NFB-Newsline currently hosts more than 300 publications including more than 15 California newspapers and also includes a very comprehensive and user-customizable television listing capability. Also see detailed information below.

These two toll-free services are more than duplicative of the old service the LightHouse had operated. They are much more user-friendly, have massive content and are free.  What’s not to like?

Users of the LightHouse system will note its closure as of October 1st.  For further information or personalized help in setting up any new accounts, please feel free to contact Greg Kehret, Director of Access to Information at (415) 694-7349 or gkehret@lighthouse-sf.org

Society for the Blind-Access News

To hear a demonstration call toll free at (800) 665-4667 and enter user code 5555. For Advertisements enter 1 followed by 10 for Grocery Ads or 13 for Drugstore Ads.

Additional information can be found on-line at Society for the Blind.

Sign up as an Access News subscriber by telephone at (916) 732-4010.

NFB-Newsline

To hear a demonstration call toll free at (800) 665-4667, enter user number 000999 and security code 9999. Press 8 to get to TV Listings. The caller then can skip forward or backward from channel to channel by pressing 3 or 1. They can go forward or backward by time by pressing 4 or 6.

Instructions for using NFB-Newsline are available on-line, in large print and audio cassette.

If you are not yet a subscriber sign up now or call NFB toll free at 1-866-504-7300.

On a warm, sparkly day this spring, before the grey afternoons of this particularly cold SF summer set in, I trekked out to San Francisco State and sat at a picnic table with Paul. He was wearing a professor’s blazer and white running shoes, and he was seated in his power chair. I wore my huge sunglasses and perched on my mobility scooter with the bockety paint job. With the sun out, we were feeling altogether leisurely. I had been a bit nervous and somewhat embarrassed because I had yet to get to know Paul, even though I consider myself someone who is very involved in the disability community.

The LightHouse was one of the agencies that put together the 20^th anniversary celebration of the ADA event last month. Paul was a top choice to speak at the event, so I felt lucky to have an excuse to call him. My friend Amanda Hoffman, a documentary filmmaker who is making a film about blindness in the community, was a great friend of Paul’s, and she advised me to think of some corny jokes because he was a total punster. I chickened out after I dialed his number, and instead, just stuck to introducing myself as an information and referral specialist at the LightHouse. “And, on behalf of the LightHouse, I am on a committee that is planning an event for the ADA—.” He interrupted with, “I know who you are, Amber.” It turned out he had read some of my poetry online. This seemed incredibly generous to me, since I am sure Paul had hundreds of academic colleagues, anxious grad students and professionals in the disability field to keep on his radar.

While we sat basking in the sun that day, Paul asked me about my big sunglasses. I explained that I had recently become blind in my left eye and that glare, especially, made my eye more painful. He asked how that experience informed my work at the LightHouse, and in response, I told him how I love the conversations I get to have via my job—in person or over the phone—with people who are slowly transforming, moving from vision loss to an understanding of what it means to be new to blindness. But, I said, it is sometimes a confusing dialogue, in my head and with LightHouse clients and visitors. Like many of the LightHouse visitors, there are still many medical steps I must take on my journey with partial sight and a single day contains conflicting emotions—frustration over eye aches one moment and total excitement over the newest software for blind computer users in another. Paul responded with a long treatise on illness versus disability, on suffering and self-sufficiency. He expressed to me that he did not believe that the search for a cure needs to contradict the fight for disability rights. He also told me that it is not a paradox to acknowledge discomfort and at the same time foster disability pride. His thoughts were immensely helpful that day.

Paul was a methodical scholar. He explained that when he wrote a book, he carefully researched and polished a chapter before moving on to the next. And he did this with voice recognition software or sometimes with a pen in his mouth to tap the keys (after childhood polio, Paul no longer had the use of his hands). This is likely how he composed his first book—a respected biography of George Washington. And then he set it on fire. Paul became famous as an activist for burning his book in front of the San Francisco federal building in 1988—as a protest of the Social Security Administration. The meager royalties he could expect from an academic text were enough to threaten the SSA benefits Paul depended on his for his medical care, in particular, his ventilator.

