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West Central Chapter Impacts Community
Members of our West Central ACBI Chapter made an impact upon their community on Saturday, October 13, when they inaugurated a West Central Awareness Day at the Tippecanoe County Library. The group distributed literature about ACB and ACBI, as well as bookmarks and brochures on low-vision and blindness. The children who visited the library that day were treated to a personal introduction to Braille. They learned about the 6 dots, watched their names being embossed on a card that they kept and took home to show others. The Chapter President, Debbie Morgan, reported the day was well received by the public, gave the Chapter much needed visibility in the community, and resulted in new contacts. The group is already looking forward to more such awareness projects.
Anyone in the Lafayette, IN area interested in becoming a part of this Chapter should contact Debbie for meeting times and places by calling 765-448-6731 or by e-mail at <res06aot@gte.net>.
Shop At Marsh & Help ACBI!
Express Code 310958471
A Fresh I*D*E*A in giving
www.marsh.net
Through the newly established "Community Shopper" program initiated by Marsh Supermarkets, you can help support ACBI financially. It's easy. Here is all you need to do:
Step 1: Register your Fresh IDEA Card at your local Marsh store or online at www.marsh.net; (To Download Enrollment Forrms, click here.)
Step 2: Choose to support ACBI by using the above express code.
Once the above steps are completed, Marsh will donate 1% of the purchase price of Marsh brand products to your organization.
**Plus, during special promotions, you will earn additional dollars for ACBI when you purchase products from great companies such as Pillsbury, Campbell's Soup, Nestle, Edy's Ice Cream and other National brands. Make the most of this new fundraising opportunity!
Non-computer supporters can take one of the enrollment forms enclosed to the nearest Marsh Supermarket Customer Service Office to sign up.
Computer users should visit <www.marsh.net> and click on the Community Shopper ™ icon to:
USPS X-Ray Erases Tapes & More
As you may know, libraries, ACBI, and other organizations are experiencing problems with magnetic tape items being distributed by the U.S. Postal Service. Some tapes will be received blank or with intermittent blank spots and poor audio quality. It appears that the new X-Ray detection equipment being used to detect Anthrax is adversely affecting magnetic media, drugs and medicines, and even food. To date, there is no solution.
Until the problem is resolved, if you are a computer user, you may want to consider changing your media format to our electronic edition and receive the FOCUS by e-mail in ASCII Text or Microsoft Word format.
Should you wish to make this change, just send an e-mail to <pprice@indy.rr.com> requesting the transfer to the e-mail edition.
We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.
Another ACBI Fund Raising Project
Have you seen the ACBI ad in your newspaper? Do you have vehicles, real estate, lots, boats, RV's, and more that you would like to donate to ACB of Indiana? The company with whom ACBI has contracted has agreed to provide Free Pickup whether or not the vehicle is running. The Fair Market Value per IRS can, perhaps, mean a tax deduction for you. The contracted company does all the paperwork. So, if you have any of these items to donate, just call 800-929-8659.
Plan For Next Year NOW!
by Reverend Maurice Brockman, ACBI Board Member
At the annual state conventions of the American Council of the Blind of Indiana we have had some excellent programs here of late. Our 30th was held in the beautiful Turkey Run State Park, September 7th and 8th in such wonderful weather. Charlie Crawford, our national executive director of ACB opened Friday evening session by addressing membership recruitment and participation. Saturday morning an expert naturalist, Kathy Crick, from the park told us about the uniqueness of Turkey Run and provided a very good "touch & feel" exhibit. After a short business session our first speaker was the Co-Director of the Indiana Election Commission, Spencer Valentine, who talked and answered questions about accessibility of voting for those with disabilities.
The morning session was followed with an excellent meal and plenty of opportunity to try what varies venders had brought to share with us. Time was left for us to enjoy a pleasant walk in the park. The afternoon session was off to a good start with State Senator Mark J. Blade of Vigo County who addressed the political concerns of the disabled and took some lively questions. Dr. Douglas Conard, M.D., an ophthalmologist from Lafayette discussed various eye diseases and remained for the duration of our convention to answer questions. Our ACB Executive Director closed our convention by challenging each of us to join together and make such changes as will improve the lives of all blind and visually impaired people.
