The ACB E-Forum Volume LX August 2021 No. 2 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, 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 Radio at www.acbradio.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 www.facebook.com/AmericanCounciloftheBlindOfficial. © 2021 American Council of the Blind Eric Bridges, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor 1703 N. Beauregard St., Suite 420, Alexandria, VA 22311 ***** Table of Contents President's Message: Please Be Kind to Each Other, by Dan Spoone Get Moving Together, by Donna Brown The World Turned Inside Out, by Sandra Sermons How Do the Blind Live in Bosnia and Herzegovina?, by Zeljko Bajic An Eye on the United States of America, by Gabriel Lopez Kafati India: One Country, Many Planets, by Pranav Lal Blindness in the United Arab Emirates, by Melissa Sprouse Erasmus+: A World of Opportunities, by Larisa Nechita Describing Diversity, by Joel Snyder Affiliate News Passings Here and There, edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins High Tech Swap Shop My Furry Lifesaver, by Linda Yacks ACB Officers ACB Board of Directors ACB Board of Publications Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums ** 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: Please Be Kind to Each Other by Dan Spoone If you are reading this message, congratulations, you survived the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a wonderful thing. It feels like we all gave out a big sigh of relief and a huge thanks for our blessings. Yet, the sense of euphoria has been short-lived. We are all feeling a loss of control with our daily lives. So much has changed! Transportation seems more difficult. There is a shortage of drivers, and surge pricing is now the norm. We’re not sure about giving up our masks, but we are tired of wearing the smelly things in the hot weather. We survived the pandemic, but I’ve already caught a stomach virus and my sister has her first cold in 18 months. People's jobs are gone and they're not coming back. We have more questions than answers. What will the new office environment of 2022 look like? Several friends of mine have already been told their jobs are now 100% remote. I went to my local bank in my shopping center last week and we were the only ones in the building. How much longer before this branch closes? I heard on CNBC that over 75% of all banking transactions are now being done online. This was only 25% 18 months ago, before the pandemic. Our local Tex-Mex restaurant is now doing 65% of their business through Uber Eats, DoorDash and takeout. Will they still need the same amount of eat-in space in the restaurant? We have all learned how to meet and socialize on Zoom. Will we now have second thoughts before we get on a plane for a two-hour flight each way for a four-hour meeting? We are evaluating our financial situation. Is the chase for that extra dollar worth the impact on the quality of life with your family? What is the right work/life balance? What is really important to each of us? This uncertainty is leading to anxiety, frustration and sometimes anger. We saw it on our recent flight home from Las Vegas. Everyone seemed on edge. We landed in Orlando at 12:30 a.m., just past midnight. There were six passengers needing assistance and only one agent to provide service. Leslie and I had chatted with Justin, the flight attendant, during the flight. He was based in Orlando, and this was the last leg of his trip. Everyone was getting upset after a long day of traveling, and the agent was struggling to deal with the situation. Justin, sensing the frustration level, offered to assist us to baggage claim. Of course, Leslie and I were very appreciative of his help. As we headed down to baggage claim, we asked him how things were going with Southwest Airlines. The flight was completely full, and people seemed restless. Justin said, "I've never seen anything like it over my 20 plus years working for Southwest." He is the flight crew lead and is very worried about the safety of his team. "I've had to remove three different passengers from the plane this month," he added. "Everyone is so angry. Southwest just decided to not serve any alcohol on their flights for at least the next 90 days until things calm down. What happened to kindness?" This conversation made me think back to an incident that happened to me in college. My buddies and I were attending a Saturday afternoon baseball game between Vanderbilt and the Florida Gators. It was a nice spring afternoon in Gainesville, Fla. We were doing what college students do at a baseball game. We were giving the Vanderbilt coach the business. We were ragging on his appearance, making fun of his uniform and the performance of his team. This went on for several innings. We were having lots of fun at his expense. There was a woman sitting in the row in front of us cheering on the Commodores. Her young daughter was sitting next to her and cheering alongside her mother. The young girl started to cry, and I noticed her mom trying to comfort her. The girl looked into her mom's eyes and asked the question I will remember for the rest of my life. "Mommy, why do those men behind us hate Daddy so much?" Wow, did I feel like a complete jerk! It was 45 years ago, and I still remember it like it was yesterday. Coaches are people, too. They have families that love them. This man was bringing his wife and daughter down to Florida for a nice spring vacation and his daughter was being traumatized in the bleachers by me and my friends. My words had hurt this innocent girl enjoying a spring afternoon with her family. Kindness! It's the least we can do for each other during these difficult times. Remember, our ACB staff, leaders and members are all trying to do their very best for this organization. They have families, children, parents and friends. We will not be perfect. We will make mistakes. We will try our best to improve the lives of our blind and low vision community. We have all been through a very difficult 18 months. We are all dealing with lots of change, and change is not easy. We are all very passionate about ACB and we all care very deeply. Please, let's all take a minute to remember to be kind. We have done an outstanding job growing ACB's stature. We have had two successful virtual conventions, established a social community, launched the ACB Media Network, created an active advisory board and developed a set of core values. We are embracing intentional objectives to improve diversity, equity and inclusion. We have established "Traction," an operating methodology to organize our work under nine key functional programs. You should be very proud of these accomplishments. Together, we can continue to make a difference in the lives of our members and friends. Thank you for all of your efforts. Please remember, there is a young daughter or granddaughter listening to our words. Let's teach her kindness. It is a lesson I will never forget. ***** Get Moving Together by Donna Brown Activity for the 2021 ACB Brenda Dillon Memorial Walk is moving along nicely. Many affiliates and committees have created teams. When it comes to fund-raising, some of those teams have taken our Walk theme, Get Moving Together, to heart by recruiting team members and seeking donations. The Florida Hurricanes are leading the fund-raising parade, but kudos to Minnesota Mosquitoes and Michigan Apple Blossoms. They are new teams, and they are gaining ground on the Hurricanes. The Kentucky E-racers, Missouri Mules, Next Gen All-Stars, and the Tennessee Mall Walkers running as a pack not too far behind. By the time you read this, the walk will have taken place. However, it is not too late to make a donation. Up to 50% of the money raised by Walk teams goes back to their affiliate or committee. So don’t delay. Go today to https://secure.qgiv.com/event/acbwalk2021/team/874084/ and make your donation. If you are uncomfortable with making your donation online, call the Minnesota office at (612) 332-3242. Our goal is to raise at least $95,000 for ACB and its affiliates. As of this writing, we have raised $28,300. So let's Get Moving Together. Help ACB raise much-needed funds, get some exercise, and be a part of ACB’s Get Up and Get Moving campaign. ***** The World Turned Inside Out by Sandra Sermons, Chair, International Relations Committee As a consummate world traveler, I am constantly comparing the differences in countries. It is those observations which serve as the impetus for this month's theme. For example, back in 1992, I was living in the Czech Republic. Here in the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act was in its infancy, and we were having difficulty getting drivers to announce the stops. Meanwhile, in a country that was considered by some to be backward because of its membership in the Eastern Bloc, every stop on the bus, tram, and Metro was announced. In addition, their bill denominations could easily be determined simply by using a piece of plastic costing less than 5 cents. Here in this country, we have certain protocols with respect to which items in a museum's exhibits may be touched. However, in Paris, I was able to touch almost everything. This included many items in Victor Hugo's house, including the inkwell