               THE BLIND CALIFORNIAN


             Quarterly Magazine of the

          CALIFORNIA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND


Spring, 1996                       Volume 40 No. 2


Published in Braille, Cassette, Diskette, and Large Print


           Mitchell Pomerantz, President
                 213-851-5148 Res.


                 EXECUTIVE OFFICE:
             3919 West Magnolia Blvd.
             Burbank, California 91505

                   800-221-6359
                   818-557-6372
                Fax:  818-557-6539
              CCBNET/BBS 916-568-6359
       GLOBAL BLIND EXCHANGE telnet gbs.org


 SACRAMENTO AREA OFFICE:  Cid Urena, 916-371-1514
   1399 Sacramento Avenue SP 25, Bryte, CA 95605

   BAY AREA OFFICE:  Cathie Skivers 510-357-1986
       836 Resota Street, Hayward, CA 94545


Please send all address changes to the Executive Office in Burbank.
             Editor: Winifred Downing 
                 1587 38th Avenue
             San Francisco, CA 94122 

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Call the "CALIFORNIA CONNECTION"  at 800-221-6359 for an update on legislation and CCB events Monday through Friday after 5 p.m. and all day on weekends.  At these times it is available also in Spanish. 

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

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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 Burbank office for other suggested forms. Thank you.

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                 TABLE OF CONTENTS

FROM THE EDITOR,  by Winifred Downing . . . . . .1

PRESIDENT'S UPDATE, by Mitch Pomerantz  . . . . .3

WHY SEPARATE AGENCIES FOR THE BLIND?  . . . . . .7

FULL INCLUSION AND MAINSTREAMING: A Perspective from
	an Itinerant Teacher, by Connie Bateman  . . . 11

PUBLIC TRANSPOROTATION--WHAT CAN WE DO? by Sandra 
	Harbrave Bishop  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

CCB CONVENTION RESOLUTIONS, FALL, 1995, by Al Gil18

THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE, by Warren Cushman  . . 22

FEDERAL LEGISLATION, by Cathie Skivers  . . . . 24

STATEMENT OF THE CALIFORNIA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND, 
	by Mitch Pomerantz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

AC TRANSIT STILL ON THE FRITZ, by Daveed Mandell28

STATE LEGISLATION, MARCH 1, 1996, by Sid Urena  32

REPORT FROM THE PYRAMID CHAPTER, by Ahmad Rahman33

A PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM WHOSE TIME
	HAS COME, by Lou Saviano . . . . . . . . . . . 35

OUT OF THE DOGHOUSE: "Is It Really Your Dog?"
	by Ken Metz  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

TECHTALK: How to Access a Computer; a Beginner's Guide, 
	by Kenneth Frasse  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

PROFILE: MITCH POMERANTZ, by Brian Hall . . . . 44

AROUND THE STATE  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

A SURVEY OF LOW VISION READERS,
	by Bernice Kandarian and Roger Petersen  . . . 49

CCB OFFICERS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

CCB PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE  . . . . . . . . . . 51


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                 FROM THE EDITOR 

                by Winifred Downing

For figures in public life who assume new responsibilities, it is customary to allude to a honeymoon period early in their work when everything seems to be going well.  I guess that the summer and fall issues of The Blind Californian, though not without error or need for continued improvement, were my honeymoon; but then came the Winter 1996 issue, and Murphy's law took over with a vengeance.  Since all readers of the magazine have been--and will be--affected by our problems, I think you deserve explanations.  

The first and most obvious disaster was the large print edition. Three total print-outs were initially produced until the result was as nearly perfect as possible; but then occurred some problem of disharmony between the disk sent for printing and the parameters used by the printer, and the result was chaos.  Paging errors occurred in the contents, titles of articles appeared at the bottom of the page rather than the top, a column might have only one line of print, and on and on.  The cure?  From now on a fully printed issue will be sent to be copied, not reprinted, and we hope everyone will see a dramatic improvement.  

The braille edition had a different set of problems.  Because President Mitch does not want, for monetary reasons, to see the braille issue go to two volumes, I prepared a list of some of the longer articles which I sent to the producers of both the large print and braille versions,  advising that these articles might be postponed until next time if space became a problem.  I indicated that the producers, if they omitted articles, should contact each other so that both versions would be the same.  Though I submitted the material on December 8, I heard nothing and therefore concluded that everything fit just fine. 

When the first recipients of the braille issue began reporting that their articles had not been included, I was surprised but promised that the omitted material would take first place in the spring issue.  It was a week later when, through various unexplainable reports coming from around the state, I realized that the braille issue lacked articles which were in the print one and on the cassette version.  

What to do?  The simplest and most direct solution is to begin the spring braille edition with the material omitted from the winter one and to produce in print and on cassette a somewhat abbreviated version of the magazine.  Space this time, therefore, is at a premium.  I am including first necessary articles concerning the California Council of the  Blind and then articles as I receive them, with the earliest ones being accorded preference.  Anything submitted this time and not 
used will be held over to the 
summer issue for which the deadline is June 1.  

All of us who write for the BC are volunteers.  We volunteers; Braille Institute, which prepares the braille edition; MSMT, which arranges the large print; and PIP, the printer, have pride in what we do and want very much to produce the best magazine possible and to serve and please our readers as well as we can.  We apologize for the winter issue and look forward to better times to come.  

In the report of the fall, 1995, CCB convention, an error was made in reporting a constitutional amendment suggested by the Bayview Chapter.  It would have decreased the number of terms possible for board members from four to three.  The amendment was not passed.


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                PRESIDENT'S UPDATE

                by Mitch Pomerantz

Hello to everyone!  By the time most of you read this, we will have concluded our Spring Convention in San Jose.  While I am certain that it will be (was) one of our most informative and entertaining conventions, I am very troubled by some things I've heard and observed in recent months.  Therefore, I'd like to use these pages to wax a little philosophical over the current state of advocacy, particularly in connection with the California Council of the Blind.

If I may begin by paraphrasing Charles Dickens:  These are the best of tims, these are the worst of times for blind and visually impaired people.  On the plus side of the ledger, CCB has the largest membership of any affiliate in the American Council of the Blind.  We are indeed fortunate to have a nearly one-half million dollar yearly budget which allows us to accomplish many things which other state chapter presidents only dream about doing.  

Prior to ACB's recent mid-year Affiliate Presidents' Meeting, President Paul Edwards asked me to participate on two different panels which had been scheduled as part of the program agenda.  The first involved several state and special-interest presidents discussing what positive things were happening in our various affiliates.  The second concerned "tools" affiliate leaders could use to strengthen our organizations.  I must digress briefly in order to publicly thank Ron Brooks for his assistance (at the eleventh hour) which allowed me to make a coherent and, I hope, very educational presentation on public relations.

While I don't specifically recall what activities I mentioned as part of the first panel presentation, let me briefly list some of the things for which every member of CCB can take justifiable pride:

1. Our statewide, twenty-four hour, toll-free number which accesses the "California Connection," in both English and Spanish;

2. The rapidly expanding and internationally recognized Global Blind Exchange;

3. CCB's extensive legislative and legal advocacy efforts;

4. The approximately 40 geographic and special interest chapters and more than thirty-four hundred members;

5. The numerous active committees which focus on a whole host of issues ranging from transportation and public relations to concerns of the senior blind and technology;

6. Our wonderful scholarship and employment assistance (equipment grants) programs;

7. The ability, thanks to our relative financial good health, to provide valuable training seminars and workshops at two state conventions each year as well as in other parts of this vast State,
and (most of all);

8. The cadre of active and committed members willing to do whatever is necessary to make things better for blind people throughout California and the nation.

Yes ladies and gentlemen, we certainly have a great deal to be proud of as members of the California Council of the Blind.

And yet, I'm far from complacent or entirely satisfied with the current state of affairs.  Clearly (and you are probably tired of my saying this), programs and services for blind and visually impaired people are insignificant and in jeopardy.  Both in California and throughout the country, the American people have chosen to elect representatives with little concern or apparent interest in our issues and problems.  These elected officials have caught "bottom-line fever" from their constituents.  Everything now seems to be measured by cost-benefit analysis, as if the U.S. is populated by two-hundred and sixty-million accountants (scary thought)!

With regard to blind and disabled persons, the public perception is  that it is too expensive to pay for anything "special" and besides, now that the ADA has become law, why don't we just shut-up and be happy?  Increasingly, we have had to assume the unpopular role of defending the status quo:  advocating for continuation of separate Commissions for the Blind (where they presently exist) protecting the Randolph-Sheppard Program and Federal priority and fighting to maintain our identity within the ever-broadening generic disability community.  This is a far cry from our more traditional position-- of only a very few years ago--advocating for more and better opportunities for blind and visually impaired people.

