[PHOTO/CAPTION: Sharon Maneki reads a resolution in Braille at the microphone

while Sharon Omvig listens

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Sharon Maneki reads a resolution in Braille at the microphone

while Sharon Omvig listens

The Braille Monitor

August/September, 2002

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2002 Convention Resolutions

Report

by Sharon Maneki

Sharon

Maneki reads a resolution in Braille at the microphone while Sharon Omvig

listens.

From the Editor: Sharon

Maneki chairs the Resolutions Committee. Here is her overview of this year's

resolutions:

The section of the Declaration

of Independence that is most familiar to Americans is the statement of principles:

"We hold these truths to be self‑evident, that all men are created

equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,

that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Since the beliefs and objectives

of the National Federation of the Blind are the same as those of the writers

of the Declaration of Independence, it was most appropriate that the Resolutions

Committee meeting at the 2002 national convention in Louisville was held on

July 4. The resolutions passed by the Convention this year will further promote

equality as well as life, liberty, and happiness for blind Americans. These

resolutions may be divided into five categories: Braille literacy, education,

rehabilitation, Social Security, and access.

Once again this year Sharon

Omvig ably served as secretary to the Resolutions Committee. The forty-one men

and women on the committee considered twenty-six resolutions. Twenty-three resolutions

came to the convention floor. Resolution 2002‑13, which urged the entertainment

industry to seek out blind actors to portray blind characters, was defeated

in committee. The committee did not oppose promoting the pursuit of acting careers

by blind people but did not believe that blind people should be limited to portraying

only blind characters. Resolution 2002‑26, which called upon Congress

and the Bush administration to develop a national passenger rail service, was

also defeated. Many committee members recognized the importance of good public

transportation to the blind community but concluded that our resolutions should

be reserved for issues that more strictly relate to blindness.

Braille is an essential

tool of literacy and communication for blind people. Throughout the convention,

we held numerous discussions on the Unified English Braille Code (UEBC). The

committee considered three resolutions. Resolution 2002‑03, which the

committee killed, called upon the International Council on English Braille to

"continue work toward the development of a set of proposed recommendations

consistent with the Cranmer/Nemeth Principles that will gain widespread acceptance

among Braille readers and provide for a systematic means of modifying the Braille

code to meet current and future needs without compromising readability by current

Braille readers." The resolution also stated that changes to the Braille

code should eliminate duplication and minimize ambiguity.

The committee passed two

resolutions concerning the UEBC. In Resolution 2002‑04 we express opposition

to any drastic changes in Braille. In this resolution we urge the Braille Authority

of North America to retain its responsibilities for maintaining and improving

current Braille codes. Curtis Chong, director of technology for the National

Federation of the Blind, was the author of this resolution.

Peggy Elliott, second vice

president of the National Federation of the Blind and president of the NFB of

Iowa, sponsored the other resolution on the UEBC. Resolution 2002‑05 calls

upon the Braille Authority of North America and the International Council on

English Braille "to cease and desist all efforts to make radical changes

in the Braille code while the new circumstance of having readily available electronic

textbooks is assimilated and understood." The new circumstance referred

to in this resolution will come about when Congress enacts the Instructional

Materials Accessibility Act.

The Convention passed three

resolutions to improve educational opportunities for blind students. In Resolution

2002‑01, introduced by Sheila Koenig, president of the National Association

of Blind Educators and a tenBroek Fellow scholarship winner at this convention,

we urge Congress to pass the Instructional Materials Accessibility Act during

its current session. This legislation creates a process to make textbooks and

other instructional materials available to blind and visually impaired students

at the same time as they are provided to their sighted peers. When this legislation

is enacted, standards will be developed for electronic file formats of books.

Publishers will be required to provide these electronic files to a new repository,

which will enable every school district in America to use the file to create

instructional materials in alternative formats such as Braille for their blind

and visually impaired students.

Jason Ewell, first vice

president of the National Association of Blind Students, sponsored Resolution

2002‑02. In this resolution we call upon Congress and state legislatures

to enact legislation requiring that all instructional technology purchased by

schools ensure the availability of non‑visual access. This resolution

is necessary because more and more schools are using online courses and other

computer-based learning tools. To avoid costly retrofitting, non‑visual

access must be a requirement when course software is being developed.

