                       THE BRAILLE MONITOR

                           April, 1996

                     Barbara Pierce, Editor


     Published in inkprint, Braille, on talking-book disc, 
                        and cassette by 


              THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND 
                     MARC MAURER, PRESIDENT 
 


                         National Office
                       1800 Johnson Street
                   Baltimore, Maryland 21230 

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           Letters to the President, address changes,
        subscription requests, orders for NFB literature,
       articles for the Monitor, and letters to the Editor
             should be sent to the National Office. 

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Monitor subscriptions cost the Federation about twenty-five 
dollars per year. Members are invited, and non-members are requested, to cover
the subscription cost. Donations should be made payable to National Federation
of the Blind and sent to: 
 

                National Federation of the Blind
                       1800 Johnson Street
                   Baltimore, Maryland 21230 

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THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION SPEAKING FOR THE
BLIND--IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR THEMSELVES



ISSN 0006-8829THE BRAILLE MONITOR
PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

                            CONTENTS
                                                      APRIL, 1996

MAJOR ADVANCE IN COPYRIGHT CLEARANCE
     by Kenneth Jernigan

STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

MY BODY BELONGS TO ME
     by Barbara Cheadle

IS NAC ALIVE?
     by Peggy Elliott

GOOD FORTUNE, HARD WORK, AND THE KLONDIKE DERBY
     by Marc Maurer

CONCERNING MODESTY, DIABETES, POLITICAL CORRECTNESS,
AND BOOKS
     by Kenneth Jernigan

MORE BLIND SENIORS RECEIVE EFFECTIVE TRAINING IN MINNESOTA

METAL, GLUE, AND PLASTIC
     by Susan Povinelli

GREAT EATING BECOMES A FUND RAISER
     by Rita Szantay and Gary Deeter

1996 CONVENTION ATTRACTIONS

RELIGION AND DISABILITY
     by Maureen Pranghofer

CALIFORNIA: A STATE OF MANY FACES
     by Pat and Jack Munson

MEDICARE FACTS FOR 1996
     by James Gashel

RECIPES

MONITOR MINIATURES

        Copyright  1996 National Federation of the Blind[LEAD PHOTOS GENERAL CAPTION: Spring is here at last, and
Federationists all over the country are enjoying the outdoors.
LEAD #1: Shaker Amjad is holding the ship's wheel with a member
of the crew watching. The lower edge of the sail and rigging are
visible behind him. CAPTION: Shaker Amjad takes the wheel during
a Living-Classroom Sail on the Chesapeake. LEAD #2: A student can
be seen in profile climbing the face of a cliff. The rope
stretching from the top of the cliff down to the student is
clearly visible. CAPTION: A Louisiana Center for the Blind
student faces the challenge of technical rock climbing. LEAD #3:
David Walker walks along a river bank using his cane and carrying
his fishing rod and tackle. CAPTION: David Walker of Missouri
searches for a place where the big ones are biting. LEAD #4:
Ramona Walhof stands under a peach tree reaching into the
branches. CAPTION: Ramona Walhof of Idaho checks the progress of
the peach crop. LEAD #5: Several people are seated in a raft,
three Federationists in the foreground, paddling through
whitewater rapids. CAPTION: Lorraine Rovig (left), Betsy
Zaborowski (center), and Jim Gashel (right) are part of a group
enjoying whitewater rafting.]


              MAJOR ADVANCE IN COPYRIGHT CLEARANCE
                       by Kenneth Jernigan

     At a meeting held on January 25, 1996, at the National
Center for the Blind in Baltimore, a significant breakthrough
occurred with respect to copyright clearance for reading matter
for the blind. Present at the meeting were the following top
officials of the Association of American Publishers (AAP)--Former
Ambassador to Egypt and Jordan, Nicholas Veliotes, AAP President;
Carol Risher, AAP Vice President of Copyright and New Technology;
and Rick Blake, Vice President of the School Division. Also
present were Frank Kurt Cylke and Ruth Foss of the National
Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the
Library of Congress and representatives of the National
Federation of the Blind. After several hours of discussion and
negotiation, complete agreement was reached. The occasion was
truly historic in nature--and so also, we believe, will be the
consequences and resulting partnership between NFB and AAP.
     There have always been difficulties in copyright clearance
for reading matter for the blind, but the problems have largely
revolved about the mechanics of the process. The present law
requires that permission be sought on a book-by-book and item-by-
item basis for anything that is to be recorded or put into
Braille for use by the blind, and this is an expensive and time-
consuming procedure. Sometimes the publisher has the power to
grant permission; sometimes it is the author; and sometimes the
power is jointly shared. If a book contains stories or chapters
by different authors, the situation may be further complicated.
This can mean delays of many months, as well as the outlay of a
great deal of money and time. In a few instances permission is
denied altogether.
     And what about digital formats? They are increasingly
important because of the Internet and the proliferation of
computers. In fact, electronic production and distribution of
reading matter is taking the center of the stage, and the blind
must not be left out. One way to achieve this is to simplify and
regularize copyright clearance--and not just for Braille and
recorded matter but also for digital.
     Shortly after taking office, the Clinton Administration
began to explore changes in the copyright law as part of broader
considerations involving the Internet. The Department of Commerce
was chosen to spearhead the effort, and in July of 1994 it issued
what was called a "green paper" on the matter. As a follow-up the
Department of Commerce held hearings and then began to convene
monthly meetings of an Information Infrastructure Task Force to
consider copyright and other items. Next, in September of 1995,
came what was called a "white paper," to distill what had been
learned and to propose legislation--H. R. 2441 and Senate Bill
1284.
     These bills undertook to address the copyright concerns of
the blind, but they had (and still have unless amended) serious
disadvantages. In fact, if adopted as introduced, they might
leave us worse off than we now are. They provide that a literary
work (see definition later in this article) has copyright
clearance to be published in a special format for use by the
visually impaired if the publisher or copyright holder of that
work has not entered the market within one year after its
publication to produce it commercially in an accessible format.
     This would almost certainly mean even more delays than we
now have, and it also leaves the question open as to what is
meant by "entering the market." Moreover, it raises other
questions. If a copyright holder produces a book in large print
(which is certainly accessible to certain people who are visually
impaired), does that preclude its publication in audio format?
And if it is published in both large print and audio, what about
Braille? And, to come to modern technology, what about digital?
Of course, even if these bills pass as now written, nothing
prevents the Library of Congress or a private organization from
requesting permission to produce a given book or article in
Braille or some other format--but the reality is that the delays
and complications would effectively make production very nearly
impossible.
     At a joint House/Senate hearing last November, government
agencies were permitted to testify, but the private sector was
not. It was made clear that private-sector organizations would
have an opportunity at a later date and that these might not be
joint hearings. The promised hearings were held before the
Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property of the House
Judiciary Committee on February 8, 1996. The Senate may or may
not hold such hearings at a later time.
     Feeling that this climate of investigation and reexamination
of the copyright law offered not only a threat but also an
opportunity, the NFB and others in the blindness field began to
take action as soon as the Clinton administration initiative was
commenced. A number of groups and individuals participated in
lower-level discussions with various representatives of the
Association of American Publishers (AAP) and with federal
agencies. NFB also talked with members of Congress. Then the
chance for the breakthrough came. As has already been said, the
president of the AAP and two of his top-level colleagues came to
the National Center for the Blind on January 25 of this year, and
after a day of discussion and negotiation, the agreement was
reached.
     Prior to the visit of Ambassador Veliotes and his team, the
NFB had prepared a proposal. Its language served as the framework
for the negotiations and was, with minor changes, accepted as the
final document.
     Certain terms in the text require explanation. As is usual
when dealing with federal laws and regulations, words often have
special or unusual meanings. Here from the United States Code
Title 17, Section 101, are a few definitions that are part of the
current law and might be misleading if not understood according
to appropriate federalese. These definitions carry forward into
the proposed bills and amendments:

          "Literary works" are works, other than audiovisual
     works, expressed in words, numbers, or other verbal or
     numerical symbols or indicia, regardless of the nature
     of the material objects, such as books, periodicals,
     manuscripts, phonorecords, film, tapes, disks, or
     cards, in which they are embodied.

          "Copies" are material objects, other than phonorecords,
     in which a work is fixed by any method now known or later
     developed, and from which the work can be perceived,
     reproduced, or otherwise communicated, whether directly or
     with the aid of a machine or device. The term "copies"
     includes the material object, other than a phonorecord, in
     which the work is first fixed.

          "Phonorecords" are material objects in which sounds,
     other than those accompanying a motion picture or other
     audiovisual work, are fixed by any method now known or later
     developed, and from which the sounds can be perceived,
     reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or
     with the aid of a machine or device. The term "phonorecords"
     includes the material object in which the sounds are first
     fixed.

     These are the relevant definitions. To put it plainly,
phonorecords means anything that is recorded by whatever means,
either now or in the future, and copies means everything else,
produced by either present or future technology. With that out of
the way and with the added reminder that section 135a of Title 2
refers to the Library of Congress books for the blind and
physically handicapped program, let us look at the document which
the publishers and the Federation agreed to. Here it is exactly
as the publishers submitted it to Congress as part of their
written statement:

                          NFB Proposal
            Amendment Proposed to H. R. 2441/S. 1284

     (a) On Page 2, line 18, strike "visually impaired" and
insert in lieu thereof "blind or other persons with
disabilities."
     (b) On Page 3, line 13, strike "visually impaired" and
insert in lieu thereof "blind or other persons with
disabilities."
     (c) On Page 3, strike the text beginning on line 15 through
line 2 on Page 4, and insert the following:

Section 108A. Limitations on exclusive rights: Reproduction for
blind or other persons with disabilities
     (A)  "Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and
710, it is not an infringement of copyright for an authorized
entity as defined in this section to reproduce or to distribute
copies or phonorecords of a previously published, nondramatic
literary work if such copies or phonorecords are reproduced or
distributed in specialized formats exclusively for use by blind
or other persons with disabilities as defined in this section.
     (B)  As used in this section, the term--

          (1) "authorized entity" means a nonprofit organization
     or a governmental agency whose primary mission is to provide
     specialized services relating to training, education, or
     adaptive reading or information-access needs of blind or
     other persons with disabilities;
          (2) "specialized formats" means Braille, audio, or
     digital text which is exclusively for use by blind or other
     persons with disabilities; and
          (3)  "blind or other persons with disabilities" means
     individuals who are eligible or may qualify in accordance
     with section 135a of Title 2, United States Code, to receive
     books and other publications produced in specialized
     formats.
     (C)  Copies or phonorecords made under this section--
          (1) Shall not be reproduced or distributed in a format
     other than a specialized format exclusively for use by blind
     or other persons with disabilities, and any copies or
     phonorecords made under this section shall bear a notice
     that any further reproduction or distribution in a format
     other than a specialized format is an infringement; and
          (2) shall include a copyright notice identifying the
     copyright owner and the date of the original publication.
     (D) The provisions of this section shall not apply to
standardized, secure, or norm-referenced tests and related
testing material.

     This is the language upon which we agreed, and as might be
imagined, there was a good deal of give-and-take. The most
difficult part of the negotiations involved reproduction and
distribution in digital format. However, at the end of the day
there were both harmony and total accord. Ambassador Veliotes
said that he would talk with the publishers to confirm their
agreement, and I said that the Federation would contact the
principal organizations in the blindness field. This was done;
everybody thought we should go forward; and so we came to the
Congressional hearing on February 8, 1996.
     In the panel that concerned us, the first person to testify
was Jeanne Simon, the wife of Senator Paul Simon. She spoke on
behalf of the United States National Commission on Libraries and
Information Science, and what she said did not involve our
proposed amendment. The next person to testify was Dr. Tuck
Tinsley, head of the American Printing House for the Blind. He
said in part:

     The substitute language for the new section 108A proposed by
     the National Federation of the Blind, the Association of
     American Publishers, and the Library of Congress will
     greatly assist with the provision of educational materials
     to blind students at the same time the materials are
     available to their sighted peers. This amendment will
     provide long-overdue enrichment to the lives of blind
     students. It is time to put an end to the unintended effect
     that copyright has of censoring blind students' access to
     current ideas, information, and educational resources. On
     behalf of all of the legally blind student population of our
     country, the American Printing House for the Blind salutes
     the Association of American Publishers for going to the
     National Federation of the Blind and working toward language
     for section 108A which is beneficial to all.

     Next came the AAP. Testifying for them was Richard (Dick)
Robinson, who is Chairman, President, and C.E.O. of the
Scholastic Corporation, the largest publisher of children's books
in the world. Toward the end of his speech he said:

     In closing let me briefly touch on several points which seem
     relevant to what [the] other panel members have said. First,
     I want to emphasize the satisfaction of AAP and its members
     in being able to reach agreement through cooperative efforts
     with representatives of the blind community and the
     copyright office on proposed revisions to those sections of
     the bill concerning access for the blind to published
     materials in digital form. Dr. Tinsley expressed this very
     beautifully a few moments ago--and thank you for your real
     support of us since we feel very close to you on this issue,
     and thanks for that.

In addition to his oral testimony, Mr. Robinson presented a
written statement. Attached to it was the agreed-upon proposal
exactly as printed here.
     At the conclusion of the formal testimony, Congressman
Moorhead, who chairs the Subcommittee, asked Jim Gashel, Director
of Governmental Affairs for the National Federation of the Blind,
to come to the witness table and participate. He asked Mr. Gashel
to state for the record the advantages of our proposed amendment,
and Mr. Gashel did so.
     In answer to a question from Chairman Moorhead as to whether
there was any disagreement on the proposed section, Dr. Tinsley
said: "The new section 108A as agreed upon by AAP, the Library of
Congress, and NFB is very satisfactory. It puts us miles ahead of
where we were."
     In response to a question from Congressman Goodlatte as to
the effect of our proposed amendment, Dr. Tinsley said: "The
Library of Congress doesn't pursue anthologies because of the
number of permissions for them to provide it in Braille. We [at
APH] do for the classroom. However, it has taken us up to a year
and a half to get all the permissions for several of the books.
And for some we just can't get all of the permissions from all of
the authors, so this [amendment] should really help."
     Although some of the provisions of H. R. 2441 and S. 1284
are controversial, there is every reason to believe the bill will
pass. There is no controversy concerning our amendment. The
hearings and the negotiations leading up to them have to be
counted as a significant milestone on the road to the
availability of accessible reading matter for the blind. The
approach and the crafting of the language were unique to the
particular negotiations, not being duplicated by others. As has
already been said, they constitute a truly historic breakthrough.
     Since the hearings a number of letters and communications
have been received expressing commendation of the Federation's
work and the writer's satisfaction with the progress. Here are
three that Monitor readers may find interesting. The first comes
from Ritchie Geisel, President of RFB&D, formerly Recording For
the Blind. The second comes from Dr. Tuck Tinsley, President of
the American Printing House for the Blind, and the third comes
from the Washington office of the American Council of the Blind
over the signature of ACB President Paul Edwards:

[#1 PHOTO/CAPTION: Ritchie Geisel]
                               Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic
                                            Princeton, New Jersey
                                                February 15, 1996

Dear Dr. Jernigan:
     I thought you should have a copy of RFB&D's written
statement on the "NII [National Information Infrastructure]
Copyright Protection Act of 1995." Our support of the NFB-AAP
amendments is clearly reflected in this statement. All that I
want to add is our sincere appreciation for the leadership role
you exercised in bringing about this unprecedented agreement
among all the interested stakeholders.

                                               With kind regards,
                                                Ritchie L. Geisel
                                                        President

                       __________________

[#2 PHOTO/CAPTION: Tuck Tinsley]
                            American Printing House for the Blind
                                             Louisville, Kentucky
                                                February 26, 1996

Dear Dr. Jernigan:
     The purpose of this letter is twofold. That is, to
congratulate and to thank NFB and you personally for great
leadership in working with the Association of American Publishers
and the Library of Congress to reach agreement on new language
for Section 108A of the Copyright Act, "Limitations for exclusive
rights: Reproduction for blind or other persons with
disabilities."
     Obtaining permissions from publishers to reproduce materials
for the blind has been a time-consuming and frustrating endeavor
since the first United States Copyright Statute was passed in
1790. It has been a major focus at APH for the entire 138 years
of our existence. Various individuals, work groups, committees
representing publishers, interagency task forces, and even the
Administrative Work Group of the current administration have
invested much time and energy in an activity which you were able
to pull together in a single day. The messages are clear: 1) to
make things happen, the right people must be involved, 2) the
influence of NFB is great, and 3) most significantly, the
involvement of consumers is absolutely essential in any activity
to influence public law or opinion.
     On behalf of the American Printing House for the Blind and
the legally blind pre-college level student population of our
country, I salute the National Federation of the Blind for
spearheading the development of new language for the Copyright
Act which will be beneficial to all.

                                                       Sincerely,
                                          Tuck Tinsley III, Ed.D.
                                                        President

                       ___________________

[#3 PHOTO/CAPTION: Paul Edwards]
                                    American Council of the Blind
                                                Washington, D. C.
                                                February 20, 1996

Dear Ken:
     ACB has reviewed the language proposed by the American
Publishers Association to amend the Copyright Act to permit the
reproduction and distribution of materials in accessible formats
for blind and other print-handicapped individuals. We find that
the language proposed is substantially similar to language
crafted by others working on this issue, and it is our
understanding that the approach taken by APA will, for the most
part, satisfactorily address the needs of those entities which
produce accessible literary works. It is our hope that this
amendment to the Copyright Act will greatly improve information
access for blind people by removing the barriers now associated
with obtaining permission to reproduce works in accessible
formats. Accordingly, ACB will work to promote acceptance of this
amendment in Congress.
     Thank you for your contribution to this important effort.

                                                       Sincerely,
                                                     Paul Edwards
                                                        President

                      ____________________

                                 National Federation of the Blind
                                              Baltimore, Maryland
                                                February 21, 1996

Dear Paul:
     Your letter of February 20, 1996, concerning the copyright
language developed by NFB and the Association of American
Publishers will be widely shared with others. It should be of
great use, and I thank you for it.

                                                       Sincerely,
                                                 Kenneth Jernigan
                                               President Emeritus


[#4 PHOTO/CAPTION: James Gashel]
                            STATEMENT
                             OF THE
                NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

     From the Editor: The following testimony was submitted on
February 8, 1996 by the National Federation of the Blind to the
Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property, Committee on
the Judiciary, United States House of Representatives.

