AFB eNews

October 2008

Dr. Susan J. Spungin to Receive a 2009 Migel Medal

We are very pleased to announce that Dr. Susan Spungin, Vice President, International Programs and Special Projects for AFB, has been selected to receive the 2009 Migel Medal Professional Award. Susan's 36-year career at AFB includes so many contributions to the blindness field and people with vision loss, both domestically and internationally. Susan will be retiring from AFB on December 31, 2008. It is an honor to give Susan the award and we hope you join in our excitement.

The Migel Medal, the highest honor in the blindness field, honors individuals who have enriched the lives of people with vision loss either through their professional careers or volunteer service. More information about all of the recipients and the Migel Medal ceremony will be available soon on the Migel section of AFB's web site. The awards will be presented at the 2009 Josephine L. Taylor Leadership Institute (JLTLI), which will take place from March 5-7 at the Washington Marriott Hotel in Washington, DC. Please visit www.afb.org/jltli.asp for more information.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), an important time for all of us to recognize the achievements of successfully employed people who are blind or visually impaired. In honor of NDEAM, we encourage you to take a few moments and check out AFB CareerConnect®, AFB's online mentoring program, which recognizes and showcases the talents, skills, and dedication of workers who are blind or visually impaired.

CareerConnect is a great resource for employers and job seekers alike, because it not only shares the success stories of people with vision loss in the workplace, it also helps individuals create their own stories through many of the employment-related resources available on the web. Visitors to the site can read Tips for Exploring Careers, find out What Employers Are Looking For, Build Your Resume, and Search for Jobs.

There are also firsthand accounts from CareerConnect mentors, articles from CareerConnect mentees about what they gained through their connections with mentors, articles about mentors in various occupations who have been spotlighted by the media, and more. A multimedia section showcases CareerConnect mentors as they demonstrate assistive technology in office settings for employees who are blind or have low vision. These videos are designed to show potential employers how employees with vision loss can get the job done when they're provided with the necessary tools and technology.

AFB CareerConnect works diligently to promote the employment of people with vision loss. In honor of NDEAM, please take time to view the site and honor the many workers with disabilities working in a vast range of careers whose accomplishments, skills, and contributions have strongly impacted our society today.

News and Announcements

Nimas Training
AFB is pleased to offer several new training options for NIMAS capacity building. One will be a new webinar, "Implement NIMAS in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) and Build New State Strategies," on October 21, 2008. We will be joined by Vicki Hershman, PATINS State Project Director (Indiana), and Joy Zabala, Project Manager, AIM Consortium at CAST. To download the link to the webinar, visit www.afb.org/nimas.asp. Here you can also view the June 2008 webinar, "Leverage your NIMAS Resources."

The second training option will be a hands-on braille translation software training with NIMAS updates on November 21 and 22, 2008, in Detroit, Michigan. To register, please visit www.afb.org/nimas.asp.

JVIB Announces New Practice Section
An important announcement was made at the September 2008 meeting of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (JVIB). Jane N. Erin, Ph.D., one of the most respected voices in the field of visual impairment and blindness and editor emerita of the journal, has agreed to become JVIB's inaugural Associate Editor for Practice. Dr. Erin will pilot a new section debuting in 2009 entitled "Practice Perspectives," which will address issues of interest to professionals, including teachers, rehabilitation professionals, orientation and mobility specialists, and others who are employed in instructional or service delivery roles with people who are visually impaired. Dr. Erin is professor at the University of Arizona in Tucson, where she coordinates the program to prepare teachers of students with visual impairments.

For more information on the exciting activities of JVIB, visit JVIB online at www.jvib.org, or e-mail Rebecca Burrichter, senior editor, JVIB, at rebeccab@afb.net.

Braille Literacy: A Functional Approach
AFB presents Braille Literacy: A Functional Approach, a hands-on workshop for teachers who provide braille instruction to children and adults, including those who have additional disabilities, developmental delays, or deafblindness; speak English as a second language; or have other learning challenges. The workshop will be held February 5-7, 2009, at AFB's National Literacy Center in Atlanta, Georgia, and will be presented by Dr. Diane P. Wormsley, Brenda Brodie Endowed Chair and Professor of Special Education at North Carolina Central University.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Shirley Landrum at slandrum@afb.net, or call 404-525-2303 to request an application. All applications must be received by Friday, December 19, 2008. Since there are only 24 spaces available, applicants will be notified of their acceptance status within one week of the submission deadline.

Assistive Technology Assessment for Students Who are Blind or Visually Impaired
AFB's Ike Presley will conduct a training on April 23-25, 2009, in Atlanta, Georgia, on assistive technology assessments for students who are blind or visually impaired. Participants will learn to identify the major components of an assistive technology assessment: the gathering of the needed background information, assessing the student's options for accessing printed and electronic information, determining appropriate writing tools, and determining the tools needed to produce materials for the student in alternate formats.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Shirley Landrum at slandrum@afb.net, or call 404-525-2303 to request an application. Applications must be received by March 12, 2009. There are 24 spaces available; applicants will be notified of their acceptance status within one week of the submission deadline.

AFB Blog
Check out AFB's blog and read about the new Perkins Brailler, a kick off to NDEAM and a visually impaired legislative assistant, trucking for a cause, and much more!