The Braille Forum Vol. XXIII October 1984 No. 4 Published Monthly by the American Council of the Blind Mary T. Ballard, Editor For the latest legislative and governmental news, call the Washington Connection after 6:00 P.M. weekdays or all day weekends and holidays. Toll Free-1-800-424-8666. ***** * 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) 442-3131 * Contributing Editor 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: 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 Promoting Independence And Effective Participation In Society ***** ** Contents ACB Officers Message from the First Vice President, by Otis Stephens Ronald McDonald Goes Navy ... Blind Vendors Left Holding an Empty Bag, by Scott Marshall News Briefs from the ACB National Office, by Oral O. Miller Disabled, But Able to Make a Difference, by Pat Pound Talking Book Program Celebrates 50th Anniversary Prepare for Pair-a-Dice Promptly, by David Krause Department of Justice Finalizes Section 504 Regulations, by Barbara Nelson People in the Fast Lane, by Rose Resnick Californians Battle for Subway Safety, by Barbara Nelson For the Champion in Each of Us Maxine Dorf Honored by Braille Revival League What Does the State Do for You?, by Jean Jones Mississippi Council Helps Blind Youth, by Jimmy Cotton ACB of Nebraska State Convention, by James Faimon ACB Day at the Badger, by Dorothy Brown High Tech Swap Shop Calendar of Events Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon Notice to Subscribers ***** ** Message from the First Vice President By Otis Stephens The revolution in computer technology has been under way for some time now and is still gaining momentum. As applied to the reading and writing needs of blind and other visually impaired persons, the new technology is rapidly closing a communications gap that for generations has posed major problems, especially in the areas of education and employment. With development of the personal computer and rapid improvements in word processing, it is now possible for a blind person to prepare and edit printed material in final form and to have direct access to the printed page, with little or no assistance from a sighted reader. The new communications technology has the added advantage of being available in a variety of modes -- braille, large print, and speech. But perhaps the greatest advantage of all is that one need not have specialized knowledge of computers to make effective use of most devices now on the market. The major drawback, of course, is the high cost of this modern technology. Because demand is limited, most of the new devices are not mass­produced. This results in high, often prohibitive, per-unit cost, which in turn prevents the market from growing to its full potential. The problem is how to break out of this vicious circle. We can reasonably expect some reduction in cost as new technological procedures become routine. This has happened over the years in the computer field generally, and in fact we have begun to see at least some modest reduction in cost even within our own specialized area. However, major price reductions are not likely to occur until the technology is used by significantly greater numbers of people. Although we can only estimate the figures, it is certain that several hundred thousand blind and visually impaired persons in the United States could make effective use of the new technology today. The number may well be as high as a million. And there is where such organizations as the American Council of the Blind can make a real difference. ACB has always supported and encouraged technological advances in the fields of communication and mobility. Our extensive exhibits at national conventions highlight new developments every year. We have also provided limited financial support for research and development. We are now beginning to explore new ways of assisting, not only through publicizing the latest developments, but also in making the new technology more readily available to larger numbers of people. My own recent experience with the VersaBraille system in combination with a personal computer convinces me that we now have the technological ability to remove all significant communications barriers blocking direct access to the printed page. I can now store hundreds of pages of braille notes on a single cassette tape. It is easier and far less time consuming to maintain student records. But the dimension that is most helpful is the capability of editing and proofreading my own written material -- reports, manuscripts, course outlines, etc. -- without the need to rely on a sighted reader. I have very little knowledge of computers or the theory underlying their operation. But this has not posed problems thus far. Operating most of the new communications equipment is simply a matter of following a set of non-technical instructions and putting in some practice. Advances during the past five years or so are probably comparable in importance to the invention of braille itself. Ironically, the recent renewal of interest in braille (which many people were dismissing as an outmoded medium) owes much to the new technology. But whether one's preference is braille, large-print, or audio communication, the opportunities now available to blind persons, especially in business and the professions, are virtually unlimited. The American Council of the Blind actively promotes the goals of "Independence and Effective Participation in Society." In working toward the achievement of those goals, our organization is stressing the importance of making the new communications technology more widely available. This is a high priority, and its importance cannot be over-stated. The theoretical problems of written communication have, in effect, been solved. What remains is the task of converting theoretical answers into practical, affordable solutions. ***** ** Ronald McDonald Goes Navy ... Blind Vendors Left Holding An Empty Bag By Scott Marshall Director of Governmental Affairs On August 27, 1984, Newsweek magazine reported that the United States Navy has contracted with the McDonalds Corp. to provide fast food to Navy personnel and their families. This contract, totaling some $600 million, encompasses approximately 300 locations worldwide and includes both present and potential Randolph-Sheppard vending facility locations. The Army and Air Force have entered into similar arrangements with Burger King. Unfortunately, these contracts were procured without regard to provisions of the Randolph-Sheppard Act and regulations, which grant to blind persons a priority with respect to the operation of food-service facilities located on Federal property. With respect to cafeteria operations, the priority is conditioned on a bidding procedure which requires Federal property managers to solicit bids for cafeteria space from state licensing agencies, usually state rehabilitation agencies, which provide training and other assistance to blind persons who operate cafeterias and other vending facilities. Thus, blind vendors, through state licensing agencies, were prevented from bidding on these lucrative contracts, and thus the priority granted to blind persons by law to operate foodservice facilities located on Federal property was not realized. Regular readers of The Braille Forum will recall that the General Services Administration (GSA) similarly attempted late last year to circumvent the provisions of the Randolph-Sheppard Act in connection with solicitation of bids relative to GSA's cafeteria located in its headquarters building in Washington, D.C. The American Council of the Blind, the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America, and other groups responded to GSA's move by filing a bid protest with the General Accounting Office, and after much adverse publicity and pressure from Congress, GSA withdrew its request for proposal. However, as was pointed out at that time, the issue of fast food in Government buildings remained as a serious threat to the Randolph­Sheppard program. In response to the most recent assault upon the program, ACB, joined by several other organizations, has filed another bid protest with the General Accounting Office and is working closely with Congress and the state licensing agencies in order to respond to this latest encroachment upon the Randolph-Sheppard program. In addition, pressure has also been exerted upon the U.S. Department of Education, which, although vested by law with the responsibility to administer the priority, has failed thus far to take an effective proactive stance in this matter, Litigation remains a distinct possibility and is being considered by ACB's legal staff. Publicity, of course, is an important component in