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Here and There

edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins

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 slovering@acb.org, 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.


Lighthouse Guild Announces Award Winners

Lighthouse Guild recently announced the recipients of its 2024 awards for outstanding accomplishments in vision science, technological innovation, and advocacy: Thomas Lee of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is the recipient of the Bressler Prize in Vision Science. John-Ross Rizzo of NYU Langone Health receives the Pisart Award in Technological Innovation. Hoby Wedler, a celebrated chemist and entrepreneur, is honored with the Dr. Alan R. Morse Lecture in Advocacy for People with Vision Impairment.

News from USABA

Five-time Paralympian and two-time medalist Tyler Merren is the 2024 winner of the Ronald W. Plassman Gold Standard Award from the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes. This prestigious honor recognizes outstanding leadership, sportsmanship, and contributions to the sport of goalball, embodying the legacy of Ron Plassman’s unwavering dedication to adaptive sports and the Paralympic movement.

Partnership Creates Accessible Home Appliances

American Printing House has partnered with General Electric (GE) Appliances in the creation of stickers to ensure accessible home appliances and greater independence for those who are blind or low vision.

Last year, GE reached out to APH with an idea for a product after attending an accessibility workshop put on by staff members of APH. GE appliances had not only learned the importance of workplace accessibility but saw an opportunity to fill a need within their own products. 

After learning about APH’s selection of tactile stickers and overlays, GE felt there was an opportunity to solve this problem. The process consisted of developing an idea, producing prototypes, and creating a lot of surveys for the redesign. APH agreed to produce the stickers in-house as efficiently as possible to keep the products at a low price. It was important to GE to ensure the product was not only available, but attainable. 

For more information, visit https://www.aph.org/new-partnership-creates-groundbreaking-product/. To check out the overlay kit, visit https://www.geapplianceparts.com/store/parts/spec/WX01X48726.

New at National Braille Press

Newly available is “Gravity is Bringing Me Down” by Wendelin Van Draanen. It’s available in UEB for ages 4 to 8.

Also new is “Good Night Owl” by Greg Pizzoli. It’s available in contracted UEB for ages 1 to 8, and tells the story of an owl getting ready for bed after a very long and busy day.

If your children are into astronomy and outer space, take a look at “Mars! Earthlings Welcome,” by Stacy McAnulty. It’s available in UEB for ages 4 to 8, and tells the story of the red planet.

Now that the elections are over, check out “Sofia Valdez, Future Prez” by Andrea Beaty. It comes in UEB for ages 3-7.

Another new offering is “Lila Greer, Teacher of the Year” by Andrea Beaty. It, too, comes in UEB for ages 5 to 7. If you’ve ever been the new kid in town, or are about to move the family somewhere new, this is the book for you.

Over in the adult section, there’s a new cookbook in town: “Holiday Cocktails and Mocktails.” It is available in contracted UEB, and includes 27 cocktail and mocktail recipes (and 3 simple syrup recipes).

New in the technology section are two items: “Online Safety for Blind Computer Users: Staying Secure in an Ever-Changing Digital World” and the iOS 18 Reference Card. Both are available in hard-copy braille, Word, and BRF.

For more information on any of these listings, call toll-free 1-800-548-7323, or visit the online store at shop.nbp.org.

New Spanish Resources Available from the NRTC

Independence begins with access to the right tools. Our collection of Spanish resources was created for Spanish-speaking individuals who are blind or have low vision (B/LV). These tools offer practical guidance on topics such as transportation, disclosing visual impairment, and working while receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Lack of access to reliable transportation is a barrier that keeps many B/LV individuals from finding and maintaining employment. One of our most popular resources, "A Transportation Guide for Persons Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision," has been translated into Spanish and is now available on our website. It contains helpful information about finding and using transportation services effectively.

Visit https://www.ntac.blind.msstate.edu/spanish-resources to explore these resources and share them with others!