[nfb-talk] nfb-talk Digest, Vol 11, Issue 2
Pat Gormley
kk3f at msn.com
Wed Apr 1 20:41:58 UTC 2009
I think Dr. Jernigan was right on on this one. In his speech blindness is
the public against us he said "put any 100 of us against any 100 of them and
I think we will acquit ourselves with credit and pleasure probably with
volunteers to spare".
----- Original Message -----
From: <nfb-talk-request at nfbnet.org>
To: <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 01, 2009 4:26 PM
Subject: nfb-talk Digest, Vol 11, Issue 2
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: Blindness Research (tribble)
> 2. Re: Blindness Research (Alan Wheeler)
> 3. Re: Blindness Research (Marsha)
> 4. Fwd: NBP-Announce: Celebrate National Poetry Month!
> (David Andrews)
> 5. Imagineering Our Future (David Andrews)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2009 12:25:19 -0500
> From: "tribble" <lauraeaves at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Blindness Research
> To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Message-ID: <8799B476E3564B52A013452ED24EB51A at bassclef>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> ok, so what about blind women? *smile* How do we rate? and where can we
> find
> these blind men that the article describes in such detail?
> Considering the date today, perhaps I can ask these questions again
> tomorrow
> and get different answers...
> Meanwhile, you have my email addy...
> --le
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Michael Bullis" <mabullis at hotmail.com>
> To: "'NFB Talk Mailing List'" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 01, 2009 10:32 AM
> Subject: [nfb-talk] Blindness Research
>
>
> Considering the date, this is well written.
> Mike
> Blindness and Sexuality:
> Researching Myths and Facts
> Summary Report:
> Distributed by:
> National Data Distribution Center (NDDC)
> April 1, 2009
> Atlanta Georgia
>
> The two hundredth anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille is being
> celebrated by the US mint with the production of a silver coin
> commemorating
> the man who created the modern reading system used by many blind people.
> Unfortunately, although blind people work and live normal lives, they are
> still different in many ways and their experiences are a matter of
> curiosity
> amongst the sighted population. For most of us, the question, "What is it
> like to be blind?," has entered our minds more than once.
>
> Research, some of it useful and much of it not, about how people who are
> blind perceive the world, abounds. One of the more interesting topics of
> study is sexuality among the blind. The story, goes that blind people are
> incredible sexual partners--somehow being extremely sensitive to their
> partners and, being able to stimulate them far more than the average
> person.
>
>
> Masters and Johnson were so intrigued by this subject that they collected
> data over several years from those who had had sex with blind people.
> Surprisingly, what they thought would be myths, turned out to be true.
> The
> results were stunning. On average, women rated their blind partners 9.1
> on
> a scale of 10. The average rating was five for sighted partners.
>
> "This research has been duplicated several times," says Author Mary Roach,
> author of, 2008 best seller,
> Bonk: the Curious Coupling of Science and Sex. The data hasn't attracted
> much attention because blindness is such a low incidence event. "We
> usually
> print things that have broad interest. And, even though this indicates
> that
> blind people are incredibly sexual, there aren't really enough of them to
> go
> around."
>
> Comments from sighted partners were astounding. "He seemed like he knew
> my
> soul," from a 23 year old female. "Her tongue knew just how to touch
> every
> part of me if you know what I mean," from a college male. One woman
> commented, "The things he could do with his fingers were beyond
> description
> in this survey. It's not that he was built bigger than other men, it just
> seemed like he touched me inside with it all over," she said with a shy
> smile.
>
> When William Masters was asked, in a 1971 interview, why he didn't draw
> more
> attention to these findings he said, "I didn't know anything about
> blindness. We were publishing information of general interest about
> sexuality and this just didn't fit that mold. Perhaps some day
> researchers
> will help us understand why blind people have such incredible sexual
> capacities and we'll be able to use that information to increase the
> abilities of others. Until then, a very few lucky men and women will
> experience the phenomena of sex with a blind person."
>
> There is a down side to this research. When interviewed, blind people
> generally expressed frustration about sexuality. Broadly speaking, they
> divided sighted people into three groups. First is the group who simply
> want to have sex with them for the thrill and experience of it. "We feel
> used," was the most common thing reported. second, was the group who
> simply
> couldn't see themselves with a blind husband or wife. "They want to be
> with
> us, but don't see us as fathers and mothers, for example," was often
> heard.
> the third group were those who "get it" as one blind man put it. "They
> can
> see beyond blindness and except us for who we are. Blindness just fades
> into the background and becomes another characteristic."
>
> The sad truth is that although blind people work, raise families, travel
> independently and generally speaking, live normal lives, the public
> perception is the opposite. The image of the helpless beggar still lurks
> in
> our minds. Sighted people report that the fear of blindness overwelms
> their
> rationality. "I know that I shouldn't let blindness interfere with how I
> think about my partner, but, I can't help it," said a young college
> student
> engaged to a blind physicist working at NASA. "Yes, he has money, and
> yes,
> he's sexy, and oh, my god, can he please me, if you know what I mean. The
> hardest thing is getting over this image of him as a helpless blind man.
> We
> sail, bike ride and horse back ride. I can't think of anything he can't
> do
> except drive, but, I'll admit, the image of a helpless blind man still
> haunts me. People look at him with such pity and I just want to scream,
> "You don't get it you fools."" But she admits that making the decision to
> mary is difficult.
