Volume 33 Number 4 Convention Issue 2014
Dear Subscriber,
Perhaps you read each issue of Future Reflections from cover to cover the day it lands in your mailbox. You cut out articles that speak to you and take notes on useful resources. But maybe your children have grown up and live away from home; maybe these days you only look at Future Reflections when you carry your unread magazines to the recycling center.
At the NFB we need to update our records on our Future Reflections subscribers. If you wish to continue receiving Future Reflections in 2015, you must contact the NFB. You can contact us by mail at 200 E. Wells St., Baltimore, MD 21230; by phone at (410) 659-9314, Extension 2344; or by email at [email protected]. Please indicate whether you wish to continue receiving the print or audio (USB drive) version of the magazine.
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Cordially,
Deborah Kent Stein and the NFB Staff
FUTURE REFLECTIONS
A magazine for parents and teachers of blind children published by
the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults in partnership
with the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children.
Volume 33 Number 4 Convention Issue 2014
Deborah Kent Stein, Editor
ISSN-0883-3419
Copyright © 2014 American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults
For more information
about blindness and children contact:
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place, Baltimore, MD 21230 • (410) 659-9314
www.nfb.org/nopbc • [email protected] • [email protected]
Volume 33 Number 4 Convention Issue 2014
A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
The World Remade
by Deborah Kent Stein
NOPBC CONFERENCE
2014 Convention Report from the NOPBC
by Carlton Anne Walker
Kid Talk
by Dr. Marc Maurer
Taking the Next Step
by Mark Riccobono
Stepping In, Stepping Up, and Stepping Back
by Carlton Anne Walker
WORKSHOPS
Breaking with Tradition: Structured Discovery Cane Travel for Young Blind Children
by Denise Mackenstadt
Saying It My Way
by Natalie Shaheen
TRANSITIONS
Experiences for Life
by Jon Gabry
To Serve My Country
by Evelyn Valdez
KIDS TAKING THE NEXT STEP
Just a Little Bit Awesome
by Hank Miller
That Big, Scary Step
by Alyssa Mendez
The Great Puzzle of Life
by Lucien Gandarias
PARENT POWER
Knowing Better, Doing Better
by Holly Miller
Launching a New Parents' Chapter
by Jennifer Duffell-Hoffman
GENERAL SESSIONS
Enforcing the Law of Inclusion: A Personal and Professional Journey
by Daniel Goldstein
The Blind at Speed
by Dan Parker
PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES
My Rookie Year: The 2014 NFB National Convention
by Jamie Allison
A Feast of Opportunities
by Brian Mackey
AWARDS
Empowered: Choosing to Come to the Edge
by Theresa Postello, 2014 Distinguished Educator of Blind Children
The 2014 Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards
Presented by James Gashel
Meet the 2014 National Federation of the Blind Scholarship Class
Presented by Patti Gregory-Chang
ANNOUNCEMENTS
ODDS AND ENDS
Are you the parent of a blind or visually impaired child? Don’t know where to turn?
Founded in 1983, the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC) is a membership organization of parents, educators, and friends of blind children reaching out to give each other vital support, encouragement, and information. We have thousands of members in all fifty states plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
The NOPBC offers hope, encouragement, information, and resources for parents of blind or visually impaired children. NOPBC provides emotional support and a network of other families dealing with the same challenges you are facing. We also provide information, training, and resources to empower you to take an active role in guiding your child’s development and education. We can provide information on your child’s rights and on the laws and legislative issues that will enable you and your child to become strong and effective advocates.
Have you ever wondered what your blind or visually impaired child will be capable of when he or she grows up? The answer to that question is that blindness/visual impairment does not have to stop your child from doing anything he or she wants to do. We can connect you with other families and blind adults who can serve as positive mentors and role models. They can teach you the attitudes and techniques that will enable your child to become independent and to succeed in life.
What is different about the NOPBC?
Our status as a division of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the largest and most influential organization of blind people in the world, provides many benefits. Our members are well informed about the societal, legislative, and technological issues that affect blind people. We also enjoy the resources, support, and expertise of fifty thousand blind people who can serve as mentors and role models for us and our children. Finally, as our children grow up, they have the Federation to belong to.
No other organization for parents of blind/visually impaired children offers more programs, activities, and training to families, children, and youth. One of our most exciting activities is our annual conference. Every year since it was established, the NOPBC has conducted an annual conference for parents and teachers of blind children as part of the national convention of the NFB. The program has grown to include five exciting days of workshops, training sessions, activities for all family members, including sighted siblings, and countless opportunities to meet blind adults and other families and children from around the country.
What is the mission of the NOPBC?
The purpose of the NOPBC is to:
• create a climate of opportunity for blind children in home and society.
• provide information and support to parents of blind children.
• facilitate the sharing of experience and concerns among parents of blind children.
• develop and expand resources available to parents and their children.
• help parents of blind children gain understanding and perspective through partnership and contact with blind adults.
• function as an integral part of the National Federation of the Blind in its ongoing effort to achieve equality and opportunity for all blind persons.
Most states have an NOPBC affiliate chapter. You can find your state chapter at <www.nopbc.org>. If your state does not have a chapter and you would like to start one, please contact us. We may be able to offer training and other assistance to start a state NOPBC chapter.
What are the programs, activities, publications, and resources of the NOPBC?
• National and State Parent Seminars and Conferences
• Future Reflections Magazine
• NOPBC Website
• Books and Videos
• Blindkid & Other Listservs
• Early Childhood Conferences
• Pop-Up IEP Website
• Slate Pals Pen Pal Program
• AAF Free Braille Books Program
• Share Braille Book Exchange
• Writing Contests
• Junior Science Academy
• Youth Slam High School Science Academy
• National Center for Blind Youth in Science Web site
• NFB-NEWSLINE® Newspaper Service
• Where the Blind Work Website
• Free White Cane Program
• Blindness 411 Facebook Group for Teens
• NFB-LINK Mentoring Program
• Scholarship Program
• Straight Talk about Blindness Video Series
• Parent Leadership Program (PLP)
Contact Us:
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
[email protected]
<www.nopbc.org>
by Deborah Kent Stein
On the first morning of convention, I crossed the lobby of the Rosen Centre Hotel, deep in discussion with the mother of a blind middle school student. Suddenly she broke off to exclaim, "I love seeing all these kids running around with their canes! They're just adorable!"
Her words swept me back to a conversation I had overheard just a week before. I was riding a bus in downtown Chicago on a field trip with our Illinois BELL program. "Look at all those poor little blind children!" sighed the woman behind me. "It breaks my heart!"
"Doesn't seem fair," agreed the man beside her. "Think of all the things they miss out on."
From the Rosen Centre lobby, that conversation seemed impossibly remote. Against a backdrop of tapping canes, people greeted one another, exchanged information, and mapped out the week ahead. Here were no sighs of pity. Here the children scampering along with their canes were adorable, and nobody was missing out on a thing.
The annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind is an unparalleled phenomenon. For nearly a week, convention brings together more than twenty-five hundred blind people, their relatives and friends, and professionals in teaching and rehabilitation. Conventioneers ask and answer questions, exchange ideas, share expertise, and build and strengthen connections. In the general public there are still people who think that blindness is a tragedy, but convention shows us the world as we dream it will become. The focus is positive. The message is clear and consistent--no one need be limited by blindness. Blind people can live the lives they want.
The seventy-fourth convention of the National Federation of the Blind took place July 1 through July 6 at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Florida. Convention began with "Taking the Next Step," a day-long conference sponsored by the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC). During the days that followed, there were meetings of dozens of groups and divisions. Among them were blind people in health and human services, blind educators, blind people in the arts, blind people in communities of faith, blind people in computer science, blind lawyers, blind car fanciers, and blind parents. Anyone was welcome to attend any of these meetings, to ask questions, listen, and learn.
General sessions filled the last three days of convention. We heard a stirring report of the year's activities from President Marc Maurer. We listened to reports on new developments in technology. Civil rights attorney Dan Goldstein inspired us with his thoughts about breaking down barriers to inclusion, and Dan Parker roared down the aisle to the podium on his motorcycle. What would the couple on the bus have said about that?
This issue of Future Reflections contains articles based on some of the many presentations and workshops at the NOPBC conference and the NOPBC division meeting. There are also awards presentations, highlights from general sessions, and personal perspectives on the convention experience. If you attended the 2014 NFB convention, the articles and photos in this issue may bring back memories. If you haven't yet been to convention, perhaps this issue will inspire you to attend in 2015. It will be our seventy-fifth, a gala celebration that you won't want to miss!
by Carlton Anne Walker
From the Editor: The 2014 convention of the National Federation of the Blind was jam-packed with presentations, workshops, and hands-on activities for parents and kids. In this report, Carlton Anne Walker, president of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children, provides a detailed and colorful rundown on the week's events.
As we arrived in Orlando, Florida, for the seventy-fourth annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind, weather reports warned of a growing tropical storm named Arthur. The weather professionals assured us that the storm would likely pass us by, but they were wrong. A storm did indeed hit Orlando. A storm of information, enthusiasm, and anticipation hovered over the Rosen Centre Hotel throughout the first week of July as the 2014 National Federation of the Blind Convention and the Parents' Division Conference brought gales of energy and swells of new and deepening relationships. The winds of change blew the excitement and promise of convention into the hearts and minds of all in attendance.
On July 1, parents, families, educators, and others involved with and interested in blind children were "Taking the Next Step" at the 2014 conference of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC), a proud division of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). Our morning program featured NFB President Marc Maurer's Kid Talk, an activity to which we all look forward. Dr. Maurer shared with us that his grandmother initiated him into coffee drinking to keep him going when he delivered newspapers at five a.m. Mark Riccobono, executive director of the NFB Jernigan Institute, heartily welcomed parents into the warm NFB family. Paraphrasing The Alchemist, he observed, "When you dream of something, all of the Federation conspires to help you achieve it." Mr. Riccobono reminded the attendees of the vital importance of believing in the capacity of blind children and recognizing that blind people are not broken sighted people. He further exhorted parents to make certain that their children are drivers, not passengers in life.
As invigorating as our first speakers were, the rest of the morning did not disappoint. Dr. Arielle Silverman and Evelyn Valdez gave practical advice to students and inspired all in the room with their intelligence and tenacity. In my opening speech as NOPBC president, "Stepping In, Stepping Up, Stepping Back," I assured everyone in attendance that we all walk together and are available for one another, no matter where we are on the journey of rearing our blind children. Two high achievers, Winona Brackett and Jon Gabry, took us through the "Steps in the Life of a Student." Mr. Gabry, who is deaf-blind, read his speech in Braille while signing the content to an American Sign Language interpreter who voiced his words. These speeches were shining examples of the outcomes of high expectations and superior, relevant training for our students.
At the conclusion of this meeting, children were escorted to childcare, and youth attended Youth Track activities. A more detailed description of these activities is set forth below, at the conclusion of the daily synopses.
After the general session, the parents, educators, and other adults had three sessions of concurrent workshops. Each session offered five workshop choices. Presenters, titles, and brief descriptions of each workshop are set forth below.
Jackie Anderson, the blind parent of a blind child who also serves as a teacher of blind students (TBS), presented "Independence in the Classroom." She shared tools, tips, and techniques for setting up the classroom and training the student for independent functioning. Denise Mackenstadt, who holds National Orientation and Mobility Certification (NOMC), taught workshop participants how to work toward maximum independence and self-determination for the blind child with additional disabilities in her workshop "Independent Movement and Travel for Children with Additional Disabilities." Marci Carpenter, secretary of the National Federation of the Blind of Washington, showed participants useful items for low vision students. She also set forth ways to determine the most efficient method for a given task in her workshop "Low Vision Toolbox." In "First Steps," Mary Jo Hartle, a TBS who also has NOMC certification, addressed exploration and independent movement and travel in early childhood. Finally, Eric Guillory, director of youth services at the Louisiana Center for the Blind, demonstrated the use of accessible technology for meaningful participation in school, at home, and in the community in his workshop "Accessible Technology."
Mary Jo Hartle presented "Independence Skills at Home and in the Community," where she discussed teaching and supporting the development of independence skills for full participation in home and community life. With "Hands Off!" NOPBC President and TBS Carlton Walker discussed various methods of teaching while honoring the child's right to personal space and control over his/her body. Dezman Jackson, an NOMC from Blind Industries and Services of Maryland (BISM), highlighted high expectations and how to achieve real-life goals in the area of independent movement and travel in "Independent Movement and Travel for the School-Age Child." "Tactile Graphics--The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" set forth the basics of creating a good tactile graphic that will really work for the blind child, presented by Carol Castellano, NOPBC director of programs, and Pat Renfranz, treasurer of the NOPBC. Participants learned how to get around independently without driving from Pam Allen, director of the Louisiana Center for the Blind; and from Roland Allen, NOMC, in the workshop "I Get Around."
"Low Vision Technology," led by Janet Bernhardt, Certified Low Vision Therapist (CLVT) and Outreach Consultant for the Louisiana Center for the Blind, allowed participants to survey items from low tech to high tech and to learn about the many options for the low-vision student. Natalie Shaheen, director of education for the NFB Jernigan Institute, presented "Saying It My Way," a workshop dedicated to encouraging communication, learning, and play in children with communication needs. In "Social Skills for the School-Age Child," Sheena Manuel, outreach specialist for the Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness, taught parents to encourage appropriate social interaction and play. Jackie Anderson, TBS, presented on "How to Set Up a Saturday School," seeking to empower families to learn and teach the skills of independence. Four presenters: Kim Cunningham, NOPBC second vice president; student Kayleigh Joiner; Dr. Arielle Silverman, a fellow at the University of Washington; and Debbie Kent Stein, editor of Future Reflections, presented a panel discussion, "College Checklist: Is Your Blind Child Ready? Are YOU Ready?" They discussed preparing for heading off to college--what parents and students need to know, with a special visit from one of the "Roommates from Hell."
After all of these good learning opportunities, it was time to relax and get to know each other better. With hot-out-of-the-oven pizza and cool lemonade, NOPBC and PIBE (Professionals in Blindness Education) hosted more than one hundred people at the annual Family Hospitality Night. Parents, students, children, educators, and friends had the opportunity to relax, chat, reconnect with friends, and meet new families and teachers. Veteran conventioneers provided tips and tidbits to rookies, and the first day ended on as high a note as it had started.
For our students, the night was not yet over. Following Family Hospitality Night, NABS (National Association of Blind Students) hosted its Student Social. This was just the first of several NABS activities that would build a bridge between the preteens and teens in NOPBC and NABS.
Wednesday morning started bright and early at seven a.m. with the first of two NOPBC board meetings, the second of which was held on Friday morning at the same time. Despite the early hour, the board and other attendees got straight to work and accomplished a great deal of Parents' Division business.
Board member Jean Bening had to leave the meeting early to oversee the first session of the Cane Walk, which began at eight forty-five a.m. The Cane Walk, an annual event held in two sessions, is a highlight of convention for many parents. Too often, high quality orientation and mobility services are difficult to procure through local school districts. As he has done at the Cane Walk sessions in previous years, Jeff Altman, NOMC, presented information about the Structured Discovery Method of travel instruction and the use of sleepshades in training. Mr. Altman had secured the services of orientation and mobility professionals from around the country to work with blind children and their parents. During these sessions, students and parents received training in Structured Discovery. If needed, students were sent home with new long, white canes. Parents were offered parent-sized canes so that they might continue learning and modeling cane use for their children at home. Young Cane Walk graduates had the opportunity to flex their new orientation and mobility skills by picking up their convention registration packets and perusing information and displays in both the Exhibit Hall and the Independence Market.
Midafternoon brought the third annual NOPBC Style Show, coordinated by Kim Cunningham. Children and youth showed off their mobility skills and exhibited their confidence in themselves and in their blindness skills. Pamela Gebert and her daughter, Julia, provided the music for the show as twenty-five young people traveled down the runway and struck poses for photographer Bobby Cunningham. Kim Cunningham then asked each participant to share with the audience his or her career plans, and even the youngest participants did so with aplomb. Style Show goody bags for participants included necklaces (donated by POBC-Maryland), bracelets (donated by POBC-NH), Gold Mine Gum Nuggets (donated by Alaska Blind Children's Resource), and a ten-dollar iTunes gift card (made possible through donations from POBC-TX, POBC-LA, POBC-GA, and POBC-OH).
On Wednesday afternoon, the NOPBC launched a new FUNdraiser, the Breaking Barriers Triathlon, coordinated by NOPBC First Vice-President Andrea Beasley. Children and youth raised funds in their communities and at convention before racing through an alligator-infested swamp (plastic alligators strewn along the cobblestones of the Rosen Centre pool area), swimming through shark-infested waters (navigating through the shallow end of the pool while being attacked by inflatable sharks), and shooting barriers to independence (on felt targets). This triathlon was about fun, and fun it was! Other children in the pool asked to participate, and we had to limit each kid to two times through--I think they would have continued all night had we allowed it! One young participant used her cane in a particularly effective manner; when this little lady from Louisiana found an alligator with her cane, she stomped on it hard before proceeding. It was wonderful! In addition to the great fun we had, participants raised over three thousand dollars to support NOPBC activities. The majority of these funds were raised in the participants' own communities. All participants received prizes. The top fundraisers and prizes are as follows:
We certainly plan to continue with this successful endeavor next year, when it will be re-christened a "FUNathon!"
The NOPBC annual meeting, "Options and Opportunities," packed more excitement than any of us could have anticipated. The meeting opened with a brief welcome from the NOPBC president, followed by the first of many door prize drawings. Judy Byrd, volunteer director of the Beep Kickball Association and inventor of the Beep Kickball, introduced the group to this new sport and its related equipment. Attendees also had the opportunity to pass a beep kickball around and gather information about bringing this fun sport to their own towns.
Next, Theresa Postello, a teacher of blind students in California and the 2014 Distinguished Educator of Blind Children Award Winner, gave a gripping speech, "Empowered: Choosing to ‘Come to the Edge.'" She challenged all teachers and parents of blind children to keep encouraging the young people in our lives to "come to the edge," even though they fear that they will fall. She urged us to help them learn that, at the edge, they can fly!
We then got to "Open the Doors of Opportunity in Science" with Dr. Cary Supalo of Independence Science. Also, Carol Christian from the Space Telescope Science Institute and Noreen Grice, an accessible astronomy educator, showed us texture maps of star clusters. They told us that they are working to improve software to create files that can be printed on a 3-D printer (STL format).
We next learned about tactile graphics from Robert Jaquiss of the American Thermoform Company (ATC). He showed us examples of the simultaneous print-Braille input of one of ATC's embossers, passed out samples of thermoform Braille paper, and donated six cases of Braille paper to be given to six lucky door prize recipients.
Mike Rosen from E.A.S.Y., LLC, followed Mr. Jaquiss at the podium. Just a few minutes into his presentation, a fire alarm went off. The noise thoroughly disrupted the meeting. After a few moments of confusion (was this a real alarm?), we evacuated the room. Some time later, security personnel arrived to inform us that the alarm had been set off accidentally. Once we all got resettled, Mr. Rosen, followed by Dr. Al Maneki, resumed their presentations. They gave information about the importance of tactile graphics to the academic development of blind children.
Scott LaBarre, chairman of the NFB PAC Plan, spoke about the importance of this fundraising opportunity. Attendees at the meeting learned that "Opportunity Knocks" in various ways with presentations about summer programs from Julie Deden, director of the Colorado Center for the Blind; and NFB Jernigan Institute Director of Education, Natalie Shaheen, who discussed the plethora of available programs, including the upcoming STEM2U museum initiative for elementary and high school students.
We then got a good dose of "Parent Power" from Jennifer Duffell-Hoffman, president of the new POBC of South Carolina. She shared many observations about starting a new chapter, including the importance of having a good relationship with her affiliate president, Parnell Diggs. Holly Miller, president of the POBC of New Jersey, echoed this sentiment in highlighting her close relationship with NFB-NJ President Joe Ruffalo.
A favorite part of each NOPBC annual meeting, the time when our students share their experiences, exceeded our high expectations. As we listened to "Kids Taking the Next Step," Megan Bening, a Minnesota college student; Hank Miller, an eighth grader from New Jersey; Alyssa Mendez, a seventh grader from Georgia; and Lucien "Luke" Gandarias, a Washington sixth grader, assured us that our young people are becoming well-equipped to fly!
We then learned about several up-and-coming developments for blind children, including those with additional disabilities. Maeve Jopson, the cofounder of Increment, showed us the company's new sensory toys called O-rings. She shared that Increment is seeking funding for these products through an Indiegogo campaign, and she passed the rings around to seek feedback. (All feedback was quite positive.) Next, the attendees learned about the Support Service Provider (SSP) program, which provides assistance to individuals with deaf-blindness to access information about their environment. The interesting content was enhanced by the turn-taking presentation by the mother-son team of Kathy Gabry, a program director at SSP-New Jersey, and Jon Gabry, a deaf-blind project specialist with New Jersey's iCanConnect. We also heard from two researchers from the Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness (PDRIB), NOPBC board member Laura Bostick, and Casey Robertson, a teacher of blind students.
Time was running short, but we still heard from Bookshare about some new products, and we were invited to their booth in the Exhibit Hall to learn more.
