Florida Division of Blind Services

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Braille Literacy Month

January is Braille Literacy Month.  If you live in the Daytona Beach area, you can learn more about Louis Braille and Braille by viewing the National Braille Press' Traveling Louis Braille exhibit during the month of January.

Below are a few ways you can celebrate Braille Literacy Month:

  • Read a short biography of Louis Braille
  • Learn some Braille Facts
  • Decode Riddles Using Grade 1 Braille (for the sighted)
  • Read why Braille is important
  • Use our suggested Braille bibliography to find more detailed information to read. All books are available through our Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library Services and at most local libraries.
  • If you are a teacher, parent or caregiver of a child who is blind, a person who works with people who are blind, or just want to know more about Braille consider learning Braille on line. Braille through Remote Learning is an online instructional program with a series of three integrated online courses for people who wish to become Braille literate.
  • If you are a Braille reader but have not read a Braille book in quite some time, consider reading a Braille book this month. Our Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library Services has a large collection of Braille reading material. You can find Braille books online at http://www.klas.com/flbtbl. Be sure that Braille is selected as the media type.

Also, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) has a wonderful site called the Braille Bug.  The Braille Bug has lots of information about Braille (the man and the code), Helen Keller, and games and ideas for people who are sighted or visually impaired.

Video Description Survey

The American Council of the Blind (ACB) is an integral part of a Technical Working Group at the Federal Communications Commission.  The group is examining issues and concerns with pass through of video description.  ACB can't explore the issues and concerns unless they hear about the problems.  If you use video description on your TV, please complete the attached Video Description Survey and send to Eric Bridges at ebridges@acb.org. Your comments will help make a difference.

2010 Youth and Adult Writing Contest

Are you are writer?  If so, you might want to participate in a writer’s contest. The writers’ division of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) has announced its annual youth and adult writing contests for 2010.  Entries can be sent in as early as January 1, with a closing date of April 1st.

  1. Adult contests, poetry and fiction, are open to all entrants eighteen years and over.
  2. Youth poetry and fiction entries will be divided into three categories: first through sixth grades, seventh and eighth grades, and ninth through twelfth grades.

Prizes for contest winners range up to $100 for adult categories and up to $25 for youth categories. 

All contest winners will be announced at the Writers’ Division business meeting during the NFB national convention to be held in Dallas, Texas, the first week of July, 2010. In addition to being announced during the business meeting, the winners will appear on the Writers’ Division website, www.nfb-writers-division.org, shortly after convention adjournment.

First, second, and third place winners in each category will appear in the summer and fall issues of the Writers’ Division magazine, “Slate and Style.”

For contest details and submission guidelines, go to the Writers’ Division website, http://www.nfb-writers-division.org/projects/2010_contest.shtml or contact Robert Leslie Newman at Newmanrl@cox.net.

Florida Vision Summit (2010)

Are you interested in issues related to blindness and vision loss?  If yes, plan to attend the Florida Legislature’s Vision Caucus.  The Florida Vision Summit will meet at the State Capitol building in Tallahassee on Tuesday, February 9, 2010.

The morning begins with a Legislative Breakfast 7:30 AM. The breakfast takes place on the top floor of the State Capitol. A General Session will take place from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM. This session is held in the Florida House of Representatives Chambers.  The House Chambers is located on the fourth floor.

Florida Blind Services, nonprofit organizations, and companies will display vision-related exhibits. You can see the displays all morning. Just go to the State Capitol 4th floor rotunda to see them.

The Legislative Breakfast, General Session, exhibits, and Florida Vision Summit meetings and activities are free and open to the public.

Speakers will discuss key vision related topics. The speakers will include Floridians who are visually impaired and blind, legislators, senior State officials, vision care professions, and the leaders of vision related nonprofit organizations. The State Capitol press corps will provide statewide coverage of the event.

The Florida Association of Agencies Serving the Blind (FAASB) created the annual Florida Vision Summit. FAASB and the Florida Legislature’s Vision Caucus co-host the Vision Summit. The Vision Caucus consists of 71 Senators and Representatives. View current members of the Legislative Vision Caucus.

Get Social Security Documentation in an Accessible Format

Are you receiving Social Security?  Are you blind or severely visually impaired?  Are you tired of needing someone else to read your letters from Social Security to you?  Thanks to a class action lawsuit by the American Council of the Blind, you now can request paperwork in an accessible format.

By law, Social Security will automatically grant requests for the formats listed below:

  1. Standard print notice by first class or certified mail
  2. Standard print notice by first class mail and a follow-up telephone call to read the notices to you within five business days of the date you get the print notice
  3. Standard print notice and Braille by first class mail (delivery begins April 15, 2010)
  4. Standard print notice on a Microsoft Word compact disc by first class mail (delivery begins April 15, 2010).  The compact disc may be used on a computer that has the software needed to access Word, but not on an audio CD player.

You may also request another format by calling 1-800-325-772-1213.

To select your format you can contact the Social Security office using the following methods:

  1. Go to the Social Security website at www.socialsecurity.gov/notices and follow the steps provided
  2. Call Social Security toll-free at 1-877-708-1776.  If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call the TTY number at 1-800-325-0778
  3. Write or visit your local Social Security office.

