THE Braille Forum Vol. XXIX March/April 1991 No. 5 Published By The American Council of the Blind PROMOTING INDEPENDENCE AND EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION IN SOCIETY LeRoy F. Saunders, President Oral O. Miller, J.D., National Representative Nolan Crabb, Editor Nicole Willson, Editorial Assistant National Office 1155 15th St. N.W. Suite 720 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 467-5081 Fax (202) 467-5085 THE BRAILLE FORUM is available in braille, large type, half-speed four-track cassette tape, and MS-DOS computer disk. Subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication should be sent to: Nolan Crabb, THE BRAILLE FORUM, 1155 15th St. N.W., Suite 720, Washington, DC 20005. Those much-needed and appreciated cash contributions, which are tax- deductible, may be sent to Brian Charlson, Treasurer, 1155 15th St. N.W., Suite 720, Washington, DC 20005. You may wish to remember a relative or friend by sharing in the continuing work of the American Council of the Blind. The ACB National Office offers printed cards to acknowledge to loved ones contributions made in memory of deceased persons. Anyone wishing to remember the American Council of the Blind in his/her Last Will And Testament may do so by including a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, you may contact the ACB National Office. For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" toll-free at (800) 424-8666, 8 p.m. to midnight eastern time Monday through Friday. Washington, D.C., residents only, tel. 296-3552. Copyright 1991 The American Council of the Blind TABLE OF CONTENTS President's Message: The Future of Accreditation News Briefs From the ACB National Office The Sights and Sounds of Florida Plus a Great Convention A Strategy/Survival Plan for an ACB Convention Realized Dream for New AFB Director Spells Good News for All of Us Special Section: A Home Front Look at Desert Storm Blind Workers Make Major Contributions to War Effort GE: They Bring Good Things to the Military Mad About Maps Affiliate Profile: A Success Story in the Northwest How You Can Help Implement the Americans With Disabilities Act 1991 Resolutions, Help Wanted! The ACB "Job Connection" Service: How to Get a Job or a Better Job Volunteers Needed Here and There High Tech Swap Shop Acknowledgements The cassette edition of the March/April issue of The Braille Forum was made possible by a donation from the Washington Council of the Blind. PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE THE FUTURE OF ACCREDITATION by LeRoy F. Saunders Since my last report in The Braille Forum, I have learned of a decision which significantly affects the National Accreditation Council. National Industries for the Blind, one of the funding sources for NAC, has decided to withdraw its support after completion of its commitment for this year. At present, two sources fund NAC in addition to the income it receives from small donations and dues from accredited agencies. Accreditation has been one of the most controversial words in the blindness system for many years. I remember when accreditation was first discussed and studied through the Commission on Standards and Accreditation of Services for the blind. Accreditation would give state and private agencies serving the blind and visually impaired an opportunity to have their services reviewed and determine whether they were able to meet at least minimum standards. Accreditation forced agencies to periodically evaluate themselves--a real advantage. Through this process it was hoped that agencies would continue to improve their services by constantly upgrading their standards. During the initial organization phase, accreditation was solidly supported by the Rehabilitation Services Administration. The American Foundation for the Blind was heavily involved in establishing the accreditation process and has supported it since its inception. In accreditation's early years, many organizations were involved. I attended two or three seminars at DePaul University which included rehabilitation and education leaders intent on increasing their awareness of the type of accreditation available to them. DePaul University was soon joined by other organizations interested in accreditation. These organizations included Goodwill Industries, National Industries for the Blind with a Certification program, and the Commission on Accreditation for Rehabilitation Facilities. Eventually, Goodwill relinquished its accreditation to CARF. About the same time, NIB decided to eliminate its certification program and let NAC assume the responsibility of accrediting workshops serving the blind and visually impaired. One of the major differences between the National Accreditation Council and CARF is that NAC accredits all the various programs within an agency and CARF primarily accredits only a certain program that is provided by an agency. Another difference, especially to consumers, is that NAC's accreditation process for agencies serving the blind and visually impaired recommends consumer participation on the board of the agency seeking accreditation. NAC also uses consumer input in the establishment of standards, and consumers participate in on-site reviews. To the best of my knowledge, CARF has no mechanism for consumer input. Accreditation or certification has been around for a long time. The rehabilitation people did not invent it. In fact, many years ago, the American Association of Workers for the Blind, now the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, gave a "seal of approval" to agencies that met certain criteria. Today, AER has a certification program for rehabilitation teachers, counselors and orientation and mobility specialists. The medical and education professions have had accreditation programs for many years. For approximately the last fifteen years, there has been a great controversy over accreditation of state and private agencies serving the blind and visually impaired. It's often true that accreditation doesn't guarantee that an agency will deliver first-class services to its clients. The same may be said about educational institutions and hospitals. Accredited universities and secondary schools do not all give the same level of teaching to their students, and the most thoroughly accredited hospitals still unfortunately have patients who die or who go home with various infections which originated while they were in the hospital. In recent years, techniques have been developed which allow committees to evaluate the success of the particular service or program being accredited. Until recently, the accreditation process was primarily concerned with the agency's organizational and training methods. All of us know that having proper training does not necessarily mean that people are good teachers or that people will adequately meet the consumer's needs. Every consumer should have some knowledge of an agency's success in carrying out its mission. If an agency offers placement services upon completion of training, the consumer ought to know how good those placement services are. This principle applies to other areas of training as well. This doesn't mean that each person who completes a certain training program will be capable of placement in some type of employment. But if we knew the agency's success rate, we could more easily determine the agency's effectiveness and its benefits to the consumer. I can't predict the future of accreditation of agencies serving the blind and visually impaired. We must keep some type of accreditation in place for the benefit of consumers. It would be a tragic mistake to allow accreditation to fade out of the picture. I can't help but wonder how responsible some agencies are when they express opposition or a lack of interest in accreditation. Up to now, the cost of accreditation for agencies serving the blind and visually impaired has been very minimal in comparison to the agency's overall budget. I hope that ACB, in conjunction with other organizations, will be able to continue supporting the accreditation process. Even though accreditation will not solve all of our problems, it is certainly one way of ensuring accountability in agencies serving the blind and visually impaired. NEWS BRIEFS FROM THE ACB NATIONAL OFFICE By Oral O. Miller, National Representative With the enactment of the Americans With Disabilities Act last July, many people assumed erroneously that all governmental and advocacy activities for the next year or so would revolve around the implementation of that historic law. The adoption of regulations under the ADA is such an important and enormous task that a separate article is being dedicated to it. (See "How You Can Help Implement the Americans With Disabilities Act," this issue.) Some other very important issues have been moved to the front of the "governmental stove" alongside the ADA regulatory process. In recent weeks, representatives of the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America, the Affiliated Leadership League, the Blinded Veterans Association, and I met with high ranking officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs (formerly the Veterans Administration), to ask why the division of that department continues to ignore the Randolph-Sheppard Act and thereby deprive dozens of licensed vendors the opportunity to operate vending facilities on such Department of Veterans Affairs properties as hospitals, training centers, etc. In view of apparently conflicting wording in various federal statutes, this matter is not a clear issue with a simple, quick solution. Our concerns will have to be negotiated further, and we will take even stronger steps if appropriate to ensure that