[NFBNJ] NFB: [Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor, March 2017
Brian Mackey
bmackey88 at gmail.com
Wed Mar 29 16:07:56 UTC 2017
>From the desk of NFBNJ President Joe Ruffalo.
Received from Brian Burrow, NFB.
BRAILLE MONITOR
Vol. 60, No. 3 March 2017
Gary Wunder, Editor
Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash
drive, by the
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
Mark Riccobono, President
telephone: (410) 659-9314
email address: nfb at nfb.org <mailto:nfb at nfb.org>
website address: http://www.nfb.org
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for the Monitor and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national
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Monitor subscriptions cost the Federation about forty dollars per year.
Members are invited, and nonmembers are requested, to cover the
subscription cost. Donations should be made payable to National Federation
of the Blind and sent to:
National Federation of the Blind
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, Maryland 21230-4998
THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND KNOWS THAT BLINDNESS IS NOT THE
CHARACTERISTIC THAT DEFINES YOU OR YOUR FUTURE. EVERY DAY WE RAISE THE
EXPECTATIONS OF BLIND PEOPLE, BECAUSE LOW EXPECTATIONS CREATE OBSTACLES
BETWEEN BLIND PEOPLE AND OUR DREAMS. YOU CAN LIVE THE LIFE YOU WANT;
BLINDNESS IS NOT WHAT HOLDS YOU BACK. THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND-IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR
OURSELVES.
ISSN 0006-8829
) 2017 by the National Federation of the Blind
Each issue is recorded on a thumb drive (also called a memory stick
or USB flash drive). You can read this audio edition using a computer or a
National Library Service digital player. The NLS machine has two slots-the
familiar book-cartridge slot just above the retractable carrying handle and
a second slot located on the right side near the headphone jack. This
smaller slot is used to play thumb drives. Remove the protective rubber pad
covering this slot and insert the thumb drive. It will insert only in one
position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and try again.
(Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the thumb drive,
the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is
inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital
materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges,
when you insert it again, reading should resume at the point you stopped.
You can transfer the recording of each issue from the thumb drive to
your computer or preserve it on the thumb drive. However, because thumb
drives can be used hundreds of times, we would appreciate their return in
order to stretch our funding. Please use the return envelope enclosed with
the drive when you return the device.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Palm-lined drive leading to front entrance of Rosen Shingle
Creek Resort]
Orlando Site of 2017 NFB Convention
The 2017 convention of the National Federation of the Blind will take
place in Orlando, Florida, July 10 to July 15, at the Rosen Shingle Creek
Resort, 9939 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32819-9357. Make your
room reservation as soon as possible with the Shingle Creek staff only.
Call (866) 996-6338.
The 2017 room rates are singles and doubles, $83; and for triples and
quads $89. In addition to the room rates there will be a tax, which at
present is 12.5 percent. No charge will be made for children under
seventeen in the room with parents as long as no extra bed is requested.
The hotel is accepting reservations now. A $95-per-room deposit is required
to make a reservation. Fifty percent of the deposit will be refunded if
notice is given to the hotel of a reservation cancellation before June 1,
2017. The other 50 percent is not refundable.
Rooms will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Reservations may be made before June 1, 2017, assuming that rooms are still
available. After that time the hotel will not hold our room block for the
convention. In other words, you should get your reservation in soon.
All Rosen Shingle Creek guestrooms feature amenities that include
plush Creek Sleeper beds, 40" flat screen TVs, complimentary high-speed
internet service, in-room safes, coffee makers, mini-fridges, and hair
dryers. Guests can also enjoy a swimming pool, fitness center, and on-site
spa. The Rosen Shingle Creek Resort has a number of dining options,
including two award-winning restaurants, and twenty-four-hour-a-day room
service.
The schedule for the 2017 convention is:
Monday, July 10 Seminar Day
Tuesday, July 11 Registration and Resolutions Day
Wednesday, July 12 Board Meeting and Division Day
Thursday, July 13 Opening Session
Friday, July 14 Business Session
Saturday, July 15 Banquet Day and Adjournment
Vol. 60, No. 3 March
2017
Contents
Illustration: The 2017 Presidents Seminar
The 2017 Washington Seminar
by Gary Wunder
Washington Seminar Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans Priorities for the
115th Congress, First Session
Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education (AIM HE) Act
Access Technology Affordability Act
Appropriation to the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped (NLS) for the Purchase of Refreshable Braille Devices
The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons
Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled ("Marrakesh
Treaty")
The Future of Refreshable Braille is Refreshing!
by Amy Mason
In Rememberance of June Maurer
by Marc Maurer
A Dream is Born
by Ray McAllister
Stand Up
by Courtney Cole
Community Service Division Works with Habitat for Humanity
by Darian Smith
Across the World
by Matt Jepsen
Dots from Space!: Voices from the Past
by Amy Mason and Anna Kresmer
The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund
by Allen Harris
Independence Market Corner
Recipes
Monitor Miniatures
The 2017 Presidents Seminar
[PHOTO CAPTION: Anil Lewis, Ron Brown (IN), Fred Schroeder, Denise Valkema
(IL), Carl Jacobsen (NY), and Patrina Pendarvis (right arm) (MS). State
presidents come together to plan how best to improve the quality of life
for blind people throughout the country.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Sharon Maneki (MD), Jim Antonacci (PA), Micah Ranquist
(VT), Everette Bacon (UT), and Mark Riccobono listen to the discussion at
the seminar.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Donald Porterfield (AZ), Pam Allen (LA), Adelmo Vigil (NM),
and Cathy Jackson (KY) consider Ever Lee Hairston's (CA) words.
Life is about renewal: new ideas, new people, and new leaders. This
is evidenced by the number of new state presidents who serve in the
National Federation of the Blind. To help in the transition to these most
important offices, a seminar was held just prior to the Washington Seminar.
State presidents began assembling on Saturday for a 6 PM dinner that would
begin a series of meetings discussing the history of the Federation, the
present programs we undertake, and what we should do in the future to
remain the most vital force in work with the blind.
On Saturday and Sunday we met long into the night, and still we were
pressed to touch on all that needed to be addressed. The group discussed
organizational priorities, the way to build and strengthen membership, and
how to create the strong base of financial support that is so necessary to
advancing our programs. State presidents shared their concerns with other
leaders and developed relationships that will serve them well as they go
about problem-solving and engaging in the creative thinking that will
result in stronger and more vital affiliates.
The 2017 Washington Seminar
by Gary Wunder
[PHOTO CAPTION: Fine weather and a fine crowd came together for this year's
Washington Seminar.]
With every Washington Seminar we build on a tradition, and even in
the fast-paced, hard-working, and politically volatile world of the United
States capital, inevitably turnover occurs, and each visit we make adds to
our name recognition, face recognition, and credibility. This year the
weather was wonderful for our gathering, but the Congress's institutional
memory found us starting in-person meetings with a congressman or senator
saying, "You were here last year during the big blizzard, weren't you? I
think you even made it back here before I did. We were amazed that with the
town shut down you people still showed up."
What some refer to as the Midwinter Convention of the National
Federation of the Blind began on Sunday with a job fair for those seeking
employment and a meeting of the student division. In this latter meeting
students discussed the challenges in getting a higher education, and talked
about when individual effort could resolve the problem, and when collective
action was necessary to bring about the use of accessible hardware,
software, and other aspects of campus life.
[PHOTO CAPTION: It was standing-room only at the Great Gathering-In this
year.]
When the gavel fell at 5 PM, ushering in the Great Gathering-In
meeting which is traditional at the Washington Seminar, President Riccobono
wasted no time in welcoming our members to Washington, DC, and explaining
the issues that had caused us to travel from throughout the country to
change the lives of the blind. Here is what he said:
Fellow Federationists: Change has once again swept America-
promises have been made, mandates are being claimed, and deals are
being brokered. And, depending on your point of view, greater hope or
uncertainty exists. Regardless of the promises, mandates, and deals,
there is one great certainty that again expresses itself in this room
tonight and on Capitol Hill this week: the National Federation of the
Blind is on the watch. The blind stand self-determined to ensure that
our equal participation will be part of the promise. The blind bring a
mandate that blindness is not the characteristic that defines us or
our future. The blind say that every deal must raise expectations for
the blind because low expectations create obstacles between blind
people and our dreams. We can live the life we want, and Washington
will not hold us back. We bring our hope, love, and determination to
Republicans and Democrats, freshman members and longtime veterans in
Congress. Our collective voice offers our authentic experience on any
topic affecting blind people, and we come with our own agenda for
change.
Now is the time for all great institutions of higher education
to knock down the artificial barriers and make their educational
technologies accessible. We are tired of having our ability to
overcome inaccessible technologies tested rather than our competency
in science, math, history, psychology, literature, art, or any number
of other subjects we pursue. We have studied politics, and we know
that when people come together with a unified voice, change is
possible.
From our seventy-six years of field experience as an organized
movement of blind people, we know that when we resolve to tackle a
problem, nothing will stand in our way. To the schools that continue
to hold us back, we say: don't deny, aim high; don't deny, aim high;
don't deny, aim high.
We seek to participate fully in our communities in play and in
work. We strive to have good jobs and, believe it or not, pay taxes.
In order to have those opportunities to integrate fully into society,
we need access to information in a nonvisual manner. We need to buy
the accessible technology that will allow us to utilize our skills and
talents fully for the betterment of our communities, and for our
efforts to empower ourselves, we seek a tax credit when we spend our
own dollars to buy the expensive technologies required to access
information-not a handout but a step-up on the staircase of
independence and equality. We seek not to avoid taxes but to get
ourselves in a position to pay more of them. Give us a fair chance to
get the technology needed to compete on terms of equality, and watch
us give back to our nation as we pursue the American dream.
We seek to equip all blind people with knowledge by giving them
greater access to the most fundamental tool for reading and writing-
Braille. We have one national library that distributes accessible
content in Braille for our use, the National Library Service for the
Blind and Physically Handicapped, and last year we helped change the
Pratt-Smoot Act in order to authorize the library to distribute
devices that would allow Braille to be read with refreshable displays.
Now we seek the funds required to establish a national program so that
no blind person will be required to live in the twenty-first century
without Braille under his or her fingers. Braille is knowledge, and
knowledge is power. Let us power the greatest revolution and literacy
for the blind by establishing the expectation that all blind people
will read.
And finally, we seek to open up the borders of knowledge by
creating the systems to share accessible materials around the world.
For far too long the volumes of accessible materials have been locked
away for only a select few to access. To the protectors of the world's
knowledge in accessible form, we say "Unlock our books, and set the
knowledge free."
This week the Marrakesh Express has come to Capitol Hill, and
the blind have a ticket to read. Because the National Federation of
the Blind was a key player in getting this historic Marrakesh Treaty
established, it is now time for the United States Senate to ratify the
treaty for our own country and give us access to the accessible
materials around the world. We seek knowledge; we seek Braille; we
seek the opportunities to secure the technologies we need, and we seek
equality in our educational system. These are the promises we seek;
this is the mandate we carry; and we intend to broker the deal for all
blind Americans. That is why the National Federation of the Blind has
come, and that is the purpose of our Washington Seminar.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Congressman Phil Roe addresses the Great Gathering-In.]
After a rousing cheer for the statement of our commitment and the
issues we would take to Capitol Hill, President Riccobono introduced the
Honorable Phil Roe representing the First Congressional District of
Tennessee. In his fifth term as a congressman he serves as chairman of the
House Committee on Veterans Affairs and is a member on the House Education
and Workforce Committee. Congressman Roe comes to the House of
Representatives after a distinguished career as a pediatrician, who has
delivered nearly five thousand babies. So, when we went to Capitol Hill
looking for someone who could deliver on the promises contained in the AIM
HE (Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education) Act, it was no
accident that we asked for the help of Dr. Roe.
This distinguished member of Congress began by thanking us for our
invitation and saying that good invitations to speak are few and far
between given the poor reputation Congress enjoys. He said that he told the
Speaker of the House that there were only three things that polled worse
than the Congress: Lindsay Lohan, meth labs, and North Korea.
Dr. Roe said that it is a credit to the National Federation of the
Blind that we have worked to get such stakeholder involvement in the AIM HE
legislation he is sponsoring. He wishes to commend us for helping to bring
on board the Software Industry Information Association, the Association of
American Publishers, EDUCAUSE, and the American Council on Education (ACE).
He believes that it is through the cooperative work of all of these
organizations that we have developed a common sense, bipartisan piece of
legislation that has a good chance of passage in this Congress.
Dr. Roe said that his interest in our issues came from what he
learned about blindness from his mother. She lost her sight later in life,
and as her only child, he was responsible for most of her care. He said
that when he came to Congress and was greeted by our proposals, he would
think about them, go home at night, turn off the lights in his small 800-
foot-condominium, and challenge himself to learn to move about
independently. The strong conviction he feels for the AIM HE Act is the
result of the importance of education in his life and the brief attempts at
orienting to a new and different situation that convinced him that
blindness can mean very different things depending on the opportunity one
is given. The country he represents wants the best she can get for all of
her people, and he is determined to see that the AIM HE Act results in
greater education, employment, and quality of life for blind Americans. His
remarks, given their thoughtfulness, sincerity, and enthusiasm, were met
with tremendous applause by the crowd, and he said he was looking forward
to seeing all of us on Capitol Hill.