Were you among the many who missed this excellent presentation and many door prizes passed out through out the day? What you missed you aught not miss again.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR for the 2002 state convention to be held September 27 & 28 at the Columbus Indiana Holiday Inn. The Immediate thing for you to do is to right now get in touch with a State Board member or the FOCUS and tell us what issues, topics, concerns that you would have addressed at the next convention. Above all I plead with you not to let this next convention pass without your being there.
In Memorium
We regret to report that ACBI has lost two of its long-time members and leaders: Dr. William Trubey and John Richardson.
William Trubey, O.D.
ACBI Director, Dr. "Bill" Trubey, of Bluffton, IN died September 6, 2001 after a very short illness. He dedicated his life to serving others, not only in the United States but also in many developing countries. As a member of Volunteer Optometric Service to Humanity (VOSH), he participated in more than 23 eye-care mission trips in the past 22 years to the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and other places. Dr. Trubey served as the Director of the Indiana Eye Bank. For several years, Dr. and Mrs. Trubey have volunteered in many ways during the National ACB Conventions. He will long be remembered as a gentle man with a soft voice and winning smile who found rich rewards in improving life for his fellowmen. Our sympathy is extended to his wife, Barbara, and the family.
John Richardson
John Richardson, of Avon, IN, a charter ACBI member and a past president, died November 26, 2001. He had been a self-employed concessionaire 40 years in the City-County Building, Indianapolis, IN. ACBI extends its condolences to the family in the loss of their loved one.
Hank Hofstetter Opportunity Grant Fund
Currently, each year the fund has $1,000 available, in part or in whole, to aid any certified legally blind resident of Indiana. The Grant would partially or fully fund such activity, materials, and/or equipment as may enhance, the educational, entrepreneurial or vocational aims of one who may be unable to obtain funding through other means. A secondary purpose of the Fund is to advise applicants of such other known means as may be available to meet their need.
The following information should be included in the request:
1. Name, address, telephone number, date of birth.
2. What the need is.
3. One page statement as to why one should be considered for a grant.
4. List of other options/sources of funding that has been tried.
5. Letter of support (reference) from anyone other than personal friend or family member.
6. One return/self addressed, stamped envelope.
Applications should be submitted at least ninety (90) days prior to the need. This will give the widely representative selection committee time to review and respond to the request.
The Hank Hofstetter Opportunity Grant Fund is a project of the American Council of the Blind of Indiana, with the support of the Circle City Chapter, the North Central Chapter and the South Central Chapter of ACBI.
Note:
Anyone interested in applying may do so by addressing The Hank
Hofstetter Opportunity Grant Fund, James R. Durst, The Indiana School
for the Blind, 7725 North College Avenue, Indianapolis, IN
46240.
For general information, contact: Rev. Maurice E. Brockman, 3806 Pepperchase Court, Bloomington, IN 47401. Tel: 812- 334-8141.
Time To Pay Your Dues
Dues in ACBI are payable on a calendar year basis. Therefore, as December comes to a close, you will want to send your check to your Chapter Representative, if you are a member of an ACBI Chapter. If not, you should send your $5 check to ACBI Treasurer, Don Koors, 5885 North Central, Indianapolis, IN 46220. Completing the enclosed application will help ACBI keep its records up-to-date. Thanks much.
IRIS: Radio Reading & Statewide Dial-Up Services
Founded in 1982, Indiana Reading and Information Services (IRIS) is an around-the-clock communications link for the print-impaired. Persons who cannot read normal print due to blindness, low vision, physical impairments, learning disorders or illiteracy keep in touch with local news and information as presented by IRIS volunteer readers. Every day, IRIS broadcasts the regional newspapers and many other Indianapolis publications. Listeners are provided with special radio receivers FREE of charge to use as long as they are needed. One must live within 45 miles of Indianapolis to receive the broadcasts and there is an application requiring medical or social certification of print impairment.
Partial funding for IRIS comes from the Cable Franchise Board/City of Indianapolis, Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, and an annual membership effort.
