The Braille Forum Vol. XXI June 1983 No. 12 ACB Testifies Concerning JWOD Justice Department Retreats on Section 504 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 1-800-424-8666 Editorial Office The Braille Forum: Mary T. Ballard 190 Lattimore Road Rochester, NY 14620 (716) 244-8364 Contributing Editors 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 Box 237 Department Of Mathematical Sciences Loyola University New Orleans, LA 70118 * Secretary: Karen Perzentka 6913 Colony Dr. 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 The Future Is Movement ... The Future Is ACB, by Dr. R. T. McLean Department of Justice Retreats on Section 504, by Barbara Nelson ACB Legislative Seminar '83 News Notes from the ACB National Office, by Oral O. Miller 1983 ACB Convention Notes ACB Testifies Concerning JWOD Program and Related Issues Three Bags of Eye Glasses Fair Housing Act Amendments Introduced in Senate, by Barbara Nelson Congress Considers Medicare Coverage for Vision Services Discovering the Invisible City Super Showcase of Technology for Blind People, by Laura Oftedahl How Far We've Come First International Symposium on Maps and Graphics, by Christopher Gray High Tech Swap Shop Letters to the Editor Calendar of Events Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon Notice to Subscribers ***** ** The Future Is Movement ... The Future Is ACB By Dr. R.T. McLean Second Vice President The American Council of the Blind came of age this past year and has by its actions dedicated itself more strongly than ever to the future — a future of movement and innovation — most assuredly not just a "movement" mired down in redundant rhetoric. The future of any membership organization must sustain the “birthing” pressures which started its forward motion. This requires continual leadership growth to fuel the upward climb. The American Council of the Blind has moved into its majority and is meeting this drive for “futurism” in many natural, but notable ways. ACB is providing an environment for leadership growth through its leadership training programs. New and younger members are being brought into the middle of the action, where they learn leadership skills the only way those skills can truely be learned: by becoming involved. The American Council of the Blind Parents starts with the nurturing of children by working with parents who, in most cases, are meeting blindness in a dramatic fashion: through the gift of a blind child. A great part of ACB’s future and the future of blind and visually impaired people hinges on the development of enlightened early parental support. Through a special grant approved last January by its Board of Directors, ACB is supporting a new magazine directed to blind and visually impaired teenagers — the neat and cool generation! Where else will tomorrow's leaders come from ACB's affiliate, the National Alliance of Blind Students, has moved into its own and is providing a means of involving young leaders in our future. The Council of Citizens with Low Vision provides a bold outreach to a visually impaired population which has special strengths to bring to our future, highlighting the fact that the goals and future of ACB have a broad service to perform; that visual problems must be met and understood wherever they may be found. The American Council of the Blind is a seedbed for idea people, and the programs mentioned here represent only a small sample of what the future of ACB is all about. We can glance over our shoulder now and then and be proud of whence we have come; however, we cannot lose ourselves in the glory that has been, for that glory is but a reflection of what then was a movement toward where ACB is today. The leaders of the 1960s have been passing ACB’s future on. This is reflected in the many officers, directors, committee chairpersons and committee members who know of those glory days only through talks told by those who have gone before. Further evidence of ACB’s “futurism” is the professional manner in which its spokespersons and its national publication, The Braille Forum, focus upon solid issues and information, with little or no words thoughts lost in rhetoric and self­aggrandizement or inflated claims of how “the blind” are mistreated. The American Council of the Blind recognizes that problems do exist. It does its best to address and resolve those problems, and then goes on about its business of helping to shape the future for blind and visually impaired persons. ***** ** Department of Justice Retreats on Section 504 By Barbara Nelson Staff Attorney Just three weeks after Vice President George Bush announced that it was not necessary to revise the Department of Justice Section 504 guidelines regarding non-discrimination on the basis of handicap for programs that receive Federal financial assistance, Assistant Attorney General William Bradford Reynolds, head of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, took steps which undermine the Vice President's commitment. Mr. Reynolds sent all 91 Federal agencies "prototype" Section 504 regulations· to govern the programs that these agencies operate. In 1978, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was amended so that it covers not only recipients of Federal funds, but also programs operated by the Federal Government itself. Despite pending litigation, no regulations for these "Federally conducted" programs have ever been adopted. The rationale of the 1978 amendments was that Congress intended that the Federal Government should be governed by the same standard as recipients of Federal funds. The American Council of the Blind does not object to the fact that the Justice Department is encouraging Federal agencies themselves to develop Section 504 regulations. ACB does, however, strongly object to the manner in which this is being done, and to the content of these "prototype" regulations. First, disability groups were given no advance notice of these "prototype" regulations and were given no opportunity to review them to suggest changes. Each agency will now use these "prototype" regulations as a model for their own regulations, and disability groups will be forced to comment on 91 separate sets of regulation proposals. The major problem with the content of these regulations is that they hold Federal agencies to a lower standard than Federally assisted programs. The "prototype" regulations allow a broad defense against compliance with the law if allowing handicapped people to participate in a program would cause "financial or administrative burden" to the Federal agency. The rationale for this change in the regulations is that it is required by the 1979 Supreme Court decision in Southeastern Community College v. Davis. However, since the time the Davis case was decided, the Department of Justice itself has concluded that the existing Section 504 coordination guidelines were still valid. They are now backing away from this position. Further, the Davis case dealt with a deaf woman who the Court found could not meet the essential qualifications for participation in a program without fundamental alterations in that program. However, Davis does not justify failure to provide accessibility, because to do so would cause administrative burdens in programs that are open to the public generally. This interpretation of the Davis decision being championed by Assistant Attorney General Reynolds is having a negative impact. Under his direction, the Department of Justice recently filed a brief which states that the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, but not Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, requires full­year school programs for severely retarded children. According to Mr. Reynolds, Section 504 does not require schools to undergo "undue financial and administrative burdens in order to accommodate the handicapped." Mr. Reynolds' position has been strongly criticized by attorneys who work for him, who say that the extended school year is necessary to "avoid the absurdity of teaching the same material to retarded students school year after school year, only to have any progress undone during the summer. Section 504, like the Education of the Handicapped Act, requires at least that school districts receiving Federal assistance establish policies reasonably calculated to provide lasting educational benefits." The American Council of the Blind and other disability rights groups will be meeting in mid-May with Mr. Reynolds to express concern and to urge him to revise the prototype regulations. ***** ** ACB Legislative Seminar '83 May 11-13 were beautiful spring days in Washington, D. C. Thousands of tourists enjoyed the warm weather and the many attractions in the nation's capital. But for 64 members of the American Council of the Blind, representing 38 states, Wednesday, May 11, was the beginning of an intensive two-and-a-half-day experience. The 1983 ACB legislative training seminar mixed educational presentations with actual experience on