Large Type Edition The Braille Forum Vol. XIX December, 1981 No. 6 James Chandler Honored for Development and Implementation of Voice Indexing ACB Sponsors Congressional Reception and Demonstration of "Talking Optacon" (See News Briefs from the ACB National Office) Published Monthly by the American Council of the Blind Mary T. Ballard, Editor ***** * National Office: Oral O. Miller National Representative 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Suite 506 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 833-1251 * Editor, The Braille Forum: Mary T. Ballard 190 Lattimore Road Rochester, NY 14620 (716) 244-8364 ** Contributing Editors George Card 605 South Few Street Madison, WI 53703 Elizabeth Lennon 1315 Greenwood Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49007 ** ACB Officers * President: Grant Mack 139 East South Temple, Suite 5000 Salt Lake City, UT 84111 * First Vice President: Otis H. Stephens 2021 Kemper Lane S.W. Knoxville, TN 37920 * Second Vice President: Dr. Robert T. McLean 2139 Joseph Street New Orleans, LA 70115 * Secretary: Karen Perzentka 6913 Colony Drive Madison, WI 53717 * Treasurer: James R. Olsen Summit Bank Bldg., Suite 822 310 4th Avenue, S. Minneapolis, MN 54415 ***** ** Contents ACB Officers President's Message, by Grant Mack News Briefs from the ACB National Office, by Oral O. Miller District of Columbia Honors ACB's Jim Chandler, by Kathy Megivern It's The Telethon That Hurts, by Reese Robrahn Diane and Her Kids Are ABLE, by Walter L. Smith "Fast Track" to the Block Grant, by Scott Marshall Second Annual ACB Writing Competition, by Harriet Fielding National Directory of Blind Teachers Postman's Pennies Become $3 Million for Blind A Consumer's Guide to Social Security Overpayments, by Barbara Nelson Howard University Takes Major Step Forward in Law of the Disabled The Phonic Ear, by Laura Oftedahl City Fights Porn with Section 504, and Loses A Shaggy Dog Story The Listening Ear, by Dorothy Stiefel ACB Affiliate News: Pony Express Association Participates in Ability Exposition Oklahoma Council Promotes Goals of IYDP Old Dominion Fall Meeting Vermont Council Convention, 1981 Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon Notice to Subscribers ***** ** President's Message By Grant Mack There are many fringe benefits that come to the president of the American Council of the Blind. One of the greatest is the opportunity to visit affiliate state conventions. Since July it has been my privilege to attend state conventions in Tennessee, California, Oklahoma, Hawaii, and Kentucky. I have been much impressed with the high quality meetings at those conventions. Each one has had its own uniqueness and individuality, but in every case, signs of outstanding leadership have been demonstrated, and I would like to commend Bernard Bagwell of Tennessee, Robert Campbell of California, Joe Fallin of Oklahoma, and Carla Franklin of Kentucky. I could mention other individuals in each state, but hesitate to do so for fear of overlooking some who had a hand in the planning and executing of those excellent meetings. The experience in Hawaii was something very special. Because of the uniqueness of that area and the extra involvement with United Nations programs, I would like to be more specific in reporting the Aloha Council convention. There is something about Hawaii which results in people going there by the thousands every year from all over the world. It even drew special mention from Mark Twain. He described this island chain as "the loveliest fleet of islands that lie at anchor in any ocean." But perhaps the most definitive statement about this lava-formed archipelago came from King Kamehemeha, who was responsible for unifying the islands and who reigned over them for many years. He referred to them as being like "lilies on the swelling bosom of the Pacific." He also said: "The heavens are tranquil over our heads and the sun keeps his jealous eyes on us every day, and his rays are so tempered that they never wither prematurely that which they have warmed into life." Because the skies are so tranquil and the sun modified, the original Hawaiian language had no word for weather. Governor George Ariyoshi attended the noon luncheon on Saturday and was one of the featured speakers. When I told him that we seldom get the governor of the state to attend a state convention, he replied, "Coletta Whitcomb is a very persuasive woman." He related, further, his great regard for her abilities and her capacity for organization. It is no wonder that the Aloha Council has done well under her leadership. In addition to the Aloha Council convention, Coletta had arranged for the American Council of the Blind to be represented at a large banquet sponsored by the United Nations, which was held as part of their effort to make the International Year of Disabled Persons a notable event in Hawaii. Danny Deardorf, who is confined to a wheelchair, and who was featured on Jerry Lewis's last telethon with his original vocal renditions, also entertained at the banquet. The American Council's participation in this community-sponsored program certainly helped us to achieve greater visibility with the people in the Islands. Again, many thanks to Coletta Whitcomb and her group for making all this possible. September, October, and November seems to be the time for a great many state conventions. Others of the ACB Board and National Office have attended many of them and have reported similar experiences. We all feel good about the high quality of state conventions and want you to know we are very supportive of you. There is probably no activity an affiliate can involve itself with that can bring greater benefit to its members and develop unity and goodwill than to have pertinent, interesting, and well planned conventions. This is the time of year when the universal feeling is goodwill toward all men. May I extend my best wishes for a happy holiday season and hope that each of us may be thankful for all of our blessings. ***** ** News Briefs from the ACB National Office By Oral O. Miller, National Representative All indications are that the southeastern leadership training seminar, scheduled to take place in Atlanta the weekend of November 27-29, 1981, is going to be the largest yet! The states involved have conscientiously named their representatives, but it appears that perhaps an additional 20% will come on their own. More about that seminar in the January, 1982 issue of The Braille Forum. During October, it was my pleasure to visit the conventions of the ACB state affiliates in North Carolina, Missouri, West Virginia, and New Jersey, as well as a fund-raising dinner conducted by the Gopher State Association in Minnesota. Space limitations prevent detailed comment on each convention, but a few remarks should be made about each. For example, the North Carolina Council convention, held in Durham, featured one of the most interesting and information-packed programs I have heard in a long time. I was very impressed by the quality and organization of the Missouri Federation convention, held in Springfield, and I was pleased to have another opportunity to thank the members of the Missouri Federation for the outstanding job they did in hosting the 1981 ACB national convention. I returned from the Mountain State Council convention, held in Elkins, West Virginia, convinced that the affiliate, one of the newest in the American Council of the Blind, is going to be an extremely effective spokesman of the blind in that state. Its officers realize fully the necessity to provide meaningful services to the members. While the ACB of New Jersey conference, held in Newark, was identified as a "mini-convention," its outstanding collection of exhibits, its good attendance, and the enthusiasm of the members would have "done a state convention proud." Although my visit with members of the Gopher State Association in Minneapolis was sandwiched between the meetings of another organization, I was very impressed by the efforts the members had just put into a day-long fund-raising activity for the benefit of a low-vision aids center to be established in Minneapolis in the near future. In summary, all these meetings re­emphasized the need for and the popularity of the kind of national organization that is made up of the American Council of the Blind and its affiliates. On October 19, 1981, the American Council of the Blind, in conjunction with the House Committee on Science and Technology, sponsored a highly successful Congressional reception and demonstration for the purpose of educating members of Congress as well as high Federal officials concerning the feasibility and potential usefulness of the "Talking Optacon." Several hundred visitors saw and heard the "Talking Optacon" for the first time, and several Congressmen and Federal officials suggested applications which