The APH Slate Fall 2000 Volume 13, Number 1 ISSN: 1081-5198 American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. 1839 Frankfort Avenue P.O. Box 6085 Louisville, KY 40206 Phone: 502-895-2405 Toll Free: 800-223-1839 Fax: 502-899-2274 Website: www.aph.org The print edition of this newsletter is printed on recycled paper. Searching Strategies Using Disk Edition Location Markers The table of contents of this newletter lists the print edition page number, followed by a special disk edition location marker. The location markers consist of the letters "qq" followed by a two-digit number (digits 1-9 are preceded by a zero). The "qq" markers enable you to locate a desired item by using your computer's "search" capability to find the appropriate "qq" marker. For example, after the listing "Product Profiles" in the table of contents is the disk catalog location marker "qq09". To find "Product Profiles," do a search for "qq09". In This Issue Accessible Media Textbooks, Print page 1, qq01 A Journey of a Thousand Miles, Print page 6, qq04 Award Winners, Print page 7, qq05 Advisory Committees Meet in Louisville, Print page 9, qq07 Departments The APH Advisory, Print page 2, qq02 Public Affairs, Print page 4, qq03 Educational Research, Print page 8, qq06 From the President, Print page 10, qq08 Product Profiles, Print page 11, qq09 Who Can I Call? Print page 21, qq10 APH on the Road, Print page Back Cover, qq11 qq01 Accessible Media Textbooks: APH Makes Locating, Producing, and Ordering Easier! By Christine Anderson, Director of Resource Services Photo: Seven members of the Resource Services staff stand together in the APH Museum to pose for this photo. Members include (back row, left to right): Andrea Peak, Kim Hartz, Mark Klarer; (front row, left to right): Christine Anderson, Maria Delgado, Amy Whitmer and (foreground) dog guide, Dave. Over 50 years ago, Carl Lappin established the Central Catalog at the American Printing House for the Blind (APH). The Central Catalog's purpose was to create a single service that coordinated the efforts of all agencies, groups and individuals producing educational materials for blind people and, at the same time, make possible a single point of reference for schools, students, and blind readers in need of a particular educational title. Today, APH continues this tradition by developing new partnerships with other organizations to make accessible materials available to people who are blind or visually impaired. APH's current efforts to increase the availability of accessible materials include: --Creating Louis, an Internet version of the Central Catalog which uses speech-accessible search tools. Customers can determine the location of over 150,000 textbooks from over 150 agencies. --Expanding Louis to include an on-line file repository which will allow registered users to download publishers' textbook files and completed braille files for braille production. --Converting publishers QuarkXPress (R) files to more braille-production- friendly formats in Word (R), WordPerfect (R), RTF, etc. It's All About Resource Sharing and Communication! When APH was established in the 1850s, orders took weeks to arrive via horse, train, or steamboat. In time, orders for materials came from all over the nation. The items were used locally, with no national resource-sharing network in place. By the 20th century, legislation and improvements in transportation completely changed the way materials were ordered and delivered. In the late 1950s, Marjorie Hooper and Carl Lappin created a network that provided reliable communication between alternate media producers and people needing textbooks. The Central Catalog at APH was established with the goal to eliminate duplicate efforts among the many production agencies. The Central Catalog gave teachers, administrators, and students a central place to contact braille-producing agencies instead of writing to each one. The system was a card file that was labor intensive, with many people and steps involved in collecting information. In the 1980s, after Lappin's death, the data from his card files were loaded into an on-line database known as APH-CARL. Forty-nine agencies from 33 states accessed this database of 26,000 titles directly by modem. APH also continued to answer inquiries received by letter and by phone. The late Sheri Nord, APH's then Textbook Reference Clerk, entered the data and provided reference service to the field. Once a year, the data was extracted and printed in a huge catalog, called The Central Catalog. The system underwent major upgrades in the 1990s. An expanded system, CARL ET AL, was developed and moved to the APH mainframe. It allowed Federal Quota customers to search more efficiently. This system, a precursor to the new "shopping cart," also allowed customers to place their orders for APH books and educational materials directly by modem. Louis Database The Internet has revolutionized the way in which people communicate, and APH has taken advantage of that technology to improve services. The Louis Database of Accessible Materials for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired (named in honor of Louis Braille) was developed to take advantage of technological advances. Carl Lappin's former card catalog system is now open to users all over the world, providing immediate access to information. Most importantly, improved technology has made the system easily available to blind customers using speech-access software. For many years, educators and administrators used APH-CARL and CARL ET AL. Now, using Louis, students can independently find materials themselves. Photo: Close up of a computer screen as it would appear when an individual enters the Louis Database via the APH website. Information is Available By the Web, the Phone, Fax and E-mail Available from our website at www.aph.org, the Louis Database receives about 3,000 hits per month. The number of titles in Louis just reached 153,000 with over 150 volunteer, state, government, nonprofit, and commercial agencies contributing titles. The collection includes over 92,000 sound recordings, 20,000 large print titles, 35,000 braille titles, nearly 300 music titles, and APH products. The database is updated every day by Kim Hartz, Cataloging/Systems Librarian and Deb O'Connell, Resource Services Assistant. Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D) records are routinely transferred via e-mail and batch loaded or deleted. Though much information is distributed to customers via Internet access, APH still provides reference service for customers via the toll-free number (800-223-1839). Requests are also received by fax, with an increasing trend toward queries by e-mail. APH has received a great deal of praise for the Louis Database. Users enjoy the comprehensive listings which include title, variant titles, author(s), edition statements, grade level, subjects, publisher, copyright year, and content notes. Many APH product entries include a link to photos of the items. New product pictures are added regularly. To insure that users get the most they can from the system, our Louis Database field representative, Maria Delgado, conducts demonstrations and hands-on workshops. Maria travels all across the U.S. working with students, teachers, and administrators. Her work has been extremely well received, with words such as "awesome" and "impressive" written on her evaluation forms. Maria, who is blind, has also been instrumental in providing feedback to improve the accessibility of the database for visually impaired users. Shopping Cart Feature--Now Available! In the fall of 2000, the new shopping cart feature was added. In addition to searching Louis, users can order APH books and materials with Quota funds, established APH accounts, or credit cards. This is a major upgrade over the former system, which was only open to Quota customers. File Repository: The Next Step to Increasing the Efficiency of Braille Production In addition to changing the way we communicate, technology has also changed the way braille is produced. Textbook production has evolved from the use of mechanical-braillewriting equipment to computer- translation software. APH has continuously sought ways to use technology to streamline textbook production. In 1957, APH began a joint research project with IBM to apply computer technology to the production of braille books and periodicals. By the fall of 1964, the computer system was fully operative. As braille production moved into the age of personal computers, transcribers began using scanning software to create computer files of textbooks. This process was a marked improvement over entering each word manually, but the files still required a great deal of clean up. Producers realized that if they could get the textbook files directly from the publishers, the situation would be greatly improved. Braille-producing agencies began asking publishers to provide their textbooks on disk. Unfortunately, this is a complex and costly task. States Lead Efforts to Remove Hurdles One difficulty in obtaining usable publisher files is the fact that publishers typically use electronic publishing software such as QuarkXPress to generate textbook layouts. This software is incompatible with the needs of braille producers. In response to this problem, a number of states passed "braille laws" designed to increase the number of files available for braille producers. "Braille laws" require textbook publishers to provide braille producers with a clean text file. The files are to be provided shortly following the adoption of a given textbook by the state. Texas, a state that buys millions of dollars of textbooks a year, took the lead in this effort. Approximately 20 states have followed this lead and have passed similar laws. Most state laws, based on the original Texas law, require publishers to convert the QuarkXPress files to ASCII format. Unfortunately, this removes paragraph marks, page numbers, emphasis markup for bold or italics, or main headings. Additional time is needed for braille producers to replace the missing information. To meet the short timelines required by braille production facilities, publishers frequently distribute the conversion process of one textbook over a number of different workers. As a result, there is a great deal of inconsistency in the final files. Although this state legislation meets the needs of adoption states, many braille producers have been left "out of the loop." To address this need, APH sought Federal Initiative funding for a file repository to facilitate the flow of publisher files to the field. Following several years of requests, funding was received in FY 1998/1999 to build a repository for publisher files and translated braille files. Building the File Repository The first step in building the File Repository was to determine which software interface to use to make data available. Louis was the logical interface since the field has successfully used this tool to locate books and materials for several years. Christine Anderson, Director of Resource Services, worked with Cuadra Associates to reconfigure the current Louis Database as the interface. Louis hardware and software have been reconfigured to insure that all users can determine that a file is available through the APH File Repository. Currently, Ex Officio Trustees, who are registered users, can download these files. Braille Files Become Part of the APH File Repository Collection In September 1999, APH hired Amy Whitmer as Repository Librarian to insure that the file repository records achieve the same high standards as the other Louis titles and to concentrate on the braille file collection beginning with APH files. To make braille files part of the APH File Repository collection, a system for accessioning the braille files had to be created. For example, each book is comprised of many separate files. To gather together the components of a given book, backup copies of the files needed to be made, directories for each book created, and each section of the book located. All the components are then brought together using the Winzip (R) utility, and a catalog number assigned to the file. Louis cataloging procedures are then followed to add the file to the File Repository. The APH File Repository has received strong support from many Ex Officio Trustees. For example, Warren Figueiredo made sure the Louisiana Braille Law named APH as the place for publishers to deposit braille files for textbooks adopted in Louisiana. The numerous braille files being sent to APH as a result of this law have created a solid core of titles for the APH File Repository. The California Clearinghouse for Specialized Media and Technology, directed by Rod Brawley, is sending APH all of its braille textbook files. The Virginia Library and Resource Center for the Visually Handicapped, directed by Barbara McCarthy, is also sending braille files. Lists from Maine, New York, and Maryland were recently reviewed to determine if their braille files are eligible for inclusion in the database. To encourage agencies to contribute braille files, APH pays $50.00 per title for textbooks copyrighted since 1993. This fee has made it possible for smaller agencies to process and send files. This project also caused a national "spring cleaning" as agencies evaluated their collections and made lists available to APH. Publisher Text Files are Made Available Through the APH File Repository While the Louis hardware and software configurations were being redesigned, APH worked with individual publishers and the Association of American Publishers (AAP) to obtain legal agreements for distributing files from this Internet-accessible site. Publishers have been very pleased with the concept of a central place for housing files despite natural concerns about the security of their intellectual property. A major breakthrough came when Pearson Education signed a contract with APH. Pearson, a multi-national corporation, owns familiar imprints such as Scott Foresman/Addison Wesley, Prentice Hall, Modern Curriculum Press, and Silver Burdett and Ginn. Other agreements followed with Zaner Bloser, Scholastic, Houghton Mifflin, Harcourt Brace, and Holt, Rinehart & Winston. APH