The ACB E-Forum Volume LV October 2016 No. 4 Published by the American Council of the Blind ***** ** Be A Part of ACB The American Council of the Blind (TM) 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, 6300 Shingle Creek Pkwy., Suite 195, 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 (605) 475-8154 and choose option 3. Tune in to ACB Radio at www.acbradio.org or by calling (605) 475-8130. Learn more about us at www.acb.org. Follow us on Twitter at @acbnational, or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanCounciloftheBlindOfficial. © 2016 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 Report to the Convention, Part 2, by Kim Charlson The ACB National Convention: A First-Time Attendee’s Perspective, by Nick Pavel ACB’s 2016 Scholarship Winners in a Class of Their Own, by Michael Garrett 10,000 Steps and Beyond, by Donna Brown Board Approves History Committee to Update ‘People of Vision,’ by Doug Powell Audio Description Project Celebrates Vitality, Success, and Mentorship, by Susan Glass ACB Membership Seminar Tidbits, compiled by Ardis Bazyn Summary of 2016 Resolutions ACB Members Enjoy Description with 2016 Olympics, by Eric Bridges Traveling to Reno, by Janet Dickelman ACB Radio Holiday Auction Seeks Donations, by Carla Ruschival Christmastime’s A-Comin’, by Linda Yacks Survey of Visually Impaired People and Mobility Affiliate News Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski High Tech Swap Shop ** 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. ** Got a request? Tune in to ACB Radio interactive and ask the DJ on duty to play it for you at www.acbradio.org. ** The ACB Radio Café features the work of blind artists 24/7 at www.acbradio.org/café. ** Keep up with the most important ACB news and announcements without any other chatter. Subscribe to the ACB Announce listserv. Send a blank e-mail to announce-subscribe@acblists.org, or visit www.acblists.org/mailman/listinfo/announce and type your e-mail address and name where indicated. ***** President’s Report to the Convention, Part 2 by Kim Charlson Much of the work of the organization isn’t the moments of success with press releases and passage of legislation, but rather the day-to-day work advocating, writing letters and testimony, and developing and supporting our ACB infrastructure to ensure that we have the financial resources to work on our mission. Areas where ACB has made progress in support of our work is with planned giving, grant writing, online donations, corporate and foundation grant support, the Monthly Monetary Support program, and the ACB Mini Mall, just to name a few. Earlier this evening, we hosted our Annual Giving Society’s Reception. This year, we had 200 individual donors and 40 corporate donors. These supporters are the backbone of our fund-raising and provide the means for ACB to recognize all of their great support, which allows us to accomplish our valuable work. We also have our Legacy Society, which is part of an effort to be more proactive, honoring and recognizing individuals who have included ACB in their estate plans via a bequest or another type of planned gift and have communicated their intentions to ACB. This allows us to recognize and honor those individuals while they are still with us rather than only acknowledging their generosity after their passing. These initiatives all go far toward making it possible to support ACB’s organizational work and advocacy. I’d like to ask all of the members of our various giving societies who are present this evening to stand up and be recognized for your support of ACB. One example of our expanded capacity is due in large part to the generosity of JPMorgan Chase, who supported ACB being able to bring eight Leadership Fellows to this conference and convention. These individuals have been identified as up-and-coming leaders in their affiliates and will be participating in many aspects of the convention, learning and growing their knowledge and leadership skills. You will meet them all later this evening. JPMorgan Chase has also sponsored the production of a short, informational public service announcement called Spotlight On, which is about ACB and our work that will be airing over the summer on over 350 public television affiliates across the country. ACB Radio continues to be the pre-eminent radio broadcasting system run and operated by ACB and our broadcasters. The Mainstream channel is the flagship of ACB’s information broadcasting, and its Main Menu program, with new hosts Jason Castonguay and Randy Rusnak, and the dynamic Main Menu program team, are bringing hundreds of new listeners to the program each week. “Affiliates in Action,” produced by Debbie Hazelton, is one of our newer programs that features news from our affiliates. A guide dog program and a new student program are offerings that I am looking forward to hearing following convention. ACB Radio now has several program offerings as podcast feeds in iTunes and available for sign-up from the ACBRadio.org website. The latest feed is ACB Events, which contains archives from affiliate conventions and other special events that have been streamed on ACB Radio Live. ACB Radio Interactive has also been recognized as a featured station by the Stardome Digital/StreamLicensing Team from well over a thousand other Internet stations. This is a great accomplishment, and it stands as proof of the hard work and dedication to this craft by our ACB Radio team, and is recognition from industry peers of our accomplishments. If you miss a favorite program, ACB Radio Interactive now has its shows available on demand. ACB Radio continues to be available on the telephone system at (605) 475-8130 – where you can listen to the seven ACB Radio channels, including this convention. You can also listen to “The ACB Braille Forum” and “The ACB E-Forum” by calling (605) 475-8154. In December, ACB and Microsoft entered into a very productive partnership to advance the accessibility of information technologies. Through this partnership, ACB and Microsoft are working together to make sure that planned updates to various Microsoft products are accessible and meet the needs of persons with visual impairments. Microsoft has demonstrated its corporate commitment to delivering effective solutions for people with disabilities with their overall focus on accessibility, which is central to their culture and is an integral part of how they are now designing and building Microsoft products. By working with ACB, Microsoft is gaining valuable insights about user experiences. This level of support will help Microsoft to deliver more powerful assistive technology as well as more inclusive experiences with the technology we are using. The partnership is also providing a more consistent flow of information and dialogue between Microsoft and ACB. We are very pleased to build on the previous engagements we’ve had with Microsoft, and we are enjoying and benefitting from working more closely with the teams to review and test new features and upgrades. Last year, ACB’s Volunteer Hours Reporting Program collectively logged a total of 9,230 volunteer hours, worth $212,936 of in-kind contribution value to ACB. This effort shows funders our commitment to our mission, and documents the hours of work contributed by our hundreds of faithful members in all capacities. Thank you again for all you do! Since our last convention, ACB announced two structured negotiation settlements on accessible prescription labels and medication information. These settlements were a result of collaboration with The Law Office of Lainey Feingold, and Linda Dardarian of Goldstein, Borgen, Dardarian and Ho. Humana and Rite Aid have started offering talking prescription labels, braille, and large print labels to customers who are blind or visually impaired through mail order service for Humana, and in-store and mail order in-store pickup for Rite Aid. Both are using the accessible label system provided through En-Vision America’s ScripAbility program. Rite Aid is also using the Talking Pill Reminder solution for an immediate in-store option. En-Vision America can be reached at 1-800-890-1180. The Humana and Rite Aid initiatives augment previous work by ACB with CVS Health, CVS Caremark, and Walgreens, making accessible prescription labels available for customers who are blind. Ensuring that all of our members have access to important information about their prescriptions is a critical component toward allowing people to independently manage their health care needs. Further on the legal front, ACB and our attorneys Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP, in conjunction with the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, reached a landmark settlement with the General Services Administration (GSA) on behalf of three blind federal contractors and ACB. The settlement benefits all blind federal contractors. It requires GSA to make significant changes to SAM.gov that had prevented blind individuals from accessing the