From KKuhnke at nfb.org Tue Jan 5 01:46:47 2010 From: KKuhnke at nfb.org (Kuhnke, Kristian) Date: Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:46:47 -0600 Subject: [Mabs] Visit eBay and Support the National Federation of the Blind! Message-ID: Dear Fellow Federationists: This week the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is one of three featured charities at eBay?s check-out counter. On January 4?10, customers will have the option of adding a $1?$25 donation to one of these featured charities at the time of their purchase. It?s an easy way to make a difference when you spend. You can also go to the National Federation of the Blind?s eBay Giving Works page to donate to the NFB or to buy or sell items that support the NFB. There is no better time to visit eBay if you support the National Federation of the Blind! Thank you for your generous support, and please forward this communication to any family, friends, or coworkers who use eBay. From nabs.president at gmail.com Tue Jan 5 04:50:46 2010 From: nabs.president at gmail.com (Arielle Silverman) Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2010 15:50:46 +1100 Subject: [Mabs] NABS Bulletin Additions Message-ID: <85ff10071001042050n20534480o913792b9a8d38fe2@mail.gmail.com> Hi all, The time has come again to prepare the next NABS update. If you have news from your state NABS division, please send it to me before Sunday. Thanks and Happy New Year to all! Arielle -- Arielle Silverman President, National Association of Blind Students Phone: 602-502-2255 Email: nabs.president at gmail.com Website: www.nabslink.org From Annemarie.Cooke at dhs.state.nj.us Wed Jan 6 02:56:44 2010 From: Annemarie.Cooke at dhs.state.nj.us (Annemarie Cooke) Date: Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:56:44 -0600 Subject: [Mabs] FW: [VR Business Consultants] NET Update Message-ID: -----Original Message----- opportunities at GAO (Government Accountability Office). The internships are in various fields at the both graduate and undergraduate level. There are opportunities in D.C. and nationwide. The link at the end of the email will take you to the GAO career website where you can obtain additional information. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has again been rated the #2 large agency to work for in the Federal government. Here is the latest vacancy announcement from the Government Accountability Office. Vacancy Number: GAO-10-ARM-0801/1301-01 Vacancy Title: General Engineer/Physical Sciences Summer Graduate Student Intern Opening Date: 1/4/2010 Closing Date: 1/22/2010 Grade/Band Level: 07/09 Salary level: $42209.00 - $51630.00 Location(s): Washington DC Metro Area, DC Vacancy Number: GAO-10-FMA-0599-04 Vacancy Title: Financial Auditor Student Undergraduate Intern Opening Date: 1/4/2010 Closing Date: 2/26/2010 Grade/Band Level: 04 Salary level: $38575.00 - $38575.00 Location(s): Washington DC Metro Area, DC Vacancy Number: GAO-10-FMA-0511-05 Vacancy Title: Financial Auditor Student Graduate Intern Opening Date: 1/4/2010 Closing Date: 2/26/2010 Grade/Band Level: 05/07 Salary level: $43158.00 - $53468.00 Location(s): Washington DC Metro Area, DC Vacancy Number: GAO-10-IT-2299-10 Vacancy Title: Information Technology Undergraduate Summer Student Intern Opening Date: 1/4/2010 Closing Date: 2/26/2010 Grade/Band Level: 04 Salary level: $29248.00 - $29586.00 Location(s): Throughout the Nation, US Vacancy Number: GAO-10-IT-2210-09 Vacancy Title: Information Technology Summer Graduate Student Intern Opening Date: 1/4/2010 Closing Date: 2/26/2010 Grade/Band Level: 07/09 Salary level: $45192.00 - $54032.00 Location(s): Throughout the Nation, US Vacancy Number: GAO-10-IT-1599-07 Vacancy Title: Computer Scientist (IT Analyst) Summer Undergraduate Student Intern Opening Date: 1/4/2010 Closing Date: 2/26/2010 Grade/Band Level: 04 Salary level: $29248.00 - $30456.00 Location(s): Throughout the Nation, US Vacancy Number: GAO-10-IT-1550-08 Vacancy Title: Computer Scientist (IT Analyst) Summer Graduate Student Intern Opening Date: 1/4/2010 Closing Date: 2/26/2010 Grade/Band Level: 07/09 Salary level: $45192.00 - $54032.00 Location(s): Throughout the Nation, US To see this and other available job listings with GAO, click (or copy and paste) the following URL into your browser address bar: http://www.gao.gov/careers/. Then click on Browse Vacancies on the left-hand side of the screen. Please solicit interest from among your students, alumni, and any others who might be interested and encourage them to apply. Tell them to pay particular attention to the Qualification Requirements and the How to Apply sections of the announcement. Contact the person listed on the vacancy announcement for any questions. Thank you. Recruiting and Hiring Center Human Capital Office Government Accountability Office This E-mail, including any attachments, may be intended solely for the personal and confidential use of the sender and recipient(s) named above. This message may include advisory, consultative and/or deliberative material and, as such, would be privileged and confidential and not a public document. Any Information in this e-mail identifying a client of the Department of Human Services (DHS) is confidential. If you have received this e-mail in error, you must not review, transmit, convert to hard copy, copy, use or disseminate this e-mail or any attachments to it and you must delete this message. You are requested to notify the sender by return e-mail. This E-mail, including any attachments, may be intended solely for the personal and confidential use of the sender and recipient(s) named above. This message may include advisory, consultative and/or deliberative material and, as such, would be privileged and confidential and not a public document. Any Information in this e-mail identifying a client of the Department of Human Services is confidential. If you have received this e-mail in error, you must not review, transmit, convert to hard copy, copy, use or disseminate this e-mail or any attachments to it and you must delete this message. You are requested to notify the sender by return e-mail. From MRiccobono at nfb.org Thu Jan 7 11:15:30 2010 From: MRiccobono at nfb.org (Riccobono, Mark) Date: Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:15:30 -0600 Subject: [Mabs] Goddard Space Center Looking for Disabled Interns Message-ID: From: "Silberman, Kenneth A. (GSFC-1300)" <kenneth.a.silberman at nasa.gov> To: "Silberman, Kenneth A. (GSFC-1300)" <kenneth.a.silberman at nasa.gov> Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2010 13:17:32 -0600 Subject: Looking for Disabled Interns for Summer 2010 Goddard Projects Greetings from Goddard as we prepare for the Martin Luther King Holiday: We are looking for disabled interns for Summer 2010. The list of 2010 GSFC projects has been entered by our mentors. There is an abundance of projects to review at http://education.gsfc.nasa.gov/opportunities/ . Just click on the "Browse Available Opportunities" link to see what is available and apply to the internship of interest. (There is a link for every project and an "Apply Now" button with every internship description.) The deadline for students to apply is 7 February 2010. In addition, I encourage you to send me resumes of students you feel fit into the category of "highly qualified" based on academic merit and experience. See the Goddard organization lists in the attached PowerPoint file; and if you know of a student well suited and interested in one of these Branches, by all means send me their resume, their Branch of interest, and I will personally check with that group and get back with you. Again, we would like to see many more students with disabilities placed at Goddard next Summer. Your help in achieving this goal is greatly appreciated. I look forward to receiving your recommendations and hopefully together we can brighten a deserving students space-career! Very Truly Yours, Ken Col. Kenneth A. Silberman, Esq. U.S. Supreme Court, Maryland, & Patent Bars B.A., M.Eng., J.D. NASA Engineer & Registered Patent Attorney Education Office Code 130.3 NASA/GSFC Mailstop 130.3 Bldg. 28 Rm. N165 Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA Voice: (301) 286-9281 Fax: (301) 286-1655 E-mail: kenneth.a.silberman at nasa.gov Office Location: Building 28 Room W151 -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 2010 GSFC Labs.ppt Type: application/octet-stream Size: 577536 bytes Desc: not available URL: From gwunder at earthlink.net Thu Jan 7 16:12:10 2010 From: gwunder at earthlink.net (Gary Wunder) Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 10:12:10 -0600 Subject: [Mabs] Fw: Goddard Space