We are excited to welcome ACB members to the Legislative Seminar in February. There are several issues that blind and visually impaired Americans continue to experience in 2019. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss these issues with their representatives and senators. To make an appointment with your representative, call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Interestingly, all of the major issues flagged this year touch in some way the continuing growth of technology in our society. The issues show both the positive benefits of accessible technology and the negative ramifications of failing to include accessibility from the beginning. This connection to technology should be noted and mentioned to your members of Congress. Listed below are the three issues we will discuss during the seminar, and that we encourage you to talk to your senators and representatives about. These topics will be discussed in greater detail at the conference. You will also receive background papers with more detailed summaries of the issues. Other issues will be highlighted that continue to reappear in the national discussion. Imperative 1: Autonomous Vehicles We are now at an exciting technological place regarding transportation. The potential for the use of autonomous vehicles for people who are blind is closer than ever. Such vehicles are already being tested in multiple cities. However, it is critical that these cars remain fully accessible, and that individuals who have the most to gain through such technology are not forgotten. In the last Congress, blindness organizations and the auto industry supported legislation that would establish working groups to focus on accessibility and prevent discrimination in operating such vehicles based on disability. ACB calls on Congress to move forward with similar legislation that will continue to drive this technology forward. Imperative 2 — Accessible Durable Medical Equipment Advancements in health technology have resulted in a watershed of durable medical equipment (DME) that monitors vital health activity and conditions such as diabetes, which is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. However, a failure by the DME industry to make devices accessible has raised serious health concerns by those living with such conditions who are blind and visually impaired. For instance, devices such as glucometers have notoriously been a challenge for diabetics who are blind. This can all change through the development of accessible DME interfaces like smartphone apps and other devices capable of using nanotechnology that can incorporate simple accessibility solutions. Congress can play a role in ensuring that such technology adheres to the latest software technology standards, such as Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) provide assurances that accessible DME devices make their ways into the hands of individuals who are blind and visually impaired. Imperative 3: Low Vision Aid Exclusion In November of 2008, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) promulgated a regulation that has had a detrimental impact on the lives of countless individuals who are blind or visually impaired. The Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Acquisition Rule contains a provision entitled “Low Vision Aid Exclusion” which states that all devices, “irrespective of their size, form, or technological features that use one or more lens to aid vision or provide magnification of images for impaired vision” are excluded from Medicare coverage based on the statutory “eyeglass” exclusion. ACB is well aware that this extremely restrictive reading of the “eyeglass” exclusion has resulted in the denial of vital assistive devices for seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries who may have disabilities. The expansion of the eyeglass exclusion has prevented access to devices such as handheld magnifiers, video monitors, and other technologies that utilize lenses to enhance vision. Attendees should discuss this issue with their representatives. Be sure to stress the importance of these materials to older individuals’ ability to continue to live independently. You are encouraged to bring additional concerns to your Congress members that you experience back home. The list provided consists of issues ACB has heard about frequently that need to be acknowledged and discussed by Congress. If you have any questions on the issues listed above, please come ready to discuss them at the Legislative Seminar. Or contact Claire Stanley, Advocacy and Outreach Specialist, at (202) 467-5081, or at [email protected]. To register for ACB’s 2019 Leadership Meetings, please visit: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E144393&id=49. Be sure to register by February 15th.   We look forward to interacting with all attendees this year. The 2019 Leadership Meetings will be held at the Crowne Plaza Alexandria, 901 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Room rates are $120 per night, plus tax. You can reserve your room by calling the hotel directly at (703) 683-6000, by calling Crowne Plaza’s toll-free number, 1-877-227-6963, or online by clicking on this link: Crowne Plaza Alexandria Website.

