The Braille Forum Vol. XXV September-October 1986 No. 2 Published Monthly by the American Council of the Blind Mary T. Ballard, Editor ***** Promoting Independence and Effective Participation in Society 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 THE BRAILLE FORUM is available in braille, large-type, and cassette tape (15/16 ips). 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 Avenue, N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005. You may wish to remember a relative or 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 wish to contact the ACB National Office. For the latest legislative and governmental news, call the Washington Connection. Toll-free: Daily, 5:30 P.M. to midnight Eastern time - 1-800-424-8666 Washington, D.C., metropolitan area: 5:30 P.M. to 9:00 A.M. Eastern time, weekdays and all day weekends and holidays - 393-3664. Copyright 1986 American Council of the Blind ***** ** Contents Opinions versus Motivations -- Grist for the Washington Mill, by Durward K. McDaniel ACB Triumphs in Censorship Battle, by Lynn Abbott ACB 25th Annual Convention: Traditions Old and New, by Carla Franklin Elections, By-Laws, Awards ... Summary, 1986 Resolutions Convention Tapes Available DOD Wins the First Round on Vending Machine Revenue, by Kathleen Megivern News Briefs from the ACB National Office, by Oral O. Miller Supreme Court Further Narrows Scope of Section 504 in Airline Decision, by Lynn Abbott Enthusiasm Flowers for ACB's New TV Message, by Laura Oftedahl Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Found Unconstitutional, by Kathleen Megivern ACB National Representative Testifies Against Home Audio Recording Act High Tech Swap Shop Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon Calendar of Events ACB Officers ***** ** Opinions Versus Motivations -- Grist for the Washington Mill By Durward K. McDaniel Second Vice President American Council of the Blind Debate keeps going on about that much-discussed subject, non-profit workshops which employ blind and handicapped people. Various aspects of this subject appear to be the primary legislative activity of the National Federation of the Blind. We now acknowledge the emergence of a new entity whose legal, administrative, and legislative activities deal negatively and exclusively with such workshops. That new entity is the National Council of Small Business Government Contractors, which is being promoted by an aggressive Washington, D.C., law firm, Trilling & Kennedy -- more about them later. Within the blindness system, opinions differ widely on workshop subjects, and so do motivations. But this new entity leaves no doubt about its purposes and motivations. Its attorneys have launched a campaign to recruit dues-paying profit-making small businesses as members to oppose the Federal procurement system which is authorized by the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act. This procurement program is administered by the Committee for Purchase from the Blind and Other Severely Handicapped. This Committee decides which commodities and services can be provided to the Federal Government by workshops, and at what prices. Under this arrangement, a qualified workshop does not bid for the business. To facilitate the allocation of Federal purchase contracts for such procurement, the Committee has designated two central non-profit agencies, as the law authorizes. They are National Industries for the Blind, which allocates contracts to workshops for the blind, and National Industries for the Severely Handicapped, which does likewise for workshops for the severely handicapped. Last year the Government bought more than $200 million worth of commodities and services from such workshops -- an impressive amount, but still only a minute fractional percentage of the total Federal procurement from small businesses. Federal Prison Industries has a superior priority to that of the workshops, and it provides many things to the Government. From time to time, profit-making businesses have challenged the Committee's actions, and some lawsuits have been filed. When the Committee places a commodity or service on the official procurement list, the Government must purchase it from a qualified workshop rather than from any previous profit-making bidder. Almost two years ago, a company represented by Trilling & Kennedy sued the Committee and National Industries for the Severely Handicapped because a commodity which the company had been producing for the Government had been added to the procurement list and a contract for its production had been allocated to a workshop for the handicapped. Trilling & Kennedy have also flooded the Committee with requests for information in preparation for future challenges to the administration of this procurement law. The plaintiff's claims and requests for judgment were so radically sweeping that if they had been granted by the courts, this special procurement program would have been effectively stymied. But the courts granted a summary judgment for the Committee, and the plaintiff appealed, but only on a narrow part of the original complaint. The Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the plaintiff, but only to the extent that the Committee had not adequately documented the basis for its decision to place the commodity on the procurement list. Having had that small success, Trilling & Kennedy have now made claims for attorneys' fees and costs totaling $235,950.81, which the Government is contesting. We are informed that several items in these claims are for time spent in conference with representatives of the National Federation of the Blind and for the sending of case materials to them. Trilling & Kennedy have publicly acknowledged the willingness of the Federation to cooperate with them in publicizing workshop "abuses." Now Trilling & Kennedy have filed a petition for rule-making for some of its clients with the Committee, in an effort to accomplish some things indirectly which they could not do directly. Yes, debate does go on, and will. And yes, opinions and motivations will continue to be mixed, but well understood. ***** ** ACB Triumphs in Censorship Battle By Lynn Abbott, Legal Assistant In what can only be described as a thrilling victory, the American Council of the Blind has emerged the victor in its "Playboy lawsuit" against the Librarian of Congress. Declaring the Librarian's elimination of Playboy magazine from the braille publications offered through the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped as violative of the First Amendment, District Judge Thomas F. Hogan found the facts of censorship to be constitutionally impermissible. Those who benefit from the diverse selection of publications available from the Books for the Blind program have been given back their right to read what they choose. The situation surfaced in July 1985 when Congress was considering the budget for the Library of Congress. Representative Chalmers P. Wylie (R-OH) offered an amendment to the Legislative Branch appropriations bill which would, in effect, prohibit the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Daniel Boorstin, from continuing production of the braille edition of Playboy. Representative Wylie determined the magazine to be morally offensive and should not be available to blind readers. Unfortunately, the Wylie amendment was adopted by Congress and the President signed the appropriations bill into law late last year. The American Council of the Blind, the Blinded Veterans Association, the American Library Association, Playboy Enterprises, and three subscribers to Playboy -- ACB members Scott Marshall, Deborah Kendrick, and Brian Charlson -- filed a lawsuit on December 4, 1985, to protest the cutback in funding aimed specifically at Playboy because of its content. The cause of action cited in the complaint was the violation of the free speech provisions of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. The cessation of the braille edition of the magazine represented blatant censorship and paternalism toward blind people, and the action of Congress could not remain unchallenged. The lawsuit was filed in Federal District Court for the District of Columbia. After several months of "discovery" or fact-finding, the plaintiffs submitted a motion for summary judgement with the court. Such a motion requests the judge to decide a case based on the information gathered through the discovery process, thereby eliminating the need to go to trial. On August 28, 1986, attorneys representing the parties to the action appeared before Judge Hogan and presented their arguments orally. Much to the surprise of all in attendance, the judge announced his decision at the conclusion of the oral argument. "Bench opinions," or decisions issued orally by the judge following the presentation of evidence, are quite rare, but most welcome. A written opinion will be issued by the court at a future date, more fully outlining the judge's reasoning. Judge Hogan noted from the bench that he desired to issue an opinion immediately in order to prevent further delay in the case. "(T)he