DBS News
District 4
On March 31, 40 children and 37 adults are expected to attend Ms. Bowie's annual Beeping Easter Egg Hunt in Gainesville. There will be a moon walk, a pony ride, Easter egg coloring, face painting, and a special guest appearance by the Easter bunny. The event is being assisted by the Delta Gamma sorority.
Mrs. Bowie, DBS children's counselor, is also the contact person for the MSP (Middle School Independent Living Skills Program) to be held June 24-29 at the University of Florida. Ten middle school children, including two multi-impaired students, will live in an apartment/dorm at the University of Florida for five days. During that time, the focus will be on home management skills, social skills, O&M (Orientation & Mobility) skills, and lots of recreation. They'll also have opportunities to explore some careers and interface with blind mentors.
Summer Transition Empowerment Program
Madeline Davidson, liaison for the Gainesville Summer Transition Empowerment Program (STEP), has been involved in the planning of our summer high school program along with one of our local vision teachers, Susie Breier. This is the fourth summer this program has been offered and both are excited about running this year's two-week program at the University of Florida dorms. Their high school students will stay for a week, which gives them the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities. The students will have a mock job interview, discuss employability and disability issues, and have morning jobs. In the afternoons there will be classes from the TOTE program and visits to the career resource lab at Santa Fe Community College and a variety of other places in the local community.
Students will have leisure activities including swimming, gym work out, rock climbing, a trip to the mall, and an afternoon beach trip and cookout with blind mentors in our community. Throughout the week, the students will grocery shop, prepare meals (including lunches for work), do laundry, and learn to get along with each other in close living quarters. During the week they will walk, taxi, and ride the city bus with a variety of O&M lessons interspersed into all the activities. For the older students who have more work experience, we are running a second week of the program so they can work on their job for more hours and participate in a higher level of independence by planning the second week activities. Overall, this is a great program and I am pleased to be involved with STEP.
I would like to commend Madeline Davidson, Peggy, Bowie, Donald Barnes, the teachers, and everyone else who has a part in making the summer programs a success for their commitment, efforts, and hard work.
District 3
Carol Michael, Sr. Rehabilitation Specialist-Blind in District III, arranged for the donation of floor covering for the store at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind. Carol also presented our CRP (Community Rehabilitation Program), Independent Living for Adult Blind, with an award check in the amount of $1,000 from the Community Nutcracker Ballet, Inc., of which she is Vice President. On March 6th, Carol presented a program on DBS services to the elderly on a local cable television show called Maturity Matters. It will air four or five times.
A DBS Public Forum will be held at the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel, 1515 Prudential Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32207 on April 19th from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Camp Abilities Florida
Parents, DBS Staff, Vision Teachers, Physical Education Teachers, School Principles, and Athletes:
We would like to solicit your help in finding children ages 14 to 17 years old who are blind or visually impaired. We would like to involve them in a unique program to become empowered through sports at a week long developmental sports clinic geared towards children with visual impairments. This will be accomplished through team building activities and learning how to keep themselves healthy and active. We hope to expand Camp Abilities in the coming years.
Camp Abilities is co-hosted by the Florida Division of Blind Services and Florida Gulf Coast University. If you would, please give this information to any family who has a child in this age group who is legally or totally blind and without secondary disabilities that affect ambulation or cognitive functioning. We would like to reach out and provide them with a dynamic experience during this week-long event. Camp Abilities Florida 2007 is scheduled for July 15 thru 21, 2007 at FGCU (Florida Gulf Coast University).
The foremost purpose of Camp Abilities is to empower children who are visually impaired and blind to be physically active and productive members of their schools, communities, and society, and to improve their health and well-being. Camp Abilities teaches children what they can do and encourages them to be more independent. Each child is sent home with assessments of their abilities on each sport and activity. This is shared with their parents and physical educator to increase understanding of their current abilities.
The second purpose of Camp Abilities is to train undergraduate and graduate students how to teach sports and recreation to children with sensory impairments.
Thirdly, Camp Abilities gives some much needed respite time to families. And when the children go back home, they are more able, independent, and confident in their abilities.
Thank you in advance for your assistance and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate email us at:
For more information about the Camp Abilities Movement, visit:
http://www.campabilitiesbrockport.org.
Promotion
Please extend your congratulations to Dr. Jane Karp who has been promoted to Library Program Administrator, effective March 8.
Dr. Karp joined our staff in 2005 as a Library Services Supervisor. She holds a Masters degree in Library and Information Science from the University of South Florida, as well as a Masters degree in Public Health from Boston University and a Doctorate in Public Health and Biostatistics from London University in Great Britain. She retired from the US Air Force in 1990 as a hospital administrator and has worked in a variety of jobs in the health care and library fields, including three years as director of outreach to seniors at the St. Johns County Public Library.
Luther Arnold Ison, Jr.
Luther Arnold Ison, Jr., was known to drive his BMW motorcycle throughout southwestern Florida to serve blind people in his work as a district director for the state Division of Blind Services. He was a hard-working volunteer at First United Methodist Church in Fort Myers, an avid long-distance runner, and devoted husband and father. "Lute" Ison died Monday (March 19) at Hope Hospice in Cape Coral after battling pancreatic cancer with courage and grace. He was 76.
Luther was born in Crandon, Wisconsin on March 11, 1931. He moved to Cape Coral in 1990, spending eight years supervising services for the blind in five counties in Southwestern Florida.
After retiring in 1998, he continued to work long days as a volunteer. He held several lay leadership positions and sang in the choir at First United Methodist Church in Fort Myers. He helped build homes for Habitat for Humanity, cleared fallen timber and renovated homes after hurricanes swept through south Florida, and volunteered for Hope Hospice.
Luther returned to Crandon in recent summers to enjoy his small clearing in the woods on Spring Lake, visit family and friends, and talk about his Green Bay Packers. He'd owned and operated Ison Auto Supply Co. in Crandon for 23 years. He was a fixture at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, a pioneer in the snowmobile racing industry, a boat racer, water skier, and motorcycle enthusiast.
Luther graduated from Wayland Academy in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin in 1950. Always a leader, he was president of the Student Senate and later won the Alumni Memorial Award for his service to the school. In track, he set a school record in the mile run. He played saxophone in a band called the "Esquire All-Stars." Shortly after the start of the Korean War, he enlisted in the Air Force where he was an airplane mechanic. He returned home to open the auto parts store in 1956. He was a master of the Crandon Masonic Lodge.
His work didn't suppress his adventurous spirit. He was a charter member of the Crandon Ski Serpents water ski club and an accomplished snowmobile racer who became executive secretary of the United States Snowmobile Association. He sold and raced motorcycles and later toured the United States and parts of Europe on his BMW motorcycle with Penny, his wife of 55 years—always riding along.
He sold the store in 1978 and in 1983, at age 52, graduated Cum Laude from the University of Wisconsin (Green Bay) with a degree in Human Development. Two years later, he received a Master of Science Degree in Counseling from California State University, Fullerton. He found time to run a marathon at age 53, finishing in under four hours. He and Penny moved to Jacksonville, Florida to be closer to parents, and he became a counselor in the Florida Division of Blind Services.
He was preceded in death by his father, Dr. Luther Arnold Ison, Sr. of Fort Myers and a son, David Michael Ison. Survivors include his wife, Penny (Koyn) of Cape Coral; his mother, Eunice Ison (Duff) of Fort Myers; sons Luther A. Ison III (Deanne) of Forest Lake, Minnesota and Christopher J. Ison (Nancy) of Plymouth, Minnesota; sisters Noreen Cook of Fox Point, Wisconsin; Kathleen Latini (Dr. Richard) of Huntington Beach, California; Linda Bennett (Dr. Samuel Albert) of Santa Ana, California; grandchildren William (Sara), Douglas, and Micah of Forest Lake, Minnesota; and Kathryn and Allie of Plymouth, Minnesota; and many nieces and nephews.
As was his wish, Luther will be cremated and services will be held April 14 at St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Crandon, Wisconsin. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the church, with a memorial service at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be sent to First United Methodist Church of Fort Myers, Hope Hospice, or any charity of choice.
Published in The News-Press on 3/21/2007.
Around the State
Cooking Without Looking
Many of you often receive e-mails from us at "Cooking Without Looking." You probably wonder what it's all about, especially if you live in an area that doesn't carry our show.
"Cooking Without Looking" is the first TV Show for Blind/Visually Impaired people and we air on WXEL-TV42 (PBS) from Vero Beach, Florida through North Miami, Florida.
The hosts photos and bios are on the WXEL website at:
http://wxel.org/programming/cookingwithoutlooking.php
Please feel free to contact Ren'ee Rentmeester at reneeadvt@aol.com if you have any questions or comments. The toll-free phone number is 1-888-290-7005.
Annette Watkins
Annette Watkins spent her first 13 years in Rochester, New York, but considers herself a native Floridian. She graduated from the University of South Florida in 1981 with a B.A. in Communications. She spent many years working in marketing with Revlon Cosmetics and as a pharmaceutical sales representative.
In 1993, Annette was diagnosed with Stargardt's disease. "The experience has been bitter sweet," says Annette. "After spending quite some time floundering and trying to learn my new purpose, I was ready to ask God, 'what do you want me to do?'"
"I am really thankful for the opportunity to be one of three wonderful hosts on 'Cooking Without Looking,'" says Annette.
"Not only was it always a 'dream job' I've had a passion for, but it helps and inspires so many people. There is definitely a need out there for a show like this and I hope we make it not only interesting for our audience, but lots of fun."
Annette has a 21-year-old son, Patrick, who has recently "left the nest" and is pursuing his passion for music.
Allen Preston
Born in Waukegan, Illinois, Allen Preston spent the first 10 years of his life with his grandparents near Toronto Canada. He spent his teen years with his mother and stepfather on a farm in north central Minnesota.
Allen has a B.S. in Education from the University of Minnesota and taught high school shop class for eight years.
In mid 1986, he got involved in advocacy. Allen is now retired and volunteers his time to help several non-profit organizations like Southeastern Guide Dogs, Inc., the Lions, and other organizations that promote independence and dignity for blind and visually impaired people.
"I thank God for the opportunity to see the world in a way few others see it," says Allen. "One of those unique opportunities is being part of 'Cooking Without Looking.' I hope we can inspire you to maintain your independence and stay safe in the kitchen."
Celia Chacon
Celia Chacon was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She met her husband, Victor, in high school. They married in 1973 and have two children.
Her husband moved to South Florida in 1988 and Celia and her two children joined him there in 1989. She worked with a law firm as a paralegal until 1993 when she began to lose her sight.
"During the time I was losing my sight, I felt in a state of depression and not knowing what life would bring," says Celia. "I was able to overcome this depression with the aid of my mother, husband, and children who were and still are very supportive of all of my efforts."
Celia attended the Broward County Light House for the Blind where she learned new skills and met new people. "This was the beginning of a positive new life."
Celia is a board member of The Learning Center for Vision Impaired Seniors of Broward County. She is also involved in arts and crafts classes with the Vision Impaired Seniors in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
In 2002, a mutual acquaintance introduced Celia to Ren'ee Rentmeester, the founder of Vision World Foundation and Creator/Executive Producer of "Cooking Without Looking." That was the beginning of Celia's involvement with the show and the beginning of a new friendship.
Celia currently teaches blind teenagers kitchen skills. In her spare time, Celia develops new recipes for "Cooking Without Looking."
Ren'ee Rentmeester, Creator/Executive Producer, "Cooking Without Looking"
Ren'ee Rentmeester was born and raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin. She began her career in TV when she was 17 years old at WLUK-TV in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Ren'ee worked in the newsroom as a news production assistant and was a late night movie receptionist.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, in 1982 with a B.A. degree in Journalism and a minor in International Relations.
