The Braille Forum Vol. XXIII January 1985 No. 7 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 President's Message, by Grant Mack "A Modest Proposal:" The Truth About Sheltered Workshops?, by Kathy Megivern News Briefs from the ACB National Office, by Oral O. Miller New Year's Greetings from Pair-A-Dice-1985 ACB National Convention, by David Krause Tune in to ACB in Your Community, by Laura Oftedahl National Directory of Blind Teachers to Be Updated Sharing the Museum Experience, by Ruth A. Sheets Best Loved Poems in Large Print -- A Book Review, by Pat Price Disabled Individuals Embrace Arts, By Deborah Linzer National Exhibits by Blind Artists Artworks Sought for International Show Budget '86 -- A Sneak Preview, by Scott Marshall Texas Commission for the Blind Wins Major Victory in Randolph-Sheppard Case, by Barbara Nelson Talking Rangefinder for Blind Travelers, by Louis J. Finkle, Ph.D. Letter to the Editor High Tech Swap Shop Calendar of Events Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon Notice to Subscribers ***** ** President's Message By Grant Mack Saudi Airlines Flight 20, which leaves New York's John F. Kennedy Airport each evening at 9:00 P.M., is one of the world's longest non-stop air flights. It is not only one of the longest, but also one of the most unusual. In some ways, that huge Boeing 747 becomes a time machine that travels to another time and another age. At least, that is the way I felt when, after being airborne eleven hours, an announcement over the public address system awakened me suddenly from a fitful, half­mesmerized sleep. "We are now crossing Unrah, and you who wish to do so may now change your clothes." This was the signal for any Muslims on board to don their robes and sandals in preparation for landing at Jedda. A quick look at my watch indicated that it should have been 8:00 A.M., but the flight attendant announced that it was now 3:00 P.M. The speeding jet had crossed seven time zones, and the 300 to 400 passengers on board had lost seven hours. In addition, it had taken us to a country so different in culture, customs, and dress that it seemed like we had slipped into a different age. A visit to Saudi Arabia is not entirely unique, but it is a bit unusual to spend two weeks there as a guest of the Kingdom. Tourist visas are not encouraged, and only those people who have direct business with the Saudi Government are invited. It is a bit difficult for a westerner to understand the customs and practices of this Muslim-dominated country and the Islamic religion which is the foundation of its laws and customs. Everything is done "In the Name of God." This phrase is programmed, for instance, into every computer, so that each printout has at the top of each page the phrase, "In the Name of God." "In the Name of God" thieves have their hands amputated and adulterers and murderers have their heads chopped off. Mohammed and the Koran are the basis of all law. The World Council for the Welfare of the Blind and the International Federation of the Blind had a joint quinquennial meeting in Saudi Arabia, beginning October 20, 1984. It was this meeting which brought approximately 200 delegates from 75 countries to Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, for this very historic meeting. Thanks to the graciousness and hospitality of the Saudi Government, all attendees were guests of the Kingdom during the entire two-week period. Everyone enjoyed the VIP treatment, and much thanks must be given to Sheikh Abdullah Al-Ghanim for his efforts in sponsoring the meeting. Riyadh is a "jewel in the desert." The city has been built within the last ten years and is modern in every way. The smooth, wide highways, beautiful buildings, and spacious homes and stores point up the fact that Saudi Arabia is a prosperous country. It is fortunate that much of the wealth is being used for the benefit of the people. Free eye care, including the most sophisticated kinds of modern surgery, is available to all people in the Middle East at the King Kahled Hospital -- a new, 120-million-dollar facility opened within the past two years. It is staffed by thirty of the world's leading ophthalmologists and equipped with the most modern technological devices. The wealth that has poured into this country during the last ten years as the result of its vast oil resources and the high price of oil has made many things possible. For example, a city the size of Riyadh in the middle of the desert could only be built if an adequate water supply was assured. The Saudis desalinate the water in the Persian Gulf and pump it the 500 miles to Riyadh. Money seems to be no object. There is not adequate space to really describe Riyadh in this short article. Suffice it to say it is one of the world's most modern and best­equipped cities. The significant thing about. the gathering at Riyadh was the meeting itself. For many years, the leadership of the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind and the International Federation of the Blind have been talking about the merits of merger. It was hoped that the joint meeting would result in bringing this amalgamation much closer to reality. No one knew exactly how these meetings would develop, and to the surprise of many, they progressed so positively that the actual merging of the two organizations was accomplished. A new constitution was adopted; new officers were elected; and a plan for dissolution of the two existing world organizations was brought about. As a result, as of December 31, 1984, the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind and the International Federation of the Blind no longer exist. At that time, all assets were merged and the World Blind Union was established. Hopefully under the leadership of the World Blind Union's first president, Sheikh Abdullah Al­Ghanim, the improvement and betterment of blind people worldwide will be brought about. Let me close this article by stating that the World Blind Union has a definite function in the scheme of things. The leaders of the WCWB and the IFB are to be congratulated for bringing about unity in a world which is typified by disunity and political upheaval. ***** ** "A Modest Proposal": The Truth About Sheltered Workshops? By Kathy Megivern Some subjects just can't be discussed in a rational manner. For instance, nothing ruins a party more quickly than an attempt to "discuss" busing or abortions. On the other hand, there are issues of great importance which are discussed in such a rational manner that the unlucky listener falls asleep immediately. An example in this category might be an explanation of the Congressional budget process. (Having made a number of speeches on this topic myself, I can attest to the sedative effect it has upon an audience!) In recent years, it seems the topic of sheltered workshops, sometimes referred to in terms of the "Javits-Wagner-O'Day program," inevitably falls into one or the other of these categories. Proponents of the program can go on for hours citing impressive statistics about wages, benefits, and numbers of "JWOD man-hours." (I can hear your stifled yawns already.) Critics of the program, on the other hand, have no trouble keeping their audiences awake. After all, what could be more interesting than charges of discriminating against and abusing blind employees, while paying them slave wages to work in a union-busting sweatshop?! You must admit, that makes far better copy than statistics -- no matter how impressive the numbers can be! So how can you get to the truth -- and, perhaps more to the point, why should you even want to? Well, responding to the second question first, those of us who are concerned about the lack of employment opportunities for blind and visually impaired people cannot afford to disregard or, worse yet, condemn a program about which we may know very little. There is a clothing chain in the Washington, D.C. area whose advertising slogan is: "An Educated Consumer Is Our Best Customer." In the case of sheltered workshops in this country, you, the educated consumers in the American Council of the Blind, are their best critics, their best friends -- their best hope. Okay. You're convinced that it's important to know the truth about sheltered workshops, Javits-Wagner­O'Day, and National Industries for the Blind. How do we get past the sensationalized targets of the critics and the partisan recitation of numbers by the supporters? That will be my challenge in the next few issues of The Braille Forum. I will try to sift through the rhetoric, examine the criticisms, and interpret the statistics. Hopefully you will stay awake, keep reading, and end up with a better understanding of the issues