The ACB Braille Forum Volume LXV September 2026 No. 2 Published by the American Council of the Blind ***** * Be A Part of ACB The American Council of the Blind (TM) is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, contact the national office at 1-800-424-8666. * Contribute to Our Work Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Attn: Treasurer, ACB, 6200 Shingle Creek Pkwy., Suite 155, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office has printed cards available for this purpose. Consider including a gift to ACB in your Last Will and Testament. If your wishes are complex, call the national office. To make a contribution to ACB by the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. * Check in with ACB For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" 24/7 at 1-800-424-8666, or read it online. Tune in to ACB Media at www.acbmedia.org. Learn more about us at www.acb.org. Follow us on Twitter at @acbnational, or like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/acbnational. Copyright 2026 American Council of the Blind Scott Thornhill, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor 225 Reinekers Ln., Suite 660, Alexandria, VA 22314 ***** ** Table of Contents President's Message: My Journey of Lifelong Learning, by Deb Cook Lewis Advocacy in Action: Changes in the Department of Education, Challenges to Olmstead, by Claire Stanley What Goes into Producing the Convention Newspaper?, by Sharon Lovering What's New in the Nemeth Code, by Susan A. Osterhaus and Maylene Bird ADA, the Beautiful!, by Pinalben "Pinky" Patel The Boyfriend, by Deborah Armstrong The Joy of the Next Question, by David Faucheux Falling in Love with Becoming, by Jennifer Bazer Fall in Love with Learning, and Never Stop Learning!, by Eric Calhoun Affiliate News Here and There, by Sharon Lovering High Tech Swap Shop ACB Officers ACB Board of Directors ACB Board of Publications Accessing Your ACB Braille Forums ** How to Submit Articles to the Forum If you wish to submit an article to "The ACB Braille Forum," please send it via email to slovering@acb.org as part of the message, or attached as a Word or ASCII text file. Articles should be between 500 and 800 words. Language should be family friendly. Longer articles may be divided into two or more parts. ** Upcoming Forum Themes and Deadlines November-December 2026: Theme: ACB Diabetics in Action; Deadline: September 23, 2026 If your committee or affiliate would like to claim an issue of the Forum, please contact Sharon Lovering, slovering@acb.org. ** Are You Moving? Do You Want to Change Your Subscription? Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. Give her the information, and she'll update the database. ***** ** President's Message: My Journey of Lifelong Learning by Deb Cook Lewis I have always been curious, eager to learn through new technology, strategy, and experience. As I enter my final year as ACB President, I find myself reflecting on the lessons this role has taught me -- and the ones worth passing on. The most significant lesson is that my time in this role should end after this term. By the time you read this, I will have announced that I am not seeking re-election. I believe deeply in succession planning and in making room for others with new ideas and energy. So I am learning to step aside. I have also seen ACB's resilience and problem-solving skills at work. The pandemic forced us to rethink how we operate, and this year and beyond we will continue to revisit changes -- such as voting procedures and convention format -- to determine what still serves us well. I have learned that many of our challenges are not unique. Other membership organizations are also adapting to new technology, supporting members with varying levels of technology access, responding to changing membership models, and preserving their history and values. I have been reminded that most people with significant vision loss are not connected to a blindness organization -- and that our outreach and inclusion can make a meaningful difference. I have grown to appreciate that amid change, our long-term and older members still have much to contribute through their time, talent, and treasure. As we move forward, we must continue to honor the past and the people who helped make ACB strong. As I prepare to step aside, I know my role does not end with a title. I can continue to offer support, a listening ear, and steady work to those who will help lead ACB forward. This new year gives us a chance to honor where we have been, strengthen where we are, and move together toward what ACB can become. I look forward to seeing how far we have come when we gather again at our annual convention. ***** ** Advocacy in Action: Changes in the Department of Education, Challenges to Olmstead by Claire Stanley (Author's Note: Between the writing of this article and its publication, there is likely to be movement on both incidents discussed. Stay tuned to the Washington Connection and the Advocacy Update podcast for the latest information available.) June was a difficult month for the disability rights community. Several actions were taken by federal agencies that scared disability advocates; the actions posed significant attacks on the history and development of disability rights law. The actions also seemed to come all at once. However, in spite of such jarring actions, the disability rights community continued to advocate and speak out. If anything came from the events, it was the demonstration that advocates will not be quiet. On June 16, the U.S. Department of Education put out a memo officially moving both the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) out of the agency. They were moved to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), respectively. Advocates are furious about this move. Many advocates fear that the other agencies are not equipped to administer programs such as special education and vocational rehabilitation services. Many believe this is a move by Secretary McMahon to further weaken and eliminate the Department of Education. ACB wants to make sure that all special education and vocational rehabilitation services will best serve our community. There is great skepticism that HHS has the expertise to best service people with disabilities. The same week, the Department of Justice put out a memo challenging what is known as the integration mandate of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The mandate as defined in the 1999 Supreme Court ruling in Olmstead v. L.C. states that persons with disabilities must receive services in the most integrated setting. This new memo walks back such a mandate. Although it is not law, only a memo by the DOJ, advocates fear that it will be used to unravel decades of civil rights progress. ACB stands alongside its disability rights allies in condemning this memo. But, in spite of these painful actions, ACB and the disability rights community stand firm in its mission to advocate for the human rights of people with disabilities. On July 26, 2026, ACB celebrated the 36th anniversary of the ADA. We will keep advocating. ***** ** What Goes into Producing the Convention Newspaper? by Sharon Lovering If you've ever been to a convention, or attended virtually, chances are you've received the daily convention newspaper, either in hard-copy braille or large print or via email. You may have found your paper pushed under the door in your hotel room late in the evening, or your guide dog may have alerted you to the delivery (and perhaps surprised the delivery crew). Or maybe you picked up a copy in your favorite format at the information desk. But what goes into producing the convention newspaper? More than you might think -- and it starts much sooner. One of the first things is to find a name for the newspaper. Members of the Board of Publications and I come up with names. I check the Internet for names of newspapers in the area where the convention is being held to be sure that we don't use their names and risk copyright infringement. Then we vote; the one with the most votes becomes that year's newspaper name. Another action that happens fairly early in the year is requesting braille embossers. I try to put in my