In 1984, Ren'ee began working for the CBS-TV affiliate in Miami, Florida. She worked as a Promotion/Ad Copywriter; Associate News Writer/Producer; News Assignment Editor; and later as the Press and Community Relations Director/Producer.
A two-time Emmy nominee, Ren'ee's nominations were for the writing/producing of "Youth Violence: Walking the Line," a 30-minute TV Special about youth gangs in South Florida, and a series of 30 second Public Service Announcements (PSAs) for Black History Month chronicling the Civil Rights Movement in the '60's and the people in South Florida who participated.
The American Heart Association awarded Ren'ee for a series of PSAs on middle-aged strokes.
As a volunteer for the March of Dimes, she received the award "Volunteer of the Year" for her service to the organization.
In 1996, Ren'ee opened her own Advertising/Public/Media Relations company where she serviced organizations including the Orange Bowl Committee; a Miami Dolphin player; a wife of a Miami Heat player; Mrs. Florida; and many large to mid-sized businesses.
While running her business, she began researching descriptive TV and people who are blind/visually impaired in 2000. Through hundreds of hours of research and communicating with thousands of visually challenged people, she created "Cooking Without Looking," the first TV show for people who are blind/visually impaired. She also created the non-profit Vision World Foundation, the parent company of "Cooking Without Looking," to help disabled people on an individual basis.
Ren'ee has sat on the boards of the March of Dimes; Women's Business Development Center; the Miami-Dade County Women's Chamber of Commerce; Save the Children; the West Palm Beach Lion's Club; and served as a Governor on the Board of Governors of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
She speaks regularly to community and business organizations as well as to school children on behalf of people who are blind/visually impaired.
She has a teen-aged daughter, Lauren, who sometimes helps on the show.
Around the Nation
Accessible Tax Products Available at the IRS
Have you ever wanted to prepare your own Federal tax return, look at publications to find out what deductions and credits are available, or to emboss IRS material? It's possible through the IRS website at: http://www.irs.gov.
Tax Credits You May Qualify For:
1. Telephone Excise Tax Refund (TETR)
The Telephone Excise Tax Refund (TETR) is a one-time credit available on your 2006 federal income tax return. It is designed to refund previously collected long distance telephone taxes. Individuals, businesses, and tax-exempt organizations are eligible to request it. It is not necessary to meet a tax filing requirement to get this refund, but you must file a form. To read more about it, go to:
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=164032,00.html
2. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), sometimes called the Earned Income Credit (EIC), is a refundable federal income tax credit for low-income working individuals and families. Congress originally approved the tax credit legislation in 1975 in part to offset the burden of social security taxes and to provide an incentive to work. When the EITC exceeds the amount of taxes owed, it results in a tax refund to those who claim and qualify for the credit.
To qualify, taxpayers must meet certain requirements and file a tax return, even if they did not earn enough money to be obligated to do so. To find out more, go to:
http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96406,00.html.
To download or review accessible tax products:
For accessible IRS tax products, go to:
http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/article/0,,id=96151,00.html
For accessible tax forms (Braille and Text formats) go to:
http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/article/0,,id=131773,00.html
Through these forms and instructions, you can learn how to complete the forms and what publications will give more information on certain tax topics.
For accessible HTML instructions for tax forms, go to:
http://www.irs.gov/instructions/index.html
For accessible tax publications (Braille and Text formats) go to:
http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/article/0,,id=131761,00.html
You can link to accessible HTML publications at:
http://www.irs.gov/publications/index.html
For accessible talking tax forms go to:
http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/article/0,,id=98135,00.html
The "Talking Tax Forms" referenced above are exactly like the fillable PDF tax forms used by taxpayers who have no vision disabilities. They may be filled in by computer and can be accessed by screen readers and refreshable Braille devices. The IRS has made all of its tax forms available in this accessible PDF format.
If you're just interested in ordering a Braille or large print tax product, you can call our Forms Line at: (800) 829-3676. If you have a tax law or account related question, call: (800) 829-1040.
To leave a comment about IRS accessible tax products or any other feature of the IRS.gov web site, please visit our web comments page at:
http://www.irs.gov/help/page/0,,id=13148,00.html.
Agency's Trash-bag Sales to Top One Million Dollars
Sales of trash bags manufactured by employees of the Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired are expected to exceed one million dollars this year, according to the Utica-based group.
"It's stunning when you look at where we started five years ago," said Steve Gannon, director of development at the association—which is a vision rehabilitation agency that serves blind and visually impaired clients in eight counties.
Of the association's 154 employees, 84 are blind or visually impaired.
In 2002, Central Industries, the manufacturing arm of the Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, was awarded a contract to package pre-made bags for the New York State Department of Transportation.
"As the product line grew, it became more efficient for us to add the machine and actually manufacture the bags right here," said Gannon, who said three employees work on that product line. The association now has trash bag manufacturing contracts with several entities, including the state Department of Parks and Recreation.
In 2006, bag manufacturing sales were $992,000.
The revenue will be used to support free vision therapy programs.
Central Industries manufactures or packages 24 products, including office supplies whose sales generated 22.5 million dollars in revenue last year.
Source:
http://www.uticaod.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20070223/BUS/702230328/1052.
Home Renovation Not Hindered by Blindness
"This house was one of the worst properties in the east side of Toledo and I'm going to take it to the best property," Ernie Berry said.
Berry talks about the house he purchased last June as he stumbles around boards and scraps. He uses a cane because he doesn't want his guide dog, Calypso, to step on a nail or a sharp piece of wood.
"When I'm by myself, I don't mind if I fall down," Berry said after catching his footing.
Berry, who was born blind, is fixing up the 5,000-square-foot pale yellow house on Oswald Street, which was built in 1896. He said it used to be a "crack house with 22 people living in it at one time."
Berry has never let his blindness deter him from hard work. He has two degrees from UT, is working toward a master's degree, was an intern in Washington, D.C., and twice ran for political office.
"I was born blind and no one knows why," the 22-year-old said. "The doctors never knew why. It's just one of those things."
In addition to not being able to see what he's doing or where he's going, Berry has to walk with a cane, the aftermath of a neurological attack when he was 16.
"I don't see anything as being difficult for me," he said. "I just have to do it. Giving up is not an option."
The most difficult task while working on refurbishing the house was the demolition part, he said. It took nearly five months to clear the inside of the house. He said the work went faster because he did it himself.
"I wasn't afraid of things falling on me because I couldn't have seen them anyway," Berry said. "If they hit me, they hit me."
The house was in horrible shape when he bought it, he said.
"It was foul-smelling and there were condoms and crack paraphernalia everywhere," he said.
Now, the house is gutted and the only things in it are spider webs draped around wooden beams and some scraps on the floor. It is dark and drafty, because the heat has not been installed yet.
Berry laughed as he recalled knocking down walls and clearing out the house, working well after the sun went down when the property would be dark inside. He remembers passing neighbors saying, "Hey Ernie, don't you want a light on in there?" Or, "It's pretty dark in there."
"What do I need a light for?" Berry said.
The house will be a twin-plex that will emulate an Old West End style home, Berry said.
"We're not stopping just because of the weather," Berry said. "We're a month ahead of schedule, but no corners will be cut. It's going to be a new home in an old building."
Not busy enough
Berry said he bought the house because he "needed something else" to work on and he wasn't busy enough.
The project, to which he estimates he has devoted at least 1,500 hours of labor since June, is a hobby, he said, and it won't cut into the time he spends with other commitments during the week.
One of those commitments is chess. Berry began playing chess at age five and won the Northwest Ohio Regional Chess Championship in 1998.
"Everything in life, no matter what it is, is a chess game. You have to think ahead," he said while relating his metaphor to the house. "I can see the finished project and if I can get to the checkmate ahead of schedule, I will."
Along with chess, weight lifting has become an important hobby. After he suffered from spastic paraplegia neuropathy, which caused his legs to spasm and confined him to a wheelchair, he worked to rehabilitate himself and was able to walk again. He said he was encouraged to lift weights to strengthen his body, but he didn't stop there. His motivation and competitive nature sent him to the National Bench Press Competition in Cleveland, where he placed fourth.
Berry also mentors neighborhood children—kindergarten through high school—teaching them to play chess and training them in weight lifting.
"I don't want to sacrifice the time I spend with mentoring these kids every week," Berry said. "I think one of the most important things is to be a role model to someone who looks up to you."
Along with these hobbies, Berry works full time as the ADA coordinator for the City of Toledo, and is attending UT for his master's degree in public administration.
"I love Toledo," Berry said. "Toledo is my home. People haven't said they'd entrust me with making governmental decision yet, but that doesn't stop me from fixing up Toledo one house at a time."
Berry credits his parents, Pete and Becky, for his perseverance in his life and his love for his hometown.
"We're proud of our city and we're going to try to take care of it," Pete Berry said. He has given some advice to Ernie about the refurbishing of the house, but said it's his son's project. "The neighbors are all glad because it was an eyesore, but now they see progress."
"There are always two outlooks on life," Becky Berry said. "You have to find the good side and stay positive because the good seems to overtake. We live in this neighborhood and we want to keep it nice." Becky Berry said she is proud of her son for all his accomplishments and for trying to make his neighborhood a better place to live.
Pete Berry added that when people ask him if he is proud of his son, he says, "I'm not proud of him, I'm inspired by him."
With a supportive family behind him, Berry said, "There isn't anything I can't handle because I've proven to myself and others that I'm determined to do what I can for the city, given my current situation."
"I think to myself that even though people think it [the house] is, physically, too much for me, I have that motivation and it feels good going to sleep after a hard day's work."
Source: Toledo Free Press, OH, USA, Friday, February 23, 2007,
http://www.toledofreepress.com/?id=4984.
Brailler Repairman Shares Vision
Look on children's faces inspires retired cop to learn craft, donate services
Ed Hill can imagine a life without music and sound.
He believes he could get by without his arms. Even his legs. But his eyes?
He shakes his head, recalling the first time he saw the little girl with the beautiful eyes who couldn't see him.
"That stuff's not supposed to happen to children," he says. "It's supposed to happen to old people like me."
The little girl is Victoria Lampton—one of several sightless Mississippians the Bolton man has helped by making it easier for them to create shopping lists, cipher out budgets, do their homework.
In work areas at home or in his business, Small Cars Unlimited in Jackson, he repairs and cleans their Braille machines.
A Brailler, using six keys to produce a raised-point system of writing, is a typewriter for the blind.
Hill takes pictures of the children he has met through this work, he says. He puts those keepsakes on his computer or in his wallet next to those of his grandchildren. One is a photo of Victoria.
"He didn't hesitate to help us," says Victoria's mother, Vicki Magee of Brandon. "I wouldn't take nothing for him."
Nothing is exactly what Hill charges his "clients." He finds them through organizations such as the National Federation of the Blind in Mississippi, whose president is Sam Gleese of Jackson. "Ed even repaired my Brailler," Gleese says.
"It's a tremendous gesture on his part. Without a Brailler, it's almost impossible to do some of the tasks you need to get by, unless you have a computer."
Repair costs for Braillers are often out of reach as well.
"It will cost you at least $100 to have them repaired," says John Whitlock, patron services director for the Mississippi Library Commission's Library for the Blind, whose advisory board includes Gleese and Hill.
"If you sent one of those Braillers to Perkins, the manufacturer, you'd pay anywhere from $50 to $100 an hour, plus the parts."
Never mind replacing one. A standard Perkins Brailler costs $640. Electric models go for $900 to $975.
