The Braille Spectator Winter 1987 | National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

National federation of the Blind of Maryland

9136 Basket Ring Road Columbia, MD 21045

Winter, 1981

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

U.S. Postage Paid Baltimore, MD Permit No. 1632

Address Correction Requested

THE BRAILLE SPECTATOR

National federation of the Blind of Maryland, Inc.

Winter, 1981

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland 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: Please send donations to:

NFB of Maryland

9736 Basket Ring Road Columbia, MD 21045

phone (301)992-9608

NFB of Maryland 11909 Coronada Place

Kensington, MD 20895

The Braille Spectator is published quarterly as a newsletter to 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 cassettes, can be obtained. from the editor upon request. Cassettes may be returned. to 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.

Althea Pittman, Editor The Braille Spectator 9736 Basket Ring Road Columbia, MD 21045

Organizational Officers

Sharon Maneki, President Columbia, Maryland

Althea Pittman, First Vice President Baltimore, Maryland

Ronald Metenyi, Second Vice President Baltimore, Maryland

Mary Ellen Reihing, Secretary Baltimore, Maryland

Judy Rasmussen, Treasurer Kensington, Maryland

Members of the Board of Directors

Leroy Bagwell, Pokomoke, Maryland

Ronald Burns, Cumberland, Maryland

Al Carter, Annapolis, Maryland

Carleen McKenzie, Frostburg, Maryland

Pat Weinbrenner, Frostburg, Maryland

Brenda Williams, Baltimore, Maryland

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Date	event
Thurs. Mar. 26, 1987:	Deadline for ticket sales, National Federation of the Blind April 1987 Lottery.
Tues. Mar. 31, 1987:	Deadline for applications, National Federation of the Blind Scholarship Program.
Sat. Apr. 4, 1987:	Computer Users' Division, National Federation of the Blind of Maryland Seminar, time and location to be announced.
Sat. Apr. 25, 1987:	National Federation of the Blind of Maryland Board of Directors meeting, time and location to be announced.
Sat. May 2, 1987:	Parents of Blind Children Division Seminar, Holiday Park Senior Citizens' Center, 3930 Ferrara Drive, Wheaton, MD.
Fri. May 15, 1987:	Deadline for applications, National Federation of the Blind of Maryland John T. McCraw Scholarship Program.
June 27 - July 4, 1987	National Federation of the Blind, Annual Convention, Phoenix, Arizona.
Oct. 2 - Oct. 4, 1987	National Federation of the Blind of Maryland Annual Convention, Comfort Inn, Frostburg, MD.

PURSUING THE THREE FREEDOMS

During the 1987 March on Washington from February 1 through 4, 1987, we asked the one-hundredth Congress to give blind people three freedoms that the sighted public take for granted. These freedoms are the freedom to travel, the freedom to work, and the freedom to learn. March on Washington was very successful, and the Maryland congressional delegation was very receptive to our proposals. We will only achieve these freedoms if Congress hears from each of us. Ask your Congressman, Senators Mikulski and Sarbanes to do the following:

Write to Secretary Elizabeth Dole, United States Department of Transportation, urging her to implement rules immediately enforcing the law prohibiting discrimination against the blind by the airlines. Secretary Dole should also use her influence to convince the airline industry to abandon their hostile attitudes toward blind travelers.
Co-sponsor and support legislation requiring sheltered workshops to recruit blind persons for managerial positions and establish career-development programs for all blind employees.
Co-sponsor and support legislation that would eliminate the monopoly of state vocational rehabilitation programs. This legislation would allow blind persons the option to use Social Security rehabilitation payments for the training programs of their choice.

COMPUTER DIVISION ORGANIZED IN MARYLAND

by Lloyd Rasmussen

The first computer users' seminar, sponsored by the Computer Users' Division, National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, took place on Saturday, December 13, 1986, at the National Center for the Blind. More than thirty Federationists and friends came to learn something about computers, or to demonstrate computer access products.

During the morning, we discussed what computers are good for, along with their limitations. We then dispersed to six different offices for the first of two hands-on demonstration sessions.