Court has concluded . . . from the materials submitted to it on the summary judgment motions of both the plaintiff and defendant, judgement should be entered for the plaintiffs on their claim of First Amendment violation by Dr. Boorstin on his decision not to publish Playboy in 1986 because this decision was non-content neutral ... '' The judge remarked that he did not fault Dr. Boorstin personally, because he was in a bad position. "He was in the classical position of a bureaucrat who faces either sanctions from Congress or certain Congresspersons because of his actions if he did not strike Playboy ... " Recommendations concerning acceptable and appropriate remedies will be submitted to the court in order that the judge may fashion an order of relief. Negotiations are under way with the defendants, and hopefully an agreement will be reached soon. In the meantime, as the plaintiffs anxiously await the written opinion and relief order, the ACB National Office has been bustling with activity. ACB staff has been spreading the good news via the Washington Connection, over radio and television, and through newspapers and magazines across the country. National Public Radio, the New York Times, CBS Morning News, USA Today, The Washington Post, ACB Radio, and even the BBC have brought this important ruling to the attention of the public. (Note: Readers should note that an appeal of this decision by the defendant is possible. However, this is considered unlikely, under the circumstances.) ***** *** ACB 25th Annual Convention ** Traditions Old and New By Carla Franklin The 1986 annual convention of the American Council of the Blind has come and gone. Last fall we started telling you about Knoxville and the warm Tennessee hospitality awaiting you there. As the months progressed, you learned of programs, seminars, tours, and special events through The Braille Forum. Then came hotel reservations, pre-registration -- and at last the big event, the 25th anniversary of the American Council of the Blind. A quarter of a century ago, 29 people organized the American Council of the Blind in Kansas City. If you were among the attendees at the ACB banquet this year, you learned of or relived the events which led to that first meeting. If you attended any part of the 1986 convention, you participated in traditions characteristic of ACB and its annual meetings; you were involved in changes resulting from the accelerated growth of a dynamic national organization. * Traditions 1) ACB general sessions, packed with interesting and informative speakers and the business of the organization-resolutions, constitution and by-law amendments, elections, convention site selection ... 2) Annual conferences and conventions of ACB's eighteen special-interest organizations, providing a forum for discussions on a wide array of topics from education to law to parenting to business ... 3) Workshops and seminars addressing specific areas of concern to the blind and visually impaired ( career development, diabetes, legislation, use of computers at work and school ... ). 4) Social events and special functions -- great convention traditions such as the CCLV wine and cheese party, RSVA dance, FIA Performing Arts Showcase, and the many luncheons, breakfasts, mixers, etc., that keep Convention Week fast-paced and fun. 5) Exhibits, offering an opportunity to examine first-hand products of every shape, size, and description and to gather information on new services and programs of interest to the blind and visually impaired. But if you were one of the nearly 2,000 who came to Knoxville for ACB's 25th anniversary, you know that there were many new events on the schedule this year. The ACB Parents and the National Association of Blind Teachers sponsored one of the most successful new events in convention history: their pool-side watermelon party attracted over 125 people. The breakfast/workshop sponsored by National Industries for the Blind and the Friends in Art luncheon are examples of other new programs that we hope will become traditions. And if you were one of the nearly 2,000 who came to Knoxville to ACB's 25th anniversary, you also know of the significant changes that will affect future conventions. All meetings were not held at one location; the majority of conventioneers were not housed in one hotel; the Hyatt Regency Knoxville, the headquarters hotel, was not within easy walking distance of the overflow Hilton and Holiday Inn hotels. Change was necessary; change was inevitable. Shuttle service was provided free of charge between the three convention hotels 18 hours a day. The shuttles (a mixture of vans and city buses) continuously circulated over the route; a ten-minute wait was unusual. The meeting schedule underwent some significant changes. ACB general sessions were held each morning Monday through Saturday, while special-interest conferences began on Sunday and filled each weekday afternoon. And there was a bonus: because of the extra time available for special­interest meetings, with fewer meetings held each day, convention-goers found it possible to attend a wider variety of activities and sessions than ever before. The registration process continued its transition. For the first time, packets were available in hotel lobbies -- no need for those who pre­registered on time to stop by the main registration area. In 1985, the computer was used for the first time in registration. While an infinite variety of problems were related to that move at the Las Vegas convention, resulting in long lines and even longer delays, the computer did make it possible for special-interest affiliates to receive printouts of their registration lists -- something that had previously been impossible to do by hand. Now, in 1986 the computer has played an even more significant role in the convention. Pre-registration packets were prepared via computer; it printed badges, door-prize tickets and event tickets as needed and thus greatly diminished the number of human errors made in packet preparation. Special-interest registration lists are being printed as of this writing -- a full 30 days ahead of 1985. But if you were one of the nearly 2,000 who came to Knoxville for ACB's 25th anniversary, you know that there is one tradition that doesn't change: The friendships, the openness, the democracy that has made ACB strong, will continue to strengthen it in the years to come. As Convention Coordinator, I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank the members of the Tennessee Host Committee who worked so hard to make your stay a pleasant one. Each year following the convention I think of the many friends I have made-members of the hotel staff, convention bureau, host committee, and the community at large -- and I know that I will miss the close associations built up working with them over the past twelve months. However, I begin to look ahead to the next convention and the excitement and challenge of a new city, new people, and a different set of circumstances. You, too, need to start looking forward to Los Angeles, site of the 1987 ACB convention. During the coming months, we will be telling you of the many events and very special activities planned for you. For now, a few important bits of information will suffice. The headquarters hotel for the 1987 convention is the Los Angeles Airport Hilton, a 17-story, ultra-modern, luxurious facility with nearly 1300 rooms. Convention dates are July 11-18. Continuing with the 1987 convention will be ACB's association with Cosmopolitan Travel Service of Jacksonville, Florida. Because many of you purchased airline tickets through Cosmopolitan for the 1986 convention, ACB has obtained free tickets resulting in savings to the organization of nearly $2,000. Now, with a full year ahead of us and plans already under way, we hope that you will make your travel plans, via air, bus, or other public transportation or charter, through Cosmopolitan and thus assist ACB to further decrease its operating expenses. Watch The Braille Forum for details on special discounted fares available only to conventioneers who book through Cosmopolitan. Also watch for information on how you can purchase your ticket now and make payments throughout the coming months — another service being offered exclusively to ACBers by Cosmopolitan. Your comments and suggestions concerning ACB conventions are always welcome. Address letters in braille (preferred), print, or cassette to: Carla S. Franklin ACB Convention Coordinator 148 North Vernon Avenue Louisville, KY 40206 Or you may telephone at (502) 897-1472. ***** ** Elections, By-Laws, Awards ... In accordance with the Constitution of the American Council of the Blind, five directors and three members of the Board of Publications were elected at the 1986 convention. Re-elected to a second four-year term on the Board of Directors were Carla Franklin of Kentucky, Patricia Price of Indiana, and M.J. Schmitt of Illinois. Dick Seifert of Arkansas (who had been elected in 1985 to fill one year of an unexpired term) was elected to a first four-year term. Michael Byington of Kansas was also