The American Council of the Blind (ACB) is proud to announce a special promotion with our partner Aira – starting today, May 21, 2019. Take advantage of this limited-time offer while you can!  If you haven’t heard of Aira before, Aira connects people who are blind or have low vision to highly-trained, professional agents. This link will take you to their website: www.aira.io. For a limited time only, between May 21 - May 31, any ACB member can purchase one month of Aira’s Intro Plan for just $29, and Aira will cover the cost of the next two months for free. That’s right – free Aira, no strings attached. To learn more about Aira, or to sign up using this promo, call their toll-free number at 1-800-835-1934 and make sure you mention “ACB Promo”. But you better be quick, Aira is only running this offer until May 31, 2019, 5 pm PST! This offer is only valid if you are an ACB member, are new to Aira and have never paid for a monthly plan before, and you sign up by calling us on the phone. Still not sure? Here are two overview videos of Aira, one short and one long. Short Aira video Long Aira video Aira is looking forward to having more ACB members Explore with them!  Call Aira: 1-800-835-1934 Email Aira: [email protected]

Happy new year! January is named for the Latin word for door (ianua), since it’s the door to a new year and an opening to new beginnings. I hope you all had a safe, happy and healthy holiday season. I’d like to take this time to go back through that door and review 2018. In January, airlines were reviewing and tightening their service animal policies after a woman tried to board a flight with an emotional support peacock at Newark International Airport. ACB worked with Delta Air Lines, among others, to revise their guidelines and relax many of the stringent policies for individuals with legitimately trained service animals, which have already undergone great scrutiny and training before being released in the community with their handlers. Around the same time, ACB worked with NCIS producers on the development of the character Annie, a blind attorney played by visually impaired actress Marilee Talkington on “Sight Unseen,” episode 350 of NCIS. An in-depth article on how this episode came to be and ACB’s involvement in it appeared in the Cordillera, Mont. “World Now”; view the article at https://tinyurl.com/yahxef9q, or at http://acb.org/NCIS-sight-unseen. Exciting news! In late February, ACB formed a partnership with Disability:IN (formerly the U.S. Business Leadership Network) to increase the rate of employment for people who are blind or visually impaired and advocate for enhanced workplace accessibility. Collaboration is a core value of ACB, and working with Disability:IN provides opportunities to educate and advocate for corporations to hire, employ and support people who are blind or visually impaired, ensuring application, on-boarding and on-the-job processes are accessible. This partnership will strengthen business diversity initiatives, as well as enhance Disability:IN’s current programs and services for talented individuals with disabilities. A few weeks later, ACB established The Legacy Fund, an endowment fund which will grow, both through investment growth and through new bequests coming to ACB. At some point, to be determined in the future, ACB will begin to draw from this endowment to help with annual operations. But, perhaps most importantly, The Legacy Fund will ensure ACB’s financial future and help to perpetuate ACB’s important work for many years to come. Great news! In March, the Senate introduced the Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act (S. 2559). This legislation will pave the way for ratification of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Treaty. ACB was the first U.S. blindness organization to go to the U.N. member agency nearly 10 years ago to discuss what would eventually become the Marrakesh Treaty. This treaty will help to overcome the shortage of accessible media around the world for people who are blind or who have other print disabilities. Through our advocacy both here and abroad, ACB has been able to play a significant role in carrying the treaty across the finish line. The legislation passed the Senate in late September, and was signed into law by the President in October. In the midst of all of this activity, Claire Stanley joined the ACB national office staff as the outreach specialist. She came to us from the Mid-Atlantic ADA Technical Assistance Center. Originally from southern California, she has a strong background as an advocate for people with disabilities. Joining the staff in Minnesota this year were Nancy Christine Feela and Nicole Beito. Soon afterward, ACB, in collaboration with Cisco, announced the availability of the first enterprise-grade desk phone that includes built-in text-to-speech functionality capable of conveying vital information on the display through audible voice and tone indicators. The software update for Cisco’s IP Phone 8800 Series is a huge step toward making the digital workplace more accessible for the blind and visually impaired. This momentous announcement represented a year’s collaboration by ACB and Cisco. ACB also worked with Apple on a set of new emoji to provide better representation of people with disabilities. The 13 emoji include guide dogs, hearing aids, prosthetic limbs and people using canes and wheelchairs. These new emoji have been approved, and they will be released in 2019. More information may be found at http://acb.org/apple-acb-disabilty-emoji. Shortly thereafter, as a result of ACB’s structured negotiations, CVS pharmacies obtained the ability to dispense controlled substance medications with the Access-A-Med talking prescription labels. Patients seeking Access-A-Med labels for controlled substances should contact their local CVS pharmacist. CVS continues to dispense non-controlled prescription medications with ScripTalk talking labels through cvs.com.  