Twenty-five years ago I planned to go to a convention of speech teachers at the Palmer House in Chicago. My wife and kids were not interested in visiting the city just then, but I felt I wanted somebody to be around for the first day to get me oriented to the meeting rooms and explain the exhibits.

A Cornell College student from a Chicago suburb was spending the summer in Mount Vernon, and I asked him if I could hire him to go in with me, and he could spend most of the three days visiting his folks or friends. He agreed. A week later we were at the bus station in Mount Vernon. Viv took me aside and commented quietly that Jeff was wearing a T-shirt and carrying his clothes in a laundry bag slung over his shoulder. She said, "I wonder if they'll let him into the Palmer House like that?" I said, "I don't know, but he's from the city, and he's been to the Palmer House, so he should know." On the trip in the Greyhound, Jeff told me that just a year ago his senior high school class had its prom dinner at this fabulous restaurant in the Palmer House, Trader Vic's. Jeff thought we really ought to try it, and he may have been encouraged a little knowing that I would pick up the tab. I said, "OK, let's do it tonight." We checked into the hotel about 4 p.m. and decided to dine at 6. I put on a dress shirt and tie and sport jacket. As we started down the hotel corridor, I took hold of Jeff's arm and noticed that he was still wearing a T-shirt and no coat. Maybe that's how Trader Vic was dressed when he sailed his schooner into a tropical South Seas island 100 years ago, and found the natives feasting on barbecued canary, sipping home brew made from papaya and smelling heavenly from the gardenias tucked behind their ears. At least that is the kind of legend I'd like to believe if I'm going to pay a fancy price for a meal. In fact Trader Vic may have been a peddler with a push cart on Maxwell Street, which incidentally, is also an adventure you ought not miss. At any rate, I doubted that a T-shirt was de rigueur for the ritziest restaurant in the hotel. But, I reminded myself, Jeff is the city boy who has been around, so I'll keep my country bumpkin doubts to myself.

When we got to the door of the restaurant, Jeff said to the maitre d', "Table for two." There was a long, long silence. I'm sure I know what this man was thinking: "Here's this poor blind man with his son, and he has no idea how grubby his son looks. But, if I refuse them, who knows what kind of scene he may make? He's probably here with that speech convention and if he gets riled, he may just jump on a chair and launch into a 45-minute oration. Or he may call the police, or call a lawyer."

Finally the reluctant maitre d' said grimly, through clenched teeth, "This way," and he took us to a table in a far corner. The food was excellent. I intended to write to Trader Vic's and apologize for the discomfort we had caused the doorkeeper, but I didn't. This will have to do as my belated apology. Perhaps by now the poor man has died of ulcers brought on by insensitive people with white canes and their ill-clad escorts. This morning I did talk by telephone to Peter Tung, present manager at Trader Vic's. He agrees that 25 years ago the dress code was much stricter, and the maitre d' was taking a risk letting us in. He might have been chewed out by another guest or the manager. And I remember it was about that time that I was once kept out of a hotel dining room in Cincinnati, because I was minus a tie, or was it a jacket, or pants, or something? Mr. Tung assures me that the dress code is not quite so rigid now, and the food is still excellent, so you all come.

The key legislative issues of 1994 are holdovers from 1993. But your participation in advocating for the interests of blind people is even more critical this year. The issues which you can expect to hear about most during 1994 are: the so-called information superhighway, health care reform and education. In each of these areas, your letters to Congress and personal stories will be of immense value in convincing Congress that addressing your specific concerns is worthwhile. As constituents, you hold the power and the influence. As you read this material, think about how your life has been or could be improved through the availability of blindness-specific services in education, health care and information technology and distribution. I encourage you to communicate with your members of Congress, and please send me a copy of your letters so that we can follow up on your work here in Washington.

HEALTH CARE

The long-awaited Clinton health care reform plan has finally been introduced into Congress, as H.R. 3600 (sponsored by Rep. Richard Gephardt, D-Mo.) and S. 1757 (sponsored by Sen. George Mitchell, D-S.D.). The plan is vast and contains more specific details than any of the competing reform proposals. Its detail may be part of its undoing--many groups are already snipping at pieces of the plan. For example, the plan's valuable inclusion of personal assistance benefits is marred -- from our perspective -- by its restrictions which will make these services largely unavailable to blind people. The proposed coverage for outpatient rehabilitation and durable medical equipment likewise will continue current practice under Medicare which does not cover the kind of rehabilitation services and equipment needed by blind persons. That is, unless we act to secure Congressional support for needed improvements. Please contact your United States representatives and senators to let them know that blind people, especially those who are newly blind, need personal assistance services, rehabilitation therapy and equipment from white canes to assistive technology to function independently. EDUCATION

On the education front, both the U.S. Department of Education and subcommittees in Congress are beginning to seek direction from advocacy groups regarding what is to be done about special education. Congress is now beginning to re-examine and rewrite the law which sets the requirements for the education of children with disabilities. The law is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. In addition, Congress is looking at other education legislation which will affect federal funding of residential schools including those serving the blind. In a speech this fall, Judy Heumann, the assistant secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services called segregated educational placements "immoral." Other education theorists are now calling in increasingly loud voices for something called total inclusion which means that all children with disabilities must be educated in the regular classroom. These inclusion advocates have failed to show how the teaching of critical skills such as braille and mobility would be guaranteed for blind children, or how opportunities for positive social interactions, or the building of self-esteem among blind children would be achieved. Because of concerns about Heumann's statement, and because of the growing calls for "total inclusion" of children into the "regular classroom" more than 70 individuals representing the principal advocacy organizations in the blind and deaf communities gathered in December to plot strategy. These groups, including the American Council of the Blind, are ready to fight for proper education and support services for blind children and for giving children and their parents a choice among several educational options which include residential schools, along with a host of other educational settings, where and when necessary or desired. THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY

The telecommunications reform legislation or "information superhighway" as it is often called, is boiling over on the front burners of the administration and Congress. The future of information gathering, production and distribution will take place over telephone lines, cable TV wires, computer modems, wireless networks, conventional broadcasting, and direct broadcast satellites. In short, the electronic transfer of information is becoming ubiquitous and technical capability has far outstripped public policy.

Even if you don't use a computer, you have probably benefited from the efficient translation of computer-produced documents into braille or large print and the proliferation of telephone information services. Consumers in many communities will soon be able to receive and read their newspapers on their computers. (See "The Future Is Now," December 1993.) The future of access to information by blind people is potentially quite wonderful, but only if we address this issue as both a rights or "access" issue and a social policy. Just as Congress adjourned in November 1993, two key pieces of legislation were introduced which could dramatically shape the new information frontier. Both bills contain the important provisions requiring access to telecommunications services and equipment for people with disabilities. This legislative language had been negotiated by ACB and other disability organizations working with the regional Bell Telephone companies. One of the bills, H.R. 3626, sponsored by Reps. Jack Brooks (D-Texas), and John Dingell (D-Mich.), would allow the Bell companies to manufacture telecommunications equipment and provide electronic information services. The other key piece of legislation addressing this topic was introduced by Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), H.R. 3636, called the "National Communications Competition and Information Infrastructure Act." The bill would repeal restrictions that bar telephone companies from entering the cable TV business and cable companies from providing local telephone services. The bill would force telephone companies to make their phone and cable networks available to competitors. It also would require any company entering the market for local phone service to share in the subsidies necessary to provide service to all potential customers. The access language included in the bills is similar (although the Brooks-Dingell bill's language covers a slightly broader target). It states:

"ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.--

"(1) MANUFACTURING.--The Commission shall, within 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, prescribe such regulations as are necessary to ensure that telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment designed, developed, and fabricated pursuant to the authority granted in this section shall be accessible and usable by individuals with disabilities, including individuals with functional limitations of hearing, vision, movement, manipulation, speech, and interpretation of information, unless the costs of making the equipment accessible and usable would result in an undue burden or an adverse competitive impact.

