The ACB Braille Forum Volume LXI September 2022 No. 3 Published by the American Council of the Blind ***** * Be A Part of ACB The American Council of the Blind™ is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, contact the national office at 1-800-424-8666. * Contribute to Our Work Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Attn: Treasurer, ACB, 6200 Shingle Creek Pkwy., Suite 155, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office has printed cards available for this purpose. Consider including a gift to ACB in your Last Will and Testament. If your wishes are complex, call the national office. To make a contribution to ACB by the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. * Check in with ACB For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the “Washington Connection” 24/7 at 1-800-424-8666, or read it online. Listen to ACB Reports by downloading the MP3 file from www.acb.org, or call (518) 906-1820 and choose option 8. Tune in to ACB Media at www.acbmedia.org or by calling (518) 906-1820. Learn more about us at www.acb.org. Follow us on Twitter at @acbnational, or like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/acbnational. © 2022 American Council of the Blind Eric Bridges, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor 1703 N. Beauregard St., Suite 420, Alexandria, VA 22311 ***** ** Table of Contents President’s Message: The Audio Description Project Is Making a Difference, by Dan Spoone 2022 Conference and Convention Wrap-Up, by Janet Dickelman Thank You from the Auction Committee Section 508 Audio Description in the Federal Sector, by Pat Sheehan Smart Television for Dummies, by Carl Richardson The Audio Describer as Cast Member: Audio Description at Every Performance, by Joel Snyder, Ph.D. Audio Description Project 2022 Achievement Awards, by Kim Charlson ADP Congratulates This Year’s Young Audio Description Reviewers, by Susan Glass ACB 2022 Audio Description Awards Gala Affiliate News Notice of Proposed Settlement of Class Action and Fairness Hearing Here and There, edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins High Tech Swap Shop ACB Officers ACB Board of Directors ACB Board of Publications Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums ** Upcoming Forum Themes and Deadlines November: Diabetics in Action; deadline: September 23rd December (electronic): International Relations Committee; deadline: October 24th ** Are You Moving? Do You Want to Change Your Subscription? Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. Give her the information, and she’ll make the changes for you. ***** ** President’s Message: The Audio Description Project Is Making a Difference by Dan Spoone ACB’s Audio Description Project (ADP) program is the chief influencer in the United States and around the world. The ADP program features a tremendous website, adp.acb.org, supported by Fred Brack, with a master listing of over 7,000 titles providing a one-stop location for directory access to television, streaming, movies, DVDs and cable network shows offering audio description. The website also features museums and performing arts centers offering AD. There are news articles, listing of audio description services, AD event announcements and so much more. The ADP program has a steering committee that meets each month to review over 60 smart objectives they have planned for the year. There are six subcommittees that also meet each month; they are: • Media • Performing Arts, Museums and Parks • Event Programming • 508 Support for Government Agencies • Benefits of Audio Description In Education (BADIE) Essay Contest • ADP Achievement Awards The ADP Steering Committee is co-chaired by Kim Charlson and Carl Richardson. The ACB staff coordinator is Jo Lynn Bailey-Page, and the team receives contract support from founder and senior consultant Joel Snyder, social media consultant Serina Gilbert, and engineering consultant Timothy Wynn. All the subcommittees are led by ACB member volunteers. Carl Richardson heads media; Sheila Young leads performing arts, museums and parks; Kim Charlson handles event programming; Jeff Thom leads ADP Achievement Awards; Susan Glass has led the BADIE essay contest, and Patrick Sheehan heads the 508 government agencies subcommittee. All subcommittees are staffed with seven to 10 ACB volunteer members and friends. The program coordinates with the advocacy steering committee and the information access committee on several objectives each year, and receives expert guidance from advocacy director Clark Rachfal and advocacy specialist Swatha Nandhakumar. The ADP program has a social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and has an active ADP email conversation list. Over the past few years, ACB and the ADP program have worked with Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, Hallmark, Paramount Global, Comcast NBCUniversal, and so many other industry leaders to increase their audio description offerings. Just this year, Paramount Global (CBS) announced that nearly all of their primetime programming will be aired with AD. The ADP program has worked with the National Park Service (NPS), Google and the University of Hawai’i to audio describe all 400 NPS park visitor brochures through the UniD application. The initiative brings NPS park rangers, ACB member volunteers and research professors from the University of Hawai’i together twice each year through a Descript-a-thon event to create 16 new audio-described visitor brochures. To date, there are over 150 brochures in the UniD App. ACB and the ADP program are proud to announce the second annual AD Awards Gala to promote audio description throughout the broadcast media industry and recognize achievements in AD that have contributed to the ability of the blind and low vision community to participate equally in the fabric of main street society. The gala will be aired on Tuesday, Nov. 29, and broadcast on several streaming platforms. Our ACB family is very proud of the accomplishments of the ADP program, and we give a big “hip, hip, hooray!” for all their efforts. ACB is truly a chief influencer in audio description. ***** ** 2022 Conference and Convention Wrap-Up by Janet Dickelman Our first-ever hybrid convention combined in-person, Zoom and ACB Media, and was a huge success. We did something that local A/V people in Omaha told us wasn’t done, but ACB did it! A huge thank-you to Rick Morin, ACB Media and IT Manager, ably assisted by the entire media team and Ryan Cordell; they were definitely “Here, There, and Everywhere!” Deb Lewis spent countless hours setting up Zoom links for all the presenters, dealing with last-minute changes and additions. Cindy Hollis and Kolby Garrison did a masterful job organizing the Zoom hosts. The hotel staff at the Hilton and those at the convention center were extremely helpful and friendly. The host committee, chaired by Mark Bulger, did a great job with their Beatles “Come Together” welcome party, procuring local exhibitors, getting items for registration bags and whatever else was asked of them. As always it gives me great pleasure to acknowledge the convention committee. Margarine, Sally, Michael, Rhonda and Vicky, you handle your duties independently and efficiently; you make my life so much easier. We all benefited from the wonderful airport volunteers Margarine procured, and her tireless work to make everything as accessible as possible. Rhonda’s tours were outstanding. She works very hard to make sure we have fun and accessible places to visit. Michael and the exhibit hall — this year, in addition to handling the in-person exhibit hall, he organized the virtual exhibitors’ loop, our Zoom exhibitor overview and even a number to call to leave messages for our exhibitors. Vicky ran the information desk, answering all your questions and reuniting you with your lost items. Sally recruited and organized our wonderful volunteers. Thanks also to the individuals who handled telephone registrations and to those of you who answered the phone for the virtual information desk. The Minneapolis and Alexandria staffs as always were extremely helpful performing many convention-related tasks. I worked