THE Braille Forum Vol. XXXI May 1993 No. 10 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 has available 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, 6 p.m. to midnight eastern time Monday through Friday. Washington, D.C., residents only Tel. 296-3552. Copyright 1993 American Council of the Blind TABLE OF CONTENTS Second Vice President's Message, by Charles S. P. Hodge Clinton Honors ACB Founding Member Legislative Update, by Paul W. Schroeder Organizations Protest Senate Amendments to "Motor Voter" Bill, by Nicole E. Willson Convention Countdown, by John A. Horst Leadership League Delegates Meet With Congress, Hold Assembly, by Nolan Crabb Editor Speaks On Ethics And The Press, by Nolan Crabb Criteria To Revise Library Standards Ready For Your Input, by Marvin Price Accessibility, A Compilation: I. I'll Fake It 'Till We Make It, But How Long Will It Take?,by Mary Jane Owen II. Exploring Independence, by Paul Edwards A Mid-year Resolution What Is Literacy?, by Grace D. Napier Here And There, By Elizabeth M. Lennon High Tech Swap Shop SECOND VICE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE by Charles S. P. Hodge ACB President LeRoy Saunders has asked me to pinch hit for him this month in writing this column for "The Braille Forum." I am happy to accept this challenge and responsibility, and I thank LeRoy for this opportunity to communicate with our ACB membership and friends who are readers. First, I want to report on a couple of important housekeeping matters. The ACB officers held a meeting at Little Rock, Ark., on February 28 in conjunction with the annual state convention of the Arkansas Council of the Blind. As always, our members in Arkansas showed your national officers great warmth and true southern hospitality and, on behalf of the ACB officers, I would like to thank the officers and members of the Arkansas Council of the Blind for their generous hospitality during our visit. The officers meeting enabled us to discuss priorities for the coming year, and to candidly share views as to how the rest of the ACB officers can assist the ACB president in carrying out his many duties. One area of much discussion was the desire of the officers to commence the envisioned round of regional leadership training seminars which has been approved in the 1993 ACB budget. We agreed that the officers (other than the president) would take on this project and would hold an initial planning meeting in conjunction with the meeting of the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America in Washington, D.C., on March 20. Accordingly, we met and made some preliminary decisions. We are not yet prepared to announce the results of our planning efforts. We will of course keep you informed as plans for the regional leadership training seminars are firmed up. ACB Treasurer Brian Charlson has been named by the ACB officers as the lead officer in coordinating our planning efforts on this project. President Saunders wishes to announce his appointment of Kim Charlson of Watertown, Mass., as the chairwoman of the 1993 ACB Awards Committee. Information about the criteria for ACB awards and the deadline for submission of written award nominations to the ACB National Office was published in the January 1993 "Braille Forum." While I was not able to attend any of the program sessions because of personal and job commitments, the ALL meeting took place in Washington, D.C., on March 20 through 23. I had an opportunity to attend two evening meal functions that were held, and I'm told the meeting was well attended by more than 100 people from at least 27 states. The delegate assembly and legislative seminar were probably the most successful ALL meetings in recent memory. During the ALL meeting, ACB pioneer and Former National Representative Durward K. McDaniel was presented with the Distinguished Service Award of the President of the United States by Justin Dart, Chairman of the President's Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities. (See "Clinton Honors ACB Founding Member," this issue.) As I am writing this column over Easter weekend, I want to talk to you about two things of importance to me. First, I work every day in the area of civil rights. We have all been told that the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act was only the first step and that as concerned disabled people, we were going to have to be vigilant, and through our advocacy efforts make that act a reality for us. In a small but meaningful way, we in ACB began that process in earnest recently as numerous ACB members testified at the five hearings held throughout the country from late February through mid-March on the proposed Title II accessibility guidelines under ADA published by the Access Board. I want to publicly thank all of our members and friends who participated in the public hearings and filed written comments with the Access Board. We also know that often we will not be able to resolve certain disputes under the ADA and that ultimately we will have to resort to the federal courts in order to vindicate our rights. That was precisely the circumstance recently when Don Galloway, a blind resident of the District of Columbia, was called for jury duty in the D.C. Superior Court but was automatically disqualified and told to go home under a custom or practice which had developed in the Superior Court Clerk's Office which disqualified all blind individuals from serving on juries in the D.C. Superior Court. Galloway challenged this custom and practice in the federal district court, and on March 16, a judge ruled that Galloway had been discriminated against on account of his disability and that the Superior Court's custom and practice violated not only the ADA but also the Rehabilitation Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1871. The decision is particularly important since it held that practices within the judicial branch of a state or local government were covered under the ADA. You will be hearing more about this landmark ADA court decision in a future issue of "The Braille Forum." The point that I am trying to make, however, is that sometimes, as disabled advocates, we have to show the courage of our convictions and stand up and go to the courts in order to vindicate our newly-won civil rights. The second area I want to touch on is that as spring arrives, and as my thoughts turn towards the upcoming ACB National Convention, I would like, as a life member of ACB, to once again urge others of you to join with me in continuing support of ACB by becoming life members of ACB. Yes, the $1,000 life membership fee is a hefty amount, but it can be paid over five years in annual $200 installments. I would also encourage affiliates to consider purchasing life memberships for worthy members who have performed substantial distinguished services for the blind of their state or region. We are once again planning a reception at the ACB National Convention for life members and guests and nothing would please me more than to be able to welcome at that time a number of new members to the ranks of ACB life members. In conclusion, the fabled cherry blossoms are in full and glorious bloom here in Washington. I wish all of you a wonderful spring and I once again thank President LeRoy Saunders for this chance to share some thoughts with you. CAPTION ACB Second Vice President Charlie Hodge addresses the 31st Annual National Convention of the American Council of the Blind in Phoenix. CLINTON HONORS ACB FOUNDING MEMBER WASHINGTON--Durward K. McDaniel, a founding member of the American Council of the Blind, received the Distinguished Service Award of the President of the United States in ceremonies here on March 21. The award was presented by Justin Dart, chairman of the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. The Distinguished Service Award was presented as part of the annual conference of the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America, a consortium of agencies and individuals including the American Council of the Blind. "It is my profound privilege today to represent President Clinton in honoring Durward McDaniel," said Dart. "In honoring Durward, the nation is paying tribute to the principles for which he stands, and to each one of you who have fought with him in the eternal struggle for a responsible society." Speaking to more than 100 delegates from throughout the nation in attendance at the conference, Dart commended McDaniel for his many years of outstanding service to blind Americans everywhere and to the membership of the American Council of the Blind in particular. "Durward McDaniel is a distinguished civil rights attorney, a pioneer advocate for the rights of people with blindness, a pioneer of the modern movement to unify and expand advocacy for the rights of all people with disabilities," Dart said. "He has been instrumental in the creation and implementation of almost every major law, service program and movement for the rights of people with blindness, and people with all disabilities that has occurred in this nation in the latter half of the 20th century--and he continues." Dart enumerated some of McDaniel's accomplishments, including his distinguished service as a member of the board of the Oklahoma League for the Blind and his dedicated service to the American Council of the Blind. He was a charter member of ACB and served as its national representative in Washington from 1969 until he retired in 1981. Durward McDaniel was a co-founder of the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities, and served on that organization's board from 1979 to 1982. "I have known Durward McDaniel as mentor, colleague and neighbor, and I can tell you that this man is much more than a list of organizations founded and led, of laws and programs created," Dart said. "Durward McDaniel is the embodiment of the distinctively American principles, characteristics, and actions that have irrevocably revolutionized the thoughts, the lives, the goals of every human being on earth. He is an adamant advocate for individual freedom and for total equality of opportunity, and he knows that these inalienable rights are not contradictory, but rather that they are inseparably complementary. "Durward knows what Mao Tse Tung and Stalin did not--that freedom, equality and prosperity cannot be imposed by paternalistic, authoritarian government, but must be nurtured through education by personal example, and through encouraging the clumsy efforts of dependent people to empower themselves as producers, decision makers, and governors," Dart said. Dart said he has often referred to McDaniel as "the Benjamin Franklin of the disability rights movement." He said Durward blazed the trails that made the Americans with Disabilities Act possible. "To all of us, Durward McDaniel is Mr. Democracy. I thank God that I have known and been led by Durward McDaniel," Dart said. "I owe the man so much. I love the man so much. On behalf of President Bill Clinton it is my honor to present to Durward McDaniel the Distinguished Service Award of the President of the United States." "Justin," McDaniel said as he accepted the award, "I've heard you make many speeches. I've always said you were Mr. Generous, but that's too weak a word for what you've said today. I won't attempt to respond to it. Thank you very much." The award which Durward McDaniel received reads: "The President of the United States cites Durward McDaniel for distinguished service to America in promoting the dignity, equality, independence, and employment of people with disabilities. March 21, 1993." LEGISLATIVE UPDATE by Paul W. Schroeder Director of Governmental Affairs Here is a brief summary of upcoming legislation which may impact individuals who are blind or visually impaired. I urge you to follow these issues and contact your Senators and Representatives to express your views. CIVIL RIGHTS The Equal Remedies Act, vetoed by President Bush last year, has been reintroduced in the 103rd Congress. The act would remove limits on monetary damages that can be awarded to people with disabilities, women, and certain minority groups who have been intentionally discriminated against in employment. The monetary caps were established by the Civil Rights Act of 1991 (P.L. 101-166). Passage of the Equal Remedies Act is more likely this year since President Clinton has pledged to raise caps on damages in workplace discrimination cases. S.17 is sponsored by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. Rep. Barbara Kennelly, D- Conn., is the sponsor of the House version of the bill, H.R. 224. DOLLAR COIN Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., and Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., have again introduced legislation to establish a one-dollar coin. To avoid the confusion created by the Susan B. Anthony dollar, Kolbe's bill, H.R. 1322, includes a clause describing the coin as having "tactile and visual features that make the denomination of the coin readily discernable". Similar but less descriptive wording appears in Sen. Domenici's bill, S. 549. EDUCATION Congress is considering a broad range of legislation which may affect the education of blind children in public or residential schools. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which authorizes federal funding for a host of education programs and initiatives, must be reauthorized this year. It is possible, though not certain, that the so- called Chapter I Handicapped Program, one of the programs within the ESEA which makes funds available for education-related services to children with severe disabilities (including residential school-based services to children who are blind or visually impaired), may be significantly altered during the reauthorization. Appropriations for this program have steadily declined in recent years as Congress works toward merging this program with those authorized under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The Clinton administration was expected to introduce its comprehensive school reform proposal on April 21, 1993. Other proposals have been introduced which would give local school districts greater flexibility in the use of federal education dollars, encourage states to work with their communities in establishing new public schools and increase the use of technology and library media resources in elementary and secondary schools. Congress is also expected to consider legislation forcing states to equalized school funding between school districts. Finally, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is scheduled for reauthorization next year. EMPLOYMENT INCENTIVES Legislation has been introduced to reauthorize the Targeted Jobs Tax Credit. H.R. 325 has been introduced in the House by Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., and Rep. Nancy Johnson, R-Conn. Similar legislation, S. 600, was recently introduced in the Senate by Sen. David Boren, D-Okla., and Sen. Bob Packwood, R-Ore. TJTC would allow employers to claim a portion of the first year wages paid to an employee who is from a disadvantaged segment of the population, including people with disabilities, as a tax deduction. The current authority for the TJTC ran out on June 30, 1992; however, the credit will likely be applied retroactively if TJTC is reauthorized. Rep. Jim Ramstad, R-Minn., has introduced legislation to amend the Small Business Act to authorize individuals with disabilities who own small businesses to participate in business development programs under the Small Business Administration. The principal effect of H.R. 794 would be to categorize individuals with disabilities as socially disadvantaged for the purpose of gaining eligibility for government-financed loans under Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act. FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE The Family Medical Leave Act (P.L. 103-3) was signed into law on February 5, 1993. The law entitles employees to take 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year in case of a serious illness or in order to care for an immediate family member with a serious health condition or a newborn child. Businesses with fewer than 50 employees are exempt. Employers may require certification by a doctor and may require employees to use up any accrued leave as part of the 12 week period. HEALTH CARE The Health Care Task force, chaired by Hillary Rodham Clinton and appointed to examine our nation's health care system, should complete its health care study this month. President Clinton is expected to have a comprehensive health care package based on the findings of the task force ready to present to Congress in mid to late May. Administration representatives indicate that President Clinton will propose a plan which will include a standard package of comprehensive benefits, stress preventive care, allow for a choice of doctors, provide cost controls and federal quality controls, and allow states to tailor their own programs. The benefits package may include certain rehabilitation services. In the meantime, members of Congress have already introduced numerous bills calling for revisions in the national health care system, including legislation for cost controls and single-payer plans. INFORMATION ACCESS Congress is considering various bills which would improve public access to electronic databases and other information through computer networks, state-based electronic libraries and government agencies. The Clinton administration is supporting federal spending to enable schools, libraries and other institutions to be linked via computers to networks containing a host of information. Legislation reauthorizing programs conducted by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Commerce, H.R. 820, sponsored by Rep. Tim Valentine, D-N.C., is expected to be the primary vehicle for the initial Clinton administration efforts in this area. H.R. 820 is moving quickly through Congress. The question of how to provide individual households with access to sophisticated data transmission capabilities has not yet been answered. In addition, assurances of access for individuals with disabilities have not yet been included in these efforts. In a separate move, Senator Wendell Ford, D-KY., and Rep. Charlie Rose, D-N.C., have introduced similar bills, S. 564 and H.R. 1328, to create an electronic database of federal information available to the public for a fee, including on-line access to federal and congressional documents. H.R. 1328 has been reported out of committee and will soon be considered by the House. S. 564 has also cleared the Committee and is awaiting consideration by the whole Senate. MEDICARE As part of a national health care plan, President Clinton and Congress are reexamining the Medicare program. Part of Clinton's budget proposal is increased spending on preventive care and limits in spending on Medicare and Medicaid, through cuts in reimbursement rates for hospitals and laboratory services. In the meantime, advocates for individuals who are blind or visually impaired are working with Congress to revise the Medicare program so that health-related equipment and services needed by blind or visually impaired beneficiaries are available. SOCIAL SECURITY A number of bills have been introduced in the 103rd congress to increase or remove the cap on the amount a retiree aged 65 to 69 can earn before his or her social security benefits are reduced. Since 1978, the limit on earned income for blind SSDI beneficiaries, substantial gainful activity, has been tied to the level of earned income available to retirees aged 65 to 69. However, legislation now under consideration would disrupt the tie by only increasing the limit on earned income for retirees. If the tie between substantial gainful activity for blind SSDI beneficiaries and the earnings test applied to Social Security recipients aged 65 to 69 is maintained, raising or removing the SGA cap will likely help blind SSDI beneficiaries to return to work. The two primary earnings test bills under consideration are H.R. 300, sponsored by Rep. J. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill. and S. 30, sponsored by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE The Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals With Disabilities Act is scheduled for reauthorization by Congress this year. The Tech Act was passed in 1988 in an effort to provide federal grants to States to develop and implement a consumer-responsive state-wide program of technology-related assistance for individuals of all ages with disabilities. It is anticipated that all states will have received a grant under this program by the end of this fiscal year. State programs are designed to bring about systems change by increasing awareness of the value of assistive technology devices and services for individuals with disabilities, and coordinating and expanding the provision financing of such devices and services. The Tech Act also authorizes funding for model demonstration and innovative projects. Reauthorization efforts will likely focus on improving the accountability, consumer responsiveness and coordination activities of state programs. Innovative models of financing will also continue to be explored. TELECOMMUNICATIONS Legislation will be considered this year to permit the Regional Bell Operating Companies to develop and manufacture telecommunications equipment for use on their telephone networks. ACB, along with other disability organizations, is working with Congress and the Regional Bell Companies to fashion legislation which requires telecommunications equipment and network services to be accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. VOTER REGISTRATION H.R. 2, the National Voter Registration Act, commonly referred to as "Motor Voter" because it provides for voter registration at the same time as driver's license registration, passed the House on February 4, 1993. The Senate passed an amended version on March 17, removing a requirement for service providing agencies to assist people in registering to vote. Many groups are protesting the Senate's version of the bill, saying that not allowing assistance with registration at rehabilitation or other service-providing agencies discriminates against individuals who need public services and do not drive. (See "Organizations Protest Senate Amendments to Motor Voter Bill," this issue.) Congress has appointed a conference committee to resolve the differences between the two versions of the bill. The conference committee is expected to agree on a version of H.R. 2 by the end of April. CONTACTING MEMBERS OF CONGRESS If you would like to contact a member of Congress to find out more about current legislation or to share your comments, you should write as follows: The Honorable (name), United States Senate (or) House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20510 (Senate) or 20515 (House). To telephone, you can call the Capitol Hill Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 for the Senate and (202) 225-3121 for the House. To find out the names of your Senators and Representatives, call your local public library, board of elections, or League of Women Voters office. ORGANIZATIONS PROTEST SENATE AMENDMENTS TO "MOTOR VOTER" BILL by Nicole E. Willson WASHINGTON--Civil rights groups and other organizations as diverse as the American Association of Retired Persons and Rock the Vote participated in a press conference in April to voice their objections to the Senate's proposed modifications of the National Voter Registration Act, commonly known as the "Motor Voter" bill. The speakers expressed concern that the modifications will defeat the bill's purpose by making it harder, not easier, for low-income and disabled people to register to vote. The National Voter Registration Act provides that citizens will be able to register to vote while obtaining drivers' licenses or state I.D. cards (hence, the "Motor Voter" name.) In addition, the act stipulates that voter registration be offered at social service agencies such as rehabilitation centers. Finally, the act provides for voter registration by mail. The bill passed the House intact, but the Senate version removed all but the provision for registration at motor vehicle bureaus. The organizations