To sign up for ScripTalk labels, contact cvs.com at 1-888-861-4363. If you’d prefer to have your prescription medications with the ScripTalk labels sent to your local CVS store for pick-up, you can make that request with cvs.com, too. About the same time, ACB members Doug Wakefield and Don Barrett were featured in a WUSA9 article about how new technology is making life easier for people with disabilities. You may find the article at https://tinyurl.com/yaznjotw. Wakefield and Barrett were also featured in two “USA Today” articles; you may read them at https://tinyurl.com/ybjv393v and https://tinyurl.com/ycto8ekg. In May, I had the honor to be featured with my son Tyler in a Microsoft video called AI for Accessibility, which is available at https://tinyurl.com/yavxlg49. For the audio-described version, go to http://acb.org/build-ai-accessibility-video-w-audio-description. This video kicked off the Microsoft Build conference, and was viewed live by more than 700,000 people. It also introduced the AI for Accessibility grants program, which is a $25 million 5-year program to accelerate the development of accessible and intelligent AI solutions to benefit the more than 1 billion people worldwide with disabilities. Through AI for Accessibility, Microsoft will support with grants of technology, AI expertise, and platform-level services to accelerate the development of accessible and intelligent AI solutions and build on recent advancements in Microsoft Cognitive Services. In July, ACB held its annual convention at the Union Station Hotel in St. Louis. From the bang of the gavel calling the opening session to order to the motion to adjourn, it was jam-packed with information, award winners, scholarship winners, recognition of the year’s achievements and ACB members (both past and present) who have made significant contributions to the work of the organization, and major sponsors whose work has positively impacted the lives of ACB members and other blind people throughout America and the world. Among the highlights were presentations from Marilee Talkington, who played Annie Barth, a blind attorney who heard vital evidence needed to solve a crime on NCIS, and Richard Turner, the master card mechanic and star of the documentary “Dealt.” This summer and fall saw many natural disasters: wildfires in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, and hurricanes Florence and Michael on the east coast, Lane, Olivia, Walaka and Willa on the west coast. ACB’s Disaster Relief Fund is still active. Financial contributions to the ACB Disaster Relief Fund may be made at http://acb.org/acb-disaster-relief-donation. If you prefer to pay by check, send to: American Council of the Blind, 6300 Shingle Creek Parkway, Suite 195, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430. Be sure to write in the memo field on your check that your gift is for disaster relief. Gift cards can also be sent to the above address. If you would prefer to donate via phone, call 1-800-866-3242. In September, ACB’s advocacy department began doing podcasts and live Facebook broadcasts. Claire Stanley and Tony Stephens have covered such topics as voting, diabetic retinopathy, the latest news from Hulu, National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and the Marrakesh Treaty and associated legislation. And there will be more to come! Speaking of videos, in October I joined Ellee Pai Hong of Comcast for a discussion of ACB’s efforts to increase the independence and quality of life for the blind and visually impaired community through collaboration with companies developing innovative technology solutions for everyday life. The video went live on their blog, https://comcastnewsmakers.com/Videos/2018/10/4/Smart-Tech-Making-a-Difference. November was a busy month! ACB collaborated with Verizon, Aira, General Motors, and The GPS Alliance to hold a panel discussion on artificial intelligence and accessibility. Panelists were Anirudh Koul, Aira, Head of Intelligence and Research; J. David Grossman, The GPS Alliance, executive director; Reagan Payne, General Motors, Manager, Emerging Technologies Policy; and ACB’s own Tony Stephens. You may view it on https://www.facebook.com/AmericanCounciloftheBlindOfficial/. Around the same time, ACB hosted a meeting of the North America/Caribbean Region of the World Blind Union. Attendees heard from Kenneth Suratt, executive director of the Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association, on the state of blind people in his country. Topics included audio description, the Marrakesh Treaty, quiet cars, braille, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, children and youth, and library services, among other things. Delegates from member organizations also presented reports on the goings-on of their agencies. In the midst of all the preparations for these meetings, Tony Stephens left ACB to take a new job as the executive director of the Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance. We wish him much success in his new role. Also moving on was General, my guide dog. He is enjoying his retirement at my parents’ place in Iowa, and has settled in with them and their dog, Charlie. I still miss him, but we FaceTime every so often. He recognizes my voice, and my folks say he looks around the house for me while we chat. It’s a new year, and there will be challenges for us to face. What kinds of challenges? I don’t yet know. But the one thing I do know is this: we will need your assistance and advocacy on them. Stay tuned to the Washington Connection and future issues of the Forum for further information. Eric Bridges Executive Director American Council of the Blind