Testimonies

We’ll be featuring a series of testimonials from members of prominent organizations of and for the blind.  You can learn about organizations that are dedicated to the promotion of individuals who are blind or severely visually impaired from members of these groups.

This month we are featuring the Florida Lions Club. The testimony is narrated by Bruce Miles, Lions Club member and a representative of our Rehabilitation Council for the Blind.  If you don't have an mp3 player installed, you can download a free version of winamp at http://www.winamp.com/.

Our first testimony was narrated by Sila Miller from the Florida Council of the Blind.

Community Rehabilitation Program Corner:  New Vision for Independence, Inc.

New Vision for Independence is the first Community Rehabilitation Program we’re cornering.  They serve residents of Lake and Sumter counties, as well as residents of The Villages—a retirement community in Marion County.  Their main office is located on the campus of Lake-Sumter Community College in Leesburg.  They also have a satellite office in Clermont.  Classes are held in donated spaces in both Lake and Sumter counties.  They are currently negotiating to get some class space in Mount Dora, as well. 

New Vision for Independence has been in existence since 2005.  They have been working with DBS, under contract, since July when they received a contract to work with the blind babies program.  They very recently became contracted to work with the Independent Living program and VR clients as well.  New Vision’s nine employees serve approximately 100 IL clients, 10 VR clients, and they have seven support groups for clients to choose from.

New Vision also works with the Lions Club, United Way, and various free clinics.  They are very involved within the community and have had 82 speaking engagements since last April!  Their annual fundraiser, Sneakers and Paws (which includes not only walking and running but dog games, obedience competition, and a dog costume contest as well) is only one of the ways in which they help to educate blind people and the sighted community around them.  At the end of every class, Family Workshops are held in which the participants who can see wear goggles that simulate different visual impairments.  They are then paired with a sighted person and proceed to do something a blind person might need to do every day, such as riding the bus or going to the store.  This activity helps teach them what visually impaired people experience on a daily basis. 

Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar

Did you know that the United States Congress authorized a silver dollar to commemorate Louis Braille? Louis Braille’s system of six raised dots has been adapted to almost all languages. The system literally brought reading to the finger tips of countless people who have severe visual impairments or who are blind. Therefore, the United States Congress wanted to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Louis Braille’s birth with a silver dollar that bears his image. More important this is the first coin in the history of the United States that has readable Braille on it.

silver dollar - head sideThe head of the coin displays a portrait of Louis Braille designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) Master Designer Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor/Engraver Phebe Hemphill. It is inscribed with “Liberty”, “In God We Trust”, “Louis Braille”, “1809” and “2009”.

Silver Dollar - tail sideThe tail of the coin shows a child reading a book in Braille. It was designed by United States Mint AIP Master Designer Susan Gamble and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor/Engraver Joseph Menna. The word Braille (abbreviated B r l in Braille code) is written in the upper field. The word “independence” is featured on a bookshelf behind the child. It also is inscribed with “United States of America”, “One Dollar” and “E Pluribus Unum.”

The US Congress authorized surcharges from sales of the 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar to be given to the National Federation of the Blind to further its programs to promote Braille literacy.

New Resources for Employers

Two new resources were recently released by the Office of Disability Employment Policy  (ODEP), Department of Labor. The full title of these documents, a short description, and links to the documents are noted below.

Roadmaps II For Enhancing Employment Of Persons With Disabilities Through Accessible Technology

Roadmaps II is a report that looks at the issue of AT and employment from the perspective of AT service providers and disability stakeholders who work directly to assist individuals with disabilities. Roadmaps II is a result of the work of the AT Collaborative - a group of national organizations funded by ODEP and CESSI to address AT issues and provide policy recommendations related to the employment of individuals with disabilities. Roadmaps II follows the January 2008 release of Roadmaps I, which is a report on the consensus Roadmaps developed by participants in the 2007 Business Dialogue on Accessible Technology and Disability Employment for how best to enhance the hiring, retention, and advancement of persons with disabilities and others through accessible technology. Read more about the Roadmaps at http://www.dol.gov/odep/categories/employment_supports/roadmaps.htm

New Disability Employment Resource For Employers Released

To meet the need for a comprehensive, portable, and easy to understand guide for employers who are looking to recruit, hire, and retain employees with disabilities, ODEP just released its new Four-Step Reference Guide. The online version of this valuable resource, which covers topics such as Incentives & ROI, Recruiting, Interviewing & Hiring, and much more, also provides a wealth of links and other resources. The Guide is available in PDF format at http://www.dol.gov/odep/documents/Flip%20Guide_FINAL_3%2030_508%20compliant2.pdf and in Word at http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/publicat.htm (scroll down to the "other" category). The print version of Diversifying Your Workforce, A Four-Step Reference Guide to Recruiting, Hiring & Retaining Employees with Disabilities will be available later this year.

Reference Points is administered by PACER Center http://www.PACER.org as a technical assistance activity of the TATRA Project. The TATRA Project is funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration.

Top Stories Related to Blindness

Keeping up with top stories related to blindness and visual loss isn't easy. Read Top Stories Related to Blindness including topics like assistive technology, business, and talking books.


The mission of Florida Blind Services is to ensure blind and visually impaired persons living in Florida have the tools, support, and opportunity to achieve success.

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