
                     Blind Related Bulletin Boards

                           TABLE OF CONTENTS

Item #1  Commission BBS
Item #2  Blinklink BBS
Item #3  Searchlight BBS
Item #4  The Buddy BBS
Item #5  Vision Information Systems BBS
Item #6  KIRO Education BBS.
Item #7  Family Resource Center for Children with Special Needs
Item #8  Massachusetts Commission for the Blind BBS
Item #9  National Rehabilitation Information Center - NARIC
Item #10  Project Link - University of Buffalo
Item #11  The Employment Connection
Item #12   Upshaw Institute for the Blind
Item #13  Fantasy Mountain BBS - the Disability Network
Item #14  Beyond Sight BBS
     Item #15  Gw Micro Inc
Item #16  Synthavoice Computers
Item #17  Henter-Joyce, Inc.
Item #18  MicroTalk
Item #19  Dragnet BBS
Item #20  Digital Equipment Corporation Dectalk BBS
Item #21  Blazie Engineering
Item #22  The American Council of the Blind
Item #23  BayTalk Computer Users Group
Item #24  HumanWare, Inc.
Item #25  Microsoft Corporation
Item #26  Visually Impaired Users Group
Item #27  National Federation of the Blind
Item #28  Visually Impaired Data Processors International, VIDPI,
Item #29 Huseby BBS
Item #30 New Jersey Disability BBS
Item #31  ADA BULLETIN BOARD
Item #32  SpecialNet
Item #33  DUXBURY SYSTEMS

                              End Of Table


Item #1  Commission BBS
Division of Human Services
VOICE,  
FAX,
TOLLFREE,   800-366-5274
TDD,
BBS TOLLFREE,   800-366-5274
INTERNET, 
CONTACT PERSON, 
No description


Item #2  Blinklink BBS
BlinkLink is a bulletin board system, located in Pittsburgh, pA,
that specializes in the needs of blind and visually disabled
computer users, but where all are welcome!  It is the home of the
Fidonet visual disabilities conference, BlinkTalk, which now
appears on hundreds of other systems world-wide.  Also available
to the users are conferences dealing with health and nutrition,
ham and shortwave radio, cooking, humor, computers and far too
many more to mention here.  In addition to the many general
interest DOS programs BlinkLink has available to its users for
downloading all the current screen access demos and similar
programs, files specific to the Blazie Engineering products such
as the Braille 'n Speak, a vast assortment of texts such as the
ACB and NFB newsletters and Gutenberg Project releases, and much,
much more!  Give BlinkLink a call, cause I'm sure you'll find
something of interest, REALLY you will!
Sysop:  William Wilson
BBS:  412-766-0732
Fidonet:  1:129/89
Internet:  willie@telerama.lm.com

Item #3  Searchlight BBS
this is Beth Hatch-Alleyne of Rochester New York.  I run a hobby
BBS concintrating mainly on message areas about societal issues like
disability issues, womens' and mens' issues, parenting, and general
discussion areas for current events and other topics.
       I run Searchlight BBS 4.5, the system runs #24 hours a day, at 14.4
baud.  Inquiries can be sent via netmail to 1:2613/5, or myinternet e-mail
address at bhatch@sescva.esc.edu  The BBS phone number is:
(716) #288-1474.
       I am one of the New York volunteer field representatives for JOB (Job
Opportunities for the Blind) so I take inquiries from employers and blind job
seekers in this area via voice or the bbs.

Item #4  The Buddy BBS
Seeing Eye, Inc.
P.O. Box 375                            
Morristown, NJ 07960
VOICE, 201-539-4425 
FAX, 201-539-0922
TDD, 
BBS, 201-539-9546
CONTACT PERSON, Carol Gray
The Seeing Eye BBS is a Wildcat system.  It's primary purpose is for those
interested in dog guides, their use, how to obtain dog guides and many files
related to blindness.  It also is a fun place where dog guide users share
stories etc. through e-mail.  We are planning a fido ink in the near
future.  The phone number is 201-539-9546 and all are welcome.
sysop:  Clarence Whaley,
Internet:  clarence@arnet.com Nashville, Tn

Item #5  Vision Information Systems BBS
Sysop: Jeff Dubois
jdubois@chat.carleton.ca
Fidonet 1:163/266 - Telephone (613) 733-7976
Fidonet 1:163/267 - Telephone (613) 733-7973
Vision Information Systems is an electronic computer based conversation
system intended for the visually impaired computer user.  Vision maintains a
large and current file library which is of particular interest to the
visually impaired and is located in the heart of Ottawa, Canada's Capital. 
Complete files listings can be obtained by file requesting the magic name
"FILES" from either FidoNet address.