     Mr. Chairman, my name is James Gashel. I am the Director of
Governmental Affairs for the National Federation of the Blind. My
address is 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230;
telephone, (410) 659-9314. The National Federation of the Blind
appreciates very much the significance of the pending copyright
legislation being considered by this Subcommittee, and we thank
you for the opportunity to take part in this hearing today.
     Before I turn specifically to the copyright bill, I would
like to say just a word of introduction about the purpose of the
National Federation of the Blind and our particular interest in
this legislation. The Federation is a membership organization of
blind people. I emphasize the use of the word "of" in our name
because blind people themselves have joined together to form the
Federation. This is why we are often referred to as the "voice of
the nation's blind."
     Our interest in publishing and copyright springs from the
fact that most of the activities in this area are carried on in
the print media. Printed text and graphical or pictorial
representations are, by their very nature, not directly usable by
blind people. It should be obvious that this presents us with a
significant barrier which must be overcome if blind people are to
be informed and literate. It is not too much to say that living
successfully in our modern society often depends upon being able
to communicate ideas and facts both orally and in writing.
Therefore, if the blind people of today and tomorrow are going to
compete with others on terms of equality--something which we can
certainly do--we must have suitable alternatives to standard
print.
     The amendments to the Copyright Act now before you in the
form of H. R. 2441 give recognition to what I am saying. Section
3 of the bill proposes to establish a new limitation on the
exclusive rights of copyright owners which would apply to the
reproduction and distribution of nondramatic literary works in
formats which blind and visually impaired people can use. The
provision would allow a nonprofit agency to reproduce and
distribute an otherwise copyrighted work without regard to
section 106 of Title 17, United States Code.
     For example, it would not be a copyright infringement under
this section for a nonprofit agency to convert a printed,
published work into Braille without first asking for permission
and waiting to receive it. Obviously that would be an advantage.
However, the present language of section 3 may well have been
crafted without complete knowledge of how the present copyright
clearance system works. Nonetheless, the provision as written has
done us a great service by kicking off a discussion of how best
to get more reading matter more quickly into the hands of blind
people while protecting the copyright owners' interests.
     The problems and promise of section 3 in its present
formulation were described quite succinctly (and quite
accurately) in testimony already presented by Mary Beth Peters,
Register of Copyrights at the Library of Congress. As she noted
in her statement, there is certainly a need for the one-year
delay proviso to be re-examined. The limitation should
specifically permit reproduction and distribution of digital
text; governmental as well as nonprofit agencies should be
authorized to use the limitation; and the reader population--
blind and visually impaired persons--should be clearly defined.
     As it turns out, the issues which Ms. Peters identified were
also of concern to the National Federation of the Blind. So,
rather than waiting for someone else to act, we decided to take
up the challenge. Actually we have been conducting fairly
frequent discussions with the publishers, via the Association of
American Publishers (AAP). At a meeting of leaders from our
respective organizations held on Thursday, January 25, at the
headquarters of the National Federation of the Blind in
Baltimore, we reached an agreement. This agreement in the form of
legislative language is appended to this statement. A memorandum
from AAP'S president, Ambassador Nicholas Veliotes, confirming
our agreement is also appended.
     I should note that Mr. Frank Kurt Cylke, Director of the
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
of the Library of Congress, was also a participant in the
discussions with the publishers. The Library of Congress
coordinates the major book production and distribution service
through which most blind people obtain reading matter. Mr. Cylke
and his staff at the Library have extensive experience and almost
daily interaction with book publishers to obtain permission under
the present copyright law. Therefore, his involvement along with
the publishers' was essential.
     While the National Federation of the Blind has taken the
lead in forging the specifics of an agreement with the AAP, I
have been advised that agencies such as Recording for the Blind
and Dyslexic and the American Printing House for the Blind are
fully in accord with the recommended language. It is important to
note that these two agencies, along with the Library of Congress,
reproduce and distribute much of the reading matter which blind
people (both children and adults) receive.
     I would like briefly to describe the specific terms of our
agreement. It is essentially a proposal to rewrite section 3(b)
of H. R. 2441, although it could be advanced on its own as a
free-standing bill. In the rewrite the term "blind and visually
impaired" would be changed to "blind and other persons with
disabilities." The significance of this change comes in the
definitions, which I will shortly discuss.
     Subsection A of our proposal would allow authorized
entities, as we define them later, to reproduce or distribute
copies or phonorecords of previously published, nondramatic
literary works in specialized formats, as later defined, for
exclusive use by blind or other persons with disabilities. Under
this subsection it would not be an infringement of copyright for
the Library of Congress or the American Printing House for the
Blind, for example, to proceed immediately with the conversion of
a printed book into Braille as soon as they could feasibly
arrange to do so. This section would not require copyright
permission and would therefore avoid the lengthy waiting time
that is often involved.
     Subsection B of our proposal contains three definitions
which all of us view as critical. The first of these defines
"authorized entity" as a nonprofit or governmental agency with a
primary mission of serving blind or other persons with
disabilities in regard to training, education, or adaptive
reading or information-access needs. "Specialized formats" are
defined as Braille, audio, or digital text which is exclusively
for use by blind or other persons with disabilities.
     The term "blind or other persons with disabilities" has also
been carefully defined. To do this, we have followed the
recommendation of the Register of Copyrights. As a result the
definition used in our proposal provides a cross-reference to
section 135A of Title 2 of the United States Code. This is the
definition used for eligibility to receive special reading matter
through the Library of Congress program. All libraries and
agencies that cooperate with the National Library Service for the
Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress use
the definition from Title 2, section 135A, to define the eligible
population.
     Mr. Cylke has informed us that 500,000 individuals presently
receive services through the Library of Congress network of
specialized libraries for the blind and physically handicapped.
The definition of eligibility in Title 2, section 135A, has
existed in its present form for thirty years. Even so, the
population of eligible readers remains quite constant. However,
it is estimated that as many as three million people in the
United States could qualify under the definition now in use for
library service.
     Those who could and do qualify are individuals who have
physical disabilities (mostly blindness) that prevent them from
using printed works. In order to qualify in accordance with the
existing definition, a person like me must be certified by a
competent authority as meeting the physical or visual criteria
for eligibility. I think it is clear that we--those of us who
qualify for service under this definition--are not buyers of
print books because we cannot actually use them for the most
part.
     In fact, I don't recall having ever bought a print book
except as a gift for a sighted friend or family member. If I
could see, I would very likely be spending considerable sums in
bookstores. My personal situation is quite representative. The
publishers have recognized this and have therefore agreed that we
should have the right to receive editions of published works in
specialized formats. The publishers appear to view the use of the
existing definition of our eligible population as critical to the
agreement we have reached. Since the eligible population is
already defined by law, we too are content to use it. As I
understand it, all of the affected agencies and groups in our
field agree with this.
     Subsections C and D of our agreement contain provisions
which should help to safeguard the rights of copyright holders.
The first of these prohibits republication of a work in a format
other than a specialized format and requires that each copy made
in a specialized format contain a notice of this prohibition.
Also copies that are made in specialized formats must identify
the copyright owner and the date of the original publication.
Finally, reproduction or distribution of standardized, secure, or
norm-referenced tests or testing material would continue to be a
copyright infringement. Laws other than the copyright law already
require such tests to be provided in formats that do not
discriminate on grounds of blindness or disability.
     As I think you can tell from this description, Mr. Chairman,
the agreement which the publishers have reached with us is both
balanced and fair to everyone concerned. We view this as a
win-win outcome. Hopefully it can provide the impetus for
constructive action in other matters of concern in this bill.
Whether that can happen or not, we certainly recommend the
provisions I have outlined and urge you to report them promptly
to the full committee.
     On behalf of the National Federation of the Blind, I thank
you for the opportunity to present this testimony. Speaking as
someone who would benefit greatly from the recommended changes in
the Copyright Act and speaking on behalf of all blind people, I
am really asking for the chance to learn and have timely access
to knowledge. Of the 40,000 books that are published in the
English language annually, only about 5 percent are made
available to us. The amendments to the Copyright Act will not
alone balance the scales, but the changes will certainly help.
Therefore, we ask you to move forward with this and thank you for
the opportunity to be heard.


[#5 PHOTO/CAPTION: Barbara Cheadle]
                      MY BODY BELONGS TO ME
                       by Barbara Cheadle

     From the Editor: One of the most obvious manifestations of
the condescension with which blind people are often treated by
most of the sighted is the well meant but unwanted and
inappropriate touching we receive. Being dragged in the desired
direction by the cane one is using, steered by hands placed on
both one's shoulders, or hauled backwards by hands placed around
one's waist: all these are ways in which my personal space has
frequently been infringed by friends and strangers alike. I have
become quite firm with the cane-tuggers. I stop and explain that
what they are doing is analogous to covering someone's eyes while
urging him or her on to an escalator or off a curb. Even the most
flustered would-be helper will usually let go at the recognition
that I have no intention of budging until I can again move my
cane freely and independently.
     Despite my aversion to being touched without my permission,
I have always been less able to remove uninvited hands and insist
on appropriate treatment. Partly this may be because such
invasions are usually quite brief and are over before I can
decide how to respond. But, having read and thought about the
following article by Barbara Cheadle, I begin to suspect that a
lifetime of enduring such treatment has taken its toll on me. For
better or worse, one who is handled a lot expects to be handled.
Animal trainers and handlers use this principle all the time to
teach their charges to obey commands and remain docile. Blind
children are pulled along, pushed into place, shoved down, and
yanked up by everyone who knows them. Their hands are manipulated
through the tasks of fine-dexterity development; their feet are
placed on pedals and their legs are pushed in the circles those
pedals make to propel a tricycle. And these kids are compressed
into a kneeling crouch, their heads are tucked down, and their
backs, bottoms, and legs are guided into doing somersaults and
forward rolls.
     I remember the embarrassment of elementary school softball
games in gym class. I could never see the ball being pitched at
my hopeful bat, so Harveen (the best girl batter, runner, and
fielder in the class) was assigned to bat with me. This consisted
of her standing behind me and putting both arms around me so that
she could grasp the bat on top of my hands. The position was no
doubt awkward for her, but it was nothing short of a misery to
me. She occasionally managed to connect with the ball despite the
marked disadvantage of my bulk in her way. Then she would drop
the bat and grab my hand in order to drag me off to first base. I
don't remember ever getting further than that, but I suppose the
grab-and-drag method was used on the remainder of the base-
running as well.
     I remember another teacher's efforts to teach me the
alternate heel-toe, heel-toe jumps of the Bunny Hop by kneeling
beside me and manipulating my ankle and knee, with never a word
of explanation or offer to demonstrate. Art and penmanship
teachers enveloped me completely and guided my hand in doing
impossible things with pen or drawing pencil. Just remembering
such experiences brings back the feeling of powerlessness and
helplessness of those days.
     When my friends undertook to teach me or help me do things
that I couldn't pick up on my own, they almost never engaged in
intrusive behavior. Partly it was, I suppose, that they were not
significantly bigger, so they could not overwhelm me. Moreover,
they did not have the markedly greater ability that enabled
adults to force my inept hands and feet to submit to their will
and skill.
      Even though kids didn't have command of the vocabulary that
adults did, they much more often resorted to explaining what was
needed and then provided more or less useful critiques of my
attempts to follow their instructions. When that failed, they
typically invited me to touch their hands, arms, or legs while
they tried to perform the action under my tactile observation. I
learned to turn jump ropes for Double Dutch by placing my hands
on a friend's hands while she did it. I learned to run in when
jumping rope by doing that with another girl until I picked up
the timing from the sound of the rope hitting the ground. Later I
learned to make a French twist by having a friend make one with
my hair and then watch me try it while she offered suggestions.
     But I realize that I was damaged by those early, smothering
encounters with adult instructors and guiders. They taught me
early that it was perfectly acceptable for any man or woman to
touch any part of my body they wanted to move and to keep
touching it till I did what they wanted me to do. Just writing
that sentence makes my blood run cold. Learning lessons like that
one makes blind children easy victims of sexual perversion and
physical abuse. The time has come for us to see that blind
children will no longer be easy victims. In doing so, we will be
teaching everyone in our society the important lesson that blind
people have every right to control their own personal space.
     Barbara Cheadle is the President of the National
Organization of Parents of Blind Children. She also edits Future
Reflections, the NOPBC's quarterly magazine. The following
article appeared in the Fall, 1995, issue. Here is what she has
to say on this vitally important subject:

     Individual freedom is highly prized in our culture. (Perhaps
one of the reasons we so fear blindness is the widely held
misperception that it takes away our freedom.) We strongly
believe that every person has the right to make choices and do
what he or she wishes in life. Not surprisingly, this attitude
extends to our bodies and the whole issue of personal privacy and
personal space. For example, Americans will not willingly sit
with strangers in a restaurant. The place may be full of tables
with empty chairs, but if there is one other person sitting at
that table, then, as far as we are concerned, the restaurant is
full. That's how strong our sense of personal space is. We have
correspondingly powerful feelings about our bodies. Public
displays of shaved heads, green spiked hair, nose rings, multiple
earrings, and tatoos may be appreciated by some and despised by
others, but it is tolerated by all. In short, what people choose
to do with their own bodies (distasteful as it may be to others)
is their business.
     But this same tolerance leads us to an equally firm
intolerance of those who violate the physical privacy of others.
We are especially intolerant, of course, of physical and sexual
abuse. But even violations of our social rules about touching are
not taken lightly. We take the concept of "my body belongs to me"
seriously. We consider it part of our right to individual
freedom, unless you are blind, that is; then a double standard is
applied. Don't accept the double standard. Think about what you
know to be true about our social expectations and the concept of
respect for others' physical bodies and personal space.
     Sometimes there is uncertainty about what is acceptable and
unacceptable social touching. The debate about what constitutes
sexual harassment in the workplace is one example of our cultural
expectations undergoing change. But most of us never think or
worry about what is appropriate or inappropriate touching in our
daily routines. The unspoken rules are so thoroughly ingrained in
our behavior that we are only aware of them when someone breaks a
rule or we travel to another country where the rules regarding
touch and personal space differ from ours.
     We all know that it is perfectly acceptable, for example, to
expect a hug and a kiss from great-aunt Emma (even if we haven't
seen her in ten years); a firm handshake from our lawyer (whom we
may only see once a year); and no physical contact at all, only a
distant nod and wave, from a neighbor we may have seen almost
daily for twenty years. We expect our doctors to follow a certain
protocol in a physical examination, and we are uneasy or
suspicious when strangers, or even casual acquaintances, get too
close or touch us too much in social situations.
     Although children are necessarily touched more frequently,
there are clear distinctions and expectations regarding
acceptable, and unacceptable, social touching at each level of
development. A two-year-old toddler is vocally outraged if he or
she is picked up or cuddled like a "baby" while trying to assert
newfound maturity and independence. A seven-year-old is
appropriately offended if touched or handled as if he or she were
still a toddler. And God help the parent who attempts to hug a
teen-age son or daughter in public!
     It would seem reasonable to assume that the same social
standards regarding touch should apply equally to the blind. Even
if one made the questionable assumption that all blind persons
need more physical assistance than others, is it not consistent
with current practice to assume that one should first ask if help
is needed and, if so, how the help is wanted? On the contrary,
all sense of what is respectful, proper, or improper seems to
disappear when an ordinary member of the public encounters a
blind person. The only standard which seems to apply is: "If the
person is blind, grab 'em!" Over the years I have watched
strangers and family members alike physically push, pull, and tug
blind individualschildren and adultsabout with nary a "By your
leave" or "May I help you?"
     I admire my blind friends (adults) who handle this unwanted,
unsolicited laying on of hands with firmness, dignity, and good
grace. I remember the time years ago when a blind friend and I
walked into a highway rest stop bathroom. My friend was standing
close to the towel dispenser, waiting her turn for a stall, when
in came a gaggle of matronly women. Spotting my friend, they
assumed that she was trying to find the towels. Talking non-stop,
they grabbed her (literally), dried her hands, and physically
handed her back down the line till she was out of the bathroom.
It happened so quickly Marsha was too stunned and shocked even to
speak. But she quickly regained her composure, quietly used her
cane to walk back in, and located her place in the line. Needless
to say, the women were chagrined, maybe even a little put out.
They didn't apologize, but they didn't make a grab for Marsha
again, either.
     Adults who have had some training and have developed some
confidence in themselves can pull this off. But what can children
do when this happens to them? Worse, what happens if parents and
family members follow the "grab 'em, push, pull, and tug" model?
If they have never experienced anything else, will children have
any choice but to accept this physical pushing and pulling with
passive resignation? What, I wonder, are they learning about
themselves? Do they believe that "My body belongs to me" in the
same sense that we expect sighted children to understand this
message?
     What should blind children learn to expect from others
concerning respect for their bodies and their personal space?
Should the social rules we follow for sighted children be applied
to blind children, or do blind kids require a special and
different set of "touching" rules? If so, where do we draw the
line? Hands and arms may be grabbed without permission, but not
the waist? What about the head and shoulders? Who is allowed to
grab them without permission and who isn't? What can they say or
do to prevent being touched against their wishes? For that
matter, do blind children have a right to such wishes at all?
     It is likely that many parents and educators have never
considered these questions, at least consciously. Our cultural
expectations regarding social touching are usually taught through
modeling and admonition. We don't even think about it as we do
it. Nor do we usually think about it when we flout the normal
standards and apply a different set of expectations for blind
children. We simply follow the dictates of the stereotypes we
have learned.
     But some people do think and do change this pattern. The
parents of Niki and Martha, two blind girls I have known almost
since birth, decided early on to follow a different path. Niki's
family read about blindness, joined the NFB, attended
conventions, thought about what they learned, and made a
conscious decision: they would treat their daughter in all ways
with the same respect and expectations with which they planned to
raise their sighted children. Martha's mother, who is blind
herself, came to the same conclusion but from a different set of
experiences. She not only had the collective experience of the
NFB upon which to draw, she could apply the best from her own
upbringing and avoid (or try to) the mistakes her parents and
teachers had made.
     But there was one thing neither set of parents could do:
they could not magically make every adult in their child's life
believe and behave this way. We prepare our children the best we
can, but eventually they must meet and deal with the world as it
is. Usually this happens when a child first goes away to school.
And that's what happened to Niki and Martha.
     Beginning around the first or second grade, they gradually
became the hapless victims of the grab 'em, push, pull, and tug
model of handling the blind. If they were spotted attempting to
go anywhere or do anything by themselves, janitors, kitchen
workers, secretaries, and teachers would drop what they were
doing and grab a hand, an arm, or even the cane and insist on
helping. The girls couldn't go to the bathroom, the lunchroom,
the playground, or the bus without an adult rushing in to give
them a guiding hand. One classroom teacher deserted her class
when she spotted one of the girls passing her classroom on the
way to get a drink of water. She was afraid the girl would get
lost. But by far the worst culprits were their school aides. (As
is common practice today, each girl was assigned an aide to help
her in the classroom.)
     Both girls complained to their parents about this treatment.
Niki's mom had the opportunity to see for herself what was going
on. She went to the school and sat in her daughter's class for a
few hours. She was appalled by the aide's behavior, especially
during a story-time activity. All the children were to sit on the
floor facing the teacher who was reading to them. Since this
activity required no assistance, the mom assumed the aide would
leave the room or at least stand quietly in the back. She did
not. Instead, the aide sat on the floor and positioned the
seven-year-old girl between her legs as if she were a
two-year-old toddler. Adding insult to injury, the aide proceeded
to move and tilt the girl's head toward the teacher. She didn't
whisper or suggest that the girl look at the teacher or tell her
quietly where to look. She didn't ask permission--she just
grabbed her head and moved it.
     It was no surprise to the parents that the girls objected to
this type of treatment. Both girls had been raised with the
positive, can-do philosophy of the Federation. They had canes as
soon as they could walk, and they used them. They were not of a
mind to take all this grabbing and pulling meekly and without
protest, even if it was from adults at school. It wasn't that
Martha or Niki wanted to be disruptive or rude. They just
couldn't see where it was such a big deal to go down the hall to
the bathroom by themselves. But many of the adults, especially
the school aides, didn't take kindly to these protests. From
their perspective they were only doing their jobs; one aide even
stated it that way: "It's my job to be by her side all the time."
     Soon Martha and Niki were being labeled "uncooperative and
disrespectful." They were admonished for "back-talking the
teacher" or accused of "not knowing when to accept help" when
they resisted unnecessary assistance. But by far the most
astonishingand chillingremark came one day from Martha's aide.
She had developed the unpleasant habit of grabbing Martha by the
shoulders and steering her down the hall. Finally (on the advice
of her mother, to whom she had complained about this embarrassing
situation), Martha asked the aide to take her hands off her
shoulders. She had her cane, and she could walk and find the turn
by herself. The aide angrily told Martha, "I can touch you
whenever I want to; it's my choice."
     Fortunately for both girls, they have tough-minded parents.
These parents had been tough on themselves, deliberately choosing
to hold normal expectations for their children despite feelings
of guilt and fear for their safety. Now they were ready and
willing to be tough and demand that others also treat their
children with respect and high expectations, even if they didn't
understand why or yet believe in the need to change their
behavior. Today Niki is in a different school. It's not perfect,
but there is no longer an aide hovering over her.
     The experience with the other aide did not break Niki's
spirit. She recently began taking private piano lessons. Her
teacher has never taught a blind child, and neither Mom or Dad,
who both work full-time, had the time right away to talk much
about blindness and expectations with the piano teacher. As it
turned out, they didn't have to. Niki took care of it. The first
time the teacher attempted to take her by the hand, Niki pulled
away and informed herin typical eight-year-old fashion--"Hasn't
anyone ever told you how to treat a blind kid? You don't grab
them. This is what you do," and proceeded to give the instructor
a lesson in sighted-guide etiquette. The piano teacher, by the
way, is delighted with Niki and took no offense at her impromptu
instruction.
     As for Martha, she is still in the same school with the same
aide. The aide is clearly a little puzzled about the whole
affair, but she no longer hovers by Martha's side every minute,
and she is learning to respect Martha's wishes about physical
assistance. A letter from the National Office of the NFB, an NFB
volunteer advocate at an IEP meeting, the moral support of the
mobility instructor, and the continued persistence of Mom
convinced the administrators and teachers to change their
behavior. Attitudes still lag behind, but those, too, will change
as the staff see Martha grow and flourish.
     At ages eight and nine these girls know that their bodies
belong to them. Help is welcome (sometimes), but on their terms
and under their guidance--not someone else's. They cannot yet
turn down help with the tact and grace my friend Marsha
displayed--after all, she was an adult in her thirties. But they
are as polite as any child their age can be; and that's all their
parents want--a normal kid.


