EDUCATION ACT REAUTHORIZATION WINS FINAL APPROVAL

Legislation to reauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) finally won final Congressional approval, November 20, 2004 and is now ready for the President’s signature.    According to a report from the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), the House-Senate Conference Committee approved, November 18, H.R. 1350, the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004."  The bill that emerged falls short of what many advocates had hoped for, but does promise important improvements in the education of students who are blind or visually impaired. 

The most significant area of improvement concerns the provision of textbooks in accessible formats for individuals with print-related disabilities.  Organizations representing people who are blind or visually impaired, service providers, publishers and others had worked long and hard to shepherd requirements through both houses of Congress and into this final bill. These requirements were principally:

• to establish a standard file format for the production of textbooks (so that they could more easily be converted into accessible formats such as Braille, large print or digital text);
• to  assure that state education agencies and local schools would actually require that publishers of the textbooks they purchased produced these files, the bill would establish a central repository for the storage and distribution of these files (enabling publishers and schools alike to easily disseminate these new files to those who needed them).

The final version of the legislation that was adopted by Congress includes a clear requirement for a national file format known as the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS). It also establishes a national electronic file repository (known as the National Instructional Material Access Center).  The American Printing House for the Blind is designated in the bill to serve as the Access Center. The committee's action to include this provision, along with language mandating standards intended for use by publishers in the preparation of electronic versions of textbooks and related core materials, is a landmark move in the ongoing effort to improve specialized educational services for students who are blind or visually impaired.  Transition services will now be provided at the age of sixteen rather than fourteen for students and will include academic and functional goals. The goals shall be based on age appropriate assessments and include independent living skills if appropriate. The proposed amendment to the Rehabilitation Act, through IDEA, which would have required transition services to be provided by rehabilitation counselors, did not pass. House and Senate negotiators agreed that transition services should be taken up again when Congress addresses the Workforce Investment Act in the next session.

A major disappointment identified by AFB was that the "special factors" language that emphasized "expanded core curriculum" elements such as orientation and mobility, assistive technology and low vision devices (included in the Senate bill) did not make it through the conference process and is not included in the final version of H.R. 1350.  It is expected that President Bush will soon sign the bill into law.

STATE AND NATIONAL REHABILITATION CONFERENCES

The Michigan Commission for the Blind (MCB) was active in three major rehabilitation conferences in November, starting with the Michigan Rehabilitation Conference, November 3-5, held in Traverse City.  Several MCB staff attended the event, which included two key note speeches, an exhibit hall and many workshops.  Shannon Berkin, a counselor-teacher in MCB’s Kalamazoo office, presented on the state’s new “MI Connections” program, while Sherry Gordon, Assistant West Region Supervisor, and John Boes, a counselor at the MCB Training Center, conducted a workshop on sports and recreational opportunities for the blind.

Two national rehab conferences were held in Nashville, Tennessee:  the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR), November 8-10, and the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind (NCSAB), November 10-12. The events gave rehabilitation professionals and administrators an opportunity to learn about efforts underway in Congress to re-authorize the federal Rehabilitation Act and other legislation affecting the education and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.  RSA Commissioner Joanne Wilson addressed conference attendees on new national trends and emphasized the importance of putting consumers first in each state agency’s efforts to continuously improve its service delivery systems.

The CSAVR conference included many workshops and plenary sessions on employment trends and rehab services, as did the NCSAB event.  NCSAB also held special sessions on State Rehab Councils and Commissions for the Blind, which were attended by several governor-appointed members, including Jo Ann Pilarski, the Chair of the Michigan Commission for the Blind.

NCSAB committees on the Randolph-Shepherd Act, Independent Living, and Employment and Technology also met, each covering topics related to blind services.  Dr. J. Elton Moore reported on a study by Mississippi State University (the other MSU) which revealed that older blind consumers served by state agencies were pleased with independent living services being provided, with more than 90 percent of individuals surveyed by MSU reporting that they were satisfied or very satisfied.  The NCSAB event also provided an update on RSA’s National Conference on Residential Training Centers for the Blind and efforts underway to examine options in standard setting and performance reviews of public training centers for the blind.  Pat Cannon, State Director of MCB, and Leamon Jones, MCB’s Director of Consumer Services, also attended the conferences.