Item #6  KIRO Education BBS.
   I run K.I.R.O. Education BBS, it's devoted to education in general and
blindness issues specifically.  You have free access on your first call to
most message and file areas (including the blindness related file and message
areas).

   We do require you to be a subscriber in order to have FULL ACCESS which
includes all doors, files and message areas and will include the InterNet once
we're connected.
   We have a little bit of everything for you to choose from:  Blindness
Related Materials, Space, Science Fiction, Recovery Issues, Business, Ecology,
Pet Care and MORE!
   Our collection of text files include Blindness Information, Programs for
Speech Output, Product Catalogs, General Text and Humor Files as well as files
about the Space Program and many other subjects.

   If you want USEFUL and FACTUAL information about blindness you'll want to
keep calling our BBS.
Eric Foss      Sysop
(805)324-2955  BBS
1:210/55       FIDO
(805)322-5476  Voice


Item #7  Family Resource Center for Children with Special Needs
PHP 535 Race Street, #140
San Jose, CA, 95126
VOICE, 408-727-5775  
FAX, 408-288-7943
TOLLFREE,   
TDD,
BBS, 408-727-7227
CONTACT PERSON, Trudy Grable
Provides a Bulletin Board called LINCS-BBS.  The bulletin
boards focus on the needs of children and their families.
A 24 hour service and there are no on-line or registration fees. 

Item #8  Massachusetts Commission for the Blind BBS
88 Kingston Street
Boston, MA, 02111
VOICE,  
FAX,
TOLLFREE,   
TDD,
BBS, 617-451-5327
CONTACT PERSON, Charles Crawford
This BBS is operated by the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind. 
It offers 51 blindness related file and message areas.  Users
should set their modems to, no parity, eight word bits and one stop
bit.

Item #9  National Rehabilitation Information Center - NARIC
8455 Colesville Road, Suite 935
Silver Spring, MD, 20910-3319
VOICE, 301-588-9284 
FAX, 301-587-1967
TOLLFREE, 800-346-2742  
TDD, 800-346-2742
BBS, 301-589-3563
CONTACT PERSON, Lisa A. Knight
NARIC is a library and information center on disability and
rehabilitation.  

Item #10  Project Link - University of Buffalo
Center for Assistive Technology
3435 Main Street - 515 Kimball Tower
Buffalo, NY, 14214
VOICE, 716-829-3141 
FAX,
TOLLFREE, 800-628-2281  
TDD,
BBS, ?
CONTACT PERSON, Thomas E. Burford, Ph.D.
The Center for Assistive Technology (CAT) at the University at
Buffalo (UB) has established a free information service, Link to
Assistive Products (LINK), to help people learn about assistive
products and where to get them. 

Item #11  The Employment Connection
109 Nelson Street
Leominster, MA, 01453
VOICE, 
FAX,
TOLLFREE,   
TDD,
BBS, 508-537-1862 
CONTACT PERSON, Philip Oliver, SYSOP
This employment related BBS, offers its users a number of
job listings and serves the amateur radio operaters with a wide
variety of files and message areas.  New users should set their
parameters to, no parity, eight word bits and one stop bit. 

Item #12   Upshaw Institute for the Blind
4-Sights Network
16625 Grand River
Detroit, MI, 48227
VOICE, 313-272-3900 
FAX, 313-272-6893
TOLLFREE,   
TDD, 313-272-3900
BBS, 313-272-7111
CONTACT PERSON, Mary Beth Kullen
The 4-Sights Network is a national computer bulletin board service
focusing on information of interest to people who are blind or
visually impaired, and to those who work with the blind.
The goal of the board is to gather and disseminate useful
information on technology products for the blind, vocations,
education of the blind, multiple disabilities and blindness, low
vision, health and blindness topics, public policy and
rehabilitation resources.  Changing to Wildcat commercial software
to run the BBS. Four major information areas are Vocational,
Educational, Professional, and Technological.  They have 23
information areas and are upgrading to use a CD-ROM server to
include reference material that is available on CD.  

Item #13  Fantasy Mountain BBS - the Disability Network
Denver, Colorado
Sysop:  Steven Shockley
BBS:  303-783-9595
Fidonet:  1:104/809
Carries hundreds of shareware and public domain downloads for adaptive
technology type computer operations plus many national disability
conferences.  Lots of speech friendly software, too.