Happy new year! “Dots and Dashes” is a short newsletter featuring a variety of topics and ACB stories. This issue features information on World Braille Day, a request for assistance from Netflix users, the latest Advocacy Update, information on ACB’s scholarships, NIB’s Virtual Career Fair, and much more.   UN General Assembly Affirms World Braille Day To read the full release online, visit http://www.worldblindunion.org/English/news/Pages/UN-General-Assembly-affirms-World-Braille-Day.aspx. The United Nations General Assembly has adopted the World Blind Union's resolution affirming World Braille Day.  The purpose of the World Braille Day, celebrated every January 4, is to raise awareness of the importance of braille to converting the written word to tactile form for the benefit of blind and partially sighted persons worldwide.   Attention All Netflix Users ACB entered into a settlement agreement with Netflix in 2016 to make more of their programming available with audio description. They also committed to make their website accessible by blind and visually impaired customers. If you are a Netflix user, please send Kim Charlson any issues you have noticed with Netflix, particularly the website, the app, and the search capability. ACB only has a few more days under the settlement agreement to pass along issues that need to be addressed. You can assist us by telling us what you have experienced firsthand when using the website or the app. Netflix has done so much with their audio-described content; we want to be sure the tools to locate that programming are working for everyone. Send any comments to Kim Charlson at [email protected] by no later than Monday, January 14th.   First Podcast of 2019 In the first ACB Advocacy Update of 2019, Claire Stanley provides a few teasers for upcoming episodes and discusses some of the interesting articles that have recently been posted on ACB’s social media accounts. Listen online by visiting http://acbradio.org/content/acb-advocacy-update-january-4-2019.   Annual Affiliate Certification Now is the time for all affiliates to be working on their annual affiliate certifications – and there are a few affiliates we haven’t heard from yet. If your affiliate’s membership chairperson has changed, we need to know that as soon as possible to give that person time to train in AMMS and make any corrections, deletions, additions, etc. Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, [email protected] or (202) 467-5081, with your updates. The next AMMS training session will be held on Saturday, January 12th at 11 a.m. Central time. If you cannot attend, you can find a recorded session under the help tab at https://certification.acb.org/login.php, or contact Lane Waters in the Minnesota office, (612) 332-3242. This introductory session is more descriptive in nature; we will discuss how the program works and its features. Further training is available for specific screen-reader and screen-magnifier users.   NIB Virtual Job Fair National Industries for the Blind is holding a virtual career fair on Thursday, January 17th, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern. It is open to legally blind job seekers, as well as veterans and their spouses, who are interested in full-time positions in contract management support (CMS). To register, visit CareerEco.com/Register/NIB. For a list of participating agencies/employers, visit CareerEco.com/Details/NIB.   ACB Scholarships Available The American Council of the Blind has a great opportunity for students who are legally blind to earn a scholarship, whether you are going to a technical college, an entering freshman, undergraduate or a graduate student. Over $55,000 in scholarships are awarded to students each year. Scholarships are awarded to students who are legally blind. To be eligible, you need to be legally blind in both eyes, maintain a 3.0 GPA, and be involved in your school/local community. The application deadline is February 15th, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. Central time. For more information, contact Nancy Christine Feela at (612) 332-3242 or (800) 866-3242 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Central time. To apply, visit http://acb.org/2019-scholarship.   Happy 10th Birthday, Audio Description Project! In January 2009, Joel Snyder and former ACB president Chris Gray proposed the idea of establishing an initiative to promote and celebrate the development of audio description — the Audio Description Project (ADP) — to then-president Mitch Pomerantz. Mitch appointed Kim Charlson to lead ADP's steering committee, a position she held until her "promotion" several years ago to ACB president. Since then, Dan Spoone has ably steered the ADP toward its current vibrant level of activity with the important contributions of Dr. Joel Snyder, the project's director, and Fred Brack, the ADP webmaster. To read a summary of the ADP’s work through 2018, visit http://acb.org/ADP-10th-anniversary.

Happy 10th Birthday - Audio Description Project!  In January 2009, Joel Snyder and former ACB president Chris Gray proposed the idea of establishing an initiative to promote and celebrate the development of audio description — the Audio Description Project (ADP) — to then-president Mitch Pomerantz. Mitch appointed Kim Charlson to lead ADP's steering committee, a position she held until her "promotion" several years ago to ACB president. Since then, Dan Spoone has ably steered the ADP toward its current vibrant level of activity with the important contributions of Dr. Joel Snyder, the project's director, and Fred Brack, the ADP webmaster. For a review of the ADP's accomplishment over the past decade and throughout 2018, please read Our First Decade report below.  ADP First Decade Report by Joel Snyder, Director of Audio Description Project   The purpose of the American Council of the Blind’s Audio Description Project (ADP) is to boost levels of description activity and disseminate information on that work throughout the nation. Its major goal is to sponsor a broad range of activities designed to build awareness of audio description (AD) among the general public as well as its principal users, people who are blind or have low vision. 