[Home-on-the-range] Imagineering Our Future

[Floyd]

Here are several things to talk about. If you like I can continue to post things like this news letter. I will be listening for your feed back.

Imagineering Our Future     Issue 26 
September 2010    


In this issue:


Message from the Executive Director 
What’s New 
Education 
Braille Initiative 
Advocacy 
Straight Talk About Vision Loss 
Product and Access Technology Talk 
>From the tenBroek Library 
Independence Market 
Parent Outreach 
Spotlight on the Imagination Fund 
NFB Calendar 
Citation 


 



Message from the Executive DirectorDear Friends,

I first learned about the National Federation of the Blind in 1996 when I attended the National Convention in Anaheim, California. I brought home a bag full of material written by blind people about what it is like and is not like to be blind. One of the speeches from that bag that has had lasting impact on me is an address by Dr. Marc Maurer entitled Reflecting the Flame.

Dr. Maurer says in part:

In a fireplace one log by itself, regardless of how big, will almost certainly fail to burn. There must be at least two. The flame from one is reflected by the other. The brightness and heat come from the space between the logs, the reflection of the flame. 

As it is with flame, so it is with ideas. A new idea has only a limited time to take fire, to catch the imagination of the public and burn. And if the flame is to be reflected­the kindling point sustained­more than a single person is required. There must be two, five, ten­at least a handful­to build the heat and speed the process.

Over the last month, the friends of the National Federation of the Blind have been reflecting the flame by getting the word out about the work that we do with blind youth. Specifically, I have been touched by the tremendous support we have received for our 2011 NFB Youth Slam in the Pepsi Refresh Project. We finished August in 15th place for our category. While we did not win, we did very well and earned another attempt in September.  And, as is always the case with the NFB, we will eventually win.

The NFB Youth Slam is a prime example of the reflection of the flame that happens in the NFB. Dozens of successful blind mentors volunteer a week of their time to come mentor a new generation.  Innovative ideas are generated and young people are empowered to charge into the future with renewed confidence. The flame is reflected, the hope is kindled, and new energy is created in the process.  

Please continue to help us reflect the flame of the National Federation of the Blind. Vote for our Pepsi project every day and tell your friends, family, and business associates about the flame of opportunity that is the NFB. Together we are truly building a future full of opportunities.


 
Mark A. Riccobono, Executive Director, NFB Jernigan Institute 


 



Featured NFB News



Thirty More Days to Make a Difference for Blind Youth! In just seconds each day, you can help promote the need for blind students to receive the same education as their sighted classmates. Vote today and every day in September for the NFB Youth Slam in the Pepsi Refresh Project. The top two vote-getters each month receive $250,000 for their projects, however the top 100 roll over to the following month for another chance. NFB started September in great shape to push to the top! There are three ways to vote, and you are encouraged to use as many of these ways as you can to vote each day. That’s a total of 90 votes that you can use to support equality in the classroom. Here are the three ways to vote each day:
 




Simply put the number 101913 into the body of a text message, and send that text to 73774. (Standard text-messaging rates apply.) 
Go to  www.refresheverything.com/nfbyouthslam, click the link to vote, and then choose the log in using Facebook option. Once you’re successfully logged in, click the vote button on our page again and the vote link will disappear and you'll have logged your vote! 
Go to www.refresheverything.com/nfbyouthslam, click the link to vote, and then choose the sign in directly with Pepsi option. Once you’re successfully logged in, click the vote button on our page again and the vote link will disappear and you'll have logged your vote! 
You can also find out more information about the program by clicking www.refresheverything.com/nfbyouthslam, including an excellent video summary of the Youth Slam with interviews with participants and staff. Please share this important opportunity with your networks on Facebook and Twitter, as well as with your e-mail contacts. Thank you for your support, and for voting every day in September or until the NFB receives the grant!   

Tip: Sign up online for daily e-mail reminders to vote for the Youth Slam in the Pepsi Refresh Project. Or enter your mobile phone number and carrier to receive daily text message reminders to your phone.  Standard text messaging rates apply.



2010 NFB Junior Science AcademyJSA students with Rube Goldberg machine 
 

The NFB Jernigan Institute has been buzzing with activity. Thirty elementary students and their parents traveled to Baltimore for the two sessions of the 2010 NFB Junior Science Academy­Gear Up for Greatness! The four-day program was jam-packed with engaging lessons about basic physics. Students turned recyclables into Rube Goldberg machines and learned about the physics behind the attractions at an amusement park. While the students were busy building confidence in their ability to do science as blind people, their parents learned from blind adults how to foster independence in their children’s lives. 

