THE BRAILLE FORUM Volume XLVIII March 2010 No. 9 Published by the American Council of the Blind THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND STRIVES TO INCREASE THE INDEPENDENCE, SECURITY, EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY, AND TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE. Mitch Pomerantz, President Melanie Brunson, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor National Office: 2200 Wilson Blvd. Suite 650 Arlington, VA 22201 (202) 467-5081 fax: (703) 465-5085 Web site: http://www.acb.org THE BRAILLE FORUM (TM) is available in braille, large print, half-speed four-track cassette tape, and via e-mail. Subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication should be sent to Sharon Lovering at the address above, or via e-mail to slovering@acb.org. The American Council of the Blind (TM) is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, visit the ACB web site and complete an application form, or contact the national office at the number listed above. Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Mike Godino at the above mailing address. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office can make printed cards available for this purpose. To remember the American Council of the Blind in your Last Will and Testament, you may include a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, contact the ACB national office. Join the Monthly Monetary Support (MMS) Program and help improve tomorrow today in ACB. Contact Ron Milliman by e-mail, rmilliman@insightbb.com, or by phone at (270) 782-9325 and get started making tomorrow look brighter today! To make a contribution to ACB via the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" toll-free at (800) 424-8666, 5 p.m. to midnight Eastern time, or visit the Washington Connection online at http://www.acb.org. Copyright 2010 American Council of the Blind TABLE OF CONTENTS Blindness Services in Haiti Need Your Help, by Kim Charlson President's Message: A First Step Toward E-Book Reader Accessibility, by Mitch Pomerantz Take Your Dream Vacation and Support ACB at the Same Time, by Melanie Brunson Search for Treasure: 2010 Conference and Convention, by Carla Ruschival Counting on All of You!, by the ACB Auction Committee Steps You Can Take to Help Disseminate ACB Media Releases Come & Walk the Arizona Mills Mall to Help ACB, by Dan Dillon The International Relations Committee Is on the Move, by Sandra Sermons ACB Members and Structured Negotiations Make the Web More Accessible: How ACB Members Can Help, by Lainey Feingold Have You Ordered an Accessible Credit Report Recently? At Work for the Feds, by Ken O'Sullivan Affiliate News Membership Focus: How Can We Complete Our Business During Meetings More Efficiently?, by Ardis Bazyn Editorial: Town Meetings and the American Council of the Blind, by Carl Jarvis Here and There, edited by Sue Lichtenfels High Tech Swap Shop FORUM SUBSCRIPTION NOTES You can now get "The Braille Forum" by podcast! To subscribe, go to "The Braille Forum" page on www.acb.org. If you do not yet have a podcast client, you can download one from the Forum page. To subscribe to "The Braille Forum" via e-mail, go to www.acb.org/mailman/listinfo/brailleforum-L. ARE YOU MOVING? DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. Give her the information, and she'll take care of the changes for you. ***** BLINDNESS SERVICES IN HAITI NEED YOUR HELP by Kim Charlson At 4:53 p.m. on Jan. 12, 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake -- the most powerful quake to hit Haiti in over a century -- struck about 10 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince and devastated the residents of this beleaguered nation. Accounts reported that the quake was even felt strongly in eastern Cuba, more than 200 miles away. Many people have contacted the American Council of the Blind (ACB) and asked what has happened to people who are blind in Haiti after the disaster. While there are still so many questions, I wanted to share with you the story of the St. Vincent's Center for Handicapped Children. This facility is a school and medical clinic located in the capital city of Port-au-Prince. The center is the major facility in Haiti that provides services to children with disabilities. The center was founded in 1945 by the Episcopal Order of the Sisters of Saint Margaret, which is headquartered in Boston, Mass. The sisters continue to be a part of the Episcopal presence in Haiti, but no longer operate major institutions for the church there. St. Vincent's is now the sole responsibility of the Episcopal Bishop of Haiti. When St. Vincent's first opened its doors, there were just six blind, deaf or malnourished children in its care. Through hard work and support from many people around the world, the center increased medical services and schooling for children with disabilities. Prior to the earthquake, St. Vincent's provided medical attention, schooling, food and clothing for over 350 students, of whom more than 150 lived at the center. These students are blind, deaf, deaf-blind, and physically disabled. Located near the palace and other government buildings, there is now nothing left of what was once a thriving institution consisting of 16 classrooms, the center's administrative and school offices, music section, the medical clinic and operating room, an eye and dental clinic, a brace shop, cooking and dining facilities and guest quarters. Dormitories for both male and female infants and older girls were also part of the campus, and a block away was a housing facility for boys and young men. That campus had dormitories for the boys and storage for food and donated items. Today, very little remains of either facility. After the earthquake, a mob stormed the St. Vincent's campus and looted the facility — leaving virtually nothing behind. Six children and employees died in the earthquake. Following the looting, the director moved the remaining students and staff for their safety to the soccer field of St. Pierre College, near the palace. How You Can Help It is often difficult to know which organizations to make contributions to in emergency situations like the Haiti earthquake. The president of Perkins School for the Blind, Steven Rothstein, spoke to the head of the Connecticut-based Friends of St. Vincent's School and confirmed the situation in Port-au-Prince. The Friends of the St. Vincent Center is a legitimate 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and monetary contributions for the purchase of life-sustaining items are the best way to help the blind students and staff to keep the school operational. There is no question that St. Vincent's is in tremendous need of our financial assistance and our prayers. The immediate needs are for money to buy food, water, clothing, and provide shelter. You can make a contribution to help the St. Vincent's School by sending a check to The Friends of St. Vincent's Center. The address is: Friends of St. Vincent's Center c/o St. James' Episcopal Church 19 Walden St. West Hartford, CT 06107 (860) 521-5756 www.friendsofstvincents.org/ In addition, the World Blind Union (WBU) has also been monitoring the situation and has contacted the Haitian Society of the Blind to learn more about how adults who are blind are managing in this crisis. The WBU has heard from Dr. Péan, the Director of the Haitian Society of the Blind (SHAA). The physical premises of SHAA were heavily damaged. The WBU has been in contact with the Vision Alliance colleagues at International Aid to Prevent Blindness (IAPB) and the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairments (ICEVI) in order to determine how best to coordinate support. All partners agree that the most urgent need in Haiti right now is for emergency aid. This kind of assistance needs to be provided by agencies with specialized expertise in this area, such as the Red Cross. Once the immediate emergency relief is well under way, then the