Mary Ellen Reihing demonstrated the Speaqualizer, a unique speech-output system for the IBM PC developed by the NFB Committee on Research and Development, plus the NFB braille translation program. Harold Snider and Pat Gormley showed how the Enhanced PC Talking Program from Computer Conversations works. Lloyd Rasmussen demonstrated Screen-Talk Pro, from Computer Aids Corporation. Joe Roeder of PC Consultants worked with word processing and spreadsheet programs using Artie Vision and Artie Business Vision, perhaps the newest program to enter the speech output market. John Jackson demonstrated Soft-VERT, and Al Carter demonstrated VERT Plus, along with Vista, a large-print output system for the PC, all products of TSI. Kevin McGowan demonstrated Braille- Edit, from Raised Dot Computing, and other programs for the Apple II computer.

The availability of several offices in close proximity to each other at our National Center building gave us a unique capability to demonstrate several talking products simultaneously, with much less of the crowding and distractions which characterize the exhibit hall at the national convention.

After lunch, we had a question-and-answer session, and business meeting. The following officers were elected by the newly formed Computer Users' Division of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland: president, Lloyd Rasmussen, Kensington; vice-president, John Jackson, Silver Spring; secretary, Pat Gormley, Hyattsville; treasurer, Mary Ellen Reihing, Baltimore. The board members are Al Maneki, Columbia; Al Carter, Annapolis; and Bobby Bobo, Takoma Park.

Members expressed an interest in getting better access to computer-related materials in machine-readable form, and a committee was appointed to work on this. Information is being collected about users’ groups for computers which our members use. Members were also interested in having a demonstration of computer communications at the next meeting. The date and location of the next meeting have not yet been set.

Membership dues for this division are 12.00 per year. For more information, contact me at (301) 946-0653 (answering machine) or (301) 946-8345 (evenings and weekends). HAPPY COMPUTING!!!

1987 ANNAPOLIS AGENDA.

Our annual Day in Annapolis and Legislative Reception was held on Thursday, January 22nd. It was one of the more memorable events for Federationists because of two special happenings.

The Maryland House of Delegates passed a Resolution commending Dr. Kenneth Jernigan for his years of leadership and work with the blind of Maryland and the nation. The Resolution was introduced by Delegate Elijah Cummings and cosponsored by Delegates William Bevan, Casper Taylor and Virginia Thomas. After Resolution 19 was passed, Dr. Jernigan addressed the Chamber. It is extremely rare that someone who is not a delegate is allowed to speak on the floor. It was a moment of great pride for all of us and Dr. Jernigan certainly deserved this special recognition.

Another added element to this day in Annapolis was the arrival of 12 inches of snow. Federationists are hearty dedicated spirits. We didn’t let the snow keep us down. Despite added difficulties, we visited the offices of all 188 delegates and senators and held our evening reception. It was a very successful day. We demonstrated the capabilities of blind people by our actions and the legislators heard our message. Now it is up to us to convince the legislators to enact our agenda. Our goals for the 1987 legislative session are described in the following memoranda.

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF MARYLAND

January 22, 1987

TO: MEMBERS OF THE MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY RE: THE BLIND: PRIORITIES FOR THE 1987 SESSION

One out of every five hundred of the U.S. population is blind, and fifty thousand people in our country become blind each year. Even more, the social effects of blindness magnify its impact to include families, relatives, friends, colleagues at work, and others. In short, millions of our citizens are affected to a considerable degree by laws and public policies concerning the blind. But despite its widespread impact, blindness is one of the most misunderstood conditions. So, we have formed the National Federation of the Blind to increase public understanding about blindness and to build greater awareness among the blind themselves.

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, an affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind, is a private sector voluntary organization maintained and controlled by the blind. It is a resource of knowledge and personal help with everyday problems for thousands of blind men and women. We are proud of our self-help philosophy and achievements. However, the blind of Maryland face serious obstacles to equality. Blind people in Maryland face enormous attitudinal barriers to employment. Blind children in Maryland receive an inadequate education. Blind people in Maryland have insufficient library services. Changes in law and public policy can remedy these problems. You can improve and enrich the lives of blind people in Maryland by taking the actions recommended in the following position papers.

MEMORANDUM #1

From: The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland To: Members of the Maryland General Assembly

Subject: Employment Discrimination Against the Blind (HB207) Date: January 22, 1987

The blind of Maryland has the ability and the ambition to compete in the workplace. But again, and again we are denied the chance to prove ourselves. You can help us unlock the door of employment opportunity and to take our rightful place as contributing members of our society. The members of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland urge you to strengthen the White Cane Law by adding the Private Employer Amendment.

