The Braille Forum Vol. XVII September, 1978 No. 3 Published Monthly by the American Council of the Blind * President: Oral Miller 3701 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Suite 220 Washington, DC 20008 * National Representative: Durward K. McDaniel 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Suite 506 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 833-1251 * Editor: Mary T. Ballard 190 Lattimore Road Rochester, NY 14620 (716) 244-8364 The Braille Forum seeks to promote the independence and dignity of all blind people; to stress responsibility of citizenship; to alert the public to the abilities and accomplishments of the blind. The Braille Forum carries official news of the American Council of the Blind and its programs. It is available for expression of views and concerns common to all blind persons. ***** ** Contents Notice to Subscribers ACB Profile: Oral O. Miller, President Greetings from the President ACB Annual Business Meeting, 1978 ACB Resolutions Bumper Sticker Winner Announced, by Carlee Hallman The Selling of the Airwaves, by Kathy Megivern Hyde Park Corner: Your Broken Cane Can Be a Useful Tool, by William Pickman ACB's Newest Affiliate Carter Proposes a Band-Aid for the Nation's Health Care Ills Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon ACB Officers and Directors ***** ** Notice to Subscribers The Braille Forum is available in braille, large-type, and two recorded editions-flexible disc (8 1/3 rpm), which may be kept by the reader, and cassette tape, which must be returned so that tapes can be re-used. Send subscription requests and address changes to The Braille Forum, 190 Lattimore Road, Rochester, NY 14620. Items intended for publication may be sent in print, braille, or tape to the Editor, Mary T. Ballard, at the above address, or to one of the Associate Editors. Those much needed and appreciated cash contributions may be sent to the ACB National Office, 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 506, Washington, DC 20036. You may wish to remember someone by sharing in the continuing work of the American Council of the Blind. The National Office now has available special printed cards to acknowledge to loved ones contributions made in memory of deceased persons. Anyone wishing to remember ACB in his or her Last Will and Testament may use the following language in a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are more complex, your attorney may contact the ACB National Office. ***** ** ACB Profile: Oral O. Miller, President "As President of the American Council of the Blind, the fastest growing national organization of visually impaired persons, I look forward to leading in the movement for equality of opportunity for handicapped persons." With these words, Oral O. Miller of Washington, D.C., accepted the gavel from outgoing President Floyd Qualls at the conclusion of the ACB national convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, on July 29, 1978. Because of a constitutional limitation on the number of terms to be served by any officer, Mr. Qualls was not eligible to stand for re-election. Oral Miller, an attorney with the United States Small Business Administration, brings to the ACB presidency a wide range of experience, both professional and in activities with and on behalf of blind persons. A native Kentuckian, he received his A.B. from Princeton University, with a major in history. In 1958 he earned his J.D. (Juris Doctorate) from the University of Chicago Law School, ranking in the upper one-third of his class. In 1976, he was elected president of the American Blind Lawyers Association. He is a member of the Bar both in Kentucky and in Washington, D.C. In 1974 Mr. Miller was named one of the "Outstanding Handicapped Federal Employees of the Year" by the United States Civil Service Commission. Always interested in athletics and recreation (Oral was a member of the varsity crew squad at Princeton), he currently serves on the Committee on Recreation and Leisure of the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped. He is vice president of Ski for Light and a member of the Board of Directors of the United States Association for Blind Athletes. A past president of the American Blind Bowlers Association, he was a member of this year's national championship bowling team. Mr. Miller's direct involvement in the affairs of national ACB goes back to 1974, when he was named National Convention Coordinator, bringing him into contact with affiliates throughout the country. In 1976 he was elected to the ACB Board of Directors and for the past two years has served as chairman of the Budget Committee. ***** ** Greetings from the President Although I had an opportunity to meet many ACB members and friends during the recent national convention in Salt Lake City, I want to take advantage of this opportunity to greet even more of you and to thank you for the confidence you have shown in electing me to the presidency of the American Council of the Blind. I am entering into this office with the full realization that the American Council is now at a very important place in its history, and that the events of the next year or so will influence its course for many years to come. I am very pleased with the extremely high level of competence and integrity of all the other officers and members of the Board of Directors, and I am confident that we will work very well together as a team, along with the National Office staff and the Editorial Office staff. In a democratic organization such as the American Council of the Blind, the active participation and support of all officers and Board members is essential. However, even more essential is the support and assistance of all ACB members. I believe that the ACB has enjoyed very good leadership over the years, but now, as in the past, we need to hear from you, the members, regarding ways in which the organization can better serve you and other blind and visually impaired people throughout the country. I believe you will be pleased to learn that within very recent weeks, we have, in order to improve our financial condition, set up a separate corporation (ACB Enterprises and Services, Inc.) to take over the operation of the Thrift Stores which provide much of our national income. It is anticipated that this step will significantly increase our income and thereby enable us to provide more service to our members and affiliates, although the separate corporation format will prevent business activities from interfering with services provided and to be provided by ACB. The governing board of the operating corporation, as selected by members of the ACB Board, consists of Raymond Kempf of Minnesota, Grant Mack of Utah, LeRoy Saunders of Oklahoma, Otis Stephens of Tennessee, and your president. This board will necessarily work very closely with the National Office and the new ACB treasurer, James Olsen of Minnesota. In order for the ACB to function effectively, it will be essential for communications to flow freely from the national officers, Board, and staff to the members and affiliates, as well as from the members and affiliates. Accordingly, it is my hope to establish, within a very few months, a regular column in The Braille Forum or a suitable cassette tape system to provide such information to the members and affiliates. I am confident that you, as members of the American Council, will be even more proud of your organization as you learn more about its accomplishments and the ways in which it can assist you. You will be notified as new services are instituted and existing services are explained. Again, it is important for us to know how we may assist you, so please contact us to let us know. Communications may be sent to me in braille, print, or tape, in care of the ACB National Office in Washington. Finally, I am looking forward to meeting many more of you in the future at the national convention and at state conventions held throughout the country. Oral O. Miller, President ***** ** American Council of the Blind Annual Business Meeting, 1978 Delegates from 50 state and special-interest affiliates, as well as 28 members-at-large, were certified by the American Council of the Blind 1978 Credentials Committee (James D. Faimon, Neb., Chairman) to participate and vote at the annual business meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, July 28-29. Officially represented for the first time were five newly chartered affiliates: American Council of the Blind of Nebraska, American Council of the Blind of Texas, Old Dominion American Council of the Blind (Virginia), American Council of the Blind Federal Employees, and the Council of Citizens with Low Vision. Report on Activities of the Washington Office: National Representative Durward McDaniel spoke with pride of the influence and stature which ACB has achieved among minority groups, Congressional leaders, and Government officials. "Our coalition work has multiplied our influence many, many times," he stated. Within three years of ACB's joining the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the Conference recognized ACB by admitting Reese Robrahn to its 15-member Executive Committee. "That recognition is accelerating our course toward the goal of achieving civil rights protection for blind and handicapped people in this country ... Perhaps in this decade -- if not in this, early in the next decade -- I predict that we will have all of the civil rights protections that anybody else has in this country." Three members of the American Council of the Blind -- Reese Robrahn, Janiece Petersen, and Andrew Woods -- serve on the Board of Directors of the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities. Mr. McDaniel announced that, although he is still on the Executive Board of the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America, Bob McLean, President of the Louisiana Council of the Blind; is now Chairperson of ALL. "My giving up the chairmanship does not at all mean that I have changed my appreciation or interest in ALL," he assured the membership; "I think it is a necessary approach to protect what we have, and to improve what is, and to attain what we do not have for blind people." Demands upon the staff at the National Office continue to increase each year, as more and more service is rendered to the ACB membership and to others in the field of blindness, including many service-delivery agencies and individuals. If there were time and manpower to keep statistics, he reflected, these would be very, very impressive. Administrative details have been increased significantly by the implementation of the Internal Audit Committee recommendation that banking and financial record-keeping be centralized in the Washington Office. This growth in service and administrative responsibility would not have been possible but for a dedicated staff who have taken an interest in ACB over and above the clerical and secretarial work that they do. Aileen McDaniel has been working as a full-time volunteer. Carlee Hallman, originator of the bumper sticker contest, has taken a great interest in public relations and fund-raising and is now a member of the Finance Committee. Kathy Megivern, who will graduate from law school in January, has read the recorded editions of The Braille Forum for the past several years, this past winter while attending law school in Florida. In recent months, she has done some very effective writing for The Braille Forum and has been working as a part-time volunteer in the Washington Office. Fund-raising over the past year has met with mixed success. In an effort to ease problems which admittedly exist, a new non-profit corporation, American Council of the Blind Enterprises and Services, has been formed to manage and supervise directly existing and future Thrift Stores. The members of this new corporation are the elected officers and directors of ACB. Pledging continued support to the Iowa Council of the Blind in its struggle against the Iowa Commission to restore quality services to all blind people of Iowa, he commended particularly Noma Hochstatter, "who has somehow made use of the evidence we had in a way that lawyers couldn't do. She doesn't claim any credit for herself, but I say to you that the blind people of Iowa and of this country are indebted to her." And of the future ... Nothing but optimism! Expansion of credit union services to ACB members in every state where they do not now exist -- Membership development -- Puerto Rico, certainly! Alaska -- Pennsylvania -- Ohio -- West Viriginia ... Civil Rights and Legislation: Reese Robrahn, Director of Research and Governmental Affairs, summarized the major provisions of the 1978 Comprehensive Rehabilitation Amendments (see The Braille Forum, July, 1978). With regard to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, he stated that publication of proposed regulations by Government departments and agencies, as well as implementation, have been disappointingly slow. He pointed out two legislative threats to Section 504 which, if successful, "would weaken and make virtually of no use the most important civil rights act for handicapped people to this date." The first is a provision of the proposed rehabilitation amendments which would expand the authority of the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board to include communications barriers. This is a very broad term which would also encompass reader services for blind persons. Responsibility for enforcement would be transferred from the Office of Civil Rights, thus fragmentizing the enforcement and compliance responsibilities of OCR. Secondly, if the General Motors lobbying effort is successful and a review of the transbus order and new prototypes and street-testing are required (see The Braille Forum, August, 1978), then many other entities such as institutions of higher learning will also seek special treatment. He urged each member of ACB, when called upon to do so, to write and/or contact their Congressmen. Carol Derouin of Oregon, Chairperson of the ACB Task Force on Civil Rights, re-emphasized this point. The Task Force was created by resolution at the 1976 national convention, to assist ACB in the promotion of civil rights legislation. One representative was to have been appointed from each affiliate. Although Mrs. Derouin commended The Braille Forum for providing information on what each member could have been doing to support legislation, she expressed disappointment that the Task Force itself, despite efforts to do so, has not been fully implemented and thus more effective. She urged each affiliate to follow through by appointing a member to the Task Force so that there can be more effective communication throughout the year when swift and concerted action is needed. Library Committee (James G. Chandler, Chairman): For the past four years, the Library Committee has endorsed production of a dictionary on cassette tape. Both the American Printing House and the Library of Congress now have the capability of producing such a dictionary. Anyone wishing information may write Mr. Chandler, in care of the ACB National Office. Standards for libraries serving the blind and physically handicapped are being reviewed by the American Library Association. The Chairman was one of four representatives of blind consumers who participated in a panel on the draft revision in Chicago recently. Seven pages of specific suggestions were submitted to the drafting committee. The Library Committee wishes to point out that action by each affiliate will be necessary to achieve adequate representation of blind persons at the White House Conference on Library Services, scheduled to be held during 1979. Membership: This has been the most productive year to date in the number of affiliates chartered, according to Carl McCoy of Florida, National Membership Chairman. Three state and two special-interest affiliates were officially recognized for the first time at this convention. A preliminary meeting, with a view to forming a special-interest organization, was held in Salt Lake City of persons in small or independent businesses. The lack of success of vocational rehabilitation agencies in setting up clients in an independent business is well known. Such an affiliate could provide consultation to agencies throughout the country, with guidance in how to assist potential clients. The variety of businesses represented at the preliminary meeting was impressive. Interested persons who operate or participate in an independent business are invited to contact Carl McCoy, in care of the ACB National Office. The reports of J. Edward Miller, Treasurer, Raymond