The Blind Missourian
                                       March  2017

Table of Contents
Board Meeting                                                                              1
First Experience at the 
    Jefferson City Seminar by Melissa Smith                                 1
2017 Legislative Fact Sheet by Shelia Wright                              2
Legislative Update and a Big Thank You by Shelia Wright         6
From the President’s PC by Gary Wunder                                    8                                                                
A New Company Provides Information 
    to the Blind by Gary Wunder                                                      8
The NFB “Piano Man” by Dan Keller                                            9
Blind Parents Seminar by Carol Coulter                                       11

PLEDGE OF THE
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its constitution.

Board Meeting
The next Missouri Affiliate Board Meeting will be on April 7, 2017, in Kansas City, Missouri at the Adams Mark Hotel. This is the Friday of our state convention. 

First Experience at the Jefferson City Seminar
By Melissa Smith

     I have been a member of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) for many years, but this was my first year attending the Jefferson City seminar. I was definitely nervous at first, intimidated by senators or representatives possibly asking questions that I didn’t have the answer to. My fears were quickly set aside as I got in the swing of presenting the ideas of the NFB.
     One highlight for me was speaking to Representative Kelly. He asked good questions and was very proactive, even sending a message to Representative Ellington regarding working on HB520, regarding accessible voting, while we were speaking to him.
     I had the opportunity to speak to Speaker of the House Todd Richardson. He appeared supportive of our issues, and said that he would put his mind to coming up with somebody, in the House, that may be interested in putting together a bill regarding the National Standardized Reading Media Assessment.
     Ben Kane and I were able to confirm that the Missouri Statute 311.328 had been amended to include non-driver IDs from other states. 
     I enjoyed meeting with everybody at dinner on Monday night. It was a good setting to be able to discuss any issues we came up against and things that were working for others.
     I would like to thank Robin House and Chris Tisdal for allowing me to tag along and observe my first meeting with a Senator. Also, thank you to Rita Lynch for working with me and encouraging me to speak on our issues. A huge thank you goes to Shelia Wright for putting together a great fact sheet that went a long way towards helping me feel like I could speak intelligently on our issues.
     I found that most senators and representatives were easy to speak to. I look forward to the follow-up and attending more Jefferson City seminars in the future.

Gary Wunder, President
3910 Tropical Lane 
Columbia, MO 65202-6205
Phone (573) 874-1774 www.nfbmo.org

LEGISLATIVE AGENDA OF BLIND MISSOURIANS
PRESENTED TO
THE FIRST SESSION of the NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

From: The National Federation of the Blind of Missouri
Date: February 13 & 14, 2017
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future.  Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and their dreams. Blindness is not what holds us back.
This is the message we bring to blind Missourians and the communities we live in.  We pledge to be a resource to you and your constituents when they turn to you for help. 
The National Federation of the Blind is a membership organization of and for the blind. As a volunteer grassroots organization, we are blind people working on behalf of blind people. We come together on the local, state, and national level to address issues of importance to our fellow blind citizens. We promote programs that encourage self-determination, independence, and equality of opportunity. 

