Blind Citizens Australia
Contact Details
87 High Street
PO Box 229
PRAHRAN VICTORIA 3181
Telephone: 03 9521 3433
Toll Free 1800 033 660
Fax 03 9521 3732
TTY 03 9521 1200
Published by
Blind Citizens Australia
ABN 90-006-985-226
Edited by
Lynne Davis
----------------------------
Our mission is to achieve equity and equality by our empowerment, by promoting positive community attitudes, and by striving for high quality and accessible services which meet our needs.
-----------------------------
COPYRIGHT: Reproduction of articles appearing in Blind Citizens News is permitted, provided Blind Citizens News and the author(s) are acknowledged.
Large Print ISSN 1441-449X
Braille ISSN 1441-5658
Cassette ISSN 1441-564X
Blind Citizens News is distributed in Large Print, Braille and Audio. Electronic copies in text format are available from our Web page, on Disk or by Email. To change your format, please contact Blind Citizens Australia.
-------------------------------------
Accessible E-Commerce in Australia
Community Development for Blind Women
Everybody’s Business
(see Tune In And Keep Up To Date, in this issue)
------------------------------------
BCA’s Identity Card carries a photo, address and signature. It may be used where photo identification is required and is worth 25 points when opening a bank account or entering into business transactions. Application forms are available from the BCA Office.
FROM SIX YEARS OF APARTHEID TO SEEMINGLY ETERNAL EXILE..
REPORTS FROM NPDC WORKING GROUPS
ARTICLES FOR THE NEXT ISSUE OF BLIND CITIZENS NEWS
Lynne Davis
Hello again, and welcome to the May issue of Blind Citizens News. I’m writing this just before Easter and the weather here in Sydney is perfect - lovely sunny days with just a hint of coolness at night, and not a trace of the dreaded humidity which plagued us all summer. I’m off to New Zealand for a few weeks after Easter and I’m looking forward to some genuinely cold weather (you can tell that I grew up in Canberra, can’t you?).
This issue contains quite a lot of information about the work that BCA has been doing recently, as well as the work that it plans to undertake in the near future. Reading it, I’m sure you’ll be impressed by the diverse range of issues with which our organisation seems to be concerned at any one time. It takes a lot of human and material resources to keep this going. One of the really impressive things about BCA is the commitment of its members and the effort that they are prepared to make, year after year and in so many different ways, to "change what it means to be blind".
There’s quite a focus in this issue on the importance of access to information and on the significance of Braille, both in this process and as a means of self-expression. I hope you’ll enjoy the passion of some of these contributions, and perhaps feel moved to write your own, equally passionate, rejoinders. I think our contributors have raised some fundamental matters for discussion, and have taken up my invitation to use Blind Citizens News as a forum in which issues of significance to blind and vision impaired people can be explored from many perspectives. Please keep these contributions coming - we rely on them to ensure that the News remains lively and relevant.
I read with interest in the last edition of Blind Citizens News the various articles on education. I was particularly interested in Sondra Wibberley's letter, as she spoke of her experiences both as a student and as a service provider for students in the area of education. I agree that we have probably come a long way with technology in order to do written work, or just take notes for lectures. While we have the blindness agencies, the DDA and various policies within educational institutions, I have found that they are not always useful. As a Braille user, I have often found that university materials were hard to come by in such a format, and have often been forced to use audio cassettes - a format, for various reasons, which I find difficult to use when studying. Even though I have outlined my reasons for not being able to use audio cassettes, blindness agencies and educational institutions were not always helpful in trying to get materials in the format I require. I am not trying to say that there isn't a lot of support available for blind and vision impaired students today. Nor am I being unappreciative of such services. The point I am trying to make is that, although we do have a range of services, policies and access to the DDA, these aren't always useful. This may be due to the fact that people aren't aware of the DDA, or of policies that the various educational institutions have, or of the availability of blindness agencies. I don't really know. But if this is the case, then perhaps more public education is required.
Vicki Alipasinopoulos
Victoria
With 2001 now almost half over, it is once again proving to be a very busy and productive year for BCA. We have new staff in the office; we have recently placed increasing emphasis on our policy work and on developing our profile in the community in relation to this work; and in addition we are planning Convention 2001 and packing up to relocate our National Office.
The new addition to our staff team is Collette O’Neill, who commenced work with BCA in early March as our National Policy Officer. Members will be aware that this position has been vacant for some time. Already, Collette has been very active in supporting the working groups of the National Policy and Development Council (NPDC) and in writing press releases on key issues that affect the lives of blind and vision impaired people. We welcome Collette to BCA and hope her time with us will be enjoyable and rewarding.
We will also be welcoming back Cheryl Gration from maternity leave for three days a week as from 15th June. Cheryl’s daughter, Jessica, is nearly a year old now and doing very well. So it is pleasing that Cheryl is able to return to work bringing with her a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to BCA.
In mid March, the BCA Board came together in Brisbane for a two day meeting and on the Saturday evening, there was an opportunity for members living in and around Brisbane to meet Board members from interstate. The Board is committed to holding regular meetings outside Melbourne so that it can gain a greater understanding of local issues and so that members can have easier access to raise issues with the Board.
