American Council of the Blind Resolution 77-01 WHEREAS, the United States Postal Service is in the process of recommending changes in its rate schedule; and WHEREAS, one of the suggested changes is to increase First Class business mail postage to sixteen cents ($.16), while retaining thirteen cents ($.13) postage for First Class personal mail; and WHEREAS, one of the proposed requirements for identifying personal mail is that either the name and address of the sender or the name and address of the recipient must be handwritten; and WHEREAS, many blind persons as well as others with certain handicapping conditions cannot fulfill this requirement; and WHEREAS, the increase to sixteen cents ($.16) would impose a burden on all non-profit organizations sending out regular business letters, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled at the Deauville Hotel, Miami Beach, FLorida, on this 16th day of July, 1977, that the National Office of the American Council of the Blind be instructed to take such action as may be necessary to prevent discrimination against persons with disabilities and/or non-profit organizations through the method of distinguishing between business and personal mail; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the National Office of the American CounciL of the Blind communicate to the U. S. Postal Service its willingness to consult with the Postal Service concerning policy matters affecting handicapped persons. (Passed unanimously) American Council of the Blind Resolution 77-02 WHEREAS, certification is a growing concern among computer professionals and the Certificate in Data Processing is an internationally recognized credential and the Certificate in Data Processing Examination, due to its comprehensive nature, involves technical language and analytic evaluation throughout the five lengthy sections set forth in the test pamphlet; and WHEREAS, Visually Impaired Data Processors International is an organization whose purpose is to assist visually impaired data processors with job-related problems and to disseminate information to employers, to agencies, and to the public at large in order to further the employment and advancement of the visually impaired in their careers; and WHEREAS, the administration of the Certificate in Data Processing Examination to visually or otherwise physically handicapped individuals requires certain adaptions due to difficulties with reading and/or writing; and WHEREAS, no satisfactory guidelines have been established regarding candidates' response time and medium of communications, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled at the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida, on this 16th day of July, 1977, that the President of the American Council of the Blind direct a letter to the Institute for Certification of Computer Professionals, urging such Institute to avail itself of the collective expertise of Visually Impaired Data Processors International in establishing guidelines for administering its examination to persons with disabilities; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the President of the American Council of the Blind direct a letter to the President of the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities, requesting that the organization write a letter to the Institute for Certification of Computer Professionals in a similar manner, to lend support to Visually Impaired Data Processors International in its attempt to initiate and provide input for such guidelines. American Council of the Blind Resolution 77-03 BE IT RESOLVED, in convention assembled at the Deauville Hotel, Miami Beach, Florida, on this 16th day of July, 1977, that the American Council of the Blind, in conjunction with the National Alliance of Blind Students, investigate the problem of housing discrimination against blind or physically disabled students; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the findings of this investigation be submitted to the American Council of the Blind Task Force on Civil Rights for review and appropriate action. (Passed unanimously) American Council of the Blind Resolution 77-04 WHEREAS, preliminary planning is now under way for a White House Conference on Library Services; and WHEREAS, library services for the blind and physically handicapped are a specialized part of these services; and WHEREAS, it is important that there be a recognition of the fact that library services for the blind and physically handicapped are an important part of public library services and that they need constant improvement and expansion in order to meet the needs of those they serve, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on this 16th day of July, 1977, at the Deauville Hotel, Miami Beach, Florida, that the officers and staff of the American Council of the Blind are directed to immediately make all necessary inquiries into the preliminary planning of the White House Conference on Library Services and to do all things necessary to make sure that library services for the blind and physically handicapped are included in the planning. (Passed unanimously) American Council of the Blind Resolution 77-05 WHEREAS, in recent years research and technical advancements and discoveries have made and are making available many devices and pieces of equipment that can be of great help to blind persons; and WHEREAS, many blind persons may not be eligible to obtain such equipment through rehabilitation services, and may be successfully pursuing an occupation or profession that would be substantially furthered through the use of such equipment; and WHEREAS, the production of the new electronic equipment is expensive and beyond the means of many individuals most in need of it, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on this 16th day of July, 1977, at the DeauvilLe Hotel, Miami Beach, FLorida, that the officers and staff of the American Council of the Blind are instructed to investigate the possibility of causing a public fund to be established for the purpose of making