The Braille Forum Vol. XXI December, 1982 No. 6 NTEU Brings Suit to Enforce Rights of Blind and Visually Impaired IRS Employees Published Monthly by the American Council of the Blind Mary T. Ballard, Editor ***** National Office: Oral O. Miller 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Suite 506 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 833-1251 Editorial Office 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: Dr. Otis H. Stephens 2021 Kemper Lane, S.W. Knoxville, TN 37920 * Second Vice President: Dr. Robert T. McLean P.O. Box 237 Department of Mathematical Sciences Loyola University New Orleans, LA 70018 * Secretary: Karen Perzentka 6913 Colony Drive Madison, WI 53717 * Treasurer: James R. Olsen Summit Bank Bldg., Suite 822 310 4th Avenue, S. Minneapolis, MN 55415 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 President's Message, by Grant Mack Technology: Opening the Doors for Disabled People, by John M. Williams News Briefs from the ACB National Office, by Oral O. Miller Look Into the Sun: 1983 ACB National Convention, by Ruth Bagby Druding No Answer at the IRS - An Update Report, by Scott Marshall Blind IRS Employees Sue for Their Rights, by Scott Marshall ACB Invests $20,000 in Blind Students: Floyd Qualls Memorial Scholarship Program, by Laura Oftedahl Policy Clarified on Use of Dog Guides in Hospitals and Nursing Homes, by Barbara Nelson Friends in Art at Atlanta, by Barbara Chandler Congress Tightens Health Care Spending, by Barbara Nelson Review of SSDI Cases Slowed Come, Meet Us on the Mountain!, by James Neal OSERS to Sponsor Open Forum on Research and Service Needs of Handicapped Touch Traffic-Light System Tested in West Germany Rehabilitation Research and Training Center for Blindness and Low Vision Works of Art Sought Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon Notice to Subscribers ***** ** President's Message By Grant Mack As 1982 comes to a close, it seems quite natural to spend some time reflecting on the past and contemplating the future. It is not my purpose in the short space allotted me to do either in great detail. I would, however, like to draw attention to the fact that the American Council of the Blind has much for which to be proud in the way of accomplishments. I would like to thank those who have been responsible for the giant steps forward. Thanks to an effective staff in the Washington Office, we have had a positive impact on legislation. Mary Ballard and her hardworking crew in Rochester, New York, have continued with their timely and quality production of The Braille Forum. The ACB Enterprises and Services staff in Minneapolis has also performed admirably. Perhaps the greatest thanks should go to those unpaid volunteers in the various affiliates who have contributed so much to the continued numerical growth and positive in fluence of the American Council of the Blind. As we look around the corner to the new year, I feel a distinct degree of optimism among affiliate members all over the country. In spite of threatened financial cutbacks in many programs, and despite attempts of some political leaders to take a step backward, the feeling of optimism persists. We have enough strength to thwart these negative threats. We are looking forward to a good year. The 1983 ACB national convention in Phoenix, Arizona, should be bigger and better than any held before. It seems that each year's convention attracts greater attendance and bigger and better programs. If any of you have suggestions on how to improve these important conventions, with ideas on special speakers or programs that would have national interest, please let us know. Finally, may I wish all of you a very happy holiday season. May you enjoy warmness and happiness at this special time of year. ***** ** Technology: Opening the Doors for Disabled People By John M. Williams (John Williams is a communications consultant, free lance writer and fund raiser. He has been the director of communications division of United Way of America; a columnist on U.S. Latin American relationships; an anti-submarine warfare reporter; an environmental writer; and a reporter for Army Times Publishing Co. He has also written nine books and three short stories. He writes on civil rights and disability issues often.) Sterling, Virginia ? Technology is opening doors for disabled people, particularly for both visually impaired and blind people, in professions that have been traditionally closed to them. In fact, current technology enables blind and visually impaired people to hear what they cannot see, to operate entire communications centers by voice command, and to speak in case they are speech impaired. Today?s technology is making it possible for disabled people in record numbers to attend colleges and universities and to be employed. It is making once invisible disabled persons visible and marketable. It is making them more efficient and more productive. It is making them tax producers and a vital force in the revolution to help disabled people become acceptable in a non-disabled world. * Education "The world is rapidly becoming purely technology oriented, and both blind and visually impaired people must be trained to use technology so they can become a part of their communities and the world as a whole," says Bill Hadlock, Coordinator of Services to Blind and Visually Impaired Students, Catonsville Community College, Catonsville, Maryland. He has been at Catonsville Community College since 1968 and has held his present position since 1977, when the Maryland State Department of Education responded to a grant he wrote to create the position. Hadlock is legally blind. He has Stargardt's Disease, which is a scarring of the retina tissue. His blindness has been the force behind his efforts to have the college and other sources bring technology on to campus so it can be used by disabled students. Hadlock and other counselors advise students on ways to expand their career alternatives available to them through the college's career curriculum. They help the students rid themselves of attitudes that systematically breed failure, or reasons for failure, when life seems to be going against them. These attitudes can cover personal, career, or academic areas. "To many blind or visually impaired students, technology is frightening," says Hadlock. "Once they learn how valuable it is to them, especially computers, they become quick learners and want to learn all they can. One particular computer terminal that they like is Total Talk." Total Talk is a talking terminal developed by Maryland Computer Services, Inc. It was acquired by the college in August 1981. Today, it is used by 26 blind and visually impaired students. The faculty also uses it on occasion. "We use Total Talk to make our data processing system curriculum available to our blind or visually impaired students. Other instructors give us excellent cooperation by making their curricula accessible to Total Talk," says Hadlock. The students respond by using Total Talk to access the information they need for data processing, science, engineering, and mathematics classes. Some of them do their reports and other assignments with Total Talk. Horan Jig, a Korean blind student from Seoul, says, "Total Talk has opened up a new world for me. I feel better prepared to face the technological challenges that lie before me. One of the positive aspects of it is that I can now hear what I cannot see. Total Talk has become my eyes." Horan Jig is determined to make a place for herself in the world. "My blindness is only a part of me. The total me is my spirit, my heart, and other body parts." Total Talk is a well equipped terminal that talks. Its many features meet the demands of both the computer professional and the non-technical user. Total Talk?s speech synthesizer, video screen, earphone jack, and control knobs are all housed in one unit. A separate keyboard is attached by a cable. It converts computer-transmitted data and information entered on the keyboard into easy-to-understand synthesized speech. Total Talk users can listen to a word, a line, or a page at a time. It easily switches from full-speech to spelled-speech (a character at a time) output, enabling any word or special computer character to be verified. The speech rate (45 to 720 words per minute), pitch, tone, and volume are adjustable. Total Talk is programmed to speak in much the same way a child is taught to read phonetically. The speech is produced by the VOTRAX VSB synthesizer board, which is capable of vocalizing 64 different phonemes (phonetic sounds such as "th," "sh," long and short vowels). A microprocessor converts letters and groups of letters into digital codes corresponding to these phonemes, employing English pronunciation