Independent Living Older Blind Program
Whereas: The Washington Council of the Blind is dedicated to promoting opportunity, equality and independence in the blind community through education, public awareness and advocacy, and,
Whereas: The majority of our blind population are older people who are newly experiencing vision loss and can benefit from the opportunity to learn new ways to accomplish routine daily tasks which can enable them to live independent and productive lives, minimizing the need for more costly in-home or nursing home care, and,
Whereas: In Washington State, The Independent Living for Older Blind Program (ILOB), which serves 1100 individuals each year, is the only statewide program providing training, counseling, adaptive devices, and information to enable older people with vision loss to maintain or increase independence in their homes and community, and,
Whereas: The Department of Services for the Blind's (DSB's) budget for this program has not increased over the past 5 years which means that DSB is likely, over the long term, to reduce the number of individuals served in ILOB and reduce the types of services available through the program unless there is immediate action by the Department or by the State Legislature.
Now, therefore, let it be resolved, by the Washington Council of the Blind assembled in convention on this 3rd day of November, 2012, in the City of Vancouver, Washington, that we, the members of the Washington Council of the Blind reaffirm our commitment to promote and defend the opportunities, equality and independence of the older BLIND and VISUALLY IMPAIRED, and,
Be it further resolved that WCB communicate with DSB, the Governor elect and the Washington State Legislature regarding the importance of services for older people with vision loss and the need to increase and stabilize funding for these unique and vital services.
The Evergreen Radio Reading Service
Whereas: the Washington Council of the Blind has been a major supporter of the Evergreen Radio Reading Service since its inception in 1973; and
Whereas: this radio reading service has provided an unparalleled and irreplaceable service to the blind of Washington State by providing, through real time broadcasting, topical and current content gleaned from hundreds of sources otherwise available in print only; and
Whereas: this service represents the sole contact with the outside world for a segment of the blind community, especially persons who are elderly and those with major health issues; and
Whereas: drastic budget cuts currently being proposed by the Governor of Washington State will likely result in the elimination of this program; and
Whereas: the dismantling of this unique service will mean the loss of all staff, volunteers, specialized equipment and subcontract administration; and
Whereas: the members of the Washington Council of the blind believe that rebuilding this service will be impossible for the foreseeable future.
Now, therefore be it resolved by the members of the Washington Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 5th day of November 2011 at the Red Lion Hotel in the city of Pasco, Washington that:
1. The Washington Council of the Blind go on record as expressing our profound disappointment over the elimination of this vital service. and
2. That the officers and directors of this organization be directed to work with other interested organizations to explore other service delivery alternatives.
Assistive Technology Program
Whereas: The federal House of Representatives draft Fiscal Year 2012 Labor, Health and Human Services funding bill proposes a new 25 percent mandatory set-aside from State Assistive Technology (AT) Act Programs such as (WATAP) in order to fund alternative financing programs; and,
Whereas: A mandatory funding distribution of AT act funds is in violation of statutory language, and will be most felt in rural communities and by low income and underserved populations, and will directly impact WATAP's ability to maintain and expand AT lending programs in rural libraries, support the deaf-blind equipment distribution program, provide demonstrations and consultation to individuals making AT decisions, and provide consultation to government and industry regarding accessibility of information technology.
Now, therefore be it resolved, that the WA Council of the Blind on this 5th day of November, in convention assembled, at the Red Lion Hotel in Pasco WA, shall go on record to state that the Assistive technology Act programs should continue to receive their full funding in order to provide a balanced array of services based on the individual needs identified in each state which include device demonstrations, device lending, device reuse, and alternative financing along with technical consultation, professional training, IandR and other services. And be it further resolved, that the Board of Directors of this organization shall specifically convey our views on this matter, without delay, to Representative Norm Dicks who is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, and shall communicate with all other members of the WA Congressional delegation as appropriate.
