The Braille Forum Vol. XXIII March 1985 No. 9 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 ACB Wins Major Lawsuit: All Airlines Must Comply with Section 504, by Barbara Nelson Disruption of Flights May Hurt Advocacy for Blind Airline Travelers, by Scott Marshall News Briefs from the ACB National Office, by Oral O. Miller Make Plans for Pair-A-Dice -- 1985 ACB National Convention, by David Krause ACB Convention Business ... Awards ... Notice Concerning Applications for and Renewals of ACB Membership-at-Large VISTA's Role in the "Information Age," by Pat Price Workshops Part III: The Wall Street Connection, by Kathy Megivern "May I Help You?" -- Merchants Made Aware of Blind Buying Power, by Laura Oftedahl ACB and Five Other Plaintiffs Appeal Randolph-Sheppard Decision Youths Receive Glimpse of Driving, by Jim Parsons IRS Discontinues Printing of Braille Publications ... ACB Assists in Filing Civil Rights Complaint, by Scott Marshall BVA Announces Academic Scholarship Availability High Tech Swap Shop Calendar of Events Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon ACB National Special-Interest Affiliates Notice to Subscribers ***** ** President's Message By Grant Mack The voice on the other end of the telephone sounded vaguely familiar. "Hello. Is this Grant Mack?" "Yes, it is." "Are you the Grant Mack that was in the Navy, stationed on the island of Maui during World War II?" "Yes. But that was a long time ago. By the way, your voice sounds quite familiar, but I can't pin it down. Who is this?" "This is one of your old Navy buddies. I am not surprised that you don't recognize my voice. It has been 40 years since we last talked. This is Paul C." These were the opening words to a fairly lengthy telephone conversation which took place in my office a few days ago. A flood of memories seemed to erase the 40 years that had elapsed since I said good-by to Paul as he hoisted his sea-bag on to his shoulder and headed for the small ship that would take him the 90 miles to Pearl Harbor and thence to the troop transport which would ultimately bring him back to the States, a return to civilian life, and a resumption of his career as a professional musician in the Chicago area. The winding down of World War II was rather rapid following the Japanese surrender. Paul was one of the first of our 21-man unit to be separated and sent home. This small group, which had lived and worked together like a close-knit family, was suddenly split up, and, as with graduates from high school or college, that separation often becomes permanent. As we talked and reminisced, my mind flashed back over those 40 years and I wondered if Paul's life had been as eventful and fraught with as many changes as mine had. I soon learned that it had been. Paul told me about some of his personal tragedies as well as many of the successes. We talked about the adjustment to civilian life, resumption of college experience, the growth of our families, the feeling of loss at losing contact with old friends ... For a long time, we indulged ourselves in the luxury of nostalgia. Several times during pauses in our conversation, I sensed that Paul wanted to ask me something, but then he would hurry on to another subject, as if he were afraid to ask. The conversation finally worked itself around to what had caused Paul to contact me after all these years. He told me that he had recently been in touch with one of our buddies who lives in Saddle Brook, New Jersey. Lou is one of our group I had kept in touch with, and he had told Paul about having seen me several times in recent years. I realized then that the question Paul was reluctant to ask me was about my having lost my eyesight. "Lou told me that you were involved with a national organization of the blind, and that you were one of its elected officers. I was reluctant to ask you anything about it, wondering if you were connected with the National Federation of the Blind, an organization which seems to be stirring up trouble from time to time and harboring people who always seem to have a chip on their shoulder. Just the other day I heard a report that they had disrupted a USAir flight in Washington, D.C. It seems that they were objecting to being excluded from sitting in over-wing exit rows. I recall that the same organization picketed the Chicago Lighthouse in 1975 or 1976, and I also remember a fuss a few years ago about long white canes on aircraft. Frankly, I have been confused with the whole thing and wonder if all blind people are bellicose, paranoid, and militant when they feel put upon or discriminated against." ''You do sound confused, Paul, and I am not surprised. It sometimes confuses and frustrates me when I hear these reports." "Grant, you travel on airplanes a lot. Do you think blind people should not sit in the over-wing exit rows?" "Some of them should, and some of them shouldn't. But you could say the same thing about everyone on the plane. It is difficult, though, to give agility and competency tests to everyone on the aircraft. Actually, I would rather have a competent blind person sitting next to the window than a fumble-fingered sighted person. Airline personnel don't really understand the competence of blind people. I think, though, that they can be taught, and that's why our organization is preparing a training manual for the airlines and has dialogue going with thirteen of the major airlines right now." "You say your organization is the American Council of the Blind?" "Yes, it is the largest, fastest growing, and most representative organization of blind people in the United States." "It sounds like your group is on the right track. I hope now that we have made contact that you will stop and see me sometime when you are going through Chicago. I would like to learn more about blind people. l certainly am confused right now." "Great. In the meantime, don't judge all blind people by the headline-seekers. They just seem to be misdirected in how to go about changing things. They don't understand that constant confrontation confuses the public and creates a bad image for all blind people. Sometimes I wonder, though, whether they really want change or are more interested in the headlines." ***** ** ACB Wins Major Lawsuit: All Airlines Must Comply With Section 504 By Barbara Nelson, Staff Attorney In a landmark decision, the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has broadened the coverage of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to include all major airlines. The decision arose from a lawsuit brought by the American Council of the Blind, the Paralyzed Veterans of America, and the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities, challenging 1982 regulations of the Civil Aeronautics Board. The regulations applied Section 504 to only small airlines which receive direct Federal subsidies to serve remote areas. Since Section 504 covers "programs or activities" which receive Federal financial assistance, reasoned the Board, major airlines need not comply with Section 504 because they do not receive any direct Federal funds. ACB challenged this logic. While most airlines receive no Federal subsidies, air travel would be impossible without Federal assistance. Federal employees operate the air traffic control system, and Federal funds build airports, without which there would be no air travel. Judge David L. Bazelon, writing for a unanimous three-judge panel, agreed: "Section 504 must reach, in our view, the treatment afforded a passenger who boards a company's aircraft at, deplanes to, and reaches his destination safely and efficiently only because of a federally funded airport ... Congress meant, and still means, handicapped persons to be free from discrimination whenever reasonably possible -- not merely when, in the special context of air transportation, handicapped passengers happen to fly a small, subsidized airline to a remote town or are lucky enough to find a large carrier treating them fairly out of courtesy." A twist of fate gives this decision greater impact than was expected when ACB filed the lawsuit in 1983. As a result of the deregulation of the airline industry, started during the Carter Administration, the Civil Aeronautics Board went out of existence on January 1, 1985. Some of the Federal laws which had applied to airlines also expired. One of these was a law which required airlines to make air travel available in a non-discriminatory manner. Airlines could not unreasonably refuse to transport anyone, including disabled people. Until January 1, 1985, courts had applied this general non-discrimination requirement to all airlines and had interpreted it to mean that airlines could not