The Braille Forum Vol. XVIII August, 1979 No. 2 Published Monthly by the American Council of the Blind Mary T. Ballard, Editor * President: Oral O. Miller 3701 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Suite 236 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 Contributing Editors Notice to Subscribers Report by the ACB President, Oral O. Miller Supplemental Security Income Amendments of 1979, by U.S. Senator Donald W. Riegle, Jr. Hearing on Civil Rights Legislation Equal Opportunity for the Handicapped, by Clarence Mitchell Disability Insurance Amendments New Rules on Airline Accessibility, by Ellen Weber and Wendy Kloner Ski for Light -- It's Michigan in '80 ACB Resolutions, 1979 Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon ACB Officers and Directors ***** ** Contributing Editors George Card, 605 S. Few Street, Madison, WI 53703 Elizabeth Lennon, 1315 Greenwood Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Reese H. Robrahn, 7809 Bristow Drive, Annandale, VA 22003 ***** ** 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. As a bimonthly supplement, the flexible disc edition also includes ALL-O-GRAMS, newsletter of the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America. 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 Editor Mary T. Ballard at the above address. Those much-needed and appreciated cash contributions may be sent to James R. Olsen, Treasurer, c/o 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 the American Council of the Blind in his or her Last Will and Testament may do so by including in the Will a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, you or your attorney may wish to contact the ACB National Office. ***** ** Report by the ACB President, Oral O. Miller The 1979 American Council of the Blind national convention, held recently in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was a rousing success! For example, a frequently heard complaint, which was really a compliment, about the Section 504 Workshop was that two full days rather than one should have been devoted to it. Another frequently heard complimentary complaint was that the programs of several of the special-interest affiliates were so interesting that it was very difficult to decide which to attend. The number of people left standing with unasked questions at the conclusion of several of the major presentations during the general convention was indicative of the tremendous interest which those presentations generated. Some of those presentations, such as the panel dealing with sheltered workshops and minimum wages, resulted in the adoption of carefully considered, yet hard-hitting resolutions which, we believe, will cause more than a few eyebrows to be raised by the people who are in a position to help solve the problems faced by workshop employees and workshop operators. In short, we wish that each of the readers of The Braille Forum could have been in Grand Rapids. One of the actions taken by the ACB Board of Directors following the recent national convention was the establishment of a selected committee, under the chairmanship of Dr. Robert McLean of New Orleans, to explore and make specific recommendations in the near future concerning the computerization of many of ACB's records. It is hoped that, as a short-term benefit, such a system would improve the mailing of materials to our members and other friends of the ACB, and that eventually the system could be used to provide useful services to our affiliates and members directly (such as by aiding with research, retrieving other useful information, etc.) One point which was brought out by the recent national convention panel dealing with the mainstreaming of blind children in public schools was that in too many instances the public school teachers simply are not trained or are not otherwise able to provide the specialized information, advice, and instruction needed by blind children. Fortunately, several public school systems are aware of this problem, and one such system, serving Fairfax County, Virginia, recently turned to the American Council of the Blind for advice and assistance. Fairfax County is a large and relatively wealthy county in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The first request came late in 1978, when I as a blind attorney and the President of the American Council of the Blind, was asked to speak to several groups of vocational teachers and counselors concerning vocational advice which they should give to their blind students. Soon thereafter, the school system asked for our assistance in designing and setting up conferences between blind workers in many different vocations and the school system's blind students, parents, and teachers. During the ensuing conferences, the workers (who included blind secretarial transcribers, lawyers, computer programmers, vendors, teachers, and Government administrative employees) had an opportunity to discuss frankly their jobs, their training, the way they found their jobs, their working techniques, etc. The conferences were very successful, and others are planned for the next school year. It should be pointed out that these conferences, which were conducted on a non-political basis, are further examples of ways in which the American Council of the Blind serves both the blind and the sighted community. It has always been the policy of The Braille Forum not to engage in "name-calling contests" with other organizations of the blind, and that has also been my personal policy since initiating this monthly column in the fall of 1978. However, the truth and my commitment to support the objectives of the American Council of the Blind dictate that at least a few words should be said to set the record straight in response to the scurrilous, untrue, and almost libelous allegations that were made concerning this organization and some of its officers in the June, 1979 issue of The Braille Monitor, published by the National Federation of the Blind. That magazine alleged that there was something devious and secretive about the establishment and operations of American Council of the Blind Enterprises and Services, Inc., but the facts are that the establishment of that corporation was publicized in The Braille Forum as soon as ACBES was incorporated, as was ACB Treasurer James Olsen's connection with ACBES. In addition, ACBES Vice Chairman Grant Mack reported on the operations of ACBES to the ACB membership during the recent national convention. Even the most superficial examination of the organizational structure of the NFB proves that it is not in a position to cast a single stone at anyone else, in view of the various foundations, brotherhoods, and other such captive subsidiaries through which it operates. Furthermore, we challenge any other organization of the blind to give the kind of open, frank, and meaningful financial report which ACB Treasurer Olsen gave to the membership during the recent national convention. The other allegations in The Braille Monitor were either so untrue or deliberately distorted as to merit no response other than to point out that they were obviously intended to serve as a smoke screen to draw the attention of the members of the National Federation of the Blind away from the fact that it has serious internal and organizational problems which have to date resulted in the loss of thousands of members within the past few years, and even the past few months. Several months ago, I asked to receive letters or tapes from blind people who feel they have been discriminated against by insurance companies. To date I have received many responses, including an excellent tape from a radio reading service. However, I would like to receive a few more responses before communicating further with the large insurance company which has expressed interest in the problem. Accordingly, if you have not communicated with me already, please do so at your earliest convenience so our reply to the insurance company will have maximum impact. ***** ** Supplemental Security Income Amendments of 1979 By United States Senator Donald W. Riegle, Jr. (D., MI) When the Supplemental Security Income program was separated from the Nixon Administration's Family Assistance plan and enacted in 1972, it was correctly perceived by those who opposed it to represent a radical change in this nation's approach to income security. With this enactment, the Congress had guaranteed a nationally mandated support level below which selected groups of Americans would not be allowed to fall. Possibly, it was the very accuracy of that perception