Blind people have the ability and desire to work. Yet, seventy seven percent of the working age blind population are unemployed. Why? The answer is discrimination.

Discrimination against the blind is not based on malice. It is based on fear, ignorance and misconceptions. A national survey of employers conducted in 1983 by Job Opportunities for the Blind shows that an overwhelming majority of employers who did not have any blind employees were afraid to hire us. Since the rate of unemployment among blind people has continued to increase since 1983, it is evident that employer attitudes have not improved. Employers listed such stereotypic fears as "a blind person will not be able to travel from his home to the workplace. A blind person will not be

able to climb stairs. Discrimination, whether it is based on fear or ignorance, is still

discrimination. It must be eliminated.

The Maryland General Assembly demonstrated a strong belief in civil rights for the blind by passing the White Cane Law in 1966. Throughout the succeeding years, the legislature further demonstrated this concern by adding amendments to strengthen this law. Members of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland urge you to continue this record of strong protection for civil rights of blind persons by supporting the Private Employer Amendment to the White Cane Law.

The law currently prohibits discrimination on the basis of blindness by employers who receive public funds. The Maryland State Department of Planning estimates that public sector jobs represent only 25.6% of the total number of jobs in Maryland.

The blind must have the opportunity to compete for all the jobs in Maryland, no matter what the employer's source of funding or whether the job is in the public or private sector of the economy. We seek the same right to work as any other citizen in Maryland. The right to work is not just an economic necessity, it is a question of human dignity.

MEMORANDUM #2

From: National Federation of the Blind of Maryland To: Members of the Maryland General Assembly Subject: Education of Blind Children in Maryland Date: January 22, 1987

Children are the most important resource of our state. Therefore, the state must make every effort to make sure that every child in Maryland receives quality education. Blind children currently receive an inferior education. Educators stress the teaching of foreign languages and other forms of communication, yet they refuse to teach Braille to students with limited vision. This practice condemns a legally blind child to a life of illiteracy. However, this most unfortunate trend can be reversed by legislative leadership. Society reflects its values through its· laws. The Maryland General Assembly should go on record in support of the teaching of Braille.

Members of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland ask your assistance in the following actions:

The Maryland General Assembly should enact legislation that guarantees every blind student the opportunity to learn Braille.
Please urge the Maryland State Department of Education to upgrade the standards for certification of vision teachers. Vision teachers should be required to pass a free correspondence course in Braille transcription offered by the Library of Congress.

Braille Instruction for Blind Children

Literacy, the ability to communicate effectively by reading and writing, is as important to blind children as it is to other children. Braille is to blind people as print is to sighted people. It is the only method of communication that gives the blind person the same advantages as print gives the sighted reader. For example, grammar, punctuation, and spelling are only learned well if a blind child can read Braille. It is not possible for a blind person, without the knowledge of Braille, to write or read material needed for quick reference (such as phone numbers, manuals, addresses). Verbal modes of communication (tapes, disks, talking machines or talking computers) can no longer replace Braille than radio or television can replace print.

Sadly, the problem of increasing illiteracy among the general student population has also become a problem among blind children. The teaching of Braille has been deemphasized throughout the nation, and Maryland is no exception. A misguided reliance upon technology and a false belief in the superiority of print has led to the situation in Maryland where legally blind children with some remaining visions have been denied the opportunity to learn Braille, even when they can only read print very slowly and with great difficulty. This has especially devastating effects for the child who will lose more vision later in life when Braille will be more difficult to learn and the instruction more

difficult to obtain. Even totally blind children have not escaped this damaging deemphasis in Braille instruction, often graduating from school with inferior reading and writing speed and skill.

The law needs to be changed to highlight Braille and make it clear that it is the policy of the state of Maryland that blind children have the right to an opportunity to become literate. Parents and educators must know that Braille is a viable option and that blind children have a right to instruction in its use. By presenting Braille as an option to all blind children, including the legally blind child with some remaining vision, the state of Maryland will be fulfilling a basic responsibility for the literacy and education of these children. It is important that a tone be set which encourages blind children to maximize their potential and recognize Braille as the effective and desirable reading method that it is.

