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September 9, 2005
Call to Order and Invocation
Chairman Tim Jones called the meeting of the Consumer and Advocacy Advisory Committee for the Blind to order at 1:10 p.m. on Friday, September 9, 2005 . Invocation was offered by Ms. Hazel Staley. The following members were present: Tim Jones, Hazel Staley, Jennifer Talbot, and Les Seitz.
Members Not Present: Linda Lewis, Brian Lewis, Jim Shuart, Steve Walker, Bill Apple, Ron Eller, and Representative Verla Insko
Others Present: Debbie Jackson, Francine Martin, Tom Winton, Pat Robbins, William Tubilleja, and Carla Parker
Approval of Minutes
Motion was made, seconded, and carried to approve the minutes of March 11, 2005 .
Report of Entities
North Carolina Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped—Francine Martin
Planning, Facilities, and Staffing
End of State Fiscal Year Statistics
The following statistics reflect some key service levels of NCLBPH for State Fiscal Year 2004/2005, which ended June 30, 2005 :
Machine Unit Database Reconciliation
The Machine Unit staff completed matching our database inventory of machines with the national machine inventory database called BPHICS (Blind and Physically Handicapped Inventory Control System). Discrepancies were corrected. BPHICS staff were complimentary on the high level of accuracy of the NC database records.
Braille News
NCLBPH Long Range Plan 2004-2009
July 1, 2005
Sources:
NLS Consultant Report recommendations 2004 (Based on ALA/COSLA standards)
2004 NCLBPH Patron Satisfaction Survey (where satisfaction decreased by more than 2%)
(AI) Appreciative Inquiry Process (LBPH staff recommendations 2003)
(FM) Recommendations by Francine Martin, Regional Librarian
Patron recommendations, CMLS annual report, other staff recommendations.
Planning
Staffing
New Services/Projects
Customer Service Improvement
Facilities
Collection
Cataloging
Magazine Services
Public Relations
Machines
Volunteers
(See also magazine and collection recommendations regarding volunteers.)
Improve branch interactions/morale (AI)
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction—Tom Winton
55th Conference on Exceptional Children – The 55th Conference on Exceptional Children is scheduled for November 7-9 at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro . Approximately 3,000 teachers, administrators, related service personnel and parents will attend. Special instructional sessions on literacy for young children with visual impairments and on cortical visual impairment will be held. Registration information is available at www.ncpublicschools.org/ec/conference/ 
.
Summer Institutes – The Exceptional Children Division held 25 separate summer institutes during June, July and August. Many were held during the week of July 25-29 at the Elliott University Center on the campus of UNC Greensboro. Among these was an institute entitled ‘Teaching Math to Students with Visual Impairments’ presented by Susan Osterhaus of the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Thirty-seven VI teachers, math teachers, braillists, professors and parents attended and received quality instruction and nearly $10,000 worth of instructional materials to take back to their schools to improve instruction in mathematics to students with visual impairments.
North Carolina Conference on Visual Impairments and Blindness – Planning is continuing on the 4th annual North Carolina Conference on Visual Impairments and Blindness. This professional conference, which brings together agency and education professionals from across the state is scheduled for March 9-11, 2006 . The Exceptional Children Division looks forward to continue its involvement and sponsorship of this worthy conference. It will likely contract with NCAER to sponsor a keynote address.
Federal Quota Funds – As of September 9, 251 separate orders had been placed with APH in the Fiscal Year 2004-05 to procure instructional materials with Quota Funds. This fiscal year ends on September 30. This is the largest number of APH orders processed in one fiscal year in North Carolina . School systems around the state are vigorously accessing these funds to procure instructional materials for blind students.
NCCU-VITP Advisory Board – The Consultant for Visually Impaired continues to serve as co-chair with Dr. Deborah Hatton on the NCCU-VITP Advisory Board. The Board meets bi-monthly and is representative of stakeholder schools, agencies, committees, and consumer groups. The Board was disappointed to learn of the resignation of the program’s director, Dr. Alana Zambone. The Board recognizes the historical inability of the university to keep a fully staffed program in place and is expressing its concerns to the appropriate university administration officials.
Registration of Legally Blind – The Annual Registration of Legally Blind students will begin in early January. The Consultant for Visually Impaired administers this annual registration. An official count of the registered students with legal blindness will be available at the next C&A Advisory Committee meeting in March 2005.
APH Educational Products Advisory Committee – The Consultant for Visually Impaired has been serving as a member of the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) Educational Products Advisory Committee. This Committee assists APH in continuous improvement to ensure that the educational products APH develops are of high quality and relevance to the needs of students with visual impairments and blindness. It will give an official report to all the Ex Officio Trustees of APH at the Annual Meeting in Louisville in October.
New Director at GMS – The Exceptional Children Division recognizes and welcomes Dennis Thurman as the new Director of the Governor Morehead School . The Division and the Consultant for Visually Impaired looks forward to collaborating on issues to benefit students across the state.
NC Division of Services for the Blind—Debbie Jackson
Federal Level—The plan is still underway to close the RSA Regional Offices as of September 30, 2005 . We do not know how the technical assistance or monitoring will be implemented or how it will affect DSB.
