The ACB Braille Forum Volume LIV January 2016 No. 7 Published by the American Council of the Blind ***** ** Be A Part of ACB The American Council of the Blind (TM) is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, contact the national office at 1-800-424-8666. ** Contribute to Our Work Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Attn: Treasurer, ACB, 6300 Shingle Creek Pkwy., Suite 195, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office has printed cards available for this purpose. Consider including a gift to ACB in your Last Will and Testament. If your wishes are complex, call the national office. To make a contribution to ACB by the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. ** Check in with ACB For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the “Washington Connection” 24/7 at 1-800-424-8666, or read it online. Listen to ACB Reports by downloading the MP3 file from www.acb.org, or call (605) 475-8154 and choose option 3. Tune in to ACB Radio at www.acbradio.org or by calling (605) 475-8130. Learn more about us at www.acb.org. Follow us on Twitter at @acbnational, or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanCounciloftheBlindOfficial. © 2015 American Council of the Blind Eric Bridges, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201 ***** Table of Contents The Next Chapter for ACB’s Leadership: Eric Bridges Appointed Executive Director, by Kim Charlson Sutherland and the Washington Lawyers’ Committee Reach Landmark Settlement with General Services Administration ACB: Land of 10,000 Dreams, by Janet Dickelman ACB: Cultivating Leaders for the Future, by Allen Casey DKM at 20 Invites New First-Timers, by Allen Casey Board of Publications Awards Your Excellence in Media and Writing in 2016 Summary of the Fall Board of Directors Meeting, by Doug Powell Affiliates: Putting ACB into ACB Radio! Top-Notch Tool for Job Seekers Ed Walker, WAMU personality who burnished radio’s golden age, dies at 83 Affiliate News Summary Notice of Proposed Class Action Lawsuit Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski High Tech Swap Shop ** Are You Moving? Do You Want to Change Your Subscription? Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. Give her the information, and she’ll take care of the changes for you. ** Got a request? Tune in to ACB Radio interactive and ask the DJ on duty to play it for you at www.acbradio.org. ** ACB Radio brings old-time radio drama to you 24/7 at www.acbradio.org/trove. ***** The Next Chapter for ACB’s Leadership: Eric Bridges Appointed Executive Director by Kim Charlson On behalf of the American Council of the Blind’s board of directors, I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Eric Bridges as the organization’s new executive director effective Nov. 1, 2015. In June of 2007, Eric joined the ACB staff as the director of advocacy and governmental affairs, representing ACB’s legislative and regulatory priorities on Capitol Hill and in the executive branch. His contributions were critical in the passage and implementation of such key legislation as the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act, and the Prescription Drug Labeling Act that was incorporated into the FDA Safety and Innovation Act in 2012. Since 2013, Bridges has served as ACB’s director of external relations and policy. In this role, he has cultivated countless key relationships with representatives of business, industry, ACB members, and the general public, as well as government officials, policy makers and agency staff. These types of relationships have become essential to ACB and its success in advocacy and legislative arenas. The ACB officers and board of directors are thrilled to welcome Eric Bridges into this new role for the organization. His knowledge and experience with ACB, his commitment to membership services and advocacy, his enthusiasm, energy, and dedication to ACB all make Eric the right leader for our organization. Eric’s experience, depth of understanding of the critical issues of the blindness community, and his ability to collaborate with key players from government and industry, all make him the right leader for ACB in these changing times. I know that ACB and its affiliates are all looking forward to working with Eric to build on the solid foundation he has carved out, continuing to work with him to forge new alliances to advance ACB’s advocacy and public policy agendas, as well as partnerships with industry, for a stronger and more accessible future for all people who are blind or visually impaired in the country or around the world. ***** Sutherland and the Washington Lawyers’ Committee Reach Landmark Settlement with General Services Administration WASHINGTON (Nov. 10, 2015) – Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP, in conjunction with the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, has reached a settlement with the General Services Administration (GSA) on behalf of three blind federal contractors and the American Council of the Blind (ACB). The settlement will benefit all blind federal contractors. The settlement requires GSA to make significant changes to SAM.gov that had prevented blind federal contractors from accessing the web site and maintaining their status as federal contractors. The accessibility issues were identified by the plaintiffs and confirmed by a web accessibility expert. Following GSA’s implementation of the agreed-to changes, the web site will undergo review by another independent accessibility expert. In addition, the agreement creates a process by which members of the blind community will test and provide feedback on future changes to SAM.gov. According to Sutherland partner and co-chair of the Washington Lawyers’ Committee, Lewis S. Wiener, “This is an excellent result not only for our clients, but for the blind community as a whole. The Internet is part of our daily lives, and being unable to access any web site — much less a web site that is essential to doing business with the federal government — puts members of the blind community at an economic disadvantage. It is unfortunate that it took the filing of a lawsuit to bring about meaningful change, but we thank GSA for working collaboratively with us and our clients to make SAM.gov accessible.” “We are very pleased with this settlement,” said Matthew Handley, Director of Litigation for the Washington Lawyers’ Committee. “It ensures that blind contractors have equal access to a web site that is essential to their livelihoods, and that the web site will remain accessible in the future. Everyone, including the blind community, deserves access to the Internet, which has become a means for independence, information and commerce.” Kim Charlson, president of the ACB, stated, “On behalf of the American Council of the Blind (ACB), I want to acknowledge the excellent support received from Sutherland and the Washington Lawyers’ Committee in arriving at this landmark settlement. I am very pleased that GSA is being held accountable for making SAM.gov accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired. As a result of this settlement, it is my expectation that our community will not encounter access barriers with other GSA sites in the future.” In April 2014, Sutherland and the Washington Lawyers’ Committee filed a putative class action in federal