Center Looking for Disabled Interns Message-ID: <001201ca8fb4$2b28f470$260482a1@umh.edu> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Riccobono,Mark (by way of David Andrews )" To: Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2010 5:15 AM Subject: [Mabs] Goddard Space Center Looking for Disabled Interns > > From: "Silberman, Kenneth A. (GSFC-1300)" > <kenneth.a.silberman at nasa.gov> > To: "Silberman, Kenneth A. (GSFC-1300)" > <kenneth.a.silberman at nasa.gov> > Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2010 13:17:32 -0600 > Subject: Looking for Disabled Interns for Summer 2010 Goddard Projects > > > Greetings from Goddard as we prepare for the Martin Luther King Holiday: > > We are looking for disabled interns for Summer 2010. The list of > 2010 GSFC projects has been entered by our mentors. There is an > abundance of projects to review at > http://education.gsfc.nasa.gov/opportunities/ > . Just click on the "Browse Available Opportunities" link to see > what is available and apply to the internship of interest. (There is > a link for every project and an "Apply Now" button with every > internship description.) The deadline for students to apply is 7 > February 2010. > > In addition, I encourage you to send me resumes of students you feel > fit into the category of "highly qualified" based on academic merit > and experience. See the Goddard organization lists in the attached > PowerPoint file; and if you know of a student well suited and > interested in one of these Branches, by all means send me their > resume, their Branch of interest, and I will personally check with > that group and get back with you. > > Again, we would like to see many more students with disabilities > placed at Goddard next Summer. Your help in achieving this goal is > greatly appreciated. I look forward to receiving your > recommendations and hopefully together we can brighten a deserving > students space-career! > > Very Truly Yours, > > Ken > > Col. Kenneth A. Silberman, Esq. > U.S. Supreme Court, Maryland, & Patent Bars > B.A., M.Eng., J.D. > NASA Engineer & Registered Patent Attorney > Education Office Code 130.3 > NASA/GSFC Mailstop 130.3 > Bldg. 28 Rm. N165 > Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA > Voice: (301) 286-9281 > Fax: (301) 286-1655 > E-mail: kenneth.a.silberman at nasa.gov > Office Location: Building 28 Room W151 > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > _______________________________________________ > Mabs mailing list > Mabs at nfbnet.org > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/mabs_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > Mabs: > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/mabs_nfbnet.org/gwunder%40earthlink.net > -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 2010 GSFC Labs.ppt Type: application/vnd.ms-powerpoint Size: 577536 bytes Desc: not available URL: From JFreeh at nfb.org Tue Jan 12 02:49:04 2010 From: JFreeh at nfb.org (Freeh, Jessica) Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:49:04 -0600 Subject: [Mabs] Blindness Organizations and Arizona State University Resolve Litigation Over Kindle Message-ID: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Chris Danielsen Director of Public Relations National Federation of the Blind (410) 659-9314, extension 2330 (410) 262-1281 (Cell) cdanielsen at nfb.org Mitch Pomerantz, President American Council of the Blind (626) 372-5150 (Cell) mitch.pomerantz at earthlink.net Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs (202) 514-2007 Sharon Keeler Arizona State University (480) 965-4012 (Office) (602) 540-8453 (Cell) sharon.keeler at asu.edu Blindness Organizations and Arizona State University Resolve Litigation Over Kindle Phoenix, Arizona (January 11, 2010): The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the American Council of the Blind (ACB), and Arizona State University (ASU), today announced a settlement agreement resolving litigation filed by NFB and ACB against the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) and ASU. The lawsuit arose from the university's participation in a pilot program using the Kindle DX, a dedicated device for reading electronic books, or e-books, developed by Amazon.com, Inc. The NFB and ACB alleged that the Kindle DX was inaccessible to blind students and thus violated federal law. ABOR and ASU denied and continue to deny any violations of the law. The settlement agreement among the parties was reached in light of several factors, including: (1) ASU's commitment to providing access to all programs and facilities for students with disabilities, including students who are blind or have low vision; (2) the fact that the pilot program will end in the Spring of 2010; (3) Amazon and others are making improvements to and progress in the accessibility of e-book readers; and (4) the university's agreement that should ASU deploy e-book readers in future classes over the next two years, it will strive to use devices that are accessible to the blind. The United States Department of Justice is also a party to the agreement, which does not involve the payment of any damages or attorney's fees or costs. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "The National Federation of the Blind is pleased with this settlement, which we believe will help to ensure that new technologies create new opportunities for blind students rather than new barriers." Mitch Pomerantz, President of the American Council of the Blind, expressed support by commenting: "I believe this settlement between Arizona State University and the two major national consumer-advocacy organizations of blind and visually impaired persons will encourage the industry to develop fully accessible e-book readers in the near future." ### From nabs.president at gmail.com Tue Jan 12 03:42:55 2010 From: nabs.president at gmail.com (Arielle Silverman) Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:42:55 +1100 Subject: [Mabs] NABS January Bulletin Message-ID: <85ff10071001111942l6f81ddd3jf89709770985ab8e@mail.gmail.com> National Association of Blind Students >From the Desk of the President January 11, 2010 In This Bulletin: 1. Washington Seminar Is Almost Here! 2. NABS On Facebook and Twitter! 3. Pennies for Pages Wrap-Up 4. NFB 2010 Scholarship Program 5. State Division Announcements: News from Wisconsin NABS Conference Call Jan. 24 News from Virginia 1. Washington Seminar is Almost Here! On Sunday January 31, NABS will hold our annual winter gathering at the Holiday Inn Capitol Hotel, 550 C Street SW, in Washington, D.C. Come to our seminar to learn about such issues as accessing textbooks, educational testing, scholarships, and blindness training. We'll also be talking about strategies for finding jobs, both while you're in school and after graduation. Whether you're in high school, college, grad school, recently graduated, or even just thinking about becoming a student, this seminar will have something for you. After the seminar, you can mingle with other blind students and NFB members at our reception, beginning at 8:00 p.m. Sandwiches, snacks, and a cash bar will be available, along with music and a live auction. Finally, on Monday morning, we will hold a NABS open house where our speakers from the seminar will be able to answer your individual questions. You'll also have a chance to meet and talk with the students on the NABS board of directors. We look forward to seeing you in Washington! 2. NABS on Facebook and Twitter: The National Association of Blind Students now has a page on Facebook and an account on Twitter! Become a fan of NABS on Facebook to stay in touch and communicate with other blind students across the country. Follow us on Twitter to receive announcements about what NABS is doing both nationally and in our state divisions. You can find us by searching for "National Association of Blind Students" on Facebook and "NABSLINK" on Twitter. Do you have a piece of news that you want us to post on Facebook and Twitter? Please send it to the membership committee by writing an email to Nabs.membership at gmail.com 3. Pennies for Pages: Thanks to all of you who raised money for NABS in our Pennies for Pages contest! Please email Sean Whalen at smwhalenpsp at gmail.com and let him know how much money you raised. He will let you know how to send in the money. Remember that the person who raises the most money will win an Amazon gift card! Pledges can be collected up until Jan. 22, 2010. 4. 