had not been considered before. While the demonstration was not specifically related to any matter now being considered by Congress for one of the Cabinet departments, it is hoped that the demonstration will be helpful to the manufacturer as it attempts to obtain the major funding necessary to prepare the "Talking Optacon" for production and marketing. The reception also presented an excellent opportunity for ACB's new president, Grant Mack, as well as its new staff members, to become better acquainted with many members of Congress and with Federal Government officials. The event received excellent TV and newspaper coverage and it is possible that one of the TV presentations may be aired soon on nationwide television. ***** ** District of Columbia Honors ACB's Jim Chandler By Kathy Megivern Approximately nine hundred people filled the Grand Ballroom of Washington, D.C.'s Capital Hilton Hotel on October 21, 1981, for the awards luncheon of the D.C. Mayor's Committee on Handicapped Individuals. In this International Year of Disabled Persons, the luncheon was a very special event for members and friends of the American Council of the Blind because one of the award recipients nominated by the Council was James Chandler of College Park, Maryland, member of the ACB of Maryland. Jim was honored with the 1981 Technical Service Award for his development and implementation of voice indexing. Voice indexing is a process which allows a visually impaired reader to quickly locate specific information on cassette tape. It requires no special, expensive equipment; merely a four-track cassette machine such as those available from the Library of Congress. Jim was awarded a patent in June, 1981, for his development of this process. Jim Chandler's development of the voice indexing is in itself an achievement worthy of the Technical Service Award. But his contributions don't stop there. He has traveled thousands of miles, at his own expense, to demonstrate the process and inform potential readers of the uses and potential benefits of voice indexing. Jim's technical achievements are only a part of what is nearly a full-time career as "volunteer worker with and for the blind." His first career lasted 25 years with the U. S. Government. After "retiring" from that position, he became Assistant Director of Libraries for Reader Services at the University of Maryland. Yet another "retirement" from his second career allowed him to focus his full and quite substantial energies upon his treasured volunteer work. In addition to the voice indexing process, Jim contributes his talents as braillist, reader, volunteer driver, and even sailing instructor for blind persons. Jim and his lovely wife Barbara have become an integral part of annual ACB conventions, transporting people and materials across the country in their camper. Those who were in St. Louis last July may remember that Jim was stricken shortly after his arrival in St. Louis with Guillian-Barre syndrome. The disease began with paralysis in the feet and progressed to the hands, waist, and shoulders. Luckily, the respiratory system did not become involved. The disease ran its course, and physical therapy has now restored nearly all functions. Jim, with characteristic determination, left his cane at home when he attended the awards luncheon. The American Council of the Blind is proud to have had the opportunity to nominate Jim Chandler for the 1981 Technical Service Award of the D.C. Mayor's Committee on Handicapped Individuals, and we offer our heartfelt thanks and congratulations to Jim. ***** ** It's the Telethon That Hurts By Reese Robrahn (Note: Reese Robrahn is Executive Director of the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities and was recently elected president of the Old Dominion Council of the Blind, ACB's Virginia affiliate.) Televised fund-raising on behalf or in the name of handicapped or disabled people (known as the telethon) has taken on the accoutrements of "show biz." The foremost example is the "Jerry Lewis Labor Day of Love Telethon," conducted on behalf of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. This telethon, conducted annually, appeals to the generosity of the American people and magnifies that goodness many times over by a contrived evocation of a deep and profound sense of pity and despair for the lot of disabled children and adults. The appeals are glamorized with the appearance of Hollywood and television stars, while exhibiting children with severe neuromuscular diseases, depicting disabled people as childlike, helpless, hopeless, non-functioning, non-contributing members of society. Last year, this pity approach yielded a whopping $31,103,787. The telethon was inaugurated during the 1950's at a time when it was believed that a cure for muscular dystrophy could be found in a short time if funds were made available for the research. Admittedly, there are benefits from the research, but now, some thirty years later, it is generally recognized that discovery of the cure is not even close. In the meantime, the Muscular Dystrophy Association has lost sight of its original goal: the restoration of muscular dystrophy sufferers to the mainstream of life. As an advocate of the rights of disabled children and adults, and as a disabled individual myself, I am acutely aware that what good is achieved by the telethon is vastly outweighed by the harm done through its pity approach. It implies that the 36 million disabled people of this nation are, and necessarily must be, second-class citizens. It reinforces and even helps to build attitudinal barriers to equal opportunity in education and employment and equal access to transportation, housing, and recreation. Its emphasis on finding cures creates the impression that disabled people are sick and that we cannot be happy unless we are cured. The telethon utilizes children with neuromuscular diseases, and not adults who are achieving, supporting themselves, and living independently. Thus, the celebration of sick children stereotypes all disabled people as childlike, in need of constant care, and incapable of assuming the role of adults. This takes its toll on us; but it also creates fear in the minds of the public, as well as guilt feelings, rejection, and many other negative emotions, blocking normal social communication. The telethon raises a lot of money, but it also raises a lot of walls of fear. If the telethon is to be truly helpful to disabled children and adults, it must show us working, raising families, and participating generally in the life and activity of our communities. It must emphasize the development of independent living programs to release disabled people and their families from anxiety and fears concerning the future. It must inform the public of the great economic and human waste that results from policies and programs that promote and perpetuate independence, rather than those that permit and foster equal opportunity, civil rights, and independence of disabled people. ***** ** Diane and Her Kids Are ABLE By Walter L. Smith (Note: Walt Smith is an active member of the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind.) Diane Lemke just seems to have an affinity for kids. It was while serving as a summer counselor at a church camp that diabetic retinopathy caught up with her and rendered her totally blind. That was nine years ago, but this active member of the American Council of the Blind from suburban Minneapolis maintains her special relationship with youngsters. For several years before the onset of her blindness, Diane had been actively involved in church-related work with youngsters, sponsoring teen groups, acting as a camp counselor, and opening her home as a sort of all-hours meeting place and congregating point for kids. "Whenever a parent wasn't sure where their teenager was," Diane recalls, "they'd telephone me. Chances were always about 90 percent that the missing offspring were either sitting in my kitchen or ducking out the front door on their way home." Since losing her sight, Diane has taken some new approaches to working with youngsters. For the past several years, she has spoken to school groups ranging from kindergartners through high-school seniors, talking about what it's like being blind, how to relate to blind people, and, perhaps most important, squashing myths and misconceptions about lack of sight. "I always try to stress the idea that blind persons are just like everybody else. They just can't see," Diane says. She adds, somewhat frustrated, "But they always ask first how I manage to get my makeup on properly." A committed Christian, Diane also speaks frequently before church and non-sectarian Christian groups. She averages two to four speeches a week. Over the years, it became evident to Diane and a few of her sighted friends that, while numerous recreational opportunities exist for