[il-talk] Fw: Blindness Symposium To Be Held March 6, At Notre Dame

Sun Feb 22 20:39:36 UTC 2009

It sounds interesting.  The organizers don't seem that visitor friendly 
though.  they don't say how close this event is from the train or bus 
station and if it is not within walking distance, what transportation is 
available or will be provided from these locations to the conference site. 
Also, they don't say if food is available for lunch and an evening meal at 
or near the conference site or near the transportation.

Kelly

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Reif" <billreif at ameritech.net>
To: <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2009 11:38 AM
Subject: [il-talk] Fw: Blindness Symposium To Be Held March 6, At Notre 
Dame

This sounds like quite an event coming up.

Bill

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Parker at Vip conduit" <Vipcomm at mchsi.com>
To: "Accessible Devices" <a-d at accessible-devices.com>
Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2009 10:57 AM
Subject: Accessible Devices Blindness Symposium To Be Held March 6,At Notre
Dame

This message is quite lengthy as it contains a great deal of information
about the
Symposium.
in celebration of the bicentenary of the birth of Louis Braille
The Notre Dame Disability Studies Forum presents
Friday, March 6, 2009
9:00 a.m.–5:45 p.m.
McKenna Hall, University of Notre Dame
Keynote
Marc Maurer, ND ’74
President of the National Federation of the Blind
Speakers
Edward Wheatley
Edward L. Surtz Professor of Medieval Literature, Loyola
University, Chicago
Adolph Kiefer, Shelley Kiefer, and David Gatz
Kiefer Products
Georg Bodammer
Venture Manager, Siemens, Munich
Paul Down
Associate Professor of Industrial Design
Fernando Carvalho
(MFA Candidate in Industrial Design) University of Notre Dame
Essaka Joshua
Special Professional Faculty, Departments of Philosophy and
English, University of Notre Dame
The Notre Dame Disability Studies Forum is hosting speakers
from arts-based and technology-based disciplines to discuss the
culture and technology surrounding blindness and partial sight.
Technology Fair
Exhibitors include: Bosma Enterprises, Easter Seals Crossroads
Assistive Technology Center, Eye Can See, GW Micro, Hadley
School for the Blind, Indiana Talking Book and Braille Library,
RFB&D, Sendero Group, and Social Security Administration
This event is part of a year-long series of talks hosted by the
Notre Dame Disability Studies Forum.
For registration, contact Essaka Joshua at
ejoshua at nd.edu
.
There is no fee and all are welcome.
in celebration of the bicentenary of the birth of Louis Braille
The Notre Dame Disability Studies Forum presents
Friday, March 6, 2009
9:00 a.m.–5:45 p.m.
McKenna Hall, University of Notre Dame
Schedule
8:30 a.m.
Coffee and light snacks available
throughout the morning
McKenna Atrium
9-9:15 a.m.
Introduction and welcome
Essaka Joshua, Special Professional
Faculty, Departments of Philosophy
and English, University of Notre
Dame, and John McGreevy, Dean of
the College of Arts and Letters
McKenna Auditorium
9:15–10:15 a.m.
Research Paper
Edward Wheatley, Surtz Professor
of Medieval Literature, Loyola
University, Chicago
“Stumbling Blocks Before the Blind:
Constructions of a Disability in
Medieval England and France”
McKenna Auditorium
10:15–10:45 a.m.
Coffee Break
McKenna Atrium
10:45–11:45 a.m.
Keynote Speaker
Marc Maurer, ND ’74, President of
the National Federation of the Blind
McKenna Auditorium
11:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Student Discussion With Marc
Maurer Facilitated by James Fetter,
PhD candidate in Political Science,
University of Notre Dame
McKenna Auditorium
12:30–1:30 p.m.
Lunch break
(Coffee is available in the McKenna
Dining Room throughout the
afternoon.)
1:30–5:45 p.m.
Blindness Technology Fair
Exhibits in McKenna Dining Room
Product demonstrations in McKenna
Hall, Room 112–114
1:30–2 p.m.
Research Paper
Georg Bodammer, Venture Manager,
Siemens, Munich, Germany
“A Prototype Cognitive Aid System for
the Blind and Partially Sighted”
McKenna Hall, Room 210–214
2–2:15 p.m.
Coffee Break
McKenna Dining Room
2:15–3:15 p.m.
Research Paper
Essaka Joshua, Special Professional
Faculty, Departments of Philosophy
and English, University of Notre Dame
“‘Blind Vacancy:’ Sighted Culture and
Voyeuristic Historiography in Mary
Shelley’s Frankenstein”
3:15–3:30 p.m.
Coffee Break
McKenna Dining Room
3:30–4:15 p.m.
Research Paper and Panel Q&A
Paul Down, Associate Professor of
Industrial Design, and Fernando
Carvalho, (MFA Candidate in
Industrial Design), University of
Notre Dame
“Finding Independence through
Low-Tech Design”
Panel includes Adolph Kiefer,
Shelley Kiefer, and David Gatz,
Kiefer Products
McKenna Hall, Room 210–214
Because the greater South Bend, Indiana, area is reasonably close to
Chicagoland, southern Michigan, Indianapolis, and Ohio, a significant 
number
of persons will potentially find it feasible to attend.  The highest 
profile
facets of this event are the
keynote address by Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National
Federation of the Blind; and the presence of Olympic gold medal-winning
swimmer and entrepreneur Adolph Kiefer.  Dr. Maurer will be on center
stage roughly from 10:45 A.M. to 12:30 P.M and will speak directly to
the enormous gap that remains in respect to employment of the blind in