Item #14  Beyond Sight BBS
26 East Arapaho Road
Littleton, Colorado 80122
VOICE, 303-795-6455
FAX, 303-795-6425
TOLLFREE,               
TDD, 
BBS, 303-795-8598
Internet, bsistore@netcom.com
CONTACT PERSON, Jim Misener
A bulletin board that is of interest to blind and visually impaired
users. Computer sales and adaptive equipment.

     Item #15  Gw Micro Inc
BBS 219-484-0210
GW Micro makers of Vocal-Eyes, Speak-Out, and Sounding Board.  We also provide
several other products from other manufacturers such as Dragon Systems,
Arkenstone, and DEC.
BBS 219-484-0210
Fidonet 1:236/55

Item #16  Synthavoice Computers
Hamelton, Ontario, Canada
BBS, 416-578-5183
Demo version of slimware window bridge on their bbs.
This is the first Windows 3.1 speech program!

Item #17  Henter-Joyce, Inc.
     2100 62nd Avenue North
     St. Petersburg, FL 33702
VOICE, 813-528-8900   
FAX, 813-582-8901
TOLLFREE, 800-336-5658 
BBS, 813-528-8903 
CONTACT PERSON, Ted Henter
JAWS and JAWS for Windows speech access software
 for IBM compatible computers.  Works with all popular speech
synthesizers.  Monthly news letter with tips for running popular
software with speech.  Demo of JAWS for Windows including training
tapes $40 usable for 60 days.

Item #18  MicroTalk
917 Clear Creek Drive
Texarkana, TX  75503
VOICE, 903-832-3471   
FAX, 903-832-3517
BBS, 903-832-3722
CONTACT PERSON, Larry Skutchan
ASAP or ASAP for Windows speech access software.
MicroTalk  maintains aBBS           that contains lots of ASAP and
blindness related discussions, tips, and tricks.           

Item #19  Dragnet BBS
Minnesota
Service of the disability rights alliance
BBS, 612-753-1943
Has product info, text of disability legislation and job listings,
shareware jokes, games, and journals.  
217 conference areas.

Item #20  Digital Equipment Corporation Dectalk BBS
Digital Equipment Corporation
Merrimack, NH 03054
VOICE, 603-884-8990
TOLL FREE, 800-832-6277
BBS,  508-467-3806
DECTALK  a very versatile speech synthesizer which produces high
quality speech.  The BBS offers support software and more.

Item #21  Blazie Engineering
105 East Jarrettsville Road
Forest Hill, MD 23050?
VOICE, 410-893-9333 
BBS, 410-893-8944  
CONTACT PERSON, Dean Blazie
Newsletter to down load for the Braille 'N Speak 640  Braille
keyboard input with speech output.  Portable notetaker and
clock/calendar with built-in grade 2 Braille reverse translator.
Braille Blazer  personal Braille embosser.  
Type 'N Speak  new note taker with standard QWERTY keyboard.
Internet access of the BBS from telnet@blazie.comthen log in by
typing bbs, when asked for password type bbs.

Item #22  The American Council of the Blind
1155 15th St., N.W.
Suite 720
Washington, DC 20005
VOICE, 202-467-5081
FAX, 202-467-5085
For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the
"Washington Connection" toll-free at (800) 424-8666, 
6 p.m. to midnight eastern time Monday through Friday.  Washington,
D.C., residents only call 331-2876.

BBS, 202-331-1058 
ACB electronic bulletin board service "ACB OnLine" will be
available 24 hours a day by calling with your modem-equipped
personal computer, Braille 'nSpeak or Braille Mate Set your
communications software to no parity, 8 data bits, and one stop
bit. 

Item #23 The Baytalk BBS And Users Group
From: Tom Karnes karnes@netcom.com
ABOUT BAYTALK
            BayTalk Computer Users Group was organized in 1986 by
          visually and physically impaired computer users and our
          friends. Some of us are beginners, and others are computer
          professionals. We focus on enhancing our personal and
          professional lives by applying available adaptive computer
          access technology, such as voice or braille output, optical
          character recognition, special keyboards and voice input.
          We encourage and assist each other in this goal.  We seek to
          share our acquired expertise with the computer industry not
          only to demand greater response to our particular needs, but
          also to demonstrate and promote our unique skills to the
          general benefit of all.  We believe we have abilities the
          industry and society need, and we seek to influence their
          development.
 
