The Newsletter of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland
In This Issue
27th Convention Highlights page 1
The State of the Affiliate: 1993 page 2
Maryland Technology Assistance Program page 9
MPT and the Radio Reading Network of MD Announce Partnership page 10
My First National Convention page 11
Cylke Address LBPH Dedication page 11
Partnership with Maryland Theaters page 13
Detroit Braille-A-Thon page 13
IEP Meeting Evaluation Checklist page 14
The Coat Hanger Screen Enlarger page 15
Art Exhibition for Blind and Visually Impaired page 16
1993 Resolutions page 16
Specks page 19
Calendar page 20
Chapters and Divisions of the NFB of MD page 21
MTA ACCOMMODATIONS, TQM AT DOE: 27th CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS
by Al Maneki
Signs of a great NFB state convention: something new, something unexpected, something spectacular, something accomplished, giving one the impression that conventions are getting better. By these measures, the twenty-seventh annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, October 29-31 in Ocean City, was an excellent one. There was the first ever Halloween party on Friday night-children and adults parading in costumes with prizes given out for the best costumes, and everyone having a grand time. There were many excellent door prizes of merchandise and cash including the grand prize of a VCR at the banquet. Another first was the group of 12 teenagers attending on convention scholarships from the Parents Division to interact with and learn from successful blind adults. Convention attendance points to continued growth of this NFB affiliate-267 registered, a record, and 229 at the banquet, also a record.
In her annual message, Sharon Maneki took the Maryland State Department of Education to task for failing to carry out Governor Schaefer's mandate to institute the practices of total quality management in their operations and urged Blind Industries and Services of Maryland to adopt TQM as well. She criticized the mass transit administration for wasting its money on truncated dome tiles. She pledged our continued support to Maryland's blind vendors in their struggle to protect vending machine revenues, to continue to help blind shop employees at
BISM to resolve their disputes with management, and to locate more volunteers to produce braille books for children. Among the accomplishments of the past year, president Maneki included the resolution of a case of housing discrimination, assistance to a parent with an IEP problem, the re-assignment of rehabilitation counselors at DORS, and the hiring of a full-time braillist in the Montgomery County school system.
There were interesting presentations by first time convention speakers-Tammy Jones, Christopher Kuczynski, Scott LaBarre, Leon Rose, Jim Shacochis, and the directors of the Maryland Commission on Human Relations, the Mass Transit Administration, and the Technology Assistance Program. The students in the rehabilitation program at BISM gave moving personal accounts of their problems with blindness and the valuable help that they were receiving from BISM's program. Delegate Virginia Thomas spoke about health care reform in Maryland and promised to help us to secure insurance coverage for medical devices adapted for use by blind and visually impaired persons. Then, there were the splendid and inspiring speeches by national representative Sam Gleese-what a valuable asset he is to the NFB and the NFB of Mississippi!
At a special luncheon on Saturday, the
Merchants Division was reorganized and expanded to the Business Division to include all people who are self-employed and those who wish to go into business for themselves.
The membership adopted six resolutions which, among other matters, called on DORS to require its rehabilitation teachers of the blind to pass the NLS Braille competency test, again urged LBPH to build its collection from the excess books of the Library of Congress, and condemned MTA's issuance of bus route placards. (Resolutions are reprinted elsewhere in this issue.)
At the banquet, Esther Layton (Baltimore) was recognized as the Distinguished Educator of Blind and Visually Impaired Students in Maryland 'for 1993. Joyce Hall (Baltimore) received the Anna Freysz Cable Award for acquiring the skills of blindness as an adult. In addition to these two new awards, Charles Bieble (Baltimore) received the Shirley Trexler Media Award, and Judy Rasmussen (Kensington) received the Kenneth Jernigan Award. Latonya Phippes (Baltimore), a freshman at Spellman University in Atlanta, and Justin Feagle (Trappe), a freshman at Frostburg State University, received McCraw Scholarships of
$1400 and $800 respectively. We congratulate these award recipients and scholarship winners for their outstanding accomplishments.
We wish to thank the convention speakers and exhibitors for their presentations, the Federationists who served on the many convention committees, and everyone who donated door prizes. Finally,we thank the
members who gave up their valuable weekend time to attend this convention and made it such a huge success.
The convention was brought to a close in the now familiar way with the president's announcement of the site and date of next year's convention-Cumberland at the Holiday Inn, November 4-6. Join us then for our twenty-eighth annual convention and a gala celebration of our Greater Cumberland Chapter's twenty-fifth anniversary.
THE STATE OF THE AFFILIATE: 1993
By Sharon Maneki
(Delivered at the twenty-seventh annual convention, Saturday, October 30, 1993.)
Fellow Federationists: President Clinton often speaks of the need for change, the need to remake government, the need to restructure our society, and the need to reinvigorate our economy. Even before the presidential election of 1992, many of our nation's institutional and corporate leaders were seriously thinking about the changes which needed to be made if their organizations were to prosper in the coming decades. And what about the National Federation of the Blind? Is this affiliate a up-to-date and relevant organization? Lacking in financial resources as we are, I am not referring to our use of the latest telecommunications technology or office gadgets, but I am referring to our ability to adapt to changing political and social conditions. Are we in tune with the significant trends of the 1990s? Let us consider the answers to these questions at this, our twenty-seventh annual convention.
One of the management practices in vogue today is "Total Quality Management," better known as TQM. The basic principles of TQM are an emphasis on serving the needs of customers, an approach to solving problems by examining the processes involved, and the empowerment of workers with decision-making
responsibilities. It is a premise of TQM that the managers and leaders of an organization should not make decisions by only talking among themselves.
The National Federation of the Blind has always operated under the principles of TQM,
although we have never adopted its jargon. We know our customers, and we provide them with the products and services that they need. The National Federation of the Blind's customers are not the rehabilitation agencies, not the schools for the blind, and not the sheltered workshops. Our customers are our members, students, the elderly, the newly blind, parents of blind children-in short, the blind men and women of the nation and their families. Our products and services may be described as information-our philosophy and understanding of blindness-and assistance-the advocacy and encouragement we offer to those who desperately need it. We have always looked for the solutions to problems by examining the processes involved, and as anyone who attends our meetings and conventions is well aware, our leaders do not make decisions by talking among themselves. We do not need to adopt the TQM terminology. Yet I believe that it would be useful to examine the National Federation of the Blind's accomplishments and activities of the past year in the context of TQM to see just how up-to-date and relevant an organization we are. In the last twelve months, the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland engaged in a number of innovative efforts to distribute information. Since diabetes is the leading cause of adult blindness, providing information to diabetics is an important aspect of our customer services. When President Maurer announced late last year that the "Voice of the Diabetic" would be circulated free of charge, he challenged us to increase the circulation of this valuable quarterly publication dramatically. In Maryland, we responded to this challenge by creating a network of local distributors, one from each local chapter, who receives 50 to 100 copies each quarter, and distributes them throughout the community with the assistance of fellow chapter members. We will continue to expand the
circulation of the "Voice of the Diabetic" so that friends, relatives, and diabetics themselves may learn that independence can be maintained in spite of the loss of vision.
