THE BRAILLE FORUM Volume XLVII June 2009 No. 12 Published by the American Council of the Blind THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND STRIVES TO INCREASE THE INDEPENDENCE, SECURITY, EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY, AND TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE. Mitch Pomerantz, President Melanie Brunson, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor National Office: 2200 Wilson Blvd. Suite 650 Arlington, VA 22201 (202) 467-5081 fax: (703) 465-5085 Web site: http://www.acb.org THE BRAILLE FORUM (TM) is available in braille, large print, half-speed four-track cassette tape, and via e-mail. Subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication should be sent to Sharon Lovering at the address above, or via e-mail to slovering@acb.org. The American Council of the Blind (TM) is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, visit the ACB web site and complete an application form, or contact the national office at the number listed above. Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Mike Godino at the above mailing address. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office can make printed cards available for this purpose. To remember the American Council of the Blind in your Last Will and Testament, you may include a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, contact the ACB national office. Join the Monthly Monetary Support (MMS) Program and help improve tomorrow today in ACB. Contact Ron Milliman by e-mail, rmilliman@insightbb.com, or by phone at (270) 782-9325 and get started making tomorrow look brighter today! To make a contribution to ACB via the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" toll-free at (800) 424-8666, 5 p.m. to midnight Eastern time, or visit the Washington Connection online at http://www.acb.org. Copyright 2009 American Council of the Blind ***** TABLE OF CONTENTS President's Message: Separate Is Still Not Equal, by Mitch Pomerantz ACB Info in Spanish, by Melanie Brunson ACB Convention 2009: A Galaxy of Possibilities, by Carla Ruschival Web-Wise: The Art of Filling Out Web Forms, by Jenine Stanley The Audio Description Project Is Off and Running!, by Joel Snyder Convention Sneak Preview, Part 2 Committee News Check Out the Tempting Array of Items at the 3rd Annual ACB Auction, by Brenda Dillon FIA In Orlando: Old and New Traditions, by Lynn Hedl Come and Meet ACB Friends from Around the World, by Oral Miller Just the Facts, Please!, by Carol Ann Ewing On Your Mark, Get Set …, by Dan Dillon Extra, Extra! Orlando Orbiter Now Seeking Volunteers Warm Up Your Summer by Participating in MMS, by Ray Campbell How Can You Engage New Members in Your Chapter?, compiled by Ardis Bazyn Why Vote?, by DeAnna Quietwater Noriega A Taste of Support, by Bonnie Rennie The Key to Success: Not Setting Strict Limits, by Mimi Trpevska A Critical Review of Olver's 'Dealing with Vision Loss,' by William M. Penrod Here and There, by Sue Lichtenfels High Tech Swap Shop FORUM SUBSCRIPTION NOTES You can now get "The Braille Forum" by podcast! To subscribe, go to "The Braille Forum" page on www.acb.org. If you do not yet have a podcast client, you can download one from the Forum page. To subscribe to "The Braille Forum" via e-mail, send a blank e-mail message to brailleforum-L-subscribe@acb.org. ARE YOU MOVING? DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. Give her the information, and she'll take care of the changes for you. ***** PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: SEPARATE IS STILL NOT EQUAL by Mitch Pomerantz In early February, I was contacted by an official of the National Federation of the Blind and asked whether the American Council of the Blind would be willing to participate in a cross-disability coalition being organized to oppose a decision by Amazon regarding its newly released Kindle 2 Book Reader. For reasons which I trust will become apparent, the board of directors voted unanimously to join this effort shortly after NFB’s query. Before updating everyone on where matters stand as of mid-April, here is most of an op-ed piece, “The Kindle 2 from Amazon.com may lose its voice!” which was prepared and distributed to the top 25 newspapers in the country by Marlaina Lieberg, which nicely summarizes the issue at hand. “The American Council of the Blind (ACB) … is deeply concerned about a recent development regarding Amazon’s new Kindle 2 Book Reader. On February 9, 2009, Amazon, Inc., released a new version of its popular e-book reader, the Kindle 2, which included text-to-speech technology. This technology, used by people who are blind or have print disabilities, ‘reads aloud’ text using synthetic speech. The American Council of the Blind and other organizations were encouraged by this development, since we have long advocated that manufacturers of mainstream products make their devices fully accessible to all Americans. "Sadly, however, shortly after the Kindle 2’s release, the Authors Guild, the largest national organization representing the interests of writers, protested Amazon’s deployment of text-to-speech on the Kindle 2. They view the feature as a potential threat to the audio book market, arguing that the automated reading aloud of a book is a copyright infringement unless the copyright holder has specifically granted permission for the book to be read aloud. "After an op-ed by Roy Blount Jr., president of the Authors Guild, appeared in the New York Times on February 24, media attention on this issue was escalated. In response to increasing pressure from authors and publishers, Amazon announced on February 27th that it would modify its system so that authors and publishers could turn off text-to-speech on a title-by-title basis. The removal of text-to-speech from the Kindle 2 is unfortunate and counter-productive. It removes yet one more mainstream and cost-effective choice from a market which already has comparatively few mainstream choices for access to the printed word. "In response to concerns raised by ACB and other disability-related advocacy organizations, Paul Aiken, executive director of the Authors Guild, proposed a separate registration system for people with print disabilities, whereby a blind or print-disabled person would register as disabled and receive a code that would override the disabling of text-to-speech on the Kindle 2. ACB and a growing coalition of disability groups do not believe this offer is fair or reasonable. Why must people with disabilities register themselves just to have the right to read? Mr. Aiken has since responded, offering the possibility of making text-to-speech e-books available at an additional cost. Again, the consumer market with substantially fewer choices for mainstream access to books is being asked to bear the cost. "A letter from this coalition … has been sent to the six publishers who are providing e-books for the Kindle 2, asking each of them to allow their books to be read on the device with text-to-speech and explaining that the coalition would engage in a national public education campaign in hopes of reversing any decision to disable text-to-speech in their Kindle books. The coalition plans to kick off this campaign with a protest in front of the Authors Guild headquarters in New York City on Tuesday, April 7, from noon until 2 p.m. ACB is working actively on this coalition …" At this writing there are at least 25 organizations and agencies involved in what is being called the Reading Rights Coalition, including most of the well-known blindness organizations and agencies. Beyond this, groups such as the Learning Disabilities Association, the American Association of People with Disabilities and a wide range of other entities also joined and participated in the aforementioned protest. Melanie Brunson was one of a number of speakers on the dais and our New York affiliate had upwards of two dozen members in attendance. It is estimated that approximately 400 to 500 people attended altogether. A second public protest is scheduled to take place on April 25 and 26 at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, and we are organizing a group from the L.A. area to “show the flag” in support of this effort. To date, at least three publishers have responded with letters ranging from sympathetic but adamantly stubborn to condescending and hostile. Coalition representatives have, in our turn, been measured yet firm in our resolve to have open access to text-to-speech on the Kindle 2. A meeting between coalition representatives (including Eric Bridges of ACB) and the Authors Guild is scheduled for May 7th. I hope to have positive news to report at our national convention. I close with a response to a very few of our members who have asked why, if we are already willing to register in order to receive books from the National Library Service, Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, and Bookshare, should we object to registering so as to have access to the text-to-speech feature. There are two reasons. First, it is estimated that some 15 million people would benefit, including those who are experiencing vision loss for the first time and who are highly unlikely to willingly register as “print-disabled.” This figure also includes many individuals who are not classified as print-disabled under the present statute. Hence, mandatory registration would exclude potentially millions of people who would otherwise benefit from this technology. Second, if one of the basic tenets of ACB philosophy is the concept of equality in mainstream society, how can we argue that it is OK for blind and visually impaired people to have to register to access a mainstream product that our sighted peers can simply switch on to use? We cannot justify such a position and therefore, ACB has proudly joined the Reading Rights Coalition. The Supreme Court invalidated the notion of “separate but equal” in 1954. In 2009, separate is still not equal! ***** ACB INFO IN SPANISH by Melanie Brunson With the acquisition of our new telephone system, ACB now has the ability to make information available to people who call our offices in both English and Spanish. We are excited about the opportunities this will give us to reach out to our members whose primary language is Spanish, and to attract new members who are Spanish speakers. Our first step was to provide access to ACB’s Washington Connection in both English and Spanish. With the assistance of Catalina Roisum, who is a member of ACB of Minnesota, and has begun working in our Minnesota office, each item on the Washington Connection is now being translated into Spanish and then recorded on the telephone system in Spanish. Later this year, we plan to add additional information to the telephone system, and it is our intent to give callers the option of listening to these items in either English or Spanish. Both versions will be made available at the same time. In the meantime, others in ACB are working on increasing our Spanish-language resources. ACB’s membership committee has made two documents available in Spanish on cassette tape. These include: ACB Membership Benefits and a simple brochure. Any member or affiliate who would like a copy of these items on tape can contact either the ACB national office, or the chair of the membership committee, Ardis Bazyn. Her e-mail address is abazyn@bazyncommunications.com. The committee is also working on producing Spanish documents in large print and braille. We will keep you posted as our capacity to provide information to our Spanish-speaking members and friends increases. Please feel free to contact me if you have suggestions for information that would be of interest, or questions about how to get access to items that are currently available in Spanish. ***** ACB CONVENTION 2009: A GALAXY OF POSSIBILITIES by Carla Ruschival It's June, and it will only be a short time until everyone starts arriving at the 48th national ACB convention, July 3-11 in Orlando. A galaxy of tours begins on Friday, July 3, with a special private tour for ACB at the Kennedy Space Center. Spend