THE BRAILLE FORUM Volume XLVIII November 2009 No. 5 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 Report to the National Convention, Part III, by Mitch Pomerantz Report on Currency, Part 2, by Melanie Brunson Announcing 2010 Midyear Meetings and Legislative Seminar, by Melanie Brunson Phoenix 2010: Changes in the Sand, by Carla Ruschival ACB Enjoys 'Galaxy of Possibilities' in Orlando, by Jenine Stanley, Paul Edwards, Judy Jackson, Sharon Lovering and Marcia Dresser Disney's on the Right Track with Its Attraction Description Device, by Landa Phelan Holiday Auction to Raise Money for ACB, by Brenda Dillon ACB Raffle – Tickets Available Now! Clearance Sale at the ACB Store, by Carla Ruschival ACB – Advocacy – MMS: What's the Connection?, by Kathy Brockman Summary of 2009 Resolutions Here and There, edited 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. CORRECTIONS In the September 2009 issue of "The Braille Forum," Ron Milliman wrote an article on the ACB MMS Program entitled “Who Won the Olympus Digital Recorder?” That article recognized all of the new contributors to the program as well as those who increased their monthly pledges. Missing from that list was a very loyal ACB member and one of the very first to support the MMS program from its inception in 2002 – Ed "Doc" Bradley of Houston, Tex. The list of names provided was inadvertently missing Ed Bradley's name, an omission for which we sincerely apologize. Also in the September issue of the Forum, there was an announcement in "Here and There" regarding availability of products from the Royal National Institute of Blind People. Bay Area Digital is not the only vendor for products from the RNIB; Independent Living Aids has been carrying some of their products for the past decade. We apologize for any confusion our error may have caused. ***** PRESIDENT'S REPORT TO THE NATIONAL CONVENTION, PART III by Mitch Pomerantz My September and October columns were devoted to excerpting my report to the membership at the ACB national convention this past July. Here's the final installment. I would be remiss if I failed to talk about the MMS (Monthly Monetary Support) program and committee. Participation has been slow but steady during the past year. Last year at this time, ACB and our affiliates received a total of just under $50,000 annually. ACB alone received slightly over $37,000 per year. This year, those figures are a bit over $56,000 and almost $44,000, respectively. Individual contributors have increased from 144 to 161. During these very tough times, ACB members need to show their dedication by committing to making regular contributions... In response to the recent closure of the Oregon School for the Blind and the pending closures of the North Carolina and Illinois schools, I have established a task force to develop a strategy in providing all possible assistance to state affiliates facing either outright closure or consolidation of their schools for the blind with schools for the deaf. These hallowed institutions are at a crossroads, and ACB must do everything possible to steer them down the path to continued operation, not the path to extinction. (Note: Since the convention, both schools mentioned were funded for the current fiscal year.) It took far longer than I had anticipated, but ACB is now offering the Washington Connection in Spanish. It can be accessed by pressing "2" when you hear the prompt after calling the ACB office during evenings and weekends. Along with the two Spanish-language brochures available thanks to the efforts of the membership committee, we have the tools to reach out to the growing community of Latino monolingual blind and visually impaired people. Communicating with individual ACB members is something about which I feel most strongly. I continue to host "Office Hours" on a semi-regular basis. For those who don't know about it, every six weeks to two months, I chat with anyone who calls about any ACB-related topic for approximately 90 minutes. It gives you the chance to put me on the spot, or make suggestions on ways to improve our organization. While I haven't been entirely successful yet, I've tried getting the word out to all our members, particularly those who do not have access to the Internet. The third aspect of the president's job concerns managing our relations with entities outside of ACB. For too long, we ceded the blindness playing field to the National Federation of the Blind. However, we are taking steps to assume our rightful place as a major player in this community, and those efforts will continue for as long as I have any say in the matter. ACB is an active member, along with the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America, in the Blind Entrepreneurs' Alliance (BEA). We know that there are those within Congress and the larger disability community who want to dilute the program or do away with it altogether. Through BEA's efforts, and those of RSVA and ACB, we will do whatever is necessary to protect and expand Randolph-Sheppard so as to provide viable employment opportunities for blind and visually impaired people. This past August, Chris Gray and I represented ACB at the seventh quadrennial meeting of the World Blind Union in Geneva, Switzerland. Marlaina Lieberg served as ACB's delegate to the Women's Forum and, along with the former manager, Chrissie Cochrane, streamed the WBU conference on ACB Radio. The highlight for us was the unanimous adoption of a resolution regarding quiet cars which we drafted. Let me bring everyone up to date on ACB's participation in the Reading Rights Coalition. If you read the June "Braille Forum," you know that ACB was asked to participate in a cross-disability effort, the Reading Rights Coalition, which was organized to oppose the decision by Amazon, Inc., regarding its then newly released Kindle 2 Book Reader. You also know that the board voted unanimously to join this coalition. This action was based on Amazon's decision to cave in to pressure from the Authors' Guild and the six largest book publishers and turn off the text-to-speech feature on the Kindle 2. Right now, the Kindle is only accessible to persons with some usable vision. In an effort to begin addressing this lack of access for blind people, on June 25th -- in an unprecedented initiative -- ACB joined with NFB in filing suit in federal court against Arizona State University. The suit seeks an injunction to prohibit ASU from using the new Kindle DX E-Book Reader in a number of designated classes because it is not accessible to blind students. This suit is brought on behalf of blind students who will be prevented from independently accessing their own textbooks on the Kindle DX, and alleges that use of the Kindle is a violation of both the Rehabilitation Act and the ADA. The named student in the complaint is Darrell Shandrow, an ACB member. Colleagues, with the help of a truly supportive board and officers, state and special-interest affiliate presidents and other leaders, but most importantly, each and every one of you, the American Council of the Blind is assuming our rightful place as the pre-eminent consumer advocacy organization of blind and visually impaired people in this nation. We are making tremendous strides toward improving the lives of blind and visually impaired people, but we have much more work yet to do. There are advocacy issues on the local, state and national levels for every ACB member to tackle: supporting installation of accessible pedestrian signals; saving specialized state programs and services; and fighting for equal opportunity and our share of the American dream. Please join me in seeing this work through to a successful conclusion. Thank you, and take care. At long last, that concludes my national convention report. See you next month. ***** REPORT ON CURRENCY, PART 2 by Melanie Brunson In last month's column, I shared the first part of the executive summary from a report that was done for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, which examined a number of options that would make it easier for people with visual impairments to distinguish between different denominations of U.S. currency. The remainder of this executive summary is below. Key Findings for Tactile Features Three primary tactile features were included in the usability test. The tested tactile features included a cluster pattern of raised dots, a system of notches cut into the top and bottom edges of the note, and a system of heavy intaglio raised print bars along the side of the note. Usability test results showed that the prototype edge notches were the most accurate means of identifying denomination for blind participants (average of 89 percent accuracy). The raised dot clusters, as implemented in Canadian currency, yielded positive results when the currency was essentially new (average of 84 percent accuracy) but the results for raised dots were significantly degraded on widely circulated notes (average of 49 percent accuracy). The prototype intaglio print raised bars were very helpful when new (average of 85 percent), but had similar results as the raised dots when simulated to be well circulated (average of 42 percent). Usability tests for the other tactile features yielded average accuracy measurements below 75 percent. Blind participants had a strong preference for the notches feature, though there was some concern about potential degradation of performance with widely circulated notes. Blind participants said that they used the raised intaglio print numerals on Canadian notes as backup for identification when the raised dots were too worn down to identify. Fifty-three percent of the survey participants said they thought a tactile feature would help them denominate currency. In the survey results, 43 percent of all respondents favored multiple accommodations (e.g., combination of a size format and a tactile feature) so that one feature could be used if the other was not discernable. Key Findings for Currency Reader Devices Three commercially available currency reader devices were evaluated in usability tests: two devices that require the user to slide the note into a slot in the device, and a cell phone camera-based device. In addition, three developmental prototypes were evaluated: two devices that require the user to slide the note into a slot in the device and a cell phone camera-based device. The ARINC team conducted the usability testing between June 2008 and April 2009, using devices that were operational and available at the time. The ARINC team is aware that technical breakthroughs in this marketplace are occurring at a rapid rate, and the manufacturers of the prototypes tested may make changes to the devices before they become commercially available. Devices currently under development may yield different results than the devices used in this study. Survey participants were asked if they would take a reader with them when they went out in public. The results were not conclusive — 36 percent of all participants said they would, either occasionally or frequently, 23 percent said rarely, while 41 percent said never. The type of device annunciation (e.g., tone, voice, vibration) is an important consideration for blind and VI people. Most participants preferred voice annunciation when using a device at home, but were concerned about the reader revealing the value of the currency to nearby customers. Usability test participants commented that portability and speed of use are important factors in their willingness to use a reader device. One of the prototype devices received high marks for portability; several participants said they would carry something with similar size and speed with them and would use it while standing in line. Timing is critical in this scenario and most blind participants felt that the commercial devices were too slow for validating notes received as change in a transaction. Slide-in devices varied in ease of use. Proper use of these devices — orienting the note, sliding it in without folded corners, pressing a button and waiting for response—required varying amounts of dexterity. One of the larger devices was the easiest to use for virtually all participants. The smallest