2018 is our 10th full year of activity. I’d like to acknowledge some individuals who have done so much to make the ADP a success: Chris Gray, former president of the ACB, was especially welcoming of the idea for the ADP when it was proposed; Mitch Pomerantz continued that support and appointed Kim Charlson as the first chair of our steering committee — Kim, a long-time advocate for AD, is now ACB’s president and has been a strong advocate for the ADP’s work; and succeeding Kim as the chair of our steering committee is Dan Spoone — he established our subcommittee structure. That structure, along with Dan’s superb organizational savvy, has allowed us to do so much. And, of course, Fred Brack, our top-notch webmaster — he has built our website into the go-to repository of information on all things AD. Here’s a brief summary of our work throughout 2018 and over the past decade: The ADP Conferences: the July 2018 gathering in St. Louis was our fifth full gathering of AD consumers, producers, advocates and many other supporters. We hold this conference every other year in conjunction with ACB’s annual conference and convention. We have hosted speakers and participants from two dozen countries over the years. The 2018 conference was a great success: multiple panels and individual speakers included our luncheon speaker, actress Marilee Talkington, and a screening of "Dealt," the story of Richard Turner, a master "card manipulator" (magician) who is blind. In our “off” years, we present a half-day of activities and sessions focused on areas of particular interest to AD consumers like “Audio Description Accessibility and Technology”; an “Open Forum with Representatives from Major Providers and Streaming Services” and “Audio Description Advocacy” The Audio Description Institutes: In July 2018, we presented our 14th Audio Description Institute. We hold them twice a year, in February in conjunction with ACB’s midyear meeting in Washington, D.C. and then each summer along with the ACB convention. The July 2018 St. Louis session involved 17 registrants as well as contributions from AD consumers — Dr. Francisco Lima, Estelle Condra (wife of a registrant) — and special guest Kathleen Zieder, President of ACVREP. The 2018 AD Achievement Award winners were announced: Performing Arts — MindsEye Radio/Marjorie Moore - St. Louis, MO; Media — Rooted in Rights - Seattle, WA; Museums/Visual Art/Visitor Centers — Tennessee School for the Blind and Julia Cawthon - Nashville, TN; International — Amos Be'er, CEO, The Central Library for the Blind and Visually Impaired People, Israel; Special Recognition-International — Antonio Vazquez Martin, Aristia Producciones SLU-Madrid, Spain; Dr. Margaret R. Pfanstiehl Memorial Achievement Award in Audio Description-Research and Development — Dr. Francisco Lima-Recife, Brazil; and the Barry Levine Memorial Award for Career Achievement in Audio Description—The Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family National Center for Accessible Media at WGBH (NCAM) The ADP website — acb.org/adp — now has over 2,300 “likes” on the ADP Facebook page. We continue to broaden the ADP reach on Twitter. In 2018, we provided weekly updates on audio-described DVDs and Blu-ray discs (over 150 in 2018) and created a master list of over 1,500 titles now available on streaming platforms. We also provided updates on TV shows including audio description and our comprehensive listing of broadcast television programs with audio description. D.C. Aid Association grant award — $15,000 was awarded to ACB for an ADP project and is being used to develop an audio described tour of the Smithsonian Institution’s “Insect Zoo” (in process). The BADIE (Benefits of Audio Description In Education contest): the 2018 version of the contest was announced in September 2017. We received 36 entries (the most ever) from students ages 8-18. Our 2018 grand prize winner was introduced at the midyear meeting and gave a stellar reading of his award-winning essay. We are currently reviewing almost 30 entries to the 2019 contest. ACB and the ADP have been principal advocates for AD before Congress, the FCC and the U.S. Access Board. We were active in establishing the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act in 2010, and we continue to work toward an increase in AD on broadcast and cable television. As a member of FCC/Disability Advisory Committee Video Programing subcommittee, we stressed the need to determine the substantive nature (if any) of visual information included with emergency announcements and how it might be described most effectively, emphasized the need for digitized information regarding broadcasts with AD, and lobbied for the establishment of multiple SAP channels. Ongoing work with Martine Abel and Frederic Schroeder of the World Blind Union resulted in a landmark survey of member nations regarding the state of AD in their countries. The survey was distributed in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese. The final report is available at http://acb.org/adp/docs/WBU-ACB%20%20AD%20Survey-FINAL%20REPORT.pdf. We worked with United Airlines on including AD with in-flight entertainment system. We’re working with the Italy-based ADLAB PRO as a member of its evaluation committee, examining training programs for audio describers. We consulted with several individuals on obtaining AD for cruise vacations, and have developed and distributed a white paper on the state of description/access for blind passengers and cruises. Ongoing work on developing a certification effort with the ACVREP (the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals) — we produced a white paper on certification for distribution to the field for feedback and held two open conference calls as well as open sessions at the July 2018 ADP Conference and the August 2018 LEAD Conference. Applications for membership on the initiative’s Subject Matter Expert Committee are currently being reviewed. The ACB publication The Visual Made Verbal: A Comprehensive Training Manual and Guide to the History and Applications of Audio Description is now available as an audio book through the NLS, in text and MS WORD from the ACB Mini Mall, and has been published in Russian, Portuguese and Polish print versions (Spanish, French and Arabic versions are in early stages of development). We have collaborated on AD projects with the National Park Service including, most recently, the UniDescription initiative focused on accessibility to NPS brochures and other materials. In St. Louis, in conjunction with the ADP Conference and the Institute, we screened an audio-described film, “The Shape of Water” for approximately 65 attendees at the ACB Described Film Night screening. Continued to earn income from Amazon.com fees associated with