unreasonably refuse to transport people with disabilities. However, when this law "sunset," people with disabilities lost the right to go to court to complain about treatment by airlines that may have been in violation of this law. Therefore, this recent victory is significant. Not only must airlines comply with Section 504, but people with disabilities can go to court to enforce these rights. The U.S. Department of Transportation, which inherited the responsibilities of the Civil Aeronautics Board, will now be required to make Section 504 regulations that apply to all major airlines. Although a final decision has not yet been made, Department of Transportation officials indicate that they are not contemplating an appeal of the determination in this case. However, the Department has not yet decided whether to merely apply the rules developed for small, subsidized airlines to major airlines or whether to develop an entire new set of regulations to apply to major air-carriers. ACB will be actively involved in the process of developing these regulations. The CAB regulations which previously applied only to subsidized airlines contained some provisions which should be applied to all major airlines when the new regulations are made. For example, subsidized airlines were required to have all of their policies applying to disabled travelers available at the airport. Airlines were required to make sure that deaf persons and blind persons had timely access to important information, including information on flight delays, schedule changes, gate changes, information about emergency procedures, and necessary information during actual emergencies. The rules which applied to small airlines required them to permit blind passengers and deaf passengers to be accompanied on aircraft by dog guides on all flights in interstate and overseas transportation. Further, airlines were directed not to insist upon providing special assistance to a handicapped person who does not require it. These small airlines were not permitted to refuse to transport individuals with handicaps unless there was a reasonable, specific basis for the airline's expectation that the disabled person would "jeopardize the safe completion of the flight or the health and safety of other passengers. This determination was to be made by an airline employee specially trained and designated for this purpose." These regulations did not prohibit airlines from refusing to seat blind passengers in over-wing exit rows. The plaintiffs in this case challenged two specific aspects of the CAB regulations. One was the provision which allowed small, subsidized airlines to require 48 hours' notice prior to a flight during which a disabled person needs "extensive special assistance," such as oxygen or boarding assistance using special equipment, e.g. aisle chairs. The court held that this provision was appropriate as applied to small airlines, but that a different rule would have to be considered for larger airlines. In addition, the provision was challenged that required that handicapped persons would not be protected by the regulation if they would "jeopardize the safe completion of the flight or the health or safety of other passengers," or if they were not "willing and able to comply with reasonable safety-related requests or requests necessary for their provision of air transportation." This provision was challenged because it was considered to lack objective guidelines which would limit arbitrary or unreasonable demands by airline personnel. The court disagreed. It stated: "Any request made of a handicapped person must be reasonable and 'safety related' ... Discretionary case-by-case decisions are mandatory. We are not presented with a case involving relatively unambiguous distinctions based on gender or race, but instead with the endless complexities of handicapping conditions, and which apply to a unique industry that carries its clients tens of thousands of feet above the earth at hundreds of miles per hour. Safety requirements go to the very essence of commercial aviation and must be applied not only to handicapped persons, but to all passengers." When final regulations which apply to all airlines are published, blind people and people with other disabilities will have a powerful tool to ensure non-discrimination by airlines. These regulations, coupled with the ongoing program of the American Council of the Blind to educate airlines about appropriate treatment for blind and visually impaired travelers should go a long way toward eliminating the problems now occasionally faced by blind air travelers. ***** ** Disruption of Flights May Hurt Advocacy for Blind Airline Travelers By Scott Marshall Director of Governmental Affairs According to an article which appeared in the February 8, 1983 issue of The Washington Post, about 30 members of the National Federation of the Blind blocked a USAir departure gate and ticket counter for approximately three hours at Washington's National Airport on February 7, when a Federation member, an attorney from Indianapolis, was denied seating in an over-wing emergency exit row, in accordance with airline policy. In a press release issued February 8, ACB's National Representative, Oral O. Miller, stated: "I and many other blind people fly frequently, both on business and for pleasure, without incident of any kind. The importance of the issue of over-wing seating of blind passengers has been totally exaggerated by the Federation. This is merely a shoddy tactic to grab headlines. There are many vastly more significant issues which merit our attention and advocacy." Although some airline policies regarding blind and other handicapped passengers are arbitrary or are implemented inappropriately by untrained personnel, giving rise to the "horror stories" known to every blind airline traveler, demonstrations and disruptions which delay flights and cause inconvenience to the traveling public do more harm than good by creating a misleading, negative, and undignified image of blind people. Although the American Council of the Blind was a plaintiff in a recent lawsuit to expand coverage of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act as it applies to commercial airlines (see article elsewhere in this issue), the Council believes that training of airline personnel, and not confrontation, is the key to better treatment of blind airline travelers. The Council notes in a soon-to-be published training manual the policy of some airlines not to permit blind, handicapped, obese, elderly, or young passengers to sit in over-wing emergency exit rows. Since the current Section 504 regulations permit an airline to make reasonable safety requests of blind and other handicapped passengers, airline personnel, in situations where a seat change is necessary for safety reasons, are advised by the Council to fully explain the reasons for the change to the blind traveler. The manual further recommends that the passenger's alternate seat preference should be honored. Over-wing emergency exit row seating must be distinguished from other policies which do not reasonably relate to safety of airline passengers; e.g., the requirement by some airlines that dog guide users must sit in the bulkhead row. The issue of safety is not simply whether the blind, handicapped, or elderly person can evacuate the plane, but, rather, whether the blind, handicapped, or elderly passenger would be able to quickly and safely jump from the wing and assist other passengers once outside the plane in the presence of hazards such as fire, spilled fuel, water, and sharp metal. Although many blind people could successfully deal with such outside hazards, it is conceivable that to do so might take extra time in a situation where seconds count. Thirteen airlines thus far have expressed interest in ACB's training materials and have agreed to meet with Council representatives to discuss airline services to blind travelers. ***** ** News Briefs from the ACB National Office By Oral O. Miller National Representative No one should ever make the mistake of believing that January in Washington, D.C. is a slow month because Congress comes back into session and reorganizes itself during that month. To the contrary, ACB national staff members were busy throughout the month, preparing first for the ACB Board of Directors meeting and then tending to the dozens of tasks, meetings, and events that were on the docket. For example, in conjunction with the inauguration of President Reagan, staff members of the American Council of the Blind represented the organization at no fewer than four separate Capitol Hill reception-type functions, all of which were extremely well