device was easy to use for most participants, and was praised for its portability, but was more challenging for those who had dexterity impairments. Participants described the need to orient notes for some devices as inconvenient because orienting the note added to the time it took to denominate the currency. Cell phone-based solutions were fairly easy for most participants to use, but took longer to identify the denomination. Participants considered the high cost of currently available devices to be a barrier to implementation. Economic Analyses of Accommodations The ARINC team conducted economic analysis of the costs and benefits of seven selected alternative accommodations for blind and VI communities, including: size changes along one dimension, size changes along two dimensions, mechanical tactile features, raised tactile features, embedded tactile features, overt machine-readable features, and currency reader devices. Cost analysis results include initial non-recurring (one-time) and annual recurring costs associated with each accommodation. The ARINC team considered three top-level categories of costs in this study — U.S. government (i.e., the BEP, the Federal Reserve Board (FRB), and the U.S. Secret Service), U.S. market sectors (i.e., commercial banking, automated teller machines (ATMs), vending, transportation, gaming, and retail equipment), and U.S. individuals (e.g., the acquisition costs of reader devices). Cost and Benefit Findings for Note Size Variation The ARINC team evaluated two size variation approaches, one-dimensional (1-D), where only length varied by denomination, and two-dimensional (2-D), where both length and width varied by denomination. The identified government and industry costs (including initial non-recurring investment and annual recurring cost) for implementing size variation accommodations were relatively high — more than $9.5 billion for the first year of 1-D accommodations and more than $10.6 billion for the first year of 2-D accommodations. Blind participants were able to achieve only moderate denomination accuracy (average ranged between 41 and 73 percent) in usability tests of currency and prototypes with size change accommodations. Distinct two-dimensional note size differences resulted in the highest average speed performance (7.2 seconds) and accuracy (73 percent) for blind usability test participants for all of the currencies and the prototype with 2-D size differences. Cost and Benefit Findings for Tactile Features The ARINC team evaluated three types of tactile features, mechanical (notches along the edges of the notes), raised (raised dots and printed bars), and embedded (foil patches). Mechanical. The identified government and industry costs (including initial non-recurring investment and annual recurring cost) for mechanical tactile features were moderately high — more than $6.6 billion. Blind participants were better at denominating currency using notches than size variation features. Most blind participants were able to denominate the system of notches accurately (average of 89 percent) and quickly (average of 14 seconds in initial trials, improving to 8.5 seconds with practice). Raised. The identified government and industry costs (including initial non-recurring investment and annual recurring cost) for raised tactile features were moderately high — more than $6.6 billion. Usability testing of raised dots and intaglio printed bars showed the benefits of raised tactile features on new notes. Blind participants were able to use the tactile feature to denominate new Canadian notes accurately (average of 84 percent). Intaglio printed bars yielded similar results on new notes (average of 85 percent). However, recognition accuracy for widely circulated notes was significantly reduced for both the raised dots and the intaglio printed bars. Embedded. The identified government and industry costs (including initial non-recurring investment and annual recurring cost) for embedded tactile features were relatively low — more than $568 million. However, embedded tactile features are of limited benefit because they are typically difficult for blind people to locate. Enhancements to existing embedded features would be required to make embedded features a viable option for currency denomination. Cost and Benefit Findings for Machine-Readable Features The identified government and industry costs (including initial non-recurring investment and annual recurring cost) for machine-readable features were relatively low — more than $75.8 million. There are no direct benefits to the blind and VI population from machine-readable features, unless devices are specifically developed to work with them, but new machine-readable features could enable manufacturers to develop currency reader device technologies that the blind and VI community would be more inclined to use. Cost and Benefit Findings for Currency Reader Devices The ARINC team performed a cost analysis and a qualitative benefit analysis of six reader devices (three commercial and three prototype devices) to assess their efficacy as an accommodation for currency denomination by blind people. For the prototype devices, the manufacturers provided an estimated cost, but emphasized that the final price would change based on design changes or estimated market size. Slide-in note readers provided the greatest benefit among the tested devices. These devices were easiest to learn to use and were very accurate (98 to 99 percent average accuracy) in relatively short times (average results for individual devices ranged from 17.3 to 21.7 seconds). The estimated purchase price of these devices ranged from $100 to $330. The commercial cell phone reader device, although highly accurate (average 100 percent), provided moderate benefit to blind test participants; the denomination time (average of 34.2 seconds) was slower than they preferred. The estimated purchase price of the device was $1,600, but this device provides other applications in addition to currency identification. The prototype note corner reader was of marginal benefit to the blind test participants because the device accuracy (average 81 percent) was lower and the denomination speed (average of 36.5 seconds) was slower than the other devices tested. The estimated purchase price of the device was $100. The prototype cell phone device was too difficult for the blind test participants to use to be beneficial. The estimated price of $30 covers only the software; a cell phone would need to be purchased separately. ***** ANNOUNCING 2010 MIDYEAR MEETINGS AND LEGISLATIVE SEMINAR It's not too early to begin planning to attend the 2010 ACB board meeting, affiliate presidents' meeting, or legislative seminar. These meetings will again be held back to back in February of 2010. The dates are as follows: Friday, Feb. 19, board of directors meeting; Saturday, Feb. 20, first day of affiliate presidents' meeting; Sunday, Feb. 21, conclusion of affiliate presidents' meeting; Sunday, Feb. 21, first day of legislative seminar; Monday, Feb. 22, second day of legislative seminar; Tuesday, Feb. 23, final day of legislative seminar, and chance to visit Congressional offices. The 2010 meetings will be held at the same location we used in 2009, the Holiday Inn National Airport in Arlington, Va. The room rate is $119 per night for singles and doubles, plus tax, and this rate is available from Thursday, Feb. 18-Wednesday, Feb. 24. To make reservations, call (703) 684-7200. The deadline for reservations at this rate is Jan. 19, 2010. In order to insure that we have enough materials available, and can give the hotel accurate counts for meals, we are strongly encouraging attendees to register in advance this year. Even when there is no charge, we need to know you are coming, so we will be asking everyone to register by Feb. 10. Registration forms will be sent out later this year, but we wanted to make sure you have the information about the meetings in time to make plans to attend. If you have questions, please feel free to contact any of us in the ACB national office, either by e-mail (info@acb.org), or by calling us. The phone numbers are 1-800-424-8666 and (202) 467-5081. See you in 2010! -- Melanie Brunson ***** PHOENIX 2010: CHANGES IN THE SAND by Carla Ruschival ACB held its 22nd and 31st national conventions in Phoenix, and now we once again return to this great city in the sand in 2010. That first Phoenix convention in 1983 looked very different from today's grand event. Special-interest affiliates met on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Exhibits were open over the same days, and there were less than 40 booths. The pre-convention board meeting was on Tuesday evening, and general sessions were scheduled all day Wednesday, Thursday morning, and Friday and Saturday. There were overnight tours to the Grand Canyon at the beginning and end of the week, a beach party on Tuesday evening, and tours on Thursday afternoon and evening. The look of convention week changed in 1986, and so 1992 was similar to today's schedule. General sessions began on Sunday evening and met each morning, Monday through Saturday. Special-interest groups met Sunday and weekday afternoons, Monday through Thursday. The ACB legislative and diabetes seminars were on Friday afternoon. There were more exhibits, short weekday afternoon tours, and a national convention committee in addition to the local host committee. Now in 2010 ACB will once again meet in Phoenix. As usual, much will remain the same -- outstanding exhibits, tours that are both educational and fun, and great programming. Also as usual there will be some changes, some new twists that will make the convention week better than ever. At its September meeting in Phoenix, the board previewed the brand-new Downtown Sheraton. The hotel received rave reviews; the food was delicious at the District Restaurant (on the lobby level), and the staff was wonderful. ACB conventions are filled with fun; tours and events at the hotel offer opportunities for learning and entertainment. But, like professional conferences, this week with ACB is also packed with informative workshops, seminars, programs and exhibits. In an effort to assist attendees to receive professional development credit for their time in Phoenix, the week of July 9-17 will be appropriately termed the 49th annual ACB conference and convention. Past changes in schedule have made it possible for more and more programming and activities to be packed into the conference and convention week. In response to the needs of several groups for more programming time, in an effort to make more efficient use of available meeting spaces, and to better accommodate the needs of exhibitors who offer sessions in the early evening time block, a few schedule changes will be in effect this year, as follows: 1. As in the past, all breakfasts will be scheduled from 7:00 to 8:30 a.m. 2. Luncheons will begin at 12:15; end times for luncheons and their accompanying programs will be 2:30 if the group will not continue to occupy the room for additional programming, 3 p.m. if the group will have more programming after the break. 