district court in the District of Columbia against GSA, the federal agency responsible for administering the federal government’s non-defense contracts, alleging that GSA failed to provide a web site that was accessible to blind federal contractors, who, like almost all federal contractors, must register and annually renew their federal contractor registration on SAM.gov. The complaint, filed on behalf of three federal contractors and the ACB, alleged that SAM.gov was incompatible with most screen-reading software that many blind individuals, including the plaintiffs in this case, rely on to navigate the Internet. As a result, the plaintiffs alleged that GSA discriminated against blind federal contractors, who could not register or renew their registration on SAM.gov, which they are required to do under federal law. Sutherland became involved in the case through the Washington Lawyers’ Committee, which helped two of the individual plaintiffs file administrative complaints against GSA to no avail. In addition to Mr. Wiener, the plaintiffs were represented by Sutherland associate Charles M. Kruly and former Sutherland associate Amanda R. Callais. Sutherland has a long and distinguished history of commitment to pro bono work, tracing back nearly 100 years to the firm’s founders. ***** ACB: Land of 10,000 Dreams by Janet Dickelman Happy 2016! I hope one of your resolutions this year is to attend the 2016 ACB conference and convention. It is a resolution you don’t want to break! The theme of this year’s convention is ACB: Land of 10,000 Dreams, based on Minnesota’s motto land of 10,000 lakes. Online registration will be available at www.acb.org by the end of the month for sponsors, advertisers, exhibitors and volunteers. Tours are being planned by Rhonda Trott, some of which will involve some of those Minnesota lakes! As one of her information desk coordinator duties, Vicky Prahin walked the Hyatt numerous times during the convention committee visit and is working on the hotel description. There have been many changes to the Hyatt; we plan to make the hotel description available prior to the convention. During our visit to Minneapolis in October, several staff members at the Hyatt remembered our group, and they are anxious to have us back in July. If you have never attended an ACB conference and convention, if it has been a number of years, or if you want to know what activities might help with career development, here is a sampling of what the convention has to offer. During convention week you can attend approximately 200 workshops, seminars, programs and focus groups held by our affiliates, committees and business partners. Every conference and convention features unique opportunities to learn new skills, tips and techniques on a wide range of topics. Seminars on diabetes, employment issues, rehabilitation, transportation, and access to off-the-shelf technology are some examples. Get instruction and tips on items such as iDevices, screen readers, braille notetakers, low-vision products, guide dogs and much more. ACB general sessions are held Sunday evening, July 3rd, Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m.-noon, and all day Friday; they address education, rehabilitation, employment, access, health-related issues and much more. The presentations by a talking book narrator, update on library services and our international guest are always popular segments. Our exhibit hall, which will be open from Saturday, July 2nd through Wednesday, July 6th, will be filled with approximately 60 vendors featuring cutting-edge technology for blind and visually impaired users, items for daily living, recreation, and personal items such as jewelry, candles and so much more. There are affiliates holding programs for teachers, students, families, attorneys and individuals who are losing their sight. You can find a program for any special-interest group at the 2016 ACB convention. Learn about audio description by attending ACB film night. Find support from groups for women, multicultural concerns and the LGBT community. We have approximately 20 tours during convention week. Tours are still being organized; as soon as the schedule is finalized, information will be sent out to e-mail lists and posted in “The ACB Braille Forum.” ** Stay Connected Once again this year the convention announcement list will be filled with information about the convention. Subscribe to the list today by sending a blank e-mail to acbconvention-subscribe@acblists.org. If you’ve been on the list in the past, you need not subscribe again. Don’t have e-mail? No problem! Convention updates will also be featured on ACB Radio; listen using your computer, or download ACB Link to your iDevice, or call (605) 475-8130. ** Hotel Details Room rates at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis are $89 single or double. There is an additional $10 per night charge per person for up to four people in a room. Applicable state and local taxes are currently 13.4%. For reservations by telephone, call Central Reservations at 1-888-421-1442, and be sure to mention you are attending the ACB convention in order to obtain our room rate. To make reservations online, visit www.acb.org and follow the 2016 convention link. ** Convention Contacts 2016 exhibit information: Michael Smitherman, (601) 331-7740, amduo@bellsouth.net 2016 advertising and sponsorships: Margarine Beaman, (512) 921-1625, oleo50@hotmail.com For any other convention-related questions, contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, at (651) 428-5059 or via e-mail, janet.dickelman@gmail.com. ***** ACB: Cultivating Leaders for the Future by Allen Casey New leaders are the sustaining lifeblood of an organization. Like money, they do not grow on trees. They must be identified, cultivated, motivated and given opportunities to mature by honing their skills and advancing the work of the organization. This year, with the support of a generous grant from JPMorgan Chase & Co., ACB will invite 10 future leaders to the national conference and convention in Minneapolis, eight as recipients of the DKM Leadership Award and two as traditional DKM First-Timers. (See accompanying article.) The Leadership Award, which does not carry the requirement of being a first-timer, provides each recipient round-trip transportation, hotel accommodation (double occupancy), per diem stipend for meals and incidentals, convention registration fee and reception and banquet tickets. Recipients are expected to attend the convention from the opening session Sunday evening, July 3, through the Friday evening banquet, July 8, and to participate actively in all convention activities, including the daily general sessions, special-interest presentations, seminars and workshops. Eligible applicants must be 18 years of age or older, blind or visually impaired, and members in good standing of ACB. To apply for the DKM Leadership Award, you must submit a personal letter of application and a letter of recommendation from the president of your affiliate. The letter of application should provide a brief summary of your education and relevant experience; number of years as an ACB member, as well as previous conventions attended, if any; description of your role as a leader; and assessment of what you bring to ACB. The letter of recommendation should address the