The Braille Forum Vol. XXIV January 1986 No. 7 Published Monthly by the American Council of the Blind Mary T. Ballard, Editor ***** For the latest legislative and governmental news, call the Washington Connection after 6:00 P.M. weekdays or all day weekends and holidays. Toll Free — 1-800-424-8666. * National Office: Oral O. Miller 1010 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Suite 1100 Washington, DC 20005 1-800-424-8666 * Editorial Office The Braille Forum: Mary T. Ballard 190 Lattimore Road Rochester, NY 14620 (716) 442-3131 Promoting Independence and Effective Participation in Society ***** ** Notice to Subscribers The Braille Forum is available in braille, large-type, and cassette tape (15/16 ips). As a supplement, the braille and cassette editions also include ALL­O-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 LeRoy Saunders, Treasurer, American Council of the Blind, 1010 Vermont Ave., N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 2005. You may wish to remember a relative or a friend by sharing in the continuing work of the American Council of the Blind. The ACB National Office has available special printed cards to acknowledge to loved ones contributions made in memory of deceased persons. Anyone wishing to remember the American Council of the Blind in his/her Last Will and Testament may do so by including a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, you may contact the ACB National Office. Copyright 1985 American Council of the Blind ***** ** Contents Notice to Subscribers President's Message, by Grant Mack ACB Fights Censorship, by Lynn Abbott Did You Hear the News?, by Laura Oftedahl News Briefs from the ACB National Office, by Oral O. Miller Tuning Up for Tennessee -- Knoxville 1986 The New California Council of the Blind: In Unity There Is Strength Share Your Job-Hunting Experiences, by Laura Oftedahl The Touch Collection, by Margaleta Sendrib NBA and the Floppy Disk Juliet Esterly Receives Merit Award Civil Rights Complaints: How to File One with the U.S. Department of Education, by Eric Clegg Duxbury Introduces Braille Production System Now Hear This! Words from Washington, by Jim Doherty Let's Become Aware of Blindness and Low Vision, by James D. Faimon Disability Journalists Explore U.S. Services for Handicapped Travelers ACB Members Win Ronnie Milsap Foundation Scholarships High Tech Swap Shop Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon Calendar of Events ACB Officers ***** ** President's Message By Grant Mack The beautiful Excelsior Hotel in downtown Little Rock was the setting in mid-December for the annual membership and Board meetings of the National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped (NAC). A huge Christmas tree in the tastefully decorated lobby, familiar Yuletide music everywhere, the warmth of southern hospitality, Arkansas style, plus the unusually cold weather, created an atmosphere long to be remembered. This meeting was different in other ways, too. There was an unusually optimistic and positive feeling throughout. One had the feeling of witnessing a sleeping giant preparing to awake and flex his muscles. This does not imply, however, that NAC in its first 20 years has not already contributed much to the welfare of blind and visually impaired people. Never has NAC been so influential. It has reached a new high in the number of accredited agencies -- now 105 -- and the list of sponsors and supporters continues to grow. During the past year, nine additional organizations added their names to the list. The door is opening to that long- sought linkage between accreditation and funding. Education Secretary William Bennett recently announced an expansion of NAC's scope of recognition to include the accreditation of postsecondary vocational education programs that prepare blind and visually impaired people for employment. Consequently, eligible agencies and schools may now participate in financial aid programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education if they can demonstrate accreditation by NAC. I felt a growing groundswell of feeling that NAC must become financially independent. There seemed to be a quiet determination to free NAC from financial dependence and a confidence that it could be done. The over-all bullish feeling about the future of NAC stems from its current staff. It is easy to generate confidence and optimism when one observes the businesslike and single- minded purpose of Dennis Hartenstein and his extremely competent supporting cast. Yes, NAC has made a tremendous contribution during the past 20 years, but it is only beginning to realize its potential for good. The optimism of the Little Rock meeting even carried over into what has become a regular occurrence at NAC's annual meeting. The 100 to 150 picketers flown in from all over the country by the National Federation of the Blind brought NAC its usual boost of publicity — the kind of publicity that most organizations must pay for. Thanks to our NFB friends, NAC gets it free. Unfortunately, however, this traditional excursion which has become the social event of the year does create some confusion in the minds of local people. I am even optimistic enough to believe that some day NFB will recognize how much more effectively their money could be used if they would direct their good ideas and their good people to working within the system. The National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped will still be around at the end of the next 20 years. The next two decades will very likely see many changes in NAC. Like most of the businesses in this country, NAC must recognize that change is necessary for survival. It is necessary to learn how to do things more efficiently, more economically, more effectively. I am optimistic about NAC's ability to meet the challenge of change and to continue to be the mechanism for raising the standards and quality of the schools and agencies who will be training tomorrow's blind and visually impaired adults. ***** ** ACB Fights Censorship By Lynn Abbott, Legal Assistant The United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., was the setting for a press conference held by the American Council of the Blind on December 4, 1985. Purpose of the press conference was to announce the filing of a lawsuit on behalf of the American Council of the Blind against the Librarian of Congress. The issue is a simple one: that of censorship and the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. As reported in earlier issues of The Braille Forum, Representative Chalmers Wylie (R., OH), during a July 1985 floor debate on the Legislative Branch appropriations bill, announced that he wanted to see the funding cut in the Library of Congress Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped program. The reason for the cut in funding, as expressed by Congressman Wylie, was to eliminate Playboy magazine from the list of publications available in braille through the Books for the Blind program. Wylie's amendment to the appropriations bill was approved by the House and the Senate, and subsequently President Reagan signed the bill into law on November 13, 1985. As a result of this action, beginning with the January 1986 issue, Playboy magazine will no longer be available in braille. Believing this Congressional determination to be a blatant form of censorship, the American Council of the Blind filed suit in December to protect this First Amendment free-speech violation. The lawsuit was filed in conjunction with the American Library Association, the Blinded Veterans Association, Playboy Enterprises, Inc., and three individual blind subscribers of Playboy. It is anticipated that several Congressmen as well as the Association of American Publishers and the Association of Radio Reading Services will submit briefs supporting ACB's position on this issue. The press conference which was held on December 4 to publicize the filing of the lawsuit was a big success. Congressman Vic Fazio (D., CA) spoke on the plaintiffs' behalf, stating, "(T)his violation of one of our most cherished rights -- that of free speech -- cannot, and will not go unchallenged." A statement issued by Dr. Beverly Lynch, President of the American Library Association, indicated it was believed "that the Wylie amendment restricts and suppresses access of the blind ... ideas and information expressed in a single lawful magazine ... solely because the Government deems those ideas to be dangerous, bad, immoral, or otherwise undesirable." Oral O. Miller, ACB's National Representative, commented: "It is a very sad state of affairs when blind citizens of this country are forbidden