The Braille Monitor is the leading publication of the National Federation of
the Blind. It covers the events and activities of the NFB and addresses the
many issues and concerns of the blind.

The Braille Monitor offers a positive philosophy about blindness to both
blind readers and the public at large; serves as a vehicle for advocacy and
protection of civil rights; addresses social concerns affecting the blind;
discusses issues relating to employment, education, legislation, and
rehabilitation; and provides news of products and technology used by the
blind.

http://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/Publications/bm/bm10/bm1001/bm1001tc.htm

Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) today introduced the Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind (H.R. 4533), which will mandate that all consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and electronic office technology provide user interfaces that are accessible to the blind. For more information on this exciting development, please read the official press release.

The Braille Monitor is the leading publication of the National Federation of the Blind. It covers the events and activities of the NFB and addresses the many issues and concerns of the blind.

The Braille Monitor offers a positive philosophy about blindness to both blind readers and the public at large; serves as a vehicle for advocacy and protection of civil rights; addresses social concerns affecting the blind; discusses issues relating to employment, education, legislation, and rehabilitation; and provides news of products and technology used by the blind.

Read the January Braille Monitor

Are you researching scholarships for college in the fall of 2010? Our National Federation of the Blind 2010 Scholarship Program for the United States and Puerto Rico (wherever we have an affiliate) is up and running, with its deadline coming up March 31, 2010. For the ins and outs of making an application, you can go to www.nfb.org/scholarships to read the SUBMISSION CHECKLIST and the FAQ; then fill out and submit the application form (online or in print).

Gear Up for Greatness!

National Federation of the Blind

2010 Junior Science Academy

Baltimore, Maryland, at the NFB Jernigan Institute

A STEM Program for Blind Children Ages 8-12

In 2008, the National Center for Blind Youth in Science (NCBYS), a program of the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, offered its first Science Academy program for elementary students. Once again, we are making this program possible for children in grades three through six. The NCBYS developed its Junior Science Academy (JSA) in 2004 in order to spark and enhance blind students' interest in scientific study, an academic area that many falsely believe is too difficult for the blind. This year, with hands-on experiences, tactile materials, and innovative nonvisual teaching methods, the JSA will open its doors again to young explorers with two sessions of the program. Applicants can apply for one of the following dates:

Session 1: July 28-August 1, 2010

Session 2: August 4-August 8, 2010

The Junior Science Academy is a four-day session that will expose blind children to the excitement of science in real-life applications. The students will learn about how much fun science can be through hands-on instruction, field trips, and interactive activities. Attending parents will participate in a corresponding seminar with workshops designed to focus on meeting the needs of their blind children.

Program Costs

There is a $150.00 registration fee for accepted pairs of students and parents/chaperones. All other expenses, including travel, room, board, and program materials will be covered by the NFB Jernigan Institute for all participants, including accepted mentors.

Mentors Needed

We are also looking for mentors to work in one or both sessions of the program. mentors help facilitate student activities while parents are engaged in parent programming. Mentors can apply online at the site below. Please visit this page to learn more about this opportunity and to apply to be a mentor this summer.

How to Apply

Whether you are an interested family, or someone who is interested in serving as a mentor, please visit http://www.blindscience.org/ to learn more about this exciting event, or to apply. You may also contact the NFB Jernigan Institute at (410) 659-9314, ext. 2407.

Come join us!

The NFB today applauded the decision of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Syracuse University to not deploy Amazon’s Kindle DX as a means of distributing electronic textbooks to their students. The Kindle DX features text-to-speech technology that can read textbooks aloud. However, the menus of the device are not accessible to the blind. Both universities have experimented with the Kindle DX to learn whether e-book technology is useful to their students, but will not adopt the device for general use unless and until it is made accessible to blind students. For more on this, please read the official press release or the Associated Press article that was published on the topic this morning.

Each year at its national convention in July, the National Federation of the Blind gives thirty scholarships to recognize achievement by America's blind scholars. The NFB is now accepting applications (print or online) for its 2010 Scholarship Program. The scholarships range in value from $3,000 to $12,000. For eligibility and full application information, please visit www.nfb.org/scholarships. Completed applications are due by March 31, 2010.

The National Federation of the Blind today announced that applications are now being accepted for the 2010 Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Program. Each year the National Federation of the Blind presents cash awards to individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions toward achieving the full integration of the blind into society on a basis of equality. To learn more about the program or apply online now, please visit the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Program web page.

This contest encourages children (grades K-12) around the country to be proud of their ability to read Braille and continually work to improve their skills. As in previous years, contestants will read as many Braille pages as they can in two months (November 1, 2009, through January 4, 2010). This year adults with various levels of experience reading Braille get to join in the fun! Registration begins October 1, 2009. For detailed information please visit www.nfb.org/bral.

There is a Braille literacy crisis in America. Only 10 percent of all blind children learn to read and write using Braille. In response to this crisis, the National Federation of the Blind has launched the largest Braille literacy campaign in history. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar - the first United States coin with readable, tactile Braille - will go to support Braille literacy. Urgent action is needed to address this crisis, and these beautiful coins are in limited supply, so buy the Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar now!

Mark Riccobono talks with NFB Jernigan Institute staff members Mary Jo Hartle and Natalie Shaheen about the Bell Program, a two-week pilot program held in the summer of 2009, which sought to expose children aged 4-12 to Braille.

The Braille Monitor is the leading publication of the National Federation of the Blind. It covers the events and activities of the NFB and addresses the many issues and concerns of the blind.

The Braille Monitor offers a positive philosophy about blindness to both blind readers and the public at large; serves as a vehicle for advocacy and protection of civil rights; addresses social concerns affecting the blind; discusses issues relating to employment, education, legislation, and rehabilitation; and provides news of products and technology used by the blind.

The August/September 2009 Braille Monitor!

This quarterly magazine (published by the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults in partnership with the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children) offers parents and teachers a multitude of resources and information based on the positive NFB philosophy.

Summer 2009 Issue

Meet the Blind Month is a nationwide campaign to increase awareness of and support for the National Federation of the Blind. During the month of October, chapters throughout the country will conduct activities that spread our message to their local communities.

Recently several blind people got to drive a specially-customized four-wheel dirt buggy developed by the Blind Driver Challenge team from Virginia Tech's Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory. The buggy uses laser range finders, an instant voice command interface and a host of other innovative, cutting-edge technology to guide blind drivers as they steer, brake, and accelerate. For more information on the Blind Driver Challenge, please read the article from www.scienceblog.com.