most closely with Nancy Becker and her staff, who spent months preparing for the convention and working nonstop during convention week. To those of you who participated in the convention either in person or virtually, thank you for your support and feedback. Now our thoughts turn to Schaumburg, Ill. and the Renaissance Hotel. The 2023 conference and convention dates are June 30 through July 7. Travel to Schaumburg and hotel details will be provided in my next article. * Staying in Touch The conference and convention announce list will be filled with information. To subscribe to the list, send a blank e-mail to Acbconvention+subscribe@acblists.org. If you received updates for the 2022 convention, you do not need to subscribe to the list. ***** ** Thank You from the Auction Committee The auction committee would like to say thank you! The ACB family came together to raise over $37,000 at the 2022 summer auction supporting the ACB Community and membership engagement. We appreciate all the wonderful donations from affiliates, vendors, members and friends of ACB. There were 150 items featuring homemade goodies, vacations, jewelry, technology and crafts. Once again, thanks for making this the most successful auction ever. Now it’s time to get ready for the ACB Media Holiday Auction. The Holiday Auction will be held on Sunday, Nov. 27 at 7 p.m. Eastern. There will be a Sneak a Peek Appetizer Auction on Friday, Nov. 25 and Saturday, Nov. 26. The deadline for auction item descriptions is Monday, Oct. 17 with pictures. Please send your items to Leslie Spoone by Friday, Nov. 4, or you can hold the item for direct shipment to the winner. We look forward to everyone participating in the ACB Media Holiday Auction this year. Let’s celebrate ACB and the holidays in style! If you have any questions, please reach out to Leslie Spoone at lesliespoone@cfl.rr.com or call (407) 678-4163. Happy bidding! ***** ** Section 508 Audio Description in the Federal Sector by Pat Sheehan * Moving the Needle The Section 508 subcommittee has been very active in 2022 providing training, mentorship and resources to federal and state agencies as they move to mature Section 508 programs in the federal government. For years it was believed that any video produced by the government just needed captioning, either open or closed, to conform to the Access Board’s standards. Of course, this is not true; many of the multimedia products produced by the government need audio description (AD) so blind customers can obtain comparable access to the information and services available in government videos. The Section 508 subcommittee of the American Council of the Blind’s Audio Description Project has engaged the federal sector to provide training, mentorship and resources for agencies to meet AD requirements. Although the standards to provide AD have been part of the technical Section 508 requirements since 2001, the necessary training, commercial subject matter experts, and mentorship have not been available. We are now seeing the government move forward as training and talent are being made part of government procurements, and, more importantly, customers who are becoming accustomed to receiving quality audio description are demanding it. In late January of 2022, the Section 508 subcommittee provided training through the Access Board’s Chief Information Office Community of Practice (CIOC) training committee. These training sessions, sponsored by the Access Board, provide 6 trainings each year to federal, state, and local agencies on how to meet the technical requirements of Section 508. This year, members of the Access Board, the Section 508 subcommittee, and the National Park Service (NPS) provided an overview of what audio description (AD) is and how it can enhance agency programs, and provided necessary resources to implement an effective AD program within state or federal agencies. According to Access Board metrics, there were around 500 individuals in attendance, a mix of state and federal agencies as well as some commercial companies that have multiple contracts with the federal government. Members of the ADP 508 subcommittee followed up with several agencies who needed AD resources to fulfill their requirements to provide AD on agency YouTube videos. We provided over 200 agencies with a list of vendors who have had experience in providing audio description for federal or state procurements. In addition, organizations from the blind community, including the American Council of the Blind (ACB), National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA), have contacted federal agencies after reviewing YouTube videos and indicating that the videos are not meeting Section 508 requirements to provide comparable access to information for multimedia products. These federal agencies have agreed to evaluate their YouTube products for conformance and provide a schedule of when these products will be remediated. The Section 508 subcommittee also agrees that multimedia products housed in the YouTube platform should provide the ability to enable AD as part of their overall capability and not force federal agencies to provide a second video product that is enabled for AD only. The Section 508 subcommittee is pleased that the first ADP Public Sector Award was given to the Centers for Disease Control and Office of the Associate Director for Communications at its annual convention. Quoting from the award guidelines: “The Achievement Awards are made to individuals and/or organizations for outstanding contributions to the establishment and/or continued development of significant audio description programs in each of five areas: media, performing arts, museums/visual arts/visitor centers, international, and public sector.” The awards committee felt that described the CDC’s ongoing work promoting access to media during the recent pandemic, especially by providing audio description to videos, and for mentorship of other agencies on best practices in implementing audio description within the federal sector. ***** ** Smart Television for Dummies by Carl Richardson, Co-chair, Audio Description Project At the ACB convention in Omaha, Neb., Tom Wlodkowski, VP of Accessibility for Comcast, announced a collaboration with Walmart to sell a fully accessible smart television for blind and low vision viewers of television everywhere. As I watched Tom demonstrate this fully accessible TV, the Hisense XClass, to the convention, it occurred to me that not everyone knew what a smart television was, all the benefits it offers, and that it is one of the easiest ways to access audio description. With a smart TV set, you have access to thousands of hours of video content with audio description. Thanks to the passage of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, most television sets now come with accessibility features built in. * What is a Smart Television? A smart television is a TV set that connects to your home Internet service and can give you access to free over-the-air broadcast, over the top content services and streaming services such as Netflix, HBO Max and others, along with access to Internet radio and services such as Amazon Alexa, and much more. Most of the major brands such as Insignia, Panasonic, Toshiba, Samsung, Sony, LG, and many more now offer many accessibility features. Below are just some of the features to consider when purchasing a smart TV set. Not all TV sets come with all the features and same level of accessibility, so I recommend that you go to your local store to test these features or read the documentation available online. * Voice Guidance Smart TV sets now come with some form of voice guidance, where a screen reader will read you a TV guide telling what there is to watch, channel selection, volume level, what time it is, and how to change things in your menu settings, such as sound and display settings, to suit your vision preferences. Please note that each TV manufacturer has a different name for their voice guidance feature. * Appearance of Menus for People with Low Vision Many smart TV sets now give you the option to change the appearance of the TV menus according to your vision needs. You can control things