surrounding this important program. But first, a little history for those of you who think "Javits-Wagner-O'Day" is a double-play combination for the New York Yankees! The Wagner-O'Day Act became law in 1938. This act provided for the procurement by the Federal Government of selected commodities from qualified workshops for the blind. The Act called for a central non-profit agency to administer the program, and thus National Industries for the Blind was created. Although workshops had existed prior to the Wagner-O'Day Act, the passage of that law gave the program the real boost it had needed. In the 45 years since the program began, it has expanded from sales to the Federal Government of $220,000 to a multi-million-dollar program, including not only sales to the Federal Government, but also military re­sales, commercial sales, and sales to state governments. So how did Javits get into the picture? The Senator from New York was the sponsor of some amendments to the original Act. These amendments expanded the law to include not only the sale of products to the Federal Government, but also the sale of services. Passed in 1971, these amendments also broadened the law to include workshops for the other severely handicapped. Because the workshops for the blind had done so well under the Wagner-O'Day program, it was natural that workshops serving other handicapped persons would want to share in the wealth. However, Congress was aware of the potential danger which expansion of the program might pose to the already established workshops for the blind. As a result, the 1971 amendments included the famous "blind priority." This priority allows workshops for the blind to have first choice in the selection of products to be produced. It is a recognition that certain items are better fitted to the talents and abilities of workers in the workshops for the blind. Representatives of workshops for the other severely handicapped were only too happy to agree to the blind priority back in 1971 in order to quell any fears about expansion of the program and to assure support for the amendments. Now, however, thirteen years later, they have launched an all-out attack on the blind priority. One other piece of background information which is essential to understanding much of the controversy surrounding the workshop program is the fact that Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act provides workshops with a partial exemption from the minimum wage requirements. This, of course, is the source of all those charges about "slave wages." Like any good soap opera, I need to leave you wanting to know more. So, "slave wages" seems like a good place to end this article. Stay tuned for the gory details! ***** ** News Briefs from the ACB National Office By Oral O. Miller, National Representative The members of the staff of the American Council of the Blind wish you, the readers of The Braille Forum, a very happy and prosperous New Year! In mid-November, Laura Oftedahl, ACB's Director of Public Affairs, spoke to the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind at its important annual convention, following PCB's hosting of the very successful 1984 ACB national convention in Philadelphia. The National Staff Attorney, Barbara Nelson, concluded staff participation in affiliate state conventions for 1984 by speaking at the convention of the Delaware Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired, held in Wilmington. One of the benefits of her participation was an opportunity to discuss openly the issues involved in litigation now going on in Delaware concerning the rights of vendors under the Randolph-Sheppard Act. At that time, the Director of the state licensing agency also had an opportunity to give the agency's point of view. As indicated in the last issue of The Braille Forum, ACB's public service announcement for television was filmed during early November for distribution during December. All Braille Forum readers are urged to contact their local commercial television stations to encourage the carrying of this important PSA, which emphasizes the variety of vocational and leisure activities in which blind people are capable of engaging. During November, the National Representative and the Staff Attorney were pleased to meet in the National Office with the chairperson and one of the Board members of the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (A&TBCB), the Federal agency responsible for the removal of architectural and transportation barriers to handicapped people. The conference served as an opportunity for the free exchange of ideas as well as recognition of the need for greater and more realistic research to be done concerning the needs of blind people. Many ACB members who attended the 1984 ACB national convention in Philadelphia took part in a research project conducted there by the A&TBCB in the field of tactile signage. We commend the A&TBCB Chairperson, Mary Alice Ford, and the Board member who met with us, Mr. Jack McSpadden, both of whom are visually impaired, for their genuine interest in serving all handicapped people. As a blind person, are you yet using your bank's computerized automatic teller machine (ATM)? It has been possible for a long time for specially motivated blind people to memorize the detailed operating instructions, after having them read by a sighted person. However, as a practical matter, few blind people have gone to that much effort to be able to enjoy the convenience of after-hours confidential banking. There has been considerable publicity concerning the progress made by the "Sight Through Helping Hands" project of Austin, Texas, in applying braille instructions to such machines. In view of all prior publicity, I did not expect much immediate response when Columbia First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Washington, D.C., announced that it intended to have its ATM's brailled by the Austin project, conceived and spearheaded by Mrs. Margarine Beaman, a member of the American Council of the Blind of Texas. It was my pleasure, both as the National Representative of ACB and as a long-time customer of Columbia First Federal, to take part in the ceremony connected with brailling the ATM at a branch near the ACB National Office, and also to participate in the inauguration of a similar service at a local 24-hour supermarket. (In many cities now, automatic teller machines are being installed in supermarkets, gasoline service stations, and other businesses serving a high number of customers.) The short, simple ceremony conducted at the bank received tremendous media coverage because the Columbia First Federal machines were the first in the MOST system to be brailled. The MOST system is a vast computerized financial network used by hundreds of banks and other businesses. Anyone who would like to pursue the matter of making ATM's in his or her community more accessible to blind people should write: Mrs. Margarine G. Beaman, Director, Sight Through Helping Hands, 1406 Wilshire Boulevard, Austin, TX 78722. Those of you who attended the 1983 or 1984 ACB national conventions will recall that Mrs. Beaman was primarily responsible for brailling the room doors and elevators (where necessary) at the national convention hotels in Phoenix and Philadelphia. During November, National Office personnel were pleased to be visited by Mr. Larry Campbell, Program Officer of Helen Keller International, and Mr. Aubrey Webson, President of the Caribbean Council of the Blind. The meeting gave us an opportunity to discuss the matter of services for blind people in the Caribbean area and ways in which the American Council of the Blind might be able to help fill some of those needs. At this point, I want to remind you again of the project which ACB initiated approximately one year ago for the collection of unwanted but usable slates, styluses, braillers, watches, and similar small aids and appliances for donation to people needing them in other countries. During November, much time continued to be devoted to the litigation with the Defense Department concerning the efforts of that department and the military agencies to ignore or undermine the Randolph­Sheppard vending program. These suits, filed by the American Council of the Blind, the Randolph­Sheppard Vendors of America, and others, are a true "David and Goliath" struggle, because we cannot hope to match the enormous resources of the Defense Department and the two gigantic fast-food restaurants with which it has contracted. I urge you to watch future issues of The Braille Forum and to call the Washington Connection frequently to stay abreast of the latest developments in this exceptionally