I WorryAboutYou: You Don't Have Enough Music

Here's another website to feed your music addiction. WorryAboutYou lets you search, listen and download songs from your favorite artists to your PC. It's free, there is nothing to install or download and its very accessible. It claims to index over 15.000.000 songs from all over the web.

You can play songs directly on the search results page by using the "Play/Pause" button or "download" them straight to your PC. There's even an option to remove the duplicate search results. No sign-up or registration needed.

NOTE: If for some reason you can't get a song using the provided download link, try to right click on it and choose "Save Target As" option. This should work.

Click this link to visit http://www.worryaboutyou.com.

AccessiblePhones.com

BlindBargains.com has launched a website that aims to help you select and compare phones usable by the blind and visually impaired.

At AccessiblePhones.com, you can choose a wireless provider, screen reader, phone manufacturer, or feature, and learn about accessible phones which are available. "We'll give you detailed specifications, links to purchase the phones and software, and any manuals and resources we've found. We'll also be expanding this site with more features, phone reviews, and new phones in the coming weeks and months. We include phones which work with a screen reader as well as phones with proprietary, built-in accessibility, making it the only known resource of its kind. Please let us know what you think of the site and how we can improve."

Click this link, and welcome to the world of accessiblephones.com.

100 Best Resources and Guides for ESL Teachers

Teaching ESL requires a lot of creativity. Students can range from tiny tots to adults, and their skill level can be very experienced or at the basic level.

With all these variables, teaching ESL can be challenging, so this list By Alisa Miller offers 100 of the best resources and guides to help you be the best teacher you can be.

Whether you are teaching ESL in a public school in Peoria or a classroom in Kyoto, you will find tons of useful information in the list at this link.

100+ Resources for Teaching Without Textbooks

What would your classroom be like without your students cracking open their oversized textbooks everyday? Probably a lot more interesting, especially for the students. There are so many other resources out there for teachers to use, online and off, that teaching without textbooks is becoming more and more acceptable. If you don't believe me, scroll down this list of over 100 different resources, including websites, iPod lectures and field trips that will encourage you to toss out your textbooks.

Click this link to read the entire resource.

The Ultimate Guide to Special Needs Teaching: 100+ Resources and Links

"Whether you have an entire class of students with special needs, or you've welcomed a student with a disability into your traditional classroom, this massive list of resources By Laura Milligan will help you research different disorders and conditions, review special lesson plans, and find the support you need to work with your students and help them succeed."

For instructing blind and visually impaired students, here's a sample list of resources for teaching math, translating texts into braille and more that you'll find in this resource guide.

• Teaching Math to Visually Impaired Students: Learn all about Nemeth Code and different strategies for teaching the visually impaired how to solve and decode math problems.
  
• National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped: Use this resource to find books in braille and audio books.
  
• Strategies for Teaching Students with Vision Impairments: This guide from West Virginia University helps teachers who aren't used to teaching blind or visually impaired students understand what kinds of words to use and which tools and lab equipment to use in class.
  
• National Braille Press: Browse the bookstore, have your class join the Children's Book Club and find textbooks and tests for your visually impaired students here. The NBP can translate study guides, music and worksheets into braille.
  
• Badger Accessibility Services: This resource from the University of Wisconsin-Madison lists places to find enlarged text books e-text to voice conversion teaching materials and audio materials."

Click this link to read the entire resource list.

You Can Sure Glow At Night with Stroll-Lights and the Glow Fetch

When traveling at night with my dog guide, I always wear something with bright colors. This hopefully calls attention to the fact that I'm crossing the street. I've been looking for a better solution, something that will make me even easier to see by drivers. While searching the net for party favors, I came to a site that may hold the answer.

If you have kids you are familiar with the "glow" bracelets and necklaces that you can purchase at amusement parks or at the circus. You also see them at Fourth of July celebrations and birthday parties. Many people use them to keep children safe during Halloween trick or treating, and while camping. These personal lights, while amusing to children, may be the answer to traveling safely at night.

These lights are plastic tubes with a glass insert that start to glow when snapped. Like road safety sticks but thinner, longer, more flexible and less expensive. The tubes come with a plastic coupler that can connect them in a chain or in a circle. They can be woven into bike spokes, worn as a bracelet or necklace, wrapped around a dog guide's harness, or hooked on a backpack. They last seven to eight hours and, if by chance you are near a freezer, you can freeze "ignited" ones; just thaw them out and they start glowing again.

Glow Sticks are available from a number of online sources. They come in all sizes from mini-sticks to large swords. One or two tubes are okay, the key to the fun is to get them in bulk, by the hundreds. This also makes them practical for use while traveling.

One hundred 8 inch sections should be about 10 cents a piece, or $10. They come packaged in a large plastic tube, and include the cupplers. For kids, one hundred is not too many. It's barely enough to cover a jacket with them, or decorate 3 bicycles, or make a huge glowing hula hoop, or enough bangles for all the arms at a party. For travel, you'll get one hundred trips for a few cents each.

If speghetti-like tubes aren't your thing, SureGlow.com sells a variety of lights. Flashing crosses, roses, glow glasses, glow ear rings, and much, much more. This is a great site for planning a party or keeping yourself safe at night.

Click this link to visit the Sure Glow home page: http://www.sureglow.com.

You can also click this link to visit their parent company to purchase poker Chips, poker Tables and casino gaming supplies: http://www.directpokerchips.com.

Stroll-Lights

Stroll-Lights are lights that were originally designed for your baby-stroller, so that you and your baby can be easily seen at night. They would also be great for keeping you, and your dog guide, safe at night as well.

It's basically a string of illuminated wire, called, "Electroluminescent Wire". In fact, you could use this for just about anything, for jogging, bicycles, trailers, backpacks, the possabilities are endless.

Stroll-Lights are available in two lengths 3' and 6', and can be combined into longer lengths of 6' and 9'. They're available in colors of white, red, pink, lime, orange, and aqua. They come with clips to attach to your stroller. The lights are powered by 2 AA batteries, and are waterproof and produce almost no heat.

Click this link to order Stroll-Lights: http://www.borderlinetech.ca/borderline/babyProducts/blt/strollights.shtml

Glow fetch!

As the days become shorter, walking your dog or playing at the local park can get a little more challenging and a little less safe. Visiglo battery-powered illuminated leashes and collars are a unique solution to this problem and are available in 3 playful styles; Fashion, Sport, and LED.

Both leashes and collars are made from a high-thread count, making them durable and comfortable for dogs to wear and for owners to hold onto (just in case your "Fido" likes to pull and tug you along the way).

All collars feature a low profile power pack (powered by high capacity CR 2025 batteries) and the collar lengths have been sized to standard market sizes. Additionally, Visiglo leashes are powered by two AA batteries. Check your local pet shop! Visiglo Illuminated Pet Products are available at most qualified retailers. Shop around! Not all vendors carry the entire line.

Click this link for a list of retailers and other styles available for purchase online.

PolyBrite Dog Collar

You'll have peace of mind on nighttime walks with this lighted collar. Protects your dog in three ways:When it's in the "off" mode, the bright red surface is highly reflective. When the light is turned on, you can set it to glow a steady, bright red or to flash rapidly. When lighted, it's visible up to one mile. Includes a standard watch battery, which offers up to 250 hours of life. The battery pack and switch are housed in a protective Velcro pocket and the strong nylon webbing is tough and weather resistant.

To determine the right collar size for your dog, using a tape measure, measure the circumference of your dog's neck and add two inches. Click this link to visit Amazon.com to purchase the PolyBrite Dog Collar for your best friend.

Dogside Light Up Lead

It's time to inject a bit of style into dog walking with the Dogside Light Up Lead. It's a lead, it lights up and you put it on your dog. Of course that's a rather simple explanation of what is possibly the coolest dog lead ever invented. Concealed in the gorgeously tactile vulcanised rubber handgrip of this night black dog lead, lies a small switch, flick it on, and a stream of beautiful blue light spirals down through the lead to the business end. Walking your dog at night (or frankly at any time) with this luminescent lead is an absolute must. Powered by 2 AA batteries (thoughtfully included) you can choose between a constant on mode, off (obviously) or flashing, if you happen to have a hip pooch. Total length: 125cm (including grip and loop cord).

Click this link to purchase the Dogside Light Up Lead from I Want One of Those.

Pet Blinkers

Pet Blinkers give you the added security and peace of mind knowing you and your guide are visible at night.

Whether you are going for a jog with your pet, out walking with your guide, or simply want extra attention, attach the Pet Blinker to your pets collar and be seen a half-mile away! These eye-catching, multi-color LEDs accessorize any pet! Requires three AG3 lithium cell batteries (included). Available in both Small (dogs under 15 lb) and Large (dogs over 15 lb) sizes to fit any pet. Each size is available in your choice of colored LED lights. Click this link to purchase Pet Blinkers from Amazon.com.

Take Control of the Windows XP Right Click Menu

Have you ever right clicked a file in Windows XP? Did you know that you could right click a file in Windows XP? Even with a screen reader, you can accomplish a right click by pressing the applications key, located on the bottom row of your keyboard, left of the right control key.

Avid Windows users know that applications add right click menu options to various filetypes. For instance Mcafee antiVirus adds a shortcut to Scan For Threats in a selected folder that you right clicked. Right clicking on a DOC file may give you the option to open that file in MS-Word.

Wouldn't it be cool if you could add your own options to the right click menu? Maybe you could assign BRL files to open in a specific program, or MP3 files to play in a particular player. You can, and here's how. It's easy and involves NO registry editing like you might have expected.

Open my computer. Choose the Folder Options tab and then File Types. You'll be presented with a list of all the known filetypes for your computer. Arrow through the list until you find the filetype you want to edit.

Tab or click the advanced button and then the New button to associate an Action with this filetype. For this example I am associating JPG files with editing in Adobe CS2. In the action line I type what I want to show up on the right click menu and the application used to perform action is the command line for the magic behind the shortcut.

I advise you to use the Browse button to browse on over to the EXE associated with the application you want to open. Here I browsed over to C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS2\Photoshop.exe . It puts this in quotes leave them there and put a space after the last quote and add another quote followed by %L and another quote. This passes the selected file name to the application. Without this it will just open Photoshop and what good is that? After you are finished and click ok on all the open windows you can go check out your handy work by right clicking on the file you edited.

Personal Power: a Computer Tutorial for the Blind

The following post originated in the Top Tech Tidbits and is reposted here for your convenience.

For several years, Michael Feir edited Audyssey Game magazine. Now he has created a free 50,000-word guide to computing for the blind called Personal Power. His goal is to help people use computers and the Internet for leisure and personal growth, and says it's more of a traveller's gazette than a manual. Personal Power is available in an rtf file, and it is accompanied by three "fireside chat" lectures on mp3. Click this link to learn more about Personal Power for the Blind.

Summary of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act

The following article is from Wayne's Blog and is posted here for your convenience.

Telecommunications technologies have a proven ability to empower individuals with the necessary tools of the information age. These technological tools can animate the personal use of communications for work or enjoyment, but also impact health care delivery, educational opportunities, the prospects for employment, and job creation. The goal of the legislation is to establish new safeguards for disability access to ensure that people with disabilities are not left behind as technology changes and the United States migrates to the next generation of Internet-based and digital communication technologies.

Title I -Communications Access

Definitions. Section 101. -Adds definitions to the Act as follows:

Disability -This has the same meaning as in the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 255 of the Communications Act.

Interconnected VoIP Service -This definition has the same meaning as in the FCC's regulations.

IP-enabled communication service -This definition encompasses interconnected VolP service and includes transmission services that have the purpose of conducting voice, text, or video conversations, interactive voice response systems, and other similar communication-based services.

Hearing Aid Compatibility. See. 102. -Extends federal law that currently requires hearing aid compatibility on newly manufactured and imported telephones, to comparable customer premises equipment used to provide IP-enabled communication service. The purpose of this section is to make sure that people with hearing loss have access to telephone devices used with advanced technologies, including cell phones or any other handsets used for Internet-based voice communications. (This section is not intended to extend to headsets or headphones used with computers.)

Relay Services. Sec. 103. -This section clarifies that telecommunications relay services (TRS) are intended to ensure that people who have hearing or speech disabilities can use relay services to engage in functionally equivalent telephone communication with all other people, not just people without a hearing or speech disability. It revises Section 225 of the Act, which has been interpreted at times (by the FCC) to authorize only relay services between people with disabilities and people without disabilities. This section also expands the relay service obligation to contribute to the Telecommunications Relay Services Fund to all providers of IP-enabled communication services that provide voice communication.

Access to Internet-Based Services and Equipment. Sec. 104. -This section builds upon authority contained in Section 255 of the Communications Act, which generally requires telecommunications service providers, as well as interconnected VoIP providers and manufacturers, to make their services and equipment accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. This section creates new safeguards for Internet-based communications technologies (equipment, services and networks) to be accessible by people with disabilities, unless doing so would result in an undue burden. Where an undue burden would result, manufacturers and providers must make their equipment and services compatible with specialized equipment and services typically used by people with disabilities. The term "undue burden" has the same meaning given it in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

This section also contains measures to improve the accountability and enforcement of disability safeguards under Section 255 and the new Section 255A, including directives for new FCC complaint procedures, reporting obligations for industry and the FCC, the creation of a clearinghouse of information on accessible products and services by the U.S. Access Board and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and directives for enhanced outreach and education by the FCC and NTIA.

Sec. 104 also clarifies that the transmission and receipt of text messages sent by radio to and from mobile wireless devices are telecommunications services, and therefore must comply with the accessibility obligations under Section 255 and the new accountability measures under Section 255B.

Universal Service. Sec. 105. -This section makes consumers with disabilities - as a distinct group - eligible to receive universal service support through two specific measures. First, it grants the FCC authority to designate broadband services needed for "phone communication" by people with disabilities as services eligible to receive support under the existing Lifeline and Linkup universal service programs. For example, this would include deaf individuals who are otherwise eligible for Lifeline and Linkup support, but who rely on Internet-based video relay services or point-to-point video for their telephone communications. Second, it grants authority to the FCC to designate programs that distribute specialized equipment used to make telecommunications and Internet-enabled communication services accessible to individuals who are deaf-blind, as eligible for universal service support. Such support, however, is capped at $10 million per year.

Emergency Access and Real-Time Text Support. Section 106. This section contains a specific requirement for real-time text support, to ensure that people with disabilities, especially individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing or who have a speech disability, are able to communicate with others via text in an IP environment with the same reliability and interoperability as they receive via the public telephone network when using TTYs. A primary goal of this section is to ensure that individuals who rely on text to communicate have equal access to emergency services during and after the migration to a national IP-enabled emergency network.

Title II -Video Programming

Commission Inquiry on Closed-Captioning Decoder and Video Description Capability, User Interfaces, and Video Programming Guides and Menus. Sec. 201. - This section directs the FCC to conduct three inquiries within 6 months of passage of the Act, and to report to Congress on the results of such inquiries within 1 year: (I) to identify formats and software needed to transmit, receive and display closed captioning and video programming provided via Internet-enabled services and digital wireless services, including ways to transmit televised emergency information that is accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired; and (2) to identify ways to make user interfaces (controls -e.g., turning these devices on and off, controlling volume and selecting programming) on television and other video programming devices -including the receipt, display, navigation and selection of programming -accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired, and (3) to identify ways to make video programming guides and menus (typically on-screen) accessible in real-time to people who cannot read those guides or menus.

