The APH Slate, Summer 2002 Volume 15, Number 1 ISSN: 1081-5198 American Printing House for the Blind, Inc., Searching Strategies Using Disk edition Location Markers "In this Issue" 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 "From the President" in the table of contents is the disk catalog location marker "qq02." To find "From the President," do a search for "qq 02." In This Issue Digital Audio Recording, page 1, qq01 From the President, page 2, qq02 Awards, page 3 qq03 Around the House, page 4, qq 04 APH Products, page 9, qq05 APH on the Road, Back Cover, qq06 qq 01 Digital Audio Recording: The Success of Teamwork by Carol Stewart, Studio Director PHOTO: American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. Recording Studio Logo There's a big change going on underground at APH. The front of the building still looks the same, but in the far left corner, slightly below ground level, folks from all over the building have come together to create a very small room that does a very big job. In 1938, APH produced its first Talking Book. Since that time, APH has been under contract to the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress (NLS) to produce Talking Books for the permanent collection. This Talking Book contract is awarded yearly, based on submitted bids from contracting recording facilities (studios) across the country. The American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. Recording Studio, a facility consisting of several smaller rooms (also called studios), has produced as many as 800 full-length books per year under the NLS contract. In addition to books, APH also bids on contracts to produce magazines on cassette for NLS as well as regularly recording Newsweek(r), Reader's Digest(r), and American Legion. NLS has been considering how best to meet the ongoing needs of their Talking Book listeners while updating equipment and recording specifications. By 2005, all recording contractors such as APH must digitally record, master and duplicate 100% of their NLS production. As NLS looks ahead to days when their listeners will receive books and magazines in a purely digital format, APH has been planning ahead in order to meet these technical changes and challenges. Planning for the upcoming digital transition started several years ago with the creation of a Digital Research Committee, chaired by Bob Phelps, then Division Manager of Technical Research, working with Frank Hayden and James Robinson, Technical Research; Larry Skutchan, Technology Project Leader; Rob Meredith, Programmer I; Jack Decker, Vice President of Production; Steve Mullins, Special Projects Manager; Dave McGee, Maintenance/Duplication; Johnny Zinninger, Maintenance/Studio; Carol Stewart, Studio Director; Doug Trent, Contract Administration; and former Studio Supervisor Raymond Randalls. This committee met twice monthly to review new advances in hardware and software, to brainstorm how to use these advances to benefit production needs, and to make decisions. During this period, the committee developed the overall technical plan that included the decision for APH to develop the necessary software in-house. By doing this rather than using high-end commercial recording software, APH would be able to incorporate features unique to NLS into the custom design. Creating the Digital Studio NLS 2002 contract year requires that at least 10% of the recording produced by NLS contractors must be recorded in digital format. As a result, the funding and the subsequent creation of a new digital studio became an important first step in both learning the digital ropes and in meeting the contractual requirements. As the new APH recording software was being beta-tested, Don Keefe, Vice President of Development, approached Jack Decker, Carol Stewart, and Steve Mullins with the idea of building a new digital studio from the ground up. Mr. James Storer, a longtime friend and supporter of APH, wanted to help the American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. Recording Studio (APH Recording Studio) make its way into a new technological arena. Mr. Storer suggested that APH approach the Storer Foundation of Louisville for support. His effort in this endeavor moved the proposal forward, and funding was granted for the creation of the Storer Studio late last summer. As plans for the new Storer Studio were being drawn up, Rob Meredith, Larry Skutchan, and John Hedges, Programmer I, were hard at work developing and refining the recording software. Johnny Zinninger worked closely with them to design hardware that would allow the APH Recording Studio staff to make the fewest changes in procedure. This allowed staff to continue to produce a large number of books during a period of radical mechanical changes. The Digital Research Committee met regularly to explore, test, and incorporate needed software features. The planning and development of the Storer Studio - where it would be built, how it would be installed, what kind of equipment