important field. ***** ** New Year's Greetings from Pair-A-Dice 1985 ACB National Convention By David Krause, Chairman 1985 ACB Convention Host Committee The management and staff of the Holiday Inn Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, site of the 1985 convention of the American Council of the Blind, has asked me to extend New Year's greetings to all of you and to let you know what they are already preparing for the upcoming ACB convention (July 6-13). You will like everything about the Holiday Inn. It's a modern, 23-story structure with special features for the handicapped already built in. It's fully ramped for wheelchairs, has large, raised block numbers on the rooms, and all nine of its fast-moving elevators are permanently marked in braille. It has a swimming pool, complete convention facilities, a large, comfortable show room, three excellent restaurants, and, of course, a complete casino with plenty of slot machines, roulette wheels, etc. Claudine's is a gourmet restaurant you will long remember. But if delicious food at bargain prices is your desire, you will love the coffee shop. Here are a few examples of Las Vegas' bargain prices (all prices subject to change): a complete breakfast, $1.17; luncheon buffet with over 40 items, $2.49; an all-you-can eat dinner buffet, $3.49. Another bargain you're sure to like: a show, including two drinks, $6.95. We understand from hotel personnel that reservations are pouring in for the 1985 convention. If you haven't made your reservation yet, delay no longer. You can either call toll-free at 1-800-634-6765 (Nevada residents, call 369-5000) or write: Holiday Inn Hotel and Casino, 3465 Las Vegas Boulevard, S., Las Vegas, NV 89109. NOTE: Do not, under any circumstances, call the national Holiday Inn 800 number. Special ACB convention rates cannot be obtained through that number. Room rates for the convention are: $32 singles and doubles, $40 triples, $48 quads. IMPORTANT: All reservations must be accompanied by an advance deposit to cover the first night's stay. Make your plans now to attend the 1985 convention of the American Council of the Blind in Las Vegas. ***** ** Tune In to ACB in Your Community By Laura Oftedahl Director of Public Affairs Have you seen any good movies or any good public service announcements on TV lately? If the answer is "No" to the public service announcements question, then we suggest you get on the phone to the public service director at your favorite TV station now and find out why ACB isn't on the air. The American Council of the Blind recently distributed its first PSA for television. It was sent to every commercial TV station in the country -- all eight hundred of them. The thirty-second announcement talks about and shows the many jobs blind and visually impaired people are good at, and it also incorporates the idea that blind people do a lot of great things in their spare time, too. Many ACB members and friends are shown at work in the PSA, including singer Ray Charles. ACB's toll-free number is given during the message so that people who want more information on how to deal with blindness can get in touch with us. Action is needed from ACB members throughout the U.S. to ensure that this top-quality public service announcement is shown everywhere. You are urged to get in touch with your ACB state affiliate president and volunteer to call the television stations in your area. If you are unable to reach your state president, contact ACB' s public relations department in Washington, D.C. We'll put you to work so that this new PSA can work for your organization. ***** ** National Directory of Blind Teachers to Be Updated The National Directory of Blind Teachers was published in 1983 by the National Association of Blind Teachers, a special-interest affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. It lists 227 visually impaired teachers and was highly acclaimed by colleges, universities, secondary and elementary school administrators, national agencies, and individuals. The 156-page survey lists teachers from preschool through post-doctoral. Areas of specialization range from general and special education through mathematics, history, languages, biochemistry, agronomy, anthropology, computer science, etc. A 1985 Addendum is now being prepared. To be listed in the Addendum, we ask any school which employs visually impaired teacher or knows of one to ask that teacher to request a questionnaire from the project director, Carlton Eldridge, 422 W. Canedy Street, Springfield, IL 62704. A copy of the 1983 Directory may be obtained through the National Association of Blind Teachers, Suite 506, 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036. A $5 donation would be appreciated. ***** ** Sharing The Museum Experience By Ruth A. Sheets An Article to Be Considered for the Ned E. Freeman Award for Writing Excellence Museums and historical houses contain worlds of treasure and excitement. Inside, objects are as though frozen in time. A steam locomotive stands poised, ready to roll down the track. Period rooms await the people who will make history there. Great artists from past centuries speak in shapes, colors, and images of other times and ideas. A lost civilization comes to life from the earth, reassembled from its fragments. A tiger crouches, ready to spring. A woman weaves an intricate pattern on her ancient handmade loom. Through exhibits, demonstrations, and reenactments, museums and historical houses spread before us worlds of the past, of the present, of the possible future. It's all there for us to explore -- a wealth of knowledge and experience for the museum-goer. Until recently, however, visually handicapped people rarely shared these experiences because few museums were accessible to them. This inaccessibility of programs and facilities actually encouraged blind and visually impaired people to stay away. Why waste a day walking through just another building? Museums began to improve their accessibility when in the early 1970's legislation was passed requiring federally supported buildings to become accessible to disabled persons. Unfortunately, many of the programs started at that time were inappropriate to the needs of the disabled audience. Many were showy, but had little substance. Most were designed only for blind people. This was primarily because museum personnel did not really understand what constitutes effective programming for disabled visitors. These few, inadequate programs were not sufficient to cause visually handicapped people to form the habit of museum-going. The big movement toward greater accessibility has diminished, and as time passes, even large museums find it more and more difficult to justify financial outlays for programs which no one attends. Museum directors see accessibility as an item not meriting the expense because of the small numbers of people who use it. Most often, they reluctantly comply only with the minimum standards required by law. Although most museums deserve that no visually impaired people ever visit, I encourage you to go anyway, and become part of the activity and excitement there. It is true that most museum staff members still don't know how to properly adapt their facilities and programs to our needs as visually impaired consumers, but some are making a serious effort to learn, and they provide quality programming. We help in their efforts when we visit museums, participate in programs, and share our ideas for accessibility improvement. Besides, why should visually impaired people miss out on all the good things museums have to offer? For positive change to occur, we must demonstrate our interest in and commitment to museums. We must be willing to give the time and effort needed to attend and evaluate the museum's programs. Our actions can help to improve museum accessibility when we send letters of support and suggestion to the museum staff, carefully evaluate programs we have experienced, giving a brief report to the staff, and encourage other people to share with the museum their thoughts and comments. Approach issues in a positive way. Museum personnel will appreciate our efforts and are then likely to react favorably to our suggestions. If you plan to make suggestions after a visit to a museum or historical house, keep the following in mind: 1. State the problem and why it is a problem. Often people don't realize that a problem exists until it is pointed out to them. 2. Present at least one reasonable solution to the problem. The museum may not choose the solution, but it gives the staff a starting place for their efforts. 3. Demonstrate the cost of the change will be low, or at least reasonable. 