visually impaired adults -- organized beep baseball, downhill and cross-country skiing, etc. -- the same didn't hold true for kids. As a result, Diane incorporated the Association for Blind Living and Education (ABLE), under the Minnesota not-for-profit corporation statutes last year. Currently, ABLE has approximately 75 youngsters on its rolls, participating in regular events, including beep baseball, swimming, water skiing, skating (both roller- and ice), visits to amusement parks, skiing, and anything else which Diane, in frequent consultation with both her young participants and their parents, can dream up in the way of an event. Last winter, for instance, she had several of her charges riding on a float in the annual St. Paul winter carnival parade, and in August several ABLE youngsters helped staff the organization's booth at the Minnesota state fair. The object of these latter kinds of activity isn't simply to offer the youngster something different to do; the kids are actually given the opportunity to aid in showing the general public what blindness and the blind are really like. It's almost a fetish with Diane that the children be actively involved in the decision process within ABLE. She has learned the secret -- often overlooked by adults or, at best, given only lip service -- that when given the chance, kids are able to be responsible, constructive partners. "After all," Diane says, "it's their organization. We don't ever want to fall into the trap of telling them, 'We know what's best for you.'" ABLE functions with a board made up of parents, community leaders, business contacts, and friends whom Diane has been able to corral into serving. Diane's title is Executive Director. However, she admits somewhat ruefully that that's mostly honorary right now. "I'm perfectly candid about admitting that I'd like to see ABLE grow to the point some day at which the executive director would receive some kind of salary," she says, "but to this point, I put far more into the organization financially than I ever expect to get back." "Diane's a wonder," one friend commented. "She does this strictly because she loves kids and wants them to get as much of a break at as early an age as possible. She'll spend ten to twelve hours a day on the phone, dash off somewhere to give a speech, then run home to deal with a parent who is upset because their child's ride was ten minutes late last weekend. Somewhere, she'll also find the time and energy to talk with an anxious teenager about dating problems, work with a sighted volunteer on the proper techniques of guiding a blind person, help one of the kids whose class she had spoken to three years ago with a term paper on braille, and talk with a corporate or foundation representative about ABLE's need for financial support." Another long-time Diane-watcher remarks, "She's without question one of the most selfless people I have ever seen. Like all of us, she has her bad days when everything looks pretty bleak, but she seems always to bounce back, and it's all because she believes so fiercely in her kids. She believes both in their inherent right to develop as normally as possible and in their potential, both for personal success and as examples of well-integrated blind persons." The members of the ACB Parents affiliate also realize the contribution which Diane Lemke is trying to make. At the St. Louis convention, they elected her -- unmarried and with no children of her own -- to their board. They understood that it doesn't require a lot of paper credentials or a large agency infrastructure to become an expert in working with visually impaired children. Because they are parents, they know that a loving heart and common sense, coupled with a lot of energy, are all the requirements necessary to help make the world just a little bit better place for those with whom one comes in contact. ***** ** "Fast Track" to the Block Grant By Scott Marshall As readers of The Braille Forum know, ACB members successfully opposed the block grant concept of funding for rehabilitation and special education services when it was first proposed by President Reagan last spring. Unfortunately, despite this initial victory, the block grant idea is still alive and well. Senate bill S. 807, introduced by Senator William Roth (R., DE), and House bill H.R. 4465, introduced by Representative Harold Daub (R., NE), would drastically alter Congress's legislative powers vis-a-vis Federal assistance programs and would give to the President the option of rewriting or repealing existing civil rights, labor, and environmental regulations. A summary of the major provisions of S. 807 and H.R. 4465 follows: Title I of the bill permits the President to consolidate "functionally related" Federal assistance programs into a single package known as a "consolidation plan." For example, child welfare, CETA, and special education programs could be lumped together for funding purposes, and the eligibility requirements of a single program could be used for all of the programs within the consolidation plan. Obviously, it makes little sense to distribute funds for special education under the eligibility rules for the CETA program. Yet Title I of S. 807 and H.R. 4465 would permit such a result. In addition, a consolidation plan could be amended only by the President. Amendment by Congressional committee or floor amendments would not be permitted unless agreed to by the President. Congress would have to act on a consolidation plan on a "take it or leave it" basis within ninety days. Obviously, this "fast track" consolidation process seriously impinges upon the traditional role of Congress, making it a reactor to Presidential decision-making rather than an equal branch of the Government. Title III of the bill creates a uniform process for developing generally applicable regulations for all Federal assistance programs. Such regulations include those guaranteeing equal access to programs for handicapped persons (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended), as well as regulations in the areas of fair labor practices and environmental protection. Creation of standardized generally applicable regulations may be appropriate in some cases, but certainly is inappropriate in other situations. Different programs may require different monitoring and compliance mechanisms. For example, equal access to transportation services involves consideration of geographic data and other information, including scheduling routes, and equipment design. By contrast, the placement of handicapped children in the least restrictive educational setting possible involves obviously different and unique considerations. S. 807 and H.R. 4465 do not contain provisions ensuring the rights of the public to comment on the proposed new regulations, and it is unclear whether the usual provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act relative to public notice and comment apply to all regulatory changes made pursuant to Title III of the bill. In addition, the President may suspend the operation of the new generally applicable regulations for a period of up to six months if implementation of the new regulations would lead to "serious and unanticipated consequences." Thus, new regulations could be suspended after the existing regulations had been repealed, thereby leaving a complete vacuum for a period of up to 180 days. Title VI of the bill provides that, regardless of existing law which requires a single state agency to administer certain Federal assistance programs, Federal agencies could waive this single state agency requirement and thereby permit states to delegate this responsibility to multiple state or local agencies. Thus, a program such as Medicaid, which now must be uniformly administered on a statewide basis by a single agency, could be administered by several state and local agencies, with the potential of great divergencies in local policy. Title VI of the bill would also repeal all so-called "maintenance of effort" requirements which now ensure that Federal assistance dollars will supplement, and not supplant, state and local expenditures. Unless Congress specifically legislates a "maintenance of effort" provision for each program, state funding of such programs as Medicaid could be eliminated or sharply reduced. The American Council of the Blind urges members and Braille Forum readers to write your Senators or Congressmen opposing this legislation. Your letter or phone call should refer to the Federal Assistance Improvement Act of 1981 and should mention the appropriate Senate or House bill number: S. 807 in the Senate; H.R. 4465 in the House. Feel free to ask your Senator or Representative to contact the ACB National Office for further details regarding this legislation. It is vitally important that ACB members again take the lead in opposing legislation which would result in