LightHouse News: Monthly Edition, November 2009

LightHouse News Online

A publication of the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

In the News:

San Francisco Sets Accessibility Standard for New Technology
LightHouse Tech Seminar: Build Your Own Website
Eat at Pasta Pomodoro and Support the LightHouse!
Insights Audio Tours Until December 11th
UC Santa Cruz Survey on Independent Mobility
We've Moved: LightHouse of Marin and North Coast Find New Homes at Senior Resource Centers
New Career Opportunity: Contract Management Training
LightHouse Holiday Closures
Instructions for Accessing LightHouse News in Text Format

Sidebar Items:
-Quote of the Month
-Adaptations Featured Item: Talking Bathroom Scale
-Swap Shop
-LightHouse Event: Holiday Bazaar November 18th

1. San Francisco Sets Accessibility Standard for New Technology

Image: White cane user on street pushing APS button

The modern disability rights movement was launched in the San Francisco Bay Area. The change in paradigm from a medical model of "helping people with handicaps" to a civil rights model promoting independent living in the mainstream was developed here. Much of the early political awareness around these issues was created here. San Francisco has, in particular, stayed at the forefront in requiring accessibility in new technology.

Examples of this abound:

San Francisco spent two years in contract negotiations with JCDecaux, pioneers of the modern automatic street toilet, instigating a new accessible design for these facilities that is now used throughout the country.

The first accessible (talking) ATM in the country was installed in San Francisco's City Hall in 2000, after a year of design negotiation with Diebold, Inc. and a local credit union. Today, accessible ATMs are universal.

San Francisco was the first Bay Area city to install hundreds of accessible pedestrian signals throughout major city intersections that enable people who experience both vision and hearing loss to cross with the walk cycle.

San Francisco worked with Viking Electronics and Trace Research to develop an audible apartment door entry security system usable by blind persons. The systems are now routinely installed in all city assisted housing.

And, after disruption from the disability community, the City abruptly ended a 'cool' touch screen kiosk demo project in MUNI Metro transit stations because they were inaccessible to blind persons, including a San Francisco mayor with low vision.

Each of these innovations required technological standards that far exceed state and federal accessibility requirements in existence at the time of first installation. Each set a new standard. When the work was done, the companies had products throughout the U.S. that met the highest expectations.

The latest innovation has been with destination-based (or destination-oriented) elevators. Destination-based elevators eliminate control buttons in elevator cars; instead, passengers enter the elevator-lobby area and select a floor. Based upon the floor they're visiting, they're assigned an elevator car.

Over the past 23 months, The LightHouse, Smith Kettlewell Eye Research Institute and the local chapter of the California Council of the Blind have been working with the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection to ensure that this technology is accessible to blind and visually impaired people. This includes providing an accessible user interface, speech output, Braille on the elevator car controls and high contrast display screens.

One manufacturer's attorneys asserted at a recent appeal hearing that the technology would produce the most accessible destination-based elevator system in San Francisco, and in the world. And, as with other technologies, we expect the world to follow our lead. To read more, go to
http://lighthouse-sf.org/ news/2009/01/destination-elevator-administrative-bulletin.php

2. LightHouse Tech Seminar: Build Your Own Website!
December 4, 2009
Panel Presentations: 1-3 p.m. PST
214 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102

Do you want to promote your business online? Are you a job seeker who wants to really stand out on the internet. Are you an artist seeking to create a snazzy online niche for your portfolio? If so, come to our December tech seminar to get the latest information on hosting, coding and designing your own website! Website owners looking to enhance accessibility are also welcome to attend!

You can participate through one of the following:

Tune in to live audio stream on our website.
Dial in with our telephone conferencing service.
Attend in person and get the most out of live demos!

The LightHouse is wheelchair accessible. Accommodations are available upon request.

RSVP at 1-888-400-8933 or info@lighthouse-sf.org. Conference call and live stream instructions will be provided.

3. Eat at Pasta Pomodoro and Support the LightHouse!

Pasta Pomodoro invites you and your friends, family, neighbors, colleagues and anyone else you know to dine with them while giving back to the LightHouse this holiday season. From November 19, 2009 through January 2, 2010, Pasta Pomodoro will donate 20% of the cost of your bill to the LightHouse.

Click here to download a pdf version of the Pasta Pomodoro Friends and Family coupon. You must present the coupon to your server when ordering for the LightHouse to receive this contribution. The offer is good at any of the San Francisco or Marin locations.

4. Insights Audio Tours Until December 11th

Image: CSB students listening to Insights audio tour and touching artwork

PHOTO CAPTION: Students from the California School for the Blind listen to the Insights audio tour and touch Romaine Samworth's sculpture "Bovine Bliss".