rules such as when a vowel is pronounced short or long. For example, the silent "e" rule tells the processor that an "e" followed by a space or punctuation, and preceded by a consonant, which is in turn preceded by one or more vowels, should be silent. The word "care" illustrates this rule. Approximately 400 such rules for pronunciation enable Total Talk to produce intelligible full-word speech. Other unique features of Total Talk are: unlimited vocabulary, two pages of display memory, and the fact that it can be used with such computers as Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Burroughs, Dec, Sperry Univac, Apple Personal Computer, and others. "Total Talk helps our students prepare themselves for careers in business, law, teaching, data processing, engineering, mathematics, computer programming and other professions," says Hadlock. "They are better off for using it." On the West Coast, Pershing Vartanian agrees with Hadlock. "To my ear, the metallic, non-human voice of Total Talk is the sweetest voice on earth," says Vartanian, a blind writer and history teacher at San Diego State University, San Diego, California. "This wonderful machine has liberated me as a writer and teacher. For the first time in my life, I have total control over everything I write. I now have the capability of editing, too, as any sighted person can," he says. He lost his sight nearly 25 years ago to retinitis pigmentosa. "Total Talk is not only valuable to me, but to many disabled people, particularly blind people. They, being students, for example, can use it to write their own reports, do research, and work in various fields. Blind people have needed a tool and a friend (he calls his Total Talk 'the bum, because it just sits around and talks') like this for years." By eliminating several time-consuming steps and reliance on another person (before Total Talk, he had someone else working with him most of the time), "the bum" has trimmed the time it takes to complete a writing project by 80 percent. He believes students can become as proficient as he is. with Total Talk and thanks Maryland Computer Services, Inc., for developing it. "Total Talk was the first of a revolutionary line of new products for blind people," says Deane Blazie, co-founder and chief executive officer of Maryland Computer Services, Inc. Since Total Talk's arrival, Blazie and other engineers at Maryland Computer Services have developed an Information Thru Speech (ITS) talking computer with more features than Total Talk. One of ITS's homes is Arizona State University. ITS is a revolutionary computer system providing information both visually and vocally. Data appearing on the display screen is spoken in an easily understood synthetic voice, with adjustable rate of speech ranging from 45 to 720 words per minute. Users listen to all of the information on the display screen, a line, a word, a paragraph, or a page at a time. A new speech pad allows the manipulation of the speech functions and cursor movement with one hand. The pad allows for information to be reviewed quickly and easily. For words that do not follow the standard rules of English pronunciation, abbreviations, codes, or computer mnemonics, special sets of exemption rules can be added by the user at any time. These rules will supersede the standard rules for pronunciation. ITS combines the Hewlett-Packard HP-125 professional computer and MCS's state-of-the-art speech technology into a single package. "ITS will be used by approximately twelve blind students, and some students with learning disabilities and orthopedic impairments this semester," says B.J. Maxson, counselor for the visually impaired students for Disabled Student Services, Arizona State University. There are about 600 disabled students out of an enrollment of 40,000. "ITS is one of the finest technological advances in the current state-of?the-art in speech technology," says Maxson. "Students here love it. The speech is very clear. The micro-processor allows for flexibility in the ways it can be used. And ITS? word?processing capabilities will enable it to be used as a tool in many areas." ITS is also used by business and government professionals. Orville Martin is a government user. He is a claims representative for the Social Security Administration in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is legally blind as a result of glaucoma and cataracts. He lost his sight when he was 24. He has a B.S. degree in business from St. Cloud State College, St. Cloud, Minnesota. "I have had ITS a very short time, but already it is a time-saver," says Martin. His responsibilities include adjudicating claims on Social Security. He does a lot of paper work and finds that ITS has become his eyes as he works on retirement, disability, and survivors' claims. "ITS is easy to use. It is faster than VersaBraille. Its verbal output is clear. I can find the information I need right away. I can also change computer configuration easily. ITS makes my job easier. As a result, I am more efficient and have increased my work output," states Martin. Martin and other disabled people have brighter futures before them because of technology. Because of technology, disabled people have a real opportunity to alter history and come out of their closets. They have the opportunity to live normal lives, to work, to play, to marry, to raise a family, to attend church services, to be a contributor to their neighborhood. ***** ** News Briefs from the ACB National Office By Oral O. Miller National Representative Don?t ever believe that the parents of blind and visually impaired children will eventually agree to any regulations issued which will impact negatively regarding the education of their children. That fact was dramatically underscored on October 7 when it was my pleasure to speak in St. Paul, Minnesota, to many of the parent members of the Association for Blind Living and Education (ABLE) regarding the proposed regulations under Public Law 94-142. Their questions and knowledgeable comments reaffirmed their opposition to proposed regulations which would, for example, allow local school authorities, using their disciplinary powers, to remove handicapped children from mainstreamed classes if those children, without further examination, were considered to be disruptive influences. At the same time, a special education teacher had an opportunity to present the school?s point of view. While the opposition of organizations such as the American Council of the Blind obviously played an extremely important role in persuading the U.S. Secretary of Education to withdraw the most objectionable of the proposed regulations, it is obvious that parents such as the ones I addressed in Minnesota had tremendous impact, also. The North Central Leadership Training Seminar, held in Omaha, Nebraska, the weekend of October 15-17 was another rousing success! Sixty or more ACB members who at?tended from the six north central states (Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas) heard Fred McDonald at his best, following a recent and very serious illness, as well as a greater number of presentations given by ACB members themselves. The seventh and final leadership training seminar in the current series is scheduled to take place in Fort Worth, Texas, the weekend of November 19-21, 1982, and it will probably be the largest of the seven. Since many people who attend the regional leadership seminars have never attended an ACB national convention, the seminars are perfect opportunities for those members to become much more familiar with ACB, its democratic structure, and its philosophy. While it may take almost twelve hours of flying time to get there from the east coast, almost everyone who goes to beautiful Hawaii soon forgets the fatigue connected with the long journey. That was certainly the case with me as I winged my way over the Pacific in late October of this year in response to a longstanding invitation to address the members of the Aloha Council of the Blind at their 1982 state convention in Honolulu. Although the workshops and demonstrations connected with the International Blind Sports Week, in which I had intended to take part, were cancelled only a few weeks earlier, I was kept quite busy with interesting media interviews, short sightseeing trips, and visits to service facilities. The Aloha Council convention program was outstanding, as it always is, and it featured, among other things, presentations intended to ?unhandicap? the mind and to enable blind and visually impaired people to deal with common, but highly dangerous emergencies such as fire, criminal activity, and natural disasters. The convention luncheon was highlighted by remarks by U.S. Senator Spark Matsunaga, who was precisely ?on the mark? regarding the seriousness of proposed reductions in human services by the current Administration. Senator Matsunaga, Congressman Cecil Heftel, Honolulu Mayor Eileen Anderson, and representatives of other high-tanking public officials joined in commending the Aloha Council?s founding and outgoing president, Coletta Whitcomb, for the outstanding job she has done during the preceding six years. Later in the convention, the membership elected Linda Cote to be the new president. We certainly wish her well as she begins her new duties. If I were to ask talking book listeners to give me the names of their favorite readers, I am positive that many, many of them would name Alexander Scourby, who is now completing his 45th year of recording for the American Foundation of the Blind. On October 28, 1982, the American Foundation for the Blind presented the prestigious Migel Medal to Mr. Scourby for his many years of dedicated service, and it was my pleasure to introduce him to the dignitaries and others attending the award ceremony during the Helen Keller Symposium. While there is not space in this article to give much information about Mr. Scourby, who has a fascinating background, a separate article in a future issue of The Braille Forum will doubtless be of great interest to the thousands of blind people who have listened to his expressive reading over the past 45 years. ***** ** Look Into the Sun: 1983 ACB National Convention By Ruth Bagby Druding Nestled on an 1100-foot plateau, with mountains on the clear horizon in every direction, lies Phoenix, in the Valley of the Sun. Legendary Phoenix arose from its ashes. Thousands of years ago, the ancient Indians called Phoenix home. Phoenix arises to host the 21st annual convention of the American Council of the Blind, July 3-9, 1983, at the Phoenix Hilton Hotel, which, in actuality, has been raised from the literal ashes of the turn-of-the-century Adams Hotel. The facility is about seven years old. Rates are $30.00 single and $34.00 double. (Note the reduction from prior quotes.) The Convention Committee, headed by Hal Newsom, is preparing a very interesting itinerary, including trips to the fabulous Seventh Wonder of the Grand Canyon, a wild-west shoot-out and cook-out, and much more. Further details will be released in future issues of The Braille Forum. If you have any suggestions or specific requests from your affiliate, write Hal Newsom, ACB Convention Chairman, 3124 E. Roosevelt, Phoenix, AZ 85008; telephone (602) 273-1510. Potential exhibitors and affiliates desiring space are urged to contact the committee as soon as possible to make your needs and intentions known. Meeting rooms and display areas will be on a first-come basis. You will be contacted later. We are looking for you to be a part of the largest ACB convention ever as you look into the sun in 1983. ***** ** No Answer at the IRS ? An Update Report By Scott Marshall Director of Governmental Affairs Last May, readers of The Braille Forum learned of the Administration's proposal to eliminate toll-free telephone taxpayer assistance provided by the United States Internal Revenue Service. Such a cut would affect not only members of the general public who rely upon the IRS for tax advice, but could also potentially impact on the jobs of many blind and visually impaired people who answer telephone inquiries for the IRS. The response to the Administration?s original proposal was prompt and effective. The National Office of the American Council of the Blind mobilized ACB?s legislative network via the Washington Connection, its toll-free legislative hotline. Contacts with key members of Congress were made, and correspondence from the ACB National Office which outlined the special interest of blind and visually impaired IRS employees was included in the Congressional hearing record. The general feeling on Capitol Hill was that Congress valued the toll-free telephone taxpayer assistance program and that the Administration?s proposal to cut this service would not be adopted. In September, the House Appropriations Committee passed the fiscal year 1983 Treasury and Postal Service appropriations bill and included therein an additional $50 million earmarked for the toll-free program. The Senate version of the appropriations bill did not contain a specific dollar amount for this program, but language in the committee report evidenced the Senate Appropriations Committee?s intent that the toll-free program should continue. All appeared bright on the horizon until October 25. Congress was out of session, and the IRS and the Treasury Department advised the National Treasury Employees Union that Treasury and IRS ?reaffirmed the decision in the budget proposal? to find better ways to provide taxpayer assistance. The communication from Treasury and the IRS went on to state that the toll-free telephone system was not cost-effective and that alternative assistance would be provided to the public through such programs as neighborhood group return preparation, use of the media to communicate tax information, and the Teletax program, an experimental system whereby taxpayers can call the IRS to receive prerecorded answers to most common tax problems. Layoffs of IRS employees were expected to occur, according to a union spokesman, in late November. Once again, however, the Administration was forced to back down. Democratic and Republican staffers on the Hill contacted their Congressmen back home and a message was sent to the Administration concerning the toll-free program. The Administration finally agreed that it would not tamper with the toll-free telephone program until Congress returns to Washington on November 29. What can be done now? Write to your own members of Congress and to the key members who sit on committees concerned with taxpayer service (see list below). You may wish to mention in your letter that telephone taxpayer assistance is a valuable service to the public and that many blind and visually impaired people may find their jobs again in jeopardy if the toll?free program is eliminated. The following key committee members should be contacted in addition to your own members of Congress: Senator James Abdnor (R., SD); Senator Dennis de Concini (D., AZ); Senator William Cohen (R., ME); Representative Edward Roybal (D., CA); Representative Benjamin Rosenthal (D., NY). Remember, although Congress will probably again reject the Administration?s latest attack on taxpayer service, concerned citizens must be counted on this issue. Although the telephone taxpayer assistance program is sometimes not what blind people would like it to be, this employment opportunity for blind and visually impaired people must be preserved. ***** ** Blind IRS Employees Sue for Their Rights By Scott Marshall Director of Governmental Affairs On August 5, 1982, the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) filed a class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, on behalf of blind and visually impaired Internal Revenue Service employees who have been discriminated against because of the Government?s refusal to provide needed reference materials in a readable form. The complaint alleges that blind and visually impaired individuals employed in the Taxpayer Service Division of IRS are denied access to such materials as the Internal Revenue Code, Regulations, and the Internal Revenue Manual ? materials which are available to sighted employees, and access to which is necessary in order to efficiently answer taxpayers? questions. The complaint further alleges that performance appraisals of blind IRS employees are adversely affected by the inability of such individuals to read the required reference materials. Accordingly, within-grade increases have been denied. The complaint further states that promotion and transfer possibilities of blind employees have been limited. In addition, vacancy announcements and competitive testing are often closed to blind and visually impaired people because such items are not in an accessible form. The complaint seeks declaratory injunctive and monetary relief in the form of a court order directing the Internal Revenue Service to utilize ?technologies and methods? to make needed reference materials, vacancy announcements, and tests accessible to blind employees. In addition, the complaint seeks attorneys? fees and back wages for blind and visually impaired employees who have been denied promotions, increases, or transfers by reason of inaccessible materials. The American Council of the Blind has been asked by the NTEU to assist in locating blind and visually impaired IRS employees who have experienced discrimination because of inaccessible reference materials, vacancy announcements, or testing procedures. Please outline