                       THE BRAILLE MONITOR
Vol. 41, No. 11                                    December, 1998

                     Barbara Pierce, Editor


      Published in inkprint, in Braille, and on cassette by

              THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

                     MARC MAURER, PRESIDENT


                         National Office
                       1800 Johnson Street
                   Baltimore, Maryland  21230
                   NFB Net BBS: (612) 696-1975
              Web Page address: http://www.nfb.org



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             should be sent to the National Office.




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





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





ISSN 0006-8829


                            Contents

Convention Bulletin 1999

A Jurist Who Happens to Be Blind in the Federal Courts
     by Richard C. Casey

An Organizational Approach to the Evaluation of Rehabilitation
Outcomes: Assessing Three Private Rehabilitation Agencies
     by C. Edwin Vaughan, Ph.D.

The Blind in the Teaching Profession
     by Cheralyn Braithwaite

Distinguished Educator of Blind Children Award for 1999
     by Sharon Maneki

The 1999 Blind Educator of the Year Award
     by Stephen O. Benson

A Trip to Remember!
     by Tim Day

Facing Windows of Lost Opportunity
     by Steve Alexander

The Fifth Generation Speaks Out

The New Job Opportunities for the Blind
by Peggy Chong

Abilities Count

A Little Child Shall Lead Them
     by Father Patrick Martin

Of Generosity and Independence
     by William Payne

The Whole Truth about Partial Sight
     by Christine Faltz

Seeing Chances to Conquer
     by Susan Kreifels

Creative Cookies
     by Robert Parrish

Children, Fruitcake, and Rectangles
     by Barbara Walker

Social Security, SSI, and Medicare Facts for 1999
     by James Gashel

Recipes

Monitor Miniatures

       Copyright (C) 1998 National Federation of the Blind




[LEAD PHOTOGRAPH DESCRIPTION: Three photographs appear on this
page. The first shows the fireplace in the Harbor Room with a
wreath above it. The decorated tables ready for the Christmas
party can also be seen. The second picture is of the National
Center staff seated at the tables and looking toward President
Maurer, who is speaking. The third picture is of Dr. Jernigan
sitting in a rocking chair in the Harbor Room and reading aloud
from a Braille book to people who are obviously listening.]
     CAPTION: The Christmas party at the National Center for the
Blind is always an evening filled with fun and good food. The
Harbor Room (left) is where everyone gathers after work. Each
family brings a dish or two to pass, and President Maurer
(middle) briefly addresses the group before dinner begins. In
past years Dr. Jernigan (bottom) often read 'Twas the Night
before Christmas, and then the small gift exchange took place
amid much laughter. Dr. Jernigan will not be among the merry-
makers this year, so the laughter may be a bit subdued, but the
love and good wishes that circulate will be every bit as
heartfelt as in past years. So too our hopes for a blessed
holiday season and the very best in the New Year come to each of
you with this issue of the Braille Monitor].


                    Convention Bulletin 1999
                           **********
     It is time to plan for the 1999 convention of the National
Federation of the Blind. Last year's convention in Dallas was one
of the best we have ever experienced--a great hotel staff, a
truly impressive program and exhibits, and fellowship of the
highest order. The year before, 1997, we set an attendance record
in New Orleans. Atlanta in 1999, however, promises to bring not
only a bigger and better program but also likely a record
attendance, as we gather to celebrate the life and work of Dr.
Jernigan and to continue our march to equal opportunity and full
participation through the movement he loved and led.

     We will meet at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta, a
truly beautiful and spacious world-class hotel. Rooms have been
reserved for us at both the Marquis and the Atlanta Hilton and
Towers, a short walk away. The Marquis, with its 120,000 square
feet of meeting space and over 1,600 guest rooms, will be perfect
for our convention. The Hilton and Towers has over 1,200
elegantly furnished guest rooms and a number of special guest
services.

     Once again, our hotel rates at the Marquis are the envy of
all. For the 1999 convention they are singles, $57; doubles and
twins, $59; triples, $61; and quads, $63. In addition to the room
rates there will be a tax, which at present is 14 percent. There
will be no charge for children in the room with parents as long
as no extra bed is requested.

     For 1999 convention room reservations you should write
directly to Atlanta Marriott Marquis, 265 Peachtree Center
Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, or call (404) 521-0000. Marriott
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 hotel. The hotel
will want a deposit of $60 or a credit card number. If a credit
card is used, the deposit will be charged against your card
immediately, just as would be the case with a $60 check. If a
reservation is canceled prior to June 4, 1999, $30 of the $60
deposit will be returned. Otherwise refunds will not be made.

     The Marquis is a beautiful, fifty-story atrium hotel with a
panoramic view of this bustling city in the heart of the New
South. It is twelve miles north of the Atlanta-Hartsfield
International Airport. Those driving to the convention will find
the hotel conveniently located off of Interstate 85, by taking
Exit 96, International Boulevard, turning left onto International
Boulevard, going to Peachtree Center Avenue, and turning right.
The hotel is on the right in the second block. There are three
excellent restaurants in the Marquis: Allie's American Grille,
open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; Atrium Express, open for
breakfast and lunch; and Marquis Steakhouse, open for dinner
only. Champions Sports Bar is open until 2:00 a.m. and serves
lunch and dinner. The hotel features indoor and outdoor pools, a
solarium, a health club, whirlpool, and sauna. Rooms provide
voice mail, telephone data ports, and complimentary in-room
coffee.

     The Hilton and Towers combines a convenient location right
across the street from the Marquis with superb accommodations and
amenities. Rooms are newly renovated, spacious, and luxurious,
with rich cherry furnishings and a warm atmosphere.

     Since both hotels are in the heart of downtown Atlanta,
Federationists attending the convention will have access to a
wealth of restaurants, shops, and other attractions like Martin
Luther King Center (1.5 miles), Underground Atlanta (0.8 mile),
and World of Coca-Cola (0.8 mile). See later issues of the
Monitor for information on tours and other outings into the
Greater Atlanta area.

     The 1999 convention of the National Federation of the Blind
will be a truly exciting and memorable event, with a program
unparalleled, an exciting city to explore, and a rededication to
the goals and work of our movement. Make plans now to be a part
of it. The schedule this year is a little different from the one
to which we are accustomed. Pre-convention seminars for parents
of blind children and other groups and set-up of the exhibit hall
will take place on Wednesday, June 30, and adjournment will be
Tuesday, July 6, at 5:00 p.m. To assure a room in one of the
convention hotels at convention rates, you must make reservations
early. Convention registration will begin on Thursday, July 1,
and both Thursday and Friday will be filled with meetings of
divisions and committees, including the Friday morning annual
meeting of the Board of Directors of the National Federation of
the Blind, which is open to all. General convention sessions
begin on Saturday and continue through the afternoon of Tuesday,
July 6. The annual banquet will take place on Monday evening,
July 5.

     Remember that as usual we need door prizes from state
affiliates, local chapters, and individuals. Once again, prizes
should be small in size but large in value. Cash, of course, is
always appropriate and welcome. As a general rule we ask that
prizes of any variety have a value of at least $25. Drawings will
occur steadily throughout the convention sessions, and you can
anticipate a grand prize of truly impressive proportions to be
drawn at the banquet. You may bring door prizes with you or send
them ahead of time to Roger Womble, 3966 Wildwood Lake Drive,
S.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30331-4361.

     The best collection of exhibits, featuring new technology;
meetings of our special interest groups, committees, and
divisions; memorable tours arranged by the host Georgia
affiliate; famous Southern hospitality; the most stimulating and
provocative program items of any meeting of the blind in the
world; the chance to renew friendships in our Federation family;
and the unparalleled opportunity to be where the real action is
and where decisions are being made--all of these mean you will
not want to miss being a part of the 1999 National Convention.
Hotel reservations are now being accepted. Make yours right away,
and we'll see you in Atlanta in 1999!
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Judge Richard C. Casey]
     A Jurist Who Happens to Be Blind in the Federal Courts
                       by Richard C. Casey
                           **********
     From the Editor: Tuesday afternoon, July 7, delegates to the
1998 convention of the National Federation of the Blind heard a
stirring address by the Hon. Richard Casey, District Judge in the
United States District Court for the Southern District of New
York. He spent several days at the convention, and his fine mind
and probity were evident. But those who met him were particularly
impressed with both his dedication and his humanity. This is what
he said:
                           **********
     Dr. Maurer, Dr. Jernigan, Congresswoman Johnson, and members
of the National Federation of the Blind: I'm extremely honored to
be asked to speak to you this afternoon. I must say, however, I
do it, as I told the National Association of Blind Lawyers
yesterday afternoon, with a bit of anxiety because I only lost my
sight eleven years ago. I stand before you feeling somewhat
inadequate realizing all that you have accomplished and all that
you have done. It makes me feel like I am just beginning.

     I'd like to start my talk this afternoon by telling you a
little story. Eleven years ago, right after I lost my sight, I
was traveling in Europe, and some friends of mine took me to a
religious shrine in southwest France called Lourdes. I was
walking across the esplanade in front of the Basilica, and a man
approached me and started to speak to me. I couldn't understand a
word that he was saying. Fortunately a friend was with me who was
from Rome, and he listened intently and finally said: "Well I'm
not doing much better. He's speaking Italian, but he lives in Sao
Paulo, Brazil, and he's Mexican and Portuguese, and we're having
a hell of a time. He said however, the best I could make out of
it is that he admires your guide dog, but he would like to take
the two of us up the hill and show us something, I'm not quite
sure what." In any event, we accompanied him up the hill, and he
took us to a little tiny grave yard. We entered the graveyard,
and he took us over to a tombstone and said: "I'd like to tell
you the story behind the woman who is buried here. Many years ago
a young Italian blind girl was brought to Lourdes by her parents.
She resisted because she was an atheist, and this was a religious
shrine. But she acquiesced, and, of course, her parents brought
her there in hopes that through prayer she might receive the
miracle of sight." He told me that she never received that
miracle, but she did receive the miracle of faith in God.

     She went back home to Italy, and many years later, when she
was an old, old woman and was dying, she asked that her body be
brought back to Lourdes and buried there. A tombstone was erected
with an inscription which we were standing before. The words on
the tombstone were, "What is important is not to see but to
understand."

     For me, who am very new, I feel, to your world, these are
words that have lived with me ever since. They are words that are
very profound; they contain many layers. They make you think: why
was I born, why am I here, where am I going, and how am I going
to get there? It encompasses, I think, the philosophy of the NFB-
-that, if you have that understanding, if you have the attitude,
if you have the talent, there is almost nothing you cannot
accomplish.

     Now I don't know if the story of the little Italian girl is
true. I know the tombstone is there, and as they say in Italian,
"Si non e vero, e ben trovato." [literally, "If it is not true,
it is well discovered."] I like that. I think I'll give the rest
of the speech in Italian. (In all seriousness, don't worry; I
have difficulty ordering dinner in an Italian restaurant.)

     Every day since 1987 I think about those words. It's been a
long road from my early education to this point. I graduated from
Holy Cross in 1955, before most of you were born, and I graduated
from the Georgetown University Law School in 1958. After that I
went on and was appointed Assistant United States Attorney in New
York and was assigned the criminal division, where I tried many
different cases from narcotics to mail fraud to securities fraud
to tax evasion. In 1960 I was appointed the head of the internal
security unit, and again, for you younger people in the audience,
that was a period known as the Cold War. I had the privilege of
representing the United States in prosecuting three Soviet spies:
two for espionage and one for perjury. After that I went on and
was counsel to a state commission investigating public
corruption. Then I went on to private practice, where I engaged
in commercial litigation, mostly securities litigation on the
civil side with a touch of criminal work--you never seem to get
away from it.[laughter] Not that I committed it myself, but
represented people, for those in the audience who are laughing. I
often have to admonish my law clerks these days that when they
answer the phone, please don't tell people that the judge is on
trial; he's in trial.

     In any event, after a long career in private practice, in
1991 I was approached by one of the judges on the United States
District Court in New York who asked me if I would like to join
them on the court. Of course I was very honored; however, I
really didn't feel quite adequate to assume the job. I had
recently lost my eyesight. But after much conversation he
convinced me to make a stab at it. He, together with a bipartisan
group of judges, recommended me to both Senator D'Amato and
Senator Moynihan of New York, and I was recommended to the White
House and nominated in 1992 to the District Court. The nomination
was sent to the White House, and President Bush acted on it and
sent it to the Senate. But unfortunately I learned my first
lesson in judicial process. It was election year, they cut off
confirmation hearings, and my nomination lapsed with fifty-four
others. We were left at the judicial altar so to speak.

     In any event, time went by, and last year I was invited by
the Moynihan judicial selection committee as well as the D'Amato
judicial selection committee to appear before them to be
considered again for the United States District Court. In May of
last year Senator D'Amato sent my name to the White House for
nomination, and Senator Moynihan joined in the nomination. In
July I was nominated and confirmed by the Senate in October. I
was sworn in in November of last year.
     I am very pleased and honored with the job I have, but,
although Dr. Maurer was quite laudatory in his introduction, I am
going to confess to you that my real ambition is to be the first
blind nose tackle in the National Football League. [laughter]
Since I told you when I graduated from college, I think it is
unlikely.

     As I told the National Association of Blind Lawyers, with
the appointment of David Tatel to the United States Circuit Court
of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (I'm sure many of you heard him
when he spoke at your convention last year) and with my
appointment to the United States District Court, we have come a
long way in the federal judiciary. For those of you who may not
be familiar with the federal court system, basically the federal
system has three courts: the basic trial court is the United
States District Court, of which I am a member; the intermediate
court, the appellate court, is the Circuit Court of Appeals,
where Judge Tatel serves; and the Supreme Court of the United
States. As I told the lawyers yesterday afternoon, we have made
inroads; we have members on both courts; the door is wide open.
[applause] I assure you that, sometime in your lifetime, a blind
lawyer will be appointed to the United States Supreme Court.
[applause]

     I think we have made great strides in my profession and in
the judiciary, primarily due to two reasons. One is developments
in technology, and the other is the change in attitudes in
society. I will always be grateful to the Federation for the help
they gave me last summer when I was trying to assemble the
package of technology we would use in my chambers. I went to
Baltimore, and the staff couldn't have been nicer--Dr. Maurer,
Richard Ring, all the wonderful people who helped me and the
blind engineer who was working with me, who adapted all this
material for me. Today I am using things that many of you use, an
optical scanner with synthetic voice, a computer with synthetic
voice, steno masks, and tape recorders. By September we will have
real-time reporting with synthetic voice in my courtroom. It will
allow us simultaneously to record, search, and call up testimony.
Moreover, it can be remotely transmitted into my chambers. When
we have non-jury cases, my law clerks can almost simultaneously
with testimony prepare findings of fact and issues of law.

     I would be remiss if I didn't mention the second point that
allows us to succeed and achieve in my profession and in others--
the changes in society. Much of this you have brought about. In
touching on this point, I have to commend Senators D'Amato and
Moynihan. Not just because of me, but they were the first
Senators who had the guts to nominate a blind lawyer to a federal
court in over two hundred and eight years. [applause] There is no
longer an excuse for any politician; they no longer have to ask
"Can it be done?" "Has it ever been done?" It has been done, and
they should do it.

     There is still a lot that can be done to change society even
more. I listened to the Congresswoman speak and the way you
brought up issues. Yes, there is much to be done. I think,
frankly, that we should all work at it. We can bring it about by
example; we can help society change.

     At lunch Peggy Elliott asked me to mention that, when I was
called before those committees last year, I thought long and hard
about it. (I listened to lots of discussion yesterday about how
to approach the question of blindness in job interviews. I don't
have a patent on it because I am still new at blindness. But I
pass along a little story for your consideration.)

     I approached my interview just as I used to prepare for
trial. I would ask myself, "What are the weaknesses of my
witnesses?" Thinking about the committee, I asked myself what my
weaknesses--even my perceived--weaknesses were. The answer seemed
obvious. I was talking to a group of sighted people, half lawyers
and half laymen. When I became blind, I didn't know a single
blind person; there's a good chance they don't know one either.
So when I walked in the door and sat down, I said, "Before you
start, may I say a word? The word is `blind.'" [applause] I said,
"Let's not pussyfoot around it; let's put it on the table. What
you are all thinking is `Can he do it?'" I then said, "I love
this profession; I have great admiration for this court. I would
not do anything to damage either one. I am here because I know in
my heart that I can do the job." I told them that I did not wish
to be recommended to the Senators because I was blind; I wished
to be recommended because I was a lawyer who could do the job who
happened to be blind. [applause and cheers]

     I told Peggy at lunch that at my swearing-in last November a
woman who was on the committee but not a lawyer came up to me.
She said, "I had to come today because I wanted to tell you that,
when I came to the interview nine months ago, I came with the
pre-disposition to vote against you because I thought it was
impossible. We were not mean-spirited people, but you explained
to us how it could be done. I wanted to tell you that, had you
not taken the bull by the horns and made it comfortable for all
of us, it wouldn't have mattered that you had the credentials.
But once we understood, we were happy to give you the highest
rating we have ever given a candidate." [applause]

     So I humbly suggest that, although we have come a long way
and the door is wide open, there is still more to be done. I
suggest that you continue to keep that door open by example. Show
the world that you can do things that heretofore were never
dreamed possible. Show the world that you as a blind person are
not solely on the receiving end; give of yourself. The greatest
givers, as the Biblical story has it, are those who give from
their want to those who have even greater need. You will destroy
erroneous stereotypes by showing how much you can give.
[applause]

     This was beautifully expressed a couple of months ago when I
was listening to a broadcast of the Masters Golf Tournament, they
did a tribute to the late, great golfer Bobby Jones. To many
Bobby Jones was the greatest golfer ever to play the game. Kids,
he was the Tiger Woods of his era. He won every golf tournament
there was, and he never turned pro. He was also a lawyer--
probably why I like him. But perhaps the thing he did better than
anything else was that he devoted a lot of time to teaching young
boys to play the game. Even when illness confined him to a
wheelchair, he continued to teach young people to play. The
commentator said that Bobby never stood as tall as when he
stooped to help a boy.