the 4th at the Holy Land Experience, an interactive Biblical theme park. Shop in a Jerusalem street market, journey through the writing of the Bible in the Scriptorium, and hear incredible music and shows in the Temple Plaza. Don't miss the Wilderness Tabernacle, the Dead Sea Caves, the Great Temple, the world's largest indoor replica of 66 A.D. Jerusalem and much, much more. Cinderella, Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh -- all your childhood friends await at the Disney's Magic Kingdom. Far more than your average theme park, Disney World's music and animations whisk you off on unbelievable journeys with the Pirates of the Caribbean, It's a Small World and countless other attractions. Other stars in the ACB tour galaxy include an airboat ride over the Everglades, Gatorland and Wonder Works (the convention committee had a blast at both of these), and a must-do for NASCAR fans at the Daytona 500 Experience. Mystery buffs can help solve the crime at the Sleuth's Dinner Show; unlimited beer, wine and soft drinks included with a great meal. Check the ConventionScope for more tours and descriptions. AT THE HOTEL: A galaxy of workshops, seminars and programs pack convention week. Whether you are a student or a teacher, a parent or a professional, in business or retired, you will find your days filled with information and new ideas. See new products in the exhibit hall; find a new career at the job fair. JUST FOR KIDS: Calling all kids! Fantastic trips (Disney and lots more), swimming, games, crafts -- a week of fun, fun, fun! Thanks to the Mississippi Council of the Blind, every child can grab mouse ears and come on along for a dream of a lifetime. YAC activities begin on Sunday, July 5; fun every day through Friday, July 10. Breakfast, lunch and snacks provided each day. Pre-register your child and save! DETAILS: The ConventionScope and pre-registration form contain much information that will help you plan your week in Orlando. Read all of the materials and follow the instructions carefully. Pre-registration opened in late May, and will remain open until June 26. You can pre-register on the paper form or on-line at www.acb.org. You save money by pre-registering; the basic fee is $20 in advance, $30 if you wait until you get to convention to sign up. The pre-registration packet does not include all speakers and programming. Look for a complete agenda for ACB general sessions, special-interest groups, and others in the official convention program. Pick up your braille or large print program at the registration desk, or download a copy for your notetaker or computer from the ACB web site after June 20. Reserve assistive listening devices (ALDs) by paying a $20 deposit when you pre-register. Receive your refund when you return the ALD to registration as you leave the convention. The ALD will come with a fresh battery; you are responsible for supplying additional batteries during the week. Notify us of your need for a lift-equipped bus on ACB tours when you pre-register. Remember that tour volunteers cannot act as personal assistants on tours. If you need someone to push your wheelchair or you want a personal guide, plan to take the tour with a friend who is willing to give you his or her undivided attention. Request interpreters and other reasonable accommodations NO LATER THAN June 15. You may call the national office at 1-800-424-8666, fill in the appropriate spaces on the pre-registration form, or e-mail Carla Ruschival at adamcarla@bellsouth.net. Be sure to give us the details we need to fill your request, and remember to include a valid phone number and/or e-mail address. AIRPORT VOLUNTEERS: Conventioners arrive at all times of the day and night. ACB volunteers will assist at the main Orlando airport during peak days and hours. ACB makes no commitment to place volunteers at other airports in the area. EXHIBITS, ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIPS: Some last-minute exhibit, advertising and sponsorship opportunities may still be available. Don't miss this chance to target your products and services to blind and visually impaired people from across the country and around the world. For more information, visit our web site at www.acb.org/convention; or contact Michael Smitherman (exhibits) at (601) 968-4164, or Margarine Beaman (advertising and sponsorships) at (512) 921-1625. HOTEL RESERVATIONS: To make a reservation at the Rosen Centre, call (407) 996-9840. Rooms are $83 per night plus tax. Rates are single/double; add $10 per night for each additional person in the room. HOTEL NON-SMOKING POLICY: The Rosen Centre is a 100 percent non-smoking hotel. Please do not smoke in sleeping rooms, suites, or public areas. The hotel can and will impose severe penalties on guests who smoke in their rooms. CONVENTION INFORMATION: Join the acbconvention e-mail list by sending a blank message to acbconvention-subscribe@acb.org. For convention questions or special concerns, contact Carla Ruschival, ACB Convention Committee Chair, at (502) 897-1472 or by e-mail at adamcarla@bellsouth.net; or call the ACB national office at 1-800-424-8666. ***** WEB-WISE: The Art of Filling Out Web Forms by Jenine Stanley In an effort to implement some of the provisions of resolution 2005-15, designed to address the digital divide, the board of publications provides this column. In this issue we look at on-line shopping and forms. The convenience of being able to select items, order and have them delivered right to your home opens up vast resources for blind people. On-line shopping can be quite intimidating, so we will start with some basics. Before We Begin You will need to do a little research before venturing on-line. Know your access technology. If you use a screen magnifier, understand how it enlarges different areas on the screen versus the screen in general. If you use a screen reader, understand how it handles on-line forms. Many web sites are designed to display pages using a specific number of pixels or dots along the vertical and horizontal planes of the screen. Many screen magnifiers are set to display fewer pixels on the screen. This means that as you enlarge the screen in general, parts of it will disappear. Learning to use the screen magnifier’s scroll functions is crucial if you simply enlarge the entire screen when using the web. This way you can look at everything on screen. Your magnifier may also allow you to “zoom in” on an area of the screen and enlarge it separately. Study the manual and any tutorials for your enlarging software to see how these functions work together and individually before heading onto the web. Your screen reader may have specific ways it handles elements of forms. You may have to type a certain key combination to enter a form field or edit box. If you do not hit this combination, any text you type will not be entered into the box. Let’s Go Shopping! On-line shopping can be broken down into three stages. First, learn the layout of the site. Using your down arrow key, move through the site to read different areas. Unfortunately, many large on-line shopping sites have a number of links with no alt tags (text labels), so they appear as a long jumble of words and punctuation. Sometimes you can learn the function of a link with no alt tag by looking at the very last bit of text in its string. For example, chocolateworld.com/php/bars/dark_10?/order.html might represent a link for ordering while chocolateworld.com/php/bars/dark_10?/chekcout.html is the link to check out. No, these are not real web links. Once you’ve become familiar with how the site displays information, you can then begin to narrow your search. Let’s say that the site has very good alt tags and you can select the category and actual product you want. By hitting “enter” on that item, you may be taken to a page specifically about it where you can then read a text description and other information. Using your screen reader’s web navigation keys, you can move directly to this bit of text and use your arrow keys to review it and surrounding links or buttons. Don’t forget the power of your screen reader or screen magnifier’s “find command” to locate text such as “Buy Now.” For a review of navigation and web site controls, check out the Web-Wise article in the March 2009 issue. Finally we come to one of the most intimidating aspects of shopping on-line, filling out the order form. ACB has a very good example of an order form each year. Our annual convention registration form is very similar to many web-based forms. It will ask you to provide certain data and make choices in order to register and pay for your convention tickets. One good rule of thumb when first dealing with web forms is to read through each screen carefully before taking any action. You can always return to the top of the page and move through the form when ready to add your data and choices. This form uses primarily two types of controls, the “edit box” for entering text, and the “check box” for indicating choices. We will be dealing with two primary keys in this exercise, the tab key, located to the left of the Q on most keyboards and the space bar. One extremely important concept to remember when filling out forms is not to hit the enter key until you reach a button or are instructed to do so by the form itself. Hitting "enter" may send an incomplete form or move you to another part of the form or web site. Edit boxes If you use a screen magnifier, you can simply tab to an edit box and the cursor will automatically be placed into it. You can then type the text required. This is how people not using any access technology handle edit boxes on forms. If you use a screen reader other than JAWS for Windows version 10 or Screen Access to Go, you will need to use a combination of keys to be able to enter the edit box. The screen reader will notify you when this mode has been activated and you can simply type information into the box. In JAWS version 10, it is important to make sure that the “virtual cursor” has been restored so that you can move through the rest of the form. This may not happen automatically and you may need to give the command manually to exit forms mode. See the documentation for further explanations. Our convention registration site is coded so that you need never leave the mode described above. Once you type your information into the box, just hit the tab key to proceed to the next edit box. The form field data will be automatically spoken such as “Name,” “Address 1” or “Credit Card Number.” Note: Not all forms are coded in this manner. If you tab and hear only the words “edit box,” you may need to exit the mode to review the text required. Now that we have entered our data, let’s choose what we want from the list of activities. On the registration form, each activity has a check box to indicate whether you want to add it to your registration. Check boxes are usually automatically unchecked. To “check” one, simply hit the space bar. You may notice that your screen refreshes or reloads. Wait until you hear the line with the check box repeated as “checked.” Then it is safe to move to the next check box. ACB’s form is designed to allow you to stay in “forms mode” or “browse mode off” and hear the text of check box choices, hit the space bar to select the item and move using the tab key to the next item. Remember, do not hit the enter key during the check box selection process. At the end of various sections of the registration forms you will find buttons for going to the previous screen, the next screen and other places. Each button has a clear description of its function. Now you can hit “enter” to activate the button you want. If you use a magnifier, you can move your cursor to the button and either hit enter or click the left mouse button to activate it. Our registration form is a good example of a well designed, accessible form. Don’t be afraid to give it a try. Please let us know what other types of web site issues you’d like to hear about in our Web-Wise column. ***** THE AUDIO DESCRIPTION PROJECT IS OFF AND RUNNING! by Joel Snyder As many of