your experiences in a brief letter, and include your name, address, and telephone number. Send your letter to the ACB National Office, 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 506, Washington, DC 20036, Attention: S. Marshall or B. Nelson. Unless you instruct otherwise, a copy of your letter will be forwarded to the National Treasury Employees Union headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Government has not yet answered the NTEU complaint. You will be kept advised as this litigation progresses. ***** ** ACB Invests $20,000 in Blind Students: Floyd Qualls Memorial Scholarship Program By Laura Oftedahl Director of Public Affairs The American Council of the Blind is growing larger and stronger, and with this growth follows a greater number of opportunities for blind and visually impaired people. Three times as many blind postsecondary students will be awarded Floyd Qualls Memorial Scholarships in 1983 as last year, which was the first year of this program. Persons who are legally blind and admitted for vocational, technical, professional, or academic studies beyond the high-school level are eligible to apply for one of these scholarships. The Scholarship Committee, chaired by ACB Board member M.J. Schmitt of Chicago, will carefully consider all applications and award the following scholarships: four for $2,500 each; four for $1,500 each, and four for $1,000 each. Applications, instructions, and criteria are available upon request from the ACB National Office by calling 1-800-424-8666. Applications, along with the required supporting documents, must be returned by April 30, 1983. All materials should be addressed to the Floyd Qualls Memorial Scholarship Committee, c/o American Council of the Blind, 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 506, Washington, DC 20036. Leading candidates will be interviewed via telephone in May, and the successful applicants will be notified by June 15, 1983. The twelve Floyd Qualls Scholarships will be presented at the 1983 ACB national convention to be held in Phoenix, Arizona, during the first week of July. Winners will be encouraged and assisted to the extent possible to attend the convention. The Floyd Qualls Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund has been established to provide for the continuation and advancement of this worthwhile service. ACB members, interested individuals, corporations, and ACB affiliates are encouraged to become supporting contributors to this program. All such contributions are tax deductible. Please indicate that you would like your contribution to be deposited in the Endowment Fund. Make checks payable to the American Council of the Blind and send to Treasurer James R. Olsen, Suite 822, 310 4th Avenue, S., Minneapolis, MN 55415. Floyd Qualls was one of the great personalities in the American Council of the Blind and its progressive programs and services. It is appropriate and commendable that the Board of Directors worked quickly after Mr. Qualls? death in June 1981 to create this program for the future leaders of the ACB. ***** ** Policy Clarified on Use of Dog Guides in Hospitals and Nursing Homes By Barbara Nelson Staff Attorney Betty Lauw Dotson, Director of the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services, has issued a policy clarification on the use of dog guides in hospitals, nursing homes, and other human services facilities. The memorandum interprets the Section 504 protection for handicapped persons from discrimination by recipients of Federal funds and provides guidance to hospitals about how dog guide questions should be resolved. The policy statement requires hospitals to allow dog guides into all areas of the hospital except those areas in which a dog guide will pose a significant health risk (such as intensive care or burn units). Medically qualified personnel rather than administrative officers or security guards must make this determination and should develop a list of the exact areas where dog guides are now allowed. Unless a patient is in a restricted area, he or she may have visitors with dog guides. If that patient shares a room with other patients who have strong allergic reactions to dogs or who are not able to understand that the dog guide is not dangerous, either patient should be allowed to change rooms. Because blind patients generally do not need their dog guide while hospitalized, hospitals are not required to allow dog guides to be ?kept around just for company.? However, if patients are able to feed, groom, and exercise their dog and feel they need the assistance of their dog guide while hospitalized, the hospital should allow the dog to remain with its master. This policy applies only to ?trained dog guides, which have been maintained as dog guides by their users and are groomed and well behaved.? Individual dog guides which do not meet these criteria may be excluded from hospital areas. Regional offices of the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services will investigate complaints of discrimination by dog guide users who believe they have been inappropriately excluded from hospital settings. Complaints should be filed with the Office for Civil Rights in the region where the health care facility is located and should contain the name, address, and telephone number of the dog guide user, the name, address, and the telephone number of the hospital or health care facility, the name of the person who excluded the dog guide, and a complete description of the incident. The address of the Health and Human Services regional office for Civil Rights can be obtained by calling the local Federal Information Center telephone number or the National Office of the American Council of the Blind. After a complaint is received, the regional office for Civil Rights will first try to negotiate an informal settlement of the disagreement. If that fails, the complaint will be further investigated and enforced. All of the states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico also have laws which make it illegal for a blind person accompanied by a dog guide to be excluded from public places. These laws and state human rights laws may also provide a remedy for persons with dog guides who have been barred from hospitals. However, it is often not clear how these laws apply to specific situations which may arise in hospital settings. Since the Office for Civil Rights now has a clear policy on the use of dog guides in such human services settings, in some instances it may be more expeditious to handle complaints through the Office for Civil Rights complaint process rather than through the use of the state laws. If informal attempts to resolve access problems in health care facilities fail, the dog guide user will need to do some research to determine whether state or Federal law remedies will be most effective. Copies of the Office for Civil Rights memorandum, as well as assistance with specific issues involving dog guides, are available from the ACB National Office. ***** ** Friends in Art at Atlanta By Barbara Chandler The Friends in Art presence at the ACB convention in Atlanta was a combination of an exhibition of art by blind artists, a Showcase of the Performing Arts, and unexpected opportunities to experience art as the week progressed. Entries to the Art Competition constituted the display, as well as a model of a highway interchange constructed by Merrill Maynard and Lydia Breed, who was at the 1980 convention in Louisville. To facilitate the understanding of the title of the Friends in Art newsletter, Log of the Bridgetender, Mr. Maynard had also constructed a model of a drawbridge and the hut that shelters the one who tends the bridge. Each of these models invited enormous interest. During the week, Frances Starr demonstrated her technique of painting with acrylics. Landscapes appeared miraculously on prepared, color-washed surfaces. Scheduled on Tuesday evening was the Showcase for the Performing Arts, which is becoming an annual event of the convention. By all reckoning, this was the best year ever. Highlights included classical piano and voice selections from Rita Levy, Cindy Berry on the guitar, Pauletta Frailey?s lyric soprano, John deFrancesco?s marvelous ?Ole Man River,? three children?s songs written and sung by Janiece Petersen, as well as a duet with Roger Petersen, comfortable ?oldies? on the piano from Woody Bates, Joan Reed?s piano medley, and Kim Toomer?s classical songs. A surprise number was a gem of a poem, written and recited by Carol Jones, titled ?Mary.? The Art Competition was an integral part of the exhibit, entirely composed of entries by blind artists. It included two pencil drawings by Carlton Matrau from Baltimore, slides of paintings by