Vision
World Wide, Inc.
Press Releases
Vision World Wide Joins
Others In Celebrating Introduction of Instructional
Materials Access Act
April 25, 2002 -
Along with other advocates for children who are
blind and publishers of the textbooks which educate
them, Vision World Wide (VWW) applauded
yes-terday's introduction of a bill in both houses
of Congress which seeks to ensure that elementary
and high school students who are blind and visually
impaired can receive textbooks and other
instructional materials in access-ible formats at
the same time as their sighted classmates. The
Instructional Materials Accessibility Act (IMAA),
introduced by lead sponsors Senators Christopher
Dodd (D-Conn.) and Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and
Represent-atives Thomas Petri (R-Wis.) and George
Miller (D-Calif.), has picked up the enthusiastic
endorsements of senators and representatives on
both sides of the aisle. The bill represents the
culmination of a two-year collaborative effort of
textbook publishers and organizations which
advocate for the rights of people who are blind, as
well as blindness-related agencies and schools, to
solve a problem which has plagued blind children
ever since they began receiving classroom
instruction alongside their sighted peers in
mainstreamed public school settings.
The IMAA mandates
the adoption of one standardized, national
electronic file format for a range of elementary
and secondary school instructional materials.
Publishers will be required to submit files for all
instructional materials in this format which will
facilitate straightforward conversion of materials
into braille, digital audio files, and large print
more easily. The IMAA also provides for a central
depository for textbook and instructional materials
files, so that state and local educational agencies
can acquire the materials quickly. A provision in
the bill describes how state and local education
agencies will be responsible for developing and
implementing state-wide plans to ensure that blind
and visually impaired children and other
print-disabled students will have quicker access to
instructional materials.
"Parents call our
national VWW office frequently," says Patricia
"Pat" Price of Indianapolis, Indiana, President of
Vision World Wide, "to tell us about situations
which seem to occur in school systems all over the
country. A low-vision or blind child goes to his
science class, for example, and finds that everyone
else has a textbook, while his large print or
braille book is still on order -- sometimes months
after the first day of school. Now we can tell
those parents and those children that advocates,
educators, publishers, and their representatives in
Congress have found a way to get books into vision
impaired children's hands at the same time as their
sighted classmates. This is a day we have worked
hard to reach, and we are celebrating."
William Corbin of
Carmel, Indiana who serves as Board Chairman of
Vision World Wide, said, "We are pleased that so
many blindness organizations came together with the
textbook publishers to find a solution that can
work in every school district in the country. It is
gratifying indeed when many and diverse groups can
come together to solve a problem which has placed
such a burden on visually impaired children, who
have found themselves that much further behind than
their sighted classmates -- without comparable
instructional materials to facilitate
learning."
Corbin continued,
"The issues which the publishers, the educators and
the local educational agencies had to work out were
complex, and many months were spent in arriving at
solutions that would work for everyone involved.
The introduction of this bill is a fine testament
to the way good people can work together to solve
difficult problems."
Vision World Wide,
a non-profit, tax-deductible organization, is
dedicated to assisting individuals with vision
impairment to maintain a meaningful, independent
lifestyle. VWW programs and services include
consumer protection, a toll-free helpline, website,
vision webletter Internet mailings, and journal,
Vision Enhancement. Founded in 1995, VWW addresses
the needs of low-vision and blind people at all
stages of life, their families and the
professionals who serve them. Learn more about
Vision World Wide by visiting its website at
http://www.visionww.org
or calling its national office in Indianapolis,
Indiana.
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Vision World Wide
Introduces New Electronic Publication To Help
People with Vision Loss
November 28,
2001 - A new edition of the award-winning
publication, Vision Enhancement, is a
publication of Vision World Wide, Inc., a
not-for-profit organization disseminating
information, encouragement and support to
individuals experiencing vision loss, their family
members, and caregivers. In addition to Vision
Enhancement, the organization provides a
Referral Helpline (1-800-431-1739),
Website (http://www.visionww.org),
Vision Webletter and Vision Tek
Talk Internet mailings.