3. Afternoon and early evening sessions will be divided into three time slots. Session 1 will be from 1:30 to 3:00; session 2, 3:30 to 5:00; and session 3, 5:30 to 7:00. Groups such as AAVIA and RSVA, who fill their afternoons with speakers and business, will utilize sessions 1 and 2; such groups will be asked to schedule their breaks around 3 p.m. Moving the 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. start times for short sessions to 1:30 or 3:30 will in several cases make it possible for more groups to utilize the available meeting spaces. More efficient use of volunteers and better service from the ACB Café are also pluses. We are now accepting reservations for exhibit spaces, and 2010 sponsors are beginning to add their names to popular services and events. For more information about advertising and sponsorship opportunities, contact Margarine Beaman at (512) 921-1625 or at oleo50@hotmail.com. To reserve exhibit space, contact Michael Smitherman at (601) 968-4164 or msmitherman@mbhs.org. It's not too early to make hotel reservations for conference and convention week. Rates are $89/night, plus tax. Call 1-800-325-3535, and be sure to let the reservationist know you are with the American Council of the Blind. ***** ACB ENJOYS 'GALAXY OF POSSIBILITIES' IN ORLANDO by Jenine Stanley, Paul Edwards, Judy Jackson, Sharon Lovering and Marcia Dresser SUNDAY, JULY 5 The opening ceremonies of the 48th annual convention of the American Council of the Blind began with welcomes to the Orlando area from Orange County Commissioner Lindsay Swindle, and Commissioner Robert Stewart, City of Orlando. The Naval Operations Center of Orlando presented ACB with a folded national ensign in honor of our convention. Sally Benjamin of Tallahassee, co-chair of the host committee, completed the welcomes and introduction of her fellow committee members. Mitch Pomerantz noted that there are three aspects to his job. The president oversees the work of the executive director and national office staff. He also addresses internal organizational matters including committee staffing, projects, affiliate relations and communication with members. Finally, he facilitates working relationships with entities outside of ACB, including agencies and organizations of and for the blind. (For the complete text of his report, see the September and October issues, as well as this issue.) The national office staff has admirably handled several challenges over the past year, with both national offices relocating. ACB’s advocacy on national legislative issues continues in such areas as quiet cars, video description and accessible currency. Legal action against the Social Security Administration continues regarding material in accessible formats. In addition, ACB has contracted with Joel Snyder to administer the ACB Audio Description Project, which is holding its first conference during the 2009 national convention. All of these initiatives that represent the independence of blind and visually impaired people are a result of the hard work of our national staff along with our membership. Regarding internal organization, Pomerantz reported that he has appointed people to 25 committees and task forces. A number of these groups held educational sessions throughout the year and plan workshops at the convention. Pomerantz announced the formation of a task force to assist state affiliates facing closure or consolidation of state schools for the blind. This year the Monthly Monetary Support (MMS) Program continued to grow slowly but steadily. Total contributions stand at approximately $56,000, with approximately $44,000 going directly to ACB. Individual contributors have increased from 144 to 161. Spanish-language publications now include the Washington Connection, available through the national toll-free number. Other communication efforts over the past year included Pomerantz’s attendance at eight state conventions, and his monthly “Office Hours” open conference calls. Finally, Pomerantz noted ACB’s increasing presence within national coalitions. From access to Amazon’s Kindle digital book reader to the Randolph-Sheppard program and policies of rehabilitation agencies, ACB continued to make the views of its membership recognized. ACB also had a significant presence at the World Blind Union meetings. Pomerantz thanked the board of directors and board of publications for their support of these many efforts over the past year. Next, Carol Ann Ewing-Ragsdale presented the winners of the Durward K. McDaniel First-Timers Awards: Mandy Holly from South Carolina and Janice Moran from Texas. There was also a reunion of first-timers, during which each received a certificate for his or her participation in the program. Jerry Annunzio gave the first report of the credentials committee. He noted that two affiliates were in question this year. The Wyoming affiliate sent its membership roster and dues in after the deadline. All attempts to contact its leadership had gone unanswered. The committee decided to reduce this affiliate’s vote from 1 to one-half vote. The National Alliance of Blind Students also was late in getting its membership dues and roster in, but because the affiliate president readily communicated with the committee and apologized for her mistake with plans to correct it in the future, no penalty beyond a letter was assessed. Following the credentials report was a much anticipated part of the opening ceremonies, the introduction of new life members. This year's life members were: Bobby Cowan, Tennessee Malinda Delbridge, North Carolina Ron Eller, North Carolina Joe Bishop, Mississippi Mary Montgomery, Alaska Donald Koors, Indiana Jim and Becky Barnes, New York The evening finished with the roll call of state and special-interest affiliates. MONDAY, JULY 6 Monday’s session featured the spoken word, both in the reading of books and describing of everything from plays to theme park experiences. Awards and committee reports began the day. Margarine Beaman lent the sparkle of gemstones to the 2009 convention sponsors. She noted that Ruby sponsorship helped defray costs of transportation for tours. Opal sponsorship provided the Youth Activity Center (YAC). Onyx sponsorships helped fund the ACB Café, convention newspaper, ACB Radio coverage and additional YAC activities. Additional sponsorships totaled $52,200. A full list of sponsors can be found in the ACB convention program at www.acb.org. On-site donations also came in from the Florida Council of the Blind and the Hawaii Association of the Blind. Jerry Annunzio presented the final credentials report, which was approved by the membership. Standing rules were also approved unanimously, as was the convention program. Otis Stephens, chair of the constitution and bylaws committee, gave a first reading of proposed constitutional amendments. ACB’s first vice president, Kim Charlson, presided over the remainder of the program, starting with awards. Cindy Van Winkle, chair of the awards committee, presented the Affiliate Growth Award to the Mountain State Council of the Blind. The Middle Tennessee Council of the Blind won the Affiliate Outreach Award. Paul Edwards, chair of the board of publications, presented the Ned E. Freeman Award to Rebecca Kragnes for her article “An Open Letter to Adult Blind Children and Their Parents” (published in the August 2008 issue of "The Braille Forum"). Eight affiliates submitted entries for the 2009 Hollis K. Liggett Braille Free Press Award for excellence in affiliate newsletter writing. The Council of Citizens with Low Vision International was this year’s winner. The convention traveled to Africa with remarks from Dr. Shakila Maharaj, an organizational psychologist from Durban, South Africa. There are approximately 49 million people populating South Africa, with nearly 80 percent being African “blacks.” Approximately 9 percent Caucasians, 8 percent people of mixed race, and 2 percent Asians make up the rest of the population. Though disability statistics are not readily available, it is believed that approximately 10 percent of the population has a disability, with 32 percent being visually impaired. Five percent of the South African Parliament is also made up of people with disabilities. The South African National Council for the Blind is the umbrella organization, and can be found at www.sancb.org.za. SANCB is composed of nearly 95 member organizations, 15 of which are at the national level. There are also 24 schools for the blind. Legally, the system of apartheid affected services rendered to everyone living in South Africa for 50 years. This system divided people by race, and provision of services to people with disabilities was not exempt. Two citations specifically mentioning people with disabilities appear in the current South African constitution and Bill of Rights ensuring the right to dignity and the right to be free from discrimination. Currently the National Integrated Disability Strategy is a white paper being considered for incorporation into legislation similar to the ADA. Maharaj noted that a variety of laws enacted since 1997 assure equal access to people with disabilities, including an affirmative action program under the Employment Equity Act. Employers set target hiring levels from 1 to 4 percent within their organizations. There are also tax incentives for employers for training and development. She cautioned that though legally there have been many advancements, there are still significant challenges, mostly attitudinal, among employers and society in general. People with disabilities also face the challenge of accepting responsibility for their own destiny. Frank Kurt Cylke, Director, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, began his presentation with the news that the Perkins School for the Blind had been named Library of the Year. He also noted the 10th anniversary of Web Braille and the newly opened BARD web site for downloading digital books. Delivery of the new NLS machines, both basic and advanced models, was set to begin in August 2009. Cartridges and containers are being produced on schedule. Unfortunately, the American Foundation for the Blind will no longer be producing audio books for the NLS program. Mary Beth Wise, NLS quality assurance specialist, described the process of making an audio book. Each year the United States alone produces 150,000 books, with NLS producing 2,000 audio books. Each audio book must first be analyzed as to how it can be marked for digital recording and easy navigation to chapters, sections, etc. The next step involves assigning the book to a studio for recording. Studios are chosen based on the type of narration each book requires, foreign languages being one characteristic. The studio director then chooses the narrator who will best fit the material, based on vocal quality, expertise and interest. Becoming a narrator is a rigorous process. Narrators must possess the ability to turn the written word into credible audio through interpretation of the author’s work. They must be skilled in dramatic reading, understand how to convey humor and irony and be free of any regionalisms or dialects. Overall, narrators must be good storytellers to convey that sense of intimacy with the listener. Wise did note that though the system of monitoring and checking recordings is good, some mistakes do happen, usually involving pronunciation errors. Narrators skim each book, noting specific words or phrases, then researching their correct pronunciation. Each narrator has a monitor when reading and each studio checks the book for accuracy of the audio against the print before it goes to NLS. Consultant Rick Morin and Disney’s Worldwide Safety and Accessibility Manager, Jay Cardinali, brought the convention news about audio description at Disney properties. Attraction Description allows a person to carry a hand-held device and get information through headphones about various attractions around the park in real time. The service is available in all Disney parks in the U.S.; ask for it at Guest Relations. Cardinali noted that although Disney has patented some of the technology, produced in conjunction with Softeq, they have allowed that company to use it in other venues such as the Coca-Cola museum. The morning session’s look at audio closed with a report from Joel Snyder, director of ACB Audio Description Project. He reminded everyone that the first audio description conference was taking place during convention, and it would cover such issues as national guidelines and certification. A number of awards would be presented, including the Barry Levine Memorial Award for Career Achievement in Audio Description. One of the project's highlights is the audio-described inauguration of President Barack Obama. The 1979 television production of “The Miracle Worker” is now available with description on DVD, with a portion of the proceeds going to ACB. For more information on the Audio Description Project's activities, visit www.adinternational.org. Lastly, Oral Miller left the crowd with some news to help them shed those convention pounds and get in shape in the Recreation Zone. Activities this year included rowing, Pilates and water aerobics. TUESDAY, JULY 7 John Fleming, president of