The Braille Forum Vol. XXIII May 1985 No. 11 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 Legislative Alert: "Free Matter" Mailing Privilege in Jeopardy, by Scott Marshall News Briefs from the ACB National Office, by Oral O. Miller Position Available -- ACB Staff Attorney Universal Accessibility, by Larry Johnson Accessibility, an Issue Affecting Everyone, by Jack McSpadden Come One, Come All: Pair-a-Dice Waits! -- 1985 ACB National Convention, by David Krause So You're Coming to Las Vegas in July ..., by Sam Negrin Department of Transportation Reverses Course on Section 504, by Barbara Nelson Op Ed Health Care A Touch of Rape? Art of the Eye -- Exhibit on Vision Seeks U.S. Artists In Memoriam: John Edward Vanlandingham Howard H. Hanson Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon Calendar of Events Notice to Subscribers ***** ** President's Message By Grant Mack The soft, white, powdery sand stretched for miles in both directions to left and right. Sloping gently toward the west away from me, it disappeared beneath the edge of the nervous surf about fifty yards out from the five-foot wall which protected the lounge area of the built-up back yard of the hotel. Small children were racing the outstretched fingers of the spent waves as they extended themselves and eventually ran out on the still wet, hard-packed sand, before retreating backward to disappear beneath the next gentle surge of the white foamy push of the relentless surf. Shrimp boats were plying the water four or five miles off shore, filling their nets with the seemingly endless supply of those little creatures that bring riches and employment to those involved in the shrimp business, an industry which makes Mazatlan the shrimp-boat capital of the world. Easter vacation and the warm weather had brought hordes of people to this "Mexican riviera." People in all stages of dress and undress were enjoying the sun, water, and gentle air. Roving mariachi bands, beach merchants, beggars, and tourists by the thousands tended to create an exciting, yet relaxed atmosphere. One thinks of many things while lounging on a chaise, protected by a thatched cabana and dreamily enjoying a festive, yet relaxed atmosphere, with a large bath towel protecting white arms and legs and a straw hat covering the face. I thought of the great flexibility of the Mexican people and their ability to stay happy in the face of what to a "gringo" is almost abject poverty. Certainly the Mexican merchants have shown their flexibility as they have coped with the series of peso devaluations. I can remember when the exchange rate was 12 pesos for a dollar. Now it is 240 pesos for a dollar. In a few short years, one might think, the dollar is worth twenty times more. Yet the relative cost for goods and services is almost exactly the same. The alacrity with which a Mexican merchant can change his prices is marvelous. Today an item might sell for 1,000 pesos; tomorrow it can be 2,000. This ability to be flexible has made it possible for these merchants to survive in an economy that has had frequent changes over the past few years. We do not have to look far to see other demonstrations of the advisability and good judgment to remain flexible. Sugar Ray Robinson, the great middle-weight boxing champion of a few decades ago, and reputed to be one of the greatest boxers of all time, pound for pound, is a classic example of the value to be flexible. Few punches ever landed solidly on his chin. He was flexible enough to give ground when an opponent's fist found its way through the defense. Other less successful boxers could not "ride with the punches" and fell by the wayside. There are scores of other examples. I visited Anchorage, Alaska, in the winter of 1964, less than a year after the. great Alaska earthquake, and observed evidence of buildings that had survived that massive disturbance. The frame homes were much more likely to survive the great upheaval of earth. The hard, rigid, brick homes cracked and crumbled and disappeared. They had broken up and become rubble because of their inflexibility. A pane of glass shatters from only a small blow or a heavy wind, while, on the other hand, a palm tree can withstand hurricane force winds because of its capacity to bend and give. The inability of some people to adjust to adversity, changing situations, disappointments, and other pressures of all kinds causes them to break and fall by the way. I was glad to be reminded of this important lesson as I mused and relaxed on the beach at Mazatlan in early April. ***** ** Legislative Alert: "Free Matter" Mailing Privilege In Jeopardy By Scott Marshall Director of Governmental Affairs THE ISSUE: The revenue foregone postal subsidy, which is an annual appropriation by Congress to the U.S. Postal Service, finances the "Free Matter for the Blind and Physically Handicapped" mailing privilege, as well as reduced postal rates for certain other mailers such as non-profit organizations and educational institutions. President Reagan's F.Y. 1986 budget proposal zero funds the revenue foregone postal subsidy. This means that postage-free mailing of braille, recorded, and large-type materials as well as specially adapted equipment for the blind and visually impaired could be curtailed or eliminated altogether, unless Congress acts first to budget and then to appropriate money for the revenue foregone postal subsidy. Similarly, without the revenue foregone subsidy, the current rates paid by non­profit mailers could escalate 100 percent. The U.S. Postal Service had requested approximately $38 million for "Free Matter for the Blind" mail in F.Y. 1986. WHAT TO DO: Immediately contact your members of Congress -- both Senators and Representatives. Tell them why the "Free Matter" privilege and reduced rates for non­profit organizations is important to you. Ask them specifically to request the chairmen of the Budget and Appropriations Committees in the House and Senate to include sufficient budget authority and to appropriate funds for the revenue foregone postal subsidy, as requested by the U.S. Postal Service for F.Y. 1986. Put action into your request! Ask your member of Congress to let you know whether he or she will support an appropriation for the revenue foregone subsidy. Further, ask him or her to let you know whether he or she will make this request to the Budget and Appropriations committee chairmen. HOW TO CONTACT YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS: Address letters to your Senators to: The Honorable ____ , U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510. Address letters to your Representatives to: The Honorable ___, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515. Members of Congress can be reached through their local offices or by calling the Capitol switchboard in Washington, D.C., at (202) 225-3121. To obtain the names of your Senators and Representatives, consult your local public library, town hall, or board of elections. DON'T FALL FOR THIS TRAP! You may be told by your member of Congress that the "Free Matter" privilege will be preserved and will be financed through earnings of the U.S. Postal Service rather than through an appropriation by Congress. This means that postal rates for all mail users may have to be increased to cover this subsidy. Tell your member of Congress that Congress should continue to appropriate from general government funds for the revenue foregone subsidy, including funding for the "Free Matter" mailing privilege. An annual appropriation by Congress for "Free Matter" has worked in the past and should be continued. ***** ** News Briefs from the ACB National Office By Oral O. Miller National Representative If March came into the ACB National Office like the proverbial lion, it certainly did not go out like the proverbial lamb. Toward the beginning of the month, a considerable amount of staff time was spent communicating with airlines interested in receiving copies of ACB's new handbook for training of airline personnel serving blind travelers. Unfortunately, many of the airlines are reluctant to trust anyone advising them concerning blind travelers because they fear they will be picketed or subjected to other harassment when they do not automatically agree to all