"Many blind people depend on fixed incomes," Gleese says.
Hill tries to picture such a life, but his imagination falls short, he says. Years ago, as a Lusby, Maryland police officer, he survived shootouts and, more than once, the shock of finding poisonous snakes lurking inside his mailbox.
Trauma
Six months ago, a truck ran him and his Harley off a country road, and Hill went to the hospital with an A-list of broken bones. "I appreciate every day," he says, "because it's one day more than I'm supposed to have."
But, for him, those traumas don't compare with the prospect of a life spent in darkness. When he thinks of the children he's met, he all but apologizes for his eyes.
"The courage it takes for them to do what they can do—hell, I wouldn't even walk from here to there with my eyes closed," he says, pointing to a spot just yards away.
Ironically, it was those children who opened his eyes. More than a decade ago, he heard about them through his wife, Toni, and her work with the Telephone Pioneers—volunteers who, among other things, clean cassette players for books-on-tape at the Library for the Blind.
When Hill heard that a good Brailler repairman is hard to find, he decided to become one. "I love anything mechanical," he says. "When machine oil heats up, it's like no other smell."
Hill learned his Brailler skills from a repairman who was about to retire. A year or two later, he ran into a machine he couldn't fix. He decided he needed more training from a Brailler guru named Leon Murphy in Watertown, Massachusetts.
Inside a factory in that Boston suburb, the 1,500 plus parts of each Perkins Brailler are assembled.
"100 percent American," Hill says.
Giving Thanks
Since that visit, Hill has repaired and donated several more Braillers, including some for families who lost theirs in Hurricane Katrina.
"One little girl from the Coast asked me four times, 'Is it really mine?,'" Hill says.
"She rubbed it like it was a pet."
Through Gleese, Hill also met Vicki Magee and Victoria Lampton, who's now nine. She lost her sight at age two through strokes brought on by a rare nerve disorder called Leigh's disease, her mother says.
Now a third-grader at Brandon Elementary, Victoria needed a Brailler at home. Magee needed—but didn't have—$900 to buy one.
Hill had one waiting for her at his shop.
"I use it for my homework," Victoria says. "I like doing my ABCs on it."
Says her mother, "He came to the rescue. If I called Mr. Hill for something else, he'd be there again."
Yes, he will, Hill says, and he'd probably do an even better job the next time.
"During my trip to Watertown," he says, "Leon Murphy took me on a visit to the school for the blind where we met a young lady escorting a blind child on campus.
"She stopped Mr. Murphy and asked him what he did. He said, 'I build Braillers.' She hugged him and said, 'Thank you.'"
"Then she asked me what I did and I said, 'I'm learning to fix them.'"
"She looked at me and said, 'Study very hard.'"
So he does.
Contact:
To reach Ed Hill regarding Brailler repair, contact the Mississippi School for the Blind in Jackson at (601) 984-8200 or the Addie McBryde Center for the Blind at University Medical Center in Jackson, (601) 364-2700.
Source: Perkins School for the Blind.
Promise of Accessible Voting for Voters with Disabilities Still Unfulfilled
Washington, DC -- Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting machines, once considered essential to ensuring private and independent voting booth access for voters with disabilities, often do not work as promised, according to a new report published today. Authored by access technology expert Noel Runyan and published by election reform groups Demos and Voter Action, Improving Access to Voting:
A Report on the Technology for Accessible Voting Systems "shows that, due to inadequate or malfunctioning voting machines, voters with disabilities are frequently forced to ask for assistance or compromise the privacy of their vote—severe violations of federal disability accommodation requirements."
The report details significant difficulties for voters with disabilities, including: the lack of a controllable interface for those who are unable to use touch screens or tactile key inputs; inadequate audio access features for people with visual or cognitive impairments, with dyslexia, or with severe motor-impairments; and lack of privacy curtains to prevent others from reading the voters' selections on their visual displays.
"I originally had high hopes for the new voting machines," said Noel Runyan, the author of the report. Runyan, who is blind, is a professional electrical engineer who has spent much of his career developing access technologies for people with visual impairments.
"Even with my technical background and the help of poll workers, I could not get the Sequoia Edge II DRE to work."
"I have since tested most of the available voting systems at conferences and at the National Federation of the Blind's accessible voting systems lab, and my fears have been confirmed: Most of the DREs deployed were not designed with real disability access in mind."
States have been required to provide at least one accessible voting system per polling place since the passage of the Help America Vote Act in 2002, legislation designed to guarantee a fair and secure vote for all voters. To comply with this requirement, many states, armed with new federal dollars, rushed to purchase DREs specifically because they were billed as accurate, quick, and accessible to voters with various disabilities. These efforts failed, and the report details the variety of ways current voting systems fall short of federal standards.
"Improving Access to Voting" also makes a series of additional recommendations to address these concerns, such as using simultaneous audio-video output, enhanced video display controls, dual-switch input controls and voting aids like electronic video magnifiers and tactile ballot marking systems.
"There will never be one perfect voting machine that meets all accessibility needs," Runyan said.
"So, election administrators should adopt blended systems, such as a combination of optical scan ballots, electronic ballot marking devices with appropriate accessibility features, and multi-lingual paper ballots."
"This report shifts the debate about voting systems. The question is no longer 'Do we have to trade off accessibility to get secure voting systems?'" said Susannah Goodman, Director of the Federal Elections Program at Common Cause.
"The question is 'Does Congress have the political will to replace the currently deployed voting systems with systems that are both secure and accessible?'"
"Since the passage of the Help America Vote Act in 2002, a small handful of voting machine companies have made an enormous profit selling DREs as the most accessible technology on the market," said John Bonifaz, Senior Legal Fellow at Demos and a consulting attorney to Voter Action.
"This report directly challenges that assumption. Congress should recommit itself to truly providing accessibility for all voters with disabilities, a promise that has not been fulfilled by the DRE technology."
For more information or to download a copy of the "Improving Access to Voting" report, visit:
http://www.demos.org or http://www.voteraction.org.
Expert Background:
Noel Runyan became a critic of voting machines after his own experience with the Sequoia Edge II and subsequently became an expert witness in three separate lawsuits brought by Voter Action alleging that the machines were inadequate and therefore unlawful. He has worked with advocates to promote accessibility and security in voting systems as mutually attainable goals.
Runyan is not affiliated with, nor has he received compensation from, any of the voting system vendors.
Rebirth of Braille
Not so long ago it looked like new technologies would render Braille obsolete. Now it's making a come back.
Next month, blind grade-school students from across New England will travel to Newton to test their skill in reading Braille. The competition, called the Braille Challenge, measures students' Braille reading speed and accuracy, with the top finishers in the regional events going on to national finals this June in Los Angeles.
The Braille Challenge is in its sixth year, and there's been a steady rise in the number of competitors. It's a sign of a growing resurgence in Braille, a writing system that not so long ago seemed headed toward extinction.
Before the writing system perfected by Louis Braille in the early 19th century was adopted, a diagnosis of blindness was also a sentence of lifelong illiteracy. But Braille fluency gave blind people the tools to earn an education. Use of Braille grew for more than a century and by the 1960s, 60 percent of blind children in America were learning it. But then, starting in the late '60s, those numbers began to fall. According to figures from the American Printing House for the Blind, the country's oldest manufacturer of educational material for blind students, today fewer than one-quarter of the blind children in this country who could potentially learn Braille actually do so. (Not all blind children can learn Braille. Many children born blind are also born with cognitive disabilities that make mastering Braille impossible.)
Braille's decline was the byproduct of a revolution in education for the blind that, for a time, made Braille seem irrelevant. In the 1960s and '70s, many blind students began attending regular public schools instead of specialized schools for the blind. This "mainstreaming" had huge benefits for blind students, giving them higher self-esteem, higher overall academic achievement, and helping them integrate with society while, at the same time, teaching sighted students a bit about the disabled world. But it also made teaching Braille more difficult.
When blind education was centralized, it was easier for specialized instructors to teach many students at once. Braille teachers now often had to travel among several schools to reach their students and a greater proportion of the education of blind students fell to regular classroom teachers who often didn't have the time or training to teach Braille. According to Tanya Holton of the National Braille Press, a Boston-based Braille publishing house, "Teachers and administrators said 'Braille is just so hard, books on tape are so much easier.'"
The increasing number of audio books and then the appearance of personal computers with synthetic speech software led to a view that modern technology was making Braille obsolete. Blind students could put on a set of headphones and listen to instructional material on a wide variety of subjects without the need to read and write a specialized alphabet.
While many blind men and women lead successful lives without Braille, Holton feels it was a mistake to dismiss Braille completely. She says it has a versatility that speech-based communication can never match.
"Imagine trying to learn algebra orally. Imagine trying to rewind through an audio recording of a recipe while you're trying to cook."
Braille also lets you write, not just read. The current generation of Braille recording and playback machines are compact and powerful devices, suitable for business as well as school. They have specialized keyboards designed for rapid Braille typing and display devices that quickly raise and lower a series of pins, generating the various patterns of the Braille alphabet. A skilled user can take notes and read text as fast as a sighted person with a laptop. They're one reason Braille fluency has such a strong correlation with employment—90 percent of blind men and women who are fully employed can read Braille.
All of this has led to a reassessment of Braille's importance by educators, parents of blind children, and politicians. Ten years ago, the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act mandated that public schools consider Braille in their blind curriculum. More than 30 states—including Massachusetts—now have laws on the books saying that schools must teach Braille to all blind children capable of learning it. Nancy Niebrugge, an assistant vice president of the Braille Institute of America, says all of this makes her optimistic about Braille's future.
"Five or 10 years ago, there may have been a sense of despair, but there was a lot of pushing to bring Braille back, and I think it's working. There's a new understanding that it's not the same to just listen to a book. That's a form of literacy, but it's not the same. If only 23 percent of a graduating class could read and write, everyone would be outraged. We're turning a corner, but the goal is to go up."
Source: Globe Newspaper Company, copyright 2007.
Around the World
Consultant Wants South East Governments to Setup Resource Centers
A consultant optometrist, Miss Ebele Ezeugwu, has urged state governments in the South-East Zone to set up a Community Resource Center (CRC) in each state.
Miss Ebele Ezeugwu, the South-East consultant/trainer for the visually challenged persons at the CRC, Enugu, made the call in an interview with newsmen.
She said the CRC in Enugu, which caters to the visually challenged and other youths in the zone, was lacking in adequate facilities.
Ezeugwu noted that the center had not been able to cope with the incredible demand for ICT training by the beneficiaries of the center in the zone.
"I get calls almost everyday from visually impaired people from the states indicating interest in ICT training, but we don't have enough computers with special software for the blind," she said.
The consultant said the center had only one computer fitted with special screen reader software for the visually challenged.
She, therefore, urged governments, corporate bodies, and wealthy individuals to provide the center with the special software which costs about N100,000.
Ezeugwu said 20 visually challenged persons and 10 others from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states were currently undergoing a one-month ICT training at the center, sponsored by the Education Trust Fund.
The consultant, who said that she was overdue for refresher training abroad, identified accommodation and transportation as the problems confronting the participants during their training.
She commended the Enugu State government and the Director of the Center, Mr. Martin Ilo, for providing accommodation and transportation for the participants.
The CRC was built in 2004 with support from the U.S. government to cater to the ICT needs of students and youth in the south east zone.
It is currently being managed by the Enugu State government.
Source: The Tide News, Nigeria, copyright 2007,
http://www.thetidenews.com/article.aspx?qrDate=02/27/2007&qrTitle=Consultant%20wants%20South%20East%20govts%20to%20set%20up%20resource%20centres&qrColumn=BUSINESS.