Capitol Hill. Beginning on Wednesday, participants were briefed on lobbying techniques by David Joergenson, Press Assistant to Representative Carlos Moorhead (R., CA). Following this presentation, the "nuts and bolts" of the lawmaking process — from bill introduction to Presidential signature — were discussed and participants were given ample opportunity to ask questions concerning Congressional procedure. The evening session on Wednesday featured a presentation by Cokie Roberts, National Public Radio's Congressional correspondent, who is heard regularly on ''All Things Considered" and "Morning Edition." Ms. Roberts shared her perspective on the mood of Congress and the various tensions currently evident in that arena. Mr. Ralph Neas, Executive Director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, kicked off the substantive briefings with a presentation concerning the fair housing legislation. Other topics discussed during the evening sessions included workshops and the minimum wage, accreditation, sensory aids tax credits, and coverage of low-vision service under Medicare. Fact sheets were available in braille, large-print, and recorded form for all participants. On Thursday, over 200 Hill visits were made to members of Congress and staff. Participants had an opportunity to visit not only their own representatives, but also members of Congress sitting on key committees dealing with programs of interest to blind and visually impaired persons. Members of Congress received the 1983 edition of a loose-leaf reference manual, "Policy Positions Concerning Programs Affecting the Blind and Visually Impaired." During the debriefing session on Thursday evening, many participants indicated that the seminar and Hill visits provided them with the necessary confidence and information to be able to communicate regularly with public officials on all levels of government. Friday morning was devoted to state legislative activities. Sources of state legislative information were discussed; the "how tos" of coalition building were fully explained; and the methods of developing a state legislative network were also outlined. Dorothy Matano, President of the ACB of New York State, presented information concerning the New York affiliate's annual legislative seminar held in the state capital. Patricia Beattie, Community Consultant, American Foundation for the Blind, presented information concerning the role and function of AFB's community consultants program. The reports from each visit are being analyzed and will provide valuable guidance to the Legislative Affairs Department staff in follow-up contacts on Capitol Hill. ***** ** News Notes from the ACB National Office By Oral O. Miller National Representative Commendations to the American Council of the Blind of Ohio for bringing to our attention their interest in attending a "creative leadership training seminar'' to take the place of the ACB regional seminar which their new officers were unable to attend! After carefully examining the subjects and evaluating them in relation to the goals of the ACB of Ohio, the American Council of the Blind sponsored the attendance of five Ohio members at the seminar, which was conducted by the Columbus Chamber of Commerce during the weekend of April 8-9, 1983. The seminar involved people with several different handicaps, so the importance of coalition building was among the topics presented. On April 20, 1983, ACB President Grant Mack addressed the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind during its annual meeting, held this year in Alexandria, Virginia. In his remarks, he gave an overview of the structure and philosophy of ACB, after which he reiterated ACB's interest in the accreditation of service­providing agencies. His remarks followed communications which many ACB state affiliates had transmitted to their state agency directors during the preceding two weeks concerning ACB's interest in accreditation as a condition for receiving Government assistance. April ended on a busy and fatiguing, but pleasant note for Laura Oftedahl, ACB Director of Public Affairs, as she won two gold medals at the 1983 National Winter Sports Championship Tournament conducted by the U.S. Association for Blind Athletes (USABA), held in Alta and Brighton, Utah. Laura finished first in her visual category in both the 5 km. and 10 km. Nordic races. Since Nordic skiers begin each race at least 30 seconds ahead of or behind other competitors in the same event, it is very rare for two Nordic competitors to cross the finish line at the same time. However, at the end of the 5 km. race, Laura and another female competitor engaged in a classic "head-to-head" struggle over the last several hundred yards, so fiercely fought that the timers could not distinguish between the finishing times. During the championship banquet, which was greeted by ACB President Grant Mack following his return from a state convention and a slick drive up the mountain roads from nearby Salt Lake City during a heavy snowstorm, the USABA Nordic coach announced that Laura has been selected to be a member of the team of blind skiers that will represent the United States next January in Innsbruck, Austria, at the 1984 Winter Olympics for the Handicapped. Spring is a busy time for ACB affiliate meetings, and so the ACB Public Affairs Director was on the move. On April 9, the Badger Association of the Blind held its annual ACB Day in Milwaukee, at which Laura Oftedahl addressed the group about membership development and ACB programs and services. The following weekend, she met with the Maryland Council of the Blind in Baltimore and help them lay the groundwork to become a chapter of the ACB of Maryland. The Maryland affiliate will then have two chapters, including the newly organized group in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Then on May 7, the members of the Southeastern Region of the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind met at Overbrook School in Philadelphia and gathered many ideas from Laura on how to publicize events. They will be putting the ideas into action soon to spread the word about the 1984 ACB national convention to be held in Philadelphia. ***** ** 1983 ACB Convention Notes Every ACB national convention has a special flavor created by the atmosphere of the city and state in which it is held. The 1983 convention of the American Council of the Blind is rich in such flavor, with many activities reflecting the Indian, Mexican, and western influence of the area. One aspect of each convention that never changes is the outstanding programs presented by the American Council of the Blind and by its many special-interest and professional organizations. The 1983 convention agenda includes Sheik Abdullah M. Al-Ghanim of Saudi Arabia. Sheik Al­Ghanim is Vice President of the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind, and he will discuss educational, employment, and social opportunities for blind people in the Middle East. George Mertz, Executive Vice President of National Industries for the Blind, will bring conventioneers up-to-date on the issues surrounding sheltered workshops, a topic of extreme importance to many blind and visually impaired people today. Other subjects to be highlighted at this year's convention include library services, recreation programs, research and training programs for the blind, using technology in upward mobility, and advances in low vision screening. Many of the special-interest organizations are emphasizing the use of computer-related technology by the blind in a variety of domestic and work-related activities. Transportation from the airport to the hotel is inexpensive when using the airport limousine service. Cab fares can range from $7 to $12. Instead, ask the skycap to help you catch the van operated by the limousine service. Cost is just $3 per person. When you register at the Phoenix Hilton, ask for the number of the ACB volunteer and information line. If you need assistance in locating the registration desk, dog guide relief area, etc., or if you have questions about the convention and need to speak to someone on the host committee, call the information line for assistance. ***** ** ACB Testifies Concerning Javits-Wagner-O'Day Program and Related Issues (Note: Following is a summary of the statement concerning the Javits­Wagner-O'Day Act and related issues, delivered on May 17, 1983, on behalf of the American Council of the Blind by Oral O. Miller, National Representative, before the Subcommittee on Manpower and Housing of the House Committee on Government Operation.) Mr. Chairman and distinguished Committee Members: I am Oral Miller, National Representative of the American Council of the Blind, the largest organization of blind and visually handicapped people in America, and I thank you for this opportunity to testify regarding the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act program (JWOD) and related issues. Our members come from all walks of life