Overflowing with excitement about their new-found knowledge of blindness and science, the students and parents shared their experiences with each other at the closing ceremonies. Two boys used their bodies to show off their knowledge of simple machines; a team did somersaults to demonstrate the wheel; and one student took the push-up position while the other rolled a cane down his back, demonstrating an inclined plane!  When it was the parents’ turn to share, one mom remarked, “I came to this program with a visually impaired daughter, I am leaving with a blind daughter!” We loved getting to know these families and we are geared up to see all the great things they will do in the coming years!

 


Education 

Meet the Blind Month is our nationwide campaign to increase awareness of and support for the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). This year, we are launching a pilot program, Who’s Whozit, to bring our message to school-aged children. This initiative will serve to generate excitement around one of our organization’s most important efforts­public education. The primary focus in 2010 is to shatter common misconceptions about blindness, show how far the blind have come due to the efforts of the NFB, and focus attention on the work that needs to be done in order for the blind to obtain full integration into society on the basis of equality. For more information or to register your events, visit the Meet the Blind Month Web page. 



 


Braille InitiativeThe Braille literacy crisis continues. 

Despite the obvious advantages of Braille, the New Jersey Commission for the Blind refuses to believe that print is not a viable reading medium for Hank Miller. They will not provide Braille instruction, even though, with magnification, Hank can only read ten minutes at a time, and his vision will only deteriorate. Learn more about the Miller family’s struggle to secure literacy for their nine-year-old blind boy in this CBS Evening News video. 



 


AdvocacyThe Librarian of Congress, James H. Billington, has ruled that the blind have a right to access e-books.  

When the publisher does not offer an accessible version, blind people will not violate copyright laws by using access technology to read electronic books that have digital rights management (DRM) technology.   

In the NFB’s press release, President Marc Maurer explained: 

The National Federation of the Blind commends the Librarian of Congress for recognizing the right of blind Americans to obtain equal access to the information contained in digital books.  It is the position of the National Federation of the Blind that blind people have the right to access content for which they have paid or which they have otherwise legally obtained, just like all other readers.  We are pleased that the Librarian of Congress sees matters in the same way.  The e-book industry, however, has largely failed to recognize our rights.  The Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, Sony Reader, and other e-book reading devices and applications still remain inaccessible to us, and we have yet to see accessible e-book readers and content from those who have promised them.  At this time, Apple products that can access the company’s iBooks are the only mainstream e-book devices accessible to blind readers.  The National Federation of the Blind
 will continue to use every means at our disposal to secure the right of blind Americans to access the same books at the same time and at the same price as all other consumers.  We will stand for nothing less.

 


Straight Talk About Vision Loss 

There has been a lot of excitement about the Blind Driver Challenge, the project NFB and Virginia Tech engineers are working on to develop a nonvisual user interface that allows a blind person to drive.  

Now the NFB Blind Driver Challenge has received the top award at the National Instruments annual NIWeek conference in Austin, Texas. The award-winning project was also highlighted in a keynote presentation in front of the 3,000 attendees. The prototype vehicle was demonstrated by Virginia Tech onstage and the NFB Jernigan Institute Executive Director, Mark Riccobono, spoke.  We invite regular viewers of the Straight Talk About Vision Loss Web-based video series to enjoy this video of the NFB’s presentation on the Blind Driver Challenge to the NIWeek conference.

The official NFB Blind Driver Challenge Web site has launched!  Go to Blinddriverchallenge.org for everything relating to the Blind Driver Challenge.  You can get updates on the Blind Driver Challenge by becoming a fan on Facebook, following the NFB’s Twitter account, and visiting us on YouTube.



 


Product and Access Technology TalkThe Access Technology team is especially proud this month, as after much ado, the newly updated Technology Resource List AND the new Consumer Electronics List are now available on the NFB Web site. These comprehensive listings of nonvisual access technology in the United States and usable consumer electronics, respectively, will help old and new hands alike in their quest for new tools and toys.

We also worked with the Education team on a professional development training session for the Baltimore City Public Schools on August 26, giving the attendees an insight into technology that will benefit blind students.  September 13 sees us host a workshop for voting machine manufacturers, which is an exciting opportunity to share with them our experiences about nonvisual access to and usability of election technology as understood by blind people and to exchange information.  

