Vision WeblettersWebletter - February 2002
…a short update from Vision World Wide to share with your friends and colleagues, who can request their own free copy by sending a message to info@visionww.org
In This Issue:
****************************************** 1. Connecticut Senate Advocates Talking Prescription Bottles There is currently a bill pending in Connecticut, Senate Bill No. 277, AN ACT CONCERNING TALKING PRESCRIPTION DRUG BOTTLES. The proposed bill will provide insurance coverage for the Talking Rx for the blind and vision-impaired. This bill will go a long way in helping blind individuals taking medications remain independent and prevent medication misadventures. A copy of the bill has been posted at http://www.visionww.org/talkingrxbill.htm.. 2. New Research Report On Computer Technology In Postsecondary Education This report provides information about the findings of an investigation of the needs and concerns of campus-based professionals who provide disability-related supports and services to postsecondary students. It is a companion to the landmark 1999 study where computer technology experiences of over 800 Canadian college and university students with disabilities were investigated. Topics include: accessibility of online distance education; level of collaboration between these professionals and the instructional technology community on campus; degree to which issues of access to instructional technologies by persons with disabilities are addressed in faculty professional development; and accountability for providing computer-related supports to employees with disabilities on campus. With an 80% participation rate among Canadian postsecondary institutions, this study provides a comprehensive picture of on-campus technology accessibility for persons with disabilities. An extensive set of recommendations and resources completes the work. Availability: Executive summary is available:
The entire report is available:
Paper copies of the entire report in English are available for $30 CDN; ($20 USA). For further
information or to order a print copy, e-mail 3. Deaths & Illness From Anti-Blindness Drug Still A Mystery The UNICEF-sponsored Vitamin A anti-blindness campaign that began on November 11, 2001 in the remote northeastern Indian state of Assam, among children between 0 to 5 years of age, ran into trouble after thousands of children complained of illness after they were administered doses of the vitamin-iron tablets. In the week that followed, at least 16 children died after the intake of the micro-nutrient and several hundred children were treated in hospitals with stomach ailments and cramps. Local government authorities seized vitamin samples used in the program and had them analyzed at the federal government-owned Central Drug Testing Laboratory at Calcutta. The Drug Testing laboratory in Calcutta found that the supplies of Vitamin A used in the campaign were in perfect condition. The vitamin-iron tablets were distributed free of charge in schools in large parts of Assam as part of a government drive to tackle vitamin deficiency in children. The state government has, however, instructed educational institutions not to administer a combination vitamin-iron tablet to children until further orders are received from the health authorities. Faced with mounting public anger, the Assam government asked the Central Bureau of Investigation, India's FBI, to investigate the exact cause of the deaths and illness among the children following the Vitamin A drive. After all, the Vitamin A intake may not be behind the death and illness among so many children. This incident, unfortunately, may have an adverse affect upon future mass health programs in Assam because of the fear element.
4. Contact Lens Solutions May Not Kill Harmful Eye Bugs Acanthamoeba is an important cause of eye infection in contact lens wearers, with wearers of the soft type of lens most at risk. It leads to keratitis of the eye, which can be very painful and difficult to treat, and may eventually cause blindness. Poor lens hygiene is considered to be the main risk factor. Acanthamoeba are single cell organisms with two life stages: trophozoites and cysts. Disinfectant lens solutions need to be able to kill both types. A study reported in the British Journal of Ophthalmology indicated that researchers tested three types of disinfectant cleaning solution for soft contact lenses. One type was a multipurpose storage solution; the other two constituted a one-step and a two-step hydrogen peroxide system. After 8 hours, all types of solution had killed the trophozoites of all strains. But cysts proved more of a problem. The two-step 0.6% hydrogen peroxide solution performed the best, killing virtually all cysts, and some after just 30 minutes. The multipurpose solution was less effective, but killed the cysts of at least some strains. But cysts of all strains were still viable after an 8-hour soaking with the one-step 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Hydrogen peroxide solutions are toxic to the eye and must be neutralized. One-step solutions use a catalyst to do this, but the neutralization may be too quick to prevent effective killing of the Acanthamoeba cysts. Consequently, contact lens wearers should choose their disinfectant solutions carefully and take additional precautions to prevent contamination with the organisms such as microwaving, boiling, or frequently renewing their contact lens storage cases.
5. A $2,450 ATI Scholarship Available Access Technology Institute is offering a full scholarship, valued at $2,450, for the next Access Technology Training Course that begins April 9. It will be held online on each Tuesday / Thursday from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. (Pacific) from April through October 2002. The deadline for submission of nominations is March 24, 2002. Nominees must have a basic knowledge of Windows and at least one screen reader, have a desire to learn more about access technology and be willing to participate completely in the 7-month training course. A grade of B (80%) or better will be required to maintain enrollment in the course. For complete details about the scholarship, the training course, and instructions for nominating yourself or someone else, pay a visit to http://www.accesstechnologyinstitute.com and activate the link for scholarship nominations.
