In The News

Rupert Murdoch Attacks Governor Paterson's Disability

Today Rupert Murdoch, CEO of News Corp, is in the news for calling New York Governor Paterson "a very nice, honest man who's blind and can't read braille and doesn't really know what's going on."

Yet, it appears that Mr. Murdoch is really the one who doesn't know what's going on. Here in the 21st century, those of us with vision loss use a number of adaptive techniques to read books and newspapers, e-mail, surf the web, text message, and much more. Braille is one way of accessing information, but there are many others, including screen reading and magnification software that allows easy access to information on a computer screen or cell phone.

How many times do we have to see this kind of ignorance when it comes to the capabilities of people who are blind and visually impaired? Mr. Murdoch is just the latest in a slew of attacks on the Governor's disability, but our stance hasn't changed. See my prior posts on State Senator Diane Savino's comment and SNLs offensive skit.

Helen Keller, who worked at AFB for more that 44 years and remains our guiding light, summed it up perfectly when she said: "Many people with perfect ears are emotionally deaf, many with splendid eyes are blind in their perceptions."

Events Roundup from the Week

This week, there are a couple of important events taking place around the world. Today is White Cane Safety Day—the day we celebrate the achievements of people with vision loss and recognize the importance of being able to travel safely and independently. The white cane has become an important international symbol of independence, as it enables those of us who are blind or visually impaired to get around without sighted assistance. In honor of this day, we are making the chapter on mobility from The Unseen Minority: A Social History of Blindness in the United States free for the month of October. The chapter covers dog guides as well as canes. In addition, the World Blind Union released a statement that addresses some of the currently mobility challenges, including hybrid/quiet vehicles and the "shared space" urban design concept that involves the removal of curbs, lines, signs, and signals. We encourage you to take a look at the WBU statement when you have a moment.

The other event taking place this week is National Aging in Place Week—a time to think about how to continue to live independently and comfortably at home as you age. Since most of us want to continue living at home into our late years, it's important to learn how to adapt our spaces to make them safer and easier to navigate. Here at AFB, we created a web site for seniors with age-related vision loss and their family members that tackles this very issue. On AFB Senior Site, older Americans and their loved ones can learn how to make their homes more vision loss-friendly. If you, or anyone you know, has been diagnosed with an age-related eye condition, please send them on the AFB Senior Site.

In Memory of Margaret Pfanstiehl

Last week, the blindness field lost another dear friend, Margaret Pfanstiehl. After losing her vision in her 30s, Margaret became one of the earliest champions of audio description, ensuring that people with vision loss could have access to television, newspapers, theatre, and other forms of entertainment. In 1974, she founded Metropolitan Washington Ear, which provided newspapers and other information on the radio and then over recorded telephone service. Soon after, Margaret was approached by local theatre companies to provide audio description of live plays. Through this work, she and her husband Cody honed the art of description and expanded the Ear's mission to describe television, museum exhibits, operas, and more.

Like many people with vision loss in the Washington, DC area, I am indebted to Margaret for bringing the world of information and arts a whole lot closer. I listened to the newspaper first on the Washington Ear radio and then dial-up system. And I love the description that is now available for so much theatre in the Washington area.

Margaret's passion and commitment caught AFB's attention, and in 2001, we awarded her and Cody an Access Award for their pioneering work in audio description. The next time you watch a movie, play, or television show with audio description, think of Margaret and send her a silent thank you. You can read more about Margaret Pfanstiehl's life at the Washington Post.

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State Senator Attacks Governor Paterson's Vision Loss

Governor Paterson's blindness is under attack again. This time, State Senator Diane Savino suggests it's hindering his ability to govern. In an interview with the Staten Island Advance, Ms. Savino said, "We live in a digital age now, with e-mailing and Blackberrying. He is not able to do that because of his visual impairment. David cannot do those things. Also, he does not read Braille. He has people reading newspapers to him. He listens to tapes of staffers briefing him. All that takes an enormous amount of time. As a result, he is not able to respond on the fly the way [former Gov. Eliot] Spitzer or even [former Gov. George] Pataki could. In some ways I think that has hindered him, in spite of everything he has accomplished in life."

This is exactly the kind of gross stereotyping and misinformation that holds people with disabilities back.

For starters, people with vision loss are actively participating in the digital age. Emailing, surfing the web, and text messaging are all possible thanks to screen reading and magnification software. Even the new iPhone comes equipped with talking features that make it usable to people with vision loss. In addition, there are scores of judges, CEOs, scientists, professors, photographers, politicians, and more that, just like the Governor, are smart, savvy go-getters who have climbed to the top of their careers and who also happen to be blind or visually impaired.

Governor Paterson has clearly figured out the adaptive techniques that work best for him. After all, he has been a major player in the Democratic Party for years now, successfully climbing the ranks despite the fact that he doesn't read braille.

Like we said to the SNL staff after its offensive skit, when judging Governor Paterson's performance, we ask one thing: judge him the way we do all politicians, based on his political record and not his disability.

In Memory of Sam Genensky

On June 26, 2009, we said goodbye to Sam Genensky, an incredible man and a dear friend to the field of blindness and to AFB. Sam won the Migel Medal, the highest honor in the blindness field, in 1998 and he was also one of our esteemed CareerConnect mentors. I'm thrilled that we have Sam's story, in his own words, forever documented in the CareerConnect section of our web site. I highly encourage you to read Sam's full story, but also wanted to share with you some of my personal interactions with Sam.

Sam was left visually impaired by an accident in infancy, and subsequently lived the majority of his 81 years with low vision. While Sam is known as the father of CCTV—a system for projecting magnified text on video screens that has helped millions of partially sighted people around the world to read—I think he could be called the father of low vision. He was driven to find the various low vision aids that would enable him to function optimally in every situation. The first time I met Sam was in the late 70s or early 80s. He was visiting New York and I met him at his hotel where he was armed with a bag of various low vision devices. He used different ones to read the signs on the street, to read the menu during dinner, and to check out other things in his environment. I was impressed, especially because he was never self-conscious while using low vision aids.

Sam was an inspirational leader and never missed an opportunity to express his strong opinions on controversial issues. You always knew where he stood. I visited him several times at his place—the Center for Partially Sighted—of which he was so proud. Under Sam's and LaDonna Ringering's leadership, the Center has become a preeminent, if not the preeminent, leader in this country in providing services to people with low vision.

Sam will truly be missed, but his legacy will continue as we try to make our world more accessible for people with low vision. You can read more about Sam's life by visiting the Wall Street Journal.

Please feel free to leave us a memory of Sam in the comments section below.

NFB and ACB File Suit against Arizona State University

Those of you that are following the Kindle debate might have heard the news that today the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and the American Council of the Blind (ACB) filed suit against Arizona State University (ASU) to prevent the university from using the Amazon's Kindle DX electronic reading device to provide electronic textbooks to its students. As we have been reporting for the past few months, the Kindle cannot be used by blind students and by using it as a means of delivering information to students, the university would violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

The NFB and ACB have also filed complaints with the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education and the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice asking for investigations of five other institutions: Case Western Reserve University, the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, Pace University, Princeton University, and Reed College.

As we've stated many times on the blog, reiterated during the Reading Rights Coalition protest at the Authors Guild in NY, and heard from many of you, we cannot allow authors and publishers to decide what people with disabilities are permitted to read and America's institutions should not be permitted to discriminate against people with disabilities. Kudos to NFB and ACB for taking the lead in ensuring that technology is made accessible to both blind and sighted students. It's great to see these organizations working together.

You can learn more about the suit by reading NFB's press release.

Congressman Sessions Announces Legislation Recognizing the 40th Anniversary of NEI

Yesterday, Congressman Pete Sessions, a good friend of AFB, applauded the House's passage of a bill recognizing the 40th anniversary of the National Eye Institute (NEI) and expressed his support for the designation of 2010 through 2020 as the "Decade of Vision." In a release about his support, Sessions stated: "The NEI has been a leader in research and sight-saving treatments that reduce visual impairment and blindness for over 40 years. With Congressional and public support, our national investment in vision research will continue to yield substantial treatments and cures for Americans affected by vision loss and impairment." We're thrilled to see the House of Representatives and leaders like Congressman Sessions and Representative Tammy Baldwin (both original sponsors of the bill) support vision-related organizations like NEI, especially as more and more individuals are living with vision loss.

Read more about NEI by visiting their web site.

Some Very Special Guests

Guest Blogger, Ellen Bilofsky, Managing Editor, AFB Press

AFB often has guests who are interested in touring different sections of our national headquarters here in New York. Recently, we had some special visitors take the tour. AFB Press author Kate Byrnes, a teacher of visually impaired students in Marin County, California, who is working on a forthcoming book on listening skills, came to visit us with her husband Michael Meteyer of Guiding Eyes for the Blind.

Kate and Michael also brought a friend, Lama Pema Wangdak, a Tibetan Buddhist monk who—of particular interest in this bicentennial of Louis Braille—wrote a Tibetan/Sanskrit-based braille code called the "Bur Yig." According to Lama Pema, he was first intrigued by braille when a student of one of his students who was blind showed him one of AFB's own braille alphabet cards! Creating his system of Tibetan braille took him ten years. You can read more about Lama Pema and his life on the Vikramasila Foundation's web site.

The three visitors were particularly thrilled with their tour of AFB's archives conducted by AFB archivist Helen Selsdon, where they were able to touch one of three existing copies of the first full-length book ever produced using Louis Braille's braille dot system, A Brief History of France (Précis Sur L'Histoire De France), published by the National Institute for Blind Youth in 1837. Another highlight was holding the actual Oscar statuette awarded to Helen Keller in 1955 for the film Helen Keller in Her Story.

While you may not be able to visit AFB in person, you can take a virtual tour of our archives. Enjoy!

Tune into the Reading Rights Coalition Protest Tomorrow in NYC

For all those following the Kindle debate, the Reading Rights Coalition is holding a protest at the Authors Guild in New York City tomorrow. You can watch a live web cast of the event on Tuesday April 7th between 11:45 A.M. and 12:00 P.M. EDT. Listeners around the world can access the web page at http://www.blindcitizens.org/live which has information and links for listening to the live event. It is recommended that you access this web page prior to the event so that you can install the Talking Communities conference web browser component in advance. A flash based and mp3 stream may also be available at the above web address.

Our Political Heroes: Senator Harkin and Congressman Markey

Last night, I was thrilled to stand on Capitol Hill and present AFB's Migel Medals—the highest honor in the blindness field—to two of my heroes: Senator Tom Harkin and Congressman Edward Markey. Both of these men are Congressional champions who've fought hard for the rights of people with disabilities for more than 30 years.

Everyone in the disability field probably knows Senator Harkin as the lead sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990—what is sometimes referred to as the Emancipation Proclamation for people with disabilities. This law literally reshaped the landscape of America for me and for anyone with a disability. Congressman Markey has been the leading force behind accessible telecommunications accessibility with his leadership for laws such as Section 255, which requires telephones and services to be accessible to people with disabilities.

