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Welcome to this first issue of Blind Citizens Australia News for 2005, BCA's 30th year!!!
I hope all had a wonderful holiday season and that you’re ready to sit down and enjoy what we have in this issue of News!
In this issue, as well as our regular articles from our Executive Officer, National Policy Officer and National Advocacy Officer, we also have a number of very thought-provoking Letters to the Editor, some information about the World Blind Union Sixth General Assembly which was held in South Africa late last year and an article looking back at 30 years of BCA.
Finally, for those who submitted articles/letters for this issue of News, I would just like to say how great it is to have so many contributions. I have actually had to keep some of these contributions for the next issue. To all those who are contributing, keep up the good work and keep sending in your articles!
Enjoy this issue!
Dear Editor,
A Challenge to the Adoption of UEB
I am writing in response to Bill Jolley’s explanatory article on the ‘Unified English Braille’ Code.
I write as both a producer and a consumer/reader, as a blind student whose time of formal study spanned the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, and as a lover of things which are aesthetically pleasing to all of the senses and beautiful to the touch.
Thank you for having the last issue of BCA ‘news’ produced in UEB. It has shown me a sufficient sample of the proposed code on which I can comment.
I am profoundly opposed to the adoption of UEB as a code to supersede those codes in current use. My opposition to this code stems first from a gut feeling of horror as my fingers, once able to nimbly read text well enough to have won braille reading competitions during my comparative youth, (I am not now too old to read Braille Grade 2 properly), limp and stumble over text which has now, given the UEB treatment, been disfigured by unnecessary changes to punctuation, dropped and mutilated contractions and indications of print layout and type face which bear no resemblance to the printed originals they purport to express!
Braille Grade 2 was taught to me mostly by blind teachers who knew and revered both braille and English literature, whose example I was taught to respect. Braille embodied the language in which my formal education was couched. Let no one dare to take that literacy and ease of reading away from me and from those of my generation. I realise there has been and continues to be a profound shift in language, with a greater demand for scientific, mathematical and computer symbols amongst ordinary prose. Having one code to meet all of the challenges ushered in by this change is not, I feel, the way we should go. There is still room for many codes to meet many demands, and computers should be our tools, not the masters of our literary fate!
The first thing I read at the top of a page, for example, was a plethora of dot 6 capital signs before I even read a word! What sort of mis-braille is this!
My second response is to ask a few relevant questions.
Upon the braille literate public will such adoption have as much bearing as it will on the younger student population for whom, I gather, this proposed code is targeted.
I’d like to hope that considerations of elegance and user (reader) friendliness be used in discussion and implementation of any changes to the braille code. Let’s remember that these changes don’t only affect our literacy, which is a profound enough reason for caution, but they are life-altering as well, having implications for such things as study, pleasure in all manner of reading, in the continuation of our livelihoods, and of general happiness and well-being in the future.
Let’s maintain literature which already exists - and our links with Britain and the United States, sources of literature both online and in hardcopy. Without that link we, the braille literate public, will have even more difficulty than we do now accessing books, especially if we study any subject on a continuing basis. All of the braille literate public deserves to have their literacy maintained and enhanced. Let’s not throw out codes which have been known to be successful for the sake of change which is too hasty and has not yet earned universal acclaim.
Merilyn White
Dear Editor,
Blind Pension – The Sacred Cow.
The Federal Government has said they intend to reform the Disability Support Pension, which is most likely to include the Free of Means Test Blind Pension. Last time this was stopped in the Senate, but next time this is unlikely to happen no matter how much we protest.
Perhaps it is time to examine some other scenarios rather than just saying no to change so that BCA can have some fall back positions to offer, especially if it can be shown that these options benefit ‘blind people in need’ more than the present situation.
Having the free of means test pension is fantastic, especially if one is working full time or part time. Despite the arguments about the extra costs of blindness, there is an inherent inequity which people who are unemployed or retired are going along with because those who are most vocal are employed.