"(2) NETWORK SERVICES.--The Commission shall, within 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, prescribe such regulations as are necessary to ensure that advances in network services deployed by a Bell operating company shall be accessible and usable by individuals whose access might otherwise be impeded by a disability or functional limitation, unless the costs of making the services accessible and usable would result in an undue burden or adverse competitive impact. Such regulations shall seek to permit the use of both standard and special equipment and seek to minimize the need of individuals to acquire additional devices beyond those used by the general public to obtain such access. "(3) COMPATIBILITY.--The regulations prescribed under paragraphs (1) and (2) shall require that whenever an undue burden or adverse competitive impact would result from the manufacturing or network services requirements in such paragraphs, the manufacturing affiliate that designs, develops, or fabricates the equipment or the Bell operating company that deploys the network service shall ensure that the equipment or network service in question is compatible with existing peripheral devices or specialized customer premises equipment commonly used by persons with disabilities to achieve access, unless doing so would result in an undue burden or adverse competitive impact." Congress must hear from us to affirm that access to telecommunications information technology and services is vital. Without advocacy on our part, this language may well be deleted or weakened in the final law. Additionally, if you are interested in ensuring that blind people can afford the adaptive equipment needed in order to obtain and use electronic information, you must now tell Rep. Markey and your own members of Congress that a subsidy for such equipment and software may be necessary so that we can achieve universal service on the new information highway. Finally, the revamping of cable and television requirements provides an excellent opportunity to advocate for audio description services as a basic program access component for blind people. CONTACTING MEMBERS OF CONGRESS If you would like to contact a member of Congress to find out more about current legislation or to share your comments, you should write as follows: The Honorable (name), United States Senate (or) House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20510 (Senate) or 20515 (House). To telephone, you can call the Capitol Hill Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 for the Senate and (202) 225-3121 for the House. To find out the names of your senators and representative call your local public library, board of elections, or League of Women Voters office.

WASHINGTON -- On December 15, 1993, the American Federation of Teachers requested a moratorium on full inclusion by state and local school boards at a press conference here. Large numbers of students can be educated in regular classrooms, but the federation has problems with putting all kids in a regular classroom and seeing the kids lose the services they needed, said Albert Shanker, president of the federation. He suggested school boards ask themselves two questions before placing those children in regular classrooms: "Will the child be better off by being included in a regular classroom?" and "Will all the children in the classroom be better off?" Marcia Reback, president of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers, provided an example in which a non-disabled student acted inappropriately and was punished, and a disabled student misbehaved because of his disability and didn't get punished. This leads to an inability to discipline the class effectively, Shanker said, because the students learn that if a non-disabled student "violates the law, something happens," but if a disabled student misbehaves, nothing happens. The goals of high achievement could be thwarted by inclusion without the ability to discipline effectively. "I do not think that we can move to a system where all these goals are set aside," he added.

Nonetheless, "There's a huge rush for inclusion," Shanker said. Advocates of inclusion say they want to include the students and give them the services they need, but "that's easier said than done." Money is a problem. There will probably not be enough money to pay for the special services and programs disabled kids need in addition to their mainstreamed classes. Only seven percent of the money special programs receive is from federal sources, Shanker said. The remaining 93 percent comes from local and state sources combined. Inclusion would take the "special" out of special education, he added. There are other problems with inclusion. Some localities are comparing separating disabled students to segregation in the 1960s. A school in West Virginia was ordered to close because it kept disabled students out of public schools. Reback provided another example: Pleasant View, a Providence, R.I., special education school, became a regular elementary school after the state said the city of Providence had violated the children's civil rights. Parents were promised that their kids would still receive the services they had received at Pleasant View. Once the change happened, however, services did not follow the children. Some parents, frustrated with what was happening to their children, turned to the American Federation of Teachers and asked it to "do something about what was happening to them and their children in school," Reback said. The resolution was the federation's response.

The resolution states the AFT's definition for inclusion: "the placement of all students with disabilities in general education classrooms without regard to the nature or severity of the students' disabilities, their ability to behave and function appropriately in the classroom, or the educational benefits they can derive." The AFT resolves that it will continue to seek high national achievement standards for education for all students; oppose full inclusion; denounce the administrative practices accompanying inclusion, such as placing too many students with disabilities in regular classes without support services, refusing to assist teachers having difficulty meeting the needs of disabled students in their classrooms, and changing IEPs "en masse" that allow those students to be placed in regular classrooms without support services; seek alliances with organizations that support the continuum of alternative placements, and placement of disabled students in the least restrictive environment appropriate to the student's needs; with its allies, reopen P.L. 94-142 and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, convincing Congress to recognize the high costs and complex problems of special education, and to respond by providing full funding for all of its mandates, a five-year reauthorization of the laws for educating students with disabilities, the legal right for teachers to attend the IEP meetings of children they teach, among other things; address the problem of high percentages of minority students in special education; and renew its long-standing commitment to meeting the needs of all students for high standards, challenging classrooms and maximum achievements. Current legislation does not include the word "inclusion," Shanker said. Inclusion is just a way of reading the words "least restrictive environment" in Public Law 94-142. So should school boards separate or include students with disabilities? He suggested having the student try out different settings, and if the student failed in one setting, placing them elsewhere. Not taking how the child performs in different settings into account, with legislation saying all children must be mainstreamed no matter what, "This is a recipe for educational disaster," he said.

While "The Braille Forum" can do much to keep you informed of things that matter to you, its status as a monthly magazine means that we can't give you daily late-breaking information when you need it. As you well know, it's not just whether you can read information that counts, it's a question of timeliness. Information in braille or large print is wonderful, but if it reaches you two days too late to be of value, it's just another piece of paper to be recycled.

That's where ACB On-Line comes into play. ACB On-Line is the new bulletin board service of the American Council of the Blind. If you're a computer user with a telephone modem, you can call ACB's bulletin board 24 hours a day, seven days a week to get the latest information on topics of special concern to you. In addition, the board lets you send and receive messages from friends around the country. You can receive files from your friends or receive files of interest to you from the bulletin board. Now you can download the latest issue of "The Braille Forum" nearly three weeks before it is available in braille or large print, and nearly two weeks before it's available on tape.

In addition, ACB On-Line gives you access to printed information you can't get easily anywhere else in a form you can read. Indeed, that is a major part of the mission of ACB On-Line -- to provide current information in a form you can read. You'll get up-to-the-minute information from "The Federal Register" on pending regulations that affect your life. If you want information about some of the pending bills of special interest to ACB and its members, you can generally find the full text of those bills on ACB On-Line. ACB On-Line allows you to communicate directly with President LeRoy Saunders and many of the officers and board members. You can leave comments or questions to members of the ACB staff, and receive responses from them.