Both of these giants made clear to a rapt audience that they are ready to keep fighting for health care coverage for people with disabilities, improved technology access and better educational opportunities. Indeed, Congressman Markey vowed to reintroduce and lead the fight for passage of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, which will make Internet-based communications technologies and TV more accessible to people with disabilities. Senator Harkin told the group that he has already made clear to President Obama that our health care policies must be reformed to meet the needs of people with disabilities.

We are indeed fortunate to have such leaders in Congress who care deeply about our issues and who will champion our cause for years to come.

ALERT! The Stimulus News is in—Older Blind and Education Advocacy Pays Off!

The following update was just released from AFB's Public Policy Center:

Details of the massive economic stimulus package agreed to by House and Senate negotiators have been released.

Specific reference to spending for independent living services to older individuals who are blind remains in the package. The agreement does lower the spending amount originally proposed in the House version from $50.6 million to $34.3 million, which is in keeping with the trimming of federal stimulus spending that the conference agreement makes available to similarly situated programs generally.

For example, the approximately $13 billion that both chambers proposed to spend on state grants under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was reduced in the conference agreement to $12.2 billion. While the lower spending amount approved is not as generous as originally proposed, the fact that specific authority remains for the older blind program by name in the conference agreement should ensure the availability of all of those dollars in a way that the Senate bill would not have achieved.

In addition, the offensive language in the Senate version of the stimulus bill that would have given the Secretary of Education considerable additional authority to redirect special education dollars to unrelated purposes was not included in the agreed-to package.

Given the fast pace of the legislative process and the detailed nature of these issues, maintaining the specific reference to Chapter 2 services and rolling back an effort to give wider latitude to governors to use IDEA dollars for other purposes is significant success. Special thanks are in order to all who made time to contact Congress to communicate the concerns of our field, particularly the many individual agency and consumer leaders who reached out to AFB and worked with us. Additional details about the landmark stimulus legislation and its impact on other issues of concern to people with vision loss will be shared with readers soon.

ALERT! Stimulus Conferees Appointed—Advocacy for Older Blind, Education Funding Accountability Urgently Needed

The following update was just released from AFB's Public Policy Center:

House and Senate conferees have been appointed to reconcile significant differences between the House-passed version of the massive economic recovery and stimulus package and the version passed by the Senate yesterday afternoon. While every expectation is that substantial pressure will be on the conferees to complete their work within a day or two, opportunity remains to advocate for important spending priorities for individuals with vision loss—but action is required immediately. Advocates should contact the members listed below to communicate the following message:
"Keep the House-passed specific reference to independent living services for older individuals who are blind and the $50.6 million spending amount for these vital services. And retain the House's "maintenance of effort" provisions and reject the Senate's language allowing dollars made available by the stimulus for special education to be used for unrelated purposes."

Additionally, if your member of Congress is not one of the conferees but you have a particularly strong relationship with the member, ask your Senator or Representative to relay your message to the stimulus conferees.

Senate Stimulus Conferees:
Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) 202-224-3542
Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI), 202-224-3934
Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), 202-224-2651
Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS), 202-224-5054
Senator Charles E. Grassley (R-IA), 202-224-3744

House Stimulus Conferees:
Representative David Obey (D-WI-7), 202-225-3365
Representative Charles B. Rangel (D-NY-15), 202-225-4365
Representative Henry A. Waxman (D-CA-30), 202-225-3976
Representative Dave Camp (R-MI-4), 202-225-3561
Representative Jerry Lewis (R-CA-41), 202-225-5861

We Need Your Help: Stimulus Bill Raises Many Hopes and Some Concerns for Disability Community

Everyone is talking about the vast amount of government spending proposed by President Obama to stimulate the economy. The package is now making its way through Congress and of course there's lots of political debate, as there should be, about the mix of funding and tax cuts.

But here's something that isn't getting as much attention and I want you to know about it. The proposal also contains significant spending that would help people with disabilities, including people with vision loss. Some of the funding priorities include substantial new funding to support special education and vocational rehabilitation, a one-time extra monthly payment to recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to help them during this terrible economic emergency, and up to $50 million for independent living services to older individuals who are blind. To put this last example in perspective, the program that currently supports independent living services for older blind individuals receives over $30 million annually-which is then divvied up by all 50 states. The increase to $50 million under the proposed new stimulus package would be a wonderful boost at a time when such services are sorely needed.

The House of Representatives already approved its version of the bill and the Senate is working on its version this week. With spending of this magnitude, there is always a struggle over giving flexibility to state and local officials to best address local needs. Flexibility is important, but funds for disability programs must be directed to meet the needs of the disability community whose interests are sometimes overlooked. We hope that the stimulus package currently being considered in the Senate includes the investments in programs important to the disability community while putting safeguards in place to ensure that the funding goes to the intended programs. An editorial in today's edition of the New York Times nicely summarizes the concerns about allowing too much flexibility in the use of funds intended for education.

We are very enthusiastic about the support from President Obama and Congress for programs of interest to our community. These programs need the funding to ensure that people with disabilities can live active, independent, and productive lives.

Please take a look at the message we just sent out from our Public Policy Center. I hope you will take a moment to let your senators and congressional representative know just how important it is for people with disabilities to receive these services. You can search for your representatives by visiting www.thomas.gov, which includes a link to both the House and Senate pages.

Now, more than ever, it is appropriate for government to fulfill this very important role and expectation.

Live Inauguration Coverage!

Many of you, like me, are probably glued to your television or radio this morning listening to the ongoing festivities in preparation for the inauguration of the 44th President of the Unites States, Barack Obama, in just a few short hours. If you're interested in tuning in, the American Council of the Blind (ACB) is offering streaming audio described coverage of the inauguration on its web site this morning.

Enjoy!

No One is Laughing at SNL's Skit of Governor Paterson

As you may have seen in the news this week, Saturday Night Live (SNL) featured a skit on Governor Paterson that many people, including the Governor, found offensive. You can watch the video on the SNL web site.

Here's what we had to say about it. We'd love to hear your thoughts on the skit.

No One is Laughing at SNL's Skit of Governor Paterson

Saturday Night Live (SNL) cast member Fred Armisen spent more than four minutes mocking Governor David Paterson for his blindness on Saturday night—a skit that is being criticized by Governor Paterson himself, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), and blindness organizations across the country. Using elementary, offensive humor, the skit derides Governor Paterson for his vision loss and portrays him as a bumbling leader. It also suggests that people with disabilities are from the "freak bin."

Governor Paterson, who has had an impressive academic and political career, is known as a witty politician who brings people together. He has accomplished many firsts in his life, becoming the first non-white New York State Senate legislative leader in 2003, the first visually impaired person to address the Democratic National Convention, and the first African American Governor of New York. As a legally blind public figure, Governor Paterson has challenged public perceptions about what it means to have a disability and shown the world that people with vision loss can be great political leaders.

"Governor Paterson, who was unexpectedly called on to fill the role of Governor last spring, has proven to be an accomplished political leader who is respected and liked by New Yorkers," said Carl R. Augusto, President & CEO of AFB.

It is difficult to understand why SNL, a show known for its clever, political satire, would take cheap shots at people with disabilities instead of coming up with better material—especially when mimicking a politician known for his sense of humor. Next time, we hope SNL judges Governor Paterson the way we do all politicians, based on his political record and not his disability.

Dollar General Announces Great News for Shoppers with Vision Loss

The financial world is a scary place right now—people across the country are worried about the safety of their money and investments and, in some cases, are struggling with day-to-day expenses. It's unfortunate, but given the state of the economy today, it seems the threat of fraud and identity theft is even more prevalent. Imagine having to share your personal financial information, like your PIN for your debit card, every time you made a transaction. Doesn't sound too appealing, does it? Well, this is what life is like for the more than 20 million Americans living with significant vision loss. In most stores, shoppers with vision loss can't complete purchases on point of sale machines because the buttons are flat and indistinguishable from one another. Instead, they either forgo the use of debit cards or, worse, they put their trust in a stranger to enter their personal information.

We've written before about some great companies—like Safeway, RadioShack, and 7-11—who have addressed this problem and installed tactile point of sale machines that allow people with vision loss to independently and privately enter their personal information. I'm thrilled to mention today that Dollar General is joining this group. Dollar General is one of the nation's largest discount retailers and they recently announced that they will install the new, tactile point of sale machines in all of their 8,300 stores in the United States in less than eighteen months. Now that is what I call a commitment! You can read more about the announcement by visiting AFB's press room.

We hope other organizations will follow in the footsteps of leaders like Dollar General and work to ensure that those of us with vision loss are able to enjoy greater access to goods and services in our neighborhoods…and do so privately and independently. Kudos!

Your Right to Vote

Election Day is finally upon us. Tomorrow record numbers of voters are expected to head to the polls to select the next President of the United States. For blind and visually impaired voters, the 2008 election is particularly historic because it's the first time we are guaranteed the right to vote privately and independently. When Congress passed the Help America Vote Act in 2002, one of the provisions—which the American Foundation for the Blind fought to include—was to make certain that voting machines were made accessible to people with disabilities. To ensure this right is protected, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) has launched a hotline is to help blind voters who experience problems. Blind and visually impaired people who have trouble voting tomorrow are urged to call 877-NFB-1940 (877-632-1940) from 7 am to 10 pm (EST). For more information, visit NFB's web site.

Campaign Sites: Accessible or Not?

Hey Blog Readers,

There's something about myself I've taken care not to really express, in fear that you'd recognize me for what I really am: a nerd. The truth is I'm a huge news junkie. In my opinion, there is no better drama than the unfolding presidential race. So when I saw Carl's and Paul's last few posts about the National Forum on Disability Issues, it got me wondering: How accessible are the web sites of the two contenders for the American presidency?

Let's start by examining the campaign site of the man who has openly admitted to not knowing how to use the Internet, www.johnmccain.com. For not knowing how to surf the web, I will at least give McCain credit for hiring decent web developers. For the most part, the various links seem to be clickable, and when I tried to watch a campaign ad, the video loaded and played with no problem. The signup process is also easy and accessible, lacking those pesky CAPTCHAs. The dashboard at the top of the page is easy to use; however, under the main dashboard, the site becomes cluttered and confusing. There are too many graphics, on-mouse-over links, and other generally inaccessible links. There are also no "heading levels," giving the page an even less cohesive feeling. To find information, I have to either know what I'm looking for—in which case I can do a page search—or browse leisurely, but much too slowly, for my taste. I can only wonder how McCainSpace, McCain's imitation of the social network site My.BarackObama.com, looks. If you're a member of McCainSpace, please leave me some feedback.

The campaign site for the more web-savvy candidate, www.barackobama.com, looks much cleaner. Obama's dashboard is more comprehensive than McCain's; almost all of the links, except video links, work. (However, the inability to watch videos is a huge flaw that I advise the Obama tech team to get on immediately.) Under the dashboard there is a cohesive structure displaying the Obama blog, news, events, products, and services. The page has a fair amount of "heading levels," making it easy to find what I want, and graphics are also, for the most part, labeled. Signup for both the campaign and social network sites are as flawless as those found on McCain's site.

Generally, I'm impressed. Both sites seem fairly accessible to visually impaired voters seeking information, with Obama's site being slightly better. I still don't have any serious gripes against McCain's web site, however. Now it's your turn: I'd love to hear feedback on what you think of the candidates' web sites.

