Announcing the 2019 AFB Leadership Conference
February 28–March 1, Crystal Gateway Marriott
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is pleased to present the 2019 Leadership Conference, which will cover the most pressing and relevant topics in the field of blindness and offer many opportunities to learn from the best and brightest minds in our field, make new connections, and reunite with old friends.
Held annually, AFBLC attracts established and emerging leaders in the blindness field. Conference attendees include technology experts, corporate representatives, university professors, and researchers. They come from diverse organizations and institutions spanning the public and private sectors.
The conference will have five primary areas of focus, including leadership, aging and visual impairment, education, technology, and employment. We are pleased that the National Rehabilitation and Training Center on blindness and Low Vision at Mississippi State University will hold its State-of-the-Science conference during AFBLC, presenting research findings on important aspects of employment and visual impairment. An exciting program is being finalized and will be released soon, so please check the AFBLC page for updates. The 2018 AFBLC attracted approximately 400 attendees from 40 states and four countries.
Attendees will receive a special group rate of $195/night at the Crystal Gateway Marriott. Reserve online through our dedicated reservations page. If you prefer to speak with a reservations specialist, please call 888-236-2427 and reference our conference to get the group rate.
If you are interested in sponsorship, advertising, or exhibiting opportunities, please contact Amanda Kolling directly.
United States Department of Labor Launches New Public Service Announcement Highlighting Importance and Value of Employees with Disabilities
As part of its annual commemoration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the US Department of Labor recently launched a new public service announcement that highlights the importance of helping workers who become ill or injured remain active in America's workforce.
Featuring baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr., the announcement, entitled "Working Works," highlights four individuals sharing their own stories of working together with employers, healthcare professionals, and others to ensure that continued employment is an early part of the conversation, often during the recovery process. Ripken appears with former Baltimore Orioles head athletic trainer, Richie Bancells, who supported Ripken's efforts to overcome injuries and set the Major League Baseball record of 2,632 consecutive games played.
"National Disability Employment Awareness Month is a time to emphasize the importance of ensuring all Americans, including Americans with disabilities, can put their skills and talents to work," said Jennifer Sheehy, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy. "This public service announcement illustrates how the nation's job creators and workers who experience illness or injury can work together to empower America's workforce."
Working Works is the fourth in a series of PSAs produced by the Campaign for Disability Employment.
Each October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month celebrates employers who are committed to a workplace that welcomes qualified people with disabilities. Learn more about the 2018 NDEAM observance, including the event's official 2018 poster.
Sendero Announces Transfer of GPS Solutions to Aira and the Lighthouse of San Francisco
Sendero recently announced its plan to sustain the navigation technology developed with funding from ten federal grants and user input over 19 years. Many of you have been on the journey with Sendero to create independent travel tools since 1999 and even earlier at Arkenstone. One of Sendero's goals from the beginning was to make accessible navigation affordable and ubiquitous. The next chapter in that evolution will be with two organizations dedicated to independent travel, Aira and the Lighthouse for the Blind in San Francisco.
Recently, Sendero announced the transfer of its iOS mobile navigation products to Aira, the company with the latest independent access to information. Mike May says, "Charles LaPierre and I founded Sendero in 1999 to provide ourselves and all blind people independent access to location information. The challenge to do that is as relevant today as it was 19 years ago. Accessible GPS in conjunction with Aira and its AI assistant, Chloe, provide a synergistic solution to full navigation access."
We would also like to announce that the Lighthouse for the Blind in San Francisco will take over the Sendero Maps and GPS product. Sendero CTO, Charles LaPierre said, "I am thrilled that Sendero Maps and GPS products will continue under the stewardship of Aira and the Lighthouse. In 1993, when I developed the first accessible GPS back-pack prototype weighing 10 pounds, I said 'in 10 years it will be the size of a Sony Walkman(TM), which will fit in your hand'. I am honored that my university project 25 years ago evolved into the 'Swiss Army knife of life' smartphone version of today."
Atlas Speaks from Arkenstone was the first accessible digital map product in 1995. That turned into Sendero Maps and GPS, which the San Francisco Lighthouse is taking over to complement its T-Maps tactile maps product. There is no better way to learn a neighborhood than to have the detail of digital maps and the geographic overview of a tactile map.
Details of these product transitions will be forthcoming. All your products will continue to work the way you expect. The mobile apps are slated for new features. All support inquiries can still be directed to _iPhone@senderogroup.com as before.
The Sendero Maps software will remain the same but will now be available from the Lighthouse, which will also host the legacy BrailleNote and Braille Sense software. Other aspects of this transition will be announced by Aira and the Lighthouse as they come about.
