The Braille Forum Vol. XXV November-December 1986 No. 3 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 President's Message, by Grant Mack Highlights of ACB Board Meeting, September 13-14, 1986 Rehab Act Reauthorized -- Plus a Whole Lot More, by Kathleen Megivern News Briefs from the ACB National Office, by Oral O. Miller ACB Scholarship Applications Available A California Gold Rush -- ACB Convention 1987 Braille Edition of Playboy to Return to Library Shelves Immediately, by Oral O. Miller If the Shoe Fits -- Why Wear It?, by Bud Keith Sharing Educational Materials Worldwide, by Maria E. Lopez AFB Produces Radio Documentary on Alexander Scourby; Presents First Narrator of the Year Award A Surprise Victory for Education of the Handicapped, by Kathleen Megivern National Skiing Championships to Select Blind Athletes for 1988 Winter Olympics AAAS Resource Directory of Disabled Scientists Going for the Gold in Ohio, by Deborah Kendrick 1987 Tandem Cycling Tour of Holland Positions and Fellowships Available In Memoriam: Edna H. Schmidt Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon ACB Officers and Directors; Board of Publications; Contributing Editors ***** ** President's Message By Grant Mack An organized retreat is one of the important strategies taught in military science classes. The "how" of this maneuver is much easier to master than are the "when" and "where." Battles have been won or lost as a result of the proper or improper timing and application of this very important strategy. Knowing when and how to pull back, retrench, and re-group not only has military application, but the same principles apply to companies, organizations, and individuals. Discretion and judgment must be exercised from time to time. At its meeting in September, your officers and directors felt that an organized retreat was in order. Revenues from Thrift Stores generated in the early 1980's were, and still are, the chief source of income for the American Council of the Blind. This enabled us to establish new and expanded services. Unfortunately, there are up and down cycles in any business, and the Thrift Store industry is no exception. Some of the problems have been of an extenuating nature over which we have had no control, such as bad weather, changing demographics, and a tremendous increase in insurance premiums. In order to help identify those areas which need to be and can be improved, we have received some advice from a business consulting firm. This third-party influence has helped to focus on some of the correctable problems. Actually, there is an optimistic feeling about the future. It will, however, be necessary to have some cutbacks. The Braille Forum will be issued only every other month. There will be a cutback in the toll-free Washington Connection telephone service. Staff reductions in all offices have put an added burden on our loyal employees. We ask that when you call on them, it be for important rather than trivial reasons. "The Board of Directors of the Louisiana Council of the Blind directed me to write to the American Council of the Blind commending you for your demonstrated efforts to cut expenditures while retaining a high level of services." This quote from the President of the Louisiana Council of the Blind in a recent letter is very encouraging and reflects an attitude which we hope is a general one. These are stressful times, but not pessimistic ones. The American Council of the Blind is healthy -- growing faster than at any time in our history. This slight retreat is temporary. ACB is and will continue to be the largest, fastest growing, most responsible, and most representative organization of blind and visually impaired people in the United States. ***** ** Highlights of ACB Board Meeting September 13-14, 1986 The Fall 1986 meeting of the Board of Directors of the American Council of the Blind was held in Chicago the weekend of September 13-14. In accordance with a recommendation made to the Board of Directors of ACB Enterprises and Services, a team of management consultants was asked to review the operations of ACB, ACHES, and the Thrift Stores. Much of the two-day meeting was devoted to implementing a recommendation in the consultants' report that ACB make extensive reductions in expenditures now, in order to avoid possible serious problems in the future. In accordance with the ACB Constitution and By-Laws, the Board elected the following Budget Committee: LeRoy Saunders of Oklahoma, Chairman; M.J. Schmitt of Illinois and Charles Hodge of Virginia. In an open meeting with Board and staff present, the committee drew up recommended cutbacks to take effect October 1, 1986, as well as a preliminary 1987 budget. Although several of the specific recommendations were later discussed at length and modified by the Board, the report in general was adopted as presented. An amount of $50,000 is to be included in the 1987 budget to be set aside in a reserve account specifically for debt retirement. The computerized list management function heretofore performed in the National Office is to be transferred to the Rochester office, which already maintains the Braille Forum mailing list. Beginning immediately, The Braille Forum is to be published bi­monthly rather than monthly. The toll-free telephone service in the National Office will be reduced beginning immediately. Although limited afternoon toll-free service will be maintained, the Washington Connection will operate 24 hours a day at (202) 393-3664. Budget line items for Board, committee, staff, and ACBES travel were substantially reduced. Officers and directors as well as the Board of Publications will continue to pay their own expenses for attendance at board meetings and the national convention. Affiliates will be asked to assume the expenses of board and staff members attending state conventions. The Floyd Qualls Memorial Scholarships will be limited to income derived from the scholarship endowment. It is contemplated that four $1500 awards will be made in the coming year, one from each of the previously established four categories -- entering freshmen in academic programs, undergraduates (sophomores, juniors and seniors) in academic programs, graduate students in academic programs, and vocational/professional school students. By motion, the Board directed the five executive officers to adjust personnel and salary levels to conform to budget limitations established by the Board at this meeting. This responsibility and authority will expire at the time of the next board meeting. The President was directed to appoint a long-range planning committee, with a view to exploring options regarding such matters as possible centralization of ACB administration. The President was also directed to appoint a fund-raising committee, not necessarily to consist entirely of Board members, to explore possible new funding sources. Newly revised national convention guidelines were presented. These guidelines will be further refined to reflect Board input and will be considered again at the January 1987 Board meeting. The next meeting of the Board is scheduled for the weekend of January 9-11, 1987, at the Airport Hilton in Los Angeles. ***** ** Rehabilitation Act Reauthorized -- Plus A Whole Lot More By Kathleen Megivern After months of delay, the last-minute frenzy which traditionally grips Congress took over again and resulted in quick action on a compromise bill to reauthorize the Rehabilitation Act. You may remember from previous issues of The Braille Forum that both the Senate and the House had passed versions of this bill. Conferees were appointed, and after long hours of negotiating, compromises were reached on several major points. The House of Representatives passed the compromise version on October 2 by a 408 to 0 vote, and it breezed through the Senate on a voice vote the following day. As we go to press, the President has not yet signed the legislation, but he is expected to do so. (Hill staffers say that he waits until the last minute to sign bills sponsored by Senator Lowell Weicker). As is implied in the title to this article, the bill does more than simply reauthorize the Rehabilitation Act. One of the amendments approved by the conferees is a section entitled "Civil Rights Remedies Equalization." This section contains the language from the bill introduced by Senator Alan Cranston (R.