the Visually Impaired Veterans of America, and a number of other veterans led the Pledge of Allegiance. After announcements, a couple of resolutions, and the nominating committee report, Pomerantz turned the gavel over to Brenda Dillon, second vice president. The nominating committee recommended all of the current officers as the slate to be voted on later in the week. Margarine Beaman announced the names of the 64 bronze sponsors. Patty Slaby, chair of the scholarship committee, presented the 2009-10 scholarships winners. They are: Sara Conrad, Alexandra Krauth, Daniel Guenther, Miranda Hitzemann, Samuel Muwanguzi, Rebekah Balmer, Dawn Lloyd, Laura Palmaro, Lisa Drzewucki, Casey Burkhardt, Justin Hodge, Katherine Moss, Christina Tran, Jennifer Emery, Nichole Peters, Justin Salisbury, Patricia Kepler, and Barry Hyde. Richard Rueda then presented three scholarships on behalf of the Council of Citizens with Low Vision (CCLVI). WEDNESDAY, JULY 8 The children and teens of the Youth Activity Center, led by Marcia Neilson, led the Pledge of Allegiance. Then Pomerantz honored Kathey Wheeler with a certificate of life membership. Wheeler read a resolution expressing her acceptance, appreciation, and thanks to the Missouri Council for making this life membership possible. Cindy Van Winkle made announcements regarding the silent auction and the live auction. She encouraged everyone to come, eat, and buy lots of stuff. M.J. Schmitt made an announcement regarding the first annual job fair that the employment committee is hosting. After the announcements, Pomerantz introduced Susan Mazrui, an employee of AT&T. She encouraged ACB members to thank Eric Bridges and Mark Richert for their work in advocating for accessibility in telecommunications. She mentioned H.R. 3101 and encouraged everyone to get involved in getting their legislators to support that legislation. She indicated that AT&T does support that legislation. She ended her comments by saying that AT&T does believe in accessibility. Pomerantz recognized Cindy Van Winkle to present the Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award. Van Winkle presented this award to Kathy Nimmer. Following the presentation, Judy Jackson read a resolution dealing with H.R. 3101. The resolution passed. Ron Milliman talked a bit about the public relations committee and its work. Then he mentioned the committee's mentoring program, and that it has been very successful. He introduced Sharon Lovering to read the mentorees' certificates, announce the names of the people receiving the certificates, and to present them to the participants. Pomerantz then turned the program and the gavel over to Marlaina Lieberg. She greeted the assembly and quickly introduced Steven Rothstein, the president of the Perkins School for the Blind. Rothstein gave a tribute to Louis Braille and to braille literacy. Lieberg next introduced a panel to discuss schools for the blind. Rothstein was reintroduced to moderate the panel. He introduced three gentlemen who participated on this panel. The members of the panel were Dr. Phil Hatlen, Bob Beadles, and Carl Jacobson. Each panelist took a few moments to speak about the importance of schools for the blind and what they can provide for children who are blind or visually impaired. Rothstein wrapped up the discussion with a few comments reiterating the importance of diversity that is needed in schools for the blind. Next, Lieberg introduced Kim Charlson to announce some festivities planned for the 200th birthday of Louis Braille. Charlson played a song that gave tribute to Louis Braille. The Braille Revival League sponsored a birthday party in Louis Braille's honor, purchasing cookies for convention attendees. The cookies had the letters "BRL" on them. Next, Lieberg expressed her appreciation to LUA for its assistance in getting L.J. Ganser to the convention. Ganser talked about his experiences as a book narrator. He discussed how far recording books has come. He stressed the importance of pronouncing words correctly. He talked about the influences that his parents had on him, leading him to become a narrator. In addition to his parents, he was also influenced by comic books. He requested that everyone contact their legislators about encouraging the Library of Congress to assist AFB with the Talking Book Program. The convention moved from the familiar voice of Ganser to the topic of identity theft. Two speakers, Holly Salmons and Theresa Ronenbaum, told listeners how to protect themselves from identity theft. Salmons works with the Better Business Bureau and Ronenbaum works with the state of Florida's Attorney General's Office. Ronenbaum asked those in the audience to raise their hands if they had been victims of identity theft. Identity theft is a crime, and all of us must have a system of privacy to protect identifying information about ourselves. They gave convention attendees a number of ways to protect themselves against identity theft. After a few brief announcements, the session recessed. THURSDAY, JULY 9 "Good morning, everyone!" stated Pomerantz, who then reminded everyone that the session was on a strict time schedule. Following the Pledge of Allegiance and invocation, Margarine Beaman commended the gold and platinum convention sponsors. She reminded everyone that "it's never too late to contribute!" Jeff Thom, chairman of the voting task force, presented the group's report. He thanked his committee members: Brenda Dillon, Pat Sheehan, and Ken Stewart. "It was our goal to hold a mock secret ballot last year," Thom said. "We were unable to do that due to time and other constraints. We will be doing it this time … in preparation for a potential decision by this organization as to whether to adopt secret balloting in replacement of the standing vote in future years. That decision won't occur today … but it could occur next year." The task force will hold more meetings to talk about potential technology for secret balloting as well as remote balloting, and obtain more information about such technology. Otis Stephens then gave the first readings of several proposed amendments to the constitution and bylaws. One amendment dealt with removal of an officer from office; another spelled out the number of people and affiliates to request an evidentiary hearing. A third amendment also dealt with removal of an officer from office, and the votes needed to do so. Another amendment would have counted the members of the board of publications as elected officers. Another dealt with the composition of the Internet oversight committee. Pomerantz then announced a change in schedule, which the convention approved, before turning the microphone over to Mike Godino, the presiding officer of the day. Pomerantz asked the telephone crew to dial Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy, in Washington, D.C. While waiting for the call to go through, Godino asked his listeners to sign up for the Monthly Monetary Support program. Dale said he wished he could have been at convention in person. "I think that the president has demonstrated his commitment to people with disabilities and people who are blind, and that starts … with putting in place people at senior levels … focused on disability issues," he stated. "He goes beyond the commitments he made and does the right thing." Dale describes his position as two-fold. He sits in the Office of Public Engagement, the "front door or outreach arm" of the White House, which reaches out to people with disabilities and communicates the president's agenda to them. He also takes in complaints and concerns that people want the president to know about. Additionally, he is involved in making sure that people with disabilities are included and integrated into events that happen at the White House. "For example, when we have health care discussions, we make sure that ACB is represented. Eric Bridges has been to the White House a number of different times … We've made sure to include the disability community and ACB in all of the events that we're doing." The other part of his job is in the Domestic Policy Council, where he works on policies for people with disabilities. Responsibilities include looking at policies, implementing policies, and working with the Hill and other members of the Domestic Policy Council. He focuses on education and technology, "key areas for ACB." One thing that Dale and his co-workers have tried to do is work with different communities and figure out what things would really make a difference for that community, and how to start implementing those changes. "One of the things we talked about during the campaign was education," he said. "We talked about enforcement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, we talked about full funding of that act, and we have made great strides, I believe, toward that. This year in the budget, with the recovery plan dollars that were put toward IDEA -- $12.2 billion – has doubled the funding for IDEA compared to last year's budget." He also discussed technology, stating that he had met with ACB and with COAT and different members of COAT about legislation, including the Twenty-first Century Communication Act. "We have not done a comprehensive analysis and made the decision where, if anywhere, we fit into that particular scheme of things," he stated. "This administration generally is a supporter of technology accessibility for people with disabilities …" Dale also discussed accessibility of books, mentioning the Reading Rights Coalition. "One of the things that I'm trying to do is to lead by example and say that we here at the White House are committed to accessibility, we're committed to technology accessibility, we're committed to people with disabilities, making sure that they have access to support services and materials that are needed to be successful," he noted. Dale closed by telling his listeners, "In the president, you have a friend in the White House. You have a president that is committed to improving the lives of people who are blind, to improving the lives of people with disabilities, you have a president who is committed to listening … to full interaction with the community and ensuring that we have our seat at the table." He then took a few questions from the audience. Pomerantz made a few announcements before calling Cathie Skivers in California to apologize for the "heroes" pages (which were labeled as the "In Memoriam" pages in the convention program). "It's very nice to see your own memorial," Skivers said. "As I told you, you could just save the page and when that time comes – and I hope it's a ways off because I'm not through with the California history yet – [then] all you've got to do is put that page up there, and I think I'll be looking pretty good!" Following Skivers' remarks, Melanie Brunson presented her report. "I want to give you all a bit of an update on some of the things that have happened since our last convention," she said. "Kareem Dale stole some of my thunder, but I can elaborate a little bit on some of the things that he told you. The White House has kept us busy since January. Both Eric and I have been back and forth to a number of meetings on a variety of topics, from the RSA commissioner and the qualifications for that position and our thoughts on it to health care reform issues … to disability policy in general. And in fact, we turned the tables and had Mr. Dale visit our office for a meeting with us and some of the other folks from the blind community in the D.C. area, had a very nice chat with him on the subject, and it was a very productive meeting, a very frank meeting …" Brunson reminded her listeners that both ACB offices have moved, and the process of getting settled has taken longer than she expected. "One of the things that we in ACB have been working on for a while, and we had hoped to bring it to you at this convention … we've been looking for ways to honor individuals whose contributions … have been extraordinary … The board and some of the folks in the resource development committee and I, and the new development director, kicked around some ideas and what we came up with was a plaque that we are going to display in the ACB national