May 2020 - NOMC - lists.nbpcb.org

Register now: 19th Rehabilitation and O&M Conference
by ebell＠pdrib.com 08 May '20

08 May '20

Registration is now open! National Blindness Professionals Certification Board presents: Contemporary Issues in Rehabilitation and Education For the Blind NINETEENTH ANNUAL REHABILITATION AND ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY CONFERENCE First Cyber Conference Held Via Zoom Attendance Tuesday, July 14, 2020 9:00 am - 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time Come and join us! Once again, this year's conference will be action packed with a variety of new speakers, topics, and hands-on events. But this year, for the first time, all conference sessions will be held online via the zoom video conferencing platform. To maximize the quality of conference participation we are asking that all participants have access to either the desktop Zoom application or the Zoom iPhone app. You do not need an account, but you are encouraged to have at least the free account, which you can sign up for <https://zoom.us/freesignup/> Here. Presentations and breakouts including: * Morning General Session filled with thought provoking and inspirational speakers * Hear from employed blind professionals on how they implement Structured Discovery in different teaching areas * Learn about technology and its place in consumer's learning * Learn about working with students who have secondary disabilities * Learn where to find new material and secrets to running a dynamic philosophy discussion. * Share ideas and network in multiple rehabilitation disciplines, including Braille, home management, cane travel, and access technology. * Bring Structured Discovery alive when Face-to-Face is not an option Schedule: (Note: all times are Eastern Daylight Time) 9:00 -Conference Begins 9:00 - 12:00 -General session 1:00 - 5:00- Interactive Breakout Sessions 5:00 - 7:00 pm-Happy Hour Mix and Mingle The registration fee for this online conference is $25 for both professionals and students and entitles you to all general and breakout sessions, continuing education points, and access to the recorded conference sessions. <https://nbpcb.org/members/er.php?eid=416> Register Here Visit the National Blindness Professionals Certification Board website to learn more about a career in changing lives: <http://www.nbpcb.org> http://www.nbpcb.org Edward C. Bell, Ph.D., CRC, NOMC, Director, Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness Louisiana Tech University 600 Mayfield Ave / 210 Woodard Hall PO Box 3158 Ruston LA 71272 Office: 318.257.4554 Fax: 318.257.2259 <mailto:ebell at latech.edu> ebell at latech.edu www.pdrib.com ************* "I am somehow less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops." -- Stephen Jay Gould

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FW: Introducing Lyft's Health Safety Program
by debandjeff＠allophone.com 07 May '20

07 May '20

From: noreply at lyftmail.com [mailto:noreply at lyftmail.com] Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2020 4:23 PM To: debandjeff at allophone.com Subject: Introducing Lyft's Health Safety Program Giving you a safer way to ride ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Image removed by sender. lyft HEALTH AND SAFETY Setting the standard for rideshare Health is on all of our minds now more than ever. As stay-at-home orders begin to lift, we're accelerating efforts to help safeguard riders and drivers. Today we're launching a <https://email.lyftmail.com/c/eJwVjtGKhiAUhJ-m7gw9WeaFF7s_22v8nPSYLZaRLvG__R…> Health Safety Program with new policies, commitments, and products designed to help protect our communities. Here's a preview of what you can expect to see in the coming weeks. Image removed by sender. health and safety checklist Image removed by sender. checkmark Self-certification: A commitment to health In order to use Lyft, you ? and every driver ? will soon be required to confirm that you're COVID-19 symptom-free, commit to following CDC and local health regulations, and take precautions like sitting in the back seat and opening windows when possible. Image removed by sender. mask Face coverings will be required The CDC recommends the use of cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus. And starting later this month, drivers and riders will be required to wear face coverings to use Lyft. Image removed by sender. shield Tools that will help you ride safely We're creating health and safety education for drivers and riders, based on the CDC's rideshare guidance, to help you learn how to help protect yourself and others. It's already available for drivers and will roll out for riders in the next few weeks. Image removed by sender. shield More cleaning supplies and masks for drivers So far, we've dedicated nearly $2.5 million to purchasing hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, and cloth face coverings for drivers at no cost to them. <https://email.lyftmail.com/c/eJwVjtGKhiAUhJ-m7gw9WeaFF7s_22v8nPSYLZaRLvG__R…> WHAT TO EXPECT We're committed to helping protect our communities. Thank you for being a part of ours. <https://email.lyftmail.com/c/eJwVzc0OwiAQBOCnKbc2uwuVcuCgxr6GWWCxNfQnthffXk…> Contact 548 Market St., P.O. Box 68514, San Francisco, CA 94104 ? 2020 Lyft, Inc. CPUC ID No. TCP0032513 - P Image removed by sender.

