MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary="----=_NextPart_01CC2B79.AE04F760" This document is a Single File Web Page, also known as a Web Archive file. If you are seeing this message, your browser or editor doesn't support Web Archive files. Please download a browser that supports Web Archive, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer. ------=_NextPart_01CC2B79.AE04F760 Content-Location: file:///C:/51AA5335/news36u.htm Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" WISCONSIN BRAILLE NEWSLETTER

WISCONSIN BRAILLE NEWSLETTER=

Volume 12, Issue 1=

Winter, 2011

__________________= ____________________

 

The purpose of Wisconsin Braille Inc. is to advance communication and coordinate the efforts of = all persons concerned with the availability, quality, and distribution of brail= led materials in the state of Wisconsin thereby encouraging braille literacy.

__________________= ____________________

C= olleges Lock Out Blind Students Online

 

Adapted from The Chronicle of Higher Education, December 12, 2010

 

 

Colleges that wouldn't dare put up a new building without wheelchair access now routinely roll out digital services that, for blind people, are the Internet equivalent of impassable stairs. The Chronicle, after more than two dozen interviews and a review of federal= records, found widespread access problems encountered by blind students. The main problem is that the software needed to navigate the Web is geared to sighted persons and is therefore of no use to a blind one. For example, most blind people control their computers with a keyboard, not a mouse. In most softwa= re, however, simple navigational directions, such as a "start" button, aren't keyboard enabled.

        Roughly 75,000 students at colleges and trade schools are visually impaired, accord= ing to Education Department figures. Barriers to access could deny them equal learning opportunities. And colleges are finding that the problems are laws= uit bait, generating litigation and complaints. Most colleges that have been su= ed by, for example, the National Federation of the Blind, have settled the sui= ts by promising that they would strive to use only accessible e-book readers. Similar agreements have been reached between the Justice Department and oth= er colleges that have received complaints. Schools have received additional federal pressure from the Departments of Justice and Education, which issue= d a joint letter stating: "It is unacceptable for universities to use emer= ging technology without insisting that this technology be accessible to all students."

        Colleges, in turn, have discovered that they can wield considerable power over softwa= re providers when they make access for the blind a high priority. The Californ= ia State University system, for example, has threatened to deny foot-dragging companies access to its market of 430,000 students. That helped push Apple, Google, and Blackboard to upgrade their products for the blind. Blackboard = got so much better that in March, 2010, the National Federation of the Blind la= uded the company for "great improvement" in the latest release of its course-management software.

        The Justice Department is currently considering amending the ADA's regulations = to specify that the Web, like a classroom building, is covered by the law. Ale= x J. Hurder, a clinical professor at Vanderbilt University Law School, says the potential changes are "a big deal," because anyone in the busines= s of preparing content for the Internet "would be warned in advance that you need to take these factors into consideration when you're preparing your programs. Otherwise the market will dry up for you, and nobody will be allo= wed to buy them."

 

[Editor’s note: See also Wisconsin Braille, Fall 2010, Blind Have Right to Access E-Books.]  T

 

 

_______________= ____________________________________________________________________

 <= /span>

First Vision Conference =

A Success

 

members participated in the first ever Vision Midwest Conference   held   in   Madison   on October 22-24, 2010.=

 

The Vision Midwest Conference, a new blind and low vision conference, was held = at the Exhibition Hall at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. According to organizer Hiram Wurf, the conference finished its over 120 presentations to rave reviews from consumer and professional attendees calling it “the best conference we’ve ever attended” and a “unique” conference that’s a “breath of fresh air.” The conference featured almost 100 presenters in educational sessions from adaptive cell phones and sensory gardening to stem cell research and dog guide etiquette = in the workplace; sports from blind bowling to yoga with the Visually Impaired Yoga Mat; and leisure presentations including tactile tours at the Chazen A= rt Museum and a presentation on home brewing techniques for the visually impai= red. Presenters came from throughout the U.S. (representing 16 states and Washington, D.C.), from Canada and from New Zealand.