office that honors ACB patrons. Patrons are those individuals whose contributions to ACB have exceeded six figures, and there are a number of them." The plaque has been designed and put together, but when she lifted it, she decided against bringing it to convention, "because it might cost six figures to ship it! So we're going to unveil it at the midyear meetings." It will be displayed in the reception area in the office. Other things that are new in the ACB office include the phone system, "which is at the current time the bane of our existence, but we're hoping to do something about that," she said. Thanks to voice-over-Internet technology, both offices are linked to the same system, and neither needs to make long-distance calls to reach the other. She asked the audience to bear with the office while the telephone problems in Arlington got fixed. She mentioned ACB's outreach to Spanish-speaking populations in the U.S., and her hope that the phone system would help with that. She discussed the Reading Rights Coalition. "ACB has taken a stand in support of the right of blind and visually impaired people to read books in all formats, including e-books," Brunson stated. "It is our intent to see that Amazon.com follows through on its promise to make the Kindle book readers fully accessible, and it is our intent to see that e-books are accessible not just through the Kindle but through other DAISY-reading devices that blind people have access to." She mentioned the suit against Arizona State and the complaint to the Department of Education about five other colleges which are using the inaccessible Kindle readers. "If that continues, it's discriminatory because students can't fully participate at the same level as their peers in those classes where those materials and that equipment are being used. We believe that 'separate but equal' hasn't been and will never be good enough." ACB is also working on another issue concerning books. "The World Intellectual Property Organization has not been forthcoming in terms of wanting to let people in other countries have the same kind of access, particularly to digital books, that [is] available here on sites like Bookshare," Brunson said. "Folks can't get those books if they live outside the United States, and books that are available in other countries aren't available to us." Another issue of concern is Section 508 compliance. "ACB has been aware for some time that there are a lot of blind people who have lost jobs, or who have failed to receive promotions, because of barriers, particularly when government agencies switch to new software or upgrade IT equipment. We are working on changing that trend." She talked briefly about the suit against the Social Security Administration, regarding information in accessible formats for benefit recipients. Eric Bridges has been very busy with the Federal Communications Commission, serving on the Consumer Advisory Committee, she stated. "One of the things they've been really involved in is the transition to digital television. … Eric was instrumental in getting them to establish a subcommittee specifically working on issues related to audio or video description during the transition to digital television. We're anticipating some further comments and information from the Federal Communications Commission about how audio description is going to be handled as the digital age moves forward." The 2010 midyear meetings and legislative seminar will be held at the Holiday Inn National Airport in Arlington, Va., Feb. 19-23. Brunson would like everyone who plans to come to register at least two weeks in advance, so that we may give accurate meal counts to the hotel and the caterer on Capitol Hill. Godino thanked his committees and the committee chairs he has worked with for their hard work. The audit is complete, he stated, and copies of the financial statement should be available later on this year. "Last year we budgeted a net income of $1,176,096; we ended up with a revenue of $1,531,550," he said. "To that, we had a net expense budgeted of $1,142,703; we ended up with a net expense of $1,150,866, giving us a net excess for 2008 of $380,684. That puts us well into the black, I'm very happy to report!" Carla Ruschival gave her report on the national convention. She thanked the members of the Florida local host committee for their excellent work. "They were so far ahead of the game that they had many tasks completed by January that normally we don't think about until March or April!" she stated. She also thanked the national convention committee members for their work. The Youth Activity Center registered 40 kids, double last year's total. She thanked Mississippi Council of the Blind for its sponsorship of the YAC, and Regal Entertainment Group for its sponsorship of transportation for the youth trips. "Every convention has its highlights," Ruschival said. "This year, we have a few things that – some are not going to happen again, but others are – and one of those things that isn't going to happen again because we're not in Orlando next year is going to be the Epcot focus group." She thanked Rick Morin from Massachusetts for his assistance in getting ACB involved. Future conventions will be: 2010, Phoenix, Ariz., the second week of July; 2011, Reno, Nev.; and 2012, Louisville, Ky. In Reno, the hotel has free 24-hour shuttle service to and from the airport. 2013 and 2014 are open for bids. Following Ruschival's report, Chris Gray gave a report from the American Center on Blindness and Visual Impairment board. "We began this work as a provisional committee and moved forward working closely with the board of directors of ACB and others, and ultimately created the actual board of directors of the American Center," he said. "If an American Center on Blindness and Visual Impairment is going to succeed, it's got to reach out throughout the entire community of and for the blind in this country, and that's one of the overriding goals of our group." Board members include Gray, Mitch Pomerantz, Melanie Brunson, Marlaina Lieberg, Donna Seliger, Otis Stephens, John Vaughn, Jim Halliday, Pam Shaw and Carla Ruschival. "The overall purpose of the American Center on Blindness and Visual Impairment is to create a welcoming and productive environment, a place where small to large meetings can be held, where conferences can occur in the D.C. area, … a museum on blindness … a blindness hall of fame … [and] a place where ACB can have office space and where office space can be made available to others," Gray stated. "It's a long-term project; it's not going to happen overnight." He reviewed how the bylaws were put together, talking about all the discussions that went into its creation, and mentioned the incorporation process. "Those things will be coming along in the next few months," he said. Godino thanked Gray for putting the session back on schedule before turning the microphone over to Larry Turnbull, acting manager of ACB Radio. Turnbull thanked Debbie Hazelton, Steven Matzura, Kevin Minor, Rick and Debbie Lewis, Jim O'Sullivan, Geoff Shang, the development team (Mitch Pomerantz, Marlaina Lieberg, Paul Edwards and Chris Gray), and the Interactive and Mainstream teams for all their hard work on convention and in the months leading up to it. He also thanked the listeners. "Over the last couple of months I've been adding some new content; added two new shows to Mainstream," he said. "The first one is called Hear and There; it's hosted by Dave Alman. He goes to a lot of places and talks about what's around him. …" There are also a few new programmers on Interactive, Turnbull added. "If any of you have an idea for a show, feel free to contact me!" He and the ACB Radio crew have been working on moving ACB Radio to the new server, which should make things smoother. Another of his goals: getting ACB and ACB Radio closer together. He invited affiliates to announce their conventions and stream them on the radio. Any affiliate or individual wishing to do a show on ACB Radio should contact Larry via e-mail, support@acbradio.org. Michael Garrett, chair of the ACB Enterprises and Services board, spoke next. He thanked the ACBES board members for their hard work and for allowing him to serve as chairman. "ACBES is our thrift store division," Garrett said. "We operate six thrift stores across the country. We are currently located in Lubbock and Amarillo, Texas; in the greater Milwaukee area; Knoxville, Tenn.; Louisville, Ky.; and Dearborn Heights in the greater Detroit area." He pleaded with his listeners in those areas to make donations of household items, furniture, small and large appliances in good working order, clothing, and other such items to the stores. "Donate things that you would buy, not something you're trying to get rid of, because the ultimate goal is to sell the items," he said. "Our long-term goal … it's all about expansion. We are looking at areas throughout the U.S. to expand our stores, expand our reach, and ultimately expand our profits so that we can contribute more to ACB." Following a few brief announcements, Dan Dillon stepped up to the microphone to discuss ACB's participation in the Watermelon 5K walk/run. "We had a walk for the first time, and we … did pretty well," he said. "We had some obstacles to overcome, some glitches … but we did." He thanked the committee members for all their hard work and support, as well as the Track Shack, all participants and all donors. He gave special thanks to Regal Entertainment Group, which donated $2,500, and Iams, which donated 3,000 8-ounce boxes of dog treats. "Those people that did participate in the walk and you want to get pictures of you crossing the finish line, you can go to www.yourpictures.biz …" Photos were organized by finish time. Trophies went to platinum-level fundraisers, those who raised $1,000 or more. They were: Michael and Peggy Garrett, Sharon Lovering, Cindy Van Winkle, Ron Milliman, and Brenda and Dan Dillon. Trophies for most money raised by an individual went to Ron Milliman, who raised more than $2,300; the affiliate that raised the most was the Tennessee Council of the Blind, which raised over $5,000. The team bringing in the most money was the Dillon team, with over $4,000. Trophies also went to the oldest participant, Patricia Beattie; the youngest participant, Sara Conrad; and first across the finish line, Doug Powell (runner) and Juan Carlos Gill (wheelchair runner). Dillon stated that it wasn't too late to donate toward the walk. "We don't have a final tally … but at this time we have raised just shy of $23,000." He said the plan was to keep the donation form for the walk on the web site for a while after convention. Judy Jackson came up to present resolution 2009-05 on accessible insulin pumps, which passed. After a few announcements and a few door prizes, the session recessed. FRIDAY, JULY 10 Following the Pledge of Allegiance and the invocation, Doug Powell of Virginia urged everyone to participate in the MMS program. He challenged ACB to have base contributions of $70,000 by September 2010. Next, Brenda Dillon announced that the ACB auction brought in $24,734. Business began with the unanimous adoption of three resolutions: 2009-13 on accessibility of national parks; 2009-04 on iPhones; and 2009-11 on Native Instruments music software. Then there was the election of ACB officers. The nominating committee presented the slate of officers: president, Mitch Pomerantz; first vice president, Kim Charlson; second vice president, Brenda Dillon; secretary, Marlaina Lieberg; treasurer, Mike Godino. All officers were elected by acclamation. Following the elections, resolution 2009-12 regarding the Duxbury braille translation software was defeated. Otis Stephens presented constitution and bylaw changes for consideration. The body voted unanimously to substitute the word "advancement" for the word "betterment" in Article II. After some discussion, 13 non-substantive changes in wording to the constitution and bylaws were also adopted unanimously. A change to the first sentence of Section P in Article IV was recommended to reflect what is required of ACB to maintain 501(c)(3) status; this was adopted. A proposed change