6. Logbook & News Group For Radio Amateurs XMLog Version 4.35 is a free amateur radio logbook system for Windows 95, 98, & Me and Windows NT. It is loaded with many useful features. For complete information or to download your free copy, go to http://www.xmlog.com. There is now an XMLog News Group. You can subscribe or view the archives at groups.yahoo.com/group/xmlog. You can also subscribe by sending a post to xmlogsubscribe@yahoogroups.com.
7. Cloudworld Introduces WordAloud WordAloud is an affordable and user-friendly system for reading any text on a computer running Windows 95, 98, and Me. The reading material can be taken from a disc, downloaded from the web, scanned into the computer or typed in by yourself. WordAloud displays text, a word at a time, on the screen, and can speak the words at the same time using speech synthesis. WordAloud can be controlled using just cursor keys or mouse, and is exceptionally simple to use. You can play the text, pause, and step backwards and forwards a word, sentence, paragraph or section. Cost: For UK customers, the price is 29.95 UKP plus VAT for a personal copy. A multi-user licence for school use is available. Outside the UK, $44.95 for a personal copy. (This price excludes VAT, if applicable, but includes package and posting.) A multi-user licence for school use is available. A new version of the software is now available for evaluation. It is valid until the end of March 2002. For more information, contact: John Nissen
8. Digital Talking Bible Again Available Thanks to a special arrangement with the owner of the Road Runner technology, formerly manufactured by Ostrich Software, the Lutheran Braille Evangelism Association (LBEA) is now offering the Digital Talking Bible at a much reduced price. This Bible is a small electronic text reading device that allows you to read the Bible anywhere and at any time you desire. It weighs just four ounces including the 2 AA alkaline batteries which will power the unit for 40 or more hours of continuous reading. The unit is about the size of a standard audiocassette and about one inch thick. It fits easily in a shirt pocket or purse. Other Features:
Each Digital Bible includes:
**The Digital Talking Bible is available in the King James (KJV) and the New American Standard (NAS) Versions. The New International (NIV) Version is planned but the availability date is uncertain at this writing. Cost: A donation of at least $100 payable to LBEA. This includes S/H via U.S. Priority Mail. To order, send your request with check or money order donation to: Lutheran Braille Evangelism Association (LBEA) More information is available from LBEA: By Phone - 651.426.0469
9. Useful Keystrokes For Eudora's Address Book Many people have asked how to easily transfer names from their Eudora Address Book to a new message. So, here are the keystrokes: If you are going to send a message to everybody in your Address Book, press Ctrl + l to open the Address Book. Then, while holding the Shift Key, arrow down through your list. After you have selected everybody, press Enter. this will place everybody in the To: field. To place the selected addresses in the bcc (blind carbon copy) field, press Alt + b. This will keep your list private, as Eudora will show "Recipient List Suppressed" in the To: Field. None of the bcc info will be shown to any of the recipients. To place the addresses in the cc (carbon copy) field, press Alt + c. You can also select one at a time and then press Alt + t for the To: field, Alt + b for the bcc: field, or Alt + c for the cc: field. Note: While I do not have the specific keystrokes, it is my understanding that similar shortcuts are also available for Outlook Express.
10. Joan of Arc: Print-Braille Edition The print-braille edition of this remarkable book, written by Josephine Poole and illustrated by Angela Barrett, is now available from National Braille Press at just $6.99 - the same price as the print book. It is recommended for Ages 9-12. Although this true story happened over 500 years ago in France, children are immediately hooked - especially when the truth unfolds into a story as mystical, timeless, and exquisitely written and illustrated as this one. Josephine Poole aims straight for the heart of faith in this amazing story about a 13-year-old girl who hears divine voices. It has also been described as a haunting impression of an era, a place, and an enigmatic human being. To read more about the book, visit http://www.nbp.org/january02.html. Order from: NBP Or, call and charge it: 800.548.7323 toll-free You can also E-Mail your order to orders@nbp.org. Distribution Note: Distribution of this Webletter is not intended to replace our comprehensive quarterly journal, Vision Enhancement. You are encouraged to share this Webletter with anyone on your mailing list that you think would find it useful. It is free. Readers wishing to receive their own Webletter should just send a message to info@visionww.org with "Vision Webletter-subscribe on the subject line and their full name in the body of the post. For more information, contact: Vision World Wide,
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Updated March 11, 2002