attended by invitees connected in some way with the affairs of the disabled. At the largest of these, hosted by the National Council on the Handicapped in the Great Hall of the Hubert Humphrey Building, efforts to greet guests and give them an opportunity to speak briefly with a few of the honored guests had to be abandoned when it became necessary to open several more entrances to the hall to accommodate the crowd. The ACB National Representative stood briefly as one of the greeters in the short-lived receiving line. Among the sponsors of that function were Health and Human Services Secretary Margaret. Heckler, Senator Robert Dole, Justin Dart, Jr. (well known to many ACB members, who met him during our national convention in Phoenix), and the President of Boeing Aircraft. No monumental policy statements or major commitments were made by the Administration at these functions, but this was the first year in which any administration gave so much attention to handicapped concerns as a part of the vast inaugural festivities. During the month, considerable attention was given by staff members to assisting in the preparation of the appeal to the ruling of the United States District Court in the ACB/RSVA versus Navy/McDonald's lawsuit to the effect that the priority in the Randolph-Sheppard Act does not bar Federal agencies from entering into food-service contracts such as those entered into with McDonald's and Burger King. The plaintiffs generally prevailed on two of the main points, but the third must be appealed if the intent of the Randolph-Sheppard Act is to be given any meaning at all. This case continues to be a "David versus Goliath" struggle, due to the almost limitless resources of the defendants, but the American Council of the Blind and the other plaintiffs are determined to prosecute the matter to the fullest extent possible in order to protect and hopefully enhance a program which has provided employment for many thousands of blind people over the past fifty years. Late in the month, the staff had the pleasant duty of evaluating the decision of the Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in the suit against the Civil Aeronautics Board (in which ACB had joined as a party), to the effect that the major airlines of the United States are required to comply with the provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. A separate article on this decision appears elsewhere in this issue. While this decision will not require all passenger service policies and procedures to be scrutinized by the Federal regulatory process, it will require all such basic policies governing the airlines to be adopted via that process (publication of proposed rules and allowing for comments and recommendations). This decision is extremely timely, in view of the rather large amount of cheap publicity which has been developed in recent months by the National Federation of the Blind concerning blind people sitting by emergency exits. The high price of technology for the assistance of blind people continues to be an obstacle to employment and upward mobility. Although the solution to the problem is a complex one that cannot be accomplished overnight, I am pleased to report that during the month, staff members from ACB met very constructively with representatives from the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped and a foundation-funded employment training/placement organization to explore some imaginative and cooperative methods of helping with such funding. During January, a memorandum was sent to all ACB affiliate presidents concerning the temporary suspension of the grant programs and other relevant matters. It is my understanding that an article summarizing important decisions made by the ACB Board of Directors during its January meeting is scheduled to be published in The Braille Forum. ***** ** Make Plans For Pair-A-Dice 1985 ACB National Convention By David Krause, Chairman ACB Convention Host Committee Check your calendar. Are the dates July 6-13 circled in red? They should be, just so you will not forget to make plans to attend the 1985 national convention of the American Council of the Blind in fabulous Las Vegas. By this time, all special-interest organizations should have received information packets about the convention. Included in this material are menus for special occasions, boutique information, and requests for program details. We remind each special-interest organization to send all details for meetings, meals, and special activities to: Bettye Krause, Special Activities Chairperson, 1985 ACB Convention Committee, 1500 E. Karen, No. 359, Las Vegas, NV 89109. ACB state and special-interest affiliates should have received a letter from Ruth Bradley, Exhibits Chairperson, concerning the ACB boutique. These are special booths available to ACB affiliates for the sale of souvenirs, raffle tickets, and other items. This is one way that your group can raise funds for its special projects. If your affiliate would like to reserve a booth in the boutique, contact Ruth Bradley by April 1 at 2200 Lenwood, North Las Vegas, NV 89030. By the way, the boutique is open to local chapters of state and special-interest affiliates, too. In addition to booth space for ACB affiliates, the convention exhibit area also offers space to government, non-profit, and commercial agencies and firms that provide services and manufacture products of interest to blind and visually impaired people. The ACB exhibit area has become well known throughout the nation for its wide array of participating companies. The show is open for five full days, and evening hours have been added to accommodate increased numbers of conventioners. The latest computer technology, closed-circuit TV systems, and mobility aids will be on display, as well as less expensive items such as watches, canes, and magazines. Most exhibitors have their products for sale at their booths. If you represent a government agency, educational institution, non-profit or commercial firm and you have not received exhibit information for the 1985 convention, contact Ruth Bradley at the address given above as soon as possible. Exhibit reservation forms and information will be forwarded to you immediately. All agencies and companies reserving space by April 1 will be listed in both print and braille convention programs, to be distributed to all convention attendees and to other interested persons throughout the country. With air fares dropping drastically, now is an ideal time to finalize your transportation plans for July. Within the last month, the airlines have introduced new "30-day Supersavers." These special low rates are based on availability (the number of reduced-fare seats is limited on each flight); tickets must be purchased at least thirty days prior to travel; once the ticket has been purchased, no changes or cancellations in travel plans can be made without incurring a penalty; and a stay over at least one Saturday night is required. However, if you have felt that you would not be able to attend this year's convention in Las Vegas because of the high air fares from Midwest and east-coast cities, consider the following comparisons of current "Supersavers" with the new 30-day specials. "Supersaver" fares quoted here are based on tickets requiring a seven- to fourteen-day advance purchase, with a stay over at least one Saturday night, and are averages charged by major carriers. * City of Origin: Supersaver; 30-Day Special Chicago: $518.00; $258.00 Atlanta: $570.00; $258.00 Philadelphia: $536.00; $298.00 Milwaukee: $486.00; $258.00 Nashville: $570.00; $258.00 Kansas City: $431.00; $218.00 Special fares are, of course, not limited to just those cities named here. Don't miss out on this bargain-basement travel! Call your favorite airline or travel agent right away. Make your reservations for the convention now; pay for your ticket by June 1 (assuming you are traveling after July 1), and spend a fantastic week with us in the fun capital of the world. * Hotel Reminder: Convention headquarters hotel - Holiday Inn Center Strip. Address - 3475 Las Vegas Boulevard, S., Las Vegas, NV 89109. Telephone - Toll-free 1-800-634-6765 (use this number only for ACB convention rates). Room rates - $32.00 single or double; $40.00 triple; $48.00 quad. All reservations must be accompanied by a deposit to cover the first night's lodging. Do you have suggestions or questions which you would like to share with the 1985 ACB Convention Committee? Write us at 1500 E. Karen, No. 359, Las Vegas, NV 89109, or call (702) 737-5714. ***** ** ACB Convention Business ... Awards ... Each year, the national convention of the American Council of