[Ohio-talk] {Disarmed} FW: National Federation of the Blind Newsletter - The Unexpected and the Ordinary

Sat Oct 1 08:16:14 UTC 2016

From: Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind [mailto:IOF at nfb.org] 
Sent: Friday, September 30, 2016 12:40 PM
To: richard payne
Subject: National Federation of the Blind Newsletter - The Unexpected and the Ordinary

 National Federation of the Blind logo with tagline: Live the life you want. <http://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/image/nfb_logo_2.jpg> 

Imagineering Our Future

  Issue 90

October 2016   

In this issue:

*	Message from the President <> 
*	What's News at the NFB <> 
*	Braille Certification Training Program <> 
*	From the tenBroek Library <> 
*	Education
*	Independence Market <> 
*	Access Technology <> 
*	NFB Calendar <> 
*	Citation <> 

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Message from the President

Dear Friends,

The crisp air, smell of decaying leaves, and the presence of pumpkins everywhere lets us know that autumn has arrived. October has become known as Meet the Blind Month in the National Federation of the Blind. This is a time for our members to plan specific programs to get into the community to increase the positive images of blindness among the general public.

October is a fitting month for Meet the Blind Month because it also has a feeling of the unexpected. Who might emerge as the unexpected hero to push a team into the World Series? What might happen in the local or national political contests? And what will you be for Halloween that will cause a stir? The unexpected is what we spend a lot of time working on in the National Federation of the Blind, but for us the unexpected is ordinary. How do blind people travel, manage a household, keep up on the news of the day, or do business on the internet? Meet the Blind Month is all about turning the unexpected into something ordinary.

This Halloween, I encourage you to distribute National Federation of the Blind Braille alphabet cards with your treats to the ghosts, witches, and superheroes that pay you a visit. How unexpected would it be for every kid in the neighborhood to get a taste of Braille? More importantly, how ordinary will it become when everyone is exposed to the code that blind people use to live the lives they want?

Thank you for all you do to help teach people about the National Federation of the Blind. Please share with me your unique approaches to making the unexpected ordinary during Meet the Blind Month 2016. Together we will transform dreams into reality.

Happy Meet the Blind Month,

 Graphic: Signature of Mark Riccobono <https://nfb.org/sites/nfb.org/files/images/MAR_signature.jpg> 

Mark A. Riccobono, President
National Federation of the Blind

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What's News at the NFB

AIM HE Legislation Introduced

Congressman Phil Roe (R-TN) and Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT) introduced the Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education (AIM HE) Act (H.R. 6122). The AIM HE Act, which is a collaborative initiative of the National Federation of the Blind, the American Council on Education, the Association of American Publishers, Educause®, and the Software and Information Industry Association, will authorize a purpose-based commission comprised of persons with disabilities, developers, and manufacturers, as well as representatives from institutions of higher education. This commission will develop voluntary accessibility guidelines for instructional materials used in postsecondary educational programs. Additionally, the commission will be tasked with developing an annotated list of existing national and international information technology standards as an additional resource for institutions of higher education and companies that service the higher education market. More information about the AIM HE Act can be found at https://nfb.org/aim_he <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5896&qid=1416187> . 

Voting Rights in Maryland

The National Federation of the Blind was a key player in securing a victory for blind voters in the state of Maryland. A blog post with more details can be found on the NFB website at https://nfb.org/blog/vonb-blog/victory-voters-maryland-and-perhaps-beyond <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5846&qid=1416187> .

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Braille Certification Training Program

Under a contract with the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress (NLS), the National Federation of the Blind administers the courses leading to NLS certification of Braille transcribers and proofreaders.

Starting in January 2015, all new students in the literary transcribing/proofreading courses began learning under the rules of Unified English Braille (UEB), and students who had been working in the older version of the course were switched to the new version during the year.