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Requesting your assistance at PDRIB
by ebell＠pdrib.com 07 May '20

07 May '20

Requesting your assistance Dear Friend, You are receiving this email because you are a graduate of Louisiana Tech University, hold NBPCB certification, or have benefited from our work in some way. You may know that our operating budget comes through the Louisiana Center for the Blind and is a direct appropriation from the Louisiana State legislature. Many times since we began the PDRIB, there has been threats of the state reducing or eliminating our funding, principally because they don't understand blindness and look to cut costs wherever possible. To date, we have always been successful in educating the legislature as to the importance of our work and how our services are vital. Without exception, they have agreed and our funding has continued. This year; however, presents a unique challenge with the COVID pandemic. First, funds for the next fiscal year look to be in dyer straights across the board and the legislature will be looking to cut wherever possible. Second, due to the stay-at home orders it is difficult for us to travel to the capital in person to make our case. I am asking you if you would be willing to write a short letter expressing the value and critical importance of the work that we do. Public comment on this legislation is due by May 10 and may be submitted via email. Following is the relevant information, along with some facts and figures regarding the work of the PDRIB. I hope you can help us fight this fight and I appreciate you in advance. See below, but you can send comments to: andressk at legis.la.gov <mailto:andressk at legis.la.gov> ******* Bill # HB 1005 Persons who do not feel comfortable giving testimony in person at this time may submit a prepared statement in accordance with House Rule 14.33 in lieu of appearing before the committee: NOTE: Only statements mailed to andressk at legis.la.gov <mailto:andressk at legis.la.gov> and received prior to noon on Sunday, May 10th, will be included in the record for this committee meeting. All persons desiring to participate in the meeting shall utilize appropriate protective health measures and observe the recommended and appropriate social distancing. **** Louisiana Center for the Blind Appropriation Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness Louisiana Tech University The Louisiana Center for the Blind has been a grateful recipient of the Blind Rehabilitation appropriation from the State Treasury for the last 19 years. Over that time, the funds have been exclusively used to support our programs at Louisiana Tech University (LTU). In particular, the Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness (PDRIB), whose job it is to prepare professionals to work with the blind and to conduct meaningful research to better understand how to educate and rehabilitate individuals who are blind or losing their sight. It should be noted, that PDRIB operates the only professional preparation program in the state. Because of the low-incidence nature of blindness and visual impairment and the workload involved in preparing professionals, Universities do not generally include funding in their budgets for these types of professional preparation programs. We, as all other programs nationwide, must depend on appropriation from the state legislature or other grant-based funds. Without these funds there will be no resource to train professionals to work with blind children for almost a 500-mile radius around Ruston. Orientation and Mobility (O&M). LTU is the only program in the country that actively recruits minorities, including blind individuals to earn a Master's degree with Certification in O&M. This is the skill of safely navigating through the environment with the use of a long white cane. We are frequently contacted by others, both throughout the United States and abroad, because of our tremendous success in the use of Structured Discovery Cane Travel R methods. No other university programs have the experience or knowhow to train their students using this highly effective and innovative system. Rehabilitation Teaching for the Blind (RTB). In 2014, LTU founded the first of its kind Rehabilitation Teaching for the Blind cognate within the Master of Arts in Counseling and Guidance. This program also uses the tenants of Structured Discovery teaching. Because of this innovation, the U.S. Department of Education awarded LTU with a five-year grant to provide scholarships for students entering into the RTB and O&M programs. This provides considerable support for prospective students; however, it does not provide the core funding necessary to support faculty, facilities, and instructional materials. To date, all graduates have had multiple job offers and there remains a great demand for these trained professionals. Teaching Blind Students (TBS). Our TBS program trains teachers and paraprofessionals to work with blind and low vision children in the state's public schools and the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired (LSVI). These professionals teach young children to read braille and other necessary skills to be able to compete academically and prepare them for their futures. There is currently a dire and persistent need for trained professionals to work in many of our Parishes. Unified English Braille (UEB). The entire country has switched its braille code over to Unified English Braille in January of 2016. PDRIB is the only academic resource in the state to provide professional development to current and future teachers to ensure that their skills are updated and can meet the needs of their students. This not only impacts teachers of blind children in local schools and the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired, but also the State Department of Education, and all adult rehabilitation training programs. Outreach. Given the extreme shortage of trained teachers and cane travel instructors, the PDRIB also conducts outreach services to provide stop-gap services for blind children in Northern Louisiana. We routinely travel across parishes providing direct service, conducting assessments, and supporting the few teachers working in rural areas. Without this support, more than a dozen children in Northern LA would be without some level of needed services. Research. In order to expand this knowledge and to better equip teachers with relevant skills, the PDRIB conducts original research to deepen and broaden our understanding of blindness and strategies to better educate and rehabilitate individuals who are blind. These data are published in peer reviewed journals, are the substance of Continuing Education and outreach training, and have established LTU as a national leader in education and rehabilitation research. In addition, our research has led to the development of a variety of assessments, including reading and O&M, that have been adopted throughout the country. Technical Assistance. Countless parents, professionals, and consumers statewide and nationally depend on the PDRIB for technical assistance in the education or rehabilitation of their loved ones. In addition, PDRIB also assists LTU in understanding accessibility and remaining compliant with ADA Standards. Without continued financial support, PDRIB cannot exist to provide these vital services and training. We know that without proper literacy skills and blindness training, individuals who have significant sight loss cannot fully participate in their education or in their communities and they are relegated to living lives of poverty and hopelessness. Edward C. Bell, Ph.D., CRC, NOMC, Director, Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness Louisiana Tech University 600 Mayfield Ave / 210 Woodard Hall PO Box 3158 Ruston LA 71272 Office: 318.257.4554 Fax: 318.257.2259 <mailto:ebell at latech.edu> ebell at latech.edu www.pdrib.com ************* "I am somehow less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops." -- Stephen Jay Gould

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Second topic for later discussion
by widearc2000＠gmail.com 07 May '20