No annual meeting is complete without conducting a little business, and this one was no exception. [NOPBC Treasurer Pat Renfranz provided a concise and informative annual report.] Kim Cunningham, NOPBC second vice-president and chair of the 2014 Nominating Committee, provided the Nominating Committee Report. It included recommendations for all five positions on the Executive Board (each representing a two-year term) and ten board member positions (each for a one-year term). Elections were held, and the 2014-2015 slate of NOPBC officers is as follows (state in parentheses):
Executive Board Officers (two-year terms):
Carlton Anne Cook Walker (PA), President
Andrea Beasley (WI), First Vice-President
Kim Cunningham (TX), Second Vice-President
Pamela Gebert (AK), Secretary
Pat Renfranz (UT), Treasurer
Board Members (one-year terms):
Jackie Anderson (GA)
Jeremiah Beasley (WI)
Jean Bening (MN)
Bill Cucco (NJ)
Jennifer Duffel-Hoffman (SC)
Penny Duffy (NH)
Teresa Graham (MD)
Rosina Foster (MO)
Holly Miller (NJ)
Sandra Oliver (TX)
As soon as the NOPBC annual meeting adjourned, attendees gathered their priority passes to the Braille Book Fair (passes available to those attending the annual meeting) and headed to the book fair. As usual, there was a great deal of anticipation in the Braille Book Fair (BBF) lines while folks waited for the doors to open. Such a treat awaited them! BBF Coordinator Krystal Guillory and her team of tireless volunteers had unpacked and sorted hundreds of boxes of Braille books, and they greeted BBF customers with energy and professionalism.
For two hours, individuals of all ages gathered as many free Braille books as they wished. No one needed to worry about their ability to carry these prizes home, because United Parcel Service volunteers eagerly packed, addressed, and shipped box after box--to be sent via Free Matter for the Blind and Handicapped. Soon these boxes will arrive and rekindle the excitement of convention time for their recipients!
The annual Dad's Night Out, hosted by board member Bill Cucco, brought camaraderie in a relaxed atmosphere. Some moms got in on the fun, too, and they were welcomed into the night out event.
NOPBC's formal programming ended with a power-packed Fourth of July evening. Though there were no fireworks, attendees had the opportunity to learn about the new Unified English Braille Code (UEBC) from Casey Robertson, teacher of blind students, and engage in a Spanish language session covering a range of topics of interest to parents of blind children, led by teacher of blind students Conchita Hernandez. Drawing upon my roles as NOPBC president, attorney, and teacher of blind students, I conducted two sessions: "IEP Basics for Parents of Blind/VI Students" and "IEP Development and Legal Process Overview."
While parents were busy learning, children and youth had their own activities. Children enjoyed crafts and games in an informal atmosphere, while youth had a dance party with Conchita Hernandez and Alex Castillo. It was followed by a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) session led by Christopher Nusbaum, a student from Maryland.
Friday kicked off the seventy-fourth annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind. As proud members of the NFB, parents excitedly welcomed the commencement of the first convention general session. This year, the traditional tribute to our troops (always a moving ceremony) preceded a live band playing great pop tunes from the 1990s. This was particularly enjoyable to many parents of teens, as it provided us the opportunity to dance, sing, and embarrass our children immensely!
This was the Convention of Music, as speakers from the podium and from the floor serenaded us intermittently throughout general sessions. Speakers gave interesting presentations on a variety of topics. We parents of blind children truly value this glimpse into the world our children will enter as they grow up.
NFB Camp provides a childcare option for individuals attending the NFB convention with young children, and the NOPBC offers enrichment opportunities within NFB Camp. On Tuesday, July 1, Conchita Hernandez kept the rhythm going with her session "Music and Movement." Later that day, 1Touch Self Defense presented a self-defense workshop. Thursday, July 3, brought Beep Kickball with Judy Byrd of the Beep Kickball Association. On Friday, July 4, the youngsters were treated to the hands-on session "Tinkering with Tools," with Dave Hutchins and Joe Naulty from the NFB CARS Division.
Our youth kept taking more and more steps toward independence in Youth Track. Activities on the first day of Youth Track brought our youth information and mentorship from active adult NFB members. Darian Smith and members of the NFB Community Service Group hosted "Putting It Together for Good," where youth learned to use their nonvisual skills to help them seek out and succeed in public service activities in their own communities. In their session, "Trading Places," Joe Naulty and Dave Hutchins of the NFB CARS Division spoke about vocational trade careers and provided each youth with very cool nine-piece screwdriver sets to take home for hands-on practice in home improvement. Preteens and teenagers like to be in charge, and longtime Federation leader and successful entrepreneur Kevan Worley spoke to them about how to "Be Your Own Boss."
On Wednesday, July 2, eighteen members of the NFB Writers Division, led by Writers Division President Robert Leslie Newman, hosted "The Play's the Thing." They offered Youth Track members the opportunity to write, direct, and act in a short play.
While parents attended the NOPBC annual meeting on Thursday, July 3, Youth Track participants attended a Student-to-Student activity hosted by the National Association of Blind Students (NABS). My daughter, Anna Catherine, described the session's scavenger hunt as "really fun!" (high praise from my thirteen-year-old). She recounted with enthusiasm the hotel-wide search. The major highlight was her first trip to the NFB Presidential Suite.
In the Tween Room, students ages eleven to fourteen had a lunch hour, a parent-free environment replete with snacks and games. On Wednesday, July 2, and during lunchtime on each day of general session (July 4-6), tweens enjoyed Tween Room amenities.
Through the vision of Joanne Wilson and with the support of the National Federation of the Blind, the NOPBC's Parent Leadership Program (PLP), which began in 2006, has identified future parent leaders and provided training to them in issues pertaining to parents of blind children, leadership skills, and, most importantly, NFB philosophy. The PLP has allowed us to build stronger state POBC chapters and to develop leaders to work on important issues related to raising competent, productive blind children.
Two PLP sessions were held at this year's convention, and the participants represented states with both active and "sleeping" POBCs. We are very excited by the enthusiasm of each participant, and we look forward to watching these seeds germinate across the nation!
At general session on Sunday, July 6, the NOPBC was honored to receive a Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award in recognition of the PLP's "exemplary advancements in assisting and continuing to assist the blind." We are humbled by this recognition, and we look forward to continuing to sow the seeds of change with parents and blind mentors to allow all blind children to lead the lives they want. The award's cash prize of $10,000 will help us bring the messages of the importance of nonvisual skills, truly informed choice, and autonomy to blind children and their families. Thank you!
by Dr. Marc Maurer
From the Editor: At the opening session of the NOPBC conference, NFB president Dr. Marc Maurer spoke to a group of blind children and answered their questions. By long-standing tradition, he sat on the floor at the front of the conference room, and the children circled around him to talk.
Dr. Maurer: I'm going to sit here on the floor and talk to anyone who wants to come up here. I think some kids may want to come up. Grownups are welcome to come up, too.
I've been a blind person for a long time. I came to be a blind person when I was six. I went to have an eye operation, and it didn't work. I had a little bit of vision before I went, and when I got out of that operation, I didn't have any vision at all. It was gone. That bothered me a lot. I didn't like it, and I was sad.
I sat on the couch for several days. My mother would give me some breakfast, and then I would go sit on the couch and do nothing. After a few days, my mother got mad about this. She said, "You're going outside, and you're going to play."
I said, "I'm not going."
She said, "You are going out. You're going out now!"
I tried not to go outside, but she took me anyway. She dragged me out. She said, "You're going to climb up this ladder to the slide, and you're going to slide down."
I said, "I won't!"
She said, "You will!" So I did.
I slid down the slide, and I said, "All right, I've done it. I'm going back in."
She said, "No, you're going to do it again!"
So I did it again. I thought, I'll run away from home! But I didn't run away. I stayed outside. I didn't want to go in where my mother was--she was mean to me! But I found it was fun to be out there, whether I was a blind kid or not. I've been having fun outside ever since. I still like to go outside very much. I like to wander around in the woods. Sometimes I chop wood, sometimes I have picnics.
Now I didn't have a cane when I was six, because I didn't know about canes. My mother didn't know about canes, either. We learned later. It would have been nice to have one, but I didn't. So I would bump into things. Do you ever bump into things? You can hurt your nose! I know, because I ran into stuff.
When I got bigger, around twelve or thirteen, I used to deliver newspapers. I don't think kids do that anymore. I would get a bunch of newspapers and take them around to the neighbors' houses and put them in their mailboxes. I would collect money from my neighbors for doing this.
When I was doing these deliveries, I didn't have a cane. I asked my brother, who was a sighted kid, to help me figure it out. He walked with me the first few times, and after a while he didn't want to do that anymore, so I walked by myself. I still ran into things, and I didn't like that. To keep from hurting myself too much, I wore a cap. The bill on the cap would run into things before I did. I wore a pair of sunglasses, too. When I was delivering newspapers, if I wasn't careful, sometimes I'd get where the sticks from trees would poke me in the eye, and I didn't like that. The sunglasses helped protect my eyes.
Then I came across this National Federation of the Blind group, and they said, "You better get a cane." I have mine here. It's a big tall cane, probably taller than you. I go all over the place with it. It helps me find steps so I don't fall down them. It helps me find other things, too. My cane runs into them before I do. It's very helpful for getting around. Going places is fun. Just because you're a blind person doesn't mean you can't just go places. With my cane in my hand I've been to lots of places all over the world. You can go lots of places, too.
Now, do you have any questions for me? Here's the deal. I'm a blind person, you know. In your classes when you want to ask a question, you stick your hand up in the air. What you do here is you say your name. I already remember mine, so you don't have to say it. If you want to ask me a question, say your name, and I'll call on you.
Abby: What was the hardest part about being a blind kid?
Dr. Maurer: There were two hard things. One of them was learning that it's fun being a blind kid. I told you about that already. My mother made me learn it. I was mad at her then, but I've been glad about it ever since. She didn't know how to manage a blind kid since she'd never met a blind kid before, but she got thinking that it wasn't good for me to sit around doing nothing. She wanted me to do something, and she didn't care very much what it was, as long as I was doing something and finding out that it's fun to do things. So that was the first hard thing.
Then I had to find out how to read. I read Braille. Reading Braille is great! I used to get Braille books from the library at my school, and--I wasn't supposed to do this, so don't tell anybody--I used to sneak them under the bed. Then I would slide them out at night to read, and you know, you don't have to have a light for this, so lots of times they didn't find out. If it was a little cold in the winter, which it sometimes was, I would put the books under the covers, because you can still read them in Braille that way.
Anna: What's the percentage of blind kids that read Braille and use a cane?
Dr. Maurer: I don't know the answer, so I'll start with that. I think about ten percent of blind kids learn to read Braille, which is way too few. We need for more blind kids to learn Braille. And I don't know how many blind kids use canes. I could ask over at the rehabilitation group, because they teach people to use canes.
Anna: Did you go to the Iowa Training Center?
Dr. Maurer: Yes, I went to the Iowa Training Center when Dr. Jernigan was running it. How do you know about the Iowa Training Center, Anna?
Anna: I got the Library Stick [a thumb drive containing a collection of NFB documents, available through the NFB of Utah].
Dr. Maurer: Oh, you got the Library Stick! Yes, I was there. I used to get up in the morning and go to gym class from five-thirty to six-thirty. By eight o'clock I was supposed to be in class to learn how to use a cane; I didn't know how to do that before I got there. I'd do cane travel for a couple of hours, and then go to shop class after that. We'd do wood cutting and metal cutting and build stuff. Then we'd study home economics for a couple of hours, then we'd do Braille for an hour, and then we'd do typing. We didn't have computers; this was before computers. Then we'd have philosophy class. We would talk about the philosophy of the NFB, the way we think about blindness. We had this schedule every day. It went from about five-thirty in the morning to five-thirty in the evening, with a few breaks along the way. It was a long day.
After I learned to use all the tools, the shop teacher asked me what I wanted to build. I said I didn't want to build anything. I wanted to overhaul an automobile. So we got a bunch of tools, and we overhauled an automobile. I learned to be a mechanic. It was fun. If you want to be a mechanic, go and be that. If you want to be something else, be that instead.
Here's what I want to tell you before I go to my next meeting. I'm a blind person. You're a blind person. There are lots of things you can do that are very exciting. You can build things. You can do a lot of stuff, but you have to learn how. You have to learn how to read, you have to learn how to have faith in yourself, you have to learn how to get people to have faith in you. I know it's a big job, and when you're a kid, it's hard to approach it. You have to know that you're important. Some of your teachers, if they're anything like the ones I had, will be glad you're doing good work. But some of them will think of you as just another blind kid who can't really do much. That's a big mistake! Your teachers are largely in charge of you, and it's too bad if some of them think of you that way. You and your parents together can help them learn that you're an important person, because you are.
It's been great to be with you. Thank you!
by Mark Riccobono
From the Editor: Mark Riccobono became director of the NFB Jernigan Institute in 2004. At the 2014 convention, he was elected to serve as the next president of the National Federation of the Blind. He gave the following address at the NOPBC conference.
I come to you this morning to talk to you about taking the next step. Let's pause right now and absorb this moment that we're experiencing. You have taken a very important step by being here this morning. You should pat yourselves on the back for being here with the National Federation of the Blind. It's important to remind ourselves that we consciously take this step because it's meaningful to us. During this week some of you, especially our first timers, are going to get frustrated. You'll feel you messed everything up before. But your kids aren't broken, they're not damaged forever, it's not too late. You've taken the most important first step by being here with our National Organization of Parents of Blind Children. Congratulations! You're working to get your kids on the right path.
I'm speaking to you today as a blind person and as a father. The youngest of our three children is now two. As a parent, you spend a lot of time urging your children to take the first steps. (Then you end up spending a lot of time figuring out how to stop them! It can get pretty hectic!) We're on a journey to put our children on a path to success. I want to talk to you today about my experience and about some of the things we might do together in the National Federation of the Blind. We need for our kids to learn how to take the next steps, and we can teach them to do it on their own.
I like to say we need to teach our blind kids to be drivers in their lives rather than passengers. That's because so often as blind kids we're taught to be passengers in our own lives. We're taught to sit and wait. We're taught that someone else will take care of things. But that's not what we learn in the National Federation of the Blind. We know that our kids need the chance to be drivers. That means that our kids need to have the chance to fail. We need to give them opportunities where they might actually fail.
When I think about journeys, I think about a book called The Alchemist. In The Alchemist, we're presented with a journey. One of the things we learn in this book is that when you want something, all the universe conspires to help you achieve your goal. That's really what happens in the National Federation of the Blind. When you dream of something as a blind person, all of the Federation conspires to help you achieve your dream.
Here's an example from my life. When I grew up, I was the only blind person I knew. I didn't know I was a blind person; I just knew I couldn't see too well. I have glaucoma, so I've lost vision all my life. I learned to fake it. I like to say I learned to fake it to make it. In case any of you might be fooled, your kids can get really good at faking it, too. They can fake you out in an instant! I created all sorts of skills, tools, and techniques to help me fake it. I could pretend I saw things in such a convincing way that no one could guess.
There was never a mention of Braille for me, because I was so good at faking it. I hid out in the back of the room. They weren't the sharpest folks in the back of the room, but I could fake it back there. I blended in, and once in a while I'd get somebody to fill in a worksheet for me, but I faked it. In eighth grade science class I sat in back and played a lot of table football. You fold a piece of paper into a triangle and flick it back and forth, and you can do that for hours. I did that in science class because the first thing you were supposed to do in that class was go up to the front and copy stuff off the board. There was no way I was going to go up to the board and copy stuff, no way I was going to out myself like that! So I hid in the back--and I was permitted to fake it.
When I was a senior in high school, I was offered the opportunity to learn Braille, if I wanted to learn it. I was a senior in high school--now why would I want to learn Braille? Why would I give up a study hall to learn it? No one ever told me that there was something more to want.
Then, in 1996, I met the National Federation of the Blind. I was at a loss about what my next step was. When I met the Federation, I learned that it was really the next step. I needed to be guided in that next step by having people around me who had faith in my capacity as a blind person. I needed them to trust me and to help me begin planning my journey. It has always been about the next step. The next step, the next action, is the most important one.
What are some of those steps, and how can we help our kids get there? The first and most important step, I think, is believing in our capacity as blind people. For you parents who aren't blind, it's your internalization of the belief that your blind children are not broken sighted children, that they have capacity to offer. You need to gain the deep belief that they can achieve anything that they put their minds to. We often present blind kids with the opposite, and it starts pretty early. "We're sorry you have to learn Braille. It'll be hard, but you can do it." When the five-year-old blind boy says, "I want to be a fighter pilot some day," he hears, "I'm sorry, Johnny, but a blind person can't do that." People say that, even though they know that tomorrow Johnny's going to want to be a doctor or an astronaut. We need to cultivate those dreams. I can tell you from personal experience that we don't know what the limit is for us. That's why we come to the National Federation of the Blind to share our experiences. Here is where we learn from each other that there are no limits. We do it through faith in each other.
Martin Luther King had a great quote about faith that I believe speaks to the Federation. He said, "Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase." I never thought that driving was a possibility for me. I had totally erased it from the bank of things that would be possible for a blind person to do. Then my mentor, Marc Maurer, said, "Why is it we say that blind people can't drive? Don't we have capacity? Don't we have the ability to think and react? Can't we build technology that would give us information that would allow us to drive?"
I thought, okay, that's a good gimmick. It'll get some people interested in us. Then some guys from Virginia Tech called and said, "We want to work on this idea you have about a blind person driving a car." They said, "We can build cars that blind people can drive. We can put you in the back seat and you push a button and be done."
I said, "But that's not what blind people want! We want to be able to drive the car! We want to sit in the driver's seat. We even want to be able to crash that car!"
They said, "What?"
I said, "We don't want to crash it, but we want the experience to be so real that if we crashed it, it would be because we made the wrong decision. We hope to learn enough not to do that, but if we don't have the opportunity to fail, what good is it?"
That's when I began to learn to be a driver in my own life. It happened because of the belief that the Federation has in blind people. As parents we need to internalize that faith that we have in each other. We need to get to know our blind brothers and sisters. Talk to them. Find out how they do things. Dream with them. Not all the answers are obvious. Sometimes we're talking about doing something that no blind person has thought about doing.
What really turned me around on our Blind Driver Challenge was when we put a prototype in front of blind kids at our 2009 Youth Slam program. They hadn't been told for decades that they couldn't drive. They said, "Hey, why don't we have this today?" They said, "Can't we do it this way?" and "Wouldn't it be great if the technology did this?" They hadn't gotten the idea I had that driving was off the list. They hadn't been told that for years on end.
Faith in the capacity of blind people is our next step. It's always our next step. We need to challenge our current assumptions about what the possibilities are. That's how we push each other forward in this organization.
Okay, next steps. Skills! There are skills we need, and we need for our kids to learn those skills. We need for our kids to have the opportunity to practice those skills. They don't have to be perfect cane travelers, whatever that means. They need to practice their skills. My two-year-old is learning to use a spoon by making a big mess. She's learning to use a spoon by doing it. As parents, it's important that we give our kids opportunities to learn and practice their skills. They need the chance to get lost, to fail. It's important that we don't get in the way of their building those skills for our own convenience. "We're really in a hurry--why don't you just leave your cane here today?" I can tell you--my two daughters, ages four and two, have their little canes--and it is really tempting sometimes to say, "We'll just go without the cane this time," especially when they've hidden the cane who knows where! Don't do it! We need to be intentional about letting our kids practice their skills.
As parents we need to learn some of those skills ourselves so we can help our kids understand. We need to start thinking about how to do things in nonvisual ways. We need to think consciously about how to talk about things in terms of description, not just "Look over there." We need to point out things to our kids. That means some of you need to make a conscious decision to do that, because you don't think nonvisually most of the time.
I was sitting next to my four-year-old on the airplane on the way here. Of course, when you get on a plane in hot weather like this, they tell you to pull the shades down to keep the plane cool. Partly because she's four and partly because she couldn't see out the window, my daughter kept saying, "Are we flying yet?" I'd tell her no. We talked about some of the ways she could tell if we were flying. Maybe they're not obvious to some of you. The first thing is, you can feel the bumps in the runway as you're taxiing. The sound of the engines is different when they start to accelerate for takeoff. Of course you can feel the tilt of the plane. We had the opportunity to talk about all that. It had never occurred to me to be intentional about it. I fly all the time, so it's obvious to me. I had to make a conscious decision to think about what it is about flying that helps me know when I'm in the air.
As parents there are other skills we need to develop, and some of them are very hard. We need to develop advocacy skills for our children. It's very difficult, because when it's our kid, we're emotionally involved. This brings me to the third step, which is networking. My wife and I are both blind, and we've been advocating for ourselves for a long time. But our daughter is now in pre-K in the Baltimore City public schools. A lot of people say, "Can you imagine being at an IEP meeting with Mark and Melissa Riccobono?" [Laughter] But I want to tell you--when it's your own kid, it's very different! It is hard to operate as an advocate, because your first reaction when they say something you don't like is to strangle them! It's your kid they're talking about! One of the steps, one of the reasons you're here, is to develop a social network. You may be a great advocate, but you still need other advocates with you. Sometimes it's too emotional for you, and you need to bring in someone who can keep it calm and on track. The National Federation of the Blind is the greatest network that we have in this country.
When you go on any journey, what's the first thing you do? You start planning your trip. You go on Trip Advisor or some other site and find out what other people have said about the Rosen Centre Hotel or about Orlando. The Federation is just like that. If you want to find a blind person who has done something, if you want to find a parent who has dealt with a particular situation, if you need to find someone who is willing to go knock your school district upside the head, you can find that person here in the Federation. Just ask. They will help you. That's what we do for each other. This network will create opportunities for you, and it starts here today.
A thing I want you to do that's very important to the next step is to contribute. Mark down what you did and whether it worked or not. Don't beat yourself up if it didn't work. You want to gather a little wisdom so you can share it with other people in the network. That's what we call giving back. It is a very important step in what we do in the National Federation of the Blind. We take next steps, and we share our knowledge freely with other people. We're going to encounter barriers in many of our next steps, and we need to tell people behind us what we did right and what we did wrong. That's how we've gotten to where we are today. That's how blind people in this country have made such tremendous progress. We've shared with faith and love on our journey together.