     I suggest and humbly urge that you who have done so much and
inspire me so much, as you climb the hill and step over the
obstacles on your way to the top, look over your shoulder and
help the one behind you to get over the fences. [applause] If you
do that, I promise you real success. Be good; stay well; God
bless.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Dr. C. Edwin Vaughan, Professor of Sociology at
the University of Missouri at Columbia]
          An Organizational Approach to the Evaluation
                   of Rehabilitation Outcomes:
         Assessing Three Private Rehabilitation Agencies
                   by C. Edwin Vaughan, Ph.D.
                           **********
     From the Editor: The following pilot study was conducted in
1997 and early 1998 by Professor C. Edwin Vaughan for the U.S.
Office of Education. Those who have attended annual conventions
of the National Federation of the Blind or who are long-time
readers of the Braille Monitor are familiar with the many
personal stories and anecdotes told by blind people lucky enough
to have been students at one of the three private adult
rehabilitation training centers conducted with Federation
philosophy as the basis of the program. Here, however, is a look
at these three programs and the ways in which they differ from
traditional training facilities. Dr. Vaughan also suggests
additional areas for fruitful investigation. This is what he
says:
                           **********
1. Background

     There are approximately one hundred residential programs for
persons who are blind in the United States that provide
vocational, pre-vocational, and independent-living services to
consumers of the Title I Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Program. A conservative estimate would suggest that in the last
decade at least 30,000 clients participated in these residential
programs--ranging from three- to nine-month enrollments. The most
frequently stated goal is preparation for competitive employment.
Other goals include preparation for additional education
(including higher education) and independent living. These
residential programs are relatively expensive, frequently costing
from $2,700 to $3,000 or more per month for each student. Despite
the economic cost and the human effort, there is little evidence
that these programs have produced a significant improvement in
the level of blind people's participation in the labor force.

     During the period 1984 to 1988 three new residential
rehabilitation centers were created by members of the largest
consumer organization of blind people--the National Federation of
the Blind. The reasons for developing these three residential
rehabilitation centers was an awareness of the limitations of
existing programs. Existing agencies were not, in the opinion of
the members of this consumer organization, educating their
students adequately for a life of independence, self-reliance,
and full participation in society. These three agencies have
flourished and are attracting clients from all over the United
States and from several other countries.

     Those in the field of blindness rehabilitation frequently
discuss program evaluation; a fairly complete bibliography was
commissioned by the National Accreditation Council for Agencies
Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped. Most traditional
approaches to evaluation consider the staffing and other agency
features and examine client progress in learning particular
skills. No research has been done, however, comparing agency
effectiveness. No evaluation procedures have effectively studied
the holistic effects on the individual in terms of alterations in
his or her subsequent life career.

     Because of the public monies expended and the wasted human
resources, it is important to learn whether these three agencies=20
are more effective than others. As a first step this pilot study
will analyze the philosophy, curriculum, and staffing that are
all ingredients of the comprehensive rehabilitation experience
which these agencies claim is quite effective. In this pilot
study I interviewed representative graduates to learn, from the
client perspective, the strengths and weaknesses of these
programs.
                           **********
2. Objectives

     1. Describe the three residential programs in terms of their
philosophies, goals, curricula, personnel practices, services,
and consumer outcomes.

     2. Identify organizational features (philosophies, goals,
curricula, personnel practices, and services) associated with
high levels of consumers' vocational/educational success and
independence.

     3. Analyze the relationships between agency goals and
personnel practices.

     4. Analyze the relationships between organizational goals
and the curriculum provided to the consumer.

     5. Establish baseline data for judging the future success of
these agencies.
                           **********
3. Procedures

     1. I visited each of the three centers--the Louisiana Center
for the Blind (Ruston, Louisiana); the Colorado Center for the
Blind (Denver, Colorado); and BLIND, Inc.--Blindness: Learning in
New Dimensions (Minneapolis, Minnesota).

     2. I reviewed relevant documents at all three locations,
including annual reports and contract proposals.

     3. I interviewed each director, almost all members of the
staff, and several members of the boards of directors of the
three agencies.

     4. As a participant/observer I visited several classes,
including mobility, independent living, computer skills,
industrial arts (woodworking), and group discussions about the
philosophy of blindness.

     5. Throughout my site visits I talked informally with
clients.

     6. From lists of graduates within the last twelve months, I
selected nine students for extensive open-ended, unstructured,
in-depth telephone interviews. They comprised a purposive sample-
-generally reflecting the gender, ethnic, and economic diversity
of the client group. From these interviews I tried to learn, from
the client's point of view, aspects of the rehabilitation
experience associated with the clients' subsequent occupational
success and their overall satisfaction with the rehabilitation
program.

     7. From information gathered in conversations and interviews
with students and site observations, I conducted a second round
of interviews with the three directors.
                           **********
Philosophy

     The philosophy behind the programs of the three centers, for
the most part, is similar.

     (1) None of the three is associated with a sheltered
workshop. This physical separation from sheltered workshops
allows students to explore all employment options thoroughly
without the appearance of being directed into a sheltered
environment.

     (2) All three centers address what Diane McGeorge (Director
of the Denver Center) referred to as "the real issues" of
blindness. These issues include what a person thinks of himself
or herself and what ordinary people and some professionals think
about blindness. To repeat a slogan frequently heard at these
agencies, "We are changing what it means to be blind." Most
students come from backgrounds of overprotection and have seldom=20
reflected critically on their own goals and potentials. All three
organizations provide experiences to challenge limiting self-
concepts.

     (3) All agree that programs must be extensive and
comprehensive. Everything from attitudes to required skills must
be addressed before an individual can participate fully in
society. Students do not come to these residential rehabilitation
programs to learn only a particular skill such as mobility or
computer use.

     (4) All three programs require sleep-shade training.
Residual vision is to be used, but only after the skills of
blindness have been mastered.

     (5) All three continually stress positive images of
blindness--"There is nothing wrong with being blind." If a
student becomes skilled at alternative techniques to vision,
blindness can be reduced to an inconvenience. You should make the
best of what you have and reject society's negative images about
blindness.

     (6) Whenever possible, alternative techniques should be
taught in real-life situations. For example, to teach cane travel
as technique is not enough; the student is learning cane travel
skills in order to go somewhere. The goal for students is that
when they have become proficient in the use of alternative
techniques and develop a positive self-concept, they move on to
pursue vocational training, post-secondary education, employment,
or a greater degree of independence.

     (7) A wellness model is stressed. Students should focus on
their potential, not their limitations. There is the expectation
that with appropriate training most blind people will succeed in
their chosen fields.

     (8) Rehabilitation is viewed as part of a lifelong process,
and students are expected to begin a long-term involvement with
consumer organizations. In the case of these three agencies the
preferred consumer organization is the National Federation of the
Blind. The purpose is twofold: 1) to give the blind person an
ongoing support group which will continually reinforce a positive
philosophy about blindness and provide encouragement when
difficulties emerge and 2) to involve the students in a
commitment to pay back or contribute to the ongoing organization
and to the lives of other blind people. The staff even refers to
the desire of student outcome as a spiritual experience;
rehabilitation will be so transforming you will want to share
with others the aspects of your newly found independence and more
positive self-image. One staff member in Louisiana mentioned that
the staff communicates this urgency to getting on with the
transforming of one's life.

     Joanne Wilson, Director of the Louisiana Center, expanded
the religious theme, describing the rehabilitation experience as=20
somewhat like a traditional "religious revival." After the
initial intense transforming experience some people "backslide."=20
By becoming involved in an ongoing organization with positive
role models and a positive philosophy, the individual can
continually renew the original experience. The traditional
community-based attitudes about blindness are so pervasive that
it is easy once again to internalize negative self-images or to
accept traditional low expectations of what a blind person can
achieve. To quote Ms. Wilson again, "We have to teach the
students to give back to something else--if we are going to be
whole people, we cannot just take from this world, but we have to
give back. This is particularly important for blind people; it is
so easy never to give anything back because people have so often
given everything to you--paid for your coffee or taken care of
you through family, welfare, etc. The involvement in the consumer
organization helps sustain the social movement which produces
public education, legislation, litigation, new employment
opportunities, etc., which may in turn help the individual in
additional ways." Although encouraged, students are not required
to join the National Federation of the Blind.
                           **********
Curriculum

     The three centers attempt to link philosophy to
rehabilitation outcomes through both curriculum and staff
involvement. For this discussion I have included the physical
environment as part of the environment.

     (1) All students in the residential rehabilitation program
are encouraged to live independently. Furnished apartments are
provided for students, usually two students sharing a two-bedroom
unit. Students are responsible for cleaning the apartment and for
cooking and preparing their own food. In all cases these
apartments are considerably removed from the main rehabilitation=20
facility. Students are required to work out their own
transportation--usually public busses.

     (2) All instruction is linked, as much as possible, to real
life situations. If a student needs to open a checking account or
make an appointment with a beauty shop, the task becomes part of
mobility instruction. Students will not simply learn to cook;
they will learn how to prepare a meal for all their fellow
students at the center.

     (3) All three centers include at least four hours each week
in what is referred to as business seminars--the business of
living. These are discussion groups involving both students and
staff. They are intended to help students examine their own
attitudes about blindness and to understand the reasons for the
social and instructional arrangements they are experiencing. The
intent is to change attitudes and broaden perspectives.

     (4) There is a distinct approach to mobility instruction.
Cane travel instruction is extensive throughout one's time at any
of these three rehabilitation centers. At some traditional
centers cane travel will be taught only one to four months. Only
the basic techniques can be learned in this brief period;
becoming a confident and safe traveler takes much longer. Russell
Anderson is a travel instructor at the Minnesota Center. He
prefers the word "travel" to "orientation and mobility." To him,
travel means learning to go out, to go somewhere safely and on
your own.

     All three centers strongly recommend the use of the long
lightweight, carbon-fiber cane. Not only is this cane a symbol of
freedom, but it also enables the traveler to explore the travel
surface one stride in advance of traditional shorter canes.
According to the instructors this cane has many other advantages
that go beyond the scope of this report.

     (5) The curriculum includes social experiences that most
students have never imagined. All three centers encourage their
students to attend state and national conventions of the National
Federation of the Blind. In this context students learn social
skills, self-reliance, and independent travel in quite diverse
settings. In 1997 all three centers sent students to attend the
NFB convention at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in New Orleans, a five-
day event with more than 3,200 registrants. To avoid criticism
from funding sources, the Colorado, Minnesota, and Louisiana
affiliates of the NFB provide scholarships for student
attendance. Funds from the state agencies sponsoring each student
are not used for this purpose.

     (6) The student experience is based on more than an eight-
hour day. The positive philosophy is taught and lived in a
twenty-four-hour environment. Students learn from positive role
models: roommates, instructors, citizens in the community, and
board members. The staff accompany the students on a wide array
of field trips. These field trips are intended to provide
students with experiences they had never imagined or thought
possible. These include wilderness camping, rock climbing, white
water rafting, cave exploring, skiing, and attending festivals
such as Mardi Gras. The intent is to increase self-confidence and
promote a more positive self-image.

     (7) Except for discussion groups much of the instruction is
one-on-one. Typically between eighteen and twenty-four students
are enrolled in the residential rehabilitation program. The
staff-to-student ratio is usually around 1.5 to 1. All three
centers thought twenty students to be the optimal number. These
numbers are approximate, but below twelve students is less
desirable because the number and variety of positive role models
is restricted.

     (8) All students are taught Braille without regard to
residual vision. I met one student at the Louisiana Center who
was excited about learning to read--at age twenty-three. He had
experienced two rehabilitation centers in California, which did
not instruct him in Braille. They tried to use his residual
vision without success. Research has demonstrated that students
who become literate in Braille are far more successful in
employment and independent living than visually impaired students
not learning Braille. Braille is an important feature of the
curriculum for education, as is the long white cane for
traveling. Proficiency in both is essential and required.

     (9) Students also participate in several additional
curricular areas, including computer skills, cooking, and
woodworking. These are subjects important in their own right but
also teach independence and self-reliance and provide a broader
perspective on the capabilities of blind people.

     (10) As previously mentioned, sleep shade use is required
throughout the curriculum. Students are told this before they
arrive, and it is clearly communicated in most brochures and
informational material. All three directors agreed that there is
no better way to teach the skills of independent living. Although
programs are individualized for each student, all are told before
they arrive that these programs teach a distinct philosophy about
blindness.

     (11) Students do not pick and choose preferred aspects of
the curriculum; the training is both intensive and comprehensive.
One staff member likened the experience to boot camp. Students
must follow all specific rules, or their training will be
discontinued. Students with problems other than blindness, if too
disruptive, will be sent home.
                           **********
Staff

     (1) All staff members must have been competitively employed
before being considered for employment in these three agencies.
This is an additional dimension to the positive role modeling;
students learn from their competent blind instructors about other
employment opportunities that might be available.

     (2) Blindness is not a requirement; however, most of the
instructors are blind. If a competent blind instructor is
available, this makes role modeling even stronger. At BLIND,
Inc., Joyce Scanlan, Director, observed that many students come
to the program initially having more confidence in the sighted
members of the staff. This quickly changes and bonding occurs.
Negative opinions of the sighted staff do not grow, but new
levels of appreciation and respect develop concerning the
qualities of the blind staff.

     (3) All employees must share in the positive views reflected
in the philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind--
otherwise they will not be retained. The agency in Louisiana is
the only one of the three that requires all employees to
participate in the National Federation of the Blind.

     Such personnel policies differ dramatically from those
frequently seen at larger private agencies. Sometimes it is
difficult--if not impossible--for staff members from more
traditional agencies to express in their behavior their
philosophy of independence. They may encounter resistance in
larger agencies dominated by sighted or blind individuals with
traditional philosophies or practices involving custodial care.
The effort of a teacher to become more effective and be a
positive role model can become a threat in the traditional
agency. In fact Scanlan observed that workers in larger centers
are sometimes rewarded for their willingness to be dependent upon
other staff members. They are rewarded for being led around
rather than traveling independently because the former maintains
the status quo. Also in more traditional agencies there is the
additional problem of the accumulation of minimally competent
people because it is difficult to remove them. According to the
people I interviewed, learning from teachers who often appear to
have little confidence in other blind people is one of the most
deadening experiences a student can encounter. Staff members who
demonstrate unnecessary dependence or anything less than the
highest levels of accomplishment are not acceptable in these
three agencies, where the example and contribution of each person
is critical.

     (4) Sighted employees undergo extensive sleep-shade training
as part of their new-employee orientation program. For example,
the sighted industrial arts teacher at BLIND, Inc., of Minnesota
spent three months at the Louisiana Center learning the skills of
blindness with the use of sleep shades. Sighted employees
frequently use their sleep shades as part of the educational
effort to teach a particular skill to a blind student.

     (5) Although stated in several different ways, I frequently
heard employees characterize themselves as believing in blind
people. The intent of the staff is to accomplish more than
teaching a particular skill. According to Diane McGeorge of the
Colorado Center, a strong component of success is the commitment=20
of each staff member to the success of each student, along with
high expectations of what blind people can achieve. The program
tries to communicate that clients can take control of their own
lives.

     (6) The staff expect self-reliance. Students are expected to
learn to solve individual problems as they arise. At many more
traditional residential rehabilitation centers things are done
for students that are not even considered at these three centers.
At some traditional centers I have observed students eating in
cafeterias rather than preparing their own meals. At one of the
other centers blind students raise their hands in the cafeteria
and receive prompt assistance. At another center students can
even request that meals be delivered to their rooms. To the staff
of the three NFB-oriented centers, such behavior would be viewed
as custodialism. Custodial treatment is detrimental to the
acquisition of a positive self-concept and the expectation that a
blind person can live independently.
                           **********
Social Organization

     All three of these agencies began during the period 1984 to
1988. Each was established without the assistance of the others.
Each is closely linked to the state affiliate of the National
Federation of the Blind (NFB). Each was started by individuals
active in the NFB.

     The NFB has affiliates throughout the fifty states and also=20
in Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Each state affiliate is
formally linked to the national organization. Each state can
pursue its own way of promoting the interests of blind people and
the education of the public about blindness.

     Each of these three agencies was begun with the financial
assistance of the state affiliates--the NFB of Colorado,
Minnesota, and Louisiana. The reason for developing these three
residential rehabilitation centers was an awareness of the
limitations of existing programs. Existing agencies were not, in
the opinion of these members of consumer organizations, preparing
the students adequately for a life of independence, self-
reliance, and full participation in society. They decided to
create new agencies that would address these concerns by
developing a curriculum and recruiting a staff that would embody
a more positive view of blindness. I have mentioned these values,
curriculum, and staffing patterns earlier in this report.

     Each of these centers is a not-for-profit organization, and
each is governed by a Board of Directors. In all cases at least
half of the board must be comprised of blind people. The blind
members of these boards must be competitively employed and active
in local consumer organizations of blind people.

     For most of the several hundred private blindness
rehabilitation agencies in the United States, board memberships
are based on wealth and social status--to help legitimate the
agency in the local community and assist in fund raising. These
are important issues to these three agencies as well; however,
the overriding concern is to have a governing board that is
sympathetic to and knowledgeable of the philosophies of these
agencies. All board members are expected to be involved in some
aspect of the agency's programs.
                           **********
Assessing Outcomes

     Data to judge one agency or to compare the performance of
different agencies are rare. In a 1991 report BLIND, Inc.,
reviewed the subsequent experience of students graduated in the
previous year. This agency focused on outcomes. This helps avoid
wasting scarce resources and places emphasis on the frequently
stated goals of the rehabilitation process. In the short run this
means determining whether or not students have learned valued
skills and attitudes. In the longer view it refers to the
consequences the required skills and attitudes have for
vocational success and independent living. For example, BLIND,
Inc., in its annual report for 1991 listed the outcome of its
rehabilitation efforts.
                           **********

     Twenty-six students participated in the comprehensive
training program in 1991. Of those, three had not completed
training. Those who have left the program are doing the    =20
following:

     10--attending high school or college
      6--employed
      4--seeking employment
      3--living independently
                                     (BLIND, Inc., 1991, pp. 2-3)
Whatever else the future holds for these individuals, the report=20
suggests that they have not become dependent on the agency and
are living independently and continuing their education and
employment.
                           **********
Agencies Compared in Minnesota

     Data comparing agencies on student outcomes are also rare.
The Department of Jobs and Training, State Services for the
Blind, contracts with three private agencies in Minnesota to
provide alternative techniques for blind people to pursue their
vocational and rehabilitation interests more efficiently. These
are Blindness: Learning in New Dimensions (BLIND, Inc.), the
Minneapolis Society for the Blind (MSB), and the Duluth
Lighthouse for the Blind (DLB).

