The Braille Forum Vol. XXII October 1983 No. 4 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 ***** ** ACB Officers and Directors * President: Grant Mack, 139 E. 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: Durward K. McDaniel, 9468 Singing Quail Drive, Austin, TX 78758 * Secretary: Karen Perzentka, 6913 Colony Drive, Madison, WI 53717 * Treasurer: James R. Olsen, American Council Of The Blind, Summit Bank Building, Suite 822, 310 4th Avenue, S., Minneapolis, MN 55415 Delbert K. Aman, 115 Fifth Avenue, S.E., Aberdeen, SD 57401 Robert Campbell, 253 Stonewall Road, Berkeley, CA 94705 Adrian DeBlaey, 912 N. Hawley Road, Milwaukee, WI 53213 Carla Franklin, 148 N. Vernon Avenue, Louisville, KY 40206 Charles Hodge, 2895 S. Abingdon Street, Unit A-2, Arlington, VA 22206 Carl F. McCoy, 925 E. Magnolia Drive, Apt. D-7, Tallahassee, FL 32301 Patricia Price, 337 S. Sherman Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46201 LeRoy Saunders, P.O. Box 20420, Oklahoma City, OK 73124 M.J. Schmitt, 528 Des Plaines Avenue, Apt. 2-A, Forest Park, IL 60130 Dick Seifert, 1023 Scott Street, Apt. F, Little Rock, AR 72202 ***** ** Contents ACB Officers and Directors President's Message: Salt Lake City's Audible Traffic Signals, by Grant Mack News Briefs from the ACB National Office, by Oral O. Miller Social Security Disability Legislation Passes Social Security Subcommittee Hurdle, by Scott Marshall The Washington Connection - Your Key to the "Information Explosion" Services for the Blind in the Middle East, by Sheik Abdullah M. Al-Ghanim National Directory of Blind Teachers Now Available "Who and What Are All These Different Groups?", by Carl Rauer Legal Services Corp. Proposes Tighter Eligibility Standards, by Barbara Nelson Friends of Eye Research Elects New President KCB Member Receives Commissioner's Citation U.S. Delegation Finds Soviet Treatment for R P Unsubstantiated "Accommodating the Spectrum of Individual Abilities": An Analysis of Discrimination Stevie Nicks Sees World in a Blur High Tech Swap Shop Letters from Readers Calendar of Events Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon Notice to Subscribers ***** ** President's Message Salt Lake City's Audible Traffic Signals By Grant Mack In July of 1978, the Utah Council of the Blind hosted the national convention of the American Council of the Blind. Preparations for that convention included the temporary installation of an audible traffic signal on a busy corner adjacent to the Hotel Utah, the main host hotel. Many of the attendees were housed at another hotel approximately one block away. In order to reach the Hotel Utah, it was necessary to negotiate a wide and busy four-way intersection immediately adjacent to the Hotel Utah. It was felt that an audible device would make it more comfortable and safer for blind persons unfamiliar with the area. The many favorable comments received during the convention from ACB conventioneers, plus many additional favorable responses from Salt Lake City citizens following the convention, prompted officers of the Utah Council to approach the city fathers with the proposal that additional signals be installed on a trial basis at two or three additional downtown intersections. Mr. Jess Agraz, the city commissioner in charge of streets, was immediately favorable to the idea and suggested that representatives from the blind community meet with him to determine which intersections should be used in the test. When representatives of the National Federation of the Blind were approached to participate in this decision, they immediately balked at the idea and said that they were "very much opposed to the use of any device that aided the blind and was noticeable to the general public." I do not wish to go into the details of the bitter hassle that ensued during the next two years over this matter, but will only say that in June of 1980, Salt Lake City installed signals at six downtown intersections and four mid-block crosswalks. The kind of counter-productivity that has occurred so many times when one group of blind persons has opposed the other was really demonstrated here. What should have taken two weeks to accomplish took two years. That same counter-productivity has occurred in New York City with respect to the unsafe subway cars and has resulted in the deaths of blind people. And again the same kind of counter-productivity occurred this year in Hawaii when the Department of Agriculture was asked to re-assess its position on the quarantining of dog guides entering Hawaii. Again the NFB appeared and opposed any changes. It is not my intention to belabor this point, but simply to make it. Salt Lake City has now issued its first official report on the audible traffic signals. It was prepared by Mr. P.D. Kiser, Deputy Transportation Engineer, Department of Transportation. Following are excerpts from that report: In 1978, the Salt Lake City Division of Transportation was contacted by Mr. Grant Mack, President of the Utah Council of the Blind, about the use of a new device for assisting visually handicapped (blind) at signalized intersections. Prior to this time, the only device ever installed by the City for the blind was a bell that rang each time the signal changed ... Mr. Mack requested the City pursue the purchase and installation of audible devices which utilized two separate bird-type calls for indicating when the "WALK" signal came on. We felt (the) request was worthy of our attention, due to the number of blind persons who frequent the downtown area. In the Wasatch Front Regional Council Technical Report No. 2, "Transportation Needs of the Elderly and Handicapped," January 1977, it stated that 6.6% of the handicapped population in Salt Lake, Davis and Weber counties were legally blind. This translates to over 10,000 legally blind persons in the tri-county area; clearly this indicates the need for these devices. The distributor of the audible device, Traconex, Inc., of Santa Clara, California, ... agreed to loan the City two audible devices for testing and evaluation. We also learned that the city of Huntington Beach, California, was in the process of installing these same devices ... Over the period of time our study took place, we were able to trade information with the Huntington Beach traffic engineer, Mr. Bill L. Waddell. ... On September 20, 1979, the City Commission held a public hearing to receive public input. The hearing resulted in a positive vote by the City Commission for using the audible devices, but no funds were appropriated to purchase them. In March 1980, the Utah Council of the Blind petitioned the new City Council and requested $5,000 be appropriated to purchase twenty of the audible devices. The City Council approved the appropriation, and the audible devices were ordered and delivered in May 1980. The traffic engineer of Huntington Beach established a set of criteria for a device to aid the blind, and these criteria were adopted by Salt Lake City: 1. It must not be annoying to the average pedestrian or resident. 2. It must have noise levels measured at an intersection from 10 db. to 120 db. (the devices in Salt Lake City were measured at 85 db.). 3. It must be low-cost ... 4. It must have adjustable upper and lower volume limits. 5. Simple, low-cost installation was required. 6. It must require no, or very little, maintenance in a harsh environment. 7. It must be mechanically adjustable as to direction. 8. It should not require any extra wiring to the cabinet. 9. It should not in any way interfere with the normal signal operation. 10. The audio signal must only operate when the "WALK" indication is displayed. 