The ACB Braille Forum Volume LXII July 2023 No. 1 Published by the American Council of the Blind ***** * Be A Part of ACB The American Council of the Blind™ 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, 6200 Shingle Creek Pkwy., Suite 155, 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 (518) 906-1820 and choose option 8. Tune in to ACB Media at www.acbmedia.org or by calling (518) 906-1820. Learn more about us at www.acb.org. Follow us on Twitter at @acbnational, or like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/acbnational. © 2023 American Council of the Blind Dan Spoone, Interim Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor 225 Reinekers Ln., Suite 660, Alexandria, VA 22314 ***** ** Table of Contents President's Message: New Year's Resolutions, by Deb Cook Lewis Last-Minute Convention Reminders, by Janet Dickelman Summary of the April 25, 2023 Board Meeting, by Penny Reeder The Importance of Chapter and Affiliate Membership, compiled by Ardis Bazyn What Is Accessible Transportation?, by Daveed Mandell A Tale of Two Ereaders: The Good News Launched by NLS, by Deborah Kendrick Ten Books Each Blind Person Should Read, by Frank Strong Here and There, edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins High Tech Swap Shop Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums ** Upcoming Forum Themes and Deadlines September 2023: convention wrap-up issue; deadline: July 24, 2023 October 2023: employment/vocational rehabilitation/training/White Cane Safety Day; deadline: August 25, 2023 ** 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 make the changes for you. ***** ** President's Message: New Year's Resolutions by Deb Cook Lewis Now, wait just a minute here! It is not the holiday season, no snow on the ground, no presents under my tree, in fact no tree at all! So what kind of craziness is it for me to talk about new year's resolutions at the beginning of July? I worked in state government for more than 40 years. We had the lunar new year in January, the state fiscal new year in July, and the federal fiscal new year in October. This meant that April was the only quarter in which we didn’t start some kind of new year. So I find myself thinking that ACB has at least two new years -- the physical and fiscal one in January and our organizational new beginnings every year in July. At our convention, we elect some portion of our officers and Board of Directors, we consider resolutions that will shape future advocacy activities of the organization, and we adopt changes to our constitution and bylaws that reflect changes in the organization's practices and processes. I can't talk about that from where I am -- about 4 weeks prior to convention. So I want to talk about a resolution I hope we can all consider as we come into our new organizational year. My absolutely number one resolution relates back to our core values around keeping the environment safe, respectful and welcoming. This is not about jargon or a slogan. This is truly making an effort to disagree without being disagreeable, to judge with wisdom without being judgmental, and to assume positive intent of others. I actually think that last one about assuming positive intent is sometimes the toughest ask of myself and of anyone else. I hope, as we begin our new year organizationally, we will renew our passion for our great organization and renew our commitment to work together to achieve our common goals. ***** *** Last-Minute Convention Reminders by Janet Dickelman Whether you will be reading this article as you are arriving in Schaumburg or getting ready to join us via Zoom or on ACB Media, read on for information for convention attendees and those of you who will be staying connected from home. ** Attending Tours All tours will depart from the west entrance of the hotel. If you arrive Thursday evening, June 30, after registration closes at 9 p.m. and are on the Friday morning tour, don't worry. Your name will be on the tour list. If you are on a waiting list for a tour, please go to the bus loading area in case your name is called to get on the tour. If you are not able to join the tour due to your spot on the waiting list, stop by registration and you will receive a refund. ** Conference and Convention Program The program is available in large print, braille, NLS cartridge (deposit required), or emailed directly to you. You can also download the program from our website, www.acbconvention.org. You can also listen to the program on NFB-Newsline (subscription required). The program will be available for download during the convention at the ACB information desk, located in the Hilton in what is called the registration room, located just off the sky bridge to the convention center. If you plan to join us in Schaumburg and have not registered, there's still time! On-site convention registration is just $45, or $60 for non-ACB members. Registration will be located in Schaumburg A. ** Joining the Conference from Home If you have registered for the convention, you will receive Zoom invitations for all sessions that are hybrid or Zoom only. In-person sessions such as mixers and other sessions noted in the program as in-person only will not have Zoom capabilities. The easiest way to access the Zoom links is to login to your account at members.acb.org. For screen readers, go to the top of page, arrow down to the navigation region where you will find various links, one of which is labeled "Zoom links." That link will take you to a page where you select the date of the session(s) you are looking for. You will then access a listing in chronological order of all sessions for that day. For each session there are two buttons. If you are listening with your computer, choose the button labeled "Zoom." If you are listening on your phone, choose the button labeled "phone." You don't need to know any access links or passcodes. Much of the conference will be streamed on ACB Media using multiple streams. All general sessions, and some of our afternoon and evening programming, will be live streamed on ACB Media. Other sessions will be recorded and replayed on ACB Media. Sessions will be available as podcasts after the convention and archived for later listening on ACB Media. ** Ways to Connect to ACB Media Programming * Amazon Alexa-enabled device (Recommended) "Alexa, ask ACB Media to play Media n." (n = stream number). For example, to listen to general session during national convention, say, "Alexa, ask ACB Media to play 1." Please note that some Alexa devices may not switch from one stream to another when requested, i.e. you are listening to Media 1 and then ask Alexa to play Media 6, and although Alexa says it is playing 6, it continues to play 1. When this behavior occurs, unplug your Alexa device, wait a minute, and then plug your device back in. Allow the device to reboot itself and then ask Alexa to play the requested stream. If you have multiple Alexa devices, this issue may happen on some devices but not others. * PC/browser access (Recommended): Visit acbmedia.org at http://www.acbmedia.org/n (n= stream number). The site has a built-in media player; there is no need to install or use a media player on your device. Hit the play button and the stream will begin playing immediately. * Smart Device Access (Recommended) Download "ACB Link" from your app store. Find "Radio" along the bottom of the screen, then "Menu" in the top left corner. Select "Streams" and then choose the stream you wish to listen to. Double tap the play button. * Victor Reader Stream Access Navigate to "Internet radio library" in the "online bookshelf." Locate the HumanWare North American English playlist. From the playlist, use