BLIND CONSUMER ORGANIZATIONS HOLD FALL CONVENTIONS

Michigan’s two major blind consumer organizations held their annual Fall conventions, providing blind consumers, advocates and service providers with an opportunity to focus on a variety of blindness issues facing persons who are blind in Michigan.  The weekend conferences also provided opportunities for attendees to learn, network, brainstorm and socialize.

The Michigan Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired (MCBVI), affiliated with the American Council of the Blind, held its convention, September 30 through October 3, in Wyoming, Michigan, near Grand Rapids.  One of the MCBVI highlights included a demonstration of an accessible voting machine, called the Auto-Mark, giving convention attendees an opportunity to have a first-hand experience in voting independently and privately.  The MCBVI business meeting featured the election of Mike Geno as the organization’s new President.

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) of Michigan held its three-day convention in Midland, November 12-14.  NFB highlights included a presentation by Ms. Amy Shell, representing Michigan’s Secretary of State, who updated attendees on progress being made to achieve accessible voting for individuals who are blind.  Other features included presentations on Radio Talking Book, the Library for the Blind, a seminar for parents of blind children, as well as a meeting of the Michigan Association of Blind Students (MABS), which featured the election of Tim Paulding as its new President.

Both consumer conventions were well attended, with many MCB commissioners and staff participating in the events.

CAREER DAY EVENT IN DETROIT HAILED A SUCCESS

MCB’s Detroit regional office held a Career Day on October 29 at the Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency building (also known as the Wayne RESA).   The purpose of the event was to give local blind and visually impaired students in grades 8-12 information on employment options, skills and resources, whether for a summer job or a career after graduation.  According to Joann Woodward, a counselor in MCB’s Detroit office, the event was “very successful.” 

More than 30 students participated in the 8:15 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. event, learning about career options from a panel of blind individuals who are successfully employed in the careers of their choice.  These professionals included:

• A successful homemaker, married with two children, ages three and six, who is totally blind, diabetic and insulin-dependent
• A PBX telephone system operator working at a Hyatt Regency Hotel A customer service person working at SMART transportation
• A special education teacher
• A pharmacist
• A mechanic
• A Business Enterprise Program staff person, Lucy Edmonds
• An administrative assistant, Marla Neubaum of MCB’s Detroit office
• A rehabilitation counselor, Shawnese Laury-Johnson from MCB’s Detroit office

Other topics covered during the event included finding information on careers, preparing for a successful job interview, filling out job applications, and developing skills for a first job through volunteer activities.  Motivational speaker Sharonda Greenlaw spoke to the students about job skills development, volunteering in the community, and how to sell their developed job skills in an interview.  Lynn Lyvinsov, a youth liaison from Downriver Michigan Works!, showed the students how to emphasize their developed skills in a functional resume.

“One of the most inspiring stories of the day came from the mechanic,” said Joann.  “He shared his story of his employment at first being taken away because of his vision loss, how he advocated for himself to get his employment back, and then how he recently saved the life of a colleague at work by using his low vision devices.”

CONSUMER SURVEY ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

The Great Lakes ADA and Accessible IT Center, at the University of Illinois, reports that the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Mobile Wireless Technologies for Persons with Disabilities ("The Wireless RERC") is gathering input about how people with disabilities use products and services like telephones, remote controls, pagers, computers, and the Internet. Results of this research will help identify ways to make these products more usable for people with or without disabilities.

The survey takes about 15-20 minutes to complete and is available on the internet at http://www.wirelessrerc.gatech.edu/survey/coverletter.html.

Survey participants are eligible to join the Center’s Consumer Advisory Network of people with disabilities.  Those who join this network will be invited periodically to complete written surveys, participate in live or on-line focus groups, and test new products and services.  More information can be accessed at the following email address: rerc@gcatt.gatech.edu.

GRAND RAPIDS TO HOST FIRST 2005 MINI ADJUSTMENT PROGRAM

CONSUMER SERVICES REPORT

The Consumer Services staff continue to be very active in community outreach activities.    They have participated in career day programs in the southeast and also are working very closely with MI Connections in the west.  In the southeast area, the Detroit Office is assisting in the development of a career day program with the Detroit Public Schools (DPS).  This career day program will be held at one of the vocational schools where participants will have an opportunity to tour this vocational facility.  It will also provide an opportunity for students to become aware of other vocational options.  The MI-Connections program is working with the school districts in Houghton/Hancock and the Lansing area.  Some of the Independent Living staff have been collaborating with the Area on Aging to increase opportunities for seniors. 