teaching software, such as Learn Keys (TM), Talking Typer (TM), and Math Flash (TM), is also available from the APH File Repository. APH catalogers created records that allow users to find the software listing quickly and easily among the 150,000 other Louis titles. Thanks to the cooperation of many individuals, agencies and organizations, the APH File Repository currently houses over 500 files. It is certain to continue to grow in size and significance. SIDEBAR OF ARTICLE Other Related Efforts to Improve Resource Sharing New Software Program Two other efforts are taking place at this time to increase the efficiency of braille production. One of the biggest stumbling blocks to the process is that the publishers' files are in QuarkXPress (R) formats that are not usable by braille producers. APH hired Mark Klarer as the Repository Technical Programmer in September 1999 to write a program that converts publishers' QuarkXPress files into something more "transcriber friendly." The initial results look quite promising. Several textbooks have been tested and the program quickly created usable output. Mark has worked closely with Warren Figueiredo, Ex Officio Trustee (EOT), Louisiana; Eileen Curran, National Braille Press; Rod Brawley, EOT, California; Sue Christinson, braille producer; and Phyllis Campana, formerly of APH, to insure that the output is fully usable by producers. National Braille Legislation Gary Mudd, Director of Public Affairs and Christine Anderson, Director of Resource Services have been working with the Association of American Publishers (AAP) and members of the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) Solutions Forum to draft national braille legislation regarding the provision of publishers' files. These meetings have been very productive, with both publishers and braille producers gaining a new understanding of the problems each faces. END of SIDEBAR, END OF ARTICLE qq02 The APH Advisory by Bob Brasher, Director--Educational and Advisory Services Formerly a separate newsletter of the American Printing House for the Blind Department of Educational and Advisory Services. The APH Slate--Your New Source for Advisory Information Great News! The information formerly found in The Advisory, a separate newsletter published by APH's Department of Educational and Advisory Services, will now be found in The APH Slate. The former publication served to highlight current events and products at APH. As always, your comments, thoughts, and suggestions are welcome. "Together, We Can Do So Much!" This Helen Keller quote is the theme for Annual Meeting 2000. This three- day event at the Louisville Hyatt Regency, October 12-15, provides the opportunity for rousing days of sharing and an array of important related meetings. This year's keynote speaker will be award-winning performer Terry Kelly. Terry, who is blind, will present "We Can Do Anything." This presentation explores the importance of communication; confronting our fears, dreams, goals, challenges, choices and responsibilities; understanding and celebrating our differences; balancing our business and personal lives; team building and collegiality; and the value of enthusiasm. Using personal anecdotes peppered with humor, songs and audience participation, Terry addresses these issues and encourages individuals to develop their own values and strategies for living and working happily and healthily. Welcome to our new APH Field Services Representative, Janie Humphries! With great enthusiasm, APH and Advisory Services welcomes Janie Humphries as our new Field Services Representative! Janie, who joined us in August, hails from Arkansas. She has 20 years of experience in the field as a classroom teacher, a recreation director, interim director of the state outreach project, and, most importantly, as a traveling preschool consultant who provided direct service to families and centers. So, what will Janie be doing? She will be working with you to meet your training needs regarding the effective use of APH products and to survey and plan instructional opportunities to address those issues. Trainers will include APH staff and contracted experts. We are confident that you will enjoy working with Janie to develop new and innovative ways of expanding APH services to those you serve. She will also be requesting your feedback on APH products and services. APH Technology Update, Spring-Summer 2000 The Spring-Summer 2000 edition of APH Technology Update is available. This publication, written by our Research Department staff, contains a wealth of information about APH technology products and about other technology-related issues affecting users who are visually impaired. The newsletter is made accessible via our website at www.aph.org, cassette, disk, or in braille. Call 800-223-1839, when prompted, push "4" from the menu to order your copy. New Parts Catalog Our first-ever APH Parts Catalog is now available. This sales tool will make it easier for you to order replacement parts primarily needed for our large kits. Contact us for your copy. Focused on ATIC Textbooks The ATIC (Accessible Textbook Initiative and Collaboration) Project hosted a "Getting Focused on ATIC Textbooks" work group June 19-21, 2000, at APH. The goal of the nine-person team was to determine "best practices" for all ATIC textbooks. The focus group identified seven strong "best practices" including standards for bindings, volume size, paper weight, tactile graphics, legends, durability, and guidelines for breaking large graphics into multiple pages when necessary. The team included Christina Baugh (MD), Jeanie Brasher (KY), Jo Ellen Croft (AR), Warren Figueiredo (LA), Ann Kelt (CA), Emily Leyenberger (NY), Noel Romey (AR), Olivia Schonberger (TX), and Mila Truan (TN). The group represented students, teachers, Instructional Material Centers, and transcribers. APH is very grateful for their involvement in this very important project. For additional information, see the related story, Journey of a Thousand Miles, later in this issue or contact Jane Lyons (atic@aph.org). APH Employment Opportunities APH often has positions available that we want you to know about. To access employment opportunities, enter our website (www.aph.org), and go to "Employment Opportunities." You will usually find several new job possibilities. Please share the information with anyone you feel might have the required skills. Congratulations--Phyllis Campana With much regret, APH has accepted the resignation of Phyllis Campana as Contract Administration Manager. Phyllis departs APH to assume a position as Vice President at Braille International in Stuart, Florida. Not only is she moving upward, she is also relocating to her retirement dream locale. "I am a beach bum at heart," says Phyllis. Phyllis takes with her a vast knowledge of braille transcription-production, and a spirited advocacy for people who are blind and visually impaired. We will miss her friendship, her wit, her spirit, and her love of the job. Shop APH Online! APH now offers fully accessible online purchasing capabilities for all of our U.S. customers. We guarantee you