by Elizabeth M. Lennon
The announcement of new products and services in this column should not be considered an endorsement of those products and services by the American Council of the Blind, its staff or elected officials. Products and services are listed free of charge for the benefit of our readers. “The Braille Forum” cannot be responsible for the reliability of products or services mentioned.
Please note that this is Elizabeth Lennon’s last “Here and There” column. For more information, see the article “‘Here and There” Writer Retires Her Pen” elsewhere in this issue.
Social Security Rights
People who go to federal court to appeal a denial of Social Security disability benefits may raise issues they did not pursue during earlier appeals, according to a recent ruling from the Supreme Court. This ruling reverses a federal appeals court decision that said courts could not hear some of the arguments raised in an appeal by Juatassa Sims of Mississippi. In her appeal to the Supreme Court, she had argued that requiring people to raise all issues during an administrative appeal conflicted with the nature of such proceedings, where many people are not represented by lawyers; the Supreme Court agreed. For more information on this case, visit http://www.uscourts.gov/links.htm and click on Fifth Circuit.
BrailleNote
HumanWare gave visitors at the CSUN Assistive Technology Conference a preview of its newest device: BrailleNote. This is a notetaker for the blind with an operating system built on Windows CE that will allow blind users to send and receive e-mail attachments that can be opened in Microsoft Word then converted into text, digital voice or braille.
It is a little bigger than a palmtop computer and has a specially designed keyboard along the sides and at the bottom. The first three keys on each side contain the braille alphabet; other keys direct where the dots should be placed, or act as cursors.
BrailleNote has an 18- or 32-cell braille display screen along the bottom of the unit that allows the user to read any material entered into it, including e-mail attachments. It also has an internal modem as well as infrared, serial and parallel ports. For more information, call HumanWare at (800) 722-3393, visit http://www.humanware.com or send e-mail to info@humanware.com.
LAB Retrievers
All blind and legally blind people living in and around Lowell, Mass., are invited to join the LAB Retrievers, New England’s only organized beep baseball team. Beep baseball is an adapted form of baseball. It is played using a beeping ball and audible bases. Practices began May 3 at Ryan Field in Lowell, and will be held Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 8 p.m. May through September 2000. Contact the Lowell Association for the Blind at (978) 454-5704 or Dana Bernor at (978) 251-1142.
Job Opening
Braille International of Stuart, Fla., needs a braille proofreader. This is a full-time position with full benefits. Relocation costs are negotiable. You must be a fluent braille reader; NLS certification is desirable, but training on the job is available. Salary depends on your experience and qualifications, but the minimum starting salary (uncertified) is $7.50 an hour. Send your resume and cover letter to Braille International Inc., 3290 SE Slater St., Stuart, FL 34997; phone (800) 336-3142 or fax (561) 286-8909.
Resources
VISION Community Services, a division of the Massachusetts Association for the Blind, recently published the 17th edition of its popular resource list. More than 100 items, many of which are free of charge, are listed. Many items are available in a variety of formats including print, large print, braille and cassette. Categories include eye diseases and conditions, consumer organizations, electronic reading and computer aids, financial resources, Massachusetts agencies/services, recreation resources, resources for parents and children, and a wide variety of general brochures. The VCS Resource List is available free in large print, cassette, or disk, in single copies, upon request. Order it from: VISION Community Services, 23A Elm St., Watertown, MA 02472, or phone (617) 923-2790 and leave a message including your name, address and format preference.
Reunion
The Alumni Association of the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children will hold its biennial convention the weekend of August 4-6 on the school campus. The cost for the entire weekend, including dues, is $56. If you only want to attend the banquet, it costs $26. Come join us! The registration deadline is July 15. To learn more, or make your reservations, contact Louise Flannigan at 1348 Beverly Rd., Port Vue, PA 15133, or call her at (412) 672-7405.
Exhibit
The National Museum of American History, http://www.americanhistory.si.edu, opened an exhibit entitled “The Disability Rights Movement” on July 6. This exhibit examines the history of grass roots activism by people with disabilities, their friends and families to secure the civil rights guaranteed to all Americans. It consists of four showcases, and aims for maximum accessibility. Web-based kiosks will provide visitors with alternative formats to experience the exhibits. These kiosks are prototypes for versions that will eventually be available to museums and other cultural institutions. For more information, call (202) 357-2700 (voice) or (202) 357-1729 (TDD).