21st century America.  Kiefer will participate while a paper on a new
swimming
navigational aid for the blind is presented at 3:30 in the afternoon.
Another noteworthy fact is that this upcoming symposium has been
created at Notre Dame and is being administered by an ND
special professional, Dr. Essaka Joshua, who conducts and supervises
academic
research in the area of disability studies.  So this will be first and
foremost an academic conference put on by one of North America's most
prestigious institutions of higher learning.  To that end, papers about the
literary and
historical significance of blindness through the ages will be formally
presented by scholars from universities both in the USA and in Europe.
Athletically-minded attendees and parents of blind swimmers will be able to
see first-hand a brand-new, highly affordable navigational aid called
AdapTap that blind swimmers may use to keep their bearings in the often
confusing and fast-moving
environment of a swimming pool.  Attached to this message are both a flier
and a poster describing the formal part of this symposium.  These are
official promotional pieces created at Notre Dame, and both the flier and
poster are suitable for immediate handout or mounted display.  They are
accessible to blind computer users as well, if opened in any version of
Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat identified as 7.x or later, in conjunction
with either JAWS for Windows or Window-Eyes screen reading software.
In addition, there is a second aspect to the March 6 symposium, intended to
line up with the practical needs of teachers or members of the blind
community:  Following Dr. Maurer's time in the spotlight and a brief lunch
break, the afternoon will feature a technology fair that
runs concurrently with the last three paper presentations.  As a
part of that tech fair, we will present four focused seminars of
practical and educational significance to special education teachers,
vocational rehabilitation professionals, blind persons, and family members
or friends of blind persons.  The lineup for these presentations, as it
stands now, is as follows:
2:00 PM:
Select members from the leadership team of GW Micro, developers of the
Window-Eyes
screen reading program and distributors of the Braille Sense notetaker, the
SenseNav
GPS
 system, and the SenseView closed circuit TV, show off the benefits and new
features
related to their increasingly robust and popular products.
3:00 PM:  The Sendero Group, featuring accessible GPS solutions and
other leading-edge portable technology for the blind.
Enter a drawing for a chance to win a signed copy of “Crashing Through,” 
the
inspirational
true story of Sendero’s president and adventurer-in-chief Michael May.
This book, authored by Robert Kurson, was published by Random House in 2007
and is
available in Braille, CD, cassette tape, and Internet download.
4:00 PM:  Wade Wingler of the Easter Seals Crossroads Assistive
Technology Center in Indianapolis.  Wade discusses the new INDATA
Project making technology affordable for members of the disabled
community who earn a low income and/or who do not qualify for direct
state funding assistance.
5:00 PM:  Hadley School for the Blind, based in Winnetka, Illinois.
Hadley has provided distance learning opportunities in Braille, in
large print, and now online, for nearly 90 years to blind citizens of
more than 100 countries.
In addition to the presenters listed above, we are expecting
demonstration/informational booths  to be staffed by adec Inc., Bosma
Enterprises, Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind, Cross Roads-Easter Seals,
Envision
America, Eye Can See, GH LLC, GW Micro, Hadley School
for the Blind, the Indiana Talking Book and Braille Library, the National
Federation of the Blind of Indiana, Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic,
Sendero Group, the Social Security Administration, United States 
Association
of Blind
Athletes (USABA), among others.
Last but not least, we hope to get a sneak peek at some experimental
navigational technology not yet released to the general public that is 
being
developed and tested in
the nations that make up the European Union.  At least one of these
experimental devices never has been seen before in North America.  Attached
to this message is a detailed description of these and all other exhibitors
who have agreed thus far to participate.  The description is formatted so
that it should open in any version of Microsoft Word released since the 
year
1998.
Both the academic conference and the technology fair will be open at
no charge to the general public.  But because space in the auditorium and
demonstration rooms is limited, registration is strongly encouraged.
If you wish to attend, or if you have a question relating specifically to
the academic portion of the March 6 program, please send a message to
BlindnessSymposium at gmail.com
.
For more information about the technology fair portion of the afternoon's
proceedings, you are encouraged to write personally to one or both of the
co-coordinators: Kane Brolin
kbrolin65 @ gmail.com
 or Lori Miller
Lori @ asmodean.net
.
Sincerely,
Kane Brolin
Office:    (5..., Ext. 1
Mobile:   (574)386-8868
EXIBITOR DESCRIPTIONS
Take part in hands-on demonstrations, ask questions, and get the latest 
info
from
more than fifteen
companies and not-for-profit organizations that will showcase their 