07 May '20

Hi guys, The second thing that I want to throw out there before I forget about it and maybe we can wait for two weeks, is a philosophical disagreement that we are having within my NFB chapter. Our bus service, Tulsa Transit has recently made drastic changes to routes and schedules. They naturally didn?t think about us at all and didn?t put any accessible signage up. Some of the sign poles are unique but we can?t count on the city of Tulsa not to start using them for speed limit signs. We are advocating for braille bus stop ID numbers. This would allow us to enter a bus stop ID number into a text message and text it to a number where Tulsa Transit will give us the next times for that route to show up at that stop. This is fantastic but Tulsa just made a change in September where everyone in town must be at a bus stop or they will not board. Previously Tulsans we?re allowed to flag down a bus anywhere it was safe to board. The reason they get rid of the flagging system was that it slowed down connectivity. People were flagging a bus 30 and 40 feet from each other just because they did not want to walk down to a bus stop. Director of Tulsa transit wants to give blind people special cards that will allow them to flag down buses anywhere without allowing everyone in town to do so. Naturally we don?t want to be singled out like this and if all of us can?t do it none of us should do it. Some members of my chapter want to demand that Tulsa return to the flagging system. When I first moved to Tulsa I reached out to the transit company to get information on citizen organizations rider organizations advisory Council?s etc. I was told that they didn?t have anything like that and no matter where I looked, I could get no information. Four years later, the NFB chapter decided to write a letter directly to the director regarding these new changes. Suddenly we got response. We got attention. Tulsa Transit became very interested in our opinions. I think they have been extremely responsive to us in putting together a miniature task force to help solve the three main problems that blind passengers brought up in this letter from NFB. They could have used a virus emergency as an excuse to drag their feet and do nothing but have already began research on tactile signage that would be appropriate. They also know that we want to see this sign and approve the braille before they buy thousands of them. I?m really rather thrilled with the suddenness of their response and don?t want to punish them for being willing to work with us after all this time. Back to whether or not Tulsa should flag down a bus. Naturally we are all agreed the blind people do not need special treatment and that if the entire city is not allowed to flag down a bus, then we?re not going to take a special card to allow us to do it. I think that if we force Tulsa Transit to flagging after eight months of training drivers to stop doing it, we are going to create chaos. We are not going to just have a bunch of confused drivers as we do today, we are going to have confused and angry drivers. I think that the director of Tulsa transit would be sure to tell his drivers Who will likely pass it on to complaining passengers that it is because the blind of Tulsa reared up against them and made them go back to flagging that ?you are going to miss your bus ?. Some of us think that this is an unreasonable request, not a reasonable accommodation. Personally, I feel that it is unreasonable not just because of the chaos it will cause but because there was a time before technology in before the ADA went blind people still managed to locate bus stops. I think these old school techniques will serve us well and we can continue to work with Tulsa Transit until we fix the problem. Also, no one at Tulsa transit is going to be happy with us if we suddenly demand that the entire city flag. They could start dragging their feet and be much less cooperative than they have been over the last three months. This goes back to what I said about punishing them for reaching out and trying to make progress with us. this is a philosophical divide for our Chapter and I want to know if we are way off base here. Am I right? Is it unreasonable to expect the entire city to go back to flagging down buses? Am I the one who?s wrong? Is this a reasonable accommodation that could fill the gap between today and the day when the accessible signs arrive? Thanks for your help guys, right or wrong, this is the kind of philosophical reinforcement I need from my own people. Orientation and mobility teachers probably deal with buses and mass transit in general more than any other of our Chapter members just because it is frequently our jobs to be on them all day. I really appreciate all of your opinions whether they agree with mine or not. Sent from my iPhone

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First topic wheelchair user
by widearc2000＠gmail.com 07 May '20

07 May '20

Hi folks, I have a couple of things I?d like to add to our Tuesday discussions if we can get around to them this Tuesday or the next. Most important so I?ll discuss it first is the new Federationist I recently met in southern Oklahoma. She is outside of my work area so I can?t help her through my job but I am talking with her by phone and trying to help her stay involved. She lives too far away to reach a chapter but is staying in contact with my state affiliate president and a few other members. This person is a client of my agency as well and is trying to find a way to live independently. she has become paralyzed with limited range of motion in her upper body so that she would be able to move a cane left and right. The problem is that she has literally no sense of touch. I?m not talking about general neuropathy I?m talking about being unaware of body temperature when she becomes too hot or too cold. She has absolutely no feeling at all. This disorder comes from damage to her spinal column and brain stem. She is doing a lot of research on how to use computers with sip and puff devices and other mechanisms. She has taught me about a program that connects jaws to Dragon naturally speaking.. She knows more about her physical and technological needs than anyone in Oklahoma because she has gotten online and done the research. She just discovered NFB because she has been paralyzed for 19 years and didn?t hear about it when she was just blind. I?m not sure why but 20 years ago there?s no telling. My task is to find a way for her to detect drop off?s. I can?t get to her personally but might be able to get her to experiment with things independently if she has some ideas. The only thing I can really think about is getting one of our fiberglass canes and putting a marshmallow tip on it so that she can have constant contact. Then adding a fishing weight so that when a cane comes off of a drop, she can hear the sound and be aware of the distance her arm is moving as opposed to the way it moves on a regular surface. has anyone out there worked with somebody this disabled ? She is living with aging parents and is worried about losing them and having no support system. She is in early 40s and does not want to go to a nursing home. She is bright, articulate and has a future for employment if we can just find work where she can use her mind and appropriate technology. Once I can help her find a way to detect drop off?s, and clear path with her cane, we will worry about orientation. Naturally, I have been advocating for her to attend a training center. She went to Arkansas back in the early 90s but she was walking. Also between you and me guys it was Arkansas. I told her that because she was not using a wheelchair and was not paralyzed to this degree, this is an opportunity to tell her counselor that she needs further blindness training as a wheelchair user. She needs to advocate to be sent off to another center. I told her that Oklahoma contracts with six orientation and adjustment centers and that she needs to get a list of them from her counselor, call everyone of them and ask them the same list of questions. Naturally I want her to go to one of our training centers but which one? We have had leaders from Blind Inc. and Louisiana on these calls with us. What can you advise? I?m especially hoping that Jennifer kennedy will weigh in on this. And maybe Roland could persuade Pam to join this call. Thanks for all your help guys Sent from my iPhone