available grants or low-cost loans so that visually impaired and other handicapped persons can purchase these expensive aids. (Passed unanimously) American Council of the Blind Resolution 77-06 WHEREAS, the Federal Energy Conservation Act requires as a condition for receipt of funds by any state that such state enact legislation which permits right turn on red signal except in limited circumstances; and WHEREAS, many states have passed such legislation to date; and WHEREAS, a few states permitted turning right on red light prior to such legislation; and WHEREAS, such statutes endanger the safety of all pedestrians--the young, the very old, the mentally handicapped, the physically handicapped, including blind and visually handicapped, the deaf and those with hearing impairments, and the orthopedically disabled; and WHEREAS, the statutes are confusing to drivers and pedestrians alike; and WHEREAS, each municipality has made exceptions to right turn on red signal because of its preference or individual traffic problems, adding to the confusion for drivers and pedestrians; and WHEREAS, at present, several states permit, or have proposed to permit, left turns on red under certain conditions, which would further compound the confusion and danger, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled, the 16th day of July, 1977, in Miami Beach, Florida, that the provision of the Federal Energy Conservation Act heretofore referred to be removed; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that all statutes permitting right turn on red be repealed; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a letter expressing the sense of this resolution be sent to the President of the United States, the members of Congress, and the Governors of the several States. (Passed by roll call vote-- 318 in favor; 213 opposed) American Council of the Blind Resolution 77-07 WHEREAS, it is the established position of the United States Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Printing and Engraving, that greater security against counterfeiting of currency is assured by uniformity of size, color, and design; and WHEREAS, the Bureau has opposed numerous attempts to change the design of U.S. currency; and WHEREAS, the Bureau's position is not supported by modern research on the extent to which design changes influence the security and the usability of currency; and WHEREAS, the Bureau's position constitutes a systematic bias against the adoption of design changes which might benefit blind and visually handicapped citizens; and WHEREAS, legislation against barriers to handicapped citizens is an accepted principle, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled the 16th day of July, 1977, in Miami Beach, Florida, that the Bureau of Printing and Engraving be encouraged to conduct research on currency design which, white providing security against counterfeiting, is based upon the best principles of human factors design to assure maximum usability of all U.S. citizens. (Adopted by voice vote) American Council of the Blind Resolution 77-08 WHEREAS, the present method of certification is inconvenient and time-consuming and does not guard against easy duplication, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled, the 16th day of July, 1977, in Miami Beach, Florida, that certification of voting members' name tags be required at the time of registration in a manner that cannot be easily duplicated. (Adopted unanimously) American Council of the Blind Resolution 77-09 BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled at Miami Beach, Florida, the 16th day of July, 1977, that the paid personnel of this organization be instructed that money of this organization may not be spent for, nor may the personnel participate in, public demonstrations in any manner that may reflect upon this organization, without the prior approval of the Board of Directors of this organization. (Adopted by voice vote) American Council of the Blind Resolution 77-10 BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled this 16th day of July, 1977, in Miami Beach, Florida, that amendments be sought to the Social Security Act to provide for semi-annual cost-of-living adjustments in lieu of the present annual adjustments, in all payments made to recipients and beneficiaries under said Act. (Adopted by voice vote) American Council of the Blind Resolution 77-11 WHEREAS, the selection of books to be brailled or recorded by the Library of Congress, Division for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, would more closely reflect the needs and desires of the consumers of that Division if a greater input into selection of books could be made by said group, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 16th day of July, 1977, in Miami Beach, Florida, that the Library of Congress, Division for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, is hereby requested to add a section to Talking Book Topics and Braille Book Review entitled, "Would You Read ...?" This section would contain ten or more reviews of books not yet available in talking book or braille from the Library of Congress, and a check list should be provided of the titles reviewed so that readers could indicate their interests. (Adopted unanimously) American Council of the Blind Resolution 77-14 WHEREAS, in most communities there exist facilities which cause a concentration in certain neighborhoods of persons who experience greater difficulty of coping with traffic than in the average neighborhood; for example, training or recreational centers for the aged, physically handicapped or mentally retarded, schools for mentally or physically handicapped children, or homes for aged or severely disabled persons; and WHEREAS, there is no universally recognized traffic sign that can be used to alert motorists to the substantially increased probability of disabled pedestrians in such neighborhoods; and WHEREAS, failure to put motorists on notice that such neighborhoods contain numerous disabled pedestrians is unfair to both motorists and