Members will recall that, as a result of the changes made at the 1999 Convention to BCA’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, the NPDC elects half of its state representatives each year. This year Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria will be electing their state representatives. It is time to start thinking about who you would like to take your issues and views to the NPDC table. You will soon be asked for nominations and afterwards, you will be asked to vote for your new state representative. We will also be electing a representative of Organisational Members and nominations will be called for this position in the near future. All retiring members of the NPDC are eligible for re-election. If you are thinking of nominating for the NPDC, you might like to call Maryanne Diamond or myself to discuss what is involved in taking up such a position. The reports from the NPDC Working Groups appear later in this edition of News and they give some insight into the policy work of this group.
This year Convention is being held in Sydney at the Harbourview Hotel in North Sydney from Saturday, September 29 to Monday, October 1. The programme being planned will offer something of interest to everyone. The keynote speaker for the Convention will be Kicki Nordstrom, President of the World Blind Union. There will also be sessions on matters such as international issues, social welfare reform, information access, parenting and advocacy, with a good mixture of panel discussions, interactive workshops and guest speakers. There will be functions organised by Young Blind Citizens and the National Women’s Branch, as well as our traditional Convention dinner at which the BCA David Blyth Award and Certificates of Appreciation will be presented. Start planning for Convention now!
It’s time for individuals, Branches and Organisational Members to think about whether there is someone they would like to nominate to receive the BCA David Blyth Award or a BCA Certificate of Appreciation. The BCA David Blyth Award is presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to improving the quality of life for blind people in Australia. Certificates of Appreciation are awarded to individuals in recognition of outstanding and long-lasting work of direct benefit to BCA. Often this work has been at a Branch or local level. Nominees do not have to be members of BCA.
Nomination forms and a list of selection criteria are available from the National Office on 1800-033-660. These awards are not presented as a matter of course. Nominees should be deserving and their work for BCA or to improve the quality of life for blind and vision impaired people must be outstanding. Please forward your nominations for these awards to the National Office, addressed to me as Convenor of the Awards Committee, no later than Friday, 31 August 2001.
FROM SIX YEARS OF
APARTHEID TO SEEMINGLY ETERNAL EXILE
My experience of the segregated education system, as might be gathered from the confronting title, is an overall sharp contrast to that described in Karen Knight's article [February 2000]. With the exception of one thing - namely, the acknowledgment (albeit reluctantly) of the high priority placed on such skills as Braille literacy and mobility. This article is not only about exposing gross injustice, incompetence and yes, even abuse or the potential for it under that system. It is also an urgent call for action regarding the scandalous degree of mishandling and neglect by blindness agencies to this day of the above-mentioned services and skills for blind people, particularly Braille literacy and, even more specifically, the abysmal choice of reading matter in library collections. I don't wish in any way to discredit others who have been fortunate enough to have had a positive experience in the segregated education system. On the contrary, I have found their contributions interesting and informative. However, I strongly believe that, in general, the segregated schooling environment has merely served to perpetuate the conditions in which disempowerment and lack of self-esteem or assertiveness are bound to flourish. "Experts" with a secure career in hypocrisy, humiliation and patronising behaviour hold an enormous amount of power waiting to be abused (and it certainly was abused by some). As for the argument put forward by some that segregated schools are generally preferable, precisely because of the resourcing of and emphasis on skills unique to coping with blindness, well, pardon me, but I thought the whole point of the DDA, State equal opportunity legislation and grassroots activism was to foster a more just, aware and inclusive society which is ready to learn about and accommodate people with diverse needs. I refer the reader to BCA's own mission statement for further reinforcement of these noble principles and ask: how is this to be achieved if children, through no fault of their own, are being fobbed off (with anything but informed consent) into separate boxes just because education authorities find this more convenient? Please ponder this question and read on.
I spent the first six years of my primary school education in a school for the blind that was attached to a regular school, by then the only facility of its kind and the only choice regarding blind children's education in Western Australia (unless, as in rare cases, parents were able to shoulder the full burden of mobilising resources for their child in the regular school). In those dark ages of apartheid, Braille was indeed taught thoroughly, first on pegboards, pin-boards and finally on the Perkins. But I have to say that it was no thanks to the school in question that I have come to be as passionate about my Braille and access to information as I am now, except in the sense that I have come to realise how disempowered and damaged I had been in this "special school". There were, admittedly, some light moments - mainly excursions, assemblies and craft classes. But on the whole even the Braille training was marred and overshadowed by insensitivity on the part of certain staff members within this institution and students from the adjoining regular school. I vividly recall numerous occasions on which I was scolded for not being able to do the maths problem or whatever other activity happened to expose my clumsiness or vulnerability. The bullying and taunts to which I was routinely subjected by children from the regular school during recess, and to which staff reacted with anything but resolve or leadership, compounded my hatred for this haven for sadomasochism where I was, it seemed, constantly on display and available for ridicule. Being allowed during the latter years to attend classes with the sighted children once a week was, therefore, very much a case of too little, too late, even though I was treated far better in those particular classes. I only knew or cared for one thing - that I desperately wanted to get out of there. I'm convinced that, had it not been for my integration, my reading might well have remained little more than a tiresome chore for the sake of obtaining the marks, rather than becoming one important facet in a passionate pursuit of enlightenment and free speech today. So it was with great joy and enthusiasm that I entered my local primary school for year 7 in 1982, finally integrated after long-running battles between my parents and education authorities over the supposed lack of resources for this process. It was also around that time that I was reading avidly - Agatha Christie and such like, material readily supplied by the Braille library services in this country. I was to realise much later, with an increasing interest in subject matter other than that which conformed to the narrow range offered by Australia's blindness agencies, the extent to which we have had our access to information stifled and censored and our trust betrayed by these agencies justifying their very existence via our disability.