represented at the press conference feared that the Senate version would hinder voter registration for many of the groups the bill was designed to help, particularly the disabled and the poor, who are less likely to have drivers' licenses. In addition, the Senate version added provisions which the organizations feel will create further difficulties. Minority groups fear that a provision calling for proof of citizenship will target citizens who look or sound foreign or who have non-English surnames, and would also end registration by mail. Another provision stating that people who move within a voting jurisdiction may have to vote at a central polling place, rather than a place convenient to them, complicates voting access for people in rural areas and people with lack of access to transportation. "As the head of an organization that for years has actively fought to have the National Voter Registration Act enacted into law, I am appalled by what the Senate has done to it," said Becky Cain, the president of the League of Women Voters of the United States. "We supported the original version because it opened the door to greater participation by all citizens in the electoral process. But if the Senate version of the bill prevails, that door will be slammed shut again, and the key will be thrown away." Cain expressed particular concern over the possibility that people with disabilities would be discouraged from registering to vote by the Senate's restrictions. "A 'Washington Post' survey of non-voters indicated that one half of all non-voters over 65 cited a physical disability as the reason they were not registered to vote. A Harris poll found that Americans with disabilities vote at a rate 12 percent lower than Americans who do not have disabilities. It is crucial that the legislation include provisions to reach out to these citizens--people who will not have adequate opportunities to register to vote through departments of motor vehicles." Bob Williams, of the United Cerebral Palsy Association, echoed Cain's concerns. "In approving (the Americans with Disabilities Act), Congress found that those of us with disabilities have been relegated to a position of political powerlessness in our country. Key reasons for this political powerlessness include architectural and transportation barriers which still prevent many of us from making it inside the Registrar's door. This makes registering to vote not merely an inconvenience, but an impossibility for vast numbers of individuals with disabilities. Due to this, nearly 17 million Americans with disabilities are not registered to vote." Williams went on to address some specific concerns with the Senate version of the bill. With respect to the issue of social service agency registration, Williams said, "Most Americans with disabilities do not have the time, transportation or means to shop around to find out which public agencies do voter registration. That is what keeps us politically powerless already ... All public agencies must offer voter registration. Not just a select few for the select few." Williams felt that the provision requiring proof of citizenship could also hurt people with disabilities. "Many voters with disabilities would have difficulty while tracking down a birth certificate. Postcard registration has proven a quick, easy and legally effective way to increase voter participation in many states. This is especially true with regard to people with disabilities. Adequate safeguards exist in the House bill to prevent non-citizens from registering." Finally, Williams expressed concern that central location voting would also work against people with disabilities. "This amendment would place an onerous burden on voters who are disabled. Individuals with disabilities consistently cite lack of accessible and affordable transportation as a key reason for their lack of participation in every aspect of American life. This provision would further exclude older and disabled voters from American political life." The final speaker, Elaine Jones, director of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, called the bill a "good idea that has been distorted." Registering at motor vehicle bureaus, she said, is a "wonderful" idea that the Senate version of the bill does not take far enough. "There are substantial numbers of us who are poor, who are disabled, who are elderly, who do not go to the department of motor vehicles." The Senate version of the Motor Voter Act, Jones said, does not adequately take these people into account. Jones expressed particular concern over a "list-cleaning" provision in the Senate amendments. This purge provision stipulates that postcards should be mailed out to registered voters every two years, requiring information such as address changes. People who do not return these cards will be purged from the voting rolls. Jones stated that this provision would, once again, discriminate against the poor, who may move frequently, and the disabled, who may not be able to fill out and return the card without assistance. Finally, Jones reiterated Bob Williams' concern that the provision for a centralized voting location would also make voting more difficult for many citizens. Jones suggested that the Senate members who designed the provisions should make it easier for citizens to get on voting rolls before making it so easy to be removed from them. The press conference concluded with a brief question-and-answer session in which Jones and others further explained some of their concerns with the Senate version of the bill. CONVENTION COUNTDOWN by John A. Horst, Convention Coordinator In about six weeks from the time you read this article, it will be convention time. We hope you have made your travel plans. Remember that the cutoff date for room reservations at both hotels is June 12, 1993, so please don't delay. The convention dates are July 3 through 10, 1993. The hotel telephone numbers are (415) 692-9100 for the Marriott and (415) 692-3500 for the Westin. The number for ACB's travel agency, International Tours of Muskogee, Okla., which can be called from anywhere in the U.S., is (800) 259-9299. Hotel rates are $45.00 for single and double and $55.00 for triple and quad. The 32nd Annual Convention begins with the overnight tour to Reno and Virginia City, Nev., departing at 8 a.m. Friday morning, July 2. The cost of this tour is $60.00, with $20.00 returned to you on the tour. Meals are not included in the ticket cost. If you are taking this tour, you should contact James Olsen immediately at (612) 332-3242. His mailing address is 310 4th Ave. South, Suite 822, Minneapolis, Minn., 55415. Space on the buses is limited. If you are not taking this tour, the first function of the convention is a women's concerns workshop on "Lookin' Good and Feelin' Good," a seminar workshop session at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 3. This begins a full week of seminars, workshops, program sessions, tours, meal functions, receptions and other activities planned by ACB, its 20 special interest groups and committees, ending with a planned dinner theater in downtown San Francisco on Saturday evening, July 10. In addition to the regular programming, there will be sessions on membership and support groups development, aging and blindness, sexual harassment in the workplace, appearance enhancement for career enhancement, having the life you want, braille code unification, and so forth. Also, Arkenstone users, newsreelers, California School for the Blind alumni, baseball fanatics, Ski for Light, scholarship winners, affiliate presidents, and other groups will meet. Also this year, you won't want to miss a fabulous banquet on Friday evening with entertainment and an outstanding speaker. If you have not already received your preconvention packet, watch for it in the mail. Remember, if you want this information on cassette tape, call the ACB national office between 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Eastern time at (800) 424-8666. However, only print forms can be used for preregistration. For the convenience of convention attendees, transportation to downtown San Francisco and a shuttle to the Hillsdale Mall are planned Monday through Thursday of convention week. The convention program will include local restaurant information and other material you will need during convention week. Be certain to review thoroughly your preconvention packet when you receive it and mail in your preregistration forms promptly. Preregistration will save you much time when you arrive at the hotel. You can pick up your convention packet, which will be ready for you, and be on your way to your first activity. The Marriott Hotel has been able to secure a limited number of refrigerators for rental at $60.00. Anyone desiring a braille or large print map of San Francisco can write to Blind San Franciscans, Inc., 1591 Jackson St., San Francisco, Calif., 94109, or call (415) 563-4896. The cost is five dollars. Convention time is almost here. It's time to complete all detailed plans and anticipate a great convention. LEADERSHIP LEAGUE DELEGATES MEET WITH CONGRESS, HOLD ASSEMBLY WASHINGTON--More than 100 delegates representing nearly every state gathered here in late March for the annual National Delegate Assembly and Legislative Seminar sponsored by the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America, a consortium of individuals and agencies including the American Council of the Blind. The three-day conference provided participants the opportunity to become well informed on issues of concern to blind people and sighted professionals who work in the blindness field. Armed with that information, delegates fanned out on Capitol Hill on March 22 and 23 to share their concerns with the members of Congress from their states. Education was uppermost in the minds of the delegates as Dr. Michael Bina, superintendent of the Indiana School for the Blind and president of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, addressed them. Bina was part of a two-member panel on education. Bina spoke about the dangers blind children face when educators attempt to integrate them into a "full inclusion" concept. Educators and others who advocate for "full inclusion" believe that blindness isn't vastly different from other disabilities, which means that a blind child could be served by a generalist. "In education," he said, "these generalists are called regular education teachers. In rehabilitation, we call them generic rehab counselors, who, I've discovered, don't know beans about blindness." Bina said not only do "full inclusionists" advocate for the closure of schools for the blind, they seek to abolish all special education placements such as resource rooms in public schools which separate children with disabilities. "I question how a classroom teacher, generically trained, can meet all the needs of the other students in the class in addition to all the students with disabilities. They just can't have all the technical knowledge," Bina said. He said AER, ACB, the National Federation of the Blind, and the American Foundation for the Blind are jointly developing a position paper on "full inclusion." He said the paper will likely emphasize that inclusion in society and school is a highly desirable goal, but it should not occur without adequate support or before students develop sufficient skills to ensure that the integration is meaningful and productive. He said the paper would also call for the strengthening of a full range of placements and opposes the reduction or elimination of those alternatives. He reiterated that ALL encourages full inclusion in society and school when it is appropriate. Conferees heard from Louis Tutt, superintendent of the Maryland School for the Blind and president of the Council of Schools for the Blind. He said schools for the blind "should not have to defend what we do in serving youngsters who are blind or visually impaired." He said schools for the blind in many states aren't well represented when school district officials sit down with parents to talk about the education of their blind child. "We would ask if you're involved