access to the same information that is available to all other citizens because Congress has decided to act as the censor for the blind." Last, but certainly not least, the press and public heard a statement from Deborah Kendrick, professional writer and braille reader of Playboy magazine. Ms. Kendrick made several pointed remarks concerning Playboy's value as a source of "contemporary fiction and sophisticated writing styles." Of equal importance, Ms. Kendrick noted that " ... Playboy is a symbol of my right to read." The press conference concluded with a question-and-answer session. Consult The Braille Forum and the Washington Connection for further updates on this important issue. ***** ** Did You Hear the News? By Laura Oftedahl Director of Public Affairs The advocacy muscle of the American Council of the Blind once again made headlines in December, in small and large cities alike. ACB's announcement of its lawsuit on the censorship of braille Playboy spread across the nation faster than any blindness story we can recall in recent years. Not only did U.S. radio, television, and newspapers jump on the story, but the foreign press snatched it up as well. The Canadian counterpart to "60 Minutes" sent a crew to the ACB National Office to film the story long before the public announcement of the suit on December 4. The Canadian show, "The Fifth Estate," aired a 15-minute segment on December 10. Other foreign calls to the Council headquarters included the Australian broadcasting network and a French newspaper. On the United States front, an article in the Justice section of Newsweek magazine entitled "Honestly, I Just Want to Read the Articles," appeared in the December 16 issue. The days following the press conference were busy ones at the Council's Washington, D.C., office -- answering reporters' questions, sending press kits, and lining up talk show appearances. A quick run­through of the list of media covering the censorship case shows that all major news wires -- AP, UPI, Los Angeles Times and Washington Post -- spread the story from coast to coast. Major network coverage from CBS, NBC, Cable News Network, and Mutual Broadcasting, among others, blanketed the country. Stories appeared in USA Today, New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, and scores more. ACB member Deborah Kendrick, a free-lance writer and plaintiff in the lawsuit, was interviewed by National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" anchorman, Noah Adams. Numerous radio call-in shows had a heyday with the issue, and ACB members who are braille Playboy readers appeared on many of them. The host of an offbeat talk show, "The Mad Hour," on WWDB Philadelphia, contacted us for comments on why blind people are mad about braille Playboy being axed. Feature stories involving the American Council of the Blind and readers affected by this suppression of reading material will continue across the U.S. in weeks to come. As usual, the ACB Public Affairs Department enjoys finding out how and where you hear Council news. ***** ** News Briefs from the ACB National Office By Oral O. Miller National Representative Authors have debated for years whether a person can truly "go back home." Without taking a strong stand either way on this issue, I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed meeting in early November with the District of Columbia Association of workers for the Blind, the ACB affiliate in the District of Columbia. This venerable organization, now in its 73rd year of operation, is the organization through which I initially joined the organized blind movement more than 20 years ago. The DCAWB joined the American Council of the Blind as an affiliate approximately 15 years ago and since then has participated actively in all ACB programs. During the November meeting, it was my pleasure to discuss ACB's scholarship and other student services. I commend the members of the DCAWB for their continued interest in such services, in view of the fact that the Washington metropolitan area contains at least twelve major colleges or universities. The members of the Delaware Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired were the first ACB members outside the Washington area to meet ACB's new legal assistant, Lynn Abbott. Lynn spoke at the Delaware state convention in Wilmington in mid-November. One of the interesting features on the stimulating program was a candid discussion on the implications of the Federal court decision on the Albanese case (see The Braille Forum, December 1985). One of the issues involved in that case was the payment of attorneys' fees in Randolph-Sheppard arbitration cases. Although there is no action necessary at this time, one of the more interesting legislative proposals addressed by ACB staff members during a meeting with a coalition representative was a bill which, if enacted, would impose an exorbitant tax (one cent per playing minute) on blank recording tape and on most tape recorders. The purpose of the bill is supposedly to protect music copyright holders whose works are "pirated." The purpose of this reference is to let Braille Forum readers know that we are aware of this bill and will advise if any further action needs to be taken at any time. During November, ACB staff members met several times with national news media representatives to discuss timely issues such as a proposed cut in the budget of the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped and the braille Playboy censorship issue. Several hours were spent in the filming of an interview by the Canadian Broadcasting Company on the Playboy issue, for inclusion in the CBC program, "The Fifth Estate," which was described as being similar to "60 Minutes." In the near future, television viewers will start seeing another public service announcement about the American Council of the Blind. This PSA, which was produced for ACB without charge by a large Milwaukee advertising agency, emphasizes the employability of blind workers when given a fair opportunity. It also features very imaginative photography which changes white canes into the bars of a cell, symbolizing attitudinal barriers. This PSA is to be distributed first to the networks. In mid-November, a letter was sent by the ACB Treasurer to all ACB members and friends, asking them to assist ACB financially by making a generous contribution. If you did not receive a copy of this letter, please contact the ACB National Office. Even more important, the American Council of the Blind needs your generous help in order to continue its program of useful and innovative services. ***** ** Tuning Up for Tennessee -- Knoxville 1986 Knoxville -- nestled in the valley of the Tennessee River ... Knoxville -- surrounded by the Great Smoky and Cumberland Mountains ... Knoxville -- land of Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone ... We're going back — back in time to the late 1700's, when settlers from North Carolina and Virginia first started coming across the mountains into Tennessee. They brought with them the folk music that their parents had in turn carried to this country from England and Scotland. This music is a strong influence in what now, 200 years later, is known as "country and western" and "bluegrass." You can still find some folks around Knoxville who sing the old ballads in their pure form. In the late 1700's the mountain people made almost everything they needed and used by hand. They made quilts for warmth, cornhusk dolls for their children, and dulcimers for their musical entertainment. Today you can visit Gatlinburg and other Appalachian communities where these crafts are still being produced and sold for the enjoyment of the entire country. * Convention Details Make plans now to be in Knoxville between June 28 and July 5, 1986. You won't want to miss one minute of the action-packed 25th anniversary convention of the American Council of the Blind. Meetings, tours, and special programs will get under way on Saturday, June 28, and will wind to a close a full week later. The convention will be filled with tradition (the ACB banquet, RSVA dance, CCLV wine and cheese party) and with many new programs. Some activities will have a new look. The Friends-in-Art Performing Showcase, for example, will become a talent extravaganza unparalleled since its inception. The Host Committee is planning several evenings of entertainment, including an old-fashioned barbecue, two special parties at the Hyatt on Saturday, June 28, and Sunday, the 29th -- and more ... In the next issue of The Braille Forum, we will bring you information on tours and workshops planned especially for you at the 1986 ACB