the 6 key to locate the ACB Media stream you wish (ACB Media 1 through 10) and hit play. Should you wish to use the "Go To" button, please note that the ACB Media streams are currently selections 2 through 11, where ACB Media 1 = 2 and so on, with ACB Media 10 = 11. * Dial-In Access for Programming Originating in Zoom Dial the Zoom access number provided with the schedule information for the session. When prompted, enter the meeting/webinar ID followed by #. You will hear the exact same program that is being streamed on ACB Media. * Alternate Dial-In Access (not recommended) Dial (518) 906-1820. Listen to the menu prompts and press the number for the stream you want. Please note that this is a free service provided by Zeno Media. This service is limited in terms of simultaneous listeners, and ACB does not warrant this service. If dial-in is your only option and the program originates in Zoom, we recommend that you dial into the Zoom meeting/webinar directly (see above). If you connect to Zeno Media using the above number and receive a message after your menu selection that the stream is offline, please select the stream again and it should then play. Once you select your stream via the voice menu, it often takes several seconds before you hear the stream. If you receive an "unable to connect" message or a fast busy when you dial the above number, your only dial-in option is to access the Zoom meeting directly via Zoom's dial-in access. * Important Note The ACB Radio Tuner is no longer supported. If you used the tuner in the past, you may access all ACB Media streams from acbmedia.org (see above). If you are using alternate ways to access ACB Media streams than those above (such as TuneIn or Winamp) using acbradio.org URLs, we ask that you use one of the methods above. For any other convention-related questions, please contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, at (651) 428-5059 or via email, janet.dickelman@gmail.com. ***** ** Summary of the April 25, 2023 Board Meeting by Penny Reeder The ACB Board of Directors met on April 25. ACB president Deb Cook Lewis presided. All board members were present, as well as interim executive director Dan Spoone and communications manager Kelly Gasque. To listen to the podcast, visit https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1310-acb-business-112482640/episode/20230425-acb-board-meeting-113988831/. Kelly Gasque summarized the results of the recent ACB Leadership Conference attendees' survey. She reported that, overall, survey respondents shared positive evaluations of both the legislative seminar and presidents' meeting events. The fireside chat received mixed reviews. Most respondents reviewed pre-recorded events favorably, and feedback from the currency rally has been very favorable. The tours and the dine-around event received rave reviews. After discussion, the board approved a motion to schedule the 2024 ACB Leadership Conference as a hybrid event during the first weekend in March, beginning with a board meeting on Friday, and concluding with Hill visits on Tuesday. The motion carried, with one abstention and one vote in opposition. Janet Dickelman highlighted several convention-related issues which required the board's attention. The first of these concerned adopting a COVID policy which involves adding language to the waiver that each person who registers for convention is required to sign. The language, which is based upon the COVID policy that VisionServe Alliance adopted for their conference, says that ACB cannot prevent you from being exposed to, contracting, or spreading COVID-19 while attending the event. By signing the waiver, which the board voted unanimously to endorse, convention attendees acknowledge and accept these risks. ACB will make masks and tests available to all convention attendees, advertise their availability, and encourage anyone who develops symptoms to test and self-isolate when appropriate. Registration will open on May 18 for ACB members, and May 25 for non-members. The fee for members is $35; for non-members, the fee is $50. The committee has confirmed a remote presentation from BeMyEyes, and they have chosen a banquet speaker. General session seating will be open again this year. And because so few people had notified her of their intention to attend convention with young children, ACB will not be hosting a Kids' Club this year. April's Mission Moment celebrated the important achievement by staff and affiliates of having completed membership certification for 2023. Both Deb and Dan remarked upon the Herculean effort that is required during all phases of the membership certification process -- by affiliate membership chairs who enter the information into the AMMS database, by Sharon Lovering, who inputs that information, and by Nancy Becker and her staff, who complete the process in order to calculate votes and assure the accuracy of the results. Koni Sims and Kim Charlson described the process they have been using to identify policies which ACB’s boards of directors have adopted since 2010 and to make the information easily available on a comprehensive spreadsheet. They recommend formation of a work group to address the policies, guidelines, and recommended procedures that have been identified, to verify where related documentation can be found, what needs to be approved or updated, and where and how policies should be stored and retrieved. For example, which policies should be made available on the web site? In the board’s Dropbox folder? Which need updating? Which are no longer relevant? Koni and Kim said that the board needs to identify a protocol for going forward. There needs to be agreement on a process for following up after each board meeting. Deb encouraged any board members who are interested in joining this working group to let her know. In her president's report, Deb reminded members that the board will meet on Friday, June 30, beginning at 9 a.m. Central time, and that the fall board meeting will take place in Jacksonville Sept. 29-30. She is scheduling a telephonic board meeting on August 15. Deb is meeting with all of the steering committees and will schedule separate meetings with ACB committees over the coming weeks. She encourages committees to make their meetings open, and is evaluating the process for recruiting and selecting committee members. Deb continues to be very involved handling logistics for the coming convention. Acknowledging that her role as co-chair of the resolutions committee is outside the norm for ACB, Deb said that she will be handling logistics for the committee. Dan reported that the ACB staff has begun to plan for the Audio Description Gala, and is continuing to plan for the coming convention. Staff attended CSUN and the VisionServe Alliance conferences, and AFB's Leadership Conference. They have also packed up the office in preparation for the move, and welcomed Natalie Couch as ACB’s new membership services administrative assistant. Dan said that the visibility ACB achieved as a result of our successful currency rally continues to reap benefits. Meetings with Bureau of Engraving and Printing administrators have resulted in a set of defined milestones for meeting the goal of producing an accessible $10 bill in 2026, and ACB was recently invited to attend a meeting with the United States Treasurer Lynn Malerba, who encouraged Dan to keep her informed regarding the agency's progress toward making U.S. currency tactually accessible. Nancy reported a net loss of $5,000 associated with the D.C. Leadership Conference. There were many aspects of the 2023 event which were different from all the conferences that preceded it. The rally was a