4. List positive as well as negative aspects of the program or exhibit. 5. Be realistic in your suggestions and requests. 6. Show that the integrity of the museum's collection will not be damaged or destroyed by the change. 7. Offer to assist in the planning, development, implementation, or evaluation of the change. Sometimes thinking up practical suggestions can be difficult. The following may give an idea of some changes a museum or historical house could make. However, you need not limit yourself to these. 1. The most important issue for visually handicapped visitors is whether or not there are touchable objects. Museum curators often cringe when they hear someone mention that objects in their charge should be handled by the public. This is especially true in a small museum whose entire collection may be on display. The curator's concerns are often valid, since many museum objects are fragile, very rare, or react unfavorably to the oil on people's skin. Substitutes, however, often work when the "real" object cannot be touched. Some potential substitutes are: A. Accurate models of some of the objects on display. B. Objects similar in use or appearance to those in the collection. Inform the staff that if such objects are used, visitors will need an explanation of how these objects compare with the actual object. C. Raised-line drawings or raised images of three-dimensional objects (made by the thermoform process). D. 11-by-14 inch black-and white photographs of objects that are difficult to see due to size, lighting, or location. Visually impaired visitors can hold the photograph as close as necessary to see the detail. E. Good verbal description of objects, rooms, and works of art. 2. Suggest that gallery guides and museum brochures be made available in large-print, on cassette, and in braille. Help the staff contact organizations that provide these services. If the museum can afford only one printing to reach a wider audience, including the nearly 11 million visually impaired (having residual vision) people in this country, typing the text with an "Orator L/A" element for the IBM electric typewriter produces acceptable quality large-print. 3. Help to develop and find someone to record a tour of the building on cassette. On this tape, have clear directions for locating exhibits within the building and objects within the exhibits, including the touchable items. Borrow a cassette playback machine from the Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped to use in the museum. Probably the best way to participate in museums and historical houses is to become a volunteer. Choose a museum or house whose collection you find particularly stimulating. Assess your skills and decide where you feel you would fit in best. Then contact the museum's volunteer coordinator and offer your services. A great many rewards accompany volunteering. First, you will be able to regularly spend time surrounded by objects and information in which you are very interested. To effectively assist the museum, you will have to learn a lot about its collection, and most museums provide this training. Then you will meet many fascinating people from a wide range of backgrounds who come to visit, study, and talk about the collection. You may have the opportunity to learn a craft or skill in order to perform demonstrations of objects or procedures described in the exhibitions. As a volunteer, you will increase staff and public awareness of disabled persons and their abilities. Also, in most museums, you can choose to volunteer on either a regular or an occasional basis. In addition to all of this, each museum and historical house has special benefits for its volunteers. This point should not be passed over lightly, since often these benefits can be very attractive. As a volunteer, you can: 1. Help to train docents (guides), history interpreters, guards, information desk volunteers, and other staff members to work effectively with visually impaired persons. After training, these people can provide you and other visually impaired visitors with interesting, informative museum experiences, without the frustration that usually comes with museum visits. 2. Become a consultant. Offer to serve on the museum's advisory committee on accessibility, where you may have the chance to share your ideas and observations of the museum's accessibility needs. 3. Braille some of the materials for the public and find places where this material can be duplicated. 4. Print announcements of museum events in your consumer organization's newsletter. Encourage the organization to share its mailing list with museum personnel. 5. Organize visits to museums and historical houses by members of your consumer organization. Find out which activities would interest the group and how these activities can be adapted to meet the group's need. Coordinate your efforts with the museum tour scheduler and check out the program before the visit. 6. Become a docent or information desk volunteer. You will work with the public in a variety of ways: giving tours, providing museum information, giving directions, etc. These experiences can be great fun and you will learn a lot. Because you may use alternative methods of acquiring information and conducting tours, the museum staff will see that often, adapting programs is less difficult than they had thought. Museums are wonderful places, and we should enjoy them. We have the potential to recommend and help to implement changes that will improve the museum experience for everyone. Since so often accessibility for disabled people means better access for all people, we can no longer sit back and say that museums aren't for us. We must step forward as active museum-goers, helping museums become available to everyone and claiming the right to enjoy the museum experience, too. (Ruth Sheets, who is partially sighted, is a Special Education Program Assistant at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.) ***** ** Best Loved Poems in Large Print A Book Review By Pat Price (Best Loved Poems in Large Print, Edited by Virginia S. Reiser. Published by G. K. Hall and Company, Boston, Mass., 1983; 584 pages. $15.95.) Low-vision people have long been denied the experience Editor Virginia S. Reiser describes as she presents this highly entertaining large-print collection of 300 of the world's most treasured poems. "Poetry," she writes, "is our bond with the ages -- and with each other. A poem can satisfy our souls and renew our spirits as no novel or short story can." From the classic sonnets and odes of Shakespeare, Spenser, Donne, and Keats to the modern verses of Marianne Moore and Dylan Thomas, this collection will suit every mood, uplift the spirit, and renew the joys of poetry for all readers. Among the 135 authors whose works are reprinted in this collection, such names appear as Emily Bronte, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Robert Browning, Robert Burns, Emily Dickinson, Sir Edward Dyer, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Edgar A. Guest, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Joyce Kilmer, Rudyard Kipling, Christopher Marlowe, John Masefield, Edna St. Vincent Millay, John Milton, Edgar Allan Poe, Alexander Pope, Sir Walter Raleigh, James Whitcomb Riley, Carl Sandburg, Robert Louis Stevenson, Sara Teasdale, Walt Whitman, John Greenleaf Whittier, and William Wordsworth. Favorite works by renowned authors include "The Village Blacksmith," by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; "The Lady of Shalott," by Alfred Lord Tennyson; "The First Snowfall," by James Russell Lowell; "West-Running Brook," by Robert Frost; and “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird,” by Wallace Stevens. For the reader's convenience, the poems are chronologically arranged within each of ten categories: Stories and Ballads, Love and Friendship, Nature and the Seasons, Home and Family, Grief and Death, Patriotism and War, Faith and Inspiration, Reflection and Contemplation, Humor, and Various Themes. The Table of Contents, Index of Authors, Index of Titles, and Index of First Lines all make it extremely quick and easy to locate a favorite author's work, a specific poem, and/or a desired reading category. Enough of its contents! What about its real value to the low-vision reader? Admittedly, assuming it is even noticed on the bookshelf, the initial impression of its dark mauve­colored hard-back cover, with its extremely difficult, if not totally impossible to read medium-blue lettering, is less than "eye-catching" and conceivably could deter any partially blind person from attempting to explore its contents. If, however, the belief in the old cliche, "You cannot judge a book