rebuilding work will begin. At that point blindness organizations can be of most assistance, through the provision of help to the Haitian Society of the Blind. This will allow the Haitian Society to help people who are blind or have low vision rebuild their lives. Some member organizations are presently collecting donations that will be used to help the Haitian Society of the Blind in its work with blind or visually impaired Haitians affected by this disaster. The WBU has also been invited to serve on a World Bank Global Program on Disability & Development working group that will focus on the reconstruction efforts in Haiti. Banking information for making direct wire transfers to the Haitian Society of the Blind is also available should any organization wish to send a donation using this more secure method. Contact the WBU office to obtain instructions for sending a wire transfer. Their phone number is (416) 486-9698. ***** PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: A FIRST STEP TOWARD E-BOOK READER ACCESSIBILITY by Mitch Pomerantz In last July's national convention report, I informed the membership that on June 25th, the American Council of the Blind had joined with the National Federation of the Blind in filing suit in United States District Court against the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) and Arizona State University (ASU). ASU had decided to use Amazon's Kindle DX E-Book Reader in a two-semester honors course beginning in the fall. Along with Arizona State, several other universities around the country were seriously considering use of the Kindle on a trial basis in one or more of their course offerings. As discussed in my June 2009 president's column, while the Kindle has a text-to-speech (TTS) feature which permits the user to hear as well as see what's on the screen, menus and controls are only displayed visually, making it wholly inaccessible to blind people. Hence, blind people cannot configure settings, select books, or even turn on the TTS feature because those menus and controls lack access. (Some partially sighted individuals have sufficient vision to read the menu choices and operate the controls with varying degrees of difficulty.) The suit sought an injunction to prohibit Arizona State from using the new Kindle DX E-Book Reader in the aforementioned honors course because of its inaccessibility to blind students. The suit was brought on behalf of blind students who would be prevented from independently accessing their own textbooks on the Kindle DX, and alleged that use of the Kindle was a violation of both Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The suit also requested that an investigation be undertaken by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Though we were unaware of a particular blind student actually taking the course in question, both organizations were concerned that should the university administration be satisfied with the Kindle's performance, it would expand its use to other courses where blind students were enrolled. Initially, Darrell Shandrow, an ACB member who attends ASU, was the named plaintiff; however, the judge ruled that Mr. Shandrow had no standing in the case since he was not a student in the designated course. We were assisted in the suit by some outstanding attorneys, foremost among them Daniel Goldstein of Brown, Goldstein and Levy, LLP, and Eve Hill of the Burton Blatt Institute (a personal friend of many years). Eve is one of the nation's leading authorities on disability-rights law and was the expert to whom I turned for advice after initially being contacted about ACB joining the litigation. What follows are excerpts from the press release outlining why a settlement was reached in this litigation. The release was issued jointly by ABOR, ASU, NFB and ACB on January 11, 2010. "The settlement agreement among the parties was reached in light of several factors, including: (1) ASU's commitment to providing access to all programs and facilities for students with disabilities, including students who are blind or have low vision; (2) the fact that the pilot program will end in the spring of 2010; (3) Amazon and others are making improvements to and progress in the accessibility of e-book readers; and (4) the University's agreement that should ASU deploy e-book readers in future classes over the next two years, it will strive to use devices that are accessible to the blind. "The United States Department of Justice is also a party to the agreement, which does not involve the payment of any damages or attorney's fees or costs. "Mitch Pomerantz, President of the American Council of the Blind, expressed support by commenting: 'I believe this settlement between Arizona State University and the two major national consumer-advocacy organizations of blind and visually impaired persons will encourage the industry to develop fully accessible e-book readers in the near future.' …" I titled this month's column "A First Step ..." for a very good reason. Shortly after signing the ASU agreement (January 13th), DOJ issued a press release announcing that it had entered into agreements with three additional educational institutions against which similar complaints had been filed. The release begins: "The Justice Department today announced separate agreements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Pace University in New York City and Reed College in Portland, Ore., regarding the use in a classroom setting of the electronic book reader, the Kindle DX ..." Since first announcing this agreement, a couple of individuals have questioned whether the suit was worth the effort. I absolutely believe it was, and here's why. As is often the case in such matters, this settlement isn't perfect. However, in Dan Goldstein and Eve Hill's opinion, it represents the best possible resolution given the judge's original ruling regarding Mr. Shandrow, as well as DOJ's involvement. Justice's subsequent agreements with Case Western, Pace and Reed, signed under color of the ADA, further validates this belief and the propriety of our participation. The ASU settlement will, in conjunction with those three agreements, have a chilling effect upon other universities considering the purchase of inaccessible e-book readers. I feel strongly that a settlement with the Authors Guild and publishers is much closer than it was prior to attaining this agreement. ***** TAKE YOUR DREAM VACATION AND SUPPORT ACB AT THE SAME TIME by Melanie Brunson In the middle of winter, many of us start wishing for warm weather places. If you are one of the fortunate wishers, your wishes just might come true in 2010, if you act quickly. This is especially true if your vacation dreams involve a cruise. Dave Kronk, who is no stranger to ACB and many of our members who have taken cruises with Dave in years past, has put together another cruise which will provide, in addition to fun, food, and all the other great things that are part of the cruise experience, accommodations especially for cruisers who are blind or visually impaired. Many members who have taken cruises organized by Dave have commented to me on the overall accessibility of the cruise ships and how well prepared cruise staff members have been in terms of meeting the needs of blind and visually impaired passengers. Guided tours of the ships, braille menus and the willingness of everyone to assist were details which made Dave Kronk's cruises a particular pleasure for those with whom I spoke. In addition, if a minimum of 20 people take this cruise, Dave will make a contribution to ACB in an amount based on the number of cruisers. So, here's a wonderful opportunity to benefit both yourself and your organization. The cruise will depart on Oct. 17, 2010 from Los Angeles (Port of Long Beach) aboard the Carnival Splendor and return on Oct. 24. The ports it will visit include Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas. Dave has already started taking reservations for this