AFB eNews

August 2008

AFB TECH on Track to Improving Small Screen Displays

The creation and production of digital products is happening at a rapid pace, and until now, there have been no attempts to create manufacturing standards to ensure that small digital screens are as readable as possible for everyone, not just those with good vision. This presents many challenges for the 20 million Americans who experience vision loss, since small digital screens are found on everything from cell phones and iPods to life-saving diabetes equipment.

To target this issue, AFB TECH, located in Huntington, West Virginia, has been working with professors and students at Marshall University to create a new device designed to measure the contrast of digital displays. Unveiled last month, the device was developed by Dr. Thomas Wilson, a physicist at Marshall, and engineered by faculty and students of the Marshall University College of Information Technology and Engineering.

Conceived through a study to determine the optimal percentage of contrast—through a grant secured by US Sen. Robert C. Byrd—screen measurement of contrast is the first step in determining the level of contrast necessary to make digital displays usable by people with vision loss. When used in digital devices, this optimal level could lead to the production of easy-to-read appliances, technology devices, even life-saving equipment such as blood glucose meters and insulin pumps for diabetics.

Now into the next phase of this project, AFB TECH is working with the Rehabilitation Research & Development Center of Excellence for Aging Veterans with Vision Loss at the Atlanta VA Medical Center to determine what level of contrast is needed in a display for it to be readable to as many visually impaired persons as possible. Once the results of the clinical study are in, AFB will be able to create a manufacturing standard for how much contrast is needed in a display, and together with the ability to measure display contrast, we will be in a position to work with manufacturers to make their products more readable. Check out AFB's blog to read more about the project.

2009 Josephine L. Taylor Leadership Institute (JLTLI) Update

The 2009 Josephine L. Taylor Leadership Institute (JLTLI) will take place from March 5-7 at the Washington Marriott Hotel in Washington, DC. Please visit www.afb.org/jltli.asp for more information.

AFB is now accepting nominations for two prestigious awards that will be presented during the conference. 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 presented to corporations/organizations whose services/products help make the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired easier and better. Visit the Migel section, Access section, or Events section of AFB's web site for more information about the awards and to find out where to send your nomination.

News and Announcements

Students Attend L'Occitane Program: Provence in Every Sense
AFB and the French beauty company L'Occitane brought four American students to the south of France to attend Provence dans tous les sens (Provence in Every Sense), a fragrance design school funded and run by L'Occitane. Olivier Baussan, the founder of L'Occitane, established the program for visually impaired teens because he wanted to help young people focus on using the skills they had, not the ones they lacked. AFB and L'Occitane took the first group of American students to France in 2000, and have since taken four more groups of teens. This year's attendees spent four days in Provence learning about scents and aromatic plants, developing their own bath salts and shower gel, and learning about the culture, flavors, and beauty of Provence. Visit AFB's blog to read first hand accounts about the students' experiences in France.

Braille Literacy: A Functional Approach
AFB presents Braille Literacy: A Functional Approach, a hands-on workshop for teachers who provide braille instruction to children and adults, including those who have additional disabilities, developmental delays, or deafblindness; speak English as a second language; or have other learning challenges. The workshop will be held September 18-20, 2008, at AFB's National Literacy Center in Atlanta, Georgia, and will be presented by Dr. Diane P. Wormsley, Brenda Brodie Endowed Chair and Professor of Special Education at North Carolina Central University. For more information, please contact Shirley Landrum at slandrum@afb.net, or call 404-525-2303.

Assistive Technology Assessment for Students Who are Blind or Visually Impaired
AFB's Ike Presley will conduct a training on November 13-15, 2008, in Atlanta, Georgia, on assistive technology assessments for students who are blind or visually impaired. Participants will learn to identify the major components of an assistive technology assessment: the gathering of the needed background information, assessing the student's options for accessing printed and electronic information, determining appropriate writing tools, and determining the tools needed to produce materials for the student in alternate formats. If you are interested in participating, please contact Shirley Landrum at slandrum@afb.net, or call 404-525-2303 to request an application. Applications must be received by Friday, October 3, 2008. There are 24 spaces available; applicants will be notified of their acceptance status within one week of the submission deadline.

Professional Feedback
If you are a professional visiting AFB CareerConnect®, we would love to get your feedback. Please visit the Professional Feedback section of CareerConnect to participate in our brief survey.

We are also looking for feedback from users who have participated in AFB's online course, Bridging the Gap. The course, offered by AFB's National Literacy Center, is available free of charge to all professionals interested in improving their awareness and understanding of issues faced by adults who are visually impaired and have low literacy skills. If you have previously taken the course, please participate in our user survey. We would love to have your feedback.

AFB Blog
Check out AFB's blog and read about teens' experiences in France, a new video on FamilyConnect™, accessible campaign sites, a recap on the National Forum on Disability Issues, and more!