What are some of the things we've done together? We got the law changed to make Braille the default in IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Great move, right? [Applause] It hasn't exactly worked as we wanted it to, so we put a marker down. One of the things that hasn't worked is the way the kids are assessed. The assessment is the key. So we created the only research-based assessment for reading media. [Applause]
What else do we need to change, from our experience? We know that a lot of kids still aren't getting Braille, so there's a lot of work to do to change the service delivery system in this country and create innovation. We got into the law that electronic files be provided for textbooks in the K-12 system. This is the National Instructional Materials Access Standard. We would throw it out today if we were going to create it. We know today that what we want is the same book, at the same time, at the same price as everybody else. [Applause] Now we're trying to figure out how we can get mainstream access for our kids. We've created the TEACH Act, which will create standards in higher education. Those standards will eventually be enforced for K-12 to create better standards to facilitate our kids getting books. It's not that the steps we took before were wrong. They were right at the time. But we know there is a next step that we need to take together.
A wonderful thing about the National Federation of the Blind is that we get to decide what we do. This is our organization. It's yours and it's mine. We need to take very seriously the responsibility of moving it forward. It will make a difference in the lives of blind people. Over the past almost seventy-five years, that is the thing that has made a difference. If we're not moving forward, we're not living the lives we want to live.
Next steps. Our president has said he's not going to run for office again. I'm going to seek the office of president of the National Federation of the Blind. [Applause] I appreciate your support! Why am I doing it? I can't think of anything more meaningful to do in this world than to create opportunities for our blind kids. These kids are going to teach us. They're going to fly airplanes and become astronauts. They're going to do things that we'll look at and say, "We never imagined that was possible!" But that will only be true if we put our imagination, our faith, and our energy into the effort. That is our next step. That's what we need to do. I'm going to need your help to do it.
I want you to know today that you are not alone in your journey. The National Federation of the Blind is with you, and I am with you. I make a personal commitment that if I can do something to help you on your journey, I will do it. I will also challenge you to contribute to what we can do together.
That brings to mind a poem that expresses the faith that we have in each other and the challenge that we put to each other to take the next step. This poem is called "Come to the Edge" by Christopher Logue. I think you should think about it in terms of yourself and your kids and where we want to go with the Federation.
Come to the edge.
We might fall.
Come to the edge.
It's too high!
COME TO THE EDGE!
And they came
And we pushed
And they flew.
Together with love, hope, and determination, we will transform dreams into reality. Take that next step!
by Carlton Anne Walker
From the Editor: Drawing upon her experience as a parent, a teacher, and an attorney, NOPBC President Carlton Anne Walker delivered the following address at the opening session of the 2014 NOPBC Conference.
Lao-Tzu, the Chinese philosopher and the father of Taoism, famously said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Within this short sentence lie great insight and great wisdom. The decision to take that first step can be paralyzing. Yet we must be willing to take that step, to move forward.
I vividly remember the day in May 2005 when then president of the NOPBC, Barbara Cheadle, told me about something called the "NFB convention" and an "NOPBC conference" that would be held in Louisville, Kentucky, from July 2-8. These events were about six weeks away, but that didn't worry me. Just the week before, I had attended an amazing conference run by these same folks, the Beginnings and Blueprints Early Childhood Education Conference in Baltimore. I knew that the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children and its parent organization, the National Federation of the Blind, had a lot of great information. I had heard from and even gotten to talk with some blind adults, and what they said made a lot of sense. They were open, kind, and welcoming--I was confident that this convention in Louisville would be more of the same.
What was even better was that I had been to Louisville once before. I had enjoyed the city very much, and I looked forward to returning. In July 2000, I attended a week-long Presbyterian Women's Convention in Louisville just a few days after I found out that, after two long years of waiting, I was pregnant. It seemed almost meant to be that I would attend another convention, this time with that baby, Anna Catherine. This time I would learn how to be the parent she needed me to be.
It was all falling into place. None of my legal clients had pressing matters, my husband was supportive, and I had printed out the route from our home to Louisville from MapQuest. There was no reason to stay home--but that's exactly what we did.
Why? Why was I afraid to step in? I'm still not sure. Fortunately, Barbara Cheadle and other remarkable, caring, and patient members of the National Federation of the Blind allowed me the time and space I needed to make certain that this step was the one I needed to take. Thanks to their patience and support, I attended the convention in Dallas in 2006. Anna Catherine and I have not missed one since then! Each of you here has taken that first step in, and--no matter your path to this point--I heartily welcome you on this journey.
Now that we are here, we can step up. We can ensure that our children are prepared to step up to the challenges and rewards this world has to offer. We need to keep moving forward on our journey of a thousand miles, and stepping up is needed to conquer the obstacles that will inevitably litter our path.
This morning, we have heard from leaders in the National Federation of the Blind. You have heard that your child does not need to be defined by his or her level of vision. Early on I, too, heard the core NFB philosophy, "The real problem of blindness is not the lack of eyesight. The real problem is the misunderstanding and lack of information that exist. If a blind person has proper training and opportunity, blindness is only a physical nuisance." I heard the message, but I didn't believe it. I thought, isn't it obvious that Anna Catherine's remaining vision is her best asset?
With my fellow NOPBC travelers on this thousand-mile journey, I learned a lot more about what I thought I knew. I already knew that unemployment for adults who are legally blind is very high--70 to 80 percent. I learned that, of the 20 to 30 percent who are employed, 90 percent use Braille. I knew that my child relied predominantly on her vision to get around. I learned that she travels far more efficiently, independently, and confidently when she uses her long white cane. I knew that technology provides more and more avenues for auditory access to information. I learned that there is no substitute for literacy--an independent system of reading and writing--and that Braille is the only efficient literacy option for my child. With the help of fellow Federationists, I discovered that I must step away from reliance on Anna Catherine's remaining vision--my reliance on that remaining vision hindered my child's development.
Join with me as we step up to embrace the nonvisual skills and techniques we will learn about today and all week long. In doing so, we arm ourselves with the knowledge necessary to equip our children with the tools of success. With proper training and opportunity, blindness can be reduced to the level of a physical nuisance. As a teacher of students with blindness/visual impairment, I tell you that this is true. As a licensed attorney, I verify to you that this is true. As a parent, I promise that this is true.
For me, stepping in was hard, and it took many months. Once I did step in, I found stepping up to be a bit easier, though more time-consuming. I pared down my growing legal practice and enrolled in classes to become a teacher of blind students. In August 2009, I embarked on my teaching career. As president of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children, a proud division of the National Federation of the Blind, I also have the pleasure of joining other parents at different points on their thousand-mile journeys. It is indeed a blessing to be able to share even a fraction of the wealth of knowledge that I have received over the years.
After stepping in and stepping up, I have discovered that the most difficult part of the equation can be to step back. Like any parent, I want the best for my daughter. It is really easy to fall into the trap of doing too much, even when I know she won't do something well--especially when I know it. These are the golden opportunities of learning. She certainly needs proper training and opportunity, but she also needs the chance to put them into action. If I hover too much, if I step up every time, I end up standing in the way of her growth. Stepping back allows the child a chance to test out those tools and exercise those new skills. Stepping back allows the child to experience success--a feeling that is never available if failure is never an option. As pointed out by author Nelson Boswell, "The first and most important step toward success is the feeling that we can succeed." Stepping back and allowing our children to test their newfound skills allows them to step into their futures.
Stepping back also can be important for adults in your child's life--you, family members, educators, and members of your community. I am certain that, if Barbara Cheadle had not been willing to step back and let me proceed at my own pace, my involvement with the Federation and the NOPBC would likely have ended in 2005. I was close, but I wasn't there yet. There may be folks like this in your life and in the life of your child. That's okay. Instead of stepping on their toes, try stepping back, but keep stepping up for your child. So long as your child is on the path to success, roadblocks will not deter the progress--success is just too much fun!
It's hard to step back. It's really hard! But along with stepping in and stepping up, stepping back is a vital component in our thousand-mile journey. The journey can be arduous, and the path is not always clear, but with the support of parents of blind children and successful blind adults, the journey is not only easier and less fraught with danger--it's also a lot more fun! No matter where you are on this journey, we are with you, and we always will be. Throughout the journey and with every step you take, whether it be in, up, or back, please remember and know for their truth the words of the poet Ralph Waldo Emerson, "What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us."
by Denise Mackenstadt
From the Editor: Denise Mackenstadt is an NOMC certified orientation and mobility instructor in the state of Washington. She has been a member of the National Federation of the Blind since 1970 and attended her first national convention in 1974. This article is based on a presentation she gave at the NOPBC conference during the 2014 NFB national convention.
I wanted to be a teacher and a mobility instructor since I was sixteen years old. Mobility interns from Cal State Los Angeles used to come and work with the blind students at my high school. My goal was to attend Cal State Los Angeles to become a student in the orientation and mobility program.
As was typical of the time, blind students did not see a cane until they were sixteen or seventeen years old. The idea that a younger child could receive mobility instruction was unheard of. The traditionalists thought that younger children were too immature to understand the proper use of a cane.
Life interrupted my plans, and I spent the next many years as a wife, mother, and community volunteer. I was active with our state's parents' division, a chapter of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC). Through the NOPBC and the National Federation of the Blind, the first child-appropriate canes were made available. Parents began to demand that their young children be given the opportunity to travel independently with a long white cane. This was considered a radical and unreasonable notion by traditionalists in the O&M field. Our own NFB members, parents, and enlightened agencies for the blind taught children without professional blessing. Federationists knew that early training was essential. They believed it was crucial to instill blind children with the confidence and skills to travel independently. Each year, more and more blind children came to convention with their canes.
In the early 1980s, Dr. Fred Schroeder went to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to direct programs for blind students in the Albuquerque Public Schools. He showed that the NFB philosophy of teaching mobility to young blind students in the public school setting had practical applications. He showed that blind children can travel independently and can participate fully with their peers of the same age. He was using the teaching methods of Structured Discovery Cane Travel (SDCT) before these techniques had a name.
With traditional O&M instruction, students memorize specific routes by rote learning. They do not learn how to find a location where they have never been before, and they may gain little understanding of the layout of a city or town. In Structured Discovery, on the other hand, students learn by asking questions and exploring their environment. Instructors encourage them to recognize and use nonvisual clues such as sounds, smells, echoes, and the texture of the pavement. The skills acquired through Structured Discovery can be put to good use in any environment or situation. These techniques grew out of the NFB philosophy, and they serve as its driving purpose.
As blind children began to enter the public schools in increasing numbers, the university programs training mobility teachers recognized that they had to make changes. In order to remain viable, the O&M field needed to train instructors to teach blind children. However, university training did not consider how children develop and learn. In regular education, the idea of student-led discovery learning was basic for all students. Only in the teaching of independent travel was there no recognition that this was a desirable teaching method.
When federal and state statutes in special education were enacted, it was mandated that disabled students, including blind students, receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE), including a full menu of educational options. Part of this programming for blind students was mobility training. However, this need was not seen as primary. The belief that blind children could become competent travelers at the same level as their sighted peers was not promoted. Federationists and parents of blind children continued to work toward a better understanding of the importance of child-centered mobility instruction. In adult services for blind persons, expectations remained low and focused on the amount of vision the student possessed.
When the NFB training centers in Louisiana, Minnesota, and Colorado were founded in the late 1980s, their instructors quickly realized that working with blind children was part of their mission. They developed summer programs to expose blind children to the NFB philosophy and a belief in their competence as blind people. As a positive result of these programs, parents witnessed how their children benefited from discovery learning in the area of mobility. Parents began to demand that public school systems make orientation and mobility a part of their blind child's education. O&M traditionalists still resisted the use of longer canes and discovery learning.
Louisiana Tech University developed the first program for O&M instructors based on the use of Structured Discovery techniques. However, few graduates of the Louisiana Tech program went into work with blind children.
Work with children using our NFB philosophy and SDCT techniques is still in its infancy. Those of us who work with young public school students have seen the benefits of using SDCT with blind children. Children become more confident about who they are. They learn basic concepts at an early age, when concept development is most critical. Travel skills can be honed as children progress through the stages of development.
Travel skills are a tremendous asset in a child's socialization. A blind child who moves about independently can interact with peers in ways that are developmentally appropriate. When teachers and other adults see these children travel independently in the school environment, they develop a belief in their inherent normality.
I received my professional training through a distance learning program at Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas. It was a traditional program. However, my real training in the area of teaching orientation and mobility came from my involvement in the NFB. I learned from Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, Dr. Marc Maurer, Dr. Fred Schroeder, Dr. Eddie Bell, Joe Cutter, and all of the blind adults who are my brothers and sisters in the movement. My love of teaching children has been life-long. I am most satisfied when I bring to blind children the belief in their inherent competence. Each step they take toward confidence in their own independent movement is a joyful achievement.
Children have an innate curiosity about the world around them. They are most excited when they learn through exploration. Experiential learning is the best teaching method for all children, sighted or blind. Teachers must take advantage of every teachable moment that presents itself.
Blind children have the same curiosity and the same need to explore that sighted children possess. When given the opportunity, they meet the same developmental benchmarks in movement as their sighted peers. The only difference lies in the ways blind children become aware of and familiar with their world. At times the world needs to be brought to them, or we need to bring them to the outer world.
As mobility instructors, we give blind children the essential skills to be a part of this magnificent world around us. With training in nonvisual techniques, blind children can interact with their world without fear.
Structured Discovery Cane Travel provides a rich environment in which children can blossom and be in control of their own movement. With the confidence and opportunity to move independently, blind children can enjoy the most important aspect of childhood, the pleasure of developing friendships. They can participate with their peers in the things all kids like to do--running, playing, swinging, and climbing. They can move confidently in a friend's yard and home. Without good mobility skills, blind children are left behind, missing out on the fun and the learning that goes along with it.
As mobility instructors, how can we promote the important activities children participate in? The first step is to observe what peers of the same age are doing. With this knowledge we can picture what the blind child should be achieving and help him or her move toward those goals.
Most learning happens outside the classroom. Classroom education prepares students by giving them tools to use in the world around them. As mobility teachers we have the privilege of helping our students gain the skills to benefit from this learning. My early lessons extend what the student is learning in class, using experiential activities. For example, I might plan a lesson where a student goes to the bakery to buy a cookie. He needs to learn what kinds of cookies are in the display case by asking the clerk. He must learn how to ask questions that will give him the information he needs. Then he needs to use a math concept to determine whether he has the right amount of money and to be sure he gets back the right amount of change. He learns how to fold and store money and how to identify coins. This is a classroom-based lesson as well as a typical activity for sighted students.
Our goal as O&M specialists with school age students is to provide opportunities for problem solving, critical thinking, and exploration. The main difference between working with adults and working with children is that children lack the life experience of adults. These skills are learned at developmentally appropriate levels. We may use the same teaching strategies each year; however, these strategies evolve with the maturity of the student. The basic skills our school age students need are the same as those we teach to adults. Only the approach is different, depending on the age of the student and the experiences she has had as she matures.
When I entered the O&M field, I expected to work with typically developing blind students. I looked forward to teaching the typical skills such as school mobility, street crossing, and neighborhood navigation, skills that would lead to a typical adult life. I discovered, however, that at least two-thirds of my students in the public schools have disabilities in addition to blindness. These disabilities can be across the spectrum of severity. Some of these students may succeed in academic areas but struggle with basic mobility concepts.
Over the years I have found that my real passion is working with blind students who face additional challenges which, frankly, we are not trained to deal with. These students redefine what independence is for a blind person. They have taught me that I need to throw away my preconceived notions about what can be achieved by blind students. In many ways these students teach me more than I teach them. This population is the least served with mobility instruction of any other student population.
For a conference on working with blind students with additional disabilities, I was asked to provide evidence based and data driven information to a group of professional educators in blindness. I found this challenging, since very little research reaches across the spectrum of the needs these students present. Some work has been done in the areas of autism and cortical visual impairment, but not in the specific area of orientation and mobility. The conventional wisdom claims that children in this population would not benefit from intensive blindness skill training because blindness is not their overriding disability. I found that teachers of the blind generally did not refer these students for O&M training. When an O&M specialist did assessments on these students, they did not recommend service. The reality is that most travel instructors are not trained for or comfortable with working with the multiply disabled blind student. Unfortunately, this holds true of many of our own SDCT instructors.
The first concept travel instructors must understand is that the expectations and belief systems we use in working with typically developing blind students are relevant to visually impaired students with additional disabilities. The difference is that a five-year-old student with cognitive disabilities may be learning at a two-year-old level. For some students, independence means the ability to move without an adult pushing, pulling, or prodding him. It may mean allowing the student to determine when and where he moves. Every blind person has the right to move without fear and with confidence.
SDCT allows the instructor to work with a student in the learning style that serves her best. It empowers the student, even when the student has additional significant disabilities. Most of the time these students are in situations that have been determined by adults. The notion of self-efficacy is not part of the mindset of many mobility instructors. Mobility specialists are trained in an adult system and not from a child's perspective. Their training demands a rigid sequence of instruction. Skills need to be honed to a certain standard. These standards have changed very little since the Veterans Administration days of early training of adults. In addition, there is a presumption that route training is the only way to go. However, blind students with additional disabilities have difficulty remembering and implementing complex sets of directions. SDCT allows the student to determine what clues best suit him/her on the self-defined route to a destination.
I hope I have given you food for thought about working with school age students and those with significant additional disabilities. Over the past forty-four years, it has been the most gratifying aspect of my work with blind persons. It is a privilege to speak about my work to like-minded colleagues. Thank you.
by Natalie Shaheen
From the Editor: Natalie Shaheen is the director of education at the NFB Jernigan Institute, where she has developed a rich variety of programs to provide blind students with hands-on experience in the STEM fields. She has also worked extensively with children on the autism spectrum and with blind children who have additional disabilities. This article is based on a workshop she conducted at the NOPBC conference.
Teachers of the visually impaired are taught to work with students whose primary disability is blindness or low vision. However, when they start teaching, they quickly discover that a large number of their students (perhaps as many as half or two-thirds) have disabilities in addition to visual impairment. These other disabilities may have such an impact on the child's life that the visual impairment receives little attention from the professionals. TVIs often feel overwhelmed by these children, believing they cannot benefit from the skills of blindness.
I want to emphasize here that every child, no matter how severe his or her disabilities may be, can learn. As teachers and parents, we must never allow ourselves to slide into a mindset of hopelessness. We must never give up. We need to find ways we can connect with these kids. They're not "those kids" out there somewhere; they're "our kids." My motto is, "If they do not learn the way you teach, teach the way they learn."
In the education system, blind kids with additional disabilities tend to fall through the cracks. I often hear special educators say, "I don't know anything about blindness. Many of the cues and extra supports I provide to students with [x disability] are visual. They won't work for a child who can't see." At the same time, TVIs say, "I don't know anything about [x disability]. Will the methods I use to teach Braille work for this child?"
Collaboration is key. Special educators and teachers of the visually impaired need to communicate to develop the most effective program for each child.
Before we conclude that a child can't learn a particular skill, we need to ask ourselves some crucial questions. If this child were sighted, would we teach him some form of literacy? Literacy comes in many forms in addition to traditional print literacy, including symbol literacy and photo literacy.
If this child were blind without additional disabilities, would she receive Braille and cane travel instruction? This is another important question to ponder. What other services would be provided if blindness were her only or her primary disability?
Finally, what would a typically developing child of this age be learning? The child in question may not be ready to learn those things, but keeping them in mind helps us maintain high expectations.
Here is some practical advice for teachers of blind and visually impaired students.
Braille can be taught in many creative ways. Using an experience box, the child has the chance to explore objects tactually that are related to a story being read aloud. Each object can be labeled in Braille. The Braille cell token board is also helpful. The board has six holes in the form of a Braille cell (a muffin tin works beautifully!) Each time the child earns a reward in the course of the day, he places a ball in one of the cells, forming letters or symbols.
Children can also scribble using a Braille writer or electronic notetaker. It helps to have plenty of Braille in the environment--Braille books; Braille labels on furniture, cubbies, toys, and videos; Braille games. Braille can be incorporated into mealtimes, music classes, and other activities.
The communication methods used to help sighted children with disabilities can be adapted for use by children who are blind. The picture exchange communication system (PECS) can use tactile symbols. Signed communication can be taught through touch. When encouraging speech, be sure to model the speech you want the child to use.
All behavior--even behavior we consider problematic--is a form of communication. When following a behavior plan, make sure to use positive behavior supports. Set up situations where the child can succeed. If a child has a meltdown or shows some other undesirable behavior, look at the circumstances that led up to it and the way the situation was handled. Did the adults' responses actually reinforce the negative behavior? Document the child's behaviors throughout the day.
You can develop nonverbal cues to redirect the child and help her control behaviors you are trying to phase out. Sometimes a light tap on the shoulder is all the reminder she needs.
Clear and consistent schedules also help children with behavior issues. Knowing what is going to happen and when it will take place helps kids deal with anxiety and stay on task. For a blind child, schedules can use Braille and tactile symbols. For instance, a toy car may indicate a ride to go on a field trip.
You can learn more about my philosophy around teaching blind kids with additional disabilities in my article, "Without Exception: Teaching the Skills of Blindness to Children with Additional Disabilities," published in Future Reflections, Volume 29, Number 2, Spring 2010 (<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/ fr/fr29/2/fr290203.htm>).
by Jon Gabry
Introduction by Carlton Walker: Jon Gabry is deaf-blind. He will be reading his speech in Braille and signing in American Sign Language. His words will be spoken by an interpreter, and he will talk about the importance of gaining life experience as you transition from school to career.
