THE BRAILLE FORUM is available in braille, large type, half-speedfour-track cassette tape and MS-DOS computer disk. Subscriptionrequests, address changes, and items intended for publicationshould be sent to: Nolan Crabb, THE BRAILLE FORUM, 1155 15thSt., N.W., Suite 720, Washington, DC 20005.

Those much-needed and appreciated cash contributions, which aretax deductible, may be sent to Brian Charlson, Treasurer, 115515th St., N.W., Suite 720, Washington, DC 20005.

You may wish to remember a relative or friend by sharing in thecontinuing work of the American Council of the Blind. The ACBNational Office has available printed cards to acknowledge toloved ones contributions made in memory of deceased persons.

Anyone wishing to remember the American Council of the Blind inhis/her Last Will and Testament may do so by including a specialparagraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, you maycontact the ACB National Office.

For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" toll-free at (800) 424-8666, 6 p.m. to midnight eastern time Monday through Friday. Washington, D.C.,residents only call 331-2876.

(Editor's Note: This month's President's Message is the text of an address delivered at the ACB convention in Chicago.)

I am extremely pleased with the progress of ACB over the past year. Let me share a few of the high points of the year.

Last April, we held the first in what we plan to be an ongoing effort designed to train ACB leaders. We started with the northeast region and we will be working our way around to other regions doing one or two of these leadership seminars each year.

This spring we formally implemented something which I have been saying we need for years -- a legislative advocacy network. Paul Schroeder tells me it is beginning to bear fruit in Washington.

Last fall, we held a very successful summit on accreditation. (I'll say more about that later.)

"The Braille Forum" continues to be the magazine which the blind and visually impaired of our nation turn to in order to find out what is happening across the country and the world. And I am especially pleased that the "Forum" has expanded its coverage of news, particularly on news events happening on the Washington scene.

The ACB On-Line computer bulletin board system has been up and running for several months and it is proving to be an extremely valuable addition to our services to members and friends. I hope all of our computer users have joined this service.

ACB members and staff are continuing to be looked to for expertise on telecommunications, transportation, accessibility, rights, the vending program -- and, more recently, the question of whether a blind person can serve as an appeals court judge.

Our members, as well as others who are blind or visually impaired, or who are interested in information about blindness, continue to look to ACB as a source of information and assistance. Our staff handles thousands of requests for assistance each year. As you know, one of the more successful programs we offer is a limited referral for legal assistance. I want to read a letter which was received in the national office regarding that program.

Dear Mr. Goldman,

When I last spoke to you over the telephone regarding my job situation, I was quite upset. I was feeling down and disheartened because of the unjust decision of my employer regarding my employment situation. Following our conversation, I referred my attorney to you for further technical advice and she subsequently talked to you over the telephone regarding some of the technicalities of my situation. She told me that you were helpful and informative on the subject of the rights and responsibilities of employers of people with disabilities.

My attorney and I progressed through the grievance procedure to appeal the decision of the Secretary of the Department of Human Services of the State of South Dakota to reinstate me into my job and to compensate me for lost wages which resulted from my termination. To say that this decision brings me joy is the greatest understatement I could make. I am overcome with an ecstatic feeling of happiness and relief like I have never known. I am optimistic that I can succeed in this position if given reasonable accommodation and if supervised fairly and not subjected to reprisals and retribution as a result of my efforts to become reinstated.

You have proven invaluable to me as I have gone through this difficult process. I will, in an effort to repay my moral obligation to you and ACB, revise my Last Will and Testament to authorize that a portion of my estate will help fund the worthy and essential work of you and your organization. Furthermore, I will continue to work on behalf of the ACB through my state affiliate, the South Dakota Association of the Blind, to further their efforts to help blind people attain full inclusion in our society and to assist them in attaining and retaining employment opportunities appropriate for their skills, interests, and education.

I thank you again and pledge to work with you in efforts which will help blind people realize their dreams.

That is a great testament to what ACB's resources can do for its members. I am so pleased that we can provide this help to blind people. Of course, these are just a few of the highlights from the past year.

While we are on this subject, I know that all of us were very excited when Carol McCarl and her publishing enterprise won her battle with the U.S. Post Office regarding free matter for the blind. ACB was there to provide assistance to Ms. McCarl and we will continue to do so to ensure that free matter for the blind is not injured in any way. We will have the opportunity to hear more about this subject on Tuesday when Mr. Robert Harris will be here from the Post Office, and again at the BOP seminar on Thursday.

Now let me talk more specifically about a few items.

As you know, a few years ago, I worked with the board to fashion what I called ACB's priorities for the '90s. We came up with 10 priorities, and these have pretty much continued to guide our work. I believe that setting priorities is essential. We cannot do everything that we know must be done. We must focus the resources at our disposal to get the biggest and most critical bang for our buck.

Let me read quickly the 10 priorities for the '90s:

1. Reauthorization and implementation of the Rehabilitation Act.

2. Work to implement the requirements of the ADA and foster access in general for blind people into all aspects of society.

3. Separate state agencies serving the blind.

4. Improved services for the blind through better standards.

5. Seek standards that evaluate efficiency of services delivered.

6. Insist on better prepared and more competent personnel to instruct individuals in teaching and training blind persons.

7. More input by blind people through more blind people serving on governing bodies of service agencies.

8. Broaden access to braille teaching in all schools and agencies and improve the way it is taught.

9. Work toward insuring that all information is made available to everyone and accessible to visually impaired people including, but not limited to, all aspects of telephone companies as well as computer access including graphic user interface.

10. To insure that all blind persons at whatever age have access to education delivered in the most enabling environment.

I want to address a few of these priorities and tell you what we are doing.

If you are looking for one area to spend your time on in advocacy in improving the lives of blind people, I cannot conceive of anything more critical than our access to information -- the means by which we get it, send it, and use it. Of course, this increasingly means computers and electronic communications.

Now, we've all heard a great deal about this so-called information superhighway, and much of what we hear may be only hype, but we must face the fact that the world has been unalterably changed by the computer.

I believe, and the members of ACB have stated last year in a resolution, that blind and visually impaired people have a great deal to gain from the new information frontier. To be sure, the computer has opened up tremendous opportunities for those of us who are blind or visually impaired in employment, education, entertainment and, ultimately, independence. But the development of the computer, especially the personal computer, itself, did not make all this possible.

We know that computers, and all that they have made possible for us, would have remained off limits if not for dedicated work by scores of energetic entrepreneurs working on adaptive technology, and we owe a great debt of gratitude to these individuals and companies which have begun to unlock the computer world for us. However, our work is not done; that is why I said that this is one area where your advocacy is very important. Many of us are already aware of the problems posed by a computer operating system called Windows (also known as a graphical user interface). Others of us are beginning to run into more and more touch-sensitive screens for inputting information into automatic teller machines and information terminals. People in California tell me that these kinds of devices are beginning to be put into malls so that Californians can communicate with state agencies -- at least Californians who do not have disabilities such as visual impairments. We must face these threats and stand up for full accessibility for the blind.

