                      THE BLIND CALIFORNIAN


                    Quarterly Magazine of the

                 CALIFORNIA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND


Winter 1993               Volume XXXVII             Number 1

                          Published in
               Braille, Cassette, and Large Print

                     John V. Lopez, President
                       213-268-4526 (home)

                        EXECUTIVE OFFICES

                      8700 Reseda Boulevard
                            Suite 208
                      Northridge, CA 91324
                          818-349-2636
                          800-221-6359

                     SACRAMENTO AREA OFFICE 
                           Cid Urena 
                  1399 Sacramento Avenue Sp 25
                         Bryte, CA 95605
 
                         BAY AREA OFFICE
                          Donald Queen
                       648 Kearney Street
                      El Cerrito, CA 94530

        EDITOR:  Maria E. Lopez, 3925 East Sixth Street 
               Los Angeles, CA 90023, 213-268-4526
  
                Editor Assistant: Norma Schecter 

Please send all address changes to the Executive Offices in Northridge. 

                   CCB PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE


     Sue Staley, Chairperson, 14144 Burbank Blvd. 4, Van Nuys, CA
91401 (818) 989-2137 

     Winifred Downing, 1587 38th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94122

     Cherrie Handy Pomerantz, 1344 North Martel Avenue, 102, Los
Angeles, CA 90046

     Cathy Schmitt, 167 Rockwood Street, Irvine, CA 92714

     Connie Skeen, 3250 Maple Avenue, Oakland, CA 94602

     Ruth Dean Zulli, 8516 Alcott Street 2, Los Angeles, CA 90032




                        ----------------





Nonmembers are requested and members are invited to pay a yearly
subscription fee of $10 toward the printing of The Blind Californian.

If you or a friend would like to remember the California Council of the
Blind in your will, you can do so by employing the following language:

"I give, devise, and bequeath unto the California Council of the Blind, a
nonprofit charitable organization in California, the sum of $---- (or
~----~) to be used for its worthy purposes on behalf of blind persons."

If your wishes are more complex, you may have your attorney 
communicate with the Northridge office for other suggested forms.  Thank
you.  


                        TABLE OF CONTENTS


FROM THE EDITOR'S DISK, by Maria E. Lopez  . . . . . . . . . . .1

HEADQUARTERS UPDATE, by John V. Lopez  . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

PROCLAMATION OF BRAILLE LITERACY WEEK  . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

FALL 1992 CONVENTION REPORT by Ruth Dean Zulli . . . . . . . . .5

SUCCESSFUL CONVENTION WORKSHOP GIVEN BY COMMITTEE
     ON SENIOR BLIND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

FEDERAL LEGISLATION by Winifred Downing  . . . . . . . . . . . 11

FINANCIAL AID FOR THE DISABLED AND THEIR FAMILIES 
     by Gail Ann Schlachter & R. David Weber . . . . . . . . . 13

FOREIGN FRONTIERS by Keneth Frasse   . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

FINAL LEGISLATION UPDATE 1991/92 
     by Cid Urena  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE by Keneth Frasse . . . . . . . . . . . 20

OUT OF THE DOGHOUSE 
     by Cherrie Handy Pomerantz  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

IN THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN 
     by Dr. Rose Resnick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

HEARINGS HELD BY NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
     by Teddie Remhild . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

MORE PEOPLE TO REMEMBER 
     by Juliet Esterly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

BULLETIN BOARD by Winifred Downing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33


SUMMARY OF FALL 1992 RESOLUTIONS, 
     by Donald Queen   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

FACTS ON BRAILLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

COMMUNICATING WITH DEAF-BLIND
     by Mary Gillespie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

AROUND THE STATE AND NATION  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
                     FROM THE EDITOR'S DISK 

                        by Maria E. Lopez


After serving the California Council of the Blind for an entire year as your
editor, I have truly enjoyed dedicating the many hours editing these last
four editions of The Blind Californian.  

Sometimes I felt that I could not keep my commitment because of my work
schedule, but the satisfaction that I experience when each issue is
completed, and the praise and cooperation that I receive from many of you,
gives me the enthusiasm to continue.  Editing a magazine like the BC is
very rewarding, for the numerous columns and articles received from all
of you are filled with substantial information and very important to all
CCB members.  

In celebration of the Braille Literacy Week, I have included in this edition
a brief history of Braille.  This issue also contains a variety of interesting
articles and, certainly, you will enjoy reading all of them:  "The Student
Perspective" is about the students' successful seminar held at the CCB Fall
Convention; "In the Land of the Rising Sun" is an outstanding presentation
by Dr. Rose Resnick and her trip to Japan; in "More People to Remember"
Juliet Esterly gives us inspiration by writing about our great pioneers; and,
of course, our regular and always absorbing columns such as "Federal
Legislation", "CCB Fall Convention Report", "Bulletin Board", "Out of the
Doghouse", and many others. 

In celebration of the New Year, I include the following thoughts that mean
each New Year gives us another chance to do the things we didn't do.  

THE NEW YEAR:  

I am what you dreamed to be, but did not dare.  I am what you hoped to
do, but did not will.  I am the distant country of achievement which you
saw afar, but the path to which you have not found.  I am the fellowships
you've been too busy to form.  I am the books which, in spite of plans, you
didn't take time to read.  I am the habits of yesterday crystallizing in the
character of tomorrow.  I am the decisions of the old year coming back
into your life to empower or to imperil those of the new.  I am the vigor
of a new purpose putting life into your half-warmed ambitions.  I am the
eternal will of God that works within you.  I AM THE NEW YEAR!  

Wishing you a happy Holiday season and the best of everything for 1993. 
Our next deadline for the spring edition of the BC is March 1, 1993.  

                        ----------------


                       HEADQUARTERS UPDATE

                        by John V. Lopez


At the 1992 Fall Convention of the California Council of the Blind, for the
first time in 15 years, a new President was elected.  This transitional
change, may be one of the most significant occurrence of our convention. 
Of course, it's going to be rather difficult to emulate the efficacious work
that our past President Robert Acosta has done for many years.  

Many other important activities and decisions took place at this impressive
and well-attended convention, for which details will be found in the
"Convention Report" skillfully written by Ruth Zulli.  As one prominent
example of events, the San Joaquin Valley Chapter contributed the
generous sum of $20,000 to the CCB.  Therefore, it  will be a privilege for
me to attend this chapter's December meeting to present them with an
award and personally thank them for their exceptional donation.  

My first month in office has been a mind-saturating period of basically
getting a handle on the many administrative duties, but I confidently
believe that with patience, with sincere effort on my part, and with
invaluable input from all of you I will successfully fulfill my responsibility. 

Some of the CCB activities during my first two months in office were as
follows:  On December 22, 1992, Governor Wilson proclaimed January 3-9,
1993 as Braille Literacy Week in California.  This major accomplishment
was attained only because of the tireless efforts of Cid Urena, our
representative in Sacramento, as well as support from the BRLC and the
CCB.  This proclamation appears later in this issue.  Another major
accomplishment by the blind is the proclamation of "National Braille
Literacy Week", January 3-9, 1993, by President Bush.  
As all of us will remember, at the Fall Convention, the issue of lowering
the standards of visually handicapped teaching credentialing was presented
and the membership agreed to get actively involved in this matter to
prevent negative results.  Thus far, there is a high expectancy that this
threat will be favorably resolved because of the input and participation of
CCB members, blind and visually impaired teachers, and by parents of
blind children.  We know that all of us are concerned about the quality of
education of our state's blind children and hope that all of you who can
will continue supporting us  in our worthwhile quest.  

A new beneficial program for disabled people is ADA Paratransit Service
plan called Metro Access.  It will offer transportation service similar to
Dial-a-Ride, but without local boundaries throughout the county of Los
Angeles.  This service is already available in the San Gabriel Valley and
will eventually cover the entire L.A. county.  The Los Angeles County
Transportation Commission  will hold public hearings in late fall of each
year.  In order to fully understand the development and implementation
of the program, request a copy of the Los Angeles County Coordinated
Paratransit Plan, by calling 213-244-6284, or TDD 213-244-6908 for the
hearing impaired.  This material is available in braille and large print.  

In March 1993, the California Council of the Blind will be sponsoring
some of its members as representatives to the Affiliated Leadership League
Legislative Seminar in Washington, D.C. under the directorship of its
President Bob Acosta.  This seminar will offer blind and visually impaired
people the opportunity to speak directly to our Congressmen and to ask
them for their support in our many legislative issues. 

Moreover, in 1993, two exciting events will take place in San Francisco: 
The CCB Spring Convention to be held during the Memorial holiday
weekend on May 27-30 at the Airport Marriott Hotel, room rates are $50
across, for reservations call 415-692-9100.  Also, the ACB 32nd Annual
National Convention on July 3-10, to be held at the Airport Marriott Hotel
(the lead hotel) telephone 415-692-9100, and the Airport Westin, 
415-692-3500.  It will be a pleasure to see all of you at my first CCB
Spring Convention as President.  Also remember to make plans to attend
the ACB National Convention.  As the host affiliate, let's extand a warm
California welcome to ACB'ers and friends attending this convention.  

In appreciation, my personal gratitude goes to our committee members for
accepting the numerous tough assignments and to our Board of Directors
for offering their friendly and valuable advice.  Equally important, my
sincere Thank You! goes to our CCB dedicated staff for their reliable and
proficient manner in accomplishing the various office functions.  Having
this competent team assisting me, I will be able to continue directing an
efficient, goal-achieving administration for the CCB.  Last, but not least,
my praise goes to Maria my wife, Editor of  the BC, for her concise and
informative editing style.  She has graciously accepted the appointment to
continue as editor for our fine magazine.  

In conclusion, as your newly elected President of the California Council of
the Blind, I thank you for honoring me with this high position in the
finest organization of blind men and women in California.  Furthermore,
I am sincerely excited to represent you, such a talented and enthusiastic
membership, and also am confident that together we will reach many
positive results through our united efforts.  Keeping our communications
open will help overcome obstacles in our future endeavors; surely, your
input is necessary to continue the progress of our great organization.  Let's
remember, "unity makes strength."  

My best wishes for a happy and prosperous 1993 to all CCB members and
friends.  