ACB' s response to this matter. The Newsweek article failed to address the effect of the Navy's contract upon the Randolph­Sheppard program, and thus ACB responded with a letter to the magazine's editor, which at this writing has not yet been published. Because the letter to Newsweek clearly and succinctly "says it all," it is reprinted here in its entirely: Although the Navy may "welcome aboard" McDonalds restaurants to the tune of millions of dollars in fast-food commission income ("Ronald McDonald Goes Navy," Business, August 27), blind persons who are present or potential operators of cafeterias and other food concessions located on Federal property are left holding an empty bag. Despite a 50-year-old Federal law which grants a priority to blind persons with respect to the operation of food-service facilities located on Federal property, the Navy's contract proposal restricted bidding to nationally recognized hamburger operations, thus effectively procluding bidding on the contract by blind vendors who participate in the Federal program administered by each state. The Randolph-Sheppard Act has provided much needed employment opportunities to thousands of blind Americans, thus allowing us to become taxpayers rather than tax users. It is, indeed, unfortunate that the Navy has chosen to ignore Federal law and established bidding procedures by awarding to a multi­national corporation such as McDonalds a contract which could be performed by appropriately trained blind entrepreneurs. — Very truly yours, Oral O. Miller, National Representative, American Council of the Blind. Finally, no article on this subject would be complete without commenting upon the role of the Department of Education in this matter. As already alluded to, the Department has failed to adequately enforce the Randolph-Sheppard Act and regulations. While the Department of Education attempted to develop a draft "Memorandum of Understanding" between Federal property managers and the Department of Education, which allegedly was designed to prevent a reoccurrence of the GSA imbroglio, the Department of Defense contracted with national food franchisers such as McDonalds. To further complicate the matter, in a letter to Senator Jennings Randolph from Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger, the Secretary indicated that the Department of Education had ad vised that no state licensing agency was in a position to provide nationally franchised fast-food items. Whether or not a state licensing agency is presently in a position to provide nationally franchised fast food is, of course, totally irrelevant, since nothing in the Act or regulations requires that a blind vendor provide "nationally recognized" fast-food items. This, in an environment where Navy sailors are promised Big Macs at a discount, where the Government promises to fund military recreation programs with part of its fast-food commission income, and where the Department of Defense has done an "end run" around the Department of Education, blind vendors and their organizations must rise to the challenge by strenuously protecting and enhancing the Randolph-Sheppard program. What can you do? Write your members of Congress and urge that the Department of Defense should comply with the Randolph-Sheppard Act. Additional developments will be reported as they occur. ***** ** News Briefs from the ACB National Office By Oral O. Miller National Representative By the time this issue of The Braille Forum rolls off the presses, most of the ACB affiliates will have received their copies of the recorded edition of The Holy Bible, referred to last month. Anyone who would sincerely like to have a copy should contact his/her state affiliate. An explanatory letter concerning distribution of these copies has already been sent to the affiliate presidents. During August, it was the pleasure of the National Representative and the National Staff Attorney to speak on the program of the second National Conference of the Blind, held in Las Vegas, Nevada. The conference featured an outstanding program, which was packed with excellent presentations, and the sessions were generally well attended, considering the distractions that are the heart and soul of Las Vegas. Over the Labor Day weekend, it was the pleasure of the National Representative to speak on the state convention program of the Tennessee Council of the Blind in Knoxville, and it was the pleasure of the National Office Manager to speak on the state convention program of the American Council of the Blind of South Carolina in Charleston. Both conventions featured good programs and generous portions of wonderful southern hospitality. From time to time throughout the year, ACB appoints members to serve on specialized advisory committees, thereby assuring more meaningful consumer input as decisions are made affecting blind people. I am pleased to announce that Ms. Donna Veno of Arlington, Virginia, a member of the Old Dominion Council of the Blind and of Guide Dog Users, Inc., will represent the American Council of the Blind on a national advisory committee scheduled to meet in Washington, D.C., in late September, to advise the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped on tactile maps and related concerns. As stated by Mr. Frank Kurt Cylke of the National Library Service during the 1984 ACB national convention in Philadelphia, comparatively little attention has been given to maps and similar tactile materials until recently, in spite of the fact that tactile maps could be extremely helpful to blind travelers. A report concerning the committee meeting will appear in a future issue of The Braille Forum. Implementation of ACB National Membership Resolution 84-04, regarding the need for more training on the part of travel industry personnel in serving handicapped travelers has taken an unexpected but very successful turn. While plans were being formulated for the preparation of appropriate instructional materials, the public was dismayed by a press report to the effect that the National Federation of the Blind planned to picket on airport runways in order to stop flights of American Airlines, as a protest against embarrassing or inappropriate treatment reportedly received by NFB members from American Airlines personnel. That outlandish threat resulted in a great disservice to blind people, branding them as unreasonable, uncooperative, and unrealistic travelers. It was therefore necessary for ACB to take steps to undo as much of the damage as possible by informing the media and the public that the position of the National Federation of the Blind is not that of most blind travelers, and that the American Council of the Blind is working directly with the airlines to improve the training of their personnel in serving blind travelers. Despite the damage done by the threats to picket, ACB proceeded with its program of offering to consult with airlines in the training of personnel. As of the middle of September, we have received acceptances from seven of the major airlines, and by the time this report is published, ACB personnel will have met with several of them regarding their passenger service policies and procedures. This is a continuing project, and a further report will appear in a future issue of The Braille Forum. ***** ** Disabled, But Able to Make a Difference By Pat Pound For the first time in Texas political history, disabled persons are being acknowledged as a powerful political force. Disabled voters in Texas are being credited with deciding the results in close statewide primary and run­off elections. Texas Senator Lloyd Doggett, who defeated former Congressman Bob Krueger in the May 5 U.S. Senate primary, and then Representative Ken Hance in a June 2 runoff by a close 1,245 votes, openly acknowledged the importance of disabled voter support of his candidacy and subsequent victory. "Disabled voters in Texas are no longer a constituency to be ignored or taken lightly. They are more than one million strong, and their problems and concerns raise valid issues which we as a society must learn to address. My narrow victories in the May 5 U.S. Senate primary and June 2 runoff were unquestionably aided by the active involvement of many key disabled leaders in my campaign and by the strong show of support at the polls from disabled Texans, their families and friends. " Senator Doggett's appeal with disabled voters can readily be traced to his many positive efforts in the Texas Legislature, either to sponsor or support laws aimed at improving the quality of life for the 1. 