Making the new information frontier, or superhighway, or whatever you call it, accessible has been one of ACB's top priorities over the past year or so. I am proud of the work we have been doing in this area, especially in Congress. This work is now beginning to show results as legislation is moving through Congress which says that new information devices and information networks shall be made accessible for people with disabilities. In fact, just last week the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved two important pieces of legislation which will (if they pass the Senate and become law) mean that access for people with disabilities will be included in the information highway.

But we continue to need your help. The Senate has not yet acted on this legislation, and we are not sure whether it will include access requirements for people with disabilities. Congress must understand that access to information is just as important for those of us with disabilities as access to buildings.

By the way, access to this new world of information includes many more facets than simply computers. For example, we have been working to convince Congress that, as the amount of television programming is rapidly increased, we believe that it is time to say that these programs should be accompanied by video description in order to benefit millions of Americans, especially those of us who are blind or visually impaired. So you see, this new information frontier offers a great deal of promise to all of us, but only if we make our voices heard.

ACB has been quite busy in other areas as well. We have continued in our long tradition as one of the first disability organizations to embrace comprehensive health care reform. We now have a president who has made this a top priority, and while all of us may not agree with the approach taken by President Clinton, I think we do agree that all Americans must be assured of receiving adequate health services. I also believe that these services must include the kind of services needed by people who become blind so that they can remain independent.

In the area of education and services to children who are blind or visually impaired, we must get ready to work with Congress to reauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (known as IDEA). I am very pleased that ACB, NFB, AER and AFB have come to agreement on an amendment to IDEA which we will all support in order to help ensure that children in schools will receive instruction and materials in braille whenever it is appropriate for them. Whether our children are being taught in public or residential schools, to deny braille to those who need it is, as far as I am concerned, an abuse of these children.

We are also working with NFB, AFB and AER to fashion other amendments which we can jointly support. One very important amendment involves strengthening choice of placements so that our children can continue to receive services in the best setting for their education. Our parents and children must continue to have options for education which include the classroom, special classes, resource rooms and residential schools.

I mentioned accreditation earlier. I am pleased to report to you that ACB did indeed host a national summit on accreditation in the blindness field last fall. We reached out to ensure that presenters at the summit came from a variety of backgrounds and interests -- Dr. Richard Welsh from NAC was there, but so was Dr. James Gardner from a different accreditation organization; several representatives of higher education and academic institutions spoke, as did Ken Shaw from Goodwill, who represents the largest non-profit rehabilitation providers to people with disabilities. He proved very provocative and popular at the summit.

We have run into a few snags in publishing the results of the summit in a paper, but rest assured that work is now moving ahead.

I said at the summit, "We hope this summit will lead to the establishment of standards and indicators of high-quality outcomes in services for consumers who are blind or visually impaired. It is not enough for us to measure service quality based on merely such things as the process used in delivering services, or the certificates held by the service-providing staff. Outcomes achieved by those who received the services and their satisfaction seem to me to be the critical things we ought to measure."

But I must tell you that I was disappointed with the representation from the blindness field as participants in the summit. Our field, and this organization, must make some decisions right now about the right direction we must go to ensure that blind people are receiving high-quality services. Our summit began that discussion, but clearly much more work and effort needs to take place. ACB needs to determine what role it wants to play in order to be a constructive but important participant in the shaping of services for blind people.

I want to talk for a few moments about the Americans with Disabilities Act. Later this month, our nation will celebrate the fourth anniversary of the signing of the ADA. A large event is planned for the White House on July 27, and several other celebrations will take place. ACB was a vocal and early supporter of the ADA. In fact, we have championed civil rights throughout our organization's history.

But I still hear people ask, "What has ADA done for me or blind people?" The ADA, like any other legislation, is the product of compromise and it cannot be all things to all people. Our rights may be protected by legislation, but they are not granted by that legislation. We must take responsibility and be prepared to stand up for our rights. Whether it is employment discrimination, or a bus driver calling out the names of bus stops, we must stand up for ourselves and be confident that we have the right to be treated like first-class citizens.

There has been some progress in ADA.

However, I must also tell you that again this year, I stand at this podium telling you that at least one major transit system is refusing to enhance the independence and safety of blind passengers because it simply will not install detectable warnings along the edge of its rail platforms. Last year we held a protest outside the offices of the Department of Transportation. I hope that the department will stand firm this year and enforce the ADA as it is charged to do. The department must tell this transit system that it must comply with the law, and more important, that it must commit to transit safety for all passengers.

In conclusion, I want to thank all of you for your support to me and ACB over the past year. As you know, this is my last year as president of this organization and I look forward to our efforts. For one thing, I hope to begin the process of expanding even further ACB's role in making telecommunications and computer technology accessible. We are in the process of planning a small meeting in which we can bring some of the players from the computer and telecommunications industries together with the experts from our field to formulate the strategies which will ensure that blind people can continue to use computers and telecommunications devices and networks. Many people have asked us whether we have worked with industry representatives such as Microsoft, and I believe that we can do more on that. I will let you know more about these efforts in the coming months.

Since it is customary for the pace of activity in the ACB national office to reach the frantic level as the annual national convention approaches, it is safe to say that the pace during the late spring and early summer was more "customary" than usual. Consider, for example, staff participation in the cross-disability march from Arlington Cemetery across Lincoln Memorial Bridge to the Lincoln Memorial and an enormous rally by the Reflecting Pool before moving on to Capitol Hill -- in support of appropriate health care for disabled people. Add to that my participation in the meeting of the Consumers' Advisory Council of the Mississippi State University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on blindness and low vision, conducted this year in conjunction with the meeting of the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind. These and dozens of other activities were going on while staff members were also involved with the preparation and mailing of the convention pre-registration materials, compilation and publication of the national convention program and related documents, making of arrangements for scholarship winners and other students to attend the national convention, selection of the 1994 student intern, installation of a computer network at the national office, and a crescendo of activities on Capitol Hill regarding health care, telecommunications and education.

As mentioned in another article, in June ACB sent a delegation of four members to Germany to observe education, rehabilitation, vocational training and other facilities there at the invitation of the German Federation of the Blind and the German Association of Blind and Visually Impaired Students and Professionals. The delegation was headed by ACB President LeRoy Saunders, and the other members were Jean Mann (a member of the ACB board of directors and president of ACB of New York), Dana Walker (former member of the board of publications) and I. The first few days in Germany were spent in the area of Bonn and Cologne, from which the officers and staff of the German Federation escorted us on exceptionally educational and interesting visits to, among other places, a center that trains physical therapists, a recreation and holiday center for blind people, a vocational training center for other professions and many historic and cultural sites. Likewise, the officers and staff of the German Association in Marburg arranged extremely interesting and educational visits through the German National Institute for the Blind and other outstanding facilities in that area. In addition to being exceptionally interesting, educational and enjoyable, the trip underscored the importance of sharing information from nation to nation without making qualitative judgments about either system. We are extremely grateful to the members of the German organizations that hosted us, and we are looking forward to cordial and cooperative relations with them in the future.