that a guaranteed income for the aged, blind, and disabled was so different from anything attempted before that explains the reluctance of its supporters in the Congress to go as far as they might have in designing the program. Whatever the reason for refusing to provide more generous benefits and more flexible eligibility standards at the beginning, it is clear now that the SSI program administered under existing law is inadequate. On June 25, 1979, I introduced S. 1402, the Supplemental Security Income Amendments of 1979. The purpose of my bill was twofold. First, I wanted to raise the benefit level of assistance which, although indexed to compensate for inflation is clearly inadequate. Secondly, current law contains strong work disincentives and even stronger incentives to institutionalize the disabled, that I wanted to remove. The provisions of S. 1402 outlined below represent my effort to address those dual concerns. * SSI Benefit Levels Even before the SSI program became effective on January l, 1974, the allotted benefit amounts were set below the poverty level. Despite subsequent legislation increasing benefits for SSI recipients, the gap still has not been closed. Since SSI payments and the poverty level are both adjusted according to changes in the Consumer Price Index, SSI payments cannot be expected to increase relative to the poverty level unless the basic Federal payment is raised. At the beginning of this year, the Census Bureau determined that an individual is living in poverty if his or her income falls below $3,130 per year. For a couple, the poverty-level income level is $3,940. By comparison, the SSI benefit levels stand at $2,273 and $3,409, respectively. Thus, the SSI program guarantees an income to the elderly, blind, and disabled that is 75% of the poverty level for individuals and 85% of the poverty level for couples. Clearly, these are inadequate benefits for our most disadvantaged citizens. Current benefit levels, paid at monthly rates of $189.40 for an individual and $283.10 for a couple, indicate the difficulty that recipients have in maintaining even a meager standard of living. One out of every seven people over 65 years of age lives in poverty; many more do not have incomes that are sufficient to provide a decent standard of living. The situation is even more critical for the blind and disabled. One out of every two blind persons and one out of every five disabled persons live in poverty. My bill raises the Federal SSI payment to $333.30 per month for an individual, for an annual minimum income of $4,000.00, and $458.30 per month for a couple, for an income level of $5,500.00 per year. This higher benefit level guarantees adequate incomes to these disadvantaged Americans and assures them of a future in which they can manage their financial affairs with dignity. * Increases Resource Limits Under present law, the value of resources on which a recipient may draw has been kept at such low levels that recipients have no cushion in the event of emergency expenditures. Although a home and the land surrounding it, an automobile valued at $1,200.00, and personal effects of up to $1,500.00 are excluded from the assets limit, an SSI recipient may not have other resources that total more than $1,500.00 for an individual and $2,200.00 for a couple. S. 1402 contains three provisions that are designed to make the resources test for eligibility fairer, easier to compute, and more realistic in light of present economic conditions. First, it standardizes excludable resources in a manner consistent with similar exclusions in the current food stamp law. Because the SSI and food stamp programs are both Federal assistance programs aimed at similar income groups, there is no apparent reason why both should not apply the same standardized system for resource limits and exclusions. Secondly, the bill changes current SSI law by raising the value limit for an automobile to $4,500.00, increasing the value limit of included resources to $2,000.00 for an individual and $2,450.00 for a couple. Finally, it indexes the resource limit to the Consumer Price Index. These are far more realistic provisions than present law provides. * Encourages Less Institutionalization Currently, an SSI recipient who lives with friends or relatives and receives free or reduced rent has his or her SSI benefit reduced by one-third. I believe that this provision of the law acts as a disincentive to families to care for an elderly or disabled relative in their own home. It also restricts the ability of the SSI recipient to share in his or her support by making a meaningful contribution to household expenses. As a result, this provision of the law can contribute to unnecessary or premature institutionalization of elderly and disabled persons who need assistance, but who do not require medical supervision. My bill eliminates the provision in present law which reduces SSI benefits by one-third when an individual receives in-kind shelter support from family or friends. Additionally, under present law, when an SSI recipient enters a nursing home or a hospital, his or her monthly benefit is reduced to $25.00 after the first month in care. The reduced amount is intended to be used for personal expenses not ordinarily provided by health-care facilities. My bill eliminates this reduction in benefits until the SSI recipient has been institutionalized for a full three-month period. This change will permit a person who is institutionalized for a relatively short time to continue to pay rent on an apartment or to re-establish himself in the community once he has recovered sufficiently to be discharged. I believe that this three-month extension is long overdue and represents a much-needed change in the way the present law operates. As the law is written today, many persons must remain institutionalized because they cannot afford to leave. My bill also raises the personal needs allowance payable to the recipient after he or she has been institutionalized for more than three months. The level of allowance is increased from $25.00 per month to $50.00 per month. The present $25.00 allowance has not been raised since 1973-although other SSI benefits are pegged to annual increases in the Consumer Price Index. In addition, my bill extends the principle of an annual cost-of-living increase to the personal needs allowance. * Presumptive Eligibility Further, my bill broadens the concept of presumptive eligibility to include all SSI applicants and increases the emergency payment made on the basis of presumptive eligibility from $100.00 to the full SSI payment. This provision allows decisions to be made immediately by the interviewer based on the evidence submitted and, if necessary, observations of the applicant's physical condition at the time of application. Under present law, the Social Security Administration can start full benefit payments on this basis to an applicant who alleges that he is disabled, even before the process of determining eligibility is completed. I believe that all SSI recipients deserve the same respect and treatment. * Work Incentives for the Disabled S. 1402 also strengthens work incentives for disabled SSI recipients and applicants by incorporating provisions based on legislation introduced in the House of Representatives by William Brodhead, and which passed the House on June 6, 1979. There are disabled individuals who, despite their handicaps, desire to work and to reduce their dependence on the SSI program. However, under present law, there are substantial disincentives for disabled recipients to seek and maintain employment. To qualify for SSI benefits on the basis of disability, an individual must be unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity (SGA) by reason of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment. In prescribing the criteria for substantial gainful activity, the Secretary of HEW has set the level of earnings for determining SGA at $280.00 per month. The effect of this SGA test is to place a more burdensome earnings limitation on disabled recipients than that imposed on the aged and the blind. For the disabled, the SGA earnings limitation is lower than the point at which SSI benefits would normally phase out as a result of earned income. Rather than gradually receiving reduced benefits as earnings increase, as is the case for the aged and the blind, the disabled individual loses all benefits when his earnings exceed $280.00 a month. For example, a disabled individual who now earns more than $280.00 a month faces the loss of up to $1,200.00 in yearly SSI