What Has ACB Done in the Last Year, Let Me Tell the Things

>every you an American Council of the Blind (ACB) member, hear
that tired old refrain, "ACB doesn't do anything," and mumble to
yourself I'm so sick of that? Well, the next time you hear that,
tell whomever says it to feast their eyes on this.

In the last year, ACB achieved settlements with several major
retail chains including Dollar General, Staples, Target and
others so that when you as a person who is blind walks in, makes
a purchase, and chooses to pay using a debit card, you will have
a tactile keypad on which to independently enter your own PIN.
This means you don't have to tell strangers your PIN number, just
like sighted people do not have to do.

Thanks to work right from the great state of Illinois, yet
another banking chain, TCF (www.tcf.com) will be installing
talking ATMS, providing statements and other information was
accessible formats, and making their website accessible. This,
again, thanks in part to ACB.

As you travel, do you find yourself saying, gosh, I wish someone
would do something about all of the Hybrid cars I encounter out
there? ACB is granting that wish. Thanks to our fierce advocacy,
along with that of other organizations, legislation has been
introduced in Congress, HR734, "The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement
Act of 2009." Because this legislation is out there and has 124
co-sponsors signed on, the National Highway Transportation Safety
Administration is already conducting research designed to improve
the safety of these vehicles for pedestrians who are blind.

Want to learn more? Then tune into the broadcast of the ACB
National Convention all this week on ACB Radio, www.acbradio.org.
Simply click or press enter on the Mainstream link, then select
the link for your favorite media player and you are on your way.
So what will you do when you next hear, "ACB isn't doing
anything?" Point people to this blog, to the ACB Radio link above
and then tell them to come back and say it again!