unique event, and making tours available for in-person attendees represented a new direction for the conference. This year's event was essentially a new and different experience for ACB. Penny Reeder focused her report on the process for individuals to declare their candidacy for the officer positions that are up for election this year. Responses to questions posed on the candidates' pages in "The ACB Braille Forum" should be submitted by May 15. Members can expect the content of those pages to be posted on June 1. The candidates' forum is scheduled for June 14. Candidates can also prepare and submit short recorded promotional statements, which ACB Media will stream between scheduled programs during June. The convention newspaper will be called “The Schaumburg Standard.” The BOP is hosting a "Mix and Mingle" event on Sunday afternoon of convention week, and the group encourages all writers and potential writers and bloggers to come and share ideas and perspectives. The board meeting adjourned briefly so that directors could assume their responsibilities to oversee ACB Enterprises and Services (ACBES). Terry Pacheco was elected as a new member of the ACBES board of directors. When the board returned to ACB business, Donna Brown encouraged members and affiliates to register for this year's Brenda Dillon Memorial Walk. Discussion ensued regarding persistent difficulties with online registration. Deb suggested developing a set of instructions to help registrants. Penny noted that the Foundation Fighting Blindness uses a form which appears to be more accessible; Donna and Nancy will investigate. Deb encouraged board members to attend events at convention which have the specific goal of honoring members, such as the DKM Reception, scholarship winners' events, the afternoon tea to honor mentors and mentees who have participated in the pilot program, the life members' and Annual Giving Society receptions. Ray asked members to support leadership training activities as well. The board went into executive session at 11:16 p.m. The session ended at 11:55 p.m., with no actions having been taken. The board meeting adjourned at 11:58 p.m. Eastern. ***** ** The Importance of Chapter and Affiliate Membership Compiled by Ardis Bazyn, ACB Membership Chair Why is chapter and affiliate membership so important? Lawrence Carter, president of the North Carolina Council of the Blind; Don Wirth, first vice president, Iowa Council of the United Blind, and Julie Brannon, president, Washington Council of the Blind, tackled that question on our most recent membership focus call. For various reasons, some blind or visually impaired individuals join the American Council of the Blind as an at-large member. Some may join a state or special-interest affiliate without knowing there are local chapters or special-interest affiliate chapters as well. The following list of benefits may help you decide if membership in these smaller groups may benefit you personally and professionally. One of the most important benefits to joining a local chapter is the ability to make friends and extend your knowledge of blindness community offerings. Most states have state special-interest affiliates anyone can join. Most states have annual conventions as well as newsletters providing relevant articles sharing future activities which might interest you. Many local chapters meet virtually or in person on a monthly basis. In the local chapter, you connect with many local blind people and often hear speakers giving resources and other related information to blind individuals. Most also share legislation or regulations or public policies specifically affecting blind individuals in your state. They explain how interested participants can advocate for change. Chapters also provide many events outside their regular meetings. Some have an annual picnic in a local park. Some have Christmas or other holiday celebrations. Some celebrate birthdays and other special events. Some have a booth at state fairs or low vision conferences or low vision facilities. Others have game nights, Bingo gatherings, technology training sessions including iPhone trainings, book clubs, and advocacy and outreach events. State and special-interest affiliates often have virtual meetings between conferences and conventions. Some special-interest affiliates have state chapters that meet online or in person at the state affiliate conventions. These state special-interest chapters also often meet monthly to discuss business, share legislative or regulation updates, and provide speakers on topics relevant to the affiliate mission. When you join a local chapter or special-interest chapter, you have the opportunity to volunteer to serve on committees, chair a committee, or run for an office. These activities give you experience to get more involved later at the state or special-interest affiliate level. Either level gives you leadership experience, which can be valuable for you either as personal development or in your career. Adding your leadership positions to a resume can highlight some of your capabilities. You can ask chapters and affiliates for letters of recommendation for awards, scholarships, or for interviews or on resumes. ACB has numerous community calls on a wide range of topics. State and special-interest affiliates also offer community calls on a regular basis. Some chapters hold community calls related to the affiliate's general goals. As a member of a local or special-interest chapter, you have the ability to recommend topics for discussion as well as speakers for upcoming calls or events. ACB has several email discussion lists, as do most state and special-interest affiliates. Many local chapters and special-interest chapters do as well. Some open email discussion lists or announce lists for affiliates are listed on https://www.acb.org. Some email lists are available to members only. For more information about what state and special-interest affiliates offer, check each affiliate website. Links to many are provided on the ACB website under the state and special-interest affiliates links. Please stay tuned for the summer conference and convention ACB membership seminar on July 5 at 4 p.m. Central. Also, watch for future ACB membership committee focus calls. If your affiliate doesn't have a membership chair or vice chair on the ACB membership discussion list, please let us know. Focus call information and membership-related articles and issues are shared on that list. ***** ** What Is Accessible Transportation? by Daveed Mandell (Editor's Note: Daveed Mandell is a member of ACB’s Transportation and Pedestrian Environmental Access Committees, and a member of the California Council of the Blind’s board of directors.) I would like to acknowledge and thank Ron Brooks, of Accessible Avenue (accessibleavenue.net), and Dr. Billie Louise Bentzen, of Accessible Design for the Blind (designforblind.org), for their invaluable assistance, without which this presentation would not have been possible. I would also like to thank ACB Pedestrian Environmental Access Committee expert extraordinaire Eugene Lozano, and American Association of Visually Impaired Attorneys past president Steve Mendelsohn, for their support and encouragement. * Introduction: Accessible Wayfinding First and foremost, accessibility is a civil and human right. For most people with disabilities, accessibility means independence, spontaneity and freedom of movement. When a transit network is fully accessible, anyone should be able to navigate it without assistance. To date, no transit network in this country is fully accessible or universally designed. Regrettably, for the most part, accessibility is too