                          IS NAC ALIVE?
                        by Peggy Elliott

     From the Editor: Every year in January the National
Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually
Handicapped (NAC) publishes a list of its member agencies,
indicating when each is due for reaccreditation. For several
years Peggy Elliott, Second Vice President of the National
Federation of the Blind, has taken a look at this document for us
and reported what's new and whether we can yet pronounce NAC
dead. In brief, the heartbeat can still be detected, but the
hemorrhage continues--eight more agencies opted to leave last
year. Here is the 1995 year-end report:

     Any living organism can prove it is alive. Take a tree.
Using sunlight, water, and simple nutrients, it grows. It sends
out leaves; it produces new branches; it expands the area of its
shade. The tree may periodically lose a root or a branch to some
trauma or malnourishment, but its overall size continues to
increase and its roots and branches to remain healthy. You can
tell it is alive. It ingests. It grows. It's healthy.
     Let us compare this commonplace tree to the National
Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually
Handicapped (NAC). By the same test NAC certainly cannot prove it
is alive; the most accurate diagnosis is terminal decline and
current coma. We can mourn a tree that dies. But in the case of
NAC, one merely wonders why it is taking so long and wishes the
process would just hurry up. The case is clearly fatal. Why not
simply let the patient go?
     First, let's look at NAC's nutrients. It lives on dues from
accredited agencies, both newly-signed-up ones and renewals from
old adherents. What happened last year in these nutrient
categories?
     In 1995 no new agencies were willing to accept accreditation
from NAC. The rate, of course, has been slowing in the past few
years as more and more agencies have recognized NAC's incurable
condition (none in '92 and only two each in '93 and '94). We can
be sure that no agencies sought accreditation last year because
no new accreditations were granted. One thing you can be sure of
with NAC; if you ask for accreditation, you'll get it, no matter
what your agency does or doesn't do and no matter what NAC's
standards say. So no fresh new agencies to nourish NAC.
     What about renewals? Fifteen agencies were scheduled for
re-accreditation in 1995. Only ten sought it. Three others simply
dropped their affiliation with NAC, and two more had their
accreditation periods extended. Extension is another of those
charming practices NAC has used in recent years to retain
members--extend agency accreditation (even if the agency doesn't
ask for it) while the folks at NAC try to talk agency officials
into renewing. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn't. But the
bottom line is that NAC's desperate struggle for nourishment has
become a losing battle.
     Partly this is so because of agencies' dropping
accreditation before their full term of accreditation has
expired. In 1995 five agencies dropped their affiliation with the
comatose NAC even though their terms of accreditation extended
beyond 1995. They apparently decided not to remain affiliated
with a decaying organism.
     According to the most recent information we have, NAC
charges $2,400 in annual dues for any accredited member. This is
eight times as much as the Commission on Accreditation of
Rehabilitation Facilities charges, and CARF maintains standards
it actually enforces, terminating or placing on probation
agencies that don't measure up or don't improve as projected. NAC
claims it once disaccredited an agency, but nobody can be found
to vouch for this, and the act seems unlikely, given NAC's
lifelong shortage of cash. Why would a broke accreditation agency
disaccredit anyone? How could it afford to do so? Retaining
accreditation means additional dues.
     Beyond all this there are the amusing cases of Florida and
the state vocational rehabilitation agencies. Florida actually
has twelve--count them--twelve NAC-accredited agencies, 20
percent of the total NAC-accredited agencies in the entire United
States! A quick check with Wayne Davis, president of the National
Federation of the Blind of Florida, produced a laugh and this
analysis: "I have been a member of the Federation for a number of
years, and I've talked to people throughout Florida and all
around our country. The idea that Florida's services to blind
persons are far superior to those of other states is ludicrous.
In fact, I would say that having twelve NAC-accredited agencies
in our state only illustrates how bad the services are here.
Moreover, I find it hard to understand why Whit Springfield,
director of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind here, who
seems sincere in his desire to work with the blind citizens of
Florida, clings to NAC accreditation, which is purchased and not
earned. He seems so forward-looking in many ways but so backward
in his loyalty to NAC."
     And what about VR agencies? NAC has offered accreditation to
these state governmental agencies since it was founded in 1966.
Of the fifty-two that exist, only thirteen VR agencies have ever
sought accreditation, and ten of those have dropped their NAC
affiliation through the years. A mere three VR agencies remain
accredited, those in Hawaii, Florida, and Oklahoma. Viewing these
facts, one is tempted to giggle. Where have the administrators of
the Florida, Hawaii, and Oklahoma agencies been all these years?
Do they ever talk to their fellow state agency directors? Can't
they see that NAC accreditation has become an embarrassment?
Haven't they noticed that in a number of cases the NAC seal of
good practice was being proudly displayed by member agencies
while gross violations of state law were going on? Do they really
think that paying $2,400 to NAC every year is more worthwhile
than spending that same amount on serving blind people? Just what
dimension do they live in? Perhaps we need to check their vital
signs as well.
     Currently only one in five workshops and one in five schools
for the blind hold accreditation, down considerably from the high
in each category. The remnant in each category clings for some
mysterious reason to the NAC seal. But the only two things they
get are the privilege of pouring $2,400 down the NAC rathole
every year and of displaying an accreditation symbol most of us
associate with laxity at best and criminal behavior at worst.
     Twenty-three states can now boast a NAC-free environment,
and seventeen more have only one NAC-accredited agency within
their borders. In other words, 72 percent of all agencies
affiliated with NAC are located in twelve states--Arizona,
Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New
York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee (surely a
contracted area for a national accrediting body). Consult
residents of these twelve states; ask whether they believe they
live in some services-to-the-blind heaven or somewhere else.
     With this aura of disintegration surrounding NAC, one stands
astonished at the few feeble signs of life that persist. It's a
testimony to the will to survive, but it's wasted effort. NAC's
condition is irreversible, and its remaining adherents should
save themselves the trouble and expense of trying to prove
anything to the contrary. Is NAC alive? More than it should be.
Is it on its last legs? Past that; it's in an end-stage coma.
     Next time you pass by a tree, stop and give it a pat or two.
It is already or will soon be coming out of winter hibernation,
growing new leaves, starting little twiglets, and adding to its
root and branch systems. Then think about NAC--no new agencies,
almost as many dropping as re-accrediting. Give the tree a
friendly pat and move on. The blindness field should move on as
well--on from the days of NAC and the old-boy network it
represents to the new era in which blind people and those who
work with them act in partnership. That's the future, and it's
alive with promise. What follows are several interesting lists:

Agencies That Dropped NAC Accreditation in 1995:
Arkansas--Division of Services for the Blind
Illinois School for the Visually Impaired
Duluth Lighthouse for the Blind (Minnesota)
Rehabilitation Services for the Blind (Tupelo, Mississippi)
Guiding Eyes for the Blind (New York)
Helen Keller Services for the Blind (New York)
Loaiza Cordero Institute for Blind Children (Puerto Rico)
Tennessee School for the Blind

Agencies Scheduled for Reaccreditation in 1996:
Tucson Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (Arizona)
Sacramento Society for the Blind (California)
Independence for the Blind (Florida)
Blind and Low Vision Services of North Georgia
Center for the Visually Impaired (Georgia)
Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind (Illinois)
Deicke Center for Visual Rehabilitation (Illinois)
Indiana School for the Blind
Maryland School for the Blind
Upshaw Institute for the Blind
Visually Impaired Center (Michigan)
North Dakota School for the Blind
Clovernook Center Opportunities for the Blind (Ohio)
Pittsburgh Blind Association (Pennsylvania)
Ed Lindsey Industries for the Blind (Tennessee)
Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind (Texas)
Utah School for the Blind

States With No NAC-Accredited Agencies as of January, 1996:

Alaska
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Idaho
Kentucky
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Mississippi
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Mexico
North Carolina
Oregon
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Vermont
Virginia
Wyoming

States With One NAC-Accredited Agency as of January, 1996:
Alabama
Hawaii
Iowa
Indiana
Kansas
Maine
Maryland
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Jersey
North Dakota
South Dakota
Texas
Utah
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
[#6 PHOTO: This is a map of the entire United States, including Puerto Rico.
CAPTION: The states shaded dark gray have more than one NAC-accredited agency.
Those with a striped fill have only one, and the clear states can boast a NAC-
free environment.]


[#7 PHOTO/CAPTION: President Maurer and his son David Patrick work together to
create the perfect sled runner]
         GOOD FORTUNE, HARD WORK, AND THE KLONDIKE DERBY
                         by Marc Maurer

     From the Editor: The following story is President Maurer's
contribution to the latest in our Kernel Book series of
paperbacks. Here it is:

     A professor told me, when I was a student at the University
of Notre Dame, that a clich is a wise saying which has been
repeated so often that the good has been washed out of it.
Nevertheless, there are times when clichs should be used. This
professor, for instance, was particularly fond of "dumb as an
ox."
     When I was growing up, I was told that time is money and
that knowledge is power. But these thoughts were repeated so
often that they ceased to have any meaning for me. Nobody that I
could remember had ever offered to pay me for my time--or my
knowledge either, for that matter. Maybe, I thought, knowledge
and power are equivalent, but the knowledge I possessed didn't
make me feel powerful. For time to be equal to money or for
knowledge to be equal to power, the person possessing the time
and the knowledge must be able to trade them for money and
influence. I didn't believe that I could expect to do that.
     Although I was well enough liked in school, my teachers and
my fellow students did not think that I was likely to be
successful in business or the professions, and I wondered if they
weren't right.
     Then I met Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, who was serving as
President of the National Federation of the Blind. My hopes and
dreams mattered to him. If I wanted to build a future far beyond
my wildest imaginings, he wanted to help me. This was true even
when his opinion about what I should do was different from mine.
     I kept thinking that I should get a job. Dr. Jernigan wanted
me to study. He urged me to spend my time getting some high-
quality book learning. But I argued against it. I thought that
the book learning could wait and that what I needed was practical
experience.
     I asked Dr. Jernigan to help me get a job, and despite his
feeling that I should use my time to improve my mind, he helped
me find employment as a small engine mechanic.
     Mechanics are expected to bring their own tools, but I had
no money to buy them. Dr. Jernigan found the means to get me a
box of wrenches, a flywheel puller, and a device called a feeler
gauge, which is used to check the distances between the points in
the ignition systems of engines, to test the gap of spark plugs,
and to measure the tolerances in the spacing of valve lifters.
With my shiny new tool box in hand, I started working at a
machine shop, repairing small engines.
     The machine shop repaired lawn mowers, garden tractors,
rototillers, and other gasoline-driven machines in the summer,
and snow-blowers and snowmobiles in the winter. My boss was a man
who believed in giving a guy a chance, but he was not prepared to
pay a laborer who didn't produce. One of his regular mechanics
had been paralyzed from the waist down, and I was then, as I am
now, totally blind.
     Each mechanic was provided with a workbench and an air hose
and access to the parts room. When the customers brought work for
us to do, we were offered the opportunity to do it. If we
succeeded in repairing a machine, we got paid. If the machine
remained broken, we remained unpaid.
     This system gave us the maximum incentive to do our jobs
both speedily and well. However, we were not permitted to perform
the work in a half-baked fashion. There was a set routine. A
machine which was brought to the shop for repair must first be
cleaned. After it had been scrubbed with solvent, the machine
must be drained of oil and other fluids. Then it was to be
inspected for broken parts. If the customer had specified the
problem, this was to be the major focus of attention.
     We knew that the customer sometimes missed the real source
of the difficulty. The inspection was to proceed with this in
mind. Unless the customer specified otherwise, the machine was to
be put into top-notch working condition. After all of the repairs
had been made and the fluids replaced, the machine was to be
cleaned once again in readiness for the customer.
     Clean 'em; fix 'em; lubricate 'em; gas and oil 'em; test
'em; and clean 'em again. If it passed inspection, it was time to
tell the customer that the machine was ready.
     One morning my boss came to me with a portable gasoline-
driven air compressor. He said that the other work which I was
doing must be put aside. The customer was managing a construction
crew, and he needed the compressor immediately. The construction
foreman could not get the engine to run.
     I began by preparing to clean the compressor and its engine,
and I was about to check the oil when the boss interrupted. There
was a whole construction crew waiting on this machine. The oil
would be fine. Just get the engine running. So I skipped the
usual routine.
     There are three things that must come together in a gasoline
engine for it to run. There must be a fuel-air mixture in the
cylinder. There must be compression of the fuel-air mixture which
will make it sufficiently unstable to burn, and there must be a
spark to ignite the fuel.
     The method I used to check the ignition systems of small
engines was to remove the sparkplug from the cylinder head. With
the sparkplug connected to the ignition wire, I turned the engine
over. If the system was in working condition, a spark would jump
across the electrodes of the sparkplug.
     When I pulled the sparkplug of the compressor engine, I
discovered that there was no spark. The problem had been
identified. The ignition system needed repair. But this engine
was unlike any that I had ever encountered. I did not know how
its ignition system worked.
     I found a little box on the side that I thought might have
something to do with the electrical system. When I took the cover
off, there were the ignition points. I had never worked on any
like them. However, there was a loose wire inside the box, which
seemed to be shorting the points. I broke it off and put the
cover back onto the box. With the sparkplug back in place, I
pulled the starting rope. The engine kicked right over and
settled into the noisy rhythm that small engines make. The job
had taken me about five minutes.
     My boss was pleased and wanted to know what had been wrong
with the engine. The construction foreman was pleased and glad to
be able to go back to work. And I was pleased. I was quite well
paid for five minutes' effort. I had saved the construction crew
a lot of waiting time. I had known about the theory of internal
combustion engines, andwith a little bit of luckI had been able
to apply that theory to solve a problem. Because they needed to
save time and because I had some knowledge and a little luck, I
received the money.
     I never told my boss how easy it had been to fix that
machine. He thought I was a real smart mechanic, and I just let
him keep on thinking it.
     I served as a mechanic for only a short time. Then I took
Dr. Jernigan's advice and went to college. He had told me that,
if I intended to be able to participate fully in the society in
which we live, I would need a good education.
     Although he was gentle about the telling, he suggested to me
that the reason I had not felt very powerful with the knowledge
that I possessed was that I did not have enough of it to do me
much good. Seven years later, I had completed undergraduate
school and obtained a law degree.
     By the time I began making application for my first law job,
I had been a part of the National Federation of the Blind for
eight years. With the help of my friends in the Federation, I
became the principal attorney for the Senior Legal Assistance
Project in Ohio. It was an interesting job involving many kinds
of lawsuits in the civil courts.
     One lady had employed a firm to put a roof on her house.
Although the roofer said the work had been completed, it
apparently remained unfinished. My job was to file a contract
action seeking appropriate damages and demanding that the work be
finished or the money returned. During the preparation of the
case, I spent time on the client's roof with the expert witness
we were planning to call at trial. Collecting and arranging
evidence, preparing witnesses, writing jury instructions,
researching the law, and making appearances in the courts were
all part of the daily practice.
     At least one fundamental principle is the same for the
practice of law and the business of being a mechanic. Results
matter. We who are blind must be prepared to solve problems both
for ourselves and for others. If we have the chance to get the
proper learning, then we can meet this challenge.
     This is the message I got from the National Federation of
the Blind, and it is still the message we are promoting today. If
we are good at what we do, we can expect opportunities to come,
and these opportunities give us the chance for a full and
productive life.
     My wife Patricia and I were married in 1973. She (who is
also blind) had just graduated from college with an education
degree and a teaching credential. Despite her education Patricia
was not always able to find employment as a teacher. Much of the
time during the period that I attended law school, she supported
the two of us by working as a typist for Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
     Today Patricia volunteers her time to help the National
Federation of the Blind serve the thousands of blind people who
come to us for advice and support. She and I also devote our time
to raising our two children, David and Dianna. Blind people do
not always have the chance to have families, and we feel
especially blessed.
     When our son David was nine years old, he wanted to join the
Cub Scouts. There was a Cub Scout pack being formed at our
church. When we spoke to the cubmaster who was forming the pack,
he asked me if I would be able to serve as treasurer and
assistant leader. I responded that I would be pleased to try but
that I had never been a Scout. He told me not to worry about it.
So I joined the Scouts as an adult rather than a boy.
     Just before Christmas the first year that I was serving as
assistant leader and treasurer for the Cub Scouts, the cubmaster
indicated that we should plan to take part in the Klondike Derby.
The Klondike Derby, I was told, is an event that takes place in
the out-of-doors during the winter. For a day Scouts hike on
trails and demonstrate their skill in outdoor crafts--especially
those needed in the cold. Fire building, knot tying, first aid
with an emphasis on emergencies that happen in cold weather,
shelter building, tracking, and many more activities are a part
of the Klondike Derby.
     The cubmaster said that we would need a sled. I thought that
we could use the plastic one that Patricia and I had purchased
for our children. Then the cubmaster told me that the sled must
be made of wood. I thought that, if I hunted around garage sales
or thrift stores, I might be able to put my hands on a flexible
flyer. They are made of wood.
     But the cubmaster went on to tell us that, not only must the
sled itself be made of wood, but the runners of the sled must
also be made of the same material. This is a real tough one, I
thought. Maybe I could find an old pair of skis that nobody
wanted, but I never found any. So we bought boards, and David and
I began building a sled.
     I had heard that if you steam wood, you can bend it. So we
took a very large pot and filled it with water. Over the top of
this pot, we balanced pieces of maple that were three quarters of
an inch thick and four inches wide. Because these boards were
eight feet long, only a small portion of them could be
immediately above the kettle. However, the curve of a sled runner
is a fairly short one. We decided that if we could get a forty-
five degree bend in a part of the board that is a little over a
foot long, this would suit our purposes admirably.
     We boiled the water under the wood for over eight hours. We
had built a homemade bending frame to shape the runners. When the
boards had been thoroughly boiled, we inserted the steamed end
into the frame and pulled on the other end to create a curve. The
plan worked.
     Most of the construction of the sled occurred in the living
room of our house because that is where we had the space to do
the building. Despite some domestic disruption, the sled was
completed on time for the Klondike. But this is not all. Our
Klondike Derby sled won first prize!
     We in the National Federation of the Blind want very much to
help make our country the best that it can be. We want to learn,
and we want to pass our knowledge on to others who need it. Our
dreams for the future are big ones--both for ourselves and for
our friends and neighbors. And we are willing to work hard to
make our plans come true.
     The clichs about blindness have often portrayed us as
helpless or worse. We believe that we have something to
contribute, and we are putting our energy into making that
something worthwhile. When we become lawyers, homemakers, scout
leaders, mechanics, or teachers, the old clichs about the
incapacity of the blind lose their force. They become as
meaningless as inscriptions on sand.
     This is the meaning of the National Federation of the Blind,
which has made such a dramatic difference in my life and in the
lives of many thousands of others. If we are to live by a clich,
perhaps it should be "The Lord helps those who help themselves"
or perhaps "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch."