We haveall heardthe lament:"If Ihad only learned about the National Federation of the Blind earlier, I would not have retired from my job because of blindness"; or "I would not have sold my house because I thought that I could not take care of it"; or "I would have pursued the career that I really wanted, not the one that my rehabilitation counselor said that blind people were capable of". Reaching out to newly blind persons has always been a difficult task. Ophthalmologists could perform a valuable service to their patients who are faced with the prospect of blindness by referring them to the National Federation of the Blind. We could then help newly blind persons to put blindness in its proper perspective of characteristic rather than handicap early in their periods of adjustment. Thanks to the success of the 1992 Greater Baltimore chapter art auction and to the mailing list that Ronald Coleman was able to obtain, we were able to mail our literature to all ophthalmologists in Maryland. An ophthalmologist who reads one of our Kernel Books, or shares that book with his patients, will not only have a different picture of blindness himself, but will also spread our message to his patients.
Reaching out to blind and visually impaired students is another priority. All students, even those who do not receive one of our national or state scholarships, can benefit from our information and gain an understanding of blindness that can liberate them for the rest of their lives. This year, for the first time, we were able to mail scholarship applications to every high school and university in Maryland.
Consider also the work of Maryland's Parents of Blind Children Division to disseminate information to parents and professionals. This year, for the first time, members of the parents division attended the Maryland Infants and Toddlers conference to exhibit our literature. The division also sponsored a special seminar on blindness for
Infants and Toddlers professionals in Frederick County.
The customer services that the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland offers continues to evolve and expand. When considering what services to offer, we are guided by our philosophy of equal rights and equal opportunities. The children's white cane bank is an excellent example. The use of the long white cane for independent travel is an accepted practice for blind adults. In the 1980s, we in the Federation introduced the idea of putting canes in the hands of young blind children. Blind children who use a white cane for independent travel have a unique problem. They outgrow their canes. The White Cane Bank solves this problem by providing a free exchange of canes to parents who register and purchase their first cane. As blind adults, we can take great pride in the blind children who have the opportunity for independent travel that we did not have, thanks to the National Federation of the Blind.
Another customer service that we initiated this year was the children's Braille book project. Children, especially those in kindergarten through third grade age group, have very few Braille books to read. Children who participate in the Braille Readers Leaders contest are frequently forced to re-read the same books for credit because no other Braille books are available. Through the efforts of our members and other volunteers, fifteen books were transcribed into Braille for children to read during the 1993-94 Braille Readers Are Leaders contest. We will continue to search for volunteers to transcribe children's books into Braille.
The primary type of customer service that we have provided is service to individuals. We offer encouragement, hope, and support to blind individuals through monthly meetings, parties, picnics, and other gatherings of our local chapters. We encourage each other to extend ourselves beyond the stereotypical limits that society imposes on us. We laugh or cry together over the humiliating experiences that we encounter because of the public's ignorance and
misconceptions of blindness. We build on our failures, and we applaud our successes. By serving as advocates, we solve many problems for individuals. As in previous years, we assisted blind persons who were having problems with their Social Security benefits, and we assisted blind persons who were having problems with the Division of Rehabilitation Services. I want to share three examples of advocacy from the past year which particularly illustrate the benefits of collective action.
It is hard to believe that discrimination in housing still occurs in the 1990s. On a Saturday morning in late February, I received a call from Ruth Stewart. Ruth was at the management office of Abundant Life Towers, the apartment complex that she had just moved into that morning. The problem was that Ruth's dog guide had to be left at her old apartment because Abundant Life Towers insisted that Ruth should pay an additional fee for her dog guide and would not allow Ruth to bring her dog onto the premises until that fee was paid. The National Federation of the Blind is not a Monday to Friday, nine to five organization. By Saturday afternoon, the managers at Abundant Life Towers not only knew about the Maryland White Cane Law but also had a copy of that law in their possession. Ruth and her dog guide were re-united in the new apartment. There would be no Maryland White Cane Law without the collective action of the National Federation of the Blind. This incident also reminds us that we must remain vigilant. Even though the Maryland White Cane Law was passed over twenty years ago, there are still elements of society that try to infringe on our rights.
In October 1992, parents from Montgomery County asked for our assistance. Blind students were not able to complete their assignments because they were not getting their course materials in Braille. During the previous school year, the part time Braillist employed by the school system passed away. Although funds for the Braillist position were in the current year's budget, and a candidate was ready to apply for the position, the position remained unfilled. On
October 26, I wrote to Catherine Hobbs, the president of the Montgomery County Board of Education, asking her to advertise the position immediately and fill it as soon as possible. Members of the Sligo Creek chapter and the Parents Division took turns attending board of education meetings to speak about the blind students needs for Braille materials. I received a letter dated December 1, 1992, from Alan Cheung, acting president of the Montgomery County Board of Education, stating that the Braillist position was upgraded to a full-time position and that this position should be filled in two weeks. Today, blind students of Montgomery County have a better opportunity to compete with their sighted peers and receive a quality education because a Braillist is at work providing them with their course materials.
Marylou Lanham of Charles County, a parent of a blind child, came to the National Federation of the Blind for help. The Charles County school system told Mrs. Lanham that she could not record her daughter's IEP meeting on audio cassette, and her daughter's individualized education program was changed after she had signed it. When Mrs. Lanham asked education officials why the IEP was changed without first consulting her, they claimed that the board of education denied some of the requests. Knowledge is a powerful weapon. Barbara Cheadle gave Mrs. Lanham copies of the appropriate law and regulations. Parents clearly have the right to record a meeting if they wish to do so. An individualized education cannot be changed after it has been signed unless all parties agree to the changes. Mrs. Lanham went back to the education officials to tell them that she had consulted with the National Federation of the Blind and was now aware of her rights. They said that a due process hearing would not be necessary. The original services were restored to her daughter's individualized education program.
The practitioner of TQM achieves efficiency by examining the process by which functions and tasks are performed. This emphasis on process is a useful approach to solving problems, even in programs for the blind. We in
the Federation have been studying the processes in programs for the blind for many years. Some agencies for the blind accept our recommendations. In these situations, we have been able to bring about improvements harmoniously. Other agencies ignore us or have been hostile towards us, and we have used alternative techniques to make improvements.
Blind Industries and Services of Maryland needs TQM. In the spring of 1993, BISM dissolved its industrial relations committee. The National Labor Relations Board considers such committees as a violation of employees' rights, since a mixed committee of management and employees can be too easily manipulated by management. Instead of examining the process, President Richard Brueckner's initial reaction was to sit back and wait for Congress to amend the National Labor Relations Act to legalize joint working groups of management and workers. The NFB was not content waiting for Congress to act. Only when we began to talk seriously with the shop workers at BISM to explore their options, did Mr. Brueckner devise a new channel of communication between management and workers. We will continue to work with BISM to improve communications with its industrial employees, and we will make sure that their rights are protected.
Despite Governor Schaefer's announcement that TQM will be used in the management of state government, we have seen little evidence of a customer service philosophy put into practice at the Maryland State Department of Education-particularly at the Maryland State Library for the Blind (LBPH), the Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS), and the Division of Special Education.
The restriction of the hours for patrons to call in their book orders from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM is hardly a recommended practice under TQM. This restriction excludes patrons who work or attend school during the day. For the first time, however, the possibility exists for better library services. With the opening of its new building, LBPH has space to hold more books than it has ever had. LBPH now has the equipment and the space to produce books to augment the National
Library Service's offerings. Will LBPH use TQM to bring these new opportunities fruition? We will continue to prod, cajole, or do whatever else is necessary to improve the services from LBPH. We look forward to other innovative reading programs such as the August story hours for blind children jointly sponsored by our parents division and the Friends of LBPH. Blind children not only enjoyed the pleasure of reading stories but also learned from the blind adults who read the stories that reading Braille is respectable and fun.