blind people are given the employment opportunities they need-- opportunities mandated by law. Another issue which has already received considerable attention is the reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, which was last reauthorized in 1986. The most recent reauthorization is scheduled to expire this year unless it is extended or reauthorized. In both 1990 and 1991, the American Council of the Blind has made recommendations as to some of the changes that should be incorporated in this important law. We will give the reauthorization process more detailed attention as the year goes on. As reported in past issues of The Braille Forum, some of the matters in which we are interested include the conversion of services for elderly blind people to an ongoing formula-driven program that would guarantee funds to all states, greater consumer involvement in determining the nature and scope of services provided, and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the entire rehabilitation process from initial referral to appropriate conclusion. One workshop on this issue which I recently attended was sponsored by the World Institute on Disability and administered by the University of Southern California graduate school in Washington, D.C.. Another workshop was sponsored by the Coalition of Citizens With Disabilities. The American Council of the Blind continues to provide input to the National Consumer Forum and the Alliance for Public Technology as those and other organizations monitor and initiate action relating to telecommunications issues. Our input is vital, especially at a time when the telephone or telecommunication system is becoming more "intelligent" and is upgraded to perform more sophisticated functions; our input remains significant now that bills are being introduced in Congress that would remove restrictions on many of the American companies. It is essential for manufacturers, telecommunications operating companies and regulators to recognize that the system and new equipment must be accessible to and used by blind and visually impaired people. Sen. Ernest F. Hollings, D-S.C., has introduced a bill which would allow the Bell Regional Operating Companies to manufacture telecommunications equipment, something they aren't allowed to do currently. It is necessary for accessibility to be designed into such equipment from the beginning. In late February, I was invited to lecture on accessibility to the courts and the legal system for the handicapped and the elderly at a course sponsored by the American Bar Association and administered by the National Judicial College. The realization that legal, attitudinal, traditional, and physical barriers are encountered by blind and visually impaired people in dealing with the judicial system was an important step forward in itself. The fact that I, as a representative of the American Council of the Blind, was invited to address the subject reflected the stature and recognition the Council enjoys. It was not possible for me to take part, due to a heart attack which my wife suffered just days prior to the lecture. However, I would like to thank Stephen Speicher, president of the American Blind Lawyers Association, for stepping in as a last-minute substitute and doing an outstanding job. If you've called the ACB National Office in the past few months, you may have been greeted by the cheerful voice of our newest staff member, Nicole Willson of Annapolis, Md. A 1990 graduate of Ohio University, Nicole joined the staff as the editorial assistant to The Braille Forum in late fall. The next issue of The Braille Forum will probably include the name of our new Director of Governmental Affairs. Candidates for that position are now being interviewed and the decision is expected to be made in the very near future. As a personal note, I want to thank all the ACB members and friends who have expressed concern and sympathy to both my wife Roberta Douglas and me following her heart attack in mid-February. I'm pleased to report that she is making an excellent recovery. THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF FLORIDA PLUS A GREAT CONVENTION by John A. Horst The time for the 1991 Convention of the American Council of the Blind is fast approaching. If you have not already called the Tampa/Hillsborough Convention and Visitors Association for your room reservations, you should do so immediately. The toll-free number is (800) 272-7756. You may be asked for a first and second choice of hotel: the Airport Holiday Inn (the lead hotel) at $44.00 per night, the Omni at $45.00 or the Sheraton Grand at $43.00. Up to four persons can occupy one room, but there is an extra charge if a rollaway bed is requested. Shuttle buses will operate to transport conventioneers between the three hotels and the Jefferson High School beginning Friday, June 28, 1991, at 6:30 a. m. and throughout Convention Week. The dates of the Convention are Saturday, June 29, to Saturday, July 6. For the second year, a Sunday evening general session will be held on June 30 for ceremonial and roll-call purposes. However, the Convention will officially convene Monday morning. 1991 will complete three decades of outstanding conventions by ACB. This 30th year will include an exciting mix of new features and a number of well-known and well-qualified speakers. The Executive Director of the All Russian Association for the Blind will address the Convention. ACB Board Member Ninetta Garner is coordinating a job search and job enhancement seminar on Sunday evening. Assistant Treasurer Jim Olsen is planning a session for affiliate treasurers. President LeRoy Saunders is arranging for an affiliate Presidents meeting Thursday evening, and the Environment Access Committee co-chaired by Eugene Lozano and Paul Edwards will conduct an open meeting. Again this year there will be a narrative descriptive video evening and there is tentative planning for additional descriptive film viewing. As always, there will be dynamic programming by ACB's 20 Special Interest Groups plus all the other features of the ACB Convention. The Airport Holiday Inn, 4500 West Cypress Street, Tampa, FL 33607, is the lead hotel where many of the activities will occur. The exhibits and some meetings will be at the Jefferson High School across the street from the Holiday Inn. The Omni Hotel, just one block from the Holiday Inn, will also host some functions. Volunteers will be available to assist conventioneers in using the shuttle buses and in moving between the hotels and the high school. When you make travel plans, please use International Tours, Inc. of Muskogee, Okla. The toll-free number is (800) 847-7676. Oklahoma residents call (800) 722-9822. This travel service offers the lowest fares on Delta and American Airlines. We have received very positive reports from ACB members and others who use its services. When you arrive at the Tampa International Airport and proceed to the baggage pickup area, look for the bank of hotel telephones to the right as you come down the escalator. You can call your hotel directly for free transportation from the designated telephone or you can use the public telephones. The hotel will advise you of the assigned exit for its van pickup. It will be helpful if your luggage is marked with a distinctive label or tag so that it can be easily recognized by a volunteer or other individual assisting you. TOURS! TOURS! TOURS! Again this year, we're planning exciting excursions. (See "Tampa on the Bay Welcomes ACB in 1991," The Braille Forum, January/February 1991.) for details on the pre-convention overnight tour to the Kennedy Space Center and St. Augustine. Send your reservation with payment of $145.00 per person to Jim Olsen, registration chairperson as soon as possible after March 15 since space on the buses is limited. Olsen's address is 310 4th Avenue South, Suite 822, Minneapolis, MN 55415. Additional tours being planned by Tour Committee Chairperson Patricia Beattie include the Wednesday evening cruise on the gulf, trips to Disney World, Epcot Center, MGM Studios, Busch Gardens, the Home Shoppers Network, a city tour of Tampa including Ybor City, and a deep-sea fishing trip on the Gulf. All of these tours were described in greater detail in the January/February issue of the Braille Forum. The pre-registration packet will provide sign-up details. Remember, if you wish to receive this pre-registration packet on cassette, you must notify the ACB National Office by April 15, 1991. The toll-free number weekdays, 3:00 to 5:30 p.m., is (800) 424-8666. Pre- registration can only be completed on the printed form, one per person. If your company, agency, organization or special-interest group desires to have an exhibit or boutique at the 1991 Convention, or if you wish to place an advertisement in the Convention Program or become a sponsor or patron, please contact Exhibit Committee Chairperson Elaine Sanislo, (201) 595-9200. She will provide you with the necessary information. The 30th ACB National Convention in 1991 will provide fabulous opportunities for learning, sharing, fun and fellowship. The Florida Council of the Blind, your host affiliate, welcomes you to the City of Tampa and the sights and sounds of central Florida. You won't want to miss the excitement. 1991 promises to be the best convention ever. A STRATEGY/SURVIVAL PLAN FOR AN ACB CONVENTION by Billie Jean Hill Strategy No. 1: Before you leave for the convention, remember to leave word of where you will be. I always plaster a big note on the refrigerator. Even when you tell people, they don't really listen, so write it down for them. Strategy 2: The first thing to do upon arrival at the Convention- -after hanging up your clothes and finding the fire escape stairs, etc.