by its cover," or the curiosity is strong enough to compel the person to look inside -- if for no other reason than simply to determine the title -- the inside appearance will immediately eliminate the initially created skepticism. Technically, the text, designed by Lynn Harmet, is composed in 16-point Times Roman on a Mergenthaler Linotron 202, by Modern Graphics, Inc. The type style is clear and sharp, with good spacing between letters of each word. The lines are 1 1/2 line-spacing. Page numbers are easy to find and read, and they do not interfere with the text, as they are in the lower center of each page. The placement of the text on each page, with wide right-and left­hand margins, and the slightly off­white dull finish or non-glare paper, will be of special value to low-vision readers who use various forms of high magnification devices, including closed-circuit TV Read/Write systems. And, unlike the past, where little or no poetry was available in a format low-vision persons could read, this volume is readily available from the public library or local bookstore, or anyone desiring to purchase the book directly from the publisher or to receive information on upcoming or current large-print books may do so simply by writing G. K. Hall and Company, 70 Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111, or by calling toll-free, 1-800-343-2806 (Boston residents should call 616-423-3990). A personal note: It has been many years since I have been able to read such works myself, and so the hours I spent with this book have truly been most meaningful, pleasurable, and relaxing. It definitely is a valuable addition to my personal library. (Virginia S. Reiser is Senior Editor of G. K. Hall's Large Print Division. She and her husband live in West Newton, Massachusetts. She is also the editor of two other similar editions published by G. K. Hall: Favorite Poems in Large Print and Favorite Short Stories in Large Print.) More recent editions to G. K. Hall's large-print series include the following: The New York Times Large Type Cookbook, by Jean Hewitt; Famous Detective Stories in Large Print, edited by Virginia S. Reiser and Mary C. Allen; and The Story Bible, by Pearl S. Buck. ***** ** Disabled Individuals Embrace Arts By Deborah Linzer (Reprinted from Programs for the Handicapped, No. 5, Sept.-Oct. 1984) "Art is an individual statement; it opens the door to an understanding which has not been there before. It is a way to reach beyond the fear that separates us from each other. It has the potential to bring us all together at last." -- Laureen Summers, Disabled Artist. During May of this year (1984), the National Very Special Arts Festival brought more than 750 disabled children and young people from around the world to Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center and Gallaudet College in a joyous salute to the arts. These youngsters came as participants in the Arts Festival and to learn from the "masters" at workshops, demonstrations and performances in celebration of the extraordinary accomplishments of handicapped youngsters from around the globe. Participants had a unique opportunity to share their talents with Burl Ives in music; Jamie Wyeth in art; George Segal in drama; and in dance by Wendy Amos, coordinator of the National Committee, Arts with the Handicapped (NCAH)/Alvin Ailey Dance Project for Blind and Visually Impaired Students. Carlton Knowles never dreamed that he would be dancing at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in a model program for visually-impaired youngsters. Since starting in the NCAH/ Alvin Ailey program, 18- year-old Carlton has gained confidence in his appearance and has found an outlet for creative expression ... When students from the NCAH/Alvin Ailey Dance Project for the Blind and Visually Impaired performed at the National Very Special Arts Festival at the Kennedy Center, Carlton Knowles was there -- in the spotlight. The performance was choreographed specifically for the occasion under Alvin Ailey's supervision, and eleven visually impaired and blind students showed that sight is not essential to inspiring dance as they performed on the Kennedy Center stage. They have been learning and rehearsing for two years at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, and New York University's Film School videotaped the classes for future adaptation by other dance companies. From its beginning in 1975, The National Committee, Arts with the Handicapped, has operated as an educational affiliate of the Kennedy Center. The Committee's Very Special Arts Festival Program (VSAF) network now encompasses state-level programs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. ... All VSAF programs include the training of teachers, artists, and the development of projects and classroom activities which increase aesthetic awareness and general learning achievements. ... The U.S. Very Special Arts Festival Programs have generated great interest in the international community. Educators and artists from over 50 countries, from China to Tobago, have attended to share and exchange knowledge of arts programs. A highlight of the NCAH Very Special Arts Festival this year was an International Seminar on Arts and the Handicapped, held in cooperation with the NCAH and the Organization of American States (OAS). NCAH welcomed internationally recognized experts in the field of arts and special education to the Seminar, celebrating the Committee's 10th anniversary as the nation's coordinating agency for arts programs for the disabled. These experts included educators, artists and administrators from Eastern and Western Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa. Participants had a special opportunity to enjoy a Japanese tea ceremony and dance; an Israeli folkloric dance; an Austrian group of performers called "Ich Bin OK"; an internationally known Scottish painter, Richard Wawro; and mimes from Spain and Poland. The NCAH now has affiliated programs in 35 countries around the world. ... One of the most unusual NCAH programs for the visually impaired is currently being developed by sculptor Robert Berks, whose works include the monumental head of John F. Kennedy in the foyer of the Kennedy Center, and one of Albert Einstein on the grounds of the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. A traveling exhibition entitled "Touch and Be Touched" will include about 30 of Berks' bronze sculptures. People who are blind will have the chance to learn the visual arts through touch, thereby extending their skills of perception. To accompany the new exhibition, the artist will provide a recorded narration, first explaining how best to "read" a sculptured portrait through touch, then guiding the visitor through a personalized tour of his works on display. Sculptures of Martin Luther King, Jr., Ernest Hemingway and Robert Kennedy will make "Touch and Be Touched" a lesson in history as well as in art. NCAH is the nation's coordinating agency for creating and promoting arts programs for all individuals with disabilities. In June 1974, the Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation provided funding for a national conference on the Arts and the Handicapped. As a result of this conference and funding from the Kennedy Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education and the Alliance for Arts Education, NCAH was established. NCAH is an educational affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and provides arts programming as a means to integrate disabled students into the mainstream of society. For more information on the National Committee, subscribe to the free monthly newsletter, ARTiculator. Send your name, address, and zip code to: Jennifer Lee, National Committee, Arts for the Handicapped, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Education Office, Washington, DC 20566. ***** ** National Exhibits by Blind Artists The National Exhibits by Blind Artists, Inc., of Philadelphia is pleased to announce that applications are available for its sixth art exhibition, which will open in May 1985 at the Woodmere Art Gallery in Philadelphia and then travel to other major museums in the country. All legally blind artists are invited to submit original art work in painting, sculpture, print-making, photography, drawing, furniture, needlework, fabric design, weaving, jewelry, metalsmithing, wood carving, and other categories considered fine arts or crafts. Work produced from kits or other pre-designed projects will not be considered. A panel of judges will make selections from slides submitted, and those chosen will be notified immediately. Over $1,000 in cash prizes will be awarded. For application