11. It must have a different, easily distinguished sound for each direction. The devices we purchased met the above criteria. They are manufactured by the Nagoya Electric Works in Nagoya, Japan, and distributed in the United States by Traconex, Inc., in Santa Clara, California. ... The selection of locations for the devices was a cooperative effort between the City and the Utah Council of the Blind. The survey by the Utah Council showed about 100 blind persons traversing the central business district on a daily basis … The device meets the criteria that it must have a different, easily distinguished sound for each direction. One type provides a "peep­peep" sound for the east-west walking direction, and the other type provides a "cuckoo" sound for the north-south walking direction ... Shortly after they began operating, we received complaints from residents who lived near the intersections that they were being kept awake at night. After conferring with the Utah Council of the Blind, we decided to put most of the devices on time clocks so they would only operate from 7:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. ... An analysis was made of auto/ pedestrian accidents in the central business district during a four-year period to determine if any other correlation could be made between the use of the devices and a reduction in this type of accident. ... The mid-block locations showed no auto/pedestrian accidents either before or after the installation of the devices. At the study locations, there were 22 "before" audio/pedestrian accidents and 9 "after" accidents. (None of these accidents involved blind people.) ... ... (T)he evaluation of the devices was based on feedback from the general public and, in particular, the blind persons who were affected by the use of the devices. … We have received a large number of positive comments about the devices. Surprisingly, many of the comments came from sighted persons who felt the devices alerted them that the signal had changed and it was clear to walk. This was particularly true for older persons who had vision problems, but were not legally blind. The most encouraging comments came from blind persons who were afraid or expressed trepidation about traveling downtown before the devices were installed. After installing the devices, they felt more confident about being in the downtown area and were able to take advantage of social activities and shopping opportunities. ... During the two years the audible devices have been used, we have received requests for information about them from all parts of the United States, and even requests from West Germany, Australia, and New Zealand. ... Based on the results of this study, the following is recommended: 1. Continue the use of the existing audible devices. 2. Expand the use of the audible devices in the central business district ... 3. Add additional audible devices to provide a minimum of four devices at the existing four-leg intersections ... Anyone wishing a copy of the full report can obtain one by writing Mr. P.D. Kiser, Deputy Transportation Engineer, Department of Transportation, 333 S. Second E., Salt Lake City, UT 84111. We congratulate Salt Lake City for its progressive action on this matter, in spite of early but unwarranted opposition. A safe and comfortable environment is the right of all citizens. Salt Lake City proved once again that with ingenuity and courage, much can be done with very little expense to achieve equity, safety, and accessibility for all of its citizens. ***** ** News Briefs from the ACB National Office By Oral O. Miller National Representative Although part of August was dedicated to well-earned vacations by various members of the ACB National Office staff, August was, nevertheless, a busy and productive month. For example, the long and often noisy, dusty process of expanding and remodeling the National Office was finally completed. While the American Council of the Blind has always concentrated its resources on the provision of meaningful services to the blind rather than on the operation of a posh national office in Washington, the newly expanded office is a vast improvement over the former one. Our modest conference room has already hosted a number of important meetings involving Congressional staff members, the legal profession, professional service providers, and organized consumers. During late August, the ACB Director of Governmental Affairs, Scott Marshall, discussed the Federal legislative process in an address before the National Conference of the Blind, held in Las Vegas, Nevada. ACB's Second Vice President, Durward McDaniel, and ACB Board of Publications member Christopher Gray also spoke on the program, which covered topics ranging from current legislative trends and developments, to the Randolph-Sheppard program, Federal programs in support of civil rights, education of blind children, and modern technology of importance to the blind. Present, also, as interested observers and conference participants were ACB President Grant Mack, ACB National Representative Oral Miller, and ACB Board members Bob Campbell and M.J. Schmitt. The majority of the conference attendees were members of currently unaligned organizations of the blind in such midwestern or far western states as Iowa, Washington, California, and Hawaii. The reception given to the remarks of the ACB speakers indicated clearly that they were viewed with courtesy, credence, and respect by many people who had previously been indoctrinated or "brainwashed" to deny ACB's status as the largest and fastest growing organization of the blind in the United States. One of the highlights of Scott Marshall's participation in the 1983 state convention of the Tennessee Council of the Blind in Nashville over Labor Day weekend was the reorganization and rejuvenation by the Tennessee vendors of the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of Tennessee. In view of the importance of the vending program as an employer of the blind and the increasing importance of the vendors themselves in the operation of the program, this organization is in a position to be the most influential spokesman of the vendors in that state. Although there are several thorny issues which still must be dealt with in that state, we commend the vendors for this progressive step, and we are looking forward to working with them in the future. Another productive and very enjoyable highlight of the Tennessee convention was the celebrity auction, which netted in excess of $1,200 for the Tennessee Council of the Blind. A "celebrity auction" is an auction at which items donated by and identified with celebrities such as entertainment and professional sports stars are sold under festive auction conditions. Although not all cities have as many celebrities as Nashville, a celebrity auction is an excellent fund-raising technique which more ACB affiliates might consider using during their state conventions. The public should always be invited to such auctions so they have an opportunity to bid on the celebrity items and, at the same time, become better acquainted with the affiliate. We are pleased to report that the Bureau of Printing and Engraving is now putting the finishing touches on a comprehensive report which it plans to submit to Congress regarding the identification of paper money by the blind and visually impaired. This will be the first such report that has explored all the possible options for such identification - such systems as braille or other tactile markings, clipping corners, punching holes, changing the size of denominations and the full range of implications surrounding electronic identification. Although ACB will not necessarily agree with all the provisions of the final report, members of the ACB National Office staff, primarily Scott Marshall, have been consulted many times over the months by the Bureau, and we commend that agency, which has the awesome responsibility of printing all United States currency, for the open mind it has displayed during the deliberations. Since Congressional hearings and possible legislation may result from the submission of the report, we recommend that you call the Washington Connection regularly (1-800-424-8666) to stay abreast on this vitally important subject to all blind and visually impaired people. Seldom in the past have we had an opportunity to mention the increasing importance of the American Council of the Blind as a resource, consultant, and catalyst in the international field of services for the blind and visually impaired. For example, over the past four years, a representative of the ACB has served on two committees of the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind (WCWB), and it was the ACB representative at the 1979 WCWB International Assembly who was one of the leaders in the parliamentary floor fight that blocked an effort to reduce the voting strength of the North American members. Within recent months, we have been contacted by many different foreign nationals and international visitors interested in learning more about the American Council of the Blind and obtaining our recommendations regarding services internationally. For some time, we have been in consultation with a representative of a world church organization, and as a result of those consultations, that organization, working within the very delicate political and diplomatic limitations of Southeast Asia, has been able to provide an enormous amount of services and aids to the blind of one particularly war-torn country. Another with whom we have consulted, an official of the World Bank, has been extremely instrumental in arranging for badly needed educational aids and supplies to be sent to India. Another