[il-talk] {Disarmed} Fwd: NFB Imagineering Our Future: New patterns and possibilities
denise avant
dravant at ameritech.net
Sat Dec 11 16:45:02 UTC 2010
Begin forwarded message:
> From: Mark Riccobono <JerniganInstitute at nfb.org>
> Date: December 10, 2010 3:55:48 PM CST
> To: dravant at ameritech.net
> Subject: NFB Imagineering Our Future: New patterns and possibilities
> Reply-To: Mark Riccobono <JerniganInstitute at nfb.org>
>
> View this newsletter as HTML in your browser.
> View last month’s newsletter.
>
> Imagineering Our Future
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> Issue 29
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> December 2010
> In this issue:
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> 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
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> Message from the Executive Director
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> Dear Friends,
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> This weekend our family decorated the Christmas tree at our home. As our four-year-old becomes more engaged in the process, the tree decorating is becoming more and more a part of the new set of traditions we are establishing for our family. For decades I have been a part of traditions but it is exciting to be establishing new patterns that combine the familiar with the emerging personality of our family unit.
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> The process of traditions and establishing new patterns of thought and action is very much like the work of the National Federation of the Blind. Built on an unwavering belief in the capacity of blind people, our outreach and educational programs continue to establish new patterns that raise our expectations for the future. I recently was preparing for a trip to the Virginia International Raceway to participate in testing of new developments in the NFB Blind Driver Challenge. I was talking with my son Austin about the trip and about the prospect of a blind person driving a car. Austin asked if he could ride along with me when I started driving. Our discussion got me thinking about how different the patterns will be for him compared to those I experienced. When I turned sixteen, the notion of driving for me or any other blind person was unimaginable—everyone believed that it would never be a reality, and therefore I shared that belief. As I came to know the National Federation of the Blind my understanding of the possibilities changed, and I have established new patterns of thought.
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> One of the patterns that persists during this time of the year is reflection of where we have been and our hope for the future. As I establish new traditions with my family, it is wonderful to know that the future is bright with promise. I am comforted in the knowledge that the National Federation of the Blind continues to improve opportunities for the blind in every aspect of life. I am not sure when I will jump in the driver’s seat and take my son to the market to buy a Christmas tree. On the other hand, the NFB has empowered me to know that the only limit to establishing new patterns in my personal life or throughout society is the lack of willingness to dare to go beyond the current pattern of thought.
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> As you enjoy the traditions of the season, I hope that you continue to seek new possibilities in your life and in improving your community. I also wish to thank you for your continued commitment to the work of the National Federation of the Blind. I can assure you that your commitment to this organization has made it possible for hundreds of thousands of blind people to establish their own traditions in celebration of this joyous season of hope.
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> Merry Christmas and happy New Year!
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> Mark A. Riccobono, Executive Director, NFB Jernigan Institute
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> Featured NFB News
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> Christmas at the NFB
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> National Federation of the Blind Partners with Santa to Promote Braille Literacy
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> Once again, Santa has enlisted the help of the elves at the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Jernigan Institute to get Braille letters out to hundreds of blind boys and girls this Christmas season.
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> Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: “Santa approached the National Federation of the Blind a couple of years ago and asked us to be his helpers. I’m quite fond of the fellow and was delighted that we could assist him in his work. Braille literacy is the key to success and opportunity for the blind, but unfortunately too few blind children are learning it today. This program will not only spread holiday cheer but will also serve an important educational purpose, as blind children will be able to practice reading Braille as they enjoy their letter from merry Saint Nicholas.”
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> Through December 20, parents can go online and fill out a Santa Braille Letter request form. The form can also be printed and faxed to (410) 685-2340. Braille letters will be accompanied by a print copy for mom and dad to read.
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> Braille letters from Santa have already started going out to boys and girls around the country. The deadline for letter requests is December 20, to ensure that a return letter in Braille is received before Christmas.
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> National Federation of the Blind will Award $50,000 in Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards
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> Nominations are now being accepted for the 2011 Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards. Nominate individuals or organizations that have made outstanding contributions toward achieving the full integration of the blind into society on a basis of equality, and the National Federation of the Blind will distribute $50,000 to the winners.
