The Braille Forum Vol. XXVI January-February 1988 No. 4 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 at (202) 393-3664. Available 24 hours a day. Copyright 1987 American Council of the Blind ***** ** Contents President's Message, by Otis Stephens The Firing of Justin Dart -- Part II, by Kathleen Megivern News Briefs from the ACB National Office, by Oral O. Miller Evaluating Rehabilitation Agencies, by Jack C. Lewis 1988 ACB Convention -- A Family Affair Notice Concerning Applications for and Renewals of ACB Membership-at-Large Air Carriers Access Regulatory Negotiations Scuttled -- Close, But No Cigar!, by Oral O. Miller 82-year-old Banjo Player Uses Closed-Circuit TV to Read Music Voting Made Easier for the Blind -- A Possibility F.Y. '88 Appropriations Enacted -- At Last!, by Kathleen Megivern Responsible Advocacy Brings "Cheer," by Oral O. Miller Leaders in Low Vision Optometry See Visual Impairment Reaching "Epidemic:" Proportions Siamese White, by John Mulluish Disability Rights Guide, by Charles D. Goldman, Esq. -- Book Review High Tech Swap Shop In Memoriam: Delbert K. Aman Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon ACB Officers ***** ** President's Message By Otis Stephens Greetings from Knoxville, where today (January 8) we have eight inches of snow on the ground, with possibly more on the way! First of all, I am pleased to report the positive results of our fund-raising appeal to ACB members and affiliates. Through December 31, 1987, we received (in round figures) $10,000 from individual contributions, plus $9,000 in pledges. Affiliate and local chapter contributions amounted to $16,000, bringing the total to approximately $45,000. Some 8833 persons made individual contributions, and 269 made additional pledges. Cash contributions ranged from $1 to $500, and one member very generously donated shares of stock valued at approximately $950. Thirty affiliates and local chapters made contributions to ACB. The response to our request for increased financial support is encouraging, and we wish to thank all who have participated in this fund-raising drive. On balance, I think that we can tew this effort as moderately successful. On the other hand, many of our members have not yet responded to the appeal. Regardless of the size of the individual contribution or pledge, it is vitally important that we build widespread and sustained support from members. This evidence of commitment to the organization helps us greatly in obtaining external support through grants from foundations, business corporations, and government. If you have not yet made a financial contribution or pledge to ACB, I urge you to do so in the near future. As a responsible, independent advocacy organization of blind and visually impaired people, we must display the strength of our convictions. This requires serious commitment, financial and otherwise, from thousands of members throughout the United States, I have confidence in our ability to meet this challenge. By the time you read this issue of The Braille Forum, we will have held our midyear board meeting, the 1988 budget will have been approved, and final plans for the national convention in Little Rock, July 2-9, will be nearing completion. We hope to have another large attendance and would like to break last year's convention registration record of more than 1600. As we begin a new year, it seems appropriate to reflect on ACB's immediate and long-term goals. What do we want to accomplish, and what steps must be taken to achieve our objectives? I would like to take this opportunity to share a few ideas with you and to invite your comments and suggestions. As our financial situation improves, we must, of course, restore services to the level achieved in the early 1980's. I hope that we will be able to resume a monthly issue of The Braille Forum. This is an important priority that directly benefits all our members. It is also important that we fill key staff positions in the Washington office, specifically in the areas of governmental affairs and public information. It is critically important that we expand our influence in shaping public policy in many areas of concern to our members. More and more people within and outside the "blindness system" contact us for information on just about every conceivable question pertaining to blindness. We must develop the resources to respond more fully to these requests. None of the priorities briefly noted here can be adequately addressed, of course, until we generate the income to cover the substantial additional costs involved. On the other hand, some new services could be provided at little additional expense. It has been suggested, for example, that we might offer professional assistance to our members and the preparation of resumes for job application purposes. We have occasionally provided individual assistance of this kind in the past, but the service could be made generally available if substantial interest were expressed. I would like to hear from anyone who would seriously consider using a service of this kind. Over the years, the American Council of the Blind has recognized the achievements of many blind visually impaired persons. This recognition is underscored by our scholarship and annual awards programs. It seems to me that we should go even further in broadening our emphasis on individual recognition. Achievements in employment, education, and other areas of life are significant in and of themselves. They also serve to dispel stereotypes that continue to focus on limitations rather than abilities. We have a responsibility both to applaud constructive achievement and to educate the general public as to the capabilities of blind people. Although notable progress has been made in raising the level of public awareness, the problem of stereotyping and prejudice that goes with it must be confronted by each succeeding generation. How can we recognize the notable achievements of blind and visually impaired persons? You may have suggestions along these lines. If so, please pass them along. In future articles, I would like to continue this general discussion. Please join me in an exchange of ideas and opinions. ***** ** The Firing of Justin Dart — Part II By Kathleen Megivern As you undoubtedly know by now, Justin Dart, Jr., Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration, has been forced to resign his position. Before you think to yourself, "Haven't I already seen this story?" let me assure you that your sense of déjà vu is quite justified. Several months ago, Mr. Dart was asked to resign. But an avalanche of letters and phone calls to the White House saved his job. However, there was no last-minute reprieve this time, despite demonstrations around the country and continuing letters of protest to the White House and key members of Congress. Commissioner Dart had committed the mortal sin of bureaucrats: he had publicly criticized the management policies and attitudes of his "superiors" in the Department of Education. What's worse, the criticism was made at a Congressional hearing. The House Subcommittee on Select Education held an oversight hearing on November 18. Chaired by Representative Major Owens (D. - NY), this hearing was very different from the one reported on in the November-December Braille Forum, held by the Senate Subcommittee on the Handicapped last October. The questions from Congressman Owens were much tougher and much more pointed than anything on the Senate side. Assistant Secretary Madeleine Will had a rough morning -- including one point at which the crowded hearing room broke into laughter, very much at her expense. Commissioner Dart set aside his prepared statement -- full of milk toast rhetoric which had been approved in advance by the Department -- and made a "statement of conscience." No milk toast here, as the following excerpts demonstrate: "I must report to you that OSER-RSA has been for many years, and is today, afflicted -- particularly in its central office -- by profound problems in areas such as management, personnel, and resource utilization. We are ravaged by disunity and hostility ... I apologize to you and to the nation, that in spite of fourteen months of struggle, working literally seven days a week, in spite of eight months of appeals for serious attention and definitive action through the regular channels, efforts by my colleagues and myself to resolve our problems have not been successful. Faced now with the possibility that paternalistic central control, non-professional management and policies of hostility will be institutionalized for years by current revisions of organization and policy, I ask for your help and for that of the community. "The basic problem here is not simply that Justin Dart is involved in a trivial turf and personality conflict with Madeleine Will. ... Our problems are complex. We are confronted by a vast inflexible Federal system which, like the society