Throughout my tenure as president, I have never been able to report any progress toward better services for blind persons at DORS and its predecessors. During the past year, there was little progress in two areas - the assignment of counselors and the provision of accessible materials. In 1991, DORS reorganized from six regional offices to four regional offices. Region 2 consists of Anne Arundel Prince George's, Charles, St. Mary's, and Calvert counties. DORS assigned only one counselor for the blind to this large territory, and one who knew nothing about blindness. Not surprisingly, we began to receive complaints from blind clients in region 2. I discussed these complaints, by phone and by letter, with the director of client services, Patrick McKenna. Mr. McKenna acted. The case load was divided, and new counselors were assigned to blind clients in this region.
At last year's convention, we passed resolution 92-05, urging DORS to provide rehabilitation information on client rights and appeal procedures, and documents such as the individualized written rehabilitation program, to blind and visually impaired clients in Braille, on audio cassette, or in large print. Assistant State Superintendent James Jeffers' first response to our resolution was to send me a letter stating that DORS already provided information in accessible media. We published Mr. Jeffers letter in the Braille Spectator and urged everyone to ask for accessible information. Only after the publication of this letter did DORS arrange for the Technology Assistance Program to set up a system to provide Braille or large print materials. We must continue to test this system.
DORS did not provide its state rehabilitation plan in Braille with those of us who wanted to submit comments. Today DORS would not have a process to provide accessible materials if the National Federation of the Blind did not insist on it.
The Maryland Vending Program for the Blind suffers from a lack of TQM. The issue of vending machine income festers and remains unresolved. When the Maryland State Department of Education asked for public comment on regulations to implement SB 770, the most recent bill on the vending program to be adopted by the General Assembly, the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland said in part:
"The vending machine income section (.05) of these regulations should be strengthened by adding language which mandates the Department of General Services to provide the Maryland Vending Program for the Blind with accurate and complete records on all vending machine income generated on the properties controlled by the Department of General Services. Control mechanisms should be required to enable the Maryland Vending Program for the Blind to determine that it has received all of the vending machine income to which it is entitled. The regulations should also specify the date by which vending machine income should be paid to the Maryland Vending Program for the Blind."
It is well known that the process for collecting vending machine income is not clearly articulated. The operations of six blind vendors were threatened because DORS did not have a well-defined process for the disposition of vending machine income from state facilities that are not controlled by the Department of General Services. In late June, the Department of Budget and Fiscal Planning ruled that vending machine income did not belong to the blind vendors in the buildings where the machines are housed. This decision not only affected the livelihoods of the individual vendors but also represented a loss of revenue for the entire vending program. Upon our recommendation, the department of budget and fiscal planning
retracted thisorder onSeptember 2. Theissue of vending machine income is now under study. Blind vendors may be assured that the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland remains committed to maintaining the viability of the vending program.
Once the National Federation of the Blind identifies the source of a problem in a given process, we vigorously pursue a course of action which leads to the solution of the problem. We addressed the problem of illiteracy among blind and visually impaired students by working for the passage of the Maryland Literacy Rights and Education act for Blind and Visually Impaired Students. This law went into effect on October 1, 1992. Laws are effective only if they are publicized and enforced, and if the proper regulations are written. During the past year, we publicized both this law and the excellent guidelines on the selection of reading and writing media for blind and visually impaired students which was prepared with our assistance.
We did not wait for the department of
education to get around to enforcing other aspects of the literacy act. On October 1, 1992, we submitted a proposal to strengthen the certification requirements for vision teachers to the Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board. This certification board established an advisory committee to develop recommendations to satisfy the requirements in the literacy act to strengthen teacher certification requirements. I served as the NFB's representative on this advisory committee. The committee had a difficult task, not only because of the diverging opinions of its members, but also because the certification requirements for all teachers in Maryland are in transition. The Department of Education is moving away from a regulatory role to an advisory role and moving from rigid credit count requirements to options and flexibility in course requirements.
On October 7, 1993, the advisory committee
presented its recommendations to the certification board. If these recommendations are adopted, they will give the public greater assurance that vision teachers have the essential
knowledge and skills to teach blind and visually impaired students. If these recommendations are adopted, vision teachers in Maryland will be required to have knowledge of Braille if they wish to be certified, and vision teachers will be required to demonstrate the maintenance of their Braille skills at every step of recertification. Unfortunately, the committee recommended the certificate of Braille competency from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically handicapped as only one of several options that vision teachers may use to demonstrate competency in Braille reading and writing. If we find that these options are loopholes to achieving competence, we will attempt to eliminate these options. Although we will work to have these recommendations adopted immediately, the outcome remains uncertain, since the Department of Education is currently thinking of changing the recertification requirements for all teachers. We will continue our battle to ensure that blind and visually impaired children receive the quality education to which they are entitled.
During the coming year, we will make a special effort to promote the use of Braille by both children and adults. At our banquet this evening, we will present 2 new awards. To recognize the outstanding vision teacher who promotes Braille and the other alternative techniques of blindness, we will present the Distinguished Educator of Blind Children Award. We have presented this award at our national conventions for the last 5 years, but this is the first time we will present such an award in Maryland. The Anna Freysz Cable award will be presented to the outstanding person who became blind as an adult but continues to lead a productive life by learning and using the alternative techniques of blindness. It is most appropriate to name this award in honor of Anna Cable, who learned Braille in her 60s. After becoming blind, Anna continued to cook, type, and pursue community interests. At age 100, Anna is still living a productive life. By using a variety of approaches, we will win the fight for literacy and adequate training for all blind persons.
The final element in TQM is empowerment. The Americans With Disabilities Act is supposed to foster a shift in disability policy away from paternalism to empowerment. Since our inception in 1940, the National Federation of the Blind has practiced empowerment. At this convention, just as at all of our state and national conventions, the membership will determine the policies of this organization. We set our goals by voting on resolutions. We elect our own leaders. As we are reminded in each issue of The Braille Monitor, "the national federation of the blind is not an organization speaking for the blind; it is the blind speaking for themselves." During the past year, we used empowerment to dissuade a number of elected officials and bureaucrats of their notions about the accommodations that blind persons need.
In February and March, we joined Federationists across the country in commenting on questions and proposals from the Architectural Transportation Barriers Compliance Board. This board suspended its rules on the installation of detectable warnings and truncated dome tiles until 1995 and called for further study of these matters. In Maryland, we had to remind state officials of the suspension because they were rushing to install these accommodations. The arguments are now familiar. We do not need an irregular and hazardous surface to tell us that we are at the edge of a platform or a street crossing. We can get that information from the proper use of a long white cane or a dog guide. Under wet and icy conditions, both sighted and blind persons will slip and fall on these surfaces that were supposedly designed to make the environment safe. If studies are to be conducted, let us hope that such studies will be more objective and reasonable than the study designed by Dr. Billie Louise Bentzen, and administered to several members of our Sligo Creek Chapter by Donna Sauerberger. We are sad and angry about the accident that took the life of Chris Buchanan of Newport News, Virginia, who was killed at the MARC platform in New Carrollton, Maryland. Warning surfaces will not prevent the needless loss of life. Instead of wasting time and money
on a futile effort to change the environment, give us the tools that we need to take care of ourselves! Let us have decent mobility and adjustment to blindness training!