such as: • Increase the menu text size; • Change to a clearer font style, if needed; • Change color contrast; and • Increase screen magnification. * Remote Controls for Smart TVs Remote controls have come a long way and offer much in term of accessibility. They allow you to access audio description with a touch of one button. Many remote controls now have braille markings on them and have one button that is solely dedicated to audio description for free over-the-air broadcast. My favorite feature on my remote control is that I can use it as a microphone to access many of the functions that control the TV set. I can push a button and with my voice simply change channels, find out what time it is, switch between services such as Netflix and HBO Max, access my local Internet radio station, and much more. * Accessing Audio Description With a smart TV set, it is easier than ever to access audio description with traditional broadcast television than ever than before. You can access it either by going to the accessibility menu on your set and enabling on the feature, or click a button on your remote labeled SAP, AD, or Audio. For streaming services such as Netflix or Prime Video, play the program and go to audio languages and select audio description. This usually only must be done once. After that, all content within each service that offers audio description should play automatically. For a full list of all shows that have audio description, you can go to the Audio Description Project’s website at adp.acb.org. So, as you can see, smart TV sets are a fully accessible and enjoyable way to access audio description! Happy viewing! ***** ** The Audio Describer as Cast Member: Audio Description at Every Performance by Joel Snyder, PhD President, Audio Description Associates, LLC Founder/Senior Consultant, Audio Description Project of the American Council of the Blind (Editor’s Note: This article is excerpted from presentations made at the Unlimited! 3 Conference in Antwerp, Belgium and the International Conference on Accessible Intersemiotic Translation in Parma, Italy.) In the 1990s, Access Theater and Rod Lathim in Santa Barbara, Calif. pioneered a system whereby an audio description script is developed throughout the rehearsal process for a show in close consultation with the show’s artistic staff (director, designers, performers). The audio description was available at any public performances on demand. This sort of “every performance” availability is generally only found via recorded audio description, as used for several Broadway productions in New York. But it is typically unavailable until well into the run of a show and, of course, a set recording for a live event is often technically and aesthetically infeasible. With live audio description available at each performance of a performing art event, the individual developing and voicing the audio description, often the same person, is a trained audio describer who benefits from the close association with the production staff — he/she is a “cast member,” but not really: there is no need for the individual to be a member of Actors’ Equity Association and, unlike a cast member, he/she need not attend every performance beyond the first half-hour of the show if no one has requested the audio description service. Generally, the describer is offered a set fee for the overall commitment — or with a longer run, a per-show cost can be arranged. The script for the audio description is not recorded or even memorized, but relied upon loosely — “half an eye on the script and one-and-a-half eyes on the stage” — it’s a LIVE performance, after all. The delivery of the audio description is made via an infrared or FM system already available at most performing arts spaces. Further, as with Access Theater’s award-winning production of “Storm Reading,” the audio description script can tour with the show and be available for use/adjustment by local, trained audio describers. A brief clip from the DVD of a live performance for which I wrote and voiced the audio description is available at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IB8KsNe1ZfSglKfdQ9_WzONgOt7PF43o/view?usp=sharing. A formal audio description service — the world’s first — was begun under the leadership of a blind woman, Dr. Margaret Pfanstiehl, at The Metropolitan Washington Ear, a radio reading service based in Washington, D.C. Radio reading services still exist throughout the United States principally with the participation of volunteer readers; I began working as a volunteer reader at The Ear in 1972 and was proud to be a founding member of its audio description service in 1981. Radio reading services are heavily dependent on volunteers, and The Ear’s audio description service was also structured around voluntary contributions of time and effort. Cognizant of the limits on the time available from people who often maintain full-time employment elsewhere, audio description was conceived as a service that would be offered at only two performances of a theatrical run, and preparation for the audio-described performances was based on the observation of only two or three performances early in the run of a production. Even then, it was understood that optimally audio description would be prepared with more in-depth observation of the theatrical event, even during rehearsals, and that audio description should be offered at every performance in the run of a show. But the limitation of the volunteer structure prohibited that arrangement. The proliferation of audio description for live theatrical events in the United States and elsewhere has been based primarily on this volunteer, limited preview/two-described-performances model. So the current practice of offering audio description at one or two performances in the run of a show was established over 40 years ago; it has never represented equity and in my opinion can no longer be tolerated. The belief, often stated by the founders of that first audio description service noted above, was that the service must be offered to theaters for free or at absolutely minimal expense – if not, the theaters simply won’t offer the service. My assertion is that access is not an add-on — it is a requirement and a necessary cost of doing business — and must be practiced by professionals who are every bit as committed to the success of every performance as every formal cast member. Some have countered that “any audio description is better than none.” I believe that the opposite is true — I have witnessed first-time audio description patrons take ear buds from the ears when they experience audio description that is less than optimal, distracting rather than enhancing. That patron likely will then not be inclined to use audio description at other events. A brief story about access at every performance: In 1995, I made a trip to New York City to attend a performance by the company Theatre By The Blind (TBTB). I was excited — a troupe of actors who are blind! Surely the company would use audio description — a company of blind actors would certainly want to be accessible to blind audience members. I was eager to sample their audio description work. The group had NO audio description as traditionally practiced. No audio description?! When I learned that, I was disappointed and ready to “preach the gospel of AD” to these people! Instead, TBTB (now known as Theatre Breaking Through Barriers) taught me an important lesson about accessibility and universal design. According to George Ashiotis (a blind man, one of the TBTB founders and a professional actor), audio description was so important to the mission of TBTB that it must be a part of every performance of every show. Further, it needn’t be an “add-on” — it should be an integral part of every script and a critical part of every director’s concept. At TBTB, every production’s planning and rehearsal process includes consideration of audio description from the beginning. How can the audio description be integrated within the production? Will the production add a “narrator” character that propels the action and also provides cleverly crafted description of visual elements? Perhaps the script can be modified