web site and maintaining their status as federal contractors. Following GSA’s implementation of the agreed-to changes, the website will undergo review by another independent accessibility expert. In addition, the agreement creates a process by which members of the blind community will continue to test and provide feedback on future changes to SAM.gov. This case sets an important precedent, to reinforce that the Internet is part of our daily lives, and being unable to access any web site — much less a web site that is essential to doing business with the federal government — puts members of the blind community at an economic disadvantage. It is unfortunate that it took the filing of a lawsuit to bring about meaningful change, but we thank GSA for working collaboratively with ACB and our attorneys to make SAM.gov accessible. In my report at last year’s convention, you may remember I shared the audio of a taxicab sting operation conducted by a team of investigative journalists from WUSA Channel 9 in Washington, D.C. regarding access to taxis by blind individuals using guide dogs. I am pleased to report that three weeks ago, executive director Eric Bridges and ACB reached an agreement with four D.C. taxi companies: Yellow Cab Company of D.C., Inc., Grand Cab Company, Elite Cab Association, and Pleasant Taxi Club LLC, to carry out an Accessibility Initiative to ensure that blind and visually impaired individuals accompanied by guide dogs have full and equal access to taxi services in the District of Columbia, including street-hailed taxicab services. The accessibility initiative, pioneered by these four companies, is available for any D.C. taxicab company or driver wishing to voluntarily promote equal access for a contribution of only $15 per cab. As part of this accessibility initiative, the taxi companies have agreed to collaborate with ACB and contribute to a testing fund overseen and administered by ACB. ACB will monitor training, education effectiveness, and compliance by associated drivers with their legal obligations to provide street-hail taxicab services in D.C. Contributions to the accessibility initiative will be used to fund this monitoring and a third-party testing program to ensure that blind and visually impaired individuals with guide dogs are successfully able to hail taxis on D.C. streets. Additionally, in a joint letter, all four companies recommended needed changes to D.C. Taxi Commission policies and rules to promote and safely provide street-hail taxi services in Washington, D.C. to the visually impaired. Our thanks to Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP and the talented attorneys from the Washington Lawyers’ Committee who supported ACB on this case. I commend ACB executive director Eric Bridges for his leadership and commitment to following this very strong case through to its conclusion. All of this positive system change would not have happened without his dedication and determination for justice. On the legislative front, Reps. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.) and David McKinley (R-W.Va.) introduced the bipartisan Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act (H.R. 3535), named for two pioneers in the education of deaf and blind students. This landmark legislation will dramatically improve educational results for students who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind. The Cogswell-Macy Act will amend and modernize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to address the largely unmet unique needs of students with sensory disabilities. The bill will: ensure that students with vision and/or hearing disabilities are properly identified, evaluated and served, especially when they may have additional disabilities; guarantee that students with sensory disabilities are provided with the full array of special education and related services they must have to truly receive a free and appropriate public education; promote and support teachers and associated professionals who are critical to the delivery of such services; and hold all levels of our public education system accountable for these expectations. An estimated 350,000 students are deaf or hard of hearing, and upwards of 100,000 are blind or low vision. Yet less than one-third of those students are reported as having those needs under IDEA. That is completely unacceptable. There is definitely still more work to be done in this area, and we need to ensure that students with these disabilities have the same opportunity as other children to learn and gain useful life skills. ACB continued to work on H.R. 729, the Medicare Demonstration of Coverage for Low Vision Devices Act of 2015. This bill seeks to expand coverage of low vision devices for Medicare recipients. Both of these pieces of legislation will most likely require re-introduction in the next Congress — but given the unpredictability of Congress, maybe not. ACB stands ready to work with supporters to reintroduce these bills in the 115th Congress that begins in January 2017. ***** The ACB National Convention: A First-Time Attendee’s Perspective by Nick Pavel (Editor’s Note: Nick Pavel is an ACB member from Sioux Falls, S.D.) This year I had the opportunity to attend my very first national ACB convention in Minneapolis, Minn. My first thought when I walked in to the hotel lobby was, “What did I get myself into?” To me, the hotel lobby was big, bigger than what I was used to. I remember thinking to myself, “How do you get to the specific rooms for the sessions?” But I remembered that everyone was going through the same thing, and everything would work out. I was able to overcome that obstacle with no problem. While I was at the convention, I learned some new things about ACB which I did not know before going in. For example, I had no idea that there was an issue going on with getting tactile money available until the opening session. I heard some really good speakers, and I also found out about what companies such as Microsoft are planning for the future. I attended a couple different sessions during the week as well. One session was titled Skills for Work That Work. I thought it was a really good session, with some helpful information on what employers are looking for in an interview, and how to improve your skills to get a job. One really practical piece of advice that I got in that session was to get out and volunteer. Since I’m still job hunting, any information that would improve my skills and help me impress employers was a really big help. I also went to a session called Men, Put Your Best Look Forward. They talked about what to wear to job interviews, and some information on dressing in general so everything matches. One of the highlights of the session was learning how to tie a tie. Everyone there had a chance to learn this, with a little help and advice on how to do it properly. It is not easy to do. I went on a couple of tours as well. One was to a candy factory, where all the chocolate is homemade. I got some to bring home. It was really interesting to find out how it was made. My favorite tour was to the cathedral in St. Paul. While learning about the history at the cathedral, there was a pipe organ demonstration, which was amazing! While walking around and looking at everything, I got the opportunity to play the pipe organ for a few minutes. After playing it, I was on cloud nine. I have been playing the organ for my church at home since high school, and recently started playing the organ at church in Sioux Falls. To have the opportunity to play the pipe organ at the cathedral was a thrill, and was by far the highlight of the week for me. Thanks to SDAB for the monetary stipend. My first national ACB convention has been a great experience. I learned a lot, met lots of people from all over the country, and got to do things I wouldn’t get to do on a regular basis. Now that I have attended a national convention, I know what to expect when I attend another in the future. I truly hope to attend another ACB convention down the road. All in all, I’m glad I made this trip. ***** ACB’s 2016 Scholarship Winners in a Class of Their Own by Michael Garrett We have reached the conclusion of another season of awarding ACB scholarships. There were over 80 prospective awardees, all of whom were worthy candidates. But the 2016-2017 class was, in our opinion, another stellar one! After all the applications and supporting documents were reviewed and the selection process completed, we heaved a sigh of relief because we were confident that we had chosen a class of students that ACB could be proud of. Listed below are this year’s scholarship winners, along with the degree they’re striving for, and their schools. ** Floyd Qualls Memorial Scholarships • Abby Edwards, Ph.D. in Clinical Health Psychology, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio • Marcus Hernandez, Ph.D. in History and Global Change, University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz. • Marissa