it represents, still contains a significant proportion of individuals who have not yet overcome obsolete, paternalistic attitudes about disability and, indeed, about government itself. ... And, tragically, a small but all too effective minority in the Federal service and in the community seem dedicated to a divide and conquer strategy of promoting hostility among government, advocates, and professional service providers. ... "Let us not seek scapegoats, let us seek solutions. We have no redeemable enemies, only enemy attitudes. ... "I will do anything -- including, if necessary, playing another role -- to cooperate with you and your colleagues in the Congress, with the administration, and with my colleagues in the disability community, as to strive together to fulfill this sacred responsibility." His offer to, if necessary, play another role was, indeed, prophetic, and one week later, on November 25 (the day before Thanksgiving, when it was virtually impossible to mount any immediate protest), Mr. Dart was asked to resign. The protests did begin the following week with statements inserted in the Congressional Record and press coverage nationwide. The Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, Education Week, and his hometown Austin American-Statesman all carried extensive -- and often sympathetic -- coverage of his firing. But despite the publicity, and despite demonstrations by disabled individuals in several cities, Dart’s resignation took effect on December 15. The sad fact is that, given the constraints placed upon him by Madeleine Will and others, Justin Dart will undoubtedly be able to accomplish far more for disabled people as a private citizen than he could as Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration. As an article in the Los Angeles Times put it: "Forced late last month to resign as Commissioner of Rehabilitation Services after harshly criticizing Education Department management, he seems more like a man who just got liberated than one who just got fired." But where does that leave RSA? And, more importantly, where does it leave these important programs intended to assist people with disabilities? These are the questions we will be struggling to answer as the F.Y. 1989 Federal budget process begins and as a successor to Mr. Dart is selected. ***** ** News Briefs from the ACB National Office By Oral O. Miller National Representative To many people, an autumn month like November brings thoughts of winning touchdowns in the waning seconds of football games against traditional rivals. And for a while it appeared that such success might be forthcoming from the last working sessions of the Federal Advisory Committee charged with negotiating preliminary regulations under the Air Carriers Access Act (discussed previously in The Braille Forum). However, that did not happen, due to a series of very disappointing circumstances, discussed in detail in a separate article in this issue. How different the ACB National Office looked and felt when it became the site of a festive book-signing party in honor of Charles Goldman, Esq., author of Disability Rights Guide. The reception was co-sponsored by the American Council of the Blind, the American Foundation for the Blind, and Tri-S, Inc. Dozens of guests from Capitol Hill, the halls of Government, and the disability rights field in the Washington, D.C., area were in attendance. U.S. Senator Paul Simon described the book as "a highly readable and practical guide to coexistence." In view of the importance of this book to advocates for the rights of disabled people, a review appears elsewhere in this issue. That article also tells how to obtain print or voice-indexed cassette copies. Whoever said that dynamite comes in small packages must have been thinking about the power-packed 1987 state convention of the Delaware Council of the Blind. It was my pleasure to address this meeting in mid-November. The day-long program covered the need for services to stay abreast of the needs of blind people. At the request of ACB President Otis Stephens, in late November I represented the American Council of the Blind at the meeting of the North American Committee of the World Blind Union. The meeting, hosted by the National Federation of the Blind at the NFB headquarters in Baltimore, focused on ways in which American and Canadian agencies and organizations can assist agencies and organizations in the Caribbean area, improving operations of the World Blind Union, input into planning the agenda and program of the 1988 International Assembly of the World Blind Union (scheduled to take place in Spain in the fall), patents on helpful devices for blind people, and the admission of associate members through the North American Region. In December, Stephanie Cooper of the ACB National Office staff and I represented the American Council at the Employment Concerns Forum sponsored by the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped. While the President's Committee will not be able, as a practical matter, to eliminate many of the attitudinal barriers facing handicapped people, and while the eventual value of the Forum is yet to be determined, it was an excellent opportunity to point out the ineffectiveness of Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, in improving employment or upward mobility opportunities for handicapped workers. Also, we commend the President's Committee for conducting the Forum as a part of its efforts to play a much more active role in enhancing employment opportunities for handicapped people. A separate article appears elsewhere in this issue concerning the forced resignation of Justin W. Dart, Jr., from his position as Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration. It should be stated here also, however, that ACB has made its position quite clear in opposing the virtual emasculation of the Rehabilitation Services Administration. The position adopted by the membership in ACB National Resolution 87-23 last summer emphasizes the need for the Rehabilitation Services Administration to be allowed to perform its duties given to it by law, and we have renewed our request for a thorough investigation to be conducted within the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services of the Department of Education. ***** ** Evaluating Rehabilitation Agencies By Jack C. Lewis The future of thousands of blind and disabled men and women is in the hands of rehabilitation agencies. Millions of tax dollars and voluntary contributions are invested in these services to prepare handicapped persons for a productive life. More and more consumers and representative organizations such as the American Council of the Blind are insisting on "accountability" to ensure that agencies are delivering quality services in accordance with their legal mandate. A number of accreditation bodies have been created for this purpose. People understandably become concerned when they see agencies enjoying accredited status, while at the same time falling short of accomplishing what is expected of them. "How can this be?" they ask, skeptically. To begin to understand the problem, it is necessary to understand the "evaluation process." There are two types of evaluation: "efficiency" and "effectiveness." "Efficiency" refers to evaluation of internal agency characteristics such as level of professional education, ratio of expenditures to clients served, numbers of graduates from the program ... "Effectiveness" refers to "outcome"; that is, measuring client success after completing the program. Social service agencies generally rely primarily on evaluation by efficiency, because internal criteria are readily available for evaluation. The on-site accreditation review team is able to talk to staff and clients and examine official records in order to gain insight into agency functioning. Evaluation by effectiveness is much more difficult. Too often, clients are scattered over broad geographical areas and in time are difficult to locate. Nevertheless, agencies generally send out questionnaires or make direct contact in some way, such as by phone. While many of these former clients respond, the majority traditionally do not, for a variety of reasons. Professional evaluators then must ask questions as to the possible significance between those who responded and those who did not. Those who did respond, for example, may have had a different attitude toward their rehabilitation training than the non-respondents. Those who did not respond may have been apathetic, frustrated, embarrassed, or perhaps simply never received the questionnaire. On the other hand, they may have felt positive toward their rehabilitation experience and assumed that no response would be interpreted as a favorable response. Without the opinions of those who did not respond, evaluators find that the small sample of those who did respond may not necessarily be representative of the total