

                             Future Reflections
                                      
                                                           ISSN 0883-3419
                                                                         
   Volume 19, Number 4 Barbara Cheadle, Editor Fall, 2000
   
                                  Contents
                                      
   Which Placement? (Editor's Comments)
   
   Kyra's Kindergarten Year
   
   by Barbara Matthews
   
   National Federation of the Blind State Conventions
   
   A Tale of Two Children
   
   by Pauletta Feldman and Mary Ann Reynolds
   
   Caught in the Middle?Sighted or Blind?
   
   by Debbie Stein
   
   The Blind Kid's Cane
   
   a poem by Jesse Bollinger
   
   When a Child Resists Braille
   
   by Denise Mehlenbacher
   
   Resources for Parents Who Want to Learn Braille
   
   Braille Won't Bite
   
   a poem by Mingkhwan Zehner
   
   Technology, Braille, the Nemeth Code, and Jobs
   
   by Curtis Chong
   
   Textbooks On Time: Will It Ever Happen for the Blind?
   
   by Kristin Cox
   
   National Federation of the Blind Resolution 2000-2
   
   1999-2000 Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest Winners
   
   Putting the Pieces Together:
   Humpty Dumpty and Other Touching Rhymes
   
   A Book Review by Christine Faltz
   
   The Great Tactile Defensiveness Scare
   
   by Christine Faltz
   
   New Virtual Audio Computer Game for the Blind
   
   by Curtis Chong
   
   That the Sighted May See
   
   by Susan M. Falcone
   
   Macy and Her Toys
   
   by Crystal McClain
   
   Toy Resources
   
   Dreams Can Be Realized for the Deaf-Blind, Too
   
   by Patrick Cave
   
   Leber's Congenital Amaurosis Conference
   
   by Betsy Brint
   
   Will the Children Remember?
   
   by Eric Duffy
   
   Hear Ye! Hear Ye!
   
              Copyright 2000, National Federation of the Blind
                                      
       For more information about blindness and children contact the
             National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
   1800 Johnson Street * Baltimore, Maryland 21230 * (410) 659-9314 ext.
                                    360
                www.nfb.org * nfb@nfb.org * BCheadle@nfb.org
                                      
   Which Placement?
   
   A few generations ago the choices about where a child would be
   educated were simple and relatively uncomplicated; the child would
   either attend a school for the blind, or he/she would stay home and
   not be educated at all. Today there are many more options. In fact,
   the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that
   the public agency offer a continuum of alternative placements to meet
   the needs of children who are disabled [300.552(c)].
   
   Five typical options for blind students are 1. the residential school
   for the blind, 2. a private or public special education day school, 3.
   special education classes located in a public school, 4. a public
   school with a resource room for the visually impaired, and 5. the
   local public school with the services of an itinerant teacher of the
   visually impaired. Even among these options many variations are
   possible. For example, a student may spend half-days in the local
   public school and half-days in the school for the blind. The student
   might be bused to a neighboring public school district that can
   provide the services the local school cannot.
   
   Then, there are the less common options of a private school or
   homeschooling. Although parents are not usually entitled to services
   from the public school if they choose one of these two options, a
   number of families elect to go this route anyway.
   
   To further complicate the process many families discover that no one
   option is best for their child throughout the child's school years.
   Since the law provides that IEP's must be reviewed annually,
   placements are never set in stone and can be revisited every year (or
   more often) if need be.
   
   With all these possibilities, how do parents decide what is best for
   their child and their family? In this issue, parents Barbara Matthews
   (?Kyra's Kindergarten Year?), Pauletta Feldman, and Mary Ann Reynolds
   (?A Tale of Two Children?) talk about the choices they made and why.
   Although these parents chose different paths, there are common threads
   that run through each story. I think readers will find these articles
   instructive, useful, encouraging, and, yes, comforting?there are
   others out there who do understand what you are going through!
   
   Barbara Cheadle, Editor
   
   Kyra's Kindergarten Year
   
   by Barbara Matthews
   
   Editor's Note: Barbara Matthews, as she mentions in her article,
   became acquainted with the NFB and the NFB philosophy when she
   attended an NFB National Convention about two years ago. She is a
   woman of intelligence, good sense, and tenacity. All of which means
   she has considerable capacity to put what she learns into practice. I
   am delighted that she took the time to share her experiences with our
   readers. Her story is timely, and her suggestions eminently
   worthwhile.
   
   [PHOTO Caption] Kyra Sweeney
   
   on September 8, 1999, my daughter, Kyra Sweeney, started kindergarten
   at our neighborhood school in a regular classroom in a district where
   she is the only totally blind student. On June 23, 2000, the school
   year finished. I decided to write about her experience so that I can
   perhaps help other parents who face the difficult decision about the
   right educational placement for their child.
   
   Kyra had a strong preschool background and so was probably as well
   suited for mainstreaming as any blind child. Mornings, she attended
   the wonderful Blind Children's Center in Los Angeles, where she began
   learning Braille and cane use. Afternoons, she attended a regular
   private preschool in Santa Monica where we live. Her experience there
   varied enormously depending on the teachers and other children in her
   group.
   
   We considered three alternatives for kindergarten. One was the school
   for the blind in neighboring Los Angeles, where most of her Blind
   Children's Center friends would go. Another was a Los Angeles school
   with a VI resource room, located a long way from our home. Third was
   our neighborhood school around the corner from our home, where Kyra's
   sister was finishing first grade.
   
   We agonized over the decision, and we visited each program. We worried
   about the importance of having at least some blind friends, but we
   also worried about a long ride to school every day. We liked the idea
   of having our two girls in school together, but we also knew the
   importance of learning the special skills of blindness. Since I work
   full-time, I worried about whether I would have the extra time I knew
   it would take to create a program instead of sending her to an
   established one.
   
   We made a tentative decision after meeting with the principal of our
   neighborhood school, who was very enthusiastic about Kyra and in fact,
   became an advocate for her needs, as well as my regular e-mail pal. I
   say ?tentative? because at the time the district did not have a
   Braille teacher. The district staff talked about bringing in a retired
   teacher part-time and getting help from the County if they couldn't
   hire anyone, but I was not convinced. Now I know for sure that a
   piecemeal system like that would not have worked for teaching Braille.
   
   The IEP process was horrible. Other than the O&M teacher (who had
   worked with Kyra in her afternoon preschool program), no one on the
   staff had a clue about appropriate goals and objectives or who would
   provide the services, and their way of dealing with it was to try to
   brush it off. Fortunately, another NFB family had given us their
   daughter's kindergarten goals and objectives at the convention the
   summer before, so we had a place to start. It took three painful
   meetings, tears, and a lot of persistence to get an IEP put together.
   
   We decided to put Kyra with the teacher her sister had for
   kindergarten and first grade. (All the classes are K/1 combined.) This
   teacher was most familiar with Kyra and a literacy specialist. The
   principal reported that this teacher would welcome Kyra in her class.
   When we first met with her about it, I sensed that she wasn't all that
   enthusiastic, but I figured I was overly sensitive. I didn't say
   anything and went ahead with it.
   
   We also decided to have a one-on-one aide for Kyra. My husband
   described what we wanted as a ?stealth? aide. The idea was that she
   would help all the students, with particular focus on Kyra. We
   thought, ?Who would turn down the opportunity for an additional aide
   in the classroom??
   
   We also decided to sign Kyra up for the on-campus after-school
   childcare program. Our older daughter enjoyed the program very much,
   and we knew it would give Kyra more opportunities to socialize with
   other children.
   
   Two things happened right before school started that made us
   optimistic. First, a Braille teacher was hired, and she was great!
   Second, the principal arranged a training session for all teachers and
   staff where I talked about Kyra and blindness. I shared the NFB
   philosophy and the importance of high expectations. I told them how to
   greet Kyra and shared other tips, so that they would feel more
   comfortable around her. I told them to talk openly with the students
   in their classes about Kyra's blindness. This made a huge difference
   from the beginning in the whole school's attitude toward Kyra.
   
   Then the first day of school came and the roller coaster ride began.
   The first day, things generally went fine. The aide didn't seem to
   have much training, and she certainly had not been informed of the
   role we had in mind for her, but the O&M teacher assured us she had
   worked with this aide before and that it would work out. The classroom
   teacher didn't always remember to say what she was writing on the
   board, but we figured she would get it soon enough.
   
   On the fourth day, Kyra's homework assignment was to talk about new
   friends she had made. That's when she broke into tears and said she
   hadn't made any friends and didn't have anyone to talk to. The next
   morning, I put out a call for help to everyone I could think of,
   including the principal, the teacher, and the school psychologist. The
   principal responded immediately with personal attention and a stroke
   of genius. She simply introduced Kyra to a girl in another class who
   was looking for a friend and facilitated a friendship between them.
   She asked the aide and others to help the two girls find each other at
   recess and lunchtime. It didn't turn out to be a lasting friendship,
   but it did break the ice for Kyra.
   
   A week or so later the phone rang, and it was the mother of a little
   girl who wanted to invite Kyra over for a play-date! What a simple
   thing for most families, but we were thrilled. This broke the ice for
   me. I remembered the advice I had gotten from the mother of a blind
   friend of ours who had grown up to be a successful and charming young
   woman. The mother said, ?You'll have to work much harder to facilitate
   friendships. You'll have to ask others more than they will ask you.
   But it's worth it.? So while I learned quickly to limit invitations to
   those kids who showed an interest in Kyra, I started using weekends as
   an opportunity to invite other kids for play-dates at our house. I had
   to plan and monitor the activities more than with my sighted daughter,
   but it was worth it. After a while, Kyra had a ?best friend? named
   Lily who lived in the neighborhood.
   
   We also signed Kyra up for all the popular activities in the
   community?soccer, softball, swimming lessons, rock climbing, musical
   theater. Some worked out better than others. (Fortunately for me,
   since I was the one who had to run with her, she decided not to
   continue soccer.) What was important, in addition to the fun she was
   having, was that other kids and their parents got used to the idea
   that blind kids do the same things as other kids.
   
   But most of the time when I visited the school, I came away upset. The
   Braille teacher was excellent but frustrated because the classroom
   teacher was not providing any materials for Brailling. It turned out
   that advance planning was not this teacher's strength. The Braille and
   O&M teachers were also trying to figure out the best time to work with
   Kyra, but it was difficult to get a fixed schedule. At the principal's
   suggestion, we tried having weekly meetings among the staff providing
   services to Kyra, but they were poorly attended.
   
   I learned that the other kindergartners were having computer time, but
   no effort had been made to install software for Kyra. I requested a
   technology assessment, which was done very superficially. It was
   January before Write Out Loud was installed and the Braille teacher
   started working with her on keyboard skills.
   
   By December, there were still no Braille books in the school library
   or the public library where the class went once a month, even though
   we had provided information on the Kenneth Jernigan Library and other
   sources of Braille books before school even started. When I asked
   about it, the aide told me the books were ?being catalogued.? I
   suggested she just take some books from the classroom along when they
   went to either library, but even this didn't seem to happen.
   
   Frequently I would see the aide accompanying Kyra when a classmate
   would have been more appropriate. The aide did not facilitate
   socialization, but rather seemed to interfere with it. Also, Kyra did
   not seem to develop a bond with the classroom teacher the way her
   sister did, and I wondered how much this was attributable to the aide
   acting as an intermediary rather than facilitator.
   
   But Kyra's reading was progressing and things were going okay, so we
   went along until two things happened in May, and I blew up. First,
   after a field trip, Kyra said the person she sat with on the bus was
   her aide. This demonstrated a complete lack of understanding on the
   part of the aide about what her job should be (and the teacher should
   have known better as well). Then, after an IEP meeting where we
   struggled with the issue of how to minimize pull-out time yet get Kyra
   the services she needed, I went to see Kyra and found her coming out
   of the classroom with her aide. I said, ?Where are you going?? The
   aide said, ?We're going to do some Xeroxing.? I couldn't believe this
   was happening. The Braille teacher was with me, and she gently
   suggested that Kyra should go back to the classroom. She later took
   the aide aside to talk to her about it.
   
   I went straight to my computer and e-mailed the principal, the
   teacher, the O&M teacher, and the school psychologist. I said that
   even though the end of the school year was approaching, we shouldn't
   wait to make changes. No one questioned my reaction. I had a long
   phone conversation with the O&M teacher, who made a couple of simple
   yet significant suggestions. Most importantly, she said the aide
   should not sit at Kyra's desk, as she had been doing. Why hadn't I
   thought of that before? She also said she was developing a daily
   checklist for the aide and asked for my suggestions.
   
   It took a few more conversations, but there finally came a day in June
   when I took Kyra to school and came away happy. The aide had a desk of
   her own. When Kyra arrived, she came over and said hello then went
   back to what she was doing, leaving Kyra to accomplish her now
   familiar morning routine on her own. When she needed help finding
   something, a boy in the class helped her. She talked with others about
   the right answer to the daily survey question. A few days later, she
   came home very excited to report that the library had Braille books!
   Finally, progress had been made.
   
   But the agonizing decisions continue to arise. After much thought and
   consultation with the principal and the Braille teacher, we decided to
   put Kyra in a different teacher's class for first grade. This
   teacher-student taught in Kyra's class this spring, and Kyra loved
   her. The principal reported, after approaching her with the idea, that
   this new teacher would be honored to have Kyra in her class. When I
   e-mailed the teacher she responded that she would love to have Kyra
   and assured me that she is very well- organized. She said she wouldn't
   want Kyra to miss anything because she hadn't gotten the materials
   Brailled. But we still worry about taking Kyra away from the friends
   in her old class and putting her in a new environment.
   
   We also decided not to request a different aide. While the one we have
   isn't ideal, she has shown a willingness to listen and learn, and she
   has a good heart. Also, few aides in the district are highly trained,
   and we might get someone worse. Instead, we provided in the new IEP
   for the aide's time with Kyra to be reduced to three days a week by
   the end of first grade. Our goal, of course, is to eliminate the need
   for an aide entirely.
   
   Bottom line: I think we did the right thing in mainstreaming Kyra. I
   think she is much more of a regular kid than if she were to go to a
   special school. I love the fact that we run into her friends at the
   park and the market, and she loves it, too. And she certainly is
   changing what it means to be blind in the minds of her classmates and
   their families. No one at school tells us the philosophy of the NFB is
   ?radical.? It is simply accepted.
   
   But making it work takes more time than I ever could have imagined. We
   were very lucky to get a Braille teacher who pushes Kyra to her limits
   and to have a principal who loves a challenge. Without these key
   people, the balance might tip the other way.
   
   Every child and every situation is unique. But for anyone facing the
   critical educational placement decision, here is what I can offer from
   my vast experience of one year:
   
   1. Look for enthusiasm about your child. It counts more than
   experience. This applies to teachers, principals, after-school
   programs, etc. If it's missing, consider alternatives.
   
   2. In a teacher, look for organization and advance planning. Without
   it, true inclusion is impossible for a student who needs adapted
   materials.
   
   3. Remember when you knew nothing about blindness? That's where most
   people are in their thinking. So, provide training for everyone you
   can, especially the teacher and the aide. For the most part, your
   efforts will be appreciated.
   
   4. Look for avid e-mail users, and use it yourself. I don't know how
   we could have done without it. It lets you communicate with several
   people at once, and it eliminates telephone tag. It lets people
   respond when it's convenient, rather than when it's an interruption.
   
   5. Socialize. Be part of the school community. Invite people over.
   Show them that you expect your child to be included in social
   activities, and they will respond accordingly.
   
   6. Trust your instincts. If you have a feeling it's not right, it
   probably isn't.
   
                      National Federation of the Blind
                          2001 National Convention
                                      
                           Philadelphia Marriott
               Sunday, July 1, 2001 - Saturday, July 7, 2001
                                      
              1201 Market Street * Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
                                      
       $55 for singles; $65 for doubles, triples, and quads.;14% tax.
                    For reservations call (215) 625-2900
                                      
      NOTE: The annual day-long seminar for parents of blind children,
    sponsored by the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
    (NOPBC), will be conducted on Sunday, July 1. Other NOPBC-sponsored
     events for parents, teachers, and children will also be scheduled
                            throughout the week.
                                      
             National Federation of the Blind State Conventions
                                      
   The National Federation of the Blind is a volunteer membership
   organization with affiliates in every state plus D.C. and Puerto Rico.
   These state affiliates are, in turn, made up of local chapters. Each
   state affiliate of the NFB holds an annual convention to elect
   officers and to discuss and conduct the business of the organization
   (see list of dates and locations of state conventions at the end of
   this article).
   
   The typical convention agenda includes speakers from agencies that
   serve the blind in that state, inspirational presentations from blind
   people who have overcome obstacles, a report from a National NFB
   Representative, a banquet, a dance or other social event, and perhaps
   a special luncheon or workshop on specific concerns of blind people
   and/or parents of blind children.
   
   Although accurate, that's a rather stuffy description of what can be a
   very uplifting and exciting experience for parents and their blind
   children. State NFB conventions are a great place for kids and their
   parents to observe many different blind people reading and writing
   Braille, using canes and dogs to maneuver throughout the hotel, eating
   in the restaurants, handling money, socializing, and working together
   to solve the common problems they face.
   
   The experience becomes even more meaningful when parents and kids join
   as members and participate fully in the convention proceedings. Even
   ordinary convention tasks, such as helping in the hospitality room,
   can have carry-over benefits in other aspects of life. That's what
   Brek Erikson, a young man from Idaho, discovered.
   
   Here's Brek's description, reprinted from the Spring, 1999, issue of
   the Gem State Milestones, the newsletter of the NFB of Idaho, of his
   ?Experience in the Hospitality Room? at the NFB of Idaho State
   Convention:
   
                                 Experience
                                   in the
                              Hospitality Room
                                      
                              by Brek Erickson
                                      
   When it came time for state convention this year, I was asked if I
   might be willing to help in the hospitality room. I thought that this
   might be a good way for me to serve as well as develop some of my
   talents. I had to fill plates and tubs when they ran low. I had to
   know where the different kinds of soda were and had to be able to
   direct people to the trashcans. I also greeted people who entered the
   hospitality room and made sure that the environment was welcoming and
   pleasant.
   