-CA) to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in the Atascadero case. That decision, you may remember, held that state entities were immune from suit under Section 504 because of the 11th Amendment doctrine of sovereign immunity. This brief amendment, tacked on to a popular piece of legislation, is in fact a major civil rights victory which might never have been possible by itself. The bill makes other changes in the existing Rehabilitation Act. It adds a requirement that the Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration must have "substantial experience" in rehabilitation. Several other amendments relating to the Commissioner (such as making the position an appointee of the Secretary of Education rather than the President, and having him/her report directly to the Assistant Secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services) were rejected by conferees. You may remember all of the controversy which arose over the issues of supported employment and the definition of "severely handicapped" when these bills were considered by the House and Senate. The Senate version of these issues prevailed for the most part. A new Title VI, Part C, program is created. This is a grant to states to assist them in developing collaborative programs for "training and traditionally time-limited post-employment services." For F.Y. 1987, $25 million is authorized for this new supported employment program. The conferees also made it clear in their report language that this new section on supported employment should not be construed to mean that states cannot use Title I money for supported employment services, and the report states that "all states may consider supported employment an acceptable employment outcome for their Title I program." This language represents something of a defeat for those who wanted no change in the traditional thrust of the Rehabilitation Act as one of placement in competitive employment. The supported employment concept is given further support in a new definition added to the Act for the term "employability." The new law states: "The term employability, with respect to an individual, means a determination that, with the provision of vocational rehabilitation services, the individual is likely to enter or retain as a primary objective, full-time employment, and when appropriate, part-time employment, consistent with the capacities or abilities of the individual in the competitive labor market or any other vocational outcome the Secretary may determine consistent with this Act." On the issue of the Federal share in the matching ratio, the House version prevailed. This is a complicated formula which keeps the match at 80%/20% for F.Y. 1987 and F.Y. 1988 and then decreases the Federal share by 1% per year for the five years 1989 to 1993. This decrease, however, affects only the number of dollars in excess of the F.Y. 1988 appropriation. So, the amount of money that a state receives in F.Y. 1988 will continue in the following five years to be at the 80%/20% match, but each increase in dollars gets matched at the slowly decreasing levels. The new law changes the name of the National Institute on Handicapped Research to the "National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research." In a burst of fiscal responsibility, the conferees direct the newly-named Institute to use up all of the old stationery! The Director of the Institute is required to submit "policy recommendations" to Congress "for Congressional establishment of an agency designed to ensure (1) the development of cost-effective production and marketing of technological devices, and (2) the efficient distribution of this technology to handicapped individuals." The Director is also required to study practices and policies in the health insurance industry as they affect handicapped people and make a report to Congress by February 1, 1990. Always watching out for the constituents back home, the statute includes the guarantee of rehabilitation engineering centers for South Carolina (Senator Thurmond's home state) and Connecticut (home of Senator Weicker). Likewise, a rural Research and Training Center is assured for Missoula, Montana, home of House subcommittee chairman Pat Williams. Some new due-process protections are added to the Act by these amendments. They provide that directors of state rehabilitation agencies shall establish procedures for the review of determinations made by their rehabilitation counselors. These procedures have to include provision of "an impartial hearing officer" if the individual involved requests one. In the section on training, which funds most university programs preparing rehabilitation professionals, there has been language added that recipients of money under that section should give "due regard" to the training of individuals with handicaps to help meet personnel shortages. Title VII, Part A, which provides grants to state agencies for independent living services, is amended to require every state receiving money under the title to establish a "State Independent Living Council," to be composed of representatives of the principal state agencies, local agencies, and non-governmental agencies and groups concerned with independent living services, handicapped individuals and parents or guardians of handicapped individuals, directors of independent living centers, representatives from private businesses which are or may be interested in employing handicapped individuals, and other appropriate persons. It is important to note the additional requirement that a majority of this Council must be composed of handicapped individuals or parents of handicapped individuals. Title VI, Part C, which is independent living services for the elderly blind, is reauthorized for five years of funding, with the F.Y. 1987 level set at $5,290,000. Finally, the bill contains a "safety valve" similar to the one passed last time which formally reauthorizes the Act for five years, but adds an automatic one-year extension in the event that Congress is unable to complete work on the next round of re­authorization before the five years elapse. ***** ** News Briefs from the ACB National Office By Oral O. Miller National Representative Just as surely as September kicked off the football season, it also kicked off an exceptionally busy and interesting program of meetings and activities for ACB National Office personnel. The national media response to the success of the American Council of the Blind in the Playboy magazine litigation was almost overwhelming. Even a number of foreign broadcasting companies conducted telephone interviews. In the midst of the media avalanche, it was my pleasure to attend the reception following the official swearing-in of Justin Dart, Jr., as Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration. As those who attended the 1986 ACB national convention will recall, Mr. Dart spoke on the national convention program regarding the importance of programs for disabled people. Many conventioneers had an opportunity to meet him at that time and to express many of their concerns. Southern hospitality was abundant during my participation in the meeting of the National Advisory Committee of the Mississippi State University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Blindness. Much time was devoted to reviewing the results of research projects already completed, consideration of proposed research projects within the limits of new Federal standards, and discussion of future training and information dissemination projects. It is always difficult for a university-based research center to show how research projects will have an immediate and significant impact on the group that is to be benefitted by the research. However, we believe that the center at Mississippi State University is to be commended for continually asking itself to consider the practicality, real value, and ease of communicating the results of its projects. In the area of air transportation, another major step toward effective and amicable settlement of many of the difficulties encountered by blind travelers was taken when Laura Oftedahl delivered a major presentation and otherwise participated in the fourth International Access to the Skies conference held in Chicago. The conference was attended by hundreds of people from the air-travel industry. It is obvious that all difficulties (both real and created) cannot be solved in one international conference, and that the educating and re-educating of the air-travel industry must be an ongoing process. A conference like the one in Chicago, however, underscores again the feasibility of negotiating solutions through reasonable communication versus highly publicized confrontations that get a lot of publicity but few worthwhile results. ACB's training handbook on provision of services to blind air travelers has been so