of Alexander Dumas. I might add that this was done without gloves. My point is simply this: in developed nations, the prevailing myth is that people who are blind live in a utopia. After all, we have the equipment, the services … Yet the reality is that our unemployment rate is 70%, despite major legislation and a rehabilitation system which has spent billions of dollars. In developing countries, where there are limited resources, the indomitable spirit still lives. Not only that, people who are blind or have low vision have still found ways to not just exist but to live, thrive, and persevere. So, come with me on this journey. Please remember to bring an open mind with you, and tell me what you think. ***** How Do the Blind Live in Bosnia and Herzegovina? by Zeljko Bajic (Editor's Note: Zeljko Bajic is recognized as the first blind journalist of the former Yugoslavia. He is best known for his radio program which covers the life of the blind in Sarajevo. During his career, he has worked in Sarajevo, Belgrade, Moscow, and Skopje (North Macedonia) for various international media, including Voice of America, BBC, and Radio France International. Today, Zeljko is the host, writer, and producer of a radio show on foreign policy and is a regular commentator on the public RTV (Radio and Television) service of Bosnia and Herzegovina.) Before embarking on the topic of how blind people live in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we need to establish some important information about this relatively young country. Today, approximately 4 million people live in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The state, previously one of six republics of Yugoslavia, gained independence after the break-up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. The Bosnian war followed and lasted for three and a half years, ending with the Dayton Agreement in 1995. With this agreement, the state is now divided between two administrative entities: the Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. About 5,000 blind and partially sighted people live in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is data that the associations of the blind have collected; there are no official statistics. Organized education of the blind began after World War II in Yugoslavia, and special education was valued during the communist regime. At that time, there were three educational institutions: a primary school for blind and partially sighted children in Sarajevo, a school for adult education in the small town of Derventa, and a secondary school that educated workers in plastic, metals and textiles production. At the end of that period, the education of the blind in the IT sector began, mostly as computer operators. During the 1992-1995 war, schools were either completely or partially destroyed. Soon after the war, they were renovated thanks to international donations and received their first students as early as 1996 and 1997. High school students in Sarajevo were educated as phone operators and, somewhat later, as physiotherapists. In the last 20 years, work has gradually begun on the reintroduction of inclusive education. However, progress for special and inclusive education has slowed and, to some degree, even halted. In regular schools, teachers are not educated to work with blind and partially sighted children. There are no assistants; everything is mostly left to the resourcefulness and perseverance of the parents. The school for the blind in Derventa has been turned into a school for the education of children with various disabilities. Though most of the students are blind, this school is no longer specialized. Over the last decade, there have been significant changes to special education in Bosnia, and the future remains uncertain. In their early iterations, schools for the blind were adamant about teaching braille, even to partially sighted students who found enlarged text more useful; it remained an important tool for all. But since the start of the computer era, many teachers are not teaching blind students to read braille. While it is true that today, more textbooks and other literature found in schools are printed in braille, the percentage of students who actually read braille is much lower. Computer training was introduced in schools almost 20 years ago. Initially, illegally acquired software was used; fortunately, in recent years, with the help of donations, they began to use legal programs and apps. Inclusive education is mainly attended by children whose families have the ability to provide them with the necessary support. Unfortunately, there are many blind children living in remote and underdeveloped areas, and their families do not have access to the same opportunities. These children have no alternative but to attend special schools, usually far from home. During the communist era, importance was placed on employing the blind. Legislation at the time prioritized employment for blind people in certain disciplines and positions. Now, those jobs that were held by blind people half a century ago no longer exist. The role of a telephone operator has long been replaced by technology. The school system has a harder time supporting blind students' employment transitions, as few positions remain prioritized for the blind. Blind children today are mostly trained as physiotherapists, the easiest profession in which to find a job. Some schools still offer education targeted at other occupations, as well as continuing to train some telephone operators. However, these students will have great difficulty finding employment in today's job market. In the Republika Srpska and the Federation, laws have been passed that oblige employers to employ one person with a disability for every 16 employees, and they have to set aside money for this program. Unfortunately, an increasingly noticeable practice sees employers using this funding to formally employ a person with a disability while only offering a modest salary for less than meaningful work in order to take advantage of a tax exemption. This is a fate all too common for many young blind people. In this unusual circumstance, many of them are quite satisfied with such a status quo. Also, since blind people receive disability assistance from the government, there is even less incentive to find meaningful or productive work. Most blind people who have pursued higher education will work in institutions for the blind as teachers, psychologists, and social workers. Some highly educated people work in the NGO sector, and several people work in the media as journalists. Bosnia and Herzegovina has a high unemployment rate. In general, due to the absence of jobs, citizens go abroad to find work. This is especially true for highly educated people. Unfortunately, blind people, regardless of their education, do not have such opportunities. Individuals still often use illegally acquired software, screen readers, and other applications. Associations of the blind occasionally provide computers and other small aids to their members through donations, but this issue has not been resolved at the level of healthcare funds, pension insurance, or in a way similar to developed European countries. Government agencies, schools for the blind, associations, and the non-governmental sector -- no one currently has a strategy for how to provide new employment opportunities for the blind. The most commonly used argument is that modern technology has made it impossible for blind people to work in many occupations. However, it seems they lack the imagination to consider how modern technology may be a chance to create new possibilities. There are two libraries for the blind in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Audio book formats are popular among their users; today, they are mostly on CD. There are far fewer braille books. Priority is given to textbooks for students and pupils. Fiction is rarely printed in braille. Only recently has work been done to popularize braille. Braille magazines have not been published for many years. But in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro (countries that were once part of Yugoslavia), similar languages are spoken, so library users and magazine readers can use publications from those neighboring countries. The Library for the Blind in Sarajevo is still formally registered as a public library in regards to the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, no one officially finances it or implements its activities, despite various international donations and projects. Digital literature produced in various formats is much more popular among book readers. Libraries have not yet become involved in the production of such books. Orientation and mobility instructors work in the school for the blind in Sarajevo and in some local associations of the blind. But there are few cities in the country where the blind can move independently due to a large number of physical barriers on the streets and sidewalks, such as parked vehicles, inaccessibility of public buildings, etc. Bosnia and Herzegovina has a very strong guide dog law. However, it is much less popular to have a guide dog in Bosnia and Herzegovina. People in the blind community believe the reason has to do with