Making Your Digital Marketing More Accessible

I had an opportunity to sit down with Jason Falls and talk about accessibility. Jason recently posted the following to his blog, Social Media Explorer and I wanted to share it here.

Making Your Digital Marketing More Accessible

by Jason Falls

There are two million people in the U.S. who are blind or visually impaired. That number is sure to grow in coming years as Baby Boomers, and their eyes, age. That’s a lot of people. Ever wondered how they “see” your website? What about how they navigate and use social media channels? Unless you are visually impaired, you’ve probably not thought about it.

Last week I spent a half day with several staff members at the American Printing House for the Blind talking about how the visually impaired use social media, websites and technology in general. The sad truth is that as cool as our blogs and websites look to us, many people can not only not see them, they often can’t decipher what’s there because we forget, or don’t know how, to build our sites with accessibility in mind.

In general, good SEO practices are also good accessibility practices. Strong header tags actually serve as sub-navigation menus for screen readers (Audio devices used by many visually impaired. See video below.) This allows users to skip past lots of top level site navigation and get down the page to meat of the content.

ALT tags on images and TITLE tags on links help screen readers tell the user what the image or link is. Without them, the audio reader just tells the person that an image is a “graphic” or it reads the file name. If the file is named as most images (e.g. – IMG4576890.jpg) that’s a whole lot of useless for the user. For links, a missing title tag means the reader will announce the entire URL which is often not helpful at all, either.

But think about that for a minute. If you’re stuffing keywords into your TITLE and ALT tags and either awkwardly or not accurately describing the image or link at hand, you’re doing the visually impaired reader a disservice. If you’re also top heavy with navigation on your site — lots of sub-menus and the like — you’re forcing blind users to sit through audio announcements of each menu item before they get to the meat of the page.

And then just think about the process of having to take each element on a given web page — division, table, image, link, menu item, sub-menu item and more — and listen to a reader enumerate what each is, in order from top left to bottom right, so you can imagine what’s on a page. You can likely glance at this page on Social Media Explorer and jump right to the headline or the first line of copy in the blog post. A visually impaired person has to wait until their reader tells them about all the header and navigation information first. This user experience adds exponentially more time to consume each page for the user.

Mike McCarty, social media manager at APH, told me the tendency to pile lots of navigation at the top or even upper left side of a given web page is not just an accessibility issue, but also a usability one. Sites with lots of top level navigation, as pretty as it may appear, are sites that frustrate the visually impaired.

And keep in mind that we’re not just talking about the blind consumer. We’re also talking about individuals with aging eyes that need fonts enlarged and the like. Using fixed variable fonts in your styling of a page makes it often impossible for many to read your content. And some users need to enlarge a font 4-6 times its normal size in order to see it. Designing a site with this in mind will help you make one beautiful for those who can and perhaps cannot see.

To give you an example of what it’s like to “see” the web the way someone visually impaired does, I looked over McCarty’s shoulder as he gave us a little tour of how to navigate the web without sight.

By the way, YouTube videos, SlideShare embeds and the like … there are buttons within their players that could be accessible if they appropriately labeled the buttons. Visually impaired folks wishing to watch that video had to navigate around “Label Zero” “Label One” “Label Two” instead of “Play/Stop” “Fast Forward” or “Rewind.” How about you video and player sites get with the program, too?

McCarty and his colleagues reported that Twitter and Google sites are generally okay to navigate. As he indicated in the video, Qwitter is a third-party Twitter application with a screen reader-friendly version. It runs in the background of one’s computer and announces when you have new tweets to read, etc. But LinkedIn and Facebook are a nightmare for the visually impaired. With lots of links and images embedded in news streams there, many of which don’t have proper ALT or TITLE tags, you may as well give up and go on to another site.

Justin Romack, a content marketing consultant who also happens to be visually impaired, assured me that social media sites aren’t all frustrations for those visually challenged. Romack wasn’t always visually impaired. In 2008 he lost 95 percent of his vision and fell into depression. The blind and visually impaired communities on Facebook and Twitter were the people who helped him not just learn how to function in a less visible world, but helped him through it emotionally as well.

Romack also told me the iPhone is surprisingly accessible and he’s been delighted with several conversations with Foursquare about making their product more accessible to the visually impaired. He even reported that an engineer at Foursquare sent him some instructions on how to make maps accessible through touch screen products like the iPhone.

Dave Brodbeck, a psychology professor at Algoma University in Ontario who also has limited vision, wasn’t as thrilled with the accessibility of his phone. Perhaps he and Romack should talk? As someone who says he doesn’t use screen readers because he was never given access to them growing up so he learned to cope and deal, Brodbeck says his biggest frustrations are with page layout and styling.

“For me, the biggest challenge is font size and menu options,” he told me. “I zoom in on my screen, which is one of the many reasons I have a Mac. It is dead easy to do. But, when zoomed in, menus tend to be messed up, or be off the screen. I am not sure there is a solution for this.”

He, along with several other visually impaired I talked to, said the one thing that universally pisses users like them off is Captcha’s. I assured him they piss the visual off as well. It doesn’t matter how well you see detail, you never know if it’s an A, D, P or R. Heh.

McCarty told me most visually impaired folks will go to the mobile version of a site, if one is available, because you can at least access the main content there without images and other problematic page features. But that’s only half a solution since the mobile versions of many sites are limited in features and functionality. Facebook and LinkedIn are two culprits there – poorly accessible main site experiences with limited functionality in the mobile-optimized platform.

Watching McCarty was fascinating for me, as I’m sure it was for you. The sighted certainly take that gift for granted. We in the digital marketing and social media space probably moreso than others. I left APH thankful for my sight, but woeful for our sites. We can do better. How about we start today?

Note: Follow the American Printing House for the Blind on Twitter or subscribe to their Fred’s Head Blog, named after Fred Gissoni, a legendary employee of APH who is that guy there (and we all have them in our companies) that seems to know everything. The inspiration results in a pretty useful blog that serves a great purpose and audience. The screen reader McCarty referred to, JAWS, is available online at FreedomScientific.com.

Brainshark: Add Voice to Powerpoint & Word Docs

MyBrainshark is a cool web tool for enchaining your presentations online. It lets you upload PowerPoint presentations, videos, image slideshows or documents and effectively increase their interactivity by adding voice narrations.

Making voice presentations is easy. Just upload your file and then record your voice by calling a phone number provided by MyBrainshark. This tool has support for several video, audio, and document formats, so you won’t have a problem dealing with file conversions to make this service work for you.

MyBrainshark’s core functions are catered to businesses. The app is useful for corporate trainings, business presentations, product demos, proposals, and lectures. But if you are a blogger looking for a personal show-and-tell tool, Brainshark will also work well for your needs. You can also view other presentations from MyBrainshark’s rich content library.

You can register an individual account for free or you can view their small business and enterprise accounts if you are looking to integrate this tool to your business.

Check out myBrainshark at http://www.my.brainshark.com.

1,100 Free Childrens Braille Books from Temple Beth El Sisterhood Braille Bindery

Temple Beth El Sisterhood Braille Bindery will ship, for free, to a child's home or school any of 1100 children's books in braille. Among the latest books available are two Percy Jackson series titles. Many age levels are included, and you can view the complete list by following the link below. Contact Barbara Mandelbaum for further information at 248-542-7736 or emailing asmandel1@sbcglobal.net.

All books are free, and donations of Braille paper in boxes are always appreciated.

Click this link to visit the TBE Braille Bindery website.

Daily Deals for Dog Guides

Not just for dog guides, but any dog really!

For folks like you and me, there's Groupon. For dogs, there's DoggyLoot.com. On DoggyLoot.com, nothing but treats and toys for dogs are offered. Both local and national deals are featured and by submitting your email address, you'll begin receiving them in your inbox. Bully sticks, dog cookies, pet bath sponges, you'll find all that and more on this site. As a matter of fact, you can even find items such as costumes for your dog when events like Halloween come around.

You can save 50% to 90% with their daily deals and the items ship for free! Yes, that's right, you don't have to worry about S&H costs, that's included in the price listed on the deal's page.

There's plenty more to DoggyLot.com than just buying products for your pet. The site goes beyond the typical content of other daily deal websites by providing users with lots of tips and guides for making the lives of their four-legged companions a lot better. For example, information on teeth hygiene and healthy eating habits are provided.

Click this link to treat your best friend to some cool items at http://www.DoggyLot.com.