the Blind sets the course for the organization during the coming year. It is vitally important that all members attending the convention exercise their right and responsibility as Council members. There will be discussions of important resolutions, Constitution and By-Law amendments, reports of staff and officers covering the wide range of ACB activities and services over the past year, selection of the 1987 convention site, and election of the five officers to lead ACB for the next two years. To be a part of the American Council of the Blind, to voice your ideas and opinions, you must be present at the very important business sessions. Mr. Paul Edwards, 2933 Claire Lane, Jacksonville, FL 32217, will again chair the Resolutions Committee. He will appreciate receiving as many of your draft resolutions as possible prior to the convention. The Constitution and By-Laws Committee will be chaired this year by Ms. Anna Marie Hunt, Oklahoma School for the Blind, Box 309, Muskogee, OK 74401. She, too, will appreciate receiving proposed amendments to the ACB Constitution and By-Laws in advance of the convention. The presentation of a number of prestigious awards has become an important part of each ACB national convention. Nominations for the following awards are now being sought and should be sent directly to the chairpersons indicated, to be postmarked no later than June 1, 1985. The Robert S. Bray Award was established in memory of the late Chief of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress. It is presented from time to time, but not necessarily annually, in recognition of outstanding work in extending library services or access to published materials, or improving communications devices or techniques. Nominations should be sent to Ms. Leslie Gertsch, 1301 W. 500 South, Woods Cross, UT 84087. The Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award recipient is selected each year from among candidates who are blind and who, by their lives, associations and activities, have demonstrated their integration into, and their interaction with, the life of the community. It is not necessary for the candidate to be a member of or active in any organization of the blind, or that he or she be engaged in work for the blind. The George Card Award is presented periodically to an outstanding blind person who has contributed significantly to the betterment of blind people in general. This award is not limited by locality or by nature of the contribution, and it is not necessarily given each year. Nominations for both the Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award and the George Card Award should be sent directly to Mrs. Patricia Saunders, 2118 N.W. 21st Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73107. ***** ** Notice Concerning Applications for and Renewals of ACB Membership-At-Large The American Council of the Blind Constitution and By-Laws provide that any person who has reached the age of 18 years and who is not a voting member of an ACB affiliate is eligible to become a member-at-large, with the right to an individual vote at the ACB national convention. Annual membership-at-large dues are $2.00. New applicants for membership-at-large pay an initiation fee of $3.00, which includes the first year's dues. Application forms are available from the ACB National Office. The ACB Constitution and By-Laws further provide that all dues are to be received no later than ninety days prior to the ACB national convention; that is, in 1985, no later than April 11. All membership-at-large dues should be clearly identified as such and should be sent, to be received no later than April 11, 1985, to the ACB National Office, Attention: James R. Olsen, Treasurer, 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 506, Washington, DC 20036. ***** ** VISTA's Role in the "Information Age" By Pat Price, Immediate Past President Visually Impaired Secretarial/Transcribers Association Assessing the reasons for membership in any organization is not only a prudent activity, but frequently can be tremendously rewarding. I practiced this activity recently with reference to my membership in the Visually Impaired Secretarial/Transcribers Association (VISTA), and I would like to share some of those personal reflections. Secretaries -- more than 3. 8 million of us -- constitute one of the largest occupational groups in the United States. Further, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts we will be the fastest-growing sector of the labor force over the next nine years. Each of us involved in the secretarial or information industry, at a time referred to by experts from all fields as the "information age," knows quite realistically that information is our future. We therefore, in this modern renaissance, need to identify ourselves with an organization that provides the concepts and developments that are creating the information age of our future. VISTA is such an organization. It is important, too, that such an organization provide its members the information needed to professionally manage today our employer's entry into the information age. VISTA meets this need. It does it through its publications, seminars, and personal contacts with other visually impaired members and professionals working within the blindness community. It is equally important that such an organization provide a forum, a place to share common interests, to pool information gained through hard experience, and to nurture professional awareness and growth. VISTA not only provides such a forum, but, additionally, gives us the information for our future. After all, when information is our field, where would we be without the information of our field? VISTA strongly believes that we, as information specialists, have cause for genuine pride in our work for, and that without question we can make unique and valuable contributions to, our work environment. VISTA strives to keep us up to date with the progress of the information age, thus enabling us to find solutions to the daily challenges we face. If these comments seem to convey a personal bias, you have perceptively read not only the lines, but between the lines as well. My involvement with VISTA has been exceedingly pleasant, motivating, maturing, and career strengthening. I value it as a priceless opportunity. ***** ** Workshops Part Ill: The Wall Street Connection By Kathy Megivern Many Braille Forum readers may remember two articles about the sheltered workshop program which appeared in The Wall Street Journal in January 1979. To say that these articles "caused a stir" would be like describing Mt. St. Helen's as a "minor flare-up." The crusading reporters from WSJ sought out and exposed every evil -- both real and imagined. Some of the tales of conditions in certain sheltered shops were truly horrifying: leaking roofs, broken toilets, rats, waterbugs, etc. And their examples of blind people being paid less than $1.00 an hour while workshop administrators were making $40,000 a year were, indeed, difficult to ignore. Some of what they reported was undoubtedly accurate and therefore deserved condemnation; some of it was incomplete or out of context; and some of it was just plain hogwash! For instance, when discussing wages, they didn't bother to distinguish between regular workshops and work activity centers (where therapy is the major purpose and "productivity" is minimal). There was, of course, no effort to show anything positive about the program; there were no interviews with workshop employees who were being paid minimum wage or better (except in Maryland); no site visits to workshops where they might find contented employees, progressive management techniques, or quality services (such shops really aren't that hard to find). There is little value to re-hashing any of the details in that series written five years ago. Hopefully, any of the situations pointed out in that series have been corrected by this time. However, one major question which those articles raised is, if anything, even more timely today than it was in 1979; namely, Why was The Wall Street Journal so interested in injustice and abuse in the sheltered workshop program? After all, they felt no need to do an expose on stories of abuses and union-busting tactics of J. P. Stevens, nor did they complain about "the inequities" in private industry, where workers earn only a fraction of the wages paid to their corporate executives. I have yet to see a front-page article in The Wall Street Journal decrying how overpaid Lee Iacocca is. I have phrased the question as if it is some great mystery, when, in fact, the Journal articles themselves made no secret of their true interest. The