Successful completion of these rigorous courses requires a great deal of time and effort on the part of the students. We congratulate the following individuals who earned certification in literary transcribing during the month of July 2016, achieving certificates under the rules of Unified English Braille:

Colorado

Charles William Jenkins, Las Animas

Florida

Suzette Yvonne Moore Carter, Port Saint Lucie

Georgia

Kenneth Eric Gardiner, Alamo
Maurice DeShawn Milner, Alamo
Joshua Perry Nelson, Midway 

Indiana

Christopher Brown, Bunker Hill
Michael J Coupland, Bunker Hill
Lee E Davis, Bunker Hill
Sean M. Park, Bunker Hill
Micah Dwayne Perryman, Bunker Hill 

North Carolina

Carllous A. Little, Laurinburg

Ohio

William E. Brown, Grafton
David Wayne Osco, Grafton

Washington

Collette Marie Pierce, Gig Harbor

The updating of the Nemeth and music courses to align with UEB is ongoing. Congratulations to the following students who achieved certification in the current version of the Nemeth transcribing course during the month of July:

Mathematics (Nemeth) Braille Transcribing

Delaware

Michael Dennis Chinski, Wilmington

Ohio

Mitchell Raymond Geioque, Grafton

Texas

Clara L. Harris, Gatesville

Music Braille Transcribing 

California

Eric Nathaniel Marum, Represa

For transcribers and proofreaders who were certified prior to the adoption of UEB and need to update their credentials, a test was developed to allow them to earn a letter of proficiency in UEB, which is an add-on credential to an existing certificate. As of this writing, 175 individuals have earned this letter of proficiency in Unified English Braille from the Library of Congress.

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From the tenBroek Library

Staff from the Jacobus tenBroek Library recently had the opportunity to represent the National Federation of the Blind at a special meeting involving more than fifty archivists, librarians, disability historians, and disability rights activists, held at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) on August 1-2, 2016. The purpose of the meeting, which brought together representatives from organizations across the country, was to begin planning for the creation of a national, disability-history archives consortium. The aim of the consortium is to provide support to its members, to promote the disability history materials that they preserve, and to increase their exposure to both researchers in the budding field of disability studies and to members of the disabled populations that the collections depict. The assembled group discussed many potential projects, chief among them the plan to create an integrated, online research portal that will feature digitized archival materials, links to member institutions holding disability history collections, and other resources to aid both researchers and collection donors, all presented with accessibility in mind.

The conference was sponsored by the UTA Libraries, Disability Studies Minor program, and Department of History, and was made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. To learn more about the conference and the next steps for building the disability-history archives consortium, UTA has published a press release that can be accessed at http://www.uta.edu/news/releases/2016/09/disability-history-consortium.php <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5847&qid=1416187> .

The tenBroek Library was pleased to be a part of this unique meeting and looks forward to representing the important role of the National Federation of the Blind in the history of the disability rights movement as the work of the consortium progresses.

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Education

NFB BELL Academy

The NFB Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) Academy prepares blind and low-vision children, ages four through twelve, to grow into confident and independent blind people who will live the lives they want by providing Braille and nonvisual skills instruction through fun, hands-on learning in a day program or residential setting.

In addition to Braille crafts, games, and other engaging projects, children learn vital independent-living skills, interact with blind adults who serve as mentors, and enjoy field trips to sites related to the NFB BELL Academy curriculum. Through these activities and interactions, the children learn that blindness or low vision does not define them or their future.

NFB BELL Academy changes lives. A rising seventh grader attended NFB BELL Academy for the first time this summer. She had a Braille teacher in first and second grades. However, her school thought she could see too well to continue with Braille, so they terminated her instruction in Braille. Five years later this bright young lady has been struggling more and more every year in school. The volume of work has grown, print size has shrunk, and her persistent headaches have halted any recreational reading and limited her ability to complete regular school work.

This young lady’s parents knew that something needed to change. Her mother signed her up for NFB BELL Academy and drove four hours each day for two weeks to provide her daughter the opportunity to learn the skills she needs. At the end of each day, NFB BELL Academy students share their accomplishments of the day, which we call “BELL Ringers.” On her second day this young lady, who had not been exposed to any Braille for the past five years, reflected on the impact of NFB BELL Academy: “I came in yesterday knowing “a” and I’m leaving today knowing “a” through “t.”