in local programs to make sure that our schools are on the agenda when it comes to looking at programs for youngsters who are blind or visually impaired," he said. He reminded his listeners that there is no stigma in attending a school for the blind; he called those in the audience who had attended residential schools for the blind "role models" for blind children currently enrolled in the schools. Tutt said schools for the blind won't be quiet and take a back seat if their services become endangered by trends toward full inclusion. Following the education panel, LeRoy Saunders, president of the American Council of the Blind, briefly welcomed the delegates to the conference. "This might be one of the most critical legislative seminars we've had in some time," he said. "There are a lot of new faces on the hill. ... We're in hopes that your visit on the hill will make our job here in Washington, D.C., a little easier in getting in to talk to these people and presenting to them what we feel they need to know about what's going on for blind people." He reminded his audience that Congress doesn't implement any of the laws they pass, observing that "if they implemented them, they'd write them a lot better than they do. Where the rubber hits the road is back in your state when the bills are passed in Washington and the regulations are written and implemented--that's when those laws really start affecting blind people." He encouraged his audience to work closely with state legislators and others to ensure proper implementation of laws passed in Washington. From the power of individual lobbying efforts, conference attendees turned their attention to the power of the press. Mel Elfin, editor of special projects at "U.S. News and World Report," was the keynote speaker for the conference. He talked about the power of the press and the importance of ethical journalism. (See "Editor Speaks on Ethics and the Press," this issue.) Following Elfin's remarks, the audience heard from members of an accreditation panel. Dr. Frank Dickey, an education consultant and chairman of ACB's upcoming summit on accreditation, was the first member of the panel. He said Americans have come to expect too much of accreditation. "Certainly, it can be of assistance to us," he said, "but it's not the remedy for all our ills." He said the United States is the only nation in the world where quality assurance measures are operating through non-governmental agencies. "The other nations of the world depend in large measure on their ministries of education for the assessment of quality in their hospitals, schools, or other various and sundry agencies." Dickey provided a background and history of accreditation, warning that the new trends in outcome accreditation could result in higher costs. He praised accreditation as a means of protecting the public. "Non-governmental accreditation has survived for almost half a century," he said. "It's had some problems and controversy, but in the meantime, it has grown stronger and more important to our society." The second panelist was Dr. Rick Welsh, president of the National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped. He told his audience he was determined to see that NAC remains a viable option for accreditation. He commended ACB for its intentions to sponsor the accreditation summit. He echoed Dickey's assertion that people are expecting more from accreditation than it currently delivers. "Part of the problem is the difference between what we think accreditation should do and what it was set up to do. I think the most important thing that it has done has been to encourage agencies to continue to improve. If we want it to do something else, then please get involved with the process and help it to move toward either setting higher standards or providing additional information. "For the first time in its history now," Welsh continued, "it will stand or fall to the extent to which we support it." He provided a thorough explanation of NAC's standards and on-site review processes for those who were unfamiliar with them. Manuel Urena, program manager of Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted in California, said despite an almost universal belief in accreditation, some accredited agencies still offer low-quality services. He said trends toward greater participation by blind people on advisory boards and the blurring of the line between providers and consumers will affect accreditation. "I think accreditation is close upon us," Urena said. "Federal funding will be tied up to it. We have to start all over again. Accreditation for the blind, as far as I'm concerned, is mostly history now. We've got to get in the ball game, we've got to play by the new rules, and we've got to give equal voice to all the participants." "I agree with Manuel," said R. Creig Slayton, director of the Iowa Department for the Blind and the final accreditation panelist, "when he says that accreditation is going to happen. It's a question, however, of who is going to do that accreditation. I believe that the Rehabilitation Services Administration, with its recent publication in the 'Federal Register,' has indicated that it fully intends to start some process towards accrediting agencies or at least indicating those agencies that it believes are doing a good job." He said any new accreditation process must avoid uneven application of standards or implementation of irrelevant standards. "It doesn't matter to me whether the braille instructor in an agency has a master's degree or a doctorate," Slayton said. "What matters is, are the clients that that agency is serving coming out knowing braille? ... That's what's important." Participants turned from accreditation to the Randolph-Sheppard vending program with remarks by Durward K. McDaniel, a nationally-renowned expert on the program. He said declines in the program's effectiveness and opportunities are due, in part, to a lack of support from the executive branch of the federal government. "Those of you who know me know that I'm an optimist," he said. "But we're fighting so many battles in so many places month in and month out that I've about come to the conclusion ... that if we can't make progress where we are administratively, I think it's time for us to try to decide before this year is over whether Randolph-Sheppard, being a business-oriented program, is located in the federal government where it ought to be. I'm not so worried about the battles won or lost, but I don't think we're winning the war, and that's serious." He called for unity among vendors and others interested in their cause, stating that one of his priorities is to "seek one or more possible alternatives to the administrative quagmire that I diagnose in RSA." Robert Humphreys, ALL's legal counsel and an authority on the Randolph-Sheppard program, warned of some of the problems and challenges the program faces now and in the immediate future. "We just ran into a situation last year in which a major national non-profit organization of and for people with disabilities has said, 'We want in on that Randolph-Sheppard program. It should not be specific to blindness; it should be opened up to all disabilities.' We can't possibly tolerate that." He said if the program were expanding and every blind vendor had a job, then expansion to other disabilities would be acceptable. "We have nothing against other disabilities, but blindness got there first, and we aren't going to give it up." Perhaps the loudest and most heart-felt applause of the day occurred after a speech by Justin Dart, Jr., chairman of the President's Committee on Employment of People With Disabilities. Dart presented the Distinguished Service Award of the President of the United States to Durward McDaniel. (See "Clinton Honors ACB Founding Member," this issue.) Glenn M. Plunkett, chairman of ALL's Task Force on Social Security, followed the award presentation. He said changes are in the wings for some aspects of the Social Security program. "In the Title II program," he said, "it looks like you may see some significant changes in the future because of the increasing emphasis on the concept that regardless of one's impairment, he or she can work and should be encouraged to leave the Social Security payment rolls. Unfortunately, those who advance that theory don't recognize the difficulty of finding a job especially with a disability, even though people without a disability are having a hard time finding a job now." He said the poor performance of the Social Security Administration over the past several years "was quite deliberate," and he warned of even greater difficulties ahead for those who seek eligibility for Social Security Disability Income. He said long backlogs in processing SSDI claims won't disappear any time soon. He called for increased funding for SSA which would allow it to process claims in a more timely manner. Conferees turned their attention to learning more about the issues to be discussed with their representatives in Congress the following day. (See "ALL Position Papers: A Compilation," March 1993.) The first day's activities concluded with a speech by Carl R. Augusto, president and chief executive officer of the American Foundation for the Blind. He said AFB in conjunction with other organizations of and for the blind must "create a sense of urgency to justify the need for separate and identifiable agencies and schools for the blind." Augusto said ultimately, studies would be completed and position papers written to justify separate services. He called trends which would combine services to the blind with those of other disabilities "a crisis in the making," declaring that now is the time to attack the crisis. Following Augusto's remarks, participants heard from Marie Davis, who represents Verbal Landmark, a manufacturer of talking signs. She informed her audience about new installations of the company's signs in the St. Louis area. Carl McCoy, former director of services for the blind in Florida, brought delegates up to date regarding Title VII Chapter 2 of the Rehabilitation Act as reauthorized, the section which deals with services to the elderly blind. He said while a $13 million appropriation from Congress would provide a minimal amount of service to elderly blind people in all 50 states, the $26 million for which ALL delegates have been working for years would provide meaningful service to older blind people. Dr. Elton Moore, chairman of ALL's Task Force on Services to the Elderly Blind, said full funding of the program is especially crucial for those states who don't have any such appropriation, since funding is granted on a three-year cycle. "That means that some of these states could miss out on funding for another three years," Moore explained, "if additional money isn't allocated." The Monday morning session began with a rehabilitation panel. R. Creig Slayton, director of the Iowa Department for the Blind, told delegates the reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act means greater emphasis on employment. The law calls for increased participation by consumers on agency councils on which employers and consumers participate together. Jack Duncan, legislative council for the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind, concurred with Slayton on the importance of advisory councils as vehicles for local and statewide decision making. One significant change in the law, he said, is the separation of services to elderly blind people from the independent living sections. The final session of the delegate assembly dealt with health care reform. After spending much of Monday afternoon on Capitol Hill, delegates returned for a final banquet and prepared to visit Congress again the following day. EDITOR SPEAKS ON ETHICS AND THE PRESS The press as an American institution has a certain majesty, is extremely powerful, and can be troublingly arrogant. That's the assessment of Mel Elfin, editor of Special Projects for "U.S. News and World Report," who spoke to delegates of the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America at its annual delegate assembly held in Washington in