Closed-Captioning Decoder and Video Description Capability. Sec. 202 -This section expands the scope of devices that must display closed captions under the Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990 from the present requirement of television sets with screens that are 13 inches or larger, to all video devices that receive or display video programming transmitted simultaneously with sound, including those that can receive or display programming carried over the Internet. The section also requires these devices to be able to transmit and deliver video descriptions. Video description is the provision of verbal descriptions of the on-screen visual elements of a show provided during natural pauses in dialogue.

Video Description and Closed Captioning. Sec. 203. -This section reinstates the FCC's modest regulations on video description. Those rules, originally promulgated in 2001, were struck down by a U.S. Court of Appeals for lack of FCC authority. This section also authorizes the FCC to promulgate additional rules to (1) ensure that video description services can be transmitted and provided over digital TV technologies, (2) require non-visual access to on-screen emergency warnings and similar televised information and (3) increase the amount of video description required. Finally, this section adds a definition for video programming to include programming distributed over the Internet to make clear that the existing closed captioning obligations (and future video description obligations) contained in Section 713 apply to video programming that is distributed or re-distributed over the Internet. It tasks the FCC with creating captioning rules for three types of programming: 1) pre-produced programming that was previously captioned for television viewing, 2) live video programming, and 3) programming (first published or exhibited after the effective date of the FCC's regulations) provided by or generally considered to be comparable to programming provided by multichannel programming distributors. This section is intended to ensure the continued accessibility of video programming to Americans with disabilities, as this programming migrates to the Internet

User Interfaces. Sec. 204.-This section requires devices used to receive or display video programming, including devices used to receive and display Internet-based video programming, to be accessible by people with disabilities so that such individuals are able to access all functions of such devices related to video programming (such as turning these devices on and off, controlling volume and select programming). The section contains requirements for (1) audio output where on-screen text menus are used to control video programming functions, and (2) a conspicuous means of accessing closed captioning and video description, including a button on remote controls and first level access to these accessibility features when made available through on-screen menus.

Access Video Programming Guides and Menus. Sec. 205 -This section requires multichannel video programming distributors to make their navigational programming guides accessible to people who cannot read the visual display, so that these individuals can make program selections.

Audio Stories and Classroom Activities at BookBox

This website offers a selection of culturally diverse children's fairy tales and stories that you can download and listen to for FREE in a variety of languages! In addition, teachers can download and print or braille the text of the stories, coloring pages themed around the stories, and play interactive puzzles and games based on the stories.

The free audio stories in MP3 format are an adjunct (and a teaser) to the commercial sale of digital books at the site. The "for purchase" digital books synchronize text, audio, and visual media to create an educational and entertaining reading experience for children. These may not be compatible with screen readers.

The digital books are based on proven methods of Same Language Subtitling (SLS) that not only enhance children's basic literacy, but also facilitate their proficiency in foreign languages. You can preview one digital book, "Symbiosis," by clicking on "Home" on the menu bar.

When you get to the site you'll see a menu of 13 stories. Select a story and choose the language you prefer (some stories come in more languages than others). Wait for the story to download and then listen to it online. If you want, you can download the free PDF so that you can read along. Then, once you've listened to the story, you can do the free activities that are themed around it. (Note: Not all of the stories have accompanying activities and will be compatible with assistive technology.)

Click this link to visit the BookBox website.

How About Some QuotesDaddy?

Have you ever needed a famous quote for a presentation or school assignment?

Surfing the net to find a good quotation site can be difficult. Surfing the adds of the site with famous quotations can be even more difficult with a screen reader or other assistive technology. Let me tell you about QuotesDaddy.com.

The next time you feel the need for a bit of inspiration or advice, check out QuotesDaddy.com which has more than 1,000,000 famous searchable quotes in its database. The QuotesDaddy database is very extensive and you can search by entering a term into the search bar or by using the tags function. Along with providing users with this wealth of sometimes funny and sometimes smart quotes, QuotesDaddy also provides a few tools to make the experience even better; You can get your very own QuotesDaddy widget for your site, which includes the ability to choose what type of quotes you'd like to display, and you can also easily add a Quotesdaddy quote to the signature line of your Gmail account.

"Why Do They Call Him The Quotes Daddy? The guy is a total fanatic for famous quotes! Life quotes, death quotes, funny quotes, love quotes, inspiring quotes, if you need it, he quotes it. He only speaks in quotes and they say, he can remember all the favorite quotes of regular customers. Rumor has it, he's the only man alive never to be caught misquoting, but don't quote me on that!"

Click this link to visit http://www.QuotesDaddy.com.

Record and Share Your Karaoke Songs

There are many people who have been blessed with the talent of singing. I am not one of them, but I have friends who can really lay down the tunes. I found a cool website where they can share their talent with the rest of the world.

Redkaraoke is an entertaining site that allows you to search for your favorite songs and then record and share your own versions with the rest of the community. There are currently over 14,000 songs to choose from so you are almost assured to find all of your favorites, but if you don't, you can always upload the song from another source. Once you've recorded your song, others can listen to it, make comments and depending on the popularity of your recording, it could be displayed on the home page.

Record your song and have fun singing with others, while connecting with members with similar musical tastes.

Click this link to start singing with http://www.Redkaraoke.com.

Edit in the Dark withJDarkRoom

JDarkRoom is a free word processing program which consists solely of a black screen with a green writing font. Using it makes you feel like Nero in the Matrix, but we're getting off topic.

If you're looking for a way to get a document typed out in record time without being distracted, this is the editor to use. There's no fancy toolbars to arrange, no irritating paperclips in the corner asking you if you need help, no flashy graphics. Just a black screen to type away on. Besides being helpful for people with low vision, it would also be useful for say students trying to get a thesis typed out or a business-person assigned to make a presentation with a short deadline.

In addition to, or maybe that should be in absense of the plain screen, JDarkRoom also banishes all distractions by filling up the entire screen. So you don't even see your Windows task bar at the bottom. Other programs are relegated to the background. If you need to view another screen for any reason, you can toggle between JDarkRoom and the other screens by using the ALT + TAB key.

The program has quite a few useful options to make this a worthwhile contender in the word processing field:

• You can change the font and the background color.
  
• You can copy text to the Windows clipboard, auto-save your work and get a word count.
  
• When the file is finished, you can press F3 to save the file to your computer. You will then be asked to choose your file format such as a text file or a MS Word file (if you choose MS Word, you will need your MS Office disk to download and install a converter tool).
  
• Once you have the text exported to a file, you can then print it out.

Sometimes the best programs are the simplest ones - and JDarkRoom is as simple as they come. Click this link to download JDarkRoom from http://www.codealchemists.com/jdarkroom.

LetterMeLater

Have you ever wanted to write an email message today and send it off tomorrow? Maybe you want to wish someone a happy birthday and don't want to forget. Maybe you've got an important file that needs to be sent to a professor on a specific day for grading. Maybe you need to remind yourself to do something. Whatever the case, I've found a service that will help you do all these things and more.

- LetterMeLater offers one feature that your email doesn't have, the ability to schedule when an email should be sent'. Send scheduled emails right from your primary email program (Gmail, Outlook, etc.). Use cc and bcc fields to forward scheduled emails to as many people as you want. Indicate the exact date your email should be delivered (up to the minute). Create recurring email messages, repeat every week, 2-weeks, month, year, it's up to you! No ads will be added to your messages.

Click this link to visit http://www.lettermelater.com.

Howjsay: the Online Pronunciation Dictionary

Web based pronunciation dictionary that can help you with many pronunciations. Type in any English word (or saying) and listen to how it should be pronounced.

Mouse over the search results to hear them pronounced. Screen reader users click on the button that appears after you enter your word or saying. Each word is individually pre-recorded and no form of synthetic speech is used. Site offers both American and British versions.

Click this link to visit http://www.howjsay.com.Audio, College, Databases, Educational aids, Students, Teaching, Web sites, Teaching aids, Education, Communication, Speech products

Removing Dog Accidents from Your Carpet

Let's take a moment to discuss how to best deal with dog pee on a carpet. For those with dogs, you know what a drag it is when your dog pee's on the carpet. The smell, the possible stain that may result makes you furious!

When Used correctly, Hydrogen Peroxide can be used to rid your carpet of doggie-accident stains, here's how:

1. Lightly soak up the pee with paper towels.
   
2. Liberally pour some Hydrogen Peroxide on the pee stain (it's only $1 for a 32 oz. bottle; don't be shy with it!). Let it settle for a few minutes.
   
3. Dab up the mess with a few more paper towels.

The mess is gone and with a little luck, no stains in the carpet.

Rock Star Creates Garage Glam Jewelery with Braille

While going through my RSS feeds, I came across this article from the StyleHive blog that talked about a new line of braille jewelry. Wanting to learn more, and who created this line, I stumbled on this article from the same blog that interviewed the man behind the fashion trend.

"There's a hot new underground fashion trend in New York City. The man behind it? The outrageous front man of Semi Precious Weapons, Justin Tranter. The trend? He calls it Garage Glam." This is an interesting guy, often wearing skin tight leggings, heels, and a bra, but besides that, he's also the creator of two jewelry lines, a low-end one available at Urban Outfitters and a high-end sold at Barneys.

When asked about the concept behind his jewelry, Justin said, "I guess how I'd describe my jewelry, and my music, and my personal style, is "Garage Glam." It's about being as glamorous as possible. It doesn't matter if you have no money, or if you do. Because literally, two years ago, I would walk the Williamsburg bridge instead of paying for a subway because I couldn't afford it, but I still tried to look as fabulous as I could! I would still have a full face of makeup on, even though I was walking for two hours. So it really comes down to Garage Glam, and coming up with your own style. I always say that everyone should be beautiful, but that doesn't mean you need to be born like Jessica Simpson. It's just about having a great time and doing the best you can to feel great about yourself. And THIS is how I feel great about myself - the Garage Glam look!"

Part of that look is a line of diamond Braille jewelry, with rings, necklaces, earrings ID bracelets and bangles set in polished and oxidized sterling silver with diamonds or crystal in Standard American Braille formation spelling out words like, "Magnetic", "Try", "Love" and more. His company now includes 3 collections- Precious Weapons (low-end), Fame (Mid-priced), and Fetty (high-end).

So where did he get the idea? Justin told Stylehive, "I always wanted to make jewelry that actually said something, but words on jewelry is so over done. One day while my band was touring, I was in a hotel ...below every sign was braille, after feeling the braille on a sign in the hallway it hit me!!! Diamond Braille!!! The minute I got back to New York, I figured out how to make it happen. The diamond braille bangles at Barneys have been selling so well that I knew I needed to make it in a lower price point. That is how the Fame line came to be."

The Fetty high-end collection which is all sterling silver, 14K Gold and diamonds, has been getting a serious amount of attention and is available at every Barneys and Barneys COOP in the country.

Click this link to purchase the Fetty Sterling Silver Bangle with Diamond Braille.
Click this link to purchase the Fetty Oxidized Sterling Silver Bangle with Diamond Braille.

On the more wallet-friendly side, is the Fame line, made of plated brass and austrian crystal, available at Alter, Lawanna's, and Fred Segal.

Click this link for more information on the collections.

Top Ten Lists at List Universe

I must confess that I really enjoy David Letterman's Top Ten Lists. The writers come up with some of the funniest things for him to present every weeknight on his Late Show. I found a site that has tons of Top Ten lists, some funny, others rather serious. Most certainly conversation starters.

This site says they are "the greatest resource online for top 10 lists and more!" on virtually any subject you can think of, not to mention some fairly bizarre topics that wouldn't occur to most of us. I always recommend lists to librarians as a great starting point for discussions, exhibits, and events, and even as a community service (see "Top 10 Post-Thanksgiving Recipes").

Click this link to visit List Universe at http://listverse.com.
Click this link to try another Top Ten site: http://www.toptenz.net.

Find Your Lost Cell Phone with PhoneMyPhone

Misplaced your cell phone or handset again? Don't have another phone on hand to call it? Give your number to PhoneMyPhone and they'll instantly ring you up.

Aside from instant calling to locate your phone, PhoneMyPhone will also schedule phone calls at specific times, to get you out of that boring meeting or awful date if you need it. This is an easy-to-remember website that will insure a quick recovery from the recesses of your couch cushions.

Click this link to find your phone with http://www.phonemyphone.com.

Accessible Content: the Magazine

There is a magazine dedicated to Information Technology professionals who work to make their web content accessible. Accessible Content is a magazine whose title says it all!

From the "About" page:

"Accessible Content Magazine is devoted entirely to accessibility issues. We deliver how-to articles, skill building exercises, product profiles and accessibility community news to the professionals who create and maintain accessible content."

A subscription to the print edition is free. (After 60 days, the content is unlocked and made fully available online.) However, if you are unable to read the print copy, there is a method provided to allow you access to the current edition. Just subscribe and there will be an additional step provided for you at the end of that process. RSS is also available.

Click this link to view the Accessible Content magazine at http://www.accessiblecontent.com.

Article Source:
Access Ability blog

Get a FREE Headset for Your Cell Phone

Since December of 2003, this site has been running a worldwide wireless phone safety program that distributes free cell phone headsets in an effort to promote safe driving. So far they've given away over 200,000 headsets and you can get one too!

To get started, simply select the manufacturer of your wireless phone, select your model from the resulting list and follow the simple step-by-step order process.

Yes, I know, we don't drive, but we do walk. Dog guide in the left hand, groceries in the right. Cane in right hand, small child holding the left, you get the idea? Finally, a program for drivers that can benefit us! Besides, I want the family member or friend who's driving me around to have both hands on the wheel, so get one for a gift!

Click this link to visit http://www.freeheadset.org.

100 Milestone Documents

From the site:

"The following is a list of 100 milestone documents, compiled by the National Archives and Records Administration, and drawn primarily from its nationwide holdings. The documents chronicle United States history from 1776 to 1965."

Select from the chronological list or "use the thumbnail images at the top of every page to navigate directly to any of the 100 Milestone Documents." Each document can be enlarged, printed, and has been transcribed into standard text for reading with a screen reader. What a great way for blind students to learn our country's history, through the words of those who made it all possible.

Click this link to view the 100 Milestone Documents from the National Archives.

Revised APH Signature Guide

Many agencies that provide aids and services for people who are blind or visually impaired offer signature guides. These are metal, plastic or cardboard frames that are laid down, usually by a sighted person, to place a boundary around an area in which the blind person must place his/her signature.

If a blind person finds himself/herself in the position of needing to sign a name in a precise location without a signature guide available, a straight edge, such as a ruler, an index card, or a credit card edge can be placed below the line, so its edge can be felt and followed. Still another technique is to crease the document to be signed along the signature line. The ridge of the crease should face upward to make it easy to follow.

APH Signature Guide

Aids people who are visually impaired in writing their signatures. Small, pocket-size frame has an opening with an elastic band. The band provides a guide for writing and flexes to allow for the descenders of letters.

Revised guide is made of durable, flexible plastic with the same rubber backing as before to prevent sliding. Measures 4 1/2" x 2 1/4". Recommended ages: 8 years and up.

Catalog Number: 1-03530-01
Click this link to purchase the APH Signature Guide

American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
1839 Frankfort Avenue
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6085
Louisville, Kentucky 40206-0085
Toll Free: 800-223-1839
Phone: 502-895-2405
Fax: 502-899-2274
E-mail: info@aph.org
Web site: http://www.aph.org
APH Shopping Home: http://shop.aph.orgAPH Signature

OneLoupe Magnifies Your Screen

Magnify your screen with ultra tiny freeware OneLoupe. Weighing in at a mere 22.5k, OneLoupe resides in your system tray. A single click on the OneLoupe icon activates the magnifier, another single click anywhere on the screen while the magnifier is active dismisses it.