Hirschmann, Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Central College, Pella, Iowa • Timothy Jones, Bachelor of Music, Mercer University, Macon, Ga. • Phoebe Tran, Ph.D. in Epidemiology, Yale University, New Haven, Conn. ** Kellie Cannon Memorial Scholarship • Jack Duffy-Pretentis, Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Robotics, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Mass. ** William G. Corey Memorial Scholarship • Lisa Hagerich, Master of Social Work, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Edinboro, Pa. ** Marcia Dresser Memorial Scholarship • Christiane Steele, Bachelor of Science in Special Education, Western Governors University, Salt Lake City, Utah ** John Hebner Memorial Scholarship • Leonard Moore, Ph.D. in Adult Education, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C. ** James R. Olsen Memorial Scholarship • Michael Fulton, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Western New England University, Springfield, Mass. ** The Ross N. Pangere Foundation for the Visually Impaired Scholarships • Michael Beausir, Bachelor of Science in Business and Sports Management, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Fla. • Kristie Hong, Bachelor of Arts in Mathematical Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa. • Mark Myers, Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Mo. ** Arnold Sadler Memorial Scholarship • Kathleen Ernst, Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Ill. ** Norma Shecter Memorial Scholarship and Duane Buckley Memorial Scholarship • Lorise Diamond, Bachelor of Science in Communications, San Diego State University, San Diego, Calif. ** Bay State Council of the Blind Scholarship • Elaine Phillips, Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass. ** Oregon Council of the Blind Scholarship • Lillian Goodman, Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Linfield College, McMinnville, Ore. This group was diverse in its age range and areas of study, but they were very supportive of each other and came in willing to get involved. Thanks to the ACB Students group for mentoring the scholarship winners and helping to make them feel welcome. Post-conference feedback was very complementary; several students stated they felt empowered and encouraged. Scholarship season can be a joyful grind; the end result makes it all worthwhile. We heartily thank those who make it all possible and those who lighten our workload. To our donors, we wish you a hearty thank you! To the office staff, an enthusiastic thank you! Congratulations to the 2016 ACB scholarship winners. Remember to keep your goals in sight and keep reaching for them with all of your might. The 2017 scholarship application will go live on the ACB website on Nov. 1. If you’d like to apply for an ACB scholarship, or you know someone who is interested in applying, be sure to fill out the online form and submit it. We look forward to reviewing your applications. ** Caption: ACB’s 2016 scholarship winners and committee members pause for a photo after the awards ceremony. Top row, left to right: Chelle Hart, Sharon Strzalkowski, Marcus Hernandez, Leonard Moore, Tommy Woodyard, Mark Myers II, Timothy Jones, Michael Fulton Jr., Lorise Diamond, Antonio Vega, Don Koors, Michael Garrett, and Catherine Schmitt Whitaker. Bottom row, left to right: Samantha Mayberry, Abby Edwards, Kristie Hong, Phoebe Minh Tranh, Elaine Phillips, Kathleen Ernst, Lisa Hagerich, Christiane Steele, Sara Conrad, and Lindsey Tilden. ***** 10,000 Steps and Beyond ACB members and friends did it again! Early Sunday morning, July 3, between 60 and 70 ACB members and friends proudly and energetically strutted their stuff around the Hyatt and through several Minneapolis skywalks during the 2016 ACB Brenda Dillon Memorial Walk of 10,000 Steps. On behalf of the ACB Walk committee, I would like to thank everyone for their participation in this year’s walk. Our goal was to raise at least $60,000. As of this writing, the walk has raised more than $61,000 for ACB and some of its affiliates. The Florida Hurricanes have raised over $17,000. The Tennessee Mall Walkers and the West Virginia Walkers have each raised over $3,000. Both the Missouri Mules and the Proud Prairie People from Illinois have raised over $2,000. Five teams have raised between $1,000 and $2,000. Several other teams actively raised several hundred dollars. Twenty teams signed up, and almost 100 people registered as either on-site or virtual walkers. Reno, here we come! We haven’t yet set the jackpot for the 2017 walk, but I am sure the stakes will be high. Start looking for information about next year’s walk in future issues of “The ACB Braille Forum” and “E-Forum,” as well as on the various ACB e-mail lists. Let’s raise even more money next year! — Donna Brown ** Caption: Sara Conrad speed-walks with her guide dog through the skyways near the Hyatt during the Walk of 10,000 Steps. Just visible outside the skywalk window is some of the construction being done on Nicollet Mall. ***** Board Approves History Committee to Update ‘People of Vision’ by Doug Powell The pre-convention board meeting was called to order at 9 a.m. Central. All board members were present except George Holliday, who was recovering from surgery. Several ACB staff members and guests were also present. ** President’s Report Kim Charlson and Mitch Pomerantz gave an update on the World Blind Union meeting in Orlando in August. The focus will be on CRPD and the Marrakesh Accord (which was officially ratified after the 20th country signed on). The WBU will hold elections, and Fred Schroeder will likely be the next president of the organization. ACB Radio will be streaming the proceedings live. Charlson and Jeff Thom reported that NELDS’ dissolution is moving along. ACB will receive outstanding funds for use in legal cases similar to those that NELDS funded. The board observed a moment of silence in memory of Sandy Sanderson, who was very active in NELDS. Charlson reported that she had received a letter from several special-interest affiliates, which she had previously distributed to board members. There were two concerns related to convention policy that were being questioned by the group of presidents. One was the fee imposed on special-interest affiliates to record their convention sessions. After a discussion of the high cost to ACB for recording sessions and the contributions of those affiliates to ACB’s vitality and diversity, the board decided to suspend the recording fees for LUA and GDUI this year, and a working group will look at audio-visual needs and expenses to form a new policy for convention recordings. The second concern was the proposed schedule change for 2017 convention meetings. It was felt that splitting the general sessions between two shorter meetings in the morning and afternoon would hamper special-interest affiliates’ ability to schedule coherent programming. The board voted to postpone changing the format of the general sessions for 2017, and to gather a working group including the convention committee, special-interest affiliates, the AV team, and the ACB Radio team to discuss and suggest the best formatting for future conferences and conventions. ** National Office Reports Sharon Lovering, editor, gave her report on “The ACB Braille Forum.” Distribution numbers were lower for most formats. She mentioned that 368 members had passed away over the last year. Tom Tobin, development director, and Jo Lynn Bailey-Page, grant writer, gave their reports. Direct mail, the Angel Wall, and corporate sponsorships are continuing to increase. Telemarketing has decreased markedly and will be discontinued. Grants are increasing and retooling is in process. Tony Stephens, director of advocacy and governmental affairs, reported that despite pressure from ACB, the current administration will not move forward with ADA website accessibility guidelines for state governments or commercial enterprises. He also mentioned that the final rulings implementing the Workforce Innovations and Opportunities Act came out as he was leaving for Minneapolis. Congress’ attention is on the fall elections, so he doesn’t think much substantive or controversial work will get done before November. Greyhound is in class action settlement, and its website is getting better. The Social Security Administration is doing a demonstration project to see if a 2 for 1 wage offset to ease people trying to work off SSDI is feasible. The two ACB legislative imperatives we have been working on, the Cogswell-Macy Act and the Medicare low-vision devices demonstration project, are not moving. The FCC is moving on expanding audio description, with more hours and on more broadcast networks. A more specific definition of “service animal” in transportation is being worked on. There are several different definitions in federal agencies, so the hope is that these will be harmonized to reduce fraud. Some airlines have moved their flight attendant call buttons to video screens at