>
> Chad, a young blind college student says he finds the whole sex thing a
> bit
> distracting. "Sure I can please women more than my sighted friends can,
> and
> frankly, it's because they just don't pay attention to women and what
> their
> bodies and hearts are saying. Women will tell you everything you need to
> know if you just listen and feel."
>
> We give you all of this information with the caviat that perhaps only one
> in
> six thousand people is an eligible blind man or woman, so, happy
> searching.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nfb-talk mailing list
> nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2009 12:37:00 -0500
> From: "Alan Wheeler" <awheeler at neb.rr.com>
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Blindness Research
> To: "tribble" <lauraeaves at yahoo.com>, "NFB Talk Mailing List"
> <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Message-ID: <BCE91301853F4E1E90E4A1406D02F784 at Alan>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> It boils down to this simple truth...the blind do it with more feeling!
> LOL!
>
>
>
> Alan Wheeler
> Lincoln, Nebraska
>
>
> Save the whales, collect the whole set !
> ~~~
> awheeler at neb.rr.com
> IM me at: outlaw-cowboy at live.com
> Skype: redwheel1 and http://www.twitter.com/cowboy_alan
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "tribble" <lauraeaves at yahoo.com>
> To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 01, 2009 12:25
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Blindness Research
>
>
>> ok, so what about blind women? *smile* How do we rate? and where can we
>> find
>> these blind men that the article describes in such detail?
>> Considering the date today, perhaps I can ask these questions again
>> tomorrow
>> and get different answers...
>> Meanwhile, you have my email addy...
>> --le
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Michael Bullis" <mabullis at hotmail.com>
>> To: "'NFB Talk Mailing List'" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, April 01, 2009 10:32 AM
>> Subject: [nfb-talk] Blindness Research
>>
>>
>> Considering the date, this is well written.
>> Mike
>> Blindness and Sexuality:
>> Researching Myths and Facts
>> Summary Report:
>> Distributed by:
>> National Data Distribution Center (NDDC)
>> April 1, 2009
>> Atlanta Georgia
>>
>> The two hundredth anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille is being
>> celebrated by the US mint with the production of a silver coin
>> commemorating
>> the man who created the modern reading system used by many blind people.
>> Unfortunately, although blind people work and live normal lives, they are
>> still different in many ways and their experiences are a matter of
>> curiosity
>> amongst the sighted population. For most of us, the question, "What is
>> it
>> like to be blind?," has entered our minds more than once.
>>
>> Research, some of it useful and much of it not, about how people who are
>> blind perceive the world, abounds. One of the more interesting topics of
>> study is sexuality among the blind. The story, goes that blind people
>> are
>> incredible sexual partners--somehow being extremely sensitive to their
>> partners and, being able to stimulate them far more than the average
>> person.
>>
>>
>> Masters and Johnson were so intrigued by this subject that they collected
>> data over several years from those who had had sex with blind people.
>> Surprisingly, what they thought would be myths, turned out to be true.
>> The
>> results were stunning. On average, women rated their blind partners 9.1
>> on
>> a scale of 10. The average rating was five for sighted partners.
>>
>> "This research has been duplicated several times," says Author Mary
>> Roach,
>> author of, 2008 best seller,
>> Bonk: the Curious Coupling of Science and Sex. The data hasn't attracted
>> much attention because blindness is such a low incidence event. "We
>> usually
>> print things that have broad interest. And, even though this indicates
>> that
>> blind people are incredibly sexual, there aren't really enough of them to
>> go
>> around."
>>
>> Comments from sighted partners were astounding. "He seemed like he knew
>> my
>> soul," from a 23 year old female. "Her tongue knew just how to touch
>> every
>> part of me if you know what I mean," from a college male. One woman
>> commented, "The things he could do with his fingers were beyond
>> description
>> in this survey. It's not that he was built bigger than other men, it
>> just
>> seemed like he touched me inside with it all over," she said with a shy
>> smile.
>>
>> When William Masters was asked, in a 1971 interview, why he didn't draw
>> more
>> attention to these findings he said, "I didn't know anything about
>> blindness. We were publishing information of general interest about
>> sexuality and this just didn't fit that mold. Perhaps some day
>> researchers
>> will help us understand why blind people have such incredible sexual
>> capacities and we'll be able to use that information to increase the
>> abilities of others. Until then, a very few lucky men and women will
>> experience the phenomena of sex with a blind person."
>>
>> There is a down side to this research. When interviewed, blind people
>> generally expressed frustration about sexuality. Broadly speaking, they
>> divided sighted people into three groups. First is the group who simply
>> want to have sex with them for the thrill and experience of it. "We feel
>> used," was the most common thing reported. second, was the group who
>> simply
>> couldn't see themselves with a blind husband or wife. "They want to be
>> with
>> us, but don't see us as fathers and mothers, for example," was often
>> heard.
>> the third group were those who "get it" as one blind man put it. "They
>> can
>> see beyond blindness and except us for who we are. Blindness just fades
>> into the background and becomes another characteristic."