request to HumanWare for three or four embossers sometime in January. This year, it was a little later due to the snow and ice storm that formed what the weathermen called "snowcrete" toward the end of January. (I'm sure those of you along the East Coast remember that nightmare!) After the annual D.C. Leadership Conference, the pace picks up a bit. I create what's known as a dummy copy of the paper, which includes the newspaper name, volume and issue number, and the first date of the year's paper. This year, it's Friday, July 24th. It also includes all the headings and subheadings -- announcements, changes, room changes, updates, additions, cancellations, sponsors and the various levels, and advertisements. Nancy Christine sends the advertisements and sponsors' ads, and I add those to the document. If a sponsor or advertiser requests certain days for their ad, I note that next to the headline. Janet Dickelman passes along room changes, cancellations, additions, and other such updates, and I put them into the lineup. A few weeks before the convention start date, I create the Friday issue of the paper as a separate document. It's similar to the dummy copy, but includes only the information to be published in the Friday paper. As more items come in, both from individuals and from Janet and/or Nancy Christine, I put them under the appropriate headings. Then, the day before I fly out to convention, I make sure to save the documents both on my computer and onto a thumb drive (in case of computer issues). When I arrive at the convention hotel, I check in and put my luggage and accoutrements in my room before going down to the communication center to help Nancy Becker with the set-up. Sometimes this requires crawling under tables to connect the power cords to the outlets or power strips, or connecting the proper cable to the computer, etc. Then we connect the embossers to the rental computers, and I install the Duxbury software so that we can create and emboss the braille copies. We also have a multifunction copier-printer to run the large print copies. Then the fun begins! The Marcia Nigro Dresser Communication Center opens Thursday at 8 a.m. We begin taking ads from people who come by in person, as well as those who send them in via email. The deadline to submit is 2 p.m. I add the ads, announcements, etc., then pull the day's issue together, pull it into braille, print a large print copy and a braille copy, and with the assistance of an available braille reader, we proofread the test copy. If either of us finds a mistake, I'll go back into the print and the braille and correct it. Once all the corrections are made, I start the embossers. (Visit https://acbmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Braille-Embosser-Audio.mp3 to hear the sound of a running embosser.) HumanWare has loaned us three Juliet 120 embossers, and APH has donated 8 boxes of braille paper for use in producing the paper and other convention documents, such as those you'd find at the information desk. The noise level rises significantly once the three embossers get going. The temperature also goes up a bit. And the people working in the room communicate by shouting over the noise. Can we hear when people walk in? Sometimes, if there's a lull in the sound due to an embosser running out of paper, or if somebody with a guide dog comes in. Otherwise, no. Once each embosser has a decent-sized stack of the day's papers, either I or a communication center volunteer will pull the pile off the embosser, bring it to the work table, and begin to burst, collate, and staple the copies. The paper we use is continuous feed, so we have to separate the copies, remove the tractor feed edges, and separate the pages, collate them in order, and staple them. On nights when the newspaper is small, we can use regular staplers. When the paper is larger (20 pages or more), we use the heavy-duty staplers. They're built like small tanks, and painful when they land on your foot. And we burst, collate, and staple for a couple of hours (less if we have more helpers). As we work, we pile the papers in stacks of 25, both for ease of counting and so the stack doesn't fall over. Sometimes we play "smirgly basketball" with the paper edges, aiming for the large trash can on wheels. While all of this is going on, I'm getting names, room numbers and format choices from Cecily at the information desk, to prepare the delivery list for the ACB Students' delivery crew. I put the room number and format into a list, organize it by floor in room order, and make braille and large print copies. Once we have enough for the night's delivery, I alert the student delivery crew. When they arrive, they divide the deliveries by groups of floors -- say, floors 1 through 5, 6 through 10, etc. -- and pair off to deliver their sets of floors. At the same time, I'm also preparing the file that the ACB Media team will need for audio. When I first joined the staff in the 1990s, we used to read it live onto a multi-line answering machine. Now it's done by an AI reader. I also send it out via the convention email lists. Once the delivery crew returns with their empty bags or boxes, I shut down the computers and embossers, turn off the lights, and head up to my room. In the morning, I take the remaining stacks of braille and print newspapers down to the information desk. I save a few for registration and a few for the communication center. And the process begins again. The paper runs Friday through Wednesday. Once the last paper is done and out the door, it's time to tear down. I uninstall Duxbury from the rental computers, copy any documents onto the thumb drive, then delete them from the computers. I usually leave one embosser running Thursday, because there's always somebody who needs an item brailled. When that's done, I take the paper off the embossers, disconnect them from the computers, and pack them in their shipping boxes. After everything is packed up, either Nancy or I print shipping labels, or I move the boxes over to registration to be packed in the truck and shipped later from Minnesota. Then it's time to enjoy the banquet before flying home the next day, knowing that in a few months, the process starts all over again! If you have any suggestions for a name for next year's newspaper in Jacksonville, send them to slovering@acb.org. ***** ** What's New in the Nemeth Code Authors: Susan A. Osterhaus, Statewide Mathematics Consultant, Outreach Program, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI), and Member of the BANA Nemeth Code Technical Committee; Maylene Bird, Secondary Mathematics Teacher, Comprehensive Programs, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI). In the spring 2024 issue of TX SenseAbilities, the authors announced that The Nemeth Braille Code for Mathematics and Science Notation 2022 was officially posted to the BANA (Braille Authority of North America) website in both PDF and BRF formats. The purpose of the revision was to modernize the code and clarify the application of existing and newly adopted rules using Nemeth within the UEB Code. The new code book consists of 498 print pages, containing 26 Rules and 4 Appendices. The purpose of this article is to highlight the changes since the 1972 edition. Note: The authors advise that a hard-copy braille document is best for reading examples of spatial and multi-line equations. SimBraille images are included in the article for the sighted reader; however, this may be of little value when read using a braille display. To request a copy of the BRF file, contact the authors, whose emails are printed at the end of the article. * New BANA Nemeth Code Documents There are five new rule books, errata, or guidelines that reflect the changes to the Nemeth Code. This review is confined to the rule book itself. The first four documents can all be found on the BANA website: 1. The Nemeth Braille Code for Mathematics and Science Notation 2022 2. Nemeth Braille Code Errata 3. Chemical Notation Using the Nemeth Braille Code 2023 4. Graphing Calculator Guidelines, 2018 The fifth document is the Guidelines and Standards for Tactile Graphics, 2022. In this revision, technical material is transcribed in Unified English Braille (UEB) as well as the Nemeth Code in UEB Contexts. ** Important Appendix A Code Changes The revised Nemeth Rule Book provides a comprehensive look at updates to the code. Appendix A contains all the code changes made after 2018 and consists of five succinct print pages. The authors strongly suggest checking the list of changes that are outlined by each rule before completing transcriptions. This article focuses on specific changes that significantly impact the teaching and transcribing of K–12 materials, including examples of these changes. * Rule 2: Nemeth Braille Indicators Under Rule 2, the most significant changes are as follows: • Added Opening and Closing Switch Indicators to the list of indicators • Added Single-Word Switch Indicator construction and use • Changed from Carried Number Indicator to two different Regrouping Indicators -- Broadened to include Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division Those who have kept up with the Guidance should already be familiar with the switch indicators, but the regrouping indicators are brand new, and the carried number indicator has been eliminated. For those transcribing elementary math materials, this is a game-changer. ** Rule 4: Code Switching -- A Must Read! As stated above, the reader should already be familiar with the switch indicators, but there has been quite a bit of confusion about when, how, and where they should be used. Rule 4 gives extensive examples to help clarify these questions. As a reminder, these are the three switch indicators: • Opening Nemeth Code indicator (UEB indicator): dots 4, 5, 6 followed by dots 1, 4 and 6 • Nemeth Code terminator: dots 4, 5, 6 followed by dots 1, 5 and 6 • Single-word switch indicator: dot 6, followed by dot 3 In this article, SimBraille is used to indicate the braille dot configurations for the switch indicators for sighted readers. However, this may be of little value for those using a screen reader, which will only see the examples as an image. Therefore, please see the attached BRF with all SimBraille examples in "real" braille starting at this point in the article. * Single-Word Switch Indicator The use or non-use of the single-word switch indicator appears to have often been interpreted differently than intended by the BANA Nemeth Committee. The following statement should clarify Rule 4.6.8 c. "When only one narrative word, hyphenated word, or abbreviation without an associated value occurs between two Nemeth expressions or symbols, the single-word switch indicator (dot 6, dot 3) is used to indicate that the word is in UEB. The indicator is unspaced from the affected word. Contractions are used in the subsequent word as needed. The indicator is used whether or not the word contains contractions. The effect of the single-word switch indicator is terminated by a space." ** Examples of the Use of the Single-Word Switch Indicator The following examples are taken directly from the 2022 Nemeth Code rule book. Notice the placement and use of the Opening and Closing Switch Indicators. Remember to use the attached BRF file for these same examples in hard copy braille. * Rule 25: Spatial Arrangements Rule 25 has quite a few significant additions and changes that are worth mentioning and illustrating with examples. The first change below occurs in elementary math, while the remaining apply to high school level math. • Symbols for carried numbers (regrouping numbers) above and below the arrangement • Augmented matrix guidance • Symbols for vertical and diagonal ellipses • Transcription of matrices with blank entries and single dot entries • Systems of equations are spatial • Transcriber-Inserted Grouping Symbol ** Regrouping Indicators The regrouping indicators are as follows: • For numbers above the arrangement (varying in length) • For numbers below the arrangement (varying in length) * Example of Regrouping Numbers The following example is taken directly from the 2022 Nemeth Code rule book. Notice that the new regrouping indicators are formed from the old carried number indicator consisting of dots 2-3-5-6 with the addition of either dots 1-2-6 (directly over) or dots 1-4-6 (directly under) at the beginning. * Example of a Matrix with Ellipses The following example is taken directly from the 2022 Nemeth Code rule book. The horizontally placed ellipses have not changed, but the vertical ellipses (dots 1-4-6, dot 3, dot 3) and the diagonal ellipses (dots 5-6, dot 3, dot 3) are brand new. * Example of a Transcriber-Inserted Grouping Symbol The following example is taken directly from the 2022 Nemeth Code rule book. The Transcriber-Inserted Grouping Symbol (dot 6, dot 3, dots 2-3-4-5-6) is new and is used when an explanation or comment refers to more than one print line in a series of mathematical expressions to which no grouping sign as a whole applies. See the example to understand this more clearly. See Rule 25.10.1 for details of spacing and formatting. ** A Couple of Not-So-New Reminders * Use of UEB Numerals Numerals at the corners of pages and the new page indicators that occur mid-page are transcribed in UEB. Titles for figures, tables, sections, etc., are transcribed in UEB. UEB numerals may be used with freestanding, unmodified numbers, ordinals, and plurals. (See Rule 4.6). When teaching the Nemeth Code to a pre-K student or older adventitiously blind student, it is best not to use UEB numerals. It is fine to use UEB whole numbers in word problems with older/experienced Nemeth readers. There are no contractions or short-form words in Nemeth with UEB. When encountering words within mathematical expressions, they must be uncontracted. * Examples of When to Use UEB Numerals The following examples are taken directly from the 2022 Nemeth Code rule book. You must use UEB for the section title, but you may use UEB for unmodified numbers in UEB context. Note that in Example 4-25, UEB has been illustrated; however, Nemeth numbers could have been used. * One or More Words in Mathematical Context "When one or more words are part of an equation or math expression, they are as much a part of the technical notation as are the variables (letters), numbers, signs of operation, etc. The entire expression is placed inside the Nemeth switches. No contractions are used in the words. Spacing rules of the Nemeth Code are followed." (See Rule 4.6.8 b) * Examples of Words in Mathematical Context If the words are part of the equation or inequality where other Nemeth symbols, such as operation signs and comparison signs, are used, you must place all the words, etc., inside Nemeth. When words are just used in a sentence, use the single-word switch indicator between math expressions where appropriate. If you need further assistance, the following resources are recommended: • APH Nemeth Tutorial. This tutorial is available at no cost, and it is interactive and accessible. However, it has not been updated, and all text is written in Grade 1 EBAE. Nevertheless, it is useful for practicing isolated Nemeth Symbols without switch indicators. • Nemeth at a Glance: A Math Resource, Grade Level Chart, and Evaluation Tool, February 2017. This book is available at a cost of $78. It is available in a hard copy print or a digital version. It was the first book to introduce Nemeth within UEB contexts and is an excellent resource, but it does not include all the latest updates. • Nemeth Braille Code for Instructors and Paraeducators Online Courses. This online course is available at no cost and was designed as a companion to Nemeth at a Glance. However, it consists of videos only and needs updating to include all the latest additions and updates. All dot configurations are verbalized, and it is useful for persons who prefer videos. • Nemeth Reference Sheets from the National Braille Press are available in print and braille for $18 each or $30 for the set. These have been updated to include the switch indicators. The braille version includes a raised line drawing of each corresponding print symbol. • NFB Course in Nemeth Code Transcribing Course Manual, 2025. This manual is authored by Lindy Walton, a consultant to the BANA Nemeth Code Technical Committee, and adheres very closely to the new Nemeth Code book. It is available at no cost in PDF