elected to a first four-year term, filling the seat formerly held by Delbert Aman of South Dakota, who chose not to stand for re-election. Billie Jean Hill of Mississippi was re-elected to a second two-year term on the ACB Board of Publications. Carol McCarl of Oregon, who had been elected in 1985 to complete one year of an unexpired term, was elected to her first full two-year term. Phyllis Stern of Illinois was also elected to a first two-year term on the BOP. Following the convention, Christopher Gray of California was named Chairman of the Board of Publications by ACB President Grant Mack, a position made vacant by the untimely death of Vernon Henley. A complete list of the names and addresses of the A CB Board of Directors and the Board of Publications will be included in a future issue of The Braille Forum. Two By-Law amendments were adopted by the convention. By-Law 3 -- Dues, was amended to raise per capita affiliate dues from $1 to $2 per voting member, with no affiliate to pay more than $1,250 a year. Dues of sustaining members were increased from $10 to $25 for individuals and from $25 to $50 for organizations. Dues for junior members remain $1 per year. Language was added to amend By­Law 5 -- Powers and Duties of the Board of Directors, as follows: The President shall appoint an individual or individuals who shall have the responsibility to seek out and develop invitations and plans for national conventions from affiliates, and contract proposals from hotels and other convention facilities and convention bureaus in cities having adequate facilities for national conventions, on a single- or multi-year basis. All such invitations or proposals (and any others which originate independently) shall be submitted to the Board of Directors for its review prior to any annual convention. The Board of Directors shall report its findings and recommendations to the convention for its decision. The Board of Directors shall adopt additional appropriate guidelines/criteria to apply to the performance of this preliminary process. A motion to return the ACB convention to the 1985 format, beginning the convention on Wednesday morning and running through Saturday, was defeated. A motion was adopted that henceforth, speakers be curtailed on Friday and Saturday, if at all possible, in order to provide adequate time to conduct convention business. Several prestigious awards which have become an important part of ACB tradition were presented at the annual banquet. Floyd R. Cargill of Springfield, Illinois, received the 1986 George Card Award in recognition of his many years of dedicated service to blind and visually impaired persons in his community, state, and nation. Mr. Cargill served as a teacher and rehabilitation specialist in Illinois for nearly 30 years. At the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired, he initiated a Career Day which has subsequently been adopted by many schools for the blind. He was instrumental in the formation of the National Association of Blind Teachers. A strong advocate of braille, Mr. Cargill has served as President of the Braille Authority of North America and of the Braille Revival League. The Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador A ward was presented this year to Richard B. Teitelman, a visually impaired attorney from St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. Teitelman chairs the Handicapped, Elderly, and Low-Income Persons Committee of the Missouri Bar and has co-edited a handbook on this subject. As Executive Director of Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, he directs 26 attorneys who provide legal services to approximately 22,000 poor persons in a seven-county area. Winifred Downing of San Francisco, California, is the 1986 winner of the Ned E. Freeman Award for Writing Excellence, presented annually by the ACB Board of Publications. Her article, "The Education of the Blind in China" (The Braille Forum, February 1986), provided a fascinating look at the day-to-day lives of blind children and adults in China. Mrs. Downing has been a braille and English composition instructor for the Hadley School for the Blind, Winnetka, Illinois, for over 25 years. ***** ** Summary, 1986 Resolutions Again this year the Resolutions Committee was chaired by Paul Edwards of the Florida Council of the Blind. The Committee presented 37 resolutions for consideration by the 25th annual convention of the American Council of the Blind. Those resolutions are summarized below. Further information or the complete text of specific resolutions may be obtained by contacting the ACB National Office. 86-01. With specific reference to Gramm-Rudman-Hollings, urges Congress not to abrogate its responsibilities as set out in the United States Constitution, and as currently interpreted by the Supreme Court, and to make all decisions with regard to budgeting that lie within its prerogative. 86-02. Deplores the increasing trend to combine residential educational facilities to serve blind children in combination with other disability groups, and urges ACB affiliates to actively oppose efforts to dilute services to the blind by such combining of residential facilities. 86-03. Urges Division IX of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AERBVI) to broaden its visual acuity standard at least to the point where individuals who are legally blind, and who meet other appropriate standards, can be certified as orientation and mobility instructors. 86-04. Urges that all individuals who do not have a documented secondary physical, emotional, or mental disability should receive at least the statutory minimum wage; and with regard to those individuals with such a documented secondary disability, and who it is determined do not produce at a level to justify payment of the minimum wage, directs the ACB Board and staff to work jointly with National Industries for the Blind (NIB) to encourage the Department of Labor to carefully oversee the issuance of subminimum wage certificates, and to assure that effective and regular review of such certificates be conducted by the Department of Labor. 86-05. Urges the Department of Labor to develop effective procedures for the continuous oversight of sub­minimum wage certificates issued for all individuals receiving less than the statutory minimum wage; urges that sufficient funding be made available specifically earmarked to increase the number and effectiveness of field compliance reviews, and to provide for adequate training of a sufficiently large staff to make the conduct of such reviews viable; and urges that the Department of Labor adopt a more comprehensive set of standards to govern the issuance of such certificates, that will assure that no individual who is employed in an industrial workshop, and who is blind and does not have a documented secondary physical, mental, or emotional disability, shall be covered under such certificate. 86-06. Recites abuses such as the disincentives to upward job mobility found in some state- and/or privately­operated sheltered workshops for the blind, payment of subminimum wages as a result of poor management, and the lack of effective, systematic approaches to the transition of workers into competitive employment. Urges NIB to continue to strengthen its efforts to provide direction and assistance to those workshops with which it works in order to eliminate the occurrence of such abuses, and to seek ways of eliminating such practices where they occur in sheltered workshops for the blind not affiliated with NIB. 86-07. Commends those banks that have made accommodations for their blind customers to receive and review bank statements and other finance­related information without sighted assistance. Requests that the American Bankers Association and other appropriate organizations be asked to develop, in close consultation with ACB, appropriate standards for serving blind customers in a confidential manner. 86-08. Directs that the Architectural Barriers Committee of ACB, sanctioned by resolution in 1978, be established, and that this committee undertake as its first task a review of the usefulness of directional tiles as a supplementary mobility aid, and that the committee report to the ACB Board by its January 1987 meeting. 86-09. Recites the value of crosswalk markings as a visual orientation guide for low-vision individuals, and concern that there appears to be evidence that the State of California is considering elimination of such markings. Strongly opposes the revision of any national, state or local regulations or policies pertaining to crosswalk markings and resulting in a reduction of the quantity or quality of such markings. 86-10. Recites that the states of Montana and Wyoming are with­drawing from the Randolph-Sheppard vending facility program, and that it appears other states are considering leaving the program. On behalf of the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America and the American Council of the Blind, the resolution urges all states to attempt to resolve problems within parameters of the program. 