   A week after the state convention, my school was sponsoring a Job
   Fair. I volunteered to help. I did not know what my assignment would
   be, but I knew that I had to be ready early that morning so that I
   could help wherever I was needed. When I arrived at the Job Fair, the
   leaders did not know where they could put me to work. I heard that
   there was a student hospitality center, and there was no one yet who
   was operating that checkpoint. I spoke to the leader of the Job Fair
   and asked if I may be of help in this area. I worked the Student
   Hospitality Room with no difficulty for the entire time. I filled
   plates when they were empty, and I was able to tell people the
   different kinds of soda that were available. I made sure that guests
   signed the hospitality book. If it were not for my experience at the
   state convention, I would not have known that I was able to handle
   such a responsibility.
   
   Here is a list of the NFB State Conventions from Summer, 2000, through
   Spring, 2001. Specific dates and/or locations were not available for
   every state at this time. To get that information as it becomes
   available please contact the
   
                      National Federation of the Blind
                            1800 Johnson Street
                         Baltimore, Maryland 21230
                       (410) 659-9314 * <nfb@nfb.org>
                                      
   Alabama March 9, 2001. Huntsville.
   
   Alaska 
   
   Arizona October 13-14, 2000. Tucson.
   
   Arkansas September 29-October 1, 2000. Fort Smith
   
   California November 3-5, 2000. Crown Plaza Hotel, Foster City.
   
   Colorado October 6-8, 2000. Pueblo.
   
   Connecticut November 4-5, 2000. Waterbury.
   
   D.C. Early spring, 2001.
   
   Delaware November 3, 2000. Dover.
   
   Florida September 1-3, 2000. Sheraton,
   Griffin Road, Fort Lauderdale.
   
   Georgia May 18-20, 2001. Albany.
   
   Hawaii September 23, 2000.
   Holikoa Hotel, Honolulu.
   
   Idaho Spring, 2001. Boise.
   
   Illinois November 3-4, 2000. Springfield.
   
   Indiana October 13-15, 2000 Holiday Inn, Indianapolis.
   
   Iowa September 22-24, 2000. Five Sullivan Brothers,Waterloo.
   
   Kansas October 27-29, 2000. Days Inn, Topeka.
   
   Kentucky November 3-5, 2000. E. Gate Holiday Inn, Cincinnati, Ohio
   (Joint convention with Ohio).
   
   Louisiana Spring, 2001.
   
   Maine October 14-15, 2000. Portland.
   
   Maryland November 17-19, 2000. Ocean City.
   
   Massachusetts April 6-8, 2001.
   Holiday Inn, Worchester.
   
   Mississippi March 31-April 1, 2001. Doveport.
   
   Missouri April 6-8, 2001.
   
   Montana May 18-20, 2001. Nashua.
   
   Nebraska October 6-8, 2000. Best
   Western, Omaha.
   
   Nevada May 18-20, 2001. Las Vegas.
   
   New Hampshire November 17-19, 2000. Manchester.
   
   New Jersey November 10-12, 2000. Holiday Inn, Clark.
   
   New Mexico Spring, 2001.
   
   New York November 10-12, 2000.
   Holiday Inn by Rochester airport.
   
   North Carolina September 15-17, 2000. Sheraton, Raleigh.
   
   North Dakota Spring, 2001.
   
   Ohio November 3-5, 2000. E. Gate Holiday Inn, Cincinnati. (Joint
   convention with Kentucky).
   
   Oklahoma April, 2001.
   
   Oregon October 20-22, 2000. Florence.
   
   Pennsylvania November 10-12, 2000.
   Alkaline Hotel, Erie.
   
   Puerto Rico November 18, 2000.
   
   Rhode Island October 21, 2000. Holiday Inn, Providence.
   
   South Carolina August 4-5, 2000. Sheraton, Columbia.
   
   South Dakota April, 2001. Sioux Falls.
   
   Tennessee March 9-11, 2001. Knoxville.
   
   Texas Spring, 2001.
   
   Utah March, 2001.
   
   Vermont October 27-29, 2000.
   
   Virginia November 17-19, 2000.
   Holiday Inn, Winchester.
   
   Washington October 6-8, 2000.
   Olympia.
   
   West Virginia September 15-17, 2000. Ramada, Charleston.
   
   Wisconsin November 10-12, 2000. Howard Johnson, Madison.
   
   Wyoming Fall, 2001. Riverton.
   
   A Tale of Two Children
   
                 by Pauletta Feldman and Mary Ann Reynolds
                                      
                     [PHOTO: caption] Pauletta Feldman
                                      
   Reprinted from the VIPS Parents Newsletter, volume 11, number 2,
   Louisville, Kentucky.
   
   Editor's Note: Pauletta Feldman has written a number of articles that
   have appeared in the pages of Future Reflections throughout the years.
   Readers may remember her delightful account of her experiences at the
   NFB National Convention from the 1999 Convention Report issue (volume
   18, number 4). I was only recently introduced to Mary Ann Reynolds,
   but was immediately struck with her sincere warmth and her openness to
   new ideas. 
   
   The following article, co-written by Pauletta and Mary Ann, was
   originally published in 1995 in the VIPS Parents Newsletter, a
   publication of the Visually Impaired Preschool Services in Louisville,
   Kentucky. I was curious about what had happened in the five years
   since they wrote it, so I asked them if they would do an update. They
   graciously agreed, and their updates conclude the article. Here, now,
   is Pauletta's and Mary Ann's ?A Tale of Two Children?:
   
   On the surface, Mary Ann and I may seem very different in that we have
   chosen what appears to be two diametrically opposed school placements
   for our blind children. But we are not very different at all in the
   hopes and dreams we have for our children?we have just chosen
   different paths to help our children achieve them. The existence of
   placement options expands the current and potential opportunities our
   children have available to them, and we have taken advantage of these
   options.
   
   Mary Ann's daughter Ashley and my son Jamie have been at two opposite
   ends of a continuum of services that exists for the education of blind
   children. Ashley, who is eight and in third grade, has been in a fully
   inclusive, public school classroom since kindergarten. Jamie, who is
   ten and in fourth grade, has attended the Kentucky School for the
   Blind since kindergarten as a day student and this year is in a
   half-day placement at our neighborhood school.
   
   Parents often ask Mary Ann and I about our children, their schools,
   and why we've made the decisions we have. That's the purpose of this
   article?to share with all of you who are, or will be, struggling with
   the same decisions we have faced.
   
   But as a prologue, we want to say that nothing is written in stone.
   What works one year for your child may not work the next. The
   important thing is that parents are aware of the options and know that
   we may choose from any of a variety of combinations to produce the
   best educational situations for our children. We need to know our
   children, their strengths and needs, and to know what's out there in
   order to make good decisions.
   
   Our Dreams
   
                                  Mary Ann
                                      
   Our dreams for Ashley are the same as for our other two children: to
   grow up to be somebody special and unique, whether that is to be a
   homemaker, a teacher, a doctor, or whatever. We both want her to be
   happy. Some people hope and dream for jobs, independence, etc. I guess
   I expect that to come. When Ashley was born, she had a severe heart
   defect. Two years and three surgeries later, the worries of various
   abnormalities, the fear of hearing problems, and the diagnosis of
   ?blindness? all but shattered our normal dreams. As sadness and
   abnormality creeped in, we longed for happiness and normalcy. I guess
   I'm still developing those dreams as she grows. She wants to be a
   preschool teacher. If she dreams about being a teacher, that's what I
   dream for her. I want her to grow up, go to school, have friends, go
   to college, fall in love, marry, and have her 2.5 kids. That's my
   dream.
   
                                  Pauletta
                                      
   It's hard to describe all of the dreams I've had for Jamie. Some of
   them have remained the same and some of them have changed over time.
   (For instance, I don't think he'll turn out be a classical
   violinist?he wants to be a rock star!) As a matter of fact, Jamie has
   lots of careers in mind and wishes he could do them all at once?be a
   librarian (like his Dad), a writer, a cook in a restaurant, a teacher,
   an actor, a disc jockey, and a musician. When he was five he wanted to
   be a fireman (I could see the headlines, ?Blind Fireman Rescues Woman
   from Burning Building!?) and a policeman. Mainly, I want a happy and
   productive life for Jamie. I want him to be employed and on his own
   someday. I'd like for him to be able to go to college. But most of
   all, I want him to believe in himself so that he will have the
   gumption to pursue his own dreams, whatever they may be.
   
   Preschool Placements
   
                                  Mary Ann
                                      
   Ashley began attending preschool when she was four. Options were
   limited five years ago, more so than they are today. I looked for a
   regular preschool that would allow her to be around other children. I
   looked for over a year, honest! I found TWO places available. People
   actually hung up on me when I mentioned ?blind.? People wouldn't
   return my calls. I was hurt. I loved my child and wanted others to
   love her, too. I wanted her to enjoy preschool and learn things that I
   could not provide in the home. VIPS had provided intervention in the
   early years and through Melinda, an intervention worker, we got hooked
   up with Tully Preschool. We were welcomed with open arms. When we
   visited, the other children walked Ashley around to show her the room.
   After that, I knew this was the place.
   
                                  Pauletta
                                      
   Jamie started out at Christ the King Montessori Preschool two days a
   week when he was two-and-one-half years old. When he was three we
   switched to Kenwood Montessori, which was closer to home and where my
   older children had attended. There were new teachers and directors at
   Kenwood who wanted to build the school. They learned about us through
   a consultant teacher at Christ the King, and they came to us to
   recruit Jamie! That was wonderfully refreshing, since I had felt that
   I had to ?sell? him just to get anyone else to give him a try! I ended
   up working at his preschool as a teacher's aide, so I got to see
   firsthand the great things he was doing and learning. The school
   offered lots of hands-on multisensory learning experiences. It was an
   environment in which Jamie was cherished.
   
   Preparing to Make a Kindergarten Placement Decision 
   
                                  Mary Ann
                                      
   Ashley's preschool years were great. Tully had an all-day program and
   offered kindergarten in the afternoon. Because of that, she
   automatically remained another year.
   
   As time went by Ashley learned the school building inside and out (she
   started cane training at age four). Before using the cane, Ashley
   would run through the halls, never worrying about bumping into other
   children. I soon learned that Ashley, being half the other kids' size,
   needed her own independence so she could get on with learning. Because
   Tully is all on one level (not to mention its educational benefits)
   and Ashley was tiny, had heart disease, and was too brave for her own
   good, we decided after much thought that it was in her best interest
   to remain there. Our neighborhood school where my older children
   attended had turned Ashley down for preschool. After that, I realized
   that it was up to me to find and give her the best possible option.
   
                                  Pauletta
                                      
   I talked to a lot of professionals. I talked to lots of blind people.
   I tried to find out everything I could about all the special
   adaptations a blind child would need to succeed in life. I tried to
   come to grips with what were Jamie's greatest areas of need and what
   were his particular strengths. I believed that learning the skills of
   blindness would be key to his future success. And then I visited
   schools to compare program strengths with Jamie's needs. Jamie could
   have stayed for kindergarten at Kenwood Montessori, where there was a
   very strong mutual attachment. But I wanted to know what else was out
   there.
   
   I visited public school programs, one where there was a resource
   teacher and resource room for visually impaired children. I visited
   the kindergarten at the Kentucky School for the Blind (KSB), and knew
   immediately, in my gut, that this was where Jamie needed to be. (To
   enroll at KDB vision must be a child's primary disability, and the
   child must possess communication and basic self-help skills.)
   
   Why We Chose the Schools We Did
   
                                  MaryAnn
                                      
   Because our neighborhood school would not take Ashley during her early
   training years, it really was not in her best interest to move her two
   years later. At Tully, she knew her way around and could independently
   move to where she needed to go?art, music, PE, lunch, etc. Now she
   could concentrate on academics and not just learning a new building. I
   taught elementary school and knew how important those early learning
   years were. I felt it's going to be hard enough?let's not make it any
   more difficult than it has to be. I thank God it worked out. She is at
   Tully to this day and will remain until she graduates from the fifth
   grade.
   
                                  Pauletta
                                      
   There were many reasons we chose KSB. Jamie is almost totally blind
   with just a little light perception. I was very concerned that he
   develop good Braille skills. Jamie was also physically delayed and had
   poor upper body strength and fine motor skills. At KSB, he could
   participate in adapted PE daily, and the kindergarten program focused
   on fine motor development and pre-Braille skills. While Jamie was in
   preschool, his social skills had not progressed as I had hoped. He was
   a very passive child. I was afraid that he would not do well in a
   large class?not come out of himself and not stand up for himself?so
   the smaller class sizes at KSB were attractive to me. I also thought
   it was important to his developing self-image for him to have blind
   friends and role models. He has been at KSB for almost six years now.
   However, we have begun easing him into our neighborhood school. That
   has been a wonderful process that could be the subject of a whole
   different story!
   
   What Their Placements Have
   Been Like
   
                                  Mary Ann
                                      
   Ashley is a popular girl and has numerous friends. Because many of the
   Tully children live in the community, she is able to meet with them on
   the ball field, in the grocery store, etc. The variety of activities
   in our community help others to see Ashley leading a normal life, and
   the kids know she is part of their broader world, too, not just a part
   of the school. This creates friendships.
   
   Ashley has always had the help of an itinerant teacher of the visually
   impaired (TVI). In the early years, the TVI would Braille stories in
   Grade I Braille (alphabet letters with no contractions) because the
   American Printing House for the Blind (APH) only produced early
   reading materials in Grade II Braille (with contractions). Even her
   preschool teachers helped her with Braille, and she had Braille labels
   for just about everything, even the fish tank!
   
   Ashley has kept many of her friends from preschool, often recognizing
   their voices in the hall. When she was younger, she enjoyed stopping
   and talking to all the teachers. She learned so much about those
   around her. Because many of the children already knew Ashley, they did
   not over-help her, but knew when to help and when not to. They still
   do this. Ashley is learning how to request help and hopefully how to
   give it back.
   
   Her teachers have been wonderful. Her primary teachers' classes have
   been right next door to each other. She has had the same locker for
   three years. How's that for consistency! Finally, I can drop her off
   at the side door, and, like everyone else, she walks to her locker,
   puts her things up, and goes about her business.
   
   People at Tully are warm and caring. There is always a friendly
   welcome when she enters the door every morning. Ashley has had to miss
   some things occasionally to fit her special classes in. One year she
   fussed at me every morning because she had to miss PE to have her cane
   lesson. Her sister even informed me that PE was Ashley's favorite
   class. I told Ashley I remembered when I taught, and all the kids said
   their favorite classes were PE and lunch, and at least she didn't have
   to miss lunch! We soon learned that for every loss there was usually a
   gain.
   
   Her TVI has been wonderful. I am so thankful for her patient endurance
   and sense of humor. She has communicated regularly with us over the
   years and helped Ashley learn so much. She has provided extra
   tutoring, daily balancing of hours for Ashley between resource room
   and classroom, and even helped Ashley get a computer system from the
   Lions Club. She has been a real source of support for me. Her
   specialized training in vision and experience with integrating other
   blind children has given us confidence and hope.
   
                                  Pauletta
                                      
   Jamie started cane training in preschool and was able to continue with
   the same O&M instructor at KSB. Since kindergarten, he has received
   regular O&M instruction from three times each week for individual
   lessons to group classes with his other classmates to work on
   residential travel and quiet street crossings. There has been a lot of
   class changing at KSB, so there are lots of opportunities for Jamie to
   practice travel! He must travel to different buildings to participate
   in music, PE, and to go to lunch. Each year, his O&M instructor has
   worked with him on his schedule and routes.
   
   Through third grade, Jamie had adapted PE and instrumental music
   daily. Daily living skills have been built into the curriculum. Jamie
   worked on the Patterns series for learning to read and write Braille.
   (Patterns, available from the American Printing House for the
   Blind?APH?are a systematic and sequential process of introducing the
   178 Braille contractions.) Jamie was introduced to the slate and
   stylus, abacus, and computer in first grade. However, it is only this
   year that he has finally become proficient with them. He is using the
   computer more and more for writing, learning the basics of word
   processing, and getting introduced to computer bulletin boards.
   
   He has gotten to be in three full-costume, musical productions?last
   year he was Gepetto in the primary grades' production of Pinocchio!
   Seeing the kids act on stage was such a gift. It was something I had
   never imagined blind children would be so good at doing!
   
   KSB has been a real support system for me. Jamie's teachers have
   always been accessible and welcomed my input. They have been almost
   another extended family!
   
   Jamie spent a second year in third grade last year to hone some skills
   and to do some maturing. It also seemed a good time to explore new
   possibilities. We were feeling that his skills were now strong enough
   to move into a more integrated educational placement. Last year, after
   Christmas, he started attending our neighborhood school, Semple
   Elementary, one day each week. Our primary objective for this little
   experiment was social. We wanted Jamie to begin to adapt to a
   different learning environment and to make more friends in our
   neighborhood.
   
   There was mutual visitation between schools and a truly wonderful
   collaboration between the Jefferson County Vision Program (JCPS), KSB,
   and Semple administrators and teachers to make sure Jamie had what he
   needed. I think this easing-in process really paid off for both
   ourselves and Semple, giving all of us the support and time we needed
   to work into a comfortable relationship.
   
   This year, Jamie is going half-day, each day, to both schools. I
   couldn't be more proud or appreciative of my little neighborhood
   school, which has taken my little interloper and made him one of their
   own! Plans are for him to do the same for fifth grade.
   
   He has a long day, getting on the bus at 6:30 a.m. to KSB, where
   school starts at 7:30 a.m. for language arts and math, then back on
   the bus at 11:30 a.m. to Semple, where he has lunch and spends the
   afternoon for science and social studies until 3:20 p.m. He has music,
   PE, and computer at both schools. His JCPS itinerant teacher of the
   visually impaired has been wonderful and works with him three to four
   afternoons each week. His O&M instructor from KSB has worked with him
   on learning his way around Semple and is now working on walking
   between school and home.
   
   Have There Been Disadvantages?
   
                                  Mary Ann
                                      
   I've talked about the advantages. The disadvantages are that Ashley
   has little opportunity to meet and get to know other blind children.
   We sent her to KSB summer school, and she enjoyed that experience and
   enjoys meeting VIPS children. I am sure she has many questions she
   will ask another blind child when given the opportunity. We all need
   someone who understands. Ashley is attracted to many of the children
   and people in our church who have special needs and enjoys getting to
   know them.
   
                                  Pauletta
                                      
   There are always trade-offs. The main disadvantage of Jamie's
   placement has been that he hasn't gotten to know many children in the
   neighborhood and hasn't had to deal with typical classroom situations
   where there are many students and distractions. But I think we are
   working on these with the dual-placement.
   