convention. * Exhibits Again this year, the exhibit area will be major part of the convention. Exhibit information and reservation forms are now being mailed to potential exhibitors. Boutique information is also being sent to all ACB state and special-interest affiliates. If you represent an agency that provides services of benefit to the blind or visually impaired, or a company that sells products useful to the visually impaired, you will want to be sure your business is represented in the exhibit area. The 40 hours of exhibit time, the exposure your products and services will receive, and the opportunity convention attendees will have to ask questions will prove to be some of the best advertising you have ever had. If your company, be it large or small, has never participated in an ACB convention as an exhibitor, or if you represent a local chapter of an ACB affiliate that would like to be a part of the boutique, you will want to be sure that you receive exhibit reservation information immediately. Request information from Helen Wild, Host Committee Chairperson, or from John Horst, ACB Assistant Convention Coordinator, at the addresses and phone numbers listed at the end of this article. * Special-Interest Activities Schedules are being finalized for all special-interest meetings and activities. Each affiliate or other group that has met at ACB conventions in the past is being contacted personally and is being assisted in making its plans for the upcoming convention. It is imperative that the ACB Convention Coordinator be made aware of any new meetings or special events that will take place at the Knoxville convention. Early planning of such programs will help to ensure maximum visibility and publicity and will thus improve attendance and participation. If you represent a new special-interest group, an agency that would like to sponsor a reception or workshop, etc., contact Carla Franklin, ACB Convention Coordinator, as soon as possible. Every effort will be made to assist you in making your program a success. * Hotel Reservations Room rates for the 1986 ACB convention are $32.00 singles, doubles, triples, quads. ACB convention sessions, exhibits, and the main registration line will be located in the magnificent Knoxville Hyatt. Special-interest meetings as well as many workshops and social activities will be found in the modern Hilton Hotel. Overflow rooms will be booked at the Holiday Inn World's Fair, just across a covered walkway from the Hilton. All hotel reservations should be made with the Knoxville Convention and Visitors Bureau, P.O. Box 15012, Knoxville, TN 37901; (615) 523-7263. DO NOT MAKE RESERVATIONS DIRECTLY WITH ANY HOTEL. When making a reservation, you may specify your preference of hotel, and it will be honored as long as space is available. Do not send any money when making your reservations. You will receive a confirmation card from the hotel in which your room has been booked, together with a request for a deposit for the first night's lodging. If you have questions, suggestions, comments, or just need more information on the convention, we will be happy to hear from you. Contact one of the following individuals: Helen Wild, Chairperson 1986 ACB Convention Committee P.O. Box 4151 Chattanooga, TN 37405 (615) 267-2287 Carla S. Franklin ACB Convention Coordinator 148 North Vernon Avenue Louisville, KY 40206 (502) 897-1472 John Horst ACB Assistant Convention Coordinator 96 N. Pennsylvania Avenue Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701 (717) 826-2364 ***** ** The New California Council of the Blind: In Unity There Is Strength The newly reorganized California Council of the Blind held its 1985 annual convention in Inglewood, California (a suburb of Los Angeles) on November 8, 9, and 10. This unity meeting was an event of national significance. It symbolized the final step in a merger process uniting two major state organizations, the American Council of the Blind of California and the California Council of the Blind, formerly the National Federation of the Blind of California. Only a few years ago, a unification effort of this magnitude seemed impossible, but despite some initial expressions of doubt and uncertainty, unification is now a reality. Those who attended the unity meeting last November could not help but share in the enthusiasm and spirit of optimism expressed by President Robert Acosta and First Vice President Robert Campbell. These elected leaders, along with many other capable and dedicated individuals from both of the formerly separate organizations, worked diligently to make unification a success. The reorganized California Council of the Blind is ACB's largest state affiliate. It maintains an active and influential presence in state government, working to strengthen legislation and administrative programs designed to improve opportunities for blind persons in employment, education, rehabilitation, and related fields. The California Council of the Blind is equally strong at the local level, with numerous active chapters in all parts of the state. The November convention program was varied and informative. The American Council of the Blind was represented by First Vice President Otis Stephens, whose address was titled "The Philosophical Implications of Blindness," and by Second Vice President Durward K. McDaniel, who spoke concerning national legislation affecting the blind. Among other speakers, Mrs. Winifred Downing spoke on "Mrs. Downing Goes to China," and Dr. P. Cecilio Fontanoza, Director, State Department of Rehabilitation, addressed the convention concerning "Service Delivery to the Blind of California." The banquet, with George Fogarty as master of ceremonies, was attended by well over 200 members and guests. Officers and Board members were elected as follows: President, Robert Acosta; First Vice President, Robert Campbell; Second Vice President, Marie Hatanaka; Secretary, John Difrancesco; Treasurer, Charles Smalley; Board members; George Fogarty, Allen Jenkins, Al Gil, Judge Donald Wilkinson, Dan Smith, Don Queen, Leslie McCracken, and Joanne Pomerantz. At the Sunday morning business meeting, 17 resolutions were adopted, dealing with such subjects as special education, the California School for the Blind, rehabilitation, the Business Enterprise Program, library services, withdrawal of Playboy funding, mobility safeguards, and reasonable accommodation in the taking of examinations. Ample opportunity was provided to raise and discuss issues of state and national importance. Convention sessions were well attended, and the quality of participation was excellent. Members expressed enthusiasm about the growing strength and influence of CCB. The achievement of unification was celebrated in speech and song. A sense of renewed commitment and a spirit of enthusiasm characterized this memorable convention. The achievement of unification in California is of tangible, practical importance to all blind persons in our most populous state. It also symbolizes the growth of ACB nationally. Unification efforts are under way in other states, and prospects for success are bright. California's example of effective, cooperative effort will serve as a model for the future. ***** ** Share Your Job-Hunting Experiences By Laura Oftedahl Director of Public Affairs Information is being compiled on the job-hunting experiences (both positive and negative) of persons with disabilities. The comments, along with anecdotes of job-hunting experience, will be published in the study. It is hoped that many Braille Forum readers will take a few minutes to tell their experiences so that others may benefit from these encounters in the personnel office. Debra Sampson Boogaard, Assistant Director of Career Planning and Placement at San Jose State University, is conducting this study. During the course of her work, she facilitates training seminars for upper-level management on interviewing and hiring disabled employees. So your input will be useful for future corporate training initiatives. Answers to the following questions should be reflected in your comments: 1. Are you currently employed? What field of work are you in? 2. What is your highest level of education? 3. What is your disability? Is it obvious or hidden? 4. Do you usually inform employers of your disability prior to being interviewed; e.g., in applications and on resumes? If yes, do you feel this helps or hinders you in obtaining interviews? If your disability is obvious and you do not inform employers, what kind of reaction do you feel employers usually have when they first meet you? 5. Does the topic of your disability or limitation usually come up in interviewing? If so, who usually brings it up? 6. Do you feel your interviews are usually successful? If yes, to what do you attribute this success? If not, what do you think needs to happen in order for the interviews to be successful? 