The new electronic
format contains all the text of the 68- to 78-page
print edition but with the added convenience of
using current technology to search, cut, paste, and
print specific articles of special interest to the
reader. According to a spokesperson at Vision World
Wide, "Receiving our comprehensive quarterly
journal electronically will allow more timely
distribution and will be of tremendous assistance
to individuals coping with impaired vision and to
their families, support group leaders, and the
professionals who serve them. Each issue contains
highly relevant information on a variety of topics,
a resource directory with complete contact
information, bold, honest discussions of emotional
and physical issues, current medical research,
latest technological assistive devices, tips on
handling vision loss, new books, videos, magazines,
noteworthy events, consumer-protection, and
more."
The new edition
will be available in Adobe Acrobat PDF format
and/or in ASCII format, with special file for
Braille output, and sent as an attachment to an
e-mail message. The annual subscription rate is
just $25 (US$) for USA, Canada and all
International Countries.
Managing Editor,
Pat (Patricia) Price, commented: "We are very
excited about the possibilities afforded by this
new version. We are in our seventh year of
production and already issue the publication in
large print, 2-track, tone-indexed audiocassette,
computer disk, and in Enhanced Letter Format - ELF
(30pt and 48pt type), but many readers have asked
for an electronic edition. We are pleased we now
have the expertise to reach out to the more than 12
million individuals in the U.S. alone experiencing
vision loss."
Contact
Pat (Patricia) Price,
Managing Editor
E-Mail: info@visionww.org
Web: http://www.visionww.org
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Vision World Wide Sees
Significance in Observing White Cane Safety Day on
October 15, 2001
Tuesday,
September 26, 2001
Even before passage of the two landmark laws,
the Americans With Disabilities Act (10+ years ago)
and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act
(25+ years ago) the white cane was helping to open
doors of opportunity for many blind and visually
impaired Americans. With proper training, people
using the white cane can enjoy greater mobility and
safety by determining the location of curbs, steps,
uneven pavement, traffic patterns, and other
physical obstacles in their paths. The white cane
has given them the freedom to travel independently
to their schools and workplaces and to participate
more fully in the life of their
communities.
The white cane is a
hundreds tool, but, like the accomplishments of
numerous individuals with vision loss in many
areas, it reminds us that the only barriers against
people with disabilities are discriminatory
attitudes and practices that our society has too
often placed in their way.
To honor the many
achievements of vision impaired citizens of the
United States of America and to recognize the white
cane's significance in advancing independence, the
Congress, by joint resolution approved October 6,
1964, designated October 15 of each year as "White
Cane Safety Day." Since that time U.S. Presidents
have issued proclamations calling upon people of
the United States, government officials, educators,
and business leaders to observe this day with
appropriate programs, ceremonies, and
activities.
This special day is
a way of educating others about laws which have
been passed to assist the visually impaired to lead
an active and safe life. Soon after a blind Senator
was killed crossing the street in Washington, D.C.
in 1935, Lions Clubs in various states began
exerting pressure for passage of laws identifying
the visually impaired with a long white cane and
giving them the right of way at street crossings.
In many states those laws have since been updated
to include guide dog users. Basically, many state
laws read that the person who does not yield the
right of way to the blind person with a cane at a
street crossing commits a Class C infraction and is
subject to a fine.
Considering the
courage and resolve it takes to use a white cane or
guide dog and catch a bus, walk to work, or even
walk around the block for personal exercise,
emphasizing White Cane Safety Day is an excellent
way to remind the general public that vision
impaired people are capable of doing the things
everyone does. They are independent, self-reliant,
mobile, and capable. It reminds the public that the
blind person is out and about but with education on
how to use the cane, listening for traffic sounds
and paying attention to their surroundings. The
white cane is a tool. It is not a sign of weakness
but rather it is a sign that a person is striving
to be independent and responsible.
While the long
white cane cannot be pinned to one's shoulder as a
badge, Vision World Wide suggests that those who
use a white cane should consider it as their
private Badge of Courage.
Therefore, as we
observe White Cane Safety Day on October 15,
2001, let us reaffirm our commitment to
building a society where we embrace the talents,
energy, and contributions of every
individual.
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Vision World Wide
Joins Entertainer Harry Belafonte and Hundreds of
Other Grassroots Organizations Nationwide for
Annual National Vision Rehabilitation
Day
Take a Tip From
Harry: Take Charge of Your Life!