>>
>> The sad truth is that although blind people work, raise families, travel
>> independently and generally speaking, live normal lives, the public
>> perception is the opposite. The image of the helpless beggar still lurks
>> in
>> our minds. Sighted people report that the fear of blindness overwelms
>> their
>> rationality. "I know that I shouldn't let blindness interfere with how I
>> think about my partner, but, I can't help it," said a young college
>> student
>> engaged to a blind physicist working at NASA. "Yes, he has money, and
>> yes,
>> he's sexy, and oh, my god, can he please me, if you know what I mean.
>> The
>> hardest thing is getting over this image of him as a helpless blind man.
>> We
>> sail, bike ride and horse back ride. I can't think of anything he can't
>> do
>> except drive, but, I'll admit, the image of a helpless blind man still
>> haunts me. People look at him with such pity and I just want to scream,
>> "You don't get it you fools."" But she admits that making the decision
>> to
>> mary is difficult.
>>
>> Chad, a young blind college student says he finds the whole sex thing a
>> bit
>> distracting. "Sure I can please women more than my sighted friends can,
>> and
>> frankly, it's because they just don't pay attention to women and what
>> their
>> bodies and hearts are saying. Women will tell you everything you need to
>> know if you just listen and feel."
>>
>> We give you all of this information with the caviat that perhaps only one
>> in
>> six thousand people is an eligible blind man or woman, so, happy
>> searching.
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nfb-talk mailing list
>> nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nfb-talk mailing list
>> nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 8.0.238 / Virus Database: 270.11.35/2034 - Release Date: 04/01/09
> 06:06:00
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2009 13:51:43 -0400
> From: "Marsha" <queen.marsha.lindsey at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Blindness Research
> To: "'tribble'" <lauraeaves at yahoo.com>, "'NFB Talk Mailing List'"
> <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Message-ID: <69773C3D3900445BAFFC92BC248B4CCF at Cptr233>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
>
> Yes I agree where are those men that this article speaks about?
> Marsha
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of tribble
> Sent: Wednesday, April 01, 2009 1:25 PM
> To: NFB Talk Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Blindness Research
>
> ok, so what about blind women? *smile* How do we rate? and where can we
> find
>
> these blind men that the article describes in such detail?
> Considering the date today, perhaps I can ask these questions again
> tomorrow
>
> and get different answers...
> Meanwhile, you have my email addy...
> --le
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Michael Bullis" <mabullis at hotmail.com>
> To: "'NFB Talk Mailing List'" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 01, 2009 10:32 AM
> Subject: [nfb-talk] Blindness Research
>
>
> Considering the date, this is well written.
> Mike
> Blindness and Sexuality:
> Researching Myths and Facts
> Summary Report:
> Distributed by:
> National Data Distribution Center (NDDC)
> April 1, 2009
> Atlanta Georgia
>
> The two hundredth anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille is being
> celebrated by the US mint with the production of a silver coin
> commemorating
> the man who created the modern reading system used by many blind people.
> Unfortunately, although blind people work and live normal lives, they are
> still different in many ways and their experiences are a matter of
> curiosity
> amongst the sighted population. For most of us, the question, "What is it
> like to be blind?," has entered our minds more than once.
>
> Research, some of it useful and much of it not, about how people who are
> blind perceive the world, abounds. One of the more interesting topics of
> study is sexuality among the blind. The story, goes that blind people are
> incredible sexual partners--somehow being extremely sensitive to their
> partners and, being able to stimulate them far more than the average
> person.
>
>
> Masters and Johnson were so intrigued by this subject that they collected
> data over several years from those who had had sex with blind people.
> Surprisingly, what they thought would be myths, turned out to be true.
> The
> results were stunning. On average, women rated their blind partners 9.1
> on
> a scale of 10. The average rating was five for sighted partners.
>
> "This research has been duplicated several times," says Author Mary Roach,
> author of, 2008 best seller,
> Bonk: the Curious Coupling of Science and Sex. The data hasn't attracted
> much attention because blindness is such a low incidence event. "We
> usually
> print things that have broad interest. And, even though this indicates
> that
> blind people are incredibly sexual, there aren't really enough of them to
> go
> around."
>
> Comments from sighted partners were astounding. "He seemed like he knew
> my
> soul," from a 23 year old female. "Her tongue knew just how to touch
> every
> part of me if you know what I mean," from a college male. One woman
> commented, "The things he could do with his fingers were beyond
> description
> in this survey. It's not that he was built bigger than other men, it just
> seemed like he touched me inside with it all over," she said with a shy
> smile.
>
> When William Masters was asked, in a 1971 interview, why he didn't draw
> more
> attention to these findings he said, "I didn't know anything about
> blindness. We were publishing information of general interest about
> sexuality and this just didn't fit that mold. Perhaps some day
> researchers
> will help us understand why blind people have such incredible sexual
> capacities and we'll be able to use that information to increase the
> abilities of others. Until then, a very few lucky men and women will
> experience the phenomena of sex with a blind person."
>
> There is a down side to this research. When interviewed, blind people
> generally expressed frustration about sexuality. Broadly speaking, they
> divided sighted people into three groups. First is the group who simply
> want to have sex with them for the thrill and experience of it. "We feel
> used," was the most common thing reported. second, was the group who
> simply
> couldn't see themselves with a blind husband or wife. "They want to be
> with
> us, but don't see us as fathers and mothers, for example," was often
> heard.