Hello. My name is Jon Gabry. I grew up deaf and blind. I can now see things that are a little bit close up. My parents really encouraged me. I went to school, and it was an hour bus ride to and from. I went to the School for the Deaf in New Jersey. My parents knew how to make a plan for my life. They gave me experiences to learn and prepare for my future. They knew I needed to start building a résumé so that I could show people what I was interested in and what I wanted to participate in. All these experiences helped me make good decisions for the future.
In ninth grade I started learning in the transition area. This was a good time to experience many new things. First I was involved in playing sports. I loved it! I played golf with the Mid-Atlantic Blind Golfers Association. I was also in a rock climbing club. I am the only deaf-blind belayer in New Jersey. [Applause] I also belonged to the Junior NAD, National Association of the Deaf. This is a service club. I also learned to play the drums.
In 2005 I was a volunteer in the special education summer school in my town. Every day I made photocopies and checked math papers. I helped kids learn swimming.
In the summer of 2006 I volunteered to be a custodian in a school in my town. I volunteered there for about two weeks. Later that summer they decided they would give me a job. [Applause] I learned a lot there through the experience and the hard work. I walked to work every day. The people I met were great, and I felt good. But I knew I didn't always want to be a custodian. I liked high school. I liked music and art. I knew I wanted to do college. I wanted to do something with math and art when I got there.
When I was a junior in high school, I visited different colleges. I was nervous! I also visited the Helen Keller National Center in Sands Point, New York. It is a vocational training center for people who are deaf-blind. I attended there for two years. My goal was to go to college and to be independent. I enrolled at Nassau Community College, and I learned to use Paratransit. [Paratransit is a service that provides door-to-door transportation for people with disabilities.] I learned to obtain and use interpreting services and other services for disabled students. I learned to get technology and to travel the campus independently.
I worked at the credit union, and this was a great experience. I also liked working at Barnes & Noble. That was okay. I worked at Stop and Shop, and I really didn't like that! All these experiences helped me learn more about myself and make better decisions. They also helped me develop my résumé.
At the Helen Keller National Center I learned deaf-blind technology, orientation and mobility, communication skills, and independent living skills. I had my own apartment. I cooked, I cleaned, I shopped, and I did my own laundry. I was very responsible for myself. (I did order out a lot.) [Laughter] I met many other people who were deaf-blind. I enjoyed my independence.
When I graduated from Helen Keller National Center in 2010, I went home to New Jersey. I wasn't happy about moving back home with my parents. My parents fixed up the third floor of their house, and it's a small apartment for me. I decided to go to Bergen Community College in New Jersey. My transition from high school was at last completed.
As a student at Bergen Community College, I travel by Paratransit. I navigate the campus independently. I use interpreters and note-takers in my classes. I am studying math and art. My future goal is to become an architect. I want to design buildings for people who have disabilities. I also work in the fine arts. I prefer oil painting. My work has been exhibited in many galleries in New Jersey as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. [Applause]
I am also a technology trainer for deaf-blind people. I work at the I-Can-Connect New Jersey program. This program provides telecommunications devices for deaf-blind people so they can stay connected to others and not feel so isolated in their lives.
I still play golf, and I still go rock climbing. Sometimes I still play the drums, and I exercise lots.
It's important to have a good plan when you prepare for a big transition. Encourage your child to have many experiences. Sometimes they'll be good experiences, and sometimes they'll be bad, but that's life. Everything should not be easy. Do sports, be involved in school, volunteer in the community. Start your résumé. Make an Excel spreadsheet and list all your activities. It is important to learn from every experience. Learn about yourself, what you like to do, and what your skills are. This will help you make good decisions as you go through the many transitions in your life. Thank you for listening.
by Evelyn Valdez
From the Editor: In her presentation at the 2014 NOPBC conference, Evelyn Valdez recounts how blindness didn't stop her from fulfilling her dream.
I want to thank Carol Castellano for inviting me to speak today. I really appreciate my New Jersey family that has always believed in me!
My story is a bit different from some, so I want to give you some background on how I came into the blindness game. I did not grow up as a blind child. When I became blind at seventeen, and I'd hear other blind students talk about the camps they went to where they had lots of friends, I couldn't relate. I had never gone to those camps, and I felt left out. But I brought into play some other experiences.
I think my parents were a bit shocked when I started to go blind. They didn't know how to react. I know I had a little pity party for myself. I felt really bad! I was seventeen. I ran track, I played softball, and I was a heavy-duty ROTC girl--the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps. I was going to be a Marine. I had chopped my hair really short, and I was super BAD! Nobody could touch me. I worked out every day. My brother was my hero. He is a US Marine and two-tour Iraqi veteran.
I'll never forget the day I sat down with my Marine recruiter to take the test. All of a sudden I couldn't see the test any more. I didn't know what to do! I lied to the staff sergeant. I said, "I can't take the test today; my head is hurting really bad!"
He said, "But Evelyn, if you don't take the test now, it will push back your time for going in."
I kept insisting that I couldn't take the test because I had a terrible headache. I walked out of there defeated. I said to myself, "This is the only dream I have!"
Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I was going to be in the military. Period. I had no Plan B. So now I kept asking myself, "What do I do?"
I started to think about how I could do something in my life that was military related, but I wasn't mentally ready. I had to come to grips with the reality that I was now a blind person. I didn't know anything about blindness. The only blind person I knew was me.
When I met the National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey, I met people who believed in me before I believed in myself. With the encouragement of mentors in New Jersey--Ever Lee Hairston, Joe Ruffalo, Carol Castellano, Jerilyn Higgins--I began to realize that blindness was not a big deal. All these blind people I met were just doing their thing. Everybody was working and walking around with canes and cooking (no one cooks better than Jerilyn!) and I thought, "How are they doing it?" With their encouragement, I learned blindness skills and started going to college. I held onto my dream of doing something related to the military.
I knew that I could no longer join the Marine Corps, but I knew in my heart that some kind of military work would surface. I just didn't know how I would make it a reality.
In college I majored in education. I loved teaching kids and helping them problem solve. Problem solving had been instilled in me ever since I was a young child. During college I became more and more comfortable with myself. When I became really good at using the cane, my father said to me, "I want you to go into New York."
"Okay," I said.
He said, "Just get there. If you're not sure what street you're on, give me a call and I'll let you know where to go."
My dad came from Peru, and he lived in New York for many, many years. He really knew Manhattan! I called him a couple of times for help. It felt so good when I didn't have to call him anymore to ask him where to go! I had begun problem solving by myself. I didn't know the terms that are used by orientation and mobility (O&M) instructors, terms like mental mapping and structured discovery, but I was using those techniques.
Fast forward to 2012, when I made the decision to go to the Louisiana Center for the Blind for further training in blindness skills. It was the best decision I ever made! I had gotten four months of training in New Jersey. I knew it was adequate, but I wanted more. We have high expectations in New Jersey! I knew I could travel and meet challenges, but I wanted more than I had had so far. The only way my life would really change was for me to get training in Louisiana.
Twice the state of New Jersey denied my request to go for further training, but I advocated for myself. I fought to the very end and got to go to Louisiana. That's where my life changed completely.
Sometimes people are very content in life. They think, "This is okay." But maybe it's not okay. Sometimes people think, "I don't want to leave here, because I'm comfortable where I am." We have to set the bar higher for ourselves and understand that there is so much more.
My personal agenda hadn't changed. I still wanted to do something military. I had been applying for positions with the federal government to do emergency preparedness. I wanted to get out of the field of education, and that was the avenue I chose. I wanted to get a job with FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Administration) working with people with disabilities in the relocation process in the event of natural disasters or if we're ever threatened. I knew somehow that the universe would conspire to help me fulfill my dream.
Before I left for Louisiana, I made a promise to myself. I told myself that before I completed the program, which runs for nine months, I would have a job with the federal government doing emergency preparedness. Two months before I graduated from the program, the deputy assistant secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs came to visit our center. He wanted soldiers who had lost their sight fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan to go for training at an elite training center. Of course he went to the Louisiana Center for the Blind!
When he came to the Center, I made sure he met me first. I actually waited outside for him. I introduced myself and shook his hand. The first thing he said to me was, "You are not from down south! You must be a Yankee! Where are you from?"
I said, "New Jersey."
That was it. He said, "I have an office in Eatontown."
As we walked inside, I said to myself, "He is the man who is going to get me where I want to go."
Later that morning he asked me, "How far are you in your training?"
I said, "I have two months left, sir."
He said, "What are you going to do when you finish?"
I said, "My vocational goal is to do emergency preparedness for FEMA or another federal agency."
"Well," he said, "I'm going to hook you up. Why don't you come and do emergency preparedness with the Department of Veterans Affairs?" Just like that! He said, "Send me your résumé." Five months later, I was in Washington, DC.
Did my dream become a reality? It did! I had been applying for jobs with the federal government since 2009. I never gave up. I kept applying and applying. I went on an interview, but I didn't get the job. I wasn't sad about it. When you go on a job interview, you're practicing. When I didn't get the job I thought, "It's not for me right now, but the opportunity is going to come." And the opportunity did come at last.
I want kids to understand that when people say, "That's okay, we'll do it for you," or, "That might be too hard for you; maybe you should think about something else," say no! If you want to be a teacher or a doctor or a lawyer, go for it! Don't let anything stop you. Yes, sometimes people will knock you down. To this day there is discrimination. We encounter it all the time. But you have to believe in yourself.
It's important for parents to let their children make mistakes. After I became blind, my parents would watch me when I walked down our street. If I walked past the house, they let me figure out that I had gone too far.
I lost my dad in September. I left to start my job in Washington a month after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I said, "Are you sure you're going to be okay?"
He said, "You go to Washington. Don't worry about me. This is what you wanted to do."
I said, "I always wanted to be a Marine, and now I have the chance to serve veterans."
My dad was a veteran who served in the US Army. He said to me, "You're going to do this work. Don't worry about me."
I felt a little guilty when I left, but I left with the reassurance that my dad was very happy that my dream had finally become a reality. Before I lost him in September, I went up to New Jersey to the veterans' hospital where he was. I told him, "I'm doing it, and I know you're proud of the woman I have become. I couldn't have done it without you!"
Kids, understand that your parents are proud of you. They're proud of you no matter what mistakes you make. They might not tell you, but they do worry. My parents didn't know any parents of blind children, but they did the very best that they could. I signed them up for Future Reflections, and my mom gets the magazine to this day. When they saw my name a couple of times in the magazine, I know my parents' eyes lit up. I knew they were proud when they saw pictures of me training in Louisiana. I knew they had learned the philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind through me.
I met the organization through my New Jersey family. I can't be more thankful! When we walk, we never walk alone. Wherever I travel, I never walk by myself. All the members of the National Federation of the Blind are there with me. We are one collective unit that advocates for blind people. We are the voice of the nation's blind.
by Hank Miller
Introduction by Carol Castellano: The first speaker on our kids' panel is heading into eighth grade in the fall. He is from New Jersey. You might have heard his name once or twice around this convention. Here is Hank Miller. And I'd like to add that Hank is reading his speech in Braille! [Applause]
Hi. My name is Hank Miller. I'm going into eighth grade. I'm thirteen years old, and I've been blind my entire life.
Six years ago my parents started fighting the school to get me Braille instruction. In 2011 they took the school to court, with help from the NFB. They won a year later. The school knows now not to mess with my mom! [Laughter]
Now I'm being taught Braille by my wonderful Braille instructor, who has been teaching me for two years. I have Braille class with her for an hour and a half every day. Spending so much time with my Braille teacher is why I can read this speech to you today.
So many people and organizations have helped prepare me for my future. The NFB helped me get Braille instruction, and I have learned so much! This is my fifth year coming to convention, and I love every bit of it! Convention is great because I get to see old friends again, and I get to make new ones, too. Next week I'll be going to the Buddy Program at the Louisiana Center for the Blind for the third time. The LCB definitely gave me a major boost. Also it's really fun. We learn to become independent travelers and to take care of things around the house, like cooking and cleaning. We also work on our Braille skills.
Now that you know about me and my past, let's get into the future. After high school I hope to get into a very good college. I already have a few in mind, like Rutgers or Monmouth University. After college I hope to become a scientist. Science has always been my favorite subject in school, and I think it would be lots of fun to learn more about it. I'd like to do research to see if I can cure any diseases. If that doesn't work out, I think it would be really cool to become a computer programmer. I'd like to develop programs that can help a variety of people. I enjoy computer class in school, and I'm pretty good at it.
I know I can go to any college I want and have any career I want because I'm getting good training now. I have met awesome role models on my journey. If you are new to the NFB, just remember that the NFB is awesome, and it has your back. Stick around, and your child could become as awesome as I am. [Laughter and applause]
by Alyssa Mendez
Introduction by Carol Castellano: Alyssa Mendez is going into seventh grade, and she lives in Georgia. She's going to tell us about attending the Buddy Camp at the Louisiana Center for the Blind.
When my mom told me I was going to Buddy Camp, I didn't want to go. She told me it would be a step toward independence, but I thought it would be boring. I wanted to spend the summer with my friends. My mom said that Buddy Camp would be a valuable experience. She said I would learn new things. That meant it was going to be like school, and I just wanted to have fun.
I didn't want to go to Buddy Camp, so I started coming up with ways to get out of it. First I got angry, but that didn't work. It just got me in trouble.
We did a lot of things to get me ready to go. We went shopping for clothes, and my mom bought me a whole bunch of candy to take with me. Those things were fun, but I still didn't want to go.
The day was getting closer, and I was getting more afraid to leave. Miss Anderson, my TVI, told me about when she was in the training center [at the Louisiana Center for the Blind] and how much fun she had, even though it was scary.
The morning I had to leave, I tried sleeping late, hoping my ride would leave without me. My mom made me get up. I also started begging, but that didn't help. I thought about pretending to be sick, but I knew that wouldn't work either. So I got ready very slowly. We made it out the door on time, though. It was settled. I was going to have to go to camp.
I was mad the whole car ride, and I was mad when we got there. But I was excited to be away from my mom, because I was really, really mad at her! [Laughter] The car ride was long. I was still scared of being away from home for almost three weeks.
When I got to Buddy Camp, the first person I met was Mr. G. [Eric Guillory, director of youth programs]. He was really nice. He helped us with our bags and took us to our apartment. I was going to have a whole apartment to live in with my friends! That made things a little better. There was no TV, and I found out I could only use my phone on Wednesday and Sunday. It was going to be a long twenty days!
Miss Brittany was one of my counselors. She showed us to our rooms and helped us get unpacked. She was so helpful! The first couple of days were kind of boring. Then we started to do more fun stuff. We went skating and swimming. We had to wear sleepshades. They were itchy and made me really hot. Mr. G. said wearing sleepshades would help me learn to use all of my other senses in travel, and that it would make me more independent. It was still kind of scary.
Every day I learned new things. Some of them were things I didn't even know I needed to learn how to do. In home ec Miss Brittany taught me how to cook and clean and wash clothes. When I told my mom, she was really excited about that. She told me I should start applying for jobs and looking for a place to rent when I got home. [Laughter] But she was just joking. I think. She's probably going to make me start doing my own laundry, though.
In technology class, Miss Chelsea taught me to edit and to type more quickly. In Braille class Mr. Kevin made me read a lot and use my slate and stylus. My reading speed got really fast. It was 85 words per minute on the last day. I was really happy, because it was only 65 words per minute when I started.
In travel class, Mr. Clay taught me to navigate. I memorized the streets. Mr. Clay taught me to use all the information I got from my other senses to cross an intersection safely. Most of the time it was easy, and I only almost got hit by a truck once. [Laughter] Mr. G. told my mom I was really confident and a good student. Mr. Clay even gave me a bamboo cane. It's really cool.
Sometimes it was scary, and sometimes it was hard, but I am glad I took that step of going to Buddy Camp. I can't wait to go back next year!
by Lucien Gandarias
Introduction by Carol Castellano: Our last panelist is Lucien Gandarias, fondly known as Luke once you get to know him. Luke is going to be entering the sixth grade in Washington State.
Hello, my name is Lucien Gandarias. I'm from Washington State, so you could say I'm a Washingtonian. I live on Whidbey Island in Washington.
First off, I went blind because of a disease called hydrocephalus. I have a shunt in my head to maintain the right cranial pressure. I have to wear a helmet when I play sports to protect my shunt. I also have a loss of hearing in my right ear that was caused by the hydrocephalus.
These things explain why I have to adapt when I participate in my favorite activities. But really it doesn't matter that much. I can participate in pretty much every activity that I am interested in.
I am a huge fan of soccer, and I play as a defender at a recreational level. I have been playing for six years, even before I went blind. I track the ball by looking for a white spot on the grass and noticing the movements of my teammates. What I really like about soccer, besides making great kicks, is that I can help defend my team and score goals.
Last year our team was the first in the league. I had a great coach and teammates who supported me just as they would any other teammate. This year our main goalie yells out directions to me if I'm in the wrong spot. "Luke, guard that man to the right!" I am very appreciative of this information, because it helps me keep in control of my zone and stop incoming movement from opponents.
Recently I tried out for the select team, but I failed to gain a place due to some liability issues and some performance issues on my part. This won't stop me! As soon as the news was delivered, I vowed to practice in the areas where I had failed.
I am also on the local swim team, the South Whidbey Stingrays. My best strokes are freestyle and backstroke. I love swimming because I feel free and refreshed in the water. When I compete, I'm really only competing against my own times, so I can always be successful and have fun. My coach, Christine, is great about taking me out of the water and moving my arms and legs to show me what I need to do to improve my stroke. This is good, because sometimes the acoustics in the pool make it difficult for me to hear or understand her directions.
Now let me move on to a different topic. I'm a huge fan of math and science. I love studying physics! I became interested in the math and science field of learning because in science you're always asking questions. Some of the sciences that interest me aren't taught at my grade level. That's why technology is great. I can go to iTunes U and download course lectures that fit my interests. I may not understand the lectures perfectly, but I find them interesting. Science challenges me and lets me understand different parts of the world.
Recently I learned a ton about ecology and neurology. I was lucky to have a teacher who is passionate about both brain science and natural sciences. I keep going back to some of the facts that I learned, such as that it's impossible for a human being to multitask with two or more hard tasks. That's because your brain needs to focus on one thing at a time to do it well.
With math it is much the same, except the fun comes in solving the problems. I love to have a problem to puzzle over all day and all night, though it usually doesn't take that long. I love unlocking the metaphorical doors that keep the answers hidden from me. I am good at mental math as well as longer problem solving.
Music is also a kind of code for me. I have not learned Braille music yet, because there is nobody to teach me. My lack of knowledge of Braille music hasn't stopped me from playing. I have music lessons with a great teacher named James. James and I have figured out how to do music together. He tells me the notes to play and counts the beats on his fingers. I memorize the song and record my lessons on voice memos so I can review them as many times as I wish.
When I am mad at someone (my mom), I take it out with my music. The music clears my mind, and it makes me happy. Whenever I'm near a piano, my fingers are drawn to the keys, and I have to play. In fact, I'm looking for a piano in this very hotel. If anybody spots one, or feels one, please let me know. I have some practicing to do!
I know what you are thinking--do I have any time to sleep? The fact is, I love to sleep! Sleep prepares me for the next day's adventures. I'm a busy kid, and I like it that way. The experiences I have are all pushing me toward my main goals. These goals are still far ahead, and I have much life to live. Life is like a game of chess. If you make the wrong move, you put yourself in jeopardy, and you need to rethink the plan. Plans can be changed, but the dreams that I have are in the middle of the chess game. They're the ones that will return in my future.
I am very curious. Life has given me many things to capture my interest. Hopefully I will grow into a physicist or a pianist or a professional soccer player. This is all yet to be determined.
by Holly Miller
From the Editor: Holly Miller serves as president of the Parents of Blind Children of New Jersey. She is also a member of the board of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children.
As president of Parents of Blind Children of New Jersey, I talk to a lot of parents who are unsure of what their children need. They're especially unsure when it comes to school, but often they're uncertain about life in general. They worry that they've been "doing it wrong," and they think that maybe it's too late to turn things around.
But it's never too late. As parents, we all do the best we can. None of us was born knowing how to navigate the school system, what the appropriate tools are for our kids, what skills they should be learning and when. Almost all of us start with the belief that the experts know better than we do. Raising a blind child is supposed to be hard! How many times have friends and strangers given us that pity face and said, "I don't know how you do it!" We just do it. They're our kids, and we love them, and we figure it out.
How many of us have sat in an IEP meeting being glared at by a battalion of "experts" who make us feel like we're trying to do something TO our children instead of FOR our children? It happens sometimes when we insist on Braille instruction, or ask for O&M instruction that goes a little further than just walking down the same old school corridors.
When you know better, you do better. Being involved with the NFB is the best way to start knowing better. Here at convention you have the opportunity to network with other parents. Some parents who come here are new to all this, and some are well along in knowing the territory. You'll also meet professionals who really have high expectations for our kids. Being involved in the NFB will go a long way toward making sure that your child has many opportunities when she or he grows up.
You can't predict the future, but one thing you can be sure of--your blind child will grow up to be a blind adult. You will meet lots and lots of blind adults at convention. Don't be shy while you're here! Don't be afraid to introduce yourself and strike up conversations. Sit with your state delegation during the general sessions. Get to know the folks from your home turf. Keep in touch with them when you go back home. Find out where your local chapter meets and attend those meetings. The people in your state affiliate are going to be there for your kids as they grow up.
While we're on the subject of general sessions, don't skip them! I know Orlando offers a lot of temptations, but this is really important stuff. Some of the topics may not seem relevant to you now, especially if your child is really little. But the information and perspective you get in the general sessions will give you a roadmap to your child's future.
I know what it's like to be told I have unreasonable expectations for my child. I know what it's like to be told that I have unreasonable expectations of the school. I've been told in not-too-subtle terms that I'm just a mom, and that my opinion doesn't count among professionals. I once had a special education director look me in the eye and tell me that she cared more about my son's welfare than I did!
