TABLE OF CONTENTS

Editorial: Mere Integration Is Not Enough!Building an Inclusive and Accessible CanadaMy First Secret BallotA Call for Balanced InputDemanding Dignity, Not DeprivationThe Changing Shape of Disability Rights WorkProactive Living for the BlindDonating Organs, Harvesting LifeTransit Drivers Calling the StopsAre Hybrids a Silent Danger?Snowbank a Tripping HazardCrossing Signals UrgedWalking into a Revolving Door...Whispers at Poker TableSpecial Tactile TourStorytellingOld-Time RadioAsking for Better TechnologyBuilders Consider Mobility IssuesThe Radiator, Washing Machine and Gas PumpCreating My Own Backyard OasisLeading by ExampleActive: But Not an AthleteScuba Diving Anyone?Captaining the Blind Fishing BoatGet SportyDragon Boating the Great EqualizerDisabilities Fade on HorseChildren with Disabilities Take to SlopesVisually Impaired Teenager DisownedMaking a Lot of ScentsIn Memoriam: Honouring Our Torch BearersHighlights of Recent AEBC ActivitiesWe Support Outstanding Blind Scholars!New ResourcesMembership/CBM Subscription Form

EDITORIAL: MERE INTEGRATION IS NOT ENOUGH!By: John Rae

In the early days of the disability rights movement, Canadians with disabilities sought integration. We wanted the opportunity to work and to escape the shackles of poverty. We wanted to go to school alongside our non-disabled peers, and to ride the same

buses. We wanted to go to the movies and sit anywhere we chose and to participate in local fitness and recreational programs. We wanted to be able to use new products and emerging technologies. We wanted to live safely in our own communities and have our own families. And we wanted our human rights protected by Human Rights Codes.

In the old days, we sought "integration"--being in the same places as our non-disabled peers. It was a good starting point. It opened some doors. But too often it failed to move our position in Canadian society forward, either far enough or fast enough, and often resulted in mere tokenism.

In today's "mainstream" classrooms, do blind students have access to current adaptive technology and the training required to use it effectively? Are they instructed in braille and orientation and mobility skills so they can learn and play alongside their sighted peers? Do they receive the supports they need to succeed in school or are some just "dumped" into classes without the resources necessary for optimal learning? Every student, disabled or not, must be provided with the tools relevant to their particular education and development, to stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives.

Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees "mobility rights" to every Canadian, but being able to move from one province or territory to another isn't enough if needed disability-related services and supports don't follow you. If you happen to live in Ontario, for instance, you can qualify for its Assistive Devices Program, which pays up to 75% of the cost of many items, including computers with adaptive software. If an Ontarian moves to Manitoba, British Columbia or several other provinces and territories, access to this kind of support is lost, because many other jurisdictions still do not offer similar programs. This type of support must become universally available throughout Canada.

Technological advances were supposed to be the great equalizer and make it easier for persons with disabilities to secure and maintain employment. To some extent they have, but these advances have also made it easier for workplaces to phase out positions that used to provide employment for many.

Over the past three decades, our rate of employment has improved only slightly. At a time when a growing number of occupational fields are experiencing a shortage of skilled labour and many persons with disabilities remain unemployed or underemployed, why isn't government implementing a National Economic Strategy to bridge this gap by addressing both the chronic levels of poverty and unemployment that continue to plague so many Canadians with disabilities, including we who are blind, deaf-blind or partially sighted?

Too often the release of new versions of adaptive technology, designed to provide blind persons with access to mainstream computer programs, lags considerably behind the release of commercially available software. This produces new barriers.

Regular household products and appliances, furthermore, have traditionally been usable to the majority of the population but today, despite increased talk of "Universal Design", we are taking a step backwards, with a growing range of items operable only via digital displays or visual menus. Consumers with vision loss cannot use these products independently. In 2008, why are such barriers still being created? This represents yet another violation of our human rights. Products must be designed with everyone in mind.

Today's Canadians are becoming more environmentally conscious, leading to the ever-increasing popularity of the quiet, hybrid vehicle. While they may be friendlier to the environment--something the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians firmly applauds--quiet, hybrid cars pose a danger to pedestrians--not just those who are blind--who may not hear the approach of these stealthy automobiles. Before someone is maimed or killed on our streets, we call on manufacturers to add some feature or device to these vehicles to emit a sound loud enough for pedestrians to hear them.

The ongoing imperative that old barriers must be removed and new ones prevented is one of many reasons why the AEBC was pleased to participate in meetings that developed the National Action Plan, which focuses on Building an Inclusive and Accessible Canada for all, released at last November's End Exclusion event in Ottawa (see the text of this Action Plan elsewhere in these pages and visit the End Exclusion website at www.endexclusion.ca). It is now up to all of us to familiarize ourselves with this National Action Plan, spread the word about it and bring its content directly to our locally elected officials.

The idea of "integration" remains laudable, but we must look far beyond merely being alongside our non-disabled counterparts. We want real inclusion and the removal of barriers so that we can realize our right to participate fully in all aspects of regular community life. In short, we want to realize the promise of the International Year of the Disabled Person 1981, which called for "full participation and equality."

FROM VISION TO ACTION: BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE CANADANational Action Plan 2007

Background: Exclusion, poverty and isolation are a shared reality for the majority of the more than 12% of Canadians who have a disability and the 33% of Aboriginal/First Nations Canadians who have a disability. The outcomes are predictable. We know that:

* Canadians with disabilities are almost twice as likely to live in poverty compared to other Canadians.

* Over two million Canadian adults with disabilities lack one or more of the educational, workplace, aids, home modification or other supports they need to participate fully in their communities.

* Over 55% of working-age adults with disabilities are currently unemployed or out of the labour market. For women with disabilities, the rate is almost 75%.

* According to the International Labour Organization, the annual loss of global GDP due to the exclusion of persons with disabilities from the labour market is between U.S. $1.37 trillion and U.S. $1.94 trillion.* * * More than 10,000 persons with intellectual disabilities remain warehoused in institutions across this country.

* Slightly more than half of Canadian children with disabilities do not have access to needed aids and devices.

* Rates of violence and abuse against people with disabilities, in particular women with disabilities, are among the highest for any group in Canadian society.

* We know that for Aboriginal Canadians with disabilities these rates are even higher.

While progress has been made over the past 25 years, many Canadians with disabilities and their families continue to experience daily barriers to their full and equal participation in Canadian society. The personal, social and economic costs of exclusion are too high to be ignored. Immediate action is needed to address the high rates of poverty facing Canadians with disabilities and its causes and the lack of access to disability supports that perpetuate barriers and exclusion and keep people with disabilities and their families invisible and marginalized.

Vision Is Not Enough--Action Is Required: A turning point has been reached. New ways of thinking must be adopted by employers, governments and providers of public services. A comprehensive national disability strategy is needed. Solutions are known and innovative policies and programs do exist. It is time to take action and implement solutions. Solutions are complex and multi-jurisdictional; however, this cannot be an excuse for inaction.

There are many opportunities to improve the status of Canadians with disabilities. Domestically, the current government has made a number of commitments to addressing issues facing people with disabilities and their families. A national strategy is needed to ensure these commitments work in concert and contribute to building an Inclusive and Accessible Canada.

Internationally, with the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the issue of disability is receiving significant profile. Canada demonstrated leadership by signing the CRPD on the first day it was open to signature. Ratification and implementation of the CRPD in Canada is an opportunity to take concrete steps to demonstrate the depth of commitment to people with disabilities and their families. The CRPD creates a new opportunity to demonstrate Canada's

leadership in the world and confront the poverty, unemployment, lack of support, social exclusion and denial of basic rights of self-determination faced by so many people with disabilities.

On November 2, 2006, 300 Canadians with disabilities, family members and allies gathered in Ottawa at End Exclusion 2006 to support a Vision for Building An Inclusive and Accessible Canada. Over 80 organizations and 5000 individuals committed to this vision and to working together to make it a reality.

On November 22, 2007, at End Exclusion 2007, more than 300 supporters of an inclusive and accessible Canada will gather again to discuss what is needed to make our vision a reality. Canadians with disabilities and their families have developed the following policy framework and National Action Plan on Disability to guide the End Exclusion 2007 discussion and to provide a road map to help policy makers, politicians and interested Canadians in advancing a national disability strategy and in moving from Vision to Action.

Shared Vision for an Inclusive and Accessible Canada: There is a shared vision for an inclusive and accessible Canada and unprecedented consensus exists among the Canadian public, governments, the disability community and experts about the need for national action on disability issues. An Inclusive and Accessible Canada is a Canada where:

* Canadians with disabilities--children, youth, working-age adults and seniors--have the necessary support to fully access and benefit from all that Canada has to offer.

* Independent Living principles of choice, consumer control and autonomy are made real.

* Canadians with disabilities have safe, adequate, accessible housing in their community and live free from residential institutions and confinement.

* Canadians with disabilities and their families have the income, aids and devices, personal supports, medications and environmental accommodations that make social, economic, cultural and political citizenship accessible and inclusive of all.

* Women with disabilities, Aboriginal People with disabilities, persons with disabilities from visible minority communities, and those from other marginalized communities are equally able to access all aspects of and benefit from Canadian society.

* Canadians with invisible disabilities, chronic illness, episodic disabilities or environmental sensitivities, or living in rural or remote areas are equally able to access and benefit from Canadian society.

The result is that people with disabilities are able to contribute to, and benefit from, Canadian society in the same way as other Canadians. This is our Canada.

A Framework for Action: The Government of Canada can make An Inclusive and Accessible Canada a reality by initiating concerted efforts to develop a joint strategy with provincial/territorial governments and First Nations to meet the needs of Canadians with disabilities. Significant overlap exists between the federal and provincial/territorial roles for disability. As the government explores strengthening the Federation and the economic union, there must be discussion on how we, as a country, ensure that supports and services needed for the full inclusion and active citizenship of people with disabilities and their family are being provided.

To be effective, a National Action Plan on Disability must transcend our traditional fragmented, reactive approach to disability. It must involve comprehensive short- and long-range plans and decisive action to create a national environment in which people with disabilities can and do achieve their full potential.

The Government of Canada has committed to bringing forward a Federal Disability Act. Canadians with disabilities will support a Federal Disability Act that moves forward quickly, encompasses the issues identified below, allocates significant resources for improving access and inclusion, and ensures a mechanism for strong enforcement of access and inclusion.

The development of a Federal Disability Act cannot preclude action in other areas nor can Canadians with disabilities and their families wait for a Federal Disability Act to implement reforms that are desperately needed now.

For an Inclusive and Accessible Canada to be a reality, the Government of Canada must show leadership by enhancing their role in four key areas:

* * Enhanced disability supports to enable Independent Living, active citizenship and full participation;* * * An enhanced Federal role in alleviating poverty of persons with disabilities and their families, thus freeing up dollars at provincial/territorial levels for new investments in disability supports;* * * Labour force inclusion measures;* * * A national social development role to promote accessibility and community inclusion.

A Framework for a National Action Plan on Disability:

1. New Investments in Disability-Related Supports

Properly executed new investments can bring change to the lives of people with disabilities. An appropriately targeted investment in disability-related supports would

assist Canadians with disabilities to participate in early learning and childcare, become educated and employed, live more independently, and look after their families.

Such an investment is the priority of the disability community and is the foundation upon which a comprehensive National Action Plan on Disability must be built. Central to this initiative is a commitment to deinstitutionalization and removing the stigma attached to disability.

The Government of Canada must:

* Create the national social, economic and political conditions for people with disabilities to empower themselves and to achieve their full potential.

* Work with provinces and territories to explore ways of increasing access to and improving the range of available disability supports.

* Work with provinces and territories to provide support for the building of safe, affordable, accessible and supportive housing.

* Acknowledge that residential institutions have no place in the lives of people with disabilities and support provinces and territories to finish the process of closure.

* Work with Band Councils to ensure equal access to disability-related supports for First Nations people with disabilities living on reserve.

2. New Initiatives to Alleviate Poverty

The poverty of Canadians with disabilities is a national disgrace. Canadians with disabilities and their families are twice as likely to live in poverty as other Canadians and the incidence of poverty among Aboriginal People with disabilities is even higher. Existing systems of income support are failing Canadians with disabilities. The Government of Canada must commit to addressing poverty and reforming Canada's income support programs for Canadians with disabilities.

First steps could include:

* Making the Disability Tax Credit Refundable.

* Making those eligible for Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits automatically eligible for the Disability Tax Credit.

* Making Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits non-taxable.

* Expanding Employment Insurance Sick Benefits to 52 weeks.

* Ensuring new federal benefits such as the Registered Disability Savings Plan are not clawed back by provinces and territories from those on social assistance.

Long-term reforms could include:

An expanded federal role in income support for Canadians with disabilities, thus freeing up resources at provincial and territorial levels for re-investment in supports and services.

3. New Supports to Increase Access to Labour Force Participation

Through Advantage Canada and the recent budget, the Government of Canada committed to increasing access to training, education, accommodation and labour market attachment for people with disabilities. We believe this would be done most effectively by establishing a two-track strategy:

* Establish specific targets for Canadians with disabilities in Labour Market Development Agreements (LMDA) negotiated with the provinces. Having a specific target for Canadians with disabilities should be a requirement of transfer of both EI and Consolidated Revenue Funds to the provinces/territories.

* Transforming provincial/territorial labour market systems to address barriers to people with disabilities will take some time. In the meantime, both the Multilateral Framework Agreement on Labour Force Participation of People with Disabilities and the Opportunities Fund should be expanded to ensure greater capacity at the provincial/territorial level to address barriers, and through the Opportunities Fund to demonstrate innovation in labour force inclusion. These funds must not be rolled into the LMDAs or new labour market transfers to the provinces and territories until it is demonstrated that LMDAs are capable of addressing disability in a substantive way; and that the lessons, incentives and strategies are being incorporated into these generic systems from those developed through the Multi-Lateral and Opportunities Fund programming.

4. New Initiatives to Promote Access, Inclusion and Full Citizenship

To achieve positive outcomes within the building blocks of employment, income and disability supports, investments are also needed in other related and complementary areas. To this end, the Government of Canada must commit to addressing the following:

* Transportation: Develop accessibility regulations for all federally regulated modes of transportation and restructure the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Accessible Transportation to be consumer controlled and representative of disability organizations.

* UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD): Initiate a transparent process of work with the provinces/territories and the disability community to ensure ratification of the CRPD within the next two years.

* Accessible Technology: Establish a Procurement Policy for the Government of Canada that would ensure purchase only of accessible technology, thus increasing employment opportunities within the public service and accessible service to the Canadian public.

* Support Disability Community Knowledge Mobilization and Knowledge Transfer: Renew for 5 years and expand the Social Development Partnerships Disability Program, including the enhancement of the Community Inclusion Fund, to ensure that the wisdom gained from living with disability is accessible to public policy developers. Support the establishment of a disability community controlled and directed national research institute, which would develop new knowledge about disability based upon a social/cultural theory of disability rather than a bio-medical model.

* An Accessibility Design Centre: Create a Universal Design Centre that would act as a cross-departmental focal point of responsibility to harmonize, track and deliver results in the area of barrier removal. It would become a centre of excellence in universal design and become a resource to governments, community and the private sector.

* Access Principle: Update the National Building Code to ensure Universal Design principles are respected. Ensure that universal design principles guide all infrastructure program initiatives.

* Accessible Elections: Reform the federal electoral process to ensure that persons with disabilities can participate in all aspects of election campaigns and vote in an independent and secret manner.

* Amend the Official Languages Act: Recognize ASL/QSL as official languages.

* Re-establish a specific Parliamentary Committee on the Status of Canadians with disabilities to address the ongoing concerns of Canadians with disabilities and submit to Parliament an annual report on the status of Canadians with disabilities.