a block grant of rehabilitation and special education services. ***** ** Second Annual ACB Writing Competition By Harriet Fielding, Chairman ACB Board of Publications "If My Dog Guide or White Cane Could Talk!" Doesn't that subject appeal to your imagination? Hasn't something funny, exciting, or interesting happened to you because you have a dog guide or use a white cane? That dog or cane of yours could tell quite a story, don't you think? You will have an opportunity to tell all, and win the Ned E. Freeman Article of the Year Award and $100.00 besides. Here's how! Write an essay of not less than 1,000 nor more than 1,500 words on the above subject. Entries must be typewritten, double-spaced, 8 1/2 x 11-inch paper, manuscript style. Send to Mary Ballard, Editor, The Braille Forum, 190 Lattimore Road, Rochester, NY 14620. All entries must be in the Braille Forum office by March 1, 1982. The ACB Board of Publications sponsors the competition, and the five members of the Board are the judges. The winner will receive a certificate and a check for $100.00 at the annual ACB Awards Gala held during Convention Week. Spelling, punctuation, grammar, and overall appearance, as well as content, will be rated by the judges. The winning essay will appear in The Braille Forum. All entries become the property of The Braille Forum. The possibilities are unlimited on this subject: "If My Dog Guide or White Cane Could Talk!" Do get busy and show us what you can do. For more information, contact the Braille Forum editor. ***** ** National Directory of Blind Teachers From earliest times, eminent blind scholars and teachers have made a place for themselves in society. Today, in private and public schools, colleges and universities, there are many excellent teacher who are visually impaired, quietly doing their job — recognized by students and colleagues alike, but seldom observed outside their environment. In spite of the outstanding records of these individuals, school boards and administrators "freeze" when a blind person applies for a teaching position. Most have never heard of a blind teacher, and a thousand impediments come to mind. Hiring a teacher with little or no sight is to them a potential time bomb. Being aware of many successful blind teachers and of the positive influence their visibility could have on acceptance of the blind applicant, the Illinois Association of Blind Teachers in 1972 and 1974 set out to find and list those persons who had already made a place for themselves in the teaching profession in the state. This research resulted in compilation of a directory of 110 blind teachers in Illinois. The project of the IABT had several positive effects: to encourage young blind persons to enter the teaching profession; to provide a valuable pool of experience and expertise for blind teachers already in the field; to present a catalog of varied backgrounds and areas of specialization in employment; and to serve to convince teacher training institutions and school administrators that visual impairment is no barrier to employment. Most important, it provided the IABT the clout to assist several qualified young blind people to secure teaching positions and to save the jobs of several established teachers who were losing their sight during the job. Because of the success of this state project, the National Association of Blind Teachers, an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind, at its annual conference in St. Louis, Missouri, in July, voted to broaden this research to include all fifty states and to compile a directory of visually impaired teachers. To ensure the success of this nationwide project, NABT urges all visually impaired teachers -- active, retired, or others -- to carefully review the following questionnaire and provide detailed answers to the questions. Reply in braille, in print (typewritten or handwritten), or on tape. Send completed questionnaires to Carlton Eldridge, Project Coordinator, 422 W. Canedy Street, Springfield, IL 62704. Ten years of serious study have gone into the preparation of this questionnaire in order that adequate, pertinent information may be gathered on teaching as a viable profession for the qualified visually impaired person. Visually impaired teachers are invited to join the National Association of Blind Teachers. However, membership is not required for inclusion in this directory. 1. Name, address (business, home), telephone (business, home). 2. Active, retired, other. 3. Education: college or university attended; years, degrees, specialization. 4. Positions held: years; subjects taught. 5. Means of note-taking: slate and stylus, brailler, felt-tipped pen, standard pen/pencil, recorder (if recorder, how reduced to hard copy) 6. Preference for general reading: braille, large print, standard print (with or without aids), reading machine (kind). 7. Visual acuity: none, travel, reading. 8. Vision loss: before, during education; before, during employment. 9. The above information may be used: in directory; for statistical purposes only. 10. I will share experiences and techniques. 11. Names and addresses of other visually impaired teachers to whom questionnaires may be mailed. ***** ** Postman's Pennies Become $3 Million for Blind Associated Press -- Huntington, West Virginia: Retired postal worker Clinton Teubert's bachelor life of saving pennies ended with an unexplained postscript of kindness — He left most of a $3 million fortune to the blind. "His only desire and happiness was making money, and when he got his hands on it, he didn't let go," recalled a friend who worked at the Huntington Post Office for many years with Teubert. Teubert wore shoes with holes in them, skipped meals, wore cast-off clothes, and quietly invested his savings, acquaintances said. When Teubert died in 1979 after being hit by a car at the age of 91, he left a handwritten Will on the back of a Notice to Stockholders of the Union Electric Company of St. Louis. In this Will, Teubert left several hundred thousand dollars to charities and churches and ended with the instruction: "Residue to aid the blind only." The origin of Teubert's desire to help the sightless puzzled several of his acquaintances. A secretary speculated that the legacy may have sprung from Teubert's love of reading. "He'd stay up half the night reading," she said. "He made a remark to somebody that it must be horrible to be blind." ***** ** A Consumer's Guide to Social Security Overpayments Part I By Barbara Nelson National Staff Attorney This is the first of two articles which present a practical guide to handling Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income overpayments. Part I will give advice on how to avoid receiving overpayments and how to request an "overpayment waiver" which may result in removing an overpayment from a recipient's record. Part II, to be published in the future issue of The Braille Forum, will summarize steps to take in order to appeal an unfavorable overpayment decision. Overpayments are, as the name implies, amounts of money that the Social Security Administration has paid to an individual, but which Social Security alleges should not have been received. Overpayments occur frequently and are usually the result of delays by the Social Security Administration in processing new information that would cause benefits to be lowered or terminated. If the overpayment is not removed from an individual's record, benefit checks will be reduced or stopped until the amount of the overpayment has been collected. If a person is no longer receiving benefits, the Administration will try to collect the amount they claim is owed. * Avoiding Overpayments If you follow the "five commandments" listed below, you will greatly reduce the likelihood of getting overpayments and increase your chances of receiving a favorable decision on an overpayment waiver request, should this occur. Rule 1. Report, report, report! Establish a practice of informing Social Security -- preferably in writing -- of all changes which might affect your benefits; e.g., changes in income, employment, and, for SSI recipients, changes in your living situation or the amount of your assets. Rule 2. If you receive either unexpected or larger than expected checks, don't cash them until you contact Social Security and receive a complete explanation about why the extra checks or larger amounts were issued. Don't assume that Social Security knows what it is doing and that if they sent a check, it must be all right to spend the money. Rule 3. Keep all correspondence received from Social Security. Keep copies of everything you send or give to Social Security. Also keep a written record of all telephone calls, including the date of the conversation, the name of the person you talked to, what was discussed, and the advice you were given. Rule 4. If you receive both SSI and Social