Resolution 2002‑19

was introduced by Michael Jones, president of the NFB of Alabama and a scholarship

winner at this convention. In this resolution we express our opposition to H.R.

3252 and S. 1654, bills that would create a national junior college for deaf

and blind students at the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind. Blind students

have competed with their sighted peers in integrated colleges for decades. The

creation of a special college for the blind would definitely be a step backward

in education and would not prepare students for employment in an integrated

setting.

The Convention passed seven

resolutions concerning rehabilitation. Three of these deal with services to

the senior blind. Jim Marks, a longtime leader in the NFB of Montana, introduced

Resolution 2002‑20. In this resolution we call for the design and implementation

of high-quality, effective rehabilitation service-delivery methodologies specifically

geared for older blind Americans. Government entities can no longer afford to

ignore the growing population of seniors who are losing vision. These seniors

could maintain independence if they received suitable services.

In Resolution 2002‑06,

introduced by Ron Gardner, president of the NFB of Utah, we urge Congress to

adopt H.R. 2674, the Medicare Coverage Equity Act for the Blind. This bill amends

Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to permit state rehabilitation agencies

serving blind people age fifty-five and older to serve as Medicare providers

and obtain reimbursement for the cost of rehabilitation. The resolution also

outlines our opposition to H.R. 2484 and S.1967, which promote the delivery

of rehabilitation services based on the medical model.

Jim McCarthy, assistant

director of governmental affairs for the National Federation of the Blind, sponsored

Resolution 2002‑08. In May of 2002 new rules were enacted to permit occupational

and physical therapists to supply rehabilitation services to blind people. Now

Medicare funds can be used to reimburse these therapists. In this resolution

we call upon the Rehabilitation Services Administration of the United States

Department of Education to establish an ongoing training program on blindness

for occupational and physical therapists so that these practitioners will be

equipped to provide effective independent living services to older blind individuals.

The Convention passed two

resolutions that will strengthen the enforcement of informed choice. In Resolution

2002‑18, introduced by Shawn Mayo, president of the National Association

of Blind Rehabilitation Professionals, we call upon Congress, when it re-authorizes

the rehabilitation act, to prohibit practices by state rehabilitation agencies

that thwart informed choice.

Noel Nightingale, a member

of the national board and president of the NFB of Washington, was the author

of Resolution 2002‑22. In this resolution we call upon the Rehabilitation

Services Administration to revise its regulations to prohibit state rehabilitation

agencies from undercutting informed choice. Some of the methods states use to

thwart choice include the use of accreditation and certification requirements,

approved provider lists, and in‑state training preferences.

Resolution 2002‑24

addresses the need to eliminate a barrier to receiving rehabilitation services

for blind people who receive Social Security benefits. Larry Streeter, president

of the NFB of Idaho, sponsored this resolution. State vocational rehabilitation

agencies may establish an order of selection in times of fiscal problems. This

order of selection institutes a method of choosing which clients will be served

by the state rehabilitation agency. Blind clients who are eligible for services

can be denied these services when a state agency implements an order of selection.

In this resolution we urge Congress to exempt blind individuals who receive

Social Security benefits from any limitation of rehabilitation services imposed

by an order of selection.

Resolution 2002‑14

will help to improve the quality of rehabilitation services for blind people

by enhancing the training of professionals who work in rehabilitation. A longtime

leader in the Federation, Dr. Fred Schroeder, sponsored this resolution, which

expresses our whole‑hearted support for the National Blindness Professional

Certification Board. This board certifies professionals by using performance‑based

criteria.

The Convention passed three

resolutions dealing with Social Security issues. The Social Security Administration

is notorious for losing information and for delays in processing all aspects

of claims. To remedy this situation, Carlos Servan, president of the NFB of

Nebraska, proposed Resolution 2002‑11. In this resolution we call upon

Congress to amend the Social Security Act to provide specific time limits for

the Social Security Administration to resolve claims and disputes. If the Social

Security Administration fails to meet the prescribed time limits, Congress should

stipulate that the dispute will automatically be resolved in favor of the claimant.