I Spy an MI5 Career as the Blind Invisible Man
Am I invisible? Well, some days it appears that I am. There is a strange phenomenon going on which either has to be exploited or investigated. Now I'm not a scientist, but there is an extraordinary correlation between how poor someone's sight is and how much they can be seen by the general public. It's weird. It's like the poorer your sight becomes, the harder it is for anyone to see you. Very slowly you fade away to nothing. There is, perhaps, at best, just a faint outline of a person moving through the crowd. The guide dog can be seen clearly, but the person is invisible.
Once, I was sitting in the executive departure lounge at Glasgow Airport (now, I'm not saying that to show off but I was put in the elite waiting room by one of the airport staff who thought it would be helpful—actually, I think she was just getting me out of the way) and for some time I was alone, till one other traveler appeared.
The lounge was quiet, with only the faint crunching sound of a blind man and his dog gorging themselves on free biscuits. (I wonder who supplied them?) The other passenger then made a call on his mobile. "Hi, I'm at Glasgow Airport. Yes, I'm completely alone."
I screamed, "No! No! I'm here. Ya-hoo! Ya-hoo!," while bouncing up and down on my seat.
He continued. "Yes, yes, I can speak freely," he said in a booming voice.
"No! No! You can't speak freely, I'm here—look, see," I said while figuratively slapping him repeatedly around the face.
He then proceeded to go into great detail about what football players he would be buying and selling for his club. "I'm thinking of buying Jo Bloggs for around 200 thousand—um, yes, as long as he gives up the drugs and alcohol. Obviously, it would be good if his foot would grow back, then he'll be the player for us. Selling—well, who the hell would buy one of ours?" It was a Scottish Premier League chairman.
He plumped himself down next to me and confessed to his life.
My instinct was to run around the room naked, falling over chairs, and tap dancing on the tables while whistling Dixie. Obviously, I didn't do any of these. I sat quietly taking mental notes. Well, it is my job. He was so near I could have reached out and touched him with my left hand. What was he thinking? He was sitting only feet from a journalist. But because I was blind he just couldn't see me. Some people just have to be protected from themselves. No, I'm not going to embarrass him by giving his name.
So, here's my idea. Stick with me on this one, it's good. How about the blind spy? According to a charity for the blind, four out of five blind people of working age are unemployed. A shocking statistic, I know, but perhaps this could be a good way to get many of them back to work by using our so-called natural skills. Being invisible and, of course, our extraordinary hearing. Although I'm not so sure about my hearing. Sometimes I become very deaf, particularly at home, for some strange reason. "Ian, you couldn't do the dishes?" Answer: "Sorry, what was that?" Another yell comes from the kitchen. "Ian, the bin needs emptying." Answer: "Sorry, I didn't catch that."
We've got all the technology now. Talking mobile phones with camera, infra-red object detector, digital recorder, color detectors, and blind-friendly global positioning systems. We've got so much kit that when we plug it in at night to do the charging, the street lights dim.
A couple of years ago MI5 was going through a recruitment campaign looking for more agents. It should have started looking around the blind colleges and training centers—not Oxford and Cambridge. Apart from being invisible, for some reason, those of the public who have the special powers that can see us tend to be the mad, bad, criminally insane and deranged. These types always feel the need to off-load all their darkest secrets, as if somehow a blind person knowing them just doesn't count.
Many years ago I was approached by a man in a bar. He plumped himself down uninvited and started to confess to me about his life of crime. Armed robbery, receiving stolen goods, almost everything apart from murder. If only I'd had a modern phone with a camera, I could have secretly taken his photo, recorded his confession with my miniature digital recorder, and scanned the color of his clothes using my color detector. Then I could have called the police, giving my GPS co-ordinates, and maybe scooped myself a large reward. The alternative is to try to escape. It's not easy trying to squeeze yourself and a Labrador out of the window in a disabled toilet, particularly when you don't know where you're landing.
Even when a blind person can be seen, normal rules of security don't apply. Before the recent tightening of security at airports, being blind didn't appear to constitute any threat. I could walk through customs with 10 kilos of crack cocaine under one arm, a box marked "bomb" under the other one, and dragging a case with "swag" printed across it. But as long as I had a white stick or a guide dog, I had some kind of blind diplomatic immunity. If only David Blunkett were still Home Secretary he could have implemented my army of blind spies.
Ian Hamilton reports on disability issues for BBC Scotland.
The Herald (UK), copryright 2007
http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/features/display.var.1223381.0.0.php.
Cycling for Vision
True to its promise to deliver, FedEx Express hosted a charity cyclethon to deliver the gift of knowledge to the visually impaired.
With RM250 for every km cycled, the event saw FedEx customers, employees, and Malaysian track cyclist Josiah Ng, in five teams of six, racing against the 30-minute time limit to raise funds for a Braille embosser for the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB).
The cyclethon, held at the Palace of the Golden Horses recently, covered a distance of 78km and raised RM19,500.
"The Braille embosser is used for the printing of textbooks and other literature and will benefit 850 visually-impaired children in 33 schools throughout Malaysia," said FedEx Malaysia and Brunei managing director K. Don Premaseri.
"The MAB works to empower persons with visual impairment by providing them with services and opportunities for greater participation and integration into society and the prevention of blindness. FedEx's passion and generosity will greatly boost our efforts in helping to rebuild lives," said MAB president Datuk Dr. Ismail Md Salleh.
Source: Sun2Surf, Malaysia, copyright 2007,
http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=17132.
Braille Picture Books Provide Much-needed Relief
Two picture books containing Braille and pictures in relief, which allow visually disabled parents to share the joy of reading with their children, have been published by Shogakukan Inc. thanks to the efforts of a totally blind Osaka mother.
Mitsuko Iwata, 54, who works at Fureai Bunko in Nishi Ward, Osaka, heads a library which lends handmade Braille picture books for free. When she first came up with her plan to publish the books five years ago, Iwata established a study group in conjunction with publishing companies.
The group was able to realize its plans after discovering a cost-efficient method of printing the books. Other publishing companies also plan to produce Braille picture books and Iwata said she hopes the movement will become widespread.
The books, "Doraemon Asobi ga Ippai!" (Doraemon Full of Play) and "Kikansha Thomas Nakama ga Ippai" (Thomas the Tank Engine's Many Friends) are A5-sized with 10 pages and cost 945 yen.
Twenty-eight years ago, Iwata's 18-month-old son asked her to read him picture books. Undeterred by her visual disability, Iwata devised a Braille book featuring pictures covered with a transparent vinyl chloride sheet, which provides a 3-D representation of the picture, so that visually impaired readers could experience the pictures in relief via the sense of touch. Iwata says her son was overjoyed when volunteers finished making the book.
Moved by her son's reaction, she began producing more Braille picture books and started lending them in 1984. At present, Fureai Bunko has about 8,000 books.
Many readers said they would like to be able to own the books so they could be read at any time. However, others said they were reluctant to borrow the books for fear of their children damaging the pages. In light of this, Iwata decided to try to have the books published and asked for cooperation from publishing and printing companies in Tokyo.
In April, 2002, editors and others from the publishing industry formed a study group for publishing and disseminating the books. However, the group faced problems such as the price being twice that of ordinary books; a limited number of readers; and expected financial losses.
However, Shogakukan has succeeded in reducing costs by printing Braille and pictures in relief with resin ink on one sheet of paper and then using accordion folds to fashion the book.
The Shogakukan employee in charge of the project said, "So far, it's been difficult to publish Braille picture books for under 2,000 yen, but thanks to Iwata's enthusiasm, we were able to produce the books at a reasonable price. Securing profitability is still difficult, but we hope to publish many books in the series."
Another publishing company which participates in the study group, Tokyo-based Kaiseisha, also plans to publish a Braille picture book in the near future.
Iwata said, "Visually disabled mothers have been longing for these books. Readers can enjoy them just by touching the pictures. I hope the books will circulate widely in the market."
Source: The Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan, copyright 2007,
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20070301TDY04003.htm.
Startup Pioneers New Approach to Fighting Leading Cause of Blindness
AgaPharm chief executive Mark Adam laughs out loud when it's suggested that developing eye drops to deliver a medication that prevents blindness sounds pretty simple.
In reality, it's really not as straightforward as it seems, although after almost five years of pains-taking research, the biotech outfit continues to close in on a viable solution.
"I agree that it does sound like a simple solution to a problem, but actually the science is quite difficult," Mr. Adam said with a chuckle.
"The difficult thing about eye drops in general, and particularly with diseases that are on the inside of the eye, is that the eye is one of the best natural barriers to your body. So, the unique part of the technology is how the eye drop gets into your eye first and then migrates its way to the back of the eye where the retinopathy occurs."
AgaPharm's product is a prescription eye drop that promises to prevent or retard the onset of diabetic retinopathy—a debilitating disease that affects four out of five diabetics. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in North America.
Originally developed at Montreal's Biotechnology Institute of the National Research Council (NRC) by Dr. Yasuo Konishi about five years ago, the eye drop is a new method of delivering a drug that already exists.
"I worked with the NRC to devise a strategy to bring this product out of the NRC and into the market, which was where the genesis for the company came from," Mr. Adam said.
The advantage of trying to retool an already available drug is that it takes much less time and money to get to market. The cost of developing a completely untested drug can easily top $1 billion from the lab to the market. A "repositioning" effort, such as AgaPharm's, costs between $40 million and $70 million.
Nevertheless, the stakes are high: According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, more than two million Canadians have diabetes and the number is expected to rise to three million by 2010. That would put the potential candidates for AgaPharm's medication at about 2.4 million by the end of the decade. Patients would use the drops daily for the rest of their lives.
AgaPharm's medication will also slow or prevent diabetic cataract formation, which is not only about 60 per cent more likely in people with the disease but also tends to develop at a younger age in diabetics and progress faster than in the general population. About five million people in North America suffer from this type of cataract today.
While Mr. Adam puts the market potential for their drug at "billions of dollars," there are also quality of life issues associated with slowing blindness for patients using the drug. A British study also found that delaying the onset of blindness by 10 years would save their health care system about $1 million per patient.
Although AgaPharm's approach is cheaper and faster, it still requires lots of cash, with the company needing about $8.5 million to take the company to the next stage. And that simple fact has Mr. Adam facing a quandary.
"I have a tattoo of a maple leaf on my ankle and there's a reason it's there," he said. "This really is a good place for business, but it's going to be one of our challenges moving forward: Most likely we are going to need U.S. money in the future, but we want to keep the company in Canada and to develop and grow it here in Ottawa. That's really important to me."
It's a problem that pervades almost the entire high-tech sector, but something that's a particular sore spot for many pharmaceutical operations. That fact necessitated recent visits to New York and Boston to meet potential investors, which left Mr. Adam feeling positive about AgaPharm's prospects. The company has begun due diligence with a potential U.S. investor.
Mr. Adam attributes part of the company's success in approaching U.S. investors to making the 2006 list of Canada's Top 10 Life Science Companies, which was selected by a panel of industry experts and investors.
"It's a wonderful thing and I have to thank the Ottawa Life Sciences Council for the competition," Mr. Adam said. "It gives us a raised profile and helps open doors for us, especially with investors who might not normally be looking at Canadian companies or Ottawa companies in particular."
When the company finds the investment it needs, Mr. Adam stressed that its product will be at least five years away from hitting the shelves. The drug is in pre-clinical trials that have shown excellent results in both diabetic retinopathy and cataracts, although Mr. Adam could not discuss the details due to patent issues.
Once funding arrives, the company will almost double its employee ranks, although that means adding a modest three or four people to the five already on the payroll. The new staff will be needed to move into clinical trials on humans.