This summer, thirty states have offered forty-four NFB BELL Academy sites, providing more than sixteen thousand hours of instruction to more than three hundred blind youth.

This fall, the Jernigan Institute will be holding two training seminars to prepare for NFB BELL Academy next summer. Additionally, we will provide NFB BELL Academy teacher training via distance education beginning this winter and continuing through the spring of 2017.

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Independence Market

The NFB Independence Market is the conduit through which we distribute our empowering literature to our members and the general public. We also operate a blindness products store focusing primarily on low-tech items. As promised in an earlier issue of Imagineering, here are descriptions of the remaining products that were new at this year's national convention.

We are test-marketing a carbon fiber Mini Telescoping Cane <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5890&qid=1416187>  with nine sections. This cane is not designed to be someone's main travel aid, but an emergency backup. The canes are available from 51 to 59 inches, in two-inch increments, in limited quantities.

Sleepshades are used in training settings to teach nonvisual skills. We have been asked to find more comfortable sleepshades and we believe we now have them. The Dream Essentials Black Contoured Sleep Masks <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5891&qid=1416187>  are comfortable, padded, lightweight sleepshades with eye cavities and an adjustable Velcro strap. Made from soft, breathable polyester fabric, they are hand washable.

We identified a new source for Free Matter Stamps <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5892&qid=1416187>  and now carry this useful article again. Qualifying large-print (14 point or larger) and Braille materials may be mailed free of charge via the United States Postal Service. Use this rubber stamp to print "FREE MATTER FOR THE BLIND AND PHYS. HANDICAPPED" on your mail. Check with your local post office or the USPS website to learn more about "Free Matter" mail.

Adding to our assortment of tactual marking aids, we now sell the popular Loc-Dots <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5893&qid=1416187> : clear, round, self-adhesive labels with a raised bump. Use these small, unobtrusive dots to mark items such as computer keyboards and buttons on household appliances.

We are now offering the Tactile Low-Vision Timer <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5894&qid=1416187> , which is equally accessible by blind and low-vision users. This large, freestanding, sixty-minute timer features raised white numbers on a black background. Each minute is marked with a raised white line; the five minute intervals are indicated with longer lines.

We have added the Talking Infrared All-Purpose Thermometer <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5897&qid=1416187>  to our product line. This hand-held talking infrared thermometer can instantly measure the temperature of hot and cold items without physical contact. Use it to check the temperature of items bubbling on the stove as well as to verify your oven, refrigerator, and freezer temperatures. The scan function can be used to locate a hot burner on a flat cook top stove. The thermometer measures both in Fahrenheit (-94 to 716 degrees) and Centigrade (-70 to 380 degrees). The unit features a built-in, talking quick tutor, and speaks in three languages: English, Spanish, and French. This thermometer is a versatile tool that can be used all around the home.

If you are looking for an accessible thermostat for your home, the Talking Thermostat (Vip3000) <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5898&qid=1416187>  should meet your needs. This talking thermostat is designed to be used in residential settings and can control most twenty-four-volt heating and air conditioning systems, including the newest multi-stage furnaces, air conditioners, and heat pump systems. One can easily check the indoor temperature and the thermostat setting, and adjust the temperature. The weekday and weekend programs allow one to specify the temperature for heating and cooling for four different selectable time points during the day and night. The unit speaks during all aspects of setup. Audio and text-based instructions on CD are included. Now you can independently control the temperature in your own home.

Finally, we started carrying a new raised-line coloring book.  <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5899&qid=1416187> I Am a Crayon. What Color Am I? by John Batron is a tactile, Braille, and large-print coloring and storybook, for blind and sighted family and friends to share with their young children. The story in large print and uncontracted Braille includes nine unique tactile pictures.

For more information about the products and literature available from the NFB Independence Market <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5901&qid=1416187> , please visit us online or contact us via email at independencemarket at nfb.org <mailto:mailto:independencemarket at nfb.org>  or by phone at (410) 659-9314, extension 2216. Our staff will be glad to assist you.