In early July, Paul gave a lecture at the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute (SKI). His topic was on the way blind activists were the early forebears of the disability rights movement. Ever the consummate historian, he told a fascinating story at SKI that day about a little-known figure: Abram Courtney. Courtney was an itinerant blind peddler in 1835. He authored and self-published a pamphlet that he then began distributing while he traversed the country as a traveling salesman. His goal was to disprove the idea that the blind could not work and to inform people, in a friendly and anecdotal manner, about the blind via his writings. This was quite radical for 1835. He goes on to explain how one of the largest blindness organizations in the country was founded—long before ideas of equal rights or access were in place.

On July 26^th, Paul made a rousing final speech at the ADA event. He said, “Great leaders do not create great movements. Great movements give rise to great leaders,” and, “No movement can exist without, in this case, millions of ordinary men and women asserting themselves to demand dignity and their rights. So that’s what our movement is all about. That’s our past, that’s our present, that’s our future.”  Read the entire transcript or watch the video from this event at the Independent Living Resource Center’s blog: http://www.itsnormal.org/2010/08/for-paul-longmore-were-not-done-yet.html.

As the crowd was trickling out of the ADA event, I thanked Paul and we agreed to get coffee soon, to take up our conversation where we had left off. I wanted to hear more about Abram, maybe work it into a poem about the LightHouse’s history as a broom factory. I wanted to ask Paul what new trouble he was going to get into, what else he would set on fire. I promised I would have some jokes for him the next time.

A public service for Paul will be held October 23 at 2 p.m. at the Seven Hills Conference Center at San Francisco State. A reception will follow at 3 p.m.

Download this podcast to listen to Paul Longmore’s SKI talk on radical blind figures in history. Joshua A. Miele, Ph.D., Principal Investigator and Colloquium Committee Chair at The Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute facilitates the interview.

Victor Reader Stream 101
First offering: October 11-22
Second offering: November 29–December 10
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
(with a break for lunch).
Contact: Leah Gardner, 415-431-1481 for participation eligibility and registration.

Visit the organizations in your area and sign up for email newsletters for centers in other areas. to maximize the info you receive. There are many programs and services that parents do not know about–get in the loop so it it becomes easier to know where to look and what to ask for!
Rowell Family Empowerment of Northern California (RFENC) www.EmpowerYourFamily.org

Matrix Parent Network & Resource Center

Parents Helping Parents (PHP)

Support for Families of Children with Disabilities

Family Voices of California

Exceptional Parents Unlimited

Team of Advocates for Special Kids (TASK)

The Family Resource Centers Network of California

California Association of Family Empowerment Centers

Technical Assistance Alliance for Parent Centers

So, we are thrilled to announce that Laura Rodriguez is starting a blind and low vision parents’ group at the LightHouse! Laura, who has grown up in the LightHouse community, is now the proud mom of one-year old Sam.

As a teen, Laura was an Enchanted Hills camper and she now enjoys going back for Family Camp once a year to connect with other blind parents. However, Laura wants to create a way for families to come together throughout the year.  She feels that a visually impaired parents’ group at the LightHouse will provide a space in which members “won’t feel as though they need to overcompensate” as parents.  Instead, group members can confidently share their own unique strategies and brainstorm around common parenting challenges.

The blind parents’ group at the LightHouse will also double as a play group, of course.  Parents are welcome to bring their children to regular meetings. Plans for off-site gatherings at kid-friendly sites around the Bay Area will be arranged once everyone has had a chance to get acquainted. Because some kid-oriented places are not super accessible to blind visitors, going as a group will be an added help in getting accommodations on-site.

As soon as five parents sign up, meetings can begin at the LightHouse on weekends. Just go to http://www.meetup.com/viparents/.

Parents must become Meetup.com members in order to join the group. If you have questions, contact info@lighthouse-sf.org.