Towards a Long-Term Comprehensive Strategy: Steps outlined above provide the foundation for a longer-term comprehensive National Action Plan on Disability by the Government of Canada to address the issues of Canadians with disabilities and their families. Budget 2007 signalled that the federal government would be re-examining the roles, responsibilities and arrangements between the two levels of government on social policy issues. This presents an excellent opportunity to consider the most effective means of addressing disability issues today. The longer-term strategy should be about striking a new balance in federal and provincial/territorial government roles, in particular in the inter-relationship between income/disability supports programming. Striking a new balance will require leadership, allocation of new resources and ongoing

dialogue with Canadians with disabilities about their needs and aspirations. We share a common Vision. We now must make that vision real through a National Action Plan on Disability.

MY FIRST SECRET BALLOTBy: Karyn Campbell

Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from the Braille Forum, Volume XLV, No. 4, November 2006: www.acb.org

It is March 21, 2006, the day of the primary election, and there is anticipation in the air as I get ready to go vote. I will be voting by secret ballot for the first time in my life and I have been voting since 1980.

I went downstairs to wait for the bus shortly before 9:30. I did not want to be late as I had no idea how long it would take. Finally, around 9:35, the bus arrived and I was on my way to a new experience.

I arrived at the polling place after being let out of the bus at the entrance where people were going in to vote. I walked down the hall to where I heard voices and was eventually met by an election judge. He asked me if I wanted to use paper or vote electronically. I told him that I wanted to vote electronically.

I got in line to check in and waited behind at least one other person with a disability. I got to the table and met Mary, who checked me in and helped me get started.

She was required to ask me which ballot I wanted since Illinois is a closed primary state (meaning you have to declare which party you are taking a ballot for). I told her that I wanted a Republican ballot. She made a card for me, then we went over to the machine.

The first card did not work; it came up "ballot cancelled." I had requested audio only, but this did not seem to work. I did hear a comment about having to call the Election Commission about the problem.

Mary made another card, which worked. I heard the directions and was told that my ballot was displayed on the screen. I wasn't happy with this, but did not fight the matter due to the problems with the card in the first place. I would later find out that there was a bug in the software involving the message displayed on the screen.

Mary did what she was required to do; she was prepared and well trained. She showed me where the keypad was and I was on my way.

I went through each race and made my choices, using the six key to move forward and the five key to make my selection. I rarely had to use the four key to move back. When

I was done, I was able to get an audio summary of my ballot and went through to make sure it was right. It was right the first time and I submitted it and the machine printed it.

At that point, I was done voting. I checked out and got a little sticker that said "I Voted." This sticker didn't last long; but the memory of my first secret ballot will last a lifetime.

I went back to the door where I had come in so that I could wait for my ride. While waiting, I got to see some other people come in, as well as students pass to the next period. Since our polling place is in a school, I must say what a herd of elephants on the latter activity!

What I love most about today is the fact that no one knows how I voted. I was explaining this to a colleague at work, who was happy for me. Mary, the election judge, commented afterward that Ray (my husband) and I had done a lot of work to make sure this happened; I told her that there were a lot of others involved at the national level. She thought it was neat that we could now vote via secret ballot just like everyone else.

Due to a moderate hearing loss, speech and volume are important issues for me. These issues include the quality of the reading, as well as the volume of the voice. The person who read the ballot did an excellent job; I had no problems understanding what was being read. I could understand it as each name was pronounced clearly and distinctly. It helps to have a local person read the ballot.

Volume was the other issue. I was able to turn up the volume easily when I needed to do so. I did not have to do anything with the rate of the speech. They also had over-the-ear headphones there.

After I voted, I listened for the returns to come in and, along with my husband, tracked the local returns online. It was nice to know that my vote truly counted. I knew that my vote was among the numbers being read on the screen. My vote affected the total. This was neat!

The first step has been taken and there is no turning back now. I eagerly await the general elections on Nov. 7.

A CALL FOR BALANCED INPUTBy: Brenda Cooke

Editor's Note: Brenda Cooke is a member of AEBC's Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Chapter. The following, reprinted from the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, February 8, 2008, was written in response to the recently elected Saskatchewan government's decision to disband the Council on Disability Issues in favour of consulting a variety of community groups that represent people with disabilities (stakeholders), rather than focusing specifically on rights holders--persons with disabilities.

As a person with a disability, I urge Social Services Minister Donna Harpauer to reconsider her plans for consulting with the community on disability issues.

I've never been sure what the Council on Disability Issues has been doing, but that doesn't mean it's not worthwhile. Sometimes such groups are window dressing for the government, but sometimes governments get rid of them because these groups don't have the ability, money or the power to defend themselves.

It is important that the Wall government put in place a structured and obvious method to consult with disabled consumers and organizations that provide services to them, but it must keep several things in mind.

There is a distinct difference between representatives from service organizations and those from consumer groups. Service organizations do care about their clients, but they have a vested interest in making sure that people continue to need their services and hence provide them with job security. These organizations are less likely to promote real change in case they offend a funding source.

Representatives of consumer groups most likely want to bring about equal participation in society through opportunities for work, family, finances, social activities and the ability and resources to participate with as much independence and self-determination. The disabled want this done with as little charity as possible. Consumer groups have open, affordable membership and are governed through the democratic process involving all members.

In any consulting structure there should be equal representation from people with disabilities and their families, and service providers, one or two people with disabilities who have an extensive background in disability but have no affiliation, and maybe one or two government officials. Non-affiliated individuals and people representing consumer groups should be given an honorarium and/or have their expenses covered because often they are volunteers struggling to get by on incomes below the poverty line.

Even with such a structure in place, there should be open public forums at least twice a year and widely circulated bi-monthly public reports so that everyone interested can see what's being accomplished.

I am afraid that if an open and structured process is not established, the disabled and their community of supporters will think that this government views them as unimportant and disposable.

DEMANDING DIGNITY, NOT DEPRIVATIONBy: Mike Yale

Editor's Note: Mike Yale is Chair of AEBC's Poverty Committee. This is reprinted from the Huntsville Forester, September 26, 2007, just prior to the re-election of Ontario's Liberal government.

More than 232,000 Ontarians with disabilities have incomes of less than $1000 each month from their disability pensions. I have noted with interest that out of the 26 billion dollars worth of campaign promises made by the present Ontario government, not one dollar is applied to help raise recipients out of the mire of poverty in which so many attempt to survive.

Such poverty leads to isolation, ill health and hopelessness for many.

Did you know that if a disability pension recipient is lucky enough to find work, 50 percent of that person's wage is deducted from the next benefits cheque? While called an incentive, such a scheme is clearly a disincentive and a dignity reducer.

Why are the disabled singled out and punished by such a ludicrous strategy?

I demand that all candidates commit themselves to introducing a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy, based on the following key points:

* Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and Ontario Works (OW) rates need to be raised to provide for the real costs of living.

Despite the cost-of-living adjustments that have been made in the last few years, income support levels under ODSP have not recovered from the 12 years of decline in real purchasing power that occurred from 1993 to 2005. During this period, the value of ODSP monthly income dropped by 18%. The value of OW rates dropped more than 43%. Even with the latest increase, which recipients will only get at the end of 2007, people on social assistance will still not be able to afford safe housing or eat healthy foods.

Social assistance rates should reflect average market rents (as determined by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation); the average cost of a nutritious food basket (as determined by municipal boards of health); and other basic needs such as utilities, transportation, telephone, personal hygiene, etc. The rates should also be adjusted annually to inflation.

* An Independent Commission should be established to make recommendations for setting social assistance rates.

ODSP and OW rates are not currently based on rational criteria such as the above measures, which would tie rates to the actual costs of living for individuals and families in need. With growing evidence of the long-term costs of poverty, experts--not politicians--should develop objective measures for determining social assistance rates. When the provincial government decided to raise MPPs' salaries, they relied on the

recommendations of an independent review to determine the amount of the raise. There should be a similar process that is independent of government to recommend the appropriate criteria for determining social assistance levels.

The provincial government should establish an independent committee to develop rational criteria for determining the rates for OW and ODSP, based on the real costs of living, and commit to implementing the recommendations. This committee should include representation from recipients, disability and anti-poverty groups, and other stakeholders.

* Low-income families need to get the full amount of the new Ontario Child Benefit more quickly, rather than getting only gradual increases over the next five years.

The new Ontario Child Benefit is scheduled to be implemented in July 2008 and is to increase gradually from $50/month/child to $90/month/child by 2011. $2.1 billion will be invested in the Ontario Child Benefit in the first five years, helping almost 1.3 million children annually, including children on OW and ODSP.

Families on OW and ODSP are struggling just to meet their basic needs. A single parent with one child on ODSP receives only $685 for shelter, while the average cost of a two-bedroom apartment in Ontario was $1153 in 2006.

A single parent on OW receives even less--$538. No one should have to choose between paying the rent and feeding the kids.

Families working for low wages and those struggling on ODSP and OW need the full $90/month/child now, not in 2011.

* Accessibility of ODSP must be improved.

The Ministry of Community and Social Services is responsible for the delivery of ODSP. This is the same Ministry that introduced the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA, 2005) as a tool for achieving accessibility for all Ontarians with disabilities.

The experience of many persons with disabilities who have applied for benefits under ODSP, or who are currently in receipt of ODSP benefits, is that despite the AODA the ODSP is a program that is not fully accessible.

ODSP applicants and recipients report experiencing many barriers to access in applying to the program in receiving all the benefits that are available to them, and in receiving employment supports.

The provincial government needs to undertake a thorough accessibility audit of the entire ODSP system, as well as an audit of each individual office, including both income support and employment support. The audit must include consultation with

stakeholders, including recipients, and should result in a comprehensive accommodations plan for ODSP service delivery.

An accessibility audit is a full review of how ODSP programs, services and activities are delivered to identify and remove all barriers in order to ensure that all applicants and recipients have equal opportunity to access all benefits and supports available to them under the ODSP Act. Examples of some of the barriers the audit should consider would be:

* Are there policies or procedures that prevent someone with a disability from applying for benefits (such as requiring applicants to use the telephone to make an initial appointment, which excludes people who have no phone or have difficulty using one)?

* Do caseworkers have a good enough understanding of the various disabilities of recipients to be able to provide any necessary accommodations?

* Are there any eligibility requirements that tend to screen out people (such as requiring people to have large numbers of documents returned within a short time period)?

* Does the language or format used in forms and letters make them inaccessible to some people with disabilities?

If Ontario is truly the province of prosperity and opportunity, as we are repeatedly told, then it is time to bring people with disabilities into the economic mainstream. All of us will have to deal with disability eventually, either experiencing disability ourselves as we grow older or with a member of our families. It is beyond time that we share our vast resources with the thousands who are marginalized by being forced to live in chronic poverty.

THE CHANGING SHAPE OF DISABILITY RIGHTS WORKBy: John Rae

Editor's Note: This article is based on remarks by John Rae in accepting the Centre for Social Justice's Lifetime Achievement Award in Toronto, Ontario, on June 9, 2007.

Since the emergence of Canada's disability rights movement in the mid 1970s, much of its work has focused on eliminating old barriers and changing attitudes. Today this remains the case, but strange though it may sound, an increasing portion of its work now involves preventing the introduction of new barriers.

This is particularly true in the area of transportation. Smaller airplanes are appearing on a growing number of routes, and many of these cannot carry an electric wheelchair. Onboard airline entertainment systems are introducing flat screens with no buttons that are inaccessible to blind passengers. And the emergence of the environmentally

friendlier hybrid automobile, called by some as the "quiet stalker," is so quiet that those of us who rely upon our hearing for safe travel throughout our communities simply cannot hear its approach on city streets or in a shopping mall.

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005 was supposed to make Ontario fully accessible by the far off date of 2025. But an examination of the recently released Regulation on Customer Service and the draft Transportation Accessibility Standard, along with the emasculation of Ontario's Human Rights Commission, seriously calls this into question.

For example, at a time when Ontario's Human Rights Tribunal gave the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) only 30 days to begin calling out bus and streetcar stops, the Draft Transportation Accessibility Standard proposes an 18-year timeframe for accomplishing this simple move towards transportation accessibility for Ontarians.

No wonder groups like the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC) and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance (AODA) are calling for this draft to be sent back to the drawing board to be re-written.

The disability rights movement is always looking for new allies, whether inside Canada's labour movement or at the community level.

Too often, social justice work gets fragmented. Human rights work is often equated with fighting racism, which continues to require our attention. Fighting for low-wage workers who need an increase in the minimum wage can overlook those groups like First Nations Peoples and persons with disabilities who are unemployed and searching for work. And the fight for a cleaner environment is yet to address the dangers of the hybrid automobile.

I look forward to the day when social justice and human rights work takes a more holistic approach to fighting discrimination so that all Canadians will be able to take their rightful place in our affluent country.

Note: A synopsis of these remarks appeared in the Rapaport Report, September 2007.

PROACTIVE LIVING FOR THE BLINDBy: Laura Beaudin

Editor's Note: Laura Beaudin is a member of AEBC's Edmonton, Alberta, Chapter. She maintains a blog at www.tidbitz.net and is in the process of developing a list of online websites that have useful information for people who are blind. Just click on the Resource Database link at the top of her page. For ease of reading, the term "blind" in this article encompasses the blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted.

No matter what your disability may be, living in an active world can present challenges. Whether you're deaf, blind, in a wheelchair, or autistic, the very definition of being disabled means that daily life has its way of keeping you from fully participating in life the way you'd like to.

With today's modern technology, blind people more than ever have access to a vast library of knowledge that was once reserved for the sighted. Many things sadly remain out of our reach and it's up to us to make them accessible.

Job training, classes, shopping, and starting a business are all examples of daily activities from which blind people are often excluded because of a lack of accommodation. Either we are kept from getting involved, or are re-directed to services designed "just for us." With a proactive way of thinking, we can tear down these barriers set for us by society and start living in a way that we are entitled. If we continue accepting that organizations, designed to help us, hold our proverbial hands, how are we to be taken seriously by the outside world?

Organizations such as CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) are useful to those new to blindness or trying to make their way through youth, in being oriented to a new way of life. Often, those new to their disability don't know where to go for assistance and the CNIB is an obvious front door.

There is nothing more frustrating than losing one's sight and having to wait on services to learn life's most basic needs. How will I get to school? How can I cook using my stove? How will I dress myself without looking like a fool? Most service organizations have good intentions, but with limited budgets and an even more limited staff, the services aren't always available for those who really need it.

It's important to take the initiative and assess what is needed in order to live a full life. By following four steps, it's possible to develop and execute a plan of action so that blindness isn't an overwhelming obstacle to daily life activities.

* Assess your situation. What is your status? Are you partially sighted or completely blind? Is your situation stable, getting better, or getting worse? Look ahead into the future in order to decide what your needs will eventually be.

For example, if you know that you will eventually end up totally blind, paying a little more attention to where and how you travel will save you a headache in the future. One of your needs, in this case, would be to learn how to travel without your sight, while still being able to get visual input from your environment.

Sit down with a pen and paper, computer, brailler, or trusted friend, and make a list of the obstacles you encounter in your everyday life. Maybe you are afraid to use your oven, cross the street, or sort your laundry. Also make a list of the things you'd like to do to take full advantage of life. Perhaps you like playing chess and this is becoming

more difficult for you. Maybe you'd like to start (or continue) a hobby, or use resources at the local library.

* List your available resources. Now that you know what you need, you can look at what you have available to reach your goals. Take the information you wrote down from number one (assess your situation) and brainstorm how you can accomplish these objectives. * What service organizations serve your area? What non-disability related organizations can address your needs (such as for employment)? Do you have friends or family who can help you come up with solutions? Maybe there's a blind acquaintance that has already been in your shoes. What helpful materials (such as raised markers) are available in local stores, and would you need to order by mail?

As you make your list, try to think out of the box. Maybe your mother's best friend is an interior designer who might have clever ideas for adapting your home. It doesn't hurt to ask and the worst that can happen is you get a "no" in response.

Email lists and support groups are an excellent way to meet people who can give you ideas and pointers. While the answer may not always lie with them, it's a great place to start looking for new resources to fit your needs.

