THE BRAILLE MONITOR
Vol. 43, No. 4     April, 2000

     Barbara Pierce, Editor


     Published in inkprint, in Braille, and on cassette by

     THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

     MARC MAURER, PRESIDENT


     National Office
     1800 Johnson Street
     Baltimore, Maryland  21230
     NFB Net BBS: http://www.nfbnet.org
     Web Page address: http://www.nfb.org



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     THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION
     SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND--IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR 
THEMSELVES





ISSN 0006-8829


Vol. 43, No. 4 April, 2000
     Contents

Blindness, Quotas, and the Disadvantages of Civil Rights     
     by Marc Maurer

When the Doorbell Rings:     
Changing What It Means to Be a Blind Test-taker
by Doug and Peggy Elliott and Dan Sutherland

NEWSLINE--It Changed My Life!     
     by Norm Gardner

Walking at a Federation Pace     
     by Stephen O. Benson

Lessons for Life     
     by Leeann Morrow

NFB Testifies on Internet Access and the ADA     
     by Gary Wunder

One Soggy Step at a Time     
     by Patty Droppers

But the Others Majored in Music     
     by Hazel Staley

An Exciting Opportunity for Job Seekers     
     by Jennifer Stevens

Convention Attractions     

Roles, Rights, and Responsibilities
NOPBC-Sponsored Convention Activities for Parents and Kids     
     by Barbara Cheadle

Vital Convention Information for Guide Dog Users     
     by Suzanne Whalen

Dialysis at National Convention     
     by Ed Bryant

Recipes     

Monitor Miniatures     

     Copyright c 2000 National Federation of the Blind


[LEAD PHOTO #1 DESCRIPTION: President Maurer is standing on a lawn with a 
large medieval building behind him. CAPTION: #1: President Maurer stands in 
the quad of New College, Oxford. PHOTO #2 DESCRIPTION: President Maurer stands 
on the outside of a fence looking into a grassy area surrounded by college 
buildings. CAPTION: President Maurer stands looking into the New College 
Quadrangle.]
[PHOTO DESCRIPTION: Dr. Maurer is seated at a table while a man in academic 
robes stands at a podium. CAPTION: Alan Ryan, Warden of New College, Oxford, 
introduces President Maurer to the audience.]
     Blindness, Quotas, and the Disadvantages of Civil Rights
     by Marc Maurer

     From the Editor: By invitation of the Equal Opportunity and 
Disabilities Committees at Oxford University, President Maurer 
delivered a university-wide address at the Examination Schools on 
February 16, 2000. The following day he delivered a similar 
address at Birmingham University. Friday evening, February 18, he 
addressed the London Branch of the National Federation of the 
Blind of the United Kingdom. Following is the address Dr. Maurer 
made at Oxford. Alan Ryan, Warden of New College, Oxford, and 
chairman of the Equal Opportunity Committee introduced President 
Maurer:

     In 1959 the humorist Tom Lehrer said that the army had 
carried the American democratic ideal to its ultimate. Not only 
did the army "prohibit discrimination on the grounds of race, 
creed, and color (Lehrer said) but also on the grounds of 
ability." Although this remark is taken out of context, it is 
suggestive of a rarely expressed opinion of today that 
nondiscrimination legislation is created out of a sense of 
misplaced idealism or guilt to provide artificial protection for 
the incompetent. If this opinion reflects reality, then 
nondiscrimination legislation will ultimately fail in its object. 
In a well-ordered society incompetence will not long be 
tolerated, and the law cannot create ability where none exists.
     I serve as President of the National Federation of the 
Blind, an organization which was formed in 1940 by a brilliant 
blind professor, Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, along with a handful of 
others. The Federation, which now consists of over seven hundred 
local chapters in almost every large city in the United States 
with a membership of well over fifty thousand, was founded on the 
principle that blindness is a characteristic rather than a 
devastating handicap. Blindness can be a tragic hell if it is not 
properly understood, but it need not be. Although some of the 
disadvantages associated with blindness are physical, most of 
them stem from mistaken attitudes about it. With proper training 
and the opportunity to use that training, the disadvantages of 
blindness can be reduced to the level of a physical nuisance.
     Blindness is widely regarded not only as a disability (which 
it clearly is) but also as a handicap--a fundamental disadvantage 
which affects all (or almost all) of the activities of living. 
However, the Federation believes it is a handicap only in those 
instances in which sight is demanded. Fewer tasks demand vision 
than is sometimes supposed. Nevertheless, the public perception 
persists that blindness renders a person unfit for most jobs, and 
this view of blindness is truly a handicap. The misunderstanding 
of blindness is not limited only to the sighted. Blind people, 
who are a part of the greater society, tend to accept the public 
perception, and this acceptance does much to reinforce the 
popular belief.
     Such high-sounding philosophical notions are undoubtedly 
heart-warming, but do they not contradict human experience? 
Although there have been a few notable exceptions, the blind 
throughout history have been primarily unemployed. If blind 
people can work, why have they been so persistently unemployed?
     In the sixty years since the National Federation of the 
Blind has come into being, this argument (in many different 
forms) has been presented repeatedly. In 1952 Dr. Kenneth 
Jernigan, a young blind man from an impoverished rural setting of 
the United States, who would later become a master builder of 
programs for the blind and President of the National Federation 
of the Blind, met Dr. tenBroek.
     Dr. Jernigan was at first intrigued and then captivated by 
the teachings of the blind professor. He set himself the task of 
demonstrating what could be done in programming for the blind if 
the emphasis were shifted from the disadvantages to the 
capabilities of blind students. Dr. Jernigan established training 
programs for the blind which encouraged development of physical 
and mental skills. Blind people were taught to jump rope, lift 
weights, practice judo moves, attack the punching bag, and do 
other physical activities. Included in the training were courses 
in traveling independently with a white cane, water-skiing, 
barbecuing over a hot fire, managing the daily activities in the 
kitchen, operating the equipment in a wood-working shop, and 
learning to communicate using both print and Braille.
     All of these elements of learning were important, but what 
held the program together and gave it life was a class in logic 
and the proper meaning attributable to blindness. Can a blind 
person be a chemist? Should blind people be expected to wash 
windows without leaving streaks or dirty spots? Can blind people 
effectively clear tables in a restaurant? These and hundreds of 
other questions were discussed, and they received favorable 
answers. Can a blind person observe people at a public beach to 
protect them against accidents in the water? If there is a 
practical way to accomplish this, we have not yet found it. 
Blindness, like every other characteristic, has its limitations, 
but they are often much overstated. The myth of inferiority is 
just as much a part of the culture for the blind as it is for 
other minority groups--in fact, until recently it has been one of 
the defining characteristics of blindness. However, our 
experience indicates that this myth is wrong.
     The teachings of Dr. tenBroek, carried into execution by the 
work of Dr. Jernigan, changed expectations among blind people and 
the sighted public about what was possible for this hitherto 
almost unrecognized minority. Blind people became electrical 
engineers, insurance executives, political figures, farmers, 
factory workers, teachers, and participants in dozens of other 
professions and activities. For the first time the ordinary blind 
person became productively employed at the ordinary trade or 
business in the ordinary setting alongside the ordinary sighted 
person. It was a demonstration of competence by a substantial 
number.
     These two outstanding thinkers and leaders, Drs. tenBroek 
and Jernigan, brought hope to a whole generation and created an 
unquenchable discontent. No longer were the blind prepared to 
accept other people's assessments of their limitations. No longer 
were they willing to tolerate the assertion that they might not 
become college graduates and that only a limited number of 
employment opportunities would ever be suitable for them. Blind 
people decided to demand equality--not all blind people, of 
course, but a sufficient number to command attention, and the 
results were immediate and striking.
     When the blind refused to have others speak for them and 
insisted on their fundamental right to speak for themselves, 
bitter, prolonged, intense conflict followed. In 1957 Dr. 
tenBroek could proclaim to the delegates gathered at the 
convention of the National Federation of the Blind that today we 
stand "an embattled organization. Our motives have been impugned; 
our purposes reviled; our integrity aspersed; our representative 
character denied." By 1973 Dr. Jernigan, speaking to the same 
organization, declared, "We will never go back to the ward status 
of second-class citizens. There is simply no way. There are blind 
people aplenty...who will take to the streets and fight with 
their bare hands if they must before they will let it happen. In 
our own time and in our own day we have found leaders...willing 
to go into battle to resist tyranny."
     Such are the words of Dr. Jernigan. What caused the 
confrontation? The blind declared that programs established to 
serve them could dominate their lives no longer. Some of the 
administrators of such programs hearing these pronouncements 
fought to retain the position of dominance they had formerly 
enjoyed. Furthermore, they resented any suggestion on the part of 
the blind that the system they had devised was other than ideal 
for the group they regarded as their wards. The two positions are 
irreconcilable, yet there are those who have said to the 
organized blind that we should all get together because we are 
all working for the same thing.
     When the National Federation of the Blind was formed in 
1940, the unemployment rate for blind people was almost one 
hundred percent. In 1920, after the close of World War I, 
Congress had established a program of rehabilitation for the 
disabled, directed primarily toward returning veterans. However, 
the blind were not included because it was thought that blind 
people could not be rehabilitated. By 1958 estimates of the 
employment rate for the blind indicated that three percent of 
blind people of employable age had jobs. By the mid 1970's the 
rate of employment for the blind had risen to thirty percent.
     In the mid 1960's Dr. tenBroek reviewed the state of the law 
for the disabled in an article entitled "The Right to Live in the 
World: The Disabled and the Law of Torts." Stimulated by his 
research, Dr. tenBroek drafted a model White Cane Law which 
declares that the blind have a right to be on the streets, 
highways, and walkways and in public buildings and facilities.
     Today it seems odd that there could ever have been a need 
for such a law, but overt discrimination against the blind had 
occurred fairly frequently before the statute was drafted. 
Furthermore, some judicial decisions had prevented the blind from 
receiving compensatory damages for injury on the grounds that the 
injured individuals had not been carrying a white cane and were 
thus guilty of contributory negligence. The White Cane Law 
declares that the failure of a blind person to carry a white cane 
is not evidence of contributory negligence.
     In 1973 the Rehabilitation Act was amended to include 
nondiscrimination provisions. Those receiving federal financial 
assistance were prohibited from discriminating against the 
disabled. This broadened dramatically the statutory protection 
for the blind and the otherwise disabled. In 1990 the Americans 
with Disabilities Act was signed into law. This applied 
nondiscrimination provisions to most businesses. Within less than 
a quarter century civil rights legislation for the disabled 
became the established policy of the United States.
     One of the concepts of this legislation is reasonable 
accommodation. If a modification of the work site or the tasks of 
a particular job will make it possible for a disabled person to 
do the work and if the disabled applicant is the most qualified 
for the job, the modification must be made. The limitations on 
such accommodations are that they may not be so costly as to be 
unduly burdensome to the employer, and they may not be so 
extensive that they change the nature of the job.
     How have these principles been interpreted? In many cases 
the modifications are slight, and there is little question that 
they are reasonable. A blind person attending a meeting may take 
notes in Braille and transcribe them later for distribution to 
others. Blind employees may use readers to study the material 
that comes to them rather than reading it in print. However, the 
use of readers has not been without controversy. Until the early 
1990's the United States Department of State prohibited blind 
people from applying for jobs as foreign service officers 
because, they said, foreign service officers must read secret 
documents, and there is no way for a blind foreign service 
officer to use a reading machine or a live reader to perform this 
essential function within the requirements of security. Of 
course, senior personnel in other departments of government had 
been reading classified documents with readers or reading 
machines for years without violating security, but this argument 
failed to impress officials at the State Department.
     The action that changed their minds was a Congressional 
hearing directed at preventing the State Department from 
receiving a budget appropriation unless it adopted policies in 
accordance with the law. Despite the long-established practice of 
permitting the blind to use readers to get information, the State 
Department did not regard the use of such readers as reasonable. 
It has now been permitting such practices for a decade, 
apparently with no ill effect.
     However, there have been other instances in which the 
reasonableness of a requested accommodation can be seriously 
questioned. In 1982 a blind man named Harold Carter, working for 
the United States Department of Education, sued his employer for 
failing to provide him with reasonable accommodation. He was 
serving as a Congressional liaison officer, who was expected to 
write letters in response to congressional inquiries. The 
standard of the department was that twelve letters should be 
written by each officer each week. In order to accommodate Mr. 
Carter, the output requirement for him had been dropped to six 
letters per week--fifty percent of the standard applied to the 
rest of the employees. In addition, Carter was offered a reader 
to assist him.
     Nevertheless, he still did not get the work done, and he 
blamed his failure on the Department of Education because he said 
that these accommodations were inadequate. What he needed, he 
said, was to have every single document that he might ever need 
to review put into Braille. Because the library of material 
available for research was moderately sizable, this request was 
completely impractical.
     During the course of the trial Carter testified that, even 
if he were provided with a full-time reader and expensive 
equipment (which in his estimation would cost sixty-five to 
seventy thousand dollars), he still could not be as efficient as 
a sighted person in performing the duties expected of him. 
Carter's unbelievable testimony contains the following brief 
passage: "There is no way you can interpret subtle thoughts to a 
reader who is doing research. To delve seemingly with no 
direction into files to get information--I don't know how you 
could do it unless you can see enough to do it yourself." Such is 
the testimony of Harold Carter, and one wonders if he can really 
believe it. I myself, totally blind now for more than thirty 
years, have conducted legal research, and many thousands of other 
blind people have competently used readers to gain information, 
both subtle and otherwise.
     The Department of Education prevailed; the justices declared 
that Carter's claims that additional accommodations should have 
been made were unreasonable. However, nobody in the case, not 
Carter, not Carter's supervisor, not the Secretary of Education, 
not the many lawyers involved, not the justices in the Court of 
Appeals--nobody challenged the determination that fifty percent 
performance is all that can be expected from a blind employee. If 
this is the result that comes from adopting nondiscrimination 
legislation, it were better that it had never been written. One 
of the premier judicial tribunals of the United States has 
tacitly accepted an argument offered by one of the major 
departments of our government that the blind are necessarily 
inferior to the sighted in employment--and it was done with the 
assistance (one might say with the complicity) of a blind person. 
He believed himself to be inferior, and he argued that this is 
the condition of us all.
     At the same time that the Harold Carter case was being 
filed, one of the administrators of programming for the blind in 
the United States, the executive director of a workshop for the 
blind in Minnesota, declared that equality for the blind was a 
false hope. "If the blind are equal to the sighted," he 
expostulated, "here, let them take my car keys and drive me to 
work." This man thought that the way a thing is done is more 
important than the final outcome.
      I might have told him of a blind man of my acquaintance who 
was having trouble getting taxis to come to his door. He 
established a transportation business of his own. He no longer 
has trouble finding a way to get from place to place. As 
president of the company, he can assign his drivers to be where 
he wants at times that please his convenience. When they are not 
driving for him, they transport paying customers, and the whole 
arrangement helps to put money into his pocket. This blind man 
would be quite capable of driving the sighted administrator to 
work.
     The Americans with Disabilities Act, adopted in 1990, is the 
most comprehensive law prohibiting discrimination against the 
disabled. However, there are those who say that it has diminished 
rather than enhanced opportunity. A report appearing a year ago 
in the St. Petersburg Times indicates that the Harris Company 
surveyed employment statistics for the disabled. Unemployment had 
risen between 1986 and 1998 from sixty-six to seventy-one 
percent. The same report indicates that a member of the U.S. 
Civil Rights Commission, Russell Redenbaugh, who is himself 
totally blind, speculates that the fear of lawsuits has prevented 
the most severely disabled from being employed. Mr. Redenbaugh 
believes (according to this report) that the interpretation of 
the ADA has been twisted to such an extent that the inability to 
perform a job may be cited as an indication that an employee is 
disabled and entitled to protection under the law.
     Are employees expected to be at work on time? Not if they 
have a disability which would make this difficult, says the 
report. Is dismissal from employment permissible for sleeping on 
the job? Not if the disability is narcolepsy. Accommodations 
being demanded under the ADA attack the notion that employees 
should come to work on time, stay awake, and get the job done. If 
it takes longer for a disabled person to do the same job 
performed by an able-bodied employee, some people argue that the 
employer should be prepared to accept a lesser amount of 
productive work. At one time the slogan in the labor market was 
equal pay for equal work. There are those who argue that the 
slogan of disability rights is equal pay even without equal work.
     It is a short step from the concept that inferior 
performance must be accepted by an employer to the notion that 
all employers should have disabled employees on the payroll--that 
employment is a right for those with disabilities. Such a concept 
involves shifting the burden of providing a livelihood for the 
disabled from charitable entities or government to the employment 
community. An equitable distribution of this burden would involve 
placing the disabled with employers in accordance with the size 
of the complement of their workers. If the benefit of employing 
disabled workers is not as great as that which comes from 
employing the non-disabled, this is simply one more cost of doing 
business, goes the argument.
     The Americans with Disabilities Act began with the 
proposition that the law should require equality of opportunity. 
However, there are those who believe it should require equality 
of result. The disabled (they say) have been victimized by lack 
of understanding and discriminatory behavior; they are entitled 
to employment. Logic suggests that the long-term impact of this 
argument can only be destructive.
     One of the members of the National Federation of the Blind 
is Dr. Frederic K. Schroeder, a blind person who serves as the 
Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration, the 
federal agency responsible for rehabilitation programs. Dr. 
Schroeder has an annual budget of something like three billion 
dollars.
     When Dr. Schroeder was young, he hoped that he could find a 
way to do something productive, but he had no training in the 
skills of blindness, and his parents did not have enough 
experience to know what a blind boy might be able to achieve. Dr. 
Schroeder pondered the options available to him, and he concluded 
that there was only one profession that he could undertake--he 
decided to become a radio disc jockey because he was a good 
talker, and everybody knows that all disc jockeys do is talk on 
the radio and play records. Then he became acquainted with the 
National Federation of the Blind, and he discovered that there 
are many other alternatives.
     Dr. Schroeder became a teacher and an administrator of 
public programs of education, but he was still affected by his 
beliefs about blindness. With the acquisition of the new job, Dr. 
Schroeder had the money to buy a house. He faced the problem of 
how to get the lawn mowed. He thought he might hire somebody to 
do it, but (he reasoned) if he asked a sighted person to mow his 
lawn, the neighbors would believe he was not able to do it 
himself because he was blind. This would reinforce their 
assessment of him as inferior. However, he was also afraid to mow 
the lawn himself because the neighbors might watch him do it, and 
if he missed a patch of grass, they would conclude that he was 
incompetent. He could, of course, cover the lawn in such a way 
that he would not miss any grass--going over it repeatedly in 
narrow strips--but this too would look unusual and peculiar to 
the neighbors.
     Dr. Schroeder did not want to look peculiar. He decided that 
the best solution was for him to mow his lawn when the neighbors 
were not likely to observe. He decided to cut the grass at night. 
I cannot say how the neighbors reacted to this plan. However, if 
the objective is to seem normal, I doubt that mowing the lawn at 
night is the best way to accomplish this purpose.
     The efforts of Dr. Fred Schroeder to avoid looking 
conspicuous and to appear normal remind me of my own embarrassing 
experiences. How great a premium there is on seeming normal!
     When I was in high school, I also wanted to find something 
productive to do. I wondered what my life might become. I had 
read books describing high adventure, big business, and politics, 
but I was convinced that my blindness would prevent me from 
engaging in these activities. Nevertheless, I hoped. I wondered 
if I might be fortunate enough to attend college, but I knew of 
no way to do it. I had met only one other blind person, a man who 
sat in front of a specialty shop and sold pencils. I did not want 
to be like him. I had delivered newspapers and mowed lawns and 
shoveled snow and put shingles on the roof of a garage, but I 
knew of nobody who made a living doing these things. I had heard 
of blind people who built cabinetry and sold it. I decided this 
was the profession for me.
     Then I came in contact with the National Federation of the 
Blind, and my perspective changed. Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, who was 
then serving as its President, told me not to be so limited in my 
thinking; and he helped me get the money to attend the University 
of Notre Dame.
     When we were young, Dr. Schroeder and I did not have 
sufficient knowledge or experience about blindness to know what 
might be possible for us. We had heard other people talk about 
the limitations of blindness, and we accepted their assessment--
making those limitations real. We needed the help of others to 
give us background and perspective. Nevertheless, even with our 
limited information, we knew more about blindness from personal 
experience than most of the public. Is it any wonder that there 
is misunderstanding?
     Is it better for a disadvantaged minority (such as the 
blind) to have an established law to protect them from the larger 
society, or is it better for that group and for society as a 
whole if no law exists? This depends upon the nature of the law, 
the way it is interpreted, the behavior of the protected 
minority, and the behavior of society as a whole.
     If a society decides to discriminate unreasonably, it loses 
the talents of the affected group. The group singled out for 
specialized treatment cannot achieve its potential, and the 
overall capacity of the society is diminished. If the blind are 
capable, it is in society's best interest to employ that 
capability. If doing so requires a law, it is well to adopt one.
     However, the power of law is restricted; it may set limits 
on behavior, but it cannot create understanding. The members of 
society interacting with the minority group must do that. The 
institution of a law may inhibit this process by establishing a 
set of requirements which are minimum guidelines. Employers and 
others may say that they have met the requirements of the law, 
and they may not be willing to consider anything else.
     The natural laws of physics say that for every action there 
is an equal and opposite reaction. They also tell us that matter 
cannot be created from nothing. These principles are just as true 
in social affairs as they are in the physics laboratory. If the 
disabled demand equal treatment without providing equal service, 
there will be a shortfall in the equation, and somebody will pay. 
I fear that the payment will be exacted in the social acceptance 
of those with disabilities. If only fifty percent performance is 
required, true acceptance of those who offer it is unlikely. 
Promotions will not come easily to this group, and even when 
there is outstanding performance, recognition of it will be 
inhibited because the inherent expectations will be of only 
minimal performance. Because the employer will expect less of the 
disabled than is required of others, this group will always be 
regarded as inferior. The tragedy is that, if this standard is 
once put in place, many disabled people will come to believe that 
it is fair and reasonable.
     The whole structure of rules and regulations is suggestive 
of conflict in which fear, confrontation, and reprisal are part 
of the norm. Confrontation and fear are corrosive. If society 
permits these attributes of life to become extensive, they will 
undermine the foundation of our civilization. However, all groups 
that have achieved first-class status within society have passed 
through a period of hostility. Even the barons of England 
confronted King John demanding that a law be established. The law 
was written during a period of conflict.
     However, as essential as conflict may be, it cannot solve 
all problems. There must be a time of consolidation beyond 
confrontation. If the blind and the otherwise disabled insist 
that nondiscrimination laws be interpreted to provide equality of 
opportunity and that the only acceptable interpretation of them 
is that equal work be a prerequisite for equal pay, our society 
may achieve a measure of understanding that extends beyond the 
law.
     When is it reasonable to demand that civil rights 
legislation be adopted? When should a group be willing to suffer 
the disadvantages that come with conflict, confrontation, and the 
imposition of legal force? Whenever conditions for that group 
have become intolerable and there appears to be no alternative. 
The adoption of legislation to protect the interests of a 
minority implies that many in society are not willing to offer 
that group equal treatment without the requirements of law. 
However, it also implies that the minority has the political 
muscle to make itself heard. It is doubtless unnecessary to 
observe that those with political muscle get more respect than 
those without it.
     The law is a tool; it has the capacity to get attention. 
However, we must resist the seductive temptation to believe that 
the law alone is adequate to protect our interests--it is not. We 
must think beyond law and express our dreams in terms of social 
acceptance rather than force. The law can help us get a job, but 
it cannot make employers want to use our talents. It can give us 
the right to enter a public place or participate in a public 
program, but it cannot induce our neighbors to want to have us 
there. It can express our wish for equality, but it cannot make 
us equal--we must do that for ourselves.
     We who are blind can dream of a time when we will not be 
talking of the battles, the demands, or the requirements of law. 
We are blind, but we are not inferior to others, and we have 
every confidence that our sighted neighbors will join us and 
accept us for the capable people we are.
(r)