Cooking Turkey from the Frozen State

Introduction

A common problem is waking up on Thanksgiving morning and realizing that the turkey has not been thawed, and there is not enough time to thaw it in the refrigerator or in flowing water at 70ºF, which takes hours.

There is a very simple solution, cook the entire turkey from the frozen state. The FDA Food Code allows this, and turkey hotlines suggest it.

The following is a Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) based procedure for cooking a 12-to-13-lb. frozen turkey.

Method

1. Start 5 to 5 1/2 hours before you want to serve the cooked turkey. Set the oven temperature at 325ºF. It is much better that the turkey be done 30 minutes before mealtime than to rush and serve an undercooked turkey.
   
2. Remove the wrapping and put the turkey on the rack of a pan that has been covered with foil to make cleaning easy. You can also cook the turkey in a covered roasting pan if you have one.
   
3. Put the turkey in the oven. Do not worry about the bag with the heart, liver, etc. in the neck cavity or the neck in the center of the turkey. They can be removed during cooking, after the turkey thaws.

   There will be Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter jejuni on the turkey. However, because it is frozen, there is no drip, so the transfer of bacteria to hands or counter is not a significant risk. Cooking the turkey on a shallow pan on a rack assures even cooking. Cooking > in a pan with sides shields the bottom of the turkey from heat, and the cooking on the bottom will be non-uniform.

   In the first 2 to 2 1/2 hours, the legs and thighs get up to approximately 100ºF. The breast, about 1 inch into the flesh, is still at the soft ice point, about 25ºF.

4. At this point, begin to monitor breast temperature with a tip-sensitive digital thermometer as it thaws. You may also use a dial roast thermometer. Insert it into the breast, because it is the slowest cooking part.

   After about 3 1/2 hours, the legs and thighs will be around 150 to 160ºF, and the breast, about 40 to 50ºF.

5. The bag of heart, liver, etc. and the neck can be removed at this time, to be made into stock, if desired.

   At 4 1/2 to 5 hours, the turkey is nicely cooked.

6. Check the temperature. The leg and thigh should be tender and at a temperature of 175 to 185ºF, while the breast will be moist at a temperature of 160 to 170ºF. The pop-up timer (if there is one) should have popped.

Cooking turkeys to these temperatures is adequate to assure the reduction of Salmonella and Campylobacter jejuni to a safe level. .

Discussion and Conclusion

This is an excellent way to cook turkey. Actually, cooking a turkey from the frozen state has benefits over cooking a thawed turkey.

1. Cooking can be done in a roasting pan, but it is unnecessary. If one thaws a turkey in a home refrigerator, there is a significant risk of raw juice with pathogens at high levels getting on refrigerator surfaces, other foods in the refrigerator, countertops, and sink, thus creating a hazard and a need for extensive cleaning and sanitizing.
   
2. Because the breast has greater mass, it takes longer to thaw. Therefore, the thigh and leg are well cooked and tender, while the breast is not overcooked and dried out. The breast will cook to a juicy 160-to-165ºF endpoint without difficulty.

Summary

Cooking turkey from the frozen state produces an excellent, juicy, tender, and safe product. There is no need to remember to thaw the turkey four days ahead of time, and cooking a frozen turkey minimizes risk of pathogen cross-contamination from juices from the raw bird.

To assure a quality and safe turkey, monitor the final temperature with a tip-sensitive digital thermometer, and always wash your hands before touching and handling the cooked turkey.

Reference: FDA. 2005. Food Code. U.S. Public Health Service, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. Washington, D.C. http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fc05-toc.html.

NOTE: When the giblet bag is removed , the turkey can be stuffed. You may need to wear silicone gloves to protect your hands because the turkey will be hot. As always, don't overstuff the turkey and be sure to remove all of the stuffing when the bird is done. Take the temperature inside the middle of the stuffing: it should be 165 degrees F. And think about heating up the stuffing before putting it in the turkey.

If you want to cook larger turkeys, 19-20 pound birds, add 2 hours more at most, so 5 hours becomes 7 hours. Do have a way of keeping things hot, in case it gets done a little ahead of schedule. It is okay to keep it hot, so long as it is above 130F. If it goes below 130F, you still have a very safe 4 hours before there is any risk at all.

Talking Cooking Thermometer

Use this large-display talking thermometer for cooking, hobbies, gardening, and much more!

Easy to Use

• Simply press the on/talk button on the front and within one second the thermometer is ready
• Apply probe to medium to be measured
• Wait a few seconds to allow probe tip to reach full temperature
• Press the same on/talk button to hear the temperature
• Always clean probe after each use
• Slide probe into convenient protector provided to store for next use

Features

• Speaks the temperature at a touch of a button
• Easy-to-read LCD Display, large 3/8-inch digits, great for low vision users!
• Accurate temperature reading within seconds
• Select Fahrenheit or Celsius with a touch of a button
• Contoured design fits comfortably in your hand
• Automatically turns off after 10 minutes to maximize battery life
• Hinged battery door, permanently connected
• Requires 2 AAA batteries (included)

Measures 9.25 inches long x 2 inches wide.

Note: This thermometer is not for medical use and is not available on quota.

Catalog Number: 1-03992-00
Click this link to purchase the Talking Cooking Thermometer from APH.

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.org

10 Low Fat Ways to Use Leftover Turkey

When Thanksgiving or Christmas is done and you still have lots of turkey left, you may wonder what you can do with it all. Actually, quite a lot.

First, chop, dice or shred your leftovers and store them in resealable plastic bags in the refrigerator. That way, you can reach for a bag or two as you need them. Then you'll be ready to try one or more of these 10 Low Fat Ways to Use Leftover Turkey.

1. Soups Add 2 cups of chopped leftover turkey, a selection of chopped vegetables and 1 cup of uncooked rice or noodles to 3 cans fat-free, low sodium chicken broth.
   
2. 2. Salads Add leftover turkey to a mix of arugula and spinach, sliced mushrooms, cranberries, shredded carrots, sliced red onions and a sprinkling of heart-healthy walnuts. Toss with your favorite low fat or fat free fruity dressing or vinaigrette.
   
3. Sandwiches and Wraps Use slices of leftover turkey to make all kinds of sandwiches. Be sure to use whole grain breads and rolls, and low fat or fat free fillings. If you don't like the taste of fat-free mayo, use mustard instead, or flavor your mayo with a little curry powder or another herb or spice.

   Make a turkey-salad filling with crunchy celery, cranberries and apple. Use plain low fat yogurt for the dressing. Stuff into a whole wheat pita or spoon into the center of a whole wheat tortilla wrap and roll up.
   

4. Pizza Toppings Top a prepared whole wheat crust with 1/2 cup of tomato or barbecue sauce, 1 cup of chopped turkey and 1/2 cup reduced fat cheese. > Bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees.
   
5. Quesadillas Combine shredded turkey with a little cumin. Spoon on one half of a low fat corn tortilla; sprinkle with reduced fat cheese; fold tortilla in half and cook in a nonstick skillet (coated with cooking spray) for 5 minutes, turning once.
   
6. Burritos, Enchiladas, Fajitas, and Tacos Add shredded turkey to salsa, black beans, low fat sour cream and reduced fat cheese; or combine with sautéed onions and sweet peppers; with shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes; or mix with mild green chiles, seasonings, scallions and a can of enchilada sauce. > Use low fat flour or corn wraps with these fillings.
   
7. Pot pies Add leftover turkey, sliced mushrooms and leftover green beans and carrots to low fat, reduced sodium condensed chicken or mushroom soup. Top with a low fat biscuit topping (there's now a low fat version of Bisquick) or phyllo pastry sheets.
   
8. Casseroles Combine 2 cups chopped leftover turkey with 2 cups cooked whole grain rice, a can fat-free, low sodium broth or chopped tomatoes, and a selection of chopped vegetables in a 2-quart casserole. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
   
9. Skillet Meals Add 1 1/2 cups of chopped leftover turkey to sautéed onion, mushrooms, broccoli and rice cooked in fat-free broth. Sprinkle some parmesan before serving.
   
10. Pasta dishes Add leftover turkey to your any number of pasta dishes. Use > shredded turkey instead of ground beef in your favorite lasagna recipe. Be sure to use reduced fat cheeses.

Finally, don't forget the carcass: put it in a big pot of water along with some onion, carrots, celery, peppercorns and herbs; bring it to a boil, then simmer. After a couple of hours, you'll have a rich stock, which you can de-fat and use for low fat soups, stews and gravies throughout the holiday season.