86-11. Establishes a special budget category for the purpose of conducting legislative seminars to be held in Washington, D.C., and to finance other activities oriented to affiliate strengthening and development. Directs that a birthday celebration be a part of each national convention, with attendees and non-attendees alike encouraged, but not required, to offer monetary birthday gifts specifically earmarked for this budget category. 86-12. Encourages ACB and its affiliates to work with hotels to ensure that permanent tactilely recognizable markings which are of high contrast be affixed outside doors of rooms, and urges that responsibilities embodied in previous resolutions be accepted with regard to architectural barrier removal, particularly as applied to elevators and hotel facilities. 86-13. Strongly supports Senate Bill 2294, the Handicapped Education Amendments Act of 1986, principally authored by Senator Lowell Weicker, which mandates services to all handicapped children between the ages of 3 and 5 under P.L. 94-142, and which creates a new state grant program authorized at $100 million for fiscal year 1987 to enhance services for handicapped children from birth to 3; and urges amendment of S. 2294 to additionally provide services for all handicapped children between birth and 3 years of age. 86-14. This resolution dealt with the position taken by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) regarding hand-copied books. The resolution was defeated. 86-15. Commends the American Foundation for the Blind for its efforts to encourage quality services of agencies serving the blind and urges AFB to continue its financial support of the National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped (NAC) until that agency has developed a sufficiently solid funding base to be able to operate and accredit autonomously of financial assistance from AFB. Also calls upon ACB, AFB, NAC, and other appropriate agencies to work to create an ongoing, autonomous financial base to make NAC the independent agency it must become in order to continue to be the leading accreditor of programs for the blind. 86-16. This resolution dealt with sharing of ACB Thrift Store income by affiliates in states where stores are located. The resolution was defeated. 86-17. Urges the Social Security Administration to adopt rules that would permit some mechanism to be devised that would enable blind recipients of supplemental security income not to have interest on bank accounts counted as income. 86-18. Directs that the times and places of all committee meetings be announced as early as possible via all appropriate convention information systems, and reiterates that all committee meetings (except for the Nominating Committee) are fully open to ACB members for the purpose at least of observation. 86-19. Urges all ACB members and affiliates to work actively to defeat Senate Bill 1739 and its companion legislation, House Bill 2911, the Home Audio Recording Act, which would tax recorded tapes, blank tapes, and tape reproducing equipment. 86-20. Recites the devastating effects of the lowered budget allocations to the National Library Service by $4.3 million, in two reductions -- both prior and subsequent to the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act -- resulting in cancellation of 100 titles from the production schedule, suspension of a substantial portion of the hand-copied braille production schedule, elimination of 37 press braille titles, the closing of one multistate regional service center, and the freezing of magazine list levels; emphasizes the importance of NLS services to blind citizens. Urges Congress to take such actions as will return monies lost to the NLS and to remove this program from further impact under Gramm-Rudman­Hollings. 86-21. With specific reference to the removal of funding for production of Playboy magazine in braille, strongly opposes the action taken by Congress as discriminatory and censorious with reference to the blind, through its limitation on their access to reading matter as based on arbitrary standards of social value, and commends the swift and well­considered action of the ACB Board and staff in attempting to secure judicial remedy for this violation of rights of the blind. 86-22. This resolution dealt with the use of broadcast frequencies in the 220-225 mHz frequency band for the expansion of radio reading services. The resolution was defeated. 86-23. Recites the fact that the administration of the National Library Service has chosen to cut each of the reading media for the blind (including braille) by a specific dollar amount rather than by equal percentage; that braille production is already the lowest in number of all the reading media used by blind readers, which means that being cut by a specific dollar amount as with the other media results in a substantially higher percentage, and that braille is being made to suffer a disproportionately higher percentage in cuts. Therefore, the American Council of the Blind, together with the Braille Revival League, strongly urges NLS to reconsider its cutting procedure so as to use percentage rather than an arbitrary specific dollar amount. 86-24. With specific reference to an allocation of $75,000 for the installation of audible pedestrian traffic signals, in the face of ill-considered opposition, commends the City of Oakland, CA, for its actions to make the city more accessible to blind pedestrians. 86-25. Publicly recognizes the many years of dedicated service by Vernon Henley, whose recent and untimely death has shocked and deeply saddened his many friends in ACB. 86-26. Expresses deep appreciation to Delbert Aman, a charter member of ACB, who is concluding ten consecutive years of service as an officer and Board member. 86-27. Expresses concern that the National Accreditation Council, by shrinking its Board of Directors and Commission on Advancement of Accreditation, will lessen the opportunities for viable consumer input. Asks that NAC's current self-study recognize the need for trained, responsible staff involved at all levels of the accreditation process, and specifically during on-site reviews. In an effort to encourage ACB members who are qualified to serve as on-site review team members, requests NAC to arrange for an on-site review team training seminar at the 1987 ACB convention. 86-28. Urges National Industries for the Blind to explore the possibility of producing a slate that would be usable, durable, and economical. 86-29. Commends Dr. Richard Hoover, who pioneered development of the long cane, for his quantum leap forward in mobility for the blind, and expresses deep appreciation for his efforts on behalf of the blind of the world. (NOTE: This resolution was introduced following the 1986 ACB Diabetes Seminar, which was informed of Dr. Hoover's serious illness. Dr. Hoover died on July 7.) 86-30. Expresses to the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board concern that no person with visual impairment currently serves on that Board. 86-31. Commends Frank Kurt Cylke and the National Library Service for working out an arrangement for producers to sell braille books to consumers at low prices, and encourages ACB members to participate in such a program. 86-32. Recites that on June 20, 1986, Senator Robert Stafford (R-VT), on the occasion of the 50th birthday of the Randolph-Sheppard Act, entered these remarks into the Congressional Record: "The Randolph-Sheppard Act has allowed between 3,500 and 4,000 people a year who are either totally blind or seriously visually impaired to be productive, self-supporting citizens of the United States of America." Recognizes the 50 years of valuable service of Senator Jennings Randolph and his tireless efforts in monitoring and improving the Randolph-Sheppard Act, and congratulates the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America for their continuing involvement in such a fine program. 86-33. Urges the Rehabilitation Services Administration to encourage state rehabilitation agencies serving the blind to begin rehabilitation services to visually impaired students at least at the ninth grade level, to allow them to have access to three years, as a minimum, of effective vocational counseling. 86-34. Recites that the Visually Impaired Data Processors International (VIDPI) has offered its professional service to ACB by establishing a committee to study the various aspects of a communications network to effectively carry out ACB's legislative and other activities, and authorizes the ACB President to consider the recommendations of this committee for further action by the Board. 86-35. Commends the American Foundation for the Blind for its major effort to transition blind, visually impaired, and multi-handicapped blind from school to work, and for its involvement of ACB in this vital project. 86-36. Expresses appreciation to the staff and management of the Hyatt Regency hotel as well as the two overflow hotels, the Downtown Hilton and the Holiday Inn World's Fair, for their dedication and assistance at the 1986 ACB convention. 