It is not until one is unemployed and only has the pension to live on that one realizes the inequity of the present system. Statistics show that 70 to 80% of people who are legally blind are unemployed or under employed, and the percentage who are retired are increasing every day, so the percentage employed is getting smaller as a total percentage.
Perhaps the vast majority of blind people would be better off if the Disability Support Pension was reduced to half for example. (still tax free) and we were eligible for other benefits such as unemployment, Newstart, or the aged pension as well.
This way people in real need get the greatest benefit from the government’s social security net, and it is recognized that the cost of blindness exists whether one is employed, unemployed, or retired.
The Editor,
I found the item written by Ben Clare, about his work in PNG, very inspiring and can only admire his attitude to assist people who have far less than we do.
However, considering that the people he went over to assist are so poor, I did wonder why he was training them with, probably, the most expensive screen reader, Jaws, on the market. From my understanding, there are alternatives which are very adequate and only cost a fraction of Jaws, such as, ‘LOOKOUT’, developed by Manchester University, in the UK. Apparently, upgrades are ongoing and, therefore, it would seem, that it is intended to keep it current with main software programs. $200 might still be expensive to the PNG people, but it is an awful lot less than Window Eyes and Jaws.
Because we are able to afford these expensive programs, which even for some of us, is prohibitive, we are in danger of suggesting adaptive technology to those who will, not in their wildest dreams, be able to obtain them. I don't know how much Jaws is but, I believe it is well over the $1,000. If that is the case, you would be able to purchase, at least, three of ‘LOOKOUT’ for the same money, that would mean more people would be able to access more computers, instead of just having one computer that everybody has to wait in hope for.
I'm sure there must be an obvious reason why Jaws was chosen and would be interested to hear it.
Geoff Stratton
Dear Editor,
In relation to the recent discussion on guide dogs and Virgin Blue, I am extremely disappointed in the media’s presentation of blind people as down trodden and helpless. I also get very angry when the blindness agencies portray us in the same way. We are far from this and we must make sure that as blind people we do not help endorse this image when we go the media about issues which affect us. If an airline doesn’t provide mats for dogs it’s quite simple, don’t fly with them. It’s all about choice here.
Lisa Hayes
In this my first column for 2005, I want to highlight the main things that have happened that will be of interest to BCA members in the later part of 2004 and early in this year.
In 2005 BCA will hold its National Convention in Perth. The dates are 30 September to 3 October. Our Western Australian members are working hard to ensure an enjoyable and successful Convention and I hope that many of you will be able to join us in Perth. Venue, program details and costs are being finalised and this important information will be available through BCA communications media.
BCA's Annual General Meeting for 2005 will be held in association with the National Convention. One function of our Annual General Meeting is to consider amendments to our Constitution. Proposed amendments to our Constitution have to be received in the National Office by 30 June 2005 to be considered at this year's AGM.
As you may know, BCA has a National Policy
Development Council (
In the past, the
At the November 2004 meeting, we decided on
some simple and subtle changes to the
Where tasks and activities in technical domains need to be resourced, the appropriate SMG may second the participation of other community experts only for the duration of the activities for which they are required.
The Board Members with responsibility for leading our Strategic Management Groups are:--
The membership of these Working Groups will be finalised at a Board meeting in February which will also review our Strategic Plan and set the Working Group priorities.
Further to these changes, we are also striving
to become more effective at gaining input and understanding from our members at
branch level. Thus,
The new Membership and Development SMG will also be working on ways to enhance this communication, as well as looking at ways that BCA can encourage further participation from blind or vision-impaired members of the community.
RBS.RVIB.VAF Ltd, the newly merged blindness agency has appointed its first Executive Officer. He is Jerrard Menses. We welcome Mr Menses appointment and look forward to working with him.
We would urge BCA members who are members of the new merged organisation to renew their membership, and those who are not members to join. A strong representation of blind and vision-impaired people will help ensure that the new organisation delivers the services we want and is inclusive of blind people in all of its activities.