Among the international visitors to the ACB national office recently was Ms. Sumiko Nakano of the Japan Federation of the Blind. Ms. Nakano, who was completing a two-month-long tour of Canada, western Europe and the United States devoted to the use of computers and other electronic devices by blind people, expressed a preference to stay, while in the Washington metropolitan area, in an American home rather than in a hotel. While here she was hosted by Charles and Dolores Rupard of Silver Spring, Md., and it is our understanding that both Ms. Nakano and the Rupards, as well as other members of the ACB of Maryland, sincerely enjoyed the experience. Members of the American Council of the Blind who attended our convention in Chicago also enjoyed meeting and talking with Ms. Nakano following her arrival there after attending another convention.

Recently ACB Director of Governmental Affairs Paul Schroeder and I, along with representatives of other blindness organizations in the Washington area, met again with Assistant Secretary of Education Judith Heumann. Some of the issues discussed included an improved data collection system by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, the realities of braille literacy and special education, the position of the administration regarding special education and teacher preparation, the need for "horror stories" to document educational statistics, priorities for national research, the production of accessible materials by OSERS and the consideration of non-traditional developments in the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Program.

As this issue of "The Braille Forum" goes to press, we are looking forward to attending a large gathering at the White House commemorating the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is our hope that this meeting, which is to be attended by disabled people and their advocates from throughout the United States, will result in more attention being paid to and better implementation of the ADA. An article will appear in the next issue of "The Braille Forum" regarding this important meeting.

I regret to report that Laura Thomasch, who has assisted the ACB Director of Governmental Affairs for the past two years, has left ACB employment to accept a position with another organization as she advances her outstanding career. I am pleased to report that our 1994 summer student intern is Sandra Pickett, a communications major at Northeastern Oklahoma State University.

During its recent post-convention meeting, ACB's board of directors scheduled a second regional leadership training seminar to be held in Seattle November 18 through 20.

The seminar will include participants from the northwest and mountain states. Those who attend can look forward to receiving instruction and information similar in scope to that provided to attendees of the northeast regional seminar held earlier this year.

At that seminar, ACB President LeRoy Saunders welcomed participants to "the first leadership seminar we've had in 10 years." He reminded his audience of the importance of state affiliates in the implementation of laws and regulations handed down by Congress. "From ACB's standpoint, based on money -- both resources and staff -- it is certainly not practical for us to go to every state and help personally with the implementation of the laws that get passed. Consequently, we depend on you to do that; . . . you're our right arm; you're really ACB; you're the people who make things happen."

ACB National Representative Oral O. Miller said he was pleased to see ACB provide leadership training again. "You all have come from a number of different states," he said, "and from different backgrounds; all of you are going to be providing input from different perspectives, and the net result is going to be a great one."

Following Miller's remarks, David Bates, president of the Connecticut Council of the Blind, welcomed participants to the state. Oral Miller then introduced Linda Mansfield of Mansfield and Associates who served as the facilitator for the seminar.

The second day of the conference began with remarks from Jennifer Sutton, ACB's coordinator of affiliate relations. She discussed various reasons for the existence of ACB and its affiliates. "As leaders," she explained, "your role is to develop and mold your local affiliates to help them in fulfilling their missions. You need to develop a unique personality for your affiliates." She encouraged audience members to return home and think about why their affiliate exists and develop missions and goals for the affiliate.

Paul Edwards, an active member of the Florida Council of the Blind and one of the original developers of the leadership seminar, talked about the process of setting goals. "We need to develop priorities," he explained, "and we need to make some decisions about what we choose as the most important things. We make those choices based on the consensus of the group about what looks like the most important thing to do."

He said leaders must attempt to set goals which are desired by the members. "The second half of that equation," he said, "is that as leaders, you have a responsibility to shape those goals so that your members might want them." He said leaders should not only set goals and define action steps for their accomplishment, they should set timelines and implement watchdog procedures to see that deadlines are met.

Following Paul Edwards' remarks, Oral Miller and ACB Secretary Patricia Price jointly discussed the value of proper affiliate organization and administration. Miller reminded his listeners of the importance of filing periodic reports which ensure corporate status for the state affiliate. He urged affiliate leaders to review their records and determine whether the affiliate is in good standing and in keeping with state law.

Pat Price urged leaders to maintain and store the affiliate's charter along with its constitution and bylaws. "Minutes and resolutions that have been passed by your membership are extremely important and should be stored," Price said.

Oral Miller discussed the value of an appropriately written constitution and bylaws. He urged affiliate leaders to engage a knowledgeable third-party person to objectively look at the affiliate's constitution and bylaws to ensure higher quality documents. "By having people outside look at these, sometimes they will ask questions which, though they will not be revolutionary, will at least bring to mind things that we should consider whether any changes are made or not. There is value in having an outsider look at it occasionally."

Pat Price discussed the value of structured meetings. She encouraged leaders to have meetings if there is a real reason to do so. Announcing meetings via personal invitation or through publishing in a newsletter is a must, she said. She urged her listeners to provide meeting agendas. She said meetings must begin and end on time, and they should include detailed and accurate minutes.

Price also encouraged the production and maintenance of various lists including membership lists, lists of donors or sponsors, lists of volunteers, lists of committee chairs, and lists of former members.

Facilitator Linda Mansfield discussed various fund-raising techniques. She said before an affiliate can effectively raise money, its members must know its product and be able to articulately sell that product to others. She said funds are raised in basically two categories, restricted funds and unrestricted funds. "More and more organizations are getting in trouble with their state attorney general's office for not spending the money for the purpose toward which the funds were given," she said.

Mansfield said there are five basic motivators that encourage people to give to an affiliate or organization. They include: first, self-fulfilling prophecy -- a situation in which people give believing that the organization to whom they give money reflects who they are as givers. Political organizations and parties are examples of that kind of giving, she said. Second, guilt primarily reflected by charitable giving to religious organizations. "Charitable giving to religious organizations represents about 60 percent of all giving in this country," she said. Third, self- interest -- people give to local hospitals or buy memberships in the local zoo. Fourth, pride -- including gifts to a college or veterans organizations. Fifth, hope -- those who give motivated by hope are seeking cures to disease or some kind of quality of life change. "When you go to people to solicit contributions," she said, "figure out what it is that motivates them to give to you."

She said when seeking funding, affiliate leaders should ask what they think the affiliate is known for. "Think about that very carefully," she said. "There is a likelihood that what you think you are is not the way you are perceived by the folks who are most likely to support you."