maximum security and ease of shopping whether you are an individual using a credit card, a school using a purchase order, or an Ex Officio Trustee with a Federal Quota account. Search or browse APH's merchandise through the Louis Database or simply select "Search" to begin. If you already know the APH catalog numbers, select the "Quick Order" option to begin the ordering process. Orders placed online can be shipped within the 50 United States. For items to be shipped outside the U.S., call 1-502-895-2405 or fax 1-502-899-2274 to place your order. END of ARTICLE qq03 Public Affairs APH InSights 2001: Now Is the Time to Prepare to Enter by Roberta Williams, Special Projects Coordinator APH InSights is the annual international art competition and exhibition organized by APH for visually impaired and blind artists of all ages. Artists must be legally blind to enter. The project reflects APH's mission to "promote the independence of blind persons" by encouraging individuals to create original art. Painting, sculpture, drawing, weaving, photography, and other visual art media are all eligible. Although the entry deadline is not until April 1, 2001, its never too early to begin creating artwork! Currently in its ninth year, the project has grown in scope to include not only the exhibition of artwork, which is displayed in Louisville and on the APH web site, but also a series of art note cards, an annual calendar, and a collection of works purchased by APH. Juried Competition This year, APH received 424 entries from artists living in Australia, Argentina, five Canadian provinces, and 42 U.S. states. Two jurors from the Louisville art community picked the artwork to be included in the exhibition and gave awards in each of nine categories. The categories included: adult sculpture; adult craft; adult two-dimensional art; ungraded (students with multiple disabilities); preschool/kindergarten; grades 1, 2, 3; grades 4, 5, 6; grades 7, 8, 9; and grades 10, 11, 12. The jurors judged all entries within each category on the basis of concept originality, expressive use of materials, and artistic excellence. They selected 80 pieces for the exhibition. From these "show pieces" of art, first, second, and third place awards were selected in each category along with several honorable mentions. All entrants, including those whose work was not selected for the exhibition, received certificates. Awards Ceremony in October A ceremony honoring this year's award winners will be held in Louisville in October as part of the annual meeting of the Ex Officio Trustees. Winners are invited to come to Louisville to receive their awards. Each winner receives a ribbon and a cash prize. This year's cash prizes are $100.00 for first place, $75.00 for second place, and $50.00 for third place. The artwork will be exhibited at the meeting for several days and will be shown on the APH accessible web site (www.aph.org) for a year. Art Calendar The newest component of the APH InSights project is the production of a calendar featuring a selection of artwork from all entries for the year (not just those selected for the art exhibit). A second panel of judges selects artwork that will be photographed to appear in the calendar. Each artist whose work is selected receives five calendars. The calendar is printed in braille and large print, and is available in English and Spanish versions. Customized calendars may be purchased at discount quantities by organizations and corporations for fund raisers, corporate programs, etc. Your name and logo appear on the front cover of the calendar. Entry Forms Entry forms are usually available in February of each year. Those who want to enter can have their names added to the list to receive a form in braille or print as soon as they are available. Forms are also available through e- mail at rwilliams@aph.org. Rules and general information about the competition are available after the first of the year on our web site. Call 1- 800-223-1839 to have an entry form sent to you in early 2001. Photo: Two samples of works included in past art exhibits are shown. The first, is a tempera painting called Chickens, by artist, David Lopez, a sixth grade student at the Lavelle School for the Blind, New York, NY. The painting is a colorful rendering of chickens pecking at the ground in the farm yard under large swaying trees in the distance. The second work displayed is Rocking Horse, by Rick Moore, a graduate of the Kentucky School for the Blind. The work is a very detailed colored pencil sketch of a rocking horse with a beautifully groomed mane, and well trimmed reins and saddle of bells and lace. Photo: Also displayed with this article is a photo of the APH InSights Calendar 2001 Cover which features an brightfully colored abstract paining, Mardi Gras, a watercolor by B. Fogelson Woods, an adult artist from Charlotte, NC. END of ARTICLE qq04 A Journey of a Thousand Miles: APH Renews Its Commitment to Accessible Textbooks by Jane Lyons, Director, ATIC and Mary Nelle McLennan, Vice President, Products and Services Realizing "if we always do what we always did, we'll always get what we always got," APH is making major changes in the way we produce and deliver accessible textbooks! Historically, APH has produced a range of specific textbook titles selected by the Ex Officio Trustee Publications Committee. These titles have been produced and made available for educators to purchase for visually impaired students. This traditional system remained effective for nearly a century. In recent years, however, the effectiveness of this process has been challenged by changes in textbook design, selection, and use in general education as well as by extensive changes in the ways educational services are delivered. These changes require visually impaired students to have accessible versions of an increasing number of books--the same books used by their sighted classmates and at the same time. In the fall of 1998, APH established the Accessible Textbook Initiative and Collaboration (ATIC) to respond to the needs resulting from these changes. APH has dedicated remarkable financial and staff resources to this exciting renewal of our original mission. ATIC's role is to blend traditional and "out- of-the-box" strategies into a system that will deliver textbooks in a variety of media in a customer-responsive and timely manner. ATIC is building collaborations and infrastructure to manufacture a vast number of different textbooks with minimum lead-time. We are taking a critical look at APH's textbook production and delivery processes, and we are keeping our best practices, revamping internal structures, and creating collaborations that allow us to fulfil APH's mission more effectively. ATIC's current focus is on increased production of braille and large print textbooks. Simultaneously, APH's Technological Solutions staff is creating Book Work (TM) a revolutionary production software package that uses electronic text to produce books in a variety of accessible media. Through a pilot phase, ATIC staff has identified resources and worked out processes that will soon allow