There is much discussion in the community and
the media about welfare reform and what the Government may or may not do to
change Disability Support Pension. We at BCA are preparing to do all we can to
put a strong case for blind people to the welfare reform debate and to see that
our existing
In late 2004, a number of Australians attended
the World Blind Union's 6th World Assembly in Cape Town, South Africa. One of
the highlights for Australia, was the election of our former Executive Officer,
For many of us, the joy of our Christmas vacation was tempered by news of the Tsunami which devastated the coastal areas of Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka. We are only to aware that among the many people experiencing the short and long term affects of this natural disaster are people who are blind or vision impaired.
In the early 1980's a group of Australian blind cricketers visited Sri Lanka. One of this group, Ivan Molloy, established a strong link with the Sri Lanka Federation of the Visually Handicapped. He and his friends, through the Overseas Cultural Branch of Blind Citizens Australia, have supported this organisation and its school and hostel over many years.
One of the effects of the tsunami is that the ability of the local community to support these facilities has been greatly diminished. Ivan and his members are responding to the post tsunami needs of the school and hostel by raising funds to support repairs to buildings and provide ongoing maintenance of these facilities in the short term until the local community can recover and resume this role. If you want to support this work you can contact Ivan through the BCA office.
Finally, if you want to know more about BCA activities or to give us your comments on matters relating to blindness and vision impairment that are concerning you, I encourage you to contact us at the National Office. I also encourage you to visit our web site, http://www.bca.org.au which contains much useful information about BCA and blindness and vision impairment. Back to top of Page
Happy New Year! With the Christmas break over and the New Year underway, I look forward to keeping you up to date with the major policy issues for 2005. For this edition of News, I have outlined a commentary on matters relating to welfare, education, voting and employment.
Since the re-election of the Federal
Coalitaion Government in 2004, there has been speculation and rumor regarding
changes to the Disability Support Pension (
The Disability Discrimination Amendment (Education Standards) Bill has now been passed by the Federal Parliament and will soon become law. The passing of this Bill incorporates the Standards on Education into the Disability Discrimination Act. These standards will go a long way to creating a system of education that is more accessible and fairer for people with disabilities by providing clarity to education providers about their obligations to students with a disability.
In January, BCA made a submission advocating for Electronic Assisted Voting (EAV) and other electronic assisted technology to enhance democracy for people who are blind or vision impaired in the Victorian Parliament's Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee Inquiry into Electronic Democracy. BCA will be giving formal evidence to this inquiry in February. An electronic plain text copy of this submission is available on our website on the National Policy page at http://www.bca.org.au/natpol
BCA will also be making a submission to the Federal Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters (JSCEM) as part of its review of the 2004 Federal election. Again, BCA will be advocating for Electronic Assisted Voting (EAV) so people who are blind or vision impaired can cast an independent, secret and verifiable vote. The successful use of electronic voting at the recent 2004 ACT parliamentary election will be used in our submission to strengthen our case for change.
During September last year, BCA made a submission to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’s (HREOC) call comments asking whether a public inquiry on issues affecting people with disabilities and equal employment opportunity should be undertaken. BCA stated unequivocally in its submission that a public inquiry should be conducted on this important issue. Recently, HREOC announced that a public inquiry will go ahead into the issues of employment and disability. BCA will be making a comprehensive submission to this inquiry.
Blind Citizens Australia continually advocates for accessible banking and other financial services. Being able to independently manage finances is something that most people try to maintain for as long as possible. We believe that people who are blind or vision impaired should have equal opportunity to control their financial affairs.
Blind Citizens Australia has been
involved in trying to improve service accessibility at all major banks in
St George will be continuing with the program of providing audio access and are currently averaging 15 - 20 ATMs per month. We have been advised that the current aim is to have provided audio access at approximately 80 percent of BankSA and St George branded ATM network by December 2006.
St George has also developed an Internet banking site which is compliant with W3C Content Guidelines.
Anyone who would like more detailed information about the location of the audio enabled ATMs can contact our head office.