and BRF formats. All of the following resources were written before the publication of the 2022 Nemeth Code Rule Book; however, they are in the process of being updated to correct any changes that have been made. These are all available at no cost, and they are fully accessible. • Learning and Teaching the Nemeth Code within UEB Contexts: A Step-by-Step Guide (2022) provides opportunities to build Nemeth Code skills and learn about strategies and resources for teaching the Nemeth Code. The book contains multiple examples of STEM materials transcribed into braille. Many universities are using this resource in pre-service training of TSVIs. • Nemeth in a Box for Middle School Students contains seven lessons that teachers of students with visual impairments or others (e.g., paraprofessionals, family members) can use to review and/or introduce Nemeth Code symbols at the middle school level and review math concepts in a fun way. • Project INSPIRE: Increasing the STEM Potential of Individuals who Read Braille. Project INSPIRE created six free, self-paced courses for TVIs, paraprofessionals, braillists, transcribers, and others who support braille learners focusing on the Nemeth Code. • The Nemeth Braille Code Curriculum consists of the step-by-step Pre-K to Second Grade Nemeth Curriculum, the engaging Nemeth Code Focused Lessons, and the user-friendly Nemeth Symbol Library. * Free Nemeth Reference Sheets These reference sheets don't contain all the updates, but they contain quite a few valuable math symbols that are useful for quick reference, and they are available at no cost to the reader. APH offers both a large print version and a braille version available on federal quota funds. Each booklet contains a list of Nemeth math symbols, along with a verbal description of what each symbol represents. Gloria Bennett and Susan Osterhaus have several free downloadable versions in PDF or BRF. These include the topics of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Set Notation. Each print reference sheet includes a list of Nemeth math symbols (in print, SimBraille, and ASCII), along with a verbal description of what each symbol represents. * Emails and Other Links: For additional information regarding the Nemeth Code and teaching mathematics in general to students who are blind or have low vision, please feel free to contact the authors at: Susan Osterhaus: osterhauss@tsbvi.edu Maylene Bird: birdm@tsbvi.edu ***** ** ADA, the Beautiful! by Pinalben "Pinky" Patel My vision has never been 20/20. Okay, maybe it was up until my preteen years. This disease I have affects the eye muscles and nerves as well. I think I might have been legally blind then, but I couldn't cry about just the optic nerve atrophy because my whole body was degenerating. In honor of the ADA anniversary, I'm sharing this article previously published in "Breath & Shadow" magazine. A social worker in my town asked me to write a speech about the benefits of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to present at a rally celebrating its anniversary. When I discussed this with my wheelchair-using friends, some of their replies shocked me. Many of them agreed with me that while the ADA could use improvements, it has been very useful for people with disabilities. Some, however, believed the ADA had no positive effects. This struck me as ungrateful, but I realized that they just didn't have experience living as a person with a disability before the ADA. The ADA has always been about giving equal access to people with disabilities. It was signed into law July 26, 1990, with great support from both parties and the president. Before the ADA, people with disabilities were not able to participate in the community unless they were wealthy enough to have attendants around all the time to lift them over stairs or barriers to get into buildings. I was born in India. My family and I came to the United States when I was four years old, but we had to return to India when I was 12. I had been diagnosed with Friedreich's ataxia, a genetic degenerative neuromuscular disease, when I was 9. Three years later, when I was forced to drop out of school in India, I realized the importance of the ADA. My disability had progressed, and I couldn't walk with a person holding me anymore. I needed to use a wheelchair. Most schools where I lived were several stories high, without elevators or ramps. The school I attended offered to have some janitors to lift and get me into the building, but transportation was still an issue. Considering ramps and elevators were not available in public places, accessible transportation was unthinkable. The school bus driver complained about helping me in and out of the bus. He told my parents that I didn't need an education since I was "handicapped." My parents considered private bus transportation, but it was too expensive. Luckily my family got a chance to come back to the United States two years later. I started school again and eventually finished high school. In 2007 I graduated with a journalism degree from Murray State University! I know I wouldn't have been able to continue my education if not for the ADA. Even though my voice is weak, I am able to communicate effectively and coherently due to my studies. I am grateful to leaders of the Americans with Disabilities Coalition such as Ed Roberts, Gini Laurie, and Justin Dart who pushed for the ADA to be signed into law. As a result, I can go to many more places -- stores, restaurants, theaters, etc. in the USA. I last visited India in 2004, and there was nothing equivalent to the ADA yet. In a city famous for its malls, I had to do my shopping from the car. There was only one store I could go in, but I still had to be lifted over a step. That store had two floors, and of course I didn't get to go upstairs. The accommodations required by the ADA make living with a disability easier. But there are still more improvements to be made. Thirty-six years after the ADA went into effect, many buildings and public places remain inaccessible. Some politicians still want to exempt private businesses from ADA requirements. Many architects mistakenly think putting grab bars in bathroom stalls or changing rooms for able-bodied people makes them accessible. Those architects should spend a couple days in a power wheelchair. The ADA is not just about wheelchair access. People who are blind or visually impaired need computers with accessible programs, as well as accessible web sites that work with screen reading and screen enlarging software. People who are hearing impaired need things like flashing light alarms in case of a fire. The ADA is a civil rights law for people with disabilities. We are a protected class and the largest minority in this country. In its 36 years, some politicians, the Supreme Court cases such as Brown vs. the State of Tennessee and others, have tried to weaken the ADA. Even though the ADA has made it illegal to deny employment because of a disability, discrimination is often difficult or impossible to prove. Countless among the disabled population are educated and unwillingly unemployed. My friends who disagreed with me need to realize that the ADA will never be perfect, especially since there are so many different disabilities and unique circumstances. We need to keep fighting for our rights and stand up to injustice and discrimination. Equal rights and opportunity are indeed beautiful ideals, and the ADA has made them easier to achieve. Author's Note: For more information about me, check out my books. Their descriptions are below. As Life Went On: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C6VHQ789 This autobiography, available as a Kindle book, paperback, and hard-cover book, contain details about Friedreich's Ataxia (FA). FA is a rare degenerative disease. My passion for writing stems from the fact that I was raised in a culture where looks were more important than feelings. Having a progressive disorder required me to stay at home in my adult years. I tried to change what was ingrained in me the best I could and raise awareness about that deceiving disability. Caste Aside: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFZFWC3M This novel, available as a Kindle book