Why a Research-Based, Standardized Reading Media Assessment Is Needed
The desirability of learning to read efficiently has never been a question in your education. Not so if one is blind. The equivalent of print for the sighted is Braille for the blind, and this is recognized in the education laws of Missouri in RSMo 167.225. Though the law says that no blind person shall be denied instruction in Braille, it does allow school districts to conduct evaluations to determine whether print or Braille is the most appropriate method for reading and writing for a given student. Far too often print is determined to be the most appropriate reading medium because the process used in making evaluations is flawed and because the strong preference of teachers and school administrators is to teach what they know and use the resources easily available to them.
The consequences for blind students are devastating. Blind people who can see enough to read some print require that it be enlarged. In the early grades this is how it is presented, but when learning to read is replaced by reading to learn, the print gets smaller and the amount of it that one must read gets larger.
It is common practice for students with visual impairments to hold reading materials very close to their faces, and/or to hunch their bodies over the materials when reading. In addition to the posture and other health concerns these reading positions raise, years of field practice and experience have demonstrated that youth who read print materials at very close distances suffer eye strain, headache, neck and back pain, fatigue, and diminished concentration, reading speed, and comprehension. Consequently, any valid assessment should ensure that children are evaluated when sitting up straight and with materials held or placed at standardized distances.
Senate Bill 362 introduced by Senator Jacob Hummel is designed to modify Missouri's statutes so that Section 167.225 mandates the use of the National Reading Media Assessment (NRMA) or another research-based assessment. Knowing the resistance we have seen from special education administrators, we firmly believe that adding “standardized” to the definition of assessment to be of great importance. We know hundreds of adults and many children who have been denied the opportunity of learning Braille. A research-based, standardized assessment could have avoided their education being compromised.   Our state must have a clear standard which is both reliable and valid to use in determining who will be taught print, who will be taught Braille, and when both print and Braille are appropriate. Bringing blind people into the workforce demands this change as 80% of employed blind people read Braille. We urge the Missouri General Assembly to embrace literacy for the blind with the same vigor that our society embraces literacy for the sighted.

Accessible Voting In All Elections
The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) recognizes the right of the blind to vote privately and independently by requiring nonvisual access for the blind through the use of accessible voting systems in all federal elections. Electronic voting technologies, designed and properly configured with nonvisual access, provide blind voters with the ability to cast their votes privately and independently and to verify, without sighted assistance, that their ballots accurately reflect their voting choices. Electronic voting systems were certified and purchased, and Missouri received federal funds for each polling place to provide at least one accessible voting machine. All certified machines in Missouri provide a paper trail.
The Missouri Secretary of State’s Office is evaluating newer machines that mark directly onto the paper ballot. The options are there if legislation is passed to make the paper ballot the official ballot of Missouri and as the existing machines need to be replaced, the technology will be available. The accessible machines are already required for the state to comply with HAVA. Some election boards may set these machines up more frequently than others. We ask that they be used consistently in all elections. The cost of setting them up should be minimal as “text to speech” options are available. Concerted effort is made to get voters to the polls; Missouri should assure that when they arrive they have the means to cast their ballots privately and independently. 
Beyond the example and financial assistance HAVA has provided to emphasize accessible voting, there are two federal laws that require all elections to be accessible to bring Missouri into compliance with federal laws.
Voters with disabilities have the same right to vote privately and independently as do voters without disabilities. When accessible voting machines are not present in state, county and municipal elections; blind, visually impaired, and other print disabled voters are denied an equal opportunity to cast their ballot privately and independently. This is a violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. As a recipient of federal funds, Missouri and our Election Boards are required to comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Additionally, the Americans with Disabilities Act guarantees equal access for individuals with disabilities to the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity. Public entities must provide individuals with disabilities an aid, benefit, or service, that is as effective in affording equal opportunity to gain the same result or benefit as provided to others. Public entities shall furnish appropriate auxiliary aids and services where necessary to afford individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in and enjoy the benefits of a service, program, or activity of a public entity. To be effective, the auxiliary aids and services must be provided in such a way as to protect the privacy and independence of the individual with a disability.
Whether the financial responsibility falls on the State of Missouri or the County Election Boards is a technicality that must not continue to be at the expense of blind, visually impaired or other disabled individuals that could benefit from use of accessible voting equipment. Please help pass HB 520 and grant disabled voters the opportunity and the right afforded us to have the same privilege in every election as you value.