passengers’ seats. Accessibility of this feature is being looked at. Tony mentioned that convention sponsorships last year were $163,000. This year they have increased to $240,000. Much of the new and increased support is the direct result of relationship-building advocacy. Executive director Eric Bridges and others walk into corporation offices with our accessibility concerns and walk out with partners, ongoing ACB input, sponsors, and other supports. ACB recently filed papers in court to oppose Treasury’s request for an extension to 2026 for distribution of the first tactile note. The project to re-imagine acb.org is on hold because of a lack in our infrastructure to make it efficient and effective. Microsoft and ACB are working well together on Microsoft product accessibility. Microsoft is also interested in helping upgrade ACB’s office hardware and software needs. Eric is also pursuing a new strategic planning initiative for ACB soon. ** Minnesota Office Report Lane Waters, controller, stated that certification with AMMS went pretty well this year and should be continued with the new timeline. ACB used a new auditor this year and things went very efficiently. The Minneapolis office acquired a new server in January. Unfortunately, the main accounting software program does not run on the new server, so the old server and old accounting software are being nursed along. New, more relevant software is being identified and vetted for purchase. Lane is retiring, so he is working out a transition plan. ** Treasurer’s Report Carla Ruschival reviewed the highlights of the year-to-date activities vs. this year’s budget and last year’s actual activities. The bottom line is that the current status looks OK. She cautioned the board that most of the revenue for the year is collected in the first half of the year, and expenses, including convention expenses, come in the second half. She is cautiously optimistic that the year will end well. ** BOP Report Doug Powell reported that the Candidates’ Pages on the ACB website and plans for the Candidates’ Forum at the convention are going well. The BOP is also working on the request for proposals for duplication and distribution services as we convert from cassette to NLS-compatible digital cartridges. ** New Business The board approved the formation of a history committee to update the ACB history, “People of Vision.” With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m. ***** Audio Description Project Celebrates Vitality, Success, and Mentorship by Susan Glass With so many concurrent events happening at this summer’s ACB conference and convention in Minneapolis, attendees might have overlooked the dynamic and inspiring gathering that took place Sunday through Tuesday in Lakeshore A of the Hyatt Hotel. What gathering was that? It was ACB’s Audio Description Project conference, and it featured 46 participants representing 8 nations (including speakers), and attendees from 16 states and the District of Columbia. ACB Radio recorded the entire conference, and you can download or stream every session. Just launch your web browser and type www.acb.org/adp. You’ll find audio files of the entire conference, as well as the full print version of the agenda and program. You’ll also find an abundance of additional resources, including up-to-date lists of the most recent DVDs and television programs that are now audio-described. ADP’s second mentorship initiative, in which we paired an attendee of the ACB convention with a describer attending the Audio Description Conference, was a success. Ten ACB members volunteered to mentor, and since there were more describers than mentors, some mentors graciously reached out to two describer partners. We did everything from watching clips of describers’ work and giving them feedback, to attending general sessions and exhibits, to dining out, to exploring Minneapolis. Mentors and describers all learned from each other and enjoyed the experience. “Adele was wonderful, as was Aloha,” writes audio describer Joyce Adams, who partnered with ACB member Adele Moller and her guide dog Aloha. “I think our mentorship match-up was a good one, as evidenced by the fact that Adele and I are now Facebook friends. And because we’re FB friends and some of her blind friends have also liked photos I tagged her in, this has also made me more mindful of including brief descriptions of any photos I post ... whether she’s checking them out or not.” Vicki Ratcliffe describes her experience with her describer partner as wonderful. “Trillian Turner, the lady for whom I was a mentor, and I had a wonderful time during convention week. On Tuesday morning we walked to a coffee shop, had breakfast and then took the hotel shuttle to tour the Mill City Museum. Trillian and I never stopped chatting because we had so many interests in common, and she was a wonderful describer and guide when we toured the Mill City Museum. “Trillian’s grandfather had lost his sight last year and her eight-year-old daughter was diagnosed as being visually impaired this year. After coming back from the museum, I told her about several vendors in the exhibit hall and she was able to purchase a talking watch for her grandfather as well as obtain applications to the NLS program for her daughter and grandfather. “On Thursday we met for lunch and chatted about the conference, what it was like to be a describer as well as hobbies and interests that we both have. On Friday, we picked up breakfast at the hotel from the market and, since we both love being outside, we took our meal there to chat and eat. Trillian shared a paragraph, asking for my input, in regard to the description that she wrote. Because her description was so well-written and portrayed great detail, I told her that it was truly a work of art. The only question that I had was to know if any words appeared on the video. “Trillian intends to become a describer, and I told her that in my opinion, she would do extremely well. She loves the theater as much as I and we had conversations about describing dance, what people want to hear with description and lives of blind people in general. “We plan to keep in touch, and it was such a joy to serve as Trillian’s mentor. Both of us enjoyed each other’s company, sharing experiences and getting to know one another. For me, this mentoring experience was a highlight of the week.” ACB member Carl Richardson had equally enthusiastic comments about his experience with describer Chuck Constant. He’s still in touch with his mentee from the ADP conference held in Las Vegas in 2014. “I receive far more from the mentorship opportunity than I can ever give,” says ACB first vice president Jeff Thom, who not only hosted two describer partners, but also introduced them at Monday’s general session, and praised both the ADP and the Mentorship Initiative. The ADP Mentorship Initiative allows blind and visually impaired people to be ambassadors for sighted describers, and for the sighted community at large. It raises the greater question of how ACB members can actively mentor the sighted community as we go about our work, leisure activities, and daily lives. Regardless of whether we consciously think about it, we are, by virtue of being in the minority as blind people, always being watched, and always setting an example. In what other conscious ways might we go about mentoring? Thanks to Jeff Thom, Leslie Thom, Adele Moller, Andrea Pitsenbarger, Steve Dresser, Carl Richardson, Barbara Hermansen, Kim Bannatyne and Vicki Ratcliffe for serving as ADP mentors this summer. I hope you’ll consider volunteering again for our next ADP conference, to be held in conjunction with the ACB conference in Saint Louis in 2018. ***** ACB Membership Seminar Tidbits compiled by Ardis Bazyn The theme of this year’s membership seminar was “How Affiliates Can Be Inclusive and Remain Viable.” The first panel, “How to connect members using alternate meeting structure and social media,” featured Alice McGrath, California Council of Blind Women; Ron Brooks, ACB Families; and John McCann, Blind Information Technology Specialists. On our follow-up focus call, others added to the input from the convention. Some options for alternate meeting structure include: • Meetings online: TeenTalk is online talking. If you have a co-host, it helps with continuity. The audio is better with Skype, but depends on the connection. TeenTalk has step-by-step online courses. • CCB Women have a listserv to discuss personal situations and share upcoming quarterly conference calls on specific woman-related life topics, lend support to one another, have breakfast at convention, and occasional special events. • Washington has monthly and quarterly conference calls on careers, diabetes, technology, and books. Anyone can join a call. A list of those can be found on their website: www.wcbinfo.org. • ACB Families has bimonthly conference calls on different topics and held a membership promotion to get more people interested. They share photos of their