March. Elfin began his remarks by describing some areas of Washington to conference attendees. He described the section of the city known as Georgetown as a place "so snobby not even the zip code is listed." He asserted that the Capitol Hill area is "so liberal the kids aren't taught to play cowboys and indians; instead, they play cowpersons and native Americans." To illustrate the power and sometimes arrogance of the press, Elfin told the story of a reporter who questioned Lyndon Johnson regarding the naming of a new director for the Central Intelligence Agency. The reporter's questions were based on information given him by his editors. Johnson told the reporter to inform his editors that their information was incorrect. Despite that, the following day the paper ran a story which said Johnson had indeed named someone to the CIA directorship. A rather excited Johnson called the young reporter in, demanded whether his editors had been informed that Johnson had said he would not name the individual which the paper had reported. "Yes, sir," said an obviously nervous reporter, "but they said they had better information." Elfin said one of the press's significant powers is the ability to set the agenda. "Each day when I come into my office," he explained, "there are probably 50 different issues to which I could turn my attention." Those issues can range from significant foreign policy concerns to whether Elvis Presley's birthday should be made a national holiday, as at least one Washington-based group has proposed. "The first thing that reporters and editors have to do is decide what's important." The second power of the press, according to Elfin, is its ability to frame the question. "Hillary (Clinton) is an issue. Is the issue the fact that she is the president's wife running the health care reform program? Or is the issue one of what does Hillary know about health reform? So far, the issue is framed in the president's wife. No one has taken and asked the question 'what are Hillary's qualifications in the field of health reform? That's what I mean when I say the press can frame the question." Elfin said the third power of the press is its ability to serve as a gate keeper in elections and political contests. "I guarantee you that within a year, Congressman Dick Armey will be on everybody's list of contenders for the Republican nomination in 1996, even if he doesn't want to be," Elfin said. "The press is the keeper of the gate." He said the fourth power of the press is its ability to speed up the process of making things and people known. "In the middle of the Reagan years," he recalled, "three whales got stuck in the ice up in northern Alaska. Somehow, the president and Mrs. Reagan heard about this. Mrs. Reagan urged the president to do something about those whales. He gets the coast guard to go up there and help those whales. Suddenly, those three whales became the most famous mammals in America. I don't want to spout off anymore about the whales." He said while the press doesn't have self-policing institutions like the American Bar Association to which attorneys belong, its members do think of ethics and rules. "After almost 40 years in this business," he said, "I'm impressed by how much thinking goes into this without any formal oath or code, and how often we make mistakes, and how many young people are never taught about journalistic ethics." He expressed concern that while colleges teach potential journalists some things about libel, few if any concentrate on some of the other problems that arise from lack of self restraint. "The First Amendment is the heart and soul of this country," he asserted, "but the dangers inherent in what we do, unless people exercise self control, scare me." He said the deteriorating image of the press in recent years is reflected in the plots of two movies. In the movie "Call Northside 777," Actor James Stewart played the part of a reporter who, with some solid investigative work and ingenuity, frees a young man from prison, winning for himself a Pulitzer Prize. The movie was based on a true story. "In this film from the '40s," Elfin said, "the reporter wears the white hat." Contrast that to the '80s where the number one story about reporters is a film called "Absence of Malice" which starred Sally Field. In that movie, Field, driven by an aggressive editor, ruins the life of a local businessman by writing a series of stories which mistakenly accuse him of things which he had not done. "This is a classic case of a reporter wearing the black hat. There's the difference in the 40-year period. It's become easy for politicians and others to blame the press because of these examples," Elfin said. Elfin said one of the questions the press must answer is when is an item relevant as a news story? He said in April 1969, he sent a reporter to cover Sen Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., who had gone to Alaska to inspect Eskimo education facilities there. He said his magazine's interest focused on Kennedy more than the subject of his trip. The trip occurred less than a year after Kennedy's brother Bobby had been assassinated. "He'd gone through some depression," Elfin recalled. "We kept watching him. This was a man who could lift the flag of the family and become president of the United States. People were talking about it." Elfin said on a commercial jet returning to Washington, Kennedy had a few drinks and "begins pawing the television anchorwoman sitting next to him," Elfin said. the reporter also described a pillow fight between Kennedy and his staff and other similar behavior. "The reporter comes back, tells me about this, and I tell him to write me a memo. In the last paragraph of the memo, he says this isn't the only example. The reporter said since his brother's death, Kennedy had been drinking fast, driving fast, and had an eye for a pretty woman. I questioned the relevance of this memo and decided not to print any of this, and I put it into a file. "On Saturday, July 19, I got into my office and had a call from another colleague," he remembered. "He told me from his vacation spot on Martha's vineyard 'there's a crazy story here about Ted Kennedy's car at the bottom of a pond across the bay called Chappaquiddick, and there's supposed to be a dead woman in the back seat of the car.' I said this is a great story. Keep phoning in the details if you hear any more." Elfin said in the meantime, he looked in the Congressional staff directory, and found a listing for Mary Jo Kopechne. "Out of my filing cabinet came that memo," he said. "We were the first organization to really print the story of what Teddy had been up to. That memo became relevant on July 19 when there was a dead woman in the back seat of his car." Elfin said questions of relevance didn't end with the Kennedy incident. "I've recently gone through a similar situation with a member of the president's cabinet. I have what is essentially first-hand knowledge right now which was given to me about a liquor problem for this individual and an accusation of drunken driving. This individual has essentially said it's true. I don't think it's relevant, but there is a memo in my file that I hope I don't have to pull out at some point or other involving this individual. But that's an ethical decision. Relevance is one of the things I think about in journalism." He said a second question which reporters must answer is how to decide between what the public ought to know and what it has a prurient interest in knowing. "The question is, is everything fit to print?" He recalled Betty Ford, the wife of former President Gerald Ford, who very freely answered questions put to her by reporters about every aspect of her life including the couple's sex life. "It would have been very interesting to print what she said," Elfin recalled. "I just felt that wasn't something the public had a right to know. They may have an interest in knowing it, but there's a difference." He said reporters and editors are constantly called upon to answer thorny questions regarding what is national security and what is not. "Remember that in the first days of Watergate," he said, "President Richard Nixon tried to hide the break-in behind the cover of national security. Many presidents have tried this." He recalled an incident where a former CIA director called him and asked him not to run a story his magazine was about to publish. After talking with the reporter who wrote the story, they agreed to yank it. "In retrospect," he said, "I think we did the right thing." Another ethical issue with which journalists wrestle, he said, is determining the fine line between where proper interpretation ends and advocacy begins. He faced this issue earlier this year when a feud arose between Sen. Richard Shelby, D-Ala., and some Clinton staff members over the president's budget. Shelby felt the new budget was punitive to the agriculture department and farmers in general. He made a speech in which he said agriculture was bearing too much of the budget cuts. "The younger people in the White House began saying things about Shelby I couldn't believe," he said. "This was the first or second week of the first month of the administration. What they did at the end of the week was to switch a $338 million project connected to the space shuttle from Huntsville, Alabama to Texas. In the process, they said the nastiest things about Shelby. "I wanted to make a point which was that Jimmy Carter's people had done the same thing in their first month in office to (former Congressman Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill) and look where they ended up. Was I going beyond interpretation? Was I being fair by writing a sentence at the end of a story about the switches of the project from Alabama to Texas that said they could very well regret doing this to Shelby. Was that fair? Was I being an advocate? I wrestled with that and decided it was proper interpretation because there are people around this town who don't even remember Jimmy Carter. There are fewer than 100 Democrats on Capitol Hill in the House of Representatives who were there when Jimmy Carter was president. There's a narrow line between proper interpretation and advocacy." He said other questions that come to the minds of reporters and editors include What makes a source reliable? How many sources do you need to have a reliable story? "We're not in a battle for objectivity," he said. "we're in a battle for truth, which is much more elusive." Subsequent to his address to the ALL meeting, "U.S. News and World Report" released a story which asserted that prior to President Clinton's visit to an aircraft carrier, Colin Powell, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, secretly visited the carrier in advance of Clinton's trip to warn military personnel to be respectful of the president, even if they disagreed with his attitude toward gays in the military, defense cutbacks, etc. "We called the Pentagon," he recalled. "We got extraordinary knockdowns. 