[#8 PHOTO: Dr. Jernigan sitting at his desk in his office. CAPTION: Kenneth
Jernigan]
 CONCERNING MODESTY, DIABETES, POLITICAL CORRECTNESS, AND BOOKS
                       by Kenneth Jernigan

     At the 1993 NFB Convention in Dallas we passed a resolution
deploring political correctness. We incorporated that resolution
in an article in the August, 1993, Braille Monitor. By and by the
authors of a proposed book about diabetes contacted me to ask
whether they could use our article as part of their text, and of
course I told them they could.
     One never knows how wide the circle of ripples will travel
when a stone or an article is cast into the water. At any rate
the book was published, and I subsequently received the following
letter:

                                             Van Nuys, California
                                                     June 4, 1995

Dear Mr. Jernigan:
     We are happy to be able to send you this copy of our book,
The Diabetes Sports & Exercise Book, in which your excellent
essay, "The Pitfalls of Political Correctness: Euphemisms
Excoriated," appears on pages 201-205. We know it will do a lot
to stir the thinking of the DIABETICS who read it. We send you
our sincere thanks along with the book.
     Also enclosed is a copy of our latest edition of our
publication, The Diabetic Reader. If any of your members would
like to receive a complimentary copy, they can call 1-800-735-
7726 or write to us at 5623 Matilija Ave., Van Nuys, California
91401.

                                      Warmly and sincerely yours,
                                                   Barbara Toohey
                                                    June Biermann

     So wrote the authors (two of them; there are three)--and
nothing loath, I responded as follows:

                                              Baltimore, Maryland
                                                     June 8, 1995

Dear Ms. Toohey and Ms. Biermann:
     Thanks for your letter, your newsletter, and the book. With
my usual modesty I immediately turned to the chapter on political
correctness. Obviously I thought you did a good job. If I have
your permission to do so, I would like to publish your political
correctness chapter in the Braille Monitor. It would give me an
excuse to reprint our political correctness resolution; it would
publicize your book; and it would give me a considerable amount
of satisfaction. I shall wait to hear from you.

                                                       Sincerely,
                                                 Kenneth Jernigan
                                               President Emeritus
                                 NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

     So I wrote on June 8, 1995, and with seemly haste these
delightful authors responded:

                                             Van Nuys, California
                                                    June 15, 1996

Dear Mr. Jernigan:
     We would be delighted to have you reprint our Political
Correctness Chapter. After all, you were the inspiration and
wrote the largest part of it. If you should feel so inclined, you
may also invite your members to call (1-800-735-7726) or write to
us for a complimentary copy of The Diabetic Reader.
     We hope that working together we can counteract the
insidious forces of mealymouthism.

                                                 All good wishes,
                                                   Barbara Toohey
                                                    June Biermann

     Mealymouthism is a fine term. There is too much of it in the
world, far too much. All self-respecting people should do their
utmost to stamp it out. In furtherance of that worthy cause, here
(running from page 199 to page 205) is the portion of The
Diabetes Sports and Exercise Book entitled "A Political
Correctness Issue--`Diabetic' or `Person With Diabetes.'"

     We know some of you are deeply offended when the word
diabetic is used as a noun as in "I am a diabetic" or "Diabetics
who take insulin may experience low blood sugar" or "A diabetic
should always carry some kind of medical I.D." We've even
received irate letters saying such things as "There are few
things that make me more angry than being called a `diabetic.' I
am a complete person with many interests and talents, and I
refuse to be categorized by the disease I happen to have." Caught
up in this politically correct nomenclature issue, speakers on
the subject of diabetes are being careful always to use the more
approved "person with diabetes." If they slip and use the
forbidden "a diabetic," they stammer, blush, and apologize
profusely. Some diabetes publications do not permit the use of
"diabetic" as a noun. Never. In fact, they won't even advertise a
book with a title that breaks their rule.
     Neither of the two diabetic authors of this book feels
strongly about this issue, and they personally use "a diabetic"
and "a person with diabetes" interchangeably. However, not
wishing to gratuitously offend anyone, we have changed the title
of this new edition from the previous The Diabetic's Sports and
Exercise Book. Dr. Claudia Graham, whose sense of humor has
obviously not been damaged by her fifteen years as a person with
diabetes, suggested that we might go whole hog and title the new
edition The Pancreatically Challenged Person's Sports and
Exercise Book.
     Other problems arise when anyone aims to achieve unremitting
political correctness. To put it bluntly, it often louses up the
writing. Suppose we changed the heading "Exercise for Every
Diabetic" to "Exercise for Every Person with Diabetes." It just
doesn't have the same ring to it. Worse would be changing "born-
again diabetic," the term we use for someone who has had diabetes
for a number of years but neglected it and finally decides to
turn over a new leaf and get in good control. Would "born-again
person with diabetes" do the job as well? We don't think so. How
about Barbara and others like her who don't have diabetes? You
can't call her "a nonperson with diabetes." (That would really
negate her personhood!) Luckily there have been zero complaints
so far from people who don't like being called "nondiabetics," so
we don't have to worry about that one.
     And maybe we don't have to worry about the diabetic-as-a-
noun issue as much as we thought we did. Apparently the number of
people who are hurt, angered, or offended by the expression "I am
a diabetic" is much smaller than originally thought. A recent
survey in Diabetes Forecast revealed that 77 percent of people
with diabetes use the term "a diabetic" themselves, and 14
percent don't use it but aren't bothered by it. Only 9 percent
find the term offensive or demeaning.
     Nevertheless, we want to reassure that 9 percent we are
trying to cut down on how often we use the term--unless the
"person with diabetes" term causes clutter, confusion, or
convolution or it diminishes the impact of a statement. But we
want a favor from you 9 percent: How about a little self-analysis
to discover why the label bothers you so much? Could it have
something to do with that overused term "denial"? We're not
saying it does; we're only asking you to consider the
possibility. Another possibility: being called "a diabetic" may
harken back to those times in hospitals when patients lost their
identities, being called something like, "the broken hip in 46-B"
or "the bleeding ulcer who had surgery yesterday." Blind diabetic
author Joseph Juliano, M.D., remembers with ironic amusement that
once, when he was in the hospital, he was called "the feeder,"
the patient who couldn't handle the meals by himself and had to
be fed. Dr. Juliano has no objection to being called "a
diabetic"; in fact, he calls his new cookbook The Diabetic's
Innovative Cookbook.
     Even with all those differences of opinion about terms,
there's one thing we'll bet on: Once we get the cure, even those
9 percenters who don't want to be called "a diabetic" now will
have no objection to being called "a former diabetic" then.
     In the meantime, to put all of political correctness in
perspective, we invite you to read the following pithy and
pungent commentary from the August, 1993, issue of The Braille
Monitor.

                                -June Biermann and Barbara Toohey


             THE PITFALLS OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS:
                      EUPHEMISMS EXCORIATED
                       by Kenneth Jernigan

     As civilizations decline, they become increasingly concerned
with form over substance, particularly with respect to language.
At the time of the First World War we called it shell shock--a
simple term, two one-syllable words, clear and descriptive. A
generation later, after the Second World War had come and gone,
we called it combat fatigue. It meant the same thing, and there
were still just two words--but the two syllables had grown to
four. Today the two words have doubled, and the original pair of
syllables have mushroomed to eight. It even has an acronym, PTSD-
-post traumatic stress disorder. It still means the same thing,
and it still hurts as much or as little, but it is more in tune
with current effete sensibilities.
     It is also a perfect example of the pretentious euphemisms
that characterize almost everything we do and say. Euphemisms and
the politically correct language which they exemplify are
sometimes only prissy, sometimes ridiculous, and sometimes
tiresome. Often, however, they are more than that. At their worst
they obscure clear thinking and damage the very people and causes
they claim to benefit.
     The blind have had trouble with euphemisms for as long as
anybody can remember, and late twentieth-century America is no
exception. The form has changed (in fact, everything is very
"politically correct"), but the old notions of inferiority and
second-class status still remain. The euphemisms and the
political correctness don't help. If anything, they make matters
worse since they claim modern thought and new enlightenment. Here
is a recent example from the federal government:

                            United States Department of Education
                                                 Washington, D.C.
                                                      May 4, 1993

                           Memorandum

TO:       Office for Civil Rights Senior Staff
FROM:     Jeanette J. Lim, Acting Assistant Secretary
               for Civil Rights
SUBJECT:  Language Reference to Persons with a Disability

     As you know, the October 29, 1992, Rehabilitation Act
Amendments of 1992 replaced the term "handicap" with the term
"disability." This term should be used in all communications.
     OCR recognizes the preference of individuals with
disabilities to use phraseology that stresses the individuality
of all children, youth, and adults, and then the incidence of a
disability. In all our written and oral communications, care
should be given to avoid expressions that many persons find
offensive. Examples of phraseology to avoid and alternative
suggestions are noted below.

      "Persons with a disability" or "individuals with
disabilities" instead of "disabled person."
      "Persons who are deaf" or "young people with hearing
impairments" instead of "deaf people."
      "People who are blind" or "persons with a visual
impairment" instead of "blind people."
      "A student with dyslexia" instead of "a dyslexic student."

     In addition, please avoid using phrases such as "the deaf,"
"the mentally retarded," or "the blind." The only exception to
this policy involves instances where the outdated phraseology is
contained in a quote or a title, or in legislation or
regulations; it is then necessary to use the citation verbatim.
     I hope this information has been helpful to you. If you have
any questions about any of these favored and disfavored
expressions, feel free to contact Jean Peelen, Director,
Elementary and Secondary Education Policy Division, at (202) 205-
8637.
                      ____________________

     That is what the memorandum says, and if it were an isolated
instance, we could shrug it off and forget it. But it isn't. It
is more and more the standard thinking, and anybody who objects
is subject to sanction.
     Well, we of the National Federation of the Blind do object,
and we are doing something about it. At our recent national
convention in Dallas we passed a resolution on the subject, and
we plan to distribute it throughout the country and press for
action on it. Here it is:

                        Resolution 93-01

     WHEREAS, the word blind accurately and clearly describes the
condition of being unable to see, as well as the condition of
having such limited eyesight that alternative techniques are
required to do efficiently the ordinary tasks of daily living
that are performed visually by those having good eyesight; and
     WHEREAS, there is increasing pressure in certain circles to
use a variety of euphemisms in referring to blindness or blind
persons--euphemisms such as hard of seeing, visually challenged,
sightless, visually impaired, people with blindness, people who
are blind, and the like; and
     WHEREAS, a differentiation must be made among these
euphemisms: some (such as hard of seeing, visually challenged,
and people with blindness) being totally unacceptable and
deserving only ridicule because of their strained and ludicrous
attempt to avoid such straightforward, respectable words as
blindness, blind, the blind, blind person, or blind persons;
others (such as visually impaired and visually limited) being
undesirable when used to avoid the word blind and acceptable only
to the extent that they are reasonably employed to distinguish
between those having a certain amount of eyesight and those
having none; still others (such as sightless) being awkward and
serving no useful purpose; and still others (such as people who
are blind or persons who are blind) being harmless and not
objectionable when used in occasional and ordinary speech but
being totally unacceptable and pernicious when used as a form of
political correctness to imply that the word person must
invariably precede the word blind to emphasize the fact that a
blind person is first and foremost a person; and
     WHEREAS, this euphemism concerning people or persons who are
blind--when used in its recent trendy, politically correct form--
does the exact opposite of what it purports to do since it is
overly defensive, implies shame instead of true equality, and
portrays the blind as touchy and belligerent; and
     WHEREAS, just as an intelligent person is willing to be so
designated and does not insist upon being called a person who is
intelligent and a group of bankers are happy to be called bankers
and have no concern that they be referred to as persons who are
in the banking business, so it is with the blind--the only
difference being that some people (blind and sighted alike)
continue to cling to the outmoded notion that blindness (along
with everything associated with it) connotes inferiority and lack
of status: now, therefore,
     BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in
convention assembled in the city of Dallas, Texas, this 9th day
of July, 1993, that the following statement of policy be adopted:

     We believe that it is respectable to be blind, and although
we have no particular pride in the fact of our blindness, neither
do we have any shame in it. To the extent that euphemisms are
used to convey any other concept or image, we deplore such use.
We can make our own way in the world on equal terms with others,
and we intend to do it.


   MORE BLIND SENIORS RECEIVE EFFECTIVE TRAINING IN MINNESOTA

     From the Editor: Monitor readers will remember that in the
January issue we carried a Miniature describing the program
serving blind senior citizens now being conducted at BLIND, Inc.,
the adult rehabilitation facility operated by the National
Federation of the Blind of Minnesota. The four-week course trains
seniors in using Braille, the long white cane, and other
alternative techniques that enable blind people to continue
living normal lives. We have just learned of another successful
program in Minnesota which is using the same effective methods to
help older people who are losing their sight. Not surprisingly,
the mainspring of this program is Federationist Chris Cuppett.
Peggy Chong, who sent us the following brief article, says:
"Chris is a long-time Federationist and newly elected Board
member of the NFB of Minnesota. She is energetic and positive.
Because of her full and active life, she is an excellent role
model for blind people in her community. As a teacher she opens
new ideas to help her students build on after they complete her
class." The following article is taken from the MRCI Fall, 1995
edition, a publication of the Mankato Rehabilitation Center,
Inc., which serves much of southern Minnesota. Here it is:

                   MRCI Project is State Model
       New Teaching Techniques Aid Adjustment to Blindness
                        by Sheri Crawford

     For the elderly, aging brings with it increasing worry about
losing independence and good health.
     Many seniors suffer from macular degeneration, the
deterioration of the eyes' retina. Fading vision magnifies both
fears--loss of independence and loss of health--at once.
     That's where MRCI's Chris Cuppett and her Adjustment to
Blindness (ATB) training program come in. Cuppett supervises the
program, which teaches senior citizens with waning or vanished
sight how to cope before their disability limits their options
and frightens them into deepening isolation.
     This year the seven-year-old program went through an
adjustment of its own. To qualify for a federal grant via the
State Services for the Blind, Cuppett and her colleague Monica
Pierce agreed to adopt a teaching approach relying heavily on
intensive use of blindfolds and the use of long white canes to
help visually impaired students navigate.
     Using blindfolds to simulate blindness was not new, but
requiring students to wear them for prolonged periods of time
was. Cuppett admits she was skeptical.
     "At first I thought, what are we doing to our poor seniors?
This is going to be like boot camp," Chris says chuckling. "But
it depends on your approach."
     The ATB program had stressed the need for students to use
other senses as their vision deteriorated. Cuppett used
blindfolds to teach some tasks, but they scared some students,
and many complained of dizziness and headaches after intermittent
use. By 1992 Cuppett stopped using them entirely.
     Cuppett, herself blind, and Pierce completed four days of
training in which they learned to thread needles, cook, and do
other housekeeping chores--always wearing blindfolds.
     The new technique generated no dizziness complaints, and
Cuppett found it also helped equalize students with varying
levels of vision. Those with some limited vision are sometimes
still in denial about their worsening sight, so they refuse to
learn skills they will need later, Cuppett says. Functioning
under blindfold makes everyone equal, and the skills stick.
     Cuppett now uses the "total blindfold" approach, while
Pierce teaches mobility with long canes, which are more visible
and practical than shorter support canes. Their expanding project
offers classes for the visually impaired throughout southern
Minnesota. MRCI's program takes referrals from State Services for
the Blind, setting up classes of up to eight students, usually
from within a sixty-mile radius. Each class has twelve five-hour
sessions that meet weekly in churches, libraries, or senior
citizen centers.
     The project has been so successful it is being replicated
throughout the state.
     "They call MRCI the pioneers in the program because we have
the classroom model," Cuppett says. "I think we now have bookings
already through next summer."
     Students learn to identify and count money; tape-record
recipes, lists, and directions they need; prepare food; dial a
phone; and safely pour hot and cold liquids.
     "Some have started to use handkerchiefs or bandannas as
blindfolds at home to complete tasks and get more comfortable,"
Cuppett says. "They're able to function in any situation because
they're using their other senses. They feel like they're getting
their independence back, not giving it away."
     Cuppett believes the new approach has enhanced the program
and rejuvenated her own teaching methods.
     "It sounds almost like cruelty, but it ends up being a much
more thorough training," she says. "We're feeling like our
seniors are really learning more. They're applying what they've
learned."