popular that it is now in its third edition. Recently it was the pleasure of ACB staff members to take part in the state conventions of the Washington Council of the Blind, the Kansas Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and the ACB of Maryland. Each featured an outstanding program plus plans for expanded services and activities -- such as new chapters in Maryland, better local access to the affiliate in Kansas, and even more effective advocacy in Washington. Among the international guests visiting the ACB National Office recently were Mr. and Mrs. Duncan Watson of London, England. Mr. Watson, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Royal National Institute for the Blind, was in the United States to attend the Executive Committee meeting of the World Blind Union, and we were pleased to be able to spend several hours with him. A number of the blind lawyers in the Washington, D.C., area had an opportunity to discuss with him the roles of blind lawyers in both countries. Mr. Watson is himself a blind lawyer who recently retired from a position with the English Government. Everyone who attended the dinner, which was hosted for Mr. and Mrs. Watson at the National Lawyers Club, thoroughly enjoyed the evening with them. Several months ago, it was my pleasure to accept an invitation from the Japanese National Council for the Welfare of the Blind and the Japanese Federation of the Blind to visit Japan during September. Purpose of the visit was to observe a number of rehabilitation and education centers, to exchange information regarding the situation of blind people in both countries, and to deliver two lectures concerning the legal basis for major service programs for blind people in the United States. In late September, I made the long trip to Japan at my own personal expense and spent an extremely fast-moving, exhausting, interesting, educational, and enjoyable week visiting facilities in Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo. The lectures in Osaka and Tokyo were well attended by many government officials, educators, rehabilitation specialists, and consumer advocates. Although there was very little time in my extremely busy schedule to observe many activities unrelated to programs for the blind, I did have an opportunity to enjoy several traditional Japanese foods and to observe several sumo wrestling matches. In sumo wrestling, the objective is for one competitor to throw his opponent to the ground or out of the ring. Once started, a match seldom lasts more than 30 seconds! I plan to devote a future article to reporting on the trip. The Japanese are making great strides in training blind people for employment in traditional fields such as acupuncture (which I experienced) as well as modern high-technology fields such as computer programming. I regret to report the departure from ACB employment of Stephanie Cooper and Lynn Abbott. Stephanie joined the ACB staff approximately one year ago as the senior administrative assistant, and Lynn joined the staff as the legal assistant at approximately the same time. While with us, they both did outstanding jobs and became known to hundreds of ACB members and friends throughout the country. The ACB Board of Directors is optimistic that these staff reductions for economic reasons will be temporary and short-lived. For economic reasons likewise, until further notice, the new regular telephone number for the Washington Connection, which can now be called 24 hours a day, is (202) 393-3664. The ACB National Office can still be contacted via the toll-free number. ***** ** ACB Scholarship Applications Available All blind and visually impaired students pursuing degrees or certificates at the postsecondary level are encouraged to apply for one of the 1987 American Council of the Blind scholarships (four Floyd Qualls Memorial Scholarships and the Melva T. Owen Memorial Scholarship). Five awards of $1500 each will be presented to outstanding full-time students enrolled for the 1987-88 academic year. Applicants admitted to vocational, technical, academic, and professional training programs are eligible for consideration. One ACB scholarship will be awarded to applicants in each of the following four categories: entering freshmen in academic programs, undergraduates (sophomores, juniors, and seniors) in academic programs, graduate students in academic programs, and vocational/professional school students. The Melva T. Owen scholarship will be awarded to an undergraduate student. Students will be compared with other applicants studying at their level; e.g., entering freshmen will be competing for funds with other first-year students. Applications are available from the ACB National Office, 1010 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005; (202) 393-3666. All completed applications and supporting documents must be postmarked no later than April 1, 1987. The ACB scholars will be notified no later than June 15, 1987, and will be announced at the 26th annual convention of the American Council of the Blind in Los Angeles, July 11-18. Among the criteria to be considered in selecting the scholars will be demonstrated academic record, involvement in extracurricular/civic ac­tivities, and academic objectives. Degree of the applicant's visual impairment and his/her study methods will also be taken into account in the selection process. The Floyd Qualls Memorial Scholarship program was established in 1982 in memory of one of the great personalities and dedicated leaders of the American Council of the Blind. The Floyd Qualls Endowment Fund was also created to provide for the continuation and advancement of this worthwhile program for blind and visually impaired students. The Melva T. Owen Memorial Scholarship, made available by the Tarver Foundation of Richmond, Virginia, is in memory of Mrs. Owen, who was a dedicated leader for and with blind people. She is primarily remembered for her work with the Voicespondence Club. ***** ** A California Gold Rush -- ACB Convention 1987 The 19th century brought tremendous growth and change to the young nation known as the United States of America. Soon after the beginning of the century, the small country more than doubled in size when land from Louisiana to Montana was purchased from Napoleon. Huge chunks of land were added when Texas joined the Union in 1845, when Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867, and as a result of the Mexican and Spanish-American wars. Life in the United States changed almost as much as did the size of the country. The Industrial Revolution was in full swing; the agricultural society of the 18th century had greatly diminished in favor of manufacturing. Advances in transportation and communication brought the states and the world closer together. The question of freedom for all races culminated in the struggle between North and South, between family and friends. Ultimately, a way of life abruptly ended and the last third of the century was spent in rebuilding a disintegrated society. But amid the strife of the Mexican War and the gathering storm clouds of the decades just prior to the Civil War came the acquisition of California from Mexico, and just before the midpoint of the 1800's, it happened: Gold was discovered in California and word spread quickly across the continent. Hopes and dreams abounded and served as an incentive for a great rush to the west and the new frontier. Now there's another gold rush on the schedule. It's the 26th annual convention of the American Council of the Blind, set for July 11-18, 1987. The week is beginning to fill with activities. Some are traditional (the RSVA dance, for example), while others (such as the Mexican theme night sponsored by the International Friendly Circle of the Blind) are brand new. The California Council of the Blind, the host affiliate for the convention, has already finalized plans for Sunday evening which are guaranteed to create a spectacular beginning for an exciting and memorable week. Conventions are many things -- meetings, friends, exhibits, parties, workshops -- and tours. In southern California you will find a proliferation of tourist attractions. From Disneyland to Universal Studios, and at all points in between, there is a glittering array of educational and entertaining things to see and do. You will want to plan now to come early and stay late. An overnight pre-convention tour will depart on Friday, July 10, for Hearst Castle and other famous attractions north of Los Angeles. A post-convention tour is also in the making. Watch for complete "fun in the sun" details in upcoming issues of The