     The following charts were based on data collected by the
staff for the Minnesota State Services for the Blind. For the
question concerning what students did with their lives after
leaving the training facilities, the first chart shows that the
difference in the outcomes for those involved in the three
agencies was great.
                           **********
[CAPTION: Activity after Training: This bar chart represents the
percentage of graduates from each agency engaged in each
activity:
Employment, BLIND 14 percent, MSB 5 percent, DLB 6 percent;
Student, BLIND 43 percent, MSB 14 percent, DLB 11 percent;
Planning, BLIND 28 percent, MSB 23 percent, DLB 6 percent;
Looking for Job, BLIND 14 percent, MSB 5 percent, DLB 0 percent;
Homemaking, BLIND 0 percent, MSB 10 percent, DLB 27 percent;
Retired, BLIND 0 percent, MSB 5 percent, DLB 17 percent;
Nothing, BLIND 0 percent, MSB 37 percent, DLB 33 percent]
                           **********
     Concerning the use of Braille, BLIND, Inc., reported more
than twice the percentage of students using it every week. More
than 55 percent from BLIND, Inc., reported weekly use, while only
12 percent from the Duluth Lighthouse for the Blind did so.
Activities for daily living included grooming, upkeep of
clothing, cooking, housekeeping, sewing, shopping, etc.
Similarly, for these tasks there were pronounced differences
among agencies. The Duluth Lighthouse for the Blind was the
weakest on all measures, according to the NFB of Minnesota
analysis of the data.
                           **********
[CAPTION: Daily Living After Training. This bar chart shows the
percentage of graduates from each agency engaged in the various
activities charted: Banking, BLIND 79 percent, MSB 51 percent,
DLB 50 percent;
General shopping, BLIND 79 percent, MSB 51 percent, DLB 50
percent;
Grocery shopping, BLIND 85 percent, MSB 42 percent, DLB 40
percent;
Personal organization, BLIND 70 percent, MSB 56 percent, DLB 56
percent.]
                           **********
     I have no ready access to additional data that would permit=20
additional comparisons of the type mentioned above. It would
doubtless be a sensitive issue in most states. However, the
differences describing agency outcomes in Minnesota were so great
that additional research is justified.
                           **********
Interviews with Individuals

     I conducted more than thirty brief, casual interviews with
currently enrolled students in the three agencies. I also
conducted nine open-ended, in-depth interviews with individuals
who had completed the residential programs within the previous
twelve months. Of this group comprised of four women and five men
ranging in age from nineteen to forty-two years, three were
continuing their higher education and six were competitively
employed.

     Disclosure: I am a member of the NFB and am sympathetic to
its previously mentioned general goals. I am aware of my own
values and likely biases. I think my level of self-understanding
and critical reflection enables me to look at these agencies and
interview these individuals in a balanced manner.
                           **********
Self-Selection

     Before beginning site visits, I presumed the likelihood of a
social network which might recruit clients to these three
agencies. Some critics have argued that these agencies exist
primarily to recruit members for the NFB. New members may be one
outcome, but it does not appear to be an explanation for the
level of staff commitment and the nature of student responses.

     Of the approximately thirty informal interviews, only six
individuals had previously been involved in NFB local
organizations before attending these three centers. Only one of
the nine individuals in the in-depth interviews had previous
involvement in the NFB. Many of them had never heard of the NFB
or the state affiliates where these three agencies are located.
In all cases current clients are likely to come from the state
where the agency is located. However, approximately one third
come from other states scattered across the United States.
Incidentally, there are occasionally students from other
countries; staff from these three agencies have also been
involved in transporting their programs and philosophies to other
countries, most recently to Poland.

     I repeatedly inquired why individuals selected these three
agencies. The answers were quite varied. Some were referred by
their local rehabilitation counselors. Others had heard of these
programs from acquaintances who had either attended or had some
knowledge of the agencies. One of my conclusions is that
individuals do not come to these agencies through an NFB network.
Any self-selection process biasing assessment outcomes is
minimal.
                           **********
In-depth Interviews

     Based on my observations at the three sites and my informal=20
conversations with resident clients, I was not surprised that the
nine former students I interviewed by telephone were positive
about their recent residential rehabilitation experience. All
stated that the programs had helped them reach their individual
goals. These goals included greater independence, preparation to
pursue higher education more effectively, and employment. Those
currently employed had received placement assistance from their
rehabilitation center.

     In various ways all nine indicated that they had left the
programs with greater confidence in themselves and a more
positive philosophy about their situations as blind people. Seven
of the nine spoke in different ways of the importance of the
"unusual things we did." They mentioned doing things that they
never would have thought of previously, such as rock climbing,
white-water rafting, and traveling to a distant city to
participate in a national convention.

     Although they expressed it in different ways, all of them
thought that the stress on a positive philosophy (through staff
example, other students, and the regularly scheduled discussions
concerning a positive philosophy) were an extremely important
feature of their experience. Two individuals stated that, however
good they were, the specific techniques they learned were not as
important as the overall impact of the programs on their lives.

     Four of the nine students had different levels of residual
vision. All valued the sleep-shade aspect of the training. They
valued cane-travel training from a blind instructor. This was
even the case for the two individuals who had encountered
blindness within the previous two years.

     All of the students valued the independent-living experience
associated with their residence--having a roommate, being
responsible for their abode, preparing their food, and having
personal responsibility for things affecting their lives. One
mentioned that the "bar was placed very high." The staff set high
expectations and worked with each individual to this end. Other
individuals mentioned the importance of informal group
activities--the way in which students learned from each other's
successes. Eight of the nine had become active in local chapters
of the NFB. They developed ongoing friendships with their
teachers as well as with other students. They had not been a part
of a supportive social network before they came to these
agencies, but following their graduation they continued their
association with other blind people sharing a similar philosophy
about blindness.

     I had to look hard to find complaints. Some felt that the
challenges in the early part of the rehabilitation process had
been too great. However, as they worked through their fears, they
retrospectively felt their anxiety to have been part of an old
self-concept that they had left behind. I have no doubt that
these nine individuals felt their lives had been permanently and
positively changed. They had not only reached their specific
goals in an important sense but felt that they had become
different people.

     Not every person attending these programs will have the same
experience as these individuals. In my sample I tried to assure
that the nine individuals did not have obvious personal or
physical problems other than blindness. I obtained this
information from the directors.

     These agencies do accept students with physical and other
problems as long as their behavior is not disruptive and as long=20
as the individual has a possibility of benefiting from the
rehabilitation experience. For example, one of the students I met
was recently blinded at age twenty-five--injured by a shotgun
blast while individuals disputed a drug transaction. While
beginning his rehabilitation towards independent living, Braille,
and mobility, he was required to attend programs to help him
become free from drug and alcohol dependency. Relapses in
chemical dependency would mean dismissal from the program. Other
students have various levels of mental ability, determination,
and ambition. They may not aspire to higher education and may
have limited employment goals. Clear progress is more difficult
to determine in these cases.
                           **********
Repeat Visits to Residential Rehabilitation Centers

     One of the unexpected findings of my informal interviews
with students at the three centers was the number of clients who=20
had previously attended one, two, or even three other residential
rehabilitation centers. With hindsight and their obvious
appreciation of their present situation, all of them said that
their earlier residential rehabilitation experiences had been
inadequate. They complained about various shortcomings, including
failure to teach cane travel properly and short programs that
were too brief to permit mastery of the skills of blindness.

     If there is a national pattern to sequential visits to
different rehabilitation programs, it merits further study. The
costs of these visits are considerable; $3,000 per month is a
commonly quoted figure. Assuming the earlier visits were
inadequate, there may be unnecessary months and years when
potential workers are not in the labor force. There also may be
unnecessary months and years of individuals' living restricted
lives and being unnecessarily dependent on others.

     To obtain a broader perspective on this issue, I spoke with=20
Ms. Suzanne Mitchell, Executive Director for Blind Services,
Department of Social Services/Louisiana Rehabilitation Services
for the Louisiana Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Baton
Rouge, Louisiana. She confirmed that the sequential visits do
frequently occur, although she did not know of any research
specific to this issue. She mentioned several possible reasons:

     1) Some clients enjoy these experiences and request
additional opportunities.

     2) Some counselors easily grant requests or themselves
suggest additional visits--it is something for the client to do.

     3) Some visits are too brief to make significant
rehabilitation possible.

     4) Some visits may be for a specific technique such as to
learn to develop computer skills or perhaps to train for a
specific occupation.

     5) Frequently those who are gradually losing eyesight
receive rehabilitation services appropriate to their level of
vision loss. A year later a new round may be deemed necessary to
add additional skills of blindness.

     I suggest other possible explanations. The first is the
politics of spending public money. Residential rehabilitation
centers are highly dependent on cash flow resulting from client
fees. In some cases some rehabilitation counselors, through
normal social networks, may be responsive to the needs of
particular agencies to receive more clients. Second, some
residential rehabilitation programs are not as effective as
others. Even after many months, some other graduates may not have
learned independent living skills or other skills necessary for
employment (see data comparing the Minnesota agency presented
earlier).

     Finally, some blind individuals may have multiple problems
as do others in American society. These additional problems may
prevent significant progress. If some of these can be solved in
another context, it may make sense to send the person for another
session at a residential rehabilitation center.

     The frequency of these sequential visits and the reasons for
their occurrence merit further research.
                           **********
Summary

     My observations, reading of documents, and interviews
persuade me that the three agencies--BLIND, Inc., of Minnesota;
the Colorado Center for the Blind; and the Louisiana Center for
the Blind are offering remarkably effective residential
rehabilitation programs at this time. Main ingredients of this
outcome include able leadership; careful staffing; a broad,
positive, and yet realistic philosophy about blindness; and a
curriculum that links philosophy to student development. The
setting, including student residences, is also integrated into
the overall rehabilitation program. There is a pervasive upbeat
atmosphere which would be hard for any student to ignore. From
the board of directors, director, staff, and students there is a
strong commitment to the values and importance of these
rehabilitation centers. Almost everyone sets high expectations,
and everyone wants each student to succeed.

     By the information these agencies present, the graduates of=20
these residential rehabilitation programs are successful as
measured by student goals for attending one of these centers.
Many current students and a small sample of former students speak
very well, almost without qualification, of these programs. Some
present and former students speak of their experience as "life-
transforming." In addition to particular skills, they have
acquired a self-concept, a guiding philosophy, and a social
network enabling them to sustain their ability to conquer future
challenges.

     In general I have a critical attitude toward almost
everything and would have readily exposed any problems,
discontent, or failure in performance that I observed or learned
about. More research should be done in order to compare these
three agencies with other not-for-profit private agencies or the=20
few state-operated residential rehabilitation centers. Additional
research should be conducted on the issue of why students
frequently attend residential rehabilitation centers on multiple
occasions. Is it because some centers are ineffective? Are the
other reasons justified? Which reasons and why?
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Cheralyn Braithwaite]
              The Blind in the Teaching Profession
                     by Cheralyn Braithwaite
                           **********
     From the Editor: The first item on the Thursday morning
agenda at the 1998 National Convention was a presentation by
Cheralyn Braithwaite, a special education teacher from Bountiful,
Utah. Her story was familiar, but she told it with compelling
honesty and heart-warming enthusiasm. This is what she said:
                           **********
     I was born to a family of ten children. When I was one year
old, my mom noticed that I held books close to my face and that I
watched TV with my chin on the TV table--there are still teeth
marks on the edge of it to prove it. My dad and some of my
brothers and sisters dismissed it as a bad habit. None of them
wanted me to visit an optometrist for fear we'd find out I was
going to be different, need glasses, and be made fun of. As well
intended as my family was, they were afraid of my vision or the
lack of it.

     I fell into that fear by pretending I was no different from
anyone else. We found out that I had "extreme myopia, a lazy eye,
and astigmatism." I got glasses when I was almost two and contact
lenses at four. They helped, but just hid the problem. When asked
if I could see a deer at the side of the road, I pretended I
could. I endured backyard vision screenings, playing catch with a
brother who was convinced that the harder he threw the softball,
the more likely I'd be to see it. When watching a movie or play,
I laughed on the cue of the rest of the audience, pretending I
knew the punch line without admitting I needed an explanation. It
goes on and on.

     My scheming worked for years--or so I thought. In school I
pretended to read as all the other students did in class. I
pretended I could take the quiz written on the chalkboard or
overhead projector. Although I was a relatively hard-working
student, I allowed my grades to slide and allowed myself to
accept being less than I am.

     One experience I had during this period of pretending to be
normal still haunts me. I had just proved my ability to perform
in an advanced English class in the seventh grade. The transfer
was made, and soon I was involved in a group presentation on The
Red Badge of Courage. My turn to present came. It was accompanied
by an all too familiar anxiety attack. I looked at my notes and
then at my peers and decided it just wasn't worth the humiliation
of holding the paper at the necessary reading distance, the end
of my nose. Instead, I chose an alternate route to humiliation. I
attempted to read my notes at the normal distance. The student
next to me (as well as the teacher and the rest of the class, I'm
sure) sensed my difficulty. This student began whispering my
notes to me like a parent to a timid child performing for an
audience. I dismissed my frustration with a laugh here and there
between my disjointed prompts. Finally it ended. I hoped I could
now put the experience behind me. But that wasn't possible. The
adolescent devastation was there to stay. My teacher didn't let
it go either. She called my parents to find out if I was able to
read. She thought I wasn't intelligent enough for her class. Dad
made the necessary excuses, and I was able to remain in the
class. Unfortunately the memory also remained. Trying to be
normal wasn't worth the pain.

     This faking continued until my vision decreased
significantly in my eighth-grade year. The issue could no longer
be ignored. I saw a specialist and was finally given a label. "I
have cone dystrophy," and soon thereafter I was able to say, "I
am visually impaired." The second label came after being
introduced to special education and a dear friend named Carol.
She helped me face my fears of admitting there was a problem and
helped me to make adaptations. This was a huge step in my life. I
no longer allowed anything to keep me from getting straight A's.

     I still had a lot of learning to do by way of admitting to
myself that I couldn't do things the same way as others around
me. I even got a driver's license. (I guess legally I could
drive, but realistically I was crazy to try--especially when I
cheated on one of the vision tests.) Driving lasted for only a
few years until I'd put myself and others in danger too many
times. Giving it up, as much as I needed to, was devastating. I
remember other periods of devastation, sitting in classes and
other situations with tearful eyes, wondering why I was so stupid
and why couldn't I do things the same way as the students or
friends around me could. All of this in an attempt to be normal.
It too wasn't worth the pain.

     College wasn't a huge adjustment. I entered Brigham Young
University as a special education major with two scholarships and
the same old insecurities. I learned quickly that I couldn't
depend on Support Services for Students with Disabilities.
Classes weren't easy, so I had to start developing my own
adaptive techniques. With each semester I learned techniques that
would make the next one even easier. I got my own readers; I
learned to rely on descriptions while using binoculars to
distinguish objects in slides or on the board. I figured out that
I can read print on certain colors more easily than on others, so
I began using colored transparency sheets to lay over the page I
was reading. Through this I gained confidence, but I still
avoided computers at all costs.

     This confidence greatly increased when I came in contact
with Norman Gardner, Ray Martin, and their wives. They introduced
me to the National Federation of the Blind just over two years
ago. They came at just the right time. Relationships, my choice
of major, and other serious decisions in my life left me doubting
myself as I never had before. I was dragged to Anaheim,
California, by Norm and Ray for the 1996 National Convention of
the National Federation of the Blind.

     It really was quite an ordeal getting me there. I was very
scared. I had never traveled alone; I never did anything alone.
(I went out of my way to plan for family members or friends to be
with me wherever I went. I couldn't even walk into church alone
for fear I wouldn't find the pew where my family sat.) Now this!
Flying alone, navigating an airport alone, claiming baggage
alone, coping with possible transfers alone. My dad never really
liked the idea of my going places alone, and I knew I hated the
idea myself. But I finally consented because there would be other
people whom I had met once before on the same flight, and they
were willing to help me.

     Although overwhelmed, I soon came to know many people who
have become some of my best friends and role models--Kristen Cox,
Ron Gardner, Robert Olsen, their spouses, and Bruce Gardner. I
began to learn that I had potential that I'd never given myself
credit for and never let others see. I knew I didn't have to be
afraid anymore of who I was. I knew I would be more honest with
myself and be able to let others see the real me. All of these
feelings culminated at the banquet. I had heard all the
incredible plans of the scholarship winners, and I realized I
didn't want to live any of the misconceptions that President
Maurer referred to. Most of all, I knew my life could never be
the same. The pretending and the fear had to end. I went from
doubting my identity, my career choice, and even my self-worth,
to craving independence that I'd never experienced before.

     In fact, I was accepted to go on a study abroad program to
London. This is where the craving began. By the end of the
program, I was navigating and using the Underground or Tube (the
subway system) independently. I loved the freedom of getting from
place to place, experiencing the culture, etc., with the group or
on my own if I wanted to.

     Just one year after Anaheim I had school schedule conflicts
that caused me to have to leave a few days late for last year's
National Convention in New Orleans. This meant flying alone,
transferring alone, claiming baggage alone, and getting to the
hotel alone. This time, however, I had a much different
experience. I looked at it as an opportunity and adventure to
test some of my new travel skills and self-reliance. My friend
Norm described it as an example of personal triumph and
independence. What a contrast to the previous year. That
convention only reinforced and intensified the feelings from the
year before.

     Back to school now. As required at BYU, I had opportunities
to volunteer and later to teach in different classroom settings
each semester in the special education program. I encountered
frightening, stressful, and even dangerous situations. But, as my
mom likes to remind me, a thought hit me one day near the end of
my college career. I realized that I was capable of handling any
one of these classroom situations.  My traveling experience as
well as experiences in my education, soon helped me realize that
I didn't want to be the average blind person with the average
job. . . (I think most of us have heard the quotation). I wanted
to be the best! Doing the best job!

     Before I found this determination, I had been terrified. I
was convinced that I was crazy to think I could be a teacher. I
dreaded applying for jobs because I just knew I would be a joke,
walking into any interview. I had begun to talk myself into
settling for a teacher's assistant position. That way I wouldn't
have to be as responsible and could just follow in someone else's
footsteps.