                        ----------------


            EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT STATE OF CALIFORNIA

    A Proclamation by the Governor of the State of California


WHEREAS, in 1829, Louis Braille devised the system of dots that provides
blind and visually impaired people an opportunity to read and, in turn, to
learn how to spell, write, and use proper punctuation and grammar; and 

WHEREAS, this practical punctiform code known as Braille is now used
the world over to help blind/visually impaired citizens become literate; and


WHEREAS, the substitution of Braille for regular printed matter allows
blind and visually impaired citizens to enjoy reading all types of printed
materials and share in the wonder of the English language; and 

WHEREAS, Braille is also important in helping blind/visually impaired
people gain independence and confidence through learning to read and
write--skills that will benefit them in competing for jobs, pursuing
education, and living self-sufficient lives; and 

WHEREAS, all citizens should be aware of the great importance of Braille
and the great need to continue to provide Braille reading materials for
blind/visually impaired citizens: 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Pete Wilson, Governor of the State of California,
do hereby proclaim January 3-9, 1993 as Braille Literacy Week in
California.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and cause the
Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 22nd day of
December 1992. 

Pete Wilson 
Governor of California

ATTEST:  March Fong Eu 
Secretary of State

                        ----------------


                FALL, 1992 CCB CONVENTION REPORT

                       by Ruth Dean Zulli


"Unity Through Action" was the theme of the fall convention of the
California Council of the Blind, held November 5-8 in Los Angeles. 
Several hundred members and friends were in attendance.

On Thursday evening the Board of Directors held its open meeting.  After
his welcoming remarks, President Robert Acosta announced that our
honored guests would include Yvonne Fair Tessler, Dr. Doug Wakefield,
Dr. Judy Dixon, Brenda Premo, Grant Mack and Richard Villa of the ACB
Membership Committee, and Dr. Wendy Pava.  Margarine Beaman,
affectionately known as "the first lady of Braille", is this year's recipient of
the prestigious Migel Medal from the American Foundation for the Blind.

Margie Donovan discussed Phone Club U.S.A., the fourth largest telephone
company in California.  Phone Club helps small and medium businesses
cut costs on prime-time calls.  Margie suggested that the Amerivox, its
calling card for individuals, would be an excellent fundraiser for the CCB. 
The Board voted to try Phone Club for one month.

The Board also voted to give $1,000 to BANA for its work on the
unification of the various Braille codes.

President Acosta announced that plans are going forward for the 1993
American Council of the Blind national convention, which will be held
July 3-10 at the San Francisco Airport Marriott Hotel.

Several committees and special interest affiliates met Friday morning. 
Blind Students of California deserves special attention here.  At a
breakfast, over 80 high school students and their teachers were introduced
to CCB and BSC.  They heard presentations from the Braille Institute and
Recording for the Blind.  Mitchell Pomerantz spoke on the importance of
early work experience; Yvonne Fair Tessler, on narrating books.  Many
students visited the exhibit room afterward.  Many became members of
BSC and, consequently, CCB.

The two luncheons before the general session also deserve brief mention. 
Yvonne Fair Tessler was the featured speaker for Library Users of
California.  Bernice Kandarian and Joanne Pomerantz co-chaired the
Women's Concerns luncheon.  Sheila Kuehl gave an impassioned, riveting
speech on "Blind Women as Women:  Oppression to Empowerment," to a
packed audience.  Women's concerns will undoubtedly be a growing issue
in CCB.

Denise Weddle ably chaired the exhibit room.

The convention program began Friday afternoon with "The Budget Impact
on Services for the Blind in California" by Brenda Premo, Deputy Director
of the Independent Living Services Division, State Department of
Rehabilitation.  Because of budget cuts, a hiring freeze is in effect.  Two
districts will be consolidated.  Some positions will not be filled, and other
cuts made.  Despite the bad news, however, Ms. Premo stressed the high
priority that the Department of Rehabilitation places on services for the
blind, and its continued close relationship with the California Council of
the Blind.

Jeff Thom, chairman of the Committee on Access and Transportation,
moderated an excellent panel discussion entitled "The Impact of the ADA
on Paratransit Services in Southern California".

The next presentation was given by Dr. Judy Dixon, Consumer Liaison
Officer of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped.  She emphasized the centralization of Braille books in her
presentation.  Regional libraries which choose to participate may send
part, or all, of their collections to the two designated locations.  Dr. Dixon
listed several advantages of centralization, including the fact that Braille
readers who live in states with no Braille in their libraries, or with an
inadequate supply, will be better served.

Dr. Dixon described other new developments.  The new mailing container
for Braille books will fold up when not in use, have a carrying handle, and
can be dropped in a mailbox.  A database of materials held by NLS and
other agencies will be available on CD-ROM.  New print and Braille labels
for cassette books, and a digital talking book machine, were also discussed.

Mitchell Pomerantz was the Master of Ceremonies for the Presidents'
Dinner that evening.  Presidents of six special interest affiliates described
the goals and activities of their groups.

An affectionate memorial service was held for Howard Porter, charter
member of CCB.

Dr. Wendy Pava gave the first major presentation of the evening session. 
In "Some Thoughts on Self Defense for Blind and Visually Impaired
Persons," Dr. Pava spoke of the stereotypes which society uses as weapons
against us.  She spoke of the high incidence of crime, and the many ways
in which we may be more vulnerable to attack.  We may not know when
we are being observed or followed.  We often travel the same routes at the
same times, and sometimes ask strangers for directions.  We may find it
more difficult to run away.  We may not be able to identify an assailant in
a line-up.  Dr. Pava stressed confident body language, common sense, and
safety techniques for empowerment.

Dr. Rose Resnick then described her work as a delegate to Japan's
International Conference on the Needs of the Elderly Blind.  The
intricacies of the conference, stereotypes in Japan, the different ways in
which countries perceive and treat the blind, Japanese food, music, hotels,
places of interest, and her impressions of the over-all character of the
country came alive through Dr. Resnick's skillful way with words.

The general session closed with elections.  John Lopez is the new
President of the California Council of the Blind; Robert Acosta, First Vice
President.  Denise Weddle was elected Treasurer.  Winifred Downing, Jeff
Thom, Pat La France and Marion Fisher were elected to the Board of
Directors.

Committees and special interest affiliates met Saturday morning.  Of
special note is "The Myths and Realities of Aging and Blindness," a three-
hour workshop given by the CCB Committee on Senior Blind and Visually
Impaired, chaired by Teddie Remhild.  The workshop consisted of two
panels, the first of expert practitioners, the second of agency directors. 
The panelists spoke to a packed house.

Saturday's general session began with "All You've Ever Wanted to Know
About Being an NLS Narrator" by Yvonne Fair Tessler.  Warm, witty,
informative, and irrepressible are terms that come immediately to mind. 
Ms. Tessler described such problems as difficult foreign languages, the
vagaries of American pronunciation, bombastic phrases, and what she
called "the word-treadmill".  She spoke about her background, and gave
tips for preserving the voice.  Ms. Tessler closed with readings from
various books, in her own inimitable style.

In "Technology and Its Impact on the Lives of Blind and Visually Impaired
Persons", Dr. Doug Wakefield described the new color identifier for
clothing; the Talking Franklin Dictionary, also known as Language Master
6000; Descriptive Video Service; global positioning, which could be used
with a hand-held computer with speech output for mind-boggling advances
in orientation to new environments; Check-free, for paying one's bills over
the telephone; and other advances.  What a marvelous time in which to
live!

The general session closed with a panel on membership.  Grant Mack,
Chairman, ACB Membership Committee, stressed the importance of new
members and the hard work that must go into creative salesmanship. 
Richard Villa, also on the ACB Membership Committee, spoke on the
needs of blind and visually impaired Hispanics, and the important place
membership in ACB and CCB can have in their lives.

Teddie Remhild addressed the needs of senior citizens.  They are often
victims of stereotype, considered too old for help.  Multi-generational,
diverse in every way, they are already excellent role models because of the
losses and challenges which they have had to face in their own lives.

June Sutton, MSW, was the last speaker on this thought-provoking panel. 
She stated that she joined CCB because of her desire for role models,
resources, and fellowship in the organized blind movement, and her wish
to be of assistance to others.  She urged us to reach out to the blind and
visually impaired African-American community.

Manuel Urena was the Master of Ceremonies for the banquet.  Twenty-
seven students received over $20,000 in scholarships.  Linda Carney
received the Anthony G. Mannino Scholarship.

The remainder of the evening was a stirring tribute to Robert Acosta's
fifteen years of magnificent leadership of the California Council of the
Blind.  He was "roasted" by many people, including John Lopez, Mitchell
Pomerantz, Al Gil, Manuel and Cid Urena, and Kenneth Frasse.  He
received a brailled book of memories and tributes.  George Fogarty sang
"Oh Danny Boy".  To the credit of those who kept the secret, Robert Acosta
was surprised by these events and gifts in his honor.  He seemed deeply
moved as he thanked his loyal members and friends.

The South Bay chapter of the CCB sponsored a "Dance of the Decades"
after the banquet.

The Sunday morning session began with a report of the Resolutions
Committee, chaired by Donald Queen.  Twenty-four resolutions were
covered, including such diverse issues as ownership of guide dogs,
acceptance of ID cards issued by different transit districts, accessibility of
State Department of Rehabilitation offices, and great concern over the
movie Jennifer 8.

Manuel Urena, Program Manager for the Blind and Partially Sighted,
State Department of Rehabilitation, reported on services for the blind. 
Ysidro Urena, our Capitol representative, spoke on legislation.  Denise
Weddle's treasurer's report and other business followed.

As we departed Los Angeles for all corners of California, we felt deeply
inspired by all that we had shared and experienced, renewed by friends
new and old, and convinced once again of the belief that there is, indeed,
"unity through action". 

                        ----------------


              SUCCESSFUL CONVENTION WORKSHOP GIVEN 
                  BY COMMITTEE ON SENIOR BLIND


The CCB Committee on Senior Blind and Visually Impaired made its
convention debut November 7, 1992, with a 3-hour workshop presentation
to a standing-room-only audience, according to chairperson Teddie
Remhild.  

The workshop consisted of two panels of professionals in the field of
rehabilitative services to newly blind or visually impaired, with a focus on
services and programs for older adults.  

The first group of panelists were:  Nelly Glaze, Elmer Chapson, Pat
LaFrance, Jerry Arakawa, and Rose Resnick, all of whom are or have been
active in one-on-one training of skills of independent living.  They
explained the impact of the loss of vision in late years, the accumulation
of losses as one ages, and the transitional supports needed for the
maintenance of independence.  

The second panel was made up of directors of agencies in the Southern
California area which provide programs and services for the newly blind
and visually impaired older population.  These panelistss included La
Donna Ringering, of the center for the Partially Sighted in Santa Monica;
Dee Dee Futch, of Braille Community Services in Redlands; Fortune
Zuckerman, of the Braille Institute branch in San Diego; Christy Crespin,
of Blindness Support Services, Inc. of Riverside; and Kim Gibbons, of the
San Diego Service Center for the Blind.  