to include descriptive elements spoken by the various characters? In this way, the audio description becomes part of an inclusive process, part of a universal design concept, helpful and aesthetically viable for all audience members. In the same way, theater that welcomes deaf audience members can be designed inclusively by employing shadow interpreters (a “twin” character/actor who signs is paired with a speaking character/actor) or displaying subtitles. And in the case of theater that is principally signed, “voicers” are used to match sign with the spoken or sung lines (I recently voiced the title character in a production of “Julius Caesar” at Gallaudet University, the world’s first university for deaf students). Along the same lines, I had an opportunity to visit Tel Aviv and attend performances by the Israeli company of deaf/blind actors, “Nalaga’at.” It was an honor to offer a workshop on the development of audio description for their productions. Fast forward to 2014: with support from the D.C. Aid Association for the Blind, the Audio Description Project of the American Council of the Blind proposed a more expansive audio description arrangement for two productions at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. (where the first audio-described theatrical performances occurred in 1981). We collaborated with Arena on an experiment: Jo Lynn Bailey-Page, the Audio Description Project’s Coordinator, attended rehearsals for a production, met with the stage director, actors, the designers (scenic, costumes, lighting, sound) and developed an audio description script throughout the three-week rehearsal period. The script was then available for Jo Lynn to voice at every performance beginning with opening night and with, of course, an eye on stage action as changes could occur from performance to performance. Again, the describer, essentially, was a “cast member,” attending every rehearsal and performance. The arrangement had two benefits over the traditional model of audio description development for live performance: 1) time was available to carefully observe the theatrical process and construct descriptive language that was more thorough and considered; and 2) people desiring the service could attend any performance with no advance notice and be assured of access to the visual aspects of the production. Other innovations included braille and large-print programs, models of the set and props in the lobby, and a tactile “scrapbook” of costume pieces. It was gratifying to note that attendance for the productions by people using audio description tripled over levels experienced at Arena using the traditional volunteer model. Not only does a live, every-performance practice provide parity with the sighted audience, it can result in increased revenue for the performance venue (audio description patrons are no longer limited to particular performances when the event is made accessible). New estimates from the American Foundation for the Blind, based on data from the federal government, reveal that in the United States there are over 32 million people who are blind or have low vision. It is past time for performance companies to consider how accessibility can result in aesthetic innovation, be made available at every performance, and open up untapped sources of revenue. ***** ** Audio Description Project 2022 Achievement Awards by Kim Charlson, ADP Steering Committee Co-Chair ACB’s Audio Description Project (ADP) is a multi-faceted program covering all aspects of audio description advocacy work including greater availability, promotion, production initiatives, and quality issues across all possible venues. One important part of the ADP involves the recognition of outstanding contributions to the field of audio description. This is done through the annual presentation of the Audio Description Project Achievement Awards. These awards are given to individuals and/or organizations for outstanding contributions to the establishment or continued development of significant audio description programs. The organizations and individuals honored with these awards are among the leaders in description. For 2022, the ADP had an abundance of highly qualified nominations for our eight different awards. Listed below are the categories and this year’s recipients. * Achievement in Audio Description — Media/Individuals: Norma Jean Wick and Tony Ambrosio Descriptive Video Works, Ontario, Canada Norma and Tony worked as a united team on behalf of Descriptive Video Works as audio describers, providing almost 500 broadcast hours of live described content for NBC’s coverage of the Tokyo and Beijing Olympics and Paralympics, which was unprecedented coverage for accessibility in live sports. Their work required extensive research into the athletes and the terminology for over 68 different sporting events covered during the summer and winter Games, culminating in an amazing demonstration of creativity and skill with live description, and balancing what and when to describe and working alongside other broadcast team members. They often worked through the night to accommodate the time zones of the Olympics, and they provided an invaluable service in bringing depth and enjoyment to the televised experience for blind and low vision audiences. In addition to their lengthy careers in sports broadcasting in Canada, each has maintained a long-standing commitment to accessibility. Norma has deep ties to audio description and has worked on each of the Olympics since London 2012, while also working as a freelance audio description writer and narrator. Tony has been describing events since the 2016 Olympics in Rio, and has provided live description for Toronto Blue Jays baseball games. * Achievement in Audio Description — Performing Arts/Individual: Maryfrances Evans, Executive Director, Iowa Radio Reading Information Service (IRIS), Des Moines, IA As executive director of Iowa Radio Reading Information Service, Maryfrances developed Iowa’s first audio description team, Sensation, and has cultivated its growth over the past decade. IRIS first considered audio description services in 2012. Within months, Maryfrances secured $10,000 for training and equipment, assembled 25 narrators, and brought Dr. Joel Snyder to Iowa to train those volunteers. She collaborated with the staff of Des Moines Performing Arts, who agreed to install necessary equipment and work with Sensation. On Oct. 7, 2012, Sensation made history in Iowa! Blind Iowans experienced live audio description of the production, “Les Miserables.” A decade later, an expanded Sensation team continues providing quality audio description for various events in several performing arts venues under Maryfrances’ leadership. Beyond theatrical performances, from “A Puppet Parody” to the acclaimed “Hamilton,” Sensation describes both Des Moines Opera and Des Moines Ballet presentations. Theater, dance, music — Sensation describes it all! When volunteers are unavailable, Maryfrances narrates, often on evenings and weekends. A visionary, she finds novel ways to expose the public to audio description including opportunities for open description to the entire audience. Her enthusiasm and commitment to assuring that blind and low vision Iowans fully experience the magic of live events and theater has spurred the program’s growth. Maryfrances and the IRIS team have assured a fuller, more meaningful experience to blind and low vision audience members in Iowa. * Achievement in Audio Description — Performing Arts/Organization: Prime Stage Theatre with Nathan Ruggles, Audio Describer, Pittsburgh, PA Prime Stage Theatre and Nathan Ruggles were honored for their collective accomplishments and dedication to providing audio description experiences for audiences. When Prime Stage began the process of presenting audio-described performances in 2017, they knew Nathan Ruggles was the perfect person for this role, with his interests and connections in the blindness community. His descriptions made all the difference for blind and low-vision individuals to enjoy live performance to its fullest potential. While he has been providing audio description services for Prime Stage Theatre since 