Jordy System
The Jordy Low Vision System is a multipurpose aid that may be worn to watch TV or a movie, view a church service or wedding, or monitor grandchildren playing. It has a 44-degree field of view, weighs less than 10 ounces, is full color with auto focus magnification, a range of magnification from 1 to 24 times, magnified TV viewing, battery or electric operation, and is portable. It can also be used as a CCTV with a stand.
For more information about the system, e- mail richw@eyeassociates.com, visit the web site, http://www.eyeassociates.com, or call (765) 348-2020.
Commemoratives
The Library of Congress is celebrating its bicentennial this year. To celebrate, the U.S. Mint is issuing two commemorative coins, including the nation’s first bimetallic commemorative (made of gold and platinum).
The $1 silver coin features the Torch of Learning and an open book on the front, and the dome of the Jefferson building on the back. The front of the $10 bimetallic coin features Roman goddess of wisdom Minerva’s hand on the Torch of Learning with the Jefferson building dome in the background; the back features the library’s seal. The silver coin costs $32; the bimetallic coin, $425. A percentage of the revenues from the coins will be returned to the library for educational outreach efforts and other activities. To purchase the coins, call toll-free (800) 872-6468, or visit http://www.usmint.gov. To view images of the coins and find information about other bicentennial activities, visit http://www.loc.gov/bicentennial.
Radio Camp
It’s that time of year again! HANDI-HAMS Minnesota Radio Workshop will be held at Camp Courage North, deep in the pines of northern Minnesota’s beautiful lake country. Come for a week of ham radio fun and upgrade your license with one of our classes.
Camp dates are Monday, August 28 through Monday, September 4. Classes are: beginner, code, general, extra, operating skills, and beginning blind computing with JAWS for Windows. All food, lodging and normal care for the week will be provided, as well as transportation from the Bemidji Airport (if necessary). Camp fees are $195 for the week.
And this year, you can bring a new camper for no extra charge. The new camper must join HANDI-HAMS and be otherwise qualified to attend camp. For more information, or an application, contact HANDI-HAMS at (763) 520-0515, or e-mail handiham@mtn.org. You may also visit the web site, http://www.handiham.org. Applications must be filled out and returned immediately; transportation and medical forms must be filled out and returned by July 28. Return all forms to Courage Handi-Ham Headquarters, 3915 Golden Valley Rd., Golden Valley, MN 55422.
Graduate Stipends
The University of Arkansas-Little Rock Department of Counseling, Adult and Rehabilitation Education has a limited number of graduate student stipends that pay full tuition and a monthly living allowance starting this fall for students interested in master’s degrees in orientation and mobility and/or rehabilitation teaching for blind and visually impaired people. The 42-hour master’s degree program can be completed on a full-time basis in 13-14 months and does not require GRE scores for entrance, nor theses or comprehensive examinations for exit. While they are teaching degrees, they do not require students to have teaching backgrounds as a means of eligibility. If you’re interested, call Dr. Bill Jacobson at (501) 569-8505 or e-mail him at whjacobson@ualr.edu, or call Dr. Patricia Smith at (501) 569-3169 or e-mail her at pbsmith@ualr.edu.
Fidelco E.D.
George Salpietro, senior vice president of Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, has been named the foundation’s executive director by Charles H. Kaman, chairman of the board. This promotion makes Salpietro the first guide dog user to be an executive director of a guide dog organization in the United States. In this position, he will oversee all programs, administration, development and marketing departments, and have full responsibility for the management and coordination of the organization’s operations, finances, staff and their activities.
Screen Magnifier
Have you ever said to yourself or to a friend that you wish there were a cheap screen magnifier? Yes, there is! ZoomPower for Windows 95/98 is a $25 shareware magnifier. With help from the Screen Magnifiers Homepage, Dave Eisler redesigned the magnifier utility that comes with ZoomTools to create a new utility to help visually impaired people. ZoomPower provides a large magnified view; almost the entire screen can be magnified, as well as the mouse cursor itself. To move the view, move the mouse or use your keyboard. If you need greater contrast, ZoomPower is compatible with Microsoft’s Alternative Mouse pointers. To download a free 30-day trial version, visit http://www.magnifiers.org.
Nominees Sought
The Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leadership Program is looking for outstanding individuals. Each year, the program honors 10 people for their work in creating or enhancing health care programs serving communities whose needs have been ignored and unmet. Each leader receives $100,000, which includes a $5,000 personal stipend and $95,000 for program enhancement over a three-year period.