families on their Facebook page, along with their affiliate information. • Many affiliates use e-mail discussion lists, and send announcements via e-mail. Posting events on Facebook attracts the interest of more than just members. You can post photos from prior events and share more at the event. • Having a monthly or quarterly birthday get-together can keep more people involved in your chapter. • Producing a quarterly newsletter may keep members updated when they cannot attend regularly. Many have special events such as an annual picnic and Christmas party. The second panel discussed how to protect your affiliate’s important records. Speakers were Sally Benjamin, Florida Council of the Blind; Steve Fiksdal, Washington Council of the Blind; and Nancy Becker, ACB Minnesota office. Important points on this topic are below. • It is essential for more than one person in your affiliate or chapter to have your necessary functioning records, both online and hard copy. • Dropbox is a sharing program where officers with an e-mail account can access the same documents. • Tax filings need to be filed by all affiliates. Chapters can be linked with an affiliate, but their fundraising information needs to be gathered by the parent affiliate. Separate filings can be set up for chapters of an affiliate as well but consistency is necessary so a chapter doesn’t lose its 501(c)(3) status. • Your website can have archives of your minutes, resolutions, treasurer’s reports, committee reports, and recordings of your conferences. • Florida is now scanning its hard-copy files and photos. • At least three people should have access to your 501(c)(3) organization papers, incorporation papers, policy manuals, as well as website and checking accounts, passwords and account numbers. • All computers used should have back-up systems, both an external drive and online storage. • Some use One Drive with Windows 10 to share with others. • The Affiliate Membership Management System (AMMS) should be used by all affiliates. It helps keep all records in one place. The Affiliate Growth Awards were given this year to ACB Government Employees for the highest percentage of growth and to the Council of Citizens with Low Vision International for the highest number of new members. ACBGE credited its growth to an organized effort in communicating with past and possible new members. CCLVI had been more organized and updated its website, which included a “join CCLVI” link. Committee members distributed hand-outs on keeping your affiliate safe and legal and resources for those losing sight. If you would like a copy, contact the ACB national office at 1-800-424-8666 and leave your name, address, and format preference (braille or large print). ***** Summary of 2016 Resolutions Two resolutions were referred to ACB bodies: 2016-20 to the information access committee, and 2016-22 to the board of directors. They are not included in this compilation. Resolution 2016-01 urges the Federal Communications Commission to substantially expand the number of hours of audio-described TV programming required per calendar quarter; increase the number of networks required to offer described programming and the designated markets in which audio description must be provided; propose and issue regulations requiring the designation of a dedicated digital audio stream only for audio description; and exercise all appropriate authority to foster the creation of, set standards for, and monitor the quality of a centralized described TV programming listing to ensure that information about audio-described programming is on par with information about captioned TV. Resolution 2016-02 directs ACB to urge the U.S. Congress and state legislatures to protect the integrity of assessments conducted by teachers of the visually impaired by rejecting calls which expressly or impliedly require the use of the National Reading Media Assessment (NRMA) or any other single specific assessment tool or technique to determine the learning or literacy needs of all students who are blind or visually impaired; encourage state chapters and affiliates of this organization to advocate for appropriate assessments that honor students’ unique needs for reasonable accommodations and which recognize the diversity of learning and literacy characteristics inherent in the heterogeneous population of students with vision loss; and call upon the U.S. Congress to promptly enact the Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act. Resolution 2016-03 directs ACB to repudiate any effort to alter or modify the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act’s existing braille provisions that would in any way impair IDEA’s currently uncompromising approach to the provision of braille, and reaffirm its unwavering commitment to see low-vision services and devices get their due recognition in federal special education law so that all students who should benefit from such services and devices can finally receive them. Resolution 2016-04 expresses ACB’s deep concern over the division of the United States into two codes for mathematical teaching, and directs the organization to urge every state to make clear in their policies and procedures that there will be provisions to protect access to mathematical instruction in the code to which the student is accustomed, even if that code is not the one in use in that state. It also encourages the Braille Authority of North America to monitor the effectiveness of both codes over the next five years so that BANA may be able to make a definitive decision about which code appears to offer the most effective approach to teaching and learning mathematics. Resolution 2016-05 expresses ACB’s profound frustration and disappointment with the Obama Administration for its failure to be responsive to Americans with vision loss who, for more than a decade, have been calling for much-needed regulatory clarification of the Americans with Disabilities Act’s application to online-only places of public accommodation, and directs ACB to reach out to the major party candidates for President of the United States to communicate our demand that, within the first six months of the new presidency, issuance of regulations clarifying that online-only places of public accommodation are nevertheless ADA-covered entities with Internet accessibility obligations must be achieved. Resolution 2016-06 expresses ACB’s support for any and all efforts to allow the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped to provide equipment to patrons for use with each of the formats produced by NLS; and urges Congress to promptly enact H.R. 5227, pending legislation to authorize NLS to offer digital braille reading equipment enabling all NLS patrons to have access to free library service in braille. Resolution 2016-07 directs ACB to take all appropriate steps to persuade and/or compel the Social Security Administration, and agencies of the federal government generally, to ensure the availability of accessible in-person information and benefits kiosks or computerized systems that comply with Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Resolution 2016-08 directs ACB to contact each of the commissioners and the principal staff of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and demand that the Commission include in its reasonable accommodations document complete and appropriate guidance on assistive technology accommodations for federal employees who are blind or who have low vision. Resolution 2016-09 expresses ACB’s belief that the residents of southern California who are blind or visually impaired deserve to enjoy the same access to PBS television as their sighted neighbors and friends, and urges PBS So-Cal to purchase the necessary equipment to fulfill its public interest obligation to provide audio description. Resolution 2016-10 directs ACB to pursue any and all appropriate legal remedies to address the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ inaccessible communications (letters, statements, applications, eligibility determinations, etc.). Resolution 2016-11 expresses support for teachers of the visually impaired (TVIs) with vision loss who frequently face disability discrimination in hiring and advancement, and directs ACB to call upon state and/or local education agencies to provide driver assistance to TVIs with vision loss for whom such a reasonable accommodation is appropriate. Resolution 2016-12 directs ACB to promote, through the public policy process, the availability and fiscal health of existing and new assistive technology low-interest loan programs; and consider and collaborate, as appropriate, with other strategic partners to achieve means for building or strengthening private sector commercial or nonprofit low-interest loan programs for people with disabilities. Resolution 2016-13 directs ACB, in partnership with like-minded organizations of and for people with vision loss, to develop and execute a public policy agenda, including but not limited to model