benefits, plus the loss of any state supplementation. In addition, he or she may lose social services assistance and, perhaps more importantly, Medicaid coverage. Faced with this abrupt loss of income assistance, health care, and other services, disabled citizens with employment potential are discouraged from seeking and accepting employment. Even those who have a strong desire to work and to contribute to their livelihood face this benefits cliff and dare not risk complete loss of all income and supportive services. Consequently, my bill adopts the central provision of the Brodhead bill, which eliminates this cliff by adjusting the SGA test to the point at which earnings would normally reduce SSI benefits to zero. In determining SGA, it also permits the disregard of the first $65.00 of monthly earnings, any impairment related work expenses that are necessary for the individual to remain employed, and 50% of any remaining earnings. * Time to Act Finally, we must not allow the pressing problems of energy and the economy to divert our attention from fulfilling the promise of those programs that express our national sensitivity and generosity. I believe that S. 1402 provides an opportunity for the Congress to modify the SSI program in a way that assures an adequate income for all aged, blind, and disabled Americans. It is unconscionable that a country as affluent as our permits so many of its older and disabled citizens to live in poverty. Enactment of S. 1402 would amount to a restatement of the most splendid goal that this nation has ever set for itself ***** ** Hearings on Civil Rights Legislation Hearings were held on June 20 and 21 in Washington, D.C., on S. 446, the Equal Employment Opportunities for the Handicapped Act of 1979. This legislation would amend Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include the handicapped. Title VII is that provision which prohibits discrimination in employment. The hearings were conducted by the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Senator Harrison Williams, chairman of the committee, is also a chief sponsor of S. 446. Testimony was heard from a variety of witnesses, including representatives from Government, handicapped consumer organizations, and private industry. The American Council of the Blind was represented by Durward K. McDaniel, National Representative, and Charles Hodge, President, Old Dominion American Council of the Blind. They were joined on a panel by Clarence Mitchell, representing the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, William T. Snyder of the Affiliated Leadership League, and Donna Veno-Eggert, testifying on behalf of Reese H. Robrahn, who could not be present. One of the more rousing statements during the two-day hearings was made by Harold Russell, Chairman of the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped. Senator Williams was so impressed by Mr. Russell's testimony that he indicated a desire to use the statement when he opens debate on the floor of the Senate. A panel of representatives from the National Association of Manufacturers presented some surprisingly supportive testimony. While they did suggest some unsatisfactory amendments to S. 446, for the most part their statement was very positive. One of the issues most frequently raised in questioning by Senator Williams was the cost involved in reasonable accommodation. Every witness who was asked agreed that such costs would not be that great and much of the necessary accommodation would, in reality, cost nothing. Even the National Association of Manufacturers testified that, for the most part, the necessary modifications would be "not really that expensive." The representative of the Manufacturers said: "One thing American industry has decided is that we do not want two classes of employees." By the end of the second day of hearings, it was clear that Senator Williams was "feeling better" about many of the doubts he had earlier expressed concerning the definition of handicap, the cost of modifications, and enforcement procedures. Darryl Anderson, the committee staff person who has been working very hard on this legislation, reports that further hearings should not be necessary. It is hoped that this very important bill will be reported out of the full committee soon and will reach the floor of the Senate for a vote sometime after the August recess. While proponents are optimistic about S. 446's chances of success, readers are encouraged to write their Senators urging support of this monumental civil rights legislation for the handicapped. ***** ** Equal Opportunity for the Handicapped By Clarence Mitchell (Reprinted from The Baltimore Sun, Sunday, July 1, 1979) When the U.S. Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources began hearings on S. 446, a bill amending the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, Senators Harrison Williams (D., N.J.), Chairman, and Jacob Javits (R., N.Y.), the ranking minority member, were in their usual places, giving courteous and respectful attention to what witnesses had to say. Marvin Caplan, veteran staff director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, was at his usual watchful best. But at the witness table, in place of people like Roy Wilkins, Dr. Martin Luther King and Vernon Jordan, a different group of advocates urged approval of the bill. S. 446 would give the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission authority to tackle discrimination against the handicapped. Those speaking for passage of the bill included Durward K. McDaniel, National Representative, American Council for (sic) the Blind, William T. Snyder, Executive Director, Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America, and Dr. Frank G. Bowe, Director, American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities. Hearings on S. 446 point up the expanding dimensions of concern for protection of civil rights. We have usually believed that discrimination was largely the problem of blacks, the Spanish-speaking, and a few religious groups. In 1964, when Congress was debating Title VII that set up the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Representative Howard Smith (D., Va.) tried to kill it by adding an amendment to prohibit discrimination based on sex. The Smith amendment turned out to be an asset because it won new supporters for equal employment. Last year, in the same manner that they are now seeking to help the handicapped, Senators Williams and Javits led the successful effort to protect Title VII coverage of women who were being discriminated against because of pregnancy. Under reorganization legislation, also approved last year, the EEOC must help protect the rights of the aged in employment. This means that we must consider giving this agency more funds and staff if it is to perform its new duties satisfactorily. There are some who see the additions as diluting the effectiveness of the EEOC and weakening the efforts to reduce job discrimination based on race. This is specious reasoning, because each time the jurisdiction of EEOC has expanded, new and vigorous champions have joined the fight for fair play at the hiring office. An outstanding example of a new advocate in Washington is Reese Robrahn, formerly a judge in Kansas. He is blind, but this does not prevent him from regularly attending meetings of the Executive Board of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. Judge Robrahn's main interest is the handicapped, but he gives good counsel and faithful service on racial and religious problems, too. He could not attend the hearings on S. 446, but his testimony was eloquently presented by a totally blind young woman who used braille. ... Construction of buildings without suitable access or other facilities for orthopedically handicapped individuals, failure to provide translators for the deaf at many public meetings, and the absence of materials useful to the blind all are evidence of how far we must go if there is to be equal opportunity for the handicapped. ***** ** Disability Insurance Amendments H.R. 3236, the Disability Insurance Amendments, have been the subject of much activity in Washington and elsewhere in recent weeks. The legislation, which would be extremely detrimental to prospective disabled beneficiaries was unanimously approved by the House Ways and Means Committee. Representative J.J. Pickle billed H.R. 3236 as minor amendments serving only to help reform the system and act as an incentive for disabled persons to go to work. However, groups representing the disabled and the elderly did