applicant’s contributions to the affiliate, ACB and community organizations, and describe the applicant’s demonstrated leadership skills and leadership potential. Application documentation should be forwarded to Kelly Gasque in the ACB national office, kgasque@acb.org. The deadline for receipt is April 1. Questions regarding the application process and required documentation should be directed to DKM chair Allen Casey, mahatmaac@aol.com. ***** DKM at 20 Invites New First-Timers by Allen Casey Since 1996, ACB has invited 45 members to the national conference and convention as Durward K. McDaniel First-Timers. The window for 2016 First-Timer applications is now open for Minneapolis in July. Established in memory of Durward K. McDaniel, the acknowledged father of ACB, the DKM First-Timer program offers two members – one from east and one from west of the Mississippi – the opportunity of a lifetime to participate in the business of ACB, meet national and international leaders of the blindness movement, interact with other members and learn more than one could imagine. First-Timers are expected to participate fully in the conference and convention, from the opening session, Sunday, July 3, through the banquet, Friday July 8, including attendance at daily general sessions and special seminars throughout the week. Eligible applicants must meet four criteria: age 18 or older, blind or visually impaired, member in good standing of ACB, and never have attended a previous national conference and convention. First-Timers receive round-trip transportation, hotel accommodation (double occupancy), per diem allowance for meals and incidentals, reception and banquet tickets and convention registration fee. To apply, you must submit a personal letter of application and a letter of recommendation from the president of your ACB state or special-interest affiliate. The letter of application should include your objective in applying to become a First-Timer; a brief summary of your background, education and affiliate experience; and how the DKM program will benefit you and your community. The letter from the president of your ACB state or special-interest affiliate should confirm and describe your participation in affiliate and community affairs and evaluate your potential as a leader. Application materials should be forwarded to Kelly Gasque, kgasque@acb.org, in the ACB national office no later than the April 1 deadline. Questions regarding the program and your application may be directed to DKM chair Allen Casey, mahatmaac@aol.com. The DKM committee will review all applications and conduct telephone interviews with applicants in mid-April. ***** Board of Publications Awards Your Excellence in Media and Writing in 2016 The ACB board of publications proudly recognizes excellence each year with three awards. The Ned E. Freeman Excellence in Writing Award applies to articles published in “The ACB Braille Forum,” “The ACB E-Forum” or an affiliate publication, and is awarded to the author of the chosen piece of work. Mastery of the craft of writing is a major consideration by the BOP. Interesting subject matter, originality in recounting an experience, and novelty of approach are also considered. All articles published in “The ACB Braille Forum” or “The ACB E-Forum” between April 2015 and March 2016 are automatically eligible for the Freeman Award. Articles published in state or special-interest affiliate publications within this time frame are also eligible if submitted by either the president or newsletter editor from that affiliate. If submitting such an article for consideration, please include a cover letter noting the affiliate, publication name, date of publication, and a brief notation about the article. The article may be submitted in any format. The Vernon Henley Media Award is presented to an organization, company, or person, either sighted or blind, who has made a positive difference in the press – whether in radio, TV, magazines, newspapers or electronic media – that may change public attitudes to recognize the capabilities of people who are blind, rather than focusing on outdated stereotypes and misconceptions. Programs and/or articles written and produced specifically for a visually impaired audience, as well as those intended for the general public, are eligible. Multiple articles or programs submitted by one author or organization will be judged as separate entries. Submissions such as books or recurring columns or blogs from the same person must include a letter of nomination, a synopsis, and no more than three sample chapters/columns/blogs. Incomplete submissions will not be accepted. The Hollis K. Liggett Braille Free Press Award is intended to promote best journalistic practices and excellence in writing in publications of ACB’s state and special-interest affiliates. All periodicals of ACB affiliates, distributed no less than semi-annually, are eligible to be considered. Periodicals must be submitted by the affiliate’s newsletter editor or president, and must include the following: 1. Two issues of the affiliate’s publication from the calendar year 2015, sent electronically and in hard copy in the format which the affiliate recognizes as the format which best represents its readership. 2. Answers to the following questions: a) How many members are in your affiliate? b) How often is your publication published per year? c) In what formats is your publication produced? The BOP will take the submitted information into consideration as well as the following: 1. The number of contributing writers in a single issue; 2. The variety of information in each issue; 3. How well the publication portrays the affiliate; 4. The quality of writing throughout the publication; and 5. The overall layout and presentation of the publication. Recipients of these awards for the last five years are ineligible to enter the contests. Members of the ACB national office staff, the board of directors, and board of publications serving during the awarding period are also not eligible. Submissions for all awards must be received by Sharon Lovering at the ACB national office on or before April 30, 2016. Presentations will be made at the 2016 national convention in Minneapolis, Minn. For more information about judging criteria, please consult the Board of Publications Editorial Policy Manual, found on the ACB web site at www.acb.org/editorial. Send all submissions with cover letter to: BOP Awards, American Council of the Blind, 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201. After Jan. 30, send submissions to BOP Awards, American Council of the Blind, 1703 N. Beauregard St., Suite 420, Alexandria, VA 22311, or e-mail slovering@acb.org. ***** Summary Report of the Fall Board of Directors Meeting by Doug Powell (Editor’s Note: This article is meant to be a summary. Details of motions passed will be available in the board minutes after their approval.) President Kim Charlson called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m. Central Daylight Time on Oct. 30 at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis. All officers and directors were present. The Friday afternoon session was devoted to hearing from HUGE, Inc., reviewing the Google Analytics for Nonprofits, and discussing next steps. Eric Bridges, acting executive director at the time, introduced our work