President Riccobono presented the Great Gathering-In with the summary
of legal cases with which we have recently been involved. He talked about a
twelve-year-old girl who was once thought to be incapable of benefiting
from instruction in reading and writing but who now has Braille as her
primary method for reading and writing in the Individualized Education Plan
that bears her name. The President discussed the recent release of
regulations regarding the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act, details of
which will be found in the April issue.
More and more in the public environment we are finding ourselves
confronted with kiosks, and far too many of them have no nonvisual means
one can use to access them. We find them in health facilities, dining, and
grocery stores, just to mention a few. Seldom do we find any of these that
are accessible, but this will soon be different as a result of the National
Federation of the Blind. The kiosks placed in public locations by Pursuant
Health will be accessible. This agreement was signed with Pursuant, the
National Federation of the Blind, and the attorney general for the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The signing took place on the twenty-sixth
anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
In the week prior to the Washington Seminar, we reached an agreement
with New York City's LinkNYC program, which has taken over thousands of no
longer needed telephone booths and placed kiosks in them. Based on our
agreement, these will be accessible. The only thing not covered in the
agreement between New York City and the National Federation of the Blind is
where Superman will go to change into his suit.
Tackling the inaccessibility of university programs, services, and
equipment, in August the National Federation of the Blind settled with
Wichita State University, requiring that the university procure only
devices that are accessible, and then ensuring that those who can benefit
by using them are given the instruction necessary to do it.
On a similar note, two years ago the Washington Seminar heard from
Aleeha Dudley. Because Aleeha hung tough and because she had an ally in
this organization, in October 2016 we announced, along with the United
States Department of Justice, the gold standard for access to technology in
instructional materials in universities, a settlement and consent decree
that now should be the roadmap for every university in this country.
Because of Aleeha's tenacity and the commitment of the Federation, there is
good news to report in her case, and it will be found in the April issue of
this publication.
After briefly covering other activities, President Riccobono
introduced two dignitaries in the audience. They were Karen Keninger, the
director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped, and Diane McGeorge, the coordinator of logistics for the
Washington Seminar for more than three decades. She talked about the
changes since the first seminar she coordinated: the way we keep records,
the room we use to coordinate activity, the hotel now taking reservations,
and the large crowds which are routinely a part of our annual event. But
not everything is about change, and the peanut butter pie that has been on
the menu for lo these four decades has once again made its appearance for
the Washington Seminar.
Some traditions are longer lived than others, but it is amazing how
many of them revolve around food. Shawn Calloway, the president of the
National Federation of the Blind of the District of Columbia, announced
that, after a two-year hiatus, the provision of donuts for those going to
Capitol Hill would take place on Tuesday morning in the lobby of the hotel.
These are provided courtesy of the National Federation of the Blind of the
District of Columbia. He went on to say, "Two years ago we ran out. Now,
President Riccobono, Anil Lewis, Pam Allen, and Gary Wunder: they were the
reason we ran out. This is a warning for all of you to get there early
tomorrow morning."
President Riccobono's response was, "See, that's what I get for going
down there to hand out doughnuts."
On other matters, President Callaway thanked those who attended the
networking and professional development meetings held on the previous day.
He thanked members of the Virginia affiliate for helping to put the events
together, and he also congratulated those who put together and attended the
job fair held as one of the concurrent sessions that took place before the
Great Gathering-In meeting.
Chris Danielsen, the director of public relations for the National
Federation of the Blind, reminded us that our job was not only to go to
Capitol Hill but to take our message to our fellow countrymen and women.
One effective way to do this is through the use of social media, and he
talked about how all of us could help in this effort. Whether we were
members with shoe leather on the Hill or members at home wanting to help,
all of us could have a role in seeing that what was happening at the
Washington Seminar was widely posted and ensure that our issues were ones
which trended on Twitter.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Immediate Past President Maurer recalls previous trips to
Capitol Hill.]
Immediate Past President Maurer was introduced and began by asking
Jim Gashel if he remembered the first significant gathering on Capitol Hill
that began the convening of the Washington Seminar. They agreed that it
happened in October 1973, that the event gathered lots of press and
Congressional attention because it was new to have lots of blind men and
women running around on Capitol Hill, but that all of that attention came
to a screeching halt with the resignation of the Vice President of the
United States, Spiro T. Agnew. As significant as this day in history would
turn out to be for the country, Dr. Maurer no doubt understated his
feelings and those of others who were present at the time by commenting
that the shift in attention was "a pain in the neck." He observed that one
thing that has not changed about the National Federation of the Blind since
that beginning in 1973 is that, when we want something, we either build it
ourselves or see that it gets built. This is true not only of products but
also of programs, and he went on to describe our recent hosting of the
meeting of the World Blind Union, an activity which was immensely helpful
for us in showing to the world just what an organization of blind people
can do to make a change in the world in which we live.
[PHOTO CAPTION: World Blind Union President Fred Schroeder]
Fred Schroeder, the newly elected president of the World Blind Union,
came to talk about how changes made here in the United States will affect
millions of blind people around the world. The passage of our AIM HE Act
won't just make things better for students within the borders of this
country. The existence of this law in our country will be seen as a beacon
by others, will provide a precedent they can use in crafting their own
laws, and will give them encouragement that, through their own self-
organization, they can raise the bar for education and employment in their
countries. The passage of this act will also demonstrate for people of
other countries that blind people are worth educating, and that's really
what it's all about. You don't educate children unless you think there is a
reason to educate them. You don't worry about the unemployment of blind
people unless you believe that blind people can and should be competitively
employed.
There is significant synergy that exists between our work and the
work of the World Blind Union. One of President Schroeder's next activities
is to travel to Geneva with the purpose of defeating a proposal in some
European legislation that would allow the driver of a low-sound emitting
vehicle to turn off that sound if he or she judged it unnecessary.
Interestingly that switch has been called a kill switch, and Dr.
Schroeder's goal is to see that it is removed from regulations being
considered abroad. We are also working together on the Marrakesh Treaty,
because the need for information transcends borders, and its provisions
help blind people no matter where in the world they may live. He summed up
his comments by saying that our most important objective is to build the
National Federation of the Blind, for this will be the single most
important thing we can do to help the blind of the United States of America
and the world.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Anil Lewis, executive director, NFB Jernigan Institute]
Anil Lewis came to the podium to talk about a new program being
created by the organization. Its acronym is BUILD, and it stands for Blind
Users Innovating and Leading Design. The goal of this team will be to tell
developers what we need, what works, and what doesn't. For information
about how to become a part of the BUILD team, contact Anil by writing to
him at alewis at nfb.org <mailto:alewis at nfb.org> .
For those who are interested in helping in the effort but believe
they are not yet technically able to do so, Anil related a story about a
woman calling to offer her help. He gave her the website she could use to
fill out the form for volunteering, but she said she didn't think she had
the skills to fill it out. He took her name and contact information, put
her in touch with her affiliate president for further training, and fully
expects to see her as an active participant on the team once she has
received the training she needs. Again, we take people where they are, help
them get to where they want to be, and benefit from their contributions as
they benefit by becoming a contributor.
Again this year we are conducting our summer intern program, and
students who are willing to spend a good bit of their summer working at the
Jernigan Institute should contact Anil Lewis at the address above. The
internship provides a tremendous opportunity to get to know the workings of
the Federation, to meet many of the people who are involved in making
things happen nationally, and to grow to be one of them. For more
information about the National Federation of the Blind 2017 Summer
Internship Program go to <https://nfb.org/blog/vonb-blog/national-
federation-blind-2017-summer-internship-program>.
In 2017 we will once again be holding the National Federation of the
Blind Youth Slam. In July we will bring one hundred young people from
across the country to participate in the most dynamic STEM program of its
kind for people who are blind. More information will soon follow on our
mailing lists and in the pages of this magazine.
One of the most important things we do is advocate for the rights of
blind parents, and the program through which we undertake most of this
activity is the Blind Parents Initiative. We need to capture experiences of
successful blind parents through video, audio, and written presentations.
Those interested in making a contribution to the project should contact
Melissa Riccobono by writing to parenting at nfb.org <mailto:parenting at nfb.org>
. We must also work to
adopt model state legislation that will remove the presumption in too many
state laws that to be blind is necessarily an indicator that warrants
greater watchfulness on the part of agencies charged with child welfare. We
must remove the barriers that each blind parent must overcome in convincing
child welfare authorities that they are capable, competent, and caring
parents who are able to take care of the children they bring into the
world.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Parnell Diggs, director of government affairs]
Parnell Diggs reported that we are now working on a case in Illinois
in which a blind infant was removed from its parents because hospital
authorities judged that the blind mother would be unable to determine when
her child's feeding bottle was empty or when the child was wet and needed
changing. The removal was also based on the concern that she would not be
able to safely lift her child from a crib, her own mobility being suspect
because she cannot see. Over and over again we are faced with the
assumption that when the majority uses their sense of sight to accomplish a
task, the absence of sight must mean that task cannot be safely
accomplished without it. Our life experience denies this. We must share our
reality and see that the full force of the law is brought to protect blind
people and our children.
President Riccobono reminded us that preregistration for the
convention begins in March, that the convention will be held at the Rosen
Shingle Creek in Orlando, and that details about the upcoming convention
can be found in each issue of the Braille Monitor. The convention will be
held from July 10 through July 15, and the President encourages us to come
and bring ten or fifteen of our closest friends.
John Pari, executive director for advocacy and policy, took the floor
to introduce members of the government affairs team who discussed each of
the issues we would take to Capitol Hill. The remarks they made are covered
in the fact sheets which appear immediately following this article.
John Pari was followed to the microphone by Scott LaBarre to discuss
our Preauthorized Contribution Plan. Currently our members are giving over
half a million dollars a year, but the ever-increasing number of programs
we sponsor requires that we do even better. We now have three affiliates
giving over $2,000 a month, and it is our goal to reach annualized giving
of at least $600,000 by the end of the year.
With the adjournment of the Great Gathering-In meeting, members went
off to find food, organize in caucuses, and role-play for the legislative
discussions that would follow. The National Association of Blind Students
hosted a fantastic get-together complete with hospitality, music, and
delicious desserts.
Being as good as its word, the NFB of the District of Columbia did
provide donuts for those heading for Capitol Hill, and although this writer
cannot speak to the behavior of President Riccobono, Pam Allen, or Anil
Lewis, he can say with confidence that he left the doughnut table with only
one round tasty treat in his hand. His protest that "No one can eat just
one," was ignored as people filed through the line, grabbed a napkin and
their own sweet morsel, and filed off to Capitol Hill to begin a long day's
work.
[PHOTO CAPTION: A crowd gathered to listen to the student rally to support
the passage of the AIM HE Act.]
[PHOTO CAPTION: President of the National Association of Blind Students
Kathryn Webster was among those who spoke passionately about the challenges
facing blind students.]
At noon on Tuesday many of us assembled in the upper Senate Park for
a student rally to support the passage of the AIM HE Act. Twenty-seven
students addressed the gathering, and whether their stories represented the
gaining of a 4.0 grade point average or struggles that sometimes led to
failure and having to regroup to try again, all of them had one thing in
common: the biggest challenge in higher education is not learning the
material that others are expected to learn; the biggest challenge is using
the technology that is supposed to make learning easier but which sometimes
makes it almost impossible. Our class participation, our papers, our test
results, and our grades must reflect what we know about the subject matter
being taught, not how skillfully we are able to work around inaccessible
technology. Over and over again we challenge the schools: aim high, don't
deny; aim high, don't deny; aim high, don't deny.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Senator Jon Tester]
At the conclusion of the student rally we returned to Capitol Hill to
keep appointments, meet with our congressmen and their staff, and gather
support for the four major pieces of legislation that constitute our 2017
legislative agenda. At 5 o'clock many of us gathered in Senate Room G50 for
our second annual Congressional Reception. We were joined by six Senators
and ten Representatives, each of whom made brief and moving remarks.
