(Editor’s Note: The summary of “News Notes” which appears below is included here for the benefit of those who do not currently have access to ACB-L, our Internet mailing list. You can also access “News Notes” as the column appears, or archives of past columns, at the ACB web site. If you would like to view these notes on a weekly basis, visit the ACB web page, http://www.acb.org.)
For the week ending May 26, 2000
ACB comments on Section 508 proposed rules
Thanks to the early work of Debbie Cook from ACB on a committee to draft proposed standards or regulations for implementing Section 508 of the reauthorized Rehabilitation Act, we were able to submit the organizational commentary without suggesting a great many changes. Section 508 regulates the procurement of hardware and software utilized by federal employees with disabilities as well as the accessibility of federal systems and information to citizens with disabilities.
ACB anticipates that the new regulations, which are due out in a couple of months, will dramatically increase the accessibility of federal web sites as well as electronic information booths at malls.
ACB small business brochure ready for printing
Those attending the small business seminar this summer at the ACB convention will receive a small business brochure that is aimed at providing a review of what it takes to think through, begin, maintain and grow your very own small business. The information will contain hints and resources on how other blind folks have been successful and what it takes for you to get on the same track.
Online pre-registration launched
Many ACB members have experienced online pre-registration for the first time this year. Thanks to the fine work of ACB webmaster Earlene Hughes, the pre-registration process is up and running with expected bumps in the road, but looking like a winner for sure!
ACB posts pedestrian safety handbook
The second edition of our pedestrian safety handbook has been posted to the web site where folks can either read or download its contents. We have raised over a third of the money necessary to match a grant from The Seeing Eye, Inc. to go into braille, print, cassette, large print and disk production, which should commence shortly.
ACB to advertise for braille publication bids
National office discussions have led us to determine that it is probably time to re-advertise for braille production business interests to bid on print jobs that will be coming up. ACB anticipates posting the bid announcement to ACB-Announce later in the coming week. This is a way to provide blind-owned brailling companies with an opportunity to produce and for blind people to benefit from the work.
ACB studies ped safety local advocacy options
It is becoming increasingly clear that our efforts to secure a safer pedestrian environment are starting to take hold in many cities and towns. Some municipalities, however, are raising objections that run the gamut from costs to the perceived lack of standards. We simply cannot allow such excuses to become a pattern and we are studying options to see how we might assist affiliates and members to overcome these difficulties. While the ped safety handbook is the main force in this battle, we expect active involvement by the national organization to further the safety and success of our members.
National office phone system finally fixed!
We are pleased to report that our struggle with the people who made our phone system seems to be nearly at an end and the quality of the lines is now back to acceptable levels. We appreciate the patience of folks as we have had to deal with this problem.
Descriptive video and low power FM not forgotten
ACB has been monitoring the FCC issues of getting descriptive video rules and a radio reading service friendly low-power FM environment off the ground. While progress is slow in these areas, we believe our involvement in the process has been effective and we are hopeful for positive results in the not too distant future.
Kentucky 2000 just around the corner and we are ready!
The national office has been hard at work in putting together our pieces of the puzzle for the upcoming ACB convention. Congratulations to all staff for their hard work and dedication to making this year’s convention the best ever! We also salute Jim and Bernell and all the folks at ACBES along with Diane for the exhibits and Earlene for the pre-registration. Special thanks to Terry Pacheco and Patricia from our affiliate affairs unit, who have taken the bull by the horns and carried out a fine job of putting things together.
Finally, a special thanks goes to LeRoy Saunders for his keeping all the pistons running and to Carla Ruschival and the Kentucky Council for tremendous work on behalf of all ACB conventioneers who can expect an excellent time ahead in Louisville.
For the week ending June 2, 2000
Pedestrian safety gets hot
The national office has become involved with four separate pedestrian safety situations wherein blind folks are being denied accessible signals in three cases and celebrating getting them in a fourth. Congratulations are in order for the city mayor and council in Parma Heights, Ohio. Thanks to the ACB of Ohio’s great advocacy, the city will be installing six accessible pedestrian signals at actuated intersections with the switch to be thrown this coming weekend. Good job ACBO and a true example that we can get it done with positive persistence and solid advocacy.