Continuation of Production of the Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind
Whereas, the Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind was established by Mrs. William Ziegler in 1907 to enable blind people worldwide to access an information-rich publication free of charge;
And whereas, the Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind has aided in the cultivation of braille literacy and awareness of issues of the day among blind people worldwide;
And whereas, the Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind is available in Braille, four-track, half-speed cassette, email, diskette, podcast, and web Braille;
And whereas, persons who are deaf/blind, do not own braille displays, do not have access to the internet or live in countries where technology for the blind has not been made widely available or where batteries for cassette machines are expensive and short-lived can only access the Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind through the use of hard copy braille;
And whereas, with apparently no input from and little notice to readers of the Magazine, the Board of Directors of the Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind has directed that the composition of the magazine be significantly altered by discontinuing all formats other than an online blog containing only news items related to blindness issues;
And whereas, the current reading formats and content of the Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind, including disability-related and general-interest articles have informed and entertained blind readers worldwide;
And whereas, the loss of the Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind in its traditional formats and composition will represent a profound loss to a worldwide population whose access to information is already severely limited;
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Washington Council of the Blind in convention assembled on November 7, 2009 at the Pasco Red Lion Inn, Pasco, Washington:
That this organization send a letter or email to the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind which will enclose this resolution, and express our distress and disappointment in this action, and strongly urge the Board to reverse its recent decision regarding changes in the production and content of this valued and long-standing publication.
Whereas, legislation has been introduced in the United States House of Representatives (H.R.5734), “The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2008”, concerning “quiet cars”, which would address the concerns about safety for blind and visually impaired pedestrians;
And, whereas, at least, one hearing has already been held concerning this bill; And, whereas, the American Council of the Blind (ACB) has corresponded with Congress in support of this H.R.5734;
Therefore, be it resolved by the Washington Council of the Blind in convention assembled this twenty fifth day of October, 2008, in the city of Vancouver, Washington, that the Washington Council of the Blind (WCB) shall adopt a position in conjunction with that of the American Council of the Blind (ACB), and hereby authorizes and directs the President, and/or her designee, of the Washington Council of the Blind (WCB), to expeditiously submit letters of support, for H.R.5734, to the Washington State Congressional delegation.
Whereas the mission of the Washington Council of the Blind is to ensure the independence, opportunity and equality of people who are blind;
And, whereas people who are blind and/or visually impaired have no access to emergency information which may be placed visually on the television screen giving directions and instructions on life-saving processes to follow in the event of an emergency;
And, whereas currently, FCC rules (47 CFR Part 79.2) on emergency programming only require an audio tone that alerts people who are blind or visually impaired of the need to access emergency information when emergency text is provided on televised programming;
And, whereas once the tone is heard, it is expected that such individuals will then turn to a second source (e.g., a radio) to obtain additional information about the emergency;
And, whereas The FCC has yet to begin implementation, through its rule-making process, the recommendations of the Consumer Advisory Committee that received formal adoption on June 27, 2008 regarding emergency information.
Now therefore be it resolved by the Washington Council of the Blind assembled this twenty-fifth day of October, 2008, in the city of Vancouver, Washington, that:
This organization directs its president or her designee to draft a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin no later than thirty (30) days after the close of its 2008 convention, strongly urging that the FCC take action to ensure that individuals who are blind or have low vision have access to televised emergency programming.
2. This letter shall further urge the FCC to identify methods to make such on-screen-displayed text -- which includes written or other non-verbal information (whether scrolled or displayed as characters or images) that appears on a television screen -- accessible to this population. Such text should include information provided * during regular programming when such information is provided to afford viewers with warnings of and instructions on how to respond to emergency or hazardous conditions; * during local and national news bulletins; and * during the broadcasting of any other information the Commission deems appropriate.
3. The President shall ensure that the WCB membership is informed about any progress on this issue, as it could represent a new beginning for video description on television. And, there may come a time when WCB’s membership will be asked to write letters in support of this vital initiative, recommended by the FCC’s Consumer Advisory Committee.
Whereas, the Washington Council of the Blind is committed to improving safety for all pedestrians, especially those who are blind and visually impaired; and
Whereas, roundabouts are structural hazards making independent travel perilous and life threatening by removing auditory cues such as parallel traffic flow and signalization; and
Whereas, WCB’s Environmental Access Committee has created a position paper outlining this opinion, which parallels that of the U.S. Access Board;
Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved, by the Washington Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 3rd day of November, 2007 at the Doubletree Hotel Spokane City Center, that the membership of this organization direct the Washington Council of the Blind Board of Directors to engage the appropriate state and local government authorities in dialogue concerning the design and construction of roundabouts in compliance with recommendations set forth by the U.S. Access Board.