Is the disability community an important voting block? Recap of the National Forum on Disability Issues

Is the disability community an important voting block? With 35 million voters with disabilities, it would seem like an important force in presidential politics.

On Saturday, July 26, 2008, the 18th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Democratic and Republican candidates were invited to a forum in Columbus Ohio to address issues important to Americans with disabilities. AFB was one of 80 sponsors of the forum that featured a list of prominent disability organizations. The event was spearheaded by the American Association of People with Disabilities, and held at The First Church of God Conference and Technology Centre.

Unfortunately, neither John McCain nor Barak Obama chose to address the forum in person. Senator McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for President did participate by satellite connection, while Senator Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee did not avail himself of this option and instead was represented by Senator Tom Harkin, a champion of disability rights and lead sponsor of the ADA.

As I said, Sen. McCain did speak by satellite and took questions from forum moderator, Judy Woodruff. He responded to questions about veterans care, Social Security programs, and legislation to reform the ADA.

For me, the highlight of the forum was actor Robert David Hall. Hall is disabled and plays a coroner on CSI. He voiced our hopes for a president who would take disability issues seriously. But, as noted, first candidates have to seriously "mix it up with us," people who have disabilities.

To be honest, I had hoped for more from this forum. The optimist in me says that this is only a start and that both Obama and McCain have very good staff working on disability issues,both are well-versed in the issues, and both will take our issues and concerns seriously in their administration. However, with all of the organization that went into this meeting, and the years of work that so many in our community have given to advocacy and politics, I had hoped that both candidates would visibly show their commitment to our inclusion in society by attending the forum and speaking directly to us. It was the only event of its kind and it was an unprecedented opportunity to talk directly to voters with disabilities and to hear our hopes and concerns.

I was also very disappointed that the critical role played by information technology was not really even touched on throughout the forum discussion. It's hard to imagine a more potent force in today's world than the web, cell phones and the like, but you wouldn't have known it from the discussion of the politicians or the disability advocates. Shocking!

I hope both candidates will continue to work to address policies and programs of importance to people with disabilities. To be sure, as a community, we care about the issues widely reported in the media, but we also want to be sure that our government will continue to enact policies that foster opportunities for those of us with disabilities to pursue our interests and make real our dreams.

This will take more than the usual platitudes we so often hear from political leaders. Our programs compete for funding with many other worthy programs with strong champions. We need to know how politicians plan to balance these competing priorities. Policies that foster opportunity like the recently introduced "21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act" will not pass unless politicians have the courage to tell powerful industry players that our society is made better when all people have a chance to benefit from modern communications technologies, including people with disabilities. Please join me in asking candidates for office about the specific ideas they have for creating an opportunity society for those of us with disabilities.

Presidential Hopefuls to Discuss National Disability Policy

Tomorrow the National Forum on Disability Issues will meet in Columbus, Ohio, to commemorate the 18th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act with more than 1,000 Americans with disabilities and their friends and family. Included in Saturday's event is a nonpartisan forum on national disability policy, featuring Senator Tom Harkin as a representative for Senator Barack Obama, Senator John McCain (via satellite link from Arizona), and actor and activist Robert David Hall. The forum will be moderated by news anchor and journalist Judy Woodruff, and will outline the presumptive presidential candidates' visions for the future of disability policy in America.

AFB is honored to be a hosting sponsor for the forum, along with many other notable national disability organizations. More information on the forum can be found at the American Association of People with Disabilities' (AAPD) web site. If you're unable to attend the event, a live, simultaneous webcast, complete with pass-through captioning and American Sign Language interpreting, will be available online.

Tune in next week for a recap of the weekend's events.

The Newest Addition

Hi, blog readers,

My name is Michelle Hackman, and I am AFB's Communications intern for the summer. I am a sophomore in high school, and am having an amazing time here already. Some would say that blogging can't be considered a job—but I'll tell you differently. As an aspiring journalist, I highly value the news and interactive journalism (layman's language for the blogosphere, I suppose).

Maybe you've seen my name dropped once or twice on this blog before. Last year, I had the rare opportunity to travel with AFB and L'Occitane to Provence, France, with four other girls my age—Emma, Kate, Nicole, and Stephanie. Prior to that trip, I had never worked with (or even heard of the doings) at AFB. The idea of this trip initially held meaning and promise for me in that I would be able to travel to France (honestly, who wouldn't?), practice my not-so-developed French skills, and see the "magical" factory of a skincare brand with which I had, I'll admit, a slight infatuation. (I held the group up for an hour at the discounted L'Occitane factory store…40% off, you know.) The trip held no meaning for me, at first, in terms of meeting blind peers and being connected to the larger world of opportunity so powerfully supported and expanded here. Before joining up with the Foundation, I used to shy away from my future; now, I embrace it. What a strong sense of community…boy was I missing out!

While there, in the most potentially fragrant region in the world, I used my time not only to explore the world of lavender, gardening, and fabulous French pastries, but also to start asking questions. I spent more time, perhaps than the others did, with the representative from AFB, Adrianna Montague-Gray. She introduced me to the organization that is AFB, and though I was hesitant to even admit this to myself, I became fascinated in the works of the organization. Naturally, a couple months later, I found my first chance to get involved, on Facebook.com.

One day last September, Adrianna invited me to the newly created American Foundation for the Blind page on Facebook's "Causes" application. I joined, perhaps the fourth or so member, and began to recruit all my friends. I invited people I knew, who invited people they knew—and in the blink of an eye, we had over 100 online supporters. Then, Facebook's "Causes" application changed the interface of the "Invite Your Friends" page, making it utterly inaccessible. Ironic, no?

So when I pointed out this little flaw, AFB aided me in contacting Facebook about the issue, and from there I expanded to target accessibility all throughout the social networking web site. I did so by building a relationship there with Jeff, who is in charge of accessibility, and who began work with us last January. He still takes my every little concern into account. We've addressed a variety of issues, from the interface of that pesky page, to faulty buttons throughout the site, and even to the rewriting of certain directions given in the "Help" section offered. It has been, and I am confident that it will continue to be, an extremely successful endeavor.

And now, not so surprisingly, I find myself here. I will be an official blogger for the summer to keep all of you informed on the latest happenings in the world of the visually impaired. I'll try to cover a range of stories, from the inspiring to the interesting. So leave feedback about what you would like to see in the future, in the comments below. I'm open to any suggestions you may have! This is going to be amazing fun—even possibly more so than frolicking through sunny Provence.

Michelle

Protecting Your Eyes…And Not Just of the Fourth of July

One of the things I love most about the Fourth of July are the fireworks displays—I can't imagine celebrating Independence Day without them. But as fun as they are, it's always important to take proper precautions around them (you know me…safety first!). This week, I happened upon an article from Occupational Health & Safety Magazine about eye injuries. Interestingly, most Americans think that eye injuries occur as a result of accidents related to events like the Fourth of July fireworks displays. But as the article points out, most eye injuries occur during everyday activities like frying up the morning's eggs and bacon or mowing the lawn. It's important for all Americans, especially the millions of older Americans losing their vision, to practice eye safety when doing these everyday activities in the home. If you're interested in some inexpensive, easily implemented tips that will help keep you and your eyes safe, check out AFB Senior Site.

Our Friend Zoraida

Guest Blogger, Ellen Couch, AFB Information Center

I was so pleased to find out that one of AFB's Information Center volunteers, Zoraida Morrison, was featured in a recent New York Times article.

Zoraida has been a volunteer answering AFB's toll-free number a few times a week for several years now. She has helped countless callers not only with her broad knowledge of blindness and visual impairment, but also with her warmth and understanding. Just having Zoraida walk in the door—her energy, her big smile, and her fabulous hats—really brightens up the place. We in the Information Center love her and are glad that others now have a chance to meet this wonderful lady.

Check out the article in the City section of the NY Times.

ALERT! Justice Department to Propose Sweeping Revisions to ADA Regulations

Tomorrow is a big day for the disabilities community. We are expecting the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to issue draft revisions to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations. If made final, the draft regulations would represent the most sweeping changes to federal ADA implementation and enforcement since DOJ's issuance of the original ADA regulations in 1991.

Once the proposed amendments are officially published, we hear the public will be granted an unusually short 60-day time period to offer comment on the draft regulations. The DOJ has made an unofficial advanced text available. While a thorough analysis of the proposed rules is not possible at this time, there are several areas of obvious interest to the vision loss community, including:

• Failure of the proposal to make clear the ADA's applicability to Internet-only places of public accommodation.
• Possible narrowing of the concept of service animals to those from particular species and that perform clearly identifiable tasks.
• Possible broader and better defined mandate for description of movies shown in cinemas.

As soon as we know more, we will provide readers with information regarding how to offer comment, as well as any supporting material and/or analysis that may be useful in preparing such comments. For now, visit the Public Policy section of our web site for more information.

Finally, on Wednesday, June 18, beginning at 10:00 am Eastern, the DOJ will be conducting an informational conference call to acquaint all interested parties with the scope and general features of the proposed rules, and DOJ has asked us to spread the word about this opportunity.

To join the call:
Dial: (202) 353-0879 or 1-800-521-6079 Pass Code: 3658#

June 17, 2008, Update: We have just been informed that the Department of Justice has cancelled the information conference call scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 18. We will let you know when the call has been rescheduled.

Legally Blind

I always like to blog about blind or visually impaired individuals who are finding success in the workplace. Only July 14, Isaac Lidsky will start his position as a clerk for retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, reportedly becoming the Supreme Court's first visually impaired clerk. On top of starting his job with Justice O'Connor, Isaac is also heavily involved in his foundation, Hope for Vision, an organization dedicated to raising awareness of retinal degenerative diseases.

A great article ran in the Legal Times about Isaac, in which he's quoted saying, "It's critically important for people with vision loss to see that they can accomplish what they want to achieve. It's not a limitation." I applaud Isaac for pursuing his dreams and encouraging others to do the same. He's certainly ready to face the challenge that comes with being a clerk in the Supreme Court. I'm also really proud of the Supreme Court for hiring Isaac, a qualified and respected lawyer, who happens to be visually impaired. It's an encouragement to me to know the Supreme Court is making assistive technology available to Isaac so he's able to do his job the best he can.

If you're interested in learning more about the range and diversity of jobs performed by those who are blind or visually impaired, like Isaac, I recommend you visit AFB CareerConnect®. It's full of success stories and valuable information for job seekers of all ages.

Embracing Our Own Differences

I'm not sure if you saw this, but the NY Daily News ran a great article last week about Governor Paterson . Paterson said he often tried to hide his blindness when he was younger, and it's only been within the last couple of years that he has become fully comfortable with his disability.

I was excited to read this article, because I can identify with Paterson; I know how it feels to want to hide your disability. When I started losing my vision as a teenager, I still wanted to do the same things my friends were doing. I didn't want to be viewed as different—to me, being different equated to being rejected—so I often tried to hide my visual impairment and pretend I was sighted. As time went on, the more vision I lost, the harder it was to pretend I could still see.