first article described poor working conditions, low wages, anti-union activities in one workshop and concluded that, "The workers stand almost alone in any effort to improve their lot." Almost, but not quite! The writers go on to describe "a group of allies" who do, in fact, care about these poor blind workers, seemingly the only group concerned and courageous enough to take up the battle of abused workshop employees everywhere. Who is this champion of righteousness? No, guess again. Would you believe -- the Office Products Manufacturers Association! This group has been so concerned about the lot of blind workers that, according to The Wall Street Journal, they have frequently complained to the Small Business Administration about the "unfair competition" from sheltered workshops (only because of their concern for blind workers, of course). "Unfair competition" is a claim which is frequently heard from small businesses which contract with the Government for products similar to those produced by sheltered workshops. They complain that the subminimum wage allowances and other tax benefits accorded to non-profit workshops put them at a disadvantage. While this concern has often been masked as compassion for the underpaid blind workers, it is clear that the desired goal of eliminating the source of the "unfair competition" would also eliminate the source of employment for thousands of blind workers. A similar campaign was begun a few years ago by then-Congressman Barry Goldwater, Jr. of California. The Goldwater bill was touted as a "reform" of the Javits-Wagner-O'Day program, introduced for the benefit of "oppressed" blind people. However, in Congressional testimony on the subject of subminimum wages, Representative Goldwater never once mentioned blind workers, concentrating instead on the "unfair competition" to his friends in small businesses. Congressman Goldwater failed in his bid for re-election in 1982, and the Goldwater bill met an untimely demise. However, the attack from private-sector small businesses is far from over. A lawsuit recently filed in U.S. District Court in New York by one such small business is challenging the validity of actions by National Industries for the Severely Handicapped and the committee which oversees the JWOD program, the Committee for Purchase from the Blind and Other Severely Handicapped. Other such challenges are likely to follow as small businesses become more vocal in their opposition to the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act. So what's the point of all this? Never trust a crusading journalist? Beware of small businesses out to "save" blind people? The message is twofold: To members of the American Council of the Blind and others who are concerned about improving employment opportunities for blind people, we should understand the seriousness of this threat and be prepared to fight to preserve the sheltered workshop program. Does that mean that we can't criticize the program? Can't speak out when we identify problems or shortcomings? On the contrary, now more than ever is the time for a positive dialogue intended to improve and strengthen the program. After all, the critics will surely point out the faults, and, therefore, the supporters cannot afford to pretend they don't exist. In dealing with external threats, there is one other which was briefly mentioned in my first article. It has to do with the "blind priority." You probably thought it was Justice that's blind, and therefore Priority must be sighted. But in the case of the Javits-Wagner-O'Day program, we definitely have a blind priority. As I noted in the earlier article, this priority was given to workshops for the blind in recognition of the fact that blindness is a unique disability, and the production of certain items is better suited to the abilities of blind workers. The priority came about as the result of compromises when the Act was expanded in 1971 to include workshops for the other severely handicapped. Despite their agreement at that time that the priority was an acceptable way to protect the workshops for the blind once the program was expanded, one association representing workshops for the other severely handicapped has now decided that the blind priority is unfairly limiting their program. The National Association of Rehabilitation Facilities has filed suit in the U.S. District Court challenging the scope of the blind priority. (Yes, another lawsuit -- no wonder we lawyers love the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act!) Well, now that I've covered the "external" threats, it's time to get back to some of the "internal" accusations. In our next episode, we'll take a look at upward mobility 00 or: Is there life after the sheltered workshop? ***** ** "May I Help You?"-- Merchants Made Aware of Blind Buying Power By Laura Oftedahl Director of Public Affairs "Special Shopper Days" at holiday time are great, but blind and other disabled people spend money more often than once or twice a year. That's why Susan Friedman, owner of Gwynedd Designs, an innovative audio gift catalog for visually impaired people, sold the idea of an awareness workshop to the Chicago Giftware Association. Ms. Friedman, along with rehabilitation social worker Mary Kozy and her guide dog, presented an informative "handicapped awareness" session in conjunction with the Chicago Gift Show. This show is the largest of its kind in the country and attracts thousands of merchants, manufacturers, and buyers from throughout the United States. Perhaps even more impressive than acquiring program time for the hour-and-a-half session itself is the fact that the Chicago Giftware Association, headed by Alex Hamilton, generously printed 20,000 brochures and 20,000 decals for store doors. The publication, "The Visually Impaired Market a Different Dimension in Merchandising," was written by Friedman and Kozy, with consultation from the Public Affairs Department of the American Council of the Blind, and succinctly outlines tips for serving visually impaired customers. The decal, designed by Philadelphia artist Janet Sternberger, says: "GUIDE DOGS WELCOME." These materials were distributed to attendees and are available to businesses from the Giftware Association. Modifying attitudes about disabled people and providing assistance when requested were the topics addressed during the breakfast session. Merchants learned how to guide blind people through the shop, how guide dogs perform in stores, and how to handle transactions at the counter. Among the points Ms. Friedman underscored were: ? Blind people are interested in price and color and don't necessarily opt for the cheapest item; ? Blind people get a great deal of information by tactually examining merchandise; and ? Blind people are definitely interested in what's going on with fashion and gift trends. They also talked about how blind people can often shop independently in familiar surroundings, and pointed out that "accessibility" of a shop means not only being able to get in the door, but also having wide, uncluttered aisles. Merchants were urged to post the handy brochure in their stock room, where all employees would see it, and to actively publicize their new awareness through area rehabilitation agencies and groups. After all, this type of promotion doesn't cost anything and will increase store traffic, sales, and store image. Visually impaired customers appreciate and give their business to merchants who are skilled in providing extra information about merchandise and store layout. Also, blind and visually impaired people network through such organizations as ACB chapters and affiliates, so other blind folks will soon know about that "great shop" on Main Street. Another ingenious idea suggested by Ms. Friedman is an audio guide to shopping malls. Here's a good cooperative project for consumers and merchants. Produce the cassette with brief descriptions of the mall stores and a layout of the complex; enlist the mall association or chamber of commerce to pull it together and perhaps fund it; have blind shoppers critique it for its usefulness; and ask the local radio station to record it. Cooperating libraries for the blind can be approached to facilitate the duplication and distribution phases of the project. Copies of the brochure covering tips for serving visually impaired shoppers and the guide dog access decal can be obtained by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Chicago Giftware Association, Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL 60654. They will gladly send these to businesses interested in opening their minds and doors to blind customers. Bulk shipments will be made to