7 million persons in Texas with disabilities. Perhaps other politicians will now begin paying attention to the mega­votes of disabled Texans. Perhaps they will begin to realize that government is people — all the people, including persons with disabilities — and that people who use wheelchairs or crutches, people that read braille, people that speak sign language, are also people that can vote, and that these votes can made a difference. ***** ** Talking Book Program Celebrates 50th Anniversary October marks the 50th anniversary of the talking book program, now reaching 635,000 blind and physically handicapped children and adults throughout the United States. People experiencing temporary handicaps are also eligible for the program. Recorded and manufactured on cassette, record, and flexible disc by the American Foundation for the Blind in New York City, the American Printing House for the Blind in Louisville, Kentucky, Eva-Tone Soundsheets, Inc., in Clearwater, Florida, and other smaller manufacturers, the talking book program is financed by Congress and administered by the Library of Congress through 170 regional libraries and specific state agencies. Thirty-eight thousand titles are currently available. In 1984, 18 million books and magazines were circulated. The first talking book included excerpts from the Bible, Helen Keller's "Midstream," and the works of O. Henry. It was recorded in 1935 by actress Ethel Everett. Over the years, many famous authors, including Art Buchwald, William F. Buckley, Alistair Cooke, Thomas Mann, Ogden Nash, and William L. Shirer, have recorded their books. Many famous actors have recorded talking books, among them Lloyd Bridges, Jose Ferrer, Eva La Gallienne, Roddy McDowell, Tony Randall, Jessica Tandy, and Margaret Webster. In 1966, actress Anne Bancroft recorded the play, "The Miracle Worker," recreating all the parts, including her Academy Award-winning performance as Helen Keller's teacher, Anne Sullivan. Alex Haley's "Roots" has been recorded in English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and Croatian. Twenty-five years ago, the average talking book required sixteen long­playing records. Today the same book would require two cassettes or four records. If you know anyone who could benefit from receiving talking books, write National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20542; Attention: Reference Section. ***** ** Prepare for Pair-A-Dice Promptly By David Krause 1985 Convention Host Committee Fabulous Las Vegas, the world's most exciting city, will be the site for the 1985 convention of the American Council of the Blind. The Nevada Council of the Blind, the host affiliate, and the 1985 ACB Convention Committee are already gearing up to make this a convention you will long remember. Since it is anticipated that this convention will draw the largest attendance in ACB history, you are urged to reserve hotel accommodations early. Now is not too soon. In fact, a great many have already done so. The convention dates are July 6-13, 1985. The place: the Holiday Inn Center Strip, 3475 Las Vegas Boulevard, S., Las Vegas, NV 89109. Use this address when writing for reservations. The Holiday Inn Center Strip is a modern hotel with large, comfortable rooms, plenty of elevators, and complete convention facilities. Room rates for the ACB convention are: $32 single or double, $40 triple, and $48 quad. Reservations can be made by telephone, toll free. Call 800-634-6765. A word of warning: When telephoning for reservations, use only the 800 number given above. Do not call on the national Holiday Inn 800 number. The very special ACB convention rates cannot be obtained through that number, and once your reservations are made at the much higher regular rates at the Holiday Inn Center Strip, it cannot be corrected. Nevada residents can make reservations by calling 369-5000. In future Braille Forum articles, we will expand on the reasons we expect your visit to the "Valley of the Dollars" next July will be an ACB convention different and more exciting than any you have previously attended. In the meantime, prepare for "pair-a-dice" promptly! Make your reservations now. ***** ** Department of Justice Finalizes Section 504 Regulations By Barbara Nelson, Staff Attorney For nearly two years, the American Council of the Blind and other disability rights advocates have been working to improve the Department of Justice proposed regulations to protect people with disabilities from discrimination in programs conducted by the Federal Government. These regulations are particularly important because the Department of Justice is the lead agency charged with the responsibility to coordinate Section 504 policy throughout the Federal Government. In April 1983, the Department of Justice sent a prototype regulation to all Federal agencies to use in developing each agency's own regulation to govern Section 504 implementation in the programs operated by that agency. This immediately followed the withdrawal of similar proposals which would have weakened the original Section 504 regulations which apply to recipients of Federal financial assistance, after vigorous criticism from disability rights groups. Last December, the Department of Justice published for public comment proposed regulations for its programs, based on the prototype. The American Council of the Blind was sharply critical of these proposals, because they created a double standard: the Federal Government would hold itself to a weaker standard than it would have required of recipients of Federal funds. The regulations did not require its programs to be modified to make them accessible to disabled people if doing so would cause "undue administrative and financial burdens," and they set out no process to keep that exception from expanding until it undermined the basic requirement that no one who is qualified should be excluded from a Federal program because of a handicap. The regulations added a weaker definition of who is a "qualified handicapped person," which could have kept disabled people from being protected by the law if their presence was assumed to require a fundamental alteration in the nature of the program. Further, the regulations required less efforts on the part of Federal agencies to conduct evaluations of their programs to ferret out discriminatory policies and practices. As a result of numerous intensive meetings of disabled advocate organizations with Department of Justice officials and nearly 1200 comments regarding the proposed regulations, the final Department of Justice Section 504 Regulation, issued on September 11, was a vast improvement over the original proposal. Although the "undue hardship" defense to the requirement that agencies must provide accessible programs is still present in the Regulation, safeguards were added to make it clear that this defense could be used only in rare instances. In fact, the head of a Federal agency must make the decision not to provide an accessible program, and must justify this decision in writing. Further, the definition of "qualified handicapped person" was clarified, and the burden of proving that allowing a handicapped person to participate in a program would "fundamentally alter the nature of the program" was placed upon the Federal agencies, instead of putting that burden on a disabled person to overcome stereotypes and prove that he/she could participate without such modifications. The self-evaluation requirement in the law was strengthened to bring it more closely in line with the requirement imposed upon recipients of Federal financial assistance. One agency, the Federal Election Commission, has already also published final regulations for its programs. These final regulations improve even more upon the Department of Justice proposals. At the end of August, 21 other agencies published for public comment their proposed regulations, modeled on the Department of Justice prototype. Some 20 other agencies have regulations pending. It is our hope that the positive changes made in the Department of Justice Final Regulation will be found in the final regulations of all of these agencies as well. The hard work of the American Council of the Blind and other disability rights organizations has resulted in Department of Justice regulations which are much stronger than those originally proposed. ACB will sustain its efforts to ensure that as these regulations are implemented, interpreted and enforced, the right of disabled people to have an equal opportunity to participate in programs paid for by tax dollars is protected. ***** ** People in the Fast Lane By Rose Resnick "I guess I have electronics in my blood. My mother has owned and operated radio stations in Chicago, Milwaukee, and New York, and I have been subjected to the workings of radio since I was 12. I had to convince the engineering department at KNBR in San Francisco