Braille Forum. Room rates at the three-year-old Los Angeles Airport Hilton are $38.00 singles, $40.00 doubles, triples, quads. Located a short five­minute ride from the Los Angeles Airport, the hotel offers spacious sleeping rooms, a swimming pool, garden and patio, and convenient meeting and exhibit areas. Make reservations directly by calling the hotel at (818) 410-4000, or use the Hilton toll-free reservation number, 1-800-445-8667. In making travel arrangements for the convention, we urge you to contact Linda Ward of Cosmopolitan Travel. She has been working diligently to obtain the absolutely lowest rates for ACBers planning to attend the 1987 convention, and she has succeeded. Some fares available through Cosmopolitan cannot be obtained through any other agency or directly from the airlines. For more information, contact Linda Ward as follows: In Florida, call 1-800-447-TRIP (that's 1-800-447-8747). In Maine, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii, call collect, 1-904-743-9080. From all other states, call toll-free, 1-800-435-TRIP (that's 1-800-435-8747). If you have questions about the 1987 ACB national convention, call or write 1987 ACB Convention Committee, P.O. Box 2714, Northridge, CA 91324-2714; (818) 349-2636. ***** ** Braille Edition of "Playboy" to Return to Library Shelves Immediately By Oral O. Miller National Representative On September 23, 1986, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas F. Hogan handed down his written opinion confirming his "bench decision" of August 28, 1986, ruling that the Librarian of Congress had acted unconstitutionally in discontinuing the production and distribution of the braille edition of Playboy magazine (see "ACB Triumphs in Censorship Battle,'' by Lynn Abbott, The Braille Forum, Sept.-Oct. 1986). In his decision in this extremely important case, Judge Hogan stated that the United States Supreme Court has consistently held that under the First Amendment of the Constitution, the Government may not discriminate against or prohibit constitutionally protected speech based on its content or viewpoint. He explained also that although individuals have no right to a Government subsidy or benefit, once one is conferred (as it was in this situation, through the allocation of funds for the braille magazine program), the Government cannot deny it on a basis that impinges on freedom of speech. Judge Hogan stated further: "Congressional concerns about the nature of Playboy may be well taken, but for the past fifteen years the magazine consistently met the selection criteria established by the Library of Congress ... This dispute is not about the value or merit of Playboy, but about a viewpoint-based denial of a subsidy, a denial which in a less emotionally charged context Congress and the taxpayer may find less palatable ... Censorship, whether by Congress or by the Librarian of Congress, is equally abhorrent to a society built on the tenet of freedom of speech and expression." In ruling in favor of the American Council of the Blind and the other plaintiffs, the Court directed the Librarian of Congress: (1) to resume production and distribution of the braille edition of Playboy, starting in January 1987; (2) to produce and distribute the braille edition of Playboy for calendar year 1987; (3) to notify all subscribers through the program and the libraries of the renewed availability of the braille edition of Playboy magazine; and ( 4) to produce and maintain at the Library of Congress recorded oral (talking book) editions of the 1986 issues of Playboy, and to notify all persons and libraries who would ordinarily receive such notice of the availability of these issues. On October 24, 1986, the Director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped informed the Ad Hoc Audio Equipment Advisory Committee that the Library of Congress had decided not to appeal this decision. ***** ** If The Shoe Fits -- Why Wear It? By Bud Keith It is really exciting to have so many of the rights that we as blind people have today. It is truly satisfying to see a growing acceptance of blind people as productive workers, competent travelers, and disgruntled taxpayers -- just like everyone else. It is, however, also sad but true that, in part because of their appearance and life style, many blind people still find it difficult to fit into sighted social circles. Nearly ten years ago, the 12-year-old sighted daughter of a friend told me that I was the only blind man she knew who wasn't fat. Now, granted, her circle of friends probably included very few blind men, but her generalization impressed me greatly. It came at a time when I had just lost 18 pounds and was trying very hard to regain some of the physical conditioning I remembered from my high-school days. Since then others have shared the observation with me that there are an awful lot of fat people at the ACB conventions and at the blind bowling tournaments. I can also say with certainty that I encounter a much higher percentage of smokers among groups of blind people than among my sighted friends. If this is beginning to sound like preaching, I assure you that it is not my intention to ask anyone to change his or her chosen way of life. I am sharing my concerns in hopes of contacting others in the American Council of the Blind who would like to make change easier for those who are offended by my observations because it feels like I might be getting too personal. As one who knows how difficult it was to stop smoking and how difficult it is now to keep my weight down, I offer help and encouragement, not personal criticism. At the same time, I wish that those who choose to smoke could keep their airborne ashes away from the air I breathe and the hair and the clothes of the people I like to spend time with. In the August issue of "ACB Reports," Laura Oftedahl did a story on the Ski for Light program. She and Laurinda Steele spoke of the thrills of cross-country skiing, the unique social environment, and a little about fitness and improved health. As President of Ski for Light, I spend many hours working with blind and sighted people alike, trying to "turn on" other blind people to a health-oriented life style. Being blind does not in itself imply poor health. However, for a variety of explainable but avoidable reasons, blind people as a group seem to be victims of an illness-oriented life style to a much greater extent than my seeing friends. The evidence is overwhelming that smoking, lack of exercise, obesity, and poor diet are direct causal factors in more than 60 percent of early deaths. The statistics are even more staggering with regard to the smoking and obesity-related illnesses that diminish the quality of life for those who hang around for a normal length of time. I would be happy and challenged to help organize a presentation to the 1987 ACB convention, if there is interest. If there are enough members who are concerned about their friends and fellow blind to want to do something, please let me know. I would like to be able to show President Grant Mack that this topic deserves time on the 1987 and future programs. I don't want to establish another special-interest organization. Improved health should be of interest to everyone. I firmly believe that if we could increase the number of ACB members who choose to take and demonstrate pride in their health and appearance, we will have a much stronger organization. It will require making a conscious decision to act. Exercise your right and drop a letter to the ACB National Office and make your interest known. I'll even try to find running partners for those at the convention who want to maintain a regular running schedule. Just let me know. If we do get something going, maybe some of our friends will join us in trying to make a change in the only life they have. Wouldn't that be great? ***** ** Sharing Educational Materials Worldwide By Maria E. Lopez, President International Friendly Circle of the Blind In my trips to Mexico, I have witnessed the dire need of most blind people there. They have very limited or no educational or employment opportunities, no school materials, no financial support from the government, and limited library services. As in Mexico, there are other countries where blind people live in these same conditions, and where needy blind students struggle to obtain an education. For this reason, the International Friendly Circle of the Blind (IFCB) was founded. Its purpose is to assist needy blind students with educational materials, especially in developing countries, and with joint participation from all of us, this project will