Merrill Maynard, and paintings by Frances Starr from Miami Beach. On the recommendation of Eleanor Rubin of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, judging of the art objects was made as spontaneous as possible. Two sighted persons and one low-vision person, showing more than a passing interest in art, were asked to select their preferences for first, second, and third place. On the basis of these judgments, the awards were made. First place went to Merrill Maynard for his painting of Perkins Tower in Watertown, Massachusetts. Second place went to Frances Starr for a still-life painting of daisies. Third place went to Carlton Matrau for his pencil drawing of ?The Big Fish.? Another extraordinary exhibit at the convention, although not a part of Friends in Art, was the three-dimensional printout of the Shroud of Turin, exhibited by the Atlanta Center for the Continuing Study of the Shroud of Turin. Although its full historical authenticity is an open question, the model on display was a three-dimensional reproduction of what is considered by researchers and Biblical scholars as likely to be the original shape of the Shroud as it covered the body of Jesus. The computer is able to reproduce a shape in very great detail in three dimensions, similar to the way a camera can produce a two-dimensional image in great detail. Part of the mystery of the Shroud is that the data can reveal the precise shape of the body it covered. Friends in Art of ACB invites participation in its programs. Interested persons are invited to contact Barbara Chandler, 9116 St. Andrews Place, College Park, MD 20740; (301) 935-5772. ***** ** Congress Tightens Health Care Spending By Barbara Nelson Staff Attorney Facing the prospect of enormous budget deficits, and fearful of cutting either Social Security or defense spending, Congress last August enacted the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act. The Act is expected to raise $98. 3 billion in tax revenues and to cut $17.5 billion in Federal spending over a three-year period. Congress pinpointed Federally financed medical care programs as prime targets for cuts because the costs of these programs have skyrocketed in recent years. The cost of the Medicaid program, which pays for medical care for low-income, disabled, and elderly people, jumped 16.7% in 1981 to a record $31.3 billion. The Medicare insurance program is over ten times more expensive now than it was in 1967 when it began. To begin to control these costs, the Congress cut more than $1 billion in the Medicaid program and $13.3 billion in the Medicare program over three years. The savings to the Federal Government will be the result of shifting health care costs to consumers, state governments, and health care providers. One very positive change was made in the Medicaid program. Currently, handicapped children who live in institutions may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid benefits. Children with similar disabilities who are cared for by their parents are usually not eligible to have their medical costs reimbursed. States now will have the option of reimbursing the costs of medical care for disabled children who require the level of care usually provided by an institution, but who are cared for at home by their parents. States are also given the option of requiring Medicaid recipients to pay small amounts of money for medical services they receive. Medicaid recipients who are, by definition, poor people with low incomes and limited assets, and who cannot pay the co?payment amounts, could be denied care. However, no co-payment could be required for patients in nursing homes, for children under 18 years of age, or for medical care for pregnant women. Further, in order to ensure that the money of people who live in nursing homes cannot be given away to relatives, states have been given increased opportunity to place liens on the homes and other property of Medicaid recipients who live in nursing homes. The liens can be endorced only if the property is sold or the patient dies, and only if the property is not being used by a spouse. or dependent child of the patient. When the patient dies or the property is sold, the state is entitled to the proceeds from the sale of the property as reimbursement for the cost of medical care provided. Medicare Part B premiums will rise in 1983 and 1984. The increase will be approximately $.60 per month, beginning in July 1983, with an additional increase of about $1.30 in 1984. Further, Medicare will now pay only 80% of the cost of the services of radiologists and pathologists to hospitalized people. Federal employees will begin to contribute a portion of their wages to the Medicare insurance trust fund. On the brighter side, employers will be required to offer workers between the ages of 65 and 68 the same insurance coverage offered to other workers. In addition, hospice care for terminally ill people will not be reimbursable by Medicare. The lion?s share of the cost savings in the new law will come from new limitations on the amount of money hospitals will receive from Medicare and Medicaid. The complex reimbursement system for hospitals will contain more limitations on the portion of costs that will be reimbursed, will provide more incentives to lower costs, and will be reviewed more closely to ensure that the Government is not overpaying hospitals. The Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act alone will not stop the rapid escalation of the costs of Federal health care programs. Experts disagree on whether even the projected savings will be realized. The question of whether health care costs can be controlled and whether quality health care will be available to America?s elderly and disabled citizens has yet to be answered. ***** ** Review of SSDI Cases Slowed HHS Secretary Richard S. Schweiker and Commissioner of Social Security John A. Svahn have announced further administrative reforms of the Continuing Disability Investigation (CDI) review of Social Security Disability Insurance beneficiaries which is being carried out under a 1982 Congressional mandate. They also renewed their endorsement, first announced last April, of several legislative proposals designed to further ease the impact of the CDI program on persons whose cases are selected for review. The administrative reforms announced include: 1. Face-to-face interviews in the Social Security Administration?s 1,350 local offices for all CDI cases chosen for review beginning October 1. 2. A 20% reduction in the number of CDI cases to be reviewed by state disability determination agencies during the 1983 fiscal year beginning October 1, thereby dropping the number from about 806,000 to about 640,000, a move designed to ease the work load burden and allow states more time to develop medical evidence in each case. 3. Continuation of a selective moratorium on referral of cases to a number of states with unusually large CDI case backlogs, under which 56,000 case files have been held in Baltimore since August pending state action to clear up overdue reviews. Commissioner Svahn said that under the new procedure, persons selected for CDI reviews will first be interviewed by Social Security personnel before their cases are sent on to state agencies for intensive review. ?This is a major new responsibility for our local office,? Svahn said, ?but this one we believe we must take on for the good of the beneficiary and the integrity of the program. ?We want to make sure, up front, that each recipient is fully aware of what the process is all about, why it?s being done, how important it is to provide all available medical evidence to the state agencies, and that each person is fully aware of his or her rights and responsibilities. ?We also want to make sure, to the extent possible short of a medical examination, that each case sent to a state agency is indeed an appropriate case for review,? Svahn said. Schweiker and Svahn repeated the Administration's endorsement of certain provisions of CDI reform legislation now pending in Congress. Chief among the endorsed reforms are: 1. A mandate, beginning October 1, 1983, for a face-to-face evidentiary hearing at the ?reconsideration? or first-level appeal of state agency decisions, a process which is now conducted entirely via examination of submitted evidence. 