National Braille Press Announces Opening of Submissions for Touch of Genius Prize
The National Braille Press's Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation is now accepting entries. The Touch of Genius Prize was developed to inspire entrepreneurs, educators, or inventors to continue the promotion of braille and tactile literacy for blind and deafblind people worldwide. This prize can be granted for innovative and accessible computer software, Android applications, iOS applications, or tactile hardware that promotes braille and/or tactile literacy. NBP encourages all applicants to think outside the box to what can be used to help improve the lives of blind people.
The winner of this prize will receive up to $20,000, which will help them to continue to innovate in the fields of technology and education for blind people. Frank Gibney and the Gibney Family Foundation, helped fund and establish this award in 2007, inspiring people to go beyond what was thought possible.
The deadline to apply is January 11, 2019. Full application details and more information can be found at the National Braille Press website.
The Gigi & Carl Allen Envision Research Institute (ERI) is Calling for Letters of Intent to Apply for its Next Round of Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Launched in 2015 with a goal to restore function to those who are blind and visually impaired, the ERI provides access to funds, facilities, mentors and prospective study subjects for postdoctoral research into the functional implications of vision loss, impact of early screening and access to treatments, methods of optimizing rehabilitation therapies and development of accessibility technology. Fellowships last for a minimum of one year and maximum of two, pending a review of the first year's progress and results, and are primarily carried out on-site at the Wichita, Kan.-based ERI, however fellows may travel to his/her mentor's institution for up to six months to establish a collaboration and receive additional training not available at the ERI.
Applicants for research fellowships must hold a doctoral degree (PhD, MD, OD, OTD, JD) in engineering, computer science, psychology, vision science, epidemiology, social sciences or related fields at the time of the award. Qualified individuals interested in applying for an ERI Fellowship must submit a CV and a Letter of Intent, not to exceed two pages in length, no later than 12:00 p.m. CDT on Friday, December 7. Letters of Intent must contain the following:
- Description of the applicant and his/her background
- Brief description of the intended research project and how it addresses the mission of Envision
- Proposed external mentor(s) and what new training they would support for the fellow
- List of topical areas relevant to the research (for guiding appointment of the selection committee)
Invitations to apply will be sent in mid-December 2018, with applications due January 25, 2019. Awards will be announced in February 2019, with the Fellowship expected to commence by Spring 2019.
The ERI is a uniquely attractive place to conduct postdoctoral vision-related research, as it affords an opportunity for immersion in Envision's many Wichita-based resources, among which are the Bicknell Envision Vision Rehabilitation Center, the Cathy G. Hudson Envision Child Development Center, the William L. Hudson BVI Workforce Innovation Center supporting employment accessibility for individuals who are blind and visually impaired, and other programs catering to the quality of life needs of those who are blind and visually impaired. Information about the Fellowship Program, including a Fellowship Handbook with details on the program overall as well as on the application process, can be found at the Envision Fellowship website. For further information, write to research@envisionus.com.
Updates for ZoomText 2018 and Fusion 2018
VFO recently announced the November updates for ZoomText 2018 and Fusion 2018. The November updates deliver a new batch of enhancements for using ZoomText 2018 and Fusion 2018 with popular applications, including Chrome, Microsoft Office 2016 and Office 365, and Skype.
These free updates for users of ZoomText 2018 and Fusion 2018 can be downloaded and installed over top of previous ZoomText 2018 and Fusion 2018 installations. You can also use the auto update feature which will alert you to the update on the next restart of ZoomText or Fusion.
To update ZoomText 2018
Follow these steps to download the full installer for the ZoomText 2018 November update:
- Go to the ZoomText Legacy Product Downloads webpage
- In the section titled "ZoomText 2018," choose the "All Languages" download link.
- When the download is complete, launch the installer to perform the installation.
You can also use the ZoomText update wizard to get the ZoomText 2018 November Update. On the ZoomText 2018 toolbar, choose ZoomText > Manage License > Check for Updates. This will launch the update wizard and walk you through the ZoomText update process.
To learn about the changes in the ZoomText 2018 November Update, see the ZoomText and Fusion 2018 release notes.
To update Fusion 2018
Follow these steps to download the full installer for the Fusion 2018 November update:
- Go to the ZoomText Legacy Product Downloads webpage.
- In the section titled "Fusion 2018," choose the download link for the language that you need.
- When the download is complete, launch the installer to perform the installation.
To learn about the changes in the Fusion 2018 November update, see the ZoomText and Fusion 2018 release notes and What's New in JAWS 2018.