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> For further details, go to the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award page. You can also read about the 2010 recipients of this annual award.
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> Education
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> 2011 NFB Youth Slam
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> The dates and location for the 2011 NFB Youth Slam have been chosen!
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> In the summer of 2011, the National Federation of the Blind will have its third NFB Youth Slam, a five-day experiential academy for blind high school students (ages 14-18) focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. This year’s program will be held at Towson University, July 17-23, 2011.
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> Registration for student attendees is underway. Adult volunteers are also being sought to help facilitate the program. If you are interested in attending the NFB Youth Slam in either capacity, visit www.blindscience.org to complete an online application, call Mary Jo Hartle, Director of Education, at (410) 659-9314, extension 2407, or e-mail youthslam at nfb.org.
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> 2011 NFB Leadership and Advocacy in Washington, D.C.
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> The second NFB Leadership and Advocacy in Washington, D.C., (LAW) program will take place April 8-12, 2011. This is an exciting opportunity for students ages 12-16 to learn about the importance of collective action, blindness legislation, and the history of the organized blind movement first hand. Applications are available online.
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> Braille Initiative
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> Marina Alonzo. Photo credit: News-Journal | Sean McNeil
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> Braille Writer Gifts
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> Late this year, the National Federation of the Blind received six Braillers to donate to needy youth. The Braillers were made available through the generosity of the Heloise Bowles Fund and Perkins School for the Blind. Heloise Bowles was the columnist who authored the “Hints from Heloise” column in newspapers around the country. She died in 1977 and donated money to Perkins School for the Blind to purchase Braillers for blind students in the United States. At her request, each Brailler includes a label inscribed with “Sent with love, Heloise,” in a script imitating the design used by Heloise in her columns and books.
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> The NFB identified six blind children who had attended our summer programs and were in need of Braillers. They range from third through seventh grades and live in Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Utah.
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> This gift, just in time for the holidays, prompted the feature article “New Smyrna Beach girl receives Braille writer” in the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
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> NFB Braille Readers Are Leaders Program
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> Less than one month left of the twenty-ninth annual Braille Readers Are Leaders contest. For those interested in joining who have not done so, please visit the BRAL page to register. The contest ends on January 4, 2011, so keep those fingers going and read your Braille!
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> NFB Braille Reading Pals Club
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> Registrants for the new year of the NFB Braille Reading Pals Club will receive their packets starting in January. This is a great program that promotes early Braille literacy for blind children ages birth to seven. We continue to accept participants throughout the year, so those interested and eligible to participate in the program should sign up today.
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> NFB Sharebraille.org
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> Have a Braille reader on your holiday shopping list? Visit www.sharebraille.org to find free Braille books in a variety of genres!
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> Advocacy
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> The NFB has requested an investigation of Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) for violating the civil rights of blind students and faculty. A variety of computer- and technology-based services and Web sites at Penn State are inaccessible to blind students and faculty, and federal law requires public state universities to offer equal access to their programs and services. Read more about the the violations in the NFB’s statement to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights.
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> A message to institutions of higher education: Does your institution’s online program serve your blind students? You are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This means that your online course offerings and other programs must be accessible to students who are blind or have other disabilities. The National Federation of the Blind works with institutions of higher education and developers of online learning platforms to ensure that online courses are fully accessible to students who are blind. To learn more about ensuring that you are in compliance with federal law, contact Anne Taylor or Chris Danielsen or visit our Accessibility Resources for Higher Education Web page.
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> Straight Talk About Vision Loss
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> The Straight Talk About Vision Loss series continues this month with Episode 35. Mark Riccobono talks with Scott White about the newest innovations to NFB-NEWSLINE®, a free service that provides independent access by print-disabled people to hundreds of local and national publications, job listings, and TV schedules.