86-37. Expresses appreciation to the Tennessee Council of the Blind, and the Host Committee in particular, for a smooth, effective, and well coordinated convention. ***** ** Convention Tapes Available Tapes of the 1986 national convention of the American Council of the Blind are now available. The eight cassettes contain all major program presentations, the awards and scholarships, and the annual banquet. Cost for the entire set of tapes is $8.00. The annual banquet, "The Impossible Dream," is available separately on one tape for $1.00. Narrated by Kathleen Megivern, this presentation is based upon events and incidents leading up to the formation of ACB, as recalled by some of the charter members who played key roles. Also available are tapes of the 1986 ACB Diabetes Seminar. Cost of the two-cassette seminar is $2.00. All tapes are recorded in two-track format at 1 7/8 ips. Tapes may be ordered from: The Braille Forum, 190 Lattimore Road, Rochester, NY 14620. Make checks payable to the American Council of the Blind. ***** ** DOD Wins the First Round on Vending Machine Revenue By Kathleen Megivern The Randolph-Sheppard program, besieged from all sides, has suffered another setback-this time at the hands of a Federal court in a case titled Texas State Commission for the Blind and State of Texas v. The United States. The decision, rendered by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, overturned an earlier ruling of the United States Claims Court. The issue involved the income-sharing provisions of the Randolph-Sheppard Act and the interpretation of language in the Act which exempts certain vending machines on Department of Defense property. The language in question reads as follows: "Subsections (a) and (b)1 (Income Sharing) of this section shall not apply to income from vending machines within retail sales outlets under the control of exchange or ships' stores systems authorized by Title 10 ..." A DOD regulation interprets this exemption to include "income from vending machines operated by or for the military exchange or ships' stores systems" (basically all vending machines on DOD property). The Texas Commission for the Blind argued that the exemption in the law is meant to cover only those vending machines which are actually located "within retail sales outlets"; that is, physically placed within the four walls of military exchange stores. The arbitration panel had agreed with the Commission's interpretation of the Act and had ruled that DOD owed the Texas Commission for the Blind vending-machine revenue which was estimated to total $10 million. Because DOD refused to comply with the arbitration ruling, the Commission went to the U.S. Claims Court to request enforcement. The Claims Court agreed with the arbitration panel and ordered DOD to pay. DOD then appealed. On appeal, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled eight to two in favor of DOD's position. The Court relied heavily on specific portions of the legislative history of the 197 4 amendments which added the language in question to the Randolph-Sheppard Act. Particularly, the Court relied on a famous "colloquy" or exchange of comments between Congressman Sikes, who was then Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Congressman Brademas, who was then floor manager of the bill and Chairman of the House Select Education Subcommittee. Mr. Sikes asked for a verification that the amendment did in fact exempt "all those vending machines which are operated by the military post exchanges, navy exchanges, officer and enlisted messes, etc." Mr. Brademas responded that the answer was "Yes." The Claims Court had found this colloquy to be inconclusive, since it occurred after Senate passage of the bill and at a time when a quorum of House members was not even present. The Court of Appeals also found that because most of the testimony presented by blindness organizations focused on the Federal employee unions and their illegal use of vending-machine revenue, that somehow there was no concern about DOD and they were therefore not the intended targets of the bill. This reasoning led the Court to reach the following conclusion: "The Claims Court looked to the over-all purpose of the legislation and concluded that an exemption for the exchanges would leave 'little or no opportunity' for blind vendors on DOD installations, since the majority of vending machines were operated by the exchanges. That finding is clearly erroneous in view of DOD's large contributions to state agencies for the blind" (emphasis added). A concurring opinion by three of the judges perhaps demonstrates best the Court's fundamental misunderstanding of the issues when it explains that the agency responsible for the Randolph-Sheppard program is HHS, the Department of Health and Human Services. This, of course, is incorrect. When the Department of Health, Education and Welfare was replaced by two separate departments, the Randolph-Sheppard Act became the responsibility of the Department of Education, not HHS. The two dissenting judges wrote a long and eloquent opinion which notes that: "The majority, at the urging of DOD, has rewritten the statute by deleting the words 'within retail sales outlets' from Congress's own language. The statutory exemption, as rewritten by the majority, now reads 'income from vending machines under the control of exchange or ships' stores systems'. Only after rewriting the statute is it possible to conclude that the exemption covers all vending machines operated by the military exchanges, without regard to the machine's location." The Texas Commission for the Blind has indicated that they intend to appeal this decision to the United States Supreme Court. ***** ** News Briefs from the ACB National Office By Oral O. Miller National Representative Don't ever think that in the National Office of the American Council of the Blind we deal only with legislative matters, proposed Government regulations, national conferences, and other equally important but heavy matters! Quite the contrary! Occasionally something truly different and exciting comes along. For example, recently a manufacturer of medical supplies and equipment requested an appointment to show us a device which, according to him, would enhance the sense of touch. Since we frequently receive calls from well-meaning inventors and others who think they have just discovered the thing that will solve all the problems of blind people, we set up an appointment, but with limited expectations. What a surprise we received! The prototype of the sensitivity enhancer resembled a large balloon and was made of high-quality surgical rubber. It contained a small amount of air and was permanently sealed. The inside of the "balloon" was lined with a type of silicone, so as to allow the inside surfaces to move over one another without friction. The manufacturer sprinkled two or three grains of salt on the table and asked us to feel them. We could feel the grains of salt, but not clearly, because of their small size. He then laid the "balloon" over them, smoothed out all of the possible wrinkles and invited us to feel the salt grains again. We did so, and to our amazement, they felt virtually like boulders, even through the two thicknesses of rubber. The same experiment was then conducted using a hair. Inasmuch as one of the possible uses of the "balloon" may be for diabetics whose sense of touch has been impaired, we immediately contacted Jim Olsen, who was at that time planning the ACB national convention diabetes workshop. Jim readily agreed that the "balloon" should be shown and demonstrated at the workshop. Those who attended that workshop had an opportunity to see and test this simple device. Let me emphasize that the item described is not available at this time; it is merely a prototype being tested. However, it and the principle involved could be extremely helpful some day to people with impaired sense of touch or to people who need for some other reason the tactile enhancement it makes possible. From time to time, the ACB National Office is asked to comment on truly thought-provoking issues, and so it was the day the Cable News Network contacted me regarding the rights of blind victims of crime. This is an important issue because all too often sighted investigators think only in visual terms for identifying assailants, thieves, and other criminals. The interest was sparked by a case in which a legally blind victim asked to be allowed to feel the faces of the men who were arranged in the traditional police "lineup." Inasmuch as such close contact would have revealed the presence and identity of the victim to the alleged assailant, and since the prosecutor was fearful that such an extraordinary procedure might jeopardize her case, she was reluctant to grant the request. We understand the matter was eventually resolved by allowing the victim to view the faces of the men in the lineup by means of very strong telescopic magnifying aids. Nevertheless, this case serves to remind the police and other investigators that there is a whole world of non-visual clues that can be useful. I regret to announce the departure from