with a branding company and their recommendations for ACB. HUGE, Inc. does strategic branding for large corporations. They have a fellowship program where they give young professionals projects such as ours. After assimilating lots of materials from us, several interviews from inside and outside the organization, and other research, they gave a presentation on Aug. 7. The board heard a recording of the presentation. One of the main findings was that only one percent of blind and visually impaired individuals have joined a membership organization. The other 99 percent are getting their support on an ad hoc basis and they don’t seem to see the value in being a part of a body that works to improve society for all. ACB’s brand or identity that we can build on is the offer of community we can give blind and visually impaired individuals; the democracy we hold dear, which values every member for who they are and what they bring to us; and our knowledge sharing, which empowers local leaders through nationwide communication and collaboration. Then they suggested several ways we could bring these ideas onto the ACB web site. There followed over an hour of discussion about how we could use the information above and implement these ideas. Then Kelly Gasque from the ACB staff gave an update on how she is using the Google analytic tools to help her identify who is coming to the web site, where they are from, and what they are looking at. Google for Nonprofits worked with the staff for three months to suggest improvements to the web site and taught her how to use the tools to strengthen ACB’s Internet presence. Kelly is implementing some of those recommendations. The board then discussed several action items for moving forward with our Internet presence. Jeff Bishop suggested a committee be formed to create an IT strategic plan. Charlson concurred and named several others to that committee. Charlson also suggested that she, Eric, and perhaps one or two others sit down and sift through all of the discussion and develop a plan and priorities for implementing improvements in ACB marketing throughout the organization. ** Saturday, October 31 The agenda and minutes from the July 4 meeting were approved. Charlson gave her report: 1. It looks like there will be a package coming out of the State Department on the Marrakesh Treaty. OMB will need to vet it, and then it will go to the Senate. It will be one of our legislative imperatives this February. There are already 11 countries that have ratified it, and several more are very close to having completed the process. Twenty are needed for the treaty to go into effect. 2. She has been asked to speak at a meeting of the Transportation Research Board in January on the pros and cons of transportation network companies (Uber, Lyft, etc.) on our community. ACB’s transportation committee wrote a white paper on this subject, which she will use in her presentation. 3. While in Washington, D.C. for the transportation meeting, Kim and Jeff Lovitky will meet with the Bureau of Printing and Engraving to get an update on implementation of tactile currency. 4. Kim will be scheduling a meeting with Freedom Scientific to explore ways ACB and they can have a closer relationship. The board also ratified an e-mail poll that occurred since the last meeting: The board voted to empower staff to sign a lease with the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development for ACB’s headquarters office space in Alexandria, Va. The board also voted to contribute $250 each to tribute funds honoring the retirement of Carl Augusto from the American Foundation for the Blind and Tuck Tinsley from American Printing House for the Blind. Janet Dickelman gave a convention report. The board empowered her to negotiate contracts with two of the bidders for 2018 and 2019. It also voted to include non-discrimination language in convention contracts starting with 2018. Eric gave a staff report from the D.C. area office. He mentioned thinning out the office archives in preparation for the move around Feb. 1. The new office is not on Metro, but is accessible by bus routes and shuttles from Metro stations. He also mentioned reintroduction of H.R. 3535, the Cogswell Macy Act, and H.R. 729, the Medicare demonstration bill. He then talked about the corporations which have shown our BlindAbility video. He encouraged all ACB members to share the video with people they know who hire or have input on who gets hired in their communities and organizations. Lane gave his report, focusing on the responsibilities of the Minnesota office. Based on last year’s experience, there will be a few changes in the schedule for affiliates to submit their membership rosters and final certification. Please help everyone by renewing your membership early and encouraging your non-member friends to join us. More information will be available to affiliate leaders soon. The board then went into executive session. One motion passed in executive session authorized staff to continue pursuit of accessibility of Microsoft products. The other vote was to accept the recommendation of the search committee to hire Eric Bridges as executive director. Tom Tobin gave his report on various fundraising and grant efforts. Carla Ruschival gave the treasurer’s report. She highlighted that this year’s conference and convention raised the most revenue after expenses ever. This was due to the ever-increasing sponsorships that come out of the relationship-building with corporations this organization does every day. Dan Spoone updated the board on the work of the resource development committee. He was especially pleased that the ACB Brenda Dillon Memorial Walk was so successful in its first year of splitting proceeds with affiliates. Now there are two ways — the walk and the Monthly Monetary Support (MMS) program — where ACB and affiliates can work together and share the results. The RDC and ACB Radio management brought a document to the board outlining policy for affiliates to have auctions conducted on ACB Radio, which was approved. I reported that the board of publications was in the process of updating the Editorial Policy Manual, and new language on the diversity of representation in ACB materials would be included in this revision. Kim requested ideas for content of the presidents’ meeting in February. The SASI committee reported that a survey of last summer’s conference and convention assistive listening device (ALD) users showed only a 44 percent satisfaction rating. The problems were spread between equipment, training, and testing. They requested help from the board to remedy these problems. Funding is available to update some of the ALD equipment to start addressing the issues. Jeff Thom reported that the voting task force is working on a test of remote voting so everyone understands the ups and downs procedurally. He also mentioned that the other thrust of this exploration would entail a detailed discussion of how remote voting would change the nature of the organization. The board elected Kim Charlson, John McCann, Katie Frederick, and Patrick Sheehan to the executive committee. The meeting adjourned at 6:14 p.m. ***** Affiliates: Putting ACB into ACB Radio! by the ACB Radio Program Committee Jeff Bishop said, “We’re putting ACB back into ACB Radio.” How do we do this? By calling on the heart