     But, as I said, my introduction to the NFB came at just the
right time. I began using a cane (after leaving my lasting
impression in college when I missed the barricades and stepped
into fresh cement on campus), and I also began learning how to be
up-front about my blindness in professional situations. I
absolutely hated the interviewing process, but I kept at it.
Suddenly the terror ended when I interviewed with some very open-
minded people. I was amazed to find that I wouldn't be turned
down because of a disability but instead that I was hired, not
only because of my accomplishments, but also because of the
determination and sensitivity my blindness has given me. Soon I
found myself tearfully saying good-bye to my parents (both
natural and in the Federation) to accept a position an hour away
in a junior high intellectually disabled unit. Here was the
independence I'd longed for.

     I am fortunate enough to have a boss who is very sensitive
to the needs of his teachers. He knew there was a possibility
that I'd need some adaptive technology. So for Christmas he gave
me a request form for the things I needed. Now I have a large
computer monitor (my jumbo tron), with speech and enlargement
software on the way (I can't survive without the one thing I
hated and dreaded in school--I'd die without my computer), and I
also have a lighting system in my classroom that dims above my
desk to make my reading and paper work more bearable.

     I am also fortunate to work with amazing teachers who are
willing to support and help each other whenever needed. They
aren't condescending in their offers to help. But I think they
are still learning about me as an individual and about blindness
in general. (I really confused them when I won the turkey at the
Thanksgiving faculty free throw contest.)

     It's hard to believe I ever considered being merely a
teacher's assistant. I now have two full-time assistants and one
part-time assistant working under me. I also supervise several
students who get credit for being peer tutors in my classroom. My
assistants understand my limitations (not seeing problem
behaviors at the back of the room, etc.) and are able to follow
my cues to deal with such situations. They know that I'm in
charge, and I'm able to give them unique responsibilities that
they might not have in a sighted teacher's classroom. I find that
this brings accountability and consistency to my classroom.

     I can even recognize ways that my students benefit from my
blindness. I'm sensitive to their feelings of inadequacy. I'm
able to come up with alternative ways of learning the same thing.
The concepts they learn are practiced and reinforced since I have
to ask them to read or tell me what they are working on or what
their answer is. I'm not afraid to admit, and even laugh, when I
make a mistake.

     I absolutely love my job! I never expected to enjoy being a
professional so much. It wasn't an easy road getting to this
point, and I know the journey continues. I know I owe much of
this to my involvement in the National Federation of the Blind.
It was this organization that helped me gain confidence, self-
respect, initiative, and courage to do the things I've mentioned.
I was strengthened by the philosophy, the history I learned from
reading Walking Alone and Marching Together, the leadership, the
political influence I witnessed at Washington Seminar, etc. I
will forever be grateful for what I have gained and will continue
to gain from the NFB and the people and philosophy that make it
what it is. I now hope to bring it to others so that it can
dramatically change their lives too. Thank you.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Sharon Maneki]
                     Distinguished Educator
                of Blind Children Award for 1999
                        by Sharon Maneki
                           **********
     From the Editor: Sharon Maneki is President of the National
Federation of the Blind of Maryland. She also chairs the
committee to select the Distinguished Educator of Blind Children
for 1999.
                           **********
     The National Federation of the Blind will recognize an
outstanding teacher of blind children at our 1999 convention June
30 to July 7, in Atlanta, Georgia. The winner of this award will
receive an expense-paid trip to the convention, a check for $500,
an appropriate plaque, and an opportunity to make a presentation
about the education of blind children to the National
Organization of Parents of Blind Children early in the
convention.

     Anyone who is currently teaching or counseling blind
students or administering a program for blind children is
eligible to receive this award. It is not necessary to be a
member of the National Federation of the Blind to apply. However,
the winner must attend the National Convention. Teachers may be
nominated by colleagues, supervisors, or friends. The letter of
nomination should explain why the teacher is being recommended
for this award.

     The education of blind children is one of our most important
concerns. Attendance at a National Federation of the Blind
convention will enrich a teacher's experience by affording him or
her the opportunity to meet other teachers who work with blind
children, to meet parents, and to meet blind adults who have had
experiences in a variety of educational programs. Help us
recognize a distinguished teacher by distributing this form and
encouraging teachers to submit their credentials. We are pleased
to offer this award and look forward to applications from many
well-qualified educators.
                           **********
                NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
         DISTINGUISHED EDUCATOR OF BLIND CHILDREN AWARD
                        1999 APPLICATION
                           **********

Name:                                                           =20

Home address:                                                   =20

City:                             State:         Zip:           =20

Day phone:                     Evening phone:                   =20

School:                                                         =20

Address:                                                        =20

City:                            State:          Zip:           =20


List your degrees, the institutions from which they were
received, and your major area or areas of study.

                                                                =20

                                                                =20


How long and in what programs have you worked with blind
children?

                                                                =20


In what setting do you teach?     residential school classroom

   special education classroom    itinerant program

    other, please explain.=20


How many students do you teach regularly this year?             =20


What subjects do you teach?                                     =20

                                                                =20


How many of your students read and write primarily using:=20

    Braille      large print     closed circuit television

    recorded materials     regular print


     Please complete this application and attach the following: a
letter of nomination from someone who knows your work, one
additional recommendation also from someone who knows you
professionally and knows your philosophy of teaching, and a
letter from you discussing your beliefs and approach to teaching
blind students. You may wish to discuss topics like the
following:
*    What are your views on the importance to your students of
     Braille, large print, and magnification devices; and what
     issues do you consider when making recommendations about
     learning media for your students?=20
*    When do you recommend that your students begin the
     following: reading Braille, writing with a slate and stylus,
     using a Braille writer, learning to travel independently
     with a white cane?=20
*    How should one determine which children should learn cane
     travel and which should not?
*    When should typing be introduced, and when should a child be
     expected to hand in typed assignments?

     Send all material by May 15, 1999, to Sharon Maneki,
Chairwoman, Teacher Award Committee, 9736 Basket Ring Road,
Columbia, Maryland 21045; telephone: (410) 992-9608.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Steve Benson]
            The 1999 Blind Educator of the Year Award
                      by Stephen O. Benson
                           **********
     From the Editor: Steve Benson is a member of the Board of
Directors of the National Federation of the Blind and President
of the NFB of Illinois. He also chairs the committee charged with
identifying each year's Blind Educator of the Year. Here is what
he has to say:
                           **********
     Several years ago the Blind Educator of the Year Award was
established by the National Association of Blind Educators (the
teachers division of the National Federation of the Blind) to pay
tribute to a blind teacher whose exceptional classroom
performance, notable community service, and uncommon commitment
to the NFB merit national recognition. Beginning with the 1991
presentation, this award became an honor bestowed by our entire
movement. This change reflects our recognition of the importance
of good teaching and the impact an outstanding blind teacher has
on students, faculty, community, and all blind Americans.

     This award is given in the spirit of the outstanding
educators who founded and have continued to nurture the National
Federation of the Blind and who, by example, have imparted
knowledge of our strengths to us and raised our expectations. We
have learned from Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, and
President Marc Maurer that a teacher not only provides a student
with information, but also provides guidance and advocacy. The
recipient of the Blind Educator of the Year Award must exhibit
all of these traits and must advance the cause of blind people in
the spirit and philosophy of the National Federation of the
Blind.

     The Blind Educator of the Year Award is presented at the
annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind.
Honorees must be present to receive an appropriately inscribed
plaque and a check for $500.

     Nominations should be sent to Steve Benson, 7020 North
Tahoma, Chicago, Illinois 60646. Letters of nomination must be
accompanied by a copy of the nominee's current resume and
supporting documentation of community and Federation activity.
All nomination materials must be in the hands of the committee
chairman by May 15, 1999, to be considered for this year's award.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Tim Day investigates the Braille Lite in the
exhibit hall at the 1998 NFB Convention.]
                       A Trip To Remember!
                           by Tim Day
                           **********
     From the Editor: Tim Day is one of the young people whose
parents comprise the National Organization of Parents of Blind
Children. In many ways he has grown up in the NFB, but everyone
has to discover the truths the Federation has to offer for him or
herself. The following story first appeared in the Summer, 1998,
edition of the Blind Washingtonian, a publication of the NFB of
Washington. Here is Tim's story:
                           **********
     Blind Washingtonian's note: Tim Day is the teenaged son of
Debbie Day, active member of our Parents of Blind Children
Division. Here is what he had to say during the parents lunch
meeting, held in conjunction with our State Convention.
                           **********
     The past few years I have enjoyed going to a regular old
summer camp where you have lots of fun goofing off with other
kids and no responsibilities. I loved it! But then I graduated
from the camp, due to my age, and my mom started talking about
something different. She started talking about sending me to the
Buddy Program that is held each summer at either the NFB Center
for the Blind in Colorado or Louisiana.

     I did not want to go. First of all, it meant possibly flying
alone to one of these states, staying a month, and then, instead
of just doing nothing but have fun, I was expected to learn
skills to be independent! No way!

     Independence sounds great, but the fact is that it's hard.
Maybe for people who are just blind it's easier, but for me it's
hard, and I certainly did not want to go to a summer program
where the fun was going to be replaced by work! I could not
believe that my mom was even suggesting it--but then again she
was big on this idea of independence.

     Even though she kept mentioning it from time to time, I did
not really think she would send me, but then the official word
came--I was going! I imagined all sorts of things, like maybe
they would let me starve to death if I didn't prepare my own
meals, or maybe I'd get lost because I wouldn't know my way
around. I could not believe my parents were really going to do
this to me!

     But on July 12, I boarded a plane alone for Denver,
Colorado. While there, I lived in an apartment off campus with my
counselor Alan and Robert Riddle, a kid from Vancouver,
Washington. All of us were blind.

     Well, I am going to tell you that it was hard, but it was
also fun--more fun than hard, too! Most weekdays we had to be up
early, shower, eat, make a sack lunch, and catch the bus to
campus for classes. We took classes in daily living skills,
Braille, computer, and orientation and mobility. All my teachers
except one were blind, and they talked about what it meant to be
blind.

     We did some job shadowing out in the community, learned to
rock climb, went to movies, and went out to dinner. We shopped
for our own food, cooked our own meals, and cleaned up after
ourselves. Instead of using a car as we do at home, in Denver we
used public transportation for everything.

     They have two programs. One is for the younger kids, nine to
fourteen, and it's a month long. That's the one I attended. The
program for the high school students is eight weeks long and
includes attending the NFB National Convention for one week. The
younger kids do job shadowing while the older kids actually hold=20
paying jobs in the community.

     One of the things I enjoy most is foreign languages, so I
was very fortunate that Robert, my roommate, knew Spanish. We
often would spend the entire bus ride each morning talking with
each other in Spanish, much to the delight of the others on the
bus.

     Dan Wenzel, the director of the Buddy Program, told my mom a
funny story. One day he and I were out walking on a mobility
lesson when we passed a couple of teenaged boys talking in
Spanish. Well, I came to a complete halt, turned, and then
started talking to them. After a few moments of complete silence,
they responded, and soon we had a conversation going. Dan knows
very little Spanish, so he had no idea what we were saying, which
made him a bit nervous. He kept gently mentioning that we should
continue on, but these kids and I kept right on talking. We were
just chatting, so I thought it was pretty funny when Dan told my
mom that he was secretly praying that we weren't setting up some
kind of drug deal as he silently stood there smiling!

     The staff at the Center recognize my skill with other
languages and know that I want to become a translator. So as I
continue to attend the program, they will work to provide
opportunities to help me reach that goal.

     But probably Dan is going to have to learn a bit more
Spanish if he wants to relax when we're out together!

     Learning skills to be independent is hard, and it was not
that I learned so many new skills while I was in Colorado that's
made such a difference. It was getting the feel of being an
independent blind person by living it every day with other blind
people that has changed me. Before I left, I resisted every
attempt my mom made to make me do things for myself. When I
returned, I shocked her (and maybe me too!) with my new attitude.

     I have been cooking my own breakfast and lunch, using the
microwave every day since I returned, and soon I will be working
on using the stove and adding more complicated stuff. I no longer
fight my mom when she introduces a new skill or increases my
chores. I cannot wait to surprise the staff at the Center next
summer with all the new things I am able to do independently.

     It's funny, I did not want to go to Colorado, but once I was
there, I did not want to go home! I really liked all the
counselors, teachers, and other students. It was great fun living
in the apartment and making our own decisions.

     Everyone is just really nice there. They are patient and
helpful as they work to teach you new skills and always make you
feel good about yourself. I am really, really glad I went, and I
definitely plan on returning next summer.
                           **********
                           **********
               Facing Windows of Lost Opportunity
                       by Steve Alexander
                           **********
     From the Editor: The following article is reprinted from the
November 2, 1998, issue of Computer World. Steve Alexander is a
free lance writer in Edina, Minnesota. Clear and honest
discussions like this one are a significant help in educating the
programming world to the real problems facing blind computer
programmers. This is what Mr. Alexander said:
                           **********
     Blind programmers could compete quite nicely in the IT
[information technology] work place when the mainframe was king.
But today, as graphically oriented Windows tool kits displace the
text-based mainframe development, blind programmers are facing an
uncertain future. Nonstandard graphical components in many new
tool kits can't be read by the blind. That's true despite the
help of screen translating devices that traditionally have
enabled them to work alongside their sighted information
technology co-workers. To a large extent this is shutting blind
programmers out of new client/server development projects. And
it's hampering their careers more than co-worker attitudes about
blindness ever did.

     "Most of the new applications right now are coming from tool
kits that blind people can't use," says Janina Sajka, director of
information systems at the American Foundation for the Blind in
New York. "While there is some hope on the horizon that we can
get tool kit companies to be more responsive to serving all
people ..., the prospects today are fairly bleak."

     It isn't that people don't care, says Gary Wunder, a senior
computer programmer/analyst for mainframes at the University of
Missouri in Columbia, who is blind. "But everything these days
has to be justified with a business case. If there aren't enough
programmers who are blind who want to do something, why do it?"

     At the same time blind programmers must face stereotypical
ideas about the limitations of blind people, says Curtis Chong,
president of the National Federation of the Blind in Computer
Science. Chong, who is blind, is director of technology at the
organization in Baltimore.

     "IT workers at some companies have learned that blind people
can compete. But lots of others have never worked with a blind
person before, and attitude-related barriers apply," Chong says.
                           **********
                     The Friendly Mainframe
                           **********
     Chong says blind programmers have long been able to do their
jobs in the mainframe world. After all, mainframe languages such
as Fortran, Cobol, and assembler are text-based. Using screen
readers--software that converts text on the screen to speech--
blind programmers were able to read what was on the screen and do
the same development work as sighted colleagues.

     When PC's arrived in the 1980's, blind programmers could
still do their work because the DOS operating system was text-
based. The text could be read with screen-reader software, Chong
says.

     But with the arrival of the Windows graphical user
interfaces, which couldn't be converted to text, blind
programmers were initially locked out of the newer PC and
client/server worlds, Chong says. That door was partially
reopened for blind programmers when screen-reader software was
adapted to convert some, but not all, Windows graphical
interfaces into screen-readable text. But there was a catch.
Screen readers could convert graphical interfaces to text, only
if certain programming conventions were followed. And as Windows
interface technology raced ahead, software companies increasingly
took nonstandard programming shortcuts in their software
developer tool kits--shortcuts that rendered some items on the
screen invisible to screen-reader software.
                           **********
                       Barring the Windows
                           **********
     That has left blind programmers at a severe disadvantage
because they are in effect barred from developing in some new
Windows environments, Chong says.  "I know blind programmers who
work in C and Visual Basic in addition to mainframe languages,
because as long as they can get at a text file, they can do
programming. But if the graphical tool kit you are using requires
you to drag and drop items on the screen, you can't do it," Chong
says.

     Crista Earl, a technology resource specialist at the
American Foundation for the Blind, agrees. "There sure haven't
been very many blind programmers who have broken into the Windows
world. In our database of 130 blind programmers, maybe a dozen
have gone into Windows development. The majority are working on
mainframes," Earl says.
                           **********
                     Progress or a Problem?
                           **********
     The problem faced by blind programmers boils down to
technological progress in Windows, says Michael Freeman, a
computer systems programmer in Vancouver, Washington, who is
blind. Freeman works at the Bonneville Power Administration, a
government agency that manages electric power generated by
federal dams in the Western U.S. "You can't stop people from
innovating, and I don't see that our screen readers will be able
to keep up with that," Freeman says. He programs Digital
Equipment Corp. minicomputers because they use a text-based
operating system. "I still think it's worthwhile for a blind
person to try a career as a programmer, but I do fear how well
that person will do in the long term."

     Although none of the blind programmers interviewed said he
believes he is in immediate danger of losing a job, there is
concern about whether they will be needed in the future. Freeman,
who is fifty, says he hopes there will be enough text-based work
for blind programmers to last until he retires. "Up to now I've
been able to avoid Windows NT because the computers that control
the power system are for the most part VAXes. But as more things
we use, such as time sheets and discrepancy reports, migrate to
the NT network, I'll need to do NT. I don't know what will
happen; all I can do is try."

     Wunder is also concerned about whether he can adapt to
Windows in the future. "With Windows, it's not only how do you
write a program, but, once you do, how do you make sure that the
buttons line up on the screen? How do you make it visually
attractive? I don't know the answer to that yet. . . . I'll
either be able to do my job here, or I won't. And I think the
jury is still out. That's not very comforting because my daughter
is still going to need food."

     Brian Buhrow, a senior systems engineer at the University of
California at Santa Cruz, who is a blind Unix programmer, says he
is comforted that Unix is much in demand these days. "And there
also are opportunities for doing things outside the mainstream of
end-user programming, such as doing networking stuff that's not
inherently visually oriented," Buhrow says. "These opportunities
may diminish, but they'll be there for a while."

     Perhaps the most ominous aspect of the Windows problem for
blind programmers is that they are being barred from truly
mainstream development, Sajka says.
                           **********
                     Seeing-eye Programmers
                           **********
     Some blind programmers have dealt with the tool kit
situation by trying to shift the Windows development projects
they couldn't handle to others, Chong says. "If you were lucky,
you could delegate that kind of work away. But if not and you
couldn't get at the underlying text of what you wanted to do, you
were out of luck. And that was the frustration many blind people
ran into," Chong says. "Then the only way a blind person could do
the work was to hire a sighted person as a reader to help run the
machine." That represented big change for blind programmers, who
had long used special devices to make themselves competitive with
sighted people. Chong says the principal devices are
screen-reading software; a Braille embosser, which accepts text
from a computer and prints it out in Braille; refreshable Braille
displays, which are tactile devices that convert a single line of
screen text into Braille in real time; and special speech
synthesizers that convert text to speech and stop and start very
quickly.