   Filling in the Gaps
   
                                  MaryAnn
                                      
   Because some things may need extra attention or explanation, we all
   try very hard to provide as much information as possible to help
   Ashley understand and experience things in life. Instead of talking
   about the park, we go. We make cookies a lot and talk about
   measurements. When they are talking about specific subjects in school,
   we try to find opportunities to increase her understanding. We provide
   as many ?real? experiences as possible. She has a ?preschool? in the
   basement with real cubbies and activities and she, her sister, and
   their friends learn a lot in ?their classroom.? I try to buy tapes and
   allow more music than usual and know that it is important to her. It
   is scary living on a busy street and having a daughter who is too
   brave for her own good. But hopefully, she will grow up and learn to
   be wise in her independence.
   
                                  Pauletta
                                      
   Will we ever be able to fill in the gaps? There just don't seem to be
   enough hours in the day! I couldn't ask for more from the education
   that Jamie is receiving in school! He's getting all the academics plus
   working on many blindness-specific skills. Jamie has to master writing
   in three forms (Braillewriter, slate, and keyboard). He needs to work
   on handwriting so he can sign his name. But there are still so many
   gaps in his knowledge and skills. We spend three times the amount of
   time another sighted child would spend on science and social
   studies?talking while we read, creating impromptu models to build on
   his concepts. Homework can take a lot of time each day, especially now
   that he's in fourth grade. With KIRIS testing coming up, he will be
   staying for extended school days to practice open response tests and
   performance events. He also needs down time, time for friends, time to
   learn to do things for himself. We fit in everything we can, but we
   also keep in mind that he needs time to be just a kid. And we need
   time to be just a family!
   
   Happy Now?
   
                                  Mary Ann
                                      
   Maybe we all just appreciate the little things more and that makes us
   all smile a lot. Yes, we are very happy.
   
   [PHOTO: caption} Ashley Reynolds with her violin.
   
                                  Pauletta
                                      
   Jamie's a great kid, he has fantastic educational services, and we
   have wonderfully supportive teachers. How could we ask for more?
   
   The only ones who can really determine what will be best for your
   child is you and your child with the help of supportive professionals.
   There are creative solutions to problems. There are combinations of
   services that can be developed to meet your child's unique needs.
   
   The best advice we can offer about pursuing service options for your
   child and making them work is this: Don't be afraid to dream. Don't be
   afraid to look at many possible paths to the same end. Be creative. Be
   flexible. Be willing to compromise. Know which battles are worth
   fighting, and save your energy for those. Try to solve problems at the
   school level without alienating your support base?fragile
   relationships can become strong ones when they are given time to grow.
   Your child's teachers can be your strongest allies.
   
   2000 Update
   
                                  Mary Ann
                                      
   Well, after 14 years in our local public school system, we have
   decided to make a huge change?Ashley will attend the Kentucky School
   for the Blind this fall. Over the past two years she has spent many
   days after school just hanging out with the other kids at KSB, while
   attending the local school in her area. Over the years I have been
   intrigued with the changes that children go through once they become
   teen-agers. Boy, do they change! Ashley's teen-age personality is
   blossoming, and she is beginning to have a mind of her own. Part of
   her growing out of her cocoon is dealing with her blindness and all of
   the issues involved with it?accepting blindness as part of yourself
   and being proud of who you are.
   
   At KSB Ashley will meet other students who share the same challenges.
   She has never had this opportunity in an integrated setting. Don't get
   me wrong. I am not comparing the two settings. I am not advocating for
   or against either setting. I am merely sharing the experiences of my
   child. She is changing, and her needs are changing.
   
   My dream for Ashley is that she will grow strong wings and fly like a
   butterfly into the world as a happy and productive individual. But,
   right now, being in school with other blind peers will enable her to
   share common experiences at the academic and recreational levels. She
   is enjoying the conversations with the other students on issues
   related to their blindness. This is a new experience. We are excited
   to see how it will progress. For now, we are just going to take it one
   day at a time and see what happens. Each year is a new adventure.
   Looking over the horizon, I see Ashley on the road to independence.
   
                                  Pauletta
                                      
   A lot has happened in the five-and-one-half years since originally
   writing about Jamie's school placement in the VIPS Parents Newsletter.
   Jamie is now a sophomore in high school!
   
   Just to update, Jamie continued in a dual placement through eighth
   grade with KSB and our public schools, first at Semple Elementary and
   then at Barret Traditional Middle School. Sixth grade was rough?Barret
   had never had a blind student and was not accustomed to making
   accommodations. Their motto was, ?Students adapt to us, we do not
   adapt to students.? We knew that going in and believed that only minor
   adaptations would be required.
   
   Probably the hardest adaptation, which was also the biggest help, was
   for classroom teachers to learn how to team-teach with Jamie's vision
   itinerant. Barret teachers were not used to working with itinerant
   teachers. However, by seventh grade, things were running very
   smoothly. And by eighth grade, when Jamie graduated, the principal and
   teachers told me that one of the hardest things about losing Jamie
   (they had come to LOVE him) was losing his vision itinerant! The
   experience turned out to be a wonderful opportunity for growth for
   Jamie and for students and staff at Barret.
   
   While Jamie had EXEMPLARY services from our public school system, we
   continued to be a KSB family, too. Over the years, Jamie had made so
   many wonderful friends there. A disappointing aspect of his public
   school experience was that friendships at school did not transfer to
   after school hours. Jamie tried and we tried, but with the exception
   of one young man, Barret friends stayed at school.
   
   So, for his freshman year, Jamie went back to KSB full-time. He stayed
   part-time in the dorm to have more of a social life after school. That
   worked very well. This year he is living at school through the school
   week. That's been really rough for us. We've had to let go big
   time?let go of overseeing schoolwork on a daily basis, let go of
   having our youngest child at home! But Jamie is making us let go as he
   moves toward greater independence. He now has the active after school
   life that all teen-agers want. He does jazz band after school; he's on
   the track team and has daily practice; he broadcasts and trains other
   students for the school radio station; and somewhere in there, he fits
   time to study and just hang out!
   
   The path we are taking in raising Jamie and ensuring that he receives
   a good education will continue to be one with many forks and detours.
   Our resolve is to continue to be open to, and flexible in, making
   whatever adaptations are required to meet his changing needs.
   
   Caught in the Middle?
   Sighted or Blind?
   
                              by Debbie Stein
                                      
   Reprinted from the Spring 2000 edition of The Braille Examiner the
   newsletter of the NFB of Illinois, under the title ?Meet a Fellow
   Federationist: Carmen Dennis.?
   
   When you're a partial, you're caught
   somewhere in the middle,? says
   Carmen Dennis. ?You can spend your whole life deciding whether you're
   sighted or blind.? Carmen has faced this dilemma over and over
   throughout her life. Some said she didn't have enough vision to study
   or to work; others have ridiculed her for using a cane because she
   ?sees too well.? Claiming her identity as a blind person has been a
   major theme in her life.
   
   Carmen Sepeda grew up on the east side of Joliet, Illinois, sixth in a
   family of eight children. Her parents were Mexican, and she learned
   Spanish as her first language. From early childhood she had low vision
   due to a condition that was eventually diagnosed as Rieger's syndrome.
   When Carmen's mother tried to enroll her in the local kindergarten,
   the school refused to accept her. The teacher claimed she didn't see
   well enough to read or write. No one told Carmen's parents about
   Braille or special education for blind children. So Carmen stayed home
   while her brothers and sisters went off to school. She listened as
   they did their homework and learned as much as she could.
   
   One day when she was eight Carmen made up her mind to write just like
   everyone else. She took a crayon and copied the printing from a
   colorful box, practicing one word over and over on the bathroom wall.
   The word, it turned out, was KOTEX! Carmen was in trouble, but for the
   first time her mother realized that she might be able to learn reading
   and writing after all.
   
   Shortly after this incident Carmen's parents divorced. Her mother
   could not support all of the children on her own. Carmen and her
   younger siblings were sent to the Guardian Angel Home, an orphanage in
   Joliet. The upheaval was traumatic, but in the long run the orphanage
   proved a Godsend. The staff recognized Carmen's abilities and let her
   attend the small school on the orphanage grounds. Using a magnifier
   she could read the large print in the first and second grade primers.
   But as she advanced in school the print grew smaller. At last the
   teachers felt she could go no farther without special help and sent
   her to the Illinois School for the Blind (now the Illinois School for
   the Visually Impaired) in Jacksonville.
   
   Carmen entered the school for the blind in September, 1956, at the age
   of ten. She was placed in a ?sight-saving class,? because the staff
   said she had too much vision to need Braille. However, she struggled
   to read her large-print books and begged to be taught Braille as an
   alternative. At last her teacher agreed to let her try Braille for
   three months. If she failed to master it in that time, they said, she
   would have to go back to using print. Carmen took up the challenge.
   She found Braille much less tiring, and was able to use it for most of
   her subjects. However, the school still insisted that she use print in
   her math classes. As time passed Carmen became fluent in both print
   and Braille.
   
   At school Carmen discovered a great divide between students with low
   vision and those who were totally blind. Most of her friends were
   ?partials.? Partials had special privileges and responsibilities and
   looked down on the ?totals.? A few of the totally blind students were
   independent and adventurous, and Carmen enjoyed getting to know them.
   But these were the exceptions. Most of the totals lacked basic social
   skills. They needed help to cut up their meat and butter their bread
   in the dining room. Partials were allowed to go shopping in town on
   Saturdays, but they were assigned to take some of the totals along. No
   one used a cane, so the partials had to lead the totals by the arm.
   Blindness meant helplessness and dependence, and Carmen didn't want
   anyone to think of her that way. She didn't want to be labeled as
   blind.
   
   While she was at the state school, Carmen began cutting hair and
   giving permanents to the other girls. She decided she would like to
   become a beautician and even took a cosmetology class at the nearby
   school for the deaf. Only one other student from the school for the
   blind had ever taken this course. Though she was never able to pursue
   this career goal, she still cuts and sets hair for family and friends.
   
   After graduation Carmen talked to a counselor from the Department of
   Rehabilitation Services (DORS) about her future. The counselor told
   her to go to Chicago for further training at the Illinois Visually
   Handicapped Institute (IVHI), now ICRE-Wood. Carmen had no idea how to
   use a cane and had never been to the big city before. A counselor from
   IVHI promised to meet her at the bus station. But when Carmen arrived,
   no one was there to meet her. She waited and waited, growing more
   anxious by the minute. Finally she left the station and found a
   Walgreen's with a pay-phone. At last she spoke to the missing
   counselor. He said he had been at the station, but he failed to
   recognize her because she didn't look blind. She was standing straight
   and alert, and he expected blind people to have their heads down.
   
   Carmen spent eight months at IVHI, where she learned Dictaphone typing
   and a bit of cane travel. She obtained a folding cane, which she
   unfolded whenever she had to cross a busy street. As soon as she
   reached the far curb she would fold her cane again and hide it in the
   sleeve of her coat. From IVHI Carmen went to the Chicago Lighthouse
   for a course on medical transcription. She did well in the class, and
   the Lighthouse placed her in a job at the Illinois State Psychiatric
   Institute. After a trial period, however, she was terminated for
   problems with spelling. Her supervisor told her to go back to the
   Lighthouse for more training. ?When I went to the Lighthouse again,
   the counselor got really angry,? Carmen recalls. ?I asked for more
   training, but she said I didn't ask nicely. It seemed like she wanted
   me to get down on my knees and beg.? Carmen left the Lighthouse and
   never went back. She determined to find work on her own.
   
   But job-hunting proved harder than Carmen expected. She survived on
   Social Security and shared a furnished room with a girlfriend. During
   this turbulent time she became pregnant and gave birth to a daughter,
   Penny. Penny's father, who was blind, ran a cafeteria through the
   vending program sponsored by DORS. During their six years together
   Carmen handled his bookkeeping and learned the business.
   
   In the summer of 1973 a blind friend, Pat Wolthoff, invited Carmen to
   the National Federation of the Blind convention in New York City.
   Hotel rooms were only $8.50 a night, so she could afford to go. At
   convention, Carmen was astounded to see so many blind people moving
   about independently. One day she stood by the glass doors of the hotel
   and watched people streaming in and out, all of them using long white
   canes. Many of these cane-users were partials. Carmen realized she
   wanted to move with that degree of ease and confidence herself. She
   started using a cane that day and has never hidden it again.
   
   For Carmen that convention was a transforming experience. She met
   dozens of blind people who led interesting lives and were fun to be
   with. For the first time in her life she felt it was respectable to be
   blind.
   
   The following year Carmen completed official training for the DORS
   vending program. Because of her travel skills she was able to work as
   a substitute manager at stands, snackbars, and cafeterias all over the
   city. She was told that she was the best substitute in the program.
   She was assigned her own cafeteria, at Belltone Electronics, in 1975.
   She is now assistant manager of a candy stand at the Richard Daley
   Center in Chicago.
   
   In 1980 Carmen married Charlie Dennis whom she met through the vending
   program. Their daughter Kristy was born in 1981.
   
   Carmen Dennis is a stalwart member of the Chicago chapter of the NFBI.
   She is one of those dedicated members who keeps things running
   smoothly by working behind the scenes. At state conventions she labels
   rooms in Braille, and for twenty years she Brailled the menus in the
   convention hotel restaurants. Since 1977 she has stored the
   affiliate's supply of Braille literature in her home. She handles the
   literature table at chapter meetings and at state conventions. It
   means she does lots of organizing and a lot of heavy hauling.
   
   ?I feel I've had to make a choice,? Carmen says. ?I've had to choose
   whether to be accepted as a blind person or to get people to accept me
   as a sighted person. I made that choice when I started to use my cane.
   The first time one of my sighted friends saw me she said, `What have
   you got that thing for? You don't need that!' And I told her, `Yes, I
   do need it, and I'm going to use it, because I'm blind!'?
   
                            The Blind Kid's Cane
                                      
                             by Jesse Bollinger
                                      
   I am a blind kid's cane.
   
   I hate it when I'm tapped against the ground.
   
   I hate getting stuck in the cracks of the floor and bumping into legs.
   
   Oh, No, No, not the wall!
   
   Wack! Ou-Ou-Ouch!
   
   But sometimes I'm happy like when he lays me on Mrs. Mitchell's floor
   and I fall asleep.
   
   One more thing...I love being rolled across the floor by Jesse's foot.
   
   It makes me laugh.
   
   Jesse wrote this poem when he was 11. He lives in Pennsylvania and is
   now 15, and, as his mother wrote, ?has gone through many a cane.?
   
   When a Child Resists Braille
   
   by Denise Mehlenbacher
   
   Editor's Note: What can teachers or parents do if a child resists
   learning Braille? Denise Mehlenbacher, a teacher of the visually
   impaired and an avid advocate for Braille, recently sent me this
   article about her experiences with a low-vision child who balked at
   learning Braille. Ms. Mehlenbacher, by the way, has written other
   articles for Future Reflections under the name of Staulter. She
   currently works in Washington state as a teacher in a school district
   that, she reports, ?supports my endeavors to create literate
   individuals.? Here is what Denise Mehlenbacher has to say about a
   child who resists Braille:
   
   Last year one of my first grade students fought learning Braille from
   the day I began instruction with him. He had started Braille lessons
   in kindergarten with my colleague, but he failed to retain any of his
   Braille skills from the prior year. The former teacher told me that he
   began to resist learning Braille toward the last few months of school.
   Consequently, I had to start over with Grade I Braille. He is a very
   bright boy and has the potential to stay up with his classmates, but
   continually fought the idea of learning this skill. He wanted to prove
   that his eyes were good enough to see and do the work. He ended up
   with many back and neck aches from leaning over his work, and he
   became depressed because he could not finish it.
   
   Much of last year, when he came to me for his Braille lesson, he would
   be upset about something that had occurred in class. He would start to
   talk about what happened, but then he would end up talking about how
   he was losing his sight, how that bothered him and made him a ?bad
   boy.? We could not even begin our lessons until he got this off his
   chest. His classroom teacher would call me and tell me how he was
   laying his head on his desk, refusing to do his work. He was often
   depressed, and although he could talk about his situation, he could
   not pinpoint why he was always getting into trouble.
   
   This student has been losing his sight since the age of three and
   knows many of the details. However, he still cannot understand
   completely why he is losing it and why it cannot be fixed. He knows
   that I went through a similar experience of losing my sight and how I
   was able to have surgery to regain the majority of it back. Of course,
   he wants the same surgery. He cannot understand the differences
   between our visual problems and why mine can be fixed and his cannot.
   
   He fought everything I needed and wanted to teach him. He did his
   lessons fairly well while with me, but when he returned to his class
   he would refuse to do his work. Behavior problems arose quickly. His
   parents were distressed about his lack of progress and his fighting in
   school. They sought out and began counseling. This little boy needed
   to learn how to deal with losing his sight before he would ever want
   to learn Braille, adaptive technology, or any other blind skill. He
   needed to realize that there is an abundance to learn and experience
   without vision. He needed to know that it is okay to be blind.
   
   After only a few months of family counseling I can see an incredible
   difference in this little boy. I taught summer school, and Mom came to
   class periodically. She also learned Grade I Braille and now races her
   son on the Brailler. She also lets him check her work after she
   completes it. This gives him great joy. His attitude toward Braille
   has changed. I think he believes he is not alone in this new skill.
   His peers are not learning it, but Mom is learning it. This makes an
   incredible difference in how he feels about himself and Braille. Mom
   and Dad also have him read Braille to them almost every night, and his
   skill has increased ten-fold.
   
   He has started the new year with a different attitude. I just began
   chapter books with him. During class silent reading he reads aloud to
   me so I can help him with the new contractions. Now, when the teacher
   says it is time to ?Put your books away,? he is always trying to sneak
   in a couple more lines. He can also participate in class when the
   class is doing dictation, reading sentences, and trying to find the
   correct answer. His Braille reading is still slow, but he is gaining
   quickly. I see great strides taking place for him now that his parents
   are learning Braille and constantly encourage him to read to them at
   home.
   
   If blind children do not frequently have their fingers in a Braille
   book, they will not pick up the skill. Sighted children see the
   printed word constantly and can pick up words indirectly just by
   looking around. It is so important for parents to realize the impact
   they can have on their children with visual impairments. If parents
   take an interest in and learn the skill of Braille, their children
   will realize that Braille matters and that learning it matters. This
   attitude will follow the children into school and their reading skills
   will increase, making for a much more successful person.
   