ACB employment of Judy Vassalotti, an administrative assistant in the National Office for the past five years. Mrs. Vassalotti, whose pleasant voice and extremely helpful telephone manner were known to scores of ACB members, has accepted a position only a few blocks from her home. We wish her well as she continues her career. ***** ** Supreme Court Further Narrows Scope of Section 504 in Airline Decision By Lynn Abbott, Legal Assistant On June 27, 1986, the United States Supreme Court issued a disappointing decision which further narrows the scope of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 504 is the provision which protects disabled individuals from discrimination in programs or activities which receive Federal financial assistance. The Court's ruling, in United States Department of Transportation et al. v. Paralyzed Veterans of America et al., is yet another in a series of restrictive interpretations of Section 504 and other civil rights laws. The issue posed in this case was whether Section 504 applies to Commercial carriers. The Court stated that it does not. In 1983, the American Council of the Blind, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities instituted legal proceedings against the Civil Aeronautics board (now part of the Department of Transportation). The purpose of the lawsuit was to obtain a judicial determination that Section 504's coverage is indeed broad enough to include the activities of major airlines. The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in January 1985 determined that the regulations issued by the Civil Aeronautics Board must include Section 504 non-discrimination provisions to protect the rights of handicapped air travelers. The United States Department of Justice; following its trend of appealing pro-civil rights rulings, challenged the lower court's decision and appealed the case to the United States Supreme Court. The Supreme Court, unfortunately, agreed with the Justice Department and reversed the lower court's ruling. The Supreme Court stated: "(l)t is not difficult to identify recipients of Federal financial assistance: Congress has made it explicitly clear that these funds are to go to airport operators. Not a single penny of the money is given to the airlines. Thus, the recipient for the purpose of Section 504 is the operator of the airport and not its users." This narrow reading of Section 504 subverts Congressional intent. In passing Section 504, Congress clearly recognized the need for broad Federal protections for this country's disabled citizens. Air travel is an activity which receives Federal aid in a variety of forms: Federal employees operate the air traffic control system, and Federal monies are used to build runways and airports. Without these Federally-assisted "programs or activities," air travel would be impossible. The effect of this decision on blind and visually impaired air travelers is not yet known. The American Council of the Blind is continuing its efforts to train and educate airline personnel on accommodating blind passengers. Legislation is also pending in Congress which would create a private right of action under the Federal Aviation Act. This would allow disabled air travelers who feel that they have been discriminated against to seek judicial relief in Federal District Court. One thing is certain: The American Council of the Blind will continue to explore other avenues of relief and will work to overcome the possible negative effects of this recent ruling. ***** ** Enthusiasm Flowers For ACB's New TV Message By Laura Oftedahl Director of Public Affairs State affiliates of the American Council of the Blind have longed for a professionally produced public service announcement to use for educational and membership development campaigns in their local communities. The opportunity to obtain such an announcement blossomed this summer, thanks to an innovative and generous offer from the American Floral Marketing Council. ACB National Office personnel coordinated the joint effort and gave all state ACB affiliates the opportunity to "purchase" copies of the 30-second spot to place with TV stations of their choice in their areas. An outstanding "bunch" of forward-looking affiliates chose to participate in the campaign, and by the time this issue of The Braille Forum reaches you, the message of the American Council of the Blind and its affiliates will be on the air across the nation. The combination of the American Council of the Blind, its affiliates, and the American Floral Marketing Council is a natural. The Floral Council strives to have sales boom by placing flowers in everyday situations, showing everyday people finding flowers perfectly suitable for no special reason. Thus, if it's no big deal for anyone to buy flowers for themselves, why should it be for a blind person? The idea grew from this basic concept. Why not emphasize the positive image of blind people by showing a successfully employed blind woman buying a bunch of flowers for herself? That's all activity which will catch attention on TV and will reinforce the concept that blind people do hold professional jobs and do splurge, just like everyone else. The Floral Council covered over half the PSA production and distribution costs. ACB developed the upbeat message about blind people, and ACB affiliates selected TV stations to receive the announcement. Not only have the participating ACB affiliates placed the PSA's in areas where they have or want chapters, but they also have a local phone number at the end of the message so that interested callers can get plugged in to local Council activities. ACB members can encourage increased play of this striking PSA by contacting public service directors at the TV stations which have received the spots. The 30-second message shows a blind woman with a guide dog leaving a busy metropolitan office building. She walks down the street and through a park. As she passes a sidewalk flower vendor, she stops to buy a bunch. The last visual frame of the message shows the ACB logo and the local affiliate's phone number (or ACB's 800 number). The audio script describes the woman as an executive in a national organization, who is ambitious, independent and successful, and blind. The announcer continues by saying that, just like anyone else, she takes great satisfaction in the life she has made for herself and in the world around her. The message ends with the announcer telling viewers to find out what's happening with visually impaired people in their community by calling the local chapter of the American Council of the Blind. Those ACB affiliates, both large and small, participating in this out­standing public relations campaign are to be commended for their decision to do so. We realize that some organizational treasuries are quite small, but we congratulate each participating affiliate for having the foresight to go with this service of your national organization, with the confidence that this project will help you prosper and grow. Affiliates in the following areas have received the public service announcement: California, Wisconsin, Oregon, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Mississippi, Louisiana, North Dakota, Nevada, Virginia, Arkansas, West Virginia, South Dakota, Massachusetts, Missouri, Connecticut, South Carolina, Alabama, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Austin, Texas. So watch for the announcement, and the next time you pass a flower shop, why not stop and buy a bunch? ***** ** Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Found Unconstitutional By Kathleen Megivern The key provision of the Gramm­Rudman-Hollings law (formally known as the "Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985") has been ruled unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court. Despite earlier "leaks" by ABC News, the actual opinion was finally delivered on July 7, 1986. The case had been brought in the United States District Court by Congressman Mike Synar (D., OK) and others just hours after the Gramm­Rudman-Hollings Act had become law. The major issue was whether the "automatic triggering" mechanism in the Act was a violation of the separation-of-powers doctrine. You may remember from your grade­school civics or government classes that the framers of our Constitution set up the Government in three separate and independent branches: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. The first argument made by the plaintiff had been that the Act delegated away too much of the appropriating power, which belongs only to the Congress. The District Court rejected this argument, finding that broad delegation of powers has often been upheld in past cases. However, the District Court did find that the procedure for making the final cuts would have resulted in the Legislative Branch performing functions which properly belonged only to the Executive Branch. The Supreme Court agreed. Section 251 of the Act requires the directors of the Office of Management and Budget and the Congressional Budget Office to submit their deficit projections and program-by-program