     Another challenge for blind programmers: "Who will pay for
all this expensive adaptive technology, given the fact that when
the employee leaves, someone else may not find it useful?" Sajka
asks. Cost may not be an issue for the employer when it comes to
screen-reader software, which costs as little as $500. But that
could change when it comes to the purchase of a Braille display
for $3,000 to $14,000.

     There are other technical obstacles for blind programmers in
their everyday work. Something as routine as the project
management software used in some IT shops can pose a problem.
Many assign priorities to IT projects with a color-coding scheme.
"A sighted person instantly sees the priority of critical to
not-so-critical projects," Wunder says. "But how do I get that
same information? Sure, somewhere in the program is a number that
represents what the color scheme ought to be, but my screen
reader can't read that. So I still write down my IT projects on
three-by-five cards and work with my boss on priority."
                           **********
                      Attitude Adjustments
                           **********
     And there are nontechnical challenges for blind programmers
as well. "The problem is one of attitude," Chong says. "What is
it that an IT professional expects from somebody who is blind--do
they think that a person will be able to do work, function as a
normal human being, socialize and get along with people in the
work place? Or do they think a blind person is weird and can only
pick up a phone? IT professionals should examine their thinking
about blindness and root out the typical stereotypes."
     Do attitudes about blind programmers restrict their
opportunities to be promoted? There's no easy answer, Chong says.
It depends on whether management "has a positive acceptance of a
person who is blind," plus whether the blind person can overcome
society's tendency to undervalue the blind and push hard to be
promoted based on merit, he says.

     Buhrow says administrative jobs represent an opportunity for
blind programmers. "Blind programmers could do product management
that involves making decisions about people and products rather
than about where to put code statements. I am a programmer. But
I'm also a systems administrator, so I do a lot of things that
are not programming but rather hardware installations and
configurations."
                 Debunking Myths and Stereotypes
                           **********
     Blind programmers still often face a variety of stereotypes.
According to Curtis Chong, president of the National Federation
of the Blind in Computer Science, the challenges that blind
programmers face include beliefs that:
- Blind people aren't mobile and sit in a chair all day. "It's
not uncommon for me to be asked to go to class for a week in a
different town, plus check into the office every night and get
E-mail," Chong says. "And when we did disaster recovery
exercises, I was expected to go along."
- Blind people can't handle printed information. "I hire a human
reader for twenty hours a week or use optical character
recognition technology to convert text to speech or to Braille."
- Blind people who can do programming work must be incredibly
smart. "If the basic techniques are in place to deal with
blindness, it shouldn't require any more genius for a blind
person to do programming than it does a sighted person."
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Nikki Zimmerman uses a slate and stylus to write
notes during class at Carl Traeger Middle School in Oshkosh.
PHOTO/CAPTION: Nikki Zimmerman. (Note: In the August/September
Braille Monitor a picture of Nikki Zimmerman at the Dude Ranch
was incorrectly identified as Nikki White of Maryland. We regret
the error.)]
                 The Fifth Generation Speaks Out
     From the Editor: What impact can the NFB's National
Convention have on a newly blind twelve-year-old? What impact can
that twelve-year-old in turn have on the world around her? Nikki
Zimmerman and her family fought against glaucoma and the fear of
blindness for eleven years. When they lost that fight a year ago,
they might have concluded that in significant ways Nikki's life
was over. But the family heard about Bonnie Peterson, then
President of the National Federation of the Blind of Wisconsin,
and Bonnie helped them acquire funding to attend last summer's
National Convention in Dallas. Nikki and her mother were both
optimistic and open to the possibility and promise of the NFB's
philosophy of hope and high expectation.

     But it wasn't enough for Nikki to get the instruction in
cane travel and Braille that she needed. When Nikki heard talk of
the NFB of Wisconsin's annual walk-a-thon, she wanted to
participate. She began signing up sponsors and recruiting walkers
among her friends. But no other blind people near Oshkosh were
planning to walk. How ought she to conduct the walk-a-thon?
Nikki's mother Patty called Bonnie for advice. The solution was
simple: several hikers from Milwaukee would drive over to Madison
to join Nikki, her friends, and members of the school board who
had decided to participate in the walk. That way the kids and
school officials could all learn from the blind adults taking
part in the hike, and the experienced Federationists could help
Nikki conduct the event.

     But the Zimmermans weren't finished. Patty Zimmerman
recognized that publicity for the hike would help, so she set out
to interest the local newspaper in doing the kind of story about
Nikki, an ordinary sixth-grader, that would tell the world what
she and the National Federation of the Blind thought about
blindness. The following article is reprinted with permission
from the September 29, 1998, edition of the Oshkosh Northwestern.
It demonstrates just how well Nikki has understood the NFB's
philosophy of normality and just how effectively she has taught
her teachers and fellow students to adopt the same notions. Here
is the article:
                           **********
                         Typical Courage
          Oshkosh Sixth-grader Refuses to Let Blindness
                          Be Disability
                         by Gina Mangan
                           **********
     Following eleven-year-old Nikki Zimmerman as she zips
between classes and through the halls of Carl Traeger Middle
School in Oshkosh requires a good pair of walking shoes and a
healthy set of lungs. With an air of confidence she deftly dodges
fellow students and turns corners with ease.

     Once inside the classroom Nikki barely takes a breath while
quietly reading out loud to partner Jessica Pernsteiner from a
teacher handout. She takes notes as social studies teacher Paul
DeShambo writes on the marker board and talks articulately about
economic issues during a class discussion.

     Outside on the playground she chats with friends. She seems
like an average sixth-grader. For the most part she is. Nikki,
whose highlight during her first day of school was a reminder by
science teacher Jim McClowry to return to her desk and push in
her chair, wouldn't want anybody to see anything other than
normal.

     "Being blind isn't a disability unless you make it one,"
says Nikki, who lost her sight last winter after a lifelong
struggle with congenital glaucoma. "There's nothing I can't do,
except ride a bike."

     But because she's blind, being viewed as typical has taken
extra effort, a bit of special training, a lot of determination,
and the right opportunities.

     During the past year Nikki repeatedly struggled against a
societal tendency to pamper the blind, fighting human nature's
desire to force the world to adapt to individual differences.
Instead Nikki has chosen to adapt to the world.

     Nikki uses a long white cane to get around. She's fully
trained in Braille and writes with an embossed-dot-producing
slate and stylus.

     And while her eyes don't work, her mind is as sharp as that
of the next sixth-grader. Her ability to perform in class isn't
an issue. But her family still had to fight to keep her in the
math and English classes they believe are critical to her future.

     In fact, Nikki and her parents have turned down traditional
help offered by well-meaning people within the school system,
insisting that expectations for Nikki be no lower because she
can't see.

     When the school district wanted to hire a teacher aide to
guide and help Nikki--as is done with other blind students--the
Zimmermans said no.

     "She's blind, but her feet work," said her mother, Patty
Zimmerman, noting Nikki's cane.

     When the school offered to let her leave each class five
minutes early, the Zimmermans said no again.

     "Someday Nikki will be married and have children, and if her
child runs into the road, she's not going to have five extra
minutes," Patty Zimmerman said.

     When Nikki began learning Braille, specialists working with
the blind through the Cooperative Educational Service Agency told
the family it would take her three years to function at the same
level as her peers and wanted her to spend valuable class time in
a special resource room.

     But with the help of a private instructor, it took Nikki
only six months to learn Braille, although she's still perfecting
her skills. She's enrolled in all regular education classes.

     Nikki's determination hasn't gone unnoticed by her peers--
many of whom refer to her as the "cool blind girl"--or her
teachers.

     "Her expectations for herself have been greater than
anything I would have held her to, not only because she's blind
but because she's only a sixth-grader," DeShambo said.

     Nikki and her family adhere strongly to the philosophies of
independence and equality embraced by the National Federation of
the Blind, and they hope Nikki will become a role model for other
children. She's a scheduled speaker at the NFB's state
convention, and she's organized a three-mile white cane hike-a-
thon to raise money for the NFB, which promotes the white cane as
a tool of "stature, respect, and independence." The walk-a-thon
will be held Saturday.

     "She lost her sight, but she has her life back," Patty
Zimmerman said. "We hope she can inspire other children to become
more independent."

     This year has been the first full, normal year for Nikki,
whose earlier years were fragmented by sixty-one operations and
countless trips to the children's hospital in Madison. Doctors
tried desperately for years to regulate the fluid that would
build up behind her eyes. That buildup created a constant,
painful pressure on the optic nerve, as well as failing vision.

     After placing two shunts and plates in her eyes last
October, doctors were forced to remove her right eye five days
after Christmas. She now wears a prosthesis and has been relieved
of much of the pain. The shunts remain in her left eye, but the
pressure hasn't stabilized, and Nikki says she can see only
"blobs of color."

     During her fifth-grade year Nikki received tutoring at home.
Despite a string of surgeries, chronic pain, and lost vision, she
successfully completed her fifth-grade year.

     But the prospect of blindness left her depressed and
frightened at first, especially in the months before she learned
white cane and Braille skills. But her life turned around when
she traveled to Dallas, Texas, July 4 to the NFB's national
convention. There she met attorneys, college professors,
accountants, and other professionals who didn't let their
blindness stand in the way of success.

     Bonnie Peterson, president of the National Federation of the
Blind of Wisconsin, said Nikki is like many others who adopt the
NFB's philosophy. "We look at blindness as a physical condition,
like baldness or shortness or anything else," Peterson said.
"With the proper training and opportunity, that condition will be
reduced to nothing more than a physical nuisance."

     McClowry, Nikki's science teacher, said Traeger's sixth-
grade teachers are well aware of Nikki's desire to be treated the
same as her peers.

     Although they recognize she has a special learning need,
they see her as a confident, articulate sixth-grader who's eager
to learn.

     "I'm impressed with her in the way I'm impressed with any
sixth-grader who is in a new environment, is confident, and has
taken ownership of her learning," he said. "I don't have any
gripping statements to make. She's a normal sixth-grader."
                           **********
                           **********
     Planned giving takes place when a contributor decides to
leave a substantial gift to charity. It means planning as you
would for any substantial purchase--a house, college tuition, or
car. The most common forms of planned giving are wills and life
insurance policies. There are also several planned giving options
through which you can simultaneously give a substantial
contribution to the National Federation of the Blind, obtain a
tax deduction, and receive lifetime income now or in the future.
For more information write or call the National Federation of the
Blind, Special Gifts, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland
21230-4998, (410) 659-9314, fax (410) 685-5653.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Peggy Chong]
             The New Job Opportunities for the Blind
                         by Peggy Chong
                           **********
     From the Editor: Peggy Chong is the Targeted Jobs Program
Manager for Job Opportunities for the Blind. This is what she
says about our new JOB Program:
                           **********
     By now readers of the Braille Monitor have heard that the
Job Opportunities for the Blind program has gone through some
major changes. At our National Convention last summer in Dallas,
Texas, we heard Dr. Maurer tell us at the JOB seminar that as of
July 1, 1998, Job Opportunities for the Blind will no longer
exist as it has for the past twenty years. The Department of
Labor changed its funding requirements, allowing us to take JOB
one step further, so we now focus on training and placement for
qualified legally blind individuals who have been out of work
from four months to five years. In addition, they must be job-
ready, in other words, able to function independently as blind
people on the job and eligible for Social Security Disability
Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

     This program is designed by blind people for blind people.
Eligible blind individuals are referred by the state
rehabilitation agency or other sponsoring party to the Targeted
Jobs Initiative. Once one is accepted for services, there is no
cost to the sponsor or trainee for the initial strategies-and
skills-training, lodging, or daily breakfast here at the National
Center. Sponsors underwrite transportation to and from Baltimore,
meals other than breakfast, and incidentals. To the extent the
grant allows financially, we also provide job referrals, follow-
up, and technical support at no cost.

     As we all know, there is no substitute for good blindness
training. Those who are interested in the JOB Targeted Jobs
Initiative Program but have not learned the strategies and skills
of blindness should seek adjustment-to-blindness training before
obtaining training at our National Center. Some skills can
certainly be learned or brushed up in the program orientation
training phase, but all participants must at a minimum have the
means to communicate effectively with themselves and their co-
workers and the ability to travel independently inside and
outside their work sites. They must also know the layout of the
computer keyboard as well as independent living skills that
demonstrate capability and confidence to prospective employers.

     Every day, all over this country, decisions are made around
the office coffeepot. Therefore, knowing how to contribute
socially at work often makes or breaks a promotion, and that
means adjustment-to-blindness training must address more than
physical skills. If trainees reveal a need for further work in
any of these skills of blindness or realistic and positive
attitudes about blindness, our training centers will offer it on
a fee-for-service basis paid for by the sponsor. These centers
are the Colorado Center for the Blind (CCB) in Denver; the
Louisiana Center for the Blind (LCB) in Ruston; or Blindness:
Learning in New Dimensions (BLIND, Inc.) in Minneapolis.

     The first orientation class, held at the National Center for
the Blind from September 21 through October 2, 1998, was made up
of six eager students from five states. Curtis Chong, Director of
Technology at the National Center for the Blind; Richard Ring,
Supervisor of the International Braille and Technology Center
(IBTC); and others worked with the participants on a wide variety
of equipment in the National Center's IBTC. Nowhere else in the
world can one find such a complete collection of access
equipment. These students took full advantage of this
opportunity, working late into the evening to master the
techniques they had learned.

     Much of the class agenda centers on JAWS for Windows. In
most offices around our country, Windows 95 and similar products
are used to conduct daily business. Currently JAWS seems to be
the speech program most compatible with the applications run at
the work sites of our targeted employers. Having a good working
knowledge of the nonvisual access tools before the first day on
the job puts the new blind employee on equal footing with other
new workers so that he or she can concentrate on learning the
requirements of the job.

     Trainees also receive a thorough grounding in work
incentives provided by the Social Security Disability Insurance
(SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. Even
after blind people get jobs, they often feel that the Social
Security rules tie them in knots. Many times blind recipients
even report that, when they have called the Social Security
Administration for work-incentive information, they have received
conflicting information from different SSA employees. By the time
the students leave training, they know how to determine when
their benefits will cease, what their rights and responsibilities
are under the programs, and how to get the assistance to which
they are entitled from SSA.

     When the graduates left for home on October 2, they took
with them many tools for a successful job search. Some found that
they had not allotted enough room in their luggage for the many
handouts they had acquired during the previous two weeks. They
had to scramble to get them mailed home before they left.

     Those successfully completing the orientation and
Information Access Technology Training will be referred to job
openings for which they are qualified with our targeted
employers. All trainees are strongly encouraged to continue doing
research and to follow-up on any job lead they discover. Job
announcements still come to the National Federation of the Blind
from all over the country, and staff members check these for
possible employment matches. When potential matches appear, the
employers receive copies of resumes that successful graduates
have left with us. This program therefore becomes one more
valuable tool in each trainee's job-seeking kit.

     If at the end of the two-week initial training participants
conclude that they need additional adjustment-to-blindness
training, they will be referred to one of our three training
centers. National Center staff may also recommend specific
training as a prerequisite to placement with our targeted
employers.

     The Gallup Organization, which conducts the famous opinion
polls, and ManTech, a high-tech engineering company, are in the
process of joining United Parcel Service as targeted employers,
raising the possibility of jobs for graduates of this program in
several more states. These are, however, only the first companies
seizing the opportunity to employ qualified blind people.
Arrangements are being made with several other large multi-state
businesses to come on board as Targeted Employers.

     Although the focus of JOB has changed, the goal is still the
same: meaningful employment for blind people. Our new JOB program
will now provide training and direct employment opportunities for
those who accept the challenge.

     If you would like more information about the JOB Targeted
Jobs Initiative Program or would like an application, call the
National Center for the Blind at (410) 659-9314. We will be glad
to help you get started on the road to success.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Three UPS executives: (left to right) Jim
Liggett, Employee Relations Manager; Mel Smith, Human Relations
Manager, Baltimore District; and Ron Foster, Vice President for
Public Affairs]
                         Abilities Count
                           **********
     From the Editor: The following excerpt is part of an article
that appeared in the October, 1998, issue of Inside UPS, a
publication of the United Parcel Service. We reprint the portion
devoted to the National Federation of the Blind's JOB Program.
Here it is:
                           **********
                  The Challenge Was Before Them

     All that stood between the National Federation of the Blind
and a much-needed $500,000 grant from the Department of Labor was
a corporate sponsor willing to consider hiring qualified blind
candidates. The question was what corporation would be the first
to step up to the plate and make such a commitment?

     Failure, at least according to Dr. Betsy Zaborowski,
Federation Director of Special Programs, was not an option. The
Federation aimed to recruit "job ready" blind individuals from
across the country and provide them with additional training in
adaptive technology, enabling them to be fully integrated into
the work force.

     "There's no doubt in my mind," Dr Zaborowski emphasizes,
"that through technology and training, blindness can be reduced
to a mere inconvenience."

     Nor was there doubt in the minds of UPS people who agreed
wholeheartedly to support the Federation's efforts and identify
job opportunities, guaranteeing grant approval. "We're pretty
excited about the possibilities," she says.

     UPS is no less excited. Its partnership with the Federation
of the Blind isn't just a one-time gesture of kindness, but part
of the company's ongoing commitment to ensuring diversity among
its work force. "We've tried to get away from the thought process
of limitations," comments Fred Fernandez, UPS Director of Equal
Opportunity and Diversity. "UPS prefers focusing on abilities,
the skill sets individuals bring to the table, instead of
disabilities."
                           **********
                         A Clear Message

     Fred believes that focusing on abilities has helped
employees of all ages, races, and abilities work better together.
"When people realize what they can accomplish when they work
together, I think they learn not only to value themselves more
but to value others. I think our policies regarding diversity
also send a clear message that opportunity exists for every UPS
employee."
                           **********
                           **********
                 A Little Child Shall Lead Them
                    by Father Patrick Martin
                           **********
     From the Editor: Picking up and using a white cane is
difficult, sometimes to the point of impossibility for many newly
blind or increasingly visually disabled people. Yet properly
considered, the white cane is the most fundamental instrument of
independence ever put into the hands of a blind person. Mary
Brunoli, a Federationist from Connecticut, sent the following
article because it is such a joyful discovery of the
possibilities one man discovered when he went to New York City
armed with his white cane and the conviction that it was the only
tool he needed to move safely through Manhattan. The article
first appeared in the Winter, 1997, newsletter of the Ave Maria
Place Retreat Center. The author, Father Pat Martin, is a member
of the center's staff. This is what he says:
                           **********
     How would you define adventure? For me it was taking the
number seven train from Main Street, Flushing, New York, to 74th
Street/Roosevelt Avenue, Jackson Heights, New York, and there
transferring to the E train to Lexington Avenue and 53rd Street
in Manhattan all by myself. St. Michael's Parish in Flushing had
brought me back to my favorite city, and now they added to their
gift by giving me a day off in the middle of their mission in
order to accommodate a particular parish celebration. I was
really excited as I planned that day off weeks in advance.