forms and more detailed information, contact National Exhibits by Blind Artists, 919 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107; (215) 627-5930. Application forms are available in braille if specified. Deadline for applications and slides is March 1, 1985. ***** ** Artworks Sought for International Show Artists with a disability are invited to enter their artworks at the 22nd Annual Sister Kenny Institute International Art Show by Disabled Artists. Entries should be received by February 1, 1985, at the art show headquarters in Minneapolis. Any artist with a physical or mental disability which limits one or more major life activities (such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, breathing, learning, or working) is eligible to enter up to four pieces of art. All media are accepted, including oils, acrylics, pen and ink, watercolors, pastels, sculpture, and photography. Over $1,300 in prize money will be awarded to artworks judged best in their category. The 1984 winners included artists from 13 states in America and three foreign countries. Artworks will be on sale during the grand opening on Saturday, March 30, and while the works are on display through April 1985 at Sister Kenny Institute. Last year some 150 works of art were sold. Items not for sale are accepted and included in the judging for awards and prize money. Sister Kenny Institute purchases a number of artworks each year from its International Art Show to add to its permanent art collection on display at the Institute during the rest of the year. Artists interested in entry forms or further information may write to: Susan K. Benjamin, APR, Art Show, Sister Kenny Institute, 800 E. 38th Street at Chicago Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55407. ***** ** Budget '86 -- A Sneak Preview By Scott Marshall Director of Governmental Affairs In 19th-century England, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Crown's chief financial officer, was expected to hand-carry financial papers to the House of Commons in a bougette, which is an Old English term meaning bag or container. The modern American version of the bougette is the Federal budget -- a "bag" of revenue and spending proposals which David Stockman, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, "carries" to Congress each February. The President's budget is a blueprint, which the Congress can accept or reject, of the Administration's spending and revenue proposals for the next ensuing fiscal year. This budget is much more than just an attempt to balance numbers. Rather, it is an intricate web of policy decisions which involve three of the most politically sensitive questions faced by members of Congress: Who wins? Who loses? Who pays the bills? Although the President's budget is not definite until the document is actually transmitted to Congress, Republican leaders have been briefed as to its contents. Inevitably, the substance of these briefings has been leaked to the press and other interested individuals and groups. Once again it appears that many programs which are either specifically targeted to disabled people or which benefit them are slated for either elimination, a funding freeze, or a reduction in funding for F.Y. 1985. The Legal Services Corporation, which provides assistance to many disabled people relative to disputed Social Security claims, for example, is proposed for elimination. Funding for education of handicapped children would be frozen, as would low-income energy assistance, housing rental subsidies, and student loans. Programs scheduled for cuts include rehabilitation ($47 million) and the National Institutes of Health, including the National Eye Institute ($239 million). Medicare would also be cut by $2.8 billion, thereby limiting the amount of reimbursements to hospitals, continuing a freeze on reimbursements to physicians, and increasing the patient's portion of the premium paid for doctors' insurance benefits. Postal subsidies such as the reduced rates paid by nonprofit mailers would be eliminated, but the subsidies for the mailing of school books and "Free Matter for the Blind" mailing would be preserved. However, Library Services and Construction Act funds, used by some regional libraries for the blind and physically handicapped to distribute materials provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, would be eliminated. Legislative Branch funding, which includes funds for the Library of Congress, would be reduced by 10 percent if the President's anticipated budget proposal is adopted. It is not known at this time how, if at all, this 10 percent cut would affect the National Library Service (NLS). These and many other cuts would, according to the President, reduce the projected deficit from $206 billion to $170 billion. The magnitude of funding reductions for the Department of Defense, if any, has not yet been disclosed. In keeping with the President's campaign promise, Social Security will be exempt from any funding cuts proposed by the President, but it is not known at this time whether the White House would support a freeze on Social Security cost-of-living adjustments if proposed by Congress. An important adjunct to the news about the budget was the announcement on November 27 by the Department of the Treasury of a tax reform and simplification plan which, although revenue neutral, would dramatically restructure the nation's tax law. The 14 tax brackets currently in the Tax Law would be replaced by three, with a maximum tax of 35 percent. The current maximum tax is 50 percent. Most deductions would be eliminated, and the personal exemption would be increased to $2,000. Although the extra exemption for blind and elderly persons presently in the Tax Law would be eliminated, this extra exemption would be replaced by a special tax credit for the elderly and disabled. It would appear that this special tax credit would enable a disabled or elderly person to earn $9,700 ($17,200 for a family of four) before taxes would be owing. It is important to note, however, that because of the sketchy details currently available about the operation of this credit, it is not clear at this time whether this proposal would benefit all disabled or elderly taxpayers. The Treasury's tax proposal is simply that: a proposal which has not yet been endorsed, in whole or in part, by the President. Because of the controversy surrounding this tax package, it is likely that many changes will be made in the current proposal prior to any changes being enacted in the Tax Law. One thing remains very clear: Money is the life blood of politics, and the 99th Congress will be faced with many difficult choices in the months to come. ***** ** Texas Commission for the Blind Wins Major Victory in Randolph-Sheppard Case By Barbara Nelson, Staff Attorney A Federal court has awarded the Texas Commission for the Blind an amount estimated to be in excess of $10 million in revenues from vending machines operated by Defense Department Post Exchange systems in Texas, dating from 1975 to the present. The Randolph-Sheppard Act gives blind people licensed by state rehabilitation agencies a priority to operate vending facilities, including vending machines, on Federal property. Prior to 1974, Federal agencies such as the Department of Defense had been operating their own vending machines, which undermined the priority given to blind people. Even though the income from these machines not operated by blind people was used generally for worthwhile purposes, such as day-care centers, libraries, employee Christmas parties, etc., Congress found that Federal agencies should not be permitted to take these vending opportunities from blind people. The 1974 Amendments to the Randolph-Sheppard Act strengthened the law, requiring that a portion of the income from vending machines on Federal property must be paid to blind vendors or to the agency which administers the Randolph­Sheppard program in a state. Vending machine income paid to state agencies can be used for health insurance, paid sick leave, pension and retirement programs for vendors, upon approval of a majority of the vendors in a state. Monies which the vendors choose not to use for these purposes can be used for new equipment, maintenance and replacement of old equipment, and management services. The case of the Texas Commission for the Blind involves the interpretation of an exception to this vending-machine income-sharing requirement. The 1974 Randolph­Sheppard Amendments' state that the income-sharing requirement does not apply to vending machines located "within the retail sales outlets" under the control of the Defense Department "exchanges or ship's stores” — commonly