We will keep members informed about other developments in accessible banking services and encourage members to contact us about access difficulties. Negotiating outcomes in relation to individual complaints creates the best opportunity for reform.
The year 2005 marks the thirtieth anniversary
of the foundation of Blind Citizens Australia. Milestones such as this allow us
to do three things: look back on our heritage, celebrate our achievements and
look forward to our future. In BCA we can look back with pride on our
achievements and look forward with optimism towards the unfinished business of
our future. There is another reason in 2005 for BCA to take stock for moving
forward. With the merger of the three blindness agencies in south-east
Last year BCA’s
Blind Citizens Australia was formed in
BCA's governing body was
traditionally known as the Council, and only for the last few years has it been
referred to as the Board. Altogether there have been fifty-nine members of the
Council/Board, reflecting well on BCA's flexibility and willingness to
introduce new people to the leadership team. David Blyth was BCA's
first President, followed by Bill Jolley, Joan Ledermann, Bill Jolley,
BCA has experienced four stages of development:
I hope that a sub-theme for Blind Citizens News this year will be acknowledgement of our heritage and reflection on our past achievements; I trust that together we will find ways to celebrate our thirtieth anniversary; and I anticipate that our leadership group will build on past achievements to chart the way ahead for BCA to grasp new opportunities and meet emerging challenges.
At the National Policy and Development
Council meeting, held in November last year, it was agreed to merge the
Late last year the then
The Disability Discrimination Act and the subordinate DDA Standards for Education require Universities to provide educational services in an accessible way. This includes providing information to students in a format that they can use and which supports their learning.
In recognition that many Universities were struggling to meet this challenge, in May 2002 the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission convened a forum to discuss ways to improve the provision of information in alternative formats. The Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee (AVCC) then agreed to Chair an Accessible Curricular Materials Steering Committee to implement the recommendations arising from the forum.
One of the recommendations identified as a priority by the Steering Committee was the preparation of guidelines for Universities on policies and procedures on information access for students with print disabilities.
In 2004 Blind Citizens Australia took the opportunity to have representation on an AVCC working group given the task to develop guidelines on Information Access for Students with Print Disabilities. In November of 2004 these guidelines were published.
These guidelines are not a prescriptive list but are presented as advice on good practice, with the aim of assisting individual institutions to meet the needs of students with print disabilities through strategies and arrangements which are appropriate to their local circumstances. The guidelines relate to:
The complete Guidelines on Information Access for Students with Print Disabilities can be found at; www.avcc.edu.au/documents/publications/GuidelineOnInfoAccessForStudentsWithDisabilities.doc.
As you will recall, on the 12th August 2004 the Federal Attorney-General, the Hon. Philip Ruddock and the Federal Education Minister the Hon. Dr Brendan Nelson announced that they will be introducing into Parliament the Disability Discrimination Amendment (Education Standards) Bill 2004 to amend the Disability Discrimination Act so the Standards on Education can be incorporated into the Act to the greatest possible extent.
In October of 2004 a Federal election was called. Blind Citizens Australia wrote to the attorney General's Department seeking assurance that the Government’s initiative to introduce the Standards would continue if the Government was re-elected. Blind Citizens Australia also requested that the Government not redraft the Standards prior to tabling in Parliament once the Bill is passed but rather introduce the Bill and Standards in their current form as a single package.
The Attorney General's Department response informed us that the Government if re-elected intended to pursue the Education Standards and would re-introduce the Bill as soon as possible. The Government did not intend to redraft the Standards and intended to proceed with tabling the Standards once the Bill was passed.
The Employment page on the BCA web-site is updated on a regular basis. Please take a look and if you think you can contribute, please do.
As stated earlier the
If you have any issues that you would like considered by the Education and Employment SMG, please email Greg@fnas.uwa.edu.au or tsmith24@pobox.une.edu.au
As a commitment to clients, voting members and other stakeholders the Boards of Royal Blind Society, Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind and Vision Australia Foundation gave an undertaking that in merging the agencies there would be work undertaken to develop and adopt a Charter for ongoing client and consumer consultation. The Board of the newly merged organisation is pleased to announce that at its meeting in January Directors of the Board adopted the new Client and Consumer Advisory Charter.