While the magnifier is active, you can zoom in or out with the scroll wheel, resize the magnifier window with the arrow keys, and take a screenshot of the magnified area. Great for presentations or close up screenshots, to make OneLoupe portable, simply create a text document and rename it to OneLoupe.ini within the directory you placed the OneLoupe executable.

OneLoupe is a free download for Windows only. Click this link to visit the OneLoupe website.

ICE Your Cell Phone (In Case of Emergency)

A Cambridge-based paramedic has launched a national campaign with Vodafone, a cell phone company in the UK, to encourage people to store emergency contact details in their mobile phones.

Bob Brotchie, a clinical team leader for the East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust, hatched the plan a few years ago, after struggling to get contact details from shocked or injured patients.

By entering the acronym ICE for In Case of Emergency - into the mobile's phone book, users can log the name and number of someone who should be contacted in an emergency.

The idea follows research carried out by Vodafone that shows more than 75 per cent of people carry no details of who they would like telephoned following a serious accident. Someone might have "mom" in their phone book but that doesn't mean they'd want her contacted in an emergency, they may have chosen their wife instead.

Almost everyone carries a mobile phone now, and with ICE emergency workers would know immediately who to contact and what number to ring. The person on the other end may even know of their medical history."

By adopting the ICE advice, your mobile will now also help the rescue services quickly contact a friend or relative - which could be vital in a life or death situation.

The campaign is also asking people to think carefully about who will be their ICE partner - with helpful advice on who to choose - particularly if that person has to give consent for emergency medical treatment.

As many people say, they carry mobile phones in case of an emergency, it seems natural this information should be kept in the phone, available for fast retrieval.

Icesaves.com

Here's a service that can take the place of an individual in your ICE contact. Instead of putting in the name of one person, you put in this service. ICEsaves provides live representatives to assist first responders in the event of an emergency by notifying all of the emergency contacts you have provided of the current situation. Signing up for the service is simple, just provide your mobile phone number and as many or as few emergency contacts along with as much personal medical information you'd like.

"With ICEsaves as your emergency contact, first responders and medical personnel have 24/7 access to your critical health information and can alert your loved ones in seconds." Click this link to visit http://www.Icesaves.com.

Radiopaq: Quick and Easy Access to Radio and Podcasts

Take an audio trip around the globe via Radiopaq, the on demand internet radio portal. Radiopaq gives you access to radio stations from all over the world, so tuning into Moscow or balmier Brazil is merely a mouse click away. The site also houses a real treasure trove of podcasts covering all interests. Radiopaq's content is ranked by popularity and listed on the home page under What's Hot. Once you've signed up for your own account, you'll be able to configure your own list of favorite stations and podcasts along with a customized news page. All content on the site is provided free for your listening pleasure. Check out the site for new stuff daily.

Radiopaq's Broadband Radio Portal allows you to search a world wide database containing thousands and thousands of radio stations from all over the globe. Find your favourite local station or why not sample something far more exotic, it's your choice and it works great with a screen reader.

Click this link to visit http://www.Radiopaq.com.

A Parent's Guide to Section 504

Section 504, Just what exactly is it? We all have heard about it, but every school district addresses Section 504 in a different manner. Some districts have even been heard to say, ^D<"we don^D>'t do that in this district.^D>" School districts do have the right and responsibility to establish their own policies and procedures for implementing Section 504. This article attempts to answer basic questions pertaining to the implementation of Section 504 in public school systems.

What is Section 504?

Section 504 is a part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that prohibits discrimination based upon disability. Section 504 is an anti-discrimination, civil rights statute that requires the needs of students with disabilities to be met as adequately as the needs of the non-disabled are met.
Section 504 states that:

^D<"No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States, as defined in section 706(8) of this title, shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance….^D>" [29 U.S.C. §794(a), 34 C.F.R. §104.4(a)].

Who is covered by Section 504?

To be covered under Section 504, a student must be ^D<"qualified^D>" (which roughly equates to being between 3 and 22 years of age, depending on the program as well as state and federal law, and must have a disability) [34 C.F.R. §104.3(k)(2)].

Who is an ^D<"individual with a disability^D>"?

As defined by federal law:

• ^DNB
  1. has a mental or physical impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activity;
  2. has a record of such an impairment; or
  3. is regarded as having such an impairment^D>" [34 C.F.R. §104.3(j)(1)].

^D<"An individual with a disability means any person who:

What is an ^D<"impairment^D>" as used under the Section 504 definition?

An impairment as used in Section 504 may include any disability, long-term illness, or various disorder that ^D<"substantially^D>" reduces or lessens a student^D>'s ability to access learning in the educational setting because of a learning-, behavior-, or health-related condition. [^D<"It should be emphasized that a physical or mental impairment does not constitute a disability for purposes of Section 504 unless its severity is such that it results in a substantial limitation of one or more major life activities^D>" (Appendix A to Part 104, #3)].

Many students have conditions or disorders that are not readily apparent to others. They may include conditions such as specific learning disabilities, diabetes, epilepsy, and allergies. Hidden disabilities such as low vision, poor hearing, heart disease, or chronic illness may not be obvious, but if they substantially limit that child^D>'s ability to receive an appropriate education as defined by Section 504, they may be considered to have an ^D<"impairment^D>" under Section 504 standards. As a result, these students, regardless of their intelligence, will be unable to fully demonstrate their ability or attain educational benefits equal to that of non-disabled students (The Civil Rights of Students with Hidden Disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ^DDL Pamphlet).

The definition does not set forth a list of specific diseases, conditions, or disorders that constitute impairments because of the difficulty of ensuring the comprehensiveness of any such list. While the definition of a disabled person also includes specific limitations on what persons are classified as disabled under the regulations, it also specifies that only physical and mental impairments are included, thus ^D<"environmental, cultural, and economic disadvantage are not in themselves covered^D>" (Appendix A to Part 104, #3).

What are ^D<"major life activities^D>"?

Major life activities include, but are not limited to: self-care, manual tasks, walking, seeing, speaking, sitting, thinking, learning, breathing, concentrating, interacting with others, and working. This may include individuals with AD/HD, dyslexia, cancer, diabetes, severe allergies, chronic asthma, Tourette^D>'s Syndrome, digestive disorders, cardiovascular disorders, depression, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, HIV/AIDS, behavior disorders, temporary disabilities (e.g., broken writing arm, broken leg, etc.). Students who are currently using illegal drugs or alcohol are not covered or eligible under Section 504.

What does ^D<"substantially limits^D>" mean?

Substantially limits is not defined in the federal regulations. However, in a letter from the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), they state, ^D<"this is a determination to be made by each local school district and depends on the nature and severity of the person^D>'s disabling condition.^D>" Additional guidance from the Americans with Disabilities Act states: ^D<"significantly restricted as to the condition, manner, or duration under which an individual can perform a particular major life activity when compared to the condition, manner, or duration under which the average person in the general population can perform that same major life activity.^D>"

Who can refer a child for consideration for evaluation under Section 504?

Anyone can refer a child for evaluation under Section 504. However, while anyone can make a referral, such as parents or a doctor, OCR stated in a staff memorandum that ^D<"the school district must also have reason to believe that the child is in need of services under Section 504 due to a disability.^D>" (OCR Memorandum, April 29, 1993.)

Therefore, a school district does not have to refer or evaluate a child under Section 504 solely upon parental demand. The key to referral is whether the school district staff suspects that the child is suffering from a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits a major life activity and is in need of either regular education with supplementary services or special education and related services [Letter to Mentink 19 IDELR 1127 (OCR) 1993]. If a parent requests a referral for evaluation, and the school district refuses, the school district must provide the parent with notice of their procedural rights under Section 504.

Who decides whether a student is qualified and eligible for services under Section 504?

According to the federal regulations:

^D<"…placement decisions are to be made by a group of persons who are knowledgeable about the child, the meaning of the evaluation data, placement options, least restrictive environment requirements, and comparable facilities^D>" [34 C.F.R. §104.35(c)(3)].

Unlike Special Education, the federal regulations for Section 504 do not require or even mention that parents are to be a part of the decision-making committee. The decision to include parents in the decision-making committee is a determination that is made by each school district and should be spelled out in the district^D>'s procedures for implementing Section 504. Parents should at least be asked and encouraged to contribute any information that they may have (e.g., doctor’s reports, outside testing reports, etc.) that would be helpful to the Section 504 committee in their determination of what the child may need. Schools are expected to make sound educational decisions as to what the child needs in order to receive an appropriate education.

What information is used in doing an evaluation under Section 504?

Under Section 504, no formalized testing is required. The 504 Committee should look at grades over the past several years, teacher^D>'s reports, information from parents or other agencies, state assessment scores or other school administered tests, observations, discipline reports, attendance records, health records, and adaptive behavior information. Schools must consider a variety of sources. A single source of information (such as a doctor^D>'s report) cannot be the only information considered. Schools must be able to assure that all information submitted is documented and considered.

Can my child be placed under Section 504 without my knowledge?

No. Parents should always be given notice in writing before their child is evaluated and/or placed under Section 504. (34 C.F.R. §104.36). Parents must also be given a copy of their child^D>'s Section 504 accommodation plan if the committee determines that the child is eligible under Section 504.

What types of accommodations will my child receive if determined eligible under Section 504?

Each child^D>'s needs are determined individually. Determination of what is appropriate for each child is based on the nature of the disabling condition and what that child needs in order to have an equal opportunity to compete when compared to the non-disabled. There is no guarantee of A^D>'s or B^D>'s or even that the student will not fail. Students are still expected to produce. The ultimate goal of education for all students, with or without disabilities, is to give students the knowledge and compensating skills they will need to be able to function in life after graduation.

Accommodations that may be used, but are not limited to, include:

• Highlighted textbooks
• Extended time on tests or assignments
• Peer assistance with note-taking
• Frequent feedback
• Extra set of textbooks for home use
• Computer aided instruction
• Enlarged print
• Positive reinforcements
• Behavior intervention plans
• Rearranging class schedules
• Visual aids
• Preferred seating assignments
• Taping lectures
• Oral testing
• Individual contracts

Will my child still be in the regular classroom or will he/she be in a ^D<"special class^D>"?

A Section 504 eligible child will always be in the regular classroom unless (according to federal regulations): ^D<"… the student with a disability is so disruptive in a regular classroom that the education of other students is significantly impaired, then the needs of the student with a disability cannot be met in that environment. Therefore, regular placement would not be appropriate to his or her needs and would not be required by §104.34^D>" (34 C.F.R. §104.34, Appendix A, #24).

Can my child still be disciplined under Section 504?

Yes. Children under Section 504 are still expected to follow the district^D>'s student code of conduct. However, when disciplining a child under Section 504, schools must consider the relationship between the disability and the misbehavior if the child is going to be removed from the regular setting for longer than 10 days. This does not mean that a student with a disability cannot be sent to a discipline center or that they cannot go to in-school suspension, or be suspended from school for three days. Very strict guidelines exist for schools in discipline issues with students who have a disability under Section 504. Your campus or district 504 coordinator can assist you in this area should you have additional questions concerning the discipline of students with disabilities. Children having disabilities with behavioral components should have individual discipline plans as well as behavior intervention plans.

If I disagree with the school^D>'s evaluation, will the school district pay for an outside independent evaluation?

Under Section 504, schools are not required to pay for an outside independent evaluation. If a parent disagrees with the school^D>'s evaluation decision, they may request a due process hearing or file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights. (See Notice of Parent and Student Rights Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.)

How often will my child be re-evaluated?

While there are no specific time lines on this issue, students must be re-evaluated at least every three years or whenever there is going to be a ^D<"significant change in placement^D>". The campus 504 committee should re-evaluate your child^D>'s plan every year to make sure that his or her accommodation plan is appropriate based on their current schedule and individual needs. The accommodation plan may be revised during the school year if needed.

Will my child still be able to participate in non-academic services?

Yes. Districts must provide equal opportunity in areas such as counseling, physical education and/or athletics, transportation, health services, recreational activities, and special interest groups or clubs. However, the ^D<"no pass, no play^D>" standard used for students in most states also applies to students under Section 504 (34 C.F.R. §104.37).

What Are My Rights as a Parent under Section 504?

As a parent or legal guardian, you have the right to:

1. Receive notice regarding the identification, evaluation, and/or placement of your child;
2. Examine relevant records pertaining to your child;
3. Request an impartial hearing with respect to the district^D>'s actions regarding the identification, evaluation, or placement of your child, with an opportunity for the parent/guardian to participate in the hearing, to have representation by an attorney, and have a review procedure;
4. File a complaint with your school district Section 504 Coordinator, who will investigate the allegations regarding Section 504 matters other than your child^D>'s identification, evaluation, and placement.
5. File a complaint with the appropriate regional Office for Civil Rights. For additional information, contact:

• ^DNB
  Office for Civil Rights
  U.S. Department of Education
  Washington, D.C. 20202-1100
  800-421-3481
  www.ed.gov/ocr
  E-mail: ocr@ed.gov

Do I Contact the State Education Agency (SEA) If I Have a Complaint Concerning Section 504?

No. The State Education Agency has no jurisdiction over Section 504 implementation. Complaints may be addressed to your local District 504 Coordinator or to the Office for Civil Rights.

One note of caution: Please do not substitute this information for independent and individual legal advice. Such advice should be sought from a licensed, qualified attorney in the field of Section 504 disabilities. Every situation is different, and a good assessment of the risks involved in your particular situation can only be determined by consulting with your attorney and providing him or her with all of the relevant factual data. Sometimes just one ^D<"minor^D>" detail can make a material difference in the outcome of a case.

Article Source:
http://www.schwablearning.org

Cooking Terms Explained

It can be very frustrating when you're trying to follow a recipe, but you don't understand the cooking terms used. Sometimes even instructions on a packet of pasta can confuse you, what does cook until "al dente" mean? Let's have a look at some basic cooking terms and the language used in recipes:

• Al dente: This term is often used with pasta and literally means "to the tooth/bite". Boil the pasta until it is tender but still has some "bite", not soggy and falling apart. Packet pasta usually takes 5-10 minutes in boiling water.
  
• Baste: This term is often used when roasting chicken or cooking meat in a marinade. You will need to regularly "baste" the meat with the juices or sauce to keep it moist. You can use a spoon to spoon the juices or sauce over the meat or you can use a "baster" which is a bit like a syringe or bulb.
  
• Beat: A term often used in cooking or baking. You may be instructed to beat and egg - simply crack an egg into a bowl and beat (stir rapidly) with a fork or whisk to combine the yolk and white. In cake recipes, you may be instructed to beat the margarine and sugar together - use an electric whisk or beater for ease.
  
• Blanch: A recipe may call for blanching vegetables. This simply means to plunge them into boiling water for about a minute.
  
• Chop: Self explanatory but use a good sharp knife and try to chop vegetables so that bits are uniform in size and thickness. Onions often have to be finely chopped, so chop them as small as you can.
  
• Cream: Cake recipes often instruct you to cream the butter or margarine with the sugar. Beat them together either with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until they are well combined.
  
• Dice: If you are instructed to dice meat or vegetables, it means that you should chop into uniform squares.
  