              Resources for Parents Who Want to Learn Braille
                                      
   The Hadley School for the Blind offers a free correspondence course
   for parents who want to learn some Braille. The course uses the book,
   Just Enough To Know Better, published by National Braille Press, Inc.
   Parents can sign up for the course and get this book, or they can
   order the book directly from National Braille Press, Inc. and study it
   on their own.
   
   Parents can also choose to take the more rigorous correspondence
   course which leads to certification as a Braille Transcriber. The
   Library of Congress, National Library for the Blind and Physically
   Handicapped (NLS) in Washington D.C. provides this training and
   certification. There are other books which parents can buy and use for
   self-study, too. Here is a list of resources:
   
   Correspondence Courses
   
   The Hadley School for the Blind,
   700 Elm Street, Winnetka, IL 60093-0299, (800) 323-4238.
   Braille Reading for Family Members, Course D-PC-501.
   
   Braille Development Section, National Library Service for the Blind
   and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, Washington D.C.
   20542, (202) 707-5100 or (800) 124-8567; Web site: <www.loc.gov/nls>.
   Courses in literary Braille transcribing, mathematics Braille
   transcribing, music Braille transcribing, and sighted proofreading.
   
   Self-Study Books and Materials
   
   National Braille Press, Inc.,
   88 St. Stephen Street, Boston MA 02115, orders: (800) 548-7223. 
   Just Enough to Know Better, a Braille primer by Eileen P. Curan.
   
   Reference Section, National Library Service for the Blind and
   Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, Washington D.C. 20542,
   (202) 707-5100 or (800) 124-8567; Web site: <www.loc.gov/nls>.
   Publishes a reference circular called ?Braille Literacy: Resources for
   Instruction, Writing Equipment, and Supplies? No. 94-02.
   
                             Braille Won't Bite
                                      
                            by Mingkhwan Zehner
                                      
   Don't be afraid of Braille.
   
   It won't bite you.
   
   It just licks your hand
   
   and gives you more information.
   
   Mingkhwan, age 13, spent her early years in a school for the blind in
   Taiwan. She came to the states with her adoptive parents when she was
                            about 8 years old. 
                                      
                      She currently lives in Illinois.
                                      
   Technology, Braille, the Nemeth Code, and Jobs
   
                              by Curtis Chong
                                      
                       [PHOTO: caption] Curtis Chong
                                      
   Editor's Note: A little while ago I received a plea for help from a
   teacher of the visually impaired. The teacher, an experienced Braille
   instructor and avid believer in fundamental literary and math skills,
   had taken over a position that had been filled by an instructor with a
   great personality and a lackluster attitude toward Braille. The former
   teacher had concealed her own inadequacies in literary and Nemeth Code
   Braille skills by pushing the talking technology. She had, for
   example, convinced parents that their children did not need to know
   the Nemeth Code.
   
   The new teacher was in an awkward position. He wanted to begin
   remedial instruction in Nemeth Code and other Braille skills
   immediately, but parents were resisting. Could the NFB help? He
   particularly thought a letter from someone with strong credentials
   might help persuade the parents and the IEP team of the importance of
   a good foundation in Braille and Nemeth Code skills.
   
   I took the problem to Mr. Chong, Director of the NFB Technology
   Department. He was happy to take on the task and, as you can see in
   his letter below, his credentials for speaking to this issue are as
   good as they come. Here is what Mr. Chong said about ?Technology,
   Braille, the Nemeth Code, and Jobs?:
   
   Dear Ms._________:
   
   You asked me to express my views about children who are blind
   developing proficiency in literary Braille as well as the Nemeth Code.
   You also asked how good Braille skills relate to independence and
   career opportunities for persons who are blind.
   
   Let me begin by telling you a bit about myself. I am totally blind. I
   currently direct the Technology Department of the National Federation
   of the Blind. For twenty years, from 1977-1997, I held a variety of
   positions in data processing (now called information technology). I
   started out as an applications programmer writing mainframe software
   in a number of languages. I then moved into the technical support
   area, installing and maintaining operating systems, data base
   management, and communication software for the corporate mainframe
   environment.
   
   When I left private industry in 1997 to take my current position with
   the National Federation of the Blind, I was managing the work of two
   technical support teams; one team supported mainframe communication
   systems, and the other, mid-range computer operating systems and
   performance monitoring software.
   
   A critical factor in my success was proficiency in Braille. I used
   literary Braille to write operational procedures and performance
   evaluations. I used a mixture of the Nemeth Code and the Computer
   Braille Code to write and debug computer programs, to perform
   hexadecimal math calculations to analyze memory dumps (there was no
   hexadecimal calculator for the blind), and to jot down the syntax of
   the many programmatic statements used to configure the large data base
   and communication systems under my responsibility.
   
   Although today I make full use of computers with speech output, I find
   that there is no substitute for being able to put my hands on a
   complicated piece of code or a document whose language requires
   careful crafting. Proficiency in literary Braille, the Nemeth Code,
   and the Computer Braille Code allows me the freedom to proofread, in
   extreme detail, the most complicated material?something which I would
   find exceptionally difficult if speech were my only means of receiving
   information.
   
   There seems to be a widespread misconception that with today's
   speech-capable computers, it is possible for blind students to forego
   the development of proficiency in the more technical Braille codes. It
   has been said that a blind person can perform mathematical
   calculations with a talking computer or electronic note-taker and
   achieve the same result as would be obtained using the Nemeth Code. I
   would like to correct emphatically any thinking along these lines.
   
   While today's talking computers are indeed capable of converting
   standard ASCII-printable text into speech, they cannot speak the
   non-textual symbols used in even the most basic form of mathematics.
   They cannot speak the square root symbol, superscripted or subscripted
   numbers, triangles, arrows, and other geometric shapes used in basic
   algebra and geometry. Moreover, a talking computer does not render in
   a meaningful way the spatial information that is often the key to
   solving a complicated mathematical expression.
   
   Another misconception that should be dispelled is that the blind
   student must learn the entire Nemeth Code in order to use it. This is
   not at all true. Just as sighted students learn new mathematical
   symbols only when they must use them, so it is with the blind student
   using the Nemeth Code. The student, who already should know basic
   Braille, only needs to learn the Nemeth symbols that are relevant for
   the mathematics being taught.
   
   While discussions take place about whether or not blind students need
   to learn the Nemeth Code, some interesting statistics are worth
   keeping in mind. Among blind Americans of working age (18-55), there
   is a staggering 70 percent unemployment rate. Of the remaining 30
   percent who are employed, 80 percent or more use Braille. I submit
   that this is no accident. There is a direct correlation between
   success in employment and proficiency in Braille.
   
   In closing, I would ask you to remember that Braille is to the blind
   what print is to the sighted. With Braille, a blind person can examine
   every aspect of a piece of writing, including the spaces between
   words, the exact punctuation used, the capitalization of each and
   every letter, and the layout of mathematical expressions.
   
   Those who labor under the misapprehension that the Nemeth Code is a
   code that is separate from and unrelated to the Literary Braille Code
   should consider how mathematical symbols in print relate to literary
   print. Education in mathematics necessitates the learning of new
   symbols and concepts, and it doesn't matter whether the student is
   blind or sighted. While the blind student must learn Nemeth Braille
   symbols, the sighted student must learn printed mathematical
   symbols?symbols which are unfamiliar at first but which become rapidly
   familiar as an understanding of the subject is achieved. Depriving a
   blind student of the opportunity to learn the Nemeth Code is the same
   as preventing a sighted student from learning the meaning of printed
   mathematical symbols.
   
   I hope that I have satisfied your questions about the value of Braille
   in general and the Nemeth Code in specific. I also hope that I have
   put forth satisfactory arguments demonstrating that for the blind,
   Braille is a vital key to independence and career opportunities.
   
   Yours sincerely,
   
   Curtis Chong, Director of Technology
   
   National Federation of the Blind
   
   Textbooks On Time: Will It Ever Happen for the Blind?
   
   by Kristin Cox
   
   [PHOTO: caption] Kristin Cox
   
   Editor's Note: Kristin Cox is the Assistant Director of Governmental
   Affairs of the National Federation of the Blind. She is also a dynamic
   young woman who knows from her own experience growing up as a blind
   child the importance of a good education. Inherent in our society's
   definition of a good education is the assumption that children will
   have the materials?textbooks, workbooks, etc.?they need so that they
   may learn. Parents know that when the first day of school rolls around
   children will be coming home with backpacks stuffed with books handed
   out to them by their new teachers. We expect this. But what happens if
   a child doesn't get his/her textbooks on the first day? Or the second
   day? Or even a month later? Such a scenario is almost unthinkable to
   the average parent. Yet, this very thing happens to hundreds of
   children around the country year after year. Here is what Kristin Cox
   has to say about the timely provision of textbooks to blind children:
   
   Johnny is an active, enthusiastic and curious sixth grader. Along with
   many of his friends, Johnny had mixed emotions about going back to
   school this year. ?I like school, and I like being with my friends,
   but I am a little nervous and hope I will do well,? he said. Some of
   the challenges Johnny faces this year are unique and not typically
   experienced by other sixth graders. Johnny is blind.
   
   For Johnny, obtaining accessible versions of instructional materials
   and texts is critical if he is to succeed in school. Over one month
   into the school year Johnny still does not have the Braille copy of
   his history book and only segments of his math book have arrived.
   Already he feels behind and struggles to keep up with his classmates
   in his history and math classes.
   
   Unfortunately Johnny's story is far too common among blind students.
   This is true even though parents of blind students, schools, teachers,
   publishers, and others are usually well-intended and work hard to
   provide blind students prompt access to instructional materials. So,
   why then all of the problems?
   
   In this article, we will discuss both the answers to this question as
   well as possible solutions. But first, we must begin with a
   description of how accessible formats are acquired.
   
   Acquiring Accessible Formats of Instructional Materials
   
   Any meaningful discussion about Braille in the classroom must include
   the role of the Individualized Education Program (IEP). The IEP is the
   blue print from which a student's successful education is built. It
   should reflect the IEP team's fundamental belief that the blind
   student should have access to the same instructional materials at the
   same time that their sighted peers do.
   
   Parents, along with the other members of the IEP team, must carefully
   craft clear and strong language that ensures that all instructional
   materials are available in accessible formats, such as Braille.
   Sometimes the IEP may stipulate that textbooks should be converted
   into Braille, but may leave out workbooks, supplemental, and testing
   materials. The IEP team should think through all of the possible
   instances during the child's classroom education in which print
   materials would need to be converted into accessible formats.
   
   However, avoid the temptation to create exhaustive lists which are
   finite. Fixed lists cannot account for the unpredicted needs which
   inevitably pop-up throughout the child's education. Instead,
   incorporate language that is inclusive and comprehensive.
   
   The Selection of Instructional Materials for Classroom Use
   
   The process of selecting and approving the use of instructional
   materials for classroom use differs depending on the state. Some
   states, known as adoption states, approve the use of textbooks on a
   statewide basis. For example, Florida, an adoption state, employs a
   group of individuals to decide which math, reading, science, and other
   texts will be used for all grade levels in all schools throughout the
   state. This standardized approach to textbook adoption tends to be
   predictable. Very often adoption states determine which books will be
   used at least six months before the school year in question begins.
   
   In other states, known as open territories, the teacher, school, or
   school district can determine which instructional materials will be
   used. The inherent flexibility in open territory states can result in
   the selection of instructional materials closer to the beginning of
   the school year. For example, a teacher could decide to use a
   particular science book just weeks before school begins.
   
   How schools and states go about selecting instructional materials for
   classroom use has a significant impact on the problem at hand.
   Converting instructional materials into accessible formats is labor
   intensive. Without adequate time, the best Braille transcriber in the
   world cannot produce high quality Braille in a timely fashion. If
   schools determine which texts will be used early on, accessible format
   producers will have a better chance of converting the text and
   delivering it to the student on time. In contrast, the late adoption
   of instructional materials inevitably leads to the late delivery of
   accessible formats to blind students.
   
   How and Where to Locate Accessible Instructional Materials
   
   With the text selection process completed, the compilation of a
   specific list of texts and other materials the blind student will need
   for the upcoming school year can begin. This process should begin as
   early as possible. Typically the responsibility for doing this lies
   with the Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI). Once this information
   is collected, the TVI or other designated individual must locate,
   purchase, or produce the accessible versions of the materials. For
   Braille and electronic texts, there are three primary resources
   available to accomplish this.
   
   First, each fiscal year the American Printing House for the Blind
   (APH) receives an appropriation from the federal government for the
   production and distribution of accessible instructional materials and
   supplies for legally blind students. APH is then charged with
   crediting ?designated ex officio trustees? with funds to purchase
   accessible instructional materials and supplies based on the number of
   blind students served by that particular agency. Ex officio trustees
   are simply agencies designated by state departments of education. Such
   agencies may be statewide instructional resource centers, schools for
   the blind, etc. In essence, the designated agency has a prepaid credit
   line with APH from which accessible instructional materials and
   supplies can be purchased. Requests from individual school districts
   for accessible materials available through this program must flow
   through their state's designated ex officio agency.
   
   Second, states may contribute their own resources for the production
   and purchase of accessible instructional materials. Some states
   allocate these funds to an already established instructional resource
   center. Other states distribute the funds to media centers, school
   districts, and like entities throughout the state. Texas, for example,
   is well-known for its vast and comprehensive collection of internally
   produced accessible formats. In fact, Texas often produces accessible
   formats for other state and local education agencies.
   
   The production of accessible formats by different instructional
   resource centers, schools, and other agencies could result in
   duplication of effort. To avoid this, APH houses the Louis Database of
   Accessible Formats for people who are blind or visually impaired. This
   third resource acts as a centralized clearinghouse of over 145,000
   titles in accessible formats produced by over 200 agencies. Educators,
   administrators, and parents can locate valuable information about the
   existence and location of textbooks and other educational materials in
   accessible formats as well as other relevant data. The sharing of
   accessible formats helps minimize the costs and substantial efforts
   associated with the conversion process.
   
   [Cartoon] A boy with a cane leaning against his desk is sitting in a
   classroom with other kids. He is the only kid without a textbook on
   his desk. The teacher standing in front of the class is saying: ?Open
   your books class, and we'll begin our journey into American History?
   The boy is frowning and he is thinking to himself ?By the time I get
   my Braille textbook, this semester will be history.? 
   
   The Mechanics of Converting Instructional Materials into Accessible
   Formats
   
   Converting instructional materials into accessible formats is easier
   said than done. Typically, it involves a labor-intensive process of
   either scanning or manually inputting original information into an
   electronic format. This electronic version is used to produce
   non-visual formats, such as Braille, or synthetic speech. The
   conversion of a single textbook can take at least six months to
   complete. The cost, time, and labor needed to convert materials into
   accessible formats vary depending on the complexity of the information
   being converted. For example, math and science books are typically
   more difficult to convert into alternative formats such as Braille.
   
   In order to streamline the conversion process, fifteen states require
   publishers to provide an electronic version of any textbook that a
   state or local educational agency purchases. The electronic version
   can then be quickly converted to a non-visual format. However,
   electronic formatting standards vary from state to state. These
   incongruities naturally lead to inefficient duplication for
   publishers. Even more important, the standards are imprecise and often
   result in file formats that cannot be easily used for the purpose
   intended.
   
   Even with an electronic version of the text, high quality Braille
   still depends on the competency of Braille transcribers and
   proofreaders. Certification helps in determining the baseline
   competence of these individuals. The National Library Service for the
   Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) offers a variety of courses
   which lead to the certification of Braille transcribers and
   proofreaders. Certification does not guarantee high quality and
   standardized Braille production, but it does help.
   
   Unfortunately, not all states use certified transcribers. This may be
   due to either the lack of commitment to high quality Braille on the
   part of the state, or the lack of competent Braille transcribers in
   the area. Some states rely on volunteer transcribers, but this group
   is rapidly decreasing in number.
   
   How to Streamline the Conversion Process: The National Federation of
   the Blind's Proposal
   
   Although some states have made modest progress toward giving blind
   students non-visual access to relevant educational information, their
   solutions are, at best, partial and unable to address the systemic
   issues involved. The National Federation of the Blind is committed to
   ensuring that all blind children have equal access to instruction
   materials. To this end, the National Federation of the Blind supports
   streamlining the process of converting instructional materials into
   accessible formats. We recognize that no one single solution will
   speak to all of the varying components of the process. However, there
   is one approach we are working on that, if implemented, would
   significantly further the progress of the prompt and accurate
   conversion of information into accessible formats.
   
   During the annual NFB Washington Seminar in 2000 the National
   Federation of the Blind introduced a legislative proposal entitled,
   ?The Accessible Instructional Materials Act of 2000.? If enacted, the
   proposal would implement four primary objectives:
   
   ? Publishers should provide electronic versions of instructional
   materials purchased by state and local education agencies.
   
   ? Electronic files submitted by publishers should be compatible with
   Braille transcription software.
   
   ? A national repository should be established to house and distribute
   the electronic files.
   
   ? Congress should appropriate funds for the training and development
   of individuals responsible for producing alternative formats, such as
   Braille.
   
   Through this approach, the provision of electronic files (now limited
   to a handful of states) will benefit all schools and state agencies
   across the country. More importantly, the proposal will create a
   uniform electronic file-formatting standard that promotes the
   efficient, accurate, and prompt conversion of materials into
   accessible formats. This standardized approach will also serve
   publishers by eliminating individual and inconsistent state
   requirements. Furthermore, the appropriation of funds for training and
   development will support on-going efforts to ensure the competence of
   alternative format producers.
   
   Soon after our Washington Seminar, we entered into negotiations with
   the Association of American Publishers and other stakeholders to build
   consensus and support for the proposal. There have been some
   modifications to the proposal as a result of these ongoing
   negotiations. However, the objectives outlined above have been and
   will continue to be the cornerstones to our legislative effort.
   
   Members of Congress generally support our approach. However, the
   possibility of enacting this legislation will not occur until the
   convening of the new Congress in 2001.
   
   How You Can Make A Difference
   
   Parents, in particular, can play an important role in the acquisition
   of accessible instructional materials. Here are some ways parents can
   make a difference:
   
   1. If possible, bring a credible and knowledgeable advocate to your
   IEP meetings. Advocates offer a wealth of experience, knowledge, and
   the support parents often need while developing and implementing the
   IEP.
   