Security disability benefits, you must report relevant changes to service representatives of both Social Security and SSI. The right hand does not necessarily know what the left hand is doing! Rule 5. Be courteous. Remember that Social Security employees are people, too. They have a large amount of discretion which can be exercised either in your favor or against you. They are not likely to exercise their discretion in favor of a disagreeable or abusive person. * Requesting a Waiver When you receive an "Overpayment Notice," the first step is to determine whether you have actually been overpaid. To do this, read the notice carefully to determine if the facts are correct as stated. If the facts upon which the Social Security Administration based its decision that you were overpaid are incorrect, you may not have been overpaid at all. You should then contact Social Security and request a reconsideration. That process will be discussed in Part II of this article. However, if the facts in the notice are correct and you believe you actually were overpaid, the first step is to call or stop in at the nearest Social Security office and request an Overpayment Recovery Questionnaire. The form is not difficult to complete if taken step by step. In order to receive an overpayment waiver, you must prove both of the following: (1) that you were without fault in receiving the overpayment, and (2) that collection of the overpayment would make you unable to meet the ordinary and necessary living expenses of you and your dependents. Part I of the Overpayment Recovery Questionnaire is used to establish whether you were without fault. The first question asks you to explain fully why you believe the incorrect payment was due you and why the overpayment was not your fault. To establish that you were without fault, your answer must show that you did everything that you could reasonably have been expected to do to avoid the overpayment. In your answer, tell your side of the story. Were you told or led to believe that you were entitled to the checks you received? If so, when, where, and how did this happen? Be specific. Also, are there any special circumstances in your case? Regulations permit Social Security to consider factors that affect your ability to comply with reporting requirements, such as age, comprehension, memory, physical, and mental condition. The second question asks whether you reported the change which affected your benefits. If you misled or lied to Social Security, failed to report any changes you knew or should have known would affect your benefits, or kept checks which you knew or should have known were not due you, your waiver request will not be granted. Thus, if you did not report, you should be sure to explain carefully why you did not. If you did report the change that affected your benefits, supply any records you may have to document this fact. The third question is to be completed by recipients of retirement benefits and is not relevant here. Question 4 gives you the opportunity to explain your understanding of the reporting requirements. Explain carefully what you were told about the Social Security reporting requirements. Finally, you are asked if you now understand the requirements. This is tricky. If your answer is yes, it is best to summarize your understanding of the rules. Parts H and III of the form are self­explanatory and easy to complete. They require no detailed comment here. Part IV is used to establish the second fact that must be proven in order for you to receive a waiver: that recovery of the overpayment would leave you without sufficient money to meet the ordinary and necessary living expenses of you and your dependents. This is usually easy to do. SSI recipients do not have to complete this section of the form since Social Security already knows that an SSI recipient does not have extra money. You must list the monthly income, expenses, and assets of your household. Here are a few tips: 1. Be careful to list all of your expenses, such as all types of medical bills. Don't forget dental and ophthalmological expenses. 2. Don't forget to consider seasonal and infrequent expenses such as home repairs and purchase of winter clothing. 3. Be sure to list all your creditors on the bottom of the third page. Add another page if you need more space. 4. If your bank account is unusually high, explain why; e.g., next month you have to pay taxes or tuition. Just one more thing: On the back of the form there is a section for "Remarks." The Social Security Administration can also allow an overpayment waiver if you were without fault and if collection of the overpayment would be against equity and good conscience. This means that it would be particularly unfair to collect the overpayments from you because you have made decisions based upon the fact that you were eligible for benefits and which cannot now be undone. This is the place to add an explanation of why you would be especially harmed by the collection of overpayments. You have now completed the form. After you have signed it, indicating that all the facts are true, you are ready to mail it in and wait for a response. This should arrive within about a month. If you have followed the "five commandments" and met both requirements for a waiver, the decision should be favorable. For advice about your particular situation, feel free to contact me, Barbara Nelson, National Staff Attorney, at the ACB National Office. ***** ** Howard University Takes Major Step Forward in Law of the Disabled Lack of knowledge of existing laws often has prevented groups and individuals from getting what they are entitled to. There are many blind and visually impaired persons looking for employment or educational opportunities or seeking ways to avoid the harassment and frustration of having their civil rights trampled on. If these individuals only knew of the existing law requiring affirmative action in employment, education and civil rights, they would be aware of how close they presently are to having their needs met. Howard University has taken a major step forward in meeting this educational need. Rudolph (Rudy) Lutter, a member of the American Council of the Blind, the American Blind Lawyers Association, and the Council of Citizens with Low Vision, found himself as a self-employed consultant in the summer of 1981, with an inadequate income. Because of his background and experience in communications law, he applied to teach at a number of universities. In the fall of 1981, he was employed to teach communications law at Howard University in Washington, D.C., "the Harvard of the black universities." Because he is blind, the University asked him to develop and teach a course on law and the disabled, in addition to teaching his other law courses. As a result, Howard University is believed to be the first university in the United States -- and very likely in the world -- to offer a regular course to teach college students the law concerning the disabled. Rudy Lutter is a long-time activist in the handicapped movement. He is a graduate of Penn State in sociology and of Harvard University in law and has practiced law in both Philadelphia and Washington since 1960. Clearly, he is an excellent choice as teacher. The American Council of the Blind commends Howard University for its leadership, insight, and social consciousness. Clearly, in offering a course on law and the disabled, Howard University is striking a major blow for equal treatment for disabled persons in today's society, as it has been doing for black citizens for over a hundred years. ***** ** The Phonic Ear A New Concept in Theater Accessibility For the Visually Impaired By Laura Oftedahl It's more fun to go to a play these days in Washington, D.C., thanks to the Washington Ear Theater Audio Service. The visual elements of the play are broadcast by a trained commentator to the blind patrons in the theater. The description is picked up by the Phonic Ear, a tiny earphone worn in one ear. The dialogue of the play and the sounds on stage are heard normally through the other ear. The Washington Ear Radio Reading Service has set up this program with the Arena Stage, the first of several D.C. theaters planning to offer the Phonic Ear. The process included the training of volunteer commentators and the purchase of the infrared or FM transmission equipment used. This gear consists of the mouthpiece and transmitter used by the announcer, and the tiny receiver and earphone worn by the patron. The broadcast is made without interference to the actors or sighted audience. Before the play or musical begins, the blind person tunes in to the reading of the program notes, cast of characters, and a description of the stage setting. During the performance, the colorful commentator describes stage actions essential to the understanding of the play. Facial expressions, gestures, costumes, and props come to life via the broadcast. Even the change of sets is described. In many performances, awareness of the gestures and body language of the actors is essential to a complete understanding of the play. So many times the manner in which a person sits in a chair during a conversation tells a great deal about that character. This is the type of information now available to the Theater Audio Service users. On the other hand, there are types of performances where awareness of purely visual actions is not mandatory to an appreciation of the play. All of these factors are considered by the skillful commentator in planning the Phonic Ear broadcasts. Care is taken so that the audio commentary does not interfere with the dialogue and sounds on stage. After all, the tone of an actor's voice and the musical elements of the performance are the most important. With concentration and a little practice, the blind patron can bring the visual commentary and existing audio elements together for a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Yes, visually impaired persons are finding that live theater is for them. In Washington, D.C., they are no longer avoiding this form of entertainment because they can't see the stage. The hearing impaired are also enjoying theater. The Theater Audio Service broadcasts the dialogue of the play greatly amplified to these theater-goers. The new Washington Ear Theater Audio Service is exciting. The curtain has risen on new forms of entertainment for those who used to think theater wasn't worth the price of the ticket. The Kennedy Center and National Theater in Washington, D.C., will soon introduce the Phonic Ear to its patrons. And the list of possibilities arising from the development of this unique service is endless. Just think of turning on your television set one day and being able to receive an audio commentary of the video actions! ***** ** City Fights Porn with Section 504, And Loses (Reprinted from Access, Special Edition on Theater, Published by the Arts and Special Constituencies Project. Supported by a contract from the National Endowment for the Arts, Washington, D.C.) Once upon a time in a city in a nameless state in the heartland of America, the owner of a theater that showed pornographic movies sought to widen his artistic mission by providing the city with live performances of the art form that Gypsy Rose Lee made famous. Unfortunately for the impresario, the city fathers thought that the city sons didn't need X-rated live performances in addition to porno movies. So, somewhere in the convolutions of local government, someone thought of a legal way to stop the conversion of the theater to live performances: accessibility, or rather, lack of accessibility. The city constructed an improbable scenario posing a supposition that if a physically disabled woman wanted to earn her living as a stripper, would she be able to use the runway that traditional strippers sashay along over the heads of admirers in the orchestra seats? The city found two disabled women who at first agreed to assist in a complaint charging that the theater's working conditions denied them an opportunity for work. However, before they reached the stage of having to risk perjury, they prudently withdrew their support of the complaint. A public showdown was averted by a Federal court ruling on the owner's appeal, and he was cleared of denying employment opportunity to disabled women. Meanwhile, back at the raunch, the theater owner said that if and when a disabled stripper wanted a job, he would make the ramp accessible. Although the affair has humorous overtones (the physically disabled community enjoys the tale as much as anyone), there is a sad core to the story because the city flagrantly abused a well-intentioned Federal regulation that was designed to protect disabled people. It seems to us that if a political jurisdiction wants to police the morality of its constituents, it should do so in a straightforward manner, without hiding behind a pious attitude pretending to help the disabled. The city did not achieve what it set out to do -- prevent live performances -- and now, three years after the event, the theater shows porno films interspersed with live performances. ***** ** A Shaggy Dog Story Sharing a Special Relationship with Disabled People (Reprinted from Disabled USA, Vol. IV, No. 7, 1981. By Kathy Quinn) Dog guides have become a recognizable part of our lives. Most people are familiar with the German shepherd that patiently guides a blind person down the sidewalk and across a busy street. Alert dogs have also become important aids for deaf persons. These dogs are trained to alert the deaf person when the phone or doorbell rings, when the baby cries, or when there is an unusual noise. The dog is trained to lead his master to the sound. There are other ways that dogs can assist mentally and physically disabled people in their daily lives. A physician reported that, for patients with depression, he prescribed that they get a dog. He did this rather than prescribing medication. It was his opinion that having a dog as a pet was equally as effective as medication in treating moderate depression. Dr. Samuel Corson, Professor of Psychiatry at Ohio State University, is a pioneer in the use of dogs in mental hospitals and homes for the elderly. Persons who were chosen to receive dogs tended to be withdrawn, self-centered, and uncommunicative. Some exhibited infantile helplessness and dependence. In most cases, the introduction of a pet facilitated the person's resocialization process. Because of the emotional involvement with their dogs, Corson found that persons he treated were more willing to assume responsibility and participate in daily activities. They began by walking, grooming, and caring for their pets, and gradually reached out to other people. Additionally, dogs are now being trained to work alongside physically disabled people. The American Humane Association in Englewood, Colorado, has received a grant to train ten dogs to help the disabled. Each dog will be individually trained to work with a person in a wheelchair. Erin, a Shetland Sheep Dog, is owned and trained by the author. Erin has been trained to respond to voice command to retrieve various objects for a person in a wheelchair. Erin gives the object to the person in the wheelchair by putting his front paws on the knees of the person, or he can jump into the lap if a person has limited arm use. There are doubtless many ways of explaining the transformations that occur in the lives of people with special needs when they respond to a relationship with a dog. The dog's influence seems to improve the person's physical, mental, and emotional well-being. True, there is no clinical explanation for the changes that occur. But, perhaps, that's not so unusual. Has anyone ever been able to give a clinical explanation of love? ***** ** The Listening Ear By Dorothy Stiefel * Dear Dorothy: I am not writing to you to gripe, but to tell you how thankful I am for the little bit of vision I still have. I am 61. Since I was 25, doctors have looked into my eyes and shaken their heads. True, my vision has closed in, but I am using to capacity that which I still have. I have 80 watts of fluorescent light in my kitchen, dining room and den, and also my utility room, which I call my "radio shack." I love this bright and cheerful house, and it seems that other people do, too! Also, I really work on a bright outlook because I have found out that if I like me, other people will like me, too, just as I am. I work on ways to keep busy and keep in touch with things going on. Amateur radio has been a terrific way to get out and meet people within my own home. I invite kids to my home, and from there I started selling Bibles. I meet the best people in the world. I just want to thank God for every bit of vision I have. If I should not have it sometime in the future, I can still remember! -- O. E. D., Oklahoma * Dear Oklahoma Reader: What a great way to capitalize on sight! We hear a lot about hindsight and foresight, but your outlook on vision is a special kind of sight all of us could use. Thanks for sharing it with us. * Dear Dorothy: I received information about you from Services for the Blind of Austin while I still lived in Texas. I am writing you to ask a personal favor and hope you will be able to help me. I am a blind woman, age 32, and I would like to make some new friends via cassette. I would like to correspond in Spanish with persons of Mexican origin, since I love that language and culture. Please give my address to anyone that might wish to correspond with me. If they prefer that I send the first cassette, you can send me their address. Thank you for your help. -- Dorotea Elena Taylor, 405 Morrison Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27608 * Dear Dorotea: I