'The general hasn't ever even been in Norfolk,' which I found hard to believe. So I'm ready to give up on this story after a strong knockdown like that. "Two hours later, they called back and said, 'well, he was there for a while, but he never went aboard the aircraft carrier.' We get another call in an hour, 'well, he did go aboard the aircraft carrier.' Then the next call came back and said, 'yes, he talked to them, but he didn't talk to the commander.' Finally, I said 'we've got a story.' So you have to keep pushing; but, the push is for truth. You're going to have your own reporters fighting, you're going to have knockdowns from the sources in the government; particularly in this town, truth is a very elusive subject. "That's what makes my business so exciting; that's what makes my business so interesting; that's why I'm still at it after all these years," Elfin concluded. "I think when I come to the end of the line, I have one hope. When I finally leave, on my tombstone, there will be a sign that says 'Mel Elfin: He separated the wheat from the chaff, and printed the wheat.'" CRITERIA TO REVISE LIBRARY STANDARDS READY FOR YOUR INPUT by Marvin E. Price, ACB Representative to Advisory Committee A revision of the 1984 Revised Standards and Guidelines affecting library service and programs from the National Library Service of the Blind and Physically Handicapped is now underway through a three-year project directed by the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies of the American Library Association and financially supported by the Library of Congress. The initial work was performed by two specific subcommittees: the Advisory Committee, which was responsible for providing input on meeting the needs for library services and programs from the NLS throughout the states, and the Working Team, which was charged with the responsibility of preparing the written document. Both groups were expected to determine the extent to which the 1984 standards should be updated so that the new revised standards will provide a meaningful, useful, and workable tool for Network Libraries Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped. Four major issues impacting provision of library services and their implications for standards are to be addressed: 1. Automation/Technology; 2. Changes in Users' Needs/Demographics; 3. Funding Realities; and 4. Trends Toward Centralization/Consolidation of Services. While the primary audience for the new standards will be the Network Libraries (the people who will be using the standards), consumers will ultimately be the beneficiaries of that service. In other words, the purpose of the document is to improve overall library services for persons who are blind and physically handicapped. A sincere, concerted effort is now being made to widely circulate the initial draft document to as many consumers and librarians as possible so as to give interested parties an opportunity to provide written comment before the final draft is formalized in May of 1995. So, please act now. The draft copy of the Working Paper and survey form are now ready for distribution from your regional library on audiocassette, in braille, and on computer disk (MS-DOS 3.5" high-density, double-sided.) There are 22 considerations in the Working Paper. The response sheet provided lists (by number only) each consideration and asks if you agree or disagree with that particular statement. Space is also provided for comments on each individual consideration, and respondents are encouraged to provide as much meaningful input as possible. The completed form should then be returned as quickly as possible to: Marvin E. Price, ACB Library Advisory Committee Representative, c/o the American Council of the Blind, 1155 15th St., NW., Washington, DC 20005. Please note that it is important to understand that this Working Paper only constitutes the framework in which the standards are written. It does not contain individual standard statements; rather, it presents fundamental concepts that are to guide the preparation of the standards document. I'll FAKE IT 'TIL WE MAKE IT: BUT HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE? by Mary Jane Owen Too many of us who are blind or visually impaired keep faking it, hoping for the data access we crave, yet afraid to admit we are drowning in a sea of inaccessible facts. We have the intelligence to make it in the "Information Explosion" age, but limited facets of that world have been made accessible to us. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of pretending I'm not missing out on a lot of stuff every sighted person takes for granted. And I hope the issue of data access "makes it" in the disability rights agenda while I can still profit from it. As a newly blind adult in the 1970's, I attended my first national convention of a blindness organization. I returned to the Orientation Center for the Blind in Albany, Calif., with the answer suggested by the experience: "The successful guys all seemed to have sighted wives. I guess that's the solution to living successfully with blindness." Of course, that was hardly an option for me. And in the intervening years it has become inadequate for those "lucky" individuals. Reviewing a few pages of ink-print at the dinner table or depending upon a live-in driver will not assure success in today's competitive world. Too many brilliant individuals who are blind or visually impaired are consigned to doing merely "adequate" jobs because the information essential to excel is not readily accessible. And yet we seem afraid to share that painful and bothersome "secret." Do we think that by denying it to ourselves we have blunted our sighted colleagues' impression that we haven't quite matched our potential? Awareness of this gap in access was reinforced as one too many of my peers in the disability advocacy system came up with similar responses in a variety of settings. After referring to the very positive aspects of the Americans with Disabilities Act, I usually say something like, "While ADA marks another positive phase in the journey toward equity and justice, it doesn't guarantee the same level of access for all those 43 million people." That seems pretty non-controversial to me. But the accusations from fellow advocates start up. Sure, the ADA is great, but exactly what has it done about data access for those of us still waiting to get into the "Information Age?" The piles of ink-print material teeter dangerously above my head as I sit at my desk, trying to winnow through the wheat and chaff which each mail delivery brings. Publications from the Government Printing Office are inaccessible to me. I'm informed that recent policy statements about what section 504 provided to me indicates I might request these documents in an alternative format, but how do I know what's out there? When bills arrive, whether from federal, state or local sources, they are totally indistinguishable from trash mail. Banks send the identical ink-print statements that are sent to sighted customers, yet with a one time investment of several thousand dollars, the bank, and other facilities, could as easily route those summaries destined for blind customers through a braille embosser. Movies are not audio-described, even though the low-cost techniques have been available for some years. And to make things even worse, if my companion cares enough to tell me about the non-verbal action, we may well risk being thrown out of the theater. These are, you say, only minor problems. Possibly. But ... When was the last time I went to a meeting, whether sponsored by a federal agency or a private enterprise, to be offered an agenda in an accessible form? And who ever came up with the idea that one can simultaneously listen to a reader intoning the words everyone else has rapidly reviewed while offering essential insights to a lively discussion? At one national gathering to explore how the judiciary system could come into compliance with ADA, I found myself in this position. I suggested if my perspective was so undervalued by the organizers that they could not take the time to read the items aloud, I might as well take my reader to the bar. The moderator relented in his determination to move swiftly to a vote on the numbered items which had been developed in a dozen small group discussions after I suggested it seemed appropriate for "happy hour" to start a little early for those of us who were unable to rapidly scan the ink-print summaries. My comments resulted in several important alterations in the text of the final document. A few people mentioned that my joking comments had alerted them to a problem they hadn't previously considered. But at the next gathering the same rush toward efficiency without data access arose again. A deaf colleague joined in the cry for equity. (She couldn't watch the interpreter while reading the text!) But a blind colleagues seemed embarrassed, suggesting if I made such a point of insisting upon knowing what I was to vote on, neither of us would be invited next time. His point seemed to be that being there and not being able to perform adequately was better than not being there at all. "Faking" it seemed better than not making the scene. There were warning signs that ADA would concentrate more on those few who use wheelchairs than the many among the 43 million "covered" under its protections who do not. Early drafts cited "wheels" many times while remaining mute on the specific needs of others. Some of us, representing organizations involved with blind access, clustered together while the draft bill was being refined. Our concerns were, for the most part, discounted. How could we demand that the access issues of ADA be compromised with such complex issues as data access? And so we joined in the struggle, hopeful that eventually the total disability community would turn its attention from ramps and bus lifts toward data access. But the much touted march up Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House to the Capitol again minimized the concerns of the many for the image of the few: The phrase, "Wheels of Justice," certainly didn't highlight the concerns of those who didn't depend upon wheelchairs. But we again joined, enchanted by the idealism of equity and inclusion and trusting that those millions among us who were not wheelchair users would be remembered in the evolving legislative action which still lay ahead. And the sad fact is that many who are visually impaired are unaware of how much is inaccessible to them. Never would we seek to minimize the suffering of those with physical disabilities who have been forced to merely exist in nursing homes and their own homes! Stagnation and dependency impose cruel and unusual punishment upon innocent victims of the status quo. But wasted potential is real within the blind community too. And many do not even know what they do not know. In this "Information Age," surely it is a distressing loss when brilliance among those who are blind is trapped and few recognize there is a problem. The "problem" is not limited to those who are poor and discarded. It was several years ago, but recent experience confirms that only minor improvements have taken place. Following the Congressionally ordered review of the Social Security Administration, the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities decided to have a workshop on the results. I was the only non-member of the prestigious blue ribbon committee who was asked to join in a panel exploration of the recommendations being forwarded to Congress. Since mine would be the only view from outside the circle which had endorsed the findings, it seemed particularly important that I have all the facts at my fingertips. The report was not yet on tape so I ordered the ink-print version and had it taped and prepared for my presentation. I had an impressive pile of tapes. Feeling fairly well prepared, I rolled into the room where the workshop was to take place. At the door I was greeted by an official from SSA who handed me a single tape. This was the executive summary of the report on which I was supposed to have become an expert! Laughing, I thanked the official and used this amusing example to illustrate the problems faced by those of us who found ink-print inaccessible. It was several months later before a box of audio tapes arrived. But they did not match my home-produced tapes in bulk. I checked to learn what was missing and called the blind employee responsible for data access. It was then I finally recognized how vulnerable all of us are. For she had no idea what she didn't know! She insisted ALL the material had been read. We debated, then agreed to disagree. Several weeks later she called to report I had been correct. We talked a bit of the problems we face when we are dependent upon the sighted world to decide what information is essential for us to know! If our tastes vary from those of our volunteer "data gate-keepers" we may have unseen obstacles to overcome. Back in 1978, when I first came to Washington, I was still a relatively new member of the blind crowd. I'd managed in my previous job with lots of volunteer readers but I wasn't sure how other blind government employees managed. And so I made appointments and went on a series of visits. Usually they were