2010 Scholarship Applications Now Available: Each year the National Federation of the Blind awards thirty scholarships to legally blind college and graduate students across the country. The scholarship includes a cash award ranging from $3000 to $12000, plus a free trip to the NFB national convention and often a piece of assistive technology such as a KNFB Reader Mobile. The scholarship application for 2010 is now on the Web at www.nfb.org/scholarships Applications are due by March 31, 2010. Already won a national NFB scholarship? You can apply again and potentially win a second scholarship, also known as a TenBroek fellowship. 5. State Division Announcements: News from Wisconsin: WABS had a busy end and start to the year. We all got together for a new years party, and we had a great time. On January 2nd, we held a Bowl-A-Thon for a fundraiser for those of us going to Washington Seminar. We will have 7 students in attendence, and we made around $1000 bowling. We are also selling cookie dough to fundraise for D.C., and we are selling raffle tickets to win an Ipod Nano. The drawing will be in April. We are hosting our state convention this year in Appleton Wisconsin, so we are busy with preparations. We've got a lot to get done before April! We're also in the process of getting T-shirts designed and printed for our division. Things have been busy, and it seems they will only be getting more busy. We purchased popcorn makers for fundraising at events we attend, and we have dedicated members working to help us move forward in our goals as a division. There are great things for WABS in 2010! Best, Meghan Whalen, President Wisconsin Association of Blind Students NABS Conference Call Jan. 24: On Sunday, January 24, we will have a conference call to discuss Washington Seminar legislative issues, how to lobby, etc. The call will begin at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time. Please call 712-775-7100 And enter access code 257963. >From the NABS Membership Committee News from Virginia: At the 2009 NFB of Virginia convention, the Virginia Student Division held its annual meeting. During this meeting, President Corbb O?Connor conducted a series of ?Larry King Live? interviews. He interviewed Fairfax chapter President John Bailey about his experiences in activities like fire-walking, walking on broken glass (not the song, though we?re told John can sing quite well), and breaking boards with his bare hands. John also talked about his experience losing his vision in high school and college. Corbb also interviewed Josh Boudreaux from the Louisiana Center for the Blind and Monique Melton from the Colorado Center for the Blind. Josh and Monique spoke about why students should consider training centers for improved independent living skills and how the centers are unique. After these insightful interviews President O?Conner led a discussion of possible future activities that the organization would like to see take place. The overall consensus was to have a social gathering for students in the hopes of increasing our outreach program and engaging students prior to the next state convention. The idea was raised to host such an event at the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind. There was a discussion about having more student activities at the 2010 state convention as well as an attempt to involve students in the Richmond Seminar. Having just spent thousands of dollars on the Youth Blow-out, however the group decided to try to plan a larger event for both parents and students to attend together sometime in the late spring, possibly at the National Center for the Blind. One task that Corbb hoped the group could achieve by the late January timeframe was to develop a Constitution for the Division. The meeting concluded with elections. Corbb O?Connor was re-elected President, Brittany Savage was elected Vice President, Michael Fish was elected as Secretary, C. J. Fish was elected as Treasurer, and Chelsea Cook was elected as the Board Member. All will serve for one year, and the next election will be held at the 2010 NFB of Virginia state convention. Corbb O?Connor, President Virginia Association of Blind Students -- Arielle Silverman President, National Association of Blind Students Phone: 602-502-2255 Email: nabs.president at gmail.com Website: www.nabslink.org From mhartle at nfb.org Wed Jan 13 02:00:36 2010 From: mhartle at nfb.org (Hartle, Mary Jo) Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:00:36 -0600 Subject: [Mabs] NFB LAW Program: Deadline coming up soon--February 1, 2010 Message-ID: The National Federation of the Blind Announces The 2010 NFB Leadership and Advocacy in Washington, D.C., (LAW) Program Engaging the Voice of America's Blind Youth For Youth Grades 6-9 or Ages 12-16 April 16-20, 2010 Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, MD This four-day experience will provide blind and low vision students with a unique opportunity to explore the inner workings of our country's government, its history, and its culture while staying at the national headquarters for the National Federation of the Blind in Baltimore, MD. In addition to learning about grassroots legislation efforts, how resolutions are passed, and how various blindness legislation is brought about, participants will learn more about advocacy work for blind individuals and available resources for blind students and adults. Highlights of the Program include: * Visits to historical sites in Washington, D.C. * Meetings with, and presentations from, influential government leaders * Presentations by influential leaders from the largest blindness advocacy group in the country * Tours of the National Federation of the Blind national headquarters * A visit to the International Braille and Technology Center, the largest lab of accessible technology for the blind Program Details: * Cost: There will be a $250 fee for accepted students. All other expenses including transportation, room, and board will be provided * All accepted students must be accompanied by a parent/guardian, teacher, or blind/low vision mentor from their home state * No more than twenty-five participants from across the country will be accepted * Applications are due by February 1, 2010, to be considered To learn more about this exciting new program, or to apply online, please visit www.nfb.org/LAWProgram or contact Mary Jo T. Hartle, director of education at (410) 659-9314, ext. 2407, or by e-mail at mhartle at nfb.org. Mary Jo T. Hartle Mary Jo Thorpe-Hartle, MEd, NOMC Director of Education Jernigan Institute NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND 200 East Wells Street Baltimore, MD 21230 Phone: (410)659-9314 ext. 2407 Email: mhartle at nfb.org Fax: (410) 659-5129 Visit www.nfb.org From gwunder at earthlink.net Thu Jan 14 04:02:21 2010 From: gwunder at earthlink.net (Gary Wunder) Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:02:21 -0600 Subject: [Mabs] Legislative Alert-Washington Seminar Fact Sheets Available Message-ID: ----- Original Message ----- From: Hartle, Jesse Sent: Friday, January 08, 2010 1:22 PM Subject: Legislative Alert-Washington Seminar Fact Sheets Available Fellow Federationists: I am writing to you to let you know that the fact sheets for the 2010 Washington Seminar are now on the NFB Web site. They can be found on the "NFB 2010 Washington Seminar" page at http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Washington_Seminar.asp. For your convenience, the fact sheets are also attached to this e-mail. The hot issues for the 2010 seminar are: -- Passage of the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act; -- Passage of a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind; and -- Passage of the Blind Persons Return to Work Act. Please review these fact sheets in preparation for your appointments during Washington Seminar. We expect that bills related to the Technology Bill of Rights and a Senate companion bill to the Blind Persons Return to Work Act will soon be introduced. When these bills are introduced, the fact sheets will be updated to include that information. Should you have questions, I have included my contact information at the bottom of this message. I look forward to seeing all of you at Washington Seminar as we work towards passage of these crucial issues. Once again, thank you in advance for all of your hard work. Jesse M. Hartle Government Programs Specialist NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2233 E-mail: jharle at nfb.org JMH/wmb Attachments Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans: Priorities for the 111th Congress, SECOND Session The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is the oldest and largest organization of blind people in the United States. As the Voice of the Nation's Blind, we represent the collective views of blind people throughout society. All