Required Identification to Purchase Alcohol
The National Federation of the Blind worked hard to get Missouri to establish a non-driver’s license to meet the need for valid identification for Missourians who are unable to drive, and when that form of identification still was not accepted as a valid identification because it did not have an expiration date, we went back to the legislature to advocate that an expiration date be added to the non-driver’s license, thus requiring renewal and keeping it current. Therefore, we were concerned when a thirty-five-year-old blind chemist, business owner, and a former professor with a PhD in chemistry came to Missouri on business, and an establishment in St. Joseph refused to sell him a drink. Significant business often transpires over drinks and dinner. Imagine the awkwardness this situation would create and the way such discrimination could impact the impression that somehow the blind person is different, maybe less responsible. This individual did have a valid non-driver’s license which was not expired from the state where he resides, but an obvious omission in current law does not acknowledge the non-driver’s identification issued by another state. 
When this discriminatory action came to our attention, we researched Missouri law to determine how this could happen in our state. We learned that the applicable state statute actually lists the required forms of identification that are accepted as valid identification to verify age when purchasing alcohol. While it included our Missouri non-driver’s license and an out-of-state driver’s license, it did not include an out-of-state non-driver’s license.  Therefore, we have been advised by a lawyer and by the office of Missouri’s Attorney General that changing this practice will require legislation amending Missouri Statute 311.328, which states “the valid forms of identification are a Missouri driver's license, a Missouri issued non-driver identification card, a valid driver's license issued by any other state, [a valid non-driver's license issued by any other state,] a military identification, or a passport. Servers are further allowed to limit the forms of identification they accept by not accepting military ID's or passports.” 
We trust that this language in the statute is a matter of omission and not an intentional decision. Whether intentional or merely an oversite, this statute permits a server or store owner to discriminate against blind people who may visit Missouri or who may be planning to bring business to Missouri. Let’s make this a welcoming state by introducing legislation to amend this statute. Our suggested language appears above with the wording in brackets. Will you help with this issue?

Legislative Update and a Big Thank You
By Shelia Wright

     I would like to thank everyone who helped with our 2017 Legislative Seminar. There's always those that start work weeks before the event to get everything we need in place for a productive seminar.
     A special thanks to Rita Lynch for securing meet-up locations to use as our command post, Carol and Elisabeth Coulter for preparing the packets and getting them to Jefferson City, Daniel Garcia and the Public Relations Committee for a fine press release, and Governmental Affairs Committee Members and chapter presidents who helped to gather information and schedule appointments.
     As we began our visits at the capitol on Monday, everyone seemed ready to go. As the morning progressed the momentum increased. We were very successful in meeting directly with a number of House and Senate members on Monday afternoon.
     By the end of the first day we heard and confirmed that RSMo 311.328
Regarding accepted forms of identification for proof of age when purchasing alcohol was revised effective August 28, 2016.  This is an issue that the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri took to the Missouri General Assembly after a young blind professor and business man was unable to purchase an alcoholic beverage because our Missouri State Statutes did not recognize an out-of-state non-driver’s license as an acceptable form of identification for proof of age.
     Last year when we brought this issue to the legislature, several representatives indicated they felt this issue could be easily resolved and pledged to help amend the statute to correct this oversite and insure that this form of discrimination against the blind is not permissible. However, the approach recommended was to get the language in a larger bill related to alcohol sales and control rather than a separate bill. This made it more difficult to track and in the frenzy of action at the end of the legislative session last May we were unable to obtain verification that the relevant statute had passed. Throughout the summer and fall we attempted to follow-up but had not been able to verify that anything had made it all the way through. As we set our legislative priorities for the 2017 Jefferson City Legislative Seminar, we brought this issue back to our elected officials to see this through to the end. As we began meetings throughout the Missouri Capitol, several representatives started looking into the statute to see how they could help. This is when we got the good news that the state statute had been amended as of August 28, 2016. The newly revised statute has been posted on our webpage and appears at the end of this article. This change is a direct result of the groundwork we began at last year's Jefferson City Legislative Seminar.
     On Monday evening we met-up at the Baymont Inn for dinner and briefings on the day's progress and the work still ahead of us.
     Tuesday morning started early to allow us an opportunity to meet with legislators before session began. By early afternoon, Federationists completed the job we had come to do in our annual Jefferson City Seminar.
     Thank you to all who participated in our two-day season opener. The follow-up on the appointments, attendance at committee hearings, and calls to action are all ways you can help throughout the remainder of the legislative session. Even if you were not able to be with us this week in Jefferson City, you can still participate. There's lots of session left and we often get unexpected issues that can arise so stay tuned!