that I was fast and flexible enough to do the job." Paul Stebbins is the only blind operations engineer for a network radio station in the U.S. He is responsible for keeping the station on the air, monitoring the AM and FM outlets, the transmitters, and for working in five studios. He is also responsible for preparing the commer International Studies and has worked nouncers each day. Instead of the usual visual monitor, Stebbins uses an audible one. Kay Rogers, 28, blind from birth, operates Station KEAR in San Francisco. "I grew up listening to KEAR, the station at which I am presently employed. When I was 10, my parents took me for a visit to the station as a birthday present. I wanted to meet some of the people I had become acquainted with by radio. This interest in radio continued, causing me to major in broadcast communications." After earning her degree from San Francisco State University and receiving a radio license, Rogers presented herself at KEAR and asked for a job. She met with the usual resistance, but managed to solve each of the problems that concerned the station manager. With the help of volunteers to do the brailling and the Department of Rehabilitation for some of the special equipment, Kay managed to land the job. Now, in addition to monitoring numerous dials and switches on the main board, she handles four tape decks, two turntables, and four microphones. From a braille teletype printer hooked up to a computer, she daily reads the news that comes off the UPI wire. Richard Oehm, who is also blind, designs and tests equipment for cable television at United Scientific Corporation. His job involves the use of an Optacon, which converts print to tactile vibrations, and also requires the use of an oscilloscope, giving him auditory feedback on visual displays of electrical circuits. It enables him to assess and troubleshoot the performance of material ordinarily seen on a graph. Michael May holds a Master's degree in international affairs from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and had worked for the CIA and the Bank of California. He is currently employed at ESL Company in Sunnyvale, where he uses both the Optacon and the Versa­Braille. Traditionally, employer resistance because of stereotyped attitudes and dependence on vision have barred blind people from jobs. Now, advances in computer technology are helping the blind move from a marginal place in society to the frontiers of work alongside sighted co­workers. For example, the talking coin counter allows blind persons to independently sort and count a large volume of mixed coins. Developed by the Minnesota State Services for the Blind, the Brandt Model 643 Microsort Counter is capable of sorting and counting 600 coins per minute. Such equipment will create new employment opportunities for blind persons in financial institutions, commercial vending companies, municipal parking meter systems, coin-operated gambling establishments, and other businesses where large volumes of coins are sorted, counted, and wrapped. Technology has been a boon to the blind and is also changing other handicapped people into "handi­capables." The telephone has been a closed world to the deaf. Today, they can communicate with each other and with hearing people over the telephone by means of telecommunications devices (TDD's). A voice-controlled wheelchair not only helps a paralyzed person get about, but, installed in an office or home, it can open the door, turn on the light, change radio or TV stations, dial a phone number, operate a page-turner, or run a tape recorder on command. Thanks to a computerized voice synthesizer, a new era is opening for one million cerebral palsied victims who cannot speak. By moving a "joy stick" to a series of positions on a board, the person triggers the synthesizer to produce words or phrases stored in a computer memory. The stick can be worked by foot as well as by hand. The device was developed by the State University of Michigan Artificial Language Laboratory. Such devices are not yet household items: they range in cost from $5,000 to $50,000 each. In an industrial society, work means status, security, and power. In his 1973 book, Management, Peter Drucker writes: "Work is imbedded in man's life, in his emotions, in his existence in society, community, and in his relation to himself. We live in an employee society." But not until the past decade have handicapped people begun to emerge from vocational isolation, for although World War II provided impetus for admission to industrial jobs -- assembly, drill and punch, press, riveting, sorting, packing, particularly in the ship- and plane­building factories — it was not until the development of microcomputers that the handicapped, and the blind in particular, have been increasingly seen in non-traditional jobs. According to the 1982 report of Smith-Kettlewell Institute of Visual Sciences, a rehabilitation engineering center in San Francisco, microcomputers have become relatively inexpensive, energy efficient, and highly flexible. Most adaptive devices consist of means by which information can be manipulated, re-formatted, or transcribed from one coding system to another; i.e., print to braille, visual displays to auditory forms, etc. Through the use of commonly available transducers -- TV cameras, microphones, keyboards, switches, etc. -- practically any information can be translated into computer language. The computer can then be programmed to manipulate this information in any conceivable manner to produce the type of output the user desires. Bill Gerrey, an engineer at Smith­Kettlewell, designs, modifies, or adapts tools and equipment used by blind technicians in the Bay Area: "We see people in a variety of occupations," he explained. "Sometimes we suggest ways that will help them work more independently, more accurately or faster. Or we may design a tool or device that will help them improve life at school, at home, or wherever necessary. Sometimes we can combine the mechanisms they use with what we already have. Other times, I work out a special design. I designed a vacuum gauge for a refrigerator repairman and a tactile measuring device for a jet plane mechanic. I am working on an audible filter for use in training piano tuners." Gerrey is editor of the Smith­Kettlewell "Technical File," which circulates in braille, large print, and cassette to blind scientists and technicians around the world. The first major electronic break­through occurred with the development of the Optacon in 1973 by Dr. John Linville, Professor of Electrical Engineering at Stanford. Dr. Linville addressed himself to the problem of access to print because of his blind daughter, Candy. With the Optacon, the blind person can read bills, mail, labels on cans, books, and most job­related material. Telesensory Systems, Inc. (TSI), in Palo Alto, California, which manufactures and sells the Optacon, has produced two other important devices, the talking calculator and the VersaBraille. In the past decade, thanks to the electronic revolution, greater progress has been made in the employment picture for the blind than in the previous millennium. Says Bill Gerrey: "The big breakthrough for blind workers is not that there are engineers — There have always been blind engineers. The dramatic development is that down the road, blind people will no longer be dependent upon seeing people for print or other visual information. We will simply be able to call up whatever information we need by pushing a button on a computer." ***** ** Californians Battle for Subway Safety By Barbara Nelson, Staff Attorney "The right to live in the world ... entails at least the right of free and safe physical access to it through the use of streets and sidewalks ... and the common modes of transportation." Jacobus tenBroek, "The Disabled and the Law of Torts," 1966). Blind and visually impaired people in California are fighting for the right of safe access for all users of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) subway system in the San Francisco area. Eighty people have reported falling off the edge of subway platforms on to tracks over four feet below since the system was installed. Of these, 23 were blind or visually impaired. Although some of those who have fallen were seriously injured, no one has been killed. However, BART intends to increase the frequency of trains during the rush hour to one every three minutes, thus increasing the risk of fatality. Two women who were injured after falling on to the tracks have been joined by the California Council of the Blind in a lawsuit against BART, asking that BART take immediate steps to make the system safer by installing an edge detection system along the