the purchase of DVDs on the ADP website. Since 2009 and the inception of the ADP we’ve earned well over $10,000; in 2018 alone, almost $1,100. We partnered with the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute to conduct focus groups that were essential to the establishment of the Video Description Leadership Network and the UniDescription project. We are proud to have developed the first-ever audio-described tour of The White House, voiced by the legendary blind announcer Ed Walker. We also produced live AD for each of the last three inauguration broadcasts on ABC. In September of 2017, we produced “The Eclipse Project”— live audio description of the total eclipse of the sun. The program was broadcast on ACB Radio and many other outlets around the nation. The D.C. Aid Association for the Blind has generously supported several ADP-produced efforts: the first-ever audio-described tour of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial and Museum, description for the Washington, D.C. residency of Axis Dance Company, a unique collaboration with Arena Stage where we offered AD at every performance of two of Arena’s major productions. We have also produced description for special media projects including live audio description for the ABC broadcasts of the 2016 and 2012 presidential inaugurations, the 30th anniversary DVD of “The Miracle Worker,” “War Against The Weak,” a feature film presented at the “disThis” film series in New York City, a film produced for the United Nations’ International Labour Organization in Geneva —“Count Me In!”, the Arts & Entertainment Network documentary “Barack Obama” and WETA’s “Mosque in Morgantown.” In 2010, the ADP produced a “guideline of guidelines” — a collection of AD best practices noted in AD guidelines produced around the world. It’s available on our website, as is the first published paper on audio description: Gregory Frazier’s 1977 seminal “An All-Audio Narration of the Teleplay ‘The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.’” Finally, it has been my honor to spread the word about the good work of the ADP, speak on audio description and train describers in more than 40 states and in over 60 countries — in the last 12 months domestically in Denver, Seattle, St. Louis, Iowa City, Minot, ND, New York City, Columbus, Houston, Austin, Venice, FL, Scranton and San Diego and internationally in Canada, China (Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong), Taiwan, South Korea, Belgium, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Cyprus, Israel, Morocco, Singapore, Brunei, and Germany. Survey of Worldwide Audio Description Activity A year ago, the ACB's Audio Description Project joined forces with the World Blind Union to survey organizations around the world on the availability of audio description in their country.  The survey consisted of just eleven carefully chosen questions, and users from 69 countries responded.  Their final report is now available. Read the AD Survey results here.

“Dots and Dashes” is a short newsletter featuring a variety of topics and ACB stories. This issue features news about autonomous vehicle legislation, a job application deadline, remembering George H.W. Bush, a request for your assistance with Quest Diagnostics, a fun audio-described video with music on unusual instruments, and more. Autonomous Vehicle Legislation Pending Autonomous vehicles will significantly increase the independence of millions of blind Americans, but we need a law to ensure the successful and safe operation of these vehicles. Fortunately, the U.S. Senate has the opportunity to pass the AV START Act. Our senators must work to bring this bill to the floor and pass this legislation immediately; it will positively impact the lives of so many blind people. Please contact your Congressional representatives to promote and pass the bill. To contact your senators, call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121.   Deadline Nears to Apply for ACB Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs The American Council of the Blind (ACB) seeks a Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs to work in its national office in Alexandria, Va. For the job description and other details, visit http://acb.org/vacancy-advocacy-director. The application deadline is December 19th.   Remembering George H.W. Bush On the Dec. 5th episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, in remembrance of President George H.W. Bush, Claire Stanley and Tony Stephens will discuss the contributions he made to the disability community with the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990. Listen by visiting: http://acbradio.org/content/acb-advocacy-update-december-5-2018.  If you would like to make a $41 donation in honor of George H.W. Bush, visit http://www.acb.org/giving-tuesday-donation.   Quest Diagnostics As we all know, businesses are often turning to computer screens and tablets to sign people in. We have received a report that a Quest Diagnostics lab required a customer to sign in via such a tablet; no receptionist was present to help.  Because Quest Diagnostics is such a commonly used lab, ACB would like to know whether other people have experienced similar circumstances with Quest Diagnostics. Please share any experiences with Claire Stanley at [email protected].   NRTC Needs Your Participation Please participate in a survey about job retention and career advancement by the NRTC on Blindness & Low Vision at Mississippi State University. The survey may be completed electronically at http://tiny.cc/retention_advancement, or you may call (662) 546-0737 and schedule an appointment to participate by telephone. Please share your experiences attempting to keep or advance in a job, even if those experiences were not successful. Participants who complete the survey may enter into a drawing for a gift card for $100. The survey is long – it may take you 30 to 40 minutes. If you have questions or need more assistance, please call Anne Steverson or Adele Crudden at 1-866-676-7266 or email at [email protected] or [email protected].   What’s Aira? The Nov. 29th episode of the ACB Advocacy Update features Aira. We speak with Aira reps to understand more about the service, hear about some great holiday deals, and learn about the world of AI. You may listen to or download it at http://acbradio.org/content/acb-advocacy-update-november-29-2018.   For Your Holiday Enjoyment Enjoy this special holiday audio-video presentation from the American Council of the Blind with description provided by Joel Snyder of the ACB Audio Description Project. Rory Hoffman, a Nashville-based musician, plays “The Twelve Days of Christmas” on multiple unusual instruments. View the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11skGLNEzN0&feature=youtu.be. Rory Hoffman was raised on a small ranch in North Dakota. He grew up recording and touring with the family gospel band. He started teaching himself to play guitar and piano at age 3. By age 5 he was the drummer in the family band. He currently plays over a dozen stringed, keyboard and wind instruments. Rory has played the Grand Ole Opry numerous times, as a soloist and as a sideman with Ricky Skaggs, Kathy Mattea and John Cowan. Working with these stars and others has enabled him to play several notable festivals, including Telluride with John Cowan, and Djangofest as part of the John Jorgenson Quintet. He has performed in Norway, Italy and Jamaica, and enjoys any opportunities to travel the world, experiencing the culture and sharing music. When not out on the road touring, Rory is proud to be in several local Nashville bands, including 50 Shades of Hay, and the Gypsy Hombres. “Tour de Fourth,” Rory’s latest album, entered the world in 2016. It features music that demonstrates Rory's skill and diverse interests in country, western swing, jazz, polka, Latin, gypsy jazz, bluegrass and gospel music. It is a mix of original songs, and fresh arrangements of standards.

“Dots and Dashes” is a short newsletter featuring a variety of topics and ACB stories. This issue features a job announcement, holiday shopping information, a fascinating panel on artificial intelligence and accessibility, an update on the ACB Holiday Auction, and more.   ACB Seeks Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs The American Council of the Blind (ACB) is seeking a Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs to work in its national office in Alexandria, Va. For the job description and other details, visit http://acb.org/vacancy-advocacy-director.   AI for Accessibility People with disabilities have long relied on technology to provide improved access, and creative innovations that regularly advance personal independence. Artificial intelligence (AI) is an exciting tool that can apply machine learning to complex accessibility challenges, automating functions that currently require human intervention. What can AI do for accessibility, and what's next? Join ACB and Verizon for a conversation featuring creative industry leaders using AI to address pervasive accessibility challenges. View it on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AmericanCounciloftheBlindOfficial/.   ACB Holiday Auction Coming Up Soon  Excitement fills the air; everyone is ready to bid and buy and have fun with the ACB Radio Holiday Auction.  It's coming up on Sunday, December 2 from 7 p.m. to midnight Eastern Time (4 to 9 p.m. Pacific), or until all items are sold. You can pre-register as a bidder for the ACB Radio Holiday Auction. This means that you won't have to wait to place your first bid the night of the auction while we obtain your name, address, phone number and email address. The auction pre-registration line is open through close of business today.  Call (877) 630-7190 to pre-register by phone, or pre-register by email by sending your name, phone number, email address, and the state where you live to [email protected].  If your call goes to voicemail, please leave the requested information after the tone; be sure to speak clearly and include a phone number where you can be reached if necessary.   Free Holiday Shopping with Aira! We’re excited to announce a special shopping opportunity exclusively for ACB members who are Aira Explorers. Aira is offering ACB members 120 minutes of free Aira service for any tasks related to shopping, valid November 23 through December 25, 2018. How can I take advantage of this offer? Be both an ACB member and an Aira Explorer. Connect with an Aira agent and ask them to add “ACB Member” to your profile. Go shopping with Aira! Make sure you tell the agent that you’re an ACB Member and that you’re using the ACB Shopping Promotion. ACB affiliates should reach out to their members to explain how the offer works, and to ensure members know to update their Aira profiles to reflect their ACB membership. Get ready to make the most of your shopping this holiday season with Aira! Remember, as an ACB Member you’re getting 120 minutes of free Aira service, valid from Black Friday through to Christmas. Just make sure an Aira agent adds “ACB Member” to your profile! P.S. – Aira is free to use in any Walgreens store.   Thanksgiving Blessings  The November 20th episode of the ACB Advocacy Update is now available for download at http://acbradio.org/content/acb-advocacy-update-november-20-2018. Join Claire Stanley and Tony Stephens as they discuss the many things blind Americans have to be thankful for during this Thanksgiving season.   Thank a Veteran In the November 13th episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Claire Stanley and Tony Stephens reflect on the sacrifices and contributions our veterans have made over the years, and the impact it has made for Americans who are blind and visually impaired. You may download it at www.acbradio.org/content/acb-advocacy-update-november-13-2018. Remember to subscribe via your favorite podcast app. Comments and questions may be directed to [email protected].   A Note from Your Editor If you received the November large-print edition and noticed that the pages were all out of order, you’re not alone. There was a problem in the printing process that caused this major error. United Book Press/Ironmark has reprinted the issue and sent it out. You should have your copies in hand shortly.