7. What information would you like to have about effective job search strategies and interviews? Since low vision is in many cases a hidden disability, it would be especially beneficial for low-vision respondents to participate in this survey. Comments should be in letter form, and name and address is optional. If you do choose to give your name, be assured that it will be kept confidential in the published findings. Forward all letters to: Debra Sampson Boogaard, P.O. Box 6898, San Jose, CA 95150-6898. ***** ** The Touch Collection By Margaleta Sendrih (Reprinted from The Log of the Bridge Tender, published by Friends-in-Art, American Council of the Blind, Fall 1985) I recently visited the touch collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The collection is located in the Uris Center for Education, on the ground floor of the museum, and is coordinated by the Department of Community Education, which provides this and other services for disabled visitors. Charles Steiner, Associate Museum Educator, is the person responsible for disabled visitors services. He graciously showed me the collection and discussed his and the museum's aesthetic purposes in providing the touch collection, and described their methods of presenting displays to different audiences. He stated that 25 volunteers are involved in helping with presentations to visitors. The display room is multi-functional, serving as a special classroom as well as a meeting room. Each demonstration for the blind is set up separately. As few as one or as many as 30 visitors may come, but always with an advance appointment. The museum personnel plan their presentation based on prior consultation with prospective visitors about their needs. A session can take a number of forms, from a lecture to a dramatization (for example, an archaeological dig) or a one-to-one conversation with a college student doing research. The collection is located in three large, shelved cabinets which line a hallway adjoining the display room. Cabinet doors are kept locked between demonstrations. At the end of the cabinets is a sturdy carrel with seats for three persons. Pieces of white, black, and pink felt are kept handy to intensify color contrast for low-vision visitors as they examine objects. A three-tier wheeled table is used to move objects from the cabinets to the carrel or into the display room. The art objects are varied, being from a number of cultures and with rich tactual appeal. There are a large number of decorative arts and examples of armor and printing blocks and prints from the United States and Europe. The musical instruments are from many cultures and periods; the majority of them seem to be from the third world, as are the sculptures. All the objects are light enough for easy lifting. The guide instructs visitors to hold the objects with both hands. Good touch experiences are had in the Eskimo sculptures, which give some insight into the Inuit aesthetic. Steiner and his staff seek to "recreate an aesthetic experience," rather than just showing an object. A good Egyptian collection includes a soapstone scarab, a limestone head with face, and a 6th-century B.C. limestone relief. These, along with a pair of Mesopotomanian cylinder seals, are entirely touchable. The oldest object in the collection is a 6th-century Chinese stele. The American and European decorative arts consist of brass candlesticks, an Italian vase, an American andiron and staircase handrails, a German casket and key. The printing blocks and plates are mainly American; one is Dutch. The textile collection has tapestry, printed fabric, and velvet. The armor consists in part of a fragment of European mail, a Chinese mace, and a German gauntlet from the 16th century. Musical instruments come from Africa, the Near East, the Far East, New Guinea, and North and South America. A ukulele and a viola d'amore can be studied alongside an Angolan sansa, an Indian lute, a Turkish zurna, or a New Guinean hourglass drum. Steiner says the museum tries to provide as many materials as possible, but not at the cost of the deterioration of objects. No china glassware is used, for example, because of danger of breakage. My sense of the collection is that it is a rich introduction to many cultures and to the idea that fine art and craft or decoration overlap. The collection gives a profound lesson in the aesthetics of touch -- line, texture, shape, weight, substance. However, I felt there were important things missing. Perhaps there is a lack in the representative aspect Mr. Steiner himself mentioned. A revolving concentration on one region of the world or period of art might round out the collection. This seems especially needed when one remembers that touch tours to the main collection of the museum are normally not provided. Mr. Steiner said that with 13,000 visitors a day to the Met, it would be impossible to conduct such tours. However, blind individuals are encouraged to join regular tours, and special group tours for the blind where touch is not involved are available. Many tapes are available from the museum's Education Office on aesthetics, the museum's collections, and art history. "The museum doesn't pretend to make people see or to make visual art available in touch," said Steiner. However, his goal is to not segregate programming. The personnel see themselves as teachers first and foremost. They encourage the blind visitor to describe the object, its material, whether it is hollow or solid, whole or fragment, and how it may have been made. It takes considerable effort to create such instructional techniques. Making that effort demonstrates commitment to encourage disabled people to grow in their awareness of the world of art. ***** ** NBA and the Floppy Disk (Reprinted from Update, October-December 1985, published by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped) With the introduction of braille transcription software for microcomputers, the Disk Output Service was born at the National Braille Association in 1984. Computer programs enable braillists to produce masters more rapidly and with comparative ease. They also enable computer braille to be duplicated on floppy disk or cassette for direct use with computers or paperless braille devices. The NBA Braille Materials Production Center in Rochester, New York, has four Apple computers, two computer printers, an IBM PC computer, a Cranmer Modified Perkins Brailler, a Thiel Braille Embosser, and a Versa­Braille. The NBA Braille Materials Production Center encompasses all services offered to users and transcribers which involve the production or duplication of braille materials. When transcribers assisted by computers complete assignments for NBA, they simply mail each volume of braille on a small "floppy disk." NBA can make as many copies of the embossed braille as desired and can then store the masters on disks in envelopes rather than in bulky braille boxes. When transcribers prepare material for braille output that has not been assigned by NBA, they can also mail it to the Output Center for embossing. Schools, agencies, and commercial enterprises can send material on disk for output at cost. NBA is now equipped to output from Apple and IBM PC floppy disks. In addition, they are field-testing a Versa­Braille output service which can be handled in three ways: 1. NBA offers output service to VersaBraille cassette for new transcriptions of college and adult­level materials. Requests for these transcriptions will be accepted as transcribers become available. 2. Service for materials sent on 5 1/4-inch Apple disks for output to VersaBraille cassette is also available. Formatting, quality of braille, and copyright permission are the responsibilities of the person requesting the service. Disks will be returned. 