the inaccessible environment. Many restaurants, retail chains, hotels, and other public places refuse entry to blind people and their dogs. Modern mobile phones provide great opportunities to use assisted navigation, and many cities in the country have made appropriate maps. But since the environment is inaccessible, these maps are of little benefit. In the last year or two, the Dot-walker application has become increasingly popular. Recently, an online presentation was organized in which the author of Dot-walker, Libor Dousek, also participated. Public transportation operates in a dozen cities in the country, but no transit company has an organized station announcement system. In the past, the state subsidized the price of tickets for bus and rail riders. In the last 25 years, many transit companies have been privatized and have not been interested in reducing the fares for blind passengers and people who assist them. Blind people are not entitled to any privilege in taxi transport. In recent years, taxis have been relatively expensive, so fewer blind passengers use them. Uber and other rideshare services do not exist here. Bosnia and Herzegovina has its own currency, the convertible mark (KM). Some series were initially announced as banknotes that are accessible to blind users due to their embossed markings. In practice, no blind person can recognize a banknote without comparing it to the size of another. Cell phones do not have local currency recognition software. Blind people can participate in the election process with the support of an assistant. The election law stipulates that an assistant of his or her choice can help a blind person. There are no braille election materials or custom ballots. Electronic voting is a possibility that is being examined. Sports that are popular among the blind include goalball, bowling, swimming, and athletics. The golden years for blind Bosnian athletes passed 35-40 years ago, when the country's blind athletes won medals at the Paralympic Games, World, and European championships. Some goal scorers were then members of the Yugoslav national team, which was a world champion in goalball several times. There used to be a chess club in the Association of the Blind Sarajevo. One member of that club was a world blind chess champion. He no longer lives in Sarajevo. Chess is not as popular among the younger generations as it used to be. In addition to sports, the blind spend their free time with the computer, reading books, listening to the radio and television. So far, only a few films with audio description have been prepared. Experimentally, in Sarajevo, one theater was equipped with audio-description equipment, and several theater plays were produced with it through international projects. Unfortunately, the reception from the blind was not great. The blind in Bosnia and Herzegovina live much harder lives than their counterparts in many developed European countries. The problems are that insufficient work has been done on removing physical barriers, and the issue of personal assistance has not been resolved. Many blind people spend most of their time in their own homes. ***** An Eye on the United States of America by Gabriel Lopez Kafati For any child born in my native Honduras, it was perfectly normal to grow up looking up at the United States of America. The U.S. has always been the role model of a nation. That was not the exception for me. Ever since I started studying U.S. civics as a child, I developed a strong admiration and respect for the legal foundation of this country. I compared the political reality of Honduras to that of the United States. I became fascinated with the history of the American nation and with its principles of liberty and justice for all. At the beginning of my life, the U.S. meant fun and excitement; wonderful vacations; burgers and fries; shopping for cool stuff. Little did I know that this country would become so much more. As one of our summer vacations turned into the trip in which I was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, I knew things were about to change. For one, it was not mandatory for me to play sports at school -- not necessarily a bad thing for me. However, as my vision loss progressed, I was faced with new challenges at school. Even though I was blessed to attend a private American school, teachers and staff did not know what to do to help me. I started creating study groups in which my classmates would read while I memorized. I also arranged for my teachers to read tests and quizzes for me. As I navigated a higher education environment that did not offer the support I needed as a visually impaired student, I had to be innovative and resourceful to develop and secure my own auxiliary aids to guarantee the successful completion of my corporate law degree. I had to develop my own accommodations with the unconditional help of my parents. My mom and dad would take turns recording all my codes, books, and handouts with the use of a portable tape recorder. Establishing my permanent residency in Florida brought forth monumental changes. I decided that I would venture into the business world, and eventually pursued a master's degree in business administration (MBA). It was so easy for me to become aware of the differences that existed between my native land and this nation. Here, the system allowed for me as a blind individual to fulfill my personal and professional goals. I also learned that this hadn't always been the case; I understood that much advocacy and lobbying had to be done by many in order to achieve such opportunities. While I was making so many strides through my affiliation with the American Council of the Blind, there were still many cultural challenges to address. I had to assist my family in coming to terms with my vision loss. Back in Honduras, blindness was still viewed as some sort of punishment. My parents feared that I would dare use my white cane during my visits back home. The idea of a guide dog terrified them, as they knew that a dog cannot be folded and put out of sight. That was, until they met Posh. My smart and beautiful girl stole everyone's heart with the first lick or shake of her paw. Today, as my family and community back in Honduras learn about my accomplishments here in the United States, they share my story with pride. This country gave me the tools I needed to face life with courage and authenticity. Here, I have fought for and found unique opportunities, like being gainfully employed assisting students with disabilities, and being an active player in advocacy through ACB and its affiliates. Most importantly, I have been able to find myself and stand tall as a blind gay man and a proud naturalized citizen of this great nation. Every day, I am fascinated by knowing that now, I can also enjoy and work for those principles of liberty and justice for all. I will conclude by stating that I was not wrong when I resolved to keep "an eye" on the United States of America. ***** India: One Country, Many Planets by Pranav Lal (Editor's Note: Pranav Lal is a technology enthusiast and author. He works in cybersecurity for a living. He enjoys traveling and uses a sensory substitution program called the vOICe running on video glasses for enhanced environmental awareness and for framing scenes and taking photographs. He writes short books which are sort of urban fantasy crime thrillers. You can see his technology and photography blog at https://techesoterica.com. His writing is at https://praanavwrites.com.) India is incredibly diverse. It started as an agglomeration of kingdoms that were first united in 321 BC by Chandragupta Maurya. Modern India has 29 states and 7 union territories. The Indian constitution is the longest in the world. India has a federal form of government with a strong center. There are a myriad of state and central laws. All of this translates into a complex legislative landscape which has a direct impact on disabilities. India has schools dedicated to the blind as well as for other disabilities. There are a few schools that handle students with multiple disabilities. The bulk of blind schools are in the cities. Many of the schools are run by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The more progressive ones, especially in the cities, have moved to mainstreaming. There are, however, plenty of residential schools. Besides regular education, most blind schools teach blindness skills; many of them also teach independent living skills. There are a few government-supported schools. Most NGOs are funded by donations. A lot of the blind schools are residential. Many children come from distant villages, and it is not possible for them to return home each night. Moreover, given the skills gap between them and other students, residential programs have been found to work the best. As for the aforementioned NGOs, there are many blindness organizations in India. Some examples are National Association for the Blind, The Blind Relief Association, The Saksham Trust, Mitra Jyoti and the All India Confederation of the Blind. There are plenty more. However, most of them do not have large endowments, and funds are a constant challenge. Most rely upon corporate donations. Many of them do the same work but focus on their