The team has also added a new review of the BTec 100 embosser on the AT Blog, and a number of tips on the BrailleNote Apex on the AT Tips. 



 


>From the tenBroek LibraryWe recently got a phone call from a leading member of a nearby state affiliate. This person was apologetic about asking us for information needed for a task assigned by the National Center.  This led us to consider that it was time to remind Federationists (and all friends of the organized blind) that the tenBroek Library is YOUR library for research on blind people and blindness. The only reason we’re here is to advance the cause. Our job is to provide information relating to the blind­whether it’s on teaching methods, public policy issues, biographies of blind notables, or whatever. In other words, we’re here to serve YOU. Bring on the requests for information!

Screen shot of the BLIND CAT homepage 
 
By the way, most requests we get are what librarians call “ready reference” questions. We are pleased, in the course of our normal work, to take care of these quickies and other questions that can be handled in short order. Please call (410-659-9314, extension 2225) or write (jtblibrary at nfb.org) and we'll let you know whether your request fits in this category or if we will need to charge a modest fee.

>From time to time we also hear from people who want to know if we have a particular book or periodical in our collection. We now own about four thousand books, as well as issues of more than sixty magazines, scholarly journals, and newsletters. We are, however, still in the early stages of developing our collection, and it is possible that we may not have an item you’re looking for. Since we plan to have a comprehensive collection, we want to know of any book or periodical about blindness that we don't already own.

But you don't need to call or e-mail us. Our online catalog, THE BLIND CAT, is up and running and will soon have some snazzy enhancements. If you don't find what you’re looking for in THE BLIND CAT, you can let us know by clicking on “ questions about this catalog.”  We are moving toward the day when we can truly say:

“Need information about blindness? Ask THE BLIND CAT! A cool cat, indeed.”



 


Independence Market 
At our national convention this summer the NFB released a new publication developed by our Blind Parents Interest Group entitled Parenting Without Sight: What Attorneys and Social Workers Should Know about Blindness. This publication provides introductory and commonsense advice and information to those potentially involved in assessing the competence of blind parents to care for their offspring or other children in their charge. The pamphlet promotes the simple view that blind parents are, with proper training and opportunity, equal to this responsibility. Detailed in this pamphlet are statements of blindness philosophy and practical examples of ways parenting as a blind person can be managed successfully. This release is very timely especially considering the recent case in which a newborn was taken away from her blind parents for two months in Missouri this spring.  We hope that this publication will play a role in preventing such situations in the
 future.  The text of the pamphlet can be viewed online, and print copies can be ordered free of charge from the NFB Independence Market. 

Another publication released some time ago and available through the Independence Market in various formats can now be viewed online as well: Guide for Local and State Leaders by Ramona Walhof. Written from the point of view of a long-time leader and former NFB officer, this small book attempts to assist new leaders to take full advantage of resources in a complex national movement.  It addresses structure and activities of local chapters, state affiliates, and the national organization from fund raising to public education. Now that this resource is available online, it is more accessible to our members and elected leaders who are growing and nurturing the Federation.  

For more information or to order NFB publications, please e-mail us or call us at 410-659-9314, extension 2216. 



 


Parent OutreachThe Summer 2010 issue of Future Reflections, a magazine for parents and teachers of blind children, is now available. Volume 29 Number 3 includes a range of articles to inform and inspire, such as “ All Things Possible,” which begins: 

When our mom, Cynthia, was told that her little girls would never make it, she said a prayer. “I will be the best mother I can,” she prayed. “Please let my little girls survive.” We did survive, but our story had only begun.

Download this issue from the NFB site, read it online, have it e-mailed to you, or get a subscription to the print or cassette version of Future Reflections.  You can't go wrong.  


Also from the editor of Future Reflections, Debbie Kent Stein, is a recent message she forwarded to several NFB listservs about a research study that will take place in Fall 2010:

I have been asked to post the following announcement by Ellen Herlache, a doctoral candidate in counseling psychology.  If you would like to help out, please complete the survey online or contact Ellen directly.
     ­Debbie Kent Stein

Attention:  Parents of Children with Visual Impairments

A doctoral candidate in the Doctor of Education in Counseling Psychology program at Argosy University Online Programs­Phoenix Campus is conducting a survey study to learn more about how a child’s visual impairment impacts family quality of life, and which types of support services may be the most helpful to families of children with visual impairments.