Senator Jon Tester was the first to speak, and Federationists will be
familiar with his work on our behalf to see that blind veterans have the
right to travel on space available aircraft. The senator noted that we are
in a time of change, that for some of us it brings about a time of
uncertainty and for others a time of challenge. Regardless how we feel
about the change that is afoot, we must see that it is positive and that it
reflects what we need. He says that we bring a message that all parties
should be able to get behind, and he offers his close working relationship
with Senator Heller as evidence that this kind of work can and will take
place in the current Congress.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Michael Ausbun, Kimie Beverly, and Senator Dean Heller]
Senator Dean Heller addressed the crowd and said that meeting with
the National Federation of the Blind was one of the highlights of his
senatorial year. He said that many people who walk through his door do so
as representatives for some group or other, but he knows that when he meets
with the National Federation of the Blind that we are in Washington, DC,
because we are an organization of the blind who speak for ourselves. He
says that he knows our work involves seeing that we are not defined by one
characteristic and that we are given every opportunity to participate fully
in our communities. He believes that every American, regardless of their
circumstance, should have access to quality jobs, and as part of the Senate
Finance Committee he vows to be an important part of the dialogue to see
that the opportunity for those jobs and the jobs themselves materialize for
people who are blind. At the same time he will continue to work closely
with us to see that blind veterans are able to take advantage of the space
available provisions that are offered to other former members of our armed
forces.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Congressman Gregg Harper]
The next gentleman to approach the podium has the distinction of
being at both of our Congressional rallies, the one held in 2015, and this
one in 2017. The presenter was Congressman Gregg Harper. He has been the
principal sponsor of the Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful
Employment Act we have been supporting and which will again be introduced
after some minor changes that have been suggested by the Congressman. He
stressed that one of the reasons for the effectiveness of the National
Federation of the Blind is that we realize success on Capitol Hill depends
on building relationships. This not only means relationships with members
of Congress but also with members of their staffs. Often a staff member
will come to know more about the specifics of an issue than his or her
boss, and it is because of the judgment and expertise of these staff
members that many members of Congress decide whether they will support a
piece of legislation and how much energy they will put into seeing to its
passage. As important as our Washington visits are, it is essential that we
get to know Congressional staff at the local level, for they too have
tremendous influence over providing advice about how to best shepherd our
legislation through the halls of Congress and onto the desk of the
President.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Fred Schroeder poses with Representative A. Donald
McEachin]
Representative Donald McEachin is a freshman representative from the
Commonwealth of Virginia who brings a long background of service in the
senate of Virginia and is excited to learn about the issues facing the
blind which require federal action. He says that although he and his staff
have a lot to learn, the door is always open, and he will always be
attentive to the needs and concerns of blind people.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Congressman Tom Rice]
Congressman Tom Rice of South Carolina came to address the crowd, and
he is one of only a few representatives who has the distinction of
supporting each and every proposal currently advanced by the National
Federation of the Blind. Our own Parnell Diggs ran for the position that
Congressman Rice now occupies, but both agree that they are united by a
strong bond, that bond being the commitment to see that the needs of South
Carolinians, and indeed the needs of all Americans, are uppermost on their
agenda. Congressman Rice says that in Parnell Diggs we have a man who is
brilliant, articulate, and persuasive, that the Congressman is honored to
work with him, and that Parnell will always have the ear of the Congressman
and his staff.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Senator John Boozman shakes hands with a Federationist from
his home state of Arkansas.]
Senator Boozman of Arkansas was the next to take the microphone, and
he said how much he admired the blind of the nation coming to Capitol Hill,
especially those from Arkansas. He says that our presence on the Hill is
far more important than any number of people we might send to speak for us,
and he values those members of the National Federation of the Blind of
Arkansas who work so diligently to keep him informed.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Congressman David Young pledges to sponsor the Access
Technology Affordability Act.]
Congressman David Young of Iowa was the next person to be introduced
by President Riccobono, and readers of the Braille Monitor will remember
that representative Young visited the Jernigan Institute in April of last
year at the instigation of Jim and Sharon Omvig, who told him that there
was nothing more important he could do for the blind than to see the
programs and activities of our organization. He said that as a result of a
meeting held with the Iowa delegation early in the afternoon, he agreed to
sponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act. He agreed this would be
handled as a bipartisan issue and commended us on bringing concerns that
should easily garner bipartisan support in the Congress.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Jim and Susan Gashel, Congressman Gus Bilirakis, and Mark
Riccobono pose together.]
From Florida we welcomed our longtime friend, Congressman Gus
Bilirakis. He began by saying that we could count him in as a cosponsor on
the Access Technology Affordability Act. He thinks that nothing is more
important than increasing the educational and economic opportunities for
blind people, and he looks forward to being closely allied with us in
making this happen.
President Riccobono acknowledged the Alliance of Automobile
Manufacturers for their help in passing the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement
Act and for their generosity in helping to sponsor this congressional
reception. No doubt our work in the future will involve insuring the
accessibility of autonomous automobiles, technology available in the near
future that will help to significantly reduce one of the major limitations
of blindness in our society.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Senator Bob Casey]
Senator Bob Casey came to offer his comments to the group, and in
addition to endorsing the positive proposals that we have advanced, he said
it was also important to make sure that we do not lose the significant
gains we have made over the last twenty-five years. While it is always
important to fight for necessary change, it is also imperative to fight
against those who would reverse advances already made in this country, and
he pledged to stand as an ally to defend the laws and the programs that we
count on today.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Representative French Hill]
Our last congressional speaker of the evening was Representative
French Hill from Arkansas. Representative Hill worked in the administration
of Former President George H. W. Bush and witnessed the passage of the
Americans with Disabilities Act and the changes it has brought about. He
pledges to stand strong to see that these are not eroded. He thanked us for
taking the time to come, for visiting in his office, and for letting him
share with us the pride he feels in representing the citizens of Little
Rock and Arkansas.
When the rally ended at 7 PM, there was quite some congestion at the
Capitol as taxis, cars, and vans assembled to get people back to the hotel.
On Wednesday we again took to Capitol Hill and at the end of the day
assembled for our traditional 6 PM debriefing. Many of those reporting
believe that their congressmen and senators will sign on to our legislative
proposals, and there was real excitement in the air at what we had done and
what we would continue to do after our stay on the Hill. On Thursday we
finished our meetings with members of Congress, and the two major airports
serving the District of Columbia were once again filled with the clicking
of claws and the tapping of canes as we headed home to follow-up on the
seeds we had planted on the Hill. Our work is far from over, but we
understand what needs to be done, have the commitment to do it, and have
promised ourselves not to stop until the job is done. This is what the
Congress knows about us; this is why they respect us; and this is why, no
matter the administration, the Congress, or the political mood in the
country, we continue to receive support for the good we are intent on
doing. We are not tied to any political party or ideology. We go where the
needs of blind people take us, and we engage to meet those needs with open
minds, strong hearts, and the resolve that comes from constantly seeking to
be the fully participating citizens we are intended by our Creator to be.
----------
Washington Seminar Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans Priorities for the
115th Congress, First Session
The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and
friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every
day we work together to help blind people live the lives we want.
The Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education (AIM HE) Act
Electronic instructional materials have replaced traditional methods
of learning in postsecondary education, but the overwhelming majority of
ebooks, courseware, web content, and other technologies are inaccessible to
students with print disabilities. The law requires equal access in the
classroom but fails to provide direction to schools for the way it applies
to technology. AIM HE creates voluntary accessibility guidelines for
educational technology to improve blind students' access to course
material, stimulate the market, and reduce litigation for schools.
The Access Technology Affordability Act
Currently, blind Americans rely on scarce sources of funding to
acquire access technology. By providing a refundable tax credit for
qualifying access technology purchases, Congress can stimulate individual
procurement of access technology and promote affordability of these tools
for blind Americans.
Appropriation to the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped (NLS) for the Purchase of Refreshable Braille Devices
Established in 1931, the NLS provides its patrons with accessible
format copies of printed works. With the latest innovations in refreshable
Braille, it is now easier than ever before to put Braille into the hands of
more blind people. A one-time appropriation to the NLS will save money and
lead to the proliferation of critically needed Braille material for blind
Americans.
The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons
Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled
Despite the ability to convert print books into accessible formats
like Braille, large print, audio, and digital copies, millions of blind and
otherwise print-disabled Americans are excluded from accessing 95 percent
of published works. The Marrakesh Treaty calls for contracting parties to
provide, in their national copyright laws, for a limitation or exception
that allows for the reproduction, distribution, and cross-border exchange
of accessible works.
These priorities will remove obstacles to employment, education, and
access to published works. We urge Congress to support our legislative
initiatives.
----------
Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education (AIM HE) Act
Until a market-driven solution for accessible instructional materials is
achieved, blind college students will be denied access to critical course
content.
Technology has fundamentally changed the education system. The scope
of instructional materials used at institutions of higher education has
expanded. Curricular content comes in digital books, PDFs, webpages, etc.,
and most of this content is delivered through digital databases, learning
management systems, and applications. The print world is inherently
inaccessible to students with disabilities, but technology offers the
opportunity to expand the circle of participation. Studies have found that,
of the 6.5 million students with disabilities in grades K-12, the number
who go on to pursue postsecondary education is growing.[1]
Blind students are facing insurmountable barriers to
education. Instead of fulfilling the promise of equal access, technology
has created more problems than the print world ever did. Data show that
students with disabilities face a variety of challenges, including
matriculation and college completion failure,[2] solely because, in the
absence of clear accessibility guidelines, colleges and universities are
sticking with the ad-hoc accommodations model.[3] Currently, schools deploy
inaccessible technology and then modify another version for blind students,
usually weeks or even months into class, creating a "separate-but-equal"
landscape with nearly impenetrable barriers. With only an 18 percent
employment rate, compared to 65 percent among people without
disabilities,[4] students with disabilities should not be denied access by
the innovations that could have ensured full participation.
Institutions of higher education need help to identify accessible
material and comply with nondiscrimination laws. Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act and Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities
Act require schools to provide equal access, and in 2010 the US Departments
of Justice and Education clarified that the use of inaccessible technology
is prohibited under these laws.[5] In the six years since, over a dozen
institutions have faced legal action for using inaccessible
technology,[6] and complaints are on the rise. Most litigation ends with a
commitment from the school to embrace accessibility, but that commitment
does little in a vast, uncoordinated higher education market.[7]
Accessibility solutions are available, but guidelines are sorely
needed to stimulate the market. The Accessible Instructional Materials in
Higher Education Act will bring together people with disabilities, the
higher education, publishing, and tech developing and manufacturing
communities to develop a stakeholder-driven solution to the issue of
inaccessible instructional materials. With input from all relevant
stakeholder communities,[8] mainstream accessible instructional materials
can be achieved, benefiting both institutions of higher education and the
students with disabilities they aim to serve.
Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act:
Develops accessibility guidelines for instructional materials used in
postsecondary education. A purpose-based commission is tasked with
developing accessibility criteria for instructional materials and the
delivery systems/technologies used to access those materials. Additionally,
the commission is tasked with developing an annotated list of existing
national and international standards so that schools and developers can
identify what makes a product usable by the blind.
Provides incentive for institutions of higher education to follow the
guidelines. Institutions of higher education that use only technology that
conforms with the guidelines will be deemed in compliance with the
provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Titles II and III
of the Americans with Disabilities Act that pertain to schools' use of
technology. For those instances in which accessible technology is simply
not yet available, instances that will continue to diminish in frequency as
accessible instructional materials become more mainstream, there is a
limited safe harbor protection for institutions that otherwise adhere to
existing disability law as well as some additional requirements as
described in the AIM HE Act.
Offers flexibility for schools while reiterating that pre-existing
obligations still apply. Colleges and universities are permitted to use
material that does not conform to the guidelines as long as equal access
laws are still honored. Conformity with the AIM HE guidelines is only one
path to compliance; schools can pursue a different path but will forfeit
the safe harbor legal protection.
REMOVE BARRIERS TO EQUALITY IN THE CLASSROOM.
Cosponsor the Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act.
To cosponsor in the House of Representatives, contact:
Otto Katt, Legislative Fellow, Congressman Phil Roe (R-TN)
Phone: (202) 225-6356, Email: otto.katt at mail.house.gov
For more information contact:
Gabe Cazares, government affairs specialist, National Federation of the
Blind
Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2206, email: gcazares at nfb.org
For more information visit: www.nfb.org/aim_he
[1] US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.
"Children and Youth with Disabilities"
(2016) http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cgg.asp.
[2] Brand, B., Valent, A., Danielson, L. College & Career Readiness &
Success Center, American Institutes for Research. Improving College
and Career Readiness for Students with Disabilities. 2013.
[3] "Report of the Advisory Commission on Accessible Instructional
Materials in Postsecondary Education for Students with Disabilities."
(2011) 13
[4] United States Department of Labor. "Persons with a Disability: Labor
Force Characteristics-2015." (2016). http://www.dol.gov/odep/.
[5] Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and Department of Education
Office of Civil Rights letter to College and University Presidents,
June 29, 2010.
[6] National Federation of the Blind. "The Accessible Instructional
Materials in Higher Education (AIM-HEA) Act." Last modified December,
2015. https://www.nfb.org/aim_he
[7] Government Accountability Office. "Education Needs a Coordinated
Approach to Improve Its Assistance to Schools in Supporting Students."
Report to the Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor, House of
Representatives.10-33 (2009).
[8] Organizations and institutions that have endorsed the Accessible
Instructional Materials in Higher Education
Act: https://nfb.org/aim_he.
----------
Access Technology Affordability Act
Increase the availability of access technology and promote affordability of
that technology for blind Americans
Access technology enables blind Americans to participate in today's
connected world. These tools enable blind Americans to perform tasks that
they were once unable to accomplish themselves due to their disability.
Braille notetakers are frequently used in schools, screen reading software
allows workers to check their email at home, and screen magnification
software can help seniors losing vision learn about community activities.
Despite the need for access technology, public and private entities
struggle to meet the demands and provide adequate access technology to
their clients, including blind Americans.[1] This leads to untimely delays
in the delivery of necessary technology and ultimately harms the blind
consumer.
Paying for access technology out-of-pocket creates a difficult
economic reality. Nearly 60 percent of blind Americans are
unemployed [2] compared to under 5 percent for the general
population.[3] Most access technology can range in cost from $1,000 to
$6,000. For example, a leading screen reader is $900, a popular Braille
notetaker is $5,495, one model of a refreshable Braille display is $2,795,
and a moderately priced Braille embosser is $3,695. Consequently, most
blind Americans do not have sufficient financial resources needed to
purchase these items.[4] These financial barriers can ultimately lead to a
loss of employment, insufficient education, or even isolation from
community activities.