not agree. Efforts to defeat the legislation were spearheaded by the Save Our Security coalition, of which the American Council of the Blind is a member. Wilbur Cohen, Chairman of the SOS coalition, was a speaker at the ACB national convention, and in support of his remarks concerning H.R. 3236, ACB members unanimously approved a resolution urging defeat of the bill. This resolution was circulated to every member of the House of Representatives by the ACB National Office. The SOS coalition sponsored an ad in the Washington Post on July 13 calling for defeat of H.R. 3236. The bill was scheduled to be considered by the House of Representatives on that day, but was pulled from the calendar as it had been several times before. Each delay gave more time to opponents of the legislation to contact their Representatives and educate them about the adverse impact of the bill. As we go to press, the amendments still have not been acted upon. Representative Shirley Chisholm agreed to read the following statement on the floor of the House during debate. The statement was prepared jointly by the American Council of the Blind and the American Foundation for the Blind to address the particularly negative effects of this bill upon blind persons. "While H.R. 3236 contains some positive provisions, Sections 2 and 3 of this bill are so detrimental to disabled Americans that the legislation must be defeated. Section 2 places a cap on the family benefit level, and Section 3 reduces the number of dropout years for disabled beneficiaries under the age of 47. The effect of these provisions would be to reduce cash benefits for individuals and families who would qualify after January 1, 1980. Clearly, both of these provisions would work the greatest hardship on younger disabled persons. "While this negative effect would apply to all disabilities, the impact upon the blind is particularly startling. According to Social Security Administration statistics, one-third of the total 2.8 million disabled beneficiaries are under the age of 50. Yet within this total, among the 115,940 blind beneficiaries, fully 71% are under 50 years of age. Thus, the detrimental impact upon the blind would be more than twice as great as upon disabled persons generally. "Further SSA statistics indicate that the hardship will also fall more heavily upon minority groups in many instances. For example, of all blind beneficiaries in South Carolina, 44.8% are black. In Louisiana, 43.3% of the blind recipients are black. Even in Representative Pickle's own state of Texas, the percentage of black beneficiaries is a disproportionately high 21.4%. It is not likely that these percentages will change as prospective beneficiaries are added to the rolls. "Another group hit especially hard by these amendments is the Vietnam Era veterans, who are also in this younger age bracket. "The stated rationale for cutting disability benefits is that such action will somehow prove to be an incentive for getting disabled persons to work. This reasoning becomes a cruel fallacy when one recognizes that the impact will be most severe upon minorities, Vietnam Era veterans, and other groups whose difficulty securing employment even without a severe disability other is groups well known. These 'minor' amendments to 'improve' the system will only serve to make life more difficult for disabled Americans." ***** ** New Rules on Airline Accessibility By Ellen Weber and Wendy Kloner Institute for Public Representation Air travel can be a frustrating and humiliating experience for disabled persons. Air carriers have a legal duty to make flights accessible to the handicapped, but many presently enforce discriminatory and confusing rules which actually exclude them. Inadequate equipment and a lack of understanding about a disabled traveler's needs also result in inappropriate services. A coalition of national handicap advocacy groups, such as Paralyzed Veterans of America, Disability Rights Center and American Council of the Blind, and the Institute for Public Representation, a public interest law firm, has challenged illegal air carrier practices for several years and has urged the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to implement regulations requiring uniform and non-discriminatory airline policies. The CAB has finally assumed responsibility to write regulations under Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and Section 404 of the Federal Aviation Act. We need your help to make these regulations fair and effective. On June 6, the CAB issued proposed rules which establish guidelines for non-discriminatory airline services. The rules cover such services as reservations, baggage stowage, boarding assistance, in-flight services, and seating arrangements. The rules do not require air carriers to make structural changes in their crafts at this time. The CAB is, however, interested in information about low-cost structural changes, such as making arm rests removable and re-designing the aisle chair. The CAB regulations propose the following specific guidelines: 1. Air carriers may refuse service to a traveler who needs extensive additional service or special equipment (e.g., carrier-provided wheelchairs, oxygen for on-board use, mechanical boarding lifts), if the person has not given the airline advance notification (which cannot exceed 48 hours). 2. Carriers must transport disabled individuals unless they have a substantial, verifiable reason for refusing service. A person who has a contagious disease, is drunk, has a serious illness that may require immediate treatment, has a condition that results in disruptive behavior or endangers flight safety, may be denied service. If carriers have a legitimate doubt about a person's ability to fly, they can require a recent medical certificate providing fitness for flight. 3. Disabled persons are permitted to travel without an attendant unless they require extensive in-flight assistance (e.g., nursing, feeding, or help inside the lavatory) or need substantial assistance to deplane in an emergency. The blind, deaf, and those non-ambulatory persons who are able to exit using their need not travel with an attendant. 4. Airlines are not permitted to limit the number of handicapped persons they board per flight, contrary to current practices. 5. Blind persons may travel with their dog guides onboard, and may carry personal white canes, walking canes, or crutches while in flight. Persons are not permitted to carry this equipment at their seats during take-off and landing. 6. Air carriers must stow battery-operated wheelchairs in the cargo compartment because the battery may leak corrosive liquid. Collapsible, manual wheelchairs must be stored in the cabin compartment, subject to safety regulations. Persons are not permitted, however, to use personal wheelchairs during the flight; they must use carrier-provided aisle chairs. 7. Carriers may establish seating policies necessary to ensure safety and accommodate the passenger (e.g., prohibit placement of disabled persons in aisle and window seats and near window exits). All seating arrangements must be related to an individual's actual physical ability, not technical status, and must be applied in a non-discriminatory manner. 8. Carriers must provide life-support systems (oxygen) and personnel and equipment to assist the disabled in boarding, moving to (but not using) restrooms, deplaning, handling baggage, and making flight connections. Handicapped persons may be charged for additional services they request, as long as the non-handicapped pay for similar services, e.g., escort service. 9. Air carriers cannot waive liability for personal injuries or equipment damage resulting from their negligent treatment. Carriers can impose special liability waivers in three situations. First, persons required to travel with an attendant may travel unaccompanied, if they waive the airline's liability for all injuries. Second, persons having handicaps that present extraordinary risks in traveling (e.g., bone cancer causing brittle bones) must waive liability. Finally, the carriers are not liable for injuries and damage that result despite the carrier's reasonable care. A detailed analysis of the proposed rules, prepared by the staff of the Institute for Public Representation, is available in ink-print or on cassette and may be obtained by writing The Braille Forum, 190 Lattimore Road, Rochester, NY 14620. If you would like a copy of the proposed rules, published in the June 6, 1979 Federal Register (44 F. R. 32401), write Mary Candace Fowler, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Civil Aeronautics Board, Washington, DC 20428. It is crucial that disabled persons express their opinions on the proposed regulations and describe their personal experiences with airlines. The CAB is anxious to hear your views and has, in the past, been very responsive to consumer input. Please comment as soon as possible upon these proposed regulations, based upon the questionnaire which follows, even if you have never flown. Address correspondence to: Docket Section, Civil Aeronautics Board, 1825 Connecticut Avenue, N. W., Washington, DC 20428. Comments are due by September 4. However, the reply comment period is until September 24. Therefore, comments must reach the CAB prior to September 24. 