• Fillet: This word can either be used as a noun or a verb. A meat fillet is a good quality piece of meat which has been "filleted", had the bones removed. If a recipe asks you to fillet a piece of meat or fish, it means you need to remove the bones. This is tricky so buy fillet meat or ask your butcher or fishmonger to do it for you.
  
• Fold: Cake recipes often tell you to fold in the flour after creaming the margarine and sugar and adding eggs. Add the flour a bit at a time using a metal spoon and a figure eight movement to "fold" the flour into the mixture while retaining the air added by creaming or beating.
  
• Julienne: This term is used with vegetables. Julienne carrots are carrots which have been chopped into matchsticks or strips.
  
• Marinate: To coat a piece of meat or fish in a sauce usually overnight or for a few hours in the fridge. The meat will take on the flavours from the sauce.
  
• Pare: Remove the skin from fruit or vegetables.
  
• Peel: Remove the skin from fruit, vegetables or prawns.
  
• Poach: To cook in liquid. Poached eggs are cooked in boiling water and poached fish is often cooked in hot milk.
  
• Puree: To puree a vegetable or fruit is to blend it until it is as smooth as baby food. Use an electric blender.
  
• Saute: You can saute vegetables, fry in hot oil over a high heat for a short amount of time.
  
• Season: To flavour with salt and pepper.
  
• Simmer: This term is often used with sauces or recipes like curry or chilli. It means to bring a sauce to a boil and then turn down to a level where the sauce is bubbling but not boiling.
  
• Stiff Peaks: If you are instructed to beat cream or egg whites until stiff peaks are formed, then you need to whisk or beat until the mixture forms peaks which do not collapse and you could even turn the bowl upside down without the mixture immediately falling out.
  
• Stir-Fry: To stir-fry is to cook meat and/or vegetables in a wok at a high temperature. Stir-fry packs can be found in supermarkets, just fry them briefly in hot oil in a wok, add sauce or spices and serve with noodles or rice.
  
• Whisk: Use an electric whisk or a hand whisk to beat something like cream.

Hopefully these explanations will help you to feel more confident when using recipes.

The Colander and Produce Cleaning Net: Two Important Kitchen Tools for Any Blind Chef

While no one seems to know exactly where the colander originated, man has known the concept of the sieve since ancient times. The need to drain liquids is an important part of food preparation. The tool is described by Mr. Webster as a " perforated pan, usually bowl-shaped, used for draining liquids." Who were the first to rinse and drain? Only the pasta gods know for sure, but one thing is certain; no modern kitchen for the blind or visually impaired should ever be without one or two or even three of them!

There's nothing that strains and rinses like a colander, and it's probably a good idea to keep one for rinsing raw poultry and vegetables and another for pasta. Keep them separate. After all, no need to hurt anyone's feelings. Get the kind with the long horizontal handles, as they are the easiest to manipulate. Keep them handy while preparing things that will need immediate draining after cooking, like pasta for example. You don't want to first have to go searching for it when the pasta is hot and ready to boogie, so to speak.

Easy Drain Produce Cleaning Net

While we're on the subject of cleaning vegetables, let me introduce you to this nifty gadget, again, great for anyone who is blind or visually impaired.

After a trip to the farmers' market or produce stand, you'll be glad you have this "floating net". It makes it easy to rinse and drain all your bounty at once. Fill it with fruits and veggies, then drop it in a sink full of water to give foods a soak. When produce is clean, lift it out and let the water drain. Great for cleaning dirt off celery, lettuce, spinach and other greens.

Click this link to purchase the Easy Drain Produce Cleaning Net from the Solutions website.

Managing Assistive Technology in Higher Education

From the site:

"There are many and varied aspects to delivering assistive technology services in higher education, but none more important than its management. The importance of technology to college students increases each day. The job of keeping students with disabilities using new technologies has never been more important. Managing AT frequently falls to DS coordinators who have little or no experience managing educational technologies."

"I want this blog to be a "port in the storm" for non-tech types who have to manage AT in a college setting."

James Bailey is the Adaptive Tech Coordinator for the University of Oregon and has been in this position since 1995. He has presented at CSUN, Accessing Higher Ground and EDUCAUSE. He is the designer and presenter of the two-and-a half-day work shop Managing AT A to Z for AHEAD (Association on Higher Education and Disability).

Click this link to visit the Managing Assistive Technology in Higher Education blog at http://athighered.blogspot.com.

The Best of Legends

From the site:

"For over a thousand years, storytellers have spun tales of King Arthur of Britain, his Queen Guinevere, and the circle of his noble Knights. Why do these stories endure? How does an outlaw in Lincoln green with a taste for disguise and foolery survive for six hundred years to inspire disguised tricksters from Alta California to Revolutionary France to the farthest reaches of the galaxy?

"How have these songs and stories twisted and turned over the centuries, and how have they defined our expectations of heroism, romance, and adventure?

"For ten years, from 1997 to 2007, Legends chronicled my personal journey through the worlds of Robin Hood, King Arthur, D'Artagnan, and other swashbuckling characters of balladry, fiction, and film, from the shores of Avalon to the dungeons of Zenda.

"This archive preserves The Best of Legends - links to primary source material, scholarship, essays, and historical surveys - romance, adventure, and panache."

Click this link to visit http://www.bestoflegends.org.

Indian Legends

From the site:

"By keeping Native American culture alive through storytelling, we may learn a thing or two about the world we live in."

Click this link to visit Indian Legends at http://www.indianlegend.com.

Cowboys and Legends: Outlaws and Lawmen of the American West

From the site:

"There is much legend surrounding the wild west when it comes to American outlaws and lawmen."

Click this link to visit the Cowboys and Legends website.

Legendary Women of the American West

From the site:

"Women of the American wild west had to be a resourceful lot to cope with the elements that surrounded them: the harsh conditions, lawlessness and living in an age where there were few amenities."

Click this link to visit the Legendary Women of the American West website.

Historical Voices: Preserving and Displaying Our Cultural Heritage

A substantial portion of our cultural heritage from the 20th century is recorded in enormous collections of spoken-word materials. Yet much of it may be lost or remain hidden away in archives and private collections, making the voices inaccessible to students, teachers, scholars, and the general public. The purpose of Historical Voices is to create a significant, fully searchable online database of spoken word collections spanning the 20th century, the first large-scale repository of its kind. Historical Voices will both provide storage for these digital holdings and display public galleries that cover a variety of interests and topics.

Designed as an expansive repository of aural resources, Historical Voices will grow to include many more collections from partnering institutions around the country. My favorite section is "Earliest Recordings", where you can hear the voices of Thomas Edison and President Taft.

Click this link to visit http://www.HistoricalVoices.org.

Sell Your Old Cell Phone and Other Electronics

Want to sell your old cell phone? Using SellMyOldCellPhone.com, you can cash in on your old phone without going through all the trouble of listing it on eBay or Amazon.

This website will buy pretty much any old or broken mobile phone (not more then 2 years old). The price you get depends on the phone's model, age and condition. To find out how much you'll get for the phone, just go to the website and select the phone's brand and model number. If you're satisfied with the price, simply complete the registration form and follow instructions. You can sell as many phones as you like, only the models listed on the website will be accepted. Payment will be sent by Check (via US Mail) within 30 days, after the arrival of your phone.

Click this link to visit http://www.SellMyOldCellPhone.com.

BuyMyTronics

BuyMyTronics.com wants to buy your used, new and broken Electronics! They offer a fast, simple, and eco-friendly way to get money for your device. They currently purchase Apple iPods, Apple iPhones, Cell Phones, Smart Phones including Blackberry, Treo, Nokia, HTC, LG, Motorola, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, and Sanyo, PDAs, Zunes, Game Consoles including Nintendo Wii, Microsoft X-Box, Sony PlayStation or PSP. They accept most iPod models such as the Classic, Touch, Video, Photo, Nano, Mini, from 4th to 1st Generation.

They don't care about the condition of your gadget. They will accept items ranging from a bricked iPhone, an old Treo 650, a sad faced hard drive iPod Classic, a New PS3, an X-Box with a disk read error or a used Wii.

They will pay you top dollar to recycle your unwanted electronic devices, guaranteed! Keep your eWaste out of the landfill and get some quick cash in return!

Click this link to visit http://www.buymytronics.com.

Plop-Plop-Fizz-Fizz Oh What a Cleaner It Is!

People everywhere are discovering the household uses for the indigestion relief tablets of Alka-Seltzer for tasks like odour removal in the fridge or for cleaning vases. Here are a few other household tasks that can be tackled with the plop-plop-fizz-fizz action:

• Clogged Drains: This won't work for serious clogs, but it's a low cost solution for a moderately clogged kitchen sink (it won't work with hair). First drop in a couple Alka-Seltzer tablets down the sink, and follow it up with a chaser of vinegar (1 cup). Allow for the chemical reaction to work its magic for about 2 minutes, then run the hot water at full force to help jettison out the debris. A bonus is your drain should smell better too.
  
• Brighten up the Toilet: Alka-Seltzer works, thanks to citric acid and baking soda, which is chemically released when mixed with water, resulting in that characteristic effervescent fizzing action. Just a couple tablets dropped into a toilet will work on that porcelain in a similar fashion to denture cleaning tabs on false teeth. Just give them about 15 minutes to fully dissipate and work on those stains and scrub gently afterward for a whiter throne.
  
• Clean Glass Oven Cookware: Simply drop Alka Seltzer into the bakeware, fully filled to the brim with warm water, let soak overnight, the stains will be much easier to remove the next morning.
  
• Clean the Microwave Dish: one of the nastiest, neglected areas we often see in the office kitchen is the inside of the microwave. Removing and cleaning the bottom plate that many rotational models use for even cooking doesn't have to be tough to clean. Submerge the plate into the sink, with water just barely covering, then drop in 2-4 tablets and allow to soak for an hour. Scrubbing the stains will be much easier.

The Social Model of Blindness and the Arts

ECO: On Blindness and the Arts (http://www.blindnessandarts.com) is a not-for-profit website for people who work with or study this issue, or who have an intellectual interest in unconventional arts, access or disability. Although it does not ally itself with the disability rights movement, it is an electronic resource to introduce you to the ideas behind this topic. It is also the beginnings of an on-line library on this subject.

As an electronic resource, Eco is accessible to people with disabilities. It has academic research, simple explanations and news. It is practical and intellectual.

Eco links to significant resources in this field, including Toronto University's online degree notes for its psychology course PSYC54 Cognition and Representation, which introduces the psychology of non-visual perception

This material represents some of the best contributions and networks in Europe and North America. However, we also need links to other organisations which enhance what we have and improve this resource. The email address of the editor for these links is given at the top of this page. Thank you in advance for your help, and I hope this site proves useful to you.

Contributors Wanted

Eco has been given permission by writers and academics such as John Hull, John Kennedy, Oliver Sacks, Thomas Nagel and Charles Spence to link to relevant papers and their websites. We have also been given permission to link to news events from Lisa Yayla's Accessible Images web list.

We would, however, also like to distribute other papers, reproductions of art designed for blind and visually impaired people (particularly sound art), and audio descriptions of art. We invite you to email copies of articles or resources not in copyright (AS PDFs or MP3s ONLY, please), or preferably links of materials, particularly those in copyright, to the editor. We are also looking for reviewers for submitted articles and audio-describers. The reviewers should preferably be experienced in the field of psychology, education or the arts.

Contributor:
Dr Simon Hayhoe
Editor, ECO: On blindness and the arts
Leicester, UK
http://www.blindnessandarts.com

The Ten Net Commandments

The Ten Net Commandments are ten Internet "laws" we all should abide by on a regular basis. Let's see what they are, shall we?!

1. Thou shalt not buy merchandise found in pop up ads or spam.
   
2. Thou shalt not post thy e-mail address, phone number, address or social security number on the Internet, nor shalt thou post anyone else's.
   
3. Thou shalt not forget to update thy Windows every second Tuesday.
   
4. Thou shalt not connect to the Internet without installing an antivirus, nor shalt thou begin a scan without checking for updates.
   
5. Thou shalt not connect to the Internet without installing a firewall.
   
6. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's credit card number, nor his bank routing number, nor his social security number.
   
7. Thou shalt not enter thy credit card number without seeing the tiny padlock icon on thy status bar.
   
8. Thou shalt not reply to the e-mail from the Nigerian banker.
   
9. Thou shalt not forward chain letters to thy friends and family.
   
10. Thou shalt not use "password" as thy password, nor thy birthday, nor thy childrens' names.

Aren't those great?! I mean, they all make a lot of sense and if you think about it, they are some general rules we can all follow when it comes to keeping ourselves and our computers safe. This list was put together by Mr. Mike Healan, who works for SpyWareInfo: http://www.spywareinfo.com and was posted here for your convenience.

Your CDs Have the AutoRuns

Whenever I share a CD with a friend, I like it to look as professional as possible. I stumbled across a program called 1st AutoRun Express and I liked it immediately because it solved the problem of telling someone what file to click on to start the CD.

1st AutoRun Express allows you to create an AutoRun for CDs. An AutoRun is when a program or document automatically pops up when you put a CD in your computer. You may have noticed that in CDs that you buy from a store, as soon as you put them in, an installation window appears. So, if you want to send a presentation to a friend, the presentation will automatically open and be ready for viewing.

1. First, you need to download the program. Click this link to download 1st AutoRun Express.
   
2. After you have installed the program, go ahead and run it.
   
3. The program first wants to know a folder with the files that you are going to burn.
   
4. Click on or tab to Select and press enter.
   
5. Find the folder that contains your files and click Hit and then click OK.
   
6. Then click Next.
   
7. Select "Launch a single program or document without user interaction" and select Next.
   
8. Click Select and find the file that you want to open when the CD is put in.
   
9. Click Next.
   
10. Type the name of your CD and select Finish.

The program will add two files to the folder that contained your original files. When you burn the CD, make sure you burn all of the files inside of the folder and not the folder itself.

All inPlay, Jam-packed with Games and Good Times for the Blind and Sighted

Message: Do you know any visually impaired people that are playing internet poker? My father has 10% vision in one eye only and has always been an avid poker player. He would like to use a combination of software and hardware to achieve this but would like to look at a currently running system before investing in the money only to find that he can't see the cards on the table. In the game of Texas Holdum, you would have to see your two cards and the five community cards. You would also have to see where the wager is made. I would just like to speak with someone to see if this idea is doable. Thanks for your help. Location: Ohio

Yes, there are many blind and visually impaired folks that play a variety of card games through the internet. All inPlay is a website that gives the blind and sighted a place to compete against one another. Check out their online games free! They're safe, quick, and easy.

Crazy Eights: At last, a fully accessible game for the whole family -- All inPlay Crazy Eights, a faithful translation of the world's most popular card game (also known as Uno (R)).

Draw Poker: 5 Card Draw: Nothing wild. The classic game of poker. Real, live, human opponents. Win bragging rights with your friends. And if you lose, its only play-money, so you can keep your house.

With slick graphics and a rich, dynamic soundscape, All inPlay brings the excitement of Texas Hold'em from the dining room table to the global neighborhood.

Thanks to support for all major screen-readers and magnifiers, including Jaws, Window-eyes, ZoomText and Dolphin Supernova, All inPlay Texas Hold'em is equally playable by the blind and visually impaired. As with all of All inPlay's software, the game is easy to learn and uses a small number of keystrokes, so you can be playing like a pro in no time. The game allows up to eight players to come together through the power of the Internet to enjoy a friendly game or a high-stakes battle with fake chips. A vibrant soundscape draws players into the game as each turn of the cards brings new possibilities.