undoubtedly function successfully. Collecting and distributing school materials is the function of the IFCB. The basic idea is that interested persons participate by sharing no-longer­used school materials with needy blind students in developing countries. Such donated items should be sent to the IFCB to be distributed among those students, who urgently need braille paper, slates and styluses, braillers, abacuses, recorders, canes, and so on. The main concept is that the collecting be nationwide, but the distribution international. In addition, procuring sponsorships for needy blind students in developing countries will enhance the IFCB's project. Although the IFCB does not have the financial means to aid needy blind students in other countries, I believe that with the active involvement of its members, we can procure sponsorships for such students from individuals and other organizations interested in the betterment of blind people everywhere. To obtain such sponsorships, disseminating information about the IFCB is necessary. Undoubtedly, involvement and unity create success. This positive belief was demonstrated by IFCB members in becoming a national special-interest affiliate of the American Council of the Blind and in the excellent results of its first organizational meeting. At this meeting, the IFCB recruited members from different areas of the United States and elected its official Board of Directors. Surely, the International Friendly Circle of the Blind can only be successful with so positive a purpose. To strengthen its program, persons with a dedicated interest are urged to become members. Annual dues are $3.00, payable at each ACB convention. In order to inform members and interested persons about activities of the IFCB, an annual newsletter will be published describing the distribution of educational materials and other projects. For further information, contact International Friendly Circle of the Blind, 3925 E. 6th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90023; (213) 268-4526. ***** ** AFB Produces Radio Documentary on Alexander Scourby; Presents First Narrator of the Year Award The American Foundation for the Blind has produced a radio documentary on the life and work of the late Alexander Scour by, acclaimed actor of stage, film, television and radio, and a talking book narrator at AFB for nearly fifty years. The documentary, entitled "Narrated by Alexander Scourby," is told largely in the actor's own voice and includes eloquent passages from his major works. Intimate accounts from his friends, colleagues, devoted fans, and his wife, actress Lori March, tell how Scourby started in show business in the early 1930's and trace his career to his final performance -- hosting a taped production of Handel's oratorio, "Alexander's Feast," in Boston, where Scourby died February 22, 1985. "The documentary is a fitting tribute to Alexander Scourby, whose voice brought countless hours of reading pleasure to millions of blind and physically handicapped people around the world," said William F. Gallagher, Executive Director of AFB, where Scourby recorded his first talking book in 1936. In all, he recorded some 450 titles, including such classics as Homer's Iliad, Tolstoy's War and Peace, Joyce's Ulysses, and the King James Version of The Bible, perhaps Scourby' s most famous recording. This year AFB also established the Alexander Scourby Narrator of the Year Award, with the annual recipient selected by the popular vote of the nearly half a million talking book users across the country. This year's winner, the first, is Bob Askey of Longmont, Colorado, who narrates for the Talking Book Publishing Company of Denver. Askey received the award October 7 at a luncheon in New York City. Askey, a professional narrator of audio-visual productions, has recorded books and magazines for the Talking Books Publishing Company since 1975. His voice has been reproduced on more than ten million flexible discs. Askey also does commercials for radio and television and narrates voice tracks for industrial films and slide shows for production companies and advertising agencies in Colorado and other states. ***** ** A Surprise Victory for Education of the Handicapped By Kathleen Megivern In the sort of miraculous resurrection which can only happen in the final days of a Congressional session, the House of Representatives created, passed, and sent to the Senate and on to the President a bill to reauthorize programs under the Education of the Handicapped Act. While Senator Lowell Weicker (R., CT) had been pushing for such legislation for several weeks and had succeeded in getting Senate passage of his bill months ago, no House companion bill had even existed until September. After several days of negotiations, House staffers came up with a compromise bill which was acceptable to all of the major education groups. It was passed by the House, and in an extraordinary move, the conference committee was avoided entirely and the Senate accepted the House version. In a tribute to Senator Weicker's efforts, his Senate bill number was substituted for the House number, and off it went to the White House. One final ironic wrinkle in this saga came when the Office of Management and Budget recommended that President Reagan "pocket veto" the bill. A "pocket veto'' is what happens if the President does not sign a bill within a certain amount of time after the Congress has adjourned. However, the whole plot was foiled when Congress failed to meet the targeted adjournment date of October 3. Instead, they remained in session for two more weeks, changing the circumstances entirely. With Congress still in town, the President had ten days in which to sign or veto the bill. If he had taken no action on it, it would automatically have become law. Just a few hours before that automatic deadline, Mr. Reagan signed the bill. In addition to re-authorizing the discretionary programs under the Education of the Handicapped Act, the new law contains two major new initiatives. First, it amends Public Law 94-142 to require that states provide a "free appropriate education" to handicapped children ages 3 through 5. This provision is voluntary in the beginning, but by the 1990-91 school year, if a state wants to receive any Federal money under this section, it must serve handicapped preschoolers in the 3- to 5-year age range. In order to calm the fears of school administrators, the law provides that if Congress does not come up with the additional funding necessary, the mandate will be delayed by a year. The other major provision is the establishment of a new state grant program for handicapped infants, birth through 2 years of age. This early childhood initiative requires participating states to develop a plan for interagency participation, and it requires that each infant or toddler served under this section shall have a written individualized family service plan "developed by a multidisciplinary team including the parent or guardian." In addition to the new provisions discussed above, the bill includes some amendments to the existing discretionary programs. For instance, under the personnel preparation section, a new national clearing house is established to encourage students and other professionals to seek careers in special education. There is also added a new focus on technology, educational media, and materials for handicapped children. This legislation was a major priority of Senator Weicker and became a reality only because of his determined efforts to keep the bill alive. Despite the fact that President Reagan waited until virtually the final hour to sign the bill, it is a sweet victory, indeed, for Senator Weicker. ***** ** National Skiing Championships to Select Blind Athletes for 1988 Winter Olympics The United States Winter Sports National Championships in downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, and speed-skating will take place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during the period February 1-5, 1987. The primary site for skiing competition will be Sandia Peak, and ice skating competition will be conducted in the new arena at the base of the mountain, near the station for the spectacular cable car that carries people to the top of the mountain. The event will be conducted by the United States Association for Blind Athletes (USABA), the official organization for selecting blind skiers to represent the United States at the 1988 Winter Olympics for the Disabled, scheduled to take place in Austria. During the Championships, USABA officials will also select the blind speed-skaters who will take part in a