It thrilled me to read Paterson's comment about a photo of him having to stoop down to the table to sign a bill. Several felt it was jarring—I say it's not a big deal, as long as he felt comfortable with it, and he did. It makes me happy to see people embrace their uniqueness and be comfortable in their own skin. I applaud Paterson for publicly embracing his disability and empowering others to do the same.

Remembering Helen Keller

Forty years ago today we grieved the loss of Helen Keller—an amazing women whose contributions to humanity will forever be remembered. Keller, who was deaf and blind, became a world-renowned activist, peacemaker and disabilities rights advocate during her lifetime. She worked with many world leaders and traveled to 39 countries bringing hope and inspiration to millions. Helen Keller spent the last 40 years of her life working at AFB, and she remains our guiding light today. You can read her obituary from June 2, 1968 in today's New York Times. Helen Keller was a gift to all of us; we will remember her always.

Another Ruling on Issuing Accessible Money

It's another big week on the accessibility front—yesterday, a federal appeals court ruled that the U.S. Treasury Department is violating the law by not designing and issuing paper money that is accessible to people with vision loss. The decision upheld the 2006 federal district court ruling in a case filed by the American Council of the Blind (ACB) against the U.S. Treasury (we first blogged about this ruling back in November of 2006). As anticipated, it's been a lengthy legal battle thus far, and there's still a long road ahead until changes are made. Nonetheless, the ruling is an important step toward making our world more accessible for people who are blind or visually impaired. And with the rates of age-related eye conditions expected to double as the nation's 78 million baby boomers reach retirement age and beyond, a significant number of people will need money to be vision loss-friendly.

Here's a link to the statement we released yesterday applauding ACB for championing this issue. Also, check out CNN Money and a USA Today blog to read some press featuring AFB's position on this issue.

We look forward to seeing ACB, the U.S. Treasury, and other blindness organizations working together to make accessible U.S. money become a reality.

On Paterson, Vision, and Generosity

As expected, New York Governor David Paterson has been getting quite a bit of media attention lately, not only for his politics, but also for being legally blind and his tax records. When Paterson was first sworn in a little over a month ago, stories about the fact that he is legally blind, and how he could take on such a high profile job, seemed to dominate the coverage of his rise. This fascination has not died down, as evidenced by a story in Monday's New York Times detailing some of his routines. It's an interesting glimpse at how one person handles his day-to-day responsibilities, and it highlights an important fact: there are a wide variety of low- and high-tech adaptive tools for today's blind and visually impaired employees, and numerous ways these workers—including myself—use these tools to get our jobs done.

In the last week, Paterson has also been getting a lot of flak for how little he donated to charities last year, but here at AFB we've always known him to be open and giving in ways that go beyond the wallet. Paterson has long been a friend to the Foundation, lending us his expertise and time through nine years of service on our Board of Trustees. He has also been instrumental in our fundraising efforts; because his passion for our mission comes through whenever he speaks of AFB, he has convinced others to support our work. My hope is that we can define generosity by looking at all of a person's actions, not just a tax return.

My Vote for Photo of the Year

Guest Blogger, Helen Selsdon, Archivist

As the archivist here at AFB, I've developed a strong affection and a huge respect for Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan Macy. AFB has a very rich archive of letters, manuscripts, photographs, artifacts, and much more on Helen that dates back to the earlier years of her life.

I'm sure by now many of you have read about a recently released photo of Helen and Anne. The photograph, taken in 1888 during a summer vacation to Cape Cod, is fascinating because it may be the earliest photograph taken of the two together; it exemplifies their relationship in so many ways. Anne encouraged Helen to study outside and investigate the natural world and in this image we see the two of them sitting outdoors. Helen is viewed holding a doll, something she always loved as a child, and "d-o-l-l" is the first word Anne ever spelled for her. The image is beautifully composed: the two of them sit in front of a lattice work fence, Anne's lovely face looks tenderly towards Helen as she holds or spells into Helen's hand, Helen's dress drapes neatly to the ground.

The Associated Press released an article and copy of the photograph, which was instantly picked up by the New York Times, the Boston Globe, NBC Nightly News, and other news outlets. I'm surprised at the media coverage of the photo and how quickly the story was picked up, but then again, maybe it isn't so surprising. Helen remains a key figure in American history and one of the most influential women of the 20th century. For one photo of her as a young girl to gain national attention means she is still loved and remembered, and her legacy continues to this day.

The Stars and Stripes…and Dots

I just read an article announcing that the Arlington National Cemetery is paying tribute to America's first braille flag and blind veterans nationwide. The flags, produced by the Kansas Braille Transcription Institute in Wichita, are fully tactile and inform people who are blind of the flag's colors, along with the 50 stars and 13 stripes. It also bears the Pledge of Allegiance in braille and print. The American flag is such an important symbol, representing all of the rights we have as members of this society, and I think it's great that the Kansas Braille Transcription Institute has created a version of the flag for the blind community.

Pepsi Ad Scores Big This Superbowl Sunday

Guest Blogger, Marc Grossman, Accessibility Specialist, AFB Consulting

The hype around this weekend's Superbowl game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots isn't all about Tom Brady and Eli Manning (for those non-football fans, they are the quarterbacks for each team). Then again, don't most people watch the Superbowl for the wacky advertisements? In the disability community, the buzz has been around a Pepsi commercial scheduled to show during the game. According to an article from the Associated Press, the ad hopes to raise awareness of deaf culture and "features a joke that originates from the deaf community and will play out on screen over 60 seconds of total silence." The article also explains that the ad was conceived and acted by Pepsi employees who are deaf.

As a member of the disability community, I think it's great that Pepsi is spending a ton of money to raise awareness through this commercial. The thing is…what about us football fans that are visually impaired? Without the sound, there's no way for me to know what's going on in the commercial. I was thinking of starting an online petition demanding that Fox add a video description. Otherwise, how will I know to run out and buy a case of Pepsi?

150 Years of APH

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the American Printing House for the Blind (APH). Since its inception, APH has provided specialized materials, products, and services for people who are blind or visually impaired. In honor of the anniversary, The Louisville Courier-Journal ran a great article about APH and the role they have played in using technology to level the playing field for the blind community.

Both Paul Schroeder, Vice President of Programs and Policy at AFB, and I are two of the countless individuals who have benefited from using APH services and products. Paul notes, "APH has been part of my life and success as a blind person almost from the beginning right through to today. I count myself lucky for having had the chance to read braille books, examine maps and globes, write with slates, calculate math and listen to cassette recorders, all made possible by APH. And today, as my friends well know because I talk about it all the time, I love my BookPort and use it every day, even to read this newspaper article. Thank you, APH, for making my life richer and more complete and, more importantly, thanks for all you have done to ensure that those of us with vision loss are able to receive an education and be productive."

Congratulations to APH for 150 years of providing people with vision loss with the communications tools that allow them to work, interact, and live independently.

New and Improved ATMs from HSBC Bank

I thought I'd let you know about some good news from the finance world. In a press release this morning, HSBC Bank announced they are now offering "talking" ATMs in over 250 locations across the U.S. For those of you who aren't aware, these ATMs have an audio jack and when headphones are plugged in, a recorded voice prompts users through their transactions. Talking ATMs are great because they allow people who are blind or visually impaired to safely and independently complete their banking needs. Visit the Taking Care of Business section of AFB Senior Site to watch a video on managing finances and to see how these talking ATMs work.

Kudos to HSBC and other banks that are keeping their visually impaired customers in mind by offering these ATMs.

Recapping the New Hampshire Presidential Candidate Forum

I follow politics the way some people are dedicated to sports. Maybe it wasn't quite the World Series, but last Friday in Manchester, NH, I joined hundreds of people with disabilities and advocates interested in disability issues to hear several candidates for President of the United States address "our" issues and concerns.

It was a political forum hosted by Granite State Independent Living and ably led by the American Association of People with Disabilities and several cosponsors (including AFB). All major candidates from both major parties were invited to outline their priorities firsthand. While several Democratic candidates attended, unfortunately, only one Republican candidate presented to the group.

The idea behind this forum was to "wake the sleeping giant," the millions of voters with disabilities. Candidates addressed several different issues in their remarks and in answers to specific questions. And hopefully, this is the beginning of much greater voting among people with disabilities. Regrettably, our electoral participation has been far too low.

If we want to improve opportunities for employment, education, and independence through technology and other means, then we need our highest government officials to address our issues and not just give us lip service. We know our society is made better when all of us can participate fully, and better government policies can help to make that possible.

Another Tech Writer Confirms Cell Phones Aren't Designed for People with Vision Loss

I read this great article that appeared in the Personal Technology section of Newsday this weekend. Lou Dolinar, whose own vision has been deteriorating over the years, talks about the daily challenges he has faced, namely how everyday activities like using a computer or cell phone gets harder as these products keep getting smaller and more complicated. In the article, he talks about having to replace his Motorola T720, which he loved because he could enlarge the type and operate it without using glasses; however, the new version of this phone does not have this option. He jokes about wanting a "geezer phone"—one that is easily operated and not as complex as most that are currently on the market and argues that not everyone necessarily wants to be able to access YouTube, or listen to the their favorite song, via their cell phone, but just wants to use it to simply call a friend.

Dolinar may not be aware, but one company has recognized this desire and created a simple, no-frills cell phone that happens to be one of our favorite gadgets: the Jitterbug. While the large buttons and bright, easy-to-read screen make the Jitterbug a great option for anyone experiencing the same frustrations as Dolinar, the pricing and service structure of the Jitterbug are limited. We'd love to see other cell phone service providers begin to make phones that offer the same accessibility options as the Jitterbug, but that also offer alternate service plans.

I thought the author made some clever and interesting points, but the best part of the article is that he mentions AFB's 255 Action Campaign, our effort to encourage cell phone manufacturers and service providers to offer accessible cell phones. You should definitely check it out!

New Hampshire Presidential Candidate Forum on Equality, Opportunity and Access

We thought you'd like to know about an extremely important event for people with disabilities, taking place this Friday in New Hampshire. Below is the Media Advisory with the information about the event.

New Hampshire Presidential Candidate Forum this Friday

Who: Moderated by Edward Kennedy Jr., board secretary for the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the presidential candidate forum on Friday, November 2, 2007, will feature appearances by Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), and Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio). Senator John McCain (R-AZ) will participate by phone, while John Edwards' campaign manager and former Michigan Congressman David Bonior will address the crowd of more than 600 New Hampshire voters.

The forum is being hosted by Granite State Independent Living. Co-hosts include: New Hampshire Developmental Disabilities Council; New Hampshire Disabilities Rights Center; New Hampshire Institute on Disability; New Hampshire Spinal Cord Injury Association; and People First of New Hampshire.

What: Presidential candidates will address more than 600 New Hampshire voters representing a consortium of non-partisan national and local groups committed to ensuring self-determination and full participation for people with disabilities in all aspects of society. The candidate forum, sponsored by groups representing more than 50 million Americans with all types of disabilities, will focus on the political, economic, and lifestyle goals of the consortium, as well as the priorities of the presidential candidates.

Polls have shown that members of disability community vote in presidential elections based on issues of importance, rather than party affiliation.

When: Friday, November 2, 2007; 8:30 AM-4 PM.