--is to check the "Calendar of Events Convention Quick View" in your program. Decisions will have to be made on events not to be missed and ones you can do without. You and a friend may have to record separate sessions which can be exchanged later. Recordings of the ACB Convention general sessions are available after every Convention. For details, contact the ACB national office. Strategy 3: Forget sleeping. You can sleep when you go back home. Strategy 4: Get involved in at least one special-interest group. If you are a librarian or avid reader, a lawyer, musician or social worker, or would like to meet a librarian, lawyer, musician or social worker, or just want to learn, there is a special interest group that would welcome your participation. Strategy 5: Hang out at the exhibitions. Do it often. The exhibitions at an ACB Convention provide the best opportunity for a blind person to see and try out the latest developments in adaptive technology. It's also the place to see and buy familiar aids for independent living and braille T-shirts. It's also the place where everyone goes when they're not in meetings. Remember, you already gave up sleeping in Strategy 3. Manufacturers introduce new products at the major consumer conventions. They want to test the market and we are the market. They want and need our impressions, suggestions and feedback. The exhibitions hall at an ACB Convention is a perfect place to exchange ideas and to meet new people. In fact, I think it is easier to meet people in the exhibition hall than at parties. Plan to spend a couple of hours a day hanging out in the exhibition hall. If you come away after a week at an ACB Convention without making new friends and finding some useful information to make life more productive, interesting and fun, are you sure you went to Tampa the first week in July? Look on the refrigerator. (Billie Jean Hill is editor of the BVA Bulletin and Director of Public Relations for the Blinded Veterans Association.) REALIZED DREAM FOR NEW AFB DIRECTOR SPELLS GOOD NEWS FOR ALL OF US By Deborah Kendrick "All of us have been in situations where we feel ourselves to be at the low end of the totem pole," says Carl R. Augusto, recently named president and executive director of the American Foundation for the Blind. "I know I certainly have been. I was the least productive worker on an assembly line in a sheltered workshop, where the other three people I worked alongside were all more severely disabled than I was. Later, I was a rehab counselor, the bottom of the bureaucratic totem pole, in a state commission for the blind. Somewhere in the course of those experiences, believing at times that my ideas should have been given more attention than they were, I decided never to forget what it felt like to be there." At 44, this multi-talented individual has scaled his metaphorical pole to its pinnacle, landing what he once quipped was the "top blind job" in the country. What's perhaps even more remarkable is that he's done it not in the stereotypical style of ruthless competition, but as a dynamic popular leader who has formed lasting friendships in every organization he has touched. From his 150 employees at the Cincinnati Association for the Blind, where he has served as executive director for the last six years, to his more recently won Soviet comrades (whom he visited and subsequently entertained last year in conjunction with a special bit of glasnost conjured by the National Industries for the Blind and the All Russia Association for the Blind), the reaction is the same: people smile when they hear his name. Approachable, unassuming, and even charismatic are words commonly used by friends and colleagues alike to describe AFB'S new director, and all of those traits are quickly apparent. To work at AFB in any capacity, Augusto explains, has been a personal dream throughout his 20-year career in the field of blindness. In more recent years, that dream shifted specifically to aspiring to the director's chair. Yet, asked what his secret formula for such a fast track to success might be, he claims "luck" as one major ingredient. "They were specifically looking for a blind person in every job I've applied for since graduate school," he says, "so that always gave me an advantage." A host of other traits Augusto doesn't mention have clearly moved him through the ranks from that first rehab counseling job in 1971 to his recent prestigious appointment. Unafraid of hard work and sometimes incredibly long hours, his organizational skills might well be the envy of many an executive with normal vision. Augusto says he learned long ago that the only way to ensure his own efficiency with files and record-keeping was to manage everything in braille; his personally created organizational system is indeed impressive as is his ability to put a hand on any relevant fact or figure at a moment's notice. Probably of greatest appeal to those around him is his knack for making others feel important and his total ease with his own blindness. In his six-year directorship of the Cincinnati Association for the Blind, he orchestrated a needs assessment study of blind people in that community, which resulted in an unprecedented spirit of communication and cooperation among blindness agencies there. At the CAB itself, he initiated two programs -- a rapidly growing computer training center and an early childhood program to provide support and instruction for parents of visually impaired and multi-handicapped children. His sense of community involvement extends well beyond the bringing together of blindness agencies during office hours. He has served on the board of the National Industries for the Blind, as president of Cincinnati's Downtown Lions Club, as trustee for the Radio Reading Services of Greater Cincinnati, and as a volunteer in various capacities in church and the school his two children, ages 8 and 10, attend. His performances in two annual variety shows, involving a four-month rehearsal commitment each, are a typical example of Augusto-style awareness-raising about the abilities of blind people. Playing guitar and singing were, Augusto admits, his earliest career aspirations. Indeed, any Braille Forum reader who's gathered for a late-night songfest led by Augusto at a national convention will find the news that he worked in rock bands through five years of college no surprise. Yet, he recalls, he knew that his future needed something more substantial to rely upon than the hope of becoming a star; when he learned of graduate stipends for rehab counseling degrees, he applied. "You might say I entered the field of blindness by default," he laughs. "My father worked on the railroad, and my mother in a pajama factory, and I didn't think either one of those were very viable career options for me as a blind person. The only blind person I knew was my own rehab counselor, and he wasn't a very good one. I figured I could at least do a better job than he did." Apparently, he did just that; for after only four years in that role with the New York State Commission for the Blind, Augusto had entered the national scene by joining forces with the National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped. After ten years of such national involvement, Augusto recalls, he had some reservations about settling into his role at CAB. "I wanted that administrative experience," he admits, "but what I didn't know was how much my family and I would come to love Cincinnati, and what a substantial amount I had to learn about running an agency. I knew, for example, that strategic planning had to be done, but I didn't necessarily know how strategic planning was done." Any gaps in his administrative education, he says, were filled by the excellent advice of so many people around him. "If you bring a lot of good people together -- I mean all kinds of people -- they'll enable you to do what has to get done. Some of the best suggestions we had in the workshop at CAB came from blind people with high school degrees who knew what they needed." Listening to other people and zeroing in on their personal strengths may well be one of the more notable characteristics marking Augusto for success. Growing up, he says, his most significant role model was probably his father. "He was a warm, loving, outgoing person," he says, "whose sole objective seemed to me to be the support of his family." Later, as awareness of blindness grew, Augusto reels off numerous blind people who won his admiration or helped shape his leadership style. William Gallagher, Augusto's predecessor in heading AFB, and Peter Salmon, another leader in the field, head that list. "I also tend to admire blind people who earn recognition outside the field," he says. So what about attitudes toward the future? Is there any fear of moving from an agency with a $7 million budget to one whose annual spending is $14 million? Or of the possible contrasts between managing a staff of 40 plus 110 workshop employees and a staff of 225? Is there a little anxiety, maybe, at the prospect of shifting from the role of leader of an agency serving six counties to one serving the entire nation? In this interview during his transitional phase (still based in Cincinnati, while beginning to work for AFB), Augusto answers "no" to all of the above. "I won't like the commute," he says, "and the move will be an adjustment for my family. But I hope I can make a substantial difference for blind people over time. One of my concerns about our field is that we haven't done a very good job in educating the public about blindness and the capabilities of blind people. I think we can do a better job. The statistic that 70 percent of