     I love New York. In the early 70's I had lived there and had
mastered the subways, buses, Long Island Railroad, and even the
taxis. My day off would be a trip down memory lane. Besides the
two decades since I had tramped the streets of the city, the only
other major difference for me was that now the pinpoint vision
that used to let me read the subway and street signs letter by
letter was quite deteriorated. Instead of using that pinpoint,
tunnel vision as my traveling aid, now I used the white cane. I
wondered, as I embarked on my adventure, how my new aid would
come through.

     "Are you really going to ride the subway alone?" an anxious
priest in the parish asked me.

     "Sure!" I said remembering with excitement the thrill of
independence and grown-up-ness that subways had given me decades
earlier. I was like Hansel and Gretel, carefully noting distinct
landmarks, counting lefts and rights, etc., so I could find my
way home at the end of my adventure day. I stopped at one street
corner to look for the old familiar subway entrance. It was
absolutely amazing. I didn't even have to ask for help. Someone
saw me and promptly offered, "Can I help you, Father?"

     My white cane that adventure day was just about as marvelous
for me as Moses' staff! His staff parted the Red Sea before the
Israelites--my white cane parted the sea of New Yorkers wherever
I went that day. I recalled with a certain nostalgia how many
times on a similar trip decades earlier I would bump into people
because I didn't see them coming and they couldn't see that I was
blind. My cane brought me down the subway stairs, and another
offer of help led me right to the subway token booth, where I
discovered another change that the two decades had accomplished--
instead of paying twenty-seven cents for a token, I now paid one
dollar and fifty cents.

     Armed with two tokens, one to go and one to return, I moved
with the crowd down to the subway platforms. I had known that my
vision had deteriorated somewhat in the last half dozen years,
but I never realized just how much it had deteriorated until that
adventure day. No matter how I tried, I could no longer see the
street signs, even letter by letter, and from the subway cars I
could no longer pick up the station signs along the way. I
couldn't even make out the signs on the subway trains themselves
to be sure I was boarding the correct train, but I didn't have
to.

     "Watch where I get off, and get off two stops before me,"
one lady said laughing heartily as I asked about the 74th Street
station stop. "I've always wanted to use that line," she said and
then proceeded to tell me exactly how many stops it would be to
my desired stop. Her laughter was the tone of my entire adventure
day. Except for the New York City friends with whom I had lunch
that day, I never met one person that I knew from years gone by,
and yet it was as though I was with dear, dear friends all day. I
never had to ask for help twice; many times help was offered
before I could ask for it. I never took a wrong train or got off
at a wrong stop the whole day.

     Too often we are given the impression that in the city one
could die on the sidewalk and people would just walk by
unconcerned. Not true. Not true at all, I learned on my adventure
day. I had lunch with my life-long friends, and then Justine and
I bummed around the city for a while, doing a bit of shopping
that one can do only in New York. Finally I hugged my friend
goodbye and then, like Hansel and Gretel, began following my
landmarks home.

     At 53rd Street and Lexington Avenue I was directed without
problem to the subway stairway, and my cane got me down safely. A
friendly passer-by directed me to the Queens-bound train side,
and I began the trek through a long tunnel-like corridor. I had
been assured that the corridor would lead me straight to the
escalator that would bring me down to the E train platform. I was
excited as my cane picked up the metal platform of the escalator
and was about to get onto the first step when an arm took me
around the waist, and I heard a lady's voice say, "I don't think
you want that escalator." With her help I learned that I was at
the top of the up instead of the down escalator. She walked me a
few feet to my right, and I was back on track. I hadn't asked for
help; I hadn't even realized that I needed help at that point,
but a New Yorker saw what I didn't see and stepped in to help. No
wonder I love the city so much.

     The trip home was quite uneventful. I made the train switch
at 74th Street and boarded the 7 Train for Main Street, Flushing,
with all the help I needed. As I walked the several blocks back
to St. Michael's Parish, my heart was filled to overflowing with
praise of God for His wonderful gift of people and white canes.
In the eight hours or so of my adventure I hadn't known the
feelings of fear, worry, or anxiety for one single moment. My day
off had been a real day of renewal, rest, relaxation, and peace
for me. It had been a day of adventure, of fun, a happy day.

     As I went to bed that September night there was one thought
that lingered with the memory lane adventure. I couldn't count
the number of times I had traveled the subways and buses and
taxis in those half dozen years when I myself was a New Yorker.
How much more fantastic it would have been, I mused, had I used
the white cane even back then. Blindness for me was not seeing
enough. Perhaps I made myself see too much, too much to need my
fellow New Yorkers' help. Twenty-five years ago my tunnel vision
often reminded me, with pain and frustration and embarrassment,
that I was blind. Today my white cane told those around me that I
was blind and brought me their sight.

     When God wished to come as our Messiah, our Savior, our
Lord, our King, He came as an infant, wrapped in swaddling
clothes and lying in a manger. He came needing us, His creatures,
and He did not hide His need. He had to be fed, nursed, diapered,
bathed. He had to be taught to walk and talk. Do I still see too
much to follow that little child who shall lead them? This
Christmas I pray that that little child, with all of His needing,
will touch your hearts and lead you to the joy and peace of
oneness in His family.

     A very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Holy New Year to you
and yours from all of us here at Ave Maria Place.--Father Pat
                           **********
                           **********
                 Of Generosity and Independence
                        by William Payne
                           **********
     From the Editor: A number of months ago Dr. Jernigan sent me
an exchange of correspondence that he thought I might wish to
publish in the Braille Monitor. I certainly did. The first letter
was written to Dr. Jernigan and accompanied a modest contribution
to the National Federation of the Blind. It told a touching story
whose theme is fitting for this season and for all Americans to
take to heart. We are printing Dr. Jernigan's response first
because, as usual, he expresses in a few words the value he found
in the letter and the impact it had on him. In the hope that we
all may open ourselves to greater generosity of spirit and
respect for those who walk into our lives, here are the two
letters Dr. Jernigan passed on to me:
                           **********
                                                    April 7, 1998
                                              Baltimore, Maryland

Mr. and Mrs. William Payne, Jr.
Greenville, Mississippi

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Payne:

     Thank you for the moving story about the broom. It captures
the very heart and soul of what it means to be a true American, a
free citizen of a free country. It also captures the very heart
and soul of Christianity and the teachings of the Bible.

     I was deeply touched and inspired by this story and will
certainly use it. Perhaps it will encourage others to reach out
to their fellow human beings.

     Again, I thank you. You have made my day.

                                                 Kenneth Jernigan
                                               President Emeritus
                                 National Federation of the Blind
                           **********
Dear Dr. Jernigan:

     The blind sellers of brooms, a man and his wife, came to our
door one night about October 1931. My sister, about six, myself,
about four, and my mother and daddy, each twenty-nine, heard the
tap, tap, tapping as they came up the sidewalk, up the walk to
the front screen door, and then paused, for the screen door was
latched.

     Daddy went out on the porch, after turning on the porch
light. The man stood on the top step, his wife halfway up the
steps. He had a single broom in hand--she some ten or twelve.

     "Good evening sir, might we interest you in a quality, hand-
made straw broom, tonight?"

     Daddy hesitated; times were tough as you well know, Mr.
Jernigan. "Oh sir," my dad replied, "We just cannot buy one of
your brooms tonight."

     "Could we give you one then at no cost to you?" That touched
Daddy so that he asked the man how much he was asking for a
broom. "Anything, anything at all will be welcome; some people
pay $1, some less, some nothing at all. And sir, we are not
asking for your money; we are not beggars; we support ourselves
by these brooms."

     Daddy didn't have a paper dollar. By this time Mother and we
kids were also at the door. My sister said, "I have fourteen
cents," and "I have twenty-four cents" was her brother's reply.
Mother emptied her coin purse onto the floor, another twenty-
three cents. Daddy dug deep into his pockets, still only ninety-
eight cents total.

     Mother, as mothers so often do, had a solution. "Mr. and
Mrs. Broom Merchants, I have some two-cent stamps. Would one of
them do?" "Certainly," came the reply. "We need stamps." One
dollar in coin and stamps.

     One dollar, hallelujah. Two people, make that six people,
were made happy, each caring for the other; dignity and
compassion were displayed all around.

     So here's my first check. God bless you for all you do and
try to do. Angels can do no better.

                                               William Payne, Jr.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Christine Faltz and her daughter Samantha.]
               The Whole Truth About Partial Sight
                       by Christine Faltz
                           **********
     From the Editor: Christine Faltz is a 1987 NFB scholarship
winner. She has since become a lawyer, has married, and is the
mother of a little girl who is also blind. Christine often writes
about blindness issues and the challenges of raising a blind
child to be a normal kid. Here is an article she wrote last
summer:
                           **********
     As President of the Long Island Chapter of Parents of Blind
Children, I am often contacted by parents in search of resources
and information for their children. While I have been aware for
some time that blind people with usable residual vision face
special problems, I am becoming increasingly conscious of the
many negative consequences of the mainstream's handling of
partially-sighted people.

     Let me be clear. I am not particularly concerned with the
individual whose residual vision allows him or her to perform
most of life's tasks with age-appropriate skill and efficiency.
If a legally blind or low-vision child is using regular print or
large type without magnification and without fatigue or pain, and
if he or she can travel independently and safely in unfamiliar
areas, the alternative techniques of blindness may well not be
necessary. However, when I hear that a child cannot read
efficiently without magnification and that inability to keep up
with assignments in school is accepted as a natural consequence
of visual difficulties, I am deeply troubled by the culture of
denial, fear, and misinformation which will ultimately result in
a young person ill-equipped for college, employment, or community
involvement.

     Why do teachers, eye-care specialists, and some parents
choose to ignore the overwhelming evidence that a blind person
without proficient Braille and independent mobility skills is
significantly less likely to become gainfully employed? How could
an efficient reading system such as Braille and a safe, effective
travel tool like the white cane engender mistrust and fear so
intimidating and distasteful that thousands of men and women are
robbed of the chance to take advantage of their full potential,
growing to believe that it is normal for them to be slow,
inefficient, uncomfortable, and in need of extraordinary
accommodations? What about their inability to read to their
children--if indeed they have the self-esteem and wherewithal to
create a family--and their avoidance of socializing except in
familiar areas because they cannot travel independently?

     Part of the problem lies in the definition of legal
blindness. Many people are functionally blind, despite having
visual acuity above that of legal blindness. Another complication
is society's fear of anything it doesn't understand. I often hear
"This is a difficult age" or "I tried Braille with him; he didn't
want any part of it." A teen-ager who refuses cane instruction
because he or she will look different is going to progress from a
difficult age to a difficult life of dependency and inability to
experience the full range of possibilities for employment and
recreation because he or she cannot go wherever the best job
interview or the best party is. Is it better to rely on your
friends, dates, and colleagues to get you around, or is it better
to be a competent, confident traveler, eventually more or less
oblivious to your travel tool as it becomes a part of you?

     When a child resists learning math because it seems too
difficult or because there is something more fun to do at the
moment, we don't give in; we should treat students who don't like
learning Braille the same way. It is often difficult for parents
to envision their children as adults, and it is common to have
the not-my-child attitude--after all, if you act as if your child
can do anything despite being afflicted with pesky visual
problems, won't he or she have the confidence to persevere and
succeed? You bet! assuming that child is also equipped with the
necessary tools to put such values into practice. You can tell
the child of a broken home who attends a poor school in a
dangerous neighborhood that with belief in oneself one can
surmount any personal obstacles. But if his or her performance is
not commensurate with inherent ability and if a lackluster
performance is pronounced to be "just fine" and "all one can
expect from someone in such a situation," where will all those
fine words and good intentions get the student?

     It is not acceptable for a child with poor vision to skate
by, depending on special allowances and privileges, if he or she
is capable of age-appropriate work. A child who is functionally
blind and has average to above-average intelligence and no
complicating disabilities should be handing in school assignments
with everyone else, should not be fatigued by reading, and should
be completing reading assignments along with sighted classmates.
A child who struggles valiantly to keep excellent grades,
suffering with eyestrain and headaches; spending inordinate
amounts of time on homework; relying on parents, siblings, or
classmates to read to him; unable to read the notes and papers
she writes--is not amazing or extraordinary for all those
unnecessary, Herculean efforts. That child is a casualty of fear
and ignorance, someone losing out on extracurricular and other
social activities, someone whose belief in his or her supposed
self-worth and equality is being challenged at every level. The
lack of normal vision will never be a nuisance, an inconvenience
to this person: it will be a lifelong social and employment
handicap, a source of increasing frustration and resentment--a
recipe for failure at worst and of untapped potential at best.

     Parents and teachers must look beyond the here and now. When
they are gone, their children and students must be able to live,
not merely survive, on their own. Their lives should not be
peppered with "If onlys" and "What ifs." They should not grow up
with the notion that there was nothing more anyone could have
done to give them opportunities equal to those available to their
sighted peers. Any skill which has the slightest chance of easing
their way should be developed in them while they are young. Isn't
it better that they have the skills, regardless of whether they
are necessary now? Shouldn't a disabled child be given every
reasonable chance to be fully equal, fully independent, a fully
contributing, first-class citizen? Legally blind, low vision,
partially sighted, practically blind--the lexicon of political
correctness, euphemisms, and denial marches on. If your child is
not capable of age-appropriate work and play, vision problems by
themselves are no excuse. Partial sight should not be allowed to
result in a partial life.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Nani Fife]
                    Seeing Chances to Conquer
                        by Susan Kreifels
                           **********
     From the Editor: The following story first appeared in the
April 20, 1998, edition of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Nani Fife
is President of the National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii.
this is what the article said:
                           **********
     Nani Fife often sees welfare recipients who want to give up
their search for a job. But she doesn't let them.

     "When they want to quit, I say, 'Wait a minute, if I can do
it, so can you,'" Fife said.

     Fife knows about obstacles in life, but she treats them as
challenges to be conquered. And for that spirit and
determination, the Lions Club chose her as Hawaii's Outstanding
Blind Person of the Year for 1998.

     Fife has been legally blind since birth. But that did not
stop her from getting a degree. Nor did age. She started college
in her thirties after her third and last child began going to
school.

     "I wanted to do something different with my life," said
Fife, a grandmother of four. "I wanted to help people."

     At McKinley High School she attended special education
classes rather than being put into regular classes. That made it
even more difficult at college, because she had to start with
basic classes in math and English. But with the help of
transcribed books and students who volunteered to take notes for
her in class, she earned a bachelor's degree in public
administration in 1986.

     "Try listening to Accounting 201 and 202 on a cassette
tape," Fife laughed. "I don't know how I ever did it. I couldn't
see the blackboard even if I stood right in front of it. But I
always looked at life as not having barriers but challenges."

     "Once you overcome a challenge, it gives you that good
feeling of success."

     She passes that attitude along to many in Hawaii. Fife has
been with the Work Hawaii Hoala Program for seven years, using a
closed-circuit TV, special large-print computer software, and an
adapted computer system. The city program provides job-readiness
services to welfare recipients.

     Outside of her job Fife is the chairwoman for the Statewide
Independent Living Council, president for ten years of the
National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii, a board member of the
Hawaii State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped,
and chairwoman of the Ho'opono Advisory Board.

     "Nani Fife is an inspiration to others with visual
impairments and exemplifies the commitment that Ho'opono and the
Lions have in assisting blind persons in attaining their goals,"
said Shirley Sasaki, community services coordinator at Ho'opono,
a rehabilitation center for the blind and visually impaired at
the Department of Human Services.

     Fife says she just likes helping people. "I like to make a
positive difference in people's lives. It gives me satisfaction
that, whenever I can, I help give people a second chance."
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: the Rev. Robert Parrish]
                        Creative Cookies
                        by Robert Parrish
                           **********
     From the Editor: Robert Parrish is President of the National
Association of the Blind in Communities of Faith, a division of
the National Federation of the Blind. The following little story
is a reminder of how important small gestures of kindness can be.
It is also a fitting tribute to Lorraine Rovig's work for many
years in the Job Opportunities for the Blind Program. JOB has
recently metamorphosed into an exciting new effort to train blind
people to do jobs in the private sector. But here Robert pays
tribute to the imagination, common sense, and compassion that
always guided the first JOB program and that still characterize
members of our national staff. This is what he says:
                           **********
     During the past few years Job Opportunities for the Blind
(JOB) taught me many skills in my effort to land a dream job as
either a pastor or a hospital chaplain. However, the most
precious memory I have of JOB took place when I was doing my
first year of residency in Clinical Pastoral Education. The
University of North Carolina Hospitals was a very large place.
The facility seemed even larger to me because I felt as if I was
being held at arm's length by some of the nursing staff.

     Not that the staff were bad people: it just seemed that the
nurses were not truly willing to support me in my job as a
chaplain resident because of their fear of my blindness.

     As with doctors, the very backbone of a chaplain's success
in a hospital depends largely on the nursing staff. Nurses can
give chaplains insight into a patient's medical situation along
with pertinent family background. They are also critical in
supporting a chaplain to help a patient or family use personal
faith to make some sense of the crises they are experiencing. You
can see, then, that I was desperate. I had to find a way to win
the support of the nurses.

     When I thought about calling Lorraine Rovig, who served as
director of JOB for many years, I was hesitant at first. I knew
that she was in the business of helping people to find jobs. But
then I remembered that she was also in the business of helping
people keep jobs.

     So one afternoon I called her. When she understood my
plight, she did not think it was unusual. I remember what she
asked me during that conversation as if it were only yesterday.
She asked, "Do you bake cookies?"