you know, ACB has boldly embraced audio description as a tool for greater access to our culture — and to the extent that ACB members are more engaged individuals, they’re more employable too. And it’s been shown that description can be a real force in building literacy for children who are blind — or anyone who hears the synonyms, metaphors and imaginative language employed by describers. The Audio Description Project is ACB’s major description promotion and production initiative. While our project only just started in January, we’ve already scored several major coups: we produced description for ABC-TV’s nationwide coverage of President Obama’s inauguration as well as the description for the Arts & Entertainment Network’s Biography, Barack Obama, and the 30th anniversary DVD of the “The Miracle Worker” with Patty Duke in the role of Annie Sullivan. We’re also tracking audio description activity throughout the nation. Please visit www.adinternational.org for more information. And now it’s a pleasure to announce three special efforts: 1) the first annual Audio Description Project Conference; 2) the “Young Described Film Critic” contest; and 3) the availability of the DVD of “The Miracle Worker” with description by ACB’s Audio Description Project — a fundraiser for ACB! First Annual Audio Description Project Conference The conference will be held in conjunction with the American Council of the Blind 2009 convention at the Rosen Centre, Orlando, Fla., July 7-8, 2009. It is open to anyone interested in the field of audio description for performing arts, museums, media, and myriad other applications. We’ll gather all parties with an interest in audio description in order to: • Announce national standards for audio description based on a review of existing standards worldwide; • Introduce ACB-sponsored certification for audio describers; • Provide the latest information on Congressional action regarding a mandate for description on broadcast television; • Award the first annual “Young Described Film Critic of the Year” honor in three age ranges to young description users (a program of the ADP/DCMP “Listening Is Learning” Initiative); • Recognize leading describers and description producing organizations with achievement awards in description – Performing Arts, Museums, Media, Research, and Career Achievement; • Guest speakers (invited): - Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy - Michael J. Copps, Acting Chairman, FCC You can register for the conference as a part of your ACB convention registration. Registration for the conference will include: - one-year membership in the Audio Description Project; - light breakfast and lunch on meeting days; - one-year membership in the American Council of the Blind (current ACB members will receive a discount on registration for this conference); - basic registration for the ACB 2009 convention (if you’ve already registered for the convention, you will receive a discount on registration for this conference). Young Described Film Critic Contest -- A “Listening Is Learning” Initiative Kids love movies. If you’re a young person who can’t see or can’t see well, audio description provides access to all the visual images of the movies that your sighted peers enjoy. Some films in movie theaters and certain DVDs have description available; many of those DVDs and the older VHS tapes with description can be borrowed at public libraries or state libraries for the blind. The Young Described Film Critic Contest wants you to experience these films and the description soundtracks and tell us about them! Young people with a visual impairment have a chance to win prizes for themselves AND their schools, as well as a chance to hold the awesome title Young Described Film Critic of the Year! All you need to do for a chance to win is to write, type or record your own film review of any described movie. Keep it short: 250 words maximum. There are three age categories: Sophomore (ages 7 to 10), Junior (ages 11 to 14), and Senior (ages 15 to 18). You can enter as many times as you like! The top nominees in each age category will be invited to an awards ceremony at the convention in Orlando, Fla. on July 7. Special guest award presenters will be in attendance and while the prizes are still to be determined, we know you won’t be disappointed! DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES: Friday, June 12, 2009 To enter, send us your written entry in regular or large print or braille via e-mail or postal mail. Just send your review to: ACB-Young Described Film Critic, 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201; e-mail jsnyder@acb.org; or phone (202) 467-5083. Be sure to include your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address. Also include your age category: Sophomore (ages 7 to 10), Junior (ages 11 to 14), or Senior (ages 15 to 18); the name of your school and class, and the school address and phone number. Don't forget to attach your review! Go to www.adinternational.org or www.acb.org for “Top Tips for writing the ultimate film review” – and good luck! The Miracle Worker on DVD ACB's Audio Description Project presents "The Miracle Worker" on DVD, with closed captioning and audio description. Based on the 1962 classic starring Patty Duke (as “Helen Keller”), this is the 30th anniversary edition of the 1979 television production and its first time on DVD. It stars Melissa Gilbert as Helen Keller and Patty Duke as her tutor, Annie Sullivan. It was the winner of 3 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama and Outstanding Lead Actress for Patty Duke. Purchase your copy today, honor Helen Keller’s 129th birthday (June 27, 2009), and benefit the ACB: a significant portion of each purchase made via this link benefits the American Council of the Blind! Just go to www.adinternational.org or www.acb.org and click on “The Miracle Worker” links. Helen Keller was the young girl who was blind, deaf, and mute since infancy. She was in danger of being sent to an institution, until a persistent and outspoken teacher named Annie Sullivan came into her life. Together they taught one another the values of patience, tolerance and compassion. Together they made the name Helen Keller synonymous with the education of people who are blind and deaf around the world. For more information on any Audio Description Project initiative, contact me at (202) 467-5083 or via e-mail at jsnyder@acb.org. See you in Orlando! ***** CONVENTION SNEAK PREVIEW, PART 2 Do You Want to Know More About the Randolph-Sheppard Program? RSVA invites you to a breakfast on Sunday, July 5, 2009 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. to learn about the Randolph-Sheppard program and how blind and visually impaired people can be part of this successful employment option. If you would like to learn about this program, please come and share breakfast with current and retired vendors. The breakfast is $20 if you pre-register. The menu will include: fresh chilled Florida orange juice, fluffy scrambled eggs, crisp applewood smoked bacon, country sausage, seasoned Yukon gold breakfast potatoes, cinnamon baked apples, and assorted rolls with sweet butter, honey, and fruit preserves. It also includes coffee or tea. We’d love to have you join us for this informative session. CCLVI Celebrates 30 Years of Service Coletta Davis, CCLVI program chair, has prepared an excellent program for this memorial year. Some highlights are: On Sunday, July 5 at 9:45 a.m., CCLVI will host a panel discussion on "Living with Vision Loss within the Family." This will be followed by a review of items on display in the exhibit hall especially adapted for people with low vision. Monday afternoon at 1:30, we will present Information on the Health Library at Vista Center, CCLVI's resource link to health data in accessible formats. A discussion of vision enhancement with the use of low vision technology both now and in the future will follow. On Tuesday afternoon at 1:30, Detective A.J. Jones from the Orange County sheriff's office will tell us how to protect ourselves from identity theft. Wednesday at 1:30 Joyce Kleiber, editor of "Vision Access," will conduct a "Project Insight" session -- an outreach to people with low vision. CCLVI's convention is not all workshops and presentations. There will be time for fun and relaxation at the mixer on Sunday at 4 p.m., the get-acquainted dance after ACB's opening session, game night this year on Monday evening and the farewell dance Friday after the banquet. Be sure to purchase your ticket early for these opportunities to meet and greet old friends and make new ones at the CCLVI convention. All are welcome! -- John Horst Library Users of America to Host Book Flea Market LUA is holding a book flea market, "Book Mark-It," again this year at the 2009 convention. You may donate books to LUA or sell or trade with others. This is an opportunity to clean off your bookshelves and share some of your favorites as well as pick up some new ones. We encourage conventioneers to bring your braille, large print and audio books to sell or trade. The Book Mark-It will be held on Tuesday, July 7th between 6 and 7 p.m. Those of you who attended last year will remember the fun we had discussing the books we had read. So stop by again this year and don't forget that you don't have to pack those large volumes of braille books in your suitcases. You can mail them "Free Matter for the Blind" to yourself at the hotel and then re-use the same packages to mail any books that you get at the flea market to your home address. So gather up those books that are just collecting dust and we'll meet you at the Book Mark-It in Orlando to get some great new books! LUA will also hold its pre-convention board meeting on Saturday and informative and entertaining programs on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. See the convention program for exact times and room locations. LUA is a special-interest affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. Established in 1987, LUA is composed of individuals who are interested in improving library services for people who are blind or visually impaired. LUA members network and advocate for maintaining and increasing services for people who are unable to read regular print. LUA hosts a listserv and disseminates a newsletter, "The Ledger," semi-annually to help keep members and other interested individuals informed. The group advocates for funding to National Library Services and new technology to enhance and improve accessibility to reading materials for people who are print impaired. Membership is open to all interested individuals. -- Peggy R. Garrett ***** COMMITTEE NEWS Women's Concerns and You Are you a woman with a vision loss who is experiencing breast cancer or is a breast cancer survivor; is interested in tips on accessing fitness facilities; wants to learn more about Pilates; would like to participate in a discussion about empowerment, self-image and sexuality; or would welcome ideas about how to better organize your surroundings? The ACB Women's Concerns Committee invites you to check out its 2009 convention line-up. Last year's health fair was well received and we are endeavoring to provide this service to all convention attendees again this year. Also on Sunday, our friends Mary Mehn and Mary Sellers from Mammacare will be on hand to provide instructional materials in the arena of breast health, for early detection of breast cancer, along with information useful to breast cancer survivors. Leslie Spoone, a woman with a visual impairment who owns a gym in Orlando, will speak on Monday afternoon about access to gym facilities and will also conduct group exercises for women on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. On Monday and Tuesday at 5 p.m. we are having joint sessions with the Recreation Zone, bringing back by popular demand Pilates with Lynn Peterson. Wednesday at 2 p.m., the ACB Women's Circle, formerly "What Message Are You Getting from Me?," will feature a recording of a presentation from the Women's Forum at the World Blind Union