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We need your help



Colleagues:

This is a special plea from the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB). We want to benefit from, and we want others to benefit from, your experience
and success using unix and linux professionally. We are asking you to consider joining our Careers & Technology Information Bank (CTIB).

AFB's Careers & Technology Information Bank (CTIB) is a database of information based on interviews with 2,000 blind
                                         or visually impaired people about their jobs and the technology they use.

While all CTIB members use technology professionally, very few have listed unix and linux based technologies among the tools they use on the job. We
believe this does not properly reflect the true breadth of technologies professionally used by people who are blind or visually impaired. We're asking
you to help us provide a more accurate and complete picture of employment and technology today. Please consider joining the CTIB. We would greatly
appreciate your assistance, as will those students, parents, counselors, and teachers who want to know that many careers and assistive technologies are
available to people who are blind or visually impaired. 


-- 
	
				Janina Sajka, Director
				Technology Research and Development
				Governmental Relations Group
				American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

Email: janina@xxxxxxxxxxx		Phone: (202) 408-8175

Chair, Accessibility SIG
Open Electronic Book Forum (OEBF)
http://www.openebook.org

                                                    What is the Careers and Technology Information Bank?

                                      A free service that provides information about job experience and technology...

    available to people who are blind or visually impaired and their family members, teachers, counselors, rehabilitation professionals, and employers.

                                                                     What is the CTIB?

   The American Foundation for the Blind's Careers & Technology Information Bank (CTIB) is a database of information based on interviews with 2,000 blind
                                         or visually impaired people about their jobs and the technology they use.
                      ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

                                                                 How can you use the CTIB?

                                                       If you are blind or visually impaired you can:

     * speak directly with someone in your profession or in the field you are preparing to enter
     * find a successfully employed blind or visually impaired person who is willing to discuss your career plans and serve as a mentor as you think
       about your future
     * talk with someone who is using the assistive technology you are interested in purchasing or who can answer technical questions about the product

                                                              If you are an employer you can:

     * speak to a blind or visually impaired person about how he or she functions on the job
     * learn about a wide range of jobs held by blind or visually impaired people

                                                                If you are a parent you can:

     * find a visually impaired role model for your child
     * learn of vocational possibilities for your child

                                          If you are a teacher, counselor, or rehabilitation professional you can:

     * get information about career options and nontraditional job possibilities
     * organize career workshops to put students/consumers in touch with successfully employed blind or visually impaired people
                      ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

                                                                 Who is listed in the CTIB?

                               The CTIB lists blind or visually impaired people who work in a variety of careers. Among them:

                                                                         astronomer
                                                                          attorney
                                                                          chemist
                                                                           clergy
                                                                     college professor
                                                              computer analyst and programmer
                                                                    electrical engineer
                                                             elementary and high school teacher
                                                                           farmer
                                                                    food service worker
                                                                     investment broker
                                                                         journalist
                                                                   marketing professional
                                                                          mechanic
                                                                  medical transcriptionist
                                                                          musician
                                                                           nurse
                                                                     physical therapist
                                                                         physicist
                                                                        psychologist
                                                              radio and television personality
                                                                  real estate professional
                                                                  rehabilitation counselor
                                                                      restaurant owner
                                                                       social worker
                                                                        statistician
                                                                     web site designer

     * Jobs Held by People in AFB's Careers and Technology Information Bank
     * Careers and Technology Information Bank Statistics
                      ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

                                                                   How to reach the CTIB

                                                                            CTIB
                                                             American Foundation for the Blind
                                                                  11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300
                                                                     New York, NY 10001

                                                                    Tel: (212) 502-7642
                                                                    Fax: (212) 502-7773
                                                                  E-mail: techctr@xxxxxxxxxxx
                                                                    Website: www.afb.org
                      ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

                                                                 If you are interested in:

     * receiving a list of jobs held by CTIB members
     * speaking with a member of the CTIB who is employed in a particular field
     * becoming a member of the CTIB
     * organizing a career workshop for students/consumers/rehabilitation professionals

                                                             Please complete the Interest Form.
                      ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

        The American Foundation for the Blind -- the organization to which Helen Keller devoted over 40 years of her life - is a national, nonprofit
              organization whose mission is to enable people who are blind or visually impaired to achieve equality of access and opportunity.

     The CTIB is part of AFB's National Technology Program, which focuses on evaluating and reporting on assistive technology, advocating for access to
     information technology, and expanding information about the uses of technology in the successful employment of blind or visually impaired people.


                                                   Careers and Technology Information Bank Questionnaire

    (This form cannot be filled out on-line at this time. You can either download the form or you can call 212-502-7642 to be interviewed by telephone)

                                                                    GENERAL INFORMATION

                                                                          1. Name:

                                                                    2. title: (Mr. Ms.)