The Charter was developed by a working group chaired by David Blyth, AM, with input from clients and consumer representatives, including BCA, who have been part of the client advisory bodies of the merging agencies. The working group has now been asked by the Board to implement the Charter by establishing a Client Representative Council.
The Client Representative Council (the Council) is part of a broader consultative framework including Local Client Groups, Regional Client Groups and Consumer Advisory Body. The Board however wishes to establish the inaugural Council as soon as possible.
The Council will be the Company's peak internal body representing the needs and views of clients of the organisation. This body will be made up of clients of the Company drawing its members from all geographic areas within which the Company operates. Its primary purpose is to provide advice to the Board and management on issues of an internal nature and to link with consumer organisations through a consumer advisory body.
The working group is seeking expressions of interest from clients and parents of children who are clients, who would like to play a role in representing the views of people who use the services of the organisation to the Board and Management through the Council. The Council will be made up of twelve individuals and two Directors from the Company's Board.
The working group is keen to receive expressions of interest from all regions throughout Victoria, NSW and the ACT. Expressions of interest should be submitted by Friday, 22 April responding to selection criterion against which all applications will be reviewed.
The Charter sets out how the whole consultative framework will function including the role and operation of the Council. It is therefore important that clients and parents of children who are clients wishing to apply read the Charter.
The selection criterion and Charter are available by calling 1300 134 560 or by emailing Shirley Admans at shirley.admans@visionaustralia.org.au.
If you would like to know more about the
Charter or the establishment of the Client Representative Council you can
contact Shirley Admans or
Shirley Admans
Phone: 03 9864 9720
Email: shirley.admans@visionaustralia.org.au
Phone: 1300 558 458
Email: michael.simpson@rbs.org.au
Please note that much of the information
provided in this article has been compiled from notes taken by Andrew Daly (one
of
Also, a more detailed report of the WBU General Assembly will be posted on the BCA website shortly. The full report will also contain a list of exhibitors that were present at the conference.
The WBU was founded in 1994 in
The WBU is comprised of over 150 member countries, representing six
sub-regions:
Since
The General Assembly is held every 4 years. The South African National
Council for the Blind (SANCB) hosted this 6th General Assembly. The assembly
was held in
The attendees included:
The Assembly was simultaneously translated in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic and Russian. In addition, the business of the General Assembly was streamed on the Internet.
A two day Women’s Forum was held prior to the General Assembly. Over 90 countries were represented during the Women’s forum. The key areas discussed included:
The Assembly was officially opened by the following speakers:
During her opening address, Ms Nordstrum raised three specific issues:
The following reports were given by the Table Officers.
Much of the second and third days of the General Assembly were taken up with
constitutional changes and voting procedures. With regard to the latter, there
was considerable discussion around which delegates were eligible to vote and
the number of eligible proxy votes. Judge Ishmael Hussein from the South
African Electoral Commission helped to oversee the voting. Mr William Jolley
from
There were three key constitutional amendments proposed regarding changes to the President’s position. They included:
The three constitutional changes failed to be approved. As a result Dr William Rowland was the only eligible nominee for President of the WBU and was elected.
The majority of the remaining constitutional changes were passed. Some of the key changes included:
During the Assembly, each of the six sub-regions held a meeting. During the Asia Pacific meeting, the President's and Treasurer' s reports were tabled. Elections were also held, with the following outcomes:
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President, |
Mr Graeme Innes (Australia); |
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Vice President, |
Mr D Paradu (Malaysia); |
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Secretary-General, |
Mr Ivan Ho (Malaysia); |
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Treasurer, |
Ms Mitchiko (Japan); |
The three members to the WBU Executive included: Mr T Shasida (Japan), Ms Paula Daye (New Zealand), and Mr Monthian Bhutan (Thailand).