as a basis for discussion about empowerment, self-image and sexuality. On Thursday at 2 p.m., Judy Dixon and Susan Mazrui will do a session on Organization with A Flair, practical ideas for functional and aesthetic surroundings. We hope that something in this list will catch your fancy. -- Bernice Kandarian Membership Committee to Discuss Strengthening Affiliates through Networking and Training Please remember the upcoming ACB membership seminar at the ACB convention. This year, it will be held on Thursday, July 9, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. The title of the seminar is “Strengthening Affiliates through Networking and Training.” The panel topics will be the importance of leadership development and power in networking with others. We will have a short update on the ACB web site changes and introduce the affiliate that wins the Affiliate Growth Award. Door prizes will be given. We encourage each affiliate to send at least one representative to attend the seminar. Hand-outs will be available. -- Ardis Bazyn ***** CHECK OUT THE TEMPTING ARRAY OF ITEMS AT THE 3RD ANNUAL ACB AUCTION by Brenda Dillon We're gearing up for what we hope will be the largest and most profitable ACB auction yet! Please make plans to attend the live auction on Wednesday night, July 8th. There will be a preview hour at 6 p.m. and the fun and bidding will commence promptly at 7 p.m. There will be a tempting array of things to bid on: vacation packages to great destinations; the latest and greatest software and hardware; talking gadgets; celebrity items (including a talking Obama action figure); homemade goodies; craft items, and some very unique surprises never before presented at the auction. New this year is a silent auction on Tuesday afternoon from 1:00 to 5:00. It will feature items donated by our state and special-interest affiliates. Be sure to stop by on your way to and from other activities to check out the fabulous offerings in our "Affiliate Package Parade." If your affiliate has not yet contacted a member of the auction committee to let us know what you will be contributing, it is not too late. We encourage friendly competition. Which affiliate will be the most creative? Which will provide the item bringing in the most money? We will accept items from affiliates and also from individuals through Sunday evening, July 5. Please contact Brenda Dillon at (615) 516-7867 (cell phone), or just have the hotel operator ring my room. We need the items so we can add them to the database so that things can move quickly on the night of the live auction. Thanks for being a part of a fundraiser that is so beneficial to ACB! ***** FIA IN ORLANDO: OLD AND NEW TRADITIONS by Lynn Hedl As you contemplate the increasing array of choices on your convention pre-registration form, you will find that FIA will again offer many tried and true traditions, but notice also that there are a couple of new events planned. Please consider spending some time with us, at the mixer, at the annual showcase, at one of our workshops, or at our booth in the exhibit hall, where our CDs and T-shirts can be purchased. If you are a current member of FIA, please feel free to become more involved, through offering an hour of time in the booth, or by attending our board meetings, which are always open. But don't forget to pay those dues ($15 adults, $8 students)! And remember to pay the registration fee, too. Below is a brief overview of events we have planned for the week. Times, further descriptions, and cost information are included in your pre-registration material. We look forward to sharing a great time with you in Orlando! Traditions The first official FIA event of the week is the pre-convention board meeting, beginning at 7:00 on Saturday night. The FIA mixer and Showcase sign-up will take place at 4:00 Sunday afternoon. Come and enjoy some refreshments, meet new friends, and sign up for a Monday afternoon rehearsal slot if you plan to audition for the Showcase. The FIA chorus will again perform two exciting numbers this year, and the first rehearsal will be held immediately following the mixer. Besides the Showcase rehearsal, Monday's offerings include the MIDI workshop, the second and final chorus rehearsal, and our annual prose and poetry reading. On Tuesday, we will hold our annual luncheon, a delicious meal featuring fried chicken, mashed potatoes, vegetable and dessert. If you are a vegetarian, please indicate this on your pre-registration form, and your preference will be honored. The annual Tuesday night FIA Showcase is an event not to miss. Wednesday's offerings include the Writers' Workshop and the round and harmony sing. If you are an early riser, feel free to attend the post-convention board meeting on Thursday morning. New Stuff This year, we're offering two new workshops. On Sunday afternoon, please join me if you want to learn to play a Native American flute. You can even take your flute home and continue to practice. On Wednesday, Paulette Monthei will offer a hands-on, interactive workshop exploring the history of belly dancing. Yes, you can touch the traditional costumes and other regalia, but probably not the dancer herself! As you can see, we have planned a fun-filled week in Orlando. We hope to see you all there! ***** COME AND MEET ACB FRIENDS FROM AROUND THE WORLD by Oral Miller Friends of ACB from around the world have visited ACB national conventions for years, but due to the frantic pace of convention week many conventioneers have not been able to meet them, even in passing. Efforts were made to improve the situation a number of years ago through such steps as the scheduling of International Conversations, which were informal meetings sandwiched between larger convention functions in the late afternoon, and then Marvelena Quesada Gray in her capacity then as ACB's first lady invited international guests to make brief introductory statements in their own languages during the opening convention sessions. With the re-activation of the international relations committee (chaired now by Sandra Sermons), interest has increased enormously in scheduling a cordial and welcoming reception to recognize and introduce our international guests, hear their "voices from around the world" and learn more about them and their nations. This year's Voices from Around the World Reception on Wednesday evening, July 8, will be a great opportunity to meet most of the truly outstanding international guests attending the 2009 ACB national convention. Note that I did not refer to all of our international guests because last-minute delays in such functions as obtaining visas to enter the USA as well as transportation problems often alter travel plans at the last minute, not to mention the fact that we do not always know specifically in advance about the plans of international guests. This year's Voices from Around the World reception, the convention banquet and other activities will feature guests from, among other nations, South Africa, Australia and Vietnam. President and Mrs. Pomerantz will introduce with pleasure Ms. Shakila Maharaj, a noted organizational psychologist from South Africa, and World Blind Union president Maryann Diamond from Australia, who will be with us during the latter part of convention week. As for late-breaking news, the upcoming convention will be visited by two blind educators of the blind from Vietnam: the director of a center for the blind in Ho Chi Minh City and a teacher of Braille at a school for the blind in another city. Their desire to attend the convention and their need for specific assistance was brought to our attention by an exceptionally articulate blind Vietnamese student who is working as an interpreter and attending college in the USA. These educators are being assisted by the Eunice Fiorito Eyes for the World Foundation. Thus far I have mentioned only visitors we know to be planning to attend the upcoming convention. I am confident that many more will be identified through the registration process. In view of such international interest you will not be surprised to learn that the international relations committee is beginning to explore the possibility of organizing a cultural exchange visit by an ACB delegation to another nation sometime in the future. ***** JUST THE FACTS, PLEASE! by Carol Ann Ewing During the fall 2008, I received an unusual inquiry regarding a DKM First-Timers' Committee decision. May I assure you the DKM committee is packaged with kind, considerate, thoughtful, respectful, dedicated members who take the responsibility of selection seriously. It is my pleasure and honor to work with each member and I appreciate the effort extended to the selection process. With a desire to satisfy the inquiry, my investigation began at the beginning. The Durward K. McDaniel Memorial Fund was approved by the board of directors at the fall 1995 board meeting. During the same meeting the First-Timers committee came to life. There would be two awards each year with both sides of the USA represented -- east and west, with the dividing line being the Mississippi River. Each year the First-Timers' Program begins and ends with a zero balance. Excess funds collected go into the Durward K. McDaniel Memorial Fund. This year is no different. We need your personal and/or affiliate financial support! Please send those monies to ACBES, 6300 Shingle Creek Pkwy., Suite 195, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430, and mark it to the attention of the DKM First-Timers' account. We will do our part to keep expenses as low as possible. Please also plan to attend the DKM First-Timers' Reception, the Flamingo Fling, late Thursday afternoon. There you will have the opportunity to visit with the two first-timers as well as participate in a 50/50 drawing. ***** ON YOUR MARK, GET SET ... by Dan Dillon On your mark, get set ... hold it! Let's be sure you're ready. Do you have on plenty of sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or higher? The Florida sun can be merciless on all skin types, so slather on protection. Are you wearing comfortable and supportive walking/running shoes? (Sandals and flip-flops are definitely not good choices!) Blisters are no fun! Light-colored, loosely fitting clothing made of a fabric that can breathe is the best choice for attire. You'll be cooler, literally! Sunglasses, hats/caps, and sweatbands are options some of you might consider. Drink lots of water before and during the walk. Staying hydrated is a healthy must. Water stations will be available at various points along the walk route. Get a good night's sleep the night before and eat breakfast so that your batteries are fully charged and ready to go. Fresh fruit and snack bars are good choices and will be available at the walk site. With these points covered, now let's hear it -- on your mark, get set, and we are truly ready to go!! On Friday afternoon and evening, we will be distributing race packets. Check with Janet Dickelman at the information desk for the specifics on when and where. It is possible to turn in pledges up to the time of the walk/run, so keep working to be the top affiliate and individual bringing in the most money for our beloved ACB! ***** EXTRA, EXTRA! ORLANDO ORBITER NOW SEEKING VOLUNTEERS Are you coming to convention? Do you like helping out where needed? The communication center is now seeking volunteers to help collate and staple papers, take ads and announcements, and staff the room. Sharon Lovering is the operations manager, aided by Steve and Marcia Dresser. She is seeking volunteers to fill two-hour shifts throughout the day (8-10 a.m., 10 a.m.