2. Provision for disability benefits to be continued for up to six months during the initial appeals process. Benefits are now terminated sixty days after the original state agency decision. ?The 1980 Congress mandated that all disability cases be reviewed periodically,? Svahn said. ?Both the General Accounting Office and our own auditors have found that an alarmingly high number of ineligible persons ? as many as one in four ? are receiving disability benefits. We simply cannot afford to give away as much as $4 billion each year to ineligible people. ?But we must proceed with the CDI review program in a responsible, responsive manner which at once gets ineligible people off the rolls and at the same time takes great pains to protect the rights and benefits of those who truly belong in the program. ?These reforms ? along with Congressional action to let us do even more ? will be crucial to our ability to accomplish both of those goals,? Svahn said. ***** ** Check List for a Disability Application A check list designed to alert applicants for Social Security disability benefits to the type of information that is required is available to groups involved with disabled persons. The check list ? Form SSA-12 entitled, Filing for Social Security or SSI Disability Benefits? ? is expected to save considerable office time for disability applications, which require detailed information on the claimant?s condition and treatment. The form indicates that claimants for Social Security or SSI disability benefits may speed up the interview and claims processing time by having the following with them at the time of the interview: ? Social Security numbers of claimant, spouse, or other dependents ? When the condition started ? How it keeps claimant from working ? Date claimant stopped working ? Information concerning current job, if any, including date claimant returned to work, and employer ? List of complete names, addresses, and phone numbers of all doctors, hospitals, or other medical facilities where claimant received treatment or tests ? Dates of medical visits and type of treatment or tests ? Hospital, clinic, and/or Medicaid number ? Claim number for any other disability checks claimant receives or has applied for ? Medicines now taken: names, dosage, how often ? Any restrictions claimant?s doctor requested ? Work history and daily activities ***** ** Come, Meet Us on the Mountain! By James Neal A week of cross-country skiing in the majestic Rocky Mountains of Colorado! A dream? No, a reality. The Colorado Lions, in conjunction with Blind Outdoor Leisure Development (BOLD), is hosting their 8th Annual Colorado Lions Blind Cross-Country Ski Clinic, April 3-10, 1983. The clinic will be held in the winter wonderland of Snowmass, near Aspen. So you have never skied before? One needs no experience ?on the boards.? One-on-one instruction will be provided by volunteer guides recruited from the local area. These volunteers are seasoned skiers, many of whom feel more at home on skis than off. After a morning of cross-country skiing, if you are not feeling the energy crunch, you may wish to participate in a wide range of other activities being planned. In previous years, these activities have included ice skating, bowling, snowshoeing, soothing tired muscles in the whirlpool or sauna, swimming in one of the heated pools around Snowmass Village, or traveling to the world?famous hot mineral baths in Glenwood Springs. You haven?t lived until you have experienced a dip in a heated pool surrounded by snow?covered slopes! A millionaire?s vacation? Yes, but it should be affordable to most. The $185.00 registration fee covers seven days and seven nights at the Silvertree Eldorado Hotel; seven continental breakfasts, six lunches, and the Saturday night banquet; ski equipment; and transportation to the ski areas and to most other activities. The local Lions Clubs are providing ?Mana from Heaven? potluck dinners three nights. The remaining three nights are free nights on your own. If you wish to be accompanied by your own personal guide, the same $185.00 registration fee will be charged. Because only 25 double-occupancy rooms have been made available by the hotel, applicants will be considered on a first come, first serve basis. Deadline for applications is February 15, 1983. For applications and additional information, contact Peter Maine, Director, BOLD, 0155 Lone Pine, 18; Aspen, CO 81631; (303) 925-2086. In addition to the registration fee, each participant will be responsible for his or her transportation to and from Snowmass. I have been working with the American Council of the Blind of Colorado, independent of either BOLD or the Colorado Lions, to provide a van from Denver to Snowmass and back. So if your application is accepted and you are interested in cutting travel expenses by trucking through the Rockies, contact me, James Neal, 8355 W. 9th Avenue, No. 6, Lakewood, CO 80215; (303) 233-7243. Correspondence in braille or cassette is preferred. If you choose to call, please do so evenings or on Sunday. ***** ** OSERS to Sponsor Open Forum on Research and Service Needs of Handicapped The U.S. Department of Education?s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), which includes the National Institute of Handicapped Research, the Office of Special Education Programs, the Rehabilitation Services Administration, and the National Council on the Handicapped, invites interested persons to an open forum on identifying the needs for research, improved services, and better linkages among programs to benefit handicapped children and adults. The two-day conferences will be held in Washington, D.C. (January 10-11), Dallas, Texas (January 26-27), and San Francisco, California (January 31-February 1). These conferences will provide ideas and information to OSERS officials for use in developing plans for future activities in handicapped and special education research, training, professional preparation, and innovations in service delivery. Interested persons, including handicapped individuals and their families, organizations serving or representing handicapped persons, public and private agencies and individuals providing rehabilitation, education and other services to this population, researchers, educators, and members of professional associations, are invited to present their views on the pressing needs for: ? Innovations in the types of education and rehabilitative services provided to handicapped persons; ? New directions in research to enhance restoration, education, and rehabilitative services; and ? New ways to link various programs serving handicapped children and adults. Officials of the Department of Education and the National Council on the Handicapped will hear views and exchange questions and answers with participants about their presentations. Separate forums will be held on research needs and service improvements. Participants who wish to address the forum should be prepared to speak for no more than ten minutes. A brief abstract of your remarks must be submitted prior to December 19, 1982. For abstract guidelines and conference registration information, contact: 1983 OSERS Conferences, Lawrence Johnson and Associates, Inc., 4545 42nd Street, N.W., Suite 103, Washington, DC 20016; (202) 537-6900. ***** ** Touch Traffic-Light System Tested in West Germany (Reprinted from the South African Optometrist, June 1982) West Berlin: A new system to be tested at pedestrian crossings and traffic lights in West Berlin could make crossing the road far easier for the blind and poorly sighted. Up to now, the blind have had to rely on an acoustic signal that was often completely drowned by the appalling level of traffic noise. Now the blind will be able to feel rather than hear whether it is safe to cross. The new signal system is the product of two years of research by the Berlin Local Traffic Study Group. When lights change, different radio waves will be transmitted for red, orange, and green. They can be picked up via a mini-receiver built into the blind person?s stick. The signals are then transformed into tactile impulses. (One snag: the stick costs $180, but subsidies are available from Social Security offices.) Users of these sticks can already test their efficacy at four major Berlin crossings. If the experiment proves successful, the new signal system ? which costs about $4,100 per set of lights ? will be installed at more crossings. The Berlin Senate is now publishing so-called mobility plans for blind and poorly sighted citizens. These are handy plastic maps on a scale of 1/2900, showing the various parts of town in a kind of relief. Roads and the positions of public buildings, as well as telephones, bus and railway stations can be effectively read on this map. To supplement this map, an overview relief map of the entire city and a network plan of the Berlin Underground are also available. ***** ** Rehabilitation Research and Training Center for Blindness and Low Vision The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center for Blindness and Low Vision was established in 1981 through a grant from the National Institute on Handicapped Research. Based at Mississippi State University, the Center is a joint project of: ? The University of Mississippi Medical Center, Division of Ophthalmology ? supplying necessary resources and experience for research and training activities ? The University of Mississippi, Research and Training Center for the Handicapped ? specializing in information dissemination ? Mississippi State University, College of Education ? conducting research and training activities and housing the project administration The Center?s work focuses on increasing the employability of blind and visually impaired persons. It is a research and training center dedicated to the study of blindness and low vision as they affect employment. The philosophy of the Center is based on these two beliefs: 1) All visually impaired people have a right to work at a wage comparable with non-disabled persons, and at a job which provides satisfaction and opportunity for advancement. 