The Baltimore City Mayor's Commission on Disabilities will more accurately represent the true spirit of empowerment because of the efforts of Eileen Rivera and our Baltimore chapter. As originally proposed to the City Council, the commission would be dominated by service providers rather than consumers; only the disabled members would have to reside in Baltimore City; and there was no stipulation that this commission would be chaired by a disabled person. Because we practiced empowerment ourselves, the City Council was persuaded to amend the commission's structure. The commission will be chaired by a disabled person; all members of the commission will reside in Baltimore City; and the commission will have true consumer representation.
Today, the art of persuasion is a major
industry. With modern technology, armies of spin doctors and image makers are employed to sway public opinion. Even the president of the United States relies on a host of professionals to sell his ideas and maintain his image. We have our spin doctors and image makers in the National Federation of the Blind, too. They are not of professional variety, but they are our members-all of us. We create a public image of blindness through our everyday activities. Our spin doctors are active parents like the Maurers and the Lowders, as they shop for groceries and shepherd their children to athletic events; devout persons like Lloyd Rasmussen, an elder in his church who uses an alternative technique to serve communion to his parishioners; and well-adjusted students like Charles Cheadle who was recently elected to the Order of the Arrow, a select group of Boy Scouts. We cannot control the public's thinking about blindness. We can only cultivate the public's understanding of blindness through our individual and collective activities.
Let us return to the questions that I posed at the beginning of this report: Are we in need of reform? Are we a relevant and up-to-date organization? Are we in tune with the most
significant trends of the 1990's? Our esteemed leader, the late John McCraw, would chuckle over the jargon of Total Quality Management and the doings of the spin doctors. But he would instantly recognize the work of the National Federation of the Blind in the 1990's. He would tell us that we are not in need of reform, that we are relevant and up-to-date, and that we are in tune with the most significant trends of this decade. He would urge us on to ever greater accomplishments.
Finally, I appeal to our new members- those attending their first convention-and to the students-especially those in our youth scholarship program and in the rehabilitation program at Blind Industries and services of Maryland. We must believe in the capabilities of blind persons in our own hearts, and we must eliminate the myths and fears of blindness in ourselves before we can expect to change the public's image of blindness. We want you to have the freedom that the rest of us have never had. Use it to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way and use it to better the condition for all blind persons. We need your enthusiasm, energy, and fresh ideas. The time will come when the torch of leadership will be passed on to you! The future is bright with promise. Let us continue in our grand march to freedom and opportunity.
THE MARYLAND TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (MD TAP)
by Mary Brady
From the Editor: Mary Brady, Executive Director of the Maryland Technology Assistance Program asked to address the convention. Since she made her request after the agenda was set, we were unable to give her the time that she had requested. She submitted this article at Sharon Maneki's invitation.
The Maryland Technology Assistance Program (MD TAP) is a grant funded program of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. MD TAP is governed
under the provision of Public Law 100-407. The purpose of this Act is to assist states in developing and implementing consumer responsive, state-wide programs of technology-related assistance for individuals of all ages and all disabilities. MD TAP is provided as a cooperative service of Governor William Donald Schaefer's Office for Individuals with Disabilities. MD TAP provides information on available products, devices, services and other resources to assist individuals with disabilities. More specifically, MD TAP offers information and referral, regional technology assistance centers, equipment demonstration and loans, assistance in obtaining funding for assistive devices, and training and coordination with other state and federal programs involved with assistive technology. Assistive technology is used in every facet of life, including work, education and recreation.
In Baltimore, MD TAP operates an
equipment demonstration center, including a Sensory Aids Lab at the Maryland Rehabilitation Center. This facility is fully equipped and accessible. There the public has a chance to learn, borrow and try assistive devices. In three other regional centers, located in Salisbury, Hagerstown and Cumberland, technology loans and consultation services are provided locally by the project's Regional Technology Specialists. Hundreds of calls come in monthly with questions ranging from "How can my son obtain an adapted computer for his classroom?" to broader questions such as "How can MD TAP assist employers with issues which may arise in hiring blind individuals?" An employer may be concerned as to how the individual will travel to and from work, or how the individual will carry out the daily tasks of preparing documents, retrieving information, or even
performing mathematical calculations.
The Maryland Technology Assistance Program can help find solutions to these and other pressing issues of employer and employee needs. First, MD TAP maintains a database (Abledata) which accesses over 17 thousand products available for individuals with disabilities. This database is updated on a
semi-annual basis. Second, MD TAP maintains an extensive library of resources available on high- and low-tech strategies and devices. Third, MD TAP can assist employers with information about what technology is available, where they can get it and how much it costs. Fourth, MD TAP can also provide the employer with resources to educate them about working with blind individuals and the rights and responsibilities that blind individuals have under the American With Disabilities Act. Once an employer has a better understanding and awareness as to how a blind individual can perform the job effectively and independently, a positive outlook occurs in hiring the individual. Fifth, Maryland TAP also provides information about other resources in the State of Maryland and around the country. This can assist in developing solutions to specific needs whether they are recursive or rare instances.
MD TAP is dedicated to systems change. This means that it works with a vast variety of agencies and organizations in an effort to assist them in better serving their members. MD TAP can assist in working with individuals who are not currently using or aware of available technologies.
MD TAP is in a position to provide employees with information and hands-on demonstrations of technology-based solutions. As the first federal program specifically mandated to be "consumer driven and consumer responsive," MD TAP employs blind and visually impaired individuals in key professional staff positions, as well as on its Advisory Committee. All materials published by MD TAP are available in alternative formats, and all training sessions are free and open to the public. A recent seminar, entitled "Let's Do Braille" has drawn diversified audiences of secretaries, rehab counselors and others interested in learning how to produce Braille documents. MD TAP is anxious to work with you to find an answer, product, or solution which will meet the needs of both employer and employee.
For more information or to receive the
current Training Calendar and quarterly
newsletter, please contact MD TAP at 1-800-TECH-TAP V/TT. (1-800-832-4827)
MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION AND THE RADIO READING NETWORK OF MARYLAND ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP
Baltimore, MD (October 1, 1993)-Maryland Public Television (MPT) and the Radio Reading Network of Maryland announced a partnership today to make the reading network more available to visually and physically impaired Marylanders.
Beginning October 1, the Radio Reading Network-a daily service where volunteers read current newspapers and magazines-will be broadcast on MPT's Second Audio Program (SAP) channel. The SAP channel is an option available on most stereo television sets.
"Since 1979, we've probably been one of Maryland's best kept secrets," said Mary Jo Pons, Chairman of the Board of the Radio Reading Network. "Now, thanks to MPT, the word will be out. It's exciting to know that the voices of our volunteers will at last be heard across the state."
The broadcasts will be available on all six channels of MPT, reaching 98 percent of the population of Maryland. The only time the reading service will be preempted is when a program contains the Descriptive Video Service (DVS)-additional audio information and narrative to make programs more enjoyable for the visually impaired-or when the SAP channel is used for broadcasts of sessions of the Maryland General Assembly.
"Maryland Public Television prides itself on helping to make media more available to people," said Norm Silverstein, Senior Vice President of Administration.
"We look forward to this partnership with the Radio Reading Network, and we hope it will result in more Marylanders having access to this valuable service," he added.