of our leaders and the vast majority of our members are blind, but anyone can participate in our movement. There are an estimated 1.3 million blind people in the United States, and every year approximately 75,000 Americans become blind. The social and economic consequences of blindness affect not only blind people, but also our families, our friends, and our coworkers. Three legislative initiatives demand the immediate attention of the 111th Congress in its second session: 1. We urge Congress to ensure the safety of blind and other pedestrians by passing the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act. This legislation would require the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to: ? begin a study within ninety days of its enactment to determine the most practical means of assuring that blind and other pedestrians receive essentially similar information to that which they now receive from sound emitted by internal combustion engines; ? determine the minimum amount of sound necessary to offer sufficient information for blind pedestrians to make safe travel judgments, based on appropriate scientific research and consultation with blind Americans and other affected groups; ? within two years of beginning the study, promulgate a motor vehicle safety standard to address the needs of blind and other pedestrians by requiring either a minimum level of sound or an equally effective means of providing the same information as is available from hearing internal combustion engines; and ? apply the standard to all motor vehicles manufactured or sold in the United States beginning no later than two years after the date it is promulgated. 2. We urge Congress to work with blind Americans to create a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind that mandates that consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and electronic office technology provide user interfaces that are accessible through nonvisual means. This legislation should: ? mandate that all consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and electronic office technology be designed so that blind people can access the same functions as sighted people through nonvisual means and with substantially equivalent ease of use; ? create a commission comprised of essential stakeholders to establish standards for nonvisual accessibility of electronic devices intended for use in the home or office; ? endow the Department of Justice with the authority to enforce the regulations promulgated by the commission established by this legislation; and ? authorize the commission to reexamine and rewrite standards periodically as consumer electronic technology continues to evolve. 3. We urge Congress to promote and facilitate the transition by blind Americans from recipients of Social Security Disability Insurance benefits to income-earning, tax-paying, productive members of the American workforce by enacting legislation to: ? replace the monthly earnings penalty with a graduated three-for-one phase-out (i.e., a $1 reduction in benefits for each $3 earned above the limit); ? replace the monthly earnings test with an annualized earnings test in an amount equal to twelve times the Substantial Gainful Activity amount; and ? establish an impairment-related work expense deduction for blind Social Security Disability Insurance beneficiaries equal to the amount applicable for this deduction when determining an appropriate income subsidy under Medicare Part D or 16.3 percent of earnings, whichever is greater. For more information about these priorities, please consult the attached fact sheets. Blind Americans need your help to achieve our goals of economic security, increased opportunity, and full integration into American society on a basis of equality. Enactment of these legislative proposals will represent important steps toward reaching these goals. We need the help and support of each member of Congress. Our success benefits not only us, but the whole of America as well. In this time of national economic insecurity, these measures will contribute to increasing the tax base and encouraging the purchase of consumer goods. ENHANCING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY: ENSURING THE BLIND CAN CONTINUE TO TRAVEL SAFELY AND INDEPENDENTLY Purpose: To enact the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act, which will establish a motor vehicle safety standard to alert blind and other pedestrians of the presence of silent hybrid and electric vehicles. Background: Until recently independent travel for the blind has been a relatively simple matter once a blind person has been trained in travel techniques and has learned to use a white cane or to travel with a guide dog. Blind people listen to the sound of automobile engines to determine the direction, speed, and pattern of traffic. Sounds from traffic tell blind pedestrians how many vehicles are near them and how fast they are moving; whether the vehicles are accelerating or decelerating; and whether the vehicles are traveling toward, away from, or parallel to them. With all of this information blind people can accurately determine when it is safe to advance into an intersection or across a driveway or parking lot. The information obtained from listening to traffic sounds allows blind people to travel with complete confidence and without assistance. Studies have shown that sighted pedestrians also use auditory information when traveling. Over the past few years, however, vehicles that are completely silent in certain modes of operation have come on the market, and many more silent vehicles are expected in the near future. These vehicles are designed to have many benefits, including improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions, but they do not need to be silent in order to achieve these intended benefits. An unintended consequence of these vehicles as they are currently designed is that they endanger the safety, not only of blind people, but also of small children, seniors, cyclists, and runners. Need for Congressional Action: For several years the National Federation of the Blind has been concerned about the proliferation of silent vehicles. These concerns were validated by a recent report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which concluded that at low speeds hybrid and electric vehicles are twice as likely to be involved in accidents with pedestrians as vehicles with internal combustion engines. Recently automobile manufacturers have acknowledged the dangers posed to blind pedestrians by silent-vehicle technology and have begun to work with the National Federation of the Blind to craft solutions. While participation from some manufacturers is an important first step, many others continue to take a wait-and-see approach on this important issue. Congress must therefore direct the Department of Transportation to take action. It is crucial that this problem be addressed before the inevitable avalanche of tragedies involving blind people (including newly blinded veterans), small children, seniors, cyclists, and runners shocks the nation. Proposed Legislation: The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act (H.R. 734 and S. 841) was introduced by Congressmen Towns and Stearns in the House and by Senators Kerry and Specter in the Senate. This legislation directs the secretary of transportation to conduct a study and establish a motor vehicle safety standard that provides a means of alerting blind and other pedestrians of motor vehicle operation based on appropriate scientific research and consultation with blind Americans and other affected groups. This national motor vehicle safety standard must have the following characteristics: a.. In all phases of operation (including times when the vehicle is at a full stop), pedestrians must be able to identify vehicles by nonvisual means. b.. The motor vehicle safety standard must also provide pedestrians with the range of information that is currently provided by combustion engines, including whether the vehicle is idling, maintaining a constant speed, accelerating, or decelerating. The standard need not prescribe the apparatus, technology, or method to be used by vehicle manufacturers to achieve the required safety standard. This approach will encourage manufacturers to use innovative and cost-effective techniques to achieve the motor vehicle safety standard. Automobiles that operate in complete silence endanger the safety of all of us; silent operation should be viewed as a design flaw comparable to the lack of seat belts or air bags, and therefore this safety issue must be addressed. Requested Action: Please support blind