In order to participate in this study, you must be the parent of a child between the ages of 0 and 21 years of age with a diagnosis of some form of visual impairment (legal blindness, low vision, or partially sighted), and reside in the United States.  All persons who complete and submit the survey can enter into a drawing for one of four $25 Visa Gift Cards.  In order to be involved in this study, please enter the address below into your browser:  http://www.svsu.edu/cgi-bin/remark3/itd/rws3.pl?FORM=REMARKSurvey .  The survey should take less than 15 minutes to complete.

If you have any questions or concerns about completing the survey or about being in the study, please contact Ellen Herlache, MA, OTRL, at (989) 964-2187 or echerlac at hotmail.com.

 

 


Spotlight on the Imagination Fund  


Announcing the 2010-2011 Race for IndependenceNFB’s annual campaign to raise funds for the NFB Imagination Fund has begun. The 2010-2011 Race for Independence will focus on education, technology, and research of help to blind Americans.  The Race for Independence will be spotlighted in public NFB events, particularly the public debut of a vehicle equipped with a nonvisual interface allowing a blind person to drive it independently.  A Ford Escape, equipped with nonvisual interface technology, will be driven by a blind individual who will navigate part of the famed Daytona International Speedway course on January 29, 2011, as part of the pre-race activities at the 2011 Rolex 24 At Daytona.   

Get involved!  Watch this space in October for an easy way that you can support the Imagination Fund Race for Independence campaign.

For more information, please read the official press release or visit www.raceforindependence.org. 

Proceeds from the Imagination Fund build programs of the National Federation of the Blind at the national, state, and local levels.



 


NFB CalendarSeptember 13, 2010 Nonvisual access to voting technology seminar for developers of election technology, Jernigan Institute, with funding from a Help America Vote Act Training/Technical Assistance grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

One of the purposes of the seminar is to inform election technology developers about the experiences of blind and low-vision voters with accessible voting technology.  We need your help to provide election technology developers with as broad a range of voter experience as possible.  If you are blind or have low vision and have used an accessible voting system in a federal election, please send an e-mail describing your experience, the city or county and state where you voted, and the type of accessible voting system used (if known) to Lou Ann Blake. 

 

October 2010  Meet the Blind Month, a nationwide campaign conducted by chapters throughout the country every October.  Activities that spread the NFB’s message in local communities are listed by state in the Meet the Blind Month events page. 


The Fall  The yearly meetings of quite a few of the NFB’s state affiliates cluster in the fall and the spring. These states will meet in convention assembled in September: Arizona, North Carolina, West Virginia, Iowa, Montana, and Kentucky.  To look up when the NFB of (insert your favorite state) meets or for more information, see the State Conventions page on the NFB’s Web site.   

 

Coming Summer 2011­NFB National Convention in Orlando, Florida!

 

 


CitationHelp the National Federation of the Blind win $250,000 to improve educational opportunities for blind children by voting in the Pepsi Refresh Project. Vote from your cell phone. Text 101913 to Pepsi (73774).

      ­Taken from flyer with NFB 2010 Youth Slam voting information. Print and hand them out at events like local fairs or football games to help spread the word!  Available in full-page and four-per-page formats. 


Back to Top 

Thank you for reading the NFB Jernigan Institute’s Imagineering Our Future.


   

 

 
  
  

Support the Jernigan Institute through the Imagination Fund







  








Interesting links: Archive of Straight Talk about Vision Loss videos

National Center for Blind Youth in Science

Access Technology Tips




 

 
 






Blogs:Access Technology

Voice of the Nation’s Blind







 
  








Publication archives: Future Reflections

Braille Monitor

 






 
  

 

 

 















 










  









  











  











  

Visit us at nfb.org 

 

 

 

 

Jernigan Institute, National Federation of the Blind
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place, Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 659-9314      Fax (410) 659-5129      E-mail JerniganInstitute at nfb.org
Visit us at www.nfb.org
      
The National Federation of the Blind meets the rigorous Standards for Charity Accountability set forth by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance and is Top-Rated by the American Institute of Philanthropy. 


Forward this newsletter.
If this issue was forwarded to you and you’d like to subscribe, please e-mail JerniganInstitute at nfb.org.
ducating Blind Children: Changing the Paradigm
Fredric K. Schroeder, Ph.D.; Research Professor; San Diego State University


Thank You 
Floyd
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