target population of former clients, and therefore statistically unreliable. Agency administrators and evaluators alike are generally quick to agree that heavy reliance on evaluation by efficiency has its limitations, but it is the most reliable method available at this state of the art. It should be emphasized that well-trained evaluators can gain highly accurate information and insight through examination of casework records, counselor competency, feedback from present clients, and placement outcomes. The major shortcoming of agency evaluation lies not so much with the agencies themselves as with the limitations of evaluation techniques employed by accreditation organizations. Some agencies, particularly those working with different disabilities, have a choice of accreditation organizations, such as the National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped (NAC) or the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). Thus, an agency may choose to affiliate with the accrediting body likely to be more lenient in applying evaluation and compliance procedures. A not-uncommon difficulty is the lack of specialized, intensive training of on-site evaluators, who may be called on because they have the travel time available to devote to the on-site investigation, or perhaps because their professional competency is taken for granted. It is important to realize that on-site reviewers generally neither grant nor deny accredited status. Rather, the on-site review team collaborates with and reports to a separate body which meets periodically and makes a final determination upon the investigative data provided. These experts generally have had no direct contact with the agency. Thus, which aspects of an agency's functioning receive in-depth attention, the types of questions asked, and the way in which inquiry is made are crucial in the accuracy and thoroughness of the final report forwarded to the determination body. Unskilled or prejudicial reviewers can distort findings and outcome. The National Accreditation Council is acutely aware of these limitations and makes a special effort to deal with them, according to Jerry Kitzhoffer, NAC's Assistant Executive Director. Recognizing that on-site reviewers possess different levels of expertise, NAC attempts to minimize evaluator bias in two ways: Most accreditation bodies use two, or perhaps three team evaluators, and what is relevant inquiry for one may not hold the same significance for another. As a result, highly relevant insights could be unfairly overlooked and thus inaccurately affect accreditation status. Depending on the complexity of the agency being evaluated, NAC may use four, or even five evaluators, who must collaborate on their final report relative to the over-all quality of agency performance. This approach not only assures broader expertise, but also serves to counteract possible evaluator bias. In addition, Mr. Kitzhoffer points out, NAC offers workshops such as that held at the 1987 national convention of the American Council of the Blind in Los Angeles for potential evaluators -- especially for non-professional consumers, whose full team participation provides vital insights. Evaluation is a scientific undertaking which requires high levels of research and evaluation expertise. All accreditation bodies have a responsibility to see that each evaluator is properly trained. While the two evaluation techniques -- efficiency and effectiveness -- have their limitations, quality accountability can still be assured with well-trained, carefully selected onsite evaluation teams. A major contribution of the American Council of the Blind in ensuring quality agency service to the disabled population would be to exert its considerable influence to see that all accreditation bodies have in place a training and screening program for on-site evaluators. Accreditation organizations require that agencies develop standardized procedures to assure the highest possible level of accountability. Isn't it equally reasonable to require that the various accrediting bodies themselves maintain the same expectations of standards and quality performance? (Jack Lewis was formerly an active member of the Georgia Federation of the Blind (now the Georgia Council of the Blind) and has served on the Board of Directors of the American Council of the Blind. At the Georgia Academy for the Blind in Macon, where he graduated in 1951, he was a member of the debating team along with ACB President Otis Stephens. Currently he is employed as Associate Professor of Sociology and Social Work, Anderson University, Anderson, Indiana, where he continues to be active in the disabilities area.) ***** ** 1988 ACB Convention -- A Family Affair The 27th annual convention of the American Council of the Blind is set for July 2-9 in Little Rock, Arkansas. A smorgasbord of workshops, seminars, exhibits, excellent programming, and special events will parade through Convention Week awaiting your participation. This article will emphasize tours and special events sponsored by the Convention Committee. The March-April issue will bring details of special-interest programs, while May-June will carry last-minute changes and updates. A pre-convention tour to Eureka Springs ("Little Switzerland"), located in the Ozark Mountains, will start your week off with a flare. Travel to Little Rock on Thursday, June 30, so you'll be up early and ready to go by 8:00 a.m. on Friday morning. Upon arriving in Eureka Springs, you'll want to take a ride back in time on the authentic steam train. Quaint little shops offer antiques, Ozark crafts, leather, jewelry, quilts, and food -- an afternoon of browsing. The evening will be made special with dinner and a Passion Play. The next day you'll visit a music museum where you'll find old organs, nickelodeons, and other musical instruments -- all in working condition. Arrive back at the hotel in late afternoon, just in time for more convention fun. Or choose a tour to Wiederkehr Wine Cellars as your preconvention tour. It will depart on Friday, July 1, after lunch. See how wine is made and buy some souvenirs, too. Includes dinner at an outstanding restaurant. Saturday, July 2, gets started with an all-day trip to Graceland, home of Elvis Presley, in Memphis, Tennessee. Tour includes lunch and, of course, a visit to the famous mansion where the King of Rock 'n' Roll lived. You'll need to arrive on Friday if you plan to make this one. On Saturday afternoon there's the city tour of Little Rock. Then come the evening, replete with "A Taste of Arkansas" and "Welcome to Arkansas." From 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. you’ll be part of an extravaganza unlike anything ACB has ever seen. There will be bands, crafts boutiques displaying authentic Arkansas handwork, and food stations galore. "Welcome to Arkansas" lets you unwind at an old-fashioned hoedown -- great music, great hospitality. And the entire evening comes to you: there's no bus to either event. On to Sunday. Spend the day at Magic Springs Amusement Park or experience a true southern antebellum home at Marlsgate Plantation in the afternoon (includes refreshments on the veranda). Baseball fans can spend Monday afternoon cheering the Arkansas Travelers to victory. On Monday evening you'll want to join in local fun at the city-sponsored Fourth of July celebration in the park adjacent to the hotel. The Arkansas Enterprises for the Blind has provided rehabilitation and training programs for many years. AEB alumni are found throughout the United States. Special tours, limited to 30 people each, are scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday morning and afternoon. Other Convention Week activities include a dinner cruise with southern fried chicken and ragtime music on Tuesday evening; a cooling afternoon at the Wild River Country Water Park on Wednesday; a catfish fry and barbecue, sponsored by International Guiding Eyes on Wednesday evening; an outstanding evening of entertainment on Thursday; and the traditional ACB banquet on Friday. Wind up your trip to Little Rock with a relaxing dinner at the Murray Dinner Theater Saturday, July 9, and with the post-convention tour to Hot Springs on Sunday, July 10, and Monday, July 11. There you'll find world-famous mineral baths, a "duck" ride on an amphibious bus of World War II vintage, and Music Mountain Jamboree featuring Country, Bluegrass, and Gospel for the entire family. On Monday morning you can visit the hands-on Mid-America Family Museum or get involved at a town auction. Tour will return to Little Rock, stopping by the airport by 2:30 p.m., before returning to the hotel. The Convention Committee once again is planning activities for children. So bring your family along for a great vacation. Kids aged 4-12 can participate in a variety of special programs. See the March-April Braille Forum for more details. The ACB Junior Division will appear on