demands made. American Council of the Bind staff members will eventually be consulting with most of the airlines contacted. There is always a mild feeling of adventure when greeting an office visitor who does not have an appointment. Sometimes that feeling of adventure is dashed when the unexpected visitor is found to be a salesman of an unwanted item or service. However, the contrary was the case in mid-March when I, as ACB National Representative, greeted a consulting engineer who was in town looking for backing for further research and development of an exceptionally small and inexpensive paper money identifier. A very workable, desktop, electric-powered paper money identifier now exists and is for sale for several hundred dollars. But the company which called on us unexpectedly is convinced that it can produce a paper money identifier no larger than a checkbook and costing less than $50.00. While we constantly receive inquiries from inventors who believe they have just invented the ideal aid or appliance for all blind people, we were impressed by the level-headed realism displayed by our visitor, who frankly stated at the beginning that he knew ACB would not be able to provide the amount of assistance needed by his firm. Although there is no connection between his visit and the upcoming ACB national convention program, it is interesting to note that a presentation to be given during one of the plenary sessions will deal with the complex and greatly misunderstood area of paper money identification. Because of the enormous importance of the "Free Matter" mailing privilege to all blind and visually impaired people, almost everyone in the ACB National Office spent much time during March answering the hundreds of additional inquiries received on that subject, and otherwise worked to preserve this invaluable service. The American Council of the Blind testified strongly before the Subcommittee on Postal Services and Operations and has arranged to testify before other committees in the near future. Staff members have taken part in several media interviews on the subject, most notably with such outstanding radio or TV stations as WBZ in Boston, WNBC/TV in New York City, and the NBC TV outlet in San Francisco. We are confident that we will prevail in this struggle to preserve the "Free Matter'' privilege, but this will not happen unless everyone contacts his or her Senators and Representatives to spell out the catastrophic damage that will be done to library service and educational publications if the "Free Matter" privilege is done away with to save what is an insignificant amount of money in Federal terms. The best way to stay informed on this important subject is by calling the Washington Connection (1-800-424-8666), which will be updated as often as necessary to keep you informed. One of the most important new pieces of legislation affecting the rights of handicapped people in recent years mandated the establishment of a Client Assistance Program (CAP) in all states to perform an ombudsman service for handicapped people receiving services. According to the statute, the program is to be evaluated after a stated period of operation, and the evaluation is to be furnished to Congress. However, criteria for evaluating the program were not. specifically spelled out in the statute, and the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) contracted with a management consulting firm to propose the evaluation standards. That firm prepared draft standards, circulated them for comment (ACB was asked to comment, but we do not know who else was asked), and then apparently intended to submit the presumably revised standards to RSA for adoption without further review by anyone. During the same period of time, the firm appointed a national advisory committee for the purpose of supposedly reviewing the proposed evaluation standards and reviewing the very lengthy survey document to be used by RSA in obtaining information about the operation of each CAP. The ACB National Representative was appointed to the national advisory committee, which met in Washington, D.C., in late March. Although the management firm obviously intended for the committee to spend most of its time reviewing the very lengthy and detailed survey document rather than the more important standards to be used in evaluating the program, the committee, after "spinning its wheels" for several hours on the survey document, virtually demanded to be given an opportunity to comment on the evaluation standards that were to have been quietly transmitted to RSA. Without going into detail concerning an extremely technical subject, suffice it to say that the consumer-oriented members on the committee insisted on changing, among others, one provision which said, in substance, that one very important standard of success for a CAP should be the extent to which its activities are accepted favorably by the agencies providing the services. In other words, the standard would have made the program little more than a rubber stamp of the service providers. While the American Council of the Blind is interested first and foremost in quality service for blind people rather than confrontations intended primarily to give publicity to the organization and its name, standards such as those originally proposed by the management firm underscore the reasons why we must be eternally vigilant to ensure that consumer rights are not corrupted by well­meaning service providers. I am sorry to report that within the next few weeks ACB's national staff attorney, Barbara Nelson, will be leaving employment with ACB in order to accept a position with the Commission on Aging of the American Bar Association. Barbara leaves ACB with our sincere gratitude for her faithful service and with our very best wishes for even greater success as she moves forward in her career. In her new position, she will be responsible for, among other things, the establishment of legal assistance programs for elderly people. Though it may sound like a cliche, there is enormous truth to the statement that ACB's loss is the ABA's gain. ***** ** Position Available -- ACB Staff Attorney The American Council of the Blind is a national membership/advocacy consumer organization of blind and visually impaired people, with 51 state/regional affiliates and 17 special­interest/professional organizations throughout the United States. We are looking for an individual with some background in legal advocacy/civil rights work for a non-profit organization, preferably dealing with handicapped concerns. Well developed writing and verbal skills are essential. Primary responsibilities include advising members and others on disability-related legal questions, providing representation and technical assistance where necessary, reviewing judicial and administrative decisions, commenting on proposed regulations, assisting staff members to monitor legislative developments, assisting affiliates to prepare legislation, representing ACB at affiliate meetings, assisting affiliates to prepare a limited number of legal documents. Applicants should have a general familiarity with the "public interest" community and a commitment to progressive social and economic reforms. Salary: $25,000. Minimum qualifications: J.D. or equivalent degree required; bar membership; two years' experience preferred. Please send resumes to Oral O. Miller, National Representative, American Council of the Blind, 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 506, Washington, DC 20036; (202) 833-1251. ***** ** Universal Accessibility By Larry Johnson An Article to Be Considered for the Ned E. Freeman Award for Writing Excellence Our power as human beings to think about ourselves and our world has led us in this century to overcome gravity, to tread on the moon, to consider the fate of our planet, and to speculate imaginatively about the future. Science has changed our lives, and even the way that we look at the future. Man has transcended the final frontiers of the universe. He can now move almost at will on the floors of the ocean depths, across the frozen expanse of sub-Arctic glaciers, or through the hostile, lifeless vacuum of space. Man can do all of this, and yet, paradoxically, man -- society -- has been