[gui-talk] Fwd: Report from Day Two of the ACB Convention

Sat Jul 11 03:44:53 UTC 2009

A good question -- plus this list is for discussion of the graphical 
user interface -- not conventions.

Dave

At 10:32 PM 7/8/2009, you wrote:
>While I can certainly understand being informed about all the goings
>ons in the blindness community, and not meaning to seem nit picky
>here, but allow me to ask the following question? why is this
>information being placed on an NFB list? My intent is not to start a
>debate between organizations. But if I want to know what's going on in
>Orlando, I'll look to those sources out there that provide such
>information. I wonder what the response would be if someone posted of
>their experiences at the NFB convention on an ACB list? Again, not
>menaing to start a war, but just pointing out the obvious.
>
>Sincerely,
>Wayne
>
>On 7/8/09, Steve Pattison <srp at internode.on.net> wrote:
> >  From: Ray Campbell ray1530 at wowway.com
> > To: ICB Board; Illinois Discussion List
> >
> > Hello:
> >
> > Yet another busy day has ended here at the Acb convention in Orlando,
> > Florida.  What was it like? Sit back and I'll gladly share.
> >
> > This morning I went to a program put on by the Blind Information Technology
> > Specialists (BITS) which is one of ACB's Special Interest affiliates.  It
> > was called "Clash of the Titans," and this year, they discussed the various
> > Global Positioning Satellite system available out there for people who are
> > blind.
> > Systems presented were Wayfinder Access for the Symbian cell phones, Mobile
> > Geo, which I personally use, for the Windows Mobile Smart phones, the
> > Braille Note GPS for the Braille Note, The Trekker and Trekker Breeze from
> > Humanware, the Sense Nav from GW Micro which runs on the Braille Sense and
> > Voice Sense note takers, and Street Talk VIP which runs on  Freedom
> > Scientific's Pacmate.  Each company was given about 15 minutes or so to
> > discuss their product and then answer audience questions.  This is a great
> > thing because it allows someone thinking about purchasing a GPS solution to
> > learn about all of the products out there, evaluate their needs and help
> > make an informed decision.
> >
> > I then went to the annual Sports Fanatics luncheon.  We were supposed to
> > hear from Mr.  Enrique Oliu who is totally blind and the Spanish language
> > color announcer for the Tampa Bay Rays, but he could not attend 
> for whatever
> > reason.  We did hear from Donna Brown, herself a very decorated athlete who
> > is blind and a coach at the West Virginia School for the Blind.  She shared
> > her experiences competing in Paralympic competition and her work coaching
> > young athletes who are blind today.
> >
> > I then attended the Environmental Access Committee meeting.  We spent a
> > great deal of time discussing hybrid car's and work which is going on,
> > thanks to legislation being introduced in Congress but not passed yet to
> > research and develop an appropriate sound standard for these vehicles.
> > Janet Barlow discussed some of the research work she is involved in
> > including how to make roundabouts safer for pedestrians who are blind.  She
> > said roundabouts are here to stay and that we need to make sure they have
> > both a way for us to find where to cross streets, and ways for us to do it
> > safely.
> >
> > We also discussed work going on to make what are called Destination
> > Elevators more accessible.  These are elevators where you walk up, input
> > your desired destination floor on a keyboard, and are then directed to a
> > certain elevator to get there.  If you can't see where that 
> elevator is, how
> > are you going to find it?
> > Thank god we haven't seen any of these things in Chicago or 
> anywhere else in
> > Illinois yet.
> >
> > After Environmental Access and dinner, it was time for the opening Plenary
> > session of the convention.  The highlight was President Mitch Pomerantz's
> > report to the convention.  ACB has been busy, particularly on the
> > legislative and structured negotiations front in the last year.  We've
> > successfully negotiated settlements with such retail chains as Dollar
> > General, Staples, target and others so when we go in, make purchases, and
> > choose to use debit cards, we can independently enter our PIN number.  The
> > Illinois Council of the Blind's work with Tcf Bank was highlighted, where
> > they will soon be installing talking ATMS, providing statements and other
> > information in accessible formats and making their website more accessible.
> >
> > The report from the consultant hired by the Department of the Treasury on
> > accessible currency has just been released and should move us closer to the
> > day when people who are blind will have currency we can independently
> > identify.  Thanks again, to ACB.
> >
> > We've gotten legislation re-introduced into the 111th Congress, 
> HR734, which
> > would require minimal sound standards be researched and developed 
> for hybrid
> > cars.  Because this is out there, the National Highway 
> Transportation Safety
> > Administration (NHTSA) is already beginning to conduct this research.
> > Because we, and the NFB have both pushed so hard for this legislation, we
> > have 124 co-sponsors on board.  NHTSA wouldn't have moved if they didn't
> > feel this legislation could move.
> >
> >  What about all those lovely set top boxes, new fangled phones and other
> > things you can't use? Well ACB has advocated for the 21st Century
> > Telecommunications and Video Accessibility Act.
> > That bill is HR3101.  It only has a few co-sponsors, but it was just
> > introduced.  So, get your member of congress to sign on as a co-sponsor.
> >
> > ACB is responding to the closure, threatened closure, or threatened
> > consolidation of schools for the Blind.  We've created a task force which I
> > have the honor to chair to develop strategies to help our 
> affiliates respond
> > when this issue comes up.
> >
> > There's a lot more, so I invite you to go to www.acbradio.org and click or
> > press enter on the Mainstream link, then select your media player and you
> > are on your way.  That, by the way, is where you can go to hear the
> > convention sessions live starting tomorrow morning, July 6 at 7:30 a.m.
> > central time.
> >
> > We were entertained by Amy Carroll-Web, who is a Star Florida Folk singer.
> > She did about five songs and had everyone singing and clapping 
> along.  After
> > that, we were introduced to our two first time Durward K.  McDaniel award
> > recipients.  They are Mandy Holly from South Carolina, and Janice Mirand
> > from Texas.
> >
> > Eight ACB Life Memberships were presented tonight as well.  If you want to
> > be an ACB Life Member, you pay $1,000 to the ACB National organization and
> > never have to pay national dues again.
> > It's wonderful to see people making that kind of a commitment to the
> > organization.
> >
> > Finally tonight, we had the first Credentials Committee report and the roll
> > call of affiliates.  We did learn that North Carolina successfully saved
> > their Governor Morrehead School for the Blind from being consolidated with
> > the School for the Deaf.
> >
> > That's all for today.  It will be another busy day tomorrow and 
> I'll be here
> > to tell you about it.
> >
> > Regards Steve
> > Email:  srp at internode.on.net
> > MSN Messenger:  internetuser383 at hotmail.com
> > Skype:  steve1963
> >
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>
>
>--
>My blog:
>http://wayneism.blogspot.com
>My websites:
>www.wayneism.com
>www.whitecaneday.org
>
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