She urged affiliate leaders to zealously protect the affiliate's name and reputation. "Be very careful about who you endorse, who you lend that name to, how your name is used, because those are the vehicles through which you partially get known, and you want to make sure that it's put forth in the best possible light at all times."

Mansfield said fund-raising activities usually fall into seven categories. First, special events --black tie dinners, concerts, garage sales; "these tend to be very labor-intensive and expensive," she said. Second, corporate and foundation grants; "I don't include small businesses like local dry cleaners. I'm talking about a corporation who is either headquartered or has a branch office in your area who has a charitable giving program." She said state affiliates have the advantage of being able to solicit money that would be spent within the state. Third, community foundations -- these foundations generally offer funding which is restricted to a particular community. Fourth, direct mail fund-raising -- "junk mail is out there because it works," she said. "People do contribute via the mail." Direct mail fund- raising is expensive, she said, and probably inappropriate for most ACB affiliates. Fifth, sponsorship opportunities -- community organizations which are charged with charitable missions could benefit state affiliates and local chapters. She said ACB affiliates should establish speakers' bureaus which could supply speakers to such community organizations as the rotarians and lions. "You should have a prepared speech, leave materials, make a pitch, and say you want their help," Mansfield exhorted. "You want their help in educating businesses about the blind community; you want to talk about employment and accessibility issues. Have them view you as a resource to make their lives easier."

Sixth, planned giving -- "You need to have a solid base of people who know you and love you and want to put you in their will," she said.

Seventh, quasi-for-profit ventures -- she urged affiliate leaders to develop an entrepreneurial spirit that would allow them to offer services in their community for which they could charge a small fee.

Eighth, contractual arrangements -- agreements between affiliates and fund-raising organizations who agree to provide affiliates with a certain percentage of the proceeds. "I'm very familiar with these types of setups," Mansfield said, "and because I am, I'm very concerned about them. A lot of them are OK, but again, you have very little control over that type of activity. There's no heavy lifting on your part; the company does all the logistics in exchange for a small percentage of the growth, but again, all you're giving them is your good name."

She said affiliates intent on raising money should concentrate on how many man hours will be involved, where the money will come from, and how the money will be spent.

Finally, she said fund-raising must include an element of gratitude. "I'm working on the assumption that we came from a polite society," she said. "Thanking someone is something we all ought to know how to do; we know how it makes us feel. So these precious people who have decided to sponsor you or buy a ticket or give you a contribution are important. The care and feeding of a donor has to be someone's job within your organization."

At the conclusion of Mansfield's remarks, affiliate leaders heard from Nolan Crabb, editor of "The Braille Forum." He described the elements involved in telling an affiliate's story to the local media and the elements in writing press releases. He said affiliate leaders must first believe they can tell their own story without hiring expensive public relations consultants. The construction of the information infrastructure will inevitably increase the media's appetite for news and features -- a real advantage to ACB affiliates.

"You don't have to be Pulitzer prize-winning authors to draft a successful press release, and you don't have to pay $100,000 to a PR firm to get your story told," he said.

He encouraged his audience to evaluate what they already know about their local media and learn what they don't know. He said affiliate members should build accurate lists of names of editors and reporters from news outlets throughout the state. He urged his listeners to be conscious of deadlines and to time the release of the story such that the media would be interested in it.

He described the various elements of press releases and the different methods of distributing releases. Crabb cautioned against simply giving up if a news outlet did a story which didn't appeal to affiliate members. "Sometimes persistence and education pays off," he said.

ACB Treasurer Brian Charlson completed the communications session by discussing the importance of verbal communications. He warned his listeners that manufactured sincerity won't work in public speaking. "Don't be afraid to choose someone in your membership who can portray sincerity when speaking," he said. Staying on the topic and learning to speak with rather than at an audience are important components in successful public speaking.

To demonstrate the importance of impromptu speaking, Charlson called on members of the audience at random and asked them to speak on a topic which he assigned on the spot. He said creating outlines and single-word topics as notes is an excellent way to stay on topic and move the speech along. He covered the basic three categories of speaking -- impromptu speaking, extemporaneous speaking, and oratory. He stressed the importance of knowing the audience being addressed and tailoring remarks to that audience.

Paul Schroeder, Director of Governmental Affairs, and First Vice President Charles Hodge jointly dealt with the importance of advocacy and how to effectively advocate. Hodge warned against taking a passive approach to advocacy. "If we expect the professionals or service providers to advocate for us, we'll be sadly mistaken." In an age of shrinking resources, ACB advocates must be prepared to be effective in seeking new gains and maintaining previously won gains.

Schroeder began his presentation with a newspaper story which stressed the importance of grassroots lobbying. He said an effective way to enhance any group's lobbying success is to first convince the members of the group that the lobbying effort is worth their time and commitment. An effective plan is vital if the effort is to succeed. "You need to know who to influence, you need to know how to appropriately use leverage, you need to know something about applying pressure, and you need to know about events that would impact your request," Schroeder said.

He stressed the importance of one-on-one relationships with politicians where possible and reminded his listeners that some lobbying efforts can take great amounts of time before the advocates see tangible success. "The hardest part of advocacy . . . is to celebrate even the small victories. We have to make people feel good about the efforts they've gone to, because then, they'll go back, . . . and eventually, we may get it achieved."

Sue Ammeter, a member of ACB's board of directors, Jennifer Sutton, and Kim Charlson, a member of ACB's board of publications, discussed the issue of membership development. Sutton listed a variety of ways in which affiliates could recruit new members. She encouraged leaders to place announcements in library publications read by many blind and low vision people in the state who were not members of an organization of the blind. She reminded her audience not to neglect students in their recruiting efforts. Charlson suggested that affiliate leaders set up procedures to respond to non-members who call with questions or concerns. "I've developed a membership application kit which I send out when I get a referral," she explained. An affiliate brochure and a membership application is a must, according to Charlson. Ammeter said membership retention is as important as recruitment. "You have to give people reasons to want to be involved," she said.

The final session of the seminar included small group exercises in which participants were able to draw up an advocacy plan and create a press release.

It was unexpected. Billie Jean Hill, chairperson of ACB's Board of Publications, telephoned to say my Forum column, "I'll Fake It 'Til We Make It" (May 1993) would be awarded a prize at the convention of the American Council of the Blind in Chicago.

That essay opened a crack in the door of a dark, frightening closet: Data presented in inaccessible formats is inaccessible! Maybe that doesn't sound like an earth-shaking secret but its implications in terms of barrier removal could open doors of opportunity for uncounted thousands of Americans who feel they must silently struggle unsuccessfully, trying to keep up with the flood of data which empowers those who have easy access to it.