Medical insurance will not cover the cost of access
technology. Current definitions of "medical care," "medical necessity," and
"durable medical equipment" within common insurance policies do not and
should not include access technology. These definitions were adopted in the
1960s when medical care was viewed primarily as curative and palliative,
with little or no consideration given to increasing an individual's
functional status.[5] However, Congress recognized that blindness, unlike
other disabilities, could be measured easily.[6] Many states' Medicaid
programs and individual health insurance plans have adopted similar
definitions and will not cover access technology.[7]
Access Technology Affordability Act:
The Access Technology Affordability Act provides a simple solution
that will increase the availability of access technology so that blind
Americans can procure these items for themselves. It establishes a per-
person individual refundable tax credit to be used over a multi-year period
to offset the cost of access technology for blind people.
Historically, Congress has created similar tax incentives (e.g.,
Disabled Access Credit) for business owners required to make accommodations-
including access technology-for employees and patrons with
disabilities. Congress removed financial barriers so that businesses did
not view the needs of people with disabilities as a burden. These
opportunities are currently available only to business owners, while blind
Americans, for the most part, must depend on others to procure access
technology for them.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to meet the access technology
needs of all blind Americans. Accessibility requires an individualized
assessment of one's own skills and preference. Therefore, blind Americans
should be given the opportunity to procure access technology on their own
to ensure that they are receiving the tools that are most useful for them.
REMOVE FINANCIAL BARRIERS AND INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF ACCESS
TECHNOLOGY
Sponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act
For more information, contact:
Kimie Beverly, government affairs specialist, National Federation of the
Blind
Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2441, email: kbeverly at nfb.org
[1] Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services and Disability
Research, "Fiscal Year 2017 Budget
Request,"
https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/budget17/justificat
ions/i-rehab.pdf, p. I-66.
[2] American Community Survey. www.disabilitystatistics.org.
[3] Bureau of Labor Statistics. Labor Force Statistics from the Current
Population Survey. https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000
[4] Erickson, W., Lee, C., von Schrader, S. (2016). "Disability Statistics
from the 2014 American Community Survey (ACS)." Ithaca, NY: Cornell
University Employment and Disability Institute (EDI). Retrieved
November 11, 2016, from www.disabilitystatistics.org.
[5] National Council on Disability, "Federal Policy Barriers to Assistive
Technology," (May 31, 2000)
8,
http://www.ncd.gov/rawmedia_repository/c9e48e89_261b_4dda_bc74_203d5
915519f.pdf.
[6] 26 U.S.C ' 63(f)(4)
[7] Assistive Technology Industry Associates, "AT Resources Funding
Guide,"
https://www.atia.org/at-resources/what-is-at/resources-funding-
guide/ (last accessed December 15, 2016).
-----------
Appropriation to the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped (NLS) for the Purchase of Refreshable Braille Devices
An appropriation to the National Library Service for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped will save money and lead to the proliferation of
critically needed Braille material for blind Americans.
There are 119,487 libraries of all types operating in the United
States today; [1] however, blind Americans rely on NLS to distribute
Braille books across the nation. Currently these are hardcopy offerings,
but new, low-cost displays (known as refreshable Braille displays) can
produce electronic Braille, saving money, saving paper, and providing a
small device where formerly multiple and large volumes were required for
just one book. Until all blind Americans have access to high-quality,
reliable, refreshable Braille, blind people will continue to encounter
artificial barriers in literacy, education, and employment.
Innovative advances in refreshable Braille technology could save NLS
$10 million per year. A recent GAO report indicated that the distribution
of refreshable Braille devices will result in an annual cost savings of $10
million.[2] Since 1931, hardcopy Braille has been embossed and distributed
to patrons through a network of regional and subregional libraries. It is
impossible to predict the titles that would be requested at any particular
regional library. As a result, there could be five copies of Harry Potter
and the Order of the Phoenix (thirteen volumes of Braille)[3] in Boise,
Idaho, and none in Richmond, Virginia, where several patrons are currently
waiting. Moreover, in 2015 the cost of embossing, housing, and shipping
hardcopy Braille volumes was $17 million per year.[4]
Technological innovations now make it possible for Braille to be
produced in electronic files. These can be accessed on refreshable Braille
displays and distributed electronically at a cost of seven million
dollars.[5] Like other types of electronic files (such as printed materials
in .docx format), the same Braille book can be read by potentially
thousands of patrons at the same time with refreshable Braille devices.
Today, the mass production and distribution of Braille content is not only
technologically possible, but the method is cost effective, and vast
quantities of Braille material can now be stored, transported, and
instantly accessed on refreshable Braille displays.
Braille literacy is essential to employment for the blind. Among
blind people who are employed, 85 percent are Braille readers.[6] In 1931
the Pratt-Smoot Act centralized the collection and housing of the very
small number of individually produced Braille books then existing in the
United States.[7] But even though library services have been made available
to blind people on a national scale, the broad distribution of hard-copy
Braille books is not feasible. Eighty-six years later, the unemployment
rate among the blind in 2014 continued to hover around 60
percent.[8] Recognizing this fact, in acknowledgement of the importance of
Braille literacy, the 114th Congress amended the Pratt-Smoot Act to
authorize NLS to provide its patrons with refreshable Braille displays.
A one-time appropriation of five million dollars to the National Library
Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped would:
Enable NLS to purchase, through the bidding process, ten thousand
refreshable Braille displays to be loaned to NLS patrons;
Make Braille materials more widely available to blind Americans than
ever before, thereby improving Braille literacy among blind Americans and
leading to increased employability.
Support Braille Literacy
Cosponsor the NLS Appropriation for Refreshable Braille Displays.
For more information, contact:
Parnell Diggs, director of government affairs, National Federation of the
Blind
Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2222, email: pdiggs at nfb.org
[1] "Number of Libraries in the United States." Professional Tools. 2015.
Accessed December 12, 2016.
http://www.ala.org/tools/libfactsheets/alalibraryfactsheet01.
[2] United States Government Accountability Office. "Library Services for
Those with Disabilities" Report to Congressional Committees. April
2016.
[3] United States Government Accountability Office. "Library Services for
Those with Disabilities" Report to Congressional Committees. April
2016.
[4] United States Government Accountability Office. "Library Services for
Those with Disabilities" Report to Congressional Committees. April
2016.
[5] United States Government Accountability Office. "Library Services for
Those with Disabilities" Report to Congressional Committees. April
2016.
[6] Bell, E. C., & Mino, N. M. (2015). "Employment Outcomes for Blind and
Visually Impaired Adults." Journal of Blindness Innovation and
Research, 5(2). Retrieved from
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/jbir/jbir15/jbir050202.html.
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5241/5-85.
[7] Pratt-Smoot Act, Pub. L. No. 71-787, ch. 400, 46 Stat. 1487 (1931)
(codified as amended at 2 U.S.C. '' 135a, 135a-1)
[8] American Community Survey. www.disabilitystatistics.org.
----------
The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons
Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled ("Marrakesh
Treaty") [1]
An international copyright treaty will give blind Americans access to
millions of published works and improve the distribution of books across
the globe.
Millions of Americans are being denied access to published
works.[2] Despite the ability to convert print books into accessible
formats like Braille, audio, and digital copies, over 95 percent of
published works are unavailable to people with print
disabilities.[3] Literacy and equal participation in society are critical
elements of a fulfilling and independent life, but until uniformity is
built into the international copyright system, blind Americans will be
excluded from accessing works. A blind student seeking to learn Spanish
will likely struggle to find an accessible format[4]; a work printed in
English may have already been converted into an accessible format overseas,
but because copies are not exchanged across borders, domestic entities
might need to make a duplicate copy or just might deny access altogether by
failing to reproduce the work.
An uncoordinated legal approach prevents the cross-border exchange of
accessible books. Unlike the United States, where copyright law includes
the Chafee Amendment and other exceptions,[5] two-thirds of the world's
nations do not have domestic copyright laws that permit making copies for
the blind, limiting the number of works available in an accessible format.
Moreover, many countries consider distribution of accessible copies an
infringement as well, and even amongst nations that permit distribution,
limitations vary. Instead of exchanging books across borders, works are
needlessly duplicated, and circulation is significantly limited.
The Marrakesh Treaty was adopted to achieve this goal. On June 27,
2013, a diplomatic conference convened by the World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO) in Morocco adopted the Marrakesh Treaty with
enthusiastic support from the US delegation. The treaty, signed by the US
on October 2, 2013, currently has eighty-eight signatories, has been
ratified by twenty-five countries,[6] and has entered into force as of
September 30, 2016.[7]
The Marrakesh Treaty has broad stakeholder support. Blind people
should have full and equal access to all works that enrich lives, further
education, and share critical information; the treaty balances this
priority with the interests of rights holders. WIPO's adoption of the
Marrakesh Treaty was supported by American-based companies,[8] the
international publishing community,[9] legal experts,[10] and blindness
advocates.[11] The treaty will have tangible benefits for all involved.
This is why Congress must act swiftly to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty and
pass its associated implementing legislation.
The Marrakesh Treaty calls for contracting parties to provide in their
national copyright laws for a limitation or exception that allows for the:
Reproduction of works by an authorized entity for the purposes of
converting them into accessible format copies exclusively for beneficiary
persons;
Distribution of accessible format copies exclusively to beneficiary
persons;
Import of accessible format copies for the purposes of making them
available domestically; and
Export of accessible format copies for the purposes of making them
available to a beneficiary person in another country.
Remove Barriers to Access of Published Works.
Support Ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty.
For more information, contact:
Gabe Cazares, government affairs specialist, National Federation of the
Blind
Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2206, email: gcazares at nfb.org
[1]Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are
Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled, June 28, 2013
http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/marrakesh/.
[2] World Health Organization, Fact Sheet, Visual impairment and
blindness, http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs282/en/. Last
modified August 2014.
[3] World Blind Union, FAQ Sheets on UN and Human Rights Instruments,
Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons
who are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print
Disabled,
http://www.worldblindunion.org/English/resources/Pages/Global
-Blindness-Facts.aspx. Last modified March 2014.
[4] LaBarre, Scott. "Literacy Without Borders: The Road to Marrakesh,"
Braille Monitor, August/September 2013. "Originally I had planned on a
double major in government and Spanish. Ultimately I dropped that
Spanish major precisely because I could not get access to Spanish
novels and other
materials."
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm13/bm1308/bm13
0811.htm.
[5] 17 U.S.C. ' 121.
[6] World Intellectual Property Organization, WIPO-Administered Treaties
webpage http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ShowResults.jsp?treaty_id=843.
Last modified on October 6, 2016.
[7] World Intellectual Property Organization, Marrakesh Notification No. 21
Entry into
Force
http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/notifications/marrakesh/treaty_ma
rrakesh_21.html. Last modified on June 30, 2016.
[8] Association of American Publishers, Statement on Completion of WIPO
Treaty, Press Release, June 27,
2013. http://publishers.org/press/112/.
[9] International Publishers Association, Closing Statement by the
International Publishers Association, 27 June
2013.
http://www.internationalpublishers.org/images/stories/copyright/s
tatements/closing_statementFinal.pdf.
[10] American Bar Association, Resolution 100, August 11,
2014.
http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/mental_
physical_disability/2014_hod_annual_100%20Marrakesh.authcheckdam.pdf
[11] National Federation of the Blind, National Federation of the Blind
Joins Stevie Wonder and World Blind Union Calling Upon International
Negotiators to Conclude Successful Treaty for the Blind and Print
Disabled, Press Release, June 24, 2014. https://nfb.org/national-
federation-blind-joins-stevie-wonder-and-world-blind-union-calling-
upon-international.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Amy Mason]
The Future of Braille is Refreshing!
by Amy Mason
From the Editor: This piece first appeared in the NFB Access
Technology blog on January 3, 2017. Amy is an access technology specialist
at the Jernigan Institute. Although her education did not start with a
strong foundation in Braille, she was perceptive enough to identify the
need and disciplined enough to learn the skill. Her observations about
Braille are particularly timely given our emphasis on getting more
refreshable Braille to blind patrons of the National Library Service and
our wish to enable blind people to buy more technology themselves with the
assistance of a federal tax credit. Here is what Amy has to say:
Every year on January 4 we celebrate Louis Braille's birthday because
of his invention of the Braille code-the most powerful and successful
reading and writing system designed for the blind. It has given us freedom
that only a scant 200 years ago we couldn't have imagined. It allows us to
study the sacred and mull the mundane. From Christmas cards to Coraline,
The Great Gatsby to grocery lists, the Bible to the beer menu, and
everything in between, Braille has changed the fortunes of the blind by
opening the written word to us.
In the same way that Braille has transformed the lives of the blind,
the refreshable Braille display has transformed the way that many of us use
Braille. Braille displays make Braille portable so we can read anytime and
anywhere. Automatic translation means any text can be Braille in a few
moments, so even text messages and face-to-face communications for the deaf-
blind can be Brailled instantly.
I learned Braille just about the time Braille displays were beginning
to become more commonplace, and I am deeply thankful that I did because I
don't know that I would have met with as much success as I have if I hadn't
had access to refreshable Braille.
I began learning the code in the latter half of my high school
career, and through the support of some amazing role models from the NFB of
Nebraska who inspired me to practice (a lot), I learned to read about forty
words per minute before starting college. Unfortunately my nomadic
university experience did not provide me with much space or time to spend
with Braille books, and my speed and comprehension suffered.
Fortunately two opportunities were presented to me before I returned
to college for my junior year. First, I was able to attend the Colorado
Center for the Blind, and second, I was able to get my hands on a Braille
notetaker with a display.
I credit these two opportunities with my literacy today. If I had not
had the time to keep Braille under my fingers for an extended period of
time, I could have never improved, and the notetaker was a huge part of
that for me. Because of the Braille display, I was able to practice
whenever I found a free moment-on the bus, between appointments, and in bed-
I was reading. I could quickly and easily get my hands on all sorts of
documents, long and short. In a word, it was magical.