unable or unwilling to build a barrier-free environment here on this earth, with universal accessibility for all persons. "Universal accessibility." What does it mean? It means to have the opportunity, the reality, to live in a society in which freedom of movement and participation are not governed by one's physical fitness. It means a society in which communication and social interaction are not determined by one's abilities to see or to hear. It means a society in which, at last, science, technology, and human attitude have combined to push aside the barriers of physical inaccessibility and social prejudice to allow for the uninhibited flow of creative talent and abilities from all of its members. Am I speaking of an impossible, idealistic, utopian world? Am I describing only the naive dream of a wide-eyed optimist? No. That which Man can conceive, he can also achieve. If as a nation we can set a goal to land a man on the moon, to walk in space, to invent a new vaccine, to make computers that talk — if we can do these things, then we can also build a world that is accessible and usable by all persons, including those with disabilities. If this is a dream, then I say: We have the right to dream. Environmental barriers are really nothing new. As a civilization, we have been building them from prehistoric times, ever since we first learned to place one stone upon another, and we've been piling those stones higher and higher down through the centuries, as our Renaissance cathedrals and modern skyscrapers can readily attest. But ours is a shared environment, and we must learn to construct it in a way in which all of us can share in it equally. Today our society faces a major responsibility and a challenge: to change some of our traditional ways of doing things, of building buildings, transporting people, doing business, rendering service. A new thinking, a new philosophy, must form the foundation for all new enterprise — a philosophy based upon the concept, the goal, of universal accessibility. "Access" is defined as the right to enter or to use; also as a way or means of approach. Depending upon what it is that you are trying to access, different definitions apply and different solutions and procedures are used to accomplish it. Physical access to a building, for example, may require a ramp or an elevator for a person who is mobility impaired. Communication access at a public forum may require the presence of an interpreter for a person who is hearing impaired, while information access in the case of someone who is visually impaired may necessitate the transferring of materials into braille or on to tape. Access can be accomplished in many different ways. In a broader sense of the term, access means opportunity — opportunity to represent our concerns, our issues, our demands, to those who possess the power or control necessary to bring about the changes that are needed. And as disabled consumer representatives, this is the first arena in which we must do battle and wherein we must achieve our first success at access. Our struggle for access parallels the civil rights movement of the 1960's, when black Americans demanded equal, not separate, rights. We disabled Americans deserve no less today. The 36 million people in our society labeled as disabled, together with several score million other family members and friends, constitute a powerful and significant segment of the consumer population. This sizable economic power has yet to be united. Indeed, we shop at many of the same stores, eat at many of the same restaurants, frequently fly on the same airlines, stay at the same hotels, transact our business at many of the same banks. We do, that is, if they are accessible. Private business is very sensitive to the ebb and flow of consumer demand. Our commerical history is filled with examples of companies that failed to change with the changing world and became tombstones in the corporate graveyard. If we can by our words and actions persuade the private sector that it is in its best economic interest to make its goods and services more readily accessible to persons with disabilities, then we may expect to see private business voluntarily taking steps to put in ramps, braille menus, and install TTY's, in order to attract more consumer dollars from the disabled community, its families and friends. The state of the art in accessibility design is undergoing constant change. Builders and architects are discovering that it is becoming easier and increasingly more cost effective to erect constructions which are wholly barrier free. Government office buildings, municipal parks, community cultural centers, public transportation are all for the use of the public. And we disabled citizens are part of the public, too. No longer should we be content simply to find our place in the world. Instead, we should strive to change the world to make it our place as well. Let us throw aside our fears and doubts that the goals we seek are impossible to attain. What we seek through universal accessibility is our freedom: no less than that. Our dream of universal accessibility is our dream of freedom. Let us dare to dream! We have the right to dream and the challenge to succeed. ***** ** Accessibility, An Issue Affecting Everyone By Jack McSpadden (Note: Jack McSpadden of Little Rock, Arkansas, is a visually impaired member of the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.) I was pleased by the resolutions adopted by the 1984 national convention of the American Council of the Blind, particularly Membership Resolution 84-02, concerning accessibility, put forth by the Council of Citizens with Low Vision. The leadership and membership of the American Council of the Blind are to be congratulated for their continuing involvement with issues of accessibility not only for blind and low­vision people, but for all disability groups. In April 1983, I was honored to be appointed a public member of the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (ATBCB) by President Ronald Reagan. The agency ensures that physically handicapped persons have access to Federally funded buildings and facilities. Some of you may not be familiar with the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, so let me tell you about it. In 1968, Congress passed the Architectural Barriers Act, which requires certain facilities designed, constructed, or altered with Federal funds since September 1969 to be accessible to, and usable by, physically handicapped persons. By 1973, it became apparent to disabled people and to the Congress that the Federal agencies and departments were not complying sufficiently with the law. Thus, the ATBCB was created by Section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The ATBCB was made up of nine Federal departments. Its responsibilities were to: • Ensure compliance with standards established under the Architectural Barriers Act; • Investigate alternative approaches to architectural, transportation, communications, and attitudinal barriers that confront handicapped persons; • Determine the measures used by Federal, state, and local government agencies and non-profit agencies to eliminate barriers; and • Make to the President and to the Congress such recommendations for legislation and administration as are necessary to eliminate barriers. To enforce the law, Congress authorized the A TBCB to cite a Federal agency for non-compliance or to withhold Federal funds. The ATBCB has issued nine citations and caused funds to be withheld once. Although the ATBCB was established initially as an enforcement agency, Congress greatly expanded its responsibilities in 1978 with amendments to the Rehabilitation Act. These responsibilities required the agency to: • Investigate alternative approaches to communications barriers; • Ensure that public conveyances (air, water, surface), not just transportation-related, fixed facilities, are accessible; • Develop minimum guidelines and requirements for standards issued under the Architectural Barriers Act; • Provide technical assistance to any public or private activity, person, or entity to help them eliminate architectural, transportation, communications, and attitudinal barriers. The agency was also expanded to a 22-member