What got me thinking along these lines was a comment one of our members made shortly after the Board of Directors passed a motion (made by Cathie Skivers) at the November Board Meeting to devote one hour of time to legislation during a general session of the Spring Convention.  The comment:  "when you announce that program item, half the attendees will get up and go to the exhibit room."  What really bothered me wasn't the comment itself but the fact that this member was undoubtedly correct.  (By the time this BC comes out, I will know for sure).  I make this rather harsh assessment based partly on a request made by Cathie on a California Connection sometime back for members interested in participating in a legislative "phone-tree" to call and give their names to her.  If memory serves, she received very few calls.  In addition, a request went out to Presidents for the names of chapter legislative representatives.  Once again, very few names were received.  While I recognize that blind people join CCB for a variety of factors and come to our conventions for a myriad of reasons, I can't help but believe that this organization's raison d'etre (reason for being) has always been, and still remains, advocacy.

Recently, I took some flak from a member because CCB didn't seem to be doing enough about a serious transportation issue in this person's area.  I was somewhat taken aback since there are three active chapters in that particular part of the state and certainly more than sufficient membership in those chapters to make plenty of noise at public hearings and to write lots of good letters to local officials and the print media.  Well, that's essentially and ultimately what happened.  Nonetheless, it concerns me that some people believe that the State organization can and should do everything!  The fifteen members of our Board of Directors, and our two loyal dedicated office staff cannot, and should not!  The California Council of the Blind is only as strong as its individual members and chapters.

In this regard, I know that several chapters are having serious trouble attracting even current members to attend monthly meetings, let alone bringing in new members.  With all of the challenges to specialized programs and services we are presently facing, the first question which must be asked is: why is this  the usual answers:  people are too busy;  the meetings aren't interesting;  transportation is a problem;  white people are apathetic; etc., etc.

A related question is just how bad must things become before a large number of blind and visually impaired people, both inside and outside CCB, decide that it's time to roll up their sleeves and get to work.  Ladies and gentlemen, if things get too much worse, we will look back at a twenty-five percent employment rate, $669.00 SSI checks and generic rehab services as representing the halcyon days for the blind.  Am I exaggerating or being an "alarmist" when I say such things?  I truly do not think so!

The final, and perhaps most important question which I would ask everyone to consider:  Given everything I have said to this point (and assuming that you don't think I'm exaggerating or an alarmist), what can we, the many hundreds of hard-working and committed men and women who comprise this Council, do to change things for the better?  There is too much which needs to be done for any of us to rest upon our collective laurels and be satisfied with what the California Council of the Blind has already achieved over its sixty-two year history.  I have some ideas but as your President, I know that you are likely to have other, and better notions, of what to do and how to do it.

As I attend various local chapter functions during the next several months, I would like to hear some of those ideas.  Whether we get the opportunity to speak personally or not, I sincerely hope that many of you will consider using the pages of the Blind Californian to share your thoughts with everyone reading our outstanding publication.  I am looking forward to talking with you or reading about your ideas to make the CCB an even stronger force in the organized blind movement than it is today.  Thank you, and take care.
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       WHY SEPARATE AGENCIES FOR THE BLIND?

(This article was submitted without explanation or signature.)

THE PROBLEM  Because of the myths and stereotypes of blindness, rehabilitation agencies for blind persons must take a different approach from agencies that serve persons with other disabilities.  Agencies serving the blind must deal with two problems.  They must, of course, address the physical loss of vision by teaching specialized skills and techniques; but they must also address the misconceptions surrounding blindness.  This second aspect involves developing attitudinal changes in their clientele and in society.  It requires that rehabilitation professionals working with blind persons possess indepth knowledge of the abilities of blind people.  In addition, these professionals must possess the ability to teach blind persons how to deal positively with public attitudes and must be prepared to deal with those attitudes themselves.

BACKGROUND  Throughout history, people have feared blindness more than almost any other physical disability though in the last few years AIDS, cancer and Alzheimer's Disease have become more feared in industrialized nations because massive publicity has brought them to the forefront.  For most of the world, however, blindness remains the most dreaded affliction. 

This fear is based largely on two elements: the extent to which we rely on vision as our primary sense and the almost universally negative images of blindness.  These negative images are pervasive and deeply entrenched: -- If you can't see, you can't do; -- blind people are dependent and not able to meet their own needs; -- they cannot work, travel, enjoy recreation or maintain households.  The two elements represent myths and stereotypes which constitute a dangerous and misleading view of blindness.  They persuade the general public to assume that visually impaired persons lead cloistered, sterile lives and deny the essential truth of the normality of blind persons.  They overlook the fact that many, many blind people lead successful, fulfilling lives of value to themselves, their families and friends, and the communities in which they live. 

A number of practical approaches have been developed to assist the visually impaired in techniques of independent living; but all those concerned with the welfare of the blind, plus blind persons themselves, must understand that it is the myths and stereotypes held by the general public that are the single most difficult obstacle toward the achievement of success in life.  Whatever other elements are involved, rehabilitation staff and their clients are always confronted with the need to overcome these perceptions.

WHAT'S AT STAKE?  For years many states have examined the feasibility--even the desirability--of merging specialized agencies for the blind with other human services.  Even with the attractive idea of saving money by creating a single bureaucracy, many states have, however, reached a different conclusion.  They determined that true cost effectiveness, efficient and timely service delivery, focused management, and competent targeted leadership are best achieved in a separate agency or in an identifiable department or bureau with competent, qualified and trained staff within the general agency.  

Research to compare outcomes of rehabilitation services for people who are blind in specialized or general settings has been limited.  The best designed study (conducted for the U.S. Rehabilitation Services Administration by a neutral research firm, JWK International) had two major findings:

First, most state agencies, even those not identified as providing rehabilitation services solely for persons who are blind or visually impaired, chose to serve blind people in a specialized unit within the agency, by counselors in a specialized unit within the agency, or by counselors with specialized caseloads.

Second, specialized caseloads, regardless of agency type, produced better rehabilitation outcomes for blind clients.

This and other studies have supported the advantages of separate agencies.

WHY SPECIALIZED SERVICES?  Nowhere is the need for specialized, intensive services more obvious than in dealing with the consequences of blindness.  The basic skills and techniques to overcome blindness are many and varied; and teaching these basic skills requires discrete knowledge and a thorough understanding of blindness and the problems attendant on it.

Unique skills related to this disability:

1. Traveling with the long cane or the guide dog.  Such training must encompass how to assess the environment and move about efficiently in it.

2. Braille, a system of reading and writing which depends upon the tactile identification of raised dots.  Braille will vary in complexity from a simple alphabet to specialized notations for computers, foreign languages, music, math and other disciplines.

3. Assistive technology, including the use of synthetic speech for computers, closed circuit television magnifiers, Braille computer terminals and reading machines or scanners.  This includes assessment of the need for specific devices to accomplish specific tasks.

4. Independent living, including all the skills for personal and home maintenance from grooming to how to cook and to get to work--in short, all those things sighted persons take for granted in daily living.

5. Personal adjustment, which involves a blind person learning how to deal with the effects of total or partial loss of vision and how to respond to negative thinking about the abilities of blind people.


The efficient, effective transmittal of all the skills needed to cope with blindness requires the specialized attention of experts whose own unique training and experience have been focused on those who are visually impaired.

WHAT STRUCTURE IS MOST CONDUCIVE TO DELIVERY?  Several considerations  must go into determining which administrative structure is most appropriate to deliver effective services:

1. Savings or Service: Does the consolidation of administrative functions result in meaningful savings? Are larger units of government really efficient, considering the inherent problems of complex bureaucracies in terms of slowness and lack of focus?

2. Consolidation or Specialization: Are there things to be learned from big business which, because of costly lessons learned from unhappy past consolidations, is moving toward decentralized and smaller, more specialized units?

3. Ease or Difficulty of Access: How can blind and visually impaired persons best access services?  Accessing service delivery systems always presents problems for consumers, especially for persons who are blind or visually impaired, because they are a minority in the disability population.  Aren't their specialized needs likely to be lost in a combined setting which attempts to deal with all types of disabilities?

4. Generic Skills or Relevant Knowledge: Can persons trained in providing general rehabilitation services furnish the kinds of services visually impaired persons require?  

5. Generalized or Specialized Focus: Can senior managers of generalized rehabilitation agencies bring to bear adequate specialized training and experience to develop the most effective service programs for blind and visually impaired persons?

WHAT DO CUSTOMERS WANT?  A paramount issue in 
deciding on the structure of a service delivery system for blind and visually impaired persons must be the viewpoint of the consumers of the services.  All major organizations of and for the blind agree on the need for specialized services.  They overwhelmingly believe that the best way to deliver such services is through a separate agency.

Reasons for agreement include access to decision-makers--not buried in a bureaucracy and specially-trained personnel who can use their skills and abilities to facilitate the acquisition of vocational and independent living skills.
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         FULL INCLUSION AND MAINSTREAMING:
     A Perspective from an Itinerant Teacher 

                by Connie Bateman 

Until recently, I was an itinerant teacher providing services to students with visual impairments.  I taught for eight years serving students from a variety of ability levels and with a diversity of needs.  Some of them had visual impairment as their only disability and were mainstreamed in regular school programs.  Others had additional disabilities and received services in special day classes or special schools.  I had eighteen students on my caseload distributed among nine schools.  