> the third group were those who "get it" as one blind man put it. "They
> can
> see beyond blindness and except us for who we are. Blindness just fades
> into the background and becomes another characteristic."
>
> The sad truth is that although blind people work, raise families, travel
> independently and generally speaking, live normal lives, the public
> perception is the opposite. The image of the helpless beggar still lurks
> in
> our minds. Sighted people report that the fear of blindness overwelms
> their
> rationality. "I know that I shouldn't let blindness interfere with how I
> think about my partner, but, I can't help it," said a young college
> student
> engaged to a blind physicist working at NASA. "Yes, he has money, and
> yes,
> he's sexy, and oh, my god, can he please me, if you know what I mean. The
> hardest thing is getting over this image of him as a helpless blind man.
> We
> sail, bike ride and horse back ride. I can't think of anything he can't
> do
> except drive, but, I'll admit, the image of a helpless blind man still
> haunts me. People look at him with such pity and I just want to scream,
> "You don't get it you fools."" But she admits that making the decision to
> mary is difficult.
>
> Chad, a young blind college student says he finds the whole sex thing a
> bit
> distracting. "Sure I can please women more than my sighted friends can,
> and
> frankly, it's because they just don't pay attention to women and what
> their
> bodies and hearts are saying. Women will tell you everything you need to
> know if you just listen and feel."
>
> We give you all of this information with the caviat that perhaps only one
> in
> six thousand people is an eligible blind man or woman, so, happy
> searching.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nfb-talk mailing list
> nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nfb-talk mailing list
> nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org
>
>
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> signature
> database 3981 (20090401) __________
>
> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
>
> http://www.eset.com
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>
>
> __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus
> signature
> database 3981 (20090401) __________
>
> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
>
> http://www.eset.com
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>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:18:16 -0500
> From: David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>
> Subject: [nfb-talk] Fwd: NBP-Announce: Celebrate National Poetry
> Month!
> To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org
> Message-ID: <auto-000095521653 at mailfront2.g2host.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
>
>
>>
>>April is national poetry month! Established by the Academy of American
>>Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month celebrates poetry and its vital
>>place in American culture. Join in the fun - National Braille Press has
>>reprinted two braille books of poetry:
>>
>>Shel Silverstein's "Where the Sidewalk Ends"
>>http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/SIDEWALK.html
>>
>>and Caroline Kennedy's "A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for
>>Children"
>>http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/KENNEDY.html
>>
>>To hear audio versions of poets reciting a specially selected poem in
>>honor of poetry month, WGBH and David Grubin Productions have created
>>the Poetry Everywhere website. Poetry Everywhere was designed to take a
>>fresh look at poetry using a variety of production approaches. A
>>different poem will be recited each day and poetry readings will take
>>place between PBS television broadcasts during the month of April.
>>
>>Visit Poetry Everywhere at:
>>http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/poetryeverywhere
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:25:50 -0500
> From: David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>
> Subject: [nfb-talk] Imagineering Our Future
> To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org
> Message-ID: <auto-000095546755 at mailfront2.g2host.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed
>
>
> Graphic Logo: NFB Jernigan Institute
>
>
> Imagineering Our Future
>
> Issue 11
>
> March 31, 2009
>
>
> In this issue:
>
> block quote
>
> list of 12 items
> ? Message from the Executive Director
>
> ? What's New
>
> ? Education
>
> ? Braille Initiative
>
> ? Straight Talk About Vision Loss
>
> ? Technology Talk
>
> ? From the Jacobus tenBroek Library
>
> ? Independence Market
>
> ? Parent Outreach
>
> ? Spotlight on the Imagination Fund
>
> ? NFB Calendar
>
> ? Citation
>
> list end
> block quote end
>
> block quote
>
> Message from the Executive Director
> block quote end
>
> block quote
> Our moment in history has finally arrived!
>
> When Louis Braille first observed the night
> writing code used by the French military, I
> wonder, did he recognize what the moment meant and how that moment
> would be a turning point in history? From our
> perspective in time, all we can do is speculate
> about the events of that moment and how they unfolded into
> the code that gives knowledge to the blind even
> today. However, we know much about our current
> moment in time and the turning point that is represented
> by the launch of the Louis Braille Bicentennial
> Silver Dollar?hosted at the NFB Jernigan Institute on March 26, 2009.
>
> On that day, we released
> The Braille Literacy Crisis in America: Facing
> the Truth, Reversing the Trend, Empowering the Blind.
> This comprehensive report discusses the current
> status of Braille literacy?the crisis facing the
> blind?and provides our unwavering commitment to eliminate
> that crisis through our Braille Readers are
> Leaders Literacy Campaign. Of course, the Louis
> Braille coin first went on sale that day, and over seventeen
> thousand coins were sold?suggesting that this
> coin is going fast. And the National Aeronautics
> and Space Administration announced that two Louis Braille
> coins will fly on the STS-125 mission scheduled
> for later this year to provide servicing to the
> Hubble Space Telescope (the subject of the book Touch the
> Universe).
>
> What will mark this moment that we cannot yet
> recognize? What will it feel like to look back
> when 20, 30, 50 percent of blind children are getting adequate
> instruction in Braille? What will the
> imaginative new opportunities be when we have
> spread an understanding of Braille farther and wider than ever before?