and occupations, professions and trades. Many of our members are production employees in sheltered workshops, and some are supervisors or administrators in such shops. In recent years, the JWOD program has been made a highly emotional issue, replete with conditioned yet volatile reactions and platitudes which have attempted to portray it as a simple, black-and-white issue on which reasonable men and people of good conscience could not possibly disagree. This effort, though, like most overly simple solutions to complex situations, fails to keep the facts in perspective. First, during fiscal year 1982, only 2% of the work force of blind adults worked in shops connected with the JWOD program, and almost half of those shop workers were multi­ handicapped — that is, they had one or more handicaps in addition to blindness. This makes the simple point that most blind people do not work in shops. Nevertheless, we have a solemn commitment to ensure that the workshop workers are paid fairly and receive good working conditions. Why do we need sheltered workshops? Because many blind employees cannot get suitable employment elsewhere, or because some choose sheltered employment for personal reasons! This mechanical pencil, a fine writing instrument made by blind workers in a Texas workshop, has been sold by the millions to the Federal Government at competitive prices, and its production has provided employment for hundreds of blind workers. We believe the primary focus of the JWOD program should be employment, but that program should not be expected to meet all the needs of blind workers. For example, job placement is the best handled by state vocational rehabilitation or employment agencies in a co­operative effort with the individual worker and the workshop. Accordingly, we believe the enforcement of labor standards and the administration of the JWOD program must be improved in certain areas, and we now plan to concentrate on four: (1) minimum wage and enforcement of labor standards; (2) administration of the JWOD program by the Committee for the Purchase from the Blind and Other Severely Handicapped (the Committee); through its central, non-profit agency, National Industries for the Blind; (3) upward job mobility for blind workers; and (4) why the blind priority afforded to workshops serving the blind should be preserved. Regarding minimum wages and enforcing labor standards, current law mandates that handicapped workers be paid on a par with non-handicapped workers, based upon handicapped workers' productivity and the prevailing wage rate in the community for the same or similar work. So the real questions are: Should workshops or the Federal Government subsidize the wages of workshop employees who cannot produce at the same minimum wage level, and are labor standards adequately enforced to ensure that blind workers are paid fairly in accordance with the law? During fiscal year 1982, the average wage paid to blind workers in NIB-associated workshops was $3.58 an hour-higher than the $3.35 minimum wage-and in order for a shop to pay below this minimum, it must obtain a special rate certificate from the Department of Labor. Some shops are able to pay the full statutory minimum wage to all workers without regard to productivity, because, for example, they receive state or other governmental appropriations, they have access to other resources, or they simply limit their work force to capable, productive blind workers who can easily produce at or above the minimum wage level — not the less productive, multi-handicapped workers who are most in need of sheltered employment. In 1979, the Department of Labor recommended that wage subsidies for the less productive blind workers should come from the Supplemental Security Income program. Pursuant to ACB national membership resolution 79-06, we recommend that the guaranteed floor of 50% of the statutory minimum wage should be raised to 75%, and that the "blanket rate" certificate should be eliminated. This latter provision would force an employer to justify payment of less than full minimum wage. We wish it were not so, but payment of the statutory minimum wage without regard to productivity would be financially impossible for some shops, and we support the Department of Labor recommendation that subsidy through the SSI program should be investigated. A subminimum wage system based upon individual productivity and prevailing wage rate is fair and reasonable only if administered properly by shops and the Department of Labor. Pursuant to ACB national member­ ship resolution 82-08, the Department of Labor should more closely monitor compliance with standards, since a study by the U. S. General Accounting Office indicated that 60% of 524 workshops studied (employing the blind as well as people with other handicaps) had underpaid workers by about $2.7 million through errors in computing these rates, hourly rates, prevailing wage rates, and general record-keeping. We believe that compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act and its regulations should be a condition precedent to participation in the JWOD program, and that Congress should make sure the Department of Labor is equipped with the necessary resources to adequately administer the labor standards in sheltered shops. With reference to the administration of the JWOD program, workshops must have at least 75% of the man-hours of "direct labor" per year performed by blind persons. This requirement is intended to ensure the maximum number of employment opportunities to blind and other handicapped persons, but under the law, the term "direct labor" excludes employees who are supervisors or administrators, although they may be blind and have been promoted from production positions. This provision could prevent, or at least discourage, the promotion of blind production workers due to the inability thereafter to count them for purposes of meeting the 75% requirement. We recommend that the Act's definition of "direct labor" be amended or construed by regulation to include blind supervisors and administrators who have been promoted from direct labor positions, provided they must have been employed in such a direct labor position for at least six months. This would greatly enhance upward mobility opportunities. We believe, further, that consistently substandard workshops with regard to labor standards should not be permitted to participate in the JWOD program, and that, although it might be a difficult decision, orders or services should be withheld from offending shops. Blind and other severely handicapped people deserve nothing less than a first-class workshop. Turning now to the sufficiency of the commission paid to the NIB, we believe it is probably more than adequate in light of recent increases in sales. Although the law never required that the full amount paid by any one shop was to be returned directly to that shop in the form of services provided by NIB, that organization has greatly expanded services to member workshops — such as through the establishment of an equipment loan fund, the rebating of a part of its commission that was used to buy new equipment or to pay bonuses to blind workers, and the identification and development of new products and assistance to workshops in putting them into production. Praiseworthy though these steps may be, we believe NIB should use more of its resources to provide benefits to blind workers — benefits such as health, life, and disability insurance for workers not already enjoying such. In 1980, the U.S. General Accounting Office found that handicapped people working in sheltered workshops had not received adequate re-evaluation of their capabilities for competitive employment, though the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires such re-evaluation. So we must make certain that the existing placement mechanism provided for in the JWOD regulations is effectively used. If not, the statute should be amended to make it clear that workshops are required to maintain liaison for the purpose of job placement as a condition of participation in the JWOD program. Workshops should see to it that workers receive all of the best which the rehabilitation system has to offer. Regarding the blind priority, in 1971 the JWOD program was amended to include shops serving other severely handicapped people. To ensure that employment opportunities for the blind would not be diluted, a priority was established for shops serving the blind to have first choice on the selection of products to be added to the procurement list. This recognizes that the manufacture of certain items is better suited to the talents and capabilities of blind workers. We believe that any restrictions on the exercise of this priority would seriously undermine the intent of Congress that opportunities for the blind should not be reduced by including the severely handicapped under the purview of the Act. In conclusion, the American Council of the Blind believes the JWOD program