pedestrians, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in convention assembled in Miami Beach, FLorida, this 16th day of July, 1977, that the American Council of the Blind work with the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities, the National Safety Council, enforcement officials, and other appropriate national and state officials to design and have accepted a universally recognized traffic sign for use in neighborhoods containing concentrations of disadvantaged pedestrians. (Adopted by voice vote) American Council of the Blind Resolution 77-15 WHEREAS, legislation has been introduced into the 95th Congress of the United States which, if passed, would centralize and place jurisdiction in one agency of the Federal Government the responsibility for compliance and enforcement of all Federal civil rights acts; and WHEREAS, the President's Reorganizational Project Civil Rights Task Force is reviewing the compliance and enforcement of all civil rights Laws for the purpose of the reorganization of the same; and WHEREAS, there exists a tendency among and by the members of said Civil Rights Task Force, and among and by other Federal officials who have policy and decision-making authority, to treat and deal with the civil rights of handicapped individuals as being different in substantive ways from those of other minorities and other protected groups, which attitude is formed due to lack of information and knowledge or policy dictated by political expediency, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled the 16th day of July, 1977, in Miami Beach, FLorida: (1) That the same rules and procedures for compliance and enforcement of civil rights laws for handicapped individuals should be adopted as those rules and procedures existing for compliance and enforcement of civil rights laws to prevent discrimination based on sex, race, religion, or ethnic origin; (2) That jurisdiction of compliance and enforcement of civil rights laws for handicapped individuals should be placed at the same level, and the same agency charged with compliance and enforcement of like civil rights for other minorities and groups; (3) That the national staff of the American Council of the Blind is hereby directed to prepare a report and recommendation consistent with the foregoing policy of this organization, and submit the same to the Civil Rights Task Force of the President's Reorganizational Project, with copies filed with the President of the United States and other appropriate officials of the Executive Branch of the Government and members of Congress. (Adopted unanimously) American Council of the Blind Resolution 77-16 BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled this 16th day of July, 1977, in Miami Beach, Florida, that the membership reaffirm the long-standing policy of the American Council of the Blind in support of separate, identifiable offices for the delivery of services to blind and visually impaired individuals at the national, state, and local levels, and that the national staff of the American Council of the Blind inform the President of the United States and the appropriate reorganizational task force that, based on prior experience, consumers know that better services are delivered by specialized function offices than are delivered by the "one stop" generalized function offices advocated by public administrators and theoreticians. (Adopted unanimously) American Council of the Blind Resolution 77-17 WHEREAS, the several titles of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the other Federal civil rights acts expressly provide for judicial remedies in the courts of the land for all individuals who are members of the minority groups protected thereunder, in addition to the complaint procedures before administrative bodies provided for in such acts; and WHEREAS, there are no express provisions for like judicial remedies for individuals with handicaps under Sections 501, 503, and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled at the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida, this 16th day of July, 1977, that the officers and Directors and National Office staff are hereby directed to seek passage of legislation by the Congress of the United States which shall make express provision for such judicial remedies under Sections 501, 503, and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and under any and all civil rights acts for handicapped individuals, in addition to, and notwithstanding, administrative remedies made available. (Adopted unanimously) American Council of the Blind Resolution 77-18 WHEREAS, Public Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, and the Regulation implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, are important milestones in the evolving process toward meeting the educational needs of handicapped children; and WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind has long been concerned with, and continues to be vitally interested in, the education of handicapped children, and especially those with visual impairment, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled at the Deauville Hotel, Miami Beach, Florida, on the 16th day of July, 1977, that the President of the American Council of the Blind direct a letter to Edwin Martin, Deputy Commissioner, for the Education of the Handicapped, Office of Education, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and other appropriate officials, urging that the Bureau exercise strong leadership in the establishment and maintenance and statutory provisions and procedures prescribed for education of handicapped children, and vigilance in review and monitoring of these; and further urging that special emphasis be given the following essentials: 1. Diagnosis and evaluation must be done by qualified personnel. 2. Full information must be given parents concerning: a. Parents' and child's rights; b. The child's. needs; c. The services required to meet those needs; and d. The range and location of resources available to meet these needs.