would be used, as well as the hiring and scheduling of necessary contractors, and pricing of needed materials - was addressed by a new Digital Transition Committee made up of Jack Decker; Ron Gadson, Maintenance Division Manager; Steve Paris, Production Division Manager; Carol Stewart; Steve Mullins; Johnny Zinninger; and Dave McGee. Daniela Brooks, Manager, Network Services, was consulted about future computer networking issues and the ways that the Computer Technology Services could work with Zinninger and the Studio. Up and Running The finished Storer Studio is now up and running - to date, over 50 books have been recorded there using the new digital process. It is primarily the working home of narrators Madelyn Buzzard, Brian Conn, Fred Major, and Terry Sales, as well as the recording monitors who work with them. With working contributors from all over APH coming together as a team, the Storer Studio has become a prototype, not only technologically, but in terms of demonstrating how far-reaching the idea of teamwork can go. PHOTOS: Monitor, Tracy Ogan and Narrator, Marilyn Buzzard record in the new digital Storer Studio recently added to the American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. Recording Studio. The monitor sits in front of a window through which the narrator can be seen. The monitor has on headsets as she listens to the narrator read. A computer is also present in the picture for digital recording and correcting of errors. The stars of the Storer Studio show (part of the American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. Recording Studio) are most certainly Rob Meredith and Johnny Zinninger (left to right). Without their creative drive and problem-solving skills, the narrators would currently be reading into the blunt end of a hammer! Rob is sitting in front of his computer and is looking toward the camera. Johnny Zinninger looks down at his hands inside a computer's harddrive case while soldering its components. Sidebar to Main Article Other Successful Team Efforts at APH by Bernadette S. Mudd, Editor Collaborative efforts are key to the success of many APH projects-people have come together from both inside and outside the organization to make things happen. The Storer Studio (see cover story) is just one of APH's recent success stories. Other such collaborative efforts include The Hall of Fame: Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field and the traveling exhibitions of the Callahan Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind. Hall of Fame: Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field by Nancy Lacewell, APH In Touch In 2000, a presentation at the AER (Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired) became the catalyst for APH to act on a long-held dream of a Hall of Fame for the field. The Hall of Fame is designed to honor leaders in the field of vision. A committee of experts from the field and APH worked together to make this Hall of Fame a reality. Committee members from APH include: Tuck Tinsley, President; Mary Nelle McLennan, Executive Advisor to the President; Gary Mudd, Vice President, Public Affairs; Janie Humphries, Director, Educational and Advisory Services; Will Evans, Educational Products and Services Advisor; Burt Boyer, Field Services Representative; and Bob Brasher, Vice President, Products and Services. Experts outside APH are: Dr. Phil Hatlen, TX; Dr. Cay Holbrook, BC; Dr. Michael Nelipovich, WI; Dr. Susan Spungin, NY; Dr. Dean Tuttle, CO; and Naomi Tuttle, CO. "This is not solely an APH project," said Bob Brasher. "It's important that everyone in the field of vision feel a sense of ownership and participation because it really is their Hall of Fame." Thirty-two leaders spotlighted at a conference in Denver will represent the initial "class" of inductees. The committee is working on criteria and a process for nominating future inductees. Don Keefe, Vice President, Development, will coordinate fund-raising efforts to fund the Hall of Fame which will begin September, 2002. Brasher continues, "It is exciting to see the support and enthusiasm this Hall of Fame is creating. People who work in the field of vision are eager to keep their history alive and to learn from the work of the great professionals who came before them." For information about how you can contribute to the success of this project, contact Don Keefe, Vice President of Development at 502-899-2351. (Additional Information about the Hall of Fame) Place a Stone in the Hall's Wall of Tribute A wall has been designed to give you the opportunity to honor people or organizations that have made a difference in your life. Made up of inscribed stones placed in beautifully detailed wooden columns, the wall is entitled "Friends of Leaders and Legends." Five sizes of elegantly inscribed stones are available to be personalized as you choose. All etched stones are eight inches wide and vary in height: three ($375), four ($550), six ($1,000), eight ($2,500), and twelve ($5,000) inches. Each high contrast Romanite(r) stone is engraved with half-inch black letters and can be donated outright or purchased on a three-year installment plan. Organization logos can be accommodated on the eight and twelve inch stones. Handsome 8" x 1" strips of braille provide the message of each stone. Your support is vital in helping us remember and honor the esteemed leaders of our field. For more information, call the APH Office of Development at 800/223-2839, Ext. 361, or email fame@aph.org. PHOTO: Don, Bob, Janie, Gary and Will stand in the newly created space for the Hall of Fame to be located in APH's new Barr Library. The Traveling Exhibits of the Callahan Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind by Carol Tobe, Director, Callahan Museum The Callahan Museum presents the fascinating history of the many creative adaptations that transformvisual media into tactual and auditory media, giving people who are blind or visually impaired greater opportunities for quality education. It is the only museum in the country devoted to a unique collection and extensive research on the history of the education of people who are blind. The collaborative efforts of Carol Tobe, Director, Callahan Museum; Don Keefe, Vice President of Development, and Eugene Callahan, museum benefactor, came together to create the travelling exhibitions in order to bring the Callahan Museum to a wider audience. The first of four of these exhibitions, Hands-on Reading and Writing, is currently circulating and available for booking. It describes the evolution of tactile writing for blind people from the first experiments in the 18th century to the development of braille. The exhibit includes original artifacts, illustrations, and hands-on activities. Braille and audio text provide accessibility. The exhibit may be viewed at www.aph.org/museum/intouch.html. For information on bringing the traveling exhibits to your school or agency (i.e., library, university, museum) in your area, contact Carol Tobe, ctobe@aph.org or call 800-223-1839, extension 365. qq02 From the President People-APH's Most Valuable Resource Dr. Tuck Tinsley III, APH President APH was originally founded in 1858 to help meet the educational and independent living needs of people who are blind and visually impaired. I strongly believe that one of the major reasons we are still in existence today is the fact that it has been clear since our inception that APH cannot accomplish its mission by itself. Our efforts to help individuals who are blind and visually impaired cannot possibly succeed without the help we in turn receive from others who share our commitment and concerns. Over the years, thousands of individuals have stepped forward to lend a helping hand - both physically and fiscally. Today, APH distributes 26,000 recorded copies of Reader's Digest(r) each month and 13,000 recorded copies of Newsweek(r) each week - free of charge. Although the production of these magazines is a costly process, APH is able to provide them to consumers at no charge because thousands of individuals contribute financial support to this program each year. The generosity of one individual improves the quality of life for another. Through the generosity of one man, Eugene Callahan, APH is now able to take information and artifacts on the history of the education of the blind across the country through our new In Touch With Knowledge interactive traveling museum exhibits. The first exhibit, Hands-On Reading and Writing, has been completed and is currently "on the road." Three more exhibits, focusing on geography, math, and science, are being developed (see The Traveling Exhibits on page 15). It has long been an APH goal to take our museum to those who cannot visit us here in Louisville. Thanks to one man, we are now able to help enlighten thousands of individuals across the country about the rich and remarkable history of the education of the blind. The range of products and services APH offers has expanded enormously over the years, thanks in great part to those beyond our walls who support our mission. They willingly share their time, experience, knowledge, and financial resources to make it all happen. Although we always offer our thanks, these contributors remain quietly in the background, often unaware of the full impact of their generosity. We thank each of you for your commitment to the cause and your willingness to step forward and help - in whatever way you can. We truly could not touch all of the lives that we do without each and every one of you. qq03 Rod Brawley Receives Award for Sharing California Braille Textbook Files The APH File Repository contains a wide range of electronic files and software that assist in providing accessible educational materials to visually impaired students nationwide. It contains publishers' textbook files and APH software as well as "braille-ready" files that have been transcribed by APH and other sources. The purpose of these files is to eliminate