Statewide Dial-UpPersons with print-impairments who live anywhere in the state of Indiana can access the Nina Mason Pulliam Statewide Dial-Up and hear sections of the Indianapolis Star read by IRIS volunteers via a telephone voice message system. All you need is a touch tone phone and there is even toll-free access available for those who live outside of the Indianapolis calling area. More than 1,000 calls are received each month! Each listener is assigned a private password enabling access to the system. Just follow the voice prompts to hear the front page, TV listings, sports, obituaries, columns or selected store sale advertisements.
Indiana Reading And Information Services, 1401 North Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN 46202. Tel: 317-636-2020. Fax: 317-633-7418.
Robert Wolter, O.D.: Outstanding Professional
Cited for his many years of service to the visually impaired, Robert E. Wolter, O.D., of Muncie, IN was named the 2001 Outstanding Professional by Indiana AER (Association for Education & Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired). Through his relationship with Marvin Price, a counselor with the Indiana Rehabilitation Services, Dr. Wolter started low-vision services in Indiana, For many years, he provided his services at little or no cost. Eventually, federal dollars were allocated to pay for such low-vision services. Through the sharing of his knowledge with other doctors, more practitioners in Indiana began providing low-vision services. Dr. Wolter's career as a practicing optometrist spans more than 45 years and is still continuing in Muncie.
Josephine Price Honored by AER
At the recent AER conference, Josephine Price, an ACBI Director and former Indiana Rehabilitation Instructor from 1955-1980, was awarded the organization's Outstanding Volunteer award. Her volunteer activities span some 21 years. She volunteered at St. Vincent DePaul Society from 1980-1983 and at the Circle City Resource Center from 1983 to the present.
ACB Resurrects Its Announce List
For those of you who want to keep informed on the latest happenings within ACB, you'll be pleased to know that the ACB Announce List is back up and running. If you have not yet signed up, just send an e-mail message to <announce-subscribe@acb.org> with no subject and no message in the body. You will receive a confirmation request to which you must reply. After pressing the Reply Button, you will be subscribed. It is just that easy.
Are You Tuned In To ACB Radio Interactive?
If you have a computer and access to the Internet, you definitely will want to become a regular listener to the new and improved ACB Radio Interactive (ACBRI). Teaming up with Nullsoft, the makers of Winamp, ACBRI is now listed on both Shoutcast.com and Live365.com, giving the broadcasters plenty of exposure in addition to the new promotional strategies currently in place. It also means that it can now support 500 simultaneous broad band users.
Winamp listeners to the broad band stream will notice the extremely fast buffer time between when you choose the stream and when it starts to play. RealPlayer users will notice that you can now see the name of the broadcaster currently on air in the title bar. If you listen to ACB Radio Interactive by choosing a link from the web site, you need to do nothing. It's all under control.
If, however, you use one of the current tuners, you will need to modify your tuner manually, because ACBRI is almost ready to release its completely new Tuner software. Complete instructions to accomplish this can be found at <acbradio.org>.
Another improvement you will notice is that on every page of the <interactive.acbradio.org> site, there is an easy form system for choosing the bandwidth and player you want to use. One combo box lets you select the bandwidth you have, modem or broad band. Just press the button and it goes!
And, that's not all. You can now see the ACBRI schedule in your own time zone! Here's how it works. When you choose the schedule page, if you have a JAVA capable browser, ACBRI attempts to work out the time difference between you and Universal time. If your clock is set correctly, and you have JAVA script enabled, this will work most of the time. If it doesn't, there is a simple form you can complete that lets you specify the country you are in, whether you are currently on daylight time or not, whether you want the schedule in 12 or 24 hour format, whether you want short or long descriptions of the shows, and more. This will make it much easier for you to know when your favorite ACBRI show is on.
Kim Charlson Appointed Library Director
Kim Charlson has been named the new Director of the Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library in Watertown, Massachusetts. She brings to the position a wealth of knowledge and skills as she is a recognized national and international expert on library and information services for people with disabilities, braille literacy, adaptive technology in libraries and information access. She has been serving as Acting Director since July 2001 and as Service Management Librarian/Assistant Director since 1985. Kim is to be commended for this achievement. She is one of very few blind individuals who have attained this level in the National Library Service for the Blind (NLS) Library System.