the scene for the first time this year, with teen-oriented seminars and events. Arkansas is at the heart of America. Accessed by Delta, TWA, American, United and Northwest as well as by several smaller airlines, it's closer than you think. And the facilities are great! The headquarters hotel, the Excelsior, is a beautiful structure. All meetings, workshops, and most in-town events will take place here and at the Statehouse Convention Center (one story below the hotel). Rates; $40.00 per night. Overflow hotels include the Camelot (one and a half blocks away; refurbished, with pool; $35.00 per day), the Hilton (new, two-story, 220-room structure with pool; across the Arkansas River from the Excelsior; an easy walk over a pedestrian bridge; $33.00 per night), and the Capital (century-old restored elegance, for those who want to be pampered; just across the street from the Excelsior; $49.00 per day). Make all hotel reservations by calling the Little Rock Convention Bureau during normal business hours, (501) 376-4781, Extension 1139. For more information concerning the 1988 ACB convention, contact the ACB National Office. ***** ** Notice Concerning Applications for and Renewal of ACB Membership-at-Large The American Council of the Blind Constitution and By-Laws provide that any person who has reached the age of 18 years and who is not a voting member of an ACB affiliate is eligible to become a member-at-large, with the right to an individual vote at the ACB national convention. Annual membership-at-large dues are $5.00. Application forms for new members-at-large are available from the ACB National Office. The ACB Constitution and By-Laws further provide that all dues are to be received no later than ninety days prior to the ACB national convention; that is, in 1988, no later than Tuesday, April 5. All membership-at-large dues must be clearly identified as such and should be sent, to be received in the ACB National Office no later than April 5, 1988, to American Council of the Blind, Attention: LeRoy Saunders, Treasurer, 1010 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005. ***** ** Air Carriers Access Regulatory Negotiations Scuttled -- Close, But No Cigar! By Oral O. Miller National Representative The Air Carriers Access Act of 1986 directed the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate regulations to ensure non-discriminatory treatment of qualified handicapped people, consistent with the safe carriage of all passengers on air carriers. Early in 1987, an advisory or regulatory negotiating (“regneg”) committee, of which the American Council of the Blind was a member, was appointed to negotiate such regulations in as final a form as possible. During the summer and fall of 1987, that committee and various subcommittees met approximately forty times, usually in day-long sessions, and appeared to be making significant, if slow progress on such controversial issues as the transportation of physically handicapped passengers and motor-driven wheelchairs on commuter planes, the transportation of deaf-blind passengers with or without attendants, the possible seating of handicapped passengers in over-wing emergency rows or seats, the physical accessibility of airplane interiors, possible limitations on the number of handicapped passengers allowed on a single plane at the same time, and much better training and sensitization of airline personnel concerning the needs of handicapped travelers. Many of the sessions were frustrating in that, in the opinion of some participants, too much time was spent on issues that were not uniformly considered to be extremely important or that seemed to be the principal issue of just one participating organization. Nevertheless, as the process neared conclusion in early November, there was a considerable feeling of progress -- that is, until the Federal Aviation Administration dropped its bombshell. Late in the afternoon on next-to-the-last-day of the scheduled meetings of the "regneg" committee, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shocked almost everyone present by announcing that, pursuant to its own statutory authority, it intended to enter into the regulation-making process concerning the issue of emergency exit-row seating, and perhaps other issues that had already been considered or were still to be considered by the committee. This announcement was construed by the disability organizations as indicating a lack of good faith on the part of the FAA, inasmuch as FAA representatives had stated at “regneg” meetings only six weeks earlier that the FAA did not intend to enter into a separate rulemaking process on the exit-row issue (about which many of the participants thought too much time had been spent anyway). It was rumored by several fairly reliable sources that the FAA action resulted from last-minute pressure from a few major airlines that were unalterably opposed to any regulation that might allow a severely handicapped person to be seated in an over-wing emergency seat, and thereby be responsible for the various tasks which that person is supposed to perform in the event of a survivable emergency. Because of this last-minute action by the FAA and the likelihood that several other issues already discussed by the committee would probably be handled in separate FAA proceedings, and because there simply was not enough time left to consider any issues that were scheduled to be considered, the disability organizations left the negotiating table in the hope that the regulations to be proposed by the Secretary of Transportation would, to the extent possible, be consistent with consensus decisions already reached by the committee. During the remainder of November and early December, the disability organizations met several times, primarily at the initiative of the Office of Senator Robert Dole, the principal author of the Air Carriers Access Act, and agreed generally that they would return to the negotiating table if FAA would delay its rulemaking process until the Air Carriers Access Act non-discrimination regulations were issued in final form. Two of the disability organizations -- the American Council of the Blind and the Paralyzed Veterans of America -- took the position that they would meet with the committee in order to provide input on other subjects not yet considered, even if the FAA did not agree to delay a separate rulemaking process. The FAA gave no indication whether it would delay or not, and there appeared to be a consensus that any effort to revive the negotiation would be pointless. The next step is for the Secretary of Transportation to issue proposed regulations for public comment. ACB members will be notified regarding these regulations via The Braille Forum, the Washington Connection (1-202-393-3664), and other means. It is likely that the regulations under the Air Carriers Access Act will be adopted in final form before any safety-related regulations are issued by the FAA, which has separate statutory authority to issue such regulations. The FAA rulemaking process will have to deal directly with any connection between safety considerations and restrictions on the transportation of handicapped passengers. The extent of such a connection was debated during the recent "regneg" sessions, and it was felt until that fateful next-to-last day that a workable compromise had been reached. It was agreed by the disability organizations that the FAA had shown bad faith, or incredibly bad timing, by changing its mind and making its announcement when it did. However, many of the disability organizations felt, also, that one of their number had "shot itself and them in the foot" and damaged the negotiating atmosphere by widely disseminating a large amount of very negative and critical publicity against the airlines. Stay tuned for further developments! ***** ** 82-Year-Old Banjo Player Uses Closed-Circuit TV to Read Music At 82, and all but blind, Mildred Kennedy is not your average rhythm banjo player. After a 40-year gap, the spunky Milford, Connecticut, senior enjoys playing again with the aid of a special closed-circuit TV magnifying unit that enlarges the notes up to 45 times on a viewing screen. The special equipment, called the Optelec FDR-23, has enabled her to become part of a senior citizen band that plays for older people in hospitals, nursing homes, and retirement complexes like the one where Mrs. Kennedy has lived for three years. "We call our band the C-notes because we play a lot in the key of C," Mrs. Kennedy laughed. "My favorite is 'When the Saints Come Marching In.'" She puts a large-print copy of "The Saints" under a mini-TV camera which enlarges it even more and projects it onto an adjacent TV screen. The unit has enabled her to join with six others in her retirement housing unit, with Mrs. Kennedy forming part of the rhythm section. The group also is part of a larger, 30-member senior band that entertains at events for older