[#9 PHOTO/CAPTION: (Left to right) Larry, Michelle, Stephanie, and Susan
Povinelli]
                    METAL, GLUE, AND PLASTIC
                       by Susan Povinelli

     From the Editor: The following article is part of the
collection of short pieces comprising the latest in our Kernel
Book series of paperbacks, titled Tapping the Charcoal. Here it
is, beginning with Dr. Jernigan's introduction:

     Susan Povinelli is one of the leaders of the National
Federation of the Blind of Virginia. She is also an aerospace
materials engineer working for the U.S. Navy. Recently a group of
Federationists, many of them engineers and all fans of the
television program "Star Trek," organized themselves into a fan
club.
     The group chose as its name Geordi's Engineers, in
admiration of the blind engineer in "Star Trek: the Next
Generation." Susan serves as chief engineer of the club and
works, among other things, to encourage blind people interested
in careers in science and engineering to pursue their ambitions.
Here is Susan's account of her own career as an engineer:

     I imagine the reason most people enjoy "Star Trek" and "Star
Trek: the Next Generation" is the series' theme of exploring
strange new frontiers. Since I am a blind aerospace materials
engineer, you might say that I am a pioneer in my own right.
     Twenty years ago no blind person, and very few women,
ventured into the field of materials engineering. This is the
field which studies the physical properties of various
materialssuch as metals, adhesives (glue), and plasticsand uses
them in engineering applications. Like the first pioneers who
migrated to the New World, I also do not consider myself to be
achieving anything amazing or out of the ordinary. It was just a
dream that I wanted to fulfill for my own satisfaction.
     At the age of seventeen I learned that I had retinitis
pigmentosa (RP), a degenerative hereditary condition that affects
the retinas. The doctors told my parents, but not me, that in ten
years I would become blind. In their wisdom or their inability to
accept my fate, my parents allowed me to continue to dream of a
career in engineering. I enrolled in college and did all the
usual things engineering students do, but my tunnel vision and
night blindness continued to worsen.
     It wasn't until I was about to graduate from college that I
realized how difficult it was going to be to obtain a job in
materials engineering as a blind person. Private industry did not
want to take the risk of hiring a blind engineer. I weathered a
period of self-doubt and gloom.
I wish I had known then about the National Federation of the
Blind. In my moments of optimism, however, I kept dreaming of a
career in engineering. Finally I was offered a position as a
materials engineer with the Department of the Navy.
     I do my job by using ideas I've come up with and by
borrowing ideas from other blind engineers I've met through the
National Federation of the Blind. Four years ago the Navy
purchased a speech program to enable me to continue using my
computer. Instead of reading the screen with my eyes, I can read
it by listening to a synthetic voice. Such technology was
unavailable when I entered college in 1978except on "Star Trek"
or in science fiction movies.
     In my job I spend many hours preparing written
correspondence, and this technology has improved the quality and
quantity of my productive work. But with all its advantages it
has not taken the place of my many years of learning how to read
and write.
     This leads me to another obstacle that I had to circumvent.
As the years went by, my eyesight continued to deteriorate. I was
afraid of losing the ability to read and write. Without a method
to make notes to myself, read recipes, write to friends, and read
stories to my children, I knew I would have a very meager
existence. Engineers are practical people. There is an obvious
alternative to being illiterate when you cannot see print. I
began to learn Braille when I was in college. I had several
classes, and the rest was just practice.
     Today I find Braille very useful for taking notes during
meetings, giving a technical brief, and living a very full life.
Somehow I find time for my professional career, my family of an
attorney-husband and two children, my responsibility as the
secretary of the Potomac Chapter of the National Federation of
the Blind, and my work as chief of Geordis Engineers.
     My job has provided me with many wonderful opportunities to
be resourceful and to reach for new horizons. I have had the
opportunity to visit the flight line and get my hands on real
hardware. I have traveled through many manufacturing and repair
facilities. I imagine I receive strange looks from workers on the
floor while the engineer shows me through the plant and explains
the operations.
     Like the U.S.S. Enterprise in "Star Trek," which boldly
explored strange new galaxies to discover new worlds, blind
persons of this and the next generation can explore job
opportunities in the physical sciences and discover careers in
engineering and mechanics.


               GREAT EATING BECOMES A FUND RAISER
                 by Rita Szantay and Gary Deeter

     From the Editor: Rita Szantay is the First Vice President
and Gary Deeter is Treasurer of the Greater Seattle Chapter of
the NFB of Washington. They recently sent us this report on a
useful and effective chapter fund-raiser. This is what they say:

     The members of the Seattle Chapter are enjoying themselves,
eating at restaurants in our area, and raising money at the same
time. How, you may ask. We are transcribing menus into Braille
for dining establishments throughout the Greater Seattle area. We
are charging for this service and raising money for our chapter.
     This project has three objectives: 1) to heighten the
awareness of restaurant personnel about the importance of having
a Braille menu available, 2) to provide Braille menus for as many
area restaurants as possible, and 3) to raise money for our
chapter.
     The project is a year old now. In recent months we have had
so much business it has been hard to keep up. From a business
standpoint our timing has been good. Restaurants want to be in
compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and our
price is reasonable. We charge restaurants $25 for each Braille
menu. This price includes Brailling, binding, covering, and
delivering each book to the restaurant. This price remains the
same even if the restaurant requests breakfast, lunch, and dinner
all in the same book. The way we see it, everyone wins. The
restaurants gain a copy of their menu in Braille and additional
patronage. Blind people benefit by having more and more
restaurants with a Braille menu, and our chapter benefits by
raising money.
     One of our major northwest Italian establishments, Cucina,
ordered eleven books and paid the chapter $275. This large order
took our project beyond the Seattle area. We now have menus in
Tacoma, Spokane, and the Portland area.
     This project is a lot of fun, but it is also a lot of work.
It involves putting the text of print menus into WordPerfect,
formatting the text for Braille production, embossing the menus,
binding the individual books, covering them, and sending each one
to the restaurant--all in a timely manner. The project needs
continuous marketing and solid customer-service skills. We are
gaining practice in running a small business. A project like this
can be successful if you pay close attention to each customer's
service needs; deliver a quality product; and, most important of
all, believe in what you are doing.


                   1996 CONVENTION ATTRACTIONS

     From the Editor: Every year's National Convention is an
absolutely unique event. The agenda items, the exhibits, the new
friends and business acquaintances: all these give each
convention its own character and significance. Some activities
lend a luster to the convention in part because they do take
place every year and provide helpful fixed points in the whirl of
events. In this category are the meetings of the Resolutions
Committee and the Board of Directors, the annual banquet, and the
many seminars and workshops of the various divisions and
committees. Here is a partial list of activities being planned by
a number of Federation groups during the 1996 Convention, June 29
through July 5. Presidents of divisions and committee chairpeople
have provided the information. The pre-convention agenda will
list the locations of all events taking place before convention
registration on Sunday, June 30. The convention agenda will
contain listings of all events taking place after that time.

               Blind Industrial Workers of America

     BIWA President Primo Foianini announces that the division
will conduct a split cash drawing and will be doing some other
fundraising activity at this year's convention. The group will
gather on Monday afternoon, July 1, for its annual meeting.
Consult the convention agenda for time and place.

[#10 PHOTO/CAPTION: Rachel Becker of Maryland enjoys the building blocks in
NFB Camp.]
                 General Child Care Information

     If you plan to bring little ones to convention this summer,
please be mindful of the following procedures and schedule
information for NFB Camp:
     This is not an ordinary child care service. Children who are
blind or who have a family member who is blind will have a
special opportunity to interact with each other and with blind
adults. Carla McQuillan, the volunteer director of NFB Camp,
organizes activities to maximize this interaction. Some of the
activities scheduled are daily art projects planned and conducted
by Corinne Vieville, a member of our California affiliate; nature
walks through the hotel gardens; a variety of performances by
blind musicians, vocalists, and theater artists; and soccer,
basketball, and other recreational games led by blind sports
enthusiasts. These are only a few of the adventures planned for
our NFB Campers.
     The rooms reserved for NFB Camp at the Anaheim Hilton and
Towers will enable us to divide the children into groups for age-
appropriate activities and programs. The following schedule is
tentative. For a complete and accurate breakdown of hours of
operation, pick up a schedule at the NFB of California
information desk in the hotel lobby when you arrive. NFB Camp
will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday; closed
during the day Sunday but open during the evening meeting of the
Parental Concerns Committee; and open Monday through Friday
during general convention sessions, with these exceptions: Camp
will close immediately after the general session Wednesday
morning (tour day) and will be open in the evening during the
annual banquet Thursday. NFB Camp will be closed Monday through
Friday during the lunch hour, and children must be picked up
immediately following the morning session. Parents are
responsible for arranging their own child care whenever NFB Camp
is not open. Parents are asked to make the following donations
for NFB Camp activities: Weekly (including banquet), first child,
$60, each additional sibling, $30; daily (per child) $15; and
banquet (per child) $10. There will be a fine for late pick-ups
from the camp rooms at each closing time. Those interested in
providing individual babysitting services may contact Carla for
further instructions.
     Carla McQuillan is the owner and director of a Montessori
preschool in Springfield, Oregon, and the blind mother of two.
This year two of Mrs. McQuillan's experienced staff members will
come to Anaheim to supervise the child care workers at NFB Camp.
These child care professionals, along with many other members of
the Federation who work in NFB Camp, will volunteer their time,
energy, and talents in an effort to make our National Convention
an enjoyable and enriching experience for the entire family.
     Parents who cannot contribute the entire suggested donation
should contact Carla McQuillan to discuss the contribution they
can make. We anticipate a full house this year, so advance
registration may well be necessary to ensure space for your
child(ren). Send your NFB Camp donation to NFB of Oregon, 3988
Main Street, Springfield, Oregon 97478, (503) 726-6924. Include
your name, address, phone number, the names and ages of your
children, and a brief description of any special characteristics
or needs of your children.

                     Committee on Associates

     The meeting of this very important committee and of everyone
interested in funding our movement will take place on Monday
evening, July 1, at 7:00 p.m. Those interested in hearing a
dynamic presentation are invited. The Committee will also discuss
ways of enhancing Associate membership opportunities, results for
the 1996 contest year, and goals for 1997.

[#11 PHOTO: Two women sit at a table. Trina Pfeifer is signing into Kathleen
Spear's hand. CAPTION: Kathleen Spear (seated) and Trina Pfeifer]
           Committee on the Concerns of the Deaf-Blind

     The National Federation of the Blind Committee on Concerns
of the Deaf-Blind is planning three meetings during Convention
week in Anaheim this year. All meetings will begin at 7:00 p.m.
     On Saturday, June 29, we will hold a seminar on assistive
listening devices. The guest speaker is Rusty Rothstein, a
specialist on assistive devices at the Helen Keller Center in
California. On Monday, July 1, our meeting will focus on
communication techniques for volunteers and members. The speaker
will be Kathleen Spear from the NFB Deaf-Blind Committee in
California, who will present Telebraille and the Pacific Bell
Program. The general business meeting, including a guest speaker,
will take place Wednesday, July 3. We may also have a meeting to
discuss low vision and the use of hearing aids in noisy
environments by a guest speaker. There will be a deaf-blind table
in the convention hall for circulating speeches and for selling
Committee fund-raising items including jackets, caps, and pens
and to serve as a meeting point. We are looking forward to seeing
you and to having a great time in Anaheim.

                     The Diabetics Division

     The Diabetics Division of the National Federation of the
Blind will hold its annual seminar and business meeting in
Anaheim, California, on Monday evening, July 1, 1996, at 7:00
p.m. Come one, come all. If you have diabetes or simply know
someone who does, then this seminar is for you. Come and hear
health professionals deliver the latest news and tips on living
healthily with diabetes. Learn from others and share your own
tips on how to manage diabetes independently as a blind person.
Our meetings are always upbeat, informative, and fun; so we look
forward to seeing you.


                     Human Services Division

     The Human Services Division will have a jam-packed agenda
again this year starting at 1:00 p.m., Monday, July 1, with a
keynote address by Barbara Pierce, who has served as a hospital
chaplain. Other presenters will be practitioners in our fields,
giving practical advice and describing the successful handling of
problems relating to blindness. We will have panel discussions,
individual presentations, talks by young people seeking to join
our profession, and time to find and learn from fellows in our
individual fields. Please join us for another exciting meeting of
Federationists interested in the vocational choice of serving
others.

[#12 PHOTO: Mr. Ring, wearing a headset, is seated in a meeting with a small
computer in his lap. CAPTION: Richard Ring]
                 An Introduction to the Internet

     The information superhighway is one of the most popular
roads these days. And, if you're looking for an on ramp, we may
have just the thing for you!
     Attend the seminar "An Introduction to the Internet,"
sponsored by the International Braille and Technology Center for
the Blind and conducted by IBTCB Director Richard Ring. He will
show you how to get started on the Internet, how to send
electronic mail (e-mail) anywhere in the world, and how to search
the many Internet resources for the information you need. Whether
you are looking for employment or the latest news, the Internet
has information resources for you to take advantage of. You'll
learn about the Internet from both the DOS and Windows
perspectives. There is so much information on the Net these days
it is safe to say that the information superhighway is the road
you need to take. This seminar can get you started.

[#13 PHOTO: Dr. Verna Brasher is pictured giving Keri Pendleton a back rub
during a convention session. CAPTION: Chiropractor, Dr. Verna Brasher, uses
her skill to raise money for the Arizona affiliate and the national
organization by giving back rubs at the PAC table during convention sessions.
Here Keri Pendleton takes advantage of this popular service.]
                 Job Opportunities for the Blind
                        National Seminar

     The 1996 National JOB Seminar will be held from 1:00 to 4:00
p.m. on Saturday, June 29, at the Anaheim Hilton. Join us for
fact-filled presentations by successfully employed blind
Americans in the usual mix of interesting jobs. We'll share what
worked and what didn't. (Past seminars are available free on
cassette from JOB.) Special seminar features coming this year
include "Transition Tips for Low-Vision Employees Who Are Losing
More Sight," "Transition Ideas for Blind Teens," and "Tips for
Independent Travel from a Lost-In-Space Veteran." Come listen to
the real experts, meet our speakers, and ask them the questions
you have always wanted to ask.

                  Job Networking at Convention
     Each morning at convention you are invited to join us at
networking breakfasts for blind job seekers and employed blind
persons with common employment interests. This may be your best
chance all year to meet other blind people working (or wanting to
work) in the field that interests you. Are you a professional
teacher, counselor, or job developer serving blind people? Do you
need to do some serious networking to help your clients with
accurate information? Come join us. The setup is simple:

      Show up by 7:00 a.m. for the breakfast that interests you.
      B.Y.O.B. (Buy Your Own Breakfast off the buffet or off the
          menu.)
      Start talking, start listening, and enjoy the networking.

     All JOB Networking Breakfasts start at 7:00 a.m. in the
hotel's main restaurant, the Oasis. They end in time to get to
the Convention's morning sessions. Participants tell the maitre
d' which JOB breakfast they want to join. Participants will be
seated family-style by interest group. (Look for Lorraine Rovig
at the door; I can help you find your group without waiting in
line.) As each table fills, we start another. We will try to get
tables at the far end of the restaurant to help with noise
control. Each interest group numbers from four to twenty
participants, sometimes more.
     The JOB Coordinators help participants get started and stay
on topic. They are carefully chosen for their personal expertise
in the specific topic.
     Reservations are helpful but not required. To help with
planning the number of tables and coordinators needed for each
group, if you know you plan to show up at a breakfast, please
preregister in print or Braille or call Lorraine Rovig, JOB/NFB,
1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230, or call between
12:30 and 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (800) 638-7518.
     At convention a list in Braille and large print will be
posted at both the affiliate information booth (in the hotel
lobby) and at the NFB Information Booth (on the ballroom level)
listing the breakfast topics. Many coordinators' names will be
announced then. Here is the preliminary list:

Saturday, June 29
      The 1996 First-timers Breakfast on Saturday. (Miss Rovig
and JOB Field Service Network Volunteers) Is this your first NFB
National Convention? We'll help you get the most out of this very
crowded week of activities--the seminars, the specific people,
and the one-of-a-kind events that will help you reach your goals.

Sunday, June 30
      The 1996 First-timers Breakfast on Sunday. (Wayne and
Carmen Davis, Florida) Your first NFB National Convention? We'll
help you get to know the ropes like an old hand.
      The Sunday Generic Breakfast for Job Seekers. (Miss Rovig
and JOB Field Service Network Volunteers) A generic breakfast is
held every morning, Sunday to Thursday. What problem are you
running into in your job search? Brainstorming is our specialty!
      JOB's second Networking Breakfast for Travel Instructors.
Are you blind and do you teach cane travel? Do you want to? Are
you sighted and interested in teaching NFB travel techniques?
This one's for you.
      JOB's Annual Networking Breakfast for Blind Scientists and
Engineers. (Coordinated by the Science and Engineering Division
of the NFB)

Monday, July 1
      The Monday Generic Breakfast for Job Seekers.
      JOB's Breakfast for Blind Persons in Medical Fields.
      Do you often have to invent your own techniques? Are you
the only blind person you know in your field? Networking can
help.
      JOB's fourth annual Networking Breakfast for Braille
Proofreaders and Transcribers. Dot's right. We're doing it again.
      New: JOB's Networking Breakfast for Blind Bankers. Hosted
by Brian C. Smith, Vice President of Personnel, NationsBank. Are
you working in a bank? Do you want to? Note: reservations are
strongly advised for this one--call JOB.
      JOB's Seventh Annual Networking Breakfast for Blind
Lawyers. Coordinated by the National Association of Blind Lawyers
(NABL), a professional association for lawyers and others working
in any legal field.