* Develop an action plan. Now that you know what you need and what you have available to you, it's time to make a plan. Prioritize what you want to do. What things can't wait? What can be done later? It's also good to consider what things are easier to do.

Consider whom you need to approach in order to get your plan moving forward. Need an O&M instructor? It can take a while to get an appointment; by calling now, you get yourself in line for when you may really need that assistance.

* Start learning. You now have done everything you need to put your plan in full swing. Tackle your action plan and start doing what you need to do to get by in life. If you hit a snag, stop and evaluate what's going wrong and how you can better improve your experience.

Always be willing to be persistent and consistent in what you want, and need and when you are unsure, ask away. With more access to technology than ever before, it's easy to get hold of a huge network of blind people who can help you find solutions to common problems. Don't wait for people to come to you or life will pass you by without your having made any contribution to it.

You are your own best advocate. Nobody will take good care of you like you will.

DONATING ORGANS, HARVESTING LIFE

By: Janet Hunt

Editor's Note: Janet Hunt is Secretary of AEBC's Winnipeg, Manitoba, Chapter.

On May 21, 2001, after 22 years of type 1 diabetes, I received a new kidney and pancreas. I got the call at my home in Winnipeg very late on a Sunday night, and by 1:00 a.m. I was winging my way to Toronto General Hospital thanks to Life Flight. That was the beginning of the rest of my "new" life.

I returned to Winnipeg two months after my transplant surgery and was approached by a coordinator with Transplant Manitoba. She asked if I'd be interested in volunteering for the program to promote organ donor awareness; in other words, standing up in front of strangers and sharing my personal journey through illness and disability. No way could I do that--I told her she was nuts.

Fast forward five years and I am now a regular volunteer, speaking at high schools, business lunches, annual general meetings, and hospital training programs to whoever is interested. It's been quite the adventure and although I was almost paralyzed with fright at first, I really enjoy myself now. Sybil, the Transplant Coordinator who recruited me and who has become a good friend, has several volunteers like me. Some are transplant recipients, and some are organ donors. Usually Sybil works with one volunteer, but occasionally she will use two or three to give the audience a broader perspective of the transplant community.

One of my first presentations was for the annual "Tree of Life" celebration, in honour of those who either donated the organs of family members, or were themselves living organ donors. The name of each donor is printed on a leaf and attached to the donor tree as a permanent reminder of their "gift of life". It was a very emotional evening and several people approached me to thank me for confirming their belief that something good could come out of tragedy, or in some cases where words just wouldn't come, shake my hand over and over.

I also had the privilege to participate in a half-hour-long video called "When the Call Comes", which has aired a few times on CTV. The documentary features five families and their personal experiences with transplant. The video attempts to drive home the importance of organ donation by revealing the harsh reality of donor waiting lists, dialysis and other treatments, the heart wrenching decision to donate the organs of a loved one, and the enormity of this gift.

The most important message we try to convey is to discuss organ donation with your family. In Manitoba there is no presumed consent. In the event you are pronounced brain dead, transplant staff must approach your family about organ donation. Making that kind of decision while dealing with the grief of losing a loved one is difficult, but if the subject has been discussed and your family is aware of your wishes, it will make that decision much easier.

I think my favourite presentations are to Grade 10 high school students who are surprisingly attentive, and not surprisingly eager to ask the most imaginative questions. At that age, they are about to get their driver's licenses and we hope to encourage them to discuss organ donation with their families. I describe what life is like for a diabetic, my kidney failure and two years of dialysis treatment, my complete loss of vision due to diabetic retinopathy and the struggle to regain my independence. They are curious about who can become an organ donor and how organs are harvested. They ask about my medications, and at least one person wants to know "How big is your scar?" They laugh with me at my mother's attempts at sighted guide, mishaps in elevators and revolving doors, several unwitting trips to the men's room and countless other adventures with my white cane. I explain that getting a guide dog definitely gave me more confidence but now I have to share the spotlight with a black Labrador.

Although I thought of this as a way to give something back to the community, I receive much more than I give. I have met some incredible people and taken advantage of a lot of free lunches. Many people are too afraid to ask questions during presentations, but will seek me out afterwards to share their own personal transplant experience, or thank me for helping them decide to sign their organ donor card, and I feel like I've made a new friend.

Thanks to my donor family I am now "cured" of diabetes and free from dialysis. I don't plan my life around a dialysis machine, I have more energy than I've had in years, I enjoy a busy social life and work three days a week at a job I love. I have time to participate in organizations like AEBC and Transplant Manitoba where I hope my contribution will make a difference. After receiving the "gift of life", I'm not afraid of public speaking anymore--I want to tell everyone!

TRANSIT DRIVERS CALLING THE STOPSNew Practice Could Be Boon--or DistractionBy: Chris Webb

Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from the Winnipeg Free Press, January 2, 2008.

"Hudson Bay!"

"University!"

"Sherbrook!"

That's the new sound of Winnipeg Transit buses, where Tuesday marked the first day when drivers had to call out upcoming bus stops or, their unions fear, risk disciplinary action.

On bus number 11 on Tuesday, with Winnipeggers still bleary-eyed from the previous night's festivities, the driver dutifully called out the name of every stop on his route.

"That's what they want us to do, and let's just leave it at that," the driver said tactfully.

Depending on whom you talk to, it's a welcome change towards a more accessible equitable public transportation system, or an annoyance and nuisance.

Janet Hunt, a blind Winnipegger who regularly uses transit, said the move is a huge relief.

"I've always been worried that drivers have so much else on their minds that they'll forget to call out my stop. It really gives me a lot more control if they announce them. If I want to stop and get some milk before I go home, now I can do that," she said.

Hunt adds that a system where stops are announced automatically would be ideal (such technology is planned for city buses), but waiting for the new technology will cause her and others like her further anxiety.

Barry Goddard, 60, who was taking a bus to his job at the airport, said calling out the stops will help people who have disabilities, such as his daughter.

Ontario Transit operators started announcing bus stops last October, heeding a ruling that was a hard-fought victory for the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal.

Dianna Scarth, executive director of the Manitoba Human Rights Commission, said Winnipeg Transit is to be commended for making a similar decision without the legal fuss.

"This change could've been made after a complaint was brought forward, but they made the decision proactively and this joint decision between the union and transit is a really good step," she said.

But not all of the Winnipeg drivers who have to call out the stops are doing it willingly. They say they can have hundreds of stops to call out on every route, which can distract them from driving, and they expect some passengers who are trying to snooze or listen to music will resent the drivers' continual interruptions.

On a Facebook discussion board, one driver insisted that the buses cannot be operated safely under these circumstances. "People really just cannot understand what we as bus operators face daily... I for one will not be calling out all stops come January 1... The passengers' safety rests in my hands, and I for one will not jeopardize anyone's safety," he wrote.

One passenger sympathized with the driver's comments on the discussion board: "But more importantly, shouldn't drivers be concentrating on the road and all the idiot

drivers out there, than be concerned about the name of the bus stop they are approaching that no one even wants?"

Regular transit passenger Sara Atnikov, a Red River College student, said if it's an effort to make transit more user-friendly, then it's a step in the right direction, but she doubts the majority of riders will pay any attention.

"I listen to my I-Pod on the bus, so it wouldn't make a difference to me. The only downside is that it is noisy on the bus at times, and people might not hear," she said.

But the sound of bus stops remains sweet news to Marcia Cummings, the National Secretary for {the Alliance for} Equ{al}ity of Blind Canadians.

"A lot of people that I know in Winnipeg have been waiting a very long time for this to happen," she said.

Copyright Winnipeg Free Press.

ARE HYBRIDS A SILENT DANGER?

Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from Tricitynews.com, January 11, 2008. For a web cast of Richard Marion's presentation on hybrid cars to Burnaby City Council mentioned below, visit: www4.insinc.com/ibc/mp/md/open/c/343/1305/200712171845wv150en,004

Port Coquitlam Blind Advocate Wants to See Hybrid Cars Have Sound Effects Added

Hybrid cars may play a key role in the push to halt climate change but they're also putting blind pedestrians at risk.

That's because when they run on battery, they're virtually silent, says Richard Marion, President of the Lower Mainland Chapter of the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians.

"If a hybrid is edging through an intersection to make a right-hand turn, a person that's totally blind wouldn't notice the vehicle," the Port Coquitlam man said.

In fact Marion, 39, said a blind person in Victoria had his cane run over by a hybrid vehicle last year in a similar situation.

Burnaby's traffic safety committee will review Marion's group's concerns and make a recommendation to council Feb. 5. By addressing city councils across Canada, the alliance hopes to fuel a dialogue about the dangers that hybrids pose to the blind and partially sighted; Burnaby is one of the first cities to respond and the alliance meets with Surrey's council Jan. 14.

Marion said his group hopes the city will lobby regulators about the need for hybrids to have sound generators, and use its purchasing power as an opportunity to bring its concerns to manufacturers' attention.

The alliance proposes manufacturers install a device that would emit a sound; its website suggests that the radiator fan switches on whenever the car is operating in electric mode or, perhaps, a device could be built into the axle to make a sound as the wheels rotate.

Hybrid cars use a blend of the traditional internal combustion-engine and electric motor technologies. Excess energy from the conventional engine, which is normally wasted, instead charges the car's battery. The hybrid switches between the two power sources and it is during the electric-power mode that the engine is silent.

A main selling point for hybrid vehicles is their low noise levels. Marion said members of the alliance understand that the sound generator should not be too intrusive to the point where it's causing grief for the driver but a compromise must be reached.

Bob Glover, a staff liaison to Burnaby's traffic safety committee, is unsure how the city will deal with the alliance's concerns but he said there are a number of options the city could take.

"The city council might decide to bring this to the attention of the federal government, who is responsible for regulating the auto industry," Glover said.

ICBC {Insurance Corporation of British Columbia} reported there were 7,000 hybrid vehicles in B.C. in 2006. As people look at greater fuel efficiency for environmental and financial reasons, Marion said the number of hybrids on the streets continues to grow.

Cyclists have also expressed concern about quiet hybrids.

"There's almost a wish that there should be a little bit of noise on hybrid vehicles so that you can detect them and not get panicked when they pass close by," said Jack Becker, President of the British Columbia Cycling Coalition. "But whether you really want that noise is to be discussed."

Marion said he hopes city councils will take the issue seriously and act quickly.

"The longer it takes for manufacturers to build a sound generator on hybrid cars," he said, "the more likely it will be for someone to have a serious accident."

EVEN THE TINIEST SNOWBANK CAN BE A TRIPPING HAZARDBy: Jack Lakey

Editor's Note: This article is reprinted from the Toronto Star, February 26, 2007.

A small snowbank can create big problems when you can't see it.

The cleanup following the last snowstorm to hit us before today's dump resulted in the usual piles last week on street corners and at transit stops.

If a snowbank is in the way, most of us can just clamber over it or go around.

It's no big deal.

But for people who are blind or must use a wheelchair or scooter, the same snowbank can amount to an impassable obstacle.

It becomes a perilous tripping hazard or a reason to detour into the street--where drivers may not be able to see them.

David Swiderski, who is blind, called last week to ask about a snowbank on the southeast corner of Dentonia Park and Thyra Aves., near Danforth and Victoria Park Aves.

Swiderski was having trouble getting over the snowbank when crossing from the southwest to the southeast side of Dentonia Park, forcing him out into the roadway, which he said he found scary.

We agreed to meet him at the corner, on a sunny day when warm temperatures had considerably reduced the pile of snow. Swiderski soon appeared with his guide dog Marty, at the point where Thyra comes to a dead end, near the Crescent Town housing development. A large mound of melting snow had created a huge puddle, which he could not see and waded into.

He showed us how he'd earlier stumbled over the snowbank and had to walk out into traffic to go around it.

Even though the pile of snow was much smaller due to the thaw, it was still slippery and he couldn't see it.

Just then, a front-end loader from a city contractor came roaring down the street.

Perfect timing, we thought. He can get rid of it in one scoop. We tried to flag him down.

He looked at us as if we were Martians, then kept going.

We didn't think there was enough snow left to call anybody at the city about it, but what to do?

Snow shovels abounded on the porches of nearby homes, so we borrowed one and cleaned it up ourselves in 10 minutes.

Problem solved.

Who got it fixed: We did. Reprinted courtesy of Torstar Syndication Services.

CROSSING SIGNALS URGED FOR BLINDBy: Teviah Moro

Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from the Orillia Packet & Times, May 16, 2007.

It's an art--and a dangerous one at that.

Laura Joyce, who is completely blind, has become adept at listening for the surge in traffic to decide when it's safe to cross the street.

Sometimes, however, her black Labrador ventures out a little too soon and, with the hum of bus engines at the corner of Mississaga and Peter streets in downtown Orillia, crossing becomes a real gamble.

"I can't hear the surge of traffic above the idling buses," said Joyce who, at 38, has been blind for nearly 21 years.

That's why Joyce said the city should install audible pedestrian signals at key intersections downtown.

"It's a safety issue," she said during an interview this week.

On Monday, elected officials considered a report from public works detailing options and costs for the signals, which are already part of many urban landscapes in Canada.

Orillia is behind the eight ball, Coun. Don Evans told the Packet & Times.

"We think about Orillia as being a progressive community. What better evidence of that could there be than making sure that all our citizens benefit from what it has to offer?"

Though not enthusiastically embraced during Monday night's council committee meeting, a report on the audible signals received positive feedback, Evans said.

Public works estimated it would cost between $25,100 and $29,600 to install the devices, depending on the type of intersection.

But council shouldn't be "scared off" by possible costs, Coun. Wayne Gardy said during the meeting: "I think it is probably a good idea for those who need it."

One type of audible signal employs a small speaker on a traffic pole and emits a cuckoo/peep-peep sound for north/south and east/west crossings.

Another uses a push-button system and a series of informational prompts to help the pedestrian cross.

"It's time that we move forward with this," Coun. Joe Fecht said, pointing out more and more Orillians will rely on the audible signals as their eyes worsen with age.

The city has 33 signalized intersections, but Joyce suggested an audible signal at the Peter and Mississaga crossroads would be a good start.

There are at least 375 visually impaired people in town who would benefit from that, she said.

Public works contended retrofitting intersections with audible signals would be too expensive unless the work were carried out with an overall signal upgrade.

Fecht suggested a multi-year plan to install the signals should be presented at budget time.

Joyce said she plans to write a letter asking for an opportunity to make a deputation on the issue.

SO, THIS BLIND GUY WALKS INTO A REVOLVING DOOR...By: Ian Hamilton

Editor's Note: This article is reprinted from the Herald, Scotland, United Kingdom, October 19, 2007.

My first challenge when staying at an unfamiliar hotel is, believe it or not, finding my way into the building. If the hotel has a revolving door, my guide dog, Moss, will see it as a hazard and refuse to move.

I'm standing there on the pavement wondering why he's not responding to my commands. It is only when a passer-by mutters something about a revolving door that I understand why the dog won't budge.

I now start to coax and eventually bribe him to step into the gap while the door is slowly spinning. Not easy for a dog to coordinate such a move.

In the past, I've resorted to picking the dog up and carrying him in. While listening carefully for the moving swish of the revolving door, I grab hold of the dog, and step cautiously into the gap.

Timing is crucial. So is a small dog. Unfortunately, I've got a five-stone {70 pounds} Labrador.

The door picks us up like a hurricane and flicks us into reception. Paws, luggage, bits of fur and I land in an undignified heap--what an entrance.

Anyway, I'm in, and the first challenge in this game has now been completed successfully.

The second challenge awaits. I'm in the reception area. Now to locate the desk.

You would think after making an impressive entrance like that, someone would notice. But no.

Listening carefully, I strain my ears for a clue. Perhaps someone will say: "Can I help you?" Nope.

Maybe a doorman will come over and point me in the correct direction. No!

Eventually, a phone rings in the distance. "Hello, Elvira speaking." Aha! Moss and I make our way towards the voice.

Elvira asks me for the registration number of my car. I'm standing there with my guide dog--I doubt that she has even glanced in my direction.