3. NBA will offer VersaBraille cassettes prepared from disk masters already in its collection of college textbooks and general-interest materials. At this time, the collection only has about 25 titles, but the number is steadily increasing as more transcribers are using computers to produce braille materials. A VersaBraille cassette compares to approximately four volumes of conventional braille. During the field­test, each cassette will cost $10.00. NBA welcomes feedback on the cost, quality, and practicality of continuing this service permanently. Comments and inquiries about the VersaBraille Output Service should be sent to the National Braille Association, 1290 University Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607; (716) 473-0900. ***** ** Juliet Esterly Receives Merit Award (Reprinted from the Rossmoor (CA), News, Nov. 20, 1985, by Margaret Grant) The 77th recipient of the Citizen of Merit Award, given by the State Clubs Federation, is Juliet Bindt Esterly. This 12-year Rossmoor resident will be presented with a plaque at the monthly Federation meeting Monday, December 2. Being totally blind has never stopped Esterly from participating, organizing or directing; and she has been an "involved" person all her life. She was born in Los Angeles and could read only up to the age of 13, and then someone had to read to her. She became totally blind at 25. She went to Scripps College for Women on several scholarships. After graduation she went on to do graduate studies in social work at the University of California, Berkeley. Two scholarships for disabled girls have been established at Scripps in her name. For 32 years, Esterly was a state teacher for the adult blind and retired in 1972. In 1973, she and her second husband, Everett, moved to their manor in Rossmoor at 2408 Ptarmigan Drive, where she resides alone since her husband's death. "Involvement" is the key word for Esterly in organizations and community service. From 1977 to 1979 she served as President of the Mt. Diab lo Society for the Handicapped and conducted a game night twice a month for visually handicapped persons. The game nights have now evolved into a regular first-Tuesday meeting for those coping with loss of vision. ... Esterly also ... is a member of the National Advisory Committee of the MedicAlert Foundation. In January 1984 she became Vice President of the Rossmoor/Walnut Creek Chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), primarily serving as program chairwoman. ... This very community-active woman still has time for social contacts with the Golden State Club, American Association of University Women, the Swim Club, and Rossmoor Democrats. Esterly is especially appreciative of the fact that even though blind, she has been given opportunities not only to participate, but to be able to serve the community as well as the visually impaired. ... Editor's Note: In a recent letter, Juliet Esterly commented as follows concerning this award: "I am pleased about this Citizen of Merit Award, as it acknowledges in this retirement community of over 8500 that a handicapped person can contribute. In my acceptance, I'm going to thank them for allowing me to serve so as to be eligible for this award, and urge them to seek always-needed volunteers from among their handicapped members who need to be needed. This justifies my receipt of ACB's Ambassador Award in 1978. Public lack of knowledge truly is our greatest handicap." ***** ** Civil Rights Complaints: How to File One with the U.S. Department of Education By Eric Clegg (Eric Clegg of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is an Equal Opportunity Specialist employed in the Intake Section of the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education.) The Office for Civil Rights is divided into ten regions. This agency is mandated by court order to serve the public and enforces Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975. It has been suggested that it might prove useful to readers to publish in The Braille Forum an article outlining how to go about filing a discrimination complaint with the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education. If you don't have the funds to hire an attorney yourself, it may just prove to be a useful alternative in aiding you as a blind person to secure rights that may have been denied you. To initiate the filing of a complaint, call one of the ten regional offices and ask to speak with an intake person. Request the following documents: one copy of the Discrimination Complaint Form; two copies of "Complainant's Notice About Investigatory Uses of Personal Information," and two copies of "Consent for Revealing Complainant's Identity." OCR requires that complaints be in writing and signed; hence, information will not be taken from you over the phone. Sign and date the above-referenced Privacy Act forms. Keep one copy for your records and send the other along with your completed Discrimination Complaint Form to the regional office which will be processing your complaint. You should, at a minimum, include the following information in your complaint. You can do this either by including the information in a letter sent to the regional office or by using the Discrimination Complaint Form. 1. Your name, address, and telephone number. 2. The basis (race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, or age) of the alleged discrimination. 3. The name and address of the institution you believe to be guilty of discrimination. 4. The approximate date or dates of the discriminatory act or acts. 5. Enough detail about the alleged discrimination to make it clear what happened (including any supporting documents). 6. The name of any other Federal, state, or local civil rights agency, or any Federal or state court, with which you intend to file, or have already filed, this complaint. 7. The status of your complaint within the internal grievance procedure at your institution, if this applies. Other helpful hints include the following: When giving details about your complaint and what you believe happened to you, be brief, but as specific as possible. Don't ramble and give superfluous details that may not really apply to your situation. If you think of further relevant information down the line, you can always amend your complaint and add other allegations later. In my opinion, some of the easiest complaints to deal with, from the standpoint of both an intake worker and an investigator, have been the brief and concise ones that give all of the pertinent details in under two pages. We intake folks dread those complaints that come in by the pound. They don't usually provide any further information. When filing a complaint, have some idea in mind of what you might want as a remedy in your given situation. Don't assume that employees in the Office for Civil Rights will necessarily know, for instance, what job accommodations might be of most help to a blind person. One worker in my office thought a Kurzweil Reading Machine could solve all of the reading problems of any blind person and was getting ready to recommend that a certain school district consider buying one or more of these reading machines! If you yourself are enlightened about your rights, you will have a better chance of ultimately obtaining what you want. Now you have filed your complaint. What happens next? The Office for Civil Rights by court order has fifteen days to either acknowledge a complaint or inform a complainant that a complaint is incomplete and that further information is required. In this connection, it is very important that you sign your complaint. It will be returned to you by the bureaucracy as incomplete if it is not signed. Between the time your complaint is received and the letters go out, certain things happen. The complaint is examined for completeness, timeliness, and jurisdiction. This last means, in layman's terms: Does the institution or school district involved in the complaint receive money from the U.S. Department of Education? If so, and if there are no other major problems, the Office will usually proceed to an investigation of your case. By the 15th day, then, if no further information is required, you will receive a letter acknowledging the complaint and spelling out briefly what OCR believes are the allegations and providing other information about the regulations and the conduct of the investigation. About this time, also, if you have completed and returned your Privacy Act forms, you will be contacted by an investigator with regard to your complaint. The Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Education has 90 days within which to complete its investigation and issue a letter of findings. If a violation is found, negotiations will usually take place in order to bring the parties into voluntary compliance. The last resort can be the removal of Federal funds from the program which is in violation of the law. This, however, has rarely happened. Hopefully this brief article will give readers helpful information on how to go about filing a civil rights complaint. Good luck, and may the force of right be with you! (NOTE: It is important to note that, depending upon the nature of the discriminatory practice, the Department of Education imposes time limits within which you must file. If you believe you have been the