working in offices by themselves. They had "projects" which seemed of limited interest or relevance. After a few of these visits I returned to my own office, where adequate accommodations had been made. I wondered if some of my peers were afraid to rock the boat. Later, when I left my original government job and moved to the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped, I understood the pressure more personally. I endured several years of insulting disregard until, in frustration, I filed a complaint against the agency. The excuse: My work was more than adequate. Why should required accommodations even be discussed? And the director asked for a kiss to show we weren't mad at each other! Technology has improved access. But too few have access to it. And my scanner, which can bring ink-print into my talking computer, takes many times longer than my sighted peers require to get at the facts. "But isn't it a miracle," is the response of those whose low expectation of the blind is further confirmed by the slowness of the current crop of blind technology. A sighted colleague spoke of a client. While evaluating the job placement of blind clients in the federal system, she'd interviewed his supervisor. "He's bright and ambitious. But having to depend upon readers is going to mean he'll not rise to what he'd reach if he weren't. We work with classified material around here. We haven't got time to check all those readers he uses. Too bad!" He'd never know what he didn't know. A colleague who's been involved with a disability access organization for over a decade has never received any brailled materials to prepare for board meetings. She has attended conferences in the area of her expertise for decades and has never been provided with any aid in understanding the issues which have been voted upon during the general sessions. She works hard and is kind and thoughtful. She could have been so much more than she will ever become. She has been so busy faking it that she never realized she'd never really make it. So how long do you think we should wait until "data access" makes it into law? How long before our society confirms that in an age when information rules, those of us who are blind or visually impaired are important enough to have access to what is essential? Sure, it's scary to talk about how much we don't know and how big the gaps in data access really are. But until we start to share the pain, I doubt we're really going to make the gains essential to excel. I'm a little tired of faking it. Aren't some of you a little tired too? EXPLORING INDEPENDENCE by Paul Edwards, ACB First Vice President On the cover of every "Braille Forum" is a commitment to promote independence. Independence is not defined there and it's an idea that has many different connotations. Of course, no one, blind or not, is truly independent. Our society has become far too complex for that. However, we as blind people strive to be as free from the need to ask for help as each of us can be. And that, it seems to me, is what independence is all about. In the past, society has not made independence easy. Public transportation systems are often not friendly to people who are disabled. Hotel rooms and public buildings seem to be in love with painting room numbers on doors. Trees have been spared, in the past, because federal, state and local governments have not felt much need to make information available in accessible formats. The Americans with Disabilities Act is the latest in a series of laws that claim to make our environment more accessible. Even now, though, we are a long time from the day when a blind person can be truly self-sufficient in an unfamiliar environment. Too many of those of us who are blind believe independence is our responsibility. Put a sighted person down in the middle of a large city with no street signs and see how well he or she does. We often accept the flawed argument that says it is our job to adapt to our environment and that those who build that environment need not regard our needs at all. We are content with what we have and are leery of asking for more. We tacitly accept that we must cope and relieve society of any responsibility for making our coping easier. While others have signs and maps and information and visible warnings, we are comfortable with none. Do we see ourselves as somehow less deserving than others? Are we exhibiting a perverse sort of pride that says that macho blind people can take it? Perhaps, instead, we are unwilling to rock the boat and ask for what we have every right to expect. Whatever the causes, the results are clear. Blind people have chosen not to fight to make the environment more accessible. The few who have stood up and demanded change have been betrayed by the mass of blind people who have spoken with their apathy. This is bad enough. There is worse. The National Federation of the Blind has attacked efforts to broaden access by claiming that, with proper training, any blind person can function independently and self-sufficiently in our environment exactly as it is. If I had wings that worked, I could fly, too. This argument simply shifts responsibility and holds a whole generation of blind people hostage to the inane assumption that all blind people are, at least potentially, equally competent. All of us know that everyone, blind or not, is differently enabled. I, for one, am not prepared to wait till the NFB millennium arrives. Instead, I am committed to work to make the environment in which I function easier for me to handle. This does not mean that I will expect every community to install talking signs on every corner or immediately build roads with built-in power and guidance so I can drive. Both of those options would be nice but they are not politically or economically possible. So my task involves exploring the barriers that society places in the way of my independence. Once these have been identified, I will work with my community and my country to devise mutually acceptable ways of removing them. In a nutshell, what I am asking and what the ADA promises are the same. Both the law and I call for reasonable action to be taken by my community to ensure that I am not denied the fullest participation in and access to my country and my community. Disability isolates. Blind people are likely to wander their communities less than their non-blind peers. If the community can make changes that, over time, can lessen this isolation, everyone wins. The community gains citizens who can be more active and can participate in their society more fully. We, as blind people, gain a sense of accomplishment and an ability to operate in more situations without the assistance of others. This is true independence. Access issues are at the very heart of what the ACB stands for. Whether you yourself need more access to your community or not, making the environment more friendly creates opportunities for blind people not only now but for as long as communities last. What better justification for ACB's motto could there be? Promote independence by creating a truly accessible country! CAPTION ACB First Vice President Paul Edwards stands at the podium, conducting a session of the 32nd Annual National Convention of the American Council of the Blind in Phoenix. A MID-YEAR RESOLUTION by Mitch Pomerantz Whereas, the 1993 Convention of the American Council of the Blind will convene July 3 through 10 in San Francisco, California; and Whereas, the ACB Resolutions Committee will again meet to hammer out the policies and direction this Council's leadership and staff shall pursue subsequent to the convention; and Whereas, resolutions frequently come from the rank-and-file members of ACB; and Whereas, the time has arrived for interested ACB members to consider and submit possible resolutions to the chairperson of the ACB Resolutions Committee; and Whereas, such resolutions, submitted in advance of the ACB convention, make the committee's task that much simpler during convention week. Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved, that all persons wishing to submit a resolution, or even the idea for a resolution, should do so no later than June 15th, to the chairperson, Mitch Pomerantz, at 1344 N. Martel Ave., No.102, Los Angeles, CA 90046; and Be It Further Resolved, that resolutions may be submitted in any format and should be accompanied by background information--if necessary--and include the name and telephone number of a contact person who is familiar with the subject matter; and Be It Further Resolved, that all concerned ACB members and friends are welcome to attend committee sessions to see democracy, ACB-style, in action. WHAT IS LITERACY? by Grace D. Napier This is in response to Walt Stromer's article, "Braille Literacy--Another Perspective," in the March 1993 issue of "The Braille Forum." Although braille is referred to as the basic medium for being literate for young blind individuals, school-age blind individuals may have the tendency to use talking books and computers more than braille. The drifting away from braille for these students is a result of the mistaken belief by some teachers and some parents that what is modern is superior to anything more than 100 years old. To refute this, just notice that the pencil is still in wide use today despite highly sophisticated computers--PC or mainframes. However, braille is still superior to talking books and computers relative to acquiring genuine literacy for these students. Talking books, aside from textbooks, don't provide spelling, punctuation, formatting on the page (indentation for paragraphs, placement of major and minor headings, etc.,) hyphenation at ends of lines, or reinforcement of braille contractions learned. Mastery of the skills above (except for contractions) is imperative when using a typewriter or computer. One's ignorance will be apparent when the student uses the wrong punctuation, writes in one long paragraph only, misspells words that someone of his age and grade level is expected to know, doesn't place major and minor headings in acceptable format, etc. Furthermore, on a typewriter, the student cannot proofread his/her own work, find errors and make corrections. The computer provides capability to proofread so long as the writer recognizes errors when they are present. Recorded textbooks, on the other hand, provide solutions for some of the problems inherent in non-textbook material, namely spelling of critical or technical words, pagination and emphasis on major or minor headings. These alone are not enough to constitute literacy for young students. I have seen braille written by those who claim to know the braille system. "Here" for "hear," "there" for "their" and misuse of rules are apparent. So even though they have been "taught" braille, they have not mastered it, probably because they have used auditory material more than braille material. A second reason for this is that when special education teachers write print on the student's braille papers for the non-special education teacher's benefit, the teacher writes the correct word instead of the word the student had used. The special education teacher has the responsibility to write "red" when the student wrote that instead of "read." The special education teacher has the responsibility to reflect the student's errors as well as the accuracies, and should not substitute the correct word on his paper for incorrect words in braille. When a teacher makes the paper seem better than it actually is, the student soon learns that s/he can make errors with impunity or, even worse, never be told about the errors, and receive higher grades than deserved. Conscientious special education teachers want all the intricacies of the braille system to become immediate correct responses just as with number facts. When a student has to ponder nine times eight and then be unsure whether the answer will be correct, this is evidence that the student has not mastered the number facts; they have not become habitual and immediate responses. When the topic of literacy through braille arises with adults and especially with those who learned braille as a second reading