The following reports were also presented during the Assembly:
Louis Braille Museum, Dr Geoff Gibbs.
Media, Advocacy, Policies and Information Working Group;
Organisational Development, Capacity Building and Democracy Working Group, Mr
John Heilbrunn;
Committee on Elderly Blind Persons, Mr John Barrick;
Committee on Blind Children, Ms Gertrude Fefoan, Rwanda; UN and Its Agencies
Working Group, Mr. Colin Low.
The following were elected to the WBU Executive:
|
President: |
Dr William Rowland (South Africa) |
|
First Vice President: |
Ms |
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|
|
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Secretary General: |
Mr Enrique Pérez (Spain) |
|
|
|
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Treasurer: |
Ms Susan Spungin (United States). |
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Second Vice President: |
Ms Gloria Penezia (Columbia). |
There were 35 Resolutions tabled for the Assembly to consider. Each Resolution was passed.
Address by President Thabo Mbecki, of South Africa.
Address by incoming President, Dr William Rowland. His plans for this term include:
In addition to the main program of the WBU Assembly, a number of workshops were also held during the morning and evening. These were discussion forums open to both delegates and observers.
You may recall that in about April last
year,
The Onkyo Co. Ltd., The Mainichi Newspaper "The Braille Mainichi" and WBUAP announced an essay contest known as "The 2nd Onkyo Braille Essay Award" for persons with visual impairment in the Asia Pacific Region. The objectives of the Award were:
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(I) |
To evaluate the quality of life of persons with visual impairment in this region. |
|
(II) |
To promote braille literacy and to encourage the reading and writing culture. |
|
(III) |
To encourage persons with visual impairment to take advantage of the potential of writing as another means of earning some income. |
|
(IV) |
To empower them to play active roles through their writings in changing public attitudes towards blindness and influencing the thinking of governments towards blind people. |
As BCA's Executive Officer, Maryanne requested that the Australian Braille Authority (ABA) take responsibility for judging the entries and making decisions as to which five essays should be sent forward to the International Judges. (Competition rules allowed for a maximum of five essays from each participating country).
As a member of the ABA Executive, I was given the task of carrying out this project and together with Anne Carlson and Garry Stinchcombe, we three (very experienced braille users) set about reading and judging the sixteen braille essays received from around the country.
With considerable difficulty we chose the five essays to be sent forward on behalf of Australia. Prize winners were announced at the WBU sixth General Assembly in South Africa last December. Happily, we can now congratulate four of those essay writers as being successful prize winners.
On behalf of Blind Citizens Australia and the Australian Braille Authority, we thank all those who took the time to submit essays and in particular we congratulate our four prize winners. You can look forward to reading their essays in future issues of BCA News.
Janet Shaw is a tandem cyclist who won a bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Paralympics. Her life and how she eventually became a Paralympic cyclist is a fascinating story. She took up tandem cycling in 2001 at the age of thirty-five. Beyond the Red Door is Janet Shaw’s account of her journey so far, one chapter in a remarkable life. In her book she recounts the many battles she fought to retain partial sight in one eye, and how in time she had to come to terms with total blindness. As an infant she was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a hereditary cancer of the retinas. As a result she had one eye removed, while she retained some vision in the other eye after receiving radiotherapy. The radiotherapy, however, caused her vision to gradually deteriorate, and she became totally blind in her thirties.
Janet Shaw was born in 1966, and has lived in Perth for most of her life. In addition to sight loss and the attendant problems of having a vision impairment, she has had several other issues to contend with, including being adopted, and the possibility of secondary cancers later in life. In her autobiography she catalogues the many surgical procedures she was forced to endure during her life, the countless visits to hospitals, the excruciating pain, the slow deterioration of her vision. She deals intelligently with many issues which would be familiar to people with low vision, issues such as difficulty in forming and maintaining relationships, the struggle for independence, the need to prove oneself as a valued member of society. The book’s title refers to the blind school where Janet spent three years, and where she was forbidden to use her vision, an interdiction which to her seemed absurd - why not use the abilities which you possess? The blind school’s red door becomes symbolic of all those things which are perceived to be impossible for a blind or vision impaired person, those things which are forbidden, and which for Janet were merely barriers to be overcome. The greatest barrier for Janet was accepting blindness, and once she was able to do this, she was liberated, she could put the pain and the struggles behind her and live an ordinary life.
