by Sarah Blake
The announcement of products and services in this column is not an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its staff, or elected officials. Products and services are listed free of charge for the benefit of our readers. “The Braille Forum” cannot be held responsible for the reliability of products and services mentioned.
To submit items for this column, you may e-mail Sarah at [email protected], or call ACB at 1-800-424-8666 and leave a message in mailbox 26. Please remember that postal regulations prohibit us from including advertisements, and that we need information two months ahead of actual publication dates.
10% Discount on Window-Eyes
Easy Talk and GW Micro are offering a 10 percent discount off the retail price of Window-Eyes to all ACB members until March 20, 2004. And when you purchase either the standard or professional version of Window-Eyes, ACB will receive 10 percent of the cost of your purchase. Don’t miss out on a good deal and on helping a great organization!
Window-Eyes standard costs $535.50; the professional version, $715.50. Shipping is free through March 20. Purchases can be made either by contacting the ACB Store at 1-877-367-2224 or online at www.acb.org, or by calling Easytalk at 1-850-906-9821. Verification of membership is required.
New E-Mail Discussion Group
A new e-mail discussion group has been formed for social workers, VR counselors, teachers, psychologists, human resources professionals, system change practitioners, and any other person with a visual impairment interested in the field of human services. This list will allow members to share articles, provide support, ask questions, and generally converse in an unmoderated (but hopefully safe) environment. Students are especially welcome!
The founders of the list hope that this list will ultimately lead to a special-interest affiliate of the American Council of the Blind for people interested in the human services sector. To subscribe, send a blank message to [email protected].
Openings for International Exchange Program in Japan
Mobility International USA (MIUSA) is currently seeking young people with disabilities from diverse cultural backgrounds to apply for an upcoming international exchange program in Japan.
U.S. citizens ages 18-24 are invited to apply for a two-week U.S./Japan: Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Disability exchange program, scheduled to take place in July/August 2004. Participants will take part in discussions on disability rights and leadership, visit sites of historical and cultural interest in Japan, participate in workshops on traditional Japanese drumming and experience family customs, food and culture with members of the local community. Participants will also take part in a four- day international volunteer service project.
Activities will be designed to ensure that everyone participates equally. Sign language interpretation and materials in alternative formats will be provided. Other accessibility arrangements will be negotiated to ensure full participation. Individuals from cultural minority backgrounds and inexperienced international travelers are encouraged to apply. Partial scholarships are available for this program. For more information, please visit www.miusa.org, or contact MIUSA at (541) 343-1284 (V/TTY), (541) 343- 6812 (fax), [email protected] or write to PO Box 10767, Eugene, OR 97440.
Position Announcement
The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision at Mississippi State University is seeking applicants for the center training director. Job responsibilities include managing and implementing the center’s training and dissemination program, developing proposals for external funding, managing and designing coursework and/or workshops both on-site and via distance education, and networking with national leaders in blindness rehabilitation to determine training needs/priorities of practitioners.
The position will be filled as an assistant research professor or as a senior research associate. Candidates for the assistant research professor rank will need a doctorate in rehabilitation counseling, rehabilitation teaching, orientation and mobility, or a closely related field, and 10 years experience in blindness rehabilitation; evidence of success in securing external funding, conducting blindness-related training, and publishing in peer reviewed or consumer publications; excellent writing skills; and understanding of state-of-the-art computer access technology, distance education principles, and adult learning theory.
Candidates for the senior research associate position will need a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling, rehabilitation teaching, orientation and mobility, or a closely related field, and 10 years experience in blindness rehabilitation. They will also need evidence of success in the areas mentioned above. Salary will be negotiated based on experience.
Send your letter of application referencing job #5149, your resume, a writing sample, three letters of reference and copies of transcripts to: Dr. Brenda Cavenaugh, Chair, Search Committee, RRTC on Blindness and Low Vision, P.O. Box 6189, Mississippi State, MS 39762. For further information, call (662) 325-2001. Applications will be accepted until February 16, 2004 or until the position is filled. MSU is an AA/EOE.
Carroll Center Launches New On-Line Classes
The Carroll Center for the Blind recently launched Carroll Tech. The program offers on-line classes in the use of popular applications using either JAWS for Windows or ZoomText.
Each of the 24 classes currently scheduled to take place during 2004 are designed to take full advantage of the World Wide Web. Over the course of six weeks, students take 12 lessons consisting of on-line manuals, streamed videos, e-mailed exercises, auto-graded quizzes and audio chat sessions.
Classes cover the use of the Microsoft Office applications, Outlook, PowerPoint, Access and Excel, and are offered at the introductory, intermediate and advanced levels. To take one of the Carroll Tech classes, students must pass a pre-qualifying quiz to assure that they have the word processing, web browsing, e-mailing and file management skills necessary to successfully complete the course work. Students must also demonstrate that the computer system where they intend to do most of their work is capable of accessing the course content, including streamed videos, audio chat sessions and on-line quizzes.
The cost per class is only $50 and is payable through PayPal, by personal check, credit card or purchase order. Each class is offered on a first-come-first-served basis; classes are limited to five students. For more information, to take the pre-qualifying quiz, or to suggest additional topics for future classes, log on to Carroll Tech at www.carrolltech.org.
Medicaid Information Database Available
The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (KCMU), along with the National Conference of State Legislatures, recently made available an online database on Medicaid benefits in the 50 states, D.C. and the U.S. territories. Check it out at http://www.kff.org/content/2003/20031027/. The database includes information about benefits covered by each state, for what populations the benefits are available, and the limitations, co-payments, and payment rules that apply to the benefits. You may search it by state or by benefit.
New PAC Mate Released
Freedom Scientific has released two additions to its PAC Mate family of accessible Pocket PC devices: the PAC Mate BX400 and PAC Mate QX 400, which use Microsoft’s Pocket PC 2003 software and JAWS for Windows and contain a high performance Intel X scale 400 MHz processor. New models offer significant user benefits in the areas of affordability and convenience. Both can be converted from speech-only devices to integrated braille display devices and back again in seconds. Because the PAC Mate Portable Braille Display can be quickly and easily removed, it can also be used as your PC or laptop Braille display. For more information about the new integrated PAC Mate, including photos, answers to frequently asked questions and product specifications, visit http://www.freedomscientific.com/. Or call 1- 800- 444-4443.
Congratulations!
Pamela Shaw has been appointed as Director of the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services, Pennsylvania’s state agency for the blind.
Vision Science Award
The Jewish Guild for the Blind recently awarded the first Alfred W. Bressler Prize in Vision Science to Richard A. Lewis, M.D., of the Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas. Lewis received his prize, $25,000, at a luncheon in New York in November.
New Magnifiers
The Flipper Stand, a new addition to the Flipper product line, allows users to view blackboards, screens and presentations more easily in classroom and audience settings. For more information, visit http://www.enhancedvision.com/flipper.php or call 1-888-811-3161.