cruise, so if you are interested, don't wait for the snow to stop, or the ice to melt. Contact him either by phone at (618) 409-0143 or by e-mail at dkronk@htc.net. Then prepare to have a fabulous time! ***** SEARCH FOR TREASURE: 2010 CONFERENCE AND CONVENTION by Carla Ruschival The 49th annual conference and convention of the American Council of the Blind will be one of the best ever. Make plans now to be in Phoenix July 9-17 for all the information, exhibits, fun and friends. The beautiful Downtown Sheraton Hotel is home to ACB for convention week. General session and exhibits will be side by side on the third floor. Special-interest group meetings, workshops and social events, registration and the ACB Café will be on the second floor, with overflow on 3 and 4. After a busy day in exhibits and meetings, you and your friends may want to walk, grab a taxi, or hop a bus and explore the many restaurants and other attractions in downtown Phoenix. Follow your treasure map in the Wild West with ACB tours. Arrive in Phoenix on Thursday so you can visit America's most awesome hole in the ground on the all-day tour on Friday, July 9 to the Grand Canyon. Or start your week off with great food and Western fun on Friday evening at Pinnacle Peak. Attend a Diamondbacks baseball game on Sunday afternoon; the stadium is only three blocks from the hotel, and lunch is included with the tour. The city tours are back by popular demand. On Monday, go rock-climbing (indoors of course; instructions for beginners included) or explore the Hall of Flame (perhaps the most fabulous firefighters' museum in America). Other weekday tours already marked on the map are the Stuffington Bear Factory, Herd Museum, Diamondbacks stadium tour, and Candy Company. Strike gold at a casino on Saturday, July 17, and celebrate your fabulous convention week with a great feast and "Joseph's Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat." More tours to be announced next month. Just for Kids: This is one convention that your kids and grandkids won't want to miss. The Youth Activity Center will be having their own treasure map and will be exploring all kinds of fun places. Blind, visually impaired and sighted kids are welcome. Light breakfast, lunch and snacks will be provided each day. Every day (Monday through Friday) will be packed with activities and field trips; plenty of fun for kids and teens. Watch the Forum and acbconvention e-mail list for YAC schedules. On the Serious Side: Workshops and seminars organized by ACB committees offer many opportunities for you to gather information you can use throughout the year. Examples include the Information Access seminar and grant-writing workshop on Saturday, July 10; public relations seminar on Monday; transportation seminar and grant-writing workshop on Tuesday; employment seminar on Wednesday; and membership and presidents' seminars on Thursday. Many more workshops and program details will be announced soon. ACB general sessions are filled with high-interest presentations and topics. Special-interest affiliate break-out meetings will fill the afternoons with an incredible array of programs, speakers, and discussions. Join the acbconvention e-mail list by sending a blank message to acbconvention-subscribe@acb.org; we will post program and speaker information there as it becomes available. AIRLINE DISCOUNT Does AirTran fly from your airport? Thanks to ACB member Don Wilson, AirTran Airways is offering 2010 ACB conference and convention attendees a 20 percent discount off the lowest available one-way fare through their Event Savers program. This discount is available from July 6 to July 20 to Phoenix and return. There is no minimum stay or Saturday night requirement. You can confirm seats at time of booking, and will receive a one-time waiver of change fee per reservation for name or itinerary change (any applicable fare increase will apply). To take advantage of this program, call the Event Savers Desk at 1-866-683-8368 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Use the event code PHX070910, and be sure to tell the agent that you are attending the American Council of the Blind conference and convention in Phoenix. CONVENTION DETAILS Pre-Registration: It cost ACB nearly $17,000 to print and mail pre-registration forms last year. To cut costs and make the process more efficient and convenient, we are modifying the process beginning this year. A conference and convention announcement will be mailed around mid-May, giving important reminders and details and letting you know that on-line and telephone registration is open. You will be supplied with a special number to call if you would like to register by phone. You may also choose to complete registration on-line. You may request a paper form by calling the national office at 1-800-424-8666 NO LATER THAN May 1. Paper forms will be mailed around May 25. Exhibits, Advertising, and Sponsorships: The 2010 ACB conference and convention gives businesses and agencies a chance to let people from all over the country and around the world know about their products and services. Booth space, advertising, and sponsorships are now available. Look for special discounts on exhibit space for blind entrepreneurs and exhibitor discounts on advertising. Reserve at least one premium booth space and we'll stuff one branded item for you FREE in the registration bags; a $250 value! Early-bird exhibit discounts close on May 15. Convention sponsorships and advertising must also be received by that date in order to appear in the official convention program. For more information on exhibit, advertising and sponsorship opportunities, visit our website at www.acb.org; or contact Michael Smitherman (exhibits) at (601) 968-4164, or Margarine Beaman (advertising and sponsorships) at (512) 921-1625. ACB Heroes: Every state, every affiliate has special people who have played significant roles in the lives of blind and visually impaired people. Often these outstanding individuals go unheralded on the national scene. Now you can share the accomplishments of these special people by participating in the ACB Heroes section of the 2010 convention program. Heroes pages will be printed on high-quality paper; pages can include a color photograph of your special person and a short caption about his or her accomplishments. What a wonderful way to honor or memorialize that special person! Heroes pages must be reserved by May 15. For more information, contact Margarine Beaman at (512) 921-1625, or visit www.acb.org. Scheduling Events: Special-interest groups, ACB committees, and others wishing to sponsor programs or activities at the convention should submit all information for the pre-registration form by April 1. Program details need to be submitted by May 1. Make all arrangements related to convention events (reserving space, ordering food or A/V equipment, etc.) with Carla Ruschival (phone, (502) 897-1472 or e-mail, adamcarla@bellsouth.net). Make hotel reservations at the Phoenix Downtown Sheraton hotel. Room rates are $89 plus tax per night. Call 1-800-325-3535 to make reservations. Keep up with all the latest convention announcements. Join the acbconvention e-mail list by sending a blank message to acbconvention-subscribe@acb.org. For convention questions or special concerns, contact Carla Ruschival, convention committee chair, at (502) 897-1472 or by e-mail at adamcarla@bellsouth.net, or call the ACB national office at 1-800-424-8666. ***** COUNTING ON ALL OF YOU! by the ACB Auction Committee The auction committee is already hard at work planning the 4th annual ACB auction. We need your help. As you attend spring affiliate conventions or board meetings, please remember to discuss a package for the auction. Your support is essential for success. Last year, the affiliate packages and baskets were awesome! Let's do it again, and let's help it to grow bigger and better. If you know of a business or individual in your community who might be