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FW: Job Posting Youth Services Workers
by ebell＠pdrib.com 06 May '20

06 May '20

Subject: Job Posting Youth Services Workers Good morning, Below is the job posting for our Youth Services Worker positions for our 4+ Young Adult Transition program. Please be aware that there will be two separate postings for this program, one for Youth Services Workers, and one for Vocational Rehabilitation Teachers. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me with questions, and thank you for your help spreading the word. Thanks, Helen Iowa Department for the Blind JOB ANNOUNCEMENT Youth Services Worker Young Adult Transition Program Location: Des Moines, Iowa Salary Minimum: $34,736.00 Salary Maximum: $50,772.80 Post Close Date: May 18, 2020 Job Description: This is a courtesy posting for a non-merit position. Please follow instructions in the "To Apply" section for directions on how to apply for this position. The Iowa Department for the Blind (IDB) is seeking four energetic and passionate Youth Services Workers for its new Young Adult Transition Program for blind youth. Ideal candidates will possess a belief in the capacity of blind persons, patients, and the ability to connect with and motivate youth. IDB can provide training in the specific blindness skills areas listed if needed. The Young Adult Transition Program is a school-year based program for youth who have finished high school, but who need additional instruction in order to participate in post-secondary learning and employment opportunities. Youth Services workers will primarily work with students on their independent living and social skills. During the summer, these positions will work with IDB's summer program for youth ages 14-21. These positions will be expected to work Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM during initial staff training and for some agency meetings and ongoing professional development training. Individual Youth Services Worker's schedules will then be set with the Program Administrator to provide appropriate coverage to meet students' needs. Work hours will primarily consist of evenings and weekends to work with students outside of classes. Duties and responsibilities to include the following: Provide Workplace Readiness, Self Advocacy and Disability-Related skills training to blind youth in comprehensive residential training programs such as the Young Adult Transition Program and LEAP Program. Work with students on increasing their independent living skills in areas such as developing and managing their morning and evening routines, managing personal hygiene, maintaining clean and organized living spaces, completing laundry and other common household tasks, shopping for groceries and other needed items and planning and preparing their own meals. Support student learning through providing supplemental braille, technology, cane travel and money management instruction, in particular by working with students to utilize these skills in their daily lives outside the classroom. Facilitate students' development of age-appropriate social skills through recreational activities on and off campus. Assist students in traveling to and participating in activities in the community. Reinforce proper cane technique and other nonvisual skills during these activities. Serve as a role model for students in the use of nonvisual techniques and problem-solving skills. Monitor student behavior and the students' living areas. Provide appropriate supervision to ensure student safety. Document student progress through monthly and end of program reports. Collaborate with program staff and supervisor to address student needs and concerns. Promote a positive philosophy of blindness through involvement in trainings and community outreach events for parents, educators and other service providers as directed. Essential functions of this position: Demonstrate and Promote a positive philosophy of blindness Actively participate in program activities Communicate regularly with program leaders regarding student needs and concerns Document student progress through regular written reports Actively monitor student behavior and living areas Clearly document incidents related to students' health and safety Travel using the long white cane under sleepshades in order to provide appropriate guidance and instruction to students when traveling Read and write contracted braille to provide guidance and feedback to students developing their braille skills It is the policy of the Department for the Blind to conduct background checks on all finalist candidates prior to any offer of employment. For further information, contact Helen Stevens, 515-829-7411 or <mailto:helen.stevens at blind.state.ia.us> helen.stevens at blind.state.ia.us To Apply: Positions in this class are exempt from the screening and referral requirements of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services - Human Resources Enterprise. Persons who wish to be considered for this position must submit a resume and letter of application to: Helen Stevens Education and Training Director Iowa Department for the Blind 524 4th Street Des Moines, IA 50309-2364 <mailto:helen.stevens at blind.state.ia.us> helen.stevens at blind.state.ia.us

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Cane Travel Zoom Week 4
by becky.keller＠dbvi.virginia.gov 05 May '20