Although my friendships with other students did not extend beyond school hours or after reaching the end of this stage in our lives, I wasn't bothered by this. Generally, the attitude of staff and students, both at the regular primary school and at high school, was constructive and supportive, with a willingness to learn about blindness and make an effort to accommodate my needs. As for further social contact, I, like Karen, resented efforts by teachers in this direction. But if anything, I would go a step further and assert that it's my right as much as anybody else's - blind or sighted - to socialise or to pursue solitude. Those who choose the latter and even assert their right to maintain it, are all too often undervalued and even targeted as potential delinquents or psychiatric cases. I found the workload at Mount Lawley Senior High School highly stressful and wanted what little free time I salvaged for my own interests, which had little in common with those of my peers. I was among those attending the school because of its heavy emphasis on foreign language studies, having passed the special entrance exam that allowed me into this intensive program. Indonesian, Italian and German were among my subjects for the final Tertiary Entrance Exams, and my itinerant teacher was certainly kept as busy as I was, liaising with school staff and gathering material for conversion into appropriate formats. As an aspiring drummer and passionate fan of heavy metal music, I looked forward to weekends simply for the thrill of going to pubs, where I was allowed in because my parents were with me, and listening to my favourite bands on the Perth music scene. I also played piano and had been taught to read Braille music, but my preference clearly leaned towards the drums.
During my studies towards a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Western Australia, I became far more aware of the unsatisfactory range and quality of materials in alternative formats (especially Braille) and the complete lack of priority given to Braille-related services. For one thing, blindness agencies seem rather fond of making the distinction between educational and recreational reading, a highly questionable distinction. Let's take, for example, foreign language material. In courses such as those I took in Italian and German, there is typically a heavy literature component side by side with the language component. In addition to grammar and exercise books used for the language work, and the literary works to be read and discussed in class and/or in essays, other books are recommended as further reading. Some books I required (including books used in language study) were transcribed in WA by the few transcribers who were equipped to deal with this material. As languages such as the above-mentioned are based on the Roman alphabet, Braille transcriptions here and in other English-speaking countries are usually done using Grade 1 Braille plus certain accent or letter signs peculiar to that language. More in-depth knowledge of the intricacies and peculiarities of different Braille codes, as used in those countries themselves, became yet another challenge on which I spent much time and energy. Had it not been for my networking with Braille libraries in Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland and obtaining much of the literature I needed on loan, I'm sure I would have been under far greater strain relying on this country's blindness agencies, where Braille in the English language is undervalued and under resourced, let alone Braille in foreign languages.
The reward for my perseverance in foreign languages and their respective Braille systems extends far beyond the completion of a degree. It places me in a far better position to access infinitely more diverse and interesting library collections overseas. The Swiss Library for the Blind and Vision Impaired (SBS) in Zurich has a constantly expanding range of books on natural therapies - aromatherapy, acupuncture, meditation, herbal remedies, etc. Not only is the range of material far more impressive than the inherently unchallenging, patronising array of titles on offer here, but so too is the overall professionalism and quality of service - particularly with regard to care and condition of books. One gets a sense of dignity and pride embodied in the pages, often glued or stapled into place and bound in hard covers. By contrast, the flimsy, sharp-edged plastic spiral binding used all too commonly in Australia is merely one of the more obvious or exterior indications of an on-going, insidious devaluing of our primary literacy tool. As for my constant quest for comprehensive, up-to-date bilingual dictionaries, it is far from over.
My second degree at the University of WA (1995-1997), a Bachelor of Letters in Indonesian and Japanese, was also characterised by on-going contact with overseas organisations, this time in Japan. The bulk of the resources for this daunting task came from Japan, where three different organisations were, at various points throughout my study, engaged in transcribing textbooks and exam papers. I also obtained basic conversation guides in Braille from two other organisations. On the whole, my contact with the Japanese blindness agencies was positive, except for Kobe City Library for the Blind, whose rushed transcription of an exam paper in 1996 resulted in entire questions (a couple of pages if not more) missing from the Braille. My fury at this gross oversight, which was only discovered in relatively good time due to my teacher being present and checking her copy against what I had in Braille, was compounded by the fact that my warnings to the Japanese department at the University about past experiences with this library were dismissed. Kobe City Library for the Blind was, after all, offering free transcription of the paper through their volunteers. The Japanese department had no intention of passing it up, utterly convinced as they were that the communication problems of the past would not recur now that they were liaising directly with Kobe City Library for the Blind. So there it was yet again - another case of "Don't worry, just leave it to us, we're the experts". As if my stress levels weren't high enough already with the organisational matters involved for my chosen field of study, I experienced ongoing frustration with the Japanese department, disorganised and complacent as they were about issues of modified assessment and preparation of materials which required advance planning. It was a stark contrast to my first degree, where teaching staff were meticulous down to the last detail.