A porter takes me along endless corridors, two sets of lifts, and a rope swing, eventually ending up at my room.

The dog thinks the room is a park. I hope the carpet isn't green. The second challenge has been completed. Now the third challenge. Getting into the room and finding my way about.

The porter opens the door with the plastic card, quickly points around the room and tries to leave. I force him to stay and explain every detail and layout of the room, which includes how to open the door.

I never know which way the card should go in. I've spent many an hour in hotel corridors trying every possible combination. Now I just get the receptionist to punch a small hole in one of the corners. This way, I know how the card should be inserted.

I find that I have been given the disabled room. I can understand why they do this. However, the facilities a blind person needs aren't the same as someone who is a wheelchair user.

The room is huge and it takes me literally 10 minutes to find the bed and a chair, and another 10 to find the window.

I hear the dog quietly snuffling about. He thinks it's a park. I hope it doesn't have a green carpet or we could have a spillage.

That reminds me--it's now time for my fourth challenge: Where is the bathroom?

After wandering around the bedroom and whistling loudly, I come across the sort of echo only ever heard in a cathedral or a bathroom. It was designed as a wet room, which is great, but it is so large it takes me a further 15 minutes before I collide with the toilet.

Now, unbeknown to me, there was a button at waist height just outside the bathroom door. It was to allow wheelchair users to open the front door from a distance.

I strip off in the main room and feel my way back to the bathroom. I have a great shower, but as I come out again I walk into that button, which activates the front door. Little did I know that as I dried myself, the extra-wide front door had very smoothly and silently opened, exposing my naked self to everyone going past.

It was only some days later when a colleague was pressing the button out of curiosity that I discovered what had been happening.

My penultimate challenge is to close the curtains, so that I don't expose myself to the whole city, as well as everyone in the hotel.

The room has electric-powered curtains, which are operated from the side of the bed. Very luxurious and practical for a wheelchair user.

However, the only way I can tell if the curtains are open or closed is to get up, make my way across the room and physically feel for myself. If the curtains were open, it would take another five minutes to find my bed again and activate the button and, of course, being completely paranoid now, I was never convinced that they worked, so I would have to get up and check for a second time.

At last, my sixth and final challenge: sleep.

I collapse into bed, exhausted, with the day's challenges whizzing round my head. I have to find a way of calming the mind to get to sleep.

Oh, no! I've got to find my way down to breakfast in the morning. I'd better get up now!

WHISPERS AT POKER TABLE: THE BLIND GUY'S WINNINGBy: Abigail Goldman

Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from the Las Vegas Sun, Nevada, July 7, 2007.

One Qualifies for the Main Event of the Game's World Series

Hal Lubarsky lifts his three gold rings an inch from his face; two are stone-studded, one is a fat band hammered flat and carved to look like a playing card. The ace of inlaid diamonds.

It's about all he can see. Lubarsky is legally blind, which complicates his near-nightly poker games at the Mirage, where the sightless gambler guesses he's up about $20,000.

Not bad for an utter underdog, a blind man trying to beat a game that rides on reading not just cards but faces. This in a city with religious reverence for poker, where one complaint from fellow card players can get you banned from the green felt fields, as Lubarsky has been in the past.

People get prickly when the blind man bags their money, he says.

But Lubarsky's not the only player stacking chips he can't see. Jason Holbrook, a blind Bakersfield, Calif., man, entered the World Series of Poker Main Event today. He won the $10,000 buy-in at a satellite tournament in June. He's gambling that a "sixth sense" will guide his hand.

A sixth sense and a reader, a person paid to murmur into his ear the suit and the number or the face of every card that comes across the table. This is the whispering world of blind poker.

Holbrook is enamoured with the game.

Lubarsky likes to think it's given him his life back.

The 46-year-old Brooklyn-born gambler moved to Las Vegas 17 years ago. At the time, Lubarsky could see cards if he held them next to his nose. Playing this way, he set records and won 12 poker tournaments, the biggest for $64,000.

Mason Malmuth, an author of several books on gambling theory, knows Lubarsky's style and calls it "loose," meaning he plays more hands than most.

"The better players can play a few more hands," Malmuth says.

But Lubarsky's eyes have been slowly failing since birth. The condition he inherited, retinitis pigmentosa, an affliction shared by Steve Wynn {a Las Vegas developer}, is killing his rods and cones. His field of vision has whittled down to a single floating spot. Like looking through binoculars you can't put down, he says. Until there's nothing before you.

Three years ago, Lubarsky quit poker. He couldn't make out the cards. He was calling flushes he didn't have.

Lubarsky retired to the home he can't leave without assistance. He played online poker when he could persuade someone to read the computer screen aloud. Sometimes he would accompany a friend to the poker room, where he would sit for hours, listening.

That was the real torture.

"To be honest, I was really depressed," he says. "Losing your vision, it's not easy."

It was a friend who came up with the idea of whispering Lubarsky's cards. Working this way for the first time five months ago, he played a casual charity tournament and beat more than half the competition. A week later, he played a slightly more serious game at Red Rock Resort with a friend hunched quietly over his shoulder.

Lubarsky won $5,600 in eight hands. He's been playing about six times a week since.

Holbrook, 37, lost his sight 16 years ago, after a car accident that could have killed him. (A truck landed on his head. He was in a coma for a month and woke to darkness.)

Holbrook decided to start playing poker four years ago, on a whim. He placed an ad in the paper for a reader and found the woman he still works with, Michelle Espinoza.

"Me and her are one," Holbrook says. "We are not a team whatsoever."

Holbrook says this to stress, as Lubarsky does, that he makes game decisions on his own. Readers do nothing more than their title suggests, the men say. Still, there are grumblings that gambling with assistance is breaking the rules.

Lubarsky has been told twice that he couldn't play at certain casinos--places where poker room managers and irate gamblers couldn't tolerate the whispering pair at the end of the table.

The casinos' ban was illegal because of his disability, of course, and was always eventually rectified. Still, it says something about the frosty climate a blind player sometimes suffers.

Anger isn't the only emotion Lubarsky has encountered. He's overheard gamblers gloating that the blind man's an easy beat.

Once or twice, poker players have tried to take advantage of him.

And the readers do let little details slip through. When Lubarsky's reader told him two young men across the table were doing chip tricks, flipping the disks through their fingers, Lubarsky knew he was dealing with hot shots. Amateurs. Showoffs. He took this into consideration when he played his hand, and beat them both.

His reader then told him the men didn't look very happy. Lubarsky didn't need to see it to know.

"A lot of times these players act. They hee-haw and don't know what to do," he says. "I'm much faster than them in making my decisions. They bother me because they take so long."

Lubarsky doesn't make much of tells, the subconscious ticks said to blow a bluff. He'd rather follow the cards, figure out who has what and how they'll use it.

Holbrook, however, says more metaphysical sensibilities are on his side--such as an extrasensory ability to read the air around him while keeping his face slack.

"Every one of them thinks I have a disadvantage, but I have a sixth sense working," he says. "I can't really see them, but I can feel what they are doing. And I feel like they can't see me."

On Thursday, Holbrook played video poker for the first time. He won $1,500 almost immediately.

"That's my luck for the game," he says, cackling. "Watch out for me."

At the World Series of Poker, Holbrook will keep the players clear in his mind by assigning them imaginary faces. Say, assorted Flintstones cartoon characters.

Does anyone complain? "Just the guys that are losing."

And many people, Lubarsky says, can expect to lose.

"I've always thought of myself as the best player, no matter what game I played in," he says. "No matter who I played against."

SPECIAL TACTILE TOUR: UPPER CANADA VILLAGEBy: Penny Leclare

Editor's Note: Penny Leclare lives in Ottawa, Ontario. The tactile tour she experienced at Upper Canada Village was a pilot program for visitors with vision loss. She and her intervener attended on October 14, 2006.

It was cold and rainy when Nancy and I left my home for Morrisburg's Upper Canada Village, a heritage park that recreates life in the 1860's, to participate in a special tactile tour. Five people with vision loss attended this unique event. On that particular day the village was closed to the public, but during open season over 40 buildings including mills, trade shops, farms, churches, homes, factories and even a one-room schoolhouse can be experienced.

Our tactile tour took us to three buildings where we explored clothing worn in the period from 1830 to 1870. My first experience was at the costume building, which contains replica dresses from the 1800's that Upper Canada Village employees wear when it is open to the public--150,000 visitors per year. Though the original dresses were one piece, the replicas are two pieces for ease in fitting staff. In this way, tops and skirts can be mixed and matched for size, if an employee's frame differs from that of a 19th century woman--rather slim and small-waisted.

We were able to feel a rack of dresses. Some had pleated skirts or bodices with either long or short sleeves. Several had braided material down the sleeves, at the neck or around the cuffs. Ordinary daytime dresses were long with quite full skirts, the hems of which were reinforced to protect it from tearing and to strengthen it so it wouldn't need to be washed often--these long-skirted dresses would get dirty in the streets. I also felt several different buttons made from bone, wood, stone, metal, and some covered with fabric.

We then undressed manikins! A gentleman with his bow tie and long day-coat with a slit up the back, so he could get on a horse. His vest was wool in front but cotton otherwise, and his suspenders were buttoned to wide-legged button-down pants. I felt the man's top hat, higher than I expected, but another hat was half as high. The shoes were made with tacks going from the outer sole inward and the inside was very hard. The toe was squared and the shoe went up like a low boot.

Then I undressed a lady. She wore a wool cape, with scalloped edging, that tied with a broach. Under this was a dress that flared out because of all the hoops from the waist to almost touching the floor. She also had petticoats on and several coverings under the corset. She had on nine layers of clothing, which was usual for a lady at that time.

My favourite part of the day was trying on one of the hoops and a dress. You can't imagine how much this particular hoop restricts movement. I felt like my lower half was in a cage. To walk, you have to move slowly, the hoop swinging side to side (now I understand why finishing schools taught ladies to walk with books on their head!). Imagine being inside this bell. You can't get very close to anything, which is why men of high class held doors open for ladies--the women couldn't grasp the doorknob!

Our next building was Crysler Hall. This reconstructed residence was originally built by John Pliny Crysler, a timber merchant. Our guide gave us tactile drawings of the building and provided explanations as we followed her. She also gave us tactile drawings of various types of clothing, which we could then explore wearing gloves.

We touched a wedding dress or very fancy gown, which had so much material that I had my hands apart, arms stretched out, on my knees, but still only covering half of it!

Women wore purses around the waist, tied with strings, inside the dress. To reach the purse, they put their hand through a slit in the dress that wasn't noticeable due to the vast amount of dress material. The purses were made of cloth with embroidery or other decorations.

Our last stop was a dressmaker's shop, where we met a lady who makes replica dresses by hand, as did the people of the Village of Upper Canada in the 1800's. She showed us a dress she had made of silk, with ruffles around the waist, midway down, and also near the bottom. Around each ruffle was a band of ribbon with beads sewn in. A tailor's thimble was used to push the needle through fabric and irons were heated on the fire. Irons weighed anywhere from ten to 40 pounds, with the bigger ones used for the heavier wool fabric of men's clothing or coats.

When we left Upper Canada Village in the early evening, it didn't feel like we'd been there over four hours. This was the first tactile tour the heritage park had provided and I am glad to have been a part of it. I hope the experience encourages staff and management to plan more of these tours so that others who are blind, deaf-blind or partially sighted can appreciate Canadian history through touch.

STORYTELLING: A MOST ACCESSIBLE ART FORMBy: Kim Kilpatrick

Editor's Note: Kim Kilpatrick is a member of AEBC's Ottawa-Gatineau Chapter in Ontario. She is Coordinator of the Supported Volunteer Program for People with Physical and Sensory Disabilities at Volunteer Ottawa.

I have been totally blind since birth and so as I grew up, the oral tradition was extremely meaningful for me. People read to me ever since I can remember. Also, my grandparents were Irish and they told wonderful stories about their lives and relatives. So the sounds of words and language surrounded me from an early age. I was keen to learn braille and love to read using it but hearing stories has always been a pleasure for me.

Anyone who knows me also knows that I love to talk and, therefore, telling stories came very naturally to me from an early age.

About seven years ago, I finally attended my first storytelling festival here in Ottawa in November of 2001. I had been promising myself to do this for some time but finally got around to it and I was truly hooked. I loved listening to stories of all kinds--literary, historic, personal, folk, and epic tales from around the world.

About a month later, I took our beginners workshop to learn the art of storytelling and I was launched. Since then, I've told stories of many types at our storytelling festival, on the National Arts Centre fourth stage, at cafes, in schools, and in historic ghost walks for Halloween. Many of my stories are personal ones having to do with my life with blindness. I hope through this art form to educate, amuse, and inform others in a positive and thought-provoking manner!

As I became involved in the storytelling community, I also wanted to volunteer to help them and to gain experience. I had just graduated with a certificate in Volunteer Management and wanted to practice these new skills in coordinating volunteers. I have coordinated the volunteers for the Ottawa Storytellers since 2002. I have coordinated the volunteers for our annual festival and all other events. In 2007 and 2008 I am festival co-chair. I've also written articles for storytelling publications.

Both my storytelling and volunteer work have led to paid work. I now regularly get paid as a storyteller and also the volunteering was very instrumental for me in getting my current job at our local volunteer centre. I help people with disabilities find volunteer opportunities in our community and educate non-profit organizations here too about involving volunteers with disabilities.

Through storytelling, I have met and made friends with wonderful people who share one of my passions, gained valuable work experience, and become part of a vibrant community. So I would say, if there is something you have always been wanting to try, get out there and try it. You never know what might happen!

FLEX YOUR MENTAL MUSCLES ON OLD-TIME RADIOBy: Devon Wilkins

Editor's Note: Devon Wilkins is an AEBC board member and an advocate in the assistance dog field. She is also President of the Canadian Old-Time Radio Alliance (COTRA).

Before the dawn of television in the early 1950's, children and adults alike were just as captivated by shows as they are today, but those shows were on radio. Heroes such as Superman and Batman appeared on radio long before TV came along. Fans of situation comedies received their weekly chuckles from the likes of Our Miss Brooks, Father Knows Best, Amos and Andy, The Aldridge Family, Baby Snooks, and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Seekers of adventure immersed themselves in programs such as The Shadow and The Whistler. Armchair crime fighters thrilled to The Green Hornet, Calling All Cars, and Sherlock Holmes.

Canadian soap fans were addicted to shows like Aunt Lucy, Laura Limited, and Brave Voyage, and joined their American counterparts in following the lives of Ma Perkins, Pepper Young's Family, and One Man's Family. In fact, it was on radio where The Guiding Light began its seven-decade reign. Canadians planned their lunch hours so that they could listen to an extremely popular variety show called The Happy Gang, and in the evening it was the Wayne and Shuster Show. Children of that generation enjoyed Just Mary, Maggie Muggins, and Kindergarten of the Air every bit as much as they enjoy Sponge Bob today. Those who liked westerns thrilled to the adventures of Sergeant Preston, Roy Rogers, Gene Autrey, and Wild Bill Hickock. Sci-fi buffs got their jollies from such shows as Planet Man, Journey into Space, and Dimension X. Treasure Trail, which originated out of Vancouver, was one of the most popular game shows in all of North America. And then, of course, there was NHL hockey, which provided Saturday night entertainment in millions of households.

The major advantage of radio was that monsters and aliens could be as scary-looking as you wanted them to be. Heroes could be ten feet tall. Storms and wild animals could be ferocious beyond belief, and the front porch could look mighty fine during visits with Ma Perkins and Just Plain Bill, all thanks in large part to your very own imagination.

Recent studies have shown that when people engage in such activities as crossword puzzles, video and board games, and reading, they are less likely to fall prey as early or as quickly to such illnesses as Alzheimer's disease. There's no reason why turning off the TV, and losing yourself in an old-time radio show, couldn't produce the very same results.

Many of the American-made shows are available simply by downloading them free of charge from such sites as www.radiolovers.com or they can be purchased either in audio or MP3 format from several outlets throughout North America. Shows from Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are also readily available.