They described the populations served, programs provided and measure of
success achieved.  Ample time was allowed for questions from the
audience, as well as comments and discussion.  The audience displayed
rapt attention and an intense interest in accessing information.  

The Committee distributed copies of a first draft of its brochure, with a
request for suggestions from the CCB membership.  

The Committee's immediate goal for 1993 is to put in place a state-wide
network of community resource representatives to whom inquiries will be
referred from the CCB 800 number.  

By the Spring 1993 Convention this goal should be well under way.  In our
next workshop session, this outreach effort will be reported on in more
detail; there will also be additional informative presentations to be
announced later.  

If you need further information, or have any comments to be shared,
please contact Chairperson Teddie Remhild at 818-842-7295 (evenings or
weekends) or write to her at 4221 Kling Street #7, Burbank, CA 91505. 

                        ----------------


               FEDERAL LEGISLATION--December, 1992

                       by Winifred Downing


Re-authorization of the Rehabilitation Act:  Just before Congress recessed
for the Presidential election, it passed the re-authorization of the
rehabilitation act (HR-5482, the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1992). 
Experts will be studying and analyzing the law for months to  come, but
here are a few points concerning the new amendments. 

One of the encouraging developments is the insistence on providing all
material to clients in forms that they themselves can read.  For visually
impaired persons, this means braille, cassette, and large print.  Clients,
through a voucher system and the use of the Individualized Written
Rehabilitation Program (IWRP), will also have much more control over
decisions concerning strategies adopted to assist them and training
facilities selected for their use.  

The commission to study services to the blind and visually handicapped
was not specifically included in the act, but it does call for a commission
to study rehabilitative services with special emphasis on persons with low
incidence disabilities--the blind, the deaf, the deaf-blind, and the
orthopedically impaired.  

Eventually there will be a change in the grants to states for developing
services to assist older persons who lose sight so that they can remain in
their own homes and live independently.  In the past discretionary grants
of $200,000 were made to 28 selected states each year.  What was hoped
for were formula grants given to all states with additional money made
available on a population basis.  The cost of the discretionary plan was $6
million; that of the proposed formula grants would be $16 million. 
Foreseeing problems in increasing funding to meet the needs of the new
program, Congress established that the discretionary grants will continue
until at least $13 million can be authorized for the formula grants.  

Centers for independent living funded under the act must now all serve
every disability, including those centers which have, until now, been
concerned only with the blind and visually impaired.  Since our experience
has been that the blind, because of the very specific nature of their needs,
are overlooked and lost in an agency with generic responsibilities, our CCB
chapters and all ACB affiliates throughout the country will need to
monitor CIL's to make sure that they give to the blind and visually
impaired the specific kind of assistance we need.  

The amendments bring a major change for the deaf-blind and others with
multiple disabilities who were previously found to be ineligible for
rehabilitation services because they could not be prepared in any way for
employment.  The prospective client will no longer need to prove his
employability, and the agency must give "clear and convincing evidence"
that the individual cannot benefit from rehabilitative services before he can
be dismissed as ineligible.  

Since studies have shown that commissions for the blind and similar
agencies have advanced faster in training with technical devices and have
provided more effective post-employment services, the rehabilitation
amendments now mandate advisory councils with emphasis on qualified
members who can adequately evaluate the work that is being done. 
Effective advisory councils have existed in some states but certainly not in
all.  The councils are to be advisory, not policy-making groups.  
How these councils will function, what protections will exist to guard
against having rehabilitative services concentrate too little on employment,
how the CIL's will operate to safeguard the needs of the various disabilities
under their care, how well the commission established by the act will
function to actually improve the performance of the agency, and all other
aspects of the amendments must be developed by regulations within 120
days of the passage of the law, and we must be vigilant in monitoring that
procedure.  

Braille Literacy Week: H.J. Resolution 353, establishes the week of
January 3 as Braille Literacy Week.  It will be interesting to see in future
issues of The Blind Californian how individual chapters take advantage of
this opportunity to bring braille awareness to their communities. 

                        ----------------


        FINANCIAL AID FOR THE DISABLED AND THEIR FAMILIES

            by Gail Ann Schlachter and R. David Weber

[Editor's note:  this reference work was briefly discussed in our last issue. 
The following review covers the work in more detail.]

Published by Reference Service Press of San Carlos, California, this
volume is a handy reference on the topic its title describes.  The
subheading, "A list of:  Scholarships, Fellowships, Loans, Grants, Awards,
and Internships Designed Primarily or Exclusively for the Disabled and
Their Families; State Sources of Benefits; and Reference Sources on
Financial Aids," eliminates any doubts about it.  Financial Aid joins a list
of reference works produced by this publishing house, for whom Ms.
Schlachter serves as President.  Our best assessment is it will serve well
in libraries as a basic reference, but much of the assistance (like Social
Security and VA services) is well known to numbers of blind persons.

Other topics much less familiar to us include the possibilities for our
children.  Did you know that some military units provide scholarship and
other assistance to the children of those who have served in such units and
been wounded?  There are some possibilities here.  For instance, the Air
Force Aid Society headquartered in Arlington, Virginia provides financial
assistance for post-secondary education to the children of active duty or
retired disabled Air Force personnel.  The First Marine Division
Association (also in Virginia) provides awards to the children of disabled
or deceased veterans of the Division.  Numerous scholarship programs are
tied to residence in  a particular state.  State or regional scholarship
programs abound in this report, and it is clear that you'll have to be
attentive to assure you're working on programs available to you as resident
of a particular state.  This not only applies to the dependents of disabled
persons, but to anyone interested in following up on any of the
scholarships, grants, or whatever named in the report.  

Numerous sponsoring organizations are involved in these awards, with
substantial numbers of scholarships attributed to the National Federation
of the Blind, and several of its affiliates including the NFB of California. 
Of course, it is true that the listings are somewhat redundant, and we read
of specific programs more than once; the NFB must note with satisfaction
this tendency which affords the group increased space in print.  Several
ACB affiliated scholarship programs are also noted.  We're pleased to
report that the CCB scholarships are listed.

The American Foundation for the Blind's Helen Keller Scholarship Fund
for Deaf-Blind College Students of from $1,000 to $3,000 is listed, as is the
NFB's $2,000 Hermione Grant Calhoun Scholarship of the NFB (some
may recall that Dr. Isabel Grant was the mother of Mrs. Calhoun).  Both
the NFB ($3,000) and the ACB ($2,000) boast Melva T. Owen
Scholarships.

There are some important awards available to blind scholars, including the
Field Museum Graduate Fellowships which are awarded to doctoral
candidates interested in pursuing graduate research in selected scientific
areas; the Museum is in Chicago, and the stipends are in the amount of
$10,000 for one year.  Also, the National Chinese-American scholarship,
of up to $2,000 per year.

Among the most prestigious awards listed are National Science Foundation
programs, from the NSF Continuing Grants "to promote and advance
scientific and engineering progress in the U.S. by grants to disabled and
other researchers which may include equipment, salaries and field work
expenses; a similar program labelled NSF Standard Grants, and
Presidential Young Investigator Awards, intended "to increase the
attractiveness of academic careers for outstanding disabled and other
young scientists and engineers."  The latter awards are for a minimum of
$25,000 annually.

While this book has obvious limitations, those interested in scholarships,
fellowships, awards and the like would do well to seek further information
in their local libraries.  This definitely would not be a work you would
want for your own bookshelf.

                        ----------------


                       FOREIGN FRONTIERS 

                by Kenneth Frasse, President, BSC


The following is an abstract from a proposal of the Blind Students of
California, an affiliate of the National Alliance of Blind Students.  The
proposal was initiated on the heels of a recent trend by the federal
government to support foreign language studies at universities throughout
the United States.  The program itself is called the Program for University
Language Studies with Access for the Disabled or as I, its chief architect
and originator, refer to it: PULSAD.

For many years, the United States maintained a certain dominance in the
world market as one of the most affluent and powerful nations. 
Unfortunately, a degree of arrogance was fostered with respect to cultural
precedence and international trade.  After all, if the United States was the
most powerful nation in military might and production, it followed that
other nations should learn our business devices, including our language. 

As our business savvy took root and grew on other continents, the US took
the lead in production and sales of military equipment and technology,
and, although it was not the most widely spoken language, English became
the most wide-spread in the world.  Then the Berlin Wall fell, indicating
the fall of Soviet communism and relieving a phenomenal emphasis on
military expenditure for the US; military production had ceased to be our
prime "cash crop".  Additionally, Asian and European technological
markets became ever more competitive and innovative.  It became
increasingly apparent that greater diplomacy and respect for other nations,
as well as an emphasis on domestic education, were needed to remain
competitive in the world market.

This enlightenment manifested itself in numerous fashions, in particular:
The National Security Education Act of 1991 (NSEA).  Authored by
Senator Boren, Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and signed
into law by President Bush in 1991, the NSEA acknowledges the necessity
of foreign languages and cultural exchanges to persevere in the world
market, and it re-allocates military funds, both short- and long-term, to
support foreign language studies at universities in the US.

Noticing this trend toward cultural exchange, and with the advent of
NSEA, I realized that a single program could be created to address three
major issues.  One, that foreign language courses are relatively inaccessible
to the disabled, denying them the full benefits of an education; two, that
foreign language texts and materials are not easily available in accessible
formats; and three, foreign language fluency could provide greater
opportunity for internships which in turn could provide greater
employment opportunities; hence, PULSAD.

PULSAD would be a pilot program initiated within the foreign language
department at the California State University in Sacramento.  Its primary
function is to provide all materials and lectures in accessible formats to all
disabilities, and, although it includes such endeavors as foreign sign
language for the deaf and a myriad of techniques for other disabilities, I
will, for the sake of some semblance of brevity in this article, relate only
the aspects pertinent for the blind and visually impaired.  All textbooks
and materials would be rendered in braille and electronic text (E-text). 
The braille would be produced at the university, as well as the E-text
which could be read on one of four computers equipped with voice
synthesis.  Initially, the voice synthesis would include English, French,
Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, and Russian.  The foreign language
braille would be produced as needed for individual courses, and eventually
braille texts could be generated for other universities, or even high schools. 
In this way, students could regain the independence in their studies that
is so crucial for optimum performance and rigorous competition.  Braille
and E-text have been sorely lacking in these studies as cassettes and
readers prove inadequate when faced with written or orthographic
exercises.  In effect, PULSAD would open up a world of culture and
opportunity for the blind that was previously difficult to achieve.