geographies. There are many braille presses in India, and a lot of textbooks are now available in braille. There is a significant degree of diversity of the school syllabus that is followed across states; therefore, several textbooks need to be produced at the beginning of each school year. The stress these days is on making full-text, full-audio DAISY books. A national library service was launched on August 26, 2016. It lets members borrow books from any library across India. India does have Bookshare access, but it is incomplete due to the lack of access to books published in the USA despite there being equivalent legislation to the Chafee amendment. India has access to audio books from Audible, but many titles are not available due to publishers’ restrictions. Mobility is taught at an early age. India is a cane-only country. Guide dogs do not work due to economic, cultural and infrastructure factors. India’s roads are complex. Curbs and sidewalks are few and far between, and traffic is not uniform. The road has auto rickshaws, cars, buses, bicycles, stray dogs, the occasional cow and a variety of hand carts and motorbikes. There are several startups and student projects working on assistive devices to solve the navigation challenge. Mobility skills are taught by NGOs and at schools for the blind. In many cases, trainers visit the student and work with them to handle frequently traveled routes. A lot of blind people use GPS on their mobile phones. The mobile phone has emerged as the primary gateway through which blind people access information. Many of them use more than one phone. For example, those who cannot afford smartphones use feature phones with different capabilities, e.g., a person would use one phone for listening to DAISY books, one phone to hear the time and the final phone for calling. Android is the most popular operating system. Transportation is a challenge. In the cities, there are regular taxis as well as services such as Uber. The Indian railways have taken some steps to make trains accessible, such as braille labeling coaches, but these have not been fully deployed. There are tactile tiles on platforms to indicate a change in surface. As for sports, there is blind cricket and a few other games that are taught at schools for the blind. Some sports, such as blind cricket, are funded. There is a growing interest in adventure sports and in travel, where companies serving the disabled have sprung up to meet this demand. It is possible to go rafting, trekking, zip lining, etc. Education is a core element of Indian middle-class psyche. The number of educated blind people is on the rise. It has become easier to get books in accessible formats in higher education, though much needs to be done, especially in STEM subjects. Getting textbooks with accessible diagrams is a work in progress. A few universities have accessibility departments that help students get material in accessible format. Getting lecture notes in accessible format remains a challenge because many teachers still use the blackboard. Another problem in education is the use of scribes. Many competitive exams that an applicant must take to enter university still have this requirement. There have been written guidelines issued by the courts which have allowed blind applicants to take exams independently by using a computer. The job market is growing. There are blind programmers, teachers, lawyers, entrepreneurs, bankers, etc. There are plenty of challenges, though, not only in terms of getting jobs but also once they are employed. For example, a blind person may be employed in a bank as a manager, but the bank will not give him any work. There is affirmative action when it comes to government jobs. Some blind people have been successful in bridging the government and private sectors. One example of this is the UID scheme, a national identity card scheme launched some years ago. The process of getting the card was accessible. Talking about accessibility, there are jobs in that area, both for serving international customers and in auditing government websites. Some private sector concerns have begun to recognize its value, though there is a lack of awareness among developers. Most private sector initiatives are funded via the corporate social responsibility route. India has emerged as an innovation hub for braille displays. Orbit Research, the producer of the Orbit Reader and the Graphiti display, is based in the state of Gujarat. Innovision, the producer of the Braille Me display, is located in Mumbai, while IIT Delhi, the producer of the Dot book display and notetaker, is situated in Delhi. Many of these products are being sold internationally. Most television programs in India are not audio-described. There are a handful of movies that have been audio-described, but these are done on an ad hoc basis. There is a growing need to build awareness in the film industry of audio description. There are unique challenges with Indian cinema. Many movies contain songs. These are not musicals, but there is plenty of action taking place within the song, and the story is moving forward. No one is quite sure about how to audio describe such a video. Many of you may be wondering about the blind experience with COVID-19. There were fears that blind people relying on touch would be ostracized. There have been no public reports of that. However, the rest of the story is not so good. As I write this in May 2021, India is experiencing its second wave; case numbers are climbing. Cases have risen because a majority of people do not engage in COVID-appropriate behavior. You will see people wearing masks in the cities but in rural India, anti-COVID measures are virtually a joke. The belief is that COVID is a “rich man’s disease.” I have been out several times, and the hardest part for me as a blind person is to maintain social distance, because few other people maintain it. Doctors and hospital staff are overstretched, and there is plenty of misinformation out there. Despite what media reports may show, the apocalypse is not here by a long shot. Families and other people have come together, and there are plenty of volunteers who have pitched in to help. In addition, some e-commerce companies have put accessible processes in place to aid delivery of food and other essentials. Paying for those essentials is another matter. Most retailers have their own apps with varying levels of accessibility, and most of these companies do not have a phone number to call. Blind people need to use social media and sometimes e-mail to report accessibility challenges. A few companies have well-trained staff who do help, but you can count them on the fingers of one hand. You may well wonder, "What happened to good old cash?" If you buy from retail traders, cash is the preferred mode of payment. Using cash is not easy. India's currency is the rupee. There are, however, two series of bank notes in circulation. As of April 26, 2019, current circulating banknotes are in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 from the Mahatma Gandhi Series and in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 2,000 from the Mahatma Gandhi New Series. The old series notes are relatively easy to recognize by their differing sizes. This is not the case for the new series notes. The current solution is to provide a mobile phone app to handle currency recognition. The app works, but you have the challenge of coordinating your cane, a laptop and a mobile phone. The situation is sort of settled, but COVID and the consequent lockdowns have slowed down the pace of development. Life in India is a grand adventure irrespective of abilities. Blindness adds spice to it. There is no Social Security, no formalized reader services, but strong human networks exist along with locally developed technology, such as the smart cane that warns you of approaching obstacles before they collide with you. Finally, watch out for that GPS-toting Indian tourist with his shiny new COVID passport at an airport near you. ***** Blindness in the United Arab Emirates by Melissa Sprouse Melissa Sprouse is not my real name. I chose it a few years ago in order to make a fresh start in life. I chose the name Melissa because my real name, whenever someone uses it, brings forth unpleasant memories of yelling teachers at school, of a lonely girl who no one would talk to because of her disability, and a society that believed that because I’m blind I can’t do anything and should never be let out of sight. Going by a new name is my first step toward independence. I am from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). For those who might not know, the United Arab Emirates is a country in the Middle East. I was born and raised in the UAE. According to my family, I was born and spent some of my earliest years in Dubai. I don't remember that at all. What I do remember is growing up in Abu Dhabi. It was all right, I guess. I just remember being bored. My parents worked long hours, and my older sister went to school. Because my parents worked, they hired different kinds of nannies for us, mainly to look after me and make sure I didn’t get hurt and to give me whatever I wanted. I remember there being many nannies in my life. Although some of my life did consist