edges of platforms. BART had received approximately $150,000 from the Federal Government in 1978 to install an edge detection system, but has stalled on moving ahead with plans to develop the system. On February 29, 1984, a preliminary injunction was granted which required BART to begin a test project to determine whether an effective edge detection system is available which would be safe for all subway users. The National Federation of the Blind of California (NFBC) then intervened in the case, contending that the preliminary injunction should not have been granted. NFBC alleged that: "The installation of an edge detection system will contribute directly to their (blind persons') feeling of isolation, degradation, and loss of integrity and pride" and will "directly affect the blind who use BART by emasculating their civil and personal rights." The court denied the NFBC's request to have the preliminary injunction dissolved. Both the NFBC and BART (which did not challenge the preliminary injunction initially) are appealing this denial. In the meantime, BART is proceeding with tests of the effectiveness of an edge detection system in three stations. Sometime after November 1984, a system designed at Boston College will be installed along the platform edge in these stations. It will be tested for six months. A two-foot-wide strip, developed for the test, will consist of evenly spaced 3/16-inch high ridges about two inches apart. Each ridge resembles a garden hose cut in half and placed parallel to the platform edge. This "corduroy" pattern will be made of either epoxy or a hard rubber material. At stations with dark platforms, the first three ridges will be white. They will then alternate, one black, one white. On light platforms, the first three ridges will be black; then alternating colors will be used. The system was designed to be easily detectible not only by blind people using a cane, but also by dog guide users (since it is hoped that the corduroy ribs can be felt under foot) and for low vision people, who hopefully will benefit from the high color contrast. Orientation and mobility experts have testified in the case that although a blind person who is constantly alert and uses care, walking slowly and using perfect cane technique, should be able to detect the edge of the platform adequately without an edge detection system, it is still important. In the real world, perfect conditions do not exist. Stations are noisy and crowded. Anyone can be momentarily distracted. Further, it is estimated that only 20 percent of those who are legally blind receive extensive orientation and mobility training, according to documents filed in the case. The edge detection system is designed to alert everyone to the platform edge. If the test is successful, the court will then have to decide if and when to order BART to install an edge detection system in all of its subway stations. However, the pending appeal on the preliminary injunction or possible appeals of any final order requiring an edge detection system could stall final installation for quite some time. ACB Membership Resolution 84-06 directs the American Council of the Blind to assist in efforts to improve subway safety for blind and visually impaired as well as sighted persons. ACB, along with the American Council of the Blind of California, is supporting the efforts of its newest affiliate, the California Council of the Blind, to increase safety in the BART system. ***** ** For the Champion in Each of Us Where but at a civil rights press conference on Capitol Hill could you find blind and wheelchair Olympians sharing equal glory with star medalists Mary Lou Retton, Donna de Varona, Flo Hyman, Cheryl Miller, and Mary Decker? It happened September 11 at the "Breakfast with Olympians," hosted by Senator Edward Kennedy (D., MA) and Bob Packwood (R., OR), co-sponsors of the Civil Rights Act of 1984 (S. 2568). The summer Olympians were invited to take time out from promoting everything from sports cars to hair-care products to come to Washington and lobby for passage of the bill. ACB's own Olympic cross-country ski medalist, Laura Oftedahl, shared the limelight and made the rounds of Senate offices with de Varona, Decker, and Hyman. The message they brought: Please act quickly and favorably on the bill before the session runs out in three weeks. The Civil Rights Act of 1984 (also known as the Grove City Response bill) was introduced earlier this year to clarify language in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and other civil rights laws to ensure that the prohibition against discrimination contained in Section 504, for example, would apply to all of the programs and activities of a recipient of Federal financial assistance rather than simply limiting coverage to the specific area where the funds are targeted. Thus, a college which receives Federal funds in the financial aid office, for instance, could not prevent a blind student from taking a laboratory course. The female Olympians were most interested in the civil rights bill as it relates to sex discrimination (Title IX) in the awarding of athletic scholarships. Of the U.S. medals won in Los Angeles, 44 percent went to women athletes. This great success is because many of the competitors received athletic scholarships prior to the Grove City College v. Bell decision in February 1984. Disabled medalist Oftedahl and the wheelchair racers from Los Angeles urged Senators to pass S. 2568 so that the progress disabled people have made in the past ten years does not grind to a halt. The American Council of the Blind was very visible on Capitol Hill during this lobbying day. ACB also participated in the coalition of Leadership Conference for Civil Rights organizations which planned and raised money for this breakfast event. ***** ** Maxine Dorf Honored by Braille Revival League As part of the 1984 conference of the Braille Revival League, a plaque was presented to Mrs. Maxine Dorf in recognition of her many years of work in the production, teaching, and use of braille. Mrs. Dorf and her husband Jean are long-time members of the American Council of the Blind. The award was presented by John di Francesco, presiding Vice President of BRL. Maxine Dorf has been with the Library of Congress for 32 years -- 6 as head of the National Library Service Braille Codes Section. Frank Kurt Cylke, NLS Director, has cited her as an outstanding contributor to the furtherance of literacy in the blind community. NLS Project Director Dick Evensen says: "She represents an era in braille code and braille instruction. She is a true expert, especially in the literary braille code. Her interpretations of rules and suggestions for handling problems are solidly based on the rules, but are not automatically inferred from them. When no rule applies to a particular situation, she suggests a practice that will enhance readability. She leaves a lasting impression on the field." Educated at the Kentucky School for the Blind in Louisville, with supplementary studies through the Hadley School for the Blind in Winnetka, Illinois, she began her career in braille as a plates embosser at the Clovernook Printing House for the Blind in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1938. In 1949, she went back to Somerset, Kentucky, her home town, and for one year was under contract to the American Printing House for the Blind as a proofreader. In 1951 she accepted the position of assistant braille instructor at the Library of Congress, Division for the Blind, and moved to Washington, D.C., where she married in 1953. As a leading authority on braille in the United States, she received a Meritorious Service Award in 1961 for her Instruction Manual for Braille Transcribing, now being extensively revised under her leadership. She is currently chairman of the Literary Braille Committee of the Braille Authority of North America, an organization in which she has been an active member for the past 15 years. She has recently served as President of the National Braille Association. From the Maryland Chapter of the American Council of the Blind, she has received the Leonard A. Robinson Award for her work in braille generally, and from the American Council of the Blind, the Robert S. Bray Award for promotional work in library service. ... Far from being detached from the field of braille, she is in the process of developing what she believes will be the most comprehensive word list related to braille yet to be compiled, as a supplement to the NLS Transcribers Manual. Maxine Dorf says: "I am very much a braille person. I like to have what I study from in braille, just as a sighted person likes what he wants to look at in a form he can read ... I think that one of the great advantages of braille is that you can scan and look ahead. If there are things you don't want to read, you don't have to read them. And reviewing is much easier." And now, Maxine, in recognition of all you have done in the braille field, and the quality of what you have done, I am proud to present to you this plaque in the name of the Braille Revival League, with respect, admiration, gratitude, and love. In braille and in print, the plaque reads: "Braille Revival League salutes Maxine B. Dorf for her achievements in raising standards for the production, teaching, and use of braille. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 3, 1984." ***** ** What Does the State Do for You? By Jean Jones (Reprinted from the OCB Newsletter, published by the Oklahoma Council of the Blind) (NOTE: The State of Oklahoma is rapidly sinking into a sea of red ink. When oil prices bottomed out and natural gas became a glut on the market, the enthusiasm of Sooner entrepreneurs for drilling holes in the ground waned, and with it, tax revenues in almost every category. Consequently, that state is experiencing budget shortfalls in the $150 million plus range. A massive anti-tax-increase campaign has been waged by the state's largest newspaper (owned by the man widely believed to be Oklahoma's wealthiest citizen) and echoed by a few other media outlets. The following article appeared in the OCB Newsletter and is a good reply to "tax cut fever" advocates anywhere. Jean Jones is Assistant Editor of the OCB Newletter.) Vernon Henley A well-known Oklahoma City radio personality and his disciples have been crowding the airwaves lately with such lines as, "Aside from building highways, there's not a thing the State does for me that I couldn't well do without." As this concept proliferates in apparently endless variations via print and electronic media, I have begun asking myself and others just what it is the State actually does for us. As an advocate for the blind, I used to condemn the State's obsession with spending money on highways, when what so many of us require for survival is good public transportation. We should be spending lots of money on our bus system, I claimed, and I was right -- except that someone reminded me once that buses had to have surfaces to ride on. It's easy to miss some important detail of the picture and develop opinions based on inaccuracies. This can happen frequently when the picture is a complex one such as state government and its activities. By asking questions and analyzing my own observations, I have come up with some partial answers to the question of what the state does for me. Since we don't get anything unless it is paid for by someone, the state -- and ultimately the taxpayers -- pay for these things for me: • Education, not only for me, my family and friends, but also for the other people I deal with in life who hopefully know what they are doing (such as doctors, cashiers, repairmen, manufacturers, landlords, bus drivers, telephone company employees, and lawyers). • Rehabilitation services that have helped me go to work and make a living (necessary for survival and enjoyment of life). • Police protection. • Places to house criminals so that they stay out of my way and don't threaten my survival. • Rehabilitation for prisoners so that when they are freed, I will have a better chance of not being a victim than I would have had if there were no such rehabilitation. • Training for police who use guns and have the responsibility of protecting me. • Medical assistance for myself and those I care about, when circumstances prevent us from paying for health care. • Public assistance payments for my friends and relatives whom nobody would hire because they are handicapped or old, or who are not able to work at all. • Regulation of giant public utilities so that they can't use the leverage of my needs for heat, light, and water to elicit vast sums of money from me (this one is questionable). • Regulation of the insurance business so that it is less likely that I will be cheated when I purchase insurance. • Restrooms on highways and campsites in parks so that I can be comfortable and better enjoy the outdoors. • Roads and highways so that I can get to people and they can get to me. • Regulation of many businesses such as nursing homes, that are in positions to vitally affect the lives of the people they serve. • Programs for veterans which provide training, employment, and other help for people who risked their lives for us. • Establishment and enforcement of standards for good health practices in restaurants and other public places. • Public health and safety programs that have prevented me from contracting some epidemic disease or succumbing to some unnecessary occupational health hazard. • A library for the visually impaired. • Support for the vending facility program which employs my spouse and many of my friends. • Employment for many visually impaired people. Of course, there are many, many other services that are financed by state government that benefit me both directly and indirectly. I'd like to find the Oklahoman who is not touched by many of the services the State provides on an almost daily basis. Actually, after studying the matter, I am amazed at what benefits I have been able to buy with my tax dollars. ***** ** Mississippi Council Helps Blind Youth By Jimmy Cotton (Reprinted from The Periscope, June 1984, published by Mississippi Council of the Blind) Churchill said of the British people during the Battle of Britain, "This was our finest hour." I admit that I am not aware of all the acts of service contributed by the Mississippi Council of the Blind since being chartered in Mississippi. However, I would venture my conviction that the weeks of helpfulness to Adam La Salle may prove thus far to be "our finest hour." Sixteen-year-old Adam La Salle had been in University Hospital for only a few days before Mississippi Council of the Blind officers were aware that a child was now totally blind due to a mysterious gun wound, and those aware asked, "How can we help?" A social worker at University Medical Center suggested that visits by blind people successfully coping would help Adam tremendously. President Billie Jean Hill responded with assurance that the Mississippi Council would provide these visitors. And visit we did! Day after day, good Council members found ways to get to the hospital ... For nearly a month after Adam's discharge from the hospital, Latrelle and Bobbie Blackledge opened their home to Adam. Latrelle taught him skills, walked him, and helped him use aids and appliances. Bobbie prepared nourishing lunches. It was as if the Blackledges had a son of their own. Then the Mississippi Council of the Blind responded to a request for money. There was a need for funds to pay for a sitter during the half-day Monday through Friday when Adam was at home rather than at the Addie McBryde Center. The Board, without a dissenting vote, provided $400 for this purpose. ... Although Adam has since gone to be with his mother in Pennsylvania, the contribution of the Mississippi Council of the Blind to his adjustment to blindness is a permanent imprint of our "footprints in the sands of time." Recently his mother wrote to your treasurer thanking the Mississippi Council for all of the wonderful things done for her son. Indeed, for the Mississippi Council of The Blind, the Adam La Salle months may very well be "our finest hour." ***** ** ACB of Nebraska State Convention The American Council of the Blind of Nebraska held its 1984 state convention in Lincoln the weekend of June 23. Following a Friday night reception hosted by the local chapter, the Saturday program dealt with a wide range of topics, with particular emphasis on education of blind and visually impaired children. Jason Andrews, interim Assistant State Education Commissioner for Sensory Disabled Education, spoke concerning the future reorganization of the schools for the deaf and visually impaired. Mainstreaming and declining enrollments at both residential schools were also considered. The educational system for the visually impaired of Nebraska was further discussed at the noon luncheon by Senator Cris Buetler of the Nebraska State Legislature. ACB Board member Pat Price of Indianapolis, Indiana, addressed the convention on the programs, services, and activities of the American Council of the Blind on the national, state and local levels and fielded questions concerning ACB organizational structure. Among other speakers were Mae Young of the University of Nebraska Museum System, who outlined efforts to make exhibits accessible to blind and visually impaired persons; Dr. John Flowers of the University of