is important to blind people. Although as a consumer organization we do not always agree with every NIB or Committee decision, we endorse the 1981 GAO finding that NIB is an effective link between government and the workshops in administering this program. We believe that certain improvements in the JWOD and the Fair Labor Standards Act are needed; that blind production workers should not be held back from promotion due to the direct labor ratio; that labor standards must be stringently enforced in the workshops; and that the Committee and NIB should be willing to withhold orders or services from workshops that consistently fail to comply with JWOD requirements. We believe these things must be done because many blind workshop employees are counting on us to strengthen and improve this very worthwhile priority program. ***** ** Three Bags of Eye Glasses What was J.I. Crossett doing walking around Memphis, Tennessee, with three large grocery bags full of eye glasses? Crossett, a World War II Army veteran, ran an advertisement in the "Hobby Inquiries" section of the DAV Magazine asking members of the Disabled American Veterans to send him their discarded eye glasses. The ad stated that the eye glasses would be provided to poor people in other countries. The response surprised Crossett, who recently turned in 250 pairs of glasses he received from DAV members across the United States. He takes the glasses to a local hospital, from which they are sent to the Mid-South Lions Sight Service, Inc. There the glasses are sorted out and given to Southern College of Optometry students, who take them to Costa Rica, Guatemala, and other countries of the world once each year. Some eighteen Lions Clubs from the Memphis area pay the air fare for the students, who are participating in a program called Student Volunteer Optometric Services for Humanity. Crossett said DAV members who sent him their old eye glasses were very enthusiastic. "I get them from everywhere," he said. "One of my contributors was a World War II nurse who goes to garage sales in New Jersey. But my biggest donor is the Pacific Telephone Company in San Francisco." Crossett got the idea thirty years ago when a New York radio talk show asked people to mail in eye glasses. At that time, he decided to collect glasses locally, and he has been working to provide glasses for the poor of other countries ever since. ***** ** Fair Housing Act Amendments Introduced in Senate By Barbara Nelson Staff Attorney In 1968, Congress passed the Fair Housing Act, in an attempt to end discrimination in the sale and rental of housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. In the fifteen years since passage of the Act, housing discrimination against women and minorities has become no less pervasive, although it has become more subtle. The current law contains an ineffective enforcement mechanism which leaves those who suffer from discrimination with little hope for redress. It also does not protect handicapped persons from discrimination in housing. Blind people often encounter uninformed landlords who do not understand that blind people are capable of living independently. While such prejudice can often be overcome without resort to legal procedures, occasionally legal protections are the only means of ending discrimination. Senators Edward M. Kennedy (D., MA), Charles Mathias (R., MD), and 36 of their colleagues recently introduced legislation to deal with these problems. S. 1220, the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1983, would extend protection against discrimination in housing to handicapped people. The law would require landlords to permit reasonable modifications by handicapped tenants to improve accessibility of a rental unit, provided that the modifications would not materially affect the resale value of the housing unit, would not unreasonably inconvenience other tenants, and would not be at the expense of the owner. The bill would extend similar protections against discrimination to families with children. The Department of Housing and Urban Development recently found that it took more than half of the families with children surveyed more than nine weeks to find housing. It is also estimated that 13% of all children in America are inadequately housed. In addition, the bill would create an enforcement mechanism to deal quickly and fairly with discrimination complaints which cannot be resolved through conciliation alone. Including handicapped people as a protected class under the law would close one more gap in civil rights protections for handicapped persons. As Senator Alan Cranston (D., CA) noted when S. 1220 was introduced: "The chance to live in the community and to have the range of choices of location, cost, and type of housing necessary to make that chance a realistic one can be vitally important. Having these chances can be the key to a disabled person's ability to lead a more productive, self-sustaining life, to enjoy the recreational and social activities that are readily available to others, and to live with or be close to family and friends. "Thus, I believe that enactment of this bill supplementing the more substantial rights under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to be free from discrimination in Federally assisted housing and other programs, would be of substantial value in helping to make further needed progress toward making ours a land that is truly one of opportunity — and our society a truly open one —for all of our citizens.'' ***** ** Congress Considers Medicare Coverage for Vision Services Currently, the Medicare program does not cover the cost of low vision examinations or the cost of routine eye examinations and vision testing. Only treatment for eye injury or disease, rendered by an ophthalmologist, is reimbursable under current law. Low-vision services provided by either optometrists or ophthalmologists assist people with uncorrectable, severe vision impairments to maximize the use of their remaining vision. After a low-vision examination, the vision-care professional may prescribe magnifying devices and special optical systems and instruct the visually impaired person in techniques to use remaining vision effectively. Representative Barbara Mikulski (D., MD) will be introducing legislation to allow Medicare to pay for the cost· of low-vision examinations and to allow states which wish to do so to permit these services to be provided to Medicaid recipients; Representative Mikulski will also be introducing a broader package of legislation to provide Medicare reimbursement for routine eye care and vision testing. If they choose to do so, state Medicaid programs could also cover these services for qualifying low-income aged, blind, or disabled people. The American Council of the Blind will be actively working for passage of both legislative proposals. The independent living capabilities of older blind persons and employment opportunities for legally blind people in the work force can often by enhanced if these individuals can make use of their remaining vision. Early diagnosis of eye disorders may allow intervention to save sight. These proposals will make it possible for legally blind people to receive needed low-vision services and for older persons to afford routine eye care necessary to prevent serious vision disorder. ***** ** Discovering the Invisible City (Reprinted from the San Francisco Sunday Examiner and Chronicle, March 20, 1983) It is a cold, barren cell. Hardly a ray of light seeps in; the tiny room is as close to total darkness as most human beings will ever know. This is the solitary wing of Alcatraz, once known euphemistically to guards as the "attitude adjustment center," and to prisoners simply as “the hole.” Having spent a few moments in the cell, six visitors stand outside the door, listening intently as a ranger describes life in solitary confinement. Since Federal law did not require that the single bulb inside the cell be turned on, most men spent their time in solitary — up to 19 days — in total darkness. This tale elicits an unusual response from Inez D'Agostino, a visitor from New York City. "If they put me in that kind of room," she recalls later, "it wouldn't bother me that much because it wouldn't change my way of seeing at all." She laughs faintly as she speaks. Her husband, Tom, responds: "They'd have to do something else — maybe cover your ears." Inez D'Agostino is blind. So is Tom. We use the word "sightseeing" to describe the act of traveling as tourists to another city, to visit what guidebooks and tour guides have designated as an area's most interesting sights. How, then, does one learn about a place if one cannot see? And how does one learn? For the D'Agostinos ... Alcatraz was just one stop on 16-day tour of California that brought them as far south as San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico. Into seven hectic days they crammed many of the Bay Area's major tourist attractions: Pier 39, Fort Point, Fishermen's