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Advocacy

Success

The National Federation of the Blind applauds NFB of New Jersey member Anthony Lanzilotti for his recent graduation from Atlantic Cape Community College and acceptance into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Mr. Lanzilotti’s tenacity was key to his success in participating fully and equally in his college’s programs and in securing his degree. During the course of his attending Atlantic Cape Community College, Mr. Lanzilotti was a plaintiff alongside the NFB in a lawsuit against the school. The resulting 2015 consent decree <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5895&qid=1416187>  requires the school to ensure accessibility of its website and all instructional material and educational technology, and to review and revise its policies for accommodating students with disabilities, thus laying a framework for success for future blind Atlantic Cape Community College students. Congratulations, Anthony!   

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NFB Calendar

Upcoming Events

September 30-October 2: NFB BELL Academy Training Seminar (Advanced) in Baltimore, Maryland

October 20-24: NFB BELL Academy Training Seminar (Novice/Intermediate) in Baltimore, Maryland

September 12-17, 2017: BLAST, Nashville, Tennessee

State Conventions

Hawaii <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5855&qid=1416187>  - October 1-2

Kentucky <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5856&qid=1416187>  - September 30-October 2

Minnesota <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5857&qid=1416187>  - September 30-October 2

Alaska <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5858&qid=1416187>  - October 7-8

Georgia <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5859&qid=1416187>  - October 7-9

Iowa <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5860&qid=1416187>  - October 7-9

Indiana <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5861&qid=1416187>  - October 7-9

Montana <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5862&qid=1416187>  - October 7-9

Nebraska <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5863&qid=1416187>  - October 7-9

District of Columbia <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5864&qid=1416187>  - October 12-15

Oregon <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5865&qid=1416187>  - October 14-16

Rhode Island <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5866&qid=1416187>  - October 14-15

Washington <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5867&qid=1416187>  - October 14-16

California <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5868&qid=1416187>  - October 21-23

Arkansas <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5869&qid=1416187>  - October 28-30

Colorado <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5870&qid=1416187>  - October 28-30

Delaware <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5871&qid=1416187>  - October 28-29

Illinois <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5872&qid=1416187>  - October 28-30

Maryland <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5873&qid=1416187>  - October 28-30

New York <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5874&qid=1416187>  - October 28-30

South Carolina <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5875&qid=1416187>  - October 28-30

Vermont <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5876&qid=1416187>  - October 29

Connecticut <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5877&qid=1416187>  - November 4-6

Kansas <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5878&qid=1416187>  - November 4-6

Michigan <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5879&qid=1416187>  - November 4-6

Texas <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5880&qid=1416187>  - November 4-6

New Jersey <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5881&qid=1416187>  - November 10-13

Nevada <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5882&qid=1416187>  - November 11-13

Ohio <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5883&qid=1416187>  - November 11-13

Pennsylvania <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5884&qid=1416187>  - November 11-13

Virginia <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5885&qid=1416187>  - November 11-13

Puerto Rico <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5886&qid=1416187>  - November 19

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Citation

We have a very personal interest in publicity about us, and we will tell the story as it truly is. We are a part of this society, and we expect to be welcomed within it, not made the butt of somebody else’s so-called humor.  

– Dr. Marc Maurer “The Power of Belonging <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5902&qid=1416187> ." 2013 NFB National Convention, Orlando, Florida, July 6, 2013.

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Thank you for reading the NFB’s Imagineering Our Future.

Help make a significant difference in the lives of blind people across the country.

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Please check with your company to see if it offers a matching program that will match your gift.

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Interesting links:

Archive of Straight Talk About Vision Loss videos <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=4053&qid=692780> 

National Center for Blind Youth in Science <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=4054&qid=692780> 

Access Technology Tips <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=4055&qid=692780> 

TeachBlindStudents.org <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=4056&qid=692780> 

 A young blind boy examines the leaves on a tree. <http://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/image/jinewsletter/boy-leaves.jpg> 

Blogs:

Access Technology <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=4057&qid=692780> 

Voice of the Nation's Blind <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=4058&qid=692780> 

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Support the National Federation of the Blind through the Imagination Fund <http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=4059&qid=692780> .

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National Federation of the Blind

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at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, MD 21230
United States

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