and paperback, has information about my diseases in dialogue. A tear-jerker with comical moments set in Australia, this multicultural romance novel can take your mind off the long day! Life Without Love Is Impossible: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Poems-Pinky-Patel-ebook/dp/B07MG5NV9W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1550853607&sr=8-3&keywords=pinky+patel This book of poems, which is only available as a Kindle book, inspires love. All Kindle books offer free text-to-speech, samples, and the Kindle app is free. ***** ** The Boyfriend by Deborah Armstrong (KF6BKR) Three decades ago, when I was a whole lot younger, I felt lonely. I was living alone in a house I owned, but my previous housemate had left due to changing life circumstances. I realized what I needed was a boyfriend. I went about the task methodically, making a list of the types of men I liked. I decided he needed to be interested in technology, be kind and not bossy. The perfect boyfriend, therefore, would be a ham radio operator. They do loads of community service, they love technology, and they are nice people, often former Boy Scouts. So I got my ham license in order to find a boyfriend. But I quickly became enamored with ham radio. I enjoyed every aspect of this accessible hobby, from learning Morse code to running programs on my computer, talking on the radio to tweaking my antenna. I joined local amateur radio clubs and hung out with lots of guys, and found the hobby so distracting I no longer felt lonely. Then at my job we hired Bob, a new engineer. Bob and I worked on many projects together, designing a product and ironing out support problems. We'd often go to lunch to discuss a new development or to work together on a solution to some flaw in the new product. Soon our long lunches turned to dinner, and because he was sighted, he often drove me home to further discuss our project. Then one night we went to a company picnic together, and it was late, so of course he drove me home. And then it was too late for him to drive back home. So he stayed at my house. Then we had another marathon meeting that ran late, and I ended up staying the night at his house! And suddenly we realized neither of us needed a partner. We'd found each other. But the story doesn't end there. Bob and I dated by going to ham radio flea markets. It was cheap, it was fun, but he wasn't a ham. People always assumed because I was blind and female that he was the amateur radio operator. Finally, Bob got a big sign made for him that read: "She's the Ham." So when I looked at some ham radio gear, the seller was forced to discuss its attributes with me. Bob has degrees in computer science and electrical engineering, but though I have no degree at all, he never treats me like I am less intelligent. That's why we got married. And even after we were spouses, he still had to wear the "She's the Ham" sign because blind females are not expected to be fired up about technology, I guess. Today, Bob does have his license and was heavily involved in designing an online ham radio testing application that runs on the web and is fully accessible. But it took years to convince him to get that license because he always enjoyed how much fun it was to get those vendors to talk to me instead of him. ***** ** The Joy of the Next Question by David Faucheux (Editor's Note: David Faucheux is the Library Journal Audiobook Reviewer of the Year (2018) and the recipient of the 2025 American Library Association Louis Shores Award.) When I was in the seventh grade at the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired, I discovered that learning didn't have to have a purpose. Our library housed the complete 1959 World Book Encyclopedia in braille -- 145 thick volumes standing at parade rest on the metal shelves that lived along the back wall. During study hall, I'd pull out a volume at random, open it to a chance page, and begin reading. One afternoon it might be lapis lazuli, another Curaηao, papyrus, quaggas, or the Icarian Sea. I wasn't looking for anything in particular. The joy was in not knowing what came next. If an article especially captivated me, I'd quietly slip the volume into the stack of braille textbooks I carried back to the dormitory; if asked, it was part of a homework assignment. No one asked. While other students smuggled snacks, I smuggled information. More than once I intended to read for 15 minutes and was startled by the shrill 8 p.m. quiet hour bell. There was always another volume waiting, another page to discover. I never wanted the adventure to end. Google would have made me drunk. AI; comatose. Looking back, I realize I wasn't simply collecting facts. I was developing a habit of mind. One interesting answer always seemed to lead to three new questions. That habit followed me to LSU. The assigned reading mattered, but it was often the unexpected remarks from professors that stayed with me. One literature professor mentioned that Marcel Proust and James Joyce, meeting in Paris, spent much of their conversation discussing digestive problems. An American history professor reminded us that many westward pioneers fought malaria as surely as they fought the wilderness. Those observations made history feel less like a list of dates and more like the lives of real people, complete with brilliance, flaws, and ordinary human concerns. The tools I used to satisfy my curiosity changed over the years. Braille was joined by talking books on records, cassettes, cartridges, and eventually downloadable ALCs from Libro.FM and other audiobooks from Audible. Historical novelists such as Gary Jennings, James Clavell, and James Michener carried me to places and eras I might never otherwise have experienced. In 2006, author David Rothman encouraged me to become an audiobook reviewer for Library Journal. Reviewing meant more than listening to a story. It required judging an author's writing, a narrator's performance, and the success of the audiobook as a whole. Each of the more than 125 assignments introduced me to another writer, another narrator, and another corner of human experience. Eventually, that lifelong curiosity found an unexpected home in hosting an online trivia game on a website run by and for the blind. Some people think trivia consists of disconnected facts, but I've found exactly the opposite. Every worthwhile fact belongs to a larger story. Scientific discoveries build on earlier discoveries. Historical figures make more sense when viewed alongside the people and events of their time. Even the smallest detail gains meaning when you understand the world around it. Writing trivia reinforced that lesson. A clue may occupy only a sentence, but creating it often means comparing sources, verifying dates, and deciding which single detail best represents a much larger story. The answer is satisfying, but the greater reward is the curiosity it awakens. If someone finishes a clue wanting to know more, then the clue has done its job. This game led to a book and then a podcast. Today I have tools my seventh-grade self could scarcely have imagined: search engines, digital libraries, and podcasts. Artificial intelligence can clarify questions, even suggest additional sources, in seconds. Yet these tools are simply newer ways of pursuing the same old curiosity. One answer still leads to three more questions. When I look back across the years, I see a single thread running through my life. It began by wandering through braille encyclopedia volumes, continued in college classrooms, grew through historical novels and audiobook reviews, and eventually found expression in writing trivia. The tools changed, but the impulse never did. I've always wanted to learn one more thing before the day is over. That's why I created my podcast, Trivia Flash. Each short episode begins with a handful of trivia clues, but the clues aren't really the destination. They're an invitation. My hope is that one answer will lead a listener to another story, another book, or another fascinating question. If that happens, then those old braille encyclopedia volumes are still doing what they began doing all those years ago -- encouraging one more adventure in learning. Join me in fun