demonstration of that sport, if such a demonstration is authorized. Speed-skating has not yet been recognized as an official competitive sport internationally, although national competition has already taken place in this country. Although the National Championships in Albuquerque are the most important event for blind athletes wishing to be considered for the official United States team, the Championships are open to all blind athletes who are members of the USABA. Further, the Championships are the best opportunity for all blind athletes to improve their skills and compare their progress with other visually impaired athletes. The USABA is interested in strengthening its developmental and training program, so athletes who have not participated in the Winter National Championships previously are encouraged to do so. Selection of the 1988 Olympic team will be completed at the end of the 1986-87 skiing season. Athletes who do not do well in Albuquerque may be considered, based on performances in other USABA-sponsored competition plus races conducted by other selected organizations. Entry forms for the Championships and other pertinent information may be obtained from: Mr. David Bergesen, USABA Winter Sports Coordinator, 6 Simpson Road, Marlborough, MA 01752. ***** ** AAAS Resource Directory of Disabled Scientists The Project on Science, Technology and Disability of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) maintains a resource group of scientists and engineers with disabilities which currently numbers more than 1200. Since 1975, members of the resource group have consulted with schools and colleges, employers, legislators, and other disabled persons, thereby helping to open doors to education and careers in math, science, and engineering for interested disabled people. The need to identify disabled scientists (including social scientists) is a continuous one. To meet this need, the National Science Foundation has awarded AAAS a grant to publish the second edition of the Resource Directory in spring 1987. The Directory lists names and other helpful data about scientists and engineers with disabilities and is, among other things, a valuable resource for educators and students seeking information on better access to educational programs. The Directory is especially useful to scientists and engineers who become disabled in mid-career and wish to learn coping strategies that others have developed. AAAS is making a concerted effort to locate new names and revisions for the Resource Directory before December 31, 1986, and requests that disabled scientists, engineers, and students of these disciplines cooperate in this national effort by identifying themselves. AAAS will contact those persons identified and will provide more information about joining the resource group and being listed in the directory. AAAS will not use without permission the names of individual scientists or students of science who respond. Please write or call Diane Lifton, Project on Science, Technology and Disability, AAAS, 1333 H Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20005; (202) 326-6678 (voice/TDD). ***** ** Going for the Gold in Ohio By Deborah Kendrick "Equal Success in a Competitive Society" was the theme of the 1986 ACB of Ohio convention, held October 17-19, and the program and general membership alike glistened with winners. With 85 people in attendance at the annual banquet, the numbers were doubled from 1985 -- and we intend to continue growing! David Hartman, M.D., a blind psychiatrist with a flourishing practice in Roanoke, Virginia ( and the first blind person to attend medical school in this century), was the Friday evening keynote speaker. With warmth and humor, Dr. Hartman inspired members with tales of his own struggles to succeed in medical college and as a blind physician. "It is frequently only the low expectations others have of us," Dr. Hartman commented, "that prevent us, as blind people, from performing as competently as we can." Dr. Herman Weed, along with his team of researchers from the Ohio State University Biomedical Engineering Department, was another Friday evening highlight. Coordinators of the ROSE (Research on Substitute Eyesight) Project, Dr. Weed and his colleagues reported their progress and demonstrated prototypes for throngs of interested ACBers. Through a combination of a small camera lens and an array of vibrating pins, the finished device will be the size of a dime, to be worn against the skin, for relaying tactual interpretations of visual surroundings. Saturday morning began with a motivating speech from legally blind author and law student Gillian Holzhauser. A former Floyd Qualls Memorial Scholarship winner, Ms. Holzhauser is a third-year law student and author of "Making the Best of It," published by Random House earlier this year. During a morning workshop entitled "Looking Successful," wardrobe consultant Peggy Barnett and panelists Ruth Davidson, Carl Augusto, and Dawn Christensen provided a wealth of tips and techniques for looking professional. Subjects discussed by panelists included everything from dressing for a job interview, hair styles, makeup and neckties to the importance of eye contact and the elimination of mannerisms. Ms. Barnett publicly expressed pleasure at seeing such a "well­dressed group of people" and exhibited complete wardrobes for men and women for hands-on examination. "Whether we like it or not," Ms. Barnett said, "whether we get that job or that next big promotion is often based on our appearance." Our afternoon technology workshop featuring Fred Gissoni of Kentucky's Technical Services Unit, Larry Skutchan from the American Printing House for the Blind in Louisville, and David Mansoir from the Cleveland Sight Center's STORER Center, was packed with eager listeners. Equally crowded throughout the weekend were two meeting rooms filled with an impressive assortment of exhibits. Major distributors of technology for blind and visually impaired people from throughout the country were represented, as well as such additions as toys from the American Printing House for the Blind and small adaptive devices for home and work by Doran Enterprises of Columbus. Members amended the ACB-O Constitution to allow for some flexibility in the number of consecutive terms held by officers. President Kenneth Morlock was praised for his outstanding leadership and was elected to a third term. Two particularly rare treats comprised the ACB-O 1986 banquet. The entertaining banquet speaker, Dr. Bud Keith, civil rights specialist and president of Ski for Light, inspired Ohioans to a more active and healthy involvement with sports through tales of his own experiences with horseback riding, mountain climbing, running, and skiing. Pianist George Coorey and vocalist Elmer Fischer added a lovely final touch with their musical performance. Scattered throughout the weekend were far too many special awards, presentations, and prizes to mention. Contributions were presented to the ROSE Project by the ACB-O and the Columbus chapter, as well as a personal contribution from the affiliate's president. The Columbus chapter also presented $3,600 to the News Reel magazine and awarded six $1,000 scholarships to visually impaired students. ACB-O member Marilyn Briz was the winner of a raffle grand prize, a Small Talk portable computer donated by Computer Aids Corp. Lists of speakers and awards can never convey the spirit of any gathering. Old friends discovering one another after fifteen years, for example, or the "high" of a brand-new member experiencing the connection with other visually impaired people were not part of the formal agenda. Nor was the after-hours songfest stretching into the late hours two consecutive nights, blending three talented guitarists, a flute, a harmonica, and the multiple harmonies of enthusiastic singers! Friendships formed are an integral part of any growing organization, and it is through the bonds of such friendships that work is accomplished and equality attained. Many members asked, "How can we possibly equal this convention in 1987?" Bud Keith touched each of us with his belief that competition is a personal matter, the business of simply being the best you can be. With that in mind, I know that the 1987 ACB-O convention can only be an even better one. (Deborah Kendrick, who is a member of the ACB Board of Publications and Second Vice President of the ACB of Ohio, was Convention Program Coordinator for the 1986 ACB-O state convention.) ***** ** 1987 Tandem Cycling Tour of Holland An eight-day tandem cycling tour of Holland for blind and visually impaired