State Level— Fortunately, DSB did not suffer any major cuts. NewsLine and Radio Reading was funded for another year. Senate Bill 1058 which offers greater protection for service animals and owners and stiffer penalties to those who violate this law did pass.
Renovations of Dorms on GMS Campus—Two dorms, Cox and Milsap, will be renovated. The major renovations will begin on Cox dorm in October or November 2005. It is anticipated it will take approximately 9 months to complete the major renovations on Cox then work will begin on Milsap. Students will be moved out of dorms and into a smaller space on campus, Cathey Cottage. In some situations, students may be housed off-campus. Fewer students will be able to be served at the Rehabilitation Center since we will not have anywhere to house the students.
Needs Assessment—Approximately every 5 years, DSB’s Rehabilitation Program participates in a Statewide Needs Assessment which focuses on the Rehabilitation Program. Mississippi State University was chosen to do our Needs Assessment. Our goal is to complete the assessment during the first quarter of 2006.
The agreement between DSB and Durham County School System is finally signed. The Counselor position will be posted and final arrangements regarding office location is being worked out.
Labels for Literacy Project—This is a project designed to help the visually impaired and blind identify canned goods. The labels are in large print and Grade 1 Braille. We are compiling a mailing list and waiting to receive our first set of labels from the Company.
The planning for the 4th Annual North Carolina Conference on Visual Impairment and Blindness is currently underway. It is being planned for March 9-11, 2006 , and will be held on the campus of the Governor Morehead School campus.
Prevent Blindness of North Carolina --Jennifer Talbot
All programs with Prevent Blindness are doing very well. A large appropriation, $225,000, was received to be used for preschool screening. Due to the recent hurricane, vouchers for glasses and appointments which are normally for children will now also be provided to adults in case there are any evacuees needing glasses or treatment.
One major concern of Prevent Blindness of NC is a bill that passed in the House which mandates all children receive an eye exam by an ophthalmologist or optometrist before entering preschool. Two million dollars was appropriated but Prevent Blindness estimates the cost will be much greater. In the past, pediatricians have performed any screening or exams a child may need. This bill cuts out the pediatrician and makes exams mandatory before entering school. Chairman Tim Jones asked Jennifer Talbot to send a fact sheet or other information to Carla Parker so she may send to the committee.
NC Association for Rehabilitation and Education of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER)—William Tubilleja
In Bill Apple’s absence, Mr. William Tubilleja reported on AER.
.National Federation of the Blind—Hazel Staley
In May, 13 NFB members participated in the demonstration in Washington opposing the dismantling of the rehabilitation department and closing of the regional offices. Twenty-two of our members attended the National Convention in Louisville , KY , in July. A new chapter was organized in Greensboro on August 13. This is an enthusiastic, young group.
On August 28, a reader of the Charlotter Observer sent a question to Diane Whitacre, who authors a column called Dr. Traffic, regarding left turn on red. The reader said he had noticed motorists every afternoon making a left turn from college onto 12 street and asked if this was legal. Ms. Whitacre responded: “It is illegal to turn left on red in NC, one of only 7 states where that very logical move is prohibited. The legislature rejected a left on red bill this year, the fifth time in recent memory. Visually impaired pedestrians fight the idea.” Ms. Staley left a message on her voice mail explaining why we oppose this idea and left a phone number to be reached but no phone call was returned.
The Federation has joined the Lions International in a project to reach more blind people in the community for rehabilitation purposes. As this project develops, plans will filter down to local clubs. A particular interest of this coalition is Braille Literacy.
NFB’s State Convention is being held this weekend in Raleigh at the Crabtree Holiday Inn. Dr. Betsy Zaborowski, Director of our Jernigan Institute in Baltimore , will be our national representative. Among other things, Dr. Zaborowski will be demonstrating the new pocket-sized reading machine. Plans are to have this much-needed machine in production of 2006.
The Legislature voted to fund Newsline for another year.
This Spring, Tim Jones will be trained using the The Kurweil Federation Reading Machine in Baltimore , MD. Plans are to have the machine on the market in 2006.
NC Council of the Blind—Les Seitz
In Ron Eller’s absence, Les Seitz attended the meeting. Les Seitz is the President of Raleigh-Wake Council of the Blind which is the local affiliate of the NC Council of the Blind.
The National Convention was held in Las Vegas . The largest ACB Convention ever—total registration was approximately 1,600.
The State Office for the NC Council of the Blind has moved from Burlington to Statesville . The toll-free phone number remains the same—1-800-344-7113.
State Convention will be held September 23-25 at the LaQuinta in Burlington , NC .
Last year, different advocacy groups met to foster goodwill. Again this year, the groups will be having a picnic at Pullen Park on October 1 for members of the Federation and Council.
Elected Committee of Vendors—Tim Jones
The Business Enterprises Program is doing very well. The average operator income and sales are increasing.
Old Business
None
New Business
None
Adjournment of Meeting
With no further business, a motion was made, seconded, and carried that the meeting adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 2:45 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for December 9, 2005 , at 1 p.m.