Unfortunately, it took us a long-drawn-out court battle to get the school to teach my son Braille. We started asking in the summer before he started second grade, and he didn't get to start Braille until sixth grade. I worried that it was too late. I worried that there was too much going on in middle school for him to devote the time with a TVI necessary for him to learn Braille. Well, it wasn't too late! My son has risen to the challenge, and he has learned Braille better and faster than I ever imagined possible. I am so proud of him, because he had to put in a lot of hard work. [Applause] It's not that Braille is all that hard to learn, but it does take work. Anything worth learning takes hard work.
You all know your child better than anyone else does. You are qualified to make appropriate decisions about your child's education and life. Don't let anyone make you feel that you're not capable of knowing what your child needs! [Applause]
by Jennifer Duffell-Hoffman
From the Editor: Jennifer Duffell-Hoffman is president of the newly established South Carolina Parents of Blind Children (SCPBC). This article is an updated version of the presentation she gave at the NOPBC division meeting.
Carol Castellano asked me to talk about how I became involved with the NFB of South Carolina, about my relationship with the South Carolina state president, and about my hopes for the emerging South Carolina Parents of Blind Children. Before I became involved with the South Carolina affiliate of the NFB, I was a parent participant at the NFB Jernigan Institute. In April 2011, Michael, my now fifteen-year-old, and I attended the NFB Legislative Advocacy in Washington (LAW) program. In 2012 my now thirteen-year-old son, Matthew, and I attended the NFB STEM program at the Jernigan Institute. Following that experience, Matthew insisted we attend the national convention, and our family of five attended last summer.
Several times I had heard about Parnell Diggs, president of the NFB of South Carolina. Mr. Diggs and I spoke by phone for the first time early in 2013. One year ago, in July, I met Mr. Diggs here in Orlando during the general session of the national convention. I told him that I wanted to see a South Carolina Parents of Blind Children chapter and a Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) program in the state. I indicated that I was willing to work to establish both.
Since then I have received support from the NFB of South Carolina to attend training as the state coordinator of South Carolina's NFB BELL program and to attend the Parent Leadership Program at the Washington Seminar. The training for and objectives of these two programs support one another, and the work of each brings me into contact with blind children and their parents. I prioritized NFB BELL in South Carolina ahead of creating an active South Carolina parents' chapter. As state coordinator for NFB BELL, my name, phone number, and email address were provided to parents of blind children throughout the state. My contact information also became available on the NOPBC website.
I received many inquiries from parents and teachers of blind children. When they called to inquire about NFB BELL, I seized the opportunity to explain that I was starting a South Carolina Parents of Blind Children (SCPBC). I then asked for contact information so I could reach them later on.
The NFB of South Carolina has been very supportive of my efforts. Parnell Diggs is an attorney and a father. He is on the national board of the NFB, and he is running for political office in the state of South Carolina. All of the leaders within the NFB and NOPBC are very, very busy individuals! Nevertheless, they are generous with their time in responding to questions and providing advice. However, as state coordinator of the NFB BELL program and as president of SCPBC, I must be the one to do the actual work. It is my job to move beyond the training I have received. I must enlist the aid of other parents and of blind individuals in South Carolina to build the programs and the network we need.
During the second week in August, I attended my first state convention, which was held in Columbia. The convention started on the very day our NFB BELL program ended. Parnell requested that the co-coordinator and I prepare a lunchtime presentation about NFB BELL. He also emailed me and said, "If you concur, I believe we should hold an organizing meeting for parents of blind children at this year's state convention. We are definitely moving in a positive direction, and your work is the reason why. Thanks for what you're doing." I am thrilled to say that the South Carolina Parents of Blind Children was officially launched at our 2014 state convention.
by Daniel Goldstein
From the Editor: For nearly thirty years, Dan Goldstein has been fighting in the courtroom for the rights of blind people in the United States. He believes deeply in the worthiness of our cause, and our right to information has become one of his life's major commitments. In the following speech at the 2014 convention, he explains how he became passionate about the rights of the blind.
Imagine waking up every morning and getting to ask yourself what you can do today to make the world more like the world you would like to live in, and then spending the day with the tools and resources to make that happen. This is the gift that the National Federation of the Blind has given me for the past twenty-eight years, unexpectedly and blessedly.
Representing the NFB is a great and humbling responsibility, true; but far more, it is a joyful task, one that, second only to my family, has given meaning to my life. To a great extent, being one of the lawyers for the NFB is who I have become. This is what I do, and I can imagine no higher calling.
So how did I land this gig? In 1986 twenty-one Randolph-Sheppard vendors in Maryland, led by Don Morris, decided to stop paying their set-aside to protest the state's failure, after a decade, to rewrite its rules to comply with the 1974 amendments to the Randolph-Sheppard Act. Although it had long been illegal, Maryland was still collecting set-aside based on gross revenues and had not created a Committee of Blind Vendors. When twenty-one vendors decided to stop paying until Maryland started to comply with the law, Maryland retaliated by threatening to terminate their licenses.
The lawyer who was NFB's first choice to represent the Maryland vendors had a conflict of interest and recommended me. When Dr. Maurer called and asked me to meet with him and Dr. Jernigan, I had no inkling that I had reached a dramatic turn in my personal and professional life.
Let me take a minute to tell you what I knew before that meeting at the Center about disability and disability rights, about the blind and what it means to be blind. [Pause] Well, that didn't take very long! Apparently I was not the first smart, ignorant lawyer the NFB had encountered. I was required to spend a day or two reading speeches by Drs. tenBroek and Jernigan, as well as Dr. tenBroek's seminal article, "The Right to Live in the World." The idea was that I should learn something about the NFB if I was going to represent it.
What I read resonated with the core of who I am as a person. It was written in the language of civil rights and spoke of things that I fervently believe must be part of the world we make for ourselves to live in--equal opportunity, human dignity, being recognized for who you are. In short, the NFB philosophy reflected what I believe we must achieve in our society, written through the lens of blindness. Throughout my life to that point, I had thought a lot about our country's vices in excluding our neighbors on the basis of race and gender, but I had never thought about disability. I was hooked.
I took on the case for the Maryland vendors, gave it my best shot, and lost. Well, technically I lost. For a decade the state of Maryland had done nothing to bring its vendor operation into compliance with federal law. Two weeks after we filed suit, Maryland published the proposed regulations it had failed to propose for ten years. Less than four months after we filed suit, those regulations went into effect. The vendors were all reinstated and didn't have to repay the gross set-aside they had refused to pay. A year after we filed suit, when we had everything we wanted, we had our court hearing. The judge said we should have sought administrative remedies before coming to court--unfazed, apparently, that without the regulations, such remedies didn't exist. So we said, "Fine, Judge, thank you very much," and went home, knowing that we had used a lawsuit to change the way the state treated its blind vendors. I will take a loss like that every day of the week and twice on Sunday!
In the past twenty-eight years, my law firm has opened up nearly four hundred matters for the NFB or NFB members. You will be glad to know that I don't intend to tell you about all of them, but as I walked around convention with my wife yesterday and this morning, it seemed I couldn't go ten feet without seeing someone I had been privileged to represent. I stood up a little straighter as I told Laura, this is who this person is, and this is what that case was about.
We weren't always the ones doing the suing. Dr. Jernigan wrote an article about a vocational rehabilitation office in Pittsburgh that only bought assistive technology from one vendor--who happened to be the husband of one of the voc rehab counselors. In the article Dr. Jernigan referred to these activities as "skullduggery." What a wonderful word! Skullduggery. I never knew precisely how to define skullduggery, but I knew that Dr. Jernigan and Barbara Pierce, who was being sued for being the editor of the Monitor, had a First Amendment right to say it when they wanted. The court agreed. I haven't seen the word skullduggery in the Monitor since, but when the occasion arises, I am sure we will see it again.
It is Dr. Maurer, my friend, my leader, and my mentor, who has given me the opportunity to be one of the NFB's lawyers, part of an extraordinary knights' round table that includes my partners, Sharon Krevor-Weisbaum and Joe Espo, as well as Scott LaBarre and Tim Elder.
If representing the NFB were not bounty enough, I have had twenty-eight years to witness how Dr. Maurer combines passion with pragmatism, conviction with humanity and grace, leadership with empowerment, certainty with curiosity, and kindness with rock hard determination. Any hour I spend with him is an education--maybe about wine, maybe about something more profound. He may not be standing for re-election as president, but, Dr. Maurer, the bad news is that your term as my mentor is life without parole.
But the time for nostalgia has not yet come, and frankly, looking back always puts a crimp in my neck.
There is a cataclysmic battle being waged. It is one we cannot afford to lose, and it does not yet seem that we are winning. That battle is the battle for equal access to information. If the blind do not have the same access to information as everyone else, then it is sheer nonsense to talk about equal opportunity in education, the workplace, and our culture. We cannot have true integration in our society.
Dr. Maurer had the foresight in 1998 to realize that digital technology and content would either provide a mechanism for mainstream access or would deepen the segregation and exclusion of the blind. He realized we could not simply be reactive and bring cases based on complaints we had or had not received. Instead, we must pursue a strategic plan and stay one step ahead, not two steps behind.
My role has been and is subsidiary to a multi-pronged approach that includes not only litigation, but creating our own technology, pressing for new legislation and regulation at both the federal and state level, demonstrations, negotiations, and education. Having equal access to America circa 1990 is absolutely worthless in 2014. The right of the blind to live in the world must include the virtual world. The internet is not a luxury. It is the door through which knowledge and information lie. I ask you: Do we want to have the same access to that information that everyone else has?
Today, 80 percent of all jobs are posted on the internet. The job applications are on the internet. The job assessment tests are on the internet. Do we want the job sites to be accessible? Do we want the job applications to be accessible? Do we want the tests to be accessible?
When you have a job, there is no reason why you should not be able to use the technology that is in the workplace. I remember accessible work phones. First they had ten holes. You moved the dial counterclockwise and, this will come as a shocker to younger people, phones were used to make phone calls. Then phones had ten buttons, and you pressed the buttons. Then phones had additional buttons at the bottom for multiple lines, so you could put one person on hold while you talked to another. And you know what? For decades phones were accessible to blind persons.
But you know that in America we always make progress and invent something that wasn't there the day before. So now, in its infinite wisdom, the US government has started to install phones at the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor that are inaccessible to blind people. Is this progress? No, obviously not, but elsewhere we have had meaningful progress.
In 2009 in Detroit I stood before you and made a promise. I said that, because of the efforts of the NFB, we would have something we had never had in our history. You remember that--same books, same time, at the same price. I said I did not know whether it would be a year, two years, or longer, but have it we would. When I made that promise, there was not a single book in copyright that we could get at the same time and at the same price and in the same way as everybody else.
In 2011 in Dallas I told you with excitement that we had made great progress. Because of NFB's efforts, Apple introduced the iBook in April 2010, with over 200,000 accessible copyrighted books. Then Blio came out with what was then 300,000 more, and that seemed like a lot. Same content, same time, same price. It was a good start. But you know what it wasn't? It wasn't equal access to all the information available to those who can see--not even close.
When I was in the fourth grade, I did a report on Millard Fillmore, based on what I found in the library. In the seventh grade, I went back to the library and did a report on manatees. I took library research for granted. For most of my life, there have been two things you needed in order to do library research, whether at the elementary school level or as a postgraduate. You needed affiliation with a library and the ability to see. With those two things the historical, literary, cultural, scientific, collective, and collected knowledge were there for the asking. I could go into the stacks, pull a book off the shelves, check the index and table of contents, skim and see if I wanted to check this book out or put it back. After a while, I left the library with a stack of books under my arm.
The idea that all of the content of libraries could be fully available to the blind, to the same extent and as quickly and easily as it was to the sighted, was the stuff of science fiction. Print is a visual medium, and libraries are composed of print books. Independent access to library books requires sight, and that is all there is to that--or so it seemed.
Today I can stand before you and tell you that the library doors are swinging open, that eleven million books will soon be available to you within seconds of turning on your computer, iPad, or phone. And that is just the first step. The day is not far off when you will be able to summon all of the cultural, scientific, and literary wealth of our nation's libraries to your fingertips.
How did this happen? It's a great story, one that starts, appropriately, with a mild-mannered Federationist getting annoyed enough to do something about the source of his annoyance. In the 1980s George Kerscher was in graduate school in computer science at the University of Montana, but he had a small problem--no accessible textbooks. Now George is not much in the complaining department; he's more of a problem solver. So he responded to that problem by inventing the e-book. He founded a company called Computerized Books for the Blind. George thought that when sighted people caught on, there would be plenty of e-books, usable by everyone, with or without sight.
I don't want to engage in stereotypes, but sometimes we sighted folks are not, how shall I put it, always the sharpest tools in the toolbox. So there was a bit of a wait--sixteen years, in fact. But in 2004 Google approached the University of Michigan and suggested digitizing Michigan's entire library. What Michigan got out of the deal was a copy of its entire library in digital format. This was something it had long wanted, both for preservation and search purposes, but had not been able to afford.
Jack Bernard, the in-house lawyer for the University of Michigan library, immediately saw the possibilities for the blind. He pushed for this digital library to be accessible. Dr. Maurer immediately reached out to Google about making sure that these digital books would be accessible, but he was flatly told that accessibility wasn't in Google's plans. I don't want to shock anyone, but Dr. Maurer didn't take no for an answer. In fact, Dr. Maurer was annoyed.
So now we have two annoyed Federationists. First, George Kerscher and now Dr. Maurer. That's dangerous!
In the meantime, Google was entering into similar partnerships with the Universities of California, Indiana, Cornell--I think Google is currently copying somewhere between eighty and one hundred library collections.
In 2005, George Kerscher, Dr. Maurer, a copyright professor named Peter Jaszi, Anne Taylor, and I started traveling to all of these schools to explain why they needed to tell Google that accessibility had to be part of the deal. Well, after we had met with five schools, Google told the schools that it, too, thought accessibility was important. At Jack Bernard's insistence, Google's commitment to accessibility was formally noted.
By 2008 the University of Michigan had about eight million copyrighted books in digital format. Sighted scholars could put in search terms and find out what books had those words, but they could not have full access to the content. They could put in the words "cane travel" and get back all of the books and all of the page numbers on which the words cane travel could be found. But if you were a blind student or faculty member at the University of Michigan, it was a different deal. You got a password that gave you digital access to every dadblamed word of every book in the collection.
The Authors Guild didn't like this mass digitization, and in 2011 the Guild sued the University of Michigan, four other universities, and the HathiTrust, which is essentially a service of the University of Michigan that administers the whole digital archive for all the universities. The Guild claimed that making these digital copies was copyright piracy on a massive scale.
This annoyed Jack Bernard, the in-house lawyer for the University of Michigan, who called me and said the NFB should intervene in the lawsuit as a defendant to protect the interests of the blind. Did I not mention that Jack is blind and an NFB member?
So we now have three annoyed Federationists--kind of tells you right there how this story will come out. You know, I grew up in Texas, and I always heard the story about one riot, one Ranger--kind of like that.
So we joined the lawsuit on behalf of the NFB and three blind scholars. Why did we do that? Let me read you the opening paragraph of our brief to the Second Circuit.
"Courtney Wheeler refrains from taking courses requiring library research. Blair Seidlitz does not read recommended supplementary texts to complete his physics classes. The prospect of limited library access convinced Georgina Kleege not to pursue a graduate degree in English after she received her bachelor's from Yale. Because they are blind and for no other reason, they have had little or no access to the contents of libraries that are so freely available to their sighted peers. We mean to change that."
The constitution grants a limited property right called a copyright for the purpose of "advancing Science and the Useful Arts." That monopoly is not intended to extend to preventing those things that will frustrate the progress of knowledge, thus some uses are considered fair uses of copyright materials and do not require the permission of the copyright owner.
Do you all think that it would advance science and the useful arts to give blind people access to eleven million books? Well, so does the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Here is the critical part of their decision: "Weighing the factors together, we conclude that the doctrine of fair use allows the Libraries to provide full digital access to copyrighted works to their print-disabled patrons."
What does this mean for the blind of America? It means that, as to any and every bit of copyrighted material that currently is in an inaccessible format, that making and distributing an accessible copy is permitted under the copyright laws without the permission of the copyright owner. It means that in the coming months, NFB is going to make sure that there is a distribution network for the eleven million books and counting in the HathiTrust to make them instantly available to every blind person in this room, every blind person in this country, through a logon. It means that we will find other print-to-digital conversions until every print book, journal, and article that is available to the sighted as part of our country's collective knowledge, literature, history, and science is available to you on your computer. Above all, it means be very careful not to annoy a member of the National Federation of the Blind, because it might just cause them to change the world.
There is still plenty of work to be done, and the lawyers play only a small role. It is you, the members of the National Federation of the Blind, who will make changes with your advocacy, your persistence, your unity, your willingness to go to the legislative hearings and, when necessary, to the streets. I am proud to play a role in this work. I know that as long as there is the National Federation of the Blind, we will win the battle for equality, and we will win the battle of equal access to information.
Thank you. I am so very proud to be one of those who can say, "I represent the National Federation of the Blind."
by Dan Parker
From the Editor: At the Sunday morning session of the 2014 NFB convention, Federationists witnessed an event unprecedented in our history. With a thunderous roar, Dan Parker entered the hall on his motorcycle, reached the stage, and turned off his machine after two short revs of the engine. Here is the speech he delivered to the convention.
Good morning, Federationists. I hope the smell of a little racing gas is okay this early in the morning. My name is Dan Parker. I'm from Salem, Alabama, and I'm honored to be here to share my life story.
I look at my life in the same way that I look at chapters in a book. Chapter One was my life before blindness, and Chapter Two is my life after blindness. In Chapter One I was born in Columbus, Georgia, and raised by a race car driver. My father, who is seventy-one, still races today. In my adult years I studied machine work, welding, and fabrication, and I built race cars and motorcycles all across the United States and as far away as the nation of Qatar. In 2005 I was the ADRL Pro Nitrous Champion, reaching top speeds of 224 miles per hour in the quarter mile.
On March 31, 2012, I started Chapter Two. It was like any other day I'd been through a thousand times before. My team and I went to Steele, Alabama, to test a brand-new racing engine that was 864 cubic inches plus four stages of nitrous oxide. On the third pass, the car made a horrible right turn. The accident cut the car completely in half--from the dash forward there was nothing--no motor, no transmission, no steering wheel, nothing! Two weeks later I woke from an induced coma at the University of Alabama Hospital, and my family and girlfriend realized that I was totally blind.
It took months of physical therapy, rehab, and surgeries for me to get to a point in my life where I could think about trying to get out of the house, much less racing again. During one of those sleepless nights a dream came to me. That dream was that I would not let blindness define me and stop my racing.
I had always known about the famed Bonneville Salt Flats, which are in Wendover, Utah, 120 miles west of Salt Lake City. Men have been setting land speed records there since the 1930s. Cars have traveled at speeds over 650 mph, and motorcycles have reached over 300 mph. This was my new goal in life: to become the first blind man to race the Bonneville Salt Flats. [Applause]
I had a goal, but I didn't have a path to get me there. I had to figure this out. Through some research I was lucky enough to learn about the Blind Driver Challenge, Mark Riccobono, and the programs of the NFB. When I first called the NFB, I thought they might think I was crazy. But I got Joanne Wilson on the phone and shared my story with her. She put me in touch with Mark Riccobono. I went to the NFB National Center and met with Mark Riccobono and Dr. Marc Maurer. We decided this was an achievable goal. Over the next ten months we embarked on an aggressive mission to build the first motorcycle to race the Bonneville Salt Flats by a blind man.
As with many aggressive projects, friends and family asked me if I was crazy and was trying to get myself killed. I explained to them, "This ain't about dying; this is about living." I had a lot of volunteers come to the house, and I'm proud to say that I fabricated and designed about 50 or 60 percent of the motorcycle myself. I still run my milling machine, my lathe, and all my bending equipment. I built my jigs on the frame machine and did everything to build this motorcycle. For those who can't see it, the motorcycle is a red three-wheel bike, two wheels on the back, a real aerodynamic body, with a 70 cc engine and a five-speed transmission. Realistically, it has a top speed of about 85 mph.
A few weeks before I went to the Salt Flats in August, we got the motorcycle together, and it was crunch time--it was time to test. My engineer, Patrick Johnson, who built the guidance system along with me and the team, met me at an airport in North Alabama to test. The first day we had some problems, but we came back, regrouped, and redesigned the guidance system. Then, with one week to go, we tested successfully at the airport. I was successful on the very first pass and did so 100 percent independently. [Applause]
When we got to Bonneville, Mark Riccobono was there with us. We had to demonstrate our capabilities and to prove to the race officials that blindness was not the obstacle that was going to stop us. The race officials were absolutely impressed with our entire team, our organization, the guidance system--everything--and they granted us permission to race the Salt Flats.
On the morning of August 26, 2013, we embarked on a mission that was successful. At eleven o'clock in the morning, we made a pass down the Salt. The Salt is ten miles wide by twenty miles long, so you have two miles to accelerate on the short course, and one mile to drive at average speed. I started off at Mile Marker One, accelerated at Mile Marker Two, and between Mile Markers Two and Three I did not vary four feet from center with the audible cues that my guidance system gave me. I averaged 55.331 mph, setting a record for the fastest blind man on the Salt Flats, along with being the first blind man on the Salt Flats.
That night at dinner, Mark Riccobono, Bill Clap, my team--everybody was celebrating. We said to ourselves, "This morning on the way to the Salt, we were saying that we could; tonight we're saying that we did!"