budget reduction calculations to the Comptroller General, who, after reviewing the joint report, issues a report of his conclusions for budget cuts to the President. The President would then be required to issue a sequestration order which mandates the cuts as specified in the Comptroller General's report. Are you still with me? Once the President issues the sequestration order, Congress has a specified amount of time to try to agree upon its own cuts. But if they fail to reach an agreement (as they seem always to do), the sequestration order becomes effective. This section is, in fact, what Gramm-Rudman­Hollings was all about: automatic, across-the-board budget cuts, not carefully considered and voted on by our elected representatives, but, rather, brought about by our representatives' inability to reach agreement on tough deficit reduction decisions. The Supreme Court reviewed the separation-of-powers doctrine and reaffirmed its importance to our form of government. The Court saw the functions of the Comptroller General under this Act as being Executive in nature. However, the Comptroller General, while a Presidential appointee, can only be removed from office by a joint resolution of Congress or by impeachment by Congress. Thus, since in order to keep his job he is answerable to Congress, the Court found that his position is more properly considered part of the Legislative than of the Executive branch of Government. Since the Constitution prohibits one branch from taking on the duties of another branch, the Court found Section 251 to be unconstitutional. The Court clearly understood the dilemma involved, but Chief Justice Burger's conclusion, quoting in part from an earlier Supreme Court decision, eloquently states the problem: "No one can doubt that Congress and the President are confronted with fiscal and economic problems of unprecedented magnitude. But the fact that a given law or procedure is efficient, convenient, and useful in facilitating functions of government, standing alone, will not save it if it is contrary to the Constitution. Convenience and efficiency are not the primary objectives -- or the hallmarks -- of democratic government ..." On the same day that the Supreme Court opinion was issued, the original sponsors of the legislation vowed that they would seek the necessary amendments to correct the constitutional flaw in their Act. True to their word, Senators Phil Gramm (R., TX), Warren Rudman (R., NH), and Ernest Hollings (D., SC) succeeded in having their amendment tacked on to the Senate version of an emergency debt-ceiling extension bill. The amendment, being billed as a mere technical correction made necessary by the Supreme Court decision, would empower the President's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to make the automatic cuts which were originally to have been made by the Comptroller General. As we go to press, the House of Representatives is balking at the Senate-approved amendment. This is not surprising, since, as the District Court noted in its opinion, "The grant of authority to the Comptroller General was a carefully considered protection against what the House conceived to be the pro-Executive bias of the OMB. It is doubtful that the automatic deficit reduction process would have passed without such protection." Thus, the Senate's "technical amendment" does exactly what the District Court observed would have been unacceptable to the House in the first place - giving too much power to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Many House members are angry about the Senate's move to attach this amendment to an important piece of emergency legislation, and they are threatening to retaliate by attaching other controversial amendments such as strong sanctions against South Africa. As this debate heats up, at least one Congressman is keeping his perspective. House Budget Committee Chairman William Gray (D., PA), in response to the specter of amendments and counteramendments, noted that, "We'll have a good Ping-Pong game." ***** ** ACB National Representative Testifies Against Home Audio Recording Act The Home Audio Recording Act (S. 1739) has until now been one of Congress's well-hidden secrets. Introduced on October 7, 1985, by Senator Charles McC. Mathias (R., MD), this piece of legislation seeks to impose a "royalty fee" on audio recording devices. The bill addresses the widespread practice of unauthorized home taping and its subsequent impact on music copyrights. In its original form, the Act would impose a one-cent-per-minute tax on blank cassettes. Additionally, a royalty tax would be added to the cost of home audio recording devices at the rate of 5 percent of the cost of the recording equipment (this tax would be at the rate of 10 percent in the companion bill awaiting action in the House) for the first domestic sale. If the equipment has dual recording capacity, the tax would be at the rate of 25 percent of the price charged for the first domestic sale. The tax undoubtedly would be passed along to the consumer. Blind and visually impaired consumers rely heavily on cassettes and recording equipment for a variety of purposes including personal and professional correspondence, educational pursuits, and notetaking. Staff and members of the American Council of the Blind communicated the above facts to proponents of the Home Audio Recording Act and achieved a partial victory. On May 21, 1986, during the markup of the bill by the Senate Subcommittee on Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks, Senator Mathias offered amendatory language which eliminated the tax on blank cassettes. The amendment was approved by the Subcommittee, much to ACB's satisfaction. Unfortunately, the royalty fees imposed on audio recording devices remain in the Act, and no exemption exists for blind consumers. Next the bill traveled to the Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration. On August 4, ACB's National Representative, Oral O. Miller, testified before the Committee in opposition to this piece of legislation. In his closing remarks, Mr. Miller stated: "In light of the fact that the penalties and implications of any legislation to tax tape recorders and make their use difficult and more complicated would have serious consequences for our group, we ask that you take our first­hand evidence and deep concern into consideration. We ask you not to tamper with the conditions under which tape recorders are now sold. It is our judgment that this bill is not necessary and would have harmful effects on blind and visually impaired as well as sighted consumers." A companion bill, H.R. 2911, awaits action in the House. Fortunately, the House has not shown much interest in moving the copyright bill this Congressional session. The bill, however, is likely to crop up again during the next legislative session, and the American Council of the Blind will have to renew efforts to defeat the Home Audio Recording Act. ***** ** High Tech Swap Shop * FOR SALE: Kurzweil Reading Machine, Model 3, in good condition. All reasonable offers will be considered. Contact Julie Klauber, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, 627 N. Sunrise Service Road, Bellport, NY 11713; (516) 286-1600. ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon Cory Ross, a 16-year-old blind boy from Wisconsin, auctioned off his junior show grand champion steer for a record $26,000 recently at the Wisconsin State Fair. The price paid by The Rafters restaurant was the most money ever paid for a prize-winning animal at the auction, breaking a ten­year record by $7,500. "Rich" is how Cory described his feelings. It was the first fair competition he had ever entered. The restaurant owner says he plans to host a $100-a-plate dinner where Stricker, a 1,250-pound Chianina-Angus Crossbred steer, will be served. Proceeds will go to the Special Olympics and to Advocates for Retarded Citizens. The Bible Alliance, Inc., P.O. Box 1549, Bradenton, FL 33506, distributes the Bible on cassette free to legally blind persons. This is not a lending program; the materials are meant to be kept. Bible Alliance is a non-profit, non-denominational organization that has now recorded the Bible in 25 languages. One set of Bible cassettes is offered to each visually impaired person, the only requirement being that the order be accompanied by a certificate of visual impairment or disability from a source recognized by the National Library Service. From The Vendorscope (Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America): The U.S. Treasury Department has announced changes that will be made in currency as a result of the new generation of office copiers. As explained by a Treasury spokesperson, when a new bill is held up to the light, a clear polyester "security thread" becomes visible. This bears a repeated legend: "USA1" for a $1 bill, "USA5" for a $5 bill, etc. This cannot be reproduced by a copier. In addition, the legend "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" is printed around portraits on the new bills in letters so tiny that they cannot be picked up by a