> It is hard to fully answer any of these
> questions. However, we know with absolute
> certainty that our complete dedication, our bold advancement, and our
> hopeful spirit will forever be part of what makes this moment special.
>
> Thank you for being part of this important moment
> in time with the National Federation of the Blind.
> Graphic: Signature of Mark Riccobono
> Mark A. Riccobono, Executive Director, NFB Jernigan Institute
>
> Featured NFB News
>
> ANNOUNCING: Baltimore's new main event?the Cane Event!
>
> Join the NFB for a night of decadence with all
> proceeds benefiting our Braille literacy
> programs! Ladies & gentlemen, now presenting Baltimore?s newest
> main event, The Cane Event. Open bar, live
> entertainment, seated dinner, and live & silent
> auctions. Cocktail hour begins at 7:00 p.m. Black tie optional.
> $120 a ticket. For info visit TheCaneEvent.org.
> Braille is Beautiful. Logos: Deque Systems, Inc.,
> BG&L, MDG, Smith Barney, IBM, M&T Bank
>
> The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) will
> host the Cane Event on April 4, 2009, at the
> National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute in south
> Federal Hill. The event will celebrate the NFB?s
> Braille Readers are Leaders literacy campaign.
> More than four hundred friends, colleagues, and blind people
> from across the nation are expected to attend.
> The event promises an evening of food, fun, and
> entertainment?featuring a catered dinner, silent and live
> auctions, and live music provided by Marquise.
>
> Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National
> Federation of the Blind, said: ?We are pleased
> and proud to welcome our friends from the Baltimore community,
> as well as friends from all over the country, to
> our annual fundraiser the Cane Event. The evening
> will surely be a remarkable celebration and will serve
> to highlight the importance of Braille literacy
> to the general public. There can be no doubt that
> the ability to read and write Braille competently and
> efficiently is the key to education, employment,
> and success for the blind. Despite the
> undisputed value of Braille, however, only about 10 percent of
> blind children in the United States are learning
> it. Please join us at the Cane Event as we work
> together to reverse the downward trend in Braille literacy.?
>
> Proceeds from this event will go to the National
> Federation of the Blind?s Braille Readers are
> Leaders campaign, a national initiative to promote the importance
> of reading and writing Braille for blind children
> and adults. The Braille Readers are Leaders
> campaign kicked off in July of 2008 with the unveiling of
> the design of a commemorative coin in recognition
> of the two-hundredth anniversary of the birth of
> Louis Braille (1809-1852), the inventor of the reading
> and writing code for the blind that bears his
> name. On March 26, the Louis Braille Bicentennial
> Silver Dollar was released by the U.S. Mint.
>
> Cane Event tickets may be purchased
> online
> ; by phone at (410) 659-9314, extension 2419; or by
> e-mail.
>
> Education
>
> Parent gives her young son a cane lesson
>
> The NFB Jernigan Institute is holding an innovative
> Beginnings and Blueprints Early Childhood Conference
> in collaboration with the National Organization
> of Parents of Blind Children and various
> professionals in the early childhood field from across the Mid-Atlantic
> region. This two-day conference (May 8-9, 2009)
> will bring together families of blind children
> and early childhood service providers, teachers, and professionals
> in order to disseminate the NFB's approach to
> best practices in early childhood education for blind children.
>
> Families of blind and low vision children ages
> birth to seven who live in the Mid-Atlantic
> region are encouraged to attend. Families who live outside
> of the area are also welcome to attend if they
> desire, but should be aware that some of the
> exhibits and information will be region-specific. Families
> can choose among a variety of breakout sessions
> on topics such as early movement, literacy, and
> active learning. Families will also be able to consult
> with early childhood professionals. Children are
> encouraged to attend with their parents as there
> will be activities with young blind children in mind.
>
> Please complete the
> online
> or
> print
> registration form and submit by April 15, 2009. For more information
> please
> e-mail Mary Jo Thorpe,
> Education Programs Specialist, NFB Jernigan
> Institute; call (410) 659-9314, ext. 2407; or visit the
> Beginnings and Blueprints page.
>
> Plans are in full swing for the NFB Jernigan Institute?s
> Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL)
> program in the summer of 2009. The BELL program
> is designed to serve as a demonstration program
> that provides intensive Braille instruction to low vision
> children during the summer months. Statistics
> show that only 10 percent of blind and low vision
> children receive Braille instruction. Therefore, the NFB
> aims to promote intensive summer programs, led by
> its affiliate members, to help improve the amount
> of exposure to Braille by young blind and low vision
> children, raise literacy levels of this
> population, and stir up greater interest in Braille education.
>
> This pilot program will be modeled after the
> successful 2008 BELL Program led by the NFB of
> Maryland state affiliate. The NFB Jernigan Institute will expand
> this program into Wisconsin and Georgia as well
> during the summer of 2009. The program dates are:
> Wisconsin, June 15-26; Georgia, July 13-24; and Maryland,
> August 3-15. The states will host the Jernigan
> Institute?s BELL Core Team during the two weeks
> of their programs. BELL Core Team members will facilitate
> a variety of fun, hands-on lessons ranging from
> group activities to one-on-one instruction
> designed to teach Braille to low vision children ages four to
> twelve. Children will also be mentored by older
> blind role models with positive attitudes about
> blindness and visit various field trip sites. The NFB Jernigan
> Institute plans to make the curriculum from this
> program available to other states for future use
> in developing their own BELL summer programs.