Because of all of this practice, my speed increased to just above one
hundred words per minute. I can't imagine going back to working without a
Braille display. I wouldn't be nearly as efficient or as good at my job,
and I know many others who would agree.
Refreshable Braille is sadly still very expensive, though prices have
improved some over the last ten years. The cost of forty-cell displays now
average about $3,000, but advances in technology mean a better price is on
the near horizon. I cannot express how exciting this is.
A few years ago the National Federation of the Blind and several
other blindness organizations decided it was time to make a significant
change to the cost and availability of Braille and did so by creating the
Transforming Braille Project. They donated money, time, and testers to the
process of finding a cheaper way to produce refreshable Braille, and the
first fruits of this partnership are coming to market shortly.
The Orbit Reader is a twenty-cell display which employs a new method
of raising and lowering the dots. The new cells use less electricity,
increasing the display's battery life, and they are less expensive to
create than traditional refreshable Braille cells. The new cells also
refresh one at a time and remain very firm when dots are raised. The Orbit
Reader will work with all major screen readers (mobile and desktop) that
support Braille today, and its cost will be just under $500 for twenty
cells of Braille. The NFB will be selling the Orbit Reader! Details are
coming soon.
The Orbit Reader won't meet everyone's needs, but in a very real way
it is opening the door to more affordable refreshable Braille. Given my own
transformative experience with Braille displays, I am a firm believer in
what these devices can do for others. I can't wait to see them in the hands
of Braille readers who were unable to afford them previously.
Whether the Orbit Reader is the device you've been looking for or
another display would better suit your needs, the access technology team
would love to help you learn what is possible when it comes to refreshable
Braille. The International Braille and Technology Center houses a wide
variety of devices including simple Braille terminals, smart Braille
displays, and full-fledged notetakers, so if you have been wanting to learn
more about a specific device or just about what refreshable Braille can do
for you, please feel free to reach out to us at access at nfb.org, or the
Access Technology Answer Line (410) 659-9314 option 5.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: June Maurer speaks to parents at the 2009 National
Convention.]
In Remembrance of June Maurer
by Marc Maurer
From the Editor: June Maurer is the mother of Immediate Past
President Marc Maurer. Some of you will remember her from national
conventions. Still others will remember her from part of a story that
appeared in one of our Kernel Books. We will include it at the end of
June's obituary:
June Maurer was born on November 28, 1923, in St. Paul, Minnesota, to
Adolph Davis and Ellen Bradshaw. June graduated from high school and went
on to study chemistry at the University of Minnesota. June married
Frederick V. Maurer in 1947, and they lived together in Minneapolis,
Minnesota; Detroit, Michigan; Des Moines, Iowa; Boone, Iowa; and Bellevue,
Iowa. Fred and June had six children, Peter (Laurie), Marc (Patricia), Max
(Brenda), Matthew (Carol Bowman), Mary Ellen, and Mitchell (Theresa). She
lost Fred in 1993 in Bellevue. In 2012 June moved to Westfield, Indiana, to
be close to family, where she lived for the remainder of her life. She was
preceded in death by her brothers William (Bill), Robert (Bud), and Paul
Davis. June outlived all the relations in her generation and is survived
by her six children, thirteen grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
June was a devout Catholic and a member of St. Patrick's of St. Paul
Parish as a youngster; Sacred Heart Parish in Boone, Iowa, in the 1960's;
and St. Joseph Parish in Bellevue, Iowa, from 1969 to 2012. June was
deeply involved with each of these parishes, giving generously of her time
and talent, and deriving deep spiritual benefit.
June was an avid hobbyist, dabbling in many areas, and delving deeply
in a few. She was a fast and creative knitter, a fine seamstress, a good
cook, an avid reader, and she was well known for her love of singing and
dancing. There are many layettes and mittens in the world thanks to June's
fast hands.
June loved to travel, be that near or far. She traveled extensively
both domestically and abroad. She loved to go and have a good time. Her
friends counted on her as a steady, willing companion, no matter where they
might be going. Those who knew June well remember her loud, unique, and
frequent laugh. You could find her in a crowd from that laugh. In her later
years she was part of the Foster Grandparents tutoring program and became
known to many youngsters as "Gramma June."
Gramma June is now in the hands of God. She will be missed by those
who loved her.
[PHOTO CAPTION: June Maurer hugs her son at the 1998 National Convention.]
Editor's Note: Of all the many wonderful memories that Marc Maurer
has of his mother, he shares two that convey the essential warmth,
intelligence, and strength his mother had and shared with the world:
I was in the first grade. There were sixteen of us-two rows of eight.
I was the sixth person back in the first row. We all got our Dick and Jane
books, and the first child in the first row was asked to read page one. By
the time it came to me, I had heard page one five times. I put my hands on
the page and recited. For this performance I was invited up front to
receive a gold star on page one of my book. My teacher urged me to take the
book home with me on the weekend to show my mother what I had done. My
mother asked me if she could borrow the book, and I gave it to her. My
mother had learned Braille because she thought she might need it to
communicate with me. Later during the weekend she gave me a piece of
Braille paper that had lines of Braille on it, and she asked me to read it.
I could not. She told me that the page contained an exact copy of page one
of my Dick and Jane book.
In the summer months between my first and second grade years, my
mother sat me on the couch in the living room for an hour each day to teach
me to read Braille. I was most annoyed by this because nobody else in the
family had homework in the summer. Nevertheless, I learned to read Braille.
It has been both a joyous skill to use and a most useful one for
accomplishing the work that I do. These moms sometimes have a great deal of
sense.
Final Reflections:
I visited with my mom the week before she died. For three weeks
before I had come she had remained in bed and spent most of her time
asleep. She was not able to sit up while I was there, but at times she was
animated, and she appeared to be singing with us. Because her mind had
deteriorated, it was not possible to understand the words she was singing,
but it was quite evident that she was enjoying herself, and she smiled.
When my mom died, I reflected that she loved to travel. She always liked to
go to new places and to have new experiences, and she had faith in God and
in God's goodness in creating Paradise. I feel certain that she wanted to
travel on this most joyous trip to learn about what God had in store for
her. My mom often prayed for me. For those who want to remember her, a
prayer would be good.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Ray McAllister cradles a newborn baby girl he helped
deliver.]
A Dream is Born
by Ray McAllister
From the Editor: Monitor readers may remember Ray McAllister as the
winner of a Bolotin Award at the 2016 National Convention. He was one of
the Semitic Scholars whose efforts have created the tools to allow future
blind scholars to study works in ancient languages. In August of 2010 he
received a PhD in Hebrew Scriptures. Dr. McAllister is totally blind, so
he's the first blind PhD from Andrews University's seminary and the first
totally blind person in the world to get a PhD in Hebrew Scriptures. He
teaches distance education religion classes for Andrews University, but he
isn't just a scholar focusing on the past. Ray chose to take a rather
nontraditional path as both a blind person and a man, choosing to become a
part of a most amazing everyday event that shapes the future: the birth of
a child. In December, 2014, he became the first totally blind, male,
certified birth doula trained to assist a woman during childbirth. Here is
how he describes the journey to become a massage doula:
For years I've dreamed of witnessing the birth of a baby. I have no
children, and my wife is past childbearing age. Since I'm totally blind,
sitting in the back of a delivery room while someone's having a baby
wouldn't be helpful. So, in 2014, I took the journey to become a certified
massage doula, most likely the first totally blind, male, certified doula.
On this journey I would not only witness births but make a difference for
three women in what some would consider the most difficult day of their
lives.
In June 2014 my wife Sally and I discovered the Institute of Somatic
Therapy on the internet. This online distance education school has a
program for training massage therapists to become massage doulas. A doula
assists in childbirth to see to the comfort of the woman having the baby. A
massage doula does this but incorporates all the skills of massage to have
a special edge in reducing the pain, stress, and length of labor. Since I
had been a licensed massage therapist for over a year, this looked like an
excellent program. Even though male doulas are rare, I signed up the next
day. I've always been the type to do things considered outside the box. I
also agreed to help adapt this program so it would be accessible to blind
people.
Within a couple weeks I had completed the first steps of the program,
theoretical and practical, becoming a certified prenatal massage therapist.
Then I began actually studying the materials for becoming a massage doula.
Learning the theory was easy. I read the materials with my screen reader,
as I had done in the earlier part of the course. A female massage therapist
showed me various birthing positions and techniques. One time we had to
have Sally join us so this therapist could help me understand how two
people can easily assist a woman into a pushing position. Meanwhile, I was
writing down descriptions of all this for the blind using proper technical
medical terminology, which anyone with massage training could clearly
interpret. I passed the academic test for the doula course shortly after.
Then came the difficult part of the journey: finding three pregnant
women who would accept a blind male as their doula. None of the pregnant
women I knew from my church or as friends were interested. I was offering
free prenatal and post-partum massage care, and that didn't even get
anyone's attention.
Next I reached out to a homeless shelter where I had preached in the
past and done infant massages when I was in massage school. There I found a
resident who was very receptive to my offer to assist in the birth of her
first child. Soon this resident referred another pregnant friend of hers to
me, and by that time I was also waiting for two women to go into labor at
about the same time. In fact I had to warn them that if they went into
labor on the same day, I'd have to choose only one of them.
On October 13, Canadian Thanksgiving Day, at 2 AM, my wife and I got
the call that the first woman was at the hospital, about ready to start
pushing. Just ten days after I helped her push, her friend went into labor
with her first child, and I spent all day helping comfort her through labor
and supported her through pushing. A few weeks later I was introduced to a
friend of this woman who was almost due. On the day before American
Thanksgiving, I had to interrupt the making of my pumpkin pie because she
went into labor with her third child.
Being part of all three births was the most amazing experience. I
heard a baby's first cry. After one of them, the doctor who delivered the
baby let me feel the placenta through my rubber gloves. A blind person
won't get to see what that looks like on a television documentary. All the
women reported that I had helped them significantly with everything from
preparing for labor to easing labor pains to giving guidance through
pushing. My blindness was not a hindrance. My Braille-reader's touch
enabled me to provide effective relaxation, and I could lightly joke about
how I don't peek. Truly, we all had much to be thankful for.
Now I am a certified massage doula. I don't know exactly where this
path will take me. I may find paying customers, and/or I may work for free
for those who really need the support but could not possibly afford it. If
a blind person really wishes to experience the miracle of birth and has a
compassionate heart, doula work is probably the only way in to a delivery
environment. Even if it is just for the three births for certification, the
memories and experience will last me a lifetime.
Update: It's now 2016. I have assisted in six births. Early this year
I visited an area hospital's birth simulation lab. There they have a
mechanical model of a woman having a baby. I could feel how the baby moves
and turns during contractions and what the different birth presentations
like breech really look like.
----------
Leave a Legacy
For more than seventy-five years the National Federation of the Blind
has worked to transform the dreams of hundreds of thousands of blind people
into reality, and with your support we will continue to do so for decades
to come. We sincerely hope you will plan to be a part of our enduring
movement by adding the National Federation of the Blind as a partial
beneficiary in your will. A gift to the National Federation of the Blind in
your will is more than just a charitable, tax-deductible donation. It is a
way to join in the work to help blind people live the lives they want that
leaves a lasting imprint on the lives of thousands of blind children and
adults.
With your help, the NFB will continue to:
. Give blind children the gift of literacy through Braille;
. Promote the independent travel of the blind by providing free, long
white canes to blind people in need;
. Develop dynamic educational projects and programs that show blind
youth that science and math are within their reach;
. Deliver hundreds of accessible newspapers and magazines to provide
blind people the essential information necessary to be actively
involved in their communities;
. Offer aids and appliances that help seniors losing vision maintain
their independence; and
. Fund scholarship programs so that blind people can achieve their
dreams.
Plan to Leave a Legacy
Creating a will gives you the final say in what happens to your
possessions and is the only way to be sure that your remaining assets are
distributed according to your passions and beliefs. Many people fear
creating a will or believe it's not necessary until they are much older.
Others think that it's expensive and confusing. However, it is one of the
most important things you will do, and with new online legal programs it is
easier and cheaper than ever before. If you do decide to create or revise
your will, consider the National Federation of the Blind as a partial
beneficiary. Visit <www.nfb.org/planned-giving> or call (410) 659-9314,
extension 2422, for more information. Together with love, hope,
determination, and your support, we will continue to transform dreams into
reality.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Courtney Cole]
Stand Up
by Courtney Cole
From the Editor: Courtney is originally from Virginia Beach,
Virginia. However, after a move in high school due to her father's military
career, she fell in love with the Pacific Northwest. She now attends
Seattle University in Seattle, Washington, studying psychology. She is on
the staff of Rooted in Rights, a Disability Rights Washington program,
where she works as a creative production intern to help in the production
of media which advocates for the rights of people with disabilities. She is
a member of her state affiliate of the NFB and has been elected vice
president of the Association of Blind Students for her state. In her spare
time she enjoys writing her blog, playing ukulele, and singing. Like
Courtney herself, her article is short but powerful. Here is what she has
to say:
Everything feels surreal right now. I've spent the past two days at
Seattle University, my new school, for orientation. My new school. It's
still sinking in, as you can probably tell. It's so incredible because I
sincerely, in all honesty, did not think I would live to see life after
high school. I'm sure many of you can relate. In fact I think everyone
feels that way at some point during secondary school.