Wharf, Chinatown, Lombard Street, the Golden Gate Bridge, Muir Woods, and the Japanese Tea Garden, to name only a few. ... For the most part Tom and Inez developed their impressions from a combination of what they heard, felt and imagined. At Alcatraz, the sound of an entire row of cell doors clamping shut in unison left a deep imprint; so did the cold steel tray from which prisoners ate, and the ranger's description of the shower room — where men could clean themselves only twice a week. "I've seen movies and other representations of prisons,'' explains Tom, who — like his wife — had vision early in life. ''But a picture is just a picture. The physical presence of Alcatraz drove it home to me much more clearly than a picture ever could, or a radio program: to actually have my hands put on those bars; to be put in a cell that is like a cubicle, and realize a prisoner had to live his entire life there." But Tom and Inez compensated for the lack of vision in ways besides the obvious ones of listening and touching. They asked questions of everyone — tour guides, shopkeepers, freelance writers, photographers — making their trip, at times, an on-site lesson in the history, culture, and economy of the Bay Area. By carefully noting details — prices, styles of clothing, types of stores — they could make more general observations about the city and its neighborhoods. And from verbal descriptions they imagined the visual world. In this, both Inez and Tom believe, their memory of vision helps immeasurably. "When you tell me there are big waves out there," Inez says, "I know what waves look like; I saw them up until 18 years of age. I don't think a person who has never seen could really know what a breaker on rocks looks like.'' "The difference is vast," Tom adds.... In trying to know San Francisco, the D'Agostinos were aided considerably by Blind San Franciscans, a local service organization for the blind. The brightly colored three-foot­square map has major streets marked in braille, and the city's hills, valleys, and flatlands are reproduced to scale. ... For the first time they grasped the location of their hotel, the Beresford on Sutter Street, in relation to Fishermen's Wharf and other places they had visited. They could grasp the shape of the Peninsula, and the relative positions of the two bridges. And they could know there was a large area of the city they had not visited. But in general Tom and Inez D'Agostino did the things that most tourists do when they come to San Francisco. Three times they rode the cable cars, which they both cited as highlights of their stay. "I enjoyed it," Inez says "because I sat up front, and I was able to get the whole atmosphere of it — to feel the rise and fall of the hills. I had heard about those hills, but I never thought they were as steep as they really are." ... They rode down the crooked portion of Lombard Street and Tom wondered where and how the houses were built. Fishermen's Wharf seemed disappointing to Tom, "less than what I expected . . . just a collection of Italian restaurants." Outside the Guinnis Museum, Tom met Benny McGuire, a 660-pound former wrestler, and discovered that McGuire's upper arm was as large as his own thigh. They walked among the redwood trees in Muir Woods, where by climbing over a fence they could touch the trees trunks and stand in a burnt-out shell of a living tree. While walking through Chinatown — which seemed to them a smaller version of New York's Chinatown — they stopped for a cup of tea and inspected jade jewelry and intricately carved wooden chests. ... At the Exploratorium, which had been recommended by friends in New York, Inez became frustrated because "there were too many things with color." Tom, who has studied physics, had the same reaction, but for different reasons. "I was amazed to find there was nothing in there I didn't know." … Once a professional trumpeter, Tom carries a high-quality portable cassette recorder wherever he travels. He obsessively records sounds, the way a sighted individual might film home movies, though mercifully for listeners, he later edits the tapes into a condensed memento of their trip. He will record almost anything: conversations, descriptions of places, signs read to him, the creaking and the clanging of the cable cars, the roar of waves crashing against the restraining wall at Fort Point, a harmonica player on the street at Fishermen's Wharf. "The city has a personality which is recordable on tape," Tom tells me. "I'm going to go home with a lot of sounds that are going to bring me back whenever I listen to them." In the Bay Area alone, he used five 90-minute cassettes. Since Tom and Inez D'Agostino retired in 1974 — they both worked as transcribing typists for the City of New York — they have traveled extensively, to Italy (from which their parents immigrated to the United States), London, Nova Scotia, New Orleans, Miami and Atlanta and Louisville (where they attended conventions sponsored by the American Council of the Blind). At times friends and relatives — blind and sighted alike — have criticized Inez and Tom for "wasting money" on travel when "they can't see anything.'' Tom tells a story about a friend, a blind man, who ''told me he thought I was insane to go running around from place to place, because he could find out more about the places I visited by simply sitting in the comfort of his den and reading a book on the subject." After hearing of the D'Agostinos' adventures, that friend went to the Caribbean - and returned a convert, convinced the D'Agostinos had been right. "Through osmosis, you just get something," Inez insists. Yet the D'Agostinos also acknowledge that their blindness severely limits what they perceive on a trip. Being sightless, they cannot find their way around by looking at maps and street signs. … Tom misses the freedom vision can bring. "I would like very much," he says, "for the two of us to pack our bags, get into a car and drive in whatever direction the wind takes us. When we felt like stopping, we could stop and spend as much time there as we felt like spending, then move on, like other people do. We can't do that. There are some things that you will never be able to do if you can't see — like driving a car, or read a newspaper. And, for the most part, travel alone." ... "The biggest thing that we have to fight," Tom says, "is people's ignorance about what it means to be blind." "If there were more of us traveling," Inez suggests, "perhaps people would be more enlightened." Postscript: While the D'Agostinos were visiting the San Diego Zoo with Inez's nephew, burglars broke into the station wagon they had rented and stole all of their belongings, including Tom's tape recorder and all of his cassettes from the trip. The burglars left only the braille map of San Francisco, which now hangs, framed, on the wall of the D' Agostinos' Manhattan apartment. They have already started planning their next trip, to Hawaii, in June 1983. ***** ** Super Showcase of Technology for Blind People By Laura Oftedahl Director of Public Affairs An exhibit of products for blind people second only to that found at an ACB national convention is most certainly the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped exhibition. This marvelous marketplace of products and equipment is assembled each May in Washington, D.C. As the name implies, products, aids, and services for all disability groups are on display —everything from a portable bathing system for mobility impaired persons to new telecommunication devices for hearing impaired individuals. A tour of the exhibition hall this year revealed many new products to help put blind and visually impaired persons to work. Braille users were delighted to discover the Cranmer modified Perkins Brailler on display at the Maryland Computer Services booth. The major application areas of this product include a braille computer terminal, a low-cost braille printer, information storage and retrieval, and production of tactile graphs and maps. Triformation Systems was also at PCEH with several of their products, including the Micro Brailler 2400, a paperless braille device which can be used as a notebook, audio recorder, data processer, and computer terminal. Large-print users checked out the exhibits of Apollo Electronic Visual Aids, Visualtek, and Howe Press of Perkins School. The new Perkins Videoscope is a flexible, low-vision reading aid which can be hooked up to any television set. The camera and accessories fit into a convenient briefcase for portability. The Visualtek booth was busy throughout the day­and-a-half exhibit with persons eager to get their hands on the new Large­Print Computer, which can be used simply as a computer terminal or as a fully programmable, free-standing microcomputer. While typical displays produce characters only 1/4 inch high, the Visualtek LPC displays characters up to four inches high. There was lots of talk at the President's Committee exhibition, and it wasn't coming