     When the Doorbell Rings:
     Changing What It Means to Be a Blind Test-taker
     by Doug and Peggy Elliott and Dan Sutherland
          
     From the Editor: Over five years ago now Doug Elliott, 
already an experienced social worker, was required to take the 
test to become a licensed social worker after he moved to Iowa. 
He was forced to use an untrained, inept reader assigned to work 
with him by the testing authority. Doug was outraged at the 
injustice of the testing authority's decision and behavior, and 
since then he and his wife, NFB Second Vice President Peggy 
Elliott, have been pursuing redress in the case the Department of 
Justice brought on Doug's behalf against the testing authority. 
They have made significant progress even though one of the 
parties to the settlement agreement has now announced that they 
have no intention of complying with some of the provisions. The 
Elliotts reported all of this to the National Association of 
Blind Students at its January 29 seminar in Washington, D.C. 
Their report began with Doug's introduction of Dan Sutherland, 
the Department of Justice lawyer who has been working on the 
case. Mr. Sutherland then described what has happened in the 
case, and Peggy Elliott discussed what still needs to be done. 
This is what they said:

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Doug Elliott]
     Doug Elliott: The reason I am up here to introduce the next 
speaker is that in 1994 I moved to Iowa to marry the Second Vice 
President. At that time I was a social worker in Nevada and the 
President of the National Federation of the Blind of Nevada. I 
was a licensed clinical social worker working in a hospital. I 
had worked in hospitals for over twenty years. Through most of 
that time I had had some kind of license or had been credentialed 
and did pretty well on my evaluations. I came to Iowa, and they 
said, "But it doesn't transfer because you were grandfathered 
in."
     I said, "Yes, but I helped develop the test out there."
     They said, "Well, you are in Iowa now, and you are going to 
take the test." Because the AASSWB (American Association of State 
Social Work Boards), the organization nationally that provides 
the licensure test for social workers insisted on it, I had to 
take the test. I brought a reader with me who was capable of 
reading intelligently and assumed there would be no problem. They 
were supposed to provide a reader, but when I got there they 
hadn't arranged for one.
     So I used their so-called reader, who wasn't really a 
reader; she was just there to help out. She announced that she 
was exhausted and not very good at reading. I failed that test.
     Since then I have passed the test, but I went back home and 
thought about this experience. Testing affects all of us. It's 
going to affect you if it hasn't already done so. When you go 
into your professions or even as students, testing is going to 
affect you. I wanted to do something so that other people don't 
fail these tests simply because they have to train their readers 
through the whole testing process.
     I hired myself a good lawyer--the Second Vice President of 
the National Federation of the Blind--and she drew up a petition 
and sent it off to a number of places. One of the places it 
landed was the Department of Justice. We had contact with a 
lawyer there. His name was Dan Sutherland. We talked to Dan a lot 
about this case. Originally he was like a lot of sighted people 
who tried to help us. They want very much to help, but most of 
the help they want to give isn't constructive. Dan was sort of 
like that, except that he was prepared to listen. Not all sighted 
people want to listen. This, by the way, is not a characteristic 
limited to sighted people; some blind people want to help and 
don't want to listen either.
     Dan started listening to our arguments on readers and why we 
thought we should be able to supply our own readers when we take 
tests. Dan eventually came around to our way of thinking. Not all 
of his bosses did, but he did. I think he tried very hard to get 
us what we wanted. He didn't get it all; he got some of it. Peggy 
says that I didn't talk to him with as much indignation about the 
situation as perhaps I should have. But we did win a part of the 
case. The AASSWB hired a lawyer who is a complete--well I can't 
say it in this room. But anyway he is. He fought with us. When we 
settled, he was upset about the press release that said I had won 
the case. So he said, "Well then, he's not going to get any 
money." They refused to pay.
     Anyway, Dan is still working faithfully on our case, and he 
wanted to come and talk with you. We are happy to have him with 
us today to talk about testing and what the Department of Justice 
has been doing with it. We think we have made some clear 
breakthroughs; we didn't get everything, but we did get a lot. I 
give you Dan Sutherland.

     Dan Sutherland: Thank you, Doug. This is a real treat for 
me. I didn't know that Doug was going to give a little 
introduction beforehand. He has laid the ground for us. I came to 
this case, as he said, with no experience at all. I knew 
absolutely nothing about the subject. To me that was a real 
positive. I didn't just think I didn't know anything. I knew I 
didn't know anything at all, so I tried to learn as much as I 
could and talk to as many people as I could. Peggy sent me 
several things that she had written, and I talked to Scott 
LaBarre a few times. But to tell you how new I was to all of 
this, I believe that I still know only three people in the world 
who are members of the National Federation of the Blind: Peggy, 
Doug, and Scott LaBarre by phone. So I was brand new to the whole 
thing.
     I want to tell you a little bit about this case and ask you 
some questions about what this might mean to you. Then, as I 
understand it, Peggy is going to stand up and criticize what the 
Department of Justice did, which is good. Let me tell you briefly 
who I am so you have a context. I am an attorney in the United 
States Department of Justice. The Department of Justice has 
different groups. There's an anti-trust group, a civil rights 
group, an environmental group; and I'm in the civil rights group. 
The civil rights group, of course, has more bureaucracy--other 
groups within it. Some people do education cases. Some do 
employment, and others do fair housing. I'm in the group called 
the Disability Rights Section. We handle cases under the 
Americans with Disabilities Act.
     What happens for me is that I get a file. It will be a 
letter that somebody has written complaining about something that 
they feel is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. 
My job is to go investigate that, find out the facts, and if we 
figure out that the facts do present a violation of the federal 
law, then we would try to work out a settlement or file a lawsuit 
about it. The complaints we get come from all sorts of 
disabilities. I spent the last couple of years dealing with 
people with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. I've had 
this case, and I'm dealing with a big case in a large city 
dealing with people who are arrested or incarcerated and have 
hearing impairments, and how they interact with police officers.
     I'm constantly dealing with things I know nothing about. 
That's good, because I just ask, and I'm not bringing to it a 
pre-set idea of what the right answer should be.
     I have been asked to tell you a little bit about this case 
that I hope you will find interesting. I want to engage you a 
little bit about the level of your interest. This is a large 
group, so I don't think we can talk one-to-one, but maybe we 
could do a show of hands.
     How many of you have had to take a standardized test? Almost 
everybody here. How many of you are in college now? [large number 
of aye's] How many are in graduate school now? [smaller response] 
Okay, so most of you are in college now. Are any of you high 
school students? [scattered response] Okay, a few. So you are a 
little bit early for the standardized test? [protests] No, 
already taking them. How many of you, when you have had to take a 
standardized test, have wanted to use a reader? [a good number of 
yeses] How many of you have been told you could not bring your 
own reader but that the agency would give you a reader? [about 
the same response] That's a common experience. How many of you 
have been able to supply your own reader? [perhaps three or four 
ayes] How many of you have found that the reader who was provided 
to you was fine, did a good job? [first dead silence and then a 
burst of laughter] Speak up now. [more laughter] Well, this has 
been very educational.
     We may need you to be expert witnesses. That was one of the 
questions, and we clearly have a lot of them here. Doug and Peggy 
wrote a letter to us about this case, and it presented an issue 
that we have not dealt with before. The only two cases I am aware 
of that have been in the courts are the one that we have handled 
and the one that Scott handled with the LSAT.
     So if you have problems with readers, if you are being 
forced to use a reader for a standardized test and the reader is 
not adequate for whatever reason, I really wish you would tell 
somebody. I will give you my phone number. Call me, or talk with 
Peggy, and she will call me. We would like to follow up on it. I 
will give you my phone now, and I'll give it to you later. My 
phone number is (202) 616-5540. My name again is Dan Sutherland. 
Feel free to call me anytime you would like. As I said, you can 
call Peggy, Doug, or Scott, and they will get the information to 
me.
     Let me give you a quick description of the case; otherwise 
you won't know the background as well as we would want you to. 
Doug had been a social worker. He moved to a new state, and that 
state required him to take a licensure examination. Whether they 
should have or not, I don't know. He mailed in his application, 
and he said that he would need a reader and that he would provide 
his own reader. Within a month or so he talked with them over the 
telephone, and they said, "Sorry, you can't provide your own 
reader; we'll provide one for you." Well, he wasn't really sure 
if that was going to work out, so the day of the exam he brought 
his own reader. But as he said, they followed through on their 
policy, which is that you can't provide your own reader.
     The reason they have this policy is that of course you are 
going to cheat. You'll have worked out some sort of elaborate 
signaling system so that the reader will be able to tell you the 
answers when you don't know them. Right? That is the typical 
reason that you have been given, isn't it? One thing that, I 
guess, Doug and Peggy did that was really interesting was that 
they also sent their letter to the American Psychological 
Association, which is responsible for setting industry standards 
on testing. The APA wrote a letter (the APA president and a 
couple of other people signed that letter) saying that whole idea 
is stupid. There is no problem of test security in allowing 
somebody to provide their own reader. That was significant, and 
it's a letter they have on file if you need to use it anywhere.
     In any case the only reader the AASSWB had available for 
Doug to use that day was one of the college students who were 
there to sign people in. She was just sitting at the table. 
Nobody had told her anything about reading. She had never read 
for someone before, and she knew nothing about this examination. 
She didn't know anything about social work. She didn't know 
anything about the context of the exam. Doug and she had no time 
to work together in advance to establish any familiarity with one 
another.
     They sat down to take the exam, and she stumbled over 
technical words as she read the exam to him. It was the first 
time she had done it; she wasn't familiar with it. She started 
writing the answers in the wrong boxes, so for the last hour or 
so of the exam, Doug could hear her erasing a lot. As he was 
thinking, she was erasing, going back and trying to get the 
answers put in the right boxes. She also found parts of the exam 
embarrassing because it was a social work exam, and there were 
sexual things on the exam that a social worker has to counsel 
somebody on in private. She needed to read those words and 
concepts to him. She didn't know him; she was just a college 
student.
     Anyway, the whole thing was a disaster. Well, not to the 
American Association of State Social Work Boards: they didn't 
think anything was a problem at all. Doug and Peggy immediately 
complained to the American Association of State Social Work 
Boards and also eventually followed up with us. Doug eventually, 
as he said, passed the examination, but that doesn't solve the 
problem. You know you have a standardized test to take, and in 
his case it wasn't to get into college. It was to practice his 
profession. He could not practice his profession without passing 
the examination.
     Then the question became, "What do we do with that?" It was 
easy for us to decide that this was a violation of the Americans 
with Disabilities Act because the law requires that testing 
agencies must provide what is called a qualified reader. Now 
Congress did not define a qualified reader. There is nothing 
anywhere that defines what a qualified reader is. So in this case 
we had to take a stab at what that means. This is certainly a 
case where we could have filed suit, but we tried to work out a 
settlement because, if you settle a case, you get a resolution of 
it two or three years in advance of when you would get a 
decision. Plus you never really know, when you go into court, 
what is going to happen. If you can work out a settlement, great.
     We worked out a settlement and signed a settlement 
agreement. I just want to tell you quickly what the American 
Association of State Social Work Boards has now agreed to do. The 
main limitation--I think this is what Peggy wants to talk about--
the main limitation is that we could not get them to agree that 
the Americans with Disabilities Act requires that they must allow 
you to provide your own reader. In other words, the rule, policy, 
position, principle established by this settlement is that they 
can either allow you to provide your own reader or, if they 
require you to take their reader, they've got to make sure that 
person meets certain criteria and standards.
     The effect of this is going to be that a lot of the testing 
agencies are just going to allow you to provide your own reader 
because it is too much trouble to go through the things that they 
have to go through. One of the two lawyers whom we were dealing 
with (there were two agencies involved in this case: the social 
workers and a testing organization that administers the tests for 
them). Just in the last week or so, before we signed the 
agreement, which we had been negotiating for months, one of the 
lawyers called and said, "Do we have to provide a reader, or can 
we just let them supply their own reader?" He said, "Can we make 
it a little more clear in the document to let them supply their 
own reader?"
     I said, "Sure." You see once he sat down with his clients 
and started to show them what they were going to have to do in 
order to provide what the law calls a qualified reader, they 
decided it would be a lot easier for the test-taker to provide 
his or her own reader.
     One of our jobs is to try to get this Department of Justice 
policy distributed throughout the testing industry, but you are 
the ones actually dealing with these testing entities, so you 
need to spread the word too. When you are in this situation, you 
need to know that you have rights and that there is a Justice 
Department policy on this. It's on the Internet. Anyone can read 
it. You've got my phone number. Peggy knows about it. Scott knows 
about it. So maybe we can work together to spread the word a 
little.
     I'll take two minutes to tell you what they agreed to do in 
the future about a reader. We said that, if they're going to 
require you to take their reader, the reader they supply must be 
proficient in reading, somebody who can really do it--not just 
somebody they picked off the line and told to go start reading. 
Doing this job is not that easy. We said they can demonstrate the 
reader's proficiency in one of three ways. One way is to allow 
test-takers to bring their own readers. If the person brought is 
not proficient, it's the test-taker's fault, not the agency's.
     The second way is that they can provide somebody who is 
unfamiliar to the test-taker, somebody he or she hasn't worked 
with before but who has read tests aloud before. At least the 
test-taker will then have someone who has experience in reading.
     The third way you can prove someone is proficient is that, 
although the person may never have read tests before, the testing 
authority can invest the time to train him or her. You have to 
spend hours with the reader. Have him or her read an article on 
what it takes to be a reader. Peggy has written a couple of 
articles on what it takes to be a reader, and we gave those 
articles to the AASSWB. The reader also needs to practice reading 
this examination. The reader needs to sit for hours with the test 
manager beforehand and practice. These solutions may not get 
blind test-takers to where you want to be in having a reader as 
proficient as you want, but at least you've got somebody who 
isn't just picked off the line. And besides, all this preparation 
makes it harder for the test agency. They are more likely to be 
happy to have you pick your own person.
     The first thing we said to the agency is that, if you are 
going to supply a reader, you have to make sure it is somebody 
who has some basic ability to read and has done it before. The 
second thing we said is that you have to pick somebody familiar 
with this examination. On the social work examination that Doug 
took, there were a lot of technical terms that you and I don't 
know--medications and other things that we cannot even pronounce. 
So you have to have somebody who is familiar with that 
examination. The reader also has to know what the rules are, how 
long the test is, when the breaks are, things like that.
     The third area we discussed is that, if you are going to 
supply a reader, you've got to have him or her work with the 
test-taker in advance so they can establish some familiarity. If 
you believe the test-taker will bring a friend and they may 
cheat, you can choose the reader, but then you must work with 
that person. This agreement says that the reader you choose and 
the test-taker have to work together for an unlimited period of 
time until the test-taker feels comfortable. The testing agency 
has to pay for this training. It's not the blind person's bill.
     Their gamble was that the required training would not be 
particularly hard, that the two would be able to establish 
familiarity quickly. In that case it's not going to be much money 
out of the testing agency's pocket. On your side maybe you would 
establish familiarity in an hour or so of practicing, but maybe 
it would take you a longer period of time. Under this agreement, 
if you are taking the social work test, they can't object. They 
have to provide the time for you to establish familiarity. There 
is also provision in the agreement that, if after you begin 
working with a reader, you find genuine incompatibility, you can 
insist on being given another reader.
     Under this agreement the AASSWB has to train its staff. They 
have to send a letter to every state agency that licenses social 
workers. All fifty states have to have a copy of it. They have to 
publicize it. Supposedly they have to put this information in 
their materials so that people like you can tell what your 
options are. They also had to compensate Doug for the time he 
lost preparing for that exam that he failed because of an 
incompetent reader. I can tell you, though, he did not make a 
million dollars from this agreement.
     I'm going to leave it at that and let Peggy pick it up from 
there, and then have some time for questions and answers.