>
> Braille Initiative
>
> Photo: Coin launch ceremony
>
> On March 26, 2009, the official launch ceremony
> of the Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar
> took place at the NFB Jernigan Institute. More than three
> hundred NFB members and friends, as well as
> variety of special guests and speakers including
> Dr. Abraham Nemeth, Dr. Marc Maurer, Dr. Frederic K. Schroeder,
> and U.S. Mint Director Ed Moy, gathered in the
> Members Hall to celebrate this special day and to
> have the first opportunity to purchase their piece of
> the Braille literacy movement.
>
> During the launch program guests were treated to
> the reading of a very special resolution by
> MarCh? Daughtry, Brandon Pickrel, and Jason Polansky. Additionally,
> White House Representative Kareem Dale was presented with a copy of
> The Braille Literacy Crisis in America: Facing
> the Truth, Reversing the Trend, Empowering the Blind,
> and Dr. Joyce Winterton of NASA announced that
> the Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar will
> be the first commemorative coin to travel to space. If
> you missed the event or just want to relive it, you can
> watch
> or
> listen
> to the coin launch program, including speeches
> from Dr. Maurer and U.S. Mint Director Ed Moy.
>
> In addition to the formal launch ceremony in
> Baltimore, we had significant proclamations from
> over thirty governors or state legislatures, and thousands
> of members of the National Federation of the
> Blind gathered in about fifty towns and cities
> across America to celebrate this monumental day in history.
> Many met with public officials and participated
> in ceremonies to demonstrate our commitment to
> Braille literacy and full participation in society.
>
> Fifty thousand Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver
> Dollars have been sold as of the publication of
> this newsletter. To purchase yours, please visit the
> U.S. Mint Web site. For more information about
> Braille, the 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial
> Siver Dollar, and the NFB's other Braille literacy efforts,
> please visit
> Braille.org,
> join the
> literacy campaign mailing list,
> or follow on the social networking site
> Twitter.
>
> Straight Talk About Vision Loss
>
> The 2008 scholarship class of the NFB.
> Photo: 2008 scholarship class of the NFB
> The
> Straight Talk About Vision Loss
> team presents
> Straight Talk About Vision Loss Episode 24.
> Anil Lewis discusses the NFB scholarship
> program with the Jernigan Institute executive
> director. TMarch 31 is the last day to apply for
> thirty NFB scholarships,
> ranging from $3,000 to $12,000, to be awarded at
> the NFB National Convention in July. Anil Lewis
> is chairman of the NFB scholarship committee as well
> as a national board member.
>
> Product and Access Technology Talk
>
> The NFB Jernigan Institute Access Technology team
> provides ongoing access technology awareness
> services for universities and colleges in the area. On March
> 3, Dr. Jonathan Lazar, associate professor in the
> Department of Computer and Information Sciences
> at Towson University, and a group of his students visited
> the International Braille and Technology Center
> for the Blind (IBTC). The team has reached out
> to groups of young engineers and computer scientists to
> help further accessibility in the next generation.
>
> As mentioned as an upcoming event in the previous
> newsletter, the Access Technology team attended
> and made three presentations at the California State
> University at Northridge?s annual Technology and
> Persons with Disabilities Conference this month.
> In addition to the preparations for this conference,
> they received a
> tech tip from Adobe on accessible PDFs
> and contributed three new posts to the AT blog?a final report on the
> Consumer Electronics Show
> in Las Vegas, a post on the
> Plextalk Pocket digital talking book player,
> and a write-up of the new
> KNFB Reader Mobile software update.
> The team also added a
> list of manufacturers of CCTVs
> ?digital magnification devices using a camera and
> screen?to their technology list, broadening the
> resources available for low vision visitors to the site.
>
>
> From the tenBroek Library
>
> Several major events have happened recently or
> are about to happen at the National Center. The
> tenBroek Library wants to help you enjoy them, even if you
> cannot be here.
>
> On March 26, of course, the Jernigan Institute
> hosted the official unveiling of the
> Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar.
> The tenBroek Library contributed some interesting
> items to be viewed (visually and tactilely) at
> the celebration, including several historic books in tactile
> codes other than Braille. We are especially
> pleased to have arranged to borrow, for this
> event, an extremely rare copy of the
> embossed pamphlet of 1829
> in which Louis Braille first published the
> Braille code. For more information, take a look at the
> annotated bibliography
> of books on Louis Braille and the development
> of the Braille Code housed in the tenBroek Library.
>
> April 4 is the date of the
> Cane Event,
> a gala dinner party that will no doubt be the
> main event of the Mid-Atlantic social season. To
> honor the cane, the tenBroek Library presents this link
> to the NFB?s publication, Tom Bickford?s
> The Care and Feeding of the Long White Cane.
>
> Finally, the Jernigan Institute is presenting the second
> Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium
> on April 17. The Obama administration will be
> represented by an official with great
> responsibility for programs related to blindness and other disabilities.
> The symposium will be of concern to lawyers and
> all interested in disability rights. More than fifty years ago, in his
> speech
> Within the Grace of God,
> Jacobus tenBroek laid out key arguments regarding
> blindness that have become fundamental to the disability rights movement.