Liquor Control Law
·         ←311.326 Section 311.328.1 311.329→
August 28, 2016

Identification, acceptable forms. 
 311.328. 1. A valid and unexpired operator's or chauffeur's license issued under the provisions of section 302.177, or a valid and unexpired operator's or chauffeur's license issued under the laws of any state or territory of the United States to residents of those states or territories, or a valid and unexpired identification card or non-driver’s license as provided for under section 302.181, or a valid and unexpired non-driver's license issued under the laws of any state or territory of the United States to residents of those states or territories, or a valid and unexpired identification card issued by any uniformed service of the United States, or a valid and unexpired passport shall be presented by the holder thereof upon request of any agent of the division of alcohol and tobacco control or any licensee or the servant, agent or employee thereof for the purpose of aiding the licensee or the servant, agent or employee to determine whether or not the person is at least twenty-one years of age when such person desires to purchase or consume alcoholic beverages procured from a licensee. Upon such presentation the licensee or the servant, agent or employee thereof shall compare the photograph and physical characteristics noted on the license, identification card or passport with the physical characteristics of the person presenting the license, identification card or passport. 
2. Upon proof by the licensee of full compliance with the provisions of this section, no penalty shall be imposed if the supervisor of the division of alcohol and tobacco control or the courts are satisfied that the licensee acted in good faith.

From the President’s PC
by Gary Wunder

     What a pleasure it has been to write this long-lived though infrequent column in the Blind Missourian. Its purpose has always been to give a brief update about affiliate activities, particularly ones that I have firsthand knowledge of and participation in.
     There are many things we are tackling now that I think will be wonderful for our long-term growth. One of them is the fulfillment of a contract with the United States Association of Blind Athletes, and we will be operating a program in which we try to improve the health of twenty-five blind people through regular exercise, monitoring, and encouragement. Robin House is in charge of this project, and she has both the academic and mental discipline necessary to carry out the work we have pledged to do.
     We are also making progress in helping Amiah Washington as she seeks to get what everyone is promised by a public school education. The school has agreed that Braille is her primary learning medium. Now comes figuring out a strategy that will let her stay in the classroom with her peers and at the same time catch up on material that she has missed in all of the time the school district has been fighting with her parent, Samantha.
     Like all of you, I am very much looking forward to the convention and am working hard to put the finishing touches on our agenda. The 2017 convention promises to be a good one, and I am sure that it will be quite memorable for me, those who are elected to serve us, and all of us who will participate in the transition to ensure that we continue to be a significant force to change for the better the lives of blind people in Missouri, the country, and even the world. From the number of meetings that are being held by convention committees, standing committees, and our divisions, it is clear that there are lots of people involved in the work and that they bring tremendous enthusiasm to it. We are so blessed to have one another.

A New Company Provides Information to the Blind
By Gary Wunder

      Some of you who were at the last state board meeting witnessed the demonstration of a new service called Aira. I have gotten a couple of requests to talk more about it from those who were there and interesting questions about what it can do were posed by those who heard about it secondhand. Let me briefly try to tell you what it is.
     Aira is a company whose goal is to give blind people information they would otherwise not have at the time that they needed. The service uses a smart phone and optional electronic glasses to let a blind user communicate with an agent who can see. Whether you use the glasses that are provided or the camera on your smart phone, the agent sees whatever you're pointing at and can describe it for you. I have used the service to match a pair of pants, a sports jacket, and a tie. I've used it to read medication which normal reading software does not handle well because it is housed in round bottles. I used it when we were in Washington DC, and I needed to go from the House of Representatives to a meeting held in Senate Park, a destination that was some twenty minutes away at a fast clip. On this little jaunt Aira did not take the place of my cane, but the agent was able to see where I was through the use of the global positioning system, see where I wanted to go through maps at her disposal, and offer me a choice between two paths: one that would stick to streets and sidewalks but be slightly longer to travel, and one that let me cut through passages between buildings, walking on the grass, and traveling at odd angles. Given that we were in a hurry, I chose the more difficult path, trusting that we would stay connected until I got to my destination. 
     Not only did the agent give good physical directions, but there were several demonstrations going on at the time, and she was able to guide me around them and even tell me when I was being watched by security guards who were trying to determine whether I was a part of the demonstration or a pedestrian traveling to a different destination. I had never given much thought to the benefit in being able to read the facial expression of a law enforcement officer, but this was helpful.
     I have used Aira to identify handwritten mail, help me look at forms and determine where they need to be signed, and even had them read parts of documents that used icons as part of an instruction manual, one which a document reader could read the text but that was completely blown away by the pictures.
     I already use a lot of high-tech gadgets, hire a reader at least twice a week, and occasionally have the benefit of my children or grandchildren to help with a visual task, but the great thing about Aira is that it is available when I need that task performed, not when a person is available. I cannot afford to hire nor do I need someone's vision twenty-four seven, but having help on demand is a wonderful asset, and this technology makes it possible. As time goes along the owners of the company believe that more and more functions will be automated. Undoubtedly more automation will reduce cost, but the quality of the people they hire will mean that automation also decreases the human interaction which has become quite important to me.