   2. Encourage your states, school districts, and schools to adopt
   policies which provide adequate time between the point of approving
   texts for classroom use and the beginning of the school year. This
   will ensure that there is sufficient time to convert the instructional
   materials into accessible formats.
   
   2. Work closely with the teacher of the visually impaired, classroom
   teachers, and school administrators to ensure that requests for
   accessible formats are made as soon as is practicably possible.
   
   3. Follow up with the teacher of the visually impaired to confirm the
   arrival of each accessible textbook and other materials before the
   school year begins. It is not uncommon for a parent to learn that only
   part of a text was converted into Braille, or, that a workbook did not
   arrive at all. Make a list of everything your child will need for the
   upcoming school year and check it off as it arrives. Too often parents
   will not realize, until a month or two into the school year, that an
   important text has not arrived.
   
   4. Become active in the National Federation of the Blind. The
   Federation offers resources, invaluable information, and the
   opportunity to network with other parents of blind children. Equally
   important, the Federation acts as a collective voice for the blind.
   Through our collective efforts, laws, and policies societal opinions
   can be shaped and changed for the better.
   
   5. Provide your child with positive blind role models. Blind adults
   who are successful act not just as positive role models, but can
   suggest alternative techniques for adapting to the classroom
   environment. The impact a role model can have on a blind child is
   immeasurable.
   
   6. Contact members of Congress. Let your Representatives and Senators
   (both on the state and federal levels) know of the challenges blind
   students face in the classroom. Promote the idea that publishers
   should provide electronic versions of their texts to schools.
   
   Conclusion
   
   Almost everyone agrees that providing our blind children with a high
   quality, challenging education is an imperative. A good education
   prepares an individual to face competently the challenges of
   adulthood. This is even more relevant in an economy and society that
   places increasing value upon information.
   
   It naturally follows, then, that when blind children cannot fully
   access their educational environment, the implications stretch far
   beyond the classroom. This is why the National Federation of the Blind
   has insisted, and will continue to insist, that blind children have
   equal access to all instructional materials used in the classroom.
   
                      National Federation of the Blind
                             Resolution 2000-02
                                      
                                July 8, 2000
                             Atlanta, Georgia.
                                      
   WHEREAS, a high-quality education is essential in order to compete for
   jobs, participate in community life, and sustain economic
   independence; and
   
   WHEREAS, Congress recognized the right of individuals with
   disabilities to receive a free, appropriate public education by
   enacting the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which
   requires individualized plans of instruction to meet the particular
   needs of each disabled student but does not always put in place
   efficient systems to meet those needs; and
   
   WHEREAS, despite IDEA, the lack of accessible instructional materials
   is still a barrier to a high-quality education for blind students,
   largely due to the labor-intensive and costly process of converting
   texts and other materials into accessible formats such as Braille when
   the conversion must be done by hand; and
   
   WHEREAS, this conversion process could be streamlined significantly to
   reduce the burdens of both time and cost currently placed on local
   school districts if publishers of textbooks would promptly furnish an
   electronic version of each textbook that could then be converted into
   specialized formats for blind children; and
   
   WHEREAS, some states have enacted legislation to address this need by
   requiring publishers to provide an electronic version of materials to
   education agencies when such agencies purchase print editions for
   sighted students, but this state-by-state approach does not address
   the needs of all blind children covered by IDEA since publishers do
   not often furnish electronic texts in states not requiring them to do
   so; and
   
   WHEREAS, the Association of American Publishers (AAP) acknowledges
   that providing electronic text to support conversion of instructional
   materials into specialized formats for the blind is part of the
   responsibility of publishers; however, in spite of expressed good
   intentions, this responsibility is not being met voluntarily: Now,
   therefore,
   
   BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in convention
   assembled this eighth day of July, 2000, in the City of Atlanta,
   Georgia, that this organization call upon Congress to turn the promise
   of IDEA into the reality of books for our nation's blind children by
   enacting legislation to compel publishers to provide usable electronic
   versions of textbooks purchased for sighted children to school
   districts serving blind children.
   
                  1999 - 2000 Braille Readers Are Leaders
                              Contest Winners
                                      
                            School for the Blind
                      Outstanding Participation Award
                                      
              South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind
                                      
                   School for the Blind Honorable Mention
                                      
                     Kansas State School for the Blind
                                      
                  Excellence in Promoting Braille Literacy
                                      
                              JoAnne Stenbuck
                                      
                    Teacher of the Visually Impaired, MA
                                      
   Print-To-Braille
   
   First: Shelley Rhodes, PA, 3,012 pages, grade 12
   
   Second: Pippi Adams, KS, 2,652 pages, grade 12
   
   Third: Renae Goettel, WA, 1,181 pages, grade 9
   
   Honorable Mention
   
   Olivia Ramirez, KS, 668 pages, grade 8
   
   Andrea Ramirez, KS, 615 pages, grade 8
   
   Kindergarten - First Grade
   
   First: Tyler Kavanaugh, KS, 10,789 pages, grade 1
   
   Second: Brianna Brown, WV, 5,035 pages, grade 1
   
   Third: Morgayne Mulkern, MA, 3,371 pages, grade 1
   
   Honorable Mention
   
   Hannah Weatherd, MT, 2,592 pages, grade 1
   
   Rachael McCauley, MA, 2,287 pages, grade 1
   
   Second - Fourth Grades
   
   First: Desiree Oudinot, PA, 12,354 pages, grade 4
   
   Second: Casey Burns, WI, 9,629 pages, grade 4
   
   Third: Macy McClain, OH, 7,035 pages, grade 3
   
   Honorable Mention
   
   Rochelle Schmitt, IN, 3,580 pages, grade 2
   
   Katlyn Kress, MN, 3,291 pages, grade 2
   
   Fifth - Eighth Grades
   
   First: Heather Bandy, CA, 9,236 pages, grade 6
   
   Second: Heather Wilson, OR, 8,655 pages, grade 7
   
   Third: Jessica Watson, MD, 6,435 pages, grade 6
   
   Honorable Mention
   
   Corey Grandstaff, OH, 6,398 pages, grade 5
   
   Chelsea Pinson, OK, 6,154 pages, grade 6
   
   Ninth - Twelfth Grades
   
   First: Angela Hubbard, VA, 15,013 pages, grade 11
   
   Second: James Konechne, SD, 11,035 pages,
   grade 12
   
   Third: Shelly Christner, MN, 10,990 pages, grade 10
   
   Honorable Mention
   
   Joshua Jungwirth, MI, 9,557 pages, grade 11
   
   Alex Bustos, AZ, 6,363 pages, grade 9
   
   Most Improved
   
   Adrian Joe, AZ, age 17
   
   Cathy Drake, WA, age 14
   
   Ashley Canen, WA, age 14
   
   Arthur McClendon, MO, age 13
   
   Becky Bruce, MI, age 13
   
   Kurt Elliott, MO, age 10
   
   Kayla Routon, MO, age 8
   
   Edith Noriega, AZ, age 18
   
   Matthew Brock, KY, age 13
   
   Esmeralda Bueno, CA, age 11
   
                        Putting the Pieces Together
                  Humpty Dumpty and Other Touching Rhymes
                                      
   A Book Review by Christine Faltz
   
   [PHOTO: caption] Christine Faltz
   
   Several years ago, Shirley Keller and Irma Goldberg of Creative
   Adaptations for Learning (CAL) approached me with a pile of tactile
   illustrations and picture descriptions for a nursery rhymes book they
   were planning. Because I had expressed such delight with their other
   products, especially their tactually illustrated Braille alphabet and
   number cards, and their book Let's Learn Shapes with Shapely-CAL-they
   wanted to know which pictures I thought were best and what they should
   consider changing or elaborating upon. They also asked me to share
   their ideas with my daughter, Samantha, who was at the time nearly
   three.
   
   It's been a long two years, waiting for Humpty Dumpty to come alive.
   Today, at long last, I have before me one of the first copies of
   Humpty Dumpty and Other Touching Rhymes published by National Braille
   Press. It's even better than I anticipated. Anyone who's seen
   Shapely-CAL already knows how easily discernible CAL's illustrations
   are.
   
   The individual nursery rhymes appear in large print and Braille on the
   left-hand side of the book. Facing the rhymes, on the right-hand side
   of the book, are the actual tactile drawings. A Braille reader who has
   learned all or most of her contractions can explore this book
   completely unassisted.
   
   Humpty Dumpty comes equipped with a complementary booklet, tucked into
   a pocket at the back of the book, which gives a step-by-step tour of
   the multi-faceted illustrations. This booklet, like the nursery rhymes
   book itself, is in print and Braille.
   
   Twice, the reader is coaxed to be sure to explore the whole page?not
   at all a redundant move, since it is easy to miss an interesting or
   fun detail. Even after sharing the book's contents with my daughter
   several times, and looking at each illustration for several minutes, I
   am continually amazed at the elements I have missed.
   
   The mouse's tail is obvious and cute (if you do not mind mice) and the
   eggs in the nest in ?Hickety, Pickety, My Black Hen? are easy to
   distinguish, but the reason one can only discern one eye, nostril, and
   ear on the sheep in ?Baa, Baa, Black Sheep? only makes sense if you
   already understand a view in profile or if you read the description in
   the accompanying booklet.
   
   In ?Hey, Diddle, Diddle,? one can see what a flying cow looks like on
   a flat page. One is able to feel the flame on the candle in ?Jack Be
   Nimble,? count the leaves and feel the rough bark of the oak in ?A
   Wise Old Owl,? or feel the wool on the sheep in ?Baa, Baa, Black
   Sheep.?
   
   Many blind children have no idea what a hen or a sheep or a cow looks
   like. I have yet to run across a ?willing? owl and was shocked to
   learn that a horned owl does not have horns, but feathery tufts that
   resemble them. I've always assumed owls had long beaks; I know now
   that, at least in the case of a horned owl, it has a short, sharp
   beak.
   
   Unlike Shapely-CAL, there is no added color on the illustrations,
   which potentially compromises its attraction for sighted children and
   those with some light perception. However, the pages can easily be
   decorated using markers or textured materials, which would add to the
   fun! Additionally, although its entire contents is age-appropriate for
   babies, it was not possible (for pesky economic reasons) to create a
   book of this nature that could withstand the mouthing and otherwise
   messy, rowdy exploratory methods of infants. Even younger toddlers
   should be supervised in the care of this wonderful book.
   
   However, as with all CAL products, the attention to detail and care
   taken with respect to both the illustrations and their descriptions is
   first-rate. As for the latter issue, I will be doing whatever I can,
   by any gentle, loving, and legal means necessary, to introduce my
   1-year-old son to this book sooner than later. (Besides, CAL's
   washable, infant-friendly, round-cornered Shape, Number and Alphabet
   cards are already part of my arsenal for promoting early literacy,
   pre-Braille readiness, and development of compensatory tactual
   skills.)
   
   Blind children's options for illustrated books are practically nil and
   mediocre at best. There are many agencies and nonprofit organizations
   catering to the relatively tiny market of blind children. Because of
   this small demand, costs are high. There is a lot of overlapping of
   products and materials, but I assure you, there is only one place to
   get high-quality tactile pictures which are appropriate for the very
   young blind child?and indeed for any print-handicapped child. Humpty
   Dumpty and Other Touching Rhymes is absolutely, positively a
   worthwhile investment. It is available for $24 from:
   
                           National Braille Press
                             88 St. Stephen St.
                           Boston, MA 02115-430X
                        (800) 548-7323 <www.nbp.org>
                                      
   For information about CAL's other fantastic products contact:
   
                     Creative Adaptations for Learning
                              38 Beverly Road
                         Great Neck, NY 11021-1330
                       (516) 466-9143; <www.cals.org>
                                      
   Christine Faltz, blind since birth, is the mother of two blind
   children: Samantha, who is four-and-a-half, and Braden, who just
   celebrated his first birthday. Christine is an attorney who currently
   handles pro-bono education, employment, human, and/or civil rights
   matters. She is Secretary of the National Organization of Parents of
   Blind Children; President of the New York State Parents of Blind
   Children; First Vice President of the Long Island Chapter of the
   National Federation of the Blind; Associate Consultant for Art
   Education for the Blind; and a Board Member of the International
   Children's Anophthalmia/Microophthalmia Network.
   
   The Great Tactile Defensiveness Scare
   
                             by Christine Faltz
                                      
   Editor's Note: The genesis for this particular article was a
   conversation thread on the NOPBC-sponsored Internet listserv,
   BlindKid. In a dialog that began with a new parent asking for advice,
   a comment was made about tactile defensiveness. That comment really
   struck a nerve! One of the parents?Christine Faltz, secretary of the
   National Organization of Parents of Blind Children?was so motivated by
   the discussion that she dashed off the following article for Future
   Reflections. For those who are curious about the listserv dialog that
   started it all, some of the edited remarks appear at the conclusion of
   this article. Here, now, is what Christine Faltz has to say:
   
   In February, 1999, my husband, 3  -year-old daughter Samantha, and I
   boarded a plane in Phoenix to fly home to New York after visiting with
   my in-laws. As I headed up the ramp into the plane, cane ahead of me
   and Samantha behind, holding my hand, my daughter hesitated.
   
   ?Come on, honey; we're going to sit down in a minute,? I said.
   
   A fellow passenger offered her explanation for Sammi's reluctance:
   ?She probably doesn't like the feel of the carpet or the noise.?
   
   ?Actually, she has a terrible stomach virus and doesn't feel well,? I
   replied, inwardly bristling that this stranger automatically assumed
   that my daughter's blindness was the likely explanation for her worry.
   What would her explanation have been if Sammi weren't blind? Fear of
   flying or fear of the unknown, some similar, mundane explanation is my
   bet. This was, in fact, Sammi's twelfth flight.
   
   Early this spring, after his eighth ear infection, I took my son,
   Braden, to an ear, nose, and throat specialist. He looked in his ears,
   nose, mouth, and throat and the audiologist administered an involved
   hearing test. Braden was mostly congenial and cooperative. Both the
   ENT and audiologist, on separate occasions and without knowledge of
   the other's comments, exclaimed over my well-behaved son. ?Visually
   impaired babies are usually irritable and fussy,? they said. My guess
   is, given the nature of the examinations, that the majority of the
   babies seen are irritable and fussy. I wonder if they ever noticed how
   irritable and fussy Latino, Asian, or African-American babies can be
   when their personal space is invaded? If so, I doubt very much that
   the parents of well-behaved babies in such groups were told about it.
   
   Last summer, Samantha attended summer camp three days a week at her
   preschool. Because it was quite clear to me that the director was
   uncomfortable with Sammi participating in such a ?rough atmosphere,
   nothing like school during the year? I hired two teen-aged cousins to
   take turns attending camp with Sammi during the summer. By the end of
   the summer, the head counselor realized this had been a mistake, but I
   was the one who was living with the consequences. It took weeks for my
   daughter to gain back her wonderful, age-appropriate independence, and
   to this day, she quits too easily, thinking that she needs help in a
   challenging situation. Sammi is attending the camp again this summer,
   five days a week, without a personal guardian. But the notion that her
   blindness made her necessarily a greater risk or supervision problem
   has already been instilled in her, and it has created difficulties for
   me I have to overcome. (For example, when Sammi fell and scraped her
   knee, she blamed it on the fact that she could not see. I had to
   convince her that virtually every kid I know injures herself with
   reasonable frequency without raising anyone's concern beyond that
   required to care for the injury.)
   
   Then there is the omnipresent, much-discussed nightmare of early
   intervention: tactile defensiveness. I must confess, I did not lose
   sleep when my daughter refused to play with cornmeal or Play Doh,
   though it seemed rather important to her teacher of the
   vision-impaired that she get over this petty phobia. (I ignored
   suggestions to try to get her to accept mushy materials; somehow,
   during preschool, she became a big fan of messy, gooey items.) There
   were the dire opinions that my daughter's unwillingness to eat solids,
   especially gooey, pureed foods, was an even more serious form of this
   dread trait of disabled children. (My daughter eats like a trooper and
   likes what is available when she is hungry, otherwise, she doesn't.
   Sounds like every toddler or preschooler you know, doesn't it?)
   
   Despite the Great Tactile Defensiveness Scare with my daughter, I did
   not throw a party or even sigh with relief when my son, Braden,
   delighted in walking barefoot on grass and concrete alike, and
   devoured virtually any solid food offered to him.
   
   Frankly, given my observations and inquiries of parents with
   non-disabled children, I have concluded that, for the most part,
   tactile defensiveness is nothing more than a disabled child expressing
   an opinion: ?I don't like that.? Why doesn't a disabled child have the
   right to have preferences, prejudices, and even some irrational fears
   like the rest of us? I have a feeling most of my daughter's peers'
   parents whip out the monster spray every now and again to neutralize
   the nasty beasts lurking in the corners of the house.
   
   Let me be very clear. I am not talking about the child for whom the
   sense of touch is a continual source of distress. I am talking about
   children who, for one reason or another, do not like to touch a
   particular texture, food, shape, temperature, etc. I have news for all
   of the experts who believe tactile defensiveness is an epidemic among
   blind children and for the parents they have terrified: many babies,
   disabled or not, simply DO NOT LIKE CERTAIN THINGS.
   
   My son Braden does not appreciate noise. He does not like crowds. As I
   write this, I am worrying about his first plane trip and how he will
   fare at the NFB annual convention. My daughter, at his age, loved to
   be surrounded by activity. Both are blind from birth. Both were
   exclusively nursed for at least six months; both were home with me 99
   percent of the time (the only times they were away from me were
   several occasions when they were left with my parents for a few
   hours). Yet?Gasp!?they are different in temperament, preferences,
   activity level, sociability, and so on. Dare I suggest that they
   remind me of nothing so much as?other boys and girls?
   
   Most of the experts who evaluate and diagnose our children will never
   personally face the frustration of a parent whose child's
   developmental milestones in every category are placed beneath
   magnifying glasses, where every little nuance, every quirk of his
   forming personality is viewed within the context ?disabled child.?
   Forget about The Phase Explanation: ?Oh, he'll grow out of it,? or The
   Baby Explanation: ?She's a baby; it's a new experience,? or The
   Toddler Explanation: ?She's just testing the waters of autonomy.?
   Apparently, these are the relaxed, cavalier pearls of wisdom
   pediatricians and early childhood educators save for the ?normal?
   children; those boys and girls who fit neatly into the mid-ranges of
   normal across the board on ?the charts.?
   
