The Braille Forum Vol. XVIII February, 1980 No. 8 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 Large Type Edition Produced By: National Braille Press 88 St. Stephen St. Boston, MA 02115 ** ACB Officers * 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: Dr. 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 ** Contributing Editors George Card 605 South Few Street Madison, WI 53703 Elizabeth Lennon 1315 Greenwood Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49007 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 ACB Officers Report from the ACB President, Oral O. Miller Position Available as ACB Director of Public Affairs The 91st Rose Bowl Parade Via Radio Reading Services, by Durward K. McDaniel ACB in the Lead -- Derbytown Convention, 1980, by Carla S. Franklin From the Archives, by Durward K. McDaniel "And Now He Belongs to the Ages," (Part I), by A.L. Archibald Battle Lost in Mississippi, But the War Continues, by Kathy Megivern Box Score on 504, by Reese Robrahn White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services Reaffirms Basic American "Rights," by William T. Snyder ACB Reacts to Statements by President Carter Communication Aids for the Blind -- Part II: Paperless Braille; Terminals, by Harvey Lauer and Leonard Mowinski Amtrak Discounts Handicapped Fares White House Conference on Aging, Administration Policy on Social Security, by Kathy Megivern Blind Minnesotan Penalized for Exercising Right to Disagree ACB Affiliate News: ACB of California Convention, by Harriet Fielding Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon Notice to Subscribers ***** ** Report from the ACB President, Oral O. Miller Let's begin with a good-news flash! At its December, 1979 meeting, the ACB Board of Directors appropriated a significant amount of money to be used in co-sponsoring a regional leadership training workshop, to be held in Chicago, Illinois, the weekend of April 18-20, 1980. The other cosponsor will be the Illinois Federation of the Blind, the ACB affiliate in Illinois, and it is anticipated that the ACB affiliates in the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Missouri will be urged to send representatives to the workshop. The exact program has not been worked out yet, but some of the topics which almost certainly will be covered during the workshop, which probably will begin on Friday evening and end relatively early on Sunday, will be membership development, fund-raising, legislative activity and government relations, civil rights advocacy for the handicapped, the conduct of orderly business, public education, and public relations. The affiliates in the listed states will be notified as soon as possible concerning the number of participants they should try to send to the can workshop. Unfortunately, there will be a practical limit as to how many people can be accommodated. Much of the money appropriated by ACB will probably be used to help with the transportation costs of the participants, but since we cannot afford to pay all such costs, we are encouraging the affiliates to help, also. Within the very near future, we hope to send out suggested guidelines to be used by the listed affiliates in selecting the members to attend the workshop. The Chicago workshop described in the preceding paragraph is the first of what we hope will be several regional training workshops devoted to valuable and practical information and skills which every ACS affiliate should have. We are pleased to announce that we were able to provide a small amount of financial assistance to a smaller training workshop conducted by the Sacramento Valley Chapter of the ACB of California in October, 1979. While the ACB Board was totally supportive of that workshop, it decided that, henceforth, it would not be able to assist training workshops unless ACB were involved from the beginning in the planning and the conduct of the workshop. Recently the U.S. Small Business Administration made its Pre-Business Workshop informational packet available on cassette to blind and visually impaired participants attending its workshops. Some of the publications included in the packet, which consists of four 60-minute, two-track cassettes, are: SBA Business Loans, SBA Fact Sheet, Financial Factors, the ABC's of Borrowing, A Venture Capital Primer for Small Business, Management Assistance, Pre-Business Workshop Work Book, Selecting the Legal Structure for Your Firm, Insurance Check List for Small Business, Request for Counseling Form, Free Management Assistance publications, and SBA Booklets for Sale. Although the U.S. Small Business Administration has not yet decided how this material will be made available to the public generally, copies of the tapes mentioned above may be obtained by requesting them from the Editor of The Braille Forum, 190 Lattimore Road, Rochester, NY 14620. We are sorry that the Editor does not have the time to record only selected publications from the above list. In the event the voice of the reader on the tapes may sound familiar, it is that of Kathleen Megivern, ACB's Staff Attorney. The material was recorded as a service to the U.S. Small Business Administration by the American Council of the Blind. Coming soon! Within the very near future, the ACB will announce an awards program, to be conducted in conjunction with its state affiliates, in which valuable braille wrist watches will be presented to outstanding blind citizens. The details of the program have not yet been worked out, but preliminary arrangements have been decided upon with the watch manufacturer which will be providing the watches at no charge to ACB. Details of the program will be announced in a future issue of The Braille Forum. Appearing elsewhere in this issue is an announcement concerning a staff position which ACB probably will be creating and filling within the next few months. By the time this issue of The Braille Forum reaches most of its readers, I probably will have returned from the 1980 Winter Olympics for the Disabled, which I shall be attending as the Nordic Team Leader. The 1980 Winter Olympics for the Disabled will be the first such event in which the blind will have participated. Previously, the event was limited to amputee skiers and others with orthopedic handicaps. The only competition that will be open to the blind will be events involving cross-country (Nordic) skiing. It is hoped that downhill (Alpine) skiing for the blind will be introduced as an official event in the very near future, inasmuch as many blind people in the United States enjoy and are very adept at Alpine skiing. The 1980 Winter Olympics for the Disabled are being conducted by the International Sports Organization for the Disabled. The sponsoring and sanctioning organization that is in charge of selecting and sending the blind athletes is the U.S. Association for Blind Athletes, whose president spoke on the 1979 ACB national convention program. Because I expect to be out of the country at about the time material for this column would ordinarily be prepared, there probably will be no Report from the ACB President for the March issue of The Braille Forum. ***** ** Position Available as ACB Director of Public Affairs The American Council of the Blind is now accepting applications for the position Director of Public Affairs in its National Office in Washington, D.C. This job probably will be filled during the next few months. The primary duties of this employee will be the planning and coordination of a public education program and a membership assistance program for the ACB and its affiliates. The starting salary will be $20,611 a year. Anyone interested may obtain a copy of the job description by writing to the ACB National Office. If you wish to apply, send your resume (and/or SF171) on or before March 15 to the ACB President, Oral O. Miller, 3701 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., No. 236, Washington, DC 20008. ***** ** The 91st Rose Bowl Parade Via Radio Reading Services By Durward K. McDaniel Pasadena's New Year's Day Tournament of Roses parade was telecast on three networks, but the only radio broadcast came through a special network of about 65 radio reading services throughout the country. This special network broadcast was made possible by National Public Radio, which transmitted the broadcast through a stationary communications satellite by way of Station KUSC. The signal was received directly from the satellite by some stations and by others through land lines, where necessary. This special event was made possible through National Public Radio's Services for the Print Handicapped, and it is anticipated that live coverage of other special events will follow. The broadcast site was in close proximity to that of CBS TV, which