national news

ThisAbled recognizes that travelling by air can pose unique travel difficulties for people with physical impairments.  So, Javier Robles, TBBC member and CEO and President of ThisAbled, offers 7 helpful travel tips to ease your flying experience.

Assistive technology development is a priority at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  The IDEAS Global Competition Project invites anyone to submit a request for addressing or developing an assistive technology need.

Changes in smartphone technology are happening at a rapid pace. Advances in accessibility of these devices is a front and center issue thanks to advocates for people who have vision impairments.

A team of students at Harvard University is developing an unique product, called Midas Touch.  Midas Touch produces 3D printing to create a tactile version of a work of art. 3D printing is not new, but Midas Touch has unique features.

It is National Volunteer Week, April 21st-27th, and an opportunity to thank our volunteers who help TBBC serve the print-impaired in New Jersey.

Karen Carson, TBBC's Volunteer Coordinator, honors several people who generously donate their time to TBBC:

Science Now reported today on an interesting study of communication skills of infants of blind mothers. The study results indicate that not only do the infants develop healthy communication skills, but they may have enhanced communication skills when compared with infants of sighted parents.

The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York City offers monthly touch tours to their vision-impaired guests. These MOMA tours are part of the Art Insight program.  This news story interviews one person who attended the tour, Barbara Eppel.

TBBC staff send their best wishes to all celebrating Easter and Passover this week. Here are several ideas on how to make your celebrations more accessible and enjoyable for the vision-impaired:

For Easter:

Buddy Brannan, a member of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and Vice President of the Erie Chapter of NFB-Pennsylvania, wrote a poignant piece for the February 2013 issue of Braille Monitor (Volume 56 Issue 2).

The New Jersey State Library Talking Book & Braille Center honors women's history month! Have you heard of Braiile Without Borders? It is an international development organization which creates training programs and Braille printing centers to serve the vision-impaired.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has declared March as "MS Awareness Month." Find more information on MS, connect with local support groups, and learn how you can promote MS awareness in your community. There are two chapters that serve New Jersey:

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is offering scholarships for 2013! The application deadline is March 31, 2013.

Yes, it is that time of the year again. Taxes, taxes, taxes. We are just one month away from the April 15th deadline for filing our income tax returns. 

Check out this news article in the USA Today about the FDA approving the use of a bionic eye in adults with late stage retinitis pigmentosa, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/02/14/eye-implant-vision/1920143/. 

TBBC honors the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday by sharing with you two of his treasured speeches:

An audio recording of his 1963 speech, "I Have a Dream."

A video with an audio recording of his acceptance speech for the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize.