Florida Division of Blind Services

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Scholarship Opportunity - Computer Science

Google is offering a new scholarship opportunity for Students with Disabilities. Google partnered with Lime to offer scholarships to students with disabilities who are pursuing university degrees in the field of computer science in Canada or the U.S.

Lime is a not-for-profit organization that brings together global corporations and people with disabilities. Scholarships will be granted for the 2009–2010 academic year, and recipients will be invited to attend an all-expenses-paid retreat at the Googleplex in Mountain View in 2010.

Google hopes that this program will increase opportunities for students with disabilities and encourage them to pursue careers in computer science. Google also hopes to foster long-lasting relationships through which these students can support each other over the course of their academic studies. The deadline to apply for this year's Lime Scholarship is June 1, 2009. For complete details, visit www.google.com/jobs/scholarships.

Guide Horse

Mona Ramoun, who lost her sight to retinopathy of prematurity, wanted more independence, but a traditional guide dog was not an option. Mona Ramoun is a Sunni Muslim. Many Muslims consider dogs unclean and will not have them live in the house.

For this reason Ramoun sought out the assistance of a guide horse. Cali, a 3-year-old former show horse that stands about 2½ feet tall, weighs about 125 pounds was trained to become Ramoun's guide. There are only a handful of the miniature animals trained as guides for the blind in the United States. The horses can live into their 30s, more than twice as long as most dogs.

Ramoun says having Cali as a guide opens up new opportunities. However, there is reason for concern. The U.S. government may soon tighten the definition of a guide animal under the Americans with Disabilities Act to exclude farm creatures such as horses. Regulatory language that would limit guide status to dogs and other common domestic animals was proposed last year, but was postponed along with other new federal rules when President Barack Obama took office in January.

In the meantime, Ramoun, a graduate of the University of Michigan-Dearborn, says she hopes to pursue a doctorate in child psychology at the university's main campus in Ann Arbor.

Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities

The Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Labor (DOL) will again co-sponsor in the annual Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) for College Students with Disabilities.  The WRP is recruiting approximately 1,600 students from over 200 colleges and universities across the United States this year. 

The Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP) will again assist by providing assistive technology and accommodation services to WRP participants. By working through WRP, CAP helps to ensure a successful Federal employment experience while cultivating an accessible information environment for WRP participants.

For more information about WRP, please visit the WRP Web site: www.wrp.gov.

For more information about CAP or to submit an accommodation request please visit www.tricare.mil/cap.

Credit Reports Now Accessible

Effective December 17, 2008, people who are blind or visually impaired can obtain their free annual credit reports in accessible formats. As a result of an agreement signed earlier this year by the American Council of the Blind, the California Council of the Blind, and others, credit reports are now available in an accessible format online. Reports in Braille, Large Print and Audio formats can also be ordered by phone.

Online accessible reports

Federal law requires the three major credit reporting agencies in the United States to provide consumers with one free credit report each year. These reports are available on line on the Annual Credit Report Web site. Online reports available through this site are now designed to meet the standards set forth in Priorities 1 and 2 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). For security purposes, the site includes a CAPTCHA designed to prevent computers from hacking into the site. There is an alternative, audio CAPTCHA for blind consumers who cannot see the standard visual image of distorted letters and numbers.

Ordering by Telephone

People who are blind or visually impaired within the meaning of the Americans with Disabilities Act may order Braille, Large Print or Audio credit reports from any of the three credit reporting agencies by calling, toll free:

  • 877-322-8228

Additional credit reports not covered by the free annual credit report system are also available in alternative formats. These may be ordered from each credit reporting agency individually at the following numbers:

  • Equifax: 800-685-1111
  • Experian: 888-397-3742
  • TransUnion: 800-888-4213

Please note that when ordering a credit report by calling any of these numbers you will not reach a live person, but will be given the option of selecting Braille, Large Print or Audio formats.

Accessible Credit Report Agreement

The Accessible Credit Report Agreement was negotiated using the Structured Negotiations Process. The three companies have worked in good faith to negotiate and implement the agreement. If you are a person who is blind or visually impaired and encounter any problems in obtaining your free annual credit report, please Contact Lainey. You can also read the Accessible Credit Report Agreement.

Video Descriptions and Digital Television Transition

The Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 called an end to full-power broadcasting of analog television in the United States after February 17, 2009. On February 11, 2009, President Obama signed the DTV Delay Act into law. This law changed the mandatory analog cutoff date to June 12, 2009.

The purpose of the extension is to help people get converters through the DTV Converter Box Computer Program. The initial bill did not provide enough funding; and there are now millions on the waiting list.

Consumers can learn more about this transition by reading the full FCC Consumer Advisory on Video Descriptions and the Digital Television Transition.

Top Stories Related to Blindness

Keeping up with top stories related to blindness and visual loss isn't easy. Read Top Stories Related to Blindness including topics like assistive technology, business, and talking books.


The mission of Florida Blind Services is to ensure blind and visually impaired persons living in Florida have the tools, support, and opportunity to achieve success.

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