often treated as merely an afterthought. Shockingly, current federal law does not require accessible wayfinding. There is a legal concept in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) known as "effective communication." We in the American Council of the Blind's Transportation Committee believe that effective communication includes accessible wayfinding. All information given to non-disabled people must be provided to people with disabilities. Currently, this is not happening. Most public transit advocates talk about the need for, and the right to, affordable, reliable, frequent and predictable public transit. However, accessibility goes far beyond those requirements. Many questions and concerns come to mind. Let's first consider fixed-route transit. Later on, we will talk about ADA paratransit. - Is fixed-route transit available whenever you want or need it? Quite often, transit riders are like Cinderella, rushing to catch the coach before it turns into a pumpkin at midnight. - Is fixed-route transit easily reachable? Or do you have to walk on sidewalks filled with cracks, and cross a busy 5-lane street filled with potholes, to reach your bus stop? Are there sidewalks where you live? Are bus stops miles apart or fairly close together? Is your bus stop easy to locate? - Is fixed-route transit easily rideable? How easy is it to find the fare box or card reader? Can you easily find a seat or the exit door? Does your transit agency offer frequent local service and direct routes to many sought-after destinations, such as grocery stores, senior centers and medical buildings? Can you easily: - locate subway station entrances? - navigate the concourse to the fare gates? - pay for your ride and enter the area that leads to the platforms? - go from the concourse to the platforms? - find where to catch your train? - enter the train and find a seat? - exit the train and find the correct escalator, staircase or elevator? - locate the exit gates? - locate the correct station exit? Above all, it's important to remember that a transit network starts from your door or origin, and ends at your destination's door. It does not start or end at the bus stop or subway station. In other words, a transit network encompasses and includes an entire neighborhood's infrastructure. * What Is Accessible Wayfinding? - Websites, mobile applications, printed materials and/or signage, including tactile and large print maps, that provide information and schedules regarding the location of bus stops or routes, subway and train station entrances and exits, and the location and/or status of transit vehicles. - Textures, electronic beacons, design concepts, or any other product, service or procedure that is utilized to provide navigational assistance to, from or within a transit network. - Websites and electronically prepared documents must meet all applicable provisions of Section 508 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act, or Level AA success criteria set forth in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), whichever offers the greatest accessibility for people with disabilities. - Printed information that is designed to be public-facing, or that is likely to be requested by a member of the public, must be made available upon request of a person with a disability in an alternate format that is accessible to that individual. In accordance with ADA requirements, consideration should be given to providing the document in the format requested by that individual; but if providing the document in the requested format is not practicable, the agency should work with the individual to provide the document in a format that is accessible. - Facilities and signage must meet applicable guidelines set forth in the ADA Accessibility Standards, as promulgated by the U.S. Access Board, (and/or in California Title 24 -- whichever standard offers the greatest accessibility). Other products and technologies must meet all appropriate and applicable accessibility standards. However, at this time there are no comprehensive legal national accessible wayfinding standards in this country. There are only guidelines. * What Are Some Components of Accessible Wayfinding? I have only scratched the surface in this presentation. It is important to understand that no transit agency in this country strictly adheres to the following requirements. We people with disabilities have much work to do. Bus Stop Placement: Bus stops should be placed near accessible, safe intersections. They should be easy to locate and should not be jammed up against news racks, parking signs, trees, garbage cans and other obstacles. They should have clear paths of travel and should not be placed in congested areas. We still don't know how to easily identify floating bus stops that are placed near boarding islands in the middle of the street. (Some jurisdictions are installing accessible audible beacons to allow blind people to cross safely to these bus stops.) Transit agencies must insist that all jurisdictions within their service areas comply with these requirements. It is the ultimate responsibility of these agencies to ensure that riders have easy and efficient access to all bus stops. Finally, transit agencies must provide one standardized pole for all bus stops. Bus Stop Displays: All bus stop displays should be easily reachable and fully accessible. They should provide both visual and audible information. The audible information should be identical to what is offered visually. The information should be provided in several languages. Bus Stop and Train Locations: Customer service agents must be adept at giving clear, accurate information about where bus stops and train stations are located, including transfer points, entrances and exits. Wherever possible, they should provide cardinal compass directions. They must also give information about transferring from one vehicle to another, and at which stops and/or stations. Automated Computer/Phone Information Systems: In addition to accessible websites and mobile applications, several transit authorities offer automated computer/phone information systems, such as Transportation Authority of River City (TARC) in Louisville, Ky., and Minnesota Valley Transportation Authority (MVTA) in Minneapolis. Using such systems, riders can obtain a list of all routes, choose a route and follow it virtually in either direction, and choose a stop to hear expected arrival times. Those systems are available 24/7/365. Tactile Bus Stop Indicators in the Built Environment: Countries, such as Australia, have for decades embedded tactile directional bars in sidewalks to alert blind people that they have reached a bus stop. These bars, which are easily felt under foot or cane, lead to adjacent bus stop poles that contain accessible displays. The U.S. is just beginning to adopt these essential tactile bus stop indicators. Smart Phone Applications: Many countries, and several U.S. transit authorities, have adopted smart phone applications that map bus stops, light rail and subway stations digitally and convert this data into easy-to-follow, accurate audible directions for locating bus stops, light rail stations, and subway entrances and exits. These directions guide people within and around stations, to and from platforms, and surrounding points of interest, such as stores and coffee shops. The Washington (D.C.) Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA) is currently making its entire Metro system and 1,000 bus stops fully accessible, thanks to a digital mapping application called Waymap, developed in the UK, which requires no Internet, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or GPS. It is intended for everyone, not just people with disabilities. Waymap (www.waymapnav.com) relies only on the sensors built into smart phones. Accessible Websites and Mobile Applications: It is essential that websites and mobile applications be fully accessible and work with all screen readers and magnification programs on computers, tablets and smart phones. Braille and Raised Print Placards: It is essential to affix braille and raised print placards on bus stop displays for people who are deaf-blind. Because braille and raised print take up much more space than regular print, the most pertinent and relevant information must be included, such as bus numbers, which is not an easy decision to make. These placards should be affixed to all bus stops. High-Contrast Indicators and Large Print: People with low vision require high-contrast bus stop indicators and large print information on bus stop displays. Signage for Wheelchair Users: Bus stop signage should be low enough to allow wheelchair users to easily read it. In most cases, redundancies should be provided, so that ambulatory riders don’t have to bend down to read it. Bus Stop Information for Cognitively Disabled Individuals: Some people with cognitive disabilities require symbol- or pictorial-oriented bus stop information. Bus Stop Information for Deaf People: Many deaf and hard-of-hearing people prefer video-oriented bus stop information, as opposed to document-oriented information. Let’s turn now to ADA paratransit. Paratransit riders gave up their lord to spontaneity when ADA paratransit was established. That's because paratransit riders can’t come and go whenever and wherever they wish. In fact, ADA paratransit has many glaring inequalities. • Only paratransit riders have to make advanced reservations. No same-day rides for them!; • Only paratransit riders have to pay at least twice as much as non-disabled fixed-route transit riders; • Only paratransit riders have no predictability. They never know exactly when they will be picked up or dropped off. They don't know how many people will share the ride with them, or how long it will take to reach their destinations; • Hundreds of thousands of disabled people throughout the country are routinely denied paratransit altogether if they don't live or work within 3/4 of a mile of a functioning bus route or rail line. The trend now is to offer paratransit on demand through a transprtation network company, such as Uber, Lyft or a TNC specifically designed to provide paratransit, such as Uzurv. Some transit agencies offer supplemental paratransit on demand, while others are trying to replace the current extremely inequitable and outmoded ADA paratransit model with paratransit on demand. The Transportation Research Board, which is affiliated with the National Academy of Sciences, has recently published a report on 18 jurisdictions that offer paratransit on demand. * Conclusion: Final Thoughts Please keep in mind that ADA requirements are minimal and inadequate. They are the floor, not the ceiling. We must expect and demand that all local and regional transit agencies throughout the nation provide programs, services, facilities and vehicles that are well above ADA requirements, and nothing less. All wayfinding information technologies and strategies, whether based on products, services or procedures, must be developed with ongoing input from all communities intended to be served by transit agencies, including traditionally underserved communities, communities of color, economically disadvantaged communities, older adults, people with disabilities, individuals and organizations that provide support or services within these communities, and professionals with expertise in areas relevant to accessible wayfinding. The nation's public agencies can and must do better in promoting and providing full public transit accessibility and insuring equity for people with disabilities and older adults. As eminent accessibility consultant Ron Brooks has stated, people with disabilities should be able to take all forms of public transit with no more effort, time and cost than people without disabilities. In closing, it is time for the public transit industry to accept the fact that only we people with disabilities, who comprise some 20 to 25 percent of the nation’s population, have the necessary lived experience and the knowledge of what is required to make the world fully accessible to us. ***** ** A Tale of Two Ereaders: The Good News Launched by NLS By Deborah Kendrick (Reprinted from "Access World," March 2023.) For most of us, March 2020 will always evoke the memory of lockdown, quarantines, masks and all of the other traumatizing changes wrought by the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. But there were positive events taking place in March 2020 as well, and the one that stamped its most indelible memory on a few of us doing work for the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled was the launch of the NLS Braille eReader Pilot. * A Little History In the summer of 2013, a conference was held in Watertown, Mass. that would bring significant changes to the delivery of braille materials by the NLS. The Braille Summit was a think tank of sorts, bringing together braille teachers, braille readers, braille producers and other lovers of braille to dig in and brainstorm the future and promotion of braille. One significant idea that came from that intense conversation was that putting a refreshable braille device in the hands of all braille readers would encourage the reading of braille and provide braille material in a more equitable fashion to blind people. Rather than long waiting lists for a finite number of braille copies of a single book, an infinite number of readers could download that book to read and choose their own time for reading it. Many braille readers had been downloading books for years by 2013, but refreshable braille displays are costly and were therefore not available to all. Fast forward just five years to an amazing appropriation by the United States Congress, a one-time appropriation of $5 million in order for NLS to launch the eReader pilot. Bids went out. Two products were selected, and in March 2020, seven of us began putting these machines through their paces. Spearheaded by Tamara Rorie, head of the Patron Engagement Section of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, the pilot is now a program, the two eReaders have been distributed to 40 of the 50 states, and the plan is for all states to have received their units by the end of 2023. * Two Machines, One Set of Functions Certainly, there are differences between the two eReaders. They look and feel distinctly different from one another. There are some distinctions in features and performance. The important takeaway, however, is that they are both powerful machines designed to do the same job: display and download books and magazines from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. And both do that job extremely well! One is from Zoomax; the other is from HumanWare. I'll first provide an overview of their physical appearances, and then a more detailed analysis of features and functions. * Physical Description Both NLS eReaders are small enough to fit into most typical backpacks, tote bags, or purses. The Zoomax measures 8 inches wide, 5 inches deep, and 1.5 inches tall. The HumanWare eReader is from one-half inch to one inch smaller in every dimension. Both machines have 20 braille cells, with 20 accompanying cursor routing buttons. Both have long battery life. Both are charged via a USB-C port. Both have powerful wi-fi and Bluetooth capabilities. Both have 16GB internal memory, and