of school, the majority of it was at home with different nannies and doing whatever I could to pass the time. I had no idea there was such a thing as audio description, but luckily there were some cartoons I could understood without seeing them, like Dora the Explorer and High Five. I would watch cartoons and eat snacks. Then when my mom came home from work, she would sometimes play board games with me or read me stories, which I absolutely adored. Time passed like this for about a decade or so, then we moved to Dubai in hopes of finding something more for me in life. It still hasn't come to fruition, but at least I've got a computer, a screen reader, and the Internet to connect with the world beyond. The UAE isn't like America. There are no schools for the blind, resource teachers who know how to work with a blind person, or other accessibility options. This means there wasn’t anyone to teach me how to use a screen reader. It's kind of funny how I taught myself to start navigating websites and use JAWS, because at the time I wasn’t interested in trying out new things. We'd been living in Dubai for a year or so, and I had moved from watching TV all day and eating snacks to listening to the radio and stories and shows my mother found for me on YouTube. I'd also been going to a school at the time, and it was at that school where a teacher, who happened to know about the JAWS screen reader, suggested to my parents that if they bought a laptop for me, the school could install a screen reader for me to use. So, at the time I got introduced to a screen reader I wasn't really interested in trying it out. I had been content listening to shows and stories on YouTube and the radio, and thought that was all I needed. The adults in my life didn't particularly encourage me to start using it, either. The teachers in my school just told my parents about it and installed it on my computer. I don't think they actually knew how to use it, or perhaps they didn't have time to teach me. I didn’t start using JAWS until several months after I'd gotten it. I can’t quite recall what finally made me start using JAWS. When I first got the screen reader, I treated it as if it wasn't even there. I still asked my mom to find stories on YouTube, and there was a show I'd been watching at the time. I would turn JAWS on for less than five minutes, trying to figure it out, getting familiar with its voice and typing out a few letters then turning it off and ignoring it once again. I don't know what made me go on the Internet, how I did it or when (I'm pretty sure my mom had something to do with that), but what I do remember is when I finally realized that using a computer with a screen reader really wasn't that hard. I only had to press one button (the down arrow key) and new information would be presented to me. I was so surprised by the simplicity of it that I suddenly stopped pretending that JAWS didn’t exist and began spending a lot more time with it. I'd always been attracted to fairy tales and stories with simple narration, and I’d quickly found websites full of them. Spelling words and navigating the web was still beyond my capabilities, so I'd ask my mom or one of my teachers if they could find websites where I could read stories (which they had no problem doing), and I’d take it from there. I think my mom told me pressing the enter key on something would take me to the page I wanted and ALT-F4 would get rid of it, but learning the rest of the keys on the keyboard was a total accident. I really hadn't intended to learn them or particularly cared about what they were used for. Somewhere while reading about all sorts of wonderful, magical fairy tales and other short stories, I'd somehow also learned how to navigate the web. I think my memory would be clearer about this had I learned using the Internet from someone else, but thinking about it now, all I can recall is just how many stories I was able to discover and how wonderful they were. Typing is still a work in progress. I'm far better at it than I was when I first started getting on the Internet, but I've still got a ways to go. For instance, I don't type in the conventional way (the way where you place four fingers of your right and left hand on the home row keys, with your thumbs on the spacebar) because there wasn't anyone to tell me that's how you do it. I also taught myself to type haltingly (because I had to continue finding more and more stories to read), and as a result my fingers are all over the place when I type. I'm not particularly bothered about that because I wasn’t a fan of it in the first place. I was far more enchanted by my screen reader reading to me. You'd think my interest in typing would grow if I'd been using a computer long enough, but it did improve over the seven or so years since I earnestly started using a computer. Two things helped with that: socializing and school (in that order). Using punctuation in a way others would understand and putting words in the correct order to make a sentence came from my love of reading, while spelling words was mainly learned from asking others and Google. School was pretty good for the first couple years. I went to one where they taught me how to read and write in braille, and I also remember doing basic math and science. There was also PE, art, and music, all of which were blind-friendly. There were also plenty of field trips throughout the year, which I enjoyed immensely. However, all those things stopped after second grade, where my parents were informed that the school was closing down, and then my education was all over the place. I spent the majority of my childhood at home passing the time as best I could while being intermittently bounced from one school to another, so as a result my days in school would see me sitting in class just listening to the teacher and not doing much else. How could I participate and learn when everything was visual? No one knew what to do with me or how to teach me, so I was just left to sit somewhere while my peers gained knowledge, made friends and had fun. I wasn't bullied for my disability, however. Things continued in that fashion until 2019, where I had been enrolled in yet another school and failed to assimilate with my peers, unable to understand the visual ways in which most subjects were being taught. I had had enough. I dropped out after completing my first semester of junior year and was on the hunt for an online school. Yet another year passed at home while I tried to convince my parents to give this kind of education a chance. They were reluctant because they'd never heard of it. But they also hated seeing me so unhappy, so they kept me at home while they deliberated. Last year, my father found a school that was not only fully virtual, but they also took me in senior year, so I only had to attend classes for about seven months, then I would finally be done with high school forever! I am incredibly glad to note that I will be receiving my diploma in July. I do have plans of going to college, but before I do that, I need to learn how to become an independent adult, live my own life and make my own decisions, because where I'm at right now really wouldn't help me in college without another adult who would be responsible for looking after me and holding my hand like my parents have been doing all these years. I don't want that anymore. So I will be looking into some training centers outside of Dubai, because so many negative things have happened to me here. It's high time I left all these unpleasant memories behind to find a more positive future. It's the only way I can move on and finally be happy. ***** Erasmus+: A World of Opportunities by Larisa Nechita Reprinted from "The Ohio Connection," Summer 2020. I was always a huge fan of the Erasmus+ program, first as a student and then as a youth worker, because it opens new learning and traveling opportunities. This program creates a multicultural environment that encourages interaction and communication. Basically, youngsters take part in exchanges in order to continue their studies in foreign learning institutions or to enhance their soft skills through non-formal education. As a student, I had the chance to study one year in Italy at Università di Bologna, where I learned Italian, and then moved on to Université Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium to improve my French competency. I gained so many skills from this program in my two years of studying languages abroad that I didn’t want my Erasmus experiences to end. I decided to take part in short-term youth exchanges that last around a week, with the emphasis on non-formal methods used for tackling current global issues. Some of my Erasmus traveling included Poland, Montenegro, and Spain. I was impressed that in such a short time we were able to boost our soft skills like creativity, adaptability, teamwork, leadership, and interpersonal skills. A bookworm myself, I discovered that we can learn while having fun and that, for a successful career, we need the right combination of soft and hard skills. It is true that non-formal education is not fully integrated in the academic curriculum, but I think that it can provide excellent long-term results if combined with the right formal learning methods. After