>
> Please join the tenBroek Library as we celebrate
> Louis Braille, the long white cane, and Jacobus tenBroek!
>
> Independence Market
>
> The upcoming Cane Event celebration highlights
> the long white cane as a key to independence and
> freedom for blind people. With good mobility skills blind
> people gain control over their own movements and
> can travel freely and independently in both
> familiar and unfamiliar environments. Thomas Bickford's
> Care and Feeding of the Long White Cane
> (mentioned above) is a self-help guide that
> encourages blind individuals to grow their cane travel independence. The
> author shares his own experiences about learning
> how to use a long white cane and traveling
> independently in a variety of settings. The reader learns about
> choosing a cane, negotiating steps, walking down
> a city sidewalk and using landmarks as travel
> cues, making use of various modes of public transportation,
> and traveling in adverse weather conditions and
> in rough terrain. This practical how-to guide,
> encouraging blind individuals new to cane travel to venture
> out with their long white cane, is available from the Independence Market
> in
> print, Braille, and four-track cassette.
> The Independence Market also sells books
> geared toward teaching independent cane travel skills to children and
> youth:
> Independent Movement and Travel in Blind Children: A Promotion Model
> (by Joseph Cutter) is full of practical tips
> and strategies about how parents and teachers can
> help a blind child develop normal and independent movement.
> It includes detailed instructions and information
> about canes?what kind, when a child should get
> one, etc.?and introduces the "Bottom-Up" approach to teaching
> orientation and mobility to young children of
> developmental ages birth through kindergarten.
> Modular Instruction for Independent Travel for
> Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
> (by Doris Willoughby and Sharon Monthei) is a
> practical guide for the mobility teacher,
> classroom teacher, or parent, that offers a thousand creative suggestions
> for teaching cane travel to preschool through
> high school blind and low vision students in
> every possible setting. And, of course, the Independence Market
> also has
> long white canes
> available in all sizes.
>
>
>
> Parent Outreach
>
> In honor of the two-hundredth birthday of Louis
> Braille, we are issuing a special edition of
> Future Reflections, our quarterly magazine for parents and
> teachers of blind children. The "Special Issue: A
> Celebration of Braille" edition features a brief
> biography of Louis Braille by children's author Deborah
> Kent-Stein; a fascinating historical timeline
> about the "War of the Dots"; a playful poem about
> Braille from deaf-blind author, John Lee Clark; descriptions
> of innovative Braille programs; inspiring stories
> that celebrate the impact Braille has had in the
> lives of ordinary blind people; and much more. The edition
> will be available online by mid-to-late-April and
> in print by the end of the month.
> Future Reflections
> has a print format domestic circulation of over
> fourteen thousand, and thousands more read it
> internationally and in other formats. The magazine informs,
> inspires, raises expectations, and provides a
> blueprint for change and action to improve the
> lives and education of blind and low vision children.
>
>
>
> Spotlight on the Imagination Fund
>
> Photo: NY Tweens and Teens program
>
> The Imagination Fund
> provides support for the outreach efforts of
> local Federation chapters and affiliates
> throughout the United States as well as the research, technology,
> and education programs and initiatives of the NFB
> Jernigan Institute. The Imagination Fund was
> established January 2004 with the Grand Opening of our NFB
> research and training institute. On May 17 and
> 18 of last year the National Federation of the
> Blind of New York and its Parents of Blind Children Division (POBC)
> held a two-day seminar for children, parents,
> educators, and other interested parties. The
> emphasis was on ?tweens and teens.? The seminar addressed
> all aspects of the lives of blind children and
> focused on the changes in their needs and their
> dreams and goals. All aspects of their development were
> considered as presenters interacted with the
> participants. Every group was challenged
> concerning the need for and the use of such things as Braille,
> the long white cane, and adaptive
> technology. Attendees discussed the wide-ranging
> possibilities of career choices for young blind people. There was much
> hands-on exposure to Braille and alternative
> techniques. A cane walk in Midtown Manhattan was also included. The
> Tweens and Teens Seminar
> was supported by the fundraising efforts of the
> NFB as part of the Imagination Fund grant program.
>
>
> NFB Calendar
>
> 2009 Year of Louis Braille's Bicentennial,
> launch of the U.S. Louis Braille Bicentennial
> Silver Dollar, and kickoff of the
> NFB Braille Literacy Campaign.
> March 26, 2009
> U.S. Mint
> began sales of the
> Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar.
> March 31, 2009 Deadline to apply for
> thirty NFB scholarships,
> ranging from $3,000 to $12,000, to be awarded at National Convention in
> July.
> Get more information
> or
> fill out an application online.
>
> Image: The Cane Event banner
>
> April 4, 2009
> The Cane Event: Celebrating Braille Readers are Leaders,
> Members Hall, NFB headquarters, Baltimore.
> Image: Whozit wearing a top hat
> Break out your top hat and be a part of the Cane
> Event: Celebrating Braille Readers are Leaders,
> at the NFB Jernigan Institute. Please join us the evening
> of Saturday, April 4, for entertainment, food,
> and silent and live auctions. Support the
> Jernigan Institute and have fun. Visit
> thecaneevent.org
> for details and to
> buy your tickets online.