duplicative effort and to speed up the process of providing braille textbooks. Such a system is clearly valuable only if those transcribing textbooks are willing to share access to their files. On February 22, 2002, Rod Brawley, an APH Ex Officio Trustee and Director of the Clearinghouse for Specialized Media and Technology in Sacramento, California, was honored for his leadership and willingness to do just that. APH President Tuck Tinsley recognized Brawley during a special ceremony in California to formally thank him for sharing valuable educational materials for the benefit of all. Rod Brawley is responsible for sharing the state's textbook files. The largest contribution made to the APH File Repository since its inception, the collection from California makes up 12% of the total number of files and 89% of the files that are transcribed and ready to be embossed. Thanks to Rod Brawley and all those who freely share their educational materials, we are making significant progress in our efforts to provide textbooks to blind students at the same time their sighted peers receive their textbooks. qq04 Around the House Compiled by Bob Brasher, Vice President-Products and Services New Adult Life Catalog Is Now Available An extensively updated edition of our Adult Life Products Catalog is now available. This edition is reorganized for easier use and includes dozens of new products. It is designed for older students and adults who are blind, their families, and their service providers. The catalog is available in print, on cassette tape, on disc, and on our Web site. 134th APH Annual Meeting of the Ex Officio Trustees Mark your calendars for the 134th APH Annual Meeting of Ex Officio Trustees and Special Guests, October 10-13. This year's theme is "Sharing the Memory, Shaping the Dream." In addition to our traditional sessions regarding product progress and guidance activities, we will have the opportunity to celebrate the living legends of the Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field. The program agenda is available on APH's Web site, www.aph.org. Power of the Dream Music CD This new APH "Special Touch" gift item includes 13 hopeful songs by musician Terry Kelly. Power of the Dream is the latest CD from this inspirational singer/songwriter. Kelly, who is visually impaired, says of this album: "I have always been a dreamer; I will always be a dreamer. You will hear about several of my dreams and reflections in the music and lyrics of my songs." PHOTO: Terry Kelly's CD cover from is album, Power of the Dream. Fund-Raising Product Idea: APH InSights 2003 Art Calendar Many schools and parent groups seek items to use for fund-raising events. Both the APH collection of greeting cards and the Custom Art Calendar work extremely well for this purpose while providing useful items. The greeting cards are pictured in the APH Products Catalog 2002-2003, or they can be viewed from our Web site. These products feature artwork by visually impaired and blind artists. For custom English or Spanish calendars, contact Doug Trent in the Contract Administration Department at 800/223-1839, Ext. 267. University Deafblind Personnel Focus at APH Faculty from university deafblind teacher training programs gathered at APH in June to discuss strategies for future collaborations. The ten focus group participants, brought together by Field Services Representative Sandi Baker, represented six university programs, DB Link (a national clearinghouse on deafblindness), and a local early intervention program. Ex Officio Trustee Kathy Brown (MI) represented the APH Educational Products Advisory Committee on the team. Members of the group discussed products and services, and identified how APH can become a better resource to the field of deafblindness. Orientation and Mobility Takes Center Stage at APH In June, nine Certified Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Specialists from eight states gathered at APH to discuss needs in the field of O&M and to recommend products that APH might produce to address some of those needs. The creativity and hard work of the focus group members, organized by Adult Life Project Leader Terrie Terlau, reflected their expertise in a wide variety of O&M settings. Stephen Sanford, COMS and Director of the Rehabilitation Center for the Blind in Daytona Beach, Florida, also provided an Ex Officio Trustee's perspective. As APH and focus group members explored ways APH can continue to contribute to the O&M field, the results achieved were very exciting. The Test Central Team APH's new Test Central (TC) staff recently identified representatives of test publishing companies, instructional materials centers for the visually impaired, state vision consultants, educational diagnosticians, school psychologists, and members of disability research organizations to serve as members of the Test Central Council (TCC). This council will work with APH to set goals, to develop activities, and to maintain direction for the TC