In between and after my degrees, I rediscovered the simple joy of reading for its own sake, without having to contend with deadlines for essays. Yet in no way was I less absorbed in my reading. On the contrary, authors whose work I had encountered briefly during my Italian and German studies were, in my free time, the focus of further attention. This was all very well, having studied these languages and being able to borrow good quality books in Braille from countries of which I'm not even a permanent resident, let alone a citizen. But what about this country's blindness agencies and their responsibility to cater for diverse tastes among library borrowers? I have filled out more than enough surveys and told agency staff my views as to what was needed in the way of improvement. Interestingly, survey results often indicate a pat on the back to the custodians of our special needs. Why is this the case, if so many of us are dissatisfied with the service? When I ask for books covering such subject areas as feminism, anarchism, witchcraft, holistic therapies and alternative music (eg punk rock), why should I have to put up with being treated as "the difficult client"? Similarly, authors whose work I wish to read have been instrumental in challenging the absurdities of the establishment. Many, too, have undertaken far more direct and vocal protests than many blind and vision impaired people would even consider, and herein lies an all too disturbing and, in my view, none too coincidental correlation between our lack of access to a genuinely diverse range of information and lack of empowerment to explore other forms of protest besides simply writing letters or having polite meetings with those who, in the end, have an income on account of our disability. Historically, blind and vision impaired people as well as people with other disabilities, have been grossly under represented when it comes to more direct, radical activism, having been conditioned for far too long into submission or, at best, limited to desk-bound action. None of this restriction is tolerated by the green movement, the gay community, indigenous communities or peace activists. It's high time blind people stopped allowing themselves to be manipulated by the expectations and assumptions thrust upon them by their oppressors, the same ones who are constantly citing insufficient funding and readership as the excuse for the above-mentioned subject areas not being represented in library collections. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy made for the convenience of blindness agencies: "Not enough blind people are reading that sort of material". How can they, when the library services don't make it available? Unless we're prepared to bite the bullet and fight this covert censorship and institutionalisation of our reading needs, I believe we're not going to have much to look forward to in the way of truly accountable and accessible services. Instead, the lack of empowerment and self-determination, as illustrated throughout this article which began with my experiences with segregated education, stands to continue into an era of eternal exile in this civilised, developed country.
My name is Collette O’Neill and I recently commenced working at BCA as the National Policy Officer. I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to BCA members and to provide you with some information about my job and the work that I will be doing this year. As I am relatively new to the disability sector, and completely new to the blindness field, I have been on a steep learning curve since I began work in mid-March. I come to BCA with previous experience primarily in the health and migrant services field. I have worked for a government minister (Ken Hayward, Minister in the Queensland Government under Wayne Goss) and for the public service and community sector. I have a social work degree and an arts degree and am extremely committed to social justice and equity.
Basically, my job is to support the work of the National Policy and Development Council (NPDC), both in the development of policy for BCA and the promotion of that policy. Examples of issues that have arisen since I started are the indexation of pensions and access to education and banking services.
The issues that will be a priority for my work in the coming year are measuring the costs of blindness, identifying gaps in the provision of education and employment services, and improving the links between BCA and indigenous communities and BCA and people from linguistically and culturally diverse communities.
This is an important year for the promotion of issues of concern to members - with an election not far away, it is critical that BCA maximises its opportunities to gain the commitment of all political parties to achieving justice for people who are blind.
I look forward to assisting members to develop BCA policy, and welcome your contributions to this process.
Although many members of BCA know about and have sometimes used our individual advocacy service, new members may not have much knowledge about the extent of this service.
BCA employs a National Advocacy Officer for three days a week to assist people who are blind or vision impaired with disability related issues. These issues fall into three main categories: Social Security, disability services, and disability discrimination.
BCA's main Social Security support involves providing accurate information and advice relating to the Disability Support Pension (Blind) and related allowances. Many people do not feel confident relying on Centrelink's advice line and are concerned that the means test free status of the blind pension is not always factored into Centrelink's internal advice manuals. BCA is happy to verify any advice given by making telephone calls, contacting the relevant policy section in Canberra, and/or doing research using the Internet. If someone who is blind or vision impaired requires further support in a dispute with Centrelink, BCA is happy to provide assistance, including negotiation support and support at a final hearing, if we consider that a case has merit. Most recent advocacy in the area of Social Security has involved whether the more general income eligibility requirements for Family Tax Benefit A and B apply to blind pensioners and whether the recent changes in how private companies and family trusts are treated impact upon blind pensioners. Another common issue relates to whether blind pensioners need to disclose income and asset details and tax file numbers.
BCA also assists people who need advice about what disability services are available or who want to complain about the quality of service received. BCA has provided advocacy in relation to Braille services, housing services where blindness or vision impairment is a relevant issue, employment and education services. On occasions this involves complaints against blindness agencies and we attempt to work with the client to achieve a satisfactory outcome.