The Radio Reading Network of Maryland is
an independent, non-profit agency based at Baltimore City Community College. Its broadcasts are carried on subcarrier frequencies of WBJC Baltimore, WFWM Frostburg, and WESM Princess Anne. Listeners can hear the reading service by leasing a special receiver for
$35 per year.
By adding the reading service to the SAP channel on Maryland Public Television, the broadcasts will have a statewide reach. In addition, if a visually or physically impaired Marylander has access to a television set with an SAP channel, it would not be necessary to lease a special receiver to hear the broadcast.
Volunteers for the Reading Network of Maryland daily read both The Morning Sun and The Evening Sun, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Other offerings include Time, People, and The New Yorker and many more current publications of general and special interests.
MY FIRST NATIONAL CONVENTION
by James T. Crowe
In July of this year, my wife Roberta and I were able to attend the convention of the National Federation of the Blind in Dallas, Texas. Roberta and I are piano technicians, and have attended many Piano Technicians Guild conventions, but this was our first one with the NFB.
The plane! The plane! Of course, I had to assure the stewardess that I could store my cane properly, with my folding cane, that wasn't too hard. No argument with Roberta, she got the window seat. Along with the planeload of congenial fellow-passengers, we were served a nice breakfast, after which I was able to get an hour or so nap before we landed in Dallas.
Next, the hotel, which was magnificent. We were in the West Tower, away from a lot of commotion, near the swimming pool, shops, and a restaurant serving the best black bean soup I've ever savored. Another hidden advantage of the West Tower was the quarter mile walk over
to the convention hall and meeting rooms. Great exercise to knock off those black bean soup calories.
The opening ceremonies on Tuesday morning were very exciting, like a college pep-rally, everyone cheering for their states, it was fun, and we were proud to be there. The general sessions were very well organized, with good communication between the podium and the conventioneers. Frequent door prizes of merchandise, cowboy hats, armadillo droppings, alcoholic beverages, and cash, ranging from twenty-five to two hundred dollars, kept everyone's attention. I became most attentive myself, after winning two twenty-five-dollar door prizes within five minutes.
Roberta and I were impressed with the
Federation's leadership. President Maurer, Dr. Jernigan, and Texas President Glenn Crosby gave sensible, inspiring opening speeches, setting the pace for all who followed. There were many, each imparting his or her own special erudition to the cornucopia of knowledge. The Texas chapter had arranged activities and side trips that got many of us out of the hotel, into the Texas countryside. The whole week was delightful, the perfect blend of comradely edifying, accomplishing meetings with enjoyable social functions.
The NFB is our organization, and as
members, we make the NFB work. Its meetings and national conventions are where we learn how we' re progressing toward our goals. We should support ourselves, the NFB. Roberta and I urge all who are able to attend as many meetings and conventions as you can.
The Dallas convention was a wonderful, exciting, fun-packed week. It was so refreshing to be around that many positive thinking people. Roberta and I are looking forward to next year's convention in Detroit, Michigan.
CYLKE ADDRESSES LBPH DEDICATION
From the Editor: We are reprinting the remarks of Frank Curt Cylke, Director, National Library Service
for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, which he gave at the dedication of the new building for the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped which was held on August 30. Mr. Cylke has been a familiar figure at our national conventions for many years. Here are his remarks.
Distinguished speakers, guests: I am not going to go through the litany as Lance Finney just did of introducing individuals; I believe, however, that we should indeed recognize the individuals for whom this building is really here.
The small children behind me listening to this presentation, and all other blind and physically handicapped users present, please stand. Please, I'd appreciate that.
This is what it is all about, after all. When you think about it, there are more than 700,000 blind and physically handicapped readers in the United States. Last year-those of you who aren't one of them might be interested in knowing-they read more than 23 million books and magazines. That's more than 30 books and magazines by each person. That, by the way, is
29 times more material being read by blind individuals than by sighted individuals.
This library is indeed a superb library. I believe it is very fortunate being located in Maryland with wonderful staff. With the National Federation of the Blind-the largest consumer organization in the world being here-you can't help but succeed.
You are a cog in the wheel! When someone says that, you say "What does that mean?' I mean that this is a synergistic network, that we all represent and all those cogs, including ourselves, make the system work. We, the Library of Congress, produce the machines on which the books are read. This library represents the distribution mechanism. The readers represent the end users.
You might be interested in knowing that there is about $100,000,000 worth of equipment-700,000 machines-throughout the United States. And each year we produce approximately 2,000 titles-audio titles-in a
thousand copies. That means we manufacture two million copies each year. We also publish 75 plus magazines, 36 in an audio format and the others in braille.
What kind of books are they? They're exactly the same kind of books and magazines that sighted people have available for them. I will give you a few examples: Sports Illustrated magazine, cover to cover, word for word, audio form is received in a blind individuals house on the day that the sighted person can purchase it on the newsstand. I find that the staff who put it together, working with Lance and the staff here in Baltimore, have overcome tremendous obstacles. These obstacles include how to take something that is in print and turn it into a form that somebody who cannot use print can find accessible.
Now, I've been talking about audio, but we can also talk about braille. There are not as many braille users, that's true. But that makes braille even more important. For example, if you think about the deaf blind community. The only access that a deaf blind person has to the world that the sighted or the blind live in, is the braille medium. And what do we have to offer there? We put out such things for them as the New York Times Large Type Weekly. Again, it arrives at the home of the blind at the same time as sighted individuals receive it. The various book sections, the various popular magazines ... I won't list them all. I think you have the picture by now.
I will close by saying that we at the Library
of Congress are very proud to be working with an organization such as the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. We consider ourselves cogs in the wheel. We consider the Maryland library a cog. All the cogs working together have provided the largest, the oldest, and-from my vantage-the most important library service in the world-the service to the blind and physically handicapped community. And I thank all of you who support it and, more important, I thank all the blind and physically handicapped individuals in the audience who-through their constructive criticism,
through their constant comments, through their constant interaction, making it a better program year by year.
Thank you very much for the opportunity to be here today.
PARTNERSHIP WITH MARYLAND THEATERS PROVIDES ACCESS TO THE ARTS
Baltimore, MD (October 15, 1993)-Governor William Donald Schaefer today announced the Governor's Office for Individuals with Disabilities, Center Stage, Charles County Community College's Theater Department, and the Morris A. Mechanic Theater will unveil an audio description system for theater patrons with visual impairments. The service, in which volunteers describe the performance to persons through small headphones, will be available beginning October 24th.
The three theaters, the Maryland State Arts Council, the Baltimore Center for Performing Arts and patrons with disabilities comprise the Task Force on Access to the Arts which is developing ways to assist people with disabilities to enjoy the arts. The Task Force is staffed by the Maryland Technology Assistance Program (MD TAP), part of the Governor's Office for Individuals with Disabilities.
"This is an extremely exciting development in the arts. No longer will people who are visually impaired be reluctant about going to the theater. With new technology we will eventually see even more leisure activities available for people with disabilities", said Governor Schaefer.
Center Stage will debut the audio description service at its October 24th matinee performance of The Triumph Of Love. Center Stage will provide small lightweight radio headsets to patrons with visual impairments. The free headsets can be reserved in advance when purchasing tickets and must be returned at the end of the performance. Trained volunteers will give program notes and scene setting information before the performance. At curtain,
the volunteers, watching the performance in an offstage broadcast booth, will describe the costumes, props, and other action on stage. The broadcast cannot be heard by patrons without wearing headsets.