-noon, noon-2 p.m., and 2-4 p.m.). The communication center will be open Friday through Wednesday, and be taken down Thursday morning; it will open daily at 8 a.m. and close to the public at 5 p.m. To sign up for a shift, contact Sharon at the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. This year's convention newspaper will be called "The Orlando Orbiter." It will run from Saturday through Thursday in braille and large print. Ads and other items intended for publication must be in the center's hands by 2 p.m. each day. Ads should be 100 words or less. By a directive from the board of publications, ads will be allowed to run for only three days, in order to give important convention announcements more space. Fees are as follows: for-profit businesses, $100 for three days or $35 for one day; non-profits and ACB affiliates, $10 per day; individuals, $5 per day. The board of publications editorial policy manual prohibits us from producing or distributing campaign materials. During the evenings, we will need people to help collate and staple the braille papers. Thanks to Enabling Technologies, we will have three braille printers this year, and we will need one person per printer. Got an hour to spare between 5 and 11 p.m.? Drop by and see if the communication center needs help. If you have signed up for home delivery of "The Orlando Orbiter," PLEASE make sure you drop by the information desk and give them your name, room number and format preference once you arrive. This will ensure that you don't miss an issue. Hold onto your Saturday issue; it will include all the suite numbers, phone numbers, and room changes. Photocopying will again be allowed this year. Copies will cost 10 cents per page. Please pay the registration office. And if your committee or affiliate needs something brailled, we will be able to do that as well. Make certain you label your disk(s) or memory card(s) before bringing them down to the press room, and tell us how many of each format (braille and large print) you will need, by what time, as well as how we can reach you (room number, cell phone, etc.). Bring your items down in the morning before the general session to help us fit them in. If you need something brailled for a 1 p.m. meeting, don't wait until 12:30 p.m. to bring it to us. Affiliates, if you know who your delegate, alternate, and nominating committee representative will be, please let Marlaina Lieberg and Sharon Lovering know as soon as possible. ***** WARM UP YOUR SUMMER BY PARTICIPATING IN MMS by Ray Campbell As you are reading this, the weather outside is turning warmer in most parts of the United States. Children are out of school, or soon will be, and spending the long days swimming, playing ball, riding bikes or on any number of other activities. Families' thoughts turn to vacations. Many of us are getting ready to attend the ACB national convention in Orlando, Fla. All of this makes one feel warm all over. Want to increase that warm feeling? It’s simple. Either join the ACB Monthly Monetary Support (MMS) program or increase your contribution through this program. Becoming a part of MMS or increasing your contribution will make you feel warm in several ways. It will warm your heart to know that with your help, individuals who are blind or visually impaired do not have to tell a stranger their PIN number just to make a purchase. It will warm your heart knowing that you are helping to spread the good work of ACB all over the world through "The Braille Forum" and ACB Radio. It will warm your heart knowing that you are helping ACB fight so that the United States joins with 180 other countries around the world and makes its paper currency independently identifiable for people who are blind. And, if you choose to designate up to 50 percent of your contributions to a state or special-interest affiliate, it will warm your heart knowing that you are supporting worthwhile programs and services to children, adults and seniors living with a visual impairment all over the United States. Want to warm that heart of yours? It’s simple. Just contact the ACB national office at 1-800-424-8666 and request an MMS contribution form, or go online at www.acb.org and submit your contribution electronically. You can choose to have your MMS contributions deducted from a checking or savings account or charged to a credit card each month. Remember, if you have been in the MMS program for a long time and your credit card information changes, or your bank information changes, please submit a new contribution form as soon as possible with the revised information so we can keep your support coming. There will be plenty of chances during the ACB national convention in Orlando to fill out these forms. Watch your convention newspaper, listen to the floor announcements and check at the registration desk for more information. There is something in all of this for you, above the warm feelings you will receive. You have the opportunity to win great prizes like a Braille Plus from the American Printing House for the Blind, a Victor Stream from HumanWare, or an Olympus digital recorder from LS&S Group. And you can help us spread the word to those who aren’t necessarily members of ACB but who care about our work, encouraging them to participate in the MMS program. Simply request MMS brochures when you call to obtain your contribution form. Add to your summer warmth this year by joining MMS or increasing your contributions. You’ll be glad you did. If you have any questions, please contact Ron Milliman by phone, (270) 782-9325, or via e-mail, rmilliman@insightbb.com. ***** HOW CAN YOU ENGAGE NEW MEMBERS IN YOUR CHAPTER? Compiled by Ardis Bazyn Our last ACB membership focus call dealt with the issue of engaging new members in your chapter. We had a lively discussion. Some of the ideas concerned the welcoming attitude of the group, communication between the chapter and members, as well as options for becoming involved in a number of activities. Greeting new members or guests was felt to be very important to having members connect with the group. Members who did join continued to attend if someone had ongoing communication with them regarding activities and events in the area. It was suggested that chapters have an official greeter at each meeting to welcome participants. Another suggestion was to recommend a partner or buddy for each new member, particularly if not invited by a friend. It was also expressed that if transportation was provided, it helped attract regular participants. Helpful transportation information also was conducive to getting newer members to attend. Since many new members in a local community are those recently losing their sight, it was suggested that topics for speakers could highlight low vision products, services, and other resources for them to use. Sometimes members who have been blind for a long time don’t understand the needs of those more recently losing their sight. Older members could be of great assistance by sharing techniques and accepting those visiting or joining your chapter who have recently lost some vision. Many members belong to chapters because of the great networking opportunities available. Also, those speaking during the meeting should give full names of organizations and other non-profits instead of using abbreviations or acronyms. A variety of activities in a chapter might be a way for all to feel accommodated. Having a separate support group, apart from your regular meeting, might be one way to address the issue of people recently losing their sight. Any additional meeting between a few members or those interested in your group might help them feel comfortable. Seniors or young people are two groups who might at times feel the regular chapter meetings don’t appeal to them. Some may need more attention due to the new sight loss situation and college students may be busy and only want to attend a meeting that would benefit them in the short run. Another meeting could be a book club. Your chapter could choose a book of the month and those interested in participating would read that particular book. A reading contest using your local library for the blind might be an excellent way to interest some members. You could also start a card club for those that enjoy games. A game night might be of interest to some members. Some women in your group might want to start a Red Hat Society group. The men might want a monthly meeting to chat about sports, woodworking, or other topics of interest. Lots of suggestions were given about possible outings for members, encouraging folks to get together. Events could be held at a coffee house, local museum, movie theater for audio described movie, a theater with audio description. These might double as advocacy, showing visually impaired people in your local community. Many chapters have holiday parties, picnics, and other social events. All of these allow your chapter to reach out to others in your community. Many suggested getting your family involved in your chapter. They might enjoy some of your social events and assist you in some advocacy in the future. An excellent way to involve newer members is to invite them to join a committee for your chapter. A responsibility may give someone a purpose for belonging to your group. Give them a simple task at first. Later, they may want to take on a greater responsibility. A committee that could make a difference in your chapter might be the sunshine committee. This committee sends out cards or makes calls for birthdays or other events in the lives of members. There is a wide range of options for members or friends of members to get together besides communicating in person. Skype or Internet/phone conferencing is a way for members to talk with one another without bothering with transportation. Social networking possibilities through Facebook, LinkedIn, or e-mail groups are just a few more options. You can form groups of online “friends” through these Internet web sites. Some special-interest affiliates and chapters have conference calls on a regular basis to discuss issues of interest to that group. The Human Service Professionals affiliate has monthly conference calls, as well as an e-mail list where they can share information. Friends-in-Art invites members in the local area to art shows. They also host events at national convention like the Showcase. Diabetics in Action also hosts monthly calls and an e-mail list. Any special-interest affiliate that has conference calls or e-mail lists for members should send out announcements to the ACB Leadership and ACB Membership lists so more people are aware of their activities. The focus call also addressed ways to get involved in your community. This might also help your members feel your group is more relevant today and encourage long-time participation. Sponsoring or partnering with other groups, hospitals, or clinics to have a low vision symposium or fair could generate much attention in your community. There are outreach opportunities on Craig's List, calendar of events in newspapers, local Internet sites, or cable companies, etc. Attend your state transition council, state rehab council, and other groups that might give your group more status and outreach. You can get cheap or free business cards to hand out when you attend functions. You can make your own using Word and card stock from Office Depot or Staples or purchase free or cheap ones from web sites such as www.vistaprint.com. Business cards will allow people to contact you when they meet newly blinded people. As always, we appreciate all those who participated and shared their great ideas. Our next focus call will be in August. Please watch for an announcement about that call. Thank you. ***** WHY VOTE? by DeAnna Quietwater Noriega A democracy is only as good as the representatives chosen to lead it. If we allow apathy to keep us from participating in making a choice, then we betray the gift of freedom our forebearers fought to give us. Historically, the right to vote was controlled at the state level - only land owners could vote. In Massachusetts between 1691 and 1780, women could vote if they owned land. By the early 19th century all men could vote. This was clarified in 1869 by a Constitutional amendment to guarantee the civil liberty to vote regardless of race, creed or color. In 1919, the 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote, and in 1924 a Congressional determination allowed Native American citizens voting rights. It wasn't until 1971 that 18-year-olds were allowed to vote. They were the