Who knows, once that turkey has finally gone, bones and all, you might even miss it.

Article Source:
Cooking in the Dark Email List

Black Blanket Background is Best for Teaching Students with Cortical Vision Impairment

by Kristie Smith-Armand, M.Ed, CTVI

The other day, I was thinking about the musical, “Chicago”. I for some unknown reason was singing the song, “Mr. Cellophane”. My random brain began thinking of how often the most important items that make a huge difference are often overlooked. As Pablo Casals once said
-The truly important things in life - love, beauty, and one's own uniqueness - are constantly being overlooked.

Look at the words that the author of Mr. Cellophane sang wrote:
If someone stood up in a crowd
And raised his voice up way out loud
And waved his arm and shook his leg
You'd notice him
If someone in the movie show
Yelled "Fire in the second row
This whole place is a powder keg!"
You'd notice him
And even without clucking like a hen
Everyone gets noticed, now and then,
Unless, of course, that personage should be

Invisible, inconsequential me!
Cellophane
Mister Cellophane
Shoulda been my name
Mister Cellophane 'Cause you can look right through me
Walk right by me
And never know I'm there.

The black blanket is one of the most underestimated items that make the biggest difference in helping to eliminate clutter for children who have cortical vision impairment (a brain processing issue and not a problem with the eyes) and as well as other eye conditions.

The BBB (Black Blanket Background) as I refer to it in this column, helps the brain to process visual information and blocks outside clutter from over stimulating the visual part of the brain. When an educator or parent places the black blanket behind a high contrast object, the visual cortex begins to notice the colorful objects and begins to make sense of it.

Children with CVI need a routine with familiar objects that represent their day, and what better way to help ease an already difficult process than to use the BBB.

Students with CVI also recognize the colors red and yellow quicker than others, so when placed on or in front of the black blanket, the item is identified without the stress of other visual objects.

Educators, like myself, have often overlooked the most obvious and helpful items that are inexpensive, easy-to-find and cost efficient. The American Printing House for the Blind has a tri-fold board and a black apron in the TOAD kit and many other items that help to eliminate visual clutter for an already troubled situation.

Some other helpful tips for students with CVI are:

• Children with CVI see better when they are in movement
  
• See colors red and yellow better than most
  
• Should not face glare or an open window during processing time
  
• Should have a strong routine with much verbalization throughout a structured day.

So, as the song says, “You look right through me and do not know that I’m there” can be changed to, “You look at the objects and you know that I am there”. The lyrics will probably not make it into the top ten, but as Pablo Casals says, “the important things in life are often overlooked.

Easiest Fudge in the World

This is probably the easiest recipe in the world, thus the name! For an even more indulgent version, use chocolate flavored sweetened condensed milk. Prep Time: 5 minutes, cook Time: 3 minutes.

Here's what you'll need:

• 12 oz. pkg. semisweet chocolate chips
  
• 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Now, here's what to do:

1. Place chips and milk in microwave safe bowl.
   
2. Microwave on medium power for 2-3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes.
   
3. Continue to microwave, stirring at 1 minute intervals, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth and thick.
   
4. Pour into greased 8" square pan and cool. You can also melt the chips and milk in a heavy saucepan over low heat

Article Source:
Cooking in the Dark Email List

Listen to Our Kids

by Donna J. Jodhan

In the normal scheme of things, we feel that it is our kids who need to listen to us but sometimes; we need to listen to our kids. Whenever we think that they are not paying attention then guess what? They are and much more than we think. Whenever we think that they are shutting us out, it is we who are doing it, not them.

In November of 2010, I was invited to visit the Grove Community School by two teachers of a grade one class. Shannon and Velvet wanted me to meet a group of my youngest supporters in my present court case against the Canadian Government. Before I visited, Shannon told me that these little ones had sent a letter to the Prime Minister asking him to make the government of Canada websites accessible to the blind.

Just imagine my surprise as I sat among these young minds listening to their questions. They were not afraid to ask me anything. Their questions were intelligent, intuitive, and you know what? They had not been coached by anyone. Straight out of the mouths of babes so to speak! Such bright stars and who knows! Maybe our future prime minister could have been among this bunch of enthusiastic youngsters?

As I walked out of the school on that crisp fall morning I looked up to the Heavens and shook my head with relief. I felt that we were in excellent hands! All we need to do now is to listen to our kids.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day. If you'd like to learn more about me, then you can visit some of my blog spots at:
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all: http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly Saturday postings on issues of accessibility: http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog/blog.html
blogs on various issues and answers to consumers concerns: http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm

Technology Becoming More Difficult

by Donna J. Jodhan

Two steps forward for mainstream technology, but unfortunately, just one for access technology. What I mean is this; the evolution of technology is like a runaway freight train. It changes literally by the minute and we all have to find ways to keep up with it in our own way. For the blind, the challenge to keep up with it is made even more difficult because of having to wait for access technology to catch up and when it does; mainstream technology has already left the building so to speak.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with what access technology is; it is the technology that is used by people with disibilities to help them access software, the Internet, plus more. Access technology includes such products as: screen reading software, magnifying software, and specially adapted keyboards. There are other types of access technology of course. Access technology is also very expensive in comparison to mainstream technology and often time, it is financially out of the reach of many disabled people.

Access technology has come a long way in its development but there is much more to be done and it does not help when mainstream technology continues to change so rapidly. This can't be helped. We need specially developed devices to enable us to scan and read books. We need talking GPS devices to help us navigate streets in unfamiliar areas. We need clocks and watches that talk to help us tell the time. We need appliances that have been designed with voice output so that we can use them. In short, for a blind person, we need to have devices that talk and devices with large print displays so that we can use them.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day. If you'd like to learn more about me, then you can visit some of my blog spots at:
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all: http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly Saturday postings on issues of accessibility: http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog/blog.html
blogs on various issues and answers to consumers concerns: http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm

Surviving the Holiday Season: a How-to Guide for Couples Everywhere

Oh, the cumulative pressure of the holidays on a couple. There’s really nothing quite like it.

Done right, it has all the makings for disaster—the financial pressures of gift-buying and party-throwing; the family pressures to have a really lovely time together even though, after just a few hours, they’ll drive you batty; and the sheer exhaustion from fighting crowds while shopping, spending meticulous hours planning, cooking entire turkeys and eggnog, and partying into the night—and then doing it all over again.

In order to get through it unscathed, take heed of these practical tips for surviving the holiday season.

1. Spend time together, alone

   Among the chaos, make sure you allocate a moment or two to yourselves, to breathe, decompress, and enjoy each other’s company. Start a tradition you both enjoy that you can look forward to each holiday.

   If you’re really busy, make your alone time productive too, by baking together in the kitchen with a bottle of wine, or wrapping presents on the lounge room floor with your favorite tunes on in the background.
   
   

2. Start shopping now

   The later you leave the shopping, the longer it’s going to take (hideous lines) and the more money you’re going to spend (quick, we’re running out of time to decide on a present! Just get that!).

   Sit down together now and make the full list of family members you need to buy for and how much you’re going to spend. If you really do start now, then online shopping is perfect—there are no lines, the gifts are delivered, wrapped, to your door in time for Christmas, and you can easily track what you’re spending as you go.

   That means less arguing over who was supposed to get your in-laws presents, and less financial stress at the last minute. Plus, you won’t be too tired come the celebration days of the holidays.
   
   

3. Be a mind-reader

   Understand that when your partner is stressing, it will rarely be about you. Earn to read what’s going on for them—whether their family is getting to them, they’re overwhelmed with the number of things they have to get through, and so on.

   Don’t bite back. Support them as best you can by offering to help, diffusing the situation, and letting them vent. Open and honest communication is crucial during stressful times.

What about you? Any great tips for helping survive the holidays together, besides chugging eggnog?

Article Source:
FeelGooder Blog.

The "Brailling Signs Is Cool to Do" Song

By Linn Sorge, Hadley Instructor

Becky Williams has always enjoyed writing new lyrics to well-known melodies. Her creative work sends forth messages to help to bring about positive change as they lift people up, and bring smiles along the way.

I met Becky when she moved to Wisconsin in 1960. We've enjoyed a lifelong friendship with music as an integral part of it. We would toss ideas back and forth about potential songs and lyrics to create just the right song to help a specific cause or brighten someone's day.