2017, he officially joined the staff in 2021. This commitment has vastly increased Prime Stage’s ability to effect change and make improvements to their audio description program. Ruggles brought more than audio description to Prime Stage and their patrons. He suggested adding Actor Voice ID and “Touch Tour” workshops before the performances to provide a better understanding of the overall production. Large print and braille programs are also provided. The recent pandemic challenged Prime Stage to re-imagine how they produce theatre with the creation of live and recorded streamed performances. While many theatres present audio description for live performances, the commitment of Ruggles and Prime Stage expanded to a new height ensuring all audiences would have access to performances live on stage, and with recordings of live and on-demand streamed performances with audio description. Reaching a wider domestic and international audience, Prime Stage has made their performances closed captioned in several languages as well. * Dr. Margaret R. Pfanstiehl Memorial Achievement Award for Research and Development: Dr. Elisa Perego and Dr. Christopher Taylor, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy Dr. Chris Taylor and Dr. Elisa Perego, based in Trieste, Italy, were recognized for their contribution to the field of audiovisual translation and, more specifically, all who study, produce, and appreciate audio description. They are the editors of the recently released book, “The Routledge Handbook of Audio Description.” The handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the expanding field of audio description, the practice of rendering the visual elements of a multimodal product such as a film, painting, or live performance with vivid language description for the benefit of the blind community. This volume brings together scholars, researchers, practitioners and service providers, such as broadcasters from all over the world, to cover as thoroughly as possible all the theoretical and practical aspects of the audio description field. In 38 chapters, the authors chart how the discipline has become established both as an important professional service and as a valid academic subject, how it has evolved and how it has come to play such an important role in accessibility. From the early history of the subject to the challenges represented by ever-changing technology, the handbook covers the approaches and methodologies adopted to analyze the visual to best select the words to most clearly provide meaningful audio description. It is the essential guide and companion for advanced students, researchers and audio description professionals within the more general spheres of translation studies and media accessibility. The chapters include important essays such as a profile of audio description end-users, linguistic needs and inclusivity; linguistic and textual aspects of audio description; and audio description and culture-specific elements. Chapters also contain information about the use of audio description in opera and dance, as well as how it is being used in the United States. * Achievement in Audio Description — Visual Art/Museums/Visitor Centers/Organization: Wright Brothers National Memorial, Kill Devil Hills, NC The Wright Brothers National Museum was recognized for its extraordinarily accessible and inclusive visitor center experience for blind and low vision guests. The comprehensive audio-described tour is provided by a peripheral device and headphones, and is expertly synchronized to guide the user throughout the visitor center in sequential order. At each panel of written information, the audio-described tour narrates the entire panel and highlights any visual information such as photos, illustrations, paintings and videos. The audio tour provides the user with clear and accurate directions to navigate the Wright Brothers’ story throughout the visitors’ center. In addition to the audio descriptions of the visual information, the audio tour describes the tactile and experiential exhibits. The aspect of the audio tour that is most impressive is the system’s ability to synchronize the listening device with the wall of video monitors showing momentous events in aviation history. While the videos are playing, the listening device is designed to synchronize audio description for the otherwise silent videos. Staff at the visitors’ center are always friendly and knowledgeable and take every opportunity to inform guests of the accommodations available. Visitors can also gain access to additional described content for the Memorial by using the National Park Service (NPS) smartphone app. The NPS app provides image descriptions for landmarks around the Memorial, such as the statue denoting where the flights began and the granite markers identifying where each of the four first flights landed, including the engravings on the markers. * Achievement in Audio Description — Visual Art/Museums/Visitor Centers/Individual: Holly Griesemer, Management and Program Analyst, National Park Service Midwest Region/Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance and Accessibility Programs, Omaha, NE Holly Griesemer is the Management and Program Analyst for the National Park Service Midwest Region, based in Omaha, Neb. She has worked with the National Park Service for almost 15 years. She started out as a student in the Safety program, then joined the Concessions Program upon graduation, and currently serves in two programs, the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) Program and the Accessibility Program. She is passionate about making the National Parks and our communities more accessible and creating local outdoor recreation and conservation opportunities for all. Her work with the RTCA program ensures that everyone has safe and equitable access to close-to-home outdoor places and experiences. RTCA assists communities and public land managers in developing or restoring parks, conservation areas, rivers, and wildlife habitats as well as creating outdoor recreation opportunities and programs that engage future generations in the outdoors. Holly’s Midwest Region encompasses Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. She worked with ACB and the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Headquarters in Omaha in preparation for ACB’s 2022 convention to create additional accessible materials and experiences for the tour of the Lewis and Clark Visitors’ Center. She also coordinated NPS staff to distribute free America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes for ACB convention participants. Holly also works with the NPS Midwest Region (MWR) Accessibility Program and ACB to increase access and equality for people who are blind or have low vision and their families. She works with the University of Hawai’i, NPS, ACB, volunteers and other partners from around North America on increasing accessibility of park brochures for visitors who are blind or have low vision as part of the UniDescription (UniD) Project. This project provides audio-described versions of brochures that are made widely available through the free UniD app for both Android and Apple smartphones. Over 100 NPS park brochures are available and about 30 more are in the pipeline. * Achievement in Audio Description — Public Sector: Centers for Disease Control, Accessibility Program and Office of the Associate Director for Communications, Atlanta, GA The Centers for Disease Control Accessibility Program and Office of the Associate Director for Communications was recognized as the recipient of the first ADP Public Sector Award for their diligent and professional work promoting access to all media during the recent pandemic. The CDC has placed special emphasis on providing audio description for its videos so that all audiences, especially the blind community, are afforded equivalent access to information and services provided to the general public without disabilities. In addition, they have mentored numerous agencies on best practices on how to implement audio description within the federal sector. * Barry Levine Memorial Career Achievement Award: Mark Turits Mark Turits is