The subregional Libraries for the Blind in Detroit and Western Wayne County conducted open houses where they invited the disability community to become familiar with the adaptive equipment that is available for persons with visual impairments.  The library’s program provides an opportunity for seniors to learn and become computer literate.   The program is unique in that it uses students with a disability to provide instructions regarding computers and computer operations.  These open houses provided an opportunity for students with visual impairments to assist other individuals in becoming familiar with adaptive equipment.

The Consumer Services staff participated in Mentoring Day and established mentoring programs in two additional cities in the state.  Flint conducted a mentoring program in October where they had six participants.  The program was very well accepted by all in attendance.  Kalamazoo provided an opportunity for some of their consumers to meet with mentors and to share their experiences and establish relationships that can provide opportunities for job shadowing, etc.  A Mentoring program was conducted in Dearborn that provided an opportunity for the mentees to share with mentors from Ford Motor Company.  Through this mentoring effort, students will have an opportunity to job shadow their mentors.  The objective is to develop relationships that will lead to internships and employment.  The mentoring activities that took place provided an excellent opportunity for participants to gain valuable experience and information pertaining to a variety of occupations.  Therefore, the consumer services staff will develop an effective mentoring program for the coming year and emphasis will be placed on the importance of mentoring throughout the fiscal year.

The consumer services division filled two rehabilitation counselor positions: Euan Singleton in Detroit and Kimberly Kennedy in Lansing.  With the additional staff, MCB will be able to provide its consumers with timely services as well as helping them to achieve their vocational outcomes.

The Consumer Services director attended the CSAVR and the NCSAB conference in Nashville, TN.   At this convention, several programs were provided on the importance of employment networks.  The emphasis was on establishing a single point of contact in each state.  Further discussion took place around regional development of employment networks.  Region V RSA will provide training in regard to this business network and the MCB will be a participant.  Many great ideas were provided to attendees at the convention which will be shared with the consumer services staff as many of them relate to improved outcomes. 

MCB has an opportunity to recognize consumers, employers and partners who were successful in achieving their goals, as well as community partners which assist in providing the services necessary to allow consumers to achieve their objectives.  The following individuals are being honored for their achievements: Linda Ackerman, Joycelyn Cross, Mary Guy and Patricia Woods (consumers), Garnet Prentice (BEP Operator), Suntel Services, Inc. in Auburn Hills (employer), and Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (community partner).

TRAINING CENTER REPORT

The Michigan Commission for the Blind Training Center and Western Michigan University's Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies submitted a presentation proposal for the National Council of Rehabilitation Education which meets in February.  The presentation was accepted and will focus on the immersion program conducted at MCBTC and facilitated by WMU.  This conference gives MCBTC and WMU the opportunity to discuss with professionals in the field of rehabilitation education the advantages and challenges of immersing rehabilitation counseling students into the blindness rehabilitation process.

On November 1, Roger Yake and Melody Lindsey met with Field staff in Lansing to identify issues regarding referrals to the Center and reports that come from the Center.  Roger Yake and Melody Lindsey will also be meeting with Field staff from northern Michigan in December to talk about the same issues.  These issues were on the agenda from the September 10 Field and Center staff meeting, but were not covered at that time due to lengthy discussions on other topics.  Therefore, Center staff are going to regional staff meetings to discuss issues that still need to be addressed.

On November 2, the Department of Management and Budget conducted a walk-through at the Training Center.   Several architectural companies were represented.  The plan that will eventually come from the selected company will include recommendations in four areas:  structural changes to facilitate a state-of-the-art technology training center; the feasibility of converting dorm rooms into single-occupancy rooms; the addition of staff offices; and an addition for the BEP training program.

During the months of November and December, the Center will have provided orientation for five new MCB employees.  Melody Lindsey is working with supervisors and the new employees to develop an orientation program that is comprehensive.  Much of the orientation training will focus on immersing the new employees into the program, giving them many of the same experiences as students.  The goal is to help the new staff understand the benefits of wearing sleep shades during their orientation experience.  MCBTC staff also appreciate the opportunity to build relationships with the new staff, with whom they will be working closely in the future to provide productive rehabilitation programs for blind consumers.

On December 15 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., MCBTC will host a holiday open house for all staff, students, and community partners.  Everyone is invited to come help celebrate the holiday season!