"We have already started the process of searching for the right people," Mr. Adam said. "Although I have degrees in biotechnology, my background is really on the business side so I need to hire the key people in terms of the trials and regulatory requirements."
Source: Ottawa Business Journal, copyright 2007,
http://www.ottawabusinessjournal.com/310570572725094.php.
Leash and Harness
Taxis Refusing Guide Dogs
An increasing number of taxi drivers are refusing to carry passengers with guide dogs, an industry conference has been told.
Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes, who uses a guide dog, said such conduct was not only against the law but restricted the ability of the visually impaired to play a role in the community.
"As some of you would know, I was refused carriage by two taxis in Perth on two consecutive days early last year," he told the Australian Taxi Industry Association annual conference in Adelaide.
"More recently, cabs have driven off from ranks where my dog and I have been standing in Sydney and Melbourne."
"My own experience, plus discussions with others, suggests that this problem is becoming more prevalent."
Mr. Innes called on drivers to stop the practice and also urged taxi owners and the industry as a whole to increase training and communication on the issue.
People who used guide dogs and were refused a ride should lodge discrimination complaints or complain to state government taxi authorities, he said.
"Drivers must know that to refuse passengers with assistance animals is against the law," he said.
Adelaide Now, Australia, copyright 2007,
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,21334416-5005962,00.html?from=public_rss.
Dog House Wines Guide Wine Lovers to Support Charity
NAPA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dog House has introduced two new wines that are sure to wag the tail of wine lovers—Patches' Pinot Grigio and Zeke's Zinfandel—as part of the winery's on-going support of Guide Dogs for the Blind. Both wines are produced from grapes grown in California's cool-climate coastal regions and will generate additional funds for the well-known charity.
Guide Dogs for the Blind provides guide dogs and training free of charge to the blind and visually impaired, greatly enhancing their mobility and quality of life. Dog House Wines donates fifty cents for each bottle of wine it sells to Guide Dogs. Coupled with contributions from the winery's distributors, Dog House's annual donations in recent years have reached $50,000.
"A remarkably high percentage of wine enthusiasts own dogs," says Mark Feinberg, Vice President of Marketing, White Rocket Wine Company. "Our customers contribute to a wonderful cause simply by enjoying a glass of Dog House wine."
Dog House's new Patches' Pinot Grigio and Zeke's Zinfandel join Dog House's three established breeds—Charlie's Chard, Maxie's Merlot and Checkers' Cab—to provide wine enthusiasts with a kennel of dependably fun, food-friendly wines. Fresh, fruit-forward, and sealed with a screw cap closure to ensure quality and ease of opening, they are priced under $10 to provide wine and dog devotees with doggone good wines they can enjoy on a daily basis.
"We're interested not only in crafting high-quality premium wines, but also in contributing to the well-being of our fellow citizens," says Feinberg. "Because Dog House wines give people pleasure and are wonderful companions to food, it's natural for us to support an organization that provides friendly, loyal companions to people in need."
Patches' Pinot Grigio and Zeke's Zinfandel will be in stores beginning in April, as will informational bottle neckers detailing Dog House's Guide Dogs for the Blind sponsorship.
Dog House wines were launched in May 2005 and, in 2006, became part of White Rocket Wine Company. White Rocket focuses on developing brands targeted to new wine consumers, including the Millennial generation who comprise a large and ever-growing segment of the premium wine market. In addition to Dog House, White Rocket markets Camelot and Tin Roof Cellars. The company is headquartered in Napa, California.
Business Wire, copyright 2007,
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070306006284&newsLang=en.
Foster a Dog and Help the Physically Challenged
SHANGHAI -- If you love dogs and are prepared to help physically challenged people, here is an opportunity.
Call the Shanghai Association for the Disabled to apply to foster a Labrador—the city's first group of seeing eye dogs.
"One of the major conditions for applicants is [that] they can't keep another animal in the house and have sufficient space for the dog to move about," a staff member surnamed Mo told China Daily.
During the six to eight month period when the dog is with the volunteer, he or she is expected to properly look after the animal and treat it as a member of the family.
"They are not supposed to give the dog any special training, but to bond with it so it gets used to living with humans," Mo said.
Six puppies are now with foster families and will start their training as seeing eye dogs when they are six to eight months old.
The puppies are being provided by Nanjing's Police Dog Institution and trained by Japan's Seeing Eye Dog Association.
"We chose Labradors because they are the best breed that can be trained as seeing eye dogs," Mo said.
"We also considered German shepherds, which are very obedient after proper training, but people are often afraid of them."
"We have received hundreds of applications so far," Mo said.
However, she could not say how many families would be recruited or how many puppies would be sent to foster homes.
"We have just started this project, so there is still much to be decided," Mo said.
The cost of training a seeing eye dog is expected to be more than 100,000 yuan ($12,300). Besides Shanghai, Dalian also has a training program for seeing eye dogs, Mo said.
Shanghai has a total blind population of 160,000. The first group of dogs will be given "to the most needy."
Source: China Daily, copyright 2007,
http://english.people.com.cn/200703/07/eng20070307_354953.html.
Japan to Freeze Guide Dog Semen & Eggs to Create More Guide Dogs -- Top Dogs Will Have Their Day under Breeding Plan
Any dog can turn a trick or two, but few have the smarts to perform one of the most coveted of skills—ensuring sight-impaired people stay safe. But now researchers say they can vastly increase the number of top-notch guide dogs across the nation. Using gene analysis to select excellent guide dogs, the team plans to freeze their sperm and ovary tissue in a "bio bank." The reproductive matter will then be used to breed a legion of outstanding canine escorts. The announcement could not come soon enough for Japan's visually impaired community, given the dire shortage of high-quality "seeing-eye" companions across the nation. Under the current system of seeing-eye dog training, a guide dog proves itself a polished performer only after it has lost the chance to breed. By the time they start training, the dogs have already been castrated or spayed—a requirement for serving the blind as competent guides and friends. But a research team led by Hiroshi Suzuki, a professor of functional genomics at Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine in Hokkaido, believes it can overcome the problem by using preserved sperm and eggs from the best dogs to produce more outstanding companions.
Suzuki's team found that the genes of the best guide dogs all had similarities in their DNA. The project was announced February 23 at the annual meeting of the Japan Veterinary Medical Association in Saitama. According to Suzuki, nothing like this has been attempted before. He intends to start the project in April. As of March last year, 952 guide dogs were serving sight-impaired people in Japan, according to the National Council of the Agencies for the Welfare of the Blind. The figure falls drastically short of the 7,800 people who said they wanted seeing-eye dogs in a 1998 survey by the Nippon Foundation, which assists guide dog projects. Guide dogs require rigorous and extended training.
Male puppies must undergo surgical castration at about six months. Females are sterilized at eight to 11 months. At the age of one, they are put through an aptitude test. Successful candidates go on to training, but only 30 to 40 percent of all candidates become seeing-eye dogs. To raise that number, Suzuki's team analyzed the genes of about 200 Labrador retrievers that underwent training. The research was carried out in collaboration with RIKEN, a physics and chemical research institute.
Their DNA analysis showed a close link between the types of five SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) that are believed to affect a dog's personality and their success rates. SNPs represent subtle individual variations of DNAs. The most successful dogs are friendly and have high concentration spans. The analysis revealed that 82 percent of dogs that showed all of the five specific SNP types went on to become guide dogs, compared with 60 to 70 percent for those with only one of the five SNPs. Dogs with none had a 20 percent success rate. To compile a database of "excellent genes," Suzuki's team will analyze more dogs in collaboration with nine groups that breed or train guide dogs. The team also plans to start a bio bank which will offer sperm or eggs at the request of breeders. Frozen sperm has already been used to produce puppies. The team has also implanted frozen ovarian tissue into a host female dog to find out if a puppy can be produced. It is still awaiting results of that experiment. Yoshihiro Hayashi, an agricultural and life sciences expert, supports the idea. The University of Tokyo professor, who heads the Society for the Study of Human-Animal Relations, said service dogs like seeing-eye dogs must stay fit and healthy because their duties are so demanding.
"Reducing possibilities of genetic diseases and other risks by conducting more analysis of dog genes is needed, not just for people but for the welfare of dogs," Hayashi said. "I think there will be no ethical problems because the genetic information of dogs is different from personal information of human beings."
Source: The Asahi Shimbun, copyright 2007,
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200703100058.html.
Guide Dog Helps Keep Outlook Positive
Logan McMullen has not always been blind. McMullen, 36, knows what a sunset looks like and he has worked as a chef.
The father of two lost his sight when he was 24 after driving home drunk from a party. His car crashed into a retaining wall and, despite wearing a seatbelt, his face smashed through the windscreen leaving him completely blind.
He has since missed seeing a lot of things, especially the faces of his two children who were born after his accident.
However, McMullen is not miserable. He is turning his experience into something positive.
"To be completely blind when I woke up in hospital and told I was never going to see again—to say it changed me is the biggest understatement. I could not read, I could not write, I could not get up and go anywhere by myself," he said.
A guiding light for McMullen was a word of advice from a friend visiting him in hospital who said, "You have one of two choices: choose to be a victim or get off your arse and survive."
McMullen threw himself into learning skills from the Foundation for the Blind—how to use a cane, use a computer, how to orientate himself and work with a guide dog.
However, just because McMullen cannot see does not mean he cannot do. He has run his own computer business and he now works for the Foundation for the Blind.
He also uses his experiences to help the community by going to schools to share his story in the hope of stopping someone else from making the same mistake of driving drunk.
His dog, Yusef, helps him achieve a lot of tasks.
"My dog has given me independence," McMullen said.
Guide dogs respond to 120 commands, such as avoiding puddles, stopping for obstacles such as tree branches, and finding bus stops, curbs, and traffic lights.
Yusef can even find a seat on the bus.
The Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind's Red Puppy appeal runs from March 30 to April 1.
Stuff.co.nz—New Zealand, copyright 2007,
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4001024a7144.html.
Tools for Living
GW Micro - Portable SenseView
Imagine if you could read a road map, a can of food while shopping in a grocery store, or a menu at a restaurant. With the Portable SenseView CCTV, you can do all of that and more. Are you worried that you are taking the wrong medicine because you are having trouble reading the text on a medicine bottle? Your worries are over. The Portable SenseView makes life easier and it is simple to use. If you can press a button, you can use the Portable SenseView.
The Portable SenseView CCTV is the world's smallest portable CCTV and it's packed with features. The Portable SenseView has a 4.3" widescreen LCD display and weighs a mere 7.8 ounces. The powerful magnification of the Portable SenseView is unmatched by any handheld portable CCTV allowing even very low vision consumers to use the Portable SenseView. While other handheld portable CCTVs are limited to a maximum of 7x magnification, the Portable SenseView can digitally zoom in and out on an image with the simple press of a button from 4x all the way up to 22.5x. The Portable SenseView also offers four brightness levels and six different color modes for easy viewing. You can read print in color, black and white, or with one of the other four color choices.
With two foldable legs, the Portable SenseView provides multiple viewing configurations. The legs can be unfolded one at a time to tilt the screen toward you to making for a more comfortable reading position. The Portable SenseView even allows you to take a snapshot of the image displayed on the screen. You can hold the unit close to your face and zoom in on the image for an even closer view.
Not only is the Portable SenseView the world's smallest portable CCTV, it also has one of the longest battery lives. While other portables only give you one to four hours worth of battery time, the Portable SenseView provides you with an amazing five hours of continuous use. If you want to know when to recharge the battery, simply turn on the battery meter and find out how much power you have left. No more guessing how much power is left and no more worrying about the battery going dead while at the store or restaurant.