Becky became an ambassador for The Hadley School for the Blind as part of her employment at the Badger Association for the Blind in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Since that time, she has been coping with the challenges of cancer recurrence. I asked her a few months ago if she had any kind of "Make-A-Wish" ideas. The song is one of them. She said it would be so meaningful to her if a professional musician could someday sing and record one of her songs.

Two superb singer/song writers, Anne Hills and David Roth, came immediately to my mind. They are my dear friends and have become good friends of The Hadley School for the Blind. They were the performers during all four benefit folk concerts for the school called "Spring from Darkness Into Light." I wrote and told them of Becky's wish and the importance of the message within the song. That is all that was needed. I soon had their recording in my email box. They worked with a long-time friend of David's, Chip Kramer, who added his skill, musicianship, and music studio to help the wish become a reality. All efforts offered by the three of them to bring this musical braille project to our Web site were given with enthusiastic caring and volunteer time.

The song was originally sung by Neil Sedaka in the early 1960s as "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do." Our school has obtained permission from EMI Records and Universal Music to use the original melody and chords in combination with the new lyrics. We hope you enjoy this new version sung by Anne and David. Please help us to promote its message of universal braille access which is so vital to all of us here at the Hadley School. We've been teaching braille to students since 1920!

Becky is currently in hospice care. With many people working together, we have now brought one of her wishes to our Web site to help lift her spirits up.

UPDATE: Becky Williams is now at peace. At the time of her passing, November 7, 2011, 712 requests for her song had come from around the world.

If you want to learn more about Anne or David and their music, check out the Websites listed below:

http://www.Annehills.com
http://www.davidrothmusic.com

For a free MP3 file of this song, available for a limited time, email sorge@hadley.edu directly with "Brailling Signs Song" in the subject line. If you are a parent of a visually impaired child, an adult braille user, or a blindness professional and want to let us know that, feel free to add it to your email! We'd love to know how you will be using the song.

We invite you to share the link to the song on the Hadley Website: http://www.hadley.edu/braillesong. We are unable to grant permission to post it on another Website, offer streaming, or share copies. We are bound by a licensing agreement with EMI Records and Universal Music. While Hadley is providing you a copy of the song at no charge, we are paying a small fee for each download, so we must keep accurate count.

Preventing Tangled Earbuds

When you're halfway through what could only be called "the worst day ever," it might seem like your impenetrably tangled earbuds are just another message from the Bad-Day Gods. There are ways to prevent this from happening.

Dorian Raymer and Douglas Smith at UC San Diego unraveled the mystery in a paper titled "Spontaneous Knotting of an Agitated String" in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The researchers stuck lengths of string in a box, rotated the box, then opened it to see if knots formed. After an eye-glazing 3,415 trials, they determined that string shorter than 1.5 feet never tangled, but as a string gets longer, the probability of knots shoots up sharply (which is why 10-foot-long Christmas tree lights can melt your soul).

There's a million and one solutions on the market for keeping headphone cords in check. There are four things all of these devices have in common.

Make a loop

You can't make the cord shorter, but you can bring the ends together in another way. Robert Matthews at Aston University in Birmingham, England, once had the brilliant idea to test if clipping earbud ends together with a binder clip could prevent tangled cords. When you grip the earbuds to the miniplug, you're forming a huge loop—a small innovation that Matthews suspected would cut down on tangles. He was right. He repeated the string-in-a-box test for 12,000 trials, and reduced the risk of knots by tenfold.

Keep ends apart

Instead of bringing ends together, keep them apart. Douglas Smith, the UC San Diego researcher from earlier in this story, had a different theory. Rescue squads who have to meticulously pack up ropes every day put one end of the rope into a bag, then feed the rest in, like you'd stuff a sleeping bag into a sack. This keeps the ends away from each other, preventing knots from forming.

Make it thicker

If you can prevent a cord from curling up on itself, you can essentially stop knots before they start. You can also try coating or covering your wires to get the same effect.

Prevent movement

In all these super scientific tests of earbud-tangleosity, the researchers employed fast, sharp movements as a means to tossle the earbud cords together. That's because, at the root of it all, it's movement that causes wires to knot up. It's why your earbuds only tangle in your pocket and not sitting on your desk. To prevent knots, just keep your cords from moving around. The easiest way to do this? Wrap them carefully around anything, maybe a credit card and secure them completely.

Article Source:
The Science Behind Tangled Earbuds...and how to prevent them

Open Culture: a Source for Audio Books and More!

Have you ever thought that the internet lacks, well, a degree of culture?  That there's too much content that is irrelevant, superfluous, wrong, or pointless? Would you like a portal site that points you to lots more interesting, educational resources?

If so, then check out Open Culture, at http://www.openculture.com. It comprises links to lots of free courses, books, audio books, language learning courses, videos, textbooks, and lots more!

Access to the site, and to almost all of the content, is free.  Though there are some optional extras, which cost money, such as the ability to print out chapters from certain books (you can still read them on screen for free, and copy the text to your clipboard).

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

If I Could Dream

by Donna J. Jodhan

If I could have just a few seconds to dream, this is what I would dream:

That blind kids of the future will have a better shot at enjoying a more mainstream life. That they will be able to have equal access to such things as websites, information, and services. That their parents would be in a position to afford to buy them the necessary access technology that they would need in order to function on an equal footing with mainstream kids. That somehow, they would be able to go out there and literally reach for the stars.

That aging adults who are either blind or will be come blind later on in their lives will be able to live their golden years in relative comfort. That being; that they would be able to receive adequate services to help them cope with their blindness and loss of vision. That their golden years will be filled with happiness and joy and that their lack of vision would not be a hindrance to them.

that doctors would find a cure for my blindness. That somehow and some way, they will be able to come up with a medical solution to help me and others like me. That somehow in the not too distant future, I would again be able to cherish a golden rising sun and an orange sunset. That I would be able to look at a deep blue sky with fluffy white clouds coasting lazily by and white capped waves and a jade green ocean.

That I could once again imprint the faces of my beloved parents, granny, and brothers on my mind. That I would be able to see the Christmas lights, the ice skaters on an icy rink, my beloved Montreal Canadiens hockey team skating up the ice, birds of gorgeous plumage, and a plate all decorated with fruits of various shapes and colors.

If I could dream! Ah, but only just a dream! Then the rustic reds and burning oranges of fall and the burning candles in my favorite church would become a reality and then I would be able to reach out and touch whatever I wanted to.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day. If you'd like to learn more about me, then you can visit some of my blog spots at:
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all: http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly Saturday postings on issues of accessibility: http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog/blog.html
blogs on various issues and answers to consumers concerns: http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm

Different Views From Different Generations

by Donna J. Jodhan

A few weeks ago, I decided to take some time to go out there and listen to the views from blind people of different generations.

Specifically, what are their views on the issues of such subjects as employment, education, and accessibility. In order to simplify things, I am going to refer to the generations as follows: 35 and under - generation Y and above 35 - as generation X. I will first state the question that I asked and then give the consensus answer.

I will hasten to add that my mission was not meant to be a formal survey in any way shape or form but rather as a fact finding mission for my own education. I managed to gather a total of 15 responses from each generation and I would like to thank those of you who took the time to respond. So without much more ado here goes.

On the subject of employment

Question: Do you think that employment opportunities for your generation are better than they were about five years ago?

Consensus from generation X: Not really. Employment opportunities for this generation have always been extremely difficult to come by and they do not see much of a change for the foreseeable future.

Consensus from Generation Y: Employment opportunities have improved somewhat in certain areas thanks to better technology for the blind. However, there are still many barriers for them to face and there is a glimmer of hope for the future.

Question: What kind of barriers do you presently face in the workplace?

Consensus from generation X: There are many barriers that include attitude, ignorance, and adaptive technology is still trying to catch up with mainstream technology. There is also still an unwillingness to give blind persons an equal chance to prove themselves.

Consensus from generation Y: Some barriers have started to come down but there is still much more to work on. The gap needs to be narrowed when it comes to employers and employees believing in the abilities of this generation. More needs to be done when it comes to making the workplace a more level playing field for blind people.

Question: Is there anything that can be done to improve employment opportunities for blind people?

Consensus from generation X: Everyone needs to work on such things as attitude and more willingness to change perceptions of what blind persons can do. A greater awareness needs to be worked on.

Consensus from generation Y: Employers and employees need to be given awareness training on how blind persons can fit into the working world. More education is needed and acceptance as well.