Nebraska, who discussed the re-creation of vision based upon what is known about how the eye and the brain interact; and David Oertli, head of the Nebraska NLS Regional Library, who demonstrated the recorded dictionary and told of the development of a reading room containing braille and recorded materials, including the recorded dictionary and a recently acquired encyclopedia, at the local library in Lincoln. The convention concluded with a business meeting. The following officers were elected: President, Bob Doulas; Treasurer, James Faimon; and Corresponding Secretary, Gail Tanabe. ***** ** ACB Day at the Badger By Dorothy Brown (Dorothy Brown is editor of The Badger Informer, newsletter of the Badger Association of the Blind, ACB's Wisconsin affiliate.) We are different in Wisconsin. Each year, we hold ACB Day, a mini state convention -- a one-day affair dedicated to the values and principles of belonging to a national organization of the blind. H. Joseph Brown chaired the 1984 ACB Day, and he and his committee, consisting of Dorothy Brown, Bill and Mabel Bertram, and ACB national board members Adrian DeBlaey and Karen Perzentka, arranged a timely program for Saturday, April 7. This year, over 100 members and friends took part. The presentations during the morning zeroed in on topics of national, state, and local interest, and on concerns affecting the lives of the blind community. During the past year, we have seen several intrinsic changes taking place in the delivery of services to blind and visually impaired persons. It was imperative that our members be alerted to these changes as they affect all of us. Two Badger Association members employed by the Social Security Administration gave a layman's explanation of Social Security Disability Insurance and other benefits from Social Security coverage. The excellent opportunities for education in the VIP (Visually Impaired Program) at the Milwaukee Area Technical College were described by its director, George Sippel. Courses in independent living skills, training in high technology employment, and a course in mid-life career changes are among the programs offered. Ms. Corllis Rice, new librarian at the Milwaukee NLS Regional Library, which serves all of Wisconsin, outlined her plans to improve services to library patrons. For the past year, there has been much political action on the revision and updating of statutes governing services to the blind and visually impaired and other handicapped persons in Wisconsin. A new position was created by the Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services, and the new Coordinator of Services to the Blind and Visually Handicapped, Michael Nelapovitcz, spoke concerning his views on what this new position entails. Keynote speaker at the noon luncheon was J. Scott Marshall, Director of Governmental Affairs in the National Office of the American Council of the Blind in Washington, D.C. He spoke on advocacy and the techniques to achieve it. Scott spent the day with us, and his warmth, friendliness, and sense of humor were sincerely appreciated. The regular April business meeting of the Badger Association of the Blind was held in the afternoon. The day's activities ended with a social hour, with good food, drink, and conversation. ACB Day was packed to the brim and well worth the time spent. ***** ** High Tech Swap Shop * WANTED TO BUY: TI 99/4A computer, with speech synthesizer, terminal emulator package, and cassette cable. Must be in good condition and must include all documentation. Please reply in braille or cassette to: Fred E. Nolkemper, 5949 Sherry Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63136. * FOR SALE: Variable speed control module, produced by the American Printing House for the Blind. When this module is plugged into a variable speed talking book machine or cassette player, one can listen to recorded material at more than twice the recorded speed without annoying pitch distortion. Module has its own speaker, power and patch cords. Mint condition. Price $55, includes handling and shipping. Contact: Robert W. Potter, 89 Linwood Terrace, Clifton, New Jersey 07012; phone 201-773-2908. ***** ** Calendar of Events This Calendar of Events is prepared by the Public Affairs Director in the National Office of the American Council of the Blind to assist ACB affiliates and other organizations of and for the blind in publicizing their events. We need your conference dates to maintain this popular service. Please contact Laura Oftedahl at 1-800-424-8666 as soon as your meetings are set. October 18-21 -- ACB of California Fall Convention - Los Angeles October 19-21 -- ACB of Ohio State Convention - Columbus October 19-21 -- Oregon Council of the Blind State Convention - Medford October 19-21 -- Missouri Federation of the Blind State Convention – St. Louis October 26-28 -- New Jersey Council of the Blind State Convention – Somerset October 28-31 -- General Council of Workshops for the Blind Annual Meeting – Nashville November 2-4 -- ACB of New York State State Convention – Syracuse November 3 -- Connecticut Council of the Blind Fall Convention – Cromwell November 9-11 -- Pennsylvania Council of the Blind State Convention – Pittsburgh November 9-11 -- California Council of the Blind State Convention – San Diego November 10 -- Delaware Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired State Convention – Wilmington November 10-11 -- National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped - Annual Membership and Board Meetings - Boston November 16-18 -- Bay State Council of the Blind State Convention - Newton November 30-December 2 -- ACB of Ohio/ American Foundation for the Blind "Hands-on" Computer Seminar - Columbus ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon The Low Country Chapter of the American Council of the Blind of South Carolina recently sponsored "Race for Sight," a stock car race which brought in approximately $3,200. Purpose of the event was to raise money for the Storm Eye Institute of the Medical University of South Carolina at Charleston. A letter from William W. Vallotton, M.D., Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology, and Director, Storm Institute, to ACB/SC Vice President John Ginn, reads in part as follows: " ... I want you to know that we here at the Eye Institute thank you very much for setting the precedent for establishing research monies for a very needed piece of work. You personally, and the American Council of the Blind, have done more for ophthalmology in the Low Country of South Carolina than just about any other group, and I want you to know that we are very appreciative of this effort. ..." David Baker, 19 and blind since birth, was refused admittance with his dog guide, Casey, to the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana. He had attended the church for four years, according to an Associated Press news item, but was told by the pastor, Rev. Jack Hyles, that he could not attend services with his dog because it "would disturb others." "I had attended Sunday school and services every Sunday when I used a cane," said Baker, "but the first week I attended with Casey, the ushers, on Rev. Hyles' orders, told me to leave." The Louisiana Council of the Blind is seeking applicants for the position of part-time administrator. The position, which is to begin no later than January 1, 1985, would require living in the vicinity of Baton Rouge. It is part-time, working an average of 24 hours per week, at an annual salary of $10,800. Duties would include working with committees and carrying out programs of the Louisiana Council of the Blind, public relations and legislative work, and working with the general membership. Applicants should be knowledgeable about problems relating to blindness and should have some knowledge about organizational work in general. Some experience with blind people and some knowledge of braille would be helpful, but this is not required. Interested persons should send letters of application to: Administrative Committee, Louisiana Council of the Blind, Inc., Suite B, 7360 Tom Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70806. An item in Family Weekly asks: Did you ever wonder why the typewriter keyboard is arranged the way it is? Sure, you have! "Querty," as it is fondly called after the first six letters in the third row of keys, was designed to slow typists down. In 1873, when Christopher Sholes and Carlos Glidden devised the system, keys stuck if typists went too fast. Now, with electronic typewriters and computers, typists want to go faster and faster. That's where the Dvorak­Dealey keyboard comes in. Patented in 1936, it's not new, but advocates of Dvorak-Dealey claim that this is the keyboard