All inPlay TAG, short for The Anagram Game, is not just a plain-vanilla anagram game. It's people all over the world banging on their keyboards trying to leave each other in the anagramical dust. There's no taking turns here. Once you hear the gong, you're smack in the middle of an anagram free-for-all, complete with graphics and sound effects. How long each round lasts depends on the table you choose. You can play at a social, more laid-back table or a fast table where there's very little chatting, just a lot of fingers tapping as fast as they'll go. Work out your fingers as well as your mind. Three difficulty levels make it fun for the whole family, even if word games aren't your thing.

Play your way. As mentioned above, they've got tables for beginners, experts and everyone in between. Fast paced, slow paced, competitive, and laid back. You choose. Get the hang of any game quickly, safely, and easily by practicing against computer opponents on the "single player practice tables."

Members not only get to play online 24-7, they also get access to exclusive tournaments. One click and you are in; it couldn't be easier to be part of the excitement. A convenient web page with prizes, rules, and dates is posted well in advance, making it easy to fit it into your schedule. Public scoreboards, perfect for bragging rights, are posted online so you can show all your friends you're the champ!

At All inPlay you can chat, brag, or just plain hang out! Their games have built-in text chat and the website offers free mailing lists (Powered by YahooGroupsthat allow you to connect with friends through email.

Thanks to the help of HUNDREDS of blind and low vision volunteers, all games are completely accessible. Carefully designed speech and sound effects ensure that regardless of your level of vision, you can play with ease. All inPlay games work seamlessly with Window-Eyes and Jaws, and will automatically self voice on computers using other screen access software!

Click this link to get started with All inPlay: http://www.allinplay.com.

AllMusic, All the Time!

From the website:

"The allmusic website was created in 1995 as a place for music fans to indulge their passion. Whether you're visiting allmusic to look up an out-of-print recording, to get our take on a new release, or simply to explore the world of music and see where it may lead, you've come to the right spot."

"The AMG editorial staff, along with hundreds of expert contributors (all music fanatics in their own right), has made allmusic the most comprehensive music reference source on the planet. We are all dedicated to creating and maintaining the knowledgeable, spirited content that music lovers and industry professionals have come to expect from AMG."

"All genres and styles of music are covered here, ranging from the most commercially popular to the most obscure. We critique albums and artists within the context of their own genres - from opera to garage rock to traditional country. This ensures that fans of any style of music can depend on us to keep them up-to-date with their favorite artists as well as introduce them to new sounds."

"For the vast range of artists, albums, and musical styles that we cover, we delve beneath the surface to present a level of detail unmatched anywhere else."

Click this link to visit http://www.allmusic.com.

Ten Great Ways to Use Peroxide

Peroxide was invented during World War II to help army troops. Today, this same chemical can be bought in almost any drugstore for as low as one dollar! However, not everyone is familiar with the uses and benefits one can get from a cheap bottle of peroxide. I took the liberty of researching on this topic. Below are some of the less known but definitely great ways to maximize that small bottle resting in your medicine cabinet!

1. Heal wounds and infections by soaking the affected area in peroxide for five to ten minutes. Do this several times a day for better and faster results.
   
2. Kill fungus on your feet by spraying a mixture, fifty percent peroxide and fifty percent water. Don't wipe with cloth, just let it dry.
   
3. Rather than keeping your toothbrush in your bathroom cabinet, soak it in a cup of peroxide. This will kill bacteria and germs that may have accumulated due to residue from your teeth.
   
4. Use peroxide as mouthwash. Take one capful and gargle for about five to ten minutes. You'll be surprised to see whiter teeth and healthier gums.
   
5. Following the same idea as with your toothbrush, peroxide can also be used as a spray cleaner for countertops and tabletops. You may also put a small amount on a dishrag and wipe on surfaces to kill bacteria and germs.
   
6. Spray a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water into your nostrils whenever you have a cold or blocked sinuses. Hold it for a few minutes and then blow your nose into a tissue. Peroxide kills the bacteria that cause colds, coughs, flu, and sinus infections.
   
7. Use peroxide as a pain-reliever! If you're suffering from a toothache and the dentist is still several miles away, gargle peroxide for about ten minutes several times. This should lessen the pain and give you ample time to get to the dentist.
   
8. Half a bottle of peroxide mixed with your bath can cure mild and recurring skin infections such as rashes, boils and fungus
   
9. Use peroxide as a substitute for bleach. Apply a small amount on stains or mix with your laundry to whiten clothes.
   
10. Clean your mirrors with peroxide! You'll love the smudge and smear-free surface!
    

Wireless Connectivity: Where Can I Find It?

Now that you have wireless connectivity at your fingertips with the APH Braille+ Mobile Manager, it may be helpful to find places where you can connect. Many places are now offering free connectivity, while airports and some businesses have special plans that you can subscribe to. This record will give you some sites where you can search for WiFi connections and some specific businesses that offer WiFi.

Hotspotr

Having WiFi access at a cafe is just about as fulfilling as curling up with a good book. I am one of those Internet addicts that finds myself constantly searching corner coffee shops for the 'free wireless internet for all customers' sign. Needless to say, when I discovered the website Hotspotr, my WiFi cafe search was made much easier.

This community-driven site has over 3,730 WiFi cafes within 1,165 cities. Just go to the site and type in your city to check out Wifi hotspots. No need to create an account as anyone can add or edit a listing and submit reviews.

Click this link to visit http://www.hotspotr.com.

Free Hotspot

Free Hotspot will find the free WiFi locations closest to whatever address you provide, it's even international! What I like about it is the fact that it provides the name of the establishment, the address, the location type (bar, restaurant, etc), and the name of the wireless service you'll be connecting to. I took it for a test drive and so far so good!

Click this link to visit http://www.free-hotspot.com.

Hotspot Finder

This website allows you to search by address, city, airport code, and free, pay or both. If your local library or various local businesses are wi-fi hotspots, you might want to make sure they are listed here.

Click this link to visit the Hotspot Finder Directory at http://usatoday.jiwire.com/.

Starbucks and AT&T

Starbucks Card holders (basically just prepay cards for coffee, tea, etc., purchases), will be entitled to two hours of free WiFi a day, while current AT&T broadband users will have unlimited free access to the WiFi service. AT&T is also allowing current T-Mobile customers to keep using hotspots at no extra cost. The initiative further expands the AT&T Wi-Fi network, already the largest in the United States, to more than 17,000 U.S. hot spots and more than 70,000 globally.

In addition to the free Wi-Fi access for qualifying AT&T customers and any Starbucks Card holder, customers will be able to purchase tiered access to the AT&T Wi-Fi network at Starbucks at attractive price points. For a two-hour period, customers will pay just $3.99 per session. Monthly membership will also be available for $19.99 per month, and will include access to any of AT&T's 70,000 hot spots in 89 countries around the world.

American Airlines

Information is sketchy, but this service will be limited to transcontinental US flights at launch, and will eventually be offered for shorter flights. Planes will be outfitted with three antennae, one on the top for GPS and two on the bottom. The broadband signal will come from Aircell's 92 cellular towers across the continental 48 states that operate on the 3GHz frequency band. The 802.11b/g signal will be distributed throughout the aircraft cabin via evenly spaced access points installed in the ceiling; Aircell claims the surfing experience will be akin to using mobile 3G broadband.

Passengers will get full support for email, VPN, and basic web surfing; VoIP will not be available. Pricing has not been disclosed, although it's suspected to be in the $10 neighborhood.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Customers with a wiFi enabled device will have full access to the Internet including email, music, shopping, and virtual private networks (VPN) via a high-speed connection. Southwest Airlines is partnering with Southern California-based Row 44 and hopes to begin testing Internet capabilities on four aircraft this summer.

Five Tips for Using Bleach

How do you use chlorine bleach? Here are five tips that will help you make the most of bleach without weakening or ruining your clothes.

1. Check to make sure that your fabrics can withstand bleach. Just because they are white does not mean that they should be bleached. In general, the following fabrics can often be bleached: acrylic, cotton, linen, ramie or polyester. Don't bleach the following fabrics: cashmere, leather, nylon, mohair, spandex, silk, wool or anything drip dry.
   
2. Never combine different kinds of bleaches together in one wash. This can have a bad effect on your clothes and may even be dangerous. Make sure that you aren't using a detergent that contains bleach and then adding more bleach.
   
3. For the best results, dilute the bleach in water before you pour it into the washing machine. I do this by adding the bleach to plastic pitcher and then filling the pitcher the rest of the way with water from the washer as it is filling. Ideally, there should be a quart of water for every cup of bleach.
   
4. Use the hottest water in the wash when using bleach. This makes the bleach the most effective.
   
5. You can soak items in a bleach and water solution before washing for effective stain removal. See the amounts of bleach and water above. But don't let the fabrics soak for more than five minutes or it can eat away or at least severely weaken the fabric. Never soak anything that is old and valuable in bleach for this reason. And for the same reason, if you spot treat a stain with bleach, be sure to wash it right away. You could return days later and find that after washing there is a hole in your garment.

PDF Text Extraction in Your Browser

Getting text and other content out of your PDF documents is often a hassle. Adobe Acrobat (or your other favorite PDF viewer) can do copy-and-paste, but that's time-consuming and tedious for anything but the smallest jobs. Acrobat also has a 'save as text' option, but unless you spring for Acrobat Professional, it often generates inaccurate text and simply cannot cope with some languages (especially Chinese, Japanese, and Korean).

Your other options include Adobe's online text conversion tools (which make you wait for an email to get the converted PDF content), or one of the dozens of utilities swarming around the Internet that require you to download, install, and then hope that they won't spray viruses around your computer.

PDFTextOnline can:

• Converts PDF text quickly and accurately
  
• Handles all fonts and languages (including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and more)
  
• Provides easy access to form data, document properties, and bookmarks
  
• Doesn't require a software download -- it works in your browser!

Click this link to convert your next PDF document at http://pdftextonline.com.

Voice of America: The Making Of A Nation

I am a big supporter of multi-media in the classroom. I always learned better if there was some audio or video that went with the lessons.

I found a radio show, available as MP3 downloads or as a podcast on American History. The Voice of America Special English series on The Making Of A Nation is a series of short episodes that provide audio support to the text covering important moments in U.S. History. Each episode is fifteen minutes and is read slowly for those learning English. This could also be of benefit to students with cognative disabilities who may need to hear the stories a little slower.

The top of their main page provides instructions on how to easily access back episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast to insure you never miss an episode. This would be a great classroom activity, maybe an accessible, weekly homework assignment.

Click this link to visit The Voice of America website to learn more about The Making Of A Nation radio program.

Take, Host, and Create Online Courses at Globalclassroom.us

GlobalClassroom is a portal for online learning and it provides all the tools required for taking, hosting and creating classes online. The portal is free for teachers and students alike. GlobalClassroom provides the platform for class design from K-12 to post grad and it allows teachers to create their own dynamic content online. The portal also acts as a social network for students, teachers and adult learners who want access to top educators across the globe. Students are provided with an online portfolio that allows them to view their current credits, documentation and accomplishments. Also offered are development courses for teachers, allowing them to recertify themselves, a tech center for students of technology, a business center and an adult learning center focused on professional development.

"GlobalClassroom was created in partnership with professors, teachers and subject-matter experts from accredited universities and schools. We are developing an online learning center to provide K12 students, teachers and adult learners with access to top educators nationwide. Global Classroom's instructional designers, technology staff, and educators convert successful classroom-based courses into effective online classes, meeting the educational requirements of today's students."

Click this link to visit http://www.Globalclassroom.us.

WikiAudio: the Encyclopedia for Everything Audio

WikiAudio is an addition to the Wikipedia family, allowing you to access and share information relating to the science and art of anything sound related. Once you register, you can use this virtual encyclopedia to create or modify educational information about music and its production, though its not necessary to sign up in order to browse WikiAudio´s many features. It´s purpose is not to introduce the listener to new songs and artists, but rather to create a forum for educated music lovers and performers. One can learn about new recording techniques and the latest in production software. Like other Wikipedia forums, WikiAudio serves as a networking defice as well, allowing music enthusiasts to share information among each other, educating themselves in the process.

After you register, "You will also have access to your own personal customizable profile page, be given your own blog, and be able to post in the forums. You will also be able to upload audio, video and other media. We encourage Artists to sign up and participate."

Click this link to visit http://www.wikiaudio.com.

Tips for Purchasing an External Hard Drive

First of all, you might be wondering why it's a good idea to buy an external hard drive. Well, the main purpose for one is to act as a backup option for your computer. If something were to go wrong with your regular hard drive, you could easily switch, without losing valuable data. External hard drives also add a lot of portability to that data. With an external hard drive, you can take your data anywhere you need to go. They're very simple to use and they always seem to come in handy!

With all of that said, here are five tips you can use when buying an external hard drive:

1. Go With a Brand Name: When it comes to external hard drives, it's best to buy a brand name. Yes, it may cost you a little more, but it will save you in the long run. If you go with a name you don't recognize, you're really only going to get what you pay for. Another reason to buy a brand name is the warranty that comes with it. If something does go wrong with your drive, you can always have it fixed right away. With other companies, you might have a little trouble contacting them and actually getting your hard drive repaired. So, if you don't want to deal with all of that hassle, go with a brand name. You'll thank me later!
   
2. Search It Out: It's best to do some research before you buy a new external hard drive. You can use Google or any of your favorite search engines. You can search the different brands and models, which will really help you when you go to purchase the hard drive. If you have a specific type in mind that you'd like to buy, look for some reviews and any feedback you can find. That information will help you to see how reliable a certain hard drive really is. You may be surprised by some of the things you find, but at least you'll know you're getting the best hard drive for your money!
   
3. Check the Connectivity: When you're buying an external hard drive, you'll want to pay attention to the connection type it has. The one you purchase will either connect via USB or Firewire. Now, Firewire is the fastest choice, but your computer may not have that type of connectivity. In that case, you'll need to find one that will work with your computer, which will probably be a USB version. You'll also need to check on the USB connection you have. Do you have USB 1.0 or 2.0?
   
4. Speed: You don't want a hard drive that runs as slow as molasses, you need to look for a hard drive that is going to give you the speed you want. When it comes down to it, the faster your hard drive performs, the faster your data will be transferred to your computer. With that in mind, there are three things you need to check when you buy your drive. First is the seek time. That needs to be 10ms or less. Second is the buffer size. The more of that, the better, but your drive should have at least 4 MB of buffer. Third is the RPM. For that, the higher it is, the better. It should be at least 5400rpm, but 7200rpm is preferred. If you stick to those basic tips, your hard drive will work just fine!
   
5. Size: The last thing you need to keep in mind when you're buying a new hard drive is the size of it. You knew this one was coming, didn't you?! When it comes to size, you can basically go by the rule of "buy as much as you can afford." When you're talking about data storage space, you can never have too much, so if you can afford 100 GB, get that. If you think you'll need more space and can handle it, get that. It's all up to you, but it's best to add an extra 50 percent on to the amount you think you're going to need. That way, you'll know for sure you won't run out of space within the first couple of months.

If you follow these five rules, you'll be purchasing the best external hard drive you possibly can.

EZ Track Address Book

Large print address book will hold 208 addresses. Includes a plastic template for easy entry. Large alphabet tabs make names easy to find in the 3-ring binder. Additional address insert pages are available.