"We have an excited group of volunteers who are anxious to help make theatre a part of the lives of people with visual impairments. MD TAP is looking forward to other exciting ways to help expand day to day activities of people with disabilities." said Mary Brady, Executive Director of MD TAP.
Audio Description will be available at the Mechanic's November 6th performance of Heartbeats. Charles County Community College's Theater will have audio description available at the November 21st performance of My Fair Lady.
MD TAP and the Arts Council provided funding for the purchase of the audio description system and training the volunteers who will be describing the performances. The Task Force recruited and selected volunteers who were trained by Metropolitan Washington Ear, the organization which invented the audio description technique.
For schedule and additional information on audio described performances call Center Stage at (410) 332-0033, the Morris Mechanic Theater at (410) 625-4230 and Charles County Community College's Theater Department at
(301) 934-2251.
NAPUB PLANS NATIONAL BRAILLE-A-THON FOR DETROIT
For the past five years, the National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana has held a Braille-A-Thon as a pre-convention event at its state convention as a means to both promote Braille literacy and to raise funds for the state affiliate. During the past five years, the NFBL has raised over five thousand dollars and has received some excellent publicity about Braille literacy in almost every major city in Louisiana. Volunteer Braille readers pledge to read a set
number of Braille pages between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on the Friday before a state convention begins. For several weeks prior to the state convention these volunteer readers procure sponsors, and then the volunteers gather in a large room in the hotel where the state convention is held and complete their page goals. Some read as many as three hundred pages, and others read just a few pages. For example, Harold Wilson raised over $1300.00 on just ten pages the first time the event was held. Harold, who had just completed grade two Braille at the Louisiana Center for the Blind, pledged to read his. ten hard-earned pages during the Braille-A-Thon, and using a sign-up sheet, he found persons in his hometown who were willing to pay him money to see him reach his goal. "It was easy to find sponsors. People seem to like the idea of helping us become better readers. There is still a mystique about Braille, and the more we promote and show people that it is not so amazing, the better off we will be," Harold said. During one Braille-A-Thon in New Orleans in 1989 the New Orleans Times Picayune featured a blind father and daughter both reading Braille together, and almost every major television station in cities like Shreveport and Baton Rouge has covered this event.
Because the Braille-A-Thon has drawn many volunteer readers in Louisiana and because it is an excellent way to promote Braille through the media in different cities each year, the National Association to Promote the Use of Braille (NAPUB) has decided to hold a similar event at next year's national convention in Detroit, and if successful, it will be continued at each national convention. "We expect to have excellent Braille readers and brand-new Braille readers participating on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Detroit," said Betty Nicely, President of NAPUB. "We should have at least two hundred people reading Braille in one room in Detroit, and we will try our best to have every major television station and newspaper in the Detroit area there to cover the event. We will be calling on our membership in NAPUB to pledge to read their pages and to find sponsors
in their home states who would be willing to pay them handsomely for their hard work. Half of the money will go to NAPUB and half will go to the national organization. If Louisiana can raise two thousand for a state convention, there is no reason why we couldn't raise over one hundred thousand for our national Braille-A-Thon," said Nicely, smiling. "We want to make this an annual event. I bet it will be one of the quietest fundraisers we could ever have."
If you would like to participate and receive some sponsor sheets, you may contact either Betty Nicely, 3618 Dayton Avenue, Louisville, KY 70402, (502) 897-2632 or Jerry Whittle, 101 South Trenton Street, Ruston, LA 71270, (800) 234-4166.
IEP MEETING EVALUATION CHECKLIST
(Reprinted from HCARC News, Volume 6, Number 4, May/June 1993, the newsletter of the Howard County Association for Retarded Citizens, Inc.)
(The following article is included as a general guide for parents. The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland frequently provides advocates to assist parents in obtaining the specialized training that blind or visually impaired students need.)
Do you ever leave an IEP meeting feeling somewhat overwhelmed? Here is a tool you might use to help evaluate the meeting and keep you focused on what it should include.
- Did the team meeting planning the IEP include the following representatives? (yes or no): a) The parents? b) The student, when exercising the right to participate? c) A school administrator or designee? d) A general education classroom teacher? e) Appropriate special education personnel? f) Other support personnel? g) Upon the request of the parent, a member of the same cultural background or knowledgeable about the student's racial, cultural, or learning differences?
- Does this occur at meetings? (yes or no): a) Are introductions made so everyone's role is known? b) Are the purpose, agenda, and amount of time for the meeting stated? c) Are the parents given information on their rights? d) Is privacy assured? e) Is parental, student input sought throughout the meeting?
- Is this process followed in developing the IEP? (yes or no): a) Is the student's present level of performance discussed and documented? b) Are these levels based on a variety of assessments and progress review data? c) Did the team identify instructional need? d) Is there a goal written for each identified instructional need? e) Are the goals measurable and attainable in one calendar year? f) Is there more than one short-term objective for each goal? g) Is there a description of the special education and related services needed to accomplish the goals and objectives? h) Are these listed: type of service, amount of time, frequency of each service, site and setting for the services, names and school phone numbers of responsible personnel? i) If a related service (such as a physical or occupational therapy) is needed, is there an explanation given about why it is needed? j) Is the IEP developed in accordance with the principle of least restrictive environment? k) Does it substantiate why the proposed educational placement is most appropriate? 1) Are modifications and adaptations specified for use by general educators (classroom teachers)? m) If the student is in a segregated, special education program more than 50%,of the day, does the IEP describe the activities, amount of time, and frequency in which the student will participate with students without disabilities? n) Is there a plan and date(s) for periodic review? o) Does the plan include the use of time out, manual or physical restraints, the planned use of suspension or dismissal from school, or the temporary delay or withdrawal of food or water? Contact your local advocacy organization as special rules apply.
THE COAT HANGER SCREEN ENLARGER
by Lorette S.J. Weldon
From the Editor: Lorette Weldon is the Coordinator of the Study Room for People Visually Impaired at the University of Maryland College Park. Although we have no personal experience with the screen enlarger she describes, she assures us that this screen enlarger is installed and in use in her study room at the University of Maryland.
In the advent of online catalogs being used in libraries, many people may have trouble seeing the print on the computer monitors. They need a screen enlarger.
Companies, such as Gaylord (Box 4901, Syracuse, NY 13221-4901) and Tele sensory (1-800-227-8418) sell screen enlargers, but the prices can start from $319 to $2,800. These screen enlargers can be an attachment to the front of the monitor or they can be a program, like ZoomText.
This type of device can be developed by anyone at a cheap price. By using a coat hanger, a clothes pin (or paper clamp), a size 52 belt (velcro), and a magnification sheet (which can be obtained at an office supply store like Office Depot), a screen enlarger can be in your possession for under $2.
In the first step, take the hook of the coat hanger and have the curl of the hook turn so that it is facing you. Position the coat hanger so that the body of the hanger is above the monitor's screen.
For the second step, place the belt over the top of the monitor so that the neck of the hanger is under it and that the hook hovers over the belt. Tighten the belt. The tightness should constitute enough pressure to hold the hanger in place and allow the hanger to slide across the monitor.
The third step consists of putting the magnification sheet in the clamp and attaching both to the hanger's body (hang it on the wire that is closest to you).