legislation, executive actions, and industry stakeholder negotiations, with the goal of making sure that no personal medical device remains inaccessible and unusable by people who are blind or visually impaired. Resolution 2016-14 directs ACB’s officers, board of directors and staff to pursue all appropriate strategies to achieve harmonization of the United States Department of Transportation’s service animal regulations with those of the United States Department of Justice. Resolution 2016-15 directs ACB to urge its individual members, chapters and affiliates to be aware of national, state, and local ballot races and initiatives, and to reach out to candidates to discuss the policy priorities that are important to each of us. Resolution 2016-16 directs ACB to ensure that all contracts entered into by this organization with hotels reflect the hotel’s compliance with braille signage requirements, and take such additional steps as are necessary to make signage usable and comprehensible by people who are blind or visually impaired participating in meetings of this organization. Resolution 2016-17 expresses ACB’s belief that there is a need for additional research concerning best practices in the design and utilization of audible countdown features, and that, in the absence of additional credible research to the contrary, ACB supports the provision of audible countdown information, and encourages that research focused on this subject be directed toward determining the most effective ways to efficiently convey countdown information, rather than whether audible countdown should be eliminated. Resolution 2016-18 expresses ACB’s belief that it is urgent to immediately challenge the Freestyle vending machine technology to include accessibility elements; both the touch-screen kiosk and the app should be independently usable by people who are blind or have low vision. It also instructs ACB’s leadership to make contact with these companies and with associations in the food industry so that standards may be developed and implemented as this new generation of automated kiosks is rolled out. Resolution 2016-19 directs ACB to ask Facebook to refine its automated picture description mechanism to create descriptions which contain specific details of pictorial elements, and to develop a mechanism to prompt Facebook members who post pictures and other visual media to attach accompanying descriptions. Resolution 2016-21 directs ACB to establish a high-level committee, in consultation with industry and utilizing the relationships that ACB has assiduously and productively built up over the years, to explore the feasibility of creating an intensive training academy designed to train suitable people with limited or no vision for mainstream technology careers. Resolution 2016-23 thanks the management and staff of the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis for their first-class hospitality. Resolution 2016-24 thanks the Minnesota host committee and the members of ACB of Minnesota for their hard work and warm welcome to Minneapolis. Resolution 2016-25 thanks all volunteers who worked to assist the attendees of the 2016 ACB convention. ***** ACB Members Enjoy Description with 2016 Olympics by Eric Bridges The article below and accompanying video highlight the importance of audio description to our community. In particular, the added enjoyment that people receive from live audio-described events during the Olympics. It’s very encouraging to see so many ACB members quoted in the article and video. To view the video, please visit https://youtu.be/hKBzujiHFns. ** How do the blind watch the Olympics? NBC helps them hear it To read this article online, go to http://bigstory.ap.org/c43cf39598e440cdbf9cebd570eef28d. NEW YORK (AP) — Two people in a recording booth deep inside a Connecticut office park are helping millions of blind Americans feel part of the Olympics like never before. For the first time in the U.S., NBC is airing the Olympics in prime time with additional narrators who simply report what’s happening on screen — a sort of closed captioning for the visually impaired. Most viewers won’t even know the additional narrators are there; to hear them, you need to turn on special cable-box or TV settings to activate their audio track. But their running blow-by-blow can open things up for the blind, who at best get an incomplete picture from traditional sportscasting that takes visuals for granted. “I love the Olympics,” says Marlaina Lieberg, 66, who’s been blind since birth and has long bugged her sighted husband to describe the athletic events. “I’m so happy I’m going to be able to sit back, watch the Olympics like anybody else, know what’s going on, not have to imagine or wonder. That’s huge.” ** Describing the Sunset On a recent Wednesday, narrator Norma Jean Wick opens the Olympics broadcast in a neutral, almost robotic tone, saying “Golden orange sunset in Rio de Janeiro” as music swells over a shot of the city. “Night has fallen,” she continues, right after NBC’s Bob Costas intones, “Aaaand here we go.” Wick and Jim Van Horne, both Canadian sports broadcasting veterans, devoted hours to studying the sports and NBC commentators’ speech patterns. They aim to wedge in short sentences or even a few words amid the often breathless announcing. At one point during a beach volleyball match, Wick mostly limits herself to reciting the score — otherwise invisible to those who can’t see — in between points. While they try not to talk over announcers, it happens. During a pause, Van Horne notes that U.S. player Kerri Walsh Jennings was waiting for the wind to die down to serve; the announcers started up again before he finished his sentence. Blind viewers say sometimes they can’t hear the NBC announcers in the crosstalk. Finding the right words can be difficult, said Wick, who keeps stacks of notes in front of her. “When you say a spike, what does that mean? When you say a tumbling pass, well, what are they doing exactly?” ** Captions for the Blind While closed captioning for the deaf today is ubiquitous, most people who aren’t visually impaired have never heard of “audio description” or “video description,” as this sort of narration is formally known. It was developed for U.S. TV in the 1980s, and is now available for certain prime-time series and children’s shows on the major broadcast networks and a few cable stations. Descriptions are also available in many movie theaters, on Netflix and during some live theater. For a long time, the visually impaired didn’t know how much they were missing from TV shows and movies, says Paul Schroeder, head of programs and policy at the American Foundation for the Blind. “If you’re trying to follow a program, you need to know the basis of what’s going on. The car chase, the gun shots, the subtle or not-so-subtle look across the room.” But live TV events are much harder to narrate because there’s no script, and as a result narrated sports events remain rare in the U.S. All that raises the level of difficulty for NBC’s narrators. The aim is to provide “what and how,” says Van Horne — “what an individual is wearing, the expression on their face, how did they fall, how did they twist the ankle.” Not only can the blind follow the action, they can also connect with the emotional upheavals that are as much a part of the Olympics as the sports. Karen Gourgey, 68, the director of a center that trains blind people to use technology at Baruch College in New York, normally finds herself “bored” by the Olympics, “for obvious reasons,” she says. Now, though, she’s getting more specifics when medals are presented — “this one’s in tears, that one’s hugging, all the stupid stuff.” She’s learned that a gymnast used the whole floor during a tumbling routine and that swimmers perch on starting blocks before they dive into the pool. “You can still get quite electrified,” she says. ** Hard-to-See Controls Narration for the blind isn’t always easy to find or operate on TV. Lori Scharff, a 41-year-old blind social worker on New York’s Long Island, can’t activate the setting herself because she’d have to navigate a TV-screen menu. She can’t just leave them running all the time, either, because they share a track with Spanish-language audio that kicks in when a show isn’t narrated for the blind (as most are not). Advocates credit Comcast, which owns NBC, for producing a cable box that audibly recites menu options in a mechanical female voice. That lets the blind activate narration without help from someone who can see. All major cable and satellite TV providers are required to provide similar audio features by Dec. 20. It can also be hard to know what shows gets narrated. Program guides on TV don’t always include that information, although many networks and blind advocacy groups track those shows online. ***** Traveling to Reno by Janet Dickelman There are several options for traveling to the Nugget Resort and Casino in Sparks, Nev. for the 2017 ACB conference and convention. Reno is served by