persons is being arranged by cyclist Michael Conway of West Hempstead, New York, in cooperation with International Bicycle Tours of New York City. Writes Mr. Conway: "I have found that tandem cycling is an extremely enjoyable way for the blind and visually impaired to tour the United States as well as other countries. Having participated in several tours in the States, I felt that now is the time for an international bicycle tour for myself and other blind persons who might be interested." An eight-day tour, leaving New York on April 19, 1987, has been arranged. To Mr. Conway's knowledge, this is the first trip of its kind. Holland was chosen for a number of reasons. In general, the Dutch speak English, so participants will not need to know a second language to enjoy the trip. The Dutch countryside is flat, which will allow persons who are not ordinarily active cyclists to be able to enjoy the tour. The group will ride only about 30 miles a day, at a leisurely pace, with frequent breaks to enjoy the countryside. Holland is a country rich in beauty and history, with a network of thousands of bicycle paths, away from the noise and smell of automobiles. A supply and luggage van will follow the cyclists as they wind their way along the Dutch coastline and through the heavily scented pine forests. Cyclists will spend each night in first-class hotel accommodations. All of this is included in the cost of the tour package, which is $1,300. Tandem cycles will be transported by KLM Airlines at no extra charge. Persons who do not have tandems will be provided with one, to be included in the package price. Anyone interested in further information about the tour should contact Michael Conway as soon as possible at 109 Nassau Boulevard, West Hempstead, NY 11552. ***** ** Positions and Fellowships Available The Badger Association of the Blind is recruiting for the position of General Manager. The Badger Association is a non-profit organization serving the needs of blind people and is the Wisconsin affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. Programs include management of the Badger Home for the Blind and supervision of volunteer services, and the sale of aids and appliances. Persons applying for this position should have knowledge and experience in the following areas: demonstrated ability to work effectively with blind people, business administration and supervision of personnel, fund-raising, and organizational skills. Salary for this position is $30,000 per year (negotiable). An application and a complete job description may be obtained from the Badger Association office. Completed applications and resumes will be accepted until a suitable candidate is found. Triformation Braille Services, Inc., is seeking sighted certified braille transcribers to work at its braille production facility in Stuart, Florida. Immediate openings. Salary negotiable. Please call (305) 286-8366, or write: TBS, Inc., 3142 S.E. Jay Street, Stuart, FL 33497. The Special Education Department of George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University offers programs preparing teachers and other personnel for leadership in work with visually impaired persons. Doctoral and master's degrees with emphasis in visual impairment or orientation and mobility (for those who already have vision certification) are available. Those students satisfactorily completing degrees in orientation and mobility are eligible for AER certification; those students with an emphasis in visual impairment are eligible for teacher certification in the State of Tennessee and in many other states. Fellowship positions providing assistance totaling up to $9,000 to candidates in the master's program and up to $10,000 to candidates in the doctoral program are available for the fall 1987 term in visual impairment and in orientation and mobility. Interested individuals should contact Randall K. Harley at (615) 322-8160, or write George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, Box 328, Nashville, TN 37203. ***** ** In Memoriam: Edna H. Schmidt Edna H. Schmidt, long-time member of the American Council of the Blind and a charter member and past president of the National Association of Blind Teachers, died Tuesday, September 23, in Milwaukee. She experienced a severe heart attack at about 1:00 a.m., and although paramedics arrived almost immediately, she died before reaching the hospital. She was 88. Up until bedtime, writes a close friend, she had been her usual busy, happy self and had been nailing down plans well into the future, including attendance at the ACB national convention next July in Los Angeles. Ms. Schmidt was a former teacher of visually impaired pupils in the Milwaukee public schools and was the first blind teacher hired by the school system. She compiled a book in braille about colors: "It's important for children to know about color and to learn what colors clash and what colors match, because blind children live in a sighted world," she once said in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal. She retired as a teacher in 1973 after 20 years, and without missing one day of work. After her retirement, she was a director of the Badger Home for the Blind in Milwaukee, where she lived until her death. She also worked as a volunteer for the Sunrise Nursing Home for the Blind, for many years transcribed books into braille for the Library for the Blind, and proofread braille for a Lutheran Church publication for the Blind. She was the recipient of ACB's Ambassador Award at the 1973 national convention in Knoxville. Blind since birth, Edna Schmidt loved to travel. In addition to Canada, Mexico, and Hawaii, she visited the Greek Islands, Italy, a Moroccan casbah, and the galleries of paintings of the old masters in Belgium. The American Council of the Blind has lost a loyal and valued member, and many individuals and former students a true friend. ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon From AFB News: The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Pharmacy Service now offers braille prescription labels for children, adults, and senior citizens. To receive braille labels, a copy of the prescription must be sent to the AARP Pharmacy. A print/braille transparent label will be made for the medicine bottle, listing the prescription number, and name and strength of the drug. For the prescription service and information, write AARP Pharmacy Service, 3557 Lafayette Road, P.O. Box 7010, Indianapolis, IN 46272. A newly formed, not-for-profit corporation, For Challenged Kids by Mattel, Inc., aims to encourage positive attitudes about disabilities by marketing a line of physically disabled dolls. Each of the 19-inch, soft sculptured dolls, called Hal's Pals, has a different disability. Hal, the only officially named doll, is an amputee skier. Others include a dancer wearing a hearing aid, a wheelchair-bound doll wearing a warmup suit, a doll who wears leg braces and walks with the help of a cane, and a visually impaired doll with a cane and a dog guide. Proceeds from sale of the toys will be distributed to organizations serving children with disabilities. The dolls are available exclusively by writing; For Challenged Kids by Mattel, Inc. 5959 Triumph Street, Commerce, CA 90040. From Hoosier Starlight (Indiana): Bengt Lindqvist, Sweden's new Deputy Minister of Health and Social Affairs, has been blind since he was 15 years old. He says he has taken the cabinet post to show that the handicapped can get the job done. "Someone told me early on that it is in fact easier for a blind man to be in a top post than to be a hotel busboy," Mr. Lindqvist said. He uses electronic equipment that turns written documents into synthesized speech or braille. He was appointed by Prime Minister Olof Palme as part of a cabinet shuffle following the Social Democratic Party's narrow election victory. 