people in the Milford-New Haven area. Mrs. Kennedy has been partially sighted since age 4 because of retina degeneration following a bout with diphtheria. At age 14 she was declared legally blind because her sight was so poor. She has managed to make good use of remaining sight with the help of special low-vision aids -- learning how to type, and even mastering braille to help her pass her high school equivalency exams in Old Town, Maine, where she spent most of her life. She "loved banjo playing" from the time she took it up at age 15, but had trouble reading the notes fast enough to keep up. The TV magnifying equipment manufactured in Harvard, Massachusetts, has given her confidence to start taking banjo lessons again. Following the death of her husband in 1981, Mrs. Kennedy moved from Maine to Milford to be near other members of her family. From her friends, she learned about recent advances that help people with only partial sight to make maximum use of what they have. She contacted Dr. William Padula, an optometrist and specialist in low vision, who practices in Guilford, Connected, and also directs services at the low vision clinic in the rehabilitation center in New Haven. Dr. Padula introduced Mrs. Kennedy to new low-vision electronic magnifying aids, including the Optelec closed-circuit TV system that made reading possible for her. She also uses the unit for reading mail, the newspaper, and recipes from her favorite cookbook. The machine is also helpful in editing the short stories she enjoys writing. "I use a four-string tenor banjo instead of a five-string, as I memorize most music with the help of my closed-circuit TV. We're getting ready to play for a senior citizens dance in my building. I practice every day. I love it ... I love getting into the beat." ***** ** Voting Made Easier for the Blind -- A Possibility! In some countries, citizens are fined if they fail to vote in a national election. While opinions differ as to why more people in this country do not vote in national elections, it is generally agreed that it is less convenient for blind or visually impaired voters to cast their ballots than it is for their sighted counterparts -- despite generally liberal state laws regarding the use of sighted assistance in the voting booth. There is no consensus as to exactly which accommodations would make voting easier for blind or visually impaired voters. Therefore, why not study the subject impartially, in an effort to come up with more widely accepted procedures? That is one of the important objectives of the proposed Visually Impaired Voters Assistance Act of 1987, introduced on November 9, 1987, by Representative Dean A. Gallo (R.-NJ) as bill No. H.R. 3619. The key provisions of Congressman Gallo's bill would require each state to make enlarged-print voting aids and ballots available to visually impaired voters with respect to elections for Federal office; would require the chief election officer of each state to provide public notice, adapted to each visually impaired voter, concerning the availability of materials under the Act; would direct the Federal Election Commission, in consultation with the chief election officers of the states, to prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the Act; would require the Federal Election Commission, in consultation with the chief election officers of the states, to conduct a study to determine the voting aids that are available (and presumably useful) with respect to Federal elections; and would require the Commission to report the results of the study to Congress. In his statement on the floor of the House of Representatives at the time the bill was introduced, Congressman Gallo pointed out that in this country, more than eleven million people suffer from some loss of sight that cannot be corrected, and that by the year 2000 the lack of enlarged-print ballots may discourage even more people from voting. Congressman Gallo has been interested for some time in facilitating voting by blind and visually impaired voters. It was in Morris County, in his district, in 1986 that the County Clerk personally paid for the preparation of braille ballots for possible use by the known braille readers in the county. Although very few of the known braille readers requested the ballots, it was felt by many that such a program would be accepted more widely had it been better publicized. At the time, it was recognized that many blind and visually impaired people do not use braille effectively. Although H.R. 3619 would not solve all voting difficulties for all blind or visually impaired people, it would focus national attention on the development of improved procedures, aids or devices to facilitate voting by blind persons. The American Council of the Blind commends Congressman Gallo for his interest and good efforts. ***** ** F.Y. '88 Appropriations Enacted -- At Last! By Kathleen Megivern Once again, in a pattern that has become all too painfully familiar, Congress worked overtime and in the wee hours of the final session before Christmas managed to reach an acceptable appropriations compromise, which was signed into law by the president. It has taken a while to sift through the details in the hundreds of pages of last-minute lawmaking, but it appears as if programs for people with disabilities fared rather well. Particularly on the rehabilitation side, automatic budget cuts were avoided, and most programs managed modest increases. This is all the more remarkable considering the serious problems which have plagued the Department of Education and its Rehabilitative Services Administration. Among the programs of interest to us, one of the most damaging cuts came in the monies for the American Printing House for the Blind. APH, in administering the "Act to Promote the Education of the Blind," has seen the value of its Federal dollars shrink substantially in recent years, as the number of people served has greatly increased while the total amount appropriated has not kept pace. Now, for F.Y. 1988, there was an actual cut in the dollars appropriated for APH from $5,500,000 to $5,266,000. The other cuts come on the special education side in what are known as the discretionary programs. In general, these are "small" (by Federal budget standard) programs, and thus "small" cuts are that much more painful. Two of the programs hardest hit are teacher training, cut from $67,730,000 to $66,410,000, and money for the deaf-blind centers, cut from $15,000,000 to $14,361,000. It seems to be particularly foolhardy to cut teacher training monies at a time when the personnel shortage is growing worse and Congress last year funded a national center on recruitment and employment of special education personnel. Mainly because of increases in the "state grants" portions of both the Education of the Handicapped and the Rehabilitation Acts, the over-all appropriations totals for these programs are showing a healthy increase at a time when severe cuts had been feared. Education of the Handicapped goes from $1,741,900,000 in 1987 to $1,869,019,000 in 1988. Likewise, the total for programs under the Rehabilitation Act will be $1,590,400,000 in F.Y. '88, up from the F.Y. '87 level of $1,484,758,000. Another budget area of interest to Braille Forum readers is, of course, the line for the U.S. Postal Service subsidies. While the total for postal subsidies was cut from $650,000,000 to $517,000,000, there are the usual assurances that the "Free Matter for the Blind" program will remain intact. The pinch may end up being felt by Third Class non-profit mailers, although specific details have not yet been sorted out. But even before the ink is dry on the F.Y. '88 appropriations bill, details of the President's F.Y. '89 budget are beginning to emerge. Early indications are that in this election year, the White House will not suggest the sorts of deep cuts in education and other domestic programs which have been the norm in past Reagan budgets. But the continuing problem of the budget deficit will not go away, even in an election year. So we're bound to face the usual battles on Capitol Hill as they begin work on the fiscal year 1989 budget. ***** ** Responsible Advocacy Brings "Cheer" By Oral O. Miller National Representative Several months ago, two blind graduate students at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, were informed by clerks in two local package stores that because they were blind, they could not purchase alcoholic beverages of any type. No, the explanation did not relate to age (both were above the legal age) or ability to pay: both were willing and able to pay. The explanation given -- not just at one, but at two stores, and in the presence of witnesses -- was, in substance, that a recent interpretation of Indiana's alcoholic beverage regulations prohibited the sale of such beverages to persons who are incapable of taking care of themselves independently. Since the