from just the many employment workshops and panel discussions. Equipment which produces voice output caught the ears of all blind and visually impaired participants. They stopped by the American Foundation for the Blind booth to check out how much money they had left in their pocket by using the AFB money identifier. This useful device for vendors and those persons employed in retail operations will be marketed soon. Nurion, Inc., of Wayne, Pennsylvania, will soon introduce laser travel devices for deaf­blind individuals and visually impaired persons in wheelchairs. IBM was showing off its new Audio Output Feature for the IBM 3278, Model 2, which enables blind users to receive a synthesized speech output of the information on the visual display unit. The Kurzweil Reading Machine was also busy throughout the conference, demonstrating its new, improved speech. Other exhibits of interest to blind people included the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, National Industries for the Blind, and the Bell System aids for visually impaired persons, as well as the American Council of the Blind. ACB's new attractive and portable exhibit was a real crowd-stopper. The pictures and graphics show ACB members at work and at play and describe how the American Council of the Blind provides service to the nation. Extra-special features include a tactile version of the ACB logo and a five-minute audio presentation highlighting the achievements, programs, and services of ACB. ***** ** How Far We've Come Part I (Reprinted from Sundial, newsletter of the Eye Research Institute of Retina Foundation. Volume IX, No. 1, April 1983) Not too long ago, we received a letter from a friend with the following message: "I thought you would be interested to hear that my mother had a detached retina in 1949. She was hospitalized for three weeks with sandbags on either side of her head. Fortunately, she has no problems whatever. The amazing part of this story is that Mother is 96 years young. She has always taken an interest in eye research because she knows it's the reason she is seeing today ..." Our friend's mother was one of the few success stories from that era. In 1949, only about a third of the operations to repair retinal detachment were successful. Today, slightly over three decades later, the success rate is about 85%. The remarkable progress in treating eye disease in the 20th century has many causes. For example, the development of the laser in the 1950s meant that certain surgical techniques could be performed inside the eye without cutting eye tissue. More recently, laser applications have enabled scientists to develop instruments that help to diagnose eye problems in the earliest stages, often before the patient experiences any symptoms. Early diagnosis allows physicians to treat these problems, often before any vision is lost. Lasers are only one tool now available to preserve and restore vision. … We look at several common eye problems and describe the way they are currently managed. But first, just for fun, let's look at the treatment of blinding eye disease over the centuries. Vision has always been considered a most extraordinary and marvelous gift. For almost all of recorded history, blindness has been one of the most feared infirmities, termed by poets and philosophers alike a ''living death." Today we know that vision accounts for about 90% of our perceptions of the world around us and that blindness reduces our mobility more than the loss of any other sense. For the ancient civilizations of Babylonia, Egypt, and Greece, it was expressed more simply: "An eye for an eye." Anyone who caused blindness could be suitably punished only with the same condition. Perhaps the earliest records of eye disease are found in the Ebers papyrus, written in Egypt about 1500 years before Christ. Eighteen different eye diseases were described in this document and treatments defined. Because the Ebers papyrus was probably written by priests, the treatments involved elaborate incantations, spells, and religious ceremonies, as well as primitive surgery. With the gradual development of civilization, knowledge of the eye and its diseases progressed only slightly. The only diseases that could be described were visible, like the cloudy lens of a cataract or an inflammation. The greatest and earliest name in ancient medicine was, of course, Hippocrates, from whom we have inherited the physician's Hippocratic Oath. In the centuries that followed Hippocrates, Greek medicine was the essential base for a slow accumulation of information about anatomy, disease, and the treatment of disease. In this development, knowledge of the eye and its diseases grew as well. At the height of the Roman Empire, several important writings by Celsus (25 B.C.-50 A.D.), Galen (131-210 A.D.), and others added to the store of knowledge about eye disease. Celsus provided the first known description of cataract removal, called "couching" because the cloudy mass of the cataract was pushed down to the "bed," or bottom, of the eyeball. This procedure had been practiced, by the Greeks and Hindus for hundreds of years before Celsus, and it was to remain the only available treatment for cataract until the middle of the 18th century. As Celsus described it, a "corrupt humor" was pushed out of the way of the lens of the eye by inserting a needle into the eye and pushing the cloudy material downward. Celsus and his contemporaries had no way of knowing that they were actually dislocating the lens of the eye and successfully correcting cataract. Galen, whose chapters about ophthalmology have been lost, contributed a new anatomy of the eye. Its significance was enormous, since nothing of any real importance was added to it until centuries later at the beginning of the 17th century. Galen's idea about the eye contained some essential flaws; he positioned the lens in the very center of the eyeball, where it served as the essential organ of sight. Recognition of the true function of the lens and the localization of the retina as the site of light-sensitive tissue did not come until much later. The Middle Ages in Europe contributed very little to our knowledge of the eye. However, during the Italian Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) gave a significant amount of attention to optics, and his works contain many drawings that attempt to describe the optics in­ volved in vision. Leonardo's drawings perpetuated the basic misunderstanding of the eye's anatomy by placing the lens in the center of the vitreous cavity and considering it to be the essential organ of sight. At the beginning of the 16th century, the advances in understanding of the eye and eye disease began to accumulate more rapidly, and different scientists began to discover the same facts at the same time. In 1583, Felix Platter speculated that the retina was the principal organ of sight and that light was focused on it by the lens. Hieronymus Fabricius, an Italian, described the true position of the lens in 1600, and Johannes Kepler, the famous German astronomer, writing in 1611, showed that the cornea and the lens refract light and that the retina was essential to sight. Kepler also described the elongation of the eyeball in myopia and showed that central vision was much sharper than peripheral vision. The momentum of these discoveries continued through the following centuries. It would be far beyond the scope of this short article to describe the vast history of ophthalmology; the list of achievements is enormous, and we can mention only some highlights. In 1753, Jacques Daviel published his classic description of a lens extraction, finally dismissing the previously accepted “couching” procedure. Important anatomical discoveries were made, and often named after their discoverers. Jean Descemet described Descemet's membrane, a thin membrane of the inner surface of the cornea, and Friedrich Schlemm described Schlemm's canal, the tiny area where the aqueous humor drains from the front part of the eye. Sir William Mackenzie wrote the classic description of glaucoma symptoms in 1935. The ophthalmoscope was introduced in 1851 by Hermann Ludwig von Helmholtz, whose writings also established the science of ophthalmoscopy. With a reliable means of examining the inside of the eye, ophthalmology and the visual sciences entered an entirely new era. Albrecht von Graefe (1828-1870) encouraged the development of clinical ophthalmology as a medical specialty. And in recognition of the problems faced by the blind and visually impaired, Louis Braille devised a system of raised-line writing for the blind in the early 19th century. While we marvel at how far we have come, we should not forget that although many eye diseases can be diagnosed and treated, they cannot be prevented. All of the major eye diseases remain essentially a mystery. We can successfully remove a cataractous lens, but we don't know how to prevent its formation. We may treat the various kinds of glaucoma, but