On the subject of education

Question: Do you believe that your generation has had equal access to educational facilities and opportunities?

Consensus from generation X: Not really. Blind persons of this generation have had to fight very hard to receive education; especially at post secondary level.

Consensus from generation Y: Opportunities have been improving but more needs to be done in the area of distance learning opportunities for blind persons.

Question: Do you believe that educators have been able to fully comprehend the needs of your generation in the classroom?

Consensus from generation X: No. In so many cases educators have failed this generation simply because of a lack of understanding and a willingness to do so.

Consensus from generation Y: In some cases educators seem to get it but in other cases not really.

Question: Do you believe that educational opportunities for blind persons can be improved and if so how so?

Consensus from generation X: The only way for any sort of improvement is for everyone to come together to discuss what needs to be done and how it can be done. A more serious effort needs to be made.

Consensus from generation Y: Things are getting better for blind persons in the classroom but if improvement is expected to continue then blind persons need to speak up more.

On the subject of accessibility

Question: Do you believe that your generation has been given equal access to important services in your community?

Consensus from generation X: No! In so many cases, this generation seems to be the forgotten ones.

Consensus from generation Y: Things are a bit better than they were a few years ago but there is definitely still not equal access.

Question: Do you believe that equal access is something that could be attained by blind people?

Consensus from generation X: No. For as long as governments continue to ignore the needs of blind people, there will be no equality to accessibility.

Consensus from generation Y: No. Equal access can only be attained if a serious effort is made to make it happen.

So there you have it; views from two different generations.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day. If you'd like to learn more about me, then you can visit some of my blog spots at:
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all: http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly Saturday postings on issues of accessibility: http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog/blog.html
blogs on various issues and answers to consumers concerns: http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm

Jobs for the Blind Blog

I received the following via email from Christopher Gray and wanted to share it with you.

Hello:

Today marks the opening of the Jobs for the Blind blog. Visit it now at http://jobsfortheblindblog.com. It's a bit of a long URL, but the blog title and URL tell you exactly what this blog is about.

So far, I have included four posts and areas within each post to which people can reply to create a discussion thread. The topics thus far are: Why a jobs for the blind blog; Social Security considerations when income increases; the role of technology in employment, and a discussion of my own jobs journey to stimulate others to discuss there journeys. In the coming weeks, there will be additional post areas opened including a discussion of what creates job success and discussions of broad employment areas to be explored in the job market today.

This blog is a free service to the community. We only ask that you establish a logon to the site in order to reduce spam messages and misuse by people who have no real interest in the purpose for which this blog is created.

Please come visit us today and create your personal login to Jobs for the Blind. If you have any problems doing this, feel free to call 888-881-1998. We can help you get signed up. Take a moment now and come to http://jobsfortheblindblog.com and have a look around.

I look forward to interacting with you there.

Sincerely,

Chris

Inaccessible Slot Machines

by Donna J. Jodhan

Now, here is something that much of the sighted world may not have given much thought to and I am only going to comment on the machines here in Ontario. However, some friends in the United States have told me that they are facing the same challenges when it comes to inaccessible slot machines.

Up until about two years ago, it used to be relatively easy for me to play at the slot machines. They emitted sounds, the coins made noise when dropping into trays, and the flashing lights helped to make my visit to the casino a very enjoyable one.

Now, , things have changed.

There are no more noises of coins to be heard dropping into trays. No more sounds when I get lucky and win a few coins. No more noise period. So now when or if I win, I have to depend on sighted assistance to tell me what's going on. Yes, I can understand the casinos wanting to cut down on the noise level but in doing so they have in effect severely limited our access to slot machines. Too bad for us.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day. If you'd like to learn more about me, then you can visit some of my blog spots at:
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all: http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly Saturday postings on issues of accessibility: http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog/blog.html
blogs on various issues and answers to consumers concerns: http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm

A Different View of the Screen

by Donna J. Jodhan

In most cases, when a blind employee navigates their screen, they do so using their keyboard exclusively. Whereas a sighted employee uses their mouse to point and click, a blind employee uses their keys to do the same. They depend on shortcut keys to get them where they need to be on the screen.

For sighted people, their dependence on a mouse is almost exclusive and for a blind employee, their dependence on shortcut keys is almost exclusive. The tab, control, escape, and alt keys are a blind employee’s best friend. Or should I say a blind person’s best friends. Various combinations of these keys are also best friends and of course there is the find command to help a blind person find things quickly.

This is how blind people navigate their screen. In the workplace, a blind employee can be just as fast as a sighted person when navigating the screen. The one huge challenge comes when a screen freezes and a blind employee is unable to tell what is going on because their access technology software is unable to speak. Such situations would be during circumstances such as: A system crash, a hard drive failure, or a screen interruption. A blind employee would also depend on any sound that their computer gives off in order to help them navigate their screen and/or decipher what may be going on.

For someone with enough vision to identify colors, they may use their vision to help them identify such things as: Where the cursor is, an image of the screen, and maybe location of fields and icons and/or images. Some blind people use screen magnifiers to help them navigate while others use close circuit TV devices. It all depends on the level of vision.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day. If you'd like to learn more about me, then you can visit some of my blog spots at:
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all: http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly Saturday postings on issues of accessibility: http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog/blog.html
blogs on various issues and answers to consumers concerns: http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm

The Works of Thomas Jefferson is Online and in Ebook Format

If you're a fan of history, this twelve volume set of The Works of Thomas Jefferson from the Online Library of Liberty will surely interest you. This Set Contains The Following Titles:

• The Works of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 1 (Autobiography, Anas, 1760-1770)
  
• The Works of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 2 (Correspondence 1771-1779, Summary View, Declaration of Independence)
  
• The Works of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 3 (Notes on Virginia I, Correspondence 1780-1782)
  
• The Works of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 4 (Notes on Virginia II, Correspondence 1782-1786)
  
• The Works of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 5 (Correspondence 1786-1789)
  
• The Works of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 6 (Correspondence 1789-1792)
  
• The Works of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 7 (Correspondence 1792-1793)
  
• The Works of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 8 (Correspondence 1793-1798)
  
• The Works of Thomas Jefferson vol. 9 (1799-1803)
  
• The Works of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 10 (Correspondence and Papers 1803-1807)
  
• The Works of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 11 (Correspondence and Papers 1808-1816)
  
• The Works of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 12 (Correspondence and Papers 1816-1826)

The text is in the public domain. This material is put online to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. Unless otherwise stated in the Copyright Information section above, this material may be used freely for educational and academic purposes. It may not be used in any way for profit.

Click this link to download The Works of Thomas Jefferson, Federal Edition (New York and London, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1904-5). 12 vols.

Quick Draw Paper: Quickest Draw in the West

by Kristie Smith-Armand, M.Ed, CTVI

“A Drawing is simply a line going for a walk” - Paul Klee

When I meet with one of my visually impaired student’s teachers, the first stress from the teacher’s point of view is how to make sure the student understands the concept. Imagine how excited the educator becomes when I take out a sheet of Quick-Draw Paper and make a simple design from a water-based marker. The instructor takes her finger and feels the shape, which is always followed by a huge smile.

“Can you supply me with more of this?” The teacher always asks with enthusiasm.

Imagine how popular I become when I say, “I can bring you all the paper you would like”. Quick-Draw Paper becomes popular with me as well since I am no longer wearing the scars or paint from tactual paint that always ended up on my clothes, furniture or me.

Quick-Draw Paper creates instant tactile graphics for art, math, orientation and mobility as well as many other subjects. The water-based marker swells the lines instantly onto the paper. Within seconds educators and students will feel the benefits of a tactual drawing with no hassle or mess.

Expect to purchase more than just one package of Quick-Draw Paper as the ten sheets it comes with go quickly.

Below are a few ideas (used for developmental age from three to ten-years-old) for different subjects that will demonstrate Quick-Draw Paper as the quickest draw in the west.

• When teaching shapes, quickly draw the shape of a circle, triangle and square (Hap Palmer has an awesome CD that teaches children their shapes).
  
• After children identify each shape they will match a real object with the tactual picture and may begin to understand the differences in two to three dimensional objects.
  
• I like for my students who are blind or visually impaired to learn their colors because they live in a sighted world where colors guide the general population. Simply illustrate red objects on the Quick Draw Paper and add a spice of cinnamon. Children will understand the two-dimensional graphic and smell the cinnamon thus relating the color of red to the smell of cinnamon. The child is beginning to gain an understanding of colors through his other senses.
  