of tomorrow. It is supposed to reduce fatigue and increase speed because of its logical arrangement. The most commonly used consonants and vowels are on the second row from the bottom; vowels and punctuation marks on the left, most frequently used consonants on the right. With the rise of the computer, folks who have never typed before are beginning to do so, and some computer companies are offering machines that will switch between the two arrangements, depending on which the user finds easier. You don't, however, have to worry about re-learning the typewriter immediately. The old system is firmly entrenched, with 60 million "querty" typewriters in use. Only one person in the country holds the degree, Master of Education-Visual Function in Learning, according to an Associated Press item. That's Dr. Norman S. Stern. Already holding Doctor of Optometry and Doctor of Philosophy degrees, Stern has gone on to pioneer in Pacific University's College of Optometry, Visual Function in Learning program, in order to better assist children with visual and learning problems and to aid schools in detecting such problems. "Children have been falling through the cracks in school," Stern says. "Subtle vision problems are not being picked up. The child's self-concept and behavior are also involved. But we can help. We should stop problems before they become really big ones." DAL Enterprises, 18 Fairview Place, Morristown, NJ 07960, has available 365-page desk-top calendars with month and date in braille and print. Calendar is on a solid wooden base, with metal binder. Pages are of index card stock and can be easily removed for noting appointments and the like. The base unit with binder costs $5.00; a 12-month page refill, $25.00, including shipping. The first project of the newly formed Lions Foundation of Canada is a dog guide school located in Oakville, Ontario. Officially known as "Canine Vision Canada," the facility has been designed to train 120 student/dog guide teams a year, at maximum capacity. The complete program, including training, transportation to and from any point in Canada, equipment, and accommodations for a minimum stay of one month, will be available free of charge to eligible blind persons across Canada. For further information, write Ed Kincaid, Lions Foundation of Canada, P.O. Box 907, Oakville, Ontario L6J 5E8. From Focus (ACB of Indiana): Soon to be available from Swiss Tronics, a Dallas-based firm, is an event notification device called "Wrist Sensor." Resembling a wristwatch, the "Wrist Sensor" is a multi-channel radio receiver housed in a normal size (about 12 cubic centimeters) wristwatch case. It has a receiving range of about 100 feet and can receive signals from up to six different transmitters, which are sound­activated. When placed near a doorbell, a baby's crib, etc., the transmitter picks up noise and sends a vibrating signal to the wristwatch. An LED display on the face of the watch comes with a rechargeable battery. Pricing is targeted at $150 to $175. For further information, contact Swiss Tronics, Executive Tower, Suite 502, 3300 W. Mockingbird, Dallas, TX 75235. From The Missouri Chronicle: During an electrical blackout last summer, employees at New York's Penta Hotel worked hours of overtime helping guests who were trying to cope with elevators, lights, or air conditioning. Later, to show appreciation, management said it would like to do something for the staff. An employee spokesman responded, "We spent a few hours in the dark, and we'd like to do something for those who spend their whole lives in the dark." The Penta management sent a large donation to the New York Association for the Blind-the Lighthouse. The seventh edition of the popular Vision Resource List is now available without charge from Vision Foundation, 2 Mt. Auburn Street, Watertown, MA 02172. More than 150 items, most of them free, which have been gathered nationwide, are listed. There are 36 items new to the list since its previous printing. The CCB National Newsletter (Canadian Council of the Blind) reports that odor kits containing vials of up to 20 pleasant and unpleasant everyday smells ae being distributed by schools for blind children in Britain. The kits were developed by the Olfaction Research Group at Warwick University, with the support of the Royal National Institute for the Blind. An aim of the first kit is to teach blind children elementary hygiene. There is a range of clean and unclean smells, besides some to remind them of pleasant things like flowers and grass. The Group has just completed a two-year study of how the sense of smell changes during the aging process. Future work is likely to be in development of an odor kit for the elderly, many of whom are concerned about the loss of sense of smell and not being able to detect leaking gas and other dangerous odors. Braille: A Different Approach, is a three-volume textbook for teaching braille to blind adults. The text is designed to present braille reading exercises in their final form. For example, the word mother is not used in the reading exercises until the sign for mother is presented. Beginning reading exercises contain more space than usual. The series also contains a braille instructor's manual and a cassette tape of writing exercises. For further information, contact Johnette or Jeff Weiss, Arkansas Enterprises for the Blind, 2811 Fair Park Boulevard, Little Rock, AR 72204. James H. White, an employee at the library of the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind in Talladega, is compiling biographical sketches of blind and physically handicapped persons to be published in a book entitled Personalities of the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the United States. The book, which will be bound in simulated leather and printed on high quality paper, is to be published by Higginbotham, Inc., of Anniston, Alabama, Cost is $25.00 per person for his/her biographical sketch to be included in the book. For further information, contact James H. White, Personalities of the Blind, P.O. Box 1082, Talladega, AL 35160. Instructions for preparing all of the Betty Crocker mixes on the market are now available on cassette. "Cooking with Betty Crocker Mixes" comes on two C-60 cassettes, for $6.00. Order from Minnesota State Services for the Blind, Communications Center, 1745 University Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104. * * * Volunteer Services for the Blind, 919 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, has available free braille copies of "Spice and Diet" cookbook, published by the McCormick Company. There is a limit of one copy per person. David Nydick has been named the new Executive Director of the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc., of Smithtown, New York. In acknowledging the trust placed in him by this appointment, Mr. Nydick stated, "I am proud to be a leader of an organization which is dedicated to such an important cause and has such an outstanding record of service ..." A directory listing approximately 700 locations in the United States and Canada and their respective area codes has been produced in Braille and on cassette tape, with the cooperation of Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. The directory lists cities alphabetically by state, in an easy-to­follow format. The braille volume is spiral bound and has been produced on 8 ½ by 11-inch durable plastic sheets. The cassette edition is tone­indexed and can be played at normal speed (1 7/8 ips). To order, send check or money order to: Steve Bauer, 3120 W. 9th Street, Wichita, KS 67203. Single copy, $5.00; two copies, $9.00. Quantity prices upon request. When ordering, please specify braille or tape format. Allow four weeks for delivery. ***** ** Notice to Subscribers The Braille Forum is available in braille, large-type, flexible disc (rpm 8 1/3), and cassette (ips 15/16). As a bi-monthly supplement, the recorded and braille editions also include ALL-O-GRAMS, newsletter of the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America. Please send subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication (which may be submitted in print, braille, or tape) 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, ACB National Office, 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 506, Washington, DC 20036. You may wish to remember a relative or friend by sharing in the continuing work of the American Council of the Blind. The National Office has available special printed cards to acknowledge to loved ones contributions made in memory of deceased persons. Anyone wishing to remember the American Council of the Blind in his/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. ###