Published and distributed by the Iowa Department for the
Blind
Allen C. Harris, Director
Karen Keninger, Editor
Members of the Commission:
Chairperson Julie Scurr, Coralville
Doug Elliott, Grinnell
Behnaz Soulati, Des Moines
Summer 2006
Des Moines, Iowa
From the Director
Behnaz
Soulati Appointed New Board Member
NLS
Digital Transition on Track for 2008
The
Referral Process the First Step in Receiving Services from the Iowa
Department for the Blind
Monster Reads
Niagara
Falls
Slooowly I Turn
Talking Cell
Phone Presentation Material Now Available
Iowa Department for the Blind to Host Employer Appreciation Day
BEP Creates Opportunities
Pathfinders: Learning Through Experiencing
Raising Cane Continues to Raise the Bar
Sighted in a Blind Community
Exciting New Changes in the OPAC
Newsline News
Tech Reviews
By Allen C.
Harris
The 2006 Iowa Legislative Session has
concluded, and decisions surrounding the 2007 budget have kept our attention.
Governor Vilsack recommended that IDB be funded at the same level as
fiscal year 2006 for the 2007 fiscal year, which starts
Behnaz Soulati has been appointed by
Governor Vilsack to serve a three-year term on the Commission Board.
She is a former student of the
In other news, read about the Library's summer reading program, progress on digital talking books, and additions to Newsline as well as the initiatives in BEP. The assistive technology staff is busy on a variety of projects and is winding down Project ASSIST at the end of its grant life, while transition programs are in full swing for the summer. In all of these activities, we work to get better and better at what we do.
By Jolene Horsman
Behnaz Soulati of
A native of
After her training, she enrolled at the
After returning from
Ms. Soulati will serve a three-year term
on the Commission Board, which began on
By Beth Hirst
Library staff members attending the
National Conference for Librarians Serving the Blind and Physically Handicapped
in
A single flash memory cartridge,
slightly larger than a credit card, will contain all of the average 12-hour
book. The new mailing containers, which will be royal blue and hold one
cartridge each, are still in the design phase. The design specifications for two
models of player are nearing completion. Both players, basic and advanced, will
be one-third the size and less than half the weight of the current C-1 cassette
player and will have significantly better sound quality. The basic player will
be very simple to use: plug in the cartridge and the machine will announce the
title, author, and location in the book and will begin playing. The advanced
machine will allow for navigation within the book by chapters and pages. If no
cartridge is inserted, pressing the keys will cause them to announce their
functions. The players will be dark charcoal gray in color, will be easy to
clean, and will have a battery run time of more than 15 hours.
NLS projects that final testing of
player prototypes should be
completed between August 2006 and February 2007. The manufacturing contract
should be in place by August 2007. By April 2008, the production line should be
established and the first 10,000 players ready for distribution soon after.
Full-scale production should be in place by July 2008. Continuous testing and
assessment will occur along the way, assuring that there are no defects.
Meanwhile, digital talking book production is already in progress. More than
20,000 titles should be available by the time the players are ready for use.
By Larry Sidwell
Ten staff from the Iowa Department for
the Blind (IDB) are each spending a week teaching and advising at the
David Eveland, Administrator, State of
In October 2000, Mr. Eveland
participated in a conference at IDB in
"Several things struck me about the
IDB." said Eveland. "One in particular was the importance of having
staff go through training as a student. Another was listening to a panel of
former students talk about their experiences as students. The tours led by
students were impressive, as was the display of woodshop items they had made and
the cinnamon rolls that were served." He went on to say that "the
principle that people need to believe in themselves and the role an orientation
center plays in assisting people to develop that belief; the overall attitude of
the IDB and its staff that they are involved in work that makes a real
difference in people's lives and are providing a valuable contribution to
society; all of these reasons sparked a notion that we should explore changing
the way our Orientation Center is run, and we should seek assistance from the
IDB during the change process."
The first step toward change began in
December 2000, when the first staff from
When asked about what his staff has
gained from this experience, Eveland said, "The benefit of sending our
staff to
The first rotation of mainland staff to
"It is very important and
beneficial that instructors from
By Christina Stocker
Between January and March 2006, the Iowa
Department for the Blind (IDB) received the names of over 500 individuals who
could benefit from our services. Anyone who is having trouble because of vision
loss can be referred for services. People do not have to be legally blind to
qualify.