Regain your independence today with the Portable SenseView.
Contact:
Easy Talk Computers
2201 Limerick Dr.
Tallahassee, FL 32309
Phone: (850) 906-9821
Fax: (850) 894-9203 (Must call phone before sending fax)
Diva de Provence Makes Cooking Accessible to the Visually Impaired
TORONTO -- The need for safer cooking methods for the disabled and visually impaired is critical. The fact that every seven minutes someone in America will become blind or visually impaired is further evidence of this need. To provide the potential for a safer cooking experience for the nearly ten million blind or visually impaired individuals in the United States, Diva de Provence is now introducing a tactile marking kit for its induction cooktops.
"Diva's capacitive touch controls are perfectly suited for integrating the tactile markings," says Amir H. Girgis, managing director for Diva de Provence. "The safety benefits of cooking with induction enable all Americans to enjoy the entire epicurean experience."
The tactile marking kit can be used with the Diva Induction cooktop and includes your choice of either raised letters or Braille symbols as well as 3M BumponsT to help indicate the burners. Incorporating the tactile markings on the cooktop is easy. They are simply placed under the controls, which are activated effortlessly when a finger is slid in an upward motion over the control.
Available in three models (DDP-2, DDP-4 and DDP-5); Diva Induction cooktops utilize electromagnetic energy to heat only the cookware. The cooking surface remains cool to the touch, providing the safest cooking surface on the market and virtually eliminating the danger of burns. Additionally, Diva Induction cooktops deliver over 25,000 BTU's, making it the fastest, most precise and energy-efficient cooking method available.
For more information on Diva Induction or the other revolutionary cooking instruments from Diva de Provence, visit the Web site at:
http://www.divainduction.com or call 1-888-852-8604.
About Diva de Provence
Toronto-based Diva de Provence is North America's French cooking connection to professional grade European styled cooking equipment. Diva's mission is to provide the tools to enable the rest of the world to experience their love for cooking. In America, Diva de Provence is the foremost manufacturer of custom commercial ranges including the Diva range, rotisseries, and induction cooktops.
Sources: www.vipconduit.com and www.accessible-devices.com.
Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 - Available Now!
Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 is now available for download. For detailed information regarding the features and enhancements of Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2, please read through the Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 Readme. Once you have read through the readme, you can choose to download Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 from one of the following links.
NOTE: Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 only supports Windows 2000, XP, 2003, and Vista. Windows 9X/ME are no longer supported.
Windows Vista Users Only
NOTE: The Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 download for Windows Vista and the following installation instructions are for Windows Vista only. If you are using Windows 2000/XP/2003, please refer to the Windows 2000/XP/2003 User Only section below.
If you are using Windows Vista (any 32-bit version), you do not need to have an existing copy of Window-Eyes installed. In fact, you must not have a previous version of Window-Eyes installed. Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 1 users must uninstall Window-Eyes before installing Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2. You can not install Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 on top of Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 1 under Windows Vista, nor can you run the Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 upgrade for Windows 2000/XP/2003 under Windows Vista. You must install a fresh copy of Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2. Although the final, shipping version of Window-Eyes 6.1 will contain a talking installation for Windows Vista, Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 does not contain a talking install. Instead, you will need to use Windows Narrator to run the Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 installation, or sighted assistance.
Download Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 for Windows Vista Only:
ftp://ftp.gwmicro.com/we/we61beta2-vista.exe
Important Vista Installation Notes: As mentioned previously, you will need to use Windows Narrator to talk you through the Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 installation (the final release of Window-Eyes 6.1 will contain a talking install). To launch Windows Narrator under Windows Vista, press WINDOWS-U to first open the Ease of Access Center control panel and then ALT-N to open Windows Narrator. Once Windows Narrator is running, you can choose to run the Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 download. There are a few important notes regarding running the Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 installation with Windows Narrator:
Depending on your machine specifications, Windows Narrator may not be the most responsive application. Here's a tip: be patient and give Narrator time to get out what it has to say.
When you run the install, you'll hear a tone indicating that the User Account Control dialog has popped up, requesting your permission to continue with the installation process. When you hear this tone, you need to press ALT-C to Continue past the UAC dialog. Narrator may or may not read this dialog and/or the continue button.
You can choose to install using either the quick install or the custom install. Both methods default to launching Window-Eyes at the login screen and after login for all users.
Windows Vista causes a new dialog to pop up during the Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 install regarding the installation of the Window-Eyes mirror driver. You will need to select the Install button when prompted to ensure that the mirror driver gets installed successfully.
Finally, remember to restart when you're prompted at the end of the installation. If you don't restart, Window-Eyes will not run.
If you have questions regarding the installation of Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 under Windows Vista, please let us know. We recognize that Windows Vista is a new operating system and there is a bit of a learning curve when first starting out. We will do our best to help you with any problems you may encounter while getting your feet wet, so to speak.
Windows 2000/XP/2003 Users Only
If you are using Windows 2000, Windows XP Home, Windows XP Pro, Windows XP Media Center, or Windows Server 2003, one of the following Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 downloads must be installed over an existing copy of Window-Eyes 6.0 or Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 1 (retail, demo, or evaulation).
If you are using a copy protected version of Window-Eyes (Dongle, Everlock, or Lease-to-Own), please make sure you select the appropriate download link.
Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 (If you're not using Dongle, Everlock, or LTO, or you do not know what Dongle, Everlock, or LTO are, use this link!):
ftp://ftp.gwmicro.com/we/we61beta2.exe
Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 (Lease-To-Own Copy Protection):
ftp://ftp.gwmicro.com/we/we61beta2-lto.exe
Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 (Dongle Copy Protection):
ftp://ftp.gwmicro.com/we/we61beta2-dongle.exe
Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 (Everlock Copy Protection):
ftp://ftp.gwmicro.com/we/we61beta2-everlock.exe
Comments, questions, and feedback should be directed to:
Still using Windows 9X/Me? Why not upgrade to Windows XP? Amazon.com currently has the Windows XP Home upgrade available for around $99.
New Appliances Powered by Sensory Chip Talk and Listen at International Home & Housewares Show
CHICAGO -- (Business Wire) -- Among the many voices heard at the International Home & Housewares show this year were some very famous celebrity chefs, as well as some not yet famous talking appliances. Galanz, (http://www.galanz.com) which manufactures half of the microwave ovens in the world, showed off their new product line featuring voice recognition provided by Sensory, Inc., the leading supplier of embedded speech technology for consumer electronics. Targeted towards younger and more tech-savvy users, a speech-enabled microwave offers convenience with preprogrammed settings for common foods and also allows custom settings that can be "memorized" and recalled with a simple spoken command. "Consumers are always looking for added features in their appliances," says Travis Kirwan, senior vice president of Galanz North America. "Sensory's RSC-4128 speech recognition chip enables us to offer ease of use and adds value at a very low cost to the consumer." Galanz speech-enabled products are being marketed under their own name as well as under the Sylvania brand.
Weighing in with Humor
Digiweigh, an innovator in design and quality for competitively priced weighing devices, treated visitors to a unique bathroom scale at its booth. Billed as the first scale that speaks your weight and also understands your voice, it provides irreverent feedback like "I am a body scale, not a loading dock!" In addition, the scale will track a user's previous weight, average weight, and target weight for up to 3 family members. The contemporary design and precise weight-sensing electronics are provided by Digiweigh (http://www.digiweighusa.com), and the ability to listen and chat is based on Sensory's RSC-4128. Sensory also provides speech technologies for HVAC, lighting, audio-visual, and other voice control functions in the home.
About Sensory, Inc.
Sensory, Inc., (http://www.sensoryinc.com) based in Sunnyvale, CA, is the world leader in embedded speech technologies. Sensory is a profitable private company offering a complete line of IC and software-only solutions for speech recognition, speech synthesis, speaker verification, music synthesis, and more. The company's products are widely deployed in consumer electronics applications including telephones, home automation, toys, remote controls, automotive, security, and learning aids. Sensory's customers represent the leaders in consumer electronics, including such companies as Hasbro, JVC, Kenwood, Mattel, Mitsubishi, Toshiba, Uniden, and Sony. Additional Sensory offices are located in Portland, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Vienna.
TMCnet.com (Technology Marketing Corp), copyright 2007,
http://www.tmcnet.com/news/it/2007/03/16/2426696.htm
NewsworthyAudio: News Read by Computer
The service called NewsworthyAudio allows news articles currently available in print form only to be turned into audio for online listening or downloading for podcasts. Newsworthy, Inc. and such customers as The Washington Times are targeting the service to time-strapped news-hungry commuters driving to and from work.
Time-strapped news junkies with few spare minutes in the day to sit down and read a newspaper now have a way to find out the latest in-depth information from around the corner and around the world without having to read at all.
The Fairfax-based technology company, Newsworthy, Inc., for more than half a year has been offering an audio service that allows consumers of news to hear online news stories previously available only in text form read to them out loud by a computerized human voice.
"We take current stories and turn them into very high quality audio," said Marcus Heth, Newsworthy's president and CEO, at the company's headquarters on Pender Drive in Fairfax.
Heth, 51, said the software service, called NewsworthyAudio and produced by the company he started two year ago, is primarily targeted at people he calls "super commuters"—individuals who drive to and from work with one-way commute times of half an hour or more.
There are 38 million super commuters in the United States, Heth said, and more than a million in the Washington metropolitan area alone.
"People have less and less time to read because of increased commute times," he said.
Many of those super commuters, like Heth himself who drives to work in Fairfax from his home in the Culpeper area, describe their commutes as unproductive and monotonous.
"We turn it into a more educational, entertaining and fulfilling experience," he said.
Users of the NewsworthyAudio service can currently listen to news articles (which run about four minutes on average) while visiting a newspaper Web site or by downloading audio versions of articles to a computer, iPod, or other audio-file player. Newsworthy also produces podcasts of top stories from the Associated Press, available for downloading through iTunes.
In the near future, users will be able to create customized podcasts of audio news stories selected from a number of categories such as national and international politics, sports, business, opinion, and local news.
About two dozen newspapers around the country have installed the service, which is free to both news publishers and consumers, on their Web sites. Newsworthy makes money by sharing advertising revenue with publishers. Each audio story starts with a short audio commercial, about 10 seconds long, and sometimes ends with an audio ad.
To play audio stories in the car, users currently have to physically take their iPod from a computer, after a download, to the vehicle. With new broadband cell phone technology coming within the year, Heth said, Newsworthy Audio podcasts will be downloaded wirelessly, making the service as easy to use as a radio.
"One of our competitive advantages is that our text-to-speech technology surpasses anything out there," said Heth, who will pitch his company to potential investors at the McLean Hilton in Tysons Corner on March 23.
TimesCommunity.com, VA, USA, copyright 2007,
http://www.timescommunity.com/site/tab5.cfm?newsid=18116828&BRD=2553&PAG=461&dept_id=511688&rfi=6.
Wells Fargo's Web Site Certified for Use by Blind
Wells Fargo & Co. is offering online banking services for people who are blind or visually impaired.
Wellsfargo.com is the only financial institution Web site that is certified by the National Federation of the Blind. Other organizations that have been certified include Hewlett-Packard and the U.S. Social Security Administration.
"For organizations to qualify for this certification, the National Federation of the Blind conducts a rigorous task-performance test of the primary functions of the organization's site using at least two different screen access programs," said Marc Maurer, president of the organization.
Site enhancements include the ability to use screen readers and screen magnifiers.
Wells Fargo also has 3,300 talking ATMs in 23 states.
According to the American Foundation for the Blind, there were 10 million blind and visually impaired people in the United States in 2001.