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Peggy Elliott]
     Peggy Elliott: I want to start by assuring you that the 
story isn't over. One of the parties to this complaint has 
complied, as far as we know, with all of the terms, including 
paying Doug. The other has not. Their failure to comply was 
announced not only to Dan but also in the newspapers that covered 
Doug's case. The lawyer wrote letters to a lot of these 
newspapers, including our own Des Moines Register, and said that 
they had no intention of complying. He said that they had no need 
to comply because, in effect, they were already doing the right 
thing.
     The Department of Justice has known since the end of October 
that there was no intention to comply with at least the financial 
aspect of the settlement and possibly with other things as well. 
Dan is very aware of this and has recommended to the people he 
works for what he thinks should take place. He hasn't told me 
what the recommendation is, but I think I can pretty well guess 
what it would be. The option that comes to mind would be an 
enforcement action in a court of law. Dan has made his 
recommendation, and his supervisors have not yet seen fit to 
respond either yea or nay.
     So we still have the issue of whether or not the agreement 
you have just heard described is going to be enforced with regard 
to both the financial payment and the other terms. The reason I 
emphasize the other terms is that the lawyer for the American 
Association of State Social Work Boards has proclaimed to the 
world that this settlement didn't require them to make any 
changes at all, that they were already complying with the law and 
in fact were accommodating blind people well before the Americans 
with Disabilities Act, so they didn't have to do anything. They 
just signed the agreement to be nice to the Department of 
Justice. We will see if that continues to be their position as 
time goes along. Basically the people who did what they did to 
Doug are now thumbing their noses, not only at Doug and blind 
people in general, but also at the Department of Justice. We will 
see if the DOJ ultimately likes that or not.
     I want to talk for a few minutes about the issues that go 
beyond Doug's case and what we need to do. In order to do that, I 
need to tell you about the snail. A man went to his door one day 
because the doorbell had rung, but no one was there. He happened 
to look down and saw a snail on the mat. In disgust he flicked it 
into the bushes. Five years later the doorbell rang again with no 
one there. Again he looked down, but before he could do anything 
to the snail standing there, the snail said, "What was that all 
about?" Keep the snail in mind.
     We are talking about the regulations that implement the 
Americans with Disabilities Act under title II and III. Title II 
is the set of provisions that govern state and local government 
and their treatment of disabled people. Title III governs private 
entities. Often you are dealing with both, as in Doug's case. He 
was dealing with a social work board that was a State of Iowa 
entity and the American Association of State Social Work Boards, 
which is a private trade group. One was part of state government, 
and the other was a private group. The ADA regulations are 
slightly different under these two titles. You need to know this 
so that you know you can ignore it. Title II refers to the 
disabled person's preference in reasonable accommodation, and 
title III does not, though it does require reasonable 
accommodation. Under the regulations and the law you have the 
right to reasonable accommodation. Moreover, under the section 
about testing, it mentions that you have a right to a qualified 
reader.
     As you would suspect, Dan and we pulled and hauled back and 
forth on this question of a qualified reader. Aside from Doug's 
not wanting another blind person to have to go through his 
experience in the future, we believed that the language should 
define a qualified reader as the reader of your choice: there is 
no pool of qualified readers; the only one is the one you bring 
with you. Ultimately the Department of Justice decided not to 
implement its regulation to provide that the qualified reader is 
the reader of our choice. They chose to implement the regulation 
to give the authority to choose to the testing organization 
rather than us. Personally, I think that the Department of 
Justice showed a lack of backbone in this decision. I don't think 
it was Dan; we've had a number of conversations about this, and I 
think that the refusal to give blind people the choice was a 
departmental failure of nerve based first of all on lack of 
understanding.
     Most people think that a qualified reader for the blind is 
like a certified interpreter for the deaf. It's a person who 
helps the disabled person, and you can go out and draw on a pool 
of them. Can anyone in this room define a qualified reader? A 
qualified reader for me is not a qualified reader for Shawn. One 
that suits Shawn will not suit Dr. Maurer. Each of us uses 
readers differently. The term "qualified reader" is just words 
that somebody grabbed out of the air and threw into the 
regulation, but it doesn't mean any one thing. Readers are 
personal. We train our readers individually. There is no such 
thing as the qualified reader which the law guarantees to us. 
Therefore the only qualified reader is the person you obtain 
yourself. That's my position and that of the National Federation 
of the Blind. In a minute I will describe the way we are going to 
give the Department of Justice the opportunity to take that same 
position.
     Remember that one of the things that happens in cases like 
this is an overemphasis on test security. It isn't that they 
think we are cheaters but that we have the potential of cheating 
if we use our own readers. That is what they said to Doug: you 
would cheat if you used your own reader. That's preposterous; let 
them proctor us--assign someone to sit in the room and watch for 
those secret hand signals and whispered commands. Because most of 
us have taken standardized tests, I think we are all familiar 
with this extreme sensitivity to test security.
     The point I am making here is that the effect of the 
Americans with Disabilities Act has been to make things worse for 
blind people. Before 1990 and the appearance of this term 
"qualified reader," many of us were able to talk our way into the 
use of the reader of our choice. There wasn't a national standard 
or rule, and mostly we brought our own readers and took the 
tests. As in many other situations, the effect of the ADA on 
testing has been to instruct someone other than the blind person 
to take care of us, which unfortunately includes providing the 
reader. I have told Dan, and I will tell you: until such time as 
we have a bright-line test--a clear and unequivocal test--for 
identifying a qualified reader as the reader the blind person 
brings with him or her, we will continue to have the kind of 
trouble that Doug had.
     Before I go on to my proposed solution, I want to ask Dan a 
question. Dan, if I have the same experience that Doug had with 
an unqualified reader but I pass the test, do I still have a 
complaint?
     "Yes, you certainly have a complaint; the damages you might 
get just wouldn't be as high."
     Do you hear that? You have a case even if you pass the test. 
Now listen to me about the other problem that is coming because 
especially you high school students are going to run into this 
problem. We are beginning to grapple with the question of who 
gets to choose the method by which the blind person will take a 
test. At this time the GED test does not allow a blind person to 
use a reader. There doesn't seem to be any reason for this; it 
just is the case. I hope to find out the reason sometime this 
year. I hope I'm not speaking out of school, but Dan told me on 
the phone earlier that he would love to have the case. I told him 
that, if the NFB doesn't manage to resolve the situation, we just 
might let him help us.
     The other situation that is now arising is the standardized 
high school test of proficiency for graduation. You high school 
students, are you looking forward to these tests? They are 
starting to rule that readers may not be used for these tests 
because using a reader rules out the basic test of the blind 
student's ability to read and write and spell. I have now heard 
of two states that have refused to allow readers in those tests, 
regardless of how recently the blind student may have lost his or 
her sight and learned Braille. There are all sorts of questions 
here, but the fundamental one is this: who gets to decide which 
method we use?
     Remember that one of the points of the Americans with 
Disabilities Act is that it requires flexibility. We can't demand 
that everything all the time be provided for the disabled. We 
can't get everything in Braille or on computer disk. We have to 
be flexible. You wouldn't expect every agenda for every city 
council meeting in the country to be prepared in Braille when 
most of them would never be read. The question of what you are 
required to produce in alternative media and under what 
circumstances is generally settled by the ADA in the way I 
described earlier, where our preference is to be taken into 
account by state and local governments, and the communication is 
to be effective in the case of private entities.
     But I suggest to you and to my friend Mr. Sutherland that 
the case of testing is different. Remember that I explained last 
year that there are two kinds of tests. The first is gateway 
testing like the SAT, the GRE, the LSAT: tests that let you in, 
but for which there are other ways to get the job done. I did not 
take the LSAT, but I got my JD. With the licensure test there is 
no other way to get in. That's what Doug faced. He had to pass 
that test to get a social work license. The high school student 
has to pass the proficiency test to graduate. You can get a 
certificate of attendance if you don't pass the test--oh great! 
But if the only thing between you and graduation is that test and 
you can't pass the test because you can't use a reader, is that 
right? Is that fair? Is that what the Americans with Disabilities 
Act means? Right now the answer is yes. The ADA gives you the 
right to choose neither the reader of your choice nor the method 
of your choice. It gives the testing authority the right, if it 
can come up with some purported justification, to deny your 
choices, which can in turn deny you entry or promotion.
     Right now we can't choose our readers. In Doug's case the 
Department of Justice was not willing to take the position that 
we blind people are the ones with the choice, not the testing 
authority. Now we are encountering situations in which we are not 
permitted to choose our method of taking tests. First of all we 
must inform ourselves about the situation as we are doing this 
afternoon. Then each of us must insist on the right to make those 
choices of which reader we will use and what method we will 
choose for taking the test we are facing. Insisting doesn't mean 
that we are going to win, but we must do so every single time and 
not just accept what somebody else has decided for us. The 
Americans with Disabilities Act is being interpreted to mean that 
somebody else gets to make decisions for us. Not in my world! We 
must insist.
     We must then pool our experiences. We must write them down. 
This situation goes back to 1990. If you have taken a 
standardized test since 1990 and had a bad experience, write it 
down and send it to Shawn. The people at Doug's testing agency 
said, "Nobody's ever complained; you're the only one who has ever 
complained." Dan has found the same thing. He was quite surprised 
at your answers this afternoon because the Department of Justice 
is not aware by volume of complaints that anything is going on.
     We don't want to send in every complaint we can think of; 
let's pool our knowledge and choose the best ones. We must begin 
to build the record for needing to change the regulations to 
choose method of test-taking and choice of reader if that's the 
method we want. If we don't do it together, we are never going to 
do it. I'll quote Dan one more time. He said to me this afternoon 
outside the door, "You guys aren't doing enough advocacy. It's 
not going to change until you do." And you know what? I agree 
with him.
     So five years later, when we come back here, are we still 
going to be talking about this problem? Or is each one of you 
going to do your part individually, and through Shawn's 
leadership all of us do it together? Five years from now I'll be 
here. Let's see what happens when that doorbell rings.



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[PHOTO/CAPTION: Norm Gardner]
     NEWSLINE--It Changed My Life!
     by Norm Gardner

     From the Editor: Dr. Norman Gardner is the Treasurer of the 
NFB of Utah and a long-time leader of the Federation wherever he 
has lived. The following article appeared in the Winter, 2000, 
issue of the NFB of Utah newsletter. This is what Norm said about 
NEWSLINE(r):

     Have you discovered NEWSLINE(r)? Have you experienced the 
boost to your self-esteem when you feel that you are just as 
informed about important current events as other people? Well, I 
have made this incredible discovery. Actually the full impact did 
not hit me all at once. In fact, at first I thought it was more 
of a novelty. It was neat to make a local telephone call and be 
connected to a voice-synthesized computer to listen to the 
newspaper. I thought it was great that for the first time blind 
people could have timely access to newspapers.
     When we first got NEWSLINE here in Utah, I remember 
marveling at the technology which made it all possible. I 
remember making another mental mark on the long tally 
demonstrating just why we formed the National Federation of the 
Blind. Without the NFB we would simply not have NEWSLINE. Without 
the NFB we would simply not have most of the good, progressive 
programs which benefit the blind.
     But frankly at first I found it difficult to read NEWSLINE 
consistently. For years I have noticed that my wife and other 
sighted people regularly take significant time each day to read 
the newspaper. My daily routine did not seem to have enough time 
for that. Oh I enjoyed learning how to operate NEWSLINE. I liked 
the ability to select which voice and at which speed to read. I 
liked the way I could jump from article to article, skipping ones 
in which I had no interest. I also liked the ability to skim down 
through a given article just as a sighted person does.
     I really got excited when I realized that NEWSLINE gives 
even better access to newspapers for blind people than sighted 
people have. In the first place the blind person can read the 
newspaper early in the morning without having to wait for it to 
be delivered. As a matter of fact, the blind person does not even 
have to get out of bed to read the newspaper. All one has to do 
is roll over, grab the telephone, and dial the local number! But 
the biggest advantage the blind person has over sighted people is 
the ability to search an entire section of the newspaper 
electronically. Within a second or so the computer will start 
reading an article which contains the word being searched.
     In spite of all this, I still did not take the opportunity 
to read the newspapers on NEWSLINE more than once or twice a 
week. Then a truly wonderful thing happened. We got the Wall 
Street Journal on NEWSLINE. Let me explain. I have taught courses 
in finance at the college level for about twenty-five years. One 
of the classes I teach regularly is a course in investments. This 
is a course which should be sensitive to current events in the 
economy and in our banking system. Over the years I have 
developed a teaching style which included a bit of bluff and a 
bit of stall tactic, and I am sure at times it fooled no one. 
Sometimes I was simply uninformed on things about which I should 
have been knowledgeable.
     Then we got the Wall Street Journal on NEWSLINE. I had not 
anticipated what a wonderful thing it would be for me. It was 
almost a shock actually to feel prepared for my investments 
class. This semester the class met early enough in the day that 
many of the students had not yet read that day's Wall Street 
Journal. On some days I was the only one in class who had read 
the Journal. Now I take great delight in pointing out important 
articles to my students and relating current events at my class 
lectures. What a great boost to my self-esteem. What a great 
thing to feel like a first-class citizen. Thanks to the National 
Federation of the Blind for developing NEWSLINE, and thanks to 
the Utah Division for Services to the Blind for sponsoring 
NEWSLINE here in Utah.


[PHOTO/CAPTION: Steve Benson]
     Walking at a Federation Pace
     by Stephen O. Benson

     From the Editor: Steve Benson is the President of the 
National Federation of the Blind of Illinois and a member of the 
NFB Board of Directors. He is also a knowledgeable and thoughtful 
Federationist. He recently sent us the following little 
meditation:

     In the early '70's the NFB of Illinois rented office space 
in a far north-side Chicago bank building in which we held small 
meetings, maintained address files, stored and mailed literature, 
produced a Thermoformed copy of our newsletter, and Thermoformed 
a monthly calendar of old radio programs aired on a local radio 
station.
     All of these activities required many hands, so we made a 
special effort to involve new people in keeping mailing lists up-
to-date, maintaining inventory, duplicating documents, and 
collating and mailing materials. Often the work was done to the 
accompaniment of recorded banquet speeches or other recorded 
Federation materials. When the recording finished playing, we 
discussed its contents and how it pertained to us individually 
and as an organization.
     On one occasion nine or ten of us gathered to produce and 
distribute a newsletter. Some of us checked addresses and stamped 
wrappers; others Thermoformed and collated the newsletter, while 
others rolled and wrapped the finished product. It was a genuine 
team effort, and good fellowship and high spirits prevailed. When 
the assembly-line work was done, we deposited several hundred 
Braille newsletters in a nearby mailbox.
     As we stuffed the mailbox, we noticed that two or three 
people waited at an adjacent bus stop. When the stuffing was 
done, we went our separate ways, some to the bus stop across the 
street, but most of us headed east to the subway train several 
blocks away. As we walked at a Federation pace, we talked and 
laughed and maybe sang a little; good cheer prevailed. We were 
well into the second of four blocks to the train when we heard 
someone running after us. As the fellow drew to within a few 
yards of us, he began hollering, "Wait!" We stopped, amazed. He 
panted up to us and said: "The bus stop is back there. Aren't you 
waiting for the bus?" We were all so astounded by the absurdity 
of the question that we broke into gales of laughter. When we had 
regained our composure, one or more of us explained that we would 
most certainly have remained at the bus stop if we had wanted to 
ride the bus. We further explained that we were walking to the 
subway, and we thanked him sincerely for his concern.
     After we had walked another block and were reasonably 
certain the poor man was out of ear shot, there was much joking 
about the incident. One of us observed that this was like the Boy 
Scout helping the old lady across the street though she had no 
desire to cross and though she made her intention clear.
     I think this and similar situations are not so simply 
explained. Some folks in our society still have a compelling need 
to take care of us. There are those who cannot imagine that we as 
blind people can make decisions, know where we are, or know where 
we've been or where we're going. It is our responsibility, and 
only ours, to teach the public and our fellow blind people that 
we certainly do make our own decisions, that we know where we 
are, where we've been, and where we're going. It is essential 
that we convey the important fact that, when blind people have 
proper instruction and genuine opportunity, we can do anything 
that does not, by its very nature, require sight. In conveying 
this information, it is necessary to remain positive, poised, and 
polite. At the same time we should also be firm and willing to 
stand up for ourselves and for our rights as American citizens. 
We should not allow ourselves to be walked on like rugs.
      Dr. Jernigan used to put it this way: when dealing with the 
public, we must use a glove and a club and have the sense to know 
when to use which.


     Lessons for Life
     by Leeann Morrow

     From the Editor: Last spring I received an article from a 
young woman finishing her junior year of high school. Leeann 
Morrow was adopted at the age of five. Hers is a large family, 
and for several years she was home-schooled. When she decided to 
return to public school, she faced the whole range of fears and 
fantasies that any other student would experience in the 
circumstances. But Leeann faced the additional concerns of a 
blind student contemplating the reactions of a school full of 
people with no previous experience of blindness. This is the way 
she tells about what happened:

     Mine is a true story of success and resilience. I have 
learned the actual meaning of the phrase "to whom much is given, 
of them much is required." Although I have only lived a small 
portion of my life, it seems as if I have had enough experiences 
to fill a lifetime. Still I have much to learn.
     Last year I decided to return to public school after five 
years of being home-schooled. I knew such a decision would change 
my life, and I had serious reservations about what the outcome 
would be, but I felt that I had made the best decision for 
myself.
     I started this school year with many paranoid thoughts. My 
brain was jumbled with questions: "Will I be accepted by my 
peers?" "What if they don't like me?" "What if everyone sees me 
as only that blind girl?" "What if everyone feels sorry for me?--
That would be the worst of all."
     I also had fears concerning my academic abilities. I worried 
that I wouldn't be able to keep up in a fast-paced, public school 
atmosphere. But all of those fears diminished as the school year 
progressed.
     With the help of Amy Weist, my persevering mobility 
instructor, I have learned to travel independently to the 
important parts of the building. I have been drilled extensively, 
as Amy has attempted to teach me the necessary cane techniques 
for the survival of a blind person. At first I was quite 
resistant to the idea of using a white cane. I did not believe it 
was necessary. I have now discovered the near-fatal error of my 
thinking.
     One particular school day has been permanently burned into 
my memory of painful learning experiences. (I have quite a 
collection.) I was chatting with a friend as we made our way down 
the hall to public speaking class. As usual I was nonchalantly 
sliding my cane back and forth across the floor in front of me; 
one second I heard a strange noise emanating from the vicinity of 
my friend's throat; the next second my head was spinning. I had 
just slammed full-force into a metal post whose job it was to 
stabilize a set of double doors. If I had been only a few inches 
to the left or the right or if I had been using my cane with 
attention, I would have grazed the post and continued on my merry 
way through an open door. Instead, the gift of humility in the 
form of a bruise on the bridge of my nose was bestowed on me. Now 
I fully realize the necessity of taking advantage of a simple 
little contraption called a cane.
     Along with the physical aspects of re-entering school, I 
have had the pleasure of discovering its social aspects. I have 
not run into direct discrimination during my time thus far at 
Presque Isle High School. I assumed that I would have to deal 
with quite a bit of reticence from my peers and the school 
faculty. Fortunately I was wrong. Yes, the faculty were worried 
about having a blind student under their direction, but they have 
come to realize that a blind person can work just as hard as 
sighted person. I have been able to develop a good relationship 
with all of my teachers. I have enjoyed academic success along 
with good friendships. In fact, a friend of mine even forgot that 
I was blind for a moment. She and I were enjoying our normal 
repartee, when, in response to one of my comments, she 
automatically stuck her tongue out at me. We laughed about that 
for days.
     I realize how fortunate I am to be among people who have 
been so accepting of my blindness. I know that this is not always 
the case for blind people. However, it is important for all blind 
people to remember that it is necessary to work hard, just like 
every other successful person in the world. Adaptations may be 
needed, but not special treatment. Many of my endeavors have been 
unsuccessful. Life isn't always easy, but it is worth every 
disappointment and failure.
     Although I do not have perfect vision, I do have a great 
deal. My responsibility is to help others see that success is 
possible in every situation. I have learned to use my disability 
as something positive; I do not let it disable me. I try to 
spread a message of hope to others by taking every opportunity 
that comes my way to speak about my positive experiences--but 
speaking is not enough for me. I must also attempt to reach 
others through my actions because it would be meaningless for me 
to say that people must work hard to be successful if I chose 
just to sit back and swallow air.