• Teaching sizes: big, medium and small is not always an easy task for children with other challenges, so once again, Quick Draw Paper can make this a fun activity. Assist the child in tracing around her hand and other classmates. The children can compare the sizes of each other’s hands.
  
• Illustrate math problems with this incredible product. For example, if you are teaching addition, you could draw five ducks sitting on one pond and another three ducks sitting on another pond. Now the student may feel the five ducks and begin to add the other three ducks together with no hassle, no cost and absolutely no stress.
  
• Draw maps on Quick Draw paper and help the child to understand north, south, east and west. Simply label the parts of the map and teach the following mnemonic phrase: “Never Eat Soggy Worms”
  
• After reading a story, illustrate the main characters using basic drawing strokes giving each character one detail that distinguishes him from the others.
  
• Students will enjoy feeling how their name appears in print. The instructor will guide the student’s hands to feel each stroke for each letter in the child’s name.

Above are just a few ideas that make learning concepts real and fun to our students with a visual impairment. In order for long lasting learning to occur, the brain remembers laughter and fun because of the endorphins pumping through the body.

Be the quickest draw in the west and use one of the best materials from APH, Quick-Draw Paper.

APH News: November 2011

APH News

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

November 2011

Great Products from APH!

Read on to learn about new product-related information!

• APH Fall Harvest Sale
• New Downloadable Manuals Available
• ON SALE! Turn Your Braille+ into a "Netbook" with the Braille+ QWERTY Docking Station!
• APH Braille Book Corner

2011 Annual Meeting Takes the Triple Crown

Ralph Brewer, Superintendent Emeritus of the Tennessee School for the Blind, received APH's highest honor, the Wings of Freedom Award. Here Brewer poses with (left) Burt Boyer (APH) and Tuck Tinsley. Zickel Award recipients Dr. Richard Woodcock and Dr. Lynne Jaffe pose with APH's Barbara Henderson. The award was presented for work on the landmark Woodcock-Johnson III Braille Adaptation. A unique multimedia piece called "Camp Fire" was created by Julianna Youngeun Lee from Vienna, VA. Juliana poses with her excited parents.

See More Pictures from Annual Meeting 2011

It's not often in the horse racing world that contenders rise to the challenge of winning the prestigious Triple Crown, but the 143rd Annual Meeting of Ex Officio Trustees in Louisville did just that this year. It may have been the most exciting three days in APH history! From the sounding of the call to the post by the Churchill Downs official bugler until we crossed the finish line (and beyond), the champion Ex Officio Trustees, thoroughbred presenters, phenomenal special guests, and high stakes award winners led everyone to the winner’s circle.

W. C. Fields once said, "Horse sense is the thing a horse has that keeps him from betting on people," but it was the people who made this one great. First out of the starting gate was "I Have a Dream," with jockey Annette Reichman on board. Her courageous presentation set the tone for the rest of the meeting and demonstrated the power of following your dreams. Breaking out right behind Annette was champion and Wings of Freedom award winner Ralph Brewer, whose legacy inspires those who have been running strong for years and also for the "youngsters" just entering the race.

Another great filly led the way through the first turn as a partnership between Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and APH was announced. A highly talented pack of newcomers added strength to the field as the APH Scholars and Prison Braille Forum Scholars joined us in the Jockey Club. It was tough for everyone to peruse the morning line and make their picks for product training and input sessions. With a crowded field of great "jockeys" who had products like the Braille Plus 18, Sense of Science Astronomy, Talking APH Maps, the Boehm 3, Building on Patterns, and others, deciding on win, place, and show was a daunting task but one with a big payoff!

In the home stretch, we rode along the rail to discover how APH's new museum exhibit highlights and strengthens the professional partnership between APH, our Ex Officio Trustees, and the federal government.

We crossed the finish line in a blur, reminded of the words of the ancient Roman poet and author Ovid, who said, "The spirited horse, which will try to win the race of its own accord, will run even faster if encouraged." Thanks to everyone who attended Annual Meeting for providing that encouragement!

Annual Meeting 2011 Photos

Additional memories of our very special celebration: The 2011 Annual Meeting Photo Album

11th Annual National Prison Braille Forum (NPBF) Draws a Crowd

Ex Officio Trustees Jim Downs (GA) and Leslie Durst (IN) talked about the challenges of producing textbooks for the blind and visually impaired students in their state. Ruth McKinney, Braille Institute, voiced concerns about braille literacy and the availability of braille books. Attending the National Prison Braille Forum for the first time were forum scholars (l-r) Roy Pidcock (WA), Rick Rosenblatt (MD), and Marshall Bautista (ID).

On October 12, the APH Prison Braille Advisory Committee hosted a day-long Forum to discuss issues related to braille production facilities in corrections settings. This year, 71 people attended from 20 different states. As far as we know, there are currently 36 prison braille programs in the U.S., and 17 were represented at this year's Forum.

Highlights of the Forum included reports by two groups that are administering Second Chance Act grants designed to help participants in prison braille programs establish successful careers upon reentry. A team of professionals from the Accessible Media Access Center (AMAC) at Georgia Tech in Atlanta has developed and will soon be pilot testing a 30-lesson curriculum for programs across the country to use as participants learn braille and prepare for reentry. AMAC is working in partnership with the Mountain View Correctional Facility in Texas on this expansive project, which will be completed by October, 2012.

Another impressive report was presented by a team from the Miami Correctional Facility in Bunker Hill, Indiana. The grant program being implemented in Indiana includes expansion of the braille facility at Miami to include production of educational materials in electronic media and to assist individuals upon reentry. Both of the Second Chance Act projects will provide participants with opportunities to learn technology skills while incarcerated that they can use following release.

Mary Nelle McLennan, APH's Braille Authority of North America (BANA) representative, gave a compelling report about recent and upcoming changes in braille codes and the publication of resource materials. The information she provided will be invaluable to braille transcribers across the country.

The National Prison Braille Network (NPBN) encourages everyone interested to join this network of professionals – free of charge. For more information, contact Nancy Lacewell at nlacewell@aph.org (502-899-2339 or 800-223-1839 ext. 339).

BANA Publishes Part Two of Article on the Evolution of Braille

The Braille Authority of North America (BANA) has recently released the second segment of a three-part article on the evolution of braille. In this piece, BANA focuses on the complexities of code building as well as on current challenges in transcription, translation, and backtranslation of braille.

Parts One and Two of "The Evolution of Braille: Can the Past Help Plan the Future?" are now posted on the BANA website at: www.brailleauthority.org. The final segment of this significant article will be released in early December. BANA will announce its publication through press releases and email announcements.

BANA will meet on November 3–6, 2011, in Baltimore, MD. Guests are invited to attend BANA Board meetings and to observe the deliberations. The Board's agenda includes reports from all of BANA's committees as well as from September’s World Congress Braille21 conference in Leipzig, Germany. If you are interested in attending the BANA meeting, please contact Chair Judy Dixon to reserve space.

Follow BANA's work via BANA-Announce, a one-way email list that shares news and information. To join this list, send a blank email to bana-announce-subscribe@brailleauthority.org and follow the directions in the confirmation email.

Tactile Books Take Off!

Books with tactile illustrations offer individuals with visual impairments, from birth to adulthood, information and an avenue to enjoyment not obtainable by other means. In early October, five very special tactile books—or TiBs (tactile illustrated books) as they are called in Europe— "took off" from APH, on their way to Prague, Czech Republic. They were the U.S. entries in the Typhlo & Tactus international tactile book competition, selected by a panel of seven U. S. judges, who met at APH to examine, enjoy, and enthuse about the merits of TiBs in general, and in particular, those sent to APH by U.S. authors.

Typhlo & Tactus (T&T) is an organization which includes western and eastern European nations. It exists to improve the quality and quantity of tactile books available to children with visual impairments in member countries. Since 2000, they have conducted biennial, highly successful tactile book competitions. In Italy alone, this year's competition generated more than 200 entries, each vying to be one of five books selected by Italian judges to be sent on to the international level of the competition in Prague.

In the past, the competition was open only to T&T members; winners of past competitions were then mass produced by the tactile books workshop, Les Doigts Qui Revent (Dreaming Fingers) using European Union funds. This year's tactile book competition, however, was opened to a worldwide audience. APH acted as the U.S. national contact organization, publicizing the competition, directing participants to competition guidelines, and accepting and judging U.S. entries.