regulations prohibited the sale of alcoholic beverages to anyone who was intoxicated, and thereby incapable of taking care of himself or herself, the managers of the stores concluded that the prohibition obviously would apply also to blind people, notwithstanding the fact that they were working toward graduate degrees at a large university. This intolerable situation was brought to the attention of the American Council of the Blind. The ACB National Representative immediately contacted the appropriate Indiana alcoholic beverage control authorities. He was informed, as he knew would be the case, that the regulations did not apply to blind people, as had been insisted by the store managers. At the same time, he explored legal remedies available to the aggrieved graduate students, such as civil damages, fines, suspension of licenses. ACB then communicated directly with the top management of Big Red Liquors in Bloomington, owner of the stores involved. This elicited a shocked and concerned response from the president of the company. Following a brief investigation, ACB was notified that Big Red Liquors employees had been instructed to discontinue this discriminatory practice. IN his letter of apology dated August 17, 1987, to Margaret Steiner and Jackie Vieceli, the corporation president, Mark McAlister, said: I am writing to thank you for accepting our sincere apology for refusing to serve you in a Big Red Liquors store. The unfortunate mistake has been corrected, and I am writing to personally clarify that Big Red Liquors is happy and eager to serve you and any other person who is over the age of 21, has identification, and is not intoxicated. Blindness is not a criterion in this decision. I have personally reinforced this position with every manager at Big Red Liquors. ... I would also welcome any suggestions as to how we may make Big Red Liquors easier to shop for all blind people. Again, you have our sincere apology for your inconvenience. Discrimination, be it malicious or based on sheer ignorance, may come to the surface anywhere, and when recognized, it should be opposed vigorously. The graduate students, both of whom are intelligent, articulate people, communicated promptly with the corporate management and the American Council of the Blind, a responsible advocate. They did not resort immediately to confrontational tactics which would have polarized the position of the employees, thereby making it much more difficult to change the attitudes and practices. While there are appropriate times to demand and accept damages or other economic remedies, in this case the aggrieved graduate students consented to accept the sincere apology of the company. The American Council of the Blind is pleased to have been able to assist in this case. Whether discrimination involves housing, transportation, education, or the purchase of wine, it must be identified and opposed! ***** ** Leaders in Low-Vision Optometry See Visual Impairment Reaching "Epidemic" Proportions Major visual impairment uncorrectable by usual methods has reached "epidemic proportions" and is creating "a crisis situation," warned two leading authorities on low vision optometry. "Visual impairment is increasing at an alarming rate, and we are in a crisis situation," said William Padula, O.D., first Chairman of the American Optometric Association's Section on Low Vision. "For example, by the year 2000 we will see a two-times increase in visual impairment among people in the over-65 age group." Padula and Paul Freeman, O.D., the Section's incoming president, recently were featured speakers at a seminar/open house sponsored by Optelec, a leading manufacturer of electronic reading aids for the visually impaired. The seminar/open house was held at the company’s newly expanded corporate headquarters in Harvard, Massachusetts. Both speakers pointed up the importance of greater public education on advances in low-vision aids and services and the need for vision-care specialists who better understand "the rehabilitative aspects" of their profession. They estimated that eight to ten million people in the United States whose sight is uncorrectable by surgery, medical, or ordinary optometric means could benefit from low-vision aids and services. However, they pointed out that many people, particularly the elderly, cannot afford low-vision help because there is virtually no third-party payment. Dr. Padula said that there were some encouraging signs that Medicare may eventually cover low-vision aids and services for older people, but predicted this would not happen in the short term. Drs. Freeman and Padula spoke to an audience that included people with major sight loss as well as representatives of agencies in New England that specialize in low-vision rehabilitation. Both men understood the importance of assessing the patient from psychosocial and functional perspectives before aids are prescribed. “Magnification alone doesn't always mean success,” Dr. Padula said. "Motivation often is the key to successful low-vision practice," said Dr. Freeman. "There are many low-vision failures because neither the practitioner nor the patient is sufficiently motivated." Helping patients understand the limits of their own vision -- as well as what low-vision aids can and cannot do for them -- is important for successful low-vision rehabilitation, Padula said. Freeman stressed the importance of “listening to the patient first and finding out what their priorities are. "Not every patient wants to read ... They may just want to play bingo," he said. "This way, we can avoid the problem of low-vision aids just being stored away in a bureau drawer and not used." "Age remains the greatest predictor of visual impairment," Padula said, "because people are living longer and developing health problems that not only cause vision loss, but multiple impairments." He called for continued development of assistive devices that can help people with multiple impairments, including major sight loss. He said this will create greater independence and productivity not only for older people, but for growing numbers of children with multiple disabilities. Many of these children were born prematurely, but survive because of new advances in technology and professional care. Both speakers pointed out that optometry colleges now offer formalized courses in low vision, but urge O.D.'s long out of college to "go back to school and learn the rehabilitative aspects that can help the partially sighted patients." Dr. Padula, who is director of the Low Vision Clinic in New Haven, Connecticut, pioneered setting up low-vision clinical services and training in China about 18 months ago. He is currently producing a training video on the initial low vision examination, to be used in China when he returns next spring. Equipment for one of the first low vision clinics in Beijing was donated by Optelec, who now supplies many systems in China through organizations such as UNICEF. Dr. Freeman, a low-vision diplomate with the American Academy of Optometry, is in private practice in Pittsburgh. He also provides low-vision services at the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children. ***** ** Siamese White By John Mulluish (Reprinted from The New Beacon, Royal National Institute, April 1976) My son, living in Thailand, tells me that, driving home one day through a crowded one-way street in Bangkok, he noticed an old gentleman with a white stick waiting patiently at the pavement edge. "It could have been you, Dad," he writes, and so on a sudden impulse he drew up, and by opening both his car doors wide effectively brought all traffic to a standstill. Ignoring the outburst of furious shouting and hooting from the rear, he hurried to the old gentleman and offered to see him across the road. It was all very unfortunate. No -- he wasn't blind. No, the white stick was something he had just bought to replace a broken bar-stool leg. No -- he didn't want to cross the road; he was just waiting for his wife to pick him up in the car. By now hell had broken loose along the road. "For pity's sake," my boy urged, "let me take you across the road or I'm going to get lynched." Good sport that he was, the old chap consented, and although my son felt that his companion's tightly shut eyes and the melodramatic road-tapping with the stick tended somewhat toward hamming up the act, nevertheless it worked. The tumult and the shouting died, and the crossing was completed in almost cathedral-like silence. In the rear mirror, my son caught the last glimpse of his partner in deception waiting his chance to get back again across the road, and leaning patiently on his bar-stool leg. ***** ** Disability Rights Guide: Practical Solutions to Problems Affecting People with Disabilities By Charles D. Goldman, Esq. Book Review When was the last time you were asked a question about your legal rights as a person with a disability? Where did you refer