malls and shopping centers which send requests on business letterhead. So, Braille Forum readers are urged to get busy and interest their local merchants in this project. Susan Friedman has really put the interests of visually impaired shoppers at the forefront of her creative endeavors. It all started, incidentally, when she volunteered to be a guide for the Ski for Light program. It's refreshing to find someone who will consult with blind people every step of the way, too, in setting up her enterprises. The Gwynedd Designs gift catalog, a delightful collection of gifts and accessories, with a section on the latest fashion trends, comes on a tone-indexed cassette and is available for $3.00, $2.00 of which goes toward your first order. Order from: Gwynedd Designs, P.O. Box 17872, Milwaukee, WI 53217. It's such a nifty idea that it was written up in the February 5 issue of Family Circle magazine, which is picked up at the grocery checkout by eight million readers. ***** ** ACB and Five Other Plaintiffs Appeal Randolph-Sheppard Decision The American Council of the Blind, the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America, the Blinded Veterans Association, the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind, Paul Verner, President of RSVA, and the Honorable Jennings Randolph have filed an appeal in the Circuit Court for the District of Columbia to reverse a lower court ruling in RSVA et al. v. Weinberger et al. As reported last month in The Braille Forum, Judge Barrington Parker of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted the Government's motion for summary judgment, thereby dismissing the plaintiffs' case which arose out of contracts between units of the Defense Department and two fast-food chains, which ACB and the other plaintiffs alleged violated provisions of the Randolph-Sheppard Act. Mr. Robert R. Humphreys, attorney for the plaintiffs, and former Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration, expects the plaintiffs' brief to be filed within 30 days. A decision by the Circuit Court could come as early as the spring or summer. Although the narrow interpretation of the law by the District Court is disappointing, the plaintiffs fully expect to prevail on this appeal. In other Randolph-Sheppard developments, progress is moving forward in efforts to initiate a Congressional oversight hearing to address such issues as administration of the program by the Department of Education, funding needs of the program, and, of course, compliance by Federal agencies and departments with the Randolph-Sheppard Act. Although not officially appointed at this writing, Representative Pat Williams (D., MT) is expected to be the new Chairman of the Subcommittee on Select Education in the House. Letters urging the Subcommittee to promptly schedule an oversight hearing on the Randolph-Sheppard program, in accordance with ACB Membership Resolution 84-01, should be addressed to: The Honorable Pat Williams, Subcommittee on Select Education, Room 617 House Annex No. 1, Washington, DC 20515. ***** ** Youths Receive Glimpse of Driving By Jim Parsons (Reprinted from the Minneapolis Tribune, Sunday, May 20, 1984) Things went reasonably well at Cari Kness's first driving lesson Saturday morning despite a couple of minor problems. She was too short to see over the dashboard. And she was wearing a protective helmet that was so big and cumbersome that it blocked her vision. What little vision she has, that is. Cari is blind. So blind, in fact, that she couldn't see a stop sign if it waved at her. She can see shapes and forms -- when she doesn't have to wear a helmet. But yesterday she had a 125-horsepower Chevy purring as she dodged through trees while zipping up a bumpy hill, did a 360 around a post, backed up between some stakes and came to an abrupt stop -- before plowing into a sand pile. Not bad for an 11-year-old whose previous driving experience was confined to tricycles. "It was fun," she said, "but with that stupid helmet on I couldn't see a thing." None of the 16 kids who navigated the obstacle course at Crossroads Covenant Church in Forest Lake could see. At least, not well enough to drive. And they never will. That's precisely why Diane Lemke and the Association for Blind Living and Education (ABLE) spent the day letting the youngsters drive. "It's just one of many experiences that they wouldn't normally have in life and we want to do something about that. We want them to know that they can do a lot of things, like water ski or go bowling, if they will only believe that they can. "Besides, most youngsters are just itching to get behind a wheel and blind youngsters aren't any different. In fact, the impulse to just try it once may be greater for us. I've even done it once or twice myself and about all I can see with my good eye is vague forms and shadows," said Lemke, director of the association and who was blinded by diabetes when she was 25. Cari Kness ... couldn't care less about the psychological reasons why the outing was good for her. "It was fun," she said, "I was scared at first. I thought that stupid car would flip over and I would be paralyzed for life. But now I want to do it again. Without the helmet." The helmet was just one of many safety precautions. A wooden block was put under the accelerator so there would be no chance of an accidental wheelie. A Blaine police officer, either Merl King or Dean Ackerson, sat next to the driver with a hand hovering near the wheel and a foot ready to stab the brake. In the back seat there was a guide, quietly talking the youngsters through each maneuver. (When guide Sue Ritchie got to the spot on the course where 16-year-old Beth Vanyo was supposed to back the car, Ritchie got nervous. "This ought to be quite an experience," she said, "because I can't back a car myself, much less tell someone else how to do it.") Ritchie wasn't nearly as nervous as the policemen, especially Ackerson. He started out wearing a helmet and yelling, "Stop!" every time the youngsters got up to 5 miles an hour. And except for a couple of trees and a fence, there wasn't anything the youngsters could have hit even if they had tried. By mid-afternoon, Ackerson began to relax a bit. "At first, I thought I was crazy to do this," he said. "Now, I realize I'm just dumb." Actually, he was neither. He's Diane Lemke's brother and has an acute realization of what it's like to help youngsters such as John Sticha. John is 11 and he was both fascinated and frightened as he waited his turn to drive. He didn't say anything as he went through the course, but at the end he hopped out and hugged his dad, Ron Sticha. "You want to do it again?" dad asked. "No," said John. "What I want to do now is drive our van home." ***** ** IRS Discontinues Printing of Braille Publications ... ACB Assists in Filing Civil Rights Complaint By Scott Marshall Director of Governmental Affairs The Internal Revenue Service, the nation's tax collector, has discontinued paper braille production of its two comprehensive information publications: No. 17, Your Federal Income Tax, and No. 334, Tax Guide for Small Business. These publications, which contain the tax information needed to prepare basic tax forms and schedules for both personal and business returns, were previously produced in press braille editions and circulated to blind taxpayers through their cooperating regional libraries. Although the IRS will continue to print paper braille copies of Forms 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, and Instructions for Taxable Year 1984, which should already be available to you through your cooperating regional library, the publications mentioned above (No. 17 and No. 334) will be available this year only on VersaBraille cassette tape and will be distributed only to IRS's own personnel, notwithstanding an announcement carried in the January-February 1985 issue of Braille Book Review to the effect that VersaBraille cassette copies of Publications Nos. 17 and 334 would be made available to individual taxpayers. The American Council of the Blind has written to IRS Publishing Chief Hugh Kent and to Secretary of the Treasury James A. Baker III to voice its vehement objection to this change in IRS policy. Although we can understand the advantage of providing IRS publications on VersaBraille cassette tape for IRS's own personnel who have access to VersaBraille units, we are gravely concerned that the availability of these publications only in the VersaBraille medium will greatly limit availability of this information by blind taxpayers who do not have access to VersaBraille machines. Although the IRS should provide VersaBraille copies of this material