In the next few months my life slowed down a lot, and I had to reflect on what the next chapter was going to be. I was reading a book by racing legend Smokey Yunick. Smokey, in his later days, was a little depressed about the way his life had gone. He was wanting to give up--and his wife brought him home a picture frame with a message in it. The message said, "A man without a problem to solve is out of the game." I think Smokey's wife put that line in a picture frame because she knows us men--if she didn't nail it to the wall, we'd forget about it. If you think about that message, a problem to solve is a challenge, and if you're out of the game, you're on the sidelines of life.
My current challenge is that I am now at the Louisiana Center for the Blind, receiving proper training--that's right, LCB. That quote stands true for all of us. We all have a problem to solve to better ourselves every day, to reach out to other blind people, and to prove to ourselves and to prove to society that infinite possibilities are only defined by ourselves, not by others. So when we leave here tomorrow and everybody starts heading home, I wish you all would take that one quote with you: "A man without a problem to solve is out of the game." All of us here, we're going to stay in the game. Thank you very much.
by Jamie Allison
From the Editor: Jamie Allison serves as president of the Cherokee Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina. Her reflections on her first NFB convention may inspire anyone who contemplates attending a convention for the first time.
I have been a member of the National Federation of the Blind since late childhood, but my involvement has ebbed and flowed over the years. I live in a rural county, and our NFB chapter has ebbed and flowed as well. Reading the Braille Monitor and Future Reflections helped me stay connected with the organization. My favorite issues were always the ones published just before and after the annual national convention. I loved to read about all the convention happenings, about the host city and the things to do there, about the individuals and families who attended and what they learned. I dreamed of attending convention myself some day.
This year everything fell into place. Early in the spring, I was discussing the convention with a friend whose family planned to attend for the first time. Without hesitation, my friend offered me a ride to and from Orlando with her family. I made up my mind that this was going to be my year. I started to put my extra money into a convention fund. I also spoke to my state president, with whom I have interacted many times since I became president of my local chapter. He quickly agreed to write a letter on my behalf for a Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship. The Jernigan Scholarships are awarded through the national office of the NFB to help first-time convention attendees cover their expenses. I compiled and submitted the necessary information as promptly as possible, knowing that many people apply for Jernigan Scholarships every year. I was pleasantly surprised and greatly honored when my request was granted.
It took a while for me to absorb the thought that I was actually going to go to convention. However, as the time drew closer, my anticipation mounted. When the agenda was posted, I assimilated as much of the material as I could and drew up an individualized itinerary for myself. I also sought out the mentorship of several people who had previously attended national conventions. They offered me key points of advice. By the time we arrived in Orlando, very late on Monday, June 30th, I was as ready as I could be for such a life-changing event.
Many of my favorite convention moments happened during the NOPBC conference. This may seem a bit surprising, since I am not a parent. However, I worked in the field of blindness education for fifteen years. Although I am no longer teaching, I still want to be a positive influence for blind children and their families. I want to promote Braille literacy, autonomous travel with the long white cane, and the use of the other tools and skills that have allowed me to meet with success. I have found that there are plenty of opportunities for all of this in the NOPBC.
At convention I finally met many families with whom I had been in contact through Facebook and other social media. Throughout convention week a steady stream of people introduced themselves to me; upon hearing their names, I placed them instantly. In my whole life, I have never felt so comfortable with people I had not met before. Convention is just like one big, happy family!
Magic was in the air from the very beginning. I positioned myself near the front of the room when Dr. Maurer sat on the floor to talk with the children, who came forward with white canes in hand to encircle him eagerly. A quiet energy was present in the room. I could tell that the children were listening intently, hanging on Dr. Maurer's every word--and for that matter so was I. I knew that this would be Dr. Maurer's last national convention as NFB president. There was often a bittersweet feeling in the room, a reverent honor for all that has been accomplished and an energetic anticipation of what will be achieved in the future.
Another highlight for me was the Cane Walk, sponsored by the NOPBC. I had spent time under sleepshades in preparation for our state's first NFB BELL program, and I was excited by the opportunity to work on some travel skills in this way during convention. I donned my shades just prior to leaving my room to go to the Cane Walk session. I spent over two hours traveling under the shades that day. With the guidance of my instructor, I even overcame a deeply rooted fear of escalators. I took the escalators many, many times afterward, and though I could have used the exercise from the stairs, my legs were thankful. Now when I come to an escalator, I'm not panicky, and I don't have to expend precious time and energy trying to find an elevator. I close my eyes and just do it ... and it's fun!
As the week progressed, I felt a deep debt of gratitude for having been chosen as a Jernigan Scholarship recipient. I wanted to find an opportunity to give back at least a small portion of the encouragement I had received through that blessing. One of the most awesome events I had read about was the Braille Book Fair. As soon as my attendance at convention was confirmed, I knew I wanted to attend and assist with this event. I had read about how it had grown over the years, and I imagined that putting on the event must be a labor-intensive process. I was delighted to discover how well it all came together. From the minute I stepped into the room, it was apparent that this was a team effort. Kids on the floor eagerly sorted through piles of books taller than they were, reading titles and matching volumes. Adults shuttled armloads of books from table to table, moved furniture, and stacked empty boxes against the wall.
At times the preparation was organized chaos, yet a few minutes before the doors opened, everything was in order. There was a palpable sense of anticipation, even for the grownups. I have never been in a room with so many Braille books in my life! It was exhilarating! I don't know how many times I've gone to a chain bookstore and found myself wishing there could be something like that for Braille readers. The Braille Book Fair is the closest thing there is! It was thrilling to witness the excitement of the children as they found books to be enjoyed, as well as the quieter, yet cheerful and grateful response of adults who had just found a cherished old favorite.
The exhibit hall was also a favorite attraction. It was wonderful to get my hands on so many tools for the blind all in one place. For anyone who wants to do some comparison shopping before purchasing a piece of access technology, this is definitely a prime opportunity. The device that excited me most was a bluetooth refreshable Braille display with a note-taking feature built in. I plan to purchase one as soon as I can.
I found myself attending meetings of many groups and divisions, and in some cases I became an official member. I am now a proud member of the Writers' Division and the National Association to Promote the Use of Braille (NAPUB). A bright spot was being recognized publicly for my winning entry in the Writers' Division contest.
Of course, the general sessions were very informative, with thought-provoking topics and engaging presenters. It was quite a scene when Dan Parker drove his dragster motorcycle onto the convention floor! I also enjoyed presentations by Ray Kurzweil and many others. The presentations made in Dr. Maurer's honor were moving and memorable.
I would like to offer one bit of advice to rookie attendees. Be sure you schedule some time for a quick diversion. Our party felt that the sessions were vitally important, and we chose not to do anything that would take us away from convention for an entire day. But by the Saturday evening before the banquet, we felt as though our brains just might explode if we tried to put in any more information. We opted for an evening outing to Downtown Disney. This was the highlight of the trip for me outside of the convention. The fresh, albeit humid, Florida air and the change of scenery were good for all of us. We filed back in on Sunday morning refreshed and ready for the final day's events. We also found that the pool area was an inviting place during several evenings. I enjoyed making new friends from all over the country while taking a refreshing swim or lounging by the hot tubs.
Banquet night was very special. The meal was delicious, of course. Dr. Maurer's final speech left an indelible impression. A major highlight for me was realizing that I was sitting right next to Mark Riccobono's mom! I was one of the first Federationists to congratulate her on her son's election as president. I admit that I brushed back a tear or two when President Maurer and President Elect Riccobono brought down the closing gavel together.
I couldn't have asked for a better first convention! Now I am preparing to attend the seventy-fifth annual national convention in 2015. I know that it may not be realistic for me to go every year, but I want to attend as many conventions as I can. If you have ever considered going to convention, I encourage you to do so. You will not be disappointed!
by Brian Mackey
From the Editor: Brian Mackey serves as secretary of the National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey (NFBNJ). He is secretary of the NFBNJ At Large Chapter and a board member of the NFBNJ Garden State Chapter. Brian is the founder and owner of Mackey Enterprises LLC, a company that provides data entry and basic bookkeeping services. In this article he describes the highlights of his experience at convention.
I went to the 2014 convention of the National Federation of the Blind eager to learn all that I could from the workshops and general sessions. First I attended the workshop on the screen reader JAWS, which was filled to capacity. JAWS users, be on the lookout for the next version of the program, JAWS 16, which is due to arrive in October. One new feature I am thrilled to see is improved navigation of Office 2013, a program I currently use. I also discovered that JAWS 16 will include semi-automatic forms settings that will allow the user to navigate a website with edit fields more easily. When the workshop leaders asked for ideas to improve JAWS, I suggested adding a ResearchIt feature to look up movies playing at AMC theaters. With this feature, a JAWS user could easily look up the show times for the movie of his/her choice.
Next I went to the HumanWare workshop. I have to say that I love my old Victor Reader Stream. The Victor Reader Stream is a portable device for recording notes and listening to audio files of several kinds. The newest version is very impressive and exciting, with many amazing added features. Users can now download books from BARD and Bookshare, NFB-Newsline publications, and podcasts directly onto the Stream without a connection to a computer! With the new WiFi connection, it is also possible to listen to internet radio stations on the Stream. I can't wait until I get my own new Victor Reader Stream, so that I can experience all of these new features.
Although I am self-employed, I'm still on the hunt for a job. It was imperative that I attend the Job Fair. I stopped at each booth and talked with the representatives about possible job openings. If you have ever attended a job fair, you know that some companies have jobs that are of interest and some do not offer positions compatible with your skills. I made an exciting stop at the Jernigan Institute booth, where I talked with Anil Lewis. Although he was seeking someone to do web design, we discussed the type of position I am searching for. My goal is to find a data entry or basic bookkeeping position. Anil asked me to forward my résumé to him, and he will check to see if there might be a potential job at the national center. I am keeping my fingers crossed. Working at the national center, among the NFB leaders, would be awesome!
One night, Mikayla Gephart, a fellow member of NFBNJ, encouraged me to attend the Unified English Braille (UEB) workshop. What a great suggestion! I learned about the new Braille code, UEB. Some of the new symbols will make Braille writing and reading much easier than it is with Grade 2 contracted Braille. Now I definitely want to learn the rest of the UEB literary code. Thank you, Mikayla!
After three days of amazing workshops, with my brain overflowing with new information, it was time for the general sessions. When we all gathered together in one room, it was truly mind-blowing. It filled me with pride to know I am a member of the NFB! This year we witnessed the passing of the torch with the election of a new NFB president. We watched a video tribute to Dr. Marc Maurer, praising his numerous accomplishments during his term as the NFB's longest-serving national president. I was amazed by all that Dr. Maurer has achieved for the NFB. The banquet concluded with Dr. Maurer and our new NFB president, Mark Riccobono, putting their hands on the gavel and bringing the 2014 convention to an end together. That was so cool!
by Theresa Postello, MA, TVI, COMS
From the Editor: Theresa Postello, a teacher of the visually impaired and orientation and mobility instructor in California's San Mateo County, was honored by the NFB and NOPBC as the 2014 Distinguished Educator of Blind Children. On Thursday, July 3, she delivered the following address at the annual division meeting of the NOPBC.
I always wanted to be a teacher! As a youngster, I had an insatiable love of reading and of sharing knowledge. My mother reports that while most children were playing house, I was gathering the neighborhood kids to my little school. I had a chalkboard, and I provided paper, pencils, and books. Even as a nine-year-old, I was bossy and committed to teaching useful things, such as raising your hand, taking turns, and completing little assignments.
Let me share a poem by the English poet Christopher Logue that Dr. Sally Mangold recited to me when I was transitioning to a new teaching experience:
Come to the edge.
We might fall.
Come to the edge.
It's too high.
COME TO THE EDGE!
And they came
And we pushed
And they flew.
The very best part of being in this highly specialized field is the challenge of working with such a variety of students--students of different ages, visual conditions, demographics, and skill levels. As educators and parents, how do we empower and entice students to come to the edge? Over twenty-eight years of teaching students who are blind or visually impaired, I have compiled my Top Ten Guiding Teaching Philosophies. I hope everyone here can glean something to foster that "nudge toward the edge."
Learning is dynamic. No one, parents included, can be a Renaissance person or an expert in every facet and nuance of our profession. Knowing how to access resources or reach out to others for consultation is vital! In 1989, Dr. Sally Mangold offered the following pearl of wisdom: "Tradition is no excuse for best practices." In other words, Braille is no excuse for being a slow reader.
Make transcribers your best friends. They are essential to an education team. My motto to classroom teachers is, "Stay ahead of the game." Provide print materials that need to be transcribed in a timely way. To date for the 2013-2014 school year, I have transcribed language arts materials and embossed about two thousand pages (outside of my contract working hours). I save the precious math and science for our fabulous, erudite transcriber, who hails from the Stanford University Transcription Department.
Hang out with the vendors and exhibitors at conferences. Learn about the newest and greatest technologies that might meet our students' and children's needs.
Support parents by helping them gain a more in-depth understanding of their child. Make an effort to learn more about the culture, home dynamics, and environment; encourage inclusion and high expectations for full participation in family activities. Create opportunities for parents to talk to other parents.
All children can learn! As a teacher who promotes life-long learners, nurture curiosity, promote critical thinking, and encourage problem-solving skills. I believe sensitivity and sensibility are right up there.
A good paraprofessional is a special kind of human being who can support the curriculum in just the right way. To develop skills in giving accurate visual information and adapting materials, the paraprofessional most often requires training by the teacher of the visually impaired (TVI). It is vital for the paraprofessional to give enough information while still fostering the student's independent learning. Being "velcro-ed" to the student does not benefit the child. My dear friend and colleague, Dr. Laurel Hudson, urges teachers and parents to practice "The Nineteen Ways to STEP BACK" (Classroom Collaboration, Perkins School for the Blind, 1997).
My favorite area in my work is the transition of high school students toward adulthood. Another one of my mottoes is, "I love a good challenge."
In 2008, I entered the realm of teaching preschoolers; now I love teaching those little ones. It's totally different from supporting Advanced Placement, chemistry, and world history curricula. As always, I'm molding minds, no matter the age level--preschool to adults.
There are many aspects of putting one foot in front of the other and efficiently, safely, and gracefully traveling independently. Toddlers begin to gain confidence with push devices and kiddie canes. They learn about movement by running, climbing, tumbling, dancing, and exploring the world around them. Students evolve as they gain increased mobility and spatial awareness. To beckon students toward the edge, I support the provision of every mobility tool that is deemed developmentally appropriate: canes, canines, tactile maps, optics, and GPS.
The younger the better to introduce information technology to students. Keyboarding is becoming a high priority skill. Computer and keyboarding skills are required in order for students to access new state and federal tests. Moreover, the use of adaptive devices greatly facilitates access to electronic texts and enhances the education process.
Again, be a co-learner. It can be as simple as taking a product out of the box with your student beside you. Look together at the packaging, contents, and connections, labeling the cables, hooking up the device, charging it, and turning it on.
A technology toolbox could include PDAs such as a Braille notetaking system, a computer with an enlarged screen display or screen reader, a Braille display, or one of the iOS devices.
Allow students to explore access technology tools without fear that they will touch the wrong key and cause a problem. Let them figure out how to get unstuck when there is an operator error; we've all been there!
This is my battle cry. Instill your students with a sense of empowerment. Have the same expectations for our students who are blind or visually impaired that teachers have for their students who are sighted. When you level the playing field with the appropriate tools, adaptations, and technology, your students will acknowledge that the EDGE exists.
I have a background as a high school English literature teacher. I hail from the University of Iowa's prestigious Writer's Workshop. I have always loved reading and writing. For me, teaching is not about Braille and the code. It's about teaching students to read and write. It's very exciting to be transitioning to the UEB (United English Braille) code right now. I've begun to use UEB with my students, and they have barely blinked with the new formatting. I noticed that the NFB convention program is in UEB. Way to go! Bottom line, Braille is more than dots; it's empowerment, enrichment, and opportunity.
My greatest bliss was getting a thirty-year-old Braille embosser from my darling spouse. Who needs Tiffany jewelry when you have your own personal Braille embosser?
One of my favorite professional conferences is "Getting in Touch with Literacy." Literacy comes in many forms besides reading and writing. Here are some examples:
I can't make a wholesale statement about when to begin literacy instruction in every form and at each particular age. Over the years, I have acquired a good sense of how to get it going with just the right amount of push, not stressing out the learner. It's very individual.
I am an advocate for teaching both Braille and print to students, based on their visual capacity and prognosis. There are many aspects to factor in, including age, cognitive abilities, and support from the education team.
With good literacy skills, the edge is looking safer.
Education and parenting are a collaborative endeavor. It takes real teamwork. We have joint responsibilities and mutual commitments to the positive and appropriate education of children.
Build a relationship outside of formal IEP meetings. IEPs should be collaborative rather than adversarial.
Be sensitive to family dynamics. For constructive dialog, explore not only what the teacher sees, but also what the parent sees. As equal partners, each may see needs and challenges from different perspectives. Be attentive, be a good listener, and be a thoughtful observer.
Volunteer with local social service agencies (such as the local Lighthouse), schools (such as schools for the blind and special day classes), or Talking Book libraries; or become a personal assistant or reader. Make an effort to bring students to professional and consumer conferences.
In 1993 I became an associate member of NFB. Dr. Fred Schroeder signed me up when he was the director of the New Mexico Commission for the Blind. That same year I participated on my first NFB/NCAER (Northern California Association for Education and Rehabilitation) parent-teacher panel, which took place in San Jose, California. In 1995 I attended the national convention in Chicago, where Sally Mangold gave a stirring keynote address on the importance of Braille literacy.
Engender and internalize true wonderment and excitement about the edge!
The goal is full participation as an adult in our society. It is paramount that we help facilitate the development of taxpayers whenever that is feasible. The driving force is to channel the student toward control of her/his life.
I'm a compassionate yet tough professional. I do NOT subscribe to the "Aw Shucks Shuffle." In other words, when complimented for what I do, I never say "Oh, it's nothing." It IS a big deal! I'm very proud of my profession and the work I do with students and their families. It's a fascinating journey, learning how to customize solutions to meet students' needs. Each student is unique. There's something out there for everyone to embrace.
It is imperative to provide opportunities and resources in order for students to participate in nonacademic activities such as camp; music and/or dance lessons; athletic events such as tandem bicycling, goalball, swimming, and kayaking.
Be resourceful in reaching out to the community for funding and financial support. Provide a toolbox filled with many resources that our students can pick and choose from, depending on the task and application.
Overprotection may lead to dependency, social isolation, and learned helplessness. I realize this is a blanket statement. It truly could be another whole presentation!
Many life skills are needed to build responsibility and good citizenship. My all-time favorite life skill is achieving one's "personal best." I urge students to do their best given their circumstances and available resources. I'm a long-time proponent of NFB's Braille Readers are Leaders Contest. I encourage students to compete against themselves, even by as little as reading one more page than last time. The Braille Challenge, sponsored by the Los Angeles-based Braille Institute of America, is a wonderful event. I am usually a proctor at our Northern California regional contest. I faithfully accompany any of my students who placed in the regional to the National Competition in Hollywood. (As we were dancing around the living room, one of my regional winners exclaimed, "By the way, what is Hollywood?") Once those students have recovered from not placing in the Nationals, they rally and vow to come back with a stronger Personal Best!
These high-achieving Braille Challenge competitors remind me of one of my favorite quotes: "Nothing worthwhile comes easy. Turn mistakes into learning experiences." I always encourage students to set goals and dreams just out of their reach.
I've learned an incredible amount from my students and their parents. I've learned small and large lessons from my spouse, colleagues, and friends who are blind and visually impaired. By working together as a team, we can increase our effectiveness in reaching the common goal of providing an appropriate, quality education for each student. Thus we provide each student with the skills, abilities, and attitudes to become an effective self advocate and independent adult.
I am passionate about quality education for our students who are blind and visually impaired. I'm humbled, proud, and honored to receive NFB's 2014 Distinguished Educator of Blind Children Award! I will always be an advocate and will work to bring awareness of some of the significant issues in the education of our students.
Think how long some of our students have stood at the edge, waiting for a push to independence and empowerment. I'm proud to say that many of my students have taken the leap and have flown; some even brag that they have their own pretend jet planes!
Before his death in 2011, the author of the poem "Come to the Edge" invited a group of teachers to play with his lines and make them our own. Here is my version of the poem.
"Come to the edge," she said.
"We're comfortable back here," they said.
"Come to the edge," she said.
"We're too busy," they said.
"Come to the edge," she said.
"It's too high," they said.
"Come to the edge," she said.
"We're afraid," they said.
"Come to the edge," she said.
"We'll fall," they said.
"Come to the edge," she said.
And they did.
I pushed them.
And, they flew.
Presented by James Gashel
From the Editor: Every year the National Federation of the Blind bestows the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards upon individuals and organizations that have found innovative ways to improve the lives of blind people. The 2014 Jacob Bolotin Awards were presented by James Gashel.
James Gashel: Thank you, Mr. President, thank you, fellow Federationists! It is my high honor to come before you to present the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards for 2014. A biography entitled The Blind Doctor: The Jacob Bolotin Story, written by Rosalind Perlman and published by Blue Point Books, is available from the National Federation of the Blind Independence Market.
Like our award winners this year, Jacob Bolotin was a person of dogged determination in spite of incredible odds. He was born in 1888, and he died in 1924 at age thirty-six; he actually worked himself to death. Although his years were few, his accomplishments were many. And you know what? He didn't have it nearly as easy as we do today. He didn't have the KNFB Reader running on the iPhone. Lacking financial resources after attending the Illinois School for the Blind, Jacob Bolotin worked to support his family members and himself. He worked in Chicago selling kitchen matches, brushes, and even typewriters door-to-door. Although the hours were long and the work was hard, he made a success out of these businesses. He even made enough money to put himself through medical school to become a licensed doctor. He was the only blind person to do so at that time. He had no Rehabilitation Act, no ADA, no Section 504, and no NFB to back him up. But in the spirit of Newel Perry, Jacobus tenBroek, Kenneth Jernigan, Marc Maurer, and Mark Riccobono, Dr. Bolotin blazed a trail for all of us to follow, and we are walking in his footsteps. [Applause]
In every way that counts, Jacob Bolotin was a Federationist. He was a Federationist before the Federation existed. These qualities--a standard of excellence, a pioneering spirit, and a pioneering vision--are foremost on our minds as we review the people and projects that you nominate each year.