noticing the strengths of this program as a participant, I became a youth worker, presenting workshops about disability or creating language and assistive technology courses for the visually impaired community. I recently started a fruitful collaboration with IPV Constanta, a non-governmental organization that believes in the same values as I do. I manage writing projects and create high quality content for the youth. All our actions have as key points intercultural understanding, constant involvement and volunteering, characteristics that guide us in our work. Our opinion is that education represents a turning point in young people's lives. Poverty or other social issues must not be an obstacle to education, so we support physical and emotional health through activities that encourage social inclusion, personal care, and self-esteem. We pay special attention to people with disabilities because the invaluable resources they contribute have not been appreciated in Romania. In 2017, IPV Constanta opened the first Romanian beach accessible to people with disabilities, and the project won two national awards. Each one of us can improve our communities through personal initiatives and volunteering. Our adventure started when Unigrowth Development, an experienced Armenian NGO, was looking for a Romanian partner in order to create a two-part youth exchange with the aim to make the target group more employable. The project, titled "Employable," got me approved and financed by the European Commission. For the first time I would see the Erasmus+ program from a trainer’s perspective. Together with my close friend Anda, who is the legal representative of IPV Constanta, we selected eight participants and were ready to go to Dilijan, a splendid mountain region of Armenia. Another member in our group was of course Tina, my guide dog, who is always ready for exciting trips -- but was Armenia ready for her? Our first destination was Yerevan, the Armenian capital, where we spent a day before meeting our partners. The city was getting ready for Christmas, and the decorations created a festive atmosphere. We visited the city center, a few tourist spots, and stopped at a nice café. Of course, nobody wanted a service dog in a church, museum, or café, so I had to negotiate my rights over and over. It had become a custom, so it was not as exhausting as it used to be. The notion of a service dog was foreign to almost everyone that I met, but communication is key, and we made it through. Knowing the situation in Romania and Eastern Europe in general, I could somehow work out what awaited us. We left for Dilijan, where we met the Armenian team. For a week we lived in a cottage as a family consisting of 16 young people from both countries and four facilitators. Being such a small group, we got close. This is the advantage of small projects; people get connected at a deeper level. It was no surprise that everybody fell in love with Tina at first sight. I told them about our adventures in Yerevan and we agreed that the lack of information may make people skeptical when it comes to service animals. The working sessions started, and our young participants were ready to find out how to become more employable. As facilitators, we had the responsibility to keep their motivation high and not let them get bored. We started by analyzing the current situation of the work market in both countries, moving on to describe the importance of soft skills. Every activity focused on teamwork, problem-solving skills, and flexible thinking. Everybody was encouraged to leave their comfort zone and to get involved in debates and role playing. In fact, the participants were the real stars of the project, because we only had to guide them in their work, leaving them the space and time to reflect about what they learned. Days were dedicated to work and nights to fun. We danced in a few neighboring pubs where Tina was the center of attention. She was lying down next to a chair, watching the dance floor, and everybody was calling her “shunik,” the Armenian word for puppy. When we were not dancing, we were walking down Dilijan's snow-filled streets. Two evenings were planned by the participants from both countries. From Romania, we brought stories about Dracula and of course traditional food and drinks. The Armenians introduced us to their culture, and I found out so many new things. Did you know that chess is taught in schools from a young age? Maybe that's why there are so many Armenian champions. If I had known that, I would have brought my accessible chess board. Other sports where Armenian talent is recognized are wrestling and weightlifting. Another interesting fact is that there are more Armenians living abroad than in the country -- over 5 million abroad versus 3 million inhabitants. My favorite part of the evening was tasting staples of Armenian cuisine. Lavash is their traditional bread, but nothing compares with Ararat, Armenian cognac, which is the pride of the country. Winston Churchill simply adored it; I think he had great taste! Tina enjoyed playing in the snow and taking a break from work during our trainings. Every morning I would take her outside, and the staff from the cottage were scared at first, saying that I shouldn't go out by myself and that someone from the group should help me. How dare they leave me alone! Watching carefully, they saw how Tina guided me and were left speechless. The last day was scheduled in Yerevan, and this time I made sure that I was better prepared for refusals. My friends taught me the Armenian words for "This is an assistance dog." We stopped at the same café and nearby shop as the first day and the staff there knew that Tina was allowed to enter. People are understanding if they are informed. Their first reaction is not surprising since they rarely see visually impaired people on the streets with a cane or a dog. Everybody appreciated my well-studied Armenian vocabulary. I would advise all travelers to learn a few words in the local language because a basic vocabulary can get you out of lots of trouble. Wandering around to buy souvenirs, there was no way we could enter a shopping area, the major cause being Tina. We had no choice but to talk to the manager. He didn't want to hear any explanation, in spite of my charming Armenian pronunciation. Finally, we reached a compromise. We can enter if we promise that the dog won't bite or bark. He was watching us closely, worried about Tina scaring the clients. After an hour, though, he told us that we can stay longer if we like. Armenia is worth visiting because the people are easygoing, the food and drinks are excellent, and wherever you go, there is an amazing story about the past. We are looking forward to welcoming the Armenian participants to Romania, where the second part of the project will take place, this time by the sea. In this part, they will learn how to prepare a good CV and cover letter for their future job. All their work and efforts will be finally recognized by Youthpass, a European certificate which becomes more and more appreciated by employers. I am sure that this won't be my last Erasmus experience as a trainer. I am already working on new ideas and projects to inform people about the rights and needs of the visually impaired community. The Armenian participants have told me that it was their first time interacting with a disabled person and that I am a real inspiration. I am so glad that they appreciated my work! I have many friends who participated in Erasmus projects dealing with physical or intellectual limitations, but there were no participants with disabilities. Through my future projects, I want to encourage young disabled people to travel more and get involved in youth exchanges in order to make themselves seen. We as a community are responsible for the way in which others perceive us. We can't complain that we are rejected if we don't try to be included. We can't complain that our needs are not taken into consideration if we don't promote them. And we certainly can't complain that we have no friends if we don't have the courage to leave our comfort zone. ***** Describing Diversity by Joel Snyder, PhD, Director, ADP I read with great interest the report Describing Diversity published by VocalEyes in the United Kingdom, a highly regarded group dedicated to developing, sustaining and promoting audio description of the arts (VocalEyes is the winner of the Audio Description Project’s 2020 International Achievement Award). Describing Diversity is an exploration of the description of human characteristics and appearance within the practice of theatre audio description. In partnership with Royal Holloway, University of London, the report suggests the need for a process of exploration of when and how we should describe the personal characteristics of the diverse range of characters that appear on stage, and in particular, the visible, physical markers of race, gender, impairment/disability, age and body shape. A press release regarding the report notes that "The research involved the whole community involved in audio description: blind and visually impaired users of the service, actors, other theatre professionals, and audio describers working around the UK and the world, through