Kempf, Finance Committee Chairman, and James Olsen, in the absence of Chairman LeRoy Saunders of the Internal Audit Committee, reflected on the one hand the kind of serious financial difficulties being experienced today by so many non-profit organizations, and on the other hand a strong mood of optimism for the immediate future. Mr. Olsen explained the effect and benefits of changing from a cash to an accrual basis of accounting, as required by the American Institute of C.P.A.'s for "voluntary health and welfare agencies," the category into which ACB falls. This involves recording revenue as earned, even though it may not have been received, and expenses as they become due and payable, even though cash may not be immediately available with which to pay them. The change brings ACB into closer compliance with the requirements of the National Information Bureau, the Council of Better Business Bureaus, and regulatory agencies within states where ACB raises money. Mr. Olsen explained the reasons for centralizing all accounting procedures in the Washington Office -- the depositing of money and writing of checks -- emphasizing, however, that fiscal responsibility and approval for all expenditures still rests with the President and Treasurer. Growth and progress of the Affiliated Leadership League were outlined by ALL's new Executive Director, William T. Snyder. "I am pleased, frightened, challenged, and excited about being on the staff," he began. "Thanks to Durward McDaniel, a great two years of organization and development and philosophy and cooperation have created the basis of the entire organization." Of the current 54 member organizations, 24 are organizations of the blind, 25 are major agencies serving the blind, and five are organizations such as the American Association of Workers for the Blind and the Association for Educators of the Visually Handicapped. Conservatively estimated, ALL now represents some 300,000 individuals, possibly 10% of all blind persons in the United States. Mr. Snyder announced that in response to ALL's letter to the Department of HEW, a fiscal and program audit of the Iowa Commission for the Blind will be initiated by August 15. He invited anyone wishing to be placed on the mailing list for the ink print ALL-O-GRAMS to write him at 879 Park Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21201. ALL-O-GRAMS is available in recorded form as a bi-monthly supplement to the flexible disc edition of The Braille Forum and may be obtained by writing the Editor. Officers elected for the coming two years are: President -- Oral O. Miller, Washington, D. C.; First Vice President -- Delbert K. Aman, Aberdeen, South Dakota; Second Vice President -- Robert T. McLean, New Orleans, Louisiana; Secretary -- M. Helen Vargo, Topeka, Kansas; Treasurer -- James R. Olsen, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Directors were elected as follows: Mrs. Billie P. Elder, Little Rock, Arkansas; George Fogarty, Oakland, California; Christopher Gray, Seattle, Washington; Grant M. Mack, Salt Lake City, Utah; LeRoy Saunders, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Otis H. Stephens, Knoxville, Tennessee. Floyd Qualls of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma will continue to serve on the Board as Immediate Past President. The membership unanimously accepted the invitation of the Associated Blind of Kentucky to hold the 1980 national convention in Louisville, Kentucky. The 1979 convention, hosted by the Michigan Association of the Blind, will be held the week of July 1-8 at the Pantlind Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Resolutions adopted by the Convention are printed in full below. An account of the formal convention program and Convention Week generally will appear in the October issue of The Braille Forum. ***** ** American Council of the Blind Resolutions * Resolution 78-01 WHEREAS, the American National Standards Institute is in the process of revising its 1961 version of specifications for making buildings and facilities accessible to and usable by physically handicapped people; and WHEREAS, one of the suggested changes is to have raised international symbols in elevators, representing the operations of "Open Door," "Close Door," and "Emergency Stop"; and WHEREAS, many persons who are blind, visually impaired, or blind-deaf find it difficult to identify and interpret the proposed National Elevator Industry, Inc. international symbols for these operations; and WHEREAS, these international symbols pose a problem for persons who are blind, visually impaired, or blind-deaf who have poor tactile discriminating sensations and who cannot make out small, detailed lines without blurriness, and are therefore prevented from having the elevator accessible to them; and WHEREAS, blind, visually impaired, or blind-deaf individuals not being able to identify the purpose of the international symbols would be left in an unsafe situation if an emergency might occur in the operation of the elevator; and WHEREAS, the blind, visually impaired, or blind-deaf have been surveyed and have found the intent of the California Alliance of Blind Students international symbols to be more easily and quickly identified, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled in Salt Lake City, Utah, this 28th day of July, 1978, that the ACB support the adoption of the proposed international symbols by the California Alliance of Blind Students. * Resolution 78-02 WHEREAS, the American National Standards Institute is in the process of revising its 1961 version of specifications for making buildings and facilities accessible to and usable by physically handicapped people; and WHEREAS, there is controversy as to whether to have braille and raised-print numbers and letters for floor designations and elevator control panels; and WHEREAS, some people who are blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind read only braille and others read only raised-print numbers and letters; and WHEREAS, braille and raised-print numbers and letters make elevators more accessible to a large number of persons who are blind, visually impaired, or blind-deaf; and WHEREAS, manufacturers of elevator control panels indicate that there is no significant cost increase in having both braille and raised-print numbers and letters on the panels, as opposed to having one or the other; and WHEREAS, these manufacturers have indicated that the majority of elevator control panels can accommodate both braille and raised-print numbers and letters to the left of the floor and other essential buttons, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled in Salt Lake City, Utah, on the 28th day of July, 1978, that braille and raised-print numbers and letters and signs shall be only on the left side of the floor and other essential buttons on elevators; and FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED, that door-jamb and floor-indicator signs shall be braille and raised-print numbers and letters. * Resolution 78-03 WHEREAS, the American National Standards Institute is in the process of revising its 1961 version of specifications for making buildings and facilities accessible to and usable by physically handicapped people; and WHEREAS, the American National Standards Institute has inadequate consumer input as to the needs of persons who are blind, visually impaired or blind-deaf; and WHEREAS, organizations such as the National Elevator Industry, Inc. are determining what the needs are of persons who are blind, visually impaired or blind-deaf, and how to correct them; and WHEREAS, consumers who are blind have found that proposed regulations that are to benefit them are as inadequate as the existing ones; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled in Salt Lake City, Utah, this 28th day of July, 1978, that the President of ACB establish a task force to seek the removal of architectural, transportation, communication and attitudinal barriers to consult and assist public and private agencies and organizations in developing standards that will remove these barriers; FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED, that members of this task force include consumers who are blind, visually impaired or blind-deaf, and other persons who have expertise in these areas. Resolutions 78-04 and 78-05 