educators to order braille transcriptions of textbooks that are otherwise unavailable. As of mid-August, the six-month ATIC pilot has produced 122 copies of 26 new Braille transcriptions! The ATIC commitment is a critical undertaking of systems change within APH. It also creates exciting opportunities for positive change within the entire field that provides educational materials for visually impaired students. The ATIC team credits its success to a collective effort on the part of APH and many individuals and groups with whom the ATIC staff has worked closely. We eagerly anticipate new coalitions that will help move us further along the journey that provides accessible textbooks in a timely manner. For more information about ATIC books or how you can participate in the development process, contact Jane Lyons, ATIC Director at atic@aph.org. SIDE BAR: ATIC: New Directions for Accessible Textbooks Orders can be placed for transcriptions/titles that are not currently in our APH Catalog of Accessible Books. Orders are placed directly through ATIC staff. ATIC will communicate with the Ex Officio Trustee and the teacher ordering a new transcription. Together, written specifications will be created to meet the student's needs. Book Works (TM) is a software package that uses electronic text to produce books in a variety of accessible media. These media include: hard copy and electronic braille, hard copy and on-screen large print, and digital audio recording. END OF SIDEBAR, END of ARTICLE qq05 Award Winners Since the last issue of the APH Slate, Fall 1998, several awards have been bestowed by APH or received by APH or members of its staff and management. We are proud to recognize those awards and their recipients. Awards Bestowed by APH APH Virgil Zickel Award for Product Contribution Virgil Zickel was a dedicated employee of APH for 27 years. In his role as plant manager, his input was crucial to the development and production of countless products. We are proud to create an award to honor this man whose talents were responsible for bettering the lives of so many visually impaired students and adults. Awarded: 1999 Annual Meeting Recipients: Marcia Gevers: Rehabilitation Teacher at Blind Services of Indiana; Fort Wayne, IN in recognition of her contribution to the development of the MasterPlan Calendar. Nancy Rinker: Teacher at both the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind and The Staunton Public School System; Staunton, VA in recognition of her contribution to the development of the GrandStand Reading Easel. Alex Snow: 8th Grade Student; Newtown Middle School; Newtown, CT in recognition of his contribution to the development of the Floppy Braille Binder. Photos: Marcia Gevers shares a broad smile as she greets the crowd when she receives the 1999 Zickel Award for her contribution to the development of the MasterPlan Calendar. A smiling Nancy Rinker addresses the crowd after receiving a 1999 Zickel Award for her contribution to the development of the GrandStand Reading Easel. Alex Snow smiles bashfully as Tuck Tinsley introduces the youngster at the Zickel Award ceremony. Alex received the award for his contribution to the development of the Floppy Braille Binder. 1999 Wings of Freedom Award The Wings of Freedom Award is a concrete symbol of APH's mission "to promote the independence of blind and visually impaired persons by providing special media, tools, and materials needed for education and life." The honor is bestowed upon individuals who have demonstrated exemplary leadership in the areas of education or rehabilitation of people who are visually impaired. Awarded: 1999 Annual Meeting Recipient: Andrew S. Papineau; Recognizing a successful career of mentoring and making shared dreams a reality for people who are blind and visually impaired. Photo: A close up of a smiling Andy Papineau and his wife, Mary at the 1999 Annual Meeting. Creative Use of Braille Award The award was established to recognize significant accomplishments in the development of products, ideas or promotional efforts that increase the availability of braille. Awarded: 1998 Annual Meeting Recipients: Fred Gissoni: Customer Service Specialist, APH and Wayne Thompson: Electrical Engineer, Kentucky Department for the Blind in recognition of their invention of the Portabraille. The Portabraille represented a technological breakthrough that allowed blind individuals to easily read, write and edit information in braille for the first time. Designed to interface with other electronic equipment, the Portabraille offered a range of functions that allowed increased accessibility and manipulation of information. As a result, the educational process for blind people was advanced immeasurably, and myriad employment opportunities became available. Awards Received by APH Staff or Management Alexander Scourby Award The Alexander Scourby Award is presented annually by the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) in several categories. The AFB, founded in 1921, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to eliminate inequalities for the blind and visually impaired in America. The award was founded in memory of its most popular narrator, Alexander Scourby, who recorded for the Talking Books program for nearly 50 years. Talking Books is a program of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), a division of the Library of Congress. Members of the Talking Book audience, who are blind, visually impaired, or otherwise print disabled, select the recipients of this award. Awarded: 2000 American Foundation for the Blind Conference, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY Recipient: James DeLotel--Narrator, APH Studio for Non-Fiction Narration Other Scourby Award Winners 1999 Scourby Recipient: Butch Hoover--Narrator, APH Studio for Periodicals Narration CEC-DVI Distinguished Service Award This prestigious award is given annually in recognition of outstanding leadership in improving the lives of people who are blind and visually impaired. Awarded: Council for Exceptional Children Annual Convention in Charlotte, NC, 1999 Recipient: Bob Brasher--Director, Educational and Advisory Services, APH KAER's Touching Lives Award The award is given every other year to an individual or organization that has made a noteworthy contribution in the field of vision. Awarded: Kentucky Chapter of the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired in 1999. Recipient: Fred Grissoni--Customer Service Specialist, APH AER's Mary K. Bauman Award The award honors an individual who has made a significant contribution to the education of children who are blind or visually impaired. Awarded: Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) 1998 International Conference, Atlanta, GA Recipient: Mary Nelle McLennan, Vice President--Products and Services, APH AER's North Central Region Hall of Fame Award Awarded: November 1997 Recipient: Mary Nelle McLennan, Vice President--Products and Services, APH Distinguished Alumni Award, Florida State University-College of Education Alumni Association Awarded: 1997 Recipient: Tuck Tinsley, III--President, APH