copying machine. However, the type can be read with a 7-power magnifying glass. Printing of the new currency is expected to start within a year, and new notes are expected to enter circulation in July or August of 1987. Both old and new currencies will exist side by side until the older currency is removed by retirement of worn-out bills. The DX Audio Service is a cassette version of DX News, published by the National Radio Club. The Club promotes radio DXing. All announcers on the Service are professional broadcasters or editors who give their time to the DX Audio Service. Annual subscription is $25.00 if you wish to keep the tape; $12.50 on a tape-return basis. Sample copies are available for $3.00. Make checks payable to National Radio Club and send to P.O. Box 24, Cambridge, WI 53523. "I Did It My Way" is a cassette tape for blind parents with sighted children. It discusses activities of daily living, adaptive toys, travel, and those special psychological dilemmas encountered by many parents who are visually impaired. For your copy, send $5.00 to Lois Wencil, 19 Parkview Drive, Milburn, NJ 07041. Braille letters are preferred. Telesensory Systems, Inc. (TSI), unveiled a new product, the VersaPoint Braille Embosser, at the ACB national convention in Knoxville. VersaPoint features bi-directional line embossing at over 20 characters per second; a 30,000-character buffer; continuous-form tractor feed; both parallel and serial ports; parameters set through simple software dialogue; and capability of interfacing with a variety of external devices, braille translator programs, and all of the popular microcomputers. For further information, contact TSI at 455 N. Bernardo Avenue, Mountain View, CA 94039-7455; (415) 960-0920. The American Foundation for the Blind has established a toll-free hot line to answer questions about products, books, services, technology, and requests for general information about blindness. The AFB hot line, 800-AFBLIND (232-5463) is in operation from 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Eastern time, Monday through Friday. Blind or visually impaired men or women preparing for careers as rabbis, cantors, or professional workers in Jewish communal service are now eligible for scholarship assistance through the Jewish Braille Institute (JBI). Further information may be obtained from Gerald M. Kass, Executive Vice President of JBI, 110 E. 30th Street, New York, NY 10016. Vtek has acquired the exclusive rights to distribution of the Thiel High-Speed Braille Embosser in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel. This device is generally considered to be the world's most widely used and most reliable braille printer. At 130 braille characters per second, the Thiel generates as many as 4,000 pages of braille in a typical eight-hour workday. A high­speed interpoint braille embosser is currently undergoing field trials and should be available by January 1987. For further information, contact Vtek, 1625 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90404. Amy Pais, board member of the Council of Citizens with Low Vision, recently received the Max Wooley Award from the Arkansas Chapter, Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, in recognition of her dedicated service to those with impaired sight. She is employed as a Supervisor of Low Vision Services at the Arkansas Enterprises for the Blind, Little Rock. A recent survey of handicapped Americans conducted by Louis Harris and Associates provides new information on what it means to be a disabled person in America today. The national survey of 1,000 Americans with disabilities between the ages of 16 and 65 was conducted by telephone in late 1985. In response to the question, "How has life changed for disabled Americans?" a majority (about 70%) felt that life had improved for the disabled in the past decade. "What does it mean to be a disabled person?" brought the response that one is more likely to be poor and lacking in education. To the questions, "Are disabled people working?" it was determined that two-thirds of those between the ages of 16 and 64 are not working. No other demographic group of any size has such a small proportion working. A brochure about Mount Rushmore National Monument is available in braille for blind persons who plan to visit the site. The brochure contains a history of the carving on Mount Rushmore, a map of the Black Hills National Forest, and a section which enables blind visitors through touch to compare the dimensions of Mount Rushmore faces to the Statue of Liberty and the Washington Monument. For further information, contact United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Keystone, SD 57751. Braille editions of informational brochures at Flaming Gorge and Glen Canyon dams are now available from the Bureau of Reclamation. The text of the Braille pamphlets is the same as that found in the print brochures available through the Visitors Centers, including captions to photos. The Flaming Gorge brochure contains facts and figures on Flaming Gorge Dam and Reservoir. The Glen Canyon brochure contains information on Glen Canyon Dam, Lake Powell, and also points out various sites tourists might want to visit in the area. These pamphlets may be obtained at the Visitors Centers or by writing to: Bureau of Reclamation, Public Affairs Office, Federal Building, P.O. Box 11568, Salt Lake City, UT 84147. From The White Cane Bulletin (Florida Council of the Blind): Two $1,000 scholarships were awarded by the Florida Council of the Blind at its 1986 convention. Carmen Necega of Miami is a 21-year-old Hispanic student of business management and computer science at Miami Dade Community College. Diana Kay Corrozza is a low-vision person currently attending Florida Atlantic College, where she is studying marketing. *** Flint, Michigan, has developed a unique system for a "Talking Newspaper for the Blind." A blind person uses a touch-tone telephone to obtain recorded newspaper stories. After dialing into the service, the blind person uses the touch-tones to direct the recordings to proceed story by story, section by section, and even line by line. At the beginning of the phone call, an index of the unedited newspaper content is given from which to choose. This service means that a blind person can "read" the newspaper when and where he/she wants. For further information, contact Jim Doherty, Newspapers for the Blind, 4384 Lapeer Road, Burton, MI 48509. Are you a braille reader who would be interested in an innovative book club? We are proposing a production of novels (i.e., top ten best-sellers). The makeup of this club would be an annual membership fee and a per­book charge, with three to five new selections each month. Sound interesting? Let me know by sending a note with name, address, and age to: Jenni Bailey, Box 474, Sparks, NV 89432. "The International Survey of Aids for the Partially Sighted" offers information on a wide variety of available products from all over the world. The content includes information on reading aids, magnification devices, and medical aids, as well as sections on money handling, typing, and hand-writing aids. Released in large­print only, the book costs $15.00 air­mail or $12.00 free matter. Send pre­paid orders to National Braille Press, 88 St. Stephen Street, Boston, MA 02115. A totally blind person can now prepare documents with creative formats - and much more - with Keynote, a computer-based word processor and notetaker that talks to its user. The two main components are a standard configuration keyboard with speech and a miniature disk drive. For further information, contact Sensory Aids Corporation, Suite 122, White Pines Office Centre, 205 West Grand Avenue, Bensenville, IL 60106. "Feel and Read-See and Read" Christmas greeting cards, combination print/braille, as well as a variety of everyday greeting cards, envelopes, etc., are available from Harry A. Fribush, 400 Hudson Avenue, Apt. 104, Albany, NY 12203. ***** ** Calendar of Events This Calendar of Events is prepared by the Public Affairs Department in the National Office of the American Council of the Blind to assist ACB affiliates 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. October 17-18 - ACB of Minnesota State Convention - Minneapolis October 17-19 - ACB of Ohio State Convention - Columbus October 18-19 - Oregon Council of the Blind State Convention - Springfield October 24-26 - Illinois Council of the Blind State Convention - Champaign October 24-26 - ACB of New York State Convention - Rochester October 24-26 - New Jersey Council of the Blind State Convention - Somerset October 25-26 - Rhode Island Regional Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired Fall Convention - Providence November 6-9 - California Council of the Blind State Convention - Los Angeles November 8 - Delaware Council of the Blind State Convention - Wilmington ***** ** 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 Editors: Elizabeth Lennon 1315 Greenwood Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Kathleen Megivern 7113 Fort Hunt Road Alexandria, VA 22307 ###