Americans by cosponsoring the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act to authorize the U.S. Department of Transportation to establish and promulgate regulations specifying a motor vehicle safety standard for all new automobiles sold in the United States. In the House of Representatives members can be added by contacting Emily Khoury in Congressman Towns's office, or James Thomas in Congressman Stearns's office. In the Senate members can be added as cosponsors by contacting Doug Frost in Senator Kerry's office. Contact Information: Jesse Hartle Government Programs Specialist NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2233 Email: jhartle at nfb.org A TECHNOLOGY BILL OF RIGHTS FOR THE BLIND Purpose: To mandate that consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and electronic office technology provide user interfaces that are accessible through nonvisual means. Background: In recent years rapid advances in microchip and digital technology have led to increasingly complex user interfaces for everyday products such as consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and electronic office technology. Many new devices in these categories require interaction with visual displays, on-screen menus, touch screens, and other user interfaces that are inaccessible to individuals who are blind or have low vision. Settings on the stove, dishwasher, or home entertainment system are no longer controlled by knobs, switches, and buttons that can be readily identified and whose settings can be easily discerned. Inaccessibility of these devices is a major barrier to a blind person's independence and productivity. If a blind person cannot operate the interfaces of basic office equipment such as copiers and fax machines, this is a potential threat to that person's opportunity to join the workforce or to maintain an existing job. Many popular nonvisual mechanisms are available for manufacturers to create interfaces accessible to everyone. For example, text-to-speech technology is inexpensive and more ubiquitous than it has ever been-it is used in everything from automated telephone systems to the weather forecasting service broadcast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Indeed, a few manufacturers have incorporated this technology into their products to create talking menus or to articulate what is on the display screen, but many manufacturers have continued to design interfaces that do not include any nonvisual means of use, rendering the devices inaccessible to blind people. Need for Legislation: Currently no enforceable mandates exist for manufacturers of consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and electronic office technology to make their products accessible to all consumers. There are also no accessibility standards to provide guidance to manufacturers on how to avoid creating barriers to access by the blind. Congress should therefore enact a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind which: a.. establishes that manufacturers must create accessible user interfaces for their products, b.. provides a means for enforcement, and c.. establishes standards that will provide meaningful benchmarks that manufacturers can use to make their products accessible. This legislation does not mandate a single, one-size-fits-all solution for all consumer technology, home appliances, kiosks, or electronic office technology. Rather it mandates regulations setting meaningful accessibility standards that allow manufacturers to select from a menu of potential solutions or create new ones. This will not only give manufacturers the freedom and flexibility they desire, but will also encourage innovations that make consumer technology more usable for everyone. Proposed Legislation: Congress should enact a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind that: a.. Mandates that all consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and electronic office technology be designed so that blind people are able to access the same functions as sighted people by nonvisual means and with substantially equivalent ease of use. a.. Creates a commission to establish standards for nonvisual accessibility of electronic devices intended for use in the home or office. Such a commission should represent all stakeholders, including: - organizations of the blind; - manufacturers of consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and electronic office technology, or associations representing such manufacturers; and - experts on universal design, electronic engineering, and related fields. a.. Endows the Department of Justice with the authority to enforce the regulations promulgated by the commission established by this legislation. a.. Authorizes the commission to reexamine and rewrite standards periodically as consumer electronic technology continues to evolve. Requested Action: Please support blind Americans and cosponsor a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind to ensure that blind people can fully participate in all aspects of American society. Increased access leads to increased independence, increased employment, and increased tax revenue. Contact Information: Lauren McLarney Government Programs Specialist NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2207 Email: lmclarney at nfb.org REMOVING THE EARNINGS PENALTY: A COMMON SENSE WORK INCENTIVE FOR BLIND SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFICIARIES Purpose: To promote and facilitate the transition by blind Americans from Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries to income-earning, taxpaying, productive members of the American workforce. Background: The unemployment rate for working-age blind people is over 70 percent. Part of the reason for this disproportionately high statistic is the myths and misconceptions about the true capacities of blind people. These erroneous perceptions are manifested when employers refuse to hire the blind. Low societal expectations result in low representation of the blind in the workforce. In addition, governmental programs intended to provide economic security to blind workers during periods of unemployment, especially the SSDI program, have had the unintended consequence of creating an incentive for blind people to remain unemployed or underemployed, despite their desire to work. Despite the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind, blindness still has profound social and economic consequences. Governmental programs should encourage blind people to reach their full employment potential; they should not encourage economic dependence. Existing Law: Title II of the Social Security Act provides that disability benefits paid to blind beneficiaries are eliminated if the beneficiary exceeds a monthly earnings limit. This earnings limit is in effect a penalty imposed on blind Americans when they work. This penalty imposed by the SSDI program means that, if a blind person earns just $1 over $1,640 (the monthly limit in 2010 following a Trial Work Period), all benefits are lost. Section 216(i)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act defines blindness as a disability based on objective measurement of acuity and visual field, as opposed to the subjective criterion of inability to perform Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). For blind people, doing work valued at the SGA earnings limit terminates benefits but does not terminate disability. Only blind people not working or those with work earnings below an annually adjusted statutory earnings limit receive benefits. Need for Legislation: When a blind person enters the workforce, there is no guarantee that wages earned will replace SSDI benefits after taxes are paid and work expenses are deducted. For example, Jane worked as a customer service representative with an annual income of $35,000 until she became blind from diabetic retinopathy. Jane meets the criteria for SSDI benefits, which provide income of $1,060 a month (or $12,720 a year) tax-free while she is not working. Jane wants additional income to meet her financial needs. After an adjustment period and blindness skills training, she finds employment as a part-time representative making $10 an hour for thirty-five hours a week. Jane grosses $350 a week for an average of $1,517 a month. Using a conservative 25 percent withholding tax, Jane nets $1,137.50 from her work, combined with her $1,060 disability benefit, for a net total of $2,197.50 a month. If Jane should have the opportunity to work full time (forty hours), her weekly salary would go up to $400 a week for a monthly average of $1,733. This amount is over the 2010 