The funding support for this program comes from a bequest from the Alfred and Rosalind Perlman Trust that was left to the Santa Barbara Foundation and the National Federation of the Blind. Rosalind Perlman was Dr. Bolotin's niece. This year we have $50,000 to award to four recipients. In a moment I'll specify the amount of the awards for each winner, but first I'll talk about the plaque that they will receive. Here are the words on the plaque:
Presented to
(name of the recipient)
by the National Federation of the Blind
and the Santa Barbara Foundation
July 2014.
The medallion that is suspended over the plaque has print on both sides. The text on the obverse side reads: "The Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award," with the logo of the National Federation of the Blind, and immediately below the logo these words: "CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENT, CREATING OPPORTUNITY." And on the reverse side are these words: "Dr. Jacob Bolotin" with a depiction of his bust, then the dates of his birth and his death below that, then finally these words: "CELEBRATING HIS LIFE/THE ALFRED AND ROSALIND PERLMAN TRUST."
Now for the 2014 Jacob Bolotin Awards. As our first recipient, representing exemplary individual achievement and outstanding service on behalf of the blind of the United States, we recognize Scott LaBarre. We recognize Scott with an award of $10,000.
Scott LaBarre is a lawyer. He's not just any lawyer. Scott's achievements and efforts to represent the blind in civil rights cases throughout the country are known very well. The Iowa Supreme Court knows Scott LaBarre, and the Palmer Chiropractic Institute knows Scott LaBarre. Five years ago we asked Scott to go off and get an international treaty adopted so blind people around the world could get greater access to books. Nothing is too big for Scott to wrap his arms around. Advocates for the blind, led primarily by the World Blind Union and the National Federation of the Blind, were in favor of having a treaty, but there were others that weren't. That included book publishers, motion picture studios, and the like. Scott took them on, and he's nothing if he isn't tenacious. Throughout a series of biannual international meetings and with a lot of work in between, during 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and part of 2013, Scott never failed to represent the blind of the United States, and he never faltered in his belief that this work would be done and could be done. Even though there was only a glimmer of hope of succeeding in the end, Scott kept at it.
Finally, in June of 2013, just days before the National Federation of the Blind Convention, Scott's persistent persuasion prevailed in snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. The treaty, which has been mentioned this week, was adopted.
There's more to come. Scott has to get it through the US Senate. That's a tall order. When you think of the right to read, the right to learn, and the right to be literate, when you think of successful advocacy by leaders of the blind who stand tall on behalf of protecting rights and winning new rights for blind people, you should think of Scott LaBarre. Here to accept the award is Scott LaBarre.
Scott LaBarre: Dr. Maurer, President-elect Riccobono, members of the board, Jim Gashel (who was my first boss and first tremendous mentor), and my Federation family, this is indeed an honor. I could not have done it without all of you. When I think of Dr. Bolotin, I think of a pioneer, an early torchbearer whom we could later follow. His work stood for the principle of equal opportunity, and I have no doubt that the work we did in Marrakesh will create that opportunity because it opens up the information flow.
I also want to tell you that recently I've been thinking of Dr. Bolotin for another reason. I've been thinking of Dr. Bolotin because of Aaron Cannon. If Jacob Bolotin could be a practicing, successful medical doctor in the 1920s, there's no reason in the world why the Palmer Chiropractic Institute should deny Aaron Cannon from being a chiropractor in the twenty-first century.
Let me end really quickly with what I told the Iowa Supreme Court. I quoted from Dr. Bolotin himself when he was becoming a licensed physician. He said about that fact, "Well, is there anything so remarkable about it? Because a man has no eyes, is it any sign that he hasn't any brains? That is the trouble with the world and the blind man. All the blind man asks is fair play. Give him an equal chance without prejudice, and he generally manages to hold his own with his more fortunate colleagues." That's what Dr. Bolotin said, and that's what we believe. I thank you, Federation family; I thank my family--Anahit, Alexander, and Emily. Thank you very much, Mr. Gashel.
Jim Gashel: For our second recipient, representing exemplary organizational achievement, we recognize the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri and its parent advocacy program for blind parents. This is with an award of $10,000.
When Erica Johnson and Blake Sennet arrived at Centerpoint Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri, they were just two parents getting ready to give birth to their first child, and they were in every way normal parents. They were going to have a girl, and they had already named her. She was going to be called Mikaela, and that means "somebody who resembles God."
In every sense imaginable, Erica and Blake were and are a normal couple, but not so as that is understood by the state of Missouri. Upon receiving a report that a baby had been born to a blind couple in Kansas City, a protective services agent (they'd probably say a social worker) swooped into the hospital, snatched up the baby, and took her to foster care. To the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri, this is what you might call a teachable moment. Armed with an attorney and witnesses, the NFB of Missouri did its own swooping in to teach officials of the state a lesson that they should have learned. Two months after the baby was snatched away from Erica and Blake, a social worker from the state showed up at their home and brought Mikaela back. Two hours later our attorney got a fax saying the Department of Social Services was dropping the case. The department gave no explanation of why the baby was taken in the first place and no explanation of its high-handed conduct in the whole sordid affair. In the face of our NFB affiliate, the state of Missouri stood down, gave up.
That wasn't enough. The NFB of Missouri, at the next sitting of the legislature in Jefferson City, got a bill passed to strengthen the rights of blind parents in that state to raise their own children. [Applause] They've even made a video to teach the social workers how to behave. When you think of blind people raising their children to become competent, contributing, successful adults, when you think of facing down the power of the state and teaching the officials lessons about blindness they should have learned in school, then you should think of the NFB of Missouri and its Blind Parent Advocacy Program. Here to accept the award is Gary Wunder, president of the NFB of Missouri.
Gary Wunder: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, Mr. President, board of directors, and all of the people who made this possible. It's a great thing to come before you today and receive this award. We decided that we would do this video when we went to Children's Protective Services and they said, "You know, we don't want to be treated this way anymore, and we don't want to treat people this way anymore. How do we change it?"
We said, "Well, we'd like to come and talk to you."
They said, "Okay, there are 114 counties, and you'll probably have to come talk to us every year or year and a half because of the turnover."
We said, "Oh my goodness, how do we do that?" So we decided we would make a video, and they would incorporate it into their training. The main person responsible for this was Carol Coulter, and this represents another Federation victory. You'll remember that in 1986 Carol was denied the right to be licensed by the state of Missouri as a childcare worker, and now she runs her own business. You guys made that happen.
We made the video, we're going to distribute the video, and we're going to make it such that blind people in the state of Missouri and the nation can parent without fear. Thank you.
Jim Gashel: Now for our third recipient. Demonstrating exemplary leadership on behalf of the blind, this year we recognize the Parent Leadership Training Program conducted by the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children with an award of $10,000. The challenge of becoming a parent to an impressionable and precious little child is part of the normal human experience as children are born, advance through school, become adults, have babies of their own, and pass the torch along to the next generation. We've been passing the torch all week here. You know there are books written on this topic, but I've always wondered, why doesn't each kid come with a help file or an owner's manual, so we know exactly what to do when things don't go right?
Now imagine that the parents of the child are sighted, and the child is blind or becomes blind. Where is the help file for that? Well, it's the Parent Leadership Training Program and the NOPBC, that's where it is. Launched eight years ago, the Parent Leadership Program is a two-year training program providing parents of blind children with the skills they need to become effective advocates for their children. They also develop the skills to become leaders within their localities and within a national network to make sure that no blind child is left behind. When you think of believing in blind children as ordinary children who just can't see, when you think of reaching out and lifting up sighted parents so they are empowered to raise their blind children as normal human beings, when you think of selfless service to help others in need to know how to solve a problem, you should think of the NOPBC Parent Leadership Training Program. Here to accept the award on behalf of the NOPBC Parent Leadership Training Program is Carlton Walker.
Carlton Walker: [Ms. Walker speaks with a voice that has obviously been over-stressed by convention and her allergies.] As a parent you know we give it all. I thank the Bolotin committee as chaired by Mr. Gashel. I thank President Maurer, President-elect Mark Riccobono, and the entire Federation family. We all know a child needs a loving, supportive environment in order to thrive. Members of the NOPBC, a proud division of the National Federation of the Blind [cheers, applause], we know our children receive just such an environment here in our NFB family. We are committed to sharing this truth with every parent of every blind child. We are grateful to the Bolotin Committee for this award, which will enable us to continue nurturing parent leaders across our nation. Thank you all.
Jim Gashel: And now for our fourth and final recipient this year. You can count as well as I can--you've got three $10,000 awards going out so far, right? We've got $50,000 to give out, right? To represent exemplary performance on behalf of blind people we recognize the National Blindness Professional Certification Board [cheers] with our highest award this year, an award of $20,000.
Now you know one of the shameful truths in the blindness services profession is the propensity of professionally trained sighted workers to believe that they, and not the blind, know what's good for the blind. But blind people have not been silent bystanders in the face of these kinds of lofty pronouncements from these learned professionals, especially when they write them up in the journals they control. In 1981 the only organization that was then available to certify professionals in work with the blind refused to certify Fredric K. Schroeder, even though he had completed all of the academic and practical experience requirements necessary to be certified as an orientation and mobility instructor. In the intervening years, laws were passed that encouraged personnel standards that required certification. But the same laws also required nondiscrimination on the basis of disability, which you've heard about this week.
Enter the National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB). Responding to a growing body of legal requirements, both related to personnel standards and nondiscrimination, the NBPCB is a voluntary organization of educators and rehabilitation specialists serving the blind. Its mission is to develop standards for certification of professional personnel who provide services to blind persons throughout the country and to administer tests designed to assess their professional competence. Critical areas include orientation and mobility, Braille literacy, and certification of adjustment-to-blindness programs. Most important of all, the NBPCB's standards give full respect to the competencies and capabilities of blind people working in these programs. In becoming widely recognized and accepted as a reliable certification authority, the NBPCB has brought equality to the blind and put an end to second-class treatment of the blind in the profession of serving the blind. When you think of exploding myths by more enlightened understanding, when you think of courage to believe in blind people in the face of others who do not, and when you think of shaking the blindness profession to its core and changing that profession forever, think of the National Blindness Professional Certification Board. It is a high honor to recognize the president of the NBPCB to accept this award, Dr. Fredric K. Schroeder.
Fredric Schroeder: Thank you very much, my Federation family. The board has really done some amazing things, and really its formulation is pretty straightforward: we work based on the philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind. We start with the assumption that blind people can live the lives they want to live. We believe in blind people. When the established profession wouldn't certify blind people to teach orientation and mobility, we created a certification standard that, in my opinion, is the gold standard in certifying orientation and mobility specialists. We have taken affirmative steps to address the crisis in Braille literacy, and we have now certified many people as competent in literary Braille. The same is true with our training centers using the Federation philosophy as their foundation. We look at training programs in terms of whether they really fulfill the promise of providing the encouragement and the skills that blind people need. Thank you very much for this recognition.
Jim Gashel: Thank you, Dr. Schroeder. Dr. Maurer, Mark Riccobono, and fellow Federationists, these are the distinguished and very deserving members of the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award class of 2014. Thank you to Ron Brown and Mary Ellen Jernigan for their enlightened experience and intelligent review of all of the applications that various ones of you submitted this year. Their help in doing this work is invaluable. Mr. President, this concludes my report and the presentation of the Dr. Jacob Bolotin awards for 2014.
Presented by Patti Gregory-Chang
From the Editor: Each year the National Federation of the Blind presents academic scholarships to thirty outstanding blind students who are enrolled full-time in postsecondary institutions of higher learning. This year's class included three tenBroek Fellows, students who are receiving an NFB scholarship for the second time. During the meeting of the board of directors of the NFB, each of the scholarship winners had the opportunity to introduce himself or herself. Patti Gregory-Chang, who chairs the NFB Scholarship Committee, opened each introduction by announcing the winner's name, home state, and school state. Here is what the scholarship winners said about themselves.
Alex Anderson, New Jersey, Massachusetts: Hi, everybody. I don't get too much time to talk, so let me be quick here. I don't think I'm that fantastic, but apparently a lot of people do, or else I wouldn't be here. So I want to thank everyone and make everyone who put me here a promise: I will live up to and exceed every expectation set for me. I'm declaring that now because that's how I'm going to live the rest of my life.
Anya Avramenko, Kansas, Kansas: Hello, everyone. My name is Anya; I'm from Ukraine. I came to America in 2008 as an exchange student in the Future Leaders Exchange Program. I lived with Jennifer and Dan Wenzel; many of you know these people. They were the first ones who introduced me to the spirit of independence of the National Federation of the Blind. In 2012 I was very fortunate to be granted a scholarship to attend the Colorado Center for the Blind, and I'm proud to say I graduated from the Center. Despite extreme financial hardships I managed to start my schooling at Emporia State University, and a large part of this accomplishment is the great financial help from the NFB of Colorado and Kansas (I was a state scholarship winner). Now I'm going to Emporia State University, majoring in communication with a Spanish minor, and I want to become a legal interpreter one day. I'm thankful to the Federation for the trust and all the opportunities I've been given. I'm going to be an active member and try to give back in any way I can. Thank you.
Cindy Bennett, Washington, Washington: Good morning, and thank you. One of my challenges at work is that I have to ask my colleagues to use different information-sharing and collaboration technologies because the preferred ones are not currently accessible. This is very frustrating, and I want to do something about it. As I pursue a PhD in human-centered design at the University of Washington, I want to dedicate my research to improving the accessibility of education tools so that all students can be empowered by the content in our lessons, rather than frustrated by poorly designed products. Thank you so much, and I look forward to getting to know you this week.
Shawn Berg, Washington, Arizona: Hello, everyone. Yes, I do hail from the magical land of apples known as Washington. I'm studying mechanical engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which is in Prescott, Arizona, and I'm also minoring in aerospace engineering, mathematics, and business. Hopefully I plan on going into either aerospace design or automotive design, and hopefully designing things that help the world be more accessible for us. Thank you.
James Boehm, Tennessee, Tennessee: I'd like to thank the committee. It is an honor and a privilege to be one of the thirty recipients of the NFB scholarships. We may be thirty, but we are one front, one mission in building the Federation, reflecting the flame of what it means to be blind. As president of my local chapter and the state Guide Dog Division as well as secretary for the state of Tennessee, I cannot wait to return home to reflect and share the energy that we have here at the convention and move them as I have been moved. Thank you.
Candice Chapman, Minnesota, Minnesota: Good morning, fellow Federationists. I would like to begin by thanking the Scholarship Committee and my Federation family for this opportunity. It is my goal to become a university counselor. As a counselor in the university setting, I will be working with people and connecting every day in forming relationships. When people reflect on these relationships that we form, they won't remember that I was a blind counselor; they'll remember that I was a counselor who happened to be blind. Your investment in me will help me to achieve this as I start my master's program in educational psychology in the fall. Thank you.
Alan Chase, North Carolina, North Carolina: First I'd like to thank the committee and the national board and of course all of you, my Federation family, for making this opportunity possible. Currently I'm a doctoral student at North Carolina State University. I'm studying educational administration, and I am very passionate about building community amongst the Federation and amongst people who are visually impaired. I'm also very passionate about helping people to transition to higher education. I've demonstrated that by serving as the president of the North Carolina Association of Blind Students and building our membership and building community amongst our student division. But more importantly I've also created a summer camp for students with visual impairments to learn the skills that they need in order to be successful in higher education. It is my goal and vision that, like our BELL Program and other initiatives of the Federation, at some point in the future the Envisioning Youth Empowerment (EYE) Retreat will also be something that is offered throughout the country as part of our Federation. Thank you.
Craig Cooper, Oregon, Oregon: Thank you very much. It's an honor and a privilege to be here this morning. Fifteen years ago I did mornings on a radio station in Shreveport, Louisiana, and we were discussing ideas for raising a thousand toys for kids at Christmastime. I said, "Well, I'll go up on the radio station billboard until we get a thousand toys." You could have heard a pin drop in that room as they contemplated the idea of a blind guy falling off the billboard. Well, I didn't fall off the billboard; I was up there for three days, we raised the thousand toys, and the underprivileged kids got a Christmas. Ten years ago Hurricane Ivan is headed for the Gulf Coast, and I'm doing afternoons on WTVY in Dothan, Alabama. We said, "We've got to cover this; this is serious; there's going to be tornadoes and such." So I anchored the coverage with my team on all our radio stations in Dothan on the eighth floor of an office building. We covered it all night, and the next day a woman called me on the request line and said, "Thank you so much. We were in the closet, we had no power, the wind was coming up, the tornado sirens were going off, and all we had was y'all. And y'all were telling us what to do, and y'all were calm. Thank you." And I hung up the phone, and I was crying, that was--wow, powerful. And last year as part of my training to be a teacher (I'm in the master's program at Southern Oregon University), I was able to mentor and tutor kids--learning disabilities, kids with autism and such, and that gave me a great feeling as well. I'm going into teaching because I want to bring out the best in kids, and I consider it an absolute blessing to be here this morning. I'm eager and willing and happy to give back to the Federation in any way I can, so please let me know how. Thank you.
Hayden Dahmm, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania: Good morning, everybody. I am a senior studying engineering at Swarthmore College, and I'm the first blind student there in several years. So as a result being in the presence of hundreds of blind individuals is moving confirmation for me that I am not alone. I intend to continue my studies of environmental engineering, and I would also like to continue designing access tools so that blind individuals can have equal opportunities in STEM disciplines. I am blind as a consequence of being born over three months prematurely. When I was in the neonatal intensive care unit, a nurse said to my mother, "Miss, your son is never going to be a rocket scientist." I realize now that it is true; I will never be a rocket scientist--not because I am unable, but because I wish to do other things. The NFB testifies to me and proves to me that, just because limitations might be assumed from birth, we the blind can pursue whatever dreams we wish to. Thank you so much for making this opportunity.
Jonathan Franks, Texas, Texas: Good morning, everyone. I am pursuing a bachelor's in social work with a minor in psychology at the University of Texas. Eventually I'll also be pursuing a master's degree in social work and become a licensed clinical social worker so I can work with children. I am also a proud member of the board of the NFB of Texas, Austin chapter. I am a NFB-NEWSLINE® trainer for middle school, high school, and college students, and I am also an avid legislative advocate for the state of Texas. I am also a certified diabetes advocate for the American Diabetes Association and am on the board of the Hook the Cure Diabetes Awareness student organization at the University of Texas. I am truly honored to be here. Thank you.
Cathy Gaten, California, California: Good morning, Dr. Maurer, board members, and Federationists. Being selected for this award is truly an honor. When someone recognizes your hard work, it's a confidence-builder. I would like to thank the Scholarship Committee for their belief in me and let them know that it's not going to be in vain. I plan to give back until it hurts. Thank you from the depths of my heart.
Stanley Ingram, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania: Greetings to my NFB family. I'm grateful, honored, and proud to be a member of the 2014 NFB scholarship class. I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for allowing this to happen today. I'm studying for my MBA, and I will be a project manager and work with and for the NFB to continue the work of our founders and leaders--Dr. tenBroek, Dr. Jernigan, and Dr. Maurer--to change the perceptions of the capabilities of the blind in this world and in the United States of America. Thank you.
Meesha Johnson, New York, New York: Hello. Good morning, fellow Federationists. My name is Meesha Johnson. I am from Long Island, New York. I'm a single mother, and I'm a student at Suffolk County Community College, studying in the field of human services and law. I am also a double transplant recipient in August of 2010, and I just found out that one of the other finalists here is also a recipient, so I'm thinking that that's a new division that we may need to start here. A lot of people keep asking me how I am enjoying this. This is my first convention that I've ever been to, and I'm going to say what I've been telling everybody: this is not my last time. Thank you to the Federation for this honor, for the privilege of a scholarship to go toward my schooling. I am very thankful and grateful, and I'm grateful to be here. Thank you again.
Amber Kraft, North Dakota, North Dakota: I would like to start off by saying thank you to everyone for making it possible for me to be here; it's an honor. I'm from Bismarck, North Dakota. I just graduated from high school last May. I want to major in computer science, and I actually started classes already at Bismarck State. I'm missing math class to be here this week. I just want to say thank you to everyone.
Rebecca Leon, Tennessee, Tennessee: Good morning, everyone. I'm a social work major in Tennessee. I know that all of you here have dreams and aspirations. For some of you that may be traveling abroad or it may be going skydiving or making a cupcake. I encourage each of you to chase these dreams. For me, personally, my goal is to have a safe house for girls who have been trafficked and abused. I wish this to be a place where they can come and heal emotionally and mentally, where they will be taught music and art as therapies. I thank you all for having me here today and supporting me in my dreams. I choose to see every experience in life as an opportunity, a challenge, and an adventure, and I certainly see blindness in the same way. Thank you.
Alana Leonhardy, Idaho, Idaho: Good almost-afternoon, fellow Federationists. I am not here because I crave the prestige. I am not here simply for the money (although that is nice). I am here because I want the ability to make a difference in somebody's life somewhere. I am studying psychology, perhaps a very common major. But my goal is maybe a little less common; I want to work specifically with women who have disabilities who have been abused. I don't know if I'll go to law school and do battle against the bad guys in the courtroom or if I'll stay on the front line and do crisis intervention in the hospital and the like. What I do know is that I want to be a powerhouse in the Federation and that I will be a force to be reckoned with. Thank you.