1. What is the nature of your disability? 2. How frequently do you fly? 3. Which airlines do you usually fly, and on what kinds of planes? 4. If you have never flown, has anything in particular discouraged you from flying? 5. Have you ever been denied a seat on a plane because of your disability or been "bumped" from a flight after purchasing a ticket? 6. Do you fly alone or with an attendant? 7. Do you think you could deplane by yourself in an emergency? 8. Do you think you should be required to have a medical certificate to prove your fitness for flying? Why 9. Where on the plane do you prefer to sit? Why? 10. Should disabled persons be required to sit in specific seats that are designated by the carrier? Why? 11. For persons who use dog guides, how much space does your dog need for safe travel, and could it fit under normal seats? 12. What special services or assistance would/do you need to fly? 13. For what services, if any, do you think you should give advance notification to the airline? 14. Would you be willing to pay additional charges for these services? 15. Please describe any problems you have experienced in the following areas: (a) making reservations and arranging necessary assistance; (b) boarding and de-boarding the plane; (c) receiving in-flight services such as help with meals, moving to the restrooms, retrieving canes and crutches; (d) retrieving baggage and personal equipment such as wheelchairs. 16. What changes should be made in each of the above areas to better serve your needs? 17. What structural modifications of the air-carrier cabin or equipment should be made to serve your needs? ***** ** Ski for Light -- It's Michigan in '80 The sixth international Ski for Light program of cross-country skiing for visually impaired and physically handicapped people will be held in Traverse City, Michigan, February 17-24, according to Ski for Light President Bjarne Eikevik. Rated very high in terms of lodging, ski trails, and potential community involvement, Traverse City was selected from among seven possible sites for the 1980 event. More than 100 disabled skiers from the United States, Canada, and Norway will participate, the majority of whom will be on skis for the first time. Participants and guides will be housed at the Park Place Motor Inn, with skiing to take place at nearby historic Ranch Rudolf. Traverse City is in prime Michigan vacation country, and the expertly groomed trails at Ranch Rudolph are highly regarded by cross-country skiing enthusiasts. George Wurtzel, a visually impaired skier and resident of Traverse City, has been appointed chairman of the 1980 Ski for Light International Week. He participated in the 1979 event at Squaw Valley, California, where he was seen on the ski trails wearing a large cowboy hat. Men and women 18 years and older are encouraged to apply (the oldest participant in the 1979 event was a 67-year-old grandmother). Application forms may be requested from Ms. Grethe Twiford, Screening Coordinator, Ski for Light, Inc., 2305 White Tail Court, Reston, VA 22091. Deadline is November 1, 1979, but because of heavy interest and limited space, early applications are encouraged. Cost for lodging, meals, and trail use for the week will be $200.00 for first-time participants, $230.00 for repeaters. Ski for Light, Inc., stresses that the program has something to offer both competitive skiers new to the sport and those who are primarily interested in cross-country skiing as recreation. Ski for Light is a one-to-one program, with each participant having an experienced, sighted guide to serve as instructor/guide and who skis in a parallel track, advising his skiing partner about the track and terrain and helping to improve technique. In announcing the 1980 program, Mr. Eikevik pointed out that the training received during Ski for Light Week enables participants to continue to enjoy the sport after they return to their home communities. ***** ** ACB Resolutions, 1979 Editor's Note: A detailed report of the program and business meeting of the 1979 annual convention of the American Council of the Blind will be included in the September issue of The Braille Forum. A highlight of Convention Week of which ACB is particularly proud, however, was the presentation on July 4 at the Awards and Charter Gala of charters to five new affiliates: Pennsylvania Council of the Blind, American Council of the Blind of Ohio, Concilio de Ciegos de Puerto Rico, American Council of the Blind Parents, and World Council of Blind Lions. This brought to 56 the number of affiliates certified to vote at this year's convention. A major portion of the business meeting was devoted to the 24 resolutions considered and acted upon by the membership. These resolutions, which reflect ACB concerns and policies in the months ahead, are here reprinted in full. * Resolution 79-00 WHEREAS, H.R. 3236 would place a regressive ceiling on the total family benefits of future disabled beneficiaries; and WHEREAS, this legislation would change the dropout years formula, to the detriment of disabled beneficiaries, especially those who become disabled before age 47; and WHEREAS, we recognize that H.R. 3236 is only the first step in an announced plan to reduce benefits for other categories of Social Security beneficiaries; and WHEREAS a coalition of more than one hundred organizations, including the American Council of the Blind, has been formed to oppose the reactionary and regressive provisions of H.R. 3236; and WHEREAS, this organization appreciates the substantial assistance being given through this coalition by organizations of older persons, labor, women, minorities, and others, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled on this 7th day of July, 1979, at Grand Rapids, Michigan, that this organization actively participate in the collective effort to defeat H.R. 3236 and other detrimental legislation affecting other classes of Social Security beneficiaries; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this organization petition the House of Representatives to defeat H.R. 3236, and that Council members be urged to petition their representatives accordingly. * Resolution 79-04 BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at the Pantlind Hotel, this 7th day of July, 1979, that its officers, staff, and members take all possible steps to implement the 1979 and previous resolutions. * Resolution 79-05 WHEREAS totally blind and visually impaired persons of the community use public transit systems regularly; and WHEREAS, such blind and visually impaired persons are unable to quickly and effectively recognize the destination of each particular vehicle they desire to use; and WHEREAS, this disability places such persons in an unequal position with sighted persons of the community; and WHEREAS the United States Department of Transportation, in its recently issued regulations implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, mandates equal access to public transportation systems by people with disabilities, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 7th day of July, 1979, that a letter be sent to the Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation urging that all transit systems, whether publicly or privately owned, provide the transit vehicle with public address equipment situated inside and outside of the vehicle, so that the operator can audibly inform passengers of their present location and inform those desiring to board the vehicle of its identity. * Resolution 79-06 WHEREAS, we in the American Council of the Blind recognize that the purpose and intent behind the enactment of the subminimum wage provisions of Section 14c of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, is to both further employment opportunities for handicapped workers and to curtail loss of such employment opportunities for such workers; and WHEREAS, this, in its present form, may be subject to abuse in some cases, BE IT RESOLVED, by the national convention of the American Council of the Blind, assembled at Grand Rapids, Michigan, on this 7th day of July, 1979, that we in the American Council of the Blind believe that the status quo regarding the payment of subminimum wages to handicapped workshop workers can no longer be tolerated; and, further, that we urge the Congress and responsible officials in the United States Department of Labor to achieve the following changes in the current statutory scheme and regulations governing payment of subminimum wages to handicapped workers: 1. The current practice of permitting blanket subminimum certificates to be granted to sheltered workshops for the handicapped should be abolished and, as is the practice for private employers, workshops should have to carry the burden of proof of showing the necessity for only individual subminimum certificates. Thus, only individual subminimum certificates for specific handicapped workers should be granted, and then only upon a clear showing by any employer that the handicapped worker is not sufficiently productive to be retained absent the requested subminimum certificate. 