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> NFB-NEWSLINE® provides blind and physically impaired people with unprecedented easy access to hundreds of newspapers and magazines for free. Using this innovative service, people who would otherwise not be able to read a newspaper can independently access, at any time and at any place, the same essential and entertaining news that their neighbors, classmates, and colleagues enjoy.
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> Subscribers to NFB-NEWSLINE® have unlimited access to over three hundred local and national newspapers and wire feeds as well as numerous magazines. Just by picking up a phone or using our online access methods, subscribers have instant access to such publications as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New Yorker, Economist, AARP Magazine, Science News, ESPN, Rolling Stone, and Vogue.
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> Get more information or sign up for NFB-NEWSLINE®, learn about the online access methods and keep abreast of service enhancements and additions, or follow NFB-NEWSLINE® on Twitter.
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> Product and Access Technology Talk
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> The Access Technology team is ramping up its preparations for 2011. Three presentations for the 26th Annual International Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference in San Diego have been approved. The presentations will cover the use of social networks by the blind, tactile graphics, and comparing notetakers and mainstream alternatives.
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> Meanwhile, our resources have not gone neglected. The Access Technology Blog’s current topics are the new Pronto notetaker and low-cost screen magnification software. The team has also added a Web page dealing specifically with Web accessibility in higher education, which offers a step-by-step guide on how to achieve accessibility. Finally, the online version of the technology resource list is in the process of being updated to include training resources.
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> A last noteworthy item is AT’s involvement with the Department of Justice’s Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Web accessibility. To ensure that access to the Web improves under federal regulations, the team testified at the Chicago hearing on this subject.
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> From the tenBroek Library
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> We want your stuff.
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> What stuff? Whatever you have about your life as a blind person—or as an ally of the blind in their struggle for equality, security, and opportunity.
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> Close-up of tactile map
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> The tenBroek Library is committed to documenting the history of the blind in this country (and elsewhere, too), and we’re doing this by making sure that experiences of blind people from all walks of life are represented in our collections. For example, one member recently gave us some fascinating material, including:
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> • children’s picture books that his mother Brailled, so that they could read together
> • the manuscript of a chapter of a book his mother was writing about him as he was growing up
> • tactile maps that he made with his father
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> Do you have letters that you wrote home while you were at residential school?
> Do you have old photographs?
> Do you have scrapbooks?
> Do you have old diaries or have you written your memoirs?
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> We want your stuff!!
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> We also want your memories and the memories of other Federationists and blind people. So please also plan to participate in the Jernigan Institute Oral History Project.
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> Remember, you serve the cause of independence for the blind by letting others know the path you took to become the person you are!
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> Independence Market
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> The NFB Independence Market has some specials, which may be of interest as you are completing your holiday shopping.
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> We have been selling the Victor Reader Stream, an accessible palm-sized book reader and recorder with built in text-to-speech capability, for some time. This device can play DAISY books from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, BookShare, and Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic as well as downloads from Audible.com and other podcasts. Users can also listen to text and HTML files using either a male or female synthetic voice. The extensive navigation and bookmarking features make this device indispensable to students of any age. The ability to make recordings adds another useful dimension to the VR Stream.
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> While supplies last, the Victor Reader Stream is available from the Independence Market with an additional “SoftPac” installed at no additional charge and can be ordered online. The $49-value software upgrade enables the Stream to also play MP4 files from iTunes, unprotected EPUB books, and Microsoft Word 7 DOCX files as well as to record in MP3 and WAV formats.
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> The Independence Market still carries the Louis Braille Commemorative Silver Dollar which the United States Mint released in 2009 to honor the 200th anniversary of Louis Braille’s birth. Both uncirculated and proof coins make for great stocking stuffers and can be ordered online.
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> Two elegant women’s talking watches are on special (25 percent off) for the holidays. For more information visit the home page of our e-commerce site.
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> For questions or to place an order, please contact the NFB Independence Market staff at (410) 659-9314, extension 2216, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. eastern time.
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> Parent Outreach
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> Required reading this month for all parents and educators:
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> Future Reflections, Volume 29 Number 4, the report on the NFB’s 2010 annual national convention.