all working age blind people are unemployed is unconscionable, and I'd like to see us have some part in introducing legislation to remove disincentives in the social security system and find other ways of improving that situation. I'm going to spend a lot of time just listening and learning from blind people, from AFB board and staff, and other providers to help us figure out what direction AFB should be taking to tackle these and other challenges." Carl Augusto officially assumes his new position with AFB May 6. If his past performance is any forecast of the future, odds are that his dream come true will mean great things to blind people everywhere. As he himself says, however, in response to a critic who questions the potential influence of his new leadership role: "We'll all just have to wait and see, won't we?" (Deborah Kendrick is a member of ACB'S Board of Publications, a board member for ACB'S Council of Families with Visual Impairment, and president of the American Council of the Blind of Ohio.) CAPTION Carl Augusto, recently appointed as the new executive director of the American Foundation for the Blind, officially assumes his position May 6. Photo: AFB Archives SPECIAL SECTION: A HOME FRONT LOOK AT DESERT STORM (Editor's note: It might seem strange to some that The Braille Forum would devote precious space to the war in the Persian Gulf. It seemed quite logical to us that we should. If we have learned one thing in recent months, it ought to be that all of us, regardless of how much or how little vision we have, are affected by the war. Editorial Assistant Nicole Willson and I hope the stories in this section convey three messages: First, we want to demonstrate that blind Americans have, through their direct efforts, made a positive difference and helped ensure the success of the U.S. forces. Second, we want to suggest one way in which you may still be able to make a positive difference. Even though the bombs no longer fall on Baghdad, American men and women are still likely to be deployed in the Middle East as you read this. Finally, we thought some of you would be interested, as we were, in ways of sharpening our knowledge of geography. We're indebted to ACB Member Walt Stromer for a timely suggestion on a great resource designed to help us enhance our Middle Eastern geography.) BLIND WORKERS MAKE MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO WAR EFFORT by Nicole Willson While thousands of American men and women fought in Operation Desert Storm, blind employees in thirty states worked long hours and extra shifts to manufacture products used in the Persian Gulf. Since August, 53 industries associated with National Industries for the Blind have filled surge orders for vital items such as flatware, camouflage field pack covers, and folding stretchers. The precedent for this massive effort was set during World War II, soon after the 1938 enactment of the Wagner-O'Day Act (now the Javits- Wagner-O'Day Act), which made the Federal Government a major purchaser of products made by blind workers. During that war, blind workers turned out bedding and other sewn products for the military. For the Gulf War, blind workshop employees have manufactured helmet bands, toilet tissue and protective neckerchiefs in addition to the items mentioned above. The Lighthouse for the Blind in Seattle, Wash., manufactured a special canteen cap designed to be used with a gas mask in the event of chemical warfare. ACB President LeRoy Saunders, president of the Oklahoma League for the Blind, stated that his employees made wheel chocks, which are used to stabilize aircraft by preventing their wheels from rolling while the planes are on the ground. Unsurprisingly, the surge orders meant increased hours and increased production for the industries involved. At Royal Maid Association for the Blind in Mississippi, production at the main plant in Hazlehurst and its seven satellites became a seven-day-a-week operation, according to John Granger, president of the Royal Maid Association. Royal Maid received the largest of the military surge orders, for 1.72 billion in plastic cutlery; Granger estimates that Royal Maid produced possibly 90 percent of the flatware used in Desert Storm. Meeting this tremendous order necessitated the hiring of 200 temporary employees and the purchasing of extra trucks and a new injection- molding and packaging machine. At one point, Royal Maid was transporting blind workers from Alabama, 65 miles away. Subcontractors in Ohio, Louisiana and Georgia worked with Royal Maid to package cutlery and napkins for use by the military. Accelerated deliveries and increased quantities were also the story at Utah Industries for the Blind, according to director Ron Lundeen. Utah Industries manufactured camouflage field pack covers and helmet bands. Manufacturing a field pack cover is an involved, six-to- seven-step process that necessitated overtime hours and the hiring of temporary personnel to help fill the orders. Field pack covers were also produced at five other agencies in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Kansas, New York, and Tennessee. Despite the increased hours and shifts, both Granger and Lundeen termed the morale of the workers "fantastic." Granger found workers at Royal Maid to be very enthusiastic and interested in their work and called the operation "one of the largest coordinated efforts that I've seen." Some workers wore flags and yellow ribbons as they manufactured products for Desert Storm. Lundeen also found workers in Utah to be enthusiastic (albeit tired), stating that they "felt they were directly contributing to helping our efforts overseas." Naturally, the end of the Gulf War also meant a decline in the frantic activity at these agencies. Granger reported that the production at Royal Maid dropped off almost as sharply as it had risen at the outset of Desert Storm, returning to near-normal levels. At press time, the agency was still filling some contracts; however, it is simply too soon to tell just how much the end of the war will affect Royal Maid's remaining contracts. Similarly, Lundeen stated that "a lot of the pressure is off" at Utah Industries. However, Utah was still producing field pack covers as this issue went to press. The sheer quantity of products manufactured by industries for the blind all over the United States means that virtually every American soldier in the Gulf used a blind-made product at some point during the war. Both Granger and Lundeen made a special point of complimenting the workers at their respective plants for their willingness to dedicate so much of their time to the manufacture of military products. Lundeen stated, "I would like to commend our workers for their efforts and excellent job." Undoubtedly, American soldiers who benefited from the dedication of these workers share Lundeen's sentiments. GE: THEY BRING GOOD THINGS TO THE MILITARY By Nolan Crabb General Electric has spent countless thousands of dollars over several years reminding TV viewers that "we bring good things to life." Now, the multi-national corporation, in conjunction with its on-line computer information service GEnie, is bringing good things in the form of mail from home to U.S. military personnel serving in the Middle East. Anyone with a personal computer and modem can connect to GEnie at no charge to send a letter to someone serving in the Middle East. Perhaps the best news is the "Letters From Home" program is extremely speech-friendly and can be used without difficulty by any blind or visually impaired person who wants to send electronic mail to a serviceman or woman. If you're not a subscriber to GEnie, you won't have access to everything it offers, but you can send a letter at no charge. Even the phone call costs you nothing. Prior to the beginning of the ground war in late February, "Letters From Home" delivered mail as quickly as two days after it was sent. However, the program relies heavily on cooperation from the U.S. military to deliver the printed letters. Robert Plumb, manager of marketing communications at GE Information Services, says 58,000 letters had been sent between November 11, 1990 and late February. While the letters project began slowly, Plumb says General Electric isn't surprised by the volume of letters being sent now. "We didn't really push this as hard as we might have," Plumb says. "While we wanted to let people know the service was available, we didn't want to appear to be self-serving about this. So we were a little disappointed in the low volume of letters when we first started, but that's changed dramatically now. Interestingly enough, between two-thirds and three-fourths of the callers aren't subscribers to GEnie." Plumb says callers can type their letters on-line or prepare them in advance and upload them to GEnie's computers. Either way, the letter is sent to computers at GE's facility in Saudi Arabia, where they are printed on "Letters From Home" letterhead. The letters are folded and stuffed into envelopes using machinery donated by Pitney Bowes Corp. The sealed letters are given to the Operation Desert Storm Central Command, which distributes them to the military personnel. Plumb says the name of the person to whom you're writing must be included in the letter. You'll also need the person's rank, social security number, the identification of the company, unit or ship, and the FPO or APO number. The "Letters From Home" screens prompt you for that information, so there's no problem wondering how to properly address the letter. Your letter can't exceed 40 lines, with 80 characters on each line. According to Plumb, the "Letters From Home" project could terminate at the end of April. If American forces are