The NFB “Piano Man”
By Dan Keller

     Hello readers, my name is either Dan or Danny Keller depending on when you met me. When I entered the Missouri School for the Blind in 1962 at age six, I was Danny, but I didn’t like handwriting class during my adolescent years so I took off the last two letters and became Dan. At that time, I wasn’t good at writing so I thought eliminating the n and y would make this easier and I wanted my name to sound more grown-up. Now that I am sixty, I am ready to add those letters back and reverse the aging process.
     I was born in Hannibal, Missouri and grew up on a farm in Monroe City, Missouri with my sister and two brothers. While my older siblings were in school, mom would send me out to play. I believe this to be one of the primary reasons why I developed good orientation skills since it was up to me to figure out how to get back to the house as standing out in the barn crying would do me no good.
     The most beneficial thing I got from going to the Missouri School for the Blind was learning Braille and developing a love of reading. I spent countless hours reading books from the Braille Library and I appreciate the wide range of knowledge that it gave me. I also liked the choir and band classes and learning piano tuning which has given me a small bit of financial reward.
     After graduating from the Missouri School for the Blind, I attended Central Missouri State University where I majored in Sociology and minored in Music with emphasis on piano. I was introduced to the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) while I was in college. Tom Stevens often takes credit for recruiting me by eating pancakes with me in the Pershing Hall cafeteria, while I was attending the summer college prep program at the University of Missouri in Columbia. That tale is only partially true. I turned nineteen that summer and Helen Stevens made me a birthday cake which Kevin Worley, Gene Coulter, myself, and the other students in the orientation program feasted on.
     After college, I took a position as an education assistant at the Nevada State School and Hospital. I accepted that job because I was so concerned about not being a productive adult. I was waking up at night after having bad dreams of being old and still living in the farm house. I appreciate my family very much, but I didn’t want to stay with them forever. So, I jumped on the first opportunity that came my way.
     I didn’t think I was staying in this town very long, but apparently God had other plans. I bought a house and shortly thereafter met my wife Leslie who was employed at the same work place. In 1986 I was chosen employee of the year for the facility. Roy Blunt was the Missouri Secretary of State at that time and presented me with my plaque and awards. I am still here, but he is now a United States Senator, so meeting me really boosted his career. In 1991 our daughter Felicia was born and since this was a good place in which to raise a child we chose to stay here.
     In 1995, at the age of four, Felicia attended her first national convention and had fun attending NFB Camp while Leslie worked with the NFB Camp babies. When Felicia grew older she began helping her mom at camp and now that we have a two-year-old grandson we are looking forward to the time when there will be three generations of Kellers at NFB Camp. 
     In 2015 I took my retirement package from the state, but I continue tuning pianos on a part time basis. I also started teaching piano lessons after some encouragement from Julie McGinnity. I hadn’t had any interest in teaching lessons while I was working full time and my other excuse was that I couldn’t work with sighted kids since I couldn’t read the print staff. I discovered that there are some who prefer learning through chord structure and ear training and it has turned out to be a lot of fun. I also spend my time working to help the National Federation of the Blind and a summer college baseball team. I am also a museum volunteer, not as an exhibit but as a tour guide. Retirement is not boring as I have found plenty of things to do and some of those things have found me. Leslie and I enjoy going on trips to Dallas to see our daughter and grandson, taking walks together, and being involved in church activities. I really like our motto “Live the life you want” and appreciate the federation helping me to live that to reality. I hope to be doing that with all of you for a long time.