trivia to unwind your mind. ***** ** Falling in Love with Becoming by Jennifer Bazer Every fall, I find myself paying a little more attention to the trees. They don't resist the changing seasons. They don't cling to yesterday's leaves. They simply let them go, making room for new growth. I can't help but wonder if people were meant to learn from trees, too. If there's one thing blindness has taught me, it's that learning never ends. Not because those of us who are blind enjoy change -- most of us don't -- but because life has a way of inviting us to become beginners over and over again. As children, learning is celebrated. Every new skill is a milestone. Then adulthood arrives, and somewhere along the way we begin believing we should already have the answers. But life has a way of reminding us that growth doesn't end when school does. For those of us who are blind, becoming a beginner isn't unusual. We learn new travel techniques, new technology, new routes, and new ways of accomplishing everyday tasks. Every season asks something different of us. Looking back, I realize blindness taught me something far more valuable than any single skill. It taught me to ask a different question. Not, "Why can't I?" But, "How can I?" That simple shift changed far more than the way I traveled. It shaped the way I lead. The way I advocate. The way I parent. The way I live. This past year tested that lesson in ways I never expected. After nearly three decades of traveling with guide dogs, I found myself returning to my white cane while waiting for the right match. At first, it felt like I was losing something. Instead, I rediscovered something. My independence had never lived in a harness. It had always lived within me. The cane didn't take me backward. It reminded me of everything I had learned along the way. Around the same time, my career took an unexpected turn. Like so many people, I found myself wondering what came next. Eventually, I realized I was asking the wrong question. Instead of asking, "Why is this happening?" I returned to the question blindness had been teaching me all along. "How can I grow through this?" That question didn't erase the uncertainty. But it changed the way I walked through it. Some of the greatest lessons in my life have come from seasons I never would have chosen. One of the greatest gifts ACB has given me is the reminder that none of us has to keep learning alone. Some of my greatest teachers have never stood at the front of a classroom. They've sat beside me in convention sessions. Shared technology tips during Zoom calls. Encouraged me to try something new when I wasn't sure I could. Cheered me on throughout the JPMorganChase Leadership Program. When I look around ACB, I see people turning over new leaves every day. Someone is learning Braille later in life. Someone is trying a new piece of assistive technology. Someone is using a cane for the first time. Someone is mentoring a newly blind member. Someone is discovering that retirement is the beginning of an entirely new adventure. We celebrate those moments because we understand something important. None of us ever really graduates. We simply keep becoming. I've come to believe that learning isn't simply about gaining knowledge. It's about remaining teachable. It's about believing that beginning again is not the same as failing. It's trusting that every season -- even the ones we wouldn't choose -- has something to teach us. Maybe that's what turning over a new leaf really means. Not becoming someone different. But giving ourselves permission to keep becoming. The healthiest trees don't cling to yesterday's leaves. They trust another season is coming. I hope I never lose that kind of trust. The willingness to keep learning. The courage to keep asking, "How can I?" The humility to believe that no matter what season comes next, there is still something beautiful waiting to grow. Perhaps that's what it really means to fall in love with learning. Not collecting more information. Not having all the answers. But remaining curious enough to keep asking, "How can I?" Because every season invites us to let go, trust what we cannot yet see, and make room for new growth. I'm beginning to think the trees have been teaching us all along. ***** ** Fall in Love with Learning, and Never Stop Learning! by Eric Calhoun As a blind person, it could be very intimidating to learn about the world around you, your blindness, and the world we live in. At 52 years of age, I have a very important message for my fellow blind people: Fall in love with learning, and never stop learning! It takes more than a village to help you. The journey started when I was brought into the world as a full-term baby, Thursday, March 21, 1974, at 4:04 a.m. Eastern time, Philadelphia Naval Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa. I came into the world humming. My mom knew that there was something big that would happen for me. In the years following my birth, she would prove to be right. Later in 1974, my mom would move to the beautiful Virgin Islands. For those who may not know, Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix are the only 3 islands Americanized. However, life was not going to be easy. Living on only $136 a month is not welcome in this day in age. But we managed; I ended up getting a pre-kindergarten education in 1979, after getting a little preschool. And then, the transition to California: My mom was given two choices with regard to living in the Virgins group: You either work, or you leave. She felt by leaving those Caribbean sandy shores, there would be nothing holding her kids and her back. As a single mom, 32 years old, what did she have to lose? Los Angeles life and the Hollywood lifestyle was not easy at first. I didn't know where I was, but then began to get out of my shell. I enjoyed Disneyland, a few carnivals, and then, starting school for the very first time. I attended the Foundation for the Junior Blind (now Wayfinder Family Services), and was enrolled in the SPED (Special Education) program. This was where I met new friends, made friends with friendly counselors, and began to learn many new blindness skills in their School for the Blind setting. And I was asked to participate in a 1980 play, called Toyland Magic, for the Christmas of 1980. But my mom didn't believe I was learning fast! No, not at all! It was not until she received a call in early August of 1981 that confirmed the news: "Lorine, Eric is too smart to stay here." Having discovered the Foundation's Camp Bloomfield, and all of what the FJB had to offer, I wanted more, and more, and more. That year, I re-entered elementary school, determining to excel, after getting the educational Speak 'n Spell, Speak 'n Math, and Speak 'n Read. I had learned both Grade 1 (uncontracted), and Grade 2 (contracted) Braille that year, and learned to trust people. In the years that followed, many other opportunities came to me: the chance to be on television, the opportunity to be in a non-denominational choir with H.B. Barnum, Aretha Franklin's conductor and composer, and the chance to meet both Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles, reading both their autobiographies from Braille Institute, an organization that I also cherish to this day. As I got into my teenage years, I began to have snags, but continued to learn. I gave up music, citing wanting more time to be with my blind cohorts. I gave up wanting to learn piano and drums. But I still wanted to learn. Then the two biggest events that shaped my schooling came, the culmination (graduation in elementary of people from blind school) from Frances Blend, and the graduation in 1992 from North Torrance High School (Calif.). Both of these brought me a sense of optimism that I needed to pass along to other people with disabilities. In high school, I was asked to speak on a panel, to talk about my blindness, and I loved every minute of it. But at graduation, many people offered me great congratulations. Then, a crossroads came between me going to college and beginning my career in ACB. First, the experiment going to Wilberforce University was not all that successful, but I was able to make a few lifelong friends, for which I am