of our ACB membership, our affiliates, to participate! A new chapter in ACB Radio began with the call to our affiliates to record holiday greetings to ring in 2016. What a grand way to roll in 2016 with the cacophony of voices throughout ACB, taking the time, putting forth the energy to record holiday greetings! ACB Radio, with its now 7 streams, is begging to be utilized and enjoyed to its maximum potential. While it is and has been radio for 16 years, it is here for a specific purpose, that being to bring forth the voices of ACB! Imagine a new listener, or the unfortunately still-isolated blind person, tuning in and hearing even one aspect, let alone numerous benefits of all that ACB has to offer. Community, resources, solutions, advocacy, new opportunities aplenty! From the day-to-day struggles to advocacy milestones, it is heartwarming to tune in and hear. Whether from across the nation or in one’s own neighborhood, our stories and our voices go a long way to remind us that none of us is ever alone. ** Affiliates In Action Beginning this month, we’re launching a new show: Affiliates In Action. Each month, we will have one state and one special-interest affiliate presenting, along with an ACB officer or board member. This is your chance to shine. What can we learn of your purpose, your strengths and resources? What are some of your activities and/or projects? This is an opportunity for you to brag about some of your triumphs while simultaneously gaining new members who just happen to be listening to you on ACB Radio. What would you like us to know about who you are, as individuals and as a group? We will provide you a set of questions before we meet with you to record the show. We hope to create with you, via this new show, a promo about your affiliate. What are the potential benefits? Increased membership for your affiliate, and an increase in listenership to ACB Radio! This is a huge project, one which will take all of us together to make it work. We look forward to being in touch with you soon! ***** Top-Notch Tool for Job Seekers by the ACB Public Relations Committee How often have you walked out of an interview feeling hopeful and equally frustrated? Do you wish you had just one more tangible way of showing that skeptical employer that being blind isn’t a liability? It’s like this: you’ve aced the interview, yet when you leave, hanging over you as you exit is that interviewer’s unspoken question: Could this person really work out? ACB’s BlindAbility video could be the answer to all those doubts. The video’s debut this past summer at the national convention was a resounding success. If you haven’t heard about it or watched it yet, here are the links: To view the video without audio description, visit https://www.youtube.com/embed/l14gkZtA7xY. To watch the audio-described version, visit, https://www.youtube.com/embed/5e5payf2QMc. This video has the potential to tip the job interview scales in your favor, if given a chance. It makes sense if you think about it — you’ve sold yourself in the interview, now you have the chance to show how other successful employees who happen to be blind engage in and enhance today’s work force. By sharing the link to the ACB video, you give a potential employer a chance to see firsthand that our abilities matter more than our disabilities. One final suggestion: you may or may not want to share the version of the video with audio description. Your goal is to ensure that the employer gets the message — that people just like you are living positive, independent lives. While the audio description is hugely helpful to you, it could pose as a bit of a distraction to someone who needs the central message of the video. Once you’re hired and the video has received the kudos it will inevitably get from your employer, you could introduce the audio description. While you’re at it, be sure to share these links with employment specialists and rehabilitation counselors. So next time you have that all-important job interview, do more than inform your future employer regarding your life and accomplishments. Share the link to the BlindAbility video and send the message that yours is a rich and varied life similar to the lives of those depicted. ***** Ed Walker, WAMU personality who burnished radio’s golden age, dies at 83 Reprinted from “The Washington Post,” Oct. 27, 2015. Note: I first met Ed Walker in 1968. I was in high school and a huge fan of Ed and Willard Scott — “The Joy Boys” — on WRC radio. Ed was so helpful to me as a media and theater worker-in-training and later as a supporter of a Big Band jazz band I sponsored. In the 1990s, Ed — an ardent advocate for audio description — was the keynote speaker at an international gathering of audio-description enthusiasts at the John F. Kennedy Center. In 2003, ACB recognized Ed with the prestigious Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award; and in 2012, Ed voiced the Audio Description Project’s first-ever audio-described tour of the White House. — Joel Snyder Ed Walker, who amused and entertained a generation of Washington-area listeners as half of “The Joy Boys” radio team with Willard Scott and spent 65 years on the local airwaves as a deejay, news host and genial raconteur, died Oct. 26 at a retirement community in Rockville, just hours after his final broadcast. He was 83. Mr. Walker had been undergoing treatment for cancer, said his daughter, Susan Scola. A lifelong radio connoisseur, Mr. Walker became one of its most skillful practitioners over his long career. For the past quarter century, he hosted a popular weekly radio-nostalgia program, “The Big Broadcast,” on public radio station WAMU-FM (88.5). Each week, he invited listeners to “settle back, relax and enjoy,” as he discussed and introduced replays of such golden-age programs as “Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar,” “Dragnet” and “Gunsmoke.” He recorded his last “Big Broadcast” on Oct. 13 from a hospital bed while being treated at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington. Walker listened to the final broadcast Sunday night on WAMU, surrounded by his family, a few hours before his death, according to the station. Born blind, Ed Walker grew up with radio as his constant companion from an early age. By age 8, he was operating a low-power radio transmitter in his family’s basement, beaming music to his neighbors’ houses down the block. He would go on to spend almost all of his adult life involved in the medium in some way, all of it on stations in Washington. It was “The Joy Boys” — a gently humorous, somewhat anarchic and broadly popular daily program — for which Mr. Walker is perhaps most fondly remembered. Mr. Walker and Scott became friends while working on American University’s campus radio outlet, WAMU, then an AM station. They got their professional start in 1952 doing short comedy bits on a weekend radio show on WOL called “Going AWOL.” In 1955, they moved to daytime on NBC-owned WRC with a show called “Two at One.” When the show became a local hit, they moved into the evening hours as “The Joy Boys.” Mr. Walker conjured up a series of characters and situations, some of them topical. He did the voices of such characters as Old Granddad and Bal’more Benny (“the poet of the Patapsco”) while Scott played the straight man. They parodied NBC’s leading