products
and
services for people with vision loss.
  Exhibits will be held continuously from 1:30-5:45 PM on
Fri., March 6, 2009
, in the dining room of McKenna Hall on the campus of The University of
Notre Dame,
with select presentations happening simultaneously in Rooms 112 and 114 of
the same
building.
Presentation Line-up:
2:00: GW Micro,
3:00: Sendero Group,
4:00: Cross Roads,
5:00: Hadley School for the Blind,
List of Exhibitors:
·        ADEC, Inc.  This not-for-profit corporation based in in northern
Indiana
 since 1952 is the result of collaboration between disabled persons and
their families,
community leaders, and like-minded organizations.
Its mission is to ensure that children and adults with disabilities can 
live
happy
and productive lives and can participate fully in their communities.
ADEC sponsors a variety of training and work-centered programs for disabled
citizens.
ADEC is committed to breaking down barriers, both physical and attitudinal,
through
active community education, advocacy, and support.
http://adecinc.com/php/about/index.php
Bosma Enterprises.  This Indianapolis-based organization
 operates as a unique non-profit hybrid, relying on a combination of 
private
gifts,
corporate and foundation contributions, and profit-driven contracts to
create jobs
and fund training and outreach programs.
Bosma prepares people who are blind to meet the challenges they choose to
take on
and also prepares the business community to integrate people who are blind
into their
business plans.
http://bosma.org/about_us.htm
Chicago Lighthouse.
Since its founding in 1906, the Chicago Lighthouse has evolved from
providing basic
food, clothing and shelter assistance into helping people who are blind,
visually
impaired or multi-disabled to live more independently.
Vocational training and competitive job placement have been a primary focus
of this
agency for nearly a century.
  The
Birth-To-Three Family intervention Program initiates early intervention
services
to infants, toddlers and their families. As far back as the 1950s, the
Lighthouse’s
Adult Living Skills program has been known as one of the first in the 
nation
to teach
independent living skills to adults who
are blind and developmentally disabled. The Lighthouse is a fixture on
Roosevelt Road in the heart of the Illinois Medical district of Chicago’s
West Side.
http://www.thechicagolighthouse.org/defaultabout.asp?page=history
Cognitive Aid System for the Blind People (CASBLIP).
The main aim of this collaborative research project is to develop a system
capable
of interpreting and managing real world information from different sources
to assist
blind or visually impaired users.
The system would present users with enhanced image and audio maps of their
surroundings
to meaningfully improve their independence and overall quality of life.
Partners in this endeavor include the German conglomerate Siemens Ag, the
University
of Bristol (Great Britain), La Universidad
Politécnica de Valencia (Spain), and La Universidad de la Laguna (Spain).
 Individualized demonstrations of one of CASBLIP’s experimental products 
may
be arranged
in advance by writing to Dr. Georg Bodammer:
Georg.Bodammer at siemens.com
.
He is willing to hold such a demonstration either at Notre Dame on March 
6-7
or in
the Greater Chicago area the following week.
  For a broader view of the objectives and different components of CASBLIP,
refer
to
http://www.casblip.upv.es/
Easter Seals Crossroads Assistive Technology Center.  Based in Indianapolis
, this organization works nationwide to help persons with all manner of
disabilities
lead fulfilled and productive lives.
The center’s director Wade Wingler will showcase technology-related
initiatives that
have been made possible through state and federal grants and by the recent
passage
of the Indiana Assistive Technology Act (INDATA).
These programs, many of which are free to disabled Hoosiers, include device
loans
and exchanges, alternative equipment financing, technology training, and
computer
reutilization.
http://centerforassistivetechnology.org/resources/42
En-Vision America.  This company, headquartered in Normal, Illinois,
is dedicated to creating unequaled value in the lives of its customers. It
applies
new and creative technology to everyday problems of the visually impaired.
  It is
En-Vision America
’s goal to make its customers more independent in performing the essential
tasks
of life that most take for granted.
Check out the I.D. Mate Omni, an accessible bar code scanner, as well as 
the
ScripTalk
Station for reading prescription labels.
http://www.envisionamerica.com/products.php
 Eye Can See.
Tom Blackman demonstrates the KNFB Mobile Reader and shows off a broad 
array
of Freedom
Scientific products, including the latest editions of the PAC Mate 
notetaker
and
JAWS for Windows screen reader for the PC.
Go to
http://www.knfbreader.com/
 or
http://freedomscientific.com/
.
GH, LLC.  Using a content-independent media conversion process,
this company offers a full range of accessible media formats and
software applications, including DAISY Digital Talking Books, an
Accessible Testing System, Braille, and Tactile Graphics, that enable
people with print disabilities to improve their educational
experience, become more competitive in the workplace, and lead more
enjoyable lives.
http://www.gh-accessibility.com/