MEMORANDUM #3

From: National Federation of the Blind of Maryland To: Members of the Maryland General Assembly

Subject: Parents' Rights in the Education of Their Blind and Handicapped Children Date: January 22, 1987

Parents have an important role in the education of their handicapped children. They often have information about their children's abilities and needs that no other professional can have. In recognition of this role, federal law guarantees that parents have the right to participate as equal partners in the development of their children's educational programs. Parents also have the right to act as advocates for their children.

In Maryland, education of handicapped children suffers from a lack of parents' involvement, due to the inadequate information provided by local education agencies. The members of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland urge you to strengthen parents' rights by passing legislation that will require the local education agencies to adequately inform parents of their rights. This legislation will ensure that parents are informed of their rights before their children's programs are developed, rather than after decisions have been made.

Parents in Maryland

Federal law PL 94-142 is landmark legislation which guarantees the right of handicapped children to a free and appropriate education. To implement federal law, the state of Maryland passed the Special Programs for Exceptional Children Act.

This Act implements federal requirements which are not currently carried out with any consistency in Maryland. Maryland law on the education of the handicapped is very deficient in addressing the individual education program and specifically the parents' role in this process. The federal law intends for parents to be equal participants in this process of planning an educational program for their handicapped children. However, because this intent is not clear in Maryland law, procedures have developed which place

parents in the lesser roles of observer or advisor. Parents frequently attend Admission Review and Dismissal committee meetings and Individualized Education Program meetings unaware of who will be present and participating, and ignorant of their right to bring. someone with them. These are all rights they have under federal law but have not been made available to them because of the deficiencies in Maryland law which allow such rights to be overlooked.

Legislation requires the local education agencies to distribute information about parents' rights, and documenting the receipt of this information, is essential to remedy the inconsistencies cited above. Legislation requiring that the local education agencies provide parents with names of local contacts for consumer and advocacy groups is also important, since these groups are a source of unique information and assistance. As parents' rights to act as advocates increase, the quality of education available to their handicapped children will also increase.

MEMORANDUM #4

From: To:

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland Members of the Maryland General Assembly

Subject: The Crisis in Library Services for the Blind Date: January 22, 1987

The Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, located at 1715 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, is a state-wide system that should serve the more than ten thousand blind and physically handicapped children, adults, and senior citizens of Maryland. This library program is crucial to blind people because it is often the only source of information for people who cannot read what they want when they want to read it. The program suffers from lack of space, lack of books and other materials, and lack of staff. This is the time for action because the lease on the present dilapidated facility expires in June 1987.

The members of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland request your assistance with the following three actions:

Please urge Governor Schaeffer to eliminate the bureaucratic delays and to recommend a supplemental appropriation of funds for the new building.
1. Please urge Governor Schaeffer to recommend additional expenditures for additional staff positions.
2. Please urge the Superintendent, Maryland State Department of Education, to make structural changes in his department, so that the Library for. the Blind and Physically Handicapped receives greater priority and visibility.

Library Services for the Blind in Maryland

It is a mistake to compare library services for the blind and physically handicapped with library services for the general public. Printed material is available everywhere- in newspapers, magazines, bookstores, billboards, circulars, newsletters, and advertisements. It is quite possible for a literate sighted person to read for pleasure and enlightenment without ever setting foot in a public library. Most sighted readers value their libraries as an additional source of information "the frosting on the cake."

It is not like that for blind and physically handicapped people. There is only one newsstand in the country that carries one braille periodical. Most bookstores now carry a few abridged versions of books on cassettes. A few volunteer organizations produce textbooks on tape. But, as a practical matter, blind and physically handicapped people must depend exclusively on the library for the blind to meet their reading needs. The library is not "the frosting on the cake" for blind and physically handicapped people who use it. It is their cake, their bread, their primary defense against intellectual starvation.

Blind and physically handicapped library patrons often live more than one hundred miles from their library. Therefore, the library serves its borrowers by mailing materials to them. The need to provide service through the mail and the lack of face-to-face contact between librarians and their patrons makes this service truly unique.

How well does the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped meet the challenge? Let's look at what a good library for the blind should be and compare it with the current situation in Maryland.