Now that time is over. I've finally stepped into the chapter of my
life where people really start to define themselves, and I'm so excited. I
know I have stars in my eyes for something brand new and that eventually it
will become a place where I have a routine. In other words, the honeymoon
phase will end.
Of all the information I learned at orientation, I can't help but
feel excited about how I walked with my cane confidently, how I introduced
myself to others, and how I finally feel comfortable in my own skin. There
was a portion of the orientation where we all assembled to discuss
diversity. The speaker would say statements, and if it applied to you, you
would stand. For me it pointed out that we are all very different, but we
all have unique challenges and components to our lives that make us who we
are.
"If you have or live with someone who has a disability, please
stand."
To many of the students there the activity may have felt like a waste
of time or just too invasive. Most of them probably thought it was stupid,
and yeah, maybe it was a little melodramatic. There was a time when I would
have felt the same, but yesterday I couldn't. I was too busy standing as
tall as my four-foot-eleven stature would allow. In that moment, I realized
that I am nothing but proud and confident about who I am. Everyone has
their own challenges, and mine have made me who I am. I'm no longer ashamed
or apologetic because I have different abilities from everyone else. This
is all to say, "Do not be like me." Don't wait until you are eighteen years
old to feel comfortable in your skin and to be proud of who you are. And if
you're older than eighteen, do not wait another second. Time putting
yourself down and not loving yourself is wasted time, and, in addition, you
are preventing yourself from so much. You're going to make mistakes, and
you have flaws. We all do. But you will never learn from them if you're
consumed with punishing yourself.
Don't be your own worst enemy. Be proud of who you are, and don't let
anyone dictate how you feel about yourself. Stand up, and start moving.
----------
Community Service Division Works with Habitat for Humanity
by Darian Smith
From the Editor: Darian Smith is the president of the National
Federation of the Blind Community Service Division. The purpose of the
division is to show that blind people are more than takers and that real
integration means taking our place as responsible givers. Here is one
example of the way the division put this philosophy into action in 2016 as
related by Darian:
Earlier this month Habitat for Humanity of Greater Orlando asked our
Community Service Division to work with them to contribute an article for
its October newsletter. The newsletter is a paper publication, but I was
able to work with their Marketing and Communications Manager to get a text
copy of the article which is included below.
Building without Boundaries
Earlier this summer the National Federation of the Blind joined us on
our build site for a day of volunteering. It was just like any other
morning on our build site with our construction team working beside
volunteers and ready to assist whenever needed. We welcome all volunteers
with open arms and hearts, and this group truly proved that their blindness
did not limit their ability to lend a hand and help build homes,
communities, and hope.
Our task for the day was hanging drywall, which requires strong
communication and a lot of teamwork. The group jumped right in, and with
some minor modifications, such as using black markers to indicate where to
put screws and creating small divots to be used for drills, they got all of
the sheets hung! For most of the volunteers, it was their first time
working with a power tool.
"Once we arrived, we-like any other group-were a little nervous, not
knowing just what the work would entail. Once we learned the type of work
we would be doing and just how to do it, we soon found it to be second
nature," said Darian Smith, president of the National Federation of the
Blind Community Service Division.
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines a blind person or his or her future and that
all blind people can live the lives they want. By joining with one another
on service projects, the Community Service Division aims to use service as
a means to show that the blind have the talent and desire to better the
world we live in. Through engaging in collective action, they are able to
improve the lives of blind people all across the country, with love, hope,
and determination. Every day, they transform dreams into reality.
----------
Across the World
by Matt Jepsen
From the Editor: Matt Jepsen lives in Moscow, Idaho, with his wife
Erin and their four children. He works as a computer programmer with a
local company called Populi. Matt is quite involved with the NFB of Idaho
through his wife Erin and their daughter Abi, both of whom are blind. In
the future he would like to do more work providing canes and Braille Bibles
in local languages in Ethiopia and would welcome any information or
contacts of people also working to that end. He can be reached at
moscowcoffeereview at gmail.com. Here is what he says:
Life always takes unexpected twists and turns, but I never would have
predicted finding myself on a plane to Ethiopia with a suitcase full of
white canes and Braille slates! In fact, six years ago I knew almost
nothing about Ethiopia other than the fact that it was located in East
Africa and occasionally cropped up in the international news. I didn't even
know that the most common language was called Amharic. A few years ago we
decided to adopt a little blind girl from Ethiopia, and that is how our
interest in the people and culture of Ethiopia began. Having two biological
children already and a third adopted domestically, we decided to adopt a
fourth, this time abroad.
My wife Erin has a visual impairment that prevents her from driving
or easily reading print and has been an enthusiast for blind mobility
skills since she was young. She is also a certified Braille transcriber.
Because of this background and knowledge, we decided we would really like
to adopt a blind child. After slogging through mountains of paperwork and
walking over the emotional mountains and trenches that accompany
international adoption, in 2011 we traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to
appear in court and meet our new daughter Elizabeth. That was five years
ago, and our daughter is eight years old now. In the meantime, my wife has
taught her to read (she just finished the entire Little House on the
Prairie series) and taught her to get around town independently with a
white cane (age appropriately, of course!). Because we learned to love her
country and culture as we tried to preserve some of it in her life, I read
many books about Ethiopian culture and history, and we both used books and
homemade flashcards to learn as much of the local language as we could.
What I discovered along the way is that, while Ethiopia is a large
country (about twice the size of Texas) of nearly 100 million people,
almost nobody there is doing anything to serve the blind population. There
are plenty of NGOs [non-governmental organizations] there digging wells and
supporting mothers with HIV, but the blind are very marginalized. Every
once in a while a team of doctors will fly over for a week and give a few
hundred people cataract surgeries, restoring a handful of people's vision
overnight, but for those who cannot be healed by medicine (and there are
several million), the prospects are rather grim and far behind those found
in much of the rest of the world.
Over the past few years my wife and I have tossed around the idea of
returning to Ethiopia to help with education and advocacy for blind people
who live there. After a lot of phone calls and some serendipitous
encounters over the past year, I connected with a couple of local
Ethiopians who had only recently begun to organize for the same purpose.
Berhanu Belay is an energetic man leading one of these efforts. He is blind
himself from childhood and attended one of the only schools for the blind
in the country, established by the last emperor, Haile Selassie, in the
1960s. When communist rebels took over the country during the 70s and 80s,
concern for the blind declined severely, and the school has been neglected.
Berhanu's organization, Zena Wengal, is a specifically Christian ministry,
but nevertheless is working to improve the lives of blind people regardless
of their religion.
With all this in mind, I decided to travel to Ethiopia in October of
2016 for several weeks to contribute and learn as much as I could. I wanted
to take some immediately useful materials, so I collected used and new
collapsible canes donated by other NFB members in our town, as well as
small ones that my daughter had outgrown. Beverly Cook, a blind woman from
southern California who runs an organization called Global Cane Outreach,
was also able to provide me with many canes for the trip. I was able to
fill one suitcase with nearly forty canes. Additionally, I took a pipe
cutter with me so adult canes could be cut to size for some of the younger
kids. I also acquired over thirty metal Braille slates using money donated
by our local NFB chapter, along with several jingle soccer balls, a Perkins
Brailler, and some solar-powered audio units containing the Bible in
Amharic and Oromifa, the other most widely-used language in the region. I
also arranged to meet with some of my adopted daughter's relatives while I
was there so I could learn more about her family and past.
It felt like such a small gesture, but my gifts were enthusiastically
received, and I had a wonderful time learning as much as I could during the
two weeks I was there. Most of the materials went to a school for the blind
in the town of Sebeta, about an hour outside of Addis Ababa. There, about
300 blind students reside, all gathered from the rural areas of the
country. On average, one in four children had a Braille slate to use in
class, so they spent a lot of time taking turns. Most of the children used
wooden sticks to serve as canes. Because traffic accidents on the
unpredictable streets are the number one cause of injury, having a white
high-reflective cane is especially valuable.
The children I met surprised and delighted me by acting just like
children do the world over, sighted or blind. Some teenage boys, with arms
linked together to help them not trip on things, joked around in between
classes. Some teen girls listened to Ethiopian pop music on a cell phone
one of them had. Surprisingly, everyone has a cell phone. Old-style flip
phones can be had for only about $10 and use reloadable time cards. Some
younger girls sang and played a clapping game together outside their
dormitory. A Muslim girl wearing a hijab studiously copied down notes using
a slate and stylus. Some younger boys played soccer using an old plastic
jug that was remarkably easy to hear on the pavement. Lunch for everyone
was a huge pot of lentil stew cooked over an open fire in the smoky
kitchen.
Only the most fierce and clever students are able to advance on to
college and with luck get a job as a public school teacher making
approximately $150 a month. Most of the volunteers I met were people who
had been fortunate and resilient enough to make it to that point and who
wanted to give back to the next generation. For the rest of the children,
they might be able to work making brooms or baskets, but many will end up
on the streets begging. The idea that the blind can lead normal, productive
lives is not something found much in the public's imagination, and
consequently in the minds of blind people themselves. By giving them canes
and training, teaching them Braille, and telling them that they matter, we
hope to plant a seed that can grow into a brighter future for them and for
their families.
I'm back in the USA now but am still thinking about the kind and
beautiful Ethiopian people. I'd love to go back for a longer-term stay,
although our children are still young, and it may be a few years before we
are able to do much additional volunteer work there. In the meantime, my
wife and I bought an older embosser on eBay and are working on producing
some useful Braille materials in the Oromifa language that currently don't
exist. A woman I met there named Meseret hopes to repair a closet full of
Perkins Braillers that have been lying dormant for many years, and we will
be sending her some tools and spare parts. My wife will continue
homeschooling Elizabeth and helping her become more independent. If I may
be allowed a quick brag, I'm pleased to report that she has been devouring
her Braille copy of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and yesterday
she climbed over forty feet straight up the rock climbing wall at our local
university's recreation center. Through it all we've been very thankful for
the support and friends we made through the NFB, especially our local
chapter. Who knew that a little effort here could spread halfway across the
world? I certainly didn't. I'm looking forward to what the future holds.
----------
Dots from Space!
Voices from the Past
by Amy Mason and Anna Kresmer
From the Editor: This is episode three from our monthly serial "Dots
from Space!" If you missed episodes one and two, refer to the January and
February issues.
Some time later, as the intrepid crew continues their explorations,
they find themselves in a large room with shining glass windows stretching
all the way up to the ceiling. A once-stately wooden desk and leather
office furniture, showing the signs of age and neglect, are positioned in
the center of a semicircle comprised of fifteen chairs. Strewn among the
chairs and across the surface of the desk are small structures made from
miniature interlocking building blocks, while an enormous glass jar of
candy-coated chocolates sits half-empty on the desk.
The first officer rotates slightly as he considers the scene before
them. Deep in concentration he stretches out a limb and uses two fingers to
stroke what appears to be a small pointy beard on his nonexistent chin. It
squeaks softly in the hushed room. "The room appears to have been
abandoned, Captain," he says in an authoritative voice.
"Indeed, Commander Point. Just like the rest of the building,
perhaps?" the captain's exasperation is apparent.
"Yes, er... I mean no, Captain. This room was obviously abandoned in
a hurry in the middle of some strange ritual." Squeak, squeak, squeak.
"An astute observation, as usual, Commander," replies Doctor Spot.
Spot then turns to the fifth member of the group and asks, "How are you
making out on reactivating that primitive computing device, Lieutenant-
Commander Jot?"
"Almost got it now, Doctor?" says a cheerful voice under the desk as
ominous sparks light up the murky room.
Suddenly the computer screen comes to life, and a voice from the past
echoes in the long-abandoned room. As the voices from long-ago waft among
the crew members, a faint squeaking sound can be heard.
"Knock it off, Commander!" barks the captain. "I want to hear this!"
"Oh, sorry!" A small pop can be heard as the commander quickly
retracts the arm back into his body.
LEGO and the Pattern of Experience [Video transcription]
[Son] So, we're also going to need one base plate.
[Father] Got it.
[Son] And we're also going to need one two-by-one flat, please.
[Father] So this base plate is eight-by-sixteen.
[Son] A one-by-two flat.
[Father] A one-by-two flat?
[Son] Yes.
[Father] Hello, I'm Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of
the Blind. I'm also a blind person who is a father of three children. It
was shocking to me the first time in one of our science programs in the
National Federation of the Blind when we were doing an activity, we were
trying to get kids to build models that they were going to test with LEGOs,
and these were high school students, and we found that some of them had
never built with LEGOs before. And it was a little astonishing to learn
that blind kids, especially ones that were interested in science,
technology, engineering, and math just hadn't had the opportunity to learn
concepts of engineering, building, spatial relationship, simply from
playing with LEGOs. So it got me interested in what we could do in our
organization to build greater opportunities, and one of the things that we
decided we wanted to do was find ways to communicate the instructions for
LEGOs, which are often presented visually in alternative ways. So I started
with my son, developing a language that we use to describe different
pieces. That's the way we build together; we look for different pieces
together, we talk about the types of pieces we need-the key is using a
common language.
[Son] Put the stud one in the corner. This one up here. This corner.
[Father] This stud one?
[Son] No. Yeah, that one right in the corner.
[Father] Right there.
[Son] Okay, then put the flat piece across.
[Father] Across?
[Son] Yeah sort of across it. No not like that. Just get it down onto, next
to it.
[Father] Next to it? Like that?