05 May '20

Hello again all, Looking forward to another evening of discussion. Just sending out one final call for questions or topics you wish to be addressed. Jane please correct me if I'm wrong, but from your emails I gathered that you wished to discuss helpful and inexpensive GPS apps, as well as problem solve some travel ideas that were sparked from the Presidential release. Below are the last remaining questions we had on our original agenda: How could we work with folks to plan detailed hypothetical out of town trips, so they have an understanding of what goes into planning for a vacation or business trip? This way we could potentially utilize O&M as well as tech skills. How can we get folks thinking about mental mapping places they haven?t been yet? How can we help our students overcome fear, especially in uncertain times? In general, not necessarily focusing solely on cane travel... Thanks again everyone for your time and talk to you soon. Take care, *Becky Keller, NOMC, COMS* *Lead Orientation and Mobility Instructor* Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired 401 Azalea Avenue <https://maps.google.com/?q=401+Azalea+Avenue+Richmond,+VA+23227+(804&entry=…> Richmond, VA 23227 <https://maps.google.com/?q=401+Azalea+Avenue+Richmond,+VA+23227+(804&entry=…> (804) 371-3093 <(804)%20371-3093> becky.keller at dbvi.virginia.gov Facebook: VDBVI <https://www.facebook.com/VDBVI> Worldwide Web: Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired <http://www.vrcbvi.org/> YouTube: VRCBVI <http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwsqnBw28gUNgMMSkH_eYci37g9XY6Qzd> "Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome." *-Arthur Ashe* **CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE** This message (including any attachments) contains information that may be confidential. Unless you are the intended recipient (or authorized to receive for the intended recipient), you may not read, print, retain, use, copy, distribute, or disclose to anyone the message or any information contained in the message. If you have received the message in error, please advise the sender by reply e-mail, and destroy all copies of the original message (including any attachments). On Mon, May 4, 2020 at 4:23 PM Edward Bell <ebell at pdrib.com> wrote: > *Zoom- Session 4* > > *Cane Travel and O&M Specialists * > > *Tuesday, May 5 at 4:00?6:00 p.m. CDT* > > > > Moderator: Jeff Altman > > > > Time: 4:00pm ? 6:00pm (CDT) > > Pasted below is the zoom participation information for your meeting which > begins at 4:00 CDT. After the zoom information I have pasted the list of > everyone who is invited to this meeting. > > For added security, you will be asked to enter a password. > > > > Ground Rules: If you are not speaking, please mute yourself for better > call quality (Mute button, Star 6, Alt - A on the keyboard, or the bottom > left corner of your iPhone). If you wish to speak, please unmute yourself > and state your name. After completing your comments, please re-mute > yourself. It is very difficult to hear everyone clearly if many lines are > open at once. Lastly, try your best not to talk over others; brief pauses > and silence are OK. > > > > Join Zoom Meeting > https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88074002391?pwd=cmZSMnA5UC9nZEc1bUdpNW5oZEV2Zz09 > > Meeting ID: 880 7400 2391 > Password: 2055 > One tap mobile > +13017158592,,88074002391# US (Germantown) > > *List of Scheduled Participants* > > > > Roland Allen > > Jeff Altman > > Suzanne Barfield > > Martin Becerra-Miranda > > Charles Bennett > > Lawerence Bowens > > Ron Brown > > Shellford Cantan > > Merry-Noel Chamberlain > > Kelly Coleman > > Caroline Rivera Coon > > Mark Erickson > > Aaron Fallon > > Joanne Gabias > > Michell Gip > > Quinn Haberl > > Winford Haynes > > viktor ivanov > > Becky Keller > > Jennifer Kennedy > > Melanie Kondziolka > > Jane Lansaw > > Duncan Larsen > > Robin Loen > > Ernesto Lucca > > Denise Mackenstadt > > Wayne Marshall > > Monique Melton > > Jedi Moerke > > Jimmy Morris > > Connor Mullin > > Joseph Nguyen > > David Nietfeld > > Justin Salisbury > > Kellee Sanchez > > Ben Schuler > > Kristen Sims > > Yolanda Smith > > Yadiel Sotomayor > > Georgie Sydnor > > Scott-Michael Tokunaga > > Benjamin Vercellone > > Susan Wiggins > > Antonio Wiliams > > Robert Wilkerson > > Tarik Williams > > Colin Wong > > > > > > Edward C. Bell, Ph.D., CRC, NOMC, Director, > > Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness > > Louisiana Tech University > > 600 Mayfield Ave / 210 Woodard Hall > > PO Box 3158 > > Ruston LA 71272 > > Office: 318.257.4554 Fax: 318.257.2259 > > ebell at latech.edu www.pdrib.com > > ************* > > "I am somehow less interested in the weight and convolutions of > Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent > have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops." > > -- Stephen Jay Gould > > > > >

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Reminder regarding the 2020 Virtual Cane Walk
by debandjeff＠allophone.com 02 May '20

02 May '20

Hello Everyone, I just wanted to remind everyone that this year's Cane Walk is going virtual. So far, eight NOMC's have committed to participating in the event, and at this point, I am not certain how many families we will have the opportunity to serve, but I want us to be ready. Please let me know as soon as possible if you are able to participate. I look forward to this new approach to working with families, and also speaking with all of you on our next Zoom call this coming Tuesday at 4:00 pm Central DST. Jeff Altman

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Presidential release
by widearc2000＠gmail.com 01 May '20