still deployed in the Persian Gulf in April, Plumb says the project will be extended. You don't have to be a telecommunications expert to take advantage of this free service. The instructions that appear on your screen are extremely well written, concise, and easy to follow. You are prompted almost every step of the way, so it's very difficult to go wrong. If you do have a problem, a GEnie Client Services representative can be reached quickly by voice telephone call. For more information on "Letters From Home" and a telephone access number in your area, call GEnie Client Services toll-free at (800) 638- 9636. MAD ABOUT MAPS by Walt Stromer When these words reach your eyes, ears or fingers, we will either still be at war with Iraq or celebrating recent victory. Can you name the countries that border Iraq? For shame. Just like most Americans, you are woefully ignorant of geography. But cheer up: you have a better excuse than most, which is that Braille maps are hard to find and harder to comprehend. I've tried maps from NLS, from the Royal National Institute, from the American Printing House, and from a group at the University of Maryland. I've found them all about equally frustrating. Mostly there are so many lines and dots that after a half an hour, I give up and decide that since continents will continue to drift and national borders continue to change, why bother? Still, I'm frustrated when I listen to the news and hear about Iraq and the countries around it and haven't any idea of which country is where. So, I've checked it out. I can tell you that Kuwait is along the Persian Gulf, at approximately the southeastern tip of Iraq. Saudi Arabia forms the southern and southwestern border. Jordan takes up about 100 miles of the western border. Syria starts there and comprises the northwestern border. Finally, Iran stretches along the whole eastern side from Turkey down to Kuwait, about 475 miles. How did I learn all that if maps are so bad? I used the thermoform maps Roger Craven made for me. If you live in the Seattle area, you have heard of him. I called a member of the ACB in Seattle and asked if she knew him. "Oh, you mean the mad map maker," she said. I allowed as how Roger had seemed sane enough last time I talked to him. But she meant "mad" in the sense of being crazy, infatuated, or deeply in love with maps. That he is. Now past eighty and retired, he is still busy making maps for anyone who will pay 20 cents a page, the cost of the thermoform. He has an introductory set of 72 maps covering the world. He has done many others and will send you a list of what is available. Craven was an ambulance driver in World War II. He has worked at the Washington Department for the Blind, and as a social worker with delinquent boys. Geography fascinates him and he got started years ago by helping a girl who was studying astronomy. He is very modest about his map making and insists that anyone can do it. That may be true, given enough patience and skill. But I've played around with making maps of my own enough to know that it isn't quite as simple as he makes out. He produces the master copy from thin aluminum sheets which have been discarded by offset printers. He uses a hat pin, a jeweler's vise, and a few other gadgets. That's all there is to it. All the maps come out on thermoform sheets, 11 x 11 inches. What impresses me about him is that he has a good sense of how much information can be put on a map before it turns into a confusing mess. He is very aware that you need maps of varying scales if you are going to grasp the shape of one small country in the midst of a dozen small surrounding countries. On each page he finds a corner in which to put the names of places used on the map, and also a scale of miles. That's how I came to be so smart about Iraq and its neighbors. Some of his maps, such as the polar projection, or maps of the sky, are a bit more than I want to work out. But if it was required for a geography class, I'd do it. I think it's appropriate to recognize people like Roger Craven and others who have given so many hours of time to help us keep in touch with the world. Knowing more about geography may not put bread on your table or into your billfold. But it may help you think more clearly about some factors in war and peace. AFFILIATE PROFILE: A SUCCESS STORY IN THE NORTHWEST Washington state is well known for its beauty and its remarkable contrast of mountains and deserts. The state is widely recognized as an integral part of the nation's vital lumber industry, and its apples are world famous. The Washington Council of the Blind is also well- known throughout the state and nation as a true success story in the grand tradition of the Northwest. Last year, the Washington Council of the Blind and the United Blind of Washington merged into a single organization and was given a new membership charter at last summer's American Council of the Blind convention in Denver. (See "United Blind of Washington State and Washington Council of the Blind Unite into Single Organization," The Braille Forum, March/April 1990.) Today, under the leadership of President Sue Ammeter, the Washington Council of the Blind sponsors a host of programs and activities that make the Washington Council a pacesetter among organizations of the blind. Marilyn Donnelly, a member of the Washington Council's Board of Directors, reflected on the merger of the two organizations and the difference the merger made. "I was one of the people on the merger committee and helped with the new constitution and bylaws," she recalls. "I had been a charter member of the Washington Council. We've all come together really well, and I feel like this is truly my organization." Both Donnelly and Ammeter say the merger has given the Council a larger pool of workers in more sections of the state than ever before. "The merger has brought together a lot of talented people," Ammeter says. "It also allowed us to combine programs; they (the original Washington Council) had the toll-free number, we had the equipment loan and scholarship programs. Now those are together under one organization." The merger has also meant the addition of a new chapter. Ammeter says the new Washington Council has representatives on virtually all of the state's disability advisory committees. She stressed the value of such representation, especially at a time when states are shouldering more of the responsibility for programs which were once part of the federal arena. More than $10,000 has been pledged by individuals and chapters around the state for the Washington Council's scholarship program. Ammeter says scholarships are given to blind and partially sighted Washington residents attending vocational school or college. Every chapter in the state has a representative on the scholarship committee who rates applicants and sends the ratings to a coordinating committee, Ammeter says. In addition to scholarships, the Washington Council makes national convention loans available for up to $600 for anyone attending an ACB National Convention. Washington Council members can apply for a $150 national convention stipend as well. The no-interest equipment loan program is available to Washington Council members who need a piece of equipment for their employment, Ammeter explains. Personal computers make up a majority of the items purchased with the loaned money. Ammeter says much of the money for the various programs come from ticket sales to variety shows--sales which are handled by a fund- raiser. She says the variety show fund-raiser is in its sixth year with "little or no problems on the part of the fund-raiser." Director Marilyn Donnelly handles the group's in-state toll-free telephone line. She says a large number of calls come from people requesting general information about blindness and vision loss. Many of the calls come from the more rural agricultural part of the state. Calls come in at the rate of approximately four a day. The line is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Time. As for the future of the Washington Council, Ammeter wants to strengthen existing chapters and add new ones. There are also plans to implement a state student's special-interest group. While Ammeter is clearly proud of the ongoing success of the Washington Council, she says other affiliates can write their own success stories as well. "There aren't really any formulas or shortcuts," she reflects. "But if an affiliate is going to succeed, its members must share information and must participate together in the decision-making process. We try not to keep any secrets. We believe very strongly in open meetings and solid representation from throughout the state. I think a newsletter or some kind of communication device is vital for the success of any affiliate. We have a new editor for our newsletter now, and we're reaching more than 500 people with the print version and around 140 people with the recorded one. Even if there isn't a great deal of money in your affiliate, you need that newsletter or some way of keeping the members in touch with each other and with the programs." HOW YOU CAN HELP IMPLEMENT THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT By Oral O. Miller, National Representative Many laws have general wording and provide that implementing or clarifying regulations shall be adopted by the government agencies responsible for enforcing them. The Americans With Disabilities Act, which is described as the first comprehensive civil rights law for disabled people, deals with many different subjects--employment, transportation facilities and services, public accommodations, state/local governmental activities, telecommunications, etc. Accordingly, its implementing