both are designed to accommodate additional storage via SD card and/or USB flash drive. Each eReader ships with the following accessories: a custom carrying case and lanyard; a USB-C cable and power block for charging; a USB-A cable for connecting an NLS-style cartridge, and a hardcopy braille user's guide. * HumanWare The HumanWare eReader has the eight-dot Perkins-style keyboard (the six braille keys plus Backspace and Enter), on top, in a slightly curved arrangement believed to be more ergonomic. Directly in front of the keys are the 20 cursor routing buttons (which feel like large round dots), followed by the 20 8-dot braille cells. Finally, at the front of the top surface, at its center, are two space bars. On the front edge of the unit are four evenly spaced rectangular thumb keys, with one round Selector button in the middle. In addition to acting as the four arrows found in a cursor cross on a qwerty keyboard, these keys are used for panning backward and forward, executing navigational commands, and more. Patrons who have used other HumanWare braille products will recognize the thumb keys as a brand standard. On the left edge are the USB-C port, power button, and USB-A port. On the right are up and down volume buttons and an audio jack, none of which have any function in the use of the eReader. To underscore this fact, the audio jack has a rubber stopper. On the back edge is the SD card slot. * Zoomax The Zoomax eReader sports a few more keys which sometimes provide more options for getting things done. Again, the Zoomax is slightly larger in every dimension than the HumanWare machine. On its top surface is the eight-dot keyboard (again, the six braille keys of a Perkins-style keyboard plus Backspace and Enter). There is also a Space key located between dots 1 and 4 as on a Perkins Brailler. The keyboard is slightly elevated (about one-quarter inch higher than the rest of the top surface.) As on the HumanWare eReader, you will find the 20 cursor routing buttons in front of the keyboard and the 20 braille cells in front of those. On either end of the 20 braille cells are three display buttons. Arranged in the pattern of a braille cell, with three on the left and three on the right, these keys provide a variety of functions, including panning text. The front edge is a slightly slanted design, so that its bottom edge juts out toward you. Along the front edge, moving from left to right, are 11 controls. These keys are all very tactually distinct and perform a variety of valuable functions. Most significantly, they provide multiple options for panning text. On the left edge is the SD card slot, and on the right are the USB-C and USB-A ports, as well as the buttons for On and Off. One very nice distinction of the Zoomax machine is that all of the left- and right-side ports and buttons are identified with permanent braille symbols. * So What Does an eReader Do? Maybe your sighted friends or family members talk about reading on a Kindle Paperwhite or Kobo Libra. These are electronic readers, flat tablet-style devices for downloading and reading books in print. Our NLS eReaders perform exactly the same functions for people who read braille. If the idea of refreshable braille is new to you, imagine having a room full of books in one handheld device. The braille scrolls beneath your fingers, 20 cells at a time. You can manually go forward or back (called "panning" on braille devices) or set your eReader to autoscroll at a speed which is comfortable for you. Navigation controls make it possible for you to move forward or back by line or page or entire braille volume. You can bookmark your favorite poem or paragraph or recipe to return to it again and again. If you are the kind of person who likes to have three or four books going at the same time -- a novel, a cookbook, your favorite book of prayers -- your eReader will keep your place in all of them when you power off. If reading on a braille display is new to you and you just want to start reading and save the technical steps for later, a sampler cartridge has been prepared that makes it easy to load a bookshelf of books into your eReader automatically. Using the cable provided, you simply attach the cartridge and let the eReader automatically load your sample library. If you don’t have Internet access or just aren’t interested in downloading for yourself, you can ask your library to load books of your choosing onto cartridges as a matter of routine. Don't worry about space. You can put a few versions of the Bible, all the Harry Potter books, a few bestsellers, and still have plenty of room for more on your eReader. If you should begin to run out of internal storage space (which is unlikely, but always possible) you can add books on SD cards and/or flash drives. These are eReaders, not eWriters. You can copy, move, and delete books and files, but there are no editing capabilities on either unit. * Logging In If you are a person old enough to remember life before computers and the Internet, and remember the days of waiting for those precious braille volumes to arrive in the mail, it is then safe to say that the ability to browse, select, and download a multi-volume braille title in a matter of seconds is nothing short of dazzling. Where you once had to concern yourself with where all 13 volumes of that new mystery or romantic saga was going to fit in your tiny apartment, you can now bask in the knowledge that your eReader will enable you to download dozens of such books and to flip forward and back from one to another at a moment's notice. The first step, of course, is signing on to your wireless network. This is relatively straightforward on both units for most people, but if you do run into difficulty, a simple text file containing your wireless network's name and password can be loaded on to your eReader for an automatic solution. Similarly, the first time logging into NLS-BARD is mostly straightforward, but when problems do arise, this, too, can be accomplished by loading a simple text file onto an SD card or flash drive. After you have logged in for the first time, as with other devices accessing BARD Mobile, future logins will be automatic. You can search by Recently Added, Most Popular, or by subject. You can search by title, author, or keyword, just as you can on other mobile devices or on your computer. You can add books to your Wish List, or go directly to your wish list for downloading. One important distinction regarding all browsing and searching with the NLS eReader is that BARD will show you only those titles which are available in braille. If, for instance, you are browsing one day on your computer and add a plethora of new titles, both audio and braille, to your wish list, the eReader will show you only the braille titles. Since the eReaders display only braille and have no capacity to play audio, this particular feature can save time and frustration. Once your books are downloaded, no wireless connectivity is needed. Your eReader, which can fit into a large pocket or small bag, will allow you to take your library anywhere, even remote locations with no Internet! * What Else Can it Do? In addition to accessing all downloadable books and magazines from NLS-BARD, the NLS eReaders both have the capacity to access NFB-NEWSLINE. This free service offers over 500 newspapers and magazines. Imagine being able to read your local newspaper (or any other) on the same day that it is published and being able to navigate by section, headline, or paragraph with ease. When your friends are talking about an article just seen in a popular magazine, chances are that from either NLS-BARD or NFB-NEWSLINE, you will have access to that same