Cited by the College of Education was Dr. Tinsley's "record of leadership and service to his profession and his community as President of the American Printing House for the Blind and as former principal, administrator, and teacher at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, St. Augustine, Florida." END OF ARTICLE qq06 Educational Research Research in Progress at APH by Elaine Kitchel, Research Associate, Low Vision Project Leader If all children, including students with low vision, are going to learn to read by the third grade as President Clinton has stressed, we need to study the relationships between low vision and reading efficiency. Right now, little is known about how low vision really impacts a child's ability to read. Together with San Francisco State University and Dr. Amanda Hall- Lueck, APH proposes to research these very important literacy, vision, and educational issues. Research During FY2000 A study, Accommodation Requirements of Students with Low Vision by Dr. Amanda Hall-Lueck of San Francisco State University is currently being conducted. Dr. Hall-Lueck's research is a follow up study to FY1999's study, Magnification Needs to Optimize Reading Efficiency in Students with Low Vision, which answered several important questions about the relationship between magnified images and word recognition. The FY2000 study addresses the following questions: 1. What is the relationship between a student's reading acuity and distance of best resolution? 2. Using information gathered in the previous question, what is the most appropriate method of magnification for a particular student with low vision? 3. What optical devices are most appropriate for near reading tasks, given specific accommodative requirements for reading? 4. What are the general guidelines which address magnification needs of students with low vision for near tasks? Which of these specifically address accommodation requirements? Part I of the study establishes an accommodation baseline using students with no visual impairment. In Part II, fourth grade students with low vision were asked to read print samples of several sizes in order to determine their accommodative abilities. The same students then were asked to read print samples using hand and stand magnifiers in order to determine optical requirements needed to attain accommodation relief for each subject. Part III studied accommodation in older, more experienced low vision readers in high school in order to determine any changes in accommodative requirements as a function of age in subjects with low vision. When field testing is completed, the data will be tabulated, analyzed, interpreted and presented. Research Proposed for FY2001 Dr. Hall-Lueck has also proposed research which builds upon the findings of the two previous research projects. If undertaken, it is expected that this research project, Optimizing the Reading of Continuous Text for Students with Low Vision will increase our understanding of the print reading requirements of children with low vision in order to determine ways to optimize their reading of print. This research study would help provide answers to the following questions: 1. For students with low vision, are there performance differences between reading long passages of continuous text and short-term reading with non-related words or short sentences? What are these relationships among reading speed, preferred working distance and accommodation requirements with and without optical magnification devices? 2. What are the parameters to consider related to reserve, accommodation, and field of view when determining optimal magnification needs of students with low vision for reading passages of continuous text? 3. How are reading comprehension and reading accuracy related to print size for students with normal vision and with low vision? 4. What are the most common types of reading errors made by students with low vision? How do these compare with the errors made by students with normal vision? 5. How are reading comprehension and reading accuracy affected by the use of hand-held and stand magnifiers? END OF ARTICLE qq07 Advisory Committees Meet in Louisville The Publications Advisory Committee and the Research & Development Advisory Committee met for their annual spring meetings in Louisville in May. For the first time, the two committees met simultaneously. Committee members were updated on all ongoing APH projects and initiatives, and developed recommendations to guide APH into the future. Those attending the historic meeting were captured in two separate photos. The first was a photo of the Publications Committee which included [left to right] Lucia Hasty (CO), Jean Martin (MN-alternate), Emily Leyenberger, Chair (NY), Lee Robinson (UT), Donna See (WV), Alice Post (IL- alternate), and Barbara McCarthy (VA). The second photo included those participating on the Research & Development Committee [left to right] Rick Welsh (PA), Dotta Hassman (IA), Don Potenski (NJ), Marty Murrell, Chair (TX), Bill Daugherty (KS), and Rod Brawley (CA). END OF ARTICLE qq08 From the President Dr. Tuck Tinsley, III - President, APH APH: Working Hard to Get Better What is the American Printing House for the Blind? Photo: Close up image of Tuck Tinsley. APH is a company of 325 dedicated employees. APH is a 288,000 square foot facility at 1839 Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, KY. APH produces books, magazines, and other materials in braille, large print, recorded, and digital formats. APH produces writing and recording equipment. APH produces tangible materials for teaching blind students. APH produces special supplies used in education and by adults. APH is Unique APH is like no other company in the world. APH is the official source of educational materials for our country's 58,000 pre-college level legally blind students. APH produces 25 million pages of braille per year. APH produces 25 million pages of large print per year. APH produces 3 million cassettes per year. APH manufactures more than 300 unique products for people who have vision impairment. What a wonderful reason for being! Always Looking to Get Better In 1996, APH's 138th year in business, a major stimulus for change occurred when the Toyota Motor Corporation offered to teach the renowned Toyota Production System to APH employees. Continuous improvement is key to the Toyota Production System. Continuous improvement means always looking to get better; always looking to be more efficient and productive; always looking for ways to close the gap between current conditions and ideal conditions. If you focus on improving, there's a great chance you'll improve. Each year, J. D. Power and Associates recognizes quality automobile manufacturing plants. Gold, silver, and bronze medals are presented to the top three plants in North America. Until 2000, no automobile manufacturer had received more than one award in a year. This year, the Toyota plant in Fremont, CA, received the gold medal; the Toyota plant in Georgetown, KY, received the silver; and the Toyota plant in Cambridge, Ontario, received the