[PHOTO/CAPTION: Gary Wunder]
     NFB Testifies on Internet Access and the ADA
     by Gary Wunder

     From the Editor: Early this year a staffer for the 
Subcommittee on the Constitution of the Judiciary Committee of 
the House of Representatives wrote a memo to the chairman 
worrying that, if the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 
really does apply to the Internet, insuring access for disabled 
people might create undue hardship for small businesses, slow the 
expansion of the fastest-growing segment of the economy, and in 
general stifle creativity. The memo also suggested that Web-site 
creators would have their First-Amendment right to free speech 
limited by requirements to make their sites accessible. All this 
furor arose from legal discussions of the NFB's suit filed last 
November against America Online. Since the Department of Justice 
has in fact produced a memo expressing the opinion that the ADA 
does indeed apply to the Internet, the suggestion was made that 
the Committee look into the situation and perhaps do something 
about it.
     The Committee conducted a hearing February 9, and the NFB 
scrambled to arrange the most persuasive witnesses we could 
present. A number of organizations helped to assemble effective 
speakers to argue that requiring equal access to the Internet 
would not restrict the content of any Web site and to explain 
what blind people do need and want. Gary Wunder, President of the 
NFB of Missouri, Member of the National Federation of the Blind 
Board of Directors, and a computer professional, flew to 
Washington and testified in person. He also submitted written 
testimony.
     Was our effort successful? It is still too early to be sure, 
but no proposed legislation preserving the right to create 
inaccessible Web sites has yet been introduced. We must remain 
alert to the threat during the months ahead. Here is Gary 
Wunder's written testimony:

Before the Subcommittee on the Constitution
Committee on the Judiciary
United States House of Representatives
February 9, 2000
Statement of Gary Wunder

     Good morning, Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee. 
My name is Gary Wunder, and my address is 1209 Ireland Court, 
Columbia, Missouri 65203-2088. I work as a programmer-analyst 
expert for the University of Missouri and serve in a volunteer 
capacity as a member of the Board of Directors of the National 
Federation of the Blind.
     I come today to speak to the issue of access to the Internet 
and the extent to which that access is protected under federal 
law. I do not come as an expert on the law. I am here as a person 
who makes his living writing programs and getting information to 
medical doctors and hospital administrators. I am also here as a 
person who has been the beneficiary of the computer age and the 
Internet, and I also come as one who has paid the price when 
access to computers and the Internet was off limits to me because 
only the needs of visual users were considered in the design of 
some very important products. Last, Mr. Chairman, I also come as 
a person who is blind and who knows both how difficult accessing 
electronic information can sometimes be and how liberating that 
access can be when just a little thought is given to alternative 
methods of access.
     Blind people look to the Internet as a long-sought solution 
to the problems of communication that result from lack of sight. 
Ask any blind person what physical problems confront him as a 
result of blindness, and he'll tell you they are access to the 
printed word and not being able to drive. Think now about the 
beauty of the Internet for this group. Material typed into a 
computer can generate print for the sighted, Braille for the 
blind, or synthesized speech for either group.
     Because a user can travel from Web site to Web site without 
ever leaving his chair, the difficulty posed by transportation in 
the conduct of business is also significantly reduced. I should 
note in discussing access that the vast majority of blind people 
are over age sixty-five. I think it would be a costly mistake for 
us to overlook the needs of this community and the significant 
purchasing power they represent.
     Since members of this Committee are sighted, perhaps it 
would be helpful for me to explain how a person without vision 
uses the Internet. Many of us purchase programs called screen 
readers, which look at the information sent to the screen and 
attempt to tell us, through speech or Braille, what is displayed 
there. The text on the screen and the little pictures and 
graphics known as icons are converted to something we can hear or 
feel. If there is a button we are to push to move to the next 
screen, our screen readers say "NEXT BUTTON." If we are presented 
with a form where we are to enter our name and address, the 
screen reader will say "NAME" when we are in the name field, and 
when we come to the area of the screen where we are to enter our 
state, it will say "COMBO BOX" and allow us to move through the 
choices until the two-letter abbreviation we want is found. Those 
kinds of boxes, which usually appear in alphabetical order, leave 
me wishing I was from Alabama or Alaska instead of Missouri.
     Most of you make extensive use of a mouse when you navigate 
the Internet, but blind people cannot do this. Instead of a mouse 
used to point and click, we use the tab and arrow keys to move 
from item to item on a screen. Therefore our request of Web site 
developers is that each item which can be accessed with a mouse 
also have provision for being accessed by the keyboard. This 
could mean a tab stop or perhaps a key sequence which could 
perform the same task as clicking with a mouse.
     In many ways living in what has come to be called the 
Information Age is a dream come true for people who are blind. 
Not so long ago writing this testimony for you would have meant 
first writing a draft in Braille, writing a second Braille copy 
to perfect the draft, and then typing that Braille document so 
you could read it in print. Imagine the difficulty if, while 
trying to transcribe the Braille into print, I was interrupted by 
a phone call. Where did I leave off in the transcription? Have I 
made any typographical errors, and, if I have, can they be 
corrected with white-out? The fact is that to ensure I had 
written a quality presentation for this subcommittee would have 
taken the involvement of someone with sight to proofread my final 
product.
     Now, with the advent of the personal computer, speech and 
Braille technology, and the Internet, I can write my material 
myself, proof it myself, send it to others for their comments and 
criticisms, and eventually send the final draft halfway across 
the country for printing and distribution. Never in my wildest 
imaginings did I conceive of this possibility when I was typing 
my high school and college papers, but I would be hard-pressed to 
do without this now.
     For all of our progress and the opportunity the Internet 
holds, there are still some problems we face in using the 
services which more and more Americans take for granted. One of 
our biggest difficulties comes when we try to shop on-line using 
pages where the creator of the Web site has failed to label the 
pictures he shows with a brief textual description. Computer 
technology is not yet sufficiently advanced to recognize a 
picture and tell us what appears on the screen. For this 
information we must rely on the creator of the page we're viewing 
to add a line of text which says, for example, "Swiss Army Knife" 
or "Queen Size Electric Blanket." These explanations are easily 
added and are of tremendous benefit not only to the blind but 
also to people who see.
     Sometimes newspaper articles, in an attempt to be helpful to 
the blind, have left the impression that graphical displays are 
an obstacle for us. The presence of graphics is not the problem, 
but the presence of unlabeled graphics and the design of systems 
which rely only on graphics are what cause us tremendous 
difficulty. People who have things to market should make their 
pages as visually attractive and marketable as they can, in the 
same way they would design a store window. Making services 
available to the blind isn't a matter of deciding whether to make 
a screen visually appealing or audibly accessible. It means 
taking thirty seconds to add a textual description to the graphic 
you've decided to display and thereby expanding your customer 
base to include the ever-growing number of persons who either do 
not see or do not see well.
     Some have suggested that labeling graphics and push buttons 
might constitute an undue burden on small businesses and Internet 
start-ups. This is to state the problem in the negative. However, 
one could also say with equal plausibility that choosing graphics 
rather than text is the burden. Either one--used exclusively--
limits the audience that can be reached and results in missed 
opportunities to communicate and sell products.      Whatever 
costs there are in making the Internet accessible, one thing can 
be stated without argument--designing accessibility in from the 
start is easier than trying to incorporate it after the fact. As 
we know from experience with physical structures, it is much 
easier to plan for an elevator than it is to figure out where to 
put an elevator shaft in an already occupied building.
     In recognition of this concept and because of the economic 
benefits derived from an accessible Internet, representatives 
from industry, government, and the general public have 
collaborated through the Web Access Initiative of the World Wide 
Web Consortium, which has developed and promulgated guidelines 
and recommendations to enhance and ensure accessibility to the 
World Wide Web. This group has made great strides in achieving a 
consensus, and its work has been largely responsible for 
developing the infrastructure, which has incorporated concepts to 
encourage full access in its basic design.
     When we discuss the economics of access, we dare not 
overlook the broader commercial applications for the products 
created to meet special needs. Well known are the spin-offs from 
our exploration of space which have resulted in diverse products 
from those as technologically simple as the Corning Ware used in 
our ovens to the relatively complicated hand-held calculator 
which helps us balance our checkbooks. Less commonly understood 
is the role of access technology in advancing the frontiers of 
consumer products.
     In 1976 the first reading machine for the blind was 
developed, which could look at ink print on a page, scan it into 
a digital image, recognize its ink shapes as letters, and then 
verbalize the resulting text in human-like speech. Now scanning 
devices are readily available to the general public. The 
recognition of text from a page allows many companies to store 
paper documents in their electronic data banks, and the text-to-
speech pioneered in this first machine is now common in 
everything from simple children's toys to complicated telephone 
answering machines.
     Let us also not forget that the first efforts to get a 
computer to understand human speech came as a result of trying to 
give people who could not use a keyboard access to the world of 
computing. Now this technology is sufficiently advanced to allow 
the dictation of this very statement and its accurate 
transcription.
     Sometimes, when I've spoken on behalf of accessibility, the 
argument that adding textual labels will result in the 
elimination of visual attractiveness and program responsiveness 
has been advanced. Technologically there is little merit in this 
position. A graphic displayed on a screen may take upwards of 
half a million computer characters to display, while its text 
description will take less than 100. The text we need is 
displayed on the screen only when a user focuses on the graphic 
to which it pertains. It is even possible to have text labels 
which are never displayed on the screen but which exist in the 
background and are retrievable only by the screen readers we use.
     Mr. Chairman, blind people are caught in a catch-22 when 
arguing for accessibility. When we go to a company that is trying 
to develop a new product, as we did when Microsoft started 
marketing the Windows operating system, we are told that we need 
to wait and see whether the product will be accepted by the 
public. We're assured that blind people are valued customers and 
that our needs will be addressed as soon as the technology 
demonstrates its viability. Then, after the product is selling 
like hot cakes and we're losing access to jobs and information, 
we're told that it is difficult and time-consuming to modify the 
existing product. It may not be the next release or the one after 
that, but be assured that eventually our needs will be 
considered.
     My own experience as a programmer testifies to the fact that 
it is often easier to write a program from scratch than it is to 
go into someone else's program, figure out what he was trying to 
accomplish, and then determine what I can do to make the 
requested changes. The place for considering usability by people 
who will not use the computer under the traditional mouse/screen 
paradigm is here at the beginning. This is where it is least 
expensive and most likely to be truly integrated into the 
product.
     What we are discussing when we talk about access is not 
whether it is technologically possible but whether we plan to use 
this technological revolution to include people who have all too 
often been excluded. Let me give you an example of the technology 
which gives me difficulty as I try to earn my living and advance 
to ever greater responsibility.
     Microsoft Project is a program that lets people manage the 
work tasks they've been assigned. Each project has a due date, 
and, if it is large, as many projects are, it will have subtasks 
which themselves have intermediate due dates. When a manager 
looks at his projects, he is presented with a screen showing 
those projects which are most critical in bright red and those of 
less criticality in lighter shades. It is intuitively obvious as 
he looks at the screen which projects need his immediate 
attention and which will wait. The calculations done by this 
program are simple and straightforward: check today's date 
against the due date of each project, and assign a color for 
display based on the difference between the two.
     No matter how obvious the technique, that number is still 
inaccessible to me. If someone had thought about the nonvisual 
user when designing this system, it would have been easy to put 
out a list in order of due dates. A list with the most critical 
project first and the least critical last would have given me 
exactly the same information gained by my sighted colleagues, but 
a mechanism for making that program produce a simple list was not 
a part of its design.
     I could give you many other examples of software which has 
been similarly inaccessible, but the important point is that the 
information which was needed was displayed with only one audience 
in mind--the visual user--although there is nothing inherently 
visual about two dates and the number of days which separate 
them. In fact, much more effort went into figuring out how to 
display those projects in a visually attractive color scheme than 
went into determining their order.
     I said at the beginning of this testimony that I knew the 
blessing of access and the curse of inaccessibility. Programs 
such as the one I have described resulted in my taking a demotion 
from Project Manager to Senior Programmer. No one had problems 
with my job performance as long as we used systems which were 
primarily textual, but five years ago the technology I had 
available could not help me answer the question of how I would 
supervise the development, testing, and implementation of new 
computer systems using the tools which my organization had 
committed itself to purchase.
     I've never seen any figures to indicate that the cost of 
accessibility is economically impractical, and I submit that the 
issue may have more to do with ideological objections to 
government involvement than the real cost of implementing 
accessible systems. Mr. Chairman, our society and its disabled 
people have entered into a contract in which society says to the 
disabled, we will give you training and we will provide 
opportunity if, in return, you will do what you can to join with 
us in work, in community, and in taking responsibility for 
pulling your own weight.
     As blind people we have interpreted this contract to mean 
that we must be as self-reliant as we can, asking from society 
only those things we really need in order to compete. If it were 
possible for the makers of screen-reading programs accurately to 
read any Web page a designer could concoct or if I could figure 
out a way to deal with such pages through memorization or other 
mental gymnastics which we who are blind are called upon to 
employ, then I wouldn't be here today to ask for the help of the 
Congress and the business community in focusing on the special 
needs of blind consumers.
     There are many examples of companies and small businesses 
which have enthusiastically joined with us to make their E-
businesses friendly for blind users, but the importance of 
government's leading by example and the law's expressing the 
clear expectation that all segments of our society have access 
dare not be overlooked.
     A decision to lessen the expectation that E-business be 
accessible is ominous for the blind, for we know that the 
Internet is not just a window on the world, but more and more it 
is the world. It is where people talk, where people shop, and 
where people increasingly make their living. Lowering the bar for 
access won't simply mean fewer shopping sites for people with 
little or no vision.
     Since the Internet is only an extension of our personal 
computers, lessened access will mean fewer programs we can use 
and fewer employment opportunities for us. The line between the 
Internet and business is almost nonexistent. In my job electronic 
mail conducted via the Internet is the standard way we 
communicate. Our meeting calendars are maintained electronically 
and shared using this same technology. Even the list I use to 
telephone my colleague in a neighboring building is maintained on 
a mailing list, accessible only by using the tools of the 
Internet.
     I urge this Subcommittee to affirm the importance of access 
to this new world we're entering and to differentiate between the 
real-world needs of blind people and the hypothetical and yet 
unproved burden placed on small businesses being required to 
ensure access. The effort required of the business community is 
minuscule when compared with the benefits to blind and disabled 
people and to the society in which we live. The cost of isolating 
the blind, the disabled, and the senior citizens of our nation is 
far too high, and the benefits to all of us will be immense if 
only we stay the course.


[PHOTO/CAPTION: Patty Droppers]
     One Soggy Step at a Time
     by Patty Droppers

     From the Editor: Patty Droppers is a rehabilitation teacher 
who has passed the NLS Braille Competency Test. She is an 
excellent Braille instructor and an active member of the Potomac 
Chapter of the NFB of Virginia. The following little story first 
appeared in the Fall, 1999, issue of the Vigilant, the 
publication of the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia.

     It was the end of the work day. I was running late, and of 
course I had a time crunch. As I was about to leave the office, a 
colleague informed me that it was pouring--the kind of rain that 
immediately soaks you right through to your skin. I waited 
several minutes before trying to leave. When I stepped out of the 
building, I thought it had stopped raining enough for me to get 
to the corner and try out a new free bus service to the Metro 
subway station. Normally I would have undertaken the ten-minute 
walk, but this particular day part of my job was to carry some 
items home for folks to purchase. Like magic, the rain started 
coming down harder again. As the skies opened up, there was a 
very powerful clap of thunder, the kind you want to run indoors 
from. Neither my guide dog nor I was happy.
     A woman pulled up and offered us a ride. I told her I was on 
my way to the Metro, and she said she'd be willing to take us. I 
reminded her that both my dog and I were soaked. She said that 
was all right. I decided that it would be safe to ride with her, 
and I didn't want my precious items to become any more water-
logged than they already were.
     What was so wonderful about the ride was that she was not 
over-solicitous. She dropped us off at the Metro and continued on 
her way.
     The story didn't end there. Once I got on the train and 
settled in, I pulled out the Braille Monitor to read. I was so 
engrossed in the reading that I didn't get the magazine put away 
before reaching my train transfer point. Hence, before walking to 
the transfer train, I needed to move out of the way and 
reorganize all my bulky items. At this point a woman asked if she 
could carry something for me. When we established that we were 
headed in the same direction, I gave her one item to carry, 
picked up my remaining items, walked down the train platform, and 
proceeded to the transfer platform. Again my companion just 
walked along somewhere nearby with no grabbing, no statements 
about how amazing it was that a blind person could travel alone, 
and no nervous chatter.
     When we reached the transfer point, she informed me of the 
color of the train, and we both boarded. We talked about the 
weather. She was dry because the storm didn't reach her before 
she boarded the train, and I was still very wet. She got off the 
train before I did with no indication that she thought I needed 
further assistance. That was it.
     It's too bad that such ordinary travel merits a story. 
However, I was very pleased that these two women offered help in 
an appropriate manner and that they continued to treat me as an 
adult throughout our entire interaction. And for all of that, I 
have my fellow Federationists to thank, as we all continue 
traveling together, changing what it means to be blind, sometimes 
one soggy step at a time.


