Monitor Miniatures 4/98
Monitor Miniatures
4/98
Braille for China Again:
We carried a notice in the February, 1998, issue
which invited readers to consider donating complete Braille materials in good condition
for use by blind people in China who are studying English. Larry Campbell, who asked us to
post that request, reports that the response has been gratifying. He has also had some
questions. He wishes to clarify several matters. First, the materials should be shipped
Braille Monitor 4/98
The Braille Monitor
Vol. 41, No. 4 April 1998
Barbara Pierce, Editor
Published in inkprint, in Braille, on cassette, and
the World Wide Web and FTP on the Internet
THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
Marc Maurer, President
National Office
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
NFB Net BBS: (612) 696-1975
Web HomePage Address: http//www.nfb.org
Letters to the President, address changes,
Reporters Look At Technology for Blind
Reporters Look at Technology for
the Blind
From the Editor: In recent weeks several
prestigious newspapers and one distinguished magazine-format television news program have
taken a considered look at various aspects of technology for the blind. The first to
address the topic was the Louisville Courier Journal, which did a profile of long-time
Federation leader Tim Cranmer in its Sunday, February 15, 1998, edition. Here is the story
as it appeared:
Visionary in a Sightless World
Microsoft Promotes Accessibility
Microsoft Promotes Accessibility
by Curtis Chong
PHOTO/CAPTION: Curtis Chong
From the Editor: In mid-February Curtis
Chong, Director of the NFB's Technology Department, took part in a meeting organized by
Microsoft. Here is his report:
On February 19 and 20, 1998, Microsoft, a key
player in the personal computer software industry, hosted two days of activity dealing
specifically with the subject of accessibility by persons with disabilities to its many
Deaf-Blind Woman Wins
Deaf-Blind Woman Wins Lawsuit
Against Continental Airlines
by Douglas Parker
From the Editor: The National Federation of
the Blind was instrumental in persuading Congress to pass the Air Carrier Access Act in
the mid-eighties. Although the regulations finally promulgated by the U.S. Department of
Transportation were not all that we and members of Congress had intended them to be, the
act has provided protections for disabled people in the years since its passage. The
A Sad Reminder
A Sad Reminder
From the Editor: All of us have had the
painful experience of having someone dismiss us as unimportant or insignificant or
incompetent simply because the person didn't bother to focus sufficient attention on us to
see the truth. It happens to blind people all the time, but it occurs to other people as
well. Because it is such a common experience for us, it seems to me that I should be less
inclined to dismiss other people out of hand than those who rarely have to fight to be
The Optacon: Past, Present, and Future
Deborah Kent Stein]
The Optacon: Past, Present, and
Future
by Deborah Kent Stein
From the Editor: Several times in recent
years we have published articles lamenting Telesensory's decision to discontinue
production of the Optacon. Here is Deborah Kent Stein's discussion of this essential tool
in her life. The article first appeared in the September issue of DIGIT-EYES: The Computer
Users' Network News, published by the Blind Service Association of Chicago. It is
Raising the Bar
Raising the Bar: First Tme at National Convention
by Dan Burke
From the Editor: People who have attended
National Conventions know what an astonishing impact that first experience can have on a
life, but it's hard to convey to those who have never taken their courage in both their
hands and decided to go what a difference that week of inspiration, information, and
friendship can make in their lives. They can easily conceive of all sorts of problems,
Convention Extras
Elizabeth Campbell
Convention Extras
by Elizabeth Campbell
From the Editor: The following article is the
last pre-convention offering from the Texas affiliate. In just a few weeks we will be
gathering for the 1998 convention of the National Federation of the Blind, and you don't
want to miss it. President Maurer is hard at work on the convention agenda, and you
already know from recent Monitor articles just how much activity is planned around
Equality Safari-Style
PHOTO/CAPTION: Michael Baillif
Equality Safari-Style
by Michael Baillif
From the Editor: In the years since Michael
Baillif first won an NFB scholarship in 1984, he has frequently contributed to the Braille
Monitor. Often his articles are reflections on experiences he has had during trips to
other countries. The following article is no exception. Here it is:
Our van had been bumping, thumping, and skidding
over the nearly impassable road for what seemed like an eternity. Finally we had reached