Most of the need for advocacy support relates to disability discrimination. Disability discrimination involves situations where a person is treated less favourably in relation to a certain area than a person without the disability would be treated in the same or similar circumstances. Disability discrimination also occurs where there is a requirement to be met that is harder for a person with a disability to meet and which is not reasonable. BCA is currently involved in a complaint against a Victorian utility for failure to provide billing information in Braille. We have recently settled an employment discrimination complaint with a satisfactory outcome for the complainant and in the near future we will be representing another person at a conciliation conference which also involves employment discrimination. We have provided advice in relation to whether the inaccessibility of Business Activity Statement software constitutes a valid complaint for blind business operators and we are doing the ground work for a complaint against Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) operators for failure to make ATMs accessible. BCA provides advice in relation to disability discrimination in areas primarily dealing with education, employment, access to services and access to premises. We will attempt to settle a complaint without formal action if that is what a person prefers and will assist with lodging complaints in state, territory or federal jurisdictions if required. If necessary, BCA will provide ongoing support . BCA is not in a position to fund cases but will provide solicitor support where required.
Although BCA employs a solicitor to perform individual advocacy, we do not provide a general legal support service. We are happy to give basic advice and assist with a referral to an appropriate agency.
If you require advocacy support and would like assistance, please call BCA and we will assist you as much as we can. If you are not sure whether your advocacy concern is a blindness related matter, you can have a chat with our Advocacy Officer, who can be contacted at the National Office on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Editor’s Note: Readers of the News may remember the competition conducted by the World Blind Union for the ten best essays from around the world on the topic, "What Braille has meant to me". Over 300 entries were received, giving the international panel of judges a very difficult task. Over the next few months we hope to bring you some of the winning entries.
I was born in a remote mountain village in Colombia, nearly completely isolated from the civilised world. But despite their humble origins and scant education, my parents were determined to face up to the overwhelming challenges inherent in my congenital blindness which, in such circumstances and in a rural environment, must have seemed insurmountable. My first contact with Braille, when I enrolled in a school for the blind at the age of eight, was disappointing. It seemed impossible to me that what I perceived to be "a bunch of bumps on a sheet of paper" would ever make any sense to me. After my first year of school, however, that impression had changed radically. I had learned to read and write and had bought a storybook in Braille. My ability to read those stories was like a fantasy come true, not only for me, but for my relatives and their friends, who asked me to read them the stories over and over. From that time on, I often wondered if I would ever become a useful person able to live a decent life like everyone else and came to regard my reading and writing skills as a horizon that suggested that there was an affirmative answer to that question.
I became an avid and fascinated reader, devouring everything I could get my hands on. I didn't draw much of a distinction between texts for adults and texts for children although, naturally, reading stories by the great writers of children's literature was like a dream come true, something that captivated me. At the time, most Braille publications in Latin America used one of two completely different kinds of contracted Braille code: Spanish or Argentine. I learned them both so that nothing that I got my hands on would be illegible to me.
The second landmark in my experience with Braille came when I learned English Braille. I mastered it thanks to one of my school teachers, who voluntarily taught English to students willing to spend some of their free time after school learning the language. He taught me contracted Braille code in English and that encouraged me to read in English, without paying much attention to how much I actually understood at first. I'll never forget the self-esteem and satisfaction I felt when I was able to read fluently. My ability to read and write in English not only afforded me access to a wealth of reading materials but fanned the flame burning in me to learn to speak the language.
When I finished my primary education at the school for the blind, I was faced with formidable challenges. Following my English teacher's advice, I decided to enrol in a public middle school. At the time, mainstream education did not exist per se as an educational strategy, nor did the educational authorities accept pupils with disabilities. Braille and typing, which I had also been taught at the school for the blind, were to be my only working tools. I had to develop a considerable ability to take notes, summarise and transcribe texts, and learn mathematical symbols, in short, to make the very most of Braille and make up for my educational disadvantages with creativity. After a very rewarding academic experience, I graduated from middle school and decided to go on with my career training. Now I believe that without the background I had acquired, thanks to my ability to make direct and personal contact with texts of all kinds, without my knowledge of spelling and punctuation and, above all, without the skill to elaborate on texts that I'd drafted in Braille, I couldn't have succeeded in that stage of my education.
Braille has been essential in my professional life. Not only has my ability to read and write allowed me to mix skilfully and confidently in different work and intellectual environments, but it has helped me express myself in written form and perform any number of tasks, ranging from drafting the minutes, reports, and all other documents associated with serving as secretary of the board, to public speaking and teaching, in which I use Braille to outline my lectures, read out full texts, and engage in other intellectual activities.
It has been enormously significant for me to be able, through my texts and intellectual and cultural production, no matter how modest, to reflect my own, as opposed to others, professional personality. To imbue my writings with my own personal touch, to express myself as a thinking being, a participant in society; and if my authorship is recognised, to know that it's not only because of my capacity to write but for what I have to say.
I can hardly fail to mention the important role that Braille has played in the development of my main pastime, music. I learned to read music when I was in my teens and followed a method to learn to play the piano. My greatest satisfaction was to be able to read musical scores and memorise them to play the piano without missing a note. And how could I omit what Braille has meant in my everyday life? I use it to jot down telephone numbers and addresses, mark my belongings and other articles, and take messages, write appointments into my calendar, and note important information, all of which provides me a good deal of personal independence.