Vice President of Captioning and Audio Description/Access Services for Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). He joined CBS as Director of Captioning in 1996. He has a B.F.A. from The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. He was an appointed member of the FCC’s Video Programming Accessibility Advisory Committee (VPAAC) and the FCC’s Disability Advisory Committee (DAC) working group on Audio Description Quality (ADQ). For the past 40+ years since its inception, he has overseen and grown accessibility at CBS, pay cable TV, and now streaming with Paramount+. In March, CBS Television Network, under the leadership of Turits, significantly increased the amount of programming available with Audio Description. CBS added AD to seven primetime series: “Bull,” “Ghosts,” “United States of Al,” “S.W.A.T.,” “Good Sam,” “Magnum P.I.,” and “Undercover Boss.” With these additions, CBS now offers audio description with nearly all of its regularly scheduled scripted primetime programs. CBS has consistently exceeded the government-mandated hourly requirement for AD programming over the past 20 years, maintaining its commitment to audio description even though the courts ruled the FCC exceeded its authority in this area in 2002. Quoted in a recent ACB release, Turits stated: “CBS is proud to provide audio description to audiences of nearly our entire primetime lineup, and we will continue to work to expand this important access for fans of our shows. It reflects many of Paramount Global’s core values including inclusivity, collaboration, determination, agility and adaptability.” With these expanded AD offerings, CBS and Mark Turits continue to demonstrate leadership in the provision of accessible media for blind and low vision television viewers. * Achievement in Audio Description — International: World Blind Union The World Blind Union (WBU) represents the estimated 253 million people who are blind or partially sighted worldwide. Members are organizations of and for the blind in 190 countries, as well as international organizations working in the field of vision loss. WBU’s long-term, 20-year vision is: “A world in which we, as blind or partially sighted people, can participate fully in any aspect of life we choose.” And that includes involvement with every nation’s cultural life. WBU views audio description as an essential part of ensuring access to a nation’s cultural activities. In 2018, the World Blind Union collaborated with ACB on a worldwide survey of audio description activity. The survey of 69 countries found that: • 67% of respondents said that audio description was available in the respondent’s country; cinema, television, live performing arts, and DVDs top the list of the type of audio description experiences available, followed by museums, the Internet, smartphones, educational settings, and in visitors’ centers; • Almost 45% indicated that audio description is required by law (64% of those respondents reported that it was required for broadcast television); and • 99% of respondents said that they believe audio description should be available or more available. In 2021, the WBU and ACB once again collaborated to produce a Spanish translation of the ACB-published title “The Visual Made Verbal: A Training Manual and Guide to the History and Applications of Audio Description” by Dr. Joel Snyder. ***** ** ADP Congratulates This Year’s Young Audio Description Reviewers by Susan Glass It is with deep pleasure that I publish here the names of this year’s Benefits of Audio Description In Education (BADIE) contest winners. Each year, ACB ADP and our partner the Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP) co-sponsor the BADIE Contest, in which blind and visually impaired young people ages 7 to 21 watch an audio-described film of their choice, and then write a 300-word evaluation of the film’s audio description. They share specific ways in which the audio description enhanced or detracted from their experience with the film. Members of the BADIE committee read all contest entries, and then choose first, second and third place winners in four student age categories. The grand prize winner receives an iPad Mini and an invitation to read their review at either ACB’s leadership meetings or the national conference and convention. This year’s second place award in the Sophomores category went to Achilleus Budgen of Agnes Smith Elementary School, Huntington Beach, Calif., for a review of “The Case of the Missing Day.” Aaron Martel from the Arapaho Classical Magnet School in Richardson, Tex., won first place in this category for his review of the video “Archie the Brave.” In the Juniors division, Tateana Sampson of North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind, Grand Forks, N.D., won second place for her review of the video “Kindness Counts.” First place in the Juniors division was presented to Jurnee Rust of North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind, Grand Forks, N.D. for his review of the video “Dog Trainer.” The second-place winner in the Seniors category was Katelyn Davis from Huntington Beach High School, Huntington Beach, Calif., for her review of “Against the Odds: The Rise of Mary Fisher.” First place in the Seniors category, and this year’s grand prize winner, went to Brennan Lamarra, also from Huntington Beach High School, for his review of the video “The Debaters.” If you attended this year’s ACB convention either live in Omaha or virtually, you heard Brennan Lamarra read his film review. We pre-recorded this reading, and I enjoyed hearing Brennan’s voice warm to the task. Thank you to my fellow members of the Benefits of Audio Description In Education Subcommittee: • Dr. Joel Snyder, Founder and Senior Consultant, Audio Description Project of the American Council of the Blind • Jo Lynn Bailey-Page, Audio Description Project Coordinator • Jason Stark, CEO of Described and Captioned Media Program • Scott McCallum, superintendent of the Washington School for the Blind • Carl Richardson, co-chair of the Audio Description Steering Committee • Donna Brown, retired teacher and technology specialist at the West Virginia School for the Blind • Sheila Young, president of the Florida Council of the Blind • Margie Donovan, legislative advocate, guide dog advocate, and audio description advocate who keeps California rocking Serving on the BADIE Committee is a stimulating and rewarding experience. Members reach out to their constituent communities to publicize the contest. We all read all student contest entries when they arrive in the spring, and recently we’ve begun the practice of writing to each contest winner to congratulate them and comment on what we found effective in their writing. Our partnership with DCMP has lent rigor and academic strength to the contest. BADIE is a fun and challenging enterprise in which to participate. How can you help? Learn more about the contest by pointing your web browser to www.dcmp.org/learn, then search for the word BADIE, and the Audio Description Learn More Link. In doing this, you’ll learn about all of the educational videos and other learning resources available through DCMP. Sign up for DCMP services yourself, or tell your local schools about them. Better still, tell any blind and visually impaired kids in your life. Feel free to chat with any member of the BADIE Subcommittee. BADIE is still too much of a well-kept secret. We’ve had as many as 9 states enter students into the contest, but wouldn’t it be grand to have a contestant from every state, every Canadian province, or anywhere in the world, for that matter? This year several students from Latvia entered the contest. Let’s all work together to grow BADIE, and make it ever stronger. ***** ** ACB 2022 Audio Description Awards Gala The American Council of the Blind’s 2022 Audio Description Awards Gala will be held online Nov. 29, 2022, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern. In its second year, the Audio Description Awards Gala will be honoring significant achievements in media that continue to pave the way for creating the audio description standard as well as recognizing the best of television, streaming, and