Link to video: https://youtu.be/1sN2hUpkHFo People with disabilities have long relied on technology to provide improved access, and creative innovations that regularly advance personal independence. Artificial intelligence (AI) is an exciting tool that can apply machine learning to complex accessibility challenges, automating functions that currently require human intervention. What can AI do for accessibility, and what's next? Join the American Council of the Blind and Verizon for a conversation featuring creative industry leaders using AI to address pervasive accessibility challenges. Speakers include Anirudh Koul, AIRA, Head of Intelligence and Research J. David Grossman, The GPS Alliance, Executive Director Reagan Payne, GM, Manager, Emerging Technologies Policy Tony Stephens, American Council of the Blind

The American Council of the Blind (ACB) is seeking a Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs to work in its national office in Alexandria, VA. The primary duties of this position will include: Leads the promotion and development of ACB's advocacy and legislative agendas (e.g., strategic goals, initiatives). Recommends actions to be taken and policies to be adopted by ACB. Oversees the implementation of resolutions adopted at ACB Conventions. Represents ACB on advisory committees and consultative bodies seeking organizational input. Monitors bills, speeches, and statements of government leaders, political influencers, regulators and legislative bodies. Monitors media, research reports, and analytics on issues of interest to ACB. Leads the drafting of proposed legislative and regulatory language for presentation to Congressional offices, administrative agencies, and other relevant stakeholders. Prepares written comments on pending legislation and proposed regulations. Presents oral comments on pending legislation at public sessions with regulatory bodies and Congressional committee hearings. Develops and maintains ongoing working relationships with members of Congress, Congressional staff and agency administrators to promote ACB's legislative and advocacy agendas. Establishes and maintains cooperative relationships with other disability and civil and human rights organizations to expand ACB’s sphere of influence. Creates and enhances collaborative relationships with corporations and private stakeholders in order to influence the usability and accessibility of their product and service offerings. Plans for and executes annual legislative seminar and Congressional fly in, including securing policy influencers and other stakeholders to present to ACB members. Serves as staff liaison to ACB committees, including ACB’s Resolutions Committee that meets at the annual conference and convention. Provides technical assistance to ACB members and affiliates pursuing advocacy projects. Oversees, and in complex situations responds to, requests for information and advice concerning the rights and/or obligations of individuals and organizations regarding blindness-related issues, and providing referral to other appropriate sources of assistance. Prepares external communication on legislative, judicial, and administrative developments for ACB content channels (e.g., ACB Radio, social media) and external content channels. Ensures that ACB members receive timely communications regarding ongoing legislative and advocacy initiatives. Other duties as assigned by the Executive Director. The Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs reports to the Executive Director. The successful candidate must have: Strong attention to detail. Excellent written and oral communication skills, including public speaking. Drive to take initiative with limited guidance. Knowledge of service-delivery systems and government programs impacting people who are blind. Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously. Ability to effectively direct and manage the performance of direct reports. Ability to respond promptly and meet deadlines. Ability to locate and quickly comprehend laws and regulations. Knowledge of applicable laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, and executive orders. Knowledge of the democratic political process. General familiarity with assistive devices and technology used by people who are blind or visually impaired. Ability to travel as circumstances require. Ability to work evenings and weekends as needed, including participating in meetings and conference calls with ACB committees and affiliates. Desirable skills or training include general familiarity with assistive devices used by people who are blind, and a degree in political science or law, or other specific disability-related advocacy training. Experience in the use of social media to communicate organizational messages is highly desired. Salary depends upon experience. Applicants must send a resume, cover letter, and brief writing sample by e-mail to [email protected]. Applications must be received in the ACB national office by no later than December 19, 2018.    

We’re writing to share some exciting news from our friends at Aira. We’re excited to announce a special shopping opportunity exclusively for ACB members who are Aira Explorers. Aira is offering ACB members 120 minutes of free Aira service for any tasks related to shopping, valid from the Friday following Thanksgiving, November 23, 2018, (Black Friday) through to Christmas, December 25, 2018. How can I take advantage of this offer? Be both an ACB member and an Aira Explorer. Connect with an Aira agent and ask them to add “ACB Member” to your profile. Go shopping with Aira! Make sure you tell the agent that you’re an ACB Member and that you’re using the ACB Shopping Promotion. ACB affiliates should reach out to their members to explain how the offer works, and to ensure members know to update their Aira profiles to reflect their ACB membership. Get ready to make the most of your shopping this holiday season with Aira! Remember, as an ACB Member you’re getting 120 minutes of free Aira service, valid from Black Friday through to Christmas. Just make sure an Aira agent adds “ACB Member” to your profile!