     I responded that I could certainly learn to bake them, and
learn I did. You would not believe what a bridge to building a
sound and cohesive relationship with the nursing staff those
cookies turned out to be for me. Not only did I get the support
that I truly needed from them, but I also was able to be a
chaplain to them as well. A small thing like baking cookies
proved to be extremely powerful in helping me to overcome the
barrier of blindness that the nursing staff seemed to struggle
with. It also served to help me do my job effectively.

     Giving the nursing staff cookies was a very personal touch.
The suggestion to do so was also a demonstration of who Lorraine
Rovig is. Over the years I have talked with her, and she has
treated me with much dignity and respect. Of course her job was
to care about blind persons' achieving gainful employment. But
she also cares about the people.

     The real lesson of life she taught me in this experience in
baking cookies was to be creative in reaching out to others.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Barbara Walker and her son John]
               Children, Fruitcake, and Rectangles
                        by Barbara Walker
                           **********
     From the Editor: The following story appeared in Wall-to-
Wall Thanksgiving, the thirteenth in the NFB's Kernel Book series
of paperbacks. It begins with Dr. Jernigan's introduction.
                           **********
     Barbara Walker is no stranger to readers of previous Kernel
Books--her sensitive and thought-provoking stories having
appeared in a number of them. Here she reflects on the key
ingredients of her own childhood, which enabled her to find her
place in the world--as a leader in her community, her church, and
the National Federation of the Blind. Here is what she has to
say:
                           **********
     When my son John, at the age of three, said he wanted some
fruitcake that had been in the refrigerator for quite a while, I
said: "Just a minute, please. I need to see what kind of shape
it's in." His response was immediate: "It's in a rectangle shape,
and I want some." Somehow, his response got me to thinking about
my own childhood.

     I have always been blind. My sister Laurie is also blind.
Our older brother Lani isn't. There was, to our parents'
knowledge, no history of blindness in our family.

     Discussing my sister's case, the doctors said they didn't
know the cause of blindness but thought there was probably a one-
in-a-thousand chance of recurrence. Since I arrived--blind--
fourteen months later, either I'm one in a thousand, or they
didn't know what they were talking about. All of us are now
grown, married, and have children--none of whom is blind.

     Our parents knew nothing about blindness. They struggled
with stereotypes as all of us do, but their hope for us was the
same as that for our brother--that we would eventually be
contributing and fulfilled adults, no longer needing or wanting
to live under their care.

     My sister, from what I remember my mother's telling me,
crawled, walked, and talked at about the same time as neighbor
kids her age. She ran away from home more than once while still
in diapers, handled everything she could get to, was adept with
her fingers, questioned incessantly, and insisted on a prominent
place in her world.

     I, on the other hand, neither walked nor talked until I was
about two, showed little visible evidence that I was particularly
curious about my environment, and was clumsy and awkward with my
hands and body--breaking many things with which I came into
contact.

     As toddlers and preschoolers, we continued to show
contrasts. Laurie, at age two, walked along the piano, reaching
up to pick out melodies on the keyboard. She generally chose
gentle play--interacting with others, real or imaginary--and was
afraid of high slides, going on carnival rides, and the like.

     I loved rough play--wrestling, running hard, swinging and
climbing high, flipping over and off bars, throwing and catching
balls, etc.--and I loved high slides, carnival rides, and the
like.

     Mom, the more verbally expressive of our parents, said there
were many times when she didn't understand how we would or could
do things, and it scared her to have us try. But she didn't stand
in our way. She learned Braille so that we could correspond
privately.

     She persistently went to bat for us when we were left out or
mistreated--not in ways that made us dependent upon her, but in
ways that preserved respect and dignity for everyone and provided
us with experience in everything from fielding questions to
finding alternative methods for doing things ordinarily done with
the use of sight.

     Dad showed his acceptance of us in other ways. He showed us
how things worked. He pointed out nonvisual qualities of things
generally perceived visually, like the contrasting cool and hot
pavement where his shadow passed. He made us doll cribs and a
playhouse. Dad also took me fishing and encouraged my interests
in competitive sports.

     My sister and I were given hands-on experiences whenever
their availability and our interests coincided. I was a very shy
child, and sometimes my self-consciousness prevented me from
taking full advantage of these opportunities. If Laurie was
along, I generally asked her later about whatever we had seen,
and she would explain it in detail--sometimes creating a replica
to show me.

     Underlying all of these things was our parents' respect for
us as people and their encouragement toward our finding a place
in society--not a pigeonhole created by them or anyone else, but
a place we could earn as others do. That attitude of genuine
respect and affirmation of our worth and dignity did more than
all the experiences and skills combined in allowing us to grow
and become contributing members of society.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: James Gashel]
        Social Security, SSI, and Medicare Facts for 1999
                         by James Gashel
                           **********
     The beginning of each year brings with it annual adjustments
in Social Security programs. The changes include new tax rates,
higher exempt earnings amounts, Social Security and SSI cost-of-
living increases, and changes in deductible and co-insurance
requirements under Medicare. Here are the new facts for 1999:
                           **********
     FICA and Self-Employment Tax Rates: The FICA tax rate for
employees and their employers remains at 7.65 percent. This rate
includes payments to the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability
Insurance (OASDI) Trust Fund of 6.2 percent and an additional
1.45 percent payment to the Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund
from which payments under Medicare are made. Self-employed
persons continue to pay a Social Security tax of 15.3 percent,
which includes 12.4 percent paid to the OASDI trust fund and 2.9
percent paid to the HI trust fund.
                           **********
     Ceiling on Earnings Subject to Tax: During 1998, the ceiling
on taxable earnings for contributions to the OASDI trust fund was
$68,400. This ceiling is raised to $72,600 for 1999. All earnings
are taxed for the HI trust fund.
                           **********
     Quarters of Coverage: Eligibility for retirement, survivors,
and disability insurance benefits is based in large part on the
number of quarters of coverage earned by any individual during
periods of work. Anyone may earn up to four quarters of coverage
during a single year. During 1998 a Social Security quarter of
coverage was credited for earnings of $700 in any calendar
quarter. Anyone who earned $2,800 for the year (regardless of
when the earnings occurred during the year) was given four
quarters of coverage. In 1999 a Social Security quarter of
coverage will be credited for earnings of $740 during a calendar
quarter. Four quarters can be earned with annual earnings of
$2,960.
                           **********
     Exempt Earnings: The monthly earnings exemption for blind
people who receive disability insurance benefits was $1,050 of
gross earned income during 1998. In 1999 earnings of $1,110 or
more per month before taxes for a blind SSDI beneficiary will
show substantial gainful activity after subtracting any unearned
(or subsidy) income and applying any deductions for impairment-
related work expenses.
                           **********
     Social Security Benefit Amounts for 1999: All Social
Security benefits are increased by 1.3 percent beginning with the
checks received in January, 1999. The exact dollar increase for
any individual will depend upon the amount being paid.
                           **********
     Standard SSI Benefit Increase: Beginning January, 1999, the
federal payment amounts for SSI individuals and couples are as
follows: individuals, $500 per month; couples, $751 per month.
These amounts are increased from individuals, $494 per month;
couples, $741 per month.
                           **********
     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 $764
during 1998 and is increased to $768 during 1999. Beginning with
the sixty-first day through the ninetieth day there is a daily
co-insurance amount of $192 per day, up from $191 in 1998. Each
Medicare beneficiary has sixty "reserve days" for hospital
services provided within a benefit period longer than ninety
days. The co-insurance amount to be paid during each reserve day
is $384, up from $382 in 1998.
                           **********
     Part A of Medicare pays all covered charges for services in
a skilled nursing facility for the first twenty days within a
benefit period. Beginning with 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 $96 per day, up from $95.50 per day in 1998.
                           **********
     For most beneficiaries there is no monthly premium charge
for Medicare Part A coverage. Those who become ineligible 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 1999 is $309 per month. This is reduced to
$170 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 1999. This is an annual deductible amount. The
Medicare Part B basic monthly premium rate will increase from
$43.80 charged to each beneficiary in 1998 to $45.50 for 1999.
This premium payment is deducted from Social Security benefits
checks. Individuals who remain eligible for Medicare but are not
receiving Social Security benefits because of working pay this
premium directly.
                           **********
     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 ($45.50 in 1999). 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. In order to
qualify, the income of an individual or couple must be less than
the poverty guidelines currently in effect. The guidelines are
revised annually and were last announced in the spring of 1998.
New guidelines will be issued in the spring of 1999. The rules
vary from state to state, but in general:

          A person may qualify for the QMB program if his or
     her income is approximately $691 per month for an
     individual and $925 per month for a couple. 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 $860 per month for an individual and
     $1,151 per month for couples. In Hawaii income must be
     less than approximately $792 per month for an
     individual and $1,060 per month for couples.

          For the SLMB program the income of an individual
     cannot exceed $825 per month or $1,105 for a couple in
     forty-eight of the fifty states and the District of
     Columbia. In Alaska the income amount is $1,027 for an
     individual and $1,377 for couples. An individual in
     Hawaii can qualify if his or her income is
     approximately $946 per month; for couples the amount is
     $1,268.

          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.)
                           **********
If you qualify for assistance under the QMB program, you will not
have to pay:

     * Medicare's hospital co-insurance amount, which is $768 per
     benefit period in 1999;

     * The daily co-insurance charges for extended hospital and
     skilled nursing facility stays;

     * The Medicare Medical Insurance (Part B) premium, which is
     $45.50 per month in 1999;

     * The $100 annual Part B deductible;

     * The 20 percent co-insurance for services covered by
     Medicare Part B, depending on which doctor you go to.
                           **********
If you qualify for assistance under the SLMB program, you will
not have to pay:

     *The $45.50 monthly Part B premium.
                           **********
     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 more information about either
program, call HCFA's toll-free telephone number, (800) 638-6833.
                           **********
                           **********
                             Recipes
                           **********
     The recipes this month come from the National Association of
the Blind in Communities of Faith.
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Priscilla Ferris]
                New Year's Cake (Vasilopeta Keik)
                     by Priscilla A. Ferris
                           **********
     Priscilla Ferris is a member of the Board of Directors of
the National Association of the Blind in Communities of Faith.
She also serves on the Board of Directors of the NFB and as
President of the Massachusetts affiliate. In addition she is a
memorable cook.

     Priscilla explains that traditionally a silver coin is
hidden in this cake, and at midnight a ceremony is held to begin
the New Year. The person who finds the coin in his or her slice
will be blessed with good fortune and good health for the coming
year. The bread or cake baked for this occasion is in honor of
St. Basil on his nameday. You may bake the cake in a loaf or a
cake pan as desired.
                           **********
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
2 1/2 cups flour
juice of 1/2 lemon (freshly squeezed)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup milk
1 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 coin
confectioners sugar for top of cake
                           **********
     Method: Separate eggs. In a very clean bowl beat egg whites
and set aside. Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored and
set aside. In a large bowl cream butter and slowly add sugar;
continue beating until creamy. Slowly beat in egg yolks. Then
alternately add milk and flour into which you have stirred the
baking powder. Last, fold in the beaten egg whites and the baking
soda dissolved in lemon juice.

     Polish a quarter and wash it thoroughly, or, if you wish,
use a Susan B. Anthony coin. Wrap coin of your choice in wax
paper. Grease a 10-inch round pan and pour in batter. Submerge
the coin in the batter, making certain that it does not show.
     Bake in 350-degree oven for thirty to thirty-five minutes or
until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from
pan when cool and save cake until 12 o'clock midnight New Year's
Eve. Sift confectioners sugar onto top of cooled cake and serve.
                           **********
                           **********
                          Turkey Pilaf
                     by Priscilla A. Ferris
                           **********
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons margarine
1/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup diced celery
1 can (3- to 4-ounce) sliced mushrooms or several ounces of fresh
mushrooms, sliced
2 1/2 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 cups diced, cooked turkey
                           **********
     Method: Melt butter in a heavy skillet or sauce pan. Add
pecans, celery, and drained mushrooms. Cook over low heat,
stirring often, until pecans are toasted. Add water, bouillon
cubes, and salt. Bring to a boil. Then slowly add rice. Cover pan
and reduce heat; simmer twenty-five minutes. Add turkey during
the last ten minutes of cooking time.
                           **********
                           **********
                          Holiday Bread
                     by Priscilla A. Ferris
                           **********
Ingredients:
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup dates
1 cup chopped walnuts
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 cup maple syrup
                           **********
     Method: Cover apricots with boiling water and let stand for
fifteen minutes and then drain. Mix together all fruits and nuts.
Set aside. Sift together dry ingredients. Add brown sugar and
blend well. Add egg and milk, then syrup. Stir together well.
Gently stir in fruit and nuts. Divide batter and fill two well-
greased loaf pans. Let stand fifteen to twenty minutes. Bake
loaves at 350 degrees for fifty minutes. Remove from pans and
cool completely.
                           **********
                           **********
                             Wassail
                     by Priscilla A. Ferris
                           **********
Ingredients:
4 cups water
2 cups sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
12 whole cloves
6 allspice berries
1/2 teaspoon chopped ginger root (Ground ginger may be
substituted if necessary.)
1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate
2 6-ounce cans frozen orange juice concentrate
2 quarts apple cider
                           **********
     Method: In a large pan combine and boil for five minutes the
water and sugar. Tie together in a small clean cloth cinnamon,
cloves, allspice, and ginger, and add to the sugar syrup. Add the
frozen lemonade concentrate, orange juice concentrate, and apple
cider. Simmer covered to blend flavors. Remove bag of spices.
Serve hot. Yields eighteen six-ounce servings.
                           **********
                           **********
                           Shortbreads
                       for Robert Parrish
                           **********
     In honor of his article elsewhere in this issue, we asked
Robert Parrish, President of the National Association of the
Blind in Communities of Faith, to contribute a cookie recipe. He
confessed that he had prepared slice-and-bake cookies for the
nurses at the hospital, and he didn't think that would make much
of a recipe for this column. Therefore, for Robert's information
and future use here is a very easy but delicious cookie recipe.
                           **********
Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup white or brown sugar
2 cups flour
                           **********
     Method: Cream butter and sugar together till thoroughly
mixed. Beat in flour. Roll out dough on lightly floured board or
counter. Cut into triangles or rounds or shapes with cookie
cutter. Transfer to a greased sheet and bake in pre-heated 325-
degree oven for about twenty-five minutes. Remove to a rack to
cool completely. Store in tightly-covered container.
                           **********
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Maureen Pranghoffer]
                       Sarah's Gingersnaps
                     by Maureen Pranghoffer
                           **********
     Maureen Pranghoffer is an active member of the National
Association of the Blind in Communities of Faith. She says, "My
neighbor Sarah makes the most wonderful soft gingersnap cookies.
She shared her recipe, which has become a favorite of mine as
well."
                           **********
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger
                           **********
     Method: Cream together shortening, sugar, and eggs. Add
molasses. Blend together dry ingredients and add to molasses
mixture. Roll into balls or drop by spoonfuls on ungreased cookie
sheet and bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 8 minutes.=20
                           **********
                           **********
                            Mint Bars
                     by Maureen Pranghoffer
                           **********
     These bars are perfect for entertaining.
                           **********
Ingredients:
First layer--
1/2 cup margarine
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
16 ounces Hershey's syrup
Second layer--
1-1/2 cups margarine
3 cups confectionery sugar
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Third layer--
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate pieces
3 1-ounce squares baking chocolate
1 stick margarine
                           **********
     Method: Mix all ingredients in the first layer together and
spread evenly in a greased 13-by-9 pan. Bake bars at 350 degrees
for twenty-five to thirty minutes. Remove to rack to cool. Melt 1
and 1/2 sticks margarine and mix with confectionery sugar and
peppermint extract. Spread mint mixture on cooling bars. Cool
bars completely. Melt chocolate chips, baking chocolate, and 1
stick margarine. Stir well to mix and spread frosting over bars.
                           **********
                           **********
                          Ham and Wine
                     by Maureen Pranghoffer
                           **********
     This delicious dish is made in the crock pot and has been a
holiday favorite of both my husband and me.
                           **********
Ingredients:
1 3/4-inch-thick ham slice (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup cider or apple juice
1/4 cup sweet red wine
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 small package raisins (1-1/2 ounces)
1 8-ounce can cranberries
1 8-ounce can sliced pineapple, drained
whole cloves
1-1/2 tablespoons flour or corn starch
                           **********
     Method: Cut ham into serving pieces and place in crock pot.
Combine cider, wine, maple syrup, raisins, and cranberries in
bowl. Press a whole clove into each slice of pineapple and
arrange on top of each portion of ham. Pour wine and fruit
mixture over meat in cooker. Cook on low for two hours, then
switch to high for another four hours. Or cook on automatic for
four to five hours. To thicken sauce, remove 1/4 cup liquid from
cooker, and stir flour or cornstarch into it until smooth. Return
liquid to pot. Stir in. Yields 3 to 4 servings. Note: Recipe may
be doubled for 6-quart cooker.
                           **********
                           **********
                         Vegetable Pizza
                     by Maureen Pranghoffer
                           **********
     This colorful and tasty dish makes an ideal holiday
appetizer.
                           **********
Ingredients:
2 packages crescent rolls
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped black olives
                           **********
Method: Unroll both packages of crescent rolls on jelly roll pan
and press perforations and seams to produce a solid sheet of
dough. Bake this crust at 350 degrees until brown (eight to
twelve minutes). Mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, milk,
dill weed, and garlic salt. Spread cream cheese mixture over
crescent roll crust and top with veggies and olives. Chill until
time to serve.
                           **********
                           **********
                       Monitor Miniatures
                           **********
Meet the Amazing Parrot Plus:
     Would you benefit from a little more organization to your
life? The Parrot Plus may be the answer. No larger than a remote
control and operated by four AAA batteries, the Parrot Plus
combines six and a half minutes of recorded memo space, a
telephone directory that finds listings you have previously
recorded and can dial the phone, a calendar with reminder beep
that works even when the unit is turned off, a clock with alarm,
and a four-function calculator. All functions are activated by
using voice and a telephone-type keypad of numbers. The Parrot
Plus can be set to operate in French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch,
and Chinese, as well as English. A Japanese version is in
production.

     Originally created for sighted users, the Parrot Plus comes
with a cassette tape of instructions that teach a blind user how
to use each of the functions. Removing out-of-date memos,
calendar reminders, or phone listings and their associated
information is simple and quick.