cooperated extensively with NPR for this occasion. Any radio reading service listener who could also discern the TV picture received more information about this traditional event than was ever possible before by anyone. Comparatively, NPR presented probably more than twenty times as many facts as the telecast did. All of this was because of the work of an enterprising crew from KPBS/FM in San Diego. Jim Bousfield, who is blind, is a program producer and director of radio reading services for KPBS/FM. He and Kenneth Kramer handled the live broadcast descriptions, aided by engineer Michael Stark and by Jim's wife, Paige. Preparation for the broadcast consumed long hours during the two days preceding it, during which Jim and Paige visited the warehouses where the sixty parade floats were stored, in order to obtain detailed background descriptions of each. Thus was done a two and one-half-hour broadcast of more information than anyone has ever heard before about the parade. It is expected that Dr. Betty Bird, Director of NPR's Services Print Handicapped, will soon be announcing a magazine format periodic production for radio reading services throughout the country. The Association of Radio Reading Services will hold its annual conference in Boston in June during the Helen Keller Centennial Congress Week. The American Council of the Blind salutes a job well done and encourages the expansion of radio reading services in this new year. ***** ** ACB in the Lead -- Derbytown Convention, 1980 By Carla S. Franklin There are conventions, and there are conventions -- all kinds, shapes, and sizes. Then, there is the ACB convention It's way-y-y-y-y out in front! The 1980 convention of the American Council of the Blind will be in Derbytown — Louisville, Kentucky. Kentucky horses -- Kentucky bourbon -- a big helping of Southern hospitality -- it's all there, just waiting for you. Convention dates are July 13 through 19, and it's going to be fantastic! * Back Stretch Details Hotel. The 1980 convention will be headquartered at the Galt House, 140 N. 4th Street, Louisville, Kentucky, 40202; phone (502) 589-5200. Located right in the heart of downtown Louisville, this modern, 25-story hotel has man outstanding features. Reserved for the ACB convention are 550 fully air-conditioned, spacious, elegantly appointed rooms. The hotel is accessible to wheelchairs and poses few mobility problems for blind and visually impaired persons. The lobby and meeting and registration areas are carpeted and free from steps. There's an outdoor swimming pool, and restaurants offer delicious food from complete menus. The Belvedere, with its beautifully landscape areas, overlooks the Ohio River and gives patrons a chance to relax in a park-like setting just outside the hotel. Finally, many restaurants and other businesses are close by the Galt House, conveniently located for the convention-goer. Room rates are as follows: singles, $19; doubles, $25; triples, $29; quads $33; suites (one bedroom), $85. Entertainment. Many events are planned for Convention Week: You're going to have the time of your life! We'll tell you about some things now -- lots more later. On Tuesday evening, there will be a special treat for ACBers. Early in the evening, you will leave the Galt House via bus for Louisville Downs Race Track. You'll dine on a mouth-watering steak dinner in air-conditioned comfort; then be caught up in the excitement of harness racing at its best. And this event will honor all special-interest affiliates, so you must be on hand for all the fun. Many of you requested a tour to the American Printing House for the Blind. There will be four tours to the Printing House -- two on Tuesday morning and two on Tuesday afternoon. This will be a free tour to everyone who registers for the ACB convention. Space will be limited on each tour; you should be sure to request the time you prefer when you pre-register. If you are planning the program for a special-interest meeting, you might want to include one of the tours as part of your convention program. Complete details as to time of tours will be in the pre-registration materials which you will receive prior to the convention. More fun info next month. Information. The ACB convention is always packed with information, and this year is no exception. You will find many new ideas which you can use in your work, at home, or in your state or local ACB affiliates and chapters. There will be discussions, presentations, and exhibits on many topics of interest to blind and visually impaired people. Besides those included in the ACB convention itself (Wednesday through Saturday, July 16-19), there will be many seminars, workshops, and discussions sponsored by special-interest affiliates. Upon arriving at the Galt House, be sure to stop by the Registration Desk to pick up your official convention program. Browse through it and plan early to attend those sessions that interest you most. Boutique News. Several affiliates have already reserved space in the Boutique. Groups participating in this project will be able to raise money for their own treasury, since the only expense (other than the cost of merchandise sold) is the booth rental fee. The Boutique is open to state and/or local AGB affiliates, as well as to special-interest organizations. To reserve Boutique space for your affiliate, write Mrs. Verna L. Dotson, c/o 1980 Convention Management Committee, P.O. Box 306, Louisville, KY 40201. Attention to Details. Special-interest affiliates and other groups planning special meetings or seminars are reminded to send details of their needs for meeting rooms, equipment, etc., as well as plans for special events (luncheon, banquet, dance, etc.), to the Host Committee immediately. Program details such as speakers, meeting details, and exact times must be received right away so that this information can be printed in the convention program. Address all correspondence concerning special-interest activities to Miss Diane Bobrowski, c/o 1980 ACB Convention Management Committee, P.O. Box 306, Louisville, KY 40201. One last word: If you have a question or problem concerning the convention that must be answered immediately, you may call the office of the Kentucky Council of the Blind: (502) 895-4598. There are only a few short months left before July, 1980. We'll soon be in the home stretch, and we want you there when we cross the finish line. Y'all come! ***** *** From the Archives INTRODUCTORY NOTE: The following article, written upon the death of Dr. Newell Perry, was published in The Braille Free Press in March, 1961. It is being reprinted in installments by The Braille Forum as a part of an effort to give historical perspective to the work and influence of Dr. Perry. Those who knew him well realized that the reprinting of a single article will not be adequate to achieve such a goal. Therefore, we may use other materials from time to time. The author of this article does not give great emphasis to Dr. Perry's philosophic leadership in the developing of organized activities of blind and visually impaired people through the National Federation of the Blind, and eventually through the American Council of the Blind. Three of NFB's presidents were his proteges -- Jacobus tenBroek, Perry Sundquist, and Russell Kletzing -- as were the first three of NFB's executive directors -- Raymond Henderson, Leslie Schlingheyde, and A. L. Archibald. When the internal reform movement within the National Federation had reached major proportions in 1959, it was even more advanced in the California Council, the largest and strongest of the state organizations, and the one which Dr. Perry himself had founded 25 years earlier. By that time, Perry and tenBroek were on opposite sides politically. Significantly, it was in California where the first secession occurred in the Federation. The Associated Blind of California was formed in August of 1959, and Dr. Newel Perry was its Honorary President. That organization is now the American Council of the Blind of California. Newel Perry died a short time before ACB was formed, greatly disappointed by the unwise course followed by some of the people he had taught and trained. His influence upon ACB was transmitted by many of his proteges. But it would be a mistake to portray this ingenious pioneer only in terms of his philosophic and political influence, as great as it was. Archibald captures well the Perry personality in his article. By the time of his retirement in 1947, 78 of his students had graduated from colleges and universities and had succeeded in a wide variety of vocations and professions. Their successes and the example and leadership which they furnished had a strong multiplying and accelerating effect on the acceptance and progress