 GW Micro.
The leadership team representing this innovative Hoosier company, based in
Fort Wayne,
demonstrate the latest capabilities of their Window-Eyes speech and Braille
access
software for the PC, as well as portable products such as the SenseView
CCTV, Braille
Sense Plus notetaker and its companion
GPS navigation system.
http://www.gwmicro.com/
Hadley School for the Blind.
For nearly 90 years, this Illinois-based institution has provided distance
learning
opportunities for blind high school students, adults, and their families in
a wide
variety of courses ranging from Braille and personal wellness to the
fundamentals
of business, literature, math, science, and foreign languages.
http://hadley.edu/default.asp
Indiana Talking Book and Braille Library.
This institution is affiliated with the National Library Service for the
Blind and
Physically Handicapped, a division of the Library of Congress.
NLS administers the free program that lends recorded and braille books and
magazines,
music scores in braille and large print, and specially designed playback
equipment
to residents of the United States who are unable to read or use standard
print materials
because of visual or physical impairment.
NLS administers the program nationally while direct service to eligible
individuals
and institutions is the responsibility of cooperating libraries in the
various states,
the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. 
Service
is also
extended to eligible American citizens residing abroad.
http://www.loc.gov/nls/aboutnls.html
National Federation of the Blind of Indiana.
With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is one
of the
largest and most influential membership organizations of blind people in 
the
United States.  The NFB
 improves blind people’s lives through advocacy, education, research,
technology,
and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence.  The
NFB has affiliates in all fifty states plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico
, and over seven hundred local chapters.
http://www.nfb.org/nfb/About_the_NFB.asp?SnID=1264837192
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic.  This not-for-profit organization, 
based
in Princeton,
NJ
, produces and distributes a wide array of recorded books and study
materials for
the use of students and adults who have proven physical or mental 
challenges
that
make it difficult to learn through conventional reading techniques.
RFB&D materials are offered via CD-ROM, Internet download, and cassette 
tape
to qualifying
patrons, and their literature ranges from popular fiction to advanced
postgraduate
research materials.
  RFB&D is capable of producing customized recordings for students and
institutions
with specialized needs.
Much of their catalogue is made available free of charge to qualifying
patrons.
http://www.rfbd.org/
Saint Joseph County [Indiana] Election Board.
For Americans, the right to vote is a critical lynchpin that keeps our
democratic
republic stable and keeps our leaders accountable to the people.
Up to now, however, blind and otherwise disabled persons have not had any
practical
means to cast a truly private ballot without assistance.
But this is changing, thanks to new technology that soon will bring
accessible voting
machines to an election precinct near you.
We expect to have at least one prototype of such a machine that visitors 
can
try
out at this year’s tech fair.
To get general info about voting machines accessible to the disabled, go to
http://votingmachines.procon.org/viewanswers.asp?questionID=309
Sendero Group.  This company developed the first accessible GPS and talking
map software.
GPS
 products "Powered by Sendero" software provide access to detailed street
and business
location information. The blind traveler can now be a co-pilot , not just a
passive
passenger in a car.
Sendero staff, most of whom are visually impaired, know from personal and
professional
experience that orientation and mobility skills and tools for blind folks
are key
to enjoyment and success in all walks of life.
  For a brief multimedia sneak preview of how Sendero’s gps product can
empower blind
navigators, go to
http://www.senderogroup.com/public/gps/
.
Social Security Administration.
Because many blind persons and others struggling with severe long-range
disabilities
receive benefits from the SSA in lieu of job-related income or while 
working
their
way into a productive livelihood, information from this federal agency
proves vitally
important in helping disabled Americans to understand what is available to
them and
how changing federal regulations figure to affect their lives.
http://ssa.gov/
United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA).  USABA’s mission is to
enhance the lives of blind and visually impaired children and adults by
providing
the opportunity for participation in sports and physical activity.
  This
 community-based organization of the United States Olympic Committee has
touched
the lives of more than 100,000 persons through programs in cycling, judo,
powerlifting,
skiing, swimming, wrestling, and more.
It endeavors at all times to create an environment that fosters the wide
acceptance
of blind and visually impaired people in American society at large.
http://usaba.org/Pages/usabainformation/aboutus.html

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