     Once you try the Parrot Plus, you'll wonder how you managed
without it. The NFB's Materials Center sells the Parrot Plus for
$200. Write to Materials Center, National Federation of the
Blind, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230, or call
(410) 659-9314 between 12:30 and 5:00 p.m. EST.
                           **********
Attention Students:
     Shawn Mayo, President of the National Association of Blind
Students (NABS), has asked us to pass along the following
announcement:

     Saturday, January 30, 1999, marks the tenth anniversary of
the annual NABS Student Seminar held in conjunction with the
Federation's Washington Seminar. This year's agenda provides
opportunities to hear thought-provoking presentations and to
interact with blind students from across the country. The day's
events will culminate in an evening banquet, with a keynote
address delivered by President Maurer that no one will want to
miss. Be sure to arrive at the Student Seminar in time to mingle
with other blind students and Federation leaders at the student
party, held on Friday evening from 8:00 p.m. until we get closed
down!=20

                           **********
Assistance Needed:
     Khalid Zakaria Ayd. writes from Egypt to express interest in
establishing correspondence with Braille Monitor readers. He
prefers Braille but can use tape. He is interested in blindness
issues and likes to read Braille books and magazines and to
listen to shortwave radio. He is a university student and is
totally blind. He and his blind friends are also in need of a
Spanish-English Braille dictionary, a Braille watch, a Perkins
Brailler, and a typewriter. All but the last of these could be
sent Free-Matter-for-the-Blind. His address is Khalif Zakaria
Ayd., Postal #32873, Ezbet Abu Yusif, Shatanouf, Ashmoun,
Monofia, Arab Republic of Egypt.
                           **********
NFB Key Chains for Sale:
     The Greater Summit County Chapter of the NFB of Ohio is
selling two-inch solid-metal tactile NFB key chains. Many
Federationists snapped them up at the convention last summer, and
now the chapter offers them to Monitor readers at the same great
price. Choose among antiqued gold, blackened silver, or pewter
finishes. All key chains have a lifetime guarantee and are made
in the USA. The NFB logo depicting the triangle inside a circle
with the letters "NFB" appears in print on one side and in
Braille on the other. The words "Security," "Equality," and
"Opportunity" also appear on the print side. All logo key chains
include a split ring on a short chain. The cost is only $10 each
plus $1 for shipping and handling. Order today by sending a check
or money order for $11 to Greater Summit County Chapter, 991
Young Avenue, Barberton, Ohio 44203. If you have questions,
please call Everett Gavel at (330) 745-6414 between 9:00 and
11:00 p.m., EST. Be sure to indicate the finish you want.
Quantity discounts are available for chapters that would like to
use the key chains in their own fund-raising events. Offer ends
March 1, 1999.
                           **********
For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Beautiful Things: this is Our-Co's first full-color catalog
featuring Braille bead necklaces and sponge-painted and screen
printed apparel for both children and adults. For more
information call (732) 805-1912 or fax (732) 805-3088. Our-Co
Industries is a division of the New Jersey Association of the
Deaf-Blind, a non-profit organization specializing in meeting the
needs of individuals who are deaf, blind, or deaf-blind, and
developmentally disabled.
                           **********
Update on Literary Braille Competency test:
     We recently received the following notice:
     The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) of
Louisville, Kentucky, and the National Library Service for the
Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress, have
entered into a cooperative agreement to work on the revision and
ongoing maintenance of the National Literary Braille Competency
Test (NLBCT), Frank Kurt Cylke, NLS director, recently announced.

     NLS has been administering the test for teachers of Braille
to children and adults since May, 1994. It is currently being
revised as part of a validation study conducted by Human Research
Resources Organization (HumRRO), Alexandria, Virginia.

     Mr. Cylke said, "We look forward to working with the
Research and Development staff at APH on this project. APH has
long been a leader in the development of materials for the
education of blind children and adults. Its staff has expertise
in testing and test production that will complement the NLS
expertise in the literary Braille code and in the certification
process."

     During the next two years APH will participate with NLS in
organizing two committees to facilitate the revision process and
to manage and maintain the testing program over time. The
Administrative Issues Committee (AIC) will oversee administration
of the test and recommend policies and procedures associated with
the testing program. The Test Development Committee (TDC) will
develop and maintain the test (e.g., introduce new test forms as
needed). The Administrative Issues Committee will have members
from the American Council of the Blind (ACB), the Association for
Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired
(AER), and the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). The TDC
will include a representative group of teachers.

     The American Printing House will further assist the effort
by producing the print and Braille test materials. For additional
information contact Mary Lou Stark, Head, Braille Development
Section, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., 20542; phone
(202) 707-9302 or (800) 424-8567; fax (202) 707-0712; e-mail
<msta@loc.gov>.
                           **********
Braille and Audiobooks Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     We are a company which offers over 1,000 Braille and audio
books for very affordable prices, and we also will transcribe any
pocketbook onto cassette for a nominal fee. We have written over
twenty speech-friendly computer games and utilities for children
and adults, which all work very well on talking computers. For
more information please visit our Web site at
<www.ncf.carleton.ca/~dr100> or write us for a free audio
cassette or computer disk catalog or send $5 for a Braille or
print price list. The address is I Can See Books, 88 Captain
Morgans Boulevard, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada V9R 6R1. To
request an e-mail catalog, contact Danny Faris, President, at
<dr100@ncf.carleton.ca>.
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Careen Bradbury]
The Last Word about Magoo:
     Careen Bradbury, Assistant Editor of Viewpoint, the
publication of the National Federation of the Blind of the United
Kingdom and member of the organization's Executive Council,
reports that the group discussed the following motion from its
Executive Council at its recent annual delegate conference, held
in Liverpool, England. As approved, the resolution reads: "This
annual delegate conference instructs the Executive Council to
encourage the media to portray disabled people in a positive
way."

     This resolution came about as a direct result of the Magoo
struggle. Bradbury reports that the film has been screened once
only in Glasgow and that about twenty people paid to watch it.
She concludes her note with the comment that "It seems that
movie-goers just stay away from the old creep, who I feel sure
will trouble us no more."
                           **********
For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Mindfold is a mask impervious to light, even direct
sunlight. It is used as a training aid, in airplanes, in
dentists' offices, for meditation, for seminars, for sleep
studies, by night workers, and by computer professionals. The
mask is held away from the eyes by foam padding with cutouts
creating total darkness even with eyes open. Mindfold consists of
a durable plastic lens; high-density, soft foam; and an
adjustable elastic strap. Mindfold's pricing is quantity-based.
Each price includes shipping and handling. For quantities of one
to 1,000, the cost is $6.50 per unit. For 1,001 and above, the
cost is $5.75 per unit. Call toll-free to place an order (888)
705-3805. Contact Mindfold, Inc., 8043 East 7th Street, Tucson,
Arizona 85710, or call (520) 885-3700, fax (505) 298-9157.
                           **********
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Georgia Kitchen]
Cookbook in the Making:
     The Jacobus tenBroek Memorial Fund Committee is planning a
cookbook and seeks recipes from members and their friends that
are both elegant and simple to prepare. We want recipes from all
food categories--desserts, main dishes, sugar-free, vegetarian,
salt free, dishes using convenience foods, etc. The book will be
published in print and Braille. All contributions should be
elegant, simple, relatively quick to prepare, and contain common
ingredients found in most pantries. We can accept recipes with
one to three less-common ingredients that would need to be
purchased. Send your recipes to Georgia Kitchen, Cookbook
Coordinator, 2809 Lapeer Road, Flint, Michigan 48503.
                           **********
For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Perkins Brailler with case and keys, brand new, never used.
Asking $400 or best offer. Call Frances Horwitz at (215) 745-
0923.
                           **********
World Series Baseball Game:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     The 1998 baseball season is over, and Version 13 of the
award-winning World Series Baseball Game and Information System
is ready to be mailed. The big news about Version 13 is that it
comes with 124 additional teams, including the 1998 pennant
winners and Mark McGwire's 1998 St. Louis Cardinals. This makes a
total of 262 teams, including every pennant winner since 1901,
many All-Star teams, Negro teams, Japanese teams, etc. Every
major-league franchise is represented. The game is being played
by sight-impaired baseball fans of all ages in forty-eight states
on IBM-compatible computers with screen readers and synthesizers.
There are also nine updated information programs and a 1,000-
question quiz. There are many improvements, most suggested by
users of the game. Baseball action during the game is described
in the words of many of the famous radio and TV announcers. The
price is still the same as when the game was first introduced in
1986, only $15 to new users, $5 for upgrades. Send your check to
Harry Hollingsworth, 692 Sheraton Drive, Akron, Ohio 44319 or
call (330) 644-2421, or e-mail <hhhollingsworth@IBM.net>.
                           **********
Correction:
     The contact information for ordering the new cassette tape
recording of the Cane Raisers singing NFB songs was incorrectly
listed in the August/September issue. Lloyd Rasmussen's telephone
number is (301) 946-8345. His e-mail addresses are <eras@loc.gov>
(work) and <eras@sprynet.com> (home). The cost of the tape is $5.
                           **********
Correspondence Wanted:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     My name is George, and I live in Sheffield, Yorkshire,
England. I would like to communicate on a regular basis by
cassette tape with readers of the Braille Monitor. I am seventy-
eight years of age, fairly healthy, partially sighted (I can
still see a little), and a widower. I unfortunately lost my wife
nearly two years ago. If there is anyone from the age of fifty
upwards who would like to communicate with me, I should be very,
very pleased indeed. I will answer all people who respond to this
request by return tape. Contact George W. Sutton, 21 Luterel
Drive, Swallowsnest, Sheffield, Yorkshire S26 4SY.
                           **********
For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     I have a Romeo RB-25 Braille printer, just over one year
old. It has printed fewer than 100 pages. Price does not include
warranty. If interested, contact Tonia Trapp at work (505)
843-7535, home (505) 266-4016, or e-mail
<tltrapp@concentric.net>.
                           **********
Braille Bible Available:
     I have a New World Testament Bible to give away. It is
almost brand new and is in eighteen Braille volumes. If anyone is
interested, please contact me in writing (Braille or print).
Enclose your telephone number so that I can contact you. Send to
Priscilla A. Ferris, 55 Delaware Avenue, Somerset, Massachusetts
02726.
                           **********
Audiobooks Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     A number of instructional and educational audio books of
interest are available from BFI AudioBooks at (800) 260-7717.
Titles include 60 Minutes Towards Computer Literacy, Internet
Explained, Short and Sweet, Cat Lovers Only, and Self-Publishing
in Audio and Making Money from the Start, as well as cassettes on
fund-raising skills and ones for kids that teach how to deal with
your own anger and how to resolve conflicts through sensitivity
to the other person's feelings. For a complete list and more
information ask for a catalog. A percentage of the proceeds from
these sales go to the National Federation of the Blind. Contact
Julian Padowicz, BFI AudioBooks, 1397 Hope Street, Stamford,
Connecticut 06907. The Web site is <www.eldarco.com/audiobooks>.
The telephone/fax number is (203) 968-2255.
                           **********
Great News from Clovernook:
     Most people who know anything at all about the blindness
field in the United States have heard of Clovernook. For ninety-
five years the agency has provided a number of services and
programs to blind and multiply handicapped people in Cincinnati,
Ohio. It is best known as one of the largest Braille production
houses in the country, printing Braille books, magazines, and
other publications for use across the country. On July 16, 1998,
Marvin Kramer, President of Clovernook Center for the Blind,
issued the following self-explanatory memo:
                           **********
     At its June 18, 1998, meeting the Board of Trustees voted to
accept management's recommendation that Clovernook change its
policy on minimum wage. Effective with the paycheck of July 17,
1998, all regular employees in production jobs will be paid at
least minimum wage, currently $5.15 per hour. We will continue to
track production as always, and individuals will be paid their
piece rate when that exceeds minimum wage.

     This decision did not come easily, and it represents a major
departure from Clovernook's long-standing practices which permit
us to pay sub-minimum wages under our Department of Labor
Sheltered Workshop certificate.

     The underlying rationale for this decision is that it is in
keeping with our mission of promoting independence and fostering
the highest quality of life. Clovernook advocates throughout the
community that people with visual impairments deserve an
opportunity to work and compete with their sighted peers. By
embracing this philosophy of paying at least minimum wage, we are
practicing what we ask others to do. Clovernook's expectation
that employees make a daily effort to be productive and meet the
needs of our customers will be more important than ever.

     The new minimum wage rate does not apply to individuals in
trainee status (i.e., individuals whose employment at Clovernook
is provided through a contractual or purchase-of-service
arrangement with an outside third party). Their employment status
is characterized by its training nature, and services are
designed to develop skills, work ethic, and productivity.
                           **********
     That is what the memo said, and Mr. Kramer and Clovernook
have been as good as their word. This is a giant step forward,
not least because the decision was made for the right reasons.
Congratulations to Clovernook and to its hard-working employees.
                           **********
Elected:
     On October 18, 1998, at the annual convention of the
National Federation of the Blind of Wisconsin, officers and
members of the Board of Directors were elected. Those now serving
are Mark A. Riccobono, President; Jim McCarthy, First Vice
President; Bill Meeker, Second Vice President; Brad Dunse,
Treasurer; Linda Mentink, Secretary; and Board Members, Amanda
Durik and Patty Zimmerman.
                           **********
For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     We have for sale a Papenmeier 2D-lite refreshable Braille
display with Windots software. This equipment has had fewer than
thirty hours of use. Windots version is current. Comes with all
documentation, travel case, and shipping to your location. In
addition our center will install the software on your computer if
you wish, at no additional charge.

     Asking $6,000. Contact Brad Hodges, Assistive Technology and
Assessment Center, University of Wisconsin-Stout, Room 101 VRB,
Menomonie, Wisconsin 54751, phone: (800) 228-5457.
                           **********
Call for Papers:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     The 9th Interdisciplinary Conference on Blind and Visually
Impaired Children, "Here's Lookin' at You Kid 2," will take place
September 22 to 25, 1999, hosted by the Alberta/NWT Division of
the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Presenters from
across Canada and North America will bring the latest in
research, educational practices, technological innovation and
rehabilitation strategies to some 600 delegates at the Calgary
Convention Center.

     Keynote speakers include Stephen Kuusisto, author of Planet
of the Blind; Terry Kelly, an accomplished musician from Nova
Scotia; renowned children's author, Jean Little; Dr. Raymond
Buncic from Toronto's Sick Children's Hospital; and Dr. Cay
Holbrook from the University of British Columbia.

     In addition to announcing the conference, this notice is
also a call for papers. Potential presenters are asked to submit
abstracts no longer than 200 words and a current vita. All
abstracts must be received by February 28, 1999. Notification of
acceptance will be by March 15, 1999. Accepted presenters will be
asked to submit the full text of their presentations.

     To submit a presentation proposal or for further
information, contact Sonja Kolacz, CNIB Calgary, 15 Colonel Baker
Place, Calgary, AB, T2E 4Z3, Phone (403) 266-8831, fax (403) 265-
5029, e-mail <skolacz@ab.cnib.ca>.
                           **********
Cassette Storage Albums Available:
     Steve Benson, President of the NFB of Illinois, asks us to
carry the following announcement:

     The holidays have arrived, and so too, inevitably, have more
cassettes. These audio gems seem to multiply exponentially.
Before you know it, dozens of cassettes will be scattered all
over your living space.

     Here's the perfect solution for cassette chaos. Capture and
keep your precious cassettes in attractive white vinyl cassette
albums, offered to you by the NFB of Illinois. Each album
accommodates twelve cassettes. The album's spine is wide enough
for a Braille label, and the front, back, and spine also have
sleeves for print labels. These cassette albums are perfect for a
year's subscription of the Braille Monitor. They fit nicely into
your favorite bookshelf.

     Each album is $3. Send your check or money order (payable to
the NFB of Illinois) to Steven O. Benson, 7020 N. Tahoma,
Chicago, Illinois 60646. If you have questions, please call (773)
594-9977.
                           **********
Exhibits by Blind Artists:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     National Exhibits by Blind Artists 25th Anniversary Exhibit
will take place at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Fall, 1999.
Artwork by legally blind artists is eligible for the juried show.
Slides are due by January 21, 1999, to be sent to NEBA, 919
Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107. For more
information call (800) 222-1754, Monday through Friday, E.S.T.
                           **********
Position Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Blazie Engineering seeks motivated individuals for its
technical support staff at Blazie headquarters in Forest Hill,
Maryland. Applicants must possess the following: 1) complete
working knowledge of at least one Blazie Engineering note taker
product; 2) excellent written and oral communication; 3) problem-
solving skills; 4) interest and talent in helping others; 5)
ability to test and analyze new software and hardware.

     Benefits include medical and dental plan, tuition
reimbursement, equipment loan, 401K plan, and paid vacation.
Salary commensurate with experience. Mail, fax, or e-mail a
resume to Frank Irzyk, Director of Marketing, Blazie Engineering,
105 East Jarrettsville Road, Forest Hill, Maryland 21050, fax
(410) 836-5040, <frank@blazie.com>.
                           **********
Road Runner Is Here:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
ShrinkWrap Computer Products is pleased to announce an exciting
new product called the Road Runner. This is a tiny text-reading
device which permits you to store up to 3,000 pages of text in
discrete files for easy reading on the go. The unit is somewhat
smaller than an audio cassette and has a telephone-style keypad
for control. It produces clear synthetic speech through a pair of
supplied headphones, or you can attach it to amplified computer-
style speakers for reading aloud. Road Runner will let you store
up to several complete books as well as other shorter documents.
While reading, you are able to adjust the volume, rate, and voice
continuously. Road Runner will remember where you left off in
each document and return you to that spot automatically. It also
permits up to ten independent bookmarks per document and provides
searching capability and a sleep timer. To use the Road Runner,
you will need a PC-compatible computer from which to transfer the
text you have scanned, acquired from RFB&D or borrowed from
friends or the Internet. Road Runner comes with headphones, two
AA batteries, a nine-pin serial cable, and a taped instruction
guide. The cost of Road Runner is $349 plus shipping. For more
information contact ShrinkWrap Computer Products at (703)
620-4642 or toll-free at (800) 377-0774.

                           **********
                           **********
                           NFB PLEDGE
                           **********
     I pledge to participate actively in the effort of the
National Federation of the Blind to achieve equality,
opportunity, and security for the blind; to support the policies
and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its Constitution.