earnings limit, so Jane loses all of her disability benefits. Using the same 25 percent tax level, Jane nets only $1,300 a month-working an extra five hours a week has cost Jane $897.50 net income (over $10,500 a year). This example illustrates the work disincentive contained in current law. A gradual reduction of $1 in benefits for every $3 earned over the earnings limit would remove the earnings penalty and provide a financial incentive to work. The benefit amount paid to an individual will gradually decrease, while the individual's contribution to the Social Security trust fund increases over time. Under this approach, as Jane earns more, she pays more into the trust fund, and her dependence on benefits decreases. Monthly earnings evaluations are unnecessarily complicated for both the beneficiaries and the Social Security Administration. Since the medical prognosis for blind people rarely changes and because blindness is objectively measurable, blind people should be subject to an annual earnings test with the limit equal to twelve times the applicable monthly SGA amount. Under current law blind workers frequently pay for items and services related to their blindness that are necessary for them to work, and they are permitted to subtract these Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) from monthly earnings when determining monthly income. Properly crediting IRWE poses a serious challenge to the SSDI program and creates a lack of predictability for the blind person trying to determine whether benefits will be available. To address both issues, Congress should permit SSDI recipients to claim the same amount used when determining an income subsidy under the Medicare prescription drug program, currently 16.3 percent of earnings. Proposed Legislation: Congress should enact legislation to: ? provide that earnings of blind SSDI beneficiaries in excess of the annual earnings limit result in a gradual benefit reduction of $1 for each $3 earned over the limit; ? establish an annual earnings test for blind SSDI beneficiaries; and ? establish one standard IRWE deduction for blind SSDI beneficiaries equal to the amount presently applicable for this deduction when determining an appropriate income subsidy under the Medicare prescription drug program or 16.3 percent of earnings, whichever is greater. Requested Action: For the House, please cosponsor the Blind Persons Return to Work Act (H.R. 886) by contacting Michaeleen Crowell in Rep. John Lewis's office, and provide a common sense work incentive for blind Social Security beneficiaries. For the Senate please consider introducing companion legislation. Contact Information: Lauren McLarney Government Programs Specialist NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2207 Email: lmclarney at nfb.org -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Combined document--Agenda and Fact Sheets 20102.doc Type: application/msword Size: 201728 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 01-Fact Sheet 2010 Silent Cars2.doc Type: application/msword Size: 41472 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 02-Fact Sheet 2010 Tech Bill of Rights2.doc Type: application/msword Size: 43008 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 03-Fact Sheet 2010 Social Security2.doc Type: application/msword Size: 37376 bytes Desc: not available URL: From braille at nbpcb.org Mon Jan 18 19:52:30 2010 From: braille at nbpcb.org (Louise Walch) Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:52:30 -0600 Subject: [Mabs] NCLB Braille Exam at NFB National Convention Message-ID: Attention all interested in receiving National Certification in Literary Braille (NCLB): The National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB) would like to again offer NCLB braille certification at the NFB National Convention in Dallas this July. The NCLB is the only nationally recognized certification in literary braille geared specifically toward teachers. The NCLB is a five-year renewable certification awarded to those who successfully pass all four sections of the National Literary Braille Competency Test. The cost is $250. If you are interested in testing at the NFB national convention, we request that you fill out our brief online interest form with a note that you are interested in testing in Dallas. Please do so before February 10th. This is an interest form only and is NOT an application. A sufficient number of candidates are needed before the test room can be scheduled; Thus, by filling out the interest form you are increasing the chances that the exam will be offered. You will be notified of the decision by mid February. We urge that you fill out the brief online NCLB interest form at: http://www.nbpcb.org/forms/NCLBInterest/NCLBInterest_1.htm?id=694562449 For more information, updates, deadlines, sample exams, and to apply online, go to: www.nbpcb.org If you have further questions or would like to host an exam in your area, contact Louise Walch, NCLB Test Coordinator at braille at nbpcb.org or call (318) 257-4554. Louise G. Walch NBPCB Coordinator braille at nbpcb.org www.nbpcb.org From JFreeh at nfb.org Wed Jan 20 02:00:56 2010 From: JFreeh at nfb.org (Freeh, Jessica) Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:00:56 -0600 Subject: [Mabs] National Federation of the Blind Announces 2010 Race for Independence Message-ID: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Chris Danielsen Director of Public Relations National Federation of the Blind (410) 659-9314, extension 2330 (410) 262-1281 (Cell) cdanielsen at nfb.org National Federation of the Blind Announces 2010 Race for Independence Fundraising Effort to Focus on Access to Technology for Blind Americans Baltimore, Maryland (January 19, 2010): The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the oldest and largest organization of blind people in the United States, today announced the 2010 Race for Independence, a fundraising effort focused on improving access to technology by blind Americans and supporting other NFB initiatives. The Race for Independence is designed to raise funds for the National Federation of the Blind Imagination Fund, which supports the education, technology, and research projects of the NFB Jernigan Institute, as well as programs conducted by the fifty-two affiliates and over seven hundred local chapters of the Federation. The Race for Independence will also bring public attention to the need for full and equal access for blind Americans to modern technology, in everything from home appliances to automobiles. The initiative begins with a six-month campaign to raise funds from NFB members and friends that will close on July 31, 2010. Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "The Imagination Fund represents the hopes and aspirations of blind Americans. Through this effort we are able to create innovative research, training, education, and technology programs that improve the lives of the blind and move us closer to our ultimate goal of full integration into society on a basis of equality. The crisis in Braille literacy for blind children and advances in technology that, if not properly designed, will threaten the independence of the blind mean that time is of the essence. But I am confident that with the help of our members and friends, we will ensure that blind children are literate and can pursue the career of their choice; that blind people have access to cutting-edge technology; and that opportunities for all blind Americans are limited only by our capacity to dream." Parnell Diggs, Chairman of the NFB Imagination Fund, said: "The Race for Independence is quite simply the expression of our desire to speed toward our goal of achieving first-class citizenship status in society at an ever-increasing pace. It is the anchor of the National Federation of the Blind's Imagination Fund, the annual campaign to raise proceeds for NFB programs at the national, state, and local levels." To sign up to be an Imaginator and help build the Imagination Fund, please visit www.raceforindependence.org or call (410) 659-9314, extension 2371. ### About the National Federation of the Blind With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most influential membership organization 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. It is the leading force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the United States for the blind led by the blind. From dandrews at visi.com Thu Jan 21 03:35:33 2010 From: dandrews at visi.com (David Andrews) Date: Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:35:33 -0600 Subject: [Mabs] Youth and Adult Writing Contests Message-ID: I want to bring to