[PHOTO/CAPTION: Hazel Staley]
     But the Others Majored in Music
     by Hazel Staley

     From the Editor: The following story first appeared in 
Remember to Feed the Kittens, the sixteenth Kernel Book. It 
begins with Dr. Maurer's introduction:

     Hazel Staley served for many years as President of the 
National Federation of the Blind of North Carolina and at age 
eighty-two continues to be one of its principal leaders. Here she 
reflects on what it was like for a blind girl entering college in 
1936. Hazel wanted to be a teacher, but in those days that was 
not to be. Hazel has worked for more than three decades helping 
to change what it means to be blind for those who are to come 
after her. This is what the National Federation of the Blind is 
all about. Here is what she has to say:

     I lost my sight when I was two years old as a result of 
meningitis. I was number five in a line of six children brought 
up on a farm in Union County, North Carolina.
     My parents sent me to the state school for the blind in 
Raleigh, some 200 miles away. It was not easy for them to send me 
so far away, but they knew I would need an education, and that 
was the only place I could get one.
      I finished high school with a fine record. I applied to and 
was accepted by Flora McDonald College. On registration day I 
took my place in line with the other freshmen. When it was my 
turn, I stepped up to the registrar's desk and gave her the 
preliminary information that she needed. Then she asked what 
degree I would be working toward. I said, "An A.B. degree."
     She said, "Oh, Honey, I don't think you can do that. You 
see, it requires several hours of science lab, and you can't do 
that."
     I said, "How do you know I can't? I haven't even had a 
chance to try."
     She said, "We have had four other blind girls here, and they 
all majored in music. Why don't you do that?"
     I said that I had had a lot of music in elementary and high 
school, but that was just not what I wanted to do.
     At this point the girl in line behind me stepped up and 
said, "Excuse me. We always work with partners in lab, and I'll 
be glad to be her partner. I don't think there will be a 
problem."
     The registrar then said reluctantly, "Well--ah--I'll go 
ahead and put you down and--we'll see."
     I hung around until the girl who had been behind me finished 
registering and walked out with her.
     I said, "I appreciate what you did for me, but I can't help 
wondering why you did it, since you have never seen me before and 
don't know me."
     She laughed and said, "I just liked the way you stood up for 
what you wanted, and I really don't see any problem. I believe 
that, when a person spends money to come to college, she ought to 
study what she wants and not what some stranger thinks she ought 
to do. That just doesn't make sense. You obviously have dealt 
with situations before and know what you can do."
     The next morning someone knocked at my door and said that 
the dean wanted to see me in her office. I thought, "Oh, my! 
They're going to kick me out for being sassy. What will I tell 
Mama?"
     When I walked into the dean's office, she said, "We had a 
faculty meeting, and we have decided to put you on probation for 
the first quarter. If you do all right, you can go ahead with 
your A.B. degree."
     I thought, "Probation indeed!" The only probation I knew 
about was what the court put bootleggers on down in Union County, 
where I was raised. My first impulse was to tell her that she 
could take her probation, her lab, her degrees, and the whole 
blankety-blank school and shove 'em. However, I realized that 
there was a lesson here that needed to be taught and that I was 
the person at the time and place to teach it. So aloud I said, 
"Thank you. I'll accept that."
     Now I'm about as unscientific as anyone you're likely to 
meet, but my other subjects came easy. So I zeroed in on science. 
My friend was right. There wasn't a problem. At the end of the 
quarter I made the science honor roll and the dean's list. Four 
years later I received my A.B. degree.
     I entered college in 1936, four years before the National 
Federation of the Blind was even organized, and it was more than 
thirty years later before I learned of its existence. But I knew 
instinctively that the registrar had no right to tell me what I 
could or couldn't do.
     I had wanted desperately to teach high school English and 
French. I learned that in 1940 a blind teacher in a public high 
school from North Carolina was out of the question; so I turned 
to social work. I liked social work and was a good worker, but I 
gave it up in 1947 when I married. My husband was in military 
service, and I wanted to be free to go where he was.
     In 1969 Federation leaders came to Charlotte to talk with us 
about organizing a chapter of the National Federation of the 
Blind. I was excited and delighted to learn that there were 
others who believed as I did. I knew that I had to be a part of 
this group. I became active in our local chapter immediately and 
went on to serve as state president.
     At age eighty-two I'm still doing all that I can with the 
organization and will continue to do so as long as I live. I 
believe that the NFB is the greatest thing that has ever happened 
to blind people, and I'm proud to be a part of it. I want its 
work to continue for future generations of blind people.
      To do what I can to make this happen, I have designated in 
my will a good portion of my estate to go to the Federation. My 
one regret is that they were not teaching mobility in North 
Carolina when I was growing up. This has been a real handicap to 
me. After I learned about the Federation, I fought a real battle 
with our state agency for the blind to get mobility instructors 
in the state.
     We still don't have enough instructors, but the agency's 
philosophy has changed for the better. I am thankful that in my 
own small way I have had the privilege of being a part of the 
National Federation of the Blind.
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     Have you considered leaving a gift to the National 
Federation of the Blind in your will? By preparing a will now, 
you can assure that those administering your estate will avoid 
unnecessary delays, legal complications, and substantial tax 
costs. A will is a common device used to leave a substantial gift 
to charity. A gift in your will to the NFB can be of any size and 
will be used to help blind people. Here are some useful hints in 
preparing your will:
     * Make a list of everything you want to leave (your estate).
     * Decide how and to whom you want to leave these assets.
     * Consult an attorney (one you know or one we can help you 
find).
     * Make certain you thoroughly understand your will before 
you sign it.
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     For more information contact the National Federation of the 
Blind, Special Gifts, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 
21230-4998, (410) 659-9314, fax (410) 685-5653.
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     An Exciting Opportunity for Job Seekers
     by Jennifer Stevens
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     The National Federation of the Blind's Job Opportunities for 
the Blind Program, in collaboration with the Colorado Center for 
the Blind, is hosting Job Fair 2000 at the National Convention in 
Atlanta. The fair will take place from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. on 
Thursday, July 6, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel.
     We are constantly developing relationships with nationwide 
employers committed to providing employment opportunities to 
blind people. We expect that over twenty employers will attend 
Job Fair 2000. This will give job seekers a chance to meet 
recruiters, distribute their resumes widely, and interview for 
open positions.
     Those interested in Job Fair 2000 must submit a resume and 
cover letter outlining their skills and qualifications to the 
Colorado Center for the Blind, 1830 South Acoma, Denver, Colorado 
80223. If you are interested in attending Job Fair 2000, please 
send this information immediately since we will be forwarding it 
to all companies attending the fair. Space is limited, and we 
must match the skills, knowledge, and abilities of applicants 
with employer needs. Those who match the skill requirements will 
be notified by telephone. While we cannot guarantee to have 
companies to match all applicants' needs, we will do our best to 
have a wide range of industries represented.
     If you are a professional working with job seekers and want 
to attend Job Fair 2000, please RSVP to Jennifer Stevens as 
indicated below.
     We are proud to work with one of the leaders in technology 
as a corporate sponsor. IBM is actively recruiting high-tech 
professionals in the areas of systems administration, networking, 
support integration, customer support, database administration, 
and deskside support. All positions require a bachelor's degree 
and various high-tech experience. If you are interested in a job 
with IBM, please submit your resume immediately to Jennifer 
Stevens for possible consideration before the job fair. This is 
one of many new job opportunities available through the JOB 
program.
     If you have any questions about Job Fair 2000 or related 
employment opportunities, please contact Jennifer Stevens, 
Director of Career Services, (800) 401-4632, e-mail 
<jstevens@ccb-denver.org, or Web page <www.ccb-denver.org>.
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     2000 Convention Attractions
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     From the Editor: Every year's National Convention is an 
absolutely unique event. The agenda items, the exhibits, the new 
friends and business acquaintances: all these give each 
convention its own character and significance. Some activities 
lend a luster to the convention in part because they do take 
place every year and provide helpful fixed points in the whirl of 
events. In this category are the meetings of the Resolutions 
Committee and the Board of Directors, the annual banquet, and the 
many seminars and workshops of the various divisions and 
committees. Here is a partial list of activities being planned by 
a number of Federation groups during the 2000 Convention, July 2 
through 8. Presidents of divisions, committee chairpeople, and 
event presenters have provided the information. The pre-
convention agenda will list the locations of all events taking 
place before convention registration on Monday, July 3. The 
convention agenda will contain listings of all events taking 
place beginning that day.
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     The Agricultural and Equestrian Interest Group
     by Fred Chambers
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     Do you like animals? Do you enjoy eating foods fresh from 
the garden? Ever wondered about running a ranch of your own? Then 
you're welcome to join the Agriculture and Equestrian Interest 
Group! Come share your stories with us at our meeting on the 
evening of Tuesday, July 4. Get advice from the pros, and get the 
inside scoop on government programs helping the blind start 
careers in agriculture.
     Simply contact us in any format: e-mail, 
<regenerative@earthlink.net>, telephone (760) 505-8500, mail to 
Agricultural & Equestrian Interest Group, 3510 Bedford Circle, 
Carlsbad, California 92008.
     Contact us right away. We can help match you with compatible 
roommates, and invite you to join any Atlanta farm tours!
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     The Blind Merchants Association
     by Donald Morris
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     Once again the Blind Merchants Association will have a 
$1,000 raffle to be drawn at the banquet. One-dollar tickets can 
be purchased from any member of the Blind Merchants Association 
or at the Merchants booth in the exhibit hall, where we will be 
passing out free soft drinks, selling snack packs, and providing 
corsages and boutonnieres for the banquet at a truly modest cost. 
The snack packs contain an assortment of munchies--candy, chips, 
and snacks: a nearly $20 value for $5.
     Finally, our annual business meeting will occur from 1:00 to 
5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 4. Sheldon Berman, CPA, a Partner in 
Rosen, Sapperstein & Friedlander, Chartered (management 
consultants and certified public accountants), will speak to us 
about tax strategies and estate planning. I look forward to 
seeing you all in Atlanta--come early, stay late.
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     Blind Professional Journalists
     by Liz Campbell and Bryan Bashin
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     The Blind Professional Journalists group is planning an 
exciting, informative meeting at convention that you don't want 
to miss. Our meeting will take place Tuesday, July 4, from 1:00 
to 5:00 p.m. Consult your convention agenda for our meeting 
location.
     If you are a student interested in pursuing a career in 
either print or broadcast journalism or if you want to make a 
career change, this meeting is an excellent opportunity to meet 
blind people who are working journalists. We will have 
interesting speakers and discussion topics, so please come and 
learn.
     Make sure to check upcoming issues of the Braille Monitor 
for announcements concerning other journalism-related activities 
during Convention. We have some exciting possibilities, including 
a tour of CNN and a dinner for those involved in the Blind 
Professional Journalists group.
     If you have additional questions, please feel free to call 
Elizabeth Campbell evenings at (817) 738-0350 or Bryan Bashin at 
(916) 441-4096.
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[PHOTO DESCRIPTION: One edge of a table cloth has been folded back onto the 
top of the table so that children can play in the resulting space. CAPTION: 
Four NFB campers play in the table tent they have constructed in the NFB Camp 
room.]
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Catherine Jacobson works on a puzzle in NFB Camp while new 
friends help and look on.]
     NFB Camp: It's More than Child's Play
     by Carla McQuillan
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     During convention week children between the ages of six 
weeks and twelve years are invited to join in the fun and 
festivities of NFB Camp. It offers more than just child care. It 
is an opportunity for our blind and sighted children to meet and 
develop lifelong friendships. Our activities schedule is filled 
with games, crafts, and special performances designed to 
entertain, educate, and delight. If you are interested in this 
year's program, please complete and return the registration form 
below. Registration by June 15 is required for participation in 
NFB Camp.
     About the staff: NFB Camp is organized and supervised by 
Carla McQuillan. Carla is the Executive Director of Main Street 
Montessori Association, operating two schools, parent education 
courses, and a teacher training program. Carla is the mother of 
two children, the President of the National Federation of the 
Blind of Oregon, and a Member of the Board of Directors of the 
National Federation of the Blind. Michelle Ros is this year's 
activities director for NFB Camp. Michelle is a Montessori 
teacher employed by Main Street Montessori Association. Carla and 
Michelle will supervise a staff of experienced teachers recruited 
from Head Start, Catholic Schools, and Montessori programs in the 
Atlanta area.
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     Activities and Special Events: The children are divided into 
groups according to age: infants and toddlers, preschoolers, and 
school-aged children. Each camp room is equipped with a variety 
of age-appropriate toys, games, and books. In addition, there 
will be daily art projects prepared by Corrine Vieville, an NFB 
member and former scholarship winner. We will sing, dance, and 
play instruments with blind singer/songwriter Daniel Lamonds. The 
Atlanta Center for Puppetry Arts is providing the Puppet Trunk, a 
trunkload of puppets and props for the children's own shows. The 
National Association of Guide Dog Users will be making a 
presentation, blind teens will come in to read stories in 
Braille, and the children will make excursions to the mall for 
ice cream and snacks.
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     Banquet Night: NFB Camp will provide dinner and a show 
during the banquet. The Center for Puppetry Arts is sending over 
a troupe of puppeteers to perform "Folk Tales from Around the 
World." The pizza party begins at 7:00 p.m. and the puppet show 
at 7:30 p.m. The cost for the banquet activities is included in 
the weekly fee for camp, or $15 per child for those attending 
part time. Camp is for children twelve and under.
     NFB Camp will be open during general convention sessions, 
division and committee meeting day, and banquet evening. Plenty 
of teens are always available to babysit during evening and 
lunch-time meetings. The schedule this year will be as follows:
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     Sunday, July 2, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (you are responsible 
for lunch)
     Monday, July 3, Camp is closed
     Tuesday, July 4, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (you are responsible 
for lunch)
     Wednesday, July 5, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 
5:30 p.m.
     Thursday, July 6, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
     Friday, July 7, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.; 
and banquet
     Saturday, July 8, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 5:30 
p.m.
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     These times may vary, depending on the timing of the actual 
convention sessions. NFB Camp will open thirty minutes before the 
beginning gavel and close thirty minutes after session recess.
     Fees: for the entire week (including banquet), first child, 
$80, second child, $60. By the day (does not include banquet), 
each child, $20, banquet, $15.
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     NFB Camp Pre-registration Form
     Return no later than June 15, 2000
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Please print or type:
     Parent Information

Name:____________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip ________________________________________________

Phone: __________________________________________________________

     Child(ren) Information

Name:_____________________________________________________Age____
Include description of any disabilities we should know about.

Name:_____________________________________________________Age____
Include description of any disabilities we should know about.

Name:_____________________________________________________Age____
Include description of any disabilities we should know about.

Name:_____________________________________________________Age____
Include description of any disabilities we should know about.

Weekly Fees:
$80 first child, $60 siblings (includes banquet)           
$_________

Daily Fees:
$20 per child per day, # of days _____                    
$_________