which many of us have experienced during the past forty years. -- Durward K. McDaniel ** "And Now He Belongs to the Ages" (Part I) By A.L. Archibald (Reprinted from The Braille Free Press, March, 1961) It was on February 12 last, a date commemorated as Lincoln's birthday, that the nationally respected Washington Post carried a news article picked up from a wire service which informed me of the dreaded reality that I would never again be able to grasp the hand of my long-time teacher and my warm friend since boyhood. With well-chosen and simple words, the Sunday Post told me that Dr. Newel Lewis Perry of Berkeley, California, blind scholar, Director of Advanced Studies for the Blind of California during forty-three years, benefactor of hundreds of blind people individually, had quietly died the preceding day after a short illness. Of course, the article also made mention of his eighty-seven years of fruitful living. On such a date and with such news fresh in my mind, I involuntarily began to paraphrase: Four score and seven years ago, there came forth upon this continent the bearer of a new idea, conceived of liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that blind men, too, are created equal. A new Gettysburg Address, but slightly altered from the original, seemed altogether fitting and proper. Lincoln's great summation of the strivings of the people appeared eloquently adaptable to the principles and goals and to the struggle which had been Dr. Perry's all his thinking lifetime. No other man, among all I have known or heard of, was so Lincolnesque in his thoughts, in his concerns, and in his conduct. But even as the temptation to paraphrase was compellingly strong, I knew that the result of the endeavor would unfairly rest on analogy. I knew that the man I had affectionately called "Doctor" since my earliest teens had his own magnificence, that he was a great man in his own right, and that he had in his own way left the mark of his greatness upon our times. I knew that at least a searching effort had to be made to find at least some words which could attempt to reveal on paper the eminence and the contribution and the very essence of this man who had been my cherished friend and my wisest companion. I have a flood of memories. They are too many to be recalled and jotted down at once. I think I came to know him as well as anyone. I am reminded of the many trips we made together and the conversations during them. I think of the days we spent working together, of the enjoyable afternoons with him in his home, and of the long evenings spent together till one or two or three o'clock in the morning in enlightening discussions of the world questions, national politics, affairs of the blind, as well as personal, family and human relationships, and innumerable other subjects. I never failed to learn much from Doctor in these exchanges, whether he was reminiscing about his life's events or discussing his aspirations for blind people — how far we had come along the road, what yet needed to be done, and how best to go about getting the job done. He was a night owl nearly all his life. He said many times that his most fertile thinking was done in the quiet of the dark. It has been a long-time regret, particularly since reaching a sufficient maturity to enable me more nearly to absorb the depth of his thoughts, that circumstances prevented my sitting at his kitchen table or strolling the silent streets with him more often than I did. The greater benefit would have been mine. Doctor's lifetime of activities provided many themes to follow. There was first the sort of subject matter newspapers regard as good copy -- the principal events and the conspicuous achievements in his life. These things tell much that is interesting and significant about the man, but they do not portray everything. They are probably indispensable, however, to an understanding of the rest. Born on Christmas Eve in 1873, he was one of the middle children in a rather large farm family which, during his early years, tilled the soil in various places in the Sacramento Valley of California. He became blind at the age of eight as a consequence of a severe allergic infection from poison oak while living on a farm in Shasta County in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. Even at this sapling age he refused to stay put when his parents, afraid of his hurting himself, told him to just sit. In later life, Doctor often mused on his good fortune in having been a child in a large and busy family with so many daily concerns that he was able unnoticed to get away with doing many things around the farm and its environs. He learned from his own experience at this time that he had to find things out for himself and to decide for himself what things he could or could not do as a blind person. His lifetime habit of giving little heed to what he was told he could not do began in these formative years. "I was always being told I couldn't do one thing or another, even after as a young man I had already done a lot of things people told me were not possible," I remember his saying or various occasions. Then he always added, "When anyone said it couldn't be done by a blind person, I ordinarily went out and tried it to see whether maybe they were wrong." Not long after losing his sight, he traveled almost penniless and alone to pursue an education at the California School for the Blind in Berkeley. From that time forward, he was essentially on his own. His parents had not discovered a pot of gold in California, and so were in no position to give much help in his education. He did most of it for himself. Because of his personal magnetism, he attracted to himself the interest and the help of people of substance. What money he did not earn for himself to support his efforts, they freely gave him, inasmuch as he believed in himself completely, others came in great measure to believe in him also. As the first blind person known to have done it in his day, he won permission to attend regular classes at Berkeley High School. He wanted to prepare himself for college with a thoroughness that could not be achieved at the School for the Blind. He blazed a trail in higher education of the blind and hewed a path which has now become well-trodden on college campuses, when he was the first blind person accepted for enrollment at the University of California. He became an outstanding mathematician during his undergraduate years, and following his graduation he received a heretofore unheard-of appointment to a fulltime instructorship in mathematics at the University, where he taught sighted students entirely for a number of years. Interspersed in this period he also held an instructorship in mathematics at the University of Chicago. "When a man comes to know what it's about, he understands that life is adventure." I heard these words or similar comments many times. "It's awfully boring for a fellow not to find out how things will really turn out!" Since my high school days, this attitude of mind on Doctor's part often struck me as the bedrock of his personal philosophy. It also helps to explain how and why he was always interested in a wide variety of things as well as a great many people. Had he lacked the gallant approach to living, he might never have resolved to travel alone across continental America and a wide expanse of ocean to sojourn in both Zurich, Switzerland, and Munich, Germany, nor would he have traversed unaided a great part of the European continent. Yet, at the turn of the century, these things he did in quest of a higher degree in mathematics from a European university -- an academic qualification more highly prized in his younger days than in more recent times. Moreover, he supported himself a good part of the way by the simple expedient of teaching English to eager Swiss and German assemblages. They found it a fascinating undertaking to learn a foreign language orally from a blind man. He was awarded his Ph.D. degree while studying at the University of Munich. Doctor told me on one occasion that he came close to accepting a tempting invitation to pursue an academic career in South Africa. The bubbling excitement of events in that part of the earth almost transfixed his interest. But he returned to the United States after attaining his goal in Europe. Had he not come back, the loss to America would have been immense. For nearly a decade thereafter, New York City was the main scene of his activities, although he spent short intervening periods in many other places in the eastern half of the country and traveled extensively there. He engaged in a number of business endeavors during these years, even though he was nearly all the while associated with either Columbia University or New