01 May '20

First of all, big congratulations to Marcus and rosy on offspring number three. Which will teach travel in which will teach braille? LOL. Hi guys, I was just listening to President Riccobono?s presidential release for this month. When questions were allowed, I heard a couple of questions that sound like they are right up the alley of orientation and mobility instructors. I wanted to kick these are on the list and maybe even talk about them on Tuesday night if we have time, given that we already have an agenda, and see if everybody agrees with me or if anybody has better techniques than I have. I am always in the market for something better and in this group, it?s really not that hard to get. Someone asked about those invisible lines on the store now where are you have to stay behind them to maintain a social distance from the clerk or the customer ahead of you. Typically what I have been doing is asking someone in the store. If I?m shopping i probably have a clerk and ask about the one-way signs down each aisle. When I go to get the clerk, I try to stay a little more than a cane?s length behind the person ahead of me and when the person at the counter says next, I ask how close I should get. If I get confused, I can ask the person in front of me where is the marker so I can stop when you go up. Sometimes, especially in Walmart, the lines have been tactile but I?ve had to really concentrate to feel them. Easy answer, lines in a store, ask someone. Braille signs: Someone talked about braille signage and disinfection. Business is regularly disinfect door knobs and other things that we are expected to touch. They probably don?t think about the braille signage. Some blind people may feel extra vulnerable because of other disabilities or health issues. How many of us are currently running around with a bottle of purell in our pockets?. My solution is to disinfect the sign or whatever it is that my cane hits before I put my fingers on it. Once I have ascertained it is the sign I want, I can disinfect my fingers. nine chances out of 10, it is a restroom sign and there?s a place inside to wash my hands which is much better than using purell or any other hand sanitizer. Easy answer, clean it ourselves before we touch. There was some talk about returning to live meetings in the future and national convention in person in 2021. President Riccobono made a comment that he wasn?t sure how we would greet people at the presidential suite or in other places. I don?t know if this will become the new norm or if it?s just something that I do with my clients but for a month or so, my clients and I have have replaced the ritual of shaking hands with the ritual of sharing a bottle of hand sanitizer. How to locate said hand sanitizer? A Friend of mine in the Nebraska showed me a cool technique many many years ago and several of us have been teaching it over the past 20 years to our clients, colleagues, friends and any other blind person with a cane. The handshake technique is where two cane usersfind the tips of each other?s canes and bring the canes together. Once the canes are vertical and touching, we simply move our hands up and down canes until we can touch. In Lou of touching the hand with the hand, we can use the canes to find each other and then present the bottle of hand sanitizer from the top. The person receiving the hand sanitizer can be taught to look from below. Then, since it?s very likely a new client will hand you the sanitizer the same way he or she received it, I typically go above when I want to get it back. This might take a little practice and the good news is that if we touch each other, the hand sanitizer is still available. I have been telling my clients that this has replaced the cultural norm in our society for shaking hands. Easy answer, Don?t shake hands or elbows or feet, shake the hand sanitizer. so what do you say, kick this idea around and see if we can come up with some cool solutions to present to our national president. Then he might talk about them on the next release. Might even say that it was the orientation and mobility teachers who are certified NOMC who banded together and gave him these ideas. It would be a good marketing ploy for Louisiana Tech University as well. Anytime we come to the notice of the rest of the NFB, it reminds them what we have and what they might have. The younger ones will be reminded that there is an orientation and mobility program especially for blind people waiting just down south in Ruston. By the way, I want to know if any other listeners to the presidential release remarked on President Riccobono?s comment to Pam Allen. When asked if there would be a big reveal this year at convention regarding the location of the 2021 convention, he turned to Pam and asked if she thought they should tell people. Hey, anybody for begniettes at the 21 convention? fingers crossed that somebody says Naawlins. These general sessions had better and on time because I haven?t been to the Crescent city in 20 years and I?m headed for the quarter, the food and the hurricanes.. Sent from my iPhone > On Apr 30, 2020, at 2:09 PM, Dezman Jackson <djackson at bism.org> wrote: > > ? Thanks for sharing this Merry-Noel. > I know that we also have published works such as Mettler?s Cognitive Learning Theory and a book written by several of our own called Techniques used by Blind Cane Travel Instructors. Has there been any thought towards publishing an updated version or even just a modern textbook for structured discovery instructors? > > Regards, > Dezman > Dezman > >> On Apr 30, 2020, at 9:59 AM, Merry-Noel <owinm at yahoo.com> wrote: >> >> Hello all, >> >> (Link is attached) >> >> If you have not done so yet, download my dissertation study: Self-Confidence Levels in Sequential Learning Vs. Structured Discovery Cane Travel, Post Orientation and Mobility: A Comparison Study. >> >> It will soon NOT be available for free! Get it while you can. >> >> Ben, I do discuss ?informed choice? and the lack thereof in my dissertation. >> >> Here is the link >> >> https://commons.cu-portland.edu/edudissertations/266/ >> >> >> Merry-Noel >> >> >> Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone >> >> On Thursday, April 30, 2020, 8:04 AM, Edward Bell <ebell at pdrib.com> wrote: >> >> You don?t have on here where or how to download your study >> >> >> Edward C. Bell, Ph.D., CRC, NOMC, Director, >> >> Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness >> >> Louisiana Tech University >> >> 600 Mayfield Ave / 210 Woodard Hall >> >> PO Box 3158 >> >> Ruston LA 71272 >> >> Office: 318.257.4554 Fax: 318.257.2259 >> >> ebell at latech.edu http://www.pdrib.com >> >> ************* >> >> "I am somehow less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops." >> >> -- Stephen Jay Gould >> >> >> >> From: Merry-Noel <owinm at yahoo.com> >> Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2020 6:42 PM >> To: Edward Bell <ebell at pdrib.com>; 'Ben Vercellone' <benv at fastmail.com> >> Cc: 'NOMC Mailing list' <nomc at lists.nbpcb.org> >> Subject: Re: [Nomc] Cane Travel Meeting Follow-Up >> >> >> Hello all, >> >> If you have not done so yet, download my dissertation study: Self-Confidence Levels in Sequential Learning Vs. Structured Discovery Cane Travel, Post Orientation and Mobility: A Comparison Study. >> >> >> It will soon NOT be available for free! Get it while you can. >> >> >> Ben, I do discuss ?informed choice? and the lack thereof in my dissertation. >> >> >> Merry-Noel >> >> >> Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone >> >> On Wednesday, April 29, 2020, 4:54 PM, Edward Bell <ebell at pdrib.com> wrote: >> >> Ben, >> >> Informed consent or not, VR counselors know next to nothing about cane travel. They will understand it as O&M most likely, but nothing on the internet or agency brochures will shed light on any difference between COMS and NOMC. >> Consumer advocacy, public education and availability in each state will be what makes the difference. >> On that note, we are accepting applications for Summer and Fall and yes we do have scholarships, so please help us to recruit for the next generation of NOMC >> >> Edward C. Bell, Ph.D., CRC, NOMC, Director, >> Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness >> Louisiana Tech University >> 600 Mayfield Ave / 210 Woodard Hall >> PO Box 3158 >> Ruston LA 71272 >> Office: 318.257.4554 Fax: 318.257.2259 >> ebell at latech.edu www.pdrib.com >> ************* >> "I am somehow less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops." >> -- Stephen Jay Gould >> >> >> From: Ben Vercellone <benv at fastmail.com> >> Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2020 4:50 PM >> To: Edward Bell <ebell at pdrib.com> >> Cc: Keller, Becky <becky.keller at dbvi.virginia.gov>; NOMC Mailing list <nomc at lists.nbpcb.org> >> Subject: Re: [Nomc] Cane Travel Meeting Follow-Up >> >> Hi Dr. Bell, >> >> Thank you. Your approach definitely sounds encouraging and Effective. Can you tell me how well informed choice is implemented nation-wide? I'm in the lower half when it comes to understanding legal things in-depth. But I am guessing that agencies for the blind are more likely to tell people about SDCT than are web searches for O&M-related terms that don't include "Structured Discovery". Is this correct? If so, then this will make it less critical for our web presence to command the same footprint as the COMS perspective in the near future. It just seems to me that SDCT too often remains one of the best-kept secrets unless someone or some legislation makes it a conversation topic. >> >> Sincerely, >> Ben >> >> >> On Apr 29, 2020, at 4:33 PM, Edward Bell <ebell at pdrib.com> wrote: >> >> ? >> Hi Ben, >> >> As I said earlier, I am glad to make space available and host more information on either site and we also have a blog we can use if people want to. >> One thing I have tried promoting all of my professional life is the notion that Structured Discovery is uniquely and distinctly different than COMS instruction. >> If you google search today the term ?Structured Discovery? the first three hits are NBPCB, NFB and PDRIB. >> So, I think we are positioned well so long as we always talk about Structured Discovery Cane Travel or the Structured Discovery form of O&M. >> Not even Donna Sauerburger Tries to pretend she knows anything much about Structured Discovery any more. >> Just my $.02 >> >> >> Edward C. Bell, Ph.D., CRC, NOMC, Director, >> Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness >> Louisiana Tech University >> 600 Mayfield Ave / 210 Woodard Hall >> PO Box 3158 >> Ruston LA 71272 >> Office: 318.257.4554 Fax: 318.257.2259 >> ebell at latech.edu www.pdrib.com >> ************* >> "I am somehow less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops." >> -- Stephen Jay Gould >> >> >> From:Ben Vercellone <benv at fastmail.com> >> Sent:Wednesday, April 29, 2020 4:26 PM >> To:Edward Bell <ebell at pdrib.com>; 'Keller, Becky' <becky.keller at dbvi.virginia.gov>; 'NOMC Mailing list' <nomc at lists.nbpcb.org> >> Subject:RE: [Nomc] Cane Travel Meeting Follow-Up >> >> Hi All, >> >> When I brought up the website topic last night, my main hope was for us to have a large hub for everything NOMC, similar to how many COMS instructors and supporters view Dona Sauerburger?s website as a large hub for everything COMS. I now realize that creating a new and unified website may not be necessary. But what is necessary is for our philosophy to command more attention from COMS professionals and from search engines. Whether our web presence is based on one website or multiple, and whether or not it involves creating any additional websites, I?m pretty open-minded. Someone on yesterday?s Zoom call said he/she (I think he) has been working on a podcast or audio/video content (I can?t remember exactly). But this sounded excellent. I?ll look for the YouTube channel Dr. Bell mentioned shortly. As I said last night, an O&M specialist in Missouri thinks that Dona Sauerburger is the O&M goddess, I didn?t comment when I heard him say this. But is sure did persuade me of the need to maximize our outreach. I don?t want to reinvent wheels, but I?m hoping that we can have a much larger web presence in at least 2 ways. First, I am hoping that our website/s will somehow be glued into the consciousness of many COMS when they?re sharing O&M information. In other words, when they recommend http://sauerburger.org, they?ll also feel the moral obligation to share http://nbpcb.org, http://pdrib.com, ETC. Second, when one searches online for O&M advice, especially regarding recommended cane length, he/she will probably agree with me that the COMS perspective is vastly more prominent. People aren?t supposed to use Google as their doctor, but many people do this anyway. Similarly, almost everyone researching blindness for the first time will use a search