board, including 11 Federal agencies and departments and 11 Presidentially-appointed private citizens. The original nine-member board did not include handicapped persons. The same 1978 amendments that added private citizens also required that at least five be disabled. In 1982, the ATBCB approved new minimum guidelines and requirements for the Federal Government. Following these requirements, four Federal agencies -- Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Defense, General Services Administration, and the United States Postal Service -- have developed uniform accessibility standards, which replace those agencies' individual standards. The ATBCB has established an extensive technical services program using highly qualified staff to provide the expertise necessary to deal with almost any accessibility design problems. During 1982, the agency began setting up one of the most comprehensive libraries, containing access related codes and standards and architectural, transportation, communications, and attitudinal barriers materials. The agency has become more involved with research to complete reserved sections of the "Minimum Guidelines and Requirements for Accessible Design." The needs of hearing and visually impaired persons are being given particular attention. For example, two ATBCB-funded contracts will soon enable the agency to develop requirements for detectable tactile surface treatments and signage. Other research will look at alarms, auditory signals, and signage for persons with low vision. There are probably as many areas of interest and concern to the ATBCB as there are members, but I believe they are all working together on major issues. Now I want to share my personal concerns. I think we generally, in one way or another, are dealing with the physical barriers that impede handicapped persons. Some problems of inaccessibility are certainly more severe than others, and continuing changes in technology require continuing changes in accessibility requirements. The far greater problem is not the need to provide wider doors, lower drinking fountains, visual and audible alarms. It is the need to change public attitudes concerning disabled people. If those people who influence and control our physical environment accepted disabled people and their needs, far fewer physical barriers would be built. Only when the architects, designers, engineers, and financial interests are as concerned about physical accessibility as they are about plumbing and electrical wiring codes will we move more readily and voluntarily to an accessible environment. As we construct a more accessible environment, more people with disabilities will become functional and visible and accepted. Concurrently, their needs for accessibility will become more obvious and more readily addressed. As President Reagan stated in his address on November 28, 1983 proclaiming the National Decade of Disabled Persons: "Attitudes which foster dependency are still with us. They are unjust, unwanted, and non­productive." There have been various attempts to change public attitudes toward people with disabilities, but there has not been a truly nationally organized and comprehensive effort. We need one which will focus creative energies at the highest decision-making levels of our society. When President John F. Kennedy said in the early 1960's that we would place a man on the moon by the end of this decade, he called on the creative energies of the nation to accomplish this task. We succeeded in putting a man on the moon, and we can succeed in changing attitudes about disabled Americans and their abilities. As a member of the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, I am most interested in hearing your accessibility concerns. This will enable me to be a more effective member. Write Jack McSpadden, Chairperson, Standards, Research and Technical Assistance Committee, ATBCB, Washington, DC 20202. ***** ** Come One, Come All: Pair-A-Dice Waits! -- 1985 ACB National Convention By David Krause, Chairman Convention Host Committee Traditionally, the month of May brings ACB convention pre-registration forms to your mailbox, and this year is no exception. What is exceptional is the importance of this form to those of you who are planning to attend the 1985 convention of the American Council of the Blind in Las Vegas, July 6-13. From all indications, attendance will be nearly double that of the 1984 convention. Hotel reservations keep pouring in, and a spot check of popular flights on a number of major airlines shows that many are already full. Therefore, it is more important than ever that you pre-register, since tickets to all events are limited in one way or another and are available on a first come, first served basis. Early pre-registration gives you first choice of the events you wish to attend. Waiting until you arrive in Las Vegas to register for any event could mean you will have to miss the very activity you wanted most to attend. Please note the following information on registration: The registration chairman for the 1985 convention is Donald Franklin, P.O. Box 306, Louisville, KY 40201; telephone after 5:00 P.M. and on weekends: (502) 897-6672. All pre-registration forms and questions relating specifically to registration should be directed to Mr. Franklin. The registration desk schedule for the convention is given below. Note that specific times have been designated during which only those who have pre-registered will be served. This has been done in an attempt to provide better service for those who make reservations in advance. Your cooperation, first in pre­registering and then in coming to the registration area during one of the special times, will, we believe, solve many of the problems which have been experienced in the past with long, slow-moving lines. Friday, July 5 - Pre-registration, 1:00 to 4:00 P.M.; general registration, 5:00 to 8:00 P.M. Saturday, July 6 - Pre-registration, 8:00 to 11:30 A.M., 6:00 to 9:00 P.M.; general registration, 1:00 to 4:30 P.M. Sunday, July 7 - Pre-registration, 1:00 to 4:30 P.M.; general registration, 8:00 to 11:30 A.M., 6:00 to 9:00 P.M. Monday, July 8 - Pre-registration, 8:00 to 10:00 A.M.; general registration, 10:30 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, July 9-11 - General registration all day General sessions of the 24th annual convention of the American Council of the Blind will run from Wednesday, July 10, through Saturday, July 13. The keynote speaker will be Sheik Abdullah M. Al Ghanim, President of the World Blind Union and Minister of Special Education of Saudi Arabia. There will also be presentations on many subjects of interest to blind and visually impaired people, including education, rehabilitation and placement programs, sheltered workshops, aids and services for the blind, and many more. You should plan to attend the ACB business sessions interspersed throughout the convention program. These will include presentation of resolutions and amendments to the ACB Constitution and By-Laws, reports of ACB activities over the past year, selection of the 1987 convention site, and election of ACB officers. The exhibit area will be open from Sunday, July 7, through Thursday, July 11 and will feature the latest in technology and information for blind and visually impaired persons. ACB affiliates will once again be participating in a boutique and will be selling many useful and interesting souvenirs. (If your affiliate hasn't gotten around to reserving its boutique space yet, or if you represent a company or agency that would like to exhibit at the convention, contact the Host Committee immediately at the address given at the end of this article. Only a few booths are still available.) Many workshops, seminars, and social activities are being sponsored throughout Convention Week by ACB, by the Host Committee, and by special-interest groups. In addition to events already listed in previous articles, we call your attention to the events listed below. All special activities will, of course, be listed on the pre-registration form. * On the Serious Side: Vendors Training Seminar - Sunday, July 7 - Sponsored by Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America. Information of particular interest to State