Administratively, a good library for the blind and physically handicapped should be highly visible. Its director should report to the head of the state library system with no administrative levels in between. It should have its own clearly defined budget with the overwhelming majority of funds coming from stable state sources. Its staff should be large enough to permit some staff time to be devoted to development of its collection of books. It should also act as the state repository for educational materials for blind school children throughout Maryland.

The Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped is administratively buried deep within the Public Library section of the Maryland State Library. There are several administrative layers between the director of the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped and the head of the state library system. The director of the Library for the Blind and physically handicapped does not control its budget. The staff of the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped is barely large enough to handle the routine shipping and receiving of books. There simply is not time or money to engage in aggressive collection development or effective community outreach. The budget is not only inadequate but also structured so that an increasing proportion of the Library's funding comes from federal sources which are vulnerable to budget cuts.

A good library for the blind and physically handicapped should be housed in a well planned spacious building. It should be located in an area with easy access to public transportation and good parking facilities. There should be a shipping and receiving area designed for the efficient movement of books in and out of the building. Workrooms are needed for processing books and repairing equipment. Soundproof recording studios, a control room, and braille production and duplication facilities should be part of the design. Space should be set aside for the public to visit the library and examine aids and appliances for the blind and physically handicapped, as well as space to read. Above all, the library should have space to expand its collection to twice its size.

The Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped leases space in a ramshackle building with none of the features described above. The building leaks, plaster falls from the ceiling, roaches and rodents inhabit the premises, and the air conditioning does not work most of the time. Volunteers and staff must work in cramped quarters in space which is neither pleasant nor efficient. Above all, the Library is far too small. It has less than 17,000 square feet of space, much of it in an unusable condition.

A good library should make collection development one of its top priorities. The Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, provides several hundred titles to the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped each year. The books from the Library of Congress should be regarded as a base from which to begin producing and acquiring books. A good library for the blind and physically handicapped should acquire or produce at least as many books each year as the Library of Congress does. This is especially true of books on Maryland subjects.

The Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically handicapped continues to be perceived as little more than the Maryland distribution center for books from the Library of Congress. Administrative decisions are made based on this restrictive and unimaginative perspective. As a result, this library not only fails to increase its collection; it actually returns books to the Library of Congress each year because of lack of space. Although there is reason to evaluate the collection each year and weed out little used materials, such decisions should be based solely on the merit of the items in question and not on space limitations.

What can be done to make the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped into the service it should be?

A new or remodeled building is essential. Conditions in the current facility discourage patrons from visiting the Library. The staff is limited in its ability to respond creatively to patron needs because so much time must be spent struggling to function under shamefully inadequate working conditions. A new building should be planned which contains at least 50,000 square feet of space.

At least five new staff positions should be created within the next three years. The most critical need is for a person to manage the technical aspects of computerizing the service. The Library is not getting the full benefit of the money spent on automation because no one is available fulltime to oversee its operation.

Increased coordination of volunteer efforts could expand the effectiveness and scope of library services without adding to the cost. One staff member works with volunteers as time permits, but more could be done if she were free to devote herself fulltime to recruiting, training, and utilizing volunteers.

Current staff can barely fill routine fill patron requests. They are not able to search for hard-to-find items outside the library collection. The Library would be much more effective if a staff member could devote full time to learning about resources and could have funds to purchase additional available materials.

Borrowers should be able to request rapid production of essential documents in a usable format. It is not reasonable to expect current staff to oversee the production of recorded and braille documents in addition to their already heavy responsibilities.

The Library budget should also be increased to provide raw materials for book production. Volunteers are available to transcribe books into braille or onto cassettes, but they cannot be expected to provide paper, binding material, cassettes, and mailers in addition to their labor.

Implementation of the above recommendations will require only a small investment, but it will give over 10,000 blind and physically handicapped people access to more of the information that is so easily available to the majority of Maryland's citizens.

ATTITUDES VERSUS ENFORCEMENT: ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE BLIND

The handling of the Evensen case by Montgomery County officials is a classic example of prejudicial attitudes getting in the way of enforcement of the law. We in the Federation will not stand idly by and let it happen. We took the initiative in getting each state to pass a White Cane law. Now we must convince officials to enforce this law.