grateful. Then, in 1996, I met Donna and Mitch Pomerantz from the California Council of the Blind. Another colleague of mine, Keith Johnson, taught me at Frances Blend, so he was able to help me out with ACB insight. In closing, never say no to learning. Make friends, network with other blind individuals, and join committees in your Council of the Blind. Tell your story on how you have coped with blindness, and encourage others never to give up! Finally, for anyone in our younger generations, never forget to try, try, try. It will help you in the long run. ***** ** Affiliate News * Kick Up Your Boots with OCB! Dust off your boots and get ready for a rootin' tootin' good time, because the 2026 Oklahoma Council of the Blind convention will be held at the Doubletree Downtown Tulsa Sept. 25-27. This year we're bringin' in a Western theme, so get ready to kick up your boots with OCB and join us for a weekend full of cowboy spirit, friendship, and fun! ACB Executive Director Scott Thornhill will be one of our special guests. To register, visit https://okcb.org/2025-ocb-registration-form/. * Georgia Celebrates 70 Years The Georgia Council of the Blind is turning 70 at this year's state convention. Make plans to join us October 8-10 at the Courtyard Atlanta Covington, 11500 Foxfield Way, Covington, Ga., for $129 a night plus tax. To register for the convention, visit https://www.georgiacounciloftheblind.org/register. * Indiana, Ohio Joint Convention This year, ACB-Indiana and ACB-Ohio will kick off their second decade as convention partners. ACB-Indiana and ACB-Ohio will be holding their joint state convention Fri., Oct. 9 through Sun., Oct. 11, 2026. We will be at the Wyndham Airport Hotel, 2544 Executive Dr., Indianapolis, IN 46241. Room rates are $125 per night, plus tax. Reservations can be made by calling the hotel main number/front desk at (317) 248-2481 and use the group code American Council of the Blind of Indiana. Reservations can also be made online. On Thursday night, October 8, there are rooms set aside for those coming early. The reservation cut-off date for our group is September 17, 2026. We have also planned a tour of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, Rockin' and Rollin' with music of the '50s and '60s, a wide variety of breakout session, many vendors/exhibitors, an awards banquet and our annual live auction. Registration for in-person attendees will be $80; for virtual attendees, $40. The registration form is live on www.acb-indiana.org. For more information, contact Rita Kersh at hoosierrita60@gmail.com or Dee Ann Hart at deeannhart3@gmail.com. ***** ** Here and There by Sharon Lovering The announcement of products and services in this column does not represent an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its officers, or staff. Listings are free of charge for the benefit of our readers. "The ACB Braille Forum" cannot be held responsible for the reliability of the products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to slovering@acb.org, or phone the national office at 1-800-424-8666, and leave a message in Sharon Lovering's mailbox. Information must be received at least two months ahead of publication date. * And the Touch of Genius Prize Winner Is … The 2026 winner of the Louis Braille Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation is Ann Cunningham for a teaching method and product called Flip-pics, that creates tactile graphics for the blind and visually impaired. Flip-pics offers an innovative way for a blind person to understand even complex images with more clarity and less clutter. It segregates information into physical logical layers that align with linear perspective principles. Ann Cunningham, author, artist, and innovator, of Golden, Colo., began teaching tactile art at the Colorado Center for the Blind in 1999. Since then, she has completed multiple projects, won many awards and recognition from organizations across the country. Her work spans these diverse areas as she helps people develop connections to fine art and graphics through touch. Her tactile artwork can be seen in public works of art across the United States and into Canada. She is a founding member of the Tactile Art Collective, dedicated to exploring and expanding the field of tactile art. She is a co-owner of Sensation Books, makers of the Sensational BlackBoard, dedicated to making information about the world more accessible for people who are blind or visually impaired. Cunningham passionately believes that tactile access to properly formatted art can play the same role for people who are blind that visual art plays for people who are sighted. * USA Goalball Women's National Team Finishes Fifth at Malmφ Lady Intercup The USA Goalball Women's National Team put together a competitive showing at the Malmo Lady Intercup, finishing 5th overall against a strong international field. Team USA opened the tournament with a 5–2 win over Great Britain, powered by three goals from Amanda Dennis, along with contributions from Eliana Mason and Asya Miller. In their second match, the team battled Japan in a tightly contested 6–5 loss, with Dennis again leading the offense with four goals and Mason adding another. The team closed out pool play in dominant fashion with a 12–2 victory, highlighted by five goals from Dennis and four from Lisa Czechowski, alongside additional scoring from Miller, Mason, and Hailey Andress. Advancing to the knockout stage, Team USA faced Brazil in the quarterfinals, where they came up short 4–0. The group responded with resilience in the 5th–6th place match, earning a 5–3 win over South Korea behind three goals from Asya Miller and two from Amanda Dennis to secure a 5th place finish. The tournament served as a valuable opportunity to compete against top international opponents, build chemistry, and refine performance as the team continues to gain momentum heading into the World Championship in China next month and looks ahead to long-term development toward the 2028 Paralympics. * MIUSA Turns 45! In 2026, Mobility International USA celebrates its 45th anniversary. You are invited to join us and meet MIUSA Global Fellows from around the world for an evening of hors d'oeuvres, live auction, and other surprises as we honor the communities and individuals who have supported MIUSA to thrive at 45. The 45th anniversary celebration will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in Eugene, Ore. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., and the program will start promptly at 7 p.m. The venue is wheelchair accessible; the event will be ASL interpreted. No tickets will be sold at the door. For more information, or to get tickets, visit https://miusa.org/event/celebrate45/. Questions? Contact Suz Dunn, sdunn@miusa.org. * Thinking about Upgrading Your Braille Device? There's no time like the present! For a limited time, trade in your BrailleNote Touch Plus 32 or BrailleSense 6 and receive $1,000 toward a new BrailleNote evolve 32, or $500 toward a new BrailleNote evolve 20. This trade-in offer is expected to end at the end of the year. For more information, visit https://www.humanware.