mode (a substitute for print), the situation is quite different. An adventitiously blinded reader already knows paragraphing, spelling, punctuation, and so forth, based on early education as a seeing reader. However, with only occasional use of braille books and magazines, an adult may miss the spelling of names of persons and places in the current news. At that point, he or she may ask someone else, "How is the capital of Yugoslavia spelled?" or "How is that baseball player's name spelled?" Literacy for adults, perhaps, is a matter of personal choice. Similarly, how many seeing adults today read avidly? Some with high school diplomas read greedily to learn more. Others with college degrees may settle for the superficial, brief treatment of TV news and not read the editorial page of a newspaper. Some may read only the sports page or the movie section. Many seeing readers accept the "spoken word" to replace print. So why is it so wrong for a blind person to substitute the "spoken word" for braille? As a braille reader, I much prefer braille to talking books. The reality is that some of the material that I want or need to read will never be in braille but is available in recorded format. When that, too, is not available, I use the Optacon to read print. These are my personal choices, but not every other blind individual has the same personal preferences as mine. HERE AND THERE by Elizabeth M. Lennon The announcement of new products and services in this column should not be considered an endorsement of those products and services by the American Council of the Blind, its staff or elected officials. Products and services are listed free of charge for the benefit of our readers. "The Braille Forum" cannot be responsible for the reliability of products or services mentioned. NEW CATALOG The National Association for Visually Handicapped offers a free large print catalog of aids for visually impaired people. Contact NAVH at 22 West 21st St., New York, NY 10010. SAILING EXPEDITION According to the January 10, 1993 issue of "The Kalamazoo (MI) Gazette," disabled people may learn to sail next year while exploring the Netherlands aboard a double- masted ship. Tour departures are scheduled for a 13-day vacation aboard the Lutgerdina, a 95-year-old sailboat fitted with hydraulic steering and electronic speaking devices to instruct blind helmsmen and navigational charts in braille. The participants will set sail in Amsterdam and visit villages, nature reserves, and other ports before tying up at Robinson Crusoe Island. Trips leave June 3 and 12, and cost $2,175. A trip departing September 12 costs $1,975. The price includes round trip airfare from New York, a van for tours in Amsterdam, accommodations, most meals, and instruction. Reservations can be made by contacting Travel Agents International, 411 Carondelet St., New Orleans, LA 70130. (800) 345-8159. FREE EYE CARE The Jewish Heritage for the Blind is pleased to announce that eligible senior citizens may receive free eye care from local physicians and surgeons (ophthalmologists) who have volunteered their services through the National Eye Care Project. Physicians are available throughout the United States. More than 132,500 elderly people have already been referred for medical eye examinations. For eligibility requirements, and for more information, send your name, address and telephone number together with a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the Jewish Heritage for the Blind, Outreach Program, PO Box 336, Brooklyn, NY 11229. NEW FROM WHIRLPOOL The Whirlpool Appliance Corporation in Benton Harbor, Mich., has many overlays, special knobs, books and tapes for people who are physically or visually disabled. In addition, many of their other publications are available in large print, braille, or tape, according to "Kenny Scope," Spring 1993. Publications are available on such topics as microwave cooking, washer guide for dealing with tough stains, and tips on drying special items. Two booklets, "Designs for Independent Living," and "Tools for Independent Living," suggest ways to modify your kitchen or laundry facility for maximum use and how to use your present appliances more efficiently. Write to the Whirlpool Corporation, Appliance Information Service, Administration Center, Benton Harbor, MI 49022, or call the company's consumer assistance center at (800) 253-1301. LARGE PRINT BOOKS Take any book free plus three additional books for a dollar plus shipping and handling when you become a member of the Doubleday Large Print Home Library. Additionally, you will receive a floral umbrella and tote set. The selections include current bestsellers, mysteries, romances and much more, all in 16-point type. For more information, contact Doubleday Large Print Home Library, P.O. Box 6350, 6550 E. 30th St., Indianapolis, IN., 46209-9473. LIGHTED CANES Those interested in purchasing the Safe-T-Light cane should be aware that the manufacturer has changed its address. The cane, which has a strobe light which can be activated by the user, sells for under $60. The company also makes excellent folding canes for $20. For more information, contact Safe-T-Light Enterprises, Grant Foster, 4120 Delmar Ave., Victoria, BC, Canada V8Z 5I6. TALKING CANES And speaking of canes, a report in the New York Times says that a Taiwan manufacturer has patented an "Electronic Talking Stick." The "stick" will warn the blind user of an obstacle up to five feet away. It uses a synthetic voice that will bark out instructions. It has a caster on the end which will allow it to roll along for easier, smoother movement. If the caster does not touch the ground within a few seconds, the voice will instruct the user to "Pick it up!" If the stick remains off the ground, it will begin calling for help, thus aiding the user to find it. NEW CATALOG LS&S Group, P.O. Box 673, Northbrook, IL, 60065, has released its 1993 catalog. Included are many new items, such as a cutting board with corner guards, long ring timer, a pill appointment reminder, a thin, elegant watch for people with low vision, and an economical talking watch. Also in the catalog is a list of more than 100 items from previous catalogs and supplements that are offered on an all sales final, no refund policy at up to 50 percent off. For a description of these items, call (800) 468-4789. ADA TOLL FREE The Disability Rights and Education Defense Fund has instituted a toll-free telephone service to provide technical assistance regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act. Call (800) 466-4232 voice and TDD from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific time. RADIO MAGAZINE The DX Audio Service is a monthly cassette magazine produced in the style of a broadcast news program about radio. The magazine features several hosts, traveling reporters, phone-in stories, and lively jingles and other radio-related sounds. It's designed to help listeners get the most from radio by encouraging reception of different and distant stations and by providing interesting backgrounds on those stations. The DX Audio Service is sponsored by the National Radio Club and is produced by radio professionals who donate their time. Cassette subscriptions cost $25 a year. For more information, send a self-addressed, U.S.-stamped envelope to Fred Vobbe, DX Audio Service, c/o Great Northern Broadcasting, P.O. Box 5031, Lima, OH 45802 or Ken Chatterton, National Radio Club, P.O. Box 164, Mannsville, NY 13661-0164. For a sample cassette, send $3. BRAILLE PAPER The Golden Triangle Council of the Blind, P.O. Box 2854, Pittsburgh, PA 15230, sells 250-sheet packets of 8.5 x 11 inch braille paper for $7. Send money when ordering. REHAB CLASSES The Department of Blind Rehabilitation, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Mich., has recently unveiled a unique program that will offer courses at times convenient for working people. Courses will be offered during a concentrated period of time and during weekends. A one-credit course, for example, could be completed on Friday evening and all day Saturday. Courses under consideration will be of special interest to professionals in work with blind and visually impaired persons or parents of sight- impaired children. For more information, contact Dr. William R. Wiener, Chairman, Department of Blind Rehabilitation, 3406 Sangren Hall, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008. HOME FOR THE BLIND The Mary Bryant Home for the Blind, located in Springfield, Il., is a residential assisted living center for visually impaired persons. The home has a limited number of vacancies at present. It offers modern accommodations which include private rooms, housekeeping and laundry services, meals and social activities. Transportation is also provided for a nominal fee. Prospective residents must be visually impaired, 18 years of age or older, ambulatory, self-sufficient, and mentally competent. For more information contact Monica Lederbrand, Administrator, the Mary Bryant Home Assoc., 2960 Stanton St., Springfield, IL 62705. STATISTICS FROM APH According to the 124th Annual Report (July 1, 1991 to June 30, 1992) of the American Printing House for the Blind, 50,080 legally blind students were registered to receive services from APH. That's an increase of 2,000 students, or four percent, over the 1991 registration. 5,485 (11 percent) were registered as braille readers; 14,185 students (28 percent) as visual readers; 5,570 students (11 percent) as auditory readers; 9,934 students (20 percent) as pre-readers; and 13,904 (30 percent) as non-readers. Of this group, 41,644 students (83 percent) were registered by state departments of education. 4,317 students (nine percent) were registered by residential schools for the blind. 2,806 students (six percent) were registered by rehabilitation programs, and 1,293 students (three percent) were registered by programs for the multiply handicapped. The major change in demographics from the fiscal year 1991 registration was a nine percent increase in pre-readers with a small percentage decrease in all of the other reading media areas. Percentages by program types were relatively unchanged from those for fiscal year 1991. COOKING ON TAPE "Fabulous Party Main Dishes," "Chicken and Turkey Recipes from Many Lands," and "Cooking Beginners" are the titles of three hour-long teaching tapes created specifically for persons who are blind or visually impaired, according to "Disability Issues," January 1993. The tapes are the first of a series of cassettes to be offered every few months by the Ina Young Cooking Club, a project endorsed by the Massachusetts Association for the Blind. The "Tasty Tapes" have detailed food preparation and cooking instructions with tips on safety in the kitchen. Each is accompanied by a booklet printed in large- type and, at an additional cost, a shopping list in braille. New members to the cooking club receive a free cassette called "Starting to Cook," which teaches individuals who are blind or visually impaired to set up a cooking area. Also included on this cassette are several simple recipes for beginning cooks. The cost for each hour-long tape is $16.95 plus $3 postage and handling. The cost for each shopping list is $3. If you would like more information about the Ina Young Cooking Club or are interested in joining, write to Ina Young, Tasty Tapes, P.O. Box 552, Marblehead, MA 01945, or call (800) 462-9864. HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP FOR SALE: Perkins Brailler, excellent condition, $300, buyer pays shipping. Contact David Marine, 3626 N. Greenview, Chicago, IL 60613. (312) 281-5679. FOR SALE: Concise Heritage Dictionary on 55 cassettes, like new, $50. Call Mary Hiland, (614) 471-1869. ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT LEROY SAUNDERS 2118 N.W. 21st ST. OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73107 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 5707 BROCKTON DRIVE #302 INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46220 TREASURER BRIAN CHARLSON 57 GRANDVIEW AVENUE WATERTOWN, MA 02172 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR ELIZABETH M. LENNON