2017 ACB Walk - Let the Sparks Fly
ACB would like to raise $65,000 for our walk this year and we would like your help. You can help us reach our goal several ways:
- Registering as an on-site or virtual walker
- Making a donation
- Becoming a sponsor
You can form a team, join a team or register individually. Then you can seek donations from friends and family by e-mailing them the link to your page.
The registration fee for a virtual or on-site walker is $25.00. Donations can be made for any amount. For your online registrations or donations to count for prizes, they need to be made by June 28, 2017. The link to ACB’s walk page is https://acb.donorpages.com/2017ACBWalk/
The Walk is on Saturday, July 1, 2017 at 7:00 am at the Nugget Casino, 1100 Nugget Ave, Sparks, NV 89431.
Window-Eyes to JAWS Migration
AiSquared is ending sales of the Window-Eyes screen reader in the United States and Canada, effective immediately. To read more, visit: http://acb.org/WindowEyes-JAWS-migration
Amazon Video Now Offers Audio Described Titles!
Amazon has initiated audio described content, and today ACB with Amazon is pleased to announce the initial Amazon Video offering of 117 movies and 10 TV series. All of the TV series and some of the movies are available free to Amazon Prime members. Once you make a selection of description from the Audio menu on a given device, your choice will be remembered for future titles that have description tracks. We will continue to update the list of described titles and announce them via social media as they become available. To read more, visit: http://acb.org/amazon-announces-AD
Improving Accessibility of Summer Blockbusters
Memorial Day weekend has traditionally marked the beginning of summer and the start of Hollywood’s summer blockbuster season. Over the past six months, there has been great progress toward making movies more accessible for people who are blind and visually impaired. So, as friends and family take to the cool confines of their local cinema during the dog days of summer, The American Council of the Blind (ACB) wants to know where progress still needs to be made. To read more, visit: http://acb.org/accessible-summer-blockbusters
JPMorgan Chase Leadership Fellows Class of 2017
As ACB approaches its 56th annual conference and convention, we are continuing to place more emphasis as an organization on investing in the development of new leadership talent for the future. A special second year grant from JPMorgan Chase (JPMC) is allowing ACB to continue to offer a program which will bring five ACB members with recognized leadership potential to the July 2017 national conference and convention in Reno, NV. To read more, visit: http://acb.org/2017-leadership-fellows
2017 Scholarship Winners
Meet ACB's 2017 scholarship winners! Read more at: http://acb.org/2017-scholarship-winners
2017 ACB Conference & Convention Highlight Video
Highlights from the 56th Annual ACB Conference & Convention from June 30 to July 7, 2017, at the Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks, Nevada (with audio description): https://youtu.be/ARwprgxjaiQ
2017 Durward K. McDaniel First-Timer Awards
The DKM First-Timers Committee is pleased to announce the selection of two deserving individuals who met all of the requirements for the DKM First-Timers Program, which was implemented in honor of Durward K. McDaniel. To read more, visit: http://acb.org/2017-dkm-awards
ACB Announces Audio Description Awards
The American Council of the Blind (ACB) proudly announces the 2017 Achievement Awards in Audio Description, an initiative of the Council’s Audio Description Project (ADP). To read more, visit: http://acb.org/2017-AD-awards
ACB Scholarship Winner Jimmy Yocom
A video of 2017 ACB scholarship winner Jimmy Yocom speaking at general session at the 56th Annual ACB Conference and Convention, on July 3 2017: https://youtu.be/CFuuL36jMy4
ACB Applauds FCC on Description Expansion
The American Council of the Blind applauds the Federal Communications Commission's recently adopted new rules increasing the number of hours of audio-described programming available on top-rated broadcast and cable networks. Read more at: http://acb.org/FCC-AD-expansion
Blind Parenting Video
Parents often say that raising children is one of the most rewarding and challenging stages of life. Now imagine how you’d do it if you were blind. Not sure? … Check out this video and learn how two parents, Rebecca and Eric, who are both blind are loving, laughing and adapting as they raise their two-year-old son, Tyler, who loves books, trucks, airplanes, playing, and exploring the world around him. ACB Parenting Video ACB Parenting Video with Audio Description
Eatsa, Restaurant of the Future, Excludes Blind Customers
Eatsa, a chain of eateries touted as the “restaurant of the future,” has arrived in New York City with two Manhattan locations. Yet its high-tech ordering and food pick-up process has failed to include existing, readily available usability features for blind and low vision people, in violation of civil rights law. To read this press release, visit: http://acb.org/PR-Eatsa
Microsoft Accessibility Resources
For links to several Microsoft accessibility resources, visit: http://acb.org/microsoft-resources.
ACB Response to Berkeley Webcasts Removal
The American Council of the Blind (ACB) raises concern over the University of California-Berkeley’s recent response to an August 2016 settlement between the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the nation’s leading public university, following a determination that the university was publicly posting inaccessible online lectures. To read this press release, please visit: http://acb.org/PR-Berkeley-Webcasts.
ACB Welcomes Reintroduction of Medicare Demonstration Bill
The American Council of the Blind (ACB) commends Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and Steve Cohen (D-TN) on reintroduction of the Medicare Demonstration of Coverage of Low-Vision Devices Act of 2017 (H.R. 2050). This legislation will establish a national demonstration/research project tasked with identifying the impact to Medicare and Medicare recipients who are prescribed low-vision devices over a certain threshold cost. To read more, visit: http://acb.org/PR-reintroduction-medicare-bill
ACB and the Policy of Structured Negotiations
An article about structured negotiations, written by Eric Bridges, appeared as a feature in the Philanthropy Journal, a publication of North Carolina State University. To read the article, please visit: http://acb.org/ACB-structured-negotiations.
Charter Communications Accessible Features
To read a message from Charter Communications about their new accessible television features, please visit: http://acb.org/Charter-accessible-features.
DirecTV Accessibility Resources
For Links to DirecTV's Talking Guide FAQ as well as instructions on how to enable video description through DirectTV, please visit: http://acb.org/direcTV-accessibility-resources
AMC Theaters Agrees to Improve Services for Blind Movie-Goers
AMC Theaters (AMC) has reached an agreement with several blind individuals, the California Council of the Blind (CCB), and the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco (LightHouse) to ensure blind customers have reliable access to audio description services at AMC movie theaters nationwide. To read more, visit: http://acb.org/AMC-Theaters
iPhone App from the American Council of the Blind Links Blind People to its Affiliates and Services
The ACB Link iPhone app assists ACB staff, members and friends to readily communicate news of relevance to the blind community. For more information about ACB Link, go to http://link.acb.org or read more at http://acb.org/ACB-Link
Phone numbers for ACB Radio, ACB Braille and E-Forums and ACB Reports
You can reach ACB Radio on the phone by dialing 605-475-8130.
To reach the ACB Braille Forum, E Forum and ACB Reports, dial 605-475-8154.