Referring someone to IDB is a simple
process and can be done by anyone (i.e., doctors, family members, friends,
clients, social workers). An individual can be referred by phone, e-mail,
regular mail, or in person. All we need is the person's name, address, and phone
number. After the individual has been referred, a rehabilitation counselor or
teacher is assigned to contact that person, usually by phone, to discuss the
services we offer and determine if they are interested in services. If the
person is not interested in services at that time no further contact will be
initiated. However, if circumstances change, people often contact us again.
Rehabilitation counselors assist blind
and visually impaired individuals with finding a job or keeping the job that
they already have. The rehabilitation teachers help individuals learn
alternative ways to do things without their vision so that they can remain (or
become more) independent. The teachers can show individuals different techniques
for using their appliances, dialing the phone, telling canned goods apart, doing
crafts, writing letters or checks, traveling with a long white cane, reading and
writing Braille, and much more. Teachers and counselors can also provide
information on other services that IDB offers such as library services (books on
tape, in large print, or in Braille) and our Aids and Devices store. As we
receive the majority of our money from state and federal funding, we do not
charge for our services.
If you would like more information on
IDB services, please call 515-281-1333 or 800-362-2587. You may also visit our
web site at www.blind.state.ia.us.
By Randy Landgrebe
Monster Reads, the first annual summer
reading program for adults at the Iowa Library for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped, begins
What makes a book a Monster book? If you
look up "monster" in Webster's Collegiate Dictionary you read:
"one who deviates from normal or acceptable
character; one unusually
large for its kind; one that is highly successful
" Based on those
definitions, here are some examples that would qualify as Monster books.
Dracula, for obvious reasons; War and Peace, because of its unusual length; and
The Bible, as the most sold book of all time. Valley of the Dolls is another
interesting example because it is the best-selling fiction book of all time.
(Gone with the Wind is a close second.) If you would like to know if a book
qualifies as a Monster book, contact your reader advisor or check the list on
the library's web site at www.blind.state.ia.us/Library/biblios.htm.
Now that you know what a Monster book
is, you need to know how to play Monster Reads. Simply follow these directions.
Read a book from the Monster Books reading list. If you live outside the
Monthly drawings will take place Friday,
June 30th and Friday, July 28th. The grand prize will be drawn Monday, July 31.
Contact Circulation Supervisor, Randy Landgrebe, at 1-800-362-2587 for more
information about Monster Reads.
By Megen Johnson
What is the purpose of the Iowa
Department for the Blind's youth transition programs? As the program director, I
often ask myself, "Why should a teenage student, who just happens to be
blind or visually impaired, want to come spend part of a precious summer with me
at the Department?" Is it to have fun? Is it to learn the skills of
blindness? Yes it can be about fun, and yes it can be about learning the skills
of blindness. The most important aspect of the program, however, is the
opportunity for blind and visually impaired teenagers to gain a wide variety of
experiences, through Camp Stepping Stones and
Camp Stepping Stones is a one-week camp
that concentrates on students who need intense training in the skills of
independent living. Often times these students have allowed their family and
friends to do things for them, like tying their shoes, rather than taking the
time to learn it for themselves. It isn't until they are ready to leave home and
move out on their own that they realize they don't have the necessary skills.
For many of the Stepping Stones students, the first couple of days of camp are
quite shocking. They are not used to the expectation that they get their own
plates at dinner time, sort their own laundry, make their own beds, or even get
themselves from one place to another. Many of these students try using that
infamous saying, "I can't do that--I'm blind." That is why the staff
hired to live and work with the students every day are blind themselves. The
most important work our staff will do this summer, and always, is teaching
students the truth about blindness. That's
why they will work right alongside our students, teaching them that it is
possible to do those things they once thought impossible. By the end of the
week, the students are heading home with a much different attitude about their
blindness than when they started. The students might not have all of the
necessary skills yet to be fully independent, but they certainly have the
"Stepping Stones" to start on that path. That path towards
independence may lead home this time, but it might also lead to
As Camp Stepping Stones students are
finishing up and heading home, the staff starts gearing up for
While brainstorming for this year's
trip, I knew I had to come up with a place that would be of interest to the
students, but also add a new set of challenges for them that they may not face
in their everyday lives. Last year's trip was more rural, so I decided that this
year we needed to explore urban settings. As I started researching different
geographic areas, one idea led to another and before I knew it,
When I mentioned
For additional information about the
transition summer programs offered at the Iowa Department for the Blind, please
contact Megen Johnson at 515-281-1253 or 800-362-2587. She can also be reached
at johnson.megen@blind.state.ia.us.