Directs this organization to strongly request that the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and any other relevant test sanctioning
bodies work closely with knowledgeable professionals in the field of instruction provision to blind and low vision students, both at the Washington State
School for the Blind and throughout the state, to create WASL test versions in alternate media that accurately and reliably test the academic skills of
blind and low vision students. It also directs this organization to request that blind and visually impaired students, within the state of Washington,
who have not passed the 10th grade WASL not be denied an academic diploma until visual bias has been eliminated from these examinations, and that, as an
alternative, trained teachers of the blind and visually impaired, along with a qualified educational psychologist, help put in place another instrument,
approved by OSPI, that could be used until visual bias in the WASL has been eliminated.
WHEREAS, the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) IS BEING USED IN Washington State as an instrument to measure student achievement; and
WHEREAS, the current math and science section of the WASL does not provide a valid measure for blind and visually impaired children because it relies on
many visual models to complete the information process for students; and
WHEREAS, the math and science section of the test uses visual representations not directly readable by blind and low-vision students; and
WHEREAS, the test’s heavy reliance on the use of tables and graphs makes the direct rendering of both Braille and large-print test versions difficult to
create and virtually impossible for students to read and interpret; and
WHEREAS, in the areas of math and science, most trained teachers of the blind lack all the necessary skills on how to develop and teach appropriate tactile
graphics; and
WHEREAS, as currently written, the WASL test is not an accurate and valid assessment of the academic abilities of blind and low-vision students; and
WHEREAS, without modifications to these exams for the blind, students will not be tested on their ability, but will be tested on their ability to visualize;
and
WHEREAS, by 2008, in order to graduate from high school with an academic diploma, students will be required to pass the WASL examination given in the 10th
grade; and
WHEREAS, as a remedy for the unfair treatment faced by blind and visually impaired students, some have proposed that these students be permanently exempt
from the requirement to pass the 10th grade WASL in order to graduate with an academic diploma;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Washington Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 11th day of November, 2006, in the city of SeaTac Washington,
that this organization strongly requests that the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and any other relevant test sanctioning bodies
work closely with knowledgeable professionals in the field of instruction provision to blind and low vision students, both at the Washington State School
for the Blind and throughout the state, to create WASL test versions in alternate media that accurately and reliably test the academic skills of blind
and low vision students; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization requests that blind and visually impaired students, within the state of Washington, who have not passed the
10th grade WASL not be denied an academic diploma until visual bias has been eliminated from these examinations; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, as an alternative, trained teachers of the blind and visually impaired, along with a qualified educational psychologist, help
put in place another instrument, approved by OSPI, that could be used until visual bias in the WASL has been eliminated.
Directs this organization to urge the
Washington State Legislature to support families of blind children and youth through a statutory mandate, that the Department of Services for the Blind
shall maintain a Child and Family Program with dedicated and appropriate funding.
WHEREAS, blindness is known to be a low incidence disability that visits families who have no prior knowledge of the unique developmental and educational
needs of blind children; and
WHEREAS, it is vital that parents of blind children, including children with multi-handicapping conditions, receive guidance concerning their child’s unique
needs as well as access to resources for information; and
WHEREAS, as it is critical that parents of blind children and blind youth are presented information about the capabilities of blind people to contribute
to
the vitality of their communities; and
WHEREAS, for over thirty years, the Department of Services for the Blind, Child and Family Program has provided guidance and training to families of blind
children and youth; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Services for the Blind has no statutory mandate to provide services to families of blind children and youth, nor funding dedicated
specifically to a Child and Family Program;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Washington Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 11th day of November, 2006, in the city of SeaTac Washington,
that we urge the
Washington State Legislature to support families of blind children and youth through a statutory mandate, that the Department of Services for the Blind
shall maintain a Child and Family Program with dedicated and appropriate funding.