[Son] Yeah, good. And then put the studded one right underneath the end of
that one, of the flat.
[Father] Over here?
[Son] Wrong, wrong, wrong. Right under it.
[Father] Under it? In the middle?
[Son] No, right here, man.
[Father] At the end?
[Son] Yeah, at the end. That's what I'm saying. Okay.
[Father] One thing I think is really important is just letting children
have the opportunity to build. So often in society it's focused on our kids
building the right way, following the right instructions. But, you know,
when I first as a blind child started playing with LEGOs, the focus wasn't
on building sets. It was on just getting a bunch of bricks and building
things from your imagination and starting to learn the concepts of
building. And I think that's particularly important for getting blind
children engaging with building. And it can teach so many great spatial
concepts.
[Son] And now we need one jointed double one-by-one, one-by-two joints.
[Father] One-by-two jointed. Oh. Like this thing?
[Son] No, but it's connected like one of these except, no, oh yeah. One of
these except a different color.
[Father] Oh, that's a jointed.
[Son] Yes. And then we also need two four-by-one stud flats.
[Father] What color?
[Son] Gray.
[Father] I just think LEGOs provide particularly a very fun and interactive
way to teach spatial concepts, building concepts, that are very useful for
everybody. And besides, they're a lot of fun, don't you think?
[Son] I think that LEGOs are really awesome, and if there weren't LEGOs,
the world would be pretty boring.
[Father] So what do you think about building with me?
[Son] I think that it's fun even though you can't see. I think that it's
good to have the opportunity to build with somebody who has experience and
knows how to build, what to do.
[Father] So what did you learn from building with me?
[Son] That you don't always have to follow the instructions. Just be
creative. Build whatever you want.
As the soundtrack of the video fades, Ensign Bean begins to bounce
excitedly. "Counselor! This must be how they taught their young! This was
some kind of mentoring ritual!"
"I think you may be right, Ensign," Counselor Mote concedes. "A truly
creative way to impart some important life lessons." [Note: Link to video
https://youtu.be/0ncVyVcAG9o]
----------
The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund
by Allen Harris
From the Editor: Allen Harris is the chairman of the Kenneth Jernigan
Fund Committee and was one of the people who came up with the idea of
honoring our former president and longtime leader by establishing a program
to promote attendance at the national convention, where so much inspiration
and learning occur. Here is Allen's announcement about the 2017 Kenneth
Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Program:
Have you always wanted to attend an NFB annual convention but have
not done so because of the lack of funds? The Kenneth Jernigan Convention
Scholarship Fund invites you to make an application for a scholarship
grant. Perhaps this July you too can be in the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in
Orlando, Florida, enjoying the many pleasures and learning opportunities at
the largest and most important yearly convention of blind people in the
world.
The three biggest ticket items you need to cover when attending an
NFB national convention are the roundtrip transportation, the hotel room
for a week, and the food (which tends to be higher priced than at home). We
attempt to award additional funds to families, but, whether a family or an
individual is granted a scholarship, this fund can only help; it won't pay
all the costs. Last year most of the sixty grants were in the range of $400
to $500 per individual.
We recommend that you find an NFB member as your personal convention
mentor, someone who has been to many national conventions and is able to
share money-saving tips with you and tips on navigating the extensive
agenda in the big hotel. Your mentor will help you get the most out of the
amazing experience that is convention week.
Who is eligible?
Active NFB members, blind or sighted, who have not yet attended an
NFB national convention because of lack of funding are eligible to apply.
How do I apply for funding assistance?
1. You write a letter giving your contact information, and your local
NFB information, your specific amount requested, and then explain why this
is a good investment for the NFB. The points to cover are listed below.
2. You contact your state president in person or by phone to request
his or her help in obtaining funding. Be sure to tell the president when to
expect your request letter by email, and mention the deadline.
3. You (or a friend) send your letter by email to your state
president. He or she must add a president's recommendation and then email
both letters directly to the Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund
Committee. Your president must forward the two letters no later than April
15, 2015.
Your letter to Chairperson Allen Harris must cover these points:
.Your full name, and all your telephone numbers and label them-cell phone,
home, office, other person (if any).
.Your mailing address and, if you have one, your email address.
.Your state affiliate and state president; your chapter and chapter
president, if you attend a chapter.
.Your personal convention mentor, and provide that person's phone number.
.Your specific request:
Explain how much money you need from this fund to make this trip
possible for you. We suggest you consult with other members to make a rough
budget for yourself.
The body of your letter should answer these questions:
How do you currently participate in the Federation? Why do you want
to attend a national convention? What would you receive; what can you share
or give? You can include in your letter to the committee any special
circumstances you hope they will take into consideration.
When will I be notified that I am a winner?
If you are chosen to receive this scholarship, you will receive a
letter with convention details that should answer most of your questions.
The committee makes every effort to notify scholarship winners by May 15,
but you must do several things before that to be prepared to attend if you
are chosen.
1. Make your own hotel reservation. If something prevents you from
attending, you can cancel the reservation. (Yes, you may arrange for
roommates of your own to reduce the cost.)
2. Register online for the entire convention, including the banquet,
by May 31.
3. Find someone in your chapter or affiliate who has been to many
conventions and can answer your questions as a friend and advisor.
4. If you do not hear from the committee by May 15, then you did not
win a grant this year.
How will I receive my convention scholarship?
At convention you will be given a debit card or credit card loaded
with the amount of your award. The times and locations to pick up your card
will be listed in the letter we sent you. The committee is not able to
provide funds before the convention, so work with your chapter and state
affiliate to assist you by obtaining an agreement to advance funds if you
win a scholarship and to pay your treasury back after you receive your
debit or credit card.
What if I have more questions? For additional information email the
chairman, Allen Harris, at <kjscholarships at nfb.org> or call his Baltimore,
Maryland, office at (410) 659-9314, extension 2415.
Above all, please use this opportunity to attend your first
convention on the national level and join several thousand active
Federationists in the most important meeting of the blind in the world. We
hope to see you in Orlando.
----------
Independence Market Corner
The National Federation of the Blind Independence Market is the
conduit through which our organization distributes our empowering
literature to our members, friends, and the general public. As a service we
also operate a blindness products store, which sells mostly low-tech items,
designed to enhance the everyday independence of blind people.
This month we want to highlight a product we have carried for a
while: the PenFriend 2 Voice Labeling System. A tool for labeling and
organizing various household items, this pen-shaped device, approximately
six inches long and one inch in diameter, records voice labels of varying
lengths and associates them with stick-on labels. The unit has four
gigabytes of internal memory, which allows for up to 125 hours of recording
time. The memory capacity can be increased by replacing the included micro
SD card with one up to sixteen gig. 127 stick-on labels of assorted sizes
and three magnetic labels are included. Individual recordings can be up to
an hour long. Label playback may be paused and resumed, but rewinding and
fast-forwarding are not possible. Labels can be re-recorded and additional
label packages are available for purchase. Features include volume control,
an external speaker, a headphone jack, and a lanyard. Audio instructions
are built into the packaging and are accessed with the PenFriend itself.
This audio labeling tool can be used to accomplish a variety of
tasks. From labeling cooking spices; packaged, canned, and frozen foods;
medications; CDs and DVDs; AC adaptors; to files and important papers, only
the user's imagination will limit what one can accomplish with this device.
For example, when labeling medications, place the label on the cap, so the
cap can be switched out for the next refill of a prescription. If the
prescription changes, simply re-record the label. One might want to follow
the same procedure with cooking spices. One may not want to place the label
directly on canned goods and other one-time use items, since the labels are
reusable and re-recordable. The Independence Market carries plastic food
labels, originally designed for Brailling, which attach to cans and
packages using elastic. As it turns out, these labels are perfect to create
reusable PenFriend labels. One could even combine the two labeling methods
by creating a Braille label for boxed brownie mix and using the PenFriend
label for the preparation instructions. Some people have even used an
arrangement of PenFriend labels to create address books, calendars, and to-
do lists.
PenFriend laundry labels are also available for purchase. After the
adhesive has had a chance to bond with the fabric, the labels can go
through the washer and dryer. However, they are not suitable for garments
that have to be dry-cleaned. Record the care instructions as well as a
description of the clothing item and note what other garments match it.
It's obvious that the PenFriend is a very useful device, especially
to those who don't know or can't read Braille. With some creativity, the
PenFriend can serve as an invaluable organizing tool.
For more information about the products and literature available from
the Independence Market or to request a catalog in Braille or in print
visit us online at https://nfb.org/independence-market. You may also
contact us using email at independencemarket at nfb.org or by phone at (410)
659-9314, extension 2216, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
eastern time. Our staff will be glad to assist.
----------
Recipes
In February Federationists traveled to Washington, DC, to speak with
their Congressmen about legislation that we in the National Federation of
the Blind are supporting. But speaking to legislators is not something that
can happen only once a year in the nation's capital. With that in mind,
this month we went back into the archives to offer up a selection of
refreshments suitable for setting out when entertaining your local
politicians, regardless their office.
NFB Tea by Kenneth Jernigan
Somewhere around 1970, when the national office of the Federation was
at the Randolph Hotel building in Des Moines, I began making a concoction
which I called NFB Tea. I served it to the first seminar, which occurred in
the fall of 1973, and I served it in the presidential suite at National
Conventions. Some admired it; others couldn't tolerate it; but everybody
knew about it.
Then, as the seventies passed into history and the eighties came and
went, the custom of serving NFB Tea at conventions and seminars faded.
However, there are those who pine "for the good old days" and long to see a
revival of the soothing brew. They continue to ask that the recipe for the
NFB Tea appear in the Monitor.
When I remind them that I put it into the Monitor sometime early in
the seventies, they simply respond with annoyance, saying that they don't
remember it, don't have that edition of the Monitor, or don't want to be
bothered with irrelevancies. Since the recipe is now quite different from
what it was when it appeared in the Monitor a decade and a half ago and
since the requests continue, it seems worthwhile to print it again. So here
it is as revised:
You can make as much or as little NFB Tea as you want by increasing
or decreasing the quantity of the three basic ingredients. Just keep the
proportions the same. Pour equal parts of pineapple juice, orange juice,
and cranberry juice or cranberry cocktail into a large container. If you
don't intend to use at least as much as a forty-six-ounce can of each of
these juices, it hardly seems worth the bother, not to mention which it
will be difficult not to over flavor. After you mix these three basic
juices, the fun begins. I usually add about one-third as much peach or
apricot nectar and one-third as much apple juice as I have used of each of
the three basic ingredients. Sometimes (but not always) I also add a small
amount of pear nectar if I have it, about half as much as I have used of
the apple or peach.
Then I begin to sweeten the mixture with either sugar or sugar
substitute and add flavors, tasting as I go. I regard certain flavorings as
indispensable, but NFB Tea is a highly flexible brew, which should be
crafted to the taste of the brewer. I always use vanilla, cinnamon, and
nutmeg. I use liquid cinnamon and nutmeg, and if I don't have the liquid, I
make it by heating the ground spice in water as strong as I can and
straining it.
Next I add small amounts of a large variety of other flavorings. I
emphasize that you should begin with only dribs and drabs. Remember that
you can always put more in; once it's there, you can't take it out. The
mixture of flavors will depend on the whim of the moment and what I have
handy. But I will always use at least eight or nine in addition to the
cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg. Here are some of the ones I use: almond,
Angostura bitters, anise, apple pie spice, arrack flavoring, banana,
blackberry, blackcurrant, blueberry, brandy flavor, butternut,
butterscotch, butter rum, caramel, cherry, peach, chocolate, clove,
coconut, coffee flavor, English toffee, a tiny amount of ginger, hickory
nut, lemon, pineapple, lime, maple, orange, orange bitters, pear, pecan,
pistachio, pumpkin pie spice, root beer, rose, rum flavor, sassafras,
violet, sherry flavor, strawberry, tangerine, walnut, and most anything
else I can find. I don't use mint, eucalyptus oil, or wintergreen. It will
also be observed that NFB Tea contains no tea. When I first started making
the brew in the early seventies, I used Lipton tea, but I abandoned the
practice before the end of the decade. It had to do with some of my Mormon
friends and also with my evolving taste. I like it better without the tea.
When the mixture has been thoroughly concocted and tasted, a good
deal of ice should be added and stirred in. All that remains is to enjoy
the product and try different proportions next time, but not different
proportions among the three basic ingredients-pineapple juice, orange
juice, and cranberry juice or cocktail. And no omission of the three basic
flavorings- vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Anything else goes.
----------
Ginger Lime Punch
by Carol Clark
This recipe was originally published in July 1993 and introduced with
this: Carol Clark has been a member of the NFB since the mid-1960s. She is
currently the president of the Johnson County Chapter of the NFB of Kansas,
as well as a state board member.
Ingredients:
2 6-ounce cans frozen limeade concentrate
1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 tablespoon chopped candied ginger
4 cups cold water
ice
1 large bottle of ginger ale, chilled
Method: Pour concentrated limeade and lemonade into punch bowl; add
ginger. Chill for at least two hours to blend flavors. Add cold water and
ice. Pour ginger ale down sides of bowl. Fluted lemon slices, small lime
slices, and mint sprigs may be floated in punch. Yields twenty servings.
----------
Luncheon Dessert
by Alice Fornia
This recipe was originally published in February 1972, where Alice
Fornia was described as an active member of the San Francisco Chapter of
the National Federation of the Blind of California.