By Curtis Chong
On April 14, staff from the Iowa
Department for the Blind (IDB) conducted a highly successful presentation about
talking cell phones. People who
attended the presentation (of which there were more than 70) had an excellent
opportunity to hear, see, and feel the various types of talking cell phones that
are now available on the market and used successfully by various IDB staff
members. While it is possible for
people who are blind to use most commercially available cell phones to make and
receive calls, it is generally not possible for the more advanced cell phone
features to be used without sighted assistance.
Fortunately, there are models now available (depending on the cell phone
provider) that can be used to provide access to some of the more advanced
features.
An audio recording of the presentation
is now available. Also, a copy of
the material handed out at the presentation can be requested in Braille, large
print, and audio cassette. To
request these materials, please contact Curtis Chong at 1-800-362-2587 or via
email at chong.curtis@blind.state.ia.us.
By Brenda Criswell
The Iowa Department for the Blind (IDB)
and Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services (IVRS) will be co-sponsoring an
invitation-only Employer Appreciation Day at IDB headquarters on
Agency tours will be available, which
will showcase our building and our services. This will be a time for our guests
to meet with some special vendors, including companies that sell assistive
technology for blind persons. It will also be an opportunity for them to network
with their fellow employers.
By Roger Erpelding
The Business Enterprises Program (BEP)
continues its efforts to provide maximum opportunities for business under our
program and to increase the profitability of these businesses.
Construction has begun at
Our staff continues to survey a variety
of locations for business expansion. Since the last issue, Mark West has
surveyed twelve sites. Three have been turned down for geographic or size
reasons; others are still pending.
We are pleased to report that we now
have five trainees. They are all doing well, and we expect to have five newly
licensed blind managers by the end of the year. We are pleased with the
increased interest in our program. In this regard, BEP staff, along with members
of the Elected Committee of Blind Vendors, talked with
By Keri Nuzum
The Pathfinders Transition Mentoring
Program was created to match young adults ages 16-26 who are blind or visually
impaired (pathfinders) with successful and competent blind adult mentors. One of
the requirements of the program is for each mentor and pathfinder pair to get
together for educational or skill development experiences. This year,
pathfinders and mentors have been busy doing activities that focus on blindness
skills, positive attitudes and becoming involved in their communities.
Some of our pairs have visited
Many of our pairs have also gone to
entertaining places like basketball games, movies, plays, the zoo, the farmer's
market, and the science center. Mentors show pathfinders how to find their seats
in a dark room, gather information, travel through a crowded and unknown area,
and carry trays, drinks, and personal items while managing a cane.
Mentors have also worked with their
pathfinders on building educational and workplace skills. Some have worked
together to build study habits or knowledge of specific classes like science and
math. Others have worked together on learning about colleges and the
requirements for attending. Mentors have discussed the challenges associated
with attending college, dealing with professors, and becoming involved in campus
life. In addition, mentors have worked with pathfinders on building rιsumιs
and interviewing skills, as well as applying for jobs and the importance of a
good work ethic.
One of the new components of the
Pathfinders Mentoring Program this year has been to become involved with the
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's (JDRF) Walk to Cure Diabetes. During
this event, mentors and their pathfinders were asked to raise money from their
local communities to donate to JDRF. Pathfinders and mentors found this to be an
important cause and together raised over $1,800.
Another component of the program has
been a focus on the two consumer organizations for the blind in
All of the activities mentioned have had
common goals a focus on the importance of having a positive attitude about
blindness, good blindness techniques, high expectations, and becoming
independent and self-confident. Pathfinders are given the opportunity to
experience many things that are new to them, or that they didn't think are
possible. Through activities that mentors and pathfinders have done, our young
adults are truly learning that it is okay to be blind.
For more information about the
Transition Mentoring Program and how to apply to be a mentor or pathfinder,
please contact Keri Nuzum, Transition Mentoring Specialist, at the Iowa
Department for the Blind at 800-362-2587 or 515-281-1322.
By Julie Aufdenkamp
March 4, 2006
marked the eighth year that the Iowa Department for the Blind (IDB) has
participated in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Walk to Cure
Diabetes. Year after year, the IDB Walk Team has pushed the goal bar higher, and
this year was no exception.
The 2006 IDB Walk Team, "Raising
Cane," raised a record $15,015 and surpassed its 2005 mark by nearly
$3,000. The grand total of this year's walk is just over 1.9 million dollars. In
1999, the first IDB Walk Team raised $2,069. To date, Raising Cane has collected
a total of $71,684.
"Eight years ago when I first
suggested that the
Edge added that the goals of Team
Raising Cane go far beyond raising record amounts of money to help find a cure
for diabetes. "For one thing, we are educating the public," he
observed. "When 50 to 70 long white cane users are in the skywalk at the
same time, people notice. The general public sees the cane users as equals and
as people who are giving back to the community in an effort to help others.