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/BrailleNote-evolve-Trade-in-Program-USA.pdf, or call 1-800-722-3393. * New at National Braille Press National Braille Press has a number of new books and other items available. Celebrate America's 250th anniversary with a tactile map of the United States. Created by the Universal Design Lab at the Mountain Lakes Public Library Makerspace (NJ), this 3D tactile puzzle includes a black plate and 42 pink state puzzle pieces to fit into place. (Eight small Northeastern states are permanently fixed into place on the plate.) The state pieces are identified in braille on the front and in large print on the back, perfect for learning geography. Please note that quantities are limited. Also available is a tactile Statue of Liberty. Over in the children's section, the newest book is "Noodles on a Bicycle," by Kyo Maclear. This is a vibrant historical picture book about Tokyo's bicycle food deliverers, who balanced towering trays of steaming hot noodles on their shoulders while navigating crowded city streets. It is available in contracted braille (UEB) for ages 3 to 8. Another new book is "I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea," by Janice Milusich. In this poetic story, a blind child uses her senses of touch, taste, hearing, and smell to vividly describe the changing seasons and the unique delights they each have to offer. It's available in contracted UEB for ages 3 to 8. And don't forget an old favorite, "Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile," by Bernard Waber. It's available in contracted UEB for ages 3 to 8. Also new is "Math Riddles for Smart Kids: Math Riddles and Brain Teasers that Kids and Families Will Love," for ages 10 and up. It contains 150 brain-teasing math riddles and puzzles designed to test logic, lateral thinking, and memory, and to help the brain recognize patterns and connections between different things and circumstances. It's available in braille (1 volume) and as a BRF. If you've got a kid who loves telling jokes, check out "You Quack Me Up: 800 Animal Jokes for Kids." It's available in braille and as a BRF. For more information, call toll-free 1-800-548-7323, or visit shop.nbp.org. * Free Alexa Skill Sound Stream is a free Alexa skill that lets blind and visually impaired users play their own audiobooks and audio files from Dropbox with full voice control on Amazon Echo devices. It provides the same voice-controlled audiobook experience as Audible, but for audiobooks from any source -- Libro.fm, Downpour, Librivox, CD rips, and more. Key details: • Cost: Free (premium option available for unlimited content) • Platform: Amazon Echo devices (US, UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia/NZ) • What it does: Voice-controlled playback of personal audio files from Dropbox • Accessibility features: Full voice navigation, audiobook browsing, skip/rewind, track identification -- all developed with input from blind users For more information, visit https://soundstream.voiceactivity.com/ or https://medium.com/search?q=Sound+Stream+Voice+Activity. * Visionauta on iPhone, Android Jonathan Santos, a blind software engineer who worked at Google and Samsung, announces the launch of the iOS version of Visionauta, a free app that uses artificial intelligence to help blind and low-vision people with everyday tasks. The app is now available on the App Store. The release follows the success of the Android version, launched in early 2026, which became a major hit within the visually impaired community, reaching thousands of users and earning very positive reviews. Now, that full set of features is available to iPhone users as well. Visionauta works as a portable visual assistant. Simply point the phone's camera to read text aloud, identify banknotes, find lost objects, or ask questions about the surroundings. One of Visionauta's standout features -- available on both iOS and Android -- is Real-Time Conversation: a mode in which the user talks to the artificial intelligence by voice, naturally and continuously, while it describes the surroundings and answers questions instantly -- as if there were, right beside them, an assistant who can see for them. The app features include: Real-Time Conversation with the AI by voice, offline text reading, recognition of banknotes in several currencies (Brazilian Real, U.S. Dollar, Euro, Mexican Peso, Yen, Canadian Dollar, and Australian Dollar), electronic magnifier with high-contrast modes, voice-command object finder, and an AI assistant that describes scenes and answers questions. The iOS version is fully integrated with VoiceOver and the iPhone's accessibility features. The app is free, and available to download as follows: • Download iOS: https://apps.apple.com/app/visionauta/id6780104967 • Download Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=br.com.alphamob.aie * New Frontiers Magazine Introducing a new magazine by, for, and about blind people, where sighted people are welcome to contribute. It will be a telephonic magazine, and the cost is your Philmore Productions membership. Soon there may be a PayPal to cover the cost of the magazine. For more information, call (773) 572-6258, leave your message Urgent and Private (to do this, press, 2, 1, and 1). You can get your own voicemail box by dialing (773) 572-3000. Topics will be about the positive aspects of blindness, fun experiences, and more. No negative comments about blind people will be accepted. You will be asked to leave a short message on why you want to join. If approved, you will be asked to go through a screening process. While approved, you will be asked to keep your messages positive. All articles should be limited to 5 minutes. The name of the magazine is "New Frontiers Magazine." For more information, contact Eric Calhoun at (773) 572-6258. ***** ** High Tech Swap Shop * For Sale: Braille Sense 6 32-cell. Comes with the original box, carrying case with handle, Braille Getting Started Guide, and extra battery. The entire display was replaced just last year. Asking $2,800. I'm also selling a Brailliant BI 40X in great working condition. It comes with a carrying case. Asking $2,000. Contact Jamey Cook via email, jamey.cook@gmail.com. I accept PayPal, and can ship within the continental USA. * For Sale: Focus 80 Braille Display 4th generation. Asking $5,000. Q Braille; has a broken cell from falling down a few stairs when it came out of its case. Asking $500. Both will come with SD cards that include the manuals for each product. The Focus 80 will include a card reader which may be plugged into a USB-C port. Contact Sarah Dehard at (214) 213-7325 or (660) 570-1933 (Google Voice), or email her, sdehard@wsblind.org. * For Sale: One Juliet Classic braille embosser and one Bookmaker braille embosser. Both machines turn on, but we are unable to test them further due to incompatibility with Windows 11. The Juliet was last used in 2023, mainly for creating labels on the sticky embossable paper. The Bookmaker was last used around the same time. Asking $200 each plus shipping. If interested, contact Sharon Lovering in the national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via email, slovering@acb.org. Payment must be received before items are shipped. * Wanted: I'm looking for a donation of a 1980s or '90s vintage double cassette recorder with two internal and two external microphones. Must be in good working condition. Please contact Linda at (661) 473-1514, or Walter Chavira, (661) 331-2333. ***** ** ACB Officers * President Deb Cook Lewis (2nd term, 2027) 1131 Liberty Dr. Clarkston, WA 99403 * First Vice President David Trott (2nd term, 2027) 1018 East St. S. Talladega, AL 35160 * Second Vice President Kenneth Semien Sr. (1st term, 2027) 8445 Allison Way Beaumont, TX 77707-1506 * Secretary Katie Frederick (1st term, 2027) 160 W. Wilson Bridge Rd., Apt. 40 Worthington, OH 43085-2679 * Treasurer Michael Garrett (2nd term, 2027) 7806 Chaseway Dr. Missouri City, TX 77489-2333 * Immediate Past President Kim Charlson 57 Grandview Ave. Watertown, MA 02472 ** ACB Board of Directors Christopher Bell, Bloomington, MN (2nd term, 2028) Donna Brown, Romney, WV (2nd term, 2028) Cheryl Cumings, Seattle, WA (1st term, 2028) Peter Heide, Baraboo, WI (1st term, 2028) Gabriel Lopez Kafati, Miami Lakes, FL (1st term, 2026) Cecily Laney Nipper, Covington, GA (1st term, 2028) Terry Pacheco, Silver Spring, MD (1st term, 2026) Rachel Schroeder, Springfield, IL (1st term, 2026) Koni Sims, Sioux Falls, SD (1st term, 2026) Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA (2nd term, 2026) ** ACB Board of Publications Zelda Gebhard, Chair, Edgeley, ND (3rd term, 2026) Deborah Armstrong, Milpitas, CA (partial term, 2026) Jeff Bishop, Tucson, AZ (1st term, 2026) Belinda Collins, Saint Pauls, NC (1st term, 2026) RaLynn McGuire, San Antonio, TX (1st term, 2027) ***** ** Accessing Your ACB Braille Forums The ACB Braille Forum is available by mail in braille, large print, NLS-style digital cartridge, and via email. To subscribe to the email version, contact Sharon Lovering, slovering@acb.org. It is also available on ACB's web page, and on ACB Media, channel 10. Subscribe to the podcast versions from your 2nd generation Victor Reader Stream or from https://pinecast.com/feed/acb-braille-forum-and-e-forum. ###