2017 ACB Conference and Convention Program

The 2017 American Council of the Blind Conference and Convention Program is now available. Download the PDF version of the program.
Note you must have a PDF reader available to view the PDF version of the program.
Acrobat Reader DC is recommended for the best accessibility experience.
Download volume 1 of the BRF version of the program.
Download volume 2 of the BRF version of the program.
Download volume 3 of the BRF version of the program.
The BRF version is for those who wish to view the program on their Braille devices.
Download the text version of the program.

If you have an IOS or Android device and wish to access the 2017 ACB Conference and Convention calendar and get program updates in real time click on the following link with your IOS or Android device:
2017 ACB Conference and Convention Calendar

2017 Conference and Convention

The 56th ACB conference and convention "ACB Sparks Success" will take place Friday, June 30, 2017 - Friday, July 7, 2017 at the Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks, Nevada.

Approximately 1,000 blind and visually impaired people are expected to attend this conference from across the United States and many foreign countries. Countless others will listen to selected broadcasts from the conference on ACB's internet radio service.  

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 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

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.