Please spread the word about the group to anyone who might be interested. We are really excited to bring more family networks to the LightHouse!

The kick-off of the committee, which took place on July 29, coincided closely with the reinstatement of MediCal coverage for low vision exams. Effective July 26, MediCal will allow coverage for individuals to have a low vision exam once every two years. The LightHouse will begin booking low vision clinic appointments for MediCal patients in late August. Patients who visit our clinic benefit from immediate follow-up with a Low Vision Specialist who provides demonstrations of adaptive aids and products; connection to LightHouse services, including interactive seminars on low- and high-tech devices, orientation and mobility training and peer-led support groups; community-building with others who are experiencing loss of vision; and access to Adaptations, an on-site retail store with highly trained customer service specialists who are users themselves of many of our products.

For more information about low vision exams at the LightHouse call (415) 694-7318. For a full listing of our Medical Community Friends of the LightHouse, visit http://bit.ly/aMvOor .

LightHouse Partners with TJPA, Offers Maps and Training
The Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA) has partnered with the San Francisco LightHouse for the Blind to provide enhanced accessibility and safety of the terminal for blind and visually impaired travelers. Braille, tactile and large print maps of the terminal will be available through the LightHouse. Certified LightHouse Orientation and Mobility Specialists will be available by appointment to provide information, guidance and route training through the initial changeover period, with direct services through December 2010.

LightHouse representatives will be on hand to answer questions at the Temporary Transbay Terminal Open House on August 3 from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Blind and visually impaired individuals desiring up to two hours of one-on-one instruction can arrange for an appointment with a certified Lighthouse Orientation and Mobility Specialist by calling (415) 694-7302 or emailing temptransbay@lighthouse-sf.org.

Braille, tactile and large print maps of the terminal can be ordered by calling (415) 694-7302 or emailing temptransbay@lighthouse-sf.org.

For more information and to read the official press release, go to http://bit.ly/TempTransbay

• Ultra-slim and compact “key-fob” design – 3.0 x 1.6 x 0.7 inch
• Attaches to key-ring or lanyard
• Recognizes all US bills in circulation (including the new $5 bill)
• Instantaneous response – most bills are identified in less than a second
• Can recognize banknotes in any orientation.

Visit Adaptations today for a demo! For more information, contact Sam Rodriguez at srodriguez@lighthouse-sf.org.

Mega Self-Defense Seminar Founder Stephen Nichols

Saturday, August 28^th: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sensei Nicholls returns again from England to lead a special self-defense seminar and to answer questions about the ever-expanding program. This will be the last time Sensei Nichols will be teaching in California in the foreseeable future, so come out and pick his brain, and beware if you try to pick his pocket!

Toastmasters Club

Saturdays, August 14^th and 21^st: Noon to 1:00 p.m.

Improve your public speaking and leadership skills. A fun, educational and community-building opportunity! Email me to sign up or for more information.

NOTE! The first session of Toastmaster’s was cancelled. Please be sure to sign up for the session on the 14^th ASAP to ensure that we have a great group.

Coming Soon!

Gene Russo’s Thursday Latin and Ballroom Dance Class

Coming back on Thursdays in September from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Folks have been anxious to return to the dance floor, and we are bringing Gene back to appease the masses. Get your dancing shoes and smiles ready because the LightHouse will be rockin’ on Thursday evenings again!
August Schedule

Open Technology Lab
Tuesdays: 3 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
Thursdays: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Thursday Evening Yoga
Every Thursday: 6 p.m. to 7:25 p.m.

Toastmasters Club Meetings
Saturdays, August 7^th, 15^th and 21^st: Noon to 1 p.m.

Saturday Yoga Workshop
Saturday, August 21^st: 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Special Event with Sensei Stephen Nichols

Saturday Self-Defense Workshop
Saturday, August 28^th: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Peer Discussion Group
Saturdays, August 14^th and 28^th: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Evening and Weekend Program Info Line: 415-694-7335

Contact:
Philip Kum
Evening Weekend Coordinator
pkum@lighthouse-sf.org
415-694-7372

ACB

The convention was held in Phoenix, Arizona, from July 9 to 17. There were 2,000 blind and low vision members in attendance.