York University. It was in the New York State Legislature that Dr. Perry undertook his first completely successful great legislative effort in behalf of the blind. In 1907 he lobbied through both chambers and persuaded Charles Evans Hughes, then Governor of New York, to sign a bill providing the first appropriated Reader Funds for blind college students anywhere in the United States. Succeeding years have seen most of the states follow New York's pioneering example. ***** ** Battle Lost in Mississippi, But the War Continues By Kathy Megivern Advocates of blind and visually impaired persons have lost the first battle in a war against discrimination at Mississippi Industries for the Blind. The case of Brown versus Sibley, which has been covered in previous issues of The Braille Forum, was finally decided by the United States Magistrate for the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Mississippi, in Jackson. The magistrate found for the defendants, management of Mississippi Industries for the Blind. The plaintiffs were three visually impaired shop workers who had sought to apply for a supervisory position in the broom department of the workshop. The position was filled by a sighted person. A deposition taken by plaintiffs' attorneys of Robert Sibley, Executive Director of Mississippi Industries, was quoted at some length in the November, 1979 Braille Forum and demonstrated some appalling attitudes about the capabilities (or lack thereof) of visually impaired persons. Nonetheless, the magistrate's decision, handed down on December 20, 1979, indicates that he was persuaded by defendants' arguments that sight was necessary. The opinion first finds that an earlier ruling by the Federal judge should not stand. That earlier decision had found, among other things; a private cause of action under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Since the language of Section 503 is not clear as to whether Congress intended to give individual complainants the right to sue in court, the issue is one which must be determined from legislative intent and other legal arguments. Some other U.S. District Courts have found that no such private right exists under Section 503, and the magistrate was persuaded by those opinions. No circuit (or appeals) court has yet ruled on the issue; thus, the lower courts have no firm precedent to follow. Another basis for the suit was Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Since Section 504 applies only to recipients of Federal financial assistance, the magistrate examined whether MIB was such a recipient. He found that Federal money goes to other departments, but decided that since the broom shop receives no direct Federal money and the alleged discrimination took place in the broom shop, therefore Section 504 did not apply. Despite his finding that Section 504 did not apply, the magistrate quotes from and seems persuaded by the Supreme Court's decision the in Davis, which was a case based on Section 504. The finding that the plaintiffs have no private right to sue would have been enough to dispose of the case. But the magistrate went on, unnecessarily, to deal with the substantive issues. He found that while the plaintiffs had made what is called a prima facie case of discrimination -- that is, they had demonstrated that visually impaired persons had applied for a job and a sighted person was hired, thus establishing the possibility of discrimination -- the magistrate went on to decide that the defendants had successfully proven that their reasons for the hiring were not discriminatory. This portion of the opinion demonstrates that the magistrate never really overcame his preconceived notions about the limitations of blindness. These notions were, of course, right in line with the defendants' arguments about why sight was essential for certain jobs. Plaintiffs' attorneys at Central Mississippi Legal Services plan to appeal this decision to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Some of the issues involved have yet to be decided by any appeals court and are, therefore, of great significance in the evolution of the law as it pertains to blind and handicapped people. In a letter from Barry E. Powell at Central Mississippi Legal Services, he says, "We greatly appreciate the help that you (ACB) have given us and would be interested in the Council's participation as an amicus in the Fifth Circuit, if this might be possible." Amicus means "friend of the court." The American Council of the Blind acted in such a capacity at the trial court level, attempting to educate the magistrate in what was clearly a new area of law for him. This appeal is considered important enough, and much of the magistrate's opinion is viewed as questionable enough, that ACB has agreed to proceed as an amicus at the appeals level. While Legal Services represents the plaintiffs without charge, there may be expenses incurred by ACB in its role as amicus. Anyone wishing to contribute to ACB's litigation fund for this purpose may send donations to the ACB National Office. ***** ** Box Score on 504 By Reese Robrahn On April 28, 1976, the President of the United States issued Executive Order 11914, which directed the Secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare to promulgate regulations to implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and further directed the Secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare to establish guidelines, standards, and procedures for the issuance of Section 504 regulations by the other departments arid agencies of the Federal Government. On January 13, 1978, the Department of HEW issued its rule setting forth such guidelines, standards, and procedures. The rule required that proposed regulations be published within ninety days, that is to say, on or before April 13, 1978. It required that final regulations be published within 135 days after the end of the comment period on the proposed regulations, that is to say, by September or October of 1978, depending upon the length of the comment period (usually 30 to 60 days). Also, under the rule, each department and agency must submit its draft final regulation to the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of HEW for review at least 45 days before publication of the final regulation. Obviously, all departments and agencies which have not long since published their final regulations are in violation of the rule. Many protest letters have been written to the delinquent departments and agencies and to the White House. A case is pending in Federal Court to compel the delinquent departments and agencies to comply. On November 2, 1979, Stuart Eizenstat, Presidential Assistant for Domestic Affairs and Policy, sent a memorandum to twenty Federal department and agency heads urging that priority be given to the finalization of the Section 504 regulations. The following is a report on the progress of the Federal. Departments and agencies in the issuance of their Section 504 regulations. The record is so atrocious that were it to be compared to the record of a sports team, not one, but two or three coaches long since would have been summarily fired. Six departments and agencies have published their final regulations: the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Small Business Administration, Department of Transportation, Action (Volunteers in Service to America and other similar programs), National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Endowment of the Arts. Five departments and agencies have received final review letters from the Office for Civil Rights, but have not yet published their final regulations: National Science Foundation, Veterans Administration, Department of Energy, Office of Personnel Management, Revenue Sharing. The National Endowment for the Humanities is awaiting a final review letter from the Office for Civil Rights. Fourteen departments and agencies have published their proposed regulations, but have not yet submitted their draft final regulation to the Office for Civil Rights for review. This group includes such important departments as Defense, Justice, Housing and Urban Development, and Commerce. Three departments and Department agencies have not published proposed rules: Department of the Interior, Department of Labor, and Environmental Protection Agency. ***** ** White House Conference on Libraries And Information Services Reaffirms Basic American "Rights" By William T. Snyder (Mr. Snyder is Executive Director of the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America (ALL) and was one of 23 blind delegates who participated in the White House Conference on Libraries.) Following a long period of preparation during which regional meetings and state conferences