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 a number of pharmaceutical suppliers. *** AT&T has developed an emergency transmitter which may be used by blind and physically handicapped persons. With the touch of a button, the hand-held transmitter activates a device which can easily be attached to any phone. It will automatically dial programmed phone numbers, report the emergency, and give the person's address and phone number. For information, contact the AT&T office nearest you. Through early summer 1986, 393 young people under 26 years of age had been referred to the Michigan Commission for the Blind's Youth Low Vision program, according to the Michigan Labor Registry. Of these, 179 completed the three steps of the program -- identification of the problem, prescription of vision devices and instruction in their use, and a follow-up examination. Nearly 400 vision devices have been provided, the most popular being bioptic telescopes and reading glasses. This service to young people was not possible until last year when the Michigan Legislature amended the law which established the Michigan Commission for the Blind, enabling that body to serve youths and appropriating $300,000 for the program. A free print or cassette catalog of new products is now available from Ann Morris Enterprises, Inc., 26 Horseshoe Lane, Levittown, NY 11756. Write in print or braille. The catalog features such items as a large­digit thermometer, divided skillet, push-button combination padlock, shower liner with pockets for toiletries, and much more. American Thermoform Company, in its 25th year of service to the visually impaired, has developed Write-Lite, a light-weight, portable "writing tablet" for the low-vision student. The Write-Lite is ideal for use when conventional blackboards are not feasible. Additional informa­tion may be obtained by contacting American Thermoform at 2311 Travers Avenue, Commerce, CA 90040. All-occasion cards in braille, featuring textured pictures, are available from K.S.K. Cards, 412 Cherry Hill Road, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. Cost is $1.50 each. Who is handicapped: -- The person who can't see or the one who doesn't look? -- The one who can't hear or the one who won't listen? -- The one who reaches with one hand or the one who is afraid to reach at all? Those persons wishing to subscribe to DX Audio Service, a cassette version of DX News, are urged to do so before December 31, 1986. Unless there is greater interest shown, the service will be discontinued. (See "Here and There," The Braille Forum, July-August 1986.) To order, send checks payable to National Radio Club, P.O. Box 27, Cambridge, WI 53523. Annual subscription is $25. 00 if you wish to keep the tapes; $12.50 on a tape-return basis. Sample copies are available at $3.00 each. Louis H. Rives, Jr., a member of the Board of Trustees of the American Foundation for the Blind and of the Board of Directors of National Industries for the Blind, died on September 4. Rives, who devoted more than 40 years to the blindness field, retired in 1974 as Head of the Office for the Blind in the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. He then served as Director of Research at Arkansas Enterprises for the Blind and later as Administrator of the Office for the Blind and Visually Impaired, State of Arkansas. He retired for a second time in 1980. The New England Institute of Sensory Science recently announced its Sensory Technology Information Service, a research service for people with questions about special technology available for people with hearing, vision, balance, and touch disabilities. Designed to provide practical, consumer-oriented information and fact-finding services to individuals and agencies primarily in the New England and New York area, inquiries are welcome from anywhere. However, resources may limit the amount of information which can be provided outside the area. Information related to how well apparatus works, what it can and cannot be used for, products under current development, and discontinued services and products is constantly being added to the resource base. For further information, contact Ms. Ellen Trencher, STIS Project Coordinator, New England Institute of Sensory Science, 71 Pleasant Street, Worcester, MA 01609; (617) 791-4303 (Voice or TDD). During the 1986 commencement ceremonies at the Overbrook School for the Blind, LeRoy Price was presented the School's Distinguished Alumnus Award. Mr. Price is a past president of the Pennsylvania Industries for the Blind and Handicapped, past president of the American Blind Bowling Association, has served as secretary of the Overbrook Alumni Association for nearly 40 years, and is presently serving as vice president of the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind. Utah Industries for the Blind is currently manufacturing a traffic safety vest made from a revolutionary fabric produced by Twitchell Mills and 3M Corp. It has woven-in reflective stripes, making it highly visible both by day and by night. At night it is visible up to distances of 500 feet. UIB considers this to be a valuable safety item for blind persons who travel at night. For further information, contact John Keser, Marketing Director, Utah Industries for the Blind, 1595 West 500 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84104; (801) 533-5191. More than 350 household, business, recreational, and health-care products designed to improve the lives of blind and visually impaired people are described in the 1986-87 edition of "Products for People with Vision Problems." The catalog is available free of charge, in print or braille, from American Foundation for the Blind, 15 W. 16th Street, New York, NY 10011. The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), U.S. Department of Education, is expanding its register of technical experts and professionals to evaluate proposals and grant applications for the National Institute of Handicapped Research (NIHR), Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), and the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). For further information, interested individuals should contact OSERS by calling (202) 732-1723 between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. EST, or by writing Field Reader System, OSERS, Mail Stop 2304, Switzer Building, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC 20202. VoiceDialer™ 1000 is a new telephone embodying artificial intelligence together with voice recognition and voice synthesis technologies to make telephoning more convenient and efficient. It allows an individual to dial telephone numbers by simply speaking the name of the person to whom one wants to talk. To program, speak a name twice into the mouthpiece; then dial the correct number. To make a call, just pick up the receiver and speak the person's name. Features include: memorizes 100 names and 200 numbers (home and work); looks up and speaks any stored number from directory memory; repeats name to confirm correct dialing. Braille stick-ons and braille instruction sheets are available upon request. Voice Dialer retails for $249.95 and is available at leading department stores and through mail-order catalogs, as well as from the developer, Innovative Devices, 1333 Lawrence Expressway, Suite 257, Santa Clara, CA 95051. As an introductory offer, Innovative Devices will pay for all shipping and handling charges on orders placed during 1986. To order, call toll-free 1-800-345-3553. The 40th anniversary annual conference of the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped will be held outside of Washington, D.C., for the first time. Scheduled for Denver, Colorado, April 22-24, 1987, the meeting will be hosted by the Colorado Coalition of Persons with Disabilities. "We expect to attract between 3,000 and 4,000 participants to the conference," said PCEH Chairman Harold Russell, "including many from the west who have been unable to attend past conferences because they were always held in Washington, D.C. ... (W)e plan to alternate conferences, one out and the next year back in Washington." ***** ** 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 Michael Byington, 706 Buchanan, Topeka, KS 66606 Robert Campbell, 253 Stonewall Road, Berkeley, CA 94705 Brian Charlson, 14 Riverside Street, Apt. 1-2, Watertown, MA 02172 Adrian De Blaey, 3340 N. 57th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53216 Carla Franklin, 148 N. Vernon Avenue, Louisville, KY 40206 Charles Hodge, 1131 S. Forest Drive, Arlington, VA 22204 Patricia Price, 600 N. Alabama Street, Tower 2, Apt. 2102, Indianapolis, IN M.J. Schmitt, 528 Des Plaines Avenue, Apt. 2-A, Forest Park, IL 60130 Dick Seifert, 1023 Scott Street, No. F, Little Rock, AR 72202 Paul Verner, 7505 Robindale Road, Tampa, FL 33619 ACB Board of Publications Christopher Gray, Chairman, 2700 Del Medio Court, Apt. 123, Mountain View, CA 94040 Billie Jean Hill, 987 East Northside Drive, Apt. 11-1D, Jackson, MS 39206 Deborah Kendrick, 2819 Victoria Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45208 Carol McCarl, 735 21st Place, N. W., Salem, OR 97304 Phyllis Stern, 1178 S. Kenilworth, Oak Park, IL 60304 * Contributing Editors: Elizabeth Lennon 1315 Greenwood Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Kathleen Megivern 7113 Fort Hunt Road Alexandria, VA 22307 ###