planners of a new housing unit for information on accessibility for people with disabilities? Have you wanted to help candidates for the school board understand what the Education of All Handicapped Children Act means to you and your child? Have you searched for a way to direct mildly interested public officials toward concrete solutions regarding disability issues? If so, a copy of Disability Rights Guide: Practical Solutions to Problems Affecting People with Disabilities, by Charles D. Goldman, Esq., could answer these and many other such questions for you. In this 171-page manual filled with engaging examples and practical insights, Mr. Goldman bridges the gap between legalistic rhetoric and basic English. The Guide includes sections dealing with employment, accessibility and architectural barriers, housing, education and transportation, plus several appendices. All chapters are organized with bold-type subtitles, which direct the reader to the appropriate pages. The author is nationally recognized for his knowledge about disability rights. He writes from experience gained from eight years as General Counsel of the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board and additional years as a practicing attorney in Washington, DC. A print copy of Disability Rights Guide may be ordered by sending a check or money order for $16.95 to Charles Goldman, Esq., 1010 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005. A voice-indexed cassette copy may be obtained by sending check or money order for $5.00 to cover the cost of tapes to: American Council of the Blind, 1010 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005. ***** ** High Tech Swap Shop * FOR SALE: Apollo CCTV, large print electric typewriter, four-track AFB recorder. Please call Chris at (617) 924-3523. * FOR SALE: Optacon, about 10 years old and used approximately 100 hours. Never had any problems. $1,000 or best offer. Please contact: Norman Coombs, 590 Harvard St., Rochester, NY 14607 or phone (716) 442-4059. * FOR SALE: VersaBraille P2C. Unit recently refurbished with keypad and internal battery and power pack. $1500 or best offer. Call evenings: (201) 379-4162. ***** ** In Memoriam: Delbert K. Aman 1938-1988 * Delbert Keith Aman was a charter and leading member of the American Council of the Blind. He was the principal architect of the ACB Constitution and By-Laws, which today remains in major detail as he originally wrote it. He served in many capacities on the Board of Directors and once as First Vice President. He died at his home in Aberdeen, South Dakota, on January 9, at the age of 57. He is survived by three daughters, Julie of Columbus, Ohio, and Darla and Stephanie of Moorhead, Minnesota, and by one brother and four sisters. Delbert was educated at the Northern State University in South Dakota and at the law school of the University of South Dakota. He worked for the South Dakota state agency for the blind for 29 years until his retirement in June of 1985, at which time he was a supervising counselor. Within South Dakota, hew as active in Lions and Kiwanis Club work and, of course, in the South Dakota Association for the Blind, the ACB affiliate. Delbert was one of the many leading members and officers who carried out ACB’s outreach to other organizations, including the American Association of Workers for the Blind and the National Council on Rehabilitation Education. He recently served on the Executive Committee of the National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped. At the time of his death, he was Secretary-Treasurer of ACB Enterprises and Services. I knew Delbert well as a colleague and friend. He had that intellectual capacity to stand for principle and conviction, even in disagreement with his friends, without diminishing their respect for him or his respect for them. He was truly one of the leaders of this growing, progressive organization we call the American Council of the Blind. The family has suggested that persons wishing to make memorial gifts do so to a Delbert Aman educational scholarship fund to be established within ACB. -- Durward K. McDaniel * On January 9, 1988, one of the moving forces within ACB was lost to us forever when Delbert Aman passed away. A charter member of ACB, he demonstrated his dedication in numerous ways. As chairman of the committee which framed the Constitution in 1962, he worked tirelessly to ensure the democratic atmosphere that we have come to take for granted. During his terms on the ACB Board as a director and officer, he accepted any and all assignments and responsibilities given him and carried them out expeditiously and effectively. As Secretary-Treasurer of the ACB Enterprises and Services, although dubbed a conservative, he continually worked toward the adoption of sound business practices and policies demonstrating fiscal responsibility. Whatever Del Aman did, it was always with ACB's best interest at heart. Del was the key resource person in South Dakota -- always there with the answers; always quietly guiding the organization. He spent much time recruiting young people and teaching them the real meaning of the Council. We have him to thank for such outstanding members as Dawn Flewwellin, Rochelle Foley, Lerae Olsen and Deborah VerSteeg. Delbert Aman was a truly thoughtful, quiescently forceful man, whose impact was far greater than many may have realized. Both ACB and I have lost a real friend. — M.J. Schmitt Del Aman's dedication to and support of the American Council of the Blind are well-known. What may not be so well-known, however, is he extended those same traits to numerous friends. At every convention, people turned up in Del’s room to discuss organizational politics, current programs, and new ideas to be considered. In short, these sessions became something of an open forum. Del was responsible for my own eventual involvement with ACB. He had been most favorably impressed by the Scout troop I had trained for the Midwest Conference of Home Teachers in early 1963 and suggested that I might be willing to do the same job for the ACB national convention in Chicago in July of that year. I accepted the challenge and during the convention was invited by Del to a room party, at which time I met M.J. Schmitt. The rest is history. M.J. Schmitt and I probably knew Del better than most people. He called us sisters, and we proudly called him brother. He was there for us not only at conventions, but throughout the year. In reaching out with his quiet counsel, a subtle sense of humor and genuine concern were always there in his voice. Del was respected, admired, and trusted by many friends. While he will be sorely missed, he leaves behind many warm and lasting memories. -- Phyllis Stern ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth M. Lennon Do we have another record for the Guinness Book of World Records? W.A. Ouzts, President of the Florida Council of the Blind reports that on November 14, 1987, within 45 minutes he became both a grandfather and a great-grandfather! Both little Lisa Marie Ouzts and Jeffrey Lynn Ertley are doing very well. Anyone want to challenge W.A.? The Handi-Cassette Recorder/Player is now available from the American Printing House for the Blind, P.O. Box 6085, Louisville, KY 40206, at a cost of $119.67; Catalog No. 1-07080-00. It provides quality sound reproduction from a state-of-the-art unit measuring only 4 x 6 1/2 x 1 3/4 inches. Developed by APH in conjunction with General Electric Company, Handi-Cassette will play and record on four tracks at 15/16 ips. Additionally, the Handi-Cassette incorporates Variable Speech control (a speech compression system) and comes complete with rechargeable battery pack and lightweight monaural headphones. From Talking Book Topics: The first in a projected series of leisure activities books, Birding; an Introduction to Ornithological Delights for Blind and Physically Handicapped Individuals, has been published by the National Library Service (NLS). The booklet discusses the possibilities of birding as a hobby for blind and physically handicapped people. The introduction states: "You will be introduced to a midwestern group of visually impaired birders; the importance and variety of bird sounds; a selection of braille and recorded books available through your cooperating library; sources of commercial recordings of bird songs; and a club where you can associate with individuals holding a mutual interest in birding." NLS plans to issue several booklets devoted to popular activities such as fishing, horseback riding, skiing, and sailing. The Birding handbook is available in large-print upon request from Reference Section, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Washington, DC 20542. At first glance, the photography by Tim Vallender, a junior at Nazareth College (Kalamazoo, MI), seems bizarre, crooked, almost out of focus, and of unusual subjects, according to the Kalamazoo