your attention that the annual youth and adult writing contests sponsored by the Writers' Division of the NFB, opened January 1st and will close April 1st. Adult contests, poetry and fiction, are open to all entrants eighteen years and over. The youth contests are all about Braille and all poetry and fiction entries are required to be submitted in Braille. The age groups are divided into three categories: first through sixth grades, seventh and eighth grades, and ninth through twelfth grades. Prizes for contest winners range up to $100 for adult categories and up to $25 for youth categories. All contest winners will be announced at the Writers' Division business meeting during the NFB national convention to be held in Dallas, Texas, the first week of July, 2010. In addition, shortly after convention, a list of winners will appear on the Writers' Division website, www.nfb-writers-division.org. First, second, and third place winners in each category will appear in the summer and fall issues of the Writers' Division magazine, "Slate and Style." For additional contest details and submission guidelines, go to the Writers' Division website, www.nfb-writers-division.org. President NFB Writers' Division Robert Leslie Newman Email- newmanrl at cox.net Division Website Http://www.nfb-writers-division.org From LRovig at nfb.org Sat Jan 23 03:27:10 2010 From: LRovig at nfb.org (Rovig, Lorraine) Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:27:10 -0600 Subject: [Mabs] Scholarships for blind college students in US and PR Message-ID: Dear Students, Are you researching scholarships for college in the fall of 2010? Our National Federation of the Blind 2010 Scholarship Program for the United States and Puerto Rico (wherever we have an affiliate) is up and running, with its deadline coming up March 31, 2010. For the ins and outs of making an application, you can go to www.nfb.org/scholarships to read the SUBMISSION CHECKLIST and the FAQ; then fill out and submit the application form (online or in print). Cordially, Mr. Anil Lewis, Chairperson--NFB Scholarship Committee NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND at Jernigan Place 200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230 Office: (410) 659-9314, x2415; Email: scholarships at nfb.org; Website: www.nfb.org/scholarships; Discussion Groups: www.nfb.net.org There is a Braille literacy crisis in America. For the whole story, go to www.braille.org. From nabs.president at gmail.com Sun Jan 24 05:49:29 2010 From: nabs.president at gmail.com (Arielle Silverman) Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 16:49:29 +1100 Subject: [Mabs] NABS Washington Seminar Agenda! Message-ID: <85ff10071001232149l3efc2d88s22123dd59072aefc@mail.gmail.com> Sunday January 31, 2010 National Association of Blind Students Midwinter Gathering Holiday Inn Capitol Hotel Washington, D.C. Columbia Ballroom ?Working For a Brighter Future? 9:00-10:00 Registration ($5.00) 10:00 Call to Order and Welcome Arielle Silverman, President, National Association of Blind Students 10:10 The Big Payoff: What You Should Know about the NFB Scholarship Program Anil Lewis, Chairman, National Federation of the Blind Scholarship Committee 10:30 Working to Get Where We Are Today: A Word from our National NFB President Marc Maurer, President, National Federation of the Blind 10:50 Working on the Hill: Legislative Update Jesse Hartle, Governmental Affairs Specialist, National Federation of the Blind 11:00 Recruit, Recruit, Recruit! Rosy Carranza, Department of Affiliate Action, National Federation of the Blind 11:10 Learning through Listening: What's New at RFB&D Annemarie Cooke, Consultant, Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, Princeton, NJ 11:20 Reading Made Easy: What's New at BookShare Allison Hilliker, Collection Development Associate, BookShare, Palo Alto, CA 11:30 Update from Newsline Renee West, Manager of Marketing and Outreach for Sponsored Technology Programs, National Federation of the Blind 11:40 Roll Call of States 12:15-1:30 NABS Presidents' Luncheon. Each state please send one delegate to this luncheon. 2:00-2:40 Breakout Session I 1. Calling all high schoolers! 2. NFB 101: What you?ve always wanted to know about the NFB (but were afraid to ask)? 3. Technology Q&A 4. Tips and tricks for academics, internships, and beyond! 5. Secrets for getting involved on campus! 2:40-3:20 Breakout Session II 1. BookShare: New members and users forum 2. NFB 101: What you?ve always wanted to know about the NFB (but were afraid to ask)? 3. Technology Q&A 4. Tips and tricks for academics, internships, and beyond! 5. Secrets for getting involved on campus! 3:20 Introducing the College Preparation Checklist Dave Rives, U.S. Department of Education 3:30 Working Toward Skills and Confidence: The Inside Track on NFB Training Centers Kayleigh Joiner, Graduate, Colorado Center for the Blind Summer Program Kayla Stase, Student, BLIND, Inc. Adult Program Joshua Boudreaux, Technology Instructor, Louisiana Center for the Blind 3:50 Working in the Trenches: Summer Program Announcements Julie Deden, Director, Colorado Center for the Blind Pam Allen, Director, Louisiana Center for the Blind Shawn Mayo, Director, BLIND, Inc. 4:00 Why Don't You Get a Job? Corbb O'Connor, President, Virginia Association of Blind Students Jennifer Kennedy, Cane Travel Instructor, Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Richmond, VA Joe Orozco, Director of Development, Consumer Action, Washington, D.C. 4:30 Update from ETS Ruth C. Loew, Assistant Director, Office of Disability Policy, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 4:40 What?s Up with the Kindle? Mehgan Sidhu, Brown, Goldstein, and Levy, LLC 4:50 Going Totally Globally Mobile! J.J. Meddaugh, atguys.com 5:00 Adjourn 8:00-Midnight NABS Reception Come mix and mingle with other blind students! Turkey sandwiches, snacks, music, and a cash bar will be available for all to enjoy. We will also be auctioning off several items throughout the evening. All proceeds support the National Association of Blind Students. $10 if purchased in advance; $12 if purchased at the door. Monday February 1, 2010 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. NABS Information Fair, Discovery I Ballroom Want to sign up for RFB, NewsLine, or Bookshare? Have questions about taking the GRE? Want to learn more about our NFB training centers? Come to pick up information from our presenters and take the opportunity to talk to them individually about questions, issues, or suggestions you may have. -- Arielle Silverman President, National Association of Blind Students Phone: 602-502-2255 Email: nabs.president at gmail.com Website: www.nabslink.org From gwunder at earthlink.net Mon Jan 25 14:18:31 2010 From: gwunder at earthlink.net (Gary Wunder) Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 08:18:31 -0600 Subject: [Mabs] NABS Washington Seminar Agenda! References: <85ff10071001232149l3efc2d88s22123dd59072aefc@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <681E6893169D41E98F82226024F42501@gary4fd8f0f186> Hi my friend. I am in Research and Development during your Sunday sessions but would love to hear the main ones. Any plans to record? These sound really valuable. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Arielle Silverman" To: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Sent: Saturday, January 23, 2010 11:49 PM Subject: [Mabs] NABS Washington Seminar Agenda! Sunday January 31, 2010 National Association of Blind Students Midwinter Gathering Holiday Inn Capitol Hotel Washington, D.C. Columbia Ballroom ?Working For a Brighter Future? 9:00-10:00 Registration ($5.00) 10:00 Call to Order and Welcome Arielle Silverman, President, National Association of Blind Students 10:10 The Big Payoff: What You Should Know about the NFB Scholarship Program Anil Lewis, Chairman, National Federation of the Blind Scholarship Committee 10:30 Working to Get Where We Are Today: A Word from our National NFB President Marc Maurer, President, National Federation of the Blind 10:50 Working on the Hill: Legislative Update Jesse Hartle, Governmental Affairs Specialist, National Federation of the Blind 11:00 Recruit, Recruit, Recruit! Rosy Carranza, Department of Affiliate Action, National Federation of the Blind 11:10 Learning through Listening: What's New at RFB&D Annemarie Cooke, Consultant, Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, Princeton, NJ 11:20 Reading Made Easy: What's New at BookShare Allison Hilliker, Collection Development Associate, BookShare, Palo Alto, CA 11:30 Update from Newsline Renee West, Manager of Marketing and Outreach for Sponsored Technology Programs, National Federation of the Blind 11:40 Roll Call of States 12:15-1:30 NABS Presidents' Luncheon. Each state please send one delegate to this luncheon. 