Caseload sizes, time constraints, scheduling challenges, and travel time cause most itinerant teachers extreme stress and frustration; and when a teacher is visually impaired and is forced to rely on drivers since she cannot drive herself, this stress and frustration are drastically increased.  I had to plan my time around the schedules of others; and there was an unspoken rule that though it was quite acceptable for others to keep me waiting and make me late for my appointments, it was not all right for me to keep them waiting or make them late for their commitments.  Sighted itinerant teachers have the luxury of using their cars as storage space for materials and equipment whereas I did not have this option but had to plan ahead and pack up everything I would need for each day and then lug my materials around on my back.  Sometimes I was able to gain the cooperation of school personnel so that I could set up equipment or store larger items at their school sites.  Operating from nine different schools, I had nine different arrangements for how equipment and materials would be available to me and my students.  

The most frustrating part of my job, however, was that I had to depend constantly on others for transportation and observations during assessments.  I lacked autonomy, control, and the freedom to make choices.   

My concern with the itinerant teacher system, though, does not involve just visually impaired itinerant teachers.  Because of current efforts to integrate students in their neighborhood schools, most blind and visually impaired pupils receive services from itinerant teachers.  I seriously question this service delivery system.  Although I believe that full inclusion and mainstreaming is appropriate for some students, I do not believe it is suitable for all.  In some cases, mainstreaming has created the most restrictive environment.  In the remainder of this article, I will provide examples based on my personal experiences as an itinerant teacher.

About half of the students on my caseload were mainstreamed in regular school programs.  Those who had supportive and knowledgeable parents generally did well, but  those who lacked this advantage--whose parents did not have an adequate grasp of the educational system or of the potentialities of their children--did not do well.  We found, for example, that we did not have time to teach social skills and skills of daily living; many students, therefore, did not receive training in these areas.  For whatever education they did receive, team collaboration and ongoing communication among teachers, parents, and support staff were essential.  

The second half of the students on my caseload had disabilities in addition to their blindness or visual impairment.  Some of them were in special day classes or attended a special school.  Others were severely handicapped students who were fully included in regular classrooms because of the insistence of their parents.  For these parents the goal of full inclusion was socialization of their children with age-appropriate peers.   

The challenges I encountered as an itinerant teacher with these students were many.  Each of them was assigned an aide to work with him/her in the classroom for a portion of the day; but at other times, the aide was expected to work with the rest of the class.  The result of this arrangement was that the visually impaired severely handicapped student was left alone with nothing to do for hours at a time.  Some of these pupils had motor difficulties, low cognitive ability, and no verbal skills so that, with all the down time, they received little or no stimulation from classroom activities.  

Sharing in classroom activities could not be meaningful to the students unless appropriate materials and activities were adapted prior to the introduction of the lesson or unit.  I was often expected to adapt materials and activities on the spot--an unfair expectation for me and for the student.  Adaptations and modifications require creativity, forethought, and a team effort by teachers, parents, and support staff.

My students who had blindness or visual impairment as their only disability and who were mainstreamed in their neighborhood schools had another set of problems.  They found that they were expected to be "just like everyone else," and that this meant they should not associate with other children who were blind or visually impaired, even though exchanging experiences with others having similar problems would provide a more level playing field and needed reassurance and support.  Such associations are necessary with both students and blind and visually impaired adults.  After all, if students never gain exposure to successful visually impaired role models, how will they know they can live normal and productive lives?  I do not believe that it is healthy to send a student a message that it is not okay to be blind or visually impaired.  Such a message is damaging to the self-esteem of students. 

Supporters of mainstreaming claim that this type of environment enhances the self-esteem and social skills of visually impaired students, but the following examples make me wonder if this is true.  

I had a Braille user who often received homework assignments which were visually-oriented--"Find the hidden spelling words in the ladybug."  For this same student, field trips were not meaningful.  Her class, for instance, once went to a museum to look at paintings, but no one was available to describe the paintings to her.  Classroom videotapes could not be adequately described either, since such descriptions were made only by her peers.
 
In mainstreamed environments, peers were placed in helping roles rather than friendship roles, creating an artificial and unrealistic social situation and causing students to feel lonely and isolated.  

This is just a sample of the difficulties I encountered.  The ultimate goal of full inclusion and mainstreaming is for students to be fully integrated in their communities.  If we employ a service delivery system in which we cannot adequately prepare students for the future or fully meet their needs, how can we expect them to be fully integrated in their communities or to become gainfully employed?

I have been so overwhelmed and discouraged by the current status of our special education system that I have left the field of teaching blind and visually impaired students.  In an itinerant service delivery system, I do not feel I can provide the help students really need.  I only hope that I made a small impact on the lives of those I served.  I  urge consumer and professional organizations to continue working cooperatively to maintain and improve the quality of educational and vocational services for blind and visually impaired students.  With the competitive nature of the current job market, it is essential for students to gain skills and experiences which will prepare them to become productive and independent members of society.  The future of blind and visually impaired students lies in our hands.

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      PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION--WHAT CAN WE DO?

             By Sandra Hargrave Bishop

Do you feel that it is your right to have fixed route or ADA paratransit service?  Have you always had a bus or rail line convenient to your house, apartment, work or shopping?  
Thanks to the many budget cuts, this may no longer be the case.  Operating funds for our various public transit systems are being eroded by Budget cuts within the funding agencies.  The time has come for each of us to become an activist on our own behalf and not be passively waiting for someone else to meet our needs.  We must become advocates for public transportation if we want to continue having adequate service as the 21st century begins.

Many transit-dependent people are asking, "why are we having fare increases and service cuts?"  Our transit systems are facing financial deficits that will grow significantly as the years progress.  The Federal and State governments are cutting their budgets which, as these cutbacks trickle down, will have a significant effect on all of our public services.

With the continued recession in California, our local funding sources have experienced diminished sales and usage taxes while poor judgment regarding investments in some counties have added to the financial deficit.  All these setbacks have helped to create significant reductions in funds allocated for public transit.  

Members of the public have asked, "If the transit agency has money to purchase new buses or build new rail lines, why can't they keep the service operational?"

When a transit agency receives public money for providing services, the money is divided so that it will be used under two categories: Operational expenses and capital improvements.  To receive public money, the transit agency must never commingle the funds in these two separate and distinct categories.

The first category--for operational expenses--covers the cost of day-to-day operations, including salaries, fuel, insurance, telephones, printing, maintenance, etc.  The second category--pertaining to capital improvements--covers the purchase of new equipment, replacing worn parts, building new stations, laying new track, etc.  An example of how this financial division would work: If a bus were to break down, the mechanics' salaries would come out of operating money while the replacement parts would come out of capital funds.

As if the coming budget cuts aren't bad enough, the Americans With Disabilities Act mandates that fixed route providers must have Complimentary ADA Paratransit Service in place and operating by January 26, 1997.  Satisfying as it is to have the law requiring this service, the fixed route providers must pay for it from the operations money that they have available.

Furthermore, the law states that Complimentary ADA Paratransit rides may not cost the consumer more than 2 times the regular fixed route transit fare.  This additionally reduces the money available to provide fixed route service since the paratransit ride will generally cost the provider more than twice the fixed route fare.  Since fixed route transportation must help pay for paratransit, a reduction of fixed route service may be necessary, and that, in turn, reduces the obligation for paratransit.

What can you do to save public transit?  Everyone needs to let their elected officials know of the concern we have regarding reduction of all public transit services within our state.  When talking or writing to local and county governments, board members of our local Metropolitan Transportation Commissions (MTC), State and Federal legislators, and officials at the Department of Transportation, we must emphasize the importance of public transportation in our lives.  It is a necessity that we, along with all other transit-dependent individuals, must have to remain independent and productive members of society.

As we work with our local transit companies to educate them on the needs of passengers who are blind and otherwise disabled, we also  need to support and assist them in getting their share of the Federal Department of Transportation block grant money awarded to California.  This block of money is divided between public transit (fixed route buses, trains, and ferries) and highway construction and maintenance.

We must be fervent in our pursuit of this money as the "cars first" mentality is strong in our state.  I don't believe that California needs more freeways when improved transit systems would reduce the number of automobiles on our highways. 

Often, people who take public transit are thought to be poor, under educated, and lacking in initiative.  Let's forcefully prove them wrong.  We are tax payers too!

Besides assuring proper federal funding, improving ridership is another means for increasing the revenue for our fixed route providers.  Ask your transit agency to approach employers of large corporations about purchasing monthly bus passes for their employees.  They would arrive at work relieved of the stress of driving, and air quality would be improved. A portion of the funds that go to school districts is designated for students' transportation.  These funds could be used for public transportation rather than for hiring special school buses.  Encourage your transit company to enter into discussions on this matter with the local school districts.  Private schools could also be approached.  

There probably are other ways to increase the demand for public transit.  Be creative and share your thoughts with the marketing department of your local transit agency. Sometimes just making the general public aware that public transit can take them to their destination is sufficient to get them to try it.  Good luck and happy riding!
                   ------------


      CCB CONVENTION RESOLUTIONS, FALL, 1995

                     by Al Gil

A total of 23 resolutions were adopted at the Fall CCB convention.