EZ Track Address Book:
Catalog Number: 1-07910-00

EZ Track Address Book Insert Pages only:
Catalog Number: 1-07911-00

Address Book Pens

Bold-line 20/20 Pens that make entries easy to read.

20/20 Pens, Pack of 5:
Catalog Number: 1-07913-00

20/20 Pens, Pack of 144:
Catalog Number: 1-07916-00

Note: Pens not available with Federal Quota funds.

Click here to purchase these items through our Quick Order Entry page: http://shop.aph.org/quickentry.asp

If you need assistance, click this link to read the Fred's Head Companion post "Purchasing Products From The APH Website Is Easy".

American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
1839 Frankfort Avenue
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6085
Louisville, Kentucky 40206-0085
Toll Free: 800-223-1839
Phone: 502-895-2405
Fax: 502-899-2274
E-mail: info@aph.org
Web site: http://www.aph.org

Using Outlook Express with AOL, Hotmail and Yahoo!

There's always something changing in the world of computers. Recently, AOL, Hotmail and Yahoo! made changes that stopped programs like Outlook Express from directly accessing email through a POP account. I'm happy to report that there is a way to, once again, get your messages back into the more accessible Outlook Express. Just follow these steps:

Yahoo!

The first thing you have to do is get your Web based Yahoo! account into a POP account so that Outlook Express can understand it. The best program for that is probably YPOPS. It's easy to use and you will be able to access all of your email safely with it. Click this link to download YPOPS.

Once you have it downloaded and running, open Outlook Express. Go to Tools, Accounts, Add,Mail.

Type in the name you want to use and click Next. On the next screen, you'll want to enter your Yahoo! e-mail address and click Next again. Ensure that POP3 is selected under the section that says "My incoming server is a (blank) server" and enter "localhost" under the part that says "Incoming mail (POP3, IMAP or HTTP) server." Type in the same thing ("localhost") where it says "Outgoing mail (SMTP) server" and then click Next.

On the resulting screen, type in your Yahoo! mail username under the "Account name" section. If you're not sure what your username is, it's just the beginning part of your email address. Next, type in your Yahoo! mail password (whatever it may be). Click Next and then click Finish.

Now, highlight "localhost" in the Internet Accounts window and choose Properties. Then type "Yahoo! Mail" under Mail Account. That's it! Click OK and then click Close. Your Yahoo! email will then be brought in through Outlook Express and you can enjoy all the features. You can also go back to your YPOPS account and change some settings within that, such as your bulk mail folder, sent messages, deleted messages, etc. Just double click on the YPOPS icon and change whatever you want.

Hotmail

For your Hotmail account, you'll still need a POP program that OE can understand. For that, FreePOPs is recommended and you can download FreePOPs by clicking this link.

After you've downloaded and opened FreePOPs, open Outlook Express and go to Tools, Accounts, Add, Mail.

Type in the name you want to use and click Next. On the next screen, you'll want to enter your Hotmail email address and click Next again. Ensure that POP3 is selected under the section that says "My incoming server is a (blank) server" and enter in "localhost" under the part that says "Incoming mail (POP3, IMAP or HTTP) server." For the "Outgoing mail (SMTP) server" section, type in your ISP's mail server. (That's usually the same server you have used before with any non-Hotmail account). Click Next when you're done.

Enter your complete Hotmail email address under the "Account name" area and type in your Hotmail password. Click Next and then click Finish. Now, go back and highlight the new Hotmail account you created under the Internet Accounts list and choose Properties. Go to the Advanced tab and enter "2000" into the "Server Port Numbers/Incoming mail (POP3)" section. Click OK and Close. You can now start receiving your Hotmail email in Outlook Express and you can also go back to FreePOPs and change your settings to fit your preferences.

AOL

AOL allows any client that has IMAP support to send and receive email. Well, it just so happens that Outlook Express is one of those programs. So, open Outlook Express and go to Tools, Accounts, Add, Mail. Type in your name and click Next. Now, enter in your AOL email address and click Next. For the "My incoming mail server is" section, choose IMAP and under the "Incoming mail (POP3, IMAP) server" area, type "imap.aol.com" (without the quotes). Now, in the "Outgoing mail (SMTP) server" box, type "smtp.aol.com."

Under the "Account name" area, enter in your AOL screenname, which will be the beginning part of your email address. Then type in your AOL password and click Next and then Finish. Under the Internet Accounts window, highlight "imap.aol.com" and choose Properties. Go to the Advanced tab and enter "587" under "Server Port Numbers for Outgoing Mail (SMTP)." Now, go over to the IMAP tab and make sure the line that says "Store special folders on IMAP server" is unchecked. Click OK when you're done. Close that window and choose Yes for the next option. That will then start the download of the AOL folders list into Outlook Express. Click OK when that's done and you're all set!

Keep in mind that your AOL email will stay on the server, so you should visit your regular AOL account every once in awhile, just to keep it clean. Other than that, you can enjoy your AOL email while using Outlook Express.

Guide: Hands-Free

Welcome to Guide Hands-Free, a speech output/input screen magnification productivity tool. Looking for an application that enables you to complete today's most popular computer tasks? Look no further! Guide Hands-Free gives you the option of using a menu driven keyboard command structure to read and write email, surf the web, manage one's finances, scan and read hard copy print, record memos, organize appointments and contacts, and so much more!

Easily train Guide's speech recognition software so that you can speak commands to your Guide-equipped PC as well as dictate text that Guide transcribes into your application of choice! Guide is for the PC user wishing to avoid the complexities of Windows, but still leverage the applications borne out of the Windows environment to perform relevant day-to-day tasks. It is also designed to provide hands-free, speech input capabilities to persons whose multiple impairments hinder them from using a PC keyboard.

For more information about this innovative approach to PC access, please GuideHandsFree-DEMO-HQ.wmv>click this link to view a comprehensive presentation on Guide Hands-Free. Feel free to contact Electronic Vision Access Solutions: http://www.evas.com, the US Distributor of Guide Software by email at inforequest@evas.com or by phone at 800-872-3827 and someone will be happy to follow up with you.

Forteen Things to Do with Old Phone Books

Back in the day, before there were booster seats, my grandmother would give us telephone books to sit on so we could get to the table easier. Every family I knew had a telephone book on hand for just such an occasion. Now of course we have special seats for the littlest guys and girls. I'd like to offer some alternative uses for those useless phone books piling up in your home.

1. Recycle them: All phone books are recyclable. In fact, many are used to make new phone books, just pack them up with your regular recycling pick up and let the pros handle it.
   
2. Use to clean windows: Use vinegar and phone book pages for a streak free shine.
   
3. Use as a booster seat: Just like grandma. When company is visiting and small bodies can't reach the table, use a phone book to help them out. Just be sure the book doesn't slide out from under them.
   
4. Use to press flowers and leaves: Preserve them for framing or art projects.
   
5. Use as animal bedding: Shred pages and use for hamsters, gerbils, rabbits and more.
   
6. Use to line litter pans: Don't forget to recycle the cardboard covers.
   
7. Use as packing material: Tear out pages and ball up or shred to pack around fragile items.
   
8. Use the pages for mulch: This is the same principal as using newspapers for mulch.
   
9. Protect plants: Tear out the pages and lay them around plants to keep out weeds and keep soil moist. Cover with dirt or your regular mulch.
   
10. Use as a step for step aerobics: Add a new challenge to your aerobics workout by stepping on and off the phone book.
    
11. Keep one around the house: Sighted people often need them to find a restaurant or or business.
    
12. Use for kid craft projects: Paper machier anyone?
    
13. Use to kneel on when gardening: Prevent muddy knees by using your phone book as a kneeler.
    
14. Use as a fire starter: Take camping or keep handy by your fire place for starting fires.
    
15. Use as trivets: Protect tables and counters from hot dishes and pots.
    

get rid of grass stains for good

It's summertime and the outdoors beckons. With all the picnics, sports, and other outdoor activities, grass stains happen. Follow the steps below to get rid of the green disasters so you can kick back, relax, and enjoy the summer. It's the best method I've found!

1. Lightly brush off any remaining grass fibers or dirt.
   
2. Mix paste: 1 teaspoon digestive enzymes (found in caplets at health food stores) + small amount of water.
   
3. Generously spread paste onto stain, work it into fabric with a toothbrush or cloth, and let sit for an hour.
   
4. Wash garment as you normally would.

Convert Measurements to Objects that Are Easy to Understand

Sensible Units

Not very good with numbers or measurement units ? Don't feel bad, I'm not either. Here is a fun little web application that takes standard weight, height, length etc. measurements and converts them into real world items such as CD cases, Football fields, MacBook laptops, London buses and so on. Quite handy if you want to get an idea of how big or heavy something is. Simply enter the size or weight of an item and it will instantly come up with a short list of objects.

Click this link to visit http://www.SensibleUnits.com.

Rough Equivalents

How much does an Olympic-size pool full of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter weigh? How much would it cost to mail an aircraft carrier? Find out at Rough Equivalents. Click this link to visit http://www.rough-equivalents.com.

PDF and eBook Search Engine

This PDF Search Engine is a simple and easy-to-use search tool for finding ebooks. You can either search from the website or use the provided search extension and add it to your Firefox search bar.

The search engine works quite well. I tried a couple of searches and in both cases found what I was looking for. Sometimes it gives a direct PDF link, in other cases you might need to download the torrent and use a torrent client to get the book. You can search websites, forums and message boards for pdf files. Overall, it's a very useful engine. Highly recommended.

Click this link to visit http://www.pdf-search-engine.com.

Pump Up the Volume with Your Mouse

To most blind computer users, the mouse is a useless device that sits on the desk, taking up room. That's not really fare to the mouse. I found a Windows utility that will bring new life to your mouse, making it as useful to the blind as it is to someone who can see.

Volumouse is a cool windows program that you should definitely try. Volumouse allows you to control the sound volume by using your mouse wheel without changing any existing mouse functionality. You can define a set of events when the wheel will be used for changing the volume, for instance when the Alt key is held down or when the cursor is over the taskbar.

Click this link to download Volumouse.

Remove Sticky Price Tags with Peanut Butter

Nothing spoils the thrill of a new gadget or CD/DVD like the fingernail torture of trying to get glued-on labels and stickers off it. How about using peanut butter, that great pacifier of kids (and adult cravings)?

Massage a little dab onto and around the area that's gunky, and you'll eventually wipe off a clean surface. Think of it! Something that tastes so good can be helpful at the same time!

Find a Farmer's Market Near You

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a powerful search engine that finds farmer's markets, or greenmarkets, that are close enough to consider for a weekend trip. It tends to have a wider number of markets listed than regional search sites, and drills down by state, county, city, or even partial market names you might remember. You'll see when the markets are open, get web links when available, and can check to see if some stands will take credit cards. Worth a visit, and print-out, for planning this or future trips that cut down on your pre-packaged shopping.

"AMS works to maintain a current listing of farmers markets throughout the United States. Market information is provided to AMS from various sources including state market representatives, market managers, and consumers. The farmers market database is updated on a regular basis".

Click this link to start searching for a Farmer's Market near you.

Why You Should Jott Yourself

Jott is a free service that transcribes voice messages you send into text, then emails a transcription of the message to you. The idea is to make it easy to record memos and reminders for yourself and to easily send messages to others.

After registering online for the service, you can easily create reminders or dictate memos for yourself--or others--using the cell phone that's attached to your hip.

Let's say you've had a "Eureka!" moment while on a bus. Dial Jott's toll-free number (866/568-8123) or, even better, push the speed-dial button you've assigned to it. Almost immediately, a female voice responds: "Who do you want to Jott?" If the message is for yourself, just say, "Myself." After the beep, start talking. Messages can be up to 30 seconds long. When you're finished, simply stop talking. A few seconds later, the voice will say, "Got it." Then hang up or continue with additional memos. Within a few minutes, the message you dictated is transcribed and delivered via e-mail, text message, or both. That's just one way to use Jott. Here are some others I've tried:

You can tell Jott to create a reminder for a specific time. Jott will send you an email or text message reminder, 15 minutes before the event.

Sometimes purchase inspiration strikes when you're out and about. Jott can email you items you're interested in from Amazon. Simply call Jott, say you want to Jott "Amazon," then say the item you want. You'll get an email with the top five thumbnailed search results for your item.

Jott has just added a brand new resource called Jott Feeds. It allows you to call in to Jott and listen to your favorite news feeds on your cell phone! Jott has a large list of news categories from political to financial to technology. In addition, if you cannot find your favorite feed, you can add your own.

Need to send an email or text message while you're riding on a bus or paratransit vehicle? Not a problem, as long as you've previously imported your Outlook or other contact database entries into Jott. When you're ready, press your Jott speed-dial button on your phone and tell Jott to whom you want to send a message. The service will verify the name or ask for clarification. Dictate your message, hang up, and your contact will receive your message as a transcribed email and/or SMS text message. You can send one message to multiple people, as long as you've set up a Jott Group.

Jott had some difficulty identifying my requested contacts when I was in a moving vehicle. Most likely, the ambient noise interfered with its speech recognition system. When we were paused at stop lights or driving along quieter streets, Jott understood my contact names without a problem.

Jott currently supports links not only to Twitter; Tumblr; and Google Calendar; but also LiveJournal; 30 Boxes; Remember the Milk; Blogger; Yahoo Groups; Amazon; Typepad;, Zillow; Wordpress; and Jaiku. Third parties have added links to Fortythree Actions; Gumiyo; Heap; I Want Sandy; Keep Up; Mentat; Mosio; Nozbe, Recommendr; Smartsheet; Toodledo; Trapster; Vitalist; and, if there's another service that isn't supported, there is a feature that lets you create custom links.

Jott's transcriptions of my voice messages have been nearly always 100 percent accurate. The service is especially useful for use with basic cell phones or smart phones with awkward keyboards. With either device, Jott eliminates the need to tiresomely tap out email or text messages.

Click this link to get started with Jott: http://jott.com.

Call for Light Anytime!

Don't worry about walking into a dark home ever again with the Light on Call security system. Light on Call is a simple to-operate system that provides an essential security element, light at any time. It is a system, where upon receiving a phone call, energizes light and provides illumination anywhere from 3 to 300 minutes. Operating time is easily adjustable by turning the knob of the unit to the desire time. The unit provides safety and peace of mind to people of any age and all it requires is a phone jack and a single call home.

A circuit detects the first incoming ring and turns any connected lamp on, prior to the actual sound of the first ring of the phone. Any domestic lamp can be plugged into the unit. Calling your home, office, apartment ,remote holiday condo or any location having the PIU-101 unit installed is free of charge. Even international calls are free.

Click this link to purchase the Light On Call security system for your home: http://www.lightoncall.com.

When Should I See the Eye Doctor?

Here's a handy checklist to consult whenever you sense something about your eyes is just not right - whether it involves one or both eyes:

• Sudden change in vision


• Loss of visual field (grey or black curtain)


• Eye pain


• Progressive redness or copious discharge (especially in contact lens wearers)


• Severe or persistent headache


• Accidental eye exposure to toxic substances (chemical splash)


• Any discomfort following surgery that remains after taking the prescribed pain medication


• Eye or orbital trauma - even if the eye looks okay


• Intense light sensitivity


• Swelling or tenderness of the eyelids and periorbital skin


• Sudden, persistent double vision


• Facial shingles (herpes zoster)


• Nonreactive pupil


• New onset droopy eyelid

This list is not all-inclusive, but the above situations warrant prompt referral to an experienced eye doctor. If you are smart you already have an eye doctor you trust. Otherwise, you may need a referral from your primary care provider or seek care at a nearby emergency room that has ophthalmology coverage.