staff. Council members joined APH staff for a two-day meeting at APH in March and made recommendations for guidelines in the test and assessment arena. The Test Central network recently increased with the addition of a group of 27 vision teachers, transcribers, and editors who participated in a two-day training session at APH. This group will work with Test Central as consultant test editors. Tentative plans have been made for a Guidelines Development Committee to meet August 6-7 to "perfect" the guidelines for developing, editing, and transcribing tests. Another Test Editor Training Workshop is tentatively planned for September 25-26. Maria's Back! Louis Database Field Representative, Maria Delgado, is back at APH and ready to go on the road. After an unfortunate car accident and a six-month recovery period, Maria feels ready to again conduct her well-received database workshops. She is currently preparing training in Tennessee, New York, Texas, Washington, and Louisville. Please feel free to contact her to learn more about Louis, the APH File Repository, Fred's Head, or the Accessible Media Producers Database. Take advantage of Maria's "hands-on" training this year and while learning to use the database searching capabilities shop for a free "Louis, Surf It" T-shirt. Upon completion of the training, all participants are eligible for a certificate of achievement. Contact Maria at mdelgado@aph.org or 800/223-1839, ext. 340. APH Partners with Kentucky School for the Blind The Educational and Advisory Services Department of APH happily partnered again this year with the Kentucky School for the Blind to present "Gateways to Independence." The annual professional development event, designed for teachers of the visually impaired, was held in Louisville on the KSB campus, May 29 through 31. This year's event focused on Math and Technology and featured Susan Osterhaus from the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired - and many APH products! Large Print Atlas Focus Group In June, APH hosted a return of four of the original members of the Large Print Atlas Focus Group to determine additional information for our Large Print Atlas. While with us, the team received ArcView(r) Training, which is a computer program allowing users to manipulate the elements of maps to make them present the information determined by the user. This software lends itself well to the purposes of making maps accessible to persons with low vision. What's New in Fred's Head? Fred's Head is the APH Web site's accessible on-line compendium of tips and techniques for and by blind or visually impaired individuals. Some recent additions include: --Toys for Tots: An overview of some accessible toys for preschoolers --Soldering Without Sight: A tip submitted by Jack Yeaman --Sources for Unique Gifts: Compiled from suggestions provided by Brain Waves Contest participants --Dr. Imke Durre, Climatologist: Role model article. If you can't find the answer to your question in Fred's Head, simply complete the special form. All questions are answered, and we'll use the questions as subjects to address in future articles. Please send us your tips and information about neat web sites. Volunteer to be a "Fred's Head Expert" by putting your knowledge and experience at our disposal to help us answer questions sent in by the community. Come and visit us (http://www.aph.org/fh/index.html) and let us know how we're doing! Send your questions and comments to fhead@aph.org. Win a Gift Certificate from Fred's Head! Fred's Head is proud to sponsor Brain Waves. Check out our Web site for details to win a $25 gift certificate from APH each month! Brain Waves lives at http://www.aph.org/fh/fhbwindex.htm. Need more information? Contact us at Brain Waves Central (mturner@aph.org). APH's Software Engineering Makes a Move The Software Engineering Group of the APH Research Department recently moved to new technology-friendly offices that feature an open- communications environment and room for more programmers and/or consultants. The Software Engineering Group is field testing yet more products. You are invited to get a taste of the future with exciting new software that you can help shape. In addition to Termite Torpedo, the low-vision-friendly arcade game, and Teacher's Pet, an accessible test creation/administering tool, the Group is now testing Studio Recorder and Word Player. Studio Recorder is a professional digital audio-editing package geared to spoken word content. Word Player is MP3-playing software that is geared to spoken word content. Features that make these two programs more appropriate than traditional packages for performing these functions include the ability to remember your place in a long file, speed up without pitch distortion, and phrase detection that lets you navigate through audio files by content rather than by time. Get more information at http://www.aph.org/beta. Taking a Further Look at Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) The most recent