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF MARYLAND

Sharon Maneki, President

9736 Basket Ring Road Columbia, Maryland 21045

phone: (301)992-9608

January 30, 1987

County Attorney Paul Mc Guckian 101 Monroe St.

Rockville, Md. 20850

Dear Mr. Mc Guckian,

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland is a self-help organization of blind consumers that promotes and protects equal rights for blind persons. I am concerned about the protection of the rights of blind pedestrians in Montgomery county. I hope you will clarify the following issue.

As you know, on January 12, 1987, two blind persons, Richard and Lorain Evensen, were hit by a car and died shortly after the accident. Police report 4469005 and newspaper accounts of the accident indicate that to date the driver of the car involved in

the accident was not charged with violation of the Maryland White Cane law. I would like to know if you intend to press charges under this act.

Newspaper accounts state that the driver of the car was given a 140.00 fine for negligence and that possible pedestrian error was involved. I think that causing the death of two people merits more than a $40.00 fine. Violation of the Maryland White Cane Law carries a penalty of up to $500.00. Also, possible pedestrian error is not the issue. The Maryland White Cane law clearly outlines a blind person's right to access to the streets and highways and clearly alerts drivers to their responsibility to look for blind pedestrians. Further, Section (d)(3) of the Law states that a blind person's failure to carry a white cane shall not be construed as contributory negligence. Therefore, Lorain Evensen's failure to carry a cane is a moot point. As you know, Richard Evensen was using a guide •dog which was also killed in the accident. Section 21-511 of the Transportation article also clearly gives blind people the right of way.

The Maryland White Cane law was enacted because of the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland. The model from which this law was developed was written by the founder of the National Federation of the Blind, Dr. Jacobus Tenbrook. Our primary purpose in developing this law was to inform the public of the rights of blind people and to seek protection of these rights. Your failure to enforce the Maryland White Cane law sends the wrong message to Montgomery County drivers and to the entire general public. Blind people have and will continue to use caution and good judgment when crossing streets and highways. However, drivers also have responsibilities. The goals of the Maryland White Cane law will only be achieved if the law is enforced. I hope you will enforce it. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Sharon Maneki

cc: Sidney Kramer, Montgomery County Executive

Marc Maurer President, National Federation of the Blind George and Dorothy Martin, Silver Spring, Maryland

NFB or MARYLAND TESTIFIES BEFORE MARYLAND STA.TE DEPARTMENT or EDUCATION

The following testimony was presented by Barbara Cheadle before the Maryland State Department of Education at a public hearing held in Baltimore on Wednesday, January 28, 1987:

COMMENTS REGARDING THE MARYLAND STATE PLAN FOR PART B OF THE EDUCATION OF THE HANDICAPPED ACT, FISCAL YEARS 1988-90

My name is Barbara Cheadle. I am a parent of a blind child with some vision, and a resident of Baltimore City where my children, including my blind son, attend public schools. I am also an active member of the Parents of Blind Children Division, National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, editor of Future Reflections, the National Federation of the Blind magazine for parents of blind children, and the national president of the Parents of Blind Children Division, National Federation of the Blind. My address is, 1800 Johnson St., Baltimore, MD 21230. Telephone (301) 659-9314.

I appreciate this opportunity to appear before this Board on this very important issue of the Maryland State Plan for Part B of the Education of the Handicapped Act, Fiscal Years 1988-90.

Before I begin commenting specifically on the state plan, I want to say a few words by way of introducing the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland. We are a private sector voluntary organization of the blind and of sighted persons like me, concerned parents, relatives, and friends of the blind.

We are one of fifty state affiliates of the National Federation of the Blind, a consumer membership organization with some fifty thousand members. The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland is a resource of knowledge and personal help for thousands of blind men, women, and children and their parents. We are concerned that every blind person be allowed the opportunity to achieve at whatever level their natural talents and abilities dictate. This means, of course, that we are naturally concerned with the education of all blind and visually impaired children in this state.

We have reviewed the Maryland State Plan for Part B of the Education of the Handicapped Act, Fiscal Years 1988-90 and find it a comprehensive document which, for the most part, we only offer our praise and approval. However, we want to call your attention to an area we believe is deficient and for which we have a specific recommendation. Please refer to Part IL, A., VIII, C., 2. "Needs Assessment," located on page 70 of the document. Let me quote to you the first paragraph.

