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 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.
Want to be a columnist?
Sue Lichtenfels has resigned as editor of the always popular "Here and There" column. Would you like to take on the challenge? Please send your resume and cover letter to Sharon Lovering, American Council of the Blind, 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201. Applications should be postmarked no later than Oct. 15, 2012.
E-mailed applications are also acceptable. If you attach files, please do so in Word (97-2003). If you are uncomfortable with attachments, you may paste your resume and cover letter directly into your message. E-mail to [email protected].
Audio description award winners
The American Council of the Blind (ACB) proudly announces the 2012 Achievement Awards in Audio Description, an initiative of the Council's Audio Description Project (ADP). In conjunction with ACB's 51st annual conference and convention in Louisville, Ky., the audio description awards were presented at a plenary session attended by over 1,500 ACB members. The awards included:
Achievement in Audio Description - Media: Described and Captioned Media Program, Spartanburg, SC
Achievement in Audio Description - Performing Arts: Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, Louisville, KY
Achievement in Audio Description - Museums: National Park Service, Washington, DC
Achievement in Audio Description - International: Track One Communications, New Delhi, India
Dr. Margaret R. Pfanstiehl Memorial Achievement Award in Audio Description - Research and Development: Dr. Philip Piety, Silver Spring, MD
Barry Levine Memorial Award for Career Achievement in Audio Description - Alan Woods, Columbus, OH
The Achievement Awards are given to individuals and/or organizations for outstanding contributions to the establishment and/or continued development of significant audio description programs. The Barry Levine Memorial Award for Career Achievement in Audio Description recognizes an individual for outstanding contributions to the field of audio description over an extended period of time, leading, inspiring or providing significant service to others.
Additional information about ACB's Audio Description Project is available at www.acb.org/adp.
Touch of Genius Prize
National Braille Press would like to invite you to apply for a $20,000 award to honor those innovating in the field of tactile literacy. The Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation was developed to inspire an innovator to continue the promotion of braille literacy for blind and deaf-blind people worldwide.
The prize will be granted to a group or individual for a new educational method, tactile literacy product, software application, or technological advance related to tactile literacy. The Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation may be awarded for a completed project or anticipated concept that shows viability and will improve opportunities for blind people - projects such as the 2011 co-awardees, Christine Short's Feel the Beat: Braille Music Curriculum, which uses the soprano recorder to teach the braille music code to blind students, and Ashok Sapre's Tactile Accu-draw Graphics Set, which is a low-cost, multifunctional, manual device for producing rich graphics and embossing braille notes.
Applications must be received by Nov. 2, 2012. For more information and to download the application, please visit www.touchofgeniusprize.org. The Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation is provided through support from National Braille Press and The Gibney Family Foundation.
Strategies that work
"Business Strategies That Work: A Framework for Disability Inclusion" is a new guide for businesses recently released by the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), U.S. Department of Labor that outlines promising policies and practices for employing people with disabilities. This publication contains proactive strategies for businesses of all sizes across seven key operational areas, and is an essential resource for employers who want to make sure their workplaces - and customer bases - are diverse and inclusive. To get a copy, visit www.dol.gov/odep/pdf/BusinessStrategiesThatWork.pdf.
Apply now for Ski for Light 2013
Are you a blind or visually impaired adult who cross-country skis or wants to learn how during a fun-filled week in a resort setting? Join over 200 active adults from across the U.S. and around the world for the 38th annual Ski for Light International Week. The 2013 event will take place from Jan. 27-Feb. 3 at Shanty Creek Resorts in Bellaire, Mich.
Located 45 minutes from the Traverse City airport, Shanty Creek Resorts is a 4,500-acre complex containing three housing and entertainment villages, both cross-country and downhill ski trails, a tubing hill, several swimming pools and hot tubs, a fitness center and spa, and much more.
Ski for Light attracts cross-country skiers from beginners to advanced. You will be paired with a sighted instructor/guide who will assist with skills and technique while describing the countryside and enjoying the trails with you. Free rental of skis, boots, and poles will be provided to first-time participants, and partial stipends based on financial need are available.
For more information, visit the SFL web site, www.sfl.org. The first 100 applicants who select the early admission option are eligible for acceptance within two weeks of your submission. All applications are due Nov. 1, 2012. If you have any questions, please contact Bob Hartt, [email protected], or call (703) 845-3436 during the evenings and on weekends.
Fall Science Sense Tours
The American Museum of Natural History offers a variety of Science Sense Tours for visitors who are blind or partially sighted. This fall's offerings include the following.
Saturday, Sept. 22, 10 a.m.: Dinosaurs. Join our guides on a paleontological adventure through the Koch Dinosaur Wing.
Thursday, Oct. 18, 2:30 p.m.: Mexico and Central America. Explore the cultures of the Olmec, Aztec and Maya. Discover their beliefs, gods, and myths in the Hall of Mexico and Central America.
Science Sense tours are available to individuals or groups. Space is limited and advance registration is required. Programs may be subject to change. For more information, or to register for a tour, please call (212) 313-7565 or e-mail [email protected].
Talking Clocks
The iTalk Reminder Clock is now available! These clocks are completely hands-free; you ask the clock to speak the time, date, alarm setting, snooze, alarm off, and it has a digital voice recording for reminders that can be set like an alarm. With the exception of the one-time setting of the date, you never have to touch the clock again. Everything else is voice controlled. The time is displayed in 2" high LED bright digital numbers. For more information, contact Larry Gotlieb at (818) 602-8675.