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 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 [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.
Survey for Teachers, Parents
Louisiana Tech University's Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness is conducting two surveys, and staffers need your help. The first survey is aimed at collecting information from teachers of the blind/visually impaired about their training and experiences with vision loss. The second survey is aimed at parents who have children in grades K through 12.
If you are a teacher, you must meet the following criteria: (a) Currently be a certified Teacher of Visual Impairment TVI/TBS; (b) Have a case load of one or more students with low vision or blindness as the primary diagnosed disability on the student's Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Teachers may access the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/pdribt.
For a parent or guardian to participate in this study, your child must meet the following criteria: (a) Be between the ages of 5-22 and be enrolled in a school in the United States in grades K through 12; (b) Visual impairment must be listed as his or her primary diagnosed disability on his or her Individualized Education Plan (IEP); (c) English is his or her primary spoken language. Parents may access the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/pdribp.
If you have questions about either study, or other ways in which you can help, contact the principal researchers for this study. Edward Bell, Ph.D., is the principal investigator; he can be reached at (318) 257-4554 or [email protected]. Casey Robertson, research associate, is the lead person for questions about teachers or parents, and she can be contacted at [email protected].
Governor Morehead School Reunion
It's time for the sixth annual Governor Morehead School Alumni Association, Inc.'s reunion. You do not have to be a graduate of GMS; all interested people are invited. There will be games, a catered lunch, a talent show, an auction, a dance, door prizes, and more! Many of our Saturday activities will be held on the Garner Road campus.
The kickoff to our big weekend will be a free low-vision and blindness seminar presented by Freedom Scientific. They will show several of their products and will also provide lunch. Participants will be able to use the products themselves; there will be door prizes for those lucky ones. The seminar will be held on July 31st on the Governor Morehead School campus at Weathers Hill Dining Hall located at 329 Ashe Ave., Raleigh, N.C. 27610. More information about the seminar will be revealed at a later date.
Our main event will take place Aug. 1-3, 2014 at the Holiday Inn Raleigh North, 2805 Highwoods Blvd., Raleigh, N.C. Room rates are $65.90 plus tax; this price includes a hot buffet breakfast for up to four people per room. Call the hotel at (919) 872-3500 and ask for a room with the Governor Morehead School Alumni Association.
Registration rates remain the same; for members, $50 plus your yearly membership dues of $15 if it has not already been paid, and for non-members, $65. Registration fees should be paid on or before July 13, 2014, after which there will be an additional $10 fee. There will be no refunds after July 15, 2014.
Checks should be made payable to GMSAAI and mailed to Frances Council at 1609 Elkpark Dr., Raleigh, N.C. 27610. If you need an application, or need help completing it, contact Frances via phone at (919) 832-9732 or via e-mail at [email protected].
New CEO at Guide Dogs for the Blind
Christine Benniger was appointed CEO of Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, Calif. Her first day on the job was April 7. Benniger had retired in 2010 from her previous job as the executive director of the Humane Society in Silicon Valley, where she worked for 17 years.
Social Security's Center for Section 504 Compliance
The Social Security Administration recently announced the creation of its new Center for Section 504 Compliance. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities, and requires the federal government to provide individuals with meaningful access to government facilities, programs, and services.
Although the provision of accommodations to the public is not new, the Center for 504 Compliance is new to Social Security. Acting Commissioner Carolyn W. Colvin is committed to improving service to individuals with disabilities.
Need to report an issue? Want to make a suggestion regarding meaningful access to Social Security documents? Contact the center at 1-844-881-9061.
CVS/pharmacy Now Offers Talking Prescriptions
CVS/pharmacy announced today that it now provides ScripTalk talking prescription labels for prescriptions ordered for home delivery through its online pharmacy, CVS.com. The ScripTalk labels provide a safe and convenient way to access information on prescription labels for individuals who cannot read standard print. The labels are free to CVS.com pharmacy customers who are blind or visually impaired. Customers can also obtain a free ScripTalk reader from En-Vision America that will enable them to listen to the information on the ScripTalk label.
Do you order prescriptions from CVS.com? Would you benefit from talking labels? To request the labels with a prescription that you ordered through cvs.com, contact CVS at 1-888-861-4363. If you have questions about the ScripTalk system, call En-Vision America at 1-800-890-1180. We recommend that you call CVS.com first.