 

The conference Exhibitor Hall featured 32 booths with vendors for adaptive spor= ts and sports equipment, assistive technology, braille printing/publishing, diabetes care, dog guides, electronic reading devices, low vision devices, medical eye care and research, professional associations and more.

 

WisB= rl members were invo= lved with three presentations: Sandy Adams, Vonna Johnson-Porter, Faith Kelley a= nd Mary Ann Damm presented “Make-a-Shape Book”; Mary Ann Damm presented “Problems with Translating Print into Braille”; and Marilyn Harmon did a power point presentation about “Blind and Visual= ly Impaired Infants and Pre-schoolers.”

 

In addition, WisBrl had a booth in the Exhibition Hall. Members who helped to man the booth included Sandy Adams, Vonna Johnson-Porter, Faith Kelley, Alison McKee, Mar= ilyn Harmon, and Mary Ann Damm.

 

The Vision Midwest Conference was sponsored by = 12 State Inc., a Madison, Wisconsin-based nonprofit organiza­tion that seeks to advance education= al opportunities and accessibility in all phases of life for blind and low vis= ion individuals, and to provide for greater public awareness of blind and low vision issues.

_______________________________________________= _________

 

2011 membership dues are due
please pay now!

=

Membership renewal notices will be sent out
next month, but you can help Wisconsin
braille save money by paying your dues now.
simply use the renewal application on the
back of this newsletter.
       &= nbsp;    Your  support  is  greatly
appreciated.
       &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;   
Thank You

______________________________________________________= __________________

 

Wisconsin Braille Inc= .

 

General Membership Me= eting

 

Saturday, March 19th

1:00 – 3:00

 

West Bend Library

630 Poplar Street

West Bend, WI

www.west-= bendlibrary.org

 

Directions: East on Hwy 33, right on

7th Street  (fire station on right),  go

several blocks south to Poplar Street.

Library is on  the left in a  new  large

building with a tall clock tower.

 

New officers and members of the

board of directors will be elected.

 

 

Slate of Of= ficers and Directors of

Wisconsin B= raille, Inc.

 

Continuing Officers (2010-2012):

   V= onna Johnson-Porter, Vice president

   M= ary Ann Damm, Treasurer

 

New Officers (2011-2013):

   S= andy Adams, President

   D= awn Soto, Secretary

 

Continuing Board Members (2010-2012):

   K= urt Pamperin

   J= udy Turner

   M= arilyn Harmon

   C= heryl Orgas

   K= evin Jones

 

New Board Members (2011-2013):

   F= aith Kelley

   B= ecky Williams

   C= onstance Risjord

   J= ulie Sumwalt

­­­­­­­­­­­= ;­­­­­­­_______________________________________= _________________________________

 

Good food – good fun!=

 <= /span>

Students in the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) vision program, their families, and their teachers gathered together on November 3rd f= or the annual Vision Potluck Dinner. The students demonstrated the many tools = they use to improve their braille writing and reading, and they enthusiastically answered ques­tions and shared their varied experiences. A fun evening = was had by all. Elena Smith and Jayquan Jaeger demonstrated ways of producing braille, new and old.

______________________________________________________= __________________

 

 

 

BOO= K REVIEW

&= nbsp;

Crash= ing Through: The Extraordinary True Story of the Man Who Dared To See

  

  By Robert Kurson. (New York: Random House, 2007). Pp. 308.

 

  &= nbsp;  Mike May was rendered blind at the age of three when he found a bottle containing calcium carbide powder left in the attic of his parent’s home by a previous owner. The powder reacts violently with water to produce the explo= sive gas acetylene. When Mike attempted to wash the powder out of the bottle it exploded covering his body with shards of glass and chemically scorching his eyes. He survived after his body was sewn together with 400 stitches, but he was left blind—permanently so, in the opinion of eye doctors. Mike's father, an alcoholic, was of little help in coping with his infirmity, but = his mother, Ori Jean, was determined to give him an ordinary life, overcoming h= is handicap by simply ignoring it. A year later, when Mike had finally recover= ed physically, Ori Jean told a social worker that she wanted Mike to attend kindergarten and to participate in normal activities. When the woman remind= ed her that the child was blind and asked her which activities she had in mind, she replied "All of them."

  &= nbsp;  With his mother's consent and encouragement Mike May learned to live life by tri= al and error, what his mother called "crashing through." At the age = of six, for example, he decided to learn to ride a bicycle. Instead of asking = for instruction, he simply got on the bike of a friend and pedaled away. He alm= ost immediately crashed into a tree, but picked himself up and resumed the ride. After many crashes and upsets resulting in skinned elbows and knees, he lea= rned to ride the streets of the village of Silver City, New Mexico, where the fa= mily lived, guided through traffic solely by his hearing. When Ori Jean found th= at the Silver City schools were closed to blind students, as were most public schools in the country in the 1950s, she moved the family to Walnut Creek, California, where the school system admitted blind children and provided resource teachers to help with the logistics. He learned braille and went through elementary and high school with a B-plus average. Graduating from college, he was admitted to the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. While there, he was recruited by the CIA and offe= red a job as an intelligence analyst. He lasted two years and then quit when "the company" would not let him become a field agent. The stodgy = CIA thought a blind person was too conspicuous to be an agent. May pointed out,= to no avail, that a blind person was conspicuous to an observer for only a fle= eting moment and was then not given a second thought because he was neither a dan= ger nor a source of interest. For the next twenty years he was employed by a se= ries of start-up companies interested in developing and marketing instruments, s= uch as a GPS guidance system, for the visually handicapped.

  &= nbsp;  In 1980, after meeting Ron Salviolo, who operated a downhill skiing program for the blind at a resort near Lake Tahoe, May decided to learn to ski. After a single lesson on the "bunny hill," he insisted on tackling the ma= in slope with Salviolo to guide him solely by voice. The pair worked so well together that they eventually began racing competition and qualified for the 1984 handicapped Olympics. May won three gold medals and established a reco= rd time that has never been equaled.

 

  &= nbsp;     In 1988 he married Jennifer Smithafter a   two-year courtship,   and   she adapted readily to the “crashing through” philosophy instilled by his mother. It was a= bout ten years later that May underwent the epiphany of learning that he might b= e enabled to see, after all. A nationally known ophthalmologist examined him and discovered that his right eye (the left one had become infected and removed some years earlier) was healthy, except for the burned cornea. Cornea transplants from victims of automobile accidents were well known; what had = been developed in the previous ten years was a stem-cell transplant. The downsid= e to the transplant was that it had only a fifty-fifty chance of success and the medicine taken to prevent the body from rejecting the transplant had some e= vil side effects, including the possibility of cancer.

  &= nbsp;     This life-changing discovery constitutes chapter one of the biography. The major flaw in this otherwise excellent book, in the view of this reader, is its idiosyncratic organization. The book leaps from the present to past and bac= k to the present in alternate chapters. After Mike May discovers that he might h= ave a chance to regain his eyesight, however, the book settles into a straightforward narrative. Mike took almost a year to decide whether he wan= ted the operation. In addition to the horrific side-effects of the chemicals involved, he was concerned about his sense of self. His entire personage was built on the pride of being independent despite his handicap. In the end "crashing through" won out. "I wouldn't really be me" i= f I didn't go through with it, he told his two young sons.

  &= nbsp;     The operation was a success, and the best part of the book is the chapter-long description of what it was like to see after years of darkness. Yet, he had= one remaining problem—getting his brain to translate the myriad colors and shapes he was seeing.  Researc= hers at the University of California, San Diego, had been exploring the relation= ship between prior knowledge and the brain's perception of what the eye was = seeing. Learning about May's dilemma, they offered to give him a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of his brain to learn whether the neurons related to vis= ual perception were still viable or whether, unused during his long period of blindness, they had been diverted to other functions. With nothing to lose,= May agreed to the brain scan. Was it successful? Was his brain capable of being retrained to react to and give meaning to objects that caught the eye? Did = Mike and Jennifer live happily ever after? The answers are not always happy, but= it is a book worth reading.

