreams into reality. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Kim Cunningham] Transitions: A Conference for Parents and Teachers of Blind Children by Kim Cunningham From the Editor: At the annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind, one division has so many programs and activities that one could confidently say there is a convention within a convention for parents of blind children. The agenda produced by the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children sometimes runs to twenty pages in print, and the breadth and depth of the activities is impressive. Here is what Kim Cunningham, the president of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children, has to say: I would like to invite all families, friends, and teachers of blind and low-vision children to join us at the NFB National Convention from Thursday, June 30, 2016, through Tuesday, July 5, 2016, in beautiful, sunny Orlando, Florida. Every year the NOPBC holds our annual national conference during the NFB National Convention. Our board has been working hard to bring relevant, informative sessions and activities for families and teachers of blind and low-vision children. We welcome all families of children who are blind, low vision, with or without additional disabilities to come together for a week full of fun and educational workshops. We believe that all children can learn with the right support and training. Please help us to share the news that blindness is not what holds our children back! Together we can work to change what it means to be blind! Ten years ago my daughter and I attended our first NFB National Convention. Because my daughter was considered low vision by our school district, I didn't think the NFB was for us. After all, no one ever called her blind. But we were at a loss about my daughter's future and how she would grow into an independent person. We were concerned about how she would take her science classes in school. We were concerned about the length of time it took to complete her work. We were concerned about her identity and feeling like a broken person. We were concerned about her struggle to read. We had no one to answer our questions and give us direction. This all changed when we attended the NFB National Convention along with 2,000 other blind and low-vision people. Everyone was tapping their canes and living their lives just like all the sighted people I knew. It was an energizing atmosphere that I have never felt before. The Federation embraced us and welcomed us into their family! I learned that low-vision kids would benefit from all the tools "blind" kids used. The magic wand ending up being a cane, and the secret word was Braille. I attended workshops while my daughter learned about accessible science from a blind scientist. She also learned about the benefits of the long white cane. The exhibit hall was filled with technology, books, and independent living items to choose from. If I had a question, someone was there to answer it. This year our theme for the NOPBC Conference is "Transitions." As parents we are constantly transitioning from one area to another. When our children were born, we transitioned to becoming parents of blind and low- vision babies. Our children transition from toddlers to elementary school, to junior high, and then high school. Some kids transition from reading print to reading Braille. And with each new transition, we find we are at a crossroad of which way to turn. We hope that our workshops will give you the tools to make educated decisions about the road you want to take. This is what I want for all families to experience. I want you to feel hopeful for a bright future for your child. I want you to learn the skills that blind and low-vision children need to live their lives to the fullest. I want you to know that we all have the same goal - a bright future for our children. Schedule at a Glance: Thursday, June 30: Seminar Day, Opening Day of NOPBC National Conference Our day begins early-registration starts at 7:30 a.m., and our opening general session is from 9:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Please make sure you arrive early enough to take advantage of this entire day of learning. The highlights of our morning general session include a talk for kids and parents by NFB President Mark Riccobono, a report from NOPBC President Kim Cunningham, an address given by a mother who has raised two successful blind daughters, and much more! Throughout the rest of the morning and afternoon, parents will get to choose to attend three workshops from a list of fifteen offered. Workshop highlights include a look inside a model classroom for students from elementary school through high school, a workshop especially for first-time convention attendees, a session for parents of children with low vision, and much more! In the evening, relax with other parents of blind children at our annual hospitality event. Great food, great friends, great fun. Friday, July 1: NFB Registration Day, Meetings of Divisions and Committees Morning NOPBC Cane Walks (two sessions) Wondering if your child should use a cane? Curious about how a cane works? Learn and experience the Structured Discovery Method of travel at these special workshops. Parents, teachers, blind/VI children, and siblings are welcome. Afternoon NOPBC Style Show Watch our young blind and low-vision models strut their stuff on the runway. Come enjoy the fashions and music and support NOPBC. Tickets are $5 at the door. Evening "Laps for Literacy" NOPBC Fundraiser Swim and walk laps for literacy! Everyone is invited to attend and help raise money and expectations at the same time! Tickets are $5 individual, $10 for family, or raise money at home for free entry! Saturday, July 2: NFB Board Meeting, Meetings of Divisions and Committees Afternoon NOPBC Annual Meeting Be sure to attend this important meeting featuring the 2016 Distinguished Educator of Blind Children; NFB Writer's Division Youth Contest Winners, Parent Power, Kid Power; NOPBC business, elections. Special bonus: meeting attendees receive a priority entrance ticket to the Braille Book Fair! Early Evening NOPBC Braille Book Fair A book lover's dream! Browse tables of Braille and print/Braille books. Volunteers will box your books and deliver them to the post office for Free Matter shipment to your home. Books are free; donations are encouraged to support our Braille programs. Sunday, July 3: NFB Opening Day Session Evening NOPBC Workshops and Children's Activities Join the NOPBC for our popular IEP workshop. Learn how to adapt mainstream board games for family fun. Children from five to eighteen will be kept busy with various game and craft activities. Monday, July 4: NFB Business Session NOPBC Brainstorming Session Please come to share your knowledge and ideas with us. What did you like at this convention? What resources would help you stay connected throughout the year? What workshops might you like to see us offer next year? Be a part of this valuable conversation. Tuesday, July 5: NFB Banquet Day and Adjournment What about the Kids? While parents are busy learning, so are children. NFB Camp offers childcare for children six weeks through twelve years of age. Children will engage in a variety of activities while in NFB Camp, many of which are run by blind adults. Children must be preregistered for childcare. For more information and to register, visit . Children ages eleven to eighteen are invited to participate in Youth Track activities throughout convention. These activities will include advice on looking great and feeling great, hands-on science activities (led by blind scientists), and more. Sighted siblings are welcome to attend Youth Track. Conference Registration Fees: Preregister by June 21, 2016: $30 for an individual adult $50 for two or more related adults Children and youth After June 21, 2016: $40 per individual adult $70 for two or more adults Children and youth To register, and for a more detailed schedule of events, please visit: . In addition to registering for the NOPBC annual conference, you will also need to register for the National Federation of the Blind National Convention in order to take advantage of our excellent room rates. Registration information, as well as a variety of other convention information, can be found at . We hope to see many families of blind children in Orlando this year! ---------- Sharing a Room at Convention and How to Survive It with a Smile by Grace Warn From the Editor: Grace Warn lives in Missouri, and one of her passions is visiting Disney World. She believes if there is a good business model in the country, Disney is it, and that if a good proposal for providing customer service arrives on the scene, Disney will probably be the company bringing it. This kind of loyalty translates into annual visits, and to cut down on the expenses, she rooms with folks. She thought her advice about roommates might translate well for those of us going to the 2016 national convention. Here is what she says: Going to convention, whether national or state, is an amazing experience. But it often comes with another experience that isn't always so amazing: sharing a hotel room. Whether to save money or because you're traveling with children too young to be on their own, you're sharing a room with more than just your significant other. And, no matter how much you love your Federation friends or how well-behaved your children are in close quarters for a few days, little frustrations can build up and drain some of the joy from your time at convention. With a minimum of pre-trip planning and almost no effort while there, you can keep the positive energy and enthusiasm flowing during your time at convention. The first step in this process is figuring out who's rooming with whom. Identify a few simple characteristics of each roommate: who snores? Who prefers to shower in the morning versus in the evening? Who are the early birds, and who are the night owls? Who wakes up if a mouse sneezes, and who can sleep through brass bands? Now take a look at the roommate list again. Do you have a light sleeper in with three who snore like chainsaw jugglers riding Harleys? Is there a lone night owl in a flock of early birds? You may want to see if there's a way to juggle people to keep those of similar tendencies together. But, if you can't, there are ways to keep friction from these differences to a minimum: . If you're a light sleeper, consider packing foam ear plugs or sleep wearing in-ear headphones. Either of these will block a lot of the sounds that might keep you awake. If you are more sensitive to light than sound, think about a sleep mask so that others can turn on bathroom lights without waking you. . If you snore, think about ways to lower the volume of it. If allergies make you snore more, make sure you are taking antihistamines and/or decongestants. From personal experience I say try BreatheRight strips; they can make a difference. Be aware of what sleep positions you may want to avoid if you can. . Early birds, lay out your clothes for the day the night before. That way, you avoid making a lot of noise rummaging around in drawers/suitcases, without feeling trapped by the need for quiet. If you're the lone early riser, consider starting the coffee maker to sweeten the inevitable wake-up for the rest of the room. . Night owls, if you plan to stay out late socializing, be considerate coming in. Keep your voice lower, and make sure to kick off your shoes where no one will trip over them. Leave your pajamas in an easy-to- find spot in the suitcase or drawer. Basically, try not to wake everyone up, because everyone needs their sleep to make the most of the short time you'll have at convention. . Discuss amongst yourselves who prefers to shower when and for how long. If everyone takes quick showers, it's no problem if each of you in the room prefers to shower in the morning. Try to work out the rotation for showering, and keep in mind the number of sinks, outlets, and their accessibility while someone else showers so that everyone has a chance to shave, style, and prep for the day without feeling unduly rushed. When you first get into the room, take a quick minute for one simple discussion and define territory. You will be coexisting in a smaller amount of space than you're used to, possibly with people you don't usually live with. Setting up whose stuff goes where and then abiding by what is decided can go a long way toward maintaining harmony. Decide as a group that Joe will get the bottom drawer in the dresser, Sally and Eric each get half of the next drawer up, etc. Try to base the division of territory on practical considerations such as mobility--don't make the person with a bad back bend to use the bottom drawer. Once each of you has staked out your claim, respect the boundaries. Throwing something where you please is fine at home, but it's not fine when it ends up being in a place allotted to one of your roommates. Each of you will have a place for your things, and it's a good idea to have at least one area designated for communal use, such as one place for all technology to sit safely as it recharges, etc. Remember that bathroom counter space can be a scarce commodity and a great cause of irritation before everyone has had their morning coffee. Taking along a hanging shoe organizer designed to either hang in a closet or over the back of a door can give you more places to sort your toiletries and leave a clearer path to the sinks. If you have a guide dog, make sure roommates know where the water bowl will be and decide whether it will be deployed only at feeding time or at any time the dog might wish a drink. Tuck the suitcases in the bottom of the closet or in a corner as out of the way as possible, and make sure the main walkways remain clear. Because a tiny little frustration like tripping over someone's suitcase every time you try to go to the bathroom can become a major annoyance faster than you would expect, it can poison the rest of the experience. Depending on who you're rooming with and how long you're staying, a pop-up mesh laundry basket can be pretty handy for that. It doesn't take up much space in a suitcase, can be found in many dollar stores, and it can be endlessly useful. It can be a place to corral dirty clothes, an easy-to- carry transport for flyers or other merchandise for chapters/divisions, or can be used as the designated location for the day's haul of souvenirs. Speaking of things to bring along from home, in this day and age one of the best items to pack on your trip is at least one power strip. These days everyone has at least a cell phone. But there's also iPads, handheld gaming consoles, notetakers, and many other electronics that require regular recharging. Hotel rooms never have very many outlets, and sometimes the outlet is in a less-than-accessible place, such as a corner behind a small table and chair. The longer cord will bring the power strip up so that everyone can reach to plug in items easily and give you that many more outlets for everyone to share. Sit down and consider exactly what your daily routine will involve, and make sure everyone understands it. You may never have considered that you have to decide which bed you're sleeping on based on the distance from an outlet and availability of a flat surface for a CPAP machine, but what's routine for you may not be for your roommate. That doesn't mean you can't share a room, but it does mean that you need to make sure they're aware of the requirements that are important and perhaps even critical for you. Maybe you're a guide dog user; your roommate doesn't mind dogs--no problem, right? Except when you were considering who snores in the room, you only considered the humans, and your dog snores louder than you do. You and your spouse are used to it; it's white noise that actually helps you sleep better in unfamiliar places. To your roommate, that could be a week spent wishing they'd packed earplugs and praying for a decent night's sleep. Or maybe one roommate has a mild allergy to dog dander. For a couple of hours during a chapter meeting or dinner with a friend, no problem; but sharing a room for a week or so might mean they will need an antihistamine. When you take just a few minutes to prevent the small disagreements and frustrations, you prevent the larger arguments that can happen when the little things add up with exhaustion and excitement to fuel them. While it only takes a few quick minutes of discussion before you leave home, all of these things become a lot harder to do once you're away at convention. What you can tolerate for a day or two is a lot less tolerable on day five of a convention, when you're tired and almost ready to head home. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Abi Jepsen uses a BrailleNote Apex.] If Braille Were Print by Erin Jepsen From the Editor: This article first appeared in Future Reflections, Winter 2016. Following is the way it was introduced by Editor Deborah Kent Stein: Erin Jepsen is a low-vision homeschooling mother of four elementary- age children, one blind, one low vision, and two sighted. She is passionate about education for all kids and about teaching Braille. She and her family live in Idaho. Chatting with a friend today about a refreshable Braille display got me thinking again about the absurdities that I've seen firsthand in my daughter's classes. I've seen a silly attitude about Braille in both a local public school and in a state virtual academy. I've also heard about it from friends around the country who support one another online. This problem comes, I think, from society's general perception that Braille is complicated, difficult, and specialized. My daughter's TVIs work endlessly to provide peer enrichment, to normalize Braille, to minimize errors, and to add Braille in spaces within the school. I have tried to do the same at home. Still, in spite of our best efforts, misperceptions remain in attitudes about Braille and print. To address some of these misperceptions for the non-Braille-reading public, I want to try an experiment. I want to reframe some of the things that students commonly hear when they are being taught Braille by imagining that they are being said to a sighted print reader. I'd like to say these things about the reading method that nearly everyone in my area uses: English print. The Challenges of Print Imagine a typical first or second grader of average intelligence who is learning to read. Keep in mind the material this learner will need to read in eighth grade, in twelfth grade, in college, on the job, running a household. 1. It makes sense that you're having a hard time with this. It is hard to learn print. As your hypothetical classroom teacher, I don't actually read this print stuff. Your aide took a two-week training course, and we have a reference chart here, but I really don't know how print works. It just looks like a bunch of squiggles on the paper. It uses a round symbol for both a zero and the letter o, and I'm not sure how to tell you which one is which. There is also special shorthand stuff, like spelling with as w/, and I don't know how to teach you all that. Reading a book with writing on both sides of the page is hard for me. It doesn't matter that it's normal for you; I say it's hard, because for me, it is. You have a special print teacher, and you'll see her for an hour or two per week. Surely that's all the extra help you'll need. 2. I'm not aware of any techniques for reading print at a usable speed. As far as I know, print readers only read one letter at a time. I don't know any adults who read printed books. I saw someone do it once on TV, and it looked like magic. I've heard that people who read print well are either geniuses or flukes. 3. I'm sorry, but your book is loaded with typos. The books we're giving you were transcribed by unqualified volunteers, so there are at least two typos or misprints or misspelled words for every thirty words. Just remember you're lucky to have print books at all. Every other kid in your class gets information from illustrations, but we're going to skip those for you. They're cute, but probably they're not important. 4. Technology, schmechnology! First of all, nobody like you uses computers or knows how to type at your age. You have plenty of time to learn that stuff later. Your job someday probably won't require a computer. If it does, someone can give you a quick training course. For now, we're going to print your books using a dot-matrix printer. The school bought it in 1989 for our last print reader, and they don't want to buy anything new. We're going to get you a special display screen, though. It hooks up to an iPad. It displays three words per screen. To get to the next screen, you just press this little button over here. Cool, right? 5. Reading is overrated. Nobody these days needs to read print or write with a pencil anyway. You can just listen to audiobooks. It's a lot less work than reading, and you can dictate anything you want to write. Technology is amazing these days for people like you. 6. Nobody else reads the way you read. In your school, no one besides you reads print. The teachers don't read it. Your friends don't read it. There is no print displayed around the halls, on the classroom walls, or in the lunchroom. Everybody reads, but nobody reads English print. Nobody here can read what you write, and nobody can write to you. Well, one of your friends learned to write to you. He thinks print is a cool secret code. There's a sign in print by the bathroom. You say it actually says "Aathroox?" We keep reminding you to be grateful for your printed books. The other students have thousands of books in whatever they read, and no one tells them to be grateful. But you should be grateful for the twelve books that you have. Don't forget, people went to a lot of trouble to get them for you. You didn't do very well on the reading test last week. Your special print teacher says it was written like this: %Bgoat %Bpig %Bhorse %Bduck. I don't read print, so I don't know how it looks to you. I just grade your test the best I can. 7. You will get your books late-always. The school ordered the wrong reading book from the supplier, so your book is the first-grade version, not the second-grade version. It's double- spaced and uses easy vocabulary, but that's okay for you. Your life is challenging enough already just learning to read print. You have to learn all those curves and squiggles. The capital letters are different shapes, and there are different fonts, too. You have to learn five different shapes just for the letter A. That's hard! You don't need challenging vocabulary, too. You're falling behind your class? Don't worry. You have a lot on your plate. Your math book is still at the translator's shop. They say it will be here in seven months. Everyone else is going to use a math book during the next seven months, but I'll just read your math out loud to you. Don't worry about learning to read numbers! When you get your math book, you can read the numbers all you want! Be grateful you're getting a math book in print. 8. Of course you're behind. Kids like you, print readers of average intelligence, are always behind-always. In fact, you'll likely graduate from high school with about a fourth- grade reading level. It can't be helped. It's okay, though, because kids like you don't usually want to have a career. People who read print usually get jobs sorting stuff at places like Goodwill. They pay you about $2 an hour, but you won't notice that because of the math thing. 9. Print is just so cool! Print looks cool! I see it here and there, like on elevators, and it's just so neat. It's all swoopy and round, and I like to look at it. People like you must be really special to read it. I can't believe you can just walk up to a sign with words printed on it and-boom-read what it says. Kids who read print are so beautiful and special. They open their printed books and just go for it. Unbelievable! 10. I love the way you write print, too. I've watched you write print. You make these marks on paper, and you actually know what they say. That special tool you use, what's it called? A pencil? It's so neat! It writes print, just like that! I've seen you type on a special keyboard. It makes print, too, but it disturbs the class with the clicking noise, so I wish you wouldn't use it. You can use it someday when you're grown up, but not in class, okay? Just tell one of the adults what you want to write, and we'll do it for you. We'll even spell it right for you. You can practice spelling words on your special spelling tests in your special writing room on Fridays. The Print Reader's Experience Dear Reader, what do you think? Do you think a kid is going to learn to read in that atmosphere with those expectations and that sort of encouragement? With that amount of support and practice? Any TVI or homeschool mom who has tried to even things out for a Braille reader knows exactly what I'm talking about. What do print-reading kids typically experience in school? Let's take a look. 1. Your teacher knows English. If you are an English speaker, your teacher knows the language in which you're reading and writing. She or he may even know Spanish or Chinese or Dutch. She can use all the tools you are expected to use. If she can't, she is not deemed qualified to teach. 2. Your teacher has books. Books in print arrive in the classroom on time before the school year begins. In nearly every school in the country, there are books for every kid in the class. The books don't come late. The teacher reads them and shows you how to read them. You have your own copy of each book you need. The teacher sends books home with you for practice. If your parents know English, they can read with you. If there is a quote you want to read at the school assembly, you don't have to write it out for yourself first because nobody else knows how. Your mom can read the story you wrote. There might be one typo in your whole book-maybe-and everyone complains about that one. 3. Everyone around you reads. Your parents read. Your teacher reads. Your lunch lady reads. Your big sister reads. They read the same way you read. You are expected to learn to read. You're told that it's normal to learn to read. 4. You get help when you need it. If you're having trouble reading, adults act as if this is a problem. You are expected to take extra classes, to practice, and to get help until you can read well. If you can't read, you are called illiterate. You are not given audiobooks. You are taught to read (one hopes). If you don't know how to write, you are expected to practice and learn to write correctly. To get a good job that pays a decent wage, you have to be able to read well, write well, and use computers. None of that is considered weird. 5. You learn current technology. Your school has computers, and you learn to use them. You are taught to type, and you are taught to read on a screen that displays thousands of words at a time. You learn to scan for information, because your class moves quickly. 6. You don't get a pass. You are expected to keep up with the class. You don't get a free pass not to keep up. You don't get to be lazy just because you're a print reader. After all, reading print is normal. Everyone knows it's completely doable, so why should you get to slough off? You have all the materials you need and all the tools you need. You can't make excuses, because you have the book you need for the assignment and the pencil or the keyboard you need for your work. The teacher loaded and set up the software your class uses, and he knows how to use it. 7. You know you'll use print all your life. You fully expect that you will grow up, get a job, pay bills, and become a contributing member of society. You know you will read and write print as you do all of these things. 8. You read math. If your teachers did not teach you to read and write the language of printed math in school, your parents would throw a holy, hell-raising, fire- breathing, sue-the-school-for-a-zillion-dollars tantrum. And the community would support them. The school would be put up for review by the state. If the teachers did not write math code, they would be fired. Period, the end. And no one would be surprised. 9. Nobody gushes over your reading ability. Nobody tells you they saw some print on a box of BAND-AIDs and how cool that is. Nobody tells you that you literally deserve a medal for learning how to read-because everybody reads! You don't give yourself pats on the back for using a computer at the age of seventeen-everyone uses a computer at age seventeen! Technology is normal for you. 10. You get all the information in class if you bother to pay attention. A print reader of typical ability and average intelligence can get all the information presented in the classroom. All the stuff on the overhead; all the stuff in every book; all the stuff on the wall; all the lunch menus; all the recess schedules; all the toy names. And for all that, nobody thinks to be grateful. A Few Last Comments about Braille 1. Reading Braille is normal for blind kids. For blind and low-vision kids, Braille is the normal way to read. The tools they use are normal. Reading is normal. Having Braille on the elevator is normal. 2. Reading Braille is not hard. Reading Braille by touch is not hard. Many Braille readers are slow because of all the things listed above that happened when they were learning it. BRAILLE IS NOT HARD. 3. You can read Braille fast. Good Braille readers can match print readers for speed. (Not many do ... see above.) A good Braille reader can read ten thousand pages in a couple of weeks. (Not many do ... see above.) 4. Braille is not becoming obsolete. There are Braille displays for computers. There are Braille embossers. There are Braille transcribers looking for work. There are more Braille books than ever before. There are computers that transcribe books more accurately than ever before. There are blind people who need to be able to read. There are people who need to read pill bottles and bills and recipes and blog posts and books and textbooks and math books and elevator signs and hallway signs and foreign languages and CD covers, and they need to see how names are spelled. There are deaf-blind people who use Braille to communicate everything! Since the early 1800s when Louis Braille brought the idea of a quick, dot-based tactile method of reading and writing to his school in France, there have been naysayers. In the beginning people said that Braille wouldn't work. A separate code that sighted people couldn't read would never be widely used. Blind people used Braille anyway, because for the first time they could write for themselves. Braille gave them voices. They could read what they wrote. When Braille came to America, it had naysayers. People said it was too expensive to produce. They said there would never be enough books. Blind people used Braille anyway. They made their own books. They hired people to learn Braille and transcribe it. They raised funds. As Braille enters the modern century, it has its naysayers. They say it's becoming obsolete because of technology. They say it's clunky and outdated. Blind people keep using it anyway. We use Braille with technology. We use it to learn to spell, and we use it to jot notes. We delight in the thrill of opening a real, paper book and feeling the magical constellations under our fingers as words and stories come to life. 5. Then what is the problem? See if you can figure it out. I can hear what you're thinking: "But Braille is different from print." Obviously Braille and print aren't the same, but they're not as different as they seem to non-Braille readers. I read both. I read Braille by touch. I read print (sometimes, under the right conditions). "But I'm a blind person, and I don't read Braille well. I hardly read it at all." Why not? Is it lack of desire, lack of support, lack of encouragement? (I'm not talking about people with multiple disabilities, cognitive impairments, or nerve damage in their fingers.) If it's lack of desire, I accept that. You may prefer to use audio, magnification, or other reading methods. But if you dig deep into your reasons, and it's due only to shame or lack of good instruction, I feel that those reasons should not exist. We shouldn't be ashamed to read! We should not be left unsupported when the rest of our peers have a way to read that fits their needs and frees them for a life full of options. "But I teach Braille, and what you describe is impossible." Is it? See if you can do something about it. Please. Because if blind and low-vision kids got the support their average sighted counterparts get in learning to read, they would not face a 70 percent unemployment rate. There might still be workplace discrimination, but I'd be willing to bet there would be more employed blind folks than there are today! I wanted to write "That would be amazing," but I realized that isn't quite accurate. Amazing implies something above and beyond the norm. It implies something unexpected. It implies something to be marveled at. Reading isn't something to be marveled at; it's something that should be expected, that should be normal. It's basic, like adequate clothing or nutrition. It's the foundation of every other form of education. So, instead of "amazing," I write: "It would finally be what kids deserve. It would be just. It wouldn't level the playing field, but it would be a start." ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Marion Gwizdala] Fake Service Dogs: Problem or Propaganda? by Marion Gwizdala From the Editor: Marion Gwizdala is the president of the National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU). In this article he begins to address the question of what constitutes a legitimate service dog and asks whether greater regulation and standardization is warranted. Here is what he says: When I was younger and sighted, I enjoyed an activity called "connect the dots." This involved a nondescript picture along with a set of numbered dots. In this activity, one began with a dot numbered one, drew a line to dot number two, and continued drawing lines between the consecutive numbered dots as a picture evolved. I want to invite our readers to play a little connect the dots with me as we examine what some refer to as "the problem of fake service dogs." Before we begin connecting the dots, I would like to say that the labeling of this issue as one of fake service dogs is a misnomer. The dogs are not the fakers, the people are. They are feigning a disability in order to attempt to take advantage of the laws that permit disabled individuals to be accompanied by a service dog. Secondly, I believe that calling this issue a problem elevates it to the level of needing a solution. It is my opinion that the real problem is not being created by those who misrepresent themselves as disabled accompanied by a service dog; rather, the issue is being presented as a problem by those who would benefit from the solution. Now, let us connect the dots. In the field of psychology there is a disorder once known as Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, now called, Fabricated or Induced Illness by Carers (FIIC). This disorder refers to the deliberate production or fabrication of physical or psychological symptoms in a child by a parent or caregiver. The theory is that the caregiver gains attention from others because of their child's illness or is acclaimed for their actions to rescue the child from harm. In the business arena there is another term for this known as "evil marketing." This latter term refers to a scheme in which a company fabricates a problem that does not actually exist or exaggerates a minor issue for which the company has a product or service to solve the problem. Over the past few years there have been numerous articles in the media about the issue of fake service dogs. Though I know there are those who mistakenly believe they can call their pet a service animal because they feel better when their pet is with them, their intention is not malicious. They may be misguided or misinformed, but they are not malicious. Then there are those whose intent is less than honorable, willfully misrepresenting their pet as a service animal in order to take advantage of the civil rights provisions that allow disabled individuals to be accompanied by a service dog. I believe these are the exceptions rather than the rule. As we connect the dots, though, I am confident you will see a very interesting picture beginning to evolve. Upon a review of these articles, the one common denominator we find is that nearly every piece has as its subject a service-animal user who has experienced an out-of-control dog whose owner has asserted their dog was a service dog in a place where pets are generally not allowed. Most of these subjects have another common denominator-they are usually consumers of a training program called Canine Companions for Independence (CCI). Now let's connect the next dot. CCI has created an online petition calling upon the United States Department of Justice to ban the sale of service-animal gear such as vests, harnesses, and signs from the internet. Some contend this is not an unreasonable proposal since service animal training programs issue the necessary gear, and those willing to take unfair advantage of the protections afforded us should not be given easy access to it. The challenge is that many of us have a need or desire for additional gear for specific reasons, not to mention that gear is not what makes a dog a service dog. For instance, my wife and I have guide dog harnesses made of nylon and PVC, which are much lighter than the leather and metal versions issued by our training programs, will not set off metal detectors in airports and courthouses, and are more appropriate for beach visits. These items were purchased online from a NAGDU member who makes these harnesses. A number of other reputable companies make harnesses and other gear for service dogs available on the internet, and these companies should not be prohibited from selling their products in the marketplace of the World Wide Web. It would be rather na?ve to believe that prohibiting the sale of service-animal gear on the internet will solve the issue of those who misrepresent their pets as service dogs. Canine Companions for Independence is also engaging in fearmongering. Their contention is that those who misrepresent their pets as service dogs threaten the legal rights of those of us who have legitimate service dogs by causing businesses to question everyone who enters their business with a dog. I believe this is actually a good thing. As more businesses learn what questions they can ask and how to identify a legitimate service dog from a pet, those who are misguided or malevolent will be deterred from this behavior. It is also important to share that when someone signs the CCI petition, they are asked to give their email address and they are advised they will receive additional information. When I visited CCI's petition site, they claimed they had more than 17,000 signers, so they have amassed a very sizeable contact list from this propaganda. I believe we need to connect a few more dots to really get a clearer picture of the true motives. Let's take a look at another player in the service dog industry. Assistance Dogs International (ADI) is the only accrediting body of service-animal programs in the world. ADI has created an ethical standard to which all their members, candidates, and program consumers must adhere as a condition of accreditation. Here is a brief sample of these so-called ethical standards as they apply to service dog training programs and those they train: . The assistance dog program must document monthly follow ups with clients for the first six months following placement. Personal contact will be done by qualified staff or program volunteers within twelve months of graduation and annually thereafter. . The program will provide a laminated ID card with a photo of the client and dog and names of both. In public the guide dog will wear the program's appropriate guide harness. As it pertains to other service dogs ADI has the following standard: . Identification of the service dog will be accomplished with the laminated ID card with a photo(s) and names of the dog and partner. In public the dog must wear a cape, harness, backpack, or other similar piece of equipment or clothing with a logo that is clear and easy to read and identifiable as assistance dogs. [sic] . The client must abide by the ADI Minimum Standards of Assistance Dog Partners. The term "client" used in these standards refers to the service dog user. The logical follow-up question is, "What would be the consequences if we, as consumers, refused to comply with these standards?" As it pertains to the issuance of identification cards and the mandate that the service dog wear any specific gear, such requirements as a condition of access are incongruent with the implementing regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and should not be imposed upon a consumer and purported as ethical. Throughout its standards and another document published by ADI entitled "Public Access Test," ADI uses the term "certified by ADI," as if this certification carries some particular benefit. It appears to me as if ADI is attempting to position itself as the certifying body for all things service-animal related. To the best of my knowledge, no guide dog training program is accredited by ADI, and such accreditation is not required as a condition of legal access. So, if Assistance Dogs International is so irrelevant in the guide dog training industry, why even bring them up? Well, let's connect a few more dots. On its website, CCI proudly proclaims that it was the very first service dog training program to be accredited by ADI. Remember that most of the articles concerning the issue of the misrepresentation of service dogs featured consumers of Canine Companions for Independence and CCI has a petition to ban the sale of service dog gear on the internet. Add to this that a number of states have attempted to introduce legislation that would require a service dog user to present documentation that a dog is a service dog, wear specific gear, issue identification tags, and create service dog registries-all of which are incongruent with the implementing regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act-in an effort to combat the false perception promulgated by the media that there is a problem needing a solution. Over the past two years Bob Kresmer and our Arizona affiliate have spent too many hours opposing this sort of legislation, and several states have such provisions in their law that have been problematic for guide dog users attempting to protect their civil rights. So far the National Association of Guide Dog Users and the National Federation of the Blind have been successful in getting such legislation withdrawn or amended, but it has created unnecessary work for us. We see a real problem unfolding, and it is not being created by those misrepresenting their pets as service dogs. Let's continue connecting the dots and watch this picture evolve. Until 2014 the executive director of CCI was a man named Corey Hudson. Corey Hudson is also a past president of ADI North America. Equally interesting is that the current president of ADI North America is Paul Mundell, who also serves as the national director of canine programs at Canine Companions for Independence. So, if there is a problem with those misrepresenting their pets as service dogs, if the federal government bans or regulates the sale of service dog gear on the internet, if those of us who use service dogs are required to undergo regular recertification, or if we are required to obtain identification cards for our service dogs, what organization do you think would benefit from these regulations but the self- elevated organization that certifies all things service dog? Long before the fabrication of the nonproblem of fake service dogs by manipulating the media to shore up the need for a solution, there was an attempt to convince the United States Department of Justice that a problem could exist if the regulations did not require the wearing of special gear and other identification provisions. As early as 1991 Mr. Hudson expressed his concerns over what he believed would be the abuse of the ADA by those wishing to pass their pets off as service dogs. Under date of October 23, 1991, Mr. Hudson wrote to the United States Department of Justice, "While Canine Companions for Independence and other members of Assistance Dogs International are pleased that the ADA recognizes service animals, we are also concerned that the law not be abused by others." Mr. Hudson went on to write, "In April 1991, Robin Dickson, President of Assistance Dogs International, Canine Companions for Independence, and I believe several other Assistance Dog Schools/Centers submitted suggestions that ADA regs. provide for some ID for properly trained assistance dogs. I am again making this request." [sic] Fortunately the DOJ did not heed the requests of CCI, ADI, and the "several other Assistance Dog Schools/Centers" to which Mr. Hudson alluded, refusing to impose requirements for specific gear or other identification as a condition of our civil right to be accompanied by a service dog. Though NAGDU and the NFB have not created an official policy statement on this question, we have a long history of opposing requirements for special gear or documentation and supporting the rights of owner-trainers- individuals who have trained their own guide dogs. During our 2015 annual meeting, we had about one hundred guide dog teams in the room and about fifteen of them were owner-trainers. The provisions of special gear and identification cards advocated by those who would benefit from such requirements and the prohibition of the sale of service-animal gear on the internet would have an adverse effect on owner-trainers and anyone else wishing to purchase service-animal gear for legitimate purposes. Since the current DOJ regulations do not require a service animal be trained by a training program to be recognized as a service dog, it is possible to train one's own dog to perform tasks or do work that meets the definition of a service animal under the implementing regulations. Training a dog to pick up dropped items, open doors, or alert to sounds are not tasks only a professional trainer can teach. In fact, all of the owner- trained guide dog teams I have encountered have been more highly trained and consistently better behaved than some of the program-trained dogs I have come across. Even if such regulations were to be adopted-and I highly doubt they will-what is to prevent someone who really wants to beat the system from doing so? Should we ban the sale of lamination equipment from office supply stores so fake identification cards cannot be produced? Should we regulate those who make leather products so they cannot produce harnesses and seamstresses so they cannot sew service-animal vests? There is a far better solution to this issue, and each of us can be a part of that solution. One of my favorite adages when conducting service animal training seminars is, "It is better to educate than to litigate." Most of us have faced violations of our civil rights, but few of us have needed to seek legal remedies. Usually a bit of education is all that is needed. We want businesses to know the rights of an individual accompanied by a service dog are not absolute, and businesses have the right to deny access to dogs that pose a direct threat, are out-of-control and the handler does not take action to correct the behavior, or if the dog is not housebroken. I will submit an article in the future discussing the responsibilities of service dog users and the rights of businesses as they pertain to access to individuals accompanied by service animals. In the meantime, if you would like more information about the rights and the responsibilities of service-animal users, we have the tools and information to offer guidance. This will go much further than restricting our rights the way CCI and ADI wish. In order to be good advocates, we need a few tools and sound skills. The National Federation of the Blind's National Association of Guide Dog Users sponsors The NAGDU Information & Advocacy Hotline. This nationwide toll-free telephone service offers general information about service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as well as specific guidance concerning restaurants, taxicabs, and healthcare facilities. Callers needing immediate assistance can connect directly to a live, trained advocate. Now there's an app for that. The National Association of Guide Dog Users is proud to sponsor the NAGDU Service Animal Information & Advocacy mobile app. This innovative app provides general information about the state and federal laws that protect the civil rights of disabled individuals who use service dogs. The app contains the full texts of the implementing regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as they pertain to service animals and each of the state statutes that affirm the rights of those who use service dogs, as well as general guidance concerning access to specific types of establishments, such as hotels, restaurants, taxicabs, healthcare facilities, and more. In addition, this app provides the ability to directly connect with a live advocate who has been specially trained to resolve access issues as they occur or send an email for more specific guidance. This app is provided by the National Association of Guide Dog Users at no charge as a public service. To download the app, simply type the term "NAGDU" into the app store's search field. In an effort to better train our members about the rights and responsibilities of guide and other service dog users and learn how to initiate a dialogue with businesses, we are offering a special advocacy- training seminar, so plan to join us on Tuesday, May 17, at 8:00 p.m. eastern time for a dynamic training program conducted by the staff of our hotline. During this training, we will offer you some new tools to help start the conversation and share the skills of advocacy. To join the teleseminar, please call the NAGDU boardroom at (641) 715-3300 and enter participant code 560908#. We look forward to mobilizing our membership to remove the obstacles we face as we live the lives we want in our communities and make a meaningful impact on the rights of guide and other service dog users in the United States. ---------- How to Pay for Your Hotel Stay in Orlando by Tony Cobb From the Editor: For a long time Tony Cobb was a fixture in our national convention hotel lobby, and his kindness, wisdom, and experience helped to make the convention better for all of us. Here is a reminder we try to run each year to prevent the heartache that comes from an overdrawn checking account when one is not familiar with the practices of major hotel chains. The words below come from the wisdom of those years of service, and it is with gratitude that we reprint them: Here is some advice about paying for your hotel stay: every year at our national convention we have serious trouble with use of debit cards or cash payments at hotel check-in, and, having worked to solve these problems for years, I can tell you they can nearly ruin the convention week for those experiencing them. Planning to attend our national convention should therefore include thinking seriously about how to pay the hotel, and I cannot urge you strongly enough to avoid using cash or a debit card as your payment method. Doing so may seem convenient, but you should not do so. If you do not have a credit card of your own to use, prevail upon a close friend or family member to let you use one just for convention. Here's why: If you are paying in actual currency, most hotels will want enough cash up front at check-in to cover your room and tax charges for the entire stay, plus a one-time advance incidentals deposit to cover meals, telephone calls, internet service, and other things you may charge to your room. The unused portion of the incidentals deposit may be returned at check-out or by mail after departure. Understand, however, that, if your incidentals charges exceed the incidentals deposit credited, you are responsible for payment of the full balance at checkout. The total can end up being a very large sum indeed. If you use a debit card, however, you are really at a potentially painful disadvantage. The hotel will put a hold on money in your bank account linked to the debit card to cover the estimated balance of your stay-that is, for the entire week's room and tax charges plus a one-time incidentals deposit to cover meals, movies, and so on charged to your room. You should be aware that the hold can therefore be a considerable amount of money and that you will not have access to that amount for any other purchases or payments with your card. (Hotels sometimes also put authorizations on credit cards, by the way, but those are not often a problem unless they exceed your card's credit limit.) Holds can remain in effect for three to five days or even a week after you check out. If you have pre-authorized payments from your bank account, for example your monthly mortgage payment, or if you try to make a purchase with your debit card and it's refused, the hold from the hotel can cause you trouble or result in very large overdraft fees for payments you thought you had money in your account to cover. I have seen this hit some of our members in the form of hundreds of dollars in overdraft fees. This means that, if you use a debit card, you would have to be certain you have a high enough balance in your checking account when you come to convention to cover any debit card holds. This is a perilous practice since charges may exceed your estimate by a considerable amount. (Some frequent travelers even open a separate checking account used only for debits like these.) Remember, a hold is going to be placed on your debit card regardless of how you end up paying the bill, and the hold is not necessarily released right away, even if you pay with a credit card or cash when you check out of the hotel. Planning ahead in this area can ensure an untroubled week at convention, leaving you free to enjoy fully the world's largest and most exciting meeting of the blind-using a credit card, I hope. ---------- Recipes This month's recipes are from the National Federation of the Blind of Alaska. Tortellini Tomato Soup with Italian Sausage and Spinach by Juanita Webb Juanita is a member of the Alaska affiliate, who believes strongly in the power of an individual to make a difference. Ingredients: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 pound Italian sausage 1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 medium onion) 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes 1 32-ounce box of vegetable broth (chicken works as well) 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 package tortellini 1 cup packed fresh spinach Fresh grated parmesan cheese to taste Method: Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Heat vegetable oil and add diced onion. Saut? until onions are soft. Crumble Italian sausage and garlic with the onion. Cook until sausage is no longer pink. Stir in crushed tomatoes, broth, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover. Let soup simmer for twenty to thirty minutes. Add tortellini and spinach and simmer for about ten minutes, until pasta is tender. Serve with shredded parmesan. ---------- Ranch Chicken Salad by Shanley Kerls-Brown Patrick and Shanley Brown, both members of the NFB of Alaska, have recently made some major healthy lifestyle changes. Shanley went in for a simple eye exam to renew her driver's license in December of 2015. The eye doctor informed her that she had signs of diabetic damage to her eyes. She had bloodwork done which confirmed that she had type 2 diabetes, and her numbers were off the scale. She and her husband Patrick, who is the first vice president of the National Federation of the Blind of Alaska, began making healthy lifestyle changes. Along with exercising they began eating a healthy low-carb diabetic diet. In three months they had both lost thirty pounds and both had excellent bloodwork results, with Shanley's within .50 from being under the diabetic window. These are a few healthy recipes they enjoy. Ingredients: 3 to 3 1/2 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken breast 1 cup celery, chopped 1 sweet bell pepper (any color), chopped 1/4 sweet yellow onion, chopped 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon dry ranch seasoning Method: Mix the chicken, mayonnaise, and seasoning together in a medium bowl until well blended. Stir in the celery, peppers, and onion until mixed evenly. Chill one hour to let flavors meld. ---------- Cabbage Creole by Shanley Kerls-Brown Ingredients: 1 to 2 pounds ground beef 1 small onion, chopped 1 medium head of cabbage, chopped 1 10-ounce can Ro-Tel tomatoes 1/2 pound Velveeta, cubed 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder Method: In a large skillet, brown beef with chopped onion. Drain if necessary. Return meat mixture to pan. Add chopped cabbage (this may have to be done in batches depending on how big of a pan you use). Cook until cabbage is somewhat wilted. Add Ro-Tel and continue to cook until cabbage is tender. Add cubed Velveeta and seasonings to taste. Cook until cheese is melted. Serve hot. ---------- Hearty Hungarian Goulash by Bonnie Lucas Bonnie is the president of the Anchorage chapter and loves to cook. She does her best to share the NFB philosophy of the Federation with the blind of Alaska as an employee of the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Ingredients: 2 pounds chuck roast, cubed 4 whole carrots, cut into large chunks 18-ounce canned plum tomatoes, crushed by hand 1 onion, chopped 2 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon cumin 1 tablespoon dijon mustard 2 tablespoons minced garlic 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 cups bone broth or organic beef broth Salt and pepper to taste Coconut oil to brown meat Method: Coat large pan with enough coconut oil to line the bottom. Brown cubes of chuck steak over high heat in batches, about two minutes per side. Chop carrots and onion. Hand crush tomatoes. Add carrots, onion, and tomato to slow cooker. Add meat, seasonings, garlic, mustard, and bone broth to slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cook on high for four to six hours or low for eight to ten hours. Can serve over brown rice or quinoa. Makes four servings. ---------- Grandma Jo's Pizza Burgers by Bill Packee Bill says of himself: I am a former Alaska state president of the NFB, assistant manager at Walmart, and a student at the University of Maryland working towards a bachelor's degree in forensic psychology. In my "off time" I enjoy my children, grandchildren, our dogs, and maybe some sleep. This recipe was one of our kids' favorite meals while growing up. Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds of hamburger 1 10-ounce can of pizza sauce 1 small onion, chopped 1 can mushrooms 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated 1 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 8 hamburger buns Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown hamburger and onion together. Add remaining ingredients except cheese. After adding ingredients cool mixture, then add cheese and bake at 350 degrees for ten to fifteen minutes, then spoon unto buns. Yields eight servings. ---------- Flourless Chocolate Cake by Bonnie Lucas Ingredients: 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped 1 cup (2 sticks) plus 3 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks 1 1/4 cups sugar 6 eggs 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon milk 1 tablespoon honey 1/4 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract Method: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a nine-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray, then line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Spray the paper with cooking spray, too, then set the pan aside. Place two-thirds (eight ounces) of the chocolate and one cup (two sticks) of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stirring often, melt chocolate with butter until completely blended. Remove from heat, and transfer to a large bowl. (Alternatively, you may use your microwave to melt the butter with the chocolate, if desired). Add sugar and mix well. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Sift cocoa into bowl and stir until just blended. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for thirty-five to forty minutes, or until cake has risen and top has formed a thin crust. The cake should be just firm in the center when done. Cool for ten minutes, then invert onto a plate, removing sides of springform pan. Remove and discard parchment paper and set cake aside to cool completely. Meanwhile, make the chocolate glaze. Melt remaining four ounces chocolate and three tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, then stir in milk, honey, and vanilla. Set aside to cool slightly. When cake has cooled, pour glaze onto the center. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, very gently smooth glaze along the top and sides of the cake. Chill cake, uncovered, for thirty to sixty minutes before serving to set the glaze and make the cake easier to slice. ---------- Mini Cheesecakes by Tracey Packee Tracey says about herself: I am a mother of six kids, four boys and two girls. I also have two grandsons and two more grandsons due in August. My husband Bill and I consider ourselves to be newlyweds even though we have been married for seventeen years, four months and three days. I live in Alaska, where I have been residing for the last nineteen years. In 2009 I spent nine months at the Helen Keller National Center learning the skills necessary to adjust to this condition. In 2010-2012 I attended the University of Alaska Fairbanks and graduated magna cum laude with a degree in paralegal studies. I am currently the Alaska state president for the National Federation of the Blind. Ingredients: 12 vanilla wafer cookies 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon lemon juice 2 eggs 1 can cherry pie filling (or any fruit pie filling of your choice) Cupcake liners Regular-size cupcake pan Method: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pan with liners. Add 1 vanilla wafer to each liner. In a large bowl mix cheese, vanilla, lemon juice, and sugar on medium speed until blended. Add eggs; mix well. Pour mixture into each cupcake liner until about 3/4 full. Bake twenty-five minutes at 325 degrees. Cool cakes, then add cherry pie filling or any fruit pie filling of your choice. Chill before serving. Yields two dozen. ---------- Monitor Miniatures News from the Federation Family National Federation of the Blind Praises Secretary Clinton's Remarks on Employment of People with Disabilities: The National Federation of the Blind commented on recent remarks by Hillary Clinton in which she called for ending "the tiered minimum wages for ... people with disabilities." Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "The National Federation of the Blind applauds Secretary Clinton for stating boldly and unequivocally that she rejects the discriminatory practice of paying workers with disabilities subminimum wages. We call upon the other presidential candidates to join with us and over seventy-five other organizations of people with disabilities in supporting the repeal of Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act and to reject the misconceptions and low expectations that have for too long kept people with disabilities from achieving our dreams." A provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act dating from the law's enactment in 1938, known as Section 14(c), allows facilities to apply for special wage certificates that permit them to pay workers with disabilities subminimum wages. About three thousand entities pay more than 250,000 workers with disabilities wages as low as pennies per hour, according to 2016 statistics from the US Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division. Health and Wellness Experts Wanted: The NFB Sports and Recreation Division and WE Fit Wellness are seeking health and wellness experts for the 2016 NF-BE Healthy Fair. On June 30, 2016, the NFB Sports and Recreation Division will help kick off the seventy-sixth National Convention of the National Federation of the Blind with the first ever NF-BE Healthy Fair. The NF-BE Healthy Fair is a health fair designed with the blind in mind. Instead of walking from table to table gathering print information, attendees will have the opportunity to receive a health assessment, nutrition information, put their hands on talking health- and wellness-related gadgets, try out accessible mechanisms for reading nutrition information, check out accessible activity trackers, and more. In order to make the NF-BE Healthy Fair a huge success, we are seeking health and wellness professionals who are willing to show off their skills, sell their products, and help convention attendees find solutions, tools, and motivation to NF-BE Healthy! We are looking for personal trainers, fitness instructors, people who sell health- and wellness-related products, life coaches, massage therapists, chiropractors, representatives from sports- and recreation- related community-based organizations, recreational therapists, nutrition experts, exercise enthusiasts, and others who may add an exciting dimension to our 2016 NF-BE Healthy Fair. For more information on how you can become a sponsor or exhibitor, please contact Jessica Beecham at (866) 543-6808, extension 105, or email . Convention Announcements from the Assistive Listening Project: At the 2016 national convention, we will again offer special arrangements for severely hearing-impaired people attending convention sessions and the banquet. This will consist of transmission of the public address system signal over a special short-range radio transmitter for the severely hearing-impaired. Spanish-language translation of convention proceedings in general sessions and the banquet will also be provided using a similar arrangement. The special receivers required for these services will also be provided. In cooperation with several state affiliates (notably Colorado, Utah, and Virginia), the NFB will provide special receivers for these transmissions to those needing them. The receiver-lending will be managed by the Amateur Radio Division and will be operated from a table just outside the meeting room. A deposit of $40, cash only, will be required of anyone wishing to check out one of the Federation's receivers. The deposit will be returned if the receiver is checked in at the checkout table in good condition by the end of the banquet or within thirty minutes of adjournment of the last convention session that the borrower plans to attend. Batteries for the receiver will be provided. Anyone checking out a Federation receiver will be given upon request a miniature earbud-type earphone to use with the receiver. Along with explaining what will be available, it is important that we explain what will not be available. The miniature earbud loudspeaker-type earphone will be the only kind of earphone offered. If you would like to use your own earphone(s), silhouette, neckloop, or other device or adapter cable to get the signal from the receiver we provide to your ear, you must ensure that the cable connection between your device and our receiver is one that will fit the audio jack found on electronic devices such as talking book and MP3 players, laptops, or mobile devices like iPhones and notetakers. In technical terms, this is referred to as a 3.5 mm (formerly called 1/8-inch) earphone plug. You are advised to arrange for such things well ahead of arriving at the convention. Other than the earphone jack on the receiver, no means of connection to a hearing aid will be available from the checkout table. The receiver does not have a built-in loudspeaker. While earphones, and even neckloops, are sometimes available in the exhibit hall, you cannot be certain of getting one there. Many severely hearing-impaired people already use radio systems that employ FM radio signals to carry the voice from a transmitter held by the person speaking to a receiver in the hearing aid. Some of these hearing aid systems can be tuned to receive the Federation's special transmitters. In this case the hearing-impaired person may simply tune his or her own receiver to receive the Federation's transmitter and will not need to check out a Federation receiver. Some audiologists and rehabilitation agencies are now buying digital and other FM hearing aids that cannot be tuned to the Federation's frequency. If you have one of these or if you have any other type of hearing aid, you should obtain from your audiologist an adapter cable to connect from your hearing aid to a monaural 3.5 mm earphone jack. This will allow you to plug the cable from your hearing aid directly into a receiver you check out from our table. This will allow you to hear as well as anyone else using one of our receivers. The transmitter for the hearing impaired will be connected to the public address system so that the signals from the head table and the aisle microphones will be transmitted on channel thirty-six (74.775 MHz narrow band FM). People must not operate their personal transmitters on channel thirty-six or on channel thirty-eight because that would interfere with the reception for others. This means that folks wishing to use their own receivers (rather than checking out one of the Federation's receivers) need to have their personal receivers arranged so that they can switch between their personal channels and channel thirty-six. Some people may need to purchase replacement or additional receivers. Caution your audiologist that there is more than one channel thirty-six, and he or she must also verify that your frequency matches our frequency. This announcement is published now to allow as much time as possible for those interested to make the necessary arrangements before convention. It contains this amount of detail so that any audiologist who works with this type of equipment should be able to know by reading this article exactly what capabilities a person's hearing system must have to work with the Federation's system at convention. Even if your hearing aid is not of the FM type, you may be able to purchase a silhouette, a neckloop, or an adapter cable to couple the signal from a Federation receiver directly to your hearing aid. Your audiologist should also be able to help you with this. The NFB Deaf-Blind Division has offered to provide feedback on their members' experiences with these types of devices to interested convention attendees. Contact Joe Naulty, 3924 South Wind Drive, West Melbourne, Florida 32904, (321) 768-9500 or for inquiries. Please always remember to consult your audiologist when considering any additions to your hearing aid setup. The service for Spanish speakers will be similar, except that a live Spanish translator will speak over a separate transmitter on channel thirty- eight (75.275 MHz narrow band FM). We do not expect that people will bring their own receivers for the Spanish-translation service, unless they are also hearing impaired and use an FM hearing aid system. Spanish speakers may, however, wish to bring their own earphones. See above for a description of the type of plug needed. Conchita Hernandez from Washington, DC, will be coordinating the Spanish language interpreters, and she would appreciate hearing from anyone willing to volunteer to interpret. Please call her before convention at (530) 908-3547, or send her email at . If other state affiliates or chapters are interested in purchasing this type of equipment for use in state and local meetings, they are encouraged to purchase equipment that is compatible with that which we are using and to allow it to be used in the pool of equipment that the Amateur Radio Division administers at national convention. I (Rachel Olivero) would like to help you choose equipment that is compatible with that which the NFB is using. You may contact me at (765) 977-1683 or at . The Federation is pleased to offer these services to our severely hearing-impaired and Spanish-speaking colleagues, and we hope and believe that it will again significantly improve their convention experience. New Opportunities for Careers in Rehabilitation of the Blind, Scholarships are Now Available: 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 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 applicants 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 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. 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 people. Where do I get started? For program details, visit: , send an email for more information to: , or call Edward Bell to discuss your application at (318) 257-4554. Registration Open for Rehabilitation and Orientation and Mobility Conference: Contemporary Issues in Rehabilitation and Education for the Blind Fifteenth Annual Rehabilitation and Orientation and Mobility Conference will be held at Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, Thursday, June 30, 2016, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Come and join us! Once again, this year's conference will be action-packed with a variety of new speakers, topics, and hands-on events. Schedule: 7:30 - 8:30 AM Registration 8:30 AM Conference Begins 2:00 - 5:00 PM Interactive Breakout Sessions 5:00 - 7:00 PM NBPCB Awards Reception Registration fee includes the NBPCB awards reception. The cost before June 15 is $85 for professionals, $75 for students. After June 15, the cost is $100 for both students and professionals. To register, go to . Those certified through the NBPCB may register using their username and password. All other participants should register as a guest. For questions or special arrangements, contact Dianne Reed at (318) 257-4554, or . Conference sponsored by: National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB), Professional Development & Research Institute on Blindness (PDRIB), Louisiana Tech University, and the National Association of Professionals in Blindness Education. Assistance Needed at Convention: Pauline Murphy is looking for assistance in getting from her room to convention sessions, restaurants, the exhibit hall, and other convention activities. She is willing to pay some for this service. If interested in helping her, call (317) 403-7000, or write her at . A History of Blind People Available: The Blind History Lady Presents is a growing series of articles and historical biographies of blind people who lived in the 1800s through the early 1900s. These blind men and women created their own opportunities, becoming electricians, boat builders, insurance salesmen, chemists, chiropractors, and so much more. Peggy Chong is the Blind History Lady. Her articles have appeared in the Braille Monitor and many other publications. Now she takes her almost three decades of research on blind people, compiling them into in-depth short stories and is sharing it with everyone, blind and sighted. Check out The Blind History Lady Presents at your favorite ebook store or at . Conference Calls for Those with Cerebral Palsy: Come one and all, blind and visually impaired Federationists who have cerebral palsy, to create an active and vibrant group of blind and visually impaired Americans with cerebral palsy. The purpose of this group will be to provide the following: positive role modeling techniques, leadership, networking, mentoring, information, referral to agencies, education, socialization, rehabilitation training methodology ideas, advice about self- representation, and systemic legal advocacy assistance. This group will discuss the management of social issues faced by blind and visually impaired people with cerebral palsy and the management of the rehabilitation training issues faced by this group. Our goal is to provide mutual support from those who understand. Meetings will be held by conference call on the first Sunday of the month from 8:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. eastern time starting on Sunday, June 5, 2016. The conference phone number is (218) 339-3814; enter pin 999999#. To assist in developing this group contact Alexander Scott Kaiser by Braille snailmail, by phone, and by email. His postal address is Alexander Scott Kaiser, 52 Meadowbrook Road, Brick Township, New Jersey 08723-7850; his email address is , and he can be reached by phone at (848) 205-0208. 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. Delta Air Lines Offers a Discount to National Federation of the Blind National Convention: Members of the National Federation of the Blind and all individuals planning their travel to attend our annual national convention are being offered discounted airfare from Delta Air Lines through their Delta Meeting Network. Those interested should go to to book their flight and enter the meeting event code: NMNBW. The discount will be calculated based on your specific travel arrangements and could range from 2 percent to 10 percent. If you have any questions, call the Delta Meeting Network at (800) 328-1111 from 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. central time, Monday through Friday. SENSEsational Alphabet Books Back at Seedlings: The ever-popular SENSEsational Alphabet books are back at Seedlings! And, we are still offering them at our deeply discounted price of $20 each! The interactive ABC picture books allow blind and sighted family members to learn the alphabet and beginning words in sign language and uncontracted Braille together! The book incorporates visual stimuli, movement, touch, smell, and sound. Feel the different textures of the horse and lizard, smell the distinctive aromas of apples and roses, move the hands of the watch, pull the zipper, and much more! To order, go to . You can also check out our webpage at , or follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@SeedlingsBrlBks). DOJ Reaches Settlement with Greyhound and Disabled Passengers May Be Due Compensation: The US Department of Justice ("DOJ") recently entered into a settlement with the Greyhound bus lines company on behalf of disabled travelers. The settlement consent decree creates a fund of $300,000 for "select individuals identified by the United States" and a separate uncapped claims filing process to compensate "individuals who assert ADA claims meeting established criteria." The following information is meant to help clarify some confusion about the significance and scope of this settlement among members of the National Federation of the Blind. The information is compiled from the publicly available settlement documents, court filings, and consultations with the DOJ attorneys responsible for enforcing the settlement. Who is generally eligible? As for the $300,000, that fund is likely set aside for the specific individuals that the DOJ was already working with during its investigation. If you weren't already talking with DOJ attorneys or staff about access problems prior to February 8, 2016, then it is unlikely that this fund applies to you. If you were talking with the DOJ about your access problems prior to February 8, 2016, then you should contact them to verify your status. As for the claims filing process, you must meet each of the following four requirements to even be considered for compensation: . have a disability; . have traveled or attempted to travel on Greyhound between Feb. 8, 2013, and Feb. 8, 2016; . have experienced a disability-related incident during your travel or attempt to travel (for example, lack of accessible transportation or transportation-related services, Greyhound's failure to make disability- related accommodations, etc.); and . submit a claim form by mail, email, or online to the claims administrator by no later than Nov. 10, 2016. The above qualifications are vague and could arguably include quite a few access problems that members of the National Federation of the Blind have experienced. Based on conversations with the Department of Justice attorneys responsible for enforcing the settlement, it appears that the "criteria" that might be used to award compensable claims is not as broad as the above language might suggest. Further, the policy fixes outlined in the settlement also seem to target a broader set of ADA violations than the monetary claims. Because this settlement is not a class action, the DOJ and Greyhound retain discretion on the claims that will eventually receive monetary compensation. What claims are likely covered? According to the DOJ attorneys responsible for enforcing the settlement, blind individuals whose experiences are similar to the types of access problems illustrated in the complaint should consider filing a claim. Eligible blind individuals who experienced the following types of problems should consider filing a claim: . personnel failing to provide assistance to you in navigating to a bus from the bus station or boarding and de-boarding buses; . personnel failing to allow you to leave and return to the bus at rest stops; . personnel failing to provide you sufficient time to board or disembark buses; . personnel failing to permit your service animal to accompany you in vehicles and facilities; . personnel failing to facilitate the availability of seating designated for use by individuals with disabilities when such priority seating is occupied by luggage or passengers without disabilities; . personnel failing to let you sit in seats other than the designated seating area for people with disabilities; . other similar issues relating to physical access to the bus and facilities. Much of the settlement focuses on access for people who use wheelchairs or have mobility impairments. Blind travelers who use wheelchairs or have mobility impairments should consider submitting claims if they experienced inoperable lifts, inadequate wheelchair securement straps, or problems related to the operation of the "kneeling" function of a bus, which lowers the height of the access point to the bus for those who would otherwise have difficulty navigating the distance between the ground and the bus's first step. In addition, blind individuals with wheelchairs who were unable to book wheelchair-accessible travel online or were charged extra to book wheelchair-accessible travel over the telephone should also consider submitting a claim. How do I submit a claim? The claim administrator website has relevant case documents, contact information, and instructions for filing a claim at . You may also call the settlement administrator at (844) 502-5953. What about other issues not mentioned above? The National Federation of the Blind is aware of other access issues that are not clearly addressed by this settlement. The Federation continues to raise and monitor these issues with Greyhound and the DOJ to ensure that all of the concerns of the blind community are addressed in the context of this settlement or other independent action. Individuals with questions or concerns may contact attorney Timothy Elder at or (410) 415-3493, or contact Valerie Yingling with the NFB's legal team in Baltimore at or (410) 659-9314. ---------- 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. From buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org Tue Jun 7 10:08:56 2016 From: buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org (Brian Buhrow) Date: Tue, 7 Jun 2016 10:08:56 -0700 Subject: [Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor, June 2016 Message-ID: <201606071708.u57H8uGH011411@lothlorien.nfbcal.org> BRAILLE MONITOR Vol. 59, No. 6 June 2016 Gary Wunder, Editor Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, with the audio version being available in both Spanish and English (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 NFBnet.org: http://www.nfbnet.org NFB-NEWSLINE? information: (866) 504-7300 Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind Follow us on Twitter: @NFB_Voice Watch and share our videos: YouTube.com/NationsBlind Letters to the President, address changes, subscription requests, and orders for NFB literature should be sent to the national office. Articles for the Monitor and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national 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 ? 2016 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 position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and try again. (Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the thumb drive, the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges, 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 envelope enclosed with the drive when you return the device. [PHOTO CAPTION: Palm-lined drive leading to front entrance to Rosen Shingle Creek Resort] Orlando Site of 2016 NFB Convention The 2016 convention of the National Federation of the Blind will take place in Orlando, Florida, June 30 to July 5, at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, 9939 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32819-9357. Make your room reservation as soon as possible with the Shingle Creek staff only. Call (866) 996-6338. The 2016 room rates are singles and doubles, $83; and for 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 May 27, 2016. The other 50 percent is not refundable. Rooms will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations may be made before May 27, 2016, 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. All Rosen Shingle Creek guestrooms feature amenities that include plush Creek Sleeper beds, 40" flat screen TVs, complimentary high-speed internet capabilities, in-room safes, coffee makers, mini-fridges, and hair dryers. Guests can also enjoy a swimming pool, fitness center, and on-site spa. The Rosen Shingle Creek Resort has a number of dining options, including two award-winning restaurants, and twenty-four-hour-a-day room service. The schedule for the 2016 convention is: Thursday, June 30 Seminar Day Friday, July 1 Registration Day Saturday, July 2 Board Meeting and Division Day Sunday, July 3 Opening Session Monday, July 4 Business Session Tuesday, July 5 Banquet Day and Adjournment Vol. 59, No. 6 June 2016 Contents Illustration: Exploratorium Puts Science at Your Fingertips Victory in the Yasmin Reyazuddin Case by Chris Danielsen Another Insulin Pump User by Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter Balancing Service Animal Users' and Business' Rights and Responsibilities by Marion Gwizdala Corky Canvas by Barbara Loos Facing the Tweetbook: Getting Linked into Social Media by Danielle Trevino Loan Discharge Program by Gabe Cazares Living in Three Dimensions by Deborah Kent A Question for Our Readers by Gary Wunder Reflections of a Lifetime Reader and Library Maven by Marc Maurer Recipes Monitor Miniatures [PHOTO CAPTION: Julia Gebert listens to wind tubes at the Exploratorium.] [PHOTO CAPTION: Nick Oliver learns about sound and vibration hands-on at the Exploratorium.] [PHOTO CAPTION: Caleb Hyndman learns about how air pressure can levitate a ball.] [PHOTO CAPTION: Andrea Cataquiz and her mother Cecile explore the tide exhibit.] [PHOTO CAPTION: A group of students navigate on a trip to Chinatown.] Exploratorium Puts Science at Your Fingertips Touch is a magic sense but one that is all too often forbidden, precluded both by instruction and construction. How often do we hear blind children talk about going to the museum with friends or family and finding that there is nothing there for them except what someone will read or verbally try to describe? This very hands-off mentality is one of the barriers that has come between blind people and the sciences, and one of the objectives of our STEM2U program is to tear down this artificial barrier by figuring out creative ways for blind people to enjoy the majesty of science, technology, engineering, and math with all of their remaining senses. The latest program was held in San Francisco at the Exploratorium, a museum unique for the displays and exhibits that can be touched. Mya Jones, one of the staff members coordinating the project said, "It was amazing to see Caleb as he observed how air can be used to move and set the direction for objects. What makes this museum so unique is that it values hands-on experiences, and our students loved it." The director of our STEM2U program, Natalie Shaheen, is excited about a museum exhibit that is almost totally accessible for blind people. The exhibit represents a data set showing the tide levels for a year. Each day is represented by a tile with a lid that can be opened. The tide for a day is represented by a stick; the higher the tide, the higher the stick. It is therefore easy to observe the tide from day to day and by opening the lids for multiple days to track the patterns. [PHOTO CAPTION: Chris Danielsen] [PHOTO CAPTION: Yazmin Reyazuddin] Victory in the Yasmin Reyazuddin Case by Chris Danielsen From the Editor: Chris Danielsen is the director of public relations for the National Federation of the Blind. Previously he worked in private practice as an attorney, so we have just the right person to understand the complexity of the law and to communicate it to those of us who know only that we do not wish to break it. As with so many cases involving the rights of blind people, the issue here focuses on provisions in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1990. At issue was the tug of war between the concept of reasonable accommodation and undue hardship, both articulated in law and regulation, but each requiring better definition as provided in ever-evolving case law. Here is what Chris says: On February 26, 2016, after some four days of deliberation following a nearly three-week trial, a jury in a federal district courtroom in Greenbelt, Maryland, reached a momentous verdict. The verdict was, of course, important to Yasmin Reyazuddin, the blind woman whose case against her employer was being considered by the jury. But the case made a broader statement about the importance of accessibility and technology. The jury ruled expressly and unequivocally that Ms. Reyazuddin's employer, Maryland's Montgomery County, had failed to provide her with a reasonable accommodation, as required by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and discriminated against her by not transferring her to a new telephone call center because it failed to make workplace technology accessible. The road to this great day was a long one; the case was originally filed in the spring of 2011 and was the culmination of years of frustration for Ms. Reyazuddin, a longtime member of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland. It took five more years for the case to work its way to trial, in part because Montgomery County at one point got it thrown out of court, and that decision had to be appealed. Fortunately, the appeal was successful, and a jury finally heard the case. What follows is a summary of the case gleaned from the complaint that was filed, with the assistance of the National Federation of the Blind, on Yasmin Reyazuddin's behalf; this writer's own observation of appellate arguments in the case; Yasmin's trial testimony; information from her attorneys; NFB of Maryland press releases and articles about the case; and press reports. The NFB hired the law firm of Brown, Goldstein & Levy, which has handled many cases on our behalf, to represent Yasmin. Her trial team was led by Joe Espo, with assistance from Tim Elder, a blind NFB member now practicing in California; and Dan Goldstein, who is very familiar to Monitor readers and national convention attendees. From 2000 to 2008, Yasmin, a native of India with multiple undergraduate degrees who speaks Urdu and Hindi as well as English, worked successfully for Montgomery County, first as a contract employee and then, beginning in late 2002, as a full-time merit employee. At the time that the events giving rise to her lawsuit began, she was working as an information and referral specialist in the call center of the county's Department of Health and Human Services. In around May of 2008, Yasmin learned that the county would be consolidating that call center with others into a new Montgomery County 3-1-1 call center, referred to throughout the case as the MC-3-1-1 center. 3-1-1 is the number that many counties and municipalities use to provide non-emergency information and services to their residents, just as 9-1-1 is used to provide emergency services. As an employee of one of the call centers to be consolidated, Yasmin expected to be transferred to the MC-3-1-1 call center. She was concerned, however, about whether she would be able to use the technology in the new call center. She had been using JAWS (Job Access With Speech) to access the computer programs with which she needed to interact in order to provide accurate information to callers, keep records of calls, and perform other tasks necessary for resolving the concerns of callers. She immediately inquired of her supervisor whether the software for the new call center would be accessible and was told that her concerns would be addressed. She also began to research accessible solutions herself, forwarding the information she found to her supervisor. As the months wore on with no specific information about what was coming, she escalated her inquiries to the county's Americans with Disabilities Act compliance officer, the staff liaison for the Montgomery County Commission on People with Disabilities, and other county officials. She also met with Leslie Hamm, the manager of the new call center. She received no specific information other than some vague assurances that her concerns would be addressed. Montgomery County ultimately procured a sophisticated software system from the Oracle Corporation called Seibel Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Yasmin was still unable to get any information about accessibility, but she was also still scheduled to be transferred to the new call center until as late as October of 2009; in fact, she was told that she would be among the earliest group of call center employees to be transferred and required to attend an orientation meeting at the new facility. On November 9 of 2009, Yasmin left work for a three-week vacation to India. She returned around Thanksgiving and, on the Friday following the holiday, called Leslie Hamm to find out whether she should report to the MC- 3-1-1 call center or to her old office at Health and Human Services. She was told to report to HHS because the county could not yet accommodate her in the new call center. When she returned to her old office on Monday morning, the heat wasn't turned on, and there was no one else in the office. She spoke to Leslie Hamm and others about the heating problem immediately, but she remained alone, answering the phone, in an unheated office for ten days. At that time, she was moved to a new office space, with heat and where she was no longer isolated. In discussions with county officials about the situation, she was told that they were "working on accessibility." She also continued to receive calls from county residents as normal until February 4, when the calls suddenly stopped due to the "soft launch" of the new call center, and she was left with no work to do. Although she was still being paid, Yasmin was understandably upset by this development; as she testified in court, "I wanted to work. I wanted to earn my pay, and I wanted to be useful." A couple of days after the MC-3-1-1 call center became operational, Yasmin asked to be allowed to manage referrals to the county food bank, and that request was granted. But those calls, at best, filled only three or four hours of her workday, according to her testimony. She was later assigned to take calls for the intake of adults needing protective services, but that did not increase her workload substantially. At the 2010 convention of the National Federation of the Blind, Yasmin observed a representative of Oracle, who was also blind, using JAWS to access a version of the software being used in the MC-3-1-1 Call Center, and she conveyed what she learned to county officials. Despite this, she was told on October 1 of 2010 by Ricky Wright, a human resources official, in front of other coworkers, that she would never be transferred to MC-3-1- 1, that she would need to look for other county jobs, and that she should forward her resum? to Mr. Wright so that she could be considered for other positions. Mr. Wright told Yasmin that it would be an undue hardship for the county to reconfigure the MC-3-1-1 call center software so that it would be accessible to her, and this was the primary defense that Montgomery County put forward in response to her lawsuit. "I was devastated, frustrated," Yasmin told the court about her reaction to the news she received from Ricky Wright. "I felt like I had been left behind. In other words, the county had abandoned me." Yasmin never received another position with the county, and for about three years her official job title was changed from "information referral specialist" to "support staff," a designation which indicated a lower skill level and pay grade, although her pay was not cut. She testified that the change in her job title made her feel "humiliated." Since early 2010 Yasmin's primary job has been to handle referrals to the county food bank, known as Manna. Initially customer service representatives in the MC-3-1-1 call center would transfer Manna calls to her, but eventually the referrals were simply emailed copies of an intake form filled out by MC-3-1-1 employees. Yasmin testified that the information taken by call center employees could have simply been emailed directly to Manna instead of through her. In other words, her duties were "make-work," and as a result she felt that she was "not useful." All of these events, taking place over about two and a half years, led to the filing of Yasmin's lawsuit in April of 2011. The lawsuit alleged that Montgomery County violated Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 by "procuring and configuring computer database software that is inaccessible to Plaintiff and other blind individuals; failing to modify computer database software so that it is accessible to Plaintiff and other blind individuals; denying Plaintiff access to the programs and activities of the County that are made available to similarly situated non-disabled individuals; and failing to provide Plaintiff full-time work opportunities appropriate to her skill and experiences." The complaint asked the court to order Montgomery County to modify the software and to reinstate Yasmin as an information specialist in the MC-3-1-1 call center, as well as paying her compensatory damages and attorney's fees. Importantly, Yasmin's case rested not just on the county's refusal to install accessible workplace software, but also its failure to give her meaningful work to do. The county apparently believed that, as long as it did not fire Yasmin or cut her pay, it was not discriminating against her. Yasmin and her attorneys took a different position. As Joe Espo, Yasmin's lead attorney, told the Maryland Daily Record just after the jury verdict: "Giving someone a paycheck is not a reasonable accommodation. It's not just a paycheck-it's the opportunity to do meaningful work and have the same advancement and promotional opportunities as others in similar positions do. It's very hard to demonstrate competence and achievement and to present yourself for advancement if what you're doing is a bunch of make-work and supervisors don't want you around. It's hard to excel at doing nothing." As mentioned earlier, Montgomery County's primary defense was that accommodating Yasmin in the MC-3-1-1 Call Center represented an undue hardship. (The county's lawyers also tried, without success, to cast doubt on Yasmin's skills and competence.) According to trial evidence, the cost to modify the software would have been between $125,000 and $190,000. To put that figure in perspective, the county spent $11 million to set up the call center. Nonetheless, the trial judge ruled earlier in the case that the county had proven its defense as a matter of law. That decision was appealed, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit reversed the ruling, saying that the question of undue hardship must be presented to a jury. On appeal, the county at one point attempted to argue that the relevant number to use in judging the undue hardship question was not the budget for the call center or the county's total budget, but its budget for reasonable accommodations. That argument was rejected; the court pointed out that, if this were the case, the county could simply avoid its obligation to workers with disabilities by setting its reasonable accommodation budget at zero. When the case did go to trial, the jury was unpersuaded by the undue hardship defense. The jury further ruled that the county had failed to reasonably accommodate Yasmin, either in the MC-3-1-1 Call Center or outside of it, and that its failure to transfer her to the call center was an adverse employment action against her. The only disappointing aspect of the jury's verdict was that it failed to award noneconomic damages for the emotional distress that Yasmin experienced. Economic damages were not at issue, since Yasmin's pay was not affected. As this article goes to press, the trial judge has ordered the parties in the case to engage in additional discovery, which is the legal term for the process of acquiring evidence. More changes in technology have occurred since the case was filed, and so additional evidence is needed on what the county will need to do in order to accommodate Yasmin. Once that evidence is obtained, Yasmin's attorneys will ask the court to order the county to make the necessary modifications to the MC-3-1-1 call center so that Yasmin can finally work there. This is logically the correct remedy, but it remains to be seen whether the court will grant such a request. Hopefully Yasmin will finally get the job that she should have had seven years ago. Often it seems that the public does not understand the concept of accessibility or how the failure to incorporate it into the workplace affects not only the employment prospects of the blind or others with disabilities, but our basic dignity and status as first-class citizens as well. But Yasmin and her attorneys successfully conveyed that understanding to a Montgomery County jury, and that verdict must now be honored in some way by the court. Yasmin's case is another example of the importance of fighting discrimination when we encounter it, both as individuals and as members of the National Federation of the Blind. ---------- Another Insulin Pump User by Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter From the Editor: In the April 2016 issue we ran an article about the use of insulin pumps, trying to explain what they do, why a blind diabetic might wish to use one, and some of the pitfalls that spring from less-than- ideal accessibility when one cannot see a visual display. In that article was the concern that newer pumps are not more accessible than their predecessors and that those which can be used by the blind are extremely limited. Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter is a Federationist from Nebraska. She serves as president of the Omaha Chapter in addition to serving on the board of directors of the NFB of Nebraska. She is currently an MFA student, studying creative writing at the University of Nebraska Omaha. She lives in Omaha with her husband Ross and their son Declan. Bridgit was diagnosed with diabetes at age four. She says diabetic treatment has changed so much since she was diagnosed. She's been using an insulin pump for twelve years and loves it despite the fact that no talking pump yet exists. Here is what she says: I have been a type 1 diabetic for thirty years. Going through the gamut of diabetic methods and tools, I have seen a lot. Diabetes is an individual experience, meaning what works for some doesn't work for everyone. Certain protocols and treatments are essential for any diabetic: performing frequent glucose tests, being mindful of carbs and nutrition, taking insulin and/or other medicines if prescribed, doing exercise, and engaging in general healthy living. However, the amount and level of exercise I do may not be appropriate for you. Or you may be able to eat pizza with little change in your glucose readings, while I may require a lot more insulin to counterbalance the carbs. I may have fewer insulin needs in a day, while you may need more. It can take time to figure out what works best for each person. This includes deciding if using an insulin pump is right for you. I have been using a pump for twelve years now, and I love it. A quick shout-out to my endocrinologist, who suggested I switch to a pump years ago. He never blinked twice at the thought of a blind person using a pump, and, in fact, was the one to initiate the conversation. I have had the best control over my diabetes since switching. The reasons I love the pump: It allows me more flexibility with when and what I eat. I'm busy and active, and my schedule is not the same every day. I'm not shackled to a rigid meal schedule. It allows me to set various basal patterns throughout the day, simulating a pancreas better than most insulin regimens. If I consistently run lower at certain times of the day, I can lower basal rates for that time of day. If my weekend schedule is vastly different from my weekday, I have an entirely different pattern I can switch to for the weekend. With my pump I can actually set several different basal patterns if I want. I also do not have to keep vials of insulin and syringes on hand or insulin pens and syringe caps all the time. The pump is on me at all times, and when I need to bolus, I press a button on a pump. A bolus is the insulin you take after eating carbs. In April's issue of the Braille Monitor, Veronica Elsea shared her experience with several pumps. Being an Animas Ping user, I wanted to share my experience, especially since I use the pump daily. Like Elsea, I used a DelTec Cozmo for years. I loved it, and if Smiths Medical were still in production, I would use the Cozmo. However, when the time came to switch insulin pumps, I found the Animas Ping to be the most similar to the Cozmo. I have now been using the Animas Ping for almost three years, and I have not found it overly difficult to use and am generally happy with it. Elsea states, "Most actions require more confirmation steps than they do on many other pumps." I find this statement a bit misleading only because it comes across as if many functions are difficult to access or navigate, but in my experience, it's simply that the pump asks the user to press okay after most steps as a security measure. For example, when changing a cartridge, it will ask you to press okay for each function, those being unwind, load, prime, and fill cannula. The same confirmation is required when using the touch bolus button on the side of the pump. You press the touch bolus, it beeps twice, you dial how much insulin you want (each touch beeping), then it counts back what you delivered (making a beep for each count), then it beeps twice again letting you know you can hit the button to deliver the insulin. All this is done to ensure safety with the pump. It may take a few seconds longer than some pumps, but I find it helps me, making sure I'm doing the correct function before moving on. In a nutshell, with most features it's a matter of pressing the okay button after each function. The Animas Ping only has five buttons. On the face of the pump, three buttons are in a column to the right. The large round button on the bottom is the okay button. Above okay are the up and down arrow, up being above the down. On the side of the pump to the right is the touch bolus, between the cartridge reservoir and battery. On the top right is an indented button, which is the contrast button. For sighted or low-vision users, you can change the contrast of the screen, making it easier to see visually. So the button layout is simple and easy enough to use. The primary buttons you use are okay and up and down arrow. Elsea also states, "Would be able to enter BG manually if one could verify by keypad beeps. As it is, pressing button a bit too hard can cause scrolling, which would lead to errors." In three years I have never had this happen. While it's unfortunate the pump does not beep each time you press a main button on the face of the screen, I have never had a problem with scrolling. The buttons are tactile and make a slight click which gives audio confirmation. Each time I press a button, it does the function. Scrolling has not been a concern, nor have I had errors due to this. If you press and hold, then yes, it will scroll-similar to pressing a key on the computer. If you hit it once, it does the command you want; if you hold it down, it scrolls or does another command. Again, in three years I have never had a problem with scrolling-and keep in mind that I use the pump daily with no assistance. If you want to enter glucose readings manually, it is possible, and scrolling is not a major concern. I do not use this feature, but I do use the temporary basal adjustment, which allows one to increase or decrease basal rates for a certain period of time. I arrow through the percentages and times, choose what I want, and set it. This is handy when exercising or increasing activity, in which case you would decrease levels. Or if running higher and bolus corrections are not helping, but you don't necessarily need a permanent change, you can temporarily increase levels. I have never had a problem with scrolling when using this feature. Even with my Cozmo, I have always used the touch bolus when bolusing. Because my carb/insulin ratio can change meal-to-meal, I do old-fashioned carb counting in my head, then deliver it up with the touch bolus. You can adjust this button so that each time you hit it, it dials a certain amount of insulin. For me the touch bolus button is set to deliver a half unit of insulin each time it's pressed. So if I need two units of insulin, I press it four times. I often don't need much insulin, so this is why my unit is set on half a unit. You can set it to deliver one unit or more with each press, depending on your bolus needs. Entering basal patterns can be done without sight. When entering the basal pattern, it's always at the same place. As long as you can keep track of your place, it's possible. I prefer to have sighted help, but it is possible, and my husband (who is also blind) and I have done it before in a pinch. This is another function in which I have never had a problem with scrolling. It is true that custom alarms cannot be set for low battery or low cartridge, but generally you know when a cartridge is low or the battery needs to be changed. The Animas Ping suggests using lithium batteries, which last up to three months, while regular batteries last about a month. So one would have a good idea when the battery needs to be changed. For me, 200 units of insulin lasts about a week, so when I hear an alarm at the end of the week, I'm 99 percent positive my cartridge needs changing. Now in three years I've had one alarm alert me that was not a battery or low cartridge warning. I knew instantly it was not one of these alarms because it was not time for either to be changed. I had to ask for sighted assistance to read the screen to find out what the alarm was. It was nothing major, but I was unable to determine the problem alone. Here's a handy tool I've used for my pump along with other things: using the FaceTime feature on my iPhone works well if I need sighted help. Someone can read the screen of my pump right over the phone. I have only had to do this a handful of times, but it works well. I have either memorized menus or have written directions I follow for menus for the functions I can access. Yes, some functions are a bit complicated to follow even with written directions, but enough of the pump is available to access in this manner to allow me to use it successfully. My A1-C, which determines glucose levels over a three-month period, is great, and my overall health is good, so this would demonstrate that if you choose, using an insulin pump can be beneficial to diabetic management. And the Animas Ping is a choice that works well for nonvisual users. In my personal experience, considering it has no talking function (which is what we truly need), it has been beneficial and works well enough, allowing me to manage my insulin needs and diabetic care. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Marion Gwizdala] Balancing Service Animal Users' and Businesses' Rights and Responsibilities by Marion Gwizdala From the Editor: In the May 2015 issue of the Braille Monitor, the president of the National Association of Guide Dog Users discusses the problem caused when members of the public pretend to have service animals in order to take advantage of civil rights legislation implemented to allow people with disabilities to be accompanied by specially trained animals. In the article Marion Gwizdala questions whether the problem is of sufficient urgency to warrant legislation and opines that the promoters of standards for service dogs are motivated more by the desire to become the be-all and end-all of service dogs than by the desire to protect the public from those who would fraudulently call their pets service animals. In this article he discusses the definition of a service dog in the Americans with Disabilities Act and its accompanying regulations, argues that existing regulations are sufficient, and argues that many state laws and proposals are in violation of federal law. He also spells out the rights of businesses to question those accompanied by an animal to determine whether it is indeed a service animal as defined by the ADA. Here is what he says: Immanuel Kant wrote, "In law a man is guilty when he violates the rights of others; in ethics he is guilty if he only thinks of doing so." In my previous article I shared my contention that Assistance Dogs International (ADI) seems to be positioning itself as the sole authority for all things service animal related and is manipulating the public to believe that prohibiting the sale of service animal gear over the internet and more restrictive regulations are beneficial and necessary to protect the rights of service dog users. In support of its assertions, ADI enlisted consumers of Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) to be the subjects of a number of articles about the problem of fake service dogs. My contention is that ADI has created the perception of a problem where none exists in order to shore up their position as the certifying body of all things service animal; however, the created perception is false propaganda. A number of cases have come to our attention in which the remedies available to a guide dog user in a particular state were not pursued because of the conflicts between state and federal laws. In Michigan when a guide dog user who was denied access to a nationally-recognized sandwich shop filed a criminal complaint against the company, the state attorney refused to pursue the case because Michigan law requires the presentation of documentation as a condition of access, and the guide dog user refused to comply with the manager's request for identification. In North Carolina a guide dog user who was denied medical treatment by his physician because of the presence of his guide dog was unable to pursue charges because his guide dog was not listed on a state registry. Many other states have provisions incongruent with the ADA, and the National Association of Guide Dog Users, through our affiliates, is working diligently to bring all state statutes into congruency with the ADA. I believe the best approach is to educate ourselves about the mutual rights and responsibilities of service dog users and to empower businesses by having this dialogue with them. So, let's examine the implementing regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to find out for ourselves if the regulations are inadequate to prevent owners of untrained pets from manipulating the law. We will also examine how these regulations protect the rights of places of public accommodation when an animal behaves in a manner that compromises the rights of the business. Those interested in reading the entire text of these regulations can do so by visiting . The implementing regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act define a service animal as, "any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability" (28 CFR Section 35.104 & 28 CFR Section 36.104). Though this definition only mentions dogs as service animals, miniature horses are also included through other regulations (28 CFR Section 35.136(i) & 28 CFR Section 36.302(c)(9)). The DOJ states that the work or tasks must be directly related to an individual's disability but do not include "the crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship." The most important element in defining a service animal is found in the tasks the dog has been trained to perform. It is not sufficient that a dog is trained in basic obedience; rather, the regulations clearly state the tasks the dog performs must be directly related to the mitigation of the disability. Furthermore, it is not sufficient that the mere presence of the dog has a calming effect, plainly stating that the innate ability of a dog to calm someone or react in a manner in which it has not been trained does not qualify a dog as a service dog under the ADA. This leads us to the question of how a public entity or place of public accommodation can determine if a dog is a service dog and the businesses' rights under the ADA. Because the implementing regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act provide for access to disabled individuals accompanied by a service animal and the definition is clear about what constitutes a service animal, a business has the right to ask questions to determine if a dog meets the definition of "service animal." And the person has the obligation to answer the questions, known as "credible assurance." Because the Act applies to individuals who are disabled, a business may ask if the dog is a service animal required because of a disability. The type and extent of the disability is irrelevant and, for this reason, no inquiries about the nature or extent of the disability may be made. A business may also ask what work or task the animal has been trained to perform (28 CFR Section 35. & 28 CFR Section 36.302(c)(6)). These regulations also provide that even "these inquiries may not be made when it is readily apparent that an animal is trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability, e.g., the dog is observed guiding an individual who is blind or has low vision, pulling a person's wheelchair, or providing assistance with stability or balance to an individual with an observable mobility disability" (28 CFR Section 35.136(f) & 28 CFR 36.302(c)(6)). The regulations do not allow businesses to require documentation to prove that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal as a condition of access. A service dog is not required to wear any special harnesses, coats, or other gear identifying it as a service animal. Businesses may observe the animal working but may not interfere with the animal or its use. I regularly hear from businesses who call the NAGDU Information & Advocacy Hotline telling me about someone who refused to answer these questions, claiming it was a violation of their privacy and that they were not required to answer them. My best guidance is that, should a person choose to use a service dog, they accept the responsibilities outlined by the law and its regulations. If a person refuses to answer these questions, a business is fully justified in refusing access to the dog. We want businesses to know that the rights of disabled individuals accompanied by service animals are not absolute. With every right there are responsibilities, including . The animal must be kept on a leash, harness, or tether unless doing so interferes with the work or tasks the animal is trained to perform. If the harness, leash, or tether interferes with the work of the animal, it must be kept under control by voice, signals, or other methods (28 CFR Section 35.136(d) & 28 CFR Section 302(c)(4)); . The animal must not pose a "direct threat," defined as "a significant risk to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by a reasonable modification of policies, practices, or procedures" (42 USC 12182(b)(3)); . The animal must be housebroken. (28 CFR Section 35.136(b)(2) & 28 CFR Section 36.302(c)(2)(ii)) If a business appropriately excludes an animal, it must still allow the individual the right to access the business without the animal being present. I also suggest that a business document the reasons for the exclusion. Should a lawsuit be filed, it will be up to the business to demonstrate that it properly denied the access, and it will be up to the individual to demonstrate that he or she is a person with a disability and that his or her dog meets the definition of a service animal. A business may not restrict the access of an individual with a disability accompanied by a service dog. Individuals accompanied by service animals are allowed to access all areas of the business where members of the public, program participants, clients, customers, patrons, or invitees, as relevant, are allowed to go (28 CFR Section 35.136(g) & 28 CFR Section 36.302(c)(7)). Businesses are not required to provide care or supervision for the animal. This is not to say that a business may not choose to do so, only that they are not required to do so. Some businesses, such as amusement parks and zoos, provide portable crates for service dogs so that their customers who use service dogs can fully enjoy themselves when it is not feasible to allow the service dog. Such would be the case on certain amusement rides or in the close contact areas of zoos. A business may not impose any fees or charges due to the presence of the service dog even if they charge such fees to those who bring pets; however, the service dog user is responsible for any damage caused by the dog if it is the policy of the business to charge for such damage. So a hotel, taxicab, or other business that allows pets may not impose a pet deposit, cleaning fee, or other surcharge to a person who uses a service dog. If the service dog causes damage over and above normal wear and tear, and it is the customary policy of that business to charge for damage caused by pets or patrons, the business may charge the individual for the damage caused. Businesses often ask what they should do if they have reason to suspect a dog is not a service dog. I generally suggest they start by asking the above questions. Most of us who use service dogs do not mind answering them. Those who may be imposters may wrongly assert they do not need to answer these inquiries. If they cannot or will not give credible assurance that the dog is a service dog, a business has the right to refuse admittance. If a business follows the rules and is threatened with a lawsuit, the threat is likely an attempt to intimidate. If a business knows its rights and follows these guidelines, it is protecting itself from such lawsuits. If the business doubts the credibility of the person seeking access after asking these questions and getting the right answers, I suggest businesses err on the side of permissiveness. It is far better to allow a well-behaved pet access than to deny a legitimate service dog team and face legal action. After all, if the dog is not well-behaved-service dog or not-a business has the right to ask that the dog be removed. As the leading membership and advocacy organization for guide and other service dog users, it is up to us to educate businesses about our rights and responsibilities. The National Association of Guide Dog Users has many tools to help initiate this dialogue. Our newly edited "Meeting a Working Guide Dog Team" brochure is an impressive piece, complete with pictures of guide dog teams in action. Our latest addition to the Independence Market is our 4-inch x 6-inch "Service Animals Welcome" decal. These decals require prior authorization for receipt due to the expense involved in creating them, so please send an email message to to get your authorization. We are also producing video programs about guide dogs and will pass the word around when they are available. Our first video program, "Service Animals in Zoos," will be screened during our annual meeting in Orlando on July 2 at 7:00 p.m. If you would like to be a part of the most dynamic organization of guide dog users in the country and shape public policy concerning guide dogs and other service dogs, becoming a member of the National Association of Guide Dog Users is easy. If there is an affiliate NAGDU division in your state, joining that division makes you a member of NAGDU. If there is no division in your affiliate and you would like to create one, please get in touch with us. You can check out our affiliate division contact list by visiting our website. You can also join NAGDU by going to our website. While you are there, check out the new design and features of the site. We know you will like what we have done! The command we give our dogs is the movement we share: Forward! ---------- [PHOTO/CAPTION: Barbara Loos] Corky Canvas by Barbara Loos From the Editor: Sometimes we are asked to go way beyond our limits, risking that what we are asked to do may be impossible. In this article Barbara Loos is urged to take on a recreation activity and accepts the challenge. Here is her story: I think it is safe to say that all of us have scars from childhood wounds that can continue to affect our lives, sometimes festering into adulthood. When one of these wounds is reopened, we have a fresh opportunity to clean it out and offset its negative impact. We can, of course, choose either to accept or to reject that opportunity. In the National Federation of the Blind we encourage one another to take advantage of such chances. On December 12, 2012, (I remember the date partly because I like dates with patterns like 12/12/12) I was sitting on the couch at my friend Barb's home at a meeting of Symphony Circle, a church women's group to which I belong. Angie, a new member, suggested in response to an inquiry about possible fun ideas for us to consider, "How about Corky Canvas?" After her brief explanation that we would go and all paint the same picture by watching the instructor and following directions, I blurted, "That probably counts me out, since that sounds like a pretty visual experience to me." It felt like the Christmas spirit that had, up to that point, filled the room with laughter and holiday banter, got up and left. Angie's deflated, rapid fire, "Oh. I'm sorry. I hadn't thought of that. I didn't mean to be inconsiderate. Maybe that's not such a good idea for Circle, but I'd like to try it sometime, and they want groups ..." As her sentence was trailing off, other voices were examining, smoothing out, and ultimately folding up the plan for further consideration in the new year. I apologized for my hasty comments, Angie offered to call to see what accommodations might be available, and the conversation soon regained its festive flavor. But I continued to feel a nagging regret. The friend with whom I rode home said she was sure we would work something out that we could all enjoy. I appreciated her optimism, but didn't feel good about what I had done. It wasn't right to smear Angie with the residue of the scar tissue I had accumulated over the years from uncomfortable attempts at inclusion in society. This thing reminded me of the milk-carton aluminum-pie-tin birdfeeder incident that happened over half a century ago in Girl Scouts. I was admonished by the troop leader for reaching for the materials, and Elizabeth Miller was asked to make two of them. Afterward, the leader said in front of everyone what a good job I had done. Feeling both embarrassed and incensed, I said the good work was Elizabeth's, and she should get the credit. I wanted to defend my ability to have done it myself if someone had shown me how, but I wasn't altogether sure I could, and the authority with which the leader had dismissed my initial attempt dashed what little confidence I had brought to the table. Would this Corky Canvas thing help me to offset that kind of experience, or would it just lead to yet another scar? Once in a while during the holidays and beyond, I considered contacting Angie. But, knowing that we weren't meeting in January, I kept putting it off. I wasn't really sure what to say, and part of me just wanted the whole thing to go away. On February 4, 2013, I received an email message from her that added a jolt of shame to the regret I had felt that December night. How had I let my own scars and insecurities keep me from at least reaching out to her? In part, she said, "... I just wanted to apologize if I hurt your feelings over Corky Canvas. It was never my intention, and I clearly wasn't thinking when I suggested it as an idea. Afterwards I felt really bad about it. I did however contact them to see if they could accommodate you. They said they would be happy to if we could help you paint. I am not sure how you feel about that. I would be happy to help in any way I can if you think you want to give it a try. If not, I understand. Anyways, I don't want you to have any bad feelings towards me, so I hope you will accept my sincere apology." On February 6, I responded, "Angie, I'm sorry you spent as much as a second worrying about having hurt my feelings. Actually, I like the fact that you took initiative in suggesting an idea for something fun for Circle to do. I came away from that discussion hoping that I hadn't done anything to cause you to feel shot down for bringing it up. "The reason I spoke up so quickly is that, since assertiveness often feels unnatural to me, if I don't speak up right away, I'll talk myself out of doing so and often regret it later. The trade-off is that now sometimes I think I say something when waiting would be better. I hope I live long enough to strike a balance someday. "The Corky Canvas definitely takes me out of my comfort zone, but that's not altogether a bad thing. It's good for me to go there sometimes. I don't, however, want either to have accommodating me become the focus of attention or to have my sitting on the sidelines while others participate become the solution, since the activity really is pretty much a visual thing. "For me, a movie, however well described, has not yet trumped a book for experiencing something solo. Camaraderie is worth a lot, though, so I'll go to movies sometimes for that. My husband, who is also blind, does enjoy movies, either by himself or with others, which just goes to show that not all blind folks are any more alike than all sighted folks are. "I appreciate your writing and your offer of assistance, and I very much like spending time with Symphony Circle, so I haven't made up my mind about this yet. I know I'll learn something if I go, because, if I decide to do it, I'll be intentional about that. Whether or not I can let myself lighten up and really enjoy it is still up for grabs. "Again, I want to emphasize that I'm glad you brought up this idea. I prefer that people be who they are around me and allow me to be me, which includes deciding what to do when things like this arise. "Thank you for writing. I look forward to seeing you next week at Circle." On April 26, Trish, a long-time friend from Circle, emailed, "Angie said you were signed up for painting at Corky Canvas next Wednesday, so I'm writing to see if you want me to pick you up. I love it that you are going to try painting. It should be fun. It starts at 6:30, so I'll be by to get you about 6:10 or so. Have a great weekend. See you Wednesday." I responded, "Thank you, Trish. I really appreciate the ride. I have no idea how this is going to turn out, but I seem to be into trying quite a few things-once, anyway. "I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday. I hope you have a good weekend. It looks like the weather is finally going to be like spring." As it turned out, May 1, the evening in question, was anything but spring-like. Not only was it cold, but also there was what is often referred to here as a "wintery mix" falling from the sky. My twinges of hope that the event might be called off faded into nothingness when Trish, cheerful as always, arrived at my home. Others, both from Symphony Circle and elsewhere, were hurrying from their cars and gathering just inside the door when we got there. The woman in charge welcomed us and invited us to pick up a palate (in the form of a paper plate) and arrange dollops of paint of specified colors around the edges. I had a sinking feeling as Trish handed me hers and filled mine. Not only would I not know which color was which, but also there were no separate compartments for the dollops. After Trish introduced me to a friend of hers she was surprised to see there, we sat down beside each other at our group's assigned table. There I found a canvas balanced on an easel in an almost vertical position. I figured out immediately that moving it forward even a little caused it to come into contact with that of Penny, the person across the narrow table from me. Trish's abutted Angie's, and Michelle's was on its own beside hers. No one else from Circle was available to paint that evening. Beside each of us on the table were three brushes, a small cup of water, and a couple paper towels. Soon our instructor's voice cut into the blare of the overhead music to give us a preview of the evening's activities. After reminding us that we could, if we chose, paint whatever we pleased, she said she would be providing instructions for the group picture, a vase of flowers. We were invited to accompany our painting with wines, which she listed. Then she said she was going to give us formal definitions for the kinds of brushes each of us had at our places. "There's the large one, called the big brush; the middle-sized one, called the medium brush; and the small one, called the little brush." After the laughter subsided, she asked us to gauge the center of our canvases and use black paint to draw the outline of a squatty vase, leaving an inch or so at the bottom, and allowing for plenty of room at the top for a border and some flowers. Although I had considered calling ahead to see if there might be something I could bring to make this project more doable, I decided not to do that. I thought I might either be talked out of coming or talk myself out of it. Deciding to wing it was very out of character for me, but here I was. I accepted Trish's offer of assistance, thinking that perhaps a Braille ruler and a bendable material with which to make a template to paint within could have put me more in control of this part of the painting. Once the vase outline was completed, we were told to put a small amount of black paint into our red, mix them together, and cover the entire rest of the canvas, including all four edges, with that color. That would create a brick red background. After Trish helped me mix the colors, I did as directed, asking to be informed about any spots I missed, if I was coming too close to the outline of the vase, and when I needed to refill my brush. At that point the bartender, Kylie, who is an art instructor and said she wasn't all that busy at the bar, offered to guide my hand around the vase. At first I felt somewhat self-conscious about that; but, having no ready alternatives to suggest, I willed myself to relax and embrace the moment. The next step was to fill in the vase with black paint. Again, Kylie guided my hand for the edges, and I did some freehand in the center with prompting for spots I missed, and intermittent brush refills. Next we used white with a little pink and yellow mixed in to paint flowers using the medium brush. I again allowed Kylie to guide my hand, making six-petaled flowers at various levels above the vase. When the instructions were given for stems, the woman said something like, "Just do a little here, then a little there, and be sure to pick up your brush as you go." Imagining little pieces of stem strewn about the canvas, I wondered how that could possibly make a painting that would be appealing to anyone. I figured that some kind of optical illusion was afoot. When Kylie took my hand, which was already holding the little brush as instructed, and dabbed the green paint, I let the question hang in my mind as she began. "Oh," I inwardly said as she gently stroked down, raised the brush, moved down a bit, continued the trajectory, and performed the same kinds of strokes. "Are you raising the brush so that it will look like the stem goes behind the flower that is lower than the one on top?" I asked. "Yes," she answered. "And we'll do the same thing to complete the other stems." There it was again-that pesky perspective thing, in which things that are behind one another are accounted for visually by disappearing part of the one in back. I was relieved that the concept wasn't any more abstract than that. By the time we got to the point of putting white polka dots on the vase, I had become comfortable enough with Kylie to talk about possible ways of creating boundaries for what was being painted. I mentioned stencils that could be painted within or a shape to be painted around. She created a stencil made of construction paper with a circle to be painted within. Although construction paper creates a very shallow border and is both porous and prone to disintegrating when dampened, I was pleased that she understood what I was suggesting and was willing to act upon it. Because she only made one "dot," it needed to be moved to various locations to create the desired effect. After doing several whole circles, she guided my brush to put partial ones at the edge of the vase to suggest roundness. After putting the finishing touches on our paintings by using a tapping motion with the little brush to put five black dots in the center of each flower, adding small white polka dots just below the rim and just above the bottom of the vase, and scattering a few loose petals beside the vase, we were instructed to let our canvases dry for a bit before gathering for group photos. As Angie and I stood at the sink washing the remains of paint from our hands during this interim, she leaned in and quietly confided, "I'm so glad you came. I was hoping you would, and," lowering her voice almost to a whisper, "I even prayed about it." "I did, too," I confessed. "And I'm glad I came, too. Thank you for making it happen for us." Photos completed, coats donned, and paintings loosely wrapped, we stepped out into the fizz of crystalline snow blanketing the world in tiny, sleet-like beads. The crunch of its accumulation underfoot and its relentless pelting from above caused scurrying to vehicles, remaining mindful of the need to protect our masterpieces against the moisture, while, at the same time, guarding against smudging spots not yet altogether dry. By then, though, I felt like, whatever happened to my canvas, the memory of this night would find itself on the plus side of changing what it meant to be blind in a positive way, not only for me, but also for those with whom I had shared it. "What fun!" Trish exclaimed, once our paintings were safely stowed and she was pulling onto the slushy street. "All the paintings looked great, too! I'm so glad you gave it a try." "It really was fun," I acknowledged. "And I'm glad I got out of my comfort zone long enough to find that out." "Would you do it again?" she asked. "I don't know," I said, reflecting on how much assistance I had accepted and how I depended entirely on feedback from others for confirmation of its appeal. "If so, I would want to work on some ways to be more in control of what I was doing. And I would still prefer to work with three-dimensional objects or materials with properties like varying texture that I could experience myself. Would you do it again?" I inquired. "I would," she said, "but I'd also like to try some of the other painting options in town." There we were, true to form-she already up for the next adventure; I willing to consider, but somewhat hesitant. Over the years we have shared many cherished moments. As she dropped me off that night, I thanked God for this experience. Among other things, it gave me a chance to reopen the bird feeder wound and allow for some healing. There is, of course, still a scar. But it is no longer festering underneath, and that's worth a lot to me. ---------- [PHOTO/CAPTION: Danielle Trevino smiles broadly as she sits beside her guide dog, Katie.] Facing the Tweetbook: Getting Linked into Social Media by Danielle Trevino From the Editor: Danielle is the coordinator for social media and member engagement for the National Federation of the Blind. She is taking us into the new frontier of social media by demonstrating its value and teaching us how to use it with assistive technology. Here she offers a primer to help those who are just trying to get started in this sometimes- confusing world of the internet and social media. Social media was once considered a fad. A mere twelve years ago, "liking" something didn't mean double-tapping on a button and "tweeting" was a verb reserved for birds and anyone singing Rockin' Robin. Once smart phones became more affordable, available, and accessible, the world saw a rapid increase in the use of social media. Nowadays, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone over the age of six who doesn't know what social media is, and just as the general public has embraced these networks, so have businesses and nonprofits. So of the hundreds of thousands of nonprofits on social media, what sets the National Federation of the Blind apart? Why should people join us and/or fund us? The answer is simple: we change lives. Whether it's putting a free cane in the hands of a person who hasn't been able to get around independently, advocating for changes to laws on Capitol Hill, establishing BELL programs across the country so that blind children can practice their Braille skills, or giving away thousands of dollars in scholarships, the NFB really does work every day so that blind people can live the lives we want. Ours is a story worth sharing, and today the most powerful way to do that is through social media. I know that for many, the idea of using Facebook or Twitter is daunting, but I can assure you, it's as easy as one, two, share. Let's start with a bit of history. In 2004 Mark Zuckerberg, a student at Harvard, created thefacebook, a website designed for his fellow students to connect with one another. It was very simple back then and one of its draws was the exclusivity of it. The site quickly expanded to grant access to all students with a .edu email address. By 2006, Facebook was available to anyone age thirteen and up. More features were added, and today it is a robust platform on which we can share every bit of our lives if we want to. Once you're signed up the amount of content you create is up to you. You can do anything from occasionally posting a picture or status update to giving your network a play-by-play account of your day complete with photo, video, and web links. Organizations, such as the NFB, can leverage the page feature which allows users to create profiles specifically about the company or nonprofit they want to showcase. Most of our affiliates and some of our chapters and divisions have very active Facebook pages. In 2006, just as Facebook was being opened up to the world, Twitter came along. A couple of friends wanted a way to send messages to the internet using text message, and they called their invention Twitter. Though much simpler to use, it is much more limiting in its features. For example, a Tweet has a limit of one hundred and forty characters. However, that is more than enough to share Federation news. You can also upload pictures and video to Twitter, but these options can end up taking up all of your character count. The best way to post is to say a few words and then send your followers to a web link. Though there are other platforms such as Linked-in, Pinterest, and SnapChat, Twitter and Facebook are the most popular and accessible. So now that you know the background and basic functions of the two platforms, let's take a minute for a short vocabulary lesson, starting with Facebook. The two words you need to keep in mind are: like and share. To like something in the normal sense of the word is to approve of, appreciate, agree with, or believe in something. That's exactly what it means on Facebook, only the secondary definition is to hit the "like" button. It looks like a hand giving a thumbs-up, and this is something you want for your posts; you want people to "like" them. The more likes, the more popular your post is. Sharing posts is also something you want, even more than having people like your post. When someone shares your post, all of the people in their network of friends see it, including people that you don't know and aren't friends with. In this way, your post can spread and be viewed by thousands more, and might reach someone who needs the NFB in their life. On Twitter the case is very similar. You want people to "favorite" (like) and "retweet" (share) your posts. So now that you know the basics, how do you use your newfound knowledge to spread the Federation word? It's quite easy! You can always start by liking and sharing the NFB's posts. You can find the national organization on Facebook by searching for "National Federation of the Blind," and liking our page. You can find us on Twitter by following @NFB_Voice. Most affiliates have established social media pages that you can follow and share content from. You can also simply write your own posts about how the NFB helps you live the life you want. Your networks will like and share your words, and they just might reach someone who needs to hear our message of love, hope, and determination. ---------- [PHOTO/CAPTION: Gabe Cazares] Loan Discharge Program by Gabe Cazares From the Editor: Gabe is a governmental affairs specialist for the National Federation of the Blind and brings to his job the ability to write and speak passionately about issues confronting the blind and the legislative proposals to address them. This article will be of particular interest to you if you or your parent received a government loan for your college education which you or your parent now cannot repay due to your disability. Here's what he has to say: Recently the Obama Administration announced changes to its Total and Permanent Disability Discharge (TPD) Program. The TPD Program relieves individuals from their responsibility of repaying, on the basis of a total and permanent disability, the following types of loans: William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan, Federal Family Education Loan, and/or Federal Perkins Loan, or completing a TEACH Grant service obligation. In 2012 the Obama administration took steps to make it easier for qualifying individuals with disabilities to use their Social Security designation to apply for the program. Despite this effort, the administration saw a very small increase in the number of applicants. On April 12, 2016, the Obama Administration announced that the United States Department of Education, in conjunction with the Social Security Administration (SSA), began a match program in which those recipients of Social Security benefits with the specific designation of medical improvement not expected, who also qualify for the loan discharge program, are being identified between the two agencies. Upon its first review, the Departments of Education and Social Security identified 387,000 individuals. Of those identified 179,000 are currently in default of their loans. How does the TDP program work? In order to qualify, an individual must have a total and permanent disability as defined by the Veterans Administration determination of employability due to a service-connected disability, or the Social Security Administration's designation of medical improvement not expected, or by certification by a qualified medical professional. Starting April 18, 2016, qualifying individuals began to receive letters from the Department of Education explaining step-by-step how they can have their loans discharged. These explanations also include the tax implications of a discharge; the government can-in most cases-tax the loan amount forgiven. Individuals with disabilities will no longer have to submit proof of disability and can simply fill out and sign a customized application. Letters will be going out over a sixteen-week period, with a second letter following up in 120 days. If a qualified individual does not receive notification, he or she can follow the necessary steps found on the Department of Education's website . Once approved Once approved, your loan or TEACH Grant service obligation is discharged on the basis of a total and permanent disability. However, those who discharge their loans under a Social Security designation or a physician's authorization will be subject to a three-year monitoring period that begins on the day the discharge is approved. During this three-year monitoring period, "loans can be reinstated for repayment if: 1. You have annual employment earnings that exceed the poverty guideline amount for a family of two in your state, regardless of your actual family size; 2. You receive a new William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program loan (Direct Loan), Federal Perkins Loan Program loan (Perkins Loan), or TEACH Grant; 3. A disbursement of a Direct Loan, Perkins Loan, or TEACH Grant that you received before the discharge date is made, and you do not ensure the return of the full amount of the disbursement within 120 days of the disbursement date; or 4. You receive a notice from the SSA stating that you are no longer totally and permanently disabled, or that your disability review will no longer be the five-year or seven-year review period indicated in your most recent SSA notice of award for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits." A word of caution to readers considering this program: in 2016, 100 percent of the federal poverty level for a family of two is $16,020. If your annual compensation exceeds this amount, or if you expect to soon be making more than this allotted amount annually, you do not qualify for a TDP discharge. The federal poverty level is adjusted from year to year. It is also important to note that these monitoring requirements do not apply to individuals qualifying under the Veterans Administration determination of employability due to a service-connected disability. When determining if this program is best for you, it is important to consider all current and future plans for employment. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Deborah Kent] Living in Three Dimensions by Deborah Kent From the Editor: Deborah Kent is a well-known writer of children's books, the editor of Future Reflections, the vice president of the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois, and a reflective and articulate observer of life as a blind person. "Living in Three Dimensions" was originally published as "Vivre en Trois Dimensions" in Revue des Lettres et de Traduction, No. 15: La Main, published by Universite Saint-Esprit de Kaslik, Junieh, Lebanon, 2013. The anthology was published around the theme of the hand, and when a friend of hers mentioned it, Deborah offered to contribute something from her unique perspective. She found a translator to put her work into French, but here is the original English version: The poison bottle stands on a shelf above my desk. Sometimes I pause in my work, lift it down, and turn it in my hands. It is about three inches tall and made of clear glass-before I wrote that statement I checked with my sighted daughter just to be sure. Unlike an ordinary bottle, it is flat on one side, as though it were meant to stand flush against a wall. The flat side is perfectly smooth, but the rounded side is scored with distinct, vertical ridges from top to bottom. I found the poison bottle in a little antique shop in California. The place was crammed floor to ceiling with odd bits from bygone years, and to my delight, nothing was hidden behind glass. The shopkeeper was talking to another customer, and I hoped he was too busy to notice me as I feasted upon the tactile cacophony. I made fresh discoveries everywhere I reached-a wind-up doll, a carpet sweeper, a pile of carved picture frames, a clothes wringer, an assortment of buggy wheels and harness parts. "Are you looking for something?" The shopkeeper had seen me after all. My hands dropped to my sides, and I braced myself for the inevitable admonition. Gentle or stern, it would mean the same thing: "Please don't touch." "You have such interesting things here," I said, trying to distract him. "It must be fun to collect them all." He hesitated. I didn't breathe. "Come with me," he said. "I want to show you something." I followed his footsteps down a narrow aisle, brushing past shelves to right and left, and heard him move some cartons aside. "They made these in the 1850s, before electric lights came in," the shopkeeper said, placing the poison bottle in my hand. "If you got up in the night to take your medicine, you probably didn't bother to light a lantern. You did everything by touch. Chances are you didn't have much shelf space, so your rat poison might be right next to your concoction for headaches. Poison bottles were designed so you could distinguish them in the dark, with your hands." After I brought the poison bottle home, I tried to think of objects in general use today that are specifically made with touch in mind. My list was pitifully brief. Computer keyboards have a raised dot on the F and J keys to help the user position his/her hands without looking, and the 5 on a telephone keypad is also marked with a dot. It seems a paltry concession to the hand, compared to the myriad appliances and devices that cater to vision. Colorful packaging; sleek, buttonless phone screens; and the dazzling graphics of webpages all testify to the primacy of sight. The hand- despite its capacity to gauge size and weight, texture, shape, and detail- has been rendered nearly superfluous as a means of perception. As a blind child I was blessed with parents who understood that touch was my portal to knowledge. When I was three or four, my mother showed me split-rail fences, mailboxes, fire hydrants, lawn chairs, birdbaths, and telephone poles. My father took me for walks in the woods and showed me acorns, mushrooms, and the footprints of rabbits and raccoons. Together we explored the construction sites in our suburban development. In half- finished houses I learned that doors and windows fit into frames and discovered that bathroom pipes descend through holes in the flooring. My hands gave me a vast repertoire of information that has endured and expanded throughout my life. The desire to touch was not unique to me as a blind child. All children have a hunger to touch the objects in their environment. In fact, the eagerness to touch motivates most early movement. When Baby Sarah spots a bright pink rattle across the room, she is not content to lie on the carpet and admire it from afar. She wriggles forward, focused and determined, until the rattle is in her grasp. Now she is free to learn about all its properties. She rubs it and pats it, feeling its hardness and its smooth, rounded shape. She shakes it and listens to its mysterious clattering sound. She puts the handle into her mouth and explores it with her tongue and gums. Her hands bring the rattle close and give her an intimate knowledge that she would miss if she only viewed the object from a distance. Nevertheless, touch is highly subject to regulation, and the rules go into effect by the time a child is old enough to walk. "Don't touch the Christmas ornaments-you'll break them!" "Don't touch Mommy's scissors- you'll get hurt!" "Keep your hands to yourself-that doesn't belong to you!" "Just look at it. Don't touch! Don't touch!" The richness of tactile experience is forfeited, and touch becomes suspect. It is the terrain of infants, deviants, and thieves. Vision-so safe and clean-reigns unchallenged. As early as Old Testament mythology, touch was cast as a dangerous and forbidden sense. In the story of the Garden of Eden, Eve reports to the serpent: "But of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." Eve ignored God's "look, don't touch" mandate, and as a result, humankind has suffered to this day. Despite Biblical sanctions, or perhaps in reaction against them, touch came into its own during the European Renaissance. Touch was considered the master sense, able to verify and expand upon characteristics only superficially perceived through sight. Benedetto Varchi, a sixteenth- century Florentine historian, claimed that the sculptor's art could best be appreciated by touch. In the eighteenth century the German philosopher Johann Gottfried Herder praised the value of touch over sight, which he dismissed as "a superficial sense which can only render the surfaces and colors of objects."1 Perhaps the most remarkable manifestation of this enlightened attitude toward touch is the eighteenth-century museum. For me, a visit to a museum is a series of encounters with velvet ropes, wooden barricades, ever-vigilant security guards, automatic alarm systems, and implacable sheets of glass. Whether African wood carvings, specimens of shells and minerals, Native American artifacts, or figures cast in bronze are on display, no enjoyment or understanding through touch is permitted. In contrast, visitors to the museums of eighteenth-century Europe were not only allowed, but encouraged to touch the items on exhibit. In 1694 a visitor to the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford University described handling a variety of exotic objects, including a lodestone and a cane "which looks like a solid heavy thing but if you take it in your hands [is] as light as a feather."2 According to Constance Classen, a researcher on historical attitudes toward the senses, "Museum visitors, as polite guests, were expected to show their interest and goodwill by asking questions and by touching the proffered objects. To be invited to peruse a collection of exotic artifacts or objets d'art and not touch anything would be like being invited to someone's home for dinner and not touching the food."3 By the middle of the nineteenth century, however, the museum had become an altogether different place. No longer were visitors the personally invited guests of the owner or management. Museums had opened their doors to the general public, and there was mounting concern for the safety of the objects they housed. Visitors were required to stand back and view the exhibits from a distance. To touch a precious object was considered disrespectful and potentially damaging. This change in the museum reflects the social transformation that Classen calls "the rise of visualism." Unauthorized touch caused anxiety to an emerging middle class that had goods to protect from theft and breakage. An obsessive fear of dirt sprang from the new understanding that invisible germs caused sickness. The hands carried treacherous bacteria from one person to another; to touch an object that others had handled was to invite some dire disease. Moreover, Victorian prudery and Freud's preoccupation with all things sexual welded the connection between touch and something that "nice people" shouldn't do. By the beginning of the twentieth century, touch was closely identified with the poor and unwashed, whose overcrowded slum dwellings swarmed with vermin and vice. A book on etiquette contained a whole chapter on avoiding the touch of "undesirables." Readers were advised to stay away from "slums, local trains and streetcars, third-class pubs, cheap seats at movie theatres, and crowds or celebrations in the streets."4 Technology helped the middle and upper classes escape the contamination of touch that they had come to dread. Improvements in lighting made visual observation more effective at home and in the wider community. The greater availability of glass, and later the development of clear plastic, shielded merchandise from touch while it remained fully accessible to the eyes. In the United States, window shopping replaced the trip to the market, with its open bins of vegetables, hardware, and dry goods. The trend that began with our Victorian forebears is amplified in today's technological frenzy. Any facet of the world can leap into focus on the computer screen. From the safety of one's own living room, one can now explore a Maori village, examine the world of a coral reef, or study the fine points of a Classical Greek fa?ade. The only need for the hand is to click the buttons on a mouse. In the virtual world it is possible to build a house without lifting a hammer or to dissect a cadaver without ever wielding a scalpel. Touch is precluded by the onslaught of visual information. For blind computer users, a number of clever programs convert the text on the screen into human-like speech. Yet no digital genius has found an effective way to bring a third dimension to the screen. To my hands it remains lifeless. My fingers find no aesthetic delights, no maps or diagrams, no images of objects ordinary or extraordinary. Much of the virtual world is a resolutely visual world. Beside the poison bottle on the shelf above my desk lies a polished stone. A friend brought it to me from Bryce Canyon in Utah. Like the poison bottle, it is flat on one side and rounded on the other. The rounded side, an irregular oblong, is burnished to gleaming smoothness, a miracle to my touch. I turn the stone over, flat side uppermost. Chiseled into the surface are a palm and five slender fingers. Perhaps the carving was made by a talented machine with a blade that knew its way from pinkie to thumb. But I like to imagine that it is the work of an artist who used real tools upon this real stone and with the power of touch, created a tribute to the hand. 1. Classen, Constance. (2005). "Touch in the Museum," in Constance Classen, ed, The Book of Touch. New York: Berg, p. 279. 2. Ibid., p. 275. 3. Ibid., p. 275. 4. Stallybrass, Peter and Allon White. (2005) "Bourgeois Perception: The Gaze and the Contaminating Touch," in Constance Classen, ed, The Book of Touch, p. 290. ---------- Leave a Legacy For more than seventy-five years the National Federation of the Blind has worked to transform the dreams of hundreds of thousands of blind people into reality, and with your support we will continue to do so for decades to come. We sincerely hope you will plan to be a part of our enduring movement by adding the National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary in your will. A gift to the National Federation of the Blind in your will is more than just a charitable, tax-deductible donation. It is a way to join in the work to help blind people live the lives they want, a donation that leaves a lasting imprint on the lives of thousands of blind children and adults. With your help, the NFB will continue to: . Give blind children the gift of literacy through Braille; . Promote the independent travel of the blind by providing free, long white canes to blind people in need; . Develop dynamic educational projects and programs that show blind youth that science and math are within their reach; . Deliver hundreds of accessible newspapers and magazines to provide blind people the essential information necessary to be actively involved in their communities; . Offer aids and appliances that help seniors losing vision maintain their independence; and . Fund scholarship programs so that blind people can achieve their dreams. Plan to Leave a Legacy Creating a will gives you the final say in what happens to your possessions and is the only way to be sure that your remaining assets are distributed according to your passions and beliefs. Many people fear creating a will or believe it's not necessary until they are much older. Others think that it's expensive and confusing. However, it is one of the most important things you will do, and with new online legal programs it is easier and cheaper than ever before. If you do decide to create or revise your will, consider the National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary. Visit or call (410) 659-9314, extension 2371 for more information. Together with love, hope, determination, and your support, we will continue to transform dreams into reality. ---------- A Question for Our Readers by Gary Wunder Any casual reader of this magazine knows that the National Federation of the Blind believes in Braille and believes that some of the most significant problems we face come from not having an efficient way to read and write. Denying blind students Braille is indefensible, and the consequences are at best long-lasting and at worst devastating to those of us who want a career in which reading and writing normally play a vital part. Even for those of us who have been blessed with early, quality instruction, the shortage of Braille has meant that most of our information has come from listening to the spoken word. When I went to high school and college, I was advised that Recordings for the Blind (now renamed Learning Ally) would be my primary source for books, and material they did not have could be read to me by someone I would hire at the state agency's expense. Certainly the computer means that more material is available today, and most of us are less reliant on human narration, but much of what is digitized is read with speech. All of this preamble finally brings me to my question and concern. How does one learn to spell if he or she is predominantly an audio reader? Recently I was addressing a group of parents about why they should ensure that their children learn Braille. Spelling was one of the reasons I gave. I told the group about not knowing how to spell certain words whose sounds gave me no clue as to how I could find them in my thirty-six volume Braille dictionary. I thought the word that means "of undisputed origin," and "genuine" was spelled "offentic" rather than authentic. I thought that the word frustrated was pronounced flustrated, a logical consequence of being flustered. When I got down to business and decided I wanted to write something other than business owner, I tried to find "ontraprenure," and never did I guess it was a French word and started with an e and is spelled entrepreneur. I believed there were different words to describe when one was interested and when something was inter resting. When people looked at my check register, they got a laugh out of J. C. Penny, Wallmart, and Hardy's (JCPenny, Walmart, and Hardee's). Business signs simply aren't obvious regardless of one's proficiency in Braille. So if one gets most of his or her material from a Talking Book from NLS or through a speech synthesizer, how is learning to spell accomplished, and how does one continue to enlarge his or her vocabulary? Certainly there are spell checkers and easy-to-use dictionaries, but are they learning tools or a tool we always need in writing? Does practice with these tools mean we are better able to take a writing device that is not electronic and still generate material of which we can be proud and which shows us to be the competent people we wish to be? I'd like to hear from readers who have addressed this problem, the results you have had, and how you suggest we become better spellers who can write without the aid of a $1,000 piece of technology? I don't need an article but something I can use as a contribution to one. Just as we have come to question and refute the notion that blind people should not study or hope to contribute to the hard sciences, let's address head-on the commonly held belief that blind people are poor spellers because we have so little direct physical contact with the written word. With your help, we will give those who wish to become better spellers some practical and effective tips. It seems only right that we follow this article by demonstrating that blind people can become good spellers, so enjoy the presentation that follows from former President Maurer, one of the best spellers I know. Thanks, and remember to give me your suggestions. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Marc Mauer] Reflections of a Lifetime Reader and Library Maven by Marc Maurer From the Editor: Since the written word is a significant key that can be used to unlock knowledge and to experience places and situations never encountered, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped remains an essential tool for the blind. In recognition of its ongoing role, we reprint here an address delivered by former President Maurer in 2008. Here is how it was introduced in the July issue of the Braille Monitor from that year: President Maurer delivered the following address at the national conference of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress in San Antonio, Texas, May 5, 2008: Insofar as I remember, I have never previously been called a maven. In my position as president of the National Federation of the Blind (and in certain other roles), I have been called many things-but "maven" is not one of them. I thank you for the compliment, and I hope that I can live up to the billing. Books have been important to me for as long as I can remember. When I was a small child, my mother read them aloud to me. When I attended the school for the blind at the age of six, I discovered that books had been recorded on great big records. The teacher would play them for us in the afternoon. One of the first I ever heard was Sharp Ears-The Baby Whale by John Y. Beatty. As I listened, I was worried about the whale. In 1960 a library for the blind was established by Dr. Kenneth Jernigan in the state of Iowa, where I lived. I could get books simply by asking for them. They came in big packages from the post office. The first recorded book I ever received was White Falcon by Elliott Arnold: a story about a pioneer child captured by Indians and raised to become a leader of the tribe. I did not have a record player, but our family owned a stereo that we kept in the living room. If my homework had been completed, and if nobody else was watching television, I could listen to recorded books on our stereo. My father had connected a speaker to the stereo so that he could listen to music while he worked in his carpenter shop in the basement. The volume control of the stereo adjusted both the volume of the speakers in the living room and the volume of the speaker in the basement. I discovered that, when other family members were watching television, I could turn the volume of the stereo down. I could not hear the recorded book in the living room. However, if I stretched out on the workbench in the basement with my ear next to the speaker, I could listen to the book even with conversation or television watching in the living room. The workbench was covered with sawdust, but I didn't care. To avoid missing pieces of the recorded book, I had to get from the living room to the basement in a hurry. In order to hear what I wanted to know, I would start the stereo and race to the basement so that I would miss the fewest words. Sometimes the basement was a little cold, but I got to read anyway. It was worth it. The post office also brought me big packages of Braille. The books were wrapped in brown paper with string tied around it. I would untie the string very carefully and save it. I would also unwrap the paper from the books and fold it carefully to be reused in returning them to the library. In a pocket under the front cover of the first volume of each book I would find a mailing label. This was to be used to return the books to the library. When I had finished reading them, I rewrapped the bundle, tied the string, and licked the label so that it would stick to the package. I had to be careful to cover my address with the new label so that the package would go where it belonged. When I first began receiving the Braille books, I did not know that the postman who brought them would also carry packages away. I got permission from my mother to carry the packages to the post office to be shipped back to the library. I had learned that they needed no postage-that they would go as Free Matter to the library. I came to know the people who worked at the post office, and I was delighted when I discovered that they would indeed take charge of my Braille. The Braille was more versatile than the recorded books. I could read it wherever I went. I could keep a Braille volume under my bed and sneak it out at night after I was supposed to be asleep. This system also worked at the school for the blind. Special reading rooms (little cubicles containing a chair, a desk, and a Talking Book machine) had been built for listening to talking books. However, I could read the Braille anywhere. One time I did sneak off at night to read a Talking Book. I thought it would be better not to turn on the light in the reading room. The houseparent did discover me there after a while, but he thought I had fallen asleep while I was reading and missed the bedtime bell. It did not seem prudent to me to correct his error in thought. However, if I was in bed, he didn't check to see if a book was under the covers. When I reached high school, the library offered to lend me a Talking Book machine. I could listen to books in my own room at any time. This was liberating. Some of the books I wanted to read were for recreation, and some of them were assigned literature. At one point I invited some of my classmates to listen along with me to William Golding's Lord of the Flies. My Talking Book machine went with me to college, and I have had one or another model of it wherever I have been since I first obtained one in high school. When I was fourteen years old, I lived in Boone, Iowa, a small town about forty miles north of Des Moines, where the library for the blind was located. I had been borrowing books from the library for about five years. A listing of books would arrive in the mail. Because it was a printed document, my father would read the list to me. I would tell him what books I wanted to read. Eventually he got sick and tired of helping me make my selections because he thought some of the books I picked were too racy for me to read. Mostly I don't think he edited my lists of requests, but I think he skipped some of the books listed in the catalog. He would mail my requests to the library, and the packages of books would arrive from the post office. I usually got two (and on rare occasions three) books at a time. When I mailed them back, more would come. I loved getting the big fragrant volumes to read whenever and wherever I liked. I told my mother one summer's day when I was fourteen that I would very much like to visit the library. To my amazement she said that I could go. My younger brothers, Max and Matt, who were eleven and nine, planned to go with me. I was responsible for watching over them and seeing that they and I did not get into trouble. I saved my allowance until I had enough money for a bus ticket. The Greyhound bus stopped at a little bookstore in our town. We went to the station and bought bus tickets to travel to Des Moines. We knew that we would be visiting an important government facility, so we dressed in our Sunday clothes. The bus depot in Des Moines was only a couple of blocks from the library for the blind in those days. We arrived there in a little more than an hour, and we found our way to the building housing the books. The receptionist directed us to the fourth floor, where we met library personnel. They seemed bemused that a blind kid would visit the library without being accompanied by an adult. They showed me the stacks, and I began to look joyously through the rows upon rows of Braille books. After a time one of the staff members at the library brought me a chair. I selected a volume and sat down to read it. My brothers, who were through enjoying the library in a very short time and who were tired of watching me read books, said that they would go outside to look around. I said this would be all right but that the bus for our return trip was leaving shortly after four o'clock. I urged them to be back in time for us to catch it, and they said that they would be there. They left me, and I spent the remainder of the day reading Braille. When my brothers returned shortly before four o'clock, they told me that they had explored the state capitol building and climbed all of the stairs to the top of the dome. We had spent all of our money to buy the bus tickets to come to Des Moines. We were penniless, and we had not had the forethought to bring any lunch. However, I was permitted to borrow two books from the library. On the bus ride home, we were hungry but satisfied with our adventure, and I had two new books to read. At the school for the blind those of us in the first grade who had very little remaining vision were taught Braille. We started by studying flash cards, but fairly soon we graduated to the "Dick and Jane" book. Sixteen of us were in the class arranged in two rows of eight. My desk was the sixth one from the front in the first row. We were told to open our books to page one. The teacher asked the first student in the first row to read the Braille page. When the student had trouble reading the Braille, the teacher corrected the errors made by the student. Then the teacher called upon the second student in the row and again corrected the errors that student made. Before the teacher came to me, we had been through this exercise five times. When my turn came, the teacher asked me to read page one. I put my fingers on the page and spoke the words that were there. I was called to the front of the room, praised, and given a gold star to paste onto page one of my book. We lived more than a hundred miles from the school. On weekends my father came to pick me up for the drive to our home. When he appeared in our first-grade class on Friday afternoon, my teacher advised me to take my book home with me to show to my mother. My mother had learned Braille because she thought she might need to know it to communicate with me or to help me with my homework. I carried my book with me on our trip home; I explained what had happened in class; and I showed my mother my gold star. However, my mother is a suspicious woman. She asked if she could borrow my book, and I gave it to her. Later during the weekend she brought me a piece of Braille paper with words on it, and she asked me to read it. When I told her that I could not, she explained to me that it was an exact copy of page one of my book. When I had completed the first grade, during the summer months, my mother took me in hand. She decided that I was to learn Braille. For an hour each day she taught me to read. I objected. My brothers didn't have homework during the summer; I was the only one. But my mother insisted, and I had no alternative. By the end of that summer I had learned to read. I returned to the school for the blind in the fall, and I discovered the school library. By the time I had finished the fifth grade, I had read every book in the school library that the librarian would let me have. Some of the books in the library were too advanced for me, she said. I have wondered ever since what they were. I have read Braille to myself for study and pleasure; I have read Braille to my children; I have read Braille to judges in courts of appeals; and I have read Braille to tens of thousands of blind people. My mother taught me to read it, but the librarians gave me the chance to become efficient with it and to learn the thoughts of great minds by reading it. Perhaps it is possible to do the work that I have undertaken without Braille, but I don't know how it could be done. I have sometimes heard people argue that libraries are a luxury, but I cannot imagine how anybody with perspective could believe this. During my time at the university, I sat with Thucydides' Peloponnesian War under my hands, and I heard in my mind the stentorian tones of Pericles's Funeral Oration. Later I studied the clauses of the United States Constitution in the same way, and I wondered what they had meant to Abraham Lincoln. History is the record of what people have done. Literature is the record of what people have thought. Poetry is the record of the song of the spirit. In 1776 Adam Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations, declaring that this wealth is based upon labor and the efficient methods of using it. At about the same time Benjamin Franklin said that, if you want to be remembered, you should do something of sufficient importance that somebody else will want to write about it or write something worth reading. Much of the wealth of nations is contained between the covers of books. The librarians are charged with maintaining this wealth. Within the last two years a substantial argument has raged regarding the importance of the Books for the Blind program, now known as the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Should the technology employed in this service be upgraded to provide access to recorded material in digital form? Is the library of sufficient value to justify expenditures for continuing present services and for upgrading those that have not kept pace with the developing needs of the blind community and with modern technology? The answers to such questions depend on the estimated value of the population to be served. If the intended population will not read the books, or if (even if they read the books) the people who get them will accomplish nothing or almost nothing with the information, little is lost if the library fails to provide the service that might be expected from it. On the other hand, if those who read the books gain potential thereby and undertake development of intellectual property and socially useful programs, depriving this population of reading material is not only a dramatic mistake but an act equivalent to gross and intentional negligence. It is equivalent to discarding a valuable commodity, and it diminishes the society in which we live. This is no small matter; it affects the lives, the futures, and the destinies of an entire class of human beings. Will the lives of this group of human beings be stultified, diminished, belittled, or circumscribed? Or, on the other hand, will they be expanded, encouraged, and enlivened? One of the most common experiences encountered by any blind person is to be told to wait. The lives of blind people are important, yes, but not as important as something else. Wait. We will get to you. We will get to you as soon as the current emergency has come to an end. We will get to you as soon as the other priorities have been met. We will get to you when the important things have been managed. Wait. Is it any wonder that sometimes blind people feel that something needs to be done now? Is it any wonder that blind people have trouble understanding why everything else seems to be important, but our lives can be conveniently moved to the back burner? Is it any wonder that after a time restiveness becomes a primary characteristic of this so frequently underserved population? Is it any wonder that, when the National Library Service determines that a modest sum is needed to give us literacy, we feel betrayed by public officials who tell us that, one more time, our right to read must be postponed? The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped serves in excess of 700,000 blind people in the United States. Estimates are that 1.3 million blind people live in the United States. Well over 50 percent of the target population uses the services of this program. This rate of use of the Library for the Blind is substantially higher than the rate of use of libraries for the sighted. These numbers may reflect the reality that the only substantial source of readily available reading matter for the blind is the National Library Service. Experience indicates that blind people read in the neighborhood of thirty books per year on average. This is many, many times the number of books read by the average sighted person. Blindness is a tremendous social disadvantage and a moderate physical one. However, literacy is a way to compensate for the disadvantage. In the 1950s Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, then president of the National Federation of the Blind, estimated that between 1 and 3 percent of blind people were employed. At the time of the founding of the National Federation of the Blind in 1940, the employment rate for the blind was under 1 percent. Today it is estimated that as many as 30 percent of blind people are employed. This is at least ten times as many as were estimated to have employment in the 1950s. The difference may be measured in rehabilitation programs for the blind and in library service, with the greatest emphasis on library service. The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped was established more than seventy-five years ago. The standard of excellence that it has enforced in the production of Braille materials and in the creation of recorded documents is the envy of programs serving the blind throughout the world. This standard is so thoroughly met by the National Library Service that it has become an article of faith. If material is produced by the Library, it is right. If it is produced by the National Library Service, it is good. A book from the Library will be without error. Can this standard be universally met? Of course exceptions occur, but this high standard is so frequently a part of the Library program that the occasional error is an aberration. The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped is committed to producing materials in Braille that are second to none in quality. This program also produces recorded matter of exceptional quality. Historically the Library has been committed to ensuring that the best available long-term technology is incorporated in the production of materials. Today the transformation to the Digital Talking Book is a high priority. The National Library Service believes that it has a fundamental contribution to make to the growth of opportunity for the blind of the nation, and its commitment to quality has never been compromised. The network of libraries throughout the nation that provide most of the distribution of materials to patrons has demonstrated the same commitment to quality and excellence. The people who have produced the materials, distributed the books, repaired the machines, answered the questions, and offered an encouraging word have enhanced literacy and changed lives. Literacy has meant that blind people have capacity, but it has even greater significance. The literacy of blind people has provided a mechanism for the blind to gain inspiration and hope. We read of what others have done, and we imagine how we can do likewise. A book in the hand today frequently means an act of courage in the future. This is what library service has meant to us-more reading, more recreation, more participation in community activities, more education, more employment, more contemplation of a brighter tomorrow, more building, more joy! All of this comes from the Library, and we thank you for the enormous, the incalculable contributions you have made. ---------- Recipes This month's recipes come from the National Federation of the Blind of Arizona. Braised Cabbage with Apples and Bacon by Bob Kresmer Bob Kresmer has been president of our Arizona Affiliate for the past ten years. He is a retired rehabilitation teacher. Ingredients: 1 medium green cabbage, cored, quartered, and cut into 1/8-inch slices 4 slices bacon, diced 1 red onion cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices 1 teaspoon salt 2 Cortland or other tart apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/8-inch slices 2 teaspoons cider vinegar 3 tablespoons light brown sugar 2 tablespoons apple cider Method: Cook bacon until crisp. Add onion and cook until soft. Add cabbage, salt, and cider; cover and cook about two minutes. Stir in apple, sugar and vinegar; cook until cabbage is soft but apples retain shape, about ten minutes. Serves four. ---------- Double Date Loaf by Lynn Kresmer Lynn Kresmer is a member of our Tucson chapter, and is working as a rehabilitation teacher at the Southwestern Veterans Blind Rehabilitation Center in Tucson. Ingredients: 1 cup Medjool dates, chopped 1 cup boiling water 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing 1 cup sugar 1 egg, beaten well 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups flour 1 cup pecan pieces (optional) 1 teaspoon vanilla Method: Cut up dates and pour water mixed with baking soda over the dates. Refrigerate while mixing the rest. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix Miracle Whip, sugar, egg, and scant teaspoon of salt. Add dates and water, mix. Mix in flour, pecans, and vanilla. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan. Spread batter evenly into baking pan, bake for about an hour. Top of loaf will break open as it bakes, and it can be tested with a toothpick. ---------- Dirt Dessert by Debi Chatfield Debi Chatfield is a long time member of our East Valley chapter, a member of the National Association of Blind Veterans, and is the editor of the monthly newsletter, Arizona News and Views. Ingredients: 1 stick butter, softened 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened 1 cup confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar) 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 1/2 cups milk 2 small packages instant vanilla, white, or milk chocolate pudding 1 12-ounce Cool Whip 1 package of original Oreos Method: Crush Oreos by placing them in a plastic Ziploc bag, about twenty at a time, and roll a can over the bag. Set aside crushed cookies in a separate bowl. Mix softened butter and cream cheese with a wire whisk. Add confectioner's sugar and vanilla and set mixture aside. In larger, separate bowl, mix milk and pudding. Stir until thickened. Fold in Cool Whip, then fold in butter mixture. In glass dessert dish or gardening pot (see below) layer by starting with mixture, then add the cookies and continuing until everything is gone, ending with crushed cookies on top. Refrigerate overnight. To make this extra special, place dessert in an actual gardening pot. You can purchase either a plastic or pretty ceramic pot just to use for this recipe. Gummy worms can be added before the last layer of cookie crumbs, and extend out onto the top layer, but not necessary! You can also put an artificial flower in the middle of the pot for added effect. It really looks like dirt, especially when it is in a gardening container. It is a big hit when brought to the picnics and potlucks. But, most importantly, it is really yummy. Enjoy! ---------- Frank's Redhot Buffalo Chicken Dip by Nikki Jeffords Nikki is a member of the West Valley chapter of the NFB of Arizona. This is an easy and delicious recipe that she has made for family functions, potlucks, and work parties. Every time she takes it somewhere new, it is the most popular dish, with many requests to bring it again. Ingredients: 2 cups shredded cooked chicken 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup FRANK'S RedHot? Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce or FRANK'S RedHot? Buffalo Wings Sauce 1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch dressing 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or your favorite shredded cheese Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients and spoon into shallow one-quart baking dish. Bake twenty minutes, or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish with chopped green onions if desired. Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, and/or vegetables. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Janna Peyton] Nine Can Taco Soup by Janna Peyton Janna Peyton is a longtime member of our Tucson chapter. She has taken responsibilities for senior recreation, crafts, and organized tours and outings. Ingredients: 1 can drained black beans 1 can drained pinto beans (Mexican style) 1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes 1 can drained Mexican style corn 1 can cream of chicken soup, as is 1 can red or green enchilada sauce 1 can chicken broth 2 cans of prepared chicken (tuna-sized cans) One package of taco seasoning Method: Combine all in crock pot and cook on low for two hours, until it is hot enough for your taste. Garnish with tortilla chips, black olives, green onions, Mexican cheese, or whatever you fancy. ---------- Monitor Miniatures News from the Federation Family Blind Parents Needed: Are you a blind parent, grandparent, foster parent, or caregiver for children? Would you be interested in passing along your knowledge and giving your support to a parent, grandparent, or other caregiver who also happens to be blind? If so, the National Federation of the Blind needs you! If you are willing to serve as a mentor to an expecting parent, a current parent who is seeking support, a grandparent, or someone else who plans to provide extended care for children, please send an email to Melissa Riccobono at . As you know, the National Federation of the Blind is the leading advocate for the rights of blind parents and the largest resource network for blind people who are considering being parents. We are continuing to build our resources in this area, and the next step is to formalize a program of mentoring. Mentors will follow-up with individuals they are assigned to mentor and will be asked for ideas about other resources needed to strengthen the network of education, support, and advocacy the National Federation of the Blind provides to blind parents, grandparents, and other caregivers. If you are an individual who would be interested in being matched with a mentor, please send an email to . This program is in its beginning stages, but we will do all we can to match you with a mentor as soon as possible. Finally, please watch for future announcements regarding our Blind Parents Initiative. The National Federation of the Blind wants to gather data and develop truly useful resources for parents who happen to be blind, but in order to do this we will need your help and feedback. We will have at least one survey we will need people to complete, and there may also be opportunities to participate in focus groups, share techniques in short videos, write reviews for particularly helpful or accessible children's products and toys, and much more. We look forward to hearing from you and having you help us build a variety of tools to empower blind parents as they live the lives they want with their children. Volunteers Needed for Braille Book Fair: The Braille Book Fair (BBF) has become one of the highlights of the convention for many teachers, parents, blind kids, blind parents, and adult beginning-Braille readers. But the event could not take place without the help of many dedicated, talented volunteers. And that's where you come in. As a past worker or simply an interested supporter of the Braille Book Fair, I hope you can either volunteer or give me the contact information for someone that you recommend. You do not need to work the entire afternoon or evening, but I do ask that you try to work an entire shift. We especially need people who will be helping customers to come before we open the doors at 5:00 p.m. and to commit to staying until at least 6:30 p.m. Book lovers are great for this shift since you will assist visitors in book decisions/selections. Shift times are as follows: set-up is 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., 12:00 to 2:00 p.m., and 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.; the event is 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.; clean- up is 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. The room we will use has not yet been assigned, so please see the NFB convention agenda. If you can help, please contact Sandra Oliver, NOPBC Board Member, at (713) 825-4573 or by email at . If you contact me using email, please provide the following information: Yes, I can work the following shift(s) ...; my cell phone number that I will have at convention is . . .; I live in (state); or maybe, I'll check my schedule, but if possible my preference is to work these hours . . .; Braille skills (including if you read by touch or by sight as a sighted person). Note: if you are a parent of a blind child under the age of eighteen (or still in high school or below), we know that you will want to attend the NOPBC annual meeting which takes place just before the BBF, but we would welcome you to work either during the event or on the clean-up shift after the event. 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. Disney Offers Special Ticket Pricing to the World Blind Union/ICEVI General Assembly: Disney World is offering attendees of the World Blind Union/ICEVI General Assembly special ticket pricing, including pre- or post-conference stays. These special offers include after 3 p.m. tickets, which allow you to visit a single park after 3 p.m., or you can add the Park Hopper Option so you can visit multiple parks in one evening; specially priced multi-day tickets that offer pre-arrival savings of 10 percent and are not available at Walt Disney World ticket windows. Buy a two-day or longer full-day ticket, and receive one free admission to an additional Disney experience including a visit to either of Disney's water parks, Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon, or a round of miniature golf at Disney's Winter Summerland miniature golf, Disney's Fantasia Gardens miniature golf, Disney's Oak Trail golf course (Disney's nine-hole walking course), or ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The deadline to purchase tickets through this special offer is August 21, 2016. To purchase tickets, either visit , or call (407) 566-5600. Perkins Brailler Repair: Bring your Perkins Brailler back to life. The Selective Doctor Inc. specializes in the repair of Perkins Braillers and also sells reconditioned Perkins Braillers. The totally reconditioned Braillers sell for $450 for a manual Brailler and $550 for an electric Brailler. All Braillers are guaranteed. Repairs for the Perkins Braillers are $65 for labor on a manual Brailler, plus the cost of parts. You can send your Brailler to: The Selective Doctor Inc., P.O. Box 571, Manchester, MD 21102 using the US Postal Service. Free Matter for the Blind is accepted. It is recommended that you insure it, but it is not necessary. After the repair is completed we will send it back to you with the invoice and will insure it for $400. The premium presently is $5.50, and this will be added to your invoice. For more information, please call (410) 668-1143 or email . You can also check out our website at . ---------- 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. From buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org Tue Jul 12 23:36:05 2016 From: buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org (Brian Buhrow) Date: Tue, 12 Jul 2016 23:36:05 -0700 Subject: [Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor, July 2016 Message-ID: <201607130636.u6D6a5Re024525@lothlorien.nfbcal.org> BRAILLE MONITOR Vol. 59, No. 7 July 2016 Gary Wunder, Editor Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, by the NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND Mark Riccobono, President telephone: (410) 659-9314 email address: nfb at nfb.org website address: http://www.nfb.org NFBnet.org: http://www.nfbnet.org NFB-NEWSLINE? information: (866) 504-7300 Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind Follow us on Twitter: @NFB_Voice Watch and share our videos: YouTube.com/NationsBlind Letters to the President, address changes, subscription requests, and orders for NFB literature should be sent to the national office. Articles for the Monitor and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national 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 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 position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and try again. (Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the thumb drive, the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges, 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 envelope enclosed with the drive when you return the device. Vol. 59, No. 7 July 2016 Contents Illustration: National Federation of the Blind Honors Award Winners with New Exhibit in the Jacobus tenBroek Library New Ideas and Technology Make Transportation More Accessible by Gary Wunder A Matter of Attitude by Glenn Moore Under New Legislation, Proof of Child-Care Abilities Shifts for Blind Parents by Leo Traub TIME to Act on Real Employment for People with Disabilities by Tom Ridge Just Saying No to Reading Braille by Sheri Wells Jensen When New Laws Change Old Rights: What is Being Lost in All the Media Hype? by Brian Buhrow Running Out the Clock on Regulations Release by Parnell Diggs Throwing Away the Road Map by Sheila Koenig Ask Miss Whozit Recipes Monitor Miniatures ? 2016 by the National Federation of the Blind [PHOTO CAPTION: Ellen Ringlein stands next to the new exhibit in the Jacobus tenBroek Library] National Federation of the Blind Honors Award Winners with New Exhibit in the Jacobus tenBroek Library The Jacobus tenBroek Library is pleased to announce the unveiling of our newest exhibit, which honors the Federationists and outside partners who have received the NFB's highest awards since 1955. This exhibit not only celebrates the important work of those who have received these awards- a notable list of politicians, philanthropists, teachers, inventors, and Federation leaders-it pays tribute to the respected pioneers they are named after. . The Newel Perry Award: Established in 1955, this award is named for the trail-blazing activist, mathematician, and mentor of Jacobus tenBroek. It is awarded to leaders in the blindness field, blind or sighted, who have worked as dedicated partners with the NFB. . The Jacobus tenBroek Award: First awarded in 1976, this award is named for the esteemed founder of the NFB and honors those Federationists who have made an outstanding contribution toward independence for the blind. . The Kenneth Jernigan Award: Inaugurated in 2011 and named for the beloved teacher, civil rights advocate, and past president of the NFB, this award may be given to anyone who has made a significant contribution to the blindness community either through their participation in or partnership with the Federation. Each award display consists of one description plaque which features an engraving of the NFB's current logo and explains the qualifications for receiving the award, who it was named after, and when it was established. The description plaque is then followed by a series of larger plaques containing the recipients' names and the years that they received the award. All text is produced in both print and UEB Braille on handsome brass plaques mounted on dark brown wood. These plaques will be updated as new awards are granted to worthy winners. The tenBroek Library would like to thank the team at the National Braille Press for their fine work on the production of these beautiful awards. [PHOTO CAPTION: Gary Wunder] New Ideas and Technology Make Transportation More Accessible by Gary Wunder Technology and new business ventures are always bringing new words into our language, and one that has emerged in the last few years is Uber. It is most easily thought of as an alternative to taxicabs, but at a deeper level it is a transportation service, and this entails a somewhat different relationship between drivers, passengers, and the company. Traditional taxi services purchase vehicles and hire drivers to work specified shifts. Usually the company is required to have insurance, and there is little question that how a taxi driver behaves and what he says reflects on the company that employs him and that he is subject to that company's policies. In turn that company is responsible for enforcing those policies and for following any regulations that pertain to its business. By any measure running a taxi business is difficult. If a business employs too few people, passengers do not like the wait. If a business employs too many people, the drivers make less than they need, turnover is high, and the result is still a poor experience for many riders. Getting the balance right takes skill, experience, and good luck, and there is no question that this new paradigm and the use of technology makes the task of managing supply and demand much easier for Uber than for most traditional taxi services. Uber owns no cars and does not hire its drivers as employees. Instead, a man or woman with a vehicle, a smart phone, and the Uber app signs up to be a driver. These drivers are considered independent contractors by Uber. They do not have shifts or a certain number of hours they are expected to work. Rather, Uber offers drivers increasing financial incentives based on the amount of work they complete. If they want to work fulltime hours in a busy location, they can earn more than many entry-level wage positions. If they simply want to supplement their income, they can turn on the app and accept ride requests while they are out running errands or have free time and then turn it off again when they wish to stop working. Drivers encompass a wide range of individuals: everyone from grandmothers driving while waiting to pick up a grandchild from school to former fulltime taxi drivers working well over forty hours per week. Unlike summoning a taxi cab, one does not call a dispatcher or worry about having enough cash to make a trip. Before using the service one must download the Uber app, install it on the smart phone, and then register with Uber by setting up an account and providing a valid credit or debit card which the company will use in billing for each ride. For simplicity in describing the process for summoning a ride, I will use the word "display" to describe what appears on the screen of one's smart phone. What is spoken will depend on what the screen reader is focused on, and some of the information the blind user will need must be accessed by swiping through the available information on the screen. When a ride is wanted, the Uber app is activated and uses GPS to determine what is assumed to be the pickup location. If the phone displays the desired pickup address, the next step is to enter the destination address. This can be done either by typing or dictating an address or by entering a business name. A list of choices is displayed, and the user selects the preferred location. Once the pickup and destination have been entered, a fare estimate consisting of lowest and highest fare is displayed. From this screen one can either request the ride or cancel the request. When demand is high, the Uber system will include a multiplier with each fare. This is done to provide incentives for more drivers to make themselves available; they will earn higher commissions in exchange for meeting the local increased demand. In order to get a vehicle during these peak times (which Uber refers to as Surge), one must agree that his or her fare will be increased by 1.5, 2, or some other multiple of the base fare. The system is actively responsive to major shifts in supply and demand and can account for the fact that some passengers will pay more for the instant convenience while others will wait for the price to normalize. The rules for the fare calculation do not change once the request has been made and accepted, so there is no fear that a multiplier will be added if the service gets busier while one is waiting for the requested ride or is in transit. Once a request is made, there is a slight delay while the system offers the ride request to Uber's drivers. When accepted, the name of the driver, the make and model of his or her car, the number on the license plate, and the expected arrival time (ETA) are displayed. This screen also presents a button labeled "trip options" and if pressed can be used to call or text the driver to help in making contact. Unlike a traditional taxi, in which the dispatcher can give one only an approximate ETA for his or her cab and the rider has to remain vigilant to know when the cab arrives, with the Uber app the ETA is displayed on the screen, and if focus is set on this control, it is spoken. Whether the ETA is actively tracked or not, when the driver is about a minute away, an alert is sounded, and a message indicates that the car is about to arrive. Once in the car, the driver will usually confirm that the destination previously entered is the one desired. If it is, the driver will be guided using the GPS which is a part of the app. If the passenger believes he or she has a better route, either because of distance or traffic, he or she is free to direct the driver. At the end of the trip the app presents the rider with the fare and asks the rider to rate the service received on a scale from one to five. The rating can also be accompanied by comments to describe one's experience: "The driver was great, but the car smelled of smoke." "The driver was friendly, and I really liked his music." The rider is then sent an email receipt of the transaction. Riders can reply to this email to request corrections to a trip charge, and Uber customer service staff can retroactively recalculate the amount charged or resolve other customer service concerns. So beyond explaining this flexible and efficient transportation service, why is the Braille Monitor running this article? The problem that blind people are having is that Uber drivers are sometimes passing them by when they realize that their customer is accompanied by a guide dog. Currently drivers who do not wish to transport a service animal have felt free to decline on the grounds that they own the vehicle they are using and are free to choose based on whim, allergies, or religious preference whom and what they will transport without any consequences from Uber. Although failing to serve people who are accompanied by guide dogs and other service animals is a clear violation of the law, Uber has previously claimed it is not bound by state and federal laws on the theory that it does not provide the service; it merely makes available the technology for drivers to provide service. Its argument is based on the fact that it owns no vehicles and hires no drivers. It has argued that it is only the mechanism through which drivers and passengers are connected. A similar argument was made by Napster, the music service that helped millions of users get songs they did not buy. Napster claimed that it had no music and that it was merely a connecting point where people who wanted music could meet people who had it. The argument was challenged and soundly defeated, and Uber, perhaps because of this case law or perhaps wanting more favorable press and better community relations, has begun to alter its position. In a proposed settlement now under consideration by the court, Uber has agreed that it will obey state and federal civil rights laws regarding the transportation of people with disabilities and their service animals. The proposed settlement will require that drivers sign a statement agreeing to comply with these laws, and they are warned in this document that failure to transport a human-dog team will result in termination of the driver's contract with Uber. Drivers may still demand that the service animal they transport be kept under control, and they are free to charge a passenger for any damage done to their vehicle beyond that which would be expected through normal wear and tear. So why wouldn't Uber drivers want to carry passengers who have service animals? Some say they fear dogs; some say they are allergic; but overwhelmingly the opposition that seems to come from the small number of Uber drivers who object to a service animal in their car springs from the desire not to dirty their new vehicle. Uber encourages its drivers to have newer cars with clean interior, and the desire to protect that car, to keep it looking new, and to treat it as a valuable and significant asset seems to be the biggest objection Uber has found from its drivers. None of these concerns, however, relieve the driver of carrying out his duty to transport people with service dogs, and the failure to do so will result in termination. Those wishing to learn more specifics about the proposed settlement and read the legal documents should go to . It is hard to know how long the rates of this new company will remain substantially below those of competitors who drive taxicabs. Uber is currently subsidizing some of its transportation in getting its business recognized and used. Many of us have observed this technique when it comes to air travel; a new airline comes to town with prices that the old one cannot match, and when the competition is gone, rates begin to return to where they were before the upstart business came on the scene. In fairness we should note that airlines already serving an area may cut their rates, and, because they have established more capital, will sometimes drive the new providers out of business. In an effort to be innovative and to keep prices down, Uber is actively looking at expanding into other areas of service. Can it be used to supplement or replace paratransit systems around the country? Will users be interested enough in saving money that they will carpool with strangers traveling in the same direction? The proposed settlement addresses the issues around driver preference and remains flexible so that the lawyers for the class can negotiate additional fixes as new problems arise from Uber's rapidly evolving business model. This flexibility will ensure that the solution to currently unknown problems can be resolved even where the normal legal system of litigation cannot keep pace with Uber's further innovations. Like other companies that use advanced technology, Uber sometimes does not put accessibility front and center in its concerns about serving passengers. More than once it has deployed a new version of its app which is less accessible than the previous one. Sometimes the accessibility only poses an inconvenience, and at other times the changes are so significant that users of the service are urged not to update. As we continue to work with Uber, we believe that accessibility will become a more integral part of their process just as meeting the special needs of blind passengers is now very much on their radar. The National Federation of the Blind has been a strong advocate in this case, and we have been ably represented by Tim Elder of the TRE Legal Practice, Michael Nunez and Michael Bien of the Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld firm, and Larry Paradis and Julia Marks of the Disability Rights Advocates firm. Uber is a transportation service with tremendous potential, and the National Federation of the Blind is committed to seeing that it is one we can use easily and efficiently. Because the matter is a proposed nationwide class action, it must be approved by the court. The parties have requested that the court approve the settlement within the next six months. The settlement terms will not go into effect until the agreement is finally approved. Keep following these pages for further news on the progress in seeing this settlement through to policy. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Glenn Moore] A Matter of Attitude by Glenn Moore From the Editor: This article is gratefully reprinted from the Illinois Independent, the newsletter of the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois. How appropriate is the title of this newsletter given the subject Glenn Moore addresses: what does it mean to be independent? How should we react when others question our independence and think we are going too far in trying to demonstrate it? How do we turn our understandable frustration and irritation into meaningful public education? Here is what Glenn has to say: It started last February, when a Federationist posed a simple question on the IL-Talk listserv. "How do you react when someone says that you spend a lot of time proving you can do things in spite of your blindness?" The question sparked a lively discussion. I suppose any answer to this question depends on what the comment meant in the first place. It also depends upon one's own disposition, attitude, and philosophy about blindness and living. What Does the Comment Mean? I think one first wonders, "What was meant by that type of comment?" I find that usually people accuse me of trying to prove myself when I insist on doing something that makes them uncomfortable. I think this is often the case when people call attention to a blind person who is doing day-to-day things. Sometimes the person making the comment seems to think the blind person needs help but, out of stubbornness or an unwillingness to face his or her need, won't acknowledge it. I wonder if this belief comes from a subjective tendency to focus on the familiar. At an NFBI convention a couple of years ago, Parnell Diggs related an encounter with a law professor. The professor told him he had no trouble imagining what it is like to be blind; he simply closed his eyes. Why do many blind people find such a remark to be offensive? The professor defined the experience of blindness literally, based strictly upon his own experience of vision. He understood blindness in negative terms as merely the absence of sight, and he reduced the blind person's life, ambitions, and capabilities by neatly fitting him into the category of a person lacking sight. I think a lot of sighted bias against blindness is based upon the idea that blindness is an absence of sighted experience. People who think this way focus on the fact that blind people do not gain experience through vision, the sense most sighted people rely on and assume is needed to gain knowledge of the world. The truth is that, while sighted people have plenty of experience with being sighted, blindness is not an absence of experience and knowledge. It's a parallel experience of its own. If I speak French in a country of English speakers, at times I'll miss something and will want to have it explained to me. However, it would feel insulting to be treated as though I have no language of my own, let alone the ability to comprehend the concepts that can be explained in either language. Blindness has a life and functionality just as sight does. For example, Braille is not an absence of writing; it's a writing system that is not visual. A common reply to the query about proving oneself was that sighted people sometimes imply, or flatly accuse, a blind person of having an attitude. Some members of the sighted public certainly have attitudes, so why wouldn't some of the blind public have attitudes, too? However, what sighted people tend to perceive as an attitude in the blind may simply be the refusal to fall into expected roles. One lister commented, "There's a basic expectation that we should be grateful for any and all assistance and that we should not be assertive." Another lister noted, "Some of us seem to be more passive than is needed." Though a comment from the public may actually be on target, it also reflects something about the speaker, who may react for lack of knowledge about blindness. "We blind often expect the sighted to somehow intuitively know what help or non-help to provide," one lister wrote. "We get upset when we feel aggrieved by the ignorant sighted. In the absence of actual knowledge, people invent knowledge in its place." Another commented, "They see a blind person, and somehow the idea that the situation calls for new rules and exceptional behaviors kicks in." These comments make me consider that it's important to engage people with things they don't understand. If the unique and uncommon become rare and mystical, the word "attitude" may mysteriously appear. The speaker who claims you're busy proving something may have yet another meaning, and it's not a very flattering one to himself or herself. Suppose the blind person is doing something appropriate, and the sighted person offers intervention that clearly is not helpful, wanted, or needed. The reason the sighted person finds fault may, in fact, have to do with his or her own convenience or agenda. Recently a friend of mine was waiting to board a bus with her guide dog. A woman next to her complimented the dog and asked the dog if she could pet it. My friend politely refused, saying that the dog was working. "Well," the woman replied, "I'm gonna pet you anyway," and so she did. By addressing the dog while ignoring the owner and dismissing the dog's purpose for being there, I believe the woman expressed her contempt for what she saw as my friend's unacceptable privilege to have a dog in a public place. Her interference with the dog's work was a way to defeat that privilege and passive-aggressively claim her own privilege instead. Though this behavior was not an offer of help, it is not unlike accusing a blind person of copping an attitude for not accepting help that is "for your own good." Sometimes a person who says you spend (or waste) time proving yourself because of blindness really expects to be inconvenienced if you are left on your own. The person offers help for his or her own convenience and then claims you have an attitude for refusing. What Does Proving Blindness Mean? Besides exploring what may lay behind certain comments made to blind people, I also want to consider what it means to prove oneself as a blind person. Some of our listserv members expressed that they were not trying to prove anything or gain attention, but they felt that they were always being observed. One post reads, "Whatever we do in our lives, we are proving ourselves ... as blind people. That's just life." Another list member wrote, "I feel I'm proving that I can do things all the time ... Maybe I have an attitude. I think it's a healthy attitude for a blind person." Others agreed. "It is a positive attitude that I have. And it is an attitude that keeps me going on a daily basis," said one. Another commented, "It's that attitude that has got me where I am today." These quotes tell me that proving oneself as a blind person is not an attempt to affect others negatively, but rather a lifelong determination to be unaffected by obstacles. Most of the varied listserv responses fit under the umbrella of the philosophy belonging to the organized blind movement. Most posts acknowledged that there are times during interactions when blind and sighted people, all of us with our own shortcomings, just don't get it right. "One should endeavor to never lose one's temper," one lister wrote, "but I also think we have to forgive ourselves if we are imperfect." This comment fits well with another lister's observation that "if we spend time worrying about others' perception of us and try to please others ... we would never be able to live the lives we want. Life is too short." One safe and winning bet that helps hedge uncertain situations is respect. A sighted person, or anyone offering advice or help, should be honest about why she or he is reaching out. Certain behaviors, such as putting hands on someone, are never appropriate unless it's necessary to protect a person from real danger. There is more to know about blindness than what law professors imagine when they close their eyes. Many sighted people may feel frustrated or unsure about what is best to say or do when a situation seems not to be going as it should. As blind people we can teach them, as long as they're respectful. At the same time, they may know things about a given situation that will be useful to us. It's worth being open-minded without needing to give up being strong-minded. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Melissa Riccobono attaches bells to her daughter's shoe] Under New Legislation, Proof of Child-Care Abilities Shifts for Blind Parents by Leo Traub From the Editor: This article originally appeared in the Capital News Service, operated by University of Maryland journalism students. At just past 11 AM on a Thursday, Melissa Riccobono sits at her computer while her three-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, plays on the floor next to her with a pillow and some toys. Using a Focus 14 Blue keyboard with Braille display and text-to-speech readout, Riccobono scrolls through her contacts, searching for a friend's email address. Suddenly, seemingly unprompted, she turns to her daughter and says, "Elizabeth, I think your bus is here." Sure enough, idling in the street outside their Baltimore home is a big yellow bus, waiting to take Elizabeth to a city nursery school for blind children. Reluctantly, Elizabeth finishes her game and stands up. Riccobono helps her daughter into her coat and school backpack, and the pair move to the front door, collecting their long white canes from the umbrella stand in the corner. The rumbling sound of the bus was subtle, nearly imperceptible. Did Riccobono, a woman blind since birth, use some sort of superhero-like heightened sense to hear it pull up outside? Sensitive though Riccobono's hearing might be, she is a parent, and at just past 11 AM on Thursdays, she knows to expect her daughter's school bus. These sorts of assumptions about blindness are common, said Sharon Maneki, president of the Maryland chapter of advocacy and support organization, the National Federation of the Blind. Sighted people, even courtroom judges, often resort to "what ifs" in evaluating blind people's parenting abilities, she said. Under a bill passed by the Maryland legislature on the last day of session, in cases assessing parents' ability to care for their children, judges and claimants will need to follow new procedures before introducing a person's disability in court. Originally written for blindness, the bill was later amended to include all disabilities, physical or mental, and covers only private cases that don't involve public agencies, such as custody or visitation, as well as adoption or guardianship cases. "The bill provides a lot more protections for disabled parents that we've never had before," said Riccobono. Riccobono and her husband, Mark, president of the National Federation of the Blind, as well as Maneki and other advocates, have spent years working to create legal parity for blind people. This legislation is an important step in protecting the blind from being pre-judged for their disability, she said. "As a blind person, you're always thinking, what if this (situation) is blamed on my blindness?" said Chris Danielsen, director of public relations for the National Federation of the Blind. A Change in the Burden of Proof One of the bill's key provisions is placing the burden of proof on the person making a legal claim against a disabled parent, Maneki said. In past cases, blind people were required to prove that they were capable of caring for a child, she said. "This has been a long-standing problem that we've had," Maneki said. In 2007, Michael Bullis was sorting through a difficult divorce and custody proceeding over his then-five-year-old daughter, Julianna. A Baltimore County court had ruled Bullis, a blind man, was not fit to be left with Julianna without supervision. So for almost two years, Bullis said, he only saw his daughter in public places with either his ex-wife or one of her parents there. "Needless to say, it was pretty humiliating," he said. What bothered him the most, Bullis said, was that the court had determined his visitation rights based on a prejudiced assumption: that he was not a capable parent because he was blind. "They say things such as, 'The blind person can't do anything, and they've never been able to do it,' even though they've been doing it for years," Maneki said. He fought the decision in court, and the judge called for social services to conduct a home study to determine whether Bullis could provide appropriate care for his daughter. After performing the study, the social services caseworker said he would have approved the home for a sighted parent, Bullis said, but he was hesitant to clear it for a blind person. So Bullis spent the next hour addressing all of the caseworker's concerns and questions, demonstrating everyday tasks around his own house. With Bullis' explanation, the caseworker filed a positive report that did not express any concerns about disability, and in 2008, the judge granted Bullis unsupervised visitation rights of his daughter. "I wasn't going to let him go until he heard everything I had to say," Bullis said. "His report could have killed me." The caseworker submitted the proper report, Bullis said, because the judge's letter only asked social services to evaluate his abilities, not his blindness. "For some reason, with disability, you could bring up imaginary subjects and the court listened to it." Fighting for Legal Parity While his own case was ongoing, Bullis joined the National Federation of the Blind in pursuing state legislation to ensure other blind parents would not have to face the same uphill legal battle he faced, he said. In 2009, the Maryland General Assembly passed a bill limiting the way courts consider a parent's disability in custody, visitation, and Child in Need of Assistance cases. Under the law, disability is only relevant if a court finds it affects the parent's ability to care for a child. Sighted people sometimes forget how much experience the blind have with their disability, Riccobono said, and that they are not newly blind before becoming parents. "Not every blind parent is perfect because not every parent is perfect," Riccobono said. "I always say, blind people don't keep emergency rooms open all by ourselves. There are plenty of sighted parents who have accidents, and that's why they're called accidents." This year's original bill also set new rules for social services' treatment of disabled parents in Child in Need of Assistance cases. These are brought when the agency tries to prove that a person is not fit to be a parent, whether because of abuse or neglect or simply because they aren't capable of caring for a child. But after pushback from the Maryland Department of Human Resources, the social services cases were excluded to ensure a bill was passed this session, Maneki said. The Maryland Department of Human Resources, which oversees social services in the state, felt that the new rules would place an extra step in removing children from situations of neglect and abuse, Maneki said. Supportive Parenting Services If a court finds a parent's disability does affect the best interest of the child, the bill also introduces supportive parenting services as an alternative to limiting custody or visitation rights. A person will have the opportunity to show that with these services, their disability would not impede their parenting abilities. Supportive services could include parenting classes, skill-building, and connecting with other people who have the same disability, Riccobono said. "Why reinvent the wheel if there are other parents out there who are doing it, and doing it well?" Riccobono said. As president of support organization, Maryland Parents of Blind Children, Riccobono is accustomed to educating others about blindness and parenting. Two of her three children are legally blind, and she has used some of these parenting techniques with her own family. Some blind parents use noise-making tricks as ways to keep track of their children in busy areas. When Riccobono takes her young children to the playground or the mall, she sometimes attaches bells on zip ties to their shoes so she can follow the ringing sound. Other parents have their children carry Tic Tacs in their pockets or wear shoes specially designed to squeak, she said. The National Federation of the Blind may also be able to provide support, Danielsen said. Products like the KNFB Reader, an app that converts printed text to audio, and services like the NFB-Newsline, a free phone line that reads newspaper articles to subscribers, are available through the Federation's website. And if the National Federation of the Blind cannot provide the support, they can help others find the services they need, Danielsen said. In some cases, the organization has taken on legal representation of blind people, he said. However, supportive services do not have to be limited to resources provided specifically for people with disabilities, Riccobono said. Any skill-building class that helps a blind person could potentially work in court, she said. "Not all issues have to do with blindness," Danielsen said. "But where blindness has to do with it, the National Federation of the Blind can help." ---------- Leave a Legacy For more than seventy-five years the National Federation of the Blind has worked to transform the dreams of hundreds of thousands of blind people into reality, and with your support we will continue to do so for decades to come. We sincerely hope you will plan to be a part of our enduring movement by adding the National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary in your will. A gift to the National Federation of the Blind in your will is more than just a charitable, tax-deductible donation. It is a way to join in the work to help blind people live the lives they want that leaves a lasting imprint on the lives of thousands of blind children and adults. With your help, the NFB will continue to: . Give blind children the gift of literacy through Braille; . Promote the independent travel of the blind by providing free, long white canes to blind people in need; . Develop dynamic educational projects and programs that show blind youth that science and math are within their reach; . Deliver hundreds of accessible newspapers and magazines to provide blind people the essential information necessary to be actively involved in their communities; . Offer aids and appliances that help seniors losing vision maintain their independence; and . Fund scholarship programs so that blind students can achieve their dreams. Plan to Leave a Legacy Creating a will gives you the final say in what happens to your possessions and is the only way to be sure that your remaining assets are distributed according to your passions and beliefs. Many people fear creating a will or believe it's not necessary until they are much older. Others think that it's expensive and confusing. However, it is one of the most important things you will do, and with new online legal programs it is easier and cheaper than ever before. If you do decide to create or revise your will, consider the National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary. Visit or call (410) 659-9314, extension 2371, for more information. Together with love, hope, determination, and your support, we will continue to transform dreams into reality. ---------- TIME to Act on Real Employment for People with Disabilities by Tom Ridge From the Editor: This op-ed is reprinted with the permission of The Hill. It appeared on May 19, 2016, and it makes a strong case for the payment of at least the minimum wage to people with disabilities. Tom Ridge is a former member of Congress and a former governor of Pennsylvania, who served as the first director of the Office of Homeland Security under President George W. Bush. Here is what he has to say: In 1990, Congress passed and President George H. W. Bush signed into law the historic Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). I have always supported the ADA and other laws designed to increase the participation of Americans with disabilities in our society because I believe that these Americans, like all other Americans, should have the opportunity to pursue the American dream. The ADA sought to achieve this goal by bringing Americans with disabilities out of the shadows and allowing them to compete, on a level playing field, with their non-disabled peers. The law was also intended to combat the discrimination born of misconceptions, stereotypes, and paternalism that Americans with disabilities face every day. More than twenty-five years after its passage, the ADA has at last begun to accomplish many of its goals. But policies remain that undermine the vision of fairness and equal opportunity enshrined in this landmark law. One of those policies is buried in the Fair Labor Standards Act, passed in 1938. While that law created better wages and working conditions for most Americans, it contained a provision that excluded people with disabilities from its protections, especially the minimum wage. Nearly eighty years later, the law still contains that provision, known as Section 14(c). The provision allows employers who hold special wage certificates issued by the Department of Labor to pay workers with disabilities a "commensurate wage" that, generally, is less than the federal or state minimum wage. Some people working under special wage certificates earn mere pennies per hour. Back in 1938, everyone assumed that a worker with a disability was less productive than a "normal" or "able-bodied" worker. Today, we know that workers with disabilities, given equal opportunity and appropriate tools or technologies, can perform as well as their non-disabled counterparts. Just ask employers like Lowe's or Starbucks, outstanding companies that have partnered with the National Organization on Disability to find job opportunities for talented men and women with disabilities, and they'll confirm this to be true. But despite that knowledge, Section 14(c) remains in force. Some argue that the "commensurate" or subminimum wage is necessary to provide employment for some people with severe disabilities, and that merely giving these individuals something to do each day provides them with dignity and pride. This argument does not make sense to me. Americans with disabilities want the things that all other Americans want: homes, families, and the freedom to do with their lives as they wish. They cannot have any of those things on pennies per hour. If an American with a disability can't even buy a meal with his or her paycheck, he or she is likely to feel demeaned and insulted rather than dignified and proud. This system sends the message to Americans with disabilities that they are not worth the same as other Americans, that society values them less. It traps them in tedious jobs with no prospect of advancement. Finally, it leaves them in poverty, dependent for survival on overburdened federal benefit programs like Social Security Disability Insurance. Some of these Americans remain in the care of family members, but what happens when those family members are gone? Other safety net programs must then fill the gap. The subject of the minimum wage is a hotly debated matter. Much has been said about whether it should be raised, and to what level. But that question has no bearing on the plight of workers with disabilities who are currently not receiving it. Receiving the minimum wage, at whatever level it is set, is a matter of basic fairness. In 2016, there is no excuse for treating an entire class of workers differently from others based solely on the characteristic of disability. Such treatment is discriminatory, just as it would be if applied to individuals of a specific race, gender, or religious affiliation. I support legislation filed in the House of Representatives by Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS) and in the Senate by Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) that would phase out the Section 14(c) program. This legislation, the Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment (TIME) Act, would rightly refocus efforts to employ Americans with disabilities on helping them train for and find jobs in the mainstream economy. This is not an impossible goal; Ayotte's home state of New Hampshire has already eliminated subminimum wages without adverse consequences for workers with disabilities, as has the state of Vermont. Much work needs to be done to give all Americans, including those who have disabilities, a chance to have the financial freedom and security we all desire. Repealing Section 14(c) is an easy step that we can take right now to move closer to that goal. I urge the House and Senate to pass the TIME Act with all deliberate speed. It is long past time to take this fair, commonsense step in the march to freedom for Americans with disabilities. ---------- Just Saying No to Reading Braille by Sheri Wells Jensen From the Editor: Last month we ran an article discussing how absurd it would sound if all the arguments used against teaching and learning Braille were made against print. The article made good points, pointed up some ironies, and pretty much confirmed for most of us who read Braille that it is a skill we could not conceive of being without. What the article did not answer was the question of why some people don't choose to learn a reading and writing system that is so effective and, for many of us, so essential. In looking back over past issues of the Braille Monitor, we came across an article written by Sheri Wells Jensen which appeared in two segments during 2002 and 2003. We thought it worthy of reprinting, because it presents us with arguments we don't normally consider, gives voice to people we don't generally listen to, and helps us find a path to better persuade those who might benefit from what we so enjoy when words appear under our fingertips. What Sheri said more than a decade ago has as much relevance today as it did when she wrote it. The introduction to her article was written by Barbara Pierce, and here is what she said: Dr. Sheri Wells Jensen teaches in the English as a Second Language Department at Bowling Green University in Ohio. She is interested in psycholinguistics and language preservation. As a Braille user herself she thought that Braille Monitor readers would be interested in her observations and reflections on Braille literacy from a somewhat unusual perspective. This is what she says: Growing up in the Midwest in a middle-class home, I took reading for granted. Everyone around me read. My girlfriends read love stories; my brothers read dopey boys' stuff like motorcycle and car magazines; my father read the newspaper; my mother read everything (lots of it out loud to me); and I read all the science fiction I could get my fingers on. The fact that my books were larger than theirs simply meant I had more trouble climbing the maple tree in our front yard while carrying one of mine. Learning to read was neither optional nor especially interesting. It was just a thing you did as part of the natural order, like learning to ride a bike or to cross the street. It was so woven into the fabric of my culture that as a youngster I never imagined there were people in the world who could not read at all. When I did find that out (probably sometime in late elementary school) I had trouble imagining how exactly you could manage a happy, efficient life without writing things down and reading things other people had written for you. I could never have imagined deliberately choosing illiteracy, but this is exactly what I found more than once after graduating from college. It was a shock that took me awhile to get over. Undergraduate diploma in hand, I went off to join the Peace Corps. After the initial three months of training, I was thrilled to find myself in a tropical coastal city (a twenty-five-minute, hair-raising bus ride from the best beaches you could ever imagine), working at a small girls' high school. Since many of these young women were the first in their families to get a high school education, they were eager students. They were being trained to take their places in the emerging Ecuadorian middle class and would probably get jobs as secretaries or clerical workers of some sort in small businesses. They'd make enough money to live comfortably in the city. One or two of them might even go on to college. For many of their families it was like a dream coming slowly true around them. My job was to teach them enough English to answer a telephone, take simple messages, make an appointment, or at least apologize nicely for not being able to do these things and then pass the call along to someone who could. It was good work but not wildly exciting. So I was delighted a few months later to find that we would be putting English lessons on hold for a while in order to participate in a national literacy campaign. The implementation of the campaign struck me as tremendously clever. It took advantage of the enthusiasm and energy of students like my girls, children of the relatively wealthy. Although poor by US standards, the young women at my school had enormous advantages by local standards. After all, they were well fed and secure and were going to graduate from high school in a country where many country people (campesinos) never made it past grade school. All high school students in the country were placed in pairs. The government plan specified that each pair be matched with a campesino who could not read. In order to earn that prized high school diploma, they would teach this person to read and write, sharing their knowledge, passing on the gift of literacy. The high school students were trained in the basics of reading instruction and sent on their way. My girls joined the campaign with a particular mission. I had taught them the basics of Braille and techniques for getting started, and they were matched with blind campesinos. Except for the fact that they were teaching Braille, our girls received the same training as the other high school students. It was person-to-person, Ecuadorian-to-Ecuadorian, making connections across class and lifestyle. I thought the plan was brilliant, and I sent my girls out with high hopes. Then I heard a disturbing story. It seems that a pair of high schoolers (mercifully not mine), armed with their picture books and alphabet cards, went out into the countryside to meet their assigned campesino. Most likely they'd had to travel for an hour or more on a jouncing, jolting, open bus, hanging on for their lives as the driver gamboled his way along the hills on the less-than-adequate roads. They probably arrived hot, dusty, and tired. Then they were introduced to their campesino as planned. They were told that the farmer would be happy to learn to read. He was ready to start right away. He was eager. He'd be delighted, in fact, assuming the kids would pay him. He was willing to accept payment in cash or in chickens, but he did expect to be fairly reimbursed for his time. Yes, you read that right. The illiterate campesino was charging for his services as student. You might think of it as sort of a reverse tuition. If the privileged city kids wanted to graduate from high school, he figured they'd fork over the money straight away. As you might imagine, I was appalled. I started making a list of names I would like to call the campesino if we ever met: crass . . . ill- mannered.... mercenary . . . I stopped making the list when I got to the word "ungrateful." I'd certainly heard that one before. It forced me to consider the situation with more care. What was up with this guy? Campesinos are smart. They may not have formal education, but they know the land in all its phases and seasons. They have a savvy survivor's grasp of economics too. They know what to plant and how to sell it and how much they need to produce to feed their families. And they work hard. Their land is relatively poor and their equipment meager. They make up for this with sheer investment of sweat. They are rightfully proud too. At the end of each day they see what they have accomplished and know their children will eat. Still, why would such a person be indifferent to the gifts of literacy? There are several reasons. First, his realistic grasp on reality tells him that he has no immediate use for such things. He has no letters to write, no books to keep, and no street signs to read. He gets the news he needs from passersby or from the radio. There is no public library from which he can check out books. If he had money for books, he has nowhere to buy them in his little village. He doesn't need to keep a calendar; his schedule is not that tight, and he can keep track of the birthdays or religious festivals important to him. In a small village everyone knows everyone else's business; if he forgets something, his uncle or sister or neighbor will remind him. He doesn't have to read recipes; he knows how to cook the simple food his family eats. There is no need for academic work or note-taking. If he wants to write a poem or a story, he simply makes it up and tells it to someone. If he or his audience remembers it, it was a good story, and it will be told and retold. Second, he has a real appreciation of his free time. After a hard day of work, he wants a cool drink and a hammock to stretch out in. He wants to spend time joking with family and neighbors, catching up on the day's events, playing with his children, enjoying the sunset, or staring out across the ocean or up into the mountains. Why would he want to use this precious time learning to read when he feels no need for it? His life is complete and satisfying. Finally, in his village there is no social expectation that he learn to read-no stigma for illiteracy. He is not ashamed of not reading. It would be like you feeling ashamed that you cannot ride a unicycle. You might grant that unicycle riding would be interesting, but you probably don't feel bad that you can't do it: nobody else does, after all. I could point out to you that there are hundreds of jobs in circuses for good unicycle riders and that you could entertain yourself and your family, but you're still not going to dash out and sign up for lessons even if they're free. On the other hand, if I (for my own twisted reasons) want to pay you to be my unicycle student, why not? You probably aren't vehemently opposed to the idea, just indifferent. As an educated middle-class American, it took me awhile to get used to this idea. But, when I finally began to be truly comfortable with the fact that not everybody wants what we think they should want, many things about living in Ecuador began to make more sense to me. A few years after I returned from Ecuador, I was reminded of this experience by a conversation with a friend. I was talking to him about why as a blind person he should learn to read Braille. Like the farmer he simply did not feel any lack. His affairs were in order and his life full and productive. From my perspective I could clearly see how his circumstances would be improved by learning to read, but he did not and does not live in my world. I began to think about Braille literacy campaigns in a new way after that. I wanted to find out how a person lives so that Braille is not missed and what perceptions, assumptions, and coping techniques make it seem reasonable to go without reading. I thought, and think still, that understanding these things would make it easier for us to promote Braille to nonreaders. In an attempt to find these things out, I spent a few months of spare time talking with readers and nonreaders alike. I learned some very interesting things. To be honest, it took me a good while to get over my shock at how Braille (and reading in general) were perceived in Ecuador. I'd always gone with the mainstream flow: it's clear and obvious that reading is good and therefore not reading is bad. I was slow to learn what the Peace Corps teaches: other people in other contexts lead perfectly reasonable lives. We have to work our way past pre-set, culturally imposed ideas about what "reasonable" means so that we can meet as human beings without prejudice. What may at first appear strange or even outrageous becomes sensible when we begin by assuming the people in question are intelligent, sensitive human beings making rational choices. So I decided that I'd be wise not to decide anything about the attitudes and motivations of non-Braille-reading Americans. I still believed (and continue to believe) that knowing how to do something (reading, knitting, carving a duck out of a hunk of wood) is better than not knowing. But it became clear to me that this very conviction could get in my way, preventing me from understanding what I wanted to understand. Once I work my way past my own idea that not reading Braille is an inherently bad choice, I could begin to listen more openly with an attitude of respect and appreciation rather than judging nonreaders out of hand. I vowed that I would try to begin with humility and curiosity and see what others could teach me. The usual approach would be to ask a series of questions, each one designed to elicit part of the data. But inevitably each question I create is tinged with my own perspective. We give ourselves away at every turn, revealing what we think good or right answers might be. Asking questions almost always sets up the kinds of answers we will get; that's why prosecutors, looking for a fatal flaw in a story, guide witnesses carefully through a series of interrogatives rather than saying, "So, Mr. Jackson, tell us all about it, Dude!" We set up our questions so that one answer is easier to give than another. We can even make it almost impossible for a person to answer genuinely. I wanted to create a context in which a person could talk to me about Braille, a topic which might be sensitive, without feeling judged by me. I also didn't want to guide my interviewees too much, perhaps missing something important by not asking the right questions. There might well be reasons for not being a Braille reader that I haven't imagined yet so wouldn't ask about. Better to let people express themselves with as little guidance as possible, building up their own picture of reading and literacy and the interconnections between those things and identity. Borrowing from the methods used by linguists and anthropologists to get at internal attitudes toward different languages, I decided simply to provide a topic, start a tape recorder, and let people talk. I recorded conversations with four blind Braille readers and three blind people who didn't read Braille. Partly just for kicks and partly to make sure I wasn't missing anything, I then interviewed three sighted people both about print literacy and about Braille. All of these speakers were college-educated, some pursuing advanced degrees. Everybody had a lot to say once they got started. I began the conversation with a very general prompt such as, "Tell me all about Braille." Then I just let them carry on. After my first couple of interviews, I had some idea of what kinds of things surfaced in these monologues, so I began to use those ideas as springboards for later subjects. When, for example, a Braille reader said that Braille equated in her mind with freedom, I might mention to the next interviewee that the word "freedom" had been used by a previous subject (without saying whether it had been a reader or nonreader) and ask him or her to respond to that idea. After the interviews I listened repeatedly to the tapes, checking for common themes and beginning to make myself a list. Here are some of the things readers and nonreaders had to say about Braille literacy, along with some of the more interesting quotes. Much of what they have to say will seem controversial: there is no doubt something in these quotations to offend everybody; so brace yourselves! I take this as a sign that people were genuinely speaking their minds without worrying about being judged and that they take the topic quite personally. To protect the anonymity of my interviewees, I've numbered the quotes rather than using initials. Quotes from nonreaders are labeled with an "A" and those from Braille readers with a "B." I've also made no real attempt to balance the number of reader and nonreader quotes used here in response to each topic. I've simply included the best quotes wherever they seem appropriate. Each one, though, represents a theme found in the data. Reading speed and difficulty with the system itself: Although these are almost always the first issues mentioned by experts as contributing to low Braille literacy rates, neither readers nor nonreaders had much to say about reading speed or the complexity of the Braille system. Braille readers, both fast and slow, prefer Braille. Nobody mentioned how hard it might be to learn to perceive dots with the fingers or complained about contracted Braille (what we all used to call grade II Braille) being just too hard to learn. The conclusion here seemed to be that, if you wanted to learn Braille in the first place or had learned it as a child, these problems were no big deal. If you did not perceive a need to learn Braille in the first place, you didn't have to think about its being either slow or difficult to acquire. Such issues were irrelevant. This, by the way, was the only way in which both groups of blind people differed significantly from my sighted interviewees, most of whom were quite unsure whether they would be able to learn Braille at all, based on its perceived difficulty and strangeness. Reading speed and difficulty were among the first things mentioned by sighted folk when talking about Braille. Independence and Privacy: Braille readers volunteered that they felt access to Braille was key to independence. Nonreaders also valued independence; they simply did not equate learning Braille with substantial increases in independence. They possessed the means to accomplish the same goals as sighted and Braille-reading peers, so their overall sense of mastery remained intact. One nonreader in particular expressed a sense of community and interdependence as opposed to what he sees as counterproductive rugged individualism of both his sighted and Braille- reading colleagues. Note, however, that he by no means lacked a strong sense of self-determination as evidenced by his vehement reaction to a local rehabilitation agency that he viewed as overly paternalistic. B1: "It's that independence that it [Braille] gives you to do your job as well as a sighted person." B2: "I put labels on papers and stuff. I don't want to depend on people or wait and wait. I hate having other people read my mail, having someone I don't know know my damned business. I like to depend on people as little as possible. It's less frustrating." A1: "I maximize the amount of control I can have . . . There's a lot of people who treasure what they think is their independence. What I think they're missing is they don't see how dependent they are all along. Do they grow their own food? Kill their own prey? There's a whole network of thousands of people." A2 (referring to a local rehabilitation agency): "They like totally revamp you, and it's kind of despicable. They don't have any provision for somebody working [blindness] into their life plan. They want to totally remold you. It's infantilization. [They] think of you as a child who has to be retrained like potty training, how to cook and take care of your clothing. It's so patronizing in its fundamental attitude." Negative Stereotype of Blindness: Readers of Braille feel that the ability to read Braille works to counteract negative stereotypes of blindness. Some expressed this as being more like sighted people and some as being efficient and graceful. Nonreaders on the other hand feel that Braille increases the gap between them and the sighted world, evoking (rather than counteracting) unflattering stereotypes of blindness, which they too reject. Both groups were quick to judge the other. Based on their own inexperience with the other's method, they were willing to draw quite dramatic conclusions and call names. These were the most difficult passages to work through since I kept stopping to wonder if this is a division within our community that we can afford. B3: "I suppose Braille does make me feel more like a sighted person in a sighted culture. This is in part, I think, because reading is reading, whether it be Braille or print. I view feeling like a sighted person in a sighted culture positively, though I know some would disagree. This is not because I want to deny my blindness but because I don't feel a need for my blindness to be a primary identifier. If I'm not wasting time wading through a bunch of cross-cultural dynamics pertaining to being blind, I can spend more time dealing with professional concerns, making friends, just going about the business of life. I guess I think that I want to minimize the time that I and others have to spend paying attention to blindness as difference. Also there are times when it's important to pay attention to the ways in which blindness makes us different, so it's kinda nice, I suppose, that reading doesn't have to be one of them." B4: "If I had to do it from memory or from a tape prompt . . . I just think that'd be kind of klutzy. That's what concerns me a lot. They'll [nonreaders] be with an earphone or headphones and the tape might have their outline on it, and they'll be speaking, but you could tell. It's very obvious. There's a break in the flow. Some of those things are kind of obvious in some people." B5: "Before my life here I was in law school. I took a course called Trial Technique, where our final exam was we had to try a case in front of a group of jurors, and I had my Braille notes there, and I was giving my opening, and it was smooth because I had read it over. I had rehearsed it in my mind. I had practiced it before. And I think, if I had to rely on a tape recorder, there would've been a lot of stops and starts. It would have been jerky, and I would have lost the jury's attention." B6: "And also to a sighted audience, I think that would be a distraction if they see somebody fiddling with a tape machine or listening or knowing that they have an earphone in. I mean, to me that would be obvious. If you're reading from a card, that would look a little bit more natural, even though you've got one hand on the card." A3: "It is true that I have an image of Braille as making me more like a blind person: ugly associations that are standard. From when I was sighted and younger and saw how some blind people acted. It seemed kind of pathetic, some of it. Barely progressing along, tapping clumsily, and . . . unclean and . . . who knew what, and I think I associate Braille with some of those negative images." A4: "It's true that I tend to think of thick, funny-looking books as part of a negative gestalt image of blindness. Braille is a musty old-world image about blind people stuck away, and that sort of thing . . . [Tape] seems more sleek and high-tech. "Braille equals adjusted to blindness? In general, many readers believe that a blind person's failure to learn Braille reflects an underlying lack of adjustment to the loss of sight. Nonreaders, understandably, object to this interpretation, seeing the issue of reading media as a choice between valid alternatives. Braille is simply one method of accessing the printed word-not necessarily the best one-and it has nothing to do with lurking, unconscious maladjustment." B7: [in response to the question of why a particular person didn't learn to read Braille] "Maybe that person wasn't comfortable with their vision loss." A5: [in response to the statement above] "Sounds like someone's got some kind of schoolmarmish . . . . It reeks to me of some kind of Protestant, ethicky, prejudiced way of thinking . . . . It's a normative way of thinking. They like their blind people to be a certain way . . . . They like their blind people to be nice, disabled persons." Definition of Literacy and Need for Reading: Again, understandably, the groups differ dramatically in their functional definition of literacy. Readers often take the hard line, equating literacy with unmediated visual or tactile reading. Some characterize voice synthesizers and tape recorders as props: only finger-reading is reading. Only finger-reading is sophisticated enough to give you flexible access to literature. Nonreaders take a more complex, cognitive/social stance. They tend to define literacy in terms of the ability to manipulate text or to freely use the register of written English. They emphasize intellectual ability to do the job over direct perception of written characters as a defining feature of literacy. B8: "If you don't have vision and don't read Braille, you're illiterate." B9: "Not only is speech slower when you want it to go faster, but you have less flexibility in varying the speed with which you read a given bit of text, and to control the speed, you can't simply let your hands or eyes stop or slow down, but you have to begin pushing buttons and changing knobs. When a word is spoken, it evaporates into the air and is forever gone. One can linger over a written word, savoring it, pondering it, fitting it into context, and so on. While one can go back and replay a tape, this involves added activity and repetition rather than contemplative pausing. "Perhaps this is a literary thing, but often when reading a text, I will be struck by the author's choice of a given word, and sort of hang there for a moment, thinking about why she or he might have chosen that particular word or phrase." A6: "I come on the scene at a time when I can leapfrog past Braille." A7: "I don't need it to take notes with because I've got that covered with my little tape recorder. I don't need it to read because now I have a scanner and one of those Kurzweil things . . . and tapes and talking computers. I just don't need it. I sort of need it for labeling things. I wish some technology could leapfrog on that, too . . . ." A8: "Do I feel illiterate? It's an interesting, funny question. Hmm. I don't feel illiterate because I . . . can manipulate text. I guess the feeling is that there's such an easy connection between manipulation of keystroke on computer and doing things with words and letters. Of course I'm not illiterate; I type." A9: "How does that apply to reading? I'm so skilled at manipulating the reading aloud of the words: I can go one word at a time and have it spelled. The connections between doing that and the visual process of reading are so strong that it feels like literacy." A10: "I manipulate tapes so easily. I can pause over the word that way. I've been known to replay a phrase five times if I want to get exact words. I can slow down. Some people are natural musicians. They just meld or merge with their instruments. They don't experience the barrier that they're working with bulky, mechanical objects. Their own energy flows and continues on over the instrument . . . and I feel relatively like that with cassette recorders." Interpretation of and Distance from Texts: In addition to objecting to the barrier of the tape recorder, Braille readers express the idea that silent reading puts them in a more intimate relationship with the text and its author. Nonreaders either welcome the narrator's interpretation or ignore it without noticing. B10: "To me there is greater distance between text and reader; there is a go-between, the person reading, or the speech output software. Some of those readers are dreadful . . . . I guess that's part of it too; speaking implies at least some level of interpretation. I have refused to read [i.e., listen to recordings of] certain books just because I didn't like the tone of a reader's voice or the way she or he dealt with questions of phrasing. But when I'm reading, I'm the one in charge of interpreting, and the only voice I have to deal with is the one inside my own imagination." A11: "I find it enriching. There's enough room in my mind to accommodate both the author and reader as people I'm visiting. Whatever the reader is doing doesn't affect my interpretation of what the author is saying. It adds a dimension. I can extrapolate from the reader what the author is saying, including punctuating it differently. I'm doing an extra thing in my mind. Sometimes I get the same book read by the Library of Congress and by RFB or-you know the way RFB books are typically read by a string of readers. It's fun to have them switch." Readers and nonreaders have more in common than we might have thought. Both groups have thought through their choices with some care. Both presented themselves as confident, adjusted, articulate adults who value independence and self-determination. Both were ambitious, organized, strong-willed, and hardworking. Upon honest reflection, none of the non-Braille readers felt that they were missing anything. Nor did they seem especially defensive or shy (an attitude frequently evidenced by sighted people who are unable to read print.) They weren't especially hostile toward Braille; it just wasn't in their game plan. When I asked if they would be willing to find out more about Braille or take a preliminary lesson just for fun, nobody reacted with hostility or resentment. Their responses reminded me a lot of my own usual reaction when a salesperson tries to interest me in the latest, hot new mobility gismo: say a curb and flagpole detecting gadget. I think, sure, I could have a look, but lacking any evidence at all that I need it, the idea slowly slips lower and lower on my list of priorities until it quietly disappears off the bottom. I never quite get around to it. The salesperson stops calling eventually, probably with a sigh, thinking how much better off I'd be if only I weren't so closed-minded. By that time I've completely forgotten about it, feeling not one bit worse off. So where does this leave me as an advocate for Braille literacy? It leaves me squarely where I started in Ecuador years ago, but now a bit wiser for having made the journey. No marketing approach or set of pointed questions or line of persuasive rhetoric can lead a person who is comfortable with his or her lifestyle to change approach radically. Why change when everything is already fine? That doesn't mean that I give up. I acknowledge that the charge-straight-in approach is not the best way. There is a way to affect even long-standing habits, but it's subtle and requires both more work and more self-examination and discipline than most public relations campaigns. The only way I can see to effect what amounts to a cultural shift for nonreaders is to live a viable, better alternative. I didn't say present, demand, or preach; I said live. I can change my community only through gentle, joyful action, becoming the change I wish to see. Advocating that other people learn Braille is a less effective way of spreading Braille literacy than allowing everyone, blind and sighted, to see through our daily actions just how damned terrific, beautiful, and useful Braille is in its own right. It's not a second-class substitute for print that I can take or leave; it's our community treasure. Our collective understanding of these facts will shape the way we live, play, and work, and eventually it will shape the way Braille is perceived. After all, the evidence that I need to go out and buy that curb and flagpole detector comes not in the form of the brochure from the salesperson but rather in the form of blind people I respect who quietly use their own as a matter of course and clearly benefit from it. Only then can I see that I may need one too. It doesn't do the salesperson any good to keep calling, and if I'm constantly harangued by users of the device saying that I must have one or I'm some kind of pathetic, dependent loser, my desire to go out and buy one evaporates completely. So at its heart this isn't about what nonreaders think or about what readers say. It's about what readers do and about the way we treat one another. We can't coerce or convince nonreaders to take up Braille or force newly blinded folk to learn it, but we can, through our own consistent joyful use of Braille, make it practically irresistible. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Brian Buhrow] When New Laws Change Old Rights: What Is Being Lost in All the Media Hype? by Brian Buhrow From the Editor: Sometimes one wonders whether what we hear and see in the news is a genuine attempt to cover the things that shape and mold our country or whether some of it is an attempt to dodge broader and more important issues. No matter how you come down on the issue, every legislative body should ensure that the bills it passes contain provisions directly related to the topic it is meant to address. If the bill is addressing the safe operation of motor vehicles, it should not be used to institute a new leash law or implement a food safety regulation. Brian Buhrow is best known for his work as an engineer involved in the field of communications, but he was also an English literature major, and when we need someone to combine issues of the heart and issues of the head, it is hard to find anyone better. Here is what Brian has to say: With all the noise recently in the news about the trans-gender issue and making sure they have equal and unimpeded access to restrooms and changing areas, there's been some discussion of North Carolina's new H-2 law which says that state entities don't have to provide access to general restrooms for trans-gender folks. However, were you also aware that this same law repeals the right of individuals who may be terminated from their jobs or denied access to state services because of their race, sexual orientation, or disability to seek redress in the state courts for the discrimination practiced against them? When the governor was asked about this, his response was that, because he didn't have line-item veto and because he had to pass the H-2 law, he felt it was an acceptable tradeoff to sacrifice fifty years of civil rights gains for entire classes of people in order to address this hot button issue. He vowed to correct the injustice but was unapologetic about his action. I am reminded of the Social Security laws of this country and the linkage that was lost between the blind and seniors when the earnings limits were raised for seniors but not for the blind. This happened about twenty years ago. When we went to Congress, we were assured this was a mere oversight and that it would be easy to fix with the next round of Social Security legislation that would come before Congress. Today, twenty years later, the issue is still unfixed, and every year we go to Congress and ask for this injustice to be corrected. By now, the earnings limits for seniors have been raised so high above those of the blind that Congress is telling us it would be too expensive to make the change now. How ephemeral our rights really are when they can be wiped out with the stroke of a pen for a law that ostensibly doesn't have anything to do with us. We're a small minority in comparison with other minorities in North Carolina, but if other states draw up laws similar to North Carolina's and use their language, we'll find ourselves back in 1960 before we know it. I think we are well-served by letting our membership know about the insidious side effects of these laws so that they can contact their state legislators and make it clear that we're not in favor of any law that abrogates our rights as blind people, whether or not it is an intentional effect of the law or not. For my part, I think this change in North Carolina is entirely intentional, and legislators were hoping to slip this nuclear option under the radar of their citizenry. How shameful! ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Parnell Diggs] Running Out the Clock on Regulations Release by Parnell Diggs From the Editor: Parnell Diggs is the director of government affairs for the National Federation of the Blind. Before taking his position in 2015, Parnell was a member of the national board of directors. He also served for more than fifteen years as the president of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina. Here is what he has to say about the interminable delay in issuing regulations that are so important to blind people wishing to participate fully in the commerce of our nation: I was a huge basketball fan growing up. Born in Charlotte, North Carolina (and raised by parents who had lived in North Carolina all of their lives), I was imminently familiar with four universities in the state which made up half of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), which at that time was comprised of eight schools. I was always partial to the North Carolina teams. One of my fondest basketball memories is of watching an ACC tournament game with my dad on a weekend afternoon as the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Virginia Cavaliers were involved in a game which had national implications because both teams were ranked high in the polls. I have not investigated the accuracy of my memories of the game (which are now approaching thirty-five years on), but here is the gist. The Tar Heels had the ball and a one-point lead with thirteen minutes remaining-an eternity in college basketball, especially in a game that close. Tar Heel coach Dean Smith instructed his team to run the "Four Corners" offense, which arguably was actually no offense at all. The players spread out (using all four corners of the court) and passed the ball to each other without taking a shot until the end of the game. It was only a few years later when men's college basketball rules were amended to implement a shot clock. There was already a shot clock in the women's game. I had forgotten about the old "Four Corners" offense until recently, when I read the Supplemental Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (SANPRM) on web accessibility, which is a right already protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In July of 2010, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) leading us to believe that much- needed guidance for state and local governments and places of public accommodation on how to insure that their websites were accessible to blind consumers, as required under Titles II and III of the ADA, was forthcoming. For six years we waited with great anticipation. At the time President Obama called the forthcoming regulations, "the most important updates to the ADA since its original enactment." The ANPRM was published on July 26, 2010, the twentieth anniversary of the ADA. On July 20, 2015, President Riccobono invited me to be part of a delegation to the White House to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the ADA. Nearly five years after the ANPRM, we were hopeful that an announcement would be made regarding the web accessibility regulations. We were disappointed. No such announcement was made at the White House ceremony commemorating the ADA despite the President's earlier observation of the monumental importance of the web accessibility regulations. As 2015 drew to a close, we were again disappointed when DOJ announced that, in fact, the regulations regarding websites of public accommodations would not be released until 2018 at the earliest. Then, as if that wasn't disappointing enough, on April 29, 2016, we were advised that DOJ would be issuing the above mentioned SANPRM, further delaying the release of the Title II regulations as well, which are applicable to state and local government websites. In a press release issued at the time, Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "This deplorable announcement by the Department of Justice is another example of inexcusable foot-dragging on the issue of web accessibility, which is critical to the education, employment, and daily life of blind Americans. Delaying the equal access of the blind to American society by failing to provide clarity in technology accessibility is inconsistent with the administration's goal of full participation by people with disabilities. This failure also puts public entities seeking clear guidance on how to meet their obligations to consumers and constituents with disabilities at a severe disadvantage, with no direction on how to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act in the provision of information and services over the internet. The questions that DOJ raises in the Supplemental Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking did not newly arise in the six years since the original Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, nor is the continuing evolution of technology an excuse for revisiting them. The National Federation of the Blind unequivocally condemns today's action and urges the administration to issue proposed rules with regard to equal access under Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act without further delay. We further urge all political and civic leaders to join with us in calling on this administration to fulfill the promise made and bring clarity to the accessibility of public information, commerce, and education in the twenty- first century. Let's #UploadTheRegs." The current status of the web accessibility issue is best summed up in our June 2016 edition of Imagineering Our Future, which reads as follows: "The need for access to public websites continues to be an area of critical importance to the NFB. Though the courts have increasingly identified that websites fall within the intent and scope of the Americans with Disabilities Act and cannot be vehicles of discrimination and exclusion against blind citizens, the federal government has yet to confirm regulations that would require websites to be accessible to individuals with disabilities. The NFB's advocacy for such regulations cannot stop until websites are accessible." In May the US Department of Justice published its Supplemental Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking titled Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability; Accessibility of Web Information and Services of State and Local Government Entities in the Federal Register. In response to the new SANPRM, the NFB is gathering comments and stories from members to highlight the importance of access to state and local government websites. We need your stories, both positive and negative, regarding the importance of accessible state and local government websites-websites for voter registration, applying for a state or local government job, appealing a property tax assessment, renewing a library book, requesting food stamps, registering for a class at your local state or community college, or any other state or local government service. Visit for steps on how you can help the NFB advocate for accessible websites, and/or contact Kyle Walls at (410) 659-9314, extension 2223, or . We will be gathering member stories through July 15. Those who are reading this article later in July should know that, while we would like your input by July 15, the DOJ deadline is August 8, 2016. Please get in touch with Kyle Walls if you would like to help, and he will tell you how to do that. I know that President Obama is a big basketball fan. He would no doubt be familiar with the expression "running out the clock," as his time in office draws to a close over the next six months. Clearly, the most important updates to the ADA since their enactment will have to wait until a new administration is in place. The danger is that we do not know how important web accessibility will be to the next president. While talking about the desire to provide guidance, it seems that the current administration is engaging in the old "Four Corners" offense when it comes to the release of the web accessibility regulations. I wonder if we need a shot clock. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Sheila Koenig] Throwing Away the Road Map by Sheila Koenig From the Editor: Sheila Koenig is a blind teacher of sighted middle- school students in Minneapolis. She is lively and energetic and has many interests. One of them is testing the boundaries that are often assumed to come with being blind-traveling known routes, being accompanied by someone with sight when venturing to new places, and doing extensive planning before taking a trip. Here is Sheila's story about going beyond these boundaries in her quest for choice and spontaneity: It began as a seed planted in my writing and Zen class. In talking about being attached to plans, Ted (the instructor) mused that, whenever we have road maps, we ought to throw them away. Thus began the thread of thoughts: I like getting lost. I like the adventure. I like the stories. I like bonding with my companion in our shared lostness. But, I wondered, what if I was alone? Would I still enjoy getting lost? Would I embrace adventure and novelty, or would I confine myself to my own comfort zone? I decided there was one way to find out. Without a road map and by myself I ventured to Red Wing, Minnesota. Red Wing is a community of about 16,000 people located in the southeastern part of Minnesota along the Mississippi River. I chose it because I wanted to go to a small town, a community where I could hear stories and meet people. I simply wanted to follow where the moments led. A few days before my trip, I discovered a new journaling app called Zentries. Each time the app is opened, a new quote appears. When I opened the app to journal the night before my trip, the quote read, "The lesson is letting go. The lesson is always letting go. Have you ever noticed how much of our agony is all tied up with craving and loss?" by Susan Gordon Lydon. We live in a society that clings to security and certainty. Though taking various forms, consciously or unconsciously, we grasp for things to steady us, for permanence. For me this quote was emblematic of my trip. I was letting go of expectations, letting go of plans, and letting go of the known. The avenues of the trip were fascinating. In my first conversation with Lauren, the concierge at the St. James Hotel, I learned about a new bookstore. "I don't know why," he said. "But you look like someone who loves books." Amusedly I told him that I teach English. And I set out to find the bookstore. I learned about a sailing group in the Twin Cities, met a man considering a career change to education, met a kayak guide with a connection to the meditation center I attend, and learned about a science/art charter school in Napa, California. From my kayak guide I learned about a local bakery, and at the bakery I learned they made the crust for the pizza at the local brewery. The crust is outstanding! My blindness mattered very little on this trip. I hired a driver to take me from Minneapolis to Red Wing. I knew that most of Red Wing could be accessed by foot, and I felt that part of embracing this journey was letting go of having all of the answers. Sometimes I think anticipating potential roadblocks can keep us from fully experiencing life. I could not have planned, for example, that Broken Paddle Guiding Company would offer to pick me up from my hotel because we were near the launch site of my kayak tour. I had kayaked only once before, on a small lake at a relative's cabin, but I was determined to feed my sense of adventure without worrying about the details. As it turned out, I was the only tourist signed up for the tour. After a quick lesson on land of basic paddling strokes, I set out in my own kayak. My tour guide accompanied me in his. We paddled the backwaters of the Mississippi and navigated the flooded forest successfully. I did get tangled in some branches, but his directions guided me out of the tangle. We talked about turtles, education, and meditation. My blindness was never an issue for me or for those I encountered. Looking back on this trip nearly half a year later, I marvel at the joys I found. I had no expectations or preconceptions. In throwing away the road map, I was able to be present with the moments that evolved along the way. ---------- [PHOTO DESCRIPTION: A formal place setting, complete with place card bearing the Whozit logo and the words, "Miss Whozit"] Ask Miss Whozit It is always a pleasure to hear from people who read the Braille Monitor, and the occasional thank you can often make my day. Even the questions and criticisms are often blessings in disguise, because they cause me to look outside what I have traditionally thought of as suitable material for this publication. One of the more persistent questions I have received in the last year or so is why I have decided to discontinue the Miss Whozit column. The simple answer is that I have not. The idea of the piece, which started in 1989, was to answer questions that came from readers with the hope that we would both encourage questions some might feel embarrassed to ask of friends and family and that we might, through pooling the expertise of our membership, come up with good answers that would serve well if only they were shared widely. Three of the questions that have appeared in the Miss Whozit column have come from me. When I asked them of those I loved and trusted, I felt they were ducked. Either I was told that they were not important, that they did not happen in my life, or that there was nothing I could do about them. I thought that the Braille Monitor might give me a better answer. It did. With the knowledge that it can and the hope that it will, we are reprinting some examples from the column. Enjoy. Dear Miss Whozit, I did not have enough proper blindness training when I was young, so I'm never sure when it is appropriate for me to touch food when I'm eating food on my own plate or serving myself from a buffet. Can you help? Apprehensive Dear Apprehensive, You have asked a good question. Miss Whozit believes that two basic considerations determine appropriate handling of food: sanitation and the rules of etiquette. Some foods are appropriate for touching: fried chicken on the bone, French fries, breads, and most relishes (celery, radishes, olives, carrot sticks, etc.), as well as cookies, candy, and small tarts and quiches. However, it is Miss Whozit's firmly held opinion that most other foods should not be touched but maneuvered with knife, fork, or spoon. You should never touch food being passed until you have served yourself. If you're unsure what is on the platter or in the bowl being passed, quietly ask the person who passed it to you. Miss Whozit is painfully aware that some blind people have not learned to serve themselves. She suggests that, if you can't do so confidently, you should ask a person near you to place a serving on your plate rather than skipping the item altogether. You can eat the food on your own plate quite easily without inordinate touching by using a dinner roll or biscuit to stabilize what you want to slide on to the fork. The same thing can be accomplished using the European method of using the knife in the non-dominant hand to cut and stabilize food while wielding the fork in the other hand in the usual way. Miss Whozit insists that everyone-and she does mean everyone-needs practice in handling table etiquette gracefully and competently. It is a necessary art if one is to be accepted socially, and like all others the skills must be mastered. Miss Whozit has heard the rumor that the NFB argues that blindness can be reduced to the level of a nuisance, and she believes that it is a nuisance-nothing more-for a blind person to go through a buffet line. Because it is never acceptable to put your fingers in someone else's food, the blind person must accept the nuisance and learn how to cope with it. Miss Whozit finds two ways acceptable: If an attendant is staffing the table, ask that person to assist you by telling you what is in each bowl and on each platter so that you can find the serving piece and serve yourself. Or, alternatively, simply have someone serve your plate for you. When all is said and done, Miss Whozit dreams of a world in which all blind people are properly trained and graciously accepted by others. Dear Miss Whozit: Over the years, even at NFB conventions, I have observed people, particularly those born blind or without families who taught them how to handle themselves in public. I have just enough vision to notice inappropriate behavior and sometimes correct myself when I observe the way sighted people behave. I can then ask for advice about how things should be done. It is often embarrassing but also rewarding. One thing that should be addressed when people are ready for employment after going through our training centers is habitual rocking or other repetitive motions. Several sighted friends who have worked in the corporate world have asked me about this behavior, and frankly I cannot think of an adequate answer. Why do people who are blind, particularly those who have been in residential schools, rock? I was helping in a booth in the exhibit hall one year, and my partner was sitting Indian fashion on a folding chair, rocking back and forth, swinging a keychain from side to side in front of his face and shaking his head. I do not know how he kept from falling out of the chair. In the course of conversation I discovered this man had been to college and had several degrees but had been unsuccessful for years in finding a job. I asked him if he had figured out why, and he said that he did not know. He said he wore clean jeans and t-shirts to the interviews and made sure he had showered that morning. I asked if he had ever taken a job-readiness class in college, and he said that he didn't need one. All he had to do was present his r?sum? and recommendation letters. Setting aside the question of inappropriate dress for an interview, he is not the only person I have seen rocking or exhibiting unusual behavior. Should I have tried to say something direct enough to make him recognize his unacceptable behavior without making him angry or embarrassing him? Whether we want to admit it or not, the majority of people in human resources are sighted and extremely dependent on first impressions. I worked in an office for almost thirteen years and had to maintain a certain level of decorum. Aren't these subjects addressed at our training centers? What about the importance of good posture and appropriate body language? Sincerely, Decent Impression Dear Decent Impression: You have raised a very important yet sensitive issue that often falls into the category of the elephant in the living room that everyone studiously avoids mentioning. It falls into the broad category of behavior often called "blindisms"-idly or vigorously rocking front to back or side to side, twisting the head from side to side, rubbing the eyes, fluttering fingers in front of the eyes to make sure they still work, twisting hair, and other equally odd mannerisms. The second part of the equation is the reaction of sighted people to any unusual, different, or even unacceptable human behavior. Miss Whozit wishes to begin by pointing out a truth which should be self-evident but nevertheless needs occasional repeating: sighted people can see! Strange as it may seem, some blind people apparently forget this reality from time to time and engage in activities in public which are disgusting or embarrassing to those watching. Any human being, blind or sighted, may well engage in activities in private which are simply unacceptable when the behavior is or may be observed by others. Dr. Kenneth Jernigan wrote extensively on this topic in his article "The Barrier of the Visible Difference" in the Kernel Book Gray Pancakes and Gold Horses. Blindisms have been discussed and written about widely. Miss Whozit is sad to report that some people propound deep psychological and philosophical foundations to explain this phenomenon, and perhaps they are right. Unfortunately such explanations do not provide an excuse that lets the blind person off the social hook. Miss Whozit is convinced that the reasons for such behavior are simple. All small children engage in a variety of behaviors that are universally unacceptable. If little Suzie is sighted, her parents and other relatives will say, "Stop picking your nose [or whatever]! You may not do that. That is a nasty habit." Moreover, the concerned adults will keep at it until the habit is broken. If little Suzie is blind, however, many parents and other adults seem to be reluctant or even afraid to hold the blind child to the sighted standard. When the parents listen to the faux experts in the field rather than the authentic experts (the organized blind), the expectation for normal and appropriate behavior becomes obscured. When this happens, what begins as a petty little habit eventually becomes a hard-wired characteristic which is nearly impossible to reverse. These unacceptable mannerisms then run headlong into the social expectations of sighted society and reinforce the minority-group status of the blind. If a sighted person engages in some activity which is not the norm (some do), those around him or her dismiss the undesirable habit as the actions of a weirdo. Other sighted people are not tarred by the weirdness brush and are certainly not placed in that category just because of the odd behavior of one weirdo. When, however, a blind person exhibits such behavior, many in society judge all blind people by the unacceptable or bizarre behavior of the one. Like it or not, we blind people are already thought of as different and are scrutinized more closely. Adding the unacceptable behavior compounds the novelty of blindness and the attention it draws. In his book Freedom for the Blind, Jim Omvig devotes an entire chapter to the topic of blending in and endeavoring to behave in such a way that one is acceptable to others. Miss Whozit pleads with parents of blind children to read this chapter and also to be relentless in their effort to stamp out overtly bizarre behavior or even silly little habits. What can and should adults do to combat such behavior in themselves or those they care about? If one recognizes personal blindisms, he or she should ask friends and family members to offer quiet, private reminders when the old habits surface. If friends or family members care about a person who is not aware of blindisms, they should go quietly to that person and ask if they can help. In either case a private plan should be devised to give a signal to the blind person as a reminder that he or she is engaging in the activity and should stop. The sad truth is that until and unless the blind adult with such habits recognizes them and wishes to be rid of them, no one else can help very much. What we can do is to make clear to these friends just how much of a problem the behavior is and at what a disadvantage it will put the person socially and professionally. We do nothing but harm our children or friends by pretending that everyone else will understand or that the peculiar behavior will not be as much of a roadblock to social acceptance as poor grooming or disgusting table manners. Dear Miss Whozit, Lately it seems that all of my girlfriends are dieting or at the least hyper-conscious about their carb count. For this reason we constantly seem to have lunch at salad bars. Another frequent occurrence is my family's visits to all-you-can-eat buffet restaurants. Both of these restaurant choices make for uncomfortable dining experiences for me. "Why?" you may ask. "Don't you enjoy salads? Or is it that you simply don't have enough room in your stomach for all that's available to eat?" The answer is neither. Rather, when I go out to eat, I am unsure about how to identify salad dressings and the like at the salad bar. And I consider buffets simply nightmares waiting to happen. How do I handle these social situations? Eager for your response, Buffet Baffled ?? Dear Baffled, Learning to maneuver through a buffet line with grace and ease can feel overwhelming, but, once armed with accurate information and good skills, you too will be able to take advantage of the convenience and selection provided by this vast array of dietary indulgences. Remember that anticipatory anxiety of the unknown is often more unpleasant than the actual event. We live in an interdependent society. Sometimes asking for assistance is necessary or prudent. As Federationists we have learned the truth of Dr. Jernigan's speech, "The Nature of Independence," in which he defines independence as doing what we want to do when we want to do it without inconveniencing ourselves or others. In that speech he also spoke about the importance of accomplishing tasks efficiently rather than always insisting on doing them alone. Going through a buffet line is one instance in which these two concepts merge. Once you have made the decision to navigate a buffet line, it is essential to request assistance from someone. If others in your party are going through the buffet line, you can ask one of them to provide the visual information and any necessary assistance, or you can ask your server if an employee is available to assist you. Which decision you make depends on the circumstances. If you are the only one in your party going through the buffet line, solicit the assistance of someone on the restaurant staff. If you feel at ease asking a member of your party for assistance, it is quick and easy to adopt that solution. Once you are ready to make your selections at the buffet, instruct the person providing assistance about your preference of the best way to move through the line. If you know ahead of time that you are looking specifically for salad items, provide this information. If you decide that life is really too short and you want to eat dessert first, say so. Let the person providing assistance know how you would like the items identified. If you plan to plate your own food, ask that the items be identified in a column format going from back to front so you know where each item is located when you serve yourself. Be sure when serving your own food to keep extra napkins handy to wipe your fingers if you accidentally come into contact with stray food items or sauces. It is important to maintain good hygiene when handling serving utensils in a public place. Miss Whozit wants to emphasize at this point that you are responsible for carrying your own plates, glasses, or bowls. You have requested assistance learning what items are on the line and perhaps placing the food on your plate, not providing service as a personal butler, carrying your selections from the line to the table. One gentle reminder, if you are dining during peak customer hours and you realize that a line is forming behind you, make your selections as quickly as possible and keep moving. The beauty of a buffet is that you are often allowed to return for seconds. So be sure to ask your server ahead of time whether you are dining at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Miss Whozit recommends that for your first attempt at negotiating a buffet line you go at a time when you will feel at ease so that you will begin to gain confidence in the techniques you devise. If you have a blind friend who is comfortable handling buffets, you might invite him or her to go with you so that you can ask for advice along the way. Remember when embarking on any new challenge, the most important thing is to believe that it is possible and gather as much information ahead of time as you can. Then just do it. As J. Laing Burns says, "You've got to believe if you want to succeed." ---------- Recipes This month's recipes come from the National Federation of the Blind of Arkansas. [PHOTO CAPTION: Terry Sheeler] Tortellini Soup by Terry Sheeler Terry Sheeler is the state president for the National Federation of the Blind of Arkansas. Tony and Terry and their girls are all proud members of the NFB of NWA chapter. Terry has made these recipes for Tony and the girls for many years and now that the girls are grown and starting their own lives, it is fun to reflect back and see the girls making these family recipes that they have enjoyed for many years. Ingredients: 8 ounce container of chive and onion cream cheese 2 bags of frozen tortellini 2 pounds of hamburger meat 4 green onions, chopped 2 family-size cans of tomato soup 2 cans of beef broth 2 cans diced tomatoes with oregano/basil/garlic Garlic to taste Onion powder to taste Salt to taste Cumin to taste Pepper to taste Splash red wine vinegar Method: Cook beef and season with garlic, onion powder, a small amount of cumin, salt, pepper and a small splash of red wine vinegar and set aside. In large pot combine tomato soup, beef broth, diced tomatoes with oregano/basil/garlic and chopped green onions. Stir constantly until it comes to a boil, add the chive and onion cream cheese, stir well so that it melts into the soup base. You can either cook the tortellini separately and drain/add separately when cooked or add the tortellini to the soup base and let it cook in the soup base until done. Once tortellini and soup base are done, add the beef mixture. Added suggestion: add real shredded parmesan cheese to the top of soup when ready to serve. This recipe makes a large pot and is great for families and group gatherings. If you don't need a large amount, you cut the recipe in half. ---------- Yeller Chili by Donna Walker Dick and Donna Walker live in Malvern, Arkansas, about forty-five miles south of Little Rock. Donna is the first vice president of the National Federation of the Blind of Arkansas, secretary of the state's chapter at-large and secretary for the board of the Friends of the Arkansas Information Reading Service for the Blind Network. Ingredients: 2 1/2 pounds ground chuck 1 medium onion, chopped 4 15-ounce cans pinto beans with jalape?o peppers 4 15-ounce cans chili hot beans 1 or 2 10-ounce cans original diced Ro*Tel tomatoes 1 pound Velveeta cheese 1 to 2 cups heavy cream Method: In a skillet brown ground chuck and onion. Season with salt and pepper to taste and drain off excess grease. In a six- or eight-quart crock pot (or eight-quart stockpot) combine beans (do not drain), Ro*Tel tomatoes, and browned meat. Cover and cook together until simmering, stirring occasionally. Use high heat in slow cooker or on very low heat if you use stock pot on top of the range. Add cheese and cook until nearly ready to serve. Stir in cream to get desired thickness. Serve over mini Tostitos, Fritos, or Nacho Cheese Doritos crunched in bottom of bowl. We like the Nacho Cheese Doritos best. ---------- Jalape?o Corn Bread by Donna Walker Ingredients: 2 cups self-rising corn meal (I prefer yellow but white will work as well) 2 eggs, well beaten 1 cup milk 1/2 cup cooking oil 1 15-ounce can creamed corn 1/2 small onion, chopped 2 cups grated cheese 12 to 15 jalape?o slices, chopped Method: Grease ten-inch iron skillet with shortening or cooking oil. Combine corn meal, eggs, milk, cooking oil and creamed corn in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in onions, peppers, and grated cheese. Transfer to skillet and bake at 350 degrees for forty-five to fifty-five minutes. Outside edge and top should be slightly crispy. Loosen outside edge with butter knife and cool a few minutes before serving. ---------- Country Cold Slaw by Nella Foster Nella Foster lives in Northwest Arkansas. She is involved with the state affiliate and the at-large chapter. She owns and manages a small goat dairy, but still has time for hobbies like gardening, crafts, and baking. Ingredients: 4 cups finely chopped cabbage 1 cup grated carrots 1/4 cup sour cream 1/4 cup vinegar 3 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoons salt Pinch of dried mustard Pinch of black pepper Method: Mix together carrots, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Pour over cabbage and mix well. I think this tastes better if it chills in the refrigerator for several hours or even overnight. You can garnish with a ring of green pepper if you wish. This makes six servings. ---------- Best-Ever Peanut Butter Cookies by Donna Walker Donna says, "A lady I worked with for years used to make these-they are wonderful. I got her to give me the recipe when I retired because my husband loves peanut butter cookies. Her aunt got it off of the commodity peanut butter can back in the 1960s." Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup peanut butter 1 cup granulated white sugar 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup butter or shortening 2 eggs, beaten Method: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside. Mix together peanut butter, eggs, and fat. Add both white and brown sugar and blend with electric mixer. Add in dry ingredients. It makes a stiff dough. Drop by teaspoonful, or roll into that size balls, and flatten on cookie sheet. Bake for ten to fifteen minutes or until slightly browned on edges. Makes four to five dozen cookies, depending on size of cookies. ---------- Almond Short Bread by Nella Foster Ingredients: 1/4 cup butter 1 cup brown sugar 1 egg 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup almond slivers 1 teaspoon almond extract Method: Melt butter and blend with sugar, add egg and beat well. Sift dry ingredients together and then add to butter mixture. Stir until blended and then add almonds and almond extract. Mix thoroughly and spread into a greased eight-by-eight-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for thirty minutes. Cut the shortbread into squares while it is still warm. It should make sixteen to twenty squares. If you toast the almonds first they will have more flavor. ---------- Punch Bowl Cake by Terry Sheeler While there is cake involved, this isn't the kind of cake you bake. Instead this treat is created by layering the ingredients into a fresh and cool dessert, perfect for summer. Ingredients: 2 angel food cakes 1 large box of vanilla instant pudding 6 large bananas 2 pounds fresh or frozen strawberries 2 16-ounce containers of Cool Whip, thawed One large clear punch bowl Method: In separate bowls break angel food cake into bite-size pieces or a little larger. Follow directions for vanilla pudding; pudding will be soft-set. Slice bananas. Quarter the fresh strawberries or thaw frozen strawberries and drain. In the large clear punch bowl, layer the following: angel food cake, vanilla pudding, sliced bananas, sliced strawberries, and Cool Whip. Repeat all the layers until your punch bowl is filled and you have ended with your fifth layer of Cool Whip. Top with fresh strawberries if desired. Keep cake chilled until ready to serve and, when ready to serve, dip with a large spoon. ---------- Monitor Miniatures Monitor Mart The notice in this section has 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 product for sale. For Sale: I have an Index Basic V4 Braille printer, with Duxbury Program. This two-year-old Braille printer is in excellent condition and has never been used. This is a small compact Braille printer that fits nicely on a desktop; menus are navigated by speech output so it is easily used by both sighted and blind individuals. All the original cables are included as well as the Duxbury Program which is needed to translate the information into Braille. I also have a case of Braille paper for the printer. I'm asking $2,900, but I'm willing to work with you on a price that is fair to the both of us. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions by email at . ---------- 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. From buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org Sun Oct 2 14:36:18 2016 From: buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org (Brian Buhrow) Date: Sun, 2 Oct 2016 14:36:18 -0700 Subject: [Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor, August/September 2016 Message-ID: <201610022136.u92LaJiI017923@lothlorien.nfbcal.org> BRAILLE MONITOR Vol. 59, No. 8 August/September 2016 Gary Wunder, Editor Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, 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 NFBnet.org: http://www.nfbnet.org NFB-NEWSLINE? information: (866) 504-7300 Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind Follow us on Twitter: @NFB_Voice Watch and share our videos: YouTube.com/NationsBlind Letters to the President, address changes, subscription requests, and orders for NFB literature should be sent to the national office. Articles for the Monitor and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national 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 ? 2016 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 position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and try again. (Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the thumb drive, the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges, 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 envelope enclosed with the drive when you return the device. Vol. 59, No. 8 August/September 2016 Contents Illustration: Muscling Our Way to Equality The 2016 Convention Roundup by Gary Wunder Presentations Made by the Hosting Affiliates Presidential Report 2016 by Mark Riccobono Awards Presented at the 2016 Convention Meet the 2016 National Federation of the Blind Scholarship Class The Understanding of Fear and the Power of Progress by Mark Riccobono Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards Equal Opportunity and Discovering Talent: A Journey from Discrimination to Particle Astrophysics Research by Jamie Principato The Law of Disability, Special Treatment, Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, and the Constitution by Marc Maurer Advocacy and Policy Report by John Par?, Parnell Diggs, Derek Manners, and Gabe Cazares The Blind in the World: Leadership, Philosophy, and Action on a Global Scale by Fredric K. Schroeder Slam That! Living the Life She Wants Begins with the Federation by Jordyn Castor The 2016 Resolutions: A Declaration of Independence for the Blind by Sharon Maneki National Federation of the Blind Resolutions for 2016 Convention Miniatures [PHOTO CAPTION: Jim Jackson (OR) and his son Chester find the beat together.] [PHOTO CAPTION: Frida Aizenman (NV) shows Jessica Beecham (CO) that rhythm knows no age.] [PHOTO CAPTION: Megan Peoples (LA) scales the rock wall with confidence.] [PHOTO CAPTION: Kayleigh Joiner (TX) and Clare Thomas (TX) face off, head gear on, ready to fence with boffer swards.] Muscling Our Way to Equality We are an organization focusing on greater opportunities, but to take advantage of most of them we must be physically fit. Recognizing this, we have been encouraging blind people to look not only at our education and training, but to be honest about our physical health. Obesity can be a killer, robbing us of life. First impressions can also be a killer, robbing us of opportunity. But more important than the negative reasons to exercise, consider the positives: the joy in physical movement, the exhilaration in pushing oneself, and the high one feels when we are really working hard. For many of us the question hasn't been whether we should exercise but how to do it. Outside jogging or cycling isn't practical for most of us, and tennis with a friend is out of the question. But there are alternatives, and they can be fun. The NFB Sports and Recreation Division and WE Fit Wellness proved this, and the pictures we show here feature people of all ages and abilities in fun, body-building activities. As helpful as they are, no longer are we limited to the exercise bike or the treadmill. If we find these monotonous, there are alternatives, and they are ones in which we not only can become more physically fit but can enjoy ourselves while doing it. The 2016 Convention Roundup by Gary Wunder When I was a young boy, no part of the year was more exciting than the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the holiday season. The music changed, and the TV movies were more about families reuniting to help one another overcome struggles. We were moving toward the celebration of the birthday of the Holiest of Holies, and, if that weren't enough, we were all going to give and get gifts. It just didn't get any better. But the day after Christmas was a different matter in the head and in the heart of the young boy who, two days before, couldn't wait for the big event. December 26 was the day when we were furthest from celebrating another Christmas, and the magic that had been so long in the coming had disappeared. My father went back to work; the radio played commercials selling Chevrolets and cigarettes. I might not know the color blue, but the feeling was one I well understood. Although I am more mature and now know better how to appreciate the holiday season, some of the same anticipation, excitement, and letdown still lives in me. So it is with conventions of the National Federation of the Blind. With our celebration of the magic seventy-fifth anniversary, what would seventy-six be like? What would make it stand out, make it special, make it memorable, make it more than second best to what we experienced in 2015? But, the world being what it is, the past isn't the last word on the best, for the future always has a special promise to be discovered, experienced, enjoyed, and rejoiced in. The 2016 convention was an amazing mixture of the familiar and the not-so-familiar. We were returning to a familiar city, Orlando being our travel destination with one exception since 2011. Our convention would be familiar in its daily routines, beginning with seminar day, then registration and resolutions day, then board meeting and division day, and finally the dropping of the gavel and the beginning of the three days in which we hold our official convention sessions. [PHOTO CAPTION: Federationists in the lobby of the Rosen Shingle Creek] This was the traditional, but what about the new and different? Our hotel was the Rosen Shingle Creek and not the Rosen Centre, which for three years was our convention home in early July. Our 2013 and 2014 conventions were leading up to something-our seventy-fifth anniversary celebration, but this convention was not about leading to something or looking back to celebrate; it was about something infinitely more important-taking stock of our present and deciding how we will shape the future. Celebrating lets us share an emotional high, but bringing it about, defining the problems, strategizing about how to solve them, finding the people who care enough to put their hearts and minds into it, and watching them grow in this process- this is the real bread and butter of the Federation, and this is what the 2016 convention was all about. This year the convention was hosted by four states: Louisiana, Oklahoma, Utah, and New Hampshire. This dynamic team staffed the host convention suite, welcomed the convention to Orlando, sponsored a well- attended concert, and provided a tremendous door prize at the convention banquet. The Federation's commitment to blind children is second to none, the logical consequence of realizing that early contact with positive blind people is essential and that every blind child is indeed our future reflection. Activities for the parents of blind children began on Thursday, June 30, and continued until the adjournment of the convention on Tuesday, July 5. The parent agenda was fifteen pages in length and included spectacular general sessions and in-depth workshops on topics for parents and children of all ages and abilities. The first breakout session was "Essential 411: What You Need to Know to Optimize Your Convention Experience." A second was "On the Go: Transitioning to and Encouraging Independent Movement in Young Blind Children." Since many blind people are not totally blind, a big question many parents and their blind children must address was answered by the workshop entitled "Where do I fit in? Transitions for children with low vision." To live the lives we want, we must be able to travel independently, and being out in the community means knowing the risks of interacting with the public and being able to defend oneself when threatened. This is the reason the Sports and Recreation Division has for several years sponsored the 1Touch self-defense class, and it continues to win rave reviews among attendees. Since employment is closely tied to integration and first-class citizenship, an offering that figured prominently in preconvention activities was the job seeker seminar sponsored by the NFB Employment Committee. In addition to helping people learn about how to participate in job interviews and construct a resum?, this committee also hosted a job fair with twenty-four employers in attendance. At least five of those were Fortune 500 companies: FedEx ground, UPS, Target Corporation, Oracle, and Wells Fargo. Though not a Fortune 500 company, the job fair was strengthened by the presence of the American Heart Association, which has more than three thousand employees. At least three hundred blind jobseekers were also in attendance to learn about job opportunities, drop off their resum?s, and participate in the all-important process of networking. The Jernigan Institute continued its tradition of sponsoring educational seminars, the first being on accessible equation creation, followed by a session on academic ebooks, followed by a WordPress boot camp, which featured instruction for using this popular web authoring and content management system. After training and the job that will follow, one needs to know how to manage money, so a session was held on software tools for keeping a checkbook, financial planning, and committing to implementing at least one financial goal arrived at during the seminar. Even more important than financial health is one's physical health. Recognizing this, the Sports and Recreation Division partnered with WE Fit Wellness to sponsor a hands-on health and exercise experience which included sword fighting, cardio drumming, and goalball. One could check out accessible activity trackers and other health devices, learn about one's health, and even give blood to help meet the extreme need posed by the recent shootings in the Orlando area. Preconvention sessions are also a wonderful opportunity for vendors of assistive technology to spend time with consumers and would-be buyers of their equipment. The VFO Group, formerly Freedom Scientific, conducted a three-hour seminar at which representatives discussed updates to be found in the soon-to-be-released Job Access with Speech version 18, convention specials for purchasing software and maintenance agreements, and a prototype of a Braille notetaker that will run on and give access to many of the programs available on Windows 10. [PHOTO CAPTION: Mike Tindall, a Federationist who works for HumanWare, demonstrates the BrailleNote Touch in the exhibit hall.] HumanWare displayed its newest notetaker, the BrailleNote Touch, which relies on the KeySoft system familiar to BrailleNote users. The notetaker has moved from the unsupported Windows CE operating system to the Android platform created and supported by Google. The machine will not only be a notetaker but will allow access to any accessible program found in Google's online store since the machine is a tablet with a Braille display. For mainstream developers of technology with a commitment to making their products accessible, none was more visible than Microsoft. Starting on June 30 and continuing throughout the convention, Microsoft sought input from blind users on their experience with Office 365, including Word, Outlook, SharePoint, OneDrive, OneNote, and other products used with the Windows operating system. On Thursday evening the Promotion, Evaluation, and Advancement of Technology Committee gave all interested exhibitors a few minutes to talk about what they were selling in the exhibit hall, any convention specials they were running, and products that were on the horizon. Since the convention has so much happening, we again conducted our rookie roundup for first-time convention attendees, and these first-timers were met by President Riccobono and others who were anxious to answer their questions and ensure that their convention experience would be all it could be. As we would expect, the students were busy on seminar evening with a meet-and-greet social. BLIND Inc. sponsored the ever-popular karaoke night, and in a separate event those wanting to meet the fingers behind the tweets had a chance to visit face-to-face. Those who contributed to the 2016 convention as convention sponsors were: ELITE: Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. PLATINUM: Cardtronics Inc.; Delta Air Lines; Google Inc.; Oracle; Target; UPS; VFO (Freedom Scientific/Optelec) GOLD: Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP; JPMorgan Chase & Co.; Market Development Group, Inc.; Microsoft; Sprint; Uber Technologies, Inc. SILVER: Amazon.com, Inc.; AT&T; Dropbox Inc.; HumanWare; Pearson BRONZE: Facebook; IBM; National Industries for the Blind; VitalSource Technologies WHITE CANE: Ai Squared; BAUM (USA) Inc.; HIMS Inc.; Learning Ally; OrCam Friday was registration and resolutions day, and the lines for those who preregistered and those wanting to register were models of efficiency. No longer is registration a thirty-minute meet-and-greet to get an agenda and a name badge. Thirty minutes has been reduced to thirty seconds, just one of the many benefits when most convention-goers preregister. On Friday morning a special exhibitor opportunity was held for exhibit sponsors of our convention. The Independence Market did a brisk business, and the exhibit hall was filled with audible advertisements for everything from suntan lotion to umbrellas, snack foods to trail mix, foldable scissors to the most complicated hardware and software found anywhere. In addition to exhibitors whose names we have come to know and whose presence we have come to expect, a few new names were added. One exhibitor was Aira, a company planning to offer a subscription-based service providing both visual assistance and the power of artificial intelligence to solve problems blind people confront daily. Using special electronic glasses and a smart phone, Aira intends to combine augmented reality and artificial intelligence with trained agents to provide assistance ranging from telling a blind person the color of a garment to helping him travel through an airport, look for signs, screens, and food locations. This company is especially interested in the Federation's input so that it meets real needs and advertises itself in a way that promotes dignity and independence. Vanda Pharmaceuticals offered a session about Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder, its symptoms, impact, and prevalence in the blindness community, and the way one can treat it using Hetlioz, the medication manufactured by Vanda. The KNFB Reader, the cool tool for work and school, conducted a number of sessions throughout the convention, introducing those who wish to read print to the most powerful, portable reading machine on the market and showing current users new features that have recently been or will soon be introduced in the product. On Saturday, July 2, the gavel fell at 9:00 AM calling together the meeting of the National Federation of the Blind Board of Directors. President Mark Riccobono began the meeting by asking for a moment of silence to honor those lost in the last year. Members recognized were Burnell Brown, Shirley Morris, Matt Lyles, Eliza Brown, Cynthia Cross, Heidi Van Gorp, Jack Hemphill, Geraldine Croom, Jim Daley, Rick Reed, Tom Ferry, Kristina Wadia, Margaret Williams, Karen Walston, Jim Valliant, and William Owens. President Riccobono announced that again this year we would be providing Spanish translation of the board meeting and general sessions of the convention. In addition those who have difficulty hearing can check out a receiver and will get information directly from the podium. Board members standing for reelection at the 2016 convention were Mark Riccobono, president; Pam Allen, first vice president; Ron Brown, second vice president; James Gashel, secretary; Jeannie Massay, treasurer; and board members James Brown, Amy Buresh, Patti Chang, John Fritz, Carl Jacobsen, and Alpidio Rol?n. Those positions not up for reelection are currently held by Everette Bacon, Norma Crosby, Sam Gleese, Ever Lee Hairston, Cathy Jackson, and Joe Ruffalo. Carl Jacobsen asked for the floor and said it had been his honor to serve as a member of this body since 2004. He believes that after twelve years of service it is his duty, in the name of continuing to grow the organization and see it evolve, no longer to run for a board position. "I think it is time for me to help the transition; that doesn't mean I'm leaving; that doesn't mean I'm going anywhere; that doesn't mean I will ever shut up. However, it does mean that somebody new should be taking my chair while I can still stand behind them and whisper in their ear about what they should be doing." In response, President Riccobono said: "Thank you very much, Carl, for your tremendous service to the National Federation of the Blind. You are a leader who has raised many people in the organization, and we know that you're going to continue to make our New York affiliate stand up and be one of the loudest and most boisterous ones in the nation. So we appreciate it, and we love you. Thank you very much." Alpidio Rol?n next asked for the floor. Alpidio said that he would not stand for reelection but that he would continue to be a militant rank- and-file member of the Federation. "When I came to the Federation in 1992, I said that I had found my way home. I plan to stay here." President Riccobono thanked Alpidio for his service, said that he knew there would be many battles ahead in which Alpidio would be needed, and thanked him for his leadership and love of the organization. Patti Chang next asked for the floor. She said that she has enjoyed her service as a member of the board of directors but also believes that this opportunity must be given to others. "With immense gratitude and sincerity, I ask the convention not to put my name in nomination." President Riccobono thanked Patti for her service, including her shepherding of the scholarship program, one of the most important we run in the organization. He again offered thanks to all of those who have chosen to relinquish their positions, expressing his gratitude and confidence that they will continue to serve with distinction in the Federation. Our former president announced that this was his forty-eighth convention, a record to be proud of but one that he points out falls short of some, such as Mrs. Jernigan celebrating her fifty-first convention. He notes that at his first convention the agenda was several pages in length, and now it extends to 117. He said that frequently he is asked why he is a member of the National Federation of the Blind, and at least part of the answer is that he is annoyed with conditions in the world as he finds them and needs help to change them. One such condition is the payment of what is called a special subminimum wage, though he notes there is nothing special about it. It is simply a subminimum wage paid to people who are mistakenly believed to be incapable of productive work. Of course, as our former president notes, there is more to being a Federationist than being annoyed and finding colleagues to help; part of being in this organization means having fun, and this we certainly did at the convention. Former President Maurer concluded by observing that the United States of America is the host for the 2016 meeting of the World Blind Union, and the National Federation of the Blind is making arrangements for it, with him in charge. This is a wonderful way to help the blind of the world see what can be achieved through self-organization, discipline, and commitment, and our former president hopes to see many of us at the meeting in August. John Berggren now serves as the chairman of convention organization and activities. He spoke briefly at the board meeting, discussing banquet details and other logistical matters of interest. Though he never gets much time on the microphone, his kindness, sincerity, and dry wit always leave the audience glad that he is one of us and remind us that we are blessed to have him on our staff. The President announced that registration at the beginning of the board meeting stood at 2,220, with representatives from all fifty-two of our affiliates as well as representatives from fourteen countries. Although the NFB does not support individual candidates or parties, the organization is extremely interested in our members being politically active. To this end the President announced that we would hold a voter registration drive, which would run from noon until 5:00 PM. Charlie Brown was in charge of the activity, and many people were registered to vote in the November elections. Everette Bacon addressed the gathering in his capacity as the chair of the Imagination Fund. This fund is used to support the innovative programs conducted by the Jernigan Institute to support people in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In the coming year we will be looking at new ways to raise funds for this program, and Everette welcomes people with good ideas and the energy and enthusiasm to implement them. Carla McQuillan was introduced to present the Distinguished Educator of Blind Students Award, previously named the Distinguished Educator of Blind Children Award. The presentation made by Chairman McQuillan and the remarks of the winner will be found elsewhere in this issue. The President reminded those assembled that much of the work of the Federation is done through its committees. All committees are appointed by the President, and he wants to hear from anyone interested in serving. Write to him at or contact him by writing to the national office at the address listed on the front page of this magazine. It is a hallmark of wisdom to save for the future both individually and organizationally. For this reason the National Federation of the Blind has established the Shares Unlimited in the National Federation of the Blind (SUN) Fund. The chair of the SUN Fund committee is Sandy Halverson, and she reported that at the beginning of the convention twelve states were not participants in the program. The District of Columbia decided it did not want to be one of the twelve and enlisted in the program with the contribution of $300. The bottom line is that contributions to the SUN Fund were up by almost $2,000 this year, a far cry from where we wish to be, but certainly an indication that we are moving in the right direction. Unquestionably the most successful membership-funded program of the National Federation of the Blind is our Preauthorized Contribution Program, and its chairperson is Scott LaBarre. Scott told the audience that the National Federation of the Blind has a tremendous philosophy, a tremendous corps of volunteers, and more than our share of expertise on many issues, but, in order to take advantage of these assets, we must have one essential tool in our toolbox-money. We started this convention with annual giving on the PAC Plan of $480,000, and the goal during convention was to raise our contributions so that we are able to sustain a giving level that meets or exceeds half a million dollars annually. Before Scott left the stage, the President announced that both our PAC chairman and Everette Bacon, a member of the national board of directors from Utah, were celebrating birthdays. Naturally the convention serenaded both on this special occasion. The Kenneth Jernigan Fund was created in 1998, its purpose being to help first-timers attend the national convention. Allen Harris chairs this effort, and he came to the dais to report on awards made this year. The Jernigan Fund awarded grants to fifty-five people from around the country to attend. This is in keeping with the average number of awards the committee has made since 1999. Asking for a shout-out of those present who have been recipients of cash from this fund revealed the significant role it has played in building our movement. Chairman Harris explained that the Jernigan Fund gets its money in two ways: an annual raffle is held in which 1,000 tickets are printed and sold for five dollars each. The winner of that raffle splits the proceeds from the sale with the Jernigan Fund. A ten- dollar ticket is also sold to anyone who wishes a chance to receive an all- expense-paid trip to the convention. The winner receives round-trip airfare for two, payment of hotel, banquet, and registration, and $1,000 in cash. This is a fantastic program for helping Federationists get to and observe for themselves the magic that is the national convention. "The way we get people here fifty times is by getting them here for the first time," Allen reminded us, and with that he ended his report. As a former President of the National Federation of the Blind, Kenneth Jernigan is widely regarded as the most consequential figure in the fields of rehabilitation and civil rights in the twentieth century. The impact of his life and work has been discussed in much of our literature, but only recently has there been a book about his impact on the lives of others, it being edited by Ramona Walhof. She came to address the board about The Power of Love: How Kenneth Jernigan Changed the World for the Blind. She said that the goal in writing this book was to offer to those who did not have the opportunity to learn from Dr. Jernigan that part of the experience which those who did could pass along. The book has been published by and is available at , , and in the Apple Store as an iBook. Ramona reviewed the table of contents, encouraged the purchase of the book, and asked that those who read it provide feedback on the site where they made the purchase since this will encourage others to read and learn about the work of this outstanding man. Following Ramona's presentation the board of directors adopted a motion retiring the Newel Perry Award and putting in its place the Kenneth Jernigan Award. This motion takes effect at the end of the 2016 convention. Dr. Edward Bell was invited to address those assembled to present the Blind Educator of the Year Award. His presentation, the name of the award recipient, and the remarks the recipient made are found elsewhere in this issue. Patti Chang came to the podium to introduce the 2016 scholarship finalists chosen by the Federation. The remarks which each of the thirty winners made to the board appear later in this issue. Following the presentations from the scholarship finalists, the board of directors voted to continue the scholarship program in 2017. Given the caliber of the class and their diverse fields of study, it is not surprising that the vote was both unanimous and enthusiastic. Dr. Fred Schroeder is currently the first vice president of the World Blind Union, and at its meeting in August he will be a candidate for president. He talked about the importance of our hosting this meeting and the role we can play in showing the world how much can be accomplished through self-determination and collective action. He emphasized that, by working together with the World Blind Union, we can make great strides in improving the lives of blind people not only in this country but throughout the world. President Riccobono called on Bob Kresmer in recognition of donations that have been received through bequests made to the National Federation of the Blind of Arizona. President Kresmer said that one of the projects in his state was to distribute Federation literature and donor cards to every funeral home in Arizona and that this project was spearheaded by Sharon Omvig before she and Jim returned to Iowa. Although Arizona has not been the recipient of bequests in the recent past, in this year they received checks for $88,000 and $187,000, and soon they expect to receive a check for $145,000. By long-standing policy and with the goodwill and concurrence of members of the National Federation of the Blind of Arizona, 50 percent of all bequests were and will continue to be shared with the national treasury. Parnell Diggs addressed the crowd to talk about the need for regulations clarifying the role of the Americans with Disabilities Act as it pertains to the internet. It is important that we participate in the regulatory process, and announcements about how this may be done will be widely distributed. In order to stimulate greater activity and coordinate our efforts on behalf of blind parents, the Federation has created the Blind Parent's Initiative, and Melissa Riccobono was called to the stage to discuss it. One of the goals of this initiative is to demonstrate how blind parents perform childcare tasks that are normally assumed to require vision. Short videos describing and demonstrating these techniques are being solicited, and those wishing to learn more about the videos or contribute to them should go to the website for more information. Following the adjournment of the board meeting, Federationists had more than thirty opportunities to participate in meetings of divisions, committees, and groups. The diverse interests of those who met on Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening took six printed pages and seventeen Braille pages to capture in the agenda, and in most of these gatherings one could find a multipage document listing the issues that needed to be discussed and addressed. One could attend a meeting of the Sports and Recreation Division; the National Organization of Blind Educators; the Deaf-Blind division workshop; and a meeting sponsored by the NFB Seniors Division entitled "Knowledge is Power: Be a Powerful Senior." There were meetings for lawyers, diabetics, computer scientists, people in the performing arts, merchants, writers, rehabilitation professionals, human service workers, workers in the sheltered workshop system, and many others. For a complete list of activities that took place on Saturday, July 2, refer to the convention agenda found at . [PHOTO CAPTION: President Riccobono brings the first official session to order.] When the gavel fell on Sunday morning bringing the first official session of the 2016 convention to order, it was very clear that the blind people in Orlando were alive, well, and ready to get about the business of making policy. President Riccobono's "Good morning, Federationists," was greeted with enthusiastic applause, but the reaction was decidedly different when he announced there would be no door prizes for the morning. But those groans quickly turned to joy when it was revealed that the door prize to open the convention would be $201.16. Conchita Hernandez came to the microphone to talk about services offered to people who have special needs in order to enjoy the convention session fully. The convention provides audio devices for those who are hard of hearing, and Spanish interpretation is also provided using a headset that operates on a different frequency. The host committee was introduced for the opening ceremony and began by conveying the way Federationists go about living the lives we want. Jeannie Massay says that the state motto in Oklahoma is "Labor conquers all things." Pam Allen says that in Louisiana living the life you want means "Laissez les bons temps rouler-let the good times roll." Cassie McKinney said that in New Hampshire the state motto is "Live free or die." Everette Bacon said that in Utah "The worker bees love our industry." The full comments each affiliate made about its Federation history appear later in this issue. To enjoy the songs interspersed in the opening ceremony and the audio of these affiliate histories visit . [PHOTO CAPTION: Impact Drum and Bugle Corps of Orlando marches through the convention hall.] President Dwight Sayer of the National Association of Blind Veterans asked that all of those who had served in the Armed Forces of the United States come to the stage. Each passed a microphone and introduced him or herself, and First Lady Melissa Riccobono presented thirty-eight ribbons of appreciation to the brave men and women who risked their lives for the freedoms we enjoy. The ceremony continued with a marching band, the Impact Drum and Bugle Corps of Orlando, coming through the convention hall and serenading us with a medley of military songs. After reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and dismissing the color guard, Miss Devon Sauer led us in the singing of the National Anthem. Beginning the roll call of states, Joy Harris, the president of our Alabama affiliate, announced that Alabama now has a new training program which emphasizes structured discovery. It is called the Alabama Freedom Center for the Blind. From the state of Idaho, president Dana Ard announced that Jan Gawith was attending her fifty-fifth consecutive convention, an enviable record to say the least. The Nebraska affiliate was able to boast forty rookies in its delegation, and a commendable number of staff from the Nebraska Commission for the Blind, and its governing board were also present. Of course the roll call of states is used as an opportunity for each affiliate to brag about its state, and sometimes in addition to the traditional comments about the Show-Me State, the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and the Empire State, we get something that is truly clever and original. South Dakota wins the prize this year as Ken Rollman commented, "Good morning, Mr. President and fellow Federationists. I'm Ken Rollman from the great state of South Dakota, the sunshine state of the north, the home of Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and Wall Drug, of course, where you can get free ice water and a nickel cup of coffee." When the morning session was recessed, people could visit the Independence Market and the exhibit hall; attend the Louisiana Center for the Blind alumni reception; or, for those arriving late, register for the convention. One of the high points of the convention occurred on Sunday afternoon when, after gaveling the convention to order, the President began with the Presidential Report. In his remarks President Riccobono reviewed cases won, new challenges undertaken, and ongoing programs of the National Federation of the Blind that create opportunity where none has existed before. President Riccobono's remarks appear in full elsewhere in this issue. After his report the President introduced the next agenda item in this way: "We met with the CEO of Microsoft in the early part of last year, and we have been engaging with Microsoft in trying to move accessibility in the work they have been doing. We have engaged with Microsoft at many levels. As you heard in the Report, we were invited to speak on accessibility at Microsoft's Envision conference in New Orleans. Here to speak to us from Microsoft is the director of program management for Microsoft. He has responsibility for many of the Microsoft projects, and he has been a true champion for accessibility, grabbing hold of the spark that we have been able to light with both the CEO of the company Satya Nadella and the president of the company Brad Smith, who signed a letter with us about the ADA regulations. Here to talk with us about product progress at Microsoft is John Jendrezak." Mr. Jendrezak began his presentation by saying, "I believe our company mission and the direction set for our employees is truly in line with that of the Federation. That hasn't always been apparent, though; we know that firsthand ... Our services, our apps, and our operating system over time degraded, and that impacted you. We understand that and are taking this as our responsibility ... The work that we've done and are planning to do represents a small step in our journey to make our products better for you. This is work we have to do for the rest of our lives. In my experience at Microsoft I've heard countless personal stories that have provided indelible and incredible motivation to me as an employee and as an advocate. I learned that personal experience, passion, and understanding are crucial for our journey and to ensure that this is an enduring attribute of our culture. I want to thank the leadership of the Federation and the membership of the Federation for helping build this awareness in me. Thank you." [PHOTO CAPTION: During the fit break everyone attempted to stand on one foot.] One new addition this year was the insertion of fit breaks in our convention sessions. The first of these took about three minutes and involved standing on one foot, the claim being that doing this was equivalent to about forty minutes of exercise. The stretch was welcome, the enthusiasm was extraordinary, and the message that the National Federation of the Blind is committed to enhancing body, mind, and soul was made evident. The next item on the agenda was entitled "The Law of Disability, Special Treatment, Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, and the Constitution." It was presented by Immediate Past President Maurer, and he spoke directly to the way the word "special" is used to denote the blind and the otherwise disabled as a class really does not mean special but inferior, different, a reason to separate the class of the special from those rights that are supposed to be afforded to every citizen of the United States. Dr. Maurer's remarks will appear in full elsewhere in this issue. Kathy Martinez came to the dais to speak on the topic "Undefined by Blindness: Seeking Employment and Financial Literacy Opportunities for the Blind." Ms. Martinez works for Wells Fargo in an executive position, blazing trails in American corporations where blind people have held few executive positions. A goal of Ms. Martinez and of Wells Fargo is to make that institution the bank of choice for blind customers and the bank of choice for blind employees. Her remarks will appear in the Braille Monitor later in the fall. The last presentation of the afternoon was entitled "National Industries for the Blind: Continuing to Raise Expectations and Create Opportunities." It was presented by Kevin Lynch, the president and chief executive officer of National Industries for the Blind. Mr. Lynch said that of the sixty-five agencies that are affiliated with National Industries for the Blind, only two currently pay less than the minimum wage, and no agency that pays less than the minimum wage can have a member sit on the board of directors of NIB. Mr. Lynch's remarks will appear later in the fall. With the last presentation of the first day's session concluded, the Nominating Committee met to propose a slate; a seminar was held on self- advocacy in higher education; Target discussed its accessibility efforts, demonstrated the results of its work, invited user testing, and gave away what they called "some Target swag." The Colorado Center for the Blind conducted an open house, members of our Help America Vote Act staff conducted a seminar on how to hold a voter registration drive in six easy steps, and the Careers in Automotive-Related Specialties group discussed how blind people can excel in the automotive repair industry. The exhibit hall was once again open for business, and a KNFB Reader liaison marketing meeting was held to discuss the most effective ways to get out information about and to sell the KNFB Reader. The National Organization of Parents of Blind Children held concurrent sessions on adaptive games, an IEP workshop, and one on basic IEP advocacy. These were for parents, but the youth track activities included "Deal Me In: Learning Poker and Other Card Games," as well as a children's craft show. But even with all of these educational opportunities placed before us, a number of my colleagues chose to attend the concert sponsored by the Federation's four host affiliates, and I confess to being one of those in attendance. The concert started shortly after 7:00 PM with Marion Gwizdala conducting the warm-up for JP Williams of Nashville, Tennessee. I don't think any of us who sat in that air-conditioned room spent much time mourning about not being able to enjoy the Orlando rain and humidity that were very much in evidence Sunday evening, which had necessitated moving the outdoor concert into an indoor venue. Those attending were also grateful to Aira for donating $4,000 to help with concert expenses. When the President dropped the gavel on the morning of the fourth of July, the first order of business to come before the convention was the presentation of the consolidated financial report. Although fundraising through the mail continues to pose a significant challenge, requiring greater investments and less return on them, the National Federation of the Blind did finish the year in the black. It is important that we continue to work hard to provide funds for the general treasury. The grants we secure from time to time are very helpful, but they are specific to a project or a program and do not give us the flexibility we need in meeting the day-to- day challenges that face the blind. After the reading of the 2015 financial report, Dr. Maurer rose to indicate that he thought it was a fine report and moved that it be adopted. There was a second by many in the convention hall, and the motion passed unanimously. President Riccobono then turned his attention to income and expenses for the first five months of 2016. In keeping with the general fluctuation of the stock market, the losses that we showed in 2015 show signs of recovery in the first five months of 2016, and again we currently find ourselves in the position of having slightly more assets than liabilities, with no debt whatsoever on our books. Organizationally this is an enviable place to be but one that we will continue to occupy only if we remain as dedicated to funding our organization as we do to making the promise that it will be there for blind people when they need it. With the report being read for the first five months of 2016, the same motion was made, seconded, and passed unanimously, the President and all of those who helped in our fundraising activities receiving a tremendous vote of thanks from the convention through the applause that was given. The honor roll call of states was our next order of business, and in this portion of the program affiliates, divisions, committees, and groups are encouraged to make pledges or donations to the national treasury, Jacobus tenBroek Memorial Fund, Kenneth Jernigan Fund, Imagination Fund, and SUN Fund. Following the roll call of states, Pam Allen, the chairman of the Nominating Committee, rose to deliver the slate the committee has proposed. The committee recommended for the office of president, Mark Riccobono, Maryland; first vice president, Pam Allen, Louisiana; second vice president, Ron Brown, Indiana; secretary, James Gashel, Colorado; treasurer, Jeannie Massay, Oklahoma; board position one, James Brown, Tennessee; board position two, Amy Buresh, Nebraska; board position three, John Fritz, Wisconsin; board position four, Adelmo Vigil, New Mexico; board position five, Shawn Callaway, District of Columbia; and board position six, Carla McQuillan, Oregon. A motion was made and seconded to approve the report of the Nominating Committee, and it was accepted without dissent. Pam Allen conducted the election for president, and Mark Riccobono was elected by acclamation. He said: "Thank you very much, my Federation family. When I first came to this family twenty years ago, I was inspired by the qualities that were reflected in my brothers and sisters in this movement. I was also humbled by the love and faith that were offered to me in the space that we create with each other. Today I feel the same way- inspired and humbled. The commitment and energy that you give to this organization continue to shape and inspire me on a daily basis. The trust and confidence that you place in me are truly very humbling. "This morning I was reflecting on why I ever started to think that I, a kid from the Midwest who spent almost all of his time before coming to know this family faking it-I wondered what it was that made me think I could help out in this movement, and in reflecting I decided that it was the fact that this organization opened its collective heart to me and taught me that blindness would not be the characteristic that would prevent me from being successful and more importantly that blindness should not be the characteristic that should prevent me from loving myself. I want you to know that you have blessed me with the opportunity to share myself and whatever I have to offer with this organization, and for that I'm truly grateful. "With the completeness of my heart I thank you for the honor of being able to serve as your president and will continue to give all that I can offer from the inspiration and the humility that you give me in this organization. In this moment I have to also acknowledge the woman who keeps me grounded, kicks me in the back now and then to keep me moving-my wife Melissa Riccobono, who, in the way she lives her life, reflects everything that this organization is about. Let's go build the National Federation of the Blind." [PHOTO CAPTION: Pam Allen] The nomination of Pam Allen to be the first vice president of the Federation was made by the committee, was seconded, and she was elected by acclamation. In accepting the office, Pam said: "Good morning and thank you. Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise, risking more than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical, and expecting more than others think is possible. Each day in the National Federation of the Blind we strive for excellence, we push the boundaries, we encourage and love each other, and we raise the expectations and shatter misconceptions about blindness so our dreams are transformed into reality. It is so fitting too that we gather today on the Fourth of July to remember and celebrate those who fought for our nation's independence as we work together for freedom for our blind children, adults, and seniors. Freedom from complacency, from fear, from low expectations: imagine how different our lives would be today if those original Federationists who came together in 1940 had not organized, risked, and dared to dream and believe that blindness would not hold them back. Every day the National Federation of the Blind demonstrates the power of collective action. When people come together for a common purpose, the world is forever changed. We have been nurtured and taught by our leaders like Dr. tenBroek, Dr. Jernigan, and Dr. Maurer, and now by President Riccobono, who shows us each day-along with his wife and their beautiful children-through their example and words, his love for each of us and his unwavering dedication to this organization. As we come together this week, I am inspired and motivated, and I also take away a challenge, a call to action that I ask of each of you: to give more, to dig deeper, to dream bigger, to fight harder, to love each other, to build our Federation family by sharing our message that we can live the lives we want as blind people. "Thank you to each of you and to our thousands of members listening in around the world who share and live our message each day. Thank you for your love, your trust, your support, your sacrifice and enthusiasm, your imagination, and your commitment. Thank you also to my incredible husband Roland, a leader in his own right, for his love and support. I am truly honored and humbled to serve as your first vice president. Each day I learn from you, my Federation family. Together we stand, united we cannot be defeated. Let's go build the National Federation of the Blind." [PHOTO CAPTION: Ron Brown] The name of Ron Brown was presented to the convention to serve as second vice president. A motion was made and seconded to elect him, and it passed by acclamation. He thanked the convention for reelecting him, said what an honor it was to serve as its second vice president, and noted that our conventions are so much fun that his granddaughter asked that she be allowed to attend. [PHOTO CAPTION: James Gashel] For the office of secretary the Nominating Committee recommended James Gashel, and the convention made, seconded, and approved a motion to elect him by acclamation. He was unanimously elected. He said: "Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you, fellow Federationists. I first joined the National Federation of the Blind fifty-one years ago right about this time of the year. Now a lot of you weren't even born yet; in fact a whole bunch of you weren't even born yet. This is the fiftieth convention of the National Federation of the Blind that I have had the honor to attend. There have been a lot of honors and privileges that I have been able to participate in during all of those years. I attended our twenty-fifth anniversary convention of the National Federation of the Blind in Washington, DC in 1965, where 100 members of Congress, the House and Senate, participated in the banquet, and we let them all speak for a minute. That was quite an experience for a kid right out of high school to sit in an audience like that. I attended our fiftieth anniversary convention in Dallas in 1990. I attended our seventy-fifth anniversary last year here in Florida. I worked in the Federation under our President Jacobus tenBroek when we formed the national students division, and I was the first president. I worked under Dr. Marc Maurer when I served as director of governmental affairs and other names of that position-strategic affairs-and our national office for thirty-three years and six months. I was first elected to the board of directors in 2008 and have subsequently been reelected to the board and as secretary several times since, and I've had the opportunity to help out in advancing our efforts in reading technology for the last several years, including the KNFB Reader-which is my commercial. "Now in all of those experiences, none of them attaches a greater sense of honor and responsibility than standing before you to accept election to the board of directors and to an officer position in this organization. As has been said by others, this is a position of sacred trust, of great responsibility, because we are changing the future for blind people in the United States and really all over the world. We set the standard. So I am humbled to be here-I am-and I hope you will keep electing me for a while, but you don't need to: I will be here because forever I will help to build the Federation. Let me just say that, while we are recognizing spouses, I'm joined here today by my wife Susan Gashel who, in the great tradition of the Federation as she works on blind vendor cases under the Randolph-Sheppard Act, hasn't lost a case yet. Thank you very much." [PHOTO CAPTION: Jeannie Massay] The committee recommended Jeannie Massay to serve as treasurer, and she was elected unanimously. In response she said: "Thank you, President Riccobono and my Federation family. One thing that has been common among each of the acceptance speeches of my fellow officers has been that we want to thank you for the trust and confidence you have placed in us, and I definitely want to thank you for that as well. I said it last year, and I will say it again this year, sir-that my most important role as a Federationist is as a member, because without our members we are nothing. "When I first lost vision, I thought that I was alone. In finding the Federation, I unequivocally know that I am not. In a recent podcast I heard a really great description for what a family of choice is, and that is the discovery that you are not alone. So to you, my Federation family, thank you. I hope we can help other people find that they are not alone and that they never will be again, and that they can contribute and participate in helping us to change the world as we know it. Thank you, my family. I love you." [PHOTO CAPTION: James Brown] The nomination of James Brown of Tennessee was next considered for board position one, and he was elected by acclamation. "If there is one word that expresses why I am here today, it is love. I love so many of you all. I was in Knoxville, Tennessee, a year or two ago doing a presentation, and at the end of the presentation I had an opportunity to do a mobility lesson with the young girl who wasn't being taught the way she should have been taught in school. She asked me, 'Why are you here? Why are you here helping little ol' me?' The answer was pretty easy; I told her that I wanted her to grow up and be able to live the life she wants-that's right. And so, I'm going to tell you the same thing here today." With that James broke into song and ended his remarks by telling his wife that he loved her and appreciated all she did to make his work possible. [PHOTO CAPTION: Amy Buresh] The committee placed in nomination the name of Amy Buresh for board position two. After three calls for nominations, a motion was made and seconded to elect Amy to the board of directors by acclamation, and it passed unanimously. Amy accepted the board position to which she had just been elected by suggesting that it is no coincidence that the blind of the nation meet annually to express our independence on the same day that our nation's forefathers did the very same. She said that declaring independence took courage, fighting for independence took courage, and retaining that independence has taken vigilance, courage, and a lot of work. She said that the same is true for the independence we seek in the National Federation of the Blind: the necessary ingredients being courage, hope, vigilance, and the willingness to exert the energy that transforms our ideals into action. [PHOTO CAPTION: John Fritz] The name of John Fritz was next placed before the convention, and a gentleman from Ohio nominated himself from the floor for the position. After three calls for nominations, nominations were closed, and each candidate was invited to make a brief presentation. Both men shared with the convention a brief biography and his desire to serve the Federation. A voice vote was held to determine the winner, and John Fritz was reelected to the board to fill board position three. In remarks made after his election, John thanked all of those who had voted for him, his wife, his children, and the scholarship program that brought him to the National Federation of the Blind. He promised to continue to blaze new trails for blind people and asked that all of us join him in this noble work. [PHOTO CAPTION: Adelmo Vigil] The name of Adelmo Vigil was recommended by the committee to fill board position four. There being no nominations from the floor, a motion was made and seconded that Adelmo be elected by acclamation, and he was. In his remarks Adelmo said that he has been a Federationist since 1983, has been privileged to work hard in his home state, and has enjoyed working with Dr. Jernigan, Dr. Maurer, and now President Riccobono. He thanked the convention for the confidence demonstrated in him, thanked his wife for her continuing support, and pledged to do his best as a leader in this organization. [PHOTO CAPTION: Shawn Callaway] Shawn Callaway was nominated by the committee to fill the fifth board position, and he was elected by acclamation. Shawn lost his sight in 1991, and, although he felt he possessed tremendous confidence in himself, confidence that extended to competing in education and employment, he lacked real confidence in his ability to be a parent. He says it is through the National Federation of the Blind that he gained his confidence, and that, through the magic of the Federation and his mentors, his reservations were transformed from "How can I?" into "How can I wait?" "When I hold my daughter, I feel the confidence in her that she knows Daddy is going to take care of her. So, ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much, and God bless the Federation." [PHOTO CAPTION: Carla McQuillan] For the final board position to be elected in 2016, the name of Carla McQuillan was placed before the convention. Carla was elected by acclamation. In addressing the convention, Carla said, "Thank you, sir, and thank you, my Federation family. I was first elected to the national board of directors in 1998, and I was so excited to serve under the only President in the Federation that I had ever known, Marc Maurer. It was in 1998 that a Federationist from Oregon called to ask me for advice on a political matter. It seems that he had moved to the state of Wisconsin, and a good friend of his was seeking to run against a well-founded, longtime leader in the Federation. He wanted to know how they should go about it. It turns out that that twenty-two-year-old upstart was Mr. Mark Riccobono. Apparently some good advice was given, because he won that election, and I don't need to tell you where he is today. So I am honored that you have had the confidence in me to serve under President Riccobono, and it seems we have come full circle as the teacher becomes the student. I am truly looking forward to serving with you, Mr. President, and I hope that I will meet the expectations that all of you have of me and will try to the best of my ability. This is truly an honor." After sitting through the financial report, the roll call of states, and the election, it was time for a fit break. This fit break began with some neck rolls, then exercising the shoulders, and eventually moving the right arm, left arm, right leg, left leg, and to conclude the session we did some body stretching. Although I suspect that I would have regarded the fit breaks as silly were I simply to read about them, as a participant it is clear to me that they are quite helpful in providing a little exercise, muscle stretching, and increased concentration thereafter. The next order of business to appear on the agenda was entitled "A Community of Practice: The Federation in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math," and it was ably presented by Natalie Shaheen, project director, National Federation of the Blind. Using a grant provided by the National Science Foundation, the Federation has conducted a number of STEM programs throughout the country, and in this session Natalie describes how a grade of C in a chemistry class, which she considered a humiliation, actually opened a new career for her and new career possibilities for all of the students she touches. Natalie was joined by students from across the country relating how their experience with STEM2U has opened new career possibilities. This panel's presentation will be covered in full later in the fall. Following the morning recess, conventioneers were offered their last opportunity to visit the exhibit hall and the Independence Market. Those wishing to learn how to get more mileage from their conventions both in terms of publicity and fundraising were invited to visit the Cash and Caring Network, the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children invited participants to be a part of a brainstorming activity to plan for the future, and registration was once again open for those running late. The afternoon session began with President Riccobono asking that a moment of silence be observed in memory of recent tragedies befalling Orlando. After a reverent pause, the convention next received a presentation by Fredric Schroeder, first vice president of the World Blind Union, entitled "The Blind in the World: Leadership, Philosophy, and Action on a Global Scale." Dr. Schroeder's message was simple yet profound: an individual action may not seem to have an impact, but, when followed and compounded by other actions, the result is significant change, the kind of change we have seen in America because of the National Federation of the Blind. We must share this change with a shrinking and ever more interdependent world. Dr. Schroeder's comments appear elsewhere in this issue. "The Roots of the Federation in the World: The Isabel Grant Story in Her Own Words" was next presented by Deborah Kent Stein, the editor of Future Reflections, first vice president of the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois, and a gifted and thoughtful author. Dr. Grant was a world traveler at a time when women did not travel alone, and especially not if they were blind. Isabel Grant rejected the limited view of who she should be and where she should go, and Debbie Stein has chronicled these adventures in a book. Debbie's remarks and the list of places where the book can be purchased will appear later in the fall. John Par? and his capable team came to the dais to deliver the annual Advocacy and Policy Report. He and his team discussed the legislative proposals and regulations which are now receiving much of the Federation's attention. Many of the remarks made during this session will appear in significant part later in this issue. The convention next turned its attention to what is unquestionably the most important business it does each year: deciding on the policies of the organization by the passing of resolutions. An article by Chairman Maneki and the complete text of all of the resolutions passed by the convention appear elsewhere in this issue. When the general session on Monday afternoon recessed, there was still much daylight to burn for those of us interested in getting more done before we visited, partied, and went back to our rooms for a little badly needed sleep. Amazon Devices and Education Accessibility was a topic discussed for three hours by those interested in learning about VoiceView, Amazon's new screen reader for its Fire OS and Kindle E-readers. Some chose to attend a ninety-minute session on advocacy skills for blind parents, which covered family law proceedings, interactions with the department of social services, and participation in the K-12 public school system. One could attend a session on Braille proofreading or a simultaneous session focusing on "Social Security and SSI: What You Should Know in Order to Be an Advocate." Of course there were the "Sixteenth Annual Showcase of Talent" for those wanting to witness a night of great performances and salsa night, which ran from 8:00 PM until midnight. On the third and final day of the convention were a breakfast sponsored by the American Foundation for the Blind, devotions, and the last chance to register for the convention. When the President gaveled the Tuesday morning session to order, the first agenda item was "Putting News First: Breaking Down Stereotypes as a Blind Journalist." Its presenter was Gary O'Donoghue, a reporter for the BBC who serves as its Washington correspondent. His presentation focused on the importance of journalism in a free and open society and stressed the competitive nature of the business and the way blind people wishing to work in the field must bring skills, a can-do attitude, and a mindset accustomed to solving problems and delivering the news in a timely and professional manner. Mr. O'Donoghue's remarks will appear in an upcoming issue of this magazine. [PHOTO CAPTION: Anil Lewis] "Engaging Blind People in the Real Problems of Blindness: A Report on the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute" was presented by Anil Lewis, who serves as the institute's executive director. He was joined in his presentation by Lou Ann Blake and Clara Van Gerven. Anil expressed his appreciation to Lou Ann for her superb skills in time management, setting goals, and tracking their progress, and he said this is especially valuable to him given that these are not the assets he brings to the important job of leading the institute. Lou Ann is best known for her work in overseeing the Help America Vote Act and in seeing that its lofty provisions to guarantee blind people the right to cast a secret ballot independently are actually implemented on Election Day. The Jernigan Institute has developed accessibility and usability guidelines for voting systems, and the guide we have created has been included in a best practices document distributed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The institute has also developed "Voting Guide for Young People who are Blind or Visually Impaired" so that they know what to expect when they go to the polls for the first time, and in addition we have developed "The Blind Voter Experience" video which is available on YouTube. [PHOTO CAPTION: Lou Ann Blake] Lou Ann said that, while the percentage of blind voters who are going to the polls and using accessible technology has increased, the number of blind voters who are able to vote privately and independently has decreased. "This we cannot stand for; this cannot continue." She says that the Department of Justice has failed to enforce the Help America Vote Act, and election officials have become complacent. When we go to the polls and are told that the accessible voting systems we need have not been set up, we must insist on being able to use them, and, failing that, we must vote the best way we can and then register strong complaints with the DOJ. For the ninth year in a row the National Federation of the Blind hosted the Jacobus tenBroek Law symposium. The theme this year was "Diversity in the Disability Rights Movement: Working Together to Achieve the Right to Live in the World." What better organization than the Federation to show the value of disabled people organizing to improve their lives, what can happen when hearts and minds are united in a goal, and the value of diversity from an organization that features a rainbow of people working together to achieve the right to live in the world. The last item Lou Ann focused on was our scholarly journal, The Journal of Blindness Innovation and Research. This is the first scholarly journal created and managed by the blind to address the real problems of blindness. "We publish research manuscripts, professional practice articles, and opinion pieces that talk about how to increase the self- respect, the self-determination, and the independence of blind people." She urges that we share the expertise we have so that professionals in work with the blind are clear about what blind people need and the ways to provide services that make a difference in our lives. [PHOTO CAPTION: Clara Van Gerven] Lou Ann ended her presentation by introducing Clara Van Gerven to talk with the audience about access technology. Clara observed that web accessibility affects almost everything we do, and, although there is a significant body of expertise in the Jernigan Institute, we need more help from members. Businesses and other entities that generate content on the web need our help not only in learning how to make their content accessible but also in testing the results of their coding. To meet this need, the institute is reaching out to our membership with the request that they become more involved in web testing and reporting. One of the access technology team's greatest strengths is being a connector: bringing together those who have products and services with those who have the interest and expertise to help create an accessible product. Our work with Target and Pearson shows what can happen when the blind and leaders in education and retail marketing collaborate to create products and services we can use. In addition to helping the developers of technology in creating accessible products, it is vital that we help in sharing with the community of blind people what these technology innovators have developed and how we can make use of it. In October the institute will hold a three-day workshop to highlight the work Google has done in making its products accessible, and our goal is to train the trainers so that this technology is more widely understood and used by the blind. Anil wrapped up this presentation by asking "What is the purpose of the Jernigan Institute?" He answered by observing that through our projects and programs we are bringing together the brightest minds and engaging in potential partnerships that help us expand our footprint in this world. As an example he says we are developing what we call the accessibility switchboard to help those who are creating websites to become WCAG [Web Content Accessibility Guidelines] compliant. Many who develop web content currently lack a component which we know to be essential to success in accessibility, and that is consumer involvement. He went on to say that we are changing the strategy used to bring about web accessibility from a process where we check the results of an organization's work to one in which we encourage that web accessibility be a part of the culture. The retailer Target is our first strategic nonvisual access partner. It has demonstrated to us that its websites are WCAG [Web Content Accessibility Guidance] compliant, but beyond that the company has adopted a culture in which a product isn't developed and handed to an accessibility team but instead is developed with accessibility built-in. Perhaps the most intriguing title on our convention agenda was "Slam That! Living the Life She Wants Begins with the Federation," and the presenter was Jordyn Castor, a software engineer for Apple Inc. This was a remarkable presentation that began by chronicling the birth of a child weighing less than two pounds, described the role of wonderful parents and teachers, discussed the significant difficulties in finding friends and being accepted in middle school, described the experience of contact with the National Federation of the Blind through the Youth Slam program, and discussed the exhilaration felt when graduating with a degree in computer science and landing a job at Apple. Even the word "spectacular" does not convey how moving this presentation was to those of us in the audience, and I trust that readers will feel much of this same emotion when they read it in this issue. After a tremendous response from the convention, President Riccobono asked Diane McGeorge if she had a door prize, and she said that she didn't know if she had one big enough to do credit to the speech just given. The President introduced the next topic in this way: "On reflection the topic of taxes might not have been the best agenda item after Jordyn's presentation, but of course we want to be employed, and Jordyn is going to learn the joys of taxes very soon. 'Participating in the American Dream Means Paying Taxes: the Innovation of Accessible Financial Tools at H&R Block' is our next topic. This actually is a very important agenda item because getting access to the tools that are needed to file our taxes and independently manage our finances is an important topic, and over the last few years, through our work and cooperation, H&R Block has come to be a model of moving accessibility within an organization. Here to talk with us about the work of H&R Block, where over the last year 23 million people have filed their taxes online, is the technology manager who leads a team of accessibility experts in changing the paradigm of accessibility and improving the tools at H&R Block. Here to present to us is Bret Reimer." Bret's presentation focused on the tremendous task faced by H&R Block in changing the thousands of webpages and forms that previously made up its offerings, putting in place development and testing procedures to ensure that H&R Block's products are accessible, and allying the company with the National Federation of the Blind to ensure that what appeared to be accessible was also usable. Mr. Reimer's remarks will appear in a future issue of the Monitor. Jon Twing came to the dais to discuss the topic "Educational Assessments, Math Innovations, and Real Accessibility: Progress at Pearson." Mr. Twing is a psychometrician. He explained how the subject of assessments can easily be thought of as boring, stressful, and punitive, but when they are used as a guide for teaching, when they are constructed properly so that they measure what a person knows, and when they are developed and validated by and for the people who will use them, they can be a very constructive part of the learning process. These remarks will be reprinted in these pages later this year. When the presentation was concluded, President Riccobono said: "Thank you, Jon. We appreciate Pearson's commitment to mammoth innovations in this area. We definitely appreciate the continued work on the Pearson team, especially through Jon's leadership, to make accessibility the rule rather than the exception." [PHOTO CAPTION: Gilles Pepin] After a fit break, the convention turned its attention to "Bringing the Braille Commitment to New Heights: The Transformation of the BrailleNote." This presentation by HumanWare was begun by Gilles Pepin, its chief executive officer. He started by saying, "I am really happy to be here again this year. I believe this is my tenth time to have the honor to talk with all of you from this podium, and I want to tell you that you are a very important group of people for HumanWare. Every time we come here we get your feedback, your comments on our products, and suggestions for new products to come. We really appreciate this relationship and this partnership we have with the NFB and its members, so thank you for supporting us and being there with us." Mr. Pepin said that a change is coming about in the assistive technology industry, that change being to merge with larger companies. He described his meeting with the chief executive of Essilor, a company that makes eyeglasses, and he convinced that executive that the company's mission statement, "To improve life by improving sight" was not complete. He told the CEO that it would not be complete unless they could address the 2 to 3 percent of the population whose vision could not be restored and that they needed to offer products for people who are blind and visually impaired. The head of Essilor agreed, and Mr. Pepin believes the result has been that HumanWare now has more capital and can make an even greater commitment to products and services to benefit this population. Gilles invited Greg Stilson, the manager of low vision and blindness technology, to discuss the BrailleNote Touch, but Greg noted that the mission of HumanWare goes far beyond discussing products: it goes to the very heart of discussing literacy, Braille, and the freedom that comes with being able to read and write efficiently. He said that for far too long one had to choose between the efficiency of assistive technology and the power and universal design of mainstream technology. He said that at HumanWare they believe they can blend the best of both worlds and make the most powerful productivity devices ever built. To fully appreciate the presentation made by the HumanWare team, listen to their live presentation. It can be found at . Jim Gashel came to the platform with more good news to announce about Braille. The many doors that refreshable Braille displays offer are closed to those who simply can't afford them, the cost of most Braille cells being as much as eighty dollars apiece. At this price the cost of the forty-cell Braille display already starts out at at least $3,200, not including the computer, software, buttons, switches, and labor which must go into constructing a unit. Mr. Gashel's message was that the Transforming Braille Project was begun in 2012 with the goal of lowering the cost of Braille cells, and this it has done. The result is the Orbit Reader 20, a new, low- cost and feature-modest Braille display. Not only has this project resulted in a product that should be available in October, but we and the ten other organizations that came together to fund it have reduced the cost of a Braille cell from eighty dollars to twelve dollars, opening the door for other products that heretofore would have been economically impossible. [PHOTO CAPTION: Karen Keninger] Karen Keninger, director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), followed Jim Gashel to the stage and talked about the future she sees for library services and particularly those offered by the NLS. She believes in libraries-the repository of knowledge made available to young and old, rich and poor, and she believes in the provision of library services to those who cannot read standard print. The National Library Service has a wonderful program for the distribution of audio books that are easily navigable by part, chapter, and section. Although WebBraille represents a significant effort on the part of the NLS and a tremendous resource for Braille readers, the ability to navigate using the service is far too limited. Books are not formatted for Braille displays but are produced for reading in hard copy Braille. Ms. Keninger hopes to supplement this hardcopy reading experience through legislation aimed at allowing the NLS to distribute affordable Braille displays and to create material in such a way that one can easily jump by sentence, paragraph, page, section, chapter, and part. There is no doubt that the National Federation of the Blind will support this legislation and that it will pass once Congress understands the transformative power of electronic Braille. At the conclusion of the morning session, chapters, affiliates, and divisions that had sold raffle tickets conducted their drawings, the NLS conducted a question-and-answer session, and the restaurants were crowded with those determined to get some lunch before the gavel dropped on the final working session of the convention. When the convention was gaveled to order at 2:00 PM, the first order of business was the presentation of the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards. James Gashel is the chairman of the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award committee, and his presentation along with the remarks made by the winners can be found later in this issue. "Living the Life She Wants: Rehabilitation Professional, Community Leader, and Mother" was the next topic on the agenda, and it was movingly presented by Amy Buresh, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska and a member of the national board of directors. What is it like to grow up as a blind child, pass through the education system, get what is offered through rehabilitation, get a job, get married, have children, participate in one's community, and be an advocate helping one's fellow blind? In one speech Amy Buresh captured it all, and hers is a presentation you will not want to miss when it appears in an upcoming issue. "How Exponential Technologies Will Impact Disabilities" was the next item to come before the convention, and the presentation began with a demonstration of the KNFB Reader-not on the iPhone, not on an Android device, but on a Surface Pro 4 running on the Windows 10 Operating System. Although the software is not yet ready for release, in its beta version it demonstrates the extraordinary speed and accuracy we have come to associate with the KNFB Reader product. [PHOTO CAPTION: Ray Kurzweil] Following Mr. Gashel's demonstration, Ray Kurzweil, the director of engineering at Google, came to the podium and announced that this was his forty-second consecutive convention and that it continues to be the highlight of his year. Without becoming embroiled in the political controversies of the day, Dr. Kurzweil says that the common perception that the world is a more dangerous place than it used to be simply is not supported by available data, but a remnant of our evolutionary survival causes us to believe that the more we hear about a thing, the more dangerous it must be. He notes that, despite all of the inequality in the world, there is also a greater emphasis on justice and civil rights and the sharing of information and knowledge on a scale unparalleled in human history. He talked about some of the changes for the better that have come about in his own life, describing the efforts of his family to work for the equal treatment of women through the establishment of a school in 1868, his own acquaintance with a civil rights movement nearly 100 years later as he was present to watch and listen to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the pleasure he has derived from knowing the great civil rights leaders for the blind he has met through his association with the Federation. He said that he was warned not to get involved with the NFB because it was something of a radical organization, but those warning him did not understand that he considered this an asset rather than a liability. He wryly observed that, while others were polite to him, wished him well, and characterized us in terms they viewed as unflattering, we were the people who came up with the money and the scientists when he needed help developing and distributing prototypes of the first Kurzweil Reading Machine. [PHOTO CAPTION: Rohit Agarwal] President Riccobono introduced the next agenda item in this way: "We've already talked quite a bit at this convention about the Amazon Corporation and our relationship with them. There's a lot I can say about our next speaker, but I want to tell you this: when we met to talk about what Amazon needed to do in New York, I said to this gentleman that the problem is we only have two choices. We can either figure out a way to work together on accessibility, or we have to slay the dragon-that's it, we've only got two choices. He agreed that we only had two choices, and we agreed on all sides that one route was preferable to the other. In our speaker this afternoon we have found someone who I believe shares our vision for the future, does believe that making equality in education is a priority, and has been authentic in negotiating for what Amazon can do now and going forward in a meaningful way that will drive success rather than keeping us chasing the dragon. So here to talk about educational leadership at Amazon is the general manager for Amazon K-12 education, Rohit Agarwal. Mr. Agarwal said that we are in the midst of a great revolution in education, one in which information presented digitally is transforming the way students learn and helping them learn concepts rather than memorizing phrases and sentences. As important as this digital transition is for everyone in raising educational outcomes, it is of tremendous importance to people who are blind. Mr. Agarwal says that the goal of Amazon is not just to create hardware and software that will allow the blind to read but to deploy systems that allow students to highlight a word, ask for a meaning, understand and interact with graphics and tables, and even share notes among their peers and teachers. He said that any product that is built for the K-12 educational sector will have accessibility built-in from day one. "It will not be an afterthought, it is not a remediation where you have to talk to us about slaying the dragon-we are not the dragon-we are a friendly face trying to do the right thing, and proof of that was that, since our agreement with the NFB, our first product that my team released was last week at the technology conference in Denver. It is called Amazon Inspire, and, though it is still in beta, from the time we made it available for anybody to use, it has had accessibility built-in in many different ways." Eve Hill has been on our convention agenda for many years, and the quality of her presentations leaves no question why. This year her topic was "Eliminating Artificial Barriers: Civil Rights and Disability at the United States Department of Justice," where she serves as deputy assistant attorney general in the civil rights division. In her presentation Eve Hill made it clear that she understands the broad array of legal challenges that face blind people and expressed how the Department of Justice is doing what it can to help address them. Ms. Hill's remarks will be reprinted in full in an upcoming issue. Jamie Principato followed Ms. Hill to the stage, and her presentation was entitled "Equal Opportunity and Discovering Talent: A Journey from Discrimination to Particle Astrophysics Research." "Educational," "motivational," and "inspirational" are all fine words, but they only scratch the surface when used to describe this presentation. It will appear elsewhere in this issue. The final presentation of the afternoon was "Leading the Nation in Systemic Accessibility: The Tennessee Commitment to Equal Access." Its presenter was Tristan Denley, vice chancellor for academic affairs, Tennessee Board of Regents. Dr. Denley's presentation was cut short due to the need to clear the meeting room at 5:00 PM, but the full text of his remarks will be reprinted later in the fall. When the banquet commenced at 7:00 PM, the master of ceremonies, Dr. Maurer, delighted in giving away a number of door prizes, introducing divisions to do likewise, and inviting to the stage sponsor-level exhibitors who had collected names at their booths and who gave significant prizes at the banquet. Scott LaBarre was introduced to talk about our progress in raising contributions to the PAC Plan, and the monthly amount pledged has risen by more than $25,000, meaning that we are leaving the convention with the new pledged amount of $507,504 annually. With our final registration being 2,368, this has certainly been a most impressive gathering. The highlight of the banquet finally having arrived, Dr. Maurer introduced President Riccobono for the annual banquet speech, which centered on discussion of what is perhaps the greatest impediment to the progress of the blind, that being fear. Most would assume that our greatest stumbling block is fear of the dark, but fear manifests in many less visible ways, and the banquet speech masterfully demonstrates how fear can be acknowledged, embraced, and owned. These remarks appear in full later in this issue. After rousing applause and ongoing chants, the banquet was next addressed by President Riccobono to present our first-ever award in the name of Ray Kurzweil. The official name of the award is the Ray Kurzweil Innovation Award. The presentation of this award and Dr. Paul Albrecht's remarks are found elsewhere in this issue. The award ceremony was followed by yet another which has great significance in the Federation, that being the presentation of scholarships to the thirty most deserving blind students in the country. A list of the scholarship finalists appears in a separate article along with the remarks made by the winner of the $12,000 Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship. Allen Harris was the chairman of the Newel Perry Award Committee. As it happens this was the last presentation made in the name of Dr. Perry, the board of directors having voted earlier in the week to rename the award in honor of Dr. Kenneth Jernigan. Allen asked that James Gashel handle the ceremony. His presentation of this award and the remarks of the recipient can be found elsewhere in this issue. The master of ceremonies next introduced Mary Ellen Jernigan to present the Kenneth Jernigan Award. The presentation made by Mrs. Jernigan and the award recipient's remarks appear later in this issue. When the master of ceremonies again took the microphone, he did so with the purpose of presenting the Dr. Jacobus tenBroek Award. As with other awards presented at the 2016 banquet, his remarks and those of the winner are found elsewhere in this issue. The last item of business to come before the banquet was the drawing of a door prize in the amount of $2,016. With one happy door prize winner and 2,000 people cheering his good fortune, President Riccobono took the silver gavel given to Dr. Maurer on his twenty-fifth anniversary as President and used that gavel to signal the end of the 2016 convention. After a week that was jam-packed with education, fellowship, and fun, members left the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel physically exhausted but mentally recharged, tired in their bones but inspired in their hearts, depleted in the soles of their feet and delighted in their eternal souls. Indeed enthusiasm, creativity, and celebration did not stop at seventy-five or seventy-six, but are evidenced in even greater measure as we meet the challenges faced in the seventy-seventh year of our commitment to one another. What we have done is worthy of celebration for the lives it has changed, but what we will do is even more important, for it is the promise we have made to those who have not yet had the kind of future they can look upon years from now and say they were able to live their lives to the fullest, dared to dream their dreams, and found a way to realize them. With our work well defined and our commitment to it as solid as the most precious diamond, we left Orlando to continue the work of delivering brighter tomorrows for our brothers and sisters who are blind. ---------- Presentations Made by the Hosting Affiliates From the Editor: Each affiliate on the hosting committee told the convention about its state and affiliate history. Here is what they said: New Hampshire Of the thirteen original colonies, New Hampshire was the first to declare its independence from Mother England-a full six months before the Declaration of Independence was signed. When these Colonials are ready to make a stand, people better take notice! In 1956 blind members of the Granite State joined a movement that was sweeping across America, the National Federation of the Blind. Franklin Van Vliet became the first state president, and in 1961 was elected to the position of treasurer of our national board of directors. Twenty years later another New Hampshire delegate, Theresa Herron, was also elected to the NFB board of directors. Theresa also received a prestigious honor from the New Hampshire State Senate for her work as president of the NFB of New Hampshire. New Hampshire is also home to many firsts! They are the first state in all of America to grow the potato! They are the first state to open a public library, and the first ever alarm clock was invented in New Hampshire. Ten Hampshirites have attended a leadership seminar, and the most famous NFBNH member also happens to be an undertaker! Don't worry, President Cassie McKinney promises never to embalm anyone unless they really need it! Last year Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire sponsored the TIME Act, and New Hampshire is proud to state that there are absolutely no discriminatory 14(c) waiver certificate exceptions in the Granite State! The state bird of New Hampshire is the purple finch, and the blind members of the NFBNH are singing a proud song and living the life they want! Utah Utah is known for its pioneer spirit. This was never more evident when in 1919 a statewide consumer advocacy organization, the Utah Association of the Blind was formed twenty-one years before the NFB. In 1949 a dynamic young blind man, Jesse Anderson, moved to Utah from Idaho and immediately became active in the Association. He soon became its president and spearheaded our becoming the forty-fourth affiliate of the NFB in 1957. Jesse, a natural leader, was elected to the Idaho state legislature in 1938 while still a university student and to the Utah legislature in 1956. In his freshman legislative year Jesse facilitated the passage of three bills directly affecting the blind of Utah including adding services to the commission for the blind, improving access to property tax exemptions for blind home owners, and funding for purchasing materials for the workshop in Ogden. He also helped block a budget cut planned for the Utah School for the Blind. He went on to serve three terms on the Utah Board of Education and as a member of the NFB board of directors. Utah became more locally focused after the NFB civil war and much less active nationally in the 1960s. Things began to change in the 70s, and at the 1975 national convention then President Milton Taylor accepted our new charter renaming our affiliate the National Federation of the Blind of Utah. In the 1980s and early 90s Utah operated a free Braille transcription service, producing more than 150,000 pages including manuals, schedules, the BAR exam, and more. Membership increased, and more members attended conventions and Washington seminars and worked with Utah's legislature resulting in 1994 with the passage of the Braille Literacy Rights and Education Act guaranteeing Braille instruction to blind K through 12 students. In 2010 Utah sponsored our first BELL program and has continued to do so through this year. We also operate project STRIVE, providing job and skills training for high school and college-bound students. Fifty-four Utahns have attended leadership seminars, and approximately twenty Utah students have won scholarships, including three top winners and several tenBroek Fellows. This year is no exception with Utahn Kassidy Wilde in the class of 2016. Utah Federationists also demonstrate their leadership outside the NFB. Former president Ron Gardner and Sachin Pavithran were appointed by two different US presidents to the United States Access Board, and Sachin served as chairman. Kristen Cox now serves as the head of the Governor's Office of Management and Budget. Arriving in Utah in 2005, Everette Bacon became active in the NFB of Utah, becoming Salt Lake chapter president after the untimely death of Nick Schmittroth. Everette was elected president of the NFB of Utah in 2012 and through his dynamic leadership continues the long tradition of positive action in Utah and the nation. He was elected to the NFB board of directors in 2015. Together with all of you Utah is helping the blind live the lives we want. Louisiana In 1803 Napoleon Bonaparte sold the Orleans territory to the United States, and in 1812 the great state of Louisiana was formed. Blind people in Louisiana were active early on, and in 1952 the Louisiana Association joined the National Federation of the Blind. A convention was held in the parish of New Orleans in 1957, and this would be the first of four national conventions held in the Pelican State. A category five hurricane swept away those crawdads from our national organization in 1958, and for many years Louisiana was separated by Old Man River. But in 1972 blind people could be heard singing the state song: "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine;" and the NFB membership were so happy to accept the NFB of Louisiana back into our family. There were many great leaders that helped develop the Louisiana territory into a powerful state affiliate. Members like Don Banning were helpful in recruiting new members. Then came along Joanne Fernandez Wilson, who blew into the state like an Iowa tornado! She brought with her the energy of an entire hurricane season and was able to bring about the Louisiana Center for the Blind [LCB] in 1985. This great training center has produced over 1,200 graduates, and LCB has become the gold standard of blindness training programs recognized around the world. Joanne Wilson went on to represent Louisiana on the national board of directors, and in 2001 she was appointed by President Bush to be the RSA Commissioner. That same year another hurricane hit, but it was not Katrina! It was Hurricane Pam Allen who became the new director of the LCB and is still to-date the president of the Mardi Gras State. In 1997 the largest convention of the National Federation of the Blind took place in New Orleans, where over 3,300 blind saints were marching down Bourbon Street and the French Quarter. Louisiana Tech University's Institute on Blindness now produces some of the most well-respected cane travel teachers and blindness professionals our country has ever known. There are longtime members like Jerry Whittle and Eric Guillory who are now helping to build on the affiliate's awesome growth which includes sixty-two Louisiana Seminarians! Pam and her husband Roland are leading the way to taking LCB and the NFB of Louisiana to even greater heights than ever before, and Pam is now the first vice president of our National Organization. So when you hear the phrase "who dat?" Well you know it is the NFB of Louisiana! Oklahoma OHHHHHHHHH Klahoma! Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain! Where the waving wheat can sure smell sweet when the wind comes right behind the rain! We know we belong to the land and the land we belong to is grand! In 1945, just five years after the National Federation of the Blind was formed, the great state of Oklahoma joined the Federation family. In 1951 the eleventh national convention was held in Oklahoma City. At that time equal pay at sheltered workshops was on the collective mind of the NFB of Oklahoma. In 1958 they passed a resolution calling for fair pay from their state sheltered shop. Sooners are known to have a stubborn streak, and during the civil war in 1960, Oklahoma left the NFB, and for many years the NFB missed those fiery Boomers! In 1974 there was a whirlwind of activity beginning to swirl, and a new affiliate was formed. Since that time the members of the National Federation of the Blind of Oklahoma have been actively living the lives they want and fighting for others to do the same. Over the years seventeen members of the Oklahoma affiliate have attended a Leadership Seminar. In the past decade or so, Oklahoma has really experienced a tornado of growth and leadership in President Jeannie Massay. In 2013 Jeannie was elected to the national board and last year was elected to serve as our national treasurer. The Boomer Sooner gang now consists of some of the most experienced and enthusiastic members in any affiliate! There are grizzled veterans like Steve Shelton and Cordelia Sanders, while Audrey and Glenda Farnum know how to bring the thunder. Then there are the newbies and those who have come home, from home-grown Okie's like Rex Schuttler and Cammie Loehr to returning Okie's, Mike and Fatos Floyd along with Oklahoma transplants like Jedi Moerke and Mike Harvey. Oklahoma is on the move! A couple of interesting little-known facts about the state of Oklahoma: the world's largest concrete totem pole is in Foyil. It is sixty- feet tall and thirty feet around at its widest point. Edward Roberts, a 1968 Oklahoma State University graduate in electrical engineering, is credited with inventing the personal computer-and he gave software giant Bill Gates his first job in the industry. And finally, "Oklahoma!" became the state song in 1953. All Federationists know how to live the lives they want, so when you hear Oklahoma Federationists say Yippee Ki-yay, you know that the NFB of Oklahoma is OK! ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: President Mark Riccobono] Presidential Report 2016 An Address Delivered by Mark Riccobono National Federation of the Blind Orlando, Florida July 3, 2016 During the past year, our movement has made progress at an ever- increasing pace and has forged connections with growing strength. On July 8, 2015, 2,480 individual members of the National Federation of the Blind from each of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, with diverse backgrounds and varied talents, joined together to share a mosaic with the world. This mosaic, formed by thousands of umbrellas raised in unison, represented our collective intention to live the lives we want and to transform our dreams into reality. On that morning we not only set a new Guinness Book World Record and demonstrated that we are "officially amazing," we once again confirmed in our hearts our commitment to secure first-class status and our unwavering determination to achieve equality in society. From the individual stories of many, we create a hopeful mosaic that expresses action, imagination, power, influence, diversity, and determination-we are the National Federation of the Blind. One story of determination is that of Yasmin Reyazuddin, a member of the Federation from Maryland. Yasmin is a talented and articulate woman who uses screen access software to manage information on the computer. In May 2008, she was working as an information and referral specialist in a call center for Montgomery County's Department of Health and Human Services. When she learned that her work would be consolidated into a new Montgomery County 3-1-1 call center, she inquired about the accessibility of the software for the new location and offered to assist in testing for accessibility barriers. She was told repeatedly and confidently that county officials would work it out. Yasmin continued to perform her job and carefully escalated her concern to more people, but the answer was always the same, "we will work it out." Yasmin steadily received less work and was increasingly isolated from other employees-including a ten-day period in December when she was required to report to an office with no other employees and no heat. The new call center software was not accessible, and Yasmin was left with nothing to do despite continuing to be paid by the county. Yasmin wanted to work, she wanted to earn her pay, she wanted to add value to the county's services, but all she was permitted to do was wait. The county never did work it out. Eventually they told her that providing accessibility would be an undue hardship to the county's $3.73 billion budget, but Yasmin knew where to turn to work it out-the National Federation of the Blind. We first filed suit in 2011 for Montgomery County's violation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Over the past five years there have been many ups and downs, and Yasmin could have walked away, found a different job, or settled for a second-class solution, but Yasmin is a Federationist. Last year I reported that the court of appeals reversed an earlier decision and ordered a new trial that was scheduled for February of this year. The resulting jury trial was a hard-fought, three-week battle that was followed by four days of jury deliberation. I am pleased to report that on February 26, 2016, the unequivocal decision of the jury was that Ms. Reyazuddin's employer had failed to provide her with a reasonable accommodation, as required by law, and discriminated against her by not transferring her to the new telephone call center because it failed to make workplace technology accessible. This ruling is a significant victory for Yasmin and for all blind employees who experience discrimination from employers who believe their workplace technologies need not be accessible to blind people. We are now supporting Yasmin in seeking an order that Montgomery County update its call center software for accessibility and transfer her to that location. Although the road may be long and filled with setbacks, the National Federation of the Blind will not stop until the artificial barriers are eliminated and every blind person has equality of opportunity in the workplace. A number of years ago the general rehabilitation agency for the state of New Jersey implemented an inaccessible case management system and used a statewide time and attendance system that was similarly unusable by the blind. It did not matter how effective blind counselors were or how often they were at work-they could not log their notes or account for their time in the established systems. The very agency responsible for managing plans to get people with disabilities into successful employment was preventing people with disabilities from being successfully employed. The National Federation of the Blind believes in the full capacity of blind people, and we do not take lightly the unequal treatment of the blind, especially by agencies claiming expertise in employing the disabled. We entered into negotiations with the agency, and we can now report that this matter has been settled. The State of New Jersey has made its time and attendance system accessible and will maintain accessibility going forward. Similarly, the agency has replaced its inaccessible case management system with one that all employees can effectively use. For this lesson in equal treatment, the State of New Jersey has paid $285,000 in damages to the individual clients and in fees to the National Federation of the Blind. Often the barriers arise before we even get to the workplace. Eric Patterson began applying for customer service positions through an employment agency. One of the requirements he encountered was a series of computer-based job assessment tests. The assessments were developed by Kenexa, a subsidiary of IBM, and they were inaccessible to a blind person. With the support of the National Federation of the Blind, Eric successfully engaged the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which got Kenexa to successfully make all of their tests accessible. While the EEOC is continuing to work to resolve issues with the employment agency, this case represents an important step forward in protecting the blind from being shut out at the application phase. Each of us, regardless of our work, needs access to quality healthcare and deserves the protections of privacy for our health information. The increasing negative impact of inaccessible electronic health records and health-related kiosks is a growing concern for blind employees and blind patients. Manny Morse is a dispatcher for the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Massachusetts. When his employer purchased and installed inaccessible software, he found himself unable to perform his job. The National Federation of the Blind has come to his aid, and we have filed suit against the employer. Recognizing that the broader problem is the lack of care taken by technology companies that sell these systems, we have also sued the creator of the software, Epic Systems, for aiding and abetting the employer's violations by developing and marketing an inaccessible product. Similarly, last summer we learned that the Department of Defense (DOD) Healthcare Management Systems had issued a contract for the design and implementation of an electronic health records program for both the DOD and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that will be used by employees and patients and that should, according to the law, be accessible. The contract was awarded to Cerner-the primary competitor to Epic Systems and a company that has already installed dozens of inaccessible systems that have adversely impacted blind people across the country. We have proactively reached out to both Cerner and the Department of Defense to raise our concerns and offer our expertise. To date, the response-when we have received one-has been cordial but without commitment. Despite their deepest hope, we are not going away. More broadly, we are investigating and testing healthcare kiosks placed in hospitals and urgent care facilities. We are currently negotiating with one of the kiosk manufacturers, and our plan is to visit others very soon. It is not permissible to shut out blind employees in the healthcare industry, nor is it permissible to shut out the patients. If the government and other health providers continue to ignore their responsibility, and if our prescription for equality continues to be unfilled, we have no choice but to offer a visit from the doctors of jurisprudence to cure the disease of inaccessibility. Our nationwide network of advocates has been hard at work moving our policy agenda. The commitment and determination of the National Federation of the Blind was never as strongly in evidence as it was during the 2016 Washington Seminar when even a record-setting snowstorm would not stop Federationists from taking extraordinary steps to meet the call to action. The snow was a suitable symbol for the difficult and long-fought battle we have been engaged in to secure equal protections for the blind under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Through our commitment, the barriers to equality are melting faster than any time in our seventy-six year history. Since the 1930s, federal law has permitted employers to pay workers with disabilities less than the minimum wage guaranteed to others, but only if the lower wage is necessary to ensure employment opportunities. The law contains a little- known provision allowing workers with disabilities to petition the United States Department of Labor for an administrative review of their wages in an expedited process. After working for an average of $2.50 an hour for more than three years, three employees with disabilities-Joe Magers, who is blind; Pam Steward; and Mark Felton-sought fair pay from Seneca Re-Ads, a sheltered workshop run by the County Board of Developmental Disabilities in Seneca County, Ohio. It took tremendous courage for these individuals to be the pioneers who stepped forward to use the petition process to challenge their unequal wages, and the National Federation of the Blind stood with them in the fight. The lead representative for the complainants was the director of legal policy and Immediate Past President of the National Federation of the Blind, Marc Maurer. In January of this year, after a week- long trial, an administrative law judge issued a precedent-setting decision awarding the workers minimum wage going forward and back pay from their prior work. This decision is one more signal to employers that the unequal pay system for the disabled is out of date. Although the matter has been appealed we are confident we will win this fight and we will teach others how to leverage the petition process. Let there be no doubt that we will put an end to discriminatory wages paid to workers with disabilities. Our progress in wage equality can also be observed in legislative bodies at the federal and state level. We have doubled the number of cosponsors in the United States House of Representatives who are supporting H.R. 188-the Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment (TIME) Act-which sets a timetable for ending the wage exemption under the law. In August 2015, Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire-whose state was the first in the nation to completely outlaw the wage exemption at the state level-introduced a version of the TIME Act in the United States Senate (S. 2001). And on May 19, after successful work and partnership building by Federation members, Maryland's governor Larry Hogan signed a bill that starts the clock on phasing out the unfair wage exemption in Maryland by the year 2020. Another focus for raising expectations in employment has been the federal procurement contract program branded as AbilityOne. Under the program two central nonprofit agencies are responsible for coordinating contracts: National Industries for the Blind (NIB) for agencies that employ blind people and SourceAmerica for agencies serving those with other disabilities. In October, with growing concern about the abuse of AbilityOne contracts by SourceAmerica, the National Federation of the Blind led the disability community in developing a platform of seven principles for reform of the AbilityOne program. Implementation of the reform principles would strengthen accountability, raise the expectations for people with disabilities, and further promote integrated and competitive employment opportunities. As a result of our collaborative reform agenda, SourceAmerica finally agreed to engage in dialogue with us after more than a year of avoidance. Although a number of honest conversations took place, we could not secure agreement from SourceAmerica on any of our seven principles, including elimination of the special wage system for people with disabilities. In contrast, National Industries for the Blind demonstrates increasing sincerity in addressing our concerns and seeking collaborative opportunities. NIB has eagerly endorsed introduction of the TIME Act in the United States Senate, and their organizational commitments over the past few years leave them with only two small NIB-associated agencies that still utilize the special wage exemption under the law. NIB is here at this convention, we will hear from them later in the program, and we will continue to work closely with them to raise expectations and find new employment opportunities for the blind. Anil Lewis, executive director of the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, serves as a presidential appointee to the AbilityOne Commission representing the general public. With his leadership and the foundation first laid by Jim Omvig, the AbilityOne commission issued, for the first time ever, a statement declaring the goal of the program to be that all people with disabilities receive the prevailing wage for the work they perform. Members of the National Federation of the Blind continue to seek policy opportunities, at all levels, to bring the disabled into the protected class of workers who are guaranteed fair wages, and we will not stop until we have equality in employment. A central component of participation in our society is the right to vote, and we continue to provide leadership in all aspects of the voting process. Through our advocacy work we provide information to the blind regarding voter registration and expectations for casting a ballot privately and independently. We also work closely with election officials, researchers, and developers of voting systems. When we must, we engage directly in combating discrimination against blind voters. Last year I reported that we had secured a ruling from the federal court in Baltimore requiring the State of Maryland to provide an accessible ballot-marking tool for absentee voting. The state appealed that ruling, but the appellate court soundly rebuffed their claim in favor of equal access. Our victory in Maryland stands, the Federation will receive nearly a quarter of a million dollars in compensation for attorneys' fees, and we now proceed to other states. We are currently fighting for justice in Ohio where some of the state's voting services are not accessible, in violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. And just last month we sued the New York State Board of Elections, whose website has many inaccessible forms, with the hope that we can resolve the barriers prior to the November election. We will have equal access to voting, and we will be recognized as an important constituency by the elected leaders of our nation. In 2010 the president of the United States called the release of web access regulations under Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, "the most important updates to the ADA since its original enactment." Nearly six years later-a couple of generations in terms of technology development-the most important update is left undone and has been deferred for reconsideration to sometime approximately, possibly in 2018 or thereabouts. While the government bureaucrats sit on their keyboards, the blind of America continue to find a path forward. We have held a number of information briefings to demystify accessibility among key officials in the administration, distributed our views in publications such as the Huffington Post, hosted training for web developers, and gathered support from a broad range of allies. Businesses, even more than the blind, need the regulations in order to clarify how they satisfactorily meet their accessibility obligations under the law. We have asked many of the major technology companies to join with us in urging the government to release the needed regulations. To date, all but one has turned us down-although the one is significant. Earlier this year, a letter co-authored by the President of the National Federation of the Blind and the president of Microsoft Corporation was sent to the White House urging the president of the United States to act swiftly on internet regulations for the Americans with Disabilities Act. Subsequent to that letter, Microsoft invited me to give a presentation on accessibility at Microsoft's Envision Conference-the premier gathering for chief information officers and other business executives responsible for large-scale implementation of technology. As we continue to build our team of supporters for the regulations, Microsoft should be recognized for its leadership in firmly standing with the blind of this nation on this issue. While the marketplace awaits clarity on accessibility from the government, we continue to forge the legal framework in the courts. After a preliminary court victory, we resolved our precedent-setting litigation against Scribd, Inc.-an online subscription reading service. The settlement agreement requires the company to make its subscription content available and its website accessible to blind users by the end of 2017. We look forward to Scribd's more than sixty million works being available for all readers; and, without the regulations, we have no choice but to continue to pursue those who bar us from access to the benefits and services available on the internet. Equal access for the blind also extends to transportation. A frequent barrier is the refusal of drivers to take passengers who use dog guides. I most recently experienced this myself when my wife Melissa (who uses a dog guide), our three children, and I were denied a ride by an Uber driver just outside the gates of the White House. In April, the National Federation of the Blind, our California affiliate, and a number of individual dog guide users offered the court a first-of-its-kind class action agreement with Uber that requires Uber to take affirmative steps to prevent discrimination against blind riders in its transportation network across the United States. Under the agreement, pending approval from the court later this fall, Uber will require drivers to confirm their legal obligation to transport riders with dog guides or other service animals, will implement stricter enforcement policies and terminate drivers for discriminatory actions, will enhance its response system for complaints, and will track detailed data on all allegations of discrimination against the blind. Over the next few years, the National Federation of the Blind will deploy testers to evaluate Uber's compliance with the settlement. We will continue to work toward equal access with other transportation services and their technologies, including Lyft, Greyhound, and the major airlines, and we will hold all transportation services accountable for discriminatory actions against the blind in any aspect of their services. Our action to protect the bonds of love between blind parents and their children is one of our most important initiatives. Our work in the state of New York, where a trial has recently begun, is a good example. For over two years, a blind father of very young children has been unfairly restricted by a court order that requires him to have a sighted person present whenever he is with his children. Although the court has now lifted the order for nighttime hours, we are fighting for this father to have fair custody and visitation rights without the discriminatory requirement of sighted supervision. In this case, we are providing legal expertise, skilled blind parents as witnesses, and members of our organization who attend court hearings in order to support the parent and to acknowledge that discrimination on the basis of blindness impacts all blind parents. Other efforts this year in California, Connecticut, Maryland, Nevada, New York, and Washington have been instrumental in protecting the rights of blind parents who have faced hostile and discriminatory presumptions about their ability to parent due to their blindness. We have drafted model legislation for desperately needed changes in state laws to prevent systemic discrimination in both public welfare proceedings and family law custody disputes. In Maryland we recently secured many of these legal protections, and a number of other states have had legislation introduced. After learning about our efforts on behalf of blind parents, a group of parental rights advocates came to meet with leaders of the Federation and, as a result, they have changed their proposed amendment to the United States Constitution intended to strengthen the rights of all parents to unambiguously state, "The parental rights guaranteed by this article shall not be denied or abridged on account of disability." We recognize that the most powerful change comes from within us as blind people. This is why we have significantly increased our investment in building our resource network to empower blind people planning to become parents and to connect them with our Federation family before they face discrimination. We have launched blindparents.org as our central home for resources; we have laid the plans for new educational programs; we have begun building a network of blind parent mentors; and, as a result, we have been found by an increasing number of blind people seeking parenting resources. We will continue to fight until we eliminate the discriminatory assumptions that others make about our capacity to serve as caretakers for our loved ones, and we will continue to build resources with the hope that through our litigation, legislative, and educational efforts we can find blind people and empower them with the understanding and support that protects us as members of the National Federation of the Blind. Custody is not the only issue faced by blind parents. Noel Nightingale is an attorney, the mother of three children, and a member of the National Federation of the Blind. She became increasingly frustrated with the number of inaccessible online resources that she was expected to interact with to track the progress of her children in the school district, including helping them with their homework online. We filed suit on her behalf against the Seattle Public School District, and last fall we secured a wide-ranging consent decree that should serve as a national model for equal access for blind parents and students in districts across the country. For more than a decade, we have had a strained relationship with Amazon regarding the accessibility of its products and services. When the New York City Board of Education announced plans to have Amazon create a virtual bookstore for its schools, we knew we had to act. The lack of alt tags in Kindle books, adequate navigation, Braille support, access to footnotes and tables, and other barriers would leave the one thousand blind students and any blind educators in the district at a disadvantage. After successfully and indefinitely delaying the vote to ratify the contract, we met with Amazon and agreed that together we could accomplish something truly innovative. We have been clear and firm that we will not settle for second-best for blind children or blind educators anywhere in this country. Amazon has been clear and firm that they share our point of view, and although they will not get there tomorrow they intend to exceed our expectations. We told Amazon that we intend to hold them accountable, and they responded that they would expect nothing less from the National Federation of the Blind. We now have an agreement with Amazon that provides the roadmap for accessibility improvements in Amazon's educational products and services and sets an expectation for equality in the future. We will hear from Amazon later in this convention, and we have great hope for the accessible educational tools we will engineer together through this new partnership. Raising the expectations for blind students in this nation's education system is one of the more frustrating and complex problems we face. Whether the barrier is systemic or one faced by a single blind student, the remedies are extremely limited, and every day that a child waits for her education is a real loss. Take, for example, our work in the state of Virginia where we are in negotiations with the Chesterfield County Public Schools regarding the inaccessibility of its online delivery system, where students access most if not all of their daily curriculum. The barriers are so bad that at least one of the district's blind students is now being homeschooled. Dozens of other complex individual cases of young blind students receiving unfair treatment, inaccessible materials, and artificial limits on their opportunities require thousands of hours of advocacy from Federation members across the country. Despite the challenges and the resources required, we will continue to find ways to make educational equality for the blind the rule rather than the exception. We also continue to seek systemic change in institutions of higher education. Whether the technology that the university is using and continues to purchase is inaccessible or the procedures for securing accessible materials are completely inadequate, the result is the same-a frustrating and unequal education. We have recently met with university officials at Harvard, Southern Oregon University, and Wichita State where we believe progress will be made. In other cases, we continue to fight for equality through the courts. In order to build our own capacity, in January we launched version 1.0 of our online Self-Advocacy in Higher Ed Toolkit available at nfb.org. This resource, developed with the help of our national students division, provides blind students with an overview of their legal rights and tips on how to self-advocate for accessibility. In order to accelerate institutional change, we have just launched an online higher education resource guide to help university leaders understand the steps institutions should take to ensure accessibility for blind students and faculty, and to demystify accessibility. The National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute-the national headquarters for our organization-occupies one square city block in Baltimore, Maryland. During the past year we have hosted 3,805 individuals at our building for individual tours, strategy meetings, affiliate-building gatherings, training seminars, and conferences. In addition to participation from each of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, we hosted visitors from at least seventeen foreign nations. Among the significant gatherings we have hosted this year are meetings of disability advocates, technology business leaders, international digital publishing experts, regional employment and transportation specialists, web accessibility consultants, and the International Council on English Braille. We continue to make improvements to the physical facilities and the technology assets that support our organizational objectives. We have installed a new three-ton chiller on the roof of our building to replace outdated equipment and gain greater energy efficiency. We have installed nine emergency evacuation chairs to improve safety for our visitors that might have difficulty using stairs in an emergency. We have improved aesthetics and energy efficiency by upgrading to LED lighting in key parts of the building. We selected and implemented use of the web-based Paycom platform for fully accessible management of employee data and payroll processing. And we launched the new Connections database for clearer tracking of the impact of our work on the blind and for more effective facilitation of communications among Federationists. Through our national education, technology, and research programs we are changing lives faster than any time before. We give blind children a jump-start on literacy through our Braille Reading Pals Club which reaches nearly five hundred families annually. Through our investment in projects like the Transforming Braille Group, we are making it practical for refreshable Braille devices to be more widely available at an affordable price. With the National Federation of the Blind Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) Academy, we are completely changing the expectations for the education of blind children. With support from the Wells Fargo Foundation, we have expanded the NFB BELL Academy lesson plans offered to teachers, including more math- and science-related content; we are aligning the curriculum to nationally recognized standards; and our reach will grow to forty-seven locations this summer. We have developed a curriculum that is worthy of the high-quality instruction blind students deserve to receive, and we make it available to them in the summer. We will now seek new ways to give them this quality of instruction every day of the year. Our National Center for Blind Youth in Science initiative continues to open doors to science, technology, engineering, art, and math in ways that are unparalleled. During the past year we have initiated a new hands- on, inquiry-based, engineering design program known as NFB EQ. This program challenges blind students to design a water craft and successfully float it on a river while performing a series of tasks. We know that vision is not a requirement for success, but the blind students who come to our programs have rarely been taught the techniques that blind people need to use to perform math, draw designs using tactile drawing tools, or independently measure and cut materials. We have hosted two engineering programs with a third planned for later this summer. In addition, we have now completed work with six museums around the country through our grant from the National Science Foundation. We will take what we have learned from combining our expertise in blindness together with the expertise in science education from Baltimore, Columbus, Boston, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Minneapolis, and we will now engineer new programs to further expand the opportunities for the blind to excel in science- and math-related subjects and careers. We have focused our technology expertise in our Center for Excellence in Nonvisual Access to Education, Public Information, and Commerce. With partial support from the State of Maryland through the Maryland Department of Disabilities, our Web Accessibility Training Day, accessibility evaluation training for blind testers, and a series of intense accessibility training seminars, have contributed significantly to the growing community of individuals seeking to make accessibility a built-in feature in all digital products and services. We have begun development of an Accessibility Switchboard-an interactive online accessibility information resource for consumers and a compliance information portal for organizations. Through our switchboard we will increase the communication channels between blind consumers and web developers, increase the sharing of best practices, and develop new tools to further our mission of built-in accessibility. We put blind people at the center of innovating new tools to access information and to solve the real problems of blindness. We held the first meetings for the National Federation of the Blind Indoor Navigation Challenge-a research initiative to foster the development of systems that the blind can use to obtain access to information about indoor environments. We continue to expand our NFB NEWSLINE system, which is available at no charge in forty-seven of our state affiliates and serves more than one hundred thousand subscribers with 343 domestic newspapers, 20 breaking news sources, 16 international newspapers, 51 magazines, shopping ads, television listings, and hundreds of thousands of job listings through USA JOBS and CareerBuilder.com. More significantly, later this year we will exponentially increase the amount of content available to the blind when we launch our new book portal that will provide blind people with free web- based access to the more than fourteen and a half million digital works available in the HathiTrust Digital Library. We cannot discuss access to information without mentioning our work on the KNFB Reader-the fastest, most accurate, capture-and-read application on the market. Developed by blind people for blind people, the KNFB Reader continues to improve. In October the KNFB Reader for Android was released, and we began working on development of a Windows version of the app that will be available on devices running Windows 10, including tablets, phones, and desktops. The user community for KNFB Reader continues to grow, and we continue to rely on blind users as the designers for future enhancements of the technology. KNFB Reader is ours, it belongs to the National Federation of the Blind, and we need to dream of what more we want it to do and develop the partnerships and resources to make those dreams come true. As you know, we have been urging Google to make accessibility a priority. Google has been making steady progress in improving accessibility on the Android platform and they want to distinguish Android from other mobile platforms used by blind people. It is fitting that Independence Day is tomorrow, as Google and the National Federation of the Blind will be boosting independence through increased distribution of the KNFB Reader beginning tomorrow. I am proud to announce that through a development agreement between Google and the National Federation of the Blind, we will be offering a limited number of fully licensed downloads of KNFB Reader for Android in the Google Play Store at the unheard-of cost to users of $19.99. In all that we do, we seek to connect with blind individuals and to bring their unique stories to the family that is the National Federation of the Blind. Through training for affiliate and local leaders, development of new membership outreach tools, and new communication channels like our Nation's Blind podcast, we are strengthening the connections between us and growing our ability to help more individuals fit into the network of the Federation. Our growing outreach is a sign of the health and strength of our movement. One example is our work to develop a Spanish version of our monthly message shared at every chapter meeting in the nation-our Presidential Release. Although the message comes from me as your President, we could not make it available without the support of many dedicated Federationists who work to help make sure the message is accurate when provided in Spanish. Thank you to the Federationists who help expand our reach every day, and to those who are new and have not yet found their place in our movement, we say, "?Bienvenidos! Estamos contentos que est?n aqu?, esta tambi?n es su familia, y juntos podemos vivir la vida que deseamos." "Welcome, we are glad you are here. This is your family, and together we can live the life we want." There are more stories to tell about the struggles we have faced, the barriers we have knocked down, and the achievements we have made during the past year. The lives that have been changed from our work together are represented in this report and in this room today by each of us. Although from day to day it might be difficult to recognize the progress we are making, an examination of the scope, depth, and complexity of the activities of our movement reveals that we are better today than we were a year ago, and that has been our pattern since 1940. Although we face discrimination that gives us real pain, it is not the misconceptions of others that define who we are. Although we must confront obstacles between blind people and our dreams, those artificial barriers do not define the limits of our future. We bond together in the National Federation of the Blind to define for ourselves the height of our dreams and to strengthen our hope for the future. I first came to this convention twenty years ago, and the experience changed my life. I have come back every year because the experience continues to improve my life. My story, like yours, is to be counted in the mosaic that is our Federation. From a distance the stories cannot be differentiated from the overall impression that the mosaic reflects. Our mosaic reflects love, hope, and determination. It has been my deepest honor to serve as your President. It has challenged me in ways I had not expected, and I have given fully to meet those challenges. It has blessed me in ways that I had not expected, and I have tried to pay those blessings forward to others. It has energized me in ways that I had not expected, and I will continue to use that strength to make our mosaic shine brighter every day of my life. Your commitment has challenged me to live up to the powerful message and high expectations of our mosaic. Just as you have challenged me, I reflect that challenge to you. Our mosaic cannot be the symbol of one; it must be the reflection of the strength of many that we share in this grand movement. To live up to the reflection of our mosaic, I will never expect from you what I do not demand of myself. Your heart, imagination, and energy must also be reflected in our work. The stakes are too high and the future too promising to let it be any other way. That is the love you have shared with me, and that is the equal commitment I pledge to you. As I come to the close of my report for 2016, I acknowledge our bond of faith and call us to action- together with love, hope, and determination, let us transform our dreams into reality. --------- Awards Presented at the 2016 Convention From the Editor: Recognizing the work that is accomplished on behalf of blind people is a critical part of the mission of the National Federation of the Blind. For this reason we present a number of awards; some are presented annually; others are presented only as often as the Federation determines that a deserving candidate merits their presentation. This year awards were presented to recognize the Distinguished Educator of Blind Students, the Blind Educator of the Year, the Ray Kurzweil Innovation Award, the Newel Perry Award, the Kenneth Jernigan Award, and the Jacobus tenBroek Award. Here are the presentations as witnessed at the 2016 Convention: [PHOTO CAPTION: Janet Bernhardt addresses the crowd.] Distinguished Educator of Blind Students Presented by Carla McQuillan In our efforts to ensure the success of our blind children through their lives with Braille literacy and the skills of independence, the National Federation of the Blind recognizes teachers who are leaders in the field of education of blind students. This award recognizes and honors the best of the best. I'd like first to thank the members of the committee. We had Laura Bostick, Michelle Chacon, Dan Wenzel, and Mary Willows. It was a very difficult decision, we had many highly qualified applicants, but one stood out above the rest. This year's Distinguished Educator of Blind Students has spent thirty-nine years in the field of education of the blind. She received her certificate of teachers of blind students from Florida State University, her bachelor of science from Louisiana State University, and a degree in low vision therapy from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. She began her career in 1977 working with preschool students who are blind. Throughout her thirty-nine years she has worked with children from birth through high school in many different settings: in home settings as an itinerate, in the classroom, and now she serves as an educational consultant for the Louisiana Center for the Blind. Pam Allen says that she is passionate about Braille literacy; Eric Guillory, who as a child was a student of this distinguished educator, remembers that she said that her students needed skills, not sympathy. He also says that she is a full-blown parrothead Jimmy Buffet fan. And, while this was not one of the criterion for our decision, it doesn't get much better than a cheeseburger in paradise. To put it in her own words, [in a Southern accent] "I can stand my ground with those professionals who say that this student doesn't need Braille because he is keepin' up just beautifully with his sighted peers. Well, as you might guess, of course he is in kindergarten. I've had to battle with administrators, teachers, and even parents, but I always advocate for the children." I have with me a check, and it reads $1,000. I also have with me a plaque that reads: NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND HONORS JANET BERNHARDT DISTINGUISHED EDUCATOR OF BLIND STUDENTS FOR YOUR SKILLS IN TEACHING BRAILLE AND OTHER ALTERNATIVE TECHNIQUES OF BLINDNESS, FOR GRACIOUSLY DEVOTING EXTRA TIME TO MEET THE NEEDS OF YOUR STUDENTS, AND FOR EMPOWERING YOUR STUDENTS TO PERFORM BEYOND THEIR EXPECTATIONS. YOU CHAMPION OUR MOVEMENT. YOU STRENGTHEN OUR HOPES. YOU SHARE OUR DREAMS. JULY 2, 2016 Janet Bernhardt: Thank you so much, board of directors, President Riccobono, the awards committee, and especially the people who nominated me: Pam Allen, the director of the greatest center for the blind in the world, the Louisiana Center for the Blind; and Eric Guillory, my dear friend, colleague, and yes, former student-sorry if I embarrass you. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. This is the most prestigious award in the world that any teacher of blind students could receive, and I want you to know that it means the world to me. It means that after working most of my life now and helping children, it has made a difference. I believe that's what all of us want is to make a difference. When I started teaching, I never intended to work this long. I was waiting to get married, have babies, and be a stay-at-home mom. And yes I knew about Gloria and her bra-burning friends, and I liked her very much, but I wanted to be a mom, and I wanted to stay at home and raise children. But God always knows exactly what I need and when I need it. I became a teacher before I became a mom, and something wonderful happened. I went in that classroom, and I fell in love with my students. I fell in love with your children. I considered them my kids, and I was an old mama hen back in my twenties, and you better not ruffle my feathers too much, because I was willing to fight for them. So if a teacher told me, "Oh, I'm so sorry, I've never taught blind children. He can't come into my class; I teach science." I would just, in my very nice way, would say, "That's okay. You don't have to know about teaching blind children; that's my job. Your job is to teach science." [applause] Now I was very fortunate because I worked for directors of special ed who believed I knew what I was doing. They thought I was the expert-dear God I was a brand-new teacher; I didn't have a clue what I was doing. Now I knew the Braille code; I knew it backwards and forwards. I passed the Braille transcribers course-that was my final exam at Florida State. But not once did anyone tell me how to teach a child how to read Braille. So what I did my first day in teaching first grade-I went to the lady next door who happened to teach first grade, and I said, "What are you teaching your kids this week?" And she shared her lesson plans with me. She and I became great friends. All through that year all I wanted for my students-I just thought it was real simple-he's in first grade, he needs to learn what the first grade kids are learning. I kept my kids until they knew how to read, and they knew how to compete academically before I threw them in the classroom. Yes-I mainstreamed back in those days; we call it inclusion now. But I sent them in for things they could succeed in. I would send them in for spelling first, and then in second grade I sent them in to reading because they were reading on second-grade level, and then I sent them in to math in third grade because they could complete all of the math assignments given Braille textbooks. That's kind of how I did it; I loved it, and it worked. I was also allowed to do things that I thought were important: today we teach to the test, and I'm so sick of teaching kids what they are supposed to pass on the test [applause]. I guess if I would have had a better vocabulary or if I'd have been better at explaining things to children, they probably wouldn't have had as many good experiences as they had. Because I couldn't explain what skis were and or how you went downhill on a snow-covered mountain in skis. The more I tried to explain, the more they got confused, and I said, "Okay, field trip." We went to Lafayette, Louisiana, where they had a simulated mountain, and they learned how to snow ski. And one day the instructor said, "Oh my God, they're naturals. I'm so sorry that they'll never get to go skiing." I said, "Well, they probably won't." And then I thought, well why not? Why don't we raise the money and go snow skiing? [applause] I did not want my children growing up thinking that "I'm blind and I don't have to work; I'm going to get a check." That is not my philosophy, and it's not your philosophy, NFB. So we sold Braille jewelry, we had garage sales, we sold pickles-you'd be amazed at how much an elementary school kid will pay for a pickle! We raised the money, and we went snow skiing. I also did things like hatched chicks in an incubator so they could feel that egg and feel that little chick peck out of the shell, and they could hold it in their hand. One day I did the entire life cycle of a chicken in one day: we hatched it, we raised it, we loved it, we killed it [laughter]. We didn't mean to kill it, but one of my little kindergarten students who loved them so much wrapped them very tightly before we went to lunch in a towel, so when we got in the room and we did not hear those little cheeps after we got back in, we were like, "Uh-Oh." I try to teach that all life is valuable, so you can't really flush a chick like you can a goldfish, so what do you do? I went and found a janitor and borrowed a shovel, and we buried the chick. Those are things that teachers don't have time to do today because they're too busy trying to save their jobs by making sure that their students can pass the test. I tested all the time. I tested because I wanted to know what I needed to teach. Is there something they don't know that they should know? Let me find out. This has been a long five minutes, I'm sure, for me if not for you. This award not only belongs to me; this award belongs to each and every one of you, my NFB family. Because if I'm an outstanding educator, it is because you taught me. You taught me how to teach. When I started teaching I didn't have a clue. I called Joanne Wilson, I called Don Banning, I called Warren Figaro, and today I call Pam Allen and Eric Guillory. You know, you never stop learning, or at least I hope I never stop learning. They teach me today, but you have taught me how to be a teacher, and I humbly share this award with you. Thank you, thank you. [PHOTO CAPTION: Kathy Nimmer poses next to Edward Bell holding her plaque.] Blind Educator of the Year Presented by Edward Bell Thank you, Mr. President and members of the board. It is an honor and a privilege to be here. The Blind Educator Award was designed to recognize individuals who have made strides in the teaching profession. I want to thank the committee for helping us to select this individual this year. As noted, last year we did not select someone for the award. We only select someone for this award when there is a person who is deserving of the award, and I believe that there definitely is this year. The profession of teaching goes back decades, and it is a very noble profession. But, like so many professions, it is one that the blind have often been shut out of. Because of low expectations and discrimination, the doors of opportunity have often been closed. And yet a number of individuals have been able to fight through the system and to become teachers across this country and have taught in the public classroom- sighted children-safely, effectively, and efficiently. Among those individuals some have excelled and achieved beyond just teaching the class. Like our recipient this year, they've gone on to work with other teachers to help train them, to help and educate not only the children but others in the community. This individual works to train teachers around the state, doing workshops and in-services. She has a blog, makes other presentations, and has even written a book. Perhaps, most notably, however, she is the 2015 Teacher of the Year in the great state of Indiana [cheers]. Now I didn't say the blind teacher of the year; I said the Teacher of the Year, because her work has put her head and shoulders above all of the teachers in the entire state of Indiana, all of the sighted teachers included. Which goes to show not only what we as blind people have achieved and can achieve, but what we are doing given the hope and opportunity that have been given to us. So please help and give a warm congratulations to Ms. Kathy Nimmer from Indiana. Along with the award comes a plaque, and I'm going to ask my lovely assistant, Ms. Beth Braun, to read the text of that plaque for me: BLIND EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND PRESENTED TO KATHY NIMMER IN RECOGNITION OF OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE TEACHING PROFESSION. YOU ENHANCE THE PRESENT YOU INSPIRE YOUR COLLEAGUES YOU BUILD THE FUTURE JULY 2, 2016 In addition to the plaque that you will receive, you will also be getting a check in the amount of $1,000. Perhaps more importantly than that, by receiving this award you also receive the esteem and respect of the members of the National Federation of the Blind, for the work that you do helps children and others to live the lives they want, and that is our goal and our mission. Thank you for all you do, and thank you for being the 2016 Blind Educator of the National Federation of the Blind. Kathy Nimmer: It is such a privilege to be here with you and to receive this award. I remember when I first decided I wanted to be a teacher; it was when I first received the diagnosis that my vision would be deteriorating. Before that point I had no idea that visual impairment would be part of my world. But the minute that came into my life, teachers came into my life in a very intense and personal way. As I grew up and lost vision, I worked one-on-one with such amazing teachers in public school and then at the Indiana School for the Blind who gave me my desire to be a teacher, who would have that kind of impact. By the time I was hired as an English teacher at a public high school in West Lafayette, Indiana, I was totally blind. I had an idea of what kind of teacher I wanted to be, and yet, not a clear path of how to be that teacher. I was so conscious at the beginning that my blindness would be such a big factor in the classroom that I tried to minimize it by lecturing instead of talking to the kids because I didn't want to mistakenly call somebody by the wrong name. I didn't want to move around the room and bump into something, so I stayed behind the podium. I did all of these things to try to minimize my disability, and instead I was magnifying it. My classroom was chaotic and out of control, culminating in a student throwing a bookbag that shattered the classroom window. When that happened, I wanted to quit, and I knew that my private humiliation and failure was now public. But I knew, too, that I could be the kind of teacher that had touched my life, and I wanted to do that for all of these sighted students. So I threw away all of the fears about my blindness being an issue in the room, and I just became myself and laughed and joked and desensitized the students to being conscious of my blindness because I was just being a teacher, not being somebody who was afraid of having a disability in front of them, and success happened. When I was named Indiana Teacher of the Year, I was away from my classroom for a year, traveling the state and nation and speaking to groups all around, of all sorts. Every time I spoke at a public school, I met the blind and visually impaired students who attended those schools. In reconnecting with little children just beginning their lives with blindness and visual impairment, I was brought right back to my initial diagnosis and the teachers who touched my life. It is such a privilege to be a teacher. It is such a privilege to succeed at the thing that I love. And it is such a privilege to help young people find that thing that they love, whether they are sighted or whether they are blind, and pour themselves into that passion so that they can find success. Thank you so much for promoting that constantly in your organization and for this award. Thank you. Ray Kurzweil Innovation Award Presented by Mark Riccobono From the Editor: This is a new award, and Marc Maurer introduced it in this way: Forty-one years ago, back in 1975, we welcomed to our convention an inventor named Ray Kurzweil. Last year we inquired if we could establish an award in his name as the premier inventor of blindness- related technology, and he agreed. This year we offer the first of those awards, and here to make the presentation is our president, Mark Riccobono. Mark Riccobono: Thank you, Dr. Maurer, and I'm going to invite Ray Kurzweil up here also to make some remarks about our recipient this evening. Dr. Maurer has given you the history of the award already, and since we established it at our diamond anniversary banquet last year, we haven't had the opportunity yet to give the National Federation of the Blind Ray Kurzweil Innovation Award. The Ray Kurzweil Innovation Award is intended to honor an individual or organization whose innovative development of technology, outstanding integration of accessible design, or ingenious method of leveraging existing technology to solve access to information barriers has or will have a significant impact on the blind. The recipient should also exhibit the spirit of partnership with the blind that has characterized Ray Kurzweil's work with the National Federation of the Blind. Both the names on the award and the selection criteria make this a pretty high bar to jump over. The person we are recognizing tonight meets this standard. In fact, when someone was needed to lead the development and engineering effort for the world's first handheld reading machine for the blind, Ray Kurzweil personally found this year's awardee and put him in charge of the project. That was thirteen years ago, but Dr. Paul Albrecht, the first recipient of the Ray Kurzweil Innovation Award, is still on the job. As director of engineering for our KNFB Reader project, Paul Albrecht has been-and still is-the principal individual responsible for making our mobile reading technology the gold standard that it is, better than anything else on the market. I have quite a lengthy resum? here about Dr. Albrecht, and I could read it, except we have a lot of other things to get to tonight. Let me just give you a few highlights, and then I think it most fitting to turn the presentation over to Ray for some personal comments before we give the award. Paul has served as the technical lead and founder of Cambridge Heart, managing development and the FDA approval process of a medical device used to predict the potential of sudden cardiac death. He has served as technical lead in three medical company acquisitions, including a 2 billion dollar deal with WebMD. In 2009 he won the Nokia Technology Showcase first prize for mobile applications. And most importantly he has been the lead engineer for all three generations of our KNFB Reader mobile products. Paul has received degrees from MIT and Harvard, and he has a thirty- year track record of technology innovations. But simply having accomplishments in technology is not enough to win the Ray Kurzweil Innovation Award. You must exhibit the enduring commitment that Ray Kurzweil has had to users, an enduring commitment to blind users of technology. While Paul's work and his technologies that he's developed represent achievements, the qualities of those technologies reflect his enduring commitment to the users-to blind users-of the technology. Before we invite Paul up to receive the award, I'd like to offer Ray an opportunity to offer his thoughts about the first recipient of the Ray Kurzweil Innovation Award. [applause] Ray Kurzweil: Thank you, President Riccobono. It's a great honor to have this award named after me, and it will only reinforce my lifelong commitment to the ideals of this organization. Before I comment on Paul, who I've known for fifteen years, I just want to share a couple of thoughts I had about President Riccobono's inspiring address. I've had the opportunity to hear more than forty inspiring addresses by three great presidents, and it really forms the high point of my year. President Riccobono talked about fear. I found particularly moving his reference to fear from love. Mourning for a loved one who is passed is the price of love- that's always been my feeling. He talked about the fear of blindness, and the only inability to see that we should fear is the failure to see opportunity, to see hope, to see the potential of every individual, and these are qualities the NFB sees very well. [applause] I thought of this quote (and if you saw me writing during the address, it's not because I wasn't paying attention), it comes from someone who's always sure to have a poignant quote for any situation, but I think it describes our President of this great organization and the organization itself. It's from Winston Churchill, in my view the greatest European leader of the twentieth century. He said, "Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never- in nothing great or small, large or petty-never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force, never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the forces arrayed against you." [applause] I think that quality also describes my colleague Paul Albrecht. I met him fifteen years ago. I was looking for someone who could help with our artificial intelligence efforts, and unlike many of the resum?s that I looked at, his view was that the essence of intelligence was being able to see the pattern of information-I actually wrote a paper fifty years ago that said that, and that paper got me the chance to meet President Johnson, and I've pursued this view for half a century, that the essence of intelligence is seeing the patterns around us. Dr. Albrecht, unlike a lot of other artificial intelligence researchers who were trying to define intelligence in terms of logical rules, was devoted to pattern recognition. As you heard, he was able to see the very subtle patterns that might lead to sudden death from a heart attack. That was his first contribution. Being of like mind, we formed a union. I found him to be a brilliant researcher in artificial intelligence, and most importantly, when I brought up this opportunity to advance the state of the art in reading for the blind which involves understanding patterns of printed letters and also patterns of sound in terms of synthetic speech, he jumped at the opportunity and was very excited about it and has remained completely devoted to this mission for the last fifteen years. As President Riccobono mentioned, he worked tirelessly to develop the first handheld reading machine for the blind and has continued to work on that. The only reason that this technology is the best in the world is because of the devotion of Paul Albrecht and the other scientists and engineers that he has held together. It is my honor to see this award go to my colleague Paul Albrecht. Mark Riccobono: We'll have Dr. Kurzweil stay close to help-this is a heavy award. You might need a cart to get it out of here. I'm going to read the inscription. This is a piece of glass, and it is inscribed this way: NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND RAY KURZWEIL INNOVATION AWARD HONORS PAUL ALBRECHT FOR YOUR DEEP COMMITMENT TO MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT OF BLIND PEOPLE IN TECHNOLOGY DESIGN AND FOR APPLYING YOUR INNOVATIVE GENIUS TO RAISING EXPECTATIONS FOR THE BLIND. YOUR EXAMPLE INSPIRES OTHERS, YOUR INVENTIVENESS IMPROVES THE WORLD, AND YOUR IMPACT CONTINUES TO GROW THROUGH THE LIVES OF THOSE TOUCHED BY THE SKILL OF YOUR CRAFT. JULY 5, 2016 Now this is an award, but the Ray Kurzweil Innovation Award also comes with a check for $10,000 [applause]. I now turn it over to Paul Albrecht. [PHOTO CAPTION: Paul Albrecht] Paul Albrecht: Thank you very much. So much has been said; I've got to look at my notes and see what's left. Thank you. It's not often that one gets the chance to work with an inventor and visionary as renowned as Ray Kurzweil or an organization as passionate, an organization as bold as the NFB. For the last fourteen years it's been my privilege to work with these two partners to create technology that some users have told us is life- changing. Feedback like that has been so motivating in causing us to reinvest and make it better for all of you. Along the way there have been a number of memorable events; I just want to share a couple of them. I remember following Mr. Gashel around the halls of Congress when we sought funding for the first generation of KNFB Reader. If you want to see something, you should see Mr. Gashel speeding through the halls of Congress, tapping furiously, forcing me to have to keep running to keep up with him. It was an interesting thing and also showed me the other side of NFB-the organized, focused advocate. Then there were times when it looked like we had reached the technology end, and there was no suitable technical option for the reader, only then to have Ray's exponential technology prediction come true and come to our rescue. In all it's been a terrific and rewarding experience, and I want to thank you for letting me be part of it and for letting me be part of the NFB family and team. Thank you. [PHOTO CAPTION: Jim Gashel hands Tristan Denley the final Newel Perry Award, flanked by Marc Maurer and Mark Riccobono.] The Newel Perry Award Presented by James Gashel Thank you, Dr. Maurer, and thank you, Federationists. Tonight I have the honor to present the Federation's Newel Perry Award. This is an award that we present to an individual, blind or sighted, who has demonstrated courageous leadership and outstanding service on behalf of blind people, especially in partnership with the National Federation of the Blind. By policy and practice we've not been obliged to give the Newel Perry Award every year, but only when we find some particular person who has met the standard to earn the award. That standard was set by Newel Perry himself, and it's a very high standard because he set high expectations for blind people in an era when the lowest expectations prevailed. On Saturday the board of directors decided that we would retire the Newel Perry Award since we want to focus on the Kenneth Jernigan Award in the future. So tonight this will be the last time the Newel Perry Award is presented, therefore I would just like to spend a few minutes to remind everybody about who Newel Perry really was to our movement and how his life helped to form the National Federation of the Blind. Newel Perry was born in 1873 and died in 1961. As a boy in high school at the California School for the Blind, Perry told officials at the school that he intended to graduate from the public high school in Berkeley, and he also intended to proceed on to attend the state university when aspirations to do anything like that were considered to be absolutely unrealistic for a blind person. But in the face of initial opposition from the superintendent and the teachers at the school, Newel Perry persevered. He met every educational expectation and goal that he set for himself. In fact the superintendent of the school, Warring Wilkinson, eventually became a convert to Perry's tenacity and provided him with a princely sum of $500 a year as a scholarship (I guess it was pretty good back at that time). [A bit of research shows that Dr. Maurer is correct: the contribution was equivalent to a $13,000 contribution today.] This was to enroll at the University of California at Berkeley, where Perry graduated with a degree in mathematics in 1896. During his time at Berkeley, Perry also founded the Alumni Association for the Self-Supporting Blind. It focused on employment and the self-sufficiency of blind people. Membership in this association was opposed by people at the school, but in the late 1890s twenty-five to thirty independent-minded blind people were attending the association's regular monthly meetings in Oakland, California. Now does this sound familiar-attending regular monthly meetings? Go to your local chapters, now. Following this pattern, wherever Newel Perry went throughout the rest of his life, you would find him at the forefront of working to organize the blind. Although our history shows that the National Federation of the Blind was founded in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, in November 1940, you can also say that it first took root in Berkeley, California, with Newel Perry at the helm. After he earned his PhD in mathematics in Germany at the University of Munich in 1901, and then lived in New York City near Columbia University, Perry returned to Berkeley in 1912 and took a teaching position at the California School for the Blind, where he remained for thirty-five years. There he met and mentored Jacobus tenBroek. And now you know the rest of the story. In 1955 the NFB convention adopted a resolution directing the Federation officers to establish an award for distinguished service and work with the blind called the Newel Perry Award to be conferred by the Federation's executive committee. Although the award was established sixty- one years ago, we've only given the Newel Perry Award twenty-seven times. Tonight will be number twenty-eight and the last time, as I've said. In the early years the Newel Perry Award was made to individuals either inside or outside the Federation. But in the years since we established the Jacobus tenBroek Award, only people-let's say our friends and fellow travelers outside the Federation-have been considered. Past winners include: Edwin C. Johnson, governor of Colorado; West Virginia Senator Jennings Randolph, author and backer of the Randolph-Sheppard Act for blind vendors; Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, our past president and principal leader of the blind from the 1950s through most of the 1990s; Hubert H. Humphrey, vice president of the United States, from Minnesota, and a great, great friend of the National Federation of the Blind; US Representative James A. Burke from Massachusetts for sponsoring Federation legislation in Congress to improve Social Security programs affecting the blind; Dr. Andrew S. Adams, commissioner of the US Rehabilitation Services Administration in Washington, DC; Representative Barry M. Goldwater Jr. from California for sponsoring Federation legislation to correct exploitation in sheltered workshops; Frank Kurt Cylke, director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped at the Library of Congress for many years; and, of course, our dear friend Ray Kurzweil, inventor of reading technology for the blind and an exalted and most awesome friend of the National Federation of the Blind. Now compared to these past winners and others that I haven't been able to mention here tonight, the person we recognize this year is actually a relative newcomer to our Federation extended family. But he is no less deserving and no less devoted to our cause. You heard from him this afternoon-that narrows the target, doesn't it? Here you go: Tristan Denley is vice chancellor for academic affairs at the Tennessee Board of Regents in Nashville. He has served in that capacity since August 2013, but before Dr. Denley got to Nashville, he was the provost and vice president for academic affairs at Austin Peay State University. He originally comes from Penzance, England. Dr. Denley also got his PhD in mathematics; I guess he was following Newel Perry's example. Aside from his education in England, Dr. Denley has held positions in Sweden, in Canada, and at the University of Mississippi-it's a long way from Sweden to Mississippi-and then he moved to Tennessee. Testifying to his leadership, Dr. Denley received recognition from EDUCAUSE?, from Complete College America, from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and from President Obama, all for his work to establish Degree Compass. Now some of you may know what that is. I'm a long way from knowing what Degree Compass is, but it's a course recommendation system that successfully pairs current students with courses that best fit their talents and program study for upcoming semesters. I know all of that is pretty cool, but the thing you really need to know about Dr. Denley is his leadership on behalf of digital accessibility in higher education affecting blind people. Not only is Dr. Denley an outspoken advocate for digital accessibility, but he is in a position to enforce binding requirements, and he's in a position to enforce binding requirements at every single one of Tennessee's forty-seven post-secondary institutions under the Tennessee Board of Regents, and it's the sixth-largest system in the nation. Every other system take notice: according to James Brown, president of our Tennessee affiliate, Chancellor Denley told his staff that if a document found its way into his office that was in any way inaccessible, there would be a very strong price to pay. According to Dan Goldstein, who sues a lot of these institutions on our behalf, the Tennessee system is a model for the nation. He refers people to their website and to them to confer about doing the right thing. Now more than all of this-and all of that's really, really good-Dr. Denley and his team get especially high marks for working constructively with the NFB of Tennessee to support the Teach Tennessee Act, modeled after legislation that we have pending in Congress. Through the work he is doing to advance equal opportunities for blind higher education students and to have a constructive partnership with the National Federation of the Blind of Tennessee, please join me in recognizing Dr. Tristan Denley with the Federation's highest honor, our Newel Perry Award [applause]. He's got his plaque, and he's holding it high for the pictures. The plaque he's receiving says: NEWEL PERRY AWARD NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IN RECOGNITION OF COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP AND OUTSTANDING SERVICE. THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND BESTOWS THE NEWEL PERRY AWARD UPON DR. TRISTAN DENLEY OUR COLLEAGE, OUR FRIEND, OUR BROTHER ON THE BARRICADES; YOU CHAMPION OUR PROGRESS; YOU STRENGTHEN OUR HOPES; YOU SHARE OUR DREAMS. JULY 5, 2016. Tristan Denley: I don't know what to say. I'm just absolutely bowled over. I'm so humbled by this award. I'm so surprised that I could be chosen- what an amazing list of people to follow in the footsteps-actually, even as you were telling the story of Newel Perry, as a fellow mathematician I was just stunned by all that he'd achieved. You know, it's been a tremendous pleasure to do what we've done in Tennessee, to see the progress that's been made in a short time. But what I know (and I'm even more inspired after what I've seen today)--I know that there is much more to be done, and you have my commitment today that more will be done in Tennessee, that we can march forward together, because I know that the limits are far from being satisfied yet. Thank you for your support, and I look forward to working together on more. [applause]. When Dr. Maurer took back the microphone, he said: Dr. Kenneth Jernigan was my teacher, my leader, my friend, my unfailing supporter, my President. We also have an award in his name, and to present it here is Mary Ellen Jernigan. [PHOTO CAPTION: As Mrs. Jernigan speaks, Dan Goldstein smiles and holds up his award, while Marc Maurer and President Riccobono smile and celebrate with him.] The Kenneth Jernigan Award Presented by Mary Ellen Jernigan In establishing the Kenneth Jernigan Award, the board of directors of the National Federation of the Blind noted that Kenneth Jernigan's influence had touched the lives of millions of blind people throughout the United States and the world. Many of those whose lives he touched are present in this room tonight. I might add to the board's comments that one need not be blind to have been touched deeply by his life and work. The board stipulated that this was not to be an annual award. It was to be presented at the annual convention, but only so often as a suitable candidate emerged. There has been only one recipient of the award to date: Mr. Frank Kurt Cylke, whose work as director of the National Library Service for the Blind enriched the lives of generations of blind people. Tonight, a suitable candidate having emerged, the second Kenneth Jernigan Award is being bestowed. As you would expect, this individual's work has had a profound effect on the lives of blind people. 1986 was a pivotal time for this man. It was in this year that his education, his years of training in the law, his interaction with Dr. Jernigan, his own passion and dreams came together with a need and an opportunity that launched him on a new path. Although all these things might be said of a number of people, they can most definitely be said of the second recipient of the Kenneth Jernigan Award. They can be said about our friend and colleague, Daniel Goldstein [applause, cheers]. For it was thirty years ago that Dr. Jernigan met and hired Dan Goldstein of the Brown, Goldstein & Levy law firm to represent the National Federation of the Blind. This set in motion a relentless campaign through the courts to bring reality to Dr. tenBroek's declaration that the blind have the right to live in the world. Today both the law and the actual lived lives of blind people reflect that right more strongly than they did during Dr. tenBroek's lifetime. Dan bought into our work all the way, bringing with him his superb legal skill, his keen intellect, and most of all his generous heart. He rapidly became a trusted advisor, a principal architect, and the courtroom face of our legal strategy. For thirty years, in actions far too numerous to call out by name, Dan and his committed colleagues at Brown, Goldstein & Levy have executed a carefully crafted legal strategy, which agonizingly slowly, bit by bit, case by case, decision by decision, has chipped away at the ignorance, discrimination, and blatant disregard of the law enshrined in the functioning of our corporate, educational, professional, and governmental institutions of our country. Target; Cardtronics; Apple; Amazon; Florida State University; New Jersey Ocean Port Board of Education; the Law School Admissions Council; the Author's Guild; the United States Department of Education; the United States Department of State; the Seattle Public Schools; Montgomery County, Maryland. These entities and dozens upon dozens more have all been brought to a new understanding of the meaning of Dr. tenBroek's declaration fifty years ago in the California Law Review that the blind have the right to live in the world. It is a tribute to Dan's commitment to our cause that his work has been about more than achieving a legal victory. It is not unusual for courtroom opponents to become staunch allies of our work. Apple's deployment of VoiceOver as an out-of-the-box accessibility feature of each new iPhone and the establishment by Cardtronics of its accessibility center of excellence are lasting results of Dan's effort to use the law to create understanding and build relationships, rather than merely to vanquish a foe. One final thing connects Dan to our movement and to Dr. Jernigan himself in a very personal way. All of this has never been about Dan or his personal legal triumphs. Dan has been a teacher and a mentor to others in the growing community of disability law professionals. His firm offers quality internships to young blind lawyers. He was a moving force in the establishment of the Jacobus tenBroek Law Symposium. He has been a principal factor in making that symposium and the Disability Rights Bar Association which meets in conjunction with it, the preeminent event for the advancement of disability law. So, it is with pleasure and enormous gratitude on behalf of the National Federation of the Blind that I present the Kenneth Jernigan Award to our friend and colleague, Daniel Goldstein [applause, cheers]. The inscription on this massive slab of glass-I said I wasn't going to say that, but I did-the inscription on this beautiful, massive slab of glass reads: KENNETH JERNIGAN AWARD NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THE HIGHEST IDEALS FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE FOR YOUR IMAGINATIVE LEADERSHIP IN EXPANDING EQUALITY FOR THE BLIND UNDER THE LAW WE, THE ORGANIZED BLIND MOVEMENT, CONFER UPON DANIEL GOLDSTEIN THE KENNETH JERNIGAN AWARD YOUR HAND ASSISTED IN EVERY CHALLENGE YOUR HEART RESPONDED TO EVERY NEED YOU ARE A TRUSTED COLLEAGUE AND A VALUED FRIEND. JULY 5, 2016 Dan Goldstein: Well, if I have some reputation for being articulate, I'm about to blow it completely. I am absolutely stunned and overwhelmed by this award. By getting it from Mrs. Jernigan, it's very special. I had no idea in 1986 that the life I wanted to live was as counsel for the National Federation of the Blind [applause]. I assure you, you have given me more in friendship and support, and you've taught me so very much, lessons that I'm very glad to know and that have made my life so much richer. There are so many of you who are as dear to me as my family, and it has just been such a privilege to do this work. Thank you, not just for the award, but thank you for this opportunity. It has been an honor [applause]. [PHOTO CAPTION: Jerry and Merilynn Whittle] The Jacobus tenBroek Award Presented by Marc Maurer Our founder was Dr. Jacobus tenBroek. He was born in Canada. He was blinded as a child. He, along with his family, moved to California because they'd heard there might be some place to get an education, and they didn't think there would be any good place to get an education in Canada on the western prairies. It was never my good fortune to meet Dr. tenBroek, but I've met his writing, and I've heard his irrepressible voice. And that voice said to me, "It's your life to live, you can do it, don't give it up." And it said to me, "The law is with you; the society is with you; all you have to do is find a way to make it real." I met Dr. Matson, who was a student of Dr. tenBroek, and I heard hundreds of stories, and I met Hazel tenBroek and I heard dozens of other stories. But I missed the man, and I'm sorry that I never got a chance to meet him, but I've met his ideas, and I've met his spirit, and it is my honor tonight to give another award which is named after our founding President. Dr. tenBroek served from 1940 to 1961 and again from 1966 until his death in 1968. Until I had the temerity to serve longer than he did, he was our longest-serving President. He crafted the nature of the organization that we inherit, and he found the followers, the students, the people who would come after him who would carry the imagination, the effort, and the energy into the generations after him-principally, of course, Dr. Jernigan, who as I've said, was my teacher, my leader, and my President. That spirit and that energy are embodied in the award that we give tonight. It also is not given annually, but only as often as we find a suitable recipient. We have such a recipient tonight. We give this award to a worker within the movement, a person who has been a soldier carrying the day-to-day tasks, standing on the barricades, lifting the necessary weights that must be moved, inspiring individuals who have need of a voice that will tell them, "You have the ability; the capacity is yours." Two people will get this award tonight. They have been leaders of ours for more than thirty years, and they come from Louisiana [cheers]. You will know them from the work that they have done to stretch the potential of blind people and also from the writing that has come from Louisiana. Jerry and Merilynn Whittle [loud cheers, whistles, applause]. You might make your way up here [crowd chants "LCB"]. Now I'm going on memory, which is not always accurate, but I'll do the best I can. I think I met Jerry in South Carolina, and I believe that was before the establishment of the Louisiana Center for the Blind, and he was a leader in South Carolina even then. When he got to Louisiana, he became a teacher, and he taught many things, but largely he's known for teaching Braille [applause]. Of course he wrote about blind people (many plays), and he's written some published books now. Then, of course, there's Merilynn. Merilynn was a teacher too [applause]. She taught in the kitchen in the home economics department, and she helped even some of our most difficult students-people like Anil Lewis [laughter]-find out how to make banana bread. He learned that if you make it properly it rises up right there, and you can slice it up, and eat it personally. So Jerry and Merilynn did their teaching and helped people to know that the future could be brighter for them than they knew. But the teaching of the skills was only one small part of it. They also taught that there was joy in life and friends and love and a family to support one another, and that in time of need we could carry one another's burdens, and in time of joy we could share the delight of knowing one another. So tonight we have our prestigious honor named for our founding President: the Jacobus tenBroek Award. We have a plaque-now Jerry I'm going to give this to you, but I want you to share it-which says: NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND JACOBUS TENBROEK AWARD PRESENTED TO JERRY AND MERILYNN WHITTLE FOR YOUR DEDICATION, SACRIFICE, AND COMMITMENT ON BEHALF OF THE BLIND OF THIS NATION. YOUR CONTRIBUTION IS MEASURED NOT IN STEPS, BUT IN MILES NOT BY INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCES BUT BY YOUR IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF THE BLIND OF THE NATION. WHENEVER WE HAVE ASKED, YOU HAVE ANSWERED. WE CALL YOU OUR COLLEAGUES WITH RESPECT. WE CALL YOU OUR FRIENDS WITH LOVE. JULY 5, 2016 Here are Jerry and Merilynn [applause, cheers]. Jerry Whittle: I don't think I've ever been so surprised in my life. Now I was trained that when you start getting emotional, you're supposed to think of unpleasant things, [laughter] so right now I'm thinking about snakes and lizards just to try to get me from getting too emotional. A long time ago-I'm getting old enough everything's a long time ago now-unless Mr. Kurzweil can come through for me with that longevity and everything. I'm in my last quarter, I know that. Jesse Stewart, Kentucky writer, a country boy, said about teaching that one of the secrets is to make work like play. So I've had fun. I've had the joy of teaching over one thousand students [applause]. Merilynn and I, in the spirit of Mr. Capps, are like a team, like Mrs. Capps and Mr. Capps, who is my Federation father. I wish he could be here tonight; my prayers are with him. One more thing I want to say: I owe my life to the NFB. Someday I'll have the courage to tell the whole story, but Mr. Capps sent two really cute girls up to my part of the country in South Carolina to organize a chapter, and I said, "This is the organization for me." But I didn't realize at that time how very wonderful it would be. Anything I've done, I've done it because I love everybody, and I love Jesus, and he would want me to do it that way. So I want to thank everybody. Thank you, Dr. Maurer, my good friend. My goal with Dr. Maurer is always to try to make him laugh, and a couple of times I got him to laugh right out loud. I was kind of proud of that. Speaking of partners, my precious wife, my treasure, Merilynn Whittle, has driven us and hauled us all over this country by herself. Eighteen students and staff in a sixteen- or fourteen-passenger van, so canes were sticking out the windows, and we were going everywhere, and Merilynn Whittle took us everywhere. She's given more-she didn't have to give. She wasn't blind, and she joined up with me, and I probably aged her twenty years from this experience, but Merilynn gave because she wanted to, not because she had to. That's the kind of person she is-the sweetest person I know [applause]. Merilynn Whittle: Well it all started when I went back to school, and I found this guy holding a door for me, and he said something about "I'll hold the door for you." I was going to see my advisor, and from then on I got into trouble [laughs]. I've had the most wonderful, adventurous life being in with the NFB, and it has provided me all kinds of experiences, but most of all meeting the students and having fun in the kitchen. I've done different things at the school: one of the things, of course, is driving, another thing is typing, then beginning computers, and then finally I did some travel also. I can remember crossing streets and stuff like that under sleepshades, and I remember if I had a tail I would have pulled it between my legs. I've certainly enjoyed working with the center, and I still-as long as I can-I'll try to do some things indirectly and always be a part of it and a part of the NFB. Thank you so much. I appreciate it [applause, cheers]. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: The Scholarship Class of 2016: from left to right, back row: Corgan Waters, Kathryn Webster, Matthew Miller, Katy Olsen, Syed Rizvi, Samrawit Biyazin, Brennan Carman, Laura Etori, Johna Wright, Conchita Hernandez. Middle row: Kassidy Wilde, Garret Mooney, Deniz Aydemir- Doke, Deanna Greco, Nathan Clark, Megan Borella, Donna Posont, Sharon Jose, Precious Perez, Merry-Noel Chamberlain. Front row: Danielle Burton, Kennedy Stomberg, Chelsea Page, JJ Aragon, Tara Abella, Nazanin Heydarian, Jameyanne Fuller, Kartik Sawhney, Elif Emir ?ks?z.] Meet the 2016 National Federation of the Blind Scholarship Class From the Editor: With every passing year we recognize the increasing value of the National Federation of the Blind's scholarship program to our national organization. Members of previous scholarship classes stream back to take part in convention activities and assume responsibility, doing anything that they can see needs to be done, including serving as mentors during the following year for the members of the current scholarship class. Each July everyone looks forward to meeting the new scholarship class and to hearing what its members are doing now and planning to do in the future. This year's class had three tenBroek winners, meaning that they have been previous recipients of a National Federation of the Blind scholarship. In keeping with tradition, the first appearance of the class at a convention session occurred during the meeting of the board of directors. Members were introduced by Chair Patti Chang, who gave their names, their home states, and their school states. Here is what Chairman Chang said just before she introduced them, followed by their remarks: I won a scholarship way back in 1985 in Louisville, and in fact some of the mentors who mentored me are still on the committee. I intended to take the money and run as fast as I could, so I hope that this year's class is just as successful at doing that as I was. With that preamble, Patti Chang introduced the scholarship class of 2016: Tara Abella, Indiana, Indiana: Thank you, Patti Chang and board of directors. I am so honored and humbled to be here today. I will be a senior at Ball State University, double majoring in elementary education and special education. One of the reasons I wanted to go into education is that I believe that there needs to be reform in education. I want to work with students from low income families in an inclusive setting. Through the convention I've realized that reform needs to take place here, too, in the policies, in the attitudes that affect people who are blind in order to reach equality. I want to give my leadership and my mentorship and my heart to all of my students and to the National Federation of the Blind so that we can attain the dignity and respect that we deserve, as well as live the lives we want. Thank you very much. Justine "JJ" Aragon, Colorado, Colorado: Good morning, everybody. Thank you, Patti Chang, thank you, board of directors. I am a senior at the University of Northern Colorado. I'm studying human services with an emphasis on rehabilitation. I also hold minors in English and special education. I serendipitously joined the NFB in 2013 after not winning an NFB national scholarship, and the last three years have taught me so much. I have learned what amazing opportunities I have had in my life that not all blind people had, number one being that I learned Braille when I was four. I have also learned how many opportunities that there still are to come in my life that I intend to take full advantage of. I am so excited to continue to work in the NFB, and my passions within the NFB are membership and outreach. I want to bring more people in and bring those opportunities to our nation's blind, so thank you. Deniz Aydemir-Doke, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania: Hello, and thank you, Ms. Chang and board of directors. It is an honor to be here. This is my third time at the National Convention, and it is my third year in the USA. I am originally from Turkey. I am studying counseling education and supervision at Penn State. This is going to be my third year in my program as well. I am interested in my research, and I am interested in post- secondary transition of blind youth so we can lead the lives we want. I am also interested in microeducation in daily living and counseling settings. I am an advocate for a long time both here in the USA and back in my country, back in Turkey. I continue to be an advocate with my Federation family through my research and daily living as well. I am grateful to be here; I love being part of this family, and I hope you have a great convention. Samrawit "Sam" Biyazin, Oregon, Oregon: Hi, all. My name is Sam from Oregon. I am originally from Ethiopia. This is such a privilege to be here, standing in front of you guys, and thank you so much to the committee for choosing me. Back home I was a lawyer, and now my goal is to become a CPA and treasurer of the National Federation of the Blind. This will happen only if you guys will remember to vote for me when the time comes. Until then, I'll keep learning. Thank you. Megan Borella, California, California: Good morning, everyone. First I would like to thank the scholarship committee and the National Federation of the Blind for giving me such an amazing opportunity. It is such an honor and a privilege to be here with you today. I am from California, and I am going to be a freshman at UCLA. I am currently majoring in business economics, and I hope to take classes in computer science and learn more about programming. In the future I hope to go into business, potentially with an emphasis on programming and coding and computer science. Thank you all. Riki Danielle Burton, Kentucky, Kentucky (tenBroek Fellow): Good morning, fellow Federationists. It's a pleasure to be here this morning. I want to say thank you to the scholarship committee for having me here today. I am currently a senior at Morehead State University. I'm majoring in elementary and special education with an emphasis in moderate to severe disabilities. Then I will continue on to get my certification as a teacher of the blind and visually impaired. I love teaching blind children how to be independent and that nothing can stop them and not to let anyone hold them back. Thank you again to the scholarship committee for having me here. Thank you. Brennan Carman, New York, Connecticut: Hello, everyone, I'm Brennan. I'm going into my freshman year at Yale University, and I'm studying biochemistry. Hopefully one day I will do translational research to help address upcoming medical issues like antimicrobial-resistant diseases. This is my first experience with the Federation, and it's been really amazing so far getting to meet all of my fellow scholarship finalists and all of my mentors so far and all of you, and it's been really amazing and one of the most inspirational experiences I've ever had, actually. So I wanted to thank the Federation and the scholarship committee in particular for giving me that opportunity. Merry-Noel Chamberlain, Nebraska, Oregon: Hello, everyone. I am so happy to be here with my NFB family. My daytime love during the week is being a teacher for students with visual impairments and an orientation and mobility instructor outside Omaha, Nebraska. My evening and weekend love is working on my doctorate degree through Concordia University in the area of educational leadership, and my dissertation is focusing on orientation and mobility. My all-time love is being a parent of a blind teenager, who I just found out is helping out in the Independence Market. I thank everybody for being here today; I'm so excited to be with my NFB family, and I'm happy and honored that I am here today as a scholarship winner. Thank you. Nathan Clark, Maryland, Maryland: Good morning. My name is Nathan Clark; I am from Maryland. I am attending Towson University in Towson, Maryland, majoring in criminal justice, sociology, and anthropology with a goal to be a juvenile probation officer working with at-risk youth in the juvenile justice system. I am currently the vice president of the Maryland Association of Blind Students and the legislative chairman for that committee for the division. I am also a proud graduate of the Louisiana Center for the Blind, and this is my eleventh National Convention. I want to thank the scholarship committee, my mentors, and my fellow scholarship winners for an awesome experience so far this week. God bless the National Federation of the Blind. Elif Emir ?ks?z, Ohio, Ohio: Good morning, everybody. I'm so glad and honored to be here as a scholarship finalist. Thank you to all of the scholarship committee and NFB. I am a mental health counselor, and I am a counselor, education, and supervision PhD student at the University of Cincinnati. I am coming from Ohio, but I am from Turkey originally. I would like to be a faculty member and educate counselors-mental health and school counselors-to work with people with disabilities when they need counseling from a multicultural counseling perspective. Hopefully I will be able to do that, and I will be able to practice as a mental health counselor. My journey with the NFB started four years ago. As soon as I arrived in the United States, I reached out to the Cincinnati chapter of Ohio, and I would like to thank Ohio and Cincinnati for making my adjustment very smooth and easy. NFB as a family has motivated me to learn Braille. I'm still in the process, but the more I become involved the more I strongly feel that I need to do it as soon as possible. Thanks for the motivation and support to everybody, and have a great convention. Laura Etori, New Jersey, New Jersey: Hello, everybody. My name is Laura Etori, and I'm from Kenya, but I live and study in New Jersey. I go to Rutgers University Newark, and I'm majoring in finance and actuarial science. I want to be an actuary. My vocational goals are to be in consultancy and eventually teach actuarial science to blind and visually impaired students because we need more blind actuaries. I would love to give a big thank you to the scholarship committee for giving us this chance. I would like to give a big thank you to the NFB and also my scholarship finalists; I would love to congratulate all of them. I know I might have a bit of an accent, but I'd love you to listen to what I have to say next very carefully: for those of us who are here I would love to challenge you: think of the people who have come ahead of you. Because, if it were not for them, we wouldn't be here. And we all have to learn how to give, because that's the message I'm getting from this board meeting today. We all learn how to give; that's the only way we can grow and become better people. So thank you once again, and I hope you all enjoy yourselves. Have a good day. Jameyanne Fuller, New Hampshire, Massachusetts: Hi, everyone, my name is Jameyanne Fuller. I am from New Hampshire. I graduated from Kenyon College in 2014. I spent a year teaching English in Assisi, Italy, on a Fulbright scholarship, and then I spent another year volunteering for the New Hampshire Disability Rights Center. This fall I will be a 1L [first year law student] at Harvard Law School. I am very interested in studying and hopefully practicing in the area of disability law and policy. This is my very first NFB convention experience. I want to say thank you so much to everyone who has welcomed me so warmly and enthusiastically and a huge thanks to the scholarship committee for giving me the opportunity to meet the NFB and explore the NFB. I've personally faced discrimination in academics, in my daily life here in America, abroad in Italy, and others have advocated for me, and they have taught me to advocate for myself. Now I am aiming to advocate for others and pay it forward so that everyone can achieve their dreams. Thank you. Deanna Greco, New Jersey, District of Columbia: Hello, everyone. I'm very excited to be here. This is my first convention, and I swear that by the end of the week I will be saying "live the life that I want" in my sleep. But honestly that sleep doesn't sound like too bad a thing because I am exhausted. I recently graduated from Camden Catholic High School in my home town of Cherry Hill. I was in every academic honor society, I was president of the French Honor Society, and I graduated fourth in my class, which I see as a big accomplishment-I'm proud of myself. This fall I will be starting at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. I will be studying biology on the premed track. My ultimate goal is to go to medical school and become a neurologist. I want to practice neurology as well as conduct research on diseases such as Alzheimer's. I find it very important that diseases that have memory loss get treated, because the one thing nobody can take from you is your memories, and I want to help prevent those diseases. Lastly, I would like to thank the scholarship committee for giving me this wonderful opportunity. Thank you. Maria "Conchita" Hernandez, District of Columbia, District of Columbia (tenBroek Fellow): First I want to thank the members of the scholarship committee, members of the board, and President Riccobono for believing in me and selecting me as a scholarship finalist. I'm a teacher of blind students in Washington, DC, and I'm tired of professionals telling us that our blind students will not get Braille because they have too much vision. In the Federation we know that Braille is vital and leads to success. They say there is no research that proves we need it. We know what we need, and as Dr. Maurer said today, we will not wait for it. We will conduct our own research that will lead to the independence of our blind students. That is why I am pursuing a doctorate degree at George Washington University to do research on learning media assessments for blind and low vision students. I could not do any of this without my Federation family, who taught me Braille when no one else would, and now I hope to pass this on to others. Thank you. Nazanin Mina Heydarian, Texas, Texas: Good morning, everyone. My name is Nazanin Heydarian, and I'm a PhD student at the University of Texas at El Paso. I have a master's degree in clinical psychology, and I'm working toward a PhD of health psychology. I am interested in conducting research to improve the communication between health care providers and people with disabilities from the perspective of people with disabilities. My career goal is to become a research scientist at a medical school, where I will pursue my research interests in the applied setting. This is the second day of my first NFB convention, and I have already learned so much from mentors, other finalists, and convention sessions. I will bring back these learnings to my community back in El Paso, Texas, and my work as a researcher. I'd like to congratulate the other finalists, and I'd also like to thank the scholarship board and the funding mechanisms that make this opportunity to support blind scholars in a significant way possible. I am humbled to be here, thank you very much, and enjoy your convention. Sharon Jose, Virginia, Virginia: Thank you, Ms. Patti Chang and the board of directors for allowing me to speak here. I just graduated from high school and will be a freshman at George Mason University this fall majoring in computer science. I have had the opportunity to work in the neural engineering lab at GMU for the past two years. I would like to continue interdisciplinary research in neuroscience and artificial intelligence, and I hope to pursue a career in the computer science and engineering fields. I heard about the NFB through this scholarship program, and this is my first convention. I am truly grateful to the scholarship committee and the Federation for selecting me as a finalist and welcoming me into the Federation family. Thank you so much. Matthew Miller, Illinois, Michigan: Hello, my name is Matthew Miller, I have just graduated high school, and I'll be beginning my first year at Michigan State University this coming fall, studying actuarial science. I would also like to thank the NFB. While this is my first convention, I attended several programs when I was younger that encouraged me, such as the STEM EQ program, which really encouraged me to pursue a STEM field, even when people-even my own parents, in a loving way-were discouraging me, because they worried about whether it was possible. The program showed me it was possible, and part of the reason I plan to join the ever-growing population of blind students and blind employees in STEM fields. James Garret Mooney, Arizona, Arizona: Good morning, everyone. First I would like to thank the committee and the Federation for awarding me this scholarship. I am a senior at Arizona State University, where I will attend law school in a year and hopefully practice family law. Being a scholarship winner has been one of the most rewarding opportunities I have ever had. Being mentored by this committee has shown me that the Federation does exactly what it says, and it changes what it means to be blind. And we show everyone here that we can live the lives we want. Thank you. Kathryn "Katy" Olsen, Iowa, Iowa: Hi, everyone, my name is Katy Olsen, and I'm from Granger, Iowa. I'll be entering my junior year of my undergrad this fall at Central College. I'm a double major, majoring in kinesiology and psychology. After my undergrad I hope to attend physical therapy school to get my doctorate in physical therapy and hopefully work with children. I also do a lot of mission work, and I'm really passionate about that. I'd really love to do something involving that, maybe going over to Haiti-it's one of the locations I do most of my mission work in. I would love to go over and empower blind people overseas. I really want to thank my scholarship mentors and the scholarship committee for this great opportunity. I'm looking forward to a great week. Thanks. Chelsea Page, Louisiana, Louisiana: Good morning, Federation family. I would like to first thank the members of the scholarship committee, as well as the NFB board and the NFB as a whole for allowing me to have this wonderful opportunity. I am attending Louisiana Tech University, at which I am attaining my masters of arts in teaching blind students, where I want to work in particularly with blind infants and toddlers and their families to ensure that they get the services they deserve so that the blind students can live the lives they want and compete on terms of equality with their sighted peers. Precious Perez, Massachusetts, Massachusetts: Hi, everyone. I am thrilled to be here today. I will be starting my freshman year at Berklee College of Music in the fall, and I plan to pursue a double major in music education and vocal performance in the hopes of changing what it means to be blind by living the life I want and teaching others to do the same. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity. Thank you, Patti Chang, thank you to the scholarship committee, thank you board of directors, and to my Federation family; I love you all so much. Thank you. Donna Lynn Posont, Michigan, Michigan: Hello, Federation family; I'm really glad to be here. Yesterday I realized that this is not my first NFB scholarship. I remembered that, in 1974 when I graduated from high school, I was given a scholarship by the National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia to attend college in the fall. The reason I have that to be quite so memorable is because I was going for a degree in biology. But one week into school my dreams got rerouted because no one knew how to teach a blind girl about biology or chemistry, and I sure didn't know how to learn, because I had no skills of blindness. I graduated with a degree in social work and headed off to Philadelphia to have a job there, but thankfully the greatest thing that happened was that I met the National Federation of the Blind and attended my first national convention in 1979 in Miami Beach. Fast forward thirty-four years later, after rubbing shoulders with many blind people, especially blind parents and blind vendors. I still wanted to learn about the science stuff, so I went back to the University of Michigan, where last year I graduated with a degree in environmental studies. I started a Birding by Ear and Beyond program in the environmental center. After I graduated I was hired to continue that work there with the university, and I am so thankful to have gotten this scholarship so I continue and will be able to continue to be a graduate student while I'm working at the university. Thank you so much. Syed Rizvi, Massachusetts, Texas: Brought to the United States by my parents, in part to escape genocide but also in the hopes of seeking a bright future, to our dismay the streets were not paved with gold. Blindness began to consume my life, but luckily I was found by the Federation, and they guided me to put on hold my undergraduate education, quit my job, and move two thousand miles away to LCB. There I not only gained the tools I needed to live the life I wanted, but also learned from mentors like Pam and Roland that blindness didn't have to dictate my happiness. With newfound vigor I threw myself into work for the Federation. I currently stand as the MASSABS [Massachusetts Association of Blind Students] president and now the NABS [National Association of Blind Students] second VP. I'm working this summer for the Massachusetts State House in Boston to enforce ADA compliance. In the fall I continue my college education at the University of Texas at Austin. One day I will be the best civil rights lawyer in the world, fighting for all underrepresented minorities. Thank you. Joe "Dexter" Rowell, Massachusetts, Massachusetts: Hey, everybody. First off I'd like to thank the NFB Scholarship Committee for giving me this opportunity. I'm a rookie at convention, and the time I've spent has been really, really inspiring. I graduated in 2014 from Northeastern University, and in the fall I'll be a 1L law student at Northeastern School of Law. One of the things that my blindness has taught me is something about social alchemy. What that means to me is taking resources and things that have been underused and overlooked and turning them into gold. I hope to use my skills that I learn as a lawyer to bring economic development and food justice to those areas most in need of social alchemy. One of the things I'd like to close with is that one of the other things my blindness has taught me is about patience. Through that, I've learned that life is about who makes it, not about who makes it the fastest. Kartik Sawhney, California, California: Good morning, everyone. My name is Kartik, and it's a pleasure and an honor to be here. Thank you, scholarship committee and the NFB, for not only the scholarship but for my first-but definitely not my last-convention. I will be a senior at Stanford University majoring in computer science with a focus on artificial intelligence and human/computer interaction. I grew up and spent most of my life in India, where I personally faced several challenges, especially studying sciences. I also saw many of my friends facing the same challenges, and that was when I decided that things had to change. So I developed technology that can empower blind students across the world to truly live the lives that they want, and with the Federation I think we definitely will be able to achieve a day when all blind people around the world can live the lives that they want. I am looking forward to getting to know you, learning from you, and working with all of you. Thank you. Kennedy Stomberg, Minnesota, Iowa: Good morning, everybody. I am going to be a junior at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I am studying neuroscience, and after my undergraduate I would like to pursue some sort of research, because I am really, really fascinated and interested in learning how biology and chemistry affect the way that we think and behave. I really love being here at convention, and I am super grateful to the committee and happy for my fellow scholarship finalists. Thank you. Corgan Waters, Tennessee, Tennessee: Hi, my name is Corgan Waters. I am from Dayton, Tennessee. This fall I will be attending the University of Tennessee as a biology major on the premed track. I will be working toward becoming a pathologist, and I would like to eventually work in regenerative medicine with stem cells. I think that medicine has come very far, but it has a very long way to go, and I would like to be a part of that. Ghandi did say, "Be the change you wish to see in the world," and that's exactly what I want to do. I would like to thank the scholarship committee and the entire Federation for giving me the opportunity to be here. This is my first time at convention, but it definitely won't be my last. Thank you. Kathryn Webster, Connecticut, North Carolina (tenBroek Fellow): Good morning, my Federation family. Thank you, President Riccobono; Chairwoman Patti Chang; the scholarship committee; and the entire National Federation of the Blind for providing me with this incredible opportunity. I am a rising senior at Wake Forest University studying statistical business and computer science. I would not be and could not be succeeding in these courses if it was not for the National Federation of the Blind. This organization has taught me and continues to teach me the necessary tools to advocate, educate, and compete on an equal playing field with our sighted counterparts. Let us continue to change and to challenge our limits as proud members of the National Federation of the Blind. Thank you. Kassidy Wilde, Utah, Utah: Hello, Federation. I will be attending the University of Utah for the fall semester, majoring in psychology. I have a passion for helping people, and I want to become a life coach so that I can help others to live the lives that they want to live. I'd like to thank the scholarship committee, the National Federation of the Blind, and President Riccobono for this opportunity and for letting me be a scholarship finalist. I'd like to say that you will not regret this, and I will be paying it forward and helping others in my career. Thank you. Johna Wright, Georgia, Georgia: Hey, everybody. First I just want to say thank you to Chairman Patti Chang, the scholarship committee, and the entire Federation for giving me this opportunity. I never thought growing up as a kid in small-town Georgia that I would be at the National Federation of the Blind convention, but it is amazing. I will be attending Mercer University this fall as a double major in psychology and holistic education to achieve my ultimate goal of becoming a teacher of the visually impaired. I believe that all children should have access to equal education and not feel excluded or alienated in any way. I love to advocate, so that's why I plan to be a TVI [teacher of the visually impaired], and I also plan to maybe hold a leadership role in the NFB one day. Again, thank you so much for having me here today. [PHOTO CAPTION: Conchita Hernandez] At the banquet Conchita Hernandez won the $12,000 Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship. Here is what she said: Thank you, Federation family. Thank you, Patti Chang, members of the committee, President Riccobono, every single one of you that believed in me. Before I joined the Federation I didn't have a horrible life, but I settled. I settled for having a less independent life. I settled for not doing everything for myself. I settled for not achieving the best that I could achieve. You all believed in me; the National Federation of the Blind does not settle. We tell parents, "Do not settle for less than the ultimate, excellent education for your children." We tell students, "Do not settle when your materials are not accessible, and you cannot get your textbooks." We tell parents, "Do not settle when you are being denied the right to parent as a blind individual." We tell our children, "Do not settle when you are not allowed to participate in activities." And so I just want to say thank you for teaching me not to settle. I'm a teacher of blind students in Washington, DC, and every day I see how students are settling and parents are settling. I plan to do research on learning reading media assessments so that we can prove that our children do need Braille. Because we will not settle until we get it. Thank you so much, and we can all live the lives we want. Following is a complete list of 2016 scholarship finalists and the awards they received. In addition to the awards listed below, each finalist also received: $1,000 and additional prizes personally donated by Dr. Ray Kurzweil; $1,000 from Google and the newest Chromebook; and a $1,000 certificate to the purchase of Independence Science technologies, specifically the new Sci-Voice Talking LabQuest. $3,000 NFB Scholarships (15): Tara Abella, JJ Aragon, Deniz Aydemir-Doke, Danielle Burton, Nathan Clark, Deanna Greco, Nazanin Heydarian, Matthew Miller, Katy Olsen, Chelsea Page, Donna Posont, Dexter Rowell, Kennedy Stomberg, Corgan Waters, and Johna Wright. $3,000 Charles and Betty Allen Scholarship: Samrawit Biyazin $3,000 Expedia Scholarships (2): Megan Borella and Kartik Sawhney $3,000 Charles and Melva T. Owen Memorial Scholarship: Merry-Noel Chamberlain $3,000 NFB Science and Engineering Division Scholarship: Kassidy Wilde $3,000 Adrienne Asch Memorial Scholarship: Sharon Jose $3,000 E.U. and Gene Parker Scholarship: Garret Mooney $5,000 NFB Scholarship: Brennan Carman $5,000 Pearson Scholarship: Elif Emir ?ks?z $5,000 Mimi and Marvin Sandler Scholarship: Jameyanne Fuller $5,000 Larry Streeter Memorial Scholarship: Precious Perez $8,000 Oracle Scholarship for Excellence in a STEM Field: Laura Etori $8,000 Oracle Scholarship for Excellence in Computer Science: Syed Rizvi $10,000 Charles and Melva T. Owen Memorial Scholarship: Kathryn Webster $12,000 Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship: Conchita Hernandez ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Mark Riccobono at the convention banquet] The Understanding of Fear and the Power of Progress An Address Delivered by Mark A. Riccobono, President At the Banquet of the Annual Convention Of the National Federation of the Blind Orlando, Florida July 5, 2016 I am seven years old. I sit at the window of my bedroom in the early evening. The Midwest air is a beautiful balance of refreshing and warm. Listening to the sounds of summer, I contemplate my own hopes and dreams. The uncertainty of life comes to mind, and it sends shivers through my entire body. All I feel is fear. Do I run, or do I stay? Do I engage the fear, or do I let it shut me down? Does fear own me, or do I own it? American author H. P. Lovecraft said, "The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." President Franklin D. Roosevelt remarked that "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," while First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt gave us the more actionable advice, "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do." What is fear? Is it positive or negative? Why does fear matter and what, if anything, does it have to do with blind people? At its basic level, fear is a physical and emotional response to some external stimulus. Sometimes the stimulus is known-like a loud, unexpected crash in the middle of the night-but often the trigger for fear is subconscious and is not easily traced. Science tells us that some aspects of fear are evolutionary, a hardwired set of autonomic responses that have been critical to our survival. There is debate about the number of evolutionary fears but two are commonly referenced-the fear of falling and the fear of loud sounds. Evolutionary fears may also be the root of other fears-consider, for example, the fear of heights-but there are many fears that do not show evidence of being hardwired into our brains. Scientists categorize fears that are not evolutionary as conditional. Conditional fears are developed through a complex set of interactions with the world and often through observing the behaviors of others. One of the best-known psychological projects producing empirical evidence of the conditioning of fear is the "Little Albert" experiment that was performed by John B. Watson and his graduate student, Rosalie Rayner, at Johns Hopkins University. These researchers presented an infant child named Albert with fuzzy things that would not have otherwise been scary and, at the same time, they produced a loud sound triggering the evolutionary fear. The result was that poor little Albert was conditioned to fear the fuzzy things every time he saw them, even without the noise. While most of the conditional fears we develop are not as explicitly established as were little Albert's, you can probably think of a number of circumstances in your own life that created conditional fears. I am certain that you can also recall instances where fear was used to alter your behavior. The biological fear response is most often triggered by very stressful circumstances that create a negative association with the feeling of fear. Not all aspects of fear are negative. Nelson Mandela said, "The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." Examining the definitions of fear in the American Heritage College Dictionary, Fourth Edition, we find another aspect of fear: "To be in awe of; (or) revere." Baltimore-born author and poet C. JoyBell C. advises, "Don't be afraid of your fears. They're not there to scare you. They're there to let you know that something is worth it." The other side of fear- the positive power to stimulate action and unlock potential-is generally underestimated. If we resolve ourselves to face our fears, respect the power within those fears, and turn that power into action, we can take control of our own destiny, diminish the negative fears of others, and raise our expectations. Blindness persists as being one of the most feared situations in the world. It is a fear as old as mankind. It has been passed down through centuries of tragic stories and by self-appointed caretakers who have utilized the fear of blindness to generate funding for their sheltering programs. Despite the conditioned fear associated with blindness, blind people have come to face the fear and have proved it to be unfounded. Not just one, or two, or ten extraordinary blind people but thousands of blind people from diverse backgrounds and with varied talents have made the case for seventy-six years that it is not blindness that is to be feared but rather the low expectations and misconceptions about blindness. We have walked alone and marched together; we have tested the possibilities, and we have not found the limits; we have faced the fear, and we have transformed it to hope-we are the National Federation of the Blind. One of the significant ways that people have been conditioned to fear blindness is through literature that perpetuates misconceptions about the blind. In his 1974 banquet address to the National Federation of the Blind, President Kenneth Jernigan examines the nine blindness-related themes in literature, which he describes as "blindness as compensatory or miraculous power, blindness as total tragedy, blindness as foolishness and helplessness, blindness as unrelieved wickedness and evil, blindness as perfect virtue, blindness as punishment for sin, blindness as abnormality or dehumanization, blindness as purification, and blindness as symbol or parable." These themes can be further collapsed into the two sides of fear- creating a sense of anxiety or a sense of awe. It does not matter which side of fear is triggered, as the biological reaction cannot be differentiated by most individuals. Most sighted people do not have experience with the blind, and this feeds the fear of the unknown. For these individuals the conditioned fear of blindness is based on the perceived difference between the sighted and the blind. The themes of blindness in literature gain their power through the biological triggers that take place when the fear instinct is evoked. In our current society we have many forms of media that can be used to exploit these themes and trigger fear. Consider the pending release of a new thriller by Sony Pictures, Don't Breathe, in which a blind man-who is assumed to be an easy target, always locked away in his house-terrorizes some would-be burglars who seek to take advantage of his perceived limitations. While playing on the conditioned fear of blindness might be a good plot for a horror film, it only works because of the low expectations that exist. The filmmakers are betting that the audience will understand that a blind person will not be able to perceive the threat coming, will certainly not be able to put up a fight, will not have much need for his fortune, and will not be expected to be evil. When things get really tense, we can predict that the plot twist will turn to total darkness-that mysterious land where the blind, through their super sensitivity (don't even breathe or we will hear you), are perceived to have a slight advantage. The impact of this film on society will be to perpetuate the perceived differences between the sighted and the blind and deepen the conditioned fear-even if it does make this Halloween really interesting for us. It is easy to imagine how blindness has come to be such a powerful trigger for fear. Any sighted person at any time can create the mental illusion that they know the experience of being blind. I would assert that blindness above any other characteristic is so easily simulated in those who do not live with it daily-a sighted person need only close their eyes- that many sighted people establish a subconscious view of blindness without much intentional effort. In fact the temptation is so subconscious that I suspect a number of sighted people in the room tonight just closed their eyes for a brief moment. How many times have you been told by someone that they tried to spend an hour with their eyes closed or they were temporarily blinded by something, and how it resulted in fear? Although those of us who understand the truth about blindness and live with it every day recognize that those brief experiences do not reflect our lives, we can appreciate how easy it is to establish the link between fear and blindness. The perceived knowledge of what it is like to be blind and the link to the fear trigger is what makes the conditioned image of blindness a powerful literary and marketing tool, and it is the formula that perpetuates the myths generation after generation. Although we in the National Federation of the Blind have made tremendous progress in breaking down the misconceptions about blindness, much of the society around us continues to fall for the trap of conditioned fear. Unfortunately, some of the most harmful contributions to the fear come from individuals and organizations closely associated with the blind- often packaged as an attempt to validate the need for greater funding and research. The combination of the perceived expertise of individuals working with the blind and the use of triggers for the conditioned fear of blindness is one of our greatest barriers to full integration into society. Consider a recent study commissioned by the Association for Research and Vision in Ophthalmology (ARVO), which says it is the largest eye and vision research organization in the world. In September 2014 they held a press conference detailing the findings of a poll that was conducted to examine the attitudes of people about blindness and the perceived value of research funding. Among their findings they show that blindness ranks among the top four "worst things that could happen to you" for all of their respondents. Although this research illuminates how powerful the fear factor of blindness continues to be today, it also exploits that misunderstanding to promote the need for more funding for prevent-blindness research. The public message is that blindness is most feared but the actual data collected tell a slightly different story. The poll administrators asked the question, "Which of the following diseases or ailments is the worst that could happen to you?" Respondents were given five choices and the order of the choices is notable: blindness, cancer, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, and not sure. While the public spin is that blindness was most often selected, the researchers do not emphasize that "not sure" ranked higher than blindness for every subgroup of individuals sampled. Since the selection of blindness fits the desired result, there was no attempt to explore whether the selection of "not sure" told us anything different about the understanding of blindness. To further emphasize the fear factor, the respondents were asked-presumably regardless of how they answered the previous question-"Which of the following would concern you as a consequence of losing your vision?" The choices of response were limited to independence, productivity, quality of life, other, and not sure. Not surprisingly, independence and quality of life were top responses in the face of an existing fear about blindness and no information about the tools and techniques that blind people use to live the lives we want. The researchers then predictably turned their questions to the importance of funding for research to prevent blindness. Responses were collected to the statement: "The federal government spends an average of $2.10 per person each year on eye and vision research, would you say that is..." and the respondents could choose, "not enough, enough, too much, or not sure." The reported finding-that illuminates further the fear of blindness-is that the majority of people feel that there is not enough money spent on research. The insightful finding that is not emphasized is that among the subgroup that was least likely to choose blindness as their top concern, only 35 percent said that the funding amount was not enough. It seems like common sense that those who fear blindness will want more research to be a priority, but why do the researchers fail to highlight the priority of those less likely to fear blindness? The entire poll is designed to amplify the conditioned fear of blindness for a political purpose. No discussion of rehabilitation training is included in this survey. No examination of misconceptions about the capacity of the blind is explored. No data is collected about experience with successful blind people. The entire promotional package of the survey findings serves to further deepen the conditioned fear of blindness. Fear has the power to generate action, and the researchers want to mobilize support for more funding. The conditioned fear of blindness goes well beyond surveys. Many people have internalized the fear and project it onto blind people in ways that significantly limit our lives. This most often surfaces in the form of safety concerns. How many times have you been walking down the street using a long white cane, when suddenly a kind and mysterious stranger takes it upon themselves to be the guardian angel that makes sure your cane touches nothing in the environment, because that would simply put you too close to danger? "There is a pole ahead." "You are coming up to a street." Or my personal favorite: "You are getting ready to run into a wall." Although most of these incidents are annoying, they can be shrugged off or used as opportunities to educate our fellow citizens and demystify blindness. The problem comes when the conditioned fear of blindness results in actions that have far more painful consequences. What impact is there on the blind mother who is denied custody of her child because there will not be a person with vision to protect the child in the home? What options are there for the blind young man who is let go from a job installing technology in an environment where his presence is perceived as a safety issue? What message is sent to the military veteran who goes blind later in life and is advised to retreat to a care facility rather than live in his own home? How painful is it when every career dream a blind person has is extinguished by an unimaginative rehabilitation counselor? Where are the opportunities for the blind student who is barred from physical education, math, or dozens of other academic activities? And, how does a blind child build independence when she is told she cannot use a cane without supervision because she has not yet perfected the technique and might get hurt? Often the limits placed on us are expressed through products and services. Dozens of products in the marketplace, solutions under research, and best practice guidelines for making the world safe for the blind attempt to emphasize the differences and play on conditioned fear. A simple Google search reveals many pages with guidelines for making a home or business safe for the blind, especially the newly blind older adult. Although many of the safety tips are useful reminders for all people, the guidelines gain power when amplified by the conditioned fear of blindness, and they strengthen the perceived difference between the blind and the sighted. The fear trigger is initiated by common statements such as, "Often, it is our homes that can pose the greatest risks to our safety especially if you are blind or visually impaired." Apparently, blindness also limits our ability to use our arms. Consider the PUSHUP GRID. The manufacturer tells us, "Some of the common fitness activities in which individuals who are Blind/Visually Impaired participate include yoga, stationary bike riding, aerobics, basketball, jumping rope, and weight training. With the introduction of the PUSHUP GRID Pushup Training and Assessment Mat, the pushup exercise can now be added to this list with very little modification." The video demonstrating this tactile mat tells us that "after a few instructional sessions some individuals may be able to execute pushups independently." Upon further investigation, we find that this mat simply happens to have tactile features and that the real innovation is making it easy for everyone to perform proper pushups with each hand at the same distance from the center of the body. Products that include a broad set of features for a diverse range of individuals should be celebrated for being well designed. Why must the marketers give the appearance that blind people have special difficulty performing pushups? Whether it is because they truly believe that we require special treatment to perform pushups or they recognize that a convenient marketing angle to drive sales is to play on the misconceptions, the underlying root of the problem is the conditioned fear of blindness and the action that the fear inspires. Another popular method for triggering the conditioned fear of blindness is through the topic of food. The horrors faced by blind people in dealing with eating are discussed in podcasts, perpetuated through specialized products, and celebrated in "Dining in the Dark" activities. The Blind Abilities podcast recently shared the suggestion that one solution to eating out is to develop the courage to ask your waiter to cut your meat for you. Is that really the way we want to engage with the world? Fear feeds fear. The harmful messages sometimes reach broader than we think. Two months ago I was at a restaurant in Chicago with some leaders of the Federation, enjoying a nice meal when-without our asking-our steaks were presented already cut for our convenience. Needless to say, that steakhouse is one cut below the rest. Despite the myths, I suspect that the assembled crowd here tonight prepared for our banquet with joyful anticipation rather than fearful anxiety. When the product inventors are blind, we face an additional challenge. Take, for example, the Stress Less Drink Holder for the blind. The drink holder-which consists of a plastic tray with a safety cup holder and raised edges to contain spills-was created by a retired engineer who went blind. Here is a talented man who has had a successful career and who has absorbed all of the conditioned messages of fear about blindness. He faces a real problem of embarrassment as he adjusts to his own vision loss, and he has created a product that he believes will give blind people greater independence and hope. If the product were built out of meanness or to make fun of blind people, we should be outraged. However, this product was built to solve what one person has been conditioned to perceive as a significant problem. It was built by a blind person who has not yet faced the fear with the understanding that tens of thousands of us have come to know through our active participation in the National Federation of the Blind. It was built by a man who needs us. The challenge for us is how we help this blind person channel his innate talent and potential, and similarly to help the thousands of others out there who have not yet come to understand the true impact of the conditioned fear of blindness in our lives. We reject the persistent feeding of this fear and the real harmful impact it has on the lives of blind people every day. While there is value in medical research and the development of meaningful accessible products and best practices, they fail to provide value to society when they are built upon fear. The real value to our society comes from giving blind people access to quality training and the confidence to meet the conditioned fear of blindness and disarm its false limits. Some want the fear to own us, but we know the truth, and we own our own lives. We have walked alone and marched together; we have tested the possibilities, and we have not found the limits; we have faced the fear, and we have transformed it to hope-we are the National Federation of the Blind. The greatest opportunity for changing the conditioned fear of blindness rests within each of us as blind people. We must challenge ourselves to recognize that we all, blind and sighted, have fears, can face those fears, and must turn those fears into a source of power. This requires each of us to have the courage and humility to go beyond the limits of the conditioned fear of blindness. It also requires us to face the fear that comes from pursuing the untapped power within us to test our own assumptions, reach for new heights, and do the things we believe we cannot do. No blind person is immune from the conditioned fear of blindness. In the National Federation of the Blind we know that blindness is not the characteristic that defines us or our future. We also know that in order to make this statement true, we, as blind individuals, need to develop the understanding and utilize the nonvisual techniques that will allow us to take control of our lives. More importantly, we recognize that we need to face the conditioned fears and challenge them on a daily basis. For those blind people who may still be immobilized by their conditioned fears, now is the time to act. It likely means standing at a street corner for a long time until you decide to take that first step. It might mean building a hot fire and learning to grill your favorite summer meal and, like all new chefs, potentially burning it. And it almost always means talking with blind people who have fought through the frustration and anger that comes with breaking down those conditioned fears about blindness. Regardless of where you are in that process, there are thousands of others who have been there before you who are ready to support you in that journey. And once you have begun to face those conditioned fears, we need you to help teach others to do the same. Regardless of how much training, experience, and confidence any blind person has accumulated, each of us encounters the negative impact of conditioned fears on a daily basis. By working together, we continue to remind each other that this space-the space that we create together-where we raise expectations, challenge our fears, and encourage each other to go further is the normal experience in a world where we minimize the unfounded fears about blindness. The challenge for us is neither the training nor our own internal confidence; it is the continued struggle against the impact of the conditioned fears of others. When we go out in the world, there is no way to avoid encountering the impact of the misconceptions about blindness. We must recognize the fear exists, prevent others from using it to control our lives, and find new ways to overturn those fears. This demands us to be firm but also loving with those who act with sincerity. It also demands that we face outright cases of discrimination with action. We must have the courage and the maturity to be honest about the difference. We must also guard against accepting second-class treatment out of convenience to ourselves. For example, each of us knows that the airport is one of the places where the conditioned fear of blindness is going to be in evidence. It is sometimes tempting, especially after a long and intense convention, to simply go along and not challenge the low expectations that others wish to force upon us-constantly asking us where we are going, trying to get us to ride the electric cart or not to ride the escalator, pushing and pulling us, insisting that we pre-board, offering to walk us down the jetway so we do not get lost, attempting to take our canes away, inviting us to stay seated in an emergency until someone comes to help, serving us drinks with a lid and a straw, and the list goes on. The decision for us is whether we choose to contribute to the conditioned fear of blindness by giving up control, or to work actively to eliminate the fears by using our full capacity. Each of us has the opportunity, and I would argue the responsibility, to take the unrestricted view of blindness and to spread it broadly through our actions. If we do not take control of it, over time it will slowly gain more and more power over us. This requires us to constantly review our own actions, challenge our own assumptions, carry our portion of the responsibility, and never settle for second best. We cannot stop there. If we truly desire to live the lives we want, there is one more powerful step we must take. We need to learn to positively harness the power of fear in our lives. Those who claim that they have no fear in their life are failing to utilize their potential to live their life fully. Consider love for example, which I believe to be more powerful than any other influence. It is impossible to love without feeling some degree of fear. That is the fear my wife and I faced when we held our first child, our second child, and our third child, and the fear that we continue to face when considering their future. Positive situations also create uncertainty and trigger the fear emotion. If we act in awe of fear rather than acting in fear of fear, we can unlock the power that fear gives us. Fear gives us the awareness that we are getting outside of our comfort zone and challenging ourselves to go beyond the previous limits. When we choose to face fear and recognize that fear represents our own power to act, we take greater control over our own lives. As individuals we can choose to own the power and command our destiny; as a movement we must dare to focus the power and use it to create hope and opportunity. Imagine how the world will be different because the blind resolve to conquer fear. Imagine what we can do for society in a world where the conditioned fear of blindness does not exist. Imagine a world where the conditioned fear of blindness is so diminished that it no longer ranks in the surveys, generates the sales, or captivates the filmmakers. Imagine not just the impact on you and me; imagine the enormous benefit to every individual on this planet in the future. The conditioned fear of blindness and so many other conditioned fears significantly and artificially limit the human race. When we succeed in lifting one more fear from the consciousness of humanity, there will be more space for the power of potential that exists among us. Imagine the hope that grows when fear no longer flows. Recently I had the opportunity to visit Blindness: Learning in New Dimensions (BLIND Inc.)-a training center affiliated with the National Federation of the Blind. At BLIND Incorporated blind individuals are challenged daily to break down their conditioned fears about blindness and to face the fears they will have from pursuing their dreams. During a seminar that I was honored to lead with the students and staff, I was asked to describe my top fear for the National Federation of the Blind. I answered by saying that my greatest fear is that we as blind people will get too comfortable with the progress we have made. Today is the best time in history to be a blind person. We have made tremendous progress. We have more opportunities than at any time before. Some might be tempted to get comfortable with the illusion that we have equality in society. Some might fear that we cannot reach any higher for blind people. Some might have bought into enough of the conditioned fear of blindness to believe that we no longer need the National Federation of the Blind. However, our experience over seventy-six years gives us the perspective to know that we have not reached the top of our climb, and an honest assessment of our lives reveals that we are not yet fully accepted in society without the artificial conditions that others place upon us. The society around us is advancing, and our failure to continue our march for independence would result in our steadily losing some of the ground we have gained. My fear for our organization is that our success will condition us to believe that the benchmark is based on how far we have come rather than on where we can go. My fear is that we will get comfortable, we will fail to face the fear that comes from testing the limits, and we will settle for second best. When I was seven and sat at the window contemplating my future, I was afraid of the life questions that did not have answers. The fear was not related to blindness but to the uncertainties and struggles that come with the human experience. I am now thirty-nine and even though I better understand how to conquer fear, certain things remain true. The emotion is uncomfortable, the uncertainty pushes me toward feeling powerless, and my hardwired instinct is to run. But I have found there is value in that fear, and the opportunity comes in the chance to stay to face the fear and reveal its other side. The other side of fear is power, and the truth of our power generates hope. When I face the fear of what we might be in the future, I think about a gathering of Federationists like we share here tonight. The thought fills me with hope, energy, and love, and I am in awe of what we will do together. For seventy-six years we have continued to raise expectations for the blind. We have diminished the false limits that the conditioned fear of blindness has artificially placed upon us. Despite my fear that we might get comfortable and the many opportunities for our power to be displaced by complacence, we demonstrate only forward progress at an increasing pace. We have not settled for second best, and we will never be conditioned to do so. We have faced our own fears, and we will never give control of our lives to others. Although we have fears, they do not come from blindness but from the power of our desire to complete our march to first-class status. Although we have challenges, they do not come from within us, and they are no match for the love, hope, and determination that keep us together in the National Federation of the Blind. We will not be defined by the prevent-blindness researchers and their agenda to expand the conditioned fear of blindness. We will not be defined by the unfounded safety concerns of others who do not know the real, lived experience of blind people. We will not be defined by the marketing experts who seek to trigger the fear response in order to sell products that create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. My brothers and my sisters, we are the masters of our own future. The power to make change and to cultivate hope is within each of us. We bond together in the National Federation of the Blind to face the uncertainty of the future, to challenge ourselves to expand the horizons, and to take ownership of living the lives we want. Society's fears of blindness will not stop us. Facing our own fears will make us stronger. And the power of our unwavering love, hope, and determination will lead us through uncertainty to new heights. Let us break down the conditioned fears of others. Let us challenge ourselves to conquer the fears that stand in our way. Let us overwhelm fear with our unstoppable engine of hope. Let us build the National Federation of the Blind. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: The Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award] Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards Presented by James Gashel Thank you, Mr. President and fellow Federationists. You know, I've noticed in addition to the shifting numbers by the decades that this convention seems to be-if you could believe it-more spirited and lively than many. In fact, I noticed this particularly during the presentation of the financial yesterday, where there was a lot of applause at different parts of the financial. Back in the day of the 1960s, we used to go to sleep during the financial. It's a different crowd-maybe they're more business-minded. You know, the presentation of the Jacob Bolotin Awards is a high honor that I have on behalf of this organization, the Santa Barbara Foundation, and the Alfred and Rosalind Perlman Trust. A biography entitled The Blind Doctor: the Jacob Bolotin Story by Rosalind Perlman is a must- read for all of you. It really should go down among our Federation literature. It is available in the Independence Market. Get it, and read it by next year, okay? Jacob Bolotin's story defines what it means to live the life you want. He was born in 1888, and he lived to be age thirty-six. But during that short life, he fulfilled his dream of becoming the first blind doctor- blind since birth. And he wasn't just a psychology doctor; he was a heart and lung doctor. Nothing wrong with psychology doctors, now, but this guy got right into it. After graduating from the Illinois School for the Blind, Bolotin supported himself and his family as a door-to-door salesman in Chicago. He sold kitchen matches, brushes, and typewriters. The hours were long and the work was hard, but Bolotin persevered, and he even saved up enough money to put himself through medical school. There wasn't any vocational rehabilitation back then; there wasn't any section 504 or ADA back then. In the spirit of Jacobus tenBroek, Kenneth Jernigan, Marc Maurer, and Mark Riccobono, Jacob Bolotin was, in fact if not in name, a Federationist. Supported in part with a bequest left to the Santa Barbara Foundation and the National Federation of the Blind, the awards we give include money which each recipient will get. They also include an engraved plaque and a medallion. Here's the text on the plaque: Presented to [name of the recipient] by the National Federation of the Blind and the Santa Barbara Foundation July 2016 The text on the obverse side of the medallion suspended above the plaque says this: "The Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award" with our logo under that, and it says immediately below the logo "Celebrating Achievement, Creating Opportunity." Now the reverse side of the medallion says "Dr. Jacob Bolotin," and then there's a depiction of his bust below that text. Below the bust are the years of his birth and death, with this text below: "Celebrating his Life/The Alfred and Rosalind Perlman Trust." And now for the 2016 Bolotin Awards. Audio & Braille Literacy Enhancement (ABLE), $5,000. Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, ABLE started more than fifty years ago, mostly as a Braille transcription service, but audio services were added soon thereafter. In 2013 the service was further expanded to fill requests from teachers for more than just textbooks, including accessible Braille versions of daily math and science materials; Spanish and German materials for foreign language classes; assessments, quizzes, and exams were included; books and short stories for literature classes are now included; and raised line drawing of charts, graphs, and pictures are done by ABLE. With a sound studio that is now equipped for the NLS program, ABLE now produces audio books by Wisconsin authors that are not included in the national NLS program. If you want to visit a museum exhibit that's accessible, visit Crossroads of Civilization at the Milwaukee Public Museum. It was made fully accessible by ABLE. Meeting the standard set by Dr. Jacob Bolotin, ABLE is providing services of the highest quality. Excellence is only the floor, not the ceiling at ABLE. Here to receive the award is Sheryl Orgas, executive director of ABLE. [PHOTO CAPTION: Cheryl Orgas] Cheryl Orgas: Good afternoon. As executive director of a creative and innovative volunteer staff team at ABLE, I am deeply honored to receive this Jacob Bolotin Award. From creating quick-turnaround materials such as hundreds of math and science tactiles for a rising junior in his international baccalaureate program, to those books that you can download on BARD [Braille and Audio Reading Download] not only all of you in this room-not right now, though, but after sessions-to those 550,000 individuals and organizations that are a part of the program, to our signature relationship with the Milwaukee Public Museum. Yes, Crossroads is accessible, but we're moving on to the butterfly exhibit and to the dinosaurs, but even bigger than that, what ABLE has done in partnership with the Milwaukee Public Museum is we've changed their paradigm from "just look, don't touch" to "how can we make exhibits accessible from the ground up?" And I can tell you we are not stopping there. We've moved on to the Urban Ecology Center. And because of our work at ABLE, and because of our passion and commitment, blind people are going to be able to live the lives they want. My deepest gratitude to James Gashel, Ron Brown, and Mary Ellen Jernigan for this wonderful gift of money, and may I also say the greater gift of having ABLE associated with such a great man, such an exemplary leader as Dr. Bolotin. And my family, Bill Meeker, Christopher our son in Utah fighting fires right now, because as blind parents we taught him to live the life he wants, and our great friends and leader President Riccobono, Dr. Maurer, and all of you, my family, thank you. Jim Gashel: Oskar and Klaus Publishing, $10,000. Now you say, "What is Oskar and Klaus Publishing?" Well, I'm going to tell you. Mick Szydlowski and his wife Bethany adopted a six-week-old blind kitten named Oskar. This was five years ago, and Oskar was adopted to join their other adopted cat named Klaus. They didn't know what to do except just to stay out of the way while Oskar basically found his way around his new home, and he was fearless running around the place, navigating through. And Klaus didn't know what to do either, so he just stayed out of the way. Compared to Klaus, Oskar was the first one to show up at mealtime. He was climbing Bethany's leg as the cans of cat food were being opened, while Klaus just sat back and watched. Oh, Klaus accepted his new companion. Through their play and wrestling about, it was clear that Oskar was in charge and Klaus was just following along-that's the way it ought to be. Mr. President, the blind should be in charge. Yeah, let's hear a Federation cheer for the blind being in charge! Fascinated by the antics of their blind cat and their much more timid sighted cat, Mick and Bethany started posting pictures and videos on the internet, and the thing just went viral. That's when they called on their friend Travis Bossard to help out, so Travis is now part of this business to manage the growing social media. This includes not just appearances at the local pet shelter, which they've had, but on national television like Good Morning, America, Ellen, Fox and Friends, and others. Now the adventures of Oskar and Klaus are being recounted in books. Two books are out, and a third one is in process. You can get these books at , just follow the link for books, or you can order them on Amazon.com. An audiobook of the first book, which is Oskar & Klaus: the Search for Bigfoot is available, and a Braille version of the second book, The Mission to Cataria is at the same price as it is in print, and that is supported by the American Action Fund. Barbara Loos, president of the Action Fund, is consulting on the text. Now meeting the standard set by Dr. Jacob Bolotin, Oskar & Klaus Publishing is reaching a worldwide audience of adults and children with a positive image of blindness. Just imagine that: the fun and frolic of their fearless blind cat Oskar and his timid sighted companion Klaus, the world is learning that we can live the lives we want. So here to accept the award on behalf of Oskar and Klaus is Mick Szydlowski, father of Oskar and Klaus. [PHOTO CAPTION: Mick Szydlowski] Mick Szydlowski: Thank you for this incredible honor. I stand before you today as one man, but I'm also accepting this award on behalf of my longtime friend and partner in Oskar & Klaus Publishing, Travis Bossard, who is unable to be here today. We are grateful to have been recognized by the awards committee and thankful for the opportunity to attend the National Convention. Our time in Orlando has only strengthened our commitment to creating a book series that aligns with the goals of the Federation by challenging readers to live lives full of limitless adventure, free from the burdens of society's prejudices, misunderstandings, and low expectations. Although we would love to think of the Bolotin Award as the prize at the end of a long journey of self- publishing, we know that it serves as the milestone marker to celebrate our first steps. It's both a signpost that shows that we are traveling in the right direction and a gust of wind at our backs pushing us forward. Travis and I both read the biography of Dr. Jacob Bolotin, and we understand that it is the power of will that propels one to achieve great things in life. We shall thus carry on writing and take comfort in knowing that the NFB is by our side. Thank you again for this honor; we are moved, we are encouraged, and we are very proud to be part of your family. Jim Gashel: Winston Chen, $15,000. Winston Chen may not be a household name, but perhaps you'll know our next awardee if I just say "Voice Dream Reader." Winston Chen is the father of Voice Dream Reader. If you're blind and have an iDevice-like an iPhone-you probably already have Voice Dream Reader-I do. If you don't have it, you're definitely missing out. Here's just a few details about Voice Dream Reader. In text-to-speech it has one premium a cappella voice, your choice of several other free a cappella voices, and thirty-six iOS voices in twenty-seven languages; in- app purchase of 200+ premium voices in thirty languages; a corrections dictionary so you can correct pronunciations (like I'm having trouble with); all voices play in the background, and even when the screen is locked-do you like that? I like that. And, by the way, it's optimized for VoiceOver. Supported file formats include: PDF, plain text, MS Word, PowerPoint, RTF, GoogleDocs, web articles, DRMfree ebooks, Bookshare books, Daisy text and audiobooks, and other MP3 and MP4 formats. Other features like text navigation and text annotation are available. In short, if you're looking for a high-quality reader, this reader does just about everything. Now the one thing it doesn't do is it doesn't take pictures and read-maybe that's coming. [laughs] We have another one that takes pictures and reads- KNFB Reader-let's have a shout-out to KNFB Reader-not to steal Winston's thunder. You know Winston is truly an interesting guy. In 2011 he was firmly established in a software company as an executive in Massachusetts, but Winston and his family decided to take a year off from this great career in the United States, and the entire family moved for a year to a remote Norwegian island north of the Arctic Circle. There in the dead and dark of winter, Winston had to have something to do, so he created Voice Dream Reader. Really an interesting guy-you've got to meet this guy. Meeting the standard set by Dr. Jacob Bolotin, Winston Chen has raised the bar in accessible reading for blind people. Through his single-handed efforts in creating the Voice Dream Reader app, Winston Chen is making lives better for all blind people so we can definitely live the lives we want. Here to receive the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award is Winston Chen. [PHOTO CAPTION: Winston Chen] Winston Chen: Thank you, Jim, and thank you NFB. You know I feel really lucky. I get to wake up every morning and work on products that really make a difference in people's lives. When customers email me, "My life has changed because of your products." When I think about it, it's not luck. Thirty-two years ago I immigrated to the United States from China. America welcomed me with open arms, gave me a terrific education in a public high school and a public university, and that's how I learned how to write software. Then you have the Apple ecosystem, where one guy can make products, and everybody in the world can enjoy and benefit from his work. And because of that, I can make sure that the products are affordable, and also I can support my family. Voice Dream exists because of America's generosity towards immigrants and exists because of this global economy. Now these things are increasingly becoming contentious around family barbeques and in ballot boxes around the world. I would just like to add that hopefully my personal story will add a perspective to it, that there are a lot of benefits that come from these things. Thank you, thanks everyone. I feel like I haven't earned this honor, and I promise to work hard and make the products better and earn this honor. Thanks. [From the applause it was clear that the audience believed Winston Chen most certainly deserved the honor and recognition bestowed by this award.] Jim Gashel: For our fourth and final (this is a group) award: we call them the Semitic Scholars, $20,000. Now, Jacob Bolotin knew that blind people can compete on equal terms, given the right tools and given opportunities. If you've ever considered becoming a biblical scholar, then you would have already found that understanding the Semitic languages like biblical Hebrew, classical Greek, Aramaic, Syriac, Coptic, Akkadian, and Ugaritic-I can't even pronounce these languages-it's a real challenge. And it's especially a challenge if you use Braille. So the group we call the Semitic Scholars includes three very bright, very creative, and very devoted blind people: Sarah LaRose, Dr. Raymond McAllister, and Matthew Yeater. Through their combined efforts, and with help from David Holliday and Caryn Navy at Duxbury Systems, the Semitic Scholars have built the tools needed to convert ancient languages and ancient content into Braille. Sarah LaRose graduated from Anderson University with a master's degree in divinity and developed the Braille tables for using JAWS with biblical Hebrew, Syriac, and polytonic Greek. Dr. Raymond McAllister earned his PhD in Hebrew from Andrews University, and he discovered how to make ancient texts accessible by opening the text in Microsoft Word and then converting the ancient characters into modern characters, and then opening this hybrid file in a BrailleNote. So consequently he could read hundreds of ancient documents in ancient languages on the BrailleNote-never been done before. Matthew Yeater built on these accomplishments by creating the code to access primary source materials for both the Old Testament and the New Testament. He worked with McAllister further to develop the code for three strands of ancient Syriac. Through contacts with a publisher, he then made it possible for downloadable files of these Braille materials to be available so blind students anywhere can study along with their sighted colleagues [applause]. This is ground-breaking stuff these guys have done. Meeting the standards set by Jacob Bolotin, all three of our Semitic Scholars have demonstrated pioneering success in breaking down barriers and opening new fields of study for blind people, both today and tomorrow. Through their combined contributions, these three scholars are walking in the footsteps of Dr. Jacob Bolotin, and they are helping to make it possible for all blind people to live the lives we want. So I have the first of the Semitic Scholars, Sarah LaRose. [PHOTO CAPTION: Sarah LaRose] Sarah LaRose: Hi, guys. I want you all to imagine receiving emails that say, "Is it possible for a blind person to succeed in biblical studies?" And another email that says, "My college exempted me from this subject and suggested that I change my program to a master of arts in ministry because I cannot take biblical languages." That's the type of emails that I used to receive from people who wanted to study biblical languages. That is why I do this. I want to say thank you to the NFB for this tremendous honor. And we will not stop this work, because there should be no more exemptions for anybody who wants to study these languages. James Gashel: Next is Dr. Raymond McAllister. [PHOTO CAPTION: Dr. Raymond McAllister] Dr. Raymond McAllister: When I wished to work on my PhD, I had to use technical documents with a lot of symbols in them that aren't in your usual Braille Hebrew Bibles. So I used these computer code texts that are really a pain. That's what I had to do to read my Bible the way I wanted to. Well now we've got better texts, we got them in Braille, and I helped code the Hebrew accents so they can be readable, and they're being distributed to the blind who get ahold of these organizations. And what we want to do with this award is make more ancient Semitic documents and more ancient languages digitized so that they can be converted into Braille. I want to thank the NFB for helping us to be able to push this vision further, I want to thank my wife Sally for supporting me, and I want to thank God for making all this possible. I'm going to leave you with a hardy thank you very much in Hebrew. Thank you very much in Hebrew is "todam ode." Jim Gashel: The last of the three Semitic Scholars is Matthew Yeater. Matthew, here is your plaque, and you're going to say thank you very fast please. [PHOTO CAPTION: Matthew Yeater] Matthew Yeater: Thank you. The beauty of the biblical language profile found on Duxbury (it's available there) is access to the critical apparatus and biblical scholarship. The critical apparatus has a bunch of weird symbols that stand for abbreviations, and it has a multitude of languages on the same page. What's really cool is that through this project we can have a multitude of ancient languages on the same page and convert them all into Braille at the same time. And it's available in 147 different languages. Thank you, National Federation of the Blind for pouring into me your philosophy; thank you Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary; Paul Kine; Lauren Johns for helping us write the code; Duxbury, David and Caryn- you guys are the greatest; Brent Graber-you guys are awesome; thank you, Bolotin committee. God bless you. --------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Jamie Principato] Equal Opportunity and Discovering Talent: A Journey from Discrimination to Particle Astrophysics Research by Jamie Principato From the Editor: In January of 2015, this magazine ran an article about Jamie Principato and her struggle to fight for accommodations from Florida State University. Jamie has moved on from her legal battles, and she brought to the 2016 national convention one of the finest speeches about the need for access and the transformative part it can play in one's life that I've ever heard. Here is what she said on Tuesday, July 5: Hello. I'm in the business of sharing ideas, and I have a big idea for you today. But before I get to that, there's a story that I need to share that I've been learning this week is very important. It started not at Florida State University, but when I was in the eighth grade. It was the end of our semester, and my teacher asked me to stay after class. She asked me to stay because I am failing eighth grade algebra. Up to this point I had never used a math book, and I'd never been able to write math my teacher could read. I also could not read or write in Braille, and any work I did in math had to be done verbally. As many of you I'm sure understand, if you've been to school and you are blind, it's very difficult to simplify an equation if what you're hearing is: "Two squared plus six over x divided by three squared plus two x squared plus the square root of five, all divided by three." I'm a mathematician now, and I don't know where to begin with that. But my teacher had good news for me. She told me, "I'm not going to give you an 'F' and prevent you from going on to ninth grade with your classmates, because I understand what you're going through." "Really," I said. She said, "Yes, I do. You see, my daughter has intellectual disabilities, and she can't solve for 'x' either." [groans] I was crushed. And I realized that I had two options: I could correct my teacher, and I could tell her that I am intelligent, I can learn math, but I can't learn math if I can't read a math book or access your notes when you're giving lecture. Or-I'm fourteen years old, remember-I could walk away and never have to come back to that classroom again. I walked away. Fast forward now to entering college. Somehow-I don't really know how this could have happened-when I entered Florida State University, I managed to pass my placement test and be placed into college algebra. Meanwhile, up to this point I still can't solve for 'x', and I can barely multiply numbers greater than seven. But I'm placed into college algebra, and there happens to be another student in the class with me who is blind. We decide to go to class together that morning. And when we walk in we are immediately stopped by the professor at the door. And she tells us, "You guys shouldn't be here." What do you mean? She tells us that, "None of the materials in this department can be provided to you in Braille or in large print." I remember telling her that shouldn't be a problem; Florida State University has a disability resource center, and if you send them your materials, they can help you prepare them for us. She told us, "Oh, no, no, no, we don't do that here." "What? You don't do that?" She told us that it was somehow against department policy to release any of their materials to disability resources, and it had always been so. We proceeded to attempt to take the class. They weren't going to make us leave because other departments were putting pressure on us to complete our college algebra requirement. It was either complete the requirement or be unenrolled in the institution, so we had to find a way to do it. Meanwhile, at every turn there is something new stopping us: there are tests that we cannot take, homework assignments that we cannot complete, study materials we have no access to, and even when we go to our instructor's office to ask questions or to seek assistance, she insists on tutoring us using pen and ink, barely describing anything she's doing verbally. Needless to say it was impossible to pass college algebra, and soon after this first semester my fellow student and I, with the assistance of the National Federation of the Blind, entered litigation against Florida State University on the grounds that their programs were inaccessible to us and that they were engaging in discrimination on the basis of disability [applause]. Something that a lot of students don't realize when they enter into something like this is that litigation is a messy process. It's time- consuming; it's stressful. I ended up spending more time working with Brown, Goldstein & Levy during discovery, helping them get information about my school, trying to understand the law myself so that I knew how to communicate to people at my school when questioned-I spent more time working on these tasks than I spent on my studies. It was like a full-time job, and it lasted for more than three years. And when it ended, I burnt a bridge at my university and could not go back. I moved to Colorado shortly after, and it was time for me to start over. It took a long time before I was ready to go back to school because at this point I wasn't really sure if my teacher in eighth grade was right or not. Maybe I am stupid; maybe I can't do math. Almost every career I could possibly go into is going to require mathematics; math is everywhere. So maybe I'm just not cut out for college. They told me at Florida State that their programs simply were not for everybody, that there were some people they could not serve, and maybe I would be better off trying to find a school that served "my kind." But eventually I worked up the courage to return to school. I started at a community college-Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, Colorado. I decided that I would start slow and that I would only take math courses in the beginning. Math was going to be the hardest thing for me to conquer, so it seemed like a good place to start. I didn't want my instructors having any assumptions about what I could do as a blind person, so when I entered my college classroom on the first day of school and my professor asked the students to share with the class how they felt about math and what kind of experience they had had in the past, I lied through my teeth, and I told my instructor with a straight face-a smile, in fact-that I was excellent in math and that it had always been my best subject. "I'm only taking this class because I'm twenty-three-I've been out of school for a while, I need a little refresher in algebra, but I am confident I can get a perfect A in this class." I spent the rest of the semester trying my hardest not to get caught in the lie. I have to say that it was not my own ability that made that possible. My school was incredible in terms of accessibility. Anytime I needed help, anytime I found materials that I could not access or information I could not read, there was somebody at my school, either in the math department or in the disability services office, who was willing to help me. They didn't doubt that with the right access I could be successful in math, and sure enough they were right, and I was right, and I pulled off an A in that class [applause]. I continued in mathematics at Arapahoe Community College (ACC). I wanted to try trigonometry, and when I finished that, I wanted to go into calculus. I ended up being the first blind student at ACC to progress through all of the math courses that that school offered, and I succeeded [applause]. I still wasn't sure what I wanted to do. When I was at Florida State I majored in psychology, not because I was particularly thrilled with psychology-it's a great field-but I was doing it because it seemed like the only likely science a blind person could be successful in. But now I was being successful in things I thought I could never do, so I started rethinking my career choices. I remember one night a friend of mine who was a sighted mathematician was sitting with me, going over a problem I found particularly interesting from class that day. I started telling him about my dilemma, about how I wanted to do science; it was all I really ever wanted to do. "I just want to understand how the universe works." He looked at me, and he said: "Well then, why don't you major in physics?" "I'm blind; physics has a lot of math, a lot of labs, and all kinds of equipment and technology that I'm not used to." I started panicking, and he looked at me and said, "I'm not joking; you can do math, so you can do physics." So I thought about it, and it occurred to me that there's really nothing to lose in trying, just like I tried algebra. So I went to school a few months later when the new semester was starting, and I changed my major to physics. From that point on, doors were opening for me. I met with the chair of the physics department, and I told him that I was a little concerned about the laboratory component of his classes. He said to me, "I don't understand why." I said, "Well, sir, I'm blind." He said, "Sure, but sighted people can't see radiation or electricity or momentum. You can do math, so you can do physics." He was right. With the tools that my school already provided to their sighted students, the LabQuest system in particular for collecting data in laboratories, I was able to compete with my sighted peers in the laboratory, and pretty soon I had the opportunity to start doing my own research. I joined a team of researchers who were sponsored by NASA through the Colorado Space Grant Consortium. We began building instruments that would fly through the stratosphere and even into space, and my focus became instruments that would allow sighted people to see things they can't even see, things like radiation, things like cosmic rays and subatomic particles, things like the molecular composition of the atmosphere that you can't see even with a working eye, and I as a blind student, just an undergrad, was building the tools that scientists could use to visualize these things and that I could use to visualize these things [applause]. Only two weeks ago I was at Wallops, Virginia, at the Wallops Flight Facility at NASA, integrating a device that I built that allows us to see when the sensor collides with subatomic particles from a cosmic ray from the radiation produced when stars and distant galaxies explode. We launched this device on a rocket. From 1,000 feet away my teammates and I recorded the launch, and I'd like to share that with you now. Can we cut to the video? [The tape commences with a countdown starting at ten, nine, eight, and when the countdown reaches zero and the word mark is spoken, one can hear and see the rocket lifting off. On the recording one can hear the cheers of excited participants, and in the background one can also hear the excited cheers of those of us in the audience.] This is what can happen when blind people have access to math and science. Since then I've also found a talent for teaching, and I'm a tutor now to many sighted students in college-level math. However, I am most proud of my students in the college prep program at the Colorado Center for the Blind (CCB). Now I want to come to the idea that I promised I would share. Teaching math to students who want to pursue college, I started noticing some very interesting patterns. With the permission of my students I started collecting data and keeping track of things that we talked about, things that we worked on, and the patterns that I perceived. A very common pattern: virtually 90 percent of my students would come to me and tell me in the beginning of our sessions, "I can't learn math; I had a teacher in middle school who told me that I was intellectually disabled there, and I just can't do it." And my students really believed this, that somehow because they were blind, there was something else wrong with them that made it impossible for them to learn about math. In the short time I've been teaching-the longest duration has been four months, and the shortest has been one month-my students go from believing that they are incapable of learning math-from exactly where I was, feeling that they can't even multiply numbers together if the numbers are greater than seven-to performing at a perfectly acceptable precollege level, some even testing not just into but beyond college algebra. This is simply because they have been given access to mathematical information at CCB [applause]. Once a student has access to the information, a mentor who can show them how to use it and who believes that they are capable of using it, they can do tremendous things. They not only can reach their grade level but exceed it. So this is my idea: we are a large organization with a lot of resources. There are people here with many talents ranging from music to science and mathematics. We also have many children in the organization who are blind, who are entering school, or who are already in school and finding that when they reach a certain grade level they no longer have access to the information their peers can use. I propose that as a Federation we start paring talented adults and professionals-college students and professionals-who have succeeded in science and mathematics with the families of children who are struggling, with the families of children whose teachers believe that they are cognitively delayed and cannot possibly learn math because they are blind. I want the students to have access to a network of people who not only know the skills of blindness but also know the skills of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics [applause]. I'm in the process of collecting the data I compiled at the Colorado Center for the Blind, and I'm trying to find ways to make a program like this a reality. I would not be where I am right now if not for the mentorship and encouragement I received from my friends in the field and my friends in the Federation. I want every blind child who needs to learn math for their career to have the same opportunity to find their talent. In addition, I would not be where I am if it were not for somebody who showed me how to build tools that could go into space. The Colorado Space Grant Consortium has a program called RockSat-C. This program allows students to purchase space through their institutions on a suborbital sounding rocket and do exactly what I did: launch an experiment. I was recently given the opportunity to participate in this program again and asked what kind of payload I would want to design. My response was that I want to design a workshop payload. I want to dedicate my half canister of space to blind children between the grades of six and twelve so that I can help teach them the skills that they need to put an instrument at the edge of space and beyond. Soldering, programming, building circuits, reading schematics, interpreting their data, designing an experiment, thinking like a scientist: none of these are things a blind person cannot do, and I know because I've done them. I want to make sure that my peers can do them too, because it's a much more interesting field when I have competition. We can do amazing things when we have access to information. When we don't have access to information, we can start thinking some pretty terrible things about ourselves. I thought I was stupid; I thought I would never learn to do math and should avoid it like the plague. I thought there was something wrong with me, that somehow when people told me that "No, you should not be in our classroom; you do not belong here," it was my fault. I had done something wrong. I've learned since then that that is not true. I can do anything I set my mind to, and so can the rest of us. I really hope the Federation can help me in these endeavors so that I can bring access to mathematics to everybody in this room and beyond. ---------- Leave a Legacy For more than seventy-five years the National Federation of the Blind has worked to transform the dreams of hundreds of thousands of blind people into reality, and with your support we will continue to do so for decades to come. We sincerely hope you will plan to be a part of our enduring movement by adding the National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary in your will. A gift to the National Federation of the Blind in your will is more than just a charitable, tax deductible donation. It is a way to join in the work to help blind people live the lives they want that leaves a lasting imprint on the lives of thousands of blind children and adults. With your help, the NFB will continue to: . Give blind children the gift of literacy through Braille; . Promote the independent travel of the blind by providing free, long white canes to blind people in need; . Develop dynamic educational projects and programs that show blind youth that science and math are within their reach; . Deliver hundreds of accessible newspapers and magazines to provide blind people the essential information necessary to be actively involved in their communities; . Offer aids and appliances that help seniors losing vision maintain their independence; and . Fund scholarship programs so that blind people can achieve their dreams. Plan to Leave a Legacy Creating a will gives you the final say in what happens to your possessions and is the only way to be sure that your remaining assets are distributed according to your passions and beliefs. Many people fear creating a will or believe it's not necessary until they are much older. Others think that it's expensive and confusing. However, it is one of the most important things you will do, and with new online legal programs it is easier and cheaper than ever before. If you do decide to create or revise your will, consider the National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary. Visit or call (410) 659-9314, extension 2371 for more information. Together with love, hope, determination, and your support, we will continue to transform dreams into reality. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Marc Maurer] The Law of Disability, Special Treatment, Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, and the Constitution by Marc Maurer From the Editor: Former President Maurer needs little introduction to readers of the Braille Monitor. His long and distinguished service as the President of the National Federation of the Blind means that anyone in the blindness field knows his name, but what may be less well-known about him is that he is a lawyer whose thoughts often turn to the rights of blind people as granted in the United States Constitution and interpreted by the courts of our land. It is not surprising that from time to time he takes issue with the way a court has interpreted our place in society, and when he takes issue with a thing, often people come to know about it. Through his writings and speeches, Former President Maurer reveals hypocrisy for what it is, lays bare the fallacies he finds in legal assumptions about our inferiority, and makes clear the imperative of changing these laws which separate us from first-class citizenship. Here is what he said to the 2016 convention: Are you the right kind? Do you possess the characteristics that make you a part of the society in which you live? Can you expect the same rights, privileges, protections, liberties, dignity, and legal guarantees that others in this society may expect? As I once overheard one of my children ask a child from a neighboring family, "Are you allowed?" One important function of the government is to create categories of human beings. The category to which you are assigned determines the rights you have. One of the categories created by the government is currently named "disability." What is disability? The Americans with Disabilities Act contains a definition which says in part "the term disability means with respect to an individual . . . a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities." One of the major life activities is seeing, which indicates that the blind are part of the definition. Does this mean that you have rights? If you do, how extensive are they, how closely do they resemble the rights that others may take for granted, and how broad is the category that specifies what you get? What is the source of these rights? The design in the United States is that laws adopted in our country protect people. The most important of these laws is the United States Constitution. Congress may adopt any law that it thinks is necessary for the country if the Constitution authorizes Congress to exercise this power. State legislatures may adopt any law they please unless the law violates the state or the federal constitutions or a federal statute Congress adopted under the authority of the federal constitution. Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, the founder and first President of the National Federation of the Blind, was a constitutional scholar. In 1956 in a speech delivered to the National Federation of the Blind banquet, he made the following observation: The Constitution of the United States declares that all persons born in the United States or naturalized are citizens. There is nothing in the Constitution or in the gloss upon it which says that this section shall not apply to persons who are blind. If born in the United States or naturalized, whether before or after blindness, blind persons are citizens of the United States now and are now, not merely in some future generation, possessed of the right to be citizens and share the privileges, immunities, and responsibilities of that status. Moreover, the bounty of the Constitution extends to all persons, whether citizens or not, rights to freedom, equality, and individuality. As citizens, then, or as persons, who happen to be deprived of one of their physical senses, we claim, under the broad protection of the Constitution, the right to life, personal freedom, personal security; the right to marry, have and rear children, and to maintain a home; and the right, so far as government can assure it, to that fair opportunity to earn a livelihood which will make these other rights possible and significant. We have the right freely to choose our fields of endeavor, unhindered by arbitrary, artificial or man- made impediments. All limitations on our opportunity, all restrictions on us based on irrelevant considerations of physical disability, are in conflict with our Constitutional right of equality and must be removed. Our access to the mainstreams of community life, the aspirations and achievements of each of us, are to be limited only by the skills, energy, talents, and abilities we individually bring to the opportunities equally open to all Americans. Finally, we claim as our birthright, as our Constitutional guarantee and as an indivestible aspect of our nature the fundamental human right of self-expression, the right to speak for ourselves individually and collectively. Inseparably connected with this right is the right of common association. The principle of self-organization means self-guidance and self-control. These words spoken by Dr. tenBroek sixty years ago are for me a ringing declaration of the independence of the blind. They mean that we have a right to expect from our government the full protection of the law. Congress must respect our abilities; agencies of the government must treat us with equality; and the courts must accord us the dignity granted to all others. Does this happen? Are we categorized with the honor that is due to all citizens? Dr. tenBroek, in addition to being a constitutional scholar, was a teacher. He asked his students to read a number of decisions adopted by the Supreme Court of the United States. One of these, Buck v. Bell, which was adopted in 1927, declares that people with certain disabilities do not have the same kind of legal protection available to all others. A woman aged eighteen, Carrie Buck, was determined by an agency of government in Virginia to be mentally disabled, in the words of the Supreme Court, feebleminded. She was placed in the "State Colony for Epileptics and Feebleminded." Prior to her placement in the institution, Carrie Buck had been raped, and she had given birth to a daughter. Prior to these events, officials at the institution had declared that Carrie Buck's mother was feebleminded. Subsequent to Carrie Buck's institutionalization these same officials declared her daughter to be feebleminded, although at the time of the determination her daughter was but seven months old. According to one account the baby's feeblemindedness was determined by looking at her. Because these officials worried that Carrie Buck might have other children who they thought might be feebleminded, they decided to perform a sterilization operation on her without her consent. A statute authorizing this procedure had been enacted in Virginia in 1924, less than a year before the decision to perform the operation. The government officials who ran the institution for the feebleminded wanted to test the constitutionality of the law, and they decided to use Carrie Buck for their experiment. In 1859 Charles Darwin had written his book on the origin of the species, which asserted that the evolutionary process has been a part of the development of plants and animals and probably human beings. Heredity came to be known in the latter part of the 1800s, and it was widely accepted in the early part of the 1900s. One line of argument which came from this is the eugenics movement, which asked that hereditary characteristics of human beings be taken into account to improve the race. This concept was carried to its extreme in the Nazi regime of Adolf Hitler. However, the concept that some people are fit and others not, some people are the right sort for breeding while others not, that positive traits may be promoted and negative ones stamped out, became for a time a part of science and a concept reflected in law. Today some doctors are reasserting the concept with the idea that examination of a fetus for potential disabilities before it is born can be used to decide whether it shall live or die. However, the Constitution guarantees to persons in the United States rights of life, liberty, and property that they may exercise freely. In the case of Carrie Buck, who brought her suit to challenge the Virginia law, these rights were denied. Rights of life, liberty, and property appear to mean that she has a right to her own body-it belongs to her. She may reasonably expect to have the right to establish a home and a family. However the brief opinion of the Supreme Court (only five paragraphs) held that her constitutional rights were not violated by the decision of the state to take from her the ability to bear children. Her disability-one which later examination casts in doubt-was sufficient, said the court, to authorize the state to penalize her severely. The only basis of the decision is that according to the court she possessed a disability. The opinion declares that Virginia "is supporting in various institutions many defective persons who if now discharged would become a menace but if incapable of procreating might be discharged with safety." The court found that the plaintiff "is the probable potential parent of socially inadequate offspring" and that the purpose of the statute is "to prevent our being swamped with incompetence. It is better for all the world, [said the court] if instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime, or to let them starve for their imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind. . . . Three generations of imbeciles are enough." In the last sentence of the text, the court refers to the inmates as people "who otherwise must be kept confined." Is this confinement protective custody or penal servitude? When the judge speaks of continuing their kind, does this indicate that the court believes there are two types of individuals-one known as persons who have constitutionally guaranteed rights of liberty and property and another known as individuals who somehow by the possession of disability alone have lost the status of personhood? The Buck v. Bell case would seem to make this assertion. It has never been explicitly reversed although the Supreme Court has twice considered similar cases, once in 1942 and once in 1978. The court has declared the right to establish one's own family to be fundamental and consequently entitled to substantial protection under the Constitution. However, the statute authorizing involuntary sterilization continued in Virginia into the 1970s. When I was wondering about this case, I could not imagine what circumstances came together to bring the facts before the Supreme Court within three years after the statute became law. A person who is placed in an institution alleged to possess mental disability does not ordinarily have financial resources or political connections that would make the appeals process readily available. How could this have happened? A review of the record shows that the lawyer representing Carrie Buck, the plaintiff in this case, had been one of the directors of the institution where she had been confined. The record shows that he never called Carrie Buck to testify on her own behalf, and he never called any other witnesses to testify for her. Another interesting fact is that the superintendent of the institution where she was confined paid the lawyer's bill. This young woman never had independent counsel, and she never got her day in court. She was betrayed, and the system of American justice did nothing to prevent it. Certain disabled individuals in the United States have been classified in a category which says that they do not have constitutional rights ever since that egregious decision was made. In 1938 Congress adopted the Fair Labor Standards Act, which offered American workers a right to receive a federally-established minimum wage. However, the handicapped did not enjoy the same benefits. They were classified in 1938 as not worthy of the same protections available to the able-bodied, a classification which persists today. However, in 1986 a provision was written into the law granting disabled workers a mechanism to challenge the subminimum wage. Because the payments to be received from such a challenge are severely restricted, this form of challenge has almost never been used. However, in 2016 three workers from a sheltered workshop in Ohio, Joe Magers, Pam Steward, and Mark Felton, brought such a challenge with the support of the National Federation of the Blind and others. The administrative law judge who heard the case decided in favor of the workers, saying that their disabilities had not prevented them from performing the tasks they had been assigned in the workshop. The judge said that the classification which had been imposed on these workers of incompetence was not justified. Although the decision does not state the matter with the simplicity that it might, the judge appears to have come to the conclusion that the workers in this case do not appear to be substantially different from other workers in similar jobs. Because these workers appear to be regular workers doing regular work, they get the regular protections that all other workers get. If the workers are to be treated as an inferior class with inferior protections, the law requires the employer to demonstrate this inferiority and to show that disability is the reason for it. Because the employer did not make this demonstration, the so-called special minimum wage (read "subminimum" for that word "special") does not apply. The Buck v. Bell decision was made by the Supreme Court. The Ohio minimum wage case was decided by an administrative law judge. The first classifies persons with disabilities as incompetent. The second classifies workers who incidentally have disabilities as regular productive people. The contrast is striking. What the judges think disability means makes all the difference. The tyranny of low expectations diminishes productive capacity. Those who are told that they do not have ability modify their behavior accordingly. When disabled workers are classified as incompetent, training programs to teach competence become unavailable. Both the training in the skills to do the work and the attitude of managers and employees come together to assure that nonproductive behavior is the norm. But the exact opposite is also true. Those who are challenged to produce superior work very often do exactly that. The expectations determine the outcome. An article that appeared on the Forbes website on May 19, 2016, tells us that disabled people receiving subminimum wages cannot possibly deserve better because they are incompetent-incapable of earning the $7.25 an hour currently guaranteed by the Fair Labor Standards Act. The author of the article, Tim Worstall, a fellow at the Adam Smith Institute in London, declares that disabled employees receiving subminimum wages have their jobs as a matter of charity. The incompetent disabled workers get to remain at their work because of the benevolent generosity of the bosses that hired them. Of course, the bosses do not receive subminimum wages, not even close. Some years ago the head of Goodwill Industries International, which pays many of its disabled workers less than the minimum wage, was being paid more than half a million dollars a year, and some Goodwill executives were getting more than a million dollars a year. The subminimum wage jobs being performed by disabled workers do offer benefits, says Worstall, something to keep the disabled busy during the day, a feeling of self-worth, and a little pocket money. What would the disabled do all day without this charity? Among the many bombastic pronouncements of Mr. Worstall is the assertion that the National Federation of the Blind is "remarkably silly" for promoting minimum wage protection for disabled people. However, as we have said for more than half a century, we will speak for ourselves, and we will not permit any self- important uninformed bigot to represent our interests. He tells us that nature has been unkind to us-we have disabilities after all. It would be even more unkind to give us the protection of the law. Protect us from the so-called kindness of strangers. What does all of this mean for us, for the members of the National Federation of the Blind? How do we respond to the prejudice expressed by the Supreme Court or by major news outlets? At the outset we must assess the damage inflicted by these institutions. The story that appeared on the Forbes website got there because we are making significant headway in bringing the exploitation of the subminimum wage law to the attention of the public. Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, the principal democratic candidates for president in 2016, have both indicated that the subminimum wage authorization must be eliminated. When in the past have two declared candidates for president taken such a strong position to protect the rights of the disabled? On the other hand, the Supreme Court has the power to insist upon a classification of disabled people that denies us the same rights that other people are granted routinely, but it also has the power to recognize our value and our fundamental rights. Almost nobody has ever heard of the Buck v. Bell case, and the Supreme Court itself rarely remembers the decision. Although not as well-known as constitutional rights, disability rights have earned a place in the lexicon of the legal profession. Many law schools teach the principles and disciplines involved. Seminars on the topic occur, and we ourselves conduct one of the most well-known. Beyond all of this, disabled people have heard of disability rights, and we are more active than we have ever been. Judges who sit on the Supreme Court are an elite group. They have not generally faced the challenge that disability demands, and they have not found the strength to make this challenge an asset. However, we have done both, and we must teach them what they need to know to recognize that all of us have the right to participate in the promises of equality and freedom that make our nation what it is. What we say to the Supreme Court is this. No more Buck v. Bell. No more will we be known as a menace to society. No longer will we be known as socially inadequate. No longer will we tolerate the accusation that we sap the strength of the state or that our presence will cause it to be swamped with incompetence. We will not tolerate the accusation that we are degenerates, more likely to commit crime than others, or "manifestly unfit" for a place in the society of which we are a part. Those who can say without doubt or hesitation that three generations of imbeciles are enough may justly be subjected to scrutiny regarding their own knowledge or moral rectitude. The problem with the decision in Buck v. Bell is that those who made it possessed a colossal ego and an equally colossal ignorance. They did not know what they were talking about. Furthermore, they were careless about the nature of the law they were expected to enforce. The strength of our nation, the strength of our system of government comes in substantial part from the guarantee that such classification cannot be made. To ensure that such classifications do not happen again, we have set about a plan to assist disabled individuals in becoming part of the elite. We have decided to help them become judges. We have decided to help them find their way to participation in the decision-making process. We will not be shut out of the protection of the law. Instead, we will become a part of it. As this program comes to fruition, we will be an important element of creating the legal structure that defines our rights. This is the determination of the National Federation of the Blind. Are we allowed? What an impertinent question! Who on earth could have the immortal gall to suggest that such a question is proper? Decisions about our lives must not be made by others; they belong to us! With time and work we will bring about the understanding we need. The government and the public will support us, but we must make the choices and take the risks. In the long run the government reports, the history books, and the legal treatises will reflect the reality of what we are, and our freedom will be won! -------- Advocacy and Policy Report by John Par?, Parnell Diggs, Derek Manners, and Gabe Cazares From the Editor: One of my favorite parts of the convention has always been the report from the policy and advocacy team, for in one presentation I am able to feel pride in all of the things we do and at the same time figure out what I am to do to further our work in the halls of Congress and the offices of the administration. What follows is a report on the legislation we support and how those of us can, from our homes, reach out to public officials and make a difference in policies regarding blind people. [PHOTO CAPTION: John Par?] John Par?: Why is the National Federation of the Blind so successful with advocacy? Why do some members of Congress call us "the most effective advocacy group in Washington"? Why are we able to get so much done when other, larger groups are doing so little? I believe that the answer to this question is that what we do is personally important to each one of us. We fight to raise expectations for blind people because every day every one of us experiences the consequences of low expectations. Whether it is inaccessible technology, barriers to education, discrimination in the workplace, denial of the custody of one's own child, or even something as simple as crossing the street, we have all been personally affected by society's low expectations and misunderstandings of what it is like to be blind. Here is a recent experience of my own: on May 6 I traveled to south Florida to visit my mom for Mother's Day. My sister and brother-in-law picked me up at the airport. On the way to my mom's, we stopped at a restaurant for dinner. I had not seen either of them for quite a while, and we were immediately immersed in conversation. Suddenly a man approached the table and asked if I was blind. Before I could answer he announced to the restaurant that he wanted to touch my eyes and pray for the return of my eyesight. I have no objection to prayer, even publicly. But I was irritated that this man felt the need to interrupt my family dinner because he perceived me as less fortunate than himself. I cannot help thinking that he saw me as someone who was defined by my blindness, someone who could not possibly be happy unless I could see, someone who was broken and sick, someone who needed to be fixed and returned to good health. Unfortunately incidents like this one are not rare. We have all experienced low expectations, not only from random strangers, but from our teachers, our coworkers, and even our own family members. These low expectations are pernicious-not only because they upset or embarrass us. They affect our education, our employment, our wages, and much more. We know from everyday experience that these low expectations are not figments of our imagination and that they are deeply hurtful and harmful. When we don't get fair wages, that's personal. When we can't access our coursework because of inaccessible technology, that's personal. When a website is inaccessible and our government tells us to wait-now six years and counting- before it will even issue regulations, that's personal. I know how personal it is because I have felt the hurt and humiliation of low expectations in my own life. When I speak to members of Congress, I draw on your energy, your passion, your determination, and your experiences. I tell them that we will not accept low expectations and second-class citizenship anymore [applause]. I tell them that we will not accept the second-class citizenship, and that we will work to eliminate the barriers of pity erected by low expectations. And they believe me because they have met all of you, and they know that we share a common determination and a common effort. Because for all of us, it's personal. Speaking of personal, let's talk a little about NFB-NEWSLINE?. NFB- NEWSLINE is what first introduced me to the National Federation of the Blind. NFB-NEWSLINE is the largest, most effective accessible newspaper service for the blind anywhere in the world. It was conceived, designed, and implemented by the blind, for the blind. NFB-NEWSLINE is available in forty-six states plus the District of Columbia. It has over 112,000 subscribers, 343 domestic newspapers, sixteen international newspapers, twenty breaking-news sources, and fifty-one magazines. Over the last year NFB-NEWSLINE subscribers have enjoyed over thirty-seven million minutes of news, made over two million phone calls, received over two million emailed messages, logged on to our web portal over three million times, and accessed our mobile app over 332,000 times [applause]. NFB-NEWSLINE now has all of the jobs in the USA Jobs database. This database includes thousands of job opportunities across hundreds of federal agencies and organizations. We've added a new NFB National channel. Offerings on the NFB National channel include: the Braille Monitor, Future Reflections, and the Presidential Release. We have improved our Target advertisements, which now include all of the information in Target's print advertisements. We have also improved our NFB-NEWSLINE app. Enhancements include a new global search feature, improved weather alerts, and streamlined TV listings. The Department of Advocacy and Policy is also responsible for our public relations efforts. I am proud that public relations and media strategy are effective tools for us; here's one example: on August 20, 2015, we put out a press release saying that we would protest a meeting of the New York City Department of Education because it planned to enter into a contract with Amazon for the purchase of inaccessible educational content. On August 25, the day before the planned protest, New York City school officials announced that they planned to postpone the vote on the contract [applause]. Coincidence? I don't think so, and neither did the media. Chris Danielsen, our director of public relations, got a call from the New York Daily News wanting to know what happened. The next day the paper reported that the contract had been delayed due to accessibility issues. Not only did we get the attention of the New York City Public School System; we also got the attention of Amazon. Now Amazon is collaborating with us to make all of its educational content accessible [applause]. People sometimes ask me, "When will the National Federation of the Blind say that its work is done?" I tell them: as soon as every blind child is taught Braille. As soon as every website is accessible. As soon as every blind person is being paid at least the prevailing wage. As soon as every blind college student has full access to their course material. As soon as every blind person has access to a fully accessible voting process. In short, as soon as every blind person has the opportunity to live the lives we want on terms of equality [cheers, applause]. I tell them that each one of us is prepared to work every hour of every day of every year for the rest of our lives. I tell them that we do not approach these objectives as a job, but as a mission, and that this mission is personal [applause]. I tell them that we intend to live the lives we want and that we will never stop advocating, never stop working, never stop protesting until we have achieved these goals for every blind person in America! Let's build the Federation! Now we have a really great legislative team who's now going to go through and give you more detail about some of the great legislative work that is occurring and a lot of the work that we're doing directly with every single one of you in this room. I want to begin with our director of governmental affairs, here is Parnell Diggs: [PHOTO CAPTION: Parnell Diggs] Parnell Diggs: Thank you so much for that warm welcome. Mr. President, fellow Federationists, let me begin by thanking you, my Federation family, for the work that you do each day to move our legislative priorities forward. Your advocacy sounds a tone that resonates in the halls of Congress throughout the year. Of course it begins with the Washington Seminar, but it is your vigilance week after week and month after month, long after we depart from the Washington Seminar which drives our work on Capitol Hill. Before I ask Derek and Gabe to discuss our legislative priorities, I want to give you a glimpse of Federation advocacy across the spectrum of federal and state government. As we gather here in Orlando, for example, the Department of Transportation is considering regulations related to the operation of autonomous vehicles. The Department of Transportation has announced that it wants to reduce the number of traffic fatalities, 94 percent of which- according to recent statistics-are attributable to human error. If the government intends to reduce driving to the mere act of typing in coordinates, shouldn't blind people be able to drive as well? In April President Riccobono asked me to represent us at a hearing conducted at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Their proponents argued that the proliferation of autonomous vehicles will be wonderful for people with disabilities. If benefiting people with disabilities is going to be a talking point for manufacturers of autonomous vehicle technology, shouldn't the technology be accessible to blind people as well? We have done more in this space than anyone else in the world, and we intend to remain out front in this dialogue. Yesterday President Riccobono reported on the development of a new model parental rights bill. Under our new model legislation there are three layers of protection, three procedural safeguards which apply if a court is inclined to deny custody to a blind parent or a prospective blind parent: first a party suggesting that blindness is a factor in the ability to provide appropriate parental care-that party must show by clear and convincing evidence that somehow the blind parent is not fit. But even if that standard for some reason is met, we move to the second layer of protection: the blind parent has the opportunity to seek supportive parenting services such as training at an NFB center [applause] to address any concerns that the court or others may have. And finally, if the court still thinks that the blind parent is unfit, then the judge-and this is the third procedural safeguard-must set forth in writing why the provision of supportive parenting services is not a reasonable accommodation. I want you to learn about those procedural safeguards, I want you to get a copy of that bill off of NFB.org, I want you to get it introduced in your state legislatures across the country, and I want to protect the rights of blind parents all across America on this very day [applause]! And by the way, a shout-out to the state of Maryland and President Sharon Maneki for passing a version of our model legislation. Congratulations guys, I know others will be following soon as well. I have one final item that I want to talk to you about. We've been talking during the course of this convention about our efforts, our organized response, to the recent announcement by the Department of Justice that intends to delay further the release of technical standards about internet access regarding state and local government websites. If you have attempted to acquire a state ID, register to vote, or if you've tried to sign up for classes or check grades at a public college or university website, I need you to visit NFB.org. Under the "What's New" follow the links there right to our easy-to-complete, very accessible web form. I need you to tell us your story, good or bad. It might be a good experience, it might be a bad experience, but we need to show the Department of Justice that we the blind do care! We the blind do care about internet access and engagement in public activities and taking an opportunity to participate in the programs, services, and activities available on those websites. President Obama called it, "the most important updates since the enactment of the ADA itself." Yet, we've waited six years, and the Department of Justice has told us that we need to wait even longer. It is time for us to respond-now. Upload the regs now, upload the regs now, upload the regs now! [applause] I'm going to introduce my good friend now, who has been working for us as our advocacy and policy analyst at the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute. He's going to talk to you about a few legislative issues, and then he in turn will introduce another very good friend of mine, Mr. Gabe Cazares. But for now, ladies and gentlemen, would you give a warm Federation welcome to Mr. Derek Manners. [PHOTO CAPTION: Derek Manners] Derek Manners: Howdy, fellow Federationists. Many of you may not know me, but I want to briefly share with you a little of my life story. When I was in high school, I was placed in a subminimum wage job by my guidance counselor because she thought that I, as a blind person, would not be able to compete with my sighted peers for competitive employment. I was paid $2.25 an hour while my sighted peers were paid $8 an hour. After three months my employer made me the manager and gave me the ability to hire and fire these same people who were making almost four times more than me [applause]. I subsequently graduated high school and recently graduated law school. I will be joining a DC law firm in September, earning a competitive wage with other first-year lawyers. I'm sure this story doesn't surprise anybody in this room. The National Federation of the Blind has always known that we can compete with our sighted peers and that Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, passed in 1938, is based on the same antiquated notion that allowed my first job to directly discriminate against me and has allowed discrimination against many others in this room here today. This is why we've been fighting this practice for decades. While we continue to urge Congress to pass the TIME Act [Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment], action is happening across the country. Massachusetts just finished their phase-out of the subminimum wage last month. Maryland signed into law a statewide phase-out similar to that one passed in New Hampshire last year. I believe that we have the momentum on our side, and with your continued engagement we will see this unethical and discriminatory treatment of the nation's blind end all across the United States [applause]. Speaking of momentum, we've got a ton of that in our effort to ensure that all disabled veterans have access to the Space Available Program. For those of you who don't know, only veterans injured on or after September 23, 1996, can participate in the Space Available Program, which allows qualifying veterans to travel on unused seats on military operated or chartered flights. Our blind veterans who have fought against Hitler, the spread of Communism, and Saddam Hussein's aggression in the first Gulf War are currently excluded because of a technical error. Because of your tremendous support for our heroes, the House passed section 1046 in this year's National Defense Authorization Act [NDAA], which would allow all veterans medically discharged due to a disability the ability to have the same honor that only some of those brave men and women have today. The only thing standing in our way for passing this law is Senator John McCain. For some reason he and his staff so far have been unwilling to allow all disabled veterans the benefit they have earned through their tremendous sacrifice. That's why I'm asking each and every one of you to call Senator John McCain's office tomorrow when they open up for business from the July 4 holiday. The phone number is (202) 224-2235. Don't worry, I know most of you aren't taking notes; that's okay. We will send out an email tomorrow with this included, but please make this call. We are asking him to include section 1046 of the House NDAA in the final NDAA passed by both chambers so that all disabled veterans can be honored for their sacrifice to keep us free [applause]. Our veterans have our back every day; it's time for us to return the favor. We, the National Federation of the Blind, will not rest until there is not a single worker with a disability working in a subminimum wage job, and every veteran discharged due to a disability is treated with the same dignity and respect as their fellow veterans. I have more faith than ever that with love, hope, and determination we will transform these dreams into reality. Thank you, Federation family. Now I would like to introduce my buddy Gabe Cazares. [PHOTO CAPTION: Gabe Cazares] Gabe Cazares: Howdy, fellow Federationists [cheers]. Now everyone knows where the Texas delegation is. Today being Independence Day, I am reflecting on some of the words the framers of our more perfect union penned in the Declaration of Independence. "We hold these truths to be self- evident, that all men are created equal." As members of the National Federation of the Blind, we understand first-hand the fight for equality, whether that be fighting for an equal educational opportunity or fighting for equal access to the printed word. Last year the national convention passed resolution 2015-02, calling upon the Obama administration and the interagency working group to wrap up its work and transmit the Marrakesh Treaty, along with its ratification and implementing legislation packages, to the Senate with minimal or no changes to existing law. Thanks to hundreds of tweets, emails, and phone calls from you to officials in the administration, the administration did just that in February of 2016 [applause]. Now, as we usually do, the National Federation of the Blind is leading the way to ensure that the United States Senate promptly provides its advice and consent for ratification. By ratifying the Marrakesh Treaty, we will be expanding the availability of accessible published works, both here in the United States as well as around the world. However, our work is not done. I know that no one moves a policy agenda like members of the National Federation of the Blind, so I am confident that we will get the job done. Equal access to educational opportunities level the playing field for our blind students. Ensuring that institutions of higher education deploy only technology that is inclusive and accessible to all students, including those who are blind, has been a top priority for our organization for a number of years now. And let me tell you, Federation family, having been on the front lines of these discussions for a year now, no one is doing more to protect the rights of blind students than the National Federation of the Blind. We are leaders in this space, and don't ever allow anyone to tell you otherwise. At last year's national convention, I told you that the higher education lobby was at the table but they were not hearing us. Now I can tell you that not only are they still at the table, they are hearing us loud and clear [applause]. Approximately two weeks ago we reached an agreement with the higher education lobby as well as other industry groups representing developers and manufacturers of post-secondary electronic instructional materials on legislative language. Congressman Phil Roe from Tennessee's First Congressional District has agreed to sponsor our Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act [applause]. This victory would not be possible without President Riccobono's steadfast commitment to digital accessibility, his guidance, his leadership, and his willingness to apply pressure on the higher education group when it was necessary. But he can't do it all alone, and that is the beauty of our movement: he doesn't have to. The National Federation of the Blind of Tennessee and its president, James Brown, is also playing an integral role in this process by building and maintaining a relationship with Dr. Roe and his staff and by steadily encouraging the congressman to take the lead on this legislative initiative. The higher education lobby and the representatives of developers and manufacturers are engaged, the bill language is done, the sponsor is lined up, and our bill will be introduced very soon, but there is still more work to be done. Other groups who have been on the fringes during this process have criticized our work, saying that we gave too much, that we aren't getting anything in return, and that we should sit quietly and wait for future regulations. And I suppose that's an easy view to have when you have no skin in the game, when you are not leading in this space, when ensuring blind students' digital accessibility is not your top priority. But that is not the Federation way. The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines us or our future, and we refuse to sit on the sidelines and wait for someone else to do the hard work [applause]. Armed with the stories of the National Association of Blind Students, our experience as blind people, and the power of collective action through our Federation, we are changing the paradigm of digital accessibility for blind students in the United States, and we're doing it now. Will it be easy? No. Will there be obstacles along the way? Absolutely. But with love, hope, and determination we will transform digital accessibility into reality. Thank you for giving me the privilege of working for our movement. Let's go build the National Federation of the Blind. Thank you very much [applause]. --------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Fredric K. Schroeder] The Blind in the World: Leadership, Philosophy, and Action on a Global Scale by Fredric K. Schroeder, PhD July 4, 2016 From the Editor: Fredric Schroeder is one of the most dynamic and thought-provoking people I have the pleasure to know, and it is a delight when he comes to deliver an address to the convention of the National Federation of the Blind. He made an address in 2016, and here is what he said: We often find wisdom in the most unlikely places. Recently, I came across the following: "Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory." These words, spoken by the famed children's author Dr. Seuss, capture a simple yet profound truth. The actions we take today may not seem earthshaking or even important, but it is the collective impact of action upon action, moment upon moment that shapes history, forces social change, and moves mountains. No class of people has faced greater, seemingly insurmountable mountains of marginalization, mountains of exclusion, mountains of lost opportunity than have we, the blind. The mountains we face are formidable, but we know with certainty and in our hearts that our cause is just and our goals achievable, if only we take action; or, as Dr. Seuss puts it: "You're off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so... get on your way!" For most of our history, our efforts have been directed toward making change within our own country, but the world is getting smaller-more interdependent-a process known as globalization; and nothing has contributed more to economic and cultural globalization than the exponential development of technology; and that is true for the blind as well as the sighted. While technology has made access to print greater than at any time in history, still it is estimated that fewer than five percent of published works are available to the blind-fewer than one percent in developing countries. For many years we in the National Federation of the Blind and blind people around the world have worked to modify national copyright laws to permit production of books into Braille and other accessible formats. Still, with globalization we recognized that, while an important start, country-by-country solutions were not enough to end what has come to be known as the book famine facing the blind. This is why the National Federation of the Blind worked actively with the World Blind Union and its Right to Read Campaign. The Right to Read Campaign called on the United Nations to adopt an international treaty to allow accessible books and other materials to be shared across national borders, and our efforts have been dramatically and profoundly successful. As you will remember, on June 27, 2013, the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization adopted the "Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled." Before countries could begin sharing accessible books, the Marrakesh Treaty had to be ratified by twenty countries, and just four days ago, on June 30, 2016, we reached that magic number when Canada deposited its Marrakesh Treaty ratification documents. Now that twenty countries have ratified the treaty, it will go into force in three months, September 30, 2016. Sadly, the United States is not among the twenty countries that have ratified the treaty. That means that, even when the treaty goes into force, we in the United States will be left out-unable to import or export accessible works until or unless the United States Senate ratifies the Marrakesh Treaty. That is why we must work together to convince the Senate to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty and to ratify it now. Will we succeed? Well, as Dr. Seuss reassures us: "Yes you will indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)" Another example of globalization is the steady increase in the number of hybrid and electric cars. As we well know, hybrid and electric cars are essentially silent when traveling at slow speeds, thereby posing a significant danger to blind and other pedestrians. As a result of our advocacy in the United States, the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act was signed into law on January 4, 2011. The Act requires hybrid and electric vehicles sold in the United States to emit an alert sound. Still, with globalization we knew that the danger posed by hybrid and electric vehicles was not limited to blind people living in the United States. If a quiet car is deadly here, it is just as deadly somewhere else. This is why, on February 20, 2008, then Federation President Dr. Marc Maurer traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, to call on the United Nations to establish an international standard requiring hybrid and electric vehicles to be fitted with an audible alert warning. As a result of Dr. Maurer's presentation, titled "The Dangers Posed by Silent Vehicles," the United Nations World Forum on Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) established a technical working group to develop a minimum sound standard for hybrid and electric cars. Over the ensuing years, John Par? has represented the National Federation of the Blind, and I have represented the World Blind Union. We have fought hard for what we believe are essential, commonsense requirements for a pedestrian alert device, but the negotiations have not always been easy. Since the majority of the members on the working group are sound engineers, they have been concerned that the alert sound not add unnecessary "noise" into the environment. In other words, they want the sound to be just loud enough and no louder. By contrast, we believe the sound must be sufficient to enable a blind pedestrian to identify the approach of a hybrid or electric vehicle in approximately the same time as the blind pedestrian can identify the approach of a vehicle that has an ordinary internal combustion engine. This has been a much more contentious issue than you may imagine. At one point in the discussions, a member of the working group said that in his country the law requires drivers to be alert to the presence of pedestrians. He said that the alert sound does not need to be loud enough to enable the blind pedestrian to make a safe crossing decision, only loud enough to prevent a blind pedestrian from stepping out into the road without giving the driver enough time to stop. Not wanting to put my life in the hands of a driver who may or may not be paying attention, who may or may not be texting, who may or may not be daydreaming, I finally said I do not want my tombstone to read: "He had the right of way." Believe it or not, another major issue has been whether to allow the installation of a switch that would enable the driver to turn off the alert sound whenever he or she wishes-yes, you heard correctly: a switch that would allow the driver to turn off the alert sound. The logic is that the sound may be annoying to the driver. In another fit of pique, I once said, "I would find being run over by a quiet car quite annoying, and I suspect other blind people would as well." Still, we have made progress, dramatic progress, progress worth celebrating. As a result of our efforts, in March 2016, a limited international regulation was formally adopted requiring hybrid and electric vehicles to be equipped with an alert sound device. While a very good start, it is only a start. The regulation is only binding on fifty countries around the world. Now we are focusing on developing a treaty that will cover many more countries through what is called a Global Technical Regulation. As we work toward developing a Global Technical Regulation, the regulations implementing the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act here at home take on even greater importance. With globalization, countries look to the work of other countries when developing their own standards. This is why it is vital that we redouble our efforts to get the US Department of Transportation to publish the long overdue regulations implementing the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act. It is up to us, and will we take action? As Dr. Seuss advises: "Today I shall behave, as if this is the day I will be remembered." The regulations are vital to the blind of the United States, and they are vital to the blind of the world. And there is more. Access to the web is rapidly becoming a daily necessity-perhaps it already is. Six years ago, at a ceremony commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), President Obama announced that he had directed the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to update the ADA regulations to reflect changes in technology, especially as they relate to web accessibility. Incredibly and inexplicably, on April 28, 2016, after a nearly six year delay in publishing the ADA web accessibility regulations, the DOJ announced that it was starting the process over, stating that it intended to "refresh" the regulatory process. The DOJ explained that it needed to collect more information on the "costs and benefits" associated with making websites accessible. "Costs and benefits?" Really? What a sad and disappointing commentary. Today web accessibility is essential in virtually every aspect of life, but the DOJ wants to make sure that requiring websites to be accessible to the blind does not cost too much; protecting our civil rights does not cost too much; giving the blind access to public services available to others does not cost too much. DOJ's announcement that it is "refreshing" the regulatory process by considering the "costs and benefits" of web accessibility can only be seen as a retreat-no, more than a retreat-a betrayal of the ADA's promise of equal access; and not just for the blind of America. While the ADA Title II web accessibility regulations will only apply to public entities in the United States, given globalization, our ADA web accessibility regulations will have implications for other countries as they develop their own web accessibility standards. Web accessibility is vital to us, the blind of the United States, and it is vital to the blind of the world. In spite of the progress we have already made-perhaps because of the progress we have already made-we must not weaken in our determination to continue chipping away at the mountain of exclusion that separates us from society, separates us from full participation and equal opportunity. The responsibility is ours. As Dr. Seuss tells us: "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose." And he says, "With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street." We must call on the United States Senate to ratify the Marrakesh treaty; we must call on the United States Department of Transportation to release the regulations implementing the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act; and we must press the US Department of Justice to publish the ADA web accessibility regulations and to publish them now. We face many challenges, many problems, some would say many troubles, but as Dr. Seuss says: "Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!" We will not give up-we will not give in. It will take hard work; it will take commitment and energy; and most of all it will take imagination, and that is something we have plenty of. Dr. Seuss says: "Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the things you can think up if only you try!" We know the truth about blindness, and it is an immutable truth, yes, distorted by misconception, clouded in prejudice and tradition, but the truth, nonetheless. We will surmount the mountain of exclusion that stands between us and our dreams, between us and full participation, and we will live the lives we want. We will surmount the mountain of exclusion the same way we have defeated countless barriers throughout our history: by standing together; by working together; by uniting our ability and energy; by caring deeply and sincerely about one another; and by recognizing that the future is up to us-up to us collectively, and up to us individually, up to me and up to you. So, let me end as I began, with Dr. Seuss's words of quiet wisdom: "Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!" And "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." So: "You're off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so... get on your way!" Because: "Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory." -------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Jordyn Castor] Slam That! Living the Life She Wants Begins with the Federation by Jordyn Castor From the Editor: One of the most moving presentations at the National Convention came from a person who was a student in our Youth Slam programs. In this presentation she manages to discuss the triumphs and heartbreaks found in traveling through the education system, the encouragement that can come from meeting blind people who believe she had talent, and the joy one feels when graduating from college and landing a job in a company as prestigious as Apple. Here is what Jordan said: Good morning, Federation family! It is such an honor and a privilege to be speaking with you today. I've been dreaming of this day ever since I attended my first NFB convention in 2009 in Detroit. The first time I heard Dr. Maurer speak at the March for Independence I became so empowered and excited about joining the Federation that I was in tears. I knew from that moment forward that I would be a Federationist for life [applause]. Being a member of the Federation has shaped and molded me into the person I am today, and I'd like to share a bit of my journey with you. I was born in the lovely state of Michigan, fifteen weeks early, weighing only one pound, nine ounces. The doctors told my mother that I had a slim chance of survival. They said if I survived I would have many disabilities and my quality of life would be poor. I was so small my grandfather could hold me in the palm of his hands; his wedding ring could fit around my arm and slide all the way up to my shoulder. But my family believed in me from the start. They knew I would overcome any challenges I faced. When they asked my mother what she wanted to do, her answer came without any hesitation: save this child [applause]. And with that statement, my mother gave me my first opportunity: the opportunity of life. Now I was the first child, and my mom was determined to treat me as she would any other child without a disability. My parents were always pushing me to learn new skills and had really high expectations for me. I had a lovely and fun childhood, participating in many activities such as goalball, bike riding, and rollerblading. I was always very curious, wanting to touch and play with anything I could get my hands on. I loved reading, and before I learned Braille or had any experience with technology, I would memorize my books page by page. When I entered elementary school, I loved it. I had amazing teachers and many friends. From the beginning my teacher for the blind emphasized the importance of learning Braille [applause]. She helped me to understand that Braille is the key to literacy and employment for the blind and would not allow me to use any technology in the classroom until I was proficient in grade 2 and Nemeth Braille [applause]. Although I didn't use technology heavily in the classroom until about the fifth or sixth grade, my love of technology started in the second grade when my family purchased our first desktop computer. I was fascinated with what the computer could do for me and others like me and had dreams of inventing a computer that could produce Braille someday. My teachers would hand me a piece of technology and they'd say, "Here, play with this. Figure it out, and then show us how to use it." I would spend hours playing with applications on the computer, looking at my email, and IMing [instant messaging] my friends. Little did I know the enormous role technology would play for me in the coming years. One of my most treasured experiences in elementary school was participating in the Buddy Program. My friend and I would play with children on the autism spectrum at recess, and I realized then that these children wanted what every other little kid wanted-a friend; someone to share cookies and chips with at lunch; someone to slide down the twisty slide with while it was covered in snow, because, well, that made you slide down faster. Through those three amazing years, I watched my friends' lives change and transform. And with that my teachers gave me the opportunity to learn that giving back and helping others with disabilities was what I wanted to do as a career for the rest of my life. But my childhood wasn't always a plethora of treasured memories and experiences. Around the age of thirteen I began to experience a feeling of isolation and loneliness I'm sure many of us know very well. When I attended middle school, I started to realize something was different about me. My elementary school friends no longer thought it was the cool and popular thing to do to hang out with the blind kid. Teachers and others treated me differently. I found myself alone at the lunch table, excluded from groups at school, and with no one to talk to in class. I was the only blind student mainstreamed into my particular elementary and middle schools, so most students and teachers had never seen or worked with a blind person before. My knowledge of other blind students and adults in the area was extremely limited, and I felt as though I was the only blind person in the entire world-it was so tough. However, my life, my views, and my attitudes towards blindness began to change in the summer of 2006 when I attended a games and technology camp at Camp Tuhsmeheta, affectionately known as "Camp T." This is a camp specifically for blind students run by blind staff. Camp T was where I first encountered the NFB philosophy and where I was influenced by successful blind adults like J. J. Meddaugh and George Wurtzel, who showed me that everything would be just fine and that blindness did not have to hold me back from pursuing my dreams [applause]. Having blind friends and mentors is crucial to success. The individuals that I met at camp that summer are still great friends and mentors to this day, and I'm so grateful for everyone that I met that summer because they helped pull me out of the darkest place I've ever been. When I went back to school that year my confidence was completely restored, and I knew that everything would be all right, no matter what battles lay ahead. In the summer of 2007 my perceptions and expectations of what a blind person could achieve as a career were absolutely shattered as I attended a STEM academy known as the NFB Youth Slam! [applause] I participated in the computer science track, where I wrote my very first computer program. I wrote a chatbot that could look up weather, news, dictionary definitions, and even play fun games such as Simon Says. Having instructors such as Jeff Bingham, and successful blind independent mentors such as Lindsay Yazzolino who believed in us and our ability to program was so empowering because it showed me that computer science was a possible career for me. I absolutely loved programming and was hooked. I was very emotional when I had to leave because I felt that the opportunity to program a piece of software was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I might never have again. One of the key phrases at Youth Slam was "Slam that!" Every time people said that blind people couldn't participate in STEM-related activities we'd say, "Slam that!" Throughout the week, whether it was dissecting sharks, programming chatbots, or launching rockets, we realized that no dream was too big for us to achieve. Blindness did not define us [applause]. With the right tools, technology, resources, and support from our friends and family in the NFB, we could go anywhere and do anything we set our minds to. Throughout the remainder of high school, I participated in other NFB programs, including a second Youth Slam and multiple leadership academies. At the 2009 Youth Slam, I participated in the astronomy track, where we touched space equipment in Shuttle Discovery in 2011 and felt tactile graphics of images taken from space telescopes-I still actually have my tactile graphic of Jupiter. At the NFB leadership academies, we learned about NFB philosophy and were empowered by blind mentors. At one particular leadership academy we had the choice of doing a variety of evening activities such as: learning to play goalball, taking apart a computer, and applying makeup. Now the class that I chose was not the class for applying makeup, but the one for learning how to operate a chainsaw. My instructor was Mark Riccobono [applause], and we all wore sleepshades as we sawed logs and broke down the barriers of blindness. Participating in NFB activities has shattered even my own perceptions of what a blind person can achieve, and my NFB family continues to challenge, push, and inspire me beyond what I even thought was possible. After graduating from high school, I attended Michigan State University [cheers] where I chose to receive my degree in computer science, but I faced many challenges along the way. Professors would say things like, "Are you sure you want to do this?" And I'd think to myself, "Slam that!" They'd say, "Isn't there a field that's more suited to you?" And again the only thing running through my mind was, "Slam that!" I had to develop strategies with my professors to make seemingly-visual projects accessible to me. For example, we had to create an aquarium and software to animate cartoon characters, and the tools that we used to write our software were not always the most accessible. So I found myself memorizing my code files and the locations of my various functions and classes, just like I would memorize every page of my books when I was younger. Even though there were some individuals who did not believe that I could achieve my dream of becoming a software engineer, many people did. The Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities at Michigan State was instrumental to my success in college as they helped by providing Braille math and science textbooks as well as 3-D printed models for calculus and physics. I leaned on my NFB family and friends when the challenges seemed to be greater than I could handle. Being a part of the NFB has allowed me to connect with members all over the world, to share tips, tricks, and advice for navigating the world of college-and not only that, but life as a professional as well. And this, coupled with my desire to help others with disabilities, got me to keep going, even though sometimes I wanted to give up. I had internships helping to make software accessible at USAA in San Antonio, Goldman Sachs in New York City, and Apple in Cupertino [applause]. Last December I became the first totally blind undergraduate student to receive my degree in computer science from Michigan State [applause]. After graduation I moved to San Francisco to start my career as a software engineer. I now work at Apple full-time on the Accessibility Team [applause, cheers]. My job is incredible. I work with a passionate team of individuals dedicated to ensuring the accessibility of all of our products and features for everyone. Through my work enhancing the quality of features such as VoiceOver, I am able to give back to the blindness community that has given so much to me, as well as to make technology more accessible than ever for the future generations of blind people. I am so blessed and grateful for this opportunity. The author Tasha Hoggatt says, "You must never doubt your ability to achieve anything, become anything, overcome anything, and inspire everything." I would not be where I am today without the encouragement and support of my family, friends, and NFB family pushing me to strive for greatness and never to give up. Thank you to my mom for believing that I had a fighting chance and that I would overcome any obstacles placed before me even though the doctors felt otherwise; to my instructor Mrs. Curtis for her steadfast commitment to teaching me Braille as I now use a Braille display every time I write a piece of code [applause]; to my teachers, friends, and playground buddies for showing me that giving back and helping others is one of the greatest feelings in the world and that it's okay to get a little snow in your snow pants every once in a while; to Jeff and Lindsey for empowering me and showing me that I could achieve my dreams of becoming a software engineer; to this guy right here, Mark Riccobono, for helping me to step outside my comfort zone and try dangerous things I never knew were possible [applause]; and to everyone else who has inspired me to never give up, strive for greatness, and let nothing stand in the way of where I want to go in life. The future of the NFB is so bright, and I look forward to all we will accomplish together as we continue to shatter the misconceptions and perceptions of blindness, while providing the opportunities, resources, and support to show the future generations of blind people that they, too, can turn their dreams into reality. Blindness does not define us and will never hold us back [applause, cheers]. When times get tough, when people say you can't do something because you're blind, and when it seems like everything is falling apart, remember the phrase, "Slam that!" And rise up, rise up unafraid. You can live the life you want. Thank you so much. ---------- The 2016 Resolutions: A Declaration of Independence for the Blind by Sharon Maneki From the Editor: The supreme authority of the National Federation of the Blind is its annual convention, and the way it most directly decides the policies of the National Federation of the Blind is through resolutions it passes. Sharon Maneki was the chairman of the 2016 resolutions committee, and here is her report of the committee's activity. It is appropriate to reflect on the sixteen resolutions passed by the 2016 Convention as a declaration of independence for the blind, because these resolutions were considered on July 4, Independence Day. The most familiar part of the United States Declaration of Independence is: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Prior to 1940 and the founding of the National Federation of the Blind, most blind people did not believe that these rights applied to them. Thanks to the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind, the world for blind people is very different today. We know that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future and that blindness is not what holds you back. We also understand that we must raise expectations because low expectations keep us from achieving our dreams of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In 2016 how do the blind intend to achieve life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? In order for a resolution to be considered by the Convention, it must be passed by the resolutions committee. The thirty-member committee, comprised of people throughout the nation, met on July 1. Many thanks to the committee members and to Marsha Dyer, and Anne-Marie Laney, who served as secretaries to the committee, and to our national staff who did research and put the resolutions on the web for making my job as chairman easier. Like our colonial forefathers, members of the National Federation of the Blind do not sit and wait for something to happen. We take control of our own destiny. The common theme of the resolutions this year was access. The underlying principle in our demand for access is equality. To achieve independence, blind people must have access to education, employment, and information. The resolutions committee considered and passed sixteen resolutions, and the Convention did the same. Let us examine these resolutions which are our Declaration of Independence. The quest for equality has always been a fundamental principle of the Federation's philosophy. Three resolutions express this demand in terms of the twenty-first century. These resolutions concern equal treatment for disabled veterans, the right to parent children, and eliminating health inequities for blind and low vision people with diabetes. "The budget- neutral Space Available program, operated by the Air Mobility Command, allows members of the active military, retirees, and others to fly on military aircraft if space is available." In Resolution 2016-02, "The National Federation of the Blind demand that the conference committee end the unequal treatment of our nation's blind or otherwise disabled veterans in the Space Available program by adopting the language in Section 1046 of the National Defense Authorization Act passed in the House." Dwight Sayer, president of the National Association of Blind Veterans, sponsored this resolution. One of the most formidable challenges that blind people face in our quest for equality is the right to parent our children. Melissa Riccobono, the First Lady of the Federation, introduced Resolution 2016-08. In this resolution we "call upon state legislatures across the nation to enact laws that establish procedural safeguards to protect the right of blind people to be parents and prohibit discriminatory presumptions of manifest unfitness solely because a parent (or prospective parent) happens to be blind." Tom Ley, president of the Louisiana Center for the Blind Board of Directors and a longtime leader in the NFB Diabetes Action Network and the Maryland affiliate, sponsored Resolution 2016-16. In this resolution we adopted the Technology Bill of Rights for Individuals with Diabetes and Vision Loss. These rights include true independence, meaningful access, and identical devices. True independence means the right "to manage our diabetes independently, with dignity, and without requiring assistance from sighted individuals." Meaningful access is the right "to access the same life-changing diabetes information, diagnostic tools, and treatments as are available to others." Identical devices means the right "to benefit from the same (not inferior, antiquated, or less effective) diabetes devices at the same time and price as our sighted peers." The Convention passed three resolutions regarding access to education. "The Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education (AIM HE) Act will authorize a purpose-based commission comprised of representatives from all relevant stakeholder communities to develop voluntary accessibility guidelines that will be beneficial to both developers and manufacturers of postsecondary electronic instructional materials and related technologies." In Resolution 2016-01, we "commend Congressman Phil Roe of Tennessee's First Congressional District for recognizing the importance of digital accessibility by championing the Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act in the United States House of Representatives." We also "call upon the United States Congress to act swiftly to provide consideration and a floor vote to the Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act, thereby ensuring that blind, and otherwise print-disabled, students are afforded the same educational benefits provided to nondisabled students so that they can live the lives they want." Danielle Burton, a senior at Morehead State University in Kentucky and who serves as secretary in our National Deaf- Blind Division, sponsored this resolution. Danielle is also a tenBroek Fellow who won national scholarships in 2013 and 2016. Penny Duffy, a member of the board of directors of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children and president of the New Hampshire Organization of Parents of Blind Children introduced Resolution 2016-11. According to the implementing regulations of IDEA [Individuals with Disabilities Education Act], visual impairment, including blindness, means "an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child's educational performance." Many visually impaired students in grades K-12 are being denied special education services because their state uses a more restrictive definition than that found in the IDEA regulations. In Resolution 2016-11, we "call upon the United States Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs to audit each state's definition of the disability of 'visual impairment, including blindness' to ensure that a child's eligibility for special education is not dependent upon that child's state of residence." Some students are having difficulty reading their math and science textbooks. Unnecessary confusion abounds because some states are using the Nemeth code for mathematics and science notation while other states are deciding to adopt the UEB [Unified English Braille] code for technical materials in place of Nemeth. In Resolution 2016-14, "...this organization call upon the Braille Authority of North America to state unequivocally that the Nemeth code, with the guidance for Nemeth in UEB context, is the only standard for mathematics Braille in the United States." Conchita Hernandez, chairman of the National Spanish Translation Committee and a member of the board of directors in the DC affiliate, sponsored this resolution. Conchita is also a tenBroek Fellow who won national scholarships in 2010 and 2016. Cammie Loehr, president of the Oklahoma Association of Blind Students and a member of the board of directors of the Oklahoma affiliate, was the proponent for Resolution 2016-05. More and more college and university programs are requiring students to complete internships. These internships are not only an education requirement but also can assist a student with future employment. In this resolution "we demand that colleges and universities implement procedures, train employees, and otherwise take active measures to ensure that educational internships are fully, equally, and independently accessible to blind students." Many blind people have been successfully employed in the Randolph- Sheppard program for decades. On June 7, 2016, the United States Department of Defense issued proposed regulations that will seriously limit opportunities for blind vendors. In Resolution 2016-10 "...this organization demand withdrawal of the Department of Defense proposed regulations pertaining to military dining services, recognizing that the currently effective regulations of the Department of Education pertaining to the award of cafeteria contracts supersede those of any other federal department." Susan Gashel, a longtime defender of the rights of blind vendors, proposed this resolution. Access to information remains one of the greatest challenges faced by blind people. The Convention passed three resolutions concerning access to specific types of information. The Convention also passed five resolutions about technology platforms and tools that provide access to information. Michael Ausbun, first vice president of the NFB of Nevada, and a summer intern at the Jernigan Institute, sponsored Resolution 2016-03. The Marrakesh Treaty, which will facilitate access to published works across the globe for over three hundred million blind, low vision, and print- disabled people has been ratified by twenty countries. Sadly, the United States is not one of these countries. In Resolution 2016-03, "...this organization call upon all relevant stakeholders to make a good faith effort to encourage the US Senate to consider the Marrakesh Treaty." Deepa Goraya, a member of the board of directors of the Potomac Chapter in the Virginia affiliate and a scholarship winner in 2010, introduced Resolution 2016-06. In 2010, the US Department of Justice promised to issue guidance on how to comply with web access requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Obama Administration continues to delay the issuance of these regulations. Consequently, blind Americans are denied access to information, goods, and services that are available on the web. In this resolution we "condemn and deplore the Obama administration's repeated delay tactics in issuing the much-needed guidance for public entities and public accommodations with respect to the information, goods, and services that they provide via the Internet." All too often, blind people are denied access to mathematical information on the web because there are no standards for how the MathML programs should present the material. Screen-access technologies are inconsistent in the way they interpret MathML, and some access technologies fail to even implement MathML. Students who are studying math and employed mathematicians and engineers are faced with problems that could easily be corrected. In Resolution 2016-07, "we call on manufacturers to standardize the features of MathML." We also "encourage all access-technology manufacturers to implement MathML support." Julie McGinnity, who recently received her master's degree, sponsored this resolution. Julie is the president of the Performing Arts Division and second vice president of the NFB of Missouri. She is also a tenBroek Fellow who won national scholarships in 2011 and 2013. The remaining four resolutions deal with access to software and hardware. This access will make more information available to the blind. These resolutions are necessary, not because access is not achievable, but because technology developers and leaders do not make access enough of a priority. Although we call many companies to task, we also recognize and appreciate businesses that do the right thing. Jerad Nylin is a summer intern at the Jernigan Institute. He also serves as a member of the board of directors of the Iowa affiliate and is the president of the Cedar Rapids Chapter. Jerad introduced Resolution 2016- 13 in which we commend "Target on the excellent quality of its website's accessibility and on its continued efforts to make its site and services fully usable and accessible for all users, both now and in the future." Resolution 2016-04, which concerns software releases by Apple Inc., was sponsored by Francisco Salvador Crespo, Curtis Chong, and Fredric Schroeder. Francisco Salvador Crespo lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He graduated from the Colorado Center for the Blind in March of 2015 and comes to National Conventions frequently. Curtis Chong is an access-technology expert who also serves as treasurer for the NFB of New Mexico. Fred Schroeder is a longtime leader in the Federation and currently serves as the first vice president of the World Blind Union. When a significant software update for one of Apple's products is released "there are often accessibility bugs that impact the usability of the product by blind users, causing them to lose their productivity or their ability to perform certain job duties when the use of Apple devices is required." As an example, recent software updates have been released in which blind people have been unable to answer or hang up the phone using VoiceOver. In this resolution, "...this organization call upon Apple to make nonvisual access a major priority in its new and updated software by improving its testing of new releases to ensure that nonvisual access is not limited or compromised." In Resolution 2016-09, we "strongly urge developers of integrated development environments and other development tools to build and expand their products with blind developers in mind." Kathryn Webster, the newly elected president of the National Association of Blind Students, sponsored this resolution. Kathryn is another tenBroek Fellow who won national scholarships in 2013 and 2016. Sachin Pavithran, a member of the board of directors of the NFB of Utah who won a national scholarship in 2007 introduced Resolution 2016-12. Self-driving cars have been of interest to the blind for many years. Our organization has been a leader in promoting nonvisual access to these vehicles. In this resolution we urge all stakeholders to work toward the enactment of national nonvisual access standards for these autonomous vehicles. In Resolution 2016-15, "...this organization strongly encourage health clubs, hotels, universities, workplace fitness facilities, and other fitness facilities open to the public to provide full and meaningful access on a nonvisual basis to fitness and exercise equipment, thereby complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act's general prohibition on discrimination." Jessica Beecham, president of the National Sports and Recreation Division and secretary of the NFB of Colorado, proposed this resolution. Jessica won a national scholarship in 2011. This article is merely an introductory discussion of the resolutions considered by the Convention. By long-standing tradition, the complete text of each resolution that was passed is reprinted below. Readers should analyze the text of each resolution to understand fully our policy on these subjects. When the US declared its independence in 1776, it took time to actually achieve it. The US did not achieve its independence until 1783. The Declaration of Independence for the blind, stated in these resolutions, will also take time to achieve. With love, hope, and determination we will achieve our dreams of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. ---------- National Federation of the Blind Resolutions for 2016 Resolution 2016-01 Regarding the Introduction of the Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education (AIM HE) Act WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind, the oldest and largest organization of blind people in the United States, has made access to all aspects of the educational experience for blind students a priority and since 2013 has actively sought congressional support for digital accessibility legislation that will expand the circle of participation to fully include students who are blind or print disabled at institutions of higher education nationwide; and WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind has led efforts to bring about consensus among all relevant stakeholders to support such legislation by engaging in negotiations with the Association of American Publishers, the American Council on Education, EDUCAUSE?, and the Software and Information Industry Association, while also seeking input from other disability organizations; and WHEREAS, these negotiations have culminated in the successful drafting of the Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education (AIM HE) Act, which will authorize a purpose-based commission comprised of representatives from all relevant stakeholder communities to develop voluntary accessibility guidelines that will be beneficial to both developers and manufacturers of postsecondary electronic instructional materials and related technologies, as well as to the institutions that procure such materials and related technologies; and WHEREAS, the purpose-based commission will also develop an annotated list of existing national and international IT standards as an additional resource for institutions of higher education and companies that service the higher education market to provide information about the applicability of such standards in higher education settings; and WHEREAS, Congressman Phil Roe from Tennessee's First Congressional District has recognized the importance of digital accessibility and has demonstrated a commitment to equal access by agreeing promptly to introduce the AIM HE Act to the United States House of Representatives: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this fourth day of July, 2016, in the City of Orlando, Florida, that this organization commend Congressman Phil Roe of Tennessee's First Congressional District for recognizing the importance of digital accessibility by championing the Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act in the United States House of Representatives; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon the United States Congress to act swiftly to provide consideration and a floor vote to the Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act, thereby ensuring that blind, and otherwise print-disabled, students are afforded the same educational benefits provided to nondisabled students so that they can live the lives they want. ---------- Resolution 2016-02 Regarding Space Available Travel for Veterans Discharged from the Military for a Disability Prior to September 23, 1996 WHEREAS, the budget-neutral Space Available program, operated by the Air Mobility Command, allows members of the active military, retirees, and others to fly on military aircraft if space is available; and WHEREAS, Congress recognized that servicemen and women who became disabled fighting to protect the homeland deserve the same benefits as retired members of the Armed Forces and therefore classified anyone discharged from the service due to disability from a combat-related injury occurring after September 23, 1996, as medically retired; and WHEREAS, Congress failed to make this re-categorization automatically retroactive to include disabled veterans discharged due to an injury occurring prior to September 23, 1996, thus preventing these heroes from participating in the Space Available program; and WHEREAS, the National Association of Blind Veterans, a division of the National Federation of the Blind, believes that all disabled veterans discharged from the military due to disability should be allowed to participate in the Space Available program; and WHEREAS, the House Committee on Armed Services staff met with the National Federation of the Blind in person and maintained an open line of communication while they crafted the National Defense Authorization Act; and WHEREAS, Chairman Mac Thornberry of Texas included H.R. 2264 in the base House National Defense Authorization Act; and WHEREAS, on May 18, 2016, the United States House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act; and WHEREAS, Senators Ayotte and Hirono fought for the inclusion of the Equal Access to Air Travel bill, S. 2596, into the Senate National Defense Authorization Act; and WHEREAS, Senator Bob Dole wrote Senator McCain on multiple occasions urging him to allow all medically discharged veterans the right to participate in Space Available; and WHEREAS, Senators Heller and Tester offered a floor amendment, Senate Amendment 4235, to the National Defense Authorization Act, which would have included the same language from the House National Defense Authorization Act in the Senate version to end the unequal treatment of disabled veterans based on when they were injured; and WHEREAS, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, Senator McCain, and Ranking Member Reed refused to include S. 2596 into the base bill and refused to allow a vote on the amendment or allow its inclusion in a manager's amendment; and WHEREAS, the House and Senate will appoint conferees later this year to conference and combine their respective bills into one: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this fourth day of July, 2016, in the City of Orlando, Florida, that this organization commend the Chairman of the House Committee on Armed Services, Congressman Mac Thornberry, the House Committee on Armed Services staff, and Congressmen Bilirakis, Nugent, and Moulton for their efforts to end the unequal treatment of medically discharged disabled veterans in the Space Available program based on the date they were injured; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Federation of the Blind commend Senators Heller, Ayotte, Hirono, and Tester, as well as former Senator Bob Dole, for their efforts to include S. 2596 in the National Defense Authorization Act; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Federation of the Blind demand that the conference committee end the unequal treatment of our nation's blind or otherwise disabled veterans in the Space Available program by adopting the language in Section 1046 of the National Defense Authorization Act passed in the House. ---------- Resolution 2016-03 Regarding the Swift Ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled (or "Marrakesh Treaty") WHEREAS, in June 2013 the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) convened a diplomatic conference in Marrakesh, Morocco, in order to deliberate on a treaty to address the book famine plaguing over three hundred million blind, low-vision, and print-disabled people across the globe, who are denied access to more than 95 percent of published works; and WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind was one of the key negotiators in Marrakesh, expressing strong support for the treaty, which was signed by the United States on October 2, 2013; and WHEREAS, after more than two and a half years of subsequent deliberation and negotiation among the members of the United States intergovernmental working group tasked with developing the Marrakesh Treaty's implementing legislation, President Barack Obama submitted the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled ratification and implementing legislation packages to the United States Senate for its advice and consent on February 10, 2016; and WHEREAS, since its transmission to the US Senate, six additional countries have succeeded in ratifying the treaty within their borders, bringing the total number of countries ratifying the Marrakesh Treaty to twenty, and twenty are required to bring the treaty into force: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this fourth day of July, 2016, in the City of Orlando, Florida, that this organization call upon the United States Senate to fulfill its constitutional duty to provide its advice and consent for the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled without delay; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon all relevant stakeholders to make a good faith effort to encourage the US Senate to consider the Marrakesh Treaty before the conclusion of the second session of the 114th Congress. ---------- Resolution 2016-04 Regarding Apple's Inadequate Testing of Software Releases WHEREAS, Apple Inc. has made VoiceOver, a free and powerful screen-access program, an integral part of many of its products, including the Apple Macintosh, iPhone, iPod Touch, Apple TV, and iPad; and WHEREAS, when a significant software update for one of these products is released, there are often accessibility bugs that impact the usability of the product by blind users, causing them to lose their productivity or their ability to perform certain job duties when the use of Apple devices is required; and WHEREAS, recent updates have included a large number of serious, moderate, and minor bugs that have made it difficult or impossible for blind people to perform various tasks such as answering calls, browsing the internet, entering text into forms, or adding individuals to the Contacts Favorites list; and WHEREAS, for example, after iOS 9.0 was released, some iPhones running VoiceOver occasionally became unresponsive when getting a phone call, and there was no way to choose any option on screen; and WHEREAS, although this issue was fixed in a new release of iOS, it would not have occurred if Apple had conducted more thorough testing with VoiceOver; and WHEREAS, another example of inadequate testing by Apple involves VoiceOver failing to render the contents of the screen when a user attempts to add a contact to the Favorites list in the phone app and has multiple contact groups from which to select; and WHEREAS, because Apple products and its accessibility tools are built by the same company, there is no need to share confidential information with partners that may affect the normal development of the software; and WHEREAS, we recognize the efforts made by Apple to inform developers about the accessibility features built into Apple products and encourage the company to keep working in that direction; however several accessibility issues still appear with new software releases even when they have been reported during beta testing; and WHEREAS, it is vital that Apple give priority to addressing bugs that have an impact on accessibility before releasing software updates: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this fourth day of July, 2016, in the City of Orlando, Florida, that this organization call upon Apple to make nonvisual access a major priority in its new and updated software by improving its testing of new releases to ensure that nonvisual access is not limited or compromised; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon Apple to work actively to incorporate feedback from testers who use VoiceOver during the beta testing phase of software development to ensure that accessibility for blind individuals is properly and fully addressed. ---------- Resolution 2016-05 Regarding Equal Access for Educational Internships WHEREAS, educational internships are often a curricular requirement for graduation from a college or university; and WHEREAS, educational internships can provide graduates with invaluable experiences and training that enhance graduates' likelihood of being hired in their chosen career fields; and WHEREAS, Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibit colleges and universities from discrimination against and disparate treatment of individuals with disabilities, and ultimately mandate the provision of equal access to opportunities for such persons; and WHEREAS, Americans with Disabilities Act protections include off-campus educational internships offered as a part of a school's programs, services, and benefits; and WHEREAS, blind students regularly face discrimination by college internship coordinators who fail to coordinate auxiliary aids for off-campus internships and mistakenly believe that blindness will limit a student's ability to perform an internship: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this fourth day of July, 2016, in the City of Orlando, Florida, that this organization hereby condemn and deplore the actions of colleges and universities that have restricted blind students' participation in educational internships, required blind students to complete internships only with assistance from sighted peers, or denied accommodations within these internships; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we demand that colleges and universities implement procedures, train employees, and otherwise take active measures to ensure that educational internships are fully, equally, and independently accessible to blind students. ---------- Resolution 2016-06 Regarding Releasing Web Access Regulations under ADA Titles II and III WHEREAS, President Barack Obama called the release of web access regulations under Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) "the most important updates to the ADA since its original enactment"; and WHEREAS, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) on July 26, 2010, putting the public on notice that DOJ intended to issue guidance to state and local governments as well as places of public accommodation on how to comply with web-access requirements under the ADA; and WHEREAS, a proposed rule with respect to public entities covered by Title II of the ADA was submitted to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) on July 9, 2014, leading state and local governments and consumers to believe that much-needed guidance in the area of web accessibility was imminent; and WHEREAS, subsequent to the release of the proposed Title II rule, and despite the need for guidance from DOJ and the rising number of lawsuits from around the nation resulting from the absence of such guidance on how to comply with Titles II and III of the ADA, DOJ announced that it had decided to delay the release of regulations under Title III of the ADA (which governs places of public accommodation) until an unspecified date; and WHEREAS, on April 29, 2016, DOJ announced that it was also withdrawing the proposed Title II rule, thereby further delaying regulatory guidance on how to comply with web accessibility requirements for state and local governments; and WHEREAS, while blind Americans remain unable to access many of the websites offering information, goods, and services that are available to the general public, DOJ has issued a Supplemental Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and requested further comments with respect to Title II regulations, propounding questions that have already been asked and answered since the ANPRM was first announced six years ago: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this fourth day of July, 2016, in the City of Orlando, Florida, that this organization condemn and deplore the Obama administration's repeated delay tactics in issuing the much-needed guidance for public entities and public accommodations with respect to the information, goods, and services that they provide via the internet; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call upon the administration to release the regulations that will provide guidance on web accessibility as authorized under Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act without further delay; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge all political and civic leaders to join with us in calling on this administration to fulfill the promise made and bring clarity to the accessibility of public information, commerce, and education in the twenty-first century. ---------- Resolution 2016-07 Regarding MathML WHEREAS, MathML is increasingly used for coding and presentation of math web content; and WHEREAS, MathML can be interpreted by screen-access technology; and WHEREAS, different access technology packages choose to implement and rely on different methods of interpreting MathML, and not all technologies even implement MathML; and WHEREAS, this inconsistency causes problems for web developers when developing accessible web content: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this fourth day of July, 2016, in the City of Orlando, Florida, that this organization encourage all access-technology manufacturers to implement MathML support; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call on manufacturers to standardize the features of MathML that will be relied upon and the methods in which the content will be accessed, so as to provide a consistent experience for users and web developers alike. ---------- Resolution 2016-08 Regarding Protecting the Civil Rights of Blind Parents WHEREAS, protecting the rights of parents with disabilities is a notion that, incredibly, was rejected by the United States Supreme Court in the case of Buck v. Bell 274 U.S. 200 (1927), in which Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote, "It is better for all the world, if instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime, or to let them starve for their imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind"; and WHEREAS, this insulting and unjustified view that people with disabilities, including blind people, are somehow "manifestly unfit" to be parents (or otherwise to live the lives they want and to participate as members of society with all rights and privileges associated therewith) has too often continued to prevail in the courts even as we move further into the twenty- first century; and WHEREAS, this bias is reflected in matters involving adoption and guardianship and in contested child custody proceedings, because blind parents have been perceived by the courts, child protection agencies, guardians ad litem, hospital staff, and others as incapable of caring adequately for their children's needs, which has resulted in blind parents routinely being denied the right to be parents without unfair bias or unnecessary overreach by government entities; and WHEREAS, for most people a fundamental aspect of living life to the fullest includes the joy of being a parent and sharing in the nurturing, growth, and development of a child; and WHEREAS, being a parent and raising children is a fundamental right which is protected under the Constitution of the United States of America by the First and Ninth Amendments thereto and under the Fourteenth Amendment as applied to the states; and WHEREAS, in the case of blind parents, there is a need to protect this fundamental constitutional right; yet nearly forty states have no laws at all to protect the right of blind citizens to be parents and raise their children without being fearful of discriminatory treatment or unnecessary inquiries of fitness solely based on blindness: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this fourth day of July, 2016, in the City of Orlando, Florida, that this organization call upon state legislatures across the nation to enact laws that establish procedural safeguards to protect the right of blind people to be parents and prohibit discriminatory presumptions of manifest unfitness solely because a parent (or prospective parent) happens to be blind; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge state attorneys general, in protecting the best interest of the child(ren) in each proceeding, to use their good offices affirmatively to protect blind parents in every state against discrimination and bias based solely upon blindness and to urge the courts, guardians ad litem, and officials of child protection agencies to base decisions about what is in the best interest of the child on issues regarding fitness to parent, not on blindness. ---------- Resolution 2016-09 Regarding the Accessibility of Integrated Development Environments for Blind Developers WHEREAS, development environments in principle offer an equal footing to sighted and blind developers; and WHEREAS, many integrated development environments (IDEs) are largely accessible to blind developers, as is the case with Microsoft's Visual Studio; and WHEREAS, many prominent IDEs and tools such as Sublime Text and the Arduino IDE remain closed to blind developers: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this fourth day of July, 2016, in the City of Orlando, Florida, that this organization strongly urge developers of integrated development environments and other development tools to build and expand their products with blind developers in mind. ---------- Resolution 2016-10 Regarding the Application of the Randolph-Sheppard Act to Military Dining Facilities WHEREAS, in 1974 Congress expanded the priority for blind persons to operate vending facilities on federal property under the Randolph-Sheppard Act by specifying that the priority applies to contracts for cafeterias, subsequently interpreted to include military dining halls; and WHEREAS, as stated in the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act, Congress defined food service contracts to include "full food services, mess attendant services, or services supporting the operation of all or any part of a military dining facility"; and WHEREAS, on June 7, 2016, the Department of Defense issued proposed regulations which, if implemented, would disregard the law defining food service contracts, and limit opportunities for the blind to contracts for dining hall management rather than giving priority to the blind under food service contracts as defined in the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act and to all contracts pertaining to operation of cafeterias, as specified in existing regulations of the Department of Education issued to implement the Randolph-Sheppard Act; and WHEREAS, the Randolph-Sheppard Act charges the United States Department of Education, not the Department of Defense, with prescribing regulations to assure that licensed blind persons are given priority in the operation of vending facilities and cafeterias on all federal property, stating unambiguously in the Randolph-Sheppard Act that any limitation on the placement or operation of a vending facility must be fully justified in writing to the Secretary of Education, who shall determine if such limitation is justified; and WHEREAS, the professed authority relied upon by the Department of Defense to promulgate regulations is merely a statement signed by the Chairmen of the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives respectively and was never voted upon by Congress or any committee within Congress; and WHEREAS, by restricting the priority for the blind to contracts for food service management only, the proposed regulations would eventually replace approximately forty-five blind vendors who now have military dining service contracts with contracts awarded to the Source America/AbilityOne Program, a program that is being investigated by a federal grand jury for corruption, fraud, and failing to hire and maintain the number/percentage of disabled workers required by law: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this fourth day of July, 2016, in the City of Orlando, Florida, that this organization demand withdrawal of the Department of Defense proposed regulations pertaining to military dining services, recognizing that the currently effective regulations of the Department of Education pertaining to the award of cafeteria contracts supersede those of any other federal department; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization insist that the Department of Education clearly instruct the Department of Defense that the Department of Education's regulations mean that a current non-blind-operated contract for military dining services cannot be entered into or renewed unless a contract opportunity has been offered to the blind as provided by the Randolph-Sheppard Act. ---------- Resolution 2016-11 Regarding the Need for Interstate Uniformity in the Determination of Eligibility for Special Education Services under the Disability Category of "Visual Impairment, Including Blindness" WHEREAS, in 1966 the United States Congress recognized the importance of educating children with disabilities in the regular education classroom by amending the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to include Title VI-Aid to Handicapped Children, which provided grant funding for schools serving disabled students; and WHEREAS, in 1974 the US Congress enacted the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, later renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which expanded the initial grant funding and required public schools to allow students with disabilities to attend their institutions; and WHEREAS, nineteen years ago, in 1997, the IDEA was amended and the implementing regulations issued pursuant to this amendment defined "visual impairment including blindness" to mean an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child's educational performance and the term includes both partial sight and blindness and subsequent amendments to the IDEA and its implementing regulations have retained this definition in its entirety; and WHEREAS, states are required by IDEA implementing regulations to determine whether the child is a child with a disability, as defined by the statute; and WHEREAS, twenty-three states have created eligibility criteria in addition to those set forth in the federal definition of "visual impairment, including blindness," and these additional eligibility criteria exclude some children who otherwise meet the federal definition from receiving special education services to which they are entitled under federal law and violate the state's duty to use the definitions issued pursuant to the IDEA to make eligibility determinations: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this fourth day of July, 2016, in the City of Orlando, Florida, that this organization call upon each state department of education to ensure that its special education regulations define the disability of "visual impairment, including blindness" using the definition issued by the implementing regulations pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and eliminate any additional eligibility criteria; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon the United States Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs to audit each state's definition of the disability of "visual impairment, including blindness" to ensure that a child's eligibility for special education is not dependent upon that child's state of residence. ---------- Resolution 2016-12 Regarding Making Autonomous Vehicle Technologies Accessible to Consumers Who Are Blind WHEREAS, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), seven jurisdictions-California, Florida, Michigan, Nevada, North Dakota, Tennessee, and Washington, DC-have enacted legislation related to the operation of autonomous vehicles since 2011; and WHEREAS, while most states to date have not enacted autonomous vehicle legislation, NCSL statistics reveal that such legislation was introduced in six states in 2012, nine states in 2013, twelve states in 2014, and sixteen states in 2015; and WHEREAS, recent congressional hearings and proceedings before the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) clearly indicate that the United States government also intends to consider potential legislation and regulations related to the design and operation of fully self-driving automobiles; and WHEREAS, the Honorable Anthony Foxx, Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation (DOT), in an announcement made at the North American International Auto Show in January of 2016 in Detroit, Michigan, committed nearly $4 billion over the next ten years to the development and adoption of safe vehicle automation and updated NHTSA's policy on autonomous vehicles to include plans during 2016 to propose guidance to industry on the safe operation of fully autonomous vehicles; and WHEREAS, proponents of autonomous vehicle technologies have testified at congressional hearings and administrative committee meetings, offered comments at public forums, and explained in the press how the advent of fully self-driving cars will be most beneficial to people with disabilities who are not now permitted to drive on our nation's roads and highways; and WHEREAS, despite this advocacy by manufacturers and organizations that support the proliferation of autonomous vehicles, most autonomous vehicle technology being deployed today, ironically, is in fact not accessible to people with disabilities or to blind people; and WHEREAS, early intervention is absolutely necessary in the development and deployment of autonomous vehicle technology because the seven jurisdictions that have adopted autonomous vehicle legislation so far require that a licensed driver be present while the autonomous vehicle is in operation, which defeats the purpose of having a truly self-driving car in the first place; and WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind has done more to promote nonvisual access to all types of technology (including the operation of motor vehicles) than any government entity, manufacturer, or advocacy organization promoting the proliferation of autonomous vehicles or the rights of people with disabilities: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this fourth day of July, 2016, in the City of Orlando, Florida, that this organization reaffirm its position as a stakeholder in the proliferation of fully self-driving cars, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge the private sector, as well as government entities at all levels, to work with the National Federation of the Blind to create nonvisual accessibility standards for all technologies related to autonomous vehicles; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon national associations that support the proliferation of autonomous vehicles, as well as organizations promoting the rights of people with disabilities, to join with the National Federation of the Blind to advocate for nonvisual accessibility in all autonomous vehicle technologies so that all people, including those who are blind, may benefit from these technologies. ---------- Resolution 2016-13 Regarding the Target Corporation's Commitment to Web Accessibility WHEREAS, accessible websites allow blind and other disabled users a greater measure of independence and convenience than inaccessible websites and offer the same convenience accorded to sighted users who do not wish to travel to brick-and-mortar locations; and WHEREAS, Target has formed a longstanding partnership with the National Federation of the Blind to ensure that its products and services are accessible to disabled customers, particularly those who are blind; and WHEREAS, Target has proven its commitment to creating websites and applications that conform to the leading industry standard for web accessibility, WCAG 2.0 Level AA; and WHEREAS, Target is the first organization to partner with the National Federation of the Blind in its Strategic Nonvisual Access Partnership Program; and WHEREAS, Target shows every indication of continuing its commitment to the accessibility of its services in the future: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this fourth day of July, 2016, in the City of Orlando, Florida, that this organization commend Target on the excellent quality of its website's accessibility and on its continued efforts to make its site and services fully usable and accessible for all users, both now and in the future. ---------- Resolution 2016-14 Regarding the Preservation of Access to Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science Notation for Blind Students in the United States WHEREAS, the Braille Authority of North America (BANA) passed a motion on November 12, 2012, adopting Unified English Braille to replace the current English Braille, American Edition, in the United States, while maintaining the Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science Notation, 1972 Revision and published updates; the Music Braille Code 1997; and the IPA Braille Code, 2008; and WHEREAS, BANA has issued "Provisional Guidance for Transcription Using the Nemeth Code within UEB Contexts," which sets forth the minor changes needed to incorporate UEB as the literary component of mathematics and technical materials to replace the function formerly performed by the English Braille, American Edition (EBAE) code; and WHEREAS, each state was tasked with creating a customized plan for implementation of UEB, and while all states have adopted UEB to replace EBAE as the literary Braille code for students in elementary and secondary schools, there is a split with regard to Braille code for technical materials (mathematics and science); and WHEREAS, this split has emerged because BANA has failed to confirm unequivocally its 2012 motion to retain Nemeth Code for use in technical materials and now opines that it cannot "reach consensus regarding the establishment of a single standard code for technical materials for [B]raille in the United States," leaving the decision to use UEB or the Nemeth Code within UEB context for technical materials up to each individual state; and WHEREAS, while the majority of states, including textbook leaders California and Texas, are implementing the 2012 BANA resolution and retaining Nemeth Code, a few states are deciding to reject portions of the 2012 BANA resolution and are adopting UEB for technical materials; and WHEREAS, there is no certification for the transcription of technical material into UEB technical materials, yet despite the lack of qualified, certified transcribers, states choosing to utilize UEB for technical materials and the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) are producing curricular material in UEB for technical materials; and WHEREAS, the fundamental differences between Nemeth Code and UEB for technical materials create time-consuming reinstruction for both students and teachers when switching between Nemeth Code and UEB for technical materials, and producing the same curricular material in two different codes is an inefficient use of limited educational resources; and WHEREAS, the concurrent use of two different Braille codes for technical materials creates unnecessary barriers for students and teachers moving from one state to another and also produces inefficiencies in the preparation of teachers of blind students by requiring the teaching of both codes in order to prepare all teachers properly to serve all blind students; and WHEREAS, the concurrent use of two different Braille codes for technical materials generates additional need for professional development of teachers of blind students, which unnecessarily reduces time available to keep up with technology and other emerging trends in the education of blind students; and WHEREAS, since 1952, the use of the Nemeth Code in the United States has been beneficial to and supportive of blind students in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields; the Nemeth Code is more efficient than UEB for technical materials in terms of writing math at all instructional levels; and the Nemeth Code is more efficient than UEB for technical materials in terms of using technology for writing math: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this fourth day of July, 2016, in the City of Orlando, Florida, that this organization call upon the Braille Authority of North America to state unequivocally that the Nemeth Code, with the guidance for Nemeth in UEB contexts, is the only standard for mathematics Braille in the United States; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon each state legislature, should BANA continue to neglect its duty to establish a single standard code for Braille technical materials in the United States, to require its state department of education to eliminate needless confusion and unnecessary cost by unequivocally adopting the Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science Notation, with BANA's guidance for Nemeth in UEB contexts as the standard for math Braille; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon each university preparation program to eliminate needless confusion and unnecessary cost by unequivocally adopting the Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science Notation, with BANA's guidance for Nemeth in UEB contexts, as the standard for math Braille. ---------- Resolution 2016-15 The Right of the Blind to Access Exercise Equipment in Fitness Facilities WHEREAS, the fitness industry is on the rise with over thirty-four thousand health clubs across the United States and with countless more hotels, universities, and workplaces offering consumers and employees access to fitness facilities; and WHEREAS, Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines, and the United States Access Board guidelines specific to sports facilities seek to provide guidance so that places of public accommodation, including stand- alone fitness facilities or fitness facilities in hotels, universities, or places of work, are approachable, functional, and usable by persons with disabilities in a safe, independent, and dignified manner, which includes their facility access, membership, and access to exercise equipment; WHEREAS, the current Access Board standards are primarily focused on rendering the built environment accessible and say very little about accessibility of fitness equipment for people who are blind; WHEREAS, the 2015 "Standard Specification for Universal Design of Fitness Equipment for Inclusive Use by Persons with Functional Limitations and Impairments" created by ASTM International, Subcommittee F08.30, an international standard-setting body, is designed to provide manufacturers the tools they need to produce accessible equipment but does not provide purchasing guidance for fitness facilities; and WHEREAS, many fitness facilities contain equipment that must be operated with a flat screen, touch screen, or other technology that has not been made accessible to the blind; and WHEREAS, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services publication Healthy People 2020 and numerous other scholarly publications, individuals who are blind are twice as likely to be obese as individuals in the general population, leading to increased instances of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type II diabetes, sleep apnea, certain site- specific cancers, and osteoarthritis; and WHEREAS, significantly limited access to fitness facilities due to inaccessible exercise equipment makes it increasingly difficult for individuals who are blind to meet the surgeon general's recommendation of one-hundred fifty minutes of moderate physical activity weekly to help reduce obesity and offset other negative health consequences: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this fourth day of July, 2016, in the City of Orlando, Florida, that this organization strongly encourage health clubs, hotels, universities, workplace fitness facilities, and other fitness facilities open to the public to provide full and meaningful access on a nonvisual basis to fitness and exercise equipment, thereby complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act's general prohibition on discrimination; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call upon fitness facilities to work directly with the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute and the National Federation of the Blind Sports and Recreation Division to ensure that exercise and fitness equipment is accessible to the blind; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization, in an effort to provide clarity to those who operate fitness facilities regarding what their obligations are under the ADA, urge Congress to give the United States Access Board the authority to write standards to make all fitness equipment fully accessible so that the blind can use such equipment on an equal basis with the sighted. ---------- Resolution 2016-16 Regarding the Technology Bill of Rights for Individuals with Diabetes and Vision Loss WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind and the NFB Diabetes Action Network advocate for the rights of an ever-increasing population of blind and low-vision people with diabetes; and WHEREAS, the NFB Diabetes Action Network has created and adopted the following Technology Bill of Rights for Individuals with Diabetes and Vision Loss, which proclaims that all people with diabetes have a right to technology that is thoughtfully, collaboratively, and inclusively designed, and that we who have diabetes and are blind assert the following rights: (1) true independence-to manage our diabetes independently, with dignity, and without requiring assistance from sighted individuals; (2) meaningful access-to access the same life-changing diabetes information, diagnostic tools, and treatments as are available to others; (3) identical devices--to benefit from the same (not inferior, antiquated, or less effective) diabetes devices at the same time and price as are available to our sighted peers; (4) direct control-to operate these devices directly, through flexible and inclusive nonvisual and low-vision features, rather than relying upon smartphones or apps for access; (5) full participation-to participate fully in planning, pre-market testing, clinical trials, and evaluation of these technologies, their user interfaces, and related apps; and WHEREAS, low vision and blindness complicate diabetes self-care; and WHEREAS, for the past thirty years diabetes technologies have failed to include essential usability features (audio, high contrast, large print) that make independent diabetes self-care possible; and WHEREAS, increasingly powerful and life-changing diabetes devices are emerging, many with high tech user interfaces such as onscreen menus and touch screens that create unintentional digital barriers that make the devices difficult to use without good vision; and WHEREAS, this lack of access disadvantages users with visual disabilities and causes serious health inequities; and WHEREAS, all diabetes devices can be designed to be fully accessible out of the box for little or no extra cost using existing technology; and WHEREAS, audio features are already enhancing functionality and user experience for all consumers in other technologies such as GPS systems, elevators, ATMs, and Google Maps, not just for blind or low-vision consumers; and WHEREAS, in some products simple tactile buttons and audible tones or vibrations may make devices fully accessible, while in others text-to- speech and zoom features can make user interfaces more inclusive: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this fourth day of July, 2016, in the City of Orlando, Florida, that this organization adopt and affirm the Diabetes Action Network's Technology Bill of Rights for Individuals with Diabetes and Vision Loss; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization pledge to work toward establishing and securing these important rights until all diabetes devices are fully accessible out of the box; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge other diabetes advocates, technology developers, and federal policy makers to affirm these rights and join with us to work to end these unjust health inequities. ---------- Convention Miniatures NOTICE OF PROPOSED SETTLEMENT OF CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT: ATTENTION: ALL BLIND OR VISUALLY DISABLED INDIVIDUALS WHO USE SERVICE ANIMALS WHEN TRAVELING AND WHO HAVE USED, ATTEMPTED TO USE, OR HAVE BEEN DETERRED FROM USING TRANSPORTATION SERVICES ARRANGED THROUGH THE UBER RIDER APP. THE SETTLEMENT DESCRIBED BELOW MAY AFFECT YOUR RIGHTS. READ THIS NOTICE AND INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. This notice is to inform you about the proposed settlement that would resolve the class action lawsuit National Federation of the Blind of California, et al. v. Uber Technologies, Inc., Case No. 3:14-cv-4086 (N.D. Cal.). The lawsuit alleges that Uber Technologies, Inc., and its subsidiary and affiliate entities (collectively, "Uber"), violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. ?? 12101, et seq., by failing to take the necessary steps to ensure that transportation providers using the Uber mobile software application ("Drivers") do not discriminate against blind or visually disabled riders who travel with service animals ("Riders"). Uber denies all liability in the case and asserts that its current practices do not violate applicable federal, state, and local law. The settlement, which must be approved by the Court, would resolve the lawsuit. Summary of the Proposed Settlement Under the settlement, Uber agrees to take additional steps to inform Drivers of their obligations to transport all Riders. Uber will require that new and existing Drivers expressly confirm that they understand and agree to these obligations, through a pop-up interactive questionnaire in the Driver mobile software application and changes to the technology services agreement. In addition, Uber will send quarterly email reminders to Drivers. Uber will also adopt a new enforcement practice. If, following a complaint from a Rider, Uber determines that a Driver knowingly refused to transport a Rider because the Rider was traveling with a service animal, Uber will terminate that Driver's contract and permanently remove the Driver from the Driver platform. In addition, if Uber receives plausible complaints on more than one occasion that a Driver denied service to a Rider because the Rider was traveling with a service animal, Uber will terminate the Driver's contract and the Driver will be permanently removed from the Driver platform. This second basis for contract termination will apply where Uber was unable to determine whether the first denial was a knowing violation. Under the settlement, Uber will also enhance its response system for complaints that a Driver denied service to a Rider because the Rider was traveling with a service animal, and will provide greater transparency to Riders regarding what action has been taken in response to a complaint about a Driver. Uber will also limit the circumstances in which a Rider can be charged for cleaning issues related to his or her service animal. Additionally, Uber will record each allegation that a Driver is alleged to have denied service to a Rider, or otherwise discriminated against a Rider, because the Rider was traveling with a service animal, and will report aggregated data to Class Counsel. The National Federation of the Blind and its California affiliate will administer a testing program, through which blind individuals request and take trips to evaluate the effectiveness of the settlement. A third-party individual will monitor Uber's compliance with the settlement as well. The settlement also provides that the three named individual plaintiffs who served as class representatives will receive payments of $15,000 each in return for their release of their individual damage claims. In addition, the National Federation of the Blind will receive three annual payments of $75,000 during the term of the settlement, and a fourth payment of $75,000 if the term of the settlement is extended. These payments are intended to support the Federation's testing program. Finally, Disability Rights Advocates, Rosen, Bien, Galvan & Grunfeld LLP, and TRE Legal Practice (collectively, "Class Counsel"), the attorneys who represent the class, will have the right to seek attorneys' fees and costs for their work on the case. Class Counsel will file a motion asking the Court to award reasonable fees and costs for work on the merits phase of this case. The Court must approve the amount awarded even if the parties reach an agreement on the amount. This motion for fees and costs will be available on on September 21, 2016. Class Counsel will also be entitled to seek reasonable fees and costs for their future work monitoring compliance with the settlement and enforcing the agreement. Uber retains the right to contest the amount of any attorneys' fees requested by Class Counsel. Who is in the Class? All blind or visually disabled individuals nationwide who travel with the assistance of service animals and who have used, attempted to use, or been deterred from attempting to use transportation arranged through the Uber rider app. The Effect of the Settlement on the Rights of Class Members All class members will be bound by the terms of the settlement relating to access to transportation services arranged using the Uber app for blind or visually disabled persons who use service animals, if the settlement agreement is approved by the Court. If the settlement is approved, all class members will release and forever discharge all claims for injunctive relief under all federal, state, and local laws related to alleged discrimination by Uber against blind or visually disabled persons who use service animals that arose before the Settlement Agreement becomes effective. Class members, other than the named plaintiffs in the lawsuit, are not releasing any claims for monetary damages. Objecting to the Settlement You can ask the Court to deny approval of this settlement by filing an objection with the Court. You cannot ask the Court to order a different settlement; the Court can only approve or deny this proposed settlement. If the Court denies approval, any settlement changes necessary for approval may not be made, and the lawsuit may continue. If this is what you want to happen, you must object. If you wish to object to the proposed settlement you must object to the proposed settlement in writing. You may also appear at the fairness hearing for final approval of the settlement, either in person or through your own attorney. But if you wish to appear and present your objection orally at the fairness hearing, you must first submit a written objection and in your written objection you must indicate your intention to appear and be heard at the fairness hearing. If you appear through your own attorney, you are responsible for paying that attorney. All written objections and supporting papers must (a) clearly identify the case name and number, National Federation of the Blind of California, et al. v. Uber Technologies, Inc., et al., Case No. 3:14-cv-4086 (N.D. Cal.), (b) be submitted to the Court either by mailing them to the Clerk of the Court for the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, 280 South 1st Street, Room 2112, San Jose, CA 95113, or by filing them in person at any location of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and (c) be received on or before October 13, 2016. FURTHER INFORMATION This notice summarizes the proposed settlement. For the precise terms and conditions of the settlement, please see the settlement agreement available at , contact Class Counsel using the information below, access the Court docket in this case through the Court's Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system at , or visit the office of the Clerk of the Court for the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, 280 South 1st Street, Room 2112, San Jose, CA 95113, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Court holidays. To obtain a copy of this notice in alternate accessible formats, contact Class Counsel using the information below. CONTACT INFORMATION Please do not contact the Court, the Court clerk's office, or Defense Counsel with questions about this settlement. Any questions must be directed to Class Counsel at the numbers and addresses below. Class Counsel: Laurence Paradis Disability Rights Advocates 2001 Center Street, Fourth Floor Berkeley, CA 94704 (510) 665-8644 Timothy Elder, Esq. TRE Legal Practice 4226 Castanos Street Fremont, California 94536 (410) 415-3493 Michael Bien Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld LLP 50 Fremont Street, 19th Floor San Francisco, California 94105-2235 (415) 433-6830 2016 Division Election Results: The following divisions have notified us of the results of elections conducted during the 2016 national convention: Human Services Division: The Human Services division's secretary resigned this year, and Jonathon Franks (TX) was elected to fill out the remaining year until regular elections in 2017. National Association of Blind Merchants: The following were elected to serve a two-year term: president, Nicholas Gacos (NJ); first vice president, Harold Wilson (VA); second vice president, Edward Birmingham (IL); secretary, Sharon Treadway (TN); treasurer, Pamela Schnurr (IN); board members, Debra Smith (AZ), Lewanda Miranda (OR), Melissa Smith (TN), and John Fritz (WI). National Association of Blind Office Professionals: The following were elected to the National Association of Blind Office Professionals: president: Lisa Hall (OH); vice president, Nancy Coffman, (NE); secretary, Christy Lynch, NJ; treasurer, Debbie Brown, MD. Anyone needing more information about the division can contact Lisa Hall at the following address: Lisa Hall, President, National Association of Blind Office Professionals, 7001 Hamilton Avenue, Unit 2, Cincinnati, OH 45231. My home phone is (513) 931-7070, and my cell phone is (513) 550- 5155. You may reach me by email by writing to . National Association of Guide Dog Users: The following were elected to the National Association of Guide Dog Users Board of Directors: president, Marion Gwizdala (FL); secretary, Sherrill O'Brien (FL); and board members Aleeha Dudley (LA) and Jessica Snyder (OH). All seats were filled by incumbents. National Association of Blind Rehabilitation Professionals: The following were elected for a two-year term at the meeting at the national convention in Orlando: president, Melody Roan (VA); first vice president, Pam Allen (LA); second vice president, Dan Wenzel (MN); secretary, Amy Porterfield (AZ); treasurer, Amy Buresh (NE); and board members Shirley Robinson (GA); Julie Deden (CO), Jennifer Kennedy (UT), and Nikki Jackson (MD). National Organization of Parents of Blind Children: The following were elected: president, Kim Cunningham (TX); first vice president, Laura Bostick (LA); second vice president, Holly Miller (NJ); secretary, Pamela Gebert (AK); treasurer, Sandra Oliver (TX); and board members Carol Castellano, (NJ), Penny Duffy (NH), Jean Bening (WI), Joy Orton (AL), Corbb O'Connor (KY), Melissa Riccobono (MD), Dorian Tuminello (LA), Kimberly Banks (FL), Frances Hammond (NM), and Tabby Mitchell (VA). Executive board member terms are two years; board member terms are one year. National Association of Blind Students: The results of the student elections are as follows: president, Kathryn Webster; first vice president, Bre Brown; second vice president, Syed Rizvi; secretary, Michael Ausbun; treasurer, Luke Schwink; and board members Vee Gaspe, Tarik Williams, and Bryan Duarte. Community Service Division: The results from the election of the board of directors of the Community Service Division which took place at our annual meeting on the evening of July 2, 2016, are as follows: president, Darian Smith (CA); vice president, Dacia Cole (MO); secretary, Chris Parsons (CO); treasurer, Johnathan Franks (TX); and board members Tara Abella (IN), Ronnie Bellomy (TX), and Kyra Sweeney (CA). NFB in Computer Science: At its 2016 meeting, held on Saturday, July 2, the division made a change in the composition of its board of directors. Curtis Chong, its longstanding president, was elected treasurer, and Brian Buhrow, formerly a board member, was elected president. Our officers and board members are as follows: president, Brian Buhrow; vice president, Steve Jacobson; secretary, Louis Maher; treasurer, Curtis Chong; and board members Jim Barbour, Jeanine Lineback, and Lloyd Rasmussen. Science and Engineering Division: The following were elected to the board of the Science and Engineering Division: president, John Miller; vice president, Kassidy Wilde; secretary, Louis Maher; treasurer, Al Maneki; and board members Donna Posont and Kristen Johnson. Diabetes Action Network: The following were elected at the 2016 meeting of DAN: president, Mike Freeman; first vice president, Bernadette Jacobs; second vice president, Debbie Wunder; secretary, Mindy Jacobsen; treasurer, Joy Stigile; and board members Juan Figuerroa, Jean Brown, Margo Downey, and Julie Philips. National Organization of Professionals in Blindness Education (PIBE): The following members were elected to the board of directors: president, Eric Guillory; first vice president, Denise Mackenstadt; second vice president, Jackie Anderson; secretary, Emily Gibbs; treasurer, Krystal Guillory; and board members Michael Harvey, Robert Hobson, Casey Robertson, and Carlton Walker. ---------- 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. From buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org Tue Oct 25 23:00:25 2016 From: buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org (Brian Buhrow) Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2016 23:00:25 -0700 Subject: [Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor, October 2016 Message-ID: <201610260600.u9Q60PYp010623@lothlorien.nfbcal.org> BRAILLE MONITOR Vol. 59, No. 9 October 2016 Gary Wunder, Editor Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, 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 NFBnet.org: http://www.nfbnet.org NFB-NEWSLINE? information: (866) 504-7300 Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind Follow us on Twitter: @NFB_Voice Watch and share our videos: YouTube.com/NationsBlind Letters to the President, address changes, subscription requests, and orders for NFB literature should be sent to the national office. Articles for the Monitor and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national 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 ? 2016 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 position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and try again. (Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the thumb drive, the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges, 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 envelope enclosed with the drive when you return the device. Vol. 59, No. 9 October 2016 Contents Illustration: Summer Interns Come to Contribute and Learn That NFB Resolution by Jonathan Mosen Putting News First: Breaking Down Stereotypes as a Blind Journalist by Gary O'Donoghue A Community of Practice: The Federation in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math by Natalie Shaheen, Joseph Heimlich, Arianna Benally, Frances Hammond, Cricket Bidleman, and Salvador Villa Participating in the American Dream Means Paying Taxes: the Innovation of Accessible Financial Tools at H&R Block by Bret Reimer The Roots of the Federation in the World: the Isabel Grant Story in Her Own Words by Deborah Kent Stein Eliminating Artificial Barriers: Civil Rights and Disability at the United States Department of Justice by Eve Hill Educational Assessments, Math Innovations, and Real Accessibility: Progress at Pearson by Jon Twing Recipes Monitor Miniatures [PHOTO CAPTION: John Par?, Michael Ausbun, Mark Riccobono, Julie McGinnity with her dog guide Bill in front of her, Jerad Nylin, and Anil Lewis pose together in front of the Jernigan Institute.] Summer Interns Come to Contribute and Learn From the beginning of June through the early part of August, the Jernigan Institute hosted three interns who had demonstrated a commitment to the organization, possessed leadership potential, and demonstrated energy and enthusiasm in earlier Federation work. The purpose of the internship was twofold: to build on this leadership and to tackle some much- needed work that would challenge their creativity and their ability to work as a team. The 2016 interns were Michael Ausbun of Nevada, Julie McGinnity of Missouri, and Jerad Nylin of Iowa. Jerad and Michael worked together on STEM EQ, and both say that working as mentors in the program was a mountaintop experience. Jerad said that the experience he found most valuable was learning his own strengths and weaknesses and how important communication is in working as a team. Michael loved being a mentor and found that contact with his own mentors and fellow interns was the most valuable part of his experience. Julie thought that being an intern gave her a wonderful view of the Federation nationally and enjoyed her work planning for and executing a plan for affiliate building. All of the interns went to Capitol Hill to support the Federation's legislative priorities. Not only do they learn more about the process, but getting to know the senators, representatives, and the staff members who play important roles for our public servants was enormously helpful. Perhaps Julie McGinnity best summed up their feelings as they move on to new challenges, "The internship didn't lead me to a destination. It led me to believe in the worthwhileness of our further journey." [PHOTO CAPTION: Jonathan Mosen] That NFB Resolution by Jonathan Mosen From the Editor: Jonathan Mosen is well-known to many blind people who follow technology. He was a prominent spokesman for HumanWare when they introduced the BrailleNote and now hosts the popular FSCast sponsored by the VFO Group, formerly Freedom Scientific. This article first appeared on July 7, 2016, in a blog entry on Mosen Consulting's website. At the 2016 Convention this organization passed Resolution 2016-04. It was controversial, not because anyone disputed the truth of the assertions, but because it criticized Apple for quality control. Apple is a company which is credited by anyone with brains with breaking a barrier many of us feared would stifle technological progress for the blind. They figured out a way to make a touchscreen usable by blind people when it seemed that the very nature of the technology would preclude any exploration to find the number or the button desired. No matter how much the NFB applauds Apple for its innovations through the purchase of its products, favorable articles and user reviews, and even granting them the most prestigious award we have for the developers of technology, any word of criticism is regarded by some as blasphemy. Let the Federation be a watchdog seeking to ensure fair treatment by a blindness agency, an accrediting body, or a government policy or procedure, and the organization is either applauded for taking a stand or criticized for not taking a more forceful one. But let us speak about Apple, and suddenly we are unappreciative, overly critical, and unduly demanding. Whether we like it or not, the controversy over the resolution passed concerning Apple raises serious questions about what we who are blind think about blind people. Are we full-fledged consumers with the right to say when something we have purchased doesn't work as it should? Do we have real rights when it comes to expressing our views, or must we confine ourselves to saying only what those who rely on charity and goodwill have the right to say? No matter how courteously or constructively our concerns are put forward, if they involve Apple they cause a firestorm which inevitably finds people questioning our motives, our reasonableness, and our record of working constructively not only for access but for the ability to efficiently use devices so important to our daily existence. It is refreshing to see that some who are not associated with us share our opinion that calling for quality access is not a violation of civilized behavior and that, in fact, we must exercise our rights as consumers whose money is as hard to come by and every bit as valuable as the money offered to Apple by people who can see. To help with a bit of translation, when Jonathan says "I do so fully recognizing that I'm on a hiding to nothing," he means that he is engaging in a bet which he is likely to lose and that the payoff is likely not worth the risk. Here is what he says: In writing this post, I do so fully recognizing that I'm on a hiding to nothing, and I should probably leave well alone. There is an ugly mob mentality that can easily get going when social media turns on an individual or organization, and it's a phenomenon that has been the fascinating subject of entire books. But, after initially deciding to sit out the latest NFB Resolution controversy, I decided I was being morally complicit in the mob mentality by not having the courage to share my own story and views. I was also encouraged to write this because of an amicable and reasonable Twitter exchange I had with someone whose views are not identical to mine. It made me realize that there still may be reasonable people who might appreciate a different perspective on this issue. So, for better or worse, here goes. The Resolution In case you've been fortunate enough to be under a rock and off the grid, the National Federation of the Blind has just concluded its 2016 convention. NFB is a consumer organization that also provides services, now extending to the development of assistive technology that runs on a range of platforms including iOS. Resolutions can be proposed by any member. They are first discussed at the resolutions committee. The resolutions committee then votes on whether they should be discussed by the convention, which is the supreme governing and policy-making body of the organization. So if you pay your subscription [join the Federation], you too could propose a resolution next year. The following resolution was proposed and ultimately adopted by NFB: Resolution 2016-04 Regarding Apple's Inadequate Testing of Software Releases WHEREAS, Apple Inc. has made VoiceOver, a free and powerful screen- access program, an integral part of many of its products, including the Apple Macintosh, iPhone, iPod Touch, Apple TV, and iPad; and WHEREAS, when a significant software update for one of these products is released, there are often accessibility bugs that impact the usability of the product by blind users, causing them to lose their productivity or their ability to perform certain job duties when the use of Apple devices is required; and WHEREAS, recent updates have included a large number of serious, moderate, and minor bugs that have made it difficult or impossible for blind people to perform various tasks such as answering calls, browsing the internet, entering text into forms, or adding individuals to the Contacts Favorites list; and WHEREAS, for example, after iOS 9.0 was released, some iPhones running VoiceOver occasionally became unresponsive when getting a phone call, and there was no way to choose any option on screen; and WHEREAS, although this issue was fixed in a new release of iOS, it would not have occurred if Apple had conducted more thorough testing with VoiceOver; and WHEREAS, another example of inadequate testing by Apple involves VoiceOver failing to render the contents of the screen when a user attempts to add a contact to the Favorites list in the phone app and has multiple contact groups from which to select; and WHEREAS, because Apple products and its accessibility tools are built by the same company, there is no need to share confidential information with partners that may affect the normal development of the software; and WHEREAS, we recognize the efforts made by Apple to inform developers about the accessibility features built into Apple products and encourage the company to keep working in that direction; however several accessibility issues still appear with new software releases even when they have been reported during beta testing; and WHEREAS, it is vital that Apple give priority to addressing bugs that have an impact on accessibility before releasing software updates: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this fourth day of July, 2016, in the City of Orlando, Florida, that this organization call upon Apple to make nonvisual access a major priority in its new and updated software by improving its testing of new releases to ensure that nonvisual access is not limited or compromised; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon Apple to work actively to incorporate feedback from testers who use VoiceOver during the beta-testing phase of software development to ensure that accessibility for blind individuals is fully and properly addressed. Quality Control Quality control problems are rampant within Apple, not just where accessibility is concerned, but with software in general. If you take even the most cursory of glances at the technology news, you'll have seen a number of examples. Most recently, some units of Apple's latest pride and joy, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, were bricked by what was supposed to be a minor software update. Some Sprint users couldn't connect to LTE after iOS 9.3. You may remember that a minor update to iOS 8 broke LTE functionality, causing massive problems for those who were unfortunate enough to upgrade before the update was pulled. The issues with VoiceOver and iOS 9 were just the latest in a series of significant problems over the last few years. I could go back further, but let's just look at iOS 8 on release day. There were serious issues affecting the two-finger double-tap when an incoming call was received. Answering a call would not always pause audio that was playing, and the phone could get itself into a state where it was difficult to stop audio without hanging up a call. Remember the dial pad bug in iOS 8? If you tried to do something as simple as call a number using the phone keypad, it would often get stuck emitting a DTMF tone. Each key you pressed would cause one tone to pile on another. On iOS 8 release day, Bluetooth keyboard support with VoiceOver on was so unreliable that it was useless for practical purposes. If you had a Braille display and no Bluetooth keyboard, QuickNav was stuck on, and there was no way you could disable it unless you were able to borrow someone else's keyboard and pair it or buy a Bluetooth keyboard expressly to get around Apple's bug. When VoiceOver was enabled, Siri would often be cut off in its responses. And the really big one-VoiceOver was completely broken if you had a Braille display and had chosen a particular configuration for status cells. There was no way to recover from this one without sighted assistance. Let's move on to iOS 9. This was the release that the tech press said would be lighter on features because there was a need to make the OS more stable. Do you remember how flaky Bluetooth keyboard support was for some of us only when VoiceOver was running? There were times when entering text into an edit field did absolutely nothing. If you were really lucky, turning VoiceOver off and back on again got things working for a while. If you were a little less lucky, but still a bit lucky, rebooting the device would get things working. Still others couldn't get Bluetooth keyboards working at all, no matter what they did. I remember long, convoluted Twitter discussions as many of us tried to find the variable that would make Bluetooth keyboards work. Remember the famous iOS 9 focus bug? This was a particular problem in apps where you'd want to return to your previous place, such as Twitter and podcast apps. It made using apps like Twitterific, Tweetings, or Downcast a miserable experience, because you couldn't pick up from where you left off. There were numerous other ones, but let me be clear that every piece of software ever written has bugs. So I want to focus on the really big one. As the NFB resolution mentioned, there was the call-answering issue, a showstopper if ever there was one. It saddens me that many of those who were not affected by it trivialize the impact that it had on those of us who were. To recap, when you received an incoming phone or FaceTime call, VoiceOver became unresponsive. It wasn't possible to answer a call or navigate the screen. I can tell you that as a business owner and a dad, this was a very high-impact bug, and it was totally unacceptable that the software was released in this state. Don't agree? Well, let's take blindness out of the mix for a bit. What do you think would have happened if even 20 percent of the entire iPhone user base found after installing iOS 9 that they couldn't take phone calls anymore? It would be Apple Maps all over again. Apple would have been a laughingstock for making a phone that doesn't even let you...answer the phone! The blind business owner who relies on their iPhone to get their sales leads, the blind attorney who needs to hear from their office, the blind parent who needs to be able to pick up a call from their kid-they've all paid exactly the same money for their iPhone as anyone else. And, if it's unacceptable for sighted people to be unable to answer their phone, not just occasionally but always, then allowing software to go out that makes it impossible for numerous blind people to answer the phone is an act of discrimination. It's not deliberate, it's not willful, but discrimination need not be deliberate or willful for discrimination to have taken place. We have enough barriers and ignorance to overcome without these sorts of preventable barriers getting in our way. These devices aren't toys; they're now an essential tool in our productivity armory for many of us. I have seen it suggested that this serious call-answering bug was introduced late in the beta cycle, too late for Apple to do anything about. This is unequivocally false, and I'm going to give you dates to back that statement up. First, a bit of background: I believe in trying to make constructive, positive contributions where that's an option. All the way back in iOS 7, many of us had become troubled by the dwindling quality control of Apple's accessibility offerings. To try to make a positive difference, I set up a private email list of registered blind Apple developers. The idea was and is that we compare notes and try to find steps to reproduce a bug so we can lodge the most accurate bugs we can with Apple. Incidentally, the very accessibility of lodging bugs has varied a lot over the years from the excellent to the near-impossible. This email list means that I can tell you exactly when I became aware of the serious call-answering bug. Bonnie and I were married on 27 June last year. I therefore refrained from installing the iOS 9 beta on my main device until we were back from our honeymoon. On 4 July I first reported issues with answering calls. By that stage we were only at iOS 9 beta 3. I suspect that if the bug was present early on in the cycle like that, it was present from the beginning. Certainly it was present in early July, a full two-and-a-half months before iOS 9 was officially released. When I lodged the bug, I gave it the highest priority I could, stressing emphatically what a showstopper this one was. I was also able to make it clear, because of the private email list I run, that it was affecting some people, but not others. Some people with the same model phone as I had were affected, while other users of the very same model were not. I have huge empathy for the Apple quality-assurance folks, because a bug like this that affects some people but not others is the absolute worst to track down. Nevertheless, the software was released in the full knowledge that there were going to be some blind people for whom a core function of the device they paid for was useless. And I would be surprised if I had been the first person to log the issue in early July. As the resolution also pointed out, Apple is in a unique position, and it's something they market as a strength. They have full control over all the hardware and the software. They're not trying to provide access over the top of an operating system; it's part of the operating system. iOS 9 was also the first iOS release to go into public beta. As I blogged when that move was announced, having more data to draw from isn't going to help if quality assurance isn't resourced appropriately. And really, this is all the resolution is saying. I can't speak for its drafters, but I can say that I'm not for one second suggesting that Apple is lessening its commitment to accessibility-far from it. If you've got your hands on iOS 10 already, you'll know that it's packed with some cool new accessibility features, some of which I've been wanting for years. I don't question for a single second that everyone at Apple has a deeply entrenched, profound commitment to accessibility, and through it, to making the world a better place. They sure have changed my life for the better, and chances are, if you're reading this, they've changed yours too. But surely dialogue in our community hasn't descended to the notion that unless you're totally for Apple, you're against them? Clearly, Apple continues to have quality-control issues across the board. You'd have to be pretty blinkered not to acknowledge that. In my view, it's not that anyone there isn't truly dedicated or competent, but there clearly seems to be a resource shortfall in quality assurance. Many users of Apple's tech, from a range of perspectives, have said similarly, and I for one am glad that the NFB has reminded Apple and the wider public of how vulnerable we blind people are when quality assurance is under-resourced. We're a small population, and bugs that have a tiny impact on the user base overall can have a debilitating impact on us. Picking Apples It's been said by some that NFB seems to be picking on Apple, perhaps because Apple doesn't engage with our community in the same way other companies do. I don't always succeed at this, but I find that not much good comes from attributing motive and that it's best to take an argument on its merits if possible. As someone very badly hit by the phone-answering bug, I felt heard, understood, relieved that finally someone was speaking up for me. It's also natural that with Apple having done so well, more blind people are using Apple mobile devices than any other type. With that success inevitably comes greater scrutiny. However, I'd like to have been spoken up for in other ways as well. I'm an Android user now and would use Android more if it weren't for the abysmal state of support for my primary medium, Braille. NFB has championed Braille over the years, and a resolution letting Google know in no uncertain terms that they must do better would be both welcome and overdue. Technology plays such a big part in all of our lives now that I suspect there are a number of cases where we'd like to see tech companies do much better. Perhaps Americans who feel this way will put forward their own resolutions next year. I don't believe that the absence of these resolutions in any way invalidates the strength of the resolution that was adopted, but when we as blind people call for truly equitable access, I do think that such calls should also be equitably distributed. NFB said something that clearly needed to be said. The impact of unresolved accessibility bugs has been dire for three consecutive major releases now and is symptomatic of a wider software QA [quality assurance] issue. In constructively pointing out the need for meaningful dialogue and timely resolution, that doesn't preclude us from celebrating the revolution Apple has brought about, for which they deserve warm congratulations. And despite the strong market share of mobile devices Apple enjoys in our community, it is critical that we also focus on other players who are not doing so well so that like everyone else, we as blind people truly can choose the technology we use based on preference and need. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Gary O'Donoghue] Putting News First: Breaking Down Stereotypes as a Blind Journalist by Gary O'Donoghue From the Editor: Gary O'Donoghue is the Washington correspondent for the British Broadcasting Company (BBC). Being a successful blind journalist in the position he holds requires extensive travel, the ability to turn an event into a story, and the flexibility to see that blindness does not get in the way of being where the action is and turning out an article that catches the attention of readers and is worthy of the most prestigious broadcasting service in the world. Here is what Gary O'Donoghue said to the 2016 convention: Well, it's great to be here, and I'm very grateful for the invitation from the president to come and speak to you and to tell you a little bit about what I do in my work as a journalist. As the president was saying, this isn't my first NFB convention; I was lucky enough to be here last year to witness that famous record-breaking umbrella mosaic-an amazing moment, of course. Now I have to tell you that I've been to one or two Donald Trump rallies this year, and they are no more frightening than 3,000 blind people waving umbrellas around, let me tell you. What I want to do today, at the invitation of your president, is to give a bit of an insight into my work as a BBC correspondent and how I go about doing that as a visually-impaired person. First of all, perhaps the potted life story: I was born with poor eyesight, which led to me having one eye removed when I was a baby. I retained some useful vision in the other eye until I was eight years old. But after the retina kept detaching itself, admittedly once after going headfirst over the handlebars of a bicycle, there was nothing more to be done, and I've been totally blind ever since then. As was the norm in those days, I was immediately packed off to a couple of boarding schools for blind people, and, as luck would have it, it got me a much better education than I could have hoped for if I'd been sighted. From boarding school I headed off to Oxford University to do a degree in philosophy and modern languages. Shortly after that I joined the BBC as a reporter, and I've been there ever since, so I'm about as institutionalized a blind person as you can get [laughter]. Now when I started in this field there were only very basic forms of computers, mobile phones were only just getting going, and access to research materials and daily newspapers as a blind person meant getting hold of other colleagues and getting them to take time out of their schedules to assist. One could, of course, take all the bits of paper home for a girlfriend to read, but I'm pretty sure one left because asking her to read a wedge of newspaper cuttings in bed wasn't the most alluring offer she could have from a guy-right? [laughter] I worked at first producing reports from our Parliament for the BBC's network of local radio stations. From there I got a job on a national daily news program called The Today Program, which is a bit like NPR's Morning Edition here, which is a significant force in setting the political agenda in Britain each day. During those five years I did a range of stories, really. Traveled to Africa several times, here to the US a few times, the Far East during the handover of Hong Kong back to the Chinese, and I spent a couple of nights on the Macedonian border while NATO bombed Serbia- thousands of Kosovan refugees flooded out of the country, many of them driven out by their Serb neighbors. I did lots of lighter things as well. I had to cuddle a koala in Australia-now apparently they pee a lot, but fortunately this one did not pee. I had to drink lots of strong lager for a piece on alcohol content-all in the line of duty, of course. And I had to talk to people about the shape of tea bags on Oxford Street, would you believe. I must say, I did draw the line when I was asked to do a bungee jump off a bridge over the river Thames-I thought that was just a little step too far for me. For a stint at the BBC World Service I became one of the BBC's political correspondents, ending up as the chief political correspondent for our main news network, and that, my friends, is what brought me here to the United States. Since I arrived here, I've spent a lot of time chasing presidential candidates across the country as they eat their corndogs at country fairs, plate loads of beef at cookouts, and do their fifteen flipping burgers or serving behind diners the length and breadth of this country. I've been chilled to the bone in New Hampshire; I've been so close to Canada in Vermont I could almost touch it; Texas was pleasant in spring, but I have to tell you that I'm relieved not to be there today because apparently it's going to be 102, which kind of makes Orlando seem fine, doesn't it? And you only need to listen to Americans talking to realize how big this place is. Even just a couple of hours west of DC it almost sounds like you're in a foreign country. Donald Trump did actually divert to a foreign country ten days ago when he made a speech at his golf course in Scotland. I have to say, sitting at the ninth tee at Turnberry, surrounded by Secret Service agents, was one of the most bizarre places I've ever attended a press conference. Not only does the presidential election campaign reach every person in the US, it also seems to go on forever- doesn't it? I was with Hillary Clinton in Iowa when she launched her campaign in the spring of last year-shout out for Iowa there-and today we're still four months away from the general election and six months away from election day. Compare that to the process going on in Britain in the moment: ten days ago the Prime Minister David Cameron announced he'd be standing down after his side lost the EU referendum vote. Today, as I'm speaking to you, conservative MPs (members of parliament) are voting on who their next leader should be. Of course it won't be decided today; there'll be more votes among MPs, and then conservative membership of the country will get their say, but Brits will have a new conservative leader and a new prime minister by the beginning of September. So I'm afraid our political chaos is at least a little bit shorter than your political chaos [laughter]. But, whether standing outside a diner in Iowa waiting for Hillary Clinton to show up, or in corridors of Westminster waiting for the results of a vote among conservative MPs to be announced, one thing is absolutely crucial to my job: information. As you all know, information and access to it is one of the central challenges to a blind person's life, both personal and professional. Technology has done wonders in this field for us, whether it's the accessible iPhone that allows me to read the New York Times each day and to keep up with the endless twittering and bloggings in the politisphere, or the Braille display that allows me to read out my radio and television scripts when I'm delivering a broadcast-I'm reading from a Braille display right now, and can I just say in this forum how much I rate the NFB's NEWSLINE service? Scott White and his team who run it: I can't thank you enough; it makes my job infinitely easier, and, for all of us who rely on the ability to read a daily newspaper quickly and efficiently, I simply don't know what I'd do without it, so thank you very much [applause]. A word about Braille here: Braille, I know, isn't for everyone. It's especially hard for those to learn when they lose their sight later in life, and I'm all for encouraging people with useful vision to maximize their use of it-sight is, after all, the most powerful sense whether we like it or not. But Braille, to me, is an absolute necessity [applause]. I simply couldn't do my job without it, and I'm convinced that Braille displays and notetakers have given it a new lease on life that we should spread to as many of our blind youngsters as possible [applause, cheers]. Another thing I believe we have to impart to the young people with visual impairments is some sense of what you might call resilience. It's a very difficult subject, because by that I mean the kind of sophisticated toughness it takes to live an independent life as a blind person. It's about the strategies to overcome barriers when they present themselves and live an independent life that takes on the world, doing those challenging, high-profile jobs that people who could see traditionally thought might not be for us. Now what I don't mean is being thick-skinned. We don't want our young people to become hardened or unable to empathize with others, but it's crucial we give them the confidence to believe in themselves and to pick themselves up after the world has knocked them down, and most importantly the skills that will allow them to function in a world that- let's face it-is not designed for blind people [applause]. They'll also have to learn that even when they've built up years of experience they'll come across people who treat them like novices when they move into a new job. I got quite a lesson in resilience a few years ago. I had some difficulties in my work and had to make a decision about whether to confront a situation that had developed. I'm afraid for legal reasons I can't go into great detail, but it was an incredibly hard decision to make, and it took an awful lot out of me, those around me, and my family in particular. But I'm glad I did, and some good did come from it, but more importantly, I could live with myself for going forward. We can't fight every battle there is, but when the real ones come along, it's our duty to stand up, not just for ourselves, but for those who come after us [applause]. But back to the practicalities of the job. There's a pattern I've noticed over the past twenty years or so: technological leaps forward have unquestionably helped us as blind people to do a much wider range of things, but each time we seem to catch up, a new innovation threatens to reverse the advance. The old DOS computers--they had screen readers developed for them that worked just fine-then Windows came along of course, and we were back to the drawing board. We get that sorted, and a bit later the touchscreen comes into vision over the horizon, and it looks like there will be a problem yet again. My point here is that we must continue to focus on what's next, and ensure that the digital divide doesn't open up for blind people, because we know what that will mean for the already-poor chances of getting a job and leading an independent life. In the realm of journalism there are some big challenges ahead for young blind people wanting to get into that field. Most notably in my view is the ever-growing importance of multimedia journalism that requires the reporter not just to get the story but also to gather her own pictures and video. Couple that with the speed of which one has to work in the newsgathering field now. It's going to require someone with high levels of technical skills and personal resilience to make it in this trade when they have a disability. One word of encouragement-I don't want to sound like I'm discouraging people-journalism, at heart, remains the business of telling stories. So for blind people, who inevitably rely on verbal communications and verbal skills, it's still a very, very good fit. Conducting an interview still only requires a conversation take place, and the means to record it or film it. Visually impaired people are all well-accustomed to having to go the extra mile to understand others, and that again is a hugely useful skill in the realm of journalism. Now I've rambled on for long enough, so let me just say this to you: I feel hugely privileged with how life has panned out for me. Most of the time I see my blindness as an inconvenience, and that's the extent of it [applause]. I'm not na?ve as to believe that blind people don't face huge barriers to overcome, some natural, some put in our way, but the truth is that there is no other option than to get out there and do it. Some days it will be hard: walking into lampposts-if I may borrow one of your American idioms-some days that just really sucks, doesn't it? Some days we have to deal with a world that doesn't really get it, and worse, stands in the way of one making the most of oneself. But we have to-I think-in the words of Winston Churchill, "keep buggering on," and that's all there is to it. Thank you very much. ---------- A Community of Practice: The Federation in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math by Natalie Shaheen, Joseph Heimlich, Arianna Benally, Frances Hammond, Cricket Bidleman, and Salvador Villa From the Editor: What we say about blindness is significantly different from what others say about it, but what we do to give credence to our words is what changes people's lives, what makes them better, and what sets them free. Nowhere is this better demonstrated than in our programs for young people. What follows is a panel discussion introduced and guided by Natalie Shaheen. As you read these remarks, consider how life might have been different for you had there been a STEM2U program when you were young enough to have benefited from it. This was a treat to behold, and hopefully we can bring it to life in these pages. Enjoy: [PHOTO CAPTION: Natalie Shaheen] As a kid I really liked math, and I was pretty good at it too. In high school I took extra math just for fun, and I loved it! Science class, on the other hand, wasn't as interesting to me in my freshman and sophomore years. I found the subject matter rather straightforward and the pace of the classes too slow; I was bored because I wasn't challenged. In my junior year I decided to take advanced chemistry, hoping for more of a challenge. Well, ask and you shall receive. Chemistry presented a significant intellectual challenge, one that, at the time, I felt was beyond me. I put 110 percent into chemistry class, but I could never quite grasp the concepts. I ended up getting a C in that class, one of two Cs I have received in my entire educational career. I was devastated. It sounds sort of goofy, but, for sixteen-year-old- perfectionist Natalie Shaheen, the bad chemistry grade was traumatic. I left that class angry, embarrassed, and fed up with science. I concluded that I just wasn't smart enough for hard sciences. It wasn't until I came to work for the National Federation of the Blind and was assigned to make a wide variety of STEM subjects accessible for blind students that I realized what had happened in chemistry class all those years ago: in chemistry I didn't do the experiments. In order for me to see what I was doing, I would have had to get dangerously close to toxic substances and fire. The teachers, of course, didn't want me to get hurt. They didn't know how I could do chemistry if I couldn't see what I was doing. And I certainly didn't have any answers for them. I couldn't even phone a blind friend to ask for advice-I didn't have any blind friends. I didn't have a community of practice of blind people who could help me figure out how to do science nonvisually. So I suffered through chemistry class as the notetaker for my group, trying to understand the content without having full access to the activities. The C that I received in chemistry did not, as I once thought, reflect my lack of capacity for doing chemistry; rather, it reflected my lack of access to the subject matter. Thanks to the work of the National Federation of the Blind, today blind high school students have a community of practice of blind people who can share wisdom and advice about how to do all kinds of STEM subjects nonvisually. Well what exactly is a community of practice? So as not to bore you with the long academic definition, I'll give you the twitter-style definition-140 characters or fewer. Is it possible? A community of practice is a group of people who organize themselves, share information, and apprentice novices to become experts. Our community of practice, the National Federation of the Blind, organized itself in 1940. To this day we share information and advice with each other about how to be successful in the world, and we apprentice novice blind people to become expert blind people. Though we do not commonly use the term apprenticeship, we practice apprenticeship every day in the Federation. If you all will help me, we can demonstrate the prevalence of apprenticeship in our organization. Are you all listening? Alright. If you have been mentored by an older, more experienced blind person in the Federation, say "aye." [Many affirm they have.] If you have mentored a younger less experienced blind person who was just entering the Federation, say "aye." [Again a significant response from the crowd is heard.] That's our community of practice, all over this banquet hall and all over the country. My first mentor in the Federation was Dr. Larry Streeter, who is unfortunately no longer with us [Applause for the work and dedication of Larry Streeter]. That's right-give it up for Dr. Streeter. Today I am mentored by numerous people in the Federation, including President Riccobono. Just as more experienced blind people mentor me, I, in turn, mentor the young blind students who walk into my classroom or bump into me out in the world. That's how a community of practice works, that's how the Federation works, and that is why this organization is such a powerful resource for blind students of all ages. As you listen to the other speakers on this panel today, take note of how our community of practice is referenced both explicitly and implicitly. All of the speakers on this panel have participated in one way or another in our National Center for Blind Youth in Science programs, which are currently funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. This three-year grant is comprised of three intertwined components. The first component is our regional STEM programs, called NFB STEM2U, which serve blind students, parents of blind children, and teachers of the blind. The second component is NFB EQ, a weeklong advanced engineering program for blind high school students. The third and final component involves working with six science museums across the country to increase accessibility for blind visitors. Today our speakers represent each of those three components of the grant. Our first speaker is Dr. Joseph Heimlich, the executive director of the Center for Research and Evaluation at COSI and the principal researcher at Lifelong Learning Group. Dr. Heimlich has donned many hats as a part of this project. He has been a great advisor with respect to navigating the museum world, and he has been a tremendous resource as our external evaluator, giving us advice about how to make our programming even more effective. Here is Dr. Heimlich. [PHOTO CAPTION: Joseph Heimlich] Joseph Heimlich: Thank you, Natalie. As President Riccobono said yesterday, this program is exciting, it's innovative, and it's powerful. My role and my team's role in this project is a fun one: we get to help the National Federation of the Blind succeed. Our goal-our role-is to make sure that the good programs get even better and that we can give critical feedback and watch how Natalie and her team turn that into better and better programming for the benefit of the youth. There are several things we've learned on this project; one of them is that these programs are working. They're working for the youth, they're working for the parents, they're working for the educators, and they're working for the museums. One major learning is that the NFB is strongly committed to STEM learning, and this is important for the National Science Foundation. And finally, we're learning that parents want and need tools to help their children do science at home. So I'm going to take just a moment and make you do some work for me. I want you to take one minute and talk to the people next to you, and identify three reasons why you think these programs are important. You've got one minute; go [audience starts talking]. All right, so what are some of the reasons these kinds of programs are important? Shout them out. Equity, education-shout loud, I'm deaf-yes, career choices, problem-solving, empathy, raising expectations-absolutely, these programs are doing all of those things and more. Oh man, that's a big one, learning about themselves and who they are. What we are seeing-number one thing we're seeing-is an increase in confidence in the youth, a discovery of what they can do and how they can do it and how they can be engaged in making their own decisions for the future. A second is an exposure to skills. They've not been given, in many cases, the opportunities to manipulate, to learn tactilely and haptically around these various issues. And finally they're receiving tools to help them perform in the classroom and beyond. Most STEM we learn, and almost all the STEM-science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-we use, we do not use in the classroom. We use them in daily life. This means that museums and other informal organizations also need the support to work with youth who are blind and blind adults. This program is taking the traditional educational approaches used in blind education into museums and beyond, where we are seeing a transformation. The reason is that access and accessibility is the real issue for a lot of these youth in science. We're seeing that these are amazing young people who really need the opportunity to succeed, and this program, and programs like this in the future, will continue to give them opportunities to succeed [applause]. Natalie Shaheen: Thanks, Dr. Heimlich. Next up is Arianna Benally, one of our younger blind students. She participated in two NFB STEM2U programs. At NFB STEM2U Phoenix, Arianna told me she was writing a story about our program for her school newspaper. Now she's going to share her story with us! Let's give it up for Ari: [PHOTO CAPTION: Arianna Benally] Arianna Benally: Hello. My name is Arianna Benally. I'm eleven years old and going into the sixth grade. I went to two NFB STEM2U programs. STEM means science, technology, engineering, and math. We did a lot of engineering. Engineering taught us to make something new with recyclables. It inspired us to build and imagine. At the NFB STEM2U program in Columbus, Ohio, the museum was called COSI. COSI has exhibits about the human body, the ocean, and electricity. One exhibit was a timeline from when we did not have electricity until present day when we have a lot of electronics. COSI was a lot of fun! I met a lot of kids in Columbus, and we built many projects together. We built racers, brush bots, and a flash-card tower. I learned that even though a person is visually impaired or blind, they can still build anything [applause]. I also learned how to work in a group. With our parents' help, we tried to build the tallest tower out of big blue blocks. My group won. These activities helped me learn more about STEM. At the NFB STEM2U program in Phoenix, Arizona, the museum was called the Arizona Science Center. That museum has exhibits about the human body. One exhibit was about a woman having a baby. Another exhibit was about the wind. In that exhibit you had to stand on a platform, and you could feel the wind and see the lightning. The Arizona Science Center was interesting. We built racers and a flash-card tower. Making these things made me use my creativity. We also played with big blue blocks. We pretended to build a machine. It was fun and imaginative. With our parents, we learned how the digestive system works. The museum brought out a bowl with food in it. We smashed the food with a potato masher, which is like our teeth chew food. Then we put the mashed food in a plastic baggie, which was like our stomach. The museum brought out tubes that were the same size as the small and large intestines. We got to look at them. Finally, we learned what happens to our food [what it turns into] after we digest it. It was gross! The program was fun, creative, and it helped me to understand that I can do and accomplish anything, even though I am blind. So, there you have it. Now you know that the NFB STEM2U program is great for children and their parents. Blind people can accomplish anything. It is great to be connected with the National Federation of the Blind because their programs help us live the life we want. Natalie Shaheen: Thanks, Ari. Francis Hammond is Arianna's mother, a board member of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children and an NFB STEM2U parent participant. Francis is going to tell us what it was like to be a parent at the program. Here is Francis: [PHOTO CAPTION: Frances Hammond] Frances Hammond: Thank you, Natalie. My eleven-year-old daughter Arianna and I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We have been members of the NFB of New Mexico since 2012, and since then I have been in awe over the amazing work you have been doing to support each other and blind adults and children across the country. With the support of the NFB, our NFB of New Mexico, and our Parents of Blind Children of New Mexico, we were given the opportunity to attend two of the NFB STEM2U programs. We attended the program in Columbus, Ohio, at the Center of Science of Industry in May of 2015, and we attended the Phoenix, Arizona, program at the Arizona Science Center in November of 2015. I learned leaps and bounds about how to make science, technology, engineering, and math more accessible for Arianna. I tried to make our attendance at the Columbus program a learning experience from the beginning, because Arianna and I had never been to Ohio before, and we had never traveled alone with each other before. I let her guide me through the airports, which she quickly found is not always an easy task. She found out that rather than roam around aimlessly to read signs too small for her to read, she had to ask for help-this was a big step for her. Then we had our first ride in an Uber. These small, simple transportation details are steps that Arianna had never taken before. We were learning leaps and bounds, and we had not even arrived at the NFB STEM2U program yet. When we arrived at the hotel for the program, we met our facilitators and other parents and children from across the country who, like us, were searching for ways to make the STEM fields more accessible for our blind children. We all came from very different experiences in regard to our children's educations. Over the course of the next couple of days I heard about instances where services for blind students were extremely limited and examples of technology not being accessible to blind students. I learned that it is a struggle for our students to be as proficient as their sighted peers, simply because of accessibility issues. I also learned how blessed Arianna has been to have blind teachers who are NFB members for four of the five years she was in elementary school. The NFB and the NFB philosophy make a difference in accessibility for our children. At the Columbus program, we learned about advocacy and what tools are available to blind children in the STEM fields. We talked about our children's Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and how much of an impact they have on a child's education. We were given a crash course on ways to make tools in the STEM field more accessible. We learned about how to use tactile calipers and how to tactilely mark a plastic milliliter syringe for measuring. We were shown an audio pen/book combination that could read the periodic table and all of the information it displays. Dr. Cary Supalo showed us his wonderful talking LabQuest that makes taking measurements in a scientific setting as accessible as accessible can be. I was surprised that I had never even heard of any of these tools before, and I was grateful that the NFB had put the STEM2U program together to help us sighted parents understand more about accessibility issues. Before the program I thought I had a good understanding of what Arianna needed, but I was amazed at the wealth of information I had received. After the program Arianna and I went home with a new outlook on what Arianna's education would look like. I started wondering about her future. Then we heard about another NFB STEM2U program much closer to home in Phoenix. I was overjoyed because the proximity meant that my husband Bryce could attend. I had originally planned for him to take her alone, but I could not resist another weekend of attending an NFB program-after all, this is why we're Federationists. We were able to drive to Phoenix, and upon our arrival, I was expecting the program to mirror the Columbus program. I was excited to learn that a fellow National Organization of Parents of Blind Children board member, Pat Renfranz and her husband Dave had come to facilitate most of the parents' activities. Pat and Dave are scientists, and learning from them was a much different experience because they have a deeper understanding of the STEM fields. Bryce and I were in for a long weekend of learning. For this program we were asked to bring Arianna's latest IEP. We talked about IEP advocacy, and then we really delved into the IEP and what should be in it. We were told to highlight words like technology, science, math, and measure. Our IEP was the most highlighted in the whole room. This meant that our IEP team must be doing a good job, but there were other IEPs that were less than adequate. I am thankful that the NFB shed light on this problem through the STEM2U program. Now there are so many more informed parents out there who can more effectively advocate for their child's educational needs. As the program continued I once again found myself with inadequate knowledge of how to make things more accessible for Arianna. Pat and Dave gave us specific examples of how to make science accessible. I had never considered how to explain lunar cycles, the relative size of planets in our solar system, or the distance between planets to our daughter. Pat and Dave showed us how. We used a very long piece of string and beads to show the relative distances between planets. Using this method, it was easy to deduce that Mercury, Venus, and Earth are much closer in distance than Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Then we were paired in teams of two to tour the Arizona Science Center, armed with different tools to make the museum more accessible to our blind children. At each exhibit one partner would wear sleepshades while their partner would explain the exhibit to them while using some of the tools to make it more tactilely accessible. One of the tools we found most useful was the Sensational BlackBoard. We were able to use it to sketch a tactile representation of an exhibit. Bryce and I took turns. We learned more about the dynamics of helping our daughter get the most out of future trips to museums than we ever had before. The NFB STEM2U programs educated us in the importance of making the STEM fields more accessible for Arianna to succeed in her future educational endeavors. I am thankful that the NFB shared with us how to approach accessibility issues within the STEM fields. Now I know that even though she has had great NFB teachers, I still need to raise my expectations of her educational needs in the future. This coming year Arianna will not be assigned a full-time teacher of the visually impaired because she is starting middle school. All of her teachers will be sighted. I am worried about how they will help make things accessible for Arianna, but I know that I can help where they lack. The NFB STEM2U program has given us knowledge that we would not have obtained otherwise. Thank you NFB for providing a program that empowers parents with the knowledge to help their children succeed in the future [applause]. Natalie Shaheen: Thanks, Frances. Cricket Bidleman was an apprentice in our NFB STEM2U San Francisco program and a participant in NFB EQ 2015. She is going to share her NFB EQ experience. Here's Cricket: [PHOTO CAPTION: Cricket Bidleman] Cricket Bidleman: Good morning, fellow Federationists. I'm Cricket Bidleman, a twelfth grader from Morro Bay, California, and I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to share my experiences with the National Center for Blind Youth in Science initiative regarding the National Federation of the Blind Engineering Quotient program. A man named Edward Prescott once said, "The only man who can change his mind is a man who's got one." This is true, but how much impact can just changing one's mind really have? Before ninth grade I thought about a career in law. Since then, however, and no offense to the lawyers out there, I have wanted to go into science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, also known as STEM. The only problem was that I didn't think such a career would be practical due to my blindness. That all changed after I attended NFB EQ. After arriving at the Jernigan Institute-having flown independently for the first time-I met nineteen other blind high schoolers. I was then assigned to a team with three other students. After everyone had been split into teams, each group was given a marshmallow, dry spaghetti noodles, a paper bag, string, and a piece of tape. We were challenged to make the tallest structure possible, using only the materials we had. My group taped the tips of our canes to the ground in a square, then stood them all upright and tied the paper bag over the handles to keep them together- imagine a square pyramid kind of shape. Then, we put the marshmallow on top and waited for the verdict. Though we did stretch the rules just a little, our creativity had allowed us to make the tallest structure, using only the materials we had. I do want to point out that no one said anything about using only the materials we were given. The next day, we began our project, which took four days to complete. Each group constructed a boat and oars out of PVC pipes, wood, a tarp, and duct tape-and they weren't those little model boats that people put on shelves and forget about. We learned safety techniques for using drills, saws, and other tools. We also learned to make charcoal water filters out of recyclable materials, and each group was responsible for designing their own filter. At the end of the week, we raced the boats in the nearby reservoir. Thankfully, all of them floated, and although my team did not win the race, we did our best and learned a lot about engineering in the process, and in the end we won the award for the best filter design [applause]. The NFB EQ program taught me a lot. I learned independent travel skills by navigating multiple airports. I learned about the engineering process, about water filtration, and about how to use sharp tools safely. Most of all, the program developed my passion for the STEM field. As I mentioned earlier, Edward Prescott once said, "The only man who can change his mind is a man who's got one." I changed my mind in ninth grade and am now interested in going into some area of the STEM field. However, just changing my mind was not enough. At the National Federation of the Blind Engineering Quotient program, I was able to gain the experience that allowed me to realize that science is a practical career for me and that with certain techniques I can be just as independent as my sighted peers. In other words, NFB EQ taught me that I can live the life I want. Thank you, NFB [applause]. Science, technology, engineering, and math is so much more than numbers and equations. STEM is about sharing how each person's individual perspective allows them to see and explain the world differently. As a blind person I definitely see things differently, and thanks to NFB EQ, I now have the courage to share my perspective. And this is why we need more programs like NFB EQ-to inspire blind youth to pursue careers in STEM and to give young blind people the skills and confidence to share their perspective with the world [applause]. Thank you. Natalie Shaheen: Thanks, Cricket. Salvador Villa just participated in NFB EQ 2016, and he was an apprentice at NFB STEM2U Phoenix. Sal is going to tell you what it was like to be an apprentice at NFB STEM2U. [PHOTO CAPTION: Salvador Villa] Salvador Villa: Good morning, my Federation family. How are you all doing this morning? My name is Salvador Villa, but everybody calls me Sal. I am from McAllen, Texas, and I will be a senior in high school this upcoming August. Last fall I participated in the NFB STEM2U program. At the program I learned leadership skills, had the opportunity to mentor younger students, make friends from different parts of the country, and travel across the country to new places. The aspect of the program that was most meaningful to me was being an apprentice at my regional program in Phoenix, Arizona. I enjoyed this part of the program the most because I was able to use the leadership skills I have gained from working in the NFB of Texas BELL Academy and put into practice the new skills I learned at the NFB STEM2U Leadership Academy in Baltimore. When I was a kid, many people helped and mentored me. Being an apprentice at STEM2U allowed me to finally give back to my community. To me, nothing feels greater than watching a child be successful and reach their goals, and NFB STEM2U gave me a firsthand experience of this feeling. In this program I was in charge of a small group of children, and my job was to mentor them as they learned about science. I remember teaching them different cane skills as we walked around the museum looking at exhibits they were interested in. I was also able to share my story on what I have done in order to reach my goals and give them advice on how they can reach their goals. I am thankful and grateful that I was given the privilege to be a part of NFB STEM2U, and I hope that other teenagers like me can have the same experience I had last November. [Music begins] Yo, this one goes out to the NFB of Texas, my mentors Daniel Martinez, Michael Ausbun, and Jared Nylin. [Rapping]Check it November 5th through 8th 2015 Phoenix Arizona was the place to be I was an apprentice at STEM2U Mentoring young blind children was all I had to do Watching them be successful while working together They thanked me for everything, and I couldn't've felt better Making wine glasses ring was pretty cool I say it's like jumping into an ice cold pool We learned about fossils and the anatomy of starfish I remember someone said that they smelled like their goldfish Walking with our canes and looking at exhibits I remember telling them that the sky is the limit Not everything was all fun and games Eventually, leadership came into play Thank you [applause, cheers] Natalie Shaheen: How about these kids? Our last presentation is a virtual presentation of sorts. We had participants from all of our NCBYS programs send in tweets about their experience, and we pulled a selection of them together to share with you. Here is our spoof on the Jimmy Kimmel skit "celebrities read mean tweets." Anil Lewis reads and inserts some of his own comments into these tweets; his comments are in parenthesis: @CuriousKid: At the Museum of Science in #Boston, I picked fake boogers out of a really huge model of a nose in the Hall of Human Life. :) #Yucky (absolutely) #STEM @ProudMama: (It's a great handle) Overheard my son saying, "I want to be more independent at home." (big mistake, Kid) That spoke volumes to me. (I'm sure it did.) #Grateful #AwesomeOpportunity #NCBYS (And I'll add #NowYou'llHaveToMakeUpYourBedAllByYourselfAllTheTime. Good luck.) President Riccobono reads: @ScientistSarah: I asked a child at NFB STEM2U #Bmore to watch the experiment... "don't forget, I'm blind!" @apprenticeSTEM2U: piano keys on the floor, 'Do Re Me,' give me more! #science museum #NCBYS @aoates: Favorite overheard #Exploratorium #STEM2U moment: "I'm having so much fun, I'm forgetting about growing up! Does this make you forget about growing up?" Anil narrates: @allieykatt13: Dissecting starfish was amazingly spongy at Arizona Science Museum #NCBYS #STEM2U (I just learned something; starfish are spongy.) @DuctTapeKing: I used 10 million rolls of #DuctTape to build my boat at NFB EQ #Engineering #STEM (Hopefully that was an over exaggeration of the amount of duct tape.) President Riccobono narrates: @PatriotsFan29: All the boats floated! #WeDidIt #OhSnap #WeAreAwesome @nlshaheen: 2 years, 6 states, 11 programs, 400 participants (students, parents, teachers), hundreds of volunteers, 1 awesome @NFB_Voice team! #Time4ANap @riccobono: Great job, @NFB_Voice #whatsnext Natalie Shaheen: In closing I would like to thank each and every one of you for making our education programs possible. Everyone in this room contributes to our community of practice, and without that community of practice our education programs would not be successful. Pat yourselves on the back, and give your neighbor a high five. Together with love, hope, and determination, we transform young blind students' dreams into reality. Thank you. ---------- Leave a Legacy For more than seventy-five years the National Federation of the Blind has worked to transform the dreams of hundreds of thousands of blind people into reality, and with your support we will continue to do so for decades to come. We sincerely hope you will plan to be a part of our enduring movement by adding the National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary in your will. A gift to the National Federation of the Blind in your will is more than just a charitable, tax-deductible donation. It is a way to join in the work to help blind people live the lives they want that leaves a lasting imprint on the lives of thousands of blind children and adults. With your help, the NFB will continue to: . Give blind children the gift of literacy through Braille; . Promote the independent travel of the blind by providing free, long white canes to blind people in need; . Develop dynamic educational projects and programs that show blind youth that science and math are within their reach; . Deliver hundreds of accessible newspapers and magazines to provide blind people the essential information necessary to be actively involved in their communities; . Offer aids and appliances that help seniors losing vision maintain their independence; and . Fund scholarship programs so that blind people can achieve their dreams. Plan to Leave a Legacy Creating a will gives you the final say in what happens to your possessions and is the only way to be sure that your remaining assets are distributed according to your passions and beliefs. Many people fear creating a will or believe it's not necessary until they are much older. Others think that it's expensive and confusing. However, it is one of the most important things you will do, and with new online legal programs it is easier and cheaper than ever before. If you do decide to create or revise your will, consider the National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary. Visit or call (410) 659-9314, extension 2422 for more information. Together with love, hope, determination, and your support, we will continue to transform dreams into reality. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Bret Reimer] Participating in the American Dream Means Paying Taxes: The Innovation of Accessible Financial Tools at H&R Block by Bret Reimer From the Editor: Paying taxes is not something many of us are excited about doing, but the experience is frustrating enough without the added stress of being unable to do so because of the technology used in preparing the forms that report income, deductions, and the bottom-line number that will reveal whether we pay more into the system or get some back. H&R Block is a leader in tax preparation, providing human assistance for those who wish to pay for it and computerized assistance for those who do not. It was Mr. Reimer's challenge to follow Jordyn Castor on the agenda, and those who have read her remarks will understand why he began his presentation by acknowledging hers. But before we get to his remarks, here is what President Riccobono said in introducing Mr. Reimer. "This is an important agenda item because getting access to the tools that are needed to file our taxes and independently manage our finances is an important topic, and over the last few years, with our work, H&R Block has come to be a model in moving accessibility within an organization. Here to talk to us about the work of H&R Block, where, over the last year, twenty-three million people have filed their taxes online, is the director of technology who leads a team of accessibility experts in changing the paradigm of accessibility and improving the tools at H&R Block. Here is Bret Reimer: So, Jordyn, this is going to be a tough act to follow-my gosh, great story. On behalf of H&R Block, congratulations on another successful convention and all of the outstanding work that you've done this year to make the world a more accessible place. I personally want to thank the organizers of this conference for inviting me to speak today. This has been a tremendous personal opportunity for me to be here for the last couple of days. I've really enjoyed speaking with a few of you, listening, learning a lot. I really enjoyed going to the exhibit hall and hearing about all of the amazing innovation that's going on. I mean there is a lot of innovation going on, and it's just really exciting to be a part of that. I cannot wait to take that all back to Kansas City and bring back even more knowledge and enthusiasm to H&R Block. This is the second year that H&R Block has been a part of this national convention. We were here last year for the world-record-breaking umbrella mosaic-that was incredible. And, as I was preparing for my speech today, it really stuck out to me about what can be achieved when you really rally around a goal, and it was just an amazing accomplishment that you all made. I really want to take that rally, that attitude towards accessibility into H&R Block, and I think we've done that over the past few years, and we're very excited to move forward with that [applause]. Now I know I work for a tax company, and I may think taxes are the most interesting thing in the world [laughter], but that's probably not what you want to hear about today. My topic today is going to be all about innovation. It's going to be about how H&R Block over the past few years has been innovating and reinventing how we deliver products to market. We have integrated web accessibility into our product-development lifecycle, and I'm going to tell you a little about the journey that we've been on the past few years, and how that's come to life at H&R Block. Today we've only got a short time, but I'm going to give you a brief overview of the history of H&R Block, as well as what we do and then take you along that journey that we've been on the past few years. H&R Block really started out as an innovative company from the very beginning. They were founded in 1955 when Henry Block and Richard Block had a small bookkeeping business in downtown Kansas City. One day a salesman from the Kansas City Star newspaper came to them and asked them if they ever thought about doing tax preparation for individuals. They talked about it a little bit and decided to run an ad in the Kansas City Star to offer tax preparation for $5. Literally the next day he had an office full of new clients, and they basically had invented the tax preparation industry. You can see that we started out as a very innovative startup company back in 1955. Fast-forward all the way to today. We've done over 650 million returns; we have around 12,000 offices throughout the United States, and we typically have an office within five miles of every American. Not only do we have all of those 12,000 offices, but we also have our do-it-yourself product suite. We have software that you can buy in the retail outlets, we have an online and mobile solution that you can go online and do your taxes yourself, and that's really what we're going to focus on discussing today. We're going to talk about how we're reinventing the way that we develop those online and mobile products to build in web accessibility from the very beginning. Our accessibility journey started a few years ago with a cooperative consent decree. Now this may seem adversarial, but the relationship between H&R Block and the NFB has truly grown into a strategic partnership over the past several years. Now there have been many people within your organization that have helped us achieve this, but there are a couple people that I want to acknowledge today: Karl Belanger and Gary Wunder have been instrumental in how we have formed our accessibility program. They have offered tremendous guidance, knowledge, and leadership over the past few years. Gary has actually helped recruit consultants from your organization that we have hired on to test and help guide us to make our products accessible. It's been a great partnership that we've formed through the past few years, so thank you Karl and Gary [applause]. Now we were really challenged with this challenge of web accessibility a few years ago, and the challenge was to make our online tax product accessible by the next tax season. This challenge seemed daunting; it really was going to take a team to rally around this idea and make it happen, and that first year was critical. What we did was we formed an accessibility program. We formed a program and a committee that not only defined process, but also acted as champions, because we needed to integrate this knowledge and this enthusiasm throughout the entire company, because it really took a team effort and a company-wide effort. That also took partnerships with a third-party web accessibility consulting firm, as well as the NFB. There are really three areas that this committee focuses on. I think about it in terms of training awareness, the software development lifecycle or product development lifecycle, and then the strategic planning and strategic partnerships we make. We've come a long way in the past three years. Like I mentioned, the first year was daunting. We came from a very reactionary organization to a much more proactive, strategic organization in how we think about accessibility, and I'm going to walk you through that journey. The first is around training and awareness. At the very beginning we really focused on the technical training that was required. We had an existing website that was built over several years. We have literally thousands of webpages and forms to become compliant. We really focused our training efforts on how do we remediate what we have today, and how do we test that. But we have broadened that significantly in the past three years. Now our training efforts go all the way into our marketing organizations, our graphic design, and we have moved this knowledge and education to the very beginning of our product development lifecycle to where we are thinking about web accessibility from the very beginning. The other way that we think about training is our hands-on training. There are new industry standards, new expertise is always coming out. One that we've really seen mature in the past couple years is around mobile accessibility. Last year we sent several of our developers out to California with our consulting firm, and we did a three-day hands-on training session working with our mobile apps, and coming out of that we had many of the issues identified and many of them remediated by the time they came out of that. This was a tremendous opportunity for us to sit side- by-side with real users, understand their own client experience, and remediate those issues. The second area is around the software development lifecycle. Like I mentioned, we brought web accessibility up to the very beginning of that lifecycle within how we design our products. We recently redesigned our tax estimator, which almost ten million people use each year to estimate their refund. We redesigned that in a way where we thought about web accessibility. We had design reviews at the very beginning. We thought about color contrast, user experience, technical requirements-all of that was done up-front. But, after we move into the development stage of the product development lifecycle, we really have to make sure that all of the developers are developing in a consistent way. We have developed over the past three years a robust knowledge base. We have developed over two hundred articles about how we develop at H&R Block. We've taken industry best practices, we've mapped those to very specific requirements for H&R Block design, and we have a robust knowledge base that each one of our developers can access. After we have developed the product, we move into the testing phase. We not only functionally test our products now; we have to test for web accessibility. We do this in three different ways: the first one is around our automated testing. Over the past three years we've formed a really robust automated testing solution in partnership with our consulting firm. We can not only test the new products that we're developing, but we can also regression test the rest of the products we have as new industry standards and best practices come into play. The second way we test is really around leveraging assistive technology at H&R Block. We use this to walk through the client experience and validate the product. The third way we do this is like I mentioned before-we're partnering with the NFB and others; we're reaching out, and we're engaging with the user community and really trying to make an optimal user experience [applause]. The third way that our committee really reaches out is around our strategic planning and partnership. Like I mentioned, we were here last year. We've also engaged with the CSUN conference as well. We sent numerous people there last year, and these are just great opportunities to listen and hear from everyone. It's a great opportunity to understand what different vendors are doing to innovate. It's also a great opportunity for us to connect with other companies that are on their own web accessibility journey. It's an opportunity for us to hear from them, and also let them know what we are doing within our organization. In conclusion, we have made tremendous progress over the past three years, but we are not done. This is something that is not start and stop. This is something that has to be integrated into the culture and all of the processes you have within product development. We look forward to continuing to improve on our products. Once again, on behalf of H&R Block, thank you for inviting me to speak today. It's been a pleasure [applause]. Thank you. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Deborah Kent Stein] The Roots of the Federation in the World: the Isabelle Grant Story in Her Own Words by Deborah Kent Stein From the Editor: Debbie Stein is an active member of the National Federation of the Blind who, like many of us, wears a number of hats. She is an officer in the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois, the chairman of its scholarship committee, a member of the national scholarship committee, and the editor of Future Reflections, our magazine for the parents of blind children. She is a well-known author of children's books, and she also makes great presentations as can be seen from what follows: "I almost heard their eyebrows arch, the silence was so great. A blind woman going around the world? What would she see? Nothing! "'And where do you plan to go?' "'Oh, to see the Acropolis, the Taj Mahal, the Angkor Wat, the Blue Mountains of Australia, the Maori huts of New Zealand, and perhaps a visit to the Fiji Islanders if my money holds out.' "'Going alone? India? What if a cobra jumps out at you?' "'It would be a trifle late to do anything then!' "'What if some pickpocket takes your purse, with your passport and all your money?' "'That would be more probable than the cobra jumping out at me. But I'm a match for any pickpocket.' "'Well, you couldn't see him.' "That was true-but just let him try, I thought." This little excerpt from the opening chapter of Crooked Paths Made Straight gives you a taste of Isabelle Grant's approach to life. She was one feisty lady! She didn't fold up when people told her no! And she certainly didn't see blindness as a barrier. When she wanted to go somewhere or do something, she went there and did it. When she retired from teaching after thirty-two years, she launched a brand-new career as an international ambassador promoting opportunities for the blind in education and the workforce. Her achievements were recognized throughout the world, and in 1972 she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize [applause]. Isabelle Grant was born, fully sighted, in a fishing village on the Scottish coast in 1896. In 1924 she and her husband immigrated to the United States and settled in Los Angeles, where Isabelle launched a highly successful teaching career. She had a gift for languages, and she was fluent in Spanish, French, and German. In 1940 she earned a PhD in comparative literature from the University of Southern California. In 1946 Isabelle's husband died, and she was left a widow with a young daughter to raise. Soon after, she developed acute glaucoma. She took a leave of absence from teaching to pursue medical treatment, and endured eight painful eye surgeries in an effort to save her sight. Nothing worked, and by the fall of 1948 she was totally blind. At first she sank into despair. She believed she couldn't cook, couldn't sew, and certainly couldn't teach. Most of the people around her were quick to agree. As she said later, "They treated me as though I had lost my wits as well as my eyesight." Finally a friend took her to meet a blind man named James Garfield, who was a member of the California affiliate of the NFB. As an aside, Garfield wrote a very popular children's book called Follow My Leader. Dr. Grant arrived unannounced at Garfield's door, and in true Federation fashion, he sat down with her and began to mentor her. After he listened to her story, he told her she should learn Braille and learn to use a long white cane. He also introduced her to NFB president Jacobus tenBroek. Dr. Grant and the tenBroeks became life-long friends. Isabelle Grant was a quick study. She threw herself into the work of learning the skills of blindness, and within a few months she was ready to go back to work. But the Los Angeles school system had other ideas. A county ordinance said that any teacher in the public schools had to have a visual acuity of 20/70. Dr. Grant was told she would have to retire on disability. At that point her colleagues pitched in to help. Sixty-three teachers signed an impassioned letter demanding that Dr. Grant be retained. The superintendent of schools finally gave in, but Dr. Grant was never allowed to teach sighted students again. She was assigned to teach blind children, although she had no training or experience in that field. Dr. Grant hadn't planned on teaching blind kids, but it quickly became her passion. In 1956 she went to Norway for an international conference on the instruction of blind students. That conference inspired her in two ways. She discovered that blindness need not stop her from traveling overseas and enjoying it immensely, and it taught her about the limited opportunities for blind students in most parts of the world. She determined to travel more widely and to learn all she could about the world's blind children and adults. In 1959 Dr. Grant was eligible for a sabbatical leave. She spent that year taking a solo trip around the world, the trip she recounted in Crooked Paths Made Straight. She visited twenty-three countries, beginning in Great Britain-and yes, she did get to Fiji. This was at a time when it was highly unusual even for a fully sighted woman to travel alone to exotic places. For a blind woman to do so was unheard of! She writes: "I sallied forth from California, laden with enough impedimenta for one of Caesar's soldiers on the march through Gaul. My suitcase balanced the scales at forty-four pounds. Besides a sheaf of tickets, a thick passport, health records, and a fat book of traveler's checks, I carried a heavy camel-hair coat and a velour hat. My typewriter, weighing ten pounds, was suspended from my left arm." The farther she traveled, the more impedimenta she collected. In Rome Dr. Grant attended a conference of the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind, an organization founded in 1949. It was made up mostly of blindness professionals from various countries. At the conference Dr. Grant noticed that few blind people were present, and nearly all of them came from Europe and North America. She asked herself why weren't blind people from Africa and Asia represented? She also observed that sighted professionals were speaking for the blind, explaining what the blind should do and what would be best for them. She had been a Federationist for ten years, and she knew that blind people can make progress only when they speak for themselves. She wrote, "I believe that self-acceptance, independence, and action, underwritten by equality of opportunity, are the birthright of all blind people, just as they are for the sighted." Of all the countries Dr. Grant visited on her first trip, Pakistan affected her most profoundly. On her sabbatical she spent six months in Karachi, studying the Urdu language and training teachers to work with blind students. She traveled the world until the end of her life in 1977, but Pakistan was her adopted home. Here's what she says about riding to an Urdu class in a motorized rickshaw. "I do not remember ever going to my lesson without the rickshaw stalling. The driver would jump out, pick up formidable pieces of iron lodged under my feet, and give a few hard knocks to the machine. On we went. Some rickshaw drivers took joy in their speed. They had no mercy on the fare. We rattled along, dipping into every pothole. At every dip I bounced up to the canopy, and my head invariably bumped against the metal bar across the top. Hanging on grimly by the supporting bars at the side, I was like a ball bouncing inside an iron cage." Everywhere she went, Isabelle Grant made friends and influenced people. She talked with teachers, social workers, doctors, government officials, and beggars in the street. Always she talked about the untapped potential of blind people and the contributions they could make to their countries if only they were given the chance. Though Dr. Grant was a person of boundless warmth and generosity, she wasn't afraid to speak her mind. Once the director of an agency for the blind in Uganda wrote and asked her how he could improve his program. She wrote back, "I find your plans admirably ambitious and comprehensive, but they are still of the old custodial care type-planning things for the blind, and as I see it, doing or trying to do something better, which should not be done at all." The key to developing blind people's potential was education. And education was not possible unless blind people had books. After she returned to California, Dr. Grant launched a project to send used Braille books to individuals and schools, first in Pakistan, and later in dozens of other countries. She organized Federationists around the country to send her used books. She and her team of volunteers then packed the books into 15-pound cartons and shipped them overseas, along with slates and styluses, Braille paper, and other equipment. She helped blind students obtain scholarships, and she encouraged them to persevere despite every obstacle. She searched constantly for leaders and potential leaders, women and men who could develop organizations modeled upon the NFB. Throughout the 1960s and much of the 1970s Dr. Grant traveled almost constantly. As she was about to set off on another trip, Dr. tenBroek remarked, "I feel you are like a lone eagle, flying off alone." "No," she said, "I'm not alone, for I have always the Federation behind me." In 1964 Dr. Grant helped to found the International Federation of the Blind, or IFB, an organization that allowed blind people from around the world to share resources and ideas. Dr. tenBroek served as its president until his death in 1968. Dr. Grant served as treasurer of the IFB and edited its quarterly Braille magazine, which was published in English, French, German, and Spanish. Crooked Paths Made Straight and Dr. Grant's other writings are filled with stories of her adventures. She did indeed encounter a pickpocket, who managed to steal some cash on a Paris street but didn't get his hands on her papers. And while she was visiting a school in the Congo a teacher suddenly screamed, "JUMP!" She didn't ask questions. She jumped and avoided stepping on a cobra. Isabelle Grant's legacy lives on today in the lives and work of thousands of blind people whom she inspired and mentored. Nearly forty years after her death, blind people in Pakistan and India, Kenya and Ethiopia and dozens of other countries are studying and working and mentoring the next generation, following the paths that Dr. Grant made straight for them. From the Editor: Crooked Paths Made Straight is available to purchase in EPUB or PDF from iUniverse, Kindle, and the Apple store from iBooks. It is available in standard print from Amazon and from the NFB Independence Market. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Eve Hill] Eliminating Artificial Barriers: Civil Rights and Disability at the United States Department of Justice by Eve Hill From the Editor: It is no accident that Eve Hill has become an annual fixture on the National Federation of the Blind's annual agenda. She is passionate, articulate, and informed. She is able to communicate all of these, and for this reason it is always our pleasure to put her remarks in the pages of the Braille Monitor. Here is what she said to the 2016 National Convention: Good afternoon, and thank you, President Riccobono, for that really nice introduction and for your work in making the NFB such an impactful and powerful organization and for all of you for contributing to that. For decades NFB has brought stakeholders together to safeguard justice, advance opportunity, and defend the rights of blind people. In doing so, you help blind people live meaningful, enjoyable, productive lives; you enable our communities to reach their full potential, you advance America's founding dream as the land of equal opportunities, and you make the promise of our laws a reality for everybody [applause]. President Riccobono told me that they saved some space in the agenda for friends of NFB and for fresh meat. He didn't say which one I was, so I'm very glad that he introduced me as a friend of NFB, and if there's a fresh meat section, I'm going to save it for the end because he also told me that I have four minutes less than I had planned on. Not that long ago for blind people and people with other disabilities, this dream and this promise of America-the land of equal opportunity-felt really distant and out of reach. Discrimination was often built into our laws and into our public services, and because those laws and service systems were based on faulty assumptions about the capabilities of people with disabilities, they made those mistaken assumptions into self- fulfilling prophesies. But the beauty of America's story and the promise of its legal framework shows us that we, as a country and as a people, can change. We can progress-not always perfectly, but unyieldingly. As Dr. Maurer used to say, we don't lose the war because we don't stop fighting. We can pass new laws and enforce the ones we already have to make sure that the freedoms our constitution guarantees and the opportunities that all people deserve are actually reached by everyone. So the arc of our nation's progress in the disability rights arena highlights this. In the 1960s and 70s around the country, the exposure of the inhumane treatment in institutions sparked public outrage. Outrage fueled advocacy, and over time advocacy drove legal change, resulting in part in our 1999 decision by the Supreme Court in Olmstead vs. LC that segregation of people with disabilities is discrimination. But of course laws and rulings alone don't vindicate rights; people do. People like you, organizations like NFB, and organizations like the Justice Department-particularly, I'd say, the civil rights division. We all know, unfortunately, that there's a lot of tough and really important and urgent work that lies ahead to vindicate those rights. Even seventeen years after the Olmstead decision and more than twenty-five years after the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act, far too many people with disabilities continue to see a real gap between what the law promises on the one hand and what people really experience on the other. We see this gap in transportation as people with disabilities face unlawful barriers when traveling to work or on a plane, as we heard earlier; barriers to vacationing with their families, areas where the Justice Department has tried to take on these issues aggressively, including from Amtrak's rail stations to Greyhound's bus fleet, where I must note that we have secured an uncapped damages fund--if you have been treated badly by Greyhound because of a disability, you should be filing a complaint through this process-and all the way to Carnival cruise ships. We see this gap in the electoral process. Too many people with disabilities trying to participate in our democracy find themselves turned away by unnecessary barriers to a private and independent vote. Through the ADA voting initiative, the department continues to address these barriers with open investigations of polling places, voting registration, and ballot accessibility all around the country. We see this gap in employment as 450,000 people with disabilities spend their time in segregated sheltered workshops or day programs, with some payed just pennies an hour. We see this gap in technology as new technologies are developed and older technologies-I must say that websites are now an older technology-as these are deployed and rolled out in ways that don't include people with disabilities and thus exclude them even more than the old paper-and-pen world did. We see this gap in education as schools deny children with disabilities the opportunities they deserve to learn and thrive alongside their non-disabled peers. And we see this gap in the justice system as too many people suffer from policies that criminalize mental illness and other disabilities. Right now I'm reading this new book; I was reading it on the plane. It's called The Boys in the Bunkhouse, which chronicles the story of the men with disabilities in Atalissa, Iowa, who worked for decades for Henry's Turkey Service for $65 a month and lived in an abandoned schoolhouse where cockroaches infested the kitchen, the heater didn't work, and the fire doors were padlocked shut. That story demonstrates the many ways institutions can ruin people's lives: by separating them from their families; by putting a profit motive on their care; by making them outsiders, someone else's responsibility to their neighbors; and by taking away choice and the ability to grow and learn. That story also highlights the people who tried to raise the alarm and were thwarted by bureaucratic silos and pretty lies and such an ingrained assumption that the men there were so different from the rest of us that it just wasn't even necessary to ask them about their experience. It makes me furiously angry and inconsolably sad, and even after the lawsuits by the heroic Robert Canino of the EEOC--you may not think of government lawyers as heroic, but some of them are--he's one of them. Even after the rescue and resettlement of those men, it's still not right. Many of them have been moved to nursing homes in Texas because they were given no other choice. None of them have gotten the damage-$240 million dollars in damages-that the jury awarded them because the money is gone. And those damages were awarded not for back pay alone, but for the loss of enjoyment of life for decades, and that strikes me as the real harm from institutionalization. It's not okay; it has to stop; I have to stop it; we all have to stop it [applause]. In partnership with many of you here today, the Justice Department works to make sure that people with disabilities-our friends, our families, our neighbors, our colleagues-can live and work and learn in their own communities with everyone else. For the last eight years the Obama administration, in partnership with you, has lead vigorous Olmstead- enforcement efforts that breathe new meaning and real life into the Supreme Court's findings. Since 2009 we've taken action and filed briefs in fifty Olmstead integration matters in twenty-five states. And, because of our Olmstead work, today more than 53,000 people with disabilities-53,000 people-will have meaningful opportunities to receive services in integrated community- based settings that they choose [applause]. In Oregon and Rhode Island in the past three years the department's enforcement efforts have led to statewide commitments to transform their employment services systems from ones that enforce the tyranny of low expectations in sheltered workshops to ones that support people with disabilities to pursue their goals and their dreams in real jobs at real wages in their communities. Throughout our Olmstead work we see close connections between barriers to education and limited opportunities in employment and other aspects of life. When students capable of learning in integrated classrooms don't get the opportunity to do so, they just don't get access to the full set of skills, resources, and experience they need to reach their potential in the classroom, in the workforce, or in life. Last year the Justice Department took on the unnecessary segregation of students with behavior-related disabilities in so-called special schools in Georgia. Our letter of findings about the Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Support (GNETS) makes clear that the ADA prohibits states from unnecessarily placing students with behavior-related disabilities in separate and unequal schools. Some of these were the black schools from the days of legal segregation of schools. They cannot put them in those separate schools when they can learn in regular education settings. Our Olmstead community integration efforts span an array of areas. Last month we released findings that South Dakota unnecessarily relies on nursing facilities to provide services for people with disabilities of all ages. Thousands of people who rely on South Dakota for their services must live in nursing facilities in order to receive those services, isolated from their communities, often surrounded by people with very little in common with them. For example, one of the people we spoke to is a seventy- seven-year-old man with diabetes who's lost his vision and went to a nursing home after a toe amputation. All he needed was some help to check his feet regularly. He's been living in an institution for five years. As part of our efforts in this area to address the rights of people with disabilities to live in their communities, under the leadership of the attorney general and the deputy attorney general, we launched a new initiative just recently to look at the interaction between mental health and the criminal justice system. Make no mistake: the community integration mandated in Olmstead applies not just to some but to all public entities [applause]. That includes the public entities in our criminal justice system. And the Justice Department's efforts in this space focus on four key areas: on the streets we want police officers to de-escalate tense encounters with people with disabilities and reduce the need to use force; in our courts, where appropriate, we want to divert individuals with mental illness from incarceration and connect them with community-based services; in our jails and prisons we want to ensure that people get connected with the services they need to successfully reintegrate into their communities and stay there; and in order for the criminal justice entities to meet their obligations and address the needs of the whole community, states and localities need to meet their ADA obligations to provide community-based services. We cannot truly achieve fair and smart criminal justice reform until criminal justice entities and local jurisdictions fulfill their Olmstead obligations. We've recently entered into a number of settlement agreements in Portland and Seattle and Cleveland and in Hinds County gotten these jurisdictions to interact with their local mental health systems and with people with disabilities in their communities. In addition to working on de- escalation and crisis intervention programs, these jurisdictions have created committees to advise them on how to better keep these silos interacting in ways that get people to the right services, instead of into a jail where they won't get them [applause]. We're also focusing our efforts on ensuring that people with disabilities have full access to all the basic activities that people without disabilities take for granted and that form the basis for the enjoyment of life, from parenting to learning to using the internet to do whatever you want and whatever you can afford when and where you want it, including at home in your bunny slippers (that's the way I do it.) Let's start with parenting. We recently made a finding that the state of Massachusetts discriminated against a parent with a disability by taking her child away from her in the hospital and failing to provide the full range of reunification services that it offers to everybody and by failing to provide reasonable modifications in those services specifically to accommodate her disability. That state kept that child away from her mother for two years [boos]. But recognizing that this was happening all across the country, last year we and the Department of Health and Human Services issued a technical assistance document entitled "Protecting the Rights of Parents and Prospective Parents with Disabilities." That document makes clear that the ADA applies to child welfare agencies and courts making decisions about child custody and placement, neglect, and abuse [applause, cheers]. The ADA prohibits these agencies from basing their decisions on incorrect stereotypes about people with disabilities, requires them to provide reasonable modifications to their policies when needed to allow a parent with a disability to fully participate, and it challenges the stereotypical assumptions that child welfare agencies have too often made about parents with disabilities and requires people with disabilities to be treated as the individuals they are [applause]. Technology: We are becoming more and more a technology-dependent society. And we at DOJ are enforcing the ADA in ways that ensure that technology is designed and implemented so it actually achieves equally effective communication for people with disabilities, both in educational institutions and everywhere. We've been enforcing the ADA requirements for accessible instructional technology and content against educational institutions and others since 2010, when the NFB said, hey, what about these six colleges that are implementing an inaccessible e-book reader that I won't name-I could but I won't. We reached agreements with those six colleges-I'm in there somewhere, not necessarily where I am now-that required them to agree not to purchase, require, or use inaccessible e-book readers [applause] and to ensure that a student who is blind or has low vision can acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as sighted students with substantially equivalent ease of use-and you can thank Dan Goldstein for that standard [applause]. And we in the Department of Education followed that with Dear Colleague letters to colleges, universities, and elementary and secondary schools, saying that the use of inaccessible emergent technologies in the classroom violates the ADA. We also followed that with a settlement agreement with the Sacramento Public Library, which had purchased a bunch of inaccessible NOOK e-book readers to lend to its patrons. The settlement in that case requires them to buy at least eighteen accessible e-book readers to lend [applause]. Web-based, even online-only instructional technology and content providers themselves have ADA obligations to make their services accessible if they offer them to the public. We've made clear that providers of educational and entertainment services online can be covered as public accommodations under Title III of the ADA, so we and NFB have also been enforcing the accessibility requirements against those entities. We've made that position clear against Netflix, who I'm sure was thrilled about that. We've reached agreements to make websites accessible with the Peapod Grocery Delivery Service and with H&R Block, and we've been very active in enforcing the ADA in the context of online education and instructional technology and content. In 2013 we reached a settlement agreement with Louisiana Tech University for using a version of an online learning product that was inaccessible. One blind student was unable to get the course materials for a month into the university quarter, at which point he was so far behind he had to withdraw from the course. Under the settlement agreement, the university has to adopt a number of disability- related policies including: they have to require themselves to deploy learning technology, webpages, and course content that is accessible in accordance with WCAG 2.0 level AA all across the university setting; they'll make their existing webpages and materials created since 2010 accessible; and they'll pay that student $23,543 in damages [applause]. Then we get into MOOCs (massive open online courses). Last year we reached a settlement with edX, which operates a MOOC platform with content from sixty colleges and universities. Under that settlement, within eighteen months edX will make its website, mobile apps, and learning management system all comply with WCAG 2.0 level AA. It will make sure its websites, apps, and LMS don't interfere with accessibility features of any content providers using WCAG math ML, WCAG 2ICT, ARIA, DAISY, and EPUB3. Eighteen months after that edX will make its content management system accessible-WCAG 2.0 level AA; it's a theme. In future contracts with content providers edX will notify them of accessibility requirements and encourage them to make their content accessible and require them to certify it before they post content that it is accessible [applause]. And the big boys: Harvard and MIT--we filed a brief in a suit by the National Association of the Deaf challenging Harvard and MIT's failure to put captioning on their online videos and audio files. Our brief made clear that enforcement of the ADA's effective communication requirements does not need to wait for our rule-making efforts to be completed [applause], that has become more important than I thought it was. We recently joined NFB in a suit against Miami University, which is still proceeding, about its failure to ensure that its educational technologies are accessible. We've also focused on making accessibility of websites and technology part of all of our accessibility work. So our employment enforcement: we in the past year have incorporated making online job application and job testing material systems accessible, with six local governments in the past year having agreed to do that. And we've made accessible websites a key component of every single one of our Project Civic Access compliance reviews of state and local governments. And that's just DOJ. The Department of Education has also been active. Just last week they reached settlements with education organizations in seven states and one territory to make those websites accessible for people with disabilities. Honestly, we've been following on the NFB's coattails in many of these actions, and I can't wait to hear from Jamie, who's really a hero to me. Am I done yet, have I run out of time? President Riccobono: "Oh, long ago." Eve Hill resumes: Oh, darn, then I can't go into the fresh meat part. We have not yet issued a rule. We have issued a supplemental advanced notice of proposed rulemaking. Please tell us what you think; be honest-I dare you [laughter]. But we're going to continue to enforce the law that already requires that the communications of covered entities, including those communicated through technology, must be accessible. We don't need to wait for rulemaking, and we won't [applause]. So I continue to look forward to working with you. This is my favorite conference to come to, and thank you very much. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Jon Twing] Educational Assessments, Math Innovations, and Real Accessibility: Progress at Pearson by Jon Twing From the Editor: Getting a fair shake in education means the opportunity to learn, and often that opportunity is conditioned on how the blind do on standardized tests. Sometimes the blind have been forbidden from taking them, the argument being that any accommodations made to the test would invalidate it. Accommodations which have been opposed by the industry include putting the test in Braille, making it available so it can be read using a screen reader, or increasing print size so it can be viewed by those who rely primarily on remaining vision to read and write. One of the largest companies involved in creating and administering standardized tests is Pearson, so the progress we have made with them is significant. In his introduction President Riccobono said that Pearson has taken accessibility so seriously that they have not only done what we have asked of them but have worked hard to use their knowledge of test taking to enhance the accessibility experience. Here is what Jon Twing has to say about his job, the value of testing, and the commitment he has to accessibility: Thank you, Mr. President, thank you, Federation. I am responsible for assessments at Pearson, so naturally I live in Iowa City, Iowa, the Mecca of assessments. I'm glad to be here today to talk a little bit about some of our activities. I'm a trained test-builder. I'm something the field calls a psychometrician. People often ask me, "How do you choose such an occupation?" And I have a little secret for you, with no disrespect intended to my good friend at H&R Block, but we all start out as accountants. Those of us with a sense of humor become psychometricians [laughter]. I've been building assessments for over thirty-five years of all types and shapes, both domestically and internationally. So I have to be honest with you: if you don't enjoy assessments, it's probably my fault. There's not an assessment in North America that I haven't touched. I'm happy to talk to you about any concerns you might have, just look up Jan McSorley or Sam Dooley or even Cricket, and they'll put you in touch with me. I'm going to be here the rest of the day; we can chitchat about that. I am delighted to talk about some of the innovation we make. I'm going to point out that I'm going to talk about assessments and the strides and changes and innovation we've driven into assessments. I'm happy to talk about other aspects of Pearson whose accessibility track record is not that great, but I am the assessments guy, so I plan to talk about assessments. We're already seeing, however, generalization of our efforts to make our tools accessible in our assessments going to the other parts of Pearson, so I'm optimistic that we've turned the corner, and we're making that trek. I'll leave that for you to decide once you've heard my talk. Being a subject matter expert in assessments means that most of my life has been focused on what researchers call variance decomposition, or specifically something known as construct-irrelevant variance. Now I know that sounds really important, but all that really means is that when we build measures, a piece of our measure is error, and we want to get it out of our measure, and a piece of our measure is true, and we want to keep it in our measure. That's almost by definition what psychometricians do when they build measures. Now before your eyes glaze over and you fall asleep and you dream about lunch and you really do think I'm an accountant, let me try to explain this whole issue of construct-irrelevant variance in a very specific and relevant, concrete example. In the early 1970s AT&T was notorious for discriminatory hiring practices. They often hid behind a rare exception to Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act called "Bonafide Occupational Qualification." Basically this exception claimed that if a job could only be performed by one gender, for example lifting a ladder to the top of a panel van, then accommodating that job for the other gender would be outside normal operations and not required [growls and grumbles]. Well I think the EEOC took your point of view, because they essentially went to court in what is now known as the landmark AT&T sex discrimination case and rejected this claim outright. The essence of their victory was claiming that the placement of a ladder on top of a panel van was irrelevant to the skills needed to perform that job. If you reaccommodated that by placing that ladder down on the van, anybody could have access to it. If you think about the simplicity of this and the power of that one simple example, now we understand a little bit better about construct- relevant versus construct-irrelevant variance. The placement of the ladder had nothing to do with the job skills, and yet it was being used as a barrier for entry. AT&T-not because they were evil people-did the same thing a lot of people did: they didn't think about how the tool was going to be used by the end user. Arguably, according to the EEOC, they did hide behind that bad decision and tried to defend themselves, but ultimately that case was provoked, and accommodations were allowed, and the panel vans were changed. In measurement and in testing, such accommodations are equally obvious. For example, providing a Braille version of a test for a blind person is a reasonable accommodation because it is obvious that the loss of sight has nothing to do with the cognitive skill in answering the question [applause]. Similarly, then, extended time for a Braille user is a good accommodation because it takes longer to use that tool. Supporting graphics for text items should not become an undue burden to test-takers, particularly those with varied visual needs. As such, accommodating tables and graphics in assessments has become quite routine. However, what is not so obvious are the rules that govern the accommodations or the evidence for just what constitutes undue burden. For example, in the Americans with Disabilities Act of the 1990s, federal law now required testing accommodations for cognitive disabilities such as dyslexia as well as other physical disabilities. But such accommodations might actually impact the validity of the measures. The court has been very wishy-washy on where the line is drawn on this issue of cognitive accommodations. Now you might say that this is all well and good, but what have you done for me lately? Aren't these things that the assessment industry has been doing and should be doing as we evolve to make goods and services more and more accessible? I agree they are, but don't forget that it was in my lifetime where we used to have the nonstandard administration flag-a flag on a student's report card that any student that would engage in assessment in any nonstandard fashion would get-a flag that my friends at the Arc of Texas would call "the scarlet letter of assessments in the day." Just like when the Bell Lab engineers in Murray Hill, New Jersey, put the ladder on top of the van, they were not thinking of the final solution-how it would be used by the end users, just like how my predecessors in assessments did not anticipate the many diverse needs of their users when they came up with this idea of no exceptions. It reminds me of a wonderful book that I've read that for all intents and purposes is a primer on what is known as user- centered design. It's called The Psychology of Everyday Things by Don Norman. I'd like to quote that for a second: "Humans, I've discovered, do not always behave clumsily. Humans do not always err. But they do when the things they use are badly conceived and poorly designed. Nonetheless, we see human error blamed for all of society's pitfalls . . . While we all blame ourselves, the real culprit-faulty design-goes undetected." Accessibility is all about good user-centered design and making products and services fit for purpose for everyone. We can no longer ratchet something onto an assessment at the end and call it accessible [applause]. Now under NCLB [No Child Left Behind]-and we could have a debate about the value of NCLB, but we'd have to agree that a lot of light and focus was spent on students with disabilities. I recall testifying at a Senate education hearing in Texas. I was making the usual argument about how we're the constructing on-grade-level multiple choice assessments aligned to curriculum standards, but I was doing so for what was known as the 1 percent population at the time. These would be our most significantly cognitively-impaired students. The purpose of the law was to engage with them more than life skills, to teach them subject matter knowledge. I felt proud that we had done such a good job building scaffolding for the teachers, having teacher support and training, having peer tutoring in online interactive qualifications for teachers. I remember thinking how well the rubrics were crafted that helped the teachers decide how much independence the students would have in engaging these tasks. When I was done, a teacher from one of the schools in Texas, who never took her eyes off me-it was a dagger stare straight at me-wanted to talk about how invalid, unreliable, and useless the assessments were because everybody knew that these children with these cognitive disabilities could not learn, and they certainly could not learn on grade level. Now what struck home for me wasn't the obvious. It wasn't the bias or tyranny of low expectations that this teacher held or even the notion that this teacher was maintaining a status quo in a school district. What struck home for me was that the very product I thought was good failed to meet the criteria because it wasn't really used and implemented to improve instruction in the classroom. If I could make that teacher see what those assessments might have done for those children in her classroom had they been challenged to reach that level, it would be an interesting thought experiment to see today. In many ways the current evolution of accessible assessments is the same. Building a Braille test, following the principles of universal design, ensuring that existing technologies work is just not good enough. We started behind in making assessments accessible, and we need to do more to catch-up and to close the gap, particularly as we evolve into more and more of a digital age. We're making some progress in this regard, as President Riccobono reflected. We need to go faster, but we are making some progress. First and foremost, we hired a dedicated group under Jan McSorley to pay attention to nothing but accessibility inside assessments [applause]. And what she did, which was quite controversial to my management, was she immediately engaged the National Federation of the Blind [applause]. We're working toward a better understanding of what access barriers are faced by people with disabilities. For example, we've sent our developers, our content authors, our user experience professionals into the classroom to observe students with disabilities and to talk with them and their teachers about how to improve accessibility of our products. What a brilliant idea; too bad it was an afterthought-you'd think you might talk to the people who are using your products before you design your products. Hiring subject matter experts who understand the best design principles with the flexibility needed to respond to individual needs of people with disabilities-again you'd think that would be a no-brainer, but we're doing that in assessments now. Investing in innovation by tackling the long-standing problem of limited access, particularly in math for students who are blind, we're developing an Accessible Equation Editor that can be used on assessments and in the classroom. This equation editor can do now what has never been done in the history of math: it dynamically translates printed math in the Nemeth code and the Nemeth code into printed math, does it accurately and in real time. I do hope you got a chance to engage with the Accessible Equation Editor in the vendor hall or during the user studies at the convention. If not, no worries: we'd be happy to set up a demo site. We'd be happy to give you a tutorial. Again, probably the right person to contact is Jan McSorley. That's , and she'll be happy to set up a time to walk you through the equation editor. But here's a simple story I want to tell that came from the convention this week that's both moving and powerful, though it leaves me sad. Sometime while at the Convention this week, Sam Dooley (one of Jan's team) was demonstrating the Accessible Equation Editor. As Sam was showing the editor, a seven-year-old blind girl walked up to the table with her parents. They said that she was a Braille reader and that she was learning Nemeth Braille, which is the Braille code for math. Sam introduced himself and asked, "Would you like to type some math on the computer?" She asked, "Are you going to be my math teacher?" For those of us who've taught children of that age, that's a penetrating question, isn't it? Sam said, "Tell me if you can read what I type," and Sam typed the number 1 on his laptop. "One," she said, as her face started to brighten. Sam typed the plus sign, then the number 2. "One plus two," she exclaimed with pride. Then, "One plus two plus three," as Sam continued to type. At this point Sam said, "Now let's make it harder," as Sam typed the equal sign. "Equal sign," she said with anticipation, starting to see what was coming next. Sam asked her, "Do you know what one plus two plus three is?" "Mmmm, three plus two is five, plus one is six," she replied. Sam said, "That's correct. Do you know how to type six in Braille?" She put her tiny fingers on the keyboard on the Braille keys and searched around to find where they should go. Then the sounds of dots two, three, and five went down, and the numeral 6 appeared on the screen in front of her parents. "That's right," Sam exclaimed, with her parents looking on. "Mommy, mommy," she said, "You can read my math." [applause, cheers] She cried, and she jumped up and down as only a seven-year-old can when they discover how big the world is. This story is very simple, it's moving, yet it's powerful. Answering a simple math question should not be a big deal. It was simple, though not easy to build a mathematics accessible equation editor. The power was really in the empowerment the young girl felt, perhaps the same empowerment we felt when we learned to read independently. My enthusiasm to enjoy the story, however, is tempered. I simply can't help but think, that's as it should be. That shouldn't be an exciting day in a child's life to do what everybody else is doing [applause]. This is perhaps where my passion lies, though being a former accountant it's hard to claim I have passion. But by utilizing simple user-centered design principles to build accessibility into our products and services, such that all students will benefit from their use, and not added as an afterthought-that is my goal. So as we evolve into the future, we'll continue to evolve our thinking, we'll continue to work with the NFB, and we hope we can generalize such small successes to the rest of the realm of the great Pearson enterprise. Thank you. ---------- Recipes This month's recipes come from the NFB of California. Potato Casserole by Charlotte Carroll Charlotte Carroll is the president of the NFB of California Senior Division and the first vice president of the Pathfinders Chapter of Los Angeles. She joined the NFB in March 2014 because she truly believes in our philosophy. Ingredients: 1/3 cup coconut oil 1 pound ground turkey 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 large red bell pepper (or color of your choice) 1 large onion 6 celery stocks 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and sliced 1 can cream of celery soup 1 can cream of mushroom soup Method: In a skillet, melt coconut oil. Brown ground turkey with garlic and set aside. Chop the bell pepper, onion, and celery into small pieces. Add the sliced potatoes. Mix cream of celery soup with cream of mushroom soup. Combine all of the ingredients into a baking dish; cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until potatoes are done. Serve with your choice of meat, vegetable and/or salad (serves eight). ---------- Crispy Honey Barbecue Wings by Rochelle Houston Rochelle Houston is the treasurer of the National Federation of the Blind of California and the president of the Pathfinder Chapter of Los Angeles. She created this recipe because she enjoyed eating the wings at a fast-food establishment. Ingredients: 3 pounds chicken wings 1 bottle of Sweet Baby Ray barbecue sauce 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 cups flour Lemon pepper to taste Garlic powder to taste Onion powder to taste Method: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash chicken well. Place chicken in a large bowl and lightly season with lemon pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Coat chicken with flour. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or baking dish with cooking spray. Place chicken on baking dish. Cook for thirty minutes, turning chicken over after twenty minutes. Remove from oven. Place barbecue sauce and brown sugar in a sauce pan, stir, and simmer on medium heat for ten minutes. Dip each piece of chicken in sauce, coat completely. You can fry chicken instead of baking. Serves six. ---------- Chicken Tamale Casserole by Joy Stigile Joy Stigile is a member of the San Fernando Valley Chapter of the NFB of California, president of the Diabetes Action Network of California, and treasurer of the Diabetes Action Network division. She says, "I made up the recipe because I wanted to eat tamales, but I wanted to have some vegetables and more protein with them." Ingredients: 2 cups cauliflower 4 stalks celery, diced 1/2 purple onion, diced 12 ounces chicken, cooked and diced 2 cups frozen corn kernels 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated 1 cup jack cheese, grated 1 cup chunky salsa (I prefer Pace Picante Sauce) 2 chicken tamales, diced Method: Steam the cauliflower with two teaspoons of water in the microwave with lid for two minutes on high. Set aside. When cool, dice the cauliflower. Place the diced celery and diced onion with one tablespoon of water in the microwave for three minutes on high. Place the first eight ingredients in a two-quart microwave-safe casserole dish and stir well. Then dice the two tamales and stir into the casserole dish. Cook on high for twenty minutes, covered. Let it rest for five minutes uncovered and then serve. Enjoy! ---------- Jana's Peanut Butter Cookies by Bill Passmore Jana Littrell is a member of the California board of directors and our philosophy expert. Bill bakes these cookies for her as a treat after a long week teaching Braille at the Orientation Center for the Blind in Albany, California. Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups white flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 sticks unsalted butter 1 cup crunchy peanut butter 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup white sugar 2 eggs Method: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium-size bowl sift together white flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl cream together the peanut butter, butter, and sugars. Next add the eggs and beat well. Add the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Place in refrigerator for at least one hour. Roll into one-inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for seven to ten minutes. Let cool before removing from cookie sheet. Enjoy with a big glass of milk. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Mary Willows] Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting by Mary Willows Mary Willows has served as president for the California affiliate for the past seven and one-half years. Over the past forty years, Mary has held positions in many state and national divisions. In 2006, she was presented with the Blind Educator of the Year Award. Mary loves to bake and entertain. Here is what she says about this banana cake recipe: "If you grew up on Sara Lee Banana Cake and frosting, this recipe will take you back. It is said to be a copycat of the original. Everyone loves it!" Ingredients for the cake: 1 1/2 cups ripe bananas 3 cups flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup butter, room temperature 2 1/8 cups sugar 3 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla (I use banana extract) 1 1/2 cups buttermilk Ingredients for the frosting (a double batch for crumb coat and finishing coat): 1 cup butter, room temperature 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla (again, I use banana extract) 7 cups powdered sugar 2 to 3 tablespoons milk Method: Preheat your oven to 275 degrees, 250 degrees if using a convection oven. Grease and flour two nine-inch round cake pans. In a small bowl mash ripe bananas until almost smooth; use dark brown/black ultra-ripe bananas if you have them. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In stand mixer with paddle attachment cream together butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for five minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and add vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to slow and slowly add in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Add in mashed bananas. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for sixty to seventy minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of the cakes comes out clean. As soon as the cakes are done, immediately remove them from the oven, and place them directly into the freezer for forty-five minutes. This will make the cake very moist. While the cakes are cooling mix together the frosting crumb coat: in stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine 1/2 cup soft butter and 1 package soft cream cheese; cream together on medium-high speed for three to five minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Turn mixer to slow and add in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Turn mixer off and add in 1 cup of powdered sugar; be sure not to over-pack measuring cup with powdered sugar. Turn mixer to its slowest setting and mix until sugar is incorporated. Do this step two more times, and on the last time add in an extra 1/2 cup powdered sugar for a grand total of 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar for one full batch. After cakes are cool remove them from the pans and level the tops if necessary. Add a dollop of frosting to the base of your cake plate and place the first layer; add parchment paper under edges of bottom layer to catch any frosting drippings. Frost top of bottom layer, be generous, and then place second layer on top of the frosted bottom layer. Frost top of the second layer and the sides of both layers with a thin coating of frosting, this will lock in the crumbs. Place cake into the refrigerator so the crumb coat will firm up, about sixty to ninety minutes. While cake is firming up whip up the finishing coat of frosting by repeating the process you used to make the crumb coat, on the last step adding enough milk to loosen up the frosting until it drops in large clumps off of a spatula. Remove cold cake from the refrigerator, and start frosting from the center of the top of the cake to the sides and then down the sides. Depending on how much frosting you like, you might have some left over. After you get the frosting to your liking, slowly remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake. Store the cake in the refrigerator or in an airtight cake container; it should keep for three to five days. Notes: I have made this cake in both a nine-by-thirteen-inch size and in cupcakes, and it works great every time. I only make one batch of frosting when I make these sizes. ---------- Monitor Miniatures News from the Federation Family Voter Information Available on NFB-NEWSLINE: The best tool for voters is information! In an effort to help our subscribers become more informed voters, NFB-NEWSLINE has added candidate information for the upcoming presidential elections. Just in time for the November 8 election, you can log into NFB- NEWSLINE and get up-to-the-minute information about the leading candidates for the 2016 Presidential Election. To hear about the candidates using the telephone-access method, press five on the main menu for "Newspapers in a Different State," then five for 2016 "Presidential Election." From there you can choose "Breaking News," "Daily Newspaper," "International," or "Magazine" search results for Clinton or Trump. You will be able to read articles from today's and yesterday's publications. To read about candidates for the 2016 Presidential Election using NFB- NEWSLINE Mobile, choose "Publications," then "Publication Options," then "All Publications" and look for "Breaking News Search Results" or "Daily Newspaper Search Results" or "International Search Results" or "Magazine Search Results" for Clinton and Trump to read the most current information available. In order to obtain this information, we have performed a Global Search for the candidates under "Breaking News" or "Daily Newspaper" or "International" or "Magazines" and created the articles listed in this new section called "2016 Presidential Election." To obtain further information, you can use the Global Search function to search under additional topics. Additional election information will be added as it becomes available. Don't forget to get out and vote! A Report from the PEAT Committee: The Promotion, Evaluation, and Advancement of Technology Committee met June 30, 2016, and gave most of the technology exhibitors a chance to talk about what was in their booths when the exhibits opened on Friday. There was lots of emphasis on Braille this year, and much interest was stirred by the new video remote assistive services soon to be available. A good crowd was on hand to hear our speakers, and at the end of the program Clara Van Gerven explained how the committee could help the Jernigan Institute. She would like to know what barriers are affecting our lives the most, and we discussed one on which the institute needs immediate input: inaccessible home appliances. For those wishing to give me information on either of these points, I'll be glad to hear it. The best way to reach me is at (601) 529-8629 or email me at Mark Jones . The program began with OrCam, which has new and better software for its camera-equipped glasses which allows reading and face recognition. Then Bookshare asked the question "Why can't books be born accessible?" Ai Squared mentioned its merger with a parent company that now also owns Freedom Scientific and Optelec. Anne Taylor, now with Microsoft, talked about significant progress with Microsoft's screenreader, Narrator. Darrel Templeton of MegaVoice talked about the first solar-powered audio recorder-player called the Envoy EZ that's smaller than a cell phone, has lots of onboard memory, and costs just $60. Dolphin, which has been doing screenreading for thirty years, has its new Bookshelf, which allows access to several content providers such as Bookshare, NFB NEWSLINE, and NLS BARD directly from its Super Nova product that will transfer information to a Windows computer or Victor Stream with just two keystrokes. Mike Tindell of HumanWare talked about their new BrailleNote Touch, the first Google-certified Braille tablet. Amanda Tolson of En-Vision told us about the new i.d. mate Galaxy with more grocery product descriptions than ever before and their ScriptTalk that has a new and better scanner. Our program continued with Aira speaking about their video remote assistance solutions, allowing a person wearing the company's glasses containing a built-in camera to receive real-time help from a live human on the other end of a mobile connection. The VTSECURE folks also have a new product called the Lantern, which detects objects from as far away as 200 feet and contains a haptic compass. When worn on the wrist, the device can greatly enhance cane travel. NCR and Cardtronics talked about their accessible ATM touchscreen solutions. Then the American Printing House for the Blind discussed its new scientific calculator with accessible scientific and math options and discussed the new Nearby Explorer Android mapping application that works with a GPS device for finding your way to anywhere. Additionally, the APH folks talked about the new 20-cell Braille display that will sell for $500 or less when released in October. It's called the Orbit Reader. Stephen Baum of Kurzweil was next on the program and mentioned his twenty-two-year career at Kurzweil working with the Kurzweil 1000. He's looking for input from users for the new Version 15 that he's currently working on. Then Ron Miller with the VFO Group, formerly Freedom Scientific, spoke about the new ElBraille that's being released soon, which is a Windows 10 computer with a small Braille display. Lloyd Rasmussen told us that NLS is working on Braille output for BARD Mobile for Android. A T Guys talked about many new products including a switch-connected plug that would enable Siri to turn on and off different devices in your home from afar. Clara Van Gerven closed the presentation portion of the program with news about the new comprehensive Technology Resource List now being made available in an updateable form by the NFB's International Braille and Technology Center. I'd like to remind everyone who plans to be in Orlando next year that this meeting is open to all and is a great way to find out what's going to be in the exhibit hall before the exhibits open. We also took questions this year from the audience. You don't have to be on the committee to attend, and this is a wonderful way to get answers to your most pressing technology questions. 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. Adult Rehabilitation and Employment Survey: We are looking for you! If you are blind or visually impaired, reside in the United States, and are at least eighteen years of age, we cordially invite you to participate in this survey. Its purpose is to gain a better understanding of your experiences as an adult who is blind or visually impaired, including your experiences with education, employment, training, and vocational rehabilitation. This survey should not take more than ten minutes of your time. If you complete this survey, you will be entered into a drawing in which five individuals will win a $100 VISA gift card. We offer you three ways to complete the survey: Go to , email , or call (318) 257-2029. Thank you for taking the time to better help us understand the lived experiences of adults with visual impairments. Questions or concerns about this survey may be directed to Edward Bell, principal investigator, Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness, by calling (318) 257-4554 or by sending him an email at . The 2017 Ski for Light International Week: The forty-second annual Ski for Light International Week will be held from Sunday, February 5, through Sunday, February 12, 2017. The event will take place on the grounds of Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colorado, near Winter Park. Snow Mountain Ranch is a 5,100 acre year-round recreational complex that includes a 100-kilometer cross-country trail system consistently rated as one of the top ten Nordic venues in the country. This year we will be housed right on the grounds of Snow Mountain Ranch, so participants will be able to access the trail system just a short distance from their front door. Also on the property are a lighted tubing hill, a covered outdoor ice skating rink, fat bike, snow shoe and hiking trails, an indoor pool and sauna, a roller skating rink, an indoor climbing wall, a craft center, a horse stable, and much more. Cost for the week-long event this year will be a choice of $690 or $775 per person for double room occupancy. Other options will range from $550 for a four-person room to $1,125 for a single room. The room rate you choose will also cover all meals, as well as transportation to and from the Denver airport to the ski site and trail passes. Partial financial stipends based on need for first- and second-time participants will be considered upon request. Applications are requested by November 1. Applications received after this date will be considered on a space available basis. Full details about the event and the accessible online application, which can be completed on the Ski for Light website, can be found at . If you are a novice and want to learn how to cross-country ski, or if you have skied before and just want to be matched with an experienced guide and meet new friends for a wonderful week of fun in the snow, this is the event for you! Individuals interested in attending can also contact visually impaired participant application coordinator, Tim McCorcle, at (206) 522- 5850 or . Seedlings Braille Books for Children Offers Free Books: Seedlings Braille Books for Children invites Braille readers and pre- readers from ages zero to twenty-one in the United States and Canada to register to receive two free Braille books per year. This amazing program called the Book Angel Program was originally called "Anna's Book Angel Project" and was named in memory of our director's 19-year-old daughter who was tragically killed by a drunk driver in 2001. Each year, blind children who were registered received one free book in Anna's name, but now we're doing even more. Thanks to Seedlings' generous donors, blind children in the US and Canada can receive two free Braille books per year! Seedlings offers 1,300 titles, from contemporary literature to well-loved classics and continues to add new titles each year so that visually impaired children have the opportunity to read the same books their sighted peers are reading. The Book Angel Program is a wonderful way to introduce a visually impaired child to the marvel of Braille literacy. Here's a testimonial from a parent who ordered her first Braille books for her son from the Book Angel Program: "Alex has always been a curious boy and loves to read anything he gets his hands on. He received his first Braille book from Seedling's Book Angel Program when he was a baby, and the print/Braille format allowed me to read to him while he could touch the Braille just as a sighted child would look at the words as he listens to bedtime stories. Thank you!" To order free books for your child or student, fill out the form located on the Seedlings website: . Note: This is a continuing program, but registration is required each year to participate since book choices must be communicated to Seedlings. Computers for the Blind Lowers Price on Laptops: In an effort to make accessible laptops more affordable to students and others, Computers for the Blind is dropping the price from $160 to $130. These laptops come loaded with powerful software that will enhance the education, employability, independence, and quality of life of those who can least afford them. No age or income requirements. We also honor this price for organizations. Join the 9,000 consumers who have benefited from our computers. Talking Typing Teacher is still available on CFTB computers for $10 (90 percent of retail) through Marvelsoft. For more information visit or email . Resource Handbooks Available: I have created seventeen screen-reader-friendly resource handbooks containing resources pertaining to the blind and visually impaired for use by consumers and professionals. This handbook is for the residents of specific states and includes the many organizations for the blind and visually impaired covering areas such as employment, housing, transportation, and more. Currently the handbooks are for Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The handbooks include contact information on the local, regional, and national level. For more information on pricing and formats, please contact Insightful Publications by email at , by phone at (808) 747-1006, or by visiting for more information on pricing, formats, availability, and state resource handbook order form. Braille Candy Calendar Available: We are very excited to announce the arrival of a beautiful Braille Christmas Advent Calendar. This unique and special calendar is produced in Germany by Kampmann International and has been distributed throughout Europe for the past five years. Each of the twenty-four windows, representing the twenty-four days in December leading up to Christmas, is embossed in Braille, and behind each window is a piece of premium European milk chocolate-not only wonderful for someone who is blind, but also wonderful as a learning tool for anyone and at any age. There is a limited quantity available and will only be sold through November 10, 2016. The calendar is $14.95 with free shipping, and calendars are mailed the same day as the order is received. To order please use the following link to Alex's Pantry: . If you have questions or wish to discuss a large quantity order, please contact the exclusive importer, JSI Importers and Distributors, at (800) 422-2595, Extension 1 and ask for Nancy! ---------- 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. From buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org Sun Nov 20 21:55:10 2016 From: buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org (Brian Buhrow) Date: Sun, 20 Nov 2016 21:55:10 -0800 Subject: [Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor, November 2016 Message-ID: <201611210555.uAL5tASI003088@lothlorien.nfbcal.org> BRAILLE MONITOR Vol. 59, No. 10 November 2016 Gary Wunder, Editor Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, 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 NFBnet.org: http://www.nfbnet.org NFB-NEWSLINE? information: (866) 504-7300 Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind Follow us on Twitter: @NFB_Voice Watch and share our videos: YouTube.com/NationsBlind Letters to the President, address changes, subscription requests, and orders for NFB literature should be sent to the national office. Articles for the Monitor and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national 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 ? 2016 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 position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and try again. (Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the thumb drive, the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges, 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 envelope enclosed with the drive when you return the device. Vol. 59, No. 10 November 2016 Contents Illustration: Through Similarities and Differences, the Blind Still Intend to Speak for the Blind Welcoming the Blind of the World to the United States of America by Mark Riccobono The World Blind Union: Future Challenges and Opportunities by Fredric K. Schroeder, PhD Change in the Wind at the World Blind Union General Assembly by Marc Maurer Reflections from a First-Time Attendee and the Joy in Helping Host a Meeting of the World Blind Union and the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment by Gary Wunder My Leadership Journey by Karen Keninger Nurture the Ability, Sustain the Confidence by Fredric K. Schroeder Leadership: Perspectives from Ron McCallum by Ron McCallum Digital Accessibility: Changes for the Good, and Challenges for the Present and Future by Gary Wunder Statement of the National Federation of the Blind Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled by Mark Riccobono Newer and Flashier is Not Always Better by Mark Jones How Exponential Technologies Will Impact Disabilities by Ray Kurzweil National Industries for the Blind: Continuing to Raise Expectations and Create Opportunities Kevin Lynch Recipes Monitor Miniatures [PHOTO CAPTION: Session meeting of the WBU delegates] [PHOTO CAPTION: Three of the delegates from India wearing headphones as they listen] [PHOTO CAPTION: The enclosed booth where the translators work at the back of the WBU meeting room.] Through the Similarities and the Differences, the Blind Still Intend to Speak for the Blind When you look at the pictures of the World Blind Union General Assembly, they look similar to those captured at the National Federation of the Blind's national convention. Their delegates look a lot like the Federationists who attend the convention. The delegates sit at rows of tables instead of the rows of chairs to which Federationists are accustomed. But, like attendees at our conventions, they're all sitting and listening to speakers making their presentations. It's only as you look closer that you realize that many of the delegates are wearing headphones. They're not listening to music; they're listening to the language they understand by translators courtesy of the National Federation of the Blind. The booth of translators at the back of the room is a bit different from the NFB convention, where interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing diligently work, but these translators create the mechanism through which global discussion and action can take place. No matter how similar or different, it is inspiring to see the blind speaking for themselves. Welcoming the Blind of the World to the United States of America by Mark Riccobono Opening Remarks to the Ninth General Assembly World Blind Union Orlando, Florida August 19, 2016 Delegates, observers, and friends of the World Blind Union, on behalf of the tens of thousands of members of the National Federation of the Blind I welcome you to the United States of America. America is a country that values freedom, independence, opportunity, determination, and democracy. Born out of revolution, our country constantly strives to have a more perfect union, including individuals with diverse characteristics, backgrounds, and beliefs. Through the value of freedom of speech, we empower our citizens to vigorously debate the governing principles of our land and to breakdown barriers to equality of opportunity and participation. The American dream has come to be the term used to describe the value that in our country all people can achieve their individual aspirations with the freedom and opportunities provided in our local communities and supported by equal protection under the law. Yet even in this great nation some classes of people continue to struggle for equal access to those ideals two hundred and forty years after our democracy was established. Although the blind have been one of the groups denied the complete rights and opportunities offered under our democracy, during the past seventy-six years significant progress has been made toward equality in society through our vehicle for collective action-the National Federation of the Blind. A brilliant young blind scholar of the United States Constitution was the rallying point for organizing the blind of America on a nationwide basis in 1940. Dr. Jacobus tenBroek was the founding President of the National Federation of the Blind and served as its primary leader until his death in 1968. At the birth of our organization he shared these words that are still the foundation of our organization and which apply also to the World Blind Union: "Collectively, we are the masters of our own future and the successful guardian of our own common interests. Let one speak in the name of many who are prepared to act in his support, let the democratically elected blind representatives of the blind act as spokesman for all, let the machinery be created to unify the action and concentrate the energies of the blind..." The Federation has always valued formal and informal opportunities to collaborate with other blind people around the world. In 1952 the National Federation of the Blind National Convention voted to join the World Council on the Welfare of the Blind (WCWB), but Dr. tenBroek quickly came to realize that the WCWB would not be a progressive world forum for action by the blind. The Federation continued to seek meaningful international connections to the blind through the work of pioneering blind leaders like Isabel Grant, who traveled the world to share the Federation philosophy and learn about the progress of blind people in other countries. In 1964 we formed the International Federation of the Blind (IFB) as an authentic international forum for blind people. Dr. tenBroek became the IFB's first president, and its constitution was drafted by Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, who would later become President of the National Federation of the Blind and the most influential leader in the area of blindness during the twentieth century. The first convention for the IFB was planned for 1969, but Dr. tenBroek's early death in 1968 took much of the momentum out of the new organization. In 1984 a joint meeting of the IFB and WCWB was held that resulted in the creation of the World Blind Union. Today we can be proud that the World Blind Union has grown into an effective international vehicle for collaboration and a meaningful advocacy organization led by the blind. We invite our brothers and sisters from around the world to our home to share with us the ideas, insights, innovations, and dreams that come from your unique perspectives. We also share with you our progress along with our desire to continue to test the limits and raise expectations for the blind anywhere in the world. Since 1940 we have tackled discrimination in every aspect of life: education, employment, travel, finances, healthcare, recreation, civic participation, and parenting. We have used many tools in our work: organizing in local communities, marching in the streets, battling in the courts, persuading in the boardrooms, moving the politics in Congress, changing perceptions in the media, and demonstrating equality in living the lives we want. We have published extensively about our progress, and we have distributed thousands of pages of literature to all parts of our country and many parts of the world. We now provide free access to all of our publications via our website, . Our national convention, the annual gathering where we discuss our progress and set our priorities, is now the largest annual gathering of blind people anywhere in the world, and we are honored to welcome guests from twenty foreign countries to our conventions on a regular basis. In the spirit of innovation that characterizes our nation, the blind of America have led the way in engineering solutions to take advantage of the full capacity of blind people and to eliminate artificial barriers that hold us back. One example is our work, beginning in 1975, to develop a reading machine for the blind with genius inventor Ray Kurzweil. The original reading machine was big, slow, and expensive, but it was revolutionary. Through our continued investment and engagement in refining reading technology, we now have a reading machine that can be used on handheld smartphones, which recognizes text in a second, and which costs less than $100. The current reading machine is known as the KNFB Reader, and it runs on iOS, Android, and very shortly on Windows. This technology is as strong as it is because the blind are leading the way in its development. Literacy is critical to full participation in our society, and each and every person in this room knows that for the blind that means Braille literacy. From aggressively pursuing new Braille literacy programs to actively working on the Marrakesh Treaty, we march confidently with our friends in the World Blind Union to raise expectations for the blind in accessing the world's knowledge. At the urging of the National Federation of the Blind, the United States Congress authorized the minting of the first-ever US coin that included actual tactile Braille. Released in 2009, the Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar created a forum for greater awareness of the value of Braille and the barriers to quality Braille instruction in the United States educational system, and sales of the coin generated funds to spark new Braille literacy programs. The launch of the Louis Braille coin and the educational programs initiated in 2009 were led by a leader of the National Federation of the Blind and the WBU's first vice president, Fred Schroeder. One of the results of our enhanced Braille literacy efforts was the nationwide expansion of the National Federation of the Blind Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) Academy. The NFB BELL Academy provides blind children with two weeks of quality instruction in Braille, opportunities to practice skills like independent travel with a long white cane, and increased confidence from working with blind adult role models from a variety of backgrounds. During this summer alone, we have offered forty-six NFB BELL Academies in thirty-one states providing more than seventeen thousand hours of instruction to more than three hundred blind youth. The United States is known for its technological innovations, including advancing the exploration of new frontiers in the universe. For over a decade, the Federation has been leading the way to inspire and engage blind students in science, technology, engineering, art, and math. In honor of our work and to help spread awareness about Braille, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration flew two of our Louis Braille coins aboard the Atlantis shuttle on mission STS125. Although we have yet to get a blind person into the astronaut corps and into space, we believe that the first blind astronaut is alive today, and through our work we will realize success in this and other frontiers. Leaders of the National Federation of the Blind were on hand at the Kennedy Space Center-not too far from Orlando-for the launch of STS125 to witness Braille flying into orbit. In honor of our collective determination to expand the horizons for the blind, we thought we would share with you what it was like to be on hand for the launch of that space shuttle and the first few minutes of flight. [An audio presentation from the launching of STS125 was played and was greeted with cheers and applause.] Although the automobile was not invented in the United States, our country has taken great pride in cars that are made in America. Driving has come to be a symbol of freedom, independence, and power. Until the last decade, everybody believed that driving a car required the use of sight. In the National Federation of the Blind we continue to ask each other challenging questions about the limits for blind people. Every day we seek to raise expectations for the blind because we know that low expectations are the true obstacle between blind people and our dreams. As we turned the calendar to the twenty-first century, Marc Maurer, who served as President of the Federation from 1986 to 2014, began asking why vision is a requirement for driving. He wondered out loud if we could build access to information systems that could present data nonvisually and whether blind people could use their own abilities to drive a car completely without sighted assistance. From Dr. Maurer's idea and under his leadership, the National Federation of the Blind began engaging with engineers around the Blind Driver Challenge. While America did not invent the car, the blind of America did imagine, engineer, and develop the technology so that we could accomplish the goal of blind people driving independently. On January 29, 2011, I was honored to be the driver for the first public demonstration of our Blind Driver Challenge project. This took place just one hour from here at the most famous racetrack in our nation-the Daytona International Speedway. Let's relive what it was like for me as the driver and for the five hundred members of the Federation who were among the tens of thousands of spectators that were present. [Audio from the Daytona 500 describing Mark Riccobono's trip around the racetrack energized the audience.] [PHOTO CAPTION: Mark Riccobono sits in the Blind Driver Challenge vehicle, ready to take WBU delegates for a quick spin.] While we do not yet have the power to put you on a space shuttle, we do have the ability to give you a ride in our blind drivable vehicle with a blind person as your chauffer. On Monday afternoon, we will have a limited number of opportunities for WBU delegates to take a trip around the parking lot with me driving the car. Please visit our general assembly welcome desk in the foyer area to sign up for one of the available times. The blind of America continue to seek new ways to expand opportunities for the blind. We no longer know where the limits are for blind people. We do know that our imagination and dedication will allow us to pursue all of our dreams. We also know that the collaboration of the blind of our country with the blind around the world is increasingly important in pursuing those dreams. Many of the artificial barriers we encounter-whether it is inaccessible books and technology, the danger that quiet cars pose to all pedestrians, or the misconceptions about blindness that are used to restrict our rights-are now barriers on a global scale. However, these barriers are no match for the self-determined, action- oriented, and authentically driven union that brings us together today. On behalf of the National Federation of the Blind, we welcome you to our home, we thank you for your work to make our lives better as blind people, and we welcome the opportunity to learn from and share with you. In closing, I share with you the promise that the members of the National Federation of the Blind make to each other, as it is a promise we also share with the delegates of the World Blind Union: Together with love, hope, and determination, we transform dreams into reality. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Fredric K. Schroeder] The World Blind Union: Future Challenges and Opportunities by Fredric K. Schroeder, PhD From the Editor: Fredric Schroeder is one of the most prolific and thought-provoking writers we have, and when his name appears on the annual convention agenda, the speeches he gives never fail to command attention and spark discussion. It is no accident that Fred Schroeder is now the president of the World Blind Union, and his service will no doubt bring the same class, intelligence, and insight that have benefited the blind of the United States. Here is what he writes for the Braille Monitor following the meeting at which he was elected: The problems confronting blind people worldwide are not hard to list: blind children face barriers to a good education; blind adults face high unemployment; and all of us face well-intended yet damaging low expectations. We face limited opportunities that have defined our history and plague the present. So, what can and will we do? Where do we begin? What will the future be for the estimated 285 million blind and visually impaired people around the world? Will it be a continuation of poverty, lost opportunity, and discouragement, or will it be one of hope and optimism? That was the question facing the delegates to the World Blind Union's Ninth General Assembly held August 18 to 25, 2016, in Orlando, Florida. While the challenges are vast and complex, the solution is not mysterious nor beyond conception or reach. Time and time again, we have seized control of our own lives and asserted our ability and right to equal opportunity. We have joined together and worked together. We have combined our energy, resources, and imagination, and by so doing we have shown over and over again that, given the opportunity, blind people can live and work as others. The World Blind Union 2016 General Assembly was a time for reflection, a time for discussion and planning, and a time for the blind of the world to take unified and concerted action. We discussed access issues, including the challenges presented by the increase in the use of shared spaces; limitations in web accessibility; the danger of silent cars; the need to make books available in accessible formats and more. We discussed education and employment, but the 2016 General Assembly was more than a time to meet and plan; it was a time to encourage and inspire one another. At the General Assembly there were blind people helping blind people; blind people sharing their ideas and experiences; and blind people lifting one another's confidence and expectations. At conventions of the National Federation of the Blind, it is customary to have "talking signs," not electronic signs that talk, but blind people giving information and direction to other blind people. The idea of talking signs may not seem remarkable or dramatic, but it is a tangible expression of our shared belief in one another, our shared philosophy, and the recognition that, as blind people, we need information, but our need for information does not mean we need a protector or caretaker. The understanding that we can determine the direction of our own lives is at the heart of collective action; it is the foundation for forcing change and expanding opportunities. Some problems take money to address and others not. Some problems require advocacy or legal action and others not. Some require organized programs of public education, and some require individual blind people encouraging one another; but all require a belief in our right and ability to live full and productive lives, according to our capacity and willingness to work hard. At the 2016 General Assembly, I was privileged and honored to be elected President of the World Blind Union. It is a four-year term and one full of challenges. But I am not in it alone, any more than the blind child fighting for an education or the blind adult fighting for a job. They are not alone. The challenges facing one blind person are the challenges facing us all. Each of us is the talking sign for another, encouraging and supporting one another. In the United States parents fight for the right for their blind children to learn Braille and to gain a good education; the same is true around the world. In the United States blind adults face unemployment; the same is true around the world. In the United States we battle for equal web accessibility; the same is true around the world. In the United States we combat low expectations, low expectations that blight lives and crush the human spirit; the same is true everywhere around the world. The details are different, but the root cause is the same-low expectations and limited opportunity. The good news is that there are 285 million of us around the world; 285 million talking signs, supporting one another, providing direction and encouragement; 285 million talking signs believing in one another. Will we make progress in the coming four years? Of course, but the real question is not whether we will make progress but how much. In the years to come, I will do my very best, sustained by the knowledge that together we have made progress beyond our wildest imaginings, and together we will continue to change the world. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Marc Maurer] Change in the Wind at the World Blind Union General Assembly by Marc Maurer The World Blind Union and the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment held joint meetings in Orlando, Florida, during August of 2016. This was a joyful opportunity for the National Federation of the Blind because our organization served as the primary host for these meetings. One of the more notable results from this meeting is that Dr. Fredric Schroeder was elected to the presidency of the World Blind Union. In 1964 Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, the founding president of the National Federation of the Blind, was elected as founding president of the International Federation of the Blind, one of the two organizations that formed the World Blind Union twenty years later. This brings the presidency of the primary world organization of blind people back to the United States. Dr. tenBroek would be pleased. I served as chairman of the host committee, and from this position I came to know innumerable details about the operations of the meetings we held. I also reflected about past meetings of the world organization and about my participation in them. I first traveled to the World Blind Union meeting that was held in Madrid, Spain, in 1988. My experience with blindness-related organizations consisted mostly of interacting with the National Federation of the Blind and certain agencies doing work with the blind in this country. The World Blind Union was startlingly different from what I had known. In planning the 2016 meeting, I wondered how startlingly different the delegates to the world meeting would find their experience in the United States. In Madrid, to begin with, the food was not standard American fare-how unexpected is that for an inexperienced American? And the Spanish didn't eat it in a pattern that seemed comprehensible to my stomach. The days began early, and they continued into the night. We stayed at an international hotel, which meant that a modified American breakfast could be found. The breakfast was part of the hotel package, and we felt some compunction to eat it because it would be wasteful not to do so. In 1988 the National Federation of the Blind had come out of a period of our history when the organization had wondered whether we could gather the funds to continue, and we were quite conscious of not wasting a dime. Of course we still have that view, but differences in cultural norms are sometimes easier to accommodate when we've had a little more experience with them. If I traveled to Madrid today, I would probably spend more time resting and a little less with breakfast. My problem was that the restaurants didn't open at night until 9:00 PM, and the dinner hour was a leisurely affair. It often concluded after midnight. Then I would have to be prepared for breakfast at 7:00 AM. Apparently Spanish people have a nap in the middle of the day (sometimes called a siesta), but we had meetings. After a few days the 7:00 AM to after midnight schedule began to wear on me. Of course Spain is a fascinating country. We visited la Alhambra, a hilltop fortress which also includes royal gardens and palaces. During the tour we passed through the throne room, and I wondered what distinguishes a throne? After all, a throne is a place to sit, and monarchs are not strikingly different from other people in their sitting requirements. Many years later when I was visiting the House of Lords in London, Lord Colin Low told me that the person who chairs the House of Lords, the Lord Speaker, sits on a bag of wool. I concluded from this and from my reading about the British Constitution that the Woolsack was adopted as a piece of history. Wool became a primary export for England in the thirteenth century, and the government of the country stabilized its financial operation by a modest tax on the wool export. However, these reflections have still not told me what there is essential about a throne. I feel certain that it is not an ordinary chair. When I was visiting the throne room at la Alhambra, I wanted to find out, and I stepped over the rope to touch the throne. A guard in the throne room warned me away. I still don't know what there is special about a throne. Our hosts in Madrid, leaders of ONCE, the Spanish National Organization for the Blind, were most gracious. They took us to a restaurant where Ernest Hemingway had enjoyed dining, El Sobrino de Bot?n, and I tasted suckling pig for the first time. I have been convinced ever since that the Spanish know what to do with pork. One of the days in Spain was set aside for tours, and some of us went to Toledo, the former capital of the country. I had read novels about how a single human being could block a street, and I did not really believe it could be done. But some of the streets in Toledo were built between stone walls and were narrow enough that I could reach almost from one side to the other. The construction of such passages was both fascinating and impressive. In 2016 we did not plan for a siesta in the middle of the day. I wondered how this would seem to delegates who were coming to our meeting for the first time from countries where such a custom is part of the tradition. I also wondered what other customs that we take for granted would seem unusual. The meetings we planned in Orlando lasted eight days. Sometimes they were meetings for the World Blind Union, sometimes they were meetings for the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment, and sometimes the meetings were jointly conducted. One element of these meetings was the tea break. One occurred from 10:30 to 11:00 in the morning, and one occurred from 3:30 to 4:00 o'clock in the afternoon. We don't have these at NFB conventions. However, they are expected at World Blind Union meetings. At the tea break it is anticipated that everybody who wants to have tea, coffee, muffins, or pastries available, will get them. In planning the World Blind Union meeting I was charged with the responsibility of assuring that these breaks would occur as scheduled with the beverages and food available for each participant. I have managed a great many meetings in American hotels, and I know that buying coffee by the gallon is a dramatically expensive experience. Nevertheless, I planned the tea breaks. When I checked them, I noticed that they were well attended. At some of the World Blind Union general assemblies a set lunch is one of the elements of the program, but the international organizing committee did not request that we plan prepared lunches for the delegates. We do like to eat in the United States, but we don't like restrictions. We usually hope to find many different kinds of food outlets wherever we go that remain open most of the day and much of the night and that offer a wide array of choices. Our more adventuresome colleagues tried the restaurants in the Rosen Centre and nearby the hotel such as the Red Lobster, Denny's, a barbecue spot, or fine dining establishments. Some like pizza, some like fast food, some like products of the sea, and some like seared steak. It appeared to me that our colleagues in the World Blind Union felt much the same. Two basic types of entities exist in the field of work with the blind. These are agencies serving the blind and organizations of the blind. In many parts of the world organizations of the blind are scarce. Organizations of the blind are made up of blind people who elect their leaders and who, through a democratic process, determine the policies and direction for the organization. In places where blind people have established organizations of the blind, the concept that blind people should run their own programs is no longer novel. However, where organizations of the blind have not been created by blind people, the idea that the blind have the ability to manage the planning and detailed execution required to run a complex organization with significant programs is often regarded as a form of insanity. Blind people cannot lead other blind people, it is thought, because when this takes place, all fall in the ditch. Consequently, the thought that democracy exercised among blind people can create programs that sustain independence for blind people is controversial. How, I wondered, would delegates from other nations feel about being with members of the National Federation of the Blind who are blind themselves and who expect to run the organization in which they are a part? In many of the World Blind Union meetings the volunteer contingent assembled to help delegates consists of sighted people. I planned to have volunteers available, but a great many of them were blind people. How would the delegates react to this, I wondered? Would they feel uneasy with this kind of volunteer? Pam Allen served as coordinator of volunteers. Federation members who have attended our national convention know that we follow the custom of creating a system of talking signs to direct individuals to various activities and locations. "Meeting room this way," is not an unusual expression at our meetings. I wondered how this would work with World Blind Union delegates who are new to the experience. My observation is that the delegates seemed to manage quite well. One event for every World Blind Union General Assembly is known as the cultural night. The host committee has the opportunity to show off the culture of the country where the meeting is taking place. How can the culture of the United States be characterized? What elements synthesize the American spirit? How can this be demonstrated? We decided to show five very different things: the blind driver car, baseball, exploration of space, a mechanical representation from a rodeo, and American music. The car that we built to be driven on the Daytona International Speedway by Mark Riccobono combines two elements of American culture-the inventive spirit of blind people and the cars that we as Americans love to build. President Riccobono offered people rides in the vehicle using the space available in the parking lot of the Rosen Centre hotel. He was the chauffer. Although these rides were brief, they demonstrated part of the ability of blind people. The blind-drivable car would not have been developed without the work and the spirit of the National Federation of the Blind. From the concept of the rodeo comes the mechanical bull. Invented in the United States, the mechanical bull is a machine shaped like a bull which can be made to behave as if it were an untamed creature prancing in the arena for cowboys, or World Blind Union delegates, to ride. It exemplifies the American West, the frontier, and something of the unusual playfulness of the American spirit. Another part of the cultural night was a pitching station where delegates could throw a ball tracked by a speed gun. The best pitchers in baseball can cause the ball to travel at a hundred miles an hour. Delegates could discover just how good their pitching arms were. In addition, they could enjoy baseball food-hot dogs, peanuts, popcorn, and soft pretzels. For the space exploration element, we displayed artifacts used by astronauts in the space program. An astronaut, Mike Foreman, spoke about the space program. What must a person do to qualify to become an astronaut, and what are the requirements for a spacewalk? How does life change when there is no gravity, and how does it feel to be back on Earth? Our astronaut posed for pictures with delegates from around the world and answered many questions about the experiences of being in space. To cap off the evening we enjoyed music performed by our own members. JP Williams, the singer-songwriter who has made a name for himself in Nashville (sometimes joined by James Brown, our Tennessee president and a member of the board of directors), offered musical selections from American artists. Delegates responded enthusiastically to the songs showing musical development in the United States over more than half a century. JP Williams and James Brown concluded the evening with a rendition of their own creations that had been performed for the National Federation of the Blind's seventy-fifth anniversary. As chairman of the host committee it was not my responsibility to plan the work of the World Blind Union. However, I observed a great deal of it when my other duties did not call me away. I have attended all of the meetings of the World Blind Union General Assembly beginning in 1988, and I believe that the organization has changed from what it was in the early days. The World Blind Union is a combination of organizations of the blind and organizations for the blind. In 1984 the International Federation of the Blind, an organization of blind people, and the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind, an organization composed of representatives of agencies for the blind, came together to form the World Blind Union. The result of this combination was uneasiness and distrust. Some delegates wanted the organization to be a representative one made up largely of blind people, and some delegates wanted the organization to be a think tank directing worldwide policy for the blind which would be made up of professionals who would speak on behalf of blind people. This second group wanted the union to become a coordinating body to direct resources from the wealthier parts of the world to blind people in parts of our globe where resources are scarce. In the early days, delegates fought fiercely over the nature of the organization. In 2016 the arguments are largely a matter of history. The World Blind Union adopted for the first time this year a policy requiring all of its officers to be blind people. Although many sighted delegates remain part of the organization, the WBU is becoming an organization of the blind. To serve as a representative body for blind people from around the world, the World Blind Union must learn what blind people want. Then, it must gain sufficient resources to exercise influence in places where decision-making about blind people occurs. Finally, it must exercise the authority of the organization with sufficient diplomacy that the use of the organization's power does not damage its structure. This is a very delicate challenge. However, if the World Blind Union has no power to make change, it is irrelevant. If its members have no power to make change, it is also likely that the World Blind Union will have no power to make change. Consequently, the challenge for the World Blind Union is to help its members to gain power, and to coordinate the use of that power to address the most important priorities for the blind. More than a decade ago the World Blind Union attempted to influence the United Nations to create a legal document, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Dr. Fredric Schroeder served as a representative from the World Blind Union to the United Nations for the purpose of assisting in the negotiations. The head of the World Blind Union delegation to the United Nations was its then- president William Rowland. The Convention was adopted by the UN ten years ago, and it has been ratified in more than 150 countries, but unfortunately not in the United States. Although the World Blind Union is not as well known around the world as it might be, this United Nations activity brought its name forcefully to the attention of many international organizations. Another convention sponsored by the World Blind Union, the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled, has been negotiated through the World Intellectual Property Organization, one segment of the United Nations. This treaty, which eases legal restrictions on the transfer of books for the blind from one nation to another, became effective in the summer of 2016 just as we were gathering for the World Blind Union General Assembly. This is the only treaty of which I have ever heard that deals exclusively with the needs of the blind and print disabled. Once again Dr. Schroeder was one of the negotiators along with Scott LaBarre. Maryanne Diamond, who served as president of the World Blind Union during the negotiations, was a fierce proponent of the rights of the blind. It was she who persuaded the National Federation of the Blind to invite the United States to support the treaty. Although this treaty has become effective for the nations that have ratified it, the document is still in the negotiation stage before the Senate of the United States. What happened at the 2016 General Assembly of the World Blind Union? Delegates considered the governing structure of the world organization but left most of the systems established previously in place. The one exception is that all officers must now be blind people. Technology for the blind was reviewed, but no new programs were created regarding technology. Recently a group of organizations dealing with blindness caused a low-cost Braille display to be produced, which is making its way onto the market. This Braille display is not dramatically different from others currently available, but it is cheaper. The cost difference may enhance the use of Braille technology in places where it has previously been cost prohibitive to use it. Programs of rehabilitation for the blind received attention. Although new plans for rehabilitation did not appear to come from the discussions, a number of countries where rehabilitation had not been emphasized may find that there is sufficient interest to proceed with teaching the blind. Exhibitors showed their products to delegates. Most of the items on display are known to the people who have attended our national convention, but some new products made their appearance-such things as a digital Braille watch that can display the time and perhaps text messages in Braille characters. Sometimes startling change comes not from a dramatic event but a subtle alteration in the pattern. In this general assembly it seems to me that the important news is that more blind people are taking more independent action to produce more opportunity for themselves and their peers in more places around the world than has ever previously occurred. Programs for the blind get better when blind people help to shape them. The World Blind Union is causing this to happen. This is good news for world programs for the blind. ---------- Reflections from a First-time Attendee and the Joy in Helping Host a Meeting of the World Blind Union by Gary Wunder Often in my Federation career I have heard arguments against localitis, the idea that your chapter is separate from the affiliate, and the affiliate separate from the national body. Along with other Federation leaders I have repeatedly made the case for one movement, one organization, one team, but I have always drawn the line when it comes to crossing international boundaries, being somewhat parochial in the view that I should put my effort into the country in which I live-the United States of America. When the NFB took on the challenge of hosting the 2016 World Blind Union (WBU) General Assembly and the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI), my first thoughts were, "I wonder what this will cost? I wonder how much time it will take away from the really important work we do? I wonder what benefit will accrue to us, and will it really matter to the blind of the world where these organizations meet?" I didn't say any of this; it felt negative, and I wanted to be open to the possibility that we might give in ways that I had not considered and that we might also receive in ways I could not fathom. So I sat through the initial planning, expecting that the Braille Monitor would want to cover the event and that I would be invited along, but not really thinking about a more active role. Any reservation I had about putting energy into the world meeting evaporated when Debbie and I got to Orlando a day before the proceedings began. Never having traveled abroad, I was swept up by all of the different languages being spoken around me and all of the accents in which I heard English being spoken. Some of the languages sounded beautiful to my ear, and some of the accents gave me a new appreciation for our mother tongue. It also led to some interesting discussions as we delighted in the various flavors of English and the differences in meaning of phrases depending on where the person who spoke was from. When giving directions to walk from the hotel to a nearby restaurant, I might tell a person to go left down the sidewalk and the restaurant is at the second light. Someone from New Zealand would have said to go left down the footpath; someone from Britain would have said to go down the pavement; and someone from South Africa would have said to go left down the pavement, and the restaurant was at the second robot. Martine Able, who is from South Africa, told me about the first time she went for a walk in Auckland (New Zealand), and she asked a passerby how many robots she would have to cross over to find a particular shop. The passerby just disappeared on her, obviously thinking her a little crazy (or as the Brits might say, a little barmy.) While to Americans tea is a hot beverage or perhaps a quick break to sit and chat over that liquid delight, that is not the case in other countries. In New Zealand and Britain, tea is more of an early evening meal. In South Africa, tea is more of an afternoon snack. But supper, which in America is generally agreed upon as the large evening meal, in New Zealand is a snack meal closer to bedtime, while South Africa agrees with us Americans. Though there were others, some highly amusing, and even suggestive, we'll leave this topic for another time. As the host, the NFB was expected to provide volunteers to assist the delegates and others who attended. This point was emphasized repeatedly, the concern being that the delegates would need help and would want it promptly. Traditionally this has meant providing plenty of sighted volunteers. While some of these were on hand, blind Federationists did the vast majority of the guiding, and the results were interesting. At this conference when the blind led the blind we did not fall into a ditch but startled and eventually motivated those we guided. When people asked for a guide, we provided them with a human guide. When they heard a cane and realized it was attached to the arm they were following, some would stop and ask what we were doing. We said we were acting as their human guide, and they made it clear that they had expected someone with sight. But, interestingly, no one hesitated for long when we explained that we knew the layout of the hotel and could get them where they wanted to go. By the time the meetings got into full swing, it was not uncommon to see delegates using their canes, sometimes with us as human guides and sometimes declining our help by proudly stating, "I can do this myself, but thank you." Hurray! Not only were delegates impressed by their human guides and what they learned to do for themselves, but they loved the talking signs, the folks we call marshals at our national conventions. Our traditional marshals were not only talking signs but friendly hosts inviting delegates to meetings. "Welcome to the meeting of the general assembly; step right this way." "Good morning, and welcome to the first session of the World Blind Union Joint Assembly." Those who passed by couldn't just take the advice and move into the room. Almost everyone shouted out a thank you or moved to the side to tell us how exciting they found the concept of talking human signs. After the first day we realized we could have fun with this and got people who stopped to join us in the call out. The twist was that we got them to do this in their language. They enjoyed the celebrity, the participation in our project, and the reaction they heard as those filing into the room were even more amazed to hear greetings in their language. Never has it been so much fun to be a marshal or a biological talking sign. One of the highlights in observing the general assembly was in seeing the recognition accorded to our leaders. Immediate Past President Maurer's long service was clearly evident in the respect shown him by the delegates and officers of the WBU. The respect for the President of the National Federation of the Blind was similarly evident in the attention paid his remarks and the enthusiastic response to them. The contribution Mary Ellen Jernigan has made was acknowledged when the members of the general assembly unanimously voted to accept her as a lifetime member of the organization, an honor which is recognized with special seating in the same way designated areas are provided for the delegates from each country. When I think about the major struggles we face in maintaining our organization such as recruiting members, raising funds, and coming up with innovative programs, I will now view these challenges in a new light. Civil War is a reality in far too many countries, and blind people suffer disproportionately. We heard from service providers who risked their lives to go where blind people were; who were called upon by the rebel forces to account for why they, as government representatives, were found in rebel territory; and who were called upon when arriving back home to demonstrate their loyalty to the government by justifying why they would provide services to the rebels. Organizing a chapter is hard work, but what we do is nothing compared with what must occur in some countries to make this happen. Many have little in the way of public transportation. Sometimes the requirement to conduct a meeting in more than one language is a significant obstacle. Cultural differences sometimes make communication between different provinces exceedingly difficult. The fact that many countries who came to the World Blind Union even have organizations of the blind is a testament to the toughness of blind men and women who want better for themselves and the inspiration they draw from one another in bringing about a better tomorrow. The National Federation of the Blind wanted to help the World Blind Union by being the host of its 2016 General Assembly, but as is the case so many times when we give, we often are the beneficiary of treasured experiences we never envisioned. This was my experience, and I thank the National Federation of the Blind and the World Blind Union for letting me be a part. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Karen Keninger] My Leadership Journey by Karen Keninger From the Editor: On Monday, August 24, 2016, the World Blind Union held a session on leadership chaired by Maryanne Diamond, former president of the World Blind Union. Leaders from countries around the world offered perspectives on the exercise of leadership, and the director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped from the United States was one of the presenters. Here is what she said: Thank you, Maryanne, and welcome, all of you. I know that we have a lot of seasoned leaders in this group, so I hope that I don't bore you. I'm going to tell you about my own leadership journey, and perhaps some of it will resonate with some of you seasoned leaders, and for some of you who are working on that, maybe you'll get a kernel or two of something useful. My journey began many years ago, and it was a small thing, really. My little daughter came home from catechism class with a picture of a chicken. I said, "What did you learn? Why did you draw a chicken?" She had no idea. I wanted to complain: she isn't learning anything. Then I realized I had no idea what they were really doing. I figured out that if I wanted to have input into the program, I'd better plan to do the work. So I signed up to teach. It was really a lot of work: I had to get lesson plans in Braille, had to plan the lessons, and then I had to manage a room full of rowdy nine- year-olds. But by doing that I had influence over the program-they really weren't doing such a bad job after all. But the lesson that I learned was that if I wanted to influence the outcome of the program, I had to jump in and work at it, study it, get to know it, understand it, understand the potentials and the constraints, and find solutions to problems. I needed to develop opinions based on facts and the situation that was there. I learned that I could use the unique knowledge that I had as a blind person, as a woman, as a mother, as a teacher, and the unique combination of my own gifts to influence the outcomes. To do the work effectively I had to hone my blindness skills. Now I have been blind since I was a small child, and I'm a lifelong Braille reader, and my experience has taught me that personal literacy is paramount to my success as a blind leader. When I'm writing, for instance, it's not good enough to be almost right. I don't want people saying, "Well that's pretty good for a blind person." I want people to say, "That's pretty good." Literacy is not a luxury for me. Listening only is not enough for me, either. I use Braille just the way sighted people use print: take notes in Braille on my notetaker, on my Perkins Brailler, and on my slate and stylus. I read them back in Braille; I search them on my notetaker; I flag them, I edit them; I use a combination of everything I can get my hands on to compensate for my inability to read print. I use the computer with speech, I use recorded books, I use recorded magazines, but I also use Braille and strongly believe that without the literacy Braille provides for me, I would be less able to do my job. I need to write notes and read them back; I need to write and edit documents, including the spelling, the punctuation, the paragraphing, as well as all the content; I need to read and manipulate numbers on spreadsheets for budgets; I need them in Braille. So on my desk you will find a Perkins Brailler, a slate and stylus, a notetaker, and a computer with a Braille display. I am very fortunate to have all these devices, but the second part of that is the learning and practicing using them day in and day out so I can be efficient to do my work. It's a lot more work to learn to use a screen reader and be efficient with it than it is to learn to point and click a mouse. But it's critical these days to getting the job done. Mobility was another thing that I had to take seriously. I've used a dog guide since I was sixteen, and for years that was sufficient. But I discovered-I'm a little slow-that some things are better done with a dog, but some things are better done with a cane, and some things are better done with a sighted guide. It depends on the situation. My preference is to be independent. My choice is to have both the dog and the cane at my disposal so that I can have the most efficient mode for the moment. Aside from the practicalities of good, independent travel, I believe that it helps in maintaining my image as a competent and professional colleague. Jumping in and contributing at some level was where I started, honing my skills along the way. That got me into a job at a rehabilitation agency. And then came another big lesson: I was given the task of drafting a new strategic plan for the agency. Oh, I knew what I was doing. I knew the program. I drafted a beautiful, logical, may I say perfect strategic plan. And I delivered it complete and proud. And they rejected it out of hand. Why? Because I did not get buy-in from the stakeholders at the beginning and throughout the process. Yeah, it was pretty humiliating to have my work rejected so completely, and I had to start over. But this time, on the advice of my boss, I gathered input from everyone first. I learned that leadership doesn't happen in a vacuum. I couldn't lead unless I could convince others to follow. And to do that, I learned that I had to spend the time and the patience-and it took patience to listen, to gather input, and to incorporate that input into the project. And-surprise, surprise-I discovered that they had a lot of ideas I hadn't thought of. When people felt like their concerns were addressed, they were much more willing to follow my lead on the project. The second draft was accepted. It contained other people's ideas besides my own, but because I drafted it, I was able to define the foundation of the plan, and my foundation remained through subsequent iterations. Leadership involves risks. Sometimes projects fail, and when they do, leaders take the responsibility. I spearheaded a big project several years ago to develop a new case management system in our agency. The project failed abysmally. I could give you a long list of reasons why it failed and a long list of lessons learned, but the point is that it failed, and I had the lead responsibility. The only thing I could do was pick up the pieces and move forward, taking what I had learned and implementing them into the next project. I've worked hard, taken chances, and, perhaps most importantly, I've learned from my mistakes. Today I am in a leadership position at the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. I'm at the national level of a program affecting the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in the United States. Leadership presumes that you know where you are going, and people will follow you if the goal makes sense. I have a vision for my program, I have articulated that vision clearly (I think) and consistently for the past four years. Part of that vision includes converting our Braille program from hardcopy to electronic, providing refreshable Braille devices and electronic Braille books and magazines, and hardcopy only on demand. This is a big change for my program, but it is my vision based on my knowledge and experience. Four years ago when I came to the National Library Service and articulated that vision for the first time, it was a long way off. I knew it would not be possible to achieve unless several things happened and that I had a role in making those things happen. I needed a change to our governing laws. To get that to happen I needed the support of the Library of Congress upper management to include it in their legislative requests. To get that to happen, I had to sell the value of Braille literacy to a completely uninformed audience. I took every chance that I could to do that, and succeeded. Meanwhile, we had to establish the need from the perspective of the stakeholders. So we worked with Perkins to organize a Braille summit to solicit feedback and ideas on all aspects of Braille. The top recommendation coming out of that summit-as I sort of hoped it would be-was making refreshable Braille devices available to everyone. I also needed to enlist the support of the consumer organizations, because Congress needed to know that this was an important thing to all blind people. Another thing that needed to happen was a new technology. We couldn't even consider the possibility of providing refreshable Braille displays at the current prices. I made my vision known as widely as possible, and perhaps that helped to leverage the resources needed to develop a new technology. That technology is soon to be on the market as a result of the Transforming Braille Group, which is an international effort led by Kevin Carey. It's going to be on the market at affordable prices. Our legislation has changed as of this summer, and now we have the challenge of implementing the program. The vision is clear, and we're closer to reality now. Getting the support of the stakeholders has been critical, and beating the drum with a clear goal helps people to get behind it. Perhaps the hardest lesson I've learned is that I can't do it alone. I have learned that lesson many times over the years, and I keep relearning it. To bring this Braille project along I needed a whole constellation of supporters. I needed the National Federation of the Blind, the American Council of the Blind, the Library of Congress, and the International Transforming Braille Group, the educators, the Braille readers, the Braille technology experts, and everyone else interested in literacy for blind people around the world. I can't do it alone, but I can do my part to make it happen. Leading takes practice and hard work. Like everything else that's worthwhile, the rewards are there, but so are the risks and the responsibilities. I have found as a blind person that a full array of alternative techniques is critical to my success because no one thing or one way is the best way all the time. I have learned to take into account the opinions of others and to value and promote the skills of others to get what I want done. But I think the most important thing that I have learned is that my dreams, my goals, and my aspirations are as important as anyone else's. They are valid, and they are achievable. Your dreams, your visions for a better future are just as valid as anyone else's, too. If we each do our part and we all work together, we can make them all come true. I will end with one of my favorite quotes from Margaret Mead, an anthropologist of some repute. She said, and I echo, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Thank you. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Fredric K. Schroeder] Nurture the Ability, Sustain the Confidence by Fredric K. Schroeder From the Editor: Many presentations that make it into this magazine are crafted for delivery and represent hours of preparation, but one hallmark of a good leader is to think on his feet and to be able to articulate the things he believes in when called on. Combining the head and the heart and sending their messages to others is a talent Fred Schroeder has in abundance, and his ability served all of those attending the meeting of the WBU when the absence of a previously-scheduled speaker due to illness meant the assembly needed significant and moving remarks. Dr. Schroeder was unexpectedly called upon to do this, and here is how his impromptu presentation was introduced by President Arnt Holte: You'll see in the program that our last speaker is Bryan Bashin from Lighthouse for the Blind in San Francisco. Unfortunately Bryan is unable to be with us, so at no notice I've invited someone else to take his place, and that's our incoming president, Fred Schroeder. Fred has also a lifetime of leadership in very different roles, and I'm sure much to share with us. Thank you, Fred, for taking up this spot so willingly-or unwillingly. Fred Schroeder: Good afternoon. It is a real pleasure to be here with you this afternoon. Many of the remarks that you have heard resonate with my own story. I want to begin by saying that, when we look at the challenges facing blind people, it is very easy to catalog the challenges in terms of the mechanics. In other words, difficulty getting access to a good education, difficulty in getting access to employment, even at very entry levels. But those lack of opportunities in many respects are symptomatic of the greater problem that we face, and that is low expectations. Society views us as broken people. They don't harbor ill-will toward us, but they see us as very damaged, as broken people-people who are very limited in the ability to carry out even the most basic day-to-day activities. And so with that as the underlying assumptions, opportunities are limited. I lost most of my vision when I was seven years old, and I went through public school in the United States without any special education support, but more tragically, no blind role models. And all I remember about my childhood as a blind person was being told what I could not do. Since I didn't see well enough to read print, I was excused from all reading, writing, and math in the curriculum. Now, if you think about your education, if you take reading, writing, and math out of the education, there is precious little left. So I had a terrible education, a very incomplete education. However, one thing I did learn: I learned to feel inferior. When I was in tenth grade, I had to take a biology class. Part of that biology class involved a lab experiment: dissecting a frog. The way the exercise was structured is that the class was divided into groups of two. And the dissection was divided up into two parts, and so when the dissection would begin, one student would do the first half of the dissection while the other student recorded what was being discovered, and midway through they would switch roles so that both students got the opportunity to participate in the dissection. Well in my class we were divided into groups of two except there was a group that had three people in it, that was my group. And that meant that I sat behind the other two students while they did the experiment. So I did not learn anything about dissecting a frog. Now you might think, so what? How important is it to dissect a frog? But what I did learn is a feeling of inferiority. I assumed that I could not do what others were able to do, and that I could not do it because of blindness. I lost all of my vision when I was sixteen, and I was very fortunate because I went to an adult rehabilitation center in California, and there I learned the techniques that I would need to be able to function as a blind person. Karen Keninger spoke about these skills, the blindness skills, the ability to read and write Braille, the ability to travel independently using a white cane, the ability to cook and to clean your house and take care of your day-to-day needs. But the most fortunate part was I met other blind people. As many of you know, for all of my adult life I have been actively involved in a consumer organization in the United States, the host organization for this general assembly, the National Federation of the Blind. And it was through the Federation that I began to recognize that the limitations that I thought were because of blindness were socially- constructed limitations. In other words they were limitations that came from low expectations, and I had internalized those low expectations. A friend of mine-well, the day I met him, he was involved in some legislative work, and he wanted me to contact him the next week, so he said, "Let me give you my telephone number, I want you to call me next week." And I said, "I have no way of writing down your telephone number." And he said, "Don't you know how to read Braille?" I had learned Braille, I said yes. He said, "Do you know how to use a slate and stylus?" I said, "Yes, but I don't have one with me." He said, "If you're sighted, you don't need to carry a pen, because there are sighted people everywhere, and somebody will have a pen. But if you're blind, you have to carry a slate and stylus because if you don't, the odds that all the sighted people around you will have slates and styluses are pretty low." So, by the way, to this day I carry a slate and stylus in my bag. What was he doing? What he was doing, in a gentle way, was saying quit acting helpless. Quit assuming that you cannot do things because of blindness. That support system was absolutely critical in shaping my career goals. I wanted to be a teacher of blind children, so I went through my university training and did well. I began to see that what was limiting so many of us was the consequence of stereotypes or misunderstanding about blindness, more so than the functional aspect of blindness. I graduated with my master's degree in 1978-some of you weren't born in 1978. At that time in the US blind children were being educated in integrated schools, not all blind children, but the move was very strong toward integrated education. And many of the school systems were looking for teachers who could teach the academic subjects, but who also could teach orientation and mobility. In other words, a school system might only have three or four blind children, and they didn't want to hire a teacher to teach academics and then hire an orientation and mobility specialist. So many of the students in my graduate program were getting certified to teach orientation and mobility along with their regular teacher certification. Well, I wanted a job, and I thought that would prepare me best for a job. But at that time in the United States the university training programs did not accept blind people to learn to be orientation and mobility instructors. Well, it's a very long story, but the key part that I want to bring up this afternoon is that what allowed me-or gave the confidence, the resolve-to continue on and to earn my degree in orientation and mobility when by and large the profession was very much against me was the faith that other blind people had in me. Blind people believed in me. Blind people encouraged me. They told me that what I was doing was reasonable, that we needed to expand the kinds of jobs that blind people could do, and that sustained me. I was young, I was twenty-one years old; I had an entire profession thinking that I was some sort of troublemaker, that I was being unrealistic, that I would be putting my students in danger. I don't say this to criticize or condemn any of the people who opposed my training. But what allowed me to sustain was the support of other blind people. As we look at leadership, we need to find opportunities to help sustain other blind people, to help encourage other blind people. Sometimes it's through money, but it's not all about resources. It's about encouragement and belief. I went on into special education. I faced discrimination, as do most blind people in trying to find employment. At the time I applied for teaching jobs, there was a huge nationwide shortage of qualified teachers of blind children. School districts would come to the university and try to recruit people before they had graduated so that they would have contracts and be committed to going to work at that particular school system upon graduation. Every single student-they were sighted-every student in my program had multiple job offers. I had no job offers. I applied for over thirty teaching jobs and received not a single job offer. Not because I wasn't qualified, but simply because of low expectations. My career began with a blind person who ran an agency for the blind, a long-term leader in our National Federation of the Blind, and he hired me. Well subsequent to that, I've had other jobs. But when I moved to Washington in 1994, I moved to work for President Bill Clinton. My job was to head up an agency called the Rehabilitation Services Administration, the agency that provides the bulk of the funding for employment training for adults with disabilities, not just blind people, but adults with disabilities throughout the country. While I was there we were in the process of trying to recruit someone for a job, and there was a blind woman who came to my attention. She had a law degree, had done very well in law school, but, like so many other blind people, when she finished law school, she could not find a job. At the time that I was recruiting for this position, she had been out of work at least six or eight years, maybe ten years since graduating from law school. So was she the most qualified candidate? No. There were other candidates who were applying who had very long resum?s, lots of work experience, work experience directly related to the function of the job. But I hired her anyway. Now did I do that because I felt sorry for her? No. She had the skill, she had shown that she could compete and do the kind of work that I needed to have her do; it was analytical work, and she had a law degree with very good grades. Part of expanding leadership is helping others-other blind people-take that step into employment. Since the time I left the government, this young woman has been promoted twice. The federal government has a system that goes from what they call GS1 to GS15, with fifteen being the highest. She is now at the GS15 level, and one of the most respected, competent people in that agency. She had the ability, but she did not have the opportunity. We have to help one another gain access to jobs that will develop blind people's leadership potential. So in closing, I would say again: if blind people are willing to go into leadership positions, you have to be prepared, you need those good blindness skills that Karen spoke about. You need to have the right kind of preparation, training in whatever skill area, or if it's academic qualifications, you need to have those credentials. But also you need to have in your own mind, heart, and spirit the belief that you are just as worthy and just as capable as anyone else. And what sustains that, what nourishes that, is the support of other blind people. This is something each of us in this room can do, whether we have resources or no resources; we can find and encourage blind people, help support them, to unlock not only their own potential, but by so doing to expand opportunities for blind people everywhere. That is a quick summary of my story, and of course there are so many pieces that are left out-and I don't really mean to end on a negative note, but I will tell you this: when I was working for President Clinton, this was a position appointed by the president, and it required confirmation by the Senate of the United States. I was on an airplane one time, and I was talking to a stranger in the seat next to me, and he asked, "What do you do?" I said, "Well, I run a federal agency." He was absolutely astounded. He said, "What does the agency do?" I said, "We provide funds for job training for people with disabilities." He said, "Oh, I understand." He didn't say it, but I'm sure what went through his mind is, "Oh, not a real job, a disabled job, oh I see how a blind person could do that, yes." We get marginalized. I don't say that with bitterness or with anger, but I think it is a reality, and it is a big part of our challenge around the world: To help nurture the ability in blind people; to sustain their confidence and encourage them; and, to the degree that we control hiring opportunities, to actively look for blind people-not as tokens, not just putting some unqualified person in just to have filled the slot with a blind person, but looking for people who may not have the long resum? because of the discrimination they have faced, but they have the skills, and they have the drive, and they have the ability. Thank you, Madame Chair. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Ron McCallum] Leadership: Perspectives from Ron McCallum by Ron McCallum From the Editor: There is no better way to introduce this speaker to an American audience than his Wikipedia entry: "Ronald Clive 'Ron' McCallum AO [Order of Australia] is an Australian legal academic. He is an expert in labor law and has served as a professor and dean of law at the University of Sydney. He is the first totally blind person to be appointed to a full professorship in any subject at any university in Australia or New Zealand, as well as the first to become a Dean of Law in these countries. He chairs the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Geneva." He spoke on Monday afternoon on the topic of leadership. Here is what he had to say: Well, I know Charles is here, so hello, Charles. Hello, everyone. Hello to those listening on ACB Radio, and I'll let you in on a little secret: some of the delegates are listening to this on their iPhones as they sit by the pool [laughter]. Can I say, guys, stop splashing and concentrate. I'm a little diffident about speaking about myself, but I have to say a few introductory words; then I'll say something about leadership in two forms, being dean of a law school, and chairing a United Nations committee, both taking different skills. Then I want to conclude by asking why are there not more blind people as leaders, and why not more blind women? I was born a long time ago, I think I'm perhaps the third-oldest person here, perhaps not as old as Lord Low or Euclid, but getting there. I was born in 1948 in Melbourne, Australia. I'm a retrolental fibroplasia child, that is, too much oxygen destroyed my vision. I went to blind schools and to an ordinary high school, and then I studied law both in Australia and in Canada as a post-graduate student, where I got great help from the CNIB-I have a great soft spot for the CNIB. It was the first time I'd come across a truly national blind organization. I ended up being an academic in Australia. My specialty was and still is labor relations law. In 1993 I found, to my great surprise, that I happened to be the first totally blind person at any Australian or New Zealand university to be appointed to a full professorship in law [applause]-oh no, don't please. From 2002 until 2007 I was dean of the University of Sydney Law School, one of the two oldest law schools in the country, more than 150 years old. Then in 2009 I became an inaugural member of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which monitors the CRPD [Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities], and my friends are still there. I finished my mandate in December 2014. I chaired the committee from February 2010 to April 2013, when my successor-who we've just heard from, Maria Soledad Cisternas, took over. I also had the honor between 2011 and 2012 of chairing all of the meetings of the nine chairs of the nine human rights committees of the entire United Nations, and that was perhaps the highest and most complex thing I've ever done at a time of treaty body reform. Being a dean of a law school is rather different from being a chair of a UN committee, and therefore I want to look at them separately and look at some of the techniques I used. The first thing is, if you're going to be dean of an academic institution-or any institution, for that matter-you need to be able to do the jobs that you're asking people to do. No point in being a leader and saying, well I can't do this, I can't do that. You can't do everything. But I had been a relatively successful labor relations lawyer; I'd also practiced law as a special counsel in the law firm of Ashurst, which goes around the world now. So I was able to do the jobs of teaching, researching, and practice that I wanted my staff to do when teaching young women and men to be lawyers. Second important thing is-I know it's a phrase often used-deep listening. Every leader needs to be able to listen to every person on their staff. How do I work out what people are made of if I can't see their faces? Well I think we blind people are pretty good at that. I follow one of my great heroes, Jacques Lusseyran, who died in 1971. He was a blind leader in the French Resistance who vetted people by using the techniques I have tried to learn: by their voices, by their breathing, what they say, and what they don't say. And I've found it very easy to get a rapport with people. My labor relations training taught me the value of conciliation and putting myself in the shoes of the other person. The second great assistance was technology. Email made my life so much easier. If I had been dean of a law school in the 1980s when there was no email, I would have been confronted by bombastic, handwritten notes from my staff! I would have had to find someone to read them. But now, for good or for ill, they emailed, and I could read them instantly. I had so many folders I could find the latest email from any of the hundred staff in less than a minute. I learned when it was important to email and when it was important not to. I had one staff member who was concerned about an issue of leave. So I said, "Instead of having email trench warfare, perhaps we could meet?" "Well, Ron," he said, "I like to copy people so they'll know how unreasonable you are." I said, "Well, why don't we meet, and after the meeting you can write to your friends, copy me, and confirm my unreasonableness." We settled it (talking) within sixty seconds. All organizations these days, for good or for ill-I think some ways for ill-run on finances, and the law school is no different. My budget was quite small; I think it was only about 17 million, part of a university budget. I worked very hard with Excel spreadsheets in learning the finances. Sometimes I would bring in the head of finance with a-what do you call it, a text tape recorder? Not a tape recorder, you know what I mean, a text recorder-and I would go through some of the key financial systems. I had arguments with the university central people about making finance websites accessible. One of the problems I still find when I talk to people about making websites accessible is they say, "Oh, yes, yes yes yes-I have no idea what it means," have you ever struck that? But I kept the law school in the black for five of my five years and got commendations from the president of the university, not an easy thing to do. I think it took up more of my time, but it taught me the value of financial literacy, and I think so many of we blind going into leader positions ought to think about learning financial literacy. I had my ups and downs. My wife, who is here today, Professor Mary Crock-who has vision-she and I had been married then for twenty years, and she was a member of the staff. On occasions in academic trench warfare some of my colleagues would sort of tip a bucket over her, knowing I couldn't get at them for that, and that made life a bit complicated. But nevertheless we both stood firm and got through it. It was a great advantage having Mary in the building, even though I think my time as five years of deanship made her "the invisible person." Now I'm a professor emeritus, which means a has-been. I'm not about, and Mary is the only fulltime professor in the family, as she will tell you. It was a relatively successful time: I began building the new law building which now stands wonderfully, finished by my successor; I achieved the only law school exchange-staff and students-with the Harvard Law School of any Australian university law school; we won three Rhodes Scholarships, which has never been done before or since; and we won the world championship of mooting in 2007 in the Jessup Moot [court competition]. I was very honored to play that role. Chairing a United Nations committee takes different skills. There are, on the committee, eighteen persons from all around the world who are all elected. I couldn't fire them! And they had just as much right as I had; we were equals. I never applied to be chair-for that matter I never applied to be dean; the president asked me; I wasn't that interested at the time. I never applied to be chair, and at the second meeting, where there was discussion and no one could agree, a group of my colleagues came to me and said, "Look, we think you're the only person we could agree upon." Why? I've never been employed by a disability agency. I've always worked in the public and in the private sectors. I'm not in the disability industry per se; I was not seeking to enhance my career by being chair. It wasn't going to affect my career one way or the other. What I brought was being a lawyer; I saw my job as getting the business done and following the rules. That's what I did for three years. Because we were all equals and I had no more power than anyone else, you really needed to be deep listening and to recognize that people have different backgrounds and different thoughts. The notion of conflict of interests, which is taken very strictly by Anglo-Saxons, has a totally different meaning in Africa, Latin America, and in the Middle East. I don't know that my view of conflict of interest is any better or any worse than the other views. But my job was to coalesce them together. When chairing the nine human rights treaty-body chair meetings, that was the first time some of these senior people had run into a senior disabled person, and that was quite extraordinary because we were doing, if you like, reform of the treaty-body system. Well, why aren't there more blind leaders? Well I think the first point to note is that our level of employment is not high-certainly in Australia and Canada, the two countries I'm familiar with. We need to increase education levels, and we need to increase employment, and we need to increase the confidence of we blind people, and we need to have more role models out there to show how it can be done. My role models were Rupert Cross, a blind person who taught law at Oxford in the 50s and 60s. I'm a bit diffident in saying this, but after teaching labor law for forty- four years, there are now three blind persons at three different universities who are university lecturers in labor law. I wish they'd go to property law or criminal law; it's my field! [laughter, applause] But nevertheless it shows the value of role models. Finally, I think we need to establish courses to help blind people with leadership, to help them with deep listening, and to train them with financial literacy. I'm often told: blind people aren't financially literate. I say, "Well we could train them." It's been a great honor for me to speak here today, particularly next to my close friend Maryanne Diamond, who I went to school with. Can I say that, as a teenager, she was just as feisty as she is today. Bless you all, thank you. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Gary Wunder] Digital Accessibility: Changes for the Good, and Challenges for the Present and Future by Gary Wunder Introduction by Immediate Past President Maurer: I wanted to offer comment about this article because I was present when these remarks were delivered, and I thought they were worth hearing. Gary Wunder made a presentation to the World Blind Union General Assembly in August of 2016 which I felt showed a great deal of thought. The World Blind Union has had a technology committee for many years, and the organization considers technology in its meetings occasionally. However the program of the organization is not as robust as it might be. The suggestions in the address by Gary Wunder are worth consideration. Members of the National Federation of the Blind know Gary Wunder as the editor of the Braille Monitor. However, he also has other roles. He is trained in computer technology. He served as a developer of computer programming for a university hospital in Missouri. He has been the chairperson of the web developers group within the National Federation of the Blind. He has been president of the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri for decades. He has been a member of the board of directors of the National Federation of the Blind. He has served as a trusted advisor to the President of the National Federation of the Blind with regard to technology and internal political matters. He has both courage and generosity. With all of this, he is a gentle man and a gentleman. At the World Blind Union General Assembly the panel discussion regarding technology included Gary Wunder's presentation. The digital divide is at least as great for the blind of the world as it is for anybody else and perhaps greater. The speed at which technology is being created that requires vision is increasing. The danger is evident. What the future will bring is yet to be known. How can the problem be addressed? Gary Wunder offers a notable answer. I hope that the World Blind Union takes action in the direction he suggests. Here is what he said: In my lifetime I have known the deprivation one feels when information is presented on white paper that is blank to the touch; the joy of knowing there is a way for me to read using my fingers; the discouragement in learning that the further along I got in school, the less likely it would be that my teachers could read my Braille; the exhilaration when realizing that more and more of the world's information was being born digitally or could easily be converted to this format; and the absolute exasperation when learning that this digital information could be created in such a way that it would be every bit as inaccessible as the white paper that so frustratingly kept its secrets. Digitization makes it easier not only to read but to write. Now a first draft written on a computer is revised and refined; material is inserted, deleted, or moved, a process far easier than when, in my school days, writing a second draft or a final paper meant completely retyping it and hoping not to introduce new mistakes. Digitization would mean that less Braille had to be transcribed by hand. Others were using digital means to create and distribute their work. Getting and reading this digitally born material should bring about uncharted opportunities for information. Add to this the increasing affordability and accuracy of technology that could take print from the page and make it digital, and for a time I thought that one of the major problems of blindness had been solved. Soon our organizations could turn their full attention to other things, the written word having been made universally available to all. Well the bright future that would change our organizational priorities hasn't quite come to pass. Computers have become more powerful, but the text-based systems that initially were used to operate these marvels have given way to easier-to-use visual techniques. It is easier for a sighted person to find and point at a picture than it is for her to remember the name of a command. Navigating a screen where choices are listed is easier than remembering all of the parameters to make the program do what one wants. Pictures are a part of the real world for the sighted, so it should be no surprise that pictures have come to be a vital part of the virtual world one sees while at his computer screen. Now the problem isn't pictures on computer screens or pointing and clicking to make things happen. These are good things that make the computer a friendlier device for the vast majority of the population. The problem is that pictures or icons too often replace words, and the mouse too often replaces keyboard alternatives. Blind people are excluded when only visual alternatives are considered in the design of technology. In some of this technology, the keyboard is useless in making a program work, and some programs are so visual that current screen-reading technology can't tell that buttons, checkboxes, combo boxes, and other controls even appear on the screen. Like the physical world, equality in the digital world requires that blind people express our needs, participate in figuring out how to meet them, and become sufficiently active and politically sophisticated enough to have them addressed. In the National Federation of the Blind this has meant being active on four fronts: evaluating existing technology and participating in research and development to make it better; supporting and leaning on the assistive technology companies; prodding, pressuring, and eventually working with mainstream technology developers to include accessibility in their products; and asking government to help with regulations to clarify that the law of the land demands access to the digital world in the same way it does the physical one. Each of these tasks is incredibly difficult, but we are making progress. Providing meaningful comments about how to get the access we need requires people who understand how computers and screen readers work. Assistive technology developers are reluctant to share how they get the information they use or how they plan to get it in the future. Too often they cling to techniques that have worked in the past but which are now being made obsolete by the requirements of companies for greater security and stability. Mainstream companies too often see us as a minor and even an insignificant part of their customer base. They tend to see accessibility as a nice thing to do, but not if it gets in the way of a new or improved product that contains a feature they believe will make them outshine their competitors. Eventually we turn to government, the entity that should represent us, not just because we are full-fledged citizens but because not having access leads to idleness, unemployment, and a greater burden on taxpayers. But government is reluctant to act; it fears that looking out for the blind may stifle innovation, fears being regarded as less friendly to business, and shrinks at the charge that it wishes to create new regulations, the very words being linked in much of the public's mind with an overly intrusive regime. Four challenges-four big challenges-but we accept and embrace them because to do otherwise would be to accept defeat, to abandon our journey toward first-class citizenship, and to forsake our dream of participating in society on equal terms with the sighted. So, how are we doing? You can see for yourselves that we have in this gathering from around the world knowledgeable people who understand the complexity of the computers we need to access, and they are offering input and help to the developers of assistive technology and working actively with mainstream providers so that many of the devices coming to market today that involve reading and writing are accessible out of the box. Is the change as fast as we would like it to be? No. Do companies sometimes release things that are inaccessible? Yes they do. But our progress is measurable, our opportunities are increasing, and more and more we are coming to be seen as worthwhile partners who, in meeting our needs, help mainstream businesses build products that more fully meet the needs of the diverse populations they wish to serve. Thus far I've been talking about technology used in reading and writing, but other digital technology is found all around us, and some of it, if not made accessible, will truly be handicapping. Let's start in the home. Today's equipment for cooking and cleaning is becoming ever more digital. One seldom finds a stove or oven with rotatable knobs that can easily be labeled. Instead we find buttons that must be seen to be pressed, menus that must be seen to be navigated, and no means of nonvisual output that can be used to determine the temperature of our oven or the remaining time on its timer. The washing machine poses the same problem. How do we specify the size of the load; whether we want hot, warm, or cold water; whether the load is delicate or requires intense washing? The options are there, but all require vision. Many do not have feelable buttons that can be memorized and pressed with confidence that one won't ruin the clothes in the machine. Unlike communication, there are no laws in our country pushing industry to build accessible home appliances. Without laws we are hard- pressed to exert the same pressure that has worked with some success in the information industry. There is, of course, a solid moral argument to be made, but how does one convince a company that morality deserves a place on a statement in which the bottom line is a number representing the percentage of profit and loss? Unless we make headway on accessible home appliances, we face the very real prospect that a fully capable auto mechanic, teacher, lawyer, or physicist may not be able to function independently when wishing to live alone and maintain a home. We don't intend to let this happen, but the prospect is more than a doomsday thesis around which some novel is based. One additional challenge faces us as we seek to avoid drowning in the digital divide. Tremendous advances are being made in medical equipment. Conditions which would once have required a prolonged hospital stay can now be treated at home given equipment for monitoring and treatment. The equipment communicates using a digital display but makes no provision for nonvisual access. Sometimes input is through a touchscreen, sometimes through buttons one cannot easily feel, and sometimes using buttons which are activated not by a press but by a simple touch. Even when buttons are detectable, too often there is no confirmation that one has been pushed or that a longer-than-intended push has resulted in the machine concluding two or more presses were intended. All of this screams of danger and discrimination. It threatens our ability to take care of ourselves, our children, our parents, and others who could benefit from our competent care and compassion. What I intend to impart today is not a bleak picture for our future but the challenges we must meet to have the future we want. As long as we can articulate our needs, marshal the resources to meet them, and bend the laws of our nations so that they acknowledge our right to live independently, these things we now see as problems will appear in the history books as accomplishments, not stumbling blocks. They will not be what stopped us but what pushed us, both to solutions that solve today's problems and that provide foundational answers for the challenges of tomorrow. We must win because there is just too much at stake to lose. Working together, we will have access that is affordable and efficient, and we will take our place as productive members of our societies. This is the promise we make to ourselves, and we always keep our promises, not only for the blind of today but the blind of tomorrow. Let us do this together! ---------- Statement of the National Federation of the Blind Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled Fifty-Sixth Series of Meetings of the WIPO Assemblies October 5, 2016 by Mark Riccobono >From the Editor: One priority of the World Blind Union is ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty. We worked hard to see that it was drafted and adopted by the World Intellectual Property Organization and to see that it was sent to the Senate of the United States by the Obama Administration. In further support of its ratification, President Riccobono delivered these remarks, which applauds and acknowledges the accomplishment of the world body, concedes that our nation must ratify the treaty, and encourages all nations to work vigilantly for ratification. Here are his remarks: Today we come together to celebrate a historic milestone in the struggle for equal rights and equal access to the world's knowledge by blind people. We also come together to recommit ourselves to all of the actions necessary to fulfill the human rights objectives that are at the core of the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons who are Blind, Visually Impaired, or otherwise Print Disabled. On behalf of the members of the National Federation of the Blind-the oldest and largest national organization of the blind in the United States of America-I would like to thank and congratulate the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and each of its partners for the years of hard work to establish this treaty and now bring it into force. The Marrakesh Treaty has been and will continue to be an urgent priority for the National Federation of the Blind. Although the United States has a well-developed network of authorized entities providing access to published works through a variety of service models, even our access to the world's knowledge is severely limited. By the best estimates, the blind of the United States have access to less than 10 percent of published works. This is not equality. We recognize the tremendous opportunities that will come to blind people when they have equal access to all of the world's knowledge, and we are firmly committed to pursuing the promise of the Marrakesh Treaty until it is reality for all blind people. For us to realize that promise, we need all countries to ratify the treaty as soon as possible. I regret that our own country, the United States, has not yet completed the ratification process. In this forum I challenge the United States Senate to make swift ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty a top priority as a demonstration of support for equal rights for the blind of our nation. I also encourage the leaders of other countries to make this treaty a priority before the end of the year. In addition, all stakeholders will need to commit to cooperation, innovation, and communication to effectively accomplish global implementation of the treaty. The National Federation of the Blind is committed to carrying its share of the work, and we urge our global partners to do the same. With the Marrakesh Treaty we have unlocked the door to the world's knowledge, and today we open that door for those countries that have ratified the treaty. It is now time for us to build the pathway to that door and ensure that all of the world's print disabled are on that path. Access to the world's knowledge is a fundamental human right, and we thank all those who have helped in the development of the Marrakesh Treaty and those actively working for its implementation around the world. ---------- Invest in Opportunity The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back. A donation to the National Federation of the Blind allows you to invest in a movement that removes the fear from blindness. Your investment is your vote of confidence in the value and capacity of blind people and reflects the high expectations we have for all blind Americans, combating the low expectations that create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. In 2015 the NFB: . Gave away over four thousand long white canes to blind people across the country, empowering them to travel safely and independently throughout their communities. . Produced hands-on educational programming for hundreds of blind children, allowing them to access the essential building blocks for their future. . Provided one hundred thousand dollars in scholarships to blind students, making a post-secondary education affordable and attainable. . Delivered free audio newspaper and magazine services to more than one hundred thousand subscribers, providing access to the essential information necessary to be actively involved in their communities. Just imagine what we'll do next year, and, with your help, what can be accomplished for years to come. Below are just a few of the many diverse, tax-deductible ways you can lend your support to the National Federation of the Blind. Vehicle Donation Program The NFB now accepts donated vehicles, including cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, or recreational vehicles. Just call (855) 659-9314 toll-free, and a representative can make arrangements to pick up your donation-it doesn't have to be working. We can also answer any questions you have. General Donation General donations help support the ongoing programs of the NFB and the work to help blind people live the lives they want. Donate online with a credit card or through the mail with check or money order. Visit for more information. Bequests Even if you can't afford a gift right now, including the National Federation of the Blind in your will enables you to contribute by expressing your commitment to the organization and promises support for future generations of blind people across the country. Visit or call (410) 659-9314, extension 2422, for more information. Pre-Authorized Contribution Through the Pre-Authorized Contribution (PAC) program, supporters sustain the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind by making recurring monthly donations by direct withdraw of funds from a checking account or a charge to a credit card. To enroll, visit , and complete the Pre-Authorized Contribution form, and return it to the address listed on the form. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Mark Jones] Newer and Flashier is Not Always Better by Mark Jones From the Editor: Mark Jones began working in radio in 1972, the same year he joined the Federation. When he began that first job, he was told that he could do airwork for remote broadcasts if he could sell the airtime. Since he couldn't drive, he paid the thirteen-year-old kid across the street to ride with him on a tandem bike to sell advertising. After working at a few smaller stations, he wanted to move into bigger markets but ran into difficulties. He would send out tapes of his airwork, but when the stations found out he was blind, he was turned down for the jobs. So Mark Jones decided to create his own radio station. Today he owns WVBG AM and FM in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Mark is no stranger to challenges created by others because of his blindness and the tools and technology that help him surmount those challenges. He found in conversation with other Federationists some attitudes toward technology that made him reconsider exactly which tools he chooses to use daily, and why having the spiffiest new technogizmo might not always be the best choice. Here's what he has to say: Three years ago I was at the national convention, and a lady was talking to me about people getting in touch with her. She said she had an iPhone, she was trying to use it, but she was having a lot of trouble. She remarked that she really loved her old flip phone because it was so much easier for her to use. I started thinking about that, and I started thinking about the things I do in my line of work every day. Some of you may know that I'm in the radio business and own three stations in Vicksburg, Mississippi. I do a variety of things in my job. Every weekday I'm out making sales calls. I have a driver to get me to the stores and businesses I call on. When I go into these businesses I can do many things that help me get the correct advertising information for my clients. I can write faster than any sighted person. In seconds I can look back and quickly read a commercial I wrote for that client possibly four years previously. When I'm walking into the store, if I've forgotten the name of the person I'm going to see because I haven't been there in a while and because I'm getting old, I can look the name up in seconds. I can bring back the commercial I've written in Braille to the radio station and record it onto our computer that schedules the commercials. Our station does a major promotion each December called The Christmas Caroling Contest, where choirs, groups, and individuals sing, and we give away $10,000 in prize money. I work with music teachers throughout the area, put the shows together, and act as the master of ceremonies. I also work on the air as a regular old disc jockey on occasion. I also work with our bookkeeper to keep our deposits from advertising straight and our bills paid. I'm not telling you this to toot my horn, but simply as something instructive. How do I do all of this? With Braille. And what Braille device do I use most often by far? An old Braille Lite 40. I will never forget buying it. It was at the national convention in New Orleans, and the late Dr. Tim Cranmer told me that I would never regret buying it, and he was right. Of course, I use other technology: a Windows PC at the radio station with a dedicated program on it, a BrailleNote for email and GPS wayfinding. But the old simple Braille Lite is so much quicker, so much easier to use, that I've found nothing beats it for productivity, and for what I do, there's nothing more important than productivity. NFB state president, Gary Wunder, remarked recently to me in an email that many young people like to use the same devices as their sighted peers so they don't look blind. I have two comments about that: first, I normally don't concern myself with someone thinking I look blind. Although some people treat me differently from how they would a sighted person, most of the people I run into every day treat me just like I think they would treat a sighted person. If you are in sales, it's always good to be able to talk to people about what they're interested in. So I talk to them about their businesses, about SEC football, about their friends and families. If they ask me about using my Braille Lite because they're curious about how it works, I explain to them that the original device was really the first PDA on the market called a Braille 'n Speak, and blind people had that before sighted people did. I wish we were ahead of the curve on other technology. My second comment is that doing things to not look blind can get you in trouble. I will never forget the Monitor article Gary Wunder wrote about trying to go out without using a cane. That Monitor article vividly showed how sometimes not using blindness tools can get us into very awkward situations. Earlier I mentioned working with my bookkeeper. I keep a ledger of all my checks. I have them all going back for the last twenty-three years, written in hardcopy Braille on a Perkins Brailler, which I also use every day to make my list of places to go and people to see for the next day. I do this in hard copy so I can easily look at what I need to do on paper without having to keep turning on my Braille Lite. This saves time. These days, companies seem to want to add more and more technology to everything. Do sighted people like it? Not always. I was at a car dealership recently, and we got into the discussion about the touchscreens on the dashboards of cars. The lady told me that her daughter hated that touchscreen system because she wanted to be able to use her radio like she always had in the past, and this new high-tech dashboard made it much harder. Many other sighted people have told me they would much rather use a washer or dryer with the old, simple controls, not one that confronts you with so many options and such a steep learning curve that you need a college course on how to operate it. For the blind person, training is a big issue. I come into contact with numerous vendors in the exhibit hall at national conventions. Their devices will do all sorts of things, I believe the majority of which will never be used by most who buy the products. But there are some products that seem to do a great job because they just do a thing or two and do it well. One example is the i.d. mate that reads barcodes, and talking thermostats and Braille watches are useful devices as well. In summation, I would like to see products every now and then that are made for the blind person with the productivity of the blind person in mind. I would also like to see more training so that we don't have to be a technical wizard or have to spend several forty-hour weeks struggling with a new device that was really designed for a sighted person. I think those who like iPhones-and yes I have one too-are correct in admiring a company that has a little bit of concern for accessibility. But I think that if we seriously looked at the few companies that make things with the express purpose of productivity for the blind person, we would be well served. Also, it's good to have choices. I have a friend in California who loves HIMS products. He has a Braille Sense. I have been reasonably satisfied with HumanWare's products. I just bought a new BrailleNote Touch, and I'm learning to use it (actually writing on it at this minute composing this article.) But do I wish to learn touch Braille on a touchscreen? Absolutely not. I've been using a Braille keyboard since I was six years old and don't plan to stop now. I love knobs and buttons, and I bet that many of you do, too. I would like to know the thoughts of our members on this subject. I think it would be interesting to know what blind people believe to be the most productive tools in their lives. Hopefully they're still available. Some that I use are not. So hopefully something similar will soon be on the horizon. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Ray Kurzweil] How Exponential Technologies Will Impact Disabilities by Ray Kurzweil From the Editor: Sometimes the struggle the blind have in dealing with technological evolution can be maddening. Often we know that something better is to come: devices that are more intuitive, easier to use, and cost less. But at times that message is dwarfed by the need to live in the here and now, to figure out how to do assignments today, how to find and buy household equipment we can use. So it is that each year a man who can see a bit further than we can tells us about the promises that wait just around the corner and reminds us how important our role is in seeing that we can use it. Ray Kurzweil is currently the vice president of development at Google, and his long list of accomplishments, including the development of the KNFB Reader, is well known to Federationists. Here is what he said to the 2016 National Convention: I don't think I've had a musical introduction before. It's an honor to be back with all of you: with President Riccobono, Jim Gashel, Mrs. Jernigan, and all of my other friends here. How many of you came to your first National Federation of the Blind convention in 1975 or earlier, raise your hand. Well, I see a few hands here at the front table. But this is my forty-second convention, and it continues to be a highlight of my year. I want to share a few reflections with you. I just came from an onstage dialog with Mitt Romney-we tried to avoid talking about politics, but that was hard to do in that case, and I'll try again to avoid politics- but there's one point I made which I think is relevant to this gathering. If we look at the intensity of the current presidential election, there seems to be a sentiment on the right and on the left that things are getting worse in the world. I've noticed this for a while. I travel around the world, talk to people, and people think the world is getting worse, which is not the case. Now there's still a lot of problems and a lot of suffering, but by every measure the world is getting much better. The problem is that our information about what's wrong with the world is getting exponentially better. A century ago there could be a battle that wiped out the next village, and you'd never hear about it. Now an incident halfway around the world-we not only hear about it, we viscerally experience it. That's actually a good thing because it motivates us to fix the problems in the world, but it gives people the wrong impression. The way they try to figure out if the world is getting better or worse is how often do they hear about some outrage, and how often do they hear about things getting better. It's actually part of our evolutionary heritage that we're very attuned to problems, because, if you were aware of potential problems, that was good for survival. We don't really take notice of things that are getting better, but I'll mention just a few of the things that are getting better, and then I'll come to my experience with the National Federation of the Blind, where things are definitely getting better. Steven Pinker in his book The Better Angels of Our Nature documents an exponential decline in violence. I point out to people that this is the least violent period in human history, and people say, "What are you, crazy? Don't you pay attention to the news? There were just violent incidents yesterday and the day before that and so forth." Well your chance of actually being killed in either interpersonal violence or state-sponsored violence is hundreds of times less than it was a few centuries ago when there was extreme scarcity of resources and disputes were settled violently. This is the most prosperous time in human history. The World Bank reported that poverty in Asia has been cut by 90 percent over the last fifteen years, and all societies, including Africa and South America, are making substantial economic gains. This is by far the most informative period. I remember that I saved up for years from my paper route as a teenager to buy an Encyclopedia Britannica for $1,000, which was a lot of money to a teenager in the early 1960s. Today you get a far better encyclopedia for free, and this is one of the literally millions of resources we have at our fingertips that really don't cost us anything. Economic statistics factor out the progress we're making. A kid in Africa who pays $30 for her smart phone: that counts as $30 of economic activity, despite the fact that it's a trillion dollars of computation, communication, and information technology circa 1968. We're actually doubling the value of information technology every year for the same price, but that's factored out of the economic statistics. Together with these exponential gains in technology, we're also seeing gradual progress in human understanding, freedom, liberty, equality, recognition of equal rights. My family's been very involved in these movements. It goes back to the nineteenth century. My mother's mother's mother started the first school in Europe that provided higher education for girls. This was the Stern Schule in 1868 in Vienna. If you were lucky enough as a girl to get an education at all in 1868 Europe, it went through ninth grade; this went through fourteenth grade, from kindergarten all through high school and the first two years of college. She went around Europe lecturing on the importance of girls' education, and that was very controversial. People did not understand: "What's the point of educating a girl?" That was a difficult question to answer, but she answered it, and then her daughter became the first woman in Europe to get a PhD in chemistry and went around Europe lecturing on chemistry and on girls' education and took over the school. Between the two of them they ran it for seventy years and then fled Hitler in 1938. I came along in 1948 and in the 1950s went with my mother to civil rights marches in Washington and the South. I was actually at several events-marches-lead by Dr. Martin Luther King, and I felt fortunate that I could live in a period with such a great leader and to actually directly experience such inspiring oratory. I felt the same way in 1975 coming to my first National Federation of the Blind convention to hear the equally inspiring oratory of Dr. Kenneth Jernigan [applause]. I really felt the same way-that I was fortunate to be able to experience the inspirational leadership of these two great leaders. That brings me to this theme of the world getting better, but not reaching perfection. I just heard Amy's [Buresh] inspiring story. I remember when I came to the NFB in 1975 that people were warning me, "Are you sure you want to get involved with this organization? They're really quite a radical organization." I thought to myself, gee, that's a good thing. I'd gone to lots of other organizations with my technology for reading for the blind, and they all were very friendly and wished me well. It was actually Dr. Jernigan and the NFB that provided the resources- including eight blind scientists and engineers that worked very closely with us under the leadership of Mike Hingson, and we would not have succeeded without the National Federation of the Blind [applause]. Things are certainly far better for blind people. Blind people are now reaching the top levels of success in every field; that was really much more limited when I became involved with this organization in 1975. Tremendous progress has been made in the human realm of equal rights and tolerance and equality, but, like everything else, we haven't reached perfection. You can see from Amy's litany-I'm sure we'll hear from Mr. Riccobono's inspiring talk tonight-that there's still a lot of progress to be made, still a lot of intolerance and lack of understanding. But the world has come a long way in terms of understanding the ability of all people to contribute. Remember that we have the exponential gains of technology. Very briefly, the first reading machine cost $50,000, but we brought it down quickly to $20,000. Now we have a reading machine for $20, and it's far better than the one back then for $20,000. That comes from the exponential gains of information technology. We basically double price performance every year in every type of information technology. We put some of that improved price performance into price, so prices come down by a factor of one thousand in this field for example, while at the same time performance goes up. People say, "Okay, well that's true of that sort of strange area of the economy having to do with devices and electronics and information, but you can't eat information technology, you can't build a house with information technology." All of that's going to change as well. We're applying information technology to medicine, understanding the information processes underlying biology, so we'll have great advances in our health. This is actually now starting to influence clinical practice. We're going to see a great revolution in improving our health over the next decade. We're developing three-dimensional printing, so we're going to be able to print out the things we need, including food and clothing. In fact, the first house to be snapped together in a couple of days was recently put together in Asia with little modules snapped together like LEGO bricks printed out by a 3-D printer. That was an experiment, but that's the kind of thing we're going to see in the 2020s. This revolution of price performance is going to transform everything we care about. But we still need human understanding, first of all to apply these advances so they really benefit people. The Kurzweil Reading Machine would not have really succeeded if we hadn't worked very closely-not just getting general advice but working intimately with the blind engineers and scientists of the National Federation of the Blind, and that's continued to be a collaboration of forty-two years, which is really the aspect of my career that I'm most proud of [applause]. We're going to have some fantastic capabilities emerging over the decades ahead. We'll be able to transmit information directly from our brains and into our brains. How should we apply that to people who are visually impaired? It's a very good thing that we have the National Federation of the Blind to guide us in that endeavor. So this has been the first forty-two years of my relationship; I look forward to the next forty-two years, and we'll continue with our exponential progress both in technology and in human understanding. Thank you very much. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Kevin Lynch] National Industries for the Blind: Continuing to Raise Expectations and Create Opportunities by Kevin Lynch From the Editor: I can do no better job in introducing this article than did President Riccobono in his remarks welcoming Kevin Lynch to the stage at the 2016 National Convention on July 3, 2016. Here is what the President said: "Our next program item and last program item for the afternoon is National Industries for the Blind: Continuing to Raise Expectations and Create Opportunities. You heard in the Presidential Report that we have been actively engaging with National Industries for the Blind. We have been having a very honest dialog about the past and also the future, and I think that we have come to find that National Industries for the Blind is sincerely interested in addressing our concerns and raising expectations as evidenced partly by the fact that they have almost completely eliminated the use of 14(c) in all of the NIB-associated shops across the country [applause]. They have instituted other organizational policies that make it clear they have a real dedication to this. They're also trying to navigate other concerns that we brought to them, and in some ways they're fixing problems before we know about them, which is a good sign of leadership. One of the reasons is their president and CEO, Kevin Lynch. We've been engaging with Kevin over the last couple years, and I have found, and I think you will find, that Kevin is sincerely working to find ways to link arms, not just symbolically with the National Federation of the Blind, but at a very deep level wants to be partnered with the National Federation of the Blind because he knows it is the right place to be. Here is the president and CEO of National Industries for the Blind, Kevin Lynch:" Good afternoon, everyone. Mark, thank you so much for the introduction and also for inviting me to be here today. I have to say, though, it's a little bit of a challenge coming after Dr. Maurer and Kathy Martinez, both of whom I respect greatly for their knowledge and also the influence they have provided to me over the years. I'd also like to recognize a few other people who have been helpful that are in the audience: Dr. Schroeder, as well as Don Morris and Jim Omvig. I'm very grateful for those individuals and the friendship and the wisdom they have provided. For those of you who aren't familiar with National Industries for the Blind, our mission is to enhance the independence of people who are blind. We work with a nationwide network of nonprofit agencies to create and sustain employment for people who are blind in many different career fields. And, like NFB, we've been around for a long time, nearly eighty years in fact. And through strengthening partnerships with organizations like NFB, we are making progress. Together we've broken down the misconceptions and the barriers they create in expanding career options for people who are blind. NIB's roots are in the manufacturing industry, and manufacturing continues to provide a significant number of jobs to people who are blind. We are proud to be one of the nation's largest networks involved in the fields of sewing products, paper converting, and other product lines like fire hose assembly. A lot of these industries left the United States of America and went overseas. Today there's hundreds more products assembled and packaged by Americans who are blind [applause]. We are very proud to supply uniforms and equipment to our military personnel to help keep them safe when in harm's way. We also provide prescription eyewear for our nation's veterans and ensure that their prescriptions are safely protected by the plastic vials that we make. Today we're producing cutting-edge, environmentally-friendly cleaning products, and more recently we began developing LED lighting, which will reduce the government's consumption of electricity. Over the years we've evolved. We've demonstrated that, with the right training and assistive technology, people who are blind can work in any career field [cheers]. Today we provide more career options for people who are blind than at any other time in our seventy-seven year history. For example: a decade ago we recognized the need to provide opportunities in professional services for an emerging generation of highly-educated people who are blind. Now people who are blind work at NIB networks and are operating 24/7 contact centers. They're closing out contracts that return hundreds of millions of dollars to the federal government, and they're managing complex supply chains that deliver critical goods and services to government and military personnel around the world. We are very proud of these successes, but what we see as the ultimate goal is the growing trend of our employees being hired by the federal government as defense prime contractors. That's a success. We recognize that to build successful careers, our employees need more than just the job opportunity. They also need the right professional training and development. NIB launched the Business Leaders Program, which has helped more than 8,000 people who are blind build their business acumen through formal training and on-the-job experience. Graduates from the programs are now call center supervisors, base supply center store managers, and CEOs of our associated agencies and national organizations [applause]. Last year NIB partnered with George Mason University to strengthen our business management training program and develop a new generation of leaders. As we look to the future NIB will continue to focus on making investments in programs designed to increase choices, remove the perceived barriers, and fill the expectations of all of our employees. These investments start with the basics, what you would expect from any employer in any industry: competitive wages, not subminimum wages; positive and diverse work environments; opportunities for advancement; and professional development and training. We've also made investments to help people who are blind stay competitive in the job market. We launched a hands-on training program called Promote to prepare people who are blind for careers requiring advanced technical skills. Last fall eight employees who are blind completed this intensive four-week program that provides advanced computer software training, and we are getting ready to launch our second round of classes. We've also launched a pilot program to help ensure people who are blind build the technical skills needed for careers in the high-demand field of cyber security. Twenty people who are blind completed this training program that prepares participants to take and pass their A+ certification. Like the NFB we also take strong positions on important issues affecting people who are blind: like our strong stance on the payment of at least the federal minimum wage; or recognizing the freedom of individuals who are blind to make informed choices about where to work, just like anyone else; or calling on Congress to do more to remove the cash cliff barrier for Social Security Disability Insurance. We've launched our Advocates for Leadership and Employment Program to empower people who are blind to engage members of Congress and their staffs about these important issues. NIB's advocates program has today grown to twenty-six advocates, who are successfully keeping these and other issues front-and-center among lawmakers. Now while we are proud of our accomplishments, we also recognize that there's more to be accomplished. We need to bring all of our associated agencies up to the best-in-class standards we all expect. Today, out of the sixty-five producing-associated agencies, we still have two that are paying less than minimum wage. As Dr. Maurer once said to me, "Even one agency paying less than minimum wage is too many." And we agree. The NIB board wholeheartedly agrees and has put into place a variety of incentive programs that are only available to agencies that make this commitment. Furthermore, no nonprofit executive who pays less than minimum wage can sit on the NIB board. We have to ensure that NIB and our associated agencies continue to advance modern disability policies and also work to change perceptions about what people who are blind can do in the workplace. NIB has a major role in investing in new, innovative opportunities to offer many types of employment choices. For example, we are working on ways we can encourage and assist individuals who have the entrepreneurial spirit and desire to become business owners. Adding this resource to NIB's offerings will give a full range of employment and career options. Now we know that success requires strong partnerships with organizations like NFB. I fully encourage and support the ongoing opportunity to listen to ideas and proposals from across the disability community so that we are working to develop effective solutions together. Thank you, National Federation of the Blind, for the important work and advocacy you provide. NIB is committed to work with you in advancing opportunities for all people who are blind. Thank you very much. ---------- Recipes This month's recipes come from the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado. [PHOTO CAPTION: Maureen at the blender with a batch of Go Broncos Orange Julius] Go Broncos Orange Julius by Maureen Nietfeld Something cool and healthy for the Super Bowl V Champion fans! There are more than a few at the Colorado Center for the Blind [CCB], and about twenty-five students and staff attended the one million-strong Broncos Super Bowl Victory parade on February 9: Ingredients: 6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate 1/2 cup whole milk 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon vanilla 5 ice cubes Method: Place all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth and frothy. Serve and enjoy! ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Jay displays a hotel tray of Sweet Ham and Swiss Sliders] Sweet Ham and Swiss Sliders by Jay Cole Oh yes, these are great appetizers or finger food, but one of our students recently did this for his grad meal to great acclaim! Ingredients: 12 Hawaiian rolls cut in half 12 slices honey-roasted ham 12 slices baby swiss cheese 1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard 4 tablespoons butter melted 1 teaspoon onion powder 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon poppy seeds 1/4 cup brown sugar Method: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet place bottom half of dinner rolls and top each with one slice of ham and one slice of Swiss cheese. Place the top of the roll on the ham and cheese. You want the rolls to be snug together, kissing just a bit so the sauce can soak up into all of the nooks and crannies. In a small bowl combine the mustard, melted butter, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, and brown sugar. Mix until combined and pour evenly over the assembled rolls. Cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake. Bake covered with foil for ten minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional five to ten minutes or until the tops are browned and cheese is good and melted. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Dishon and Marisol eating hummus] Hummus by Dishon Spears and Marisol Carmona This is a standard teaching recipe at CCB. It involves more than one stage in preparation and is a great introduction to using the food processor, so every student makes this eventually. Ingredients: 2 cans garbanzo beans 1 tablespoon tahini paste 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder 1 teaspoon salt 3 cloves garlic 1 cup olive oil Method: In a food processor add garlic and process until well minced. Add remaining ingredients and process till very smooth. Serve with warm pita, cut up veggies, or corn chips. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Warren leans in to savor the smell of Pikes Peak Pecan Pie.] Pikes Peak Pecan Pie by Warren Knight This is a big hit at the Thanksgiving meal our students prepare and serve in mid-November. After eating, we go around the room and say something we're grateful for. Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup butter melted 2 eggs 1 tablespoon flour 1 tablespoon milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups chopped pecans Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs; stir in melted butter; add sugar and flour. Then add milk, vanilla, and nuts. Pour in pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for forty minutes or until pie sets up and is not liquid anymore. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Delphina and Farhan hold up a Christmas batch of Pecan French Toast Bake] Pecan French Toast Bake by Delphina Rodriguez and Farhan Ahmed This is a favorite at our annual Christmas brunch on the last day before the holiday break. Maybe it's the association with the Secret Santa gift exchange that always follows, but we're willing to bet you'll love it! Ingredients: 1 loaf sliced challah bread 3 cups half and half 2 tablespoons maple syrup 8 eggs 1 teaspoon cinnamon Topping: 1 stick butter 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup chopped pecans Method: Lightly spray a 13-by-9-inch pan with a cooking spray. Lay the slices of bread into the pan; they will stack on top of each other. In a mixing bowl combine half and half, eggs, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and maple syrup. Pour this mixture over bread, making sure to get the milk in between the layers. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In a separate bowl combine chopped butter, chopped pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Make this into a crumble. This gets placed on top of your bread. You can add before you refrigerate or wait until you are ready to bake it the next morning. Put in a 350 degree oven for thirty minutes covered, then remove cover and continue to bake for an additional twenty minutes. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Michelle stirring an electric skillet of Chacon's Green Chile] Chacon's Green Chile by Michelle Chacon The autumn smell of roasting green chiles at an outdoor vegetable stand is one of the quintessential experiences of Colorado, surpassed only by Michelle Chacon's recipe. After her teaching duties are done each year, Michelle teaches at our Confidence Camp for elementary kids and coordinates the NFB of Colorado's BELL programs, as well as serving as North Metro chapter president. Cooking is how she relaxes. Ingredients: 4 to 6 pork chops 1 onion Several garlic cloves 10 to 20 green chiles cleaned, chopped and seeded if you do not want your chiles too hot 1/3 cup flour 8 cups chicken broth Salt and pepper to taste Cilantro, sour cream, and cheese Method: Brown pork chops in a large heavy frying pan. Remove chops and cut up in to small pieces. In the frying pan, next saut? onion, garlic and chiles. Simmer for about ten minutes on low. Put pork and chile mixture into a large Dutch oven. Mix in flour and chicken broth. Stir constantly until mixture thickens. Add salt and pepper and any other ingredients that you would like. Simmer for at least thirty minutes to blend flavors. Serve with cilantro, sour cream, etc. Can use this to top burritos at well. ---------- Monitor Miniatures News from the Federation Family Celebrate the Holiday Season with a Gift to the National Federation of the Blind: Have you received gifts from the National Federation of the Blind? Lots of us have. One man expressed what our gift meant to him by saying: "It is great to know there are still people in this world who care about other people besides themselves. Your gift of a white cane could not have come at a better time for me! My wonderful wife of forty-three years, who has Alzheimer's, has moved to an assisted living facility. The only place I could find a cane was at the Lighthouse for the Blind in San Antonio, Texas. It's a fourteen-hour roundtrip for me, and I can't drive anymore. What you have done for me I will remember for the rest of my life." We give people free white canes, literacy, and confidence. If you have gained from contact with the NFB or NFB members, enjoyed our publications, or participated in an academy or program, we are asking you to give back. Celebrate the holiday season by donating much needed funds. It is easy. You can mail a donation or give online. To mail your donation simply make out your check to the National Federation of the Blind. Please mail it to the NFB, Attention: Outreach, 200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place, Baltimore, MD 21230. To give online visit our web page by going to and click on the "donate now" button. Help us all live the lives we want. Washington Seminar Reservations: This message from Diane McGeorge is to advise all of you that the Washington Seminar will be held January 29 to February 2, 2017, with the Great Gathering In taking place on Monday, January 30. Additionally, I want to remind you that I am no longer managing reservations for this event. With the Holiday Inn Capitol's progressive policy changes, we turned reservations over to the hotel beginning with our 2016 Washington Seminar and going forward. The reservation process is very standard, requiring check-in and check-out dates only, just as you experience with national conventions. This process will allow you to have full control of your reservations and any changes you need to make. You can now reserve a room at the Holiday Inn Capitol (550 C Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024) for Washington Seminar for check-in beginning Saturday, January 28, 2017, check-out Friday, February 3, 2017. The rate is $188.00 per night. This rate does not include DC sales tax, currently 14.5 percent. You may begin booking reservations directly online by clicking on the web link below. You may also make reservations by calling (877) 572- 6951 and referencing booking code F7B. Credit card information is needed at the time of reservation. The individual cancellation policy is seventy-two hours prior to date of arrival to avoid one night's room plus tax cancellation charge on the credit card provided. If your departure date changes, you must inform the hotel seventy-two hours in advance of departure to avoid a $100 fee. Please call (877) 572-6951 and reference your confirmation number. Please obtain a cancellation number when cancelling a reservation. The firm deadline date to make a reservation is Wednesday, December 28, 2016. Reservation requests received after the deadline date will be subject to availability and prevailing rate. If you would like to hold a special meeting during the Washington Seminar, please email Lisa Bonderson at just as you have done in past years. She and I will work with the hotel on the assignment of those meeting rooms. To ensure that you get the space you need, please let us know of your meeting space needs by December 9, 2016. Lisa and I will always be available to help you with any problems you might experience with the booking of your hotel reservations. We have worked closely with the hotel staff, and they are looking forward to working with each affiliate or group wanting to make reservations. See you in Washington! A Group in the Planning: Come, one and all, blind and visually impaired Federationists who have cerebral palsy, to create an active, lively, independent, and vibrant group of blind and visually impaired Americans with cerebral palsy. The purpose of this group will be to provide support and advocacy to those of us who share two disabilities and must devise strategies to deal with each singly and together. Meetings will be held by conference call on the first Sunday of the month (except in July when the meeting will be held on the fourth Sunday, and November when it will be held on the last Sunday) from 8:00 to 10:00 PM Eastern Time starting on Sunday, November 27, 2016. The conference phone number is (218) 339-3814. Enter pin 999999#. We hope to hold a face-to-face meeting at the July 2017 national convention in Orlando, Florida. To assist in developing this group, contact Alexander Scott Kaiser by Braille, snail-mail, on Skype, by phone, or by email. His postal address is 52 Meadowbrook Road, Brick Township, New Jersey 08723-7850. His email address is . He may be reached using Skype with the name , or by phone at (848) 205-0208. Books by Jerry Whittle Now Available on Amazon Kindle: Try out your new Amazon e-reader with the following books by Jerry Whittle, available on Amazon Kindle e-books for $2.99 each: Slingshot, a baseball novel; Standing with Better Angels, about a blind minister; Honeysuckle Time, a Civil War novel; Two Hearts Make a Bridge, a love story; A Little Ball of Anger, a young blind man's struggle with a horrible decision; No Town to Dishonor Nature, a young man rebels against his father and leaves home; Growing Up in Clemson, a memoir of the Fifties; Clemson in the Sixties, seeking manhood in troubled times; and Santa Rides Again, a Christmas story for all ages. 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. A Reminder about Ski for Light: Don't forget that the Application deadline for Ski for Light is this month. Visit to apply for this year's annual week of skiing, sharing, and learning in Colorado, February 5 through 12, 2017. Applications are now being accepted on a space available basis only. NASA Summer Internships Available: NASA is looking to increase the number of students with disabilities pursuing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers through our regular internship programs. This is not a program for students with disabilities. We are trying to recruit more students with disabilities into our regular internship programs. Disability means both physical and mental disabilities. NASA has a 2 percent hiring goal for employment of people with disabilities, and internships are a good way to get experience. However, this is not an employment program. NASA jobs can be found at . Students can apply for Summer 2017 internships on or about November 10, 2016. The deadline for submitting applications will be on or about March 1, 2017. We will begin extending offers to students in mid-to-late January and will continue until all positions are filled. If you would like to subscribe to an announcement-only list about NASA internships for persons with disabilities, please send an email to with 'subscribe' in the Subject field or by visiting the list page at . We encourage you to apply early because the best opportunities are likely to be filled quickly; plus your likelihood of being selected decreases the longer you wait. Don't be surprised if you don't see many internship opportunities in November. They start to appear in numbers in mid-to-late December. You can register for an account anytime at the One Stop Shopping Initiative (OSSI): NASA Internships, Fellowships, and Scholarships (NIFS) at . All material that you wish to have considered must be uploaded to the OSSI website. No documentation will be accepted that is emailed or snail mailed. Summer 2017 internships run from early June through early August for undergraduate and graduate students. Internships run from late June through early August for high school students. All student interns get paid. The high school stipend for summer 2016 was $2,100 for a six-week internship. The summer 2016 undergraduate stipend for a ten-week internship was $6,000. The summer 2016 graduate stipend for a ten-week internship was $7,500. As an intern, you are responsible for your own housing. NASA internships for college and high school students are also offered during spring, fall, and year-long sessions through the OSSI website. NASA has internships for high school students and for rising freshmen through doctoral students in STEM fields. A rising freshman is a high school student who has been accepted to an accredited institution of higher learning, i.e. a college or university, at the time of the internship. Applicants must be US citizens, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 for college and 3.0 for high school; however, applicants must understand that the competition for internships is keen. High school students must be at least sixteen years old at the time the internship begins. Internships are available at all NASA centers nationwide. It is important to remember that applying is a two-step process. The first step is to fill out everything in OSSI. The second step is to select and apply to specific internship opportunities. Students can submit a completed application whether they apply to an opportunity or not. However, applying to opportunities has the advantage of allowing applicants to be considered by mentors who work in disciplines of interest and at a particular center. Applicants may apply to as many as fifteen opportunities. For example, an opportunity having to do with the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) will be at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland because SDO is located there. Not applying to an opportunity means that prospective interns will be hoping that a mentor happens to read their applications rather than directing their applications to mentors in fields and at centers of interest. Students who are selected for summer internships will receive an offer letter by email sometime after mid-January 2017. They will then have five calendar days to either accept or reject the offer through their OSSI: NIFS account. The offer will automatically expire after five calendar days if no action is taken. Please feel free to contact me for more information or help with applying: Kenneth A. Silberman, Esq. U.S. Supreme Court, Maryland, & Patent Bars B.A., M.Eng., J.D. NASA Engineer & Registered Patent Attorney Education Office Code 160 NASA/GSFC Mailstop 160 Bldg. 28 Rm. N165 Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA Voice: (301) 286-9281 Fax: (301) 286-1655 Email: kenneth.a.silberman at nasa.gov Office Location: Building 28 Room W151 ---------- 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. From buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org Tue Dec 13 22:21:06 2016 From: buhrow at lothlorien.nfbcal.org (Brian Buhrow) Date: Tue, 13 Dec 2016 22:21:06 -0800 Subject: [Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor, December 2016 Message-ID: <201612140621.uBE6L60u005329@lothlorien.nfbcal.org> BRAILLE MONITOR Vol. 59, No. 11 December 2016 Gary Wunder, Editor Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, 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 NFBnet.org: http://www.nfbnet.org NFB-NEWSLINE? information: (866) 504-7300 Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind Follow us on Twitter: @NFB_Voice Watch and share our videos: YouTube.com/NationsBlind Letters to the President, address changes, subscription requests, and orders for NFB literature should be sent to the national office. Articles for the Monitor and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national 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 ? 2016 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 position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and try again. (Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the thumb drive, the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges, 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 envelope enclosed with the drive when you return the device. Vol. 59, No. 11 December 2016 Contents Convention Bulletin 2017 Illustration: Congressman David Young Visits the Institute What the President Hears by Mark Riccobono 2016 NFB BELL Academy Highlights by Carlton Walker Highlights of Each 2016 BELL Academy Site by the BELL Academy Team Teaching to Read in Two Weeks at BELL Academy by Sheena Manuel Visually Impaired Kids from St. Louis-Area Braille Camp Learn Life Skills with MetroLink by Ashley Lisenby Celebrate the National Federation of the Blind by Patti Chang Social Security, SSI, and Medicare Facts for 2017 by Parnell Diggs La Otra (The Other): Thoughts on My Culture and My Disability by Danielle Trevino Making a Way Where There is No Way: Blind Seminary Student Leads Collaborative Process to Gain Access to Biblical Languages by Annette Brill Bergstresser Living the Life She Wants by Amy Buresh Remembering Tara by Dan Facchini A Sign of the Times by Nancy Burns The 2017 Distinguished Educator of Blind Students Award by Carla McQuillan The 2017 Blind Educator of the Year Award by Edward Bell The Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards by James Gashel Recipes Monitor Miniatures [PHOTO/CAPTION: Rosen Shingle Creek] Convention Bulletin 2017 Rosen Shingle Creek Resort It is time to begin planning for the 2017 convention of the National Federation of the Blind. We will again meet in Orlando, this year returning to the beautiful Rosen Shingle Creek Resort. The dates for the 2017 convention are July 10 through July 15. Our hotel rates are enviably competitive for a resort hotel such as Shingle Creek. For the 2017 convention they are singles and doubles, $83; and for triples and quads, $89. In addition to the room rates there will be a tax, which at present is 12.5 percent. No charge will be made for children under seventeen in the room with parents as long as no extra bed is requested. Please note that the hotel is a no-smoking facility. For 2017 convention room reservations you can call the hotel at (866) 996-6338 after January 1. You may also write directly to the Rosen Shingle Creek, 9939 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32819-9357. The hotel will want a deposit of $95 for each room and will want a credit card number or a personal check. If you use a credit card, the deposit will be charged against your card immediately, just as would be the case with a $95 check. If a reservation is cancelled before Thursday, June 1, 2017, half of the deposit will be returned. Otherwise refunds will not be made. All Rosen Shingle Creek guestrooms feature amenities that include plush Creek Sleeper beds, 40" flat screen TVs, complimentary high-speed internet capabilities, in-room safes, coffee makers, mini-fridges, and hair dryers. Guests can enjoy four outdoor swimming pools, a full-service spa, and fifteen dining/lounging options from fine-dining and elaborate buffets to casual dining both indoors and poolside. The 2017 convention of the National Federation of the Blind will be a truly exciting and memorable event, with an unparalleled program and rededication to the goals and work of our movement. Make plans now to be a part of it. Preconvention seminars for parents of blind children and other groups and set-up of the exhibit hall will take place on Monday, July 10, and adjournment will be Saturday, July 15, following the banquet. Convention registration and registration packet pick-up will begin on Tuesday, July 11, and both Tuesday and Wednesday will be filled with meetings of divisions and committees, including the Wednesday morning annual meeting, open to all, of the board of directors of the National Federation of the Blind. General convention sessions will begin on Thursday, July 13, and continue through the banquet on Saturday, July 15. To assure yourself a room in the headquarters hotel at convention rates, you must make reservations early. The hotel will be ready to take your call or deal with your written request by January 1. Remember that as usual we need door prizes from state affiliates, local chapters, and individuals. Once again prizes should be small in size but large in value. Cash, of course, is always appropriate and welcome. As a general rule we ask that prizes of all kinds have a value of at least $25 and not include alcohol. Drawings will occur steadily throughout the convention sessions, and you can anticipate a grand prize of truly impressive proportions to be drawn at the banquet. You may bring door prizes with you or send them ahead of time (identifying the item and donor and listing the value in print and Braille) to Bob Lessne, 3019 Lake Jean Drive, Orlando, Florida 32817; phone (305) 271-0012. The best collection of exhibits featuring new technology; meetings of our special interest groups, committees, and divisions; the most stimulating and provocative program items of any meeting of the blind in the world; the chance to renew friendships in our Federation family; and the unparalleled opportunity to be where the real action is and where decisions are being made-all of these mean you will not want to miss being a part of the 2017 national convention. We'll see you in Orlando in July. [PHOTO CAPTION: Native Iowans Marc Maurer, Patricia Maurer, David Young, and Mary Ellen Jernigan at the Jernigan Institute] [PHOTO CAPTION: Parnell Diggs, Patricia Maurer, Marc Maurer, David Young, Melissa Riccobono, Mark Riccobono, Mary Ellen Jernigan, and John Par?] Congressman David Young Visits the Institute At the 2016 National Federation of the Blind Washington Seminar, members of the Iowa affiliate encouraged Congressman David Young to visit the Jernigan Institute given that Baltimore is only about forty-five minutes away from DC. On April 11, Congressman Young took them up on the invitation. The Congressman was among old friends given that he had already signed on as a cosponsor to the TIME Act and the Space Available Act. During his visit Congressman Young and his chief of staff were able to talk with President Riccobono and the current First Lady of the National Federation of the Blind, Melissa Riccobono; Immediate Past President Marc Maurer and former First Lady Patricia Maurer; Mary Ellen Jernigan, the former assistant director of the Iowa Commission for the Blind; John Par?, executive director for advocacy and policy; and Parnell Diggs, director of government affairs. The connection to Iowa was made obvious given that the Maurers and Mrs. Jernigan both came to Baltimore from his state, and the rich history of the Iowa Commission for the Blind provided a stellar testament to the verity of the philosophy which is at the core of the National Federation of the Blind. After lunch the Congressman was given a tour by Mr. Diggs and Mr. Par?. These kinds of visits are helpful in building relationships and in demonstrating to members of Congress the accomplishments of blind people through their own organized efforts. What the President Hears by Mark Riccobono I hear of hundreds of personal life-changing experiences as I travel, and I read the notes, letters, and emails from all of you. With love, hope, and determination the National Federation of the Blind makes dreams come true one life at a time. Sometimes our state affiliates ask people to talk about why they are members of the National Federation of the Blind. These segments are often dubbed "Why I am a Federationist." They explain best the impact we have on the lives of ordinary blind people. One of the memorable answers to this came from a woman who serves as a caretaker for her husband. Let's call her Ann. Her home is in Illinois. Before she was introduced to the NFB, she did not leave her house alone, and she did not read. Those things seemed impossible and scary. Ann had no idea how a blind person was going to read or how travel was possible. She thought she would simply stay in and take care of her husband. Ann joined one of our myriad at-large chapters that meet by phone. It was perfect, since Ann did not believe that she was capable of getting out on her own. During chapter meetings and in phone calls, Ann talked about her beliefs and her worries. Her chapter president, who resided nearby, spent time with this new member and went out with Ann and showed by example that travel can be done with proper techniques. Our member now goes to take classes alone, and she is excited to be attending her second full state convention in 2016. Fellow Federationists have applauded each of Ann's new steps toward independence. She puts it best, "I have utilized my cane skills by going out alone, and I am even traveling on paratransit or our disabled/senior neighborhood bus." Fear no longer governs her getting out. Braille is now her friend after encouragement to learn it from other blind people. Our Illinois affiliate has a Braille reading group that meets weekly to practice Braille. The group is called Literacy Is For Everyone or the LIFE group for short. Ann joins our Literacy Is For Everyone group on a regular basis and in fact takes a lead in sending out the notices. Reading was not something that came easy, but our member loves to read now and says she doesn't know what she would do without Braille. Ann says, "Every blind person should learn it." This enthusiastic smart lady has come so far that she now serves as the president of her at-large chapter. The Federation gifted her with mobility, literacy, and most of all helped her to gain her confidence back. All of those are powerful reasons for Ann to be a proud member of the National Federation of the Blind. One more meaningful "Why I am a Federationist" sample story also hails from Illinois: Patti joined the Federation and became active just before she moved to Chicago. Patti talks about wondering how she was going to manage the University of Chicago Law School and the city of Chicago. "I was coming from a small town in Michigan and had no ability to travel in a big city. I also worried about money-I didn't have any." Patti speaks in terms of paying it forward when answering why she is a Federationist. "The Federation gave me a nationwide network of mentors and friends who spent time, energy, and sometimes their own money to help me become a competent blind person in a big city." When she moved to Chicago, the big city, Federationists helped her move. Mobility lessons were frequent. When she lacked finances in college, several Federationists quietly paid for meals after or before chapter meetings. When she graduated, her state president even offered his home for a graduation party. And, when her first child began to crawl, it was a member of the NFB who suggested that "bells on the shoes might be a good idea if one wanted to track a child." It is that constant ability to network as part of a huge "family" that matters most to Patti. Along the way there were also two college scholarships and much more, but the mentoring, teaching, and the friendship have lasted more than three decades. Patti is grateful for all that the Federation has given her and all that it continues giving. So she tries to pay it forward. We want the next generation to live the lives they want. We even hope that things will be easier for our children. Patti says, "I can never pay back all I have received, but I have to try to pay some of it forward." Both of these members help explain why people become-and why people remain-members of the National Federation of the Blind. I hope to share more of our stories with you in the future. I hope you enjoy reading these as much as I do. The Federation truly changes lives, and I am anxious to tell you how through our members and those we serve. ---------- 2016 NFB BELL Academy Highlights by Carlton Walker >From the Editor: Carlton Walker is a woman of significant motivation, intelligence, and accomplishment. She is a lawyer, a teacher, a past president of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children, the mother of fifteen-year-old Anna, and currently serves as the manager of Braille education programs for our Jernigan Institute. As part of her current duties she directs the Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) Academy, and we are devoting significant space in this issue to this life-transforming program. Here is what Carlton has to say: NFB BELL Academy Throughout this country, there are blind children who cannot read or write efficiently, who do not enjoy independent mobility, and who cannot engage in age-appropriate activities of daily living, like making a sandwich. Over a three-month period this summer, hundreds of NFB members gave their time and energy to provide much-needed blindness skills to more than 320 blind students. Through the NFB BELL (Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning) Academy, thirty affiliates hosted forty-five sites at which students learned nonvisual skills in a supportive atmosphere of high expectations. NFB BELL Academy targets students ages four through twelve. Nevertheless, affiliates welcomed older students who had not yet had quality instruction in Braille, cane travel, or other nonvisual skills. [PHOTO CAPTION: Cassie reads what she just wrote on the Braillewriter at the Baltimore BELL Academy.] Learning Braille Not surprisingly, one finds Braille at an NFB BELL Academy-a lot of Braille. On the first day, students learn about Louis Braille and his invention, which gives blind people of all ages the ability to read efficiently and independently, the ability to write and edit documents, the freedom to read and write music, and serves as the basis for Abraham Nemeth's Math and Science Code. NFB BELL Academy students celebrate Louis Braille by throwing a birthday party, during which they make Braille goodies (cupcakes or cookies topped with icing on which the students and adults create Braille letters with candies). Louisiana students celebrated in style with a water slide, a bounce house, a snow cone maker, a popcorn machine, a pi?ata, and much more. Students at other sites Brailled birthday cards to Mr. Braille, and some, including the rookie NFB BELL Academy in Indiana, used birthday balloons to spell out "Happy Birthday"-in Braille, of course. Other Braille initiatives included Delaware's Braille Bucks program, where students earned Braille Bucks for reading Braille books at home. The students then spent their Braille Bucks for desired items. Braille reading and writing classes tailored instruction to students, from complete novices to excellent Braille readers. With support from caring and knowledgeable NFB members, students grew in their Braille skills. Each NFB BELL Academy student also received a free slate and stylus to keep. Technology is also important to students at NFB BELL Academy. In addition to many opportunities to read and write paper Braille, our students enjoyed varied engagement with and instruction in technology that can provide even more Braille for them to read. In Oklahoma a representative from ABLE Tech, an agency which provides demonstrations and short-term loans of accessible technology to Oklahomans, spent a day at NFB BELL Academy, giving one-on-one demonstrations of several devices, including Braille displays, iPads, money readers, digital personal assistants (notetakers), and a talking Perkins Brailler. Students at the NFB BELL Academy in Nebraska had the opportunity to meet and speak with a published author, Travis Bossard. Travis co-authors the Oskar and Klaus books, which recount the adventures of a blind cat, Oskar, and his much-less-adventurous sighted brother, Klaus. Travis shared with the students how the books came about as well as his role in writing the books and producing audio versions of them. NFB BELL Academy students gave back as well. New Jersey students taught a group of sighted preschoolers the basics of Braille and provided each of the preschoolers with a card bearing his/her name in Braille. [PHOTO CAPTION: Stormie uses her cane and her walker in South Carolina] The Power of Canes NFB members shared with NFB BELL Academy students the freedom cane travel provides. Several sites hosted cane scavenger hunts in various places, including malls, grocery stores, and parks. The NFB BELL Academy in South Carolina implemented a program called "Anywhere and Everywhere," geared to the purpose of increasing awareness of travel. Students learned about multiple modes of travel, including white cane travel, car travel, and bus, train, and plane travel on the local, regional, and national levels. Students used chairs and their imaginations to take train and airplane trips. Students also used tactile maps and cardinal directions in the classroom on a daily basis. Touching History For too long, the "no-touch" policy at many museums has kept blind individuals from truly experiencing the exhibits on display. At several NFB BELL Academy sites, students and mentors broke down those "no-touch" barriers and had the opportunity to interact with museum exhibits in meaningful ways. The NFB BELL Academy in Kentucky was held at the American Printing House for the Blind, and there was a field trip to the museum there. Other museum visits included the Museum of Idaho (where students touched Revolutionary war relics); the Jewish Museum of Maryland; the College Park Aviation Museum; the Leonardo Museum in Utah; the Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC; the American Whistle Corporation factory in Columbus, Ohio; and many others. Students in Northern California investigated the Turtle Bay Exploration Park, and those in Southern California learned about their local history at the San Bernardino County Museum. Students in Iowa also had the opportunity to tactually explore a 3-D printer in the Iowa Library for the Blind, while Tennessee NFB BELL Academy students dissected dogfish sharks. [PHOTO CAPTION: Kyleigh holds a bowling ball, ready to roll in Lincolnton, North Carolina.] Recreational Activities Our NFB BELL Academy students enjoyed many different recreational opportunities. Colorado students enjoyed exploring the Cave of the Winds and engaging in a rock climbing activity. Georgia students engaged in accessible physical activities: playing beep kickball, using tandem bicycles, and enjoying adapted soccer at the Coan Recreation Center. Several sites engaged in the Paralympic sport of beep baseball, and the students at the NFB BELL Academy in Indiana had the privilege of working with National Beep Baseball Association Hall of Famer Ron Brown, who later served as the head coach for the 2016 World Series Champion team, the Indy Thunder. Bounce houses proved popular at many sites, while Texas students enjoyed a trip to a trampoline park, students in North Carolina went bowling, and Mississippi students had the opportunity to go horseback riding. Students at the NFB BELL Academy in New York traveled to a movie theater to watch Pete's Dragon and learned how to use descriptive video technology. At NFB BELL Academy, recreational fun does not require a field trip. Among many other activities, the students in Arizona had fun with life- sized games of Hungry Hungry Hippos. In this game students pair into teams of two, and each team has a scooter and a basket. One student lies on the scooter, belly down, and holds a lightweight laundry basket in front with outstretched arms. The other student holds the legs of the one on the scooter. Several teams gather around in a large circle, and all students wear learning shades (sleep shades) throughout the game. Next, an adult drops a bucket full of small, ball-pit balls into the center of the floor. Each team works to get as many balls in the basket as possible by pushing the student with the basket (the "hungry hippo") into the circle, capturing the balls with the basket, and pulling them back to the team's area before time runs out. In subsequent games partners take turns being the hungry hippo. Gifts of Love Every student at each NFB BELL Academy site receives a free slate and stylus to keep and, through the NFB Free White Cane Program, each student also receives a long white cane. This year students also received a water bottle bearing the NFB BELL Academy logo. These water bottles are BPA-free and dishwasher safe, and we hope our students use them all year long and remember the great fun they had and the skills they gained at NFB BELL Academy. While the gifts noted above are important, they pale in comparison to the gift of NFB BELL Academy itself. NFB members raise money year-round to provide support for one or more NFB BELL Academy sites in their affiliate. NFB members also devote countless hours in preparation for NFB BELL Academy, including site selection, preparation of materials, planning field trips, etc. This summer, hundreds of NFB members gave freely of their time, their knowledge, and themselves during NFB BELL Academy instruction. Hundreds of students received instruction, grew in self-confidence, and built relationships that can last a lifetime. Each of us supports NFB BELL Academy, either directly at our affiliate's NFB BELL Academy, or indirectly through support of our Free White Cane Program, our Free Slate and Stylus Program, and our promise to each blind person we meet: together with love, hope, and determination, we transform dreams into reality. ---------- Highlights of Each 2016 NFB BELL Academy Site by The Bell Academy Team [PHOTO CAPTION: Both wearing learning shades and using their canes, EvaMaria plays Braille Twister against Isaac.] ARIZONA Tucson The NFB BELL Academy in Arizona kicked off on Memorial Day with twenty-two students. Students at all literacy levels were empowered to keep track of their daily schedules through the use of three large tactile and Brailled schedules for each group. These schedules were posted in the main community room where students started their day, ate lunch, and concluded each day. This allowed the students to take responsibility for their own schedules without having schedules to carry around. Arizona's NFB BELL Academy also introduced new toys, such as Barbie dolls, superhero figures, and Disney princess figures, and each toy came with its own miniature white cane and a pair of learning shades. The students enjoyed playing with toys using the tools they used at NFB BELL Academy. Older students met with young adult blind mentors during lunch to talk about their fears of going into middle school. This was a great opportunity for the older NFB BELL Academy students to really open up and share their fears about being a blind student in a public middle school where "being cool" is the new game. Mentors spoke with them about the importance of taking part in social activities at school, how to join clubs at school, how to make new friends, and how to be social when it's much easier sometimes to stay secluded in the safety of home. Students and parents enjoyed this activity, and they have requested regular sessions each lunch time to talk more with mentors. Arizona's youngest participant this summer was three years old. He came to the program with parents and grandparents who were nervous about leaving their little boy. However, he soon teamed up with an older student in NFB BELL Academy, and they were inseparable. The Arizona NFB BELL Academy incorporated dancing and worked on having students using their canes and shades to learn popular dances that they would take part in during a school dance. Students and staff alike enjoyed these activities even though many students gave the, "But I don't dance," excuse at first. When they realized that all the staff and students were dancing, it didn't take long for them to get up on their feet and give the Cupid Shuffle a chance. They learned about the importance of giving new activities a try and how this can be tough when you are scared of looking silly but how being silly sometimes helps you find new friends. Students learned that it doesn't matter what you can see, but what you can do-and the main part of that is the word "do." If you don't even try-you aren't doing anything. CALIFORNIA Redding A local newspaper, the Record Searchlight, covered the Redding, California, NFB BELL Academy's field trip to Turtle Bay Museum. (Note: one must complete a short survey to access this print article and video.) The two students of this NFB BELL Academy learned Braille and nonvisual skills, but they also received much more. These students had never met other individuals who are blind, either peers or adults. Since the NFB BELL Academy ended, the students have kept in contact with each other and with their blind mentors. San Bernardino The students of the San Bernardino NFB BELL Academy spent ten wonderful days engaging in hands-on experiential learning, including a trip to the San Bernardino County Museum. Each student also received an introduction to using the long white cane as well as instruction and multiple opportunities to use Braille. COLORADO Colorado Springs Students at the Colorado Springs NFB BELL Academy took full advantage of the outdoor experiences in their area. In addition to rich instruction in Braille, cane travel, and other nonvisual instruction students received, they enjoyed a field trip to the Cave of the Winds and other field trips, where they went rock climbing with their blind peers and blind adult role models. Westminster Westminster NFB BELL Academy students augmented their classroom learning with a field trip tour of the DoubleTree Hotel. On that trip, students and their blind mentors rode a city bus to a recreation center to go swimming. CONNECTICUT Wethersfield (Bridgeport area) Connecticut's NFB BELL Academy provided its students an opportunity to practice nonvisual skills in an engaging, authentic day at the beach. Students enjoyed working with peers and learning from the blind adult role models. DELAWARE Bear Five students in grades two through five made up the Delaware NFB BELL Academy. Each day, they engaged in nonvisual skills in the areas of reading and writing Braille, independent cane travel, and daily living skills with their blind adult mentors. Students even worked on their academic schoolwork (Extended School Year-ESY-goals) at the NFB BELL Academy. The Delaware NFB BELL Academy instituted an incentive program to encourage students to read Braille books each evening of the program. For each book taken home and returned read, they would receive a Braille Buck. While the students' reading skills varied, each was motivated by the Braille Bucks incentive. At the end of the program, students used their Braille bucks to purchase Braille books and other items to take home and keep. Students also enjoyed a field trip to a movie theater where they had the opportunity to enjoy a movie with audio description. Each student also used money skills learned at NFB BELL Academy to purchase the movie ticket, and each requested the necessary audio headset independently. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington, DC Students at the NFB BELL Academy in Washington, DC, took full advantage of their proximity to Smithsonian-affiliated museums. The Academy revolved around science. Learning shades were renamed "science goggles," and students learned the principles of being a good scientist. They developed goals for the two weeks and celebrated the birthday of Dr. Abraham Nemeth (the blind mathematician who invented a code for blind people to do math and science.) Later in the program, students visited the National Science Academy and engaged in accessible science experiments. Nevertheless, the first day's first science experiment, the dissection of a Minion? pi?ata to find out what it had inside, was a big hit. GEORGIA Albany Four students kicked off the 2016 NFB BELL Academy season on May 23 in Albany, Georgia. They concentrated on building nonvisual skills and improving Braille reading speed and enjoyed the mentorship of blind adults. They grew in both skills and self-confidence. Atlanta Atlanta's NFB BELL Academy provided twenty-two students many formal and informal learning opportunities. Field trips included: At Main Event Atlanta students bowled, did a low ropes course, engaged in social time during lunch, and some even enjoyed arcade games. On a sports day at Coan Recreation Center, students engaged in beep kickball, tandem biking, and adapted soccer with Columbus State University Professor Jeanine Wert, who specializes in adapted physical education for blind and low vision people; on another field trip, students enjoyed a mobility lesson using MARTA (Atlanta's train system) to the Loews Hotel where they were greeted by the chef and his team. Students then received a tour of the kitchen and worked with the pastry chef making cookies. Students and mentors were treated to a wonderful family-style lunch where the students had the opportunity to practice table manners and etiquette. And students also traveled to Historic Fourth Ward Park Playground and Splashpad for lunch and a little recreation time. Musician and steel pannist Paul Vogler visited the NFB BELL Academy in Atlanta one afternoon for music instruction. He brought all of his instruments for the students to explore and play. Bricks 4 Kidz, a LEGO- building organization came one morning to show the NFB BELL Academy students many ways to have fun with building LEGOs. A local news station did a video segment on the Atlanta NFB BELL Academy; it is still available on their web page: Savannah The Savannah Center for Blind and Low Vision hosted the Savannah NFB BELL Academy. Students concentrated on Braille reading and writing and expanding their skills in these areas. IDAHO Boise Boise NFB BELL Academy students developed their Braille, cane travel, and nonvisual skills both in the classroom setting and in the Boise community. Students welcomed experts who came in to provide a dance class, a pottery class, and a drama improvisation class. Also, students were treated to a presentation which replicated bird calls and taught the students how to develop their listening skills in order to discern different birds' calls. A field trip to Babby Farms provided the Boise NFB BELL Academy students the opportunity to interact with exotic animals, including kangaroos, lemurs, sloths, and monkeys. Students also visited a fire station to explore the equipment and find out more about this important occupation from firefighters who serve the community. Students also visited the Talking Book Library and learned how to access these materials independently. Coeur D'Alene The rookie NFB BELL Academy site provided instruction in fundamental nonvisual skills and also provided students the opportunity to use tools which allowed them to draw nonvisually and independently. The BELL Academy again got recognition from the local news affiliate; the segment is available for viewing here: . Idaho Falls Students at the Idaho Falls NFB BELL Academy enjoyed the Museum of Idaho where students touched revolutionary war relics. Students also explored an equestrian center and traveled by city bus to a restaurant for lunch. BYU Radio reported on the Idaho Falls NFB BELL Academy, both transcript and audio are available here: ILLINOIS Chicago Students at the NFB BELL Academy in Chicago embarked upon field trips to grocery stores for both scavenger hunts and for the purpose of purchasing needed groceries. They also traveled to a community park for a game of beep kickball. Students used the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) to visit Chicago's Millennium Park to explore tactile art sculptures. Additionally, a trip to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum allowed students to interact with both live and preserved animals. Springfield NFB BELL Academy students in Springfield engaged in community service activities on a field trip to a residential home for senior citizens. Students read to the residents and enjoyed craft time with them. Springfield provided daily training for parents of NFB BELL Academy students, including a visit to the state technology center, a discussion with an orientation and mobility (O&M) instructor, and an interview with a blind college student. The Springfield NFB BELL Academy celebrated the end of the program with a pizza picnic and games of beep kickball. INDIANA Indianapolis The first year of NFB BELL Academy in Indiana was packed with learning and fun. Students travelled to a local mall to work on cane travel, ordering at a restaurant, and using appropriate manners and behavior in public. On another field trip students went to a local McDonald's for lunch and an opportunity to explore the indoor play area. Students practiced their cane travel skills by traveling to a local park for recess on two occasions, and they learned how to play beep baseball from a local beep baseball team (which went on to win the Beep Baseball World Series later in the summer). NFB BELL Academy students also participated in a music class led by a teacher of blind students and learned the basics of Music Braille. The NFB- NEWSLINE? presented the benefits of NFB-NEWSLINE? and how to use it. Students took a culminating field trip with their families to Monkey Joe's, a local indoor bounce park. IOWA Des Moines Iowa NFB BELL Academy students used nonvisual and cane travel techniques to walk to the Iowa Library for the Blind. There, the students learned about where their Braille books are housed and how to obtain those books themselves. Students also had the opportunity to tactually explore the library's 3-D printer before observing the operation of the printer and feeling several figures produced by it. Students also enjoyed a trip to the Science Center of Iowa and had sack lunches there. Some were not comfortable traveling with the kids all the way to the science center, so we took a trip around the block on a different day so the students could practice their travel skills. The instruction, the laughter, and the times that mentors burst into song all came together to make an atmosphere of joy, compatibility, and learning that worked to create our success. KANSAS Wichita Students at the first year NFB BELL Academy in Kansas concentrated on fundamental skills: Braille reading and writing (in the new Braille Code, Unified English Braille), cane travel, and nonvisual skills. A nine-year- old learned, for the first time, how to pour from a pitcher into a cup, which provided her a new-found sense of independence and accomplishment. Students also practiced their nonvisual skills in new areas, including art. They also visited the Old Cowtown Museum in Wichita and enjoyed hands-on exploration of exhibits. KENTUCKY Louisville Kentucky hosted our smallest NFB BELL Academy this summer, providing instruction to one student. Kentucky exemplified our belief that one student needing blindness skill training is one student too many; every student is important and valued. Kentucky's student formed close bonds with both of the blind mentors who ran the program. She practiced cane travel skills on stairs in the host facility, the American Printing House for the Blind, and visited the facility's museum. She also learned to walk independently on sidewalks and learned how to cross streets safely without using vision on a field trip to a local convenience mart, where she purchased items for an afternoon snack. LOUISIANA Ruston [PHOTO CAPTION: Karli learns latitude and longitude using a tactile world map while wearing her learning shades.] Louisiana was the first to host a residential NFB BELL Academy, and they continue to grow bigger and better at their host site, the Louisiana Center for the Blind. This year's fourteen students, teachers, and mentors got to know one another at an opening ceremony where they celebrated Louis Braille's birthday with a water slide, a bounce house, a snow cone maker, a popcorn machine, a pi?ata, hula hoops, and much more. Field trips included horseback riding, rock climbing, swimming, and a Bayou visit (with barbeque, boating, fishing, ice cream making, and outdoor games). Students enjoyed an NFB BELL Academy Mardi Gras Parade put on by blind mentors. The Louisiana NFB BELL Academy also held a closing ceremony with an NFB BELL Academy Carnival, which included hands-on activities and games that families did together. These activities highlighted the skills students developed through the week. MARYLAND Baltimore [PHOTO CAPTION: Meredith, while wearing learning shades, runs with goal ball at the Baltimore BELL Academy.] A dozen students enjoyed learning in fun and unexpected ways at the oldest NFB BELL Academy site in Baltimore, Maryland. Students took trips to a public swimming pool (they walked using their canes and learning shades), the Jewish Museum of Maryland (where students explored a doctor theme), a trip for younger students to the Maryland Library for the Blind, a trip for older students to a restaurant where they got to order off of a Braille menu, and a trip with older students to a grocery store where they got to shop with a shopping assistant. The older students, in a group known as "BELLX" also produced a newspaper, The Blind BELL, which chronicled the activities of the Baltimore NFB BELL Academy. Glenn Dale Students at the NFB BELL Academy in Glenn Dale had daily opportunities to learn to read and write Braille and to engage in cane travel, including climbing and descending stairs around the large facility in which the program was housed. Glenn Dale students also traveled to the College Park Aviation Museum and later to an aquatic center. Salisbury Salisbury NFB BELL Academy students traveled to a local park for a picnic. They also toured a farmers' market where they had the opportunity to pet farm animals and engage in a plant activity. MISSISSIPPI Starkville Another residential NFB BELL Academy was held on the campus of Mississippi State University in Starkville. One field trip included a swim at the campus pool. On another field trip, students went horseback riding at a local therapeutic horseback riding facility. There, they learned about different types of horses and how the program acquires them. At the end, students enjoyed feeding the horses. MISSOURI Richmond Heights (St. Louis area) The National Federation of the Blind of Missouri partnered with the Delta Gamma Center for Children with Visual Impairments to provide two weeks of rich learning opportunities for seven NFB BELL Academy students. Scaffolding learning enrichment allowed students to build skills in the classroom which they would put to use on community field trips. For example, on a field trip to The Magic House (a St. Louis children's museum), students used their orientation and mobility skills to travel independently on public transportation to the Museum. For lunch, students used their money identification skills to purchase their own lunches at McDonald's. We are always blessed to discover something that we think is routine, but they think is new. This summer we had a student who did not know the joy of running, and we taught her the fun of doing this. We taught her not only how to run but the fun that can be found in competition. Our staff had that competition rekindled in ourselves when we decided that we were not content with the children being the only ones to enjoy running and competed against ourselves to see who could get down the rope and back the quickest. NEBRASKA Lincoln [PHOTO CAPTION: Liz holds her cane and serves herself macaroni and cheese from the buffet line while wearing learning shades.] In addition to learning Braille, cane travel, and other nonvisual skills during formal instructional time, the seven students who attended the NFB BELL Academy in Nebraska enjoyed a field trip to the Nebraska Commission for the Blind Orientation Center. There they learned about the center, prepared and ate lunch with center students and staff, and completed a scavenger hunt with students and staff as well as other commission staff. Additionally, Travis Bossard, co-writer of the Oskar and Klaus books, gave a presentation on how the books came about and his role in writing the books and producing the audio. The book series highlights the adventures of Oskar, a blind cat, as well as those of his less- adventurous, sighted brother cat, Klaus. NEW JERSEY Perth Amboy Each morning at the NFB BELL Academy in New Jersey, the students held meetings where each student reported something s/he did independently at home the night before and shared a future goal concerning what they wanted to do to become more independent. The Academy also hired a company called Bricks 4 Kidz to provide three sessions of LEGO? STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) activities where the children learned about and built a windmill, a paper crinkler, and a tornado. This was the first time the representative worked with blind children, but she was very enthusiastic about helping and interacting with our students. New Jersey NFB BELL Academy students also paired up with typically-developing preschoolers from the Puerto Rican Association for Human Development (PRAHD) summer program to mentor those students in beginning blindness skills lessons. Our students introduced their mentees to the Braillewriter and to Braille itself. Each sighted child received a card with his/her name written in Braille to take home. NEW YORK New York City The Big Apple welcomed NFB BELL Academy students with many rich learning opportunities, both in the classroom and on the town. Students visited the Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library to learn about talking books, Arduino (a mini-computer: an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software), and tactile maps. Students also had the opportunity to explore the New York Hall of Science. Baldwinsville (Syracuse area) Baldwinsville NFB BELL Academy students traveled to a movie theater to watch Pete's Dragon and learn how to use descriptive video technology. On another day, students visited Green Lake State Park and used their cane travel skills to engage in a fun hike. On this trip, students also learned about the features of the lake which cause it to be naturally green, and they enjoyed swimming and ice cream. NORTH CAROLINA Lincolnton Seven NFB BELL Academy students in Lincolnton, North Carolina grew in their Braille, cane travel, and nonvisual skills throughout the two-week program. They put their new skills into practice on a visit to the Catawba Science Center and on a field trip to a local bowling alley. Raleigh Students at the Raleigh NFB BELL Academy formed strong bonds with one another and with their blind mentors during the program, which was held on the campus of the Governor Morehead School for the Blind. On one field trip, the students employed their cane travel skills to cross streets on their way to and from Pullen Park, the first public park in the state of North Carolina. On another day, Raleigh NFB BELL Academy students visited the North Carolina Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, where they explored the Braille and audio books which provide access to books for blind individuals throughout the state. OHIO Columbus The NFB BELL Academy of Ohio hosted its first residential academy this summer. Students and mentors enjoyed new activities and learned many daily living skills. Students gained the skills necessary to become responsible including self-care activities, especially those needed at bedtime and mornings. In some ways the Ohio NFB BELL Academy became a mini- NFB training center. Students also enjoyed recreational activities such as a music night, swimming, and goal ball, and field trips, including a walk to an ice cream store, a tour of the American Whistle Corporation factory, and a trip to McDonalds for lunch one day. OKLAHOMA Oklahoma City The Sooner State welcomed back NFB BELL Academy students with great instruction and learning opportunities. Kimberly Berry from ABLE Tech spent a day at the Oklahoma NFB BELL Academy and gave one-on-one demonstrations of several devices including refreshable Braille displays, iPads, accessible money readers, accessible personal digital assistants (also called notetakers), and a talking Perkins Braillewriter. The statewide Assistive Technology (AT) Act Program provides outreach, information, and assistance services, and training on various AT topics, as well as collaborates with state and local agencies and organizations to enhance the understanding and access to AT. On a field trip to Andy Alligator's Fun Park, students played games, rode rides such as bumper cars, go karts, etc. They also enjoyed a pizza party with blind peers and adult mentors at the fun park. On another field trip, students visited the Oklahoma Library for the Blind where they toured the library, learned about services, explored the recording studio, and had a cookout with library staff. OREGON Portland NFB BELL Academy students in Oregon had a fun and rewarding time, working with great blind mentors and learning Braille and positive attitudes about blindness. Students also visited the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, where they explored the exhibits with the confidence and independence they learned at the Oregon NFB BELL Academy. PENNSYLVANIA Philadelphia At the veteran Philadelphia NFB BELL Academy, both returning and new NFB BELL Academy students grew in skills and confidence with regard to their Braille reading and writing, cane travel, and other nonvisual skills. Philadelphia NFB BELL Academy students visited a museum and a park with a playground. They also enjoyed a program provided by the Settlement Music School. Pittsburgh [PHOTO CAPTION: Adison, Jazmin, Meridian, and Miss Michelle cross the street in their learning shades.] The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, which includes the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped at its Baum Boulevard branch, served as host to the first year NFB BELL Academy in Pittsburgh. In addition to intensive Braille and cane travel instruction, students took field trips to a local science center and had an ice cream social/pool party. RHODE ISLAND Providence Students at the NFB BELL Academy in Providence engaged in nonstop learning fun. The program kicked off with pi?atas, cupcakes, Braille yoga, and more. Later, students put their skills to work in a fun cane scavenger hunt. Students donned their learning shades and used their canes to locate objects in their path. One student managed to find twenty-one items, including chairs, books, big and small boxes, playdough, and even an orange. How do you make writing fun? At the Providence NFB BELL Academy you get the students to write rhyming poems. One student who did not know any Braille before attending the Providence NFB BELL Academy proudly shared his Brailled poems with his peers and mentors. Students also wore their learning shades and used their long white canes while playing sardines, practicing pouring, coloring, and walking to the playground in the rain. On a field trip to the Edna Lawrence Nature Lab at the Rhode Island School of Design, students took the opportunity to feel sea shells, pine cones, bones, mushrooms, seeds, and even a live snake. Given that it is a presidential election year, it is quite appropriate that the Rhode Island Secretary of State's office allowed NFB BELL Academy students to check out the accessible voting machine that allows blind people to vote privately and independently. Students voted for their favorite ice cream flavor (had to write in "coffee") and learned a great deal about the voting process thanks to our friend Rob in the office of the secretary of state. SOUTH CAROLINA Columbia [PHOTO CAPTION: Taylin uses a Braille Sense at the BELL Academy in Columbia, South Carolina.] The veteran South Carolina NFB BELL Academy provided two weeks of individualized learning experiences for students. Cane travel was emphasized through the theme, "Anywhere and Everywhere." Students gained an increasing awareness of travel, white cane travel, car travel, and bus, train, and plane travel on the local, regional, and national levels. Mentors set up chairs and took students on imaginary train and airplane trips. Students received an introduction to tactile maps and used cardinal directions in the classroom. Additionally, South Carolina Artist-in- Residence Kimberly Roberts provided students individual steel drum instruction as well as a performance. TENNESSEE Memphis Students at the Memphis NFB BELL Academy learned Braille, how to use their canes for independent travel, and explored nonvisual skills such as identifying different objects, money, etc. They also enjoyed recreational activities such as kickball and Frisbee, each with accessible, beeping sports equipment. Members from the Memphis Symphony Orchestra demonstrated telling a story through music. Their story focused upon a young man exploring the galaxy. Through the music, Memphis NFB BELL Academy students explored Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The music detailed both the exciting adventures and scary moments of his journey. A community field trip involved eating lunch at McAlister's Deli and taking in an audio-described version of the movie Finding Dory at the Paradiso Theater. Murfreesboro The National Federation of the Blind of Tennessee hosted its first residential NFB BELL Academy on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. Students engaged in classroom and daily living skill development throughout the program. Students experienced a scavenger hunt in the local grocery store. Each group of students received a shopping list of three items that they had to identify and bring to the teacher. In this activity, students utilized their Braille skills to read the list of items, their cane travel skills, and their tactile and nonvisual skills to identify items. We also partnered with our local symphony to provide a lesson on how music can convey a story. TEXAS Houston [PHOTO CAPTION: Liz Wisecarver helps Brendan learn cane travel at the Houston BELL Academy.] Houston NFB BELL Academy students enjoyed varied Braille, cane travel, and nonvisual skill learning experiences. Houston students also visited a local fire station and explored the equipment while learning about the practices and protocols used by their local fire departments. Laredo Students at the Laredo NFB BELL Academy were on the move. On the field trip to the Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium in Laredo, students learned about the relative size and scale of our solar system using grains of sand. On another trip, students hopped 'til they dropped at a local trampoline park. San Antonio [PHOTO CAPTION: EmmaGrace and her blind mentor Raul take the stairs.] NFB BELL Academy students in San Antonio augmented their learning with accessible games, such as "For Sale," which was provided by accessible game maker 64 Oz. Games. 64 Oz. Games founder Richard Gibbs noted, "They did much better than some adults on their first play." Students also attended a beep baseball demonstration. UTAH Taylorsville (Salt Lake City area) [PHOTO CAPTION: Grant and Lexi play indoor field hockey wearing learning shades.] Utah NFB BELL Academy students augmented their Braille, cane travel, and nonvisual skills with innovative, accessible recreational activities. Indoor field hockey took place with hockey sticks made from long pool noodles and a sound-making beach ball. Students had a lot of fun and really had to learn to listen for the ball. Students also participated in two field trips including a visit to a park and a hands-on experience at the Leonardo Museum in Salt Lake City. On graduation day the students decided to plan and present a talent show for their parents. Performances included dancing, singing, and a magic show. This program was completely planned and organized by the students, and everyone had a great time. ---------- Teaching to Read in Two Weeks at BELL Academy by Sheena Manuel >From the Editor: Sheena Manuel is the outreach specialist at the Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness. She is a teacher of blind students, a certified national orientation and mobility instructor (NOMC), and holds a National Certification in Unified English Braille (NCUEB). She serves students in the public school setting in the north central area of Louisiana. She spends most summers going to different states to serve as a teacher for the Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning Academy. My love for teaching at BELL Academy stems from Louisiana Tech's Teaching Blind Students program. Participating at the BELL Academy was required and expected from my professor. She understood the value of seeing good blind role models, building relationships with fellow colleagues, and getting hands-on experience before we entered the profession. I'm always looking for adventure and different places to go whether for work or pleasure. I decided that every year I would look for another place to visit while doing what I love, teaching kids. This year Pittsburg was the place to be for BELL Academy. As I began meeting families, I learned that most of these kids did not have teachers waiting for them once they returned to the school setting. This motivated me to provide as much meaningful instruction as possible for the next two weeks. Kids are brutally honest. One student revealed she only knew one letter, a, and she received five minutes of Braille instruction throughout her last year at school. Appalling! I explained to her that we would give her a crash course in Braille, and I would give her as much as she could handle. This kid was highly motivated and ready to digest Braille. We started with the alphabet. I gave her between five and eight letters a day, teaching letters and whole words. She practiced writing them with my co- teacher every day. I presented the letters similar to the Mangold program, having her reading lines of letters then reading lines of words. And guess what: at BELL Academy you go home with homework. Every night this kid was excited to share with her family what she learned. As her love for reading Braille grew so did her interest in reading other words. Then I started introducing about three to four contractions and other words commonly found in early readers. The day I decided to introduce a story, she exclaimed that she had been waiting to read a story like the other kids. The look on her face will stay with me forever and continue to remind me of why I do what I do. I want kids to know that with motivation, high expectations, and proper training their dreams can come true. As a kid I remember picking up a book my mother read to me every night, Owl at Home by Arnold Lobel and thinking "I can't wait until I can read this." As a kid in grade school I remember waving my hand and squirming in my seat so I could read a passage aloud to my class. During the summer I enjoyed walking in the library and getting as many books as I could carry to read. As an adult I am excited when I can read a story aloud to my students (in print or Braille). Hopefully my love for reading will live on with this kid and every other kid I meet. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Salome Cummins disembarks the city bus] Visually Impaired Kids from St. Louis-Area Braille Camp Learn Life Skills with MetroLink Trip by Ashley Lisenby >From the Editor: This article first appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on July 27, 2016, and is reprinted here with their kind permission. We at the Monitor can't help but wholeheartedly agree with the single comment on the online version of the article at , "Yay for children learning life skills!" Tap. Tap. Tap. A small group of blind and visually impaired children tap their canes on the yellow truncated platform at the Brentwood MetroLink stop as they enter a train. For many of the six children, participants in a two-week Braille literacy camp, boarding this train is their first time riding public transportation. The camp, called the Missouri BELL Academy, operates out of the Delta Gamma Center for Children with Visual Impairments and runs through Friday. Now in its third year, the camp accepts children from across the state ages four to twelve with varied reading and writing skills and different levels of vision impairment. It is one of many BELL programs run by the National Federation of the Blind across the country. Camp leader Debbie Wunder and volunteer Braille teacher Adnan Gutic said the camp is important for teaching children the fundamentals of reading and writing but also for teaching life skills and providing adult mentors who may also be blind. Before leaving the center in Richmond Heights, the children are prepped on how to distinguish a $1 bill from a $5 bill. Some may choose to fold one bill like a "hot dog" and the other like a "hamburger." Others may opt to place different denominations of bills in separate compartments of their wallets. On their last field trip the children, called bell-ringers at the camp, went to The Magic House. This time they already know their final destination-McDonald's. First they have to navigate the train and bus. Once on the train platform, a group of adults, many of whom also have varying levels of vision impairment, share safety tips with the children. For example, stand behind the bumpy strip and near a group of short poles- shoulder height to the young riders-in order to know where the train doors will open. After riding the train and catching a bus, the group arrives at the golden arches. "I smell Mickey D's," one child says upon exiting the bus. The journey is enjoyable for most of the children, and they understand the importance of the field trip. "If you live in the big city, you have to know how to ride public transportation so you know how to be safe while doing it," said Nathan Deeds, ten, a second-year bell-ringer. But some temporarily struggle with the sounds and sensations that come with riding public transit, such as the screeching of the train and the jerking motion of the bus. Shianne Ramsey, six, of Jefferson City, admitted while taking bites of her meal that she was scared on the bus because of the abrupt motions, but later proudly proclaimed how she exhibits her independence in other ways. "I can buckle myself," she said with a smile, adding that she felt great when she accomplished tasks on her own. For camp leaders and volunteers, that's the goal: self-sufficiency. Wunder even questioned a McDonald's cashier who said an employee would bring the group their food. "Is that what you do for everyone?" she asked, later turning to encourage one child, saying, "You gotta do it for yourself, buddy. You can do it." Holly Carneal, twenty-two, a student studying social work at University of Central Missouri and a camp volunteer who was born blind, wants camp participants to know they can do what most people with sight can do. "It's nice to be independent and not rely on other people," Carneal said. "It gives you a sense of confidence by using a bus or the MetroLink. It's important for them, when they're young, to know they can do whatever they want in life." ---------- Celebrate the National Federation of the Blind by Patti Chang >From the Editor: Patti is the newly-appointed director of outreach for the National Federation of the Blind. She is the immediate past president of our Illinois affiliate, a former member of the national board of directors, and currently serves as the treasurer of the NFB of Illinois. Here is what she says about providing crucially-needed funds that make our programs possible: The holiday season is coming upon us. It is a time to celebrate, and we ought to reflect on how the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) has affected blind people's lives. In thinking about the gifts the NFB gives, these stories movingly explain how we make better the lives of those we touch: The National Federation of the Blind provided Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning Academies (BELL) in most states during the summer of 2016. These BELL Academies change lives as you can see from this "BELL Ringer." A rising seventh grader attended NFB BELL Academy for the first time this summer. She had a Braille teacher in first and second grades. However, her school thought she could see too well to continue with Braille, so they terminated her instruction in Braille. Five years later this bright young lady has been struggling more and more every year in school. The volume of work has grown, print size has shrunk, and her persistent headaches have halted any recreational reading and limited her ability to complete regular schoolwork. This young lady's parents knew that something needed to change. Her mother signed her up for NFB BELL Academy and drove four hours each day for two weeks to provide her daughter the opportunity to learn the skills she needs. At the end of each day, NFB BELL Academy students share their accomplishments of the day, which we call "BELL Ringers." On her second day this young lady, who had not been exposed to any Braille for the past five years, reflected on the impact of NFB BELL Academy: "I came in yesterday knowing "a," and I'm leaving today knowing "a" through "t." One of the most important aspects of the Federation is mentorship. Another parent wrote when evaluating the BELL Academy: My daughter, age seven, attended her first BELL Academy this summer. The word which most accurately describes her experience is enthusiastic. She not only gained more Braille skills and better O&M [orientation and mobility] skills; she also became enthusiastic about reading Braille and using her cane. For the first time she wasn't the only blind child or the only blind person in the room. She became enthusiastic about learning more Braille and desired to do so because others were reading Braille also. Her cane skills had been lacking because she hadn't been interested in following proper technique and learning to use auditory cues around her. At the NFB BELL Academy she received a new cane, she was able to make a name tag to put on it, and she became enthusiastic about using this wonderful tool. She knew that others in the room also had canes, and she wanted to be as good as them. Ron Brown shared his feelings about the National Federation of the Blind: I lost my vision when I was seventeen years old in a gunshot accident. I was coming home from a basketball game. I had 20/20 vision. After that happened to me I thought life was over as I knew it because I didn't know anything about blindness or blind people. My name is Ron Brown, and I'm from Indianapolis, Indiana. I tell people I lost my vision at 17, and I found the Federation at 18-and how fortunate for me. Dr. Maurer at the time was our state president, and he is now the immediate past president of the National Federation of the Blind. He was instrumental in changing my life for the better. I met him while I was on the campus of Ball State University. I felt that my blindness was a negative thing in my life. Every time people would see me with my cane they would react differently, and I noticed that. So a couple of other students and I got together, and we said, you know we're going to stop using our canes. And we're going to do this click-and-shuffle method of getting around. That's clicking your tongue to bounce sound off of walls, and it's sliding your feet in order to stay in contact with the ground. Now, I'm thinking everybody on campus knew I was blind except me, because I didn't want to accept it. I wanted to pass. I wanted people to look at me the same way they had looked at me before. I was a tall guy who played sports and different kinds of things. I did not want to be seen in a hopeless, helpless way. I did this for quite some time until one day I was going through the Cooper Science Building, and here I am clicking and shuffling down the hall sliding my feet. I am thinking that this hall is pretty empty so I'm going at a pretty good click, but what I did not know was that down the hall, about a hundred yards down the hall, were students on both sides of the hallway, and they had their legs stretched out. They were reading, and I didn't know it. They weren't making any noise. So I'm clicking my tongue, shuffling my feet, sliding on down the hallway until I got to that first person on the right side. I stepped on his legs and he screamed, and I jumped to the other side of the hallway, and I kicked this girl's book out of her hand, and her books went flying and she screamed, and on and on through the gauntlet of bodies I'm kicking books. In my wake I'm leaving homework and all kinds of stuff! I'm saying 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry,' and I'm jumping from one side of the hall to the other. So then I turn around and make more apologies. I hear a patter of these feet come running behind me, and I'm thinking Uh-oh, I'm in trouble now! This guy came and put his hand on my shoulder, and he said 'Hey guy, I've been there. That's some good stuff you're on.' And I'm thinking No, no, no, I'm not high; I'm just blind! You see then I wanted to be blind. I didn't want to pass then. I'm thinking, you know, after it was all said and done-I need my cane. I better use my cane. Had they seen me with a cane they would have looked up and noticed a blind person coming, and they would have adjusted, but I didn't have any idea. So the cane was not only just a mobility tool, but it was an informational tool as well. It let them know that I was blind-and it also let me know the same. From then on I carried my cane. I saw Dr. Maurer and Mrs. Maurer on the campus getting around gracefully with their canes, and I'm thinking That's the way I want to be. That's the mindset I want to have. I started listening and learning about the philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind. I felt like it was a good path to walk. Sometimes you want to take the path of least resistance; you don't want to acknowledge blindness, and you want to try to hide it. But the Federation taught me that it's respectable to be blind-that just because you lose your sight doesn't mean you lose your ability to live the life you want. Not only did it teach me those valuable life lessons, but it also taught me that I could go to school and become someone that I wanted to become. I wanted to go into business. I've been in business now for thirty years. I've been living the American dream basically: living the life I want-not because I'm blind but in spite of it. The NFB distributes free long white canes. One recipient recently sent a thank-you note: It is great to know there are still people in this world that care about other people besides themselves. Your gift of a white cane could not have come at a better time for me! My wonderful wife of 43 years, who has Alzheimer's, has moved to an assisted living facility. The only place I could find a cane was at the Lighthouse for the Blind in San Antonio, Texas. It's a 14-hour round trip for me, and I can't drive anymore. What you have done for me I will remember for the rest of my life. Those testimonials and many more show why and how the National Federation of the Blind helps blind people live the lives we want. But we need your contribution to continue making a difference and changing lives. With a $50 donation, the National Federation of the Blind can send a long white cane-free of charge-to a blind recipient and give back mobility. With the same amount the Federation can provide early literacy materials to families including a book with both Braille and print which empower parents to help their blind child get an early start to Braille literacy. With a larger donation we can train our Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning Academy teachers, show blind youngsters that they can do science too, and so much more. Be a part of these gifts and everything the Federation does with love, hope, and determination. We can't change lives without you. Please help by making an end-of- year gift-and it's easy to do. You can mail a donation or give online. To mail your donation, simply make out your check to the National Federation of the Blind, and send it to Attention: Outreach, 200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place, Baltimore, MD 21230. To give online visit our web page, . We all know that the Federation positively affects blind people's lives every day. Please be a part of our movement with an end-of-year donation. It will be sincerely appreciated. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Parnell Diggs] Social Security, SSI, and Medicare Facts for 2017 by Parnell Diggs >From the Editor: Every December we publish the Social Security figures that have been announced for the coming year. Our director of government affairs is charged with writing this annual update, and hats off to Parnell Diggs for never once complaining or needing to be reminded that the Braille Monitor needs this annual contribution. What follows is not easy reading, but it may be of significant importance for those who qualify for some assistance from the Social Security Administration. Here is what Parnell says: About this time each year, we provide you with details regarding annual adjustments in the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Medicare programs. In 2017 approximately 65 million Americans will see just a slight cost-of-living (COLA) increase (0.3 percent) in their benefit amounts. Thus, come January, monthly checks will be a few dollars higher. The 2017 amounts appear below along with some concepts which are always good to know about the Social Security and Medicare programs if you want to understand your rights. The COLA adjustment (if any) is based upon the consumer price index (CPI-W), which measures the inflationary rate against the wages earned by the approximately 173 million workers across the nation over the previous four quarters starting with the third quarter of the previous year. Okay, here are the numbers. Tax Rates FICA and Self-Employment Tax Rates: If you have a job, you know that you do not bring home everything you earn. 7.65 percent of your pay, for example, is deducted to cover your contribution to the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Trust Fund and the Medicare Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund. Specifically, 6.20 percent covers OASDI, and 1.45 percent is contributed to the HI Trust Fund. Additionally, your employer is required to match this 7.65 percent for a total of 15.30 percent. For those who are self-employed, there is no "employer" to match the 7.65 percent. Thus, a self-employed individual pays the entire 15.30 percent of her income. These numbers will not change in 2017 whether an individual is employed or self-employed. As of January 2013, individuals with earned income of more than $200,000 ($250,000 for married couples filing jointly) pay an additional 0.9 percent in Medicare taxes not including the above amounts. Maximum Taxable Earnings For the OASDI Trust Fund, there is a ceiling on taxable earnings, which was $118,500 per year in 2016 and will jump to $127,200 in 2017. Thus, for earnings above $127,200, there is no 6.20 percent deducted for OASDI. As for Medicare, there is no limit on taxable earnings for the HI Trust Fund. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Quarters of Coverage I always like to compare the OASDI Trust Fund to an insurance policy. You have to pay a premium to participate. Therefore, to qualify for Retirement, Survivors, or Disability Insurance benefits, an individual must pay a minimum amount of FICA taxes into the OASDI Trust Fund by earning a sufficient number of calendar quarters to become fully insured for Social Security benefits. In 2016 credit for one quarter of coverage was awarded for any individual who earned at least $1,260 during the year, which means that an individual would have needed to earn at least $5,040 to be credited with four quarters of coverage. In 2017 the amount increases to $1,300 for one calendar quarter or $5,200 to earn four quarters of coverage for the year. A maximum of four quarters can be awarded for any calendar year, and it makes no difference when the income is earned during that year. Basically, the taxes you pay into the OASDI and HI Trust Funds are your premiums to participate in the Social Security and Medicare programs. The total number of quarters required to be eligible for benefits depends on the individual's age. The older the individual, the more quarters are required. Furthermore, a higher average income during an individual's lifetime means a higher Social Security or SSDI check when benefits start. Remember the above quoted numbers for quarters of coverage to become fully insured are only minimum amounts. Trial Work Period (TWP) This concept is often misunderstood. The amount of earnings required to use a trial work month is based not upon the earnings limit for blind beneficiaries, but rather upon the national average wage index. In 2016 the amount required to use a TWP month was only $810, and this amount will increase to $840 in 2017. If you are self-employed, you can also use a trial work month if you work more than eighty hours in your business, and this limitation will not change unless expressly adjusted. Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) The earnings limit for a blind beneficiary in 2016 was $1,820 per month and will rise to $1,950 in 2017. Remember this is not the TWP amount. This is to say that the TWP can be exhausted even if your income is well below $1,950 per month. See the above information about the TWP. In 2017 a blind SSDI beneficiary who earns $1,951 or more in a month (before taxes but after subtracting unincurred business expenses for the self-employed, subsidized income for the employed, and impairment-related work expenses) will be deemed to have exceeded SGA and will likely no longer be eligible for benefits. Social Security Benefit Amounts In January of 2017, the average amount of SSDI benefits for a disabled worker is estimated to rise by about $4 to $1,171. Pursuant to the Social Security Act, a cost-of-living adjustment occurs automatically when there is an increase in inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). The CPI-W indicated an inflationary rate of 0.3 percent between the third quarter of 2015 and the third quarter of 2016. Thus, there is a corresponding COLA increase in 2017 and a minimal increase in monthly benefit amounts. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) The federal payment amount for individuals receiving SSI in 2016 was $733 per month and will increase to $735 in 2017, and the federal monthly payment amount of SSI received by couples will rise from $1,100 to $1,103. Student Earned Income Exclusion In 2016 the monthly amount was $1,780 and will increase to $1,790 in 2017. The annual amount was $7,180 and will be $7,200 in 2017. The asset limits under the SSI program will remain unchanged at $2,000 per individual and $3,000 per couple. ABLE Act Signed on December 19, 2014, the ABLE Act will have a significant impact on resource limits associated with the SSI and Medicaid programs for those who were blind or disabled by the age of twenty-six. Traditionally, SSI beneficiaries have been required to adhere to strict resource limits: such as a maximum of $2,000 in the bank for an individual receiving SSI benefits. Under the ABLE Act, however, the amount on deposit in an ABLE Account can be much higher. ABLE Account contributions must be designated specifically for purposes such as education, housing (with a cautionary warning to follow), employment training and support, assistive technology, health, prevention and wellness, financial management, legal fees, and funeral and burial expenses. The required implementing regulations are being enacted in most states. Check with your financial institution of choice for a status of ABLE Act regulations in a specific state. As to the warning about ABLE Account contributions for housing, it is important to note that SSI beneficiaries may still face the traditional $2,000 resource limit for ABLE Account funds designated for housing. Thus, SSI beneficiaries should consider the many other purposes not subject to the traditional resource limits when making ABLE Account contributions. Because there are also tax advantages associated with ABLE accounts, both SSDI and SSI beneficiaries should consult a financial advisor about establishing an ABLE Account. Medicare At this writing, the Department of Health and Human Services has not released updated information regarding deductibles, coinsurance amounts, and premiums for 2017. Updated Medicare information will be provided in an upcoming issue of the Braille Monitor. But for illustrative purposes, we will here provide you with details regarding the numbers from 2015 compared to 2016. Medicare Deductibles and Coinsurance: Medicare Part A coverage provides hospital insurance to most Social Security beneficiaries. The coinsurance amount is the hospital charge to a Medicare beneficiary for any hospital stay. Medicare then pays the hospital charges above the beneficiary's coinsurance amount. The Part A hospital inpatient deductible was $1,260 in 2015 and increased to $1,288 in 2016. The coinsurance charged for hospital services within a benefit period of no longer than sixty days was $0 in 2016. From the sixty-first day through the ninetieth day, the daily coinsurance amount was $315 per day in 2015 and rose slightly to $322 in 2016. Each Medicare beneficiary has sixty lifetime reserve days that may be used after a ninety- day benefit period has ended. Once used, these reserve days are no longer available after any benefit period. The coinsurance amount paid during each reserve day used in 2015 was $630 and in 2016 was $644. Part A of Medicare pays all covered charges for services in a skilled nursing facility for the first twenty days following a three-day in- hospital stay within a benefit period. From the twenty-first day through the one hundredth day in a benefit period, the Part A daily coinsurance amount for services received in a skilled nursing facility was $157.50 for 2015 and rose just slightly to $161 in 2016. Most Social Security beneficiaries have no monthly premium charge for Medicare Part A coverage. Those who become ineligible for SSDI can continue to receive Medicare Part A coverage premium-free for at least ninety-three months after the end of a trial work period. After that time the individual may purchase Part A coverage. The premium rate for this coverage during 2015 was $407 monthly and increased to $411 in 2016. The annual deductible amount for Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) in 2015 was $147 and rose to $166 in 2016. The Medicare Part B monthly premium rate for 2015 was $104.90 per month and rose to $121.80 in 2016. For those receiving Social Security benefits, this premium payment is deducted from your monthly benefit check. Individuals who remain eligible for Medicare but are not receiving Social Security benefits due to work activity must directly pay the Part B premium quarterly-one payment every three months. Like the Part A premiums mentioned above, Part B is also available for at least ninety-three months following the trial work period, assuming an individual wishes to have it and, when not receiving SSDI, continues to make quarterly premium payments. Programs That Help with Medicare Deductibles and Premiums: Low-income Medicare beneficiaries may qualify for assistance through four Medicare Savings Programs. We will discuss three of them here and leave the fourth one alone because (to qualify for it each year) you must already be on it, and you know who you are. Note: the below amounts may change in 2017. We begin with the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary program (QMB) and the Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary program (SLMB). To qualify for the QMB program in 2016, an individual's monthly income could not exceed $1,010, and a married couple's monthly income could not exceed $1,355. To qualify for the SLMB program in 2016, an individual's monthly income could not exceed $1,208, and a married couple's monthly income could not exceed $1,622. Under the QMB program, states are required to pay the Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance) premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance expenses for Medicare beneficiaries who meet the program's income and resource requirements. Under the SLMB program, states pay only the full Medicare Part B monthly premium. Eligibility for the SLMB program may be retroactive for up to three calendar months. Both the QMB and SLMB programs are administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in conjunction with the states. The rules vary from state to state, but the following can be said: As of 2016, resources (such as bank accounts or stocks) could not exceed $7,280 for one person or $10,930 per couple. The third program, known as the Qualified Disabled and Working Individuals (QDWI) Program, pays Part A premiums only and has resource limits of $4,000 for one person and $6,000 for a married couple. As to these programs, resources are generally things you own. However, not everything is counted. Examples of things that don't count include the house you live in, one car, a burial plot (or $1,500 put aside for burial expenses), and furniture. If you qualify for assistance under the QMB program, you will not have to pay the following: Medicare's hospital deductible amount, the daily coinsurance charges for extended hospital and skilled nursing facility stays; the Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) premium, the annual Part B deductible; and the coinsurance for services covered by Medicare Part B, depending on which doctor you go to (these services include doctor services, outpatient therapy, and durable medical equipment). If you qualify for assistance under the SLMB program, you will be responsible for the payment of all of the items listed above except for the monthly Part B premium, depending on your circumstances. If you think you qualify but you have not filed for Medicare Part A, contact Social Security to find out if you need to file an application. Further information about filing for Medicare is available from your local Social Security office or Social Security's toll-free number (800) 772- 1213. Remember that only your state can decide if you are eligible for help from the QMB or SLMB program and also that the income and resource levels listed here are general guidelines, with some states choosing greater amounts. Therefore, if you are elderly or disabled, have low income and very limited assets, and are a Medicare beneficiary, contact your state or local Medicaid office (referred to in some states as the Public Aid Office or the Public Assistance Office) to apply. For more information about either program, call the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on its toll-free number (800) 633-4227, or visit . ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Danielle Trevino] La Otra (The Other): Thoughts on My Culture and My Disability by Danielle Trevino >From the Editor: Danielle has until recently been a staff member for the National Federation of the Blind as the director of our social media efforts. She has recently moved to Texas to be with family, and though it goes without saying for those who know her, she remains an active member and leader in the National Federation of the Blind. Danielle uses the term "Latinx" to describe herself. This is a newer term, a nongendered alternative to Latina or Latino that has gained popularity as a way to include transgendered or other nontraditionally-gendered members of the community. Here is what she has to say: Today is the twenty-sixth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). I am sitting in a very nice hotel room in Orlando, having just spent the last four days attending the National Council of La Raza [the Race] (NCLR) conference. The NCLR is an organization that advocates for the rights of Latinx people. Similar to the mission of the National Federation of the Blind, La Raza strives to empower the Latin community to raise our voices and demand to be treated as equals. On the one hand, I am proud. Proud of being a woman, of being Latinx, and of being blind. I was born and raised in the United States, and I've benefited from the ADA. Even before I had language to explain things like self-advocacy, equality, opportunity, and security, I knew that I always had a leg to stand on. I'm so proud of how far we've come as disabled people while recognizing that the playing field is far from level. It does my heart good to know that organizations such as the National Federation of the Blind have not only fought for a seat at the table, but we've proven that we're capable of setting it and cooking the food to be served on it. I was raised to be vocal about my rights and needs, but I have to say that growing up I never met someone who looked like me. I met other blind people, I met other Latinx women, but the three never intersected. So on the other hand, my heart hurts. I thought that coming here would mean that I would be able to forge relationships with like-minded people of my culture who would be open to inviting the disabled to the table instead of sitting us in a corner where they can watch us in case we need help. I don't consider myself to be a shy person. I strike up conversations with anyone around me. However, when I tried to do that with other conference attendees (who were not part of my group), most of them responded with "Do you need help?" "Are you lost?" One lady even grabbed my cane and tried steering for me. I sat in sessions where the presenter said things like, "Read the story on screen, and tell me what you think," and my favorite, "If you look at the girl in the picture, you can tell she's not broken or different." Uh, what? Ironically enough, this was said in a session about social media and telling stories-two topics I may know a thing or two about. I'm saddened by the fact that we as disabled people have so far to go to level that playing field within American society, but in my experience this week, we're not even in the ballpark within the Latinx community. So how do we fix it? How do we start the conversation? How do we shed light on the fact that diabetes is now officially an epidemic within the Latinx community? How do we make people understand that blindness is the number-one side effect of diabetes? How do we make it so that little brown blind girls and their families get connected with the resources they need to get ahead and role models they can truly look up to? What steps need to be taken so that at large conferences such as NCLR or in the day-to-day, we are not othered because we're different? In the last year I've met some amazing Latinas within the NFB: Conchita Hernandez, Roxanne Torres, Lisamaria Martinez, and many more. All of these women are phenomenal powerhouses, who are out there representing the strength and beauty of the blind Latina. They, along with my incredible support system, inspire me to keep showing up, to keep moving in this space to the beat of a good salsa song. Our day is coming. We're hungry and more than ready to take our seats at the table. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Matt Yeater] Making a Way Where There is No Way: Blind Seminary Student Leads Collaborative Process to Gain Access to Biblical Languages by Annette Brill Bergstresser >From the Editor: This article is reprinted with the kind permission of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary. Readers probably recognize the name Matt Yeater. He is a leader in the National Federation of the Blind of Indiana, has been the winner of a national scholarship, and was honored with a Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award. What you may not know about him is that Matt was once on a very different path, one he believes was changed by God and furthered by his work in our organization. Here is Matt's story: Matt Yeater can relate to Bible stories in which God moves in seemingly impossible ways. His own story is one of them. Blinded in a meth lab explosion when he was twenty and imprisoned on multiple occasions, Matt doesn't fit the stereotype of a seminary student. However, he not only graduated May 21 with a Master of Divinity from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana, but also was named a recipient of the 2016 Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award from the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) for his work in making biblical languages accessible to blind people. "It's not anything I've done; it's God pushing me and telling me to move forward, making a way where there is no way," reflects Matt, now thirty-six and a member of Life Tabernacle Church in Elkhart. "He will lead even in the places that don't make sense to anyone." A Rocky Journey Matt recalls a childhood and young adulthood with a lot of moves, most of them in the Midwest. "I was angry and couldn't stay out of trouble," he says. "Between ages thirteen and eighteen, I was locked up more time than I was free." The meth lab explosion sent him to the hospital, where he spent a month on life support recovering from chemical burns. The explosion of hydrous ammonia had burned the top half of his lungs; he says he still gets winded easily today. After leaving the hospital, he "went back to the same old environment," getting drugs wherever he could. "People would only give me so much, so I ended up learning how to make meth blind," he recalls. "I did it for a year and a half before they put me in prison. I got busted on charges of possession and conspiracy to manufacture [illegal substances]." Matt was sentenced to six years in an Illinois prison. There he went through a drug rehab program and was put on work release, which he did while staying with family in Illinois. "I became sought after as a motivational speaker for kids by law enforcement," he says. "When they were losing funding for the DARE [Drug Abuse Resistance Education] program, I'd go in and talk, and they'd get funding again." After serving three years of his sentence, Matt was released at age 24. He got married to the woman he was with when the meth lab blew up, and they moved to Elkhart-where his dad was-to try to start over. His wife got a job at a gas station, and they had two children, a son and a daughter. Matt had dreams of going to college to become a drug and alcohol counselor. An Unexpected Setback Unfortunately, things got worse before they could get better. One day in November 2005, Matt was watching his children while his wife was at work. He set his infant daughter down in a recliner to go check on his son, who was wearing a bell so he could keep track of where he was. When he returned, he sat down on the recliner without thinking, accidentally sitting on the lower part of one of his daughter's legs. Frightened, he waited for his wife to come home, and they took her to the hospital, where doctors determined she had a small fracture. Matt was arrested immediately, and the children were taken into foster care. What followed was a complicated situation in which allegations of battery of a minor dependent were brought against Matt; his daughter allegedly had injuries that were inconsistent with his story of what had happened. So Matt found himself in a jail cell again, facing a trial. For the first and only time in his life, he contemplated suicide. "I said, 'Lord, I heard you won't put more on us than we can bear, but this is too much for me.' I didn't see any other choice," he says. "I remember the next day . . . I had fallen asleep on my bunk, saying, 'God, you know what happened.' I heard a voice, a clear audible voice that said to go get the medical records." He called his wife and told her what he'd heard. It took six months, but she was able to get the records to prove that the only injury their daughter had was the leg fracture. "That was a supernatural experience," Matt reflects. "No one was coming to preach to me. God sovereignly moved in and blew the thing wide open. And right after that, five preachers came to the jail-a few looking specifically for me. "I started holding Bible studies in jail as a way of getting people to read the Bible to me," he adds. "I started doing prayer circles." Although the battery charges were dropped, Matt still remained in jail until January 2008 for neglect of a dependent for not having called an ambulance right away. After he got out of jail, he went to church with the people who had been ministering to him. "My relationship with God has always been a supernatural relationship," he says. "God would show up and speak, and things would turn around. All I had was the Bible. Our relationship developed through prayer and trials in my life and the Word of God." Matt then went to Indiana Bible College in Indianapolis to pursue a bachelor's degree in Bible with a minor in theology. He graduated in May 2013 with high honors and leadership awards. "While I was at IBC, God said, 'Prepare for a PhD,'" he says. He came to visit AMBS. "I had no money to pay for anything," he says. His marriage had ended, but he had regained custody of his children. "I knew I wanted to have a place for my kids." "As I was walking up to AMBS on my second visit, the Holy Ghost just fell on me, and I started speaking in tongues, and I got a phone call saying everything would be paid for, even my housing," he remembers. "The people I was with were asking what was going on, but I was experiencing what the Lord does for me. God opens up doors along the way." Setting a New Standard for Biblical Language Study When Matt became a student at AMBS in the fall of 2013, he faced higher hurdles at seminary than most students, both in terms of accessibility and academics. He had never studied languages before, and the resources available for studying biblical languages in Braille were limited. Paul Keim, professor of Bible and Religion at Goshen (Indiana) College and a sessional instructor of Hebrew at AMBS, began tutoring him in Greek two times a week, using Braille versions of the Greek grammar and New Testament text. However, after more than two weeks, they realized that the New Testament text they were working with was not ancient Greek, but modern Greek. Back to square one. "I've been teaching language for a long time, but at every turn I realized how most of the strategies and protocols for learning language are for sighted people," Paul says. "The dictionary and encyclopedia articles were full of symbols Matt couldn't read." Matt and Paul began to explore gaining access to scholarly articles and commentaries in Braille. While they were able to connect with others who had converted biblical language documents into Braille, they realized there was no way for a blind person to successfully produce ancient language material in print in a way that would make sense to sighted scholars. "Our approach very early on was that we were going to try to reproduce the text [in print] to contribute to the sighted community and to scholarship as a whole," Matt says. "I wanted to create tools that would help blind people compete with sighted people on terms of equality." That same semester, Matt called Duxbury Systems, Inc., a company based in Westford, Massachusetts, that specializes in Braille translation software, supporting up to 147 different languages. He explained to David Holladay, a senior technical staff member, the challenges he was facing in translating the Hebrew characters. Matt didn't know it, but David's father was Bill Holladay, a well- known biblical scholar who translated the Hebrew Bible from German to English. David talked to Bill about Matt's problem. The next time they talked, he told Matt, "My dad's a theologian; I'm going to help you." Matt said David and his wife, Caryn Navy, also a senior technical staff member at Duxbury, dove into the project, even working on their own time at home to create a new biblical language software profile in Braille that would help Matt and other blind scholars study the ancient languages. They began building in the Braille software the critical apparatus, which gives scholars information about other manuscripts to find the best reading of a passage. Matt and Loren Johns, professor of New Testament, would write the code; David and Caryn would translate it into the software; and Matt would work through the text and identify where revisions were needed. "The critical apparatus gave me the opportunity to engage with the biblical textual criticism," Matt says. "That had never been done by a blind person." Matt adds that once they plugged Greek and Hebrew into the new software, they realized they would also need to write code for Syriac, a dialect of Aramaic in which many early Christian texts are written. He and Paul created the consonants, and he worked on the vowels with a fellow student, Ryan Harker, and Ray McAllister, who is blind and has a PhD in Hebrew from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. "We didn't just want to assign the same vowels for all three scripts [Hebrew, Greek and Syriac]," he says. "We had to create a systematic code so that it would be the same for a blind person as a sighted person, who could recognize the difference immediately." Matt notes that the project has taken three years and is still ongoing. In addition to the critical apparatus, Duxbury's biblical language software currently contains ancient Hebrew, Aramaic, ancient Greek, ancient Syriac, Coptic, and Latin-all of which can be converted to Braille at the touch of a button. According to Matt, the timing of the project is significant. The Marrakesh Visually Impaired Persons Treaty, passed in June 2013 in Marrakesh, Morocco, grants copyright exceptions so that accessible versions of books and other copyrighted works can be created and shared across borders. So the code Matt and his colleagues have created will set the standard globally for access to biblical languages. "This is a big deal for the blind community," he says. "The biblical language profile is now accessible to people all around the world in their own language. There hasn't been anything like this since Nemeth Code [a Braille code for encoding mathematical and scientific notation linearly]." He recently also learned that HumanWare, a company that makes Braille devices, is adding the software to two of its devices. "Matt always emphasized that he wanted the results of his work to be accessible to other blind people, to show them that it's possible to study languages, that tools are available, and that they wouldn't have to start from scratch," Paul notes. "I don't know how many people out there want to learn languages and have the capacity, but Matt was convinced that if they could create the software, other people would use it." Paul adds that in Matt's second year, Eileen Saner, then director of the AMBS library, saw a notice on a librarians' discussion board; another seminary was planning to admit a blind student who wanted to study languages. Matt, Paul, and Loren arranged a conference call to share about their experiences. "That gave us encouragement that our resources could be made available and that our experiences could be valuable to others-not just blind people but sighted professors as well," Paul says. "We discussed everything from biblical language protocols to use to how much time it takes for a blind student to access the materials." Paul says that for him, working with Matt on this project transformed his understanding of what accessibility means. "It's not just being able to get to the second floor because somebody hoists you up; you can get up there, but you've got to find somebody to hoist you," he says. "The point is to get up there on your own, when you want to go. Physical accessibility is a metaphor for all kinds of accessibility." He adds that getting course textbooks in an electronic format that could be translated into Braille was an ongoing need during Matt's studies. A lot of people at AMBS scanned books for him. "It's a question of getting to the point where you don't always have to depend on the largesse of the community," he says. "I think that's what we've moved toward." Now Matt himself can transfer text from Logos Bible software to Microsoft Word and export it into digital Braille with the help of the new software. It takes him ten additional steps, but he can access the same information as a sighted person. And what he writes in any of the biblical languages can be exported into a form that makes sense to sighted scholars. This spring, thanks in part to those who chose to invest in this project, he successfully defended his thesis, which is provisionally titled, "Yeshua Yahwism: The highest Christology in apposition to mono- Yahwism." National Recognition This spring, Matt also applied for the NFB's Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award, named for a pioneering blind physician, which recognizes "individuals and organizations working in the field of blindness that have demonstrated exemplary leadership and extraordinary accomplishments toward achieving the full integration of the blind into society on a basis of equality." Matt is also president of the NFB's Michiana chapter. In his application, Matt chose to name everyone at AMBS and Duxbury who contributed to the work; he also included two other people who are blind who participated in the project: Ray McAllister and Sarah Blake LaRose, an adjunct instructor at the School of Theology of Anderson (Indiana) University. "I felt I needed to honor the others' work; they're the giants, and I'm standing on their shoulders," he says. He also expresses gratitude to AMBS professors and staff for "not being intimidated" by his needs and for their willingness to invest in learning how to meet them. The NFB chose to give the $20,000 first-place award to Matt, Ray, and Sarah. The award will be presented July 5 at the annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind in Orlando, Florida. This summer, Matt is taking Aramaic and Syriac with Paul. He plans to continue his post-graduate studies on Second Temple Judaism and the birth of the church, perhaps at a university in Israel. He'd like to sharpen his research skills and to become fluent in Hebrew and Arabic. "I want a graduate program to say, 'This kid's going to be an investment'- that's how I want to be viewed," he says. "I want the next blind person to be evaluated on their skills and accomplishments and not their blindness. "That's where I'm at now, just waiting for the next step that God's going to open up in my life," he concludes. "My only claim to fame is Jesus's name. If I accomplish anything, it's because God is letting me and making it happen." ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Amy Buresh] Living the Life She Wants by Amy Buresh >From the Editor: Amy is the president of the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska, an employee of the agency serving blind people in her state, and the mother of two children. She also serves as a member of the national board of directors and at this summer's convention delivered one of the best speeches I've ever heard about integrating all of these responsibilities and still finding time for oneself. Here is what she said to the convention: The house is still. For a few precious moments my world is quiet. My two-year-old daughter Sarah is sleeping peacefully on my lap, and my husband Shane and ten-year-old son Noah have long since given in to the sandman's call. You would think that I, too, would be able to take advantage of the tranquility and get some much needed rest. It is a busy summer at my house. Noah is playing baseball, which means practice or a game on most evenings. Sarah is an active, inquisitive, imaginative, energetic toddler. Family is visiting from California. Youth programs like WAGES (Work and Gain Experience in the Summer) and several others are in full swing at the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, where I am employed as a vocational rehabilitation counselor. The Nebraska affiliate has just completed its annual Walk for Independence, and week one of our BELL Academy is in the books. I have a convention speech to write. What could I possibly say that would make a difference, challenge and inspire? My mind is working overtime. Words from the book I had just read Sarah before she drifted off to dreamland still running through my head. "... someday you'll know..." In The Dream Tree by Steven Cosgrove, Patti is a little fuzzy, energetic caterpillar who is curious to know what it will feel like when she becomes a beautiful butterfly as she spins her cocoon on the branches of the Dream Tree. She asks her mom. She asks a fluttering butterfly. But it's all to no avail. No one can truly explain the mystery that awaits. Dream Tree is a story for all ages that addresses those things in life that are so hard to explain. Though it is sometimes hard to wait, growing up will come soon enough. I found myself contemplating what my children's grown-up future would hold. Their little personalities already showing, what would they become? What would the future hold for our students from the BELL Academy or the WAGES program? It wasn't so long ago I had the very same thoughts about my own life. I am blind because of retinopathy of prematurity. I weighed nearly two pounds at birth and have been told I could easily fit in the palm of my dad's hand. Placed in an incubator, I received too much oxygen, damaging the optic nerves of my eyes and causing blindness. When I was five, my family moved from our farm to Nebraska City so that I could attend the Nebraska School for the Visually Handicapped (NSVH, as it was known then). My parents made the difficult decision to relocate to a new community far away from family, friends, and all they knew so that I could continue to live at home during my school years rather than in a dormitory. There I received a solid education and had a normal family life, complete with two pesky little brothers, family campouts, picnics, dress- up, and backyard sports. I believe this was critical to my success during my formative years, and I have always been grateful my parents made the choice they did. While a student at NSVH, I received training in many blindness skills, the most critical of which was Braille, which no doubt helped me to excel academically. In eighth grade I began taking classes at the public school in Nebraska City. That was an adjustment academically and socially. I went from all material, including textbooks, in Braille to having to learn to use books on cassette. I love music, so I tried out for swing choir. It took some hard work, but I made it. And, I can admit it now-my mischievous side got the best of me, and I purposely would sometimes dance near the edge of the stage, just 'cuz I could. Most times though I danced right in step with everyone else because I knew instinctively that what I did would reflect on all blind students to follow me. Although I was active in extracurricular activities-president of our school chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, musicals and plays, National Honor Society, and speech team, I found it hard to make real friends and sat through many lonely lunches. This is when those tough life questions began to formulate. What would it be like to be a blind woman? I knew one. She was the wife of the superintendent of NSVH and the Braillist. She was a nice enough lady and in the church choir with me. She and her husband had three children. I assume she prepared their meals and kept the house. However, she could not walk the one block between her home and the school's campus on her own. She went sighted guide every day and walked without a cane around the school with a slow and shuffling gait. I knew I did not want this. My own mobility lessons were once a week. I was expected to use and trust my cane then, but at no other times was I encouraged to use it. My mobility teacher thought it was more for recognition than a tool. "Grab a wing. It's all right," he'd say. I did take it with me to the public school, where I used it properly. How would I get around? I knew this was not what I wanted for my future. I kept the questions and fear at bay by keeping busy. Through the Nebraska Human Resources Department at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, I participated in a Big Sister-style program in which I was paired with a blind elementary school student whom I continued to mentor well after the program's conclusion. Growing up, I had few positive blind role models and limited contact with confident competent blind peers. It was during my teenage years that I first participated in youth programs sponsored by the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (NCBVI), where I gained many valuable skills and met my future husband. (So, those of you in summer youth programs, look out! You may get more than you are bargaining for this summer.) For several summers I worked as a volunteer counselor at the Summer Kids Independence Program (SKIP) Camp, a program for children ages five to twelve, sponsored by NCBVI. I wanted to share with other blind youth the things I had learned during my high school journey: which plans had worked for me, and which hadn't. I believed then and believe more absolutely today that mentoring is important in improving one's attitude toward blindness and a great way to learn how to handle being different in our society. Whether at home or at school, participating in music, academics, or athletics, I was successfully working and competing with my sighted peers. But, despite academic and extracurricular success, no one would hire me for a summer or after school job. A teacher did offer me a babysitting job a few times, but that was the extent of my work experience. As a senior in high school those nagging life questions from a few years ago came back in earnest. Neither my family and teachers nor my sighted peers had an answer. Could I really be successful as an independent blind adult? Would I ever marry and have a family? What about employment? Could I get a job and do it well? Following graduation, I began conquering those fears and seeking answers to these nagging questions by attending the Nebraska Center for the Blind in Lincoln. There I was first introduced to the underpinning philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind and, equally important, to kind and inspirational Federationists like Barbara Loos. Armed with newfound confidence and skills, I enrolled in Peru State College, graduating with a BS in psychology, sociology, and criminal justice. In 1993 the NFB of Nebraska established a scholarship program, and I was its first winner. With this award I faced a turning point in the evolution of my personal philosophy and in my affiliation with the National Federation of the Blind. Growing up, I had been warned that the NFB was an organization of radical, evil militants I should avoid like the plague. Thanks to the scholarship program, I attended my first state convention in the fall of 1993, discovered the warmth of the members of the NFB and the important work we are doing, and haven't looked back since. YES! I could live the life I wanted. It was there I met Chris Boone. She was confident, smart, a law student, and a wife and mom. These were things I wanted for myself. If she could do it, so could I! The very next year, in October of 1994, a handful of other concerned blind Nebraska students along with myself were granted the charter for the Nebraska Association of Blind Students within the Nebraska affiliate. I was elected president of the student division, an office I held for two years. Since those early days in the Federation, I have held a number of chapter and affiliate positions in Nebraska. In 2003 I was elected to serve as affiliate president, and in the summer of 2006 was elected by the national convention to the board of directors of the National Federation of the Blind. The year 2006 was quite a monumental and emotional year in my life. Two months before being elected to the national board, on Tuesday, May 2 at 10:26 PM, a seven-pound-ten-ounce, twenty-one-inch-long baby boy we named Noah made his grand entrance into the world. Shane and I were proud and excited. Naturally, we had the normal questions first-time parents would have. But thanks to the National Federation of the Blind and the supportive family we found there, we never doubted our abilities as blind parents-even though some around us did. Soon after Noah's birth, (we didn't even have his name picked out yet and still very emotional with all the birth hormones) we were visited by a hospital social worker. He came in, notepad and pen in hand, with a mile-long list of questions. Were we prepared at home? How would we feed, change, and bathe our new baby? How would we know if he was awake or hungry? (Duh!) Did we have anyone to move in with us permanently? Now, I don't know about you, but no matter how much you love your parents or your in-laws, you don't want them living with you. We had heard of these things happening to other blind parents, but that was years in the past-this shouldn't, couldn't be happening to us today! I wanted to cry. Shane, as he usually is, was strong, pragmatic, and calm. We asked if all new parents received a visit with questions such as these, and he had to reluctantly admit they did not. Only if it was thought a situation warranted special extra attention or posed a certain risk or potential for problems did they receive a visit. So, we took a deep breath and began to educate this guy about the real truth of blindness. Standing on the shoulders of those successful, competent blind parents who went before us like Marc and Patricia Maurer, Ray and Diane McGeorge, Joanne Wilson, Steve and Nadine Jacobsen and so many more, we began to answer his questions and, with love, hope, and determination, to explain how we would care for our son. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he was satisfied we were not going to harm our son and left us alone! Later that same year, in November, I was assigned my first duty as a national rep. I was to travel to Ohio, and I could bring my family with me. I was excited to share the good work we were doing at a national level and to learn from their affiliate and watch the always poised, confident, smart, and well-dressed Barbara Pierce in action up close. Our trip there was un-eventful, and the convention was positive and uplifting. Barbara was kind and gracious, and we had a wonderful time with our Federation family in Ohio. Confident and energized from the weekend, we boarded the plane to return home. As we walked down the jet bridge and entered the plane, a worried flight attendant greeted us. He physically steered us immediately to our seats and tried multiple times to take the baby carrier, with Noah in it right out of Shane's hands. After all, Shane might drop him. How could he possibly get the buckle secured around the carrier properly? His tone was condescending, and we were treated like toddlers. Did he stop to think about how we got ourselves, our bags, and our baby on to this plane all by ourselves? We settled Noah's seat nearest the window and farthest away from grabbing stranger hands. Shortly after takeoff Noah was hungry. I took him out of his seat, grabbed my cover and prepared to nurse him. Right on cue came our friendly flight attendant with worry and warning that "You better cover up" and "Are you ok to do this? Did I know what I was doing?" How did he think we kept our son alive until this moment? I remained polite on the outside and knew I needed to try and educate this guy, but on the inside I was emotional and angry. While I was still feeding Noah, our overly solicitous flight attendant came to take drink orders. When the drinks were served, he brought ours in cups with lids and straws and insisted on opening our package of pretzels for us. We could not get off that plane fast enough! Once on the ground, we gathered our things, put Noah in his carrier, and waited our turn to deplane. We thought we could escape without another encounter but ... it was not meant to be. Mr. flight attendant once again tried to convince us to sit and wait until everyone else was off the plane and he could find help for us. We said "No thank you," and hurried as fast as we could off that plane. I know that we are not alone in these types of experiences and that others have had to deal with far harsher circumstances. In July of 2010 at the national convention in Dallas, we were all shocked, appalled, and frightened to hear the news of how baby Mikaela was taken away from her blind parents for fifty-seven long days simply because her parents were blind. I often think of how blessed we were to have narrowly escaped a similar fate. On Valentine's Day 2014, at 9:30 AM Sarah Faith arrived. This time we would not be surprised. We were prepared. Armed with literature from the NFB, and phone numbers of other blind parents and the national office on speed dial, we waited for a visit from a well-intentioned social worker, but it never came. Are there challenges and frustrations with being a blind parent? Sure: Like when the room parent captain questions my ability to put together simple treat bags for the Halloween party; like when exiting a restaurant or crossing a street or at a checkout counter someone says what a big helper our sighted children must be (to which Noah responds "I guess"); or when one of the moms of Noah's friends that I have served with on several committees and school and church groups say that Noah wasn't asked to fill in when they were one altar boy short because they thought he had to sit with us to help us out lest we go astray in the communion line; or putting the KNFB reader through the paces and working with the teacher and school to read stacks of homework sheets in print; or when, after Sarah was born, a woman with whom I had served on the home and school board for two years asks if we had a nanny/housekeeper live with us to help take care of things since it must be extra difficult to manage a home and family without sight. (I know I'd sure like a maid but don't run in the kind of circles where one can afford one.) Sure there are lots of annoyances and challenges, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Incidents such as these cause me to be invigorated to work shoulder- to-shoulder and stride-for-stride with like-minded Federationists who hold my same beliefs. I believe our biggest disability as blind people is the limitations and doubts which are placed upon us by others in society. Let's continue to march together with our hammers of determination poised to drive home the nail of success. In my acceptance remarks when joining the National Federation of the Blind Board of Directors during the NFB's 2006 national convention in Dallas, I said that the Federation, for me, is a family. I feel at home and empowered here, sheltered by the big branches of the mighty oak tree, a nut that stood its ground. The roots of that tree go deep into the recesses of time and history. As written about in C. Michael Mellor's book Louis Braille: A Touch of Genius, we learn of a request for him to tutor a blind prince in the Austrian royal family. Louis Braille declined. As it says in the book, "According to his family, he asserted 'I am not the servant of only one blind person. I am the servant of all blind people.'" Had he said this against a backdrop of arrogance, we wouldn't be likely to see it as a good thing. However, we know that he did serve blind people every day, including both friends and students every step of the way when creating his code. We also know that this decision probably shortened his life, since the air would have been much purer in Austria than at the school in France, where he chose to stay. In other words, he ultimately compromised his health and sacrificed his life to improve the lives of fellow blind people. He understood, as we do in the Federation, that individual accomplishments matter little if they don't benefit others. As many of you know, the National Federation of the Blind has a new Blind Parent Initiative. This initiative includes a website, . On this website, we want to include videos of blind parents explaining (and possibly demonstrating) how they complete different parenting tasks such as changing diapers, transporting babies in strollers or carriers, keeping track of toddlers when traveling, dispensing proper amounts of medication, helping older children with homework, feeding infants, and helping young children learn letters, numbers, colors, and so much more. If you are a blind parent, I hope you will take some time to offer a video, photo, and narrative to this project. Sarah sighs softly in her sleep. As I gently rock her, I am contented and at peace. My ordinary life, juggling family, Federation and work commitments, struggling to keep all the balls in the air-this is the life I've chosen-the life I've created. My life as a blind woman is ordinary, not extraordinary. Therein lies its beauty. Finally, "She fell into a long sleep, and dreamed the dreams of the dream tree." I am forever grateful for the many gifts given to me in my life. I am blessed with a wonderful spouse. Shane is kind, funny, smart, and a leader of this movement in his own right. I could not do the things I do without his love and support. Together, we are living the lives we want. The National Federation of the Blind too has been a treasure. Melody Beattie said, "Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. "Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." M. Jenison said "It's your place in the world. It's your life. Go on and do all you can with it and make it the life you want to live." The National Federation of the Blind is a powerful and life-changing gift. It was for me, and I hope for you too. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Tara Carty shakes hands with Ray Kurzweil while receiving her scholarship at the 2009 National Convention.] Remembering Tara by Dan Facchini >From the Editor: This article is reprinted from the fall edition of The Sounding Board, the newsletter of the National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey. Here is how it was introduced by the editor: Editor's Note: It is with much sadness that we report the untimely death of Tara Carty on July 11, 2016. An NFB national and state scholarship winner, Tara was an active member of the NFBNJ. Tara was an inspiration to all who knew her. She will be missed. The following article tells of Tara's many challenges, her indomitable spirit, her life philosophy, and her kindness. Here is what Dan says about the love of his life: My wife Tara was like any other woman of the world: she loved to go shopping, get her nails done, and she enjoyed going to the malls with her grandmother. Her home was very important to her. She loved to decorate for the holidays, especially Christmas, and one of her favorite things to do was to have friends and family over for holidays, backyard parties, and just having a good time. One of Tara's lifelong dreams was to complete college after leaving Boston College in her second semester when she was diagnosed with renal failure as a complication of diabetes. This dream came true when she graduated from Caldwell College in 2013 with a 4.0 GPA. Another of Tara's dreams was to go to Disney World as an adult. This dream came true in 2016. We went to the national convention, and we also went to Disney. Like they always say, "All your dreams come true in Disney." This year's convention will be the most memorable for me because another of Tara's dreams came true. I felt her life was complete, and she was finally happy and at peace. My introduction to the NFB dates back about twenty years. That was my first state convention, and it was there and then that I was introduced to a whole new world. I no longer felt I was powerless against this blindness. Ever since that day, the NFB has changed my way of thinking about most everything. I was no longer an angry man with no direction. It led me to a good job, and I again had purpose. I became a member, then became a chapter president, and now I sit on the board of the NFBNJ. I share with others that being blind doesn't mean we have to stop doing the things we love. We can do anything if we put our minds to it. A blind person can do just fine in a sighted world. Independence and success are ours for the taking. The biggest change in my life came in November of 2009 at our state convention. It was there that I met the most amazing young lady, Tara Carty. Tara was a national and state scholarship winner that year. On Friday, November 6, 2009, in Clark, New Jersey, at the state dinner, things changed in my life forever. After I heard Tara speak, I just knew I had to meet her and get to know more about her. Now here was a person who had just recently lost her sight and had other major health issues due to diabetes, but she still had the most amazing outlook on life. You could tell whenever Tara spoke that she had the biggest smile on her face, and she was glowing. Between her smile and her attitude, she would just light up the room, and that very night she lit up my heart as well. I remember going up to her to introduce myself, and I was so nervous. That night we just talked and got to know more about one another, and the more she spoke, the more I fell in love. For those members throughout the state who thought they knew me, thought I was a little rough around the edges and not the one for Tara because we came from two different sides of the tracks, I want you to know you had nothing to worry about. Tara saw me for who I really was. Tara was one of the few people I ever met who saw with her heart and not with her eyes. She could talk to a person, listen to them, and decide what kind of a person they really were. In Tara's scholarship application, she wrote that she sees with her heart, and she sees people for their personalities, not for what they look like. Well, it was a good thing for me that she did not judge me by what I looked like! That year at the state convention, we had a "Kiss the Frog" fundraiser. It was between Joe Ruffalo and me, and at the last minute Tara took her last ten dollars and put it on Joe. She said she did not want me kissing anyone else but her. Well, truth be told, neither did I! As two blind people we were able to teach one another so many things. I can honestly say that Tara made me a better person and taught me how to experience life more fully. There were so many things we did in the short time we had together, and when I was with her, I was never afraid to do anything. I don't think I could have learned or done more in a lifetime with anyone else. We enjoyed traveling. Of course we went to NFB national conventions. We also went to Saint Croix on a wonderful vacation, and then there were so many weekend getaways for when we just wanted to be alone and forget about everything else in the world. The happiest day of my life was when I took her hand at our fairy tale wedding, and we vowed to spend each and every day together from that day forward for as long as we lived. The reason I'm sharing the story of my life with Tara is because I think sometimes people think of the NFB as a place only for business and to get things done in the state, or in Washington on behalf of the blind and their issues. That is part of what the organization does, and thank God for how well we do it, but it isn't the only thing the NFB does. The NFB is a place where people come as strangers who share a disability, but leave as part of a family that will always be there-offering support and advice, personally, emotionally, or yes, the practical necessities too. So I will leave you with this testimony: I went from being a rough, tough exterior guy, mad at the universe for taking my sight, to a successful businessman in the Blind Merchants Division of the NFB. This enabled me to buy a perfect home for my lovely Tara, support the both of us in a way I could not have done if the NFB wasn't there to guide me, but more than even that, it gave me a home and a family in the organization. These folks were there the day I met my Tara, and they were there holding me up the day I had to say my goodbyes to her. My life is richer because of Tara, along with the list of friends and fellow Federationists who fill my life. These people are the greatest gift of all. A friend shared this quote with me, and I'd like to end with it, since it sort of says what I've been trying to convey about the less discussed side of the NFB: "The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned."-Maya Angelou ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Nancy Burns] A Sign of the Times by Nancy Burns >From the Editor: Each year I receive a tidbit after convention expressing the concern that we are not as polite as we should be as we hurriedly travel the halls on our way from place to place. Sometimes this is attributed to a more aggressive younger generation, sometimes to people who lack good mobility, and sometimes to people who are so preoccupied with their technology that they are like the driver who is simultaneously texting and shaving while driving to work. I have been reluctant to run some of these articles, crediting that there will be a certain amount of bumping and jostling in any group that includes a couple thousand blind people, but the fact I have received items like this for the last few years makes me wonder if a word about convention courtesy is in order. Nancy Burns is a former resident of California, having served for a time as that state's affiliate president. She and Don are longtime Federationists, and when she speaks, it is always after significant thought and reflection. Here is what she says about her experience at the 2016 National Convention in Orlando: Not long ago our phones weren't smart; they were just phones. The word JAWS might have reminded us of a scary movie, and an Angry Bird was absolutely not something you wanted to play with. Advances in technology continue to introduce us to new ways of life. It has changed the way we travel, the way we communicate, the way we work, and the way we play. It is fair to say that nearly all of us depend on at least some modern technology to function in society. Our dependence on technology does come with some responsibility. Sometimes it is just difficult to keep up with our fast-paced world. Our Victor Readers and notetakers must stay charged in order to allow us to read that favorite novel or keep track of notes, dates, etc. We, as blind people, may not step into pools while texting, or step into ongoing traffic while playing Pok?mon, but it is imperative that we pay close attention to our surroundings. When moving about the world, either in airports, cities, or large buildings, it is imperative that we use our hearing along with our cane skills. If we become distracted, for whatever reason, we may bump into someone or trip over some object. The recent National Convention in Orlando was a perfect example of the need to be aware of not only ourselves, but of those around us. As a longtime cane user I was rather surprised at some of the behavior of convention attendees. It is understandable that excitement prevails at such conferences, and that fact may contribute to our lack of concentration and even lack of courtesy at times. In discussing this matter with others, several thoughts emerged, but the one common thread was that many of us seem to abandon our manners and simply plow through a crowded area. This is not a blanket indictment of all blind travelers, but some of this behavior was disturbing. We are all ambassadors of education, and as Pam Allen, director of the Louisiana Center said, "We must constantly be aware of our nonverbal impressions that we make on society." When asked if she felt that today's young travelers were less cautious than previous generations, Pam answered that we all seem to believe that our own generation was better but that her observations do not confirm such a conclusion. One of my fellow convention attendees who is also a cane user said that she spent a fair amount of time being bumped and jostled by others and that she took the time to direct, and even instruct in some cases, the invading culprit. I also took my concerns to Julie Deden, director of the Colorado Center for the Blind. Julie agreed that the blind, as well as the sighted, need to be more aware of their surroundings. She said that we all need to slow down. The good news is that, because of the NFB centers, more and more blind and visually impaired people are receiving cane travel instruction. It is not likely that any blind person without proper training will be able to successfully mix and mingle with the sighted world and make a positive impression. With training and support by peers and qualified instructors a blind person can safely and courteously navigate from coast to coast or border to border. Once we have acquired confidence in our travel skills, we are able to lead the life we want. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Carla McQuillan] The 2017 Distinguished Educator of Blind Students Award by Carla McQuillan >From the Editor: Carla McQuillan is the president of the National Federation of the Blind of Oregon, a member of the national Board of Directors, and the owner and executive director of Main Street Montessori Association, operating two Montessori schools. She is the chairman of the Distinguished Educator of Blind Students Award Committee, and she has written this announcement seeking applications for the 2017 award: The National Federation of the Blind will recognize an outstanding teacher of blind students at our 2017 annual convention, July 10 through July 15, in Orlando, Florida. The winner of this award will receive the following: . An expense paid trip to attend the convention . A check for $1,000 . A commemorative plaque . A place on the agenda of the annual meeting of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children to make a presentation regarding the education of blind children, and . The opportunity to attend seminars and workshops that address the current state of education of blind students, as well as a chance to meet and network with hundreds of blind individuals, teachers, parents, and other professionals in the field. The education of blind children is one of the National Federation of the Blind's highest priorities. We are committed to offering and supporting programs that enhance educational opportunities for this group. Please help us recognize dedicated and innovative teachers who provide quality education and meaningful experiences and opportunities for their blind students. Q: Who is eligible for this award? A: Anyone who is currently a teacher, counselor, or the administrator of programs for blind students. Q: Does an applicant have to be a member of the National Federation of the Blind? A: No, but attending the national convention in Orlando is required. Q: Can I nominate someone else for this award? A: Yes. Applicants can be nominated by colleagues, parents, supervisors, or friends who have first-hand knowledge of the individual's work with blind students. Q: How would I apply? A: You can fill out the application at the end of this article or find it on our website at Q: What is the deadline to submit an application or make a nomination? A: All applications must be received no later than May 1, 2017. Please complete the application and attach the required documents specified in the application. If you have questions, contact Carla McQuillan at (541) 653-9153. National Federation of the Blind Distinguished Educator of Blind Children Award 2017 Application Deadline: May 1, 2017 Name: _______________________________________________________ Home Address: _________________________________________________ City, State, Zip: _________________________________________________ Phone: (H) ____________________ (W) ____________________________ Email: ______________________________________________________ School: ______________________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________________ City, State, Zip: _________________________________________________ Use a separate sheet of paper to answer the following: List your degrees, the institutions from which they were received, and your major area or areas of study. How long and in what programs have you worked with blind children? In what setting do you currently work? Briefly describe your current job and teaching responsibilities. Describe your current caseload (e.g., number of students, ages, multiple disabilities, number of Braille-reading students). Email is strongly encouraged for transmitting nominations; letters of support and other relevant materials should be included as attachments. Applications sent by mail and postmarked by the deadline will also be accepted. Send all material by May 1, 2017, to Carla McQuillan, chairperson, Teacher Award Committee, or by mail to 5005 Main Street, Springfield, OR 97478; (541) 653-9153. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Edward Bell] The 2017 Blind Educator of the Year Award by Edward Bell >From the Editor: Dr. Edward Bell is an experienced educator in his own right. He was named Blind Educator of the Year in 2008. He chairs the 2017 Blind Educator of the Year Award Selection Committee. This is what he says: A number of years ago the Blind Educator of the Year Award was established by the National Organization of Blind Educators (the educators division of the National Federation of the Blind) to pay tribute to a blind teacher whose exceptional classroom performance, notable community service, and uncommon commitment to the NFB merit national recognition. Beginning with the 1991 presentation, this award became an honor bestowed by our entire movement. The change reflects our recognition of the importance of good teaching and the affect an outstanding blind teacher has on students, faculty, community, and all blind Americans. This award is presented in the spirit of the outstanding educators who founded and have continued to nurture the National Federation of the Blind and who, by example, have imparted knowledge of our strengths to us and raised our expectations. We have learned from Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, and Immediate Past President Marc Maurer that a teacher not only provides a student with information but also provides guidance, advocacy, and love. The recipient of the Blind Educator of the Year Award must exhibit all of these traits and must advance the cause of blind people in the spirit and philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind. The Blind Educator of the Year Award is presented at the annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind. Honorees must be present to receive an appropriately inscribed plaque and a check for $1,000. Nominations should be sent to Dr. Edward Bell, director, PDRIB, by email at , or post mail to PDRIB, Louisiana Tech University, PO Box 3158, Ruston, LA 71272. Letters of nomination must be accompanied by a copy of the nominee's current r?sum? and supporting documentation of community and Federation activity. All nomination materials must be in the hands of the committee chairman by May 1, 2017, to be considered for this year's award. For further information contact Edward Bell at (318) 257-4554, or . --------- [PHOTO CAPTION: James Gashel] The Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards by James Gashel >From the Editor: James Gashel is secretary of the National Federation of the Blind and chairs the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Committee. Here is his announcement about the 2017 Bolotin Awards program: The National Federation of the Blind is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards. These prestigious awards, granted each year as funds permit, recognize individuals, corporations, organizations, or other entities for outstanding work of excellence on behalf of the blind in the United States. The public recognition ceremony will be held during the 2017 annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind in Orlando, Florida. Each recipient will be given a cash award in an amount determined by the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Committee and will also be honored with an engraved medallion and plaque. Dr. Bolotin was a pioneering blind physician who practiced in the early twentieth century, and the awards which bear his name are made possible through the generosity of his late nephew and niece. Their bequest, the Alfred and Rosalind Perlman Trust, allows the National Federation of the Blind to recognize and support the most outstanding individuals and projects working to improve opportunities for blind people in the United States, consistent with Dr. Bolotin's pioneering example. As chronicled in his biography, The Blind Doctor by Rosalind Perlman, Dr. Bolotin fought ignorance and prejudice to gain entrance to medical school and the medical profession. He became one of the most respected physicians in Chicago during his career, which spanned the period from 1912 until his death in 1924. He was particularly known for his expertise in diseases of the heart and lungs. During his successful career Dr. Bolotin used his many public speaking engagements to advocate for employment of the blind and the full integration of the blind into society. Interested in young people in general and blind youth in particular, Dr. Bolotin established the first Boy Scout troop consisting entirely of blind boys and served as its leader. Jacob Bolotin's wife Helen had a sister whose husband died suddenly, leaving her to raise a son, Alfred Perlman. The Perlmans moved in with the Bolotins when Alfred was eleven, and for four years (until Jacob Bolotin's untimely death at age thirty-six), "Uncle Jake" became Alfred's surrogate father. Alfred later married Rosalind, and the couple worked on a book about Dr. Bolotin's life. After Alfred's death in 2001, Rosalind dedicated the rest of her life to completing and publishing the book. Then, upon her death and as part of her will, Rosalind left a bequest to the Santa Barbara Foundation and the National Federation of the Blind to produce Dr. Bolotin's biography and establish the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award program. Her book, The Blind Doctor: The Jacob Bolotin Story, has been published by and is available from Blue Point Books . Award Description In 2017 the National Federation of the Blind will again recognize individuals and organizations that have distinguished themselves in accordance with the criteria established to receive the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award. The committee will determine both the number of awards and the value of each cash award presented. The Federation determines the total amount to be distributed each year based on income received from the trust supporting the award program. The award categories for each year are blind individuals, sighted individuals, and organizations, corporations, or other entities. Individuals may apply on their own behalf or may submit a third party nomination, or the committee may also consider other individual or organizational candidates. Who Should Apply? Individuals: Only individuals over eighteen years of age may be considered for a Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award. Applicants must demonstrate that they have shown substantial initiative and leadership in improving the lives of the blind. Examples of such initiative include but are not limited to developing products, technologies, or techniques that increase the independence of the blind; directing quality programs or agencies for the blind; or mentoring other blind people. All individual applicants or third- party applicants nominating other individuals must demonstrate that the work to be recognized has been conducted within the twelve months preceding the application and/or that the work is continuing. Applications by or on behalf of individuals must include at least one letter of recommendation from a person familiar with or directly affected by the work to be recognized. Organizations: Organizations may apply for a Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award in order to further programs, services, technology, or techniques of unique and outstanding merit that have assisted and will continue to assist the blind. Applications from third parties nominating an organization will also be considered. The organization category includes corporations, nonprofit organizations, or other entities, such as a specific division within an organization. Organizations or third-party applicants must demonstrate that the programs or services to be recognized include substantial participation by blind people as developers, mentors, administrators, or executives, and not merely as clients, consumers, or beneficiaries. For example, an organization operating a program for blind youth might demonstrate that a substantial number of the counselors, teachers, or mentors involved in the program are blind. The organization or third-party applicant must demonstrate that it has substantially aided blind people within the twelve months prior to application and that an award would support efforts to build on previous successes. The application must also include at least one testimonial from a blind person who has benefited substantially from the programs or services. To qualify for an award both individuals and organizations must be headquartered in the United States of America, and their work must primarily benefit the blind of the United States. Procedures More information, including an online application, can be found on the National Federation of the Blind website at . Online submission of nominations, letters of support, and other relevant materials is strongly encouraged, but applications sent by mail and postmarked by the deadline will also be accepted. The 2017 deadline for application submission is April 15. Recipients chosen by the committee will be individually notified of their selection no later than May 15. Receipt of all complete applications will be acknowledged; only those applicants chosen to receive an award will be contacted by May 15. All decisions of the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Committee are final. The awards will be presented in July during the annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind. Individuals selected to receive an award must appear in person, not send a representative. Organizations may send an individual representative, preferably their chief executive officer. Recipient candidates must confirm in writing that they will appear in person to accept the award at the National Federation of the Blind annual convention. Failure to confirm attendance for the award presentation by June 1 will result in forfeiture of the award. Ineligible Persons Those employed full-time by the National Federation of the Blind may not apply for a Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award for work performed within the scope of their employment. Students may not apply for both a Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award and a National Federation of the Blind Scholarship in the same year. ---------- Recipes Last December the Braille Monitor put out a call for holiday recipes on Nfbnet-members-list, and we received a delicious variety. This year, we thought we'd do something similar. But, instead of narrowing it down to holiday recipes, we thought we'd ask for party recipes. After the holidays come New Year's and Super Bowl Saturday and any number of other occasions for large gatherings. [PHOTO CAPTION: Tom Bickford] Rum Balls by Tom Bickford Tom Bickford is best known for the Federation songs which bear his name. He has been a member of the Federation for more than fifty years, regularly attends conventions, and is a retired employee of the National Library Service. Ingredients: 1 16-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate bits 1/2 cup sugar 1/3 cup dark rum 3 tablespoons light corn syrup 2 cups finely-crushed vanilla wafers 1 cup finely-ground walnuts sugar Method: In a saucepan melt the chocolate bits over low heat. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, rum, and corn syrup. Fold in vanilla wafers and nuts. Shape the mixture into one-inch balls using two measuring teaspoons of mixture for each or one eating-sized teaspoon. Roll the balls in sugar. Store the balls in an airtight container for several days, two weeks minimum. Makes about four dozen balls. One time I had dry crumbs left over, so I added a few drops of water to make them moist enough to stick together; one might substitute a few drops of rum. When doubling the recipe do them separately, not as one giant batch. ---------- Buttermilk Biscuits by Tom Bickford Ingredients: 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 pound margarine 3 5/8-ounce packages dry yeast 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 8 to 9 cups flour 1 quart buttermilk Method: Cream together sugar and margarine in a large bowl (I use a fork to do this). Sift together the first one or two cups of flour with the remaining dry ingredients. In the bowl you creamed the sugar and margarine, alternate adding and stirring in the flour and buttermilk. The final dough should be light and slightly moist. Cover the bowl so the dough will not dry out. Refrigerate the dough overnight. The dough will expand, so expect it to do so. You may, but you don't have to, bake all the dough at the same time. I have stored unbaked dough for as much as two weeks. The flavor will intensify. Lightly grease muffin pan before filling cups about 3/4 full. Allow the dough to rise another hour in the pan in a warm place. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 min. Cooked biscuits can be stored frozen. Biscuits are best when fresh, warm, and buttered. ---------- Pumpkin Bread by Anna Freysz Cable Anna Freysz Cable was a member of the Sligo Creek Chapter of the NFB of Maryland. She lived to be 108 years old. Her loving and cheerful spirit and her dedication to learning Braille and other blindness techniques after losing her sight in her sixties were an inspiration, and the NFB of Maryland named an award in her honor. She used this recipe for many bake sales over the years. Ingredients: 3 cups sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 2/3 cup orange juice 1 cup cooking oil 4 eggs, lightly beaten 3 1/3 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 3 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 one-pound-can pumpkin 1 cup raisins lightly floured to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the pan 1 cup chopped nuts (optional) Method: Mix sugar and salt in juice, stir to dissolve. Add cooking oil and eggs. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Beat dry mix into wet mix starting slowly. Beat in the pumpkin. Stir in raisins and nuts last. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour and twenty minutes. Test with a toothpick. If toothpick comes out wet, try another ten minutes. When the toothpick comes out dry, remove to a rack for cooling. If loaves do not come out easily, run a knife around the pan to trim off any crust that may have stuck to the edge of the pan. Note: You can use six mini loaf pans. Prepare batter and pans, using the same recipe. Bake at 350 degrees for fifty minutes. I put all six mini pans on a baking sheet to catch accidental spills. ---------- Bacon-Wrapped Jalape?o Poppers by Megan Kindrick Megan Kindrick is the granddaughter of Federationist Mary Kindrick. This recipe comes from Megan's blog The Autistic Chef. Mary says, "Just as I advocate for the blind, she speaks for herself and others who are autistic. I am very proud of the hard work she has done to overcome her problems." Ingredients: 1 12-ounce package ground sausage (I like the Jimmy Dean Sage) 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened 6 jalape?o peppers 6 slices of bacon, cut in half (I find Oscar Mayer thin-sliced bacon works best) 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Method: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place ground sausage in a large skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain sausage and place in a medium bowl. Mix with the cream cheese and cheddar cheese and set aside. Warning! Experience taught me that it is best to wear rubber gloves while preparing the jalape?o peppers. I did not do so the first time, and my hands burned for two days, despite repeatedly washing with soap and water. A plastic sandwich bag, used to hold the pepper, can be substituted for the gloves. Cut jalape?os in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds. You can leave some of the seeds if you like it hotter. Stuff each jalape?o half with equal portions of the sausage and cheese mixture. Wrap with half slices of bacon. Secure bacon with toothpicks. It is best not to use colored toothpicks, as the dye will come off while cooking. Arrange wrapped jalape?os on wire rack that is placed on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for twenty-five minutes, or until the bacon is brown. ---------- Sweet Potato Pie by Rose Lee Meyer Rose Lee Meyer is Federationist Mary Kindrick's sister, and this recipe is a family favorite. Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 eggs 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes (You may use canned sweet potatoes if you wish.) 1 unbaked deep-dish pie crust Topping: 1/3 cup butter 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup shredded coconut 1/2 cup chopped pecans Method: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Blend sugar and spices in large mixing bowl and set aside. Beat eggs in medium mixing bowl. Add milk and vanilla. Combine with sugar mixture. Stir in potatoes, beat until smooth. Pour into pie crust. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 350 degrees, bake for 30 minutes. While the pie continues to bake, mix topping ingredients together. Spoon topping over pie; bake an additional ten to fifteen minutes. ---------- Egg Casserole by Mary Kindrick Ingredients: 12 to 16 slices of bread 8 eggs (you can use Eggbeaters) 2 cups of milk 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 pound grated cheddar cheese 1 pound of Jimmy Dean pork sausage (cooked and drained), or you can use 2 cups of cubed ham 1/2 cup of melted butter Method: Remove crust from bread and cut each slice in half (vertically). Cover bottom of a nine-by-thirteen-inch Pyrex dish with one layer of bread. Pour drained sausage (or ham) over bread, then cover with grated cheese, then cover with another layer of bread. Beat eggs, salt, milk, and butter. Pour very slowly over entire casserole, being sure to get in between everything. Refrigerate overnight. Bake uncovered, at 375 degrees for forty to fifty minutes, until golden brown. I serve with a fruit salad, fruit juice, and maybe even some miniature muffins-sometimes I'll even fry bacon on the side. This is great for holiday weekends or family gatherings, as it can be prepared in advance. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Robert Jaquiss] Oatmeal Cookies by Robert Jaquiss He says about these cookies, "Because these cookies use raw sugar and whole wheat flour, I find they do not affect my blood sugar nearly as much as cookies made with refined sugar and bleached flour." Ingredients: 1 cup butter (two sticks), softened 1 cup Sucanat (brand of raw sugar) 1 cup Sucanat with honey (3/4 cup of Sucanat mixed with 1/4 cup honey) 2 large or 3 small eggs 2 tablespoons vanilla 3 cups whole wheat flour 2 tablespoons cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 2 and 1/2 cups rolled oats Method: In a large bowl cream butter, Sucanat, and Sucanat with honey. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Sucanat is much coarser than sugar so make sure it is mixed. I melt the butter in a microwave for one minute; this makes the mixing easier. In a separate bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter and egg mixture. Stir in rolled oats and mix well. The dough is very stiff, so use a heavy-duty mixer. Scoop onto baking tray and bake for twelve minutes at 350 degrees. Yields two dozen cookies. Optionally, 1-1/2 cup raisins, semisweet chocolate chips, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, or a combination may be added. Note: When using raisins, I let them soak several hours before using them. Adding soaked raisins makes the dough sticky. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION Scott LaBarre] Gin and Tonic by Scott LaBarre Warning: This recipe may cause the preparer to become horizontal with or without company at an undesired point; cause the preparer to act inappropriately; perhaps cause the preparer to tell the truth about friends and family, or perhaps even say or do something witty. An unanticipated benefit may be that the preparer may think he/she is actually handsome/pretty, slender, and intelligent regardless of prevailing views and established fact. Note also that this recipe is best enjoyed on hot days, on a patio (friends and family present optional). This recipe can be prepared at any time of day because it is always 5:00 o'clock somewhere. Ingredients: Gin Tonic ice lime or lemon, sliced (optional) Method: Take one glass (size at discretion of drinker). Pour in a big splash of gin (Tanqueray preferred). Add ice to preference. Add some tonic followed by another big splash of gin. Did I say another splash of gin? Place a slice of lime or lemon on rim of glass or into drink to preference. Repeat process until appropriately tuned. ---------- Mexican and (Puerto Rican) Wedding Cakes by Eileen Rivera Ley Eileen says about this recipe: My sister Millie and I have lots of siblings. Each Christmas our mom had us each pick a special "signature" cookie recipe to make with her. This way we had a lovely variety to enjoy. My brother Ed would make chocolate pinwheels, I made Walnut Diamonds, Sandra perfected Mexican wedding cakes, Millie baked peanut butter cookies, sweet Caroline decorated the cut out cookies and little Jorge specialized in chocolate chips. (Little Susie was off the hook.) Of course some traditions last a lifetime while others make way for new ones. These days all the Rivera kids always make these amazing Mexican Wedding Cakes during the holidays. Ingredients: 1 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2-1/4 cup flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup roasted nuts (walnuts/pecans) Method: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roast nuts for four to seven minutes, tossing half way through. Cream butter and powdered sugar; add vanilla. In small bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to butter/sugar/vanilla mixture. Add fully cooled nuts (throw them in freezer for a while if needed). Roll the dough into 1-1/4 inch balls (smaller is prettier). Bake at 400 degrees for ten to twelve minutes or until light golden brown. When fully cooled, roll cookies in powdered sugar. We double the recipe and keep half in the fridge to bake as needed. ---------- Eggnog Bread by Shannon Cook Shannon is a Columbia chapter member and NFB of South Carolina Board member. Ingredients: 2 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 cup eggnog 1/2 cup melted butter 1/4 tsp nutmeg 2 tsp rum extract 1 tsp vanilla 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bread pan. Beat eggs. Add sugar, eggnog, butter, rum, and vanilla. Blend well. Add flour, baking powder, and nutmeg. Stir until just moistened. Pour into bread pan. Bake at 350 for forty-five minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for ten minutes before turning out of pan. ---------- Buttery Toffee Cookies by Michelle Clark Michelle is the president of the National Harbor chapter of the NFB of Maryland. Ingredients: 1 cup sugar 1 cup butter, softened 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 8-ounce package milk chocolate toffee bits Method: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add flour, baking soda, and salt; beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Stir in toffee bits. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake ten to twelve minutes or until lightly browned. Cool one minute on cookie sheets; remove to cooling rack. Consider using parchment paper. Makes forty-eight cookies. ---------- Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage by Michelle Clark Ingredients: Corned Beef: 3 pounds corned beef brisket with spice packet 2 carrots, cut into two-inch pieces 2 medium onions, chopped 1 small head green cabbage, cored, roughly chopped 2 cups apple juice 1 cup water Potatoes: 1-1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, sliced in half 1/2 stick butter, softened 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves Salt and freshly ground black pepper Method: Put the carrots and onions on the bottom of slow cooker, and put the corned beef on top. Arrange the chopped cabbage around the beef. Add the apple juice and one cup of water along with the contents of the spice packet. Cook on low for six to eight hours until the beef is tender. Remove the beef and vegetables to a platter and keep warm. For the potatoes: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the potatoes. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about twelve to fifteen minutes. Drain and return them to the pot. Add the butter, garlic, parsley, and salt, and pepper to taste. Gently combine so that all the potatoes are evenly coated. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with corn beef and vegetables from the slow cooker. ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Amy Mason] Bleu Cheese Dressing/Dip by Amy Mason Amy Mason hails from Nebraska and works at the Jernigan Institute in the National Braille and Technology Center. Ingredients: 1 16-ounce container of cottage cheese (2% fat or more gives the richest flavor) 1 4- to 6-ounce container of bleu cheese crumbles Lemon juice Salt Pepper Minced garlic Milk Method: Place the cottage cheese, a small amount of milk, and half of the bleu cheese crumbles in a blender and blend until smooth. Mix in salt, pepper, lemon juice, and garlic to taste (start with half teaspoons of salt and pepper, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and two to three cloves of garlic, or a teaspoon of the already minced stuff from the store.) Blend in more milk until the dressing reaches the desired consistency. Mix-don't blend-in remaining bleu cheese crumbles, or serve with these sprinkled on top for a more festive appearance. For best results refrigerate for at least four hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld. ---------- Monitor Miniatures News from the Federation Family Congratulations on Additions to the Federation Family: Friday, September 23, 2016, NFB of Montana President Joy Breslauer and her husband Bruce became the proud grandparents of twin girls, Blake Kendalyn-Marie Sanderson and Beckett Analyn-Rose Sanderson, 4.13 and 5.7 pounds respectively. Although the twins were born a few weeks early, they did not spend any time in the NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit). Mother and both babies are doing fine. This makes seven grandchildren for the Breslauers. Elected: The following officers were elected at the 2016 State Convention of the NFB of North Dakota on Saturday, September 17 in the city of Fargo: president, Milton Ota; vice president, Duane Iverson; secretary/treasurer, Jessiaca Evans; and director, Jesse Shirek. 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. Computers for the Blind Expand Service: Computers for the Blind (CFTB) is pleased to announce a substantial grant from the Reading Resource fund, Communities Foundation of Texas to provide almost 700 computers to people on SSDI and/or SSI, as well as families of children with visual impairments. Please share widely with staff and consumer organizations, and parents of children with visual impairments and their support groups such as the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children. Consumers who are on SSI and/or SSDI can receive a desktop computer package (desktop computer, flat screen monitor, and peripherals) for $50 or a laptop for $70. An award letter from SSA is required. Parents of a child with a visual impairment may receive a desktop computer package (desktop computer, flat screen monitor, and peripherals) for $50 or a laptop for $70. A letter of recommendation from the student's teacher of the visually impaired (TVI) is required. The letter needs to indicate that obtaining a computer at our standard price of $110 would create a financial burden on the family. No other financial information is needed. The TVI also needs to indicate that the student needs a computer and is capable of benefiting from it. Note: We have discovered that a child who can press the spacebar may be able to use a computer with proper training, special software, and USB connections. Go to the CFTB website to see what we provide. All computers have a two-year warranty. Purchase orders are not accepted for this grant. CFTB does not recommend and rarely approves a laptop computer for people who use MAGic screen magnification because the laptop screen is not large enough. CFTB now accepts credit and debit cards or PayPal. Talking Typing Teacher is available from MarvelSoft for $10 through this grant. It is 90 percent off of retail and is highly recommended for all users! For additional information or to place an order contact customer service at (214) 340-6328. Please leave one message only. Staff will get back to you within two business days. Write to or visit us at . The Selective Doctor Closes Its Doors: We have closed The Selective Doctor, Inc. effective October 31, 2016. Our business began in March 1992, and we have repaired over 7,100 Perkins Braillers since that date. It is with great sadness that we close but feel it's time to retire due to Joe's back injury. We want to thank all of our customers for trusting us with their Braillers for the past twenty-four years and have thoroughly enjoyed the bonds we have made over the years. To express your appreciation of the long service given by Joe Staniewski Jr., email him at . Leading the Way: A group of twenty-two blind, visually impaired, and sighted students across the US ages fifteen to nineteen will have an amazing opportunity to participate in a nine-month program that includes an expedition to the Grand Canyon with No Barriers Youth on July 14 to 25, 2017. Over the course of twelve days, students will journey into the heart of the Grand Canyon, learning about the importance of natural sounds, participating in meaningful science, learning about career opportunities with the National Park Service, and honing their leadership strengths. At the end of this transformative expedition, students emerge as leaders ready to face personal and global barriers with passion and perseverance and inspired and equipped to be the next generation of ambassadors for the National Park Service. No Barriers USA was co-founded by the first blind mountaineer to summit Everest, Erik Weihenmayer. The cost for the trip is $510 plus travel to Phoenix, Arizona. Due to generous funding (a $3,300 scholarship for each accepted student) from the National Park Service's Natural Sound and Night Skies Division (NSNSD), this program has been significantly reduced from its original price. Eligible students are those who are blind, visually-impaired, or sighted between the ages of fifteen and nineteen. To apply, submit an online application and correlating materials here: . Preference is given to those who apply by the early deadline of December 12, but applications are accepted until January 13, 2017. Please contact us at or call us at (970) 484-3633 with any questions, and share this email with those who may be interested. If you share this message, please CC so we can see our reach. If you "like" No Barriers Youth on Facebook, you can see our post about this program and share it on social media. You can also nominate a student here: . Thank you for helping to spread the word, and we look forward to connecting with you! ---------- 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.