to the ending of the second sentence in Section P of Article IV would add the following wording: "or a minimum of 100 members representing a minimum of seven ACB affiliates requesting such an evidentiary hearing." After some discussion, this was adopted by a 2/3 majority. An amendment to add additional language to this section was defeated. The committee recommended that proposed additional wording to Article V, Section A, not be approved; the body unanimously upheld the committee's recommendation. After considerable discussion of Bylaw 6, which deals with ACB standing committees, the body unanimously agreed that Pomerantz would appoint a task force consisting of two members of the ACB board of directors and the chair of the constitution and bylaws committee to examine Bylaw 6 and recommend streamlining language at the 2010 convention in Phoenix. The rest of the day was devoted to resolutions. ***** DISNEY'S ON THE RIGHT TRACK WITH ITS ATTRACTION DESCRIPTION DEVICE by Landa Phelan I had the privilege to participate in the Epcot focus group that helped Disney evaluate its audio description unit. The group consisted of over 30 blind and visually impaired people, some of whom had guide dogs. To get us to Epcot, Disney picked us up at the Rosen Center Hotel. My first reaction was, "Wow! [Epcot] is huge!" I was told that Disneyland could fit in the parking lot. Once there, Disney staff divided us up into three groups. Each group had its own guide. First, we learned how to use the device. The unit was about the size of a remote control, attached to a lanyard around your neck, and you held it face up. There were 9 tactile buttons that were simple to operate. It had an earpiece and GPS system, and the capability to provide us with audio description as we went from one pavilion to another. We did have to stay on a certain path in order for it to work. Our guide told us when to turn right or left. The guides were very nice, patient and open to all suggestions along the way. We received VIP treatment and did not have to wait in long lines. The groups went to some of the same events. Each event was so realistic, including sounds and smells; if there was a fire you felt the heat and smelled smoke. We visited France, which was wonderful. I really enjoyed and had no idea how beautiful France was. We also went to Canada and Niagara Falls, and it was beautiful! Another attraction was Spaceship Earth, a journey through time and back. I enjoyed it and felt the journey. It was interesting and educational. Then there was a journey into imagination with "Fig" (as in "figment"). I really enjoyed this one; however, I would have liked a little description of what the Figment character looked like. At the end of the ride we were to select a button on a touch screen to see which imagination category we fit into. I could not participate. If there were a way to make it tactile, I could have participated. My guide dog had no problem with the special effects like explosions, fire, rides, or loud noises. I was impressed with the pavement. It was a very hot, humid day, but the pavement did not seem to be too hot for my guide's paws. Thank you, Disney staff and Disney, for caring about the disabled and understanding that we are part of the community and we want to enjoy a full life just like everyone else. It was a pleasure to participate in this focus group. ***** HOLIDAY AUCTION TO RAISE MONEY FOR ACB by Brenda Dillon ACB is trying a new approach for auctioning items for the upcoming holidays. This gives you the option of finding great gifts for the holidays without leaving the comfort of your home. At the same time, you can be proud to support ACB. Check it out for yourself and tell all your friends, visually impaired or not. Items may be added throughout the holiday season, so check out the site often. Also, if you have any wonderful items, including yummy holiday goodies, gift cards or certificates you are willing to donate, please contact Dena Wilson in the national office for details. See the step-by-step instructions provided below for accessing the cMarket auction site. Happy holidays, and have fun shopping with ACB! How to Register To register, go to www.acb.cmarket.com and click on or go to the "register" button located under the banner at the top of the page. This will take you to the registration screen, where you have to complete a form with your personal information (name and address, etc.). You also must create a username and password. The username must be between 4 and 32 characters, and the password must be 7-32 letters and numbers. You must check the box with the statement "I agree to cMarket’s terms" and then click on the "submit" button. You will get another screen confirming that you have been registered and you will be automatically in the system. You can then logout and log back in with your username and password. The Other Way to Register Simply click on the "sign in to bid" button, which takes you to the registration form. It will ask you for your name and address, as well as credit card information. Be sure to fill out all fields. After that you can start bidding. Remember to sign out after bidding. Note: Whenever you return to the site, your username will automatically appear. Once you find the username and click in the box, tab to get to the password box, type in your password, then tab to the sign-in box and hit enter. How to Place a Bid Bids can be made by clicking on "view all items." Next, select the item on which you wish to place a bid. That will take you to a screen with that item on it. Click on or tab to the "sign in to bid" button and press enter. This will take you to the screen where you enter your username and password, if you have not logged in already. If you have logged in, just select the item on which you wish to bid, enter the amount you wish to bid, and click the "place a bid" button and press enter. If you have not added your credit card information, you will need to do so at this time. To do that, click on or tab to the "add new credit card" link; that will take you to the credit card form. Be sure to fill out all fields. When complete, click or tab to "save" and press enter. ***** ACB RAFFLE -- TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW! ACB will be holding another raffle to support "The Braille Forum." Tickets are already available, in time for state affiliate conventions, and just in time for holiday gift-giving for that person who has everything. While tickets will still be sold at the 2010 national convention in Phoenix, we urge members to take advantage of the early-bird incentive for selling tickets now. A prize of $200 will be awarded to the individual who sells the most tickets before June 30, 2010. Contact Dena Wilson, director of development, at (202) 559-2045 or at dwilson@acb.org, to get your tickets. Each ticket costs $50, and you can have as many as five people go in together to purchase a single ticket. We encourage local chapters, and state and special-interest affiliates, to buy raffle tickets to have a chance of winning the grand prize of $5,000, second prize of $1,000, and third prize of $500. Be sure to ask family, friends, co-workers and others to consider taking a chance with much greater odds of winning than with the lottery. The drawing will be held at the ACB banquet in Phoenix; the early-bird winner will be announced at the same time. Let's get started early, and make this the biggest and best raffle yet! If you have any questions, contact Dan Dillon at (615) 874-1223 or by e-mail, dan.dillon@bellsouth.net. ***** CLEARANCE SALE AT THE ACB STORE Soon it will be time for turkey and ham and Santa and presents. I've already been shopping for those special people on my list, and I bet you are getting in the spirit, too. Make this year's holiday shopping extravaganza easy by surfing on over to the ACB store (www.acb.org/store). Here you will find braille bracelets, charms, 2007 convention memorabilia and more on sale. And there's more! Don't miss this chance to check out other items in the store -- ACB jackets, music CD's, Florida pins and T's, and other great gifts. Remember to stop by the store at www.acb.org/store often; you never know when a new must-have goodie will appear! -- Carla Ruschival ***** ACB – ADVOCACY – MMS: WHAT’S THE CONNECTION? At first glance there does not seem to be a connection. We all know that ACB does a lot of advocacy on the national level. It’s one of the major priorities, and there are certainly enough areas that need attention. ACB does an excellent job providing scholarships to many students, advocating for accessible household appliances in this digital age and finding ways to make quiet cars that can be heard by people who are blind and visually impaired. It is important to have accessible information on TV screens such as emergency warnings and audio description. The annual July convention is one highlight of the year for attendees – there are major expenses to put on this wonderful event. So these are just a few examples showing that ACB is out there working for all of us. If each member helps a little bit, just think of the good work that could be done! Right now less than two percent of ACB members participate in the Monthly Monetary Support (MMS) program. Unfortunately, membership dues do not cover everything an organization does. Our payments barely pay for the cost of publications, like "The Braille Forum." So that leaves salaries, operating expenses – and advocacy -- to be covered in other ways. That is where the MMS program and other contributions are so important. Please join with me and others and help both ACB and your state affiliate by signing up for the MMS program. Monthly donations can be withheld from your credit card or bank account. Information and the sign-up form can be found on ACB’s web site, www.acb.org, or by calling the Minnesota office toll-free at 1-800-866-3242. If there is a change in your credit card or bank account information, please also call the Minnesota office. A steady monthly source of income helps plan for financial expenses and the future. ACB staff can also let people in the community know that our own members are supporting the organization; that is very important to many donors. We appreciate your contributions! -- Kathy Brockman ***** SUMMARY OF 2009 RESOLUTIONS Note: This publication reflects only those resolutions which were adopted by the convention. Resolutions which were referred to other ACB entities for further consideration, tabled or withdrawn are not included in this document. Resolution 2009-01 instructs ACB to urge Congress and the President of the United States to promptly enact H.R. 734 and S. 841, the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. It also instructs the officers, directors, and staff to contact their representatives as a matter of priority so as to advance the passage of this crucial legislation, and directs the affiliates and members of ACB to add their efforts to this critical endeavor immediately. Resolution 2009-04 directs this organization to convey to Apple our appreciation of the work that has made the release of an accessible iPhone possible, and instructs ACB to work to provide the Apple Corporation with feedback concerning what works well and what does not work well in the current model and will work to help improve each subsequent release. Resolution 2009-05 directs ACB to urge all manufacturers of insulin pumps to immediately develop and produce accessible (talking and tactile) insulin pumps. It also urges the manufacturers to seek input from ACB and its affiliate, Diabetics in Action, to assist them with this process. Resolution 2009-06 directs ACB to call on Congress to incorporate language to eliminate the foregoing list of health care disparities in its proposed health care reform legislation, and states that a copy of this resolution shall be sent to the President of the United States, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and each member of the United States Congress. Resolution 2009-07 expresses ACB's strong support of H.R. 571, sponsored by Rep. William Delahunt (D-MA), and will use its best efforts to secure its passage, and urges