by Billie Jean Keith
The announcement of products and services in this column is not an endorsement 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 and services mentioned.
To submit an item for “Here and There,” send an e-mail message to billiejean@2keiths.com. You may call the ACB toll-free number, (800) 424-8666, and leave a message in mailbox 26. Please bear in mind that we need information two months ahead of actual publication dates.
ICAES 2001 Awards
Congratulations go to some very innovative people working on our behalf to make the fast-moving world of technology and access more available for people with visual impairments. Those to be commended are Jeff Pledger, George Kerscher, Ingar Beckman Hirschfeldt and Michael Moodie. They recently received awards from the International Coalition of Access Engineers and Specialists.
Jeff Pledger is president of AbleTV.net, the organization that received an award for being the first global TV network for people with disabilities powered by accessibility, via the web.
The winners of ICAES’ Collaboration and Coordination Award are the Daisy Consortium, NISO and the Open e-Book Forum. This award recognizes national, international or industry efforts to prevent, resolve, or address compatibility and interoperability.
George Kerscher is the chairman of Open e-Book Forum, and Senior Officer, Accessible Information, Recording For the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D).
Michael Moodie is chair of the National Information Standards Organization (NISO) Standards Committee at the Library of Congress. Moodie, Kerscher and Hirschfeldt received the award on behalf of their organizations, and their work developing file specifications for Digital Talking Books and e-Books.
Ingar Beckman Hirschfeldt is President of the Daisy Consortium for the Swedish Library of Talking Books and Braille.
Canadians Mandate Audio Description
Thanks to support from a large number of Canadians, and the hard work and dedication of the board and staff of NBRS (National Broadcast Reading Service of Canada), the Canadian Radio- television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has renewed the licenses of all the television stations owned and controlled by CTV Inc. (CTV) and Can West Global Communications (Global) for a full seven-year term.
In renewing these licenses, the CRTC has imposed a number of conditions of license, including a requirement for both CTV and Global to adhere to a Statement of Principles and Practices regarding cross ownership of television stations and newspapers. These conditions, along with other requirements and expectations, will balance the industry need for flexibility and synergies in a global marketplace, with clear benefits for Canadian audiences, the Canadian broadcasting system and the public interest.
In order to meet the aims of the television policy and the Broadcasting Act, as well as enhance services for CTV and Global’s audiences, the CRTC has set out a number of conditions, expectations and requirements. They include the following: audio description for blind and visually impaired viewers; priority programming; local programming; regional programming; independent production; closed captioning; and freezing the amount of advertising minutes per hour at 12. These changes take place this month!
Congratulations!
James M. Allan, webmaster of the Texas School for the Blind, was recently the surprised recipient of the Harvey Lauer Technology Award from Division V of AER. The award is presented (words from the plaque) “For pioneering accomplishments and many years of service, mentoring, and spearheading accessible information through technology.”
Congratulations to Jim, who quoted Einstein when he accepted the award, saying, “If I have seen so far, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants ...”
Literary Competition
The Edwin Dickinson Memorial World Wide Literary Competition, sponsored by the Royal Blind Foundation, Inc., of Queensland, Australia, is sponsoring a literary competition for adults and children. A tradition with the Foundation, the competition is open to anyone in the world who is legally blind. The deadline for entries is October 31, 2001. Cash prizes will be paid in Australian pounds and range from about $150 to $400 in each category. Submissions must be in braille or typed in English (tapes will not be considered).
Here are the categories: adult section, short story (maximum 2,000 words); essay (maximum 1,500 words); poem (serious); poem (humorous); children’s section - senior (under 16 years on January 1, 2001); essay (maximum 1,000 words); poem; children’s section - junior (under 12 years on January 1, 2001); essay (maximum 1,000 words); poem.
For further information, e-mail Kirsten Haynes at khaynes@rbf.org.au. Winning writers will be announced in December. Send entries to: The Edwin Dickinson Literary Competition, P.O. Box 455, Stones Corner, Queensland 4120, Australia.
Learn Cross-Country Skiing
It’s time to sign up for the Ski For Light International week, where people who have never skied before can learn and become proficient within a week. The deadline to apply is November 1, 2001. This year’s event will be held in Granby, Colorado from January 27 - February 3, 2002. Skiers who are blind and visually impaired are paired with trained volunteer instructor/guides for the week. More than 250 active adults from all over the world take part each year. Why not you? A limited amount of financial assistance and ski equipment are available for first-time participants. To apply, contact Donna Permar, phone (919) 302-2319, e-mail donna@sfl.org.
Conference on Assistive Technology in Higher Education
The Department of Disability Services at the University of Colorado-Boulder invites you to attend its fourth annual conference on Assistive Technology in Higher Education Nov. 14- 16, 2001. This conference will include an “EASI Mini Institute” featuring a series of special sessions on web access and access to science and math.
The keynote speaker will be Larry Scadden of the National Science Foundation. Among other speakers will be Doug Wakefield of the U.S. Access Board, focusing on the implementation of Section 508. The pre-conference will also feature a full day of hands-on workshops and other activities at the University of Colorado, Boulder Campus.
For more information, visit the conference web site at: www.colorado.edu/sacs/ATconference. The conference agenda and registration form are on the web site. Phone (303) 492-8671 (V/TTY), e-mail dsinfo@colorado.edu.
AFB Seeks Nominations for 2002 Access Awards
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) invites nominations for its 2002 Access Awards. Access Awards honor individuals, corporations, and organizations that are eliminating or substantially reducing inequities faced by people who are blind or visually impaired. Nominations for an AFB Access Award should illustrate an exceptional and innovative effort that has improved the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired by enhancing access to information, the environment, technology, education, or employment, including making mainstream products and services accessible. The effort should have a national impact or can be a model for replication on a national level.
Letters of nomination and all supporting materials should be received by October 1, 2001. The nomination letter may be sent by e-mail to tcandela@afb.net. Send a hard copy of the letter and supporting materials to: AFB 2002 Access Awards Committee, Attn. Anthony Candela, 111 Pine St., Suite 725, San Francisco, CA 94111.
Social Security Offers Genealogy, Detective and Forwarding Services
Social Security program services are free for services such as replacing a lost Social Security card, or applying for benefits. However, non-program services are not free. Do you want information for genealogical research, or to search for someone to let him/her know they have an inheritance, or do you want a letter forwarded to a long-lost relative? Under the Freedom of Information Act, SSA can provide these services for a charge. SSA charges are based on the grade level of the employee doing the work and the amount of time spent on the request (plus 10 cents per page for photocopying). SSA will tell you what the charge will be, after looking at your request. Charges begin at $16.
If the request will cost more than $250, SSA will contact you prior to starting a search. For more information, including price list, see the Freedom of Information page, http://www.ssa.gov/foia/foia_guide.htm.