bronze. All three medals went to Toyota. Additionally, the Avalon, Corolla, Solara, and Sienna were rated the top vehicles in their classes, and the Tundra was the 2000 Motor Trend Truck of the Year. It's obvious that Toyota continues to improve. At APH, we are improving; especially at the most important thing we do-- providing products to individuals who are blind. In 1996, APH introduced 10 new products; in 1997, 21 new products; in 1998, 35 new products; in 1999, 44 new products; and in 2000, we have 72 new products in development. That is improvement! Work flow, cycle time, output, and other characteristics must be quantified. Numbers tell us how we are doing. They can tell us as individuals if we are average or not. For example, if you are a person of average weight, each day, every 24 hours: your heart beats 103,680 times; your blood travels 168,000 miles; you breathe 23,040 times; you eat 3 1/4 pounds of food; you lose 7.8 pounds of weight in waste; you drink 2.9 pints of liquid; you speak 4,800 words; and you turn in your sleep 30 times. Using numbers to monitor functions is essential in gauging progress. However, the balance between mere speed and quality is critical. We believe it is better to make three products an hour and have all three of those products work, than to make nine and have only four work. To rework a product is time-consuming and expensive, and product reliability is crucial to a company's credibility. With quality, we strive for zero defects. However, we do accept less than perfection. That still does not mean we don't strive for zero defects. Some industries can't tolerate less than 100% accuracy. With 99.9% accuracy, we would have two crash landings per day at O'Hare International Airport, 16,000 pieces of mail lost every hour by the U.S. Postal Service, 20,000 incorrect drug prescriptions per year, 50 newborn babies dropped at birth every day by doctors, and 22,000 checks deducted from the wrong bank accounts each hour. At APH, we are working hard to get better. We are working to provide quality products to better meet the education and everyday life needs of people who are blind and visually impaired. END OF ARTICLE. qq09 APH Product Profiles Innovations Created or Distributed by APH Prices subject to change without notice. All trademarks are of their respective companies. Let's See Vision Development Activities The brilliantly colored materials and associated activity books in the Let's See kits help build perceptual skills and develop vision in young children. APH presents Let's See, the new and updated successor to the popular Bright Sights: Learning to See kit. Let's See is a revised and updated program designed to stimulate vision and develop visual skills in young visually impaired and multi-handicapped children. The Let's See materials and activities were extensively field tested and include the recommendations of over 40 teachers. Two Stages: Sensory and Perceptual The Let's See materials are divided into two stages: Sensory and Perceptual, and are sold separately. The Let's See Sensory Activities Kit materials utilize daylight, dim light, and flashlight activities which stimulate a child's initial visual interest. They are designed to keep and localize visual attention. These fundamental activities build basic visual skills essential to concept development. The Let's See Perceptual Activities Kit, the second stage, builds upon the groundwork laid by the Sensory Activities to help students develop visual- perception and visual-discrimination proficiency. The brightly-colored, glowing, and flashing materials used in these activities help students learn while encouraging their creativity. Let's See: Sensory Activities Kit: 1-08141-00 -- $245.00 Let's See: Perceptual Activities Kit: 1-08151-00 -- $325.00 Photo: Let's See: Sensory Activities Kit Photo shows all the components of the kit which includes the manual containing activities that can be used in development of visual skills and a trunk for storing all the materials. Photo: Let's See: Perceptual Activities Kit Photo shows all the components of the kit which includes a manual containing activities which can be used to develop visual-perceptual skills and visual discrimination proficiency and a trunk for storing all the materials MasterPlan Address Book Construction Kit This modular product enables Rehabilitation Teachers to build an address book tailored to the needs of their low vision clients. This collection of materials allows teachers to purchase the exact items they need to make large type address books. This product is related to the complete MasterPlan Address Book. Large Type/Cassette Guidebook contains a description of the important features of an address book, the steps in building an address book, and a description of the materials needed. It also contains master address book sheets that can be photocopied. The Guidebook comes in large type and on cassette. Templates consist of five plastic templates like those included with the MasterPlan Address Book. The templates fit one of the pages in the guidebook and help the user easily write information into the address book. Address Book Pens contains five 20/20 pens that can be used with address books. These bold-line pens make entries easy to read. Address Book Binders contain five (5) three-ring binders that can be used to hold an address book. Each binder comes with a beautiful butterfly cover, a sheet lifter, and a plastic pouch for storage of supplies. Alphabet Dividers are large type dividers that make finding entries easy. Includes five sets. Large Type/Cassette Guidebook, 7-07910-00 -- $12.00 Templates, 1-07912-00 -- $15.00 Address Book Pens, 1-07913-00 -- $5.00 Pens are not available for purchase with Federal Quota funds. Address Book Binders, 1-07914-00 -- $21.50 Alphabet Dividers, 1-07915-00 -- $21.50 Related Products: MasterPlan Address Book (Complete kit--ready to use), 1-07910-00 -- $18.50 Address Book Insert Sheets, 1-07911-00 ---- $5.25 Photo: MasterPlan Address Book Construction Kit. Photo shows all the components of the kit: Large Type/Cassette Guidebook, Five plastic templates, Address book pen, Address book binders, Address book dividers ZoomView ZoomView, offered by APH, is a simple, low-cost video display magnifier. It may be used with a computer monitor or a television. ZoomView uses the best and latest in Fresnel optics, a type of flat plastic magnifier. It has a straightforward design resulting in a magnifier which can be used for video monitors and TV screens up to 25" diagonal measurement. Easy to Adjust ZoomView is a self-standing table top model which makes it easy to increase magnification. Simply pull ZoomView away from your video display screen to achieve magnification of up to 60% larger than the original image. ZoomView is made of unbreakable clear plastic and its fine optics mean there is very little distortion of the display. It is easy to assemble and instructions in large print are included. ZoomView, 1-03919-00 -- $39.00 ZoomView is not available for purchase with Federal Quota funds. Photo: Zoom View is shown in front of a large computer