called PX's. These stores sell a wide range of goods to members of the armed forces and their dependents. Since 1974, the Defense Department Exchange Service has continued to operate many vending machines, both inside its retail stores and in other locations on its bases. They have not paid vending-machine income to the Texas Commission for the Blind or to blind vendors since the 1974 Amendments to the Randolph­Sheppard Act took effect, claiming that all vending machines operated by the Exchange Service, even those not on the premises of one of its retail stores, fell within the exception to the Randolph-Sheppard Act. A three-member Randolph-Sheppard arbitration panel ruled in favor of the Texas Commission for the Blind. Durward K. McDaniel, former National Representative and current Second Vice President of the American Council of the Blind, served on this panel. In an appeal by the Defense Department, the Federal court upheld the decision of the arbitration panel. In its decision, the court cited Congress's description of the Department of Defense as a "virtual monolith of opposition" to the Randolph-Sheppard program. The court directed the arbitration panel to determine the exact amount of money owed by the Department of Defense to the Texas Commission for the Blind. However, the Department of Defense may appeal this ruling of the court, so that it may be a long time before the money is put to work to improve the vending facility program in the State of Texas. When affirmed on appeal, the decision should go a long way toward convincing the Department of Defense that it must comply with the Randolph-Sheppard Act and that it cannot continue to ignore the law with impunity. **** ** Talking Rangefinder for Blind Travelers By Louis J. Finkle, Ph.D. Coastal Carolina College of the University of South Carolina, Conway, South Carolina A nationwide survey was conducted during October 1984 to determine the impact that new electronic travel aids may have on manufacturers of devices and on the lives of travelers with visual limitations. It was funded by a manufacturer of high-technology assistive devices and was conducted from the campus of Coastal Carolina College. It was assumed that the responses would be of value to clients who are blind, in that they would benefit by an evaluation of appropriate travel aids by instructors in tors in mobility. It was also a mechanism whereby the travel-aids industry might use the information to refine and invent future products based on data collected and reported. The results were fascinating. Most responding mobility instructors cited cost and a lack of current training as the two most inhibiting factors preventing them from recommending electronic travel aids for blind persons. When presented technical information on four electronic travel aids and asked to select the one they would recommend if all four were to cost the same price, the OSCAR Rangefinder was chosen most frequently. The Obstacle Scan And Reporting device can be used as a hand-held detector of objects and obstacles or mounted on a travel cane. It uses ultrasonic transmission to "sense" the forward environment and an internal computer measures distances to the detected surface. The signal then travels to a voice synthesizer to generate the words heard by the user. Amazingly, all of this takes place in less than one second, in a container about the size of a pocket paperback book. Travelers may be told the distance to tree limbs, poles, people, chairs, tables, etc. ... instead of continually bumping into them. The OCSAR's sensor is small enough to place in the palm of the hand and light enough to mount on a travel cane. It can be angled by the traveler to detect obstacles in any chosen direction, which is a marvelous answer to the question, "How do I know when I am about to hit something the cane cannot reach?" Let the OSCAR tell you. OSCAR — the talking rangefinder — having been field-tested throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia -- is now being test-marketed in the New England states by Pentad Corporation, 109-K North Main Street, Woodstock, VA 22664. Cost is about $495. I was fortunate to have been one of the experimental researchers to use the OSCAR and to have been funded to conduct a national opinion survey of mobility instructors on the use of electronic travel aids. During the 1984 national convention of the American Council of the Blind in Philadelphia, the OSCAR was used throughout the hotel, in meetings, at the exhibit area, and along the sidewalk in front of the hotel. Not one person stopped the experimenter to inquire about the device. This dispelled the notion of being "self-conscious" when using an electronic travel aid. These experiences have convinced me that electronic travel aids are fast becoming accepted as necessary tools for safe travel. Although there are five major devices on the market to assist in independent travel, only one, the OSCAR, "talks to the user." (Note: Pentad is a company which develops and markets new products for the handicapped. Products are electro-mechanical sensory aids and assistive devices. The company was founded to apply the results of new and ongoing aerospace electronics research.) ***** ** Letter to the Editor Dear Editor: In the October 1984 issue of The Braille Forum, there was an article stating that one David Baker, a blind person, had been denied entrance to the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana, because of coming to the church with a newly-acquired guide dog. The article also stated that Mr. Baker had been coming to the church for several years; that he had used a white cane and had not been denied entrance; but that when he came with his dog, it was a different story. After hearing of this denial, I wrote the pastor of the church, Rev. Jack Hyles, and asked for a further explanation of the incident. His reply was as follows: "The truth is that Mr. Baker was not turned away from our church. For several years, we went to his home and provided transportation for him. At no time was he refused entrance to our church. His dog disturbed the services in many ways, and we asked him to let us care for his dog and provide him with an individual to sit with him and care for him during the services. He refused to cooperate, and because of this, both he and his dog were not allowed in the services." I believe that The Braille Forum should tell the rest of the story. In doing so, it will remain a publication that can be depended on by its readers. -- Jack W. Kinley, Phenix City, AL. ***** ** High Tech Swap Shop * For Sale: IBM Memory 100 typewriter with an IBM Audio Typing Unit. The IBM Audio Typing Unit provides the user with a complete and detailed verbal display of all operations and functions of the Memory 100 typewriter, including spoken words, individual letters, numbers, punctuation, line and character position count, end-of-ribbon warning, and much more. Sale includes a two­month, prepaid IBM repair insurance policy. For more information, contact Perry O. Knutson, 4214-11th, N.E., No. 202, Seattle, WA 98105; (206) 632-0088. ***** ** 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 meetings. 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. February 9 -- D.C. Association of Workers for the Blind — First regular meeting of 1985 (meets bi­monthly) — Washington, D.C. March 16 -- Utah Council of the Blind State Convention - Salt Lake City April 18-21 -- ACB of California Spring Convention - Sacramento April 20 -- Connecticut Council of the Blind Spring Convention - Wallingford May 2-4 -- Association of Radio Reading Services 11th Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA June 7-9 -- Florida Council of the Blind State Convention - Lakeland June 7-9 -- North Dakota Association of the Blind State Convention - Dickinson June 13-16 -- Citizens with Disabilities Delegate Council Assembly - Little Rock, AR July 6-13 -- American Council of the Blind National Convention - Las Vegas, NV ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon Craig Alston, 30, a blind lawyer, was elected to a district judgeship in Bay City, Michigan, in the November 1984 elections, defeating veteran attorney John Leaming in a race for a seat vacated by retirement, according to the United Press. "I think that when people are selecting a judge, it's people that are most important," said Alston when asked why he thought people gave him the edge. "I have a deep sense of justice, a deep love of justice, and I think the people I came in contact with sensed that." Alston, who suffers from a degenerative eye disease that caused his vision loss, says he doesn't think his blindness played a role