BRL: Braille Through Remote Learning
Developed with funding from the U.S. Department of Education Braille Literacy Program, BRL -- Braille Through Remote Learning -- is an online instructional program that provides teachers, parents, social workers, and current/future braille transcribers with a series of three integrated online courses in braille and braille transcribing. The program is designed to offer the braille student the right instruction (almost all aspects of braille) at the right time (self-paced) in the right place (home or workplace). By combining electronic technologies, quality materials, and expert instructors, the program has as its goal the provision of a complete braille instructional program to all types of consumers nationwide who have an interest in some or all aspects of braille codes.
The program consists of three integrated courses:
1. Introduction to Braille: a 12-session basic course in braille literacy, designed for beginning students of braille or for those who need a braille refresher. In addition to "beginner's basics", this course includes all Grade 2 contractions and rules.
2. Braille Transcribers: this course focuses on the production of braille materials, with an emphasis on the brailling of textbooks (using the new "Formats" braille code). Discussions of computers in braille production and tactile graphics is also included in this course. Prerequisite for this course is a solid foundation in Grade 2 braille.
3. Specialized Codes: this course provides a basic introduction to specialized codes, such as Nemeth mathematics braille, music braille, computer braille, and chemistry braille. Prerequisite for this course is a solid foundation in Grade 2 braille.
To sign up for the program, you must register for each course to receive a login name and a password. Registration is free and only requires a few minutes to fill out the registration form. When you register, you will immediately receive a page that gives you the password information for the course. You should print this page out for your records.
It is important to note that currently the materials and the exercises are available for free. However, the courses themselves are unsupported, meaning that there is no instructor who will provide feedback, grade your assignments, or answer questions. External funding is being sought, however, to allow for online expert instructors to help enrollees. Until that funding is secured, the materials and exercises will be available but with only limited on-line help.
For those interested in becoming certified transcribers, following completion of this course or any other instruction program, a 35-page trial manuscript must be submitted to the Library of Congress for evaluation, as it is the only agency that certifies transcribers
To register or secure more information, go to: <http://www.brl.org/index.html>.
Talking Signs: Making the Built Environment Accessible
Talking Signs, Inc., a company based in Baton Rouge, LA, has developed technology to make the built environment more accessible to people who have difficulty seeing or reading visual cues. The Talking Signs communications system allows people to navigate independently wherever it is installed, whether at street crossings or in museums. The system works by means of small, strategically placed transmitters that emit infrared signals that are picked up by lightweight handheld receivers. People are guided to their destinations by voice tones, which call out the names of these places. The closer the user gets to the target, the clearer the tone becomes.
The Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center in southeastern Connecticut integrates interactive technology into its 85,000-square-foot permanent exhibit area, which showcases the Native American heritage of the Pequot tribe. Here, the Talking Signs system guides blind and vision-impaired visitors to stations where an AcoustiGuide system (a portable audio-description system designed for use by the general public) delivers descriptions of the exhibits.
But Talking Signs are not limited to cultural institutions. In San Francisco, "any blind person can get a free handheld receiver from the Rose Resnick Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired," says C. Ward Bond, the president of Talking Signs, Inc. San Francisco has more Talking Signs installations than any other city, with systems at City Hall, the Department of Public Works, the Main Public Library, the Municipal Courthouse, the Bay Area Rapid Transit system/San Francisco Municipal Railway (MUNI) hub at the Powell Street Station, and at various civic center intersections. The system is also installed at the entrances of 20 public toilets, a newsstand, two bus shelters, a bank and a restaurant.
Bond is focusing his company's expansion strategy on selling the transportation industry on the concept of Talking Signs and a bid was recently submitted to install Talking Signs at 400 MUNI bus shelters. In May 2000, Talking Signs, Inc. was honored by the Intelligent Transportation Society of America for its work in developing technology that "has the greatest potential to improve the quality of life for transportation users. This has led to project proposals in many American cities including Austin, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, New York, Phoenix, and Seattle.