In addition, you can download or receive catalogs from a variety of vendors electronically. No longer do you need to have a print catalog put on tape or read to you. Many catalogs are available on the board for you to download and braille or read via speech synthesizers at your leisure. Becoming a part of the ACB On-Line community is as easy as dialing a phone number with your computer. To log onto the board, call (202) 331-1058. You'll be asked to answer a few questions about you and about your equipment. Within 24 hours of your first phone call, you'll be given complete access to the bulletin board. On your first call, you can fill out the questionnaire and leave a comment or question to the system operator. The next day, you can have complete access to the board's files and message areas. ACB On-Line is still growing and changing. You can be part of that experience and provide your comments and suggestions. The board accepts modem speeds ranging from 300 bits per second to 14,400 bits per second. Set your parity for None, your stop bits for one, and your data bits for eight. The board is open to anyone regardless of membership in ACB. Now in addition to information from "The Braille Forum," you can have the latest news and files daily from ACB On-Line. While you've no doubt appreciated ACB's "Washington Connection" for years, you can receive it from the bulletin board as well. The written information gives you the advantage of having crucial names and dates spelled and written correctly for your later use. Call now and find out how you can enrich your information bank with the latest from ACB On-Line. While there is no membership fee and no cost for downloading or uploading files, you will have to pay the regular long- distance charges between your home or office and Washington, D.C., if such charges exist.

"This book contains a dozen love stories," says Deborah Kendrick in the introduction to her book, "Jobs to Be Proud Of." You might think the book had been mislabeled if you didn't read the next sentence: "They are stories of people who love their work, love life, and love themselves enough to believe that they can, with the proper mix of opportunity and ingenuity, go wherever their interests and aptitudes take them." Kendrick's book introduces us to blind and visually impaired people doing various jobs, from factory worker to massage and acupressure therapist, from piano tuner-technician to medical transcriptionist, and many jobs in between. Linda Ellerbee states in the preface, "If we are to create a world that is a friendly place to people who have all different kinds of abilities, a world that is safe and accessible to all, then we need better guides. I like to think Deborah Kendrick is one of the best." The whole book is written in the style of a feature story, much like you would see in a newspaper or magazine. At the beginning of each person's section is a box listing the person's name, job, hometown, age, cause of blindness, visual acuity, and a quote. Sometimes there are quotes under visual acuity. The best one, in my opinion, was from ACB Member Tim Schneebeck, a refrigeration mechanic from Seattle, Wash.: "'I used to have light perception, but in 1972, I fell off an extension ladder and put my lights out!'"

The first person we meet on paper is LaSandra Stewart, a child care provider from Barberton, Ohio. Kendrick tells us that Stewart is "no great fan of television," and would bring projects for the kids to do, and take walks with them around their neighborhood. Stewart says the only adaptation she has made is "paying attention to safety issues. 'It is important always to make sure that all small objects are picked up from the floor with babies and toddlers, and to cook without the children in the kitchen.'" One person included in the book is Ardis Bazyn, a food service manager and ACB board member from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. "'Food service is a job that a blind person can handle with confidence,'" Bazyn says, "'provided you get the right training.'" She trained at the Cleveland Society for the Blind, and has been in food service for 20 years. She's managed "everything from a simple snack bar . . . to a full-blown cafeteria with 13 employees." Now managing the business is her job. She monitors inventory, orders supplies, makes payroll reports, completes tax records, computes and pays monthly sales taxes, and makes sure the vending machines are kept stocked with candy, chips, and other such things to eat or drink. Last year, she told Kendrick, gross sales for her 30 machines amounted to $108,000, which provided her with much job satisfaction. "'It feels good to know that you're providing a needed service to people,'" she said. Another ACB member included in the book is Peggy Shoel, a prosthetics purchasing agent for the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Seattle, Wash., a job she believes is well-suited to her needs. "She purchases everything from leg braces and hearing aids to prosthetic limbs and talking computers," Kendrick states, "and each purchase order processed is for a veteran known to her as a human being." The most common items Shoel's department purchases are custom wheelchairs. She meets with doctors, physical therapists, social workers, patients and their caregivers, researches vendors, locates items, and makes sure the purchase order gets to the correct place. Even after 14 years on the job, Shoel states, "'I love it. I just absolutely love it.'" And that's what you will be saying after you read this book. "Jobs to Be Proud Of: Profiles of Workers Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired," by Deborah Kendrick, is available in large print, cassette and braille for $19.95, plus $3.50 shipping and handling from the AFB Press, c/o American Book Center, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Building No. 3, Brooklyn, NY 11205.

(Editor's note: The following information represents the opinions of the authors and should not be considered an endorsement by ACB of one kind of audio sign over another. Bob Prahin is a professional musician, with his own recording studio; he plays alone or with his group, The Bob Allen Trio, and is also on the faculty of Denison University, Granville, Ohio. He is an amateur radio operator whose callsign is W8DIL. Vicky is a teacher with The Hadley School for the Blind. They reside in Columbus, Ohio.)

The 1993 national convention of the American Council of the Blind gave attendees many opportunities. There were the usual events such as meeting and making friends, good speakers and interesting seminars, the banquet, and hands-on examination of lots of gadgets and equipment. One of the most entertaining and educational experiences concerned experimentation with audible signage.

Two companies with very different systems had samples of their products on display at the Marriott Hotel. Those interested could check out receivers, try them out for an hour and a half, and participate in a survey to help determine which is the more workable.

The two manufacturers were Talking Signs, Inc., of San Francisco, and Verbal Landmark, Inc., from St. Louis. We tried out both systems, then spent a considerable amount of time talking to others who had done the same, to draw as unbiased a conclusion as possible. We also spoke at length with representatives of both manufacturers.

Both systems consist of two parts: a transmitter and a receiver, but there the similarity ends. The Verbal Landmark System uses a low-band radio signal to transmit messages to a small receiver which fits comfortably into a purse or pocket. It can then have either an earplug or a small speaker attached through which the carrier hears information. The transmitters are approximately the size of a shoebox and are installed out of sight in walls, ceilings, or underground. Messages can be created to meet the needs of the system's user who may be visually impaired, learning-disabled, unable to read, or unfamiliar with the language. All these possibilities can be transmitted simultaneously, using different frequencies, making it possible for people with varying needs to make use of the same equipment.

When we used the system, several difficulties became apparent. First, the reception was not strong enough to be heard easily; a speaker rather than an earplug was used, and that may have been part of the problem. It also may have been due in part to the fact that the equipment was only temporarily installed. Secondly, because of the transmission method, the listener must be within a specific radius of the actual transmitter in order to pick up information. Finally, the information itself was given in large chunks, and the entire string had to be heard before it repeated. The user had no control over how much or which part of the message was given or repeated, except for turning off the receiver.