monitor demonstrating how ZoomView magnifies the image on the screen. Reach for the Stars, Planning for the Future: A Transition Process for Families of Young Children Give a Child the Opportunity To Reach for the Stars! APH presents Reach for the Stars, a first-of-its-kind guidebook about transitioning young children into preschool or kindergarten settings. It is designed to help the families of young children with disabilities imagine positive and productive futures. It helps families work with school personnel to create educational plans that will lead to inclusive educational programs. Person-Centered Planning Reach for the Stars utilizes a person-centered philosophy to assist in the development of quality preschool and kindergarten education and experiences. The exercises included in the guidebook consider all facets of a child's life, focusing on strengths rather than limitations, and encouraging positive self-esteem. By mapping a child's likes and dislikes, hopes, strengths, limitations, communication forms, and surroundings, Reach for the Stars prepares family members for their initial encounter with school personnel. A Versatile Assessment Reach for the Stars materials are designed so that --Family members can work with teachers, community members, and their child's peers to complete the maps and supporting materials prior to attending a transition meeting for their child. --Service providers can use the material to understand a family's desires and expectations regarding their child's future. --Information from the Reach for the Stars process can be utilized as part of a child's functional assessment to facilitate the development of an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Large Edition, 7-08410-00 -- $22.50 Braille Edition, $TBA Photo: The logo for Reach for the Stars consists of a rocket shooting toward the stars against a darker background of space with the words "Planning for the Future" encircling the rocket and the words, Reach for the Stars at bottom left of the background. MotionPAD Motion-Activated Memo Pad and Door Chime APH introduces the world's first nonvisual posted memo! The MotionPAD (TM) box attaches to hang on a door, the fridge, a wall, etc. Movement will trigger play of an important message or acknowledge entry with a chime. Messages are easily recorded with the touch of a button. Two Modes MotionPAD is a useful tool for any home or office where there are blind or visually impaired people. Memo Mode alerts pedestrians of possible hazards, for example, "Warning: there is a cart in the hallway." It also functions as an automated, motion-activated, speaking memo pad. An example message might be, "I've gone to pick up milk. I'll be back before five." Chime Mode, on the other hand, signals whenever someone walks within its 10-foot range. Developed for Convenience -- With MotionPAD, you may change your message as often as you like. Simply press record and say your message. MotionPAD's memory microchip offers up to 10 seconds of record time. -- Long battery life ensures that none of your important messages will be missed. -- Uses four AA batteries (not included). -- Write Protect feature gives you the security that your message will not be tampered with, either accidentally or maliciously. MotionPAD, 1-07400-00 -- $34.00 Not available for purchase with Federal Quota funds. Photo: Close up of the product which is a rectangular-shaped plastic box that can fit in the palm of your hand. A circular white sensor is at the top of the rectangle with a speaker in the middle and three buttons at the bottom for the ON/OFF switch, and two modes. Braille Pocket Folders These folders will hold standard 11 1/2 x 11 inch braille sheets. Each sheet has slant-cut pockets on the left and right hand sides. Slant cut makes it easy to remove paper. Punched for 3-ring binder. Made of durable, flexible plastic. Student Pack has three folders: green, blue, and yellow. These match the colors of the Floppy Braille Binders. Office pack has black, gray, and red folders. Braille Pocket Folder, Student Pack (3), 1-04294-00 -- $8.00 Braille Pocket Folders, Office Pack (3), 1-04293-00 -- $8.00 Photo: Close up of three folders as if they were laying on a desk. One folder is shown open with a piece of braille paper placed partially in the left pocket. Two other braille folders are placed on top of the first. These are shown closed. END of ARTICLE qq10 Who Can I Call for Assistance? Customer Service and Other Helpful Contacts at APH At APH, we strive to provide you with the information you need about all our product and services. Should you have a question or concern, we are available to you Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) via e-mail, mail or phone. To ensure you reach the individual or team who can best serve your needs, we offer the following list of contacts at APH. Customer Service for Questions Regarding Products and Sales E-mail: info@aph.org Customer Service Team 800-223-1839 Technical Support 800-223-1839 Customized and Special Products Contract Administration 800-223-1839 Public Affairs Tours of APH Facilities 502-899-2357 Gary Mudd, Director, Public Affairs 502-899-2308 Research Proposals Debbie Willis, Director, Educational Research 502-899-2311 Product Proposals Will Evans, Educational Products Manager 502-899-2265 ATIC Jane Lyons, Director, ATIC 502-899-2370 Federal Quota and Advisory Services Bob Brasher, Director, Educational and Advisory Services 502-899-2369 Training Janie Humphries, Field Services Representative, APH Products 502-899-2367 Maria Delgado, Field Services Representative Louis, Fred's Head, AMP and APH Product Services 502-899-2340 Development Donations/Gifts to APH 502-899-2362 Paul Zurkhulin, Planned Giving 502-899-2362 Magazine Services Marilyn Cundiff 502-899-2352 END OF ARTICLE "Together, We Can Do So Much!" This Helen Keller quote is the theme for Annual Meeting 2000. The three- day event at the Louisville Hyatt Regency, October 12-15, provides the opportunity for rousing days of sharing. This year's keynote speaker is award-winning performer Terry Kelly. Wings of Freedom and two Zickel Awards for new products will be given. Photo: Close up of Terry Kelly who is wearing dark glasses, and a goatee while strumming a chord on his guitar. END of ARTICLE qq11 APH on the Road Each year, APH personnel travel to dozens of conferences and other types of events across the U.S. and around the world. They go to learn, to speak, to conduct product demonstrations, to staff exhibits, and much more. This list highlights some of the future events where you can meet and visit with APH employees. October 18-21: Closing the Gap; Minneapolis, MN 19-20: State Conference; Nashville, TN 25-26: Hunter College Student Presentation and Staff Interviews; New York, NY 26-28: NBA Regional Conference; New Haven, CT 29-31: NYSAER, Sagamore; Bolton Landing, NY November 8-10: AERO (Ohio AER); Columbus, OH 12-14: Florida AER; Orlando, FL 15-17: Georgia AER; Macon, GA END OF ARTICLE American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. 1839 Frankfort Avenue P.O. Box 6085 Louisville, KY 40206