Paradoxically, what Janet chose to do after losing her sight was far from ordinary. Becoming a Paralympic athlete, with the discipline and dedication which this career demands, is not something which is within the purview of most people. While she still retained some connection with the sighted world, Janet had a rather jaundiced view of those people with disabilities who evinced a need to excel in sport, or break world records. As she says: “Back then I used to see these people as being pretty desperate to be normal if they felt they had to do something crazy to be noticed.” (p. 269). After losing her sight, however, her views changed, and she came to see the value in achieving something extraordinary. Though she was passionate about horse riding in her younger days, sport only figured episodically in Janet’s life. It was only when she became totally blind that she decided to take up tandem cycling, and she believes that she would never have taken up cycling if she had not lost her sight.
Beyond the Red Door is a deeply moving and inspirational narrative, as it is ultimately a story of triumph, a story of courage and persistence in the face of adversity. The book is insightful and beautifully written, demonstrating the author’s skill as a writer and her sensitivity to language. Janet Shaw has a remarkable capacity to evoke images and scenes, resulting in a powerful and poignant narrative. Her style is clear and direct, and she deals aptly with her emotional reactions to the various trials with which she had to contend.
I feel that not enough books have been written by blind and vision impaired people, documenting their experiences and defining what it means to be blind or vision impaired. It is essential that we have more people like Janet Shaw and more books like Beyond the Red Door to raise community awareness of blindness and vision impairment. The public needs to be informed about what people with disabilities are capable of accomplishing. As Janet Shaw says: “The public needed to know that we weren’t some lower class who needed to be pitied and fussed over, or to be ignored because we had nothing to contribute. We could work just as hard as other people and achieve the same results.” (p. 270). Janet Shaw demonstrates what can be achieved through courage and determination, and the contribution which a person can make despite having a disability.
Beyond the Red Door by Janet Shaw was published by Allen and Unwin in 2004.
The Royal Society for the Blind (RSB) is pleased to announce the further roll-out of the "Book in the Sky" ("BiTS") digital audio delivery system. This will make library services and daily newspapers more accessible to South Australians who are blind or vision impaired.
The BiTS System is a secure digital multicast system, for delivering audio books, newspapers and other text to people who are blind or vision impaired. The user can store up to 24 hours of audio content on an Audio Navigator, and can easily navigate around the chapters and pages of books, or various sections and articles of newspapers. The system provides enormous savings over traditional talking book library delivery methods and opens up a world of previously unavailable content for the user.
Last year the RSB conducted a "world first" pilot of the "BiTS" system, and following this highly successful trial, is now commencing the roll-out of the system. Initially, the BiTS system will be installed in five locations, and accessed by 85 blind or vision impaired readers in metropolitan and regional areas of South Australia.
A number of selected users will access
the BiTS service via their broadband internet access, and computer equipment
containing the initial catalogue of titles will also be installed at five
separate locations.
These locations include:
Two RSB sites - Knapman House (the RSB's
city client centre) & Gilles Plains (The RSB's Industrial Workshop); and
Three public libraries, located at Burnside, Salisbury and Mount Gambier.
The proposed rollout will be as follows:
Eight clients who have existing broadband facilities will be issued with an Audio Navigator, and will be able to order and download their selected titles directly through their broadband connection. These eight broadband users will also have access to up to four daily newspapers, namely the Adelaide Advertiser, the Melbourne Age, Sydney Morning Herald, and the Financial Review.