willing to contribute an item, we'd appreciate your assistance in reaching out to them. Barbara McDonald, president of the Arizona Council of the Blind, has graciously agreed to receive items and to store them for us. Her address is: Barbara McDonald, 1727 W. Osborn Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85015-5828. Special note: Be sure to mark all packages "for ACB Auction." We are counting on all of you to help us make this successful for ACB and fun for everyone. ***** STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO HELP DISSEMINATE ACB MEDIA RELEASES Each and every member of the American Council of the Blind can and should be ACB's best public relations agents. Below are some ideas you should feel free to try to help spread the word about the great work ACB continues to do to improve the lives of all this nation's blind and visually impaired citizens. Even if you've never been involved with public relations, you can do these things. There is no time like the present to begin the fulfilling journey of spreading our news; you may be responsible for touching the lives of other blind people in your area. Contact at least the top three radio and television stations in your area. Ask for the name, telephone number, mailing address and e-mail address for the staff members responsible for receiving media releases and public service announcements. Contact those people either in writing or by phone and introduce yourself as an expert on issues impacting people who are blind. Share your contact information with them. Touch base with your contacts every 3 months or so to ask if they have had any stories or issues on which you might comment or about which you might provide clarification. When you see a media release issued by ACB, contact the national office to request a clean copy by attachment. What you see posted in an e-mail is generally very poorly formatted and should never simply be forwarded along to the media. Save the clean copy in a folder on your computer dedicated to media releases. Call your contacts and leave them a voice mail message, alerting them to the fact that you are about to send an important media release regarding issues of interest to the blind. Suggest that they contact you with additional questions. Always remember to thank your contacts each time you interact with them, whether by e-mail, phone or hard copy letter. Send your contacts a copy of the release, appending your own contact information at the top. On a separate cover sheet, remember to thank them and offer yourself as a subject matter expert. If at any time you have questions, please feel free to contact Ron Milliman, chair of the ACB public relations committee. Ron is available by e-mail at rmilliman@insightbb.com and by telephone at (270) 782-9325. ***** COME & WALK THE ARIZONA MILLS MALL TO HELP ACB by Dan Dillon Sign up now! Don't wait until the last minute. There will be a drawing for a very nice prize from among the first 100 people to sign up for the walk. There is a web site you can go to where you can sign up for the walk as a participant. You can specify whether you want to be an onsite or virtual walker. An onsite walker is one who actually participates in the walk at Arizona Mills Mall in Phoenix. A virtual walker is someone who cannot come to the conference and convention or chooses not to walk in Phoenix. They can walk back home in their own community, or perhaps not walk at all, but still wish to support the walk, and gather pledges from family, friends, neighbors and co-workers, etc. You can also pledge your contributions to ACB on this web site. Be sure to credit your pledge to the person and affiliate of your choice. Like last year, trophies will be given to the individual and the affiliate that bring in the most money. The web site is www.acbwalk.com. Remember that every penny of your $25 entry fee goes to ACB. If you have any questions, contact Dan Dillon, chair of the ACB walk committee, at (615) 874-1223 or e-mail dan.dillon@bellsouth.net. ***** THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE IS ON THE MOVE by Sandra Sermons ACB's international relations committee is on the move. This committee has a rather unique mission: to facilitate the contact of people who are blind and visually impaired in the United States and abroad. The committee is also responsible for promoting the exchange of information that will enhance the quality of life for people who are blind and visually impaired around the world. To that end, I would like to discuss some of the things that this committee is doing, along with some of those which we are planning for the future. As many of you may know, for several years at the national convention, we have hosted Voices from Around the World. This reception gives ACB members an opportunity to meet our international guests. So far, there have been guests from such countries as South Africa, Vietnam, Australia, and Japan. The reception provides ACB members an opportunity to learn what life is like in a particular country for someone who is blind or visually impaired. It also facilitates the exchange of information by allowing the guests to learn about our organization, convention, and a brief glimpse of what it is like to live with blindness in this country. Plans are in the works to host Voices from Around the World in Phoenix. Another project that was launched was our listserv. We would like to hear from you, the ACB community! If you have any suggestions, or would just like to communicate with the international relations committee, please send an e-mail to exchange@acb.org. In the subject line, please include the word "subscribe." While the previous two things are exciting, probably the most ambitious undertaking of the committee is our trip to Spain. The details are still sketchy, but we are in the process of planning a trip to Madrid, either in the fall of 2010 or spring of 2011. While the trip will not be committee-funded, it promises to be an incredible opportunity. We are working with ONCE (the Spanish national organization for people who are blind and visually impaired) to set up the itinerary. Keep your eyes out for news in future issues of the Forum! The projects mentioned above are but a few of the projects that the international relations committee is working on. Please stay tuned. We look forward to seeing you in Phoenix! ***** ACB MEMBERS AND STRUCTURED NEGOTIATIONS MAKE THE WEB MORE ACCESSIBLE: HOW ACB MEMBERS CAN HELP by Lainey Feingold For more than 15 years, the American Council of the Blind, the California Council of the Blind, and other state affiliates have been working to make the Internet more accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired. Everyone reading this article can participate in this effort. Many of the largest companies in the United States have signed web accessibility agreements using the structured negotiations process. An important part of those agreements is providing feedback to the companies about how accessibility enhancements are working and what areas of the site may still need improvement. Below is a list of some of the web sites that ACB and its lawyers are monitoring. Please try to spend some time on these sites in the next month and let us know what you think (Contact information for ACB's structured negotiations lawyers is at bottom of this article). If you can, register on a site and let us know about the registration process. Or look up some information or purchase an item. All feedback, both positive and negative, helps improve access and lets the companies know that the blind community needs, and cares about, an accessible Internet. Here are the web sites: (1) CVS: The web address for CVS is www.cvs.com. The company has posted an accessibility page with a link to provide feedback on accessibility. You can find the accessibility page link at the very bottom on the CVS home page or you can use this shortened URL: www.tinyurl.com/yjmcmw5. (2) Rite Aid: You