Several factors dictated that PULSAD be initiated at CSUS.  One, CSUS
has a foreign language requirement for graduation, and this allows
PULSAD to argue ADA title 202 for accessibility to mandated programs;
two, most of the university is behind the program, including several
outside disability and foreign language organizations; three, PULSAD can
jointly encourage internship programs with the BSC's Charlotte's Web, a
program recently designed and created to keep track of applications,
retention, and graduations of disabled university students for internship
and employment purposes.

The time is ripe for PULSAD.  Backed by NSEA and federal grants and
encouraged by disability access within the state educational codes (Chapter
14, California State Educational Code), PULSAD stands in the forefront
of opportunity to set a precedent for access to foreign languages within the
disabled community.

If you wish to know more about PULSAD, or if you wish to express your
support of the program, please address a letter to:

        Kenneth Frasse, c/o Blind Students of California 
       8200 Lake Forest Drive, Sacramento, CA 95826-2958 

                        ----------------


FINAL LEGISLATIVE REPORT 1991/92 Session - NOVEMBER 1992

                          by Cid Urena


As a result of the many bills that were introduced these past two years, in
this report, the CCB membership and friends will need to do most of the
research.  To explain each bill or to give you a simple analysis would take
more space than three volumes of the Blind Californian; therefore, I will
advise you where to obtain further information. 

AB 550 by Assemblyman Sam Farr was signed by the governor.  [See the
Fall 1992 BC.]  Chapter 1037.

AB 1019 by Assemblywoman Teresa Hughes was vetoed by Governor
Wilson earlier this year.  CSU system money mismanagement bill.  [See
the Summer 1992 BC legislative update.]  

AB 1021 by Assemblywoman Teresa Hughes was signed into law in late
1991.  [Blind students CSU system reader bill.]   The chaptered version
includes readers for blind students, also reader selection, more hours per
week (1.5 hours per week, per unit), and choice of location for reading
(with the proper CSU waivers, of course).  Chapter 626 of 1991.

AB 1022 by Assemblywoman Teresa Hughes was vetoed by Governor
Wilson earlier this year.  [Summer school program bill.]
  
SB 701 by Senator Ed Royce died in committee.  This was the Braille bill. 
However, we are still pursuing legislation on this issue.

SB 756 by Senator Milton Marks, the Guide Dog Board bill, was dropped
on January 5 of this year.

SCR 57 by Senator Nicholas Petris, Orientation Center resolution, was
Chaptered.  Resolution Chapter 42 of 1992.

AB 1077 by Assemblyman Bronzan is a very lengthy and comprehensive
bill dealing with ADA regulations and implementation of same in the State
of California.  Briefly, it would make a violation of the ADA of 1990 a
violation of the Unruh Civil Rights Act and would expand the express
coverage of that act.  For further information see Chapter 913 of 1992.

AB 2832 by Assemblywoman Archie-Hudson.  This bill would create a
division for the blind in the Department of Rehabilitation.  The bill will
not have a final determination until negotiations are concluded with the
Department.  These negotiations are continuing in the month of January
1993.

AB 2298 by Assemblyman Jack O'Connell, a special education bill that
extends the date until June 30, 1998, on which specified provisions
governing special education would expire, has been chaptered--92-0528.

ACR 55 by Assemblyman Sam Farr is a measure which would request the
State Department of Education, in cooperation with education agencies,
organizations, and individuals, to develop and evaluate regionalized pilot
programs for pupils with low incidence disabilities and to conduct a study
on the effectiveness of those programs.  Resolution Chapter--92-R-030.

SB 1793 by Senator Milton Marks contains language which we believe to
be detrimental to the current guide dogs, signal dogs and service dogs
regulations.  It provides, among other things, for non-licensing of
individuals who wish to train their own dogs.  This bill has died in
committee. 

AB 1067 by Assemblyman Robert Frazee deals with safety roadside rest
stops.  Briefly, the bill would prohibit the solicitation of money within any
vista point or safety roadside rest areas and would authorize a member of
the highway patrol to relocate any person or property which creates a
safety problem, hazard, or nuisance to a vista point or roadside rest area. 
This bill would also authorize the removal of a vehicle which is stopped or
left standing for more than eight hours.  This bill has been chaptered.  You
may secure the chapter number by writing to the bill room and requesting
a copy of the chapter which can be located if you provide the bill number.

For all requests made to the bill room be sure to include chapter numbers. 
But never request more than one copy of each bill or chapter.  In addition,
never request more than five different chapters or bills at one time.  It is
my understanding that if you follow these directions, there should be no
cost to you.  The address to mail your requests is:  California State Capitol,
Bill Room, Sacramento, California 95814.

Now continuing with other chapter numbers which you may be interested
in:  Education:  Duplicate degree tuitions for postsecondary students--
Chapter 705; Year-Round School Grant Program--Chapter 756; Child care
and development services--Chapter 196.

Seniors:  California Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly--Chapter
1024.

Transportation:  Parking for Disabled--Chapter 72.

Rehabilitation:  Habilitation services--Chapter 694.

Consumer Affairs:  Regulation revisions--Chapter 654.

Discrimination:  Housing and Employment--Chapter 910; for disability--SB
1257.

Human Services:  In-home supportive services--Chapter 939; Human
Services--Chapter 1311; Health Care--Chapter 95; welfare and AFDC--AB
2646; Public Assistance--Chapter 91; In-home Supportive Services--Chapter
939.

In conclusion, let me remind you that you are probably receiving about
one-fifth of the legislation introduced in this session  which concerns
blindness.  Needless to say I left out a few.  Upon examination I believed
them not to be critical.  In any event it was a hard session due to the
budget cuts, developments regarding the Orientation Center, and a great
deal of turnover in the legislature.  However, with a large number of you
assisting me with the Orientation Center threat in 1991, this has truly
been a success story.

And now, both Jannis and I wish you had a Happy Thanksgiving and a
Merry Christmas, and we wish you a very, very Happy New Year.

                        ----------------


                     THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE

                       "Youth Empowerment"

                by Kenneth Frasse, President BSC


Over the last year, programs have been a priority agenda item for the
Blind Students of California.  We are developing several exciting new
programs and seminars.  One of our most successful seminars occurred at
the Fall 1992 CCB convention.

Comprised of a series of speakers and a panel, this seminar emphasized
support services and topics of interest for blind and visually impaired high
school students.  Over one hundred high school students, vision specialists,
and interested persons attended the seminar on Friday.  We owe a special
thank-you to Yvonne Fair Tessler who spoke to the students about making
critical choices and the services of the National Library Service.  Other
speakers were Dick Blair from Recording for the Blind, Anita Wright from
the Youth Activity department of the Braille Institute, and Mitchell
Pomerantz on vocational goals for those students who might not be
seeking a post-secondary degree.  We had more speakers on technology and
a panel for answering questions, but there was a miscommunication in the
time schedule for the break-out room, and the students wanted to look at
the adaptive technology before leaving.

All in all, the seminar, as the second of its kind for the BSC, was
tremendously successful and prompted much input from the attenders.  We
look forward to providing more of these seminars for this age group as the
BSC feels that it is a difficult transition period for these individuals.  We
also feel that this group can provide a necessary part of CCB.  If a certain
degree of skepticism and careful consideration can be taken as intellectual
prudence, then wisdom is the same with additional experience and time. 
And while the more seasoned members of this organization can provide
direction and wisdom, these students can provide longevity.

                        ----------------


                       OUT OF THE DOGHOUSE

                   by Cherrie Handy Pomerantz


Our fall convention is now a memory and the holidays are here.  Of
course, I'd like to wish everyone a most happy holiday season and a
prosperous new year.  

Our fall meeting was a great success.  We met Saturday morning and had
two excellent panel discussions.  The first was on legislation and our
lobbying activities over this past year; the second panel focused on people
who obtain their dog guides outside of the United States.  

In our business meeting Ruth Ann Acosta was re-elected for her second
term as First Vice President, and we are fortunate that Doris Fisher
consented to run for Treasurer one more time and was re-elected.  Our
new Director is now Joanne Pomerantz, who replaces Brenda Osborne. 
I would like to thank Brenda for her work over this past year on the
Board.  

At our semi-annual GDUC luncheon we heard from all three schools. 
International Guiding Eyes was extraordinarily well-represented at this
convention, with six staff members present.  We also heard from Keith
Tomlinson of Guide Dogs for the Blind and Keith Laber of Guide Dogs of
the Desert.  Keith Laber and I made a presentation on domiciliary
training.  The other schools reported on their activities and future plans. 


It may be worthwhile to provide you with a few updates on issues of
concern to all of us:  The Hawaii suit is moving forward and $45,000 has
now been raised for this purpose.  Two mainland plaintiffs, myself and
Vern Crowder, Vice President of First Interstate Bank in Fresno, have
been selected.  The final selection of a plaintiff living in Hawaii is pending;
but, we have identified several expert witnesses to testify in behalf of the
abolition of the 120-day quarantine currently required for dog guides
entering the state of Hawaii.  

As some of you may recall, the State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind
and the three guide dog schools in California have been working very hard
to develop an arbitration agreement.  This treaty will provide protection
and due process for guide dog users in their dealings with their schools or
with members of the public who may make allegations of abuse or
mistreatment of dog guides.  Last spring, Pat Urena provided us with an
excellent summary of this proposal.  Two of our three guide dog schools,
International Guiding Eyes and Guide Dogs of the Desert, publicly signed
this agreement on July 23 of this year.  I sincerely thank both schools for
demonstrating their understanding of the concerns of guide dog users and
their commitment to those of us who choose guide dogs as partners in
mobility.  

Our Treasurer has asked me to remind you that our dues are now payable. 
They are $15, as we voted last Spring, to cover costs surrounding our
newsletter, "Have Guide Dog Will Travel."  Send your dues to Doris Fisher
at 9146 E. Compton Blvd, 21, Bellflower, CA  91104.

One of our new fund-raising activities has been developed working with
Consolidated Pet Food of Santa Monica.  Whenever someone calls to
establish a new account and mentions that they heard about Consolidated
through GDUC, GDUC will receive a 5% rebate on whatever is purchased. 
Consolidated delivers pet food from Oxnard in the north to San Juan
Capistrano in the south and as far inland as San Bernardino.  They carry
such products as Iams, Science Diet, Neutromax, Nature's Recipe, and
others.  Contact Bill for further details at 310-393-9393.  There is no
delivery charge for this service.  I have used it myself for the last three
years with great success, so support GDUC and get your dog food delivered
to your door.  

Happy holidays and a wonderful New Year to each and every one of you!

                        ----------------


                  IN THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN

                         by Rose Resnick


In the dog days of August, 1991, when life seemed quite tame, I received
a call from Oral Miller, National Representative of ACB, asking if I would
be available to take a trip out of the country. I said, "Any time."  He then
wanted to know if I could write a paper on the elderly blind.  I said, "I've
been working with that population for some time, so I should be able to."