The way in which the information was given presented the greatest difficulty. The voice instructed the user to proceed a specific number of steps in one or more compass directions. Here is an example: "The front desk is 25 steps south of the main entrance. For the gift shop, go 15 steps south of the front desk, seven steps west, and two steps south." There are several problems immediately apparent. First, no specific point of origin is possible, so everyone is starting his "steps" from a different location. Stride is variable from one individual to another. The user is assumed to know compass directions, which most of us use only outdoors. He is assumed to count steps, something which none of the several hundred blind people we know do. The directions leave no room for unexpected changes in the environment to interfere with that straight path. If the listener needs to review all or any part of the message, he must backtrack and try to find the original starting place. And, finally, if he doesn't want to stop at the front desk, he still is obliged to listen to how to get there before he can find out how to get to the gift shop, which is what was wanted in the first place.

In contrast to this system, that set up by Talking Signs, Inc., is very easy to use. The transmitter employs an infrared signal housed in a small packet which, in this case, was affixed by velcro strips at about the height of an ordinary sign. Each "sign" gave only the name of the specific location, such as "stairs down to lobby," "house phones," or "bank of elevators." The user points a small hand-held scanning device, homes in on the signal, and follows it directly to the doorway, desk, stairs, etc. If there are several locations in one area, the first item heard is a list of the various locations to be found; the user then homes in on the one he wants and goes from there. Although people walking through the path of the infrared signal do cut the signal, it is a very brief disruption, and most of the interruptions can be avoided by scanning a bit higher so as to be above the crowd.

The one disadvantage of the Talking Signs system is that the user must hold the receiver and move his hand in a slight arc while holding down a small button to pick up the signal. This leaves no hand free to carry a briefcase, packages, or luggage since the other hand probably contains a cane or dog harness. This is somewhat alleviated by the fact that it is not necessary to keep the receiver on at all times. When not in use, say in familiar surroundings or once the user is sure of where he wants to go, it can be left in the inactive mode and dropped into a pocket or purse, or perhaps dangle from a wrist strap (not in use on the receivers we tested). Adjusting to this mode of finding things and places is quick and easy for a cane traveler. It presents some initial trouble for a guide dog user until the individual is comfortable with the device; the user may initially have to stop frequently while searching for a signal. However, once the individual is acquainted with the device, it's possible to move even more easily and smoothly directly to the location; it's a terrific advantage being able to issue exact commands to the dog, even in a new area instead of finding something by trial and error. Both manufacturers, of course, are convinced that their system is "the way to go," but those we spoke to who had been involved in the experiment all concurred that the Talking Signs are the more appropriate. One of the chief reasons, perhaps, is that the Talking Signs system was developed with direct input from blind people, whereas the Verbal Landmark System was designed for blind people. Verbal Landmark now employs several visually impaired persons, but the inventor is fully sighted and, as far as we could determine, had no consultations with blind people before creating his device. He did mention, however, that another use for this system is to provide instructions for the use of Automatic Teller Machines, slot machines, and other similar devices currently not accessible to the blind. This seems to be quite workable since the user is standing in one place while operating these machines. We were told that there are already some slot machines in Las Vegas with the Verbal Landmark System installed. We understand that both companies have plans to demonstrate their product more fully this summer in Chicago, so more people can try one or both systems. Eventually, one will have to become the accepted technology; otherwise, we all need to know what is in use in any given city airport, mall, or office building, and we will have to carry not one, but two, receivers in order to access the applicable system. Travel would be so much easier and fun with the kinds of information audible signage can provide. May the best sign win!

(Reprinted with permission from "Horizons," February 1994.)

It is winter in Washington. Sleet is in the air. Snow is in the forecast. Abandon your cars and inhale all the perishables from the supermarket and 7-Eleven. While the weather and the firing of the Redskins' coach are page one, the Clinton administration and others of the Washington intelligentsia are making their forecasts of the issues for 1994. Those issues will be health care reform, trade, and crime. New mayors in major cities, such as New York City and Detroit, are sounding similar themes. Violence is up. The economy is still down but coming up.

Often what is not said is more important than what is said. What is not being said now is anything about civil rights, particularly for persons with disabilities. There's more fulmination over the local football team than civil rights or human rights -- for minorities, women, or people with disabilities. Civil rights continue to be two words you cannot say on television and radio. Only rarely is there an article in the newspaper (except to mention the administration's continued failure to make civil rights appointments, such as the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights and Chairperson of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission).

The "Washington Post"'s Outlook of Sunday, Dec. 26, 1993, had an extended article on civil rights and the Clinton administration by veteran staffer Juan Williams. It was the exception to the rule in terms of coverage of the issue. But even this extraordinary article, which wonders aloud about the comparison between former president Reagan and President Clinton, does not devote one line to the Americans with Disabilities Act. In fact, there is nary a reference to persons with disabilities. A year ago the air was filled with hopeful expectations as the new administration came to town. Twelve years of civil rights neglect would be ending. (In fairness to former president Bush, he did strongly support the ADA.)

Now, the reality of the Clinton administration is beginning to be visible. Lamentable, it appears that the administration has no agenda for civil rights. Clinton may care on a personal level, but the lack of actions by administration speaks volumes. There is no public, concrete concern for civil rights by the Clinton administration. President Clinton has written letters about the desecration of a Jewish community center and has spoken out about the need for education of urban black youths. This is well and good but hardly enough. Let us recognize there has been no major speech or legislative initiative or funding on civil rights. Even the debate over gays in the military, which pre-empted the earliest days of the administration, seems to have faded to a back burner. Before you write off Bill Clinton on civil rights, two people should be kept in mind: John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.

Kennedy wanted to push for civil rights but could not get it through the Congress in the early 1960s. It was to be part of the legacy of the second term. Sadly, that day never came (though Lyndon Johnson invoked the fallen president to spur a recalcitrant Congress into enacting the Civil Rights Act of 1964).

Reagan essentially told the political right, the more conservative Americans that he was it. Take it or leave it. In a sense, Clinton is doing the same to the liberal left. Who are they going to give money to and vote for? Jack Kemp? Pat Buchanan or Pat Robertson? Clinton knows the liberals have no one else and perhaps he'll do more in a second term, if re- elected.

A year ago when President Clinton was inaugurated, a buzz of change of a revival of people issues was in the air. Now when advocates are asked their reaction to Clinton civil rights a year later -- as compared to what they expected -- they stare wistfully into space and then lower their eyes, powerfully but silently contemplating what might have been. Their faces are unable to mask their profound disappointment.

It is ironic that the lack of concern for civil rights comes as the Steven Spielberg movie "Schindler's List" is sweeping to critical acclaim and standing room only crowds. This film about the Holocaust is a graphic testimonial to the consequences of silence on human rights issues and the importance of speaking up and acting.

Human rights issues persist in Europe, especially Bosnia. Employment discrimination and other forms of bigotry are domestic problems that cannot be overlooked in the ambrosia of other successes, such as NAFTA. Silence on civil rights is not good news. Silence on disability rights is not good news. Silence on civil rights is intolerable.

Hello, the White House? Is anyone home on civil rights? Do you really care?