The struggle in the other cities has to do with traffic engineers’ concerns about the lack of standards for accessible pedestrian signals. These engineers should be reminded that the Americans with Disabilities Act covers public entities under Title II, access is required beyond wheelchair ramps in new or renovated intersections and there are even good arguments to point to existing intersections as well. The engineers might also be reminded that the proposed standards already in the rule-making process at the Federal Highway Administration should be reviewed since they are not likely to undergo any major changes in their outcome.
Moreover, engineers can be reminded that the Department of Justice guidelines do not exempt accessibility simply for the lack of standards, and finally there is a requirement in the Americans with Disabilities Act that individuals seeking access do have rights that cannot be overturned simply because others may not agree with their requests. The national office is working with these situations and we will continue to assist until the goal is accomplished.
In other pedestrian safety related news, we are pleased to report that we have raised $10,000 towards our required $14,000 to begin printing the handbook. We remain optimistic that we can initiate the printing contracts before the start of our convention in July.
Over 10,000 stations on your radio?
Yup, you heard right. ACB was pleased to attend the just finished International Association of Audio Information Services (IAAIS) conference in Washington, where we were treated to an amazing presentation on two Internet radio products.
The first, called the Kerbango radio, is not in production yet, but is a table model like your kitchen radio that will get AM, FM and Internet stations. It suffers from an inaccessible scrolling screen of stations for searching the Internet and ACB made it more than clear that we expect that this problem will be fixed for later production of the radio. We were pleased to see that the company representative was open to the idea and we fully expect to be working with the company to see if we can finally get a product accessible from the first radio off the production line!
The unit will operate off a regular telephone line or through a broad band connector. We even suspect that as the technology becomes available for transmission of data through the magnetic field around electric wiring, you will simply plug the radio in and off you’ll go to whatever listening you want!
You can visit the Kerbango web site at http://www.kerbango.com. Note that ACB Radio is on their best station list!
The second device is called the Webcaster; it attaches to your computer and will broadcast a low FM signal around your house for your regular radios to pick up. This device works off an accessible remote control that is really pretty cool. It kind of sounds like you are on the starship Enterprise as the computer responds to your commands. While Webcaster is not yet able to pick up ACB-Radio because of file player issues, we expect that will be taken care of in the near future.
A really important note on the Webcaster is that it is a blind-owned company and we congratulate one of our own on such a great enterprise.
In other related news from the conference, the president of National Public Radio spoke and gave a very good and inclusive presentation for radio reading services. ACB looks forward to increased cooperation and product from NPR and the audio information community.
A couple of cats left in that convention bag!
Sorry guide dogs, we are only speaking figuratively here.
ACB has a couple of surprises for members coming to our convention in Louisville. These are access devices which have not been presented to the community before and we think you will be delighted with what you hear! Beyond these neat devices, ACB is pleased to report that our convention week is so packed that you will literally have to make difficult choices around just what to attend and probably have a bit of sleep deprivation when it’s all over.
Our attendance numbers keep going up and while it may not happen, we do have a real shot of filling every hotel room in the two towers at the Galt House. Currently we are well beyond the original block reserved and we look forward to a truly great convention.
Crawford visits with JWOD head
ACB and the Committee for Purchase from the Blind and Severely Handicapped, as they have been called, met earlier this week to go over our views about the status of industrial facilities for the blind and where we need to be working together.
ACB has been deeply involved in the efforts to insure minimum wage and above for blind workers in these facilities and to insure that if a person chooses to work in a blind facility at or above minimum wage, that their choice be honored by both federal and state governments. To make these goals realistic, ACB understands the need to insure that industrial programs associated with the National Industries for the Blind should be supported in their efforts to grow and expand production and sales, in addition to developing service contracts.
The exchange between Charlie Crawford of ACB and Lee Wilson from the JWOD Committee was friendly, honest and productive. We look forward to a good partnership. With the solid leadership of LeRoy Saunders as a vice chair of the committee, a good executive director in Lee Wilson and the forward looking policies of Jim Gibbons at NIB, it is truly inviting to say stay tuned for more!
For the week ending June 9, 2000
Pennsylvania puts handbook on path to production
We are pleased to announce that the funds necessary to begin seeking printing and brailling of our pedestrian safety handbook have been raised, with Pennsylvania putting us over the top! Special thanks go out to Florida, Guide Dog Users, Inc., ACB of Texas and the Bay State Council of the Blind for their help in the home stretch.
“News Notes from the National Office” is a compilation of notes from preceding weeks and should not be interpreted as a full or exhaustive treatment of the items presented.