THE INTERNATIONAL BRAILLE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER FOR THE BLIND Established on the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the National Federation of the Blind Located at the NATIONAL CENTER FOR THE BLIND 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, MD 21230 (410) 659-9314 [PHOTO CAPTION: Visitors to the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind get hands-on training in the use of state-of-the-art equipment.] ----------------------------------------------------------------- COVER PHOTO: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Marc Maurer--President, National Federation of the Blind 1986-present Hazel tenBroek--First "First Lady," National Federation of the Blind Present at the founding of the organization in 1940 Kenneth Jernigan--President, National Federation of the Blind 1968-1986 Founder of the National Center for the Blind THE INTERNATIONAL BRAILLE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER FOR THE BLIND WHAT: Demonstrations Comparative Evaluations Individual Instruction Cost Comparisons Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance Assistance Personal and Telephone Consultation Meeting and Conference Facilities Overnight and Dining Accommodations WHO: Blind Persons Employers Professionals Vendors of Technology Family Members Members of the Public (410) 659-9314 Technology, Blindness, and the National Federation of the Blind The computer age has brought about advances in technology for all people, including the blind. The International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind is the world's most extensive demonstration and evaluation center for computer-related technology serving the needs of blind persons. The National Federation of the Blind, in cooperation with other organizations, has made a commitment to maintain this unique facility as a resource for the blind of the world. Nevertheless, it must be remembered that technology is merely a tool to use in working toward the complete integration of the blind into society on the basis of equality--such integration being the ultimate purpose of the National Federation of the Blind. Reaching this objective involves the removal of legal, economic, and social discrimination; the education of the public to new concepts concerning blindness; and the achievement by all blind people of the right to exercise to the fullest their individual talents and capabilities. It means the right of the blind to work along with their sighted neighbors in the professions, common callings, skilled trades, and regular occupations. Founded in 1940, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest organization of the blind in America and has grown to include more than 50,000 members. Interested sighted persons also join. The Federation is organized in every state and has local chapters in almost every community of any size in the nation. Each year the National Convention of the Federation is attended by about 2,500 blind persons--the largest gathering of blind people in the history of the world and growing each year. The National Federation of the Blind believes that the real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight. The real problem if the misunderstanding and lack of information which exist. If a blind person has proper training and opportunity, blindness can be reduced to the level of a physical nuisance. It is in the context of this philosophy, this progress, and this perspective that the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind was established and is operated. [PHOTO CAPTIONS: {1} The Main Hall of the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind. {2} Visitors touring the Center are able to compare the quality of Braille produced by every hard-copy Braille embosser in existence anywhere in the world.] Meeting a Unique Need Who wants to spend thousands of dollars for equipment when one has never had the opportunity to see it in operation, to talk to someone who has used it, to compare it to other similar devices, to know something of its reliability and durability, or to determine its capacity to meet real-life on-the-job or personal needs in a practical way? No one does, of course. Yet, this has often been the only option available to would-be purchasers of specialized access technology for the blind. Unlike their sighted counterparts, blind people are not able to purchase equipment that is accessible to them at their local computer supermarkets. The companies producing Braille and speech access devices for computers tend to be small firms, which do not have local outlets. At best if has been possible to get hands-on experience with only a few devices, and even then, under circumstances making true comparative evaluations virtually impossible. The International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind meets this unmet need. It serves as a nerve center and laboratory to stimulate the use and development of technology for the blind, facilitates comparative evaluation of state-of-the-art technological devices, constitutes a test site for innovative techniques, and functions as a hands-on training center for individuals and other interested persons and groups. Equipment The International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind houses a continually changing collection of equipment and software programs. Newly developed devices come on the market and existing ones become obsolete at a rapid rate. The Center's goal is to acquire on an ongoing basis for comparative evaluation and demonstration purposes at least one of every computer-driven Braille embossing device that is commercially available to blind individuals and institutions anywhere in the world. Such devices range in speed from less than a dozen characters