Internationally, Talking Signs, Inc. is partnered with Mitsubishi Precision Company of Japan, and is embarking on a $25-million project over the next five years to place its system in 17 Japanese cities. Installation of 2,000 transmitters at a cost of $6 million has already been completed. And that's not all. Norway, the cell-phone capital of the world, is the first country in Europe to consider adopting this technology.
Perhaps in the future Talking Signs will be a basic element of ADA compliance in the United States. "The ADA mandates equal access to transit and public buildings," says Jim Marston, a researcher at the University of California at Santa Barbara, "When I cannot find a bus stop on the street, or identify the proper bus at a stop, find the fare machine, or safely cross a street, I am denied equal access. Discounted fares, a common ploy, do not allow equal access. Talking Signs can."
Having said all this, however, as fantastic as this technology is, it will only be useful if it's widely deployed, and to be realistic, many believe that will only happen if it's required by law.
Contact: Talking Signs, Inc., 812 North Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70802. Tel: 888-825-5746. Web: <www.talkingsigns.com>
Control Electronic Equipment With Your Voice
A new remote control called the inVoca can translate vocal commands into infrared signals that control TV, VCR, DVD, satellite dish and other components of a home entertainment center.
The gadget's maker says that once the inVoca recognizes its operator's voice, it can change channels, control volume, and operate other devices simply by receiving commands in any language and with any accent.
The inVoca can also be programmed to execute macro commands, a sequence of commands set in motion by a single spoken word. To tape a program the old-fashioned way, for example, requires turning on the television and the VCR and programming the channel and time. A macro command would allow you to do all this with a single spoken command.
The remote can be set up to recognize four different voices, so that the whole family can save themselves any unnecessary physical exertion. Priced at $50 for the standard model and $69.96 for the deluxe, the inVoca will soon be available at J. C. Penney and Neiman Marcus. Unfortunately, the company has yet to come up with a voice-activated way to make someone go to the store and buy it for you.
Braille Vegetarian Cookbook
The Better Homes & Garden "Easy Vegetarian Dinners" is now available in Braille for just $3.50. Vegetarian cooking isn't just for vegetarians! It's a delicious and oh-so-healthy way to make a quick meal for one, or to add pizzazz to any meal. How about Corn & Tomato Bread Pudding, or Bow Ties with Olives & Mint? Or, start any supper with Red Sweet Pepper Soup, or simply add a side dish of Roasted Asparagus with New Potatoes. These fresh, simple recipes use easy-to-find ingredients, can be made in 30 minutes or less and each one was tested in the BH&G Test Kitchen!
To order, send $3.50 (same price as print book) to: National Braille Press, 88 St. Stephen Street, Boston, MA 02115-4302. Or, call and charge it: 800-548-7323 or 617-266-6160 ext 20. You can also email your order to <orders@nbp.org>
Grand Lady Causes Vision Loss To Designer
The Grand Lady, a $500,000+ glittering, spectacular gown, made from an intricate chain mail in 24-carat gold, was recently unveiled in spectacular style at the Stamford Grand at Glenelg December 7, 2001. After working full-time for almost four years, designer Grant Cassebohm has suffered a 20 per cent vision loss in both eyes due to the reflection and concentration of crafting 35,000 individual chain links. He produced the glittering gown as a work of art and felt the personal sacrifice was justified when Kate Holmes modeled the gown accompanied by two armed guards. He presented the gown to the hotel where it will be on permanent display ahead of its auction for charity late in 2002.
The gold in the gown is a rolled gold filament wire - a gold outer casing over a sterling silver core. Crafting the gown from pure gold would have increased its weight to more than 18kg. The Grand Lady weighs just 9.5kg.
Mr. Cassebohm, who has been designing spectacular gowns for more than 25 years, developed his "Egyptian" chain mail technique in the 1980's. The chain mail used is an entirely different configuration of the standard chain links so it looks really flat and shiny. If the gown were held up, one could see straight through it but because it's got so much reflection it is impossible to see through when it's on the body.