victim of a prohibited discriminatory practice, file your complaint as soon as possible.) ***** ** Duxbury Introduces Braille Production System Duxbury Systems, a leading producer of braille software and systems since 1975, introduced a totally integrated, affordable Braille Production System (BPS)™ at the Federal Office Automation Conference in Washington, D.C., October 30-31. The annual conference provides a showcase of the latest office automation products for Government agencies and subcontractors. For the first time at a major computer conference, leading government and industry leaders participated in a symposium dealing with computer support for handicapped employees. Products such as Duxbury Systems' BPS were reviewed as ways to bring more "specially abled" persons into the mainstream workforce of government and industry. The symposium featured Judge Leonard J. Suchanek, Chief Judge, General Services Administration Board of Contract Appeals, as keynote speaker. Judge Suchanek chairs the Interagency Committee for Computer Support of Handicapped Employees, whose goal is to advance the management and use of microcomputer and related technology in order to promote the productivity and achievement of handicapped Federal employees. Blind himself, Suchanek is daily using the Duxbury Braille Translator -- software capable of translating ordinary printed material to braille, or from braille to print -- to review legal briefs and opinions for the past four years. Based on highly respected and widely used equipment, Duxbury's Braille Production System produces high-quality braille from typewritten copy with just four keystrokes. "The system is equally sufficient for either blind or sighted operators," comments company co-founder and Vice President of Development, Joseph E. Sullivan. "With this advantage" companies or agencies can hire visually impaired persons to use standard office equipment as effectively as their sighted colleagues." Totally integrated by Duxbury Systems, the BPS includes an IBM­compatible personal computer, the Duxbury Braille Translator, a high­quality voice device such as DECtalk, a personal or high-production braille printer, and an optical character reader. A basic Braille Workstation consisting of a PC, Duxbury Braille Translator, and a complete software package for communications, word­processing, and screen management is available for $4,995.00. The Duxbury Braille Production System uses any software available for the IBM PC. With operational IBM PC-based hardware and software products, the system can access most host system facilities. For further information, contact Duxbury Systems, Inc., 435 King Street, P.O. Box 1504, Littleton, MA 01460. ***** ** Now Hear This! Because the American Council of the Blind of New York State appreciates the services, programs, and legislative information provided by the ACB National Office, and because 1986 will be an unusually difficult year budget-wise for the national organization, ACB/NYS voted at its 1985 state convention to sponsor a concert featuring professional blind talent from the metropolitan New York City area. Proceeds from the concert are to be donated to ACB's general fund. The concert is to be titled "NOW HEAR THIS!" Shirley Mussillo, whose graduate work is in economics and journalism, will produce the show, and Peggy Eason, who has a master's degree in music education, will direct. The Hunter College Playhouse, 68th Street and Lexington Avenue, New York City, has been booked for Sunday afternoon, March 2, from 2:30 to 4:30 P.M. The Playhouse is completely accessible for wheelchairs. There are 692 seats, priced at $10.00 each. These are numbered seats, and blocks of tickets are available. Volunteers will meet concertgoers at the top of the subway stairs and direct them to the Playhouse. Programs will be available in braille and large-print as well as regular print. A demo tape of the show will be made on March 2, and the tape will be available at $5.00 per copy, including the cost of packaging and mailing. Here again, all proceeds will go to ACB. Through this concert, ACB/NYS hopes to promote a greater awareness of the work being done, and the work that remains to be done, throughout the country by the American Council of the Blind. Brochures about the national organization will be inserted into the programs. ACB/NYS hopes, too, that this idea will "catch on" in other cities, and that there will be other concerts to benefit ACB. It's a "fun" project! ***** ** Words from Washington By Jim Doherty Washington, D. C., is famous -- or infamous, if you prefer -- for many reasons. From this city proceed legislative and regulatory actions, Supreme Court decisions, and executive orders that affect lives throughout the world. On a more personal level, we in the American Council of the Blind feel a strong connection to Washington because it is the site of our National Office. "The District," as it is known locally, can also claim another distinction important to ACB members: it is the home of one of the oldest organizations of independent blind people in the United States. The District of Columbia Association of Workers for the Blind (DCAWB) was founded in 1913 for the general purpose of promoting the welfare of blind persons in the Washington metropolitan area. Since then, DCAWB has broadened its field of action to include improvement of education, rehabilitation, and other community services, the stimulation and development of practical, profitable, self-help activities, monitoring the proceedings of legislative and regulatory bodies, and promoting the image of blind people as productive citizens of the community. DCA WB was chartered as an ACB affiliate in 1972. At its regular meetings, issues of vital concern to the membership and the community are explored. For example, in November, education and transportation were the main topics of discussion. ACB National Representative Oral Miller, a long-time member of the affiliate, outlined the history and expanding scope of the Council's scholarship program. He told the group the program has grown tremendously in each of its four years of existence. In 1985, 25 applicants had to be turned down for each one accepted, and in 1986 some $25,000 will be divided among 17 scholarship recipients. D.C. boasts six universities (seven if we count Maryland, just across the border in College Park) and a number of colleges and technical schools. With this in mind, Mr. Miller urged the members to spread the scholarship word to any student who might be eligible. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, commonly called Metro, operates a bus and rail system that serves the District and surrounding portions of Virginia and Maryland. Blind and visually impaired people face a number of potential frustrations when using Metro rail: signs too high for a partially sighted person to read; safely finding the platform edge; identifying trains and stations when speakers don't work or operators mumble; and getting sufficient information on the phone. Pat Beattie, Community Consultant with the American Foundation for the Blind, related results of negotiations involving a task force of blind persons and Metro's Associate Director for Consumer Affairs. The telephone information staff is receiving training on how to be more responsive to calls from blind people. Train announcements are important to all riders, blind or sighted, so that situation is improving. Thus far, the platform edge problem seems to have no universally satisfactory solution. All agree that more education of Metro personnel and a well planned orientation program for blind riders would solve most of the difficulties. Ms. Beattie's presentation underscored the need for blind people to participate directly in the planning and implementation of community services. Though incorporated in the District of Columbia, DCA WB attracts members from many neighboring jurisdictions. Charles Rupard, President of ACB of Maryland and a resident of Silver Spring, gave this reason for attending meetings in the District: "I believe in unity," Charlie said. "I believe if we don't hang together, we'll hang" -- a philosophy we can all endorse. ***** ** Let's Become Aware of Blindness and Low Vision By James D. Faimon "Let's Become Aware of Blindness and Low Vision" was the theme of a seminar sponsored by the American Council of the Blind of Nebraska in conjunction with the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Low Vision Services, held in Omaha on October 19, 1985. Presented on an academic level for public awareness, the, seminar was also oriented in such a format that activity credits for the