per second to more than 1200 pages per hour and in price from less than $2,000 to more than $80,000. In addition to hard-copy Braille embossers the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind has an extensive selection of Braille translation programs (software that converts print into Braille), speech synthesizers, audible screen review programs, reading machines (devices that scan a printed page and translate text into spoken words), scanners, optical character recognition systems, refreshable Braille Displays, Braille note- taking devices, raised-line drawing equipment, and much more. The commitment of financial resources, personnel, and physical facilities to achieve and maintain the equipment acquisition and operating goals of the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind is enormous. Nowhere else in the world does a collection of technological devices such as this exist. The International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind displays more than 150 devices and software programs. The list of specific equipment changes on a continual basis. To obtain a current listing call the Center (410) 659-9314 or download it from NFB Net, the computer bulletin board service of the National Federation of the Blind (410) 752-5011. Here are examples of some of the Center's equipment: Braillo 400S interpoint Braille embosser Thiel BAX-10 interpoint Braille printer Elekul-03 high-speed Braille embosser TED 600 interpoint Braille embosser Braille Blazer personal Braille printer Romeo Braille printer Alva Braille Terminal refreshable display KeyBraille refreshable Braille display Braille 'n Speak note-taker David notebook computer with Braille keyboard, Braille display, and speech NFBTrans Braille translation software Duxbury Braille Translator Speaqualizer speech access system Keynote Gold PC speech synthesizer DEC-Talk speech synthesizer Audapter speech synthesizer Double Talk PC speech synthesizer Artic Business Vision screen review program Vocal-Eyes screen review program Kurzweil Personal Reader stand-alone reading system Arkenstone An Open Book stand-alone reading system DragonDictate voice recognition system and many more. NFB NET (410) 752-5011 The International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind also houses NFB NET, the official computerized bulletin board service of the National Federation of the Blind. Information can be sent to or retrieved from NFB NET twenty-four hours a day by any individual who has access to a computer and a modem. NFB NET is intended as a means of communication and information exchange among NFB members, friends, or other interested persons--sighted or blind. Files on the bulletin board include past and current issues of the Braille Monitor, the official publication of the National Federation of the Blind; Future Reflections, the magazine for parents and educators of blind children; plus an array of other literature of interest to the blind. The system also has files of interest to blind computer users--for example, demonstration copies of various speech programs and Braille translation programs. In addition, there is a general collection of utility programs, files relating to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), speech-friendly games, a recipe exchange area, and more. [PHOTO CAPTIONS: {1} A blind visitor examines a personal computer with Braille translation software and Braille embosser. {2} Information, tours and advice are available to all-- blind individuals, professionals in the field of educations and training of the blind, vendors of technology, prospective employers, and members of the general public.] Job Opportunities For The Blind (JOB) (800) 638-7518 Job Opportunities for the Blind (JOB) is a joint project of the U. S. Department of Labor and the National Federation of the Blind. JOB offers free services to U. S. residents who are blind and looking for work in the United States. Services include a nationwide reference and referral program, a job hunter's magazine on cassette (the JOB Recorded Bulletin is issued eight times per year), recorded job information literature, print materials for employer education, local and national career-planning seminars, consultation on low- vision aids and appliances, and introductions to blind peers employed in jobs of interest to the job-seeker. Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) The President of the United States signed the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990. With respect to employment it provides that: Beginning July 26, 1992, employers with 25 or more employees may not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities. Employers with 15 or more employees are covered by this Act as of July 26, 1994. Employers must reasonably accommodate the disabilities of qualified applicants or employees, unless an undue hardship on the operation of the business would result. Complaints may be filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Available remedies include back pay and court orders to stop discrimination. For more information call (800) 638-7518. [NFB LOGO] Membership in NFB Are you a member of the National Federation of the Blind? Would you like to become a member? Whether you are sighted of blind, you can join our organization through regular membership or by becoming a member-at-large. For more information, call us at (410) 659-9314, or write to us at our headquarters in Baltimore. [PHOTO CAPTION: International in scope--the International Braille and Technology Canter for the Blind features products from many countries. In recent months there have been visitors from more than twenty countries including Australia, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Japan, Lithuania, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.