dealt, respectively, with the marking of stairs to make them more easily distinguishable by blind and visually impaired persons and with the affixing of distinctive symbols which would make restroom doors more readily distinguishable. These resolutions were endorsed in principle and were referred to the task force established under Resolution 78-03 for further study. * Resolution 78-06 WHEREAS, the television media frequently transmit both vital and emergency information in visual form only; and WHEREAS, this information is necessary for the safety, comfort, and dignity of persons who are blind as well as sighted, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled in Salt Lake City, Utah, this 28th day of July, 1978, directs the National Office to contact the Federal Communications Commission, urging them to develop and adopt regulations requiring that vital and emergency information be transmitted in both audio and visual form; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the ACB directs the National Office to initiate discussion and negotiations with the national television networks to provide remedies for equal access to this information; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the ACB general membership make a concerted effort to contact the management of their local television stations, requesting that such information be placed in both visual and audio forms. * Resolution 78-07 WHEREAS, the regulations implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 now being promulgated by Federal agencies which provide financial assistance require program accessibility as a part of non-discrimination; and WHEREAS, Federal agencies often seem insufficiently aware that program accessibility means both physical and informational accessibility; and WHEREAS, informational accessibility is critically important to us as blind people participating in Feral programs, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 28th day of July, 1978, that the officers and directors and staff of this organization be directed to monitor the promulgation and implementation of Section 504 regulations of all agencies providing Federal financial assistance, bringing to their attention informational issues which otherwise might not be addressed; which shall include, but not be limited to, auditory traffic signals, access to information on routes and schedules of public transit systems, auditory as well as visual information of arrivals and departures at airports and other transportation terminals, complete auditory information for blind passengers relative to location of emergency exits and other emergency procedures, and access to planning documents to be discussed at public hearings in fields such as Title XX, community development block grants, etc. * Resolution 78-08 WHEREAS, American Council of the Blind national conventions should be open to all persons who are blind, including those with additional disabilities; and WHEREAS, national conventions should also be open to our colleagues in the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities; and WHEREAS, with the implementation of Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, more and more Government officials whom we invite to our conventions will be disabled, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 28th day of July, 1978, in Salt Lake City, Utah, hat a very high priority in selecting convention sites should be placed on physical accessibility of the hotel to disabled people; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that affiliates bidding for the national convention be instructed by the National Convention Coordinator to determine the accessibility of proposed convention sites in consultation with local organizations of disabled people, including other members of the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities, and that such information be presented as part of the bid. * Resolution 78-09 WHEREAS, the current Medicare program does not provide coverage for low-vision aids to eligible persons; and WHEREAS, there is an urgent need for low-vision aids, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled in Salt Lake City, Utah, this 28th day of July, 1978, urges the Congress of the United States to enact into law Senate Bill 3038 and its companion House of Representatives Bill 13248, which amend the Social Security Act to include low-vision aids. * Resolution 78-10 WHEREAS, Public Law 94-142 mandates the education of children who are visually impaired in the least restrictive setting; and WHEREAS, children with low vision can be expected to perform significantly better in school with the help of low-vision aids than they could without the help of these aids, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled in Salt Lake City, Utah, this 28th day of July, 1978, urges the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare to seek funds to pay for these aids and to encourage state departments of education and rehabilitation to see that every low-vision child is provided with the visual aids that he or she needs to participate visually in the educational process in school and at home. * Resolution 78-11 WHEREAS, the quantity of information transmitted from the National Office to affiliate presidents is steadily increasing; and WHEREAS, it is often difficult for affiliate presidents to have print material read to them in a timely manner, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled in Salt Lake City, Utah, this 28th day of July, 1978, that henceforth affiliate presidents shall receive materials from the National Office in a form that they can read. * Resolution 78-12 WHEREAS, space-age technology has already shown its potential for enhancing both employment opportunities and the general lifestyle of blind and otherwise handicapped individuals; and WHEREAS, many advanced devices have been developed for use of blind people, often with limited evaluation especially by blind consumers; and WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind is eminently qualified and obligated to act as consumer advocate in this area, just as it has in the field of legislation; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled in Salt Lake City, Utah, this 28th day of July, 1978, that the present Committee on Electronic Aids and Technology be known in the future as the Committee on Technology and Visual Impairment, with its scope and membership expanded accordingly; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the officers, directors, and staff of the American Council of the Blind be directed to formulate and implement a plan for increased involvement by the organization in the monitoring and evaluation of technological developments from the point of view of the visually impaired consumer; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this plan include specific actions designed to obtain funds to carry out the intent of this motion. Resolution 78-13, urging the National Library Service, Library of Congress, again to make Dialogue Magazine available to all blind and physically handicapped readers, was referred to the ACB Library Committee for investigation and action. * Resolution 78-14 BE IT RESOLVED, that the membership of the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled in Salt Lake City, Utah, this 28th day of July, 1978, instructs and directs the officers, staff, and affiliates of ACB to take all appropriate steps, direct and indirect, to assure the adequate representation of persons who are blind or visually impaired or physically handicapped at the White House Conference on Libraries, scheduled to be held during 1979. * Resolution 78-15 WHEREAS, the National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped establishes standards for organizations that serve blind people and gives public recognition of accreditation to those agencies and schools that render quality services, efficient management, and public accountability; and WHEREAS, NAC's standards appeared initially in the COMSTAC REPORT, and since then have been revised and published as self-study and evaluation guides for use by organizations engaged in the accreditation process; and WHEREAS, blind and visually handicapped people participate in all phases of the accreditation process, including organizational self-studies and on-site team reviews; and WHEREAS, blind and visually handicapped people should have access to the standards and self-study guides in braille, large-print, and recorded forms in order to participate more effectively in the accreditation process; and WHEREAS, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped has responsibility for reproducing in braille, large-print, and recorded forms materials of importance to blind and visually handicapped persons; and WHEREAS, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped previously has demonstrated acceptance of this responsibility by reproducing the COMSTAC REPORT in braille and recorded forms. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 28th day of July, 1978, in Salt Lake City, Utah, that the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped be requested to reproduce all of NAC's standards and revised standards and self-study and evaluation guides in braille, large-print, and recorded forms; and further, that copies of these materials be made available through the regional library network so that all blind and visually handicapped persons may participate more effectively in the accreditation process. * Resolution 78-16 WHEREAS, the art work of blind and other handicapped individuals is receiving more attention and promotion than in the past; and WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind and its affiliates have considered fund-raising activities in which art work is sold, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 28th day of July, 1978, in Salt Lake City, Utah, that this organization take an active role in promoting arts activities for the handicapped; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that in selling art for fund-raising purposes, this organization and its affiliates give priority to the sale of high-quality work of handicapped artists, including works by artists who are members of the American Council of the Blind. * Resolution 78-17 WHEREAS, bills have been introduced in both Houses of the Congress of the United States providing for the establishment of a Cabinet-level Department of Education, separate and independent from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare; and WHEREAS, the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs has amended the Senate bill to require the transfer of the Rehabilitation Services Administration from the Office of Human Development Services in the Department of HEW to the proposed Department of Education. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled in Salt Lake City, Utah, this 29th day of July, 1978, opposes such transfer unless the Rehabilitation Services Administration is placed at the level in the organizational structure of the proposed Department of Education so that the chief administrator of RSA would be an assistant secretary of the new department. * Resolution 78-18 WHEREAS, House Bill 13015, the Van Deerlin-Frey Communications Bill of 1978, would entirely restructure the radio and television broadcasting industry and end vitally needed Federal regulation of radio and television stations, including present requirements for public service announcements, public affairs programs, and equal time in political campaigns; and WHEREAS, radio stations, and within ten years television stations, also, would be granted licenses in perpetuity, not subject to renewal or periodic review, thus giving the broadcast industry even less incentive to be responsive to listeners and to the public; and WHEREAS, such lack of duty and responsibility of broadcasters to the public would almost certainly impair the ability of non-profit organizations to communicate with the public without the burden of commercial advertising rates; and WHEREAS, the provisions of this bill would almost certainly reduce the incentive of commercial broadcasters to participate cooperatively in the transmission of radio reading services for the blind and visually handicapped; and WHEREAS, this bill would exempt the broadcasting industry from equal employment and affirmative action requirements for broadcasters; and WHEREAS, this bill would make it difficult for public radio and television stations to raise money from foundations by forbidding grants for specific programs and the giving of credit on the air for such grants, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled at Salt Lake City, Utah, on this 29th day of July, 1978, that the National Office of the ACB be instructed to take such action as may be necessary to prevent passage of House Bill 13015 in its present form; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that, as a part of this effort, the National Office of ACB be authorized to join an ad hoc coalition of national organizations opposed to the broadcast provisions of House Bill 13015. * Resolution 78-19 WHEREAS, recent legislation has mandated new programs that vitally affect the lives of persons who are blind, visually impaired, or blind-deaf; and WHEREAS, the service of persons who are blind, visually impaired, or blind-deaf on advisory boards and commissions is necessary to implement said legislation; and WHEREAS, the education of consumers who are blind, visually impaired or blind-deaf relative to said legislation is the responsibility of organizations of the blind. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 29th day of July, 1978, in Salt Lake City, Utah, that the American Council of the Blind Board of Directors give high priority to financing, development, and implementation of seminars for education of consumer advocates; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that these seminars be developed on a regional or subregional level, and that state affiliates be requested to assist in the planning, development, and financing of such educational programs. * Resolution 78-20 WHEREAS, Title XX of the Social Security Act was designed to make innovative social and related services available to aged, blind, and disabled citizens; and WHEREAS, it was the intention of Title XX to require such state to maintain its previous level of effort in appropriating state funds and delivery of services; and WHEREAS, a national study of Title XX programs was made and published by the American Foundation for the Blind, which shows a complete lack of consistent patterns for implementing service-delivery systems for the blind under Title XX, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the delegates of the American Council of the Blind, meeting in convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, July 29, 1978, that the Board of Directors of the American Council of the Blind be instructed to advise all state affiliates to investigate and determine how Title XX funds are assigned to the respective states and how funds are used to conform to the guidelines required by Title XX regulations; and THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that each state affiliate take upon itself the duty of setting up a monitoring committee to participate actively in the state's Title XX planning process, and to see that Title XX funds are properly distributed, and that no state is using Title XX funds as a substitute for budget items previously made available, as this practice limits the effectiveness of services which are to be provided by the Title XX Act. * Resolution 78-21 WHEREAS, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 recognized the rights of all peoples, regardless of race, creed, or color to live in dignity and to be accorded the identical rights of all in housing, education, employment, public service, and community living; and WHEREAS, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 further emphasized the need for recognizing the handicapped as a group or segment of our population that must be accorded the same rights as those set forth in the Civil Rights Act of 1964; and WHEREAS, Public Law 94-142 further emphasized the need for guaranteeing education for the handicapped and the inclusion of all who qualify as eligible for employment in Federal programs: THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled this 29th day of July, 1978, in Salt Lake City, Utah, reaffirms its commitment to press for greater employment of the handicapped and for more upgrading of mobility of the handicapped through the ranks in