National Instructional Partnerships (NIP) event to hit the road returned APH to the Braille Institute of America in Los Angeles. This event, which took place in August was presented in partnership with the Braille Institute and with the Center for the Partially Sighted (a new partner in this venture). Presenters for this workshop included Dr. Christine Roman, of Marshall University, and Dr. William Takeshita, of the Center for the Partially Sighted. This workshop featured materials and intervention techniques for children with cortical visual impairment, as well as strategies for obtaining the best results possible from eye exams for children with CVI. Videotaped case studies allowed participants to participate in the design of intervention programs for several students. If you'd like to partner with APH to host a NIP event in your area, please contact Janie Humphries at 800/223-1839, ext. 367, or email her at jhumphries@aph.org. ATIC Focus Group: "Promising Practices for Editing Early Literacy Textbooks" The Accessible Textbook Initiative and Collaboration (ATIC) hosted a focus group made up of early literacy experts, transcribers, and teachers of the visually impaired. Their objective was to: --Identify and interpret the existing guidelines found in Braille Formats: Principles of Print to Braille Transcription. --Establish guidelines for issues not covered in the Braille Formats guidelines. According to Jane Thompson, ATIC Director, "The long-term goal [for gathering this information] is to provide more comprehensive guidelines for all transcribers of early literacy textbooks K-2." PowerPoint Guidelines for Low Vision Low Vision Project Leader Elaine Kitchel is developing Guidelines for the Development of PowerPoint(r) Presentations for Audiences which may Include Persons with Low Vision. These guidelines will be based on the same science from which information is drawn for the Guidelines for the Production of Large Print Documents for Optimal Readability. The guidelines will include feedback received from persons with low vision who are frequent viewers of PowerPoint presentations. APH plans to implement these guidelines at its Annual Meeting in October. Babies Count Update The Babies Count Project, officially called A National Registry for Children with Visual Impairments, Birth to Three Years, is moving forward quickly. APH began receiving surveys for the Babies Count Project in January 2001. The data collected is being sent to Dr. Deborah Hatton at the University of North Carolina. She is a member of the original team who initiated this project. Hatton will analyze the data and publish a report later this year. Very soon the present survey form will be reviewed and revised. After that task is completed, it will be time to involve new states in the process. The interest shown in this project has been impressive. APH is grateful to all who have participated in moving this project forward. To learn more about the Babies Count Project, please contact Burt Boyer at bboyer@aph.org or 800/223-1839, ext. 264. PHOTO: Babies Count Logo qq05 APH Product Profiles: Innovations Created or Distributed by APH Abacus Basic Competency An instruction manual to teach children and adults abacus skills in the four basic math operations through instruction and exercises. This abacus instructional system uses the Counting Method instead of the traditional indirect method. Advantages include: --Simple method comparable to the way young sighted children count and add by counting things one at a time, as in counting on fingers or time lines. --Minimum number of rules must be learned in order to arrive at an answer to a mathematical problem. --Speed in using the abacus is not lessened with this method. Accuracy is increased, frustration is eliminated and a student's self-esteem is greatly improved. --Allows for the regular classroom teacher to monitor a student's abacus computation by listening to the student count. It also allows abacus instruction to begin at the kindergarten level with abacus familiarization. Chapters include: --Addition; Subtraction; Multiplication; Division --Abacus Basic Competency Test and Answers --References Large Print Edition, Catalog Number, 7-00219-00, Price, $17.50 Braille Edition, Catalog Number, 5-00219-00, Price, $17.50 The APH SoundPage Record messages, sound effects or music to accompany the On the Way to Literacy storybooks. Functioning as an accessory to the On the Way to Literacy storybooks, the APH SoundPage allows young readers to create their own sound effects and recordings to accompany their favorite stories. Designed to be clipped into the three-ring binder of any OTWL storybook, the APH SoundPage features a thermoformed plastic page slotted to hold up to three digital recording devices. (The basic set includes two devices.) Each chip is able to record, store and play back an eight-second message, clip or effect. The child and teacher or parent can create their own sound-effect scheme, deciding on what