on libraries had been held in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. territorial possessions, 893 delegates and alternates from every part of the nation gathered in Washington, D.C. for a four­day, mid-November White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services. Among the 893 delegates and alternates, there were 48 individuals with handicaps, 23 of whom were blind. From the hundreds of resolutions passed by state conferences, which formed a basis for deliberations in Washington, only a couple dozen related exclusively to libraries for the blind and physically handicapped. Many of these dealt with services currently available, but others dealt with upgrading the quality of personnel employed in regional libraries and with modernizing cataloguing systems. The interests of handicapped persons and all other library users were dealt with in five theme categories. Each delegate had chosen in advance his special-interest theme. These were broad topics relating to: a. Meeting personal needs. b. Enhancing lifelong learning. c. Serving organizations, professions, and other specialized interests. d. Governing our society. e. Increasing international cooperation. Most of the work was done in discussion groups of not more than 20 delegates to a group. Each discussion group prepared several resolutions within the theme area and then put them into priority. Representatives from each discussion group within a theme then synthesized the important thoughts of that section of the conference. More than 40 hours of work for each delegate was packed into the four-day conference. In addition, President Carter, Librarian of Congress Daniel J. Boorstin, Ralph Nader, and many members of Congress met with and spoke to the delegates. The process of intensive work and integrating thoughts from many people into resolutions resulted in broad-stroke recommendations for the future of libraries. Some of the recommendations stressed: 1. First Amendment to the Constitution rights and freedoms throughout library systems, establishing a Federal incentive plan to support new and innovative information and referral services, and urged that local public libraries conduct aggressive public awareness campaigns to make the library the true community center. 2. Studies should be immediately undertaken to establish a national policy to deal with the new needs for information and the utilization of computer terminals as sources of information and referral service, with recognition of every citizen's full right to all published and acquired information, but with protection of the privacy of individual citizens. 3. Literacy, or the ability to read and enjoy published materials, should be a special responsibility of libraries, in cooperation with educational institutions, within the laws and policies of each state. 4. "Access," as defined in the recommendations for all libraries, included legal and physical access to the library and its materials, as well as technological, attitudinal, environmental, and cultural access. 5.In meeting needs of special populations, it was urged that new technological materials be provided, such as captioned films for the deaf and Kurzweil similar reading machines for the blind, so that total collections of libraries c be available to all patrons. 6.The book was recognized as the heart of libraries and the source of pleasure, lifelong learning, cultural development, and for educational and practical uses. Other recommendations dealt with the establishment of networking services between libraries and state or regions of the nation; closer cooperation between school and public libraries; establishing international agreements for exchange of information; use of telecommunications in transmission of information; establishing moderate postal rates for transportation of information materials; creating a plan for a national library and information system; and, specifically, the conference urged that an Under Secretary for Library Affairs be named in the new Federal Department of Education. As is true with most White House Conferences, the exchange of thoughts between delegates was more productive of ideas which can be taken home and put into practice than the list of formal resolutions adopted during the meeting. Many people looked to the structure of the Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, as a model system. If all library systems within states or on a regional and national basis could share and exchange limited resources as well as is done under this system, most local libraries could offer greatly enlarged and enriched programs to their patrons. ***** ** ACB Reacts to Statements by President Carter The ACB National Office was recently alerted by members around the country to the fact that President Carter had made some remarks on New Year's Day concerning discrimination. The callers were upset by the fact that in listing the groups against whom discrimination is a problem, the President made no mention of handicapped persons. After several telephone calls in Washington, it was determined that the statement was made during a TV interview with ABC Correspondent Frank Reynolds. In discussing his hopes for the '80s, the President said, among other things, "I would like to see, also, the elimination of remaining discrimination in our country against women and against blacks and against Hispanics and against the poor." Once the transcript was received from ABC News and the remarks verified, the American Council sent the following mailgram on January 4, 1980: To President Jimmy Carter The White House Washington, D.C. 20500 The American Council of the Blind is deeply disturbed by your omission of any mention of disabled people in your interview with Frank Reynolds, broadcast on January 1, 1980, ABC TV's World News Tonight. Americans are heartened by your optimism about the decade ahead, but to speak of eliminating discrimination without mentioning handicapped citizens who daily face discrimination in its most severe form is a serious injustice. Women, blacks, Hispanics, and the poor face continuing problems, but all of those same problems plague handicapped persons and are greatly compounded by the failure of the general public to comprehend that this minority, too, is involved in an important civil rights movement. Only through the consistent recognition of these problems by our national leaders can we expect Americans to understand the seriousness of our cause and join with us in our struggle. Our hopes and expectations for the '80s include full equality of citizenship for disabled Americans, and we urge that you join us in that cause. (Signed) Oral O. Miller, President American Council of the Blind ***** ** Communication Aids for the Blind Part II: Paperless Braille; Terminals By Harvey Lauer and Leonard Mowinski * Braille, the Mainstay The value of braille would be hard to overestimate in the lives of countless blind people. The braille writer is probably the most widely used machine invented exclusively for blind people. It now remains to be seen whether pap braille (hard copy braille) will be augmented or partly replaced by paperless braille recorded on tape. The availability of recordings is only partly to blame f the reduction in braille reading. We think the problem is mainly that braille technology has not kept pace with recording technology. This is most unfortunate because, for several purposes, braille is the preferred tool. First, revision of the Braille Code is needed, we believe, so that it will be easier for people to learn and easier for small computers to translate into Grade 2. Second, more automated production techniques are needed for both small and large quantity production runs. Computer-assisted library services should produce both braille and recordings from computer files. A nationwide computer-assisted library service, accessible by phone, could maintain a large collection of master copies in compact, floppy disc storage. Books could be automatically duplicated for each use, particularly if paperless braille is the medium used, and then recycled. The result would be very fast se vice and a reduction in storage and shipping costs, even if page braille is the medium used. It would also be feasible to keep on file master copies of books and back issues of periodicals. Paperless braille may help to actualize these goals, provided a system standardized. So far, none of the tapes or components produced by different manufacturers can be used with any other system. Implementation of the above goals will be costly at the outset, but it should greatly reduce operating expenses and increase the availability of both braille and recorded materials. It should, therefore, reduce the handicaps of most blind