On the opening night, ACB President Mitch Pomerantz gave a rousing call to action that outlined the challenges facing the blind and low vision community in the critical areas of education, rehabilitation services, employment, transportation and information access.

Kathy Martinez from the U.S. government’s Office of Disability Employment Policy elaborated her efforts to increase employment of people with disabilities in the federal Department of Labor and throughout the federal government. The work, she said, of recruiting, hiring, retaining and promoting persons with disabilities must happen at the intersection between disability and culture.

Prominent disability rights lawyer Lainey Feingold spoke about successes in structured negotiations with Bank of America. As of now, all B of A ATMs talk, and thus, are fully accessible to blind customers. Feingold is currently taking up issues around the lack of accessible, electronic health records.

One outstanding presentation at ACB this year was given by Paul Edwards, the director of disabled student programs at Miami-Dade College in Florida. He continued the conversation on disability and employment by treading into the often ignored or shied-away from area of attitudinal barriers that complicate employment for people with disabilities.

This was an important talk because, as the LightHouse sees it, blind jobseekers find greater success when they can hone their ability to exercise personal initiative and judgment, practice different ways (mental, physical and emotional) of being prepared for new worksite culture and can avoid the pitfall of letting perceived discrimination get them down.

There were also many vendor and service demos at ACB. If you missed it, listen to 20 podcasts from vendor interviews at Serotek. http://bit.ly/20interviews. Be sure to check out the National Library Service link. Their ACB presentation featured a special talk by one of NLS’ most popular book narrators, David Hartley Margolin.

NFB

This year’s convention was held from July 3 to 8 in Dallas, Texas. Approximately 2,500 blind people from all over the country gathered for an action-packed week.

There were workshops on fundraising and membership-building, as well as workshops hosted by Apple, Oracle, Freedom Scientific and more.

Blind people with various interests gathered at division meetings, including ones for lawyers, educators, performing artists, sports and recreation, science and engineering, and of course, students.

The exhibit hall during the convention was lively and crowded. Some of the vendors in attendance were: Freedom Scientific, HumanWare, Handy Tech North America, A T Guys, RFB&D, Bookshare, GW Micro and En-Vision America.

Several notable people spoke throughout the convention:

Jessica Finnefrock, Blackboard Learn’s Senior Vice President of Product Development, promised to continue working with the NFB to make its website accessible to blind students and teachers.
download the speech here

Michael Hingson, a 9/11 survivor, spoke about his terrifying exit from the World Trade Center with his guide dog by his side.
download the speech here

Dane Glasgow, eBay’s Vice President of Buyer Experience Product Management, presented on how eBay is improving the buying and selling experience for blind users.
download the speech here

Mike May, Chief Executive Officer of Sendero Group, presented his newest ideas for GPS and location-based services using bus stop and geocoded media content.
download the speech here

Dennis Hong, Ph.D., Director of the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory at Virginia Tech, enthusiastically spoke about his work with the NFB to create a car that can be driven by the blind.
download the speech here

Timothy Cordes, M.D., Ph.D., Resident in Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, spoke about his personal experiences as a blind doctor.
download the speech here

And finally, there was a wonderful presentation for the NFB’s Bolotin Awards. LightHouse community partners Mike May and Apple were two recipients of the 2010 awards.
download the speech here

Joining a membership organization for visually impaired people is the best way to stay in the loop about convention and conference schedules. Besides being a lot of fun, these events can give you a strong sense of community and present you with new tech options, chances to network and more!

Consider becoming a member of:

American Council of the Blind

National Federation of the Blind

California Council of the Blind CCB’s convention is coming up in October 2010!

For more blindness membership organizations, contact the LightHouse Resource Center.