The same, unfortunately, can't be said of shows produced here in Canada. One might be tempted to deduce that Canadian entertainment didn't compare with material from elsewhere, but nothing could be further from the truth. The Happy Gang, Don Messer and His Islanders, the Tommy Hunter show, Wayne and Shuster, Treasure Trail, Share the Wealth, Jake and the Kid, John and Judy, and the long-running dramatic series called Stage were every bit as good as programs produced outside our borders. But for some unfathomable reason, the CBC has seen fit to conceal them in archives and deny succeeding generations a big part of their heritage. Information on those shows, and much more in the way of Canadian programming, is available on the Canadian Old-Time Radio Alliance's website at: www.cotra.ca

So when there's nothing else to watch but those annoying summer reruns or when you're looking for something to keep yourself and your family occupied while travelling

from here to there, why not give your imagination free rein, and flex your mental muscles on some old-time radio?

DISABLED ASK FOR BETTER TECHNOLOGYBy: Radhika Panjwani

Editor's Note: This article is reprinted from Mississauga News, November 9, 2006: www.mississauganews.com

The digital world has not kept pace with the needs of the disabled, and some Mississauga advocates are calling on the technology giants to catch up.

Yesterday in Brampton, at the Region of Peel's 3rd annual Day of the Disabled Person, many in attendance said that today's fast-paced society is passing them by.

Visually impaired Rabia Khedr said assistive technology for the disabled is outdated and expensive, which makes it frustrating for users such as herself. For instance, she said, the computer software she uses to help her read, although useful, has limitations.

Khedr wants big companies such as Microsoft to remember people like her.

"Technology that is there to enhance access is usually behind the times," Khedr said. "It (assistive technology) is always trying to catch up. We need accessibility in the age of information technology. It is built-in to a degree, but it is not enough."

A recent survey by the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres (CAILC), an organization that supports the disabled, revealed more than 369,000 people with disabilities in Canada use or require augmentative and alternative communication systems, such as larger computer screens, special keyboards, voice recognition software and other systems. However, finding money to buy the technology is also a huge roadblock.

The survey revealed that, unlike other forms of technologies such as personal computers, the cost of assistive devices and software is prohibitive.

Jutta Treviranus, director of the Adaptive Technology Research Centre at the University of Toronto and yesterday's keynote speaker, said software companies and other digital stakeholders must address issues of e-accessibility at the onset of creating their software or product. They must take into account the needs of the disabled.

She suggested companies develop more technology that is useful for all segments of society.

Treviranus pointed to the introduction of closed captioning on television as an example. She said it was originally developed to assist those with hearing impairments, but is now found to be useful in noisy bars and fitness centres as well. Treviranus believes if hi-tech industries can be innovative in this way, the results could be commercially viable and, at the same time, benefit everyone.

BUILDERS URGED TO CONSIDER FUTURE MOBILITY ISSUESUniversal Design a Growing Trend as Population AgesBy: Todd Lewys

Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from the Sunday Herald, March 11, 2007.

Winnipeg--Build today for a mobility-challenged future tomorrow.

That's the message a couple of occupational therapists are trying to get across to new home buyers, home builders and real estate agents. They want them to consider that today's health and agility may not outlast a person's desire to stay in their home.

Statistics suggest that's often the case: late last year, a Royal LePage study looked at how one-third of Canada's population is over 50 and how the vast majority of those pentagenarians have no desire to move into so-called "senior's housing."

While some of that market is looking to condominiums to ease lifestyle, as the human population's longevity increases and the desire to hold off moving into assisted-living homes for as long as possible, the likelihood that more homeowners will face mobility challenges before it's time to leave the home is high.

That is the force driving what's emerging as a new philosophy: universal design. And at the new-home stage, it's something that can be incorporated at little extra cost.

"We used to work in the spinal cord unit at Health Sciences Centre, and as occupational therapists we are trained to look at the way people function," says occupational therapist Corinne Klassen.

"When our patients were sent home, we quickly realized that most homes are not accessible for patients convalescing from injuries that impaired their mobility. Standard homes have stairs, small doorways and other barriers that make it extremely difficult for mobility-impaired people to do the day-to-day tasks we take for granted."

Many of the changes behind universal design are almost invisible to the average observer: a 91-centimetre (36-inch) main entrance door, 81-centimetre (32-inch) interior doors (instead of the standard 76 centimetres/30 inches), a step-free entrance and wider hallways.

"The main issue here is that we're all getting older," says Angie Maidment, Klassen's partner in Therapy First.

"For example, one of my clients just had a stroke. So he now has mobility problems, and his wife has memory problems. They didn't want to move, so they had to spend about $25,000 for a lift to help him negotiate a set of stairs. It's just not cheap to retrofit a house."

But designed in at the beginning, a plan for the future is quite inexpensive, she said. And to the casual observer, it appears simply as good design precepts, not necessarily concessions to any physical impairment.

Klassen adds that another client, wanting to prepare for the physical challenges that come with aging, was looking to enlist a builder to build him a home with universal design features.

"It turned out to be incredibly difficult to find a builder that would build that kind of home from scratch," she says. "Out of five builders, one responded. That--by necessity--was the builder he went with."

Edmonton architect Ron Wickman says that's not surprising.

"The reality is that most of today's housing communities are built for able-bodied people ... We have to educate the general public, various levels of government and the private sector (builders) about the merits of universal design concept homes."

Wickman said, like it or not, old age is coming. "A huge tidal wave of seniors with mobility issues is coming, and it's going to hit hard," he warns.

While universal design is the ultimate goal when designing a home for persons with limited mobility, there are actually three levels of user-friendliness: visitable, accessible and universal.

Making a home visitable means that a mobility-impaired individual can get to and through the front door without incident, and then can negotiate their way around the main floor without encountering any major obstructions.

Winnipeg realtors' market analyst Peter Squire says the universal design concept makes sense.

"It makes sense that universal design will be a growing trend--older people with knee, hip and back issues would benefit tremendously from the user-friendly features." Copyright Winnipeg Free Press.

THE RADIATOR, THE WASHING MACHINE, AND THE GAS PUMPBy: Robert Moore

Editor's Note: This article is reprinted from the Braille Monitor, Vol. 49, No. 4, April 2006: www.nfb.org

As far back as I can remember, I loved to take things apart and figure out how they work. I took small engine classes in high school and went on to Arkansas Enterprises for the Blind to earn certification in small engine repair. Although I didn't manage to make a career in the field, I never lost my passion for mechanics in general.

My wife and I got married in the summer of 1992. At that time I had very little experience with auto repair, but I figured that, if I could learn to fix small engine equipment, I could learn to do basic auto repair. I concluded very quickly over time that the price of not learning and having to pay someone big money every time the car broke down or needed basic maintenance was more than I was willing to pay.

However, to this day I would rather leave some things to the professionals, even though I am sure that I could learn to do them. To my mind, the care needed and the risk involved are not worth the savings. One such thing is replacing gaskets that require applying sealer. I worry about getting some of the gasket sealer in the oil or antifreeze. Don't get me wrong: I am not saying it cannot be done safely and properly. It just isn't worth the time to me because it needs to be done so seldom.

My wife drives so, in financial self-defense and a love for tinkering with things, I have learned how to do most basic car repairs myself. I am not a trained mechanic, but I have become pretty good at it.

One day I was standing around the shop with the guys, and I mentioned having changed the radiator on my wife's car. Her brother told me that I could not change a radiator on a car because "you have to see what you are doing." I told him that I knew I could because I had just done it. He still did not believe me and asked, "How can you do that if you can't see?"

I simply held up my hands in front of him, said, "I have 20/20 vision right here," and explained that I do it all by touch. He continued to maintain that I was lying, so I let it go.

Knowing what a smart alec her brother is, my wife had a better answer. I wish I had thought of it. Here is what she would have said: "Well, first I drained the radiator, then I unplugged the fan and removed it, then I took off the hoses and transmission lines and removed all the bolts. Finally, I removed the radiator. How would you have done it?"

I am always astounded that people who work on cars for a living do not understand how a blind person can work on cars. After all, when mechanics work on cars, they often cannot see what they are doing because what they are working on is tucked

behind some other part, and they have to get their hands in there and feel what they are doing.

The first time it occurred to my wife that I do not use the little bit of sight I have while working on a car was when I was changing a timing belt outside on a friend's car. It started to get dark, and my wife came out and said, "Why don't you come in now?" I said that I wanted to finish up since I was almost done. She said, "But it's getting dark." I said, "That doesn't bother me; does it bother you?" To this day she still chuckles at that answer.

Another memorable time we took a trip to visit her parents. Her dad, her brother-in-law and I were working on the car. Her dad and her brother-in-law were trying in vain to locate the one bolt that was keeping the bracket we needed to move from budging. I said, "Let me get in there and find it for you." Since I was blind, they were not going to have any of that. Then came the moment of truth (or maybe opportunity). They both went into the garage at the same time to chase a wrench. I climbed under the car, and when they got back I had identified the bolt and was able to point it out to them.

I have also tackled other mechanical projects such as washers and dryers. We had a washing machine that was leaking, actually dumping water out the bottom. This called for drastic measures, and fast. Without thinking twice, I took the top completely off and pulled the drum out into the middle of the floor. By the time my wife arrived home, I had the washer fixed. I explained exactly what I had done, and she assured me that she was glad it was fixed and very glad that she did not have to see the machine all over the floor. She has since become completely comfortable with my working on the car and doing some appliance repairs and other small repairs around the house.

Now carpentry is another matter. I would like to learn some basic carpentry, but most of it I will leave to the pros. I know lots of blind people do carpentry, but it's just not my thing.

But here is one last subject that I do feel pretty strongly about. When I am with my wife in the car and it is time to fill the tank, I always get out and fill it for her. So, to all you blind men who think that just because you don't drive you don't have to fill the tank, I say, be good to your wives. Get out and fill the tank. True, gas pumps today are not blind-friendly, but that's okay. Have her make the appropriate selections on the screen, such as grade and payment type. Then she can climb back into the warm car while you fill it.

CREATING MY OWN BACKYARD OASISBy: Linda Bartram

Editor's Note: Linda Bartram is former President of AEBC's Victoria, British Columbia, Chapter, who now lives in Oliver, BC.

When I said I wanted a water garden in the backyard of our Victoria home, I'm sure my husband rolled his eyes and was thinking "not another one of her projects". But I was determined to create my own oasis complete with waterfalls and, of course, fish.

"So what will this pond look like and how big will it be?" asked my husband once he had realized that I was serious. I had a pretty good picture in my mind but he needed something a little more concrete and so, armed with a length of rope we embarked upon a two-year labour of love.

I had done a fair amount of research on the internet, with my speech program JAWS droning on about pond liners, pump capacity, biological and mechanical filter systems and the like, and had some of the answers to his questions. To determine what it would look like, we laid out the rope in various patterns on the back lawn: a circle--too boring; an oval--still too boring; something that looked like an amoeba--now that's getting more interesting! We settled for a disfigured egg shape that would be deeper at one end and would have a shelf on one side for plants.

But where should it go? Beside the cedar hedge would provide shade and help keep the water free of algae and the fish cool, but cedar roots are attracted to water and we would have leaks in the liner in no time. There was the area along the back fence that used to house the kids' playhouse and swing set, but it was too close to the compost box. So we settled for a spot under the Ornamental Cherry Tree next to a stump of one of its siblings that had met with a chain saw a few years earlier. We would just have to deal with the leaves falling into the water. At least the floating blossoms would look pretty.

Now the real work began. You need to realize that Victoria soil, at least where we lived, is one part sand and 99 parts clay. And we were going to dig the pond by hand?

At this point, I disappeared for two weeks and returned to a two-foot-deep hole and a wasted husband.

I spent the next two weekends climbing in and out of the hole, lining it with newspaper, cardboard and old carpeting, anything to protect the plastic liner, which would hold in the water. Then came the sand which I tried, mostly in vain, to plaster up the sides of the hole. Finally, we were ready to insert the pond liner.

We extended the liner another foot or so around the edge of the pond and finished this area with gravel. This was to warn me of the imminent water's edge. It worked fairly well, as I only fell in once. I decided to place a few boulders-actually, twenty-five of them--around the edge after my dip. These did not, however, deter my friend's guide dog from taking a plant-toppling, fish-scaring swim.

Creating a waterfall, which turned out to be more like a stream, was the next step. More pond liner, boulders, gravel and lots of mud and this time I carefully climbed into the pond. Getting the water to flow down the watercourse, and not over the sides or

into the mud under the liner, was no mean feat, but finally persistence paid off. I planted moss, heather and other rock garden plants between the boulders on one side of the stream. On the other side was the stump I mentioned earlier. We ran a pipe around the back of the stump, up to the filter which then emptied down the stream. We concealed the pipe with ferns and again more boulders.

At this point, we happened to meet a couple who were in the process of filling in their pond. Was there a message here? They had several well-established plants needing a new home and dozens of tiny fish, the only ones that hadn't been found by the raccoons as they drained their pond. We took them all home and tossed them in. The plants survived. The fish did not.

A friend was also trading in her outdoor pond for an indoor aquarium. Was someone trying to tell us something? If so, we weren't listening. This time, we gradually introduced her fish to the pond water and they actually survived!! One of these was a Koi named Mooshi, which I trained to eat out of my fingers. When he came that close, I was able to see an orange flash just before he sucked in the pellet. Sadly, his boldness would make him easy prey for a hungry heron the following year. I resolved that the next batch of fish would be nameless, timid goldfish. These continue to grow in number to this day.

Two years and two pumps later, our pond was at a point where we could just sit on the garden bench in the evening sipping coffee, listening to the trickle of the stream, the swish of the water Iris, and the pop of the feeding fish.

Ah, heaven!!

LEADING BY EXAMPLEThe Long Journey ContinuesBy: Shelley Ann Morris

Editor's Note: Shelley Ann Morris is Secretary of AEBC's Ottawa, Ontario, Chapter, and a 2006 graduate of Leadership Ottawa's training program. She submitted this item to Leadership Ottawa's website: www.leadershipottawa.org

We all have the ability to effect change and make the world a little better just by leading with our own example. This message was made very clear to me when I completed my 12th run up the steps of the CN Tower. It wasn't my fastest finish time, but this outing was one of my most inspired.

While living in Toronto in 1993, my sister, Colleen, heard about the CN Tower Stair Climb, an annual fundraiser for United Way and challenged me to try it. Now that she has moved back to Ottawa, we stay with her friend, Diane, and Diane's 14-year-old son, Ian, on the night before the event. Ian knew that I participated, despite my being visually impaired. This year, on his own initiative, he researched the climb on the

website, downloaded the necessary forms, raised a sizeable amount in sponsors and decided to join me for this year's Public Climb on Saturday, October 20.

I was raised to believe that my disability is sensory and that physically I was just like anyone else--I have two good feet, a healthy heart, great endurance, and a vocabulary that does not include the words "pity" or "quit." My father and sister had participated in previous climbs and provided me with unflagging support and encouragement. My mother taught me to believe in myself and to see obstacles merely as challenges. With a strong team of family, friends and expert physical training provided at the Dovercourt Recreation Centre, I was destined to reach my goal of completing my race in under 21 minutes.

The many people whom I have had the good fortune to meet through Leadership Ottawa have also helped me to build confidence in myself and to constantly step out of my "comfort zone." LO is filled with those who have overcome tremendous obstacles and remain community-minded and positive, despite the challenges and circumstances they have faced. I thank each one for the valuable lessons they had taught me. Their spirit helped to propel me up, up up!

On the morning of the climb, the CN Tower in its enormity stood majestic and almost mocking, daring us to climb its steps in a respectable time. Ian had never participated before; I tried my best to give him some pointers as to what to expect, while at the same time trying to contain my own pre-event apprehension and excitement. I told him to take it at his own pace and to concentrate on the immediate step in front of him, and not to get too freaked out about the many, many seemingly endless flights of stairs that lay ahead. Once inside the tower itself, he was of immense help guiding me, as it is always difficult to find the small entrance to the stairwell amidst security personnel and numerous other participants jockeying for that first step.