recent visitor, a blind citizen of Switzerland and a member of the staff of an agency serving the blind there, was extremely interested in learning how the American Council of the Blind, as a private organization, can provide the range of services it does to the blind of the United States without receiving any Government assistance. No, we cannot fill the countless requests we receive every year from the blind of the developing countries, in particular, for sorely needed books, supplies, educational materials, aids and appliances, but the contribution which we are making is definitely being felt, and all indications are that the impact of the American Council of the Blind will become even much greater in the very near future. ***** ** Social Security Disability Legislation Passes Social Security Subcommittee Hurdle By Scott Marshall Director of Governmental Affairs On August 3, 1983, the Subcommittee on Social Security of the House Ways and Means Committee reported the Social Security Disability Benefits Reform Act of 1983, H.R. 3755. This bill represents a broad reform of the disability determination, review, and appeal process and is supported by the American Council of the Blind and other leading advocacy organizations. The bill was based largely on legislation introduced by Representative James Shannon (D. MA) earlier this year. Action on the bill in the full Ways and Means Committee is expected this fall. H.R. 3755 is the most significant piece of Social Security Disability legislation currently before the Congress. You can help ensure prompt passage by contacting your Congressional representatives to urge their support of this bill. It would also be useful to send letters of appreciation to Representatives Pickle, Shannon, Anthony, Matsui, and Stark for their role in developing H.R. 3755. * Summary of Significant Provisions of H.R. 3755 1) The Social Security Administration can terminate a beneficiary's entitlement to SSDI benefits on the basis that the disability no longer exists only if there is substantial evidence that one or more of the following conditions exist: a) That due to medical improvement, the individual is now able to engage in substantial gainful activity (SGA); b) That although the individual has not improved medically, advances in therapy or technology permit work at the SGA level; or c) That because of new or improved diagnostic techniques, the individual's impairment is not as disabling as it was considered to be at the time of the prior disability determination, such that he or she is now able to engage in SGA. Disability benefits could also be terminated if the beneficiary can engage in substantial gainful activity or if the original determination was clearly erroneous or fraudulently obtained. (2) SSA must consider the combined effect of multiple impairments, without regard to whether any individual impairment meets the medical evaluation criteria. (3) A moratorium on mental impairment reviews until the criteria for mental impairment have been revised and are published in regulations for public comment. (4) Effective January 1, 1985, a face-to-face review at the determination stage of medical termination cases. A five-state demonstration project is also established to study the use of the face-to-face interview process at the initial determination stage on new disability applications. (5) Benefits will continue through the administrative law judge stage of the appeal process. This makes permanent provisions of P.L. 97-455, which was passed by Congress and signed into law last year. (6) Regulations are to be established which govern the use by the Social Security Administration of the consultative medical examination. (7) SSA must publish disability standards and procedures as regulations, pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act. These standards and procedures are binding at all levels of the determination and review process and are subject to the notice and public comment requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act. (8) Requires SSA to apply decisions of the circuit courts of appeal to all beneficiaries residing in that circuit, or requires SSA to appeal the circuit court decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. ***** ** The Washington Connection Your Key to the "Information Explosion" The Washington Connection, ACB's governmental information hot line, continues to be one of the most popular services of the American Council of the Blind. Although The Braille Forum is the best source for detailed information concerning what's happening in Washington, the Washington Connection provides up-to-the-minute information which cannot wait for publication and distribution of this magazine. For example, if you haven't called the Washington Connection during the past several weeks, you missed current developments on these and other subjects: HUD Section 504 regulations ... Department of Justice Section 504 prototype regulations ... increased funding for Title XX programs ... re-authorization of the Rehabilitation Act ... revised Legal Services Corporation eligibility rules ... and more! To make the Washington Connection, dial toll-free 1-800-424-8666 evenings or weekends for a brief recorded message. The Washington Connection is factual, action oriented; it lets you know when your letter or phone call will have the maximum impact in Washington. So stay up-to-date! Find out what over 100 callers per day are listening to and acting upon. The Washington Connection - 1-800-424-8666 - just one more reason why ACB membership means service to you. ***** ** Services for the Blind in the Middle East By Sheik Abdullah M. Al-Ghanim (Sheik Abdullah M. Al-Ghanim, Director General of the Department of Special Education, Ministry of Education, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was scheduled to address the 1983 national convention of the American council of the Blind concerning services for the blind in the Middle East. However, a last-minute illness and hospitalization prevented him from making the trip to America. Printed below is the text of the address he would have given. Sheik Al-Ghanim, who lost his sight at the age of 6 due to smallpox, was responsible for the establishment of the first school for the education of the blind in his country in 1960. In addition to his other duties, he is now President of the Middle East Bureau and Vice President of the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind. We truly regret that the Sheik's illness kept him from attending the ACB national convention, and we hope he will be able to join us at a future convention.) It is, indeed, a great pleasure and privilege for me to participate in your 1983 national convention, with its noble objectives. Your devotion to the cause of the blind, your determination to help them in their struggle for a better life, deserve the highest commendation. I should like to take this opportunity to give you a brief description of our modest efforts and activities in the field of the blind in the Middle East region. * Historical Background The Regional Bureau of the Middle East Committee for the Blind was established in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 1973. The idea was first proposed in New Delhi, India, where the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind in 1969 passed a resolution to establish the Middle East Committee for the Welfare of the Blind, to be headed by me. After serious and ceaseless work, the Middle East states were invited to consider the establishment of the Middle East Committee, to be situated in Riyadh. A meeting was held in 1971, attended by eleven countries. After having been established in this conference, the Middle East Committee and its Regional Bureau started to practice its activities by the advent of the year 1973. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia covered all the financial requirements of the project. The budget of the Regional Bureau is annually financed by five member states, namely: Saudi Arabia, 45%; United Arab Emirates, 25%; Qatar, 11%; Kuwait, 10%; and Bahrain, 4%. Prevention. of Blindness The population of all the Middle East countries is estimated at 250 million persons. Statistics currently available indicate that about 7.5 million people in the Middle East Region (the majority of them children) are totally blind. That is, the blind people represent three percent of the total population. Additionally, further millions have low or impaired vision, and at least two-thirds of these cases could have been prevented or cured. Nearly 150 million people are liable to be afflicted with eye diseases, especially trachoma, if proper preventive and curative measures are not immediately taken. Trachoma is deemed one of the major causes of blindness in the region. The Regional Bureau has, since its establishment, exerted all efforts to prevent blindness and eliminate its causes in the Middle East Region. Prevention of blindness has become a priority and is considered one of the major health and social problems. Activities and achievements of the Regional Bureau in this field are outlined in the following points: • Contacts and consultation with national and international organizations and United Nations agencies. • Collaboration with some countries of the region in conducting comprehensive surveys of eye diseases in hospitals and out-patient clinics. • The setting up of the Permanent Advisory Eye Hygiene Committee of Gulf Arab States. This committee was assigned the task of supervising the programs of blindness prevention in the Gulf area. • Issuing and circulating from time to time publications, booklets, leaflets, and posters regarding eye protection and practice of good hygienic habits. • Launching awareness campaigns in the field of prevention of blindness by all possible mass media, information media, and other means of communication. • Drawing the attention of the Middle East states to the importance of the subject of low vision in the field of prevention of blindness, by encouraging these states to establish specialized clinics for the low-vision and partially-sighted population. * Education The Regional Bureau, being fully aware of the extreme importance of the education of the blind, has cooperated and made contacts with concerned local and international organizations such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Council of Educators of the Visually Handicapped (ICEVH). Therefore, we have invited experts and educational specialists, with the intention of raising and improving teaching techniques in schools for the visually handicapped, as well as advancing the development of students' intellectual abilities. Our achievements in the educational field can be summarized as follows: In August 1974, the first braille press was established in Riyadh for producing periodicals, books, and school textbooks in braille. It is equipped with the most modern embossers and stereotype machines. In November 1982, a central computerized braille production system was installed in Riyadh. The aim of this project is to increase Arabic braille production. The estimated production capacity of this computer­based system is 250,000 pages per month. In August 1974, the first issue of Al-Fajr (The Dawn), a monthly magazine in braille, was issued. To date, 110 issues have been published, each issue ranging between 60 and 70 pages. Hundreds of copies of this magazine are distributed to subscribers all over the Middle East countries. In September 1975, the first talking book library was established in Riyadh. So far, 550 books have been recorded. The number of subscribers of different nationalities reached more than 600 persons, while the established number of expected beneficiaries would be doubled. We have held many special training courses for the teachers at schools for the blind in the region on the education of the visually handicapped, in order to promote their teaching abilities and to acquaint them with the most advanced techniques. This is in addition to several training courses for blind students in orientation and mobility techniques, daily living skills, and how to use the Optacon. Furthermore, the Regional Bureau has conducted a pioneering experience for the integration of blind students in the normal secondary education stage with their sighted fellows. This experience has satisfactorily resulted in the distinction of the blind students who obtain higher rates in the General Secondary Certificate Examinations. Other services include offering aids for students, including Perkins braillers, books in braille, educational aids and instruments; and full tuition fees and costs paid for handicapped persons of various nationalities who are pursuing higher studies in overseas universities. * Rehabilitation Since rehabilitation opens wide the door to work and integration for the blind, the Regional Bureau has stressed the importance of the rehabilitation process in order to secure work opportunities for the blind and to enable them to confront their living demands. The following achievements are considered to be among the most important in the field of rehabilitation: Al-Noor Institute for the Blind in Al-Muharraq City, State of Bahrain, was inaugurated in June 1974. It consists of the following departments: a. Academic Department, which includes elementary and preparatory stages. b. Vocational Training Department, which includes theoretical and practical branches. c. Male students' boarding department. d. Female students' boarding department. The Institute embraces at present 120 male and female students, ages 6 to 20 years. In December 1974, the Regional Center for Rehabilitation and Training of Blind Girls was inaugurated in Amman, Jordan. It consists of three departments: a. Vocational training department, which mainly includes tricot and knitting work, wool weaving, sewing, tapestry, and music. b. Uncurricular education adequate to the elementary level in the normal schools. c. Boarding facilities which accommodate 50 girls, ages 15 to 35 years. Training courses on telephone exchange were held at Al-Noor Institute for the Blind in Bahrain. Duration of each course is six months. Most graduates have found employment in governmental and private departments and institutions. * Employment and Placement Recognizing the importance of work for the blind as a means by which they keep their dignity and social status, the Regional Bureau is doing its best to secure work opportunities for the blind and to follow-up graduates with regard to their adjustment to work as well as orientation and integration into their societies. The Regional Bureau has also called upon the member states of the Middle East Committee to enact necessary legislation to compel owners of factories, establishments, and firms to assign a certain percentage of vacancies to the blind. * Physical Planning for the Visually Handicapped The Regional Bureau has paid considerable attention to building design and city planning, and this is one of the most important issues. Buildings and public facilities in most of the cities are designed only for ordinary, non-handicapped people. This consequently results in many difficulties and inconveniences for the disabled when using them. So the Regional Bureau has called upon the municipal council in each city in the Middle East Region to set up specialized committees to assume responsibility for the follow-up and supervision with respect to physical planning for the visually handicapped, in order to ensure basic accessibility and to eliminate the conventional architectural barriers which limit the mobility of the disabled and their participation in ordinary activities. These are the most important activities and achievements we have realized in the Middle East Region. There are also many other activities and services such as holding youth camps for the blind. We have already held two youth camps. The first one was held in Bahrain in April 1980. The second camp was held in June 1981 in Algeria. A third camp has been arranged to be held in Morocco in July 1983. This Bureau has rendered services to the blind in many varied fields. But I would like to assure you that we are still at the beginning of the road, where a great deal of effort and continuous work must still be exerted. However, out of our previous experience, we feel that all of the efforts and services we offer will remain limited in their effectiveness unless the organizations concerned in the field join in efficient cooperation, consolidated efforts, and exchange of information, ideas, and experiences among all agencies, organizations, and other bodies working in our common field. ***** ** National Directory of Blind Teachers Now Available The first edition of the National Directory of Blind Teachers has been published (August 6, 1983). This 156-page volume, representing 227 blind and visually impaired teachers, is a project of the National Association of Blind Teachers. Included in the directory are vita sheets of teachers from pre-school to post-doctoral, many with national recognition. Besides these specific entries, there are several articles pertinent to the blind in the teaching field which will be of interest to prospective blind teachers, institutions training these individuals, and administrators who may be, or are, employing