The sighted world skims and scans with ease, evaluating and using the information we miss or await impatiently until someone or something gets around to putting it into an accessible format. Our sighted colleagues share casual impressions of current magazine expose, the hottest new books, or the most provocative journal articles and we smile mutely or utter something we hope reveals our potential rather than our ignorance. "User friendly" doesn't usually apply to us. We travel on muddy or rutted back roads while those who see are finding the ramps onto the information highway. The piece wasn't written out of self-pity. Once when I worked for what is now the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities I was refused reasonable accommodations on the basis that I was one of the most productive employees there. I've always figured I could "fake" it with the best. But those towering piles of white paper covered with black marks had become darn oppressive.

So I "came out of the closet" in that piece, affirming that I was tired of trying to "pass" and not make waves. I hoped there were others equally weary of feeling personally responsible as they fought a losing battle, trying to compensate for the inaccessibility of bank statements, bills, government reports and movie screens. Did anyone else consider access to information equally as important as other barrier removal campaigns?

Many colleagues within the disability rights movement didn't seem to want to hear there might be very significant lacks in the coverage provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Some of us suggested ADA was just one step in a long trek toward full access. That wasn't a terribly popular thing to say. However, there are many more people who live with significant vision impairments then who use wheelchairs. Those of us who waged the battle for ADA worked hard to create a unified front. Now isn't it time to expand the issue?

Upon one occasion, while listening to a briefing on the level of compliance to the requirements of ADA I was struck by the chief researcher's remark that almost ALL barriers reported to the investigative team were those faced by users of wheelchairs. She said few incidents were reported by those who were blind or visually impaired. Obviously any reports would deal with difficulties in opening doors or finding adequate ramps and bathrooms. Apparently that met the expectations of those with responsibilities to oversee compliance to federal mandates about access.

As the "obvious" observation was being made about "real" barriers, I was putting a dozen reports (printed, of course), into my briefcase. Then, realizing each of these pamphlets was inaccessible, I poised a question still not adequately answered. Couldn't the concept "barriers" be defined so those of us who are blind would be able to explain the dilemma of data access under the new federal law?

This idea seemed to make little sense to those experts gathered for that meeting. The "problem" of data access is, by definition, our individual problem. It couldn't possibly engender the wide appeal of accessible bathrooms.

The other blind person present made no move to support my assertions. Yet I knew of his hopeless struggle to cover up his inability to keep up with the data which crossed his desk. He'd been passed over and his innate brilliance was overshadowed by his "failures." Was he too intimidated to acknowledge there was a real "access" crisis in the federal agency for which he worked? Then I remembered my own attempts to "pass" and I felt sorry for this husband and father who had to continue to "fake it," no matter what it took.

Efforts to create an office system which could turn out data in braille or synthesized speech audiotapes as easily as the ink print formate most of my clients needed was seen as a waste of time and money. It was suggested an embosser was unnecessary for any but an office dealing solely with the blind. Universal data access obviously had not reached the status of universal architectural design! The message: We mustn't ask for or even offer too much. Accessible buses are essential. Maximizing technology for data access isn't.

Years ago I'd written a column suggesting the Library of Congress, which tapes a pitifully small selection of the books on the shelves of its vast collection, might well spearhead a campaign to more adequately meet the needs of blind and visually impaired citizens. Library Services for the Blind had been developed decades ago through the efforts of that marvelous advocate, Helen Keller. Society was simpler then. New challenges in an age of exploding information merit new ways of operating.

The difference between the literary treasures available to sighted scholars in the main reading rooms and the limited choices available for blind people continues to be justified on the basis that this particular "free" service targets recreational reading only. I found myself misunderstood and dismissed as a maladjusted blind person who had not adequately explored options available to blind scholars. The harsh judgements hurt.

And so the unspoken bottom line in my essay was this: Until WE define our problems as a CLASS and raise our shared expectations and demands, maybe my attempts to institutionalize data access really were silly idealism. Maybe I'd best quit making small waves in a big ocean and just sit on the beach. Why struggle?

No wonder the message from Billie Jean was so welcomed. There were others on that desert island, waiting to be free. Then in the midst of my joy a report of a DuPont project, "Consumer Innovations," conducted by their Applied Science and Engineering Laboratories came to my attention. It involves teams of robotics scientists working with people with disabilities to integrate "consumer knowledge and expertise into a 'total design process.'" The goal is to increase the relevance of new technology.

"The first design team has been charged with the task of designing a device which will allow those with limited use of their hands to open an egg and separate its contents, i.e. yoke from white. To date the team has researched the idea and found that no comparable device exits." Don't you just marvel that there hasn't been an uproar about that lack in access technology?

The news flash continued: "The second design team will be devoted to the task of creating a portable device to allow the electric wheelchair user to open a door." I use an electric wheelchair in my office, so is this project meant to help me? Each morning I need help getting into the building which houses my office. However, that problem fades in comparison to the challenges I face in keeping up with the information which is essential once I'm behind my desk. I get irritated when doors are impossible to open myself but waiting for assistance has never jeopardized my ability to do my job.

The grimy husk which covers but can't hide our need for innovative, relevant and creative technology needs to be discarded. Our inability to see was never something we needed to disguise. We need not apologize for demanding social strategies which allow us to fulfill our potential. Pride in our attainments must not block recognition that the society in which we live and labor must play its part in crafting ways for us to fully participate. And our scientists and robotics experts must be educated to see the exciting professional challenges of data access. We have little to lose but a few more barriers on life's journey.

This is to advise you of a situation in which an administrative law judge has issued a ruling favorable to an individual seeking Medicare reimbursement for a closed circuit television. The Health Care Financing Administration has stated in the past that CCTVs and some other devices are not covered under Medicare because they are not prosthetic devices.

Section 1861(s)(8) of the Social Security Act defines "prosthetic devices [other than dental] which replace all or part of internal body organ (including colostomy bags and supplies related to colostomy care) including replacement of such devices, and including one pair of conventional eyeglasses or contact lenses furnished subsequent to each cataract surgery with insertion of an intraocular lens . . ." The HCFA hearing officer denied coverage and reimbursement on the conclusion that a CCTV is not a prosthetic device as it "does not replace a body part." The claimant had submitted a claim twice to the Medicare carrier and had been rejected twice. The claimant then appealed to an administrative law judge who overturned the hearing officer's decision. No action was taken by the appeals council.

The judge decided that the device replaces all or part of the function of a permanently inoperative or malfunctioning internal body organ. He further stated that the hearing officer's conclusion that a prosthetic device must replace and become part of the body runs contrary to prior determinations finding that external items such as colostomy bags and irrigation and flushing equipment are covered as prosthetic devices. The judge stated, "It is on the basis that the CCTV device replaces the function of a permanently inoperative internal body organ (left eye) and a malfunctioning body organ (right eye) that the administrative law judge concludes that coverage is proper. The CCTV was furnished upon a physician's order, and the test of permanence is clearly met." Medicare made payment to the individual on Feb. 22, 1994.