CHLP seeks out individuals who have the leadership skills to overcome complex obstacles and find creative ways to bring health care services to their communities, who have between five and 15 years of community health work experience. Do you know someone who would qualify for such an award? Write to the Community Health Leadership Program, 30 Winter St., Suite 920, Boston, MA 02108 and ask for a brochure and a letter of intent form. You may also phone (617) 426-9772, or visit the web site, http://www.communityhealthleaders.org.
USA Connection
Have you ever wished you could pick up your phone and dial an audio magazine? You can now! The USA Connection for the Blind has news, helpful information, interviews, book reviews, described movie reviews, hiking and biking, guide dogs, inspiration and religion, your poems and short stories, and recorded voices of other blind individuals from across the United States. All you need to call the Connection is an ordinary touch-tone phone. Dial (918) 627- 8867 and listen. Or you may dial, listen and leave your comments and suggestions. You may send your comments or submissions via e-mail, usaconnect@juno.com, or via fax, (918) 627-8867. There are no printed or brailled versions of this audio magazine available.
New Publications
The Foundation for Blind Children has started publishing research and practice materials written by staff members on various topics. To date, the following titles have appeared: “Independent Life Skills Trays” by Denise Bishop; “Emergent Literacy for Young Blind Children” by Suzi Newbold; “COBRA: Braille Access to Computers with a Print Compatible Code” by Imke and Inge Durre; and “A New Approach to the Transition Process” by Jennifer Montoya. All books are available for $10 each from FBC Publications, Foundation for Blind Children, 1235 E. Harmont Dr., Phoenix, AZ 85020; phone (602) 331-1470, or e-mail idurre@the-fbc.org.
Ball Game
The newest version of the World Series Baseball Game and Information System is now available. It comes with 269 teams, including all the pennant winners, all-star teams, Japanese and Negro league teams, a history of baseball, information on who’s in the Hall of Fame, all baseball records, and a 1,000-question quiz. You can play this game on an IBM-compatible computer with a screen reader and speech synthesizer. It costs $15 for new users, $5 for the annual update. Send your check to Harry Hollingsworth, 692 S. Sheraton Dr., Akron, OH 44319, or phone (330) 644-2421, or e-mail hhhollingsworth@attglobal.net.
Kingdom Tapes
Kingdom Tapes & Electronics has many tapes available, including “How to Deal with the Loss of a Loved One/How to Help Someone Who Is Grieving” ($6.97 plus $1.97 shipping); “The Gospel of John” ($7.97 plus $1.97 shipping); “Parables for Children” ($12.95 plus $1.97 shipping); “Become the Leader God Wants You to Be!” ($6.97 plus $1.97 shipping); “Learn How to Give Away a Cassette & Change Someone’s Life” ($6.97 plus $1.97 shipping); and the New Testament of the Bible on cassette ($47 plus $3.50 shipping). To order, call toll-free (800) 788-1122.
Audio Poetry
There is a new international audio poetry web site available, http://www.poetrypoetry.com. It is the creation of Charlie Rossiter, an Oak Park, Ill. poet, and Bill DuPree, webmaster. It has links to poetry sites in Australia, Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Poets on the page include Eddie Two Rivers, Jayne Fenton Keane of Australia, Jimmy Santiago Baca of New Mexico, and Maria Mazziotti Gillan, director of Passaic County Community College’s Poetry Center. A technical support page on the site provides directions for acquiring the necessary software, free for the downloading. Those with Windows 98 or 2000 are ready to go.
MAGpie
Multimedia clips are becoming more and more popular on Web sites and CD-ROMs, but most are not accessible to blind, visually impaired, deaf or hard-of-hearing users. But there is a solution out there, thanks to the work of the National Center for Accessible Media. It’s called the Media Access Generator (MAGpie), and it is a software application that allows web authors to add captions to three commonly used multimedia formats: Apple’s QuickTime, the World Wide Web Consortium’s Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language and Microsoft’s Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange. MAGpie can also integrate audio descriptions into SMIL presentations. For more complete details on downloading MAGpie, visit NCAM’s web site, http://www.wgbh.org/ncam.
New Web Site
Alchemy Music’s web site has moved to http://www.mkoc.com/alchemy. Pop by and visit! Its owner now goes by the stage name of Juliet Nightingale.
Voice Mate
Full Life Products now has Voice Mate available. Voice Mate is the third generation of Parrot’s organizer, which recognizes your voice and speaks information back to you. It uses digital data storage to provide a talking organizer with a wide range of features; phone book; voice note pad; appointment book; talking alarm clock and calculator, and much more. For more information, call (800) 400-1540 or visit http://www.superproducts.com/parrot/textonly.htm.