Tuesday, July 2
      The Tuesday Generic Breakfast for Job Seekers.
      JOB's Second Annual Entrepreneurs' Breakfast. (Connie
LeBlond, Maine) Are you dreaming about starting a business of
your own? Do you want to talk with others who have already done
it?
      The Fifth Annual Blind Artists' Breakfast at 7:00 a.m. in
the restaurant this year)
      New: A Networking Breakfast for Customer Service Reps
(Chris Flory, Colorado Center for the Blind) How do you handle
those calls and the recordkeeping? What devices do you use? What
jobs are people getting in this field? Let's talk.

Wednesday, July 3
      The Wednesday Generic Breakfast for Job Seekers.
      New: I Do Windows--A Job Networking Breakfast. (Ted
Henter, Florida) Would it help to talk with other blind computer
users now learning to use Windows? Here's your chance. Our
coordinator can answer most questions on this subject.

Thursday, July 4
      JOB's Last-Chance Generic Breakfast for Job Seekers.
      New: A Networking Breakfast for Computer Access Teachers.
(Sharon Monthei, computer teacher, BLIND, Inc.) Do you teach
blind persons to use computers adapted for the blind? Do you want
to? Networking is not just for computers.

Friday, July 5
      JOB's Invitational Breakfast for Service Providers. (Miss
Rovig)

[#14 PHOTO: Julie Melton is pictured playing the piano. CAPTION: Julie Melton
performs at the 1995 Music Division Showcase of Talent]
                         Music Division

     The Music Division will meet Sunday, June 30, 1996.
Registration for membership and for the Showcase of Talent will
begin at 6:30 p.m. outside our meeting room. The meeting itself
begins at 7:00 p.m.
     The Division agenda will be full. We will have an update on
Braille music from the NLS Braille Music Section representative.
We hope to have a panel to answer the question: how do blind
people use synthesizers and MIDI's? If you are interested in
being on this panel, please contact Linda Mentink, 1737 Tamarack
Lane, Janesville, Wisconsin 53545, (608) 752-8749. Please do so
as soon as possible. We're also hoping to have a presentation by
someone from Hollywood.
     Our election of officers will also be held at the meeting.
The current officers are President, Linda Mentink (Wisconsin);
First Vice President, Mary Brunoli (Connecticut); Second Vice
President, Stephanie Pieck (New York); Secretary, Linda Milliner
(California); and Treasurer, Ben Snow (Connecticut).
     Our membership dues are $5. If you'd like to join or renew
your membership before the convention, please send a check,
payable to the Music Division, to Ben Snow, 358 Orange Street,
Apt. 4091, New Haven, Connecticut 06511.
     We are going to do something different with the Showcase of
Talent this year. It will not be a contest with prizes, so there
will be no fee for participants. However, since it is our only
fundraiser, we will pass the hat so that those who wish to can
make a free-will offering. We will need accompanists for
performers who do not have tapes. If you are willing and
available to accompany, please contact Linda Mentink.
     If you would like to participate in the Showcase, here are
the guidelines: 1) Sign up no later than noon, Tuesday, July 2.
2) Perform only one number, taking no more than four minutes to
perform. 3) If you are using a taped accompaniment, be sure that
the tape is cued up properly. Do not sing along with a vocal
artist; you will be stopped immediately. 4) If you need live
accompaniment, make your arrangements before the Showcase begins.
     Children who plan to participate will be invited to perform
first. The Showcase will be limited to two hours, about twenty-
four performers. Come help us enjoy music.
     We are also planning to have a lunch for musicians, open to
anyone who would like more information about the Music Division
or would just like to talk about music. Listen for the
announcement of time and place during the general session.

             National Association of Blind Educators
                       A Key to Employment

     From 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Monday, July 1, the National
Association of Blind Educators will hold its annual meeting as
part of the National Federation of the Blind Convention.
Attending this meeting and listening to and talking with working
blind educators give prospective job seekers valuable information
about the variety of job opportunities available and knowledge
about how to procure good jobs. Those who are employed learn
about the new and refined teaching techniques which are used
uniquely by blind educators. In these shaky economic times we
discuss how to use our talents to the best of our abilities, how
to keep sane in a very unstable environment, and generally how to
enter and retire from the profession the way we had planned.
     We commence our meeting with small group discussions. These
groups are chaired by successful blind educators. Some of the
topics are preschool, elementary, secondary, university, student
teaching, teacher aides, special education, and directing your
own school. We will then have speakers on learning the necessary
skills of blindness at NFB training centers, finding and keeping
jobs you like, and getting along with principals and others with
whom you must work.
     We will conclude with our annual business meeting. While
this meeting is our only real chance to gather in person each
year, we also have a mentoring program through which
inexperienced blind educators are matched with more seasoned
colleagues. We are the experts on becoming effective blind
teachers, so we have the best grasp of what our needs and
problems are and how to meet and solve them. Our work is never-
ending, and our National Association of Blind Educators has been
successful, judging by the number of satisfied and effective
blind educators we have. Come and join us in Anaheim for the
entire Convention.
     For further information about the division or details about
the meeting or the field of education, please call Pat Munson,
President of the National Association of Blind Educators, (510)
526-1668.

              National Association of Blind Lawyers

     Come and join the largest organization of blind lawyers in
the country. The National Association of Blind Lawyers (NABL)
will meet on Monday, July 1, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. as part
of the fifty-sixth annual convention of the National Federation
of the Blind.
     We will be discussing many exciting topics on that
afternoon. Speaking from their areas of expertise, lawyers will
give us updates on the current status of laws affecting the
blind. We will hear about various advocacy matters in which the
Federation has been involved in the last year. Officials of the
American Bar Association and California Bar Association will
address the group. Experienced practitioners will offer
strategies on how best to conduct various types of cases. Hear
about the publication of our law journal.
     This and much more will all take place at the NABL meeting.
Everyone in the legal profession, law students, and others
interested in the law are welcome. Remember that you may be able
to receive up to four continuing legal-education credits for this
meeting. Come and help us continue to build the Federation
through the Lawyers' Division.

[#15 PHOTO/CAPTION: Angie Rizzuto of Illinois plays Solitaire at Monte Carlo
Night]
             National Association of Blind Students

     Get ready for the most energizing convention ever! Imagine
that you're at the Hilton in Anaheim, California. You are walking
past a whole bunch of meeting rooms. In particular, your
attention turns to a room where people are obviously excited
about something. You draw closer, and the level of noise
intensifies. Curious, you walk closer still. When you're about to
walk in, someone says, "Hi. Are you here for the student division
meeting?"
     "Is that what all the noise is about?" you say.
     "Yeah! You're here just in time. It's just started."
     After registering, you walk in to find a room filled with
hundreds of blind students from around the country. They've come
together to talk about issues important to them, to encourage one
another to reach for even greater success, and to establish new
friendships and renew old ones. Right away you feel welcome
because all the people you meet are excited that you have come.
What's more, you realize that you are needed; that you have the
power and potential to affect positively the lives of thousands
of people just by being there, by taking part in this awesome
event, and by learning from what is said; and that it all applies
to you and increases your ability to institute change. Beyond
this, as you meet more and more people, you almost instantly
become friends with individuals with a variety of backgrounds and
with similar--and sometimes not so similar--interests.
     This is not an imaginary situation. In fact, it is the
reality of what happens at meetings of the National Association
of Blind Students (NABS), a division of the National Federation
of the Blind. As unique as each student is, we all share a
commitment to the organized blind movement. We have all been
touched by the work of the Federation in some special way, and we
share a commitment to reach out to fellow blind people in the
same way that someone reached out to us.
     Our commitment to one another takes many forms. Whether it
involves fighting for the rights of blind students to choose
their own readers in taking standardized tests, informing one
another about rehabilitation services, guarding against the
custodialism of disabled student services offices, coming
together at the national or state level to energize one another
and provide support, or just lending an ear to one another, the
National Association of Blind Students is there for us. It is an
active, vibrant organization that seeks to institute immediate
and long-term change in society's beliefs and expectations about
the blind. Through this organization our individual efforts lead
day by day to collective results which benefit blind students
right now and for years to come.
     We want you to join us! We need you! Come and be a part of
who we are, and make a difference in your life as well as in the
lives of countless others! Don't think about doing it; just go
for it!
     Here's the schedule of events. Our annual meeting will take
place on the evening of Sunday, June 30, 1996. Smaller,
interactive gatherings, designed to provide participants with
individual feedback and focused insight about their potential,
will be announced at that time. On Wednesday, July 3, we will
hold our annual Monte Carlo Night. There people will get the
chance to have a bit of fun while winning cold, hard cash! In
addition to all of this, students will be networking with each
other throughout the National Convention. If you thought last
year's convention was a time to remember, just wait till you come
to California!
     Students from every educational setting (colleges,
universities, vocational/technical schools, residential training
centers for the blind, community colleges, high schools, graduate
schools, and schools offering correspondence courses) are welcome
to join NABS. If you want more information or if you are eager to
take part personally in making this year's Student Division
activities more exciting and informative than they have ever
been, contact Ollie Cantos, President, National Association of
Blind Students, 1420 Queen Summit Drive, West Covina, California
91791-3949, (818) 918-8977. See you in Anaheim!


             National Association of Guide Dog Users

     The annual meeting of the National Association of Guide Dog
Users will be held on Saturday, June 29, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Registration will begin at 1:00 p.m., and the meeting will start
at 1:45 p.m. The seminar, "A Guide Dog in Your Life," will be
held Sunday, June 30, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.
     The division meeting will begin with comments from Dr.
Jernigan. He will discuss issues of current interest to
Federationists within this division and beyond. We will then
explore how guide dogs can be integrated into several different
employment settings such as health-care facilities, food-service
facilities, classrooms of children, and the courtroom. There will
also be presentations from multiply handicapped people who use
guide dogs. There are guide dog handlers who are deaf-blind.
Others are in wheelchairs, and still others have hidden
disabilities which require specific training. We will hear from
some of these blind handlers and some of the guide dog trainers
who specialize in working with people with multiple handicaps.
Did you know that some guide dog puppies are raised in the prison
system? We hope to hear from a training center which interacts
with local correctional facilities in this way.
     In an article titled "Guide Dogs, the Guide Dog Industry,
and Conceptions of Blindness" in the Winter, 1996, issue of
Harness Up, Paul Gabias laid out six concerns that guide dog
schools should be addressing in an attempt to prepare handlers
and dogs to deal successfully with the stresses of large,
consumer-organization conventions. The issues are:
     1. Select students who are likely to be very skilled with
handling dogs;
     2. lengthen the training periods so that only students who
are highly skilled graduate;
     3. work on parking and pull-over techniques very early in
the training;
     4. don't expect the harness to be a magic inhibitor for
urinating or defecating enroute or in buildings;
     5. take strong corrective measures so that dogs understand
that they must signal in very obvious ways that they need to
relieve themselves; and
     6. don't rely on a schedule for ensuring adequate house
training. Guide dogs must learn to deal with the varied schedules
of busy, mobile people.
     We hope to make a discussion of these concerns the basis of
a panel presentation among representatives from the schools.
     The Sunday seminar will deal with updates from Hawaii. We
will also continue our discussion about safe street crossings
with guide dogs. Last year, by and large, we heard from the
trainers. This year we want to hear from guide dog handlers.
     This is an election year for the division. Your vote is
important. Come one, come all. We are right next door to the "One
Hundred and One Dalmatians."
     The National Office and the NFB of California are working
hard to provide the best possible relief accommodations for guide
dogs at the convention. Of course, the relief facilities will
have to be kept clean. Instead of relying on hotel personnel to
maintain the facilities, we hope to hire outside workers to do
the job. This should result in more pleasant surroundings for
owners and dogs alike. In 1993 the division voted to ask each
guide dog handler to pay $25 for use of the relief facilities
throughout the week. Last year in Chicago the maintenance of the
indoor sandbox alone cost the Federation $5,000. This does not
include the maintenance costs for the park we used last year. We
encourage all guide dog handlers to help cover the maintenance
costs of relief areas, if at all possible. Contributions should
be made at division activities early in the week. Owners who miss
these opportunities for any reason and who wish to help can pay
Priscilla Ferris, Division Treasurer and President of the NFB of
Massachusetts, later in the week. She can be found at convention
sessions in the Massachusetts delegation.
     Questions about the relief arrangements or other guide dog
matters can be directed to Paul Gabias at 475 Fleming Road,
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, VIX 3Z4, (800) 714-4774.

[#16 PHOTO/CAPTION: Kassondra Bair of Minnesota reads during the 1995 NAPUB
Braille-a-thon]
       National Association to Promote the Use of Braille

     Don't miss our "California Gold Rush" in the form of a
Braille-a-thon which will take place at the Anaheim Hilton on
Saturday, June 29, from 9:00 a.m. until noon. Members of the
National Association to Promote the Use of Braille will be
waiting for you with anticipation. Enjoy the fellowship of
friends while reading Braille together, and experience the pride
of paying dues so you can belong to this great division of the
NFB. Of course your greatest pleasure will be derived from
turning in the pledge money you will have received from family
and friends back home. This is a morning designed to touch the
hearts of all NAPUBbers, because we will either read or sponsor
participants.
     Then, at our annual meeting on the following Monday evening,
we will all have fun as we celebrate our progress and plan for
the future of Braille. A NAPUB meeting provides its own pot of
gold, and you will feel richer for the experience of joining us
there.

                     NEWSLINE for the Blind

     Throughout the convention this year Mr. Chrisman of the
national staff will be demonstrating the NEWSLINE network of
digitized newspaper delivery over telephone lines. At these
workshops information about establishing and maintaining Local
Service Centers will be available. Consult the convention agenda
for times and places.

      National Federation of the Blind in Computer Science

     The 1996 meeting of the National Federation of the Blind in
Computer Science will be held on Monday, July 1, at the National
Federation of the Blind convention in Anaheim, California.
Registration for the meeting will begin at 12:30 p.m. For
specific location information, check your convention agenda.
     At this early date there is no way to announce a detailed
agenda. However, we can say these things about the meeting:
     As we have in the past, we will devote a number of program
items to a discussion of strategies to get at applications
running under Windows, Windows 95, and OS/2--all of which are
systems written to run using the graphical user interface. By the
time of our meeting, we hope that a significant number of screen-
reader developers will have programs for Windows 95. Perhaps we
can get one or more of them to talk about what they have without
making it sound like a commercial.
     Microsoft has embarked upon a program to make its operating
systems and software accessible to all manner of disabled
individuals--including the blind. In July, 1995, a number of
Federationists joined with other groups and individuals to attend
the Microsoft Accessibility Summit, where we were told about the
company's plans in this area. We hope to have someone from
Microsoft bring us up to date concerning accessibility and future
plans.
     As technology advances, our ability to use it without
sighted assistance continues to diminish. It is becoming
increasingly difficult for the average blind computer user to
master the intricacies and convoluted strategies that are often
required to use the same software as others in the office. We
will try to bring together a number of experienced blind computer
users to discuss broad strategies that all of us can use to deal
with this problem. The term "user-friendly" could take on a whole
new meaning.
     Come to the 1996 meeting of the National Federation of the
Blind in Computer Science and discuss computer-access issues with
other blind people. For further information about the meeting and
other computer-related matters, contact Curtis Chong, President,
National Federation of the Blind in Computer Science, 20
Northeast 2nd Street, Apartment 908, Minneapolis, Minnesota
55413-2265, Evening Phone, (612) 379-3493, Internet,
curtisc@winternet.com.

[#17 PHOTO/CAPTION: John Walker of Nebraska enjoys a seat on the shoulders of
Ollie Cantos, President of the NFB student division.]
       National Organization of Parents of Blind Children

     Traditionally we have begun National Convention week with a
day-long seminar for parents conducted by the National
Organization of Parents of Blind Children. This year's
seminar/workshop for parents--"Walking Alone and Marching
Together"--takes place on Saturday, June 29. Concurrent with this
seminar will be two field trips for children and youth. Later
that evening NOPBC will sponsor a Family Hospitality, in which
parents and children can mingle, relax, and get to know each
other. There will also be an orientation session for blind teens
led by blind volunteers in the evening. The volunteers will take
the teens out in groups and show them the layout of the hotel.
They will also discuss how the convention is organized, what to
expect from it, what meetings to attend, and how to have fun at
the convention safely and appropriately.
     Information about meeting rooms will be in the preconvention
agenda, which will be available at the NFB Information desk in
the hotel lobby. Here is an outline of the day's events:

Field Trips for Youth and Children:
      Train trip, 8:00 a.m., check in. Youth will leave the
hotel by 8:30 a.m. They will return between 5:00 and 5:30 p.m.
Please meet your son or daughter in the same room from which he
or she departed. Train trip to the beach (for young adults, ages
ten to eighteen). Cost is $16 and includes train and bus fare and
admission to Scripps. Here's what organizer Carla McQuillan has
to say about these activities:
     What a day at the beach we have planned for you! All aboard!
We'll begin the day by traveling southwest on Amtrak's San Diegan
commuter train. We'll experience the thrill of the railroad as we
begin our trek to enjoy the wonders of the Pacific Coast. Next
we'll spend some time letting the warm sand sift between our toes
as we beachcomb, chase the waves, or build a sandcastle. Then
we'll take the city bus to the internationally known Scripps
Institute of Oceanography for a hands-on guided tour of the
aquarium. Please bring money for lunch and any snacks or
souvenirs you wish to buy.
      Adventure City, 8:00 a.m., check in (for children ages
four to ten). Children will leave the hotel by 8:45 a.m. They
will return to the hotel around 2:00 p.m., where they will
continue with NFB Camp activities in the room from which they
departed. They may be picked up by parents between 5:00 and 5:30
p.m. Cost is $16 and includes bus fare, lunch, and unlimited use
of rides and attractions. About this field trip Mrs. McQuillan
says:
     For our trip to Adventure City, a new theme park designed
specifically for young children, the excitement begins on the
city bus that leads straight to the thrills. Our day at Adventure
City will begin with an interactive and educational puppet show
for us alone to enjoy before the park opens to the general
public. During the show we will learn about "what you should do
if you get lost" and "being kind to others." The presentation
features a special visit from Dandy McRandy, the Mystery Caper.
Excitement and entertainment await with roller-coasters and other
pulse-quickening rides. If you're the kind of kid that prefers to
keep your feet a little closer to the ground, there are a petting
zoo, shows, and a twenty-horse carousel! There will also be game
areas and concession stands for which you may want to bring some
extra spending money.
     Sound too good to be true? Well it isn't if you make sure
your reservations are made by May 15, 1996. Space is limited, so
make your reservations as soon as possible! Make checks payable
to National Federation of the Blind of Oregon, and send to Kids'
Convention Trips, 3988 Main Street, Springfield, Oregon 97478.