Based on the fact that the HCFA has continued to maintain that equipment used by people who are blind because of their blindness, such as CCTVs, canes, low vision devices, etc., it is expected that the administration will not change its position because of this one case. I expect that HCFA will pay in similar cases only after an applicant/appellant has exhausted his/her administrative appeals and obtained a favorable ruling. However, this ruling does offer some hope that appellants who reach the administrative law judge level will receive payment. Without legislative change, we may be able to convince the Health Care Finance Administration that low vision devices are covered items.

It will be helpful in the continuing effort to obtain coverage for equipment used because of low vision if you are successful in any similar case to let ACB know. Further, we need the efforts of all people concerned with vision loss to ask their congressional representative to ensure coverage in health care legislation for such items as CCTVs, canes and other low vision devices.

On June 21, 1994, the U.S. Senate confirmed Bonnie O'Day of Somerville, Mass., to be a member of the National Council on Disability.

The National Council on Disability is an independent federal agency led by 15 members appointed by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. It is the only federal agency charged with analyzing and making recommendations directly to the president and Congress on issues of public policy which affect people with disabilities.

Currently, O'Day is a consultant to the Independent Living Research Utilization Project in Houston, and an adjunct professor at Suffolk University's School of Public Management in Boston. She has directed independent living centers in Boston, Norfolk, Va., and Marshall, Minn., providing services and advocacy for people with severe disabilities. O'Day serves on the boards of directors of national, state, and local advocacy organizations.

A strong advocate for the civil rights of people who are blind or otherwise disabled since 1973, O'Day has considerable expertise on the Americans with Disabilities Act, and frequently provides guidance and technical assistance on this topic.

O'Day holds a bachelor of science degree in social welfare from Augsburg College in Minneapolis, and a master of public administration degree from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. She is a Ph.D. student at the Heller School for Advanced Studies in Social Welfare Policy at Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass.

The same week that I moved into my new apartment, "The Braille Forum" (vol. 32, no. 7) published toll-free numbers from which we could obtain assistive devices; General Electric was listed as a supplier of braille knobs for ranges. What great timing -- my new oven is a GE. When I placed my order, I was told that the knobs would arrive in six to eight weeks.

Alas, five months went by with no oven knobs, so I called again. The customer service clerk said that GE does not manufacture braille knobs for gas ovens because they "do not wish to promote use of open flames by blind people."

I asked, "Who made that policy decision?"

"I don't know. That's just how it is and it's not going to change."

"I'd like to know the reasoning behind your policy."

"We encourage blind people to buy electric ranges because gas flames are variable."

He didn't know who sets policy, so I asked him to check with his supervisor. When he returned, he said that "the Underwriters Laboratory won't let us make the knobs. So, we won't be making them."

"Is there someone else in another department who might help me?" I asked.

"No, there isn't!" he answered curtly.

We hung up, I called GE corporate headquarters in Louisville, Ky., and related my braille knobs saga. Dan Cousino of customer relations was empathetic and interested. He promised to investigate the problem and get back to me within a few days. I said that even if Underwriters Laboratory would not approve burner knobs, what did that have to do with oven knobs since there was no possible exposure to an open flame? And I explained that the oven knob was most important since that is where precise temperature measurement is critical. I also told him about the kitchen tool that covers burners -- "flame tamers." Two days later, he called to say that we had stirred things up at headquarters and that he would know more soon.

After two weeks, he called to say that there had been several meetings, much research, questioning of policy and a tour of the factory where the knobs are brailled by hand, each hole drilled and stud implanted individually. The investigation was complete. GE was implementing new policies and brailling knobs for gas ovens.

GE will adapt knobs for gas ovens, however, they will not braille gas burner knobs because it is not logical to place fixed indicators on burners that vary from unit to unit. The company is shifting its brailling operation to a more efficient site in another division of the company and the customer service clerks are being retrained to convey the new policies in a more courteous and helpful manner.

Our organizational advocacy efforts are, without question, highly effective, and it is individual members' efforts that make it so. Concurrently, each and every person can also be effective change agents. If you find that adaptive improvements could be made in your environment, don't wait for someone else to fix it. Pursue it. Don't live in the problem. Live in the solution. All it takes is some time, energy and persistence.

Beth Gordon, Fairfax, Va.

Theresa Weaver, the 14-year-old from Dearborn Heights, Mich., who wanted to start a teen affiliate, is now a voting member of ACB. It took several constitutional amendments and recommendations from the membership committee, but she -- and other teens -- may become ACB members by filling out the membership form and paying dues. That's the result of actions taken by ACB's membership committee during the 33rd annual national convention in Chicago.

The call for teen voting privileges came from the membership committee. Pamela Shaw stirred up a lively discussion with her speech. "Young people are the ACB of today for tomorrow," she said. Shaw and her group came up with five ways to incorporate teens: 1) that teens could possibly be part of state affiliates' processes, since there are so many in the mainstream; 2) that teens could be included in the structure of the National Alliance of Blind Students; 3) that there could be a separate affiliate for teens; 4) that teens could be incorporated with their families into the Council of Families with Visual Impairments, and 5) incorporate the best parts of the four ways above, possibly with a teen council of ACB that had adult representatives as well as teens.

George Illingworth, president of the Michigan Council of the Blind, said he was proud of Theresa. "She is part of this," he said. He hopes for more parent involvement. M.J. Schmitt said that New York tried to involve teens years ago. At 16, teens in the New York affiliate could vote, but they weren't certified. "Involving people at an early age does bear fruit," Schmitt said.

Durward McDaniel, vice chairman of the membership committee, said ACB ought to encourage affiliates to qualify teens, who would not pay dues. There should be "no poll tax on teens," he said. Jeff Cohn, Oregon Council's membership chairman, agreed with Shaw that ACB does need young people.

The committee adopted Shaw's report, with requests to see it in print and have recommendations for the September meeting. Further discussion on the matter of teen voting followed. M.J. Schmitt said, "We always talk about building leadership. ... We need [teens] to believe in what we believe in: that blind people should go forward ..."

Cathy Schmitt, the committee's NABS representative, questioned setting an age limit. "If we set the age limit at 16, what about students like Theresa?" she asked. Being counted as a voting member helps build their self-confidence and self-esteem, as well as adding numbers, she said. "We need to listen to what they have to say." Plus, ACB would be recognized as a credible organization.

Richard Villa, president of ACB of Texas and a new board member, asked if that meant that at mixers, the drinks available would be wine, beer and Sunny Delight. (No; teens wouldn't be allowed into "wet" functions.) Sue Ammeter, chairman of the membership committee, questioned whether it was time to readdress this topic.

Cindy Wearstler, from Washington, said it would be good to start looking into this subject now. She suggested that teens under 18 should have a parent's permission and be accompanied by a parent on ACB functions, as well as have the parent's help when voting. Karen Eisenstadt, from New York, disagreed. Kids have enough of their parents' thumbs, she said. Why keep them there?

Shaw said, "This is a tough issue for me, thinking it through." At 13, kids aren't adults. But they shouldn't be mistreated either. They should be protected from some things. Frank Finkenbinder, from Colorado, believed that a teen council would be a step in the right direction.