2) Many more visually impaired persons may obtain satisfying, gainful employment through the utiliza?tion of research and training products. The R and T Center currently has seven projects under way. Each of these projects, outlined below, is designed to address the special problems of unemployment and under?employment within the blind and severely visually impaired population. Illumination and Color Contrast as Related to Worker Productivity ? Work production and comfort of persons with severe visual impairments may be increased through individually determined lighting conditions. The RRTC is conducting this research program in order to (a) gain additional information on work site modification strategies for the blind/severely visually impaired worker, (b) establish the contribution of low vision aids to this type of work site modification, and (c) increase worker comfort and productivity. Assessment of Current Career Development Intervention Services (CDIS) for Blind/Severely Visually Impaired Persons and CDIS Needs of the Blind/Severely Visually Impaired ? There is a lack of specificity in much of the existing data on blindness and a need for rehabilitation research to address the issue of unemployment and under?employment of blind/ severely visually impaired persons. The employment literature within the blindness field lacks direction because there is no comprehensive model guiding research. The Career Development Intervention Services model provides direction to research. The model includes site of service delivery, specific services provided, employment outcome, and career development of blind/ severely visually impaired persons. Functional Outcome for Blind/Severely Visually Impaired Clients of State Rehabilitation Agencies ? This study reviews the contributions of selected career development intervention services to the rehabilitation of blind/ severely visually impaired clients. Data is being collected from rehabilitation case records, and variables such as county unemployment rate and proximity of rehabilitation facilities are being considered. Industrial Services Program Model (ISP) for Sheltered Workshops for the Blind ? The focus of an industrial services program model is on designing custom-tailored training programs for a specific industry to improve the recruitment, training, placement, and upgrading of personnel. ISP?s can cut production costs, improve product quality, enable workers to adapt to changing in?dustry needs, and decrease employee turnover. This demonstration project will tailor an ISP to the needs of industries for the blind by providing individualized preemployment or in?plant training programs. Demonstration of a Low Vision Aid Clinic as an Employment Enhancement Technique ? The vast majority of the legally blind population is not totally blind; these people have residual vision that can be used in coping with employment and the environment. A low vision aid clinic established in the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Division of Ophthalmology, prescribes and provides aids to legally blind workers with residual vision. Data will be collected from approximately 500 persons over a five-year period to determine if utilization of a low vision aid will enhance worker performance. Development of Assessment Technology for Finger Dexterity and Hand/Foot Coordination in the Multi-Handicapped Blind ? The Electromechanical Work Samples will (1) assist in development of a ?fast? versus ?slow? concept during work training, and (2) act as a vocational assessment technique. They provide an objective method of comparing the multi-handicapped blind trainee?s performance with the performance of an average sighted worker. The intent of this project is to norm Electromechanical Work Samples for the Blind/multi-handicapped (EWSB) techniques, to refine those techniques where research findings warrant, and to develop EWSB?s to assess finger dexterity and hand/foot coordination. Adaptation of the Vocational Education Readiness Test (VERT) for the Blind/Severely Visually Impaired ? Developed at Mississippi State University by the Research and Curriculum Unit, College of Education, the Vocational Education Readiness Test uses work samples to assess basic vocational skills of mechanics, basic wiring, carpentry, home economics, masonry, plumbing, welding, and food preparation. This project is designed to establish VERT norms to evaluate the vocational skills of blind and low vision persons. The Center?s training efforts will focus on developing training materials and training individuals who will train direct service providers. Every research project conducted by the RRTC will have a built-in training component. Each project?s training component will be targeted to those individuals who are most likely to use the project?s findings. Training will be provided through workshops, seminars, and self-study materials. Dissemination of information will play a major role in the Center?s training activities. Information will be disseminated through newsletters, fact sheets, research monographs, and presentations at professional meetings. If you would like further information on the Center, please write or call: RRTC ? Blindness and Low Vision, P.O. Drawer 5365, Mississippi State, MS 39762; (601) 325-2001. ***** ** Works of Art Sought The Sister Kenny Institute's 20th Annual International Art Show by Disabled Artists will open in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the week of April 21, 1983. The Institute sponsors the art show to give disabled artists an opportunity to display and sell their work and to show the general public that disability does not affect art. In 1982, over 160 artists from 30 states and 17 foreign countries participated in the Sister Kenny Institute Art Show. In the past, the Sister Kenny Art Show has been limited to persons with physical disabilities. Now any artist with a disability ? that is, a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities such as caring for one?s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, breathing, learning or working ? is eligible. Any art medium, including water color, oils and acrylics, pen and ink, charcoal, pastels, photography, sculpture, etc., may be entered in the show. All entries will be judged and displayed, and over $1,000 in prizes will be awarded. The deadline for entries in the 20th Annual Art Show by Disabled Artists if February 1, 1983. Disabled artists interested in submitting entries should write for entry forms and further information to: Mary Ann Ellefson, Community Relations and Advocacy Dept., 800 E. 28th Street at Chicago Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55407. ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon From Programs for the Handicapped: The U. S. General Accounting Office (GAO) has recently published a report, Status of Special Efforts to Meet Transportation Needs of the Elderly and Handicapped. Through telephone interviews, GAO gathered information from 84 transit systems in 33 states and the District of Columbia. All of the transit systems contacted have certified that they are making special efforts to meet the transportation needs of handicapped persons. Almost 80% of the systems contacted provide some type of paratransit service, usually demand-responsive systems using vans, buses, or taxis. Of the 66 systems with paratransit service, 38 prioritize service when demand exceeds capacity, and most of these give priority to medical and work-related trips. Of the systems contacted, 72 indicated that they make special efforts to coordinate their transportation programs with local handicapped organizations. Representatives of the handicapped organizations contacted, however, feel that these efforts could be improved. Copies of Status of Special Efforts to Meet Transportation Needs of the Elderly and Handicapped are available from the U.S. General Accounting Office, Document Handling and Information Services Facility, P.O. Box 6015, Gaithersburg, MD 20760. There is no charge for orders of five copies or less. Evelyn Meyer, past president of the American Council of the Blind of Indiana, was recently appointed by Governor Robert Orr to a four-year term on the Board of the Indiana Rehabilitation Services. As a result of a recent court case, Delta Airlines has agreed that non?ambulatory passengers no longer have to sit on blankets during flights. Delta?s ?blanket policy? had mandated that, as a precaution, all handicapped passengers must sit on a blanket in case of emergency evacuation. Under terms of a negotiated settlement, Charles Sabatier, Jr., of Newton, Massachusetts, was cleared of disorderly conduct charges and was awarded $2,500. He had been on his way to address the U. S. Conference of Mayors in Miami when police removed him from a Delta flight because he refused to sit on a blanket. The Middlesex, Mass. News quoted Sabatier as saying he would sit on a blanket if other passengers did the same. When the other passengers heard this, they began chanting, ?We want blankets!? until police removed Sabatier, a disabled Vietnam veteran. From The Vermont Informer: Three communities in Vermont ? St. Albans, Brattleboro, and Rutland ? now have audible traffic signals which cause bells to ring in synchronization with traffic lights. ... A blind priest, Father Francis McDonough, a native of Rutland, has been assigned to St. Patrick?s Parish in Fairfield, Vermont. ... Norman S. Case, immediate past president of the American Blind Lawyers Association, was recently presented with the General Grand Chapter Distinguished Service Award by the General Grand Chapter of the Royal Arch Masons of the State of Vermont. Tina Fladeland Waterhouse, 85, the first speech therapist ever to serve on the faculty of a school for the blind, died August 31 in Bath, Maine. Mrs. Waterhouse was a graduate of the North Dakota School for the Blind, Jamestown College, and the Perkins Teacher Training Program. She received a master?s degree in speech pathology from the University of Pennsylvania. From 1924 to 1971, she served as speech therapist at the Perkins School for the Blind. She married Dr. Edward Waterhouse, Perkins? fifth director, in 1951. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to consumers and beauty salon operators against the use of Dr. Olbrich?s Combined Dyes for eyebrows and eyelashes. These products, according to an article in Prevent Blindness News (National Society to Prevent Blindness), contain tar dyes that may cause blindness or other permanent eye injury. These dyes should not be confused with temporary colorings used around the eyes, such as mascara, eyeliners, eye shadows, and brow pencils, although any of the latter sometimes cause allergic reactions or, if contaminated, other reactions. From NBA Bulletin (National Braille Association): A new book, Tactile Music Notation, by ACB member Rita Levy, describes a method for learning to read sheet music with the Optacon. For further information, write her at 140 Anton Street, Apt. 12B, Bridgeport, CT 06606. In 1983, blind recipients of Social Security disability benefits will be able to earn $6,600 per year and still receive their disability checks. The 1982 allowable earnings amount was $6,000. Earnings over $550 per month will demonstrate that a blind person is able to engage in ?substantial gainful activity,? and benefits will be stopped. Amendments to the Social Security Act made in 1980 allow Social Security disability benefit recipients to subtract their impairment-related work expenses from wages before this earnings test is applied. Mobility International USA (one of 25 affiliates of Mobility International) is a non-profit organization involved in expanding leisure, recreational, and travel opportunities throughout the United States and abroad for handicapped individuals. MIUSA membership benefits include low-cost travel assistance for persons with handicaps, a referral service, advocacy and consultation services, and an educational exchange program. One of Mobility International?s newest membership services is the Host-a-Traveler Network. Persons interested in hosting a disabled traveler in their homes, or disabled persons seeking a home to stay in during foreign travel, are encouraged to join MIUSA. For further information, contact Mobility International USA, P.O. Box 3551, Eugene, OR 97403. All information will be made available in braille or on tape upon request. A Dutch firm, J. DeReus, B.V., has developed a device called the Monoclimber, which uses the regular stairway. According to an article in Access America, the battery-operated device is placed at the foot of the stairs with its front ramp and platform tipped to form a ramp. The person in a wheelchair is rolled on to the platform, and the front ramp rises to a vertical position to form a safety barrier. The platform then levels itself and the Monoclimber climbs the stairs on continuous rubber, tank-like tracks, keeping the platform level until the top is reached, where a ramp is lowered, allowing the chair to be rolled on to a level surface. Swedish Airlines has commissioned construction of ten prototypes to be tested at various airports throughout Europe. From Hoosier Starlight: You will find Stanley (Barney) Barnhizer most anywhere in Betty?s Restaurant, doing most anything that needs to be done. Mornings you may find him in the kitchen leaning over a hot stove, cooking his specialty, sausage and gravy. Or you may see him at the automatic dishwasher. Lunchtime crowds will find him manning the cash register. Most any time, he may be seen ordering food and supplies. Barney lost his sight in his 20s. When he got out of college, he took a job as a ?soda jerk? to get enough money to go on for a master?s degree. He has been in the food business ever since. He started by buying a soda and snack fountain. Later, he and his wife bought a large restaurant in Franklin, Indiana. They now employ five people and serve more than 300 customers every day. From Dialogue With the Blind: Drug users who self-administer drugs intravenously run the risk of blindness, according to Dr. Morton F. Goldberg, head of the Department of Ophthalmology University of Illinois. The problem, he says, occurs because the drugs are mixed in talcum powder, which is then filtered through cigarette filters or cotton. These procedures are very inefficient. Eventually, the individual injects large amounts of talc into the veins. The talc is carried by the bloodstream into the retina of the eye, where particles lodge in very small vessels and block off the blood supply. Once the retinal tissue is killed off by a poor blood supply, there is no treatment that can restore it to normal function, he warns. .... A British firm, Research Into Child Blindness, is a charity which does not solicit donations. Instead, it advertises to obtain customers who need antique furniture restored or finished. Profits from the business then go to fund the agency?s research efforts. The restoration and finishing work is done by nine retired cabinet makers, who set their own hours. From Coffee Klatch Communique (Visually Impaired Secretarial Transcribers Association): It is now possible for blind and visually impaired medical transcribers to acquire the Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) designation, according to a spokesperson for the American Association of Medical Transcriptionists. Registration is limited to active AAMT members who have a minimum of three years of full-time experience in four basic hospital dictation areas: history and physicals, consultations, operative reports, and discharge summaries. The four-hour test, given at twenty locations coast to coast, includes written questions and transcription of actual physician dictation. Although candidates are expected to provide their own reference books, correcting Selectric typewriters and universal cassette transcribers are provided at local test centers. Registration fee is $75. AAMT membership applications are available in braille or large-print from AAMT National Office, P.O. Box 634, Modesto, CA 95353. The AAMT Newsletter is available on cassette, free of charge, from Pam Gilmore, c/o Frances Holland, 635 W. Grace, Apt. 306, Chicago, IL 60613. ... If you have trouble keeping carbon paper aligned while inserting it into the typewriter, try placing a No. 10 envelope over the top of the pack before insertion. As you feed the envelope-covered end of the pack into the typewriter, the flap of the envelope should hold the sheets in place. ***** ** 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. ###