A few weeks later he called again, this time with good news.  Japan was
sponsoring a World Conference on the Aged Blind to take place in Kyoto,
October 3 to 6.  Fourteen countries were invited to submit papers. 
Representing the United States would be Leroy Saunders, ACB President,
Oral Miller, National Representative, Mary Mahoney, Director of Channel,
an agency serving the senior blind in Maryland, and me.  Oral would
present a paper on "Air Travel for the Aging Blind," and I would present
a paper on services for this population in the U.S.

We flew to Osaka via United Airlines, an eleven hour and fifteen minute
trip, very long, but not too bad if you had reading matter along and could
sleep easily on a plane as I can.  Two men, neither of whom spoke English,
met us and drove us to the elegant Myako Hotel in Kyoto.  

Until 1869, Kyoto was the capital of Japan.  It is known for its temples,
1500 of them, its beautiful gardens and its handicrafts:  silk-weaving,
embroidery, tie-dying, cloisonn, bamboo ware, pottery, block prints, and
calligraphy done with brushes and ink in books or artwork.  They paint
on silk, on paper, on lacquer, anything paintable, I guess. 

Our accommodations were luxurious.  Besides the radio, TV and twin beds
in my room, there was plenty to eat, drink and take home, if one had a
mind.  On one table were cups and saucers next to an urn plugged in,
obviously ready for tea, and alongside were plastic containers of tea bags,
nuts, raisins, crackers - I didn't sample all - and assorted bottles of liquor. 
An ice chest tempted you to try known and unknown cold drinks.  In the
bathroom were yet more gifts - a tiny razor, toothbrush and paste in one
compact holder, various lotions and the usual kleenex and soap. 

We expected the food to be Japanese.  Instead, it was filet mignon steak,
roast beef, lots of good fish, light on salad and vegetables - but all delicious
and beautifully presented.  Mary Mahoney got a bit testy at breakfast when
they greeted her request for skim milk with a blank stare.

The world-renowned Japanese work ethic was plain to us when they
allowed no time for sightseeing.  However, our first morning was free so
Mary and I set out to see a temple which she had noticed not far from our
hotel.  When we extended our dollars to the man sitting behind a low
table, he would have none of them.  Talk about deflation - we thought
American dollars were welcome everywhere - not here.  We returned to the
hotel to get our money changed but instead one of the Convention
volunteers offered to take us to an industrial museum.  We really preferred
a temple but, not wanting to seem rude, joined her on the long walk to the
museum.  Most exhibits were in cases, as usual, but we did see a man
working at a huge loom and another working on inlay in jewelry.  By this
time we had to leave since the long walk back would get us there in time
for lunch and immediately afterwards the opening of the Conference. 

Fifty-nine people were in attendance, most of them blind or visually
impaired delegates, along with a spouse or colleague, and various workers
in the field.  Convention officials and delegates came from Canada, the
U.K., Australia, Germany, Finland, Denmark, Spain, India, China, Tai-Pei,
Korea, the Philippines and, of course, the United States and Japan.  

We sat around a large table with earphones to receive simultaneous
translation at each place. 

Among the objectives of the conference was to determine whether Japan
would continue with its traditional segregation of blind people in special
residences, or shift to more integrated services.

Some of the sponsors of the Convention listed in our Braille programs
were:

The Ministry of Health and Welfare, Government of Japan, the Mainichi
Broadcasting System, the Japan Shipbuilding Industry, National Council
of Homes for the Aged Blind, Nippon Lighthouse Welfare Center for the
Blind, Kintetsu Corporation and Department Store, Ishura Envelope Co.,
Japan Airlines Foundation, Lions Club of Nara, etc.

During the first and most of the second day, Thursday and Friday, we met
in Cosmos Hall - they call their rooms halls - and heard fourteen papers,
varied in length and language.  All mentioned the tremendous increase in
the numbers of elderly and with it, the incidence of vision loss.  

I found the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) program the
most progressive of any presented.

According to the Canadian Dept. of Health and Human Services, there has
been an increase in the number of elderly blind from 19,000 in 1980, to
almost 50,000 in 1990, an increase of 141%.  Dr. Euclid Herie, president
of CNIB, expressed the Canadian philosophy concerning services to this
population this way: "Blindness and aging must be viewed within the
context of social and economic integration and, therefore, must be based
on the same criteria as any aging citizen."

Formal surveys of the blind are conducted periodically. In 1986, a question
on disability was included in the census, something we have never done. 
This provided the CNIB with a database that enabled it to recognize gaps
in service and areas of needed improvement.  The survey showed that
there are three million disabled, of whom six hundred thousand are blind
or visually-impaired, 79% are over 60 years of age.

The CNIB lists their main current issues as: empowerment (they would
like to see more blind people on boards and as advisers), fragmentation of
services, education, service inequity, social isolation, access to the
environment, access to information, and public awareness. 

They are phasing out separate residences (only one now remains) and
sheltered shops.  Three residential schools remain, mainly for the deaf and
blind. 

The Senior Independence Program of Canada encourages independence,
community-based care and rehabilitation programs. They believe in a
holistic approach to services.  They are in the process of setting up support
groups in different languages for the senior blind, and working on tactile
clues in subways.  Of course, everyone has health care coverage at no
direct cost.  They stress the importance of consumer input in decision-
making that affects them.  People over 65 receive a supplemental income
of $345 and children of disabled parents receive $92 a month.

CNIB maintains ninety-two offices, a staff of two thousand, and a budget
of $50 million.  With the end of the Soviet Union, Canada is now the
largest country in the world.

Another fine paper was presented by Mrs. Nandini S. Rawal, secretary of
the National Association for the Blind (NAB) of India.  She described India
as a developing country with 85% of the population residing in rural areas,
largely dependent on agriculture and allied pursuits for their livelihood. 
Rehab services cover only about 2% of the blind population, occurring
mainly in urban centers.  The government provides some Social Security
and free travel on buses and trains.

The aged blind are served through the NAB and blind men's associations
in Ahmedabad, Bombay, and Poona.  The NAB maintains a home free to
the blind with lodging, board and medical care.  They receive some
vocational training in physiotherapy, rope-making, farming, poultry
management and fishing, as well as activities of daily living, orientation
and mobility and "loneliness alleviation" (support groups).  Services also
include health care, education and nutrition, personal care, grooming and
adaptive aids and appliances.

Finland models its rehabilitation program on Father Carroll's Rehab
Center in Massachusetts, similar to the general rehabilitation programs in
the United States.

The Philippines were lowest in financial aid, $1.35 a month to the needy
blind.  I read in the last issue of Dialogue that a group called "Movement
of the Sightless Urban Poor" marched to the palace of President Fidel
Ramos, to demand housing and a nationwide job program.  They said they
were being ignored by the government which is not giving them the means
to improve their lives. Catalina Fermin, Assistant Social Welfare Director,
said the government offered limited jobs which pay 120 pesos or $4.60 a
day for blind people.  She said few apply for these jobs because they earn
more by begging on the streets.

Our program continued at 2:30 on Friday, when we drove by bus to the
city of Nara, an hour's drive from Kyoto, for the remainder of the
Conference.  There, in the New Public Hall, they exhibited computer
equipment not new to any American.  We then repaired to our new hotel
Fujita, splitting into two groups for dinner, in one of which Oral Miller
read his paper as part of a panel discussion on "Air Travel for the Blind." 
Interestingly, our entertainment came before dinner; this time it was a
dancer doing a court dance accompanied by a flute and samisen, a two-
stringed instrument that is plucked. 

On Saturday, we heard more reports.  In mid-afternoon, we were treated
to the Matsubokuri Boys and Girls' Choir, then to a long, very long talk
by a novelist, Mrs. Ayako Sono, called "The World That Nurtures Our
Lives."  I slept through a lot of it but heard her sentimentalize on the
wonderful work for the blind and refer to the use of volunteers as "the
dirty work given them."  This caused quite a commotion among the
delegates, many of whom were quite offended at this slur.  No one dared
talk much about it. 

On Sunday, the bus took us to the Tsubosaka Der Home for the Blind.  We
drove through beautiful country, through winding roads up into the hills. 
As often happens in Japan, a legend had come down about this Home.  It
seems that a sighted wife and blind husband lived there many years ago. 
They both committed suicide but were both rescued.  Each of the rooms
on the first floor of the Home contained a chair, a table and a tatami, a
floor covering made of rice straw on which a mattress was laid at bedtime.
Instead of a door, we entered the rooms through dangling strings of beads.
There were guide rails in the halls, with a swinging rope, such as we have
for balance in buses.  People would reach up and hold on to the rope
which moved along with them as they went down the halls to the
restroom.  When your feet touched bumpy tiles, you knew you were
approaching the elevator.  Another clue was a voice coming from the
elevator announcing the floor.  To entertain friends, the residents ascended
to the second floor where there were larger rooms. On the third floor,
there was a sanctuary for prayer and meditation and a statue of Buddha. 
I asked about opportunities for exercise and was told that someone came
twice a week to take residents for a walk. 

I came away with the conviction that the planners of such Japanese homes
think of blind people as homogeneous - as a group, rather than as
individuals.  Everything is done in terms of adaptation to people who are
the same in every respect (temperament, personality, ability), because they
cannot see.  I noted the contrast to our planning, in the United States,
which allows for individual difference and which encourages, in fact
emphasizes, independence.

The traditional vocation for the blind in Japan has been massage, an
example of their undifferentiated approach to vocational choice for the
sightless worker.  Nevertheless, Japan has initiated similar conferences on
behalf of the disabled, showing their genuine concern for the welfare of
this group.

Because so few of the Conference officials spoke English, it was difficult to
learn as much as we would have liked about Japan in those four and a half
days.  However, by observation, by talking with Vincent, the Conference
Coordinator, and several of the Japanese volunteer guides with whom we
talked on the bus trips, we came away with information and impressions
of the culture. 

Geographically Japan is quite isolated, being 100 miles from Korea, and
500 miles from China.  With a population of some 122 million, over 90%
read and write.  

Although, like us, they suffer from pollution in the major cities, their land
is beautiful.  The landscape of Japan is charming in its intimacy, with
miniature gardens, bonsai trees, and with the use of selected rocks and
stones and man-made ponds to simulate the grandeur of nature.  With
ample rainfall, the land is wooded and green, with mountains, narrow
valleys, forest-covered hills and volcanoes, extinct and active.  The famous
and scenic Mt. Fuji, over 12,000 feet high, last erupted in 1707, causing
12,000 deaths. 