Article Source:
Eye On Vision Blog

Loving Me: A Guide to Creating and Presenting Workshops on Self-Esteem

Loving Me, written by Billy T. Brookshire, is designed for those who seek to help people who are blind and visually impaired, their families, and the professionals who work with them explore the origin and expression of their self-esteem in a workshop format. Loving Me's packaging in large print with a CD makes the information accessible to everyone. The two-binder set contains 120 activities from which to build self-esteem workshops. Children, transition-age youths, and adults can all benefit from the good balance between the theoretical and practical aspects of self-esteem in this book.

Loving Me, Print/CD Edition:
Catalog Number: 7-02500-00

Loving Me: An Overview Video

This video in APH's Homegrown Series takes the viewer to a workshop conducted by Billy Brookshire, author of the Loving Me self-esteem workshop guide. Blind and visually impaired students and adults, parents, teachers, and other professionals participate in workshop activities designed to enhance self-esteem.

Brookshire talks about Loving Me: A Guide to Creating and Presenting Workshops on Self-Esteem, the intended audience, and some of the activities seen in the video. In his down-to-earth style, Brookshire sets the tone for a fun, engaging, and informational workshop, as a student, a parent, and a teacher tell us about their workshop experience.

VHS:
Catalog Number: 1-30021-00

DVD:
Catalog Number: 1-330021-DVD Click here to purchase these items through our Quick Order Entry page: http://shop.aph.org/quickentry.asp

If you need assistance, click this link to read the Fred's Head Companion post "Purchasing Products From The APH Website Is Easy".

American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
1839 Frankfort Avenue
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6085
Louisville, Kentucky 40206-0085
Toll Free: 800-223-1839
Phone: 502-895-2405
Fax: 502-899-2274
E-mail: info@aph.org
Web site: http://www.aph.org

'K' Sonar Sonic Perceptual Aid

This small, affordable electronic device aids users who are blind or visually impaired with orientation and mobility. By listening to sounds produced by 'K' Sonar, users can determine not only the distance and location of an object, but some of the object's features. Users can even learn to recognize certain objects.

Features:

• Attaches to the golf grip handle of a long cane.
  
• Headphones provide audio feedback, which changes in pitch to indicate the distance to the object being scanned.
  
• Two range modes: long range (about 16 feet) and short range (about 6 feet).

Includes:

• Headphones
  
• Rechargeable battery
  
• Power adapter
  
• Quick-start tape with sample sounds

'K' Sonar:
Catalog Number: 1-07000-00

Click here to purchase these items through our Quick Order Entry page: http://shop.aph.org/quickentry.asp

If you need assistance, click this link to read the Fred's Head Companion post "Purchasing Products From The APH Website Is Easy".

American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
1839 Frankfort Avenue
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6085
Louisville, Kentucky 40206-0085
Toll Free: 800-223-1839
Phone: 502-895-2405
Fax: 502-899-2274
E-mail: info@aph.org
Web site: http://www.aph.org

The 'K' Sonar Curriculum Handbook is Here and Available for Free Download!

Many orientation and mobility instructors and their students have come to know and appreciate the 'K' Sonar, an electronic travel aid sold by APH that expands the perceptual sphere of persons with little or no functional vision. For additional information about the 'K' Sonar, please visit www.aph.org/products/ksonar.html

We are delighted to share the news that the 'K' Sonar Curriculum Handbook is complete and ready for free download in PDF file format. Written by Dr. William M. Penrod, Coordinator of the Orientation and Mobility Program at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky, and by Dr. Terrie (Mary T.) Terlau, the adult life project leader in APH's Educational Research Department, this handbook provides orientation and mobility instructors both a theoretical framework for understanding the integration of the cane and the 'K' Sonar and a practical curriculum of sequenced learning activities that build 'K' Sonar skills from beginning to advanced levels. Instructor Notes and Procedure sections of each exercise offer background information and in-depth explanations of learning activities helpful when preparing 'K' Sonar lessons; and exercise summaries, printable on one double-sided sheet, provide a quick reference guide for instructors to consult during a 'K' Sonar lesson.

The 'K' Sonar Curriculum Handbook is available as a free PDF file download. To download the handbook, please visit www.aph.org/manuals/

APH News: June 2008

APH News

Your monthly link to the latest information on the products, services, and training opportunities from the American Printing House for the Blind.

June 2008

Exciting New APH Products Announced!

Read on to learn about these new products - now available!

• Special Hot Pricing for Your Summer Reading Enjoyment!
• Jumbo Work/Play Tray
• Loving Me: An Overview Video
• Crashing Through Now Available in Braille
• APH Braille Book Corner

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Celebrating Our New Look

The "big dig" on the front lawn of the Printing House gave way to flowers and sunshine during dedication ceremonies for the companies' front lawn renovation on May 16th. The company broke ground on the project in March. For most of the last three months, the main entrance has been marked by an immense pile of dirt, busy workers, and construction barriers. A reception honoring the company board, city officials, neighbors, donors, and other supporters introduced the "wayfinding" project and officially reopened the building's main entrance.

Wayfinding involves visual, tactile, and audible "clues" that guide people from one place to another. Hallmarks of the redesigned entrance include clear signage, well-lit pathways, comfortable seating areas, and attractive landscaping.

"APH is located in a beautiful, historic neighborhood," said President Tuck Tinsley. "Through this project, we hope to better connect with our neighborhood and welcome all our visitors-from both the local community and around the world."

A new museum exhibit celebrating one hundred and fifty years of service and innovation opened the same night. History in the Making: APH Past to Present provides an exciting new doorway into the APH Museum. It explores, in a uniquely accessible way, how a small company operating in a school basement grew into the largest supplier of educational and daily living aids for blind and visually impaired people in the world. For more information about the company's wayfinding efforts or the new exhibit contact the Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind at (502)899-2365.

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Building Independence
Your Washington D.C. Exhibit Invitation

The American Printing House for the Blind presents a traveling museum exhibit, In Touch with Knowledge: The Education History of Blind People.

Russell Senate Office Building Rotunda
1st and C Streets, NE
Washington, DC 20510
Tuesday, June 17, through Thursday, June 19
8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily
Free and open to the public

Please stop by for a "hands on" experience of how people who are blind and visually impaired learn reading, writing, science, geography, and math.

APH staff will guide you as you explore tactile and audio learning methods, write your name in braille, and see the growing impact of technology on educational and career opportunities for people who are blind and visually impaired.

Founded in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1858, APH promotes the independence of blind and visually impaired persons by providing specialized materials, products, and services needed for education and life.

Since 1879, APH has worked I partnership with the Federal Government to provide the unique learning tools needed by our nation's legally blind students below college level. Through an appropriation from Congress and the U.S. Department of Education, APH conducts research and manufactures specialized educational aids. Print materials are transcribed into braille for students who are blind and transformed into large print for those with low vision. APH staff provides training to teachers, parents, and vision professionals across the country on the use of these unique products.

This APH sesquicentennial event is hosted by the American Printing House for the Blind with the support of Senator Mitch McConnell and Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.

For more information, contact Nancy Lacewell at APH--email nlacewell@aph.org or call 502-895-2405, ext. 339

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APH Calls for Field Testing of SAM

APH is seeking four teams to field test SAM: Symbols and Meaning during the 2008-09 school year. This is a 9-month commitment.

What is the intention of SAM? To build a conceptual foundation leading to successful symbol use including words, objects, tactual symbols, pictures, and graphics. It is for students with visual and multiple impairments and preschool children with visual impairments who are just beginning to use symbols in the late sensorimotor, early preoperational stage of cognitive development (3-5 year cognitive level).

Through games the concept categories of people (the self and others), objects (tangible things), actions (body movements of the self and others), and places (where things are, context for groups of things) are introduced.

Each team is made up of a student, a classroom teacher, a teacher of students who are visually impaired, a parent, an occupational therapist and/or speech language pathologist (if student is receiving these services), and a diagnostician (optional).

Requirements:

The team leader must participate in an online training conducted by author Millie Smith. This is a training of trainers workshop. The team leader will be responsible for training the other members of the team. Other team members are welcome to participate in the online training. The training is scheduled for the second week in August, 2008.

The TVI or diagnostician conducts the pre-assessment of the student.

The team uses the product throughout the academic year.

The TVI or diagnostician conducts the post-assessment of the student.

Technology requirements for the online training:

Broadband internet connection, Windows® Operating System, Administrative rights to download/use software and stream audio and video

Accessories:

• Computer microphone
• Computer speakers
• Projector (optional for larger groups)

Software:

• Windows Messenger
• Windows Media Player
• TC Conferencing

Are you willing to participate? Questions? Please contact Research Associate Tristan Pierce at tpierce@aph.org or 800/223-1839, ext. 380.

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New and Improved NIMAC Presence on the Internet!

The re-designed NIMAC website is now available at www.nimac.us! You will find the same helpful resources as before, but with a design that allows NIMAC authorized users, publishers, accessible media producers and others to choose the section of the NIMAC website that is just for them! We will be busy posting new content to the site over the next few days so please check out our new design soon!

NIMAC at 8,000!! That is correct! NIMAC now has over 8,000 NIMAC file sets ready for download and conversion to braille, large print or other specialized format! And there are thousands more in process! We are thrilled with the response from state and local educational agencies who are requesting that publishers deposit their NIMAS file sets with NIMAC. We are also grateful to the publishing community for responding so quickly and converting so many of their textbooks and other educational materials into NIMAS. We are grateful for your patience as we experience growing pains: over half those 8,000 NIMAS files were reviewed and accepted in just 6 months! This is more than we reviewed and accepted in the entire first year of operation, and more than twice as many as were expected during our first 18!

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APH Braille+ Mobile Manager Tutoring on YouTube!

Our young instructor, Chase, has posted a new Braille+ tutorial. Look for lesson (4d), APH Braille+: Changes in Address Book at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2U7ZKY54fI

View all nine videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/BraillePlus

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WANTED: Braille Literacy Product Development Project Leader II

Under the immediate supervision of Dr. Ralph Bartley, Director of Research, this project leader will primarily develop, field test, and produce braille literacy products for teachers and rehabilitation staff to use with students and adult consumers who are blind/visually impaired. The position is also responsible for the modernizing of existing APH products.

To read the full job description and how to apply for this exciting NEW position, please visit www.aph.org/employment/blpdpl2.html

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Advisory Committees Offer Good Advice

APH's two standing Ex Officio Trustee advisory committees, the Educational Services Advisory Committee (ESAC) and the Educational Products Advisory Committee (EPAC) met in Louisville May 18 - 22 for their annual spring meetings. The committee members spent many long days meeting with key APH staff to discuss our processes, projects, and products. Committee members heard reports on NIMAC, Accessible Textbooks, Accessible Tests, the APH website, Louis, product training, product development, and many other exciting projects now underway or coming soon to APH. Vice Presidents Bill Beavin, Bob Brasher and Jack Decker led a lively discussion on ways to best leverage federal funds and forecast purchases.

The two Committees, led by chairs Jackie Denk (ESAC) and Tom Winton (EPAC) provided staff with preliminary reports citing commendations for past achievement and recommendations for future improvements. Both reports will be posted on the APH website in their final forms in upcoming months.

Photos: ESAC Committee(upper picture): Frank Simpson (NY), Barb Perkis (IL), Jackie Denk (KS), Michael Bina (MA), and Angyln Franquemont (AR). EPAC Committee (lower picture): Nancy Niebrugge (CA), Dean Stenehjem (WA), Jim Downs (GA), Joe Catavero (NY), Lorri Quigley (NM), Tom Winton (NC), Stacy Grandt (WI), and Steven Rothstein (MA).

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Did You Know?...

The 140th Annual Meeting of Ex Officio Trustees and Special Guests of the American Printing House for the Blind will take place at the historic Seelbach Hotel in downtown Louisville. As we celebrate APH's 150th year of building independence for people with visual impairments, you'll have the opportunity to walk where celebrities, legends, and the infamous once walked.

The Seelbach Hilton is a grand hotel that has attracted the rich and famous for almost 100 years. F. Scott Fitzgerald was one of the hotel's most significant visitors, as he references the hotel in his book "The Great Gatsby." The Seelbach Hilton's storied past is filled with tales of 1920s gangsters, U.S. presidents and even...a ghost!

In the 1920s, Prohibition contributed to the wealth of underworld kingpins who were drawn to the most glamorous spots for cards and leisure. The Seelbach, as the grandest hotel in Louisville and the center of Kentucky's bourbon and whiskey country, attracted some of the most famous gangsters.

Al Capone, probably the most legendary gangster of the 1920s, used to visit The Seelbach frequently for blackjack, poker and bootlegging. Today, you can dine in a small alcove in The Oakroom where Capone would play cards. The famous gangster even sent a large mirror from Chicago, still in the room today, so that he could watch his back! Capone's favorite room also has two hidden doors behind special panels, leading to secret passageways. If the police came on a raid, Capone could slip out the concealed passageways -- one way led down to Fourth Street -- another led to tunnels under the hotel.

In the basement, the Bavarian-style Rathskeller, built in 1907, was also one of Capone's favorite places to do business. During Prohibition, the Rathskeller bar was still open to its elite patrons. Our Saturday night social event will give you the opportunity to relive the glory days of the Rathskeller, so you won't want to miss this one!

Stay tuned to further editions of the APH News to find out more about the illustrious past and present of this Louisville landmark! Also, visit the Annual Meeting page on the website for the latest developments. Hotel reservation information will soon be posted. and visit the Annual Meeting page on the website.

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CCSSO ASES Members Visit APH

Forty-six members of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) Division on Assessment of Special Education Students (ASES) visited APH for an exciting and informative half-day workshop during their two-day meeting in Louisville. It was this group's first time meeting in Louisville and first time visiting APH. They toured the facilities and were offered presentations which included an overview of assessment issues, some braille basics, an explanation of the roles of the Test Editor, Transcriber and Proofreader, enhanced print as well as tactile graphics issues and guidelines. The workshop ended with demonstrations of editing regular print test items for presentation in braille, tactile graphics, enhanced print, and audio formats. Some of the thoughtful questions and concerns expressed by ASES members included the readability of tactile graphics, what can be used when sighted students are using their graphing calculators, and use of color and gray-scale for students with color-blindness or low vision. It was a fun and productive day for everyone involved.

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APH Travel Calendar

June

June 13-15, 2008
Montana Family Learning Weekend;
Great Falls, MT

June 15-19, 2008
Washington DC 150th Celebration Event;
Washinton , DC

June 16-18, 2008
Texas Focus Conference;
Austin, TX

June 19-21, 2008
Georgia Project of Assistive Technology (GPAT) Summer Institute;
St Simons Island, GA

June 27-28, 2008
National Braille Challenge;
Los Angeles, CA

June 29-July 5, 2008
NFB National Convention;
Dallas, TX

July

July 4-12, 2008
ACB 2008 National Convention (BITS) Luncheon;
Louisville, KY

July 10-13, 2008
NOAH 2008(National Organization for Albanism & Hypopigmentation Conference);
Las Vegas, NV

July 22-27, 2008
2008 AER-International Conference;
Chicago, IL

August

August 2, 2008
Portland State;
Portland, OR

August 8-10, 2008
Visions 2008;
Washington, DC

August 11-16, 2008
63rd BVA National Convention;
Phoenix, AZ

August 13-15, 2008
Pathways to Possibilities;
Virginia Beach, VA

September

September 4-6, 2008
Envision Conference;
San Antonio, TX

September 27, 2008
Indiana Vision Expo;
Indianapolis, IN

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Two Giants to Enter the Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field in 2008

The Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field announces that two remarkable individuals will join the 40 members inducted since 2002. The 2008 Induction Ceremony will take place on Friday evening, October 3, in conjunction with APH's Annual Meeting of Ex Officio Trustees and Special Guests.