Mr Cassebohm is now working on a new gown made from a secret material for entry in the national Gown of the Year awards. He described his new project as nothing like this "but even more spectacular!".
Seniors Can Check Benefits On the Web!
Seniors can check to see whether they are receiving all the benefits due them and find out how to sign up for federal and state assistance using a single website, <www.benefitscheckup.org> The site includes a database of about 1,000 programs for seniors. Visitors fill out a confidential questionnaire, and find out what they're qualified for and how to apply.
This site fills an important need. In most communities, if you want to find our benefits information, you have to go to 15 different offices. Now you can do it in one place in 10 minutes.
Online Graduate Program Available
The Kent State University Master of Public Administration Program is now available online and is in full compliance with the ADA and Section 508 requirements of the Rehabilitation Act.
The Master of Public Administration Program is dedicated to educating students for management in the public and nonprofit sectors. The online program provides the same courses and coursework as in the classroom setting. Students are able to specialize coursework in five areas of specialization, including Budgeting and Financial Management, Justice Management, Municipal Management, Nonprofit Management and Nursing Management.
The Kent State MPA degree is designed for individuals currently employed in a government or nonprofit agency; personal caregivers; persons with physical disabilities; persons holding B.A.s in the humanities or social sciences; and nurses in health care organizations.
An online demo course is available at <www.kent.edu/mpa>. Click on MPA Web Degree, then click on Prospective Students. For more information, go to <www.kent.edu/mpa> or call the KSU MPA coordinator at 330-672-3239.
Tax Tips
If you are like most Americans, then you are probably gearing up for the 2001 tax season. At <www.emazing.com> you will find plenty of tax tips in the Finance Tip of the Day, However, how about a lesson on how to use Microsoft Windows to help with taxes? Many tax software packages are available from which you may choose. If you currently own a money management software package, such as Microsoft Money or Intuit's Quicken, then you may be able to use some of the package features to download amounts to the tax software. Check the software to make sure that it is compatible with your current money managing software and your version of Windows.
Reminder: Once you are done using the tax software, save all pertinent files to your hard disk and make a floppy backup and label the disk. Then uninstall the tax software to save your computer's resources.
PLEASE JOIN US
Persons interested in becoming a member of this forward-looking and democratic organization need only to send their check for $5, along with the following information:
Name
Address:
City/State/Zip:
Phone Number:
E-Mail Address:
Occupation:
Newsletter Format Preference for Newsletters:
____ Large Print,____ Audiocassette
____ Computer Disk (ASCII Text)
____ E-Mail
Mail To: Donald Koors * 5885 North Central * Indianapolis, IN 46220
Board & Chapter Contact Information
Officers:
President: Dolly Sowder, 812-279-1669, <sowder@kiva.net>
Vice-President: Gerry Koors, 317-251-2562
Secretary: Ann Elliott, <aelliott@ameritech.net>
Treasurer: Don Koors, 317-251-2562, <dkoors@fssa.state.in.us>
Directors:
Deanna Austin, Indianapolis - 317-634-5511 <dlaustin01@juno.com>
Maurice Brockman, Bloomington - 812-334-8141
<brockman@bloomington.in.us>
Benny Demaree, Bedford - 812-275-3296 <jandem@quik.com>
Edie Huffman, Indianapolis - 317-228-0496><johnediehuffman@hotmail.com>
John Huffman, Indianapolis - 317-228-0496 <j.huffman@verizon.net>
Debbie Morgan, Lafayette - 765-448-6731 <res06aot@gte.net>
Don Osburn, Indianapolis - 317-780-8649
Josephine Price, Indianapolis - 317-259-9778
Byron Smith, Bloomington - 812-330-5400 <byron@indiana.edu>
Chapter Representatives:
Editor & Webmaster: Pat Price, 5707 Brockton Drive - #302, Indianapolis, IN 46220-5481. Tel: 317-254-1185. Fax: 317-251-6588. E-Mail: <pprice@indy.rr.com> Web: <www.acb.org/indiana/>
Webmaster: pprice@indy.rr.com
Updated: January 14, 2002