newscast, “The Huntley-Brinkley Report” with “The Washer-Dryer Report” and a popular soap opera with a continuing bit called “As the Worm Turns.” The duo took “Joy Boys” from the nickname used by student radio technicians at an engineering school in Washington, Scott said. For years, they used a jaunty theme song: “We are the joy boys of radio; we chase electrons to and fro.” The program traded off the improvisational skills of the two men and their on-air chemistry. Scott was typically the writer of their bits, which were roughed out in outline rather than fully scripted. Mr. Walker was the “talent,” according to Scott, who would take the comedy in unexpected directions. “We were like brothers,” said Scott, who would go on to become the weatherman on NBC’s “Today” show, in an interview. “I never had a better friend.” “The Joy Boys” would feature occasional guests; over the years, these included comedian Bill Cosby, “Get Smart” actor Don Adams and novelist and quiz-show panelist Fannie Flagg. As Mr. Walker recounted on his final “Big Broadcast,” the duo scored an interview in 1968 with the radio, TV and film star Jack Benny and performed a brief sketch with him. One of Mr. Walker’s characters was Mr. Answer Man, who served up lame jokes in a monotone. “What was the inspiration for the song ‘Melancholy Baby’?” a listener from Falls Church once asked. “The composer had a girlfriend with a head like a melon and a face like a collie,” Mr. Walker replied. “Hence ‘Melancholy Baby.’” As Scott said in an interview in 1999, “The Joy Boys’ bits were corny; for the most part, they were terrible. But there was a certain spirit.” A link to radio’s classic era of family-friendly entertainment, “The Joy Boys” aired on WRC from 1955 to 1972, and on WWDC from 1972 to 1974. It was cancelled by WWDC to make way for the station’s switch to rock music, a change that reflected the growing dominance of baby boomers over Washington’s, and the nation’s, popular culture. Mr. Walker went on to work at radio stations WPGC and WMAL and television stations WJLA and Newschannel 8. Among the programs he hosted on WMAL was “Play It Again,” a retrospective of music from the Big Band era. He also hosted a weekly magazine show for NPR aimed at the disabled called “Connection.” In 1990, Mr. Walker took over hosting another kind of nostalgia show, “The Big Broadcast.” The program had begun as “Recollections” in 1964 by John Hickman, who had appeared from time to time on “The Joy Boys” as a performer. When Hickman’s health began to fail, he asked Mr. Walker to take over the program. Edward Heston Walker was born in Fairbury, Ill., on April 23, 1932. His family moved from Forrest, Ill., to Washington when he was 4. His father, a former railroad telegrapher, joined the federal Railroad Retirement Board. His earliest memories involved listening to the radio. He recalled ringing a toy cowbell as small child along with the performers and audience he’d hear on a program called “The National Barn Dance.” “Most kids [got] a kick out of comic books, and funny papers and stuff like that,” he said in an interview with NPR’s StoryCorps in 2012. “To me, radio is it. The sound effects to me were most important.? .?.?. I absorbed [the medium] very well because I was listening very intently.” Mr. Walker graduated in 1950 from the Maryland School for the Blind in Baltimore and was the first blind student to attend American University. The District’s vocational rehabilitation agency, which funded his college scholarship, wanted him to study sociology in order to become a social worker, one of the few professional career paths open to the blind at the time. Mr. Walker insisted on pursuing a career in broadcasting. He completed his communications degree in 1954. Besides his daughter, of Potomac, survivors include his wife of 58 years, Nancy Murphy Walker of Rockville; and eight grandchildren. Another daughter, Carole Potter, died in 2004. Long after “The Joy Boys,” he continued to work with Scott when his old friend was on “Today.” Among other duties, Walker handled the crush of people seeking recognition for a friend or relative celebrating their 100th birthday. He helped produce the short tributes that Scott read on the air. Walker never attempted to conceal his blindness, but he didn’t often speak about it on the air. “When I first got into this business, I never let it be known on the air that I didn’t see,” he told The Washington Post in 1985. “Not that I was ashamed of it. It was in my mind that if I was going to be successful in this business, it was because I was a good performer, not because people felt sorry for me.” From his earliest days on the air, he used a braille typewriter to produce scripts. While on the air, he kept his left hand on a braille clock to maintain the precise timing necessary to hit the “marks” for commercials or the end of his show, said Lettie Holman, program director at WAMU, who worked with Mr. Walker for years. He was so skilled that most listeners were surprised when they learned, often many years into his career, that he was blind. He was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2009 as a local-radio “pioneer.” In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Maryland School for the Blind, 3501 Taylor Ave., Nottingham, MD 21236, or to WAMU Public Radio, WAMU Media Center, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20016-8082. ***** Affiliate News ** CCLVI Scholarship Announcement The Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (CCLVI) will award three scholarships in the amount of $3,000 each to full-time entering freshmen, undergraduate and graduate college students who have low vision, maintain a strong GPA and are involved in their school/local community. Application materials must be received by March 1. Scholarship monies will be awarded for the 2016-2017 academic year. To read the scholarship guidelines and complete an online application, visit www.cclvi.org and click on the CCLVI Scholarship Programs link. Applications will be available to submit online until March 1 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. Questions may be directed to CCLVI at 1-800-733-2258 or scholarship@cclvi.org. ** Won’t You Join Us on a Sea Cruise? Guide Dog Users, Inc. invites you to join us on a romantic cruise to Bermuda Oct. 9-16, 2016. This will be a 7-day cruise, departing and returning to New York. We will enjoy several days exploring the island of Bermuda. Sighted volunteers will not be provided on this cruise, but we understand that the staff is willing and able to assist us. We will be cruising on the Norwegian Cruise Line. The ship will have an accessibility desk on board, and the cruise line’s desk in the United States can handle any paperwork for our dogs. If you’re interested in joining us, contact Michelle Zimmerman at Norwegian Cruise Line, 1-877-416-9722 extension 4398. The official name for our cruise is “GDUI Bermuda Cruise.” Be sure to use this name when you make your reservations in order to get the GDUI rate. We hope to see you in Bermuda! ** RSVA® Annual Awards 2015 The Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America recognized four individuals for their service to RSVA and the Randolph-Sheppard program at ACB’s national convention last July. The Jennings Randolph Service Award was presented to someone