Banquet Fee: $15 per child                              
$_________

Total Due                                                  
$_________

Completed pre-registration form and fee must be received by June 
15, 2000.
Make checks payable to NFB of Oregon and mail to National 
Federation of the Blind of Oregon, 5005 Main Street, Springfield, 
Oregon 97478, (541) 726-6924.
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     The Committee on Associates
     by Tom Stevens
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     The Associates Committee will meet on the evening of July 4 
as listed in the convention agenda. We will give attention to the 
results of the 2000 contest year. This program has existed since 
1979. I heard the first proposal at the National Board meeting in 
a room at the Iowa Commission for the Blind in Des Moines that 
year. I was an observer. Everyone in the room pledged to get a 
few associates. My pledge was two, and I met it. I climbed 
progressively, learning from my associates that they were 
curious, impressed, and often quite glad to be invited to 
participate. I also learned that they had a far more positive 
perspective as a result of becoming members-at-large.
     Each of us has the opportunity to influence those around us 
regarding their perception of blindness. I submit that it is our 
obligation to do so. If we do not, then we simply encourage the 
existing misconceptions to continue. In fact, we have absolutely 
no reason to complain. Keep in mind that prevention is a 
wonderfully economical tool.
     Numerous folks tell me that they forget about recruiting 
associates. But do we forget to stop at a stop light? So, let's 
come to the committee meeting armed with the knowledge that we've 
done our share--no, lots more. And to those who do, I for one 
express appreciation. By the way, be sure to get your associates 
ribbon early.
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     Correspondence Committee
     by Jerry Whittle
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     We invite all state affiliate newsletter editors and other 
interested people to attend this informative meeting. 
Brainstorming new ideas, laying out your newsletter, using the 
best font possible, and writing with good grammar and punctuation 
are just some of the topics we will discuss Tuesday evening, July 
4, at 8:00 p.m. If you have an interest in preparing good 
publications for the organization, don't miss it.
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[PHOTO/CAPTION: Jaime Fradera and Doug Trimbel talk using a Tel-a-touch 
machine.]
     Deaf-Blind Division
     by Joseph Naulty
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     Two Deaf-Blind Division meetings will take place at 
convention this year, and each will be three hours in length. The 
first will be on Sunday, July 2, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. The 
second will be on Wednesday, July 5, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. 
Registration will begin at 6:30.
     Here is what you can expect to find.
Sunday night:
* Susan Brooks Lascek, regional representative of the Helen 
Keller National Center
* Keynote speaker: Sandra L.H. Davenport, M.D., medical 
geneticist, specializing in deaf-blindness, Minneapolis, 
Minnesota
* Elaine Ducharme, consumer facilitator, Northwestern Connecticut 
Community Technical College, Winstead, Connecticut
Wednesday night:
* Annual general business meeting
     Since this is an even-numbered year, elections will be held 
for the entire board.
* Several panel discussions, including perspectives on 
deaf-blindness from three members of the NFB Board of Directors 
and higher education and the deaf-blind
* Presentation on medical information in alternative formats.
     Again this year we are pleased to offer FM systems 
(receivers only) to those who may need them during general 
sessions and the annual banquet; however, we would like to 
announce some changes from last year's procedures. This year we 
will ask everyone to provide the following information as well as 
a $25 deposit, which will be returned to you upon return of the 
FM unit in good working condition, at or before the conclusion of 
the final convention general session.
     When you pick up your FM system, we will be asking you for 
(1) name of hotel in which you are staying and room number; (2) 
your state, name, postal mailing address, and home phone number; 
(3) cash or certified check in the amount of $25. Certified 
checks must be made payable to the National Federation of the 
Blind, Deaf-Blind Division. Time and place of equipment checkout 
and return will be announced.
     If you currently have your own equipment, please make sure 
your unit can be set to channel 36 because this is the broadcast 
frequency we will be using during general sessions and the 
banquet. If you have listening equipment but it is not currently 
able to receive channel 36, please contact Kimberly Johnson, 
Treasurer of the division, at (303) 765-1307 or (800) 401-0632. 
She will be able to provide you with information about possible 
funding sources for the needed crystal.
     Questions or suggestions regarding the deaf-blind convention 
program should be directed to Joseph Naulty, President, Deaf-
Blind Division, 11943 Suellen Circle, Wellington, Florida 33414, 
(561) 753-4700, or e-mail: <jbnaulty@adelphia.net>.
     As we prepare for the 2000 National Convention, it is also 
time to remind everyone that $5 annual dues should be mailed to 
Ms. Kimberly Johnson, Treasurer, Deaf-Blind Division, Colorado 
Center for the Blind, 1830 South Acoma Street, Denver, Colorado 
80223.
     For additional information, please see our Web page 
at<http://www.nfb-db.org>, or send E-mail to <info@nfb-db.org>.
     You can also contact Maurice Mines, First Vice President of 
the division, at <mmines@nfb-db.org>.
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     Diabetes Action Network
     by Ed Bryant
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     At the 2000 convention of the National Federation of the 
Blind in Atlanta, Georgia, our Diabetes Action Network will 
conduct its seminar and business meeting on Monday, July 3, from 
6:00 to 9:00 p.m. We will hear a presentation about a new talking 
device providing information on any prescription medication 
(insulin included).
     Our keynote speaker will be dietitian and diabetes educator 
Brooks Kent, RD, CDE, who will discuss all phases of the healthy 
diabetic diet (healthy for non-diabetics too). We will also hear 
from blind diabetic Bernadette Jacobs, who will share views of 
life, diabetes, and a humorous bus ride. An open panel discussion 
on diabetics in the workplace will also spark your interest.
     Once again we will have our Make-the-President-Pay diabetes 
quiz game, and President Ed Bryant says he will give a nice 
donation to the Division for each right answer. Our seminar is 
free and open to the public. Its location will be posted in the 
agenda (provided when you register).
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     Human Services Division
     by Doug Elliott
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     The Human Services Division will meet Tuesday afternoon, 
July 4. Many interesting discussions have occurred on the Human 
Services listserv this year. A number of questions have related 
to rehabilitation and to resources and information about 
psychotropic and other drugs commonly used by practitioners in 
the human services field. Some states are now licensing social 
workers and psychologists to prescribe these drugs.
     As a result of these discussions, we will have a keynote 
speaker named Anthony Cobb, who worked in Iowa as a 
rehabilitation specialist under Dr. Jernigan and currently works 
at the National Center for the Blind as the director of Job 
Opportunities for the Blind. He helps blind people find jobs and 
at the same time works with staff at agencies serving the blind 
so that they do not feel their territory is being invaded. Tony 
will be an exciting and dynamic keynote speaker. Be there at 1:30 
p.m., Tuesday, July 4, to hear the beginning of Tony's 
presentation.
     Dr. Mark Stracks, a former NFB scholarship winner and 
tenBroek Fellow, will be presenting on new medications in the 
field of psychiatry. He is currently interning as a psychiatrist 
in Salt Lake City, Utah. We will have plenty of time for 
questions to Dr. Stracks and plenty of time for him to answer.
     Sharon Omvig is a long-time member of the National 
Federation of the Blind and worked for Dr. Jernigan when he was 
director of the Commission for the Blind in Iowa. She will be 
talking about how a person who has not lost his or her sight can 
still use the NFB message to enlighten himself or herself and 
also others who are blind. Many agency workers are sighted but do 
not know how to treat their blind clients as equals.
     We will have many more guest speakers. Our meeting will be 
packed with information and good attitudes about blindness from 
the very first minute to the very last one. Don't miss any of 
them! Note: Please register so the division has your name and 
address; however, please note that no registration fees will be 
charged this year.
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     Internet Seminar
     by Richard Ring
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     Are you one of those people who have thought about getting 
online but didn't know quite how to do it? Are your friends 
sending and receiving e-mail, surfing the Web, shopping online, 
and listening to Real Audio while you stand on the sidelines 
wishing that you knew how to put all of this stuff together? Do 
you want to learn more about shopping on the Internet at such 
well-known sites as amazon.com? If you answered any of these 
questions with a resounding "Yes!" then you will want to come to 
the Internet Seminar which will be held during the 2000 National 
Federation of the Blind convention in Atlanta.
     Curtis Chong, Director of Technology for the National 
Federation of the Blind, and Richard Ring, Supervisor of the 
Federation's International Braille and Technology Center, both 
nationally- and internationally-recognized experts on technology 
for the blind, will talk about the Internet: how to get online, 
what to look for when selecting an Internet Service Provider 
(ISP), what works well with screen access technology on the 
Internet and what doesn't. In addition, the subject of online 
shopping will be discussed at length by Rick Fox, a technology 
consultant who has trained many people to shop on the Internet.
     The date of the seminar is Sunday, July 2. The time is 1:00 
p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The room location will be listed in your 
pre-convention agenda.
     This is an excellent opportunity for those of you who want 
to learn more about how a blind person can go online or how a 
blind person can benefit from the Internet. It should be 
emphasized that the seminar will cover a lot of very basic 
topics. This is not a seminar for skilled Internet surfers who 
have all the answers and only want an opportunity to swap 
information with fellow Internet surfers. Rather, it is intended 
for those who have not yet jumped into the fast-paced world of 
the Internet but who would if only they could be shown how.
     The specific information that blind people want and need to 
get online is often hard to find. We promise that you will find 
it at the Internet Seminar on Sunday, July 2.
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     The Louisiana Center Play
     The Eloquence of Courage
     by Jerry Whittle
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     The Louisiana Center for the Blind Players present a play 
about Louis Braille and his lifelong struggle with tuberculosis. 
Louis must overcome many obstacles in order to keep his Braille 
code alive. Admission $5. All proceeds from this play go to the 
summer training program for blind children at the Louisiana 
Center for the Blind. Tuesday evening, July 4, is the date; 
consult the convention agenda for curtain times.
     Come experience the hospitality of the Louisiana Center for 
the Blind. Following the play's final performance at nine 
o'clock, everyone is invited to celebrate with LCB students and 
staff members. Aside from the festivities, we will be on hand to 
answer any questions about the training we offer at our Center in 
Ruston, Louisiana. We hope to see you there.
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     The Masonic Square Club
     by Harold Snider
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     The Square Club is a group of men and women within the NFB 
who are involved in Freemasonry. They may be members of any 
Masonic organization. For the past several years Square Club 
members have met for breakfast at National Conventions. This 
year's breakfast will take place at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 
5, in a private meeting room at the Marriott Marquis Hotel. The 
exact location will be announced in the convention agenda. The 
cost of the breakfast is $25 per person. Payment will be 
collected at the breakfast. Reservations are required in order to 
attend this event.
     Reservations must be made by June 30 in order to 
participate. There are no exceptions to this requirement. Contact 
Harold Snider at (301) 460-4142, 3224 Beret Lane, Silver Spring, 
Maryland 20906, e-mail <hsnider@concentric.net> to make your 
reservation. Cancellations must also be received by June 30.
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     Mock Trial
     by Scott LaBarre
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     The National Association of Blind Lawyers will sponsor the 
third Annual Mock Trial at the 2000 Convention. This trial will 
reenact an old Federation case. Federation lawyers will be pitted 
against each other arguing the merits of the two positions.      
We will revisit the Louisiana Dance Hall Case from the late 
1980''s in which four Federationists were arrested because they 
insisted upon using their canes and travelling on their own 
inside a local dance hall. This case was never tried to a jury 
because the criminal charges were dropped, but the mock trial 
will assume that the case eventually went the whole route. See 
your favorite Federation lawyers strut their legal stuff.
     You, the audience, will serve as the Jury. This year's trial 
promises to be as entertaining and thought-provoking as the past 
trials. A nominal charge of $5 per person will benefit the 
National Association of Blind Lawyers. The trial will take place 
on Monday afternoon, July 3, at 4:30 p.m. somewhere in the 
convention hotel. Consult the convention agenda for the exact 
place.
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[PHOTO/CAPTION: Jennifer White sings a song at the Showcase of Talent.]
     Music Division
     by Linda Mentink
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     The Music Division will again conduct its Showcase of Talent 
at this year's convention. It will take place on Wednesday 
evening, July 5. If you would like to participate in the 
Showcase, here are the guidelines: 1) Sign up no later than noon, 
Wednesday, July 5. 2) Perform only one number, taking no more 
than four minutes to perform. 3) If you are using a taped 
accompaniment, be sure that the tape is cued up properly. Do not 
sing along with a vocal artist; you will be stopped immediately. 
4) If you need live accompaniment, make your arrangements before 
the Showcase begins.
     Children who plan to participate will be invited to perform 
first. The Showcase will be limited to two hours, about twenty-
four performers. Come help us enjoy music.
     The Music Division's annual meeting will take place Monday 
evening, July 3. We are still working on agenda details, but you 
won't want to miss the meeting. This is an election year, so come 
and make your presence felt. If you are serious about music, we 
hope to see you at Music Division events in Atlanta. Remember 
that division dues are $5 and may be paid any time before the 
meeting. Treasurer Ben Snow's address is 358 Orange Street, 
Apartment 409, New Haven, Connecticut 06511.
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          National Association of the Blind
     in Communities of Faith
     by Robert Parrish
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     Believe it or not, it is time to plan for another 
convention. The National Association of the Blind in Communities 
of Faith (NABICF) is excited to be a part of it. As in recent 
years, the division will host a seminar for those who struggle 
with issues concerning religion and the blind. Several insightful 
speakers will be a part of our seminar, including Linda Mentink, 
President of the Music Division.
     Division building will once again be emphasized at our 
seminar. If this division is to develop, and I firmly believe 
that it will, we must bring together a core group of people in 
each state to discuss problems that the blind have in church and 
synagogues and to communicate with various leaders about them. It 
could be that you are one such leader.
     The theme of the NABICF seminar for this year is leading the 
way into the twenty-first century. I hope to see you at the 
seminar. Please check the convention agenda for time and 
location.
     I am very excited about a new thing that NABICF will be 
doing at this year's convention. The division will be conducting 
a survey. Like many of you, I have personal thoughts about how 
blind people are portrayed in the religious world. Also like many 
of you, I have wondered if religion has sometimes harmed us more 
than helped us. Doing our own survey will help put such questions 
into perspective as well as confirm many of our instincts. The 
results of the survey will be compiled and sent to various 
religious leaders around the country. We hope that this survey 
will serve as a tool to educate those in the religious world 
about who we really are and to guide them about how to include 
more of us in that world. I encourage you to stop by the NABICF 
table in the exhibit hall during the convention and fill out a 
survey. You do not have to be a part of a church or religious 
community to fill out the survey.
     Also, as in past years, we will conduct a raffle to raise 
money for the division. I hope that you will participate. The 
amount of the prize will be announced at convention.
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     National Organization of Blind Educators
     by Mary Willows
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     The National Organization of Blind Educators will meet on 
Tuesday, July 4, at 1:00 p.m. Speakers will include leaders in 
the field of education who are blind. We will share tips on 
techniques for running a smoothly operating classroom. The 
philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind is an integral 
part of success for every new and veteran teacher. If you have 
any questions about teaching, please plan to attend our meeting 
this year in Atlanta.
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     The National Association of Blind Entrepreneurs
     by Connie Leblond
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     The National Association of Blind Entrepreneurs (NABE) will 
hold its annual division meeting on Tuesday, July 4, from 1:00 to 
5:00 p.m. Atlanta will be a great place to meet and discuss 
strategies for successful business-building. We will set goals 
and review the past year, noting our accomplishments.
     Those looking to network with others who have successful 
businesses should plan to attend. Those thinking about starting 
their own businesses will have an opportunity to ask pertinent 
questions and formulate plans for their next steps.
     Our greatest assets are one another. This division was 
established to assist blind people in their endeavors to be 
self-employed. Your participation will ensure that this will 
occur. See you all in Atlanta.
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     National Association of Blind Lawyers
     by Scott LaBarre
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     As the hot and humid days of our Atlanta Convention draw 
near, activity in the National Association of Blind Lawyers is 
beginning to heat up. First, I would like to invite all of you to 
join us in Atlanta to take part in the largest meeting of blind 
lawyers and legal professionals held anywhere in the country. The 
National Association of Blind Lawyers will meet Tuesday, July 4, 
2000, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Marriott Marquis in 
downtown Atlanta as part of the sixtieth annual Convention of the 
National Federation of the Blind.
     We will discuss many exciting topics on that afternoon. 
Speaking from their expertise, lawyers will give an update on the 
current status of laws affecting the blind. We will hear reports 
on various advocacy matters in which the Federation has been 
involved throughout the last year. We expect that officials from 
the American Bar Association, Georgia Bar Association, and 
Atlanta Bar Association will address the group about what's new 
and exciting in the organized bar of the nation and of Georgia. 
Experienced practitioners will offer strategies on how best to 
conduct various types of cases.
     We will share strategies and techniques about how to secure 
the best possible job in the legal field. We expect to hear from 
on-line legal research company representatives about the latest 
developments in on-line research and how the blind can access 
this important research tool. We will have a discussion about the 
Constitutional challenges being brought by states against the 
ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, IDEA, and other 
similar federal laws. This and much, much more will take place at 
our annual meeting in Atlanta.
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     Reception
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     As NABL President I am also pleased to announce that we will 
be hosting our third annual reception after the NABL meeting for 
blind lawyers, law students, and legal professionals. This 
reception will give us the opportunity to get to know each other 
and share ideas. Blind law students will be able to learn how 
their predecessors did it. Practicing professionals will learn 
new tips from their colleagues.
     With our regular meeting, the mock trial, and the reception, 
the National Association of Blind Lawyers plans to be busy in 
Atlanta. Make your plans now and join us in Hotlanta.
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     National Association of Blind Secretaries and Transcribers
     by Lisa Hall
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     The National Association of Blind Secretaries and 
Transcribers, a Division of the National Federation of the Blind, 
will hold its annual meeting on Sunday, July 2, 2000, with 
registration beginning at 6:30 p.m. and meeting beginning at 7:00 
p.m. Please consult your pre-convention agenda for location. At 
this writing, plans are being made to invite several speakers to 
talk about topics of interest to blind people in various office 
jobs such as customer service training, medical transcription 
training, problems members may be having on their jobs, etc.
     This year is an election year, so please think about people 
who would be good leaders of this organization. The current 
officers are Lisa Hall, President, Texas; Janet Triplett, Vice 
President, Oklahoma; Mary Donahue, Secretary, Texas; and Carol 
Clark, Treasurer, Kansas. Anyone wanting more information may 
contact Lisa Hall at 9110 Broadway, Apt. J102, San Antonio, Texas 
78217, phone (210) 829-4571, e-mail <lehtex@concentric.net>.
     I also want to announce that for several months now we have 
had an Internet listserv. I would like to see more traffic on 
this list.
     The list name is <nabstalk>, and the digest name is 
<nabst-d.>. To subscribe to the list, write to 
<listserv@nfbnet.org> and in the body of the message write the 
following: subscribe nabstalk, or subscribe nabst-d. I am serving 
as moderator on this list, and David Andrews is the list owner. 
See you in Atlanta or on the Internet.
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     The National Association of Blind Piano Tuners
     by Don Mitchell
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     The National Association of Blind Piano Tuners will gather 
for its annual meeting at the National Convention on Tuesday, 
July 4, at 7:00 p.m. Please see your convention agenda for room 
location. For more information, contact Don Mitchell, President, 
e-mail <dsmitch@pacifier.com> or phone (360) 696-1985.
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     National Association to Promote the Use of Braille
     by Nadine Jacobson
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     During this year's National Convention the National 
Association to Promote the Use of Braille (NAPUB) will meet on 
Tuesday, July 4, at 7:30 p.m. A portion of our meeting will be 
devoted to celebrating the life of Betty Niceley by sharing our 
memories of her and all of the contributions she has made to the 
advancement of Braille in this country. In addition to the report 
about the Braille Readers Are Leaders contest, we will hear from 
several Braille producers.
     Betty Niceley was an inspiration to all of us. We plan to 
continue the wonderful work she started. Please make plans to 
join us for our annual NAPUB meeting. We look forward to sharing 
ideas and seeing you there.
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[PHOTO DESCRIPTION: Seven people sit at a round table with cards and chips 
visible on it. CAPTION: Federationists enjoy themselves at the NABS-sponsored 
Monte Carlo Night.]
     National Association of Blind Students
     by Shawn Mayo
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     Students on the National Association of Blind Students 
listserv have already been talking about and preparing to attend 
the National Convention. This year's seminar will address issues 
that blind students currently face and present speakers that lead 
to thought-provoking discussions. Come see what the talk is all 
about at the NABS seminar on Monday, July 3, from 7:00 to 10:00 
p.m. Registration will open at 6:00 p.m., and the fee is $5.
     What do ice cream and Dr. Maurer have in common? Buy a 
raffle ticket and find out. Dr. Maurer has set aside a specified 
time on the evening of Thursday, July 6, to converse and eat ice 
cream with the winners from this NABS-sponsored raffle.
     Those who are not eating ice cream with Dr. Maurer should 
join the National Association of Blind Students from 8:00 p.m. to 
midnight to face the sharks--card sharks, that is. Card games of 
all types will be played, and good fun will be had by all. A 
generous donation has raised the ante to $350 for first prize 
with cash prizes also going to the second and third place 
winners.
     Students attending the convention for the first time as well 
as blind teenagers will have the opportunity to be matched with a 
NABS mentor. NABS is working in conjunction with the National 
Organization of Parents of Blind Children to establish a 
mentoring program. Mentoring can take place during the convention 
or continue throughout the year. So if you would like to ask 
questions of and spend time with a competent blind student who 
has a positive attitude about blindness, come sign up at our 
booth at the NOPBC Family Event Sunday, July 2, from 8:00 a.m. to 
9:30 a.m. You can also come and have fun with us at the Braille 
Carnival later that day from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
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     NFB Amateur Radio Group
     by D. Curtis Willoughby
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     In accord with long-standing tradition, the first meeting of 
the 2000 convention will be the Emergency Preparedness Seminar 
conducted by the NFB Ham Radio Group. The seminar will be held at 
7:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 2. We will discuss frequencies to be 
used during the convention, especially those to be used in the 
event of an emergency call-out during the convention. We will 
also discuss those architectural features of the convention 
hotels and other information that NFB hams need to know if an 
emergency response is necessary.
     Any Atlanta hams willing to do a little frequency scouting 
before the convention are asked to contact D. Curtis Willoughby, 
KA0VBA (303) 424-7373, <ka0vba@dimensional.com>.
     The annual business meeting of the NFB Ham Radio Group will 
be held at noon on Friday, July 7.
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     National Federation of the Blind in Computer Science
     by Curtis Chong
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     This year's meeting of the National Federation of the Blind 
in Computer Science will be held on Tuesday, July 4, from 1:00 
p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Marriott Marquis hotel. The specific 
room location will be found in the Convention agenda.
     The meeting will explore issues and questions on the cutting 
edge of computer technology and nonvisual access to it. We will 
hear from Microsoft about the latest work it has done in the area 
of accessibility. Sun Microsystems will unveil some very 
promising developments in access to applications using Java, a 
cross-platform language typically used for developing some 
Internet-based applications; I am assured that Sun will have 
something concrete to demonstrate how Java can really work for 
the blind.
     Gregg Vanderheiden, Director of the Trace R&D Center at the 
University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin, will present the 
provocative topic: "Where is Technology Going, and Will 
Accessibility Go Along With It?" We are also hoping to have a 
presentation on the Linux operating system and a discussion of 
how the blind can use Linux to do many of the same things we do 
with Microsoft Windows.
     Over the past few months the NFB in Computer Science has 
been trying to come up with a workable definition of accessible 
software--especially, software that is accessible to the blind. A 
committee, chaired by Steve Jacobson of Minnesota, has put 
together a straw document on the subject, and we want to air the 
issue of nonvisual access at the meeting to get the thoughts and 
opinions of everyone present. Those who have ideas about how we 
should approach the issue of accessible software are more than 
welcome to participate in the discussion.
     The year, 2000 being an even-numbered one, the NFB in 
Computer Science will hold an election of its officers and Board 
members. Our current officers and Board members are President, 
Curtis Chong (Maryland); Vice President, Steve Jacobson 
(Minnesota); Secretary, Mike Freeman (Washington State); 
Treasurer, Susan Stanzel (Kansas); and Board members Lloyd 
Rasmussen (Maryland), Richard Ring (Maryland), and D. Curtis 
Willoughby (Colorado).
     Membership in the NFB in Computer Science costs $5 per year. 
For more information about the meeting or to join the division, 
contact Curtis Chong, President, National Federation of the Blind 
in Computer Science, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 
21230. Phone: 410-659-9314. E-mail: <chong99@concentric.net>.
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     NFB NET Training Seminar
     by David Andrews
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     Each year NFB NET, the official bulletin board system of the 
National Federation of the Blind, continues to expand and add new 
services. Last year we added access to our large collection of 
files via FTP or a standard Web browser such as Microsoft 
Internet Explorer, Netscape, Lynx, and the like. This year is no 
different. We have added access to our large message base via the 
World Wide Web. This means that you can use your browser to look 
at an archive of messages which have been posted to one of our 
eighteen mailing lists, going back to March of 1999. To learn how 
to use this Web archive of messages or how to Telnet, FTP, or use 
your browser to access NFB NET and our mailing lists, attend the 
2000 NFB NET training seminar. It will be held on Sunday, July 2, 
from 9:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. See the pre-convention agenda for 
location.
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     National Organization of the Senior Blind
     by Christine Hall
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     At the time of this writing, in February, the officers of 
the National Organization of the Senior Blind are putting 
together an exciting and informative program, which we think will 
inspire all of you to become more involved in reaching out to 
seniors who are experiencing vision loss. Please come and join us 
on Monday, July 3, 2000, from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m., meeting room to 
be announced in the convention agenda. Plan to come early since 
we will be collecting membership dues of $5 along with names and 
addresses to be placed on the National Organization of the Senior 
Blind mailing list so you can receive our division newsletter on 
cassette and other information as it becomes available. For 
further information contact Christine Hall at (505) 268-3895 or 
Ray McGeorge at (303) 765-1313.
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     Science and Engineering Division
     by John Miller
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     Come participate in the Science and Engineering Division 
activities at National Convention in Atlanta. Once again our 
division meeting appears in the convention agenda so that we may 
attend both the NFB in Computer Science Meeting and the Science 
and Engineering Division meeting without missing a jam-packed 
minute of either one. Learn what we are doing to increase the 
accessibility of scientific literature in Braille for literature 
published on the Web. Also, if you have questions about turning 
in graphing assignments or writing on the chalk board, this 
meeting will be one you don't want to miss.
     The Science and Engineering Division will be presenting an 
award this year to recognize a person or organization whose 
efforts have helped the blind succeed in science. With this new 
award we are challenging developers to remove barriers for the 
blind in doing science. Contact President John Miller to reserve 
a place at the Science and Engineering Networking Breakfast at 
7:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 5. His e-mail is <jmiller@ucsd.edu>, 
phone: (858) 587-3975, address: 8720 Villa La Jolla Drive 118, La 
Jolla California 92037.
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     Social Security Seminar
     by James Gashel
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     An outreach seminar (Social Security and Supplemental 
Security Income: What Applicants, Advocates, and Recipients 
Should Know) will take place on Thursday afternoon, July 6. The 
purpose of this seminar, which will be conducted jointly by the 
National Federation of the Blind and the Social Security 
Administration, is to provide information on Social Security and 
Supplemental Security Income benefits for the blind. Seminar 
presenters will be Jim Gashel, Director of Governmental Affairs 
for the National Federation of the Blind, and a representative to 
be announced from the Social Security Administration.
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     The Writers Division
     by Tom Stevens
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     In 1999 we heard from author and educator Dr. Steven Sheeley 
of Rome, Georgia, about writing. No, it was not a dry, but an 
invigorating presentation. This year we will hear from Dr. 
Ruthann Weaver of the Department of Communications of the 
University of Georgia at Athens. Ruthann is the daughter of NFB 
members Billie and Lawson Weaver of Springfield, Missouri, and is 
in demand nationwide for her lively and potent presentations.
     The Writers Division will hold a workshop on July 2 at 1:30 
p.m., featuring Dr. Weaver. We will need to recoup the cost, so 
be ready with your $5 and come. This presentation will be 
motivational and uplifting. Educator, mother, public speaker, and 
accomplished writer, Ruthann has the expertise that will help you 
expand your horizons. Keep in mind that one does not need to be a 
writer to benefit. Regardless of your interests, you'll find that 
this presentation, which will also include a question-and-answer 
session, will be right up your alley.
     The division will meet formally on Tuesday afternoon, July 
4. Everyone is invited, and several interesting presentations 
will be made. See the convention agenda for time and place.
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[PHOTO/CAPTION: Federation kids enjoy the Braille carnival while Pam Dubel 
(left), Melody Lindsey (right), and Mary Wurtzel (seated at the table) prepare 
another activity.]
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Steve Hastalis helps a young Federationist master escalator 
travel.]
     Roles, Rights, and Responsibilities
     NOPBC-Sponsored Convention Activities for Parents and Kids
     by Barbara Cheadle
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     From the Editor: The events planned for parents of blind 
children and their entire families at our annual conventions have 
become so numerous that it seemed to make sense to pull them out 
of the previous article and give them space of their own. Barbara 
Cheadle is President of the National Organization of Parents of 
Blind Children. She and her board have planned all these 
activities. Just read through them and anticipate what fun 
families attending this year's convention are going to have.
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     The activities sponsored by the National Organization of 
Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC) at this year's Convention will 
be a wonderful mix of the tried and true and the new and 
creative. Orientation and mobility instructors and some of the 
most outstanding teachers of the visually impaired will be there, 
eager to share their knowledge with parents. Unique, however, to 
this event is the opportunity to interact with thousands of the 
real experts on blindness--blind people themselves. Here is the 
line-up of NOPBC events day by day:
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* Saturday, July 1: NOPBC Welcome Wagon
Parents who arrive in Atlanta on Saturday, July 1, may get 
parent-related convention information, tips, and NOPBC seminar 
and workshop agendas from the NOPBC Welcome Wagon in president 
Barbara Cheadle's hotel room. Call on the hotel house phone and 
ask for Barbara Cheadle. (Note: please do not call after 10:00 
p.m.)
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* Sunday, July 2:
8:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m. Family Event, registration, continental 
breakfast
9:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m. Register children and youth for the Braille 
Carnival. Check pre-registered children into NFB Camp.
9:45 a.m.     Children and Carnival Buddies depart for Braille 
Carnival.
10:00 a.m.-Noon  Roles, Rights, and Responsibilities (Parent 
Seminar session)
10:00 a.m. Braille Carnival begins.
Noon Recess. Pick up children at NFB Camp and Braille Carnival 
for lunch
1:30-5:00 p.m. Baby-Sitting Course. Carla McQuillan, instructor. 
Ages twelve and up
1:45-5:30 p.m.     NFB Camp
2:00-5:00 p.m.     Six Concurrent Parent Workshops
     (1) Beginning Braille for Parents (one three-hour session)
     The following five workshops will be repeated three times:
     2:00-2:45 p.m., 3:00-3:45 p.m., and 4:00-4:45 p.m.
          (2) Got a Hammer? Blind Kids Can Take Shop Class
          (3) Modeling Social Skills for Blind Kids: Discussion 
Group
          (4) Teaching Self-Advocacy Skills
               first session: Young Children
               second session: Older Youth
               third session: Blind Multiply Handicapped Children
          (5) Tactile, Auditory, and Visual Techniques for Low-
Vision Children
          (6) The Braille Lite in the Classroom