the form of proper promotion; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the American Council of the Blind urge its state affiliates to set up monitoring groups to see that the various regulations that have been initiated to implement the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Public Law 94-142 are being observed and are being properly carried out to make it possible to have more handicapped persons enter the stream of employment, and to report periodically problems and progress to the staff of the National Office of ACB and to the ACB Task Force on Civil Rights. * Resolution 78-22 WHEREAS, the Sons of Norway has undertaken the task of promoting healthsports for the disabled in the United States, as exemplified by the Ski for Light program; and WHEREAS, the Norwegian Government in 1976 gave a Bicentennial gift of $200,000 to the United States to establish a healthsports center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to be called the Vineland National Center; and WHEREAS, additional funding necessary for completion of this project, which will further promote the health and dignity of handicapped persons, is currently being sought in the Congress, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled this 29th day of July, 1978, in Salt Lake City, Utah, give consumer support of this legislation from the National Office; and FURTHER RESOLVED, that ACB encourage its affiliates to contact their Representatives and Senators in support of said legislation. * Resolution 78-23 WHEREAS, the National Alliance of Blind Students is a consumer organization whose interests and programs are directed toward improving the economic, social, and educational lives of all students who are blind; and WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind has shown itself to be in support of student affiliates such as NABS; and WHEREAS, NABS believes itself in need of professional assistance to continue its development, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled this 29th day of July, 1978, in Salt Lake City, Utah, directs the national staff to assist the National Alliance of Blind Students in seeking funding for a professional staff position to aid the students in research programs and to assist in compiling and producing materials of particular importance and usefulness to blind students and those who work with them. * Resolution 78-24 WHEREAS, persons who are blind must be dependent upon persons who are sighted for identifying currency; and WHEREAS, tactually identifiable money would place persons who are blind on a more equal footing with sighted persons; and WHEREAS, tactually identifiable money would increase job opportunities for persons who are blind; and WHEREAS, the following countries -- the Netherlands, Israel and Switzerland -- are using tactually marked currency successfully and other countries are using currency of different sizes and shapes, varying with denominations, and find it to be advantageous, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled this 29th day of July, 1978, in Salt Lake City, Utah, directs the Board of Directors and the national staff to seek passage of legislation by the United States Congress requiring all newly printed money and circulated currency to be tactually identifiable by characteristics such as tactile symbols, size and/or shape. ***** ** Bumper Sticker Winner Announced By Carlee Hallman The Mid-Florida Council of the Blind was announced as the winner of the bumper sticker contest on July 28 at the annual banquet of the American Council of the Blind national convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. The winning entry, "I STOP FOR WHITE CANES AND GUIDE DOGS," was sent in by two people, Joe Minich, Chairman, Service Committee, of the Mid-Florida Council, and James Lamb of Orlando, Florida. The Mid-Florida Council is a chapter of ACB's affiliate, the Florida Council of the Blind, and is presently distributing this bumper sticker. Dean Flewwellin of Florida sent in several slogans that were considered runners-up: "BLIND LOVE IS ANATOMY IN BRAILLE" "BRAILLE IS A CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE 6TH KIND!" "THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND IS THERE! TRANSPORTATION, HEALTH, EDUCATION, RECREATION, EMPLOYMENT" Others deserving of mention were: "FORESIGHT PROTECTS EYESIGHT, THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND," sent by Fred C. Lilley of Missouri; "THE BLIND CAN THINK FREE IN ACB," sent by George and Sue Illingworth of Michigan; and "IF ALL MOTORISTS WERE LIKE YOU, WOULD YOU DARE TO BE A PEDESTRIAN?", which was sent by Grace Napier of Colorado. The office staff enjoyed reading the many entries and hope that if you have any further suggestions or comments, you will continue to send them in. We want to thank all those who took the time and trouble to make an entry. We hope to have bumper stickers printed soon. ***** ** The Selling of the Airwaves By Kathy Megivern "Detrimental!" "Sinister!" "A monstrosity!" Such descriptions are seldom used when talking about pending legislation. Yet they were only a few of the remarks heard at a recent meeting in Washington to discuss H.R. 13015, the Van Deerlin-Frey Communications Act of 1978. Speakers such as Nicholas Johnson, former Federal Communications Commissioner, Ronald Brown, Vice President of the National Urban League, and Joseph L. Rauh, Jr., General Counsel of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, expressed their serious concerns about this proposed legislation. While everyone at the meeting agreed that the present law, the Communications Act of 1934, is in need of revision and improvement, there was also unanimous consent that the Van Deerlin bill would be going from bad to worse. The bill would entirely replace the existing law, and in the process, it would abolish most of the Federal regulation of the broadcast industry. This would mean that radio stations (and within ten years television stations as well) would be granted their licenses in perpetuity, with no renewal or review process. Broadcasters would no longer be required to provide time for public affairs programming or public service announcements, and the "equal time" doctrine would be abolished for candidates for Federal and state offices. The bill would also remove any Federal regulation of broadcasters' employment policies, thus setting back the fight for equal employment and affirmative action in the broadcast industry. Under the bill, broadcasters will be able to eliminate such "unprofitable" programming as news, religious programs, educational programming, and even farm market and weather reports. The Van Deerlin bill also replaces all existing provisions relating to public broadcasting. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting would be replaced by the Public Telecommunications Programming Endowment. The money to fund the Endowment would come from "spectrum fees" charged to commercial broadcast license. While this might result initially in more money for public broadcasting, it also ties the future funding of public stations to the profits of the commercial stations. In addition to the objections to specific provisions of the bill, consumer organizations are disturbed by the underlying philosophy. The idea (which sounds like a good one) is to cut down on Federal Government involvement and open the industry up to the "marketplace." While this theory of less regulations and more competition has benefited the public in areas such as airline travel, it seems inappropriate when speaking about the broadcast industry, which by its nature is a monopoly. Those opposed to the bill find it philosophically inconsistent to talk about the "marketplace" when what's being sold are the public airwaves. An ad hoc coalition of consumer organizations was formed to oppose the bill, particularly those portions of it which would eliminate all concern for the "public interest" and all Federal regulation of affirmative action programs. The American Council of the Blind voted at its national convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, to join in this coalition and work for the defeat of this bill, while at the same time urging improvements in the present law. Readers are urged to communicate their opposition to H.R. 13015 to Representative