Sarah Blake of Texas liked Cindy's suggestion, but thought that if a parent couldn't come to a certain function, then that person should designate someone as the child's guardian.

McDaniel suggested the member-at-large classification for the under-18's. This would give them a complimentary subscription to "The Braille Forum," which would give them information about ACB and get them involved. "I like the idea of no dues," he said.

His idea found few people in favor of it on the convention floor. One person asked that, if they're going to have the voting privilege, why not make them accountable for what they do? The amendment which would have exempted teens from paying dues was voted down.

John Taylor of Iowa requested the committee ask for action on the Durward McDaniel proposal. Wearstler asked the committee to consider lowering the age limit to 13 across the board. Cathy Schmitt turned her suggestion into a motion which passed.

Roger Petersen of California said that he believes young people -- and older people -- are immature because of society's low expectations of them. Society expects too little of disabled adults, he said, and prejudice often follows with low expectations.

The membership committee also heard reports from its committees on outreach to minorities and the aging blind. Communication with minorities is important, according to John Lopez, president of the California Council of the Blind. To overcome the language barrier, the "California Connection" is in Spanish on Thursdays, and it is very active on those days, Lopez said. McDaniel moved that the committee recommend to the budget committee that ACB establish and maintain a Spanish-speaking hotline to be answered in the Lopez home. It was seconded and passed.

"I know that we all feel like we are in the minority if we don't see well and so forth, and there are things we deal with every day in the way of prejudice and people's attitudes and such even in the best of situations that makes me very much concerned about the welfare of blind people in this country, even though it's much better than anywhere else I know of," said Vera McClain, chair of the aging committee. Older blind people have special problems, such as loneliness and lack of transportation. Many depended on their sons and daughters to get them places and be with them to read any papers that needed to be signed. "I've seen a lot happen," she said. And she's interested in making the concerns of the elderly blind more important. There will be an elderly blind committee appointed. If you are interested, or know someone who is, contact LeRoy Saunders at the address listed on the back cover of this magazine.

The committee also reviewed who would be working to set up affiliates in various states. John Horst will be working on New Hampshire, John Taylor in Wyoming, Richard Villa in New Mexico, and Vera McClain in West Virginia. The committee will be meeting with the Association of Travel Agents when the group has 20 or 21 people interested. Mark Bristol also spoke, saying that he was pleased with ACB's help with the Idaho project.

(Editor's Note: The following information represents changes to the ACB Constitution and Bylaws which make teen membership in the organization possible. Our thanks to Scott Marshall who chaired the Constitution and Bylaws Committee at the recent convention.)

MEMBERSHIP:

VOTING MEMBER STATUS FOR INDIVIDUALS
UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE

(Four amendments required to accomplish change.)

Amendment 1. Section A (2) Non-voting members shall be the individuals holding sustaining memberships.

Amendment 2. Bylaw 1: Insert the following new language before the last sentence as follows:

Any person who has not reached the age of eighteen (18) years may become a Junior Member-At-Large by completing an official application therefor and by designating his/her preferred edition of The Braille Forum.

Amendment 3. Bylaw 3, Section A: Add the following new sentence to the end of this section:

Dues for junior members-at-large shall be one dollar ($1.00) a year.

Amendment 4. Bylaw 3, Section C: Replace the comma after the word "organizations" with a period, and strike remainder of the section.

A group of international scientists working on solving the complex problems of providing access to mathematical formulas in electronic documents came together at a Math and Science Working Symposium hosted recently by Recording for the Blind at its national headquarters in Princeton, N.J. The mathematicians, computer scientists and software developers met to discuss the work of Dr. T.V. Raman of Digital Equipment Corp., who has done the breakthrough work in this new area.

"Although the subject of the symposium was highly technical and abstract, the practical applications of this vital, cutting- edge research will benefit not only people with disabilities who cannot read print, but our computer-dependent, information-age society at large," said RFB President Ritchie L. Geisel

Although text on a computer disk can easily be converted to synthetic speech or braille output, problems arise with graphic elements such as mathematical formulas where the visual spacing and placement convey much of the meaning. To solve this problem, Dr. Raman, who is blind, developed Audio System for Technical Readings (AsTeR), a software program, as his Ph.D. thesis at Cornell University. By exercising control over pitch, loudness, pauses and other elements of sound, the system can convey the notation that is presented visually on the printed page.

"It is not surprising, but it is extremely rewarding that the breakthrough work in this area has been done by a blind person and long-time RFB borrower," said Christopher W. Brooks, RFB's vice president of information technology. "He needed to access complex computer science books available in electronic form, but no mechanism had been developed for making them understandable through synthetic speech. He solved the problem in such a scientifically elegant way -- both in its fundamental simplicity and its potential for extremely broad applications."

Brooks emphasized that Raman's work, which will be built upon by the scientists who attended the symposium, is of interest to groups such as publishers and software companies as well as the disability community.

Approximately 40 researchers -- including mathematicians and scientists from leading universities in the United States and Europe -- attended the symposium. Representatives from companies and organizations such as IBM, Digital Equipment Company, the American Mathematical Society, Educational Testing Service, the National Security Agency and the Library of Congress, also participated.

The international Math and Science Working Symposium was underwritten by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, which has awarded RFB a three-year $300,000 grant to develop a standard notation system for math and science material.

RFB became actively involved in producing technical books on computer disks in 1991, when George Kerscher of Computerized Books for the Blind, now RFB's director of research and product development, merged his organization into RFB. RFB also provides books on cassette tapes read by volunteers and has the largest library of recorded educational books in the world.

"Because of the ground-breaking work of Dr. Raman and the collaboration of researchers from around the world, the development of a notation system is well under way," said Geisel. "At the same time the challenges ahead are enormous. We at RFB are privileged to have provided the working forum for the scientists who will provide the solutions to these complex problems that will ultimately benefit so many people, without regard to disability, in the coming decades."

If you're looking for an honest man telling his story, pick up Marty Klein's book "Blind Sighted: One Man's Journey from Sight to Insight." It shines a light into his life, about which he says, "I went from being a confident, rebellious, unaware and self-centered Sergeant in the Air Force, through a period of desperation, confusion, guilt and terror as my sight deteriorated, to an aware, compassionate and responsible man without sight."

Trouble, turmoil, trials, tribulations and triumphs spin their way throughout Klein's autobiography, which he divides into two parts -- before and after, in a stream-of-consciousness form, as flashbacks. Often a single word is enough to bring back a memory for him.

Klein opens his story with the last scene he saw: the fire in the fireplace. "As I watched the fire die down, I realized that my eyes were fading with the flames. They were the last thing I would ever see, ever!" Memories flash back of the blind people he had seen in the past, "always begging," he says, "and I was always repulsed by them." Now he had become one of them, and felt angry.