Blind Parents Seminar
     The National Federation of the Blind of Missouri will be presenting a seminar on parenting techniques for blind parents. It will be held on April 7, 2017 from 9 AM – 12 PM at the Adams Mark Hotel 9103 East 39th street, Kansas City, MO. This seminar is for blind parents or guardians, blind individuals hoping to be parents or guardians, and anyone interested in learning the techniques that blind parents use. 
     The seminar will cover all ages with a focus on infancy through school age. We will cover a wide array of topics such as diapering, feeding, travel, baby proofing, keeping track of your child, homework, extra-curricular activities, and many more. There will be time for you to ask questions and share your concerns as well as some hands-on activities. 
     Please come join us for a fun and interactive seminar where you will learn helpful techniques and hear a lot of personal stories from blind parents and grandparents. 
     The cost is $10 per person or free if you are registered for our state convention which is taking place at the Adams Mark as well from April 7-9, 2017.  To register for the seminar fill out the attached form and return by April 1, 2017. For information about our state convention visit our website at www.nfbmo.org. You may also contact me for more information about the seminar or convention. If emailing, please put parent seminar or state convention in the message line so I don’t delete as junk mail.

My contact information is: 
Carol Coulter, Blind Parents Committee Chair  
1504 Furlong Dr. Columbia, MO 65202 
phone 573-474-3226; 
email cjcoulter59@gmail.com     

National Federation of the Blind of Missouri
Blind Parents Seminar Registration Form  
To register for the Blind Parents Seminar, please fill out this form.  Mail this completed form with your payment to: Carol Coulter 1504 Furlong Dr.  Columbia, MO 65202. 
Name: _____________                                                                                 _______
Address: ___________________                                                              ________ 
City: ______                                      _________   State: __   __   Zip: __________  
Phone #: _________________ Email Address: ___________________________
Are you a member of the NFB?  Yes _   __   No   _   __                         
 Are you registered for the state convention? Yes _   __ No _   __
If you are not registered for the state convention, there is a $10.00 fee to cover the cost of the materials for this seminar.  Please make checks payable to National Federation of the Blind of Missouri. 
Please let us know if there is a particular area of interest you would like to learn about.  (Write any questions, concerns, or comments you have below).  

Board of Directors
National Federation of the Blind of Missouri
Officers:
Gary Wunder, President			           Shelia Wright, First Vice President 
Julie McGinnity, Second Vice President         Dacia Cole, Recording Secretary
Erin Magoon, Corresponding Secretary          Carol Coulter, Treasurer

Board Members:
Eugene Coulter 			                      Gene Fleeman
Roger Crome					 Dan Flasar
Chris Tisdal						 Melissa Smith 
Daniel Garcia

Chapter Presidents
Debbie Wunder, Columbia                  		   Helen Parker, South Central
Melissa Smith, Jefferson City	        		   Ben Vercellone, Springfield
Ruby Polk, Kansas City				   Amy Plumlee, Old Drum Chapter        
Chris Tisdal, Lewis and Clark	        		   Dan Keller, Show-Me State Chapter
Roger Crome, Mineral Area Chapter		   

Blind Missourian Editor, Carol Coulter
Proof Readers Helen Stevens, Shelia Wright, and Gary Wunder
Read by Elisabeth Coulter                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

FREE MATTER FOR THE
BLIND AND PHYSICALLY
HANDICAPPED

NFB of Missouri
1504 Furlong Dr.
Columbia, MO  65202