the Reno-Tahoe International Airport (airport code: RNO). Airlines that fly to Reno include: • Alaska • Allegiant • American • Delta • JetBlue • Southwest • United • Volaris The Nugget Resort and Casino offers round-trip complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport. You can also travel to Reno via Amtrak; the station is located in Reno, 3.7 miles from the hotel. The Greyhound bus station is 4.9 miles from the Nugget, and the Megabus stop is in Sparks at Centennial Plaza, which is 0.3 miles from the hotel. Convention dates are Friday, June 30th through Friday, July 7th. Our first tours will be on June 30th, with final tours on July 7th. Our opening general session will be held Saturday evening, July 1st, with general sessions Sunday through Wednesday morning, and all day on Thursday followed by our banquet. Room rates at the Nugget Casino Resort are $89 (single or double occupancy) with an additional $10 per person for up to four people per room. Room tax is currently 13.5%. There is also a $2 per day tourism tax added to each room. When you book your reservation, one night’s stay will be charged to your credit card. Included in the room rate is the hotel resort fee, which covers: • Round-trip shuttle transportation to and from Reno-Tahoe International Airport • Complimentary wireless Internet in guest rooms • Daily complimentary bottled water, 2 bottles per room per day • Unlimited use of the year-round Atrium Pool • Unlimited use of the Fitness Center • Full service concierge • Valet and self-parking in the secured covered parking structure To make reservations via telephone, call 1-800-648-1177 and ask for group code GACB17. Online information regarding hotel reservations will be posted when it is available. ** Staying in Touch Again this year, 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 2016 convention, you need not subscribe again. ** Convention Contacts 2017 exhibit information: Michael Smitherman, (601) 331-7740, amduo@bellsouth.net 2017 advertising and sponsorships: Margarine Beaman, (512) 921-1625, oleo50@hotmail.com For any other convention-related questions, please contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, at (651) 428-5059, or via e-mail, janet.dickelman@gmail.com. ***** ACB Radio Holiday Auction Seeks Donations ACB’s fifth annual Holiday Auction is coming to you live from Louisville, Ky. on ACB Radio on Dec. 4 from 7 to 11 p.m. Eastern time (4 to 8 p.m. Pacific). Help make this year’s auction the best ever. Individuals, chapters, affiliates, and businesses are invited to contribute items to the Holiday Auction. Some examples of popular items include candy, cookies and other holiday treats; jewelry; techie stuff; handcrafted items; music boxes; gift cards; and holiday decorations. Join our 2016 holiday parade of states by contributing a food or other item traditional to your area. All items donated to the Holiday Auction will be displayed on our auction preview pages, available at www.acb.org. We post items as they are received, so visit the preview pages often to see what’s new. All donors will be acknowledged both on the website and on ACB Radio during the auction. Donors and winning bidders will also be spotlighted in “The ACB Braille Forum” in early 2017. Let us know that you are contributing item(s) to the auction. Share a description of each item with us so we can begin creating its preview page. Send all items, except homemade goodies, to the ACB Minneapolis office as soon as possible; deadline is Nov. 1. To donate items to the ACB Radio Holiday Auction, contact Carla Ruschival, chair, at (502) 897-1472 or carla40206@gmail.com, or Brian Charlson, vice chair, at (617) 926-9198 or brian.charlson@carroll.org. Then tune us in on Sunday, Dec. 4, between 7 and 11 p.m. Eastern at www.acbradio.org, on the ACB Link iPhone app, or by calling (605) 475-8130 from any telephone. Thanks in advance for your generous support of ACB Radio. — Carla Ruschival ***** Christmastime’s A-Comin’ by Linda Yacks Someone used the word “Christmas” on Facebook today, and that stopped me in my tracks. I can’t believe it’s already time to shop. Here are some shopping ideas to make the holiday season easier. Shop at the ACB Mini Mall. No crowds, no asking for help, no transportation hassles. Shop from the comfort of your own home, in your favorite chair, and let your fingers do the walking. Transport magically to the Mini Mall by visiting www.acb.org and clicking on the Mini Mall link. Then visit all the shops – there’s so much to see. There are gifts for everyone, and free shipping, too. Bags and Tags: Sells bags and totes for every occasion, plus ACB luggage tags. The Clothes Rack: Sells cozy blanket wraps, ACB jackets; sweatshirts and long-sleeve T-shirts coming soon. ACB Logo Shop: Has special ACB logo merchandise for home, work and play. A great way to tell the world about ACB and its good work for all people who are blind or visually impaired! Cane Kiosk: Offers top-quality graphite and aluminum folding canes, plus a variety of tips to suit every need. Pages and Tracks: Sells books and CDs in a variety of formats, including the ACB history, a guide to audio description, and even a cookbook. ACB Radio Wave: Tell the world about ACB Radio with these special logo items. Fashion Accents: Sells jewelry, purses, wallets and accessories for men and women. Also has money clips, tie clips, even cuff links, all featuring the ACB logo or other ACB exclusive designs. The Lazy Susan: Mugs, magnets, shot glasses, tea tumblers, cookie jars - even aprons. There’s always something new for your kitchen or special collection. Home Impressions: Sells pillows, talking thermostats, coasters - ways to make your home comfortable, attractive and welcoming. The Tech Stop: This is the place to go for SD cards, flash drives, SD cardholders, 3-in-1 cables with pouch, dual folding wall chargers, power banks and a brand-new high-quality messenger bag for your laptop and tablet. Mini Mall shops are constantly being updated, and special products for the holidays are on the way. The Mini Mall now offers free shipping on orders over $50 or more (exclusive of items that ship free matter for the blind). Visit the ACB Mini Mall online by following its link from the ACB home page at www.acb.org. Subscribe to the mall e-mail list by sending a blank message with the word “subscribe” (minus the quotes) in the subject line to mall-subscribe@acblists.org. Reach us by phone at 1-877-630-7190 or by e-mail at store@acb.org. ***** Survey of Visually Impaired People and Mobility My name is Martin Goldberg, and I am a Ph.D. student at CUNY Graduate Center, New York, N.Y. I am studying assistive technology for the visually impaired, and focusing on mobility issues. Below is a survey I am conducting to help me in my studies. The purpose of this survey is get a sense of how the visually impaired population is utilizing digital technology when it comes to getting around – i.e. mobility. The initial questions generate a baseline, to understand what state the user is in. Then we ask questions relevant to our study of what digital technology is out there and how it is being adopted by the visually impaired community. If you would prefer to take this survey online, go to https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfNEYL0hL08QkHltBhUyLpcrV00-eqolRsQGe0s4KmDFJxxUw/viewform?c=0&w=1. If you fill out the survey below, e-mail it to vipmobilitysurvey2016@gmail.comwhen you’re done. What is your degree of visual difficulty? Choose one: o Totally blind o Blind – can see light and shapes o Low visioned – limited visual acuity o Low visioned – high visual acuity o Bad vision – not legally blind o Other: What age group best describes you? Choose one: o Less than 21 years old o Between 21 and 44 years old o Between 45 and 65 years old o Over 65 years old o Prefer not to answer Gender – Are you … (Choose one) o Male o Female o Other / Prefer not to answer Distance mobility – how do you travel? Choose all that apply: o Use door-to-door pick-up service (e.g. Access-a-Ride) o Use public transport o Don’t travel o Other: Use of devices while walking. Choose all that apply: o White cane o Guide dog o Telescopic device o Other: Do you have a smartphone? Choose one: o Yes – An Apple iPhone o Yes – A Google phone o Yes – A Microsoft (Cortana) phone o No o Other: Do you use your phone to help with getting from one place to another? o Yes o No If you answer ‘Yes’ to using a smartphone to aid with walking, tell us what you use and how it helps you get about. Do you use any of the following GPS products to aid with getting about? Choose all that apply: o Loadstone GPS o LoroDux o Mobile GEO/GEO Mobile o BlindSquare o Trekker/Trekker Breeze o BrailleNote GPS o Other: Does/would social media (BlindSquare, Viz-Wiz, or other crowd-sourcing) help you with getting about? (Choose one) o Yes o No Have you been part of a clinical trial for devices or implants to aid with you being able to get about? (If yes, please specify; if