   Yes, I know that the ?average child? is just a statistical ghost of
   growth and developmental charts. I also know that every reputable
   pediatrician and every worthwhile childcare book cautions parents not
   to worry too much if children are a bit delayed in one or two areas. I
   know that they tell us that genetics, environmental factors,
   pre-maturity, and so on can work for or against a growing child, and
   that as long as development is progressing at about the same rate in
   most areas, one should not be concerned.
   
   So why is it that blindness seems to be the reason/excuse/explanation
   of choice for specialists, friends, family members, teachers, and even
   parents? Our society is too interested in the quick explanation, the
   scapegoat, the ready answer. Does it really help a child to attribute
   her fear of separation from parents or familiar objects to blindness,
   rather than to the same old separation anxiety which haunts almost all
   children? No, and in fact, it hurts, both her present and future
   opportunities and those of other blind children.
   
   It is too easy for blindness to become a crutch for all sorts of
   things. If tired parents do not want to spend the extra time teaching
   her how to make her bed, clean her room, or set the table it is okay.
   After all, it is harder for her; she has never seen it done. In school
   it is automatically assumed that she requires more time to complete
   tests; why hold the same expectations for her as for her sighted
   peers? She begins to pick up on the ?blindness as explanation for all
   actual or perceived personal shortcomings? and starts using it
   herself, but what is worse is that she starts to believe it.
   
   When your child's pediatrician, early intervention specialist, teacher
   of the vision impaired, or anyone else makes an issue of a specific
   behavior, observe non-disabled children in his or her age group
   carefully, and talk to their parents. Consult a child development
   book. (For example, my son loves to bounce, rock, and bang his head
   from time to time. I had always been told these were ?blindisms.? Then
   I read that at a certain age and up until a certain point these are
   actually quite common, and that most of the time blind children simply
   are not aware that their peers have stopped indulging in such
   behaviors.)
   
   If the behavior is a danger to health or safety, it must be stopped.
   If it is a habit which is unbecoming in public, divert him or remove
   him from the scene. If he is old enough, explain why the behavior is
   unacceptable. If it is an idiosyncrasy (she hates soft foods or does
   not like to play with gooey, cold, or furry items) wait a few weeks,
   and then try again. Keep it relaxed. If she or he refuses or becomes
   upset, do not insist or cajole, ?Look, your big sister isn't afraid to
   touch it,? or berate, ?Don't be a baby,? or bribe, ?Just play with it
   for a little while, and I'll give you a cookie.? Always use this rule
   to guide you: ?What would I do if this child wasn't blind??
   
   Blindness, by itself, does not predispose babies to any more
   fussiness, irritability, sensitivity, fear, stubbornness, accidents,
   or aloofness. The simplest, and almost always the most accurate,
   explanation for all of these traits is: this is a child. Your child is
   no more wholly defined by his blindness than by any one of the many
   other characteristics which make him who he is. Focus on the real
   issues: confidence, mobility, literacy, and most importantly,
   acceptance; acceptance from you, his parents, and self-acceptance.
   
   Editor's Note: The following dialog is made up of comments posted in
   April, 2000, to the BlindKid listserv, an NFB listserv sponsored by
   the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children, a Division of
   the National Federation of the Blind.
   
   From B: S. also ate just a few different types of crackers and
   biscuits initially. Now he eats all sorts of solids. This was not
   tactual defensiveness but more like the typical picky eating of a
   two-year-old. In fact, S. had a ?diagnosis? of tactual defensiveness,
   which was complete absurdity. I'm familiar with a child with sensory
   integration problems, and it's quite serious, effecting speech,
   muscle-tone, motor skills, and balance severely. [For] example: S.'s
   first reaction to sand at the beach was surprise, and therefore he
   didn't like it. So, we sat down and played a little bit, putting it on
   his hands and feet. A few minutes later, no problem with sand. In my
   opinion, too many teachers in this field throw this term around,
   labeling every child who isn't compliant ?tactually defensive.?(My
   apologies. You can see I'm getting annoyed). S. received this
   description twice, and both times were ridiculous. The first time was
   after the teacher had seen S. for all of two seconds (he had just
   answered ?No? to the question, ?Do you want to touch the toad??). So,
   I'd advise you not to accept this label or any other label with a
   negative connotation without some skepticism. A negative label could
   lead the parent to reduce subtly his or her expectations, and that's
   far worse than the actual or imagined diagnosis.
   
   From M: N. is mainstreamed in regular education and is in the 2nd
   grade. At P.'s age she wasn't very fond of gooey stuff or sand; things
   the V.I. teacher thought were important, she just didn't like. She now
   loves the sand and Play Doh, but was ?tactually defensive? until about
   four. I really think it is more an individual thing than a vision
   thing.
   
   From L: Yes, I know what you mean. H. ?failed? at Play Doh when she
   was about one year old. However, when she was four we couldn't keep
   enough of it in the house.
   
   From C: When I ask parents of sighted children (and I often do, as a
   way to glean some info for my theories about the relative normalcy of
   a good bit of ?disabled? children's behavior) they tell me that many
   of their children hate certain textures to play with and/or eat.
   
   From LB: Yes, my totally normal, sighted child absolutely hated her
   hands in anything mushy. She would spend her time flicking her fingers
   to get the stuff off. This even went as far as toast crumbs!
   
   From Deborah Kent Stein (Editor's Note: Deborah is First Vice
   President of the NFB of Illinois, an author of children's books, and a
   long-time advocate for blind children): Dr. Lilli Nielsen, who spoke
   at the NFB Convention last summer, has very strong feelings about
   tactile defensiveness. She believes that most of it develops when a
   child is not allowed to control tactile input. The case of the child
   being force-fed new foods and resisting, then accepting the foods when
   allowed to touch them freely, is a perfect example. According to Dr.
   Nielsen, kids become tactually defensive to resist having their hands
   forcibly stuck into unfamiliar and startling substances, such as
   fingerpaints or gooey clay, or having their hands manipulated or
   controlled by others in general. She advocates encouraging the child
   to explore on his or her own by providing interesting objects and
   opportunities; letting the child learn by doing.
   
   Editor's Note: Dr. Lilli Nielsen's publications are available from
   Vision Associates, 7512 Dr. Phillips Boulevard, #50-316, Orlando,
   Florida 32819. Phone: (407) 352-1200.
   
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                         New Virtual Audio Computer
                             Game for the Blind
                                      
                         by Curtis Chong, Director
            Technology Department, National Center for the Blind
                                      
   The International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind has
   recently acquired a new and exciting virtual audio computer game for
   the blind. This game, called Grizzly Gulch Western Extravaganza,
   literally immerses you in an audio world which is almost too realistic
   to be believed.
   
   Using professional voice and music talent and CD-quality stereo audio,
   you, the player, are presented with audio imagery which puts you right
   in the middle of the action. You can wander about town, meet and
   interact with the locals, play games of chance in the saloon, or try
   to make a name for yourself and build your fortune upholding the law
   against some of the ?baddest outlaws in the West? with your trusty
   six-shooter. The game even has a target range which uses stereo sound
   to provide one of the best audio shooting ranges we have ever
   encountered. Stereo headphones are a must with Grizzly Gulch. All of
   the action is controlled by only four keys on your computer, and no
   screen reading software is required. All you need is a computer
   equipped with a standard sound card and the Windows operating system.
   
   In the saloon, you can play four games of chance: Blackjack, simple
   draw poker, the slot machine, and a shell game in which you have to
   keep track of the hidden coin. The games alone are enough to keep you
   challenged, and you will be amused by some of the dialog you will hear
   from the people running them. To give you an idea of the high quality
   of the audio realism, let me tell you about the shell game. The first
   thing that you hear is a coin being tossed onto the table. It lands
   either to your left, in the middle, or on your right. Then, the shells
   start moving; you hear movement on your right, on your left, or in the
   center, and you have to pay close attention to what you hear to know
   when the coin has been passed from one shell to another. Then, you are
   asked to locate the coin. You hear a person saying ?here?? to your
   left, in the center, or on your right as you press the left or right
   arrow keys. The stereo effects are quite good.
   
   While a good portion of the game involves hunting for and apprehending
   outlaws, and while the only way to capture an outlaw is to shoot your
   gun, nobody in the game actually dies?not even you, when you are shot
   by the bank robbers. The worst thing that happens is that someone
   cries ?You've got me!? when you score a hit. You also have to be
   careful that you don't shoot any innocent bystanders, who identify
   themselves by shouting, ?Don't shoot me!?
   
   All in all, Grizzly Gulch Western Extravaganza is a game that is well
   worth the $50 price tag. You can order the game online through the
   Internet by pointing your browser to
   
                         <http://www.bavisoft.com>
                                      
                  or you can contact Bavisoft directly at:
                                      
                  Bavisoft, P.O. Box #8, Dewitt, NY 13214
                                      
                         Email <help@bavisoft.com>
       for general questions or game help, <support@bavisoft.com> for
      technical support or <sales@bavisoft.com> for sales information.
                                      
   That the Sighted May See
   
   Anecdotes of a Service Learning Project, Spring `97
   
                            by Susan M. Falcone
                Loch Raven High School, Baltimore, Maryland
                                      
   Editor's Note: Beginning in 1993 the state of Maryland began to phase
   in a graduation requirement that all students in Maryland complete 75
   hours of service. The state called it Service Learning?not
   volunteering, not community-service?for a very specific reason. One of
   the goals of the requirement is to help students see the connection
   between their academic subjects and effective community action.
   Students begin by identifying problems in the community, they discuss
   and research possible solutions, and finally they implement a service
   project. The students then evaluate, discuss, and reflect on the
   service project. The expectation is that this experiential learning
   process will help students learn about social issues first-hand and
   demonstrate to them how ordinary citizens can make a difference.
   
   Needless to say, this requirement meant that nonprofit organizations
   had a huge new pool of potential volunteers. But it also meant
   potential confusion and misunderstanding. The new requirements were
   not about putting in volunteer hours mindlessly stuffing
   envelopes?there had to be evidence of learning. So, for three years
   the Maryland Department of Education provided training, guidance, and
   grant money to selected nonprofits and asked them to restructure, or
   create new volunteer service opportunities that met the organization's
   goals and also met students' requirements for a quality service
   learning experience. These programs were to become models for other
   nonprofits and schools.
   
   The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland (NFB/MD) was accepted
   as one of the original group of nonprofits for training and completed
   all three years in the program. And that's how the NFB/MD came to
   develop the Braille Games Service Learning Project. As a result of
   this service learning project (which continues today) well over 600
   sighted students in the Maryland schools produced hundreds of decks of
   UNO and playing cards in Braille for the NFB to distribute. Most
   importantly, these students learned that blind people are normal, that
   Braille is neat and fun, and that literacy is as important to the
   blind as it is to the sighted.
   
   But the students did not always begin the project with enthusiasm and
   a desire to learn. The NFB/MD was often asked to bring the project to
   students who had waited till the last half of their senior year to
   squeeze in their 75 hours of service learning. Needless to say, such
   students were not exactly highly motivated or service-minded. In the
   following article, Susan Falcone, a national award-winning high school
   teacher in Baltimore County, Maryland, describes what happened with
   just such a class:
   
                             [PHOTO: caption] 
                                      
                    Mary Kuforiji (left) shows a student
                    how to insert a card into the slate.
                                      
   If ever there was ever a group of students who have made a 180-degree
   change, it was my 1997 class of 30 recalcitrants. They entered a
   service learning class the spring semester of their senior year
   growling at having to take a course to earn 75 hours of service as a
   graduation requirement. Their deep-seated anger was aimed at
   ?conscripted service,? and they spat that anger out at anyone and
   everyone associated with the concept of Service Learning. They were a
   challenge to the best of teachers, and there were days after they left
   class when I literally cried from exhaustion. Their anger became mine.
   And then a miracle happened. In walked Mary Kuforiji, a blind member
   of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland.
   
   Good miracles take time and good miracles leave the deepest
   impressions. I believe I observed a good miracle that spring as 30
   recalcitrants evolved, developed pride, and grew beyond their own
   expectations and beliefs.
   
   Before Mary arrived, I developed a few lessons to sensitize them to
   being blind. We discussed the many causes of blindness, and each
   student completed five stations where they were asked to perform a
   simple daily task as a blind person. Many students came away convinced
   that to be blind is one of the most horrible things that can happen to
   a person. A few of them emphatically declared, ?I could never be
   blind. I'd rather die.? This was not exactly, needless to say, the
   outcome I had wanted.
   
   The first visit by Mary was tenuous to say the least. The class felt
   very uncomfortable with her in the room. Mary never flinched even
   though I know she overheard many of their rude remarks. Their copious
   questions were answered honestly and openly. She did not become
   defensive, which she could easily have been, given the nature of the
   questions and how they were phrased. The next day, they told me they
   never wanted Mrs. Kuforiji to come back and whined, ?Why do we have to
   do this project?? ?We want to do something else.? They growled a good
   deal that day. I quietly explained that Mary would come once a week to
   help us with this project. When their whining added the new twist of,
   ? Why can't you just teach us, then?? I threw up my hands in
   exasperation. The growling continued to be part of our daily routine.
   
   I don't remember when the growling stopped. It was gradual and had to
   do with two insights: a newly learned skill (Brailling) and a new
   understanding about being blind. I think the first real change came
   when they asked Mary to read Braille.
   
   She took out a children's book and read quickly with expression. They
   were very surprised, but some suggested, ?Eh, she's just memorized
   that book.? It was suggested that she be given something to read that
   they had Brailled. So, they gave her a practice sheet one of the
   students had done as he attempted to learn the Braille alphabet. Of
   course, she read it easily, stopping to acknowledge what the student
   had done well, picking up every mistake made, and laughing when she
   came to his nick-name at the bottom.
   
   In turn, as she read, the class, almost as a single body, stood and
   moved toward Mary to watch her read. Their amazed expressions signaled
   the opening of closed minds. Some sat down at Mary's table; others
   went back to Brailling. Now the discussion was about how in the world
   she read Braille that easily as each of them tried to repeat what they
   had seen her do. Their Brailling developed a new attitude; one of
   serious purpose, as did their conversations about being blind.
   
   Quiet competition developed and students gave each other support and
   encouragement?something I had never seen happen in this class before.
   They knew who the expert Braillers were and used them to check their
   work. The class continued to work on three projects simultaneously so
   that the Brailling would not become too tedious for their short
   attention spans. I began to look forward to that class. In itself,
   that was a miracle.
   
   Along the way as Mary and I instructed the students in how to use the
   card slates, Mary had emphasized?and I had reemphasized?the rule:
   ?Never Braille more than one UNO card at a time.? We had one holdout.
   He was a true doubting Thomas eager to finish his assignment of cards.
   His purpose was to finish what he had ?assigned? to himself so that he
   could sit and do nothing. One day, as the class was busy Brailling and
   Mary was checking cards that had been completed, she spoke above their
   voices to say, ?Someone has been Brailling these cards two or three at
   a time.? Thirty heads snapped to attention. They looked at me. I
   shrugged in my own astonished way and said, ?She told us she could
   tell the difference.? Our doubting Thomas' face was a mix of disbelief
   and guilt. The class razzed him as he sat in great discomfort.
   
   Out of defense, he asked how she could tell. She explained that they
   were more difficult to read and that it hurt her fingers to read them.
   She also explained again that her primary concern?which had prompted
   the rule in the first place?was the cost of replacing the card slate
   if it was damaged. Mary and the class had a good laugh together, the
   rule was reemphasized in a positive way, and she moved on. At that
   point, our doubting Thomas became a believer. He looked down, removed
   two cards from his card slate, and reinserted only one card. And so,
   we Brailled about 28 decks of UNO cards for the National Federation of
   the Blind.
   
   The last day of class was also Mary's last visit. This time students
   sat easily with Mary around a table, talking, and handing her cards to
   check. The day's agenda was to finish correcting cards, award the
   students a certificate, and to reflect in some manner about the
   experience. In preparation for the ending, I had Brailled a sheet of
   school letterhead with the school name, the date, and a brief thank
   you message. As the students worked, we passed the thank you letter
   around for each student to Braille his/her name.
   
   Toward the end of the period, we presented Mary with the gift and
   thank you letter. As she began to read, ?Loch Raven High School,? the
   students moved toward her table, ?May 21, 1997,? and a circle of
   adolescent bodies surrounded Mary. When she read my name, the students
   looked at me and smiled. But it wasn't until she began to read their
   names that the good miracle revealed itself. ?Carl Albert,? quiet in
   the room. ?Rich Balker,? pride. ?Sheena Kamerron,? a pat on Mary's
   back and a high five to a friend. Each name she read was another
   miracle. Mary, blind volunteer, had helped the sighted see. The class,
   made up mostly of tough adolescent guys and even tougher girls, left
   amid hugs of goodbye and the general consensus that, ?I hate to admit
   it, but this was fun.?
   
   Do I dare believe that the word ?fun? finally became for these
   students another word for ?learning??
   
   Editor's Note: Since this was a grant project, students were asked to
   fill out evaluation forms. The responses were tabulated and used to
   refine and improve the project. Here are examples of some of the
   comments students?some from the class above and some from other
   classes?made on the evaluation forms. To the question, ?The best part
   of the program was,? students said:
   
   ? Learning to Braille things.
   
   ? Learning about Braille.
   
   ? Learning the lifestyles of the blind.
   
   ? Having chat sessions with Mrs. Kuforiji. I liked hearing about her
   daily life and interactions with different people.
   
   ? Learning to Braille.
   
   ? Visiting the National Federation of the Blind. [Some classes took a
   field trip to the NFB headquarters at the National Center for the
   Blind as part of the service learning project experience.]
   
   Next, students were asked to ?List two things that impress you most
   about blindness or blind persons.? Here are some of the responses to
   that question:
   
   ? Their ability to read Braille so fast and be able to function
   without seeing.
   
   ? Blind people can take care of their children as well as a person who
   isn't blind.
   
   ? Blind people have a system of dealing with their money.
   
   ? That their disability in no way hinders them from daily life
   routines.
   
   ? I was surprised that they didn't see just black.
   
   ? How fast she can read.
   
   ? Her bravery to come into this class.
   
   In one or more of the years between 1995 and 2000, the following
   schools in Maryland participated in the Braille Games Service Learning
   Project: Catonsville Middle School, Loch Raven High School, Western
   High School, Lake Clifton High School, Woodlawn High School, and
   Randallstown High School. Boy Scout troop #361 of Howard County and
   students in the CHOICE Middle School Program also participated in the
   project.
   
