Last Chance to Take the ACB Consumer Survey and Be Entered Into a Drawing for an Amazon Gift Card
ACB has put together a brief survey to gain a better understanding of those throughout our network. Help us out by taking time to complete the survey. Your responses will help guide our advocacy and program services. You can also enter a drawing at the end to win an Amazon gift card. Take the survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ACBConsumerSurvey2020.
ACB Scholarships
The American Council of the Blind (ACB), in partnership with the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is now accepting applications for educational scholarships for the 2021-2022 academic school year. These scholarships can be used to help with post-secondary education financial needs such as tuition, fees, room and board and other additional costs associated with adaptive technology. Scholarships range from $2,000 to $7500, and to be eligible, students must be legally blind, maintain a 3.0 GPA, and be a full-time student or working 32 hours a week or more and taking substantial course work. The deadline for submitting applications for the 2021-2022 school year is Monday, February 15, 2021 at 11:59pm (CST). All interested candidates must register for an ACB account prior to submitting a scholarship application online. Once you have created an account with ACB, please login and then you can access the scholarship application from the link at the top of the site. Visit https://members.acb.org to create an account or login.
DOT Final Rule: Air Travel with Service Animals
On this week’s episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, ACB Director of Advocacy& Governmental Affairs Clark Rachfal speaks with ACB experts regarding the Final Rule on Air Travel with Service Animals from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The DOT Final Rule goes into effect on Monday, Jan. 11, 2021, and our panelists for this conversation included: Sarah Calhoun, Guide Dog Users Inc. (GDUI) President; Melanie Brunson, GDUI Advocacy Chair; Sheila Styron, ACB Transportation Committee Chair; and Becky Davidson, ACB Environmental Access Committee Chair. Listen via your favorite podcast player or online at: https://tinyurl.com/y6s8e8w4.
Facilitating and Hosting in our ACB Community.
If you’d like to learn how ACB ensures our events remain safe, respectful, and welcoming, listen our podcast for community call facilitators, which also covers expectations of hosts and impacts all who attend our events by visiting https://tinyurl.com/y6z5otlt. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer host, whether for our community or your own chapter or affiliate, send an email requesting to be placed in a future training to [email protected]. Our community event expectations are especially intended for those facilitating and hosting calls, but are worthwhile for all who attend to read and understand. To access our community events expectations, visit: https://acb.org/community-event-expectations. If you wish to hold an event in our community, please submit your event visiting https://bit.ly/2T88iI3 by Wednesday for the following Sunday through Saturday week.
Benefits of Audio Description in Education Contest (BADIE)
The Benefits of Audio Description in Education (BADIE) contest is an exciting opportunity for blind and visually impaired young people to describe their experience with audio described media. Students, from ages 7-21, can choose an audio described film to review from the thousands of videos available through the Described and Captions Media Program (DCMP) via streaming or on DVD. Set up a free DCMP account at: www.dcmp.org/signup. Alternatively they can borrow an audio described video or film from a library, or access audio described films and videos that are available via streaming services for their review. You can visit ADP's website at www.acb.org/adp/dvds.html for lists of DVDs and films with audio description. Contest winners in each category will be chosen by February 19, 2021, and the grand prize winner will receive an iPad Mini! Each first-place winner will receive a $100 iTunes gift card. Second-place winners will receive a $50 iTunes gift card, and third-place winners will receive a $25 iTunes gift card. Each supporting teacher who has a first-place winning student will be awarded a $100 Amazon gift card. For more details, visit: https://acb.org/2020-BADIE-contest. The deadline for entries is Friday, January 22, 2021.
Accessibility in Tech Improved in 2020, But More Must Be Done
The year 2020 marked the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and many of the biggest tech companies updated their products to improve accessibility. But the work to foster an inclusive industry that doesn’t overlook an underrepresented community is never done, and there are still areas that need attention. An article by Engadget, which includes a quote from ACB Director of Advocacy & Governmental Affairs Clark Rachfal, reflects on tech’s progress in 2020. Read the article by visiting: https://www.engadget.com/accessibility-in-tech-2020-150002855.html.