2:00-4:00 p.m. Discussion Groups for Blind Teens Only:
     * Guy Stuff. Doug Elliott, Leader. Young men ages twelve - 
eighteen     
     * What Your Mother Couldn't Tell You. Young women ages 
thirteen-eighteen
6:30-9:00 p.m. Family Hospitality
7:30-9:30 p.m. Kids' Scavenger Hunt: All kids ages nine-twelve
7:30-9:30 p.m. Teens' Scavenger Hunt. All teens ages thirteen-
eighteen
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     From 8:00 in the morning to 9:00 at night this day is packed 
with NOPBC events for parents, children, and youth. This year the 
day will start on a more relaxed note. From 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. 
parents and kids are invited to start the day together at our 
informal Family Event. Here parents can munch on bagels while 
they visit special information booths on Early Childhood, the 
Blind Multiply Handicapped Child, the Gifted Blind Child, 
Homeschooling, Residential Schools for the Blind, Convention 
Information, and a Blind Mentors and Models booth sponsored by 
the National Association of Blind Students. Children and teens 
can enjoy their juice while they talk to Louis Braille, Helen 
Keller, and other blind historical figures (in full period 
costumes) who will be our special guests at this event. For the 
more rambunctious youth, there are rumors that there will be a 
Bop-It playing corner. Braille Carnival Buddy volunteers will 
also be on hand to meet the kids and parents.
     The registration fee of $25 per couple plus children, $35 
for three adult family members plus children, and $15 for one 
adult plus children, includes the continental breakfast at the 
Family Event, the Parents Seminar, the Braille Carnival, and all 
other NOPBC-sponsored workshops throughout the convention week. 
Although we have streamlined our registration procedure, we 
strongly recommend that you pre-register for the seminar this 
year. This will allow you to enjoy a more relaxed, leisurely 
morning at the Family Event.
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     From 9:30 to 10:00 a.m. parents will have thirty minutes to 
check pre-registered children into NFB Camp before returning for 
the traditional seminar session at 10:00 a.m. Alternatively, 
parents may remain in the Family Event room and register children 
ages 4 and up for the Braille Carnival. Under the supervision of 
Carnival Buddy volunteers, children may go to the Carnival in 
small groups, pairs, or even one-on-one if age and other factors 
make this desirable.
     Each volunteer will have personal data sheets to give 
parents whose children they will be supervising, and the parents 
will be asked to fill out a short information sheet about each 
child. All children and youth under the age of seventeen must be 
supervised by an adult at the Braille Carnival. Carnival Buddies 
will be available to supervise children from 10:00 a.m. to noon, 
when the Parent Seminar adjourns. Parents are asked to go to the 
Braille Carnival and pick up their children within thirty minutes 
of the recess of the morning seminar session.
     NFB Camp will also be closed over the lunch break this year. 
Parents will have fifteen minutes after adjournment at noon to 
pick up children. Children may be checked into NFB Camp at 1:45 
p.m. for the afternoon workshop sessions.
     The Braille Carnival will feature exciting and fun games, 
competitions, demonstrations, and prizes with Braille themes. 
Carnival booths are sponsored by NFB divisions, state affiliates, 
NFB centers, and residential schools for the blind. Sighted or 
blind, Braille reader or non-Braille reader, kindergartner or 
teenager--there will be lots of fun activities suitable for all. 
The Carnival will run from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Parents are 
welcome to join the fun over the lunch break from noon to 2:00 
p.m.
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     Carla McQuillan (Volunteer NFB Camp Director, President of 
the NFB of Oregon, and the owner and operator of two Montessori 
schools in Oregon) will be conducting a baby-sitting course for 
blind and sighted youth ages twelve and up. Registration will 
begin at 1:30 p.m., and the course will conclude at 5:00 p.m.
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Monday, July 3
9:00-10:30 a.m.     Cane Walk. Parents of blind kids of all ages 
(babies to teens), teachers, and blind kids can get hands-on 
experience in using a cane in the hotel environment under the 
guidance of volunteer instructors from the Louisiana 
Tech/Louisiana Center for the Blind O&M program. Joe Cutter, 
pediatric O&M specialist, will provide the demonstration for 
parents of pre-school-age children.
2:00-6:00 p.m. Teen drop-in room, sponsored jointly by NOPBC and 
Blind Services and Industries of Maryland (BISM). This is a 
supervised place for teens to gather and get to know others 
attending the convention.
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Tuesday, July 4
1:00-5:00 p.m. NOPBC Annual Meeting
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Wednesday, July 5
7:00-10:00 p.m. IDEA and IEP Workshop, Marty Greiser, Instructor
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Thursday, July 6
2:00-4:00 p.m. IEP small-group consultations. Experienced 
advocates will work with parents on their personal IEP 
challenges.
2:00-6:00 p.m. Have Cane, Will Travel. Drop-in anytime discussion 
group for parents, blind kids, and teachers. Joe Cutter, 
instructor and discussion leader.
2:00-6:00 p.m. Parent Power. Drop-in anytime discussion of 
organizing and strengthening parent divisions and groups in the 
NFB. Barbara Cheadle, instructor and discussion leader.
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     Registration Form
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     NOPBC-Sponsored Activities for Parents and Kids
     at the 2000 NFB Convention
     Sunday, July 2 through Saturday, July 8, 2000
     Marriott Marquis, Atlanta, Georgia

Pre-Registration

Name(s) of adults: ___________________________________________
Address, city, state, zip_____________________________________
Phone ____________________

Braille Carnival
Name(s) of children attending, birth dates, vision (sighted, 
blind, etc.), other disabilities
_________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