November 12 to 14, 1993 proved to be historic days for the American Council of the Blind. That weekend marked the moment when the Council stepped forward and took the lead among organizations of the blind in facing the issue of the future of accreditation. Tampa, Fla., was the site of the National Summit on Accreditation which ACB sponsored. The summit was open to a select group of participants, and it brought together leaders in the field of accreditation and interested consumers who interacted with one another in meetings and small-group settings throughout the three-day summit. ACB President LeRoy F. Saunders opened the conference by explaining why the summit was important. "First, Congress and the federal agencies are extremely interested in establishing outcome-based standards and indicators for both rehabilitation and education programs. . . . Second, most of us now recognize that consumers must participate in decision-making and choice of services and service-providers. . . . The third reason that we believe a gathering of this kind is necessary is to attempt to get beyond the destructive politics and disagreement around standards and accreditation in services to blind people. I am convinced, and I believe that many of you are also convinced that the strength and quality of services delivered to blind people have suffered because of the bitter conflicts which have raged in our field for so long around accreditation. Services cannot be significantly improved without high-quality standards applied to all service-providers in a nonpolitical atmosphere." Saunders said rather than wait for others to tell blind individuals how their services should be evaluated, "the blindness community must act now to ensure that quality programs and services to blind people are guaranteed by the development of sensible, consumer-oriented measures that can be embraced by all involved in providing or advocating for services to the blind." Saunders said he hoped the summit would be the beginning of an ongoing effort to develop and implement a categorical approach to evaluating agencies, programs, and services. He reminded his listeners that it is not ACB's intent to create and implement such programs independently. He outlined his hopes for the summit and for the future of accreditation. "We hope that this summit will be a catalyst for the field. We believe that blind people and those who provide services can and should work together to develop appropriate ways to assess the success of programs and services. The summit represents our attempt to bring all interested parties together to develop a blueprint for future program evaluation. The time is right for this effort! Ultimately, the responsibility for success lies with the whole field. Our field cannot afford to wait for others to tell us how to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of blindness-related programs and services." Participants heard a review of accreditation's history from Dr. Felix C. Robb, executive director emeritus, Southern Association of Schools and Colleges, and some thoughts on the difficulties involved in measuring outcomes from Dr. Frank Dickey, president emeritus of the University of Kentucky. He told his audience that "useful outcomes assessments begin with a clear definition of goals." Dr. John E. Crews, acting associate director of the Rehabilitation Research and Development Center, affiliated with the Veterans Administration in Atlanta, said ACB's summit is important because of the growing number of older Americans who are losing their sight. "There are today about 2.7 million older people in this country who are severely visually impaired," he said. "By the year 2030, with no medical breakthrough, there will be as many as 6 million people experiencing severe visual impairment." He said he is troubled by the fact that the number of people with Alzheimer's disease is equal to the number of older people suffering from visual impairments; but vision loss has not received the same attention. As resources become increasingly scarce, Crews said, those who fail to address the issue of outcomes measurement head-on will be unable to compete for those limited resources in the future. He cautioned against seeking simple solutions that won't work. He explained that measuring output is relatively easy, but measuring outcomes is much more difficult. "How do we measure the consequences of what we've done? Are people substantially better off because of the services that we've provided? That is an effectiveness relationship, and I think all of us are scared of that."

He said outcomes measurement is further complicated by values. "If you teach an older person to cross the street, to get the mail or to do his accounts, and society doesn't think that's of value, it doesn't matter how good a job you do in training people for those skills."

He said bureaucratic models tend to be process-oriented while consumer-driven models tend to be outcomes-oriented. Where measuring is concerned, Crews said it's important to measure the right thing and to maintain reliability in measurements. He said most studies attempting to measure disability groups do a poor job measuring people with sensory impairments; they also seldom measure client satisfaction. "Every instrument has limitations," he said. "We've developed an instrument we're calling the Functional Independence Measure for Blind Adults."

He said the survey was developed from the expertise of 70 individuals who came together to talk about the issues to be measured. He said a survey given to older veterans prior to entering a VA facility asks a variety of questions about the health of the individual and about how he perceives his health status. It also asks about social supports and about skills they may possess. The survey asks about the consumer's satisfaction level as well. "Satisfaction is an important indicator of whether you want to teach someone how to do something. If we're going to respond and be consumer driven, we have to respond to whether the consumer is satisfied with what he can do." Attendees turned their focus on measuring outcomes in education with an address from Marcia Pavkovich, a teacher and consultant for the visually impaired in the Genesee Intermediate School District in Flint, Mich. She said special education leaders and others in the blindness field from throughout the state gathered on several occasions to discuss ways to concretely and accurately measure education programs for blind students. The project was developed to answer questions from legislators and other in the state regarding the effectiveness of its programs for blind children. She said a paper was developed which addressed the unique needs and performance requirements of blind and low-vision children. The survey measurement that ultimately resulted from the work of the consensus groups is in its second edition. The guide looks at what students are expected to do at certain grade levels. Then it asks whether the child has met the expectations. Pavkovich said the guides are divided into four sections. First, a background on the guide itself--its origins and purpose; second, an overview of the unique needs of the student; third, a list of some 21 focal points and expected outcomes; and fourth, a glossary of terms. She said the list of outcomes in the guide is divided into such categories as basic academics, mathematics and language effectiveness, personal management and daily living, and life role orientation which deals with career selection and other similar issues. She said the guides are currently being used by 80 percent of the special education teachers in Michigan even though they are not mandated to do so.

The afternoon session of the summit's first day began with remarks from Beverly Stafford, special assistant to the commissioner for policy development and regulations at the Rehabilitation Services Administration in Washington. Stafford address the summit via telephone. She said RSA is committed to publishing outcomes-based standards and indicators by September 30 of this year. The indicators would include provisions mandating states to collect data on consumer satisfaction. " . . . It will look at satisfaction in terms of the outcome of the process, the quality of services received, the amount of involvement the person had in their rehab program, the quality of services received from a vendor, and the issue of timeliness of service."

Participants also heard from Dr. E. Grady Bogue, a professor at the University of Tennessee, who addressed the issue of outcomes assessment in the accreditation process. He said accreditation has evolved from asking how many books are in the library to questioning whether students know anything when they exit the school. Dr. James Rogers, representing the Office of Post-Secondary Education and Accreditation with the U.S. Department of Education, detailed the department's activities in the establishment of standards and evaluation from the federal perspective. He said legislation in the higher education amendments of 1992 strengthens the accrediting agency's ability to do its job and improves the communication link between the agency and the department of education. "One of the problems we run into is that institutions participating in federal programs will have been placed on probation or even lost their accreditation before those administering student financial aid programs have even learned about it. That's not as apt to happen now because of the strengthening of the lines of communication, but it has happened in the past."