the film industry’s commitment to accessible media for blind and low vision audiences in the form of audio description. This year’s honorees have been carefully selected by a diverse group of leaders from the audio description panel who have identified recipients as both audio description content leaders and media industry game changers! The award recipients will receive the prestigious ACB Barry Award in recognition as the best of the best in the field of audio description. Come celebrate the achievements of these award recipients with our special celebrity guests! The event’s goal is to raise funding to support ACB’s Audio Description Project (ADP), which was founded in 2009, and works with stakeholders and industry leaders to provide accessible video entertainment and information through the delivery of audio-described content. As the ADP continues to educate the community on the value and need for audio description, please consider making a donation to help support our mission and to achieve our goal of accessible media for everyone in the blind and low vision community. Put the 2022 Audio Description Awards Gala, brought to you by the American Council of the Blind, on your calendar for Tuesday, Nov. 29th, to celebrate outstanding achievements and help to increase awareness and demonstrate to audiences what a powerful effect the inclusion of audio description has on the lives of individuals who are blind or have low vision. For more information, visit www.adawardsgala.org/contact. ***** ** Affiliate News * Government Employees Wants You! I invite you to become a member, or to rejoin, this special-interest affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. We are trying to revitalize this important affiliate to address the concerns that federal, state, and local government employees have regarding accessibility issues in the workplace. For those who are retired government employees, your past experiences would be most valuable in how you recall handling your job and accessibility issues. I am planning to hold a meeting on Sunday, Sept. 25th at 8 p.m. Eastern time via Zoom. I will send out the Zoom information shortly before then. ACBGE has an email list, too. To subscribe to the email list, send a message to acbge+subscribe@acblists.org, with the word “subscribe” (minus the quotation marks) in the subject field. ACBGE dues are only $15. I hope that you will rejoin or become a new ACBGE member as we plan our exciting activities and informative programs for the year ahead. To join or confirm your membership, email or call me with your name and contact information. You can reach me by phone at (312) 401-4961, or via email, rmzeli@gmail.com. * Independent Visually Impaired Entrepreneurs Online Business Expo IVIE is offering the following opportunity to business owners/entrepreneurs. If you join in our Online Business Expo, you can describe your products and services. Besides giving a presentation on your products/services, you can pass on contact info and allow time for questions. IVIE members would pay $10 for a half-hour session or $20 for an hour. If you are not an IVIE member, you would pay $25 for a half-hour session or $35 for an hour. Non-members would have the option of having $15 of the payment used to pay IVIE dues. The Zoom line would be the same for all those participating. The date is Nov. 12 from 11:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern or later. We will introduce all participating vendors at 11:45 a.m. and share information on their specific time slots, along with instructions for those attending. There will be a wrap-up with a brief question and answer session at the end of the vendors’ presentations. For those wishing to purchase a time slot or ask questions, send an email to info@ivie-acb.org with your request to present/exhibit. Please send your business name, product line, your telephone number, and your email address. You will be sent a link for payment and additional information. If you wish to attend the IVIE Online Business Expo, there is no cost. However, please send an email to register so we can send you the Zoom call details. Send the email request to info@ivie-acb.org, or contact Ardis Bazyn via phone, (818) 238-9321. ***** ** Notice of Proposed Settlement of Class Action and Fairness Hearing This notice has been approved by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Be advised of the preliminary approval of the settlement of a class action lawsuit brought by Juan Alcazar and Pamela Williams (the “Named Plaintiffs”) against Miele, Inc. (“Miele”) and the application for attorney’s fees filed by Class Counsel. The named plaintiffs, individually and on behalf of all members of the Settlement Class, as defined below, allege that, as individuals with visual impairments, they were denied equal access to or enjoyment of Miele’s websites, www.miele.com, and www.mieleusa.com (the “Website”). Miele denies the Named Plaintiff’s allegations and denies any fault or wrongdoing whatsoever. Under the proposed settlement, Miele will make certain changes to the website and mobile applications (as set forth in the Class Action Settlement Agreement and Release) in exchange for the settlement classes releasing claims regarding the accessibility of the website and mobile applications. A Final Approval and Fairness Hearing on the proposed settlement and approval of fees to class counsel is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, at 2:30 p.m., in the courtroom of Judge Vince Chhabria, for the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Courtroom 4 – 17th Floor, 450 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco, CA 94102. Additional case documents have been posted on the Settlement Website, www.ADAWebsiteComplianceSettlement.com. It contains important information about your legal rights concerning the proposed settlement of this lawsuit. The below is a summary of the Notice. 1. Who are members of the Settlement Class? The court has preliminarily approved the following settlement class: All individuals who (a) have a visual disability, as that term is defined under the ADA and similar state and local disability laws, (b) have accessed the website and/or mobile applications and (c) have been denied equal access as a result of their disability. 2. What are the benefits of the proposed settlement? Under the settlement agreement, Miele has agreed to make certain accessibility modifications to the website and mobile applications. Those changes include: Modifying the website and mobile applications to improve accessibility and to provide individuals with disabilities full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations offered through the website and mobile applications by having the website and mobile applications substantially usable by screen reader software for website and mobile applications users in the future. Miele shall use WCAG 2.0 Level AA or higher as a guideline in making such improvements. Miele can link to third-party websites and/or include third-party content on the website and mobile applications (e.g., any web content that is dictated or generated by a third party and is not owned, coded, managed, and/or operated by the Released Parties (including, but not limited to, plug-ins, forms, PDF files, social media and YouTube© videos)), without being required to undertake, to complete remediation for, or to be responsible or liable for any form of third-party content that is incorporated into the website and mobile applications. 3. How could the settlement affect your legal rights? If Judge Vince Chhabria grants final approval, members of the class will release all claims for discrimination and denial of equal access on the basis of visual disability arising from defendant’s practices or procedures in connection with, or the condition of, the websites and mobile applications owned or operated by Miele at the time of the court’s final approval of the settlement, or as the websites and/or mobile applications may be modified under the terms of the settlement. 