          BayTalk holds monthly meetings where new hardware and
          software solutions to access problems are demonstrated to
          members from throughout the Bay Area. Our monthly newsletter
          is received locally and nationwide by members and service
          providers.
 
          Our computer bulletin board system, BayTalk BBS, is
          available 24 hours a day at 415-864-6430, N-8-1
          300/1200/2400 baud.  Although frequent users of BayTalk BBS
          are encouraged to join the group, access is free.  The BBS
          and our software library present programs providing computer
          access, such as talking screen review programs, enlarged
          display word processors and utilities for those with limited
          manual dexterity. Applications programs and games that work
          well with speech output are featured as well.
 
          BayTalk BBS offers hundreds of text files such as
          newsletters, articles and stories for downloading by users
          who read them with speech equipped computers.  We provide
          access to events calendars from California State Automobile
          Assn. and San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau.  We
          are a major source of American with Disabilities Act
          regulations text and information.  Many catalogs of products
          of interest to persons with visual impairments are
          available.  Radio and television logs ease access to these
          media.
 
          We hope to expand the educational efforts of BayTalk,
          establishing a computer training program to train beginners
          on equipment from our hardware lending library.  We are
          loaning modems to facilitate participation in the
          telecommunications network by those with limited budgets.
          We loan computers to those who want some experience before
          purchasing one of their own.  As an IRS 501-C3 organization,
          we can give tax deduction receipts for donated equipment and
          funds.
 
          We hope to expand BayTalk BBS, providing a much larger text
          library and additional software.  It is not our intention to
          carry general purpose software that is easily available on
          other BBS's, but to centralize the distribution of adaptive
          utilities and applications, and other programs highly
          compatible with alternative computer access technology.
 
          We hope to provide reference resources on CD-ROM, giving
          on-line access to dictionaries, encyclopedia and other books
          of daily utility which are virtually inaccessible by tape or
          Braille. Free long-distance access to BayTalk BBS would
          eliminate financial barriers to this much needed service.
 
          Our Constitution obligates us "To provide a forum for
          members to share information and expertise that will help
          other members obtain maximum benefit and enjoyment from the
          use of computers.", "To establish a network for the exchange
          of information and ideas regarding speech synthesis, voice
          recognition, braille output and other adaptive technologies
          providing computer access for the visually or physically
          impaired." and "To provide understanding and utilization of
          adaptive technologies through functioning as a developmental
          resource."  With a little help from our friends, we will
          achieve our goals.
 
          BayTalk Computer Users Group, P.O.Box 14111, San Francisco,
          CA 94114.  Dues $12 per year.


Item #24  HumanWare, Inc.
6245 King Road
Loomis, CA 95650    
VOICE, 
TOLLFREE, 800-722-3393     
FAX, 916-652-7253
BBS, 916-652-8637
LARGE PRINT: CLEARVIEW VGA and VIEWPOINT VGA.  Both large print
reading systems use standard VGA monitors.  BRAILLE ACCESS:
PERSONAL PRINTERS: ROMEO 20 and 40 personal printers, JULIET:
inter-point printers.  BRAILLE BLAZERS.  MOUNTBATTEN BRAILLER:
functions as a Braille printer in addition to its other functions
as a Braille writer, forward and backward translator and notetaker. 
Braille translation software: DUXBURY: MEGA DOTS: hardware
translator cable: the RANSLEY BRAILLE INTERFACE.  Stand-Alone
Braille Computers: ALVA BRAILLE TERMINALS are available in 20, 40
and 80-cell displays for both desktop and portable applications. 
MINIBRAILLE: a highly portable low cost Braille access system. 
Speech access: KEYNOTE GOLD-available in 3 formats: standard PC
card, stand-alone, battery operated system and PC MCIA VOICE CARD
version.  OPTICAL CHARACTER RECOGNITION SYSTEMS: ARKENSTONE OCR
SYSTEMS.  SCREEN REVIEW SOFTWARE:  MASTERTOUCH, WINDOW BRIDGE, and
SOUNDPROOF.  ZOOMTEXT: EYERELIEF: two large print programs.  ALVA
BRAILLE TERMINALS.  TELECOMMUNICATIONS:  Bulletin board system
available to all computer users.  PORTABLE COMPUTERS: KEYNOTE GOLD:
laptop computer.  KEYNOTE COMPANION: notetaker.  BRAILLE 'N SPEAK. 
IBM COMPATIBLES.  ACCESS TO WINDOWS: WINDOW BRIDGE.  Printers,
CCTV's, and accessories for the computing needs of blind and
visually impaired individuals.