Incorrect stereotypes about the blind are dispelled and new, positive
impressions are formed in the minds of the public.
"Also, the 7,000-8,000 people who
do the walk see our Iowa Department for the Blind t-shirts and they know, maybe
for the first time, that this agency exists should they or someone they know
need our services."
Members of the 2006 Raising Cane team
numbered over 100 and included Orientation Center students and alumni; staff,
friends, and family of the IDB; participants from the Transition and Pathfinder
Programs; and representatives from Kohl's Department Store. Approximately 7,500
walkers participate in the JDRF event in
Ann Coffey, a current
The JDRF is not the only beneficiary
when it comes to the IDB's participation in the Walk. Students from the
In a message to the Department, Julie
Scurr, IDB commissioner and Raising Cane team member, expressed her
appreciation. "What an accomplishment! I'm so proud to be a part of this
fantastic fundraising project," she emphasized. "You are all amazing
in the amount of energy and enthusiasm that you display each year as you
accomplish the goal that you set to reach in this event. Thanks for all your
hard work and efforts."
Raising the bar has always been part of
the philosophy of Allen Harris, Director of the Iowa Department for the Blind.
"IDB's participation in the JDRF walk and related activities is one more
way we can give back to our community and for each of us to assist in work which
is important to so many of our clients," observed Mr. Harris. "The
Department takes pride in participating in activities other than our work with
blindness, each project allows us to challenge ourselves to improve."
By Marilyn Jensen
What do you say when someone says,
"You are print dependent, light dependent, a sightling," or many other
phrases that mean you have vision? How do you respond when you are teased for
needing a light to find the door? When I began working for the Iowa Department
for the Blind six years ago, I didn't know how to answer, but that was before I
began a journey I wish everyone could experience.
The first thing I learned was blindness
is not the end of life. I have a group of friends who enjoy breaks and lunch
together in the cafeteria; about half are blind. My "lunch bunch" have
become my mentors and guides. We have a great time laughing, sharing stories
from our lives, and learning from each other. When I mess up my computer, I ask
one of my blind technical friends how to get it straightened out. If I cannot
remember an author or title, these well-read friends give me the information I
need. Want to know of something to do on the weekend? They will give a list of
varied activities and what they have planned. I have never sky dived, but
several of my blind friends have.
Next, I have learned that it is OK to be
blind. Although my blind friends use alternative techniques to accomplish their
jobs, travel, cook, or read a book, they do not consider blindness a handicap,
but it is a nuisance. They lead normal lives. Many are successfully raising
families. Others are accomplished seamstresses, knitters, crocheters, musicians,
computer gurus, and phenomenal cooks. They do not let blindness get in the way
of learning new skills either.
I have further learned that
So when my friends kid me about my
dependence on vision, it doesn't bother me at all. They have been a good
example, and their confidence in handling blindness gives me pride to be a part
of the Iowa Department for the Blind. I love telling people, as I travel across
the state, about our agency. I love sharing with people who are losing their
vision that we can help them be successful through this stage of their lives.
By Susan Stageberg
Our Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC)
has had a facelift! We've kept the features of the OPAC you know and love and
have added some new tools that will make your on-line browsing and ordering
faster and easier.
First and most important, the OPAC has a
new address. If you have the web address for the "old" OPAC in your
Favorites list in your web browser (such as Internet Explorer), you will need to
change your Favorites to reflect the new address for the OPAC. The new address
is:
www.blind.state.ia.us/opacnew.
You can also reach the OPAC by selecting
the "On-Line Public Access Catalog" link on the Iowa Department for
the Blind's home page: www.blind.state.ia.us.
About the Book Bag. The most noticeable
feature in our new OPAC is the book bag. Think of the book bag as being like a
shopping cart. As you browse the OPAC and select books, you add them to your
book bag. The book bag contains a list of all the books you have selected in the
current OPAC session. You can view, update, or empty your book bag at any time.
You can also choose whether to have each book sent right away, or sent later. If
you choose later, the book will be added to your request list.
Important! Each time you select a book
to be added to your book bag, remember to press Alt-U or click the Update Book
Bag button. By activating the Update Book Bag button each time you select a
book, you ensure that all the books you want remain in the book bag until you
are ready to check them out.
New Search Options. You can now search
the OPAC by title ID number in addition to the options you're familiar with
(title, author, subject, etc.). You can also conduct a search using the author's
name plus a word in the title. So if you know that the book you want has the
word "Dahlia" in the title and that the book was written by Nora
Roberts, you can enter Roberts, Nora in the author field and Dahlia in the word
in title field. This search will yield two records, both of which are for the
book Blue Dahlia by Nora Roberts.