   The NFB volunteers who assisted with the project include: Mary
   Kuforiji, Bernice Lowder, Tom Ley, Mary Nichols, Sharon Maneki, Marie
   Cobb, Jude Lincicome, Kimberly Dodd, Tresha Farabee, and Peggy Chong.
   Two of the volunteers, Mary Kuforiji and Bernice Lowder, have been
   with the project since the beginning and continue to be the backbone
   of the program.
   
   Macy and Her Toys
   
                             by Crystal McClain
                                      
                              [PHOTO: caption]
                                      
   Macy, left, and her twin sister Madison enjoy playing a game together
                                at NFB Camp.
                                      
   Editor's Note: Crystal McClain has, for a number of years, been a
   source of information, inspiration, and leadership for parents of
   blind children throughout Ohio and the nation. She is president of the
   Ohio Parents of Blind Children, a former board member of the NOPBC,
   and a regular contributor of articles to Future Reflections. Her good
   sense, creativity, and high expectations for her daughter are evident
   in all that she writes?including this delightful little article
   reprinted from Advocacy in Action, the newsletter of the POBC of the
   NFB of Ohio. Here is what Crystal has to say about Macy and her toys:
   
   When Macy was a baby her favorite toys were those that made sounds,
   furry toys, toys that had interesting or unique textures, and toys
   that squeaked. We often found ourselves shopping in the pet department
   because she loved squeaky dog toys! Stuffed animals that talked were
   also favorites. Talking Big Bird, Buzz Light Year, and barking puppies
   were some of her favorites. To this day she likes the Taz that talks
   and shakes the best.
   
   I personally believe that all toys are learning toys. Macy learned
   about shapes, textures, and sounds from these toys. For toys that help
   to teach, I asked teachers to let me look at catalogs that they
   received. I also visited a local store called The Education Station, a
   shop originally designed for teachers. Also, I recommend that parents
   take a look at the Lilly Vernon catalogs ?Lillie's Kids.? I remember
   buying from that catalog a set of plastic vegetables. Each vegetable
   was in segments that were attached together by velcro. The vegetables
   came in their own basket with a plastic knife to use for ?cutting?
   apart the velcro attached pieces.
   
   When Macy was a toddler we started a collection of animals for her.
   These animals were the kind you can get anywhere. The ones we bought
   were small, a couple inches tall. We bought them from the Disney
   Store, Wal-Mart, the zoo, Natural Wonder Store, and so forth. We
   started with simple animals, cows, horses, etc. Then we started
   elaborating by buying characters from Disney movies: Simba from the
   Lion King, the cats from the Aristocats, and others. The zoo was a
   great source for animals that were hard to get elsewhere. At the zoo
   we bought an octopus, kangaroos, snakes, whales, sharks, polar bears,
   and giraffes.
   
   Macy had a large basket in which she kept her collection. When her
   older sister had ball games, we took along what we called her travel
   basket. This basket held maybe fifteen animals. Macy would steal the
   show wherever we were with her ability to accurately name the animals
   from her basket. She could distinguish Simba from Mufasa, both lions
   from the Lion King.
   
   At first, she just named the animals. Next, she began to unload and
   reload her basket. After that she started sorting her animals into
   categories: animals that lived on a farm, animals from a certain
   movie, and animals that lived in the ocean. As she matured she moved
   beyond sorting to pretend play. She would play jungle, farm, or ocean.
   As you can tell her basket of animals grew with her. She learned lots
   of things from, and had hours of fun with, her animal basket.
   
   Another toy that piqued her interest was the swing set. We bought a
   tunnel to attach to her swing set. Playing in her tunnel at home
   helped her enjoy the experience when she was introduced to the play
   land at McDonald's. She still loves to go to Discovery Zone, which is
   a commercial recreational place filled with tunnels, slides, and
   ladders.
   
   A trampoline is an expensive toy but lasts many years. Macy discovered
   our trampoline when she was two years old. Macy is now almost ten and
   is far from out-growing the trampoline. Other games like Bop-it and
   Bop-it Extreme are great games that test attention, speed, and fine
   motor skills as you turn it, twist it, pull it, and bop it.
   
   A swimming pool was a necessity with my kids. We started with the
   kiddy pools and continued to upgrade through the years. We are now
   anxiously awaiting the full-size pool that is going into our back yard
   this spring. Pool toys are a must when swimming, especially pool
   noodles.
   
   As kids get older their toys get more expensive, this includes blind
   kids as well. Macy's sister bought an air hockey game. This turned out
   to be a game that was very entertaining for Macy, too. Recently Macy
   tried a treadmill at a hotel we were staying in. Needless to say that
   has been added to her next Christmas list. However, there were still
   some cheap toys on her recent gift list. She thinks Koosh balls and
   Koosh ball sling shots are lots of fun. Pokemon's are now popular, and
   blind kids can enjoy them as well.
   
   If your daughter gets some cash as a gift you can try this. Take her
   to the mall and look for what I call a ?junk? jewelry store. Claire's
   Boutique is Macy and Madison's favorite. My girls can walk in there
   with ten dollars, spend an hour shopping, and have a blast! Bath and
   Body Works sells great glitter body lotion that young girls love, too.
   
   Music is tops on Macy's list. The girls always ask for concert
   tickets. They went to see an N'Sync concert that I'm sure that they
   will never forget. Macy has had two different karaoke machines
   starting with a cheap one. She is now asking for a new microphone for
   her karaoke machine and a microphone stand.
   
   I hope that this has given you some ideas when toy shopping. Remember
   one of the best experts on what to get your child, is your child! My
   husband and I try to take the girls toy looking, and then we insist
   that they give us a toy list. They know that we will not buy
   everything and that we will sometimes buy things that aren't on the
   list that we discover when shopping. But the list is a good place to
   start. My advice is don't get too uptight about finding the perfect
   toys; kids love most everything!
   
                               Toy Resources
                                      
         [PHOTO of a little boy holding a ball. The caption reads:]
                                      
              Balls are always popular with kids of all ages.
                                      
                         Good Toys for Blind Kids:
                         Suggestions from Parents 
                                      
   Compiled and distributed by the National Organization of Parents of
   Blind Children (NOPBC), this is a list of regular toys recommended by
   parents of blind children. The list is divided into three categories:
   2 years and older, 5 years and older, and 9 years and older. To
   request this free list contact the National Organization of Parents of
   Blind Children, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, MD 21230 (410)
   659-9314 ext: 360, <BCheadle@nfb.org>.
   
                            Fun Play, Safe Play:
                                A Guide from
                              the American Toy
                              Institute, Inc. 
                                      
   A booklet of general guidelines which includes toy safety tips,
   consumer information about buying toys, an age-guide to buying toys,
   and other helpful tips. To order a free copy contact the American Toy
   Institute, Inc. 115 Broadway, Suite 400, New York, NY 10010. For
   up-to-date information about toys and play, visit their web site at:
   <www.toy-tma.org>
   
     [PHOTO of a young girl sitting on the floor with pieces of a tube
    snap-together toy in her hand and scattered around her on the floor.
                            The caption reads:]
                                      
                             Snap-together toys
                             improve dexterity.
                                      
                            Toy Resource Hotline
                                      
   The National Lekotek Center has a toy resource hotline (800) 366-PLAY
   for parents to request information on appropriate toys for children
   with special needs. Lekotek centers offer in-person consultation to
   families of children with unique play/recreational needs.
   
       Guide to Toys for Children Who are Blind or Visually Impaired:
                                 2000-2001 
                                      
   This booklet, developed jointly by the American Foundation for the
   Blind and the American Toy Institute, Inc., pictures and describes
   examples of some 100 toys on the general market. The toys are listed
   by categories such as ?Infant/Preschool Toys,? ?Role-Play Toys,?
   ?Activity/Outdoor Toys,? etc. Each toy listed is accompanied by a
   picture, toy description, manufacturer, price, age-range, and a code
   for blind, low-vision, and special needs. Contact American Toy
   Institute, Inc., 1115 Broadway, Suite 400, New York, NY 10010, (212)
   675-1141, <www.toy-tma.org>.
   
   Editor's Recommendation: If you choose to use this guide, I suggest
   you ignore the codes for blind, low-vision, and special needs. There
   were several toys that were only coded LV (low-vision), which I know
   are enjoyed by totally blind children. In fact, all toys were marked
   LV. The only codes used selectively were the B (blind) and SN (special
   needs?children with additional disabilities).
   
         Toys and Play: A Guide to Fun and Development for Children
                           with Impaired Vision 
                                      
   Written by Kim S. Blakely, Ph.D.; Mary Ann Lang, Ph.D.; and Barbara
   Kushner Sosna, SDA. This soft-cover book published by The Lighthouse,
   Inc., New York, New York, discusses the typical stages of play from
   infancy through age eight. Adaptations for blind and low-vision
   children are incorporated when appropriate into the descriptions of
   toys and activities at each level. For cost and other ordering
   information contact the Lighthouse National Center for Vision and
   Child Development, (800) 334-5497.
   
                           Adapted-Toy Resources
                                      
   The following information comes from SpecialKids, a MetroKids
   publication:
   
   Dolls with Disabilities
   
   People of Every Stripe?Numerous dolls with special needs are available
   including dolls with Down Syndrome, dolls with wheelchairs, g-tubes,
   colostomy bags, prosthetic limbs, and walkers. The doll collection
   also reflects all races and ethnicities. (503) 282-0612.
   
   Dolly Downs?Each pig-tailed, stuffed doll with slanting eyes comes
   with a small book in her dolly backpack that tell the child she's not
   alone in looking different. 800 682-3714.
   
   Share A Smile Becky?Barbie's 11--inch fashion doll friend who uses a
   wheelchair. Becky is available at local toy stores.
   
   Catalogs
   
   Different Roads to Learning?toys designed to develop a range of
   cognitive skills. 800 853-1057.
   
   Therapro?A large therapeutic-activities section lists toys and
   activities that stimulate oral and motor skills. A huge selection of
   other toys, games, and activities to suit various disabilities and age
   levels. (800) 257-5376.
   
   Dragonfly Toy Company?Many toys, games, educational products, and even
   recreational products, like bicycles. (800) 308-2208;
   <www.dragonflytoys.com>.
   
                          Learning, Play, and Toys
                                      
   This distance education course: ?helps parents understand what can be
   learned by the child through play, toys, and social contact. Toys,
   activities, and games are recommended for children of different ages
   and developmental levels. Helpful hints about adapting activities for
   blind and visually impaired children are also a part of this course.?
   The course is free to eligible family members of blind children.
   Contact The Hadley School for the Blind, 700 Elm Street, Winnetka, IL
   60093-0299, (847) 446-8111, <www.hadley.school.org>.
   
                        Braille Storybook Resources 
                                      
   Compiled and updated annually by the National Organization of Parents
   of Blind Children (NOPBC), this is a list of organizations that
   provide print-Braille storybooks for sale, free of charge, or through
   a lending-library arrangement. To request this free list, contact the
   National Organization of Parents of Blind Children, 1800 Johnson
   Street, Baltimore, MD 21230 (410) 659-9314 ext: 360,
   <BCheadle@nfb.org>.
   
                           Dreams Can Be Realized
                                      
                          for the Deaf-Blind, Too
                                      
   by Patrick Cave
   
   Reprinted from Impact, Vol. 12, Number 2, Summer 1999; A Feature Issue
   on Supporting Transition-Age Young People with Deaf-blindness. Patrick
   Cave lives in Seattle, Washington. The original title of the article
   is ?Dreams Can Be Realized.?
   
   I grew up on a Wisconsin farm with my four brothers and sister. When I
   was four, my mother died, and my father was left to raise six kids. At
   age five I started attending St. John's School for the Deaf in
   Milwaukee and was there through 8th grade. I then went to high school
   at the Wisconsin School for the Deaf in Delavan. My older brother and
   I both had Usher's syndrome. Attending the same schools as well as
   sharing a common language, the two of us were very close. He was
   killed in a motorcycle accident at age 21; I was 19 at the time.
   
   After several years of finding out where I belonged, I found my home
   in the Seattle area in 1985 within the deaf-blind community. I teach
   deaf-blind interpreting class every year in the fall. I team-teach
   with a hearing instructor, focusing on deaf-blind interpreting
   strategies and techniques, and on deaf-blind culture. During the
   course, the students experience a lab we administer in which they are
   put through a simulation of being deaf-blind. They have commented that
   it's a real eye-opener.
   
   In addition, since moving here I've worked at the Deaf-Blind Service
   Center and the Lighthouse for the Blind. I've now retired from all but
   the teaching, so my time is mostly my own. During the week I am up by
   5:30 a.m. to catch up on the stock market news before the trading
   starts at 6:30. I have always been interested in the financial world,
   and now in the computer era I have access. And in the summer I am
   likely to head out to the lake later in the day to drive a jet-ski,
   with the help of a backseat driver to guide me around obstacles.
   
   And, of course, there is my main hobby; old classic cars. At the age
   of 16, I purchased a used 1958 Chevy for $200. The cars I currently
   own are a 1933 red Chevy coupe, a 1934 green Chevy four-door sedan,
   and a 1935 Chevy sport coupe. I belong to a Chevy club that focuses on
   keeping the cars in their original state, or restoring them. On
   weekends we go out on tours much like a Sunday drive with all old
   cars. Diane Black, my long-time girlfriend, now does the driving. With
   the club we plan tours and car shows, share car problems related to
   restoring, and attend monthly meetings. In May 1997, I won first place
   for the unrestored class in the Moses Lake, Washington, annual car
   show. In 1998, I took an engine rebuilding class at South Seattle
   Central Community College and received a certificate as one of two top
   students for that quarter.
   
   Compared with how I worked on cars in my earlier years, I now use my
   hands far more, feeling the car, whereas before I used my sight. And,
   I sense through touch things others might listen for. An example would
   be tuning up an engine; often I feel the vibration and know there is
   something wrong such as the distributor timing needing an adjustment.
   This can be a positive because I am comfortable working in the wee
   hours of the night, as I do not require light to work.
   
   On sunny days Diane and I can be seen tooling down the highway in the
   34 Chevy. If you are unable to picture what a 34 Chevy looks like you
   may have seen one in the Bonnie and Clyde movies. Some people might
   think with a 34 that would mean sticking close to home. A few of the
   places we go have been Lincoln City, Oregon, to a deaf-blind camp;
   Vancouver, British Columbia; and often weekend excursions east of the
   Cascade Mountains to visit Diane's parents. There have been times we
   have put 700-800 miles on the old girl in one weekend trip. Of course,
   driving a 34 one does carry along spare gas, toolbox, oil, water, and
   an extra carburetor as you never know what adventures one will be
   faced with.
   
   While I have realized many of my dreams, I still have one more?to
   compete in the Great American Race. It is a race of old cars that
   happens every spring. It is cross-country, coast-to-coast, and takes
   about two weeks. My 34 would be my choice as you not only need a
   driver, but a navigator (me), and I would like to take a deaf friend
   to help Diane with the driving.
   
   In closing, I would like to say that dreams can be realized. We may
   only need to make some adaptations in life, and we all can be happy,
   be healthy in mind, and strive for our goals.
   
                             Leber's Congenital
                            Amaurosis Conference
                                      
                               by Betsy Brint
                                      
   The Wilmer Eye Institute and The Foundation for Retinal Research
   sponsored the first conference ever for people with Leber's Congenital
   Amaurosis (LCA) and their families. The conference was held November 4
   - 6 at the Maryland School for the Blind and Johns Hopkins Hospital.
   
   More than 200 people attended the Conference from countries all over
   the world including Ireland, Belgium, Canada, Turks and Caicos
   Islands, Panama, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Italy, and the U.S. Every
   family had one thing in common?a family member with LCA.
   
   People attending the conference had the opportunity to be seen by
   several specialists at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Heading the team at
   Hopkins was Irene H. Maumenee, M.D. Dr. Maumenee has a large number of
   patients with LCA who come to be seen by her from around the globe.
   She also heads a team of researchers studying LCA.
   
   The next LCA conference is planned for November, 2001. For more
   information, contact:
   
                                Betsy Brint
                                      
                    The Foundation for Retinal Research,
                                      
                              1985 Dale Avenue
                                      
                          Highland Park, IL 60035
                                      
                               (847) 433-4030
                                      
                            Fax: (847) 433-1908
                                      
                         e-mail <work2see@aol.com>
                                      
   Will the Children Remember?
   
   by Eric Duffy
   
                              [PHOTO: caption]
                                      
                                 Eric Duffy
                                      
   Reprinted from the Buckeye Bulletin, the newsletter of the NFB of
   Ohio, Spring/Summer 1997.
   
   Editor's Note: Sometimes I get calls from frustrated teachers who are
   discouraged because they don't seem to be making any progress with a
   student because of overprotective parents. The independence they
   encourage fades quickly because there is no parental follow-up or
   reinforcement. Eric Duffy, a long-time leader of the NFB in Ohio and a
   tireless advocate for blind children, understands and has a message
   for you: Don't Give Up! You see, he once was one of those children.
   Here is what he has to say on the subject:
   
   Having been a parent for almost two years now, I understand more than
   ever what parents mean when they say, ?I just want what's best for my
   child.? I now also understand that parental impulse to protect the
   child at all cost. One wants to protect him or her from normal bumps
   and bruises, more serious injuries, and even hurt feelings. All of
   this, of course, is quite normal.
   
   Like all parents I struggle with the temptation to overprotect. My son
   is entering the trials of the terrible twos, which are mostly for the
   parents. When he is about to fall, my immediate reaction is to grab
   him. When logic prevails, I permit him to fall, provided that the fall
   is not likely to cause serious harm. Otherwise, how will he ever learn
   the consequences of his actions?
   
   I have often said to teachers, parents, rehabilitation counselors, and
   others that without the opportunity to fail, one does not really have
   the opportunity to succeed. Therefore, whatever role we play in the
   lives of those whom we wish to protect, we are obligated to allow for
   the possibility of failure. It is only then that we create the
   opportunity for success. I now find myself in the position of having
   to practice what I preach. I know that, as John grows older, this will
   be even more difficult to do. As he grows older, he will take greater
   risks. Thus the consequences of his failures will be more severe.
   