The schedule of candidate appearances is as follows:

10:15 AM Senator Hillary Clinton
11:00 AM Senator Joseph Biden
11:30 AM Senator Chris Dodd
2:00 PM Congressman Dennis Kucinich
2:30 PM former Congressman David Bonior, campaign manager for John Edwards
3:30 PM Senator John McCain

Additional speakers and expert panels will be announced as they are confirmed.

Where: Radisson Hotel Ballroom, 700 Elm St., Manchester, NH

The forum is sponsored by: AARP; ADAPT; American Association of People with Disabilities; ADA Watch; American Foundation for the Blind; The Arc of the United States; Association of University Centers on Disabilities; Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund; Easter Seals; Epilepsy Foundation; Hands On Video Relay Services, Inc.; Manchester Community Television; National Association of the Deaf; National Coalition of Mental Health; Consumer/Survivor Organizations; National Council on Independent Living; National Spinal Cord Injury Association; New England Chapter Paralyzed Veterans of America; Paralyzed Veterans of America; Self Advocates Becoming Empowered; TASH; Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc.; United Cerebral Palsy; United Spinal Association; VSA arts.

Please RSVP by 2 PM on Thursday, November 1, 2007 to receive press credentials for the event. Responses can be sent to Amy Lambiaso at lambiaso@libertysquaregrp.com or by calling 617-695-0369.

Everyone's Talking about ADA

From Mark Richert, Esq., Director, Public Policy

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) continues to knock down barriers to the full participation of people with disabilities, such as vision loss, in all aspects of society. And yet, it's very clear that much more needs to be done to make the ADA's promise a reality. Just this week, two important ADA-related issues are again making headlines, and they should.

The first is the lawsuit against Target, litigation intended to make Target's online store accessible to customers with disabilities, which appears to be moving forward, and in doing so, raising more awareness of the need for the Internet to be friendlier to people with vision loss and other disabilities. Here is an article from the Wall Street Journal with the latest information about the case.

In addition, Congress is paying attention this week to the clear call from disability advocates to "restore" the ADA to Congress's original intent. In the 17 years since the ADA's enactment, a number of Supreme Court decisions have unreasonably narrowed the civil rights protections of the ADA, especially in the context of employment discrimination. The fact that lawmakers may be finally ready to revisit the ADA and correct this trend in its interpretation is certainly a great step in the right direction to make sure the ADA's protections are meaningful.

Whether we're talking about the right of people with vision loss to obtain employment, contribute to society and our economy, or make purchases and engage in all manner of transactions online like everyone else, the principle is the same. Either we value people as they are and on the basis of what they can do, or we can get distracted by who we think they are and what they can't do. It seems to me we can't afford in this country not to take the former approach.

Verizon and AFB Join Forces to Help Families Cope with Vision Loss

Earlier this week Verizon gave AFB an extraordinarily generous grant to fund and expand AFB Senior Site. The grant, which was presented at a wonderful event in Tampa, Florida, came in the form of a BIG check that was about as big as I am and made out for $1.5 Million. It is the largest corporate donation we have ever received. You can imagine the fun I had holding it!

The grant is being used to help families, caregivers and people directly affected by vision loss find tips and support needed to cope with age-related eye disease. With vision loss later in life comes uncertainty—even fear—about the future. We designed AFB Senior Site to alleviate that fear and give people the resources they need to stay active, and remain independent with vision loss.

More than 50 visually impaired seniors from the Tampa area were at the event, and we were all treated to an "Inside the Actors Studio" style Q&A from legendary actor James Earl Jones. He was an absolute pleasure to listen to. My friends from the Tampa Lighthouse were also at the event, along with area residents who came out to support Verizon and AFB's efforts to help families better cope with vision loss.

It was an amazing event that ended up in the St. Petersburg Times and on the local Fox News station. Thank you again to Verizon for making a world for difference for the 6.5 million people with age-related vision loss. We couldn't have launched AFB Senior Site without your help!

New $5 is Low Vision-Friendly

Last week, the US Treasury released the new design of the $5 bill. Though the bill is a vast improvement for people with low vision, it is not at all helpful for people who do not have any vision.

Most of the changes have been implemented as security features, but a large '5' was printed in the lower righthand corner on the back of the bill in a high-contrast purple ink color to help the visually impaired. This is an important and necessary addition, considering that vision loss rates are expected to double as the nation's 78 million baby boomers reach retirement age and beyond.

We are pleased that the Treasury kept people with low vision in mind when redesigning the $5 bill; however, we cannot ignore the fact that these changes are not at all helpful for people who do not have any vision. Since the size and feel of the bill are the same, people with no vision are still unable to distinguish this bill from any of the others. It would be great if the Treasury had included a tactile change for those of us with no vision.

Here is an article from Associated Press, where you can read more about the redesign.

Last November, we applauded the American Council of the Blind (ACB) for their efforts to ensure that all people can easily identify and use money without assistance. We hope the US Treasury will continue to work with ACB to create money that is accessible to consumers with low vision as well as consumers with no vision.

NY Times Helps Publicize Accessibility Issues

From Paul Schroeder, VP, Programs & Policy Group

It seems that AFB and our 11 complaint-filers are not the only ones frustrated with inaccessible cell phones. A great story ran in Saturday's NY Times that points out how technology gadgets—like cell phones—are poorly designed for many people who cannot easily view a small screen with tiny print and poor color contrast. And there is a mention of the 11 consumer complaints AFB helped file with the FCC. But, the most important message of the article is about the challenges that confront baby boomers in adapting as vision declines (even modestly), stressing how everyday activities like reading the paper and using a computer become that much more challenging. This is an issue well-known to AFB and one that we addressed in a few different ways. This past year we created AFB Senior Site, a resource that contains a wealth of information about how to continue living an independent and productive life when experiencing vision loss. We also launched its physical counterpart, the AFB Center on Vision Loss in Dallas, Texas. This office is dedicated to AFB's low vision work and features a fully accessible, decorated model apartment so visitors can learn the simple solutions that help people experiencing vision loss continue living in their homes and caring for themselves and their families. Also, AFB TECH conducted extensive testing on home appliances, office equipment, and small-screen gadgets to see how user friendly they are for people with vision loss. You can read about the results in AFB's online technology magazine, AccessWorld®, and check upcoming issues for more information about AFB TECH 's product evaluations. We applaud the NY Times for calling attention to the challenges that affect the aging population and hope other media outlets help publicize both the challenges and the steps that can be taken to overcome them.

Help AFB Give Recognition Where It's Due

I think that a good portion of the readers of this blog are familiar with two of AFB's annual awards ceremonies, the Migel Medals and the Access Awards , which take place during our annual leadership conference, JLTLI. For those who have never heard of these events before, the Migel Medals honor individuals who have enriched the lives of people with vision loss either through their professional careers or volunteer service, while the Access Awards are usually presented to corporations/organizations whose services/products help make the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired easier and better. Every year AFB solicits nominations from professionals associated with the blindness field and from those who just know of the perfect candidate. And that time is now. The larger the candidate pool, the more exciting the selection process becomes, so start passing on some names. Migel suggestions should be sent to Gil Johnson at gil@afb.net and Access suggestions can be sent to Darren Burton at dburton@afb.net. Now that I'm thinking about it, I better get started on a list of my own.

Congress Moves to Amend the ADA!

From Mark Richert, Esq., Director, Public Policy

Today, on the 17th anniversary of the signing into law of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), key leadership and members of the House and Senate are introducing measures in both chambers to amend the landmark disability civil rights law. The twin pieces of legislation are aimed at "restoring" the ADA's protections for all people with disabilities, protections which have been severely impaired by an array of wrongly—decided Supreme Court cases. These cases, which include rulings with considerable direct impact on people who are blind or visually impaired, essentially hold that employees who are in fact discriminated against on the basis of disability may nevertheless not be deemed by the courts to be disabled enough to sue their employers for such discrimination.

If not reversed by the legislation being proposed today, this trend in jurisprudence would leave people with low vision, for example, at risk for employment discrimination because of their vision loss but deny them a legal remedy if they happen to use low vision aids. In such a case, an employer could refuse to hire or retain a person with low vision on the basis of that disability alone, and the employee's case against such an employer might very well be dismissed or otherwise fail because judges applying the high court's rationale may see the employee's ability to read or perform other tasks with low vision aids or other assistive technology as proof that the employee doesn't really have a disability under the ADA. In short, one can currently be disabled enough to be discriminated against but not disabled enough to sue successfully.

The bills being introduced by leading Members of the House and Senate, including Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Representative Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI), and Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), will ensure that the ADA is interpreted as broadly as originally intended by Congress. Advocates are being urged throughout the disability community to tell their Representatives and Senators to support this important legislation and to push for its prompt passage.

In addition, many within the disability community with particular interest in vision loss have also been concerned about an array of lower court rulings that are limiting the applicability of the ADA to commercial retailers or other public accommodations when they conduct business only via the Internet. Inclusion of provisions addressing this issue within the legislation being introduced today has been hotly debated among groups working on ADA restoration. For now, the consensus is that we are eagerly awaiting the publication of proposed regulations by the U.S. Department of Justice in the next few months which, we understand, are to include provisions resolving this matter. In the event that such proposed rules do not, advocacy will be undertaken as part of ADA restoration in Congress to clarify the law's coverage of Internet-only public accommodations.

Harry Potter's Fate Awaits in Braille

Summer 2007 is host to a few big releases in the world of pop culture. The iPhone, the musical movie Hairspray, and possibly the biggest... the last Harry Potter book. (I'm pretty relieved that I'm not making my celebrity debut anytime soon because competition is stiff.) The last installment in the Harry Potter series will be available to the public this Saturday, July 21 at 12:01 am. And, when I say available to the public, I mean everyone. Parents, children, wizards, wizards with vision loss. This long-awaited finale, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will be simultaneoulsy released in braille and print—a rare occurrence for Harry Potter fans who are blind or visually impaired.

Boston-based publisher National Braille Press is even throwing a party for the event. It's a Midnight Madness Party for children with vision loss where they can dress up like their favorite characters from the series and read about Harry's last adventures. It makes me really happy to know that the publishing world is responding to the literacy needs of people who are blind or visually impaired. The rate of braille literacy among the vision loss population is low and this has a direct effect on future academic and employment success. An article from yesterday's Christian Science Monitor talks about the Harry Potter release, issues surrounding braille literacy, and how technology affects braille reading. It's a very comprehensive, interesing piece and one that I encourage you all to read. Even thought the Potter series is ending, I hope more books continue the trend of simultaneous braille and print releases. If only Harry could use some of his magic to make that happen.

Is the iPhone Accessible? We want to hear from you.

From AFB Communications:

Everyone is going iPhone crazy this week. People are camping out in front of stores to get Apple's latest gadget—a smart phone, camera, and iPod all wrapped up into one. We haven't had a chance to get our hands on it yet. Call us crazy, but if it's anything like the iPod (which isn't usable for people who are blind) we don't want to spend hours camping out on the street for a gadget that's not accessible. But maybe we're wrong. Has anyone had the chance to test one out? Are there any accessible features on the iPhone? Do tell... if the answer is yes, we'll hit the back of the line right now.