Thank you to everyone—those who submitted tactile books and our judges—for your participation in the 2011 Typhlo & Tactus book competition! The U.S. winners are: Augustina's Sandcastle, by Kathleen J. Michaelson; The Boo-Boo Book, by Carla Robertson; Bunny is Brown: A Colorful Story of Spring, by Rebecca Lowery; Let's Learn Shapes with Shapely-CAL, by Holly Keller; and What's In My Bedroom, by Sue Parker-Strafaci & Ruth McKinney.

On November 10th, five TiBs from each participating country will be evaluated by an international panel of judges and one winning entry will be chosen. Ten books will be recognized as outstanding. Read the December APH News for the final T&T competition results!

Our panel of judges included adults with visual impairment, TVIs, the parent of a blind child, and a former KSB student.

Yes We Can! Yes We Did!

APH's Gary Mudd and Suzette Wright with David Dotson, President of the Dollywood Foundation.

APH/Dolly’s Parton’s Imagination Library Partnership Website Links Children and Parents to Books and a Range of Resources

As Dolly herself phrased it, "The Little Engine That Could. . . did!" This past June, APH and the Dollywood Foundation announced a partnership, with plans to expand Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program (DPIL) to provide young blind and visually impaired children with accessible books.

This September promises made in June became a reality. The APH/DPIL Partnership website was launched, located under a hot button at APH's main web page. It features audio files of Imagination Library books, available as free downloads. NLS gave consent for the files to be encrypted with the NLS network key. More than 22 audio books are already at the site; audio books will be added each month until most of the 75 titles in the collection are available to children and their families. And very exciting, beginning in 2012, the Partnership will make it possible for APH to provide an annual selection of print/braille Imagination Library books that will be free to eligible families, available on Quota, or which can be purchased from APH at low cost. Five titles will be selected each year for production as print/braille books.

At Annual Meeting this year, David Dotson, Dollywood Foundation President, along with APH's Gary Mudd and Suzette Wright, acquainted attendees with all aspects of the Partnership—which not only expands the number of accessible books for young children, but, through the APH/DPIL website, connects parents to tools through a wide range of resources. Information at the website is tailored to help families locate and bring even more accessible books and materials into their homes.

At the APH/Dolly Parton Imagination Library website parents will find links to:

• NLS, where they can register their child for this important service
• the Louis database and expedited searches for Imagination Library books, other children’s books, and to print/braille books from many sources
• the APH shopping site and APH tactile illustrated books, print/braille books, and materials related to emergent literacy
• other national and international providers of children’s books in accessible formats
• and to free downloadable PDFs that provide parents with an introduction to building a foundation for literacy for their child and suggestions for sharing a variety of books

Successful partnerships are built by the individuals within each organization who put their shoulders to the wheel of a common goal. Thanks go to the Dollywood Foundation staff and to the many APH staff members in Studio, Communications, Research, Public Affairs, and Resource Services, who worked together to bring this vision to fruition. Visit the APH/DPIL website and see for yourself the "power of partnership!"

Tactile Yoga Mat!

Cindy Rogers teaches a yoga class using the VIYM.

Yoga gains popularity every day as a form of exercise and relaxation. If you are interested in learning yoga but think you may have difficulty with orientation, the Visually Impaired Yoga Mat (VIYM) may help. Created by Tracy Curly and endorsed by Cindy Rogers (see APH Feature: Yoga), the mat comes with two instructional DVDs to help you practice at home between your community-based yoga classes.

I am in complete awe of Tracy & VIYM®. In working with VIYM during the past few months, I have learned so much about the perception on "the mat" of both sighted and VI students. For someone who is blind or visually impaired, beginning or continuing the practice of yoga, the VIYM is an invaluable tool. The tactile cues on the mat allow one to fully embrace & truly "feel" the yoga experience.
--Cindy Rogers, Yoga Instructor, Four Senses Yoga

I love the VIYM yoga mat and DVD series. I am a beginning yoga student with low vision and cataracts and am very sensitive to light and glare, which makes practicing yoga at a traditional studio uncomfortable due to the overhead lighting. The verbal instructions in the DVD series are clear and easy to follow whether you have no vision or low vision; they enable me to move through the posture sequences with my eyes closed. As a beginner, it is so much more relaxing compared to struggling to see the instructor at the local gym. My newly retired mom, who is fully sighted, loves the DVD too because the instructions regarding how to move through the posture sequence are very straightforward. She was self-conscious about taking a class but the skills she learned from the DVD gave her the confidence to sign up for a local class.

I also really love the VIYM yoga mat. The quality is so much better than the mat I purchased at a local sporting goods store and is much more comfortable. It is also holding up much better than my other mat which makes it worth the investment. The tactile markings, especially the foot stations and the raised line that runs through the center of the mat, have really helped me achieve the proper alignment and helped with balance.
--Mary, Yoga Student, Washington D.C.

To learn more about the VIYM and to watch VIYM demo videos of Tracy Curly performing yoga poses visit http://rousettus.com/

Around the House:

Allison Fredrickson Justin Gardner Priscilla Knight Darlene Donhoff

NIMAC Welcomes New Staff Member!

Allison Fredrickson recently joined the National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC) team as a Metadata Specialist. Allison has worked for Indiana University Libraries and as a web designer. She holds both a Master’s in Library Science and a Master’s in Information Science.

Resource Services and the Migel Library Welcome New Librarian!

Justin Gardner recently began work as the Special Collections and Cataloging Librarian for Resource Services and the Migel Library. Justin has worked as branch manager of the Louisville Free Public Library and served as Assistant Curator for the Monroe County Historical Society. He holds a Master's in Library Science.

New Test Editor Welcomed

Priscilla Knight recently joined the Accessible Tests Department as a Test Editor. She is not the "new kid on the block" as Priscilla has served as an APH Braille Transcriber for four years where she transcribed numerous tests and worked with Research Department staff on several products that were being developed. She earned a Master's in Teaching from the University of Louisville.

APH Research Department Manufacturing Specialist Retires After 31+ Remarkable Years

Darlene Donhoff is retiring from APH on November 1. She is a 31+ year APH employee with 23+ years with the Technical Research Department. She is one of the four founding members in the department. Over her career with the company, Darlene has worked in Large Type, Braille Production, Electronic Assembly, and the Educational Aids Departments before coming to Technical Research as an administrative assistant—later promoted to manufacturing specialist. She is a true career-long partner who will be sorely missed by the entire company.

Watch the Winter 2012 Promo Video and Participate in the Unforgettable APH Star Contest

The winter 2012 Unforgettable APH Star product video contest is now accepting entries! Before you take off for the holidays, make a quick video featuring an APH product and become eligible to win cash prizes up to $150.00. The deadline to send us your video is February 13th, but we can't wait to see your creation so send it ASAP!

Watch the new promo video to learn more about the contest and view other product videos now at www.aph.org/contest

APH Visits the Northern Rockies!

APH Field Services Representative Kerry Isham presented A Look at APH Products with a Focus on Math and Tactile Graphics at the Northern Rockies AER Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, October 19-21. Kerry also exhibited APH products at the event which drew approximately 90 attendees from Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. Presentation participants particularly enjoyed the interactive session where they received hands-on experience with APH products, including the Draftsman, Feel 'n Peel Nemeth Stickers, Setting the Stage for Tactile Understanding, Life Science Tactile Graphics, Squid Magazine, and the Focus in Math Kit, 2nd Edition.

Oldies but Goodies: The "Established" APH Product Series

O & M Tactile Graphics is a tool for helping teach orientation and mobility concepts such as compass directions, clock locations, and navigating outside and inside. It contains 10 high-contrast print/tactile graphics and a teacher's guide in print and in braille. The teacher's guide gives you basic ideas for lesson planning using the graphics, suggested concepts, and instructional hints for each graphic.

The graphics included address the following concepts:

• straight lines and points
• compass circle and clock face
• city block with sidewalks
• intersection with lanes and sidewalks
• types of intersections
• T intersection
• city blocks, 4X4 grid
• advanced city block
• hallway and rooms
• room with objects

If you have any suggestions for other products you would like to see highlighted in this monthly feature, please send your comments to Monica Turner at mmturner@aph.org.

Honoring Warren

A special presentation of a Wall of Tribute stone honoring Warren Figueiredo was made to his mother, Mrs. Rabelais, in Louisiana. The original stone is installed in the Wall of Tribute which is located in the Hall of Fame for the Blindness Field.

