AFB eNews

December 2009

FamilyConnect™ Introduces New Holiday Guide for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments

'Tis the season for shopping for gifts, sharing holiday traditions with the little ones, and gathering around the table with family and friends. This time of year, parents of children with visual impairments have questions about making the holiday season fun and accessible for their kids. They ask, "What are the best toys for my toddler or teen with a visual impairment?" or "Are there things I can do to ensure our holiday traditions are accessible?" To answer these questions, the FamilyConnect team has created a new Holiday Guide for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments.

In the FamilyConnect Holiday Guide, parents will find:

• Helpful tips on choosing toys and presents for the holidays
• Gadget gift ideas for teens and college students
• Let's Play: A Guide to Toys for Children with Special Needs
• Advice on keeping up traditions, teaching in the moment, adaptation, and time management during the holidays
• Tips for travel with a visually impaired child
• Tips for teaching table skills

Parents are also encouraged to visit the FamilyConnect message boards and share their own holiday tips and traditions. For these features and more, visit the Holiday Guide today.

In addition, for family members of adults with vision loss, AFB Senior Site® has updated its Ultimate Holiday Guide. The Guide features decorating tips and gift ideas for everyone, ensuring that the game and gadget lovers, bookworms, cooks, craft enthusiasts, and others on your list will have a happy holiday season. And for those of you who use screen reader technology and would like to avoid crowded stores by shopping online, check out the November 2009 AccessWorld® article, "Go Shopping and Let Your Screen Reader Do the Walking."

News & Announcements

AFB Welcomes New Board Chair, Concetta F. Conkling
This fall, AFB announced the election of a new chair to its Board of Trustees, Concetta F. Conkling, management consultant; former Senior Vice President, Wells Fargo; and Chair of AFB's National Employment Center Board. "As we prepare to celebrate our 90th anniversary, we are happy to have Concetta lead our board. With her expertise and enthusiasm, we are sure to have a bright future with her as our chair," said Carl R. Augusto, President & CEO of AFB. Read more about AFB's new board chair, and two new trustees, in AFB's Press Room.

AFB's New York Headquarters Has Moved
AFB's New York office has moved. You can now find us at:

2 Penn Plaza, Suite 1102
New York, NY 10121
Tel (212) 502-7600
www.afb.org

AccessWorld Reviews Two New Digital Book Players
AccessWorld: Technology and People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired takes a look at two new book players that could mean competition for the Victor Reader Stream. Also in this issue, an in-depth look at the accessibility of popular audio players and book readers for users with low vision, a closer look at illuminated magnifiers, and a laundry appliance accessibility update.

Diabetes Lectures Now Available Online
Visitors to AFB Senior Site can now find the audio versions of two informative lectures on diabetes and vision loss originally presented at the AFB Center on Vision Loss in Dallas, Texas. Both presentations are also fully transcribed, and include "The Eyes and Diabetes," by ophthalmologist Michelle Brochner, MD, and "Eating Healthily with Diabetes," by diabetes educator Sabrina Marvel, RN.

New Features at CareerConnect®
Recent additions to CareerConnect include a new installment in the popular series, Aaron's Adventures in Employment, and links to new employment resources. In the fourth funny episode of Aaron's Adventures, "Attitude Adjusters," Aaron finds himself betwixt and between decisions of working hard or taking shortcuts to get the job done, and wrestles with the perils, dangers, and risks of not being a true team player. Have your students listen and let us know how they respond!

The Useful Links area of the For Job Seekers section is now fresh and updated with new information. This part of the CareerConnect site can be used to enhance job seeking experiences for youth and adults alike.

AFB Blog
Check out AFB's blog and read about a Washington Post article on the challenging question of when to disclose a disability to a potential employer, AFB's stand on Rupert Murdoch's comments on New York Governor Paterson, exciting developments in technology used to access print information, and more!