can find Rite Aid on line at www.riteaid.com. The company has posted an accessibility statement on its site specifically mentioning the ACB and CCB. It states: "As part of its ongoing efforts to better serve its customers with disabilities, Rite Aid has worked with American Council of the Blind, American Foundation for the Blind, and California Council of the Blind to improve the accessibility of riteaid.com by visitors who are blind or visually impaired. Questions or comments should be directed to rawebsite@riteaid.com." (3) Staples: The web address for Staples is www.staples.com. By the time you are reading this article, there should be an accessibility link on the bottom of the home page. The Staples web initiative was part of structured negotiations with the Bay State Council, ACB, CCB and AFB. (4) Radio Shack: The web address for Radio Shack is www.radioshack.com. The company has posted an accessibility statement stating in part that "Radio Shack is committed to making our website accessible to individuals with disabilities. We are making continuous efforts to comply with the letter and the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. If any information on the RadioShack.com website is not accessible to you due to a disability, please contact us via e-mail." The dedicated e-mail address for sending accessibility feedback to Radio Shack is RS.COMAccessibility@radioshack.com. (5) Bank of America: In 2000, Bank of America was the first bank in the country to sign an agreement to make its web site accessible. Since that time, the bank has worked with the CCB and with ACB members around the country to ensure that its web site generally, and on-line banking specifically, is as accessible and usable as possible. We continue to monitor the Bank of America agreement, and welcome feedback on www.bankofamerica.com and the services offered on the site. (6) On-line credit reports: Accessible on-line credit reports are available through www.annualcreditreport.com. Please read the article in this month's Forum for more information about credit report access. Lainey Feingold and Linda Dardarian are monitoring the accessible web site agreements for ACB and its affiliates. If you encounter any problems on any of these sites, or want to report positive experiences, please contact them by e-mail at LF@LFLegal.com, or through the toll-free telephone number at Linda's office, 1-800-822-5000. A short summary of all the web site agreements that have been negotiated with the structured negotiations process are posted on Lainey's web site at: www.lflegal.com/category/settlements/web-accessibility-settlements/. You can read all the press releases about these agreements on Lainey's web site by using this shortened URL: www.tinyurl.com/yej3tzt. ***** HAVE YOU ORDERED AN ACCESSIBLE CREDIT REPORT RECENTLY? As a result of ACB's structured negotiations efforts, credit reports are currently available in accessible formats from all three credit reporting companies in the United States. Everyone is entitled to one free report from each company every 12 months, for a total of three free reports per 12-month period. You can order your credit report in braille, large print, or audio CD formats by calling toll-free 1-877-322-8228. This is an automated system. You will need to speak or use your telephone keypad to provide your name, mailing address, Social Security number and date of birth. If you call from your home telephone number, they will already have some of this information and ask you to confirm their records. After providing the identifying information, you will be asked "if you require your free annual credit report in a format accessible to the visually impaired, press or say 1." You will then hear the following: "To certify that you are a person who is blind or visually impaired within the meaning of the Americans with Disabilities Act, press or say 1." Everyone who certifies that they are blind or visually impaired will next hear "Please chose the format you would like to receive your credit report in. For large print, press or say 1. For braille, press or say 2. For audio, press or say 3." Then, after choosing the company you want to get your first report from, you will be finished. You may order all three reports at the same time, or you may spread your requests over the 12 months. You can also get your free credit report on-line by going to the official credit report web site at www.annualcreditreport.com. On-line reports available through this web site have been designed to meet the standards set forth in Priorities 1 and 2 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). By ordering your free accessible credit report, you are telling the credit reporting companies that the blind community cares about accessibility and will use accessible services and information if provided. You help ACB monitor the agreement and make sure all systems are working properly. Lainey Feingold and Linda Dardarian continue to monitor the accessible credit report settlement agreement for ACB and CCB. If you encounter any problems obtaining an accessible credit report, or want to let Lainey and Linda know about your experience, please contact them by e-mail at LF@LFLegal.com, or through the toll-free telephone number at Linda's office, 1-800-822-5000. You can read more about ACB's accessible credit report agreement on Lainey's web site at www.lflegal.com/2008/12/credit-announce/. ***** AT WORK FOR THE FEDS by Ken O’Sullivan While the most recent statistics on federal hiring of people with targeted disabilities are not altogether inspiring, they don't really tell the whole story. We are now in a period of abundant opportunity for anyone interested in a career in federal service. The fact is, for individuals with the right knowledge and some determination, there could hardly be a better time. First, let's gather some perspective. Every year, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) publishes an annual report on the state of federal employment. In fiscal year 2008, the latest year for which comprehensive figures are available, there were almost 2.7 million civilians employed by the United States government across the country and around the world. Over the last 10 years the percentage of individuals with targeted disabilities in federal service has been dropping steadily. According to the most recent statistics, the number stands at 0.88 percent of the total workforce. For most of the last 10 years, the Department of the Treasury has been at the top of the statistical heap. Treasury employs over 105,000 people. Of that total, 1.73 percent have a targeted disability, and 0.43 percent are blind. (For the record, the EEOC does not refine its statistics to include separate entries for blind and partially sighted individuals.) Rounding out the top five are the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Education, Labor, and Housing and Urban Development. The Department of State brings up the rear with blind folks making up only 0.05 percent of its total work force. Leadership for the Employment of Americans with Disabilities (LEAD) is the EEOC's initiative to address the decline. The goal of the program is to significantly increase the number of individuals with severe disabilities employed by the federal government. Basically, EEOC's efforts are aimed at educating both federal hiring officials and prospective applicants about how best to use special hiring authorities. The commission also supplies information and resources on recruitment, hiring, and providing reasonable accommodations. For a better understanding of today's federal hiring, I turned to an expert, Julia Zanon, who is thoroughly familiar with the nuts and bolts of the matter. Zanon is a vocational rehabilitation counselor working for the state of Colorado. She holds a master's degree in the field, and has been in her current position for more than 20 years. "My job is to assist individuals with disabilities to become