Saturday,
August 26, 2001
Vision World Wide, Inc. has joined entertainer
Harry Belefonte and hundreds of other vision
rehabilitation organizations from across the
country in a major public health campaign to create
greater awareness of how people who are partially
sighted or blind can overcome the challenge of
vision impairment through counseling and training.
The campaign kicks off on National Vision
Rehabilitation Day, Thursday, September 13, 2001.
Now in its seventh year the annual observance,
hosted by Lighthouse International in New York, has
the backing of many national cosponsors.
Rallying
under the slogan "Take a Tip from Harry: Take
Charge of Your Life" the organizations are
presenting a range of interactive events, workshops
and educational programs to help people who are
visually impaired, as well as their family and
friends, learn more about rehabilitation services.
Most people are not aware that there are
organizations available to help them when faced
with the challenges of vision loss.
According
to the Lighthouse National Survey on Vision Loss,
one in six Americans ages 45 and older report some
form of vision impairment, even when wearing
glasses or contact lenses. Using recent census
figures, this represents 16.5 million middle-age
and older adults. The earlier people learn about
vision rehabilitation, the more options they have
available to improve their quality of life and
maximize their independence.
Pat
(Patricia) Price, President of Vision World Wide,
Inc. (a national not-for-profit organization
dedicated to letting everyone know there is hope
when vision fails) said, "We stand ready to provide
answers to the many questions that individuals have
when they begin to lose their eyesight. Through our
Information & Referral Helpline, our several
e-mail announce lists, our website at
www.visionww.org
and our highly acclaimed quarterly journal,
Vision Enhancement, we provide
information, encouragement and support that
ultimately leads to enhancement of everyday living
and the ability to maintain a meaningful,
independent lifestyle.
Barbara
Silverstone, DSW, President and CEO of Lighthouse
International (a worldwide leader in vision
impairment and vision rehabilitation) said, "NVRD
2001 is a way of focusing attention on the issue of
vision impairment while presenting positive
solutions. This is a process that carries forward
throughout the year and makes a real difference for
people who are blind or partially sighted to be
able to be independent again."
The
National Vision Rehabilitation Day website can be
reached at: www.lighthouse.org/nvrd.
Contact:
Pat
(Patricia) Price, President
E-Mail: info@visionww.org
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Bigger Type is
Better
Monday,
September 25, 2000:
Vision World Wide, Inc. and M G Harrington Co
announce a new, inexpensive, service to make
reading easier for the vision impaired:
publications printed in very large type, up to 48
points.
Patricia
Price, President of Vision World Wide, announced
the new service and why it is needed:
"Many
people will! now be able to access material
formerly inaccessible. ... because the type was too
small to read. Magnifiers, both hardware and
software, do not fill the need because of their
cost and the awkwardness of their use. Now, text
can be prepared in font sizes up to forty-eight
points. Publications are prepared for viewing on a
computer screen or on the printed page The text is
distributed on computer disks.
M G
Harrington Co., specialists in computerization for
law firms, can prepare most publications in an
enlarged point size, the ELF format. (Enhanced
Letter Format). The source material can be already
printed hard copy or computer files. Adobe Acrobat
software is used so that anyone with the free
Acrobat Reader can view or print a publication; no
other software is needed. Tables of Contents are
linked to the text; no scrolling up, down or to the
side is required to read a page. The user can
search for key words, print hard copy and further
enlarge the text.
Since
ELF publications are distributed on computer disks,
they can be produced at less cost compared to
printing and distributing on paper. This opens the
door to economically publishing materials when the
number of copies needed is limited as in materials
for a limited number of students or employees for
Americans With Disabilities Act
compliance..
We are
hopeful authors, publishers and businesses will
work with us. We foresee using the service for
textbooks, manuals, cookbooks, directories, monthly
publications and materials of all kinds. We urge
anyone interested in the concept to contact
us."
A sample
issue of Vision Enhancement magazine in ELF format
is available for free downloading on the Vision
World Wide web site at
www.visionww.org/journal.htm
Contacts:
Pat
(Patricia) Price, President
E-Mail: info@visionww.org
or
Mike
Gold,
Text-Key
310-379-8321
E-Mail: info@text-key.com
Web: www.text-key.com
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