Dr. James Gardner, chief executive officer of the Accreditation Council on Services for People with Disabilities, told his listeners that quality must deal with outcomes for people rather than outcomes for programs. Quality can be defined as responsiveness to individual outcomes rather than compliance with organizational process. "Quality is a design issue," he said, "not a compliance and inspection process." Kenneth Shaw, director of program development and research for Goodwill Industries of America, Inc., was the concluding speaker for the summit's first day. Shaw said defining outcomes is easy, but setting standards is almost impossible. "I think there are some barriers you have, and you may as well be aware of those as you come into this process. One of the major barriers we're going to be confronted with is the people who run the programs," he said. According to Shaw, people are actually afraid of being measured by outcomes. Shaw said those who write standards are deliberately vague, focusing on the individual's deficit rather than his accomplishments. "In existing programs," he said, "because we don't set pure standards, as you get close to perceived success, it's OK now to move the goal line because it's not well-defined. We determine that there's more we can do." He said such thinking preserves the jobs of the service providers rather than ensuring the success of the individual needing service. He said rehabilitation programs must focus more on satisfying the end- user who ultimately employs the disabled consumer. "If you're going through a process that ignores the expectation of your end- user," he explained, "it doesn't make any difference what any of your processes are, and it doesn't make any difference what any of your measurements are, they're not of any value, and we're never going to significantly impact on the unemployment rate of people with disabilities in America. "For all of our programs, for all the years they have been operating, we have not ever changed the unemployment rate for people with disabilities. So for all the people we claim to get jobs for, . . . the same number of people would get jobs anyway," Shaw said. Shaw called for more pure research in the field of rehabilitation. "Rehabilitation is traditionally terrible at research, especially as it relates to services. We study things usually by committee, and the outcome is determined by the strength of personality of the people on the committee or the positions of the people on the committee. If I can talk faster, louder, and more belligerent than you, I've got the best idea. "Our process is we define it, we legalize it, we fund it, we start it, maybe then we study it," Shaw said. "If we do research it and find it has limited value, we can't do anything about it because we defined it, legalized it, funded it, and started it. We have the process sort of backwards." The summit's second day began with an address by Dr. Richard Welsh, president of the National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped. He said he came to the summit hoping it would provide guidelines that would allow NAC to improve its services. He said accreditation is increasingly important in an era when special schools and services to blind adults are being threatened. "For the past 26 years," Welsh said, "services provided by the National Accreditation Council have helped schools and agencies improve the quality of what they offer and have helped to strengthen our specialized service delivery systems throughout the country. It's an important weapon in our arsenal to provide the best assistance we can to the people who need our help. We must resist the efforts to do away with this specialized system." Welsh briefly outlined the history of accreditation in the field of blindness beginning with teacher certifications in the 1940s to the establishment of a blue ribbon panel on accreditation by the American Foundation for the Blind in 1961 which ultimately led to the establishment of NAC in 1967. He said NAC established standards based on a broad-based consensus. "The standards are truly our standards," he explained. "They reflect our (the blindness field's) best thinking. . . . They are the heart of our accreditation process." Welsh said the blindness field already has "an effective credible vehicle in place that does much of what this summit hopes to do; that we should direct our efforts not to starting over, but to the modification of what we have to make it more effective for the elements we have today."

The Saturday morning session ended with a panel discussion by various representatives from the blindness field including Hank Baud, general counsel of Workshops for the Blind, Paul Edwards, representing the American Council of the Blind, Kathleen Megivern, executive director of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and Marian Geiger, representing the National Council of Private Agencies for the Blind. Following the panel discussion, Paul Edwards, coordinator of Disabled Student Services at Miami-Dade Community College, provided directions for the work groups which met in separate sessions during the afternoon. The final session of the summit involved a summary of each work group's activities and a discussion of possible future steps for ACB and other summit attendees to continue the process started by the summit.

The announcement of new products and services in this column should not be considered an endorsement of those products and services by the American Council of the Blind, its staff or elected officials. Products and services are listed free of charge for the benefit of our readers. "The Braille Forum" cannot be responsible for the reliability of products or services mentioned.

RECENT MARRIAGE

ACB First Vice President Charles S.P. Hodge was married January 1 to Marilyn J.O. Borchers in a ceremony held at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Alan Schlank in Arlington, Va. Arlington County Circuit Court Judge William Newman presided over the ceremony. After a trip to St. Maarten, the couple plans to reside in Arlington.

WRITE THIS DOWN!

The 1994 Josephine L. Taylor Leadership Institute will be held March 3-5 in Washington, D.C. There will also be a special workshop on government advocacy March 2. Its theme is "Assuring the Future of Specialized Services," and builds on the progress made during the year, recognizing that more needs to be done. For registration information contact Corinne Kirchner at (212) 620-2140.

LIGHTWEIGHT WATCHES

DACO International now has an affordable line of lightweight talking watches available. For more information, call 1-800-434-8255 or (617) 244-3123. FROM THE RP NEWS

The Retinitis Pigmentosa Foundation now has an 800 number for TDD callers. It is 1-800-683-5551, and was made possible by a grant from Aetna Foundation's Dollars for Doers.

NEW FROM TSI

TeleSensory now has Vista 3.0 for Windows. This program can magnify screen images up to 16 times. For a free catalog or more information, call 1-800-227-8418. TOLL-FREE HELP

The National Eye Care Project offers a toll-free help line, 1-800-222-EYES (3937), for older adults who might not be getting the eye care they need. It operates from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific standard time.

USHER NEWSLETTER

"About US" is a newsletter by and for people with Usher syndrome that deals with challenges and problems of people with dual sensory loss. For a four-issue subscription, send a $14 check payable to "About US" to Vision Screening Project, 5801 Southwood Dr., Bloomington, MN 55437-1739. State whether you want large print, braille or cassette.

WHO'S WHO John B. Brockington, president of the South Metro (Georgia) Council of the Blind, has been included in the premiere edition of "Who's Who in Georgia." He graduated from the Georgia Academy for the Blind, has been a member of the alumni association for 28 years, and has been both a board member and treasurer for the past seven years. He is currently manager of the snack bar in the Atlanta Federal Building.

AWARD WINNERS

Gordon Safran of Cleveland and Dan Rossi of Columbus both received the Davidson Award at ACB of Ohio's convention. Safran was honored for his dedication to children -- for 17 years, he has sponsored holiday parties for visually impaired children, including playing Santa Claus. Rossi reads for the Central Ohio Radio Reading Service.

Ken Morlock, ACB of Ohio's executive director, received the award bearing his name, which is presented to a blind or visually impaired person for outstanding service.

Dawn Christensen, ACB of Ohio president, received the Ambassador Award for dedicated service.

SSI INCREASE

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits have increased 2.6 percent beginning with the payments that Social Security beneficiaries received on Jan. 3 and SSI recipients received on Dec. 30. For Social Security beneficiaries, the average monthly benefit amount for all retired workers rose from $657 to $674. The maximum federal SSI monthly payments to an individual rose from $434 to $446. The Social Security wage base for 1994 has increased to $60,600. There is no limitation on Medicare wages for the tax year 1994. The amount of earnings required for a Social Security credit has increased to $620. The maximum amount a Social Security beneficiary may earn without any reduction in benefits has increased to $11,160 for those ages 65-69, and $8,040 for those under 65.

VENDORS IN D.C.

There will be a national conference on the Randolph-Sheppard program March 10-13, 1994 in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind. All managers are encouraged to attend. The conference will be held at the Capitol Holiday Inn, 550 C St. SW. Room rates will be $94 a night for single or double occupancy. The registration fee is $50. Participants are requested to arrive by Thursday evening, March 10. Pre-conference registrations should be sent to George Precourt, Director, Services for the Blind, 170 Ridge Rd., Wethersfield, CT 06109. Hotel reservations should be made directly with Holiday Inn.