an online survey (June to August 2019), in-depth interviews (January to March 2020) and collaborative workshops (April 2020)." It goes on: "In 2020 theatres and other cultural organizations have faced challenges beyond what anyone could have imagined just a year ago. With the coronavirus pandemic and resulting lockdown, theatres closed their doors, and now face more permanent closure or re-opening in a very changed world. Meanwhile, the world has also been shaken by the death of George Floyd and the global response of the Black Lives Matter movement and increasing calls for the decolonization of institutions and long overdue changes to society. How theatres, museums and other organizations and their leaders respond will shape their future and that of the whole arts and cultural sectors. "The project was in part the result of an acknowledgement that VocalEyes describers do not reflect the wider society, as they are predominantly, though not exclusively, White, non-disabled and cis-gendered, and often much older than the actors on stage." Quite appropriately the report calls for "increased understanding and dialogue between the dynamic industries of theatre and audio description. It is only through working together that we can strive to create the equitable and inclusive audio descriptions that both audiences and theatres deserve, and that audio describers wish to deliver. … The crux of the project is how diversity characteristics are ‘translated’ by audio describers -- and the ever-present issue of how describers themselves determine the relevance of visual data on behalf of the blind and visually impaired audience." The report's findings are summarized most cogently in a quote included in the report by Tehmina Goskar, Director of the Curatorial Research Centre: "We all build our perceptions of difference and otherness inside our minds. So how do we verbalize regularly unverbalized diversity in a very public domain? I believe that the Describing Diversity report is seminal. It has a huge relevance for people beyond theatre and audio description. We are at a stage where seeing, describing and being confident to recognize the spectra of race, disability, age and gender in all of our intersections is an essential part of dismantling the narrow and now very tired default of cis, White non-disabled supremacy." In the context of this report, permit me to offer my own thoughts, first by way of a perspective on how audio description (AD) consumer consultants can most effectively contribute to the development of AD technique. The involvement of AD consumers in the development of audio description programs is always of significant benefit. I maintain, however, that the most valuable contributions come from consumers who have a solid understanding of how audio description is most meaningfully offered. For instance, consider how a consumer with minimal awareness of the fundamentals of audio description might respond to the open-ended query: "What would you like to have described?" Often the response will be: "Everything!" But experienced AD consumers and practitioners know that the best description involves making choices that help communicate key visual elements. As I often state in AD training sessions: "Sometimes, description is about what NOT to describe." In the same way, if an AD consumer is asked a narrowly focused question about whether he/she would like to know the race of an individual or character being described, the response, invariably, will be "Of course!" But why should race necessarily be given priority over other visual aspects that may have greater pertinence to the image/film/play/exhibit being described? We can't "see" race. Is a man with dark complexion and nappy hair an "African-American"? How can we possibly know that man's heritage? (I spent a full month training describers in South Africa. During one session, a White gentleman, native to South Africa, asked if he became a naturalized American citizen, wouldn't he be "African-American?") And, of course, if we denote the race of individuals/characters who are Black or Asian or Hispanic, are we not obligated to say "White" in characterizing every individual who presents as a White person? To not do so could seem inherently racist. AD exists 1) in service to AD consumers, and 2) in service to the work being described. Our choices of what to describe and how we describe should be based on our awareness of blindness/low vision, the needs of AD consumers, and our understanding of the work being described. Thus we describe in ways that support the content -- in the film "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?," we would be doing a disservice to our listeners and to the film itself by not choosing to describe Sidney Poitier as a Black man and Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy and Katharine Houghton as White. As to the describers themselves, my belief is that the best audio describers -- regardless of race, disability status, age, or sense of personal identity and gender -- bring an awareness of the importance of objectivity in describing "what we see." They strive to avoid their own inherently subjective viewpoints, i.e., as the diarist Anais Nin wrote: "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." But my point is simply that there is no reason why an African-American describer cannot credibly describe a play that is focused on "White" issues … and vice versa. The "Describing Diversity" full report is available at https://vocaleyes.co.uk/?request_file=14091. ***** Affiliate News ** Ohio and Indiana to Hold Joint Convention ACB of Ohio and ACB of Indiana will hold a joint convention Oct. 29-31 at the Crowne Plaza Columbus North-Worthington. Plans include breakout sessions on technology, health, and more. (Health does not include anything about the pandemic because we've heard enough about that.) There will be exhibitors, an auction, and all the usual activities. Friday afternoon features a hospitality room where we can meet and talk. Save time Saturday for the auction -- we already have lots of fantastic items. Room rates are $104 per night, plus tax. For more information, visit www.acbohio.org or call 1-800-835-2226. ***** Passings We honor here members, friends and supporters of the American Council of the Blind who have impacted our lives in many wonderful ways. If you would like to submit a notice for this column, please include as much of the following information as possible. Name (first, last, maiden if appropriate) City of residence (upon passing) State/province of residence (upon passing) Other cities/states/countries of residence (places where other blind people may have known this person) Occupation Date of death (day if known, month, year) Age ACB affiliation (local/state/special-interest affiliates or national committees) Deaths that occurred more than six months ago cannot be reported in this column. ** John Joseph Jarzyna John J. Jarzyna passed away on June 6, 2021 at the age of 64. John will be lovingly remembered by his sister Kay (Tom) Benesh, brother Joe Jarzyna, brother-in-law Bruce Jurewicz and his nieces and nephews Kristin Jurewicz, Kim Balk, Joe Benesh, David Benesh, Theresa Benesh, Dan Jarzyna and Jack Jarzyna as well as his great nieces and nephews. He especially loved being an uncle and will be missed by his many friends. He was predeceased by his parents, John and Carolyn Jarzyna, and his sister, Mary Jurewicz. John graduated from Western Michigan University in 1979 and went on to obtain his JD from Wayne State University. He practiced law until his death in his hometown of Ray, Mich. He had a passion for helping others in need. John was a 4th degree member of the Knights of Columbus and an active member with the Michigan Council of the Blind. He held leadership positions in both organizations. A Mass of the Resurrection was held at St. Isidore Catholic Church, 18201 23 Mile Rd. (at Romeo Plank). Memorial donations may be made to the St. Isidore Knights of Columbus and Michigan Council of Blind and Visually Impaired. To sign the guestbook, visit https://guestbook.wujekcalcaterra.com/m/obituaries/John-Jarzyna/Memories. ***** 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 E-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. ** 2021 Touch of Genius Prize Winner This year's winner of the Louis Braille Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation is Songpakorn Punong-ong, an electronic engineer from Phetchaburi, Thailand, who created the ReadRing. The ReadRing is an affordable compact device, the same size as a computer mouse. It has an opening where you put your reading finger, and there is a rotary refreshable braille display that moves with your finger, allowing you to continuously read braille as it streams from a wirelessly connected smartphone, computer or tablet. It can also read optical characters captured by an attached camera. ** Sight For Kids Expansion Sight For Kids is a collaboration between Johnson & Johnson Vision and the Lions Clubs International Foundation. The program provides free eye care to students in low-income and underserved communities worldwide to address inequities in eye health. SFK is the world's largest-known school-based eye health program. Since 2002, more than 37 million children have been helped. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3eKQKNO. ** GrandPad Introduces Moods App GrandPad is the first purpose-built tablet for older adults. The device has been specifically designed for their specific needs and technology capabilities. GrandPad offers features that can help seniors and families stay connected safely and easily. GrandPad recently introduced the Moods app, which delivers a curated selection of immersive audiovisual environments to promote relaxation, comfort, and improve mental health in older adults. Its senior-friendly apps include games, streaming music, local radio stations, a private family photo and video stream, and educational content. To learn more, visit https://GrandPad.net. ** New Digital Marketing Website Launched in 2021, WebABLE is an automated, news aggregator website delivering relevant and trusted news, products, services, and other information about and for the disability community. The site helps people with disabilities find what they are looking for. Providers of accessibility products and services are able to access their target markets through advertising. For more information, visit https://WebABLE.com/. ** Braille and Large Print Menus at Starbucks NBP produced 35,000 braille and large print menus for all Starbucks company-operated and licensed store locations in the U.S. and Canada as part of the company's efforts to create a more accessible experience for blind and low-vision customers. Starbucks first began offering braille and large print menus in 2012. ** New from National Braille Press There are a lot of new books and other items available from National Braille Press. Over in the children's corner, check out "The Day You Begin" (English) or "El día en que descubres quién eres" (Spanish). The book, by Jacqueline Woodson, is available in contracted braille (UEB) and in Spanish braille for ages 5 to 8. Also new is "My Papi Has a Motorcycle" by Isabel Quintero and Zeke Pena. It comes in contracted braille (UEB), and is for ages 4 to 8. It's a touching ode to a young girl, her father, and their Los Angeles neighborhood. And don't forget to take a look at "Mouse Tales" by Arnold Lobel. It's available in contracted braille (UEB) for ages 4 to 8. When Papa's seven little mouse boys ask for a bedtime story, he tells seven stories, one for each boy! There are a number of new books for adults, too. With the arrival of summer, check out "Air Fryer Recipes" from allrecipes.com. This book has the 89 most popular recipes, plus sections on choosing an air fryer, accessories, tips, and the basics for cooking with it. Technology changes at a rapid pace – especially cell phones. "Getting Started with the iPhone and iOS 14: Step-by-Step Instructions for Blind Users" by Anna Dresner contains everything you need to know to get started using the iPhone and the iOS 14 operating system. It's available in braille (3 volumes), BRF, DAISY, and as a Word file. Also hot off the press is "Mac Basics for the Beginning User: macOS 11 Big Sur Update" by Janet Ingber. It covers the basics of getting started with VoiceOver, setting system preferences, how to interact with the dock, understand the structure of files and folders, and how to work with the trackpad or Touch Bar. It also covers how to use email, iCloud, Quick Nav, Safari, TextEdit, and PDF files. It also comes in braille (one volume), BRF, DAISY, and as a Word file. Who loves audio description? Check out Judy Dixon's book "Audio Description: What It Is, Where to Find It, and How to Use It." It's available in braille (one volume), BRF, DAISY, or Word. Includes a foreword by Deborah Kendrick. Love puzzles? Look up "The Great Sherlock Holmes Puzzle Book: A Collection of Enigmas to Puzzle Even the Greatest Detective of All" by Dr. Gareth Moore. It's available in braille (two volumes) and as a BRF file, for ages 10 and up. Includes 130 puzzles involving riddles, word play, and mathematical problems. See if you can match the towering intellect of Sherlock Holmes! If you're looking for jewelry, check out the necklaces from Neat Artist Studio! The seven necklaces feature the words "mom," "strong," "proud," "believe," "grace," "luck," or "thankful." The featured word is written on white porcelain in uncontracted braille. The braille dots are plated with white gold, hung horizontally on a fine 18" chain plated in 16k gold. No two pieces are alike. For more information, call toll-free 1-800-548-7323, or visit www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/publications/index.html. ***** High Tech Swap Shop To place an ad in this column, you may either call Sharon Lovering at the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or e-mail the ad to her at slovering@acb.org. Due to space constraints, individuals are limited to advertising twice per year. ** For Sale: A two-year-old QBraille XL 40-cell braille display. For more information contact Tom at badgertom1@verizon.net or at (941) 218-9090. ** For Sale: Smart Reader OCR from Enhanced Vision. A little over 10 years old, but hardly used. Comes with all cables and carrying case. Asking $500 or best offer. Contact Larry Ketchem at ketch1969@gmail.com. ***** My Furry Lifesaver by Linda Yacks It was a beautiful sunny afternoon in Wheat Ridge, Colo. My partner and I rode the number-100 bus from the Federal Center after work to 44th and Kipling, where we disembarked and headed south. At 44th Avenue, we turned to face west in preparation to cross Kipling, a busy street. Since this was long before audible pedestrian signals at traffic lights, a blind or visually impaired individual relied solely on their ears to read the traffic patterns. So I listened, and as soon as the first vehicle passed parallel through the intersection, I gave the "forward" command to my guide dog, Paul. We stepped off the curb, but suddenly, Paul jumped in front of me, almost causing me to fall backward. I realized that a large auto passed awfully close in front of us. As soon as the culprit was gone, Paul resumed his place by my side and crossed the street, stopped at the curb, and received the "forward" command. As soon as we were safely out of the street, I asked him to halt and lavished loads of praise and hugs on him. He just licked my face. I have often wondered if he was saying, "All in a day's work, Mom, all in a day's work." I don't remember how many kind folks stopped to see if we were OK, but I remember that a woman said, "I don't believe what I just saw. I expected to see you on the ground hurt." It was from her that I learned that it was a van of laughing teenagers. I often wonder if they ever knew how close they came to a catastrophe that day. You see, I believe there were two miracles. The first is that the young people did not hit anyone or get hit crossing the busy intersection. The second, that my dog or I did not get injured or killed. Paul was the first of six guides trained at Guiding Eyes for the Blind in Yorktown Heights, N.Y. There have been many stories of heroics on their part, but this one will always stand out for me. My sixth and last guide will turn 10 in June. Why your last, you ask? As in all of our lives, circumstances change with age and I no longer travel the streets as I did in my younger years. Since a guide dog costs the school over $50,000 from breeding to retirement, I cannot justify the expense of another dog. But my gratitude to those bundles of energy housed in furry bodies with floppy ears, four legs, and the ever-wagging tails is never ending. For the curious, all of my pups have been black labs except for one, who was a delightful chocolate. No guide dog school receives federal funding. They are supported by the generous contributions of individuals and companies who are also my everyday heroes. ***** ** ACB Officers * President Dan Spoone (1st term, 2021) 3924 Lake Mirage Blvd. Orlando, FL 32817-1554 * First Vice President Mark Richert (1st term, 2021) 3705 S. George Mason Dr. Apt 2404S Falls Church, VA 22041-4796 * Second Vice President Ray Campbell (1st term, 2021) 460 Raintree Ct. #3K Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 * Secretary Denise Colley (1st term, 2021) 1401 Northwest Ln. SE Lacey, WA 98503 * Treasurer David Trott (2nd term, 2021) 1018 East St. S. Talladega, AL 35160 * Immediate Past President Kim Charlson 57 Grandview Ave. Watertown, MA 02472 ** ACB Board of Directors Sara Alkmin, Madison, WI (2nd term, 2021) Jeff Bishop, Kirkland, WA (1st term, 2021) Donna Brown, Romney, WV (partial term, 2021) Dan Dillon, Hermitage, TN (1st term, 2021) Katie Frederick, Worthington, OH (2nd term, 2022) James Kracht, Miami, FL (1st term, 2022) Doug Powell, Falls Church, VA (1st term, 2021) Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD (2nd term, 2022) Michael Talley, Hueytown, AL (1st term, 2022) Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA (1st term, 2022) ** ACB Board of Publications Debbie Lewis, Chair, Clarkston, WA (2nd term, 2021) Paul Edwards, Miami, FL (2nd term, 2021) Zelda Gebhard, Edgeley, ND (partial term, 2021) Susan Glass, Saratoga, CA (2nd term, 2021) Penny Reeder, Montgomery Village, MD (1st term, 2021) ***** ** 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. 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