The Class of 2008:

• Sally Mangold, Ph.D.
  
  Sally Mangold was a passionate proponent and champion of braille literacy throughout her career. According to AFB President Carl Augusto, "Sally Mangold's writings, technological breakthroughs, and teachings have not only enabled children and adults who are blind or visually impaired to learn braille, but also have raised awareness to the critical importance of braille literacy."
  
  
• Richard L. Welsh, Ph.D.
  
  During his illustrious career, Rick Welsh has served as an orientation and mobility specialist, a college instructor and professor, a counselor, a coordinator of rehabilitation services, and an agency administrator, most notably as President of both the Maryland School for the Blind and Pittsburgh Vision Services. Frances Mary D'Andrea observes, "Rick has that rare ability to take the long view, and with remarkable foresight to forge a vision of what could be--and then work hard to make it a reality."
  
  

To view the full press release, visit "What's New at the Hall" at the Hall of Fame website: www.aph.org/hall_fame/news.html

Soon there will be additional information regarding the 2008 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on the APH website, under the 2008 Annual Meeting Banner.

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NBA Announces Fall Conference

NBA wishes to invite all transcribers, teachers, and paraprofessionals to its Fall Professional Development Conference. This fall, in Lexington Kentucky, NBA plans to offer two strands of workshops:

• Focus on Solutions for Providing Quality Braille Materials to Students
  
  
• Overview of the Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science Notation
  
  

Lexington, Kentucky is proudly known as the "Horse Capital of the World". Visit www.visitlex.com for more information about this great Bluegrass Region of the State of Kentucky. The conference hotel is the Marriott Griffin Gate Hotel and Spa which is situated amid the rolling meadows of Bluegrass Country offering plenty of southern hospitality.

Make plans now to attend October 29 - November 1, 2008. Plan to join us the first night on October 29th as the "gates will open" and the horses will "run for the dots". There will be time for networking with fellow braillists. Then buckle down to serious workshops for 3 days. Watch the NBA Website for further details and registration information. http://www.nationalbraille.org

The National Braille Association is a sponsor of the Braille Authority of North America.

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Hadley Basketball Project

The Hadley School for the Blind is collaborating with Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology to create an audible basketball for individuals who are blind. The engineering students working on the project would welcome feedback to survey questions from visually impaired individuals who have an interest in such a basketball. Please contact Mitchell Thomas, who is leading the project team, at thomasm4@rose-hulman.edu

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Additional Product Manuals Available for Free Download!

Selected APH products now have manuals available for free-of-charge download. You may print or emboss these manuals as needed.

The following manuals were recently posted to our manual download page, www.aph.org/manuals/index.html

• Braillewriting Dot by Dot, Teacher's Manual, Braille: 5-17401-00
• Crafty Graphics: Stencil Embossing Kit, Large Print Guidebook: 7-08844-00
• Crafty Graphics: Stencil Embossing Kit, Braille Guidebook: 5-08844-00
• IntelliTactiles: Pre-Braille Concepts User's Guide, Print: 7-08516-01
• IntelliTactiles: Standard Overlay, User's Guide, Braille: 5-08515-00
• IntelliTactiles: USB Overlay, User's Guide, Braille: 5-08513-00
• Let's See: Sensory Activities Kit, Braille Manual: 5-08141-00
• Let's see: Perceptual Activities Kit, Braille Manual: 5-08151-00
• Tactile Treasures : Math and Language Concepts for Young Children with Visual Impairments, Braille Guidebook: 5-08842-00

We will continue to package hard copies of these manuals with their products and sell hard copy manuals as replacement items. If, however, we have posted the manual as a free download, we will not carry inventory on the shelf for immediate delivery. If you purchase one of these manuals it will be considered a special order product and will normally be shipped within three weeks.

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The 'K' Sonar Curriculum Handbook is Here and Available for Free Download!

Many orientation and mobility instructors and their students have come to know and appreciate the 'K' Sonar, an electronic travel aid sold by APH that expands the perceptual sphere of persons with little or no functional vision. For additional information about the 'K' Sonar, please visit www.aph.org/products/ksonar.html

We are delighted to share the news that the 'K' Sonar Curriculum Handbook is complete and ready for free download in PDF file format. Written by Dr. William M. Penrod, Coordinator of the Orientation and Mobility Program at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky, and by Dr. Terrie (Mary T.) Terlau, the adult life project leader in APH's Educational Research Department, this handbook provides orientation and mobility instructors both a theoretical framework for understanding the integration of the cane and the 'K' Sonar and a practical curriculum of sequenced learning activities that build 'K' Sonar skills from beginning to advanced levels. Instructor Notes and Procedure sections of each exercise offer background information and in-depth explanations of learning activities helpful when preparing 'K' Sonar lessons; and exercise summaries, printable on one double-sided sheet, provide a quick reference guide for instructors to consult during a 'K' Sonar lesson.

The 'K' Sonar Curriculum Handbook is available as a free PDF file download. To download the handbook, please visit www.aph.org/manuals/

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Special Hot Pricing for Your Summer Reading Enjoyment!

Receive 10% off the Handi II, and Table Top Recorder/Players, and Cases.

Also, Receive 50% off accessories listed below.

Effective June 1 thru September 30, 2008

Product Number	Description	Original Price	Promotion Price
Handi-Cassette II Tape Recorder/Player - plays and records at standard or Talking Book speed
1-07085-00	Handi-Cassette II	$185.00	$166.00
1-07085-01	Handi-Cassette II International	$175.00	$157.00
1-07084-00	Handi-Cassette II Carrying Case	$19.00	$17.00
Accessories for Handi-Cassette II
1-07083-00	Instructional Cassette	$2.50	$1.25
1-07086-00	Battery Clip	$8.00	$4.00
1-07082-00	Battery Pack NIMH	$12.00	$6.00
Table Top Cassette Recorder/Player - plays and records at standard or Talking Book speed
1-07150-00	Table Top Cassette Recorder/Player (US)	$225.00	$202.00
1-07150-01	Table Top Cassette Recorder/Player (UK)	$225.00	$202.00
1-07150-02	Table Top Cassette Record/Player (Europe)	$225.00	$202.00
1-07010-00	Table Top Carrying Case	$12.00	$10.50

**Note: All Sale Items Available While Supply Lasts**

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NEW! Jumbo Work/Play Tray

Jumbo Work/Play Tray with insert: 1-03764-00 -- $42.00

The Jumbo Work/Play Tray is designed to provide learners who have visual impairments and significant challenges with a tool in which they can play, explore, and learn independently. The large size tray (24" x 24") allows ample space for active learning and prevents toys from rolling out of reach.

Can be used with:

• A HOPSA Dress™ or similar device so a child uses his or her feet on the tray
• A swing, hammock, or foam wedge while the child is prone and uses his or her hands on the tray
• A child sitting on the tray

A yellow liner accompanies the tray for additional color contrast. Adhesive foam (included) can be cut and placed on the bottom of the tray to protect floors or prevent sliding.

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NEW! Loving Me: An Overview Video

VHS: 1-30021-00 -- $10.00
DVD: 1-30021-DVD -- $10.00

This video in APH's Homegrown Series takes the viewer to a workshop conducted by Billy Brookshire, author of the Loving Me self-esteem workshop guide. Blind and visually impaired students and adults, parents, teachers, and other professionals participate in workshop activities designed to enhance self-esteem.

Brookshire talks about Loving Me: A Guide to Creating and Presenting Workshops on Self-Esteem, the intended audience, and some of the activities seen in the video. In his down-to-earth style, Brookshire sets the tone for a fun, engaging, and informational workshop, as a student, a parent, and a teacher tell us about their workshop experience.

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NEW! Crashing Through Now Available in Braille
A-B0606-00 -- $187.00

APH now offers a braille edition of the acclaimed book Crashing Through: A True Story of Risk, Adventure, and the Man Who Dared to See. This is the inspirational story of Mike May, who was blinded in a childhood accident, but never hesitated to try anything he wanted to experience: driving a motorcycle, hiking alone in the woods, downhill skiing. Later, May decided to have a new stem-cell and cornea transplant procedure that partially restored his vision. Join May on his remarkable journey as he adjusts to his medical miracle, lives with disappointments as well as joys, and engages life with exuberance.

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APH offers a number of recreational books in braille (Quota funds can be used). Each of these titles was originally transcribed and produced by APH for the National Library Service which has graciously granted permission for this offering. As usual, these titles have been added to the APH Louis Database where you can find thousands of titles produced in accessible formats.

Note: all books are produced upon receipt of orders, therefore, please allow approximately 8 weeks for delivery.

Kidnapped at the Capital: Capital Mysteries, Book 2
Ron Roy, Braille: T-N1681-30 -- $12.50
While KC and her best friend, Marshall, attend the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C., KC's mother and the president of the United States are kidnapped. And the ransom demanded is the International Space Station! Juvenile Fiction. Grades 2-4. *(AR Quiz #74863, BL 3.7, Pts. 1.0)

The Homework Machine
Dan Gutman, Braille: T-N1659-00 -- $28.50
Fifth-grade class geek Brenton figures out how to get his computer to do his homework for him. His mistake is letting his seating group (the class clown, the teacher's pet, and a slacker) in on his secret. Juvenile Fiction. Grades 3-6. *(AR Quiz #103771, BL 4.8, Pts. 4.0)

Born to Rock
Gordon Korman, Braille: T-N1692-70 -- $54.00
Young Republican Leo Caraway loses his Harvard scholarship on a technicality and learns that his biological dad is a legend--former punk rocker "King Maggot." Hoping for college money, Leo joins King's comeback tour as a roadie and grows up along the way. Fiction. Junior and Senior High readers. *(AR Quiz #105987, BL 5.3, Pts. 8.0)

Eavesdropping: A Life by Ear
Stephen Kuusisto, Braille: T-N1691-20 -- $54.00
The author of Planet of the Blind, who has been legally blind since birth, explains how he perceives the world around him through listening. In these essays he describes childhood influences, adult travels, artful eavesdropping, and love of poetry and Caruso's singing. Biography. Adult.

The Alibi Man
Tami Hoag, Braille: T-N1690-90 -- $92.50
Horse trainer Elena Estes, a former narcotics detective, discovers the body of her coworker Irina Markova in a canal. Elena's investigation leads to her previous Palm Beach, Florida, circles, where she finds ties to the Russian mob and society elite, including Bennett Walker--her ex-fiancé. Violence and strong language. Fiction. Adult.

*Accelerated Reader number, reading level, and point value. For more information on the Accelerated Reader program, see the January 2006 APH News or www.renlearn.com/ar/

APH News Credits

President:
Dr. Tuck Tinsley
ttinsley@aph.org

Designer:
Malcolm Turner, APH Website Coordinator
webmaster@aph.org

Thanks to the following APH staff:

• Cindy Amback, Support Specialist, Field Services
• Janie Blome, Director, Field Services
• Scott Blome, Director, Communications
• Jan Carroll, Braille Transcription Services Director
• Frank Hayden, Technical Research Manager, Research
• Nancy Lacewell, Director, Government and Community Relations
• Stephanie Lancaster, Graphic Designer, Communications
• Michael McCarty, Fred's Head Expert Database, Communications
• Julia Myers, Director, Resource Services and NIMAC
• Artina Paris-Jones, Assistant, Field Services
• Gwynn Stewart, Support Specialist, Communications
• Tuck Tinsley, President
• Debbie Willis, Director, Accessible Tests

Editor:
Bob Brasher, Vice President, Advisory Services and Research
bbrasher@aph.org

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For additional recent APH News, click the following:
May Issue - www.aph.org/advisory/2008adv05.html
April Issue - www.aph.org/advisory/2008adv04.html
March Issue - www.aph.org/advisory/2008adv03.html

Archive of all previous issues - www.aph.org/advisory/advarch.html

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The APH News is a monthly publication from the American Printing House for the Blind:
1839 Frankfort Avenue
Louisville, KY 40206
800/223-1839

Please share this web link or any items that appear in this publication with anyone who might benefit.

Thank you.

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Subscribe to the APH News!
Get convenient email reminders every month when a new issue of the APH News is released.

It's Easy!

1. Create an email to aphinfo-request@iglou.com
2. Leave the subject blank
3. Type the word 'subscribe' (without any quote marks) in the body of the message
4. Send it.

Low Fat Linux and the Braille+

Bob Rankin, editor of The Tourbus email newsletter wrote a book called "The No BS Guide to Linux" a few years ago. That book is out of print, but the contents are as fresh and relevant as ever, so he decided to put all that material online, freely available for anyone who wants to learn the basics of using Linux without getting bogged down in too much detail or technobabble.

Click this link to get the online book Low Fat Linux: http://www.LowFatLinux.com

This free online tutorial will teach you about the Linux file system useful commands, text editors, data manipulation, shell programming, accessing DOS and Windows Files from Linux and much more. I hope you find it useful.

Click this link to visit The Tourbus Website: http://www.TOURBUS.com. Don't forget to sign up for their free newsletter!

Braille+ Mobile Manager

This powerful, flexible, and easy-to-use mobile manager from LevelStar™ and APH runs Linux and has been designed specifically for users who are blind or visually impaired. Use it like a hand-held PDA or like a laptop.

Use Braille+ Mobile Manager to:

• Stay connected by using its web browser, wireless capability, podcasts, RSS, and email
• Manage appointments with its calendar and address book
• Type reports or letters on the word processor
• Record lectures or journal the day's events
• Play your favorite songs or listen to books and movies—it stores thousands
• Transfer files and synchronize appointments with your Windows® PC

Braille+ Features

• Braille keyboard
• 40GB hard drive
• Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® capability built-in
• Word processor that is Microsoft Word® compatible
• MP3 player
• Book player supports DAISY books and Bookshare®
• Voice recorder
• Address book, clock, stopwatch, and calendar

Includes

• Rechargeable battery and AC Adapter
• Carrying Case
• Lanyard
• Ear buds
• Interface and USB Cables
• Tutorial Audio and Program CD and Print/Braille Quick Start guides

Some online training programs are now available at http://www.aph.org/webcast/index.html.

Braille+ Mobile Manager:
Catalog Number: 1-07450-01

Click here to purchase this item through our Quick Order Entry page: http://shop.aph.org/quickentry.asp

If you need assistance, click this link to read the Fred's Head Companion post "Purchasing Products From The APH Website Is Easy".

American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
1839 Frankfort Avenue
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6085
Louisville, Kentucky 40206-0085
Toll Free: 800-223-1839
Phone: 502-895-2405
Fax: 502-899-2274
E-mail: info@aph.org
Web site: http://www.aph.org

Hotspot Finder - Worldwide Wi-Fi Hotspot Directory

Now that you have wireless connectivity at your fingertips, it may be helpful to find places where you can connect. This website allows you to search by address, city, airport code, and free, pay or both. If your local library or various local businesses are wi-fi hotspots, you might want to make sure they are listed here.

Click this link to visit the Hotspot Finder Directory at http://usatoday.jiwire.com/.