In the fourth step, move the hanger from
side to adjust it to the location that you wish to look at on the monitor's screen. Focus the magnification sheet by moving it back and forth with your hand.
For more information, call me (Lorette Weldon) on (301) 270-5803.
ART EXHIBITION FOR BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE
From the Editor: We were asked to print the following announcement.
The School 33 Art Center presents a special exhibition: "TOUCH: BEYOND THE VISUAL,"
from December 11, 1993, through January 14, 1994. This exhibition presents artwork that stresses the tactile perception as a major component to the aesthetic experience.
Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The School 33 Art Center is located at 1427 Light Street, just eight blocks south of the Inner Harbor.
Two workshops will be given in conjunction with the exhibition on Saturday, January 8, 1994, at School 33 Art Center:
- THEORY AND PRACTICE: AN OVERVIEW OF ART EDUCATION FOR BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
ADULTS AND CHILDREN. This addresses the theories and educational methods involved in teaching art. Specialized materials and teaching methods which can be used in an art education setting will be presented.
METHODS AND MATERIALS: TECHNIQUES FOR ACHIEVING ACCESSIBILITY FOR ARTS
ORGANIZATIONS. This provides participants with the skills and knowledge necessary to develop and produce materials such as large type brochures and labels, braille title sheets, labels and brochures, raised line drawings, and audio descriptive tapes. These materials will increase the accessibility of exhibition programming for all audiences.
These workshops are free and open to the
public.
For further information or to register, call School 33 Art Center at (410) 396-4641.
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE 27TH ANNUAL CONVENTION
RESOLUTION 93-01
WHEREAS, the Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board is currently completing a process of reviewing the certification requirements for teachers of the blind and visually impaired; and
WHEREAS, that process identified a need to create a separate review of the certification needs for individuals teaching orientation and mobility to blind and visually impaired students; and
WHEREAS, the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Handicapped (AER), along with university-based orientation and mobility training programs, systematically discriminates against those persons they exist to serve, by insisting that blind and visually impaired persons are as a group not qualified to teach independent travel safely and effectively; and
WHEREAS, the experience of agency-trained blind and visually impaired orientation and mobility instructors and thousands of their students indicates that this discrimination is unwarranted; and
WHEREAS, the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) continues to hold itself out as the certifying authority for orientation and mobility instructors; and
WHEREAS, AER refuses to certify blind or visually impaired orientation and mobility instructors, even after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, NOW
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the
National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in convention assembled this 31st day of October 1993 in the city of Ocean City, Maryland, that the National Federation of the Blind of
Maryland opposes any attempt by the State of Maryland to create or adopt certification standards which discriminate against otherwise qualified blind and visually impaired orientation and mobility instructors, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the
National Federation of the Blind of Maryland work with the State of Maryland to create fair and reasonable certification standards for those teaching orientation and mobility to students, if such standards are deemed to be necessary.
RESOLUTION 93-02
WHEREAS, a bill entitled "The Americans with Disabilities Business Development Act," has been introduced as HR 794 in the 103rd Congress by Representative Jim Ramstead of Minnesota; and
WHEREAS, this bill would amend the Small Business Act so that persons with severe disabilities (including blind people) would have increased opportunities to become eligible for participation in the program known as "Section VIII(a)," through which government procurement contracts are set aside for minority-owned firms; and
WHEREAS, eligibility criteria for the VIII(a) program include both social disadvantage and economic disadvantage, but members of specified minority groups (not including persons with disabilities) listed in the law are presumed to be socially disadvantaged, therefore only having to prove economic disadvantage; and
WHEREAS, the simple purpose of HR 794 is to give blind and disabled people the presumption of social disadvantage, so that business owned by such persons can have a fair chance to receive Section VIII(a) contracts; NOW THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in convention assembled this 31st day of October 1993 in the city of Ocean City, Maryland, that this organization strongly urge all members of the Maryland Congressional delegation serving in the House to co-sponsor the Americans with
Disabilities Business Development Act and to join us by working toward prompt enactment.
RESOLUTION 93-03
WHEREAS, the Maryland Mass Transit Administration (MTA) has developed placards with bus route numbers, specifically designed for use by blind transit riders; and
WHEREAS, these placards areto be held aloft to inform bus drivers of correspondingly numbered routes to stop; and
WHEREAS, displaying placards with bus route numbers is objectionable to many blind people for both practical and legal reasons; and WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) mandates that public transit providers serve all passengers equitably, without burdensome specialized requirements
for blind persons; and
WHEREAS, MTA's planned use of numbered placards did not result from broad-based blind consumer demand, but rather from requests made by only a handful of blind bus riders at best; and
WHEREAS, MTA officials have responded to the objections raised by promising not to require mandatory use of the placards at any time in the future; and
WHEREAS, use of placards could become mandatory in practice, if not in policy, especially if drivers come to expect the placards and then bypass blind people who do not display them; and
WHEREAS, using printed numbered signs to catch buses would make blind people more dependent and would give no assurance to the blind transit user that the driver has seen the number; NOW THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in convention assembled this 31st day of October 1993 in the city of Ocean City, Maryland, that this organization condemn and deplore this pitiful placard plan, and officially go on record as strongly opposing the use of numbered bus placards for blind transit users; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that on matters
such as this, which have clearly significant service implications for a substantial number of blind people, we insist that officials of the MTA contact the president of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland to obtain advice before a plan is announced and implemented.
RESOLUTION 93-04
WHEREAS, the information found in newspapers can be of critical importance for individuals interested in full participation in work, community, and family activities; and
WHEREAS, the technology for dial-in newspaper systems has been developed and proven effective in several states, including New Mexico, Michigan, California, Minnesota and the greater DC area; and
WHEREAS, dial-in newspaper systems provide choice through menu selections which enable blind individuals to choose what and when materials are read; and
WHEREAS, newspapers are not presently made fully available to blind people in an alternative medium which incorporates choice of when and what is read; NOW THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in convention assembled this 31st day of October, 1993 in the city of Ocean City, Maryland, that funds be used here in Maryland to develop and implement a statewide dial-in newspaper system for the blind which makes the major state and local newspapers substantially more accessible to blind citizens.
RESOLUTION 93-05
WHEREAS, in 1991, several organizations asked the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress (NLS), the recognized authority on Braille in the United States, to develop a test to measure Braille competency; and
WHEREAS, NLS has developed a test and is now accepting applications from people who wish to take it; and
WHEREAS, many states, including
Maryland, are requiring vision teachers to demonstrate competency in Braille by taking this test; and
WHEREAS, rehabilitation teachers have the responsibility to teach Braille reading and writing, and should be expected to maintain the same standards of competence as vision teachers; NOW THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in convention assembled this 31st day of October, 1993 in the city of Ocean City, Maryland, that this organization urges the Division of Rehabilitation Services, Maryland State Department of Education, to require all of its rehabilitation teachers to obtain a certificate of Braille competency from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped by passing this competency test; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this
organization urges the Division of Rehabilitation Services, Maryland State Department of Education, to establish standards to ensure that rehabilitation teachers maintain competency in their Braille skills.