Braille Hits the Runway

In the past few months, I posted a couple of items discussing how braille has been popping up on clothing—serving as both a design element and an awareness campaign for people with vision loss. Well, it seems like the combination of braille and fashion is spreading right across the Atlantic to Italy, a country known to the world for its high-quality fashions. The story is that two students from the Rochester Institute of Technology are in the process of forming an organization called White Cane Label, which will help people with vision loss shop for clothing and coordinate outfits. The team hopes to create an interactive talking web site where users can store personal style information and braille-embossed clothing tags that will contain information such as brand name, color, and style. This is a lot more detailed than the current way I organize my closet—the safety pin method—but I think it will be really helpful for clothing lovers who are blind or visually impaired. The students will bring their ideas to the international fashion world during Fashion Week (July 9-13) in Rome and I'm really hoping they get the attention and support they deserve. Brava!

The Month of June: A Time to Celebrate Helen Keller

Helen Keller is AFB's guiding light. Keller worked at AFB, starting in 1924, three years after the organization's official inception. Photographs of Keller decorate the walls of the NY office (where I am located), a large portrait of her hangs over my desk, and AFB actually owns the rights to hundreds of her possessions kept in the Helen Keller archives. Keller was one of the first true advocates for the blind—among other disabilities—and is one of the strongest examples of how successful people with vision loss can become if they are determined. June serves as both the anniversary of her birth and death. On June 1, 1968, the day Keller died, the NY Times printed a lengthy article detailing her life and its many accomplishments. Yesterday, a colleague e-mailed me a copy of the piece because the NY Times reprinted it in the paper's "On This Day" section. I encourage you all to read it and help honor a woman who overcame her disabilities and spent her life helping others.

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New Study Shows Vision Loss Costs the US $51.4 Billion

This week Prevent Blindness America released a new study that shows vision loss costs the U.S. an estimated $51.4 billion—a number that is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years as the nation's 78 million baby boomers reach retirement age and beyond. American families are paying a lot in costs associated with eye diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopothy. And the cost is not only financial.

What's often not talked about is the bigger toll that vision loss takes on families. Many people and their loved ones feel at a loss following a vision loss diagnosis. A new AFB poll shows vision loss is the health condition Americans fear most because they worry it means loss of independence.

While some families adapt successfully, there are many others who don't know where to turn for help, or even if such help exists. This sentiment is echoed in a testimonial on AFB Senior Site from Deanne Jackson.

"When I got home after I'd heard the news that I had wet macular in my left eye with 20/400 vision, it was like an overnight devastation. I thought my life was over because I am very independent and I take care of myself and my family. And I've been a caretaker for a while with members of my family and I think, what am I going to do and what are they going to do?...I went in a fit of depression and just kind of sat there for months."

What so many families don't realize is that there is a lot you can do with vision loss. We need more public education on how to remain active and live productively with less sight. People can continue living on their own, cooking, reading, paying bills, getting around, and staying fit with low vision. But without proper tools and information, seniors with vision loss are put at greater risk for depression, medication mishaps, and falling.

We created AFB Senior Site so that the 6.5 million older Americans living with vision loss have the tools they need to live safely, happily, and independently with less sight. AFB Senior Site contains instructional videos and articles describing independent living solutions and points people and their families to resources in their communities, such as vision loss specialists who can recommend solutions. Boomers are known for their active, youthful, independent lifestyles. This is not a generation that will sacrifice their independence or passions because of sight problems. It's time we all start paying attention to this growing public health issue, and invest the money and resources in helping families live with vision loss.

Blogging Hiatus

Things are really busy at AFB right now. We are gearing up for our annual Josephine L. Taylor Leadership Institute, which is being held in Dallas late next week. That's also where we give out our prestigious Access Awards and Migel Medals. This year we have some exciting awardees including Google, Canon, AMC Theatres, and more. We'll definitely post some photos after the event.

In addition, we are about to publicly launch a new campaign designed to help seniors and their family members cope with age-related vision loss—a growing public health problem in this country. AFB staffers are really excited about our work in this area, so expect a big post on this in the coming week. In the meantime, I wanted to apologize for dropping off the blogging bandwagon and promise we'll be posting more often.

Centennial Celebration for the Matilda Ziegler Magazine!

Most people in the "blind biz" are familiar with The Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind because it is a general interest, free-of-charge, monthly publication created specifically for people with vision loss. Matilda Ziegler—who had a blind son—started the magazine in 1907 after she became aware of the challenges people with vision loss faced when trying to get their hands on reading material. Imagine that! No low-cost brailled books, no books on tape, and certainly no Internet. The Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind revolutionized the flow of information for people living with vision loss and it is still going strong today. 2007 brings the magazine to its 100th year of publication and now subscribers can obtain issues in contracted braille, on four-track/half-speed cassette, via e-mail, and online. I'd like to congratulate the magazine on its accomplishments and I look forward to reading the anniversary issue scheduled to be released next month.

Is the new dollar coin too similar to the quarter?

Given the recent controversy about making cash accessible, everyone wants to know how easy it is to decipher the new one-dollar presidential coin through touch. On Friday, we had a visit from Christina Boyle, a metro reporter from the New York Daily News, who posed that question to a couple of AFB staffers. Here's the news story and the results.

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Florida Heads Down the Paper Trail...Again

Florida Heads Down the Paper Trail...Again

An article that appeared in the February 1 NY Times left me a little concerned. Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida announced that he plans to eliminate the newly adopted touch-screen voting machines and reinstate the older style of casting paper ballots. The switch is meant to increase the efficiency of the voting system (which I agree should be a top priority for this country). However, I fear the opportunity for people with vision loss to vote independently could be sacrificed. The touch-screen machines allowed people who are blind to vote without assistance, but this is not the case for the paper ballot system. The article stated that, "Mr. Crist said county election supervisors would explore how to make optical scan voting easier for blind people..." The Governor would like the switch to be complete for the 2008 presidential election and I hope he includes the vision loss-friendly design on that timeline, too.

The Daily Show Adds a Little Humor to the Currency Issue

Guest Blogger Paul Schroeder, Vice President, Programs and Policy

I thought we should lighten things up this Friday afternoon with a funny clip from The Daily Show on the currency decision. I'm a big fan of The Daily Show and Jon Stewart's political satire. He always finds a way to insert humor into political issues. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

The link to the clip has been removed from Comedy Central's web site, so it is no longer active on AFB's blog.

Judge Rules on Issuing Accessible Money

Guest Blogger Paul Schroeder, Vice President, Programs and Policy

Big news today on the accessibility front—a federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Treasury Department is violating the law by not designing and issuing paper money that is accessible to people with vision loss. Though this is just the first step in what is expected to be a long legal battle, it is an important ruling for people with vision loss. Here's a link to the statement we released earlier applauding the American Council of the Blind (ACB) for championing this issue.

We look forward to hearing about the changes the U.S. government might make to currency to make it accessible (as they examine options with ACB), but don't expect changes very soon. In the meantime, there are simple, albeit not perfect, strategies that people with vision loss use to sort and handle their money. Usually they involve folding denominations of bills in different ways to easily find the bills in a wallet.

For example:

Leave $1 bills unfolded.
Fold $5 bills in half lengthwise.
Fold $10 bills in half by width.
Fold $20 bills twice in half lengthwise, or in half lengthwise and then in half by width. Or you can fold them just lengthwise and put them in a separate section of your wallet.

AFB Board Member David Paterson Becomes Lieutenant Governor of New York

Congratulations to AFB Trustee David A. Paterson, who became New York's Lieutenant Governor-elect late yesterday. And congratulations to his running mate Eliot Spitzer. As New York's Attorney General, Spitzer did a lot to expand possibilities for people with vision loss in the areas of web accessibility and video description in movie theaters. We are happy he'll have the opportunity to continue to do so as Governor of New York.

Three strikes. . .Lyons is out

I just read an article in the New York Times about the recent firing of Fox Sports baseball analyst Steve Lyons. As stated last week by my colleague, Jay Leventhal, Fox announcers Steve Lyons and Thom Brennaman made fun on the air of a fan with vision loss who was using a video magnifying device to help him see the game. Apparently, Lyons' ignorant remarks were not his first, nor his last. The New York Times reported that during the Detroit Tigers-Oakland A's championship game Friday, Lyons made inappropriate racial remarks while on air. Later Friday evening, Fox fired Steve Lyons "for making comments on air that the company found inappropriate.''

I am pleased to see Fox has finally taken responsibility for the numerous hurtful comments made by Lyons. In doing so, they have shown people everywhere that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.

Fans with Low Vision 1, Sportscasters 0

Guest Blogger, Jay Leventhal, Editor in Chief, AccessWorld®

As a sports fan who is blind, I bring a radio to games, including the first game of the Mets-Dodgers National League Divisional Series last Wednesday night at Shea Stadium. Occasionally, other fans ask me what happened, like "What are they arguing about?" or "Why did they put in a new left fielder?" That's especially likely when I'm in the upper deck, as I was at last week's playoff game. I can't see the action firsthand, but I enjoy the excitement and atmosphere of the stadium.

Today's New York Times published an article that highlights an incident that occurred last Thursday night, during Game 2 of the same series. Fox Television announcers Thom Brennaman and Steve Lyons made fun on the air of a fan with vision loss who was using a video magnifying device to help him see the action on the field. They wondered what Stephen Teitelbaum was wearing. The article reports that Lyons said, "Maybe he's in virtual reality" and that if he was, "he should stay there." Even worse, no one from Fox told them to cut it out or tried to find out what the device was. I learned that Brennaman did apologize the next day, but the negative impacts of their rant already spread.

Had they investigated, they would have learned that the device was the Jordy from Enhanced Vision Systems. The Jordy consists of a head-mounted display in the form of eyeglasses with displays instead of lenses, and a control unit. The video camera is enclosed within the front section of the 8-ounce Jordy eyeglasses and the camera is pointed by head movement. The head-mounted display is worn over prescription eyeglasses. The Jordy offers a magnification range up to 40 times. That's enough to view a blackboard in a classroom, a presentation at work, and, regardless of the ignorance of certain network announcers, the action at a playoff baseball game. If you would like to become a little more knowledgeable than these critical commentators, check out AFB's product profile of the Jordy and feel free to pass the information along... to Fox Television, perhaps?

In Memory of Irvin P. Schloss

On September 28, 2006, we said goodbye to Irvin Schloss, an incredible man, and a dear friend to the field of blindness. Schloss, 83, is survived by his wife Estelle, his sister-in-law, and many nephews, great-nieces, and friends. Schloss was blinded during combat in World War II, and subsequently spent his life as an advocate for people with vision loss.

For 30 years he worked at the American Foundation for the Blind as the Director of Government Relations. He was a true pioneer among disability advocates. During his tenure at AFB, very few disability rights organizations had a person on staff in Washington to communicate to legislators and the federal government. Schloss lobbied for human services, education, and rehabilitation programs and effectively influenced legislation on behalf of people with vision loss. He was greatly respected and admired by individuals in the political arena and his colleagues in the blindness field.