not, answer N/A) Would you be willing to use a crowd navigation system (such as Be My Eyes) which requires you to stream your smartphone video to a person online who guides you for your visual tasks? o Yes o No o Maybe, but I have safety concerns o Maybe, but I have privacy concerns Do you use any electronic travel aids that give feedback either through vibration or by talking? o Yes, and I like using them o Yes, but I do not like/have issues using them o No ***** Affiliate News ** ACB Diabetics Taking Care of Business This year’s national conference is over. Did you enjoy ACB Diabetics in Action’s events? If you have any suggestions for events for next year, please let us know. Contact Dee Clayton, president, at (515) 848-5007, or via e-mail, deeclayton1@gmail.com. It’s October now, and ACBDA is getting a jump on business for next year. We are setting up a website. It will have PayPal capability, so that people can pay their dues online. This is a big step, and we hope you will take advantage of this service. If you could send your dues in early, that would help us a lot. We don’t want to leave anyone out! Have a great fall! ** Come Play in the Snow in Minnesota ACB of Minnesota invites you to join us for our state convention Jan. 27-29, 2017. Room rates at the Doubletree Hilton in Bloomington, Minn. are $89 plus tax per night for single or double occupancy. Tony Stephens, ACB’s director of advocacy and governmental affairs, will be our special guest. Visit www.acb.org/minnesota for all the convention details. Come play in the snow and experience the wonders of a Minnesota winter. ** Ohio’s Raffle Could Net You Some Cold, Hard Cash Need some cold, hard cash to spend at next year’s convention? If so, go to www.acbohio.org/raffle and purchase some virtual tickets for your chance to win $1,500. The cost is $10 per ticket. If you buy 3, you get 1 free. For more information, contact ACB-Ohio at 1-800-835-226 or acbo.director@gmail.com. ***** Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski 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. ** Breast Cancer Awareness Month October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. On the first Tuesday of each month, the ACB Women’s Concerns Committee hosts a conference call support group meeting for women who have been diagnosed with or who are survivors of breast cancer. The meeting allows women to talk about their concerns and questions in a caring and sharing environment. The calls begin at 8 p.m. Eastern time and last for approximately 90 minutes. For more information, contact Lori Scharff at lorischarff@gmail.com, or via phone, (516) 887-1336; or Linda Porelle at lmporelle@gmail.com, or via phone, (415) 586-2622. ** Summer 2017 NASA Internship Opportunities Are you a high-school or college student interested in aeronautics and outer space? NASA will start taking applications for its summer 2017 internships on Nov. 10. The deadline for submitting applications is March 1, 2017. Don’t delay – apply early! The best opportunities fill up fast. NASA has internships for high school students and for rising freshmen through doctoral students in STEM fields. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 for college and 3.0 for high school. High school students must be at least 16 years old at the time the internship begins. Applying is a two-step process. First, register for an account at the One Stop Shopping Initiative (OSSI): NASA Internships, Fellowships, and Scholarships (NIFS) at http://intern.nasa.gov/. Then select and apply to specific internship opportunities. If you have questions, or need help applying, contact Kenneth Silberman at (301) 286-9281, or via e-mail, kenneth.a.silberman@nasa.gov. ** Ski for Light The 42nd annual Ski for Light International Week will be held Feb. 5-12, 2017 at Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colo., near Winter Park. Snow Mountain Ranch is a 5,100-acre year-round recreational complex that includes a 100-kilometer cross-country trail system. The trail system is just a short distance from participants’ front doors. Also on the property are a lighted tubing hill, a covered outdoor ice skating rink, fat bike, snowshoe and hiking trails, an indoor pool and sauna, a roller-skating rink, an indoor climbing wall, a craft center, a horse stable, and much more. If you are a novice and want to learn how to cross-country ski, or if you have skied before and want to be matched with an experienced guide and meet new friends for a wonderful week of fun in the snow, this is the event for you! The cost will be $690 or $775 per person for double room occupancy. Other options range from $550 for a four-person room to $1,125 for a single room. Partial financial stipends will be considered upon request. Don’t delay – applications are due Nov. 1! Applications received after this date will be considered on a space-available basis. For more information, or an application, visit www.sfl.org. Visually impaired individuals interested in attending can also contact visually impaired participant application coordinator Tim McCorcle, at (206) 522-5850 or T_McCorcle@comcast.net. ** Knit Hats, Baby Blankets and More Adelaide Wink knits a variety of items, including hats, scarves, baby blankets, a bit of plastic canvas work, table runners, and all-purpose cloths. Contact her in braille, 59 S. Lee St., Beverly Hills, FL 34465-3640, or by phone at (352) 746-3087 and leave a message with your name and phone number with area code. ***** High Tech Swap Shop ** For Sale: OpenBook program and camera. Two years old; barely used. Asking $750 or best offer. Contact Larry Ketchem via e-mail, ketch1969@gmail.com. ** For Sale: SupraPlus dual channel headset with amplifier in like new condition. Asking $20 or best offer. Contact Jamie Davis before 10 p.m. Eastern at (513) 532-9471, or e-mail jdmusicman1971@gmail.com. ** For Sale: SmallTalk Ultra 2 in excellent condition, rarely used. Comes with carrying case, new double capacity battery, and other accessories. Screen reader not installed. Asking $750, negotiable. Braille Lite 40 with power adapter and serial communication cable. Asking $1,500, negotiable. Two TripleTalk USB hardware synthesizers, in like-new condition. Both have the original power adapters and USB cables. Can be powered by internal battery and used with Window-Eyes or JAWS. Asking $475 each, $900 for both. Marantz 4-track recorder/player in excellent condition. Asking $400. Braille Blazer in excellent condition. Includes carrying case and power and serial cables. Asking $2,000. PayPal payments accepted. Contact Jonathan Milam via e-mail at milamj@wfu.edu or by phone at (336) 462-4179. ** Wanted: LDG TW-1 Talking Wattmeter for the amateur radio HF frequency bands. Please state condition and price. Contact Rich N8RB at (216) 751-9134 or via e-mail, rib.irv@gmail.com. ***** ACB Officers ** President Kim Charlson (2nd term, 2017) 57 Grandview Ave. Watertown, MA 02472 ** First Vice President Jeff Thom (2nd term, 2017) 7414 Mooncrest Way Sacramento, CA 95831-4046 ** Second Vice President John McCann (1st term, 2017) 8761 E. Placita Bolivar Tucson, AZ 85715-5650 ** Secretary Ray Campbell (2nd term, 2017) 460 Raintree Ct. #3K Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 ** Treasurer Carla Ruschival (3rd term, 2017) 148 Vernon Ave. Louisville, KY 40206 ** Immediate Past President Mitch Pomerantz 1115 Cordova St. #402 Pasadena, CA 91106 ** ACB Board of Directors Jeff Bishop, Tucson, AZ (1st term, 2020) Denise Colley, Lacey, WA (1st term, 2020) Sara Conrad, Madison, WI (final term, 2020) Dan Dillon, Hermitage, TN (1st term, 2020) Katie Frederick, Worthington, OH (1st term, 2018) George Holliday, Philadelphia, PA (final term, 2018) Allan Peterson, Horace, ND (final term, 2018) Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD (1st term, 2018) Dan Spoone, Orlando, FL (final term, 2020) David Trott, Talladega, AL (1st term, 2018) Ex Officio: Ron Brooks, Phoenix, AZ ** ACB Board of Publications Ron Brooks, Chairman, Phoenix, AZ (1st term, 2017) Paul Edwards, Miami, FL (1st term, 2018) Susan Glass, Saratoga, CA (1st term, 2017) Debbie Lewis, Seattle, WA (1st term, 2018) Doug Powell, Falls Church, VA (2nd term, 2018) Ex Officios: Katie Frederick, Worthington, OH Bob Hachey, Waltham, MA Berl Colley, Lacey, WA Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY ***** ** Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums The ACB E-Forum may be accessed by e-mail, on the ACB web site, via download from the web page (in Word, plain text, or braille-ready file), or by phone at (605) 475-8154. To subscribe to the e-mail version, visit the ACB e-mail lists page at www.acb.org. The ACB Braille Forum is available by mail in braille, large print, half-speed four-track cassette tape, data CD, and via e-mail. It is also available to read or download from ACB’s web page, and by phone, (605) 475-8154. Subscribe to the podcast versions from your 2nd generation Victor Reader Stream or from http://www.acb.org/bf/.