employed. I specialize in working with individuals who are either blind or visually impaired." Zanon has noticed a change in the way things are done. "I'm seeing, just within the past year or so, a much bigger push, a much better effort to help hiring managers get on board and understand the process." She speaks of the government's long-held but never attained goal of having people with targeted disabilities comprise fully 2 percent of its work force. "I think what I'm seeing now is that there is a recognition within the federal government that they haven't been doing a very good job of communicating with their hiring managers about this initiative and about the process of Schedule A certification, and how people with disabilities can go through a non-competitive process." Schedule A authority is a powerful and important tool. Until fairly recently, it has been underutilized and poorly understood. So ... what exactly is Schedule A? In principle, it's a rather simple matter. Schedule A applies only to federal hiring, and not to the private sector. To be covered under Schedule A, job seekers must provide documentation that they have a severe disability, such as missing or deformed limbs, hearing loss, or, of course, visual impairment. Zanon describes it this way. "Schedule A is a process whereby a person with a targeted disability has the opportunity to apply for and be considered for federal employment without having to go through the competitive process. So all they need to do is to find out about a job, if they see a job posting or even if they contact a hiring manager to find a job, they can apply for that job and not have to compete with people who don’t have disabilities. It doesn't give them priority for hiring; it gives them the opportunity not to be screened out at the competitive level." One exceedingly valuable resource in the job hunting arena is the USAJobs Web site. Administered by the Office of Personnel Management, the site bills itself as "your one-stop source for federal jobs and employment information." Job seekers can learn about trends in federal hiring, and search for jobs by agency, occupation, and location. The site also allows users to build and store up to five separate resumes. The site's home page has plenty of helpful links for getting up to speed. Running a job search brings up a list of openings. The number of openings listed depends on the scope of the parameters used. Each individual listing includes the job title, description, location, and salary range. Clicking on the title of a given job takes the user to a dedicated page with all the necessary information from "overview" to "how to apply." Best of all, contact information is provided for a person who can help with special hiring authority issues and requests for reasonable accommodation. Needless to say, teaming up with a vocational rehabilitation counselor is a definite plus. But the assistance of a hiring professional is not a requirement. Zanon advises those who go it alone that a close working knowledge of JAWS, or other adaptive software, is quite useful in navigating the USAJobs web site. I asked Zanon about the quality of her experiences working with the federal government as a whole; she quickly set me straight. "To clump the federal government into one big group isn't fair to them, because the federal government is just like any other private agency or public agency. There are different units, and different hiring managers, and different agencies work differently. I may have a really great relationship with one agency, and maybe not as great a relationship with another agency or hiring manager. My experience has been that certain agencies have ben really promoting and sending us job openings and talking with us, and returning calls and accepting applications. So some of the agencies have been great. Other agencies have been harder to contact. I think it's really about people." She cautions against looking for a quick or easy path to federal employment. "If there's something that you really want to do, there isn't any easy process. There's no quick and easy way to get anything, including a job with the feds. Most of the responsibility is on the person to be willing to put in the work, to do the research so that they get the outcome they want. It's not to point the finger at the feds and say 'it's their fault.' Each one of us has the responsibility." Job seekers or anyone interested in the issues raised here can access a wealth of information via the Internet. The www.usajobs.gov site maintains a broad listing of available jobs across the federal government. The Office of Personnel Management has abundant resources at www.opm.gov/disability. EEOC's web site (www.eeoc.gov) is packed with news, special reports, information and guidance. It covers both public and private sectors. Good luck … and happy job hunting. ***** AFFILIATE NEWS Pennsylvania Council Fundraiser The Pennsylvania Council of the Blind is conducting a calendar raffle fundraiser. Tickets are good for the six-month period from April 1 to Sept. 30, 2010. Each ticket includes a three-digit number. Winners are determined based on the evening drawing of the Pennsylvania daily lottery number. Tickets cost $20 each. Cash prizes are at three levels based on the designated specials and holidays: $125 for six holidays, $75 on the 1st and 15th monthly, and $30 every other day. To support this fundraiser, send checks made payable to PCB to Mike Gravitt, 2700 Broadway Ave., Apt. 4, Pittsburgh, PA 15216. For more information, contact Mike via e-mail at mgravitt2@comcast.net or by phone at (412) 344-2313. ***** MEMBERSHIP FOCUS: HOW CAN WE COMPLETE OUR BUSINESS DURING MEETINGS MORE EFFICIENTLY? by Ardis Bazyn Our recent ACB Membership Focus call covered the topic “How can we complete our business during meetings and committee meetings more efficiently?” Participants had many great answers that would benefit presidents or committee chairs in conducting meetings that accomplish the necessary work in a short time. We appreciated all those who shared their experiences. The first and most important answer to conducting business more efficiently was for the person in charge, whether president or chair, to have an agenda prepared in advance and circulated to the appropriate members (board or committee members). Even chapter presidents could request items for an agenda in advance if a standard agenda is not followed. Time-sensitive matters would need to be placed at the top of the list of priorities. In board and committee meetings specifically, the agenda should be written with priorities listed first and those items not as important listed at the end, in case time doesn't permit. When the allotted time for the meeting is over, the topics that were not covered could be placed at the top of the next agenda. In order to finish the agenda items on each call or at a given meeting, the leader needs to set forth some ground rules for those attending the meeting. Some recommendations were: to allow each person to speak only once on any motion or topic unless more input is needed; only allow two to five minutes on any given topic or motion; to allow only relevant conversation on the topic at hand; and to move to a vote or another topic as soon as it is adequately covered. Sometimes the chair or president will have to ask those who make inappropriate interruptions to wait until the end of the meeting. When rules are made at the beginning of a meeting, it is easier to keep the meeting moving. Written reports from committee chairs should be prepared ahead of time. Board members could read these in advance of the meeting. Then, only the items in the report that need board action would need to be discussed. In addition, recommendations could be made ahead of time, leaving more time to make the necessary decisions. The next suggestion was timely notices of meetings. Board members and committee members need to receive notices well in advance of