State of Nebraska were granted for medical and educational professionals. Participants were greeted by Lleana Messer, President of the ACB of Nebraska. The seminar, held at the University's Center for Continuing Education, was chaired by Dr. Joe Zahn, Director of Low Vision Services of the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Speakers discussed a variety of perspectives relating to blindness and low vision. The program opened with an address by Adrian De Blaey (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), member of the Board of Directors of the American Council of the Blind. He discussed the development of the "blindness movement" and the history and activities of ACB. Following Mr. De Blaey's presentation, Dr. Raymond Records spoke concerning the eye and some of its common diseases. Dr. Randy Jose of the University of Houston Low Vision Services, nationally recognized expert in this field, discussed the complexities of understanding low vision. He pointed out that there are a variety of ways to measure low vision and/or useful vision. A major point made by Dr. Jose was that emphasis should be placed on the evaluation of low vision as it relates to functional uses; that is, a person with a certain eye defect may use his/her remaining vision much more effectively than someone with better visual acuity, yet who may not be able to function as well. Therefore, low vision aids should be fitted with a view to accomplishing the highest possible functional purpose. Other speakers included Jay McMartin and Margaret McCormick, who shared their successes in coping with low vision; Kathleen Newman, who spoke on educating visually impaired children in the public school system; and Ardith Wininger, who discussed education of visually impaired children in the residential school setting. John Smith, member of the ACB of Nebraska, summarized his experiences as a rehabilitation teacher and captured the audience by relating his own life experiences. The seminar concluded with a panel of all speakers, who responded to questions from the audience. The seminar was well attended by teachers of the visually impaired and by representatives from the professional community. ***** ** Disability Journalists Explore U.S. Services for Handicapped Travelers In a first-of-its-kind effort, the United States Travel and Tourism Administration (USTTA), U.S. Department of Commerce, has teamed up with the Society for the Advancement of Travel for the Handicapped (SATH), World Airways, and other travel industry leaders for a program to inform tourists from Europe about U. S. services for handicapped visitors. From October 14-24, a group of British and German journalists, specialists on issues for the disabled, participated in a fact-finding mission to the United States, encompassing visits to Washington, D.C., Alexandria, VA, Baltimore, Kansas City, Oakland, San Francisco, Anaheim, and Los Angeles. World Airways furnished the writers with complimentary air transportation from Europe and between their U. S. destinations. In addition, Pacific Southwest Airlines provided the writers with flights within California, and National Car Rental furnished primary ground transportation for the eight-city tour. The program was initiated by USTTA at the suggestion of SATH Executive Director, Dr. Harold Snider. "To date, there has never been a familiarization tour for handicapped journalists who write about disability, and I am very pleased that SATH has been able to initiate this exciting concept to promote the efforts of the USTTA in welcoming handicapped visitors,'' Snider commented. The Society for Advancement of Travel for the Handicapped is a non­profit, tax-exempt travel industry membership organization exclusively dedicated to the promotion and improvement of travel and tourism opportunities for handicapped and elderly persons. In May 1985, World Airways became the first U.S. airline to offer a comprehensive program of "total access'' for disabled passengers. As part of the new program, World's entire fleet of DC-10's has been equipped with: collapsible on-board aisle wheelchairs; seats with movable armrests; lavatories with "grab bars''; in-flight briefing books printed in braille; and captioned in­flight briefing video tapes for the deaf and hearing impaired. All World personnel have gone through in-depth training sessions to sensitize them to the special needs of elderly and handicapped travelers. In addition, the Airline has established toll-free numbers for disabled passengers. By voice: 800-526-9287; in California, 800-772-3550. By telecommunications devices for the deaf: 800-621-4337; in California, 800-223-7287. The eight participating journalists, most of whom are themselves disabled, represented a variety of publications and electronic media reaching the handicapped in Great Britain and Germany. They include BBC, The New Beacon magazine, Guide to the UK for Disabled Persons, and Der Paraplegiker. Local convention and visitors bureaus, hotels, restaurants, and attractions in each city sponsored accommodations and activities for the visiting journalists. ***** ** ACB Members Win Ronnie Milsap Foundation Scholarships The newly chartered Ronnie Milsap Foundation has initiated an impressive scholarship program and has awarded $14,000 during its first year. Among the winners are two members of the American Council of the Blind and a number of Braille Forum readers. Additionally, the majority of the thirteen award-winning students are readers of ACB's student publication, The Student Advocate. Congratulations to Council members Bridget Fairly of Ridgeland, Mississippi, and Connie Chen of San Francisco, California. Bridget is a junior at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, where she carries a 4.0 grade point average. This Mississippi Council member is majoring in political science, with a law degree as her goal. Connie Chen, a member of the National Association of Blind Teachers and the California Council of the Blind, is working on a master's degree in special education at San Francisco State University. The Ronnie Milsap Foundation accepts scholarship applications between July 1-20 and November 1-20 of each year. For more information, contact the Foundation at 600 Renaissance Center, Suite 1300, Detroit, MI 48243. ***** ** High Tech Swap Shop * For Sale: Pelco Model 501 CCTV Low Vision Reading Aid with 19-inch monitor. Unit comes complete on its own roll-around stand, $1400.00 plus $100.00 shipping and handling. Contact: Mrs. Samuel Umans, 2723 Echo Lane, Erie, PA 16506; (814) 838-9883. ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon From CCLV News (Council of Citizens with Low Vision): A surprised theater-goer's eyeglasses shattered during a high note in the grand finale at the National Theater's pro- duction of "42nd Street" in Washington, D.C. According to an article in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, Brian Corcoran, 17, of Falls Church, VA, was sitting in the fourth row of the theater enjoying the musical with his father. As members of the company shimmied and tapped their way to stage right, tenor James Mellon hit the climactic high note in the "Dames" number. A large chorus joined in. As Mellon's voice crescendoed to its peak, Corcoran's eyeglasses cracked and shattered into his lap. George Washington physics professor Otto Bergmann said such incidents are extremely unlikely. It must have been quite a show! The Rose and Jay Phillips Award was recently given by the Courage Center of Minneapolis to Frank Johnson, long-time member of the ACB of Minnesota. The award was made "in recognition of exceptional courage and determination in achieving vocational independence, and for community involvement and leadership." Frank also received the Governor's Commendation for his long devotion to the disabled community. The Blind Childrens Center has several booklets available to parents. "Talk to Me: a Language Guide for Parents of Blind Children," and "Talk to Me 2: Common Concerns," are available in English and Spanish by writing to: Blind Childrens Center, P.O. Box 29159, Los Angeles, CA 90029. Using a format similar to that of driver's licenses, Secretary of State offices in Michigan began on October 1, 1985, to issue revised state personal identification cards for non-drivers. Individuals with driver's licenses are not eligible for the new ID card, according to Michigan Special Education News. The new cards contain a permanently assigned ID number, physical description, imprinted photograph, and signature. The card must be updated every four years for a $6.00 fee, which may be waived under certain circumstances. Seedlings is a new non-profit organization devoted to publishing books in braille for children. Because it uses all volunteer labor and time, not to mention low-cost equipment, the company is able to produce braille books for children at prices from $4.50 to $11.00. Most titles are in grade two braille, but a few are in grade one and some have print written above the braille. For a catalog, write Seedlings Braille Books for Children, 844 7 Marygrove Drive, Detroit, MI 48221. From AARP Newsletter: When Carl Lowrance began raising salamanders as what he called "magic fish bait," he never suspected he would get a nibble from eye researchers who need the amphibians for retina experiments. Lowrance, 72, is the nation's only breeder of salamanders, an enterprise that has had its ups and downs since he began 14 years ago. Without Lowrance's salamanders, researchers would be "up a tree," said Edward Pugh, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Eye researchers rely on the salamander because its retina cells are similar to those of humans, except larger. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the new long-distance services? Will I still be able to use operators? How do I choose a long­distance service? These are among the types of questions being asked by thousands of telephone consumers every day, in the face of drastic changes in the way long-distance telephone service is being offered since the divestiture of AT&T. For those served by Atlantic Bell, Mountain Bell, Southern Bell, and Southwestern Bell, a Tele-Consumer Hotline has been designed to provide objective, quality information on the new long­distance telephone services. Trained consumer counselors are available to answer questions and to send out fact sheets explaining many of the changes that have occurred in the telephone industry. The toll-free number for the Tele-Consumer Hotline is: 1-800- 332-1124. From AER Report: The U. S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case of Witters v. Washington Department of Services for the Blind. This case involves a blind seminary student who was denied aid from the vocational rehabilitation program for his seminary studies because the agency felt it would be a breach of the doctrine of separation of church and state. It will be many months, of course, before there is a decision in this case. *** The Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department is offering Opera Program Notes on cassette through libraries for the blind and visually impaired. These cassettes are designed to be used in conjunction with the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts and to make opera more easily accessible for this constituency. Participating libraries for the blind and visually impaired will have cassettes in their catalog by November for the 20 operas being broadcast during the 1985-1986 season. The Talking Time Quartz Clock is a full-function talking clock with remarkably clear speech, available from Trian Corp. of Bellingham, Washington. Features: tells time at the touch of a button; has talking alarm and 24-hour count-down timer; battery-operated (3 size N batteries, not included); high precision quartz movement; six-digit large-size display; size, approximately 4 1/2 by 2 by 5/8 inches. Full 60-day Trian Corp. warranty. Price: $35.00 plus $3.50 for shipping and handling, plus $4.00 for cassette instructions. Order from Trian Corp., 4200 Meridian, Suite 205, Bellingham, WA 98226; 1-800-628-2828. From The Matilda Ziegler Magazine: In a unique study in Australia, ten aborigines who had become diabetics as adults were asked to leave their suburban homes and return to their traditional hunter­gatherer life styles. In just seven weeks, all showed a marked improvement in their disease, and diabetes was reversed in some instances. While living near Melbourne, they had been used to eating cheap fatty meat and they drank alcohol and soda. In the wild, their diet was low in calories, they ate low-fat meats (including fish, kangaroo and crocodile), and they exercised more. This is evidence, the researchers conclude, that a low-fat, low-calorie diet is an effective control for diabetes. From The Standard Bearer (National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped): U.S. Secretary of Education William J. Bennett has approved the expansion of NAC's scope of recognition to include the accreditation of post­secondary vocational education programs that prepare blind and visually impaired persons for employment. Consequently, eligible agencies and schools may now participate in financial aid programs administered by the Department of Education if they can demonstrate NAC accreditation. *** NAC's Commission on accreditation has awarded first-time accreditation to two agencies and one school: Ed Lindsey School for the Blind, Nashville, TN; Southwest Lighthouse for the Blind, Lubbock, TX; and Utah School for the Blind, Ogden, UT. Associated Press: Troublesome, sometimes even painful injections of insulin that diabetics must endure each day might be a thing of the past if tests on an insulin nasal spray are successful. The Federal Food and Drug Administration recently gave California Biotechnology, Inc., permission to start testing the nasal spray on patients. "Every diabetic has to inject insulin one to three times a day," said David Lauck, Director of Regulatory Affairs and Clinical Research for the company. "A product like this could eliminate some of that." The nasal spray could provide an alternative to shots for an estimated three million diabetics in the United States who rely on injections to keep them alive, and for an additional two to seven million persons who rely on diet and pills to control diabetes, Lauck said. From Hoosier Starlight (Indiana): Tom Flick, 28, of French Lick, Indiana, has recently started a demolition salvage business, although he can see for a distance of only about a foot. Mr. Flick contracts to raze dilapidated buildings, either for materials or for a small fee. He salvages such things as lumber, wiring, and plumbing and offers them for sale. Mr. Flick has to make adjustments because of his visual problem. He explained that he installs safety rails for his own protection and said that he does most of the work by touch. "I have never had a lost-time accident," he said proudly. *** The Illuminated Cane is a light-weight, hollow, acrylic wand. The handle accesses a low-voltage lighting system which is sufficient to illuminate the entire wand so that it is visible to the naked eye at a distance of 150 to 200 yards. Using the technology of fiber optics, light energy travels down the entire shaft of the cane and is reflected back up the cane by the nylon tip. In the daytime, this cane looks like any other white cane for the blind, but at night it becomes an illuminated wand. For more information, contact The Guilding Light, Inc., 153 N. Division Street, Buffalo, NY 14203. From Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness: Helen Keller International has implemented a program called "Operation Sight­saver," which has shipped two million megadoses of Vitamin A to Addis Ababa and Khartoum for the treatment and prevention of nutritional blindness among young victims of Ethiopia's famine. The Vitamin A thus far shipped represents the first wave of five million doses made possible by donations from a number of pharmaceutical suppliers. In addition, HKI will monitor disease rates as well as train relief workers to recognize, treat, and prevent nutritional blindness. Bashir A. Masoodi, Special Education Coordinator for the Gary (Indiana) Community Public School Corporation, was recently elected Vice Chairman of the Indiana Rehabilitation Services Board. The nine-member board is appointed by the Governor to oversee the rehabilitation of handicapped citizens of the state. Mr. Masoodi is blind. ***** ** 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. January 24-26 - Bay State Council of the Blind State Convention - Boston, MA March 14-15 - Arkansas Council of the Blind State Convention - Little Rock April 25-26 - ACB of Nebraska State Convention - Grand Island May 4-6 - Louisiana Council of the Blind State Convention - Baton Rouge June 7 - Connecticut Council of the Blind Spring Convention - Wallingford June 13-15 - Florida Council of the Blind State Convention - Palm Beach June 28-July 5 - American Council of the Blind 25th Annual Convention - Knoxville, TN ***** ** 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: LeRoy Saunders Box 24020 Oklahoma City, OK 73124 * Contributing Editor Elizabeth Lennon 1315 Greenwood Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49007 ###