2:00-2:40 Breakout Session I 1. Calling all high schoolers! 2. NFB 101: What you?ve always wanted to know about the NFB (but were afraid to ask)? 3. Technology Q&A 4. Tips and tricks for academics, internships, and beyond! 5. Secrets for getting involved on campus! 2:40-3:20 Breakout Session II 1. BookShare: New members and users forum 2. NFB 101: What you?ve always wanted to know about the NFB (but were afraid to ask)? 3. Technology Q&A 4. Tips and tricks for academics, internships, and beyond! 5. Secrets for getting involved on campus! 3:20 Introducing the College Preparation Checklist Dave Rives, U.S. Department of Education 3:30 Working Toward Skills and Confidence: The Inside Track on NFB Training Centers Kayleigh Joiner, Graduate, Colorado Center for the Blind Summer Program Kayla Stase, Student, BLIND, Inc. Adult Program Joshua Boudreaux, Technology Instructor, Louisiana Center for the Blind 3:50 Working in the Trenches: Summer Program Announcements Julie Deden, Director, Colorado Center for the Blind Pam Allen, Director, Louisiana Center for the Blind Shawn Mayo, Director, BLIND, Inc. 4:00 Why Don't You Get a Job? Corbb O'Connor, President, Virginia Association of Blind Students Jennifer Kennedy, Cane Travel Instructor, Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Richmond, VA Joe Orozco, Director of Development, Consumer Action, Washington, D.C. 4:30 Update from ETS Ruth C. Loew, Assistant Director, Office of Disability Policy, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 4:40 What?s Up with the Kindle? Mehgan Sidhu, Brown, Goldstein, and Levy, LLC 4:50 Going Totally Globally Mobile! J.J. Meddaugh, atguys.com 5:00 Adjourn 8:00-Midnight NABS Reception Come mix and mingle with other blind students! Turkey sandwiches, snacks, music, and a cash bar will be available for all to enjoy. We will also be auctioning off several items throughout the evening. All proceeds support the National Association of Blind Students. $10 if purchased in advance; $12 if purchased at the door. Monday February 1, 2010 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. NABS Information Fair, Discovery I Ballroom Want to sign up for RFB, NewsLine, or Bookshare? Have questions about taking the GRE? Want to learn more about our NFB training centers? Come to pick up information from our presenters and take the opportunity to talk to them individually about questions, issues, or suggestions you may have. -- Arielle Silverman President, National Association of Blind Students Phone: 602-502-2255 Email: nabs.president at gmail.com Website: www.nabslink.org _______________________________________________ Mabs mailing list Mabs at nfbnet.org http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/mabs_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Mabs: http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/mabs_nfbnet.org/gwunder%40earthlink.net From CDanielsen at nfb.org Sat Jan 30 06:46:33 2010 From: CDanielsen at nfb.org (Danielsen, Chris) Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:46:33 -0600 Subject: [Mabs] Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida to receive Distinguished Legislative Service Award at Washington Seminar Message-ID: Dear Fellow Federationists: As you know, our Washington Seminar is fast approaching. On Wednesday, February 3, it is extremely important that you attend the 5:00 p.m. meeting because we will have a special guest. Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida will receive a Distinguished Legislative Service Award for her leadership in securing funding for the Digital Talking Book program of the Library of Congress. Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz is a subcommittee chairperson and Chief Deputy Whip in the United States House of Representatives. Please make a point to attend this meeting and express your sincere appreciation for all that she has done to create opportunity for blind Americans. Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz is also a cosponsor of the Blind Persons Return to Work Act and the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act, and we believe that she will soon sign on as a cosponsor of the Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind. Please join us in honoring this great supporter and friend of America's blind. If you're not already in Washington on Wednesday but live in the District or in Virginia or Maryland, please make an effort to be at the Holiday Inn Capitol, 550 C Street SW, to attend this special presentation. If you live in Maryland or can get to the National Center for the Blind in Baltimore, there will be transportation on Wednesday afternoon to the Holiday Inn Capitol for this important gathering. If you would like to utilize this transportation option, please contact Scott White by calling (410) 659-9314, extension 2231, or e-mailing swhite at nfb.org. Please let Scott know by the close of business on Monday, February 1, if you plan to use this transportation option. Transportation will leave the National Center for the Blind promptly at 2:45 p.m. and return to the Center at approximately 8 p.m. Please be sure to arrive at the Center no later than 2:30 p.m. so that the van(s) can depart on time. If you will already be at Washington Seminar, please make a point of being in the Columbia Room at 5 p.m. The gathering will last until approximately 6:30 p.m. I hope to see you in Washington. Sincerely: Chris Danielsen From info at michaelhingson.com Sat Jan 30 13:33:31 2010 From: info at michaelhingson.com (Michael Hingson) Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2010 07:33:31 -0600 Subject: [Mabs] KNFB Reader Mobile at Washington Seminar Message-ID: Greetings all, Once again this year the NFB and The Michael Hingson Group, INC. will be demonstrating and selling the KnfbReader Mobile at the Washington seminar. We have plenty of units to sell on hand. Because of the seminar we will be offering a special Washington Seminar price from January 31, 2010 through February 12, 2010. Any order received during this time can be made at these special prices. The Integrated KnfbReader Mobile including a Nokia N82, the KnfbReader Mobile software and either Talks or MobileSpeak will be reduced in price from $1,595 to $1,495. The KnfbReader Mobile including a Nokia N86, KnfbReader Mobile software and either Talks or MobileSpeak will be reduced in price from $1,770 to $1,620. If you cannot attend the seminar but wish to order a Reader please contact Michael Hingson at (415) 827-4084 or via email at info at michaelhingson.com. During the Washington seminar we will be showing the KnfbReader Mobile including some of the new features which will be released in an upcoming version of the software. The features include a color identifier, a new leveling function to assist in keeping the camera properly oriented over the reading surface, and we will discuss how Braille displays can now be driven by the Reader. Demonstrations will be held in the Mars room Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and I believe Wednesday at 1:30PM to 4PM. Also, a table will be set up in the lobby of the Holiday Inn, the NFB head quarters hotel where you can purchase a KnfbReader of your own. The address of the hotel is Holiday Inn Capital, 550 C. St. SW Washington, DC 20024. On Thursday, February 4, from 4PM to 7PM we also will be conducting demonstrations of the KnfbReader at the Philadelphia office of the NFB of Pennsylvania. The Location of the Chestnut Place Building, where the NFB offices are housed, is, 42 S. 15th Street, 17th Floor Conference Room, Philadelphia, PA 19102. This building is located on the west side of 15th Street near Chestnut. Street. All are invited but asked to please confirm by calling Michael Hingson in advance. Finally, we shall be holding demonstrations of the KnfbReader Mobile in Columbia South Carolina on February 9, from 2PM to 5PM at the offices of the NFB of South Carolina. Again, all are invited but asked to call Mike Hingson in advance. There is lots more to talk about at the sessions mentioned above. We hope to see you there. Come see why the KnfbReader Mobile continues to be a major force in improving independence for all blind persons. Come see how you can also go totally globally mobile. Cordially, Michael Hingson The Michael Hingson Group, INC. "Speaking with Vision" Michael Hingson, President (415) 827-4084 info at michaelhingson.com www.michaelhingson.com for info on the new KNFB Reader Mobile, visit: http://knfbreader.michaelhingson.com