Of all countries in the world, Japan is the most homogeneous, being
uniform in religion, reverence for tradition and life style.  We are familiar
with their ceremonies and festivals celebrating the change of seasons, such
as autumnal moon-viewing and the Cherry Blossom festival in the spring.

Bowing as a symbol of respect is still prevalent - the deeper the difference
in rank, the deeper the bow.  Again, in contrast to United States, Japan is
a notably self-disciplined, well-ordered nation.  Voices are never raised in
public.  Their treatment of strangers is always very courteous.  

The Japanese frequently travel in groups.  All of us have seen groups of
Japanese pouring out of buses as tourists, generally armed with cameras. 

In conclusion, the conference revealed that most countries in attendance
are still wrestling with whether or not the elderly blind should be
segregated or integrated, a question which we were evaluating years ago,
and whether services should be provided in the home or in special homes
for the visually impaired.

One could not fail to recognize the degree to which our own rehabilitation
profile, focusing on independent living through mobility, home skills and
peer support, has been the model for the rest of the world.  The
Convention was a good first step in international contact and exchange
relating to the elderly blind.  Let's hope that there will be a follow-up as
planned to persuade the United Nations to develop a fund to serve this
population.

I found the Conference a fascinating and memorable experience and am
grateful to ACB for enabling me to be a part of it.

                        ----------------


        HEARINGS HELD BY NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY:

                           "ADA Watch"

                        by Teddie Remhild


The National Council on Disabilities held regional hearings October 20-21,
1992 in San Francisco at the Marriott Hotel.  These hearings, which are
being held in various regions of our country, are patterned after the
Helsinki Human Rights Watch and are gathering information in order to
measure the progress of implementation of the Americans with Disabilities
Act in all sectors of our society.  
Testifying as representatives of the California Council of the Blind were
Teddie Remhild, Don Queen, Lorraine Brown, and Barbara Rhodes.  The
first day's testimony focused on implementation of the ADA in the public,
private, and non-profit sectors of our society.  Representatives of all
disabilities and from government agencies, private and non-profit
businesses gave testimony.  A recurrent theme was inadequate funding as
the cause of poor or non compliance.  However, some very positive efforts
being made in private industry were exemplified by the testimony of
Guerry Dalrympel, consultant to the Phoenix Suns and the America West
Arena in Phoenix.  This arena is a model of compliance, being built with
accessibility for persons with all types of disabilities, as integral parts of an
original plan.  

The second day's testimony focused on Minorities with Disabilities.  All
ethnic minorities were represented, along with representatives of the
organized disabilities movement.  One of the most agreed-upon perceptions
was the double impact of being a minority within a minority.  As a result
of this double impact, minority persons with disability are more isolated,
moer uninformed, less educated, with little or no opportunity to realize
potential or independent autonomy.  

All this testimony taken nationwide will be compiled and prepared as a
report to the Congress and the President of the United States. 

                        ----------------


                     MORE PEOPLE TO REMEMBER

                        by Juliet Esterly


In the summer edition of the BC, Bob Acosta wrote a thought-provoking
article about the future of the CCB.  In it, he recalled some of the early
leaders in the blindness movement.  I think it is important for us to know
more about these pioneers.  

Many of these blind men and women obtained their education and
employment before the "reader's fund" of the 1920's, before blind aid in
1929 by a constitutional amendment initiated by Dr. Newel Perry, before
the Social Security Act and talking books in the mid 1930's, before
Recordings for the Blind, and modern technology.  I want to say a little
more about some mentioned by Bob and a few others.   

We seemed to have had more blind lawyers then, than now, such as Leslie
Schlingheyde in Modesto, Raymond Henderson in Bakersfield, Ernest
Leslie in Oakland, who also served as Superintendent of the State
Industrial Home for the Blind.  From 1928-51, Ernest Crowley was a State
Assemblyman in Fairfield, who pushed through much of the legislation
drafted by these other lawyers.  

Bob Acosta spoke of Jacobus tenBroek, Ph.D., as Chairman of the Speech
Department at the University of California.  But it should be added that
he completed law school, wrote for the prestigious "Law Review", and was
chairman of the State Social Welfare Board.  While I was working with
social workers, many told me they feared having to go before Dr. tenBroek
with a case on appeal because of his very keen mind.  Also, students told
me they could never figure out how, during his speech class, he always
knew when they were on the floor catching up with sleep. 

A blind man named Hull had a trucking business and would provide a
truck to take Dr. Perry and fellow lobbyists in the truck bed to
Sacramento.  Of course, Hull didn't do the driving.  

Bob spoke of Isabel Grant, Ph.D, but did not say that she was a public
school teacher and traveled unaccompanied throughout the world.  Once
she told me that one day, after getting off a train in a small German town,
she asked a man where she could stay; he sent her across the street to a
large tent hotel, where the rooms were separated with canvas walls.  I
can't imagine how a totally blind woman dared travel in this way. 

It's important to know that Dolly Glass operated two beauty parlors in
Sonora--making appointments and doing shampooing and facials.  Later
she operated a telephone answering service in San Francisco with 18 or
more operators.  

Another totally blind business woman was Margaret Wilson who ran a
public stenographic service for many years and also taught blind would-be
stenographers--and, oh, was she strict! 

Bob spoke of Robert Campbell but did not mention that he had a
successful cabinet-making shop as well as a magazine subscription agency. 
Another claim to fame is the building of his own hillside home with only
the aid of his 16-year-old son; and, of course, he followed Dr. Perry as
Director of Advanced Studies at the California School for the Blind in
Berkeley.  

Donald Wheaton, in 1898, was the first blind person to earn a Ph.D. at the
University of California.  He tutored students in history.  Likewise, Estin
Buck tutored students in mathematics.  

Henry Bindt, John Hebner,  and C. Fred Pearson had successful insurance
businesses.

William Groshell and Ted Morgan were successful osteopaths.  Also, two
successful chiropractors were Harry Petrie and Ray Pennix. 

Harry Petrie and Perry Sundquist were the only two, about whom Bob and
I have written, who had any vision -- which makes their accomplishments
even more amazing.  

I'd like to add the name of another great pioneer, Kate Foley.  When the
State Library began offering books for the blind in 1905, Miss Foley and
her devoted sister were hired to travel throughout Northern California to
teach Moon type and braille.  Because of limited budgets, they often had
meals and spent the night with pupils.  After her death in 1939, I replaced
her and started out with a case load of 50 counties to visit.  

It has been a great privilege to know these people personally, so I'm
writing this article for I don't want them forgotten.  Hopefully, someone
will become inspired to collect such information into a history of the
blindness movement.  

I might mention that The Seeing Eye brought the first guide dog class to
California in the thirties--mainly for women.  Many men felt that it was
a sign of inferiority to carry even a white cane.  

We didn't have bus or train discounts when I started going to conventions. 
When the NFB was organized in 1940, many people could come only
because they held out a tin cup.  Workshops were the main source of
employment.  It was not until World War II and its scarcity of employees
that blind persons had a chance to prove their abilities.  I graduated from
college in 1934 and proudly went to the Rehabilitation office, established
in 1920; here, I was told that all they could offer me was learning to make
baskets.  

Mainstreaming in education began in the 50's with some questionable
results.  Certainly, we have come a long way! 

                        ----------------


                         BULLETIN BOARD

                       by Winifred Downing


A CCB member has an offer to make to those who love old gospel music
which he will produce by employing  a keyboard and cassette tapes.  He
does not request a specific fee but wishes a cassette in exchange for the one
he prepares and/or a "love gift."  Contact Dan Roberts, 701 E. Lassen
Avenue, Chico, CA 95926; 916-345-9148.   

Recording for the Blind, the American Council of the Blind, and other
organizations have circulated information on the Language Master Special
Edition, a hand-held talking reference device which comprises a dictionary
of more than 300,000 words, a thesaurus, speller, and grammar guide.  It
measures only 5 1/2 inches square and is not difficult to learn to use.  It
costs $500, but can be purchased on an extended payment plan.  Anyone
wishing a demonstration tape of this device can contact either of the
organizations mentioned here or its producer, Franklin Electronic
Publishers, 122 Burrs Road, Mt. Holly, NJ 08060; 800-762-5382 Ext. 801. 

The Joint Action Committee of Organizations of and Serving the Visually
Handicapped (JAC) has available a frame for an automobile license plate
which will be of interest to sighted family members and friends.  It says
DRIVER READS BRAILLE, and persons who have it on their cars report
fascinating reactions from drivers who see it.  A donation of $12.00 is
requested for one frame, that cost covering shipping and handling; for two
or more frames, the donation is $9.50.  Order from JAC Fundraising
Chairperson, 3527 Gondar Ave., Long Beach, CA 90808; 310-420-9177. 

A reader has sent an article from a back issue of Our Special which lists
telephone contacts for catalogs on items with considerable discounts.  Here
are a few of those listed: For 35% off on printed stationery, invitations,
personalized cards, and similar items, call The American Stationery
Company, Inc., 800-822-2577.  To learn about luggage and other leather
goods at 50% discount, contact A to Z Luggage Company, Inc. 800-342-
5021.  Up to 50% off on nuts can be realized from Durey-Libby Edible
Nuts, Inc. 201-939-2775.  For beauty products, small gifts, grooming aids,
and jewelry at up to 90% off call Beautiful Visions, 
516-576-9000.  Savings up to 80% on prescriptions and over-the-counter
medicines can be had from Medi-Mail, Inc., 800-331-1458. 

From Life prints, Fall, 1992: Descriptive Video Services has available a
number of new films to purchase.  Among them are Walt Disney's 101
Dalmatians, Anne of  Green Gables, Three Men and a Baby, Dick Gracey,
Fatal Attraction, The Godfather, Hunt for Red October, Raiders of the Lost
Arc, Parenthood, Steel Magnolias, and Glory.  For a braille or print catalog
or to order, write to DVS Home Video, P.O. Box 64428, St. Paul, MN
55164-0428; 800-736-3099 between 7:00 a.m. and midnight seven days a
week.

If you have questions about any aspect of the Social Security program, call
SSA's toll-free number 800-234-5772.

Seedlings Braille Books for Children has its 1993 catalog available with 29
exciting additions, bringing the total number of books to 166.  The average
price is $8.00 per book, which is half the price of production.  Choices
range from board books for infants, complete with braille and print
pictures and textures, to Nancy Drew mysteries for 8- to 12-year-olds.  To
obtain a catalog, write to Seedlings, P.O. Box 2395, Livonia, MI 
48151-0395; 313-427-8552. 

For the first time since I have been producing this column, I have had a
number of submissions from readers.  Thank You to all of them.  Anyone
who wishes to submit material should send it to Winifred Downing, 1587
38th Avenue, San Francisco, CA  94122.  