95-B1. This resolution commended Delaine Eastin for her progressive stand on education at the California School for the Blind, including her promise to have a representative from the organized blind on the interview panel for the selection of the new superintendent at CSB.

95-B2. This resolution concerns the purchasing of books and supplies by college students who are clients of the Department of Rehabilitation.  These students must now get a letter from a professor confirming the necessary books for a given semester.  This letter must be taken to the student's rehab counselor who then can make an authorization to the college book store.  By the time the authorization gets to the book store, the books may no longer be available.  Prior to the adoption this new policy, a line of credit (usually $200) was authorized for book purchases.  Under the new practice a student may have to wait several days or weeks for books, perhaps falling hopelessly behind in his work.

95-B3. This resolution commends Department of Rehabilitation Director Brenda Premo for her stand banning state employees and groups from selling coffee and other items in buildings where there is a BEP facility.  This has always been State policy; however, for years DR directors have looked the other way.

95-B4. This resolution concerns the Orientation Center for the Blind trust fund.  For many years  people who have been appreciative of the services they received at the Center have contributed to a fund known as the OCB Trust Fund.  This fund has been used to help students get things which the State could not, or would not, purchase.  Over the years it has grown to several hundred thousand dollars.  It has always been administered by the Center.  There is now a state law which requires that all such funds be placed in one treasury pool.  This pool is very conservatively invested, paying less than 2% interest.  The Center has been able to invest its fund with a 5% rate of return or better.  All State officials agree, including the director of the Department of Rehabilitation and the State Treasurer, that the Center can continue to administer the fund; however, it will take legislative action to accomplish this end.  The resolution calls on the CCB to assist in introducing legislation which will make it possible for the Center to continue to administer the Trust Fund.

95-B5 calls on the Department of Rehabilitation to exempt from the bidding process necessary high tech equipment for blind clients of the Department.  This process can be time consuming and has actually cost some blind clients jobs which had been offered to them.  We strongly encourage any client of the Department who has had any problem in this area to contact the CCB office.

95-B6 calls on CCB to try to get the Business Enterprise Program and the counties together to renegotiate contracts, an area which has been the cause of  increasing friction in recent years.   

95-B7. Because of monetary constraints in the state, the executive staff of the Department of Rehabilitation has met quarterly to establish priorities concerning the filling of vacancies.  Top priority has been given to vacancies requiring foreign language skills.  Resolution 95-B7 urges the Department to give the special skills needed by RCB's and CT's top priority in filling vacancies, including those which currently exist in the Pleasant Hill and San Jose districts.

95-B8.  At its spring, 1995, convention, the CCB passed a resolution calling on the Department of Rehabilitation to bring back the Rehabilitation Trainee exam in order to recruit CT's with the special skills needed in their work with blind clients.  The Department refers to this as focus recruiting.  Under the current policy of the State Personnel Board, focus recruiting for individuals trained in skills of independent living is not allowed.  Legislation is not necessary to change this policy; the State Personnel Board can do so on its own initiative.  Resolution 95-B8 calls on the Personnel Board to alter its polity so that focus recruiting of persons trained in the skills of daily living will be encouraged to apply. 

95-B9. This resolution calls on the Department of Rehabilitation to purchase equipment for blind clients in a timely manner--at the training period, not just prior to employment.  This policy is already in the law; the resolution calls upon district administrators to enforce it.  
95-B10 requires the Department to ensure that RCB's and CT's are allowed to do their own intake interviews. 
95-B11. This resolution calls on the State to allow RCB's and CT's to to contract independently in the hiring of reader/drivers.  There have been many problems with the Support Services Assistant system which can be satisfactorily addressed only if RCB's and CT's interview and hire their own reader/drivers. 

95-B12 opposes efforts to restrict lobbying by nonprofit organizations.  Actually, the work which CCB does in Sacramento is not lobbying but education.

95-B13. This resolution calls on Congress to strongly oppose changes in Medicare and Medicaid benefits.  Suggested changes would severely impact disabled and blind persons.

95-B14 thanks Congressman  Gene Green for his successful effort to remove rehabilitation services from measures which would create one-stop job centers.  

95-B15. This resolution calls on the Department of Rehabilitation to allow the Program Manager for the Blind to attend meetings of the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind.  Attendance at these meetings will ensure that California will continue to remain in the forefront of the formulation of policy on matters concerning the blind.

95-B16. This resolution thanks Congressman George Miller for his extensive efforts to ensure that the BEP will continue to have priority with the Department of the Interior.

95-B17 urges the Sonoma State Developmental Center to retain the special Education and Mobility programs at the Center.  Without the instruction afforded by the teachers in these programs, blind and visually impaired residents can no longer move about the grounds independently, go on shopping trips, etc.  The resolution calls upon the CCB president to discuss these problems with the Director of Developmental Services in Sacramento.   

95-B18. This resolution informs the Legislature of CCB's unalterable opposition to the diversion of funds from public transit to counties to assist them with their monetary problems.  Public transit is absolutely necessary if the blind are to live and work independently.

95-B19 and 95-B20 call for the employment and proper location of correctly prepared braille signage.  

95-B21. This resolution calls for appropriate review of rules concerning detectable warnings. 

95-B22 concerns the request to lower fees for chapter fundraisers in the exhibit room at CCB conventions.

95-B23. This resolution calls for the immediate restoration of Counselor Teacher services for newly blind persons, especially the older population.  
                   ------------


              THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE

                 by Warren Cushman

Greetings to all members of the California Council of the Blind.  I am the new Blind Students of California President, Warren T.  Cushman.  I was elected BSC President at last fall's  CCB convention.  Our other BSC Officers are Sheela Gunn, Vice President; Mari Sanchez, Secretary; and Jim Ertola, Treasurer.  We are a new board with many ideas and not  much experience.  Luckily for us, our new advisor is Kenneth Frasse, who, as most of you know, is a past President of the BSC.  

This issue's perspective contains the plan for what we expect to do in the coming year.  In the next issue, I will discuss the value of becoming familiar with student government organizations on campus.  During my term I will also ask the other officers to submit articles for our column in the B.C.  We have two talented people who I especially will encourage to write--Sheela Gunn and Mari Sanchez.

These students will be quite busy this year.  Mari is the
chair of our membership committee and will be visiting colleges in the southern California area representing the BSC.  In addition she will be distributing our new BSC brochure which she and her committee of five will be using to contact colleges up and down the state.  

Sheela Gunn is the editor of our Advantage Newsletter and is doing a marvelous job in spite of difficult circumstances.  Sheela and Mari are both invaluable to the BSC and have the ability to be future presidents of our organization. 

Our fundraising chairperson this year is Sean Chambers.  The committee will be producing a local scholarship and grants list for the use of blind students.  If you would like to know more about this, please call the BSC office at 916-489-2183.  

The BSC will be examining a number of possibilities concerning legislation and advocacy.  We are particularly interested in the subject of accessible technology within the public university systems.  We are also looking at the effectiveness of disability service centers for blind students.  The BSC wants to make sure that all university services are accessible to all blind students.  

The BSC has asked Colleen Hartman to chair a high school seminar to be held at the spring convention.  If you have ideas for the seminar, please contact her at 916-221-6931.  Anyone interested in joining the BSC should call Mari Sanchez at 714-554-1413.  If you would like to submit an article for our Advantage Newsletter, you may call Sheela Gunn at 510-635-2494.

I would like to conclude by asking the leadership of the CCB to assist us as much as possible.  The students are, after all, the future leaders in the organization, and we need guidance from the present leaders so that we may become productive advocates for our community.  The students are eager to learn how to legislate and advocate on behalf of our blind brothers and sisters.  What we need are opportunities and open doors in the CCB in order to become the kind of advocates that George Fogarty and Allen Jenkins have been.  Opportunities like attending the Affiliated Leadership League conferences and the National ACB conventions are the best ways we can learn from those who have gone before us and who know how to address the issues that are important to the blind.  The CCB has always been an organization which cared about the welfare of its student leaders.  I am sure that it will continue to be so into the next century.

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


                FEDERAL LEGISLATION

                 by Cathie Skivers

If you have kept in touch with the California and Washington connections, you know that a number of bills of concern to blind and visually impaired persons were pushed through Congress in 1995.   Several bills were introduced to increase earnings  limitations for seniors who receive social security.  In spite of much effort, we were not able to retain the linkage between the blind and seniors.  The matter will, we hope, come up again; and this time we will be able to get a more favorable resolution to that proposal. 

The telecommunications bill was signed into law by the President.  The Governmental  Affairs Committee of ACB and those of us in CCB involved with federal legislation will do all we can to make sure that we have input on regulations which will be forthcoming on telecommunications as it relates to audio description and closed captioning.  

The ACB and CCB representatives submitted public comment on proposed 361 regulations, which relate to Title I of the Rehabilitation Act.  Throughout these regulations, reference is made to everything being done in an "integrated setting."  This sounds fine to full inclusionists and others who don't know any better.  ACB and CCB stressed the importance of specialized rehabilitation services allowing clients to share in the decisions made in their behalf and insisting that adequate time be permitted on the job before a determination is made concerning the employment outcome for the individual.