engine. They should have super easy access to our empowering philosophy and teaching methodology. In my opinion, they currently don?t, unless they get ?lucky? or hear of SDCT some other way. >> >> What do you all think? I really am not nit picky about the solution. All I know is that a problem seems to exist, which I?ve fleshed out a little bit in this e-mail. And having increased audio and audio/video content may truly be a homerun, especially in people?s constantly accelerating lifestyles. The drop route videos sound awesome. >> >> Finally, I have a brief Structured Discovery story to share. Just last year, I got utterly fed up with my inability to understand diverging diamond interchanges (DDI?s). I had already received some instruction on at least 2 occasions by a COMS instructor, but I still did not get it. Well, to my delight, cooperation took place between Rehab Services for the Blind of Missouri and Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services where Jane Lansaw works. Jane came and taught me to cross at the oldest DDI in the U.S. which is in Springfield, Missouri. Immediately afterword, we took the bus to a newer and much larger DDI in Springfield, and I independently crossed there. Talk about transferable skills and SDCT! It was wildly cool. I did also use tactile graphics of these DDI?s, since this learning modality helps me a lot. But the tactile graphics probably helped no more than one third in this process. The main help was the SDCT approach, delivered by Jane Lansaw. Anyway, I do have some audio and video footage, but the weather was kind of bad that day. I?ll review the files soon if I can. At the very least, I wanted to share a summary of that great success here. If an increasing number of people hear and believe stories like this one, and if they can very easily find these SDCT testimonies with their search engine of choice, imagine what will be possible. >> >> Sincerely, >> Ben >> >> >> From: Edward Bell >> Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2020 11:56 AM >> To: 'Keller, Becky'; 'NOMC Mailing list' >> Subject: Re: [Nomc] Cane Travel Meeting Follow-Up >> >> Hi Becky, >> >> This is all really good. >> >> I am willing and able to add resources to either the PDRIB or NBPCB web pages. Just let me know what and where and I can get it done. >> Of course, anyone subscribed to this list can also post information here to get it out more quickly. I also believe we have a YouTube channel if there is video to post. >> >> >> Edward C. Bell, Ph.D., CRC, NOMC, Director, >> Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness >> Louisiana Tech University >> 600 Mayfield Ave / 210 Woodard Hall >> PO Box 3158 >> Ruston LA 71272 >> Office: 318.257.4554 Fax: 318.257.2259 >> ebell at latech.edu www.pdrib.com >> ************* >> "I am somehow less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops." >> -- Stephen Jay Gould >> >> >> From:NOMC <nomc-bounces at lists.nbpcb.org> On Behalf Of Keller, Becky >> Sent:Wednesday, April 29, 2020 10:24 AM >> To:NOMC Mailing list <nomc at lists.nbpcb.org> >> Subject:[Nomc] Cane Travel Meeting Follow-Up >> >> Good morning everyone, >> Thanks so much for all of your input and energy last night. We had some really good discussion, and the two hours seemed to fly right by. At one point, we had 28 folks in attendance. Pretty neat if I do say so myself. >> >> Jedi and Jane, thank you also for volunteering to give us an example of your virtual drop routes. We look forward to hearing it when you send it out to everyone. >> >> Below you will find the last remaining questions we had on our original agenda. We touched a little bit on some of them towards the end of our meeting, but I included them just in case you had additional thoughts or suggestions. Between now and Monday the 4th, please send me any further topics or questions that you wish to have posed to the group. >> >> In addition, a proposal was introduced last evening that focused towards developing a new, or expanding our current Structured-Discovery websites, to include resources, readings, O & M media, etc., sort of an information portal for instructors. I've pasted our current links below for everyone. Dr. Bell, we were hoping to get your feedback and counsel regarding this topic. >> >> Thanks again everyone for your participation and contributions. Have a wonderful week, and talk to you soon. >> Take care, >> >> http://www.pdrib.com/ >> https://nbpcb.org/index.php >> >> Questions: >> How could we work with folks to plan detailed hypothetical out of town trips, so they have an understanding of what goes into planning for a vacation or business trip? This way we could potentially utilize O&M as well as tech skills. >> >> How can we get folks thinking about mental mapping places they haven?t been yet? >> >> How can we help our students overcome fear, especially in uncertain times? In general, not necessarily focusing solely on cane travel... >> >> Becky Keller, NOMC, COMS >> Lead Orientation and Mobility Instructor >> Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired >> 401 Azalea Avenue >> Richmond, VA 23227 >> (804) 371-3093 >> becky.keller at dbvi.virginia.gov >> Facebook: VDBVI >> Worldwide Web: Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired >> YouTube: VRCBVI >> "Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome." >> -Arthur Ashe >> >> **CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE** >> This message (including any attachments) contains information that may be confidential. Unless you are the intended recipient (or authorized to receive for the intended recipient), you may not read, print, retain, use, copy, distribute, or disclose to anyone the message or any information contained in the message. If you have received the message in error, please advise the sender by reply e-mail, and destroy all copies of the original message (including any attachments). >> >> _______________________________________________ >> NOMC mailing list >> NOMC at lists.nbpcb.org >> http://lists.nbpcb.org/listinfo.cgi/nomc-nbpcb.org >> >> _______________________________________________ >> NOMC mailing list >> NOMC at lists.nbpcb.org >> http://mailsecurity.bism.org:32224/?dmVyPTEuMDAxJiY3MjhlODZjODE4OGQwOGM0Mz0… > > _______________________________________________ > NOMC mailing list > NOMC at lists.nbpcb.org > http://lists.nbpcb.org/listinfo.cgi/nomc-nbpcb.org

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