last group to be faced with the consequences of having to comply with laws and regulations made about them without a voice in those decisions. They were asked to serve in a southeast Asian war with no opportunity to decide whether we should be there at all. As a blind Native American woman, I have always known how precious is the right to choose who speaks for me in my government. I urge you to exercise the privilege of choosing who will make the laws that will impact your life. The disability community is the largest minority group in the country. They may not have significant amounts of money to contribute to political campaigns, but they do have the numbers to influence election results. You may think that your one little vote is unimportant - a single grain of sand. However, if you add it to all of the others to select a candidate who understands your issues, you can help make a difference in the quality of the government that is charged with making the decisions that affect you daily. Educate yourself. Read, listen, register to vote and choose wisely. Still think voting is not your thing? Check out the web site Rock The Vote at www.rockthevote.com/home.php and the web site Choose or Lose at think.mtv.com/044FDFFFF0002D79CFFFF00000068/Issues/Issue.aspx. In the words of Justin Dart Jr., "Vote as if your life depended on it, because it does!" ***** A TASTE OF SUPPORT by Bonnie Rennie Step into a bright cozy kitchen during the holidays, toasty warm against the cold outside. It radiates the tantalizing aroma of Christmas cookies, and uproarious laughter. See women of many generations bonded in baking together. Many eager hands make the work lighter. Lessons of all sorts are learned. Hearts are joined together. The cookies taste sensational! Throughout history, women have banded together for their common benefit, in extended families and in communities. They have linked arms to face common threats and disasters and to celebrate happy events. They have gathered in knitting and quilting circles. The driving agenda was to share their stories, their hopes, joys and sorrows in a sisterhood of caring. In the same tradition, the ACB Women's Concerns Committee has organized a support group by phone for those living with the dual experience of vision loss and breast cancer. Group members provide an empathetic listening ear, practical coping tips from their own experience, and some humor. Having already held our first four sessions with women calling in from all over the country, it can be rightly said that this is truly a community of strength and of grace under pressure. Groups are facilitated by three social workers who are also ACB members, including one who is a breast cancer survivor. As facilitators, our role is to promote an environment of comfort and encouragement. The selection of topics for discussion is driven by what the participants want to talk about. In our attempt to make this group a safe and supportive place, we offer some guidelines, standard to such groups. We ask and expect members to honor these. Briefly, they include absolute confidentiality; what happens in the group stays there. We do not engage in medical advice or comparisons of treatments. Each woman's case is unique to her and should ultimately be resolved between her and her treatment team. For those wishing or needing psychotherapy, this group is not the place to receive it. Giving everyone an opportunity who wants one to share at her own comfort level and respect for the feelings expressed are two more items. In this way, even though some painful things may be discussed from time to time, the group can retain a positive tone. But rest assured, there is still plenty left to talk about. Interaction can range from cultivating a support system, ways to give back and to have fun, dealing with the responses of one's family and friends to one's illness. There is much focus on the endless variety of ways to take good care of oneself. As the group members are getting to know each other better, there is more and more laughter. If you are a woman who feels you would benefit from this group, via conference call, here's what you need to know. We meet on the first Tuesday evening of each month, beginning at 8:30 p.m. and running to 10:30 p.m. Eastern time. (That's 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Pacific). To attend, call (605) 475-4850 and use meeting ID 727660#. You will then be asked to state your name and city location, so the group knows who is attending and exiting the session. This also promotes confidentiality. You are welcome to join us in this wonderful telephone support group. As for those luscious frosted cookies mentioned earlier, if only we could share those with you! ***** THE KEY TO SUCCESS: NOT SETTING STRICT LIMITS by Mimi Trpevska The moment I completed my final writing project for my primary school graduation at age 14, discussing my personal and professional plans, was when I felt I came up with a great idea. I thought I had found the key to success. According to what I thought and wrote then, a successful person is a person who knows how to define his limits. In order for me to have a successful career, I thought, I would have to be very aware of the limits that my blindness can create. I would have to think about all the obstacles that might stand in my way and think of a way to overcome them before I go on to setting and achieving my goals. What I did not discuss in my assignment, however, was the possibilities of getting beyond those limits. I began to realize, as I was growing up, that my limits were decreasing. As time passed, I was able to do many things I did not think I could do; I went to study in a university in another country and attended a summer school in Germany as well as two leadership conferences in the U.S. and the UK. Living and working in a foreign country on another continent, however, only a year ago, was a dream, something I was always yearning for, but thought I would not be able to do. The idea of acting according to my limits was then an excuse that tried not to let that dream become a goal. In the summer of last year, at age 21, I found myself thinking about it again. I was done with more than two-thirds of the courses offered for my majors, journalism and political science; a perfect timing for an internship. I knew exactly what I wanted to do: I wanted to work as a reporter in an English-speaking media. I was well aware that such an opportunity would give me a chance to put my skills to real-world use and to get strong feedback from professionals in an English-speaking country. Then, according to what I thought at age 14, I had to think of a way to overcome the obstacles that are likely to stand in my way. Fortunately, it did not take me long to realize that setting strictly defined limits is an obstacle that, most of the time, will stand in my way. I also realized that the only way to overcome it is to set myself free of that obstacle. Apparently, thinking about the limits was not the key to success for many blind individuals who traveled over the world, climbed Mount Everest (and reached the summit) and took part in the winter Olympics. Though I could not think of a straightforward way to make it possible, I was determined to do what it takes to achieve my career objective – to become an intern of a news organization in the United States. But Rome was not built in a day, and neither was my ambitious endeavor. It took three months of work and many rejection letters before I got an offer that I could not refuse: a fall internship with the Scripps Howard Foundation Wire Semester in Washington program. What I could not foresee is that this endeavor would last much longer than I thought and would provide me with more than I bargained for. However, that was not what I thought during my first week in Washington, D.C. The big city looked scary and unfamiliar; the people looked either pitiful or ignorant. I felt lost and useless. I did not think there was a way to use the touch-screen microwave, or to safely operate the gas oven. Going out was even harder. I dreaded escalators and I had to use the elevator or take the stairs to get to any Metro station. The way out, as I soon learned, was going to take much longer then a four-month-long fall internship. That was attending a training center, where I could learn to safely negotiate an urban environment, independently cross streets and use public transportation. As a result of an accidental set of circumstances, I first ended up attending the Colorado Center for the Blind, a training center that did not meet my needs. However, this experience gave me a chance to look for another training approach that was likely to work much better for me. Three months after I came to the U.S., I felt extremely frustrated and resentful. It seemed to me that I was losing hope of finding a placement in another training center and continuing with my plans. I found myself thinking that I failed to define and set my limits and that it would turn out that I am spending my time and money in vain, unable to take a step forward. In the meantime, I tried contacting a number of individuals, organizations and foundations that could help me get the training I longed for. The most promising one among all of them, the American Council of the Blind, brought a gleam of hope in this ordeal. Thanks to their effective advocacy efforts, I ended up getting a placement in one of the top-ranking independence training centers in the country, the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind. I soon learned that putting dots of different shapes and sizes on a touch-screen microwave is one of many creative ways to make those appliances accessible. Using the gas oven was not a risky business anymore, nor was going up or down on an escalator. By the time I graduated from my training, I was well on my way to learning the necessary skills that would help me to safely and independently cross most intersections by listening to the traffic sounds and analyzing the possible risks. Three weeks later, I was back in Washington, D.C., the big city I was afraid of. I no longer dread the escalators; I confidently travel to the Metro. I do not run away from the sound of the cars, but I am paying attention to their sound so that I can safely cross the intersections I come upon. I am happy for having the chance to grab another excellent opportunity: to be an intern at the American Council of the Blind. I find it both pleasing and rewarding to give back to the organization that helped me pave the way toward my independence. An important part of this internship is the learning experience I am getting from working with the staff members who manage ACB’s advocacy and governmental affairs, development and public relations. Thanks to this growing experience of living and training in the U.S., my future does not look scary and uncertain any more. I am looking forward to stepping into the newsroom of the Scripps Howard Foundation Wire, ready to go many places and cover various events. This year-long stay in the U.S. has already provided me with many opportunities and benefits of learning about lots of creative ways to make my life easier and make myself more productive. This unique experience has made me aware that what it takes to become a go-getter is a can-do attitude, finding a way out of the problems I encounter rather than finding excuses for not doing anything to solve them. It has also made me realize that what is crucial for achieving my goals is not how long it takes to make the effort, but how soon I set my mind on getting them accomplished. ***** A CRITICAL REVIEW OF OLVER'S 'DEALING WITH VISION LOSS' by William M. Penrod "Dealing with Vision Loss" is a powerful firsthand account of one person's belief system regarding the education of people with vision loss, both low vision and blind. The author is congenitally blind from retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), so much of his perspective is inarguable and irrefutable as it is based upon his personal experiences. Olver, 54, experienced