visually impaired teachers. There is a 15-page section containing statistics on, and an alphabetical listing of sectors of employment and major teaching areas. These listings give quick reference to individual data sheets in the main body of the directory. The list of subjects taught is most revealing, ranging from special education to mathematics, science, law, political science, history, English, foreign language, anthropology, biochemistry, agronomy, administration, etc. Copies of the first edition of the National Directory of Blind Teachers may be procured by addressing National Association of Blind Teachers, 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 506, Washington, DC 20036. A donation of $5.00 will be appreciated. An addendum to the directory will be published in 12 to 18 months. Persons who qualify to be listed in the directory may obtain a questionnaire by writing to the project director, Carlton Eldridge, 422 W. Canedy Street, Springfield, IL 62704. ***** ** "Who and What Are All These Different Groups?" By Carl Rauer Recently one of our delegates to this year's ACB national convention told me that a question arose as to how the state affiliates could become more visible. We would like to share with readers of The Braille Forum what we in Minnesota have done, and how we did it. Two years ago, at a hearing by a Minnesota state committee, a coalition of blind organizations presented a resolution with the names of ten organizations of blind, minus one. One of the Senators asked, "Who and what are all these different groups?" This question resulted in the idea of compiling a bound folder entitled, "List of Minnesota Consumer and Service Organizations 'of' and 'for' the Blind." A copy of this folder was given to each state Senate and House member, as well as to the Governor and other state officials and the news media. We started out by sending a letter to the organizations listed, explaining that the intent was not to influence any particular legislation, but to inform the legislators that there was more than one organization of blind persons. We requested each organization to provide three hundred copies of their own statement of purpose, with the understanding that the American Council of the Blind of Minnesota would take care of the binding and distribution. The greatest expense was in the cost of the covers and binding. Last January, our committee went to the state capitol and personally distributed these folders, checking off each name on the official roster. We feel that these folders must have done some good, and the local National Federation of the Blind has not given us any publicity by criticizing it in public. The cooperating organizations agreed to participate, and it was strictly voluntary, with each paying for its own copies. The introductory statement to the folder reads as follows: TO: All Legislators, Officials, and Friends RE: Organizations of and for the Blind In order to acquaint you with the existence of various blind organizations in Minnesota, we have assembled these statements of purpose from participating organizations. While some of the organizations have special interests, all have a positive philosophy and work together to improve independent living for all blind and visually impaired people. We hope that this information will be of assistance to you when legislation concerning the blind comes up for consideration, and that you will listen to our views. * Consumer Groups Association for Blind Living and Education (ABLE) Blind of Minnesota Senior Citizens Gopher State Blind Associates (Minnesota affiliate of the American Council of the Blind) Minnesota Association of Blind Athletes Minnesota Association of Vending Facility Operators United Blind of Minnesota, Inc. * Service Providers American Association of Workers for the Blind (Minnesota Chapter, AAWB) Duluth Lighthouse for the Blind Minneapolis Society for the Blind St. Paul Society for the Blind One organization whose statement is not included is the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota. In the past, NFB has preferred to work alone and has not sought input from other organizations of the blind. Like any other group of people, no one organization speaks for all. If more information is desired, you may write me, Carl Rauer, at 1083 Flandrau Street, St. Paul, MN 55106. ***** ** Legal Services Corporation Proposes Tighter Eligibility Standards By Barbara Nelson Staff Attorney The Legal Services Corporation (LSC), which funds local legal assistance programs for low-income people, has proposed to lower the eligibility standards to be used by LSC offices on the local level. In essence, if the proposals are adopted, they would result in fewer persons being eligible for legal assistance. Under the new proposals, local legal assistance offices would no longer be permitted to subtract all disability-related work expenses or to consider all of the medical expenses of a potential client when deciding whether an individual's income is lower than the maximum income level, currently 125% of the poverty level. In fact, the proposed regulations would place a ceiling of $7,290 on income for a single person, regardless of special expenses. Low-income blind and visually impaired people who are paying readers or purchasing special equipment, or who have high medical bills, could be hit hard by this proposal. Also, the proposed regulations would no longer permit Legal Services attorneys to represent people who are experiencing problems with government programs for poor people, such as Medicaid, SSI, and food stamps, regardless of their income. Senior citizens are likely to be harmed by a new provision which would not allow legal services to be provided to households with over $15,000 in equity in their home. These proposals were published on August 29, 1983, with only a thirty­day comment period. Many groups of low-income disabled and elderly people view this as another in the series of Administration attempts to curb the ability of controversial legal services programs to assist low-income people. The Reagan Administration proposed to dismantle the Legal Services Corporation in its last three budget proposals. Congress has not followed those requests, but has decreased funding by 25% from 1981 levels. Legal Services attorneys have been instrumental in ensuring that low-income people have access to the legal system in order to obtain benefits to which they are entitled. The American Council of the Blind will continue to work to ensure that these services remain available to low-income disabled persons who need them. ***** ** Friends of Eye Research Elects New President Father Boniface L. Wittenbrink, O.M.I., a leader in work for the blind and partially sighted, recently was elected President of Friends of Eye Research (FER), a nationwide public education organization headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The Belleville, Illinois, clergyman succeeds Dr. Charles L. Schepens of Boston, who had headed FER since its inception in 1976. Frank Wittenbrink has been a leading figure in establishing radio information service stations serving the blind and print handicapped. In 1972, he founded one of the first radio information service stations, which continues to serve visually impaired residents of the St. Louis, Missouri, area and neighboring parts of Illinois. After serving as station director for three years, Father Wittenbrink concentrated on fund-raising and development activities. He plans to continue this work. As FER president, he will head a broad-based, national public education campaign that reaches some 25 million people with information about new advances in eye research and treatment. FER works closely with agencies and organizations serving blind and partially sighted individuals, besides maintaining close liaison with major senior citizen organizations and Lions Clubs throughout the United States. "I am deeply honored to serve an organization that has done so much to advance the cause of eye research and improved treatment," Father Wittenbrink said. "I pray that we can expand our efforts and win new battles against blindness and eye disease." Father Wittenbrink was born on June 30, 1914, in Evansville, Illinois. He is a 1939 graduate of the Gregorian University in Rome, Italy. For some forty years, he has been a member of the Order of Mary Immaculate, and he has served in the United States and abroad as a Catholic educator. He currently is based at Our Lady of Snows National Shrine in Belleville, Illinois. William Gallagher, Executive Director of the American Foundation for the Blind in New York City, was also elected an FER Board member. ***** ** KCB