Committees of Blind Vendors. Personal Computer Seminar - Sunday, July 7 - Sponsored by Visually Impaired Data Processors International. Discussion, tips, and idea-sharing for microcomputer buffs. Fund-Raising Seminar - Sunday, July 7 - Sponsored by American Council of the Blind. How to generate more financial support for your affiliate. Hair Care and Manicure Workshop - Monday, July 8 - Sponsored by Visually Impaired Secretarial/Transcribers Association. Try your hand at a new hair style and learn nail care techniques. Tactile Art Workshop - Two sections, Monday and Tuesday, July 8 and 9 - Sponsored by Friends in Art. Experiment with raised­line art. Pet Nutrition Seminar - Monday, July 8 - Sponsored by Guide Dog Users, Inc. What constitutes a nutritious pet food? The Survival of Braille - Tuesday, July 9 - Sponsored by Braille Revival League and National Association of Blind Teachers. * Seeing the Sights Liberace Museum - Two sections ­ Monday and Tuesday, July 8 and 9 — Sponsored by Friends in Art. See the piano, automobile, costumes, and other memorabilia belonging to the famous musician and performer. Red Rock Reflections - Tuesday, July 9 - Sponsored by Friends in Art. Visit the studio and examine the works of an artist specializing in ceramics. Then take a tour of desert life in the region. Hoover Dam Tour - Saturday, July 6 - Visit the famous dam and learn about its history. A "must" for any first-time visitor to Nevada. Get-Together at Glitter Gulch - Thursday, July 11 - Circulate among many famous casinos on Fremont Street, such as the Golden Nugget, the Mint, Horseshoe, and many others. Highlight your evening with a dinner followed by a Broadway-type show at the Union Plaza. Valuable attendance prizes will be given away. * Lunch Break: Remember to check the pre-registration form for the many luncheons, breakfasts, and banquets scheduled throughout the week. Of course, you won't want to miss the ACB Banquet scheduled for Friday evening, July 12. Hotel rates at the Holiday Inn Center Strip are $32 per night single and double, $40.00 triple, and $48.00 quad. Room rates vary slightly at spill-over hotels. The Holiday Inn is handling all hotel reservations. To make reservations, phone the Holiday Inn, toll­free, at 1-800-634-6765. Nevada residents call (702) 369-5000. Payment for the first night's lodging is required. If you have suggestions or questions, please contact the ACB Convention Host Committee, 1500 E. Karen, No. 359, Las Vegas, NV 89109; (702) 737-5714. ***** ** So You're Coming to Las Vegas in July ... By Sam Negrin (NOTE: In a recent conversation with Sam Negrin, he expressed verbally much of the information articulated in the following article. Sam's experiences in Las Vegas and Atlantic City and his views on gambling represent sound information many of our conventioners should have when they go to Las Vegas this summer. At my urging, Sam has prepared the following article. -- Grant Mack, President, American Council of the Blind.) So you're coming to Las Vegas in July and you're going to break the bank at the Holiday Inn Casino when you have some free time between ACB meetings. Well, maybe you won't break the bank: You'll just double your money, right? Wrong! As a long-time visitor to this gambling mecca, I'd like to share some helpful hints so that you might be able to participate in casino games, have some fun, and return to your homes with a smile instead of a frown. To begin with, let's remember that all those magnificent hotels, with their thousands of employees, plush carpets and fancy entertainment, are mostly paid for out of earnings from losers. For almost everyone who comes to Las Vegas, the only way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket. There are a number of Las Vegas stories about gambling which we need to keep in mind, and I'd like to share two with you. The first is about the gambler who boasted that he came to Las Vegas in his $23,000 Cadillac and went home in a $150,000 Greyhound bus. The other is the warning that the only way to beat the casinos is, when you get off the plane, just turn around and walk in to the propellers. These may be rather extreme examples of Las Vegas humor, but the point is well taken. Certainly there are winners, and we all hear about them. We want you to be a winner, but more than that, we want you to have fun and not get hurt. So let's list some rules which might help the first-time visitor to make the most of his trip: 1. Know that every "game of chance" is automatically designed (with the approval of the Gaming Commission) to favor the casino. The odds are always in favor of the house, and this is what makes gambling such a profitable business. 2. Come prepared to have fun, and only gamble with as much money as you are prepared to lose. 3. Don't play any games -- for example, craps, roulette, blackjack -- unless you fully understand the rules of the game and the odds (probability of winning or losing) on each pull of the handle, turn of the card, or toss of the dice. If you don't know the rules and don't have the patience to learn, get a few rolls of nickels and have some fun at the slot machines. Look at it as entertainment such as going to a movie or having a nice dinner at your favorite restaurant. 4. Don't, under any circumstances, borrow money, play on credit, or even bring your checkbook. Determine in advance how much you can afford to lose, and stop when you've lost that amount. Don't throw good money after bad by chasing your losses or doubling up. 5. If you're winning -- and we hope you do -- decide just how much you would like to win and quit when you reach that figure. Don't try to get rich and wind up giving it all back. Remember, Las Vegas is and can be an exciting experience. Inexpensive rooms and low-cost buffet meals, with free drinks in the casino, are designed to help you have a good time and keep you in the casino. Some of the top motivational experts have helped to design a system which will separate you from your money if you aren't careful. You will notice, for example, that most games are played with plastic chips instead of hard cash, which you use to buy more chips. Playing with plastic is much easier to do than playing with hard­earned cash. There are no clocks and no windows in the casinos, and this may lead to a loss of sense of time, because the longer one plays, the more certain it is that one will lose or give back one's winnings. Those free drinks also tend to loosen you up and make you more reckless than you might be. And, by the way, gamblers tend to be a superstitious bunch, who believe that touching a blind person might bring them luck. We know this isn't true. Also, the casino loves the gambler who comes with a "system." If there was such a thing as a winning system, the casinos would close down tomorrow. The only system winners are guys who sell these systems. So what does this all mean to ACB conventioners? It means you can have a splendid time in this wide-open city where you can play 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You'll have lots of time to attend all ACB meetings and functions and still have time to take advantage of all that Las Vegas has to offer. Visit Lake Mead and Hoover Dam. Take in the free lounge shows. Visit downtown hotels and row upon row of casinos. Enjoy the excellent, inexpensive meals. Enjoy the big­name entertainment. We know that you are wise, and we want you to make this trip a memorable one. But when it comes to gambling, we hope you will bet with your head and not over it. See you in Las Vegas! ***** ** Department of Transportation Reverses Course on Section 504 By Barbara Nelson, Staff Attorney The March issue of The Braille Forum announced a significant victory had been won by the American Council of the Blind and other disability rights organizations. A Federal court of appeals had overturned regulations of the Civil Aeronautics Board and applied Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to major commercial airlines. This victory may be jeopardized, however, by a radical policy shift by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), which is now asking the appeals court to reconsider its favorable decision in this case. The plaintiffs believed that this decision