 

__________________= ____________________

&nbs= p;

FamilyCon= nect

 = ;

A Web Site for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments

 

Created by the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)= and the National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (NAPVI), this web site gives parents of visually impaired children a place = to support each other, share stories and concerns, and find resources on raisi= ng their children from birth to adulthood. It’s a place where parents ca= n

  • www.familyconnect.org

    __________________= ____________________

    <= o:p> 

    T= he Braille Corner

     

    Dear Ms. Perkins,

            &= nbsp;   I really don’t understand why we have to learn so many contraction rules when the translation programs are so good.

            &= nbsp;   Frustrated Student

     

    Dear Student,

            &= nbsp;   Back-translators are great and save the transcriber a great deal of time; but are they foolproof? Following is just one example of why a solid knowledge of the ba= sic rules is important.

            &= nbsp;   When working with scanned material we often find that words italicized in print = are not emphasized in braille. When the emphasis indicator is inserted into the braille text it often pushes a hyphenated compound word onto the next brail= le line. The transcriber must determine if there is room for the first word of= the compound on the first line and fix it. Often a contraction that would not h= ave been used if the compound word were all on one line can be used when divided between lines, e.g., the “in” contraction cannot be used in “stand-in” when it is on one line, but it should be used if “in” is pushed to the next line. The computer, however, does not know this, and it is up to the transcriber to make the proper repair. =

            &= nbsp;   Test your knowledge on hyphenated compound words by taking the little quiz below. Underline the contractions in the words. Then, indicate “yes” if the same contractions would be used if the word were divided between lines,= or “no” if they would not.

            &= nbsp;   Answers are on page 7.=

     

     

    1. knock-out      &nb= sp;            =           7. by-product

     2. hair-do            =             &nb= sp;        8. over-blended<= /p>

     3. self-control            =             9. step-father

     4. in-coming            =              10. shut-in

     5. snow-blind            =             1= 1. step-child

     6. ex-/commander            =     12. bride-to-/be

    [slashes show division points]

     <= /span>

    __________________= ____________________

     

    VOLUNTEER BRAILLISTS AND TAPISTS, Inc.

     

    has changed its name to

     

    BRAILLE LIBRARY &

    TRANSCRIBING SERVICES, INC.

     

    Volunteer Braillists and Tapists, Inc. of Madison, a nonprofit group that provides reading material to blind and visually impaired people announced that it has changed its name to Braille Library & Transcribing Services, Inc. The B= oard of Directors feels that the new name more accurately describes the function= and mission of the organization.

     

    Vonna Johnson-Porter, vice president, says that during the forty years that VBTI,= now BLTS, has been in operation, many changes have occurred – particularl= y in the computer world. People needing materials transcribed into braille, i.e., businesses, doctor’s offices, government agencies, restaurants, etc., usually search the Internet for a provider. Having a name that comes at the beginning of the alphabet instead of the end, and clearly explains its purp= ose, will make such a search more fruitful for both them and us.

     

    Another major issue is the need to advertise our braille lending library that has o= ver 2,000 titles including children’s books, cooking, crocheting, and sew= ing books, classics and current best sellers.

     

    In addition the VP noted that fundraising is difficult as BLTS competes with o= ver 4,000 registered nonprofits in Dane County. The problem is how to get the attention of donors as few people outside of our organization know what a “braillist” or a ‘tapist” is.

     

    BLTS asks for help= in passing the word of this name change to any and all people who might be in = need of braille or taped materials.

    __________________= ____________________

     

    Jazz up the old Perkins with a =

              new paint job<= /p>

     

     

    Want to display your old Perkins braille writer on the sideboard as a conversati= on piece, but it’s scratched and battered? The Volunteers of Vacaville, = in Vacaville, California, will paint it and give it a beautiful hammered finish for only $7.50. Choose your color: dark green, verde green, gold, bronze, r= ed, black, or the original gray.