Member Receives Commissioner’s Citation Jim Shaw, 30 years old, a long-time member of the Kentucky Council of the Blind and its current First Vice President, was honored on October 21, 1982, with the highest award presented to an employee of the Social Security Administration - the Commissioner's Citation. Jim was flown to Baltimore, Maryland, to receive his beautiful plaque, awarded annually to the employee who is considered to be the best in his job among all the thousands of SSA personnel. The citation was presented to Jim by the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, Mr. John Svahn. Jim's title - Claims Representative. His job - to assist clients in filing claims, including assisting them in locating evidence to prove their claims; answering questions from callers, and giving information about any changes in Social Security adjustments or law; and, in general, being a helpful and efficient go-between for the SSA and the public. Obviously, Jim is doing his job better than anyone else. Shaw, an eight-year employee of SSA, said: "To receive the Commissioner's Citation award is wonderful in itself. But, you understand, this isn't an award just for handicapped employees, but a competition among all SSA personnel. That is what thrills me most." Jim, who is totally blind, is the first to win the Commissioner's Citation award among the personnel of the Louisville SSA office. ***** ** U.S. Delegation Finds Soviet Treatment for Retinitis Pigmentosa Unsubstantiated (Reprinted from SUNDIAL, Newsletter of the Eye Research Institute of Retina Foundation, Vol. 9, No. 2, Summer 1983) Among the many diseases that we still label "untreatable," retinitis pigmentosa, or RP as it is commonly called, is one of the most perplexing. The name actually refers to a group of hereditary retinal diseases that lead to night blindness and "tunnel" vision (loss of peripheral or side vision). RP most commonly appears in children and young adults; it can ultimately result in blindness as the field of vision becomes progressively smaller. At this time, nothing can be done to halt the slow progression of the disease or restore vision that has been lost. In the last twelve years the promise of a possible treatment for RP has lured nearly 50 Americans to the Helmholtz Institute of Ophthalmology in Moscow for treatment. The so-called "Soviet treatment" involves daily injections of a drug called ENCAD. It has received considerable attention in the national press, most recently through the highly publicized trip made by young Todd Cantrell of Georgia. However, profitable exchanges of information about the treatment have been few and in an effort to examine Soviet data and procedures a group of prominent American eye researchers traveled to Moscow late last year. The results of their mission were reported at a press conference, held in April at Boston's Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, under the auspices of the National Retinitis Pigmentosa Foundation. Their findings? "There is no conclusive scientific evidence that ENCAD, the USSR trial treatment for retinitis pigmentosa, has value." The fact-finding mission to the Helmholtz Institute was arranged under the US-USSR collaborative agreement on Research on Eye Diseases in the Problem Area of Retinitis Pigmentosa, part of the US­USSR Program for Health Cooperation. During the course of their four­day visit in November 1982, the delegation had "frank" discussions with Soviet doctors and was given the opportunity to tour the laboratories and review in detail the diagnostic, treatment and follow-up procedures used with ENCAD. ... Their findings were much the same as those of a 1977 meeting on ENCAD held by the National Eye Institute: 1. The hypothesis underlying the use of ENCAD has not been substantiated by any scientifically valid experimentation since it was formulated 20 years ago. 2. The diagnostic measurements of patients who received ENCAD do not provide adequate scientific evidence that it stabilizes the natural progression of retinitis pigmentosa. 3. ENCAD has not been evaluated through a randomized clinical trial. The scientific basis for using ENCAD, a derivative of yeast ribonucleic acid (RNA), stems from findings of elevated levels of nucleotides in the photoreceptor (light-sensitive) cells of animals with retinal dystrophy. A similar imbalance has not been identified in humans. The therapy was first proposed in the early 1960's by Professor B.B. Fuks and his colleagues at the Institute of Human Morphology in Moscow; it involves twice daily injections of ENCAD for a period of ten days. The treatment is repeated at six-month intervals indefinitely. However, as Dr. Eliot Berson (Harvard University) commented at the press conference, "it is hard to understand why you would give a patient more nucleotides if you suspect the retina is dying from an excess of these bio-chemicals." There is also no evidence to show that ENCAD would be able to cross cell barriers to reach the photoreceptor cells. Another criticism of the ENCAD treatment involves the long-term follow-up evaluation of patients. RP is difficult to understand because it progresses slowly and unevenly. Patients can have stable periods that last for many years or they can have abrupt changes in vision. One critical aspect of RP research in America has been to define the natural history of this erratic disease by monitoring patients for many years. This involves repeated testing with electroretinography and standard visual field tests. Approximately 1,000 people have been treated with ENCAD at the Helmholtz Institute. Only a small fraction of these patients have been followed for any length of time after treatment. Twenty-four have been monitored for ten years. Of these twenty-four, only one patient showed any improvement and half experienced further deterioration of vision. Dr. Berson reported that he and his colleagues have been able to evaluate eighteen patients before and after their trips to the Soviet Union for treatment. Of these eighteen, two thirds have had progression of the disease after treatment and none have improved. The conclusions of the delegation are a strong argument against undergoing the ENCAD treatment. Although the Soviet doctors were "very willing" to discuss changes in their treatment procedures that might improve the program, the hard facts remain. There is no valid scientific rationale for the treatment and there are no significant data to show that ENCAD stabilizes the disease or improves vision over an extended period of time. People who have traveled to Russia for the treatment provide the same kind of perspective. Patricia Livingston of Newton, Massachusetts, was one of the first Americans to go to the Helmholtz Institute for treatment. She made three trips in the mid-1970's, but her vision has deteriorated, not improved. We asked her what her advice to other RP victims would be, in light of her own experience. "I think we have to be realistic about the ENCAD treatment. I don't believe it worked in my case," she said. "I would never tell someone not to go because when people are losing their sight, any ray of hope, any possible treatment is important to consider. But I would certainly advise caution. This fact-finding delegation brought back important information about ENCAD treatment procedures. Anyone who is concerned about RP should take a good, hard look at the facts." "For me, the real hope is that one day we will be able to do enough research to understand the causes of RP and to treat it effectively." ***** ** "Accommodating the Spectrum of Individual Abilities" An Analysis of Discrimination " ... (D)iscrimination against handicapped persons continues to be a serious and pervasive social problem ... Our Nation's declared goal for its handicapped population is full participation in society. Attaining this goal requires efforts by the public and private sectors to change conduct and attitudes and provide needed services. Substantial evidence suggests, and numerous authorities have concluded, that the benefits to society outweigh the costs of achieving full participation. Promoting increased social and economic participation by handicapped persons appears to be a sound long-term investment." This is the conclusion reached by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in a recently published monograph, "Accommodating the Spectrum of Individual Abilities." The Commission is a bipartisan Government agency which studies problems of discrimination. The monograph is not only a comprehensive review of the nature and extent of the problem of discrimination against disabled people and the current state of the law, but it also suggests a framework for understanding how concepts used in other civil rights contexts should be applied to discrimination against handicapped people, and how legal standards regarding reasonable accommodation for handicapped people should be developed. The monograph rejects two extreme approaches to the problem of discrimination against handicapped people. One position which it rejects, calling it "a source of much discrimination against handicapped people," is the view that opportunities are limited for handicapped people only by their physical or mental impairment itself rather than by society's prejudice or insensitivity. The Commission also rejects the "contrary" view that there are no handicapped people - that it is society that 'handicaps people.'" Instead, the Commission concludes that the law should allow and encourage conduct and accommodations that "appropriately respond to physical and mental differences among people," but should prohibit discriminatory conduct which irrationally or unnecessarily excludes or limits participation by handicapped people. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and state laws which require non-discrimination on the basis of handicap have often been misunderstood and misinterpreted by judges who lack a thorough understanding of the problem of discrimination and of the legal standards to be applied. "Accommodating the Spectrum of Individual Abilities" should fill this gap and be instrumental in the development of a positive trend in the law regarding discrimination on the basis of handicap. Print copies of the monograph are available without charge from the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Washington, DC 20425. Ask for "Accommodating the Spectrum of Individual Abilities," Clearing House Publication 81, September 1983. The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped plans to record the monograph and to make it available through NLS cooperating libraries. ***** ** Stevie Nicks Sees World In a Blur (From Associated Press, Phoenix) For Singer Stevie Nicks, her success as a songwriter could be attributed to her failing eyesight. "I definitely perceive the world differently than most people do," said the most visible member of the rock group Fleetwood Mac, who was in Phoenix to promote a coming benefit concert and her second solo album, The Wild Heart. "I have really bad eyes, and I never wore glasses" ... Nicks explained. "Then all of a sudden I got contact lenses - soft ones which don't make you see great but make you see better. Now I'm completely confused. I used to see nothing. Now I see sort of. "Everything is either a blur ... or street lights sparkle, colors run together. But, because I can't see the world clearly I look at it differently. I see it like in a dream." Most of her songs reflect a reverie­like quality, as in "Gypsy," "Sara" ... or "Dreams." And ... all her efforts sell well in the millions. Her first solo LP, Bella Donna ... rose to the top of the pop charts. The Wild Heart album was No. 5 and climbing on the best-selling chart of July 30. About this new album Stevie Nicks said, "It's Bella Donna, only less fragile. It's me being stronger with who I am and what I have to say … I did it the way I wanted to … It's my masterpiece as far as I'm concerned. It's very much a story." ***** ** High Tech Swap Shop * For Sale: TSI Calculator Model S1A04644. The calculator is in good condition and works perfectly. Included are two battery packs — one for 110 volts and the other for 220 volts. Write or call (after 9:00 P.M.): Taskeen Anjam Malik, 175 N. Beacon Street, Watertown, MA 02172; (617) 923-9727. ***** ** Letters from Readers (The following letter was addressed to Mr. Rich Curry of the National Theater Workshop of the Handicapped in response to an article, "Able to Act," which appeared 1n The Braille Forum, July 1983.) Dear Mr. Curry: I read with much interest the article about your Theater Workshop in the July issue of The Braille Forum magazine. I certainly agree with you that qualified disabled actors should be used far more by the TV and film industry, both in major dramatic roles and as incidental characters in commercials. The media, in general, is reluctant to portray disabled people as "normal people" with a disability. We are either the objects of adulation or of pity. News stories about disabled people focus not on the “normal issues," but on the disability. Headlines scream: "BLIND BEGGAR RUN OVER BY BEER TRUCK!" "EPILEPTIC YOUTH CONVICTED OF RAPE!" "ONE­ARMED GUNMAN ROBS BANK SINGLE-HANDED!" If these headlines are a bit ludicrous, then the attitude of the public which fosters and condones such journalism is even more ludicrous. Here in Texas, we have begun an effort aimed at influencing the media to portray more positively the "reality of disability" through the launching of a special statewide "Communication Awards" program. Under the auspices of the Governor's Committee for Disabled Persons, this program seeks to encourage and to recognize media organizations and individuals who strive to counteract the negative stereotype images associated with disability and, instead, depict disabled people as independent, productive, participating members of society. We had our first highly successful awards banquet last April. There were something like 115 entries in ten categories. We borrowed the idea from some folks in California, where they have been running such a program for the past five years, with tremendous success. I believe that launching a similar type program in New York would be natural. In addition, it might well provide the kind of showcasing you need in order for your Theater Workshop to become more widely known and more successful. ... A bit of personal background: I am totally blind since birth, a graduate of the School of Speech at Northwestern University, and have worked in radio and TV broadcasting for 23 years in the United States and Mexico. I am currently a personnel interviewer with Southwestern Bell. I am also president of our Coalition of Texans with Disabilities and a recent appointee to the Governor's Committee for Disabled Persons. ... - Larry Johnson, San Antonio, Texas ***** ** Calendar of Events Oct. 13-16 - Alabama Council of the Blind State Convention, Huntsville Oct. 14-16 - Oregon Council of the Blind State Convention, Corvallis Oct. 14-16 - ACB of California State Convention, Hollywood Oct. 15 - Aloha Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired State Convention, Honolulu Oct. 15 - Rhode Island Regional Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired State Convention, Providence Oct. 27-28 - Washington Council of the Blind State Convention, Vancouver Oct. 29 - Connecticut Council of the Blind Fall Convention, Cromwell Oct. 29 - Vermont Council of the Blind State Convention, Montpelier Nov. 4-6 - ACB of New York State Convention, Uniondale Nov. 4-6 - National Accreditation Council of Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped Annual Membership and Board Meetings, Daytona Beach, Florida Nov. 19-20 - Bay State Council of the Blind (Massachusetts) State Convention ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon Associated Press: Hank Dekker sailed into Honolulu right on schedule on Friday, August 19, becoming the first blind person to sail alone from San Francisco to Hawaii. Dekker, 42, and his 25-foot sloop, Dark Star, were escorted into a yacht harbor just before 3:00 P.M. He left San Francisco July 27, using braille charts and a braille compass, a "talking" clock, and a navigational system that read his position aloud. ACB coffee mugs and ACB beer mugs! Great Christmas gifts for all your Council friends and volunteers who helped make 1983 a super ACB year! Get a head start on your holiday shopping. Mugs are large, are dishwasher and microwave safe, and have the ACB logo and the words "PHOENIX 1983" on them. Order from National Alliance of Blind Students (an ACB special-interest affiliate), 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 506, Washington, DC 20036. Coffee mugs are $6.50 each; beer mugs are $7.50 each. Prices include shipping. Most Apple computers can now be used by people who have serious visual impairment, even by those who are legally blind. The Model DP-10 large-print processor, manufactured by Visualtek, of Santa Monica, California, plugs into the Apple II, the Apple II Plus, or the Apple II-E as a peripheral device and enlarges the display up to 16 times its original size. The DP-10 is a small electronic device that works in a completely passive or "transparent" manner. No software is required; therefore, most Apple software can be used without