                        ----------------



                SUMMARY OF FALL 1992 RESOLUTIONS

          by Don Queen, Chairman, Resolutions Committee


If you wish the full text of these resolutions in braille or large print, call
the CCB office.  Also, if you have a computer and a modem, you can
download the text in file CCBRES92B.ZIP from BAYTALK BBS at 415-
864-6430 in the ACB file section #2.

RESOLUTION 92-B-1 commends Director William Tainter and the
Department of Rehabilitation for supporting expansion of Title VII-C of
the Rehabilitation Act to include California's older blind people, also citing
Mr. Tainter's support of a California Title VII-C grant proposal and giving
testimony in support of expansion of the Federal Title VII-C program. It
notes that California has been ignored in the distribution of Federal Title
VII-C funds even though the increasing population in California of older
persons who lose their sight has overwhelmed public and private agencies. 


RESOLUTION 92-B-2 urges the superintendent of the California School
for the Blind to reactivate its advisory committee immediately inasmuch
as the Advisory Committee has not met in many months.

RESOLUTION 92-B-3 instructs the CCB's two representatives on the
Department of Rehabilitation's Advisory Committee for Services for  the
Blind and Partially Sighted to do all in their power to insure the presence
of the Director or his Chief Deputy at future meetings of the Committee. 
Further, the President of the CCB is authorized and instructed to take all
steps necessary to maintain the Advisory Committee for Services for the
Blind and Partially Sighted as a forum for direct communication with the
Director and other Rehabilitation policy makers and, if necessary, make
the Council's position known to Health and Welfare Secretary Gould and
appropriate offices in the Legislature.  

RESOLUTION 92-B-4 urges all guide dog users to seek ownership of their
guide dogs since competent legal opinion has repeatedly stressed that
ownership is the single most important step which guide dog users can
take to protect themselves from untoward interference.  Further, that the
Council call upon all guide dog schools to act in concert with the CCB to
the end that all guide dog users be protected from unwarranted
interference with their right to use their guide dogs to travel.  It further
resolves that the Council adopt as its official policy the requirement that
any guide dog user receiving Council financing in matters involving legal
conflicts with California guide dog schools shall have obtained ownership
of his or her guide dog. 

RESOLUTION 92-B-5 resolves that the California Council of the Blind
extend its gratitude and appreciation to Assemblyman Farr for his fine
work as he brought AB550 to enactment into law, a bill which proved to
be controversial due to the opposition of some private agencies for the
blind who objected to the requirement that blind persons participate on
their governing boards.  It also takes note of the support of Director
Tainter of the Department of Rehabilitation who recognized that AB 550
only sought what the disabled already had in the Centers for Independent
Living and urged the Wilson Administration to sign the bill. 

RESOLUTION 92-B-6 urges the Department of Rehabilitation to restore
needed clerical support to the Southern California Coordinator in the
Services to the Blind Section of the Department of Rehabilitation.  Clerical
support had been eliminated as part of a general staff reduction even
though the Coordinator's duties had been significantly increased.

RESOLUTION 92-B-7 expresses the Council's thanks to John Flores, Chief
of State Special Schools and Services, for not cutting the funding for
assessment centers that evaluate the needs and capabilities of blind and
visually impaired children in this time of budget cuts.  

RESOLUTION 92-B-8 instructs the CCB President to take all actions
necessary to assure that CT services not be denied to the newly blind of
the San Diego and  the Los Angeles Mid Cities districts.  It cites three
separate studies recommending an additional CT position in San Diego and
states that recently the number of CT positions has been reduced from two
to none. 

RESOLUTION 92-B-9 urges the California Legislature to pass legislation
requiring that transit districts which demand that disabled persons have
identification cards in order to be eligible for a disabled persons discount,
honor similar cards issued by other transit districts.  It further urges the
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to adopt a similar policy as a
condition of receiving federal funds and directs the Council to submit the
resolution to the 1993 Convention of the American Council of the Blind.

RESOLUTION 92-B-10 states that the Americans with Disabilities Act and
American National Standards Institute standard A117.1 provisions for
signage are vague and confusing and have led to a  variety of differing
interpretations by sign fabricators and  environmental graphic designers. 
It resolves that the  organization, through its Committee on Access and
Transportation, take on the leadership role of advancing the signage
standards in the state of California, by working with the sign fabricators, 
environmental graphic designers, their professional organizations, and the
Office of the State Architect, and that the American Council of the Blind
be urged to do the same in respect to the ADA Act and American National
Standards Institute standard A117.1.

RESOLUTION 92-B-11 resolves that the CCB, with the participation of its
student chapter, Blind Students of California, draft and seek the
introduction of legislation similar to AB1019 (which had been vetoed by
Governor Pete Wilson) that would protect Disabled Student Services' funds
from any re-allocation at either the California State University
Chancellor's Office or at the campus level.  

RESOLUTION 92-B-12 was withdrawn by the author.

RESOLUTION 92-B-13 was withdrawn by the author.

RESOLUTION 92-B-14 calls upon the CCB to urge the Commission on
Teacher Credentialing to take all steps necessary to retain separate
credentials for teaching the visually handicapped and for orientation and
mobility training and that copies of the resolution should be sent to the
members of the Commission and the Legislature.  
 
RESOLUTION 92-B-15 was not adopted by the Convention.

RESOLUTION 92-B-16 urges the California Department of Rehabilitation
immediately to hire a permanent Administrator for the Business
Enterprise Program.  Since the removal of the former BEP administrator,
there have been a series of temporary administrators resulting in
inconsistent policies, lack of direction and low morale among both BEP
staff and Vendors.

RESOLUTION 92-B-17 adopts a policy that all future convention materials
contain a narrative description of exit locations; that hotel staff and
volunteers be instructed to advise blind conventioneers of the location of
emergency exits, and that this resolution be submitted to the 1993
Convention of the American Council of the Blind.

RESOLUTION 92-B-18 requests the U.S. Postal Service to issue a
commemorative postage stamp honoring Louis Braille in time for the 1994
Braille Literacy Week and suggests that simulated braille (print not raised
dots) be incorporated into the stamp.  The resolution is to be submitted to
the 1993 convention of the American Council of the Blind.

RESOLUTION 92-B-19 notes the practice of the Department of
Rehabilitation of locating its offices in locations such as shopping malls
away from public transportation and inaccessible to blind persons.  It calls
on the California Department of Rehabilitation to have all new potential
office sites reviewed by a blind person and an instructor in orientation and
mobility as to its accessibility before the site is chosen, and urges the
Department to survey its visually impaired staff as to the accessibility of
existing offices used by them and by visually impaired members of the
public; to make public the findings of this study and take such actions as
necessary to make these locations safe and accessible.  

RESOLUTION 92-B-20 declares the CCB's support for the study and
exploration of a proposal to establish a Business Enterprise Program
cafeteria at the California Orientation Center for the Blind provided that
the following issues are dealt with: 1. That the special diets for diabetics
and other students be guaranteed in the contract and subject to the
supervision of the contract dietitian whose services will be continued; 2.
That the subsidy to the operator be sufficiently high to attract candidates
and to insure that the location will not be run by an absentee blind vendor
who is concurrently operating another location;  3. That the OCB
administrator have a voice in the selection and retention of the operator
and the right to exclude BEP employees who become disruptive or
interfere with the operation of the Center. 

RESOLUTION 92-B-21 congratulates Margarine Beaman on receiving the
prestigious Migel Medal of the American Foundation for the Blind on
November 6, 1992 and gives the CCB's sincere thanks for her over 15
years of dedicated service to the blind by making the environment
accessible to blind persons by brailling menus, hotel elevators, and doors
etc.

RESOLUTION 92-B-22 instructs the CCB to immediately take  appropriate
action, including legal action if necessary, to insure that the Santa Clara
County, San Francisco Municipal, and Los Angeles County transit systems
install transit platform edge detection systems which fully comply with the
Americans with Disabilities Act and with applicable state accessibility
requirements. 

RESOLUTION 92-B-23 calls on the Southern California Metro Link
Commuter Rail System to use yellow as the contrasting color for its
detectible edge warning system for transit platforms.

RESOLUTION 92-B-24 calls on the CCB to express to Paramount Studios
its displeasure about the studio's lack of  social responsibility in the
production and marketing of "Jennifer 8" and the resultant potential
targeting of blind and visually impaired women as victims of violent
crimes, and urges the public to boycott the film. 

                        ----------------


                        FACTS ON BRAILLE

[Taken from the Braille Literacy Packet, compiled by the Braille Revival
League.]

                           Background

Braille is the system of touch reading and writing for the blind which
utilizes raised dots to represent the letters of the print alphabet.  The
Braille system also includes symbols to represent punctuation, mathematic
and scientific characters, music, computer notation, and foreign languages. 


Through the use of Braille, blind people are able to review and study the
written word.  It provides a vehicle for literacy and gives an individual the
ability to become familiar with spelling, punctuation, paragraphing,
footnotes, bibliographies and other formatting considerations.  

The braille cell, which is an arrangement of 6 dots--2 across and 3 down,
is the basic unit for all braille symbols.  Sixty-three patterns are possible
from these six dots.  For easier identification, these dots are numbered
downward 1, 2, 3, on the left, and 4, 5, 6 on the right.  

The first 10 letters A-J use the dots in the first two rows of the braille cell. 


The next 10 letters K-T are formed by adding dot 3 to each of the first 10
letters.  

The remaining letters, excluding W, are formed by adding dots 3 and 6 to
each of the first 5 letters.  The letter W is an exception, because the
French alphabet did not include a W when the code was created.  The
symbol for W was added later.  
   

                             History

A wide variety of methods were tried to enable blind people to read
independently.  Most were methods utilizing raised print letters.  The
prevailing belief why the Braille system was successful, when other
methods failed, was because Braille was based on a relational method of
dots, specifically designed to be identified by the fingertip, rather than
being based on symbols devised for visual recognition.  The other
advantage was that braille could be written by blind people independently. 


Louis Braille was born in the village of Coupvray, near Paris, on January
4, 1809.  At the age of 3, he was playing with a sharp awl in his father's
harness-making shop, when  he accidentally poked his eye, and
subsequently developed an eye infection causing total blindness.  He
attended the local school until 1819, when he was awarded a scholarship
to the Royal Institution for Blind Youth in Paris where he was the
youngest student.  The small stone house where the Braille family lived
still stands today and is now a museum, which is open to the public.  Soon
after enrolling at the Royal Institution for Blind Youth, he started working
on his reading code with a special tool he developed called a slate and
stylus.  In 1824, Louis Braille, at the age of 15, invented the Braille
system.  In 1829, he published his work  in "Method of Writing Words,
Music and Plain Songs by Means of Dots for Use by the Blind."  Louis
Braille spent the majority of his life working to develop a useful system for
blind people to read and write.  