to individuals who can use them, particularly in light of the low cost associated with the production of additional VersaBraille copies, basic IRS materials should continue to be available in some accessible form to blind taxpayers generally who need this information. Both Publications 17 and 334 are available free of charge to the sighted public in ink-print, and there is no reason why access to this material in readable form should not be made available to blind taxpayers. Because of the importance of this issue, Barbara Nelson, ACB's Staff Attorney, has assisted an ACB member, herself a blind taxpayer, to file a Section 504 complaint with the Department of the Treasury. When ACB contacted the Department of the Treasury by phone to confirm the necessary complaint filing procedures, department personnel advised that they had never processed a Section 504 complaint. This is not surprising, in view of the fact that the Department of Treasury has not yet published its Section 504 regulations as required by law. In addition, ACB has contacted several Congressional committees having legislative or oversight jurisdiction concerning IRS matters. If you have used braille editions of IRS publications in the past or would find such material useful, let your member of Congress know about your concern. Also send a copy of your letter to James A. Baker III, Secretary of the Department of the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20220. It would also be appreciated if you would send a copy of your letter to us here at the ACB National Office. ***** ** BVA Announces Academic Scholarship Availability The Blinded Veterans Association has announced that six scholarships in the amount of $1500 each will be awarded for the 1985-86 academic year. This is the second year of the BVA scholarship program. Dependent children or spouses of blinded veterans are eligible. The veteran does not have to be a member of the Blinded Veterans Association. The veteran must be legally blind, and his blindness can be service-connected or non-service-connected. Additionally, an applicant must have been accepted for admission or already enrolled as a full-time student in an undergraduate or graduate program at an accredited institution of higher education to be eligible for the scholarship. Scholarship payments will be made directly to the institution of higher education. Applications are available by writing the Blinded Veterans Association, 1735 DeSales Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20036. Completed applications and all supporting materials must be returned to the BVA no later than May 1, 1985. The scholarships will be awarded on the basis of answers to questions included in the application form, transcripts of high-school and/ or college records, letters of reference, and a 300-word essay on career goals. The Blinded Veterans Association is a national, non-profit organization concerned with the welfare of blinded veterans. It was founded in 1945 by a group of World War II blinded veterans, and 1985 marks BVA's 40th anniversary. ***** ** High Tech Swap Shop * For Sale: Optacon with carrying case and shoulder strap. Good condition -- rarely used. Will take best offer. Please contact Wally Koch, 104 Rankin Court, Wake Forest, NC 27587; (919) 556-7106. * For Sale: Voyager CCTV. 7 1/2-by-10-inch screen; reversible green on white; magnification up to 60 times. Adjustable as to focus and size. Perfect condition. Must sell to highest bidder. Please write or phone Lillian R. Goldwater, 1302 Ocean Drive, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254; (213)376-1893. * Wanted: Used Talkman cassette recorder with two-speed, four-track cassette play capability. Contact S. Oswal, 223 Neptune W., Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115; (815) 753-3357. ***** ** Calendar of Events This Calendar of Events is prepared by the Public Affairs Department 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. April 11-14 - Meeting of the Independent Visually Impaired Enterprisers (IVIE) - Nashville, TN April 13 - Badger Association of the Blind (Wisconsin) ACB Day - Milwaukee April 18-21 - ACB of California Spring Convention - Sacramento April 20 - Connecticut Council of the Blind State Convention - Wallingford April 26-27 - Mississippi Council of the Blind State Convention - Jackson April 27 - Arizona Council of the Blind State Convention - Phoenix April 27 - New Hampshire Council of the Blind State Convention - Manchester April 30-May 2, 1985 - National Braille Association Inc. National Conference - Saddle Brook, NJ May 2-4 - Association of Radio Reading Services 11th Annual Conference - New Orleans, LA May 17-19 - Louisiana Council of the Blind State Convention - Metairie (New Orleans) May 24-27 - ACB of Texas State Convention - Houston June 6-8 - American Society of Handicapped Physicians 40th Annual Conference - Anaheim, CA June 7-9 - Florida Council of the Blind State Convention - Lakeland June 7-9 - Iowa Council of the Blind State Convention - Cedar Rapids June 7-9 - North Dakota Association of the Blind State Convention - Dickinson July 6-13 - American Council of the Blind National Convention - Las Vegas, NV ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon The Genesee Federation of the Blind, a chapter of the Michigan Association of the Blind, which is an ACB affiliate, recently celebrated its 40th anniversary at a dinner meeting. Present to speak at the occasion was Mrs. Betty McWethy, one of the founders of the organization. From a beginning of five members, the Flint-based group now has a membership of more than 200, with an annual budget of $60,000, its own clubhouse, and extensive social enrichment programs for persons who are visually impaired and elderly, or who are otherwise additionally handicapped, as well as recreation programs for the general membership. Pointing out that two-thirds of the 36 million disabled people in the United States are of voting age, the National Easter Seal Society has launched a nationwide Voter Accessibility Project, according to the Associated Press. Easter Seal Societies across the country have started programs to make voting places accessible, to assist with registration, and to help get elderly and handicapped people out to the polls. For a free copy of their brochure, "Everyone Can Vote," send a self-addressed, stamped, business size envelope to: National Easter Seal Society, 2023 W. Ogden Avenue, Chicago, IL 60612. A national hotline for employers who need information about accommodating disabled employees is now being operated by the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped. Called JAN -- for Job Accommodation Network -- the system consists of a computerized database containing information from employers and experts who have adapted specific work situations to the needs of disabled workers. To use JAN, an employer dials the toll-free number, 800-JAN-PCEH. A human factors engineer takes the call and asks a few relevant questions regarding the disabled employee's functional limitations, requirements of the job, workplace conditions, and other pertinent business operations information. The information is fed into the computer, which within minutes will print out a brief abstract for each accommodation found in its databank that was made in a similar situation. The only cost to the employer who calls JAN is that employer's commitment to provide the database with information on accommodations it makes or already has made. For further information, contact JAN coordinator Ruth Ellen Ross at the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped, at (202) 653-5022. A petite brunette with a keen sense of humor, high-school sophomore Lisa Sullivan, plays flute in the Muskegon (Michigan) high-school band and sits second chair in the school's concert band. Lisa giggles when she thinks of marching in Hackley Stadium, writes the Muskegon Chronicle: "I just hope somebody stops me before I march off the field," she says. Lisa, who is blind, excels in music arid academics. The only help she needs is the hand of a fellow bandmate on her elbow so that she will hold formation: She learns the music from listening to recordings and the formations from reading raised maps made from tinfoil. The Oral Hull Foundation for the Blind is sponsoring two separate weeks of camping during the summer of 1985-July 6-13 and August 24-31. Activities include fishing, swimming, hiking, handcrafts, and a one-day excursion. Cost for the week is $100, which includes meals, lodging, and all activities. Transportation will be provided from the airport, train station, or bus depot. For an application, write Oral Hull Foundation