Educational mainstreaming, which has today largely replaced special schools, has many advantages, but it has also created problems that don't seem to attract as much attention from the managers of services for the blind as they ought to, at least in Colombia. One of the problems is the considerable decline in the quality of Braille teaching. In the past, Braille was taught by blind individuals who not only used it as their primary reading-writing code, but who were genuine experts because they practised it daily and were in constant contact with publications in Braille. Today, Braille is taught by mainstream schooling teachers who don't use it as their primary reading-writing code, who generally don't read publications in Braille and who have to cover a great deal of ground to meet all their pupils' educational needs. What that means is a substantial waning of educational services, both quantitatively and qualitatively speaking, with the concomitant and notorious effect on the new generations' Braille reading and writing skills. Such developments are much regretted by nearly all educators of blind pupils today. Action must be taken to remedy this situation by designing strategies such as the establishment of distance education programs for both blind pupils and their teachers, to reinforce and supplement educators' tasks.
Given the rapid globalisation taking place today, which blind people cannot ignore, thought should be given to the possible standardisation of the more general aspects of the Braille system, including mathematical and high technology symbols, at least in the Western world. Such standardisation should be based on the English code, as it needs to be built on the sort of strong and influential grounds that the English language can provide; indeed, English is gradually becoming everyone's second language, the world over. Another important concept to keep in mind in this regard is that many blind people have both a penchant and a real talent for learning and using foreign languages.
The reality is that Braille is very much alive. It is amazingly flexible, a feature that enabled its inventor to turn a most remarkable feat. He applied his code to express not only verbal language, but musical and scientific notation as well. Braille has adapted wonderfully well to Western languages and even to some oriental languages, as well as to scientific and technological advances. Technology and Braille complement one another. Technology will enable Braille to continue to progress and eliminate its drawbacks. Leaders of services for blind people must, then, make every effort to improve Braille education, to encourage reading, implement action geared to standardising and disseminating the code, and support research to innovate and adapt it to the demanding world of technology.
Leighton Boyd
The Board of BCA, together with the National Policy Development Council, have decided that one of the priorities of BCA for the year 2001 should be Membership and Development. To this end there has been a Working Group set up consisting of the following members.
Leighton Boyd - Victoria (Convenor)
Chiree Fulford - Queensland
Pat Stillman - Queensland
Kym Hand - South Australia
Vanessa Ransley -Tasmania
Mark Muscat - Victoria
Karen Knight - BCA President (ex-officio)
Maryanne Diamond - BCA Executive Officer (ex-officio)
The working group is currently compiling a "Terms of Reference" document covering such areas as the Aims, Goals, Priorities, Roles and Responsibilities of the group. This exercise has proved to be very beneficial as it has enabled us to identify a number of areas that can be developed and followed through.
During the next few months we hope to work on a number of issues including:
We would welcome any suggestions, comments, or ideas on issues relating to the broad areas of Membership and Development at any time. These comments could be given to any member of the working group, sent to the National office or emailed to Leighton Boyd on boyd_family@msn.com.au. I look forward to your input.
Peter Johnson
This Committee consists of two Board Members (Tony Starkey and myself as Chair); Peter Ryan and Keith Hayes from the NPDC; Dawn Bramley (Queensland) and Helen Freris (Victoria). We have also had Trish James and Barry Chapman to assist us with the situation in New South Wales. If anyone from Tasmania is interested in being part of this Committee please let me know.
We are updating BCA policies that have been in existence for some time, to ensure that they are accurate and reflect current technology and the requirements of our members.
In addition, this Committee will look at matters relating to vision impaired people getting access to transport, the environment and public buildings.
This is a very complex area with many varied issues, and we don’t pretend to be able to fix them all. However, working with Collette, our new Policy Officer, we will endeavour to help make some of the required changes.
Robert Altamore
The Welfare Reform Working Group was set up to ensure that BCA took a leading role in the important political debate about reform of Australia's social welfare system by focussing on issues relevant to blind and vision impaired Australians. The members include Robert Altamore (Chair), Karen Knight (BCA President), Daniel Stubbs (ACT), Sean Tyrrell (Victoria), Lynne Davis, Pamela Fayers and Fiona Woods (all NSW). Collette O'Neill, BCA's National Policy Officer, provides support to the group.
The Working Group's main priority in 2001 will be to oversee research being undertaken by BCA into the costs of blindness. This will involve a thorough investigation of the direct, indirect and opportunity costs of being blind or vision impaired. The research will be based on the experiences of blind and vision impaired people and it is hoped that it will be a valuable resource to draw upon when formulating BCA's contributions to the debate about income support policy in Australia.
The group believes that reform of the social security system is a vital issue for all of us. To provide members with an opportunity to contribute to policy development and debate in this area, we are designing what should be an interesting session for Convention 2001. We will also be investigating and reporting to members about the disability policies of the major political parties prior to the forthcoming Federal Election. We would encourage each of you to individually contact your local politicians and ask what they intend to do for blind or vision impaired people in your electorate.
All my life I have felt different but never understood why this was so. Sadly, I feel that quite often I am persecuted by other blind people for being "too radical", "too opinionated" or "too daring". I am an activist of many causes, a writer of a fiction novel and a poetry book (unpublished as yet), and have worked as a counsellor in Juvenile Justice, Prison Advocacy and Foster Care. I give this background in order to provide readers with a sketch of who I am.
In this article I will attempt to cover some grave concerns that I have with regards to the collections of Braille Libraries across Australia, including RBS in Sydney, and RVIB and Vision Australia Foundation in Melbourne.