in his victory. The number of people voting for him out of sympathy, he said, probably offset the number of people voting against him because of his blindness. From Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness: You say your dog guide's behavior is unpredictable because of excessive inbreeding? Are you tired of cleaning up after Rover? Well, researchers in Japan have a remedy under development, according to a recent Washington Post article. It's Meldog, a robot dog guide. But don't throw the leash away just yet. Meldog, a descendant of industrial robots, with all "his/her" metal, wire, wheels and sensors, stands about three feet tall. Meldog moves about on three wheels, has a "brain" that boasts a dozen sensors that locate objects in its path and sends mild electric shocks to Master when obstacles are detected. Additionally, its "brain" can be programmed with pre-punched computer tapes, and a programmed magnetic tape can be inserted (yes, custom brain surgery for a dog guide) which provides navigational information enough for a small town. Three private firms developed the prototypical Meldog for about $40,000, after six or seven years of experimentation. Meldog could be produced and sold for one-tenth that figure, it is anticipated. The Royal National Institute for the Blind will loan braille library books to overseas patrons for up to six months. Offerings cover a wide range of topics, from simple books on learning English to advanced texts for university students. Foreign language texts are available, as are English plays, poetry, and literary criticism. For an application form and library catalog, write Jan L. Chorley, Circulation Librarian, Royal National Institute for the Blind, Braille House, 338-346 Goswell Road, London, EC1-V7JE, England. Pan American Airlines has a policy that requires dog guides to be muzzled in flight, according to Travel­Holiday magazine. This is a hold­over from the days when PanAm made long overseas flights, and PanAm is the only airline with such a restriction, say travel specialists at the Travel Information Center at Moss Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia. Personnel at Moss suggest. that disabled individuals who encounter problems when traveling. attempt to speak to the highest employee in the department they are dealing with. All too often, line personnel are poorly informed concerning policies and regulations. The Travel Information Center at Moss provides travel opportunities for the disabled and will answer individual questions when possible. Contact Travel Information Center, Moss Rehabilitation Hospital, 12th Street and Trabor Road, Philadelphia, PA 19141. When telephone users in Hong Kong dial for directory assistance, the friendly voice they hear may be one of three blind operators recently employed in the Directory Enquiry Centre of the Hong Kong Telephone Company, Ltd. Blind staff have been giving dialing and language assistance to overseas operators. This breakthrough in employment has occurred because the Hong Kong Telephone Company agreed to hire, train and equip three blind operators with Optacons and CRT lenses. After three months of training, operators took live calls. One month later, these new blind operators completed each call within 1 1/2 minutes. Telephone Company supervisors continue to work with these Optacon users to increase screen scanning speed. "Cache Computer-Related Resources and Bibliography" has been compiled by Grace D. Napier, Ed.D. The 30-page print edition is available for $3. To receive the material on VersaBraille tape, either send a C60 cassette and $3 or send no cassette and $5. Address all orders or inquiries to Grace D. Napier, 2011 8th Avenue, Greeley, CO 80631. Innovative Rehabilitation Technology, Inc. (IRTI) announces its Talking-Tape Player, a new Library of Congress-format four-track cassette player, which will also play tapes in two-track monaural or in stereo mode. Weight, 11.5 ounces. Features include Cue and Review, automatic reverse at end of tape or manual reverse on command. Portable speakers, A.C. adapter, and other accessories are also available. Price: $110 plus $3 for shipping and handling. IRTI also offers an audio tape catalog for $1 and a Versa-Braille tape catalog for $3. A one-year subscription which includes all IRTI catalogs and brochures as well as the quarterly Technical Innovations Bulletin is available for $15. For further information, contact IRTI, 26699 Snell Lane, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022; (415) 948-8588. Attention, persons planning to attend the ACB 1985 convention in Las Vegas or those of you who may be planning to visit Las Vegas any time during the year on your own. A 90-minute cassette containing the entire text of The Facts of Blackjack is now available from the Nevada Council of the Blind. NCB President Dave Krause writes: "Blackjack happens to be my favorite casino game, since it is the only casino game in which the player exercises a degree of judgment. All other games are 100 percent luck. By knowing how to play blackjack, the player can reduce the house percentage to almost zero, making it practically a dead even game - something not possible with other casino games." To order The Facts of Blackjack, send check or money order for $7 to Nevada Council of the Blind, P.O. Box 3726, North Las Vegas, NV 89030. John McCann, a member of the American Blind Lawyers Association and of the Old Dominion (Virginia) Council of the Blind, has been appointed Executive Director of the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America (ALL). He assumed his duties October 28, 1984, at ALL's new location at 2025 Eye Street, N.W., Suite 405, Washington, DC 20006. The BOLD program at Smugglers Notch, Vermont, offers a program to begin in December 1984 which is offered to skiers interested in increasing their skiing ability and/or training for competition, at all levels. Ski tickets, passes, equipment, guides, coaches, and training time are available at no cost to participants. The only charge involved is for transportation and lodging at Smugglers Notch. For further information, write or call Maureen Dow, c/o BOLD Program, Smugglers Notch Ski Area, Jeffersonville, VT 05464; (802) 644-8851 (work), or 644-2029 (home). Pittsburgh-UPI: A legally blind man who saved another man from committing suicide was one of 15 people who received Carnegie Medals for Heroism, officials said. Mark Augustus Tobin of Nova Scotia, Canada, was among those honored by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, which grants cash awards to people who risk their lives to save, or attempt to save, the lives of others. ... Tobin, 33, a disabled bricklayer, was fishing when a man intent on committing suicide entered the water and was carried away by the current, officials said. Although legally blind, Tobin jumped into the water when he heard the man splashing and swam to him, securing a hold on the struggling man, and dragged him 100 feet to shallower water. The eleventh annual conference of the Association of Radio Reading Services, Inc., will be held at the Sheraton Hotel, 500 Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, from Thursday, May 2, through Saturday, May 4. Option Central is a mail-order service specializing in products for blind and partially sighted people. Catalogs are available free in print or braille; a cassette catalog costs $1 or is free if a blank C60 cassette is supplied. Products include canes, dog products, greeting cards, housewares, talking products and more. Write Fred Sanderson, Option Central, 1604 Carroll Avenue, Green Bay, WI 54304; (4l4) 498-9699. The 1984-85 "Ski Guide for Visually Impaired," listing Alpine and Nordic ski programs for blind and visually impaired people, is available in print, braille, and on returnable cassette from the San Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind. It describes competitive and non-competitive programs in California and the nation and includes activities organized by sighted Bay Area groups which welcome blind skiers. To obtain a copy, contact Dan Porer, Director of Lighthouse Recreation Services, Lighthouse Center, 745 Buchanan Street, San Francisco, CA 94102; (415) 431-1481, Ext. 45. Harvard Business Review is now available on four-track, 15/16 ips cassette format. It is published bi­monthly at a cost of $5.50 per issue. Also available are various books on tape, ranging from The Moosewood Cookbook to On Death and Dying. A list is available in large-print or braille. Contact Massachusetts Association for the Blind, 200 Ivy Street, Brookline, MA 02146; (617) 738-5110. ***** ** 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. ###