outside of the Randolph-Sheppard program who has given his time and energy to RSVA and blind vendors in general, but is not an active vendor. This year’s winner was Jeff Thom, for his many efforts on behalf of RSVA and its affiliates. The RSVA Vendor of the Year Award was presented to an RSVA member who has been an active member for at least five years and has given his time and energy to Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America and for service to blind vendors. The winner was James Swartz. The Don Cameron Advocacy Award was presented in memory of Don Cameron for his many years of service for blind vendors, especially in the areas of communication and legislation. Myles Tamashiro was this year’s winner. The RSVA Distinguished Service Award is given occasionally to someone who has assisted RSVA in its many efforts on behalf of the Randolph-Sheppard Program. The winner was Melanie Brunson. ***** Summary Notice of Proposed Settlement of Class Action Lawsuit Jahoda, Et Al. v. Redbox Automated Retail, LLC, No. 2:14-Cv-01278-Lpl (W.D. Pa.) Attention: All legally blind individuals who have attempted, will attempt, or have been deterred from attempting to access rental services available at Redbox kiosks in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, except California You have a right to object to the settlement described below. Read this notice and instructions carefully. This notice is to inform you about the proposed settlement that would resolve the class action lawsuit Jahoda, et al. v. Redbox Automated Retail, LLC, Case No. 2:14-cv-01278-LPL (W.D. Pa.). The lawsuit asserts that Redbox violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq., by offering video and video game rental services at self-service, touch-screen kiosks that are not fully accessible to, and usable by, blind individuals. Redbox believes that the kiosks are compliant with the ADA and denies all liability. The settlement, which must be approved by the court, would resolve the lawsuit. ** Class: Solely for purposes of effectuating this settlement, the court has certified a settlement class of all legally blind individuals who have attempted, will attempt, or have been deterred from attempting to use Redbox kiosks in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, except California (because of a separate settlement in California) (the “Class”). ** Proposed Settlement: The settlement requires Redbox to modify at least one of its kiosks at each retail location where kiosks are located in all 50 states except California so that they are fully accessible to, and usable by, blind individuals. The modifications will include the addition of a standard headphone jack which will provide access to audio instructions regarding how to call a specially trained Redbox customer service representative who will remotely assist the consumer. The settlement imposes certain other requirements, which are set forth in detail in the settlement agreement. All class members will be bound by the terms of the settlement relating to the accessibility of Redbox kiosks in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, except California, if the settlement is approved by the court. The District Court has appointed Carlson Lynch Sweet & Kilpela, LLP, as class counsel to represent the named plaintiffs and the interests of the absent class members. Class representatives will receive the following single plaintiff incentive payment: $2,500 to Robert Jahoda and $2,500 to April Nguyen. Class counsel will be paid $397,000 for all attorneys’ fees and litigation costs and expenses. ** Objections: Class members can object to the proposed settlement by filing a written objection by March 15, 2016 either in person or by first-class mail to Clerk of the Court, U.S. District Court, 700 Grant St., Pittsburgh, PA 15219. All written objections must include: (i) the name of this litigation; (ii) class member’s full name, address, and telephone number; and (iii) specific reasons for objecting and evidence or legal authority in support thereof. ** Fairness Hearing: The court will hold a hearing in this case on April 27, 2016 at 10 a.m. in Courtroom 7B to consider whether to approve the settlement. Class members may appear at the fairness hearing by filing a Notice of Intention to Appear with the court, postmarked no later than March 15, 2016. ** Further Information: This is only a summary of the litigation, claims asserted, settlement and related matters. A full notice describing the settlement is available online at www.redboxadasettlement.com. ** If You Have Any Questions Or Concerns, Address All Inquiries To Class Counsel: Benjamin J. Sweet, Esquire, bsweet@carlsonlynch.com, Carlson Lynch Sweet & Kilpela, LLP, 1133 Penn Ave., 5th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, www.carlsonlynch.com, or at 1-800-467-5241. Please do not contact the court or Redbox’s counsel. ***** Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski The announcement of products and services in this column does not represent an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its officers, or staff. Listings are free of charge for the benefit of our readers. “The ACB Braille Forum” cannot be held responsible for the reliability of the products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to slovering@acb.org, or phone the national office at 1-800-424-8666, and leave a message in Sharon Lovering’s mailbox. Information must be received at least two months ahead of publication date. ** ZoomText Fusion Now Available New on the market is ZoomText Fusion! It was designed for users with advanced or progressive vision loss, and provides the same features you’re accustomed to with ZoomText, plus a screen reader. Fusion is perfect for individuals who want a smooth and easy transition from magnification to full screen reading. New features include: • Browse Mode allows you to easily navigate and read web pages using a single keystroke. • Page Navigation makes it easy to access any part of a web page. • Tutor Mode provides real-time assistance and will give you a hint on how to access standard controls via the keyboard. • Learning Center places text, audio and video lessons at your fingertips to assist in self-education. • Setup Wizard allows you to customize how your computer screen looks and how much speech you prefer. • Braille support provides ever-expanding support for popular models of refreshable braille displays. Check Fusion out at www.zoomtext.com/fusion. For more information, contact Ai Squared at (802) 362-3612 or at sales@aisquared.com. ** VA’s New Rules Regarding Service Animals The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has revised its regulation regarding the presence of animals on VA property. Under the revised regulation, only dogs that are individually trained to perform work or tasks on behalf of an individual with a disability will be considered service animals. Other animals will not be permitted in VA facilities, unless expressly allowed as an exception under the regulation for activities such as animal-assisted therapy or for other reasons such as law enforcement. ** Minute Clinic to Enhance Accessibility MinuteClinic, CVS Health’s walk-in medical clinic, recently announced that it will be enhancing accessibility for patients with visual, hearing and other