alteration. For further information, write Visualtek, 1610 26th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404. From Perkins Newsletter (Perkins School for the Blind): Occupational Training for the Blind is a new program sponsored jointly by the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind and the Perkins School for the Blind. Blind and partially sighted trainees are integrated with sighted peers in non-handicapped, community-based training centers. The on-site instructional staff is used, with Occupational Training for the Blind providing technical assistance and consultation. Training areas developed to date include word processing, clerical, and small business management. Areas under development include medical transcription, home health aides, computer literacy, and mechanical assembly. The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance, has produced a set of two flexible discs (33 1/3 rpm) containing information on financial aid for handicapped students. Topics covered include eligibility requirements, work/study, loans for postsecondary students, and more. The discs also detail the role of vocational rehabilitation agencies in assisting handicapped students. Write Federal Aid Programs, Department ED-11 Pueblo, CO 81009, for a free copy. The August 1983 Bluegrass Council of the Blind (Kentucky) Newsletter reports that Bluegrass Council President Bill Heilbron will soon begin to serve an internship for the National Health Screening Council for Volunteer Organizations (NHSCVO) as an assistant in the Health Education Department. This will involve setting up a network of vision learning centers across the United States, which centers will serve to educate the public about visual problems and offer solutions to them. The latest study of visual display terminals conducted by the National Academy of Sciences reveals that VDT's do not cause cataracts or other serious eye damage. Following a two­year study, the Academy's National Research Council reported that it found no evidence that low-level radiation emitted by the terminals caused lasting visual problems. However, the Council did suggest that poor workplace design and a number of other factors can contribute to eye strain, which can cause headaches, fatigue, and stress. These factors include poor lighting conditions in offices and excessive glare on screens, keyboards, and desks that cannot be adjusted for each individual user. The New York Times is now offering an expanded and redesigned Large Type Weekly for those who cannot read regular newspaper print. The Large Type Weekly contains national and international news, business news, cartoons, and articles on the arts, medicine, fashion, sports, food, and book reviews. A popular feature is large-print crossword puzzle. Subscriptions by mail are $48.00 a year; $25.00 for 26 weeks. G.K. Hall and Co., a leading publisher of best-selling books in large-print, now offers Audio Books to complement its large-print program. Available to libraries and their patrons, Audio Books are full-length, uncut readings of popular novels and stories, narrated by well-known personalities and recorded with the Dolby system on standard cassettes. Among current offerings are books by such well-known authors as Graham Greene, Evelyn Waugh, P.G. Wodhouse, and Jack Higgins. One audio­visual librarian in Wisconsin sums up the situation this way: "The problem for us with lots of the tapes currently available is that they are predominantly male-oriented. We have a very active outreach program, bringing books to immobile patrons in remote areas, and we need more titles for senior citizens, who often want 'general novels,' and ones that aren't so sexy or violent." Titles range between four and six 60- or 90-minute cassettes (four to nine hours of listening), and each book is packaged in a full color tape case designed to look and open like a book and to fit easily on any bookshelf. Audio Books are now available to libraries everywhere. Since 1939, Leader Dogs for the Blind, of Rochester, Michigan, has helped more than 6,000 blind persons to become independent through the use of a Leader dog. Founded by a group of Michigan Lions, the school has grown from a facility that served primarily Michigan residents to one that has matched leader dogs to people from throughout the United States and several foreign countries. The facility can house 32 trainees, and there is a staff of 20 instructors. Approximately 300 dogs are on the premises at any given time. Available now: cassette tapes (C60's and C90's), combination chess/checker sets, and other items reasonably priced. For information, contact Option Central, c/o Fred Sanderson, 1604 Carroll Avenue, Dept. BRF-1, Green Bay, WI 54304; (414) 498-9699. From Council Currents (Old Dominion Council of the Blind): Attention, blind hookers! Skillcraft has designed a latchhook rug kit which totally blind persons can make without any sighted help. It's called Ladder of Yarn. Yarn is assembled in the order needed. If response is good, they'll make more kits available. For information, contact Joan Di Chiera, 3429 Orlando Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21234; (301) 444-2676. From Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness: Melatonin, a human hormone whose secretions are apparently regulated, in part, by daily cycles of light and dark, has been found to be secreted in blind people at levels different from those of sighted people, according to researchers. Alfred Levy and colleagues at Oregon Health Sciences University believe that bright, artificial light and sunlight cut off melatonin secretions by acting on the eye's photoreceptors. Melatonin is thought to affect mood, the immune system, and fertility levels. ... Lions International, the 1.3 million-member organization which since 1925 has been involved with sight conservation and work with the blind, is expanding its interests to include diabetes and related complications. Everett J. (Ebb) Grindstaff, President of Lions International, urged in his recent inaugural address that all Lions Clubs expand their Vision for Sight services to include diabetes, the leading cause of new blindness, and urged members to support diabetes awareness and research. The Smith-Kettlewell Technical File, a quarterly technical journal for blind and visually impaired persons, is a do-it-yourself magazine based upon the concept that, given the proper tools, knowledge, and circuits for exemplary prototype assistive devices, the blind can become involved in solving some of the problems they face. The journal provides information such as electronics and radio theory; data on integrated circuits; instructions for constructing devices designed by the Rehabilitation Engineering Center located at the Smith-Kettlewell Institute for Visual Sciences; hints on soldering and the use of power tools; and related bibliographies produced in braille, large­print, and recorded form by various organizations. Annual subscription for the large-print or braille editions is $15.00; for talking book, $8.00. Write Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Foundation, 2232 Webster Street, San Francisco, CA 94115. A New York Times article dated June 5, 1983, reports that in-fighting has split the supervisory ranks of the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind and threatens to destroy the Smithtown-based agency, the only provider of guide dogs in the metropolitan New York area. For more than a year now, several board members and administrators of the Foundation have been accusing one another of such alleged misdeeds as altering records, improper use of company cars, intimidating blind students, and failure to perform duties properly. The dispute is now in the state supreme court, where one faction seeks dissolution of the Foundation's 29-member Board of Directors and the other side counters that those seeking to disband the Board should instead be removed from office. The first National Water Skiing Championships for the Blind will be held in Cypress Gardens, Florida, November 5-6. This is the first time a water skiing event of this nature has ever been held in the United States, although water skiing is a popular and practical sport for visually impaired persons. The tournament is being held in conjunction with a series of weekend events for visually impaired persons sponsored jointly by the Florida Lions Clubs and the Telephone Pioneers. The top male and female winners of the event will receive an expense-paid trip in the summer of 1984 to compete in the International Water Skiing Championships in Norway. ***** ** 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. ###