                                                                     3. Street Address:

                                                                          4. City:

                                                                     5. State/Province:

                                                                      6. Postal code:

                                                                        7. Country:

                                                                       8. Home phone:

                                                                       9. Work Phone:
                                                                         Extension:

                                                                        10. E-mail:

                                                                    10a. Second e-mail:

                                                     11. Which describes your vision best at this time?
    1. No visual problem (Thank and end interview.)
    2. No useful vision
    3. little useful vision
    4. some useful vision
    5. considerable useful vision

                                                 12. At what age was your visual impairment first observed?

                        13. Please briefly describe any other impairment or health problem which might affect your ability to work.
    1. None
    2. Motion impairment involving your fingers, hands or arms.
    3. Learning disability
    4. Other

                                                                   EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

                                                              14. Are you currently a student?
    1. Yes
    2. No

                                               15. What is the highest level of education you have completed?
    1. Grade school
    2. Some high school
    3. High school graduate
    4. Some college
    5. College graduate
    6. Some post graduate study
    7. Post graduate degree

                                  16. Please list any certificates, licenses, registrations, or degrees you have acquired:

   17. Please choose from the list below any additional schooling or training you have completed by marking all that apply with an "x" following the item
                                                                          listed.
    1. a miscellaneous coursework at a school or college
    2. a certificate program
    3. a two-year degree program
    4. block time program in a craft or trade
    5. a trade or technical school program
    6. a union apprenticeship
    7. an internship (paid)
    8. a volunteer trainee position (unpaid internship)
    9. in-service training at your place of work
   10. special courses sponsored by an employer away from workplace

                                                                      JOB INFORMATION

                                                              18. Are you currently employed?
                                                                           1. Yes
                                                                    2. No (Skip to q32.)

                                                        19. Do you work for yourself or for others?
                                                                If for others, skip to Q21.
                                                                          a. Self
                                                                         b. Others

                                                        20. What product or service do you provide?

                   Please complete the following questions for primary and secondary jobs as indicated (a for primary; b for secondary).

                                                         21. a) Do you work full-time or part-time?
                                                           b) Do you work full-time or part-time?

                                              22. a) Give the number of work hours per week you usually work:
                                                b) Give the number of work hours per week you usually work:

                                              23. Are you satisfied with the number of hours you are working?
                                                                         (a) 1. Yes
                                                                    2. No, too few hours
                                                                   3. No, too many hours
                                                                         (b) 1. Yes
                                                                    2. No, too few hours
                                                                   3. No, too many hours

                                                               24. a) What is your job title?
                                                                 b) What is your job title?

                                                            25. a) What is your company's name?
                                                              b) What is your company's name?

                                           26. a) If your job is also known by some other title, please give it:
                                             b) If your job is also known by some other title, please give it:

                                       27. a) Please list the major tasks you perform and skills you use on your job:

                                         b) Please list the major tasks you perform and skills you use on your job:

                                                          28. a) How long have you held this job?
                                                            b) How long have you held this job?

                                                       29. a) What is the salary range for this job?
                                                         b) What is the salary range for this job?

                                                   30. a) What benefits are provided to you in this job?
                                                     b) What benefits are provided to you in this job?

                                        31. a) Did you secure this job before or after you became visually impaired?
                                          b) Did you secure this job before or after you became visually impaired?

                                                                JOB ACCOMMODATION/TECHNOLOGY

    32. What products do you use related to visual impairment? Please list: computer hardware, software and peripherals, reading aids, talking products
                  and optical character recognition products. List each product name, version number (where applicable) and manufacturer.

                                                    32A. Do you currently use a cellular phone or pager?
                                                  a. Yes, (please list the product name and manufacturer.)
                                                                           b. No.

                                              33. Have you received any training on the products that you use?
                                                                           1. Yes
                                                                           2. No

                                                      34. Which organizations provided your training?

                                            35. Who paid for the equipment you are currently using on your job?
    1. The interviewee
    2. The employer
    3. A state agency for the blind
    4. Other (specify)

                                              36. Please describe any job accommodations you use on your job:

                                                 37. Was the request for these accommodations initiated by:
                                                                           a. you
                                                                     b. your counselor
                                                                      c. your employer
                                                                    d. all of the above
                                                       e. none of the above (please provide details)

                                                                        FORMER JOBS

        38. What other jobs, if any, have you performed for your present employer, former employers or in self-employment? (List up to three jobs.)

                                                                 OTHER PERSONAL INFORMATION

                                                                39. What is your birth date?

                                                                40. (enter person's gender)

              41. Are you willing to be contacted by AFB or other visually impaired people about the products you use or your job experience?
    1. Yes
    2. Yes, including as a mentor for students
    3. No (skip to Q45.)
    4. Only by AFB as a product tester and participant in technology-related surveys.
    5. As both a mentor and a product tester/ survey participant.

                                              42. In what format would you prefer to receive mailings from us?
                                                                       a. Large Print
                                                                         b. Braille
                                                                 c. 3.25 inch IBM diskette
                                                                         d. e-mail

                                                         43. How would you prefer to be contacted?
    1. Work phone
    2. Home phone
    3. Letter (skip to Q46.)
    4. e-mail

                                                       44. What is the best local time to reach you?

   45. Since you prefer not being contacted, may we use the information you've given us for statistical purposes without your name being associated with
                                                                            it?
    1. Yes
    2. No

                                        46. How did you find out about our Careers and Technology Information Bank?

     47. Do you know any other visually impaired workers who might be willing to provide information about their jobs through involvement in the CTIB?

         48. Thank you very much. If you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns about this project, please contact us at [9]techctr@xxxxxxxxxxx

                                                                     49. Today's Date:
   ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

   Published: 09/27/00

   For more information please contact American Foundation for the Blind,
   via e-mail: [10]afbinfo@xxxxxxxxxxx

   Or use traditional mail services:
   American Foundation for the Blind
   11 Penn Plaza
   Suite 300
   New York, NY, 10001, USA