How Far
TASH and Music from the Heart recently released a new CD, “See How Far We’ve Come.” It is a retrospective on the last 25 years of progress in the disability rights movement. This CD is a collection of spoken word and musical selections, and includes the words of Justin Dart as well as the songs and poetry of Jeff Moyer. CDs and cassettes are available through TASH; call (410) 828-8274 extension 108, or e-mail Jaime Cherry at jcherry@tash.org.
Cell Mates
Jack Gordon of California has devised a method of learning braille called Cell Mates. The braille cell is divided into sound patterns and musical syllables. This makes it possible to study the braille code by correspondence, tape and a Macintosh computer with speech capabilities. This method is compiled in a 10-page booklet with 257 items in all. For more information, contact Jack Gordon, 6 Via Espiritu, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688; phone (949) 459-2972; or e-mail doremi@fea.net.
Feed the Hungry
Want a chance to feed the hungry? Visit http://www.thehungersite.com and select the “donate free food” button. Somewhere in the world a hungry person gets a meal to eat at no cost to you. The food is paid for by corporate sponsors. You’re only allowed one click per day.
RESNA Prez
Simon Margolis, vice president of National Seating and Mobility, was recently elected president of the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA). His term as president-elect begins in August 2000; he will take on the responsibility of president in August 2002.
Word 2000
Now available from BRL, Inc. is a “Verbal View of Word 2000.” The tutorial is available in large print, cassette tape, braille, on disk, via e-mail and in standard print. The cassette tape or standard print version costs $75; large print or braille, $85; on disk or via e-mail, $45. Call toll-free (877) 993-4994. Purchase orders are accepted from businesses and agencies.
NEI Info
The National Eye Health Education Program, sponsored by the National Eye Institute, has a new booklet available titled “What You Should Know about Low Vision.” It includes general information about some of the causes of low vision, easy to understand definitions, places to get more information, what to do about low vision, and questions to ask eye care professionals and low vision specialists. To receive a copy, contact the National Eye Institute, 2020 Vision Place, Bethesda, MD 20892-3655; phone (301) 496-5428; e-mail 2020@nei.nih.gov or visit the web site, http://www.nei.nih.gov.
CSCST Needs Help
The Cebu State College of Science and Technology needs your help. Its Special Education Center needs braille and large print reading and writing materials, braillers, slates and styli, talking books and players, and other such materials for the visually impaired. If you have anything you can give, send it to: Cebu State College of Science and Technology, Special Education Center, R. Palma St., Cebu City, Philippines 6000.
Statler Center
The Statler Center for Careers in Hospitality Service provides blind, visually impaired or physically disabled people with training in the field of hospitality service. Instruction includes hotel front desk procedures, reservation services, night auditor operations and hospitality marketing. Computer training is offered using state of the art equipment and industry-specific software.
The center offers three 13-week sessions a year, beginning in January, May and September. Classes run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fridays are workshop days, when students receive personal guidance in a variety of job preparation topics such as resume writing, public speaking and dressing for success. There is no cost to participate in the program. You must have a high school diploma or GED to enter.
For the 2000-2001 school year, applicants must reside in New York; for 2001-2002, applicants must be residents of the United States. For more information, call (716) 882-5690, or write to Renee DiFlavio, National Statler Center for Careers in Hospitality Service, 1160 Main St., Buffalo, N.Y. 14209.
Friendly Skies
“Everybody’s Airline Directory” was recently launched on a UK web site, http://www.everybody.co.uk. It lists the world’s major airlines, with information on their arrangements for disabled passengers. Issues covered include carriage of wheelchairs or guide dogs, ability to provide oxygen, boarding procedures, seating arrangements and the ability to cater for special dietary requirements. It also advises on whether medical clearance is required and whether information on emergency procedures is available in different formats such as braille or large print. Also on the web page is “Everybody’s Hotel Directory.”
Lite Letter
The Used Equipment Clearinghouse matches those selling aids for the blind with buyers. The Lite Letter is sent six times a year in braille and on disk for Braille Lite and Braille ‘n Speak users. The National NOW Times is the tabloid published by the National Organization for Women available on cassette. Readers return tapes for the next issue. Contact Barbara Mattson at 519 E. Main St. #8, Spartanburg, SC 29302; phone (864) 585-7323.