the meetings, so as many members as possible can attend. Most participants on the call felt it was best to have meetings scheduled at previous meetings or notices given at least two weeks in advance of the meetings. For board meetings, it would be best to have regularly scheduled meetings each month or quarter if possible, with emergency meetings planned when needed. Meeting notices should be placed on your affiliate web site and in your newsletters whenever possible. Chapter meetings should be scheduled for the same day and time each month if possible, e.g., the first Saturday at 11 a.m. or the second Tuesday at 2 p.m., etc. It would be advantageous to send out reminders close to the meeting date. Notices need to be sent via e-mail, and phone reminders need to be made for those not using e-mail. If a board member or committee member has not responded to e-mail, that member needs a friendly reminder by phone. E-mail is not foolproof. Also, members should not be chosen for committees or boards based on whether they have e-mail. The next suggestion was to have time limitations established in advance of meetings. Most felt that one to two hours are the best time frames for conference call meetings. If they are longer than that, members get frustrated or lose focus. Members on the phone may start pushing items through rather than effectively dealing with the topic. In-person committee or board meetings could be longer, especially when much travel is needed to participate. You could plan a four- to six-hour time frame with lunch in between for a board meeting or two to three hours for committee meetings. Since in-person meetings might accomplish more, it might be advisable to hold them whenever possible. The time limit should be made clear in advance. If lower priority items need to be moved to another meeting, everyone will understand. Most participants felt it was important to have open board meetings in person at least during conventions, so everyone can observe how the board is functioning. The membership likes to know what is happening and feel more involved in the chapter or affiliate. Most also thought that conference call board meetings should be held on an open call so all members can observe. When sensitive legal or personnel items need to be handled, a separate closed executive session of the board can be held. Presidents need to use the gavel when side noise occurs. If observers or board members are having their own side conversations, they need to be told they will not be tolerated. Ask all participants to shut off cell phones. On conference calls, ask those with background noise to mute their phones. At chapter meetings, give meeting responsibilities to members who interrupt or talk often. The final topic discussed was the importance of having committees that consist of a diverse set of participants, i.e., those who are computer literate, those who do not use computers, and those who are deaf-blind. In order to accomplish this, committees need to use accessible phone systems that allow everyone to use them. Chapters and affiliates can use Skype, accessible phone systems, and web systems to allow those without transportation to attend various meetings. If they cannot use the system in your state, someone must be designated to contact those who cannot participate. The next focus call will be held April 11, 2010, at 8 p.m. Eastern (5 p.m. Pacific). Our topic will be fund-raising for ACB activities. To join us on the call, dial (712) 775-7000, and use access code 640009#. ***** EDITORIAL: TOWN MEETINGS AND THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND by Carl Jarvis This past summer across America, town meetings have burst into public view with shouting angry crowds carrying posters and signs declaring that we are being destroyed by either socialists or Nazis. Shouts and jeers drown out any attempt to discuss health care issues. Throughout the history of our great republic, town meetings have stood as the bastion of democracy. It is here that citizens come together to discuss and debate matters of importance. Certainly such gatherings can become emotional; tempers flare, red-faced citizens pointing fingers and shaking clenched fists in the air, driving home their points. But it has always been with the understanding that this is part of open debate. However, this time there appears to be an organized attempt to pack town meetings, not for the purpose of debate, but to shut down all discussion. Citizens attending meetings are met by people with guns strapped to their legs or rifles slung over their shoulders, passing out leaflets declaring that our president resembles Adolph Hitler. Attempts to discuss the issues are met with sneers and jeers. No doubt about it, there is a dark cloud threatening our freedom of speech, and our right to assemble peaceably. Probably we members of the American Council of the Blind (ACB) would not describe our local chapter gatherings as town meetings, but in a sense that is what they are. It is at this grass roots level that we meet to discuss issues that affect the blind. We make our plans and dream our dreams. And from here we come to convention carrying our resolutions and giving our ACB its purpose and direction. Chapters are our building blocks. They defend democracy within our state organizations. Without strong, healthy chapters, we will cease to exist as a people's movement. We must be certain to allow every member the opportunity to speak their piece, and we will listen carefully. Respect, courtesy and tolerance are the keys to a strong organization. Intolerance, name-calling and personal attacks have no place in our meetings. As we watch national events unfold, we need to redouble our efforts to keep democracy alive within the ACB. ***** HERE AND THERE Edited by Sue Lichtenfels 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 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 info@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. ** FREE CANCER INFORMATION BOOKLETS The ACB Health Issues Task Force has received a generous contribution enabling it to provide two brochures from the American Cancer Society on audio cassette for FREE. To order, “For Women Facing Breast Cancer” or “After Diagnosis: Prostate Cancer: Understanding your Treatment Options,” either e-mail medicalinfo@acb.org or call 1-800-255-1147 and press 0. Be sure to include the name of the publication you wish, your name, and full postal mailing address. ** USABA SPORTS FESTIVAL The U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) will host a Sports Festival and Mission Vision program July 27-Aug. 2 in Colorado Springs. Blind and visually impaired athletes, including veterans and active-duty service members, come from around the United States to train, learn, refine their abilities and compete alongside their peers in various sports clinics instructed by USABA national coaches. Participants arrive July 27 and 28; the sports festival will be held July 29-30, and the Rocky Mountain State Games will be held July 30-Aug. 1. The Rocky Mountain State Games is a multi-sport festival; this year's competition offers more than 31 sports. For more information, visit www.usaba.org or contact Rich Cardillo at (719) 630-0422 extension 15, or e-mail military@usaba.org. ** CAMP SILOAM 2010 Camp Siloam 2010 will be held May 22-29 at the Golden Cross Ranch located north of Houston, Tex. This year’s theme is "A Passion for Christ Is a Passion for Life." The week will include morning and evening worship services, swimming, horseback riding, hayrides, horseshoe pitching, and more. Individuals ages 17-68 and in good health are invited to attend. The cost for the week is $220 per person. Assistance with finding sponsors to help with the cost of registration or transportation may be available. To receive the full camp registration packet, mail a $25 non-refundable deposit to: The Gospel Association for the Blind, PO Box 1162, Bunnell, FL 32110, along with