Research from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration show that among blind and visually impaired Internet users:
- 87 percent use e-mail/instant messaging
- 47 percent play games online
- 82 percent search for information about products and services
- 53 percent make online purchases
- 73 percent look for news, weather, or sports information
- 39 percent search for health information
- 31 percent search for government information
Wells Fargo also provides raised-line checks, which are larger than standard checks, are yellow to help reduce glare, and have bold raised lines. Statements in Braille and large print for checking, savings, and market rate accounts, and Braille ATM cards and check cards are also available.
Pueblo Business Journal, CO, USA, Copyright 2007,
http://www.thepbj.com/story.cfm?ID=10410.
Website of the Month
K12 Academics
The website for the month is K12 Academics. Chris Glavin has a website devoted to providing resourceful information on a number of topics in education and disorders. The page on Blindness includes causes, adaptive techniques, tools, Social Attitudes towards Blindness, Organizations, Support Services, Books, Videos, Magazines, Products, Software, Mailing Lists, and a community discussion list on visual impairments. Please take a moment out of your day to visit the page. If you would like to help in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am always looking for individuals interested in providing articles and resources related to blindness.
http://www.k12academics.com/blind.htm.
Announcements
Colorado Center for the Blind Summer Programs
Preparations for the 2007 Colorado Center for the Blind Summer Programs are quickly being made and I wanted to give you all the heads-up. As always, I'm looking for both students and staff to participate with the full-time students and staff of the CCB to work on skills training, positive attitude boosting, fun and exciting activities, a trip to Atlanta for the NFB National Convention, and general good times throughout the summer. If you or someone you know would be suited for either employment or enrollment as a student, please contact me so we can discuss things in more detail and get the ball rolling. You can reach me at:
Eric Woods
Work: (800) 401-4632
Cell: (720) 351-6903
Email: ewoods@cocenter.org
Email is usually the best bet to get me since I'll be traveling quite a bit in up-coming weeks. But I'll have my cell and be checking messages when I'm out of town. I hope you'll consider attending or working for the programs this summer.
Information Request
Barbara Cheadle would like to hear from any parents (or teachers) who have used the Pop-Up IEP that the NOPBC wrote for the National Center for Low-Incidence Disabilities. Please tell me where you are from and how the Pop-Up IEP helped you.
The Web site link for the Pop-Up IEP is:
http://nclid.unco.edu/nclid/bvi/
Contact:
Mrs. Barbara Cheadle, President
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
National Federation of the Blind
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
Phone: (410) 659-9314 ext. 2360
Fax: (410) 659-5129
Email: bcheadle@nfb.org
Website: http://www.nfb.org/nopbc
Listen to a Good Book
Google is working away at its book-scanning project. And some publishers are putting book excerpts on the Internet. But not many people would read a book on a computer monitor. It would strain your eyes! I know a project that is much better. It's LibriVox. As its name suggests, LibriVox is a collection of audio books.
You can download and listen to free audio books. But you won't find any bestsellers, though. All the works are in the public domain.
I was impressed with the audio quality. You will be, too. And if you're interested in helping, you can volunteer to read.
Visit the site at: http://www.librivox.org
Job Opportunities
CIL Executive Director - Washington State Center for Independence
Position Title: Executive Director
Department: Administration
Reports To: Board of Directors
Exempt: Yes
Summary:
In response to our common mission to serve as a resource for individuals with disabilities as they gain full access and participation in their communities, the Executive Director leads and directs administration of all components of the organization within authority of established laws, regulations, policies, procedures, programs and budgets by performing the following duties personally or through subordinates.
Essential duties and responsibilities include the following (Other duties may be assigned):
- Develops long and short-range organization programs and fiscal plans and leads in the achievement of objectives chosen by the Board of Directors.
- Creates and maintains an environment that translates the mission of CFI into actions that are conducive to the maximum well-being of the clients served.
- Assures that services provided are of appropriate quality and are consistent with CFI philosophical principles.
- Facilitates coordination among all departments and programs of CFI in delivery of services to clients.
- Creates and sustains sound working relationships between CFI and key constituent groups, community organizations, and the community.
- Publishes materials that clearly convey the mission, values, goals, programs, and activities of the agency.
- Administers fiscal operations, leading in operational and capital budget planning, accounting, and establishing rates for services.
- Secures and sustains adequate funding via grants and other fund raising opportunities.
- Develops recommendations for improvements of and additions to facilities, furnishings and equipment; assuring that they are maintained in good and aesthetic condition.
- Develops, recommends, and implements policies and procedures as may be required to enhance the well-being of clients and employees.
- Administers client and employee problem resolution processes, taking necessary action to control or eliminate the recurrence of complaints, concerns, and problems.
- Interacts with federal, state, and local government agencies that impact services, programs, and licensing, ensuring full compliance with regulations and timely response to reporting requirements.
- Acts as the official communications liaison to the public regarding critical events.
- Represents CFI at professional, government, allied services, and community organizations, promoting positive public relations.
- Participates in meetings of the Board of Directors and its committees.
- Interacts on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis with clients and their families in formal and informal settings.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
Accountable for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of all CFI employees. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with CFI policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.
Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education/Experience:
Bachelor's degree in business or social services administration or some other related field. Three or more years experience as an administrative manager in a social services setting. Three or more years experience in fund accounting and budgeting. Three or more years of grant writing experience.
Language Skills:
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex scientific, financial, and legal documents. Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints from clients, regulatory agencies, employees, and the business community. Ability to make effective and persuasive speeches and presentations on controversial or complex topics to clients, employees, top management, public groups, and the Boards of Directors.
Mathematical Skills:
Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
Reasoning Ability:
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of data in various forms and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
Preferred Qualifications:
MSW or MA in social services, rehabilitation, or related field. 5+ years experience in nonprofit agency administration. 5+ years experience managing government grants. Strong working knowledge and 5+ years experience working with disabled clients, interpreting and applying ADA regulations, and implementation of independent living philosophy, principles, and practices.
Physical Demands/Work Environment:
The physical demands/work environment described here are representative of those that must be met/may be encountered by an employee successfully performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to sit.
The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle, feel, write, or type and reach with hands and arms.
The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
The majority of work is indoors in well-lighted, well-ventilated rooms. The noise level is usually moderate. Regular contact with clients, families, and employees may involve exposure to blood and body fluids and communicable diseases. Regular local and out of town travel is required.
Contact:
Potential candidates should forward a cover letter of interest and resume to:
Center for Independence
Attn: Linda Cohen
10828 Gravelly Lake Drive, Suite 112
Lakewood, WA 98499
There is no closing date for this position... open until position is filled.
For additional information contact:
Linda Cohen
Office Manager
(253) 582-1253
Email: lindac@centerforindependence.org
Radio Announcer
WNFK, Power Country 92.1 FM, has an opening for a full-time radio announcer. Experience is required. WNFK is located five miles from Perry, FL.
Contact John Wilder at 850-584-9210 for more information.
Program Support Officer - Takoma Park, MD
Handicap International (HI) improves the living conditions of people living in disabling situations in 60 post-conflict or low income countries around the world. HI's eight national associations, based in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the U.S., work together to provide human and financial resources, manage projects, and raise awareness of Handicap International's work. HI is seeking a program support officer to oversee its grants and to mobilize funding resources for HI programs worldwide. This individual will perform a variety of tasks including grant management and resource mobilization from institutional donors including USAID and the Department of State. People with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Knowledge of French and willingness to travel essential.
Salary: mid-30s - mid 40s commensurate with experience.
Excellent benefits. Deadline to apply: April 30, 2007.
Send resume/CV, cover letter and salary history as email attachments to Ed Kenny:
ekenny@handicap-international.us
Program Support Officer
Job Title: Program Support Officer
Branch: Program
Reports To: Executive Director
Grade: 3
Location: Takoma Park, MD
Purpose of the Job
The Program Support Officer (PSO), under the supervision of the Executive Director, will work closely with HI-Belgium and HI-France's institutional funding managers to mobilize institutional support for HI's development and emergency response programs worldwide. The PSO, in coordination with the Senior Program Officer for Administration and Advocacy, is responsible for grant management including reporting, monitoring, and evaluation of all HI programs funded through Handicap International (US).
Responsibilities:
- Have a thorough knowledge of HI's programs and be able to communicate program activities and HI's overall development strategies to a wide variety of institutional funding sources;
- Participate in HI program seminars, technical seminars, and other internal events related to the HI network's intervention strategies;
- Establish and maintain regular contact with the Desk Officers and Field Program Directors of HI France and HI Belgium so as to anticipate funding and staffing needs;
- Program Resource Mobilization
- Develop contacts with governmental and non-governmental institutions in the United States and introduce HI's work to those institutions;
- Organize meetings or working groups between the relevant HI personnel and these institutions;
- Contribute towards the development of HI's overall financial strategy by tracking the short, medium, and long-term funding strategies/trends of key institutional funding organizations in the United States, including identification of geographical areas and themes of interest;
- Communicate these strategies to the institutional funding managers of the two operational platforms and to relevant field program directors;
- Monitor calls for proposals of potential interest to HI field staff and inform HI France and HI Belgium institutional funding staff about those calls of potential interest;
- Prepare analysis of the guidelines and general terms and conditions of key funding institutions for use by all HI staff;
- Prepare the documentation for and participate in the monthly Resource Allocation Committee (RAC) teleconference;
- Program Grant Management:
- Provide assistance with the writing of project documents to be submitted to national funding organizations in accordance with the organizations' specific guidelines;
- Prepare Joint Implementation Contracts, including a time table for reporting and other communication requirements, for signature by the Executive Director;
- Monitor project implementation in collaboration with the Desk Officer and the Field Programme Director by analyzing interim narrative and financial reports and alert the program staff and the Executive Director in the event of non-compliance;
- Plan regular monitoring visits to the program and projects financed, in collaboration with the relevant Desk Officer;
- Prepare terms of reference defining mission objectives for the Desk Officer (DO) and Field Programme Director (FPD);
- Write a report for the DO and FPD after each visit and follow up to ensure that recommendations called for in the report are met;
- Ensure timely and accurate financial and narrative reporting to funders in compliance with guidelines and terms of the funding contract; and
- Participate in internal program reviews of those programs funded by this office and help prepare the HI network's multi-year strategy for those programs so as to better understand, enrich, and represent the program context of the projects in which it is involved.
Qualifications
- Bachelor and/or masters' degree in political science, international development, or related field;
- 3+ years field experience in the developing world, preferably for a non-profit NGO;
- Demonstrated competence in program design, monitoring, and evaluation;
- Demonstrated competence in mobilizing resources for development and emergency response programs;
- Understanding of USAID, Department of State, and multilateral funding mechanisms;
- Excellent interpersonal skills, highly organized and able to handle multiple tasks simultaneously;
- Excellent written English and oral communications skills
- Written and spoken French.
Fiscal Analyst 3
Agency: Washington State School for the Blind
Location: Vancouver
Salary: $38,496 - $49,272 annually
Posting Date: 3/30/07
Closing Date: 4/20/07
Agency Profile:
The mission of the Washington State School for the Blind is to provide specialized quality educational services to visually impaired/blind youth ages birth-21 within the state of Washington. Our purpose is to serve as a statewide demonstration and resource center and provide direct/indirect services to students both on campus and in the students' local communities. Each employee plays a critical role for the school and our students. We value our employees and continuously challenge them to improve the way we provide service to our students and the community.
Position Profile:
The Washington State School for the Blind has a Fiscal Analyst 3 position open. The successful candidate will have the following principal responsibilities: under the direction of the Business Manager, performs high level accounting duties including but not limited to accounts payable, accounts receivable, auditing and analyzing fiscal data, document and review control, accounts reconciliation, fiscal reporting, and contract review and maintenance.
