[Perform-talk] Some press for the Braille coin and its ride on Atlantis + my new series on Braille literacy begins

[Donna Hill]

Hi Friends,

I don't know if I had anything to do with it, but after leaving comments 
on several Numismaster articles about the coin sales bemoaning the 
failure of the news to point out why this coin exists, they finally said 
it.  I left them a thank you comment in which I mention my new series of 
articles on Braille literacy which has begun on the American Chronicle 
online magazine.  The links to those articles are in the comment post 
which is copied below the article.  The article is, as usual, copied 
below my name with the link to it.
Enjoy,
Donna Hill

***
 From Numismaster, 5/18/09
http://www.numismaster.com/ta/numis/Article.jsp?ad=article&ArticleId=6694
Two Braille commemorative silver dollars were sent into space May 11 
aboard the space shuttle Atlantis to help call attention to the plight 
of blind children in the United States.

The National Federation of the Blind says that only 10 percent of blind 
children today are learning Braille.

It is the hope of the NFB that it can sell 50,000 of the coins during 
the 11 days the Atlantis is in orbit.

Mark Riccobono, executive director of the NFB's Jernigan Institute, 
said: "Blind children in America are facing a crisis - only 10 percent 
of them are learning Braille, leaving 90 percent illiterate. It is 
imperative that the general public act swiftly to reverse illiteracy 
among blind children. That
is why we are asking everyone to purchase a Louis Braille Bicentennial 
silver dollar before Atlantis returns to earth."

The proof version is priced at $41.95 and the uncirculated version is 
$33.95. Maximum mintage is 400,000 for the two versions combined. Visit
www.usmint.gov for more information.      
Comments
On May 18, 2009 Donna W. Hill saidThank you for writing about America's 
Braille literacy crisis. It's not only the NFB that uses these 
statistics.  I found similar numbers on the Braille Institute of America 
site, and they thanked the National Braille Press and the American 
Foundation for the Blind for the
stats.

If anyone is interested in a more in depth look at the problem, a new 
series has begun on American Chronicle.  The first, an overview, 
"Braille Literacy: the Coin on a Mission, the Crisis and the 
Controversy" is at:

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/102105

The next two weeks will feature interviews with attorney, president of 
the PA chapter of the National Organization of Parents of Blind 
Children, and the mother of a legally blind 8-year-old, Carlton Anne 
Cook Walker and Carrie Gilmer, mother of an 18-year-old, legally blind 
honors student and president
of the Minnesota chapter of the same organization.
Other interviews covering other aspects of the subject will follow.
People can find future articles at:

http://www.americanchronicle.com/authors/view/3885

-- 
Read my articles on American Chronicle:
http://www.americanchronicle.com/authors/view/3885

For my bio & to hear clips from The Last Straw:
http://cdbaby.com/cd/donnahill

Apple I-Tunes

phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=259244374

Performing Arts Division of the National Federation of the Blind
www.padnfb.org








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