effects would best augment the story and when they should be played. The scheme might call for a sound to be used at a specific point or throughout the story. The User's Guide contains suggestions for using the APH SoundPage as a part of story reading and suggests other uses for the recording device at home or in the preschool classroom. APH SoundPage for On the Way to Literacy Books, Catalog Number, 6-77505-00, Price, $32.00 Additional Digital Recording Device for APH SoundPage, Catalog Number, 6-77505-01, Price, $9.00 PHOTO: Enlarged image of the digital recording device for APH SoundPage. Loving Me: A Guide to Creating and Presenting Workshops on Self-Esteem Loving Me was written by Billy T. Brookshire and published by the American Printing House for the Blind (APH). It is designed for those who seek to help people who are blind and visually impaired, their families, and the professionals who work with them to explore the origin and expression of their self-esteem in a workshop format. Loving Me is available in large print and on CD packaged together. These editions make the information in Loving Me accessible to everyone. The two-binder set contains 120 activities from which to build self-esteem workshops. Children, transition-age youths, and adults can all benefit from the good balance between the theoretical and practical aspects of self-esteem in this book. Loving Me: A Guide to Creating and Presenting Workshops on Self-Esteem, Catalog Number, 7-02500-00, Price, $96.00 PRODUCT ALERT: Parent Early Childhood Education Series An urgent message for all individuals who have purchased or own a copy of the "Parent Early Childhood Education Series" or any portion of this series: Two passages in these materials, published by APH in 1993, suggest placing an infant to sleep on his or her tummy. Since that publication date, this practice has been linked to the occurrence of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Although the causes of SIDS are not known, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now advises: "One of the most important things you can do to help reduce the risk of SIDS is to put your healthy baby on his or her back to sleep. Do this when your baby is being put down for a nap or to bed at night. Your baby can be placed on his or her stomach when awake. Some 'tummy time' during awake hours is good for your baby." (www.aap.org/new/sids/reduceth.htm) Please delete these two passages from all copies of the Parent Early Childhood Education Series. --Delete: "Put your baby to bed on his tummy." (General Suggestions 1, "General Suggestions for Infants with Visual Impairments," left column, Paragraph 4) --Delete: "Put your baby down to sleep on his tummy." (Motor Skills 5, "Head Control," right column, Paragraph 3) We suggest you ADD the following statement to both pages: "Ask your doctor which positions are safest for your baby. Most babies should be put on their backs to sleep but can be placed on their tummy when awake and supervised." Other pages in the Parent Early Childhood Education Series suggest placing the baby on his or her tummy for activities: Emotional Development 3, Sensory Development 6, Motor Skills 6, and Cognitive Skills 3. Although these imply that the baby is awake while on his or her tummy, the caution statement should also be added to these pages. Above all, it is important to note that the guidelines established by the AAP are for most, but not all infants. It is critically important that caregivers follow their doctor's recommendation regarding their child's positioning. Many children with visual impairments have additional risk factors and contra-indications that must be taken into account. The risk of SIDS for infants weighing less than 3.5 pounds at birth, or for infants who have already had an apparently life-threatening event, is greater than for the general population. However, it is possible that other factors, such as reflux disease (also linked to low birth weight) may influence the doctor's recommendation. Another risk factor associated with SIDS is the presence of soft bedding, pillows, or stuffed toys in the crib. In keeping with the recommendation of the AAP that such items be removed from infants' cribs and sleeping areas, please delete the following sentence: Delete: "Alter the objects in the crib: put in different toys, pillows, blankets, etc." (Orientation and Mobility 1, "Listening and Moving," left column, Paragraph 3, Sentence 3) qq06 APH on the Road Each year, APH personnel travel to many 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 representatives. September 26-28, Discovery 2002: The Low Vision Conference, Chicago, IL October 9-13, APH Annual Meeting, Louisville, KY October 16-19, Closing the Gap, Minneapolis, MN October 17-19, NBA Convention, Overland Park, KS October 24-26, NRA Annual Training Conference, Indianapolis, IN Note: Product trademarks are of their respective companies. This newsletter is available in braille, on disk, and at www.aph.org.