am banking on Braille Forum readers to be good listeners, too, in regard to your request. If all goes well, you may have a surprise cassette around the Christmas holidays! * Dear Dorothy: How do you escape the horrendous experience and embarrassment when you have just been caught talking to a pole? I feel like two cents when this happens -- and it happens often. -- Mr. J. R., Florida * Dear J. R.: You don't escape it! Treat it in the same manner as it seems to affect everyone else who happens to be watching -- humorously. I had an incorrigible habit of not only talking to poles -- and other objects -- but also of meeting these adversaries head on. It helps to try slowing down more and checking out what you think you're seeing. As to feelings of embarrassment and anger, I have discovered that one of the most comforting aspects of life is that we do have the freedom to make choices of how we act toward ourselves and others. Try turning embarrassment into humor and anger into determination. Readers are encouraged to share their comments in response to any letter appearing in this column. If you have a concern to share or a gripe to air, write to Dorothy Stiefel, c/o The Listening Ear, P.O. Box 8388, Corpus Christi, TX 78412. Send SASE for personal response. ***** ** ACB Affiliate News * Pony Express Association Participates in Ability Exposition In observance of the International Year for Disabled Persons, the IYDP Committee of St. Joseph, Missouri, recently sponsored a three-day Ability Exposition. Purpose was to educate the public concerning the abilities of blind and handicapped persons. Over fifty booths displayed literature, films, and equipment, including lift­equipped vans, a wide range of braille materials, and aids and appliances for the blind. The Pony Express Association of the Blind, a chapter of ACB affiliate, the Missouri Federation of the Blind, participated actively throughout the three-day event. Pony Express charter president Bill Sale entertained by playing the organ and piano. Over twenty hours of films were shown. "It did more to prove the abilities of blind people than anything we have ever done," writes Pony Express member Carolyn Anderson. Now in the planning stages is an Access Tabloid. It will list places in northwest Missouri where handicapped people can go for services, as well as facilities accessible to various handicapped groups. In addition, the tabloid will contain articles concerning organizations of the handicapped, as well as advances in such areas as education, vocations, and legislation. "All in all, not a bad year for the blind of St. Joseph," reflects Ms. Anderson. * Oklahoma Council Promotes Goals of IYDP The Oklahoma Council of the Blind has undertaken a statewide radio public service campaign on behalf of the International Year of Disabled Persons. (IYDP). State radio broadcasters are receiving a package of two one-minute spot announcements discussing a pair of projects in Oklahoma which involve handicapped and non-handicapped persons together, for the benefit of both. "We had hoped to see a groundswell of interest in IYDP," said Joe Fallin, president of the Oklahoma Council of the Blind. "But after some initial interest early in the year, it seemed like the word just wasn't getting out. So, we thought of public service radio announcements as a method of letting people know about handicapped and non-handicapped people working together, here in our state." The announcements feature two projects. In the first, Bonnie Cook, of the Northeastern Oklahoma Handicapped Organization (NOHO), tells about the work being done in Enid to make that city's Metalake Park accessible to handicapped children. The park project, when finished, will be usable, and fun, for children with and without disabilities, who will be able to play alongside each other. In the second spot, Moe Bradley of the Oklahoma Council of the Blind discusses a pilot project in Tulsa between the OCB and the Red Cross to teach blind people first aid. It was the first time a Red Cross chapter had undertaken such a course, and according to Bradley, it was a complete success. Spearheading the project is Angela Kamp, chair of the Public Relations Committee of OCB. Volunteer producer is Vernon Henley of the Oklahoma Educational Radio Network. "The messages stress involvement," says Kamp. "Involvement with the handicapped can be a simple thing: as simple as not parking in the reserved parking spot at a shopping mall, for instance. After Oklahomans are aware of the handicapped, and the involvement of many handicapped persons in the community, then involvement in handicapped concerns just sort of naturally follows." "We are very proud of the spots," says Kamp, "and I feel confident a number of state broadcasters will join us in getting involved." * Old Dominion Fall Meeting The Old Dominion Council of the Blind held its 1981 fall membership meeting in Richmond on Saturday, September 26. President G. Paul Kirton called the meeting to order, with approximately twenty members in attendance. The Saturday afternoon session was devoted to five program presentations which had a common theme of recreational opportunities for the visually impaired. During and after the Saturday afternoon session, the "Talking Optacon," currently being evaluated and field-tested by the American Council of the Blind, was demonstrated by Ms. Tracy Reynolds of the ACB National Office. The program presentations were interesting and provoked considerable exchange of ideas from the floor. Dr. Raymond (Bud) Keith of Arlington, current president of Healthsports, Inc., spoke about Ski for Light and the other programs of outdoor athletic participation for the blind and physically handicapped which are offered by that organization. Daniel Miller of Richmond spoke of the activities of the Virginia Association of Blind Athletes, which is affiliated with the U.S. Association for Blind Athletes. Old Dominion member Roy Ward of Richmond, a past president of the American Blind Bowlers Association, discussed the historic development of ABBA and of blind bowling within Virginia. Ms. Sharon Yachso of Waynesboro delivered a short talk concerning the summer camp for blind children which during the past few summers has been conducted by staff from the Virginia Department for the Visually Handicapped. ODCB member Ed Phillips of Richmond, current president of the Virginia Association of Workers for the Blind, spoke about the lodge at Burkeville which is operated as a vacation spot by the Association for blind Virginians who wish to attend during the summer months from Memorial Day until Labor Day. After the formal session had been completed, Dr. Keith stayed and discussed informally the well-publicized climb of Mt. Rainier in Washington State made this summer by physically handicapped climbers, and in which Dr. Keith participated. When the convention re-convened on Sunday morning, Ms. Laura Oftedahl, recently appointed ACB Director of Public Affairs, spoke of the duties of her new job and her plans for the future. She also played for those in attendance the new ACB public service announcements soon to be distributed to radio stations throughout the country. Mr. William Coppage, Director of the Virginia Department for the Visually Handicapped, followed what has become a custom by briefing the membership on recent developments impacting upon the state agency serving the blind. The following officers were elected for the coming year: President, Reese Robrahn of Annandale; First Vice President, Dr. Raymond (Bud) Keith of Arlington; Second Vice President, Roy Ward of Richmond; Secretary­Treasurer, Charles Hodge of Arlington. * Vermont Council Convention, 1981 The Vermont Council of the Blind held its annual meeting September 26. Hayden Nichols of Fair Haven was elected to his second term as President, and Stan Beauregard of St. Albans, newly appointed member of the ACB Board of Publications, to his first term as Vice President. Other officers elected were Joanne Nichols of Brattleboro, Secretary-Treasurer, and Norm Case of Bethel, President of the American Blind Lawyers Association, Sergeant-at-Arms. One of the highlights of the day­long session was the announced formation of Vermont's new American Council of the Blind Parents affiliate. That group's new president, Howard Nixon of Jericho, reported current membership of thirteen couples. Already, Nixon said, things are beginning to happen because of this brand new ACB effort in Vermont. The new group was given affiliate status in the Vermont Council. Various reports were presented, and the group heard firsthand of a three-year independent living grant received by the Vermont Association of the Blind. The report was given by the organization's executive director, William Sullivan. David Mentasti, Director of the Vermont Division for the Blind and Visually Handicapped, reported on state efforts to improve and expand services. "Dealing with the Bueaucracy in the 1980s" was the theme of a talk given by Charles Crawford, Director of Client Services for the State of Massachusetts. ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon From Journal of Rehabilitation: The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International and Rotarians of Japan provided the United States $184,640 to transport teams from nine developing nations to the 1981 International Abilympics, October 21-23 in Tokyo, Japan. An abilympic, meaning "Olympics of Ability," is a skill contest for disabled persons. The International Abilympics is a major event of the 1981 United Nations International Year of Disabled Persons and drew some fifty countries in contests and demonstrations of vocational skills in a dramatic exhibition of the active and constructive way in which disabled persons can contribute to society. Last spring the South Dakota Association of the Blind began sponsoring recorded public service announcements on all radio and TV stations in South Dakota. These announcements were produced, written, directed, and some narrated by a visually impaired person who has a degree in media communications. Subjects of the announcements included white cane laws, aids and appliances, and low vision. From CRS Newsletter (Council of Rehabilitation Specialists): One of the recent "talking" appliances on the market is the Panasonic Model NE8100 Microwave Oven. The oven speaks each time a button is pressed, letting the user know which selection has been made, thus eliminating the possibility of a wrong entry. In addition, this model features auto-sensitive programming, which will automatically determine the programs and enter the correct cooking time for many recipes. Braille templates are available for the control panel. For further information, contact Carol Masuk, Sales Training Promotion Specialist, Major Appliance Department, Home Appliance Division, Panasonic Co., 1 Panasonic Way, Secaucus, NJ 07094. -- A new insulin product with the trade name MIXTARD may be of use to blind diabetics if they are required to use mixed insulin by injection. This product consists of a stable mixture of 30% regular insulin and 70% NPH insulin. Those who believe they might benefit from this new product should consult their physician. For further information, write Nordisk USA, 7315 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 851-W, Bethesda, MD 20014. From Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness: Boating World Unlimited is a new bi­monthly published by the Handicapped Boaters Association to provide "the information which will help solve the problems facing all disabled boaters: how to get started, access to boats, boating facilities, boating programs, and especially boating products which will make the sport safer and easier." For a complimentary copy or for membership information, write Handicapped Boaters Association, P.O. Box 1134 Antonia Station, New York, NY 10023. The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inc., is surveying disabled persons about their schooling. This is the first comprehensive study ever undertaken of the educational experiences of disabled persons. Information requested includes the types of classrooms attended (regular, special education, hospital, tutorial, etc.) and the curriculum studied at various grade levels. The initial survey is a short, 11-part questionnaire. Of those who respond, 1,000 to 3,000 will afterward receive a more detailed questionnaire. For further information, call (800) 227-2357; California residents call collect, (415) 644-2555. Both numbers are voice and TTY. Judge Oscar E. Gortney of Harrodsburg, Kentucky, died recently at the age of 91, after a long illness. Blind since childhood, Judge Gortney was a 1908 graduate of the Kentucky School for the Blind in Louisville. At age 19 he began work as a piano tuner and salesman for a music company. He was first elected police judge in 1921 and served in that position until his retirement in 1963. Terri Gibbs was named "Most Promising Female Vocalist" at the Academy of Country and Western Music Award ceremonies the last week in April. Blind since birth, Terri has been singing professionally for nine years. Her single, "Somebody's Knockin," and her album of the same name have rated high on both pop and country-western charts. From The Periscope (Mississippi Council of the Blind): For the past several months, some members of the Mississippi Council have been collecting aluminum cans and selling them so that they can be recycled. Almost $200 has been added to the treasury as a result of their efforts. A recent issue of the Newsletter of the Nevada Council of the Blind carries an update on the discrimination suit brought by Dave Krause against the Desert Inn hotel (see The Braille Forum, November, 1981). The Equal Rights Commission held a closed hearing on September 24. It appears that the Desert Inn is sticking to its policy, so the Equal Rights Commission is proceeding with the case. The theme of the 1982 national journalism contest sponsored by the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped and participating state governor's committees is: "Disabled People at Work." The contest is open to all high-school juniors and seniors, and the President's Committee is especially anxious to encourage more participation by students with handicaps. This is an opportunity for disabled students to involve themselves in their own future. It is also an opportunity to possibly win national cash prizes ranging from $750 to $2,000. The contest is first conducted on the state and national levels. For details, write to the state chairman, Governor's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped, at your state capital, or to President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped, Washington, DC 20210. From the Bluegrass Council Newsletter (Kentucky): Equitation Unlimited, a new riding program to benefit handicapped people, has been initiated with the assistance and cooperation of a Lexington riding stable. The program is modeled after one based at the Cheff Center in Michigan which has developed special techniques for teaching riding to handicapped persons. Initially, horses from the riding stable will be used, but it is hoped that in time the program will be strong enough to sustain its own stable. As a first step in this direction, Equitation Unlimited sponsored a plug horse derby October 4, which featured races for all types and breeds of horses and ponies. The Boy Scouts of America has introduced a merit badge, the Handicapped Awareness Badge. Requirements are published in the September, 1981 issue of Scouting Magazine. These include readings and exercises designed to give a greater understanding of the problems experienced by handicapped citizens and to encourage spending time working with the handicapped. For example, Requirement No. 3 is: "Spend fifteen hours within a three­month period with either (a) a sheltered workshop for adults with a handicapping condition, or (b) a special Cub Scout pack or Boy Scout troop. Learn about their activities, assist their leaders, and work with the members of the group." Viewscan is a new electronic reading aid soon to be available. Weighing under 10 pounds, Viewscan is a completely portable unit, capable of being operated from a direct power source or on internal, rechargeable batteries. The unit is designed to produce a bright, magnified image of the reading material, which is relayed from a small, hand-held camera. As the camera is moved across the page, two high-speed microcomputers process the signal and generate the visual display on a flat, illuminated matrix panel. The image can be magnified up to 64 times the original size. For further information, write Sensory Aids Corp., Suite 110, 205 W. Grand Avenue, Bensenville, IL 60106-3389. The Job Exchange, formerly conducted by the AAWB, is now a joint project of the American Association of Workers for the Blind and the Association for the Education of the Visually Handicapped. Lists of interested applicants and job openings are maintained in the following categories: administration and management, social services, public relations, orientation and mobility, rehabilitation teaching, rehabilitation counseling, pre-school teaching, multi-handicapped teaching, and itinerant, resource and special classroom teaching. Individuals may request lists of job openings. If authorization is given, names will be sent out to schools and agencies with job openings. Resumes are not to be sent to the Job Exchange. This service is offered without charge. Applications may be requested from AAWB/AEVH Alliance Job Exchange, 206 N. Washington Street, Suite 320, Alexandria, VA 22314. ***** ** 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. ###