     

    They will also repair and refurbish your braille writer for $35.00, plus the cos= t of any replacement parts. They guarantee satisfaction and give a 180 day warra= nty on labor and replacement parts. Their current turnaround time is from 3 to 5 days, excluding shipping time.

     

    Their highly skilled technicians have repaired hundreds of braille writers since 1965. They will fully disassemble, clean, repair, oil, and reassemble each braille writer.

     

    If you have a braille writer that you no longer want and donate it to VOV, they will clean and repair it and give it to an individual or school that may no= t be able to afford one – or they will donate it to your school or the organization of your choice.

     

    Learn more about t= his organization that is part  of<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>   the   California  Department   of Rehabilitation at www.volunteersofvacaville.or= g.        =    

     <= /span>

    __________________= ____________________

     <= /span>

    WisBrl Board of Di= rectors Meets: Bylaw Change Approved

     <= /span>

    The board of directors of Wisconsin Braille Inc., met on November 6, 2010, at t= he Sequoya Branch Library in Madison. At that time they approved the following change to Section 4 of the bylaws.

     

    Change the statement from

     

     “A director, after serving two 2-year terms, is not eligible to serve again on the Board of Directors for = one year”

     

    to “A director, upon unanimous approval by the board of direct= ors, may serve another term.”

     

    The change will be= voted on at the next general membership meeting on March 19th.

    __________________= ____________________

     

     

     

     

     

    ANSWERS TO MS. PERKINS’ QUIZ

     

     1.=   knock-out   yes

     2.=   hair-do   yes

     3.=   self-control   yes

     4.=   in-coming  no (in-

      &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;         =     com ing)

     5.=   snow-blind   yes

     6.=   ex-command = er  = no (ex-

      &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;                 =     command = er

     7.=   by-product   yes

     8.=   over-blended   yes

     9.=   step-father &nbs= p; yes

    10. shut-in=    no (shut-

                =              in

    11. step-child   yes

    12. bride-to-be   no (bride-to-

      &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;               be)=

     <= /span>

    __________________= ____________________

     <= /span>

    The Wisconsin Brai= lle newsletter is published three times a year. Deadlines are: Spring/Summer – May 15, Fall – September 1, Winter – December 15

    __________________= ____________________

     <= /span>

    The purpose of this newsletter is to disperse information. Wisconsin Braille Inc. does not endorse or vouch for the reliability of any of the persons, organizations, or products appearing in this publication.

    __________________= ____________________

     <= /span>

    Wisconsin Braille Inc. welcomes letters from readers on all subjects concerning braille and blindness. Publication of letters will be at the editor’s discretion. Letters must be signed, but names will be withhe= ld upon request.

    __________________= ____________________

     <= /span>

    MEMBERSHIP APPLICA= TION

            Use the following form= to join or renew your membership to Wi= sconsin Braille Inc. Please make checks and money orders payable to: WISCONSIN BRAILLE INC.

     <= /span>

    Regular membership= , annual dues: $10

    Sustaining members= hip, annual dues: $30

    Lifetime membershi= p: $200

     <= /span>

    Please include: th= e date, your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. Also advise if you wi= sh printed material to be sent to you in regular type, e-mail or braille.=

     <= /span>

    Please answer the following: What is your affiliation with the braille-reading community? (Li= st all that apply.) Teacher, educational assistant, transcriber, proofreader, administrator, producer, parent, user, other (specify).

     <= /span>

    Return application= and payment to: Wisconsin Braille Inc., Membership Chair, 557 Milky Way, Madiso= n, WI 53718

     <= /span>

    __________________= ____________________

     <= /span>

    Visit our website: www.wisbrl.org

    __________________= ________________________

     <= /span>

    This version of the Wisconsin Braille newsletter was prepared by the members of the OSCI Braille Program. It has not been proofread. Readers are encouraged to report noted errors to: Wisconsin Braille Newsletter, Editor, 5263 Anna Lane, Middleton,= WI 53562.

     <= /span>

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