RESOLUTION 93-06
WHEREAS, the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (LBPH), is the main source of materials in alternative formats for blind and visually impaired people in this state; and
WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland has long been concerned with the quality and scope of services offered by LBPH; and
WHEREAS, LBPH now has facilities available to store Braille books from the XESS collection; and
WHEREAS, most patrons' access to the Library is via the telephone; and
WHEREAS, since the Library moved to its new location, patrons have been requested to only call the Library between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM; and
WHEREAS, in the fall of 1991, a committee was formed to develop priorities for expansion
of existing services and write timelines for their implementation; and
WHEREAS, technology is now available to produce Library material in alternative formats requested by individual patrons; NOW THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in convention assembled this 31st day of October 1993 in the city of Ocean City, Maryland, that:
- within the next three months, LBPH begins to acquire Braille and other materials from the XESS collection, and these materials include classics and other popular books;
- LBPH re-institute its policy allowing patrons to request materials during normal Library hours; and
- the Services Enhancement Committee completes its report in a timely manner and take steps to implement its recommendations.
SPECKS
THANKS. We wish to thank the following companies for their convention donations: Frank's Cross Street Market, Milton Franklin, Vanessa's Vintage Treasures, Claridge Casino Hotel, Starboard Restaurant, Oneida Factory Stores, Chesapeake Knife & Tool, Glass Resort Outlets, Vacarros' Italian Pastry Shop, Inga's Gallery & Gifts, Pizza Hut of Maryland, Morrison Restaurants, C. Crane Company, A&W Restaurants, Silver Diner, Chick-fil-a Restaurant, King's Court Restaurants, Bob Evans Restaurants, Comfort Inn Gold Coast, Horn & Horn Cafeterias/Horn & Horn Smorgasbord, Friendly's Restaurants, Long John Silver's, XTEKS Investments, Grand Prix, Goddard Employees Welfare Association Council.
CONGRATULATIONS to Carlene McKenzie,
who was named as the 1993 BISM Employee of the Year. Carlene was recognized for her achievements and productivity with an expense-paid trip to the National Industries for the Blind convention in Baltimore in October.
BIRTH. Congratulations to Tim and Dawn Forderon the birth of their daughter, Ellen
Christine, onNovember 10th. Parentsand infants are doing well.
WEDDING. Belated congratulations to Carole Dobak and Christopher Kuczynski, who were married in Philadelphia on July 17th.
BRAILLE MENUS. We have been asked to carry out the following announcements: Braille menus are now available at Henry and Jeff's Restaurant and Catering, 1220 North Charles Street in downtown Baltimore, 727-3322. The menu includes sandwiches, salads, pizza, pasta, Mexican food, breakfast fare, and luscious desserts. Turf Valley Hotel and Country Club offers Braille menus at its Alexandra's Restaurant (fine, continental dining), and at its more casual Terrace on the Green (sandwiches, salads, etc). Call Turf Valley at 410-465-1500 ELECTIONS. The following officers were elected at the luncheon of the new Business Division, National Federation of the Blind of Maryland: Barry Hond, president; Ken Canterbery, vice-president; Ray Sewell, secretary; Don Morris, treasurer; Raymond Lowder and Leon Rose, Board members. We look forward to great activities from this new division.
SEASON'S GREETINGS
The president, officers, and members of the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland extend Happy New Year's greetings and their best wishes to all of you for a prosperous 1994. May the coming year be as successful to the organized blind movement as the past year.
CALENDAR
January 27
Day in Annapolis
January 30-February 2
Washington Seminar
February 1
End Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest
March 1
Deadline for submission of articles for next issue of Braille Spectator
March 31
Deadline for National Scholarship applications
May 15-21
National White Cane Week
May 31
Deadline for Mccraw Scholarship applications
July 1-8
NFB Convention in Detroit
CHAPTERS AND DIVISIONS OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF MARYLAND
Baltimore County Chapter
Hilda Cullison, president (410)284-2575 Monthly meetings second Thursday
Greater Baltimore Chapter
Eileen Rivera, president (410)433-5176 Monthly meetings third Saturday
Central Maryland Chapter
Brenda Mueller, president (301)551-7057 Monthly meetings third Tuesday
Greater Cumberland Chapter Gary Klatt, president {301)777-0131 Monthly meetings first Tuesday
Frederick County Chapter
Gerald Schultz, president (301)662-6803 Monthly meetings fourth Tuesday
Sligo. Creek Chapter
Lloyd Rasmussen, president (301)946-8345 Monthly meetings second Saturday
Mountain City Chapter
Jean Faulkner, president (301)729-8942 Monthly meetings third Thursday
Southern Maryland Chapter
Ken Silberman, president (301)552-2839 Monthly meetings fourth Saturday
Parents of Blind Children Division
Barbara Cheadle, president (410)747-3472
Business Division
Barry Hond, president (410)484-7041
Diabetics Support Network
Donna Goodman, chairman {410)730-9430 Monthly meetings fourth Tuesday
THE BRAILLE SPECTATOR
Al Maneki, Editor Winter 1993/94
The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, an affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind, is a non-profit organization of blind people whose purpose is to promote equal opportunities for the blind. We provide advocacy services for the blind, special training programs for parents of blind children, job referrals and placements for the blind, public education programs, scholarships to blind students, and help the newly blinded to acquire special techniques for maintaining productive lives.
Please address inquiries to:
NFB of Maryland
9736 Basket Ring Road Columbia, MD 21045
phone (410)992-9608
Please send donations to:
NFS of Maryland 11909 Coronada Place
Kensington, MD 20895
The Braille Spectator is published quarterly for members of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland and others who share an interest in the work of this organization. The recorded edition, available on cassette, can be obtained from the editor upon request. Cassettes may be returned to the National Center for the Blind, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, MD 21230.
Changes of address and additions to the circulation list should be sent to the editor. Address all news items, articles and letters to the editor.
Al Maneki, Editor
The Braille Spectator 9736 Basket Ring Road Columbia, MD 21045
Officers:
Sharon Maneki, President Columbia, Maryland
Eileen Rivera, First Vice President, Baltimore, Maryland
Barry Hond, Second Vice President, Baltimore, Maryland
Debbie Brown, Secretary, Rockville, Maryland
Judy Rasmussen, Treasurer Kensington, Maryland
Members of the Board of Directors:
Ken Canterbery Essex, Maryland
Ronald Coleman, Silver Spring, Maryland
Jean Faulkner, Cumberland, Maryland
Fred Flowers, Baltimore, Maryland
Blanche Payne, Baltimore, Maryland
Brenda Williams, Baltimore, MD
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM
The National Federation of the Blind has chapters in all fifty states and in almost every local community in the nation. The Federation has more than 50,000 members and is working to help the blind to have full and meaningful lives. It is not financed by the government but depends for support on contributions from its Members, and its Friends.
I support the National Federation of the Blind and herewith pay one dollar for Membership-at-large in the organization. As a Member-at-large I wish to make a tax-deductible contribution for the year in the amount of:
O Associate-$10
O Contributing Associate-$25 O Supporting Associate-$50 O Sponsoring Associate-$100 O Sustaining Associate-$500
O Member of the President's Club-$1,000
O Other
(Please type or print legibly.)
Name
Street City State Zip
Telephone------------- Date--------
Local representative of the National Federation of the Blind:
Name) (State)
This application and accompanying check made payable to National Federation of the Blind should be sent to:
Associates Program
National Federation of the Blind 1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
...............................................................................................................................................
RECEIPT
Received of the amount of dollars. Date--------
Signature of local representative of the National Federation of the Blind
(All contributions to the National Federation of the Blind are tax-deductible.)