We will have to watch carefully for further bills regarding the Randolph-Sheppard vendors' program.  While many Congressmen have given assurances that the program will be protected, we have learned to be alert to possible alterations at all times.  
S1578 by Congressman Bill Forest is a reauthorization bill for IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.  We have no specific information on the bill at this writing but will follow this important legislation carefully. 

Separate regulations on the order of selection are expected. Keep in touch with the state and national connections and be prepared to write letters and make phone calls.  

I'm trying to think of how we can best get information to those of you who want to work on federal legislation.  Your suggestions will be appreciated.

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




 STATEMENT OF THE CALIFORNIA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND 

                by Mitch Pomerantz 

January 29, 1996

Proposed Consent Decree in the Matter of Chanda Smith v. Board of Education:

My name is Mitch Pomerantz and I am the President of the California Council of the Blind, a 3,400-plus member statewide consumer advocacy organization of blind and visually impaired people.  I am also a graduate of the Frances Blend School for the Blind, one of the 18 separate, special education facilities which the proposed consent decree would ultimately eliminate.

I have much to say and very little time in which to say it, so let me begin by stating that in general, this consent decree has much to recommend it, insofar as improving educational opportunities for the District's disabled students is concerned.  With that said, however, I must also tell you that if signed as currently written, those opportunities will be severely curtailed.  Specifically, Section I, 3,  violates the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by removing one of the educational options otherwise available;  namely, local separate special education schools such as Frances Blend.

Low incidence disabilities such as blindness require a full continuum of special education service options including the option of placing a blind child in a separate educational setting, if so determined by the IEP team.  IDEA recognizes this fact, something that the District's legal counsel and hired consultants neither understand, nor choose to acknowledge.  Judith Heumann, Assistant Secretary, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, clearly recognizes this fact.  In a recently issued document, "Policy Guidance on Educating Blind and Visually Impaired Students," Section II, Least Restrictive Environment and Placement Requirements, Ms. Heumann states in no uncertain terms:  "Recognizing that the regular classroom may not be the LRE placement for every disabled student, the Part B regulations require public agencies to make available a continuum of alternative placements, or a range of placement options, to meet the needs of students with disabilities for special education and related services.  The options on this continuum which include regular classes, special classes, separate schools, and instruction in hospitals and institutions, must be made available to the extent necessary to implement the IEP of each disabled student."

That, ladies and gentlemen, is the crux of the controversy.  Regardless of how the inclusionists try to confuse the issue, parents of blind children--not to mention parents of children with other disabilities--have the legal right through the IEP process to choose a separate special education school as the least restrictive environment for their child.

In closing, let me say unequivocally to the so-called "inclusionists" (who have tried for many years to impose their narrow and misguided viewpoint on the education community), to the ACLU Foundation (whose expertise in the area of special education is minimal), and to the members of the Los Angeles Board of Education, that the organized blind movement here in California and throughout the Nation, will not tolerate the closure of Frances Blend, or any other special education school serving blind and visually impaired children.  We are wholly committed and fully prepared to take this District to Federal Court, something we know you are attempting to avoid by signing this ill-conceived, biased document.  If the current consent decree is signed, be assured that we will see you in court.  No one involved in this matter is going to force their notion of special education upon the California Council of the Blind without a very long and nasty fight!  You can count on it.

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


          AC TRANSIT STILL ON THE FRITZ:
           A THOUSAND SERVICE HOURS AND
         300 DRIVERS TO BE NIXED BY JUNE 

                 By Daveed Mandell

In the Fall, 1995, edition of this magazine, I announced that the East San Francisco Bay Area bus company, AC Transit, would be canceling a substantial part of its service come December 3, 1995.

Last October, Governor Wilson signed a bill that, among other things, gave the transit district $4 million in emergency money.  Last December's cuts were, therefore, relatively minor, taking effect on the last day of the year. 

Unfortunately, AC Transit claims it doesn't have sufficient funds to maintain current service.  More cuts are coming down the pike on March 17.  But that's not all.

In June, bus riders will really feel the pinch when most evening, overnight and weekend service is set to be eliminated.  The more densely populated cities will still have decent, albeit diminished, transit service; but outlying areas will be hard hit.

At its February meeting, the Bayview Chapter authorized me, as Public Relations Committee Chair, to send a Letter to the Editor to 30 newspapers, mostly throughout the East Bay.  I also sent such letters to several large dailies in other parts of the Bay Area.  Here is the letter:

Bayview Chapter 
California Council of the Blind 2720 Del Monte Ave.
El Cerrito, CA 94530-1508

February 21, 1996

To All Bay Area Public Transit Riders:

If you depend on taking buses to get around the East Bay, or if you know people who do, it's time to act to save public bus transit.

AC Transit is set to make drastic cuts in evening, overnight and weekend service.  During March, June and December, the district will cancel about a third of its routes and bus stops, with more cuts to follow next year.  It also plans to raise fares.

Severe reductions in public transit will disrupt the lives of those of us who cannot drive cars.  We will be forced under curfew and trapped in our homes.  Many of us will lose our jobs.

This is a serious emergency.  We are facing the demise of what was formerly one of the most highly regarded transit districts in North America.

Several routes are slated for wholesale elimination, while others will be significantly slashed.  Most buses will stop running either between 6 and 7 p.m. or between 9 and 10 p.m.

Only the most basic trunk lines will operate during evenings and on weekends.  At those times, very few routes will run to and from BART stations or until midnight.  Riders will have to wait longer and transfer oftener.  Many neighborhoods in the district's service area will no longer be served during evening and weekend hours.

East Bay counties and cities must help bail out AC Transit so that it can keep the buses rolling at the current level of service. Working with the district, cities and counties must also enlist the aid of local businesses and corporations.

The Oakland-based Metropolitan Transportation Commission must start funneling substantially more of its federal and state dollars into AC Transit's coffers.  It must also begin lobbying more aggressively in Washington and Sacramento.

Observers say AC Transit could go bankrupt in the next five years, so there's no time to lose.  We must act now to save the East Bay's largest urban public bus system.

Daveed Mandell
Chair, Public Relations Committee

                                *** *** *** 

Last summer, I urged CCB chapters to join forces regionally to work on the transportation issue.  Unfortunately, that plea was ignored.  If we don't move now, we will get what we very well deserve, and only we will lose out.

Chapters in every region of this State must organize now and join coalitions with other groups in a desperate, last-ditch effort to save public transit.  I strongly believe that the chapter, as we have known it, is becoming a less effective unit, since it is so small.  I think more power and a stronger voice can be had at the regional level.

So please!  It's not quite the end of the world yet.  We need to organize our regions, with the State Officers' and Board's help and blessing.  We need to become more visible and audible.  Please come out of hiding and make yourselves known to your transit companies, public officials and the press.

We have fought too hard for more than sixty years to give up now!  Let's keep those buses rolling throughout the State of California!

                                 *** *** ***

                              Resolution 95-18

This resolution was submitted by Chris Gray and was passed at the ACB convention in July, 1995.

WHEREAS, the effort to develop a Unified Braille Code (UBC) was begun by the Braille Authority of North America (BANA) and is now a project of the International Council on English Braille (ICEB); and 

WHEREAS, Committee II, which was charged with creating a base code for the UBC, has submitted its final report to ICEB; and 

WHEREAS, The Braille Revival League (BRL) has studied the report as recommended by Committee II and adopted for evaluation purposes by ICEB; and 

WHEREAS, BRL recognizes that the adoption of a Unified Braille Code using braille numbers represented in the upper portion of the cell would make immediately obsolete all books and other materials in computer science, chemistry, and mathematics; and 

WHEREAS, BRL has noted references to upper numbers as being the "primary" numbering system for the UBC, indicating the reality that the UBC will need to have two numbering systems, as we have today; and

WHEREAS, the need for a secondary numbering system runs counter to the ideas of a Unified Braille Code; and

WHEREAS, both BANA and ICEB have consistently declined to consider a field comparison of upper, lower, and dot-six (French) numbers for evaluation purposes; and

WHEREAS, given the many questions raised by an upper numbering system, such as excessive use of space, inability to align material when necessary, etc., it seems reasonable to explore the merits of a similar approach to a Unified Braille Code using an alternative numbering system; and 

WHEREAS, BRL is aware that the National Braille Association (NBA) has expressed grave concerns regarding the implementation of this code before and after the adoption by  ICEB of the Committee II report for evaluation; 

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 8th day of July, 1995, that this organization join with its affiliate, the Braille Revival League, to go on record in opposition to a code that would employ more than one numbering system; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this organization go on record with BRL in opposition to the portions of the Committee II report that recommend a base code that employs an upper numbering system and symbol assignments that lead to the creation of cumbersome braille for general and specialized readers alike, unless it is agreed that 
BANA and ICEB sponsor broadly based field testing of numeric systems; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be appropriately disseminated. 

         STATE LEGISLATION, MARCH 1, 1996

                   by Sid Urena 

Greetings from Sacramento!
My first piece of information is unfortunately of a negative nature.  The first CCB legislative intern, Arthur Singer, was forced to resign because of ill health.  For the short time he served, Art accomplished a great deal.  He did the groundwork for Resolution 95-B-3, which called for yellow pages to be made available in e-text format, and Resolution 95-B-5, which urged public utilities to provide monthly statements and information pamphlets in accessible format.  I hope I soon will be able to complete the work he began.  