Over the years I have been silenced by the justifications of the costs of format argument. I read and prefer Braille, yet it is extremely difficult to find up-to-date novels and other reference texts in this very neglected format. The climate of economic rationalism is not a good enough scenario when there should be an equal distribution of resources. Quite frankly, I am disillusioned with the poor response from many other blind people who, in my experience, have allowed themselves to be manipulated by circumstances and by blindness agencies into thinking that this is just a funding problem. The blind community appears to be quite conservative and I aim here, not to blow my own trumpet, but rather to raise awareness of this very severe gap of Braille resources in libraries across Australia.
Let's get more specific. Currently, countless Mills and Boon, Victoria Holt and war stories are being produced in Braille. Whilst it is fair to say that many blind people value and enjoy this literature, the libraries fail to cater for the alternative viewpoint - literature that is out there waiting to be read, and I don't mean the production of propaganda either. It is ludicrous, for example, that for many blind feminists Mills and Boon seems to be the only available reading matter on the menu. I would be lying if I was to suggest that there is no alternative literature in Braille, but there are very few alternative authors in the libraries and this is quite a low priority as you will see presently. I can honestly say that my reading needs are not being met. I am tired of justifying myself to the library as to why I don't like mainstream books. I was told quite recently that I must request books bordering on mainstream "because other blind people won't read the book". There are no mechanisms set up for blind people to make informed decisions about what they wish to read, so this request process that the Braille libraries keep talking about is a farce.
Although I have never received a Braille catalogue, I have been given lists of the subject areas existing in the libraries. The subject core groups cover far too narrow a spectrum in comparison with public libraries. Alternative literature is about many things, including natural healing and herbal medicine, progressive religions such as paganism, Buddhism, progressive politics, alternative music magazines such as Hardcore and Heavy Metal Bands, and the list goes on. Another example is that there are also very few books written by Anarchist authors such as Emma Goldman.
I feel that there are many subtleties underpinning the censorship of Braille titles. I have also sought legal advice on this issue. The matter is complex, but it appears that the question of human rights can be raised.
I belong to a group called the Braille Action Reading Group, which is only in the beginning stages. This is an international campaign in which we are working collectively to promote Braille and alternative literature via direct action. We pool our skills and life experience in the name of social justice and I hope that we will get a response from this newsletter. If you are sighted or unsighted and want to fight censorship, why not join the Braille campaign by contacting Grasslands Groceries Info. Shop, 205 Nicholson Street, Victoria 3011, or phone 03-9362-0830. Please write in your preferred format.
One of the most discussed topics at any gathering of blind or vision impaired people is parenting: whether to do it, how to do it, what the rest of society thinks about it. The National Women's Branch of BCA hopes to get a clearer picture of the experiences of blind and vision impaired people who are parents. To this end, we have compiled a questionnaire, which follows this introduction, and we invite you to respond to it. You do not have to tell us your name if you would prefer not to, nor do you have to answer all the questions. All personal information will remain confidential. Only the person analysing the survey will know your name, and no facts will be revealed that might enable participants to be identified.
Parenting is not a single-sex issue, so we hope to hear from both mothers and fathers. If you have grandparenting experiences which you think are relevant, please contribute them too. The Branch does not anticipate being able to meet all the needs that may emerge from this survey, but we are interested in learning more about what would be of most benefit to blind parents. This will help us to identify projects that the branch might be able to undertake, or we might encourage BCA or particular organisations to take them up.
Incidentally, the Women's Branch sells a booklet that tells the stories of several blind parents. ‘Kids Are Fun For Everyone’ is available in Braille, audio or large print. It can be bought for $20 by sending a cheque made out to the National Women's Branch to Jody Holdback at 16 Exmoor Ave, Oaklands Park, SA 5046.
We hope that many of you will take the time to think about and respond to this questionnaire. Please send your responses in alternative formats, preferably electronic, to Helen Freris at hfreris@bca.org.au or mail them to National Women's Branch, BCA, 87 High St, Prahran, VIC 3181. Responses should be received by 31 August. Please do not feel limited by the questions below, write as much or as little as you would like. If you would like to discuss the survey or the Women's Branch, please ring Fiona Woods on 02-4739-5101.
1. Describe yourself and your family: your age, gender, eye condition, amount of vision, your children's ages, your address.
2. Did your lack of sight influence your decision to start a family? If yes, how did it influence your decision?
3. What attitudes influenced your decision to become a parent? Did you access any information sources to assist you in making this decision?
4. What information have you been able to access about parenting issues?
5. What other information would you have liked to access?
6. What aspects of parenting have presented the greatest challenges? Please describe them.
7. Are there aspects of parenting you find easier than expected?
8. Have you encountered community attitudes that made it difficult for you to parent as you would choose?
9. Can you identify some practical ideas to pass on to other blind parents?
10. Did you feel the need to access genetic counselling or testing? What type of service did you receive?
11. Who in the community is most supportive of you as a parent? Who is least supportive? Why, and in what ways?
12. Are there any issues you feel BCA or blindness agencies could work on to better support blind parents?
13. Are you prepared to become involved in activities to support other blind parents? For example: peer support, advocacy, sharing resources.
14. Is there anything else you would like to say about being a blind parent?
Thank you for taking the time to respond.