people. * Paperless Braille Paperless braille is the term now being used to describe the system by which braille impulse are recorded on a standard cassette. They are recorded via an electronic braille keyboard similar to that of the Perkins Brailler. The information recorded on the tape is displayed to the user as a line of braille characters. Depending on the machine, this electronic braille display is presented as a line of either 12, 20, or 32 characters. The user reads at his or her own speed, pressing a switch whenever a new line of characters is to be displayed. There are two braille recorders available, and a third promised. The Elinfa Portable Braille Recorder, made in France by Elinfa, Inc., offers a 12- and 20-cell model. The two current models are much improved over the earlier 12-cell model. The recorder measures 2 1/2 by 9 by 10 inches. The price of the 12-cell model is $3,000 and the 20-cell model is $3,600, including shipping. The Braillocord BRS76 is a reading and writing device that offers a 32-character display. The BRS76 was developed at the Heinrich-Hertz Institute for Communication Technics and is manufactured by AID ELECTRONIC. Unlike the Elinfa, the BRS76 is a modular system and not as portable. The tape recorder and braille module are separate units that are mated together to enable the braille impulses to be recorded on the cassette. A reel-to-reel unit can be used for longer passages. The braille module measures 14 by 5½ by 13 inches and weighs 15.4 pounds. The price is not available. Telesensory Systems, Inc., is developing a braille recorder which they promise to deliver in 1980. The Versa Braille measures 9 by 14 by 3 3/4 inches. It will have a 20-cell display, audio record and playback, and rechargeable batteries. This unit also has a microprocessor that permits text editing and search capabilities for locating information stored on the tape. The cost of the Versa Braille is $4,300; the visual display for sighted teachers is $950; and a computer terminal interface is $500. Some of the common features of braille recorders are: 1. They record and play back braille and audio. 2. They can store up to 400 pages of braille on one cassette. 3. They have index and search capabilities. This feature enables the user to locate passages on a cassette. The Elinfa has a fast and a slow feature which use a braille tape counter to locate passages. The BRS76 and the Versa Braille use a microprocessor to accomplish an automatic search. The reader indicates which page he wants to read by entering the information on the keyboard. The tape is advanced or reversed to the desired page. 4. These units can be interfaced with other hardware. For example, it is possible to mate the braille recorder with a typewriter equipped with the proper interface. The user inputs braille using the electronic keyboard. Simultaneously, the typewriter will type the corresponding print character. The text can also be typed automatically from the previously recorded tape. The reverse can also b done. A braille recording can be made from the text being typed on the typewriter. Connected to a computer, the blind programmer can send or receive data from the computer. Printouts can be read on the braille display of the recorder. Calculators supplied with the proper adapter can be mated with the braille recorder. Braille recorders can serve a variety of applications: silent note-taking for the student or business person, pleasure reading, personal letter writing, and keeping records and phone numbers. They also can be used as educational aids in school settings. * Terminals The computer system largely consists of devices called peripherals. Thes peripherals enable the user to communicate with the computer. A keyboard similar to a typewriter keyboard is used to input information into the computer. Information is displayed on a cathode ray tube (CRT) similar to a television. A hard-copy printout is also available, when a printer terminal is interfaced with the computer. Until now, the blind computer programmer had to largely rely on sighted co-workers or a reading machine to read the output from a computer. The individua who developed the skills to use the Optacon or Stereotoner was often frustrated by the poor quality of the printout. Today, there are several different terminals available which allow a blind or visually impaired person to read the output of a computer, thus functioning much more independently. Braille terminals such as those available from Triformation Systems, Inc., can be interfaced with computers and other information processing equipment to produce a braille hard copy. The BD-80, manufactured in Germany by K.-P. Schonherr, offers a braille terminal with 80 braille cells, arranged in two rows of 40 cells each. The BD-80 utilizes a memory, so that when a typewriter is interfaced, the user can perform text editing. It can also be connected to a CRT and other computer terminals. All of these terminals will output Grade 1 braille unless a Grade 2 translation program is programmed into the computer. For low-vision users, ARTS Associates offers a large-print video terminal, with optional full-word synthetic speech. This input/output terminal offers eight foreground and background colors and three sizes of print, up to 1 1/2 inches high. Talking terminals are yet another alternative for reading a computer output. So many organizations have promised to design full-word talking terminals that we cannot catalogue them all. We know of several speech terminals that are available. Maryland Computer Services has a spelled-speech terminal built into a Hewlett Packard 9825 microcomputer. It can also be used as a talking telephone directory and for word processing. Triformation Systems, Inc., offers a free scan speech terminal which produces spoken letters instead of print symbols. The user operates the keyboard to locate the desired information to be read. C.Y. Suen of Concordia College, Montreal, Canada, sells a spelled-speech terminal as part of their talking typewriter, which is also available. IBM has just announced a talking typewriter attachment which can be mated only with their certain model typewriters to produce full-word speech. Current prices can be obtained by writing the manufacturer. (A complete list of addresses will be included as part of the final article in this series.) The advent of microelectronics and the computer is revolutionizing communications generally. Limited funding is available to harness this technology for the blind. Almost every project in the past has contributed something of value to the cause. The job can be done, but it's happening at a snail's pace. We need two things. First, we need to study the lessons of the past, which are all too often forgotten as unsuccessful projects are scrapped. Our second need is for an era of cooperation -- cooperation among developers, manufacturers, and sponsors. No single firm or government agency has the technology or resources to build a good reading aid or braille system or computerized library service. For a century before the Braille system was standardized, the proponents of several competing systems fought what has been called "the War of the Dots." Since it was waged at the expense of utility of the Braille system for blind people, it was blind people who finally put an end to it. Now another battle is taking shape. We could call it "the War of the Components" or "the Battle of the Helpful Robots." The field is wide open for competition in performing useful service. Let us cooperate by sharing technology. With cooperation, we can provide appliances for the people who need them in several years. With cooperation at its Present low level, the job could easily take twenty years. We hereby invite consumer organizations and consumer-oriented agencies to study carefully this complex situation and take appropriate action. ***** ** Amtrak Discounts Handicapped Fares Amtrak has announced 25% discounts for handicapped and senior citizen travelers, effective January 1, 1980, with no holiday restrictions, no round-trip requirements, and no limits on length of stay. The new discounts will apply to any trip, at any time, and on any train, when the regular one-way coach fare is $40 or more. "The new discount is the largest in the industry, is the most hassle free, and is the only one which applies to handicapped travelers as well as senior citizens," according to William Norman, Amtrak Vice President for Marketing. Norman said the Amtrak plan is intended to reduce the cost of expensive longer trips for disabled and older travelers, as well as to encourage long-distance travel. Federal law sets the basis for eligibility for the handicapped discount. Cards certifying a person's handicap, such