would not be challenged by the Department of Transportation, which has assumed the responsibilities formerly held by the Civil Aeronautics Board for enforcing Section 504's prohibition against discrimination on the basis of handicap. This belief seemed sound, because DOT had always held the position that Section 504 applies to all airlines, even those which do not receive direct Federal financial assistance. DOT requires gift shops and snack bars which lease space in airports built with Federal funds to comply with Section 504 and, unlike CAB, DOT had always maintained that the same principle should apply to airlines which lease space in Federally funded airports. In fact, last summer when Congress considered the impact of deregulation of airlines on handicapped travelers, DOT officials testified that no new legislation was needed because DOT "has adequate authority through Section 504 and grants made through our airport improvement program to ensure that airlines afford the handicapped non­discriminatory and safe access to air travel." Now the Department of Transportation has changed its mind and has asked for a re-hearing. The Court of Appeals does not necessarily have to grant this request, but if it decides not to give the DOT a second chance, DOT can, and probably will, appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. Why this sudden change of mood in DOT? Why would the Federal Government deliberately try to undermine new rights for disabled people? It is my opinion that the reason lies not with the Department of Transportation, but with DOT's lawyers, the Department of Justice, and specifically with William Bradford Reynolds, the head of Justice's Civil Rights Division. I believe that Reynolds, an outspoken critic of broad coverage of civil rights laws, views the recent favorable decision as a dangerous precedent, even though the court was careful to limit its decision only to airlines, Mr. Reynolds fears that the decision may chip away at last year's Supreme Court decision in the Grove City College case, which limited coverage of civil rights laws. The Department of Justice's petition for re-hearing argues that ground operations (e.g., ticketing, baggage handling) of all airlines are subject to Section 504, but not the airlines themselves. "Contrary to the court's view that this distinction is 'nonsensical,' we believe that it is the only interpretation consistent with the program-specific limitation on coverage recognized in Grove City." Therefore, the favorable decision won by ACB, which had been supported by the Department of Transportation, is being jeopardized because of issues much larger; that is, the Department of Justice's political agenda to limit the scope of civil rights laws. ***** ** Op Ed Health Care As we mark the 50th birthday of Social Security, it would be well to keep in mind the fact that 1985 marks another anniversary: the enactment of Medicare as a part of the broad social insurance program which exists under the Social Security umbrella. Medicare was passed in 1965 in recognition of the fact that those over 65 required three times as much health care as the rest of the population, and that their health care costs were twice as high as those for younger age groups. Medical costs were eating up a disproportionately large share of the modest incomes of the elderly. Medicaid had been enacted to provide for the medically indigent, and in 1972 Medicare was extended to include the severely disabled and blind, who also were incurring health care costs far larger than those of the average American family. These programs -- Medicare and Medicaid -- provided a helping hand to those who were most vulnerable to high medical costs and who were least likely to obtain health care if they were forced to bear the economic burden alone. But the protection which they provided to the elderly, the severely disabled, the blind, and the poor has steadily been eroded. In recent years, Federal outlays for these programs have been cut back. In the period between 1982 and 1986, funding will be $31.6 billion below what it otherwise would have been. It is a sad commentary that today's average Medicare beneficiary is paying as high a proportion of income for health care as he or she did before this program became law. What has happened? The entire health care field has been affected by extraordinary inflation. In 1982, our total national health care bill, public and private, was $322 billion, representing 10.5 percent of gross national product -- the largest share in history. It was up sharply from 4.6 percent in 1950 and 8.3 percent in 1975, and there is no sign that the inflationary spiral is abating. Medical resources are poorly distributed across the population. The health delivery system is characterized by over-specialization, high tech medicine, and too much emphasis on "sick care" rather than preventative health care. Patients undergo unnecessary surgery and diagnostic testing, and they are hospitalized when they could be treated more effectively as outpatients in some less costly institutional setting or at home. Because the problem is so pervasive, any prescription for solving the financial difficulties facing Medicare and Medicaid must address the broader issues. Merely limiting the amount of Federal dollars going into these programs will simply mean that higher costs will be shifted to beneficiaries, to private insurers, or to others in need of health care. Curtailing Federal outlays without dealing with the basic problems will simply make matters worse for everyone. We must find a way to deal with all health care expenditures, public and private, not only those costs which show up in the Federal budget. It's time we addressed the interrelated problems of limited access to care, of large proportions of the population not being covered adequately against illness, and of continued cost escalation. What is urgently needed is an effective system which provides access to decent medical care for all people as a matter of right, and at prices that are within reach of the family budget. This can be achieved with a program of comprehensive coverage and benefits, cost and quality controls, and a reorganized health care delivery system. In the end, it will cost no more to provide this service than it now costs individuals, private insurers, and Government combined. The advantage is that all people would be safeguarded against the economic burdens which fall on them with such severity when they are ill. This should be our top domestic priority in this year in which we mark the 50th anniversary of Social Security and the 20th anniversary of Medicare. ***** ** A Touch of Rape? Seattle -- UPI: A blind, deaf, and mute woman identified by his touch a man who attempted to rape her, officials said. The suspect also is blind. The woman, 41, told police through an interpreter that the man lives in the same apartment building as she, and she recognized the feel of his hands because they communicated at times in touch sign language. Officials said they were not aware of any other case in which charges were filed only on the basis of touch identification, but they did not rule out prosecuting the 26-year-old suspect on such evidence. The prosecutor insisted it was possible to prosecute only on identification by touch, but said the decision would depend on corroborating evidence. The victim told police she was doing laundry in the basement when the man grabbed her, pulled her into a garage, pushed her to the floor, took off part of her clothing, and tried to rape her. She struggled and he fled. The man told investigators he had been in the basement with the woman, but denied attacking her. ***** ** Art of the Eye -- Exhibit on Vision Seeks U.S. Artists FORECAST Public Art Space Productions of Minneapolis is seeking U.S. artists with vision impairments to participate in an unprecedented exploration of vision, perception, and the arts. The exhibition on vision, entitled "Art of the Eye," will be produced by Forecast, in cooperation with the Minneapolis Society for the Blind and presented by the Minnesota Museum of Art. "Art of the Eye" will open February 4, 1986, at Landmark Center, St. Paul, Minnesota. Public workshops, a lecture series, performance