publication in braille. At this writing, the HumanWare eReader also provides access to Bookshare for members of that service. Bookshare access for the Zoomax will be implemented at a later date. Finally, you can also use your eReader as a window of sorts for other devices. Attached to your computer running JAWS or NVDA, your eReader can provide a braille screen of sorts. Paired with your iPhone or iPad, it will make it possible for you to read everything that comes to that screen as well as making it possible for you to write text for email or text messages or any other iOS apps. The NLS eReaders are distributed by NLS network libraries. At this writing, more than forty states have received their machines and are distributing them to patrons, and plans are to add the remaining eight states by the end of 2023. If you are a patron of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, you can request an eReader by contacting your regional library. If you don't have their contact information, visit the NLS website and follow the Find Your Library link. There was a time when blind people were woefully excluded from the joys of reading books, magazines, newspapers, and temporary documents. Now, those who read braille can carry hundreds of publications and other documents with them in a refreshable braille device that is distributed without cost to every eligible blind or print disabled patron. That's a true story of equality rising. ***** ** Ten Books Each Blind Person Should Read by Frank Strong Hello, and welcome to your life as a blind person. I suspect that you have encountered many situations and challenges since you experienced vision loss. You are not alone. The following is a list of books which I have compiled to help you become familiar with blind people who have preceded us in the blindness community. The books describe the lives of people who have at least one thing in common with you and me: they are blind. Their life experiences can serve as a beacon or a benchmark as you assess the challenges and opportunities in your life. I am writing this article as I am a blind person and because I want you to learn from the lives and achievements of blind people. The sheer determination of our predecessors is awe-inspiring and often daunting. The list reflects my tendency to follow blind musicians, but many of the books are about non-musicians as well. All book titles listed below are accessible in audio format from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. The titles include the Library of Congress BARD Express book number for your convenience. You may find some of these books to be more helpful than others. Additionally, you may ask your library reader assistant to place these titles on a cartridge for your reading convenience. The list is offered as a guide for your support and encouragement as you make your way through life as a blind person. Remember that a house is only as good as its foundation. These biographies can help you build or bolster the foundation of your adjustment to blindness. Keep in mind that you bring abilities, resources, and perspectives not available to those described in these biographies. You have experiences and abilities unlike anyone else's. The goal of this article is to help you identify goals you may wish to pursue. I have included a few words regarding my thoughts on each of these titles. My reviews are identified as "Frank's comments." * Louis Braille: Windows for the Blind, by J. Alvin Kugelmass DB09596 This is a biography of the inventor of the system of reading that opened the world of books to the blind. Though Braille's revolutionary innovation remained unrecognized during his lifetime, it is now used in every language and in every country throughout the world. For high school and adult readers. Frank's comments: A terrific book about Louis Braille. This biography describes how a poor farm boy created a communication system which has opened doors of opportunity to blind people everywhere. This is a must read. * The Blind Doctor: The Jacob Bolotin Story: A Biography, by Rosalind Perlman DB64720 Biography of Chicago-born Jacob Bolotin (1888-1924), blind from birth. The author, whose husband was related to Bolotin, discusses Bolotin's determination to become a physician and describes the hard-won training that enabled him to practice medicine as a respected heart and lung specialist. Some strong language. 2007. Frank's comments: A life-changing book for me. Bolotin overcame poverty and isolation to reach goals never previously attained by a blind person. In addition, the narrator does a terrific job of reading this exciting book. * Hand Me My Travelin' Shoes: In Search of Blind Willie McTell, by Michael Gray DB71430 Author Michael Gray recounts his odyssey through the Deep South to research this biography of Georgia blues singer and twelve-string guitarist William Samuel McTell (1903-1959), who was born blind. Portrays Willie's travels and performances during the segregation era and the way his reputation grew after his death. 2009. Frank's comments: This book is extremely well researched. The author, Michael Gray, is a great fan of McTell and does an outstanding job of describing the hardships McTell faced as a blind Black man during the Jim Crow years in the deep south. This is a compelling and engaging book. * A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became History's Greatest Traveler, by Jason Roberts DB62703 Biography of Englishman James Holman (1786-1857), who was blinded at 25 after serving in the Napoleonic wars and who then achieved fame as a world traveler. Quoting from Holman's memoirs, describes how he fought slavery in Africa, survived captivity in Siberia, charted the Australian outback, and published three books. 2006. Frank's comments: This book describes the captivating story of Holman who was able to travel around the world, despite his meager resources and total blindness. Holman's story has inspired many and has resulted in the Holman Prize. The Holman Prize is awarded annually to blind people who aspire to achieve remarkable goals. The Holman Prize is facilitated by the San Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind, https://lighthouse-sf.org/. * Almost Like a Song, by Ronnie Milsap DB32896 Taken in by dirt-poor but loving grandparents after his mother rejected him, Ronnie was soon sent off to a school for the blind. There, among other things, he learned discipline, determination, and classical music -- acquirements that shaped his boyhood, his career, and his success as a country music superstar. His inspiring story reveals little-known aspects of the music industry where he rose to the top. Frank's comments: This book describes how Milsap encountered many obstacles resulting from his blindness. The book tells how Milsap’s stubborn determination and grit as well as his intellect helped him succeed despite the odds against him. * Helen Keller: A Life, by Dorothy Herrmann DB48038 A chronological account of Keller's long, eventful life, written from a woman's perspective. Herrmann explores Keller's world, perceived without sight or sound; her ability to remain cheerful about her disabilities; and her relationship with teacher Anne Sullivan. Frank's comments: This is an in-depth look at the remarkable life of Helen Keller, a deaf-blind woman who happened to be taught by another severely visually impaired teacher, Ann Sullivan. This book describes how Keller traveled the world promoting education and opportunities for blind and deaf-blind people. Keller was truly a one-of-a-kind person who made a huge difference for those of us who followed in her footsteps. * Blind But Now I See: The Biography of Music Legend Doc Watson, by Kent Gustavson DB76189 Biography of blind Grammy Award-winning guitarist, songwriter, and singer Arthel "Doc" Watson (1923-2012) from Appalachian North Carolina. Explores his training at the Raleigh School for the Blind, rise during the 1960s folk revival, partnership with his son Merle, and the development of his flatpicking style of guitar playing. 