The initial idea for a raised system of dots to allow the blind to read came
from a military code called "night writing" and was used by soldiers to
communicate in darkness.  It was based on a 12-dot cell, 2 dots wide and
6 dots high.  Each dot, or combination of dots in the cell, stood for a letter. 
The problem with the military code was that the human fingertip could
not feel the entire raised symbol with a single touch. Louis Braille adapted
this system and based his method on a modified 6-dot cell.  This significant
improvement meant that the fingertip could cover the entire cell with one
touch.  This work also included a braille music code based on the same 6-
dot cell.  

Braille has undergone continuous modification over the years, particularly
through the addition of contractions for words which appear frequently in
English.  The use of contractions allows for faster braille reading and helps
to reduce the size of braille books. 

Louis Braille spent most of his life at the Royal Institution as an
instructor.  Finally, tuberculosis forced him to return to Coupvray for rest. 
He died there on January 6, 1852, at the age of 43 and was buried in the
family plot.  In 1952, on the centennial of his death, his body was
ceremoniously transferred to the Pantheon in Paris.  A monument to
Louis Braille stands in the main square of Coupvray.  

                        ----------------


                  COMMUNICATING WITH DEAF-BLIND

                        by Mary Gillespie


On November 6, 1992, at the CCB fall convention, Frances Mannino and
I gave a presentation on the subjects of resources for and communication
with deaf-blind.  Here is an account of that meeting. 
 
Frances told about some of her experience as a teacher of adult deaf-blind
and also provided braille material listing resources for deaf-blind.  I
described and demonstrated some devices using braille to communicate
with deaf-blind.  While there are many ways of communicating, I would
like to share with you at least three of those methods.  

The first and smallest unit using braille for communication with deaf-blind
is known as a Teletouch, weighing about three pounds.  With the exception
of numbers, it has a standard typewriter keyboard, at the bottom are six
keys for those who want to use braille, across from these keys is a small
opening where the deaf-blind places his/her finger.  As each key is pressed,
a braille letter comes up in the opening for the deaf-blind to read what is
being typed.  

The next and somewhat larger machine using braille for communication
with the deaf-blind is known as a TeleBraille.  Space will not allow for a
full description of all the features of the device, but I will attempt to give
you the main ones.  Although the TeleBrialle looks like one machine, it
can be separated into two parts.  The bottom unit is the biggest on which
the top section sits when connected.  The bottom part is called a braille
box, which has the six braille keys, space bar, and a 20-cell refreshable
braille display.  It's used mainly for reading, but can also be used in
communicating with other machines and with the top unit if the deaf-blind
has a speech impairment.  

The top unit is called a Supercom, which has a full typewriter keyboard,
a print display, and two cups for acoustic coupling to a telephone.  

There are two modes that can be used.  The first is face-to-face; that means
the units can communicate with each other.  The deaf-blind can read in
braille what is being typed and the typist can read in print what is being
brailled in grade one on the braille box.  Grade 2 cannot be used here.  It
can, however, be used in ASCII code to another similar machine.  

 The other mode is telephone, and with this mode, telephone
communication is possible.  That's another article in itself.  

The third device using braille to communicate with deaf-blind is the
computer, with so many aspects that space will not permit details.  When
used with a word-processing program, the computer can also be used for
direct conversation using a refreshable screen reader.  Via a modem,
contact can be made through bulletin boards, other modems, electric mail,
etc.  Letters, articles and other materials can be read on disks.  The
computer has opened worlds to the deaf-blind and I am waiting for an on-
line program that will enable me to have access to daily news, an
encyclopedia, etc.  Accordingly, employment is now possible for deaf-blind. 

To sum this up, as I told the group that day, you've problably heard the
old joke about the three fastest ways of communication:  telegraph,
telephone, and tell a woman.  I've given you the three best methods of
communicating in braille with the deaf-blind:  Teletouch, TeleBraille, and
Tell a Computer.  

                        ----------------


                   AROUND THE STATE AND NATION


COMMUNITY RESOURCE REPRESENTATIVES NEEDED:  The CCB
Committee on Senior Blind and Visually Impaired is about to undertake
a new project, to assist elderly people who are facing sight loss for the first
time.  

We are looking for volunteers throughout California who will be able to
provide information on community services available, the names of helpful
agencies on the state and nation level, and the kind of personal interest
that a friend would take.  

Are you knowledgeable about what's available in your area?  Would you
be willing to share your information (by phone) so that a newly-blind
senior won't have to struggle to "re-invent the wheel"?  Would you like to
be a role model and resource person?  

Your name, phone number, and location would be listed in the CCB office. 
Seniors who are losing (or have lost) their sight will be referred to CCB
"community resource representatives" in their own area. 

If you'd like more information about this project or if you think you'd like
to join this "band of angels", send your name, address, phone number, and
a brief summary of your background and expertise to:  

Teddie Remhild, 4221 Kling Street #7, Burbank, CA 91505; or phone
evenings or weekends to: 818-842-7295.  

                              * * *

IMPORTANT NOTICE FROM THE JEWISH HERITAGE FOR THE
BLIND: 
Did you lose a relative during the Holocaust?  Did you want to verify a
family member's death?  Do you need certification for reparation or
pensions for survivors?  

Now that the Soviets have opened their war archives containing valuable
records, A new Holocaust and war victims tracing service has been
established.  The American Red Cross assists the blind and all handicapped
in completing the Red Cross inquiry form.  Jewish Heritage for the Blind
provides instructions in braille and large print and also information on
scheduling appointments with the Red Cross volunteer.  

There is no charge for our service.  For free information send a stamped
self-addressed envelope to:  The Jewish Heritage for the Blind Tracing
Service, 1655 East 24th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11229.  

                              * * *

FROM THE CCB PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE:  At the CCB Fall
Convention, the Publications Committee decided to create a brochure
containing information on all the CCB special-interest groups and
committees.  For our 1993 spring convention, the committee hopes to have
compiled enough information for its brochure.  The committee's
chairperson, Sue Staley, will be contacting all the CCB special-interest
affiliates for the required information.  

                              * * *

THE CERRITOS VALLEY CHAPTER, CCB is holding its annual Chili-
Fest fund-raising event, Saturday, April 3, 1992, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., at
VFW Post 1746, 1032 South Street, Long Beach.  Tickets are $5 and may
be ordered from:  Cerritos Valley Chapter, CCB, attention Doris Fisher,
9146 Compton Blvd. #21, Bellflower, CA 90706.  For further information,
contact Doris Fisher at 310-866-2131.  There will be many door prizes, and
the grand prize will have a value of at least $200.  Mark your calendar and
come join in the festivities!  

                              * * *

TRI VISUAL SERVICES now has available in braille or large print:  A
Resource Guide to Computer Access for Visually Impaired People, 9th
Edition, June 1992 , for $15, payable to TVS.  Be sure to specify large
print or braille when ordering.  This guide has information about 141
companies which provide products or services to blind computer users.  
Also available, only in braille, is Rivercity Collection, for $10.  Both books
can be obtained by sending a check, money order or purchase order
payable to TVS, Tri Visual Services, P.O. Box 221310, Sacramento, CA
95822-8310.  

                              * * *

THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY CHAPTER CCB announces its 9th annual
"ALL YOU CAN EAT" Pizza fund-raising party to be held on Saturday,
February 27, 1993, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the VFW Hall Post 2070, 825
Magnolia, in Monrovia, California.  Donation $5 a person.  For further
information, please call Vincent Calderon at 818-332-9362, or Keith
Johnson at 213-464-5052.  

                              * * *

THE CALIFORNIA SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND ALUMNI, a state-wide
affiliate of the California Council of the Blind, will be hosting a CSB
reunion in conjunction with the national ACB convention in San Francisco
next summer.  We encourage prior students, or staff, who wish to receive
additional information about the reunion to send their name and address
to CSB Reunion, C/O Tri Visual Services, P.O. Box 22130, Sacramento,
CA 95822-8310.  Please note which years you attended the school as a
student or taught as a faculty member.  

                              * * *

CALIFORNIA TRANSCRIBERS AND EDUCATORS OF THE VISUALLY
HANDICAPPED CONFERENCE:  If you are a teacher, transcriber,
administrator, parent, student, or friend of anyone who uses any visual
aids, you cannot miss the CTEVH Conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel
in Sacramento, April 1-3, 1993.  

Committees have been at work for several months already.  Members with
experience are mixed with newer volunteers who bring fresh ideas.  Their
aim is to offer a wide range of workshops and exhibits to educate you, to
inspire you, and amaze you.  Exhibits are open to the general public.  You
need not register for the conference to attend exhibits only.  
We are looking forward to presenting a number of VIP's from BANA, NBA
and NLS who will be featured speakers and workshop leaders.  You will
want to meet and learn from them.  Dr. Abraham Nemeth will be speaking
on the status of the unified Braille project.  

Plan to come early and/or stay late to explore northern California.  This
is a good opportunity to extend your conference experience with a few days
of vacation enjoying local and nearby points of interest.  

Those who are not already members of CTEVH and who would like to
receive a conference pre-registration packet, please send your name and
address or telephone your request to:  Lavon Johnson, General Chair, 4719
Crestwood Way, Sacramento, CA 95822; 916-442-6063.

                              * * *

ACCESS NEWSLETTER ON COMPUTER DISC:  The CCB Committee On
Access and Transportation is involved in a variety of issues, including
paratransit services, building accessibility, the appropriate utilization of
detectable warnings, and access to automated teller machines.  Not only is
the committee concerned with more traditional access concerns, but access
to information is an area that will be requiring more and more attention. 


With the explosion of activity in these areas, the committee has recognized
a need to provide information to, and acquire information from, the
membership on access issues.  Thus, Tom Karnes, vice-chair of the
committee, has agreed to edit and distribute a quarterly newsletter on
computer disc devoted to access and transportation concerns.  Due to
limited resources, the newsletter will be distributed only on computer disc. 
Anyone desiring to receive this newsletter should provide Tom with a disc
of the size he or she would like to receive, as well as an indication of
whether ASCI or Wordperfect format is preferred.  Also, any item
submitted for the newsletter should be provided to Tom on disc.  Tom's
address is 4529 18th Street, San Francisco, CA 94114. 

Your input can make this project an overwhelming success by keeping all
of us better informed about accessibility concerns, and thus able to better
serve the needs of the blind and visually impaired of this state.  

                        ----------------