still not know precisely why such dangerously high pressure builds within the eye. We can repair a retinal tear, but still be unable to explain why a retina spontaneously detaches. For these and many other reasons, eye research must continue. ***** ** First International Symposium on Maps and Graphics By Christopher Gray On March 10-12, 1983, the First International Symposium on Maps and Graphics was held in Washington, D.C. Ten countries were officially represented at the Symposium, including Japan, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Australia, and the United States. Financial sponsorship was provided by the United States Geological Survey, the National Geographic Society, and the Washington State Council, Knights of Columbus. The conference was divided into four general topics: (1) contexts in which maps and other graphics can serve as useful tools for the visually handicapped; (2) new research findings — the exchange of knowledge regarding perception, information content, symbol parameters, multimodal communication, and new experimental programs; (3) alternative techniques for producing tactual maps, audio tape maps and graphics, and large-print graphics. A final session was held to sum up the results of the foregoing and to formulate plans for the future. In trying to encapsulate all of the wealth of information and insight that was presented at the conference, it is virtually impossible to know where to begin. Key points include: availability of material from the American Printing House for the Blind to teach useful skills for the understanding of tactual graphic presentations; explanation and demonstration of a prototype of a paperless braille display under development by the American Foundation for the Blind, which can provide braille and/or graphic output; representations by congenitally blind individuals of three-dimensional objects; and presentation of current, state-of-the­art map-making techniques and tools. One of the most prominently displayed items was the Stereocopier. This Japanese machine is able to represent images from a print page in raised form on special paper. Besides making raised copies of various maps, other graphic presentations were being produced and distributed. One particularly intriguing series of raised pictures depicted varying postures to be used in skiing. In addition to these items, the perimeter of an entire meeting room was completely taken up with table after table of maps, graphic displays, and map-making machinery from around the world. Keynote speaker at the conference was Frank Kurt Cylke, Director, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. He expressed his strong commitment to the concept that maps and graphic materials need to be more widely available to users. He challenged the Symposium to help the National Library Service and the library system to make this material accessible to the blind. The complete Symposium will be made available through the regional libraries by NLS when the print version is released in late summer. The Symposium has resulted in the creation of four working groups. These groups will: (1) construct an international bibliography; (2) inventory the use of symbols on tactual maps; (3) summarize available techniques and processes used to produce tactual maps; and (4) review the literature on spatial cognition and outline future research needs in this field. ***** ** High Tech Swap Shop * For Sale: Rare Lexicon Varispeech II machine, with microphone. Print/ cassette instructions and warranty card. $450.00. Also APH VSC speech compressor, $75.00. Prices include shipping. Contact Richard Brock, 15806 Fernway Road, Shaker Heights, Ohio 44120 (216) 752-0355. ***** ** Letters to the Editor * Dear Editor: I have read the article "Humanism in Medicine" (March 1983) with great interest. I am glad to see that a physician recognizes that doctors do not always know how best to meet the needs of blind patients. My only disappointment with the article was that Dr. Stetten discussed only ophthalmologists. Lack of knowledge concerning the needs and abilities of blind persons is not limited to that specialty. Every ophthalmologist with whom I have dealt has treated me as a competent, intelligent adult. I regret that I cannot say the same about some of my experiences with physicians in general practice. A patient should not have to perform the perennial task of “educating the public” when he/ she is ill, anxious, or in pain. My first visit to a doctor in this community was an upsetting, demeaning experience. He and the nurse were openly incredulous and disapproving of my having come to the office alone. Had I brought someone with me, I do not doubt that they would have tried to ask all their questions of that person instead of me. From the questions they asked and the way they spoke to me, it was obvious they had no idea that a blind person could take care of his/her own personal needs. I am confident that nothing in my personal appearance would have given them that impression. My solution to the problem at that time was to change to another doctor. Fortunately, I found one who treats me and my husband courteously and with common sense. I would like to explore more positive, active ways to solve the problem of physicians' lack of knowledge about blind and other handicapped individuals. Perhaps the American Council of the Blind could address the issue in a public service announcement similar to the very imaginative one I have heard portraying the blind person in a restaurant. Perhaps it could be the subject for a future article-of-the-year contest. Someone might want to try writing a humorous skit which could be presented to county medical societies. Maybe other readers can think of other ideas. How about it? — Kathy Blackburn, Vernon, Texas * Dear Editor: I read with interest the article in The Braille Forum about the Hawaii dog guide quarantine restrictions. I would like to see dog guides admitted to that state. However, I think it unfair to say that dog guides are substantially better handled, controlled, behaved, and cared for than the average pet. There are thousands of obedience titled American Kennel Club dogs which are well behaved. My own German shepherd dog goes to church with me every Sunday. Another of my dogs, a Labrador, goes to work with me at a nursing home. They also go on bus outings with church groups. They go on seminars with me, lying quietly at my desk or table. Never have I had a problem in over nine years. I feel that many people think dog guides are the only dogs well mannered, and this is so unfair! Obedience titled dogs are well cared for, well groomed, and social animals. I would appreciate feedback. — Elaine C. Smith, Founder, Therapy Dogs Institute-Dogs for Nursing Homes, Hillside, NJ ***** ** Calendar of Events July-October 1983 June 23-25 — Affiliated Leadership League Eighth Annual Delegate Assembly — Washington, D.C. June 25-26 — ACB of Nebraska State Convention — Grand Island. June 26-30 — Blinded Veterans Association Thirty-Eighth National Convention — Atlantic City, New Jersey. July 2-9 — American Council of the Blind Annual Convention Week — Phoenix, Arizona. July 10-14 — American Association of Workers for the Blind Annual Conference — Phoenix, Arizona. July 15-17 — South Carolina Council of the Blind State Convention — Aiken. September 17 — Annual State Convention, Maine Fraternal Association of the Blind. September 30-October 1 — ACB of Indiana State Convention — Indianapolis. September 30-October 1 — ACB of Maryland State Convention — Baltimore. September 30-October 2 — Pennsylvania Council of the Blind Annual Convention — Harrisburg. October 14-16 — Annual State Convention of the Oregon Council of the Blind — Corvallis. ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon From The Vermont Informer: A chicken and a pig lived on the side of a mountain overlooking a small town. They noticed something was wrong in the town and finally determined that all of the people were starving. "We've got to do something," cried the chicken. "We can't let them starve to death." The hen thought a minute and exclaimed, "I know. Let's send them some bacon and eggs." "That's okay for you to say," observed the pig. "Sending eggs involves only participation on your part. For me, sending the bacon means total commitment." From The Articulator: Alaska's highest governmental officials were on hand March 15-19 to join in the 1983 statewide Very Special Arts Festival celebration. The City of Anchorage's mayor, Tony Knowles, State Governor William Sheffield, and U.S. Senator Ted Stevens participated in the festival, at which 1,500 handicapped and able-bodied children shared their accomplishments in the arts. Support for this program was greatly assisted by a grant from Duty-Free Shoppers Ltd. This private corporation has donated approximately $17,000 so that the arts are accessible and available to handicapped children and youth throughout the year. From VIVA Newsletter: The American Legion is now offering its magazine on flexible disc to all visually impaired veterans. This is a free service. You need not have to be a member to obtain it. If you desire to receive this magazine, contact Talking American Legion Magazine; P.O. Box 1055, Indianapolis, IN 46206. "Say When" is a new liquid level indicator which enables blind and deaf-blind persons to readily determine when a glass, cup, or other container filled to within one-half-inch of the top. "Say When" is hung over the side of the container with its two prongs on the inside and its battery outside. The liquid is then poured into the container. When it reaches the prongs, a buzzer will sound and the "Say When" will gently vibrate. This device is safe, dependable, easy to use, and very compact. It comes completely assembled and ready to use. Price: $13.95. Order from Kentucky Industries for the Blind, 1900 Brownsboro Road, Louisville, KY 40206. Marvin E. Price, husband of ACB Board member Patricia Price, was honored recently at the annual meeting of the Indiana Optometric Association. Marvin was named recipient of the prestigious ''Outstanding Service in the Public Interest Award," presented to an individual from outside the profession of optometry who has made a highly significant contribution to further the cause of proper vision care for the public of Indiana. His long-time service as a rehabilitation counselor for the Indiana Rehabilitation Services was noted, with special emphasis upon his unique role in the pioneering of low­vision services, as well as being instrumental in securing necessary Federal funding to establish vision programs for the visually im­ paired in Indiana. Variety Products Co., 2416 Con­ cord, Lansing, MI 48910, offers a free braille catalog of gifts and many useful items such as jewelry, household articles, radios, and tools. Several items particularly useful to blind and visually impaired persons are available from Clarence Sherman, 35 Rosewood Manor, Galion, OH 44833. Items include address and "Free Matter" stamps and stamp pads, Bic nylon-tipped pens, and the Sanford 20/20 "Blind Man's" pen. Write Mr. Sherman for a complete price list of available items. C.J. David Enterprises, 1020 W. 53rd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55419, will transcribe into braille materials for individuals who need this service on very short notice. Cost is $1.25 per braille page; delivery time, within three weeks from date of receipt of print material. Medical World News reports in a recent article that the number of known diabetics has risen an average of 8% a year since 1960. About one in forty Americans is a known diabetic, according to figures in a new report. Because they do not include non-insulin-dependent individuals, these statistics actually underestimate the number of diabetics by 50%, the article notes. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, this represents a six-fold increase since 1935. The U. S. Customs Service has developed a three-minute cassette to familiarize blind and visually impaired vacationers with regulations about re­entering the United States, according to Travel-Holiday Magazine. The information is also available in braille. Address requests to Public Information Division, International Travel Office, U.S. Customs Service, Room 6316, Washington, DC 20209. Specify braille or cassette. "Britain for White Cane Travelers" is an 18-day tour, September 9-26, 1983, to be conducted by Evergreen Travel Service for blind and visually impaired persons. Evergreen Travel has been operating such tours for the past nineteen years. The land tour — London, Stratford-on-Avon, Windemere, Glasgow, Edinburgh, York — is priced at $1,895, based upon double occupancy. Special accommodations include touch privileges in museums, braille menus, and escort service as needed for unaccompanied blind persons. For further information, contact Evergreen Travel Service, Inc., 195051 44th Avenue, W., Lynnwood, WA 98036. From The Missorui Chronicle: More than 500 Ready-Teller machines in Texas are being equipped with braille instructions to help guide blind persons in their banking transactions. The instruction sheet, developed with the assistance of visually impaired persons, is embossed on self-adhesive plastic. It is placed at the side of the machine. Braille labels indicate where the identification card is to be placed, the deposit and withdrawal doors, and where the receipt comes out. The numbered and lettered keys on the machine are in the same order as the buttons on touch­tone telephones and, therefore, can easily be used by blind persons. The project was begun by the Austin (Texas) Junior Women's Federation and is being continued by the company owning the machines. The Willamette Chapter of the Oregon Council of the Blind recently conducted a unique and profitable fund-raiser — “An Evening with the Story-Teller.” John B. Dashney, 41-year-old legally blind member of the chapter, recently gave two benefit story-telling performances at the Willamette University Auditorium, presenting both traditional and folk tales. Mr. Dashney, recipient of the Ned. E. Freeman Literary Competition Award at the 1982 ACB national convention in Atlanta, holds a Master of Fine Arts degree and has had considerable acting experience. An authorized braille reproduction of the ink-print motto calendar provided each year since 1848 by a Quaker family in Philadelphia is available from the John Milton Society for the Blind, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 832, New York, NY 10015. The calendar is free to individuals. The encyclopedia. has now gone electronic, fed into the home via cable TV or hooked up to a home computer, according to an article in Family Weekly. If you want. to look up dinosaur or xylophone, for example, you simply dial a telephone number, place your telephone receiver in a converter attached.to the computer, and punch in the requested data. According to Frank Farrell, President of Grolier Electronic Publishing, which produces the electronic edition of the 21-volume Academic American, “in the time it would take to walk to your bookshelf, you could have a readout of the subject you are researching.” Grolier is also looking at a video disc version of the encyclopedia. The King James Version of the Bible, read on cassette by Alexander Scourby, is available from Nelson Christian Bookstore, 2404 Eastern, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49507. Cost: Old Testament, $99.88, plus $2.50 shipping and handling; New Testament, $27.88, plus $1.75 shipping and handling. From Dialogue: Dr. Francis Salerno, who serves as medical director of a nursing home in Shillington, Pennsylvania, and maintains a private practice, is the first blind physician to pass the certifying examination of the American Board of Internal Medicine. Salerno is a graduate of Temple University School of Medicine and was serving as an intern at Reading Hospital when he lost his sight through diabetes in 1976. The Veterans Administration recently opened the Charles Boswell Southeastern Blind Rehabilitation Center at Birmingham, Alabama. This is the fourth such center to be built since World War II. The center will serve veterans from eleven southeastern states and Puerto Rico. Its services are available to any veteran who is legally blind, and it can accommodate veterans with multiple disabilities. The center was named in honor of Charles Boswell, a Birmingham resident who was blinded while serving with the U.S. Army in Germany during World War II. He has won a number of national and international blind golfing tournaments. Not only are the eyes the mirror of the soul, but they can also tell much about the state of a person's health, according to an item in Family Weekly. Besides eye ailments such as cataracts and glaucoma, ophthalmologists today can also detect symptoms of many non-eye problems. Dr. William Frayer, Professor of Ophthalmology at the Presbyterian Hospital, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, says that narrowing or hemorrhaging of blood vessels in the retina could indicate high blood pressure. Frequently prescription changes could indicate diabetes; redness could signal arthritis; intermittent dimming could warn of the risk of stroke ... ***** ** Notice to Subscribers The Braille Forum is available in braille, large-type, and two recorded editions — flexible disc (8 1/3 rpm) and cassette (15/16 ips). As a bimonthly supplement, the recorded editions also include ALL-O-GRAMS, newsletter of the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America. Send subscription requests and address changes, as well as items intended for publication, to The Braille Forum,190 Lattimore Road, Rochester, NY 14620. 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 ACB 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 a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, you or your attorney may wish to contact the ACB National Office. ###