> The Braille Monitor, Volume 53, Number 10, November 2010, especially “Whose Child Is This if Mom and Dad Are Blind?” by Gary Wunder and “Parenting Without Sight: What Attorneys and Social Workers Should Know about Blindness.”
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> Nominate an outstanding teacher for the NFB Distinguished Educator of Blind Children Award for 2011! The education of blind children is one of the National Federation of the Blind’s most important concerns. The NFB will recognize an outstanding teacher of blind children at its annual convention in Orlando, Florida, in July 2011. The winner of the Distinguished Educator of Blind Children Award will receive an expense-paid trip to the convention, a check for $1,000, an appropriate plaque, and an opportunity to make a presentation about the education of blind children to the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children early in the convention. Anyone currently teaching or counseling blind students or administering a program for blind children is eligible to receive this award. It is not necessary to be a member of the National Federation of the Blind to apply. Teachers may be nominated by colleagues, supervisors, or friends through May 15, 2011. Go to the December 2010 Braille Monitor article about the award for more information and the application form.
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> Spotlight on the Imagination Fund
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> The 2009-2010 Imagination Fund project grants have been awarded!
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> The NFB Imagination Fund distributed over $60,000 to NFB affiliates and divisions for projects and programs that will improve opportunities for the blind all over the country. Twenty grants to seventeen of our affiliates and divisions were awarded (see complete list). Funds will be used for projects and programs at the local level that will further our mission by reaching out to blind people and their families, providing innovative educational opportunities for blind students, educating the general public about the capabilities of the blind, and developing members into significant leaders of our movement.
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> NFB Calendar
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> November 1, 2010 Application period begins for 2011 NFB Scholarship Program
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> December 20, 2010 Braille Letter from Santa request deadline
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> January 1, 2011 Room reservations open for 2011 National Convention. Call (866) 996-6338
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> January 4, 2011 Louis Braille’s birthday; Braille Readers Are Leaders contest reading period ends
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> January 22, 2011 Deadline to make room reservations for Washington Seminar. Do not contact the hotel; call (303) 778-1130, extension 219, or e-mail Lisa Bonderson
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> January 29, 2011 Blind Driver Challenge first public demonstration at the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida
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> January 31-February 3, 2011 NFB Washington Seminar, Holiday Inn Capitol, 550 C Street, S.W.; Washington, D.C.
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> March 1, 2011 NFB 2011 Youth Slam application deadline
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> March 31, 2011 Deadline to apply to win one of thirty 2011 NFB Scholarships
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> March 31, 2011 Deadline for Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award nominations
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> April 8-12, 2011 Leadership and Advocacy in Washington, D.C., (LAW) Program, Baltimore and D.C.
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> April 14-15, 2011 Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium, National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, Baltimore
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> July 2011 The 71st Annual NFB National Convention, Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, Orlando, Florida
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> July 2011 The 3rd Biennial NFB Youth Slam, Towson University, Maryland
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> Citation
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> Photo Credit: Ed Pfueller/The Catholic University of America
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> It’s been so refreshing to work with musicians who recognize me as a peer and realize that it’s not that different from working with a sighted singer. The thing that matters most is musicianship, and the faculty here judge me on that alone.
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> —Jessica Bachicha, blind Doctor of Musical Arts degree candidate, on her role as Queen of the Night in Catholic University of America’s production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute.
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> Back to Top
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> Thank you for reading the NFB Jernigan Institute’s Imagineering Our Future.
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> Support the Jernigan Institute through the Imagination Fund
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> Interesting links:
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> Archive of Straight Talk about Vision Loss videos
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> National Center for Blind Youth in Science
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> Access Technology Tips
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> Blogs:
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> Access Technology
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> Voice of the Nation’s Blind
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> Publication archives:
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> Future Reflections
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> Braille Monitor
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> Visit us at nfb.org
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> 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
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> 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.
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> Forward this newsletter.
> If this issue was forwarded to you and you’d like to subscribe, please e-mail JerniganInstitute at nfb.org.
> Photo credit: News-Journal | Sean McNeil
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