The remaining two Social

Security resolutions deal with access to information. In today's society members

of the public, including the blind, should be able to conduct all types of Social

Security business online. The Social Security Administration makes the vast

majority of its forms available in Adobe's portable document format (PDF) on

the Internet. However, the pdf format is not accessible to many blind people.

In Resolution 2002‑07, sponsored by Ryan Osentowski, secretary of the

NFB of Nebraska, we urge the Social Security Administration to make all of its

electronic applications and forms accessible to the blind.

Anil Lewis, president of

the NFB of Georgia and a scholarship winner at this convention, sponsored Resolution

2002‑17, which urges the Social Security Administration to provide notices

and other information in alternate formats accessible to blind beneficiaries,

including audio cassette, Braille, computer disk, and online, and to provide

it at the same time as printed information is available.

The Convention passed seven

resolutions dealing with a variety of access issues. Due to advances in voting

technology, blind citizens can now cast their votes independently and privately.

The Convention passed Resolution 2002‑09 to make sure that the promise

of this new technology becomes a reality in state and local elections. Dan Burke

from Montana sponsored this resolution, which insists that state and local election

officials consult with the National Federation of the Blind when configuring

electronic voting systems.

Curtis Chong, president

of the National Federation of the Blind in Computer Science, sponsored Resolution

2002‑10. In this resolution we urge electronic book publishers to develop

policies and procedures through which the blind can obtain access to electronic

books.

Resolution 2002‑15

outlines problems faced by Spanish‑speaking customers when using Freedom

Scientific Spanish products. Although Freedom Scientific advertises that the

Spanish version of its products is functionally equivalent to the English-language

version, in reality it is not. Many features are missing while others are poorly

designed. Alpidio Rolon, president of the NFB of Puerto Rico, was the author

of this resolution.

Robert Jaquiss, treasurer

of the Science and Engineering Division of the National Federation of the Blind,

sponsored Resolution 2002‑21. In this resolution we call upon governmental

agencies and textbook publishers to conduct research into better methods of

producing tactile graphics with the hope that they will become an integral part

of the education of blind students.

The use of point-of-sale

machines is becoming more prevalent in transportation centers and retail establishments.

Many of these machines now require the customer to interact by inputting identification

numbers--a task which is impossible for most blind customers unless they have

sighted assistance. Tami Dodd Jones, a longtime leader in the Federation, who

currently resides in Indiana, introduced Resolution 2002‑23 to address

these problems. In this resolution we call upon the United States Access Board

to regulate the point-of-sale-machine market to ensure full accessibility and

security for all customers, including the blind.

Scott LaBarre, president

of the National Association of Blind Lawyers, and Kevan Worley, president of

the National Association of Blind Merchants, collaborated on two resolutions

opposing draft guidelines issued by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers

Compliance Board. Resolution 2002‑12 outlines our opposition to the universal

installation of detectable warnings. Resolution 2002‑16 outlines our opposition

to the installation of accessible pedestrian signals at all signalized intersections

in America. The guidelines on both of these subjects issued by the Architectural

and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board disregard both the recommendations

of the National Federation of the Blind and the recommendations of its own Public

Rights-of-Way Access Advisory Committee.

The last resolution which

the convention passed is Resolution 2002‑25. Mike Freeman, second vice

president of the National Federation of the Blind of Washington, proposed this

resolution. The American Council of the Blind filed a lawsuit against the secretary

of the treasury of the United States and the treasurer of the United States

alleging that the federal government is in violation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation

Act because it issues all U.S. currency in an identical size, color, and texture,

which renders various denominations indistinguishable by touch. The American

Council claims that blind persons are excluded from enjoying the benefits of

monetary transactions because of difficulties with currency identification.

Our resolution reads in part: this organization shall "take steps to counter

the adverse effects of the harmful publicity arising from this lawsuit and renew

efforts to educate the public that the blind can participate in commerce."

This information is merely

an introductory description of the resolutions considered and passed by the

Convention. Readers should examine the complete text of each resolution to understand

fully our policy on these subjects. The complete text of all resolutions approved

by the Convention follows.

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