He takes his readers back to 1968, when he was a sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, stationed at Homestead Air Force Base in Florida; he worked as a weatherman, and enjoyed playing pool and gambling. "My one pure innocent love was the weather," he states. "Whenever it rained or stormed I watched in awe, feeling a deep connection with the atmosphere and its overwhelming eternal power." As a child he'd dreamed about becoming a weatherman. That dream came true. Then he learned he had orders to report to Vietnam within 60 days. Desperate, he drove to the base hospital, where the eye doctor found uveitis, glaucoma and cataracts. "'There's no way you can go to Vietnam with that eye condition, Sergeant,'" the doctor told him. Klein's orders were canceled.

His sight problems developed slowly. Initially, his eyes had trouble adjusting to the dark, and a strobe-like flashing began in his right eye, but he tried to ignore it. Then he noticed gray wispy lines and dots floating around his visual field. His superiors began reprimanding him when he missed a few whiskers; they would order him to shave again and re-polish his shoes. "Just in time, I was ordered to spend a three week stint in the base hospital for constant treatment and close scrutiny," he says. While in the hospital, his commander came to tell him about his impending discharge. He was delighted; "I wanted out of the service and there was no way in hell that I would have even considered signing up for another four years, but I put on a show of being disappointed, nodding sympathetically at this difficult decision."

Interspersed with the descriptions of these events are memories from Klein's childhood. He mentions his fear of his father, who beat him, and his mother, who tried to shield him from the hardest most visible blows. He recalls playing with fire, killing ants with the sun's rays through a magnifying glass, watching the fire in a 50-gallon drum at the local gas station, and carrying matchbooks everywhere he went. "I was totally obsessed with fire and its might, and I loved watching things burn," he says. At a friend's house one afternoon, he convinces his friend to let him start a fire in the garbage can in the corner. "The last thing I saw was some curtains go up in smoke, consumed in a flash." He ran home and hid under the bed, not knowing what had happened to his friend Michael's house. Two firemen came in with his mother and told her that if her son did anything like that again, they'd have to take him away forever.

Eventually he is sent to Lackland Air Force Base with the hope that he'll be cured. "The month I spent at Wilford Hall Hospital was extremely rough on me emotionally and physically," he writes. "I felt like a helpless animal in a lab where terrible things were done." In May of 1970, he returned to civilian life and went home to Brooklyn, to the apartment his parents had left.

Klein hoped his emotions, better after his discharge, would stabilize his vision, but that didn't happen. "On the good days I could see almost normally, but often I would get headaches at the end of the day," he writes. "On the bad days it was a struggle to see through what looked like a thick fog." He became frustrated, then confused, then began feeling guilty, and searched for an answer to the origin of his visual problem. At one point, he believed he was allergic to the chalk used on cue sticks!

He springs onto the pool theme, and tells us that his pool skills improved despite his visual deterioration. A flashback to childhood takes us to the first pool table he ever played on: the one at his uncle Lou's house. Years later, he sneaks into Ace Billiards with his friends. Then he meets the new superintendent of his apartment building, who likes pool too. Curtis Johnson teaches him what he knows about pool, and helps him become a better player. "Curtis had helped me discover my inner desire to achieve excellence," he says.

Klein went to college at the University of Miami, but couldn't stand to study. He learned more about pocket billiards and gambling than calculus and physics. He won the South Florida amateur billiards championship in 1967.

After going back to college for a short time in the fall of 1970 at Long Island University, with his vision getting progressively worse, he returned to Miami and stayed with his gambling buddies. It is there that he meets Ellen, a "hippie, female drug dealer" whom he later marries. They begin dealing drugs that March, and later get arrested. But they cooperate with the narcotics agents and help them set up a bust. But, he tells us, "My sight was so bad now that I couldn't see more than ten feet in front of myself."

They move to Albuquerque, with permission from Klein's parole officer. The week of the hot air balloon festival, he experiences a reprieve from his vision loss. "That morning the Albuquerque sky was a deep, rich blue, and the Sandia Mountains, with snow-capped peaks, were standing tall in the west. What a personal thrill to actually see the magnificence of that blue dotted with all the radiant colors as the balloons soared high over the mountains on their way north to Santa Fe. I felt happy, so light and playful."

Another thing that makes him happy is the puppy Ellen gives him, which he names Bucky. And he learns to play the guitar. "It was great therapy for me, but it didn't take my mind completely off the growing fear of living someday without any sight at all," Klein tells us. When they return to Miami months later, he has a small amount of vision in one eye; he decides to terminate further treatment and visits to the doctors with painful consequences.

After the Vietnam War ended, he and Ellen move back to New York "on a cold, blustery day in November," and settled in. Weather, his childhood passion, still thrilled him. He would go outside with the dogs in the middle of a snowstorm, and enjoy every minute of his travels. He realized, however, that his vision had nearly gone. "How ironic, I thought, that the last thing I would ever see would be the dancing flames of fire," he wrote. "I was blind, blind forever and ever. Again I flashed back to the scared little boy, hiding under his bed, hearing the firemen say those same words, they were going to take him away forever and ever if he ever set fire to a house again. I wanted to hold that innocent little five-year-old boy when I recalled him thinking, in such a panicked way, that forever and ever was a long, long time."

But he fought through his anger and repulsion by joining a group and working at a 24-hour hotline. Klein gained confidence working at the hotline, and eventually separated from Ellen; when he moved into his new place, he set up one rule: "If you move anything, please put it back where you found it." He discovered new activities, new people, and through them, new ways to look at the world. He worked to become a re-evaluation counselor and eventually a teacher of counseling. Through counseling, he began to shake the belief that he was "no damn good."

Through his teaching, he began leading, sometimes co-leading, workshops on dealing with sight loss. One weekend, the memory of seeing a blind man on the train returned to him, and, "For that moment I wished I was back on that train. . . . Once I was terrified and repulsed by the blind. And now feeling love and compassion for all my sightless brothers and sisters . . . Unbelievable . . ."

Readers share the sorrows, triumphs, joys and fun as if they were standing with Marty Klein. The sorrow of losing Bucky, his beloved dog, and later Motors, his cat, the triumph of learning to walk alone again, the joy of his new family, and the fun times they share all make this book hard to put down. My favorite part was the chapter about Motors and the relationship he had with Bucky. "I was always in fear of Motors dying or disappearing and never coming back," he writes. "Bucky was like my defense and protection against the harsh world out there, but Motors was like the little boy inside me, the innocent, vulnerable, but very creative and playful little guy. To live without him would have been devastating."

"Blind Sighted: One Man's Journey from Sight to Insight," by Marty Klein, is available on cassette from Recording for the Blind; phone 1-800-221-4792. It is also being produced on cassette and in braille by the National Library Service for the Blind, and should be announced in the near future in "Talking Book Topics." If you want to purchase a copy of the printed version, send a $12 check to Marty Klein, Box 341, Bearsville, NY 12409.