There is still time to visit the Insights exhibition on the ground floor of San Francisco City Hall. Special features include a wall of touchable art and an audio tour featuring recordings from Bay Area celebrities!

Visit the exhibition Monday through Friday,
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. at the San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery in City Hall, Ground Floor
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102

Audio Tour: Sign up for a staff-led group or individual audio tour of the Insights exhibition. Tours are available by appointment Monday through Friday, 8.am. to 6 p.m., from now through December 11, 2009.

For more information email insights@lighthouse-sf.org or call 415-431-1481, x335.

5. UC Santa Cruz Survey on Independent Mobility
If you are blind or legally blind, two University of Santa Cruz professors need your help. Roberto Manduchi and Sri Kurniawan, professors of computer engineering, research assistive technology for persons with visual impairments. They are conducting a survey about the walking habits of people who are visually impaired. Your participation in this survey will help them better direct their research in the area of mobility.

All who participate in the survey by December 15th will have a chance to win one of two $100 Amazon gift cards. You can participate online or by phone. The online survey can be taken by visiting http://surveymonkey.com/walking. If you prefer to take the survey by phone, please call 831-459-1479 or email manduchi@soe.ucsc.edu. Your personal information (name, email address or phone number) will not be disclosed.

6. We've moved: LightHouse of Marin and North Coast Find New Homes at Senior Resource Centers
This year the LightHouse satellite offices in both the North Coast and Marin have moved to locations in senior centers. These new locations make it convenient for seniors to access services housed in these facilities while helping the LightHouse reach senior populations jointly served by these centers.

Like the LightHouse in San Francisco, LightHouse of Marin and LightHouse of the North Coast offer rehabilitation training on both a class and individual basis for people living with vision loss. Services include learning strategies for reading print and learning how to get around safely in your home or community. Find answers to your questions about vision loss in Marin and the North Coast by visiting us today.

LightHouse of Marin
at the Whistlestop Senior Center

930 Tamalpais Ave.
San Rafael, CA 94901

Same phone number!
415-258-8496
Or visit www.lighthouse-sf.org

LightHouse of the North Coast
at the Humboldt Senior Resource Center

1910 California Street, Third Floor
Eureka, CA 95501

Same phone numbers!
707-268-5646
707-268-5655 TTY
707-268-5647 FAX
Or visit www.lighthouse-sf.org

7. New Career Opportunity: Contract Management Training
The LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired is seeking motivated, legally blind individuals to join its Contract Management Support (CMS) training program.

The federal government is facing a critical shortage of qualified contracting personnel, and the Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired has partnered with National Industries for the Blind (NIB) to develop a training program to help meet this need while simultaneously providing high-growth career opportunities for people who are legally blind.

What is Contract Management Support?
Contract Management Support (CMS) services include the tasks required to conduct contract close-out and administration. These tasks range from research and analysis prior to awarding a contract to contract negotiation and post-award vendor follow-up.

In 2008, the federal government spent over $500 billion on the purchase of various goods and services, but is facing a critical shortage of qualified contract specialists as hiring has not kept up with retirements and government demand has increased for contracted goods and services.

What is included in the CMS training?
Training includes core courses required to establish a foundation in Contract Management. This is a 10-week program and consists of four online courses and one on-site class. Tuition is free to participants who are eligible for this training.

Who is eligible to apply?
In order to be considered for this program, candidates must:

-Be a U.S. Citizen

-Be legally blind

-Have a Bachelor's degree, or 24 semester hours in a combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.

-Be proficient using adaptive technology such as Zoomtext and/or JAWS

For more information please contact Sam Rodriguez, Assistant Director Business Services, at 415-694-7360 or send resume to srodriguez@lighthouse-sf.org

8. LightHouse Holiday Closures

The LightHouse will be closed on the following days for the holidays:

Thanksgiving Hours:
CLOSED at 3 p.m. Wednesday, November 25th. We will re-open on Monday, November 30th at 8:30 a.m.

December hours:
CLOSED at 3 p.m. on Thursday, December 24th. We will re-open on Monday, January 4th at 8:30 a.m.

9. Instructions for Accessing LightHouse News in Text Format

If you'd like to receive LightHouse News emails as text only, you can follow these simple instructions:

At the bottom of the LightHouse News email, click Update Profile/Email Address
On the next screen, click Submit at the bottom of the screen to confirm your email address. Within seconds, you will receive an email that allows you to change your settings
Scroll to the bottom of the email and click the text radio button
Click save profile changes.

The LightHouse News is free to the community we serve: blind and visually impaired individuals and their families and friends. Please let us know what you think! To submit feedback about this newsletter, please send an email to publications@lighthouse-sf.org.