events, and a catalog will accompany the exhibit. Included in the exhibit will be works by notable masters known to have had vision impairments, including Monet, Pissaro, Cassatt, and others. In addition, contemporary artists are invited to offer new or proposed works for exhibition that challenge an investigation into the nature of their vision impairment. Works in all media are encouraged, including painting, print, sculpture, film, installation and performance. Selected artists will receive a working stipend and materials. All forms of vision impairment are eligible to apply, including glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, color blindness, or any other condition causing significant vision impairment. Entry applications and further information are available by writing or calling Forecast, 2955 Bloomington, Minneapolis, MN 55407; (612) 721-4394. Proposal deadline is June 28, 1985. ***** ** In Memoriam: John Edward Vanlandingham John Vanlandingham, 63, charter member and first president of the American Blind Lawyers Association and of the Arizona Council of the Blind, died February 4, 1985, at a Phoenix nursing home. Mr. Vanlandingham moved to Arizona in 1947 from Topeka, Kansas, where he was born. He was struck by scarlet fever at the age of 6 and as a result was declared legally blind. He was the first blind person admitted to Washburn University and Law School in Topeka, where he received his law degree in 1944. He had a private law practice in Phoenix from 1948 to 1959, and later from 1969 to 1976. He served as Chief Administrative Assistant to the Arizona Attorney General from 1960 to 1963 and served in the Arizona legislature from 1963 to 1964. In 1965 and 1966 he was a hearing officer for the Arizona Registrar of Contractors. He was appointed Judge in the Maricopa County Superior Court, serving from 1966 to 1969. From 1977 to 1980, he was Director of Legal Services for the State Division of Aging. Mr. Vanlandingham was a member of the Governor's Advisory Committee on the Handicapped in 1951 and from 1977 to 1980 served on the Governor's Employ the Handicapped Committee. ***** ** In Memoriam: Howard H. Hanson Howard H. Hanson passed away February 21, 1985, in a Little Rock, Arkansas hospital. Howard was born at White River, South Dakota, and lost his sight following a childhood accident. He graduated from the South Dakota School for the Blind and earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from South Dakota State University. In 1949, he became South Dakota's first rehabilitation teacher. In 1952 he was named Director of South Dakota Services to the Visually Impaired. He resigned that position in 1977 and moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, to assume the duties of Executive Director of Arkansas Enterprises for the Blind. Because of failing health, he resigned that position in 1980. Howard Hanson's work with and for the blind and visually impaired extended beyond the boundaries of the United States. Among his more significant activities were North American delegate to the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind, held in New Delhi, India, in 1969; President of the American Association of Workers for the Blind; President of the National Rehabilitation Association; President, Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation; President, Council of State Administrators for Agencies Serving the Blind; Trustee, American Foundation for the Blind; District Governor, Lions International; member, Board of Directors of National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped; Chairman, First Session on Blindness, World Council of Rehabilitation International, held in Sydney, Australia, in 1972; founder, South Dakota Lions Sight and Service Foundation; member, National Task Force for Geriatric Blindness. Howard was active in the South Dakota Association for the Blind and was a charter member of the American Council of the Blind. His entire life was spent as an advocate for the visually impaired. He will be remembered as a thinker, motivator, advocate, and doer. As an administrator, he provided the innovative leadership and inspiration that brought into being more effective and responsive services to meet the real needs of visually impaired persons not just in South Dakota, but throughout the nation. ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon Students at the Oak Hill School for the Blind in Hartford, Connecticut, have pieced together a quilt to be raffled off to raise money for the school, according to the CBS Evening News. But this is no ordinary quilt. Each of the 100 squares contains the autograph of some well-known person. And obtaining these autographs of celebrities has not been an easy task for the students. For instance, they finally met up with Isaac Stern, the noted violinist, in a grocery store. They have not yet obtained the signature of Henry Kissinger, for letters have been returned, "Addressee Unknown." George Marzloff, former Director of Blind Services for the State of Louisiana, was recently appointed Administrator of the Louisiana Council of the Blind. Before assuming directorship of Louisiana Blind Services, Mr. Marzloff had worked as a vending facility supervisor, rehabilitation counselor, community work and training supervisor, and rehabilitation supervisor. He is a graduate of Loyola University of the South and has taken social work courses at Tulane University. Associated Press: Blind District Court Judge Craig D. Alston of Bay City, Michigan, is now leading his 10-year-old dog guide around because the Siberian husky has lost its vision. "Instead of Major leading me around, I've been taking him to work and leading him around to keep his spirits up," said Alston. Specialists have indicated that if the dog does not regain its vision within 20 to 30 days, it is unlikely the animal will ever see again. Camp Dogwood, at Sherrills Ford, North Carolina, welcomes campers this summer from May 26 through August 17. Swimming, water skiing, boating, hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and crafts are offered. For further information, write Camp Dogwood, P.O. Box 39, Sherrills Ford, NC 28673. *** The 1985 camping season at Camp Tuhsmeheta (Touch­Smell-Hear-Taste), sponsored by the Michigan School for the Blind, has been set for July 6 through August 25. The camp is located near Greenville, Michigan. A full range of activities, including swimming, boating, campcraft, dramatics, campouts, arts and crafts, fishing, etc., will be offered during two-week sessions. For further information, write Michigan School for the Blind, 715 W. Willow Street, Lansing, MI 48913. South Africa's semi-official broadcasting service recently banned Stevie Wonder, popular singer who is blind and black, from its radio and television shows because he accepted his Best Song Oscar award in the name of South Africa's imprisoned black national leader, Nelson Mandela, according to The Washington Post. Wonder won his Oscar in the Original Song category for "I Just Called to Say I Love You," from the film The Woman in Red. Mandela, 66, has served 21 years of a life sentence for forming a guerrilla arm of the African National Congress after the South African Government declared it an unlawful organization in 1960 because of its opposition to apartheid. Like other students, blind undergraduates must enroll in a science lab in order to graduate — and this can be extraordinarily difficult. But a lecturer at the University of Maryland­College Park has developed a unique braille teaching aid for her Botany 100 Lab, according to an item in Maryland Today. Dr. Linda Berg worked with Cartographic Services on campus to produce raised microscope diagrams of such things as a root cross-section, the inside of a bean seed, and a plant cell. Now blind students can examine tactually what their classmates are viewing through the microscope. The diagrams are labeled in braille and soon will be accompanied by explanatory tapes, says Dr. Berg. "We have models and other aids in the class for blind students," she says. "We're ready -- and we want all blind students to know that we welcome them to Botany 100." Itzhak Perlman, who picked up his first violin when stricken with polio as a