The CCB is sponsoring two bills:  

AB2860, authored by Assemblyman Jim Morrissey, would retain the status of the State Guide Dog Board as it exists today, thus avoiding the possibility of the board's being altered and made ineffective or possibly removed altogether.

AB3197, authored by Assemblyman John Vasconcellos, relates to Resolution 95-B-4, which requests that a separate trust fund be set up for Orientation Center for the Blind monies donated for the use of students.  Following is the revised wording which will be placed in Section 19507 of the Welfare and Institutions Code:

"(a) There is an Orientation Center for the Blind Trust Fund.  A waiver is hereby granted from the requirement that the fund be held in the Central Treasury System.

(b) The OCB Trust Fund established pursuant to the section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, funding of services provided by the Department of Rehabilitation.

(c) The Fund established pursuant to subdivision (a) shall consist of grants, gifts, and bequests from private sources.

(d) The Department of Rehabilitation shall establish guidelines to guarantee the safety of the Fund and for proper expenditures from the fund.  These guidelines shall be formulated and implemented in cooperation with an OCB Trust Fund Committee which shall be made up of graduates of OCB; one member to represent the OCB Alumni Chapter of the CCB, one member to represent the OCB Alumni Chapter of the NFBC, and one member at large.  This Trust Fund Committee shall work in consultation with appropriate Department of Rehabilitation Staff."

Other bills which are non-CCB bills, but which the organization may support or oppose, will be mentioned on future California Connection reports (800-221-6359).
                   ------------


       REPORT FROM THE PYRAMID CHAPTER      
                 by Ahmad Rahman 

The Pyramid Chapter of the California Council of the Blind hosted its second annual luncheon fundraiser on December 2, 1995, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Cockatoo Inn, 4334 West Imperial Highway, Hawthorne, California.  60 friends, guests and supporters attended the luncheon. 

This year's theme was "Personal Achievements of the Blind."  We were honored to have California Council of the Blind President Mitch Pomerantz in attendance.  He spoke about the past and current struggles of the CCB to educate the public concerning the problems facing the blind and visually impaired and to enlighten  them about the goals and objectives of the California Council of the Blind.  President Pomerantz also issued a challenge to chapter presidents Toscanalli Thomas, Holly Johnson and Lillian Scaiffe of the Pyramid, Compton and Long Beach chapters to develop strong leaders within their respective organizations.  This plea coincided with the theme of this year's event--that is, to demonstrate to the community that the blind and visually impaired are competing in the workplace and are productive and contributing citizens. 

Tracy Williams, Secretary of the Pyramid Chapter, blessed the lunch. The call to order was made by Toscanalli Thomas, president of the Pyramid Chapter.  He was followed by William McKnight with the invocation, and Earline LaSassier gave the welcoming remarks--both also members of the Pyramid Chapter.  Guest soloist Gwendolyn Parker heated things up with "Go Tell It on the Mountain;" the presentation was so powerful that everyone felt compelled to join in.  The dynamic writer/poet Michael Williams of the Compton Chapter delivered two memorable pieces of poetry: "What Manner of Men Are We," and" The Blues."

The Keynote speaker was Robert Routh, Benefits Counselor, Veterans Affairs, Los Angeles, California.  Mr. Routh talked about his life after  he lost his eyesight in a 1944 explosion at the ammunition depot in Port Chicago while serving in the U.S. Navy.  He received rehabilitation training at the Hines Veterans Administration Rehabilitation Center, Chicago, Illinois, from 1949 through 1950.  His training consisted of typing, braille and orientation and mobility.  Later he married Vivienne Routh, they raised four children and recently celebrated 45 years of marriage.  

The family did not have an easy life.  In 1952 Mr. Routh enrolled at Los Angeles City College where he remained until 1954, obtaining an Associate of Arts degree.  After graduation he encountered tremendous difficulty in obtaining employment.  The problems routinely arising from blindness were compounded by the fact he is an African-American.  The Rouths were at last able to get together a little money which they used to buy, sell, and manage real estate in the 1960s.  In 1971, Mr. Routh entered Pepperdine University, receiving a B.A. in Sociology in 1973 and a Masters degree in Sociology in 1975.  In that same year he began his career as a Benefits Counselor, at Veterans Affairs in Los Angeles, where he has been employed for the past 21 years.  It seems that the greater the challenge, the harder Mr. Routh worked to achieve his goals.  When asked what kept him going, he replied "Having an unshakable faith in God." 

At the close of this excellent presentation, William McKnight, accompanied by pianist Beverly Graves, sang "His Eye is on the Sparrow, and I know He Watches Me."   The strength of McKnight's voice was equalled by the playing of Mrs. Graves.  The members of the Pyramid Chapter are proud of them both.  Ahmad Rahman, first vice president of the Pyramid Chapter, gave the closing remarks. There  was a sing-a-long which included Christmas hymns and carols.  Also, Disc-Jockey Gary Daniels provided a good mix of music.  Door prizes were distributed, and a good time was had by all.  
 
The Pyramid Chapter also held its third annual food distribution program on December 20, 1995.  There were 20 food baskets given to those in the community needing assistance.  

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


         A PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM
               WHOSE TIME HAS COME 

                  by Lou Saviano 

It was midtown Manhattan in the summer of 1993.  The coroner's station wagon pulled away, bearing the victim of
yet another senseless attack.  Onlookers filed away from the yellow crime scene tape, returning to the security of their own lives.  Uniformed police officers questioned the only witness, who sat on the curb and held her guide dog closely in her arms, hoping to find comfort in the familiar feel of a trusted companion.

Jane's tears fell upon the dog's upturned face.  Sadness filled her heart as she thought of the years of friendship she had shared with Kathy.  Cast together by fate and drawn close by their mutual needs, they had studied together and sought work soon after graduating from college.  They had found an apartment in a good neighborhood and decided to celebrate their good fortune with a quiet dinner a few blocks from their new home.

On the short walk back, their joy was cut short by an attacker.  Unable to defend themselves and with no way to call for assistance, they felt helpless and lost.  Nearly a half hour later, a passer-by finally heard Jane's sobbing, but it was too late to save Kathy when the police finally arrived minutes later.

It was too late, and it didn't have to end that way for this true and tragic story.

Technology has changed the world in which we live.  Within the span of most of our lives, we have gone from party lines and those old black rotary telephones to wireless digital communications forms that are beyond the dreams of our childhood.  The particular needs of the sight-impaired and other persons with disabilities are being addressed through technological advancements and efforts of companies like Pacific Bell, long a recognized leader in helping people with disabilities.

One of these advancements is a new type of cellular phone technology already in use in the Washington DC-Baltimore area and throughout parts of Europe and Asia.  This new wireless technology, called "Personal Communications Services" or "PCS," will revolutionize the way we communicate.  With this digital technology, a pocket-sized
phone combines the technologies of wireless cellular phones, voice mail and several other everyday technologies that would otherwise require separate units for each function.  

There are also a number of unique security features offered by the system that prevent unauthorized use.  In the future, an emergency locator system will be able to assist users when trouble arises.  This enhanced 911 service will literally put a specific location on a grid etched upon the emergency operator's screen, enabling dispatch to a specific identified location within 100 feet of the emergency call.  It is this sort of technological digital advancement that
might have saved Kathy's life on that evening in New York.

This technology is designed to provide personal safety and security.  The ability eventually to furnish emergency personnel a specific response location will provide an answer for an unsolved dilemma for blind and visually impaired people. 

Pacific Bell has always worked with organizations to bring state-of-the-art technology to those who need it most.  Service costs for PCS itself is expected to be less than for existing cellular service, making it both feasible and affordable to use as an everyday phone, an emergency phone, and a literal personal communications system with a single telephone number!

A system similar to PCS 1900 is currently in use at a major medical center in northern California and is receiving rave reviews for its convenience and versatility.  It is noted for its clarity, superior voice quality and the encryptic personalized security and information provided the user exclusively.  Like any digital technology, questions have been raised regarding interference with other electronic devices, such as hearing aids.  These questions are being addressed by independent studies and with the full support of the Federal Communications Commission, which has already indicated acceptance of the technology and system.

Pacific Bell is currently seeking to locate its antennas in cities statewide and hopes to have the system fully operational and in use by the general public by the beginning of next year.  The system has been successfully used in Asia and parts of Europe for nearly five years at twice the power used here, and is similar in nature to other digital wireless phone technology currently in use in parts of California and many other states.  Over 12 million subscribers worldwide are using this system every day with virtually no complaints.  The number of subscribers is growing daily. 

Dr. Frank Bowe of Hofstra University is internationally recognized as an expert on public policy and technological impacts on those with disabilities and one of those most responsible for both Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  He is a staunch supporter of the benefits of digital communications and recently wrote "... this technology has the potential to help all of us. PCS offers a more convenient, more secure way of communicating and it provides computer messages and faxes as well as voice."