You can also search the OPAC using
on-line versions of the Talking Book Topics and Braille Book Review order forms.
If you choose a title through the Talking Book Topics on-line form, the book
will be added to your book bag, just as it would be if you did a standard OPAC
search.
These are just a few of the improvements
weve made to our OPAC. An updated tutorial is available on the OPAC web site
to walk you through your book browsing or searching session.
As always, we at the Iowa Library for
the Blind are happy to answer any OPAC questions you have. Call us at
800-362-2587 between
We hope you enjoy the new OPAC. If you
have comments or concerns after trying the new features, please let us know.
Newsline, the telephone-based newspaper
and magazine system that allows independent, any-time access to over 220
newspapers and magazines, including five
Newsline has just added Diabetes
Self-Management. This magazine has a
circulation of 437,000 and will be located under option 7 with the other
three magazines.
To sign up for Newsline, call your
reader advisor at 800-362-2587 or Peggy Elliott at 641-236-3369.
For those who like their newspapers on
the go, Newsline has begun providing 125 of its papers, unfortunately no
Coming this summer or fall with Newsline
will be TV listings for all
By Michael D. Barber
Editor's Note: If you are interested in
more of these reviews in future issues of the White Cane Update, let us know.
Overview. The first thing I
noticed was how very small it was. It's about the size of a credit card and fits
nicely in the palm of your hand. It's a little narrow at the bottom and gets a
little broader as you move toward the top of the device. Moving from the bottom
of the device to the top, you have the speaker and on-board microphone, a Mode
Button which has an X on it, a round circle which is the Play Button and a left
and right arrow on each side for rewind and fast forward. Just above the Play
Button is a small button with a depression in the middle. This is the Record
Button. On the very top of the unit, moving from left to right, you have the
Select Button where you can switch from internal memory to memory card to MP3
player, the USB port and a place to connect the AC adapter for charging the
unit.
On the right hand side of the unit as
you're facing it is a slot for an SD card of up to two gigabytes. On the very
bottom of the unit is a combination line in/earphone/external microphone jack.
Features. Here are some features
that make this an outstanding device:
You can easily transfer files back
and forth from your computer with the convenient USB cable which is provided
You can label any folder with a
voice recording
You can play your favorite MP3 music
files as well as podcasts
MP3 files that have superb sound
quality
Easy updating of firmware
Easy folder and file management
You can recharge the battery either
with AC current or through the USB connection to your computer
Transferring Files. Using the
provided USB cable, you can connect the unit to your computer and easily
transfer files to and from the device. This is handy for copying the on-board
manual to your computer for later reading. Also, you could create more folders
if you so desire.
MP3 Player. If you like to listen
to music or podcasts, this device will afford you that opportunity. Transfer
your favorite music files to the Milestone 311 and listen to your heart's
content. You'll be delighted with the sound quality.
Other Features. Switching from
mode to mode is very easy. You simply press the Selection Key at the top left of
the unit and you're switched from internal to memory card to MP3 player. Using
various combinations of the six keys switches you between folders. When you
switch to a folder, the Milestone 311 will say "Folder one of folder
two," but you can add a voice label to each folder. As you press the key
combination to move to a particular folder, just keep holding it down for a few
seconds and then say the label you want on that folder. I used this feature to
label a folder "CSUN" while at the conference.
Other Observations. The first
thing I noticed when I opened the package containing the unit was that there was
a printed manual, but no Braille instructions or CD with the manual on it. I had
to call to find
Updating firmware is a snap. All
you need to do is to unzip the file you have been sent, switch the Milestone 311
to Internal Mode, connect the unit to your PC and transfer the BIN file.
Disconnect the unit and remove the USB plug from the device and wait 30 seconds.
You will be told the update is complete.
Conclusion and Recommendations.
Because of its simplicity and because of its extreme accessibility, I highly
recommend this unit. When I compare it with other digital voice recorders I've
tried, this one ranks way above them in accessibility and recording quality. You
don't have to count your way through menus and hope you've hit the right button
to delete a file because everything speaks. It's a little pricy, but it's
definitely worth the money.
For further information about the
Milestone 311, or to purchase
You can also hear an audio presentation
about the Milestone 311 at
WHITE CANE UPDATE is published by the Iowa Department for the Blind. Please direct questions and suggestions to the Iowa Department for the Blind, 524 Fourth Street, Des Moines, IA 50309-2364, 515-281-1333.