guidelines and regulations are to be issued by different agencies such as the Access Board, the Department of Justice, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, and the Department of Transportation. On January 22, February 22, and February 28, the Access Board, Justice Department, and the EEOC published notices of proposed rulemaking containing, among other things, proposed regulations, the rationale behind the proposed regulations, and requests for comments on the proposals or answers to specific questions. Comments and responses were to be returned to the Access Board by March 25, the Justice Department by April 22, and the EEOC by April 29. All of the materials mentioned above have been made available in braille, large print, audiocassette, and computer disk. The Access Board and Justice Department have also conducted hearings around the country to give interested parties additional opportunities to provide input. Whenever possible, notices concerning these hearings have been rushed to the ACB affiliate presidents in the appropriate states. While some affiliates have responded well, the response has not been overwhelming and, worse still, the agencies have not been overwhelmed in most cases with requests for the materials in accessible formats. Let me emphasize at this time that it is not possible for readers to rely solely on The Braille Forum or any other magazine to get information in time to submit comments or take part in public meetings; there is often very little notice concerning public meetings, and the comment periods referred to above are only 60 days long. The best way to stay up to date concerning the publication of proposed rules and the conduct of public meetings is to call the "Washington Connection" regularly at (800) 424-8666. In view of the importance of taking part in the regulatory comment process over the next several months, the hours of the "Washington Connection" are being expanded to run from 6 p.m. to midnight eastern time weekdays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. eastern time on Saturdays and Sundays. The notices and proposed regulations published by federal agencies are customarily very long; the materials published by the Access Board fill approximately 325 pages in braille. Therefore, materials should be requested early so you will have time to read and digest them. How can you best help implement the ADA? By submitting written comments to the appropriate departments and agencies! Each notice includes information as to where letters containing comments should be submitted and which, if any, specific information should be included in each. The process is time consuming, but not overwhelming. More importantly though, it is essential for federal agencies to receive comments which may be stated informally from a wide range of blind and visually impaired people so the regulations that are eventually adopted do not reflect the biases of a small but vocal minority who claim to speak for all blind people. The regulatory process moves much too fast to be covered adequately in a national magazine, so make use of the "Washington Connection" at least twice a week. 1991 RESOLUTIONS, HELP WANTED! By Mitch Pomerantz, Resolutions Committee Chairman Every year at the American Council of the Blind National Convention, a group of individuals seem to mysteriously disappear for several hours each evening. Is it a secret cabal to overthrow the existing order, or an annual coven of ACB witches and warlocks? No, it's just the nightly meeting of the ACB Resolutions Committee hammering out policies on issues which our organization's officers and staff will be upholding over the succeeding year and beyond. A few skeptics have commented that we sometimes resemble a secret society. The committee will do its disappearing act again this summer in Tampa. Resolutions, however, are not created in closed-door sessions with four or five "Gray-beards." They are suggested by board members and by rank and file ACB'ers--seasoned pros as well as newcomers. In short, resolutions are products of everyone's concern in promoting the interests of blind people. Over the five years I've served on the committee, there has been increasing participation by ACB members in putting together those policy statements we call resolutions. As the chairperson of the 1991 ACB Resolutions Committee, I fully expect and hope this trend will continue. To facilitate the process, let me make a few requests and suggestions. A good source for resolutions is your state ACB affiliate. Possibly an issue which was dealt with at your state convention should be brought to our attention. Bring it along, and we'll look at it. If your concern hasn't been handled in your state, you can begin by putting your thoughts down on paper. Provide some background about what the issue or problem is, (the "Whereas" clauses), then indicate what action you'd like ACB to undertake, (the "Resolve" clauses). While the committee would certainly appreciate resolutions in polished form, this isn't essential. You can best help us by getting something to us in writing. So, start thinking now about those issues you would like addressed in a resolution. Please don't wait until the convention to have your brainstorm. If getting your resolution in before the convention isn't possible, you can still help by getting it to us very early in convention week. I hope all ACB special-interest affiliates can have their business meetings in time to provide resolutions to the committee by Wednesday afternoon at the latest! Resolutions committee meetings are open. While we encourage ACB'ers to attend and participate, please remember that these are working sessions. If you have something to contribute, you'll have the opportunity to do so. If you're offering a resolution for committee consideration, you must be there! Frequently, questions arise which cannot be answered without input from the author of the resolution. I'll make every effort to let you know when your resolution will be heard, but it would be helpful if you check with me periodically. If we have a question, and you can't attend that particular meeting, I will try deferring your resolution until you are available if possible. Please send resolutions or ideas for resolutions to: Mitch Pomerantz, 1344 N. Martel Ave., #102, Los Angeles, CA 90046. Material may be forwarded to me in braille, print, cassette, VersaBraille or computer diskette. See you in Tampa; start writing! THE ACB "JOB CONNECTION" SERVICE: HOW TO GET A JOB OR A BETTER JOB By Ninetta Garner Throughout the year, ACB's "Washington Connection" hotline, (800) 424-8666, frequently provides information about employment opportunities. However, this telephone hotline, due to its very nature, cannot provide extensive and detailed information. To help ACB members and others learn about job opportunities last year, ACB made available at its national convention and thereafter a "Job Connection" packet containing job announcements and descriptions. This service will be available again at the 1991 ACB National Convention in Tampa, but with a very important additional feature--a workshop on how to get a job or a better job in today's highly competitive employment arena. The workshop will occur on Sunday afternoon, June 30, and will concentrate on the skills and techniques necessary to get that first job or a better one later. Some of the subjects to be included on the program will be a report (for the first time since the completion of the Employment Concerns Survey in which several hundred ACB members took part last year) on the factors or needs considered to be most important by job seekers and job holders, remarks by an employment specialist about what employers realistically want and don't want in an employee, recommendations about the best interview strategies and techniques, and a brief discussion about the employment implications of the Americans With Disabilities Act. Anyone interested in taking part in this workshop should sign up for it on the ACB National Convention pre-registration form that will be mailed to members and readers of The Braille Forum in early May. State and private service agencies, schools for the blind, and many other employers will be informed of the "Job Connection" service and are being invited to participate by submitting notices of job openings to the ACB National Office to the attention of Ninetta Garner by June 1, 1991. The notices should include the job title, a brief description, and the name, address, and phone number of a contact person either attending the ACB National Convention or at the home office. This information will be compiled prior to the 1991 convention in a "Job Connection" packet that will be available on cassette and in large print. If necessary, information will be added or updated during convention week. Attendees at the workshop will receive packets, and a limited number of packets will be available at the ACB convention information desk during convention week. Employers who are interested in publicizing positions available but have not received the direct mailing concerning this service are encouraged to call the ACB National Office for complete information. Linking job seekers with employers is a need that will never be fully met, but we believe this year's program will be another big step forward. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED The American Council of the Blind is seeking the names and phone numbers of individuals in designated cities to serve as volunteer monitors of radio programs sponsored by "The Wall Street Journal." The purpose of such monitoring is to determine whether programs are being aired at the agreed times. Successful monitoring in the designated cities will qualify ACB to receive a significant donation from the sponsoring company. Each monitor would be responsible for listening to programs during only one week. A cassette summarizing the duties of monitors may be obtained by contacting Veronica Braun at the ACB National Office. We need the names of listeners in the following cities: Cleveland, San Francisco, Atlanta, Memphis, Salt Lake City, Harrisburg, Penn., Providence, R.I., Louisville, Norfolk, Albuquerque, Toledo, Syracuse, Orlando, Houston, and Tampa. HERE AND THERE By Elizabeth M. Lennon HIGH TECH SCHOLARSHIPS The Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America has received a generous donation from the IBM Corporation which will be used to provide scholarships for consumers and their family members to attend both the 14th Annual RESNA Conference and the RESNA Technical Assistance Project's Meeting of All States, June 21-26, 1991 in Kansas City, Mo. The donation will assist approximately 10 individuals with travel costs, hotel accommodations, meals, special needs, attendant care for 5 days, and registration fees. These two conferences promise to offer a unique learning and networking experience for those who attend. They will offer more than 100 exhibits of equipment on current research and practice, over a dozen instructional courses, morning seminars, meetings of special interest groups, and much more. The RESNA Technical Assistance Project is a federally funded project which provides technical assistance and information to states in the development and implementation of their state technology-related assistance programs under the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals Act of 1988 (P.L. 100-407). Applications will be reviewed by members of the RESNA's Consumer Involvement Committee. Scholarships will be awarded on basis of need, geographic diversity, first time attendance at the conference, and ability to utilize and disseminate information presented. For a scholarship application, please contact RESNA, 1101 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036. Tel. (202) 857-1199. SCHOOL REUNION Students, parents, and staff members who attended or worked at the Jericho Hills School for the Blind in Vancouver, B.C. Canada are invited to a school reunion August 2 through 4. Reunion fees are $50 for the weekend. Send checks or money orders payable to Jericho Hills School Reunion to Josette Kernaghan, chairperson, P.O. Box 80473, South Burnaby, B.C. Canada V5H 3X9 or P.O. Box 0902, Bellingham, WA 98227- 0902. Tel. (604) 435-4315. SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE George Washington University's Disabled Student Services office announces the availability of scholarships for part-time blind students. According to a press release, the scholarships will pay tuition for up to two courses during the 1991-92 academic year. Applicants must be visually impaired or blind, must be U.S. citizens, and must be either enrolled or accepted at GWU. Completed applications must be postmarked no later than May 30, 1991. For more information, contact Christy Willis, Coordinator of Disabled Student Services, Disabled Student Services, Rice Hall, Suite 401, 2121 I St. N.W., Washington, DC 20052. Tel. (202) 994-8250. CONFERENCE ON BRAILLE The National Braille Association will hold its conference in Houston this fall, according to a press release. More than 20 workshops and a variety of other informative events await braille transcribers and proofreaders who attend. The conference will begin October 4 and conclude October 6. It will be held at Houston's Stouffer Presidente Hotel. For registration information, contact Diane Spence, C/O Region IV Education Service Center, P.O. Box 863, Houston, TX 77001-0863. Tel. (713) 744-8145. TAX HELP Free tax assistance is available for blind taxpayers who file using 1040EZ, 1040A and simple 1040 forms. To qualify, persons should be blind, partially sighted or otherwise disabled. The program is designed for low income, elderly, non-English speaking or disabled people. To find out if a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program is available in your area, call (800) 829-1040. FREE MATTER MAILING Although mail designated as "free matter for the blind" does not have a class distinction per se, it should be handled as first class mail, according to a letter sent by a postal official to ACB Member Billie Jean Hill, editor of the "BVA Bulletin," the newsletter of the Blinded Veterans Association. The letter, sent by Neil Berger, editor of the "Domestic Mail Manual," the book in which free matter regulations are detailed, explains the unique position of free matter mail: " ... Please note Section 135.7 Handling which stipulates that matter mailed for the blind, though not considered to be any particular class of mail, is handled or treated as First-Class Mail, ..." the letter said. LARGE PRINT INFO Resources for Rehabilitation announces a new series of large print materials produced in 18 point bold type. The titles include: "Living With Arthritis," "Living With Hearing Loss," "After a Stroke," "Living With Diabetes," and "Living With Low Vision." These publications include information on each condition, rehabilitation services available, and product/resource listings. To receive a brochure/order form, send a self-addressed stamped business envelope to Resources for Rehabilitation, 33 Bedford St., Suite 19A, Lexington, MA 02173. BRAILLE COUPONS The Home Shopping Network, Inc. has introduced braille coupons which can be used when buying products announced on the network's television programs, according to a press release from the network. Sighted people have access to the coupons through "The Bargaineer," a quarterly magazine published by the network. Blind viewers can obtain coupon sets in braille by calling toll-free (800) 284-3900. The network has also instituted services to deaf viewers using Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf. BRAILLE FOR SALE The American Printing House for the Blind announces the Century Series, which will contain 100 titles produced over the next several years. According to a press release from APH, the books will be available at the same cost as their print counterparts. The titles won't duplicate those available through NLS or any other major producer of braille books. Reading and interest levels range from kindergarten to adult. For more information on specific titles, please call or write APH Consumer Information Services, 1839 Frankfort Ave., P.O. Box 6085, Louisville, KY 40206. Tel. (502) 895-2405. Specify whether you want title information in print or braille. HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP FOR SALE: Automated Functions Game and Education Machine, includes nine software cartridges, some games, some educational, taped and printed documentation included. $295 or best offer. Contact John Glass, 14110 Squirrel Hollow Ln., Saratoga, CA 95070. Tel. (408) 741- 1034. NEEDED: Braille printer and other material, to be used by blind child in St. Maartens, Dutch West Indies. Contact John Barba, 10211 Oakton Dr., Oakton, VA 22124. Tel. (703) 255-3875. FOR SALE: Freedom Acu-Check II blood glucose monitor. Almost new, $500 or best offer. Contact Robert Ziegler, 5307 Northport Dr., Minneapolis, MN 55429. Tel. (612) 537-9454. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ACB wishes to thank its many members and friends who gave so generously in response to our fall 1990 letter requesting support for ACB's ongoing programs and services. This partial list of donors reflects only those persons who gave us approval to publicly acknowledge their gifts and who made their contribution after November 1, 1990. Robert & Ruth Ann Acosta, CA; J.L. Adams, CA; Mr. & Mrs. Richard C. Agnew, NJ; Inez D. Agostino, NY; Ray Allaire, CA; Paul Amanti, FL; Lloyd Anderson, WA; Harriet & Edna Axelson, CT; Arnold & Betty Auch, SD; Jean K. Bain, CO; Jerry Baker, WY; Mrs. A.B. Bankston, OR; F. Norman Banta, CT; Helen M. Barbea, NY; James J. Barnes, IN; Mr. & Mrs. Biagio Barrasso, NY; Walter Barrett, NY; Patricia M. Beattie, VA; Karen Beckhorn, VA; Bill & Jo-An Benson, MO; Cathy Bickerdike, OR; Al & Joann Biegler, CA; Ralph Black, CA; Margaret Bond, CA; Sharon Booker, AZ; Roger Bourbon, PA; Lorraine Bowen, WI; Buelah Flynn Brazzell, SC; Lois Briggs, PA; John & Earlene Brockington, GA; Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Brockman, WI; Helen A. & Rose M. Broeren, WI; Chas C. Brown, OR; Richard Brown, AZ; Donna Brown, WV; Hubert & Dorothy Brown, WI; Mr. E. L. Browning, DC; Elva Bundy, VA; Constance Irene Burns, WA; Marian & Dick Bush, WI; Bonnie Butera, MI; Linda J. Byers, MI; Donna L. Caffee, AL; Roxanne Calibraro, IL; Ernest E. Campbell, TN; Anthony Cangelosi, MA; Loran Canupp, IL; Alice Capodanno, DE; Viola M. Carter, KS; James Carter, TN; Laverne Case, KY; Norman S. Case Jr., VT; Max Casey, OK; Jo R. Cassidy, TX; James G. Cavan, TX; Leonard E. Cecil, CA; Charles E. Rosenbom, IL; Brian & Kim Charlson, MA; Dale Churchill, WI; Karin Clark, NY; Merritt Clark, NY; Bob Clayton, IA; Kathleen Coder, IL; Earl Colburn, CA; Cherrie Coleman, CA; Gina Colonna, MA; Mrs. Ollie Conroy, NV; Alice Conway, MO; Brent W. Cooper, IL; Mrs. J. M. (Peggy) Copeland, TX; Carol Crawford, WV; Alice Crespo, NY; James Daigle, LA; Norman Dalke, OK; William Daugherty, NM; Kathleen & Frederick Davis, IA; Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Dawson, WA; Casey & Ann De Lint, CA; Holly Delcambre, WA; Lorene Denney, AR; John Di Francesco, CA; Mariella Dibble, OR; John & Ruth (Turner) Dickson, FL; George P. Dolan, VA; Mrs. Thelma Donohue, MO; Margie Donovan, CA; Roberta A. Douglas, DC; Winifred