much of the educational evolution from primarily a "residential school" emphasis to that of public schools and the principles of inclusion brought about by Public Law 94 142, the Education of the Handicapped Act of 1975. This perspective is evident in his writing. Olver's work is neither textbook nor typical autobiography, however. His effort uses broad general citations rather than explicit APA style references. He cites statistics with a general indication of where they came from and when, but does not give sufficient information for the reader to search out and verify the source and accuracy. This is especially true with statistics regarding employment and under employment. Indeed, the text does not include a reference page where the curious reader may extract the citation. He rationalizes this process by indicating web sites that the reader may visit to extract data. However, aside from these minor nuances, many of Olver's arguments and perspectives are well founded to the point that it would be an excellent reference for a new professional, paraprofessional, parent, or family member of a person experiencing vision loss. The manuscript offers as an appendix a fairly complete reference guide that may prove invaluable to its intended audience. It was refreshing that Olver did not choose to demonstrate personal preference in his narrative regarding consumer groups. He described the missions and importance of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the American Council of the Blind (ACB), and the Blinded Veterans of America (BVA) with respect. The text is printed in large print and is very well organized. It is also available on CD. It reflects the issues of placement options, learning/reading medium, orientation and mobility (O&M), accessibility, psycho social issues of blindness/visual impairment, relationships with siblings and parents, and the author's beliefs regarding what should be expected from the person who is blind by parents, siblings, and significant others. Although Olver's work is informative, it sometimes lacks consistency throughout the text. A prime example is when he refers to himself as a "Y person who is blind, rather than a blind person." Yet, throughout the text Olver refers to "blind students," "blind children" and "blind adults." This inconsistency is an annoyance to the reader who values the practice of putting the person first. A major point of contention is Olver's simplification of O&M strategies, especially street crossing. Indeed, a literal adherence to his street-crossing techniques may prove dangerous to the uninformed and uninitiated. For example, his advice suggesting that "the key [to lighted street crossings] is not to get too antsy and go when you hear traffic moving Y chances are that it is going to turn. So wait until you are familiar enough with the traffic pattern and then go" is both relative and subjective. While this is a very loose description of the process of what many refer to as "intersection analysis" and lighted street-crossing procedure (Hill & Ponder, 1976; Jacobson, W. 1993; LaGrow & Weessies, 1994) it may, as worded, make the practicing certified orientation and mobility specialist (COMS) cringe because it could be too loosely interpreted and it marginalizes a key component to independent travel. Consider yourselves warned! To Olver's credit, however, he is not trying to teach street crossing; he is simply describing the process that he uses. In other aspects regarding O&M, Olver is thorough and effective in rationalizing his beliefs. One point that I found myself totally agreeing with is when he suggests that a bus passenger who is blind should sit close to and across from the driver. This opinion is seldom espoused, yet it is completely logical; sitting right behind a driver makes communication difficult because of the Plexiglas shield and visibility may be poor depending upon the driver's mirror. This was an example of sound advice from a person who has learned from experience the problems associated with a driver who has forgotten about a passenger who is blind and then drives far beyond the passenger's desired stop. A final critique is regarding Olver's comments regarding the cause of Braille illiteracy. Olver states "… many students have graduated high school functionally illiterate because school districts were unwilling to hire competent teachers in this area." Indeed, where is the data that supports this notion? I suggest that in many cases there may have been no qualified teachers to be found, too few qualified teachers to go around, and/or an uninformed admissions and release committee. With the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the issue of teaching braille is no longer subject to any misinterpretation, unless it is deliberate. Braille must be taught unless it is deemed inappropriate by the ARC. I believe that Olver's work would be of some value to all audiences associated with the field of blindness and visual impairment. It is a terrific effort written in easy-to-understand terminology and may prove invaluable to the parent, sibling, educator, and significant other of people who are blind, birth through adulthood and beyond. Dealing with Vision Loss by Fred Olver is available through Authorhouse, 1 800 839 8640. References Hill, E., & Ponder, P. (1976). Orientation and Mobility Techniques: A Guide for the Practitioner. New York: American Foundation for the Blind. Jacobson, W.H. (1993). The Art and Science of Teaching Orientation and Mobility to Persons with Visual Impairments. New York: AFB Press. LaGrow, S. & Weessies, M. (1994). Orientation and mobility: Techniques for independence. Palmerston North, New Zealand: Dunsmore. ***** HERE AND THERE by Sue Lichtenfels 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 info@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. AUDIO DESCRIPTION NOW AVAILABLE AT DISNEY! Disney engineers have taken recent advances in wireless technology one step further, creating a first-of-a-kind, handheld assistive device to bring the magic of Disney theme parks to guests with visual and hearing disabilities. Disney’s Handheld Device combines multiple functions – assistive listening, handheld captioning, and closed captioning activation – into one small, easy-to-use platform. The assistive listening system provides amplified audio, while handheld captioning enables guests to read captions while enjoying specific theme park attractions. Closed captioning is also activated by the handheld device in pre-show areas where TV displays narrate the upcoming experience. The device also provides audio description for guests who are blind or with low vision. This service provides narrated information about key visual elements in attractions such as actions, settings and scene changes and works seamlessly with the existing show audio. The device is offered at no additional cost at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort theme parks. For more information, visit the Walt Disney World Web site at www.disneyworld.com or contact Walt Disney World Information at (407) 824-4321 (voice) or (407) 827-5141 (TTY). STAPLES TO IMPROVE WEB SITE ACCESS & MORE Staples will be improving its payment service terminals by providing tactile keypads at the in-store point-of-sale devices to protect the privacy and security of shoppers with visual impairments. The company will also make improvements to Staples.com that will benefit customers with visual impairments and other disabilities. This announcement is the result of collaboration between Staples and major blindness organizations including the Bay State Council of the Blind, the American Foundation for the Blind, the American Council of the Blind, and the California Council of the Blind. The initiative includes Staples’ commitment to design www.staples.com in accordance with guidelines issued by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) (www.w3.org/wai). Staples will also be adding tactile keypads to payment services devices throughout the chain. The new units will allow Staples shoppers who have difficulty reading information on a touch screen to enter their PIN and other confidential information privately and independently. Staples stores in Massachusetts will have the new devices by September. All stores in the country are scheduled to have the devices by the middle of next year. CANDLE IN THE WINDOW CONFERENCE DETAILS Candle in the Window, a small national non-profit organization with the aim of building both individual skills and a sense of community among persons with visual impairments, welcomes blind people with varied experiences to join them at their 22nd annual conference entitled "Facing Our Fear and Effecting Positive Change.” Areas being explored will include: 1. What do we consider to be "normal" or "healthy" fear? What is "unhealthy" fear? 2. What fears may be specific to people who are blind? What fears are peculiar to or accentuated by blindness? 3. How is our fear impacted by family? Culture? Society? 4. What strategies can we employ to begin to overcome our fears? In addition to provocative presentations and stimulating discussions, there will be plenty of time for hiking, eating, singing, quiet reflection, and hanging out. It will be held at Wooded Glen, Henryville, Ind., Aug. 5-9, 2009. The cost is $485 for double occupancy, $465 triple occupancy, $415 for quad occupancy. A $15 discount will be given to those who send a deposit of $40 by June 15. Conference fee includes lodging, and meals. Transportation is not included in the conference fee. Arrangements will be made to transport participants from Louisville, Ky., to Wooded Glen. Registration is limited to 20 participants. For more information, contact Nancy Trzcinski at (413) 441-2305 or baxman@adelphia.net. To reserve your space, contact Jonathan Ice, 509 20th St. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402, (319) 298-2919 or jkice@mwci.net. NUBS EVALUATION NEEDS BRAILLE READERS The Braille Authority of North America (BANA), in response to consumer requests, and to respond to ACB resolution 2008-16, is conducting an evaluation of the Nemeth Uniform Braille System (NUBS). NUBS is an experimental code designed to include literary, math, and scientific information, combining all three codes into one unified system. As an initial phase of this evaluation, BANA is recruiting interested braille readers who will be attending the ACB convention in Orlando, Fla., between July 6-8 when BANA researchers will be conducting this phase of the evaluation. BANA is seeking a broad representation of participants -- readers of various ages, with different levels of braille reading experience, and both casual and professional users of braille. At the convention, selected individuals will take part in sessions examining the experimental code. Some individuals will be assigned to a group task, and others to a half-hour individual task. If an individual is not selected for the convention tasks, he or she will be welcome to participate in a later survey. If you are interested in being considered as a participant in this phase, please send a message including your name and contact information to brailleauthority@gmail.com or you can call Kim Charlson at (617) 926-9198. You will be asked to fill out a simple demographic questionnaire that will help BANA determine into which age group you fall. From all of the responses received BANA will create participant groups of similar size. NEW OPPORTUNITY WITH NIB National Industries for the Blind (NIB) has launched a new training program, Contract Management Support (CMS), and is seeking motivated blind or severely visually impaired individuals to participate. CMS services include the tasks required to conduct contract close-out and administration. These tasks range from research and analysis prior to awarding a contract to contract negotiation and post-award vendor follow-up. NIB is partnering with the country’s premiere contract management training program to provide the core training courses required to establish a solid foundation in the contract