> You can be a Braille Literacy Champion! This
> ticket package option includes recognition for
> you or your company, two Cane Event tickets, and one Louis
> Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar, all for $500.
>
> April 15, 2009
> Jacob Bolotin Awards
> online
> application and nomination
> deadline. April 15, 2009 Deadline to sign up for
> Beginnings and Blueprints Early Childhood Conference.
> Sign up
> online
> or download a
> print
> registration form. April 17, 2009
> Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium.
> Register online.
> View the
> agenda.
> May 8-9, 2009
> Beginnings and Blueprints Early Childhood Conference,
> open to parents of blind children ages birth to
> seven. Part of NFB Jernigan Institute's
> Early Childhood Education initiative.
> May 30, 2009
> Pre-registration
> cut-off for
> NFB 2009 National Convention.
> When purchased online before May 31st, the
> pre-registration fee for convention is $15 ($20
> on-site) and the cost of a banquet ticket is $35 ($40 on-site).
> June 8-13, 2009
> Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL)
> program Core Team Member training at NFB
> Jernigan Institute. June 15-26, 2009
> Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL)
> program in Wisconsin.
>
> July 3-8, 2009
> NFB 2009 National Convention,
> Marriott at the Renaissance Center, Detroit,
> Michigan. For reservations, write directly to
> the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center, 100 Renaissance Center,
> Detroit, Michigan 48243, or call 1-800-266-9432.
> Information for sponsors, exhibitors, and other attendees is
> online.
> Now available?discounted
> online pre-registration and banquet ticket sales.
> July 13-24, 2009
> Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL)
> program in Georgia.
>
> July 6, 2009
> Motor City March for Independence,
> A Walk for Opportunity, Detroit, Michigan.
> Register to participate
> in the third annual March in Detroit. Hear an
> audio report on last year's Dallas March.
>
> July 26-August 1, 2009
> NFB Youth Slam:
> A STEM Leadership Academy, University of Maryland, College Park. View a
> video
> about this exciting event! August 3-15, 2009
> Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL)
> program in Maryland.
>
>
> Citation
>
> block quote
> A good education is the key to success, and every
> American deserves an equal opportunity to receive
> a good education. Inherent to being educated is being
> literate. The ability to read and write means
> access to information that, in turn, leads to
> understanding and knowledge. And knowledge is power?the power
> to achieve, function in the family, thrive in the
> community, succeed in a job, and contribute to
> society. Nearly 90 percent of America?s blind children
> are not learning to read and write because they
> are not being taught Braille or given access to
> it. There is a Braille literacy crisis in America. The
> National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the
> largest and most influential membership
> organization of blind people in the United States, is taking swift
> action to reverse this trend. This year, 2009,
> marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Louis
> Braille, inventor of the system that allows blind people
> to read and write independently. Coinciding with
> this anniversary, the NFB has announced specific
> action to address the education of America?s blind children
> so that every blind child who has a need for
> Braille will have the opportunity to learn
> it. In this report to the nation on the state of Braille literacy
> in America, the NFB examines the history and
> decline of Braille education, addresses the
> crisis facing the blind today and key factors driving it, and
> proposes a number of action steps to double the
> Braille literacy rate by 2015 and eventually reverse it altogether. ?
> The Braille Literacy Crisis in America: Facing
> the Truth, Reversing the Trend, Empowering the Blind,
> A Report to the Nation by the National Federation
> of the Blind Jernigan Institute, March 26, 2009
>
> Back to Top
> Thank you for reading the NFB Jernigan
> Institute's Imagineering Our Future.
>
> block quote end
>
> block quote end
>
> Mentor Trevor Attenberg leads campers along the nature trail
>
> Photo: Group on white water raft
>
> Support the Jernigan Institute through the
> Imagination Fund
>
> Photo: Young woman playing flute
>
> Interesting links:
>
> Archive of Straight Talk about Vision Loss videos
>
> National Center for Blind Youth in Science
>
> Access Technology Tips
>
> Photo: Youth practicing martial art
>
> Blogs:
>
> Access Technology
>
> Voice of the Nation's Blind
>
> Photo: Senior couple
>
> Publication archives:
>
> Voice of the Diabetic
>
> Future Reflections
>
> Braille Monitor
>
> Photo: Mom and son take a moment and a hug
>
> Graphic Logo: National Federation of the Blind
>
> Visit us at
> nfb.org
>
> Photo: Blind little girl with cane
>
> Photo: Blind youth reading Braille book
>
> Photo: Blind girl examining model of constellations
>
> Photo: Blind boy with tactile globe
>
> Blind Teens Carry the 2007 Youth March for Independence Banner
>
> Imagine a Future Full of Opportunity
>
> Jernigan Institute, National Federation of the
> Blind, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
> (410) 659-9314 Fax (410) 659-5129 E-mail
> JerniganInstitute at nfb.org
> Visit us at www.nfb.org
>
> Better Business Bureau logo
> American Institute of Philanthropy logo
> The National Federation of the Blind meets the
> rigorous Standards for Charity Accountability set
> forth by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance and is Top-Rated
> by the American Institute of Philanthropy.
> Forward this newsletter.
> If this issue was forwarded to you and you'd like to subscribe, please
> e-mail
> JerniganInstitute at nfb.org.
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
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>
>
> End of nfb-talk Digest, Vol 11, Issue 2
> ***************************************
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