Downing, CA; Robert L. Draves, WI; Mr. Mrs. Robert J. Dubel, NY; S. J. Dumler, AZ; John N. Dutil, MA; Dorothy Dykema, IL; Philip Ebersman, NJ; David Eby, PA; O. G. Eckard, WV; Max Edelman, OH; Joyce Eggleston, SD; Lu Ann Emmen, IA; Donald & Jeanne Enos, KS; L. N. Erpelding, ID; Juliet B. Esterly, CA; Walter Evans, PA; James Faimon, NE; Ruth Farmer, AR; Samira Farwaneh, UT; Edward Fedush, NJ; Stephen D. Feldman, TX; Ellen Fielding, UT; Harriet Fielding, CA; Timothy Finan, MD; Don Finley, CO; John Fiorino, VA; Eunice Fiorito, VA; Elmer Fischer, OH; Richard B. Ford, NC; E.S. Foscue, WA; Wayne Foster, CA; Gregory A. Fowler, CA; Mildred Frank, FL; Mr. & Mrs. Emil B. Fries, WA; John D. Frisby, AK; Majorie Galliem, CO; Ninetta L. Garner, WV; Rosalie & Ernest Gay, CT; William Gibbon, CA; Milo & Ottila Gilliland, IA; Elmer Gloer, CA; David Goldstein, CT; Howard Goldstein, CT; Margo A. Gonier, OR; Leon Goutevenier, NY; Leroy Green, FL; Eva Groom, Ok; Esther Gunther, KS; Vera Gurrola, CA; Sibylle Haack, AR; Charles Hackney, FL; Nadeen Hackwell, UT; Don Haines, OH; John Hamby, AL; Peter G. Hanigan Jr., CO; Don Hansen, IA; Carol Harper, TN; George Harris, PA; Ruth Hebert, MI; Kenneth Heim, KS; Nate Henderson, CA; Carol Sue Henry, IL; Gerald Herrera, TX; Mary Hiland, OH; Billie Jean Hill, VA; Neil Himel II, LA; Wayne Hinckley, UT; Richard G. Hobart OD, NY; Hazel Hodgdon, OR; Charles Hodge, VA; Mrs. Ervin Hoevener, IN; Stanley Hollander, MI; Duncan Holmes, TX; Sandi Holowej, MD; May Hopkin, UT; Doyle L. Horton, OK; Florence Horton, IL; Henry Hoster, AR; Candace Howard, CA; Parke Howard, IL; Kathryn M. Hudson, CT; John Huffman, OH; Marilyn Huheey, OH; Richard Hutcheson, NY; Albert A. Jacob, IL; Betty Jacobs, MI; James James, KY; James T. James, KY; Nancy P. Jenkins, VA; Russell Johnson, CA; Imogene Johnson, AR; Walter F. Johnson, WI; Anna Johnson, IA; Jamis Johnson Esq., UT; Lawrence & Patricia Jones, IL; Philip Jones, GA; Raythel E. & Jean Jones, OK; Joseph W. Joyce, CO; R. William Joyce, NC; Herbert S. Kadish, TX; Fred A. Kaps, AZ; Bernard W. Kasset, CT; Virginia Katsanes, CA; Evelyn Kaufman, PA; Vera Kelley, OR; Peter Kenney, NY; Barbara Jane Kines, MO; Janice King, TX; M. J. King, TX; William H. Kirchgaessner, NY; Linda Kirk, NY; Bernice I. Klepac, TX; Jerold Klevit, PA; Perry O. Knutson, WA; Mr. & Mrs. Olaf Knutson, ND; Audrey S. Koch, MD; Frank J. Kozumplik, FL; Norma F. Krajczar, NC; D. Krause, WI; Bettye Krolick, CO; Pauline Krueger, MO; Patricia La France, CA; Alice LaBonte, MI; Jeff Landers, FL; John E. Lane, AZ; David Lang, FL; Mrs. Diane Lanzet, NJ; Grace C. Ledden, FL; Mark H. Leeds, NY; Donald Lehman, WI; Elizabeth Lennon, MI; A. Leone, MA; Nadyne Lessard, WA; William L. Lewis, CA; Arthur Lewis, CA; John D. Lewis, PA; Assunta A. Lilley, MO; Martin L. Lilley, TX; Mary Lodico, MD; Barbara Lombardi, CT; John R. Lowell Sr., MA; Grant Mack, UT; Mary Mahoney, MD; Marguerite Mahood-Wild, VA; Grace Mandor, ME; Cathy Manghelli, OH; Louise Manginello, CT; Jean Mann, NY; Anthony Marino, PA; Janet Markiewicz, IN; Comfort S. Martin, OH; Robert J. Martin, CO; Harriet Martling, IL; Beryl Masters, MO; Helen Matas, CA; Rose M. Mathews, MA; Juanita N. Mathews, GA; Marita Mathews, PA; B. J. Maynard, NH; Frank & Judy Mazza, FL; William McDonald, PA; Ruth McLain, IN; Ernestine McManus, NC; C & F McNulty, CA; Florence McPherson, RI; Betty McWethy, MI; Jean Meeks, GA; Linda Meiter, OH; Maureen Mennella, NY; Wally & Iva Menning, OR; Leighton Meyers, SD; Dorothy G. Miller, IL; Natalie F. Miller, IL; Oral Miller, DC; Marjorie C. Miller, IL; Gordon M. Minor, CA; Olive I. Miner, WV; Jim Molski, KS; Clinton H. & Ruth A. Moore, MS; Dr. J. Elton Moore, MS; Donald G. Morrow, IL; Al Nabhan, GA; Jay Naiman, FL; Tracy Nason, CA; Rhonda Nelson, WA; Fred Neumann, MI; Al & Joann Nichols, VT; Leonard Nitbrington, HI; J. Nocca, NY; John & Dorothy O'Leary, IA; Tom O'Brien, CA; W. C. O'Connor, AR; Elizabeth O'Toole, NY; Laura Oftedahl, MA; Ev & Elaine Oftedahl, IL; James R. & Anna Olsen, MN; William J. Orester, NE; Milton M. Ota, HI; Elizabeth Pannell, PA; Lillian Patano, IL; Mr. & Mrs. V. A. Paterson, TX; Karen M. Pearson, MO; Dorothy Pease, OH; Dr. J. Ray Penix, CA; Herman Peter, NY; Bernadine S. Peterson, SD; John Piatt, AZ; Roger Pike, ME; Faye & Dawn Pinchasik, FL; John & Linda Pinette, MN; Joseph J. Poch, OR; D. E. Pohlmann, NE; Pinchas Z. Politz, PA; Mitch Pomerantz, CA; Ann Porter, PA; Herbert Porter, IL; Melba W. Presley, AL; Mary M. Price, WI; Henry Prottengeirr, MN; Kevin Puetz, SD; Alexander Riznyk, NY; William McKenzie Ragland, NC; Margaret M. Rasmussen, MI; Lee & Myrtle Razak, KS; Judith Redfield, NC; Marion Reinert, MA; Lois Renfro, CA; Katarina Renken, WA; Rose Resnick, CA; Beverly Reyff, CA; Margaret Reznicsek, OR; Nigel Ricards, FL; Dorothy Richard, LA; Charles Ring, FL; Everett H. Roberts, VA; Dorothy Robertson, ID; Tommy Robertson, OK, Helen E. Robles, AZ; Frank Rompal Sr., CA; Lillian Rosenbom, IL; David Russell, VA; Jim & Joyce Russell, IL; Lisa M. Ryan, MA; Pat & Sara Salazar, NM; Irwin Sallee, MO; Joan Schafer, MI; Fred W. Scheigert, VA; Arne & Olivia Schonberger, TX; Richard Schonoyer, PA; Edward Schuler, AZ; Peter Schustack, CA; Charm Segal, IA; Dick Seifert, AR; M. C. Shaw, FL; Pamela D. Shaw, MD; Robert B. Shaw Jr., TN; Jane C. Sheehan, MD; Barbara Sherr, NJ; Vendla Shilka, FL; Robert L. Simmons, CA; Helen Skarpentzos, VA; Pat & Bob Slauson, CA; R. C. Slayton, IA; Bill & Karen Smiley, TX; Ulysses Smith, TX; Kathryn Hynes Smith, KS; Shirley & Stan Smithtro, CA; Edward Snyder, MA; Mary T. Soniat, LA; Mary Spiegel, IA; Virginia Staver, IL; Harward Stearns, CA; Louise Steele, IL; Homer Steele, IL; James R. Stell, KY; Henry B. Stern, NY; Garland Stevens, MS; Sally Stiles, NY; Mr. & Mrs. Duane & Marian Stock, UT; James Storer, OH; Walter F. Stromer, IA; Sharon Strzalkowski, MA; Gloria J. Sussman, VA; Max Swanson, MN; Ruanna J. Swapp, UT; Inez Swinney, IN; George A. Tanner, MO; Paul & Lois Tapia, NM; Esther Taylor, KS; Mildred I. Taylor, MO; R. Teethers, NV; Ellen M. Telker, CT; Jeff Thom, CA; Elias Thomas, CA; Russell J. Thomas, Jr., CA; Marvel Thurston, UT; Toby W. Tobias, NE; Thomas Tobin, OH; Michael Triplett, AR; Louis Trog, AZ; James B. Troup, VA; C. Wm. Trubey O.D., IN; Patricia D. Uken, IN; Kenneth Underwood, TX; E. Jane Utler, IL; Alfonso & Lisa Valvano, NJ; Arthur L. Van Wagenen, UT; Bill Van Winkle, WA; Richard & Ina Veal, ND; Frank Vento, NJ; Darrell Walla, NE; Fred Warren, VA; Raymond Washburn, OK; Helen L. Wear, IL; Judith A. Webb, KY; Milton Webb, TX; Barry Weener, NY; Jean D. Wellington, CA; Janet Wettenstein, NY; Brian White, OH; John A. White, MD; Beverly Wieland, DE; Glenn Wiemer, IL; Judith Wilkins, OR; L.G. Wilkinson, TX; Martha L. Williams, CT; Helen E. Williams, NY; Robert Williams, AZ; Virginia F. Wilson, FL; Eleanor M. Wilson, FL; Allen Womack, LA; Deborah Wood, OH; Eileen B. Wood, UT; Eugene M. Wood, UT; Joseph Woyak, WI; E. G. Yakubowski, MD; Charlotte Yancey, CA; Robert Young, NJ; Susan Ziegler, PA; Betty Zook, MI. Organizations affiliated with ACB as well as corporations and foundations have made contributions in support of the American Council of the Blind. Therefore, ACB would like to thank the following organizations for their support during 1990. ACB of Indiana; ACB of Maryland; ACB of Minnesota; ACB of New Jersey; ACB of New York State; Ann Masimore Scholarship Fund; Kansas Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired; Badger Association of the Blind; Blue Water League of the Blind, MI; Cambria County Association for the Blind & Handicapped, PA; California Council of the Blind; Council of Families with Visual Impairments; Council of Citizens With Visual Impairments Intl; Chillum Lions Club (George Holliday, Pres), MD; District Of Columbia Association of Workers For the Blind; Dunes Park Chapter/Oregon Council of the Blind; Elsinore Lions Club (Roy Howe), CA; E-Z Reader Inc, FL; Florida Council of the Blind; Gearhart Publications Inc, OH; Golden Triangle Council of the Blind, PA; Greater Charlotte Area Chapter/North Carolina Council of the Blind; Iowa Council of the United Blind; Industry Council For Tangible Assets, DC; Kansas Association of the Blind & Visually Impaired; Kansas City Fire Dept; Kent Lions Club, OH; Lighthouse for the Blind/Palm Beaches, FL; Louisiana Council of the Blind; Melva T. Owens Scholarship Fund; Michigan Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired; Michigan Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired/Capitol Area Chapter; Mississippi Council of the Blind; Mississippi Council of the Blind/Jackson Chapter; Missouri Council of the Blind; Nevada Council of the Blind; North Dakota Association for the Blind; Nova Council of the Blind, VA; Oklahoma Council of the Blind; Oregon Council of the Blind; Price Waterhouse; QuadGraphics Inc., WI; South Central Association of the Visually Impaired; Southwestern Bell; Joseph School, OR; Telesensory, Mountainview CA; Tennessee Council of the Blind; Tudor Investments; Visually Impaired Data Processors Intl; Washington Council of the Blind, WA. ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT LEROY SAUNDERS P.O. BOX 24020 OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73124 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT PAUL EDWARDS 170 N.E. 123rd STREET NORTH MIAMI, FL 33161 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT CHARLES HODGE 1131 S. FOREST DRIVE ARLINGTON, VA 22204 SECRETARY PATRICIA PRICE RILEY TOWER 2, APT. 2300 600 N. ALABAMA STREET INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46204 TREASURER BRIAN CHARLSON 57 GRANDVIEW AVENUE WATERTOWN, MA 02172 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR ELIZABETH M. LENNON