Item #25  Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA  98052-6399
VOICE, 1206-882-8080
FAX, 
TOLLFREE, 1800-426-9400
BBS, 503- 531-8100
Microsoft tech support BBS 8 data no parity 1 stop to 9600 baud
type user i d code' new' and press enter type the password you want
to use and hit enter
You can update your virus signatures on the bbs 
They have created Windows, MS-DOS, Works, Word for Windows.  You will
need this when Windows 95 comes out.

Item #26  Visually Impaired Users Group
Boston, MA, 02111
BBS, 617-767-2909
A bulletin board with lots of message
echoes.

Item #27  National Federation of the Blind
NFB BBS
1800 Johnson Street 
Baltimore, MD 21230 
VOICE, 410-659-9314
BBS, 410-752-5011
CONTACT PERSON, David Andrews
NFB International Braille and Technology Center
David Andrews director started nov 16, 90 has NFB net with
electronic braille monitor and future reflections demo's of speech
programs.   available 24 hours 300- 9600 baud and 8-1 setting.  for
visiting call  in Maryland to see 32 workstations.  

Item #28  Visually Impaired Data Processors International, VIDPI,
Frank Welte, VIDPI Special Projects Officer
Internet address: f.welte@genie.geis.com
Work, 415-983-7656
Home, 415-508-8329
VIDPI has created the vidpi-l Internet mailing list to facilitate
communication among its members. The mailing list can be accessed
by any VIDPI member with an Internet mailing address. This includes
those members with accounts on most of the major online information
services such as Compuserve, Delphi or GeNie.  VIDPI annual
membership $10 Student, $20 Regular gets you the quarterly tape
newsletter.
Contact Mary Abramson, Treasurer
0 N. 032 Ambleside Drive #2402
Winfield, IL 60190

Item #29 Huseby BBS
Norwegian BBS for the visually impared.
Tel. +47 22 02 95 19
Huseby BBS is run by Huseby National resource centre for special
education of the visually impaired. It is part of the SynsIT project
run in cooperation with several other institutions. For up to date
information on SynsIT please write to Sonja.E.Nilsen@pr.uninett.no.
 
Huseby BBS is available on +47 22 02 96 19 running all common speeds.
8 bit, no parity. The BBS system is MBBS. Commands and prompts as well
as help is in English but most activity is purely norwegian. One
conference is dedicated to English speaking users.
 
The BBS is open to anyone but our main targets are visually impared
people themselves, especially those without prior data communication
experience. We also gladly welcome anyone interested in this field such
as family, friends, teachers and proffesionals in the field of visual
impairments.
 
Most users use some form of offline mail reader. The most popular being
PostLOS developed by Huseby in collaboration with Gjvik
Ingenirhgskole (sorry for those funny letters :)). PostLOS is
designed especially for the visually impared novice in data
communication.


Item #30  New Jersey Disability BBS
New Jersey
VOICE,  201-342-6984
FAX,
TOLLFREE,   
TDD,
BBS, 201-342-3273
CONTACT PERSON, 

Item #31  ADA BULLETIN BOARD
ADA.INDEPENDENT bulletin board
PACER Center
4826 Chicago Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55417-1098
e-mail, HN2338@HANDSNET.ORG 
VOICE,  612-827-2966
FAX,  612-827-3065
TOLLFREE,   
TDD,
BBS, 
CONTACT PERSON, Deborah Leuchovius, ADA Specialist
Information about the Americans with Disabilities Act
is now available to computer users on the Internet or who use
SpecialNet services.  It features articles on trends, practices and
issues in the implementation and enforcement of the ADA.  It also
contains items about special services and products that enhance
independent living.  It is, however, a read-only board.  To submit
ADA-related items for consideration, send them to Deborah
Leuchovius, MNPACER@GTEENS.COM.

Item #32  SpecialNet
G T E Educational Network Services
5525
MacArthur Blvd.
Suite 320
Irving, TX 75038
VOICE,  
FAX,
TOLLFREE,   800-927-3000
TDD,
BBS, 
CONTACT PERSON, 
         No description

Item #33  DUXBURY SYSTEMS
435 King Street
PO Box 1504
Littleton, MA 01460
VOICE,  508-486-9766
FAX,  508-486-9712
TOLLFREE,   
TDD,
BBS, 617-767-5964
INTERNET, duxbury@world.std.com
CONTACT PERSON, 
Braille translation software: ; Newsletter (#21 March 95) New menu


                            End Of Document