2010. Frank's comments: Watson started life out in poverty in the hardscrabble rural mountains of North Carolina. He overcame his hardships by developing his outstanding music skills. This biography describes how Watson led his life with humility and love for his family, friends, and music. * Whistling in the Dark, by Fred Lowery and John R. McDowell DB19749 The talented blind whistler tells of his life from his early days of poverty to his rise as a featured musician with the big show bands. He includes accounts of his early radio career, his tours with the big bands, his hit recordings, and his acquaintances among famous show business personalities. Frank's comments: This biography describes how Lowery was able to make a successful career in a truly unusual manner. Imagine choosing your music career to be a professional whistler ... and succeeding! This is a remarkable story about a talented and resourceful musician. * Brother Ray: Ray Charles' Own Story, by Ray Charles and David Ritz DB16618 Candid autobiography of the musician who was born Black and poor in the Deep South, became blind as a small boy and was orphaned as a teenager. At 32 he was acclaimed as a musical genius. Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. Frank's comments: This moving biography describes one of America's great musical giants. This blunt description of Charles and his career conveys how he wrote, performed and published great music for decades despite his early life of poverty and deprivation. * Undaunted by Blindness: Concise Biographies of 400 People Who Refused to Let Visual Impairment Define Them, by Clifford E. Olstrom DB72232 Director of the Tampa Lighthouse for the Blind presents 400 capsule biographies of notable blind people in various occupations and from different historical periods. Includes profiles of Irish composer Torlogh Carolan (1670-1738), American publisher Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911), and Cuban ballerina Alicia Alonso (b. 1921). 2010. Frank's comments: This collection of concise biographies describes a wide array of people from all occupations and how they overcame their blindness to make a difference. The variety of people, places and span of history offer a different and engaging set of stories about blind people worldwide. * And There Was Light: The Autobiography of a Blind Hero of the French Resistance Jacques Lusseyran DB46611 Lusseyran describes his life up to the age of 20. Blinded at seven, he was a teenager when the Nazis invaded France. After he joined the Resistance, his group was turned in by informers and imprisoned. He tells of surviving in a German concentration camp until the war's end. Frank's comments: This is a must-read about a blind teenager who was a leader in the French Resistance against the occupying Nazi army. I cannot say enough how important this book is for learning about patriotism, ingenuity, and fighting for the freedom of his people. This is a great story. I hope that these 10 book titles will help you in your life experience as a blind person. They certainly have helped me. What will be your life story? ***** ** Here and There edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins 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. * Helping Hands Offers Veterinarian Care Assistance Program Helping Hands for the Blind, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, has created a Veterinarian Care Assistance Program for all guide dog handlers who qualify. To get a copy of our official guidelines, write to Robert Acosta at boacosta818@gmail.com. Please put Vet Care in the subject line. Here’s a general overview of our program: 1. As a part of your application for assistance, we require a letter from your guide dog school confirming the age, breed and verification that your guide is a current working dog. 2. Our minimum payment is $500, which generally will not include those conditions we list in our official guidelines. 3. If the handler must pay the doctor for immediate emergency surgery, we will reimburse the handler directly if their request is approved by Helping Hands for the Blind. 4. We always require a full written report from the veterinarian. * Voya Financial's Annual Service Project Voya Financial again partnered with National Braille Press (NBP) to assemble over 150 braille books and over 1,000 alphabet cards for blind children and those with low vision. The books have braille printed on transparent plastic pages that are placed on top of the print pages so that sighted persons can read along with blind readers. * New from National Braille Press Now available from National Braille Press is "From the Heart: Heart-Healthy Dishes from the Healthy Cook." It's available in braille and BRF. If you're looking for heart-healthy recipes, or following the DASH diet, this will definitely come in handy. Got a budding comedian at home? Check out "Difficult Riddles for Smart Kids" by M. Prefontaine. It's available in UEB and BRF. These riddles and puzzles will stretch their minds! For more information, call toll-free, 1-800-548-7323, or visit www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/publications/index.html. ***** ** High Tech Swap Shop * Looking For: A Victor Stream, any generation. Also seeking a video phone for the deaf-blind. Contact Maryann Sears via email, griffithwillow@outlook.com. ***** ** ACB Officers * President Deb Cook Lewis (1st term, 2023) 1131 Liberty Dr. Clarkston, WA 99403 * First Vice President Ray Campbell (2nd term, 2023) 216 Prestwick Rd. Springfield, IL 62702-3330 * Second Vice President Vacant * Secretary Denise Colley (2nd term, 2023) 26131 Travis Brook Dr. Richmond, TX 77406-3990 * Treasurer David Trott (final term, 2023) 1018 East St. S. Talladega, AL 35160 * Immediate Past President Kim Charlson 57 Grandview Ave. Watertown, MA 02472 ** ACB Board of Directors Christopher Bell, Pittsboro, NC (1st term, 2024) Jeff Bishop, Tucson, AZ (2nd term, 2024) Donna Brown, Romney, WV (1st term, 2024) Gabriel Lopez Kafati, Miami Lakes, FL (1st term, 2026) Terry Pacheco, Silver Spring, MD (1st term, 2026) Doug Powell, Falls Church, VA (2nd term, 2024) Rachel Schroeder, Springfield, IL (1st term, 2026) Kenneth Semien Sr., Beaumont, TX (1st term, 2024) Koni Sims, Sioux Falls, SD (1st term, 2026) Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA (2nd term, 2026) ** ACB Board of Publications Katie Frederick, Chair, Worthington, OH (1st term, 2023) Cheryl Cumings, Seattle, WA (1st term, 2023) Zelda Gebhard, Edgeley, ND (2nd term, 2024) Penny Reeder, Montgomery Village, MD (3rd term, 2024) Cachet Wells, Jacksonville, FL (1st term, 2024) *** ** Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums The ACB E-Forum may be accessed by email, on the ACB web site, via download from the web page (in Word, plain text, or braille-ready file), or by phone at (518) 906-1820. To subscribe to the email version, contact Sharon Lovering, slovering@acb.org. The ACB Braille Forum is available by mail in braille, large print, NLS-style digital cartridge, and via email. It is also available to read or download from ACB's web page, and by phone, (518) 906-1820. Subscribe to the podcast versions from your 2nd generation Victor Reader Stream or from https://pinecast.com/feed/acb-braille-forum-and-e-forum. ###