disabilities. The plan is designed to enhance MinuteClinic’s services and to remove barriers that may impede persons with disabilities from utilizing the clinics’ services. As part of its plan to enhance accessibility, MinuteClinic will, at the request of a patient, arrange for live sign language interpreters, and will take additional steps designed to ensure that people with visual impairments receive treatment and other vital information in formats that are accessible to them. MinuteClinic will also assess the most effective method by which to obtain accurate weight measurements for individuals with mobility impairments who use wheelchairs. Clinic staff members will receive comprehensive training to ensure their familiarity with the availability and proper use of any relevant equipment, aids and services. ** Envision Receives Gift Envision has received a $300K gift from the Dwane and Velma Wallace Foundation to help fund completion of the Envision Research Institute, a facility devoted to advances in low-vision rehabilitation, launched earlier this year. The donation will go toward the buildout and furnishing of the institute, which launched in February and is housed on the third floor of Envision’s downtown Wichita headquarters. ** Fidelco Receives Grant Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation recently received a $20,000 grant from Reader’s Digest Partners for Sight Foundation in support of its Apprentice Guide Dog Trainer Education Program. Fidelco’s Apprentice Guide Dog Trainer Education Program is an intensive three-year program that prepares trainers to work with the school’s German shepherd guide dogs in training — and then, through the In-Community Placement program, to place those guide dogs with men and women who are blind and teach them to work as a team. For more information about Fidelco, visit www.fidelco.org. For more information about the Reader’s Digest Partners for Sight Foundation, visit http://partnersforsight.org. ** And the Hands On Award Goes To ... National Braille Press recently presented its “Hands On” award for 2015 to Connor McLeod, a 14-year-old from Australia, who led a national effort to change the way Australia’s currency is printed so that the blind and visually impaired are able to identify money more easily. Connor’s campaign resulted in the Royal Bank of Australia agreeing to add tactile braille labels to bank notes. ** A New App Using Artificial Intelligence Marita Cheng has created an app that enables blind people to have the world described to them using artificial intelligence. A video shows the reactions of its first users; you may view it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5g82YNmwmU. She is looking for as many beta users to sign up for a free trial as possible. You can sign up for the app at http://aipoly.com/. ** Ghotit Real Writer & Reader 4 Ghotit Real Writer & Reader 4 is the newest kind of dyslexia software. It’s also good for those who have difficulty with spelling. Ghotit Quick-Spell Word Prediction Algorithms (GQS-WP) are able to predict the word a user is typing even if the first letters are far away from the correct spelling. This is accomplished by patent-pending phonetics and context-aware machine-learning algorithms capable of guessing the correct words, even from severely misspelled words. The software allows the user to create a personalized word bank, which can then be used to create a document. For example, a lawyer could create a word bank of legal words and topics; a teacher might create a word bank for the subject(s) she teaches. The software supports high-resolution displays in Microsoft Windows and retina displays in Mac, too. For more information, visit www.ghotit.com. ** Wildlife Prints J.D. Lewis has seven custom-framed giclees, including wildlife and art prints, available and ready for display. One is a portrait of a cheetah; another is called “Treetop Flickers.” Also available are Old West Coyote, Chilly Autumn Chipmunk, and Lost at Sea, among others. Contact J.D. via telephone, (717) 541-0517, or e-mail jdlewis59@verizon.net for more information. ** Storybud Update There are now more than 1,000 stories to read and listen to on Storybud, the children’s story web site. Recent additions include poetry, stories, and Shakespeare’s plays adapted for children. There is also a new search bar on the site to make it easier to find your favorite stories, poems, etc. Check it out for yourself at www.storybud.org. ***** High Tech Swap Shop ** For Sale: Sony 14” laptop with DVD player, 1,000-gig hard drive, 4 gigs RAM, Windows 7, Microsoft Office Enterprise edition, and JAWS 15. In very good condition. Asking $700. Asus 13.3” laptop with 320-gig hard drive, 4 gigs RAM, Windows 7, Microsoft Office Enterprise edition, and JAWS 15. In very good condition. Asking $550. HP desktop computer with 1,000-gig hard drive, 4 gigs RAM, Windows 7, Microsoft Office Enterprise edition, and JAWS 15. Like new. Asking $450. Contact Jose Luis at (626) 241-9302. ** Wanted: I am looking for the id summit or the Omni by En-Vision America. If you are selling or giving one away, contact Karen via e-mail, karenb7410@gmail.com. ***** ACB Officers ** President Kim Charlson (2nd term, 2017) 57 Grandview Ave. Watertown, MA 02472 ** First Vice President Jeff Thom (2nd term, 2017) 7414 Mooncrest Way Sacramento, CA 95831-4046 ** Second Vice President John McCann (1st term, 2017) 8761 E. Placita Bolivar Tucson, AZ 85715-5650 ** Secretary Ray Campbell (2nd term, 2017) 460 Raintree Ct. #3K Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 ** Treasurer Carla Ruschival (3rd term, 2017) 148 Vernon Ave. Louisville, KY 40206 ** Immediate Past President Mitch Pomerantz 1115 Cordova St. #402 Pasadena, CA 91106 ** ACB Board of Directors Jeff Bishop, Tucson, AZ (partial term, 2016) Berl Colley, Lacey, WA (final term, 2016) Sara Conrad, Stevensville, MI (1st term, 2016) Katie Frederick, Worthington, OH (1st term, 2018) Michael Garrett, Missouri City, TX (final term, 2016) George Holliday, Philadelphia, PA (final term, 2018) Allan Peterson, Horace, ND (final term, 2018) Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD (1st term, 2018) Dan Spoone, Orlando, FL (1st term, 2016) David Trott, Talladega, AL (1st term, 2018) Ex Officio: Doug Powell, Falls Church, VA ** ACB Board of Publications Denise Colley, Chairman, Lacey, WA (2nd term, 2017) Ron Brooks, Phoenix, AZ (2nd term, 2017) Tom Mitchell, Salt Lake City, UT (1st term, 2016) Doug Powell, Falls Church, VA (1st term, 2016) Judy Wilkinson, San Leandro, CA (1st term, 2016) Ex Officios: Nolan Crabb, Columbus, OH Bob Hachey, Waltham, MA Berl Colley, Lacey, WA Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY ** Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums The ACB E-Forum may be accessed by e-mail, on the ACB web site, via download from the web page (in Word, plain text, or braille-ready file), or by phone at (605) 475-8154. To subscribe to the e-mail version, visit the ACB e-mail lists page at www.acb.org. The ACB Braille Forum is available by mail in braille, large print, half-speed four-track cassette tape, data CD, and via e-mail. It is also available to read or download from ACB’s web page, and by phone, (605) 475-8154. Subscribe to the podcast versions from your 2nd generation Victor Reader Stream or from http://www.acb.org/bf/.