for the Blind, P.O. Box 157, Sandy, OR 97055. First-time accreditation was awarded to three agencies at a recent meeting of the Commission on Accreditation of the National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped (NAC). These are: Delaware County Branch, Pennsylvania Association for the Blind, Chester, PA; Rockland County Association for the Visually Impaired, Pomona, NY; and Savannah Association for the Blind, Savannah, GA. With the addition of these new members, the total number of NAC-accredited agencies and schools throughout the country now stands at an all-time high of 100. Seventeen-year-old Mark Belair, a student at Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown, Massachusetts, was one of several young blind persons who experienced an unusual bike ride last summer, according to an item in Hoosier Starlight. The young people journeyed to New Hampshire to experience the fun of "riding the rails," a way of cycling on their own without crashing or falling. Ron Forster, the inventor of this unique cycle, calls his contraption "Ron's Rider." It comes in one- or two-seat models, with pedals and four aluminum wheels. Ron intends to market his $1500 cycle to campgrounds near abandoned railroad tracks. Anyone wishing to join the fun or to know more about "Ron's Rider" may contact Ron Forster, River Bend Mill, Franklin, NH 03235. From APH News: Funding for the Act to Promote the Education of the Blind for FY 1985 is $5,510,000. Of this amount, $5,020,000 is allocated to educational materials, $350,000 to research and development, and $140,000 to help cover administrative costs of the Printing House. As of January 1984, 44,363 legally blind students were registered in APH's annual census. The following statistics provide a closer look at these students. Reading medium: braille - 16 %, large-type - 31 %, both - 3%, and neither, 50%. Type of program: public school - 66%, residential - 20%, and rehabilitation - 14%. The Internal Revenue Service has approximately 150 pre-recorded tapes that answer most common Federal tax questions. If you have a push-button phone, service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Rotary dial service is available Monday through Friday during business hours. Long-distance charges may apply if you call from outside your local calling area. You can find the local Tele-Tax number for your area as well as a listing of available tapes toward the back of your tax instruction booklet. An "Area Code Directory for Major Cities in the United States and Canada" has been compiled with the permission and cooperation of Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, Community Projects Center, Wichita, Kansas. The directory lists approximately 700 locations in the United States and Canada, with their respective area codes. Cities are listed alphabetically by state, in an easy-to-follow format. The braille volume is spiral-bound and has been produced on 8 1/2- by 11-inch durable plastic sheets. The cassette edition is tone-indexed and can be played on any cassette player. To order, send check or money order to: Steve Bauer, 3120 W.9th Street, Wichita, KA 67203. This handy reference will be invaluable to anyone who does any amount of long-distance calling. Single copies are $5.00, two copies $9.00. Quantity prices available upon request. When ordering, please be sure to specify braille or tape format. Russ Allgaier, organist at the Detroit Red Wings hockey stadium, is blind and follows game action via a radio broadcast, according to the Kalamazoo Gazette. He's quick on the keyboard when the occasion arises. Recently when fans were peppering the ice with debris in protesting an official's call, Allgaier responded with "April Showers," followed by "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head." David S. Vogel, who is blind, was recently appointed as Director of the Missouri Bureau for the Blind. Vogel, age 38, had been Director of Services to the Visually Impaired in South Dakota. He was the unanimous choice of a selection committee after a nationwide search. International Disabled Marketing Associates (IDMA) offers a free introductory cassette describing a business career opportunity for blind or physically handicapped persons. Operate from your own home or business, part-time or full-time; no experience necessary. Contact Jack H. Morgan, 438 Cypress Street, Lehighton, PA 18235; (215) 377-4650. *** "Feel-and-Read -- See-and-Read" combination print/braille Easter greeting cards (secular only) are available from Harry A. Fribush, 400 Hudson Avenue, Apt. 104, Albany, NY 12203. Cost is $3.50 per box of 14 cards; add $.70 for name in print. Combination print/braille greeting cards for all occasions, as well as a selection of various types of mailing envelopes, are also available. Write Mr. Fribush for details. Visualtek, a leading manufacturer of electronic video visual aids, has introduced MBOSS-1, a 10-character-per-second, continuous form feed braille printer. "The MBOSS-1 is the first of a series of products we will release that addresses the needs of the totally blind," said John Brady, President of Visualtek. The MBOSS-1 is a table-top braille embosser which produces hard-copy braille from a computer, a terminal or word processing station, or a refreshable braille device. Eight user-selectable impact levels permit quality embossing on various weights of braille paper. For further information, call Visualtek, toll-free, 800-345-2256 (800-521-5605 in California). Chicago-based modem manufacturer U.S. Robotics, Inc., and the National Braille Press, Inc., are offering a braille edition of the Password Modem Users Manual free to the visually impaired. Blind or visually impaired persons who own or buy a U.S. Robotics Password modem can obtain a braille user's manual by writing or calling National Braille Press, Inc., 88 St. Stephen Street, Boston, MA 02115; (617) 266-6160. "The telecommunications industry offers so much potential to the disabled," said John Fox, Director of Sales and Marketing for U.S. Robotics. "The braille manual will help make our product accessible to an important group of people." The Northern Nevada Braille Transcribers, Inc., is a recently formed volunteer organization, Nevada's only officially organized braille transcribing group, according to its president, Lois Baskerville. The group is seeking used braillers to purchase, as well as braillers which might be borrowed for use in a class to train new transcribers. Since they have a skilled brailler repairman, the machines loaned need not be in perfect working condition. If you can help, contact Lois Baskerville, 1015 Oxford Avenue, Sparks, NV 89431. ***** ** American Council of the Blind National Special-Interest Affiliates American Blind Lawyers Association - James D. Faimon, President, 4641 Valley Road, Lincoln, NE 68510 ACB Service Net - Travis L. Harris, President, 3840 N.W. 31st Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73112 ACB Federal Employees - Bernice Kandarian, President, 2130 P Street, N.W., #620, Washington, DC 20037 ACB Parents - Jimmy Gibson, President, 6209 Lycoming Road, Montgomery, AL 36117 Braille Revival League - Paul Edwards, President, 2933 Claire Lane, Jacksonville, FL 32217 Council of Citizens with Low Vision - Carl Foley, President, 1357 E. David Road, Kettering, OH 45429 Council of Rehabilitation Specialists - Juliet Esterly, President, 2408 Ptarmigan, #1, Walnut Creek, CA 94595 Friends-in-Art of ACB - Janiece Petersen, President, 1629 Columbia Road, N.W., #800, Washington, DC 20009 Guide Dog Users, Inc. - Phyllis Stern, President, 1178 S. Kenilworth Avenue, Oak Park, IL 60304 Independent Visually Impaired Enterprisers - Geraldine Stroh, President, 3311 Girard Avenue, North, Minneapolis, MN 55412 National Alliance of Blind Students - Jane Toleno, President, 1815 Hillsboro Avenue, Golden Valley, MN 55427 National Association of Blind Teachers - Floyd Cargill, President, 216 W. Miller Street, Springfield, IL 62702 Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America - Paul Verner, President, 7505 Robindale Road, Tampa, FL 33619 Visually Impaired Secretarial/Transcribers Association - Cathy Lutz, President, 3232 Annandale Road, Falls Church, VA 22042 Visually Impaired Data Processors International - M.J. Schmitt, President, 528 Des Plaines Avenue, #2A, Forest Park, IL 60130 Visually Impaired Veterans of America - Randolph Greene, President, P.O. Box 10156, Austin, TX 78766 World Council of Blind Lions - Merrill Maynard, President, 171 Washington Street, Taunton, MA 02780 ***** ** 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 tap) 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. ###