Ingredients:
8 Heath candy bars
1 pint of Cool Whip
vanilla extract (optional)
12 lady fingers sliced in half
Method: Crush or crumble Heath bars, be careful not to crush into
powder or too fine. Small chunks make a chewier filling. Use a blender, a
rolling pin, or cut into fine chunks with a paring knife. Line nine-inch
pie plate with halves of lady fingers. Combine crushed candy bars with Cool
Whip. Add vanilla to taste if desired. Spoon into lady-finger lined pie
plate and place in refrigerator. Filling will become firm and dessert can
be cut in pie-shaped pieces. Remember to keep dessert in refrigerator when
not serving.
----------
Apple Nut Quick Bread
Originally published in May 1987, this recipe came from the Capitol
Chapter of the NFB of Ohio.
Ingredients:
3 cups whole wheat flour
3 eggs
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon allspice
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup chopped nuts
2 cups fresh chopped apples
1 cup honey
Method: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease nine-by-five-by-three-
inch loaf pan. Line bottom with waxed paper. Blend flour, baking powder,
cinnamon, ginger, and allspice together. Add honey, milk, and eggs. Blend
well. Add melted butter and beat. Add nuts and apples; mix well. Pour into
prepared pan. Bake fifty minutes to an hour.
----------
Kuchen
by Tom Bickford
From the December 1990 Monitor, this recipe had the following
introduction: Concerning his activities as a chef, Tom Bickford says: "The
second nicest thing my mother-in-law gave me was a set of recipes for
German coffee cake called Kuchen. My wife Virginia and her entire family
are of German origin, and they use the German pronunciation: two 'k'
sounds, and the 'u' sounds like the double 'o' in 'food'. Also, whichever
way the dough is topped off, it is still called Kuchen. Virginia tells me
that in her teen years she baked Kuchen every Saturday morning, and by
Sunday afternoon it was gone! In recent years I have taken up the weekend
baking and often bake a double batch, twice the amount given here, just so
I can get more than two or three rolls for myself. I admit that nothing
smells or tastes as good as freshly baked bread. It is very flattering to
have my family utter that smiling `mmm' and then help me eat up all my
work. Just as I share the Kuchen with my family, so I share the recipes
with you. Much love and good eating." -Tom Bickford, Sligo Creek Chapter,
NFB of Maryland.
Main Recipe for the Dough
Ingredients:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk, scalded
6 tablespoons margarine
1/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/2 to 2 packages dry yeast
5 to 5-1/2 cups flour
Method: Scald the milk and set it aside to cool. In the meantime
cream together the margarine, sugar, and salt. Stir in the eggs. Pour in
the warm milk, and sprinkle the yeast over it. Stir to a smooth mixture.
Stir in two cups of flour. Stir in another 2-1/2 cups of flour. Spread 1/2
cup of flour over the kneading board before pouring out the dough. Knead
the dough about ten minutes to form a soft elastic dough. Put the dough in
a lightly-greased bowl, then turn the dough to coat all sides. Cover the
bowl with wax paper, then a dish towel, and put it in a warm place to rise.
Let rise about 1-1/2 hours or until the dough is three to four times the
original size. Shape the dough as described in the following recipes into
rolls, buns, or fruit upside-down cake. Put the dough in greased baking
pans and let rise in a warm place about forty-five minutes, or until it is
about double in size. Bake at 350 degrees for twenty to twenty-five
minutes, depending on the thickness of the shape. Makes about three dozen
rolls.
Your imagination is the only limitation for the shaping and the
topping of this good dough.
Kuchen Toppings
In our kitchen when we divide the once-risen dough into thirds, we
have suitable quantities for our cooking pans. Therefore, most of the
following recipes use one-third of the dough.
Fruit Upside-Down Coffee Cake (The Simplest)
Into a greased nine-inch pan, square or round, pour one can of fruit
pie mix. My favorite is cherry. Roll or stretch one-third of the once-risen
dough to the size and shape to reach all edges of the pan. Let the dough
rise again in a warm place about forty-five minutes. Bake at 350 degrees
for about twenty minutes. Turn out onto a plate immediately after baking.
Apple Upside Down Coffee Cake (Even Better)
Grease a nine-inch pan, square or round. In a separate bowl mix: 3/4
cup brown sugar, one tablespoon flour, and one teaspoon cinnamon. Spread
this mix over the bottom of the pan. For the next layer use three cooking
apples peeled, cored, and thinly sliced. Roll or stretch one-third of the
once-risen dough to fill the pan to the edges. Let the dough rise in a warm
place about forty-five minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for about twenty
minutes. Turn out onto a plate immediately after baking.
Caramel Pecan Rolls (My Favorite)
First the gooey sauce. In a small saucepan simmer together for five
minutes: 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons margarine, 1 tablespoon white
corn syrup, and 1 tablespoon water. Chop 3/4 to 1 cup pecans and cover the
bottom of a greased nine-inch pan, deep dish if you have it, with the nuts.
Pour the sauce over the nuts.
Prepare a separate mixture of 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1
teaspoon cinnamon. Melt 2 tablespoons margarine, and get out the pastry
brush.
Now the rolls: With a rolling pin, roll out 1/3 of the once-risen
dough to a rectangle about 6 by 12 inches. Brush on the melted margarine,
and spread on the mixed brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll the dough into a
long stick. At this stage I stretch out the rolled dough to about 16
inches. With a sharp knife cut off sections two fingers wide, and lay them
(cut edge down) in the pan. Leave space for the dough to rise. Let the
dough rise in a warm place about 45 minutes.
Bake at 350 degrees for twenty to twenty-five minutes. You may want to
place a cookie sheet on the rack below to catch drips. Turn out the rolls
onto a plate immediately unless you like chipping out the pan with a mallet
and chisel. Makes one dozen rolls.
Half Cut Circles
Roll out one-third of the once-risen dough into a rectangle six-by-
twelve-inches. Brush about 2 tablespoons of melted margarine over the
dough. Spread on a mixture of 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 teaspoon
cinnamon. If you like, sprinkle with chopped nuts, raisins, or the like.
Roll the dough into a long stick. Place the dough on a lightly greased
baking sheet, and bend it into a circle. With a sharp knife, cut most but
not all the way through the dough, making the sections two fingers wide.
Bend alternate sections in and out of the circle. Let rise in a warm place
about 45 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for fifteen to twenty minutes. To
serve, break off sections at the cuts.
Buns in Patterns
For this recipe you may use more or less than an even third of the
once-risen dough. Grab off lumps of dough the size of a ping-pong ball and
place them on a lightly greased baking sheet. Arrange them in a pattern,
perhaps a tree, and allow space for the dough to rise. Let rise in a warm
place about forty-five minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for fifteen to twenty
minutes. After the buns are cool, frost them with a mixture of 1 cup
powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons milk. You might include a drop or two of
food coloring. Exercise your imagination for designs and colors.
----------
Strawberry Almond Bars
by Sue Drapinski
When this was originally published in February 1991, Sue Drapinski
was the treasurer of the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan.
Everyone who has tasted these cookies agrees that they are something
special.
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1-1/2 cups oats (quick-cooking)
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter (or oleo)
1/2 cup jam (strawberry, raspberry, peach, or apricot)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2/3 cup slivered almonds
Method: Mix together the first four ingredients until crumbly, and
set aside two cups of the mixture. Press the rest evenly across the bottom
of an ungreased nine-by-thirteen-inch pan. Stir together the jam with the
almond extract and spread evenly on the crust. Next mix almonds with the
reserved crumbly mixture and spread evenly across the top, pressing gently.
Bake at 350 degrees for thirty minutes. Cool completely and cut into bars.
----------
Monitor Miniatures
News from the Federation Family
Braille Book Fair 2017:
Calling all Braille readers, teachers, and parents!
It's that time again: Time to sort through all those boxes of Braille
books and donate those gently used but no longer needed Braille books to
the 2017 Braille Book Fair sponsored by the National Organization of
Parents of Blind Children.
Our primary goal is to get more Braille books into the hands of
children, youth, and beginning adult readers, so
. print/Braille story books (aka Twin Vision)
. books in good condition
. leisure reading (fiction or nonfiction) books
Children are so hungry for their very own books that every year,
despite generous donations of books, most of our books for young children
are gone in less than an hour. So, begin your search through the boxes in
your basement and spare room and get those books shipped to: 2017 Braille
Book Fair, National Federation of the Blind, 200 East Wells Street at
Jernigan Place, Baltimore, MD 21230.
Please note that you are shipping the books FREE MATTER FOR THE
BLIND; you do not need to pay shipping cost for Braille items. Hand write,
stamp or affix a label to the upper right hand corner of the box stating:
FREE MATTER FOR THE BLIND. Take your package(s) to your local post office.
There is no shipping fee for Free Matter for the Blind when mailed through
the post office.
Blindness: Learning In New Dimensions (BLIND) Inc.
Post-secondary Readiness Empowerment Program (PREP) 2017
Learning+Recreation+Friends+Job=A Great Summer
Apply today to PREP 2017, a summer program for all blind/low vision high
school students!
When: June 11-August 5, 2017
Where: BLIND Inc.: 100 East 22nd St., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404
Application deadline: April 15, 2017
What: This exciting 8-week summer program is designed to prepare
students to reach their personal, academic, and professional goals as they
transition to adulthood. The PREP curriculum empowers blind youth as they
learn the alternative techniques of blindness and develops the self-
confidence needed to become successful adults!
Instruction: The core classes include Braille reading and writing,
independent cane travel, adaptive technology, career exploration, and home
management, which includes cooking, cleaning, personal care, and daily
living skills. Students also participate in regularly-scheduled discussion
groups designed to build confidence and learn from blind peers and adults.
PREP students live with fellow students and adult counselors in modern
apartments with free Wi-Fi. Counselors and instructors serve as successful
and positive role models. Students shop for groceries, prepare meals, and
clean their apartments as part of their home and personal management
training, while using public transportation on a daily basis. They begin to
learn how to live independently while still in a supportive environment.
Students develop problem-solving skills needed to take care of themselves
and determine their own future!
Getting A Job: This program includes a three-week paid internship
experience. Students will utilize the skills they have developed while
earning minimum wage, working approximately 20 hours per week in local
businesses and agencies.
National Convention: In July, PREP 2017 students will enjoy the
exciting opportunity by accompanying BLIND Inc. staff and adult students as
we travel to Orlando, Florida, to attend the week-long National Federation
of the Blind convention. During this convention, our PREP students will
join hundreds of other high school and college students from around the
country when attending the National Association of Blind Students meeting.
Students will also attend other meetings and seminars, learn about new
groundbreaking technology, and get involved in social and recreational
activities. This annual convention is packed full of great learning
opportunities and fun experiences.
Other Activities: Throughout the summer, the PREP students will also
participate in a variety of fun activities, including going to Wild
Mountain Water Park, camping, rock climbing, shopping at various malls, and
much more. Don't worry; there will be plenty of time to hang out with old
and new friends!
Contact Michell Gip, youth services coordinator, at 612-872-0100,
ext. 231, or email mgip at blindinc.org for more information or an
application. We can assist you to work with your local vocational
rehabilitation agency to attend the program.
Information about our summer programs can also be found at
https://www.blindinc.org/programs/summer/
Apply today to ensure your space in this program! Applications are due
by April 15.
Elected:
The Central Florida Chapter of the NFB of Florida elected the
following officers at their November meeting to serve a two-year term:
president, Sherri Brun; vice president, Marilyn Baldwin; secretary, Jerry
Heichelbeck; treasurer, James Evans; board members, Paulette Williams, Dan
Weiner, and Don Wilkerson.
Elected:
The following members were elected for one-year terms at the Treasure
State (Montana) At-Large Chapter meeting on February 9, 2017: president,
Rik James; vice president, Travis Moses; secretary, Joy Breslauer;
treasurer, Linda Hurlock.
In Brief
Notices and information in this section may be of interest to Monitor
readers. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the information; we
have edited only for space and clarity.
BlindSquare Friends, Tell Your Story:
The folks at BlindSquare are launching a contest intended to bring
voice and reward to BlindSquare friends.
BlindSquare often hears stories from NFB friends and others, either
about discovering new and important benefits of BlindSquare or simply to
tell how wonderful this technology is and how it has changed their lives.
The transformation of dependence to independence, the elevation from
movement-of-self to joyful steps, the evolution of travel from planned
routes to the freedom of choice-all are wonderful and, for us all, very
encouraging.
BlindSquare would like to provide a way to capture these stories more
formally-this contest is the first step. BlindSquare will also provide
awards for those who told their stories well. This won't necessarily be
measured in volume or fancy prose but perhaps the simple capture of a happy
result.
If you want to participate or help promote this fun contest, check
out BlindSquare My Story Contest at
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScbKm9XhsqWbwPCEZXBHxQGw5NWVFlECqQI
SvC5ypeGQ6mZDA/viewform. The form will gather teacher/sponsor information
for the hundreds of BlindSquare friends under the age of eighteen. Contest
ends April 1.
----------
NFB Pledge
I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National
Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for
the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to
abide by its constitution.
Forwarded by:
Brian A. Mackey
Brian A. Mackey
Owner, Mackey Enterprises, LLC
Treasurer & Webmaster, National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey
Member, National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Blind Users Innovating &
Leading Design (BUILD) Team
609-953-6988
<mailto:Bmackey88 at gmail.com> Bmackey88 at gmail.com
"Happy are those who dream dreams and are willing to pay the price to make
those dreams come true"
-Vince Papale
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