We climbed at the same pace, counting the large, orange numbers painted on the wall at the top of each flight. To break the monotony, we climbed some flights two steps at a time. We negotiated our way around bottlenecks of participants who were too exhausted to keep up with us. We took a 10-second break at floor 72, approximately halfway. The heat in the stairwell was intense; the railings on the staircase were wet with perspiration. At about flight 130, we started counting down to the home stretch. We could hear the cheering and clapping at the top of the stairwell. Likely buoyed up by this, my young competitor got a sudden burst of energy, sped straight to the exit, and got there a full seven seconds before me!

Family and the glory of completing the 1776-step journey were awaiting us at the top. After taking some pictures, we all took that plummet in the elevator back down to the ground, and proudly collected our bright red event t-shirts, with our times carefully printed on for all the world to see. I know that Ian would have had a proud moment or two when he returned to school. I would certainly have a few peacock moments of my own at work.

As grown folks, we can do a lot to encourage those younger than ourselves. With childhood obesity on the rise and other lifestyle-induced diseases appearing at younger ages, we may inspire them by eating well, keeping fit and getting them involved in athletic pursuits. As people with disabilities, we can also demonstrate to others by our example how having an impairment need not stop us from living full, active lives.

ACTIVE: BUT NOT AN ATHLETEBy: Richard Marion

Editor's Note: Richard Marion is President of AEBC's Lower Mainland Chapter in Vancouver, British Columbia.

After much procrastination, I am finally writing about my activities as a blind person. When I was first asked to write about my activeness, I thought that perhaps there was a mistake. I am definitely not an athlete, and for those who know me really well, I am sure they would agree that an active lifestyle is not portrayed by my body type. But as I further gave the topic more thought, I realized that an active lifestyle does not necessarily mean being an Olympic athlete, but can mean just keeping yourself busy and involved in your community.

Over my lifetime so far, I have tried to keep myself busy with work, volunteer and social activities. As I grew up and in my early years, I was always encouraged to explore my interests outside of school. As an adult, I continued to practice this. As a result, I became interested in advocacy and community involvement right out of high school. Also, along with this, I pursued my interest in music and, when I could afford it, travel. Needless to say, these activities, along with my full-time job, keep me very busy.

The full-time work I am involved in is with a small business my family operates. It is a trucking company with a truck repair shop. No, I am not driving but sometimes I wonder if some people who drive today are as blind as I am. But back to my work. I am the business manager and deal with all the day-to-day general business activities. This includes some of the bookkeeping using software packages that present challenges with the speech software I use on my computer. At some point, I will take the time to research more accessible bookkeeping software that works better with JAWS, my screen reading program.

Over the years, I continue to ask myself, "Why do I keep doing what I am doing?" The answer never really comes to me. I know there have been times when I have reduced my volunteer activities and focused on my hobbies and paid employment. But since blindness advocacy is part of me, I find myself continuing to make this part of my life. The difference now is that I have managed to keep things in perspective and ensure that I continue to pursue my recreational interest in music by singing with a community choir. It is because of my interest in music that I have also increased my travel

activities out of North America, and have gone to the Czech Republic twice for a choral school in Prague and to a singing workshop in Cuba.

I would say that the first time I travelled outside of North America, I did have some apprehension. Much of this was centred on my blindness and how it would impact my ability to travel in new countries, but also it was because of the fact that I was flying the longest distances I had ever flown before. In addition, since I was taking my guide dog to Europe, there were issues that had to be addressed. But in the end, I was successful in getting to Prague, and was able to enjoy the music and cultural activities that included drinking a bit too much Czech beer! If people have never travelled before, I can say that the opportunity to combine two interests is a worthwhile way to get to see parts of the world we have always wanted to visit.

I am a person who really does not like writing about myself. I think that my achievements are not really extraordinary. But on the other hand, many of us have not been as fortunate as I have been to have supportive family and friends who encourage me to overlook my blindness and try whatever I want. I consider myself to be quite normal and many times don't think what I have done is worth celebrating or acknowledging in a special way. But if the fact that, as a blind person, I can travel overseas independently demonstrates that blindness should not be a barrier, well, this is as important as some of the frontline advocacy I do on issues like the impact of quiet cars on our safe mobility.

If we all can stay active in our own ways, we will achieve great things as a community, and perhaps my sighted peers in the choir will also learn music by memory like I do! In my life, I have definitely tried to keep my activity level quite high. Now, I just need to work on my Olympic fitness level.

SCUBA DIVING ANYONE?By: Mark Dumalski

Editor's Note: Mark Dumalski lives in Ottawa, Ontario, and is working towards his Chartered Accountant's designation.

When I signed up for a few hours of work assessing the accessibility of various websites a few years ago, I certainly never envisioned that work finding me 70 feet below the surface of the St. Lawrence River only a short time later. The gentleman I was working with on the websites was a quadriplegic and asked me one day if I would be interested in checking out a program aimed at teaching people with disabilities how to Scuba dive. Not expecting much to come of it, I figured I would give it a try, and I haven't looked back since.

Over the next three months, I worked closely with another student to learn the academic theory behind Scuba diving, which is the cornerstone to safe, fun and efficient diving. The textbook, as far as I knew at the time, was only available in print,

and there were certain concepts, such as the use of dive tables to determine the maximum amount of time one can stay at the bottom while on a dive, which were somewhat visual. However, the instructor was very accommodating and took the view that the most important thing was for me to demonstrate my comprehension of the key concepts (so he found other ways to allow me to write the tests) and show proficiency with the various skills.

The academic sessions were accompanied by weekly sessions in a private indoor pool, where I practiced various skills such as controlling my buoyancy in the water, clearing my mask, and learning how to ascend to the surface safely in case of an emergency.

As one might guess, most communication underwater is done visually with hand signals. Obviously, this wasn't going to work for me, and so we instead made use of tactile signals so that my buddies could communicate with me. I, in the meantime, continued to use visual signals to communicate with them. As an example, when asking someone if they are okay, you typically hold up your thumb and forefinger in the shape of an O, with your other three fingers extended. For me, this question is indicated with a squeeze of the upper arm, and I then respond with the appropriate hand signal.

By the end of the three months, I had obtained my Handicapped Scuba Association or HSA certification, which is akin to the Professional Association of Diving Instructors certification, which most recreational divers hold. Some instructors, holding both certifications, believe the HSA to be the more sound and technically advanced certification, though this is only the opinion of some.

An individual with a disability is typically assigned one of three levels of certification, each dependent on the individual's ability to help him or herself, as well as others, while in the water. I am a C-level diver, but only just barely. This designation is based on the fact that if I was diving with a buddy who became unconscious, and we had to surface, I would not be able to see the shore to get us both there safely. An A-level diver, by comparison, can assist another diver on a completely independent basis.

An individual's level of certification affects little more than the number and types of buddies he or she is required to be accompanied by on a dive. As a C-level diver, I am required to be accompanied by any certified diver with a pulse, as my instructor likes to say, and by a certified rescue level diver. Certification level notwithstanding, I have been told on numerous occasions by my instructor that I am one of the better divers he has taught, and as we speak, he is making plans for me to take the Advanced HSA course, and teach me introductory cave diving.

My instructor, who has been diving since he was 11, had previously taught people with disabilities how to dive in his spare time, as Scuba diving has always been his greatest passion. Recently, he founded a charitable foundation known as Freedom at Depth, which allows him to teach Scuba diving on a full-time basis. As a blind individual who

has been diving for about five years now, and as the Treasurer of Freedom at Depth, I strongly encourage anyone to check out their website (www.freedomatdepth.ca), as the organization is always looking for new students.

One of the most common questions I get asked is what enjoyment could I possibly get out of Scuba diving, as it is typically known as a very visual activity. I never quite know how to respond to this question, but all I can say is that there is nothing quite like the feeling of weightlessness and complete and utter serenity that one experiences while exploring a river bottom, shipwreck or, as I hope to one day do, the ceiling of a saltwater cave, or sandy bottom of the Caribbean Sea. If you like the water, and have the discipline to master the skills required, Scuba diving may just be the thing for you.

CAPTAINING THE BLIND FISHING BOATBy: Lawrence Euteneier

The story behind the Blind Fishing Boat, the world's first of its type, started with a leaky 21-year-old fibreglass boat. While my first vessel may not have been the most seaworthy, it precipitated the linkage of my extensive experience in creating accessible solutions for the blind with my love of boating and fishing. Today, I am Captain of both the LillyAnne I and II.

Fishing has been my passion since my earliest years. It's continued to be a big part of my life due largely to my inability to see having little impact on my participating in many forms of the sport. I believe both sighted and non-sighted fishers have in common the pursuit of an unseen quarry, and they employ technologies, from the simple hook to sophisticated fish sonar, to catch what, they can only surmise, swims beneath the waves.

With the support of numerous sponsors from the fishing and assistive technology sectors, I am working hard to apply solutions so fishers with vision disabilities can benefit from the same advancements in technology that their sighted counterparts enjoy. I'm amazed how fishing equipment manufacturers focus their products on enhancing human senses such as touch, smell and sound.

Sport fishing is witnessing a proliferation of unique styles of fishing and associated equipment. My reports on "Blind Fishing Adventures" and descriptions of techniques and gear are therefore intended to inform other fishers with limited or no sight on what works best. I am also assisting those in the fishing retail and service sectors to gain a better understanding of this segment of the marketplace.

If you are experiencing vision loss and want to keep fishing or you're considering taking it up for the first time, you will find a wealth of information on the Blind Fishing Boat website. Additionally, if you require information on how to expand products or services for the blind or partially sighted, or you have a question you think I may be

able to answer, you can email me. I am also available to share my knowledge and experience on the water through presentations or keynote addresses.

Contact Lawrence Euteneier, Captain, the Blind Fishing Boat: Tel.: 613-298-3028; Email: info@blindfishingboat.com; Website: www.blindfishingboat.com

Lawrence Euteneier is a member of AEBC's Ottawa-Gatineau Chapter. Being registered as blind at age eight and having no functional vision by 20, much of his training and employment has focused on technology as the great leveller for persons with disabilities.

Lawrence's background includes a Masters in Environmental Science from York University, Toronto, which included conducting research with Canada's Inuit on their traditional integration practices, and in Sweden on their innovative integration solutions.

Experiences such as Chairing the federal government's accessibility committee, serving as the Special Technology Advisor to the Senate of Canada, and conceiving and deploying leading-edge internet access technologies like Web-4-All, have led to his receiving a number of private, consumer and public awards such as the Governor General's Meritorious Service Medal and the Federal Public Service Achievement of Excellence Award.

GET SPORTY: THE CANADIAN BLIND SPORTS ASSOCIATIONBy: Matt Morrow

Editor's Note: Matt Morrow is Director of Participation with the Canadian Blind Sports Association.

Five Paralympians are playing. They sprawl back and forth across the court and block shots reaching speeds upwards of 60 kilometres per hour. As if this wasn't enough, all of the athletes wear opaque visors and cannot see a thing. Yet no one in the crowd makes a sound.

Quebec's Mario Caron, the all-time leading Paralympic goal scorer, launches the ball down the court. At the other end, representing Ontario, National Team-mate Dean Kozak throws himself towards the post, gets a piece of the ball, and successfully defends the net.

A spectacular shot, an even better save--overall, a fantastic play. Some of the best athletes in the world are putting on an incredible show, yet not a soul claps or cheers; no one offers any words of encouragement; and there are no sounds of excitement. The crowd remains silent.

Why? Because these athletes are playing Goalball, a Paralympic sport exclusively for persons who are blind or partially sighted. Competitors rely on only their hearing to track the ball by listening to the four bells jingling inside as it hurdles towards them. Talking, cheering, and noise of any kind are strictly forbidden during play to allow the athletes the best chance of locating the ball. Until a goal is scored, that is. Then the raucous crowd of about 75 erupts in chants, war-whoops and feverish clapping.

The game? Team Ontario vs. Team Quebec in the semi-finals at the 2008 Canadian Blind Sports National Goalball Championships, which took place between March 15 and 17 in Kelowna, British Columbia. 53 of the nation's top Goalball players faced off in both men's and women's competitions for the right to be called the best in Canada.

The event featured players of all ages and skill levels, from National Team athletes vying to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, to novice players attending their first National Championships and enjoying the purity of the fun-filled game. All told, the competitors and coaches combined to create 12 teams representing seven provinces, from British Columbia to Prince Edward Island, and played in an awe-inspiring 49 games over the course of three days.

Why are sports events like this so important for people who are blind or partially sighted? For the same reasons they are valuable for everyone--for their physical, social and psychological benefits. On top of that, the sport of Goalball is unique in that it is played at the international level exclusively by athletes who are blind, which ensures an even playing field, and that it provides a social network of Goalball and sport enthusiasts who are blind.

Quebec's Nathalie Chartrand is the perfect example of a dedicated Goalball athlete, who credits the sport for opening up a whole new world of possibilities for her.

Because of a medical condition, Nathalie became totally blind at age 20 in a little less than a month. She remembers thinking at the time that her life was over. As it turned out, losing her sight was just the beginning of a long love affair with the sport of Goalball, which has taken her to two Paralympic Games and two World Championships, has given her the opportunity to learn English and Spanish, and which has led her to two careers--first as a sport massage therapist and now as the Director General of the Quebec Blind Sports Association (Association Sportive des Aveugles du Quebec, ASAQ).

Nathalie loves the thrill of competition and the physical benefits of participating in Goalball, but is also very quick to mention the social aspects. "When I lost my sight, I had never known anyone else who was blind," she remembers. "The very next year I started Goalball. The other players taught me how to play, but also they taught me tricks {of the trade} and about how to be blind."

"When I lost my sight, I also lost my self-confidence, because I didn't know how to even move around without killing myself. Being good at Goalball helped me to rebuild my self-esteem."

As Goalball helped Nathalie adapt to her new life as a person who is blind, she simultaneously grew more comfortable as an athlete who is blind. The game also provided her with an outlet for her competitive fire. "What I love about Goalball is that when I am on the court, there is no guide, no pilot. On the court, I just play."

With this passion, Nathalie trained hard and used Goalball to fulfill her dreams. As a sighted nine-year-old, she had watched the 1976 Montreal Olympics and witnessed Nadia Comaneci's incredible display of athleticism as she won three gold medals and posted the first-ever perfect scores in Gymnastics. "When I saw that, I thought that one day I will win Olympic medals too," she reminisces. "I didn't know it would be the Paralympics, though, and that I would be blind!"

Nathalie was an integral part of the Canadian Women's Goalball Team's Bronze Medal at the 1992 Barcelona Games and their 2000 Gold Medal win in Sydney. While the glory of winning drives any high-performance athlete, Nathalie also stresses the importance of physical activity to a healthy life, saying, "It is not only the gold medal that is important, but all that you have to do to get there."

Now retired from international competition, Nathalie represented team Quebec when she participated in her 20th Canadian Blind Sports National Goalball Championships this past March. Though she claims that this is her last Nationals, Nathalie embraces the annual event, pointing out that "the rest of the year I live in the sighted world. With Goalball and Nationals, at least once a year I can compete with people who have the same level of vision as myself." As all participants wear visors, Goalball truly presents an even playing field.

As dedicated athletes, like Nathalie, show that Goalball is alive and well and growing in numbers, the Canadian Blind Sports Association and its nine provincial member organizations strive to make this country the best place for Goalball and blind sports in general. They offer a wide variety of programs, ranging from Paralympic sports like athletics, judo, swimming and tandem cycling, to recreational activities such as dragon boating, golf, hockey, lawn bowles, power lifting, showdown, triathlon and wrestling.

Please visit www.canadianblindsports.ca to find your Provincial Blind Sports Organization or to find out how to contact us directly. Get up and out and involved. There are plenty of opportunities to play, coach, volunteer or become a sponsor, with teams and events right across the country. You can also find out when competitions are happening near you. Come out and support the dedicated Goalball athletes. Their heart, passion and athleticism will impress you.