In 2003, as a tribute to Schloss, AFB created the Irvin Schloss Advocacy Award to recognize excellence in advocacy on behalf of people who are blind or visually impaired. The following year AFB awarded him the Migel Medal—the highest honor in the field of blindness. His important work did not go unnoticed.

One of the things I will remember most about Irv Schloss was his easygoing style. He was an effective advocate, and a true gentleman—always careful with his words. My heart goes out to his family and friends. He will be missed, and remembered by many.

The ADA Proves it's Making Progress

This blog often talks about issues surrounding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and usually there is a mention of the need to make things more accessible. So, when I read an article in the NY Times about the advancements made for people with disabilities due to an "aggressive program of enforcement and public education" of the ADA, I knew I had to share it. The piece cites some very specific examples of improvements in access including a story about a young boy who is deaf and plays baseball with the assistance of a sign-language interpreter. It feels great to know that the advocacy efforts made by the disability community are proving effective and I look forward to more positive articles.

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GPS in the news

This Tuesday USA Today published a great article on the portable GPS device that has proven helpful to many individuals with vision loss. The article titled "GPS helps lead the way for the blind" also features our very own Jay Leventhal, editor of AccessWorld®.

Though a bit on the expensive side, GPS technology has a lot of potential for people with vision loss. As the article discusses, it's a great way for people who are blind to explore different neighborhoods without the fear of getting lost. What's more, it can be used with a guide dog to navigate unfamiliar areas while continuing to avoid various sidewalk obstacles.

While getting her guide dog at The Seeing Eye in Morristown, NJ, AFB's Crista Earl met several people on a week-long training for using guide dogs and GPS. A supporter of the GPS and guide dog combination herself, Crista said the clients in the training were extremely enthusiastic about using both to navigate familiar and unfamiliar surroundings.

Once again, technology is revolutionizing life for all of us.

Legal Precedent Set for Web Accessibility

Guest Blogger, Mark Richert, Director, Public Policy

Earlier this week there was an important ruling in a lawsuit against Target to make its web site accessible to customers with vision loss. On Wednesday a federal district court judge ruled that bricks-and-mortar businesses, like Target, may be held accountable if their web sites are not accessible to people with disabilities. This is a significant ruling because it sends a message that companies need to take web accessibility seriously.

But the reality is companies like Target should already be concerned about web accessibility, and not just because it's the right thing to do. As the world has gone digital, so has the ADA. Businesses and major online retailers need to remember to build electronic "ramps" for their sites so that people with disabilities can access them with ease. And, from the standpoint of the proverbial bottom line, the online business community would be silly not to. In a time when baby boomers are aging, and the vision loss numbers are expected to multiply, more and more consumers will need web sites to be accessible.

The Target lawsuit has significantly raised public awareness about the need to make the web accessible to people with vision loss. But my biggest concern is that the judge's ruling could undermine the ADA's coverage of many commercial web sites because the decision is restricted to bricks-and-mortar companies. In other words, following the judge's reasoning, web sites would only need to be accessible when the companies who maintain them also maintain physical stores. This means online retailers like Amazon.com, Drugstore.com, Travelocity, CareerBuilder, etc., are not affected by Wednesday's ruling. If left unchalleged, this ruling could thwart the clear meaning and intent of the ADA. The US Department of Justice and the presidentially appointed National Council on Disability have said repeatedly that the ADA applies to accessibility of commercial web sites. In a time when so many major companies are web based, we need to ensure all commercial web sites take accessibility seriously.

Glenn Beck Makes Offensive Comments on CNN

Guest Blogger Paul Schroeder, Vice President, Programs and Policy Group

Late last week Glenn Beck made some offensive comments on his CNN Headline News program about braille signs on walls. Media Matters has a clip on their site.

The reality is that braille signage is extremely important for information and orientation purposes just like signage for anyone. And though we wish Mr. Beck would have thought twice before making such stupid remarks on national television, it has given us the opportunity to address some of the questions people have about braille in public spaces.

Lots of people probably wonder about braille signs, on elevators, next to office doors or hotel rooms, and everyone's favorite, drive-up ATMs. For the record, the signs are placed according to a standard to ensure that people who are blind do in fact know where to check— typically on the wall next to a door or next to an elevator button. And why are those drive-up ATMs accessible to people with vision loss? Ever stop to think that blind people use taxis (and, yep, go to ATMS), how about that?!

Glenn Beck didn't even pause to think about how braille might be used when he popped off about the silliness of braille signs in buildings. Glenn knows nothing about blindness or braille, and unfortunately for him, he's probably not really interested in learning either.

But, thanks, Glenn, for giving us an opportunity to remind the world just how helpful braille signs can be, and to make clear to the pitiful few who might actually look to Glenn for guidance that yes, braille signs are placed just where blind people can find them.

Kristen Cox Runs for Lieutenant Governor of Maryland

Last week, right before we left for the July 4 holidays, Robert Ehrlich, Maryland gubernatorial candidate, announced that he had chosen Maryland State Disabilities Secretary Kristen Cox as his running mate. Cox has dedicated much of her life to disabilities rights, and we send her many congratulations.

I can't help but get excited when I hear that people like Kristen Cox, or David A. Paterson, who are both legally blind, are running for office. It sends a great message to the public that having a disability does not mean leading a limited life. It's also an encouraging sign that public perceptions are changing for the better. Congrats to both candidates!

Kudos to New York City

We always like to give kudos to those who make the world more accessible to people with disabilities. This week, we're singing the praises of New York City. According to Newsday, "City officials Tuesday announced legislation that would allow the sale of an additional 150 medallions for wheelchair-accessible cabs." Cheers to NYC and the Bloomberg administration for taking this important step to increase the number of wheelchair-accessible cabs. What nice news to come across before we head out for the holiday weekend.

Good Morning America Takes on Vision Loss

This week Good Morning America is doing a two-part series on vision loss and treatment of eye disorders. The first segment, which aired this morning, shows Diane Sawyer wearing glasses that simulate different eye conditions, practicing sighted guide training, and talking with a group of people who have recently lost their sight. You can view the segment on GMA's web site. Tomorrow the piece continues, so tune in if you have a chance.

With diabetes on the rise and the population aging, more and more people are expected to experience vision loss in the coming years. It's great that GMA and Diane Sawyer are raising awareness of this important issue. AFB has been doing a lot of work to make sure people understand that there are many simple things you can do to adjust to vision loss; you just have to do things differently. For example, you can make doorways, stairs and furniture in your home easier to see by using contrasting colors. Too many people assume the worst when they start losing their sight, and though it can be scary at first and there's a lot to learn, you can still continue to cook, travel, work and exercise, watch TV, etc.

New Employment Stats from the Census Bureau

In today's Washington Post there's an interesting article that talks about the newly released results of a census survey on people with disabilities. According to the survey, more than half of people with disabilities are currently employed, which is a really encouraging statistic! AFB has been working to increase employment opportunities for people with vision loss through our CareerConnect® program, which offers incredible resources to job seekers and employers. And though things seems to be on the upswing, the reality is people with disabilities still face negative attitudes from prospective employers. We must continue to surmount these attitudes and prove that people with vision loss and other disabilities excel in their careers; our CareerConnect website features a number of successful professionals with vision loss. We're happy to have the Washington Post and Marketplace radio discuss this important issue.

CNN Video Clip on Yahoo! News

Someone kindly pointed out to us that the CNN video clip on GPS is currently available on Yahoo! If you're interested, here's where you can view the video.

Talking about low vision...

Sorry I haven't been posting recently, but I've been in Atlanta for the past week at our 2006 Josephine L. Taylor Leadership Institute. This year's Jo Taylor, as we like to call it here at AFB, was a huge success. We had 250 attendants and a great list of speakers. The focus of the conference was low vision—an important and growing topic as baby boomers age. Our agenda covered low vision services, education, rehabilitation, new technology, research, and more.

Coincidentally, this week, The New York Times published a couple of great articles about low vision. Written by personal health columnist Jane Brody, the first is titled "Sane Steps May Save Your Precious Central Vision" and the second is "Latest in Technology Gives Life a Clearer Focus." Kudos to The New York Times for raising awareness of this important, timely issue. Let's hope more of these stories show up in newspapers across the country.

And if you're interested in learning more about this topic, check out our section on living with vision loss.

Spitzer Chooses AFB Board Member as his Running Mate

This week it was announced that New York state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has selected state Senate Minority Leader David A. Paterson to be his running mate in the governor's race. We are proud to say that Senator Paterson, who is legally blind, serves on AFB's Board of Trustees and works hard to expand possibilities for people who are blind or have low vision. He is a marathon runner and basketball player who leads a full and independent life. Congratulations, Senator Paterson! You've worked hard for this.

"I Have a Dream"

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, AFB is pleased to offer his famous "I Have a Dream" speech in an accessible format. Check it out.

With a new year comes new resolutions...

With 2006 just days away, people are busy thinking about what they're going to do differently in the new year. If eating healthier is on your list, you might experience benefits beyond weight loss and increased energy.

According to a report recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, doctors in the Netherlands believe that eating a diet rich in vitamins and minerals will reduce your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD)—the leading cause of blindness among those above 60 years. With the first baby boomer about to turn the big 6-0, studies such as this one offer insight into how one can reduce the chance of developing age-related vision loss.

However, for those with AMD or other eye conditions, it's important to remember that vision loss does not need to translate into loss of independence. AFB's new year's resolution is to ensure that people with vision loss, and their families, have access to the resources and information they need to retain their independence and quality of life.

So eat your vegetables, stay active, and remember that no matter what lies ahead in 2006 independence is just a mouse click away.

Coming soon to a theater near you...

It's a telltale sign that the holiday season is upon us when Hollywood starts releasing big blockbusters. The latest Harry Potter movie is already out and the remake of King Kong is "coming soon to a theater near you." Nothing can replicate the shared experience of sitting in a theater with fellow moviegoers and laughing at a good comedy, shivering with the tension of a thriller, or feeling the rush of an action sequence. And for many families, watching movies together is a great bonding experience.

Historically, people with vision loss have often missed out on the complete movie experience because most theaters don't provide the option of audio description. But thanks to the New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer that's all about to change.

Spitzer's office today announced "eight movie theater chains will expand the availability and use of assistive technology and take other steps to encourage people with sensory disabilities to patronize movie theaters across the state."

For moviegoers with vision loss that means the availability of descriptive narration via listening systems, which enables viewers to hear the descriptive narration on headsets without disturbing other audience members. Descriptive narration holds the promise of conveying the same pleasures and benefits of moviegoing that sighted audiences receive because it describes key visual elements in a movie—such as settings, costumes, facial expressions, or actions—that are essential to the storyline.

We applaud the New York movie theaters that have already agreed to make movies accessible to a wider range of audiences. With these companies leading the way, AFB hopes theaters across the country will soon offer more options to their patrons, giving people with vision loss the same access to the social and cultural experience that movies provide.

Now I just have to decide which movie I want to see first.....

Guide Dog Battle in New York

There's an article in today's New York Times titled "Blind Woman Is Scolded, Bad Girl!" that everyone should read (unfortunately it's a New York Times select article, but you can sign up for a free trial). It features a current battle around guide dog relief within a condominium complex in upstate New York. According to the article, Edith Kling, an elderly blind woman who has had permission for several years to walk her guide dog close to her home—on her front lawn and the curb in front—because it's safer, is being told she may no longer be able to walk her dog on the property. It seems a disgruntled new neighbor moved into the complex and started a big debate over guide dog relief within the complex.