You may wish to consider honoring a friend, relative, mentor, or organization with a beautifully engraved stone.

2011 Hall of Fame Induction

Sally Rogow and Edward Ellis Allen Plaques

Bas relief plaques of the 2011 Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field Inductees, Sally Rogow and Edward Ellis Allen, are now installed in the Hall of Fame.

Soon a video of the 2011 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, skillfully hosted by Dr. Jane Erin, will appear on the website as well.

The biographies of these legends can be found on the Hall of Fame website.

"Like" APH at Our Facebook Page!

We invite you to visit our Facebook page and "Like" us! You can find APH at these social media sites: Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, and at our blog, Fred's Head from APH.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Printing-House-for-the-Blind/122879984400686

APH Travel Calendar

November

November 3-4, 2011
Indiana AER;
McCormick’s Creek State Park in Spencer, IN

November 3-5, 2011
ATIA 2011;
Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center in Schaumburg, IL

November 7, 2011
ToAD/Tadpole Training;
Santa Ana Unified School District in Santa Ana, CA

November 9, 2011
Tools for Assessment & Development of Visual Skills;
Missouri School for the Blind in St. Louis, MO

November 10, 2011
West Virginia School for the Blind Conference;
Romney, WV

November 10-12, 2011
Southwestern Orientation and Mobility Conference;
TSVBI Conference Center in Austin, TX

November 17, 2011
Division of Early Childhood (DEC) CEC 2011 Conference;
Gaylord National Hotel in National Harbor, MD

November 18-20, 2011
KCB 2011;
KSB in Louisville, KY

November 28, 2011
Pearson & Kentucky Department of Education Test Bias Review;
Lexington, KY

November 30-December 2, 2011
North Carolina Assistive Technology Expo-20th Annual (NC AT Expo 2011) at the North Raleigh Hilton;
Raleigh, NC

December

December 7-10, 2011
Getting In Touch With Literacy Conference 2011;
Galt House in Louisville, KY

January

January 26-28, 2012
ATIA 2012;

February

February 8, 2011
FVLMA Workshop;
North Mankato, MN

February 27-March 3, 2012
CSUN 2012;

Fall Harvest Sale

Load up a world of savings on selected APH products with APH's Fall Harvest Sale 2011, October 1—December 31. As always, first come, first served.

www.aph.org/products/harvest.html

New Downloadable Manuals Available

Get the manual you need instantly! APH offers a selected list of product manuals available for free download (www.aph.org/manuals/). You may print or emboss these as needed. We will continue to package hard copies of these manuals with their products and sell hard copy replacements.

Newly added manuals include:

• Braille Connection: Mentoring Manual, Print (7-11102-00)
• Braillewriting Dot by Dot: Teacher's Manual, Print (7-17401-00)
• Chang Tactual Diagram Kit: Instructional Guidebook, Print (7-21900-00)
• Fine Motor Development Materials: Teacher's Guidebook, Print (7-40400-00)
• Freund Longhand Writing Kit: Teacher's Manual, Print (7-73970-00)
• Getting in Touch with Reading: A Fresh Approach, Teacher's Manual, Print (7-47160-00)
• Multiplication and Division Table: Instruction Booklet, Print (7-82700-00)

ON SALE! Turn Your Braille+ into a "Netbook" with the Braille+ QWERTY Docking Station!

1-07452-00 -- $500.00

The Docking Station IS available with federal Quota funds.

ADDITIONAL SHIPPING CHARGE: All shipments will incur actual UPS shipping rates based on the destination.

Sale ends December 31, 2011.

Smaller than a laptop, the Docking Station for APH's Braille+™ Mobile Manager provides netbook-like functions. Simply snap your Braille+ into the Docking Station and you have a highly functional, comfortable-to-use, portable notetaker with Ethernet connectivity!

Docking Station Enables You To

• Take notes comfortably with a full-size QWERTY keyboard
• Perform full-capability word processing
• Web browse extensively
• Read and write email when you're on-the-go
• Use Braille+ longer with extended battery power

Features

• QWERTY keyboard
• Audio output and input options include: stereo speakers, mono microphone
• Rechargeable lithium-ion battery with user-accessible battery compartment
• USB 1.1 host and client
• Internet Connectivity: 10BaseT Ethernet
• Dimensions: Folded: 7.1 x 12 inches; Unfolded: 8.8 x 12 inches; Thickness: 1.6 inches

Note: The Braille+ Mobile Manager (discontinued) is required to operate the QWERTY Docking Station.

On Sale! Braille+ QWERTY Docking Station: Carrying Case

1-07452-12 -- $54.00

Replacement item for Braille+ QWERTY Docking Station.

On Sale! Original price: $59.95. Sale ends December 31, 2011.

Additional Cases Available

• Braille+ Mobile Manager: Leather Carrying Case

  1-07449-00 -- $26.00

  This genuine leather case is an optional item for Braille+™ Mobile Manager. Houses and protects your Braille+ unit. Includes carrying strap.

• Braille+ and Refreshabraille 18 Combo Case

  1-07448-00 -- $38.00

  This leather Combo Case houses and protects both the Braille+ and Refreshabraille 18 units, turning these two independent tools into one. The case opens like a book, revealing the Braille+ on one side and the Refreshabraille 18 on the other. Openings make it easy to connect accessories or power, and when folded, this case protects both units. Includes strap for easy portability.

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 several weeks for delivery.

Annie and Snowball and the Cozy Nest: The Fifth Book Of Their Adventures
by Cynthia Rylant: T-N1831-10 -- $8.50
From the porch swing, Annie and her bunny Snowball spy a nest and watch to find out who is building it. Annie's father lifts her up to see the eggs inside. And finally one morning, they hear the baby birds chirping. Four short chapters. Grades K-3. *(AR Quiz #129392, BL 2.8, Pts. 0.5)

Young Charles Darwin and the Voyage of the Beagle
by Ruth Ashby: T-N1835-40 -- $24.00
This biography of Charles Darwin (1809-1882) focuses on the scientific observations and discoveries about the natural world that he made during his five-year shipboard voyage around the world. Discusses his collections of plants and birds, which led him to his theory of evolution. For grades 4-7. *(AR Quiz #130427 BL 7.5, Pts. 4.0)

The Year of Secret Assignments
by Jaclyn Moriarty: T-N1837-10 -- $81.00
New South Wales, Australia. Three students from Ashbury High -- Lydia, Cassie, and Emily -- participate in a pen-pal project for their English class by writing to Sebastian, called "Seb," Matthew, and Charlie at rival Brookfield High. The communication leads to romance, humiliation, and revenge. Some strong language. For senior high readers. *(AR Quiz #77133, BL 5.9, Pts. 12.0)

The Physick book of Deliverance Dane: A Novel
by Katherine Howe: T-N1838-10 -- $101.00
Connie Goodwin heads to Massachusetts to sell her grandmother's abandoned property and work on research for her doctoral dissertation in American colonial history. When an antique key falls out of her family's old Bible, Connie is inspired to find a powerful, rare book.

The Strain: The Strain Trilogy, Book 1
by : Guillermo Del Toro: T-N1847-10 -- $117.00
The CDC's Dr. Eph Goodweather investigates a ghostly scene on the JFK tarmac: a recently landed Boeing 777 sits with all systems dead, shades down, and no signs of life. An awakened vampire virus greater and more horrific than imaginable rapidly spreads through the night. Violence and strong language.

*Accelerated Reader quiz number, book 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
• Maria Delgado, Field Services Representative
• Kerry Isham, Field Services Representative
• Frank Hayden, Technical Research Manager, Research
• Nancy Lacewell, Director, Governmental Relations
• Stephanie Lancaster, Graphic Designer, Communications
• Drew Lueken, Support Specialist, Communications
• Mary Nelle McLennan, APH BANA Representative
• Julia Myers, Director, Resource Services
• Artina Paris-Jones, Assistant, Field Services
• Tristan Pierce, Multiple Disabilities Project Leader, Research
• Becky Snider, Coordinator, Public Affairs
• Monica Turner, Field Services Representative
• Debbie Willis, Director, Accessible Tests
• Suzette Wright, Emergent Literacy Project Leader, Research

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

Visit APH on

Read our blog: Fred's Head from APH.

For additional recent APH News, click the following:
October Issue - www.aph.org/advisory/2011adv10.html
September Issue - www.aph.org/advisory/2011adv09.html
August Issue - www.aph.org/advisory/2011adv08.html

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

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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