a 3 by 5 card that includes your name, address, phone numbers and e-mail address. For more information, call (386) 586-5885. For updates on the camp program, check the recorded message toll-free at 1-866-251-5165 and enter mailbox 7128#. Camp registration closes April 15, 2010. ** SUMMER BRAILLE MUSIC INSTITUTE The National Resource Center for Blind Musicians is accepting applications for its seminar for blind college-bound musicians, to be held July 11-17, 2010 at the Overbrook School for the Blind in Philadelphia, Pa. Designed for serious braille-reading music students preparing for or already in college, the program tailors instruction to each person's need to develop braille music and theory skills and to learn to use technology to submit music assignments in print notation. Applicants must have already studied some music theory, have had several years of music lessons, and be able to present a polished and pleasing performance. They must be willing to put effort into braille music study, and demonstrate a commitment to use the braille music and computer skills they will learn at the Institute when they return to school. Applicants must also show they have begun thinking realistically about reachable goals, and that they have the independence skills, social readiness and maturity to be a contributing part of a close-knit group. Contact the Resource Center regarding the application and audition procedure. All application materials must be received by May 5. Parents and teachers of younger students are invited to discuss coming for an evaluation and guidance. You may also contact the Resource Center about customized distance learning. For more information, visit www.blindmusicstudent.org, contact David Goldstein at (203) 366-3300, extension 229, or send an e-mail message to info@blindmusicstudent.org. ** ADVANCES IN HADLEY COURSE MATERIALS Hadley School for the Blind is striving to keep up with advances in information access. They now offer 30 online courses including Introduction to Braille, Internet Basics, Parenting Children with Multiple Disabilities, Blindness Basics, and more. To keep up with the move from audio cassette to digital talking books, Hadley now offers 12 courses in DTB format that can be downloaded from their web site. Some of these courses include Business Writing, Typing and Keyboarding, and Container Gardening. Courses are also being made available on USB flash drives and National Library Service cartridges. For a complete list of Hadley's course offerings and available formats, visit www.hadley.edu or call 1-800-323-4238. ** BRAILLER REPAIR Bring your brailler back to life! The Selective Doctor, Inc. specializes in the repair of Perkins braillers. Repairs cost $55 for labor, plus the cost of parts. You can mail your brailler to: The Selective Doctor, Inc., P.O. Box 571, Manchester, MD 21102. Free matter shipping is accepted through the U.S. Postal Service. Your brailler will be mailed back to you the same way and will be insured for $400. For more information, call (410) 668-1143, e-mail braillerrepair@yahoo.com, or visit www.selectivedoctor.com. ** BUILD A BUNDLE Serotek has developed a new on-line program called Build a Bundle. This program allows users to customize their selection of Serotek services. Individuals can then add or drop services based on financial and technological needs. Some services include System Access screen reader, SAMNet content, and SAMNet Remote Training and Support. The package is billed on a monthly basis, like a cable or utility bill. To learn more, read the Build a Bundle FAQ at www.serotek.com/build-a-bundle-faq. ** BRAILLE JEWELRY Kelly Fehr creates hand made jewelry for people who are blind or visually impaired. Her braille pieces include pendants, pins, necklaces, and rings. She uses pure silver, bronze and copper. To review Kelly's selection, visit www.jewelryinbraille.com. If you have an idea for a custom piece, e-mail her at kellyfehr@comcast.com or call her at (540) 221-4548. ** AWAKEN YOUR SENSES The motto of BlindScents is "Close Your Eyes & Awaken Your Senses." Through BlindScents, Morgan Park, a visually impaired woman, sells Mia-Bella Candles. Her selection includes jar candles, melts, votives, signature candles and even realistic-looking bakery treats. These candles are made from all-natural soy and vegetable waxes which burn clean and at lower temperatures than traditional candles. Morgan also offers soy protein soaps and Monet Minerals -– all-natural cosmetic products. For product descriptions, visit www.blindscents.com. To discuss product selection, contact Morgan at (814) 598-5048 or blindscents@gmail.com. ** FREE TO GOOD HOME We have to give away a variety of braille cookbooks, all in perfect condition. If you are interested, please call Jean at (508) 295-3621. ** CHAT SYSTEM Do you remember the days of the party line? Well, something similar is now available: The Party's Own Chat System – everybody's welcome. Call (610) 404-3142. Punch in any room number from 0 to 9, 24 hours a day. You must be at least 18 years old and not use the "N" word. If you give out your personal information, you do so at your own risk. ** NEW TELEPHONE CHAT LINE TalkShop is a new telephone chat line geared toward people who are blind or visually impaired. This social networking opportunity would be free for anyone with an unlimited long-distance calling plan. The chat line operates 24 hours a day. To reach it, call (724) 444-3592. ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP ** FOR SALE: Two N82 cell phones with K-NFB Reader. Asking $900 each or best offer. Contact Robert Lewis at (410) 653-2498. ** FOR SALE: Desktop computer with 4 gigs RAM, 1 TB hard drive, Windows Vista, JAWS 9.1, and ZoomText 9. Includes 19-inch monitor. Asking $850 including shipping. Toshiba laptop with 15.6" screen, 3 gigs RAM, 320-gig hard drive, numeric keypad, Windows Vista, JAWS 9 and ZoomText 9. Brand-new. Asking $850 including shipping. Contact Jose at (818) 220-6256. ** FOR SALE: PAC Mate, 5 years old, no braille display, but has everything else except earphones. Comes in original package. Asking $800 or best offer. Braille Blazer. Asking $300 or best offer. Checks only. Will ship once check clears. Contact Mark Oswald at (925) 674-1264. ** FOR SALE: Digital MAX-EVS magnifier with adapter for use with CCTV. Portable; just plug it into your TV outlet. Asking $350 or best offer. Contact Sarah Grow at (561) 495-1421. ** FOR SALE: Juliet braille embosser, hardly used. Comes with all cables and Duxbury software. Asking $2,500 or best offer. Contact Marty Lanser via e-mail, baseball52@sbcglobal.net. ** WANTED: Talking Bible, King James Version. Contact Walter Chavira at (661) 808-4334 or via e-mail, walterchavira@earthlink.net. ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT MITCH POMERANTZ 1115 CORDOVA ST. #402 PASADENA, CA 91106 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT KIM CHARLSON 57 GRANDVIEW AVE. WATERTOWN, MA 02472 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT BRENDA DILLON 313 OVERRIDGE COVE HERMITAGE, TN 37076 SECRETARY MARLAINA LIEBERG 632 S. 189TH ST. BURIEN, WA 98148 TREASURER MIKE GODINO 104 TILROSE AVE. MALVERNE, NY 11565-2024 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHER GRAY 94 RAMONA AVE. SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103 ACB BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ray Campbell, Glen Ellyn, IL Berl Colley, Lacey, WA Marsha Farrow, Summerville, GA Michael Garrett, Missouri City, TX Billie Jean Keith, Arlington, VA Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA David Trott, Talladega, AL Cammie Vloedman, Oklahoma City, OK Ex Officio: Marcia Dresser, Reading, MA BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS Paul Edwards, Chairman, Miami, FL Marcia Dresser, Reading, MA Judy Jackson, San Antonio, TX Jenine Stanley, Columbus, OH Ken Stewart, Warwick, NY Ex Officios: Michael Malver, Minneapolis, MN Ron Milliman, Bowling Green, KY