The Branch Executive Committee continues to meet each month, with plenty of work done in between meetings. After our clear focus on the World Blind Women's Forum last year, the Committee has been working to identify the Branch's direction for the future. We are hoping to conduct a telephone survey later in the year, to find out what our members think and want.
Communication to and from the Committee and Branch members remains an important objective. We have recently circulated the second edition of our members' newsletter. Thanks to Helen and Lee for their work on this, and to Rosemary Boyd for reading it onto tape. If you are a Branch member and have not received your copy, please contact me on 02-4739-5101 and let me know. If you would like to become a member so that you can receive the newsletter, you can send a cheque for ten dollars, made out to the NFBCA National Women's Branch to the national office who will forward it.
The theme for the third Members' Newsletter will be Recreation. Please send your contributions to hfreris@bca.org.au by August 31.
The Committee realises that parenting is an issue around which many blind people have concerns and interests. We have therefore designed a questionnaire, appearing elsewhere in this issue, to find out more about the parenting experiences of both women and men. We hope you will respond to it.
The Committee is also working on several other issues. Lee Kumutat has taken up a role on the 2001 Convention planning committee, and will be working with it to ensure that Convention includes plenty to interest everyone. We have also decided that this year the Branch will focus on organising a social event at Convention, so that all our members will have a chance to get to know each other.
Marie and Jody are investigating ways in which the branch can meet the needs of indigenous blind women. They have also been working on some novel fundraising ideas. It is a pleasure to work with a group that has so many new ideas and such enthusiasm.
GDP Research is pleased to announce that it now produces both an audio and a new tactile version of the Miniguide mobility aid.
The new tactile model indicates the distance to objects using vibrations instead of sound: the closer an object is to the aid, the faster it vibrates.
The aid is very small and has multiple modes and features.
For more information please ring 08-8235-1872 or email gphillip@senet.com.au.
Blind Citizens News accepts material in the following categories:
Information about new services, facilities or events of wide interest among blind and vision impaired people is accepted for inclusion within the news content.
Announcements, for sale notices and other advertisements from individuals and small non-profit organisations may be included in a "Notice Board" section, provided that they do not exceed 25 words and are targeted to a national readership. A charge of $20 will apply for each notice.
Advertising on behalf of government, commercial or community organisations that is considered to be relevant to the general readership will be included under the heading "Advertisements". Advertisers must provide copy suitable for inclusion in all formats of the publication and the following rates will apply:
Full page (320 words large print) $375
Half page (150 words large print) $200
Quarter page (70 words large print) $105
For greatest impact, why not consider sponsorship of an entire issue of Blind Citizens News? For $800 you will obtain:
a credit of up to 25 words on the front cover;
2 print pages for the sponsor’s message (equivalent space in other formats).
Blind Citizens News is published four times a year and is now read by more than 3000 people with a direct interest or involvement in the services and facilities available to Australia’s blind and vision impaired population. We circulate 800 large print, 1000 audio, 200 Braille and 50 electronic (computer disk and email) copies to members, libraries, service agencies, government departments and equipment suppliers throughout Australia. Blind Citizens News also appears in full on the internet website of Blind Citizens Australia.
If you wish to place an advertisement in Blind Citizens News, or for further information, please contact Alise Wonson at the National Office.
ARTICLES FOR THE NEXT
ISSUE OF BLIND CITIZENS NEWS
The closing date for articles for the next issue of Blind Citizens News is Friday, June 29, 2001. Articles should be sent to Lynne Davis at the Blind Citizens Australia Office, or preferably in electronic form (disk or email attachment) if possible. If you would like to discuss your ideas for an article or future issue please call Lynne on 02-9438-5675, send her a message via the Office, or email her at jbasti@ozemail.com.au.
For the latest information from Blind Citizens Australia tune in to Horizons on your RPH station, on a Community Station near you, or over the Internet. Horizons is broadcast regularly on RPH stations. It is also becoming available on Community Stations, but you may need to contact your local station to ask it to receive Horizons over the Community Radio Satellite.
Canberra
1RPH 1125 kHz
11.15 am Tuesday; repeated 8.00 pm Tuesday and 9.30am Saturday
Sydney
2RPH 1224 kHz
3.00 pm Wednesday; repeated 8.15 pm Saturday
Melbourne
3RPH 1179 kHz
8.30 pm Wednesday; repeated 6.30 pm Sunday
Brisbane
4RPH 1296 kHz
6.05 pm Monday; repeated 7.00 am Friday
Adelaide
5RPH 1197 kHz
9.15 pm Wednesday, repeated 6.00 pm Friday
Perth
6RPH 990 kHz
10.30 am Friday; repeated 9.45 pm Saturday
Hobart
7RPH 864 kHz
1.30pm Friday; repeated 5.15 pm Saturday
Mildura
3MPH 107.5 MHz
8.30 pm Wednesday, repeated 6.30 pm Sunday
Bendigo
3BPH 88.7 MHz (FM)
8.30 pm Wednesday, repeated 6.30 pm Sunday
Sheparton
3SPH 100.1 MHz (FM)
8.30 pm Wednesday, repeated 6.30 pm Sunday
Albury-Wodonga
101.7 MHz (FM)
8.30 pm Wednesday, repeated 6.30 pm Sunday