child, honored young violinist Barbara Sue Martin at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Ms. Martin, 20, a blind Louisville, Kentucky college student, won the first Itzhak Perlman International Scholarship Competition sponsored by Omega Watch and the National Committee, Arts for the Handicapped. Ms. Martin, who had to borrow a violin to submit her tape to the judges, was awarded $3,000. In presenting the award, Mr. Perlman spoke of educating the non-handicapped: "It's not a lack of good intention -- it's a lack of knowledge, which brings fear of the unknown." A Family Learning Vacation for families of children who have Usher's Syndrome or a similar dual hearing­vision impairment is being offered this summer at Gallaudet College, July 21-28. Since its inception six years ago, the Family Learning Vacation has emerged as a unique opportunity for families to come together to share experiences, questions, and concerns related to Usher's Syndrome and the future of their children. The week-long schedule of activities includes seminars on genetics, adolescent development, communication, education, parenting, psychology, and resource availability throughout the country. Cost is kept as low as possible, and some scholarships are available. For further information, contact Family Learning Vacation, Gallaudet College, 800 Florida Avenue, N.E., Washington, DC 20002; (202) 651-5541/TDD, or 651-5542/Voice. In an attempt to counter the ever­increasing costs of attending conventions, the Michigan Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired has scheduled its 1985 state convention for August 23-25, to be held in one of the more modern dormitories at Michigan State University in East Lansing. Full attendance, including registration, lodging for two nights (double occupancy), all meals (including the banquet), and two parties, is offered for only $64.00. According to Eugene Saumier, President of the Capital Area (Lansing) chapter: "We feel the economics of this type of convention may be of interest to visually impaired people throughout the country. We also feel that its economics might induce members of other organizations to attend and see first-hand the merits of such a convention." For registration forms or further information, contact Walter Saumier, Convention Chairman, 522 W. Grand River, Lansing, MI 48906; (517) 485-7918. A search is being conducted by the Louisiana Department of Education to fill the position of State Supervisor of the Visually Impaired. The position requires a Master's degree in education and state certification in education of the visually impaired. For further information regarding qualifications, salary, job description, and application procedures, contact Jim L. Knott, Deputy Secretary of Education, P.O. Box 44064, Baton Rouge, LA 70804; (504) 343-3625. Persons with low vision who have poor central, but good peripheral vision (particularly those with macular degeneration) may be helped by the new Ocu-Aid II Pocket Monocular to see objects from about six feet to infinity. For normal viewing, the monocular is particularly helpful for watching television, reading traffic and directional signs, clocks, and many other things seen from normal distances. By using the No. 2 and No. 3 diopter lens attachment, most low-vision persons will be able to read mail, telephone directories, travel timetables, and even the small print in contracts and policies, according to Ocu-Aid user/distributor Ralph Appleby. For instance, the field of vision is wide enough to include the name, address, and telephone number in a telephone directory. For Information and prices, contact Ocu-Aid Enterprises, P.O. Box 5772, Columbus, GA 31906; (404) 323-6286. A device with an electronic braille display which provides instant personal computer access for blind persons has been developed by Visualtek, Inc. The device, called the Braille Display Processor (BDP), is the most economical refreshable braille display device available today for blind computer users, according to the manufacturer. With the BDP, blind individuals will now have access to column-oriented information useful for spread sheets and programming applications, as well as a wide variety of other computer uses. For further information, contact Visualtek, Inc., 1610 26th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404. Product literature is available in braille upon request. A grant of $2,500 was made by the Indiana Chapter of the American Academy of Optometry to the Indiana Low Vision Society in order to investigate unmet vision care needs of visually impaired school children in Indiana, according to CCLV Newsletter. With the cooperation of the Indiana School for the Blind and the Indianapolis Public School System, 60 visually impaired students were screened by a team of six low-vision specialists. The objective was to determine what percent could be significantly helped in their performance of visual tasks by appropriately prescribed visual aids and rehabilitative guidance. The data is being analyzed by Professor Henry Hofstetter of the Indiana University School of Optometry. A detailed report is in preparation and will be made available to interested persons. Write Indiana University School of Optometry, 800 E. Atwater Street, Bloomington, IN 47405. AFB News, a free publication of the American Foundation for the Blind, welcomes new subscribers. AFB News covers issues and topics in the field of blindness and vision impairment, with news and features on consumer, legislative, social, medical, and educational topics. Address requests to: American Foundation for the Blind, Department G, 15 W. 16th Street, New York, NY 10011. In order that the activities and accomplishments of your state or special-interest affiliate can be shared with other ACB members and readers of The Braille Forum, the editor of this column would appreciate being placed on the mailing list to receive your organization's newsletter or magazine. Send copies to Elizabeth M. Lennon, 1315 Greenwood Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49007. ***** ** 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 as well as national organizations of and for the blind in publicizing their events. We need your conference dates to maintain this popular service. Please contact Laura Oftedahl at 1-800-424-8666 as soon as your meetings are set. May 17-19 - Louisiana Council of the Blind State Convention - Metairie May 24-26 - California Council of the Blind Spring Convention - Millbrae (San Francisco Airport) May 24-27 - ACB of Texas State Convention - Houston June 6-8 — American Society of Handicapped Physicians 4th 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 June 10-12 - Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America 10th Annual Delegate Assembly - Washington, D.C. June 13-16 - American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities Delegate Council Assembly - Little Rock, AR June 15 - Rhode Island Regional Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired Spring Convention - Providence June 16-23 - American Association of the Deaf-Blind Annual Convention - Upper Montclair, NJ June 29-30 - ACB of Nebraska State Convention - Omaha July 6-13 - American Council of the Blind National Convention - Las Vegas, NV August 17 - Aloha Council (Hawaii) of the Blind and Visually Impaired State Convention - Honolulu August 23-25 - Michigan Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired State Convention - East Lansing August 30-September 1 - Tennessee Council of the Blind State Convention - Memphis September 20-22 - Old Dominion Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired State Convention - Arlington September 28-29 - Mountain State (West Virginia) Council of the Blind State Convention - Harpers Ferry October 18-20 - ACB of Ohio State Convention - Columbus ***** ** Notice to Subscribers The Braille Forum is available in braille, large-type, and cassette tape (ips 15/16). As a supplement, the braille and cassette editions also include ALL-O-GRAMS, newsletter of the Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America. Subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication should be sent 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. ###