its affiliates to work for its passage. Resolution 2009-08 instructs ACB officers, directors and staff to petition the U.S. Access Board for research to be undertaken into how people can wayfind successfully through a shared space with the removal of traffic separation elements and to integrate the findings into the upcoming Public Rights-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines, and encourages affiliates of ACB and their local chapters, when working with local authorities, to remind these authorities of their obligation under the Americans with Disabilities Act not to create town centers and streets that have barriers to the free and independent movement of disabled people, and to recognize the importance of providing a "safe space" for pedestrians in all street environments. It also calls upon all traffic planning entities to issue clear guidance to their designers, engineers and planners that, until issues concerning the safety of blind, visually impaired, and other disabled pedestrians can be resolved, the removal of clear lines of demarcation between pedestrian ways and vehicle ways is not to be permitted. And it directs the Environmental Access Committee to develop a white paper expressing concerns about the use of the shared space concept, and incorporates research findings referred to in this resolution. Resolution 2009-09 expresses ACB's committment to the enactment of comprehensive federal telecommunications and video programming legislation meeting the needs of people with disabilities, especially the unique needs of people who are blind or visually impaired. To be truly comprehensive, such federal legislation must, at a minimum, expressly address the following public policy objectives: full accessibility of the user interfaces employed by telecommunications and video programming devices through navigable audible menu prompts and readily identifiable and manipulable user controls; accessibility of text messaging, e-mail, and Internet access services available through wireless and other telecommunications devices; restoration, and authority for dramatic expansion, of requirements for the description of video programming and access to emergency information; and wider availability of communications devices meeting the unique needs of people who are deaf-blind through equipment distribution made possible under the federal universal service fund. ACB expects of its coalition partners, as a condition of ACB’s continued participation in such coalition, their unwavering commitment to the inclusion and retention of provisions accomplishing the objectives described above in any legislation, comprehensive or otherwise, that such coalition may propose or endorse. Resolution 2009-11 directs ACB and its special-interest affiliate, Friends-in-Art, to request that Native Instruments, and where appropriate, other developers and manufacturers of music and sound-related software, work with blind and visually impaired musicians and audio engineers, including representatives of the American Council of the Blind, the information access committee and Friends-in-Art, to arrive at, and implement, a solution to ensure that blind and visually impaired musicians and audio engineers are able to fully and independently use software products to enhance their practice of the musical arts, and in order to maintain competitiveness in the ever-changing music business. It also instructs the ACB president to correspond with principals at Native Instruments, and subsequently other software providers as appropriate, to introduce the concerns expressed in this resolution, and offering assistance as outlined herein. Resolution 2009-13 directs ACB to strongly urge the Director of the National Park Service to develop policy directives for dissemination to park superintendents to ensure that the access needs of people who are blind or visually impaired are met. It also instructs ACB to seek additional funding from the United States Congress to accomplish the goals set forth in this resolution. Resolution 2009-14 directs ACB to urge colleges and universities to make accessibility a primary consideration when making decisions about which software to purchase to manage distance learning. It also urges all colleges and universities who are currently utilizing Blackboard Learning Management Systems which are inaccessible to replace this software with distance learning tools which will work with screen readers and screen magnification, and directs that copies of correspondence sent to universities, including a copy of this resolution, shall be forwarded to the developers of Blackboard Learning Management Systems. Resolution 2009-15 directs ACB to strongly urge the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice to commit to responding to complaints, at a maximum within one year of their receipt. It also instructs the president of this organization to try to arrange a meeting with officials at the Department of Justice, and to convey this resolution to the Attorney General of the United States, Eric Holder. Resolution 2009-16 affirms ACB's membership in the Reading Rights Coalition, and states that ACB regards this issue as of paramount importance. It directs that the membership be kept fully informed about developments in this matter as they occur, and requests a full report on progress that is being made to be provided at the mid-year presidents' meeting and at next year's convention. It notes that ACB expects representatives of the Reading Rights Coalition be invited to speak to the whole convention next year if this matter is not entirely settled. Resolution 2009-18 directs ACB to call upon the board of directors to work in collaboration with the Audio Description Project to develop and implement a plan that will address these and other problems that are limiting the acceptance and effective utilization of this technology. It requests that WGBH personnel who initially developed this technology and leaders of movie chains who have agreed to deploy it be actively involved in the process of implementing this plan to make MoPix more effective and valued. It directs all parties to work to assure that the transition to digital systems in theaters continues to encourage and expand the availability of audio description for movies that are to be shown in theaters. It also instructs ACB to commit to collaborate with elements of the government, movie producers and distributors, and developers of digital technology in an ongoing effort to assure that the movies being described for use in theaters can be made available on DVD discs or via download for people who are blind but cannot access movies in theaters. Resolution 2009-19 directs that ACB reject absolutely all of the specious assertions that are brought forward to justify the destruction of schools for the blind which are vital to the capacity of this country to continue to offer blind children an appropriate, free, public education. It instructs ACB to work cooperatively with the Council of Schools for the Blind (COSB), the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), and the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) to create a set of specific recommendations which all of the organizations will commit to implementing. These shall include strategies for publicizing the value of schools for the blind, the creation of state caucuses of legislators focused specifically on issues of relevance to people who are blind and visually impaired, training programs that can be utilized to educate stakeholders as advocates, and such other approaches as this coalition of organizations may deem appropriate. Resolution 2009-20 conveys ACB's deep appreciation for the many thousands of talking books that have been produced over the years, and requests that the American Foundation for the Blind and the National Library Service work to see if there is any opportunity that can allow a talking book program to continue to operate in New York City or its environs even after AFB closes its talking book department. Resolution 2009-21 expresses that ACB deeply regrets the decision taken by Florida State University and other colleges and universities to eliminate progams or parts of programs intended to provide specialized training which is now becoming more and more difficult to find. It instructs the organization to ask the Department of Education to work cooperatively with colleges and universities throughout the country to create or expand programs that will assure that teachers who must work with blind and visually impaired children can receive the specialized training they need to provide effective instruction in orientation and mobility, braille, listening skills, home and personal management and access technology, without which such children will not be able to access a free and appropriate public education. It also encourages ACB to work with the American Foundation for the Blind and the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired to develop and implement specific proposals which shall be submitted to appropriate authorities. At a minimum, such proposals shall include the development of priority funding for teacher preparation, stipends that will support students training as vision teachers, and the strengthening of regulations at the federal and state levels which will preclude the retention of out-of-field teachers who do not receive specialized credentialing within three years of the date they are hired. Resolution 2009-22 thanks the Rosen Center Hotel for the services and accommodations it provided to ACB members and staff during convention week. Resolution 2009-23 thanks and commends the host committee for all its work on the convention. Resolution 2009-24 thanks all the volunteers who worked to assist ACB convention attendees. ***** HERE AND THERE edited 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. SIERRA REGIONAL SKI WEEKEND Do you want to have a weekend getaway in early spring, yet enjoy one last blast of fun in the snow? You may want to join Sierra Regional Ski for Light (SRSFL) at Tahoe-Donner in the high Sierras for cross-country skiing and/or snow-shoeing, March 13-15, 2010. Novices and veterans are welcome. For details on this three-day event, as well as for information on SRSFL's one-day adventures, visit www.srsfl.org, or call Cindy Quintana at (510) 483-2948. NOAH’S ARK SET National Braille Press now has available “Noah’s Ark,” a three-piece set that tells the story of the man and his menagerie of animals. The set includes: a print/braille book by five-time Caldecott Award-winner Jerry Pinkney that tells the story of Noah; 12 tactile pictures by tactile artist Ann Cunningham; and a booklet called "Fun Facts About Noah's Ark" that tells you things about turtles, penguins, giraffes, elephants, and dragonflies you never knew! The set retails for $28. For more information, call 1-800-548-7323 or visit www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/NOAH.html. DIALOGUE NEWS Do you need a gift that will keep on giving? "Dialogue" is now offering an annual subscription for $20 for new subscribers. For more information, call Blindskills, Inc. at 1-800-860-4224, or write to: Blindskills, Inc., P.O. Box 5181, Salem, OR 97304-0181. "Dialogue" is available in large print, braille, four-track cassette and e-mail. Call for a free sample in a format of your choice. BRAILLE CHOCOLATE BARS & MORE Sweet Tooth offers a variety of braille chocolate items for sale. Candy bar greetings include Happy Birthday, Love You, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Thank You, and Have A Nice Day. Also available are chocolate guide dogs with the braille saying of Best Friend or customized with a dog's name, chocolate watches with braille, and chocolate lollipops and clusters. For more information, contact Judy Davis directly at (585) 544-1853 or judydavis12@rochester.rr.com. AUDIO LABELER The PenFriend audio labeler is a pocket-sized device that records information using self-adhesive labels as audio tags. When the pen is held over the label, the recorded message plays. You can use it to label food items, film and music collections, household objects, letters, and other