4. When and where will the Final Approval and Fairness Hearing take place? A hearing will be held on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, at 2:30 p.m., in the courtroom of the Honorable Vince Chhabria, for the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Courtroom 4 – 17th Floor, 450 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco, CA 94102. 5. What Are My Options? a. Do Nothing. You are not required to take any action. If you do nothing, you will enjoy the benefit of the injunctive relief, should this settlement be finally approved. You will be bound by the settlement, and your claims under this lawsuit will be extinguished. b. Object to the Settlement You can object to the settlement, including any objection to class counsel’s request for attorneys’ fees and costs, telling the court the reasons why you do not think the settlement should be approved. If you object, you will remain a class member and will be bound by the settlement should it be finally approved by the court. Your objection must be mailed by first class U.S. mail to the court and the settlement administrator, and must be postmarked by Oct. 14, 2022. c. Opt Out of the Settlement Any class member may opt out of the case by submitting a written Request for Exclusion with the Settlement Administrator at Alcazar v. Miele Inc. Claims Administrator, P.O. Box 26170, Santa Ana, CA 92799. To be timely, a Request for Exclusion must be postmarked no later than Oct. 14, 2022. Any class member who submits a timely exclusion to the settlement will not be bound by the terms of the settlement and will not extinguish any claims thereby. 6. How can you get more information? You can obtain a copy of the complete settlement agreement from class counsel using the contact information listed below. You may also inspect the non-confidential parts of the case file in this lawsuit by going to the website of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (www.pacer.gov). Additionally, information and case documents will be posted on the Settlement Website www.ADAWebsiteComplianceSettlement.com. Finally, you may contact the Claims Administrator at 1-866-602-5907 or at Alcazar v. Miele Inc. Claims Administrator, P.O. Box 26170, Santa Ana, CA 92799. ***** ** Here and There edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins The announcement of products and services in this column does not represent an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its officers, or staff. Listings are free of charge for the benefit of our readers. “The ACB Braille Forum” cannot be held responsible for the reliability of the products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to slovering@acb.org, or phone the national office at 1-800-424-8666, and leave a message in Sharon Lovering’s mailbox. Information must be received at least two months ahead of publication date. * New Facebook Group If you are blind or visually impaired, consider yourself active, love to do different things, enjoy learning, and you want to connect with others and possibly do things together, search online for a Facebook group called “active blind and visually impaired people on the move,” or visit www.facebook.com/groups/1722954888049879?view=group and click the “join group” button. * New Email List A small group has started an email list for blind individuals to buy, sell and trade items that they no longer need or are looking for. A wide range of items are accepted. To join this email group, send a blank email to blind-tradingpost+subscribe@groups.io. Once you have joined the list, you may list the items you are looking to buy, sell, or trade in an email to blind-tradingpost@groups.io. Questions? Send an email to blind-tradingpost+owner@groups.io or Katie Anderson at kmamarketing@gmail.com. * NBP Announces Volunteer Award Recipients National Braille Press recently announced the winners of its volunteer awards. Mrs. Sydney Feldman of Dedham, Mass., a volunteer since 1970, received the Sue Ammeter Individual Volunteer Award. The Rhode Island School of Design Alumni Club of Boston won the Group Volunteer Award for its perseverance throughout the pandemic. * Samsung’s Global Competition Winner Ramneek Kaur Ahluwalia, a visually impaired 19-year-old from the UK, developed MyVision, a mobility aid that allows users to navigate their surroundings via Ai, LiDAR and GPS technology. The ground-breaking mobile device was created as an advancement of the white cane. Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow competition aims to find, fuel and celebrate 16- to 25-year-old students who have an idea for how technology could be used to solve some of society’s biggest issues. Launched in 2010, the competition has involved 1.83 million students from over 20 countries. * Alchemie Wins $1M Grant for Accessible Learning Alchemie, an educational technology company, has received a $1 million Small Business Innovative Research Grant from the Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences to bring to market the Kasi Learning System. Kasi is a system which uses multi-sensory augmented reality to create pathways for all students, and especially those with blindness or low vision, to explore and learn chemistry and science. Instead of a mouse or a touchpad, the Kasi manipulatives, embossed with braille and other symbols, provide an alternative user interface for Alchemie’s interactive learning software. * Global EdTechX Startup Competition ObjectiveEd was selected as the 2022 Global EdTech Startup Award winner. The Global EdTech Startup Award is the largest education technology competition in the world. The judges considered many factors, including innovation and market impact. * NAELA Honors Elder Law Pioneer The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) named New York Law School professor Peter J. Strauss as the 2022 recipient of the NAELA Theresa Award. This award recognizes the outstanding efforts made by individuals helping and advocating for people with special needs. ***** ** High Tech Swap Shop * For Sale: Orbit 20 braille display in practically mint condition. It comes with a charger and executive case. Asking $450. I would be happy to accept Zelle and Venmo, if need be. Serious buyers only. Contact Jessiaca Evans at (218) 790-7070. ***** ** ACB Officers * President Dan Spoone (2nd term, 2023) 3924 Lake Mirage Blvd. Orlando, FL 32817-1554 * First Vice President Deb Cook Lewis (1st term, 2023) 1131 Liberty Dr. Clarkston, WA 99403 * Second Vice President Ray Campbell (2nd term, 2023) 460 Raintree Ct. #3K Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 * Secretary Denise Colley (2nd term, 2023) 26131 Travis Brook Dr. Richmond, TX 77406-3990 * Treasurer David Trott (final term, 2023) 1018 East St. S. Talladega, AL 35160 I* Immediate Past President Kim Charlson 57 Grandview Ave. Watertown, MA 02472 ** ACB Board of Directors Christopher Bell, Pittsboro, NC (1st term, 2024) Jeff Bishop, Kirkland, WA (2nd term, 2024) Donna Brown, Romney, WV (1st term, 2024) Gabriel Lopez Kafati, Miami Lakes, FL (1st term, 2026) Terry Pacheco, Silver Spring, MD (1st term, 2026) Doug Powell, Falls Church, VA (2nd term, 2024) Rachel Schroeder, Springfield, IL (1st term, 2026) Kenneth Semien Sr., Beaumont, TX (1st term, 2024) Koni Sims, Sioux Falls, SD (1st term, 2026) Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA (2nd term, 2026) ** ACB Board of Publications Katie Frederick, Chair, Worthington, OH (1st term, 2023) Cheryl Cumings, Boston, MA (1st term, 2023) Zelda Gebhard, Edgeley, ND (2nd term, 2024) Penny Reeder, Montgomery Village, MD (3rd term, 2024) Cachet Wells, Jacksonville, FL (1st term, 2024) ***** ** Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums The ACB E-Forum may be accessed by email, on the ACB web site, via download from the web page (in Word, plain text, or braille-ready file), or by phone at (518) 906-1820. To subscribe to the email version, contact Sharon Lovering, slovering@acb.org. The ACB Braille Forum is available by mail in braille, large print, NLS-style digital cartridge, and via email. It is also available to read or download from ACB’s web page, and by phone, (518) 906-1820. Subscribe to the podcast versions from your 2nd generation Victor Reader Stream or from https://pinecast.com/feed/acb-braille-forum-and-e-forum. ###