management area. Individuals may also apply to NIB’s CMS internship program, which combines training with paid on-the-job work experience at NIB’s Alexandria, Va. headquarters. While CMS program participants complete their training, NIB will work with them to identify career opportunities in contract management, either in Washington, D.C., or in locations across the country. Anyone who is blind or severely visually impaired, has a college degree (or at least 24 business credit hours), and is proficient using adaptive technology such as a screen reader may be eligible for the CMS program. ACB convention attendees are encouraged to stop by the NIB exhibit booth. For more information, visit www.nib.org, or contact Billy Parker at (703) 310-0560 or bparker@nib.org. USABA HOSTING INTERNATIONAL GAMES The U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) is pleased to play host to the 2009 International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) World Youth & Student Championships and the 2009 IBSA Pan American Games to be held in Colorado Springs, Colo. July 15-20, 2009. Fifteen countries from around the world have already committed to attend. This prestigious event is full of intense competition amongst the world's top blind and visually impaired athletes in the sports of swimming, judo, track and field and goalball. More than 350 athletes will reside in the Athlete Village at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colo. for the games. For more information on either of these games, visit www.usaba.org or call (719) 630-0422. BIBLE CONFERENCE FOR THE BLIND The National Church Conference of the Blind will hold its 2009 Annual Bible Conference Sept. 12-17 at the Wyndham Richmond Airport Hotel located at 4700 S. Laburnum Ave., Richmond, Va. To get the $99 nightly hotel rate, call (804) 226-4300. For information about the conference agenda or to register, contact Rheba Dunn at (970) 895-2352 or visit www.thenccb.com. PHONE-BASED MOBILE TOOL Audiopoint has released version 1.5 of its Voice Terminal Service (VTS), a platform-based application service for anyone who wants to access the Internet, e-mail and customized web information while on the go. With simple voice commands, VTS is accessed via any telephone -- landline, cellular or smart phone. VTS’ Google Calendar Interface allows users to listen to daily agendas, add calendar events, and enter descriptive event details. VTS 1.5 improves usability with new call flow prompts, an updated voice user interface, and an easier, more secure login process. Users can now access their address book over the phone and the Enhanced Notifier feature allows users to broadcast messages by group, individual contact or, particularly critical for emergency services, access a phone number that is not in their address book that is sent via e-mail or alert. Monthly subscriptions, annual plans and site licenses are all available. Audiopoint is offering VTS free to all visually impaired U.S. veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. For more information, visit www.voiceterminal.net or call 1-888-382-8346. UPDATE TO ZOOMTEXT RELEASED Ai Squared has released ZoomText version 9.18. The upgrade features Smooth Panning (patent pending) which enables the navigation of applications without the abrupt jumping around in the magnified view. As you type text, arrow key through menus and dialogs, and switch windows, ZoomText smoothly pans from one location to another. ZoomText Scripting is now included in every license of ZoomText Magnifier and Magnifier/Reader which allows users to automate tasks in ZoomText and most applications. The upgrade supports 64-bit editions of Windows Vista. Users of ZoomText 9.1 or later can download the free upgrade at www.aisquared.com/updates. Others wishing to upgrade or purchase this software can call 1-800-859-0270. Ai Squared is now offering monthly payment plans for software purchases. CONGRATULATIONS TO JEANNIE AMENDOLA! Disney cast member Jeannie Amendola has been named vice chair of the board of Lighthouse Central Florida and chair of the organization's 2009 gala. Jeannie, who is legally blind, is the executive assistant to Shannon McAleavey, senior vice president of public affairs for Walt Disney World Resort. During her tenure at Disney, Jeannie served as a Disney Ambassador, a highly coveted role that offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience for those who demonstrate passion and knowledge of Disney heritage. As an ambassador, Jeannie helped open Hong Kong Disneyland and helped present a $1 million grant to the Orlando Boys and Girls Club at The Magic Kingdom. Jeannie also served four years as president of CastAble, a WDW diversity resource group promoting respect, equality and appreciation of people with disabilities. She also received appointments to The Able Trust by Governors Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist. LIGHTHOUSE TECHNOLOGY HELP DESK As the Chicago Lighthouse’s Adaptive Technology Desk moves into its fourth year of serving blind and visually impaired computer users around the world, they will begin utilizing JAWS Tandem. This means for anyone using JAWS version 10.0, the help desk is now able to remotely access their computer and either fix problems or help them understand how to do something. Although this new tool only works with JAWS 10.0, the help desk can assist with a variety of assistive technology issues despite the screen reader or version in use. Anyone who is blind or visually impaired, or who works with this population and wishes to receive assistance from the Help Desk, can call 1-888-825-0080 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central time; send e-mail to ray.campbell@chicagolighthouse.org; or send an AOL Instant Message using I.D. tclhelp. SCANNER UPGRADE FROM PLUSTEK Plustek has released their new BookReader V100, a reading device with text-to-speech and optical character recognition that is designed for users with learning and visual disabilities as well as those looking to learn a foreign language. The scanner’s software features a "magnify tool" which enlarges the print, making books easier to see. This tool also includes a "see & speak" function that allows users to see enlarged text while the scanner is "reading" it aloud. For additional features and pricing, visit www.plustek.com; e-mail InfoUSA@plustek.com; or call (714) 670-7713. BECK WINS BRESSLER PRIZE Dr. Roy W. Beck is the recipient of the 2009 Alfred W. Bressler Prize in Vision Science, awarded by the Jewish Guild for the Blind. Beck is the executive director of the Jaeb Center for Health Research in Tampa, Fla., as well as adjunct professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of South Florida. He is best known for his design and management of clinical trials in ophthalmology, which have resulted in landmark investigations related to the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the retina, cornea and nervous system in adults and children. He will receive the $40,000 prize at a ceremony in New York City this fall. ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP FOR SALE: Wheat grass juicer, brand-new, still in box. Asking $200 including shipping. Toshiba laptop with 15" screen, 250-gig hard drive, 3 gigs RAM, Windows XP, JAWS 7.10 and ZoomText 8. Asking $925 (includes shipping). Call Luis at (818) 220-6256. FOR SALE: Imp voice organizer with tutorial, charger, new batteries and carrying case. Asking $75. Rarely used APH Handi-Cassette recorder/player with an AC adapter and extra battery packs. $75 or best offer. Alva 20-cell braille display that needs a new battery; asking $150. The new battery costs $185 plus shipping from Vision Cue. For more information, call Elizabeth at (850) 345-0822. FOR SALE: Open Book 8.0 with all software and tutorials in all media. Black-and-white scanner comes with it for free, as well as cable and software for scanner. Asking $700. Will accept check or money orders in Canadian or U.S. funds. Contact Nancy at (319) 217-8385 or e-mail owenryder@sympatico.ca. FOR SALE: PAC Mate with 20-cell braille display, in excellent condition. Comes with cables and manuals. Asking $1,000. Contact Marc Marino at (815) 477-7721 or e-mail mmarino8@comcast.net. FOR SALE: CCTV with 17" screen. Five years old. Asking $600. Must pick up (Lake Worth, Fla.). Contact Lenny at (561) 433-8894. FOR SALE: PAC Mate BX 20 with detachable 20-cell braille display. Has SS Edit, calendar, stopwatch, calculator, scientific calculator, help system, Bluetooth; uses flash cards and Internet cards. Comes with manual on CD and braille quick-start book, case and all cables. Asking $1,700 (negotiable). Contact Annamarie Huie at (870) 365-8477. FOR SALE: Perkins braille writer with cover; in excellent condition. Asking $275. Will ship by UPS (insured). Contact Bill at (719) 547-1611 or by e-mail, 052338@comcast.net. FOR SALE: IBM typewriter (standard keyboard). Asking $50; buyer pays shipping. Call (515) 332-1459. FOR SALE: Talking scientific calculator, series 300. Brand-new; only used briefly. Asking $250. Olympus digital recorder with talking menus. Records 240 hours. Asking $80. Contact Arturo at (805) 385-3438. FOR SALE: VERA stand-alone reading machine. Asking $400; will trade for any braille notetaker and braille printer, or laptop with braille display. Talking microwave. Asking $150; will trade for any piece of braille equipment or braille writer. Contact Melody at (856) 896-4313. FOR SALE: Handi-Cassette II cassette recorder. Has batteries but no charger. Call Volly Nelson at (912) 557-3682 (no calls after 10 p.m. Eastern, please), or write to him at 115 Cole Ln., Reidsville, GA 30453, or e-mail him, dallascowboys111@msn.com. FOR SALE: Panasonic cordless telephone with three handsets, 6.0 mHz, answering machine, and talking caller ID. Brand-new. Asking $95. Olympus digital voice recorder model SN4100; can record up to 144 hours. Comes with USB cable to connect to computer. Asking $60. Desktop computer with 500-gig hard drive, Windows XP Professional, JAWS, ZoomText, and Microsoft Office. Wi-fi ready. Asking $400. Toshiba laptop with 15.4-inch-wide screen, 3 gigs RAM, 250-gig hard drive, Windows XP, JAWS and ZoomText. Asking $850 or best offer. Contact Luisa at (626) 419-0113. FREE TO GOOD HOME: Rhonda Williams will give away a complete New Testament of the King James Bible in perfect condition. 20 braille volumes. Will be sent free matter for the blind. Contact Rhonda at lonely-won@hotmail.com. WANTED: Braille labeler, braille watch, braille vibrating alarm clock, braille adding machine, braille encyclopedia, braille dictionary, braille games, slate and stylus, braille recipe books, braille books, braille printer, braille paper with three-hole punch, pocket slate with stylus and notebook attached, board slate, braille compass, and portable IBM Braille typewriter. Call Melody at (856) 896-4313. ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT MITCH POMERANTZ 1115 CORDOVA ST. #402 PASADENA, CA 91106 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT KIM CHARLSON 57 GRANDVIEW AVE. WATERTOWN, MA 02472 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT BRENDA DILLON 313 OVERRIDGE COVE HERMITAGE, TN 37076 SECRETARY MARLAINA LIEBERG 632 S. 189TH ST. BURIEN, WA 98148 TREASURER MIKE GODINO 104 TILROSE AVE. MALVERNE, NY 11565-2024 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHER GRAY 94 RAMONA AVE. SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103 ACB BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ray Campbell, Glen Ellyn, IL Berl Colley, Lacey, WA Marsha Farrow, Summerville, GA Michael Garrett, Missouri City, TX Billie Jean Keith, Arlington, VA Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA David Trott, Talladega, AL Cammie Vloedman, Oklahoma City, OK Ex Officio: Paul Edwards, Miami, FL BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS Paul Edwards, Chairman, Miami, FL Marcia Dresser, Reading, MA Judy Jackson, San Antonio, TX Jenine Stanley, Columbus, OH Ken Stewart, Warwick, NY Ex Officio: Ron Milliman, Bowling Green, KY