paperwork. It can also be used as a digital notetaker to record shopping lists or leave audio messages. The pen has up to 70 hours of recording time (1 GB of memory) and the ability to download MP3 files, including books and music if desired. The standard kit includes 127 labels in a mix of sizes and shapes, built-in speaker, USB cable, neck lanyard and two AAA batteries. The PenFriend is available from RNIB at www.rnib.org and Independent Living Aids at www.independentliving.com. NEW MAGNIFICATION SOFTWARE ZoomText Express offers a slight boost of screen magnification (up to 2x) for computer users with low vision or to help avoid eye strain. The software has adjustable mouse pointer and text cursor as well as a variety of screen tints to reduce glare and sharpen contrast. It works on all laptop and desktop computers running Windows XP or Vista. Domestic copies of ZoomText Express are $49.99 for an electronic download or $59.99 for a boxed product (plus shipping). For more information, contact Ai Squared at 1-800-859-0270, e-mail sales@aisquared.com, or visit www.aisquared.com. SEEDLINGS EXPANDS SELECTION Seedlings has recently added several new books to its braille book selection —now offering 1,000 titles. These books range from print-braille-&-picture books for toddlers and preschoolers like "Clifford's Animal Sounds" and "Curious George at the Zoo" to two-volume novels for teens and tweens (Newbery Honor Book "Elijah of Buxton" for example). And there are many great books in between (some "Magic Tree House" books and "Black Lagoon Adventures," among others). And in honor of the President, they have added a biography of Barack Obama, and one about Michelle Obama. To view a list of all the new books, go to www.seedlings.org/whatsnew.php. To browse the entire Seedlings catalog, visit www.seedlings.org. To get a copy of the 2010 catalog, call 1-800-777-8552 or e-mail info@seedlings.org. EVEN MORE VARIETY FROM BOOKSHARE Bookshare's accessible online library for people with print disabilities has developed even more partnerships with textbook publishers. The University of Chicago Press, the University of California Press and New York University Press have all agreed to provide Bookshare with digital book files that will contribute thousands of new scholarly works to the Bookshare collection. Books from Nobel Prize winning authors and academic texts in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and disability studies will expand the choices available for students in higher education and readers of distinguished authors. READHOWYOUWANT In addition to downloadable ASCII and braille book files, ReadHowYouWant offers over 2,000 titles from its Classics Library in DAISY 2.02 and NISO/2005 formats, as well as synthesized audio MP3 books. Contemporary, bestselling titles are also available. Over 60 publishers have partnered with ReadHowYouWant to release their titles in accessible editions at or close to the time that the standard edition is released. Contemporary titles retail for $9.99 in downloadable braille files and $12.99 for DAISY and synthesized audio MP3 files. More than 100 new titles are added each month. To receive announcements about new titles in all formats, and get reviews of hot titles, sign up for the Registered Reader program at www.readhowyouwant.com/Customer/register.aspx. PLAYBACK ARCHIVES AVAILABLE All editions of Playback Magazine and Playback Underground are now available as MP3 files for free non-commercial download. You can hear great voices from the past, including Ed Walker, Joybubbles, Peter Scialli, Mel Cohen, and others. The computer and technology age will unfold before your very ears. Over 385 hours of material is included in this collection. This collection is also available on CD. Playback Magazine on 16 CDs retails for $25, while Playback along with Playback Underground on 26 CDs goes for $39. For more information, visit www.bluegrasspals.com/playback or call (773) 572-7899. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY RESOURCE AdaptiveWare offers assistive technology for people who are blind or visually impaired. The Victor Reader Stream with a 2-gig SD card retails for $325. Screen-reading software for cell phones retails for $285. A netbook PC with System Access screen reading software retails for $549. To learn more about these products or other technology solutions, contact AdaptiveWare at 1-800-470-7482 or via e-mail, kathy@adaptiveware.net. NEW COMMUNICATOR FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED Enabling Devices recently released a Portable Communicator for the Visually Impaired. This device uses high-intensity LEDs to illuminate its icons. It is battery-operated and compact. It features auditory cuing, switch access, four scanning modes, and can record for up to 10 minutes. You can choose the number of fields you want to use, from two to eight. It requires 4 AA and 2 D batteries. For more information, contact Enabling Devices at 1-800-832-8697, or visit www.enablingdevices.com. CHOICE MAGAZINE DIGITAL DOWNLOAD Choice Magazine Listening is available for free digital download from the National Library Service. Produced six times a year, each issue contains unabridged works from quality publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian, Sports Illustrated, and the New Yorker. The articles, short stories, poetry and interviews are selected from more than 100 magazines and other periodicals. The selections are read by professional voice talent. Choice Magazine Listening is available free of charge for anyone with a print handicap through download or 4-track cassette. For more information, visit www.choicemagazinelistening.org or call 1-888-724-6423. To download from NLS, go to www.nlsbard.loc.gov. SYMBOL-BASED COMMUNICATION CREATOR AbleNet, Inc. is partnering with Talk To Me Technologies, LLC, the developer of Pogo Boards, to provide both a free version of the software as well as an online subscription version of the world's first, all-in-one, full-featured, online, symbol-based communication boards creator. Within the free version, users can create unique communications boards, curriculum or behavior support activities by accessing thousands of AbleNet symbols or millions of Google images. Users can select from templates that have been created to correspond with AbleNet's assistive technology devices as well as their content and curriculum for use in the classroom and the broader community. The user can also upgrade to the subscription version, allowing them to create their own symbol-based materials and store, share and exchange them online. For more information, visit www.ablenetinc.com. HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA THROUGH HADLEY The Hadley School for the Blind now offers a high school program, an accredited distance education program resulting in a high school diploma. Students 14 or older can enroll for free and will receive all course materials in their preferred accessible format. Students can choose to graduate from their hometown high school by applying credits toward existing coursework or receive their diploma directly from Hadley. Those opting for a Hadley diploma rather than one from their local school district are invited to an annual commencement ceremony in June in Winnetka, Ill., where Hadley is headquartered. Homeschoolers can also supplement their educational program with courses from Hadley. For more information, call 1-800-323-4238 or visit www.hadley.edu. NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS The Talking Voice Magazine for the Blind now has its own e-mail address. If you have questions about the magazine, send an e-mail message to thetalkingvoice@gmail.com. ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP FOR SALE: Nokia 6681 cell phone with Talks software already installed, in good condition. Asking $300. BrailleSense (original) 32-cell braille notetaker. Includes wireless adapter, all cables and manuals. In excellent condition. Asking $3,200. Laptop Asus computer with 2.2-gig dual core processor, 1.5-gig memory, 160-gig hard drive, DVD-RW drive, 1 3-cell battery, 1 6-cell battery, carrying case, Bluetooth and wireless built in. Also includes Bluetooth mouse, camera and Windows Vista ultimate. Only weighs 3.4 pounds. Brand-new. Asking $1,400. PAC Mate QWERTY 20-cell notetaker with Pocket Mobile operating system, leather carrying case. In excellent condition. Asking $1,600 or best offer. If interested, contact Robert Miller at (850) 906-9821 or easytalk@earthlink.net. FOR SALE: MAGic version 8 enlargement software for $425. Contact Monty Cassellius, 1518 Devney Dr., Altoona, WI 54720-2511; phone (715) 514-1619, or e-mail isuredbirds@centurytel.net. FOR SALE: Open Book 8.0 with braille and cassette tutorial. Comes with Canon flatbed scanner, software and cable. Asking $450 in U.S. funds. Will accept check or money order. If interested, contact Nancy at (319) 217-8385 or owenryder@sympatico.ca. FOR SALE: 20-inch TV with online custom focus magnifying system with remote control. Asking $500. Contact Lenny in Lake Worth, Fla., at (561) 433-8894. FOR SALE: Millennium M20 20-cell braille display and notetaker with speech output. Comes with flash drive, all cables to interface with PC, as well as carrying case and braille and print manuals. Asking $500; buyer pays shipping and insurance. Call Chuck Wheatley at (541) 870-0350 for more information. FOR SALE: Trekker V3.0 GPS. Includes power cords, manual, speaker and traveling strap. Asking $800. Contact mary.hiland@sbcglobal.net or call (614) 471-1869. FOR SALE: Manual wheat grass juicer, brand-new. Asking $40. Compaq laptop with 15.6"-wide screen. Includes numeric keypad. Brand-new. Comes with Windows Vista or XP, your choice; JAWS 9.0; 160-gig hard drive and 2 gigs RAM. Asking $550. Toshiba laptop with 15.4"-wide screen, 250-gig hard drive, 3 gigs RAM, Windows XP Professional, and JAWS 9.0. Asking $700. Desktop computer with 500-gig hard drive, 1 gig RAM, Windows XP and JAWS 9.0. Asking $350. Talking watch or clock, brand-new, $8. Brand-new Braille 'n Speak, never used, still in box. Asking $400 or best offer. Contact Jose Luis at (818) 220-6256. FOR SALE: Blazie Engineering Braille Blazer, 5 years old. Comes with parallel cable and power cord. In perfect working condition; lightly used. Still in original box. Asking $1,000. Send e-mail to cdog2005@gmail.com or call my cell at (662) 213-2627. Ask for Cody or leave me a message. FOR SALE: Jordy 2 low vision aid, used less than one year, in excellent condition. Includes head unit, docking stand, all cables, with battery and charger for portable use. Features: automatic focus and 16 zoom settings for up to 30x magnification. Asking $1,000 plus $200 S&H/insurance via FedEx. Contact Kerwin Schaefer, (252) 634-9237 or klskvl@suddenlink.net. FOR SALE: Power Braille 40-cell display in good condition. Comes with cable and menu on disk. Asking $395 or best offer. Will trade for a laptop computer in excellent condition. Call Joe at (803) 238-7498 or e-mail Jdunham4@sc.rr.com. FOR SALE: Optron CCTV, two years old, in excellent condition. Comes with monitor and stand. Asking $1,200 or best offer. Contact Barry at (630) 427-9000. FOR SALE: QWERTY-style Voice Note with KeySoft 7.5 version 31 and Sendero GPS version 5.3. Comes with a leather case, power cord, and computer cable. Asking $1,100 or best offer. Price includes shipping and insurance. Contact Kurt at (386) 214-9165 or by e-mail at kaottman@bellsouth.net. FOR SALE: Book Port reader with USB cable, flash card, CD software and instruction manual. Asking $100 plus shipping. Contact Cynthia (408) 656-2102 or e-mail cirqitous650@yahoo.com. FOR SALE: Kurzweil reader in good working order. Price negotiable. Call Mary Unruh at (316) 835-2038 or e-mail dmunruhsogoldpr@pixius.net. FOR SALE: PAC Mate Omni QX400, with cables, documentation, wi-fi card, carrying cases and packaging. $800 or best offer. E-mail laurao@tsoft.com or phone (510) 848-0008. 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: Marcia Dresser, Reading, MA 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 Officios: Michael Malver, Minneapolis, MN Ron Milliman, Bowling Green, KY