edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
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 [email protected], 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.
Inclusion Drives Innovation
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, this month is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This year’s theme is “Inclusion Drives Innovation.”
Every October, NDEAM celebrates individuals with disabilities and their contributions and achievements to the American workforce. ODEP created this year’s theme with input from a wide variety of its partner organizations, including those representing employers, people with disabilities and their families, and federal, state, and local agencies.
Overcome Film Festival
The Overcome Film Festival 2017 is now accepting submissions.
What is the Overcome Film Festival? It’s a venue for all storytellers, filmmakers, and artists to tell the world their stories of survival and triumph over adversity. The festival’s focus is to give survivors a voice and a venue to share their life experiences and provide hope to others. Animation, narrative and non-narratives, audio-visual poetry films, and experimental works are accepted. The Overcome Film Festival especially encourages the entries of anyone who wants to share their experiences in overcoming challenges, illnesses, disabilities or any other factor that has contributed to their growth as a person and motivated them to celebrate their existence. This is an international event, and everyone all over the world is welcome to participate.
The festival is seeking filmmakers and poets (audio-visual poetry film recordings are acceptable) to submit their works. All filmmakers and poets are invited to participate in the festival. Waivers may be obtained by emailing [email protected] and submitting works on www.overcomefilmfestival.modifiergroup.com/images/Film-Freeway-Submit.jpg.
The festival will be held Oct. 23-29. Submissions will be accepted through Oct. 3. It is designed to be digital/online in order to ensure that all audience members, filmmakers, and poets can participate and enjoy the works anywhere in the world. All submissions need to be accessible to anyone who participates and sends the festival his or her works.
For more information, visit www.overcomefilmfestival.modifiergroup.com; on Twitter, https://twitter.com/OvercomeFest; or visit Facebook,https://www.facebook.com/overcomefestival.
Save for the Future Scholarship
Coupons Plus Deals is offering a $3,000 scholarship called “Save for Future.” It will be awarded to one student from anywhere around the world. To apply, fill out the required form, write an essay about how you can save money in your daily life (focus on saving tips), and submit the application and essay by Dec. 31, 2017.
For complete information, instructions, and the application, go to www.couponsplusdeals.com/scholarship. For questions, send an email to [email protected].
SSA, Johns Hopkins Partnership
The Social Security Administration recently announced a new collaboration to access medical records electronically from Johns Hopkins Medicine. Hopkins will transmit complete secure medical records for Social Security disability applicants, with the appropriate patient consent. Social Security will receive medical records within minutes or hours, as compared to weeks through traditional methods. The electronic process will save time and money.
To learn more about Social Security’s Health IT program, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/hit.
Talking Information Center Wins National Award
In 2016, the Talking Information Center in Marshfield, Mass. created and broadcast a program to share the November ballot questions. The International Association of Audio Information Services (IAAIS) heard this broadcast and recently awarded TIC the Consumer Information Program of the Year for “Massachusetts Voter Information Guide.”
New from NBP
Now available from National Braille Press is “Blueberries for Sal” by Robert McCloskey. It comes in contracted UEB, and is for ages 3 to 8. Find out what happens when Sal and her mother meet a mother bear and her cub while picking blueberries.
Newly available is “Rosie Revere, Engineer” by Andrea Beaty. It comes in contracted UEB, and is for ages 5 to 9. Rosie dreams of becoming a great engineer. When her great-great-aunt Rose (Rosie the Riveter) comes for a visit and mentions her one unfinished goal — to fly — Rosie gets to work building a contraption to make her aunt’s dream come true. Just wait ‘til you find out how this story ends!
New to Windows 10? Check out “Microsoft Windows 10 Keystroke Compendium: Creators Update.” It is available in braille and downloadable BRF. It is a collection of keystrokes available in Windows 10, and contains keystrokes which are either available anywhere in Windows or are used in many different apps, as well as application-specific keystrokes. Updated for Creators edition.
If you have an iPhone, you may want to check out “Go Where You Wanna Go: Using GPS on the iPhone” by Judy Dixon. This book is available in braille (one volume), BRF, Word or DAISY. Dixon takes you on an app tour of 17 of the most user-friendly, accessible GPS apps for the iPhone, and helps you choose the right app for different situations. Whether you want to know your exact location, learn the identity of what’s around you so you can explore, create your own routes and get turn-by-turn directions, or navigate such environments as a college campus, large park, beach, or other large open space, this book will help you understand your GPS options.
For more information on any of these items, call 1-800-548-7323, or visit www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/publications/index.html.
Little Big Headache Book
Are you or is anyone you know still having migraine headaches? Ojocion Ingram has a book on how to get rid of them online, for free. You can get it at http://livinganyway.com/wp/the-little-big-headache-book-2/. The cartoon images are all described.
Want to Visit Portugal?
Portugal 4all Senses is a tour operator based in Lisbon that is dedicated to customized accessible tourism for people who are blind or visually impaired. Discover the 800 years of history that make Lisbon the second oldest capital in Europe. Explore the town of Sintra and its fairytale palaces surrounded by romantic gardens. Be at the westernmost point of Europe and feel the power of the Atlantic Ocean. Relax on Portugal’s sandy beaches or engage in outdoor activities, and boost your vitamin D levels. Taste Portuguese wines; savor the rich and diverse Portuguese gastronomy. For more information, visit www.portugal4allsenses.pt, or send an email to [email protected].