Katelyn MacIntyre, Arizona, Pennsylvania: Hello, everyone, and thank you so much, Dr. Maurer, members of the board, and Scholarship Committee, and congratulations to my fellow finalists; it is such an honor to be among you all. I love music; music is my passion and my dream, and I love sharing that with other people. I believe that music is the language of the soul, and it truly transcends spoken language barriers and can reach such diverse audiences. To follow that, I'm studying a master's in music in vocal performance at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, starting this fall. I look forward to being a music educator and a concert performer. I sing everything from opera to jazz, and I love all kinds of music, so much so that I also enjoy studying music in culture (also known as ethnomusicology). I'm a volunteer at the musical instrument museum, and I'm pursuing an opera program in Austria immediately after the convention this summer. So I'm thankful for the many opportunities I've had to perform around the world and share my music with diverse audiences, and I'm truly honored to be a part of this scholarship class. Thank you, and I'm enjoying my time at the NFB convention.
Derek Manners, Massachusetts, Massachusetts: Hello, new family. My name is Derek Manners. I'm about to start my second year at Harvard Law School. I graduated from the University of Texas--hook'em Horns!--summa cum laude with my economics in government degree. I am looking forward to putting all of that long, hard-fought, and expensive education to work for the NFB. I realized pretty quickly when I first got here that the scholarship money isn't the real prize of this convention; it is the opportunity to get to meet all of you and to participate and to learn about the things I can do to get to work.
Elizabeth Muhammad, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania: Thank you to everyone who has made it possible for me to be here today. In the fall I will be a freshman at Bryn Mawr College, majoring in political science and minoring in journalism. I have always been sure of my academic goals, but I have not always been 100 percent sure of my career goals. That is until yesterday, when I had the opportunity to have a great conversation with a man who helped me figure this out. Opportunity, advancement, and certainty: that is what the NFB means to me, and that is why I will continue on in this great organization. Thank you.
Yevgeniya "Zhenya" Pankova, Massachusetts, Massachusetts: Hi, everyone. My name is Zhenya Pankova. I was born in Russia, but I moved to the US when I was three, so I'm fluent in both English and Russian. In the fall I'm going to be an incoming freshman at Bridgewater State University with a double major in special education and math. The reason I want to major in special education is because I've had such a strong support system throughout my life, and I want to give back. I want to let the kids know that they can be fully independent, no matter what they do, and that they can reach for the stars. I'd like to thank the committee for allowing me to be here today so that I could reach for the stars and reach my goals. Thank you.
Sarah Patnaude, Virginia, Virginia: Good morning. Every day we raise expectations of blind individuals because low expectations create obstacles between blind individuals and our dreams. I want to thank the Federation for investing in every blind individual. I want to continue my work in the Federation by ultimately becoming a lawyer for the NFB or working in the advocacy and policy department at our National Center. On the first day of my internship, Dr. Maurer asked, "Who desires a seat at the table?" I am here today to promise you that I will take that seat. Thank you.
Emily Pennington (tenBroek Fellow), Ohio, Ohio: Good morning, everyone. It is with great pleasure that I represent not only the wonderful scholarship class of 2014 but the great state of Ohio. I am a junior accounting major at Xavier University. I am hoping to pursue my MBA, law degree, and master's in taxation to become a tax lawyer. Aside from that, I'm ready to immerse myself in the Federation. This is my second convention, but I fully intend to be there for the one hundredth in 2040. Thank you, everyone--have a great day.
Deja Powell (tenBroek Fellow), Utah, Utah: Good morning. My name is Deja Powell, and my journey started back twelve years ago when I won my first scholarship from the National Federation of the Blind. I later went on to graduate with a master's degree in orientation and mobility, and I taught adults for a few years (yes, I'm a proud NOMC). Then I had this really mean boss named Dr. Eddie Bell, and he came to me and said, "There's some blind kids in our city, and they aren't going to get O&M instruction unless you teach them." I had no intentions of teaching kids; of course I went and taught them, and I fell in love. I found my passion. I realized that blind kids deserve every opportunity possible; they deserve to be told that whatever they're dreaming and wanting to be, they can be. That's my goal. I'm working on my PhD in K-12 education so I can improve the lives of blind kids in the future. I want to say that I'm so grateful for this scholarship, and whatever you invest in me, you'll also invest in them, and I will introduce my students to the National Federation of the Blind.
Amanie Reiley, New York, New York: Thank you for providing me with the opportunity to receive this scholarship and to speak before you today. This is my first convention, but definitely not the last. This convention is just a stepping stone to the numerous conventions that I will attend in the future. I am currently a senior at Mercy College in a combined bachelor-master's program; therefore I will graduate with my bachelor's degree in psychology and education next May and graduate with my master's in special education in 2016. After that I would like to go back to school to receive certifications to become a TVI, because I'm a big advocate for Braille literacy and the use of assistive technology. Once again, thank you for this wonderful convention so far, and I'm looking forward to interacting with each and every one of you.
Lucy Sidi, Illinois, Iowa: Hi, everyone. My name is Lucy, and I will be a freshman at Grinnell College in the fall. I'm considering a major in environmental science, but I hope to go on to law school and eventually become an advocate for the disabled and the mentally ill. This is my first NFB convention. I've never been to a gathering that was so empowering, and so far I've been really amazed with everything I've seen. Thank you so much for having me here today.
Mark Turley, Utah, Utah: We just went from the youngest to the oldest. I'd like to first of all thank Dr. Maurer and the Scholarship Committee for giving me this opportunity. In 2005 I was lost. I had just lost most of my sight, I'd lost my twenty-year career in the Navy, and I had lost a lot of my self-esteem and self-worth. My family loved me, but they didn't know what to do. Then in 2007 I discovered the NFB. I immediately took to its philosophy, and I found a home there. While I appreciate this scholarship, the NFB has already given me far more than this. When I was in church as a young kid, I was taught that, if you want to find yourself, then lose yourself in service. I currently serve as the chapter president in Salt Lake, and I'm on the board in Utah. I'm now pursuing a master's degree at the University of Utah in mathematics to pursue a new career in education. I appreciate this very much; I love the NFB, and I'm a lifer.
Anna Walsh, Alabama, Alabama: Good morning. Thank you for selecting me for this honor. In the fall I will be a freshman at Auburn University, where I will pursue a degree in political science. Afterwards I will attend law school, because I have a strong desire to facilitate change in our society, and I believe that a good understanding of the law will help me in this effort. Through my involvement in the NFB, I have realized that I can pursue the life I want. Therefore, as I strive to achieve my goals, I will remain involved in the Federation, because it has given me far more than I ever expected. Thank you.
Bev Weiler, Colorado, Colorado: Good afternoon. I was thinking as I was coming through the line how I've had some interesting congruences in my life. As a teenager I was working with hearing impaired and multiply disabled students, and now I am a blind student. I ran lights for rock 'n roll out on the road, one of three women at that time in the country as a rock 'n roll roady, and now I have troubles with the light. Finally, I used to do seminars for the worldwide offices of Sun Microsystems, planning seminars for four hundred people, and here I am an honoree and attending a seminar with over two thousand people. Going from being a troubled teen to my master's degree now at Regis University, where I will work with troubled teens, I greatly appreciate the honor of the scholarship from NFB. Thank you very much.
Isaiah Wilcox (tenBroek Fellow), Georgia, Georgia: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. First of all, thank you to Dr. Maurer and to the national board for reinvesting in me. It is truly an honor and a privilege to be here to enjoy this opportunity once again. I will be pursuing my MBA degree from Georgia Tech in the fall. But let me just take a step back and remind everyone that in 2008 I won the scholarship. That was the fuel that I needed to light my Federation fire, to go home, to start a student division, then to join the state board, and now to be the president of our Atlanta chapter. So this scholarship means much more than just the financial capability to graduate school. It means that you give us an opportunity to join the Federation and to get started. Again, thank you all for having me here today, and I look forward to meeting each and every one of you.
Justin Williams, South Carolina, South Carolina: Hello, everybody. It is an honor and a privilege to be here. I attend the University of South Carolina, seeking my second master's degree in vocational rehabilitation counseling. My plan is to assist in a very aggressive way in ADA accessibility with the internet, with the web, and with reasonable accommodations and advocacy. The idea is to empower individuals with disabilities (whether they be blind or otherwise) to be independent and also to have accessibility so that some of those websites we're finding inaccessible--I'd like to at least look them over and then report them and let the right people help make them accessible. Like I said, this is my second master's degree. I've already worked at the commission for the blind as a JAWS trainer, a computer trainer for assistive technology. I've also run the Vanguard Rent-a-car Program for certifying individuals who are blind for customer service jobs. Also we've certified folks who were from vocational rehabilitation but weren't blind for these customer service positions. This has been a great week. I'm enjoying it, and I hear it's going to get even better. I appreciate the opportunities that the National Federation of the Blind has presented to me, and I look forward to being of service. Thank you very much.
On Sunday evening, July 6, following the annual banquet speech, Chairman Chang came to the podium to present the year's winners and announce which scholarships they had been awarded. This year the winners shook hands with President Maurer and with futurist and inventor Ray Kurzweil before they took their places on the platform. In addition to the NFB scholarship, each of the thirty winners received a $1,000 check and plaque from Ray Kurzweil, a Google Nexus 7 tablet for access to the Blio ebook reader from K-NFB Reading Technology, and a $1,000 cash award from Google. This package of gifts added over $2,500 in value to each scholarship award.
After the scholarship class was introduced and the amount of each award was announced, Ms. Deja Powell was invited to address the convention in recognition of her selection as winner of the $12,000 Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship presented by the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults. Here is what she said.
"Wow! Thank you so much to the committee, to Dr. Maurer for being such a great leader for me since I joined the Federation some thirteen years ago, and thank you to all of you, the members of the National Federation of the Blind, for giving me this scholarship today. You are part of the team.
I have felt strongly that my dad has been with me this week. He died eight years ago of brain cancer. My dad and I owned a lawn mowing business when I was a senior in high school, and we called it Kicking Grass Lawn Care. I remember a day when we had just finished mowing the lawn together. We sat on the grass, and he said to me, 'Deja, promise me something.' (This was before he knew he had cancer.) 'Promise me that you'll find someone or something that will help you become the person you want to be.' This week I've felt my dad here, and I know that this organization--the National Federation of the Blind--is exactly what he'd hoped for me. You have my guarantee that your investment in me will go to the education of blind kids.
One little girl came to me this week on the Cane Walk. Her name is McKenzie, and she's awesome. She said to me, 'Miss Deja, I just want you to know that I'm a real good cane traveler, and there's probably not a lot you're going to be able to teach me.' I love that, and I want that for every kid. So thank you so much for putting your trust and faith in me."
Following is the complete list of 2014 scholarship winners and the awards they received.
$3,000 NFB Awards: Alex Anderson, Anya Avramenko, James Boehn, Alan Chase, Craig Cooper, Hayden Dahmm, Jonathan Franks, Cathy Gaten, Stanley Ingram, Amber Kraft, Rebecca Leon, Alana Leonhardy, Derek Manners, Zhenya Pankova, Amanie Reiley, Lucy Sidi, Anna Walsh, Bev Weiler, and Justin Williams
$3,000 The Oracle Scholarship for Excellence in Computer Science: Cindy Bennett
$3,000 E.U. and Gene Parker Scholarship: Mark Turley
$3,000 Charles and Melva T. Owen Scholarship: Isaiah Wilcox
$5,000 NFB Awards: Meesha Johnson, Shawn Berg, and Emily Pennington
$5,000 Larry Streeter Memorial Scholarship: Elizabeth Muhammad
$7,000 NFB Scholarship: Sarah Patnaude
$7,000 Donald and Betty Capps Leadership and Service Scholarship: Katelyn MacIntyre
$10,000 Charles and Melva T. Owen Scholarship: Candice Chapman
$12,000 Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship (funded by the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults): Deja Powell
National Federation of the Blind 2015 Scholarships
<www.nfb.org/scholarships>
Contact: Patti Gregory-Chang, (410) 659-9314, Extension 2415
[email protected]
Application Deadline: March 31, 2015
To recognize achievement by blind scholars, the National Federation of the Blind annually offers blind postsecondary students in the United States and Puerto Rico the opportunity to win one of thirty merit-based scholarships worth between $3,000 and $12,000. All scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic excellence, community service, and leadership. Applicants must be legally blind in both eyes; must reside in the United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico; and must be pursuing or planning to pursue a full-time, postsecondary course of study in a degree-granting program at a US institution in the fall semester of 2015. Scholarship finalists must participate in the entire National Federation of the Blind convention and in all of its scheduled scholarship activities. Each finalist will receive assistance to attend the convention, an excellent opportunity for networking with active blind persons in many fields.
2015 National Achievement Awards
Learning Ally
<http://learningally.org>
20 Roszel Rd.
Princeton, NJ 08540
(800) 221-4792
Application Deadline: January 15, 2015
Each year Learning Ally gives nine Mary P. Oenslager Achievement Awards to Learning Ally members who are blind and who will receive a bachelor's, master’s, or doctoral degree. To qualify, a student must have become a Learning Ally member no later than March 1, 2014; must be legally blind; and must have a GPA of at least 3.0 on a four-point scale. Awards range from $1,000 to $6,000. In addition, Learning Ally grants six Marion Huber Learning through Listening Awards to students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.
Financial Opportunities for Students with Disabilities
<www.bestcolleges.com/financial-aid/disabled-students>
The Best Colleges website has compiled a free online listing of financial assistance opportunities for students with chronic health conditions or physical, sensory, intellectual, or mental health disabilities. The guide begins with opportunities for students living with any kind of disability and then lists awards for students who have a particular disability or chronic illness.
Louis Braille Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation
<www.touchofgeniusprize.org>
Contact: Ximena Ojopi, (617) 266-6160, Extension 412
Deadline for Submissions: January 7, 2015
National Braille Press invites you to apply for the opportunity to win up to $20,000. The Louis Braille Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation was developed to inspire innovators to continue the promotion of Braille literacy for blind and deaf-blind people worldwide. Individuals or companies are eligible to apply if they have developed an innovative or accessible product in any of the following categories: professional software and apps, educational software and apps, gaming software or apps that promote tactile and Braille learning, or Braille or tactile related hardware. The product must demonstrate some aspect of tactile literacy for blind people and promote Braille literacy or access to information.
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
<http://artandwriting.org>
Contact: [email protected]
These awards, totaling more than $10 million, are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, whose mission is to identify students with exceptional artistic and literary talent. Students receive opportunities for recognition, exhibition, publication, and scholarship. Teens from the US and Canada in grades seven through twelve in public, private, or home schools can enter in any of twenty-eight categories of art and writing. The awards are granted through local programs, each of which establishes its own submission criteria. Check the website to find the local program through which your child or student may be eligible to enter.
NASA Summer Internships
<http://intern.nasa.gov>
Contact: Laureen Summers, [email protected]
Deadline for Applications: February 15, 2015
These paid internships at NASA centers around the United States are designed for undergraduate and graduate students with a strong interest in the sciences. Applicants should have a GPA of at least 3.0 on a four-point scale and a desire to pursue a technical career. Interns will work with scientists and engineers in an area compatible with their interests. NASA is committed to working with students from underserved communities, including racial and ethnic minorities and students with disabilities.
International Web for All Conference
<www.w4a.info>
Submission Deadline: January 23, 2015
Conference: May 18-20, 2015, Florence, Italy
Innovators are invited to submit their best work on improving the accessibility of the web, mobiles, and wearables for people with and without disabilities to the International Web for All Conference. Prizes of $2,000 and $1,000 will be awarded to the best technical and communication papers. The theme of the conference is "The Wearable Web." Wearable devices present incredible opportunities for improving accessibility for people with and without disabilities, but they also present accessibility challenges. Papers should detail technical solutions and scientific insights into web, mobile, and wearable technologies, addressing diverse user needs. Areas of interest include age, cognition, culture, dexterity, education, emotions, health, hearing, income, language, literacy, mobility, and vision.
International Conference on Educational, Cultural, and Disability Studies
Center for Culture and Disability Studies, Faculty of Education
Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool, UK
Contact: Dr. David Boldt, (0151) 291-3346
[email protected]
Deadline for Submissions: February 1, 2015
Educators and scholars in the fields of disability studies and inclusive education are invited to submit proposals of 150 to 200 words for papers to present at the 2015 conference, which will be held July 1 and 2. Anticipated panels will cover disability studies in the arts, medical humanities, children's fiction, creative writing, and special education.
US Currency Reader
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
To register, call: (888) 657-7323
For questions: call (844) 815-9388
In order to make US currency fully accessible to blind and visually impaired users, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing has developed a portable, easy-to-use currency reader. The reader can announce the denomination of any bill minted in the United States. Starting in January 2015, the device will be distributed free of charge to any qualified person who wishes to receive one. On September 2, 2014, the National Library Service (NLS) began to accept pre-registrations for the program from NLS patrons and people who want to become NLS patrons.
3D Printing
<http://librarylyna.com>
Contact: Kevin Yang, (480) 316-0382, [email protected]
The mission of Library Lyna is to host the largest collection of high-quality educational 3D models to foster the learning of blind and visually impaired students. Files can be downloaded from the website and printed at home or at school. Models can also be ordered from the company and tailored to the needs of the student.
Toys“R”Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids
<http://toysrus.com/DifferentlyAbled>
Toys“R”Us® has released the twentieth anniversary edition of its Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids, an easy-to-use toy selection resource for those who know, love, and shop for children with special needs. The Guide is available in English and Spanish online and at Toys”R”Us and Babies“R”Us stores nationwide. This year Toys”R”Us is teaming up with baseball champion, father, and special needs advocate Albert Pujols, who serves as a vocal advocate for children with disabilities through the Pujols Family Foundation. The Guide is packed with playthings selected to help kids build creativity, fine and gross motor abilities, self-esteem, and more. Each toy in the Guide is paired with skill-building icons that help users identify the playthings most suitable for the child they are shopping for. Icons include auditory, creativity, fine motor, language, self-esteem, social skills, tactile, thinking, and visual. Toys“R”Us, Inc., has long supported the special needs community through a variety of organizations, including the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC).
Hungry Fingers Tactile Puzzle Set
National Braille Press
<www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/HUNGRY.html>
88 St. Stephen St.
Boston, MA 02115-4302
(800) 548-7323 or (617) 266-6160, Extension 520
Created by Hungry Fingers, a company based in Poland, this tactile storybook and accompanying wooden puzzle teach blind children to construct an image progressively. As the story unfolds, a character emerges, one body piece at a time, giving the child a chance to follow the sequence until the whole "mystery character" is formed. The book does not have a title. That's because the child is unaware of what is being formed until the very end of the story. Only then is the child asked to give the teddy bear a name--which then becomes the new title of the book. The child feels that she or he has a hand in bringing the bear to life! The tactile drawings in the book match the sturdy wooden puzzle pieces, encouraging kids to make the connection between the drawing and the real puzzle piece. The Hungry Fingers Puzzle Set includes a print/Braille tactile book, an eight-piece puzzle, and a magnetic board to build upon.
The UEB Reader
Braille Authority of North America (BANA)
<www.bana.org>
Contact: Kim Charlson, (617) 972-7248
kimcharlson@perkins.org or [email protected]
BANA is pleased to make available The UEB Reader, a resource designed to introduce Braille readers and transcribers to Unified English Braille (UEB). This introductory hardcopy Braille book incorporates into one document several key resources found on the BANA website. The book is available free of charge upon request. It includes an overview of changes from current literary Braille to UEB and several sample documents transcribed into UEB for readers to use as practice.
Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence
<http://developingchild.harvard.edu>
Executive function and self-regulation (F-SR) skills provide critical supports for learning and development. While we aren't born with these skills, we are born with the potential to develop them through interactions and practice. This sixteen-page guide, available as a free download, describes a variety of activities and games that represent age-appropriate ways for adults to support various components of F-SR in children. Each chapter contains activities suitable for a different age group, from infants to teens.
Great Expectations Series
National Braille Press (NBP)
<www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/publications/index.html>
88 St. Stephen St.
Boston, MA 02115
(800) 548-7323 or (617) 266-6160
Celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of its acclaimed Children's Braille Book Club, National Braille Press introduces Great Expectations, a program to enhance the power of reading for blind and visually impaired children. The program brings popular picture books to life through a multi-sensory approach that includes songs, tactile play, picture descriptions, body movement, and engaged listening. Parents will learn how to describe the pictures in a book, how to explore a book's visual concepts, and how to play and have fun telling "the whole story." Children will learn to listen to words, and to understand feelings, actions, plot, and character. The first book in the series is Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin.
Special Day Cooking
by Beverly Worth Palomba
Special Day Publishing, San Francisco, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-9897082-0-3
Designed to be used by parents and teachers with children who are learning to cook, this book includes basic tips on safety in the kitchen; information about daily nutrition; and clear, step-by-step cooking instructions. The recipes take the child through the day, beginning with breakfast and winding up with desserts.
The Great Katie Kate Tackles Questions about Cancer
by M. Maitland deLand, MD
Greenleaf Book Group, 2010
ISBN: 1-608-32027-8
Few books for young children have taken on the topic of cancer. This picture book is written to help children who have been diagnosed with cancer through the story of Suzy and her magical friend, Katie Kate. With Katie Kate beside her, Suzy learns about tests and treatments, and she even vanquishes the Worry Wombat so that she can begin to ask questions about her illness. The Katie Kate series also includes The Great Katie Kate Discusses Diabetes, The Great Katie Kate Explains Epilepsy, and The Great Katie Kate Offers Answers about Asthma.
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