Gazette. There is a good reason: Vallender, 35, has been blind since birth. "I just hold the camera straight out and slightly bend my wrist, and shoot any object I hear," he said. "When I notice something, I shoot it." The photos were developed by David Plakke, a photographer who walked with Vallender through Kalamazoo's Downtown Mall and surrounding neighborhoods, documenting sounds that helped Vallender direct himself in that street environment with a tape recorder and camera. The resulting 31 black-and-white photos and accompanying dialogue containing the sounds and sensory stimuli which Vallender relied on have been on exhibit at the New York Academy of Science until January 12. The exhibit then travels to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, in Washington, D.C., where it will be on display until March 31. A recent survey by the American Bioptic Certified Drivers (ABCD) shows that 10 states discriminate against users of bioptic lenses without offering them an opportunity to prove their ability to drive a motor vehicle in a safe manner, according to Florida CCLV Viewpoint. In 22 states, wearers of bioptic lenses may drive if they successfully pass a driving test; 12 other states "un-officially" permit bioptic drivers to operate motor vehicles; and eight states have no policy relating to bioptic lenses. Eight of the states which allow qualified drivers to be certified will also permit them to drive at night, if qualified. To receive a copy of the ABCD newsletter, a membership application, and list of publications on the subject of bioptic lenses and driving, write American Bioptic Certified Drivers, 23872 Innisbrook, Laguna, CA 92677. Associated Press: They stand on street corners, recognizable by their white canes and the lottery tickets looped around their necks. In the 50 years since they started, they have become as much a national figure in Spain as bullfighters. They are members of the National Organization of Blind Spaniards, formed during the Spanish Civil War to find jobs for the indigent blind. In the past few years, the Organization has become an economic powerhouse, fueled by revenues from the lottery tickets which its members sell on the street. The Organization has 18,500 ticket sellers, 13,000 of them blind and the rest physically handicapped. Each earns an average monthly salary of $1,100, which is well above the government-decreed $415 national monthly minimum wage. The Organization's recent economic leap from earnings of $348 million in 1982 to $2.4 billion four years later was engineered by a group of young blind professionals, who swept aside the old guard and transformed the Organization from a modest institution into a major economic and political force. The success of the lottery is, in large part, due to the fact that gambling is a way of life in Spain. The bedtime story gap for blind children is being filled by National Braille Press with its Children's Braille Book Club, featuring a new book every month in a print/braille format. The club will work with reading publishers of juvenile literature, providing popular story books for children from pre-school through third grade. The same story books available in print from local bookstores and libraries, enriched with the identical text in braille inserted on see-through plastic sheets, are offered at the same price as the print books. Club membership is free, and members receive monthly notices (in print or braille) describing each month's featured book. There is never an obligation to buy. Yearly subscriptions are $100, resulting in the automatic shipment of the print/braille book each month. To join the Children's Braille Book Club, or for more information, contact National Braille Press, 88 St. Stephen Street, Boston, MA 02115. A three-year, full-tuition scholarship has been established at the Fordham University School of Law in New York City and is available to any needy blind student interested in pursuing a Juris Doctorate degree. The Law School will work with the recipient in meeting other needs such as orientation to the physical environment of the school, coordination of classroom requirements, examination accommodation, and assistance from the Career Planning Office. For further information, write James A. McGough, Assistant Director of Admissions and Director of Law School Financial Aid, Lincoln Center, 340 W. 42nd Street, New York, NY 10023. A catalog of over 100 inspirational large-print books is available from Walker & Co., 720 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10019. Printed in either 16- or 18-point type, these books are particularly unique for their lightweight, flexible binding, which makes them more comfortable for readers to hold than the more cumbersome cloth editions. A cassette describing use of Max Factor cosmetics, titled “Put on a Happy Face,” is available for purchase from Golden Gate Chapter, California Council of the Blind, c/o Rose Resnick, 1299 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA 94109. John H. Vaughn, Treasurer of the Council of Citizens with Low Vision, has recently been named Vice President - Corporate Investment at TrustCorp, Inc., of Toledo, Ohio. He previously served as Executive Vice-President and Chief Investment Officer at St. Joseph Bank, South Bend, Indiana. Not only does ACB member Margarine Beaman braille elevators in hotels throughout the country, duplicate braille convention programs, and facilitate the use of automatic teller machines by the visually impaired, but she was recently named "Baker of the Week" for the Austin (Texas) Heritage Club’s Thanksgiving bake sale. Her featured item at the sale was cranberry-orange bread. Margarine is secretary and volunteer coordinator for the 1988 ACB Convention Committee. Small pocket calendars, approximately 3-by-6 inches in size, in large-print/braille, are available at $.75 each from Joyce Barajas, Visually Impaired Center, 725 Mason Street, Flint, MI 48503. Former ACB Treasurer Fred Krepela of Salem, Oregon, was awarded a plaque at the fall 1987 annual convention of the Oregon Council of the Blind for outstanding service to the blind and in community affairs. Candle in the Window is sponsoring a regional weekend seminar for blind parents, to be held in July. This will be a time for sharing concerns, learning new techniques, and relaxing in the lush environment of Minnesota’s Wilder Forest. This regional event will include parents from the states of Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, and North and South Dakota. Anyone interested may contact Janiece Betker, 1886 29th Avenue, N.W., New Brighton, MN 55112; (612) 639-1435. Mobility International USA, a nonprofit agency dedicated to integrating persons with disabilities into international educational exchange and travel, is seeking disabled and non-disabled persons to take part in the 1988 exchange programs. "Culture and the Arts in Germany" - August 1988. Seeks persons between the ages of 18-25 who have interests and skills in the creative arts and who have completed at least one class in German before the exchange. Application deadline, April 1. Send self-addressed, stamped envelope to: MIUSA German Exchange Program, P.O. Box 3551, Eugene, OR 97403; (503) 343-1284, voice or TDD. Also in 1988: "Disability Issues in China," April 9-27 or September 1988; "Disability Issues in USSR" (of special interest to hearing impaired persons) - Summer 1988. ***** ** ACB Officers and Directors President: Dr. Otis H. Stephens, 2021 Kemper Lane, S.W., Knoxville, TN 37920 First Vice President: Paul Edwards, 170 N.E. 123 Street North Miami, FL 33161 Second Vice President: Charles Hodge, 1131 S. Forest Drive, Arlington, VA 22204 Secretary: Elizabeth M. Lennon, 1400 N. Drake Road, Apt. 218, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 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, 12 Riverside Street, Apt. 1-2, Watertown, MA 02172 Adrian De Blaey, 3340 N. 57th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53216 Carla Franklin, 148 North Vernon Avenue, Louisville, KY 40206 Grant Mack (Immediate Past President), 139 East South Temple, Suite 5000, Salt Lake City, UT 84111 Durward K. McDaniel, 9468 Singing Quail Drive, Austin, TX 78758 Patricia Price, 600 N. Alabama Street, Tower 2, Apt. 2102, Indianapolis, IN 46204 M.J. Schmitt, 528 Des Plaines Avenue, Apt. 2A, Forest Park, IL 60130 Dick Seifert, 1023 Scott Street, No. F, Little Rock, AR 72202 Paul Verner, 7505 Robindale Road, Tampa, FL 33619 ** Contributing Editors - The Braille Forum: Elizabeth M. Lennon, 1400 N. Drake Road, Apt. 218 Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Kathleen Megivern, 7113 Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria, VA 22307 ** ACB Board of Publications Christopher Gray, Chairman, 914 Boranda, #4, Mountain View, CA 94040 Billie Jean Hill, 5837 Old Canton Road, Jackson, MS 39217 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 ###