Parents Seminar:
      8:00-9:30 a.m. Registration, fees: $8 per person or $10
per family. (Fees include a subscription to Future Reflections.)
      9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. General session. Topics will include:
"Marching Together: The NFB Convention--What's in it for Me?"
"Walking Alone: How Blind Kids Develop Self-Reliance"; "Marching
Together: A Panel of Parents of Deaf-blind Children and Parents
of Blind Multiply Handicapped Children"; "Walking Alone:
Resisting the Helping-Hand Syndrome"; "Marching Together: A Panel
of Parents, Professionals, and Federationists"; "Walking Alone
and Marching Together: Report on the Braille Literacy Movement."
      12:30-2:00 p.m. Lunch
      2:00-5:00 p.m. Concurrent workshops. Workshop titles will
include "Getting Ready for the World of Work--Blind Youth in
Transition"; "Blind Kids, Friendships, and Fitting In"; "Parent
Power"; "Beginning Braille for Parents"; "Meeting the Needs of
Deaf-Blind Children"; "Resources for Blind Multiply Handicapped
Children"; "Self-reliance and the White Cane"; "Self-Reliance and
Braille in the Classroom"; and "Tips on Alternative Techniques."
      5:00-5:30 p.m. Pick up children and youth from tours or
NFB Camp.
      7:00-10:00 p.m. Family hospitality (location to be
announced)
      7:00-10:00 p.m. Convention orientation for youth--Session
I (location to be announced)

Other activities:
      Sunday, June 30, 1:00-5:00 p.m. Convention orientation for
youth, Session II
      Monday, July 1, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. National Organization of
Parents of Blind Children Annual Meeting
      Tuesday, July 2, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. IEP Workshop for
Parents and NFB Advocates

                    NFB NET Training Seminar

     No matter where you turn today, you are likely to hear
references to the information superhighway. With all this
interest many blind people feel the need to get and use a modem
so that they aren't left out.
     We in the National Federation of the Blind have had our own
information superhighway since June 1, 1991, in the form of NFB
NET, our computer bulletin board service (BBS). That was the date
when NFB NET officially went online.
     Once again this year we will conduct a training session for
NFB NET users. The session, which will be held on Saturday, June
29, from 9:00 a.m. until noon, is designed for new modem users,
for people who haven't accessed NFB NET before, and for people
who want to learn more about the capabilities of our BBS.
     Topics to be covered will include telecommunications basics,
using your modem and communications software, registering for NFB
NET, navigating around, reading and entering messages,
downloading the Braille Monitor and other files, finding files,
setting up off-line reading facilities, and more. David Andrews,
Systems Operator (SysOp) of NFB NET, will also answer your
questions.
     If you don't know what the above paragraph means and you
would like to, perhaps you had better attend the annual NFB NET
training session on Saturday, June 29, starting at 9:00 a.m. See
you online.

                    Public Employees Division

     The Public Employees Division of the National Federation of
the Blind will meet during this year's National Convention. We
plan to meet at 1:00 p.m., Monday, July 1. One form of public
employment is holding public office. In the National Federation
of the Blind we have a number of elected public officials.
Several will be invited to talk about their jobs and what they
did to be elected. This panel will also include some who ran but
were not elected.
     There will also be an update on Section 508 of the
Rehabilitation Act, which requires the federal government to make
office equipment accessible to those who are blind or otherwise
disabled.
     Finally, we will have a panel of public employees tell about
their jobs. If you have questions or suggestions for additional
speakers, please contact John Halverson, President, National
Federation of the Blind, Public Employees Division, 403 West 62nd
Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri 64113, (816) 426-7278 (work),
(816) 361-7813 (home), and CompuServe 73132,153. See you in
Anaheim.

                     Social Security Seminar

     An outreach seminar (Social Security and Supplemental
Security Income: What Applicants, Advocates, and Recipients
Should Know) will take place on Wednesday afternoon, July 3. The
purpose of this seminar, which will be conducted jointly by the
National Federation of the Blind and the Social Security
Administration, is to provide information on Social Security and
Supplemental Security Income benefits for the blind. Seminar
presenters will be Sharon Gold, National Federation of the Blind
Social Security specialist, and Tom Gloss, Special Assistant to
the Associate Commissioner for Disability, Office of Disability,
Social Security Administration.

                        Writers' Division

     The Writers' Division of the NFB will host children's books
author Joan Prestine for a workshop on Saturday, June 29. The
three-hour workshop will feature her discussion on writing, hot
topics of the moment, and how-tos on getting published. Joan has
published several books and teaches college classes, workshops,
and seminars.
     Registration will begin at 1:15 p.m. A $10 fee for the
workshop will be charged. This should be an especially
interesting and productive workshop.
     At the division meeting on Monday, July 1, at 1:30 p.m.,
writer Jack Adams will present an hour of information regarding
situation-comedy writing and novel publishing. Himself a writer
of some note, Mr. Adams will also have a question-and-answer
session. Division dues are $10 annually.


                     RELIGION AND DISABILITY
                      by Maureen Pranghofer

     From the Editor: Maureen Pranghofer is an active member of
the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota. She is also
interested in improving the opportunities that blind people have
to participate in their chosen worshipping communities. This is
what she has to say:

     Though a version of this article was originally published in
Access Press, it has relevance in the blind community as well. I
have no ministry degrees or initials denoting religious
affiliation following my name. I'm just a person who happens to
be totally blind and who happens to use a wheelchair. And I'm
someone who has talked to plenty of lonely, disabled people in my
fifteen plus years of working in the field of rehabilitation and
education.
     I recall vividly the first time I suggested to one of my
clients that perhaps joining a church might be a way of making
some new friends and decreasing his loneliness. He responded with
true sadness in his voice, "I tried going to a church, but no one
would talk to me. They were so uncomfortable around me. You could
just feel it."
     Because I'd been fortunate enough to have had relatively
good church experiences during the last several years, I
dismissed this comment as referring to an unusually unfriendly
congregation. However, in the eight years since I first spoke
with this client, I have had the unhappy experience of having
this scenario repeated time and time again.
     Persons with disabilities face many attitudinal barriers.
But it seems that the myths surrounding those of us who are
disabled are even more deeply ingrained in houses of worship than
in society at large. The myths I've found to be most prevalent
when talking to persons with disabilities about their religious
experiences are these:
      People who are disabled need special services. A commonly
held belief is that, if you are disabled, you are in need of
special ministry. I refer here to something beyond ministry as a
form of helping or counseling, for the term "ministry," when
referring to anyone with a disability, all too often means a
segregated or specialized service. This segregated ministry
should be the exception but is more frequently the rule.
Consequently, worshipping communities sometimes get the wrong
impression. They assume that they will be unable to minister to
disabled people at all unless they have a ministry specifically
for the disabled, and the idea of providing unique services is
frightening to most religious groups, which don't believe they
have the necessary training or skills to do the job.
      People who are disabled have an extraordinary relationship
with God that is somehow different from that of the average
congregant. Because of this misconception people often put
disabled persons on spiritual pedestals. This assumption
distances people from each other and makes relationships
difficult.
      The only religious need people with disabilities have is
to receive ministry. The widely held misconception that it must
be positively miserable to be disabled helps perpetuate this
myth. Many people believe that the reason people who are disabled
attend houses of worship is because they are depressed. While
some believe that people with disabilities always need spiritual
help, they are simultaneously terrified to provide it when it is
actually needed. This myth fuels the erroneous notion that people
who are disabled are capable only of receiving, never giving.
Consequently these congregations resist allowing disabled people
to make contributions of any kind to the life of the community.
      People who are disabled desire healing of the disability.
In my many discussions with disabled persons regarding their
religious experience, the episodes involving this myth seem to
have been the most damaging to them. Assuming that one desires to
be healed implies that one is dissatisfied with one's identity.
It suggests subtly that the individual is somehow not okay.
     Though all these myths have been embedded to varying degrees
in worshipping communities throughout time, they are not
blatantly obvious. They are elusive, hidden, and damaging. Though
unintentionally perpetuated, these myths have left a bad taste in
the mouths of some disabled worshipers.
     On the other hand, there are churches and synagogues that
have tried to change their members' attitudes, that truly do
minister to disabled participants in active, equal, healthy ways.
This kind of ministry looks totally different from the myths. It
allows persons with disabilities the opportunity to:
      Be integrated in the church body without having their
disabilities ignored. Not being relegated to participate only in
the disability ministry allows one the freedom and dignity to be
as much a part of the congregation as any other worshiper.
      Not be spiritually set aside or looked up to as having
relationships with God that are different from those of the rest
of the community. This allows disabled worshippers the freedom to
admit the same spiritual struggles and triumphs as any other
person.
      Give as well as receive. When it is needed, ministry
should be given to disabled persons who are going through hard
times, whether or not they are related to disability. But the
simple acknowledgement that disabled people have ministries too
allows them to offer these gifts to the benefit of the entire
community. The result is that many roles, including those in
leadership, become open to people with disabilities.
      Be allowed the dignity to experience and explore healings
of many kinds.
     Talking openly about these myths and their healthy
alternatives is the most effective way of bringing about change.
Prayer, education, and information are key components of changing
these myths into true ministries.
     At the NFB convention in Chicago last summer, interested
people had an opportunity to share their good and bad experiences
in houses of worship openly and honestly. It became clear that
many of the myths were more than alive and well. In order to
clarify the problem and provide a safe place for people to share
their experiences of discrimination against blind people in
worshipping communities, a group will again gather this summer at
the Anaheim convention. We hope that in time an NFB division will
develop to work toward removing some of the barriers facing blind
people in houses of worship.
     For further information contact the Rev. Robert Parish, 3216
A Calumet Drive, Raleigh, North Carolina 27610, (919) 250-0998.

[#18 PHOTO/CAPTION: Pat Munson]
                CALIFORNIA: A STATE OF MANY FACES
                     by Pat and Jack Munson

     From the Editor: Not many weeks are left between now and the
fifty-sixth convention of the National Federation of the Blind.
If you have not made your room reservation, you have no time to
lose. The dates are Saturday, June 29, through Friday, July 5.
Here are the convention room rates: singles, $45 per night;
doubles, $47; triples, $54; and quads, $57. In addition to the
room rates, there is a tax--just under 15 percent at the time
these rates were negotiated. There will be no charge for children
in a room with parents as long as no extra bed is required. To
make room reservations for the 1996 convention, write directly to
the Anaheim Hilton, 777 Convention Way, Anaheim, California
92802-3497, Attention: Reservations; or call (714) 750-4321.
Hilton has a national toll-free number, but do not (we emphasize
not) use it. Reservations made through this national number will
not be valid. They must be made directly with the Anaheim Hilton
in Anaheim.
     This convention will be unforgettable. We have not been to
California for twenty years, and our California affiliate is
eager to show everyone what we have been missing. Here is Pat and
Jack Munson's final pre-convention article about California:

     When Americans think about the history of California, they
usually conjure up pictures of pioneers moving west. This is
true, but the land area we call California has had a varied and
changing population. It also boasts scenic and diverse
landscapes.
     Historians are pretty well agreed that the people we now
call Native Americans were the first people to inhabit the area
we now call California. They probably migrated across Russia,
into Alaska, through Canada, down the coast past Washington and
Oregon, and finally down into California. Finding a mild climate
along the Pacific coast, many Indian tribes were content to stay
near the ocean, living off the local fish, game, and wild
berries. Others moved inland and learned how to cope with high
and low temperatures. We know all this, because many tribes still
make their homes today in every part of the state.
     All was well with these people until the Spanish conquered
Mexico and moved north into California. Then the British came by
ship, and even the Russians built a fort about a third of the way
down the Pacific coast of California, from which they could ship
valuable animal skins back to their country. The latter two
nations have left a trace of their presence, but the Spanish were
the first to colonize California (which at one time the Spanish
believed to have been inhabited by tribes of Amazons).
     Starting at San Diego, a city close to the Mexican border in
the south, the Spanish built twenty-one missions north along the
Pacific coast--each one a day's horse-back ride beyond the last.
Mission twenty is in the middle of San Francisco, and the twenty-
first is at Sonoma in the heart of the wine country.
     The Spanish sent soldiers out to persuade Indians into the
missions to work and to be converted to Christianity. It was not
long after this that pioneers from the East began arriving,
attracted by the beautiful weather, the magnificent scenery, and
the chance for a new life.
     Once gold was found in 1849, the United States appropriated,
many would say stole, the land from Mexico; and California became
a state in 1850.
     In the 1860's Chinese workers were brought to California to
assist in building the transcontinental railroad. This was a
dangerous undertaking, for the tracks ascended the northeastern
Sierra mountains, crossing into Nevada near Lake Tahoe.
Immigrants began pouring into the state from all over the world.
Newcomers from Japan started farming in the central part of the
state, while many Italians settled north of San Francisco, where
their presence can still be seen today. Of course many Mexicans
remained in California following statehood and helped produce
much of the prosperity for which the state is famous. African-
Americans have also played their part, traveling to California by
the thousands during the Second World War to meet the needs of
the many industries that sprang up during and after the war. All
these groups together--the Spanish, Indians, Chinese, pioneers,
Japanese, African-Americans, and the most recent immigrants--
account for California's tremendous vitality today.
     The long east side of the state is guarded by the mighty
Sierra Mountains. The northern part of the state still has
beautiful giant redwood trees, mighty rivers, additional
mountains, and the Pacific Ocean, which forms its border on the
west. Moving south toward San Francisco, you find the lovely
areas which produce much of the state's wine. To the east and
slightly north is Sacramento, the state capital. Close by is
Sutter's Mill, where gold was discovered and the claim recorded
at the beautiful city of Monterey, then the capital of Alta
California.
     Most people are somewhat familiar with San Francisco. The
city was turned upside down after the gold rush when ships from
around the world docked there to unleash the gold hungry
"Argonauts." San Francisco had barely recovered from that when it
was struck by a tremendous earthquake and fire in 1906. Nothing
has ever stopped this city, and with the building of the Golden
Gate and the Oakland Bay Bridges in the late 1930's, the City by
the Bay became far more accessible to the rest of the state and
the nation.
     Of great interest to Federationists is the fact that the
founder of the National Federation of the Blind, Dr. Jacobus
tenBroek, lived in Berkeley across the bay from San Francisco and
taught at the University of California at Berkeley. Until a
decade or so ago, the California School for the Blind was also
located in Berkeley.
     Moving south along the Pacific coast, one comes to the town
of Monterey, which was the seat of government under Mexican rule.
The center of the state is mostly farm land, stretching from the
coast on the west to the mountains on the east. Yosemite, one of
the most famous national parks, is located in the eastern central
section of California, John Muir wrote graphically of the beauty
of the park more than a hundred years ago. The mighty hand of
nature is overwhelming. Towering mountains serve as the backdrop
for countless waterfalls, which allow water to flow into rapidly-
moving rivers and streams.
     Traveling down the coast toward Los Angeles, one continually
comes upon the old Spanish missions, some still in use, others
being restored. William Randolph Hearst build a castle for his
private use at San Simeon, and many interesting ethnic
communities dot the area. As one nears Los Angeles, one comes to
Santa Barbara, a large and interesting city to visit and
investigate.
     The City of Angels, Los Angeles in Spanish, is famous to
all, as is Palm Springs to the east and the Mojave Desert. The
desert is vast and would never have developed as it has if not
for the work projects established in the 1930's. Water, the life
blood of civilization, was piped many, many miles underground
from the Colorado River. Much of the farming in the southern part
of the state would not exist without this water. As a matter of
fact, much of southern California would be desert without this
miraculous supply of water.
     South of Los Angeles is Orange County, with its famous
Disneyland. It is here that we will hold our 1996 Convention.
This semi-arid area is flat and rather warm in summer. (Being
close to Mexico, the climate is warm most of the year.)
     San Diego is the large city nearest Mexico. If you do not
like flat land, there are mountains near at hand. If this does
not suit you, there are many islands up and down the Pacific
coast.
     California is at once a dream and a reality. It has seen a
steady stream of visionaries come and go throughout its short and
spectacular history. One of these visionaries was Walt Disney, a
man who was considered crazy when he first broached the idea of a
theme park based on his cartoon family. Banks and industries
laughed at him and considered his Disneyland vision complete
fantasy--much as some considered the founding of the National
Federation of the Blind by Dr. Jacobus tenBroek to be a pipe
dream. The very idea that there could be an organization of the
blind, run by the blind, was considered fantastic and dangerous.
Walt Disney persisted against seemingly insurmountable odds to
found Disneyland, which, like the National Federation of the
Blind, has proven to be successful beyond its founder's wildest
dreams.
     California is a state established by generations of Spanish
settlers, Indian tribes, pioneers, gold seekers, farmers, and
builders, movie stars, and madmen like Walt Disney and Jacobus
tenBroek. These are the men and women who broke the mold to
produce a state unlike any other. California is the land of
golden dreams. Come join us at the Anaheim Hilton Hotel and
become part of our California dreaming.
     When the gold miners traveled to, and then left, California,
they used to say that they had seen the elephant, meaning that
they had tasted the highs and lows of life as a miner in
California and now understood what the dream of discovery was
about. They had, in essence, felt the legs, the trunk, the ears,
and the tail of the beast and were now much the wiser. In
conclusion let us say, "Come to Anaheim and see the Mouse and, of
most importance to the blind, experience the National Federation
of the Blind in convention assembled."


                     MEDICARE FACTS FOR 1996
                         by James Gashel

     From the Editor: Jim Gashel is the Director of Governmental
Affairs for the National Federation of the Blind.

     In the January, 1996, issue of the Braille Monitor, we
reported the annual Social Security program adjustments now in
effect for 1996. The article was titled "Social Security and SSI
Facts for 1996." Since changes are made in Social Security
programs at the beginning of each new year, we ordinarily report
the new information in the Monitor. Medicare facts are usually
included. Due to the controversy over the federal budget, changes
in Medicare for 1996 had not been decided, however, when our
January article was prepared. That controversy is not yet
settled, but the Medicare facts for 1996 are. Here are the new
facts for 1996:

     Medicare Deductibles and Co-Insurance: Medicare Part A
coverage provides hospital insurance to most Social Security
beneficiaries. The co-insurance payment is the charge that the
hospital makes to a Medicare beneficiary for any hospital stay.
Medicare then pays the hospital charges above the beneficiary's
co-insurance amount.
     The Part A co-insurance amount charged for hospital services
within a benefit period of not longer than sixty days was $716
during 1995 and is increased to $736 during 1996. Beginning the
sixty-first day through the ninetieth day, there is a daily co-
insurance amount of $184 per day, up from $179 in 1995. Each
Medicare beneficiary has sixty "reserve days" for hospital
services provided within a benefit period longer then ninety
days. The co-insurance amount to be paid during each reserve day
is $368, up from $358 in 1995.
     Part A of Medicare pays all covered charges for services in
a skilled nursing facility for the first twenty days within a
benefit period. From the twenty-first day through the one
hundredth day within a benefit period, the Part A co-insurance
amount for services received in a skilled nursing facility is $92
per day, up from $89.50 in 1995.
     For most beneficiaries there is no monthly premium charge
for Medicare Part A coverage. People who become eligible for
Social Security Disability Insurance cash benefits can continue
to receive Medicare Part A coverage premium-free for thirty-nine
months following the end of a trial work period. After that time
the individual may purchase Part A coverage. The premium rate for
this coverage during 1996 is $289 per month. During 1996 this
premium rate is $188 for individuals who have earned at least
thirty quarters of coverage under Social Security covered
employment.
     The Medicare Part B (medical insurance) deductible remains
at $100 in 1996. This is an annual deductible amount. The
Medicare Part B basic monthly premium rate will decrease from
$46.10 charged to each beneficiary and withheld from Social
Security checks in 1995 to $42.50 per month during 1996. Medicare
Part B coverage may be continued for those who complete a trial
work period and become ineligible to receive Social Security
Disability Insurance cash benefits. This monthly premium rate is
$42.50, the same amount paid by Social Security beneficiaries
through withholding from their monthly Social Security checks.