as those issued by government agencies or organizations representing disabled persons, or a letter from a physician, may be used to receive the handicapped discount, Amtrak officials said. With the introduction of the new special fares, Amtrak will no longer discount fares for attendants traveling with disabled persons. Amtrak's current services to disabled and elderly travelers are described in booklet, "Access Amtrak," which is available free of charge from Amtrak Public Affairs, 400 N. Capitol Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20001. ***** ** White House Conference on Aging, Administration Policy on Social Security By Kathy Megivern On December 10, 1979, the Administration announced the appointment of six distinguished Americans to lead the White House Conference on Aging, scheduled to be held in 1981. Sadie Tanne Mossell Alexander, 81, was appointed Chairperson of the conference. Ms. Alexander, a Philadelphia attorney, was the first black woman in the United States to receive a Ph.D. and to earn a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She was also the first woman to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Jerome Russell Waldie, a former Congressman from California, was appointed Executive Director. Named as Deputy Chairpersons were Arthur Flemming, former Chairman of U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, former Secretary of HEW, and Immediate Past Commissioner of the Administration on Aging; Bernice Neugarten, Professor of Human Development at the University of Chicago; Lupe Morales of California, who is in the forefront of volunteer activities in aging; and Ellen Winston, Chairperson of the North Carolina Advisory Committee on Aging and Secretary of the National Council on Aging. In announcing the appointment of these persons, HEW Secretary Patricia Roberts Harris said: "The White House Conference on Aging faces a most difficult task in shaping a policy for the future to improve the lives of our older citizens. We need a public policy toward older Americans which will help them maintain their economic, physical, and social independence. It is an attainable goal, and the first step in accomplishment of that goal is the appointment today of these six outstanding Americans" (underscoring added). Unfortunately, while Secretary Harris spoke of helping older Americans to "maintain their economic ... independence," in other quarters of the Administration, efforts continue to "reform" the Social Security system at the expense of its beneficiaries. Previous articles in The Braille Forum have discussed at some length the regressive proposals contained in H.R. 3236, the Disability Insurance Amendments of 1979. Leaders of elderly and handicapped persons recognized a year ago that the negative provisions of this bill were just the first in a series of such cuts being advocated by the Carter Administration. Other proposals included elimination of the burial payment benefit and provisions providing aid to college students. However, according to an article in the Washington Post dated December 25, 1979, outgoing Commissioner of Social Security Stanford G. Ross "hinted that President Carter will not revive them (the previously mentioned cuts) in the election year budget he unveils next month." In speaking of those aborted attempts to make cuts in Social Security benefits, Mr. Ross said: "That was not a successful exercise. The public had not been well enough prepared for it." The implication, of course, is that the proposals have not been altogether abandoned, but are merely being held back until such time as the public is sufficiently "prepared" (i.e., after next November's election). In another development, the Senate Finance Committee made a last-minute addition to its version of H.R. 3236. This latest amendment would make Social Security tax paid by an employer on behalf of employees taxable income for those employees. That provision is not in the House version of H.R. 3236, and if it passes the Senate, it would have to be agreed upon by a conference committee composed of members of both the House and the Senate. It is certain to be an unpopular proposal for those Congressmen facing re-election. In another threat to the economic well-being of elderly recipients, a recent report by a special advisory committee on Social Security recommended, among other things, that one-half of the Social Security benefits paid to the elderly be considered taxable income for the beneficiaries. The Braille Forum will carry continuing news on the upcoming White House Conference on Aging and the state conferences which are expected to be held in coming months in preparation for the national conference. Likewise, the ACB through its membership in the Save Our Security Coalition, will continue to fig any attempts to "reform" the system at the expense of elderly and disable recipients. ***** ** Blind Minnesotan Penalized For Exercising Right to Disagree The Rev. Kenneth A. Johnson, a former president and 40-year member of what is now the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota, was expelled from that organization at the semi-annual meeting held Saturday, December 1, 1979. A letter Rev. Johnson wrote to the Devil’s Lake, North Dakota Journal disputing statements made in that newspaper by North Dakota NFB President William Kapler, plus an affidavit Rev. Johnson submitted to the Hennepin County Court questioning NFB’s position in the recent court-ordered election at the Minneapolis Society for the Blind, were cited as grounds for his expulsion. Rev. Johnson was accused by NFB of Minnesota President Joyce Scanlon of working "outside the organization." "What I have done," Rev. Johnson replied, "I did as a private citizen, exercising my right to free speech and free thought." Rev. Johnson opposed the NFB of Minnesota leadership in the election, he said, because no single organization should be allowed to control the Minneapolis Society for the Blind, "especially a leadership," Rev. Johnson said, "which says blindness is just another characteristic like red hair or like being left-handed, instead of a disability with limitations." ***** ** ACB Affiliate News * ACB of California Convention By Harriet Fielding The 41st semi-annual American Council of the Blind of California Convention was held in the Northern California city of Oakland, November 8-10, 1979. In the annual election of officers, Robert W. Campbell was elected as president. Bob Campbell’s name has been a household word among blind Californians for at least 25 years. He was deeply involved in the bitter controversy which split the California Council of the Blind, leading to the formation of the Associated Blind of California in 1959, now ACB of California. He has served ACBC as legislative chairperson, parliamentarian, resolutions chairperson, and chairman of numerous ad hoc committees in the 20 years of ACBC existence. He holds a perfect record for attendance at conventions, missing not a single one in 20 1/2 years. It is anticipated that quiet, stable, conservative Bob Campbell will lead ACBC to high ground among both blind and seeing Californians who know his track record of achievement. The convention program, though limited to only one full day, outdid in quality what it may have lacked in quantity. Gil Johnson, Director of Rehabilitation Services, San Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind, was convention program chairman. A highlight of the program was the presentation of the results of a survey of the unmet needs of blind children ages birth to 25 years, in the nine Bay Area counties, by Philip Hatlen, Professor, Special Education Department, San Francisco State University. Professor Hatlen had been commissioned by the San Francisco Lighthouse to conduct the survey so that the agency could use a sizable bequest left for services to blind children. ACBC had the honor and privilege of being the first organization of blind persons to hear the results of the survey. Hatlen reported that the greatest need for services lies with the age group 0 to 5 years, saying that if this age group is not served before age 5, they may be lost to beneficial services after age 5. In response to suggestions from many ACBC members, more time was given to the internal affairs of the organization. Reports were given on workshops held in August and October, as well as brief reports from ACBC members who attended the national ACB convention. The high cost of transportation, lodging, and food in attending semi-annual conventions led to the suggestion that one annual convention be held. Research is being done into this matter, and a report will be presented at the 42nd semi-annual convention, to be held in San Diego March 27-30. It is anticipated that ACB President Oral O. Miller will be the convention banquet speaker on Saturday evening, March 29. The California affiliate membership is looking forward to his presence at the convention. ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon An important change in policy which should provide more Federal white-collar job opportunities for the handicapped was announced November 19, 1979, by Alan K. Campbell, Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (formerly the Civil Service Commission). The former lengthy and overly restrictive physical requirements existing for specific jobs have been replaced by a single medical qualification statement for all positions with sedentary, light, or moderate duties. In effect, the new policy requires only that applicants be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the functions of a particular position without being a hazard to themselves or others. The fourth annual National Exhibition by Blind Artists will open in Philadelphia in the fall of 1980. Official application forms, available in braille if requested, may be obtained from N.E.B.A., 32 Chestnut Road, Paoli, PA 19301. All legally blind persons may submit up to six original works of art created by the artist within the past two years, for consideration by the judges. Closing date for entries is April 15. Art forms which are eligible for consideration include painting, print-making, sculpture, weaving, metalsmithing, wood carving, and other categories normally considered as original fine arts or craft work. Maxine Dorf was installed as President-Elect of the National Braille Association at its 15th national conference, held in Pittsburgh in May, 1979. She will assume the duties of president in the spring of 1981. Maxine is a member of ACB; she has been associated with NBA since the late 1950s; she is a co-author of the Instruction Manual for Braille Transcribers of the Library of Congress, and she has served on the Braille Authority for 15 years. At ACB's 1979 national convention in Grand Rapids, she received the Robert S. Bray Award "in recognition of outstanding service in improving communications techniques useful to blind persons." Bertie Mae Lee, who until recently was editor of The Missouri Chronicle, quarterly publication of ACB's Missouri affiliate, the Missouri Federation of the Blind, passed away recently in Kansas City. At the time of her death, she was president of the Allied Workers for the Blind in her home city. Louise Rieman succeeds her as Chronicle editor. An enterprising Safeway supermarket employee in California and an engineer friend have developed a modified shopping cart that can be used by a person in a wheelchair. Instead of the conventional handle, the cart has an adjustable arm which attaches to any wheelchair. Wheelchair users who have tested the prototype in operation have been pleased with its operation and found it was even possible to turn around in store aisles. For now, the prototype cart is the only one available, but Safeway officials have said that if response is positive, they are likely to have it produced and distributed to other markets. The moral test of government is how it treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the aged; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy, and the handicapped. -- Hubert Humphrey From Disabled USA: Non-handicapped drivers who transport handicapped Federal employees may now receive the same priority in parking space assignments as do handicapped employee drivers, according to a recent ruling of the General Services Administration. For further information, write International Committee on Handicapped Employees, 2401 E Street, Room 4208, Washington, DC 20506. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a number of its consumer information pamphlets in large print (18 point). Pamphlets currently available are: "Food and Drug Interaction," "The Confusing World of Health Foods," "Nonprescriptive Pain Relievers." The FDA plans to produce more of its materials in large print if a significantly large readership seems likely from initial response. To order these free booklets, write Food and Drug Administration, HFJ-10, Rockville, MD 20857. --Three revised publications are now available without charge from the Information Office, Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, Washington, DC 20201. They are: "About Barriers," "Access America -- The Architectural Barriers Act and You," and "Access Travel -- Airports." From Programs for the Handicapped: In its continuing effort to enhance the delivery of rehabilitation information to all segments of the rehabilitation community, the National Rehabilitation Center is publishing its newsletter, "The Pathfinder," in braille. Subscriptions for the braille edition (six issues per year) is $5.00. For a free introductory copy or for more information, write National Rehabilitation Information Center, 8th and Varnum Streets, N.E., The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064. NLS News tells of a telephone book in braille and large print, listing agencies and organizations frequently called, which is being distributed in Seattle, Washington. The booklet was produced by the Community Service Consortium and Pacific Northwest Bell. About 4,000 large-print directories are being distributed at service agencies, and about 200 braille booklets will be distributed by the Seattle regional library. -- A research team at the Blind Mobility Unit, Nottingham University, Great Britain, has developed a system for producing standardized tactile maps for blind individuals. For information on this map kit, write Andrew Tathum, The Map Room, Chesham Building, King’s College, Strand, London, WC2, Great Britain. From Fountainhead: A training bar with shock absorbers has been developed for blind joggers and hikers which will enable them to function without touching another individual. The aid buckles to the belts of both the guide and the blind jogger or hiker. It is claimed that this aid, called the Freedom Leader, easily communicates changes in speed and direction. For further information, write Freedom Leader, P.O. Box 5347, San Pedro, CA 90733. Price: $79.50. The Association of Handicapped Artists is now offering its 1980 calendar. The calendar, which features art work by mouth and foot artists, can be purchased for $4.00. Write Association of Handicapped Artists, 503 Brisbane Building, Buffalo, NY 14203. The Migel Medals, presented annually by the American Foundation for the Blind for outstanding service in work for the blind, were awarded in 1979 to George A. Magers, Director, Division for Rehabilitation, Bureau for the Blind a Visually Handicapped, Rehabilitation Services Administration, and to the Honorable Criss Cole, Presiding Judge of the 315th District Court of Harris County, Texas. Mr. Magers, who will be remembered as a participant in a number of ACB conventions, retired October 31, 1979. He had been with RSA since 1961. Formerly he worked as a rehabilitation counselor in Illinois and later served as director of the state agency for the blind in Nevada. Judge Cole, a veteran of World War II and a member of the American Blind Lawyers Association, is a former state senator from Harris County, Texas. The Criss Cole Rehabilitation Center of the Texas Commission for the Blind in Austin was named for him. A three-day seminar for blind and sighted tuners is being sponsored by the Piano Technicians Guild May 2-5 at the Southfield Sheraton in suburban Detroit. Of special interest to blind tuners will be instructors George Defebaugh of Steinway and Sons and Newton Hunt, "Accent on Tuning" columnist for the PTG national monthly Journal. Defebaugh has a long-time familiarity with problems of visually impaired craftsmen around the U.S., and Hunt, himself blind, is highly successful independent technician in New York, as well as a very popular lecturer. There will also be an exhibit, of tools and devices for the blind handyman. For full information and registration particulars, write Stanley Oliver, 1965 E. Outer Drive, Detroit, MI 48234; phone: (313) 891-9226. The Association of Rehabilitation Teachers is seeking taste-tempting contributions for its forthcoming cookbook, to be entitled "Recipes with a Special Touch." Publication is scheduled for the spring. All contributions will be taste-tested and all recipes used will be acknowledged in both the print and braille editions. Send all recipes to the Hansons, 1619 Sheffield Road, South Euclid, OH 44121. ***** ** 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 a relative or friend by sharing in the continuing work of the American Council of the Blind. The National Office 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. ###