One of the BiTS systems will be installed at Knapman House. Audio Navigators will be issued to fourteen RSB clients who will access the "BiTS" system by attending Knapman House to download their selected titles.
The Burnside, Salisbury and Mount Gambier public libraries will also be hosting the "BiTS" system, and have agreed to support RSB clients in updating their Audio Navigators. Initially, ten Audio Navigators will be supplied to each library. The RSB has identified high volume talking book readers within these public library areas, and will invite those clients to participate in the initial roll-out.
The final BiTS System will be installed at the RSB's Gilles Plains site, following the roll out into the three public libraries. The RSB Gilles Plains site is the home of the RSB Industrial Workshop which employs over 60 vision impaired staff. A number of these clients will be invited to participate in the initial roll-out.
The above-mentioned newspapers, which are initially only available to broadband users, will be made available to all participants of the BiTS system in the near future, once the service has been fully established.
For further information or the background of the "BiTS" program, go to www.rsb.org.au/BITS or www.audio-read.com.au, or contact Tony Starkey on 8223 6222.
Large font bills are now available to customers with Optus Mobiles or Optus Local Telephony on the cabled network. Providing large font bills to customers who are vision impaired is part of Optus' commitment to alternate billing options. Together with the existing provision of selected bills in braille, these alternate billing options are key initiatives under Optus' Disability Action Plan to ensure customers have equitable access to their bills.
For more information for yourself or
someone you know, please contact Optus on the following numbers:
Mobile customers: 1300 300 937
Home Phone customers: 133 066
Members of Blind Citizens Australia and generous members of the public have, for many years, partly funded the work of BCA through donations and lotteries. In recent times a number of friends and members have also shown their support by leaving a bequest or legacy from their estate in a Will.
This kind of support is vital for our ongoing work and we encourage all members and friends to ensure that Blind Citizens Australia will be here to work for blind and vision impaired Australians in the future. BCA’s advocacy to ensure that services and facilities do not discriminate against our members and other blind people has proved to be of enormous benefit to all blind Australians and we need to make sure that our work continues.
You can help by making a bequest in your Will. Please include Blind Citizens Australia in your Will by using the following wording:
“I give to Blind Citizens Australia the sum of (include sum both in words and figures) free from all duties or other taxes, whether State or Federal.”
We would like to thank all members who have generously donated to BCA recently. If you would like to make a donation to BCA, but find it difficult filling out forms you may like to call the National Office on 1800 033 660 and donate over the phone using your credit card.
The closing date for articles for the next issue should be submitted no later than Friday,.6 May. Articles should be sent to Blind Citizens Australia National Office, if possible in large print (16pt or larger) or preferably in electronic form (disk or email attachment).
If you would like to discuss your ideas for a possible article please call on 1800 033 660, or email bca@bca.org.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 a 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 980 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.
For the latest information from Blind Citizens Australia tune in to Horizons on your RPH station, on a Community Station near you, or via the BCA website. 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 by Satellite.
Adelaide
5RPH 1197 Khz
9.15 pm Wednesday,
repeated 6.00 pm Friday
Brisbane
4RPH 1296 Khz
7.00 am Friday;
repeated 6.05 pm Monday
Canberra
1RPH 1125 Khz
11.15 am Tuesday;
repeated 8.00 pm Tuesday
and 9.30am Saturday
Hobart
7RPH 864 Khz
1.30pm Friday;
repeated 5.15pm Saturday
Perth
6RPH 990 Khz
10.30 am Friday;
repeated 9.45 pm Saturday
Sydney
2RPH 1224 Khz
3.00 pm Wednesday;
repeated 8.15 pm Saturday
Victoria
8.30pm Wednesday;
repeated 6.30pm Sunday
on the following stations:
Melbourne RPH 1179 AM
Albury RPH 101.7 FM
Bendigo RPH 88.7 FM
Geelong RPH 99.5 FM
Mildura RPH 107.5 FM
Shepparton RPH 101.1 FM
Warragul RPH 93.5 FM
Warrnambool RPH 94.5 FM.