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES REPORT

October and November have been hectic for the Administrative Services Section which has successfully closed the books for FY 2004; set up a new Internal Operating Budget for 2005; assisted with planning, setting up and training for the 2004 Statewide Staff Technology Seminar; and worked with staff in establishing Purchase Orders for the new fiscal year services.   The annual RSA-911 closed case report and RSA-113 caseload activity quarterly report were also successfully submitted on time and work is underway on the IL and BEP Reports. 

Auditors have begun the FY 2003 and 2004 audits and information has been provided to complete the FY 2001 and 2002 audits.       

On November 22 and 23, a statewide technology training conference for MCB staff was held at the MCBTC.  Designed from input provided to the Technology Team, the sessions included training on the following:  the Department of Labor and Economic Growth computing environment (Outlook email), MCB System Six and BEP Systems, Internet with screen readers, using the Internet to find resources related to blindness, using the PacMate notetaker, and using the BrailleNote. New equipment has been ordered and meetings have been held with DIT staff to begin the switch from the FIA computing environment to the DLEG servers and the new Outlook email package.

Regarding personnel, MCB is still working with the DLEG Human Resources office to get approval to fill two positions in Administrative Services in the Central Office.

Supervisors are in the process of learning the department's online performance management system that will go into effect January 1. They have the option of attending a demo to help them learn how to write performance objectives. Demos are offered on December 8 and 14 and January 12.  Once they understand it, supervisors will be working with their staff to train them in the process because this system is a "two-way street" between the supervisor and employee.

Leamon Jones and Bob Robertson met briefly with Dave Adams from the Region V RCEP at Southern Illinois University to discuss some ideas for training programs during the coming year. Nothing specific has been scheduled yet but it is hoped to utilize the resources of the RCEP to improve MCB staff knowledge and skills in several areas such as supported employment and job development.

Bob Robertson will be sending out a training needs assessment in the next few weeks to get a better handle on what kinds of issues are important to staff when it comes time to write the new training grant application.

Ms. Carla Haynes was honored with a “Special Delivery Award” from Director Hollister’s office for her efforts in assisting all of MCB, especially with the transition to DLEG.  She received a goody bag along with a well deserved acknowledgment for all of her hard work.

Business Enterprise Program

As of November 15^th, all four trainees who had completed BEP training  as of October 15, have been placed in vending facilities.  Due to health considerations, a fifth trainee has a 4-week On the Job Experience to finish.  This is very good news for the clients involved, however, it creates difficulties for the BEP since there are no trained operators awaiting placement.  The next class will begin in March.  The BEP remains a very good employment opportunity for Commission clients with a $37,000 average wage and very attractive top end earnings.  BEP is the largest single employer of blind people in the state with 93 operators working every day, supporting their families and paying taxes.

BEP staff is now participating on a first-of-its-kind committee of state employees to work together to make the services of the Business Enterprise Program the best possible.  The Committee consists of staff from DMB, Community Health and BEP and, to begin with, is working on services in the Romney and Cass building.  This has already resulted in a faster track for needed modification of the Cass cafeteria.  BEP is pleased with this development.

Broadband access is now available  in three BEP highway facilities.  The New Buffalo and Coldwater Welcome Centers, along with the Davisburg rest area, had installed Wireless broadband "hotspots"  in a cooperative effort with the Department of Transportation and the Michigan Broadband Authority, Travel Michigan and SBC Corporation.  Travelers possessing  computers with wireless capability can access the Michigan.gov web page and other services for no cost.  They may also access the entire internet for a fee based on the amount of time they wish to use.  BEP will observe this pilot and, depending on experience, will consider expanding to other facilities, including selected state or federal buildings.

In another innovation, BEP operators in downtown Lansing are meeting regularly.  One item under development is a plan to deliver catering services in state facilities in an organized collective way.  There are many issues to work through.  If a plan can be developed, it may lead to the creation of a new job for a blind person and improved marketing and delivery of catered food to State employees in Lansing.

Mr. Tom Kent, a BEP operator in Port Huron has made his vending machines Braille accessible.  He implemented this trial attempt to see what customers think and to determine the maintenance needs of the system.  Early results are very positive.  There is a secondary benefit of promoting Braille among the public.  It is hoped to adapt his system to more facilities in the very near future.  This is in response to a Commission proposal made earlier this year.

The Business Enterprise Program has had, for the past two years, goals for completion of annual evaluations.  BEP field staff are doing well in achieving this goal.  Continuous improvement is an ongoing effort in BEP and annual evaluation timeliness is an example of the effectiveness of this process.