Expresses thanks and commending the 2006 Washington Council of the Blind convention host committee and the South King Council of the Blind
Whereas, the handling of local arrangements for a Washington Council of the Blind (WCB) state convention is a mammoth undertaking; and
Whereas, the convention host committee and the host chapter, theSouth King Council of the Blind, have met every challenge in hosting the 2006 WCB state
convention in SeaTac, Washington, and have welcomed and assisted WCB members in a friendly, helpful fashion;
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Washington Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 11th day ofNovember, in the city ofSeaTac, Washington,
that the membership of this organization wholeheartedly thank and commend the convention host committee and the local host chapter for their excellent
work and for helping to create the hospitable and warm atmosphere that exemplified the 2006 convention of the Washington Council of the Blind.
Expresses appreciation to the corps of volunteers
Whereas, volunteers, under the most able stewardship of the host chapter, theSouth King Council of the Blind, have provided superb services in all ways
to attendees of the 2006 Washington Council of the Blind state convention;
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Washington Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 11th day ofNovember , 2006, in the city of SeaTac, Washington.
That the membership of this organization warmly and most sincerely express its appreciation to all volunteers who have worked to assist the attendees of
the 2006 WCB convention; and
Be it further resolved that the president of this organization, or her designee, send a letter of thanks to each group who provided volunteers for our 2006
state convention.
Expresses thanks to the convention hotel
Whereas, the SeaTac Doubletree Hotel has provided essential services and important accommodations to the members of the Washington Council of the Blind
(WCB) atending the 2006 state convention; and
Whereas, the staff of the SeaTac Doubletree Hotel have been friendly and helpful; and
Whereas, the success of a convention is dependent upon the quality of the services provided by the convention hotel;
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Washington Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 11th day of October, in the city of SeaTac, Washington,
that this organization expresses its thanks and appreciation for the services and accommodations provided to its members by the SeaTac Doubletree Hotel
and its staff.
Directs this organization to call upon the Office of the Secratary of State and the Washington State Library to assume the administration of the WTBBL,
And that all legal steps be taken to assure that the WTBBL remains in its present location and all assets be given over to WTBBL. It also directs That
the blind citizens of Washington State be given concrete assurances that the state of Washington recognizes and agrees with their needs for full public
library services on a level with those being offered all other citizens.
WHEREAS, the members of the Washington Council of the Blind(WCB) were stunned to learn of the decision by the Seattle City Librarian, Deborah Jacobs, to
end the historic partnership between Seattle's Public Library and the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library (WTBBL); And
WHEREAS, Deborah Jacobs points out that her mission is to provide library services to the residents of the city of Seattle and not that of overseeing a
state-wide, specialized library service; And
WHEREAS, the high standard of service is now being eroded and staff morale undermined by reductions in staffing and funding, including an effort to not
fill the WTBBL Director position; And
Whereas: a tug of war has ensued over the ownership of the building housing the WTBBL which would initially have put these valuable services out on the
Street; And
WHEREAS, WCB recognizes that immediate and decisive action must be taken to prevent the total collapse of this nationally admired program;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Washington Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 11th day of November, 2006, in the city of SeaTac, WA.,
That this organization call upon the Office of the Secratary of State and the Washington State Library to assume the administration of the WTBBL; And
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all legal steps be taken to assure that the WTBBL remains in its present location and all assets be given over to WTBBL; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That the blind citizens of Washington State be given concrete assurances that the state of Washington recognizes and agrees with
their needs for full public library services on a level with those being offered all other citizens.
Whereas, the Washington Council of the Blind (WCB) initiated a program of vehicle donations in March of 1997, and has continued this fundraising activity from that time to the present; and
Whereas, receipts from this fundraising activity have provided WCB scholarships for blind and visually impaired students, paid for educational opportunities for WCB members, provided for one-time crisis assistance for Washington’s visually impaired residents, and has helped with expenses to state and national conventions for our members; and
Whereas, Community Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted (CSBPS) has benefited for years from the Washington Council of the Blind (WCB)’s telephone message which refers those wishing to donate clothing to CSBPS; and
Whereas, CSBPS has started its own vehicle donation fundraiser in 2004, without offering WCB the courtesy of discussing the problems that two vehicle donation programs, within the blindness field, might have on organizations and agencies trying to raise money for their group needs; and
Whereas, other organizations and agencies have considered using vehicle donations as a means of raising money, only to drop the idea when they discussed with WCB having two blindness vehicle donation fundraisers.
Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Washington Council of the Blind, in convention assembled this 13th day of November, 2004, in the city of Bellingham, Washington, instruct its president to contact Community Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted (CSBPS) to express our concerns about having two vehicle donation fundraising programs within the field of blindness; and
Be it further resolved, that a letter be written to other blindness organizations and agencies expressing our belief that this additional vehicle donation fundraiser breaches good, ethical behavior between entities in the blindness field; and
Be it further resolved, that the Washington Council of the Blind (WCB) telephone message be changed to exclude the referral message to Community Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted (CSBPS) for those considering the donation of clothing, until such time as the Washington Council of the Blind (WCB) president and Board believe that Community Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted (CSBPS) has given the Washington Council of the Blind (WCB) the courtesy of discussing its vehicle donation fundraiser.
Whereas, Braille is the basic communication tool for people who are blind, just as print is for the sighted; and
Whereas, despite its versatility, Braille is often difficult to obtain or simply not available when requested as an alternative format; and
Whereas, the Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind and the Department of Services for the Blind employ and serve many blind and visually impaired people throughout the State of Washington; and
Whereas, these agencies continue to fall short in the area of providing Braille material as an equal option, despite the opportunity and ethical responsibility to promote equality and accessibility to their blind employees and participants.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Washington Council of the Blind, in convention assembled this 13th day of November, 2004, in the city of Bellingham, Washington, that the president of the Washington Council of the Blind appoint a committee to meet with the Directors of the Department of Services for the Blind and the Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind, to express our expectation that these agencies meet their ethical responsibility by providing to their employees and participants who are identified as Braille readers, all literature, including agency memos, awards, certificates and plaques, and other personal correspondence, in Braille, which are currently provided in print or large print.
Whereas, the 2004 Washington Council of the Blind convention, in Bellingham, Washington, utilized volunteers from such groups as Paws for a Cause, the local area Lions Clubs, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; and
Whereas, these volunteers have served convention attendees in a friendly and prompt manner throughout the convention weekend.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Washington Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 13th day of November, 2004, in the city of Bellingham, Washington, that the president of this organization, or her designee, send a letter of thanks to each group who provided volunteers for our 2004 state convention; and
Be it further resolved, that those of us in attendance at this business meeting stand and express our deep appreciation, by our applause; to the 2004 Bellingham Convention volunteers.
Whereas, Bill Palmer has served as Director of the Washington State Department of Services for the Blind since 1999; and
Whereas, the Department of Services for the Blind, during the time of his Directorship, has continued to solicit input from the Washington Council of the Blind; and
Whereas, vocational rehabilitation participants being served by the Department of Services for the Blind have continued to reach successful employment outcomes in a variety of occupational fields.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Washington Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 13th day of November, 2004, in the city of Bellingham, Washington, that the Washington Council of the Blind, its officers and directors take all necessary steps to encourage the newly-elected governor of the State of Washington to retain Bill Palmer as Director of the Department of Services for the Blind.
Whereas, Dr. Dean Stenehjem has served a Superintendent of the Washington State School for the Blind since 1990; and
Whereas, the Washington State School for the Blind, during the past fourteen years, has evolved in to one of the most highly respected educational institutions for blind children in the United States; and
Whereas, the Washington State School for the Blind has adopted a number of innovative educational outreach programs.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Washington Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 13th day of November, 2004, in the city of Bellingham, Washington, that the Washington Council of the Blind, its officers and directors take all necessary steps to encourage the newly-elected governor of the State of Washington to retain Dr. Dean Stenehjem as Superintendent of the Washington State School for the Blind.
Whereas, the number of registrants at the 2004 Washington Council of the Blind state convention is one of the highest ever; and
Whereas, the management and staff of the Bestwestern Lakeway Inn, in Bellingham, Washington, have accommodated this convention in their recently remodeled facility; and
Whereas, the special needs of the Washington Council of the Blind state convention have been efficiently handled by hotel management and staff.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Washington Council of the Blind in convention assembled this 13th day of November, 2004, in the city of Bellingham, Washington, that this organization recognizes the efforts of the management and staff of the Bestwestern Lakeway Inn by sending to the hotel a gift of appreciation, along with a copy of this resolution; and
Be it further resolved, that the Washington Council of the Blind show its appreciation with a standing ovation.
Change the font size: + Larger Font | + Smaller Font