2.The base floor for the remaining individual subminimum certificates should be raised from the currently authorized floor of fifty per cent (50%) of the Federal minimum wage to at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the Federal minimum wage, thus guaranteeing handicapped workers at least a subsistence level of income. This resolution is not in any way addressed to the issue of workers in work activity centers, and this resolution only applies to handicapped workers employed throughout regular industry and in the ordinary production program of sheltered workshops for the handicapped. * Resolution 79-07 WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii's quarantine regulations, as they are applied to guide dogs, appear to be a violation of the interstate commerce clause of the Constitution and deny the guide dog user his constitutionally guaranteed right of free and unrestricted travel between and among the states, commonwealths, and territorial possessions of the United States; and WHEREAS, these quarantine regulations as they are applied to guide dogs are of highly dubious medical and scientific value, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 7th day of July, 1979 that this organization (1) places itself on record as opposing the quarantine regulations of the State of Hawaii as they are applied to guide dogs, and any other restrictions on the guide dog user's constitutionally guaranteed right of free and unrestricted travel between and among the states, commonwealths and territorial possessions of the United States; (2) fully supports Guide Dog Users, Inc. in its attempt to negotiate with the State of Hawaii in order to have adopted in the State of Hawaii acceptable regulations with respect to guide dogs entering the State from the mainland; and (3) supports Guide Dog Users, Inc., or any other responsible organization and/or individual who initiates or participates in litigation against the State of Hawaii in order to obtain legal redress on this issue. * Resolution 79-08 WHEREAS, the purpose of The Braille Forum is to promote and publicize the goals and objectives of the American Council of the Blind; and WHEREAS, one of these goals and objectives is the elimination of discrimination based on disability and/or use of a guide dog; and WHEREAS, the publicizing of any goods or services which either directly or indirectly discriminate based on disability and/or use of a guide dog is contrary to the goals and these objectives, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled at the Pantlind Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 7th day of July, 1979, that the Editor of The Braille Forum, as well as the ACB Board of Publications, be directed to carefully screen all requests for publicizing goods or services, to be certain prior to publication that the providers do not discriminate based on disability or use of a guide dog. * Resolution 79-09 WHEREAS, one of the major purposes of the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America (ALL) is to serve the needs of blind and visually handicapped individuals; and WHEREAS, one of these needs is the right to make an informed choice of mobility aids; and WHEREAS, the information and attitudes conveyed by agency personnel play a major role in this choice, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled at the Pantlind Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 7th day of July, 1979, that this organization calls upon the Affiliated Leadership League to issue a policy statement (1) endorsing the guide dog as an equally acceptable means of mobility to any other mobility aids; (2) calling upon member agencies to encourage their clients to fully explore all mobility aids, including guide dogs; and (3) calling upon member agencies to eliminate any restrictions on the use of guide dogs within their facilities. * Resolution 79-10 WHEREAS, an organization, to stay alive and viable, must always recruit new members; and WHEREAS, many people want to study an organization before they join, and WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind has benefitted blind people across the nation and is a group in which its members can take pride, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled at Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 7th day of July, 1979, that ACB shall publish a pamphlet detailing the past history of the Council since its founding, what it has done in the past, what its goals are, and its basic philosophy; and that this publication shall be made available in at least two formats, i.e., flexible disc and large-type, and that it be made available to interested persons by the president of each state affiliate, or his or her duly authorized representative, or, in the absence of a state affiliate, by the ACB National Office. * Resolution 79-11 WHEREAS, computers are taking a continually increasing role in the lives of citizens of this country; and WHEREAS, there are many computers which can give us current news, magazine article references, and other materials in braille; and WHEREAS, as technology improves in the next year, this information will be available in the spoken word; and WHEREAS, the use of computers could help the American Council of the Blind and its affiliates in the following ways: (1) blind lawyers could receive complete cases available in braille from the United States Supreme Court and many state courts; (2) state and Federal employees could be provided copies of administrative codes, rules, and regulations; (3) blind teachers could, at this very moment, receive complete listings from the American Psychological Association and the Council on Exceptional Children; and (4) administrative and financial records of the American Council of the Blind could be kept for easy access and use, including mailing lists; and WHEREAS, much of this could be done in the very near future, under the Rehabilitation Amendments of 1978, which provide for a National Institute of Handicapped Research, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the 7th day of July, 1979, 1. That the ACB President be authorized to appoint an ad hoc task force empowered to explore real and effective possibilities for implementing the above clauses; and 2. That this information be reported to the Board and to the membership of ACB; and 3. That this task force be allowed, with the approval of the ACB Board of Directors, to seek funding for a demonstration project involving as many ACB affiliates as possible. * Resolution 79-13 WHEREAS, fuel shortages are evident throughout the United States; and WHEREAS, there are many blind, other handicapped persons, and senior citizens who are unable to drive, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled at the Pantlind Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 7th day of July, 1979, that this organization request the Congress to issue fuel ration coupons to blind, other handicapped persons, and senior citizens, regardless of whether they possess a vehicle, in order that those persons providing transportation to the above-mentioned groups may be given coupons to supplement the loss of fuel should a ration system be implemented. * Resolution 79-14 WHEREAS, blind and otherwise handicapped individuals have been subjected to longstanding, invidious discrimination in their efforts to obtain