     Programs Which Help with Medicare Deductibles and Premiums:
Low-income Medicare beneficiaries may qualify for help with
payments. Assistance is available through two programs--QMB
(Qualified Medicare Beneficiary program) and SLMB (Specified Low-
income Medicare Beneficiary program).
     Under the QMB program states are required to pay the
Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical
Insurance) premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance expenses for
Medicare beneficiaries who meet the program's income and resource
requirements. Under the SLMB program states pay only the full
Medicare Part B monthly premium ($42.50 in 1996). Eligibility for
the SLMB program may be retroactive for up to three calendar
months.
     Both programs are administered by the Health Care Financing
Administration (HCFA) in conjunction with the states. The rules
vary from state to state; but in general:
     An individual may qualify for the QMB program if his or her
income is near the national poverty level, approximately $7,980
annually for an individual ($665 per month) and $10,608 annually
for a family of two (or $884 per month). These amounts apply for
residents of forty-eight of the fifty states and the District of
Columbia. In Alaska the income threshold used to define poverty
is approximately $9,576 annually for an individual (or $798 per
month) and $12,780 annually for a family of two (or $1,065 per
month). In Hawaii the income threshold used to define poverty is
approximately $8,856 (or $738 per month) annually for an
individual and $11,796 annually (or $983 per month) for a family
of two.
     For the SLMB program annual income must be 110 percent or
less of the national poverty levels. Under both programs $20 in
monthly income is not counted toward the limit.
     Resources-such as bank accounts or stocks-may not exceed
$4,000 for one person or $6,000 for a family of two. (Resources
generally are things you own. However, not everything is counted:
the house you live in, for example, doesn't count, and in some
circumstances your car may not count either.)
     Here's an idea of what the QMB program provides in 1996.
Under Part A the hospital insurance deductibles are $736 for the
first sixty days of a hospital stay and $184 per day for days
sixty-one through ninety in the hospital. The QMB program will
pay these expenses for eligible beneficiaries. However, to
qualify for help under the QMB program, you must file an
application. If you think you qualify but you have not filed for
Medicare Part A, contact Social Security to find out if you need
to file an application. Further information about filing for
Medicare is available from your local Social Security office or
Social Security's toll-free number, (800) 772-1213.
     Remember, only your state can decide if you're eligible for
help from the QMB or SLMB program. So, if you're elderly or
disabled, have low income and very limited assets, and are a
Medicare beneficiary, contact your state or local welfare or
social service agency to apply. For further information about
either program, call HCFA's toll-free telephone number, (800)
638-6833.



     If you or a friend would like to remember the National
Federation of the Blind in your will, you can do so by employing
the following language:

     "I give, devise, and bequeath unto the National Federation
of the Blind, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230, a
District of Columbia nonprofit corporation, the sum of
$__________(or "______ percent of my net estate" or "The
following stocks and bonds: ________") to be used for its worthy
purposes on behalf of blind persons."



[#19 PHOTO/CAPTION: Betty Capps]
                             RECIPES

     This month's recipes were contributed by Betty Capps, the
First Lady of the National Federation of the Blind of South
Carolina and a wonderful cook, as you will see.

                       CHOCOLATE TORTE PIE

     This is the favorite pie at the Capps house.

Ingredients:
3 egg whites
dash salt
 3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
 3/4 cup chocolate wafer crumbs
1/2 pint whipping cream

     Method: Beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form;
gradually beat in sugar until stiff peaks form; fold in nuts,
vanilla, and chocolate crumbs; spread in 9-inch, lightly buttered
pie plate; bake at 325 degrees for thirty to thirty-five minutes.
When cool, spread with whipped cream, sweetened to taste.
Decorate edge with more cookie crumbs. Chill several hours or
overnight.


                    RASPBERRY LINZER COOKIES

     "These wonderful cookies require a bit of extra effort to
make and assemble, but the delight on the faces of family and
friends when I serve them makes it all worthwhile."

Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/4 cup sugar, divided
2 eggs, separated
 1/4 teaspoon salt
confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup ground almonds
 3/4 cup raspberry preserves
2 cups all-purpose flour

     Method: In a mixing bowl cream butter. Gradually add  2/3
cup sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at
a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour,
gradually add to creamed mixture, and mix well. Shape dough into
a ball, chill for thirty to forty-five minutes or until firm. On
a surface dusted with confectioner's sugar, roll out half of the
dough to  1/8-inch thickness, and cut with a 2-inch doughnut
cutter so that the center is cut out of each cookie. Roll out the
other half of dough in the same way and cut it using a 2-inch
cookie cutter. Beat egg whites until frothy. Combine almonds and
remaining sugar. Brush all cookies with egg white and sprinkle
with the almond mixture. Place them on greased baking sheets.
Bake at 350 degrees for six to eight minutes or until lightly
browned. Remove immediately to wire racks to cool completely.
Spread two teaspoons of raspberry preserves over the plain side
of solid cookies. Place cookies with centers cut out, almond side
up, on top of the preserves, making a sandwich. Yields about two
dozen.


                          EASTER NESTS

Ingredients:
1 7-ounce jar marshmallow cream
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 5-ounce can chow mein noodles
1 cup pastel-colored M&M's
Confectioner's sugar
Pastel-colored peanut M&M's

     Method: In mixing bowl, beat marshmallow cream, peanut
butter, and butter until smooth. Fold in noodles and M&M's. Chill
until easy to handle. On waxed paper form mixture by  1/3-cupfuls
into 3-inch nests. Chill for thirty minutes. Dust with
confectioner's sugar. Place several peanut M&M's in each nest.
Yields nine servings. Place one at each place setting at Easter
dinner.


                           LEMON BREAD

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
 1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk

     Method: In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in
eggs, lemon juice, and peel. Combine flour, baking powder, and
salt. Stir into creamed mixture alternately with milk. Pour into
a greased 8-by-4-by-2-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for
forty-five minutes or until bread tests done. Remove bread from
pan and immediately drizzle with glaze. (To make glaze, combine
two tablespoons lemon juice and  cup confectioner's sugar.) Cool
on wire rack. Yields one loaf.


                     ONION ROASTED POTATOES

     The potatoes are slightly crisp on the outside and tender on
the inside. This side dish is a favorite because the soup mix
glazes the potatoes beautifully and the dish is simple to
prepare.

Ingredients:
2 pounds red potatoes, sliced 1/2 inches thick
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 envelope dry onion soup mix

     Method: Combine all ingredients in a large plastic bag,
shake until well coated. Empty bag into an ungreased 13-by-9-by
2-inch baking pan. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for thirty-five
minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bake fifteen minutes
longer or until potatoes are tender. Yields six to eight
servings.


                         NO-FUSS CHICKEN

     This recipe could hardly be simpler to prepare. The chicken
gets a wonderful tangy taste, and no one will know you used
convenient ingredients like a bottle of salad dressing and onion
soup mix, unless you tell them.

Ingredients:
1 16-ounce bottle Russian or Catalina salad dressing
 2/3 cup apricot preserves
2 envelopes dry onion soup mix
16 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

     Method: In a bowl combine dressing, preserves, and soup mix.
Place chicken in two ungreased 11-by-7-by-2-inch baking pans, top
with dressing mixture. Cover and bake for twenty minutes at 350
degrees. Baste, and bake uncovered twenty minutes longer or until
chicken juices run clear. Yields sixteen servings.


                 ** ** MONITOR MINIATURES ** **
[#20 PHOTO/CAPTION: The sign at the entrance to Disneyland]
** Disneyland, Here We Come!
     We have just received the following notice from Jim Willows,
President of the National Federation of the Blind of California:
     If you are coming to our 1996 National Convention in
Anaheim, you certainly wouldn't want to miss an opportunity to go
to Disneyland at greatly reduced rates. Disneyland is a pleasant
walk from our convention hotel. The hotel also provides a
complimentary shuttle to and from the park.
     This fun event will take place on Saturday, June 29, the
Saturday before convention-registration day. Ticket costs are $27
for adults and $21 for children under twelve. These rates are
about thirty percent below Disneyland's regular prices. Your
ticket pays for admission to the park and for all park rides and
attractions.
     Please send your ticket orders with payment in full by June
1, 1996. Make checks or money orders payable to the NFB of
California. Send your orders and payment to NFB of California
Disneyland Night, 3934 Kern Court, Pleasanton, California 94588.
     Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto are looking forward
to seeing you all at Disneyland. Incidentally, how many of you
can name all seven of the dwarfs? They'll be there too.

** Elected:
     The Greater Seattle Area Chapter of the National Federation
of the Blind of Washington held elections on January 20, 1996.
The results are as follows: Noel Nightingale, President; Rita
Szantay, First Vice President; Mark Noble, Second Vice President;
Renee West, Secretary; and Gary Deeter, Treasurer. Ben Prows and
Denise Mackenstadt were elected to serve as Board members.

** New Braille Editions Available:
     We recently received the following notice from the Louis
Braille Center:
     The War of Dots, by Robert B. Irwin, is now available in
Braille. The establishment of Standard English Braille in 1932 as
a uniform raised-dot method of reading and writing for English-
speaking countries was the result of a long and difficult battle.
Mr. Irwin, who was an active participant in the effort, recounts
the struggle in this absorbing essay. The book is eighty-two
Braille pages and costs $10. Other books available include a
growing collection of Helen Keller's books and essays. Ask for a
free 1996 catalog when you contact Louis Braille Center, 11050
5th Avenue, N.E., #204, Seattle, Washington 98125-6151. You may
call or fax (206) 368-8288.

** Elected:
     The Jefferson City Chapter of the National Federation of the
Blind of Missouri recently held elections with the following
results: Rita Lynch, President; Jan Haas, Vice President; Dave
Walker, Secretary; and Betty Walker, Treasurer. New Board members
are Brian Wekamp, Raymond Kliethermes, and Martha Giesing.

** Audio Magazine for Ham Radio Enthusiasts Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     The RAIN Journal is a bimonthly, tone-indexed, audio
cassette publication for ham radio enthusiasts by Radio Amateur
Information Network, RAIN. Now in its fifth year, this ninety-
minute magazine contains informative interviews, stimulating
excerpts from Dayton Hamvention forums, and thought-provoking
commentaries. Subscribers receive a Hansa Plastics free-matter
mailer, reversible laminated address card, and the first tape.
The cost for one year (six issues) is $17. To keep all six tapes,
add $5. Make checks or money orders payable to RAIN, P.O. Box
2565, Des Plaines, Illinois 60017-2565.

** Elected:
     On December 1, 1995, the Omaha Chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind of Nebraska elected the following
officers and board members: Bob Simonson, President; Stacy
Hayworth, First Vice President; Robert Newman, Second Vice
President; Nancy Flearl, Secretary; and Gail Larson, Treasurer.
New Board members are Craig Groff, Rick O'Malley, Alan Kopetzky,
and John Klingman.

** New Fitness Organization:
     We recently received the following press release:
     The Blind Bodybuilders Association (BBA) was founded to
promote physical fitness and better health for the blind through
weight training and exercise. Since many blind people do not
practice good exercise habits, the BBA intends to encourage more
blind people to get to their local gym or fitness center and get
involved in a good exercise program or to work out at home. The
BBA will provide information on how best to begin a workout
program or fitness regimen and will also help educate blind
people about different exercise programs, pitfalls and benefits
of belonging to a gym or fitness center, and other aspects of
getting fit and healthy. The Blind Bodybuilders Association will
also publish a newsletter called The Muscle Gazette, which will
be available in large print or on 4-track cassette tape. It will
carry articles on workout programs, vitamins, proper dieting,
diet supplementation, getting the most from your gym or fitness
center as a blind or visually impaired member, etc.
     The Blind Bodybuilders Association will also work to help
gym owners and fitness center managers understand the special
needs of blind and visually impaired members and how to help
blind members access their facilities and services better. Blind
or visually impaired men and women who are interested in becoming
members of the Blind Bodybuilders Association or who want more
information about a fitness program may send their requests to
Harry Martin, Blind Bodybuilders Association, 2314 River Park
Circle, #2111, Orlando, Florida 32817-4828. Requests should be
sent on cassette tape or typed. The Blind Bodybuilders
Association is a non-profit organization supported by member
dues. Any blind or visually impaired person may be a member.

** Elected:
     At its January 13, 1996, meeting, the Central Florida
Chapter of the NFB of Florida installed the following officers:
Jerry Heichelbeck, President; Sherri Hicks, Vice President;
Daniel Weiner, Secretary; and Kannie Loomis, Treasurer.

** Elected:
     The Ft. Smith Regional Chapter of the NFB of Arkansas
recently held elections with the following results: Ralph
Preston, President; Wretha Preston, Vice President; Mary Belle
Rea, Secretary; and Gary Hall, Treasurer. Elected to serve on the
Board were Grace Thrasher, Fannie Anglin, and Margaret Freeman.

** For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     An almost-new Optacon II unit with a carrying case and
rechargeable battery is available for sale to the highest bidder.
Please send Braille, cassette, or print correspondence with your
bid to P.O. Box 70 MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132. If you do
not receive a reply within a month, the unit has already been
sold.

[#21 PHOTO/CAPTION: Donna Panaro]
** A Hopeful Glimpse:
     On Sunday, December 24, 1995, a story about several children
with various disabilities appeared in the Parade insert of The
Baltimore Sun. One of those mentioned was Kristin Panaro. Her
mother Donna is active in the National Federation of the Blind of
New Jersey and participated in a hugely successful parent
leadership seminar conducted last fall at the National Center for
the Blind and led by Barbara Cheadle, President of the National
Organization of Parents of Blind Children. The writer of the
article was Eddie Adams. The portion that dealt with Kristin was
positive and filled with delight. Here it is:

     Kristin Panaro, three (shown on the cover), dancing through
the flowers singing. "She is an extremely happy child," says
Donna Panaro of Oldbridge, New Jersey, of her daughter. Kristin
was born without eyes.
     "When she was born, I was devastated," recalls her mother,
"but she is not so different from other children. She rolled over
at three months, walked early, and loves Bruce Springsteen.
     "My biggest problem is trying to get her to use a cane. She
thinks it's a toy."

     Three cheers for blind children like Kristin, for their
sensible parents, and for reporters who are able and willing to
capture the story they have to tell.

** For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Guy Panuccio has for sale an AFB Money Identifier in
excellent condition. Best offer will be accepted. Contact him in
print only at 86-14 101st Avenue, Ozone Park, New York 11416.

** Interactive Newsletter Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Have you ever been perplexed and amazed at the vagaries of
human relationships? Have you had experiences or solved
relationship problems in ways that might help others? Are there
issues you would like others to help you with? If so, we invite
you to join our interactive newsletter by sending for your free
introductory cassette. Send us your name and address, with your
phone number if you wish, in Braille or on cassette if possible.
(Print can be managed, but your request will be delayed a few
days.) Send to Pipeline, c/o Janiece Betker, 1886 29th Avenue,
N.W., New Brighton, Minnesota 55112, (612) 631-2909. Leave name
and address on the answering machine.
     Pipeline is a listen-to-and-return cassette. Subscription
fee is $15, made payable to Janiece Betker. Overseas members will
be asked to add the cost of air mail if you want the newsletter
in a timely fashion; otherwise we will send via free matter where
permitted.
     Help make this newsletter a great success. We want your
views in your own voice. Join our lively discussion group or sit
back and listen for a while if you prefer. Pipeline is beginning
its fourth year of production with new folks coming in as they
hear about us. Send today for your free introductory cassette.

** Optacon Production Discontinued:
     We recently received the following press release:
     TeleSensory has announced that it will cease production of
its founding product, the Optacon, in December of 1996. The
company has indicated that parts on hand are sufficient to
satisfy the demand for finished units for approximately twelve
months and to support the installed base until the turn of the
century.
     Although new sales have declined, there are still many
staunch Optacon users and supporters. In order that Optacon can
continue to be available for a number of years, TeleSensory has
stated that it will seek opportunities for assigning all
technology rights to another organization without profit or
continuing benefit to itself. Interested parties should contact
Yakov Soloveychik, TeleSensory's Blindness Products Division
General Manager at (415) 960-0920.

** Product Search Service Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Introducing the Resource and Information Service (RIS) for
the Blind, a service that will find books, Braille services, tape
recorders, glucose monitors, scales, computers, and anything else
you really need.
     Just send a $10 check payable to Katie Ward, with a
description of your problem to RIS, P.O. Box 64745, Tucson,
Arizona 85728-4745. You may use a tape, IBM-compatible disk, or
print to convey your problem, and we will research and send back
the answer in the same medium.

** Computer Classes Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     I would like to offer DOS and Windows 95 training for your
organization. Windows 95 is new, and many people need help with
it. My classes consist of classroom lectures and a number of
hands-on hours. I have completed Microsoft Windows classes and
have received my certification. I would like to offer my services
nationwide. Most of my classes would be given on the weekends;
however, I will also offer a number of classes during the week.
     Fees are negotiable. If interested, contact Homer Weston at
(800) 493-5993 or pager (800) 759-8888, PIN 1136189.

[#22 PHOTO/CAPTION: Carla McQuillan]
** Blind Role Models and Mentors Needed for NFB Camp:
     Carla McQuillan, Director of NFB Camp at this year's
convention in Anaheim, recently made the following request:
     During National Convention week, the children in NFB Camp
will need a variety of activities to keep them busy and
entertained. One of the features that we hope to provide will be
presentations from successful blind adults with varying
professions, hobbies, or skills. If you match this description,
plan to attend this year's National Convention in Anaheim, and
would be interested in contributing your time and talents for a
while in NFB Camp, please let me know. Letters may be sent to
National Federation of the Blind of Oregon, P.O. Box 320,
Thurston, Oregon 97482. Please include your name, address, and
phone number, along with a brief description of the activity or
presentation that you would like to offer.