   I have found that the desire to overprotect is greatly enhanced in
   parents of blind children. The reasons for this are many and vary from
   parent to parent. Most parents feel some sympathy for their blind
   child. ?Let's make life a little easier for Johnny. After all, he's
   blind.? Others feel a sense of guilt over their child's blind-ness.
   ?It is my fault that Johnny is blind, and I must do all that I can to
   protect him from his blindness.?
   
   It is this sort of thinking that prevents many blind children from
   having normal childhoods. Johnny is not permitted to run and play like
   most children because he might get hurt. Many parents hold the hand of
   a blind child while walking down the street long after the sighted
   sibling is permitted to run ahead. Many blind children are not asked
   to engage in chores required of their sighted brothers and sisters.
   
   Whoever said, ?The road to hell is paved with good intentions,? surely
   had the blind in mind when he said it. Despite the best intentions of
   the protector, every time that a blind child is prevented from
   engaging in the normal activities of childhood, he or she is forced to
   take a step down that well--paved road to hell.
   
   I am sure that this sounds like a rather strong statement to many
   parents, but I cannot overemphasize the harm that is done to blind
   children by well-meaning but over-protective parents. As a young child
   I did not use a cane. At that time young blind children simply weren't
   given canes. Therefore, whenever I was in an unfamiliar environment, I
   had to be guided by a sighted person. Someone else was always in
   control of where I went.
   
   Today, when I see children like Kaylee Arthurs and Macy McClain
   running ahead of or walking freely behind their parents and using
   their canes, I am grateful for the National Federation of the Blind. I
   am glad that their parents have heard our mes-sage and expect their
   children to travel as well as their sighted peers. I think of how much
   better my travel skills might be today had I been as fortunate as
   Kaylee and Macy.
   
   I also think about the children whose parents we have been unable to
   reach. I see children age ten and older clinging to their parents.
   These children do not yet know how to explore new territory and orient
   themselves to a new environment. Kaylee and Macy are light years ahead
   of them in developing travel skills. I feel sorry for these children.
   
   In many cases these children have canes. They are receiving travel
   instruc-tion, and they and their parents have been exposed to good
   blind adult role models. Many of these children still go to the
   restroom with the parent of the opposite sex. Imagine how these kids
   must feel when their parents are giving them the unspoken message that
   they are not even capable of going to the restroom by themselves. I
   don't have to imagine. Despite their best intentions, that is the
   message I got from my parents while growing up.
   
   Even when I was a senior in high school, my parents would carry all of
   my possessions from the car to my room at the Ohio State School for
   the Blind. I was per-fectly capable of carrying my fair share of the
   load, but it simply wasn't expected of me. After a while, if anyone
   ever commented on this fact, I made a joke of it. Of course the joke
   was my coping mechanism.
   
   I began thinking about some of these things shortly after the workshop
   on Braille and orientation and mobility spon-sored by the National
   Federation of the Blind of Ohio this spring. During the workshop
   several teachers commented on how absolutely frustrating it is to work
   with parents who simply will not allow their blind children to grow
   up. I told the teachers to keep encouraging these parents to let go,
   to make sure that the children never forget that the adults in their
   lives expect them to be normal. I told them that even though it may
   seem as if they're wast-ing their energy on the parents, the effort
   will have a positive effect on the child.
   
   My oldest brother Bob lived in California during most of the time that
   I was growing up. When he came home for a visit, he spent a good deal
   of time telling me that I needed to be more independent. At meals he
   insisted that I serve myself as everyone else did. I remember that he
   was the one who taught me the proper way to hold silverware. When I
   resisted what he was trying to teach me, he said that if I did not
   learn these things I would grow up to be helpless, hopeless, and
   hapless.
   
   He very often had to struggle with my parents to get them to allow me
   to do cer-tain things even when he was there to supervise. But, as one
   might guess, things went back to normal the day he left. Of course he
   was aware of this and came up with a solution to the problem. He
   wanted to take me to California to live. I was both delighted and
   terrified at that prospect. I did not go to live with my brother.
   
   However, to this day, I remember that he expected me to live a normal
   life. I could go on at length about how my par-ents' desire to protect
   me has negatively shaped the person that I am today and will continue
   to do so for the rest of my life. However, I have made the point to
   the best of my ability given the limited space in this newsletter.
   
   To parents of blind children, I say, think about what you are doing to
   your blind child the next time you want to make things a little easier
   for him or her. To those pushing parents to let go, I say, don't give
   up. The child will remember that you had high expectations even if Mom
   and Dad did not.
   
                             Hear Ye! Hear Ye!
                                      
   Braille in a Bag
   
   ?Braille in a Bag? is a set of rubber stamps of the Braille alphabet
   letters and a few punctuation marks. They are great to use with
   sighted siblings or classmates who are curious about Braille. The set
   is available for $13.50 plus $1.50 s/h. To order write: Lynn
   Goeden-Hough, N21 W24305 Cumberland Drive, Pewaukee, Wisconsin 53072.
   
   Shaken Baby Alliance
   
   Parents and caregivers of babies blinded by Shaken Baby Syndrome may
   contact the Shaken Baby Alliance over the Internet for support and
   information. The Web Site is <www.shakenbaby.com>.
   
   IEP Material on Disk
   
   Two publications about the Individualized Education Program (IEP) are
   now available in plain text files on a 3 -inch floppy disk. The
   publications are ?Questions Often Asked by Parents About Special
   Education? (LG1 4th Edition, September 1999) and ?Individualized
   Education Programs? (LG2 4th Edition, September 1999). Both documents
   are published and distributed in print by the National Information
   Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY). The
   publications are reviewed by the U.S. Office of Special Education
   Programs for consistency with the Individuals with Disabilities
   Education Act Amendments of 1997, Public Law 105-17, and the final
   implementing regulations published March 12, 1999. To get these two
   publications on one computer disk, send shipping and handling costs of
   $5 to NFB Materials Center, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland
   21230. Make checks payable to the National Federation of the Blind or
   NFB. To order the print publications from NICHCY call (800) 695-0285
   or check the Web Site at <www.nichcy.org>.
   
   Because Books Matter
   
   This little booklet from the National Braille Press is a must for
   every parent of a blind or visually impaired baby, toddler, or
   preschooler.
   
   Written by Carol Castellano, the booklet provides a blueprint for
   parents into the ways and means of providing those oh-so-vital
   pre-literacy experiences that, for sighted children, we take for
   granted.
   
   When do you begin to read print-Braille books to a blind baby? Where
   can you get these books? How can parents enhance the reading
   experience for children who cannot see (or see clearly) the pictures
   in picture books? Does Braille matter? Should parents learn Braille?
   Where can parents get instruction? How can parents encourage good
   tactile reading techniques? What are the Braille basics?
   
   Parents can expect to get answers to these questions, and many others,
   from this wonderfully informative and upbeat little booklet. 
   
   Because Books Matter: Reading Braille Books with Young Blind Children
   is available free of charge from National Braille Press, 88 St.
   Stephen Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, (800) 548-7323,
   <www.nbp.org>.
   
   NOPBC Updates:
   
   Elected: At the 2000 Annual Meeting of the National Organization of
   Parents of Blind Children the following officers were elected:
   President, Barbara Cheadle (Maryland); First Vice President, Carol
   Castellano (New Jersey); Second Vice President, Martin (Marty) Greiser
   (Montana); Secretary, Christine Faltz (New York); Treasurer, Brunhilda
   Merk-Adam (Michigan); and Board Members: Sally Miller (South
   Carolina), Tammy Hollingsworth (Indiana), Mark McClain (Ohio), Brad
   Weatherd (Montana), Samuel Baldwin (Missouri), and Maria Jones
   (Kentucky).
   
   Retired: We were very sad that Julie Hunter, our long-time Treasurer,
   chose to retire from the Board this year. She has been an outstanding
   Treasurer: organized yet creative; good with details, yet always able
   to see the big picture. Although she will no longer share her wisdom,
   talents, and deep understanding of NFB philosophy as a member of the
   NOPBC board, Julie will continue as an active member of NOPBC and as a
   leader of the parents division in Colorado.
   
   New Division: The Arkansas NFB affiliate is proud to announce the
   formation of the NFB of Arkansas Parents of Blind Children Group. The
   officers are: Della Berman, President; Sandra Giles, Vice President;
   Paul Giles, Secretary/Treasurer; and Hank Berman, Board Member.
   
   2001 Annual NOPBC Meeting: The 2001 meeting will be held on Tuesday,
   July 3, 2001 at the NFB Convention at the Philadelphia Marriott,
   Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The keynote speaker will be the winner of
   the 2001 Distinguished Educator of Blind Children Award. The lively
   and informative agenda will include reports from our state parent
   divisions regarding new and innovative programs and projects. Everyone
   is welcome?NOPBC members, non-members, parents, teachers, etc. There
   is no special registration fee, but attendees are expected to register
   for the NFB Convention, which is only $10 per person. See page 6 in
   this issue for information about how to reserve a room at the
   Philadelphia Marriott.
   
   NOPBC National Workshops: NOPBC will sponsor a day-long seminar at the
   NFB Convention on Sunday, July 1, 2001. The day will also include
   activities for children, teens, and a Family Hospitality in the
   evening. Other NOPBC workshops for parents will be scheduled on
   Wednesday, July 4 and Thursday, July 5. A supervised teen room will
   also be available at scheduled times throughout the convention. More
   information will be available in the Braille Monitor, the monthly
   publication of the NFB, and the next issue of Future Reflections. For
   more information you may also contact Barbara Cheadle, President,
   National Organization of Parents of Blind Children at (410) 659-9314
   ext. 360 or <BCheadle@nfb.org>. The NFB Web Site, <www.nfb.org> will
   also have convention information.
   
   State Braille Bills Passed: Although the provision of Braille
   instruction to blind and visually impaired children is now required in
   the federal law (the Individuals with Disabilities Education
   Act?IDEA), it is still important for our NFB and POBC affiliates to
   press for Braille legislation at the state level. Such legislation can
   fine-tune, if you will, the Braille requirement to meet the specific
   needs and circumstances of blind children and teachers in that state.
   
   This past year Michigan and New York passed Braille Bills. This brings
   the total of states with Braille Bills to thirty-two. The Michigan
   Parents of Blind Children Division (MI/POBC) worked long and hard in
   partnership with the NFB of Michigan for the passage of their Braille
   Bill. Even the kids pitched in and helped. Here is the text of the
   testimony Kyle Neddo, son of Dawn Neddo, President of the MI/POBC,
   gave to state legislators in support of the Braille Bill:
   
   Hi. My name is Kyle, and I'm 10-years-old, and I would like you to
   support Bill 4377. Some of my friends that are blind like me don't get
   Braille in school like I do, and they don't have Braille books. I have
   my books in Braille, and I have a Braille teacher so now I can read.
   My Mom and Dad had to go to a lot of meetings to make sure I was going
   to learn to read Braille. Please help my friends to be able to read
   like me. Thank you.
   
   Low Vision Products
   
   We have been asked to publish the following information:
   
   Mons International of Atlanta, Georgia, has compiled, in response to
   customers' requests, a catalog of low-vision products and devices. The
   catalog also contains guidelines and tips for effective use of
   low-vision products. To request the Just For You catalog, contact Mons
   International, 6595 Roswell Road, N.E. #224, Atlanta, Georgia 30328,
   (800) 541-7903, Web Site <www.magnifiers.com>, e-mail
   <mons@negia.net>.
   
   Dizzy Disc Jr.
   
   From Quantum Toys comes this information:
   
   The Dizzy Disc Jr., a fun and safe spinning ride-on toy, allows kids
   to sit, kneel, lie down, and even stand as they play while improving
   balance and coordination! The Dizzy Disc Jr. is a great way to enhance
   any child's motor skills. A built-in level adjusts the slope of the
   disc. The greater the angle, the greater the excitement. Comes fully
   assembled, no batteries required. For ages 5 and up, up to 150 pounds.
   The Dizzy Disc Jr. was a finalist in the Family Fun magazine 1999 Toy
   Awards. For more information contact Quantum Toys, Inc., Seattle,
   Washington, (877) 526-8697, <www.dizzydisc.com>.
   
   Golf for Blind Kids
   
   Joe McCourt, Director of the Junior Golf Program, United States Blind
   Golf Association. Joe, who spoke at the 1999 Annual Meeting of the
   National Organization of Parents of Blind Children in Atlanta,
   Georgia, sent us the following announcement:
   
   We want to help in any way that we can to make sure that blind and
   vision impaired children and adults have the opportunity to learn to
   play the great game of golf. We are developing matches of children and
   adults with members of the PGA of America. This past summer we
   conducted clinics at guide dog schools, Lion's camps, and eye clinics.
   To learn more about our programs, please call us at:
   
   Adults: Call Bob Andrews at (850) 893-4511, e-mail:
   <usbga@blindgolf.com> Children: Call Joe McCourt at (561) 569-3494,
   e-mail: <joeusbga@cs.com>. Web Site: <www.blindgolf.com>.
   
   Policy Letter from Department of Education
   
   On June 8, 2000, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative
   Services, U.S. Department of Education (OSEP), issued a Notice of
   Policy Guidance on Educating Blind and Visually Impaired Students.
   This notice updates the policy memo that was issued November 3, 1995,
   and reflects the new and revised provisions of the IDEA Amendments of
   1997. In the new memo, OSEP states:
   
   ?This notice provides important background information to educators in
   meeting their obligations to ensure that blind and visually impaired
   students receive appropriate educational services in the least
   restrictive environment appropriate to their unique needs. A
   description of procedural safeguards also is included to ensure that
   parents are knowledgeable about their right to participate in
   decisions regarding the provision of services to their children.?
   
   The policy notice may be viewed on the Internet in text or Adobe
   Portable Document Format (PDF) at either of the following sites:
   <http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm> and <http://www.ed.gov/news.html>.
   Individuals with disabilities may obtain the document in an
   alternative format (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
   diskette) on request to Katie Mincey, Director of the Alternate
   Formats Center, (202) 205-8113. For further information contact Rhonda
   Weiss or JoLeta Reynolds, OSEP, Mary E. Switzer Building, Room 3086,
   330 C Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20202. Telephone (202) 205-5507,
   TDD (202) 205-5465.
   
   Art History Through Touch and Sound
   
   From the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) comes this
   announcement:
   
   Art Education for the Blind and APH present Art History Through Touch
   and Sound. The first three components of this ongoing series, The
   Building Blocks of Art, The Art of Ancient Egypt, and European
   Modernism: 1900 - 1940, are now available from APH.
   
   For more information contact APH, 1839 Frankfort Avenue, P.O. Box
   6085, Louisville, Kentucky 40206-0085. Phone (800) 223-1839, Web Site
   <www.aph.org>. You may also contact your regional Library for the
   Blind and Physically Handicapped for information about volumes from
   the series available for loan.
   
   Braille Letters
   
   The following information has been circulating among newsletters and
   Internet listservs:
   
   If you want to write a Braille letter to one of your friends, but
   don't know Braille, there is a new web site that will help you out. If
   you go to <http://www.hotbraille.com/public/welcome.asp> you can
   request that a letter be formatted, Brailled, and mailed to anyone in
   the United States. There is no charge to you to send the letter. All
   you have to do is open an account, sign in, and write your letter.
   
   Web-Braille
   
   Braille readers can now read or download their books on the Internet
   through a service called Web-Braille. The National Library Service for
   the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) Web-Braille digital Braille
   book files can be accessed from home with a personal computer and
   Braille embosser or refreshable Braille display.
   
   For more information contact your regional Library for the Blind or
   Robert E. Fistick, Head, Publications and Media Section, National
   Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of
   Congress, 1291 Taylor St. N.W., Washington, DC 20542; telephone: (202)
   707-9279; e-mail: rfis@loc.gov.
   
   Music V.I.
   
   We have been asked to print the following:
   
   ?Music V.I.? is a series of music courses and lessons on audiotape for
   the visually impaired. Included is ?Intro to the Guitar for the
   Visually Impaired,? and ?Intro to the Piano for the Visually
   Impaired.? Each of these is $37, which includes shipping & handling.
   Once these courses have been completed, the student is ready to start
   using the ?Guitar By Ear? and the ?Piano By Ear? cassette library
   which is available from the developer. Contact Valdosta Music and
   Publishing, 704 Habersham Rd., Valdosta, Georgia 31602, (912)
   249-0628.
   
   Financial Planning
   
   We have been asked to publish the following information:
   
   Merrill Lynch has launched a program designed to address the unique
   financial challenges faced by families with children with
   disabilities. Contact <http://www.plan.ml.com/specialneeds/>.
   
   MetLife's Division of Estate Planning for Special Kids will offer
   legal and financial assistance to parents of children with special
   needs. Also, they have prepared a free brochure, ?Planning for Your
   Special Needs Child? (brochure #512). Contact Metropolitan Insurance
   Company, One Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10010, (800) 638-5433,
   <www.metlife.com/desk>.
   
   Tactile Picture Recognition
   
   We have been asked to print the following:
   
   The Guild for the Blind offers a number of tactile picture books for
   blind children. The books are great for teaching tactual picture
   recognition, and they make wonderful coloring books, too. The books
   feature Braille-print text and pictures made from Braille dots, called
   ?Braillables.? A manual for parents and teachers about how to make and
   use Braillables is also available. For more information contact Guild
   for the Blind, 180 North Michigan Avenue, #1700, Chicago, Illinois
   60601, (312) 236-7463.
   
   Accessible Games for Windows
   
   We have been asked to share the following information:
   
   Accessible Games are Windows 95/98 games written by the blind for the
   blind. These games interface directly to JAWS for Windows (JFW)
   version 3.3 or higher, and the Window-Eyes screen reader to give
   spoken feedback to the user. This interface, sound effects, and
   keyboard support make these games very accessible for blind gamers.
   Games currently available are Accessible Battleship, Accessible
   Blackjack, Accessible FreeCell, Accessible Memory, Accessible Simon,
   Accessible WordPlay, Accessible Word Scramble, and Accessible Yahtzee.
   For more information, contact Robert Betz, 12961 Spencer Street, Fort
   Meyers, Florida 33908. The games are available at
   <http://www.GamesForTheBlind.com>.
   
                             Future Reflections
                                      
     The National Federation of the Blind Magazine for Parents of Blind
                                  Children
                                      
              1800 Johnson Street * Baltimore, Maryland 21230 
                                      
                 (410) 659-9314 * www.nfb.org * nfb@nfb.org
                                      
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