The successful candidate will have the following:
- Ability to independently perform duties
- Ability to analyze reports for accurateness
- Ability to organize and prioritize daily tasks to meet
- deadlines and monitor tasks to maintain work flow
- Excellent communication skills
- Ability to work in team-oriented environment
- Ability to apply problem solving skills to issues as they arise
- Ability to prepare various reports using multiple state accounting systems
- Ability to process, organize, and maintain files
- Ability to interpret and communicate regulations and laws regarding financial transactions
- Ability to prepare financial data into presentation format
- Ability to plan, coordinate, and conduct contractual reviews
- Ability to analyze revenue projections and budget or expenditure forecasts
- Excellent resource skills
- Must pass state and federal background checks
- Some testing may be required.
Desired qualifications include:
- Excellent knowledge of Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint
- Excellent organizational skills
- Excellent writing/documenting skills
- Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
- Knowledge of WA State Accounting Systems
- Ability to perform duties with occasional interruptions
Compensation: $38,496 - $49,272 annually
Outstanding benefits including health, dental, life and long-term disability insurance; vacation, sick, military and civil leave; dependent care assistance program; employee assistance program; deferred compensation plans; educational benefits program; 11 paid holidays; training; and state retirement plans.
Note: This position is covered by a union shop provision. Therefore, as a condition of employment, candidates who are appointed are required to become members of the WFSE or arrange to pay to that union a fee equivalent to its regular monthly dues. The union shop provision shall be effective on the first day of the month following the employee's initial 30 days in this classification.
How to Apply:
Please send a completed State Job Application, letter of interest, and a detailed resume by 4/20/07. The letter of interest should indicate how you meet the qualifications as shown on this announcement. Please be sure to include references. Electronic application materials in Word format are preferred. Email to:
Subject: Fiscal Analyst 3
However, hard copies may be sent to:
WSSB
HR Department
Attn: Jessica Sydnor
2214 E 13th St
Vancouver, WA 98661
Phone: 360-696-6321 ext 129
Fax: 360-737-2120
Summer Transition Specialist
Position: The Florida Institute of Rehabilitation Education (FIRE) is hiring a Summer Transition Specialist to instruct students ages 14-22 who are blind or visually impaired. Start mid-May, then assist with daily program June-July in O&M, adaptive travel skills, personal/home management, communication, social skills, recreation and leisure, vocational skills, etc.
Requirements: BA or MA in Visual Disabilities, TVI certification or eligibility
Pay: 3 month position; $20/hr, 35-40hr/wk, no benefits
To Apply: Send cover letter describing qualifications and resume to FIRE, 1286 Cedar Center Dr, Tallahassee, FL 32301
Deadline: Apply by Friday, April 20, 2007
Questions? A full job description is on FIRE's website at http://www.firesight.org or contact Jennifer at 942-3658 x206 or email fireinformation@earthlink.net.
Senior Rehabilitation Specialist
Position 48007288, Senior Rehabilitation Specialist Blind, West Palm Beach, VR Program, is being re-advertised with a closing date of 4/13/07.
If you are interested, please apply through the People First website.
Deaf/Blind Specialist and Rehabilitation Teacher
Tennessee Services for the Blind & Visually Impaired is recruiting to fill two Central Office openings. We are looking for a Deaf/Blind Specialist and someone to head up our Rehabilitation Teacher/Older Blind Program. These are Civil Service positions with statewide responsibility. The vacancies will be filled off of a Civil Service register. Anyone interested will have to complete a standard State of Tennessee application for a Human Services Program Coordinator. The minimum qualifications require a college degree and at least one year of management/supervisory experience in the human service or rehabilitation field. Salaries are negotiable based upon experience.
Both positions report directly to the Director of Services for the Blind & Visually Impaired.
Deaf / Blind Specialist
This position provides technical support to field staff (VR Counselors and Rehabilitation Teachers) providing direct services to individuals with dual sensory impairments.
This position also works with other service providers to ensure access for individuals who are deaf/blind. The individual acts as an advocate and also as a liaison to various consumer groups. The position requires sign language skills. Statewide travel is required.
Rehabilitation Teaching Program/Older Blind Coordinator
Tennessee has 18 rehabilitation teachers and nine teacher assistants who provide direct services. This position is responsible for developing policy, quality assurance, training of new staff, in-service training for current staff, managing the management information system, and federal Title Vll reporting. Statewide travel is required.
Anyone who is interested in either of these positions should contact me by phone (615-313-4921) or e-mail or fax a resume to me at (615-313-6617).
Terry C. Smith, Director
Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
400 Deaderick Street, 14th Floor
Nashville, TN 37248
Phone: 615-313-4921
Fax: 615-313-6617
Email: Terry.Smith@state.tn.us
Staff Assistant II/Apartment Resource Aide
Nebraska Commission for the Blind & Visually Impaired
Position # 40405
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Job Site: Orientation and Adjustment Center for the Blind
Salary: $ 25,670.83 / yr ($ 12.352/hour)
Closing Date: April 13, 2007
Apply in person at Nebraska State Personnel or online at http://www.wrk4neb.org.
Description of duties:
- Facilitates discussions with students about blindness and attitudes towards blindness.
- Instructs clients in daily living skills.
- Prepares periodic reports evaluating the Client's progress toward successful rehabilitation.
- Works effectively as a member of the Orientation Center team and participates in all of its functions.
- Participates with students in educational, social, and training activities.
- Provides information and instruction in the apartment setting.
- Serves as Liaison between apartment owners and The Commission.
- Provides instruction to students in blindness alternative techniques in both the Orientation Center and apartment settings.
- Other duties as assigned.
Requirements:
- High School education, some college preferred. Availability to work day, evening, and weekend hours.
- Experience in blindness and blindness alternative techniques helpful, but will train.
Recipes
Roasted Crown Roast of Lamb with Green Peppercorn Sauce
- 16-chop crown roast of baby lamb, about 4 pounds, bones chop Frenched
- 2 large cloves garlic, slivered
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- butter-flavored refrigerated cooking spray
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1/2 cup low-sodium canned beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon green peppercorns, crushed with side of knife
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Remove all fat from roast. Place aluminum foil on the bone ends to prevent burning. Sliver the garlic. With a sharp knife make small slits in the meet and place a sliver in each slit. Pat the rosemary onto the meat. Grind pepper and combine with the salt. Press into the meat. Place a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the lamb roast. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the thermometer reads 130° to 135°F for medium rare. Transfer to a platter and let stand, loosely covered with aluminum foil for 15 minutes.
While the lamb is roasting, make the sauce. Lightly coat a nonstick pot with cooking spray. Sauté the shallot for three minutes until wilted. Add the wine, broth, mustard, and crushed peppercorns. Bring to a boil and reduce by half. Transfer sauce to a small serving dish. Keep warm.
To serve, fill the crown roast with the rice. Carve at the table, slicing the roast into chops between the bones. Place one teaspoon sauce on each chop. Serve immediately.
Per serving (lamb and sauce only): 245 calories (50 percent calories from fat), 27 g protein, 13 g total fat (4.7 g saturated fat), 1 g carbohydrates, 0 dietary fiber, 87 mg cholesterol, 188 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges: 4 lean protein
Rice Pilaf with Currants, Almonds, and Mint
- Butter-flavored refrigerated cooking spray
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 ounces finely chopped onion
- 1 1/2 cups raw white rice
- 3 cups water
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon currants
- 1 tablespoon slivered almonds, toasted
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
Lightly coat a nonstick covered pot with cooking spray. Add the cumin, cinnamon, and bay leaf and stir until the mixture is fragrant. Add the onion and cook, stirring for two minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat. Stir in the water, salt and currants. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.
Just before serving, remove bay leaf and stir in almonds and mint. Fill center cavity of crown roast of lamb with rice mixture or place in a serving bowl. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 194 calories (5 percent calories from fat), 4 g protein, 1 g total fat (0.2 g saturated fat), 42 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 84 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges: 3 carbohydrate (2 1/2 bread/starch, 1 vegetable)
Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 pounds fresh asparagus, tough ends removed, peeled if thick
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Place the asparagus in a baking pan and drizzle with oil. Toss to coat. Roast, shaking the pan every three minutes, until tender and lightly browned.
Remove from the oven and drizzle with vinegar, toss to coat the asparagus. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 46 calories (15 percent calories from fat), 3 g protein, 1 g total fat (0.1 g saturated fat), 7 g carbohydrates, 3 g dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 1 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges: 1/2 carbohydrate (1 1/2 vegetable)
Grilled Pineapple with Raspberry Puree
- 1 large fresh pineapple
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
Light a grill or preheat broiler.
Cut pineapple lengthwise through the leaves into eight wedges. Remove the tough core. Grill or broil the pineapple until just charred, two minutes on each side.
Puree the raspberries in a food processor or blender until smooth. Drizzle about one tablespoon of the puree into a decorative pattern on each of eight large dessert plates. Top with pineapple wedge and serve at once.
Per serving: 51 calories (7 percent calories from fat), 1 g protein, 1 g total fat (0 saturated fat), 13 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 1 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges: 1 carbohydrate (fruit)
Reprinted with permission from Diabetic Recipes.com. Visit the website at: http://www.diabetic-recipes.com/.
To Our Readers
We hope you found this issue of Eye on DBS both informative and interesting. This E-zine continues to evolve. Towards that end, we encourage all of you to send your suggestions, article ideas, recipes, or criticisms to either:
- Sam Atwood (Sam.Atwood@dbs.fldoe.org), or
- Lydia Markley (Lydia.Markley@dbs.fldoe.org)
The Eye on DBS E-zine can be accessed in several ways:
- Monthly email subscription with a web link to that month's E-zine and an MS Word file.
- Eye on DBS (for current or previous issues)
- Newsline.
If you are already registered with Florida Talking Books, call your local Talking Book librarian or the main Talking Book library at 1-800-226-6075 and tell the librarian that you want to register for NFB-Newsline. If you are not registered with Talking Books but you are legally blind or print handicapped, you must fill out an application and attach a letter from a qualified professional attesting to your eligibility. Clients of the Division of Blind Services can contact their VR counselor or district office.
For the application visit the NFBF website at:
http://www.nfbflorida.org/newsline/index.htm.
Logging in:
From any touch-tone telephone, call NFB-Newsline® at the number listed on your Welcome Letter. A female voice will answer and ask for a Portal Number. Enter 632.
You will then be connected to the NFB-Newsline computer. When the voice asks, punch in your 6-digit identification number. You will then be asked for your 4-digit security code. All these numbers are provided at the bottom of your Welcome Letter.
After Newsline recognizes you by name, you will be asked to select option 2.
Guidelines for E-zine Submissions
- Do not include any information within your article that could identify a client. This includes last names or employment information specific enough to determine that someone is a DBS client.
- If a client wishes to be named in an article or wishes that information be included that could lead to them being identified (i.e. name of small business), the newsletter staff must have a permission form signed by the client specifying they acknowledge and allow DBS to make their name public.
- If you have photos you wish to accompany your story, the E-zine staff must have copies of completed photo permission forms for every individual who appears -- including DBS employees. If individuals are under 18, the permission forms must be signed by a parent or legal guardian.
- If you wish your article to be accompanied by materials previously printed in another source, we must have the following information: Where the material was originally printed; The date on which the material was initially published; The author of the work in which the desired material was published; Contact information for the author and or editor of the work.
- The sooner you can provide this information to E-zine staff the more likely it is that we will be able to include materials with your article. Newspapers and magazines are not required to give us reprint permission, so there is no guarantee that we will be able to include the material.