NEW BOOKS

There are two new items available from the PACER Center: "Celebrating Family Strengths" and "Our Children, Our Hopes." "Celebrating Family Strengths: A Handbook for Families" was written to help parents learn how to focus on their children's and their family's strengths. The cost is $2.50. "Our Children, Our Hopes" is a videotape in which African- American families discuss how race issues and cultural traditions come into play as they seek resources and services for their disabled children. The 15-minute, closed-captioned video costs $35 (plus sales tax for Minnesota residents), or $10 for three- week rental. To order either of these items, contact the PACER Center, 4826 Chicago Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55417-1098; phone (612) 827-2966. Parents in Minnesota can call 1-800-53PACER. HOT

OFF THE PRESS

A video and several books are the newest things from the AFB Press. The video, "Understanding Braille Literacy," is available in VHS and PAL formats. VHS format costs $39.95, PAL costs $49.95, plus $4.50 postage and handling for one copy. Send your name, address, and check or money order to the American Foundation for the Blind, c/o American Book Center, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Building No. 3, Brooklyn, NY 11205. "Jobs to Be Proud Of" by Deborah Kendrick is available in large print, braille and cassette for $19.95. "Career Perspectives," also available in large print, cassette and braille, costs $16.95. "Student Teaching Guide" is available in cassette, braille and large print, and costs $12.95. Shipping and handling is $3.50 for the first copy, and $1 for each additional item ordered. Send your name, address, and check or money order to the AFB at the address above. CALL FOR INFO

The American Association for the Advancement of Science's project on science, technology, and disability is looking for scientists and engineers with disabilities to be included in the third edition of the "Resource Directory of Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities." To be included, candidates must hold or be working toward a degree in a scientific, engineering, or medical discipline, or be employed in a scientific field. To be included, or for more information, contact Laureen Summers, Program Associate, or Patricia Thompson, Editorial Specialist, AAAS Project on Science, Technology, and Disability, AAAS, 1333 H St. NW, Washington, DC 20005; (202) 326-6645. Information can be sent via fax also; the number is (202) 371-9849.

VERMONT PROVIDES LIBRARIES WITH MOVIES

The Northwest Chapter of the Vermont Council of the Blind recently provided 15 described video movies to the Special Services Unit of the Vermont Department of Libraries for short- term lending to registered patrons of the library. The movies were purchased from DHS Home Videos with funds donated by several American Legion posts, fraternal groups, chapter members, and friends. The chapter plans to purchase more videos as additional funds become available.

WASHINGTON CONVENTION CALLED A 'SHOT IN THE ARM'

One-third of Washington Council of the Blind's members turned out in October for the state convention in Bellingham. LeRoy and Pat Saunders were its honored guests. The hotel had menus and other materials available in large print, braille, and cassette, and accessible signs were on all meeting and guest room entrances. A representative from the state park at Mount Saint Helens demonstrated a prototype tactile exhibit depicting the devastation and recovery associated with the volcanic eruption. Special program items included Mary McKnew's report on the progress of the governor's office in bringing all state agencies into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Derek Goudriaan from the Department of Licensing discussed the problems blind people have had with the official ID card being issued. Shirley Smith presented the hilarious and scathing parody, "Psychological Profile for Sightedness." Jan Ames from the Washington State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped reported that the recent phone fund-raising drive raised more than $85,000. WCB's new officers are: Sharon Keeran, president; Peggy Shoel, first vice president, and Joleen Ferguson, treasurer. New directors are Berl Colley, Cindy Wearstler and Virginia Schneebeck. REMINDER: PAY YOUR NABT DUES NOW

Now is the time for all good members of NABT to send their dues to Gene Weathers, and the sooner, the better. The deadline is March 1. Send them to Gene Weathers, 203 N. Vine, Fayette, MO 65248.

And in an effort to expand its membership, NABT is searching for people or agencies interested in the idea of vision loss not being an impediment to teaching. If you know of such a person or agency, send the name and address to Gene Weathers at the address above.

(Editor's note: Last month's article covered Bylaws 1, 2, and 3. This month we look at Bylaws 4, 5, and 6. Mr. Hodge's final installment in this series appears next month.) Bylaw 4 is entitled Duties of the Officers. Section A sets forth some specific duties for the ACB president. The president supervises all employees of the organization, and selects and dismisses all employees except professional staff. The president is to select professional staff subject to approval or confirmation by the board of directors. In addition, 60 days prior to the opening of the annual convention, the president is to select a qualified individual who is familiar with the latest updated version of "Robert's Rules of Order" and who has access to the rules of parliamentary procedure to act as parliamentarian at the annual convention. Not less than 15 days prior to any board of directors meeting, the president is to send to each member a proposed written agenda for that meeting. The president may appoint an assistant secretary and/or an assistant treasurer, subject to the advice and consent of the board of directors. If assistants are appointed, they may be paid for their services. Of course, other specific duties beyond the normal duties of acting as CEO of the organization could be added in this section, but in its present form, this section has not been controversial.

As pointed out last month, Bylaw 4 fails to assign any specific duties to either the first or second vice presidents. I don't know whether this oversight is intentional, but the matter may well be one for appropriate action by the Constitution and Bylaws Committee and the membership at an annual convention.

Section B states that the secretary, in addition to the usual duties of that office, shall furnish to each affiliate and member-at-large a summary of all official actions taken at the annual convention or any meeting of the board of directors as soon as possible after the conclusion of the convention or board meeting. The secretary also maintains a roll of all voting members of affiliates and all members at large. From time to time, efforts have been made to amend and strengthen the provision in this section requiring that a summary of all official actions be promptly provided to all affiliates and members at large. Section C spells out the specific duties of the treasurer. It states that the treasurer shall forward to the secretary the names of all voting members promptly upon receipt. The treasurer must also provide each annual convention and meeting of the board of directors with a financial report.

Bylaw 5 is entitled Powers and Duties of the Board of Directors. Section A concerns appointment of professional staff, and provides that all appointments must be submitted by the president to the board within 30 days, and that such appointments are not to be deemed to be final unless or until they have been approved by an affirmative vote of the majority of the board of directors. The somewhat unusual wording of this section might be used to support an argument that a professional staff appointment is not confirmed until the nominee receives the positive votes of at least nine of the 16 members of the board of directors, a constitutional majority. In practice, the provision has been interpreted by presiding officers at board meetings where such professional staff appointments have been discussed as requiring only an affirmative majority vote of those present and voting, a simple majority.

Section B concerns dismissal of professional staff, and somewhat at odds with the earlier provisions of section A, this section states clearly that such dismissal is exclusively the responsibility of the board. Such a dismissal can only be accomplished by a majority vote of the board of directors, and only after the employee involved has been notified and offered an opportunity for a hearing before the board. The section is unclear whether the notice and hearing requirements can be complied with by using an ad hoc committee of the board or whether the proviso requires a hearing before the entire board. As with section A, this section is unclear as to whether the majority vote of the board of directors referred to in this section is a constitutional majority or a simple majority. Bylaw 5, sections C and D authorize the president to appoint one or more individuals to carry out the function of seeking out and developing invitations and contract proposals from affiliates, hotels, convention facilities and convention bureaus for future national conventions. All such developed proposals, as well as those which arise independently, are to be presented to the board for review before each convention. The board will then report its findings and recommendations about those proposals to the convention for action. The board is also authorized to establish guidelines to govern this future convention invitation process. Until the membership decides whether to revert to the process of having the convention choose future convention sites or amend the constitution and bylaws to grant convention site selection powers to the board or another ACB body, this area will remain uncertain. In any event, as the role of the convention coordinator grows and develops, these sections should probably be rewritten to reflect our actual practice. These sections may well be shifted to another part of the constitution and bylaws. Section E specifies that the board shall elect a subcommittee of three people which shall recommend a budget for the ensuing calendar year. Although by its reference to "ensuing calendar year" the section implies that such elections should be held each year, the bylaw is ambiguous on this point, which should be clarified concerning the term and tenure of the members of the budget committee. The section also provides that once a budget has been adopted (presumably by simple majority vote) by the board of directors, that budget can only be amended or modified by a two-thirds vote of the board. Section F requires the board to commission an annual audit of the organization's financial records to be done by a reputable certified public accountant. Section G authorizes polling the board of directors by mail. It might be appropriate at this point in time to update the thrust of this section by authorizing the secretary to poll the board by telephone or other electronic media in addition to mail ballot. Such an update might also expressly authorize the board to conduct meetings by modern methods, such as a conference call.