"The assessment of personnel development needs in Maryland is a collaborative process involving input from a wide variety of sources depending upon the type of information needed, by whom, and when. Sources of information include legal mandates, evaluation, child data from the MSDE's Special Services Information System (SSIS), surveys and questionnaires to various populations, data submitted in the Local Application, ongoing input to CSPD staff, and existing data bases within the MSDE."

The document continues in the next three paragraphs to describe how this needs assessment is utilized by the Division of Education to identify training priorities, then goes on to list eleven that have been identified through this process.

The glaring deficiency in this process is, of course, the lack of direct consumer (parents of handicapped children) input into the annual needs assessment process. Even the "surveys and questionnaires to various populations" do not begin to address this lack. They are prepared by professionals who determine all the important parameters- - what questions to ask of whom. The problems created by the non-involvement of

consumers in the process which leads to identification of personnel training needs are not a hypothetical possibility, but a reality. Let me briefly give you an example from the population I represent.

Nearly two years ago, my husband and I moved from Boise, Idaho, to Baltimore, Maryland. After I enrolled my blind, partially sighted son in his local school, I called the office of the Program for Visually Impaired Students. I talked to the woman who supervised the office and told her my son had been receiving Braille instruction as a supplement to his print reading, and we assumed that this would continue here. To my surprise, she told me, "We don't teach Braille unless we have to."

To make a long story short, we in the NFB of Maryland have since discovered that the resistance to teaching Braille is not a city problem, but a state-wide one. Furthermore, as evidence keeps coming in from parents who are beginning to learn more about their children's needs and what should be available to them, we are discovering that the majority of certified teachers of the visually impaired/blind are not qualified to teach Braille. There is also evidence that the Braille skills of most of the qualified teachers are seriously below the equivalent standards we expect to be met by teachers who teach print reading to sighted children in our schools. This is a serious problem which deserves the careful scrutiny of the state of Maryland Division of Special Education. Yet, under the current process of identifying training priorities, the consumers do not have a clear and direct channel through which to convey the information about this need. As dedicated as we know many of our special educators to being, they are not, individually or collectively, all-knowing, all-wise. It is neither consistent with the intent of Public Law 94-142, nor is it desirable for the State of Maryland to exclude consumers from the very important process of identifying special education training needs in our state.

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland therefore asks that remedial action be taken by the appropriate body to remedy this deficiency in the needs assessment process as described in the Maryland State Plan for Part B of the Educationof the Handicapped Act, Fiscal Yea.rs 1988-90.

INFORMATION FROM THE NFB DIABETIC DIVISION

by Karen Mayry

The National Federation of the Blind Diabetic Division was formally organized in 1985, when a need was felt by members of the NFB to share experiences they were facing as diabetics. Many of us faced vision loss, renal failure, amputation, nerve damage, strokes, heart attacks, etc. We felt we could offer our support and information to other diabetics who might be undergoing the same ramifications of diabetes.

Since our formal organizing as a Division within the NFB, we

have nearly tripled our membership. Members meet together, phone one another, and correspond regarding similar interests and problems. Information is exchanged, thereby better education for all of us.

In January 1986, we began publishing our quarterly newsletter. It is written primarily by members and is upbeat and positive. All of us arelearning new information about our disease. Our newsletter -- VOICE OF THE DIABETIC -- includes a Question-and-Answer Column by Dr. Ronald James -- who a diabetic is-- recipes, locations where aids for measuring insulin and other diabetic devices may be purchased, plus many articles. The newsletter is available in print as well as on cassette tape. The tapes may be requested when one becomes a member for a two-dollar fee. The South Dakota Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped duplicates the tapes and sends them out. Individuals must return them in order to receive the next issue of the newsletter.

The Diabetic Division does NOT wish to replace an individual's own physician, nor the American Diabetes Association. But we felt a need to share, which was not being met elsewhere. The majority of the members are diabetics who have undergone one or more side effects of diabetes. However, we have members who are not diabetic as well as diabetics who have not had any complications. Our primary purpose is to help one another through information, sharing knowledge and experience.