The New York Times isn't the only news outlet covering this. Reading this CBS News story about Edith's battle with her condo board reminds me how insensitive people can be. Discrimination toward the elderly and people with disabilities seems to be pervasive. I cannot begin to tell you how many stories like this I have heard. Not long ago, one of my colleagues, who had been passed up by cabs and turned away at restaurants in NYC because of his guide dog, mounted a campaign to raise awareness of these issues. Let's hope that the media coverage around this issue helps educate people about the rights of people with disabilities.

Making Shopping Accessible to All Customers

It's almost the holiday season and shopping is on all of our minds. Head into any store this week; the decorations are up and the holiday music is playing... Some stores are working hard to ensure their products and stores are accessible to all customers. As I mentioned last week, the French company L'Occitane uses braille on their packaging so that customers who are blind can shop independently. In that same vein, Wal-Mart announced today they are installing equipment to protect the financial privacy of shoppers with vision loss.

AFB and other blindness organizations worked with Wal-Mart to help them develop an alternative to their touchscreen point of sale devices so that shoppers with vision loss don't have to divulge their PIN when paying by debit card. As you can imagine, touchscreens are completely inaccessible to people who are blind and are very difficult, if not impossible, for people with low vision to read. Wal-Mart's new devices have tactile keys arranged like a standard telephone keypad and will allow shoppers with vision loss to privately and independently enter their PIN and other confidential information. We applaud Wal-Mart for taking this important step to protect the financial privacy of their customers.

Talking about the Randolph-Sheppard Act...

Last week's Senate hearing raised questions and criticisms about two historically successful federal job creation programs for people with disabilities. Although neither of these programs are perfect, both have helped generations of people with disabilities gain access to employment opportunities.

By their own admission in the report disseminated at the hearing last week, Senate committee staff acknowledge that as a result of the Randolph-Sheppard Act more than 3,200 people who are blind or have other disabilities are employed and contributing to their communities. This represents about one-third of all individuals who have jobs as a result of this program—a program that does not have a single dollar of annual federal appropriations underwriting it.

Evaluating these 70-year-old programs presents an opportunity to build on their historic success. I for one would welcome working with Congress and anyone of like mind to expand the array of job opportunities for blind and disabled people. It seems to me that the way to begin that discussion is not to tear down these programs, but to emulate them.

The Points of Light Foundation Goes "The Extra Mile"

Last Friday, I had the pleasure of participating in a moment of history. The Points of Light Foundation dedicated a new national monument "to the spirit of service in America" called The Extra Mile. Helen Keller, who was AFB's ambassador and champion for over 40 years, is one of the Americans whose life is now immortalized by a series of bronze medallions forming a one-mile walking path near the White House.

The event was "star studded" by nonprofit standards. Former President Bush and Barbara Bush led the dedication ceremony, along with other famous humanitarians like Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Millard and Linda Fuller. It was definitely an inspiring, and humbling, event.

But one of the most interesting things I noticed was how prominent Helen Keller's image was throughout the day. Almost 40 years after her death she remains one of the most recognizable women in American history. Helen Keller challenged—and ultimately changed—the negative stereotypes that dictated how people with disabilities were treated by society. She was a tireless advocate for not only disability rights, but women's and civil rights.

Helen Keller's passion for equality continues to guide AFB's work today, and it was truly amazing to see that her work continues to influence so many others around the world.

Just One Letter in The New York Times

As you probably saw, The New York Times Magazine only printed one letter to the editor in response to Gabrielle Hamilton's offensive, insensitive essay, "Line of Sight". I'm extremely disappointed that the letters section didn't convey how much outrage the article caused. On our blog alone, we received more than 75 comments from people across the country who were angry, heartbroken, offended and stunned by Hamilton's piece. And we weren't the only ones who criticized the piece.... I came across three other blog postings on the topic: one from This is going to be big; one from Englishman in New York; and one from RoguePlanet. I've also exchanged e-mails with the food editor at The New York Times, and what's frustrating is that The Times won't concede that the essay was unmistakably offensive and insensitive. We aren't criticizing Hamilton's interviewing skills, we're criticizing her cruel, mocking language. I expected to see more than just one letter expressing this sentiment. What can I say? I'm disappointed.

Cornell University Issues First Annual Disability Status Report

Disability and employment issues are in the news again today. Cornell University's Employment and Disability Institute issued its first Disability Status Report during an event on Capitol Hill this morning. The research, which will become an annual report, includes newly released statistics related to disability and employment, education, housing, earnings, and income.

According to an article in The Wall Street Journal's Personal Journal, the study found the unemployment rate for working-aged people with disabilities has increased sinced 2001. (Full disclosure: one of our staff members was quoted in the piece.) These discouraging findings are attributed to a number of factors, including outsourcing and the growth of service sector jobs that don't offer adequate health coverage.

I'm thrilled to see the report get such prominent coverage in the WSJ since employers' awareness about and attitudes toward hiring people with disabilities are key to turning the tide on these trends. Hopefully this report will steer more attention to disability and employment issues so that next year's study has more positive statistics to report.

Blindness in the Workplace

Last weekend's New York Times Magazine article by Gabrielle Hamilton has created an important dialogue about employment issues... oddly enough, right in time for National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

It is great that so many of you are thinking about this important issue and sharing your thoughts and ideas on our blog. It also sounds like hundreds of people have written letters to the editor about Hamilton's article. Since the The New York Times Magazine seems to publish letters a couple of weeks out, we expect to see some of the commentary in next weekend's magazine. While we all wait for the apology that is deserved, let's continue talking about how we can end discrimination in the workplace, raise employment rates among people with disabilities, and prevent such articles from ever being published.

Also, check out Sheryl Young's op-ed in today's San Francisco Chronicle entitled "A barrier for people with disabilities—access to a job". It's more food for thought on this timely topic... let me know what you think.

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It's About More Than Disclosure

As word about Gabrielle Hamilton's essay in Sunday's New York Times Magazine has spread, the dialogue on the blog has grown. I'm encouraged to see people talking openly about the topic and voicing their opinions. It's exactly the kind of conversation that needs to take place so that articles like Hamilton's won't make it to print in the future.

One issue that has been raised over the last few days is the job candidate's responsibility to disclose his vision loss to a potential employer. I'm sure some of the situations Ms. Hamilton describes in her story could have been alleviated if the job seeker and employer had openly discussed the candidate's vision loss. For example, the job candidate could have explained his level of vision, what he needed to do to orient himself in the kitchen, and how he handled the demands of filling orders quickly in his current restaurant position.

Job candidates want and need to be open and honest about their disability, but unfortunately, disclosure before job performance can be demonstrated may lead to discrimination. Although Ms. Hamilton did give this man a chance at the line cook position, they both should take some responsibility for having an open conversation about how a candidate with vision loss successfully performs in a busy restaurant kitchen.

Because disclosure can be complicated for both the job candidate and employer, AFB has tips on our web site that discuss the quandary of "when to disclose."

Hamilton's lack of knowledge about how a person with vision loss could successfully thrive in a kitchen is understandable, but her attitude is not. Hamilton needs to acknowledge that she did not ask how this person could perform the tasks at hand without perfect vision before the "audition." Instead she chooses to mock him and his disability.

What I hope comes from this article and the subsequent discussion is that individuals with vision loss, and other disabilities, have the same skills, abilities, and rights as other Americans—they just need the same opportunities. It's about time people see that.

The New York Times Magazine Food Section Serves Up Bigotry for Breakfast

I never thought the food section of The New York Times Magazine could make me sick to my stomach. But it just did. In this week's magazine, there is an article by Gabrielle Hamilton that is possibly the most insidious, offensive thing I have ever read about someone who is blind.

In the article titled "Eat, Memory: Line of Sight," Hamilton recounts a story about interviewing a man who is blind for a line cook position in her restaurant. Hamilton speaks of the man as though he is inhuman. She writes, "The first thing I noticed when he arrived was that he was blind. His eyes wandered around in their sockets like tropical fish in the aquarium of a cheap hotel lobby."

This sentiment continues throughout the piece. The more Hamilton writes, the more her disdain for the man's disability seems to grow.

This article sends a dangerous, misleading message about the abilities of people with vision loss. The reality is people who are blind or who have low vision are capable of holding almost any job. I know successful NASA scientists, doctors, Ivy League professors, state representatives, attorneys, artists and, yes, even chefs with vision loss who are known not for their disability, but for their professional accomplishments.

What I find most outrageous is that The New York Times, one of the most respected newspapers in the world, published this article. I can't imagine the Times would allow a writer to belittle a person for their race, gender, or sexual orientation. So why is it okay to mock someone for being blind? It's nothing short of disgusting.

Are we sure it's 2005? This article made me feel like I just entered a time warp.

And don't worry, I'm directly expressing my outrage to the paper and submitting a letter to the editor...

Living Independently with Vision Loss

I like to believe AARP Magazine isn't directed at me (I can't be that old, right?), but when a colleague of mine told me there was an article about vision loss in the current issue my interest was piqued.

Turns out it's a great story. The author shares her experiences of how it feels to experience age-related vision loss and her journey from isolation to independence. What impressed me the most was the article is not only encouraging, but educational.

As baby boomers age more people will confront age-related vision loss so it's critical that society understands that people who are blind or have low vision can, and do, live full and independent lives. Providing resources and information to this growing population is a priority for AFB, which is why we've established the National Center on Age-Related Vision Loss in Dallas. The Center offers a host of ideas on how people can continue doing all the things they love in life...from reading to cooking to traveling the world.

I hope to read more articles that illustrate how people with vision loss are living full and independent lives. I've been doing it for most of mine.

Access to Emergency Information

Like most Americans I've spent the past couple of weeks closely following recovery efforts in the Gulf region. From all the stories I've heard from friends, family and news reports, one thing is clear: people with disabilities need better access to emergency information.

With hurricane season still underway, and the possibility of another natural disaster looming, we urgently need standards that ensure emergency information is presented in accessible formats so that people with vision loss have access to authoritative information before, during, and after an emergency.

Traditionally radio has been one of the best sources of information for people with vision loss. But today most of us have become reliant on television news, which is less accessible than radio because news stations frequently use on-screen graphics and scrolling text to convey pertinent information.

As we saw with the power outages in the wake of Katrina, cell phones and other electronic devices are also a great way to convey critical information when TV and radio are unavailable. But the problem is much of this technology is still not user-friendly for people with vision loss, which can leave people who are blind or who have low vision in a dangerous predicament.

The disability community has been working diligently on solutions to this problem. AFB staff have collaborated with the Federal Communications Commission's Media Access and Reliability Council on developing standards to ensure people with vision loss have access to important news during an emergency. The WGBH National Center for Accessible Media is working on a project to identify the gaps that exist between alert systems that deliver information and to find a way to fill in those gaps.

Though this country has much to do to be better prepared for natural disasters, arming all people with emergency information seems like a good place to start.