Just make sure to turn off all cell phones and pagers first!

DRAGON BOATING IS THE GREAT EQUALIZERBy: Allison Cross

Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from Nanaimo Daily News, July 9, 2007.

Visually Impaired Paddlers Compete on Level Playing Field with Sighted Peers

After two wins out on the water in one day, team Eye of the Dragon wasted little time before celebrating in an appropriate manner.

"My team is all in the beer garden," said coach Dan Hebert, as he stood outside his team tent on Saturday.

Eye of the Dragon is made up of 50% blind or visually impaired paddlers and travelled from Vancouver to race in the Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival on the weekend.

What began in 1993 as one visually impaired paddler on one team is now a competitive and dedicated group partially sponsored by B.C. Blind Sports.

The team members describe dragon boating as one of the only sports that puts athletes with vision loss on the same level as their sighted peers, without any adaptation or prior experience.

Lee Grenon has been a member of red-shirted Eye of the Dragon since 2001. He was born with a visual impairment but went on to win medals at three Paralympic Games.

"We're competitive with other local teams because we have great team spirit that's inclusive of everyone on the team," he said. "Everyone, whether blind or sighted, is expected to be committed and do your best."

Maggie Livingstone, who is legally blind, grinned over a pint of beer after her race.

"I love it," she said. "Twice, we kicked butt."

Livingstone has dedicated eight years to "Eye" and was a volunteer before that.

"When we first started, it wasn't much of a challenge. Now, it's very challenging and competitive," she said.

"But all the teams, we have respect for them. We're the only officially visually impaired dragon boat."

Johnny Tai, who is visually impaired, and Bruce Robinson, who is not, are paddle partners in the dragon boat.

"(Johnny) can get in and out the boat faster than anyone," Robinson said.

"I'm also the best looking," added Tai.

Tai said dragon boating is the first team sport he's tried and he enjoys its enduring "competitive spirit."

"The team members with visual impairments, they paddle by the feel of it," Robinson said.

"You feel the rate of paddling automatically. If it gets out of time, we just yell 1-2-3, and they get right back in time."

Members of the team like each other so much, they've started to pair off.

Tai met girlfriend Liz Reid when they both joined the team.

"We're the team with the most couples," Reid said.

"It's hard work, but it's worth the challenge."

Hebert, who initially planned to coach for only one year, said the team is just so much fun.

"But they do keep pairing up," he said. "They call it the love boat."

DISABILITIES FADE ON BACK OF HORSEBy: Yvonne Zacharias

Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from the Cape Breton Post, Nova Scotia, March 27, 2006.

Horseback Therapy Does Wonders with Wide Variety of Problems

If horses could talk, what tales they would tell about their riders. Some are able-bodied, finely tuned athletes. Others are hampered by a host of disabilities. Oh what a dance they get into, horse and rider, muscles moving in a rhythmic duet even when the rider can't walk, can't talk or can't do some of the everyday things that people do.

On the back of a horse, these riders often take flight. Gone are crutches, wheelchairs and feelings of inferiority.

Riding instructor Stephanie Tate has seen this and more. She works at Maynard's riding stables as part of the Southlands Therapeutic Riding Society.

"I have had children with autism or autistic tendencies who will sit in a parking lot on the ground and cry their eyes out and yell and scream the first time they come to the riding lesson and by the end of six months, a year, two years, they are having full-on conversations with people. They have come out of their shell."

The litany of miracles continues. "I have had children, whom doctors have said will never get out of a wheelchair, end up using nothing more than a crutch to walk and they can interact and pretty much be as independent as anyone. I have had people who are deathly afraid of the horse eventually be able to do everything on their own with great confidence and find incredible joy in the horse."

All kinds of people ride. Those with cerebral palsy, autism, problems with fine or gross motor skills, emotional issues, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, Down syndrome, visual and hearing impairment, and some spinal chord injuries.

To say that Tate loves her job is a bit of an understatement. She would rather be doing it than anything in the world, even on days when the skies open up and pour their fury on the earth below.

On such a day, she and riding student Rachel Roberts, 15, braved the riding ring with Sprite, a gentle but spirited horse.

But first Roberts' mother, Debbie, carefully lifted her daughter out of her wheelchair for a session of stretching with Tate. Riding, she says, puts Rachel "on par with her peers. A lot of her friends ride horses. She has that common denominator with them."

The teenager with cerebral palsy sums up in three words why riding is so special to her. "I feel free." Sometimes, she leans over, pats Sprite and says, "Good boy." Sprite knows. He listens. He understands.

The Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association explains it this way: "For those riders who cannot walk, the horse is their feet, their vehicle of transport."

There is, however, one hitch. Sandra Evans, B.C. zone representative with the national association, says there are long waiting lists for therapeutic riding in the Lower Mainland. All five stables offering it in the area are backlogged, as are most of the nine other stables in the province with therapeutic riding.

The reasons are obvious. It's expensive to have horses and the trained staff to offer therapeutic riding. It generally requires a lot of fundraising.

There is also a perennial shortage of volunteers, which are in high demand in such a program. Each rider starts with three volunteers--one to lead the horse and one on either side to ensure the rider is safe. Evans, who operates a stable in Richmond, said experience with horses is not essential for volunteers, as most of the centres will train them.

Not every horse is suited to this type of riding. They generally need to have calm dispositions. Evans said the horses have to be incredibly sound. "We often have people trying to give us their 25-year-old beautiful faithful pet." That won't do. "These horses need to be healthy, sound and able to work. It's certainly not a retirement home, although we are often looking for horses who are a little bit older because they have the life experience that makes them a little less reactive."

CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES TAKE TO SLOPESBy: Jonathan Russell

Editor's Note: This article is reprinted from the Guardian, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, February 6, 2006.

Ski Day at Park Gives Youngsters Opportunity to Learn Snowboarding and Skiing, Something Volunteers and Parents Say Gives Them the Self-Confidence that They Can Do Anything

Shaky at first, nine-year-old Sonia Walker slowly stood up on her snowboard.

"I want to show you how I can," she said, moments before she strapped her feet in and headed down Brookvale Ski Hill.

It's her first time snowboarding, and enthusiastically said: "Yes!" when asked if she was having fun.

She looked upward, blinked a few times, and took off.

There's one thing that separates Walker from most nine-year-olds--she's visually impaired.

"Sonia's doing great," said Joanne Hodgins, a teacher with Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority (APSEA).

"She's a real trouper. She likes to try anything new, once she feels safe and knows what's going on."

Walker is one of nearly 20 impaired students from across P.E.I. who went to Brookvale recently to learn how to ski and snowboard.

The event was coordinated by APSEA and the Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing (CADS). The day was paid for by the APSEA trust fund, $275 in total for the students, parents, volunteers and supervisors.

Bernard LaBelle, a volunteer with CADS since its start in P.E.I. six years ago, said people with vision are afraid to ski, but the visually impaired children he works with don't share the same fear.

"Look at these kids," LaBelle said. "If there was anybody to be afraid, it would be them, but no, they come and they do it."

LaBelle got involved with CADS because he wanted to see children with disabilities get included more, he said.

"Disabled kids would come here (Brookvale), they would sit them in the lodge upstairs in the windows and they would just look at the other kids have fun."

But it's not about him, he said, it's for the kids.

"For (the children), it's very often a dream. You can imagine, they've never skied in their life and they would never have thought that they would be able to."

Society in general benefits when volunteering, it's done for everybody, he said.

And it gives the children self-confidence, and when they grow up they realize they can do anything, LaBelle added.

"If all throughout their childhood they don't do anything, they tend to think, 'OK, we can't do anything', and it's not the case. It's (about) opportunity and possibility."

Jennifer Shields, a supervisor with APSEA P.E.I., said it's a "real treat" to be a teacher working with visually impaired students, and getting to watch them grow.

As soon as a child is identified with a visual impairment, a teacher like Shields works with them until they're in high school, she said.

"Many of these children, I've known them since they were babies and we follow them all through school."

Her job is to assist classroom teachers and provide adaptive material, large print and braille, among other teaching tools, so her students can go through school smoothly, Shields explained.

The ski day at Brookvale was another way to teach the kids they're capable, she added. It takes a lot of organization to bring disabled children from public schools across the Island to Brookvale, she said.

Parents helped transporting kids and educational assistants helped supervise the students while on the hill, explained Shields.

"It's a very satisfying experience in every sense, when our students do well in school and also when they do well in an experience like this."

John McConnell, director of APSEA in Halifax, Nova Scotia, who's been involved with the organization for nearly 28 years, agreed, saying he's always enjoyed working with disabled children.

He's also a snowboard instructor on the weekends.

"This is great," McConnell said.

"These kids don't get a lot of opportunity to get out and this is a good life-long (recreational) skill to develop. They don't always get that opportunity in classes so we like to provide it with the group here today."

The goal for the day is simple, he said.

"Have fun is the main goal, and then learn a few skills."

The day's purpose was agreed upon by all participants.

Helen Smith-MacPhail, a parent of son Nicholas, who has a disability, said it's important for everyone to know disabled children enjoy the same things as everyone else.

"Kids with disabilities, they're no different than any other kids, and they just want to get out and have a good time."

The disabled ski program is "wonderful" at Brookvale and her and Nicholas go skiing on a regular basis, she said.

The program makes it easy for her husband and kids to ski as a family, added Smith-MacPhail.

"For us, it's something that we can do as a real family. Nicholas is a wheelchair user so there's not many activities that he can participate in at the same level as the rest of the family, and as an able-bodied child," she explained.

The Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority is an excellent organization and knows the importance of getting families of children with disabilities together, she said.

The organization is funded by Rotary clubs, Easter Seals and Ronald McDonald charities that pay for equipment like bi-skis, which are ridden by wheelchair users to enjoy the thrills of skiing and cost close to $4,000 a piece.

LaBelle said the bi-skis are worth every penny.

"They're expensive but they're extremely useful, because without the equipment they wouldn't be skiing."

Sponsors, teachers and volunteers help whenever they can so impaired students can participate independently in any activity when they get older, LaBelle said.

Meanwhile, Sonia Walker took a little tumble on her way down the hill.

Walker's teacher, Hodgins, encouraged her to try again.

"I fell and I think my arm got twisted," she said, wiping tears from her eyes, but the tears quickly dried as her excitement grew to get back up and try again.

INTERNATIONAL CORNER

VISUALLY IMPAIRED TEENAGER DISOWNED FOR MARRYING A DALITBy: Roshan Sanwa

Editor's Note: This article is reprinted from the Himalayan Times, Nepal, September 12, 2007.

Katmandu--The family of a visually impaired youth have disowned him for marrying a Dalit {someone belonging to the lowest social and ritual class} girl in Ilam district. Surya Sauden Limbu, of Ilam's Sulubung-7, married Sita Pariyar, of Soyang-6, also visually impaired, following their one-and-a-half-year-old affair.

When Surya informed his father about his marriage with Sita on August 26, his father disowned him. His father told him, "You are dead for us. We have already performed your last rites."

"We are not allowed to go home. We are living in a rented room," Surya Sauden said.

Surya and Sita met each other at a convention of the Nepal Association of the Visually Impaired two years ago.

"Since both of us know braille, we exchanged letters," Surya said.

"We wrote as many as 22 letters a month," said Sita.

Nineteen-year-old Surya is a student of Grade IX at Amar Higher Secondary School, while 18-year-old Sita studies in Grade V at Adarsha Lower Secondary School. They are willing to continue their studies.

Surya said he would continue to fight against caste discrimination. "We are working for a candlelight factory run by the Nepal Association of the Visually Impaired. We will not have a child until we become self-reliant," Surya said.

MAKING A LOT OF SCENTS; PINKERTON STUDENT CHOSEN TO DEVELOP PERFUME IN FRANCEBy: Shelley J. Thompson

Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted courtesy of the Eagle-Tribune, MA, June 15, 2007.

Derry--Pinkerton Academy sophomore Stephanie O'Donnell will spend the next several days in France making perfume.

The 16-year-old from Derry, who is visually impaired, will join four other teens who are blind or have low vision for a perfume-making workshop at L'Occitane in Provence. The other teens are from New York, Maryland and Nevada.

The five students were chosen from a pool of about 60 who applied to the American Foundation for the Blind for the chance to attend the summer workshop for 14- to 16-year-olds.

All five leave tomorrow for Provence and will stay through Thursday, developing their own perfumes, along with bath and body products. They will also learn about the scents and aromatic plants of Provence--a region in southern France on the Mediterranean Sea.

O'Donnell, an honour roll student at Pinkerton, said she loves makeup and that her mom has to tear her away from the makeup and perfume aisles in stores. Her mother, Carol, is going to France with her.

"I like girlie things like that," O'Donnell said.

L'Occitane started the summer workshop in 1998 for French students with visual impairments, but later expanded it to include American students after partnering with the American Foundation for the Blind. The first trip for American students was in 2000.

The partnership began after the foundation awarded the body products manufacturer its Access Award in 2000 for putting braille on products, said Kelly Parisi, vice president of communications for the foundation.

Olivier Baussan, the company's founder, was inspired to create the workshop when he saw a blind woman smell his perfumes and wanted to help visually impaired teens explore their senses, according to the AFB.

While in Provence, O'Donnell's schedule is packed with meetings and classes with company representatives, including a perfumer, Parisi said. The teens learn about the chemical properties of plants, identify them by smell and touch, and make products in the classroom.

They also go to fields to identify more plants and flowers, and experience a lavender harvest, she added. In the factory, the students learn how to turn plants into essential oils.

O'Donnell is already thinking about the perfume she will make. So far, she's thinking of a vanilla raspberry perfume, and has received suggestions from classmates, such as incorporating the smell of rain. She will call her perfume "Oowee2U," which she said means "a hug to you." It comes from the sound she would make as a child when she hugged her mom, "oowee."

In addition to the chance to make perfume and see France, Parisi said it is also an opportunity for the students to interact with other teens who are blind or have low vision. For many, including O'Donnell, they go to mainstream schools and do not often interact with others who have vision impairments, she added.

O'Donnell said she was excited to apply because she thought it would be a good experience and a chance to visit France. She submitted her application in March and completed a telephone interview with a representative from the foundation.

In her essay, O'Donnell said she talked about her work as the manager of the junior varsity cheerleading squad at Pinkerton. She said she's met new people, made friends, and gained a new perspective on the sport. She plans to try out for cheerleading this fall.

Caitlin McFeely, communications coordinator for the foundation, said O'Donnell's work with the cheerleading squad was part of the reason she stood out among the other applicants. "She seemed like a strong and determined person," McFeely said.

O'Donnell lives in Derry with her mother, stepfather Joseph Guerin, and younger brother Christopher, 12.

L'Occitane pays for the flights and accommodations for the participants and their chaperones.

For more information about the American Foundation for the Blind or the summer workshop, visit: www.afb.org

IN MEMORIAM: HONOURING OUR TORCH BEARERS

Editor's Note: The Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC) announces the passing of four valued members and advocates. By devoting their time, talents, skills and energy, these individuals have helped to foster full and equal participation of blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted persons in Canadian society. Whether within AEBC itself or in the blindness community at large, focusing on specific issues or on a broad range, they have blazed a trail of commitment, generosity and excellence. They now pass the torch on. AEBC remembers, thanks and salutes them.

Dr. Gerry Dirks of Victoria, British Columbia, died on February 28, 2008. Born and raised in Vancouver, he attended the Jericho Hill School for the Blind and later the integrated school system. He earned his first degree from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a Masters and PhD from the University of Toronto. Gerry was Professor of Political Science at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, where he taught for over 30 years and shared Department Head roles with is wife. After his official retirement and return to the west coast, Gerry continued teaching as a Visiting Professor at the University of Victoria.

He dedicated many years of volunteer service to national organizations and local charities. Besides being a member of AEBC's Victoria Chapter, he was actively involved in the Vancouver CNIB Blind Men's Club and he was also a major player in the establishment of VoicePrint Canada, a division of the National Broadcast Reading Service, having been its first National Board Chair. He will be greatly missed by the many friends and colleagues he touched over his many years of selfless service. To many, Gerry was an icon of a "self-made blind person."