adequate housing accommodations, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in annual national convention assembled at Grand Rapids, Michigan, on this 7th day of July, 1979, that the American Council of the Blind actively supports and will urge the passage and enactment of S. 506 and H. R. 2540, which, if enacted, would expand the coverage of prohibited practices under Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act to handicapped individuals by forbidding discrimination on the basis of handicapping condition in the sale or rental of most residential housing accommodations. * Resolution 79-15 WHEREAS, blind and otherwise handicapped individuals have long been subjected to widespread and stereotypical discrimination in the workplace, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in national annual convention assembled at Grand Rapids, Michigan, on this 7th day of July, 1979, that the American Council of the Blind actively supports and will urge the passage and enactment of S. 446, which would add discrimination on the basis of handicapping condition in employment to the prohibited unfair employment practices under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, thereby giving blind and other handicapped individuals for the first time genuine Federal civil rights protection. * Resolution 79-16 WHEREAS, numerous commercial companies have entered into the manufacture and sale of high technology devices for the visually impaired; and WHEREAS, these devices are frequently at a price level far beyond the ability of the average visually impaired consumer to pay; and WHEREAS, we recognize that such pricing practices are necessary in order to assure the manufacturer a fair return on investment, given the small size of the potential market, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled at Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 7th day of July, 1979, that the American Council of the Blind strongly urge manufacturers of such high cost, high technology devices to employ full time staff personnel whose duty shall be to assist visually handicapped persons in identifying and securing financial assistance for the purchase of such devices, such sources to include commercial banks, private foundations, and public agencies. * Resolution 79-18 WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind is concerned about the next appropriation for the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped; and WHEREAS, such appropriation will directly affect regional and subregional libraries concerning equipment, materials, consultative services, etc., THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled at the Pantlind Hotel, Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 7th day of July, 1979, go on record in support of the National Library Service's portion of the Library of Congress's budget, and that copies of this resolution be sent to the chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and to the director of the American Library Association. * Resolution 79-19 WHEREAS, access to computer information has become vital to the performance of routine tasks in business, governmental, scientific, and educational settings; and WHEREAS, blind and visually impaired persons presently tend to be denied the appropriate means to achieve this access, owing to the lack of relevant non-visual systems; and WHEREAS, this group of people has been grossly neglected in terms of reaping the benefits of technology offered their sighted peers; and WHEREAS, Electrically Alterable Graphic Braille Display will, for the first time ever, permit blind and visually impaired people to perform all necessary functions inherent in their utilization of full-page braille and graphic computer (CRT) display; and WHEREAS, this ability will enable them to obtain, retain, or advance in professional positions and in all areas of the world of work, and permit pursuit and attainment of their academic and career development goals, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled at Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 7th day of July, 1979, that the American Council of the Blind is committed to the concept of the Electrically Alterable Graphic Braille Display and will support its continual development with the resource of its membership by consumer input and evaluation. * Resolution 79-20 WHEREAS, Public Law 94-142 requires that each handicapped child be placed in the least restrictive educational environment and be provided with the materials that he/she needs to perform successfully in that environment, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, in convention assembled at Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 7th day of July, 1979, that each partially sighted child be given a complete low-vision examination by a licensed low-vision specialist upon. entering school for the first time, and at least once every three years thereafter; and that he/ she be provided with the visual aids prescribed as a result of those examinations, where they are considered to be important by the low-vision specialist to the student's successful performance in school and/or at school-related tasks carried out in the school environment; and that he/she be given thorough training in the use of these aids so that he/she will be able to use them successfully to accomplish the tasks for which they were prescribed. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be sent to the Director of the Bureau of Education for the Handicapped and to ACB affiliates for presentation to their respective state departments of special education. * Resolution 79-22 BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Council of the Blind, assembled in convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 7th day of July, 1979, urges the manufacturers of low-vision aids to do all that they can to speed up the delivery of aids to prescribers and dispensers of those aids, so that the persons in need of them will not have to wait several weeks, or even several months, before benefiting from them. The American Council of the Blind also urges the manufacturers and distributors of visual aids that may require servicing to provide that servicing as promptly as possible so that persons using the aids will not be deprived of their use for periods of time measured in weeks or months; and, further, urges that agencies who pay for and provide such visual aids adopt administrative procedures to ensure efficient delivery. * Resolution 79-23 WHEREAS, identification of paper money continues to be a problem for the blind; and WHEREAS the Bureau of Printing and Engraving of the United States Department of the Treasury, responsible for the production of paper money, has rejected the idea of initiating tactile identification on paper money because some blind people apparently convinced this agency that such identification was not needed and because the Department of the Treasury has not yet successfully developed a satisfactory method of tactile identification, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind, assembled in convention at the Pantlind Hotel, Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 7th day of July, 1979, that this organization wholeheartedly endorses the concept of some form of tactile identification on paper money; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the ACB officers and National Representative are hereby instructed to take steps as may be necessary, including Congressional action, to bring such identification about. Resolution 79-01, recommending the appointment of Raymond Kempf to the Executive Committee of the National Accreditation Council, was referred to the ACB Board of Directors. Resolution 79-02 urged that seminars and workshops be scheduled either before or after the annual conferences of ACB special-interest organizations and was referred to the Convention Coordinator. Resolution 79-03, instructing the ACB Board never to schedule an ACB national convention over a major national holiday, was defeated. Resolution 79-12 was withdrawn from the floor. Resolution 79-17 directed that a letter of commendation be sent to the National Library Service, Library of Congress, for the part played by its representatives in the national conference held in Washington, D.C., in October, 1978. This was referred to the ACB Library Committee. Resolution 79-21 dealt with large-type labeling of medications and was referred to the Task Force on Barrier Removal, as created by Resolution 78-03. ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon ACB President Oral O. Miller was one of 32 selected participants in a three-day national conference in Nashville, Tennessee, in early May, entitled "The Consumer Speaks: An Evaluation of Physical Education, Recreation, and Sports by People with Special Needs." This conference marks the first time that input has been specifically sought from individuals with sensory and/or physical handicaps about programs and activities in these areas. Mr. Miller commented: "This conference was characterized by the kind of exchange of information between the various handicapped groups that is an essential building block in planning and implementing programs that will make sports and recreational activities more meaningful to the handicapped." Red and Peggy Graham, longtime friends of the American Council of the Blind, have completed 250 appearances in behalf of the handicapped in 31 different states since 1972. Their 1979 schedule calls for appearances in New Zealand, Germany, and Anchorage, Alaska. Paying their own expenses, they book on a first come, first serve basis and give preference to states in which they have not appeared. Red is famous as Archie of old-time radio "Duffy's Tavern" fame. Organizations interested in scheduling an appearance are invited to contact Red Graham's Minuteman Productions, 129 E. State Street, Westport, CT 06880. The Orbit (Hadley School for the Blind) reports what may be a first ever attempt to qualify as a blind mortician. Carol Terre is currently enrolled in the School of Mortuary at Delgado University in Louisiana. Such an undertaking (no pun intended) requires courage and persistence and the cooperation of key persons such as Mr. Lloyd Egan of the Louisiana State Board of Embalmers and Mr. Boy Simmons, Chairman of the Mortuary Science program at Delgado. Carol originally thought of pursuing the vending program, but her interests were in the sciences and the human body. From Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness (American Foundation for the Blind): A second Conference on the Situation of Blind Women is being organized by the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind and the International Federation of the Blind. Theme of the five-day conference, tentatively scheduled for September or October, 1980, is "Blind Women March to Progress." For more information, write World Council for the Welfare of the Blind 58 Avenue Bosquet, 75007 Paris, France. — The first comprehensive guide to audio-visual materials about blindness is now available from the American Foundation for the Blind, 15 W. 16th Street, New York, NY 10011 at a cost of $4.00. The guide includes information on over 150 films, video cassettes, slide presentations, and film strips suitable for presentation to schools, parent groups, universities, etc. The Newsletter of the U.S. Association for Blind Athletes reports that USABA is planning to send a team to the first Winter Olympics for the Blind, to be held in Geilo, Norway, late in January, 1980. The mission will be headed by ACB President Oral Miller. The 51 blind and partially sighted students enrolled at Florida State University in Tallahassee are served by a unique Rehabilitation Training Aids Laboratory, established under an Innovation and Expansion grant from the State of Florida. This is a resource center with a wide range of reading and study aids, from tape recorders (some with speech compression) and Speech Plus calculators to closed-circuit television reading systems, Optacons, and braille writers. The grant was awarded to the Florida Council of the Blind and was developed in conjunction with the Division of Blind Services and the Tallahassee Lions Clubs. Media Projects for the Blind announces a favorable response to its survey to determine interest and support for publication of a poetry magazine in braille on a subscription basis. The first issue of Hands has now been printed, and sample copies are available at a cost of $1.50. Included are a section for contributing poets which offers blind persons an opportunity to share their work with other braille readers, and a section of selected published poets, to help meet the need for more poetic literature in braille. Send requests and inquiries (preferably in braille) to Media Projects for the Blind, 80 N. Moore Street. Apt. 4K, New York, NY 10013. Austin Berkey of Indianapolis, Indiana, was recently employed as a computer specialist with the Army Finance Center in Fort Harrison. He reports that he is the fifth blind person to be employed by the Center in data processing. One of the blind employees is now a supervisor. Look and Cook is a 240-page, large-print collection of standard and gourmet recipes, including Scandinavian and diabetic recipes. To order, send $6.95, plus $.60 for postage and handling, to Ida Erickson, Box A, Willmar, MN 56201. From Prevent Blindness News: An important development for cataract patients is an extended-wear contact lens now under evaluation by the DFA, hopefully to be available soon, though on a limited basis. The soft contact lenses are made of a water-absorbing plastic material which permits penetration of oxygen to the cornea even while the wearer sleeps. Patients may be able to wear the lenses for a month, or even several months, at a time without removing them. -- A made-for-television film with Helen Hayes has recently been released by the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness, as a part of its public education efforts to combat blindness from glaucoma. The film, titled "Seeing," is a sensitive drama celebrating the miracle of sight, while underscoring the dangers of glaucoma. For further information, write National Society for the Prevention of Blindness, 79 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016. Dr. Syvatoslav N. Fyodorov, a Russian eye surgeon, claims he can help myopic persons with 20/200 vision to achieve 20/20 or 20/ 40 vision simply by making a series of cuts on the periphery of the cornea. The cuts allow the cornea to flatten out, thus reducing the high curvature that causes nearsightedness in the first place. However, several leading American eye surgeons have expressed strong reservations about the technique. The cuts could permanently weaken the cornea, they caution, and the eye is likely to bulge back to its original shape in the long run. To assist handicapped individuals in tracing their roots, the Genealogical Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped has been established. The library has instructional materials in braille, large print, and cassette, plus a 5,000-volume collection of regular print genealogical books, pamphlets, and magazines. The library staff will also advise individuals on how to go about genealogical research. Write Genealogical Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Inc., 50 Dunwoody Park, Suite 130, Atlanta, GA 30338. The Canadian National Institute for the Blind announces publication of an English language world atlas in large print. To order, send a foreign currency draft (available at your local bank) for $8.95, Canadian, to Mrs. Moody, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, 1929 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M4G 3E8, Canada. From Hoosier Starlight: "Out'a Sight" is the name of a device invented by Goodyear technician Roger Balcom to make it possible for a blind archer to aim arrows at a target. The electronic device responds with different tones as it is aimed toward a light placed at the target. Balcom got the idea for his invention after watching a television program about formation of a blind archers group. Rudolph V. Lutter, a member of the American Blind Lawyers Association and an attorney with the Federal Communications Commission in Washington, D.C., has been listed in the second edition of "Who's Who in American Law." Western Union will now deliver telegrams either in braille or large type, at the sender's request. Charges are $2.00 for the first 25 words and $1.00 for each additional 25 words, plus Federal and applicable local taxes. Call the toll-free number listed in your telephone directory. Red Lobster Inns of America, Inc., the largest family seafood restaurant system in the nation, with 240 restaurants from coast to coast, has now introduced braille menus in its outlets in six states: Florida, Texas, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, and Oklahoma. ***** ** ACB Officers and Directors * President: Oral O. Miller, 3701 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 236, 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 ###