     Fees: $25 for two adults plus children; $35 for three 
adults, e.g., parents and a grandparent plus children; and $15 
for one adult plus children. Make checks payable to NOPBC. Fees 
include Continental breakfast at the Family Event, Sunday, July 
2; NOPBC Seminar registration; Braille Carnival registration; and 
all NOPBC-sponsored workshops throughout the week.
     Send completed forms and checks by June 15, 2000, to Barbara 
Cheadle, National Federation of the Blind, 1800 Johnson Street, 
Baltimore, Maryland 21230.
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[PHOTO/CAPTION: Suzanne Whalen]
     Vital Convention Information for Guide Dog Users
     by Suzanne Whalen
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     From the Editor: Suzanne Whalen is President of the National 
Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU). Here is important 
information for all guide dog users who plan to attend the 2000 
convention:
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     The annual convention of the National Federation of the 
Blind will be here before we know it. NAGDU has some exciting 
activities underway now and others in store for the c.onvention.
     First of all, we are still working to create our cookbook, 
which is our major fund-raiser. We are in need of more recipes of 
all kinds. There's even a category for homemade dog treats. 
Please send all recipes, in any medium, to Karla Westjohn, 2009 
Broadmoor, Champaign, Illinois 61821. With luck the cookbook will 
be ready for sale by the time of next year's convention in 
Detroit. Please ask your friends, family, fellow church members, 
co-workers, and members of your local NFB chapter for their 
favorite recipes. After all, if we're going to ask them to buy 
the cookbook, why shouldn't they have a hand in its creation? Now 
let's get to convention.
     Those of you who attended the NAGDU business meeting or the 
popular seminar "A Guide Dog in Your Life" will remember the 
fantastic turnout we had of both long-time members and 
enthusiastic new members. We also had record attendance on the 
part of the guide dog schools. From all indications that will be 
the case again this year. For the first time the schools will 
jointly sponsor and staff a table in the exhibit area. In the 
past one or two schools have had tables, but this arrangement 
will afford easy access for anyone wanting to ask questions and 
compare the programs and services of all the schools.
     Anyone contemplating getting a guide dog or just interested 
in learning more about it can make appointments at the exhibit 
table to take a Juno walk. During a Juno walk the person holds on 
to the handle of a harness while the instructor holds the part of 
the harness the dog would wear, and you go for a walk. In this 
way you can feel what it's like to interpret the world through 
the signals of a harness. The schools' instructors will also be 
available during exhibit hours and during the seminar "A Guide 
Dog in Your Life." More about that a bit later.
     For the first time ever, to the best of my knowledge, NAGDU 
has been invited to visit NFB Camp. Last year, at Joe Cutter's 
invitation, we attended his forum for parents of blind children 
entitled "Kids and Canes." Joe Cutter is a long-time 
Federationist and a mobility instructor from New Jersey. Gigi 
Firth and I represented NAGDU at this gathering. Mr. Cutter felt 
that everyone, including little children, needs factual 
information to empower and enable him or her to make informed 
choices when older, so he wanted us to explain about guide dog 
travel to parents and children. He also suggested that we 
coordinate with Mrs. McQuillan, the Director of NFB Camp, and 
that NAGDU members come and explain about guide dogs to the 
children in age-appropriate language, let them examine different 
harnesses, pet the dogs, and maybe let them take a short walk 
with a guide dog, where possible. I'm excited about this chance 
to educate the youngest members of our movement and their 
families, and I also appreciate Mr. Cutter's and Mrs. McQuillan's 
enthusiasm and welcome.
     We are once again doing evening meetings as we did last 
year. Our business meeting is July 2. Our seminar night is July 
5, and this year we will be having two seminars back to back, 
each approximately two hours long--one for people considering 
getting a guide dog and one for veteran guide dog users. During 
the seminar for people considering guide dog use, instructors 
will be available to take interested people on Juno walks.
     Now let's discuss some issues about the convention and dog 
care. Over the weekend of February 11 to 13, 2000, the entire 
NAGDU Board (Dana Ard, Gigi Firth, Priscilla Ferris, and I) met 
with Dr. Maurer at his invitation at the National Center for the 
Blind. Also taking part in the meeting were Ed and Toni Eames, 
the co-chairpersons of the Committee on Canine Concerns; Diane 
McGeorge; and Mrs. Jernigan. Dr. Maurer called the meeting to get 
our ideas on how to prevent some problems the hotel had brought 
to his and Mrs. Jernigan's attention. So in answering some common 
questions, I think we'll cover the ideas agreed upon at the 
meeting.
     Q: What are we doing about relief areas this year?
A: Toni and Ed Eames are once again coordinating the building and 
maintenance of designated relief areas in each hotel. They are 
recruiting volunteers, as they have in the past, to assist 
convention attendees with orientation and locating the relief 
areas and other key points in each hotel as people need help. Ed 
and Toni are also recruiting and training paid staff, as in the 
past, to assist in keeping the relief areas clean and well 
maintained. This year the relief areas will be staffed beginning 
on June 30 and running through July 9. Of course, we're all 
responsible for doing our part to pick up after our own dogs.
     Q: I know that with the added stresses of convention it's 
probably a good idea for me to get my dog out more often than I 
do at home. But I remember all the trouble I had last year trying 
to find the relief area, and I don't want my dog to have an 
accident with all this wandering around. Where will the relief 
areas be set up?
     A: We're looking at that right now. But we are doing 
something for the first time this year, decided upon in the 
meeting with Dr. Maurer. There's always a table in the lobby of 
the main hotel, set up by the host affiliate. Near this table for 
the first time there will be a NAGDU information table.
     As everybody knows, there's also always an NFB information 
table set up outside the convention ballroom where general 
sessions are held. This year, for the first time, there will also 
be a NAGDU information table outside the ballroom. These NAGDU 
tables will have their own extension number. This number is not 
available at the time of this writing. We will provide Braille 
cards with the extension number for NAGDU information, and folks 
will be able to pick up these cards at both the host affiliate 
table and the NAGDU information table when they check into the 
hotel.
     In addition to the telephone at the table, there will be 
several people with hand-held communication devices linked to the 
NAGDU extension. These include Ed and Toni Eames, one of the paid 
relief staff, a representative from one of the schools, one of 
the volunteers, and me.
     What does this mean to guide dog users? Well, for one thing, 
you can call the extension number for the NAGDU table from 
anywhere, including your room or the exhibit hall. You can ask 
for assistance in finding the relief area. You can also ask for 
assistance in time of emergency. You can't leave the accident, of 
course, but you can ask a friend to find a phone and call the 
NAGDU extension for help to come and clean it up.
     Another new thing we're trying this year: We're coordinating 
with the schools to conduct orientation sessions throughout the 
hotels and especially to and from the relief areas for guide dog 
users, similar to the Cane Walks for youth. Also, at least in the 
Marriott, we're arranging more extensive coverage in the relief 
area. Another word needs to be said here about relief. We welcome 
responsible guide dog users to our conventions, and of course the 
vast majority of us are responsible. But those few who are not 
responsible--and it is a very few--are causing problems for us in 
negotiating with the hotel, so in our meeting in Baltimore we 
decided that, if someone is seen not picking up after his or her 
dog and there is no extenuating circumstance, we reserve the 
right to notify next year's hotel in Detroit that this person is 
not eligible to receive our special rates but will be charged the 
hotel's regular convention rate. Regular hotel convention rates 
are usually at least twice as much per night as the rates we 
enjoy.
     Q: I'm just not really comfortable picking up my dog's 
feces. Isn't it a messy job?
     A: It's easier than you might think, and not messy at all. 
Just ask! Just call the NAGDU line, and someone will gladly show 
you how it's done.
     Q: I can leave my dog alone at home and never worry. Is it a 
problem if I have to leave my dog alone in my hotel room? 
Sometimes you just have to.
     A: When you feel the need to leave your dog in your room, 
that's another good time to call the NAGDU extension. We'll be 
happy to arrange for a dog sitter for anybody who is in a bind. 
I've been guilty of leaving my dog in the room myself. During the 
1993 convention in Dallas, I was Assistant Director of NFB Camp. 
Convention sessions were in one tower of the Hyatt, and NFB Camp 
was in the other, so Jesse (my dog at that time) and I made the 
quarter-mile walk along the enclosed corridor between the two 
towers several times a day. I didn't know it then, but within two 
months of the close of Convention, Jesse would have major surgery 
because of bulging disks in his back. All I knew during 
convention was that sometimes the walking became too much for 
him, and he'd stumble and slow way down. I knew he was in pain, 
though I didn't find out how much pain he was in until later. So 
sometimes, when several trips between the West and East Towers of 
the Hyatt had taken their toll, I would leave Jesse in the room 
to rest, and I'd use a cane.
     Jesse was a very experienced dog then, and he was nine years 
old. But still I should not have left him alone in the room. If 
the housekeeping staff had come in, they might have been 
frightened. To my knowledge Jesse never barked or cried, but he 
could have, thereby annoying other hotel guests. I should have 
gotten someone to stay with him. My point is that we can never 
predict what our dogs will do when they're not in familiar 
surroundings. Dogs who would never bark or chew up things or jump 
on furniture when left alone at home may go totally crazy when 
left unattended in a strange convention hotel.
     We also can't predict how a maid, for example, will react 
when she opens a room door and an unattended dog comes running 
and barking at her. Heaven forbid that this dog should run past 
her out the door and escape. My current dog Caddo would do that, 
I can tell you. He's a great dog, but at the sight of an open 
door he will bolt if he's not in harness and I'm not careful. 
Therefore we decided in the meeting that it is never acceptable 
to leave a dog alone in a convention hotel room. If someone's dog 
is ill, NAGDU has information about vets in the Atlanta area. If 
a person has a medical emergency, call us; NAGDU will arrange for 
someone to babysit the dog. If you're going on a tour and it 
would be inconvenient to take your dog, please find a dog sitter 
or ask NAGDU for one.
     As was decided in the meeting with Dr. Maurer, we're doing 
three things differently this year. First, the hotels will 
maintain a list of room numbers where guide dogs are staying. 
Second, if a member of the housekeeping staff enters a room with 
an unattended dog, the hotel will report that fact to us, and we 
will notify the hotel that the housekeeping staff will not be 
obligated to return that day to clean that room. Finally, we 
reserve the right to advise next year's hotel in Detroit that 
individuals who do not follow our policies with respect to guide 
dogs are not eligible to receive our special convention rates and 
should be charged the standard convention rate. This would 
include people who leave dogs unattended in their rooms.
     Q: I practice good flea control with my dog. How can I be 
sure my dog won't pick up fleas at convention?
     A: That was one big concern the hotel had. Therefore, as 
people check in, we're going to try to reduce the flea population 
and have a little fun at the same time. After you check into the 
hotel, please stop by the NAGDU information table. You'll receive 
a free vial of Advantage, provided by Bayer. If you ask, you'll 
also be shown how to put the flea control on your dog. Depending 
on availability, you may also receive a scarf for your dog to 
wear. This concept is similar to getting a PAC or an Associates 
ribbon. We're working on deciding what the scarves will say. At 
the meeting we tossed around ideas like, "I'm a dog with an 
Advantage." We'll ask you for your name and the hotel you're 
staying in so that we can ensure adequate staffing for each 
relief area.
     One thing your dog will appreciate is that each dog whose 
person brings him or her to sign in at the NAGDU Table will 
receive a super special goody bag. We also voted to put all the 
names of the people who stop in for flea treatment into a hopper, 
and on the last day of the convention we'll draw one lucky 
person's name for a fifty-dollar prize sponsored by NAGDU.
     In conclusion, let me repeat that guide dogs and their 
handlers are welcome at Federation conventions. We have on 
average about a hundred dogs each year. Personally I'd be happy 
if we had three times as many, especially if all those folks 
joined NAGDU so we can make our division one of the strongest and 
most vigorous in the Federation. So y'all come join us at the 
NAGDU meetings in Atlanta. Our business meeting begins promptly 
at 7:00 p.m. on July 2, with registration at 6:30 p.m., and our 
seminar night begins at 6:30 p.m. on July 5. We look forward to 
meeting new people and getting reacquainted with old friends.
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[PHOTO/CAPTION: Ed Bryant]
     Dialysis at National Convention
     by Ed Bryant
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     During this year's annual convention of the National 
Federation of the Blind in Atlanta, Georgia (Sunday, July 2, 
through Saturday, July 8,), dialysis will be available. 
Individuals requiring dialysis must have a transient patient 
packet and physician's statement filled out prior to treatment. 
Conventioneers must have their unit contact the desired location 
in the Atlanta area for instructions well in advance. NOTE: The 
convention will take place at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, 265 
Peachtree Center Avenue, in downtown Atlanta.
     Individuals will be responsible for, and must pay out of 
pocket prior to each treatment, the approximately $30 not covered 
by Medicare, plus any additional physician's fees and any charges 
for other medications.
     Dialysis centers should set up transient dialysis locations 
at least two months in advance. This helps assure a location for 
anyone wanting to dialyze. There are many centers in the Atlanta 
area, but that area is quite large, so early reservation is 
strongly recommended to avoid long taxi rides. Here are some 
dialysis locations:
     * Dialysis Clinic, Inc.--West Peachtree, 820 West Peachtree 
Street NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30308; telephone: (404) 888-4520.
     * Gambro Healthcare, 699 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Suite 19, 
Atlanta, Georgia 30308; telephone: (404) 872-7211.
     * Gambro Healthcare Atlanta, 400 Decatur Street, Atlanta, 
Georgia 30312; telephone: (404) 577-9097.
     * Gambro Healthcare, 524 West Peachtree Street, Atlanta, 
Georgia, 30308; telephone: (404) 249-1563.
     Please remember to schedule dialysis treatments early, to 
ensure space. If scheduling assistance is needed, have your 
dialysis unit's social worker contact me: Diabetes Action Network 
President Ed Bryant; telephone: (573) 875-8911. See you in 
Atlanta.
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     Recipes
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     This month's recipes are submitted by the NFB of Alabama. 
They are simple and require very few ingredients.
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     Sweet Potato Souffle
     by Angela Farmer
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     Angela Farmer is President of the Dothan Chapter of the NFB 
of Alabama.
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Ingredients:
3 large sweet potatoes, baked or broiled, peeled, and mashed
1-1/2 sticks margarine
2 cups sugar
Topping:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 or 2 cups chopped pecans
2 cups corn flakes
marshmallows
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     Method: Combine and beat together first three ingredients 
and place in an oven-proof baking dish. Mash up corn flakes. Add 
pecans, sugar, and melted butter. Spread on potato mixture. Top 
with marshmallows. Bake in a 300-degree oven until brown, between 
fifteen and twenty minutes.
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[PHOTO/CAPTION: Lisa Mauldin]
     Southern Breakfast Casserole
     by Lisa L. Mauldin
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     Lisa Mauldin is the Treasurer of the Dothan Chapter of the 
NFB of Alabama.
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Ingredients:
6 slices bread
butter or margarine
1 pound of bulk pork sausage
1-1/2 cups shredded longhorn cheese
6 eggs, beaten
2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt
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     Method: Remove crust from bread. Spread bread with butter. 
Place in greased two- or three-quart baking dish (I usually use a 
9-by-13-inch pan.) Set aside. Cook sausage until brown, then 
drain. Spoon over bread slices. Sprinkle with cheese. Combine 
eggs, half-and-half, and salt. Mix well. Pour over cheese. Cover 
casserole and chill overnight. Remove from fridge fifteen minutes 
before baking. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for forty-five 
minutes, or until set. This is an excellent brunch dish and is 
often served with a hash brown casserole.
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     Oven Fried Chicken
     by Lula Grissom Copeland
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     Lula Copeland is a member of the Dothan Chapter of the NFB 
of Alabama.
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Ingredients:
Chicken pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
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     Method: Prepare chicken pieces by seasoning to taste with 
pepper and salt. Dredge each piece in flour as though you were 
frying it. Completely line the bottom of an oven-proof pan with 
aluminum foil. Grease the foil lightly with margarine to prevent 
chicken from sticking. Place chicken pieces in pan and cover the 
top with aluminum foil. Place in preheated 350-degree oven for 
approximately one hour or until meat is tender. Lift off the top 
foil and let meat brown or crisp on each side.
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[PHOTO/CAPTION: Mike Jones]
     Red Beans and Rice
     by Michael Jones
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     Michael Jones is President of the NFB of Alabama.
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Ingredients:
1 16-ounce package dry red kidney beans
1 pound smoked sausage
8 cups water
Cajun seasoning
1 cup rice
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     Method: Place water and beans in a crock pot. Cook on high 
for six hours. Cut sausage into bite-size pieces and cook with 
beans for an additional two hours. Season as you like. Cook rice 
according to package directions to serve with beans and sausage.
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     Seven Can Soup
     by Michael Jones
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Ingredients:
1 can tomato soup
1 can vegetarian vegetable soup
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can chili without beans
1 can chili with beans
1 can diced Italian spiced tomatoes
1 can whole kernel corn
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     Method: Drain canned corn, and mix with other ingredients. 
Heat and eat.
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     Monitor Miniatures
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Convention Scholarships Available:
     Allen Harris, Chairman of the Jernigan Fund, writes to say 
that the committee has established criteria for the Dr. Kenneth 
Jernigan Convention Scholarships for 2000. These factors will be 
considered when awarding Jernigan Convention Scholarships:
*attendance at previous National Conventions
*activity at the local, state, or national level
*recommendation from the state president (formal letter not 
required; we will contact him or her.)
*amount of assistance requested
*other sources of funding sought
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     When applying for a convention scholarship, please write a 
brief paragraph on why you wish to attend the convention. Submit 
your application letter and statement to Allen Harris, 4-1/2 
Garden Alley, Albany, New York 12210 by May 15, 2000.
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[PHOTO/CAPTION: Ed Beck]
Ed Beck Honored:
     Mary Jane Fry, Secretary of the NFB of Rhode Island, has 
written with the following news:
     On Friday, October 22, 1999, a special tribute was given to 
past President of NFB of Rhode Island Edmund Beck. A newly 
furnished conference room in the Rhode Island Department of 
Health Building was designated as the Edmund Beck Conference Room 
to honor a man who has dedicated much of his time and energy to 
helping other blind and disabled people.
     Jack Thompson, Deputy Administrator of Rhode Island State 
Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, spoke and gave a 
brief history of Ed Beck's life from the time he emigrated from 
Russia as a child in 1924 to the present. After losing his sight 
in an accident in 1960, Ed underwent rehabilitation training. 
Beginning in the 1970's and into the `90's he served as a 
legislative volunteer for the AARP and the NFB of Rhode Island. 
He was President of the NFB of Rhode Island from 1977 to 1978 and 
1980 to 1984. He has served on the Governor's Advisory Council 
for the Blind since 1976. He has also served on the Governor's 
Advisory Council for the Handicapped and numerous other 
committees.
     Edmund was unable to attend the ceremony because of poor 
health; however, his wife Mildred accepted the citation on his 
behalf. Ed's daughter and many of Ed's friends from the 
Federation and beyond were in attendance. This was certainly a 
well-deserved tribute to a selfless and dedicated man.
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Craft Books in Braille Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     I have a wide selection of knitting, crochet, and cookbooks 
that I have compiled at reasonable prices. They include several 
knitting afghan and blanket books; potpourri; sweaters for both 
adults and children; wash cloths; several books with hats, 
gloves, scarves, mittens, and slippers; knit and crochet toys; 
knit and crochet baby shower books; and lots more. Among the 
recipe books are Meals Across the Miles; three-ingredient 
cookbooks; Lipton Mix; Cookies Galore; and collections of 
crockpot, vegetarian, Mexican, chili recipes, etc. In the general 
section of the catalog there are three poetry books and the 
kitchen cupboard remedies.
     If you are interested in any of the above or wish to receive 
a Braille catalog, please write to Marjorie Arnott, 1446 North 
Coronado Street, Chandler, Arizona 85224-7824 or call (480) 345-
8773. You can find a shortened version of the catalog on my home 
page at <www.cs.cmu.edu/~rowan/marjorie-crafts.html>. Braille 
inquiries would be most appreciated.
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Position Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     The Center for the Visually Impaired of Daytona Beach, 
Florida, seeks to fill the position of executive director. The 
Center is a not-for-profit United Way agency which provides 
education and training for older visually impaired people. 
Prospective candidates must have a master's degree in 
rehabilitation, education, or related field; one year supervisory 
experience with strong computer skills; and evidence of ability 
to work effectively with visually impaired adults. Duties include 
overseeing the daily operation of the agency, supervising and 
evaluating staff, teaching independent living classes at various 
sites, working with adaptive equipment, coordinating fund-raising 
activities, preparing and overseeing grants, and working 
cooperatively with the Board of Directors and affiliate 
organizations. The base salary is $36,000. Send resume, letters 
of reference, and official transcripts to Ms. Kathy C. Davis or 
Dr. Thomas F. Davis, 121 Deer Lake Circle, Ormond Beach, Florida 
32175 or e-mail <davisk@dbcc.cc.fl.us>.
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Research Scientists Wanted:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on 
Blindness and Low Vision at Mississippi State University has an 
opening for a research scientist and a research scientist I. We 
are particularly interested in applicants who are blind or 
visually impaired, have experience in blindness rehabilitation, 
and might want to pursue a doctorate while working at the Center 
(the research scientist I requires a doctorate). The salaries 
will range from roughly $32,000 to $50,000, depending upon 
training and experience. For further information, contact J. 
Elton Moore, Director, Rehabilitation Research and Training 
Center on Blindness and Low Vision, P.O. Box 6189, Mississippi 
State, Mississippi 39762, (662) 325-2001, fax: (662) 325-8989, 
TDD: (662) 325-8693, or e-mail <rrtc@ra.msstate.edu> or Web site 
<www.blind.msstate.edu>.
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[PHOTO/CAPTION: Becky Velkovich]
In Memoriam:
     With sincere sadness Bernadette Dressell, Secretary of the 
Cincinnati Chapter of the NFB of Ohio, wrote to inform Monitor 
readers of the sudden death of Becky Velkovich on January 11, 
2000. Although Becky was a member of the Cincinnati Chapter for a 
relatively short time, she quickly learned the meaning and spirit 
of Federationism. For the past year or so, she had been taking 
weekly lessons in reading and writing Braille. At her May 1, 
1999, wedding to our chapter President, Ken Velkovich, she 
arranged for Braille programs of the wedding service to be 
available. At our November state convention, Becky led a seminar 
for sighted spouses to discuss their experiences. She entered 
wholeheartedly into all our activities and our struggle for 
equality. It goes without saying that we will miss her deeply.
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Correspondents Wanted:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     I'm Czech, and my name is Lubos Smid. I am forty-one years 
old and live in Germany. I am eye-handicapped. I like English 
very much, but my knowledge of it is poor. I would like to have 
some pen-friends in the United States to write letters in Braille 
and to improve my horrible English. Perhaps somebody is 
interested in this idea or wants to learn a little German. In 
this case, I could write two letters simultaneously. My German is 
far better than my English. Contact Lubos Smid, Hessstrasse 
34/VH, D-80798 Munich, Germany.
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Braille Sheet Music Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement.
     Opus Technologies has signed a Braille music publishing 
agreement with Hal Leonard Corp. the world's largest print music 
publishing company. The agreement grants Opus Technologies the 
rights to publish and sell Braille editions of music titles from 
Hal Leonard's catalog of print music.
     For its first offering Opus Technologies is publishing 
Braille editions of twenty-five individual sheet music pieces. 
These consist of the piano/vocal/guitar (pvg), easy piano (ep), 
or piano solo (ps) versions of the following ten best-selling 
popular songs:
1. Forrest Gump Main Title (Feather Theme): ep, ps
2. Great Balls of Fire (Jerry Lee Lewis): pvg
3. Heart and Soul: pvg, ep, ps
4. Imagine (John Lennon): pvg, ep, ps
5. Memory (From Cats): pvg, ep, ps
6. My Heart Will Go On (Love Theme from Titanic): pvg, ep, ps
7. Tears in Heaven (Eric Clapton): pvg, ep, ps
8. Unchained Melody (The Righteous Brothers): pvg, ep
9. What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong): pvg, ep, ps
10. Yesterday (The Beatles): pvg, ep
     Each Braille music piece is professionally transcribed and 
proofread according to the latest international standards for the 
music Braille code, using uncontracted Braille for all literary 
elements. The Braille material is embossed double-sided on 
standard eleven-inch by eleven-and-a-half-inch Braille paper, 
with twenty-five lines per page and forty cells per line.
     For the piano/vocal/guitar and easy piano versions of songs 
with lyrics, the Braille music consists of three parts:
1. preliminary matter: title page and transcriber notes
2. a vocal-guitar part using the line-by-line method, with three 
lines for lyrics, chord symbols, and melody
3. a piano part using the bar-over-bar method, with three lines 
for melody, right hand, and left hand.
     Each part starts on a separate sheet, so that a blind 
vocalist/guitarist can use the vocal-guitar part while a blind 
pianist uses the piano part. For piano solo versions the Braille 
music typically consists of two parts: the preliminary matter, 
followed by a piano part using the bar-over-bar method, with two 
parallel lines for right hand and left hand.
     Opus Technologies is selling both the Braille and the 
corresponding print sheet music at the following prices: $9.95 
(Braille), $3.95 (print), and $12.95 (Braille and print). The 
Braille music pieces can be bound individually or together with 
other pieces, using nineteen-hole comb binding with plastic front 
and back covers, for an additional $2 per binding. Shipping and 
handling is $5 per U.S. order ($10 for Canada, inquire for other 
countries).
     Contact Opus Technologies at 13333 Thunderhead Street, San 
Diego, California 92129, Phone/Fax: (858) 538-9401, e-mail: 
<opus@opustec.com>, Website: <www.opustec.com>.
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For Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     I have the following items for sale: Openbook Unbound, 
Version 3.0 with print and Braille manuals for $275; Keynote Gold 
Multimedia Speech Software synthesizer version 1.11 with print 
manuals for $75; and Jaws for Windows 2.0 with print manuals and 
Braille reference card for $250. The entire package can be 
purchased for $550, or each item may be purchased separately by 
different individuals. If interested, please respond by calling 
(888) 362-4563 and leaving a message for member 856001; or by 
sending e-mail to <tammylynn@planetarymotion.net>.
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Candle in the Window, 2000:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Candle in the Window is a small, national, non-profit 
organization aiming to build both individual skills and a sense 
of community among persons with visual impairments. We welcome 
blind people from a variety of faith traditions (or no faith 
tradition at all) to join us at our fourteenth annual conference 
entitled "The Souls of Blind Folk: Integrating Spirituality into 
the Fabric of Our Lives." The conference will take place between 
Wednesday, August 9, and Sunday, August 13, 2000, at the 
Kavanaugh Life Enrichment Center just outside Louisville, 
Kentucky.
     We will explore the experiences that led each of us to join 
our respective faith traditions; share activities that center us 
spiritually; and develop strategies to build more harmonious 
relationships with each of our chosen faith communities. In 
addition to provocative presentations and stimulating 
discussions, there will be plenty of time for swimming, hiking, 
eating, singing, quiet reflection, and just plain hanging out.
     Two lodging options will be available: a dorm-type setting 
with three or four people to a room, and a double-occupancy 
hotel-type setting. Cost: $200 for the dorm setting and $295 for 
the hotel setting ($15 discount if we receive a $35 
non-refundable deposit by July 1); limited scholarships and 
payment plan are available.
     For additional information contact Sheila Killian at (510) 
547-5321, e-mail: <sheila@primenet.com>; or Peter Altschul at 
(202) 234-5243, e-mail: <atschu@erols.com>.
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New York School Reunion:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     The Alumni Association of the New York State School for the 
Blind will hold its annual reunion at the Holiday Inn in Batavia, 
New York, June 9 to 11, 2000. Room rates are $52 per night. 
Anyone who registers before May 1, 2000, will not have to pay tax 
on the room. Contact Sukosh Fearon, 501 Broad Street, Oneida, New 
York 13421, phone (315) 363-4460. Financial assistance may be 
available to an alum who has never attended a reunion or who has 
not attended in several years. The alumni reunion is always lots 
of fun, and our millennium reunion will be a good one. Please 
join us.
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Wanted:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Perkins Braille Writers accepted with or without all parts, 
working or not. Reasonable prices paid. Call evenings or weekends 
(313) 885-7330 or e-mail me at <pacinin@itsd.ci.detroit.mi.us>.
(r)
Business for Sale:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     I am selling my mail order canes/tips business. It comes 
complete with tip molds, inventory, customer base, existing 
accounts, etc.: everything needed to carry on this fourteen-year-
old business. I am willing to teach you how, where, when, etc., 
needed to make this venture as successful for you as it has been 
for me. Average time invested weekly is two to four hours. If 
interested, call evenings/weekends (313) 885-7330 or e-mail me at 
<pacinin@itsd.ci.detroit.mi.us>.
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Tactile Biblical Maps Available:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     Maps of the Bible Lands is a two-volume set which contains 
twenty-five maps, accompanying key pages, and an index. It is 
bound with a total of ninety-six Braillon pages. The set is 
intended for serious students of the Bible or of ancient Near 
Eastern history. The maps are detailed, and no descriptive 
background material is included. Familiarity with the subject 
material and some tactile experience is recommended. Key letters 
are used to label cities and areas on the maps. These key letters 
are identified on key pages preceding each map. The maps 
frequently have foldout sections and sometimes appear on facing 
pages. A general index of almost 600 place names is included.
     It costs $22 including shipping by free matter unless other 
arrangements are made. Please send check or purchase order to the 
Princeton Braillists, 28-B Portsmouth Street, Whiting, New Jersey 
08759. Credit card and fax service are not available. Please 
allow four to six weeks for delivery. For further information 
call (732) 350-3708 or (609) 924-5207.
(r)
Church Conference of the Blind:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     The National Church Conference of the Blind (NCCB) will hold 
its annual convention at the Kentucky Inn, Lexington, Kentucky, 
July 23 through 26, 2000. The conference will feature a guest 
Bible teacher, talent evening, tours of local interest, display 
room, music, and lots of good Christian fellowship. For 
additional information and registration forms contact NCCB 
Secretary Rheba Finkinbinder, P.O. Box 163, Denver, Colorado 
80201, (303) 789-7441 or e-mail <rheba@stimobile,com> or Bob 
Green, President, (612) 561-6955 or Jim Fox, Board Member, 40 
Seward Avenue, Toms River, New Jersey 08753, (732) 244-7057, e-
mail <jimfox@americom.net>.
(r)
BFI AudioBooks:
     We have been asked to carry the following announcement:
     The home and presidential museum of Franklin Delano 
Roosevelt can now be enjoyed through the eyes of author Julian 
Padowicz in a new five-cassette audio book from BFI AudioBooks 
entitled, "Seeing the Franklin D. Roosevelt Home and Museum with 
Julian Padowicz." This book will be available in bookstores in 
May of 2000 and costs $24.95. In the meantime it can be ordered 
directly from the publisher at (800) 260-7717.
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     NFB PLEDGE
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     I pledge to participate actively in the effort 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.