Important Tour Information: Please read the following information completely.  It will answer many of your tour-related questions and will help you have a more enjoyable tour experience.

1. All tours buses will load and drop off at the entrance outside Draft Media Sports Lounge.  Exit the doors across from the Front Desk, down the steps, and turn left.  Follow the sidewalk approximately 125 feet to board the buses.  If you are exiting from the Royale Pavilion, go down the steps, turn right, and down the sidewalk approximately 75 feet.
2. Bus departure…

Sponsored by Regal Cinemas

Bring the kids (ages 6 to 12) for a great week of tours and fun in the Kids’ Explorer Club.  Games, crafts, swimming, and trips; every day is packed with fun.  Breakfast, lunch and snack included.  Open Sunday from 6:30 PM until 9:00 PM, Monday through Thursday from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and on Friday from 7:00 AM until after the banquet.

Participants must register and pay the convention administrative fee before attending any events.  Discounted tickets for events may be purchased on the pre-registration form.

The Rules…

American Association of Blind Teachers

President: Kate Crohan
Program Chair: Carla Hayes
Registration: $10 ($12)
Theme: Employment Matters

Sunday, July 3
8:00 AM – 11:00 AM: AABT Breakfast / Program / Meeting $25 ($27), Greenway A.

8:00 AM: “Skills for Work That Work.”  What skills lead to successful employment?  Learn what recent research reveals.  Presenter: Dr. Tabitha Brecke, Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, Accommodations Specialist, Auburn University, Auburn, AL.

9:30 AM: Break

9:45 AM: AABT Business Meeting…

Career Development

Wednesday, July 6, Regency Room
7:00 AM: NIB Breakfast $10 ($15)
Join National Industries for the Blind for a discussion about employment and the AbilityOne program.

Guide Dogs

Tuesday, July 5, Regency Room
7:00 AM: Guide Dogs for the Blind Alumni Breakfast
GDB grads connect with friends and staff; those considering the guide dog lifestyle welcome.

Advocacy Issues

Monday, July 4, Great Lakes Ballroom
7:00 AM – 8:15 AM: AFB Breakfast $10 ($12)
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) cordially…

Audio Description Project
Joel Snyder, President, Audio Description Associates
Sunday, July 3 through Tuesday, July 5, Lakeshore Ballroom A
1:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Audio Description Conference $149 ($149).  Audio description enthusiasts hear presentations on the latest developments in the field.  Includes a gala awards luncheon on Day 3 with a guest speaker.

Wednesday, July 6 through Friday, July 8, Lakeshore Ballroom A
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Audio Description Institute $495 ($495).  Interactive sessions to build skills for the audio describer; use of audio…

Advocacy Committee

Chair: Jeff Thom

Tuesday, July 5, Mirage
2:45 PM – 4:00 PM: Tools for Tomorrow $6 ($8)
Strategies for affiliates to influence state / local programs and legislation well beyond just rehab.  Presenters: Anthony Stephens, ACB Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs, Alexandria, VA; Rebecca Bridges, Chair, Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired State Rehabilitation Council.  Co-sponsored by Advocacy Committee and Rehab Issues Task Force.

DKM First-Timers Committee

…

ACB Board of Directors

Saturday, July 2:
9:00 AM: Pre-convention Board Meeting – Minnehaha

Board of Publications, Chair: Denise Colley

Sunday, July 3:
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM: BOP Meeting, Minnehaha

Tuesday, July 5:
5:45 PM – 7:00 PM: BOP Candidate Forum, Mirage
Hear from and ask questions of this year’s candidates.

Thursday, July 7:
1:15 PM – 2:30 PM: BOP Editors’ Workshop, Greenway BCD

Constitution and Bylaws Committee

Chair: John Huffman

Saturday, July…

American Council of the Blind
55th Annual Conference and Convention
Theme: ACB: Land of 10,000 Dreams

Sunday, July 3: Nicollet Ballroom

6:30 PM: Entertainment: Bruce Cottrell, Burnsville, MN

7:00 PM: Call to Order: Kim Charlson, President, American Council of the Blind, Watertown, MA

Invocation: Father John Sheehan, Executive Director, Xavier Society for the Blind, New York, NY

Presentation of Colors: Color Guard for the University of Minnesota, Naval Reserve Officers Training Corp (NROTC), Minneapolis, MN

"The Star…

Adopted by the ACB Board of Directors, May 2009

1. Each debatable issue before the convention shall be limited to approximately twenty (20) minutes with a three-minute time limit per speaker, alternating between affirmative and opposing speakers, unless a majority of the members agree to extend debate for an additional period of time.

   A.    Motions to close debate will not be recognized by the chair during the first debate period. After the first debate period, properly moved motions such as "I call for the question" or "I move the previous question" will be…

Thanks to a generous donation from MD Support and their partner Macular Degeneration Foundation, indoor navigation technology will be available once again to attendees at this year's ACB conference and convention in Minneapolis.  The guidance system works by sending audible instructions and location descriptions to iDevices (iPhone 4S or later and iPad 4 or later).  The information is electronically transmitted by beacons placed at meeting rooms, restrooms, elevators, and other venues.

If you are planning to use MD Support's new LowViz Guide at this year's convention, you…