He leaves behind his wife of 40 years, Dr. Patricia Dirks, his mother and sister.

Theresa Marie Andrews, Past President of AEBC's Lower Mainland Chapter in Vancouver, BC, died suddenly on February 11, 2008. Blind from birth, she was a high school swimmer and runner, and attended UBC where she earned a B.A. in general arts and an M.Ed in Counselling Psychology. Theresa worked as a counsellor at CNIB's Bowen Lodge; braille transcription and computer technologist at Crane Library, UBC; and teaching assistant in Vancouver Community College's Vision Program. She served on the boards of VoicePrint Canada and PAWS International Resource Center, the latter being an organization dedicated to guide dog issues. She was also a member of BC Blind Sports and of the Western Association of Persons with Vision Impairment.

Theresa is survived by partner Paul Thiele, guide dog Finch, her brothers and sisters, and their families.

On December 4, 2007, Rick Oakes of Kelowna, BC, passed away peacefully at the age of 56. Vision-impaired since birth, Rick lost the remainder of his sight in his mid 30's. He and his wife joined the National Federation of the Blind: Advocates for Equality (now AEBC) in 1994, and both have been active members ever since. Rick

served on our National Board in the offices of 2nd Vice President and Director at Large, and was instrumental in helping the NFB:AE/AEBC begin independent fundraising. He also held positions on boards of other non-profit service clubs, such as President of the Western Association of the Visually Handicapped.

Earlier in his life, Rick worked for CaterPlan, a division of CNIB, and later as District Manager. In the intervening years, he worked in the music industry, retailing and wholesaling electronic keyboards throughout Canada's four westernmost provinces. During a stint in Calgary, Alberta, he was hired to be the organist at home games for the Calgary Flames hockey team.

Rick is survived by his wife Chantal, daughters Whitney and Tiffany, his guide dog Christopher, and several siblings. Memorial donations, which will go toward setting up a scholarship fund in Rick's name, may be made to the Alliance For Equality of Blind Canadians.

AEBC's Toronto, Ontario, Chapter lost one of its most beloved members, Don Jacobs, on February 26, 2008. Don had been an integral member of the chapter for many years. His kindness, humour and generous nature will be sorely missed, as well as his passion and enthusiasm. Our thoughts are with his wife Bubbles and the entire family.

HIGHLIGHTS OF RECENT AEBC ACTIVITIES

* 2008 Blast of Media Coverage

Two critical issues, calling out bus stops and the dangers of the hybrid car, gained the AEBC extensive media coverage as 2008 began.

Following the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal's decision in David Lepofsky's second case against the Toronto Transit Commission, the AEBC sent information on that decision to the mayors of many of Canada's largest municipalities. Bus drivers in Winnipeg, Manitoba, are now calling out stops, which will greatly enhance the independence of residents who are blind or partially sighted.

In Vancouver, British Columbia, AEBC's Lower Mainland Chapter made presentations to local municipalities on the dangers of the quiet, hybrid automobile and obtained extensive media coverage.

See "Transit Drivers Calling the Stops" and "Are Hybrids a Silent Danger?" elsewhere in these pages.

* Presentation at International Conference on Walking

Marcia Cummings, AEBC's National Secretary, presented a paper on the barriers to walking for blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted pedestrians at the eighth annual

Walk21 Conference, "Putting Pedestrians First," held from October 1 to 4, 2007, in Toronto, Ontario.

The conference featured plenary sessions, walkshops, and workshops on everything to do with the pedestrian way of life. The keynote speaker was David Suzuki, who spoke about the serious issues facing our planet, and how we are all one organism, each of us affecting everyone else indirectly by what we do and how we live.

To read Marcia's paper, "A Walk on the Wild Side", go to: www.blindcanadians.ca/press_releases/index.php?BriefID=44

* British Columbia Assistive Devices Program With the winding down of AEBC's pilot project on assistive devices for British Columbians who are blind, deaf-blind or partially sighted, the next step towards a comprehensive program will be one virtual and four physical Personal Support Centres--Victoria, Cranbrook, Prince George and Vancouver--slated to be off the ground as early as July 2008. All demonstration centres will be fully accessible, have peer Navigators and offer information on devices in multiple formats to facilitate assessment and equipment trials. Local community implementation groups will ensure that centres emphasize the Participation Model's values, vision and principles, with AEBC having representatives in all groups. The Personal Support Centres will be open to all persons with disabilities. The Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance will provide funding for devices for Ministry clients and is looking for funding opportunities to include devices for seniors and others (e.g. CPP-D recipients) who currently fall through the cracks.

* Action on Poverty in Ontario

AEBC's 1st Vice President John Rae and Poverty Committee Chair Mike Yale participated in "Speaking Out on ODSP," the Ontario Disability Support Program Action Coalition's annual conference, held November 15-16, 2007. The coalition consists of social justice advocates, legal clinic staff working in the anti-poverty field, and those receiving disability benefits.

The conference focused on disability support recipients who have been traditionally passive and intimidated, providing workshops and plenary sessions aimed at teaching them how to speak up, effectively tell their own stories in their own communities, and utilize their local media.

The combined work of various anti-poverty groups in Ontario has pressured the recently re-elected majority Liberal government in Ontario to finally agree to develop a

comprehensive poverty reduction strategy. A number of community organizations are now trying to influence the content of this critical strategy.

The primary demands of the Coalition and its allies are: an immediate and meaningful increase to ODSP and Welfare benefits; future rates linked to the cost of living or inflation; improvement of the child tax credit; a hike in the minimum wage; provision of more affordable housing etc.

For an article by Mike Yale on this topic, see "Demanding Dignity, Not Deprivation" elsewhere in this publication.

* Important Initiative on Library Access

On October 2, 2007, Library and Archives Canada announced the Initiative for Equitable Library Access (IELA), a $3 million, three-year initiative designed to improve access to information and to develop a strategy that will support equitable library service for Canadians with print disabilities.

To launch this initiative, LAC invited the publishing, library and multiple format production communities, as well as organizations representing Canadians with print disabilities, to a "kick-off" consultation with the following objectives: to develop a shared understanding of the Initiative; to consult stakeholders on how best to coordinate their collaborative efforts; and to determine the next steps to deliver on this common understanding.

AEBC President Robin East was one of 11 invitees. He committed our organization to full participation throughout the project's three years, and AEBC hopes to hold a full consultation with its members at its May 2008 Annual General Meeting in Toronto, Ontario.

Robin made a distinction between "Rights Holders" and "Stakeholders" at this meeting. "We who are blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted consumers are Rights Holders," said Robin. "We do hold the right, as every citizen does, to have full access to public libraries and we should not have to rely on charities to deliver such a public service. Stakeholders are other interested parties that have an interest in the outcome; e.g. service organizations and publishers. However, our rights do come first and, as such, our voice must have more impact on the outcome."

* Welcome for Two New Chapters The AEBC is delighted to welcome two new chapters to our organization--Nanaimo, British Columbia, and Halifax, Nova Scotia. This brings our current number to 12 chapters, from Halifax to Victoria.

WE SUPPORT OUTSTANDING BLIND SCHOLARS!

The Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC) congratulates the following four outstanding Canadians, the 2007 annual Scholarship Programme award winners, for their academic achievements and ability to challenge hardship:

Christine Nieder, of New Westminster, BC, is the recipient of the Campbell River Lions Club of British Columbia Scholarship. In her late 20s, she is a recent graduate from the Classroom & Community Support Program from Douglas College and is now pursuing a degree in Community Rehabilitation. She is also working on her Behavioural Interventionist citation in order to work with young children with autism. She is actively involved in campus life as a re-elected representative member of the Douglas Students' Union and as a volunteer with the student ambassador program.

Christine, who is legally blind from coloboma and also has a significant hearing impairment, loves working within the post-secondary system and would like to work as a transition counsellor for people with disabilities going from high school to college. After completing the degree in 2010, Christine plans to do some travelling, perhaps work overseas for a year or two, and gain knowledge and experience that can't ever be taught in a classroom.

Chima Andrew Akomas, of Vancouver, British Columbia, receives the Business, Education and Technology Scholarship. He is a 23-year-old who was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, but raised in Nigeria, where his family resides. In 2003, he returned to Canada to pursue his educational and career goals, and is currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Commerce program at the University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business.

Chima, who has been totally blind for the last couple of years, has Marfan syndrome, a connective tissue disorder that has resulted in numerous retinal detachments, scoliosis and restrictive lung disease. He would like to return to Nigeria to establish a world-class school for the blind and related services, and believes that his business education and work experience, coupled with his first-hand knowledge of vision loss, will help him achieve this goal.

Natalie Martiniello, of Montreal, Quebec, is the winner of the Alan H. Neville Memorial Scholarship. Blind from birth due to glaucoma and having neurofibromatosis that has required numerous surgeries and chemotherapy, she is a student at McGill University in the first year of her studies, planning to graduate with a Bachelor in social work and a minor in educational psychology.

Upon completion of her undergraduate degree, she hopes to obtain her Masters in rehabilitation teaching from the University of Montreal. She is interested in issues related to literacy and job readiness skills among persons who are blind, and in assisting those with vision loss to realize their full potential.

Deborah Adams, of Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, is the recipient of the AEBC National Achievement Scholarship. Currently in her 40s, she is originally from Newfoundland and is enrolled at Mount St. Vincent University, Halifax, in the Political Studies Bachelors program. She became legally blind from retinitis pigmentosa in her 20s, which ended a successful career in the Canadian Forces. She has now turned her attention to education and hopes one day to work in the field of public policy.

Says Richard Quan, Chair of AEBC's Scholarship Committee, "I am very excited to report that there are many extremely qualified candidates who submitted applications this year, which is a truly positive statement on the achievements of legally blind students in Canada."

Each year, the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians provides a minimum of three $1500 scholarships to assist outstanding Canadian students who are blind, deaf-blind or partially sighted in continuing in their field of study. Applicants must provide personal letters describing how they have overcome barriers to education and how they have contributed to their community, as well as their academic achievements. Recommendation letters cite their determination to succeed and the value they place on education.

The deadline for the 2008 awards is October 15, 2008, and the documentation and application are already on our website: www.blindcanadians.ca/programs/scholarship.php Alternatively, you can request an electronic copy via email at info@blindcanadians.ca or by phone at 800-561-4774. All questions regarding the 2008 awards should be directed to the Scholarship Committee via email at scholarship@blindcanadians.ca or by leaving a message at the phone number above.

NEW RESOURCES

The Enable Newsletter is a free service of the Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a Division for Social Policy and Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) at the United Nations Secretariat in New York. It keeps readers informed on the work of the UN on disability issues. Please go to: www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=313

Disability Radio Worldwide is a 30-minute weekly program broadcast by FM stations, radio reading services, over the internet in the RealAudio format, and on short-wave radio. The host, Jean Parker, is a well-known disability rights activist, whose program guests represent the disability community leadership around the globe, and who discuss the full spectrum of issues related to advancing the human rights of people with disabilities. For the Disability Radio Worldwide website, or for current broadcast times and frequencies, visit: www.rfpi.org/disabilityradio

The biography of Sir John Wilson, the force behind the Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind (now Sight Savers International), and supporter of the merger between organizations of and for the blind to form the World Blind Union, is available from www.amazon.com in print, large print, Daisy audio and full text, screen reader (magnification, speech or braille), and braille. A CD-Rom accompanies each print copy. A review of Blindness and the Visionary: The Life and Work of John Wilson is available at: www.disabilityworld.org/01_07/wilson.shtml

Cambridge Leadership Associates offers "Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Leading," a top-selling business book, in braille. This is a personal survival guide. Leading is dangerous because you risk making yourself vulnerable, whether you are supporting unpopular initiatives, promoting new ideas, questioning the gap between colleagues' values and behaviour, or asking family and friends to face up to unpleasant realities. The 224-page book costs $29.95 (U.S.) and is available at: www.cambridge-leadership.com

Perkins School for the Blind has recently published "Welcoming Students with Visual Impairment to Your School: A Guide for Training Public School Personnel and Families About the Needs of Students with Vision Loss", multi-media modules designed to provide vision professionals with a user-friendly resource. Modules include An Overview of Visual Impairment, Social Skills for Children and Youth, Orientation and Mobility, and Low Vision. Visit www.perkinspublications.org for more information.

AFB Press has released A Parent's Guide to Special Education for Children with Visual Impairments. This guide addresses the effect of blindness on a child's ability to learn and the services and educational programming that are essential for optimal learning. Available in ASCII text, online or paperback for $34.95 (U.S.) per copy. For more information, contact AFB Press, 11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300, New York, NY 10001; Phone: 800-232-3044; Email: afbpress@afb.net; Website: www.afb.org/store

The National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute's National Center for Blind Youth in Science Web Portal is a clearinghouse of information and resources related to blind youth and their participation in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), that provides easy, centralized access for teachers, students, parents and others to gain the knowledge necessary to make STEM fields accessible to blind youth. A career section includes biographies and interviews of blind scientists and engineers, such as Abraham Nemeth, and provides information about career opportunities and science programs available to blind students. Visit: www.blindscience.org

I Get Around: Reclaiming Independence--Staying in the Driver's Seat When You No Longer Drive is a video resource guide to help you learn how to successfully use rehabilitation and transportation resources. Covers air travel, taxis, Para transit, public transportation, and rides with friends and family. Available on DVD and VHS. Contact:

American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.: Tel.: 800.223.1839; Email: info@aph.org and Website: www.aph.org The Hadley School for the Blind has several new or updated tuition-free distance education courses in alternative formats, including Guide Dogs, Tactile Readiness for Braille, Essentials of Nemeth, Access Technology: Beginnings, Typing and Keyboarding, Finding Employment, Business Fundamentals, Chess: Principles and Strategies, Container Gardening, and Art of Ancient Egypt. For a course catalogue, call 1-800-323-4238, or for further information contact Student Services at 1-800-526-9909, email student_services@hadley.edu or visit: www.hadley.edu

NBP offers several new publications including: Label It! Braille & Audio Strategies for Identifying Items at Home & Work, $10; Our Special: Household Hints, $10.95; A Pocketful of Sound, $14; Touch and Learn Tactile Activity Book, including print or braille Activity Guide for Parents and Teachers, $26; and 51 Things We Can Do (tips for being environmentally friendly), free! All prices in U.S. dollars. Contact: National Braille Press, 88 St. Stephen Street, Boston, MA 02115-4302 USA; Phone: 1-800-548-7323; Website: www.nbp.org

The Talking Books Librarian blog at http://talkingbookslibrarian.blogspot.com is about audio books and other free resources for blind or partially sighted people. It also includes information and resources for the elderly, persons with non-vision impairments, educators and other professionals working in the disability field.

A new online group for the blind and partially sighted discusses reading experiences, good and bad, and points out new resources for materials that are accessible. To sign up, send an email to: enjoyreading-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

The www.dating4disabled.com site aims to facilitate development of social, personal and romantic lives. Free of charge, it offers forums, private chats, a dating service, blogs, etc.

Mind's Eye Travel creates tours for the blind and partially sighted. Itineraries are customized for comfort, camaraderie, enjoyment and full sensory discovery. Destinations are carefully screened in advance with handpicked activities, restaurants and lodging. For more information, visit: www.mindseyetravel.com

Statistics Canada is in the process of releasing a variety of reports on the 2006 Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS). To obtain these and other documents in alternative formats, contact Krista Kowalchuk, Analyst, Statscan, at 613-951-0784, or by email: krista.kowalchuk@statcan.ca

CNIB's new centralized order and delivery system allows customers to browse and order consumer products from home via phone, email or through its secure online store. Customers can still visit their local CNIB centre for product assessments, training and demonstrations. The new Products for Independence catalogue is

available in multiple formats and online: Phone: 1-866-659-1843; Email: store@cnib.ca and Website: www.webstore.cnib.ca