At this point, individuals from seven foreign countries have inquired about our Diabetic Division, re-enforcing our belief that there is a need for our support network. Print copies of our newsletter are being distributed to radio reading services, A.D.A. Chapters, physicians, diabetic nutritionists, clinics, transplant centers, optometrists, and ophthalmologists, as well as many individuals. You can help by informing your relatives and friends, as well as those listed above, about the work of our Diabetic Division. All of us will benefit as more and more individuals learn about our support network.

Dues for membership may be sent to Carol Anderson, Treasurer, NFB Diabetic Division, 23 Lakeshore Drive, S., Randolph, NJ, 07869. For those people who wish only to receive our newsletter without membership, the cost is $6:00.That, too, may be sent to Carol.

Questions regarding our Diabetic Division may be directed to Karen Mayry, 919 Main

Street, Suite 15, Rapid City, SD, 57701, telephone number (605) 348-8418. Come, join us.

PARENTS OF BLIND CHILDREN ON THE MOVE

by Arlene Gashel

The Parents of Blind Children Division is planning many projects for the coming months. These projects will be of interest to both parents and their blind children. Our February 28th activity in Baltimore and Silver Spring is being planned specifically for blind children. Blind children will work with blind adults in the kitchen, and the results should be quite spectacular! Blind children will benefit from their experiences with blind adult role models.

Our seminar on May 2, at the Holiday Park Senior Citizens Center, Wheaton, Maryland, will be directed toward parents. Speakers will discuss the skills blind children need in order to become independent adults. Tips on how parents can successfully advocate obtaining these skills will also be covered. Parents are encouraged to bring their children to this seminar, since separate activities for children are also being planned.

AROUND THE STATE

Chapter officers for 1987 are as follows:

Sligo Creek Chapter: Lloyd Rasmussen, President; Laura Havard, Vice President; Judy Rasmussen, Secretary; Pat Sheehan, Treasurer. Members of the Board of Directors: Tom Bickford, Al Saile, Clara Sisselman.

Cumberland Chapter: Gary Klatt, President; Jearl Conrad, Vice President; Ron Burns, Secretary; Georgia Myers, Treasurer.

Mountain City Chapter: Jean Faulkner, President; Pat Winebrenner, Vice President; Bob Weber, Secretary, Tina Cummings, Treasurer.

Baltimore Chapter: Mary Ellen Reihing, President; Althea Pittman, First Vice President; Raymond Lowder, Second Vice President; Kathy Burnside, Secretary; Pat Maurer, Treasurer. Members of the Board of Directors: Joe Byard, Kathleen Chapman, Doris Johnson, Ron Metenyi.

Central Maryland Chapter: Al Maneki, President; Charles Fultz, Vice President; Diane Vaughan, Secretary; Beth-Schuster-Treasurer. Members of the Board of Directors: Theresa Schaffer, John Schneider.

Eastern Shore Chapter: Leroy Bennie Bagwell, President; David Weaver, Vice President; Lydia Bagwell, Secretary; Robert Cross, Treasurer. Members of the Board of Directors: Billy Britingham, Hank Truit, Janet Truit, Thomas Truit, T.C. Johnson.

SPECKS

Herbert Magin is accepting applications for the NFB Deferred Insurance Giving (DIG) program. He may be reached at the Herbert Magin Agency, Wye Financial Center, 1400 Front Ave., Lutherville, MD 21093; phone (301) 296-7733.

Deadline for applications to the John T. McGraw Scholarship Program, National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, is May 15, 1987. Scholarships in the amounts of

$1,000, 1700 and $500 will be awarded at the convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in Frostburg, October 2-4, 1987. Scholarships inquiries and applications should be addressed to Paul Flynn, Chairman, Scholarship Committee, National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, 9736 Basket Ring Road, Columbia, MD 21045; phone (301) 992-9608.

Tickets, $5.00 each, are currently being sold for the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland's April 1987 Lottery. Members and friends are requested to purchase or sell tickets. Deadline for ticket sales is March 26, 1987. Inquiries and requests for tickets should be made to Al Maneki, Chairman, Finance Committee, 9736 Basket Ring Road, Columbia, MD 21045; phone (301) 992-9608.

We have been informed that Ron Burns, Cumberland, MD, was awarded a scholarship for 1986-87 by the Ronnie Millsap Foundation. Ron was awarded a McGraw scholarship by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in 1985-86. Ron is continuing his studies at Frostburg State College. Congratulations, Ron!