Lionel Van Deerlin, House Subcommittee on Communications, B-331 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515. ***** *** Hyde Park Corner Editor's Note: This column exists to provide a forum for the expression of divergent views of writers on timely subjects. Views expressed need not necessarily be concurred in or endorsed by the publisher. ** Your Broken Cane Can Be A Useful Tool By William Pickman Many people purport to know all about the needs of blind persons. Committees in Washington and elsewhere sit down frequently and have long, but very sterile discussions about what they perceive those needs to be. Recent studies have indicated, however, that the felt needs of blind people frequently differ significantly from the needs that are felt for blind people by rehabilitation counselors, agency administrators, and others. As this writer has traveled about the United States and talked with and listened to blind people, rather than imagining or theorizing about blind people, he has found that one of the greatest needs is for a good, dependable, working cane. Unfortunately, however, the "felt for" needs of the blind range from pots and pans that can be bought in hardware stores to devices so expensive that only the "Rockefeller blind" can afford them. Possibly much of the fault for this lies with blind people themselves. Frequently, we do not communicate our needs adequately and properly. We don't, for example, indicate to the powers-that-be that we need a cane that won't fall apart while we are crossing the street, or that won't break when someone runs into us. There should also be a good cane for blind children so that they won't become frightened after learning mobility and give it up. There should be a cane for elderly blind persons so that if they start to slip, the cane can be depended upon for some measure of support. Looking at it another way, what we really need is to be deprived of the on-going frustration of having to depend upon a cane, only to have it fall apart on us at that critical moment when we need it most. Many of the producers of canes for the blind are very much aware of this problem. However, for various reasons -- some monetary, some indifference, some God only knows -- we have not had a positive result as we begin to draw close to the 21st century. We can go to the moon and we can dive under the sea, but we can't be sure of getting across the street with a cane! Promises, promises, promises all the time, but nothing ever really comes through. What to do? It is the suggestion of this writer that we take our broken sticks and send them, with a note, to agency directors and vocational rehabilitation counselors in the various states, or to the central or regional offices of the American Foundation for the Blind. Let's be polite about it, but let's indicate to them that here are our broken canes -- What we need is a cane that we can depend on. If enough of us get this message across to vocational rehabilitation personnel, who purchase thousands of canes every year, perhaps they will begin to listen. Please help in making your needs felt. ***** ** ACB's Newest Affiliate El Concilio de Ciegos de Puerto Rico, the most recent affiliate accepted into the American Council of the Blind, represents visually impaired people in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Dolores Palou, President, certified 167 names and addresses of its members, saying that there will be others by next year. ACB looks forward to greeting delegates from the island commonwealth in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1979. Who knows? Some year an ACB national convention may be held in Puerto Rico. ACB has already been working to offset some of the disadvantages created by Federal laws for these citizens of the United States, and we call upon Congress and Council members to join in the legislative effort to assist in making all rights and benefits apply to blind and visually impaired persons in Puerto Rico. ACB is supporting H.R. 7200, which as it passed the House of Representatives would extend supplemental security income benefits to Puerto Rico for the first time. This newest affiliation represents a major objective of forward-looking blind people in Puerto Rico and of the American Council. Bienvenidos, nuestros nuevos amigos de Puerto Rico! ***** ** Carter Proposes a Band-Aid for the Nation's Health Care Ills The long-awaited Carter Administration proposal for national health insurance was unveiled on July 29. However, those who had hoped for specific legislation were in for a disappointment. The "proposal" consisted of ten vague "principles" which could be interpreted an infinite number of ways. The key words such as "comprehensive coverage" and "quality care for all Americans" were included in the plan; but even so, Senator Kennedy and the organizations belonging to the Health Security Action Coalition were unable to accept the President's proposals. Senator Kennedy called a press conference the day before the Administration plan was made public. He had been in several meetings with the President, trying to reach a compromise program, but had concluded that the Carter plan would be unacceptable to supporters of a truly comprehensive national health insurance program. At a pre-news conference briefing with Senator Kennedy, George Meany of the AFL-CIO, and representatives of other organizations in the Coalition, the Senator outlined those points in the President's plan which were unacceptable. The President's plan would take effect incrementally, with each new aspect of the program being phased in only if the economy allows it. Thus, supporters of national health insurance would be in the position of having to lobby for every new program, piece by piece, against such powerful opposition as the American Medical Association. In addition, Congress would be in the position of passing a national health insurance program without knowing what it entails, since each aspect of it is dependent upon economic factors and therefore unpredictable. Senator Kennedy and the Committee for National Health Insurance announced that they will go to work immediately on legislation which will be introduced into the 96th Congress in January. In addition, the Senator plans to hold hearings in the fall, despite the absence of an Administration bill. It is clear that without the leadership of the White House, any proposal will have a difficult time getting through Congress, and the Senator's hope is to take this issue to the American people. Without a specific piece of legislation from the President, it will be difficult to get a meaningful commitment from Congressional candidates in this fall's elections. After all, what candidate could be opposed to "quality health care for all Americans"? The President's proposal reflects clearly the Administration concern about inflation and Proposition 13. Unfortunately, the piecemeal approach which is recommended can only serve to further add to the crisis now faced by America's health care system. Senator Kennedy, Mr. Meany, and the other representatives present at the press conference made clear their continuing commitment to the passage of a comprehensive plan which would include the important cost and quality controls needed. The American Council of the Blind, represented at the briefing and press conference by Kathy Megivern, has been a member of the Coalition since 1973 and has endorsed the Health Security Act introduced by Senator Kennedy and Representative Corman in the 95th Congress. ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon Under a research grant from the Seeing Eye, a scientific calculator is being developed by Kurzweil Computer Products, according to an article in a recent issue of The Seeing Eye Guide. The calculator is intended for use mainly by scientists and engineers. It will be optional with the Kurzweil reading machine and will use the same keyboard. In addition to the four standard arithmetic functions, the calculator will perform scientific functions -- trigonometric, logarithmic, and exponential. The complex system involves a computer, a scanner, braille codes, and magnetic tapes. Efforts are under way, according to the DBPH NEWS (now National Library Service News), to bolster the NLS science collection. The first step in this special project is to establish a foundation of basic general titles (especially in poorly represented areas such as energy and astronomy). Next, contemporary science titles will be selected, and eventually more technical works will be added, if consumer demand warrants. Timetable for the project spans about three years. Attention, football fans! A list of schedules of approximately 100 NCAA teams is available at cost in braille. If you are interested, send $4 to Football, 4408 Chalfonte Drive, Columbus, GA 31904. At the same cost, this information can also be obtained on cassette. Please be sure to state preference with your order. "Independence Without Destruction" is to be the theme of the 1978 state convention of ACB affiliate, the Louisiana Council of the Blind, to be held in Baton Rouge the weekend of December 2. Two new chapters have been organized in Louisiana recently, one in Lafayette and one in Shreveport. The first two issues of the LCB NEWSLETTER were published in March and May. Access National Parks: A Guide for Handicapped Visitors, is a 200-page comprehensive booklet of information on services, facilities, and programs which enable handicapped persons to enjoy the almost 300 areas of the National Park System throughout the country. The booklet is available for $3.50 from Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. Dialogue With the Blind, a quarterly magazine of special interest to visually impaired persons, is now available in large print as well as on soundsheet. Cost for the large-print edition is $12 a year. Write Dialogue, 3100 Oak Park Avenue, Berwyn, IL 60402. From TSI NEWSLETTER: The Board of Directors of Telesensory Systems, Inc. has given approval to full-scale production of TSI's "paperless brailler," a personal information system for blind people who use braille. The unit, which is compact and portable and will be competitively priced, permits storage of braille and audio material on a standard C60 cassette. Braille information can be edited, indexed, and quickly retrieved. Approximately 400 braille pages can be stored on a single C60 cassette. From DISABLED USA: The special Bicentennial issue of Performance, entitled "Disabled Americans: A History," has been recorded on cassette tape and is available for a small charge from Volunteers for the Visually Handicapped, Inc., of Bethesda, Maryland. For further information, write Carolyn Fales, 4405 East-West Highway, Suite 109, Bethesda, MD 20014. Men and women living in the New York City area who enjoy acting and/or singing are invited to join the ELBEE Audio Players, an unusual dramatic troupe of blind and sighted amateur repertory players. ELBEE is just beginning its 17th season of dramatic reading productions of famous plays and musicals. There are several openings. Requirements: No dramatic experience necessary. You should have a good singing or speaking voice. No memorization of lines. You must be a competent braille reader. Rehearsals one evening a week; performances, about 20 a season, from September through June. Call David Swerdlow, TR4-5704. The 15th national conference of the National Braille Association, Inc., will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 14-17, 1979. ---- The 1979 national conference of the American Association of Workers for the Blind will be held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, July 15-18. Theme of the conference is: "The 80's -- Decade of Challenge." A registration of over 1200 is anticipated. A bill, H.R. 10491, is now pending in Congress to require paper money to carry braille designations. Supporters of the bill include a number of Massachusetts Congressmen. "Even if braille markings are determined not to be the most practical solution," stated Representative David J. Mofson, Chairman of the House Committee on Human Services and Elderly Affairs, "I strongly believe that the Congress should deliberate on the issue and come up with some approach to rectify this problem." According to Congressman James A. Burke: "Treasury Department officials are presently conducting a cost analysis of the proposal, but have already indicated that cost should not be a factor. There would be no changes in the currency size or the printing equipment. A small braille designation could be made in the corner of each bill as the final step in the printing process. Thus the cost would be minimal." It is also reported that because of concern that braille might wear down too quickly to be of significant use, the Department of Treasury is now investigating other possible means of providing a tactile symbol on paper currency. "Feel and Read, See and Read" Christmas and all-occasion cards, with combination braille and print verses, are available from Harry A. Fribush, 400 Hudson Avenue, Apt. 104, Albany, NY 12203. Mr. Fribush, who is deaf-blind, is a long-time member of ACB. ---- Mahoneys Gift House announces that its 1978-79 braille gift catalog is now available. The catalog lists over 200 items for Christmas, all-occasion, and your own personal use. Send $1 to Mahoneys Gift House, 1285 Carriage Way, N., East Lansing, MI 48823. From NBA BULLETIN (National Braille Association): According to latest figures reported by the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness, 490,200 persons in the United States including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, are legally blind. The total estimated number of people with some degree of visual impairment in one or both eyes is 14,911,000. Pre-school children account for 582,000 cases, and 12,641,000 school children suffer some degree of impairment. The estimated number of adults over age 35 with glaucoma is 1,813,000. "Hey! What's Cooking?," by Franzska Naughton and Sharon Sacks, is reviewed in The Fountainhead, publication of the Association for Educators of the Visually Handicapped. This 13-page mimeographed pamphlet provides an immense number of suggestions for making the kitchen an interesting and educational environment for visually impaired children. Brief but practical, the authors appeal to the imagination of parents, while breaking the stereotype of limiting the child to "safe" experiences. The booklet is available from South Metropolitan Association for Low Incidence Handicapped, 250 W. Sibley Blvd., Dolton P.O., Harvey, IL 60426. From JOURNAL OF VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AND BLINDNESS: The Project on the Handicapped in Science of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is developing a directory of scientists with handicapping conditions, which will be distributed to public agencies, handicapped scientists, and consumer organizations, in order to facilitate communication among them. At the present time, the AAAS has names of over 500 disabled scientists who have been serving as a resource group to the Association. AAAS is interested in increasing this number so that the directory will include as many handicapped scientists as possible. All handicapped scientists and graduate students in science not currently included in the resource group are urged to participate by contacting Martha Ross Redden, Director, Project on the Handicapped in Science, Office of Opportunities in Science, AAAS, 1776 Massachusetts Avenue, N. W., Washington, DC 20036. ***** ** ACB Officers and Directors * President: Oral O. Miller, 3701 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 220, Washington, DC 20008 * First Vice President: Delbert K. Aman, 115 Fifth Avenue, S.E., Aberdeen, SD 57401 * Second Vice President: Robert T. McLean, 2139 Joseph Street, New Orleans, LA 70115 * Secretary: M. Helen Vargo, 833 Oakley Street, Topeka, KS 66606 * Treasurer: James R. Olsen, 6211 Sheridan Avenue, S., Minneapolis, MN 55423 Billie P. Elder, 5317 W. 29th Street, Little Rock, AR 72204 George Fogarty, 5565 Florence Terrace, Oakland, CA 94611 Christopher Gray, 5525 11th Avenue, N.E., Seattle, WA 98506 Grant M. Mack, 139 E. South Temple, Suite 5000, Salt Lake City, UT 84111 Carl McCoy, 925 E. Magnolia Drive, Apt. D7, Tallahassee, FL 32301 Wallace Menning, 1888 Juneau Street, S., Salem, OR 97302 LeRoy Saunders, 501 N. Douglas Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73106 Otis H. Stephens, 2021 Kemper Lane, Knoxville, TN 37920 Floyd Qualls, Immediate Past President, 111 N.W. 25, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 ###