Bylaw 6 is entitled Standing Committees. Section A provides for the appointment of a national membership chairman and membership committee of at least five members from as many regions of the country as possible at the end of each annual convention. This committee, in conjunction with the national office staff and the board of directors, is given responsibility for devising, coordinating and implementing the organization's membership development efforts.

Section B provides that within 60 days after the close of each convention, the president shall appoint a resolutions committee of at least five members. This committee has the responsibility of receiving and preparing resolutions for its consideration at the next convention. It also provides that every submission made to the committee must be reported by the committee with or without recommendation to the convention. This last provision is crucial, and one of the hallmarks of ACB. It means that if the maker (even of the most unwise or unpopular policy position statement) insists on it, that policy position, no matter how distasteful to the leadership, will be reported to the convention floor for ultimate disposition by the convention. In other words, the incumbent establishment cannot hide or bury dissident or minority issues or policy positions in committee or keep them off the convention floor.

Section C is a lengthy and complex section which provides for the appointment of a credentials committee to be composed of the secretary, a board member, a member of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, and four additional members to be appointed by the president for two-year terms. One of the four appointees shall be designated as chairman, and that person shall not hold elective office while chairman. The committee has the responsibility of ensuring that all members and/or affiliates admitted to participate in the convention or special membership meeting have complied with relevant requirements of the constitution and bylaws, and with prior rulings or actions of the convention. The committee's rulings on credentials matters are binding unless modified or overturned by a majority of the membership present and voting. All rulings which are adverse to the interest of a member or affiliate must be conveyed to those adversely affected in writing and must be included in the committee's report to the convention. The appellant member or affiliate shall be admitted to the convention floor for the limited purpose of appeal, but will not have the right to vote on the appeal. The appellant member or affiliate and the committee shall have up to 10 minutes each to present arguments and testimony supporting their respective positions. The section also states that the credentials committee should make its initial report at the opening of the second session of the convention, and the report should contain the names of all official delegates representing participating and seated affiliates as well as all the names of those voting individual members who have been seated or admitted to the convention floor. The committee is also authorized to make supplementary reports to the convention in order to ensure that all members wanting to participate will have the opportunity to be admitted.

As pointed out in an earlier article, the provision allowing an appealing member or affiliate limited access to the floor while denying the right to vote is inconsistent with the provision of Article III, section E of the constitution, which permits members or affiliates threatened with suspension or expulsion to vote. This inconsistency should be addressed and resolved. With the development in recent years of a ceremonial opening session for the convention, the provision in Bylaw 6, section C mandating the credentials committee report as the opening item of business at the second session of the convention becomes confusing, since we are unclear whether the credentials report must be taken up as the first order of business on Monday or Tuesday morning. Also, many of the provisions of Bylaw 6, section C have to be read in conjunction with the provisions of Bylaw 8, which will be discussed next month. Section D provides for the appointment of a five-member Constitution and Bylaws Committee at least 90 days prior to the opening of convention. The committee has the responsibility of receiving and preparing proposed amendments to the constitution and bylaws for presentation to convention. It also states that proposed amendments must be submitted in writing to the committee on or before the first day of convention. This first-day submission provision could use some clarification in light of the ceremonial opening. Similar to section B, section D mandates that all written submissions made to the committee must be reported with or without recommendation to the convention floor, thus guaranteeing that even maverick or unpopular proposed amendments will be aired. Section E provides that within 60 days of the close of convention, the president shall appoint a scholarship grants committee of at least five members, at least two of whom shall be members of the board of directors. The committee shall review and, from time to time, revise written guidelines for receiving, screening and evaluating scholarship grant applications, and of making selections of all scholarship recipients. The committee's selections are final, and the identities of the winners will be announced during the convention.

Section F provides that at least 120 days before the opening of convention, the president shall appoint an awards committee of at least three members. The committee is responsible for receiving, screening and evaluating written nominations for all awards granted by the organization, except for those delegated to other ACB entities such as the board of publications. Under criteria for each award established by the board of directors, the awards committee shall select the winners of the awards under its jurisdiction, and its selections are final. The different sections of Bylaw 6 are all over the map with respect to the time of appointment of these standing committees, ranging from immediately after the close of convention to 120 days before the opening of the next convention. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee might want to look at making the appointment date for all standing committees uniform. While most of the sections deal with the president appointing each committee each year, section C states that the four members of the credentials committee serve two-year terms. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee might want to establish either a uniform rule regarding the beginning, ending and length of service for terms of all standing committee members, or express term provisions by standing committee. Certain important standing committees, such as the nominating committee and the budget committee, are found elsewhere in the constitution and bylaws. It might be a good idea to consolidate all of the provisions concerning standing committees into one bylaw dealing with standing committees. In a similar vein, other important standing committees such as the national convention committee, the convention program committee, the environmental access committee and the long-range planning committee are not found anywhere in the bylaws. It might be wise to draft bylaw amendments spelling out the composition and responsibilities of these important committees to be included in the bylaw regarding standing committees. Other than the board of directors, ACB does not have a committee dedicated to fund-raising or planning for its future financial security on a national level. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee and the membership may wish to establish such a standing committee and include it in that bylaw.

FOR SALE: Certificate for ScreenPower, a screen-reading program by TSI. Asking $400 or reasonable offer. Call Bernie Vinther at (509) 586-8060.

FOR SALE: MasterTouch speech software, synthesizer and touch tablet. Fifteen months old. Asking $1,900. Contact Denise R. Avant, 5300 N. Sheridan Rd., Apt. 401, Chicago, IL 60640; phone (312) 878-9518.

WANTED TO BUY: Smith-Corona typewriter lens for Optacon. Price negotiable. Call (916) 972-7210 and ask for Rea or Karen, or write to Mr. and Mrs. Rea Fetzer, 2900 Marconi Ave., Apt. 17, Sacramento, CA 95821.

WANTED TO BUY: Reader/scanner. Individual is on a fixed income, would make monthly payments. He would also pay postage. If you have one, contact Robert Schlueter, 8650 Wednesbury Lane, Apt. 208, Houston, TX 77074; phone (713) 772-3856.

ACB OFFICERS
PRESIDENT
LEROY SAUNDERS
2118 N.W. 21st ST. OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73107
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT
CHARLES S. P. HODGE
1131 S. FOREST DR.
ARLINGTON, VA 22204
SECRETARY
PATRICIA PRICE

5707 BROCKTON DRIVE #302
INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46220
TREASURER

BRIAN CHARLSON
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