PCS 1900 will not just make everyday life easier for all of us; it will eventually enable those in immediate need to call for emergency assistance at the push of a single button, and direct that emergency response to a specific location.

It might have saved Kathy's life--a life that didn't have to end that way. 

For  further information on this subject, contact:
Carol Cody
Director of Consumer Affairs Pacific Bell
140 New Montgomery
Room 1226
San Francisco, CA 94105.
                   ------------


               OUT OF THE DOGHOUSE:
             "Is It Really Hour Dog?" 

                    BY KEN METZ

At a CCB Board meeting held in Burbank last August, things were progressing normally with the usual long discussions of important CCB matters when a health break was requested and granted.  Pat La France and I were seated next to each other with our guide dogs under the table.  As many long-time, confident guide dog users occasionally do, we had become so involved in the subject matter at hand that we had dropped our leashes without concern that our "well-behaved" dogs would move very far away from us.  Our beliefs were correct--the dogs had not moved far away at all; That is, not far enough to be in any anyone's path.  We each picked up our leashes and took off to relieve the dogs before taking our own time out.

I couldn't believe how well Arnold was behaving--not pulling me as he usually does, staying calm going out and in the door, going up the elevator to our floor slowly, and returning to the meeting room quietly.  I gave him much needed praise for this turn-around in his behavior, as we are all taught to do, thinking that he'd had this miracle cure by maturation.

As Paul Harvey would say, "NOW THE REST OF THE STORY".

When I got back to our room I was greeted by an anxious dog who jumped at me and wanted me to play with him.  Pat also told me that her dog, Max, was acting strangely when she walked with him.  Putting two and two together--you guessed it, we had each picked up the wrong leash thus taking the wrong dog.  Lucky for us it wasn't the airport  and we weren't getting on two different planes!

I guess the moral of the story is:  keep a good leash on life and the right one in your hands at all times as we are all taught by our guide dog schools.

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






       TECHTALK: How to Access a Computer; 
            a Beginner's Guide (part 1)

                 by Kenneth Frasse

Editor's Note: The following article required sufficient publication space that the author is submitting it to the BC in two parts.  Part 2 will appear in the summer issue.  

Technology can, in many ways, assist individuals who are blind or visually impaired.  It can also be frustrating and intimidating; actually, it almost always is, on first encountering it.  This article is meant to allay some of that frustration and intimidation, as well as paint a tableau of what technologies exist for our community.

There are essentially three modalities of output that can render computers and printed materials accessible for individuals who are blind or visually impaired: speech synthesis, electronic braille displays, and text magnification.  The following briefly discusses each modality in addition to the various types of technology available to successfully implement them.  For a more in-depth listing of vendors and prices, information sheets with categorical listings are available from SAF (see enclosed list sheet).

Speech Output

Two components are necessary to generate speech synthesis from a computer- a voice synthesis card and screen review software.

A speech synthesizer is either an internal or external hardware device that generates text to speech which can be heard through a standard speaker.  The voice synthesis also contains the established phonemes for a language, as well as the linguistic rules for that language.  A few voice synthesizers can speak multiple languages, but most can generate only one voice in one language.  It is important to note that synthesized speech differs from digitized speech or sound cards.  

Digitized speech is speech that has been digitally recorded onto some medium such as a magnetic tape, a hard drive, or a Read-Only-Memory (ROM) chip; again, this is only recorded speech, and it can only be played back on queue with the few exceptions of added effects.  Sound cards generally fall into the category of digitized sound or speech.  Sounds must be recorded and then played back through the sound card.  
 Synthesized speech differs in that it actually has rules for translating text into speech sounds or phonemes; therefore, speech synthesis can speak anything that you might type on the screen.  Though it may sound odd at times, speech synthesis uses its rules to generate what it thinks are the proper sounds for the spelling of the words on the screen and is not limited to what might be recorded beforehand.  Imagine the size of the lexicon that would be required for digitized speech to accommodate all the words that people use daily, and it still would not be able to speak new words as these would not have been previously recorded.  Let's return to the actual speech synthesis hardware.

There are both advantages and disadvantages to internal and external synthesizers.  External synthesizers are generally connected to the computer through an RS232 serial port and more easily moved from one computer to another.  The disadvantage to external synthesizers is that one must continually connect and disconnect them when moving from one computer to another, and usually must be near an AC power supply when the internal batteries run low in the unit.  

An internal synthesizer does not inherit the power complications as does its external cousin, but it is significantly more cumbersome to move from one computer to another as it requires the use of an expansion slot inside the computer.  PCMCIA-based voice synthesizers are also available for easy use in notebook computers.

Probably the most notable differences between voice synthesizers is the quality of the voice and the response time of the synthesizer.  Each has its strengths and weaknesses.  The more costly synthesizers have a more "human" voice quality, whereas the less expensive have a generally "electronic" quality to the voice.  Moreover, the voice quality differs between synthesizer models within any particular brand.  Voice quality is such an arbitrary and subjective aspect of voice synthesizers that a voice synthesis candidate should really listen and test various synthesizers before committing to any particular one.

Once a blind user has become acquainted with his/her voice synthesis, response time becomes a necessary factor.  Response time generally refers to one or all of three aspects of a synthesizer:  1) the time required for a synthesizer to start speaking on command; 2) the time required for a synthesizer to stop talking or to be silenced; 3) the time required for a synthesizer to start talking once something has been printed to the screen.

Sometimes a lag in response time is caused by certain software and not necessarily by the hardware device itself.

Some popular synthesizers are Digital Equipment Corporation's DECtalk, Aicom's Accent, GW Micro's Sounding Board, Artic Technology's Artic SynPhonix, RC Systems' Double Talk, HumanWare's Keynote Gold, and Personal Data Systems' Audaptor.  The Swedish Infovox can generate multiple languages, and the user's choice of languages is substantial.  The cost of synthesizers ranges from $295 to $1,195, but the second component for voice synthesis should be considered before the final purchase is made.

Screen readers are software programs that enable the user to control the synthesizer.  In tandem with a synthesizer, screen review software allows a user to access, or "view", text that is on a computer monitor with combinations of keystrokes.  A blind user can use a screen reader to read anything on the screen from a single character to the entire screen display, and the screen review software can even notify a user that something has "popped up" on the monitor.  With a single keystroke, a word, sentence, paragraph, or entire document can be spoken out by the synthesizer.  Thus in the same fashion that a sighted computer user would access portions of a monitor display, blind users can access the same portions through speech.

Screen review software may use the standard computer keyboard, the numeric keypad, or special external keypads.  All screen review software attempts to accomplish the same thing--full access to the computer monitor.  Each developer, however, has a different philosophy or approach that manifests itself in how the software is manipulated and how much control the user has over the speech.  The type of computer that is used, or platform, from which a user needs to access the computer is essential in determining what screen review software and what synthesizer can be used.

The only screen review software available for the MacIntosh is Berkeley Systems' outSPOKEN which works only with the internal voice synthesizer built into the MacIntosh.  Much more screen review  software exists for the IBM-type PC DOS-based and Windows-based platforms.  While the DOS-based screen review software is well-developed, Windows-based screen review software, or graphical user interface (GUI), is in its infancy.  The obstacles associated with  GUI are too extensive to engage in this article, but it is reasonable to state that the principal obstacles of GUI lie in effectively and accurately representing the graphical images in Windows through speech or other means.

Some of the more popular DOS-based screen review programs include GW Micro's Vocal-Eyes, Henter-Joyce's JAWS, Omnichron's Flipper, Artic Technologies' BusinessVision, TeleSensory Corporation's Screen Power for DOS, and MicroTalk's ASAP.  Some of the upcoming GUI graphical user interface software includes GW Micro's Window-Eyes, Henter-Joyce's JFW, Telesensory Corporation's ScreenPower for Windows, Syntha-Voice's Window Bridge, Berkeley Systems' outSPOKEN for Windows, and IBM's Screen Reader.  

DOS-based screen readers range in price from $70 to $495, and GUI screen readers range from $250 to $1,195, depending on whether the user already owns the DOS-based counterpart to the GUI screen reader.  Demonstration copies of nearly all screen review software are available through their respective developers/companies or authorized dealers.  Sensory Access Foundation of Palo Alto has comprehensive listings of all major vendors of access hardware and software.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGIES CAN BE FOUND IN PART 2 OF THIS SERIES IN THE NEXT BLIND CALIFORNIAN UNDER TECHTALK, How to Access a Computer: A Beginner's Perspective (Part 2).

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             PROFILE: MITCH POMERANTZ 

                   by Brian Hall

Armed with University of Southern California degrees, Mitch Pomerantz applied for a civil service post at Los Angeles City Hall.  It was 21 years ago--in the bad old days before the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act Amendments.  Interviewers told Pomerantz that, other qualifications aside, he needed a driver's license just to be tested.

The rebuff could have cooled his confidence.  Instead it stoked the fires of protracted activism.

"No one quite knew what to do, so we had to prove that, in fact, there were positions which did not require driving as a substantial duty," said Pomerantz, president of the California Council of the Blind.  After a year of battling bureaucracy, Pomerantz prevailed.  In February 1975, he became a junior administrative assistant and the first blind person ever employed in a professional capacity by L.A.  He wound up working with and for many of the same staffers who had, from lack of knowledge,  formerly opposed  his being hired.  He has continued to hone the art of fighting city hall and all levels of officialdom while toiling within the system.  Two decades in Human Resources have turned up his interest to the point where employment of the blind ranks as his top hot-button issue.

He is classified as a Senior Personnel Analyst but over the years has served in several city roles--training officer and recruitment specialist among them.  The personnel background is reflected in his plan, as CCB president, to train members in public relations, legislation and ADA.  He tends to appoint CCBers to committees and other roles based on their knowledge in specific areas.

Currently Pomerantz serves as the ADA compliance officer for L.A.      The L.A. Junior Chamber of Commerce honored him with the 1986 Mainstream Milestones Award for extraordinary achievement; and in 1995, the L.A. County Commission on Disabilities bestowed on him the Access Award for his many years of advocacy throughout the state and nation.

Some in the independent living movement hold that advocates should bear no allegiance to a specific cause, even during off hours.  Pomerantz disagrees. "I'm a blind person, and I've never pretended to be an expert on other disabilities," Pomerantz said.  "We are a small disability group, and my experience is that we can easily get lost in the shuffle.  We need to be strong advocates, and we need to be very focussed on our issues."

That stance doesn't mean Pomerantz opposes alliances with other disability groups.  In fact, he recently helped to form the Coalition of Advocates for Rehabilitation Equity (CARE) to lobby the governor and state legislature for increased funding for client services.

Born on April 10, 1950 in L.A., Pomerantz is an only child.  He had congenital cataracts and retained some sight until age 11.  Three summers found him at the Foundation for the Junior Blind's Camp Bloomfield, and he took part in the organization's Friday night activities but at the time felt that the blind teen-agers there were "patronized."

In kindergarten through sixth grade, he attended the Blind Children's Center and Frances Blend followed by junior and senior high schools' resource programs, graduating finally from Van Nuys High.  At USC, he earned bachelor's and master's degrees in political science and caught Bruin fever.  A love for football and spectator sports in general took root in childhood and grew with the years.  He especially enjoyed watching the TV Game of the Week with his dad.  A one-time Ram fan, he has participated for a decade in the Fantasy Football League at work.  "I realized I didn't have the body to be a jock, so I became a couch potato aficionado," jests Pomerantz.

At USC he also jumped into the sport of politics, campaigning for Jesse Unruh's failed gubernatorial bid and later for Bob Dole's equally-ill-fated 1988 presidential run against George Bush.  With friends he successfully initiated the introduction of a disability rights plank into the Republican state platform.  Despite a proclivity for Billery jokes and the Republican ticket, friends describe Pomerantz as a social liberal and fiscal conservative.  You might not guess it from his politics, but the president considers himself somewhat of a folky.      

His personal music collection includes 100 cassette tapes and 200 long-playing vinyl albums.  So far, he has resisted buying a compact disk player.  "I'm a hold out," he says.  "I'm fairly eclectic, but my musical tastes were formulated in the folk and rock and roll of the 60s and 70s."

Musical nostalgia is tempered with tales of futuristic adventure.  Pomerantz is an avid science fiction reader, presently favoring P.J. Cherry and Larry Niven.  To monitor unravelling current events, he tunes to English language broadcasts on amateur radio.  "I've probably logged well over 100 stations.  It's interesting, if some kind of political crises is happening, to get the local perspective," Pomerantz feels. 

He belonged to the National Federation of the Blind from 1970 to 1977 where he cut his teeth, learning dedication and commitment.  Some say he borrowed some of NFB's "militancy." "I think we're at a point in our history where, if we don't become a little more militant--if we don't push on some of these issues--we could be as bad off as we  were 30 or 40 years ago," Pomerantz said.  

For three terms, he served as president of CCB's Greater L.A. Chapter, which is still his home base.  He has gained a reputation for running orderly meetings and sifting quickly through information.  "He's an innate leader," maintained Jeff Thom, long-time friend and and fellow CCB board member. "He's learned that leadership means not only being intelligent and articulate but also being willing to listen to those who have complaints and differing points of view."  
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                 AROUND THE STATE

                   THE CCB STORE

The CCB Store has many new items.  Do you need a 4-track recorder?  We have great recorder/players.  Do you need a Talking Thermometer? We have that, too.  Other items in our store include 60-Minute Timers, Talking Time Traveler Key Chains, a large assortment of Magnifiers, Watches, Canes, Magnatel Binoculars, 20/20 Pens, Talking Clocks, Radios, and a great item for Self Defense--Red Pepper Spray (it's legal now!)  We also have many other items in stock; and if there's something you want that we don't have, we can order it for you. 

Now, let's talk prices.  We have the best in the state so please help support the CCB Store.  We accept checks, money orders and credit cards.  Please call the Council and place your order.  We don't want all this wonderful merchandise to get dusty sitting on the shelf. 

  *****  *****  *****
           
(The Joint Action Committee is composed of representatives of agencies, services, and cconsumer groups of and for the blind in California.  The CCB was a charter member of this organization, this year celebrating its 15th anniversary.)  

The Joint Action Committee of Organizations of and for the Visualy Impaired (JAC) is offering the following items in return for your donations:  

1) A $12 donation will bring you a metal license plate frame which reads "DRIVER READS BRAILLE."  (To receive more than one frame, you should donate $9.50 times the number of frames you would like.  This includes the shipping and handling charges.)

2) For a donation of $17.50, we are offering a leather (hand-tooled and personalized) guide dog leash.  Shipping and handling are included.  

3) For a $15 donation, we will send to you a copy of our new California Directory of Services and Products for the Visually Impaired in either regular print, large print, braille, or DOS computer disk format.  For another  $2.50, we will include a looseleaf binder to hold the printed directory.  Your donation inclues shipping and handling.  

	Please send your order along with your donation to:
Wendy Cate
J.A.C. Fundraising Chairperson
5207 Cortolane Drive
La Crescenta, CA 91214
818-248-7285

License frames:
	Number                    
	Total $     

Directory: Number:
Reg. Print      
Lrg print      
Brl      
DOS      
	Total $     


Binders:
Number      
	Total $     

Leashes:
Number      
	Total $     

Personalized for Leash:
                     

	Total Donation: $                    
Phone                    
Name:                                  
Address:                               
City:                                  
State:            Zip:            

  *****  *****  *****
Brytech Inc. is looking for a distributor in the Los Angeles area for two of its products: the Bank Teller (Bank Note Reader) for blind and visually impaired individuals and Sensory 6, an ultrasonic mobilitiy device for the blind.  For further information contact:
Earl Bryenton, President
Brytech Inc.
600 Peter Morand Crescent
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1G5Z3
613-731-5800.      ------------

          A SURVEY OF LOW VISION READERS 

             by Bernice Kandarian and 
                  Roger Petersen

The Publications Committee would like to make the Blind Californian optimally readable for those with low vision who use the large print edition.  If you are in this category or if you believe that you could read the large print edition with changes of format, please answer this survey.  Send your answers to the CCB office to the attention of Ruth Dean, Publications Committee Chairperson.

1. Do you prefer paper to be:
	___stark white
	___off white (cream)
	___recycle (light grey)

2. What type size do you find most comfortable to read:
	___14 point
	___18 point
	___24 point
	___other, specify
	_________________

3. Do you prefer the space between lines to be:
	___single space
	___space and a half
	___double space

4. Do you prefer a font which is:	___san cerif (plain)
	___regular
	___block
	___evenly spaced
	___cerif  (footed)
	___bold
	___rounded
	___proportional

5. In a two-column format, do you prefer:
	___vertical bar between the columns
	___ragged right margin
	___right margin even

6. Other comments.
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                   CCB OFFICERS

          President:  Mitchell Pomerantz
           1344 North Martel Avenue, 102
               Los Angeles, CA 90046

First Vice-President:
Chris Gray
549 Giuffrida Ave.
San Jose, CA 95123

Second Vice-President:
Cathie Skivers; 836 Resota St. Hayward, CA 94545


Secretary:
Kenneth Frasse
141 Del Medio Ave.,
Apt. 223
Mountain View, CA 94040

Treasurer:
David Parker
1600 Florida Street
Vallejo CA 94590 

            CCB PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE


Ruth Dean, Chair
1535 Westgate Ave. 4
Los Angeles, CA 90025

Dona Cook
15545 Blackfoot Road
Apple Valley, CA 92307

Brian Hall
5722 Abraham